IN A FLASH FROM THE PAST, A DIGITAL CAMERA WITH KNOBS
The Canon PowerShot G7 was overlooked by many at last week's Photokina camera show in Germany. At a squarish 340g, it won't ride lightly in a shirt pocket, and it lacks the gleaming, curvy body of Canon's more compact models. But serious photographers will appreciate the inner beauty of its 10-megapixel sensor and professional-level abilities.
A new image processor, the Digic III, can capture low-grain pictures at ISO 1600, ideal for dim scenes and fast action. Voice recording lets you note who was in that double play at second base, and the lens extends a longer-than-most 210mm. Image stabilization minimizes the effects of shaky hands; a hot shoe takes an external flash.
The retro design of the G7, which is due out later this month, brings back nostalgic features that are also highly usable. Knurled knobs click through settings that can be checked with a glance and without squinting at a menu, and a real viewfinder lets eyeglass wearers see without refocusing on the display.
A POST-IT NOTE WILL DO AS A HELIPAD
Designed for daring intercubicle search-and-rescue missions, or for annoying your sister, the Micro Mosquito from Interactive Toy Concepts is a tiny high-tech toy helicopter that flies like the real deal. This radio-controlled copter can soar, dive and even hover in place.
The Mosquito is rechargeable and flies for about eight minutes on one charge. This indoor toy includes a controller and a landing pad that doubles as a recharging platform.
The entire helicopter is 15cm long with rotors 16cm in diameter, and weighs less than 28g.
You can launch the Mosquito from any surface — a table, a hand or the floor — and it has two beady green LED eyes for night missions. It is made to work in small spaces but is susceptible to breezes and fans, making flights a bit dangerous if the window is open.
The mischief and mayhem available to owners of the Micro Mosquito is quite apparent, but remember, humanitarian missions are also encouraged. An airlift of office supplies, perhaps?
PULL HD SIGNALS FROM THE AIR AND RECORD THEM
While most of us have yet to figure out how to watch Lost in high definition, some out there are already eager to record HD video on their PCs and laptops. For that crowd, there is the Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick, a device that can receive high-definition video over the air or from a digital cable box.
The Pro Stick is a small adapter, about the size of a thumb drive, that plugs into a USB port and comes with a remote control. You can connect a digital cable line to it to receive 1080i video — the highest resolution available from most broadcasters right now — or use a standard cable line or antenna to pick up programs broadcast by the major networks.
The Pro Stick includes PC software that turns your Windows computer into an HD digital video recorder. (The company says Macintosh support is on the way.) It can also save video directly to a DVD, an iPod or a Sony PSP.
Pinnacle warns that you may not be able to pick up HD broadcasts in a moving vehicle, in case you were tempted to channel-surf in a car or a 747.
ANOTHER SHOT AT SPACE INVADERS
If you or someone you love has ever suffered an addiction to Space Invaders, the VG Pocket Caplet offers a chance to shoot at those aliens once again.
Install three AAA batteries and you'll see a menu of 35 games, including complete editions of Taito Space Invaders Part II and Bust-A-Move. A note for anyone younger than 30: These are the games your parents used to play.
You can play the games on the internal screen or on your TV, using a cable that costs an extra US$15.
There's also a volume dial and headphone jack. The screen is bright and clear, slightly larger than the one on last year's VG Pocket Max.
Three other new VG Pocket models are available, based on software themes. There's a round version called the VG Pocket Tablet, with 25 games, including the original Frogger from Konami, plus two Disney-themed versions. Twelve of the games are geared for children. All are available from major retail chains. You can give an entire portable game system for the price of a single video game for the Sony PSP or Nintendo DS.
MAKING WIRELESS WORK HARDER? HERE'S SOME HELP
Many home wireless networks are handling more than just Web surfing these days, as people add things like streaming video and online gaming to the airwaves bouncing around the house. But with this multitude of multimedia comes the need for a clear Wi-Fi signal. MediaFlex “smart” network gear from Ruckus Wireless aims to keep your streaming video, music and gaming sessions as skip-free as possible over a standard home network.
The MediaFlex line includes a wireless network router that works with laptops and other Wi-Fi-enabled equipment, and a wireless adapter that can be used to connect wired devices like set-top boxes to the network. More information can be found at www.ruckuswireless.com.
The Ruckus “smart Wi-Fi” components include multiple antennas and software to help signals reroute themselves around physical obstacles and electronic interference from microwave ovens, cordless phones and the like. More reliable signals mean that a game or digital television show may suffer fewer skips and glitches as it streams over the network.
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