LAS VEGAS--Lots of companies here are touting green design and environmental thinking, though in some cases it seemed more sloganeering than anything very deep. Here are just a few samples from the floor at the Consumer Electronics Show:
Among other things, Nokia was showing off their reduced packaging (50 percent smaller; most of their phones now shipping in it; have saved them $150 million to boot)
HP had a large area of their booth dedicated to their environmental efforts, and like Nokia had several people on hand who could talk knowledgeably about it.
There's still a long way to go on this issue, though, as can plainly be seen by looking at the sheer quantity of stuff at the show. And those massive plasma TVs look fantastic, but they sure gobble energy like there's no tomorrow. Not to mention the fact that most of what's being shown here will be obsolete (and non-upgradable) this time next year, if not sooner.
Here are just a fraction of the shipping crates stacked outside one of the convention halls that were used to bring everything to the middle of the desert. Remember that closing scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark? It's like that.
Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1
I checked out Casio's new $1,000 Exilim Pro EX-F1 that can shoot bursts of up to an amazing 60 frames per second. That's at it's full 6 megapixel resolution. You'll never miss little Johnny's first steps again.
They've done a really nice job with the interface. The bursts are shown as stacks of photos so you're not trying to scroll through 60 almost identical images when in thumbnail mode. Once looking at a burst, you can use the big thumbwheel on the back to job back and forth. It's great. It takes a few seconds for the camera to process the burst, but it's impressively fast and responsive overall.
Personally I'd prefer a lens that started at 28mm (35mm equivalent) than 36mm, but it's amazing they've packed a 12x zoom in there at all. There's a rotating barrel on the front, but apparently it doesn't do anything right now. Ideally this would become a mechanical zoom, otherwise you're left with the usual (crummy) electronic zoom lever next to the shutter button. A camera with these aspirations deserves better.
Weight is surprisingly light, the large battery is built into the grip for good overall balance (and the zoom doesn't extend or weigh much, so the camera is constantly pulling forward in your hands).
It remains to be seen what the absolute image quality level is, but if you're thinking about an entry level SLR to step up from a point and shoot, this is one attractive package. A bit on the pricey end, for sure, but it offers capabilities nobody else has right now.
Check here for more details.
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