Pentax have announced today three updates (solely) for the K10D at the support page of their Japan website. These are a new firmware update for the K10D (version 1.2), the new software Remote Assistant 3, which requires the latest firmware version 1.2 to work with, and a minor update to the Pentax Photo Browser 3.10 to 3.11 for the support of the two long-anticipated and belated DA Star zooms. The corresponding direct links are as follows:-
http://www.pentax.co.jp/english/support/digital/k10d_s.html
http://www.pentax.co.jp/english/support/digital/remoteassistant_k10d_win.html
http://www.pentax.co.jp/english/support/digital/photo310.html
Whilst it is good to see that there is a new software from Pentax, i.e, the Remote Assistant, which had disappeared long time ago with the decline of the original *ist D (and all subsequent Pentax DSLR models do not have the Remote Assistant software to be used with), there is actually no new feature/function nor performance tweaking made available in the updated firmware and the Photo Browser, at least as officially announced.
As the Photo Browser is now able to recognise the new Star zooms, this might hint that the long delayed lenses may be marketed soon. However, Pentax still haven't stated if the new firmware version 1.2 could support the new SDM lenses or not. Maybe there is yet another update of the firmware to make thing works, as it is generally believed that the K10D firmware versions 1.11 or earlier do not support the new SDM lenses. (Update: My above guess has been wrong and it's just a wishful thinking of mine. The shipment of the DA* zooms is delayed!)
Last but not least, do note also that the software update of Photo Browser does limit to K10D users only (as stated in the official documentation contained in the above provided link), it is clear that other Pentax DSLR models are "not" supported *intentionally*. As the Photo Browser is *actually* a generic software for all Pentax DSLRs which *should* work with all Pentax DSLRs *actually* as designed, the above act of Pentax is indeed rather disappointing and it is highly questionable for their intention which can be considered as rather poor. Just say, I am a K100D user, even I do not expect any further firmware update for my K100D, why my existing Photo Browser need to be excluded from supporting the new Pentax lenses, even just for the correct display of the lens models in the Photo Browser, just because I'm not one of the K10D users? And why all those other Pentax DSLR users need to be excluded from being supported by Pentax?? Would this mean Pentax do not encourage (actually it should be "discourage") all Pentax DSLR users, except those with K10D, to buy their new lenses??? I'm afraid that this is simply called super "short vision" in my book, again, very unfortunately.
Indeed, such short-sighted behaviour of a company, which harms the benefits of both their customers and ultimately the company themselves, resulting in a lose-lose situation, is the most disappointing thing which nobody would like to see in the commercial world.