NOKIA 5250 MUSIC TOUCHSCREEN PHONE

Nokia has now officially published its music-centric mainstream mobile phone namely the Nokia 5250. The new handset will come in market with an Ovi Music Unlimited offer that suitable for anyone seeking a modern, multipurpose mobile and allowing downloading as many songs as you need for a period of time.
The Nokia 5250 is GSM/EDGE support and runs on Symbian^1 platform. The 5250 has features a 2.8-inch TFT touchscreen display with resolution of 640 x 360 pixel, a 2 megapixel camera, 51MB internal memory, and a microSD slot (up to 16GB).
The upcoming phone is integrated to Facebook, MySpace and other popular social networks, as well as Guitar Hero 5 Mobile pre-loaded. New Nokia 5250 music phone is lacks WiFi, 3G, and GPS. Its battery is provides up to 18 days of standby, up to 24 hours of music playback, up to 7 hours of talk time. Dimensions of 5250 are 104 x 49 x 14 mm.

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Nokia Kinetic Concept Phone

While it might freak you out if you saw your mobile phone suddenly rise to a standing position if it was just sleeping on your table a few seconds ago, but that’s just the kind of thing that this designer thinks will get your attention. If the vibrating notifications and ringtones didn’t do it for you, this Kinetic Nokia concept design will use an electromagnet at the rather thick base of this device to shift the balance of the device so that it gradually rises or lowers itself. When a call comes in or a text message is received, the phone will gradually stand up, letting you know what it wants your attention, and if you don’t want to answer the call, just tap it to reject the call.

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Fuji Finepix S200EXR

The Fuji Finepix S200EXR is an advanced digital camera with a number of features only found on a small number of other Fuji digital cameras. The basic specification includes a 12 megapixel sensor and a 14.3x optical zoom lens. As you dig deeper you will find a set of manual exposure controls including aperture priority and shutter priority. Manual focusing is available too. You can also save your photos in RAW mode.

When it comes to handling there are a number of similarities between the Finepix S200EXR and a Digital SLR. Zoom is controlled by a twisting lens barrel and manual focus is set in the same manner. There are a number of quick access buttons on the top, back and side of the camera. These are used in conjunction with a selection wheel to speed up the process of changing key settings.

The EXR part of the camera name relates to further technology that marks the Finepix S200EXR out as something different to the competition. The EXR mode gives you access to functions that help to increase the amount of detail shown in light and dark areas of a photo. Other settings can help to decrease noise. You also need to be aware that for these features to work the resolution you shoot at is halved. There is also a Pro Focus setting that throws the background of a shot out of focus in order to highlight the main subject of a picture.

Why Buy the Fuji Finepix S200EXR?

As you will see from my review, picture quality is hard to beat, especially if you enjoy shooting outdoor scenes. I also thoroughly enjoyed using the camera. The way it is set up works a treat.

Image Quality Fuji Finepix S200EXR test shots

Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
Usually as I enlarge this test shot I can see degree of softness in the trees and towards the edges of the shot. The Finepix S200EXR has managed to produce a striking shot with none of those problems. Sharpness really is from edge to edge and the level of detail showing in the shot is eye catching.

Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
I reckon this is my best ever test shot of this scene. The level of detail and overall sharpness is at a different level to that achieved by many other cameras. This proves to me that the EXR mode really is able to bring out far more detail, especially in lighter areas such as the boats here. The colours and lighting are pretty close to perfect too.

Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
Perhaps it is down to the physical size of the lens or to the EXR mode or a combination of both, but the level of detail the Finepix S200EXR manages to pack into a shot is outstanding. This is another example of a very sharp photo with colour tones that are spot on.

Outdoor 4 (Building)
I really am delighted with the quality of my four outdoor shots. Having reviewed upwards for 500 digital cameras over the years it is not often that I look at a set of test shots and am really taken aback.

Outdoor Portrait
This is a natural looking shot where I really like the brightness of the shot. This is taken at full resolution and the level of detail is very good once again.

Indoor Portrait with Flash
The flash unit pops up away from the camera. The burst of light it provided for my test shot was just right. This leads to good colour levels again. The light is evenly spread, creating a photo that almost looks naturally lit. There is virtually no bounce back of light from the face. This is another area where the Finepix S200EXR does very well indeed.

Indoor Portrait without Flash
This is the only shot to have left me feeling disappointed. I switched the camera back to EXR mode and selected low noise, but there is more noise showing in this shot than other cameras show. There are other settings you can try to reduce noise and I would suggest this is an area where you can achieve better results with a bit of experimentation.

Colours
The colours produced by the Finepix S200EXR have a light natural feel to them. With the camera managing to capture so much detail lighter colours retain a much more vivid feel to them.

Macro
My macro test shot is good enough without quite hitting the highs most of my other test shots have managed. It is not a bad effort, but in my view close up shots is not one of the true strengths of the camera.

ISO 400 and ISO 1600
If you boost the ISO settings up you will see noise in your photos. I found working with features such as Pro Lowlight could help to reduce noise levels. As I mentioned above it is a case of experimenting with the camera to see what works best for you and for different types of photo opportunities.

Overall
When it comes to outdoor shots there are very few digital cameras that come close to the Finepix S200EXR. I would go as far to say that for my scenic type shots this is the best digital camera I can recall testing.

Shutter Lag and Recycling Times

Shutter delay times were good. It took 0.27 seconds to fire off a single shot and 6.1 seconds for five. Turning flash on made little difference and I recorded 0.43 seconds for one shot and 6.98 seconds for five.

The camera could have been a little quicker to turn on and take the first shot at 3.86 seconds.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

Style

The Finepix S200EXR handles more like a Digital SLR camera than any other camera I have tested. It is also larger than other compact models with the lens remaining outside the camera body when the camera is switched off.

Dimensions

133.4 x 93.6 x 145mm

Weight

820g

Batteries

Lithium ion (NP-140). Fuji estimates you should be able to take around 370 shots in between charges.

Memory Cards

Fuji has built 47mb of storage into the Finepix S200EXR. This is enough for around 18 full resolution shots. The camera is also compatible with SD and SDHC memory cards.

Click here to save money on SD cards..

Ease of Use Rating

With all the features it will take a while for you to get to know the camera. As mentioned above the set up for the lens and other features make handling easier.

Points I Like

General features - picture quality - shutter lag times - colours and brightness of photos

Where it Could Improve

A faster turn on time would be the icing on the cake

Alternatives

There are no direct competitors with quite the same set of features. If you are looking for even more zoom try taking a look at the Canon Powershot SX1 IS.

Verdict

Picture quality is top draw and the Fuji Finepix S200EXR handles like a dream too. I would be more than happy to own this camera. Highly recommended.

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Nokia C6 Smartphone in the UK

Nokia has start selling its latest Symbian^1 (S60 5th Edition) device, namely the Nokia C6 (aka Nokia C6-00 not Nokia C6-01). The full backlit side-sliding QWERTY smartphone is now available at the Nokia’s UK online shop for price tag £289 unlocked or you can buy with a pay as you go for £229.

The Nokia C6 midrange smartphone has features 3.2-inch touchscreen display with 360 x 640 resolution, 5MP autofocus camera with LED flash and VGA video recording at 30 fps, full backlit sliding QWERTY keyboard, WiFi 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, AGPS (with free lifetime navigation), 3.5 mm headset jack, FM radio, and 1200 mAh Li-Ion battery. It is sports 200 MB internal memory and a microSD memory card slot with hot swappable (up to 16GB).

Nokia C6 smartphone is provides quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900) and quad-band HSPA (850/900/1900/2100) networks. Dimensions of Nokia C6 phone are 113.4 x 53 x 16.8 mm and weight 150g

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iPhone 4 announced at WWDC

Steve Jobs announced the 4th version of the iPhone at a keynote at WWDC.

Steve was pretty happy about it. He talked about the many features such as the Retina Display. This multi-touch screen has four times as many pixels compared to the previous iPhone display.

Of course, we already knew about the stainless steel frame, black glass, and additional front facing camera from that whole Gizmodo leak a while ago.

So, if you want it, you will need to wait until June 24th. The 16GB version is $199, and the 32GB is about $299.

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Fuji Finepix J30

The Fuji Finepix J30 is a simple, pocket digital camera. It is one of the cheapest small compact cameras around. As you would expect at this price point it lacks some of the advanced features you will find on more expensive models, but this helps to make the Finepix J30 very easy to use.

This is a 12 megapixel camera with a 3x optical zoom lens. It measures around 20mm wide and has a 2.7 inch LCD screen. Fuji has made four different coloured versions. These are red, blue, black and silver.

Why Buy the Fuji Finepix J30?

The main attractions of this camera are its size, price tag and ease of use.

Image Quality Fuji Finepix J30 test shots

Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
All four of my outdoor scenic test shots work well, especially for a camera at this level. In my first shot focusing is surprisingly sharp. The Finepix J30 manages to inject plenty of colour into the shot. There is also a good level of detail showing in areas of light shade.

Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
Sharpness is very good once again when compared to other smaller compact cameras. I am impressed by the level of detail in the shots.

Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
When you zoom right in the Finepix J30 still manages to do a good job. As with my other outdoor scenic shots sharpness works well and there is plenty of colour in the photo.

Outdoor 4 (Building)
This is another effort where sharpness is above average. What impresses me the most is the fact that sharpness is retained up to the edge of the shot.

Outdoor Portrait
Quite a lot of pink shows up in the skin tones in this picture. It was taken on a cold winter's day and that has contributed to a lack of warmth in the colours despite white balance being adjusted to compensate.

Indoor Portrait with Flash
For some reason this shot has gone horribly wrong. Although I retried this test my result was just the same.

Indoor Portrait without Flash
This shot generates a lot of noise. In my tests it looks like the Finepix J30 finds lowlight work difficult. Winter is a tough time of year to test cheaper compact cameras like this one. They tend to need all the light they can get.

Colours
I like the depth to the colours in my outdoor scenic shots. All colours show up well.

Macro
There is a slight colour caste to this picture. Otherwise it is a decent attempt. If you are taking photos in natural light you should not have a problem with a colour caste. There are also options available to you such as white balance that can help to resolve the problem.

Noise
As you can see with my indoor portrait without flash noise can be an issue when light is poor. In other areas such as light shade the Finepix J30 does well.

Overall
It is a shame I struggled with my indoor shots. Aside from that issue I was very impressed by the quality of the photos this camera managed to take.

Shutter Lag and Recycling Times

For a camera in this price bracket the shutter lag and start up times recorded by the Finepix J30 are respectable. A single shot took 0.4 seconds with five shots taking 10.15 seconds. Flash made little difference to the time for a single shot at 0.42 seconds. Five shots took 15.16 seconds,

It took 3.19 seconds to turn the camera on and take the first shot.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

Style

The design is plain and simple. There is a lacquered finish that adds a little extra sheen to the camera. It is available in red, blue, silver and black.

Dimensions

92 x 55.9 x 20mm

Weight

113g

Batteries

Lithium ion.

Memory Cards

The Finepix J30 is compatible with SD memory cards. There are also 10mb of memory built into the camera. This is enough for 3 or 4 shots.

Click here to save money on SD cards..

Ease of Use Rating

Very good. The menu layout is straightforward and there are only a small number of buttons to get used to.

Points I Like

Ease of use - price tag

Where it Could Improve

I had problems with lowlight photography.

Alternatives

Although it costs a bit more money the Panasonic Lumix DMC FS62 is well worth considering. The Panasonic Lumix DMC FS62 offers very good picture quality for a cheaper pocket camera.

Verdict

Despite the issues with my indoor tests I still like the Fuji Finepix J30. It is hard to fault its ease of use and the picture quality of my outdoor scenic shots was very good indeed.

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Walmart starts stocking iPhone 4

Apple’s iPhone 4 will be launched in the US and a few other markets on June 25 (this Friday). If you’re wondering where in the US you will be able to find it besides AT&T and Apple stores, one of the answers includes Walmart.

According to Engadget, the American retailer has already received some iPhone 4 units.

The photo below, showing an iPhone 4 box, was allegedly taken in a Walmart store. And, although Verizon might get the new iPhone later this year, that box seen in the back, with CDMA written on it, has nothing to do with Apple’s smartphone (it packs LG C290C phones).

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Fuji Finepix J250

The Fuji Finepix J250 is a simple digital camera that is small enough to fit into a reasonably sized pocket. Price wise, the Finepix J250 is one of the cheaper models from a recognised brand. It has 10 megapixels and a 5x wide angle lens. Taking the price into account it is a pleasant surprise to see a larger 3 inch screen and image stabilisation available as it is here.

As is now standard the camera has a face detection mode that can focus on up to 10 faces in one photo. There is also an automatic scene recognition mode. This helps you to produce the best possible photos while retaining ease of use.

Why Buy the Fuji Finepix J250?

This is a relatively inexpensive camera, is easy to use and includes one or two extra features you do not always find in this price bracket.

Image Quality Fuji Finepix J250 test shots

Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
The brickwork on the building at the centre of picture is in sharp focus. Only a small amount of sharpness is lost as you move out towards the edges of the shot. Sun glare is handled well and the colours remain true.

Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
A small amount of fringing shows around the windows and along the treetops. This is unlikely to be a problem unless you are planning to make extra larger prints. The picture is on the soft side in places, but taking into account the fact this camera has a wide angle lens and a low price I think it has done well in this test.

Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
This is another effort where the Finepix J250 has handled the test well. Zooming in as far as the lens can it does a good job of picking out detail.

Outdoor 4 (Building)
Looking at all my outdoor shots taken at distance I am pleased with the level of focusing the Finepix J250 has managed. Here there is a minor fall off in sharpness as you reach the edges, but this should not pose a problem for your prints.

Outdoor Portrait
There are no problems here. Focusing works well as I would expect it to. You should be able to take plenty of typical portrait shots in good lighting.

Indoor Portrait with Flash
The camera does very well here. It produces enough light to reach the darker areas of the hair. It also manages to temper the light so that it does not wash all the colours from the shot.

Indoor Portrait without Flash
Compared to some more expensive cameras I tested at the same time the Finepix J250 has done very well to control noise levels. If you are taking photos indoors then most of the time you will need to use flash, but you should be able to produce some window light shots when conditions are favourable.

Colours
When it comes to the depth of colours I would describe the Finepix J250 and other Fuji digital cameras as being mid range. The colours do not overpower and are well balanced.

Macro
I am very happy with the quality of this shot. Just as with my indoor portrait I have tested plenty of more expensive cameras that struggle to match the picture quality on show here.

Noise
On the whole, the camera controls noise better than I expected it to. Areas such as the names on the boats are in light shade and the noise levels are low.

Overall
Considering the price of the Finepix J250 I think it does a very good job. I found no major issues with my test shots.

Shutter Lag and Recycling Times

Shutter lag times were about average for a digital camera in this price bracket. A single shot timed 0.41 seconds with five shots timing 16.65 seconds. With flash on times were 1.63 seconds for a single photo and 20.35 seconds for five.

It took 3.18 seconds to turn on the Finepix J250 and take the first photo.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

Style

Picking up the Finepix J250 it felt solid in the hand. Measuring the camera I found it would fit into a pocket, but the pocket needs to be a reasonable size for a comfortable fit. Fuji has given the camera a traditional, rectangular look.

Dimensions

92 x 57.9 x 26mm

Weight

151g

Batteries

Lithium ion (NP-45).

Memory Cards

Fuji has built 23mb of storage into the camera. This is enough for roughly 10 photos. It is compatible with SD and SDHC memory cards.

Click here to save money on SD cards..

Ease of Use Rating

Very good. I found my way around the camera easily. It is a good choice for someone looking for a simple, straightforward digital camera.

Points I Like

Picture quality - ease of use - value for money

Where it Could Improve

I have no real complaints about this camera

Alternatives

A similar digital camera with a slightly smaller body size is the Panasonic Lumix DMC FS62. Both cameras take a decent snapshot and are easy to use.

Verdict

I was pleasantly surprised by the Fuji Finepix J250. I think it offers good value for money. If you are looking for a digital camera at the cheaper end of the scale this is a good choice.

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Fuji Finepix S2000 HD

The Fuji Finepix S2000HD is a 10 megapixel digital camera with a 15x optical zoom lens. It is capable for shooting HD quality movies and still photos.

Why Buy the Fuji Finepix S2000HD?

The long zoom lens and the HD movies are the main attractions of the Finepix S2000HD. It also has a manual exposure mode and shutter priority as well.

Image Quality Fuji Finepix S2000HD test shots

Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
The first thing to strike me is how bright the picture is. The sky is also packed with colour. This suggests that the Finepix S2000HD is capable of producing some very striking photos. I should say though that the colour of the sky is a lot stronger than it was at the time the photo was taken.

Sun glare has proved to be more challenging for the Finepix S2000HD than other cameras I tested at the same time. More detail is lost from the boats with this camera.

Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
As with the first photo it is the colours in the shot that strike me when I first look. Blue is very strong again and in my view overpowers the photo. Unfortunately the River Thames just doesn't look that blue!

Focusing is o.k. but does get significantly softer in the more distant parts of the scene. Very small amounts of purple fringing are visible in places.

Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
If you plan to make large prints of your photos then you may find purple fringing to be a more serious issue in shots like this one where the sun strikes the edges of the boats and other brightly coloured objects. Focusing is soft towards the edges of the photo.

Outdoor 4 (Building)
This is another bright photo with very blue water. Focusing is only average. That is disappointing when you consider the length of the lens on the Finepix S2000HD. When a subject is the distance the building is away from the camera, the lens should be working more or less at its optimum and producing pin sharp images.

Outdoor Portrait
Here is another photo where the colours are not well balanced. This time there is a pink/orange caste to the photo. Like the first outdoor photo it is also very bright.

Indoor Portrait with Flash
Even with flash turned on, the camera struggles to get the lighting levels right. Again I think the photo is too bright. This leads to some of the detail on the face being lost.

Indoor Portrait without Flash
With the light lower the Finepix S2000HD produces much more natural colours. The picture lacks a bit of sharpness, so it looks like flash will be required more or less as soon as light levels dip.

Colours
Now I don't mind a bright, colourful picture, but at times the Finepix S2000HD has taken this to extremes. The colours are too strong for my own personal taste and the camera also appears to have a problem with the balance of the colours.

Macro
The macro shot is quite a good effort. Not surprisingly my macro test shot is bright, but it does have a slight, blue colour caste.

ISO 400 and ISO 1600
Fuji digital cameras tend to handle higher ISO settings better than many brands. Despite this noise still shows up quite strongly in darker areas at ISO 400. Once you reach ISO 1600 there is noise throughout the picture.

Overall
Over bright photos is not something I come across very often. It is possible you can tone down the photos if you experiment with the controls on the camera, but shooting in fully automatic mode seems to give the camera a problem.

Shutter Lag and Recycling Times

All the shutter lag and start up times are acceptable, without being anything special. A single photo took 0.42 seconds and five 12.23 seconds. With flash on the times were 0.56 seconds for a single photo and 12.39 seconds for five.

To turn the camera on and take the first picture took 2.79 seconds.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

Style

The Finepix S2000HD has a number of similar characteristics to a Digital SLR. The grip on the front lets you take a good hold of the camera.

Dimensions

111 x 78.9 x 75.7mm

Weight

386g

Batteries

Four AA batteries are required to power the camera.

Memory Cards

55mb of memory have been built into the camera by Fuji. The Finepix S2000HD is also compatible with SD and SDHC cards. I managed to store 32 photos before the internal memory was full.

Click here to save money on SD cards..

Ease of Use Rating

Very good. Fuji digital cameras are some of the most straightforward. Even a camera like the Finepix S2000HD does not take too long to get to grips with.

Points I Like

HD quality movies

Where it Could Improve

The colours don't work for me

Alternatives

Currently my top rated super zoom camera is the Panasonic DMC FZ28. This camera is well worth checking out.

Verdict

The market for digital cameras with extra long zoom lenses is crowded and it takes something special for a camera to really stand out. In my view the Fuji Finepix S2000HD does not match up to the best cameras in this section. It is true that it is not the most expensive super zoom camera, but I feel by paying that bit more you will get better value for money.

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NOKIA X3-02 TOUCHSCREEN CANDYBAR PHONE FOR CHINA

At Chinese TENAA website has published specs newest Nokia phone, called the Nokia X3-02. The handset is a candybar phone and is a Nokia X3 series.
The Nokia X3-02 is sports a 2.4-inch touchscreen display with resolution of 320 x 240 pixels (QVGA) and support handwriting recognition, a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with video recording, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, 16MB internal memory, a microSD card slot, and 3.5mm audio jack.
New Nokia X3-02 phone supports GSM/GPRS/EDGE and UMTS/HSDPA 3.6 Mbps. Dimensions of Nokia X3-02 are 106.2 x 48.4 x 9.6 mm and weight 96.4 gram.
At Chinese TENAA website has published specs newest Nokia phone, called the Nokia X3-02. The handset is a candybar phone and is a Nokia X3 series.The Nokia X3-02 is sports a 2.4-inch touchscreen display with resolution of 320 x 240 pixels (QVGA) and support handwriting recognition, a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with video recording, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, 16MB internal memory, a microSD card slot, and 3.5mm audio jack.New Nokia X3-02 phone supports GSM/GPRS/EDGE and UMTS/HSDPA 3.6 Mbps. Dimensions of Nokia X3-02 are 106.2 x 48.4 x 9.6 mm and weight 96.4 gram.

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Canon IXUS 120 IS

The Canon IXUS 120 IS is one of the smaller pocket digital cameras. You should have no problem slipping it into most pockets. It has 12 megapixels and a wide angle, 4x optical zoom lens. Canon has included image stabilisation and also High Definition movies with the IXUS 120 IS.

Aside from these features the functions and controls are inline with most point and shoot cameras. Build quality feels good and the camera sports a simple yet stylish design.

Why Buy the Canon IXUS 120 IS?

This camera has a touch of class about it. It feels good in the hand and takes good quality snapshots.

Image Quality Canon IXUS 120 IS test shots

Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
The IXUS 120 IS ticks most of the right boxes in this test shot. It copes with the glare of the sun well. This leads to high levels of detail showing on the boats and the colours remaining true. There is a sharp look to the photo and the shot remains in focus as you move out towards the edges.

Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
There is plenty of colour in this photo, but the shot retains a fairly natural look. The sharpness of the photo is above average when taking into account the lens is fully zoomed out.

Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
This is a very good effort for such a small digital camera. Sharpness is good once again. The colours are well balanced with a bit on punch to them.

Outdoor 4 (Building)
Looking at all my outdoor scenes I like the amount of brightness the IXUS 120 IS is able to inject into the shots. When taking into account the small size of the lens I am very happy with how crisp my test shots look. There is very little fall off in sharpness as you move away towards the edge of the photo.

Outdoor Portrait
There are no problems with this photo. There is enough pep in the colours the camera has produced and sharpness is impressive once again.

Indoor Portrait with Flash
As with other Canon digital cameras the IXUS 120 IS manages to produce just the right amount of light. The light has managed to brighten the darker areas, such as the hair. This helps to show extra detail. The light is also subtle enough to ensure there is still plenty of colour in the skin tones. This also means that there is very little shine showing on the face due to flash light reflecting back off the face and into the lens.

Indoor Portrait without Flash
There is a small amount of noise that just takes the edge of the photo, but the IXUS 120 IS does a better job than most cameras. So if you find yourself in a reasonably well lit place where flash is not permitted you should be able to produce an acceptable photograph.

Colours
I found the colours to be vivid, but not overpowering. They are well balanced and work well for scenes with a high level of contrast.

Macro
You will be hard pressed to find a pocket digital camera that can take a close up shot that is much better than this one. The model I tested was a black one. It has a matt finish and this helps when photographing shiny subjects as the camera is less likely to appear as a reflection in the photo.

Noise
Noise levels are reasonable. Unless you are taking photos outdoors in good light or you are using flash small amount of noise is always likely to find its way into a shot.

Overall
Based on my tests the IXUS 120 IS is one of the best small cameras for picture quality. It can handle most photo opportunities.

Shutter Lag and Recycling Times

Shutter delay times were standard. A single shot took 0.34 seconds and five shots were timed at 15.30 seconds. Times with flash were a fair bit slower at 1.14 seconds for a single shot and 18.03 seconds for five.

The time taken to turn on the camera and take the first shot was 1.15 seconds. This is an excellent time and one you will find hard to beat.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

Style

At exactly 20mm wide there are not many smaller digital cameras than the IXUS 120 IS. Personally I like the simple design. The camera is available in four colours, silver, black, blue and brown.

Dimensions

89.5 x 54.9 x 20mm

Weight

120g

Batteries

Lithium ion (NB-4L). Canon estimates you should be able to take around 220 shots before the battery needs to be recharged.

Memory Cards

No memory card is supplied by Canon with the IXUS 120 IS and there is no memory built in. The camera is compatible with SD and SDHC memory cards.

Click here to save money on SD cards..

Ease of Use Rating

Good. I found the menu screens very easy to read. Camera functions such as White Balance and ISO levels have been placed in their own separate menu area.

Points I Like

Picture quality, style, build quality, HD movies, turn on time

Where it Could Improve

Shutter delay with flash

Alternatives

If you are looking for a pocket camera with extra features and a touch controlled LCD screen, try taking a look at the Sony Cybershot TX1.

Verdict

The Canon IXUS 120 IS is a bit more expensive than most pocket cameras. You do get plenty for you money though. Picture quality is very good and this looks and feels like a well made camera.

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NOKIA C6 PHONE FROM VODAFONE UK

Vodafone has starts selling new Nokia C-Series smartphone in UK, called the Nokia C6. The side-sliding QWERTY touchscreen smartphone is now available for free on new 2-year contract starting price at £20 per month.
The Nokia C6 is based on Symbian^1 platform (Symbian S60 5th Edition) and boasts a 434 MHz ARM11 processor, 128 MB RAM, 200 MB ROM, and a microSDHC memory card slot.
The handset has feature a 3.2-inch resistive touchscreen display with resolution of 640 x 360 pixels, 5MP autofocus camera with LED Flash and VGA video recording (640 x 480 pixel), WiFi 802.11 b/g, HSDPA 3.6Mbps, Bluetooth 2.0, microUSB port, 3.5mm audio connector, AGPS, Nokia Maps, accelerometer, Proximity Sensor, and Light Sensor.
Vodafone Nokia C6 is support for MP3, AAC, eAAC+ & WMA and provides quad-band 2G 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, dual-band 3G 900/2100 MHz. With 1200 mAh battery is enabling talk time up to 7 hours, standby time up to 400 hours. Dimensions of Nokia C6 are 113.4 x 53 x 16.8 mm and weight 150g.

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Fuji Finepix F80EXR

The Fuji Finepix F80EXR is one of the best compact cameras around. Picture quality is outstanding and there are a number of areas where this camera outperforms its rivals. Fuji has also packed an impressive range of features into the Finepix F80EXR.

Among the features are 12 megapixels, a 10x wide angle lens, High Definition movies, image stabilisation, a pro focus mode and 5 film simulation modes. On top of those there are special settings to help increase the dynamic range (increase detail in the lightest and darkest areas) of your photographs and to reduce noise. There is also a manual exposure mode and an aperture priority setting.

As I mentioned at the top picture quality is very hard to beat. If I was looking for a handy sized compact this one would come very near the top of the list.

Main Features

12 megapixels
10x optical zoom lens
High Definition movies
3 inch LCD screen
Lithium ion battery
Manual Exposure Control

Image Quality Fuji Finepix F80EXR test shots

Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
Where the Finepix F80EXR excels is its ability to show so much detail in a photo. With my outdoor photos there are two areas I can immediately see that highlight this. The first is with my first outdoor shot. There is a lot of detail showing on the lightest areas of the boats. Where other digital cameras may struggle the Finepix F80EXR does exceptionally well. The other example is my building shot. I often see a loss of detail in the brickwork where the sun catches the bricks. Here the camera almost tones down the brightness of the light as it hits the bricks in order to capture greater detail.

I had hoped to see a lot more detail in darker areas of my test shots too. Although no worse than most cameras the Finepix F80EXR was unable to bring out that extra detail that it can in the lighter areas in my tests.

In addition I really like the sharpness, brightness and colours in the pictures. Sharpness is retained in most cases as you move over to the edges of the photos. It is great to see the vivid colours and levels of brightness.

Portraits
Most digital cameras cope well with my outdoor portrait shot. Now and again a camera comes a long that does that bit better than the rest. The Finepix F80EXR is one of those cameras. I like the sharpness of the shot, but it is the natural look to the colours that I am especially impressed by.

Just as with the outdoor portrait shot I am very impressed with my indoor portrait taken using flash. In fact I would go as far as saying I cannot recall taking a better portrait shot using flash in a very long time. The main reason I like the shot is due to the colours the Finepix F80EXR manages to produce. They have a very natural look to them. The amount of light used is also spot on.

With flash turned off the edge is taken off the shot. It is not a bad effort, but I much prefer then result with flash.

Macro, Colours and Noise
The Finepix F80EXR also produced a strong, if bright, macro shot. There was also a touch of purple fringing showing.

Colours have been a recurring theme in this review. The colours produced by the Finepix F80EXR certainly suit my own personal preferences. I really like the natural look to them.

Noise is handled well. You are always likely to see noise when light falls or in shady areas of a photo, but the Finepix F80EXR has a couple of extra features you can use to reduce noise wherever possible.

Picture Quality Summary
Overall I am delighted with the test shots produced by this camera. In my view it is up there with the very best in this category. In fact there are many areas where it stands above the competition.

Shutter Lag and Recycling Times

Shutter lag times are good, especially when using flash.

It took 0.32 seconds for the first photo and 7.35 seconds for five. With flash times were 0.32 seconds for the first shot and 9.79 seconds for five.

It took 2.79 seconds to turn the camera on and take the first shot.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

Style

I think the camera looks quite stylish. It has a gloss finish and is available in black, red and silver.

Dimensions

99.3 x 58.9 x 28.4mm

Weight

183g

Batteries

Lithium ion (NP-50).

Memory Cards

Fuji has built 40mb of storage into the Finepix F80EXR. This is enough for around 13 shots. The camera is compatible with SD and SDHC memory cards. Click here to save money on SD cards..

Ease of Use Rating

Good. Although there are a few extra features to understand and get to grips with the camera is well thought out and everything appears to be in the right place.

Points I Like

Picture quality - Features - High Definition movies - Handy Size

Where it Could Improve

There is nothing that stands out

Alternatives

It is hard to find a camera that is a truly close match in features. You might want to take a look at the Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ10. It has a wide ranging, if different, feature set and takes very good photos.

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iPhone 4 in African Blackwood/Gold from Gresso

If you have an iPhone 4, got tons of money, and want to show off, how would you do that?

Now, that Apple has sold 1.7 million of darn things in a single weekend, soon everyone and their grandma will be carrying iPhone 4 around.

Don’t worry, luxury phone maker Gresso is rushing to the rescue. They will be ready to customize your iPhone 4 with 200 year old African Blackwood for a case, and 18 karat gold for an Apple logo soon.

Only at $3000-3500 a pop.

Greeso plans to launch two versions of their customized iPhones – both for ladies and men. Female African Blackwood iPhone 4 and 3GS will come with “dainty engraving and Swarovski crystals incrustation”, and cost $3500, while male versions will be more strict and cheaper by $500.

Gresso iPhone 3GS will start shipping in July, and they plan to have iPhone 4 ready for market in December.

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Canon IXUS 210

The Canon IXUS 210 a touch controlled digital camera. It is a clear improvement on the previous model in this series. Almost all the functions are controlled through touch and the LCD screen is of a far higher quality. The screen is 3.5 inches in size. This large size gives plenty of room for fingers to make selections.

Picture quality produced by the IXUS 210 compares well with other digital cameras with similar features.

Other features of note include High Definition movies, 14 megapixels and a 5x wide angle lens. Image stabilisation is also available.

This camera is well worth adding to any shortlist.

Main Features

14 megapixels
5x wide angle optical zoom lens
3.5 inch LCD screen
5cm macro mode
High Definition movies

Image Quality Canon IXUS 210 test shots

Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
The IXUS 210 handles the outdoor scenes better than the majority of smaller compacts. I like the colours and lighting the camera produces. There are a couple of issues that may come into play if you are planning to make extra large prints. There is a hint of purple fringing in places. I can also see a slight haze over some areas. I wonder if this is down to the large number of megapixels Canon has crammed onto the sensor. If you are not planning to blow up your photos for big prints neither of these points are likely to be an issue.

Portraits
All three of my portrait shots work well. The outdoor portrait has a light feel to it. Focusing is sharp and the colours have a natural feel to them.

The point I like about the photo taken with flash is that the amount of light the IXUS 210 emits is more or less sport on. The face is illuminated well and there is very little light bouncing back off the face.

Indoors without flash the camera manages to produces impressive levels of detail.

Macro, Colours and Noise
For a snapshot digital camera the macro shot is of a very high quality. The IXUS 210 handles the lighting well and manages to show plenty of definition in the shot.

In my view one of the strong points of the IXUS 210 the vibrancy of the colours it produces. They add a little extra power to the photos. This is especially noticeable in the second outdoor shot. The colours are well balanced too,

I didn't detect any major noise issues in my shots. I could see noise starting to show around the names of the boats where there was some shade, but elsewhere the IXUS 210 does a fair job of keeping noise to a minimum.

Picture Quality Summary
Overall picture quality is very good for this type of camera. The sharpness of the shots is good, especially when you take into account the wide angle lens the camera has.

Shutter Lag and Recycling Times

To take a single shot took 0.32 seconds. It took 15.26 seconds for five photos. Using flash tends to slow down Canon cameras. A single shot with flash was timed at 1.12 seconds, while five photos took 24.42 seconds.

To turn the camera on and take the first shot took 2.65 seconds.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

Style

The IXUS 210 follows the classic Canon IXUS design. It has chamfered edges and is rounded at one end. It is small enough to fit into a pocket. Four colours are available. These are gold, silver, black and purple.

Dimensions

99.3 x 55.7 x 22mm

Weight

160g

Batteries

Lithium ion (NB-6L). Canon estimates the battery is capable of around 220 shots in between charges.

Memory Cards

As with other Canon digital cameras no memory card is supplied with the camera. There is no memory built into the IXUS 210 either. The camera is compatible with SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards. Click here to save money on SD cards..

Ease of Use Rating

Very good. I found the IXUS 210 easy to use. The text and icons used in the menu section are a large size. This makes them easy to see and read.

Points I Like

Ease of use - style - touch control

Where it Could Improve

Shutter delay with flash

Alternatives

The Sony Cybershot DSC TX7 is a top of the range pocket camera offering touch control. It has a great range of features, plus a stylish design. Front View

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Nokia C3 Touch and Type Phone

Nokia has just official announced a new mobile phone, called the Nokia C3 Touch and Type. The newly handset was presented at the Nokia World 2010 (London, 14-15 September 2010).

The Nokia C3 Touch and Type phone has a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, FM radio with support for RDS, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, 30MB of onboard memory, a slot for microSD card with up to 32GB, TV output, and 3.5mm audio jack. It is noted that the China version is also supports WAPI wireless interface.

Like the Nokia X3-02 Touch and Type, the new Nokia C3 Touch and Type is equipped with a new 2.4-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels (QVGA) and hardware alphanumeric keyboard. It is boasts Series 40 platform and is support Company’s Ovi services site (including applications and games store).

The Nokia C3 Touch and Type phone is supports GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz and UMTS/HSPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz. Its dimensions are 111 x 47.5 x 11 mm and weight 100g.

It will be available in three color options gold, silver and gray. New Nokia C3 Touch and Type should be sale for priced at 145 EUR and starting Q4 2010.

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Fuji Finepix F70EXR

The Fuji Finepix F70EXR is a 10 megapixel digital camera with a 10x wide angle lens. Fuji has included a number of innovations that help the camera to produce some really excellent shots. These become available when placing the camera in EXR mode. The first feature increases the ability of the Finepix F70EXR to bring out extra detail in light and dark areas of a shot. This is something digital cameras have always found very difficult to do. Next up is a noise reduction technique.

Another feature that is hard to find elsewhere is a Pro Focus mode. This throws the background of a photo out of focus, highlighting the main subject of the photo. This can make a big difference to portrait and close up shots.

Other more standard features include image stabilisation and a 2.7 inch LCD screen. I found the screen very easy to see when composing photos. There are also manual exposure and aperture priority modes available.

Why Buy the Fuji Finepix F70EXR?

These features would be of little use if picture quality was poor. The opposite is true and I was delighted with the photos I took with this camera. This is especially true for outdoor scenic type shots and portraits.

Image Quality Fuji Finepix F70EXR test shots

Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
The definition shown in this photo is outstanding. I put this down to the fact that in EXR mode I am only using 6 megapixels and although I may not be able to make super sized prints, the quality of those I am able to make is excellent. Using EXR mode does also bring out a modest amount of extra detail in shady areas.

Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
With this more distant scene the camera does not quite match the heights of the first test shot. Even so it is a good effort. Wide angle lenses usually take the edge off the sharpness of this shot. Taking this into account I am happy with my result.

Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
This is another photo where the Finepix F70EXR handles the entire scene really well. There is a crispness about the shot that few cameras manage. The level of detail and definition is again impressive.

Outdoor 4 (Building)
It is very interesting to see the difference taking photos using only 6 megapixels can make. Once again this picture has great resolution. There is very little fall off in detail or sharpness as you move out towards the edges of the pictures.

Outdoor Portrait
This is another shot that works well for me. I have switched back to full resolution, but the camera still does well. I really like the way the camera has used the light and this effort is up there with my better outdoor portrait tests.

Indoor Portrait with Flash
I think this photo works very well. There is plenty of brightness in the shot and the light is evenly spread. On top of this there is virtually no shine on the face caused by flash. This is a really good effort.

Indoor Portrait without Flash
With this picture I have again switched the Finepix F70EXR into EXR mode. The idea is that it should decrease the amount of noise showing in the shot. That is not really the case here though and some of the other cameras I tested at the same time produced lower noise levels.

Colours
Although I have talked about definition I have to say the saturation of the colours is striking too. I think the Finepix F70EXR handles colour contrast very well too.

Macro
If there is an area where I feel Fuji digital cameras could improve in general it is with macro shots. Although not a bad effort, I would like to have seen a step up in overall quality.

ISO 400 and ISO 1600
I am not convinced that Fuji has taken that much of a step forward when it comes to noise at higher ISO settings. I can still see a fair degree of noise once ISO is pushed up and like most digital cameras the Finepix F70EXR really appreciates plenty of light for picture taking. There is also a Pro Lowlight mode worth checking out and experimenting with.

Overall
The EXR Dynamic Range setting not only increases the detail in the more shady and brighter areas of the shot, but by reducing the resolution the Finepix F70EXR delivers some cracking outdoor scenic shots. I am very happy with my test shots.

Shutter Lag and Recycling Times

Shutter delay times are speedy. The camera slows a little after you have taken three or four shots, but the first three are reeled off in rapid succession. It is one of the fastest cameras I can recall for a single shot taken using flash. My times were 0.24 seconds for a single shot and 11.28 seconds for five. With flash times were 0.3 seconds for a single shot and 13.36 seconds for five.

To turn the camera on and take the first shot took 2.58 seconds. This is a very respectable time.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

Style

The Finepix F70EXR is an attractive looking camera. It is available in gunmetal grey and silver.

Dimensions

99.3 x 58.9 x 27mm

Weight

180g

Batteries

Lithium ion (NP-50).

Memory Cards

The Finepix F70EXR is compatible with SD and SDHC memory cards. Fuji has built 47mb of storage into the camera and this should be enough for around 20 shots. This is a handy backup if something goes wrong with a memory card.

Click here to save money on SD cards..

Ease of Use Rating

Good. With a few extra features available it will take a while longer to get the most out of this camera compared to more basic models. It is well worth the extra effort.

Points I Like

General features - picture quality - shutter lag times - colours and brightness of photos

Where it Could Improve

A great macro mode would top this camera off

Alternatives

As the Finepix F70EXR clearly offers something different to the majority of digital cameras with a similar basic specification it is difficult to come up with direct alternatives. For a similar length lens and basic features, but with a High Definition movie mode try looking at the Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ7.

Verdict

As you can see I have really taken a shine to the Fuji Finepix F70EXR. The picture quality is outstanding in most instances and it has an impressive set of features. Highly recommended.

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iPhone 4 with Diamonds for $19,500

This iPhone 4G Diamond Edition has the girls’ best friend on them, and it will cost the user a huge sum of money to the tune of $19,500. By the way, it comes with a case made of ostrich feet. That’s right, the feet of the world’s biggest bird.

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Canon Powershot A3100 IS Review

The Canon Powershot A3100 IS is a step up on an entry level digital camera. This is mainly due to the design and build of the camera. It can take a good picture in most situations. The features on offer are solid rather than spectacular, but I thought the Powershot A3100 IS felt good in the hand and I like the simple design.

For me the main attraction is the quality of the pictures it takes. There are very few negative points about this camera and I would be happy to own it if I was looking for a point and shoot digital camera.

Main Features

12 megapixels
4x optical zoom lens
2.7 inch LCD screen
3cm macro mode
Lithium ion batteries

Image Quality Canon Powershot A3100 IS test shots

Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
I am very happy with the outdoor scenic shots. Focusing is consistently sharp and the photos have plenty of deep colour to them. Here and there I can detect some purple fringing and the shots can be slightly hazy around white objects that are caught by the sun. These are relatively minor issues and they are unlikely to cause much of a problem especially if you keep print sizes reasonable.

The sharpness displayed in my outdoor scene where the lens is zoomed out is much better than I am used to seeing.

Portraits
The portrait shots all work well. Perhaps the Powershot A3100 IS could have conjured up a little more warmth in the outdoor portrait, but aside from that the camera performs very well indeed. When it comes to the use of flash it is difficult to beat Canon digital cameras. In this example the amount of light emitted by the flash unit is strong enough to light the whole photo, but is subtle enough to ensure the maximum amount of colour is retained in the shot.

I am also happy with the indoor portrait taken without flash. Again the Powershot A3100 IS is able to light the shot well, keep noise levels down and produce a shot with high levels of definition.

Macro, Colours and Noise
Macro shots are another area where I am used to seeing strong results from Canon cameras. My macro test shot with this camera is crisp. The artificial lighting is handled well and the colours are correct.

The Powershot A3100 IS is capable of producing strong colours. They are vivid without overpowering the scenes. Foliage in particular seems to stand out well and I like the deeper greens on display in my scenic shots.

Noise is controlled as well as you can expect to be by a compact digital camera. There is very little noise showing in my indoor portrait shot.

Summary
The Powershot A3100 IS is comfortably above average when it comes to picture quality. It can handle most scenes and produces bright, colourful shots.

Shutter Lag and Recycling Times

A single photo took 0.39 seconds and five took 14.7 seconds. These are acceptable rather than fast times. With flash times increased to 1.10 seconds for a single photo and 21.91 seconds for five.

It took 2.42 seconds to turn the camera on and take the first photo.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

Style

I like the design and finish of the Powershot A3100 IS. The ends are rounded and one end is silver to give the camera a more distinctive look. It is available in blue, red and silver.

Dimensions

97.2 x 58.2 x 28.1 mm

Weight

155g

Batteries

Lithium ion (NB-8L). Canon estimates you should be able to take around 240 shots in between changes.

Memory Cards

The Powershot A3100 IS is compatible with SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards. Canon does not supply a memory card and have not built any memory into the camera.

Click here to save money on SD cards..

Ease of Use Rating

Good. Although the Powershot A3100 IS can be used as a point and shoot camera there are more simple models available.

Points I Like

Picture quality

Where it Could Improve

Shutter delay with flash

Alternatives

If you are looking for a similar camera, but a little cheaper take a look at the Canon Powershot A495. The Powershot A495 is the entry level model in the Canon range. The main difference is when it comes to build quality. Front View

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100 New Features For Recent iPhones

For owners of the iPhone 3G and 3GS, the iOS 4 update will help supercharge the older model iPhones until an owner is ready to trade up to the iPhone 4. The upgrade also changes the iPhone 4′s signal software. The iOS 4 update brings a host of new features.

Smart folders allow apps to be clustered together with other similar apps in a single folder. The change helps to clear up the home screen, which previously may have been cluttered with too many apps. Up to 2,160 apps can be managed in the smart folders. Smart folders provide a chance to categorize all of the apps, without losing access to any of them.



Originally, wallpapers could only be set on the lock screen. With iOS 4, iPhone owners will also be able to customize their home screens as well. Both the lock screen and the home screen are able to have their own wallpapers. The wallpapers bring a little bit more personalization to each iPhone.

The email inbox has been reworked to accept multiple inboxes from different email accounts. Multiple Exchange accounts can be added. Emails can be sorted by threads as well.

A more useful spell check function will provide less intrusive protection against errors than the previous auto correct.

5x zoom is provided for cameras, although since it is a digital zoom, picture quality will degrade.

Perhaps the most important iOS 4 change, multitasking arrives. The new version of multitasking allows both Apple apps and third-party apps to be multitasked.

Along with these iOS 4 upgrades, over 100 other new features are available. The iOS 4 update is completely free and available to the iPhone 4, 3GS and 3G. The iOS 4 will help owners continue to fully enjoy their older model iPhones for absolutely no cost.

About the author: James Mowery is a computer geek that writes about technology and related topics. To read more blog posts by him, go to laptop computers.

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Canon IXUS 95 IS

The Canon IXUS 95 IS is a 10 megapixel, pocket camera. It has a 3x optical zoom with built in image stabilisation. The IXUS 95 IS also has a viewfinder as well as a 2.5 inch LCD screen.

Why Buy the Canon IXUS 95 IS?

The biggest reason for buying is picture quality. This camera outperforms many of its rivals especially when it comes to the sharpness of the photos it produces. The IXUS 95 IS also had the fastest start up time of any camera I have tested to date.

Image Quality Canon IXUS 95 IS test shots

Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
All in all this is a good photo for a small compact camera. Sharpness is well above average and there is very little fall off in focusing as you move out towards the edges. Where the sun strikes the boats one or two of the blue lines have taken on a purple tinge. There is also a slight haze effect happening in places around the brightest areas of the shot.

Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
This photo is noticeable sharper than I am used to seeing. When no zoom is being used most digital cameras, especially the smaller ones, find accurate focusing a big challenge. The IXUS 95 IS passes this test well and you should be able to produce sharp looking, larger prints.

Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
There are similarities with the first two test photos. The shot is very sharp, much sharper than is typical. Some of the blue lines on the boats have taken on a purple tinge, but this will only be noticeable at this distance if you make extreme sized prints.

Outdoor 4 (Building)
Taking all four of my outdoor scenic shots into account I would say you will be hard pressed to find a pocket camera that takes sharper shots than this one. It is also impressive just how sharp these pictures remain as you move out towards the edges of each photo.

Outdoor Portrait
I am happy with all three of my portrait shots. Starting off with this outdoor one I have boosted the warmth in the colour by using a white balance setting of cloudy. I would recommend using this setting if you are taking portrait shots either under cloudy conditions or in the shade.

Indoor Portrait with Flash
The flash unit emits even light. This helps to lighten the whole photo rather than just the face in the centre. There is only minimal light bouncing back off the face as the IXUS 95 IS is able to judge accurately the amount of light required.

Indoor Portrait without Flash
All pocket cameras find it difficult to produce a truly crisp photo once lighting levels start to fall. The IXUS 95 IS produces a creditable effort suggesting you should at least be able to produce window light, portrait shots.

Colours
The colours produced by the IXUS 95 IS retain a natural feel to them. You should find you are able to take bright, colourful photos.

Macro
There are a few areas where Canon digital cameras always tend to do well. Macro shots are one of them. It does not seem to matter that much what size of lens is being used. Canon models are consistently able to take good quality close up shots.

ISO 400 and ISO 1600
My higher ISO tests are in line with expectations. Noise becomes more and more evident as you increase the ISO setting, especially once you go above ISO 400.

Overall
The IXUS 95 IS is one of the very best pocket cameras when it comes to picture quality.

Shutter Lag and Recycling Times

Shutter lag times are a little faster than average, but the start up time was stunning. To take one picture took 0.3 seconds. Five took 10.19 seconds. With flash turned on times were slower at 1.01 seconds for one photo and 17.73 seconds for five.

I was able to turn the camera on and take the first shot in 1.19 seconds. This is much faster than any other camera I have ever tested. I repeated the test a number of times and achieved more or less the same result each timer. This is very impressive.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

Style

In terms of shape this camera has a roughly standard, rectangular look. The area around the lens is highly reflective. It is available in silver, grey, blue and pink.

Dimensions

88.5 x 54.8 x 21.8mm

Weight

120g

Batteries

Lithium ion (NB-6L). Canon suggests you should be able to take up to 260 shots in between charges.

Memory Cards

The IXUS 95 IS is compatible with SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus, HC MMCplus memory cards, Canon does not supply a card with the camera or build in any internal memory.

Click here to save money on SD cards..

Ease of Use Rating

Good. There is nothing overly demanding about this camera. The menu contains a few extra items and controls compare with other cameras and it will take a bit of extra time for you to learn them all.

Points I Like

Picture quality, style, build quality, start up time, viewfinder

Where it Could Improve

A longer zoom could come in handy

Alternatives

Canon offer some good alternatives in their range. The next camera up in this series offers High Definition movies: Canon IXUS 100 IS.

Verdict

I would say that the Canon IXUS 95 IS offers the best value for money out of the three pocket models introduced by Canon in the spring of 2009. It offers very good all round picture quality and has a great start up time.

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Fuji Finepix F200exr

The Fuji Finepix F200exr is a 12 megapixel digital camera. It has a 5x, wide angle lens. Fuji has redesigned the sensor to improve performance for high contrast and lowlight photography. Other features include a 3 inch LCD screen, manual exposure and image stabilisation.

Why Buy the Fuji Finepix F200EXR?

Compared to most similar sized compact digital cameras this one has some very useful, extra features. Picture quality is very good too.

Image Quality Fuji Finepix F200EXR test shots

Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
The Finepix F200exr gets off to a good start in terms of the level of detail showing in the shot. The sharpness of the shot is impressive too. One concern is that the white boats show a definite blue tinge.

Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
There is plenty of colour in this shot. The photo works well on the whole. Compared to other cameras with a wide angle lens the Finepix F200exr does well when it comes to producing a sharp photo.

Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
With the lens zoomed all the way in the camera again comes up with a crisp shot. I like the greens used for the leaves on the trees, together with the amount of brightness in the photo.

Outdoor 4 (Building)
Aside from the blue tinge in the first photo I have no major concerns surrounding my outdoor scenes. The shots are bright, colourful and sharp.

Outdoor Portrait
This is my favourite test shot taken with this camera. I realise it is one of my less demanding test shots, but the colours have a very natural feel to them. In this respect the Finepix F200exr outperforms a lot of rival cameras.

Indoor Portrait with Flash
Fuji claims their flash control is very good. Looking at this photo I tend to agree with them. There is plenty of brightness in the shot, but it does not wash out the colours and there is little reflection of light from the face.

Indoor Portrait without Flash
It is always difficult to take indoor portraits once the light starts to fade or you are away from a window. The Finepix F200exr produces a decent effort.

Colours
On the whole I like the colours, especially the warm tones in the outdoor portrait. The occasional blue tinge to a photo is a worry.

Macro
As I have seen elsewhere this test photo has a slight bluish tinge. In this picture at least it is likely to be caused by the artificial lighting used for the shot. So this should not be a problem for macro shots as a rule. This is not the first time I have come across this problem when testing Fuji digital cameras. I also found it difficult to get a sharp shot from 5cm away from the subject.

ISO 400 and ISO 1600
Despite claims made by Fuji I still found fairly typical levels of noise when ISO ratings are increased. I would advise only using higher settings when it is difficult to get a picture any other way.

Overall
I like the test photos I took with this camera. Most of my test shots I have run through here were taken in fully automatic mode. If you are prepared to experiment with the camera you should be able to improve on my results as you familiarize yourself with all the features.

Shutter Lag and Recycling Times

Shutter lag times were good, especially when flash was used. My times were 0.26 seconds for a single photo and 10.03 seconds for five. Flash made very little difference. The first photo took 0.33 seconds and five totaled 10.05 seconds.

To turn the camera on and take the first photo took 3.03 seconds.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

Style

Fuji has gone for some subtle curves to stop the Finepix F200exr looking like yet another identikit digital camera. It feels good in the hand and suggests good build quality.

Dimensions

97.7 x 58.9 x 23.4mm

Weight

175g

Batteries

Lithium ion (NP-50).

Memory Cards

Fuji has built 48mb of memory into the Finepix F200EXR. This is enough for around 16 photos. The camera is also compatible with xD, SD and SDHC memory cards.

Click here to save money on SD cards..

Ease of Use Rating

Good. The Finepix F200exr has a few extra features compared to more standard compact cameras. Therefore it will take a little longer to get to grips with all of them.

Points I Like

General features - picture quality - Shutter lag times

Where it Could Improve

Close up shots could be better - LCD screen not as sharp as it could be

Alternatives

This camera is a little different in what it offers. One of its closest rivals is the Panasonic Lumix DMC FX550

Verdict

The Fuji Finepix F200exr is a good all round camera, offering some innovative extra features. Although it can be used as a point and shoot camera you will need to spend some time getting to know the features available if you are to get the most out of this camera.







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Canon Powershot A495

The Canon Powershot A495 is one of the best starter cameras you are likely to find. Picture quality is hard to beat for the price. There were no obvious weaknesses in my test shots and the Powershot A495 comfortably outperforms many more expensive digital cameras.

As you would expect the features available are fairly basic, but it you want picture quality you can rely on without paying a fortune then add this camera to your shortlist.

Main Features

10 megapixels
3.3x optical zoom lens
2.5 inch LCD screen
1cm macro mode
AA batteries

Image Quality Canon Powershot A495 test shots

Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
All four of my test shots are of a high quality. Colours are striking while sharpness is surprisingly good. When the lens is zoomed all the way out the Powershot A495 does noticeably well and produces shots that retains a great deal of its sharpness towards the edges. Zooming in is no problem either and the level of detail showing is some way above average.

Portraits
All three of my portrait shots work well. There are no problems with focusing. Once gain the Powershot A495 produces sharp photos. Flash levels are controlled well. This means that colours are retained in shots and a washed out look is avoided. For my indoor portrait shot taken without flash the camera manages to keep noise levels down.

Macro, Colours and Noise
For close up shots the Powershot A495 is able to focus from 1cm away from the subject. Detail levels are very impressive. This is another area where this camera sets the standard for cheaper digital cameras.

I found the colours to be rich and vivid. In my view they add a bit of vitality to the shots. There is a good balance to the colours as well.

Noise levels are in line with my expectations. You should not experience problems unless you are shooting in very challenging lighting conditions or there are very shady areas in your photos.

Summary
As I mentioned in my introduction the Powershot A495 is a hard act to beat when it comes to picture quality at this price.

Shutter Lag and Recycling Times

A single shot timed 0.42 seconds with five taking 15.35 seconds. These times are a little slower than I would like to see. With flash times were 1.17 seconds for a single shot and 22.23 seconds for five shots.

It took me 2.44 seconds to turn on the camera and take the first shot.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

Style

The Powershot A495 has a plain, simple design. It is not really a pocket sized camera at over 30mm wide. It is available in silver, red and blue

Dimensions

93.5 x 61.7 x 30.6 mm

Weight

175g

Batteries

2 AA batteries. Canon estimates battery life to be around 150 shots.

Memory Cards

The Powershot A495 is compatible with SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards. Canon does not include a memory card with the camera and there is no built in memory.

Click here to save money on SD cards..

Ease of Use Rating

Good. Although the Powershot A495 is not difficult to use there are more basic digital cameras around.

Points I Like

Picture quality

Where it Could Improve

Shutter delay with flash

Alternatives

If you are looking for something even more straightforward take a look at the Nikon Coolpix



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iPhone 4 Available in China on September 25

New Apple Retail Stores Opening in Shanghai & Beijing.

CUPERTINO, California—Apple® announced that iPhone® 4 will be available to customers in China beginning Saturday, September 25 at 8:00 a.m. at Apple Retail Stores including the new Apple Store® Hong Kong Plaza in Shanghai and the new Apple Store Xidan Joy City in Beijing opening on the same day. iPhone 4 will also be available on Saturday at China Unicom retail stores for qualified buyers with a new two year contract.

iPhone 4 features FaceTime®, which makes the dream of video calling a reality, and Apple’s stunning new Retina™ display, the highest resolution display ever built into a phone, resulting in super crisp text, images and video. iPhone 4 also features a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, HD video recording, Apple’s A4 processor, a 3-axis gyro and up to 40 percent longer talk time—in a beautiful all-new design of glass and stainless steel that is the thinnest smartphone in the world. iPhone 4 comes with iOS 4, the newest version of the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, which includes over 100 new features. The revolutionary App Store℠ provides access to more than 250,000 apps including the new iMovie® app built just for iPhone 4.

Customers who buy their iPhone 4 at an Apple Retail Store will receive free Personal Setup service, helping them customize their new iPhone by setting up their email, loading their favorite apps from the App Store, and other tips to get up and running before they leave the store. In addition, Apple Retail Stores will host special workshops throughout the day to help customers learn more about iPhone 4. Every Apple Retail Store is staffed by a highly trained team of passionate employees who deliver innovative services like these, plus free technical support at the Genius Bar®.

Pricing & Availability
iPhone 4 will be sold in China through Apple’s retail stores for a suggested retail price of CNY4,999 for the 16GB model and CNY5,999 for 32GB model without a contract. At China Unicom stores, iPhone 4 will be available for qualified buyers with a new two year contract, sold separately. For pricing and tariff information please visit www.10010.com. The new Apple Store Hong Kong Plaza is located at 282 Huaihai Zhong Road, Shanghai. The new Apple Store Xidan Joy City is located in the Joy City shopping center at 131 North Xidan Avenue, Beijing. For more information please visit www.apple.com.cn.

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iPhone versus Windows Phone 7

This is a comparison of iPhone with Windows Phone 7. We talk about the interfaces of both and how they differ. Windows Phone 7 uses a Start screen as its launcher where you can place a variety of live tiles. The iPhone is very application-centric. We also talk about how Windows Phone 7 doesn't do fast app switching, while the iPhone does.

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Canon Powershot A480

The Canon Powershot A480 is a straightforward digital camera. It sits at the cheaper end of the market. Features include 10 megapixels and a 3.3x optical zoom lens. It has an unfussy design and you should find the camera easy to use.

Why Buy the Canon Powershot A480?

The Powershot A480 offers excellent picture quality for its price.

Image Quality Canon Powershot A480 test shots

Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
There are two factors I really like about this picture. The first is the brightness and the second is the sharpness. Compared to the majority of entry level digital cameras the Powershot A480 is able to produce a very sharp picture. The sharpness is retained up to the edges of the shot.

Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
This is probably my toughest test shot with parts of the scene very distant. The Powershot A480 does well again with most of the shot showing good levels of detail. Not surprisingly as the shot reaches the furthest point focusing does slip and a small amount of noise also shows. This will only be a problem if you are planning to make extra large prints and you will be hard pressed to find a compact digital camera that is perfect in this area.

Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
Canon digital cameras routinely handle this photo better than other brands. Even with their entry level camera focusing is great. Like the first test shot I like the colours and lighting.

Outdoor 4 (Building)
Rounding off the outdoor scenic shots the brickwork on the building is in sharp focus. For a digital camera at the cheaper end of the market the Powershot A480 has handled the tests so far very well indeed.

Outdoor Portrait
Outdoor portraits in good light are routine pictures for a digital camera. This is another example of the colours being balanced, without overpowering the picture.

Indoor Portrait with Flash
This photo shows intelligent use of flash. The picture is evenly lit. The face and hair show up well and plenty of colour has been retained.

Indoor Portrait without Flash
With only natural light available the camera struggles to get perfect focus. Be prepared to use flash in most instances when the light is not perfect.

Colours
I like the colours produced by the Powershot A480. They help bring the photos to life and are a fair reflection of the actual colours showing when the photos were taken.

Macro
If you are looking for a digital camera capable of taking the occasional close up shot then this camera is a good choice. It is able to pack plenty of detail in the shot and the subject is well lit again.

ISO 400 and ISO 1600
There is a big difference in the quality of the photos taken at ISO 400 and ISO 1600. Noise increases substantially as you push up the ISO rating.

Overall
In terms of picture quality you will be hard pressed to beat the Powershot A480 without spending more money. The sharpness, colour and brightness of the photos are impressive.

Shutter Lag and Recycling Times

A single picture took 0.39 seconds and five took 10.27 seconds. With flash turned on times were on the slow side at 1.11 seconds for a single shot and 22.79 seconds for five.

Turning the camera on and taking the first shot took 2.75 seconds.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

Style

This is a fairly standard starter digital camera in terms of design. It looks pleasant enough even if it is not one of the more stylish cameras. It is available in four colours: red, blue, silver and black.

Dimensions

92.1 x 62 x 31.1mm

Weight

140g

Batteries

2 AA batteries. Canon suggests a pair of batteries should be able to shoot up to 200 photos.

Memory Cards

Canon supply a 32mb SD card with the Powershot A480. This is enough for around 12 photos. It is compatible with SD and SDHC cards.

Click here to save money on SD cards

Ease of Use Rating

Good. The Powershot A480 can be used in fully automatic mode and it should not take long for you to find your way around.

Points I Like

Picture quality

Where it Could Improve

Shutter delay with flash

Alternatives

Other inexpensive digital cameras include the Olympus FE-20. This camera can also take a decent photo. It is small enough to fit into a pocket too.

Verdict

If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive digital camera that can take good quality snapshots then you cannot go far wrong with the Canon Powershot A480. It does more or less exactly what it sets out to do and can take a good picture in most situations.

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