Weekly high-tech product releases: Nokia X3, Samsung Epic 4G, Nikon COOLPIX S1100pj

High-tech product releases announced the week ending August 17 include the first Touch and Type phone from Nokia, Samsung's Epic 4G, the ultimate iPad chair, a digital camera with its own projector, a camera that captures true 3D and a 3D TV for small rooms.

A mobile that makes the familiar futuristic
Nokia's first Touch and Type device, the X3, bridges the gap between smartphone and feature phone, combining smartphone features such as a touchscreen, designer looks, and 3G and WiFi connectivity with the older-styled 12-button keypad. Nokia's diminutive X3 phone comes with a 5 megapixel, 4x digital zoom camera, dedicated music and messaging keys, access to Nokia's Ovi Store, email, social networking, FM radio, and Bluetooth2.1. The X3 is priced at €125 and is due to go on sale in China, Ireland & UK, Russia, Australia & New Zealand, Singapore, Germany, Spain & Portugal, France, Mexico and Saudi & Yemen this quarter with additional markets due to follow shortly.

The first 4G-capable Galaxy S smartphone
Samsung's Epic 4G is a hotly anticipated addition to Samsungs Galaxy S line of smartphones. The Android-powered device is made for data-hungry on-the-go entertainment. The phone packs in a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard; a 4 inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display; a 1 GHz processor; a 5 MP camera with autofocus, LED flash 4x digital zoom and 720p video recording; a front-facing VGA camera; mobile hotspot capability for up to five WiFi enabled devices; and access to more than 65,000 applications in the Android Market. The Epic 4G is priced at $249.99 on a two-year contract (after a $100 mail-in rebate). It will go on sale on August 31.

The "ultimate" iPad chair
Elite Home Theater Seating, a company specialized in handcrafted home theater furniture, has created what it believes is the ultimate iPad accessory - a luxury chair that will make you feel like you are the captain of your own Starship Enterprise. Pricing for Elite Home Theater Seating's luxury iPad chair starts from around $2495. A Premium Package with adjustable headrest, Tactile Motion Transducers, high-power Crownson Amplifier, Luxa H4 iPad Holder, and motorized recline will set you back around $5995 per chair.

A point and shoot camera that has its own integrated projector
Nikon's COOLPIX S1100pj is an innovative camera that ships with a built in projector. The S1100pj is modeled on the Nikon's more expensive s1000pj camera but arrives with updated features including a 40 percent brighter projector, the ability to project images directly from a PC via USB, a higher resolution and larger 3 inch touchscreen LCD display, the ability to capture 14.1 megapixel images, and 720p video recording. The COOLPIX S110pj starts shipping in September for $349.95.

A point and shoot camera that takes true 3D images, HD movies
Fujifilm was the first to introduce the world's first compact consumer 3D camera and are now updating it with the FinePix Real 3D W3. The FinePix W3 is lighter and smaller than the original and ships with a better quality autostereoscopic 3.5 inch LCD screen, an Auto 3D mode, the ability to record 720p HD movies, and HDMI 1.4 out. The FinePix Real 3D W3 digital camera will start shipping in early September for $499.95.

Popular 3D plasma TV range gets a cheaper, smaller brother
Panasonic has introduced its first 42 inch VIERA GT25 3D TV to its line of Full HD 3D Plasma TVs. The 42 inch P42GT25 TV is built for consumers that want the 3D experience without the obnoxious, over-sized screen (or price tag). The P42GT25 comes with Panasonic's VIERA CAST (an internet-connected service that enables access to Netflix, Pandora, YouTube, Skype and Twiter via the TV), 1080p Full HD resolution, and 2D to 3D conversion. The P42GT25 sells for $1699.95 (3D glasses are sold separately) and will be available in late August.