| What the heck is the difference among all those Canon ELPHs anyway?
As I mentioned in my last post, I'm a big fan of Canon's Digital ELPH series, but I can't tell you how many times friends have called me from Best Buy in a state of confusion about which one to buy. It's no wonder. Stop into any electronics store today and you'll find a slew of ELPH models and they all look pretty similar to the untrained eye. So here's a quick primer on what's what, broken down by resolution (since for better or for worse, that's how most people seem to shop for cameras). For comparison's sake, I included current pricing from Amazon.com. 12.1 Megapixels Canon PowerShot SD950 IS ($340) - released August 2007: This is Canon's current top-of-the-line model (successor to last year's SD900 which you'll still find in some stores). It sports a sleek, rugged titanium body, 3.7x optical zoom lens (36- to 133mm), an Optical Image Stabilizer, Canon's latest face-detection autofocus technology, in-camera red-eye correction, and like all the current ELPHs, uses Canon's top-end DIGIC III image processor.
Broadcom Announces Innovative Reference Design Platform to Enable the ...
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- 2008 MWC -- Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM) , a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced a new HEDGE reference design platform that will significantly accelerate the process of developing next generation smartphones for mass consumer handsets. The new reference design is based on Broadcom's breakthrough 65 nanometer single-chip dual-core HSDPA + EDGE multimedia baseband processor and integrates the leading connectivity solutions on a compact, cost efficient platform featuring all-Broadcom(R) silicon for the major communications components. The new HEDGE reference design platform integrates a HSDPA baseband modem (with world-class application, audio and multimedia processors) and a Category 8 HSDPA modem (that delivers 7.2 Mbps third generation (3G) connectivity for advanced applications) on a single monolithic chip.
CES + Macworld Expo Sneak Peeks [updated x11]
With CES over and Macworld Expo now underway, iLounge's editors have been checking in with the iPod, iPhone, and iTunes economies' major vendors to see what's new and exciting for 2008. Here are some of the biggest new introductions we've seen—more are being added all the time. Additional photos for the new products, and from Macworld Expo in general, can be seen on our Flickr photo account now. Altec Lansing Altec Lansing has shown the T612 ($200), an iPhone-compatible update to its all-in-one speaker system M602, which it plans for sale in February. Atlantic Atlantic has introduced its iceBar(2) Waterproof Speaker System for iPod nano ($69; April). Featuring compatibility with all nano models, the iceBar(2) also packs features like a built-in stand, a Click Wheel membrane for controlling the nano inside the case, and more than 16 hours of playback from four AAA batteries.
Christmas Shopping Picks Up After Slump
Following a slow start to December, there had been concerns among retailers that hard-up shoppers were planning a frugal Christmas. But on the last weekend before the big day, it was clear people were finally taking the spending plunge and responding to early sales events and heavy discounts. Retailers described it as a critical trading weekend that could make or break their Christmas profits. The decision of many leading chains to offer big discounts to tempt customers appeared to be paying off. A spokesman for the British Retail Consortium said: "We are expecting by close on Christmas Eve to see a modest growth, similar to last year, of about 2.5%. "I think retailers will feel in the current climate that they have done well if they match year on year growth." In London, a spokesman for the New West End company which represents retailers on Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street, said Saturday's sales had exceeded retailers' expectations.
Flushed with shame at Britain
We now live in a violent, disrespectful society where social standards have ceased to exist. Who hasnt seen a bunch of drunks stagger from their local pub and start fighting? Who hasnt had some idiot screaming abuse at them for driving with appropriate care (ie obeying the speed limit) and who hasnt been on the wrong end of some little yob hurling profanities. Yes of course England still has so much to offer but why do we now choose to accept all the wrong instead of actually doing something about it? .
Pentax unveils K20D, K200D digital SLRs
Pentax joined in the slew of updates for the PMA photo expo this afternoon with updates to its K-series digital SLRs. Looking to earn the same reputation as its larger rivals, the company's flagship K20D jumps from 10.1 to 14.6 megapixels compared to the older K10D but also switches to a new CMOS sensor; this eliminates much of the noise that appears with conventional CCD sensors at mid-to-high ISO sensitivity levels used for shooting in low light, the camera maker explains. It also extends that ISO range to 6400 and supplies hardware image stabilization through the body rather than the lens. The K20D also allows beginners or those caught in unusual shooting positions to compose a shot with a live preview on the 2.7-inch LCD rather than having to use the optical viewfinder, as with most digital SLRs.
Church notes
Think Tank meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday. First Christian Church, 1221 Park Ave., will hear the Rev. Tom Smith's sermon, "If You Really Want to Be Like Jesus ... Live Joy," based on Galatians 5:22-25, during the 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. services Sunday. First Church of the Nazarene, 1015 S. Roosevelt Ave., will host Marcus and Donna Whitworth, former ministers of worship at the church, as they bring a revival, "Renewal of Praise," at 6 p.m. today; 10:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday; and 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, all at the church. First Congregational Church, 313 N. Fourth St., will dedicate its refurbished stained-glass windows at the 10:15 a.m. service Sunday. The congregation also will recognized a gift the Rinker family gave in honor of their mother, Margaret Rinker, who died two years ago.
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