Crave

Canon has just announced two new models in its PowerShot A-series line of cameras. The PowerShot A460 and A550 are two new, inexpensive point-and-shoot cameras scheduled to hit stores in February.

The PowerShot A460 features a 5-megapixel sensor, lagging a bit behind most 6- and 7-megapixel budget cameras on the market. It includes a 38-to-152mm-equivalent 4x lens, which gives it a bit more power than most compact cameras' 3x lenses. Finally, it uses a small 2-inch LCD screen, which thankfully leaves enough room for an optical viewfinder.

The PowerShot A550 is slightly more impressive than its little brother, but not … Read more

LG blew it. Weeks ago, we showed you some leaked photos of its Prada touch-screen phone, which appeared to have some groundbreaking features, but the company remained mum. Now, as the obsession with the iPhone continues to dwarf any other product in the entire communications industry, LG has decided to make it official with a relative whimper.

The Prada phone will also debut in Europe and Asia long before it hits U.S. shores--like so many of the fashion house's clothing lines. (At least it's being consistent.) Engadget says it has a 3-inch display and a 2-megapixel camera … Read more

We've often wondered why decent design has eluded the Webcam. In just the last few months, for example, we've seen the blender, the floating eyeball and even the sea monster.

Finally, Mustek has come to the rescue. Its aluminum-cased offering would look equally good sitting atop your monitor or your desktop--anywhere, really. SlashGear says its all-glass auto-focus lens "delivers awesomely clear videos" in 1.3-megapixel resolution. It's enough to give our computer an inferiority complex.

The Tamagotchi craze may have subsided years ago, but its concept survived intact. And recently, we've seen other products taking on similar tendencies, so it's not surprising that toymaker Bandai would come out with a new version.

The latest incarnation, according to Uber-Review, is worse than ever: "Now kids have to manage the thing's education, help it get a job and guide it through its career, all the while attempting to play mini-games to earn intellectual, beauty or social skill points--or risk ending up with a stupid, ugly, antisocial pet."

Sounds to us as if … Read more

Finally, a mouse design that makes some sense. And maybe that's because it's not really a mouse at all.

The "Wow-Pen" seen on Chip Chick combines three features for which we have an undying appreciation: It's germ-free, includes an untethered laser pointer and has an ergonomic design that isn't weird. (After all, we started using quills this way centuries ago.)

Make that four features: It also looks pretty nifty and actually comes in colors that don't look like they came from a cartoon.

Contrary to what some might say, we at Crave are fully committed to one another (sometimes). So when one of us calls out for help, we're always there (unless we're not).

Take, for example, Caroline McCarthy's recent call for a karaoke mic to go with an iPod shower adapter. We spent minutes looking for one and tracked down the "iKaraoke" for the iPod. Firebox.com's product page describes it this way: "iKaraoke is a truly ingenious iPod accessory that sends the music from your iPod to your stereo minus the lead vocals, so … Read more

As fellow Craver Erica Ogg once noted delicately, leaving one's laptop unsupervised even for a necessary minute or two can be an exercise in anxiety. Yet we all must do it--at least a few times a day, depending on the number of lattes--and in the occasional rush we sometimes leave the most sensitive material on our screens.

Iogear has figured this out and come up with a way to secure a computer easily with its "Personal Security Mouse." It comes equipped with a fingerprint authenticator that obviates the need for passwords, according to Gizmodiva.

There are plenty … Read more

Not to sound Seinfeldian or anything, but what is the deal with alarm clocks? It seems to be the product of choice when gadget makers run out of new ideas. The formula is obvious: Find some marginal feature-ette left on the cutting-room floor, apply it to a piece of hardware and add an alarm clock. Voila! Another factory quota filled.

Witness the "Fred-O-Vision" combo alarm clock and mood light. (Need we say more?) In addition to its dimestore design, this thing plays game show tunes, according to Red Ferret. Even with all this, it manages to tap yet … Read more

How much is too much for a mousepad?

Anything that's not free? $20? $512?

Formula 1 offers a wide variety of overpriced memorabilia on its F1 store and we have seen our share of fashion and sport mice, but never have I seen something so ridiculous.

For a mere $491 you can buy a polished carbon fiber mousepad--excuse me "mouse mat"--with the Formula 1 logo. As if that alone were not outrageous enough, the mousepad will not work with optical mice. You need to shell out $512 for the carbon and leather version if you want … Read more