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More Casio cameras for less money

Casio's going full force after consumers shopping for digital cameras in the $100-$200 price range. First, the company announces the Exilim EX-Z450 and EX-Z90, $199.99 and $149.99, respectively. And then Monday, it announces the $179.99 EX-Z280 and $119.99 EX-Z33.

The Z280 (pictured right) is a 12-megapixel ultracompact with an f2.6-5.9 26-104mm-equivalent wide-angle lens with a 4x zoom, sensor-shift image stabilization, 2.7-inch LCD, and Casio's newest image processing engine featuring a dual-processor design for lower power consumption and better photo results. It also gives you 720p HD-quality video capture and the … Read more

High-end server chips breaking records

How would you like a single-chip microprocessor with more than four times the performance (on some applications) of Intel's best Core i7?

Then consider that up to 32 of these chips can be directly connected to form a single server, achieving four times the built-in scalability of Intel's next-generation Nehalem-EX processor.

That's IBM's widely anticipated Power7, which it described at last week's Hot Chips conference. But if you're interested, you'd better be prepared to spend a lot more than four times as much per chip. IBM isn't talking about pricing, but large … Read more

Casio's Intelligent AF goes beyond face detection

If you've got a point-and-shoot with face detection, you may have noticed that the feature's handy if you're shooting faces, but if left on when shooting other subjects the autofocus system is less than accurate. Casio's apparently fixed this with a new Intelligent AF found in its 12-megapixel Exilim EX-Z450 and EX-Z90 ultracompact cameras announced Tuesday.

The AF will detect faces, as well as "non-human photo subjects," so that an animal, flower, or alien invader will be in focus and properly exposed.

Also tweaked in these models is Casio's Dynamic Photo feature, which … Read more

Cisco guns for Microsoft in collaboration market

As Cisco Systems adds more functionality to its online WebEx conferencing service, it's ratcheting up the competitive pressure against partner and rival, Microsoft.

Cisco held a press event Tuesday to discuss how it plans to add more to its WebEx service. As the company includes more software into the conferencing service, it is competing more intensively and directly with one of its major partners, Microsoft.

"As Cisco expands this business, the co-opetition between Cisco and Microsoft will only increase," said Zeus Kerravala, an analyst with Yankee Group. "Microsoft is strong on the desktop and Cisco is … Read more

Spreadsheets protection

Lock up your Excel spreadsheets and secure their formulas in binary format and protected VBA code using this compiler that converts the sheet into an EXE file. It offers options for prohibiting illegal copying and for including an end-user license agreement with the executable packet.

DoneEx XCell Compiler installs a DoneEx menu on the Microsoft Excel menu bar between the Window and Help commands. It performed well in our tests; after saving a worksheet and selecting the Compiler command from the new menu, the add-on launched a dialog box with a variety of options for compiling the sheet into an … Read more

Sony MDR-EX55LP earbuds suit eclectic listeners

When you've just dropped a wad of your hard-earned cash on a new MP3 player, purchasing an accessory to help make the most of it may seem counterintuitive, but that's exactly what you should do: upgrade those headphones. You needn't spend a lot to get a pair that's undeniably better than the stock set that came with your device. Case in point: the Sony MDR-EX55LP Stereo Headphones. These earphones will set you back about $30 only, and they offer a noticeable improvement in sound quality and comfort.

Read the Sony MDR-EX55LP review.

Hybrid trucks strut on Capitol Hill

We often fret over our own gas mileage and that of our neighbors' cars, but how often do we stop to think about the commercial trucking industry's impact on the environment?

FedEx Express announced in November 2008 a plan to purchase vehicles that combine Azure Dynamics' hybrid system with a Ford gasoline engine and chassis. The company now claims to be one of the first to use gasoline hybrid-electric delivery trucks for commercial use.

Peterbilt began offering four hybrid models of commercial trucks in 2008.

UPS has begun using hybrid trucks containing Eaton's energy-saving Series Hybrid Hydraulic System … Read more

Casio megazoom has extreme battery life

Casio joined the list of manufacturers with a pocketable megazoom Thursday with the announcement of the EX-H10. In retail around mid-July, the $299.99 12-megapixel camera is fronted by a wide-angle 24mm lens with a 10x zoom with CCD-shift image stabilization in a body that's 0.96 inch thick and weighs only 5.8 ounces. Even more impressive, though, is Casio's battery life claim of a 1,000 shots on a single charge.

That number comes courtesy of low-energy requirements of the the multi-CPU Exilim Engine 4.0 circuitry and operational controls coupled with a high-capacity battery. Usage is based on CIPA standards calculated with the LCD monitor on; a full zoom back and forth every 30 seconds; the flash used every two shots; and the power cycled every 10 shots.

Underneath it all it's still a typical Casio camera, too, with a gazillion Best Shot scene modes (OK, just 38, but that's still a ridiculous amount), high-speed shutter continuous shooting, and 720p HD movie capture at 24fps.… Read more