a3100

The PowerShot 18: Which Canon compact is right for you?

Most of the past two months for me have been spent testing and reviewing Canon's 2010 PowerShot compact and ultracompact cameras. Why? Because CNET's readers really, really like them. The last one completed was the SX210 IS, the company's 14-megapixel compact megazoom featuring a 28mm-equivalent wide-angle lens and a 14x zoom.

Like its predecessor, the SX200 IS, the design is less than perfect, which dragged its overall rating down. However, for anyone wanting semimanual and manual controls paired with a long lens jammed into a compact body, this is likely to be the best option.

I don'… Read more

Canon juices A-series cams with lithium

Canon's A-series PowerShots have a lot of fans because, along with good photo quality, they're reasonably priced, run on AA-size batteries, and occasionally have optical viewfinders. The A3100 IS and A3000 IS won't please these fans.

The lack of optical viewfinders isn't shocking; they're all but extinct. And the price, well, I'll get to that later on. But Canon scrapped AA batteries on these two, opting for lithium-ion rechargeable batteries to keep the size down. I'm not sure why you wouldn't just go with one of its Digital Elphs.

The cameras are … Read more

Hands-on with the Motorola Surf

Anyone who's used Windows Mobile knows it's not the prettiest smartphone operating system around. A few manufacturers have attempted to make the OS more intuitive by adding deeper levels of personalization, but the results can be hit or miss. Fortunately, Motorola's new Surf A3100 accomplishes its goal.

Though the Surf uses Windows Mobile 6.1 it offers a series of customizable menu pages that sit on top of the OS. Not only are the pages convenient, but also they're easy on the eyes. You can cycle through them by swiping your finger across the bottom of … Read more

Photos: Motorola at CES

Compared with last year, Motorola is having a quieter CES. While a year ago the company held a high-energy media event at the swank Wynn Hotel to announce its media-friendly phones, in 2009 the company announced its new handsets via a news release even before CES began.

Yet, that's not to say the new models aren't notable. First off, is the Motorola Surf A3100. This touch-screen smartphone offers Windows Mobile 6.1 and a selection of multimedia features. The Moto Tundra VA76r is a rugged push-to-talk phone for AT&T. Besides enduring bumps and bruises, it also … Read more

Surfing with the Motorola A3100

Motorola got a jump start on CES when it announced its new crop of phones two days before the show opens. The most high-end of the bunch is the new Surf A3100 smartphone, which offers an expansive touch screen and support for Windows Mobile 6.1. Starting Thursday in Las Vegas, it will join the Earth-friendly Renew W233 and the rugged Tundra VA76r at Moto's booth on the show floor.

Sporting a sleek, attractive design with rounded edges and chrome detailing, the Surf offers three ways for users to interact with it. They can use a stylus, a trackball, … Read more