Canon Powershot G11:

Online credit card price: R 6 999,00
Advanced amateurs who have overwhelmingly embraced the G Series will be delighted with PowerShot G11, which features RAW mode for unlimited editing options, a 28mm wide-angle lens, and a 2.8-inch Vari-Angle PureColor System LCD. Add to that Canon's new High Sensitivity System and high-speed ISO for incredible image quality, and Canon's top-range compact digital camera is a truly groundbreaking successor.The PowerShot G11 combines a powerful CCD sensor and Canon's DIGIC 4 Image Processor. Thanks to this technological advancement, the G11 is dramatically more sensitive than cameras with identical megapixel counts, and delivers spectacular images with minimal noise. Increased sensitivity demands a higher ISO speed, and the PowerShot G11 delivers with a new maximum setting of ISO 3200. Blur and camera shake are notably reduced for the ultimate insharpness and clarity.In addition, a new Low Light mode lets you capture images in an astonishing range of conditions. The camera automatically adjusts the ISO speed from ISO 320 to ISO 12800 in relation to ambient brightness, subject movement and camera shake.The PowerShot G11's RAW mode lets you shoot images without JPEG compression. It gives you clearer images and complete creative control in editing. RAW images are transferred directly to the computer where they can then be edited using image adjustment software or a processing application to adjust your images as you please. The camera can also be set to allow the simultaneous recording of both RAW and JPEG images while shooting.Also, with 26 Shooting Modes, you're ready for whatever shot comes your way.A new Face Self-Timer automatically detects an increase in the number of faces and makes the appropriate adjustments. For instance, to include a photographer's face in a group shot, there's no need to rush in. Just put the camera on a stand or tripod, select the Face Self-Timer, and the camera will wait for the photographer's face to get on-camera before it takes the shot. Motion Detection now tracks moving subjects in a much larger range, and the new Servo AF retains focus on a moving subject after the shutter button is pressed halfway - allowing you to wait for the perfect shot without refocusing. Also, Face Detection and Motion Detection are markedly improved.DIGIC 4 also makes possible the new i-Contrast (Intelligent Contrast Correction) system, which controls the compensation level in pixel units to brighten dark areas while leaving bright areas unchanged for better images where the main subject is dark, and more natural transition. The PowerShot G11 can even use i-Contrast in playback mode to adjust images that were shot without the setting activated.
Features:
New 10 Megapixel sensor coupled with Canon's DIGIC 4 Image Processor designedas the High Sensitivity System for improved low light image performance.
Full range of shooting and recording modes including RAW + JPEG for the ultimate creative control.
Large, bright 2.8-inch Vari-Angle PureColor System LCD with 461,000 dots for shooting at a variety of angles plus an optical viewfinder.
A host of optional accessories including Speedlite flashes, underwater housing and Tele-Converter Lens are available.
A high-powered Wide-Angle 5x Optical Zoom (equivalent to 28 - 140mm) with Canon's Optical Image Stabilizer gets you up close and personal to your subjects
DIGIC 4 Image Processor improves the overall camera performance.
HDMI output for viewing still images on an HDTV.
Improved Smart AUTO intelligently selects the proper setting for the camera based on 22 predefined shooting situations.
Specifications:
Camera Type
Compact digital still camera with built-in flash, 5x Optical / 4x Digital / 20x Combined Zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer System
CCD
10.0 Megapixel, 1/1.7-inch type Charge Coupled Device (CCD)
Total Pixels
Approx. 10.4 Megapixels
Effective Pixels
Approx. 10.0 Megapixels
Lens Focal Length
6.1-30.5mm f/2.8-4.5 (35mm film equivalent: 28-140mm)
Digital Zoom
4x
Focusing Range
Normal: 1.6 ft./50cm-infinityMacro: 0.39 in.-1.6 ft./1-50cm (W)
Autofocus System
TTL Autofocus
Viewfinder
Real image optical zoom viewfinder
LCD Monitor
2.8-inch TFT color, with wide viewing angle
LCD Pixels
Approx. 461,000 pixels
LCD Coverage
100%
Maximum Aperture
f/2.8 (W) - f/4.5 (T)
Shutter Speed
15-1/4000 sec. (settable in Tv and M)
ISO Sensitivity
Auto, ISO 80/100/200/400/800/1600/3200 (Standard output sensitivity. Recommended exposure index)
Light Metering Method
Evaluative, Center-weighted average, Spot
Exposure Control Method
Program AE, Shutter Speed-Priority AE, Aperture-Priority AE, i-Contrast, Manual; AE Lock, Safety Shift, Auto ISO Shift
Exposure Compensation
+/-2 stops in 1/3-stop increments
White Balance Control
Auto, Preset (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash, Underwater), Custom1, Custom2
Built-in Flash
Auto, Auto w/ Red-eye Reduction, Flash On, Flash On w/ Red-eye Reduction, Flash Off; FE lock, Safety FE, Slow Synchro, Second-curtain synchro
Flash Range
1.6 ft.-23 ft./50 cm-7 m (W), 1.6-13 ft./50cm-4.0m (T)
Recycling Time
10 sec. or less (battery voltage=7.4V)
Flash Exposure Compensation
+/-2 stops in 1/3-stop increments
Shooting Modes
Auto, P, Av, Tv, M, C1, C2, Low Light, Quick Shot, Special Scene (Portrait, Landscape, Night Snapshot, Kids & Pets, Indoor, Sports, Sunset, Night Scene, Fireworks, Beach, Underwater, Aquarium, Foliage, Snow, Color Accent, Color Swap, Stitch Assist)
Photo Effects
My Colors Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter SkinTone, Darker Skin Tone, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, Custom
Self-Timer
Approx. 10-sec. delay / approx. 2-sec. delay / Custom / Face Self-Timer
Continuous Shooting
Normal: approx. 1.1 fps; AF: approx. 0.7 fps; LV: approx. 0.8 fps (Large/Fine)
Storage Media
SD/SDHC Memory Card, MultiMediaCard, MMC Plus Card, HC MMC Plus Card
File Format
Design rule for camera file system, DPOF Version 1.1
Image Compression
Normal, Fine, RAW
JPEG Compression Mode
Still Image: Exif 2.2 (JPEG) RAW (CR2 Canon Original))64; Audio: Linear PCM (MonMovie: MOV (Image: H.264; Audio data: Linear PCM (monaural))Not compatible with AVI
Number of Recording Pixels
Still Image: 3,648 x 2,736 (Large); 2,816 x 2112 (Medium 1); 2,272 x 1,704 (Medium 2); 1,600 x 1,200 (Medium 3); 640 x 480 (Small); 3,648 x 2,048 (Wide); 3,648 x 2,736 (RAW); 1,824 x 1,368 (Medium)
Playback Modes File
Still Image: Single, Magnification (approx. 2x-10x), Jump, Auto Rotate, Rotate, Resume, My Colors, My Category, Transition Effects, Histogram, Overexposure Warning, Index (4-130 thumbnails can be selected), Slide Show, Red-eye Correction, RAW playback, Trimming, Resize, Image Inspection Tool, i-Contrast Movie: Normal Playback, Special Playback, Editing, Auto Rotate, Resume
Erase Modes
Still Image: single image, select range, select by date, select by category, select by folder, all images Movie: part of movie, all of movie
Computer Interface
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (mini-B jack)
Video Out
NTSC/PAL
Audio Out
Monaural
Other
SD Memory card slot; direct connection to Canon CP and SELPHY Compact Photo Printers, PIXMA Photo Printers and PictBridge-compatible printers via camera's USB 2.0 Hi-Speed cable
Power Source
Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery NB-7LAC Adapter Kit ACK-DC50 (optional)
Shooting Capacity
Still Image: approx. 390 shots (NB-7L/LCD on), approx. 1,000 shots (NB-7L/LCD off)
Playback Time
Approx. 420 min. (NB-7L)
Operating Temperature
32-104°F/0-40°C
Operating Humidity
10-90%
Dimensions (WxHxD)
4.41 x 3.00 x 1.90 in./112.1 x 76.2 x 48.3mm
Weight
Approx. 12.5 oz./355g (camera body only)

Radiohead Effect Extends to Magazines

Sometimes it's not who's first, but who's most influential. Even though others have done it before, Radiohead's pay-what-you-want scheme has captured people's imaginations. I wasn't too surprised when Saul Williams gave it a shot (with a little help from Trent Reznor, who has also loudly proclaimed his dissatisfaction with the current state of the music industry), but my eyebrows did go up when a magazine -- you know, an actual physical medium -- decided to go the same route. Paste magazine is now offering a one-year subscription -- 11 issues, including 11 music CDs -- for whatever price you name, with a minimum of $1. Anyone who pays more than the regular subscription price of $19.95 gets a mention in the magazine. A nice touch: regular subscribers can also renew at this extremely flexible rate. I should mention that this move isn't quite as hardcore as it sounds. First, Paste is only doing this for a limited time. Second, magazines make most of their money from advertisers, not subscriptions, so they can better afford a stunt like this. Third, the offer's only open to U.S. subscribers. Dudes, my credit card was in my hand. Now it'll have to go back into my wallet, unfulfilled.

Decoding Cell Phone Etiquette

Ask almost anyone, and they'll tell you that cell phone etiquette -- or lack thereof -- is a problem. For that matter, telephone etiquette hasn't been entirely sorted out yet, as encounters with sales clerks and receptionists constantly remind me. It's just that it's harder to escape cell phone users. I'm constantly irritated by some of the inane conversations I hear on the bus or train, or just walking down the street, and sometimes astonished at how some people broadcast some pretty personal details because they forget they're in public. The only thing that appalls me more than obnoxious cell phone callers are those who think they should determine if a call is a waste of time. "If anything characterizes the 21st century, it's our inability to restrain ourselves for the benefit of other people," says James Katz, director of the Center for Mobile Communication Studies at Rutgers University. "The cellphone talker thinks his rights go above that of people around him, and the jammer thinks his are the more important rights." [The emphasis is mine.] That quote is from a New York Times article that ran yesterday on the use of cell phone jammers, which are illegal in the U.S. -- but so small it's near-impossible to enforce the prohibition against them. Why do I emphasize the jammer, and not the obnoxious talker? Because many people who blab loudly on their cell phones don't realize they're doing it. The person using the jammer, on the other hand, makes a conscious decision that the other person's conversation isn't important when they press that button. Or they decide the other person isn't important. Read the article through and you'll notice an interesting bent to the quotes from people jamming: "She was using the word 'like' all the time. She sounded like a Valley Girl." "Just watching those dumb teens at the mall get their calls dropped is worth it. Can you hear me now? NO! Good." And perhaps the most telling: "At this point, just knowing I have the power to cut somebody off is satisfaction enough." The same thing happened when I posted about a cheap cell phone jammer last January. I got a flurry of e-mail from people who said they'd love to have one because of -- I'm paraphrasing here -- all the idiots out there. Clearly, these folks don't realize that with or without cell phones, most overheard conversation fragments are inane. But this is hardly a new phenomenon. When cell phone use was more expensive, people were quick to deride mobile talkers as self-important jerks. (Though I once had the pleasure of watching one person trying to act cool with his cell phone get hilariously taken down by the girls he was trying to impress...) Now that cell phones are commonplace, substitute "Bluetooth headset" for "cell phone" and you get the modern complaint. Also see: white earphones (iPod owners), and before that, any hint that you had a Walkman. There's almost always a mix of classism, ageism, and occasionally a tinge of racism in these comments as well. People just need to re-learn the art of being polite. Cell phone users have to realize that not all conversations are appropriate at all times (you know, you can call someone back if you were in the middle of something else), and would-be jammers have to realize that public spaces are just that -- public (would you tell someone to shut up if they were talking to someone sitting next to them, rather than on the phone?). And sometimes a carefully timed tap on the shoulder and a polite reminder can get the job done as well as any $50 jammer.
Comments
I don't know that talking on a cell phone is even required to fit the socioeconomic aspect of your theory. I have gotten quite a few putdowns because I have an iPhone. Ironically, one of them was from a salesman at an AT&T franchise store who was bent on selling a customer who wanted an iPhone a Nokia device. (AT&T franchisees are not allowed to sell the iPhone.)

I Guess You Can Hear Me Now

One of the reasons I love this time of year is because the blustery winds give me a great excuse not to use my cell phone when I'm out of the office. Now Motorola has gone and ruined a good thing with their new Motopure H12 Bluetooth 2.0 headset, which promises noise cancellation via their CrystalTalk technology (a pair of microphones tracks background noise and cancels it), a 5.5-hour talk time, and an improved, supposedly much more comfortable ear hook design. So there go all three of my excuses. Thanks a lot, Motorola.
Comments
Can someone give me an idea whether or not I should go for a smart phone or just use a more stylish phone and wait for some better technology? I am on the Sprint network, and was referred to http://www.sanyowireless.com, but I'm not seeing any options that look like smart phones. I don't need an MP3 player or a camera, I'd rather have a phone that is lighter and easier to carry. Any recommendations would be welcome.

J.Lo's Album Goes Digital

Here's another way for musicians to go digital: Jennifer Lopez has teamed up with luxury tech purveyors Gresso to release her latest album on a USB flash drive. It's similar to what the French pop group Bubblies did last year, except the flash drive is made of African mahogany, and I somehow doubt the tracks are DRM-free MP3s. The whole deal costs $70.

Splish Splash, MP3s in the Bath

Sometimes you just want to unwind with a nice, long hot bath, am I right? Fancy oils, a glass of wine, and some soothing tunes -- oh, wait, that's right. "Soothing tunes" means cranking the stereo or wrangling your iPod and external speakers or something. Or you might consider BainUltra's Euphonia wireless (and, fortunately, waterproof) headset, which promises to help you shut out the noises of the outside world and let you listen to your New-Agey relaxation music in peace. The music itself is stored in a wall-mounted MP3 player. The headset's due in early December, but BainUltra is currently mum on the price; you'll have to keep tabs on their website for updates.

The Charger That's as Green as You Want to Be

How's this for versatle? The HYmini from miniWIZ lets you store energy in its 1200-mAh internal lithium-ion battery so you can charge your other myriad portable devices -- only it can get its juice from the sun and wind. Hang the $49 HYmini from your bike or mount it outside your car window to use the wind generator; attach optional solar panels (they're $24 each) to put the sun's rays to work; or just plug the thing into a wall socket or USB port. In any case, the result's the same: Connect the HYmini into, say, your MP3 player, and it delivers the power your hungry gadget needs. The only flaw: the HYmini's battery isn't removable, so when it finally gives out (the company estimates it has 500 complete discharges in its life) you have to replace the whole thing. That makes the HYmini almost, but not quite green enough.
Comments
Well, with 1200mAh you can't charge anything serious really. It will barely work for PDAs, GPS and Blackberries alike. It will work ok on the regular Razor-type cellphones only. I tried them all pwermon(k)ey, burnton and finally have chosen icetech solar i9005. It has immense 2850mAh. When fully charged it will charge stamy Verizon PDA over 4 times from 0 to full. Can't compare to anything else really. Plus it has a switch from 4.5 to 9 V - so it charges your device more effectively and (most importantly!) saves the life of your phone's/mp3's/mp4's,/etc.. Li-Ion battery!! Very few are aware that blunt unadjusted 5V charging performed by all other chargers on the market i have tested - will eventually harm your device if it needs 4.5 or 6V. Another neat perk for the nerds - i9005 also has a built-in ultrabright LED light, - you'll go blind for a bit if you look straight in it. All that splendor for $89.99 only. And if you are short on money try icetech i101 for $29.99. Just my 2c.

Hands On: Able Planet's Clear Harmony Headphones

My mother always told me I'd regret procrastinatng. For months I've had Able Planet's $349 Clear Harmony headphones sitting on my desk, waiting for me to get around to trying them out. Last month, I finally opened the package. I wish I'd done it sooner. The headphones use Able Planet's Linx Audio technology, which was originally designed for the hard of hearing; it not only reduces outside noise, it amplifies higher frequencies in the audio. Applied to headphones, the result is something that's useful for people with normal hearing as well. Think of it as preventive aural maintenace. When the ambient noise is so drastically diminished and the audio you're listening to is selectively boosted, you don't have to turn the volume up as high to hear clearly. In a few random tests where I switched between fairly good Sony earbuds and the Clear Harmony headphones, I was surprised to discover how much I'd turned up my iPod to hear music clearly on the earbuds. Keeping things at a lower volume with the headphones meant I was subjecting my ears to less stress, and incidentally reducing power demands on the iPod. I've been using the headphones in a variety of environments, such as mowing the lawn (the reason I finally put them on) and riding on trains, buses and planes. The large cans seal my ears in nicely, shutting out a lot of the ambient noise on their own; turning on the noise-cancelling circuitry -- the headphones are powered by two AA batteries -- takes care of almost everything else. I'd recommend the Clear Harmony headphones for anyone who regularly listens to music out of the house, needs a little peace and quiet in noisy environments (even without music playing, the headphones form a nice little audio cocoon), or just values their hearing. There are, however, two caveats, aside from the high price: one is that after a few hours, they can get a little uncomfortable; the second is that they do too good a job of blocking outside sound -- wearing them while walking down the street would conceivably be a safety hazard.

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