rss4gizmos.com » technology

Apple planning cool new tech for iPhone 5?

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:42:24 +0000

Apple has hired a new chap to deal with Mobile Commerce, and it just so happens that he has years of near field communications experience.

For the uninitiated, NFC is used in swipe cards and can be used for anything from paying for goods (like the Barclaycard PayWave) to tickets (Oyster cards) and even to open your car.

The fact Apple has employed Benjamin Vigier as Product Manager of Mobile Commerce doesn’t necessarily mean the iPhone 5 will have the technology in, but he’s well placed to implement it should that come about.

Patent

The reason for the conjecture of his role comes as earlier this year Apple applied for a patent on a device that would contain NFC technology, highlighted by Engadget.

Vigier was product manager at mFoundry, where he developed applications like the PayPal Mobile service and a mobile payments system for Starbucks.

So even if he doesn’t make your iPhone 5 the cool new way to beep around town, fingers crossed Apple will be working on even more ways to use your iPhone to make life easier.

Survey: Facebook Lovers Hate Facebook

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 07:54:37 +0000

A survey that went out this morning called the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), garnered a lot of attention around the blogosphere. While this survey is nothing new, this year, they included a few “social media” sites for the first time. And the results were interesting. Or, at least, the results basically said Facebook sucks. And that’s interesting.

But here’s the thing. I’ve read this survey over a few times, and I’m still getting nothing out of it. Sure, the company behind the results, ForeSeeResults, wants me to know that Facebook and MySpace rate behind 95% of the other companies they survey (and even 90% of government agencies) according to their index. But what does that mean? That people don’t like these social networks? Okay, so what does that mean? I’m just not convinced that any of this means anything at all.

Of the four “social media” sites surveyed, Facebook and MySpace were the two lower ones with scores of 64 and 63, respectively (out of 100). Wikipedia and YouTube, meanwhile, were the two high ones with scores of 77 and 73, respectively. Why does Facebook, one of the most popular sites in the world, rate so low? According to ACSI, users have issues with the following:

privacy and security concerns
the technology that controls the news feeds
advertising
the constant and unpredictable changes
spam
navigation troubles
annoying applications with constant notifications
functionality

So basically, Facebook users don’t like much about Facebook.

An iPhone Lover’s Take On The iPhone 4

admin — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 04:38:20 +0000

Regular readers will know that recently I’ve liked to state my bias in the title of my mobile device reviews: I love the iPhone. Some will call that being a fanboy, and that’s fine. But really, it’s just my opinion that the iPhone is hands down the best mobile device out there. If there were a better one, I would use it. But there’s not. So I use the iPhone. And that’s the angle I take towards these mobile device reviews. It’s simple: if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.

4INFO CEO: Expect More Acquisitions, Revenues Will Quintuple Video

admin — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 03:39:47 +0000

4INFO CEO Zaw Thet is trying to shed the title, “King of SMS.”

The mobile advertising company dominates the US SMS market, delivering some 400 million text messages each month (its monthly rate has roughly doubled from early 2010)— but Thet is tired of his crown, or rather, he’s eyeing a different one. 4INFO is trying to position itself as the largest mobile advertiser, SMS and beyond, and the company is ready to acquire other players to get it there.

“The way we look at it now is let’s be the best damn mobile company in the world,” Thet says. “We want to be the only mobile media platform that works with top tier publishers and advertisers to deliver the highest value per interaction…That means across every mobile channel (SMS, display, apps, etc.) and every type of mobile interaction.”

The first part of this (some might say overly ambitious) campaign is its acquisition of Butter, a company that specializes in creating customized mobile solutions and ad campaigns for the iPhone and Android platform. The all-stock deal, announced this Tuesday, is a modest takeover— a source believes Butter’s valuation didn’t break seven-figures— but it embodies 4INFO’s major shift in strategy.

Butter is not incredibly unique in its basic products, a few other companies are trying to create rich mobile ad experiences (like Medialets, Apple iAds) but Thet says he was drawn to their team, the roster of clients, which includes Coca-Cola, and especially their approach:

“The thing that we found very interesting about Butter was the fact that most of their advertising buys that they were getting weren’t coming from the mobile ad budgets. For viewers who are not familiar with the way that media works, there’s typically line items in each different advertising plan, for how they’re going to spend their money, x amount goes to TV, x amount goes to the web…what Butter had done is they had been able to break out of that bucket of just being an experimental, mobile ad budget line item… That meant to us that there’s something valuable there beyond just the technology, which was interesting, but the actual relationships and the network that they built in a very short amount of time.”

From Butter’s website:

As I noted above, this will be the first of many acquisitions for 4INFO, as the company tries to create a one-stop shop, mobile ad destination. Thet has a decent purse to work with, the company has raised approximately $40 million since 2005 and revenues are climbing at a feverish pace. According Thet, revenues will likely quintuple—possibly sextuple— this year. So they have the money, but will it work?

They’ve certainly proven themselves in the SMS category, the company boasts a network of roughly 3,000 publishers, with some of the biggest publishers paying as much as $75,000 per month to use the platform. For those unfamiliar with their B2B product, the main backbone of 4INFO is a publishing platform, “msgHaven,” which helps publishers manage their SMS content and delivery. The company also features an advertising platform, called “adHaven,” which includes an ad network for mobile ads. The company has expanded beyond SMS, notably moving into mobile display ads in 2009, but it definitely has a lot of ground to cover.

Of course that ground has also become more challenging. Now that Google and Apple have rushed onto to the scene with their recent acquisitions of AdMob and Quattro, their shadows loom over the market. Noah Elkin, a senior analyst at eMarketer, says 4INFO had a better chance of dominating the market 6 months ago (pre-Google/Apple takeovers), but he says their fundamental strategy of building a comprehensive mobile ad house is sound, as more companies look for rich ad experiences and one-stop shops: “SMS has had the greatest reach but it’s probably the most unsexy form of advertising there is— as more and more consumers buy smart phones you can see the tide shifting… It’s not too late for his peer group to get in the game.”

Thet discusses the value of Butter, his acquisition strategy, and potential suitors in the video above.

CrunchBase Information

4INFO

Zaw Thet

Information provided by CrunchBase

Source: Techcrunch.com

Nokia says all of its smartphones will support NFC starting next year

admin — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 01:43:35 +0000

A few hiccups aside, Nokia has been one of the biggest boosters of near-field communication (or NFC) for years now, and it looks like it’s now made its biggest commitment to the technology yet — Nokia’s Anssi Vanjoki has announced that all new Nokia smartphones will include NFC starting in 2011. Of course, he did say “smartphones,” not “phones,” so Nokia does still has quite a bit more room to grow — and, no, he didn’t offer any more details on what those smartphones might be.
Nokia says all of its smartphones will support NFC starting next year originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Opinion: iPhone 4: how it points to the future

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 07:13:05 +0000

Much of the criticism of the iPhone 3GS centred around what it didn’t have, rather than what it actually did, making one-off comparisons with rivals where possible.

With iPhone 4, Apple CEO Steve Jobs removed most of the iPhone’s perceived problems in a single keynote, and it now boasts an improved camera, video chat, and enhancements to the OS (including third-party multitasking), screen, battery, case and processor.

But what’s perhaps most exciting about iPhone 4 is its potential and the manner in which it’s pointing to the future. The iPhone has never really been about tech specs anyway, and this is even truer when it comes to iPhone 4; instead, the iPhone is increasingly about the entire Apple ecosystem.

The future of media

It’s through Apple’s ecosystem that the iPhone 4′s technical breakthroughs become more than mere bullet-points on a press release, used in some kind of bizarre one-upmanship against the competition, which no-one apart from tech journos and geeks remotely cares about.

Sure, the 326ppi screen beats the best current Android devices; but more importantly, it provides print-quality text that Apple can take advantage of with its iBookstore and the many magazine and web apps available on the App Store.

In the video space,Apple also wins out, but not just because the iPhone 4 can shoot HD video, but because iMovie for iPhone will enable consumers to actually do something with what they shoot.

’720p/30fps’ is a boring bullet-point, but ‘shoot HD video that you can then edit and share – all on your iPhone’ is a great hook for anyone who wants a device that makes them think they’re living in the future.

And in gaming, Apple once again has the potential to steam ahead of its rivals in the handheld space: already, there’s a rampant developer community creating thousands of products for a ravenous horde of iOS gaming fanatics; as of today, they also get a fantastic screen, a gyroscope, iAd for funding free games, and multitasking to avoid gamers getting all angry when a call comes in just as they were about to win.

Some of these improvements are incremental and some, such as the gyroscope, may shake up iOS gaming in the long term.

After all, say what you will about the iPhone’s perceived ‘game control problems’, but with developers ‘forced’ to innovate around the iPhone’s lack of tactile controls, instead having to utilise the touchscreen and accelerometer, there’s been a return to the kind of innovation and novelty not seen since the early 1980s arcade boom.

Apple’s next steps

But what we’ve so far seen is only the beginning. Together, the iPhone 4′s gyroscope, accelerometer and compass provide ‘six axis’ motion sensing. (Apple helpfully offers developers a new Core Motion API to utilise the new hardware.)

On the device itself, this provides scope for all kinds of 3D gaming experiences. But extrapolate the technology to other iOS devices and things get interesting: imagine the iPod touch not just as a standalone device but also a Wii-like games controller that also boasts a touchscreen.

The Apple TV could evolve from a headless iPod to a headless iPod touch, running iOS, and able to communicate with other iOS devices. Suddenly, you have a system that makes every aspect of the Wii look positively archaic.

And it doesn’t stop there: the same iPod touch with the iPhone 4 camera becomes the best portable games system you’ve ever owned (bye, Sony, Nintendo) combined with the best portable video-capture device (see you, Flip).

Meanwhile, the iPad 2, with a ‘Retina Display’ suddenly finds itself with print-quality text (ta ta, Kindle and Nook), the best screen you’ve ever had for gaming (so long, laptop), and the iPhone’s front-facing camera for using Skype (no really, laptop, go away).

Perhaps rivals already have technology waiting in the wings, ready to do battle with Apple’s latest. But if all we hear from the next iPhone wannabe is that it has a better camera, or from the next iPad ‘killer’ that it runs Flash, the manufacturers are missing the point.

iPhone 4 points to the future, but it’s not the technology that matters—it’s the vision, the tying together of all the parts, and providing users with the best possible experience to enable them to do whatever they want to do.

picturemaker recommends Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 (with 14-42mm OIS Lens) as Best Digital Camera Overall Under $800 with Manual Controls.

admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 11:39:34 +0000

Overview

For those who want versatility, portability, style and smarts in their personal camera, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 will more than fill the bill. Built sturdy and lightweight, the G2 has the ability to swap lenses, compose with either the Swivel LCD screen or the digital viewfinder and has a processor fast enough to handle all of these functions and more.

My Best In Class Pick

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 (with 14-42mm OIS Lens)

With a dramatic move into the future of photography, Panasonic has developed the worlds first Micro Four Thirds camera that will satisfy the needs of all photographers at any level of expertise.

Starting with a lightweight body and a wide variety of external controls, Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-G2 can go anywhere you want to go and is ready to capture your important moments with a touch of the finger. Featuring a touch sensitive, rotating 3.0” LCD with live view, framing and previewing your images and videos is easy and fun. If you prefer to use a viewfinder, the G2 has a bright live view digital viewfinder that displays your settings and is activated by an eye-sensor to shut off the LCD screen to prevent glare.

For shooting video, with a simple, one-button command located just behind the exposure button, you can be shooting HD video in a snap, utilizing the IA feature as well as Panasonic’s own Mega OIS (Optical Image Stabilizer) to hold things steady. In fact, when in video mode, all of your still settings are applied until you make adjustments according to what you see on the viewfinder or LCD screen. You can even apply some of the seven My Color mode settings and preview them before taking video.

Whether you are a seasoned expert or a point and shoot photographer, the DMC-G2 has a wide variety of choices that ensure you are getting just the right exposure at just the right time. Using the Intelligent Scene Selector in the iA mode, you can choose your settings by simply touching the screen. Touch a distant subject and get landscape mode, touch a face and get portrait mode or touch a close object to get macro mode. Of course, there are the Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Program modes for even more decision making and creativity. And for every level of photographer, let the new Venus Engine HD II do the work of making your images look their best, even at low ISO’s.

For quick shooting and all inclusive focusing, choose from one of these AF modes. There is AF Tracking, 1-area AF, Face Detection AF/AE and 23-area focusing. The 45-200mm lens is recommended also for a wider range of shooting possibilities.

Nice choices when you have them, and you have them with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2, a smart choice for the future of photography.

Comparison with Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 (with 20mm Lens)

Except for it’s more compact size, no Mega OIS and requiring an optional viewfinder, the GF1 has many of the same attributes as the G2. The G2 also has a touch screen on its swivel LCD, items that keep it from being as compact as the GF1.

Comparison with Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7

No comparison. If you want an interchangeable lens camera with a tilt swivel LCD and a viewfinder, the G2 is the one for you. But if you want a camera with a lot of the great amenities you will find in the G2 but wrapped up in a smaller body with less bells and whistles, consider the ZS7.

Pros

+

Micro Four Thirds

+

HD Video

+

Tilt LCD

+

Viewfinder

+

Touch Screen Control

Where to buy

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 (with 14-42mm OIS Lens)

Best Price:
$789

See

GeeksOnAPlane at the GMIC And CHINICT Tech Conferences In Beijing: Learnings From China

admin — Sun, 30 May 2010 13:12:11 +0000

After exploring the mobile and Internet landscapes in Shanghai and Beijing, the GeeksOnAPlane (GOAP) group (30+ techies mostly from the Silicon Valley) continued their Asian field trip to Korea today. In Beijing, the GOAP attended two of China’s largest tech conferences: CHINICT, “the largest conference on China tech innovation” (which was livestreamed on TechCrunch), and the “Global Mobile Internet Conference” (GMIC), both of which are held in the city every year.

The GOAP got in touch with and gained unfiltered insight from dozens and dozens of local entrepreneurs, VCs and industry observers during the conferences and the events that took place around them. What follows are just a few learnings and impressions the GOAP group picked up during their China web crash course in Beijing (the size of the tech landscape is summarized in my previous post).

Innovation & Adoption of Business Models: The Chinese way

Before CHINICT and GMIC took place, Benjamin Joffe from Asia-based digital strategy consultancy +8* | Plus Eight Star delivered a primer during the Startup2Startup Beijing event on how innovation in China works, and how local companies adjust proven business models from abroad to meet the peculiarities of the Chinese market.

There’s a ton of valuable information on these and other topics in Joffe’s presentation (embedded below):

A lot has been written about how quickly China’s web entrepreneurs rip off successful concepts from the US and elsewhere, with one local VC half-jokingly at some point telling the GOAP group: “Every site that gets on TechCrunch is sure to have at least one Chinese clone a week later!”.

But there are some startups that don’t just churn out 1:1 copies. Instead, a few clever entrepreneurs find twists to make concepts working abroad more China-friendly or mash up existing, successful ones to create original offerings. One case in point is a startup called Lashou whose eponymous service marries Groupon with Foursquare-like mobile mechanics. I had the chance to talk to Lashou CEO Bo Wu during the Startup2Startup Beijing event, and according to Wu, user numbers are currently exploding.

This presentation provides more insight on how Lashou works:

China’s mobile web: The three finalists of the GMIC startup competition

CHINICT and GMIC were held at the same time in Beijing (Thursday and Friday), forcing the GOAP to choose between the two conferences and me to decide about which event I should report back (I attended both). I have a personal penchant for covering yet unknown startups (and CHINICT was livestreamed on TechCrunch), so I decided to cover the launch pad that took place at the GMIC.

Find short profiles of the three finalists below. The selection highlights three mega trends that can currently be observed in China’s mobile scene: the fragmentation in hardware and software, the rise of mobile gaming, and the low number of people who are ready to make payments over the cell phone.

Multi-platform solution by Crossmo
Crossmo is a “cross-mobile” solution that has already been licensed by a number of top tech companies, including Motorola, Orange, Baidu and a number of Chinese operators. Orange, for example, runs its Chinese App Store based on Crossmo, basically as a white-labeled, generic “iTunes” for non-Apple platforms.

For end users, Crossmo intends to solve the fragmentation problem in the mobile space by offering an online data management and synchronization tool for cell phones that’s completely hardware agnostic. Just connect your phone to your PC, and the service backs up, synchronizes and pushes all mobile data (music files, ringtones, wallpapers, and other content) into your own personal online “Crossmo Space”.

Cross platform engine by Softgames
Alexander Krug, CEO of Berlin-based Softgames, said that when it comes to offering mobile content across different platforms, his company has an edge over established gaming giants such as Zynga or Playfish. The Softgames game engine apparently makes it possible to “rapidly” design a social mobile game and then distribute it across a total of six platforms (i.e. iPhone, Android, or Java). SoftGames also pitched CrimeCity at the GMIC, a browser-based mobile RPG that’s available on “all devices and platforms”. Like many foreign mobile content providers, Softgames is currently looking for distribution partners in China and other Asian markets.

2C2P Mobile by 2C2P
Market research firm Gartner expects the number of mobile payment users worldwide to ballon to 190 million in 2012, up from the 70 million counted last year. And since 85% of those 190 million people will be based in Asia/Pacific, Singapore-based e-commerce payment solutions provider 2C2P is looking at a huge future market for itself. The core offering in the mobile area is 2C2P Mobile, a solution for cell phones that uses QR codes, Bluetooth, BUMP and other technologies to transfer money between different credit/debit cards without friction. The company was selected as the winner of the GMIC startup competition.

Find a larger cross section of local mobile startups in my previous article on the 3G Industry Summit in China from last year.

Many thanks to the CHINICT and GMIC organizers for the special treatment the GOAP group received.

Challenges for China’s web and mobile companies

China’s high-speed Internet industry is already huge, still offers plenty of room for even more growth, produces one startup after the other, is eager to globalize quickly, and has – unlike its counterparts in many other Asian countries – an iron grip on the domestic market.

But Silicon Valley and the planet’s other technology hotbeds still have a bit of time to breathe before the dragon takes over, as even in China’s web market all’s not well. The GOAP heard local mobile and web entrepreneurs and VCs deploring the

lack of valid industry data across a number of tech sectors

strict legal and political frameworks (one industry veteran told me he checks if his popular micro-blogging service is still online every morning, as Twitter is blocked by the government)

low online spend (just one telling example: the ARPU in China’s social gaming sector is said to be 5-20 times lower than in the US and other regions)

insufficient online payment systems (still low circulation of credit cards hampers growth in e-commerce and other areas)

overheated VC market

trouble for young startups to find seed capital and angel investors

lack of competent staff (especially engineers)

propensity of highly skilled team members to quickly quit even successful startups to join others or set up their own

lack of innovative power in the industry (Korea invented the virtual goods-based business model, Japan invented the mobile web, and China?)

rampant copycat culture (which is not really a China-only phenomenon)

fierce domestic competitive environment in the mobile and web fields

and other factors (for example, copyright problems or the fact that no foreign entrepreneur- with one exception – has realized a sizable exit in China so far).

After gaining a 10,000 foot overview of China’s tech scene, it’s now time to explore what’s currently hot in Korea, the next stop of the GOAP Asia tour. The GOAP will be attending a Korean startup pitch event and the Startup Weekend Seoul (the country’s first ever), before moving on to echelon 2010 in Singapore.

For information in real-time, follow the adventures of the GOAP via the #goap hash tag (the official Twitter account is here). GOAP pictures are being uploaded regularly over on Flickr.

Photo credit: Craig Fisk

Source: Techcrunch.com

picturemaker recommends Canon PowerShot SX210 IS as Best Ultra Compact Point and Shoot Digital Camera Overall Under $350.

admin — Tue, 25 May 2010 14:19:40 +0000

Overview

For a stylish, slim and sturdy super-zoom camera that you will want to have with you on vacation or at the game, you won’t find a better choice than the Canon PowerShot SX210 IS. With Smart Auto and Scene Detection technology, Manual controls and HD video, the SX210 IS is leading the way in today’s point and shoot market.

My Best In Class Pick

Canon PowerShot SX210 IS

If you were to take everything you want in a point and shoot camera and cram it into a stylish metal body that fits nicely in your pocket, you would probably end up with Canon’s PowerShot SX210 IS.

Built sturdy enough to handle most shooting environments, the SX210 IS boasts a 14.1mp imaging sensor with a 14x zoom lens that starts at a wide 28mm and goes out to a 329mm equivalent to make sure you’re able to manage a variety of scene situations. And to help with the settings for all of those scene situations, the SX210 IS has Smart Auto with Scene Detection Technology that enables you to get the perfect exposure without a lot of fussing around with settings.

Of course, some people like to fuss around with settings, but rarely does a point and shoot offer you that option. With the SX210 IS, there is a Manual, AV, TV and P setting within easy reach for quick adjustments according to your artistic designs. Located just below the exposure button, the control dial has a wide range of choices to suit your style.

And to ensure you get the right shot at the right exposure, without compromising in low light situations, Canon’s optical image stabilizer (IS) and motion detector technology monitors camera shake, brightness and subject movement before adjusting the shutter speed and ISO.

Making high quality HD Videos has been made simpler too! With a dedicated video capture button easily accessed on the back of the camera, you can activate the HD Video in a flash without all the fumbling through menus. Expect perfect video exposure too with Smart Auto Technology. And move in on the action by activating the 14x zoom while recording.

And don’t forget to have fun. Show off your images with the 3.0” PureColor II G LCD with enhanced strength and visibility and wide viewing angle. There is also a Fish-eye and Miniature Effect feature to give your shots a little different look. Add an SDXC media card and never miss a shot or an extra second of video.

Comparison with Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS

With 10x extra zoom capability and a pop-up flash, the SX210 IS is worth the extra money that separates these two cameras. Otherwise, the SD1400 IS has the same 14.1mp sensor and also comes in a slim, colorful, metal body that fits comfortably in your pants pocket.

Comparison with Canon PowerShot A3100 IS

At a lower price, the A3100 IS gives you a 12.1mp imaging sensor but with the Digic III processor rather than the Digic IV you get with the SX210 IS. You also have VGA video and no HDMI connection. Still, the A3100 IS has a lot of the great features of the more expensive models, just not as much zoom or video. The A3100 IS even moved into the rechargeable battery category, a first for a PowerShot A series model.

Pros

+

HD Video with zoom

+

Uses SDXC memory cards

+

Manual or Pop-up flash

+

Digic 4 processor

Cons

-

SDXC media cards are expensive

Where to buy

Canon PowerShot SX210 IS

Best Price:
$329

See

picturemaker recommends Pentax X90 as Best Compact Point and Shoot Digital Camera for Travel Photos Under $500.

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 18:07:59 +0000

Overview

Taking some of the best attributes of a professional DSLR and wrapping them in a lightweight body with easily accessible controls, the Pentax X90 is a super zoom point and shoot camera designed to make sure you capture the important images of your life, an expectation that photographers have come to demand in today’s digital world.

My Best In Class Pick

Pentax X90

When seeking a digital camera for travel, there are two features that must be considered. The first one is size. Is it lightweight and compact enough to take everywhere without bogging you down? The other feature is zoom. When you are in a new place and something catches your eye, you want to be able to zero in on the subject for that great shot. And sometimes getting right up next to your subject can be difficult.

With the Pentax X90, these two issues are resolved in a way that compliments the rest of the cameras features, making it a must have on vacation. Whether you are seeking your first Super-zoom camera or looking to upgrade, the Pentax X90 has everything you would expect and more in a take-anywhere companion. With its 26x super-zoom lens, 2.7” LCD screen, HD video capabilities and an electronic viewfinder, this camera will deliver the images you will be happy to share with friends and family. And at 15.1 oz’s, you won’t feel like you’re dragging it around.

When it comes to battery life, an important factor when spending the day away from a power source, Pentax has doubled the battery capacity from previous models to handle up to approx. 255 shots before recharging (as a rule, extra batteries are recommended under any situation).

Two other features of the X90 are worth considering as well. When extending the super-zoom lens to it’s full 26x, you may be concerned about camera shake. Simply set the camera to it’s high-sensitivity anti-shake mode for blur free shots. When activating this feature, the camera automatically sets itself, depending on available light, to as high as 6400 ISO for fast shutter action. And with Face Detection AE and AF modes, the X90 will recognize up to 32 faces in 0.03 seconds. There are also smile capture and blink detection modes for added portrait control.

Comparison with Fujifilm FinePix HS10

Having it’s own rechargeable battery may give the X90 a let up over the HS10, but that issue has proven to be a personal choice based on availability to a power source and the bulk of carrying (and disposal of) AA’s. With slightly less zoom and a slightly smaller LCD screen, I still think Pentax has enough experience and knowledge to give the X90 an edge over the HS10 when making a long-term purchase decision.

Pros

+

Lightweight

+

Good Anti-Shake

+

Long battery life

+

Long Flash Range

Where to buy

Pentax X90

Best Price:
$329

See