The Canon Powershot S300 is the updated version of Canon’s very popular Powershot S100 Digital Elf camera. The tiny S300 is not for everyone. Canon has been introducing new digital cameras at an amazing pace and all of them are well designed and well built and aimed squarely at specific niche markets. The S300 is an upscale ultra compact digital camera designed for those who like to have a camera with them at all times. The tiny jewel like S300 is easily pocketable and functions well in a wide variety of photographic situations.

Photography has always been a science of compromises. There is no such thing as a perfect camera; each model is designed to function as well as possible within the limitations of physical and technical reality. Tiny cameras are going to have certain inherent limitations that cannot be overcome, such as short battery life and reduced lens versatility (small physical size limits battery capacity and lens length). The key to how well a camera does its job relates directly to how well the engineers and designers were able to balance features with reality. The Canon Powershot S300 battery does its job very well, but it is expensive and the compromises required may put off some potential purchasers.

For general photography applications, digital cameras that cost significantly less than the S300 can easily best the little Digital Elf. Simply put the S300’s 2.1 megapixel digital images are quite good, but color saturation is a bit flat, and macro capabilities are mediocre at best. The camera’s white balance system is easily fooled by artificial lighting. Low light performance is poor because the S300’s maximum lens aperture is limited to f2.7.

The metering system functions well in most situations but is not versatile enough to overcome backlighting or strong frontal light. The Canon Powershot S300 does not allow manual focusing and does not support filter use or add on lenses. The S300 really shines as a travel camera but doesn’t work well for “street” images or in situations where action subjects like sports or candid kiddie shots are the goal. Finally, The S300 provides few options for user input into the exposure process.

Who was the Canon Powershot S300 designed for? Folks who love tiny precision built techno toys, and those who insist on carrying a camera with them at all times. Photographers who want to amaze and entertain their friends, and those who adore style and cool. The S300’s tiny stainless steel body looks like something that “Q” might have handed to James Bond at the start of one of his adventures. The excellent (retractable) 3X zoom has superb resolution with no detectable distortion at the telephoto end and barely visible distortion at the wide-angle end. The tiny built-in flash does a great job at parties and in bars for shooting small groups of friends (as long as the photographer stays within 6-8 feet of his/her subject) and the camera’s auto everything “point’n’shoot” mode will cover just about any situation that most amateur shooters are likely to encounter. Overall, the S300 is an excellent photographic tool in the hands of the niche group for whom it was designed.

Features

The S300 features a new 3X (35-105/f/2.7-4.7 all-glass) zoom lens. When the camera is turned off the lens retracts into the body.
White Balance(the S100 had some white balance problems---which seem to have been corrected on the S300) the sunny, and fluorescent presets work well, but the indoor (incandescent) setting produces warm toned images. The Auto white balance setting works best outdoors (natural light).

Built in flash: Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye Reduction and Slow-Synch modes. Canon claims flash range is 2.5 to 11.5 ft. but you’ll do best if you stay within 6-8 feet of you subject. The flash is under-powered and there is no provision for external flash.

Mode Dial: Canon listens to consumers and has added a mode dial (which the S100 lacked) for better control of camera functions

Performance

Battery Life: Canon’s NB-1L 3.7v 680mAh lithium rechargeable canon powershot s300 battery pack is good for 60-80 minutes (depending on LCD usage) and requires a bit more than two hours for a full charge with the included 110/240V CB-2LS rapid charger which plugs directly into an electrical outlet (good for travel) a second battery is highly recommended.

Shutter Lag/Cycle Times: The Canon Powershot S300 is relatively quick. Start up/cycle times are a bit above average and shutter lag/write times are a bit slower than average. Over all about average for a two megapixel compact digital camera.

Image Quality: Lens resolution is very good and so is white balance (in natural light). Images show very little noise. Color saturation is a bit flat but color accuracy is very good. Over all image quality is very good.

Video: 20 frames-per-second (with audio) up to 640x480

Technical Specifications

Street Price: $500-$600
Resolution: 1600 x 1200 (2.1 Megapixels)
Viewfinder: Optical
LCD: 1.5” TFT
Lens: f2.7-f4.7/35-105 (7 elements in 5 groups) 3X Zoom (no filter/accessory thread)
Metering: Center-weighted (Evaluative) 64-zone TTL
Exposure Compensation: +2/-2EV in 1/3EV steps
Sensitivity/ISO: Auto (100 - 150)
Shutter Speeds: 1 second to 1/1500th of a second
White Balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent
Flash: Built-in (Auto, Anti Red-Eye Auto, Flash On, Flash Off, Slow Sync) no provision for external flash
Storage Media: CF type I
Image Files: Jpeg
Connectivity: USB
Power: Canon NB-1L Lithium-Ion, 3.7 volt, 680 mAh battery

Included

8MB CompactFlash card
NB-1L Li-ion battery and CB-2LS rapid charger
Wrist strap
USB cable
A/V cable
CD-ROM (Canon Digital Camera Solutions and ArcSoft Camera Suite)
100 page (printed) manual

Optional

AC Adapter ACK500 (Power Adapter CA-PS500, DC Coupler DR-500, and an AC Power Cord).

In the Field/Handling and Operation

Our initial tests (we always shoot a selection of colorful plastic beach toys against a white background, under controlled lighting) showed the S300 to have one of the finest quality 3X zooms available. An amazing accomplishment considering how tiny the lens is. Color accuracy was very good (although saturation was a bit lower than with most digital cameras) and resolution was superb. The lens showed absolutely no barrel distortion at the telephoto end and very little pincushion distortion at the wide-angle end of the focusing spectrum. Virtually no chromatic aberration (purple fringing) and blooming was well controlled

Our weather here in Louisville has been getting progressively better and spring is definitely in the air. Dogwoods and Redbuds are starting to bloom, and the city is gearing up for the annual Kentucky Derby Festival. My friend and I decided that we wanted to check out the Canon Powershot S300 at Louisville’s new Extreme Sports Park on the Ohio River near the Louisville Riverbats “Slugger” field. The brand new 40,000 square foot 24/7 Skate Park is already developing a reputation as one of the finest extreme sports venues in the country. Gen-Y'ers gravitate to the park at all hours of the day and night. Features include a twenty-four foot full pipe, an eleven-foot bowl, and a six-foot quarter pipe. The Park is a photographer’s dream with stunning visual opportunities because the colorfully clad boarders and bladers stand out beautifully against the snow-white concrete. The bowls and pipes are perfectly placed for getting incredible action shots of boarders “catching some air” in gravity defying leaps.

The Canon Powershot S300’s “cool” factor attracted a lot more attention than either of us would have liked. In a couple of cases boarders we were photographing stopped what they were doing to come over and check out the tiny little camera. If Canon is targeting the Gen-Y extreme sports crowd, then I can personally attest to the correctness of their marketing strategy. These “dudes” all thought the S300 was tres cool. When shooting "Street" type images the goal of the photographer is to remain unobtrusive and if at all possible, unseen. The S300 attracted far more attention than either of us felt comfortable with.

Seen strictly in terms of its “cool” factor the S300 is a great camera, unfortunately, in operation the gem like little Digital Elf didn’t do too well shooting “Woodpushers” (the slightly derogatory term used by bikers and in-line skaters to describe skateboarders) hanging and catching air. Really good skateboarders move at incredible speeds and seem to have absolutely no fear and be only marginally affected by gravity. The S300 has just a bit too much shutter lag for optimal effectiveness. It was very hard to time shots when we tried to freeze the boarders in mid air. We did manage to get a few really spectacular shots (due mainly to luck) and when we printed them the detail and color were good as long as we stayed at 5X7 or smaller. 8X10 images showed flat color, a little edge softness, and some pixelation when closely inspected with a Mamiya 4X loupe designed for checking out medium format prints.

We have wildflowers popping up everywhere so we took the Powershot S300 to Iroquois Park to check out the latest wildflowers. We’ve been having warm Spring days but with lengthy periods of rain. Usually it rains in the morning and clears up in the afternoon. After waiting out the rain at Iroquois Park, we wandered around in the woods looking for new wildflowers. We found a couple of Trout Lilies, some Bluets, lots of Violets, and a few other early bloomers. The S300’s macro performance is acceptable at best. The camera doesn’t allow shooting close enough to fill the frame with small flowers and flash coverage (up close) is uneven. Over all macro performance with S300 is less than ideal.

A Few Concerns

The Optical viewfinder is on the small side and has no diopter correction (for eyeglass wearers). Color saturation has less depth than comparable 2 megapixel digital cameras. No contrast setting. Underpowered flash, and off-set tripod mount. Auto White balance doesn't work well in artificial light. Prints at sizes larger than 5X7 tend to be flat looking. Prints at 8X10 show pixelation. Prints were made with an Epson Stylus Photo 785 EPX on Epson photo paper

Conclusion

The S300 really is cool, but priced at between five and six hundred bucks it's pretty expensive for a two megapixel digital camera. The Canon Powershot A20 is compact (although larger than the S300) and has comparable features but costs only half as much. The Fuji Finepix 2600 offers similar features and performance and costs less than half what the Canon Powershot S300 will set you back. For five hundred bucks you can get an Olympus C3020 (a 3 megapixel camera) with lots of manual options and a fifty per cent increase in resolution. If you really need an ultra compact digital camera or if the “cool” factor and neat styling is really important to you, then spring for the S300. Otherwise, keep looking there are better performers available for a lot less money.

Tags: Canon Powershot S300,Powershot S300,Canon,digiital camera,Canon camera

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The D80 is a refresh of the D50 body design with some transplants from the D200. Specifically, the body size, shape, and build is very much that of the D50, right down to the door for a Secure Digital card on the right side. As such, the D80 is slightly smaller and lighter than the D70s and definitely lighter and smaller than the D200. Yet Nikon has chosen to use the D200's viewfinder in the D80, and many of the controls that are missing on the D50 but present on the D200 have returned (the FUNC button, for example). We'll get back to what all that means in a bit.

While the D80 is pitched at the next-step up from entry-level digital SLRs, its 10.2 Megapixel resolution and price tag will inevitably see it compared against Canon’s EOS 400D / Rebel XTi and the Sony Alpha A100. There’s certainly many similarities between the three bodies, although it’s interesting to note the D80 has no in-camera anti-dust feature (it’s performed in optional software later), and there’s also no anti-shake solutions in its standard kits.

Depending on your region and supplier there may be three different D80 lens kits available, with either the DX 18-55mm f3.5-5.6, the DX 18-70mm f3.4-4.5 or the new DX 18-135mm f3.5-5.6; the latter, while costing significantly more than the budget kit options of the Sony and Canon models, delivers a considerably longer and more useful 7.5x optical zoom range.
For the purpose of this review we’ve selected the middle option of the DX 18-70mm lens, although to see what the D80’s really capable of, we’ve also included resolution results using a 50mm prime lens. As for the DX 18-55mm and the new DX 18-135mm lenses, look out for a full reports using the D80 coming to Cameralabs soon. Alternatively, couple the Nikon D80 battery with the Nikkor 18-200mm VR and you could enjoy one of the best body / lens combos currently available. Find out more about this best selling lens by checking out our Nikkor 18-200mm VR review.

Some of the new features on the D80 versus its predecessors include:

• A new 10.2 effective Megapixel CCD (versus 6.1MP on the D70's)
• A much larger and sharper 2.5" LCD display (versus 2.0")
• Now uses Secure Digital and SDHC memory cards (versus CompactFlash)
• Faster performance in all areas
• New autofocus sensor offers better performance and more focus points (11 vs. 5)
• Support for wireless flashes
• Improved battery life; new battery meter menu option shows vital stats
• New Image Retouch menu offers D-Lighting, redeye removal, cropping, image overlay, and other features that have been on Nikon's Coolpix cameras for years
• Refined menu system (just like the D200 now)
• USB 2.0 High Speed support

The fact that it will be using SD memory cards tells us Nikon could be setting up the bottom end of the family for SD to capture more of the "upsell" market switching from compact cameras. But it is also able to support the new generation of Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) providing, in due time, capacities of 4GB and up to 32GB.

This however will probably be a disappointment for Nikon D70 owners with a significant investment in CF media hoping to "move up" without going for the Nikon D200. Also, SD users will have to wait as the market is still catching up to CF in terms of larger media capacities.

The Nikon D80 has a 10.75 megapixel, 23.6mm x 15.8mm RGB CCD that delivers 10.2 effective megapixels. There are 3 image size settings (3,872 x 2,592 [L], 2,896 x 1,944 [M], 1,936 x 1,296 [S]) and three levels of compression (Fine, Normal, Basic), which are recorded as JPEGs (8 bit). RAW (12 bit) format is also available, giving an image size of 3904 x 2616 pixels. The camera supports SD memory cards.

The Nikon D80 offers four advanced exposure modes - Programmed Auto [P] with flexible program, Shutter Priority Auto [S], Aperture Priority Auto [A] and Manual [M] - and 6 different scene modes (Portrait, Landscape, Macro Close up, Sports, Night landscape, Night portrait). Exposure compensation can be set up to +-5 EV in increments of 1/3 or 1/2 EV and auto-bracketing is available for 2 to 3 exposures in increments between 1/3 to 2.0 EV. There is also an auto-exposure and auto-focus lock button. The shutter speed range is 1/4000 - 30 sec with a Bulb option also available. There are 16 different ISO speeds ranging from 100 to 1600 in steps of 1/3 EV, plus HI-0.3, HI-0.7 and HI-1.

The D80 battery uses a TTL phase detection 11-point autofocus system with a detection range of EV -1 to +19. There are 3 different focusing modes available - Single Area AF, Dynamic Area AF, Auto-area AF - and 3 metering modes - 3D Color Matrix II, Centre-weighted metering and Spot metering. There are 4 types of focusing - Instant single-servo (AF-S), Continuous-servo (AF-C), auto AF-S/AF-C selection (AF-A) and Manual (M). The camera has 11 autofocus points which can be selected automatically or manually, and the center focus area can be switched from normal to wide-frame. Focus can be locked by pressing the shutter-release button halfway (single-servo AF) or by pressing the AE-L/AF-L button. An Auto-focus assist lamp is also available. For White Balance, there is an Auto setting, six manual modes with fine-tuning, color temperature setting (Kelvin), preset white balance and white balance bracketing.

Tags: Nikon D80,D80

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Sony’s VAIO PCG-Z1RSP laptops have been a big hit in the notebook PC world, with punters swayed by the way the company has crammed high-end features into slim, lightweight frames. The latest off the production line, the Z1XSP, looks like yet another winner.
Design-wise, this is a gem with its very portable 2.1kg frame and large recessed keypad. Only the rather slippery, tricky-to-use touchpad lets the side down. The 14-inch SXGA+ screen is also one of the best in its class, while under the hood you’ll fi nd an Intel Pentium M 1.7GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 80GB of storage. Not bad, but there are significantly better-specified laptops available for much less.

Sony preloads Windows XP Home or Windows XP Professional onto the VAIO PCG-Z1RSP. The company also includes Microsoft Works, Money 2003, and Encarta Online. But the big software bonus comes in the form of Sony’s useful multimedia-app bundle, which includes DVGate, SonicStage, and PictureGear Studio for working with DVDs, music, and photos, respectively.

The VAIO Z1 model that we tested, the VAIO PCG-Z1RSP, achieved impressive performance, especially for a notebook with the 1.3GHz Pentium M processor. The Pentium M processor was made from the ground up to keep its performance high even when unplugged, and the VAIO Z1 reaps the fruit of that labour. The processor plus the system’s 512MB of DDR RAM allowed it to beat the 1.4GHz Pentium M-based IBM ThinkPad X31 which has a faster CPU but only 256MB of RAM.

In ZDNet Labs’ tests, the VAIO PCG-Z1GP battery for well over three hours, thanks to its 11.1V, 4,400mAh battery. But we expected more. With a lower-speed processor than those of the comparison systems, we expected the battery life to reach four hours. For instance, the IBM ThinkPad X31–even with a less powerful, 10.8V, 4,400mAh battery and a higher speed 1.4GHz Pentium M processor–achieved well over four hours of battery life.

Specifications:

- Intel Centrino Processor
- 14.1(35.89cm) TFT SXGA
- CD-RW/DVD-
- ATI Mobility Radeon 16mb
- 2 USB 2.0 Ports
- Magic Gate Memory Stick Slot
- i-Link (IEEE1394) Port
- V90 56K Flex Modem
- Built in RJ-45 10BaseT/100 Base TX
- Sony VAIO World Software
- Integrated 802.11b WLAN
- Integrated Bluetooth
- Microsoft Works 7.0
- Microsoft Windows XP Pro

The VAIO PCG-Z1RSP pushes the envelope when it comes to sub-notebook design and innovation. Almost everything is unique in one way or another and Sony tops it off by adding the elegance and detail that we have only seen from companies such as Apple. The included optical mouse adds a nice touch by offering a memory stick reader, and the packaging that the VAIO PCG-Z1RSP comes in is very stylish and retro.
Using the sony VAIO PCG-Z1RSP battery in a public place such as a coffeehouse or on public transportation, you’ll notice a lot of glances. Whether they are looking at the elegant little powerhouse in front of you or the big grin on your face while using it, you will be noticed - it’s just that special. The Sony VAIO PCG-Z1RSP is an extreme system that will appeal to those wanting the bleeding edge in design and innovation.”
Full Review.

The Sony VAIO PCG-VAIO PCG-Z1RSP/SP is available from Japanese Gadget Specialist Dynamism.com for $3,999. The Sony VAIO PCG-VAIO PCG-Z1RSP/P for 3,499.
The difference betweent he SP and the P is the casing. The SP has the more robust Nickel/Carbon, where as the P only has a Carbon casing.

What the competition lack, though, is a DVD-RW drive, which at 9.5mm thick is so slim that it’s easy to forget it’s there. Another plus is compatibility with 802.11g as well as 802.11b wireless networking. The extra speed of the former is handy if you want to transfer large files around your wireless network.
This laptop’s other trump card is sony VAIO PCG-Z1RSP battery life. Sony claims it to be around six hours, but even though it takes a hammering if you use the wireless connection, the real-world non-Wi-Fi figure is a still impressive five hours.
This is certainly one of the most desirable laptops around. Only a not-particularly-competitive basic spec and a rather high price tag prevent it from taking top marks.

Tags: Sony_VAIO_PCG-Z1RSP VAIO_PCG-Z1RSP SONY

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Today we will look at an exciting ultra-compact portable computer optimized for today’s life and travels. The DELL Inspiron XPS system based on Intel Merom processor proved an excellent solution. Read more in our review!

The life of a truly modern man is like a train that is steadily speeding up from its station towards an unknown destination. It is getting faster and faster every moment, and there’s no stopping or even pausing this process. Living at a high speed, the modern man regards time as a great value. Some people are even dreaming about extra hours in the day that would sum up into extra days monthly. To avoid floundering in such unreal dreaming, you can put to good use those hours that you’d just waste otherwise. You only need a portable digital companion, a notebook computer.

There is, however, a list of minimum requirements this digital companion must comply with to satisfy its owner. The notebook must be light and small, yet easy to work with. It must have high-performance but economical components so that it could last long on the dell xps m1210 battery. A large selection of wireless interfaces would also be welcome in a traveling notebook. A good graphics subsystem might also come in handy so that the user could relax a little at some game.

You think it’s impossible? Not at all! The Dell Inspiron XPS M1201 is a vivid example of that. Depending on the configuration, this 12” cutie (it easily fits within the dimensions of the A4 paper format and thus into any briefcase or bag) can satisfy any person who is spending much of his life traveling. Appearances are often misleading, and a cursory glance over the Inspiron XPS M1210 won’t disclose to you the fact that this notebook has one of the most advanced of today’s mobile CPUs coupled with a rather powerful graphics subsystem. Not all notebooks marked as XPS M1210 have a discrete graphics solution on board, though. There is a version that has a tremendous computing power but is weak in 3D and gaming applications because it uses the integrated graphics core Graphics Media Accelerator 950.

It’s the latter version of the notebook that we’ve got for our tests. The Dell Inspiron XPS M1210 is based on a Merom-core CPU with the Core micro-architecture. The Merom differs from the previous core Yonah in a few respects. First, the Intel Core 2 Duo T7600 has a 4MB L2 cache. The execution pipeline is almost the same length in all CPUs with the Core architecture, yet it is longer by two stages in the Core 2 Duo. The most notable improvement is the support of Intel’s 64-bit extensions to the x86 architecture and the so-called Intel Wide Dynamic Execution that means that the CPU core now has more decoders and execution units. The processing of SSE and floating-point instructions has been accelerated. With all these innovations, the Merom core has a typical heat dissipation of 34W as opposed to the Yonah’s 31W. The rest of the components of the Napa platform are left unchanged and the CPU socket will remain the same until the upcoming transition to the Santa Rosa platform.

The stickers they put on the notebook case are the same too, except that the Intel Core 2 Duo Inside sticker now has the number 2 that stands for Merom. The Centrino Duo logo doesn’t allow telling which exactly CPU resides inside the notebook.

Our tests will show how such crucial parameters of notebooks as battery life and performance have been affected by the technical innovations. But first we’ll examine the Dell Inspiron XPS X1210 carefully from all the sides. We’ll also take an ASUS W5F notebook as an opponent to the Inspiron. The notebook from ASUS has a similar hardware configuration, but a different CPU with a different clock rate. The Inspiron XPS M1210 is based on a Merom-core processor with a frequency of 2.33GHz while the ASUS W5F has a Yonah-core 2.0GHz CPU (it is the highest CPU frequency among all the Intel Core Duo processors we’ve ever tested in our labs).

Design and Ergonomics

The first thing you become aware of in the Dell Inspiron XPS M1210 is its smooth outline. The front part is rounded off a little, giving the notebook a very neat appearance. The lid is coated with black plastic and has a silvery band with the name of the series near the display hinges. On the front panel there is a small chromium-plated ledge to make it easier for you to lift the lid up. The sides of the lid are by half painted silver to match the top part of the notebook’s body. The rest of the body is painted black.

The manufacturer put its logotype into the center of the lid.

Before opening the notebook, you can take note of the three connectors in its front part. One is a microphone input and the other two are identical headphones outputs. Not a very common solution, this allows enjoying the multimedia capabilities of the Inspiron XPS M1210 battery together with your friend while on a plane, for example.

Above those connectors there is a block of multimedia buttons highlighted in blue when the notebook is turned on. These buttons include (from left to right):

    * Mute On/Off
    * Volume Down
    * Volume Up
    * Play/Pause
    * Previous Track
    * Next Track
    * Stop

We don’t think these buttons are really necessary for an ultra-compact model unless you are going to use it as a player. Due to the small size of the notebook, you will almost surely touch the multimedia buttons unintentionally with your wrists while you’re using the touchpad.

The display lacks a lock as is typical of notebooks of that form-factor. Mechanisms built into the hinges press the lid down to the notebook’s body, and you have to exert some strength to lift it up. The color scheme is all silvery inside, including the magnesium case, keyboard, touchpad, and the screen bezel. There are rubber pads on that bezel for softer contact between the display and the notebook’s body. Centered beneath the display is the Dell logotype.

The Dell Inspiron XPS M1210 may come with an optional 1.3-megapixel web-camera that can turn around by 180 degrees. It resembles the one installed on the ASUS W5F. Our notebook didn’t have that camera, though.

Besides the manufacturer’s logo, there are two sonorous stereo speakers on the bezel, below the display. They are covered with grids and are directed right at the user. This placement is good because the speakers won’t get obstructed with anything.

The display hinges stick out of the notebook’s body, allowing you to unfold it by even more than 180 degrees as is shown in the following photograph:

The Dell Inspiron XPS M1210 is equipped with a widescreen 12.1” display with a max resolution of 1280×800 pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:10 (WXGA). The horizontal viewing angle seems to be large, but the vertical one is narrow even visually of dell inspiron 9400 battery. The glassy coating of the display makes colors more saturated (Dell TrueLife technology), but also produces flares under improper lighting and reflects every well-lit object behind your back.

We measured the brightness and contrast of the notebook’s display using a Pantone ColorVision Spyder with OptiCAL version 3.7.8 software. We selected the highest possible brightness setting before this test but it would become much lower when the notebook switched to its battery, automatically enabling power-saving measures. The measured values of brightness are high, but the contrast ratio isn’t:

AC power source:

    * 110.1cd/sq.m brightness, 27:1 contrast ratio

DC power source:

    * 90.9cd/sq.m brightness, 27:1 contrast ratio

The notebook’s keyboard consists of 84 silvery-colored keys with a soft movement and a somewhat rough surface. The Arrow keys are lowered below the keyboard’s baseline to reduce the risk of your pressing them unintentionally. The Fn button is located at the bottom left of the keyboard, next to the Ctrl key, which is in the corner. This is convenient for people who are used to shortcuts like Ctrl+C or Ctrl+V. Numeric buttons and two Windows keys are available: the Context Menu key is over one key on the left of the spacebar and the Windows Logo is on the right of the spacebar. The acer aspire 3000 series battery functional buttons are smaller than others. PgUp and PgDn are placed under the Enter. Home, End, Insert and Delete are in the same row with the functional buttons (you should press them along with Fn to access their additional functions). The letters are painted in black; the functional keys are blue.

Testbed and Methods

The notebook’s hard drive was formatted in NTFS before the tests. Then we installed Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2 with DirectX 9.0c, system drivers (from the included disc), and Windows Media Encoder 9.0 with Windows Media Player 9.0. We also installed Windows Media Player 10.0 for such tests as PCMark 2005 and SYSMark 2004 SE.

The following settings were used for the tests:

    * Power-saving services – Off
    * Audio subsystem – Off
    * Network services – Off
    * Maximum screen brightness
    * Maximum display resolution (1440×900)
    * Windows Taskbar is Unlocked
    * Windows Taskbar hides automatically
    * Classic Desktop theme
    * No background image on the Desktop
    * No screensaver
    * Low security level
    * Pop-ups blocking disabled

There were two exceptions: we returned to the Windows XP desktop theme for PCMark 2005 since the program required that. And for SYSMark 2004 SE to work normally, we had to roll each parameter back to its default (as they are set right after you install Windows).

Two power modes were used. First, we selected the Always On power mode for maximum performance and the shortest battery life. Then we switched to the Max Battery mode for the maximum battery run-down time.

Our tests:

   1. Performance benchmarks: synthetic (SiSoftware Sandra 2005, SiSoftware Sandra 2007, PCMark 2004 1.3.0, PCMark 2005 1.2.0), office and multimedia (SYSMark 2004 SE, Business Winstone 2004, Multimedia Content Creation Winstone 2004), and games (3DMark 2001SE Pro, 3DMark 2003 3.6.0, 3DMark 2005 1.2.0, 3DMark 2006 1.0.2, Quake 3, Quake 4, Unreal Tournament 2003)
   2. Battery life tests (Battery Eater Pro 2.60)

There are three test modes in Battery Eater:

    * Classic (the system is under a high and evenly distributed load)
    * Reader’s test (the pages are browsed through each 15 seconds)
    * Idle mode

We used the first two modes as they are in Battery Eater, but in the Idle mode (when the test utility doesn’t put any load of its own on the notebook) we played a DVD movie.

Conclusion

Michael Dell’s team has done a good job again, coming up with an exciting ultra-compact portable computer optimized for today’s life and travels. The only significant drawback in the configuration of the Dell Inspiron XPS M1210 that we tested is the lack of a discrete graphics card that would certainly make it even more appealing. Well, the model we actually tested is quite ready for the nomadic way of life many of us have to lead. We called the ASUS W5F with its Yonah-core CPU a mobile intellectual in our earlier review, but the Dell Inspiron XPS M1210, even with its integrated graphics, is much smarter without a doubt!

This year will show us the Merom from other aspects, too. This CPU core is going to have higher frequencies and to work within the framework of the Santa Rosa platform together with an improved integrated graphics core. This sounds to us like yet another performance leap!

Highs:

    * Superb ultramodern design
    * Excellent performance in office applications (and not limited to them if the configuration includes a discrete graphics card)
    * Abundance of wireless interfaces (including support for SIM cards)
    * Exclusive TrueLife technology for better image quality
    * Appealing and competitive price
    * High-resolution widescreen display
    * Relatively long battery life

Lows:

    * Mirror-like display
    * Low performance in games
    * Inconvenient placement of the multimedia buttons
    * Optical combo-drive
    * Rather too noisy
    * Dense placement of USB ports (but it’s good that there are as many as four of them here!)

Tags: DELL-Inspiron-XPS-M1210 DELL Inspiron-XPS-M1210-review DELL-laptop laptop

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The Dell Vostro 1400 Notebook is designed to meet the needs of the small business owner.  It offers completely customisable features and software, arriving at your business with no additional trialware or other features that you have not specifically requested to have.  As soon as your Dell Vostro 140 arrives, it is ready to use right out of the box.

The Dell Vostro 1400 Notebook offers a powerful performance, including the Intel Celeron M M540 processor (1.86 GHz, 1 M L2 Cache, 533 MHz FSB).  You can also choose to add in the optional Intel Core 2 Duo Dual-Core Processor.  In addition, it offers 512 MB shared single channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667 MHz, 1 DIMM and a 80G 540RPM SATA Hard Drive.  It also includes Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic.

Weighing in at 2.45 kg, the Dell Vostro 1400 Notebook is a lightweight and sleek design that is both professional and stylish.  It also features a generously sized LCD screen and a full sized keyboard.

In addition, the widescreen offers an anit-glare display and you can add the TrueLife technology for an even clearer and crisper image.  This is further enhanced by the Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100.  The optional graphics card that contains up to 128 MB of dedicated video memory can be added to the notebook to further increase the video capabilities.

The Dell Vostro 1400 battery can have up to 4 GB of memory depending on how you customize it as well as up to 160 GB of storage.  It can also be easily attached to other electronic devices.  With four USB ports, you can easily attach gadgets used for both business and for pleasure.  In addition, it features a 24X CD Burner and DVD combo drive.

The Dell Vostro 1400 Notebook is also ideal for taking on the road.  Its Dell Wireless 1390 802.11 g Wi-Fie Mini Card offers wireless connectivity, making it possible to access the Internet from any hot spot.  In addition, you can choose to install the HyperConnect wireless feature that will allow you to work online at nearly any location.  The system is also capable of connecting to Bluetooth technology.

The Dell Vostro 1400 laptop battery also has a very durable design that makes it possible for it to withstand the jiggling and dropping that is common when taking a notebook on the road.  In fact, it includes an extra-durable exterior made of magnesium alloy as well as the patented StrikeZone shock absorber.  This helps to protect the critical data that is held on the hard drive while the keyboard, which is sealed in Mylar, is resistant to spills and dust. Its ability to remain reliable has been demonstrated with over 13,000 hours of testing on the system.

You can also count on the reliability of the battery for Dell Vostro 1400 laptop, as it comes complete with an extensive service plan and other service options. This includes a 1 year limited hardware warranty that comes with mail-in service, making it easy to have services completed when necessary.

Tags: Dell_Vostro_1400 laptop Vostro_1400

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The Canon MV600i Mini-DV digital camcorder delivers advanced features and style, while still being both affordable and simple to use.

This digital dream is compact and extremely comfortable to hold, with a well thought-out layout of controls, including customisable illuminated buttons. It looks the part too, and is complemented with some serious technical wizardry in its guts, which includes an 800K pixel CCD and 18x optical zoom.

The 1/6" 800K pixel CCD facilitates high-quality digital movie footage, plus good-quality still images. The photo button can be used to store digital stills onto tape, which you can later transfer. Unlike the battery for Canon MV650i, there isn't the convenience of an MMC card slot. This camcorder also features a high-performance two-sided aspheric Canon lens with optical 18x / digital 360x zoom.

This model has both DV In and Out (FireWire) sockets, making it an ideal camcorder for those wanting to edit their footage on a home computer. There is also an analogue-digital converter and analogue line in--great if you want to transfer old VHS cassettes to digital tape. The camera's Multi Architecture Camera System helps to optimise the best quality image settings for movies and stills. Additional features include night mode, programmed auto exposure, advanced in-camera editing and much more.

The Canon MV600i comes supplied with a remote control, two AA batteries, lens cap and lens cap cord, shoulder strap, Lithium button battery, Canon BP-522 battery pack, CA-570 compact power adapter, STV-250N Stereo video cable, PC-A10 SCART adapter, Digital Video solution software disc.

The MV600i offers exceptional value for money. Those looking for even more features may want to consider the Canon MV650i, but whichever option you go for you'll end up with a great camcorder.

The stylish DV camera that combines compact size, big 18x zoom lens and great value.

Powerful and high resolution Canon 18x zoom lens
Stylish, compact and ultra modern design that's both comfortable to use and looks the part
High resolution 800k pixel CCD and DIGIC DV signal processing for outstanding image quality
Canon DV Messenger software to use MV600i as a sophisticated webcam

The powerful Canon 18x zoom lens is ideal for recording even distant subjects. The stylish, compact and ultra modern design is both comfortable to use and looks the part. With a high resolution 800k pixel CCD and DIGIC DV signal processing the MV600i delivers outstanding image quality.

High Performance Optics
- Canon 2.8-50.4mm f/1.6-2.9 18x zoom lens equivalent to 54-972mm in 35mm film format
- 18x optical / 360x digital zoom allows even distant subjects to be viewed in crisp and vivid detail
- Original Canon video lens design including double sided Aspherical element ensuring optimal colour balance and low distortion images are recorded

Powerful Features
- DV Messenger software providing peer-to-peer communication over the internet, for exchanging audio and video, controlling Canon DV cameras remotely and using the MV600i as a sophisticated webcam with Microsoft Windows Messenger through IEEE1394
- Complete range of 18 creative digital effects including digital faders and digital effects
- Analogue line in/out function converts analogue video signal into digital, plus real time analogue converter that does conversion on the fly without requiring the footage to be recorded to tape
- DV line in/out function for lossless duplication and transfer to computers for non linear editing

Easy to use
- Night Mode allowing high quality colour recordings to be made in low light levels down to 0.5 lux
- Image Stabilizer function eliminates hand held camera shake when using longer focal lengths
- Fold out 2.5" colour LCD screen and colour viewfinder for recording and playback
- 7 recording modes for all kinds of shooting conditions including Easy Recording, Auto, Sports, Portrait, Spotlight, Surf and Snow, and Low Light recording modes

Product Description

The MV600i gives you all the benefits of digital filming and still images in an easy to use package. High image quality combined with the versatility only digital technology can offer make this affordable camcorder irresistible. The lens technology, which Canon has been developing for 60 years means that whether you re recording videos or shooting VGA still images, all 800, 000 pixels will make every image startlingly clear. With the extensive features and accessory range of the MV600i, you ll have no excuse for missing the perfect filming opportunity. The Night Mode lets you film in low light conditions. Everything you record with the MV600i battery is routed to the appropriate storage media with the best possible results. For instance, videos are sent on the optimum route to miniDV tapes. The MV600i comes complete with DV Messenger software, a service you can use in conjunction with Windows Messenger available on Microsoft Windows XP. DV Messenger enables you to exchange files and have live conversations using your camcorders as webcams.

The MV600 series allows everyone from camcorder beginners, frequent travellers and families to select a camcorder most suited to their needs. Consisting of four models, each bringing users enhanced specifications, better connectivity and improved performance in a compact and stylish new design.
Based on the popular MV500 Series the new stylish design has been refreshed still utilising different colours to emphasise the individuality of each model. These new additions to the MV line-up are superbly designed and extremely compact - even with the included high-magnification lens.

All models in the MV600 series utilise IEEE 1394, feature Night Mode, a colour LCD and colour EVF

High Performance Lens and CCD
Each model uses a totally new 1/6-inch 800,000-pixel CCD, to produce even higher resolution movies. The range also incorporates the MACS (Multi Architecture Camera System) to optimise best quality image settings for movies and stills, depending on whether displayed on TV, PC, or printed via the Direct Print function (no PC is needed).

Each model is also equipped with a high-performance two-sided aspheric Canon lens. The Canon MV600i battery uses an optical 18x / digital 360x zoom lens for video.


Programmed Auto Expose (AE)
By selecting the shooting mode that best suits the scene, each model adjusts internal controls to create the perfect video each time. Mode choices are Auto, Sports, Portrait, Spotlight, Sand and Snow, and Low Light as well as the new Night Mode with which colour shots are possible even in dim conditions.


Digital effect and digital fade

A variety of digital effects and fading functions are included for on-camera video editing. These effects previously had to be done on a PC. Effects include colours, ball, mirror, cube and wave while digital fade includes flip, tide, puzzle and beam effects.

Audio Dubbing
An Audio Dubbing function makes it possible to create or replace commentary or music to footage, thereby enhancing or explaining images.

Multi-image Screen
The MV600i includes a multi-image screen, which allows images to be played back on the LCD panel divided into 4,9 or 16 separate screens. Alternatively the camera can display a series of images in sequence. To select the images to be displayed, users can either make a manual choice or use one of the preprogrammed transition speeds: fast, moderate or slow.

DV Input/Output Version
The  version models, MV600i provide users with digital line-in functionality. With this feature, users can upload edited footage or graphics from their computer, or other digital devices, to the camcorder.

Analogue Line-in/Analogue-Digital Converter
The Canon MV600i battery also features an analogue-digital converter enabling analogue images to be converted directly into digital images, without the need for recording onto digital tape first. Images previously recorded with an 8mm video camera, a TV signal or any analogue image signal can now be directly stored digitally onto a PC without first recording onto a Mini DV tape. This function additionally allows for images and data to be digitally stored with media such as DVD

Tags: Canon-Mv600 canon camcorder

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Canon has released the ultra-compact PowerShot SD990 IS Digital ELPH for 2008. Loaded with a host of advanced features, such as Optical Image Stabilization and Canon's new DIGIC 4 image processor, the SD990 IS is ideal for the trendsetting techie looking for functionality and style. The SD990 IS showcases enhanced specifications such as 14.7-megapixel resolution, 3.7x Optical Zoom with Optical Image Stabilization and Canon's new Quick Shot Mode for even faster shutter speeds. Reminiscent of a sporty race car, this new model is available in black or silver. In addition, to commemorate the 100 millionth compact digital camera manufactured, Canon created a limited-edition PowerShot SD990 IS Digital ELPH camera in red.

Features at a glance

• 14.7 Megapixels (Digital IXUS 980 IS), 10.0 Megapixels (Digital IXUS 870 IS)
• Colour variations
• Black or Silver (Digital IXUS 980 IS)
• Gold or Silver (Digital IXUS 870 IS)
• 3.7x optical zoom lens with optical Image Stabilizer (Digital IXUS 980 IS)
• 4x wide-angle (28mm) optical zoom lens with optical Image Stabilizer (Digital IXUS 870 IS)
• Manual control (Digital IXUS 980 IS only)
• DIGIC 4 for outstanding images and fast response times
• Great people shots with Face Detection AF/AE/FE/WB, FaceSelf-Timer and Face Select & Track
• Targets all the main causes of blur with High ISO Auto, optical Image Stabilizer, Motion Detection Technology and Servo AF
• Auto Red-Eye Correction in shooting and playback
• i-Contrast boosts brightness and retains detail in dark areas
• 2.5” PureColor LCD II with wide viewing angle plus optical viewfinder (Digital IXUS 980 IS)
• 3.0” PureColor LCD II with wide viewing angle (Digital IXUS 870 IS)
• Multi Control Dial and customizable My Menu
• Supported Battery: 1 x  Li-ion rechargeable Canon NB-5L battery ( included )
• Smooth, 30fps VGA movies  

There’s also a Quickshot function, which lets you set a range of parameters on the LCD screen - such as flash, exposure compensation and white balance - before taking the shot through the viewfinder.

In terms of performance, the Digital Ixus 980 IS was very good, with fine detail, contrast and colour reproduction. So did the extra pixels make a difference to the picture quality? Yes, but we suspect that the Digic 4 processor played a bigger role. The iContrast feature is nice to have, but there was little need to deploy it, either while shooting live or in post-production.

Better than its predecessors

In terms of noise, those extra pixels didn’t seem to have had an adverse effect on the amount of noise generated, which must be down to some hard work by the Digic 4. As expected, noise begins to become apparent around ISO 400, but even at 800, the levels are not too bad.

The face detection system was fast and accurate, and Canon has cleverly combined it with the self timer. So, instead of setting the self timer and then racing to get in the frame, you can set up Face Self-Timer and then nonchalantly stroll into position, because the Digital Ixus 980 IS battery won’t take the shot until it detects an additional face - yours. We tried it and it works well, although be warned, in this mode, the 980 fires off three consecutive frames. Macro shots were impressive too, as was the continuous shooting mode of around 1.3 f/s.

However, there were a couple of disappointments. We wish Canon had given the Ixus 980 a lens with a better wide-angle setting. Yes, there is a panoramic feature that will help you stitch a spread of shots together, but you shouldn’t have to deploy this in order to squeeze in a little more side detail. Red eye was a problem in a number of shots, but that said, the Ixus 980 has one of the best red-eye correction systems we’ve used, allowing you to select individual eyes for processing.

Canon IXUS 980 IS Gallery

The new Canon IXUS 980 IS camera features Canon's optical Image Stabilizer ensuring sharp pictures through the entire zoom range including photographing in bad light circumstances. The Canon IXUS IS is equipped with Canon's new DIGIC 4 image processor. This processor should guarantee an extremely fast processing and noise-free pictures in addition to offering intelligent technologies, which adds positively to the ease of operation and the chance of a successful picture.

Canon IXUS manual mode

For those looking to take their photography to the next level, the Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS battery offers a first for Digital IXUS: a Manual Mode that allows control of shutter speed and aperture . This is ideal for unusual lighting situations or expressive, experimental shots. For split-second photo opportunities, a second new mode - QuickShot - uses the optical viewfinder for framing and focusing, virtually eliminating shutter lag. The Canon IXUS 980 IS also features Canon’s optical Image Stabilizer technology, for blur-free shots throughout the zoom range and in low-light conditions.

Canon IXUS 980 IS photo gallery

The Canon IXUS 980 IS is digital camera on my priority list to be reviewed soon. In addition to the test in practice at which operation and functionality of the IXUS camera are evaluated together with the captured pictures, the technical test in our DIWA Lab is crucial to come to a balanced final conclusion. The Canon 980 IS sample photos were taken with a full production cameral which means that this camera model is equal to the CANON NB-5L battery camera that the consumer can expect to purchase. The test photos were taken in Cologne, Germany and some of them are taken in purmerend near to Amsterdam in The Netherlands. The pictures in this article have been reduced to enable correct reproduction and compressed to ensure a faster loading time. The large original Canon IXUS 980 IS photos are the original, unedited sample photos.

Tags: Canon Digital Ixus 980 IS,Digital Ixus 980 IS

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Tags: Dell Inspiron 6400,Dell Inspiron E1505,Dell Inspiron 6400 E1505

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