Cannon EOS Rebel XTi i00

The update to the EOS Rebel XTi, the XSi sports a huge 3-inch live view LCD screen, the fastest burst mode on a Rebel to date (3.5 fps for up to 53 JPEGs and 6 RAWs). We were disappointed by the relatively low maximum ISO setting of ISO 1600, but the live viewfinder looks great on the large screen, and Canon also added a convenient new dedicated ISO button on the top of the camera. They finally broke down and switched to SD/SDHC memory cards from the faster Compact Flash, aiming directly at the consumer switching from a point-and-shoot to a DSLR, aka the majority of the market for entry-level DSLRs. It has an increasingly popular self-cleaning system on its sensor, which shakes off dust upon startup, shutdown or use of the "clean now" function. Aesthetically the XSi is similar to its predecessor, but has a slightly different grip and the aforementioned ISO button. Release: April 2008.
Pros: SD/SDHC card slot, live view LCD
Cons: Low maximum ISO setting.

Hands-on with the Sony NV-u83t GPS navigator

The NV-U83T nav-u is one of 2 new GPS devices Sony debuted at CES. The U83T includes all the features of its sister unit, the U73T -- a 4.3-inch screen; text-to-speech, real-time traffic and gesture command controls; nearly 5 million points of interest; 2GB of embedded memory -- but with the addition of Bluetooth hands-free calling capability and Sony's "Position Plus" engine, which offers an approximate location when the unit can't connect to the GPS satellite. The U83T will be available in February and will retail for about $500. Release: January 2008.
Pros: Position Plus works when GPS doesn't
Cons: Pricey.

Hands-on with the 1-inch thick Toshiba REGZA XF HDTV

One interesting trend in HDTVs at CES is the new "slim bezel," like the ones found in Toshiba's new REGZA XF550 line. The bezel refers to the frame around the glass of the HDTV; ideally, HDTVs strive to have as small a plastic chassis as possible. Toshiba is promoting the XF550 as "Super Narrow Bezel," barely a 1-inch thick from the end of the TV to the glass. A slim bezel might not sound like a feature that will make you run out and buy an HDTV, but it actually does look amazing when you compare it to thicker models side by side. Release: January 2008.
Pros: A Super Narrow Bezel that's barely 1-inch thick
Cons: Pricing not announced .

Hands-on with the Samsung BlackJack II

The new Samsung BlackJack II will easily be mistaken for the original BlackJack. It looks like an update, but retains many of the same styling cues and angles of the original smartphone. The most significant difference on the phone is the new click wheel navigation pad. The pad actually spins, which seems strange, considering Samsung's affinity for touch sensitive buttons, and the fact that scroll wheels are one input method for which touch sensitivity has actually worked. In any case, we gave the wheel a spin, and it felt nice and smooth. Unfortunately, it didn't have a great effect on the interface. Much like the jog wheel that used to grace the BlackJack, the scroll wheel moves up and down through the menus, but Windows Mobile just isn't an OS designed for scrolling. Multiple columns weren't linked smoothly. Perhaps an overlay is called for, something like the effort Motorola went to on their Verizon Wireless implementation of the Q9m. And, while we talking about the updated Q, let's have our first inevitable comparison between the two devices. Both the new Q9 and the new BlackJack II are underwhelming updates. These are definitely evolutionary steps, streamlining the form factor, while leaving the feature sets mostly in line with what we've seen before, with few surprises. Samsung has surprised us recently. During our trip to Korea, Samsung showed us the SGH-i550, which uses the Symbian smartphone OS, but also features a trackball as well as GPS for navigation. The scroll wheel might be an interesting new idea to improve upon the jog wheel, but it doesn't offer the real 2-D navigation that a trackball can provide. The keyboard seems a bit nicer than the original BlackJack, though not much different. Thankfully, Samsung has rearranged the number keys, and taken out the strange spacer key in between each, a design choice on the older phone we couldn't get into. We're also interested to see more business phones support AT&T's Video Share service, but we're still a bit jaded from our Korea trip, where similar versions of this phone had full video-conferencing capabilities, and not just AT&T's one-way service.

Logitech, Carl Zeiss unveil QuickCam Pro 9000 HD webcam

Logitech today unveiled the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 and the Logitech QuickCam Pro for notebooks, featuring lenses designed in collaboration with Carl Zeiss. Having recently shipped its 50 millionth webcam, Logitech aims to provide image-perfect details and clarity when making video calls with the new QuickCam Pro webcams. Both webcams sport a Carl Zeiss Tessar lens that should deliver better sharpness while still maintaining the webcams' light weight and compact size. The webcams also offer an autofocus that according to Logitech refocuses images in less than three seconds. This could especially be helpful when shooting close-ups (up to 10 cm from the camera lens). Claimed to work seamlessly with video messaging applications such as Skype, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and AIM; both webcams capture videos in the 720p high-definition (HD) format at up to 30 frames per second. Accompanied by a 2 Megapixel sensor, RightSound and RightLight 2 technology, Logitech claims that the webcams can make video calls with sharp images, reduced background noise and automatic light adjustment. The Logitech QuickCam Pro and Pro 9000 will be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in July, and will retail for $100 US.

Hands-on with the Dell XPS 16:9 Full HD laptop

One of the most interesting laptops on display at CES, this 16-inch concept laptop from Dell can offer true 16:9 HD perspective, unlike the 16:10 most laptops are limited to. In other words, you'd be able to watch HD movies on your notebook without any black bars on the top and bottom of the screen. The problem is, glass manufacturers who make displays for notebooks don't like building custom sizes, so we may never get to see this concept realized. Still, Dell is probably one of the few OEMs with enough purchasing power to make something like this become a reality. Release: January 2008.
Pros: True 16:9 perspective for watching HD movies
Cons: May never become a reality

Samsung SC-HMX20C

We were thoroughly impressed by the specs on the SC-HMX20C, with Full HD 1080p recording @30fps, a 2.7-inch touchscreen as well as HDMI output and an included docking cradle. We were surprised to see a high-speed shooting mode (300fps), but unfortunately it doesn't record in HD. Samsung definitely chose the fastest and most versatile of storage modes, with 8GB of internal flash memory, along with an SDHC slot for expandable memory. If it performs as well as its stats sheet looks, it should be a winner. Release: June 2008.
Pros: 1080p video, internal and expandable flash storage, high speed shooting .

T-Mobile Sidekick LX

We snap open the lid on the new Sidekick LX, a slim update to the Sidekick 3 that improves on some key areas. So why did we leave wanting more?Design - Good The Sidekick design is still fun to use, but getting a little old to us. The Sidekick LX offers few improvements. We prefer the new keyboard, which has a soft-touch, grippy feel to it, and nice, bubbly keys that are easy to use. In fact, the Sidekick LX has one of the nicest keyboards we've seen on a QWERTY phone, and we've seen quite a few recently. The trackball feels a bit loose to us, though. Also, though we like a wealth of programmable buttons, the Sidekick almost seems to have too many, and the shoulder buttons are a bit out of the way. We often forgot they were there, and we certainly forgot the endless combinations of button presses that may be convenient, but have a steep learning curve. The interface is mostly unchanged from previous Sidekicks, which isn't a bad thing, but we're not sure how much time the menu system has left. Competing against the stodgy larger carriers, T-Mobile's Sidekick OS, originally designed by Danger, a company with Mac OS design roots, was a refreshingly usable change from the ordinary. Now, though, with slick offerings from Apple and Helio, and even the most reserved carriers, like Verizon Wireless, souping up their screens for improved usability and a better look, Sidekick is going to have to do a bit more. We like the semi-circular home screen menu, but it barely makes use of the trackball, which actually goes unnoticed by much of the Sidekick's apps. Thankfully, our biggest complaint with previous models has been fixed. The screen on the new Sidekick LX, which we've heard is a descendant of Sharp's excellent Aquos televisions, is much improved from previous models. Still, though it may be leaps and bounds better than the Sidekick iD, it isn't as nice as the screen on our iPhone. The Sidekick's screen displays up to 65,000-colors at a 400 by 240 pixel widescreen resolution. Compare that to the iPhone's screen, which has a 480 by 360 resolution, or any of the ultra-sharp screens on Nokia's N-Series devices, like the N95, which can display millions of colors. The Sidekick LX's screen may be a huge improvement, but it only brings the family of devices to where they should have been years ago. Calling - Very good We weren't crazy about calls on the Sidekick, which sounded hollow, and suffered from some static buzzing. Also, the design of the phone requires you to flip open the lid for dialing, then close it again for calls. This might have been fun the first couple of times, on the Sidekick 2, but by now, there should be another way. We did appreciate the Sidekick's interesting and unique method for handling contacts. You can upload .csv files from your favorite programs, but all contacts are handled on a T-Mobile-run Web site, and not on the phone, or through an intermediary program. Once you add or change a contact online, it is changed over the air by the network. This seems like the right answer for contact handling, and though it takes an extra step for Outlook users and their ilk, ultimately there is nothing more convenient than having online access and editing power over your address book. The phone packs most of our favorite calling features, including Bluetooth for handsfree and a good speakerphone. Conference calling is available, but requires some menu digging, and we're just not loving the menu digging experience on the Sidekick anymore. Voice dialing is completely absent, which is tough for drivers, but perhaps the target audience for the Sidekick only has a learner's permit. Messaging – Very good There was a time when the messaging abilities of the Sidekick floored us. Between the multiple e-mail accounts, solid IM client and MMS messaging, the Sidekick seemed an unbeatable powerhouse. The Sidekick is still a very good messaging phone, but the core features haven't seen much of an upgrade. E-mail, IM and MMS are all still available, but where is the innovation? Apple's iPhone improved upon voice messaging, and even Windows Mobile supports more robust, html-encoded e-mails. The Sidekick was innovative when it was released, but in terms of messaging, it has only maintained its position, and not developed a new killer app for messaging phones. Thankfully, the Sidekick still dominates in terms of hardware design. The new Sidekick LX has the most comfortable keyboard of any Sidekick, and perhaps any messaging phone. We're simultaneously looking at a new AT&T Tilt, which represents the pinnacle of HTC's slide-out keyboard design, and we honestly prefer the Sidekick, with its wider keyboard and grippy, textured keys. We like the @ symbol that doesn't require a shift-key. We even find the side ridges less drastic, more comfortable when the display swings open. Multimedia - Good It's almost sad to compare the Sidekick, in terms of multimedia, to phones that we have enjoyed much less. Though we wouldn't prefer phones like the Samsung U740 and the LG enV to the Sidekick, on Verizon's V Cast network, at least these two messaging phones have real 3G features, like an over the air music store and some video content. They may not be ideal vessels for such features, but the enV even packs GPS, which is great in a pinch. For the Sidekick, you get a good faith attempt at a real music player, with a pop-up window and some good controls, thanks to the Sidekick's excellent input options. But you don't get the real 3G stuff, at least not until T-Mobile finally launches its high-speed network. Web browsing – Very good Admittedly, the Sidekick LX's browser is slow, as it relies on EDGE networks for data. But it isn't torturously slow, though we have been using an iPhone, though not exclusively, for a few months now. The browser can only display pages in one column, and scrolling a long page, like our graphically-rich siite, can be annoying. The trackball doesn't accelerate, so you'll be flicking it endlessly, just as you would a trackwheel or 5-way pad. Again, we wish that the Sidekick would bring some innovation, or at least put the trackball to real use, but instead, we were disappointed. Though the browsers prowess was undeniable, it hardly refused or stumbled on a page, this is de rigueur for a top-notch phone these days, and the best devices are bringing Flash enhancement, or some form of YouTube playback. The Sidekick LX does feature a MySpace client designed special for the device, so do a few other phones (and we've moved on to Facebook, anyway). Accessories The Sidekick LX does come with a healthy palette of accessories. You'll get stereo headphones and a microSD card for storing music and photos, though 128mb is really palty these days, especially in this memory format. The device also comes with a USB cord, over which it can charge. A carrying case is included, which is more of a rarity these days. Value The Sidekick LX, at $300, is comparable in price to the Helio Ocean, though the latter device can be had for $50 with sales and promotions. The Sidekick costs the same as the AT&T Tilt, and though that phone is a more serious, business-style smartphone, as such it offers plenty of features the Sidekick lacks, such as Wi-Fi, a touch screen and GPS, among others. Instead, it should compete more directly with the AT&T Duo, which costs $100 less, though perhaps any Windows Mobile phone is a poor comparison. In which case, the Sidekick is only $100 less than an iPhone. We think it should either be cheaper, or, better yet, packed with a few more features to increase the value at this price.
Pros:Improves upon the fun design and great keyboard of past Sidekicks. Screen is dramatically improved. Messaging is still very capable, though not much improved. Online address book is the way to go.
Cons:Doesn't update features significantly. Lacks GPS, 3G network and other key hardware features. Interface could make better use of trackball.
Conclusion:
At one point, the Sidekick dominated one of our messaging duel reviews, and it is still an admirable messaging phone. However, better devices surpassed the Sidekick 3 months ago, and the new Sidekick LX does little to improve on the older design. The new screen is top notch, what we've been asking for all this time, and the new keyboard is an improvement even over the Sidekick 3. However, it was not enough to simply fix what was broken. With this new device, we wanted to see a bit more, and see it grow the messaging category beyond the breadth of phones now coming to the market. Undoubtedly, the Sidekick brand will live on, and we hope to see a new device fully up to speed (3G speed?) when the time comes.

HTC Touch Cruise

Offering GPS navigation and worldwide calling and data capabilities, HTC today unveiled its new Touch Cruise.
HTC launched the HTC Touch Cruise today, featuring built-in GPS for personal navigation. HTC has chosen TomTom to provide their navigation software. Taking advantage of HTC's TouchFLO technology, the Touch Cruise offers pretty much the same user interface as the original HTC Touch. The HTC Home screen provides one-touch access to e-mails, text messages, calendar appointments and contacts, and users can sweep their finger up the display to launch an animated, three-dimensional interface comprised of three screens: Contacts, Media and Applications. The interface can be spun by swiping a finger right or left across the display. The new Touch Cruise boasts 3.6 Mbps HSDPA connectivity (supports AT&T's network) plus Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0. It also offers a 2.8" QVGA screen, and is powered by Windows Mobile 6. Other key features include a 3-megapixel camera with autofocus, FM radio and a microSD memory card slot. A second camera offering VGA resolution video calling for European users. The Touch Cruise also comes with quad-band GSM/EDGE support. HTC claims a battery life of up to 7 hours of talk time. The Touch Cruise weighs in at 130 g and measures 110 by 58 by 15.5 mm. The HTC Touch Cruise will be available as an unlocked phone in December 2007.

Sony Ericsson Z555

We criticized Sony Ericsson for not bringing enough 3G multimedia phones to the U.S. market, and less than a month later they are finally listening to us! We definitely like some of the new ideas we see in this phone, especially the enhancements for gaming. Sony should have already taken the lead in gaming phones, so a phone with motion-sensitive input and some dedicated gaming controls is a nice forward step. AT&T would be wise to pick this phone up. Release: June 2008.
Pros: Great walkman music player. Fast 3G using worldwide HSDPA bands (including the U.S.). Motion sensor and dedicated buttons for better gaming control.
Cons: Are any carriers going to pick this up, or will we be paying $500 for it? Also, where is the PSP phone for real mobile phone gaming?

Dell offers (PRODUCT) RED XPS models in fight against AIDS in Africa

Donating a laptop to some of the world's poorest children via the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) program is not the only way technology is coming together to help people in developing nations. Texas-based Dell Computer Co. is announcing this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland the availability of (RED) themed XPS models. For each purchase, Dell and Microsoft will make a combined donation of $50-$80 (depending on the model) to the Global Fund. Four products in Dell's catalog will be available in (RED): the XPS One, the XPS M1330, XPS M1530 and the 948 All-in-One printer. Each unit will be painted with bright red colors and accents and the distinctive (PRODUCT) RED branding. All the computers will be outfitted with Intel Core 2 Duo processors, Windows Vista Ultimate along with six unique (PRODUCT) RED wallpapers, a screensaver and two Windows Sidebar gadgets. According to Dell, an $80 contribution generated by the choice of a (PRODUCT) RED all-in-one PC is equivalent to more than six months of life-saving antiretroviral treatment for an individual living with AIDS in Africa. One hundred percent of the funds contributed go to Global Fund-financed grants in Africa.

Hands-on with the HP Pavilion HDX 20.1-inch laptop

This 20.1-inch monster has been around for a while, but at CES HP unveiled a graphics update from ATI's Mobility Radeon 2600 XT with Nvidia's GeForce 8800 GTS. This 20.1-inch notebook space is really a two-horse race between the HDX and Dell's XPS M2010, and the 8800 GTS gives the HDX a slight leg up. HP also announced at the show that a Blu-ray/HD-DVD combo drive would be made available as an option, although with Warner Bros' pre-show announcement of its alignment with the Blu-ray camp, that made have rendered that a moot point. Release: January 2008.
Pros: Updated with Nvidia's 8800 graphics
Cons: Still a monstrous size .

Fujitsu updates LifeBook P1620 tablet with latest Intel CPU

Fujitsu updated its P1620 convertible tablet with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor during CES, giving a performance boost to its 8.9-inch ultraportable touchscreen notebook. Designed for primarily for business customers in the healthcare, sales and supply chain industries that need the touchscreen interface and in a form factor that's highly portable, Fujitsu is also including its Portshutter "data leak prevention software" on the updated P1620. Weighing approximately 2.2 pounds, the P1620 includes embedded TPM and a fingerprint sensor for extra security, Microsoft Office OneNote 2007 and gigabit Ethernet.

Nokia N95 8GB gets AT&T HSDPA support

Nokia announced today that it is optimizing the Nokia N95 8GB for networks using 850/1900 MHz HSDPA, meaning AT&T Wireless' network. Besides the 8GB memory, the Nokia N95 8GB comes with a 2.8-inch QVGA screen with support for up to 16 million colors, A-GPS positioning for improved location access and enhanced battery life. Based on the Symbian S60 3rd Edition software, consumers can personalize their Nokia N95 8GB by adding mobile applications, including games, navigation, entertainment, productivity and creativity. The smartphone also features a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and autofocus and Wi-Fi connectivity. The upcoming N-Gage games service will also be supported. The Nokia N95 8GB will also support Nokia Share Online 3.0, which will enable users to upload photos and videos with one click to Flickr or Vox. The Nokia N95 8GB smartphone has an estimated retail price of $750 and will start shipping to Nokia NSeries retailers across the United States as online e-tailers during the first quarter of 2008.

The SP-560UZ is smaller than a D-SLR, larger than the average point-and-shoot and packs a whopping 18x zoom lens.

Design – Very Good The SP-560UZ sports a standard 2.5-inch LCD screen; what didn’t seem so standard was the electronic viewfinder located directly above it. The viewfinder--which has given way to larger and clearer LCD monitors on most digital cameras--has an explicit advantage over LCD monitors. On single lens reflex cameras, the image you see through the viewfinder is exactly what the lens sees, and is exactly what is being captured by the image sensor. Unfortunately, the SP-560UZ does not have a single lens reflex, so the electronic viewfinder simply shows a smaller representation of the image can be shown on the LCD monitor. So while it may externally look like an SLR, it still has the guts of a classic point-and-shoot. The buttons were almost flush to the surface of the back on the camera, and we had mixed feelings about the main circle of buttons. We liked the directional ring that encircled the section of buttons, but it made the four buttons directly inside of the ring very difficult to press. We liked both the location of the zoom toggle switch (surrounding the shutter button) and the location of the selector wheel (on top as opposed to on the back). But the flash switch was on the left side, leaving it as the only thing preventing the SP-560UZ from being capable of one-handed use. To be fair, the left side is the default location for such a switch on a D-SLR, but since the SP-560UZ is considerably more compact than a D-SLR, we thought maybe Olympus would take this into consideration and put it on the right side. Externally, the SP-560UZ takes the D-SLR form factor and shrinks it down a bit. The large lens requires an external lens cap, and the included neck strap reinforces its identity as a baby SLR. We liked the rubber hand grips, and simply put, the SP-560UZ looks a little more serious than your average point-and-shoot. Shooting Features – Very Good In the world of digital cameras, it doesn’t take long to realize how little the sensor matters and how important the lens quality is. There are many point-and-shoot models, including those made by Olympus, that have 9, 10 and 12 megapixels, far more than the 8 megapixel sensor found on the SP-560UZ. But the 18x zoom, wide-angle Olympus ED Lens is clear and crisp enough that 8 megapixels is more than you’ll ever need. ISO settings reaching 3200 and a vast array of shutter speed options meant more manual customization that we’re used to on a point-and-shoot. As we do with every Olympus camera we review, we had brand-related xD card problems, unable to use features like panorama because our memory card was not an Olympus brand. Our feelings on this subject have been voiced before, and for the sake of this review, we just pretended those features didn’t exist. The 25 different scene modes was the best we’ve seen on an Olympus camera, but they’re still lagging behind some of the competition. Start-up time was about average, taking close to five seconds to go from a fully “off” position to completing the first picture. However, each subsequent shot could take only a fraction of a second, with a hi-speed burst mode of up to 15 frames per second. We also liked the RAW format option, something we usually only see on a D-SLR. There was even a calendar feature, allowing you to view your photos organized in an on-screen calendar showing when each photo was taken. Image Quality - Very Good Despite its official point-and-shoot status, the SP-560UZ looks serious, and for good reason; it takes seriously good pictures. The 27mm wide-angle 18x zoom lens takes up about half of the camera's body, but it gives it versatility that shirt-pocket sized cameras just can't match. Whether indoors or out, in a studio or in a car, we were able to get great shots with minimal effort. The flash's range was impressive; our biggest beef with it was that it wasn't automatic, we had to push a mechanical button to release it. The zoom lens was unequivocally amazing, and we used it every chance we got. Often times we found ourselves disappointed that it didn't go farther; then we removed our eye from the viewfinder and saw how far away we actually were. Such foolish notions of inadequacy were quelled immediately. Samples
Shot taken with Indoor scene modeThis shot, in a well-lit apartment; notice the detail in the foreground (wood grains on the chair) as well as the background (tiles on floor).
Shot taken with full autoThis shot does a good job of showing the wide and deep focal range of the lens; with an infinite vanishing point, it still captures the building, cars, street and trees beautifully.
Shot taken with Macro modeWhile the attractiveness of the subject may be debatable, the level of detail on this shot is not; from the creases in the leather on the couch, to the sweat on the subject's forehead and the hair on his face, everything is captured in exceptional detail. Admittedly, we were surprised to see a video feature on this camera. Maybe it was because we found ourselves having to constantly be reminded that this wasn't an SLR, but whatever the origin for our preconceived notion was, the fantastic lens helped the SP-560UZ captures some exceptionally clear video. We were disappointed by the lack of a widescreen format option, and after shooting with it for a short while, we imagined that with a camera of this size HD video was certainly possible (the Kodak EasyShare Z1275 is a less than stellar example). But as far as we're concerned, if you're going to go all out, you might as well do it with every format. All that being said, the video mode was above average, and the VGA (640x480) resolution was certainly helped by the massive lens. The in-camera editing options weren't mind-blowing, but were certainly above-average. We were able to shrink, crop and edit color, as well as add a frame or a label to our photos. Rounding out the in-camera post-production capabilities are the calendar (we assume for use with pictBridge, another feature of the SP-560UZ), presentation layout and an expression changer, which can literally turn your subject's frown upside down. The features were some of the more useful that we've seen, but we generally don't find ourselves using in-camera editing features. Especially not useless automatic editing options like “red eye fix” and “lighting fix.” Other than in cases of an extreme close-up, how are you supposed to see red eye in a group photo on a 2.5-inch LCD? Image Transfer - Very Good The current version of Olympus’ camera software, Olympus Master 2, is one of the better proprietary pieces of transfer software we’ve seen. It can be set to start immediately upon connection of a camera or card (the convenience of which is debatable). When you load the software, you can import your pictures from the "My Pictures" folder on your computer, or if you have previous versions of the Olympus software, you can import from those as well. Upon startup, a quick-start guide pops up, which remains on top of the screen as you follow the directions it gives you. Considering it obstructs the view of the program, it's a bit cumbersome. It would have been nice for the guide and the functions to be integrated, or at least dedicate a part of the screen to the guide so we could follow along as we performed the tasks. The software has lots of editing options, allowing you to adjust brightness, contrast, color, tone and gamma, with auto and fully manual settings. We liked that the software worked with Macintosh computers, providing considerably more editing options than iPhoto, if an admittedly less aesthetically pleasing experience. For those not looking to splurge on Photoshop, this seems like a pretty solid and easy-to-use photo editing option, one of the better that we've seen. It would have been nice to have an e-mail option within the program, however. Transfers with the USB 2.0 cable were fast, especially with the 1920x1080 shots we took, taking a mere seconds to transfer. We suspect shots taken at full resolution would take considerably longer. One thing we especially didn’t like about the USB cable was its proprietary connector. While this particular model seems to use a connector that is a bit more common than one we recently saw on Olympus' FE-300, the fact that Olympus cameras that require different cables is still ludicrous. The memory card was again an issue; we were yet again troubled by the required xD card. More expensive ($39.99) than the 1GB SD cards we saw at our local big-box retailer ($21.99), and this is in addition to the aforementioned fact that in order to access certain features (like Panorama), you need an Olympus brand xD card. This is nothing short of shameful. If they want to include special features on their brand of cards, the least they could do is include one with the camera. Accessories - Good The Accessories included with the SP-560UZ were pretty basic, consisting of a USB 2.0 cable, a proprietary A/V cable and a software CD-ROM. The neck strap and lens cap, while nice, seemed to be more of a necessary evil. The best accessory, however--the TCON-17 conversion lens--was not included. Neither was a rechargeable battery, which irked us. We hate the idea of lugging around packs of AA batteries for when the camera's get drained, although in its defense, our batteries didn't expire once during the extensive testing period. We also like camera docks (which this did not have), but we don't see this beast mating too well with one.
Pros:18x zoom lens, excellent anti-shake, bevy of manual settings
Cons:Bulky for a point-and-shoot, manual flash release, xD memory card
Conclusion:
Our first thought when testing this camera was that it would be too big; we like cameras that fit in our shirt pockets, letting us take them anywhere. But the images we got from the SP-560UZ were so good, we found ourselves finding excuses to take it along. The zoom was stunning and the options were plentiful; we see this as a perfect bridge between the point-and-shoot market and the D-SLR market, a great way for someone looking to take better pictures without taking the leap and spending $800 on a D-SLR.
85%Very good

The newest update to the slim-line Z series, the FinePix z100fd seems tailor-made for those who want to see and be seen.

FujiFilm announced today the launch of their latest Z-series model, the FinePix Z100fd. An update to the FinePix Z5fd, the Z100fd comes in four color combinations and is targeted at style-conscious users. The 19.8mm thick, 8-MegaPixel point-and-shoot packs a mid-range Fujinon 5x optical zoom lens (36mm-180mm equivalent) and a 2.7-inch, 230k pixel LCD with scratch-free reinforced glass coating. ISO settings reach up to 1600 at full resolution. The camera's Dual Image Stabilization combines a mechanically stabilized CCD with high ISO sensitivities to eliminate blur, and the face detection technology works with the automatic red eye removal to identify up to 10 human faces in a scene and take red eye-free portraits and group shots. It features an SD/xD/MMC combination card slot and uses Infrared to wirelessly transfer images to compatible devices. Other unique features include the rotary dial menu structure, which Fujifilm claims allows for quick and easy scrolling through the camera's options, and their intelligent i-Flash, which varies flash intensity and ISO sensitivity to prevent wash-out. Designed for the most style-conscious user, the metal body with a unique ‘diagonal slide’ lens cover is available in four two-toned color schemes: ‘Shell Pink,' ‘Satin Silver,' ‘Cappuccino Brown’ and ‘Tuxedo Black.’ The FinePix Z100fd will debut in January 2008 at a retail price of $250.

Hands-on with Delphi's in-car Autonet Mobile, Dual-View Navigation

One of the coolest products we saw at CES, Delphi's Dual-View navigation has a simple premise: let the driver use the navigation system while passengers watch videos, all while saving money and space on the dash by using only one screen. The system superimposes a "parallax barrier" on an ordinary LCD screen to simultaneously display different information depending on the viewing angle. We're not sure exactly how it works, but we do know that it looks great and is one of the more practical innovations at this year's show. Release: July 2008.
Pros: Multiple sources displayed on one screen at different viewing angles

The Macbook Air is the thinnest laptop on the market, but did Apple sacrifice too much in the sleek ultraportable? Philip Berne has impressions live f

Without a doubt, the Macbook Air is one of the coolest looking laptops we've seen. It isn't just the thinness of the device, though it is strikingly thin at the lip. The device is a stack of smoothly rolling, unbroken surfaces. Even the keys seem to emerge from the aluminum like square icebergs. Closed, the device is indeed thin enough to stuff in an inter-office envelope, but the screen is so wide and bright that the experience seems much larger than with any other ultraportable we've used, including the small Dell Latitude D420s we use in the office. Touch it twice The multi-touch trackpad is fantastic, and developers haven't even begun to take advantage of it yet. We tried the trackpad in Preview, and loved the rotating action. We see a lot of possibilities for this input method, and surely in the near-future all laptops will have this sort of pad built in. It's a new input paradigm, but Apple should have launched with Photoshop support ready to go. Remember the days when a Steve Jobs keynote included a mandatory Photoshop demonstration? Well, apparently Steve doesn't remember them either. Shedding just pounds? To achieve this tiny design, Apple made some sacrifices, both obvious and curious. Losing the optical drive was obvious, and a $99 DVD-RW add-on seems reasonable to us. Less obvious was the omission of Ethernet. Though the device has the most advanced 802.11n Wi-Fi, we don't think this will be enough. Frankly, we're surprised that Apple didn't include any flavor of 3G network, with their good buddy AT&T, perhaps. We're shocked that there isn't an express card slot on the device, which means that wireless internet will be handled by USB dongles. So, who is an ultra-portable for? The Macbook Air comes in at a good price for this market, but we would still recommend a Macbook for Apple enthusiasts who just want something simple. The Air is for road warriors, but it doesn't serve that community as well as it could. Beyond the wireless internet accessory, we think Macbook Air users are going to find themselves carrying lots of accessories and extra cables. The Superdrive is one. A memory card reader is another. No reason why Apple couldn't simply tack on an SD card reader, the rest of the industry has settled on this standard (with a few notable holdouts in Sony and Olympus). We would definitely give up the iSight camera for a memory card slot. Also, interesting that Apple didn't adopt wireless USB for this device. Apple was a very early adopter for USB, but wireless USB hasn't caught on. Probably a smart move on their part. But seriously, folks In the end, though, the Macbook Air has much to redeem it. The LED display and the internal components make this the most environmentally friendly Macintosh yet, and at a time when people are buying their second and third laptops, this is an important accomplishment. Also, Apple reps were adamant that the 5-hour battery claim is what we should expect in the real world, not just an estimate. We also like the playback controls hidden at the top of the keyboard, a feature we've been missing on Apple machines. Do we want one? Of course, it's design alone is enviable. But, as with most Apple products, buying always means a trade-off between the features you know you want, and the design you didn't realize you'd appreciate so much. With the iPhone, we accepted (grudgingly) the lack of 3G and GPS in exchange for a great interface and superior video performance. With the Macbook Air, customers will sacrifice ubiquitous internet and expandability for a thin, slick design and a sack full of dongles. The Apple MacBook Air will be available in late January 2008 for approximately $1800.

Acoustic Research WPA24

Covering 20Hz to 20kHz, Acoustic Research's WPA24, turns a satellite speaker system into a wireless one. The two receivers each connect to a satellite speaker, and the transmitter connects to the audio source, streaming "CD-quality" audio to the satellite speakers. We're not sure if additional receivers can be added, but as it stand $350 seems like a hefty price to pay simply to cut the cords. Release: July 2008.
Pros: Low latency wireless transmission
Cons: Prohibitive cost

With all the iPod cases that come along this one is unique. This is an iPod case that looks like a Hymn book. You can protect all of your favorite hymns and carols with this one. It is designed to protect your 30GB or 80GB iPod and sells for about $31 US. Technical specifications:
Size: Height 4.2 inches x Width 2.3 inches x Depth 1 inch
Black leather book cover
Designed for 30GB and 80GB iPod with video
Also works with other MP3 players of a similar size
Your iPod sits tightly inside and is held in with elastic straps .

Lenovo MID

The Lenovo MID we saw gets some of the basic features of an MID right, but ultimately this is not going to be the device that compels people to the form. It's very bulky, a bit heavy, and the input buttons were neither intuitive nor innovative. The interface also left plenty to be desired. Lenovo gets the screen size and basic hardware, but this is a device that will need a lot of polish. Release: June 2008.

Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1

When people ask if we've seen anything cool at CES, the Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 is first thing that comes to mind. The 1200fps videos that we saw were simply astounding, and will turn budding enthusiasts into "Planet Earth" videographers in no time. Plus, the 60fps bursts in full-resolution still photo mode is equally impressive. Oh, and you want to shoot Full HD video? No problem. At $1000, it won't be for everyone, but everyone will want one. Release: June 2008.

Samsung NV24HD

The first appearance of HD video on a samsung point-and-shoot digital camera, the NC24HD seems to have all the right numbers. With 720p video shooting, 30fps and 10.1-megapixels in their stylish NV frame, we're excited to get a hold of one for longer than a few minutes on the show floor, to see if the extra time it took Samsung to join the DSC HD video market gave it a leg up on its competitors. Release: April 2008.