WINDOW'S 7 DEMOED, MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT OVER CISTA

Just a few days after someone leaked an early build of Window's 7 beta over BitTorrent the reviews are coming in. So far they have been 100% favorable and deemed a "massive improvement" over Vista (according to Tech News Cast). That is thanks in part to an icon-only Taskbar (the classic task-bar is still available), Smart Folder-esque Libraries, Alt+Tab doppelganger Areo Peek, and of course the

Daily Jigsaw Puzzle

Fun online jigsaw puzzles with thousands of beautiful pictures and puzzle cuts.

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IRONKEY � MILITARY STANDARDS TO SECURE DATA

Have you ever wondered how safe your data is? With viruses and hackers circling like vultures one is always in the look out for a safer device to store and access confidential data. Well you cannot find a safer flash drive than the one offered by IronKey Technologies. The IronKey is jam packed with cutting edge encryption technologies enabled by the powerful onboard Crypto chip which will always

LG REVEALS SUNLIGHT ILLUMINATED DISPLAY PANEL

LG has announced a 14.1-inch LCD display panel for notebooks that is illuminated by sunlight when used outdoors instead of the customary backlight. This sunlight illuminated LCD panel will be displayed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2009. The sunlight illuminated display panel will consume 75% less power when used outside. This energy efficiency has been achieved by the �Backlight Data

MSI WIND U115 HYBRID IS OFFICIAL !

MSI has officially announced the U115 Hybrid Netbook. The hybrid part refers to a dual hard drive, both SSD and HDD. The MSI U115 Hybrid will be the first notebook to use both these drives simultaneously. The 8GB solid state drive will improve the performance while the 160GB HDD will serve as a mass storage, perfect mix for an extreme performance. According to MSI the SSD system is much faster

FUJITSU SCANSNAP S300M � AN EXCLUSIVE AFFAIR

Though Fujitsu Scansnap is packed with unbelievable features, it is the world's smallest duplex ADX scanner that is exclusively optimized for the Apple Mac system. This small wonder takes document management on the go to a new level with a touch of a button. It almost instantly converts scanned data into PDF files, making the images searchable. Fujitsu Scansnap includes a nifty thumbnail viewer

ACER ASPIRE 8930G-7665 UNVEILED

Acer has announced its brand new entertainment notebook Acer Aspire 8930G-7665 with the hi-tech low-cost Intel Core 2 Quad Mobile Processor Q9000 that runs at 2.3GHz for an extreme gaming experience. The Quad Mobile processor alone is priced at $348 which is almost half the price of the existing QX9300 mobile quad processor. Acer has designed this low cost extravaganza exclusively for gaming and

EVERCOOL ALUMINUM NOTEBOOK COOLING PAD NP-301- IT�S COOL!

This is one cool accessory that can chill out your overheated notebooks. The best feature is the aluminum pad that is way better than the customary plastic pads in dissipating the heat generated by more than 20% and does it faster too. The white aluminum finish is sleek and scratch proof and has a Zodiac sign on it. The cooling is done by two 70mm fans and you can configure the direction of air

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POINT OF VIEW EXPRESSCARD MOBII PC NETBOOK DEBUTS

In case you're wondering if the name sounds familiar, its not because Point of View is a Netherlands-based manufacturer. But the reason they have graced this blog is because they have just released their version of a netbook to the folks in Europe. The 10.2 inch machine comes with a 1.5GHz Atom CPU, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD, Window's XP or Linux (Llnpus OS) and an ExpressCard slot which has been coming

OQO ATOM POWERED MODEL 2+TO DEBUT AT CES

CES is just a few days away and already the rumor machines and blogsphere is alive with speculation and factual news on what will and will not be displayed there. Well OQO (the dudes behind the Model 02 UMPC) has said that they will debut the second generation of that model (dubbed Model 2+) at CES.The UMPC will feature a 1.86GHz Atom CPU, OLED touchscreen display, 2GB of RAM, global 3G

$400 EMTECH 10-INCH NETBOOK TO DEBUT AT CES

With all the news and rumors floating around in the netbook department it might be quite easy to forget that EMTEC was once going to be the first to release there's. That of course changed but according to the guys at the firm its better late than never.According to the big boys themselves they will debut their 10-inch wonder at CES in January. The netbook will come with a Linux boot along with

TOSHIBA QOSMIO F50 VIBE OVERVIEW

The battle for the top is bigger than ever, and our evidence will show that not only the frames that includes the evaluation.Although the shape of a lot different, Satellite A300, Satellite P300 and Qosmio F50 series have in common design elements. It's the merger is that the design of model F50 enriched Vibe elements. This relates mainly to the decorations, and gray stripes that extend along the

FORTY YEARS WITH A LAPTOP BEHIND HIM !

In recent years they have become particularly prominent role. His mobility, increasing power and the recent outbreak of the models have made more compact portable computers are gaining more adherents and become strategic priorities of companies of the size of, say, Apple. It seems a recent fashion now been met but 40 years since the first concept was born of a computer that could be carried.The "

ERICSSON IS COLLABORATING WITH INTEL TO PUT IN PLACE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM FOR LAPTOPS

Ericsson has signed an agreement with Intel to launch an anti-theft protection system for laptops with mobile broadband, said today the provider of technology and telecommunications services.The collaboration between the two companies aims to minimize the damage caused by the loss or theft of laptops through a network that can be sent via a text message to the broadband module that is inside the

FACE RECOGNITION COMES FIRST TO YOUR LAPTOP!

From now on, your laptop can know who you are with a glance. The facial recognition technology reaches its first ever laptop with the aim of deepening the usability of the user through a system of access via Webcam. This recognition system has also experienced some significant progress in recent months: there is already a software capable of processing a sequence of images of a person in front

APPLE�S UNIBODY MACBOOK � A NEW LOOK

Apple has come up with a new look for its Macbook and sports an aluminum unibody design which is a result of superior workmanship. This Unibody MacBook has a black and silver design for the casing which is made from a single block of aluminum that reduces the weight and boosts up its strength, and also gives the MacBook a glossy and futuristic look when compared to its previous models.

The Apple

HP HDX18T � A NOTEBOOK THEATER

This latest release by HP has a giant screen of 18.4-inch display with some cool graphics powered by NVIDA GeForce 9600M GT that has 512MB with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. No wonder you are awed by its visual performance. This mini theater is jam packed with latest techs needed for your entertainment. HP has made a power shake with the latest Intel core 2 Duo Processor, 4GB of DDR2 RAM

THE BEST NETBOOK WITH TWO FACES !

The number one for making Netbooks - Lenovo sets new sights and surprises everyone with practical details at a good price. Anyway, at Lenovo IdeaPad S10e didn�t went well everything. Like nearly all netbook manufacturers, Lenovo starts with its first mini notebook - Intel atomic platform.In the configuration the IdeaPad S10e responds to the atomic mini notebooks already present on the market:

ASUS G71 � GET YOUR GAMES WITH YOURSELF

Asus G71 is a device created in order to encounter all those customers who love to play with their own computer and would want to carry the videogames anywhere they go.Asus G71 is portable with processor - QX9300 (Intel 2 Core Extreme) that offers optimal possibilities. The display included in the equipment with the ASUS G71 is a LCD from 17.1 inches with the technology called Crystal Shine (

LENOVO IBM THINKPAD T61P � A TRUE WINNER!

Lenovo removes of the throne of our good list the 2.4GHz for notebooks with 3D-Graphic announcing the new the compact ThinkPad T61p MacBook Pro. I will try to point out the weak and the strong points of the new 14 inch Lenovo ThinkPad notebook.First of all I can freely say that the ThinkPad series addresses itself particularly to users who need a reliable notebook for their daily work.It costs

Denon AVR-2307CI

Product summary

The good
The Denon AVR-2307CI is a full featured 7.1 channel A/V receiver highlighted by its ability to switch among its five HD capable inputs (two HDMI, three component). It converts all incoming analog video sources to HDMI output for a single wire connection to HDTVs. The receiver offers advanced auto setup capabilities, and it's compatible with XM's HD Surround stations and Denon's optional iPod dock.

The bad
The potential convenience of the HDMI features is tempered by the dearth of de-interlacing, and the fact that the on screen display is visible only at 480i resolution both will prove to be an annoyance for many HDTV owners. The remote utilizes an awkward, two sided design.

The bottom line
Denon's AVR-2307CI delivers a strong combination of advanced audio and video features and high end sound quality at a great price, but its HDMI shortfalls keep it from being a slam dunk.

Specifications

• Product type : AV receiver
• Sound output mode : Surround Sound
• Built in decoders : DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, DTS Neo : 6, Dolby Digital, DTS 96/24, Dolby Digital Surround EX, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, DTS-ES Matrix 6.1
• Price range : $399.00
  

Denon AVR-4306

Product summary

The good
Incredibly well featured 7.1 channel receiver, excellent sound quality three HDMI inputs, converts analog video to HDMI output, upconverts analog video to 720p/1080i HD resolution, iPod and USB MP3 player connectivity. Internet radio and MP3 or WMA streaming audio via built in Ethernet port, XM Satellite Radio compatible, touch screen remote, multizone, multi source operation, browser based control via home network, accurate autocalibration routine.

The bad
Expensive, intimidating complexity may put off home theater newbies, no built in decoding for next gen HD-DVD and Blu-ray audio formats, no HD Radio.

The bottom line
The Denon AVR-4306 offers the best combination of cutting edge features and superb sound quality of any receiver that we've ever tested.

Specifications

• Product type : AV receiver
• Sound output mode : Surround Sound
• Amplifier total output power : 910 Watt
• Price range : $1,499.00

Denon DN-D6000

Product summary
Denon Professional Dual CD or MP3 Player DN-D6000
Manufacturer : Denon Electronics Ltd.
Price range : $899.00

Denon DHT-589BA

General
Product Type Home theater system. Dimensions (WxDxH) / Weight AV receiver : 17.1 in x 14.8 in x 6.7 in / 23.8 lbs. Speaker system : Right/left channel speaker : 4.4 in x 3.7 in x 7.4 in / 2.4 lbs. Speaker system : Right/left rear channel speaker : 4.4 in x 3.7 in x 7.4 in / 2.4 lbs , Speaker system : Center channel speaker : 12.6 in x 3.7 in x 5.7 in / 4.6 lbs. Speaker system : Active subwoofer : 15.4 in x 15.4 in x 12.8 in / 22.7 lbs

Audio System

• Components AV receiver, Speaker system
• Sound Output Mode Surround Sound
• Built in Decoders DTS 96/24, DTS Neo : 6, DTS decoder, Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II
• Digital Sound Processor (DSP) Yes
• DSP Preset Qty 7
• DSP Presets Matrix, Jazz club, 5ch stereo, Mono Movie, Rock Arena, Video Game, Virtual Surround
• Surround System Class 5.1 channel
• Signal To Noise Ratio 98 dB
• Input Impedance 47 KOhm
• Input Sensitivity 200 mV
• Total Harmonic Distortion 0.08 %
• Amplifier Output Details 75 Watt 8 Ohm THD 0.08 % 5 channel(s) ( Surround ), 110 Watt 6 Ohm THD 0.7 % 5 channel(s) ( Surround )
• Built in Display Fluorescent
• Additional Features IPod ready, Source direct, On screen display, Audyssey Dynamic EQ, Auto sound calibration, Sirius satellite radio ready
• Digital Storage Media None
  

Signal Switching Features

• HDMI Switching Yes
• HDMI Version 1.3a
• HDMI Pass Through Up to 1080p
  

Connectors

• Headphone Jack Yes
• Coaxial Digital Input Yes
• Optical Digital Input Yes
  

Denon DP-500M

Denon DP-500M
Manual Operation Direct Drive Turntable Turntables
Manufacturer : Denon Electronics Ltd.
Price range : $698.99

Denon DCM 290

General

• Product Type CD or MP3 changer
• Width 17.1 in
• Depth 15.7 in
• Height 4.7 in
• Weight 13.9 lbs
  

Audio System

• Sound Output Mode Stereo
• Audio D/A Converter 24bit or 192kHz
• Total Harmonic Distortion 0.003 %
• Additional Features WMA compatible

Connectors

• Headphone Jack Yes
• Coaxial Digital Output Yes
• Optical Digital Output Yes

CD System

• CD system type CD or MP3 changer
• Changer load type Carousel
• Changer capacity 5
• Media load type Tray
• Playback modes A-B repeat, Program play, All disks repeat, One track repeat, All tracks repeat, Random play or shuffle
• Response bandwidth 2 - 20000 Hz
• Signal to noise ratio 108 dB
• Dynamic range 98 dB
• CD track programming Yes (32 tracks)
• Music calendar 20 tracks
• CD-R compatible Yes
• CD-RW compatible Yes
• Digital audio standards supported MP3, WMA
• MP3 playback Yes
  

BUFFALO�S MINISTATION SHINOBI � PROTECT YOUR DATA

The Ministation Shinobi is a lightweight champion with no ruffles and all business. This portable HD is just 5mm or 0.2 inches thick and weighs 2oz, but offers a tough competition with its technology called TurboUSB. This technology increases the data transfer rates by more than 20%. The Ministation Shinobi contains 3.5-inch, 4200rpm drive which is wrapped in a shock resistant chassis and comes

Bose Lifestyle 35 Series IV

Product summary
Bose Lifestyle 35 Series IV (black)
Manufacturer : Bose Corp.
Price range: $2,699.00 - $2,699.80

Bose Lifestyle 38 Series III

Product Type Home theater system
Dimensions (WxDxH) / Weight Media center : 15.7 in x 11.5 in x 3.7 in / 9 lbs , Speaker system : Satellite speaker : 3.1 in x 4 in x 6.2 in / 2.4 lbs , Speaker system : Active subwoofer : 8 in x 21.6 in x 13 in / 26.2 lbs. Speaker system : Center channel speaker : 6.3 in x 4.3 in x 3.1 in / 2.4 lbs. Enclosure Color White.

Audio System

• Components Media center, Speaker system
• Sound Output Mode Stereo
• Built in Decoders DTS decoder, Dolby Digital, Videostage 5 decoder
• Surround Sound Effects Dolby Digital, DTS decoder
• Surround System Class 5.1 channel
• Built in Clock Sleep timer
• Timer Sleep
• Bass Control Yes
• Treble Control Yes
• Additional Features On screen display, Bose link compatible, Auto sound calibration, Multi room audio output, UMusic intelligent playback system
• Digital Storage Media None
  

Connectors

• Headphone Jack Yes
• Coaxial Digital Input Yes
• Coaxial Digital Output Yes
• Optical Digital Input Yes
• Optical Digital Output Yes
  

Speaker System

• Speaker(s) 5 x Satellite speaker External Wired, 1 x Active subwoofer External Wired

Radio

• Type Radio tuner AM or FM Digital
• Preset Station Qty 40
• AM Preset Station Qty 20
• FM Preset Station Qty 20
• Antenna Form Factor Loop AM or wire FM

Turntable

• Type None

CD System

• CD system type None

DVD

• Type DVD player
• Media Format CD, DVD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, Video CD
• DVD Repeat Modes A-B repeat
• CD Playback Modes One track repeat, All tracks repeat, Random play or shuffle
• MP3 Playback Yes
• Supported Digital Audio Standards MP3
• Supported Digital Video Standards MPEG-2
• Additional Features Parental lock, Progressive scanning
  

NUMBER OF SOLD LAPTOPS SAME AS THE ONE FOR COMPUTERS FOR 2008!

An New York market research agency has published the results of questionnaires for computer and notebook sales for the year we are leaving behind, year who was officially announced as the �year of the laptops�.Precursory results that the company called iSupply got ,tell us that in the world market for the year of 2008, dominated the sale of laptops compared to PCs.The research tells that the

Bose Lifestyle 28 Series III

Product Type Home theater system
Dimensions (WxDxH) / Weight Media center : 15.7 in x 11.5 in x 3.7 in / 9 lbs , Speaker system : Satellite speaker : 3.1 in x 4 in x 6.2 in / 2.4 lbs , Speaker system : Active subwoofer : 8 in x 21.6 in x 13 in / 26.2 lbs. Speaker system : Center channel speaker : 6.3 in x 4.3 in x 3.1 in / 2.4 lbs. Enclosure Color Black.

Audio System

• Components Media center, Speaker system
• Built in Decoders DTS decoder, Dolby Digital, Videostage 5 decoder
• Surround System Class 5.1 channel
• Built in Clock Sleep timer
• Timer Sleep
• Bass Control Yes
• Treble Control Yes
• Additional Features On screen display, Bose link compatible, Auto sound calibration, Multi room audio output
• Digital Storage Media None
  

Connectors

• Headphone Jack Yes
• Coaxial Digital Input Yes
• Coaxial Digital Output Yes
• Optical Digital Input Yes
• Optical Digital Output Yes

Speaker System

• Speaker(s) 5 x Satellite speaker External Wired, 1 x Active subwoofer External Wired

Radio

• Type Radio tuner AM/FM Digital
• Preset Station Qty 40
• AM Preset Station Qty 20
• FM Preset Station Qty 20
• Antenna Form Factor Loop AM or wire FM
  

Bose 3-2-1 GSX Series III

Product Type Home theater system

Dimensions (WxDxH) / Weight Media center : 13.4 in x 10 in x 3.3 in / 6.6 lbs , Speaker system : Right/left channel speaker : 5.5 in x 4.1 in x 2.5 in / 1.1 lbs. Speaker system : Subwoofer : 8.7 in x 19.1 in x 14.4 in / 23.4 lbs. Enclosure Color Black.

Audio System

• Components Speaker system , DVD player or radio tuner
• Sound Output Mode Stereo
• Built in Decoders Videostage 5 decoder
• Built in Clock Sleep timer
• Bass Control Yes
• Treble Control Yes
• Additional Features Bose link compatible , UMusic intelligent playback system
  

Connectors

• Coaxial Digital Input Yes
• Optical Digital Input Yes

Speaker System

• Speaker(s) 2 x Satellite speaker External Wired , 1 x Subwoofer External Wired

Radio

• Type Radio tuner AM/FM Digital
• Preset Station Qty 40
• AM Preset Station Qty 20
• FM Preset Station Qty 20
• Antenna Form Factor Loop AM / wire FM
• Additional Features FM stereo or mono switch
  

Bose Lifestyle V20

Product Type Home theater system
Dimensions (WxDxH) / Weight Media center : 17.3 in x 7.5 in x 2.7 in / 7.7 lbs , Speaker system : Satellite speaker : 3.1 in x 4 in x 6.2 in / 2.4 lbs , Speaker system : Center channel speaker : 6.3 in x 4.1 in x 3.1 in / 2.4 lbs , Speaker system : Active subwoofer : 8 in x 21.6 in x 13 in / 26.2 lbs. Enclosure Color White.

Audio System

• Components AV receiver , Speaker system
• Sound Output Mode Surround Sound
• Built in Decoders DTS decoder , Dolby Digital , Videostage 5 decoder
• Built in Clock Sleep timer
• Additional Features ADAPTiQ audio calibration system

Signal Switching Features

• HDMI Switching Yes
• HDMI Pass Through Up to 1080p
• Video Conversion or Scaling HDMI to HDMI scaling
  

Connectors

• Headphone Jack Yes
• Coaxial Digital Input Yes
• Optical Digital Input Yes

Speaker System

• Speaker(s) 4 x Satellite speaker External Wired , 1 x Car center channel speaker External Wired , 1 x Active subwoofer External - Wired

Bose Lifestyle 38 Series IV

Product Type Home theater system
Dimensions (WxDxH) / Weight Media center : 15.7 in x 11.5 in x 3.7 in / 9 lbs , Speaker system : Satellite speaker : 3.1 in x 4 in x 6.2 in / 2.4 lbs , Speaker system : Subwoofer : 8 in x 21.6 in x 13 in / 26.2 lbs. Speaker system : Center channel speaker : 6.3 in x 4.1 in x 3.1 in / 2.4 lbs. Enclosure Color White.

Audio System

• Components Media center, Speaker system
• Sound Output Mode 5.1 channel surround
• Built in Decoders DTS decoder , Dolby Digital , Videostage 5 decoder
• Equalizer Yes
• Surround System Class 5.1 channel
• Built in Clock Sleep timer
• Timer Sleep
• Bass Control Yes
• Treble Control Yes
• Built in Display Fluorescent
• Additional Features On-screen display , Bose link compatible , Auto sound calibration , Multi room audio output , UMusic intelligent playback system
• Digital Storage Media None
  

Connectors

• Headphone Jack Yes
• Coaxial Digital Input Yes
• Coaxial Digital Output Yes
• Optical Digital Input Yes
• Optical Digital Output Yes
  

Speaker System

• Speaker(s) 5 x Satellite speaker - External - Wired , 1 x Subwoofer - External - Wired

GETAC B300 � NOT FOR EVERYONE

This heavy duty gadget was obviously designed for warzone and is definitely not recommended for an average civilian notebook user. It looks like one of Bond's hi-tech accessories and can very well withstand one of his mind blowing missions without making a sweat. The Getac B300 has a silver-grey magnesium alloy chassis with some amazing rubber protrusions that gives it a rugged, all terrain look.

Bose Lifestyle V30

Product Type Home theater system

Dimensions (WxDxH) / Weight Media center : 17.3 in x 7.5 in x 2.7 in / 7.7 lbs. Speaker system : Satellite speaker : 2.2 in x 3.3 in x 4.5 in / 1.1 lbs , Speaker system : Center channel speaker : 5.5 in x 2.6 in x 2.4 in / 2.4 lbs , Speaker system : Active subwoofer : 8 in x 21.6 in x 13 in / 26.2 lbs. Enclosure Color Black

Audio System

• Components AV receiver , Speaker system
• Sound Output Mode Surround Sound
• Built in Decoders DTS decoder , Dolby Digital , Videostage 5 decoder
• Built in Clock Sleep timer
• Additional Features ADAPTiQ audio calibration system
  

Signal Switching Features

• HDMI Switching Yes
• HDMI Pass-Through Up to 1080p
• Video Conversion or Scaling HDMI to HDMI scaling
  

MICROSOFT EXPLORER MOUSE � GOODBYE TO LASER?

Microsoft proudly announced its goodbye to laser campaign with its new wireless Explorer Mouse that uses the revolutionary BlueTrack Technology. This technology uses a blue beam, (yeah a relief from the awful red) and wide-angle "specular optics architecture" which works on a wider spectrum of surfaces that was not covered by the laser technology. You can use your mouse practically on any surface

MSI U115 HYBRID SSD / HDD NETBOOK

So how would you like a netbook that can operate both an SSD and an HDD at the same time? Well the MSI U115 Hybrid can fix that. The 10-inch 1024 x 600 resolution netbook utilizes an SSD for primary tasks and the HDD for storage. It also carries an "Eco Mode" button that will temporarily disconnect the HDD to save power.The hybrid features will not only increase you laptops performance but save

Bose Lifestyle 48 Series IV

Product Type Home theater system

Dimensions (WxDxH) / Weight Media center : 15.7 in x 11.5 in x 3.7 in / 9 lbs , Speaker system is Satellite speaker : 4.4 in x 3.2 in x 4.5 in / 1.1 lbs.

Speaker system : Subwoofer : 8 in x 21.6 in x 13 in / 26.2 lbs , Speaker system : Center channel speaker : 5.5 in x 2.6 in x 2.4 in / 2.4 lbs

Audio System

• Components Media center , Speaker system
• Built in Decoders DTS decoder , Dolby Digital , Videostage 5 decoder
• Equalizer Yes
• Surround System Class 5.1 channel
• Built in Clock Sleep timer
• Timer Sleep
• Bass Control Yes
• Treble Control Yes
• Built in Display Fluorescent
• Additional Features On-screen display , Bose link compatible , Auto sound calibration , Multi room audio output , UMusic intelligent playback system
• Digital Storage Media None
  

MORE VAIO P SERIES TEASER SHOTS LEAK OUT

Sony definitely has this one under wraps and so far no one has been able to get an actual shot of the whole machine. That said Sony has decided to torture us once again with some more teaser shots of their soon to be released system. The shots you are currently looking at are obviously of the keyboard which features a built in tracking nub. I wish I could say I have more but so far the old devils

ACER ASPIRE 8930G HITTING STORE SHELVES NOW

If you're interested in a bad ass laptop that comes with the features of an Alienware or former Voodoo machine but still won't burn holes in your wallet, than Acer has got you covered with their new 8930G quad-core 18.4 inch machine. Other than those amazing facts you also get 4GB of DDR3 RAM, 500GB SATA HDD (7200 rpm), NVIDIA GeForce 9700M GT graphics card with 512MB dedicated RAM and of course

Bose 151

Before shopping for speakers, try to imagine where you're going to put them in your room. Speakers can be placed on floor stands, hung on wall brackets, or placed on furniture. Subwoofers typically sound best in room corners or near the left or right front speakers.

The front three left, center, and right speakers usually sound best when positioned with their tweeters elevated to the same height as a seated listener's ears.

In any case, try to keep the center speaker near the same height as the left and right speakers.

You can place speakers on shelves or on in a low cabinet or entertainment center.

Some speakers are better suited to this arrangement than others. "Acoustic suspension" sealed satellites are the most appropriate.

Next best are ported speakers as long as the ports are located on the front of the cabinet. However, speakers with rear mounted ports won't perform at their peak when placed inside a piece of furniture. As for the rear channel surround speakers, they usually sound best when positioned three or more feet higher than the front speakers. However, high fidelity DVD Audio and Super Audio CD music will sound best when surround speakers are placed at the same height (ear level) as the front speakers.

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HP COMPAQ 6730B OVERVIEW

Notebooks Compaq designed for use of businesses (indicated by " b") are valued around the world and particularly in Central Europe. The users especially appreciate their duration of battery and the durability of their chassis. Therefore the models with CPU Intel are traditionally more expensive than their counterparts based on AMD. It is now time to check the capacities of the model Centurion 2,

LENOVO THINKPAD SL400 LAPTOP � BEST BUY FOR THIS MONTH!

Right on the time of launching new platform, Lenovo discovers its new product rank. SL models reveal an entirely new product, which would have to fortify the position of Lenovo in the basic sector of businesses. Equipped with many already proven characteristic of ThinkPad, these new notebooks are probably going to appeal to clients of conscientious businesses and to individuals. Packed with

DELL INSPIRON MINI 9 NOTEBOOK OVERVIEW

While many manufacturers were distanced at the beginning of this fashion, nowadays hardly a mark of portable famous can abstain from this segment. The Irish manufacturer Dell has even put a portable ultra compact one in the market. Its name: Dell Mini Inspiron 9. Until recently, Mini Inspiron 9 was only classic netbook in the catalogue of Dell. More recently, nevertheless, Mini Inspiron 12 was

DELL LATITUDE E6400 OVERVIEW

Security, mobility and trustworthiness. Those are the three pillars on which Dell Latitude E6400 is constructed. Same if an efficient graphical solution as the video card Quadro NVS 160M for the E6400 would be available; the portable one is concentrated mainly in these capacities to be able to offer a good price to begin with. You will be able to know how Dell Latitude E6400 is exactly in these

LOGITECH ALTO � A BOON TO YOUR FINGERS.

Logitech Alto stand and keyboard combo can be the answer to your cramped fingers and other juggling acts that you have to perform in a netbook keyboard. Well, you cannot blame the netbook as it was designed for portability and the size of the keyboard is unavoidable. The minuscule keyboard may be cumbersome, but you will get used to it in time. On the other hand if you absolutely hate to type in

TOSHIBA QOSIMO G55 � A WHOLESOME ENTERTAINER!

With the Toshiba Qosmio G55 you get an ultimate multimedia experience in a notebook. It has an impressive 18.4-inch display and a brand new Fusion finish. Toshiba was proud to announce the first hand gesture technology and branding it as the world�s first laptop with a cell processor, which speeds up the video transcoding. The Qosmio G55 also boasts a solid sound system and huge storage and you

APPLE NETBOOK � WILL OUR DREAMS COME TRUE?

Apple has so far retained its prestigious position on top of the ladder with its high end laptops and avoided the cheap(?!!) Netbook race. But the current economic picture has finally forced its hand or may be not, but rumors are abound about their move to unveil Apple Netbooks at the MacWorld Conference and Expo in January 2009. Apple should obviously be in a dilemma about its Netbook because if

MSI WIND � GREAT EXPECTATIONS!

MSI wind is one among the most sought after netbooks. Its 10 inch display was a big attraction along with its 1.6 GHz Intel Atom Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, XP Home and a 6 Cell Battery. Its excellent design and affordable price posed a tough competition for other top brands. The best feature is its screen. Big, bright, clear and colorful, it�s a big relief from having to squint your

Weight Loss Planning Gadget

The Weight Loss Planning Calculator helps you to establish realistic time-lines for your weight loss goals.
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Latest free games, updated daily with the latest free flash games.


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SONY LAUNCHES TEASER CAMPAIGN FOR NEW VAIO LAPTOP

Sony has launched a teaser ad campaign for a new "revolutionary" Vaio laptop that appears destined to debut at January's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.Sony promised that this new laptop will have some new changes and they promised that with this release they will change the way you think about laptops. The official webpage of Sony is offering no details on the new Vaio laptop until

BEST LAPTOPS FOR UPGRADING

One of the major drawbacks to laptops versus desktops is that they allow fewer upgrade options. On a desktop anything is upgradeable except for the mother board (which in that case it would be better to buy a new system). But laptop manufacturers are slowly coming around to the fact that people might need more memory or a bigger HDD down the road and so they are allowing those options to present

DELL VOSTRO 1710 � DESIGNED FOR LARGE BUSINESS

Dell VostroTM laptops are designed for small business and made for life. Packed with customized features and a choice of software, the Vostro line delivers easy-to-use technology, flexible connectivity options and exceptional support � all with a thin, durable design. When your business demands time, your technology shouldn�t. The all-purpose Vostro 1710 includes a comprehensive portfolio of

ENTERTAINMENT TIME - ENJOY OUR LAPTOP GAME

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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T70

The Cyber-shot DSC-T70 slaps a 3 inch touch screen on the back of a slim, stylish camera body that houses an 8.1 megapixel CCD imaging sensor and a 3x optical, 38mm-114mm f/3.5-f/4.3 Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar zoom lens with optical image stabilization. When you've got such a small camera body, there's not a whole lot you can do with design, but Sony has managed to evolve the T-series design while keeping the line's sleek, elegant look.

The T70 sports a much thinner sliding lens cover than the T50 did, though it still feels solid and, as in previous models, functions as an on or off switch, though that can be disabled in the menu if you don't want it to. The touch screen doesn't leave much room for hard buttons, and indeed, the only buttons on the camera are on the top power and playback buttons sit to the left of the shutter, while a side to side zoom slider is on the right of the shutter button.

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The layout and overall organization of the touch screen controls and menus aren't bad. Sony uses the corners to give you access to deeper menus, while icons along the sides let you change commonly used settings, such as exposure compensation, metering, focus, or sensitivity (aka ISO). I was a bit miffed to find that white balance is relegated to the shooting menu even though there is room for it on the right side of the screen.

Despite its nice design, the touch screen doesn't make a very nice interface. The selections tend to be too small to use your finger on them, unless you have long, well-shaped fingernails (this camera's for you, fashionistas), though Sony does include a stylus that can clip onto the camera strap. If you do choose to clip that stylus on, and I highly suggest you do, you might want to tie off a little loop on the end of the strap, so it doesn't slide all over the place. Even with that stylus, the touch screen tended to be unresponsive.

I had to press hard and repeatedly to get it to accept some of my commands, which quickly became frustrating. Also, you have to confirm that you want to access certain menu functions, which slows down the entire process. I assume that this is to prevent accidental changes to these settings, but back when I had physical buttons to press, this was never an issue. Like most cameras these days, the DSC-T70 includes face detection.

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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T300

Besides its stylish sliding lens cover (a signature feature on all Cyber-shot T-series cameras), the T300's display stands out as its most notable feature. You control almost every aspect of the camera via a 3.5 inch touch screen LCD, leaving just a power button, a playback button, a shutter release, and a zoom rocker as its only physical controls. The screen dominates the entire back panel of the camera, barely leaving half a centimeter around it for the bezel.

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The menus aren't just irritating they're downright neurotic and take far too long to navigate, requiring constant reassurance with countless taps of "OK." Change the resolution, hit "OK."

Change the white balance, hit "OK." Enter the camera settings menu by hitting "OK," then confirm each setting by hitting "OK" again. As Sony's highest end point and shoot, the T300 includes all the latest features.

It sports an optically stabilized f/3.5-4.4 33mm to 165mm equivalent 5x zoom lens that delivers a surprisingly long reach for a slim camera.

Unfortunately, that reach comes at the cost of wide angle and speed a 28mm, f/2.8 lens would have been preferable, even if it didn't offer a 5x zoom. The T300 also features several face detection shooting modes, including Adult and Child Priority, which let the camera identify kids or adults faces in group photos and adjust focus and exposure accordingly, and Smile Shutter, which delays shooting until the subject smiles.

A suite of on board photo editing and retouching tools take full advantage of the huge touch panel and included lanyard tethered stylus. A rudimentary paint program lets you draw on your pictures, and cropping and resizing tools can trim them to fit 16:9 wide screen displays, scale down to VGA (640x480) for emailing, or simply crop out bits you don't want to keep.

A variety of effects offer even more options, including digital red eye removal, radial blur, soft focus, and fish eye lens tools that can focus on a single spot in a picture with a tap of the stylus. Finally, the T300 includes a Happy Faces feature that automatically turns frowns upside down.

When you take a portrait and the subject doesn't smile, Happy Faces distorts the subject's mouth to give them a smile. The end results range from surprisingly realistic to Jokeresque. All of the T300's editing tools automatically create copies of pictures you edit; the original shot is preserved, while changes are saved to new files.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W130

This 8 megapixel shooter sports a shiny, colorful new shell and a slightly longer lens, but otherwise feels like a carbon copy of its predecessor, the Cyber-shot DSC-W90. Rounded corners and an attractive brushed metal front plate give the W130 a more stylish look than the W90. Available in silver, black, and pink, it offers some choices for gadget color coordination (though not as much as its 7 megapixel little brother, the DSC-W120, which comes in black, silver, pink, and blue).

Besides the new look, the W130 gets a tweaked control layout from the W90. While it still uses irritatingly small, circular buttons for menu control, the buttons are laid out comfortably around the camera's direction pad and feel much more accessible to large thumbed users. Despite the makeover, the W130 offers few differences from its predecessor.

The camera's 32mm to 128mm equivalent, f/2.8-5.8 lens is the only significant upgrade, offering a slightly longer zoom and wider angle than the W90's 35mm to 105mm equivalent lens.

The W130 keeps the W90's 8 megapixel resolution, 2.5 inch LCD, and optical viewfinder. It also includes the W90's face detection function with Smile Shutter, a handy mode that lets the camera automatically take pictures of subjects when they smile.

It gets a slight downgrade in the internal memory department, carrying only 15MB of space instead of the W90's 31MB.

Of course, you should never rely on internal memory, so either camera would require you to pick up a Memory Stick Duo for shooting more than a handful of photos. A generous set of on board photo retouching and viewing features lets you tweak the photos you shoot with the W130.

The camera can trim and rotate (in 90 degree increments) your pictures after you take them, and digitally remove red eyes. It can also apply sharpening, soft focus, and a variety of other effects to adjust your pictures. Most of these effects feel more like silly toys than useful features, but they can still be fun to play with. The W130 can also display photo slide shows with MP3 music soundtracks, either on the camera itself or (with an optional cable or cradle) on your HDTV.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W90

From the outside, the W90 looks almost indistinguishable from its 7 megapixel little brother. Its slim metal body measures less than 0.9 inch thick and weighs only 5.3 ounces with battery and Memory Stick Duo. Unfortunately, just like the W80, its small, flat buttons can feel uncomfortable to large thumbed users.

Along with the same design, the W90 shares a nearly identical feature set with the W80. The 8 megapixel camera uses a 35mm-105mm equivalent, f/2.8-5.2 lens, giving it a standard 3x zoom range. Its 2.5 inch LCD screen isn't huge by today's standards, but it offers a decent view and leaves enough room on the camera for an optical viewfinder. Despite being part of Sony's budget line, the W90 incorporates a 9 point auto focus system and a face detection mode, both useful when your subject is not in the center of the frame.

The W90 also includes 31 megabytes of internal memory, enough to hold a few dozen photos or about a minute and a half of fair quality VGA footage. Invest in a Memory Stick Duo to get any shooting longevity out of this camera. As with the W80, a generous suite of on board retouching options help offset the W90's cookie cutter feature set.

Once you've taken a picture, you can crop it, rotate it (in 90 degree increments), or remove red eyes from portraits taken with the camera's flash. It even offers a handful of picture effects, like soft focus, fish eye, and cross filter. Most of these retouches feel more like gimmicks than actual useful features, but they can still be fun to play with. In our lab tests, the W90 fared similar to the W80, with a quicker shutter but otherwise slightly slower performance.

After a 1.7 second wait from power on to first shot, the W90 could capture a new picture every 1.3 seconds with the on board flash disabled. With the flash turned on, that wait more than doubled to 3 seconds. That's slower than we like to see, even for a budget point and shoot. The shutter lagged a scant 0.4 second with our high contrast target, and a respectable 1.1 seconds with our low contrast target. In burst mode, the camera captured 15 full resolution shots in 7.4 seconds for an average rate of 2 frames per second.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H10

For the Cyber-shot DSC-H10 budget megazoom camera, Sony didn't change much from its predecessor, the Cyber-shot DSC-H3. Only its 230,000 pixel 3 inch LCD is new, compared with the 115,000 pixel, 2.5 inch version on the H3. Given the lack of an electronic viewfinder, that's a nontrivial enhancement, but pretty much the only one.

At 10.3 ounces with battery and Memory Stick Duo Pro card, the H10 is one of the lighter megazooms, and as compact as any of them.

Still, I found it relatively comfortable to hold and use. The grip is a tad shallow, which make may it uncomfortable for users with larger hands.

A mode dial on top lets you choose from the various exposure modes program auto, full auto, and manual as well as the H10's handful of scene modes and movie mode.

The center control button in the manual, Sony doesn't give it a name, just an iconic representation sticks up a bit high, making it somewhat difficult to navigate without accidentally pressing it. Additionally, the Home and Menu buttons are flatter than I find comfortable. One of my chronic gripes with Sony's menu system is that it doesn't wrap once you've scrolled all the way to the end, it doesn't take you back to the beginning. You've got to scroll all the way back again.

Sony Alpha DSLR-A200

The 10.2 megapixel A200 comes in two kits one with the SAL-1870 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 lens, which we tested, and a dual lens kit that adds the SAL-75300 75-300mm f4.5-5.6 model. Those two lenses, plus the new SAL-55200, currently comprise Sony's complete entry level lens lineup. For other inexpensive alternatives you'll have to turn to compatible Amount Konica Minolta, Sigma, or Tamron offerings.

At 22.4 ounces with battery and CF card, the A200 weighs more than most of its competitors, despite its plastic clad body. It feels solid, though, and the rubberized grip has a deep indent for your finger that makes the camera comfortable to hold.

If you plan to connect the camera directly to your computer rather than use a card reader (which we don't recommend), then avoid the A200.

For one, the USB connector is located inside the CF card compartment, which means you have to leave the door open while downloading, potentially allowing all sorts of schmutz to get onto the card slot contacts (and, if you're as accident prone as me, providing a protrusion to hit and hurl the camera to the floor).

More important, Sony uses a proprietary combo USB/AV connector on all its dSLRs, for no reason that I can see other than to force you to buy a cable from them if you lose the bundled one. That just peeves me. The A200 uses a simple, uncluttered layout for its controls and menu system. Like the A700, the A200 has Eye Start AF sensors beneath the viewfinder.

Operating the A200 is straightforward. There are direct access controls for ISO sensitivity, exposure compensation, and drive, bracketing, self timer modes, while flash, AF, white balance, AF area, and D-RangeOptimizer settings are grouped under a screen pulled up by the Fn button.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W120

The attractive, metal W120 is available in black, silver, blue, and pink versions. Curiously, the step up W130 only comes in silver, black, and pink. The inch thick camera weighs just 5.4 ounces with battery and Memory Stick Duo card, and slips easily into most pockets. On the backside of the camera, a 2.5 inch LCD leaves room for a small optical viewfinder, a mode dial, and a handful of buttons.

While the small, flat controls feel more comfortable than the last generation W90's buttons, they still seem a bit small for larger thumbs. The 7 megapixel shooter includes a 32-128mm equivalent, f/2.8-5.8 lens with Sony's Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization. The lens offers a slightly longer than usual 4x optical zoom, though slight barrel distortion is present at its widest angle.

A 9 point auto focus system helps the camera lock onto subjects, and face detection can automatically adjust focus and exposure to suit the faces in your pictures. Adult and Child Priority face detection modes can differentiate between and focus primarily on children or adults in group photos, and Smile Shutter mode automatically captures photos when subjects smile.

Sony's Photo Music, an in camera slide show program, lets users show off their photos either on the camera's 2.5 inch screen or, with an optional video connector, on an HDTV. The slide shows can use a variety of transition effects, and users can upload their own soundtracks to the camera.

Despite its broad feature set, the W120 leaves out many of the on board retouching and picture editing tools found on most other W- and T-series cameras. Its brother, the W130, comes with several photo filters, such as radial blur, fish eye lens, and unsharp masking. The W120 can only rotate and resize pictures in the camera. A lot of these in camera editing features are more flashy than functional, but it would have been nice to include at least a digital red eye removal.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W150

Above the display is an optical viewfinder so you can shut off the display when battery life is low, but it's uncomfortably small for frequent use. The controls feel tiny and crowded but manageable, even for big fingers. You access context sensitive settings through the Menu button, while the Home button calls up all the camera's options. This can be confusing at first, but makes sense after using it a bit.

A small, slightly sunken dial lets you choose from 10 shooting modes, including Sony's Smile Shutter, which takes a photo when it detects a smile; three for low light shooting and Program Auto with control over ISO, white balance (no manual, though), flash intensity, exposure value, and color. There is no full manual mode, but the Program Auto controls offer more flexibility than most manufacturers include in this class.

Also atypical for its price, the W150 incorporates a 5x f3.3-5.2 28-140mm equivalent lens. That's wider and longer than many.

If you like to edit or play back images on your camera, Sony does a better job than most to make it fun and easy.

There are a handful of effects (some cooler than others) that you can add to images, as well as basic cropping and red eye retouching.

There's a dedicated slide show button, too, for impromptu presentations with music and effects. An optional dock lets you connect the W150 to a TV. Combine the lens, 8 megapixel CCD, 2.7 inch LCD, an optical viewfinder, and a lot of shooting and playback controls and you have an excellent feature to price ratio. Overall, it performs very well. While start up takes a long time at 1.9 seconds, the W150 delivers solid shutter lag times in dim and bright conditions of 0.9 and 0.4 second, respectively.

The average shot to shot time is a better than average 1.5 seconds, but adding the flash more than doubles that time to 3.7 seconds the only real disappointment. But if you like shooting sports or other subjects on the move, the W150 has a very fast (for its class) continuous shooting speed of 1.9 frames per second it can sustain that rate for about 9 frames with a standard card, and up to capacity with a 30MB per second card.

The lens zooms smoothly, and Sony's Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization works well to minimize blur when the lens is fully extended, too. However, it exhibits noticeable barrel distortion in its widest position and minor pin cushioning when fully zoomed out not out of the ordinary for point and shoot models.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S750

Measuring 3.6 inches wide by 2.2 inches high by 1.1 inches deep and weighing 5 ounces, the S750 fits easily in a pocket or small bag. Dressed in silver, the body is a combination of metal and plastic it's strong enough to resist damage from banging around in a bag, making it a nice choice for keeping handy for surprise photo opportunities.

The only flaw is that the door on the bottom concealing the rechargeable battery and Memory Stick Pro Duo slot slides open a little too easily even during use.

That, and it's very easy to put the battery in incorrectly since it's not keyed for a particular direction. Instead of the Carl Zeiss lenses found on many of Sony's point and shoot cameras, the S750 uses a Sony 3x f2.8-4.8 35 105mm equivalent lens.

Other than the power and shutter buttons on top, all controls are on back next to the 2.5 inch LCD. The inset mode dial is small, but moves well and stays put when pulling the camera in and out of pockets. All the buttons are tiny, too, and occasionally require repeated presses to get your point across. Navigating the menu system is extremely simple, partially because there just aren't a lot of options on the camera.

It has the requisite scene modes, subpar video capture (320x240 without zoom for up to 10 minutes), and a Program Auto mode that lets you adjust exposure values, metering, focus, ISO, and white balance. A nice bonus for this camera is the face detection, which worked quickly and accurately. One oddity, though, is the ability to pull up a histogram on the screen. I'm not so sure the targeted user for the S750 would find it as helpful as composition guidelines, which are not available.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50

Slightly smaller than the average digital SLR, the H50 is fairly lightweight for its class at just under a pound, but it's obviously not compact enough to put in a pocket. It's available in black or silver with a mix of plastic and metal parts, and the strap attachment loops on each side of the camera swivel, letting the camera point straight down when around your neck.

The large hand grip makes carrying it comfortable, though the lens puts a chunk of the weight out front, throwing the balance off a bit. At the front of the grip sits the shutter button, followed by metering and burst or bracketing mode buttons, and the mode dial. Your thumb rests naturally on the zoom rocker switch on back.

Below the rocker is a context sensitive Menu button, a Home button for full access to settings, and between them a wheel dial surrounding a directional pad and an OK button for navigating menus. The directional pad doubles as controls for flash, timer, macro, and display options, and the wheel dial lets you quickly change ISO, shutter speed, and aperture in manual mode.

The 3 inch tilting LCD is definitely a highlight of the H50, because it allows so much freedom when shooting subjects at both high and low angles. It also performs well in direct sunlight. A button at the top left of the screen, however, toggles between the LCD and EVF a better option in bright sun and when using the long zoom sans tripod.

Dialing through the H50's various modes and exploring the accompanying shooting options reveals just how versatile this camera is. Point and shoot basics like scene modes with Sony's intelligent scene recognition, Smile Shutter, face detection, ISO boost for low light shooting, and an oversimplified Easy mode are all available, letting you hand the camera over to anyone to take pictures.

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Remember that HP Compaq netbook that was destined for Europe? Well its finally landed on the good old British soil and some random guy has decided to give it a proper unboxing. Just to recap here, we're talking about a 1.6GHz Atom CPU, 10.2 inch screen (1024 x 600) among others. The price tag for this one is �399 ($594).But less talking and more watching so please take a look at the video below

DELL CONFIRMS ADAMO, CHARGER LEAKED

While this does not classify itself as news, it is nice to see that Dell is willing to admit to some things while others won't (cough Microsoft, Sony). Anyways Dell has just confirmed that it is indeed working on a Macbook Air rival named adamo which it says will cost less and will be the new standard of mobile computing.According to the big boys at Dell they recently let those news tidbits slip

SONY VAIO TEASER HINTS AT NETBOOK

You might recall a couple days ago we covered the story from the Sony site that hinted at a new notebook that was on its way. Well more teaser shots have been leaked including a trailer and the image you see above. And all of them match the recent FCC filings that Sony is responsible including a computer with the exact dimensions pictured.My only wish is that this guy will not only carry a BD

MERRY CHRISTMAS

If you're reading this post on Christmas than you're probably a true computer geek or you're not in the holiday spirit. Either way I'd like to wish all the readers out there a merry Christmas and happy new year.A small word of advice to you holiday gadget shopping. If you didn't find what you needed than you probably did not need it. But if it was something you absolutely needed than console

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700

The T700 replaces the DSC-T300 in Sony's lineup. Like that camera, the T700 has a 10 megapixel, 1/2.3 inch Super HAD CCD sensor, wide 3.5 inch touch screen display, f3.5-f10 35-140mm equivalent Carl Zeiss lens (though the zoom range drops from 5x to 4x), Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization, and shooting features like Smile Shutter, face detection with child and adult priority control, and iSCN Intelligent Scene Recognition.

However, along with improvements made to the LCD's picture quality (921,000 pixels up from 230,000) the T700's internal memory jumps from 15MB to 4GB 3.7GB available for photo storage as well as support for up to a 16GB Memory Stick DUO PRO card. The internal storage combined with the 3.5 inch touch screen LCD and the bundled Sony Picture Motion Browser software is what turns the camera into a digital photo album.

Measuring a little more than 0.6 inch and weighing 5.6 ounces, the T700 is ultra slim and light. We tested a brushed silver version, but it's available in gray, red, pink, and gold, too.

The camera has an elegant feel with a full metal body up front and sides, and nothing but screen on the back. In fact, the only physical controls are the power and shutter buttons on top and the well positioned zoom rocker at the right corner.

The only other button is a small Playback mode button at the top right of the display. On the bottom is the battery Memory Stick compartment, a proprietary connector for use with the included USB or AV cable, and a tripod mount. To take a picture you simply slide down the flat, metal lens cover and click away. You'll want to be careful of errant fingers getting in shots and touching the lens, however, as the lens is positioned at the far left.

Sony's high contrast Xtra Fine display is quite good. At its Normal brightness setting, I had no problem seeing the screen in direct sunlight. Well, no problem after wiping away fingerprints the T700 seems to collect more than most. If having to wipe off fingerprints is a deal breaker, you'll want to skip this camera and probably all touch screen models for that matter of which there are more and more.

Aside from fingerprints, you might take issue with the touch screen's responsiveness. I found the T700's to be fine with fingers, but better with the included stylus (or "Paint Pen" as Sony calls it) likely because I could be more precise with it. It clips onto the wrist strap and allows you to quickly poke around the three on screen menus (Home, Menu, and Display) along with the in camera retouching and painting tools (you can add stamps, frames, or draw on pictures) all while keeping the screen free of fingerprints.

Navigating the camera settings is easy enough. The Home menu gives you access to all the main features and options, while the Menu screen provides context sensitive options; for instance, if you're taking still pictures, you get all the shooting choices like scene modes and resolutions. The DSC-T700 offers 10 scene modes including a new Gourmet option for shooting food as well as the typical auto features.

Canon PowerShot A580

The A580 has a decent selection of Canon's shooting technologies. It offers no fewer than 16 shooting modes, including seven special scene modes such as Foliage, Fireworks, and Aquarium, the latter for capturing images of indoor aquariums without a flash. In Easy mode the camera makes all the decisions, Manual mode gives full access to all menu settings, exposure compensation, and white balance.

But most important, the A580 has a face detection and tracking system that worked as promised, keeping the selected face in focus even as the person moved among other people.

Though it lacks the sleek design of a compact model, with its bulky plastic body and bubble like curves, the larger body does accommodate features like an optical viewfinder, support for AA batteries, and a comfortable grip. But it does look and feel like a toy.

It measures 2.6 inches by 3.7 inches by 1.6 inches a little too big to fit comfortably in a back pocket and it weighs 7.7 ounces. Fortunately the right side hand grip is comfortable and just deep enough to securely wrap fingers around. It also houses the two AA batteries and the SD or SDHC card slot. At the front end of the grip is the shutter button surrounded by a zoom ring to control the 4x, f/2.6-f/5.5 35-140mm equivalent (4x) lens.

The lens is a touch wider and longer than its competitors. The power button and Mode dial are on the top of the body with the rest of the shooting options and menu navigation controlled by a directional pad and miscellaneous buttons on back. This aspect of the design works for me. Everything is easily recognizable from turning off the flash to switching modes to setting the timer. There's a serviceable 2.5 inch LCD for framing your shots as well as playback (a slider to the screen's right lets you jump between shooting and playing).

Canon PowerShot SD790 IS

Canon seems to be experimenting a lot with the design of its point and shoot cameras. That seems to have worked out a little better in the case of the SD790 IS than with its higher end sibling, the SD890 IS. Though I can't say I'm gaga over the new angular look and incised buttons, at least the camera remains stylish and functional.

Not quite small enough to feel like an ultra compact, at 6.3 ounces and 2.2 by 3.6 by 0.8 inches, the SD790 will still fit in a jeans pocket, and it feels surprisingly well made and sturdy. The camera has a typical control layout. On or off and zoom switches sit on top, while the display, menu, PictBridge, review buttons, along with a four way nav plus OK combo dial and movie, camera, program mode switch on the back.

The new buttons sit flush with the body and don't move much, similar to the style that has become popular on cell phones.

In the SD790's case, there are rubber guides to provide delineation between the buttons, plus the buttons are fairly large, both of which make a huge difference in usability.

You navigate via a combo control wheel or four way switch that is differently designed but functionally equivalent to the one on the SD890 IS. The wheel scrolls through some of the modes that you used to pull up via the function (Func) button, such as Stitch Assist, Color Swap, Color Accent, and Digital Macro, as well as the scene modes. The Func button sits in the middle and calls up exposure compensation or long shutter, white balance, My Colors, metering (evaluative, spot and center), compression quality, and image size.

Within this menu and within the menu system in general you can use either the nav switch or scroll wheel. A mode switch toggles among automatic or manual still photo, program exposure (scene), and movie capture modes. The scroll wheel doesn't behave quite as free wheeling as the one on the SD890 IS, which makes a big difference. There are a couple of other minor quirks with the design, however.

The thumb rest, designated by two rows of raised bumps on the back of the camera, isn't where your thumb falls naturally that occurs on the PictBridge and Review buttons. Unless you've got a crushing grip it's not critical, since your thumb actually rests on the rubber divider between the buttons.

Canon PowerShot SD890 IS

In addition to altering the overall design, Canon opted to replace its more traditional four way navigation switch with a four way nav plus wheel. The wheel scrolls through some of the modes that you used to pull up via the function (Func) button, such as Stitch Assist, Color Swap, Color Accent, and Digital Macro, as well as the scene modes. The Func button sits in the middle and calls up exposure compensation, white balance, My Colors, metering, compression quality, and image size.

Within this menu and within the menu system in general you can use either the nav switch or scroll wheel. A mode switch, which doubles as a thumb rest, toggles among automatic, manual, program exposure (scene), and movie capture modes. Normally, I'm a big fan of scroll wheels. But I find the free flying wheel of the SD890 IS too difficult to control.

There's no physical feedback so you can't feel you've scrolled to the next option, and I frequently found myself either zipping past my choice or frustrated because it didn't seem to be changing.

If you pause to figure out which option it's going to stop at Canon should have called it the roulette wheel the options time out and disappear.

Furthermore, when operating the menu, display, and review buttons, my thumb tends to drag the wheel with it.

Finally, though the mode switch works fine for its function, it's neither big enough nor shaped comfortably enough to rest your thumb. I was tempted to give the camera a lower rating for design, but I suspect other users won't find it quite as annoying to use as I do. The f/3.2-f/5.7, 37mm-185mm equivalent lens represents the most notable change from the SD850 IS.

Though a broader zoom range, it's considerably slower (the maximum aperture rises to f/3.2 from the SD850 IS' f/2.8) and slightly narrower (37mm equivalent compared to the SD850 IS' 35mm). That's not necessarily a trade off you want to make.

The wider angle lenses on models such as the SD870 IS and the Panasonic Lumix TZ models make them more flexible for typical snapshots of groups or landscapes, and it's not as if the SD890 IS' zoom reaches far enough to buy you other shots you might not normally get. Features carried over from the SD850 IS include face detection and optical image stabilization; features missing from both cameras include no semi manual exposure modes, such as shutter and aperture priority.

Canon EOS Rebel XSi

Slightly larger than the XTi, the XSi shaves a couple of ounces of the weight to 1 pound, 2.5 ounces. Its smooth plastic body still feels a bit on the cheap side, and I'm not crazy about the grip. I can't quite put my finger on the reason why it's not especially shallow, and Canon improved it over the XTi's with a more rubbery feeling cover. Still, I don't find it as comfortable to hold as most other dSLRs.

The larger 3 inch LCD necessitated some changes to the control layout from the XTi's, and I prefer the new over the old. Almost all the buttons lie under your right hand, and each feels slightly different so that you can grope them without looking. None require two handed operation when you push the button to change ISO, white balance, metering, and so on, the menu persists while you navigate the options. (For more on the camera design, click through to the slide show.)

The biggest operational advantage the XSi offers over competitors is My Menu, which it inherits from older models. With My Menu you can build a go to list of the most frequently accessed menu settings in my case, for instance, Format and Live View settings. However, the menus can be, irritatingly, a bit inconsistent and sometimes dumb.

For instance, you can change ISO sensitivity with either the dial or the navigation buttons, but can only navigate metering choices via the nav. Also, in some cases when you have two columns to navigate, as with Picture Style settings, it doesn't let you move to the right or left. It requires you to move all the way down the first column to get to the settings in the second column.

On some counts, the XSi offers some pretty nice specs, highlighted by the 12 megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor (for Canon's traditional 1.6x focal length multiplier) and 9 point user selectable autofocus system. The latter wouldn't be much of a standout if Nikon hadn't dropped to three area AF in the D60. I also mark the switch from CompactFlash to SDHC in the plus column. The camera also includes the same Highlight Tone Priority mode found in the 1D Mark III, which helps preserve detail in the brightest portion of a scene.

Also, the XSi includes Canon's Auto Lighting Optimizer, which automatically adjusts contrast and brightness in case the image you captured isn't quite perfect. Introduced last year in the 40D, the Auto Lighting Optimizer is now available in all exposure modes and employs face detection to prevent the underexposure of backlit faces I complained about in the XTi (it works).

Remaining specifications are in line with the previous Rebel. For example, shutter speeds range from 30 seconds to 1/4,000 second with a flash sync speed of 1/200 second and the camera employs a 35 zone TTL metering system. Canon also offers the BG-E5 battery grip.