The new STR-DA4400ES, STR-DA3400ES and STR-DA2400ES receivers feature sophisticated A/V technology supporting 1080/24p video signals, the latest audio codecs (Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, dts High Resolution Audio and dts HD Master Audio) and Faroudja DCDi Cinema® technology for upscaling all video sources to 1080p when connected via HDMI to a compatible high-definition television. The STR-DA4400ES 7.1 channel receiver has a 120-watt amplifier (8 ohms, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 0.09 percent THD), six HDMI inputs and DSD decoding through HDMI. It offers high-definition video distribution to a second zone, audio distribution to three zones and picture-in-picture for monitoring of multi-zone output or an external video source. The STR-DA3400ES 7.1 channel receiver has a 100-watt power amplifier (8 ohms, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 0.09 percent THD), four HDMI inputs, a 12-volt trigger, IR repeater and high-definition video distribution to a second zone (composite). The STR-DA2400ES 7.1 channel receiver has a 100-watt power amplifier (8 ohms, 20 Hz – 20 kHz, 0.09 percent THD), a basic icon-driven graphic user interface and four HDMI inputs…

The DC 30 collar’s main housing is weighted to sit below the dog’s neck, while a small, low-profile GPS antenna is integrated into the collar strap and positioned on top of the dog’s neck, providing a clear view of satellites with minimal rotation. The transmitter antenna originates from the lower housing, and has been redesigned for more flexibility and ruggedness. No counterbalance or harness is needed. The weight for the transmitter plus antenna is 4.1 ounces, and the entire DC 30 weighs just 8.7 ounces. The Astro GPS Dog Tracking System requires very little configuration straight out of the box, and is extremely simple to use. Once the transmitter and receiver acquire a GPS signal, the receiver automatically lets users know the location of their dog. Unlike old radio telemetry collars, the Astro features a dog page that shows the precise direction and distance to a dog – even indicating if it is running, on point, or treeing quarry – and does it all without the annoyance of beeper collars…

Small children have limited powers of expression for helping with adjusting the hearing device to suit them. In addition, their perception of sound is different from that of a teenager, for example. Because the ear is growing, the otoplastic – in other words, the part of the hearing device that sits inside the opening of the ear – has to be easy for the acoustician to change. Overall, children’s hearing devices must be extremely robust, and the older children become, the more important optical and technological criteria are. At the same time, hearing and understanding are very important for children’s development. Siemens has now succeeded in developing the new “Explorer” children’s hearing aid, which for the first time fulfils the needs of children’s different developmental phases in a single device. Not only does “Explorer” sit comfortably behind the child’s ear, it also has a particularly high output volume (up to 85 dB). At the same time, the frequency range has been expanded because clinical trials have shown that this improves the ability of hearing-impaired children to understand the spoken word and enables them to learn to speak more easily. For school use, the “Explorer” can be connected to a radio adapter that transmits the voice of a microphone-wearing teacher straight into the hearing device…

The new Logitech webcam uses a voice coil motor for its autofocus system, instead of a stepper motor. Focusing is fast and fluid – crisp even in extreme close-ups only 10 cm from the camera lens. Logitech’s autofocus system compensates for changes in image-edge sharpness and refocuses images in less than three seconds. And through its exclusive collaboration with Carl Zeiss, Logitech ensures that the lens meets the world-renowned Zeiss standards for design and manufacturing to achieve superior sharpness in a compact, lightweight design. The new Logitech webcam is also plug and play right out of the box, so you can make a video call immediately – no software required. When using your webcam to capture video to store on disk or send to friends, the QuickCam Vision Pro records sharp video clips in the 720p high-definition (HD) video format (960-by-720 pixels). The 2-megapixel sensor helps the Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro webcam for Mac capture video images in high resolution…