FOR THE JACQUES COUSTEAUS OF YOU OUT THERE
Pentax updates its line of waterproof, compact digital cameras with the aluminum-alloy Optio W30, a 7-megapixel model out next month.
A high-brightness setting makes the 2.5-inch screen more easily viewed in sunlight, which extends the camera's usefulness as a tool for capturing beach behavior and ski scenes.
Waterproof to a depth of 3m for up to two hours, the 159g camera is dust-sealed, which should afford protection against sand.
A small amount of memory is included in the camera, but the SD slot is set for the new higher-capacity SDHC cards, which are sold in versions up to eight gigabytes.
Under water, light can be scarce, so this camera can automatically switch to higher light sensitivities as needed, or be manually set as high as ISO 1600.
Zoom range is 38mm to 114mm, but subjects less than 2.5cm away can be shot, and then followed as they depart — perhaps swimming — in an auto-macro mode, which switches to regular autofocus as a subject moves away.
In video mode, the camera shoots 30 frames a second — all the while recording sound.
APPLE'S AIRPORT EXTREME: WIRELESS RIVALS ETHERNET
Ask any computer geek which is faster, a wired or wireless network, and they would probably tell you to reach for the Ethernet cables — unless, of course, you have upgraded to 802.11n.
Apple's latest AirPort Extreme wireless access point and router is its first to use the 802.11n draft standard, a technology that approaches wired-network speeds and is still being developed but is already popping up in many products. Apple says nearly all of its current Macs are 802.11n-capable.
In a tryout with two new Macs, large file transfers took one-fourth as long as with older 802.11g devices.
That isn't the only upgrade to the AirPort Extreme. Its clean new design is similar to the iPod and Mac Mini, and its USB port now allows sharing of a hard drive as well as a printer across the network.
The AirPort Extreme still works with the AirPort Express, which lets you extend your network and stream iTunes music around the house. Security is up to date as well, with WiFi Protected Access options throughout — to shield those things you would rather not share.
A MOUSE AND KEYBOARD TO GO WITH VISTA
Microsoft finally got its Windows Vista software out the door. Now comes the hardware.
The Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 combines a Bluetooth keyboard with Microsoft's first rechargeable mouse. Both can work up to 900cm from the USB transmitter in the computer.
The unit was designed for Vista, but it works with Windows XP. Dedicated keys call up the Windows Vista start menu, the Windows Live instant-messaging system and Windows "gadgets" — desktop programs that offer weather, news, calendars and other functions.
The keyboard, featuring a thin, curved design, is geared to multimedia use. The left side has what amounts to a remote control for all the devices that are connected through Windows Media Center.
The included software even adds some Vista visual functions. A click on the mouse's scroll wheel displays large thumbnails of all the open windows. And the small right button can be used to magnify a portion of the screen — ideal for reading the fine print in those user agreements.
BLEND A PC INTO YOUR TV SYSTEM USING WIRELESS
Some video buffs may want to relay their high-definition programming all over the house or take it with them on the road. Pinnacle Systems addresses that urge with the PCTV to Go HD Wireless.
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