eK-gadgets info

Canon today added a trio of new ultra-compact cameras to their Digital ELPH lineup.
Here are the highlights on the Ixus 970 IS, which has more “zoom” than any ELPH yet.

PowerShot Ixus 970 IS Digital ELPH

• 10.0 effective Megapixel CCD
• F3.2-5.7, 5X optical zoom lens, equivalent to 37 - 185 mm
• Optical image stabilization
• Sleek, compact all-metal body (reminds me of a whale for some reason)
• 2.5″ PureColor II LCD display with 230,000 pixels; optical viewfinder also available
• Point-and-shoot operation
• Face detection AF/AE/FE/WB
• AF-point zoom feature enlarges the selected face or focus point
• High ISO Auto mode has been enhanced to use Motion Detection; if the subject is moving, the sensitivity is boosted higher than it would if it was stationary
• Automatic redeye reduction feature
• Records movies at 640 x 480 (30 fps) for up to 32 minutes
• Memory card slot supports SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus, and HC MMCplus media
• Uses NB-5L lithium-ion battery; 320 shots per charge
• USB 2.0 High Speed support; camera now uses a standard mini-B connector
• Shipping in early April for $399

PowerShot Ixus 85 IS Digital ELPH

• 10.0 effective Megapixel CCD
• F2.8-4.9, 3X optical zoom lens, equivalent to 35 - 105 mm
• Optical image stabilization
• Ultra-slim metal body comes in silver and black “trims”
• 2.5″ PureColor II LCD display, with 230,000 pixels; optical viewfinder also available
• Same point-and-shoot features as SD890 above
• Optional underwater case
• Uses new NB-6L battery for improved battery life over previous models (now 300 shots per charge)
• USB 2.0 High Speed support; uses standard mini-B connector
• Ships in mid-April for $299

PowerShot Ixus 90 IS Digital ELPH - changes:

• LCD jumps to 3.0 inches (though resolution stays at 230k pixels)
• No optical viewfinder
• Only comes in silver trim
• Uses NB-5L li-ion battery; 330 shots per charge
• Shipping later this month for $349

FUNKit is the perfect electronic accessory for today’s most popular music must-have, the iPod.This speaker system delivers tunes to consumers whenever and wherever they want, while pouring on the funk with an easy-to-operate, animated character, who delivers plenty of visual stimulation and fun

All you have to do is simply secure your iPod in the docking cradle and turn on the tunes and watch as the high-tech speaker system explodes into a captivating personal concert complete with bright LED lights, head-turning sounds, fun DJ catchphrases, such as ‘Drop the Beat’ and ‘Here’s another FUNKit Exclusive’ and infectious dance moves.

A relic from the 1970s? Far from it - this is a brand new camcorder from Panasonic - the SDR-SW20.

It’s built to last and to go where your average camcorder fears to tread - offering waterproof protection up to 1.5m underwater, shockproofing that protects from falls of up to 1.2m and general dustproofing if you’re out in the wilds. And just to add to stability, everything is recorded to SD or SDHC cards - up to 13 hours in long play to a 16GB card.

Other features include 10x optical zoom, Image Stabiliser, a 2.7-inch LCD screen, a quick start of just 0.6 seconds and the ability to create a DVD of your recordings with just a touch of a button.

New in Japan, but heading elsewhere in the coming weeks, is the Sanyo Xacti CG9.

It’s a re-design of the existing camcorder, keeping those retro super-8 looks, but with a slightly fatter shape and easier to use controls. Not the most cutting edge camcorder you’ll see, but the 9.1MP CMOS sensor, 2.5-inch LCD screen, 40MB of internal memory (with SD/SDHC card extension) and 5x optical zoom should all combine to capture your life in decent enough quality.

And it should be cheap. No news of how cheap, but Sanyo claims it will be ‘aggressively priced’ throughout the world, which should make the thing to be seen with this summer.