I'm a digital-camera fanatic. I can't get enough. But as much as I love taking pictures with them, I dislike the task of showing friends the pictures I've taken--not exactly a simple endeavor. So when Nikon this week announced that it's bringing the Coolpix S1000pj to store shelves later this year, I became extremely excited.
The digital camera for which I've been waiting.
(Credit: Nikon)The camera is nothing more than a standard point-and-shoot. Its overall quality won't compare with my Nikon digital SLR. But the Coolpix S1000pj has the single feature that I've been craving: a built-in projector capable of showing pictures and video in a 40-inch display.
If I decide to show friends my snapshots on the camera's small LCD display, they won't be able to get the full effect. In fact, many pictures look much different when they're finally ported to the computer.
If I opt instead to let them see the pictures on my computer, it takes time. I need to bring my camera to my computer, plug it in, and transfer the photos to the hard drive. Only then can I show them the images. By then, none of us is all that interested.
Another option is popping the SD card out of my camera, inserting it into my HDTV, and viewing its contents on the 50-inch display. It tends to be quicker. Plus, it allows anyone in the room to see them. But there's a major limitation: I need to be home to do that.
That's precisely why I think that Nikon's projector camera is such a major step forward. I believe that projectors will be the next big thing in the digital camera space.
... Read moreSony is in deep trouble. The company has been forced to slash its earnings forecast by 57 percent amid deteriorating economic conditions and its inability to compete more effectively in markets throughout the world.
Of course, Sony will still post a profit--most analysts claim that it'll be about $500 million--but the downturn speaks to Sony's issues and the fact that this once-dominant company has been downgraded to an also-ran in the industry.
Remember the days of Sony dominance? It was a time when the Walkman was on the minds of tech lovers around the world and the PlayStation moniker was held in the highest regard. Sony TVs were everywhere, and the company's ability to capitalize on any market was truly astounding.
But since then, Sony has lost its way. It's no longer a company that can rely on its name to beat other companies to a pulp, and with more competitors realizing how to beat Sony, it has quickly become irrelevant in many markets.
Sony's presence in the digital-camera sector is suspect, and its gaming business, once one of the most profitable departments at the company, has become an embarrassment of epic proportions. Although its PlayStation Portable is expected to beat forecasts, the Playstation 3 has proven to be one of the biggest blunders the company has ever committed.
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With last week's news that Sony was forced to recall 438,000 Vaio laptops over burn concerns, it got me thinking about Sony, its place in the tech industry, and what's really going on at this once powerful company.
Sony's stock price is down more than 30 percent this year as its Vaio laptops fail to captivate audiences, its Playstation 3 still lags behind the competition, and its ill-fated attempts at holding on the Walkman brand have proven detrimental to its growth. And all the while, the company believes that it's doing everything right and it can hold on to its position as the single company in the industry that can release products in practically every market and be successful.
For years, Sony was successful because it brought high-quality products at an affordable price to store shelves. As it gained in popularity, the company was able to rely more on its name and solidify its brand as the single most popular in the entire industry. But as that happened, I feel like Sony lost its way.
When we rank some of the best products in each market, Sony once came to mind in every instance. But right now, I'd say that Sony is only in the top five in HDTVs, Camcorders, and gaming. Everywhere else, Sony products need not apply.
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Call it quits, Nikon; it's over.
(Credit: Crave)File this one under the "I have no basis for my opinion but I'm going to spew it anyway because it may jumpstart my sales" department. File it under the "convention of fools" department while you're at it too.
According to the Carphone Warehouse -- one of the UK's leading retailers of cell phones and services, sales of camera phones will eventually overtake digital cameras and will ultimately lead to the digital camera's demise.
To prove his point, the company's CEO had the following to say: "It's not all about megapixels. There is high consumer demand for gadget convergence - one all-purpose device to replace cameras, MP3 players and PDAs. The next stage in the evolution of the mobile phone is taking the mobile device beyond talking and texting to fulfill this demand."
Hold on, it gets even better: "The digital stills camera is a disappearing breed, in particular at the lower end of the market. Camera phones are much more convenient for capturing spontaneous shots ? people want to be able to take pictures when they want and where they want. The stand alone DSC may not be extinct yet but there is a chance it will join the VHS video tape, the Cine-film recorder and even the film camera as a technology of the past. The photographic market is changing rapidly and the digital camera's position within it is not assured."
Maybe I missed the memo, but this guy is kidding, right? He can't be this foolish. Shall we take a look at why Carphone Warehouse's CEO may take the prize for the dumbest statement made in the past month?
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Olympus Stylus 790 SW
(Credit: Photo taken by Don Reisinger)The Olympus Stylus 790 SW is one of those devices that may not provide the best image quality and is lacking in overall functionality, but does something other products do not. And just what does the 790 SW do that many other digital cameras of this ilk do not? It takes a beating (and drenching) and continues to snap images and record video.
Underwater
(Credit: Photo taken by Don Reisinger)While many may find this shockproof, waterproof, freezeproof, and sand/dustproof device to be exactly what they're looking for when they scuba dive or spend time in the outdoors, the picture quality and price preclude me from being able to recommend the 790 SW to everyone else.
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