NEW DSLR CAMERA FROM PENTAX
Pentax continues its focus on compact, affordable DSLR cameras with its new K-x, which sells for US$650 with a lens kit. The K-x is the cheapest DSLR on the market that can capture HD video as well as offer Live View. In fact, its entry-level competitors, the Canon Rebel T1i and the Nikon D5000, are priced at least US$150 higher.
The K-x is simply designed and feels solid in your hands, yet weighs only 567g (with battery). It employs a 12.4-megapixel CMOS image sensor (with built-in stabilization).
Although it is intended to be a starter DSLR, the K-x offers plenty of expandability, thanks to its compatibility with Pentax’s entire lineup of 26 lenses.
In a nod to the success of the sell-out white K-7, which Pentax says was particularly popular with women, the K-x will be available in a choice of white or black, as well as limited-edition red or navy. The black and white versions will be available next month; the blue and red models will hit the stores a month later.
MEMORY CARDS FOR THE SHUTTERBUG WITH A NEED FOR SPEED
SanDisk has unleashed new CompactFlash memory cards for DSLR cameras that have read-write speeds of 90 megabytes per second — which is at least 50 percent faster than existing technology.
I recently met with Eric Bone, SanDisk’s vice president of retail product marketing, for a look at the new Extreme Pro cards.
To compare speeds, he snapped 15 RAW+JPEG frames in burst mode with an Extreme Pro card and an older Ultra II card. It took 11 seconds to shoot 15 frames with the Extreme Pro card; with the Ultra II card, it took 36 seconds.
SanDisk says the Extreme Pro cards are for professional photographers (or very dedicated amateurs) who need the speed for fast-action burst shots and the room for capacity-hogging RAW images. Their speed also makes Extreme Pro a great candidate for DSLR photographers whose cameras can capture high-definition video.
The new Extreme Pro cards will require you to operate in wide-wallet mode, however. The 64-gigabyte card costs a whopping US$812; the 32- and 16-gigabyte cards are only slightly more affordable at US$508 and US$304, respectively.
GROWING CLOSER TO A PIANO EXPERIENCE
The new Privia PX-130 from Casio (available online for US$500) is a nice model for those who want an inexpensive digital keyboard that has the feel of a real piano. I tested it last week at a musical-instrument store and I liked what I heard and felt. Strike a chord with force, and it’s noticeably louder than a softly formed chord. The keys at the lower registers are slightly more stiff than in the higher register, just like an acoustic piano, and notes fade convincingly when using the sustain pedal. The PX-130 even handles quickly repeated notes pretty well.
The Privia PX-130 includes 16 sounds, like harpsichord, bass or organ. (Changing instruments requires that you press a combination of two buttons, however, which is a bit clunky.) The keyboard offers a duet mode for student and teacher that duplicates a particular range on both ends of the keyboard.
This keyboard seems to be popular among shoppers: While I toyed with it, several customers interrupted to ask about its price and features. I can assure you it wasn’t my playing that spurred their interest.
PHOTO PRINTERS THAT GO EASY ON THE INK
Kodak has introduced two all-in-one inkjet printers that it says can yield lab-quality photos and sip, rather than gulp, ink. In fact, Kodak says the new models can save an average of US$110 a year on ink when compared with similar inkjets, although there is no way to verify this claim.
The ESP 3250 (US$130) has a 1.5-inch color LCD for image previews and navigation, as well as the usual memory card slots for computerless printing. The ESP 5250 (US$170) adds built-in Wi-Fi connectivity and a larger 2.4-inch color LCD. Both include software to improve facial skin tones and an optical character-recognition app to translate text images into editable text; they also offer manual double-sided printing (a paper-saving move).
The Kodak printers employ two cartridges, one black, for $10, and the other a five-color combo, for US$15. While it’s impossible to gauge consumables without hands-on testing (and lots of math), the cartridges do seem to be reasonably priced when compared with those from other vendors.
A MOUSE ON THE MOVE
Mobile Air Mouse is an application that turns an iPhone into a remote trackpad or mouse. This may require some explaining.
The Air Mouse, which costs US$2.99, lets users control an on-screen cursor using the iPhone’s accelerometers to sense movement. Those accelerometers, however, don’t sense the sliding motion of a traditional mouse very well, so you move the phone more like a laser pointer, tilting it to navigate the screen. Detailed work, like highlighting a line in a document, requires a bit more expertise. Too much work? Use the trackpad mode instead.
Many fans of the app also use it as a remote for a computer running video or to control a presentation while roaming a room.
The app will work with both Apple and Windows computers. Mobile Air Mouse is useful, though not always easy to use. Like the trackpads it aims to replace, you are likely to love it or hate it. — ny times news service
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