Samsung has updated their HMX-U10 with two new compact camcorders, the HMX-U20 and the HMX-U15. Both shoot 1080p video and feature time lapse recording, but bumping up to the U20 gets you 3x optical zoom.

Nothing too exciting about these updates, but their solid specs ensure that Samsung is keeping up with the Joneses in the compact camcorder category. The U20 pictured here, like the U10 before it, is slightly curved, like someone stretching out after a long slumber, but it now packs a built-in USB plug for easy transfer.

Both camcorders sport 1/2.3" CMOS sensors, with the U15 shooting 14MP stills and the U20 shooting (presumably better) 10MP stills with 3x optical zoom-action. Both offer 2" LCD screens, HDMI connectivity, and image stabilization technology.

They'll be available in black, silver, red and blue this spring—$229 for the U15 and $249 for the U20.

NEW SAMSUNG ULTRA-COMPACT CAMCORDERS MAKE IT EASY TO CAPTURE AND SHARE HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEO

HMX-U20 and HMX-U15 Offer Full HD Video, Built-in USB and HDMI Connectivity

Anaheim, CA (February 20, 2010) - Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today extended its family of ultra-compact camcorders with the introduction of two new models, the HMX-U20 and the HMX-U15. Building on the success of the Samsung HMX-U10, the new HMX-U20 and HMX-U15 bring new features and functionality to Samsung's ultra-compact camcorder family, such as a built-in USB connection, which now makes it easier than ever to not only record, but share full HD video with others. Adding even more, the new HMX-U20 now puts a true 3x optical zoom in the palm of consumers' hands, allowing for additional creativity when recording life's special memories. Both the HMX-U20 and HMX U15 will be on display during PMA 2010, February 21-23, in the Samsung booth, #2227, in the Anaheim Convention Center.
"Thanks to consumers' demand for portability and ease-of-use, the ultra-compact camcorder category has exploded in growth," said Mr. SangRyong Kim, Senior Vice President of Camcorder Team, Samsung Electronics. "The new HMX U20 and HMX-U15 offer not only portability and ease-of-use but also a number of versatile features like time-lapse recording that allow users to easily capture and share life's important moments the way they see them."

High-Quality Video and Digital Stills
The HMX-U20 and HMX-U15 come fully equipped with high-performing 1/2.3 inch CMOS sensors which help capture stunning, 1920x1080 full HD resolution video (30p / H.264). In addition, the ultra compact HMX-U20 and HMX-U15 also boast impressive digital still image capability. With the HMX U20, consumers can capture 10 mega-pixel digital still images, while the HMX-U15 shoots 14 mega-pixel digital still images. This impressive digital still capability eliminates the need for consumers to carry a separate digital camera as everything they'll need is in one, ultra-compact device. The camcorders also include Hyper Digital Image Stabilization to help produce blur-free video and the HMX U20 adds even more versatility with a true 3x optical zoom. Consumers can also get creative with their video thanks to fun and unique features such as time lapse recording, which allows users to program the camcorder to record at a pre-set interval of one image every one, five, 10 or 30 seconds. Time lapse recording is especially useful for condensing extremely long events, such as rolling clouds on a sunny day, into a short, easy to-view video.

Easy Connectivity
The HMX-U20's and HMX-U15's built-in, swing-out style USB connection gives users the ability to forego having to always carry a separate USB cable to connect and upload footage to a computer. The built-in USB connection can also recharge the camcorder's battery, eliminating the need to transport a separate charger while on-the-go. Furthermore, the HMX-U20 and HMX-U15 offer HDMI connectivity, allowing consumers to enjoy their full HD video on their HDTV.
The HMX-U20 and HMX-U15 also feature Samsung's play edit sharing program, called intelli studio. This intuitive program allows consumers to turn any computer into a mobile studio, giving them the ability to edit and play their video without having to install supporting software. Sharing is also simplified thanks to a one-touch "upload" button on the HMX-U20 and HMX-U15. When connected to a computer with an internet connection, the one-touch "upload" button links directly to popular destinations such as YouTube™, reducing the number of steps needed to upload footage to content sharing Web sites.
Designed for Portability and Comfort
The Samsung HMX-U20 and HMX-U15 are extremely portable with dimensions of just 2.1" x .61" x 4.09". In addition to their compact size, the HMX-U20 and HMX-U15 are also highlighted by a unique design that's as ergonomic as it is stylish. Designed to make the camcorders more comfortable to hold, the camcorders' bodies are angled at seven degrees which encourages a more natural grip reducing overall stress on the user's wrist and arm.
Specifications
HMX-U15 HMX-U20
Image Sensor • 1/2.3" CMOS • 1/2.3" CMOS
Lens • 1X, Auto Focus • 3X Optical Zoom
LCD • 2-inch LCD • 2-inch LCD
Image Stabilizer • Hyper Digital Image Stabilization • Hyper Digital Image Stabilization
Memory • SD/SDHC • SD/SDHC
Interface • USB 2.0 (swing-out)
• HDMI • USB 2.0 (swing-out)
• HDMI
Unique Features • 1920x1080 Full-HD Video
• 14MP Digital Stills
• H.264 Video Format
• Ultra-Compact Design
• Seven Degree Angled Grip
• HDMI Connectivity
• Built-in USB (swing-out)
• USB Charging
• Hyper Digital Image Stabilization
• Built-In intelli-studio2.0 Software
• One-Touch Upload to YouTube • 1920x1080 Full-HD Video
• 3x Optical Zoom
• H.264 Video Format
• 8MP & 10MP Digital Still
• Ultra-Compact Design
• Seven Degree Angled Grip
• HDMI Connectivity
• Built-in USB (swing-out)
• USB Charging
• Hyper Digital Image Stabilization
• Built-In intelli-studio2.0 Software
• One-Touch Upload to YouTube
Color • Black, Silver, Blue, Red Black, Silver, Blue, Red
Availability Spring 2010 Spring 2010
Pricing $229.99 $249.99
* Specifications are subject to change without notice.

The Achilles' Heel of the latest and greatest Nehalem-based Mac Pros seemed to be their trouble handling audio processing—even playing a song in iTunes reportedly caused overheating and sacked performance. Mac Pro Audio Update 1.0 offers sweet relief.

According to MacWorld, the new update, which rolled out last week, seems to help the matter both in terms of cooling temperatures and reclaiming processing power.

In a series of tests, they determined that installing the update resulted in a significantly quicker Aperture import and Compressor encoding with the machine simultaneously running iTunes—19% and 16% improvements, respectively. After the update, the Mac Pro's CPU was also running 30 degrees cooler and sucking less power from the CPU and power supply.

The update is currently only for Snow Leopard machines, so Leopard users, who have also reported the problem, will have to wait a bit longer to get things sorted. [MacWorld]

Vitra, a Swiss furniture manufacturer, recently completed the Vitrahaus as a presentation space for their collection. Yes, that's a real photograph. The building's comprised of 12 stacked "houses," and if you can believe it, the inside is no less stunning.

Designed by Herzog and de Meuron, Vitrahaus's large, house-shaped windows provide various views of the surrounding area during the day—it is located on the border of Germany and Switzerland, in the town of Weil am Rhein—but at night the focus flips, with the windows becoming glowing portals into which passersby can peer.

The inside is clean and minimalist which lets Vitra's colorful furniture take center stage. Each room has a touch screen, on which visitors can browse through Vitra's catalog, learn more about particular pieces, or purchase furniture right there on the spot. High design and high tech.

We've oogled some of the company's chairs before, but I must say I'd rather be standing in the Vitrahaus than sitting in a Vitra.

DesignBoom, who headed out to Vitra's campus to take these photographs, has plenty more information and pictures of the exterior and interior on their site. [DesignBoom]

A Cornell University professor analyzed 150 of the highest grossing movies of the last 70 years. The more recent the movie, he found, the closer it adhered to the mathematical formula that describes the human attention span.

In the 1990s, researchers at University of Texas in Austin determined that our attention spans could be described by the 1/f fluctuation, a pattern representing the ebb and flow of our concentration over a period of time. In a new study, professor James Cutting found that the more recent the blockbuster, the more closely the length of its shots followed that same fluctuation.

Whereas Detour, made in 1945, has shots that only vaguely correspond to the 1/f fluctuation, the 2005 King Kong remake stays surprisingly snug with the attention span wave.

As Cutting explains, this increasing correlation means that films "resonate with the rhythm of human attention spans," but just because movies are increasingly pleasing to our subconscious minds doesn't mean that we will necessarily like them more: the Star Wars prequels strictly followed the formula. [PhysOrg and PopSci]

Sezmi, a company that seeks to offer an affordable alternative to cable TV providers and their bloated packages, has now opened shop for those living in the Los Angeles area. For the last few months Sezmi has quietly been wrapping up beta testing, but now Californians in the area can head into a local Best Buy and free themselves from the chains of the TV tyrants.

The hardware costs $300, which includes an indoor antenna and a 1TB hard drive, and the montly fee is $5 for for the broadcast digital channels or $20 for basic cable, all of which are rolled into Sezmi's DVR. The system includes on demand movies and YouTube content if you plug into ethernet, all of which is accessible through an individually-tailored homepage. If you're fed up with your provider, Sezmi might be someone to turn to. [Sezmi via NY Times]