CES 2007

These are probably the greatest gadgets I've seen at all of CES. Massive HDTVs and supercharged game PCs are great, but they can't compare to products fashioned to look and act like the galaxy's greatest astrodroid.

Electronics company Nikko, best known for its remote-controlled cars, has announced a DVD projection system and a wireless, networked Webcam, both based on Star Wars' R2-D2. The nerd truly is strong in these ones.

The R2-D2 DVD Projector is a 480p home-theater projector that looks just like the beloved robot. The 20-inch-tall projector features built-in speakers, an iPod dock, a memory card slot, and even an FM transmitter to broadcast audio around the house. Best of all, the projector moves just like R2-D2. Using a Millenium Falcon-shaped remote control, the projector can be piloted around the home with its three, wheeled legs. Built-in safety sensors help prevent the droid from taking spills or bumping into objects. Most importantly, it sounds just like R2-D2, with 11 different beeps, boops, and whistles randomly playing when it's in motion.

The R2-D2 Wireless Web Camera is a similar geek-worthy marvel. The tiny Webcam is just over half a foot tall and communicates wirelessly with a computer. The wireless aspect is important, because the R2-D2 Webcam can roll around just like its big brother. Since it's networked, you can actually log in to the Webcam while you're out and pilot it around your house, using R2-D2 as your personal spy droid. Like the projector, the Webcam has built-in sensors to help prevent crashes and falls.

Finally, Nikko showed off a lightsaber-shaped USB handset for VoIP services like Skype. Modeled after Luke Skywalker's lightsaber in Star Wars: A New Hope, it doesn't look like the most comfortable USB phone. But its sound effects, lights, and sheer authenticity will make any fan proud to talk on it.

These gadgets might be cool, but they'll set you back a pretty penny. The R2-D2 DVD Projector will retail for at least $2,500. The R2-D2 Webcam and the lightsaber USB handset will be sold as a pack and will retail for about $350. True fans will have to wait a while: These truly impressive Star Wars gadgets won't ship until spring.

Smartparts' new 7-inch wooden digital photo frame.

If we've learned anything from reviewing digital photo frames, it's that putting photos onto one of these little snapshot displays isn't always easy. New Jersey company Smartparts, which announced two new digital frames here at CES 2007, is trying to remedy that situation with its OptiPix software. Smartparts is including the software with both of its new frames this year. Like most photo frames, they have memory card slots--in this case SD, Memory Stick, MMc, and xD Picture Card slots. However, if you're willing to connect your frame to your computer's USB jack, the OptiPix software will let you upload whole folders of images, perfectly sized to fit the frame's screen, while maximizing the number of images that'll fit in the frame's internal memory.

The difference between two models is the material surrounding their 7-inch, 800x600-pixel LCD screens. One, the SPDPF70EW, has a wooden bezel, while the other, called the SPDPF70E, has acrylic edging. Both new frames will hit stores in the middle of February with a price of about $100 each.

I love gadgets, especially if they can fit on my wrist. Televisions are cool, but TV watches are cooler. Lasers are awesome, but watches with lasers built into them? Even more awesome. And now there's a camera you can fit onto your wrist.

The Digital Hero 3 is a 3-megapixel, wrist-mounted, waterproof sports camera. It's tiny and hardly the most impressive shooter at CES, but it can take 3-megapixel still images and 30fps VGA videos with sound. It fits inside a waterproof case that straps to your wrist, so you can easily shoot snowboarding, surfing, or any other activity that's fast, wet, and dirty. It accepts SD cards up to 2GB, so you can shoot plenty of photos and footage. It supports both USB and RCA connections, so you can show off your stunts on your TV or upload them to your computer. Finally, it's powered by readily available AAA batteries.

It's not the greatest camera at CES, but it's certainly one of the funkiest (as Crave observed about an earlier version back in November). The Digital Hero 3 ships later this year with a suggested retail price of $140. The original VGA Digital Hero is currently available for about $80.

Samsung's SC-DC173

If there's a buzzword in camcorders at CES 2007, it's probably still "high definition," but hybrid is a close second. Unfortunately, we think the latter is being used a little too freely. For instance, Samsung is calling its latest flagship DVD camcorder a hybrid because it includes 4GB of flash memory, but we think that label is a bit of a stretch. The SCDX-10 includes a 1-megapixel CCD, electronic image stabilization, and lets you record to that 4GB of built-in flash, or single or dual-layer 8cm DVDs.

In addition to that "hybrid" model, Samsung has announced two other DVD camcorders, the SC-D575 and the SC-DC173. The D575 sports a 1-megapixel CCD, 28x optical zoom lens, 2.7-inch LCD, and card slots for Memory Stick and SD/MMC cards. The SC-D173 has a 680,000-pixel CCD, 34x optical zoom lens, and 2.7-inch LCD. Both can accept DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW single-layer DVDs, as well as DVD+R dual-layer discs.

Samsung plans to ship the SC-DX10 this August with a price of about $630. The SC-D575 is expected to hit stores in May for a price of about $450. The SC-D173 should be available in April and will set you back about $370.

As if heading up a ramp to Noah's ark, the Flash and DVD models move in pairs. Panasonic at least manages to differentiate the models a bit. The DVD-based HDC-DX1, announced this week, and the SD card-based HDC-SD1 (announced in late 2006), are the latest pair of AVCHD cancorders to get on the boat. Both incorporate a trio of 1/4-inch, 580K-pixel CCDs, a 12x zoom, and an optical image stabilizer. The DX1 has dual-layer support, as well as DVD-RAM capability.

The difference? Aside from some design tweaks made necessary by the different media support, the DX1 seems to have some kind of accessory shoe--at least, that what it looks like in the picture.

Both camcorders will ship in March, the HDC-DX1 for $1,399.95 and the HDC-SD1 for $1,499.95 (including a 4GB SD card).

I'm starting to believe that camera manufacturers are able to stuff tiny quantum singularities into their products. The only way I can explain the increasing range of the internal zoom systems in ultracompacts is with a fold in space. Casio's latest fold holds a 7x zoom, with the 35mm-equivalent range of 35mm-266mm, in an inch-thick ultracompact.

With a camera so small and light, shake can be even more of a problem than usual with long zooms. Casio compensates with no less than four different antishake techniques, including a mechanical CCD-shift image stabilizer and the usual combos of high-ISO and shutter speeds. In addition, the company has updated its imaging processor, thoughtfully called the "Exilim Engine 2.0", with autofocus tracking and faster performance.

This marvel of modern physics will ship in March for $399.

HD is more than just high resolution and huge TV screens--it's also better color. In this case, XvYCC color, a space that's able to encode a larger variety of colors that predecessors such as sRGB or YCC. Sony is first out of the gate to support XvYCC with its 2007 prosumer models, the HDR-HC5/7 and HDR-UX5/7, hard drive and DVD-based AVCHD models, respectively.

Of course, Sony being Sony, the company has branded its own version of the space as "x.v.Color". (Why the names always include random periods--think "i.Link"--escapes me.)

These models use 2- and 3-megapixel versions of Sony's ClearVid CMOS--it'll be interesting to see if it's up to the task of a broader color range--and now have an automatic slow-shutter mode for when the light starts dimming. The specs do claim a we-hope-its-true minimum illumination of 2 lux.

The HDR-HC7 and HDR-HC5 will ship in February for about $1,400 and $1,200, respectively. The HDR-UX7 and HDR-UX5 follow in March for about $1,300 and $1,100, respectively.

Samsung's L73 packs a pile of features into a stylish package.

Over the last couple of years, Samsung has made a real effort to step up its still camera offerings. This year's CES introductions continue that trend with more stylish designs and smattering of convenient features. You won't find any new dSLRs here, but there are six new compact cameras with pixel counts ranging from 6 megapixels to 10 megapixels. Two of the cameras fall into Samsung's L-series, which is aimed at advanced shooters, while the other four belong to the S-series, targeted at the point-and-shoot crowd. All of Samsung's new still cameras include in-camera editing, so you can resize or crop your images without a PC

The L73 and L700 both feature 7-megapixel CCD sensors, 3x optical zoom lenses, and 2.5-inch LCD screens. Sporting the same innovative Smart Touch menu system introduced in last year's NV7 OPS, the L73 is the fancier of the two. Low-light shooters should appreciate its top sensitivity of ISO 1600, as well as Samsung's ASR image-stabilization system--it's not as effective as optical image stabilization, but it will bump up the sensitivity and select a faster shutter speed. In case you want to get in the shot, a built-in motion sensor can detect any movement in your subjects when in self-timer mode and then wait another two seconds before capturing the shot. With the L73, Samsung also jumps into the face-detection game--they call it Intelligent Face Recognition Technology. According to the company, it will recognize up to nine faces and use them to help set focus and exposure. The L73 can capture MPEG-4 video at resolutions up to 800x592 at 30 frames per second and has a built-in microphone so you can attach voice memos (up to 10 seconds) to your photos. Of course, the L73 also includes the usual assortment of preset shooting modes, such as Children, Backlight, and Portrait. Samsung expects the L73 to hit stores this spring with a price of about $300.

Samsung's L700's includes auto macro.

If the L73's too fancy for you, the L700's a bit less complex. The L700's video capture tops out at 640x480 pixels at 30fps and even has a movie stabilizer that acts like the electronic image stabilization in most camcorders to help keep the L700's video clips steady. Soccer moms should like the camera's continuous-shooting mode, while the auto-exposure bracketing aims to help capture the right exposure in difficult lighting conditions. The auto macro function will switch to macro mode for you, while the voice recorder stores up to an hour of your musings at a time. The L700 should hit stores this spring with a price of about $250.

Offering a more straightforward mix of features, the 6-megapixel S630 and 7-megapixel S730 both include 3x optical zoom lenses, 2.5-inch LCD screens, draw their power from AA batteries. In addition to 11 scene modes, these two cameras include program and manual exposure modes. They also capture motion JPEG video clips at up to 640x480-pixels and 30 fps. Plus, Samsung's ASR image stabilization is available in both still and video modes. Like the L73, the S630 and S730 can attach 10-second voice memos to your images. The S630 and S730 should be available this spring for about $180 and $200, respectively.

Samsung's 8-megapixel S850 features a 5x optical zoom lens.

An extra $50 above the S730 brings us to the S850, which boasts an 8-megapixel sensor, 5x optical zoom lens, a top sensitivity of ISO 1600, and ASR image stabilization. Photographers looking for control in a compact camera should like the S850's aperture-priority, shutter-priority, and manual modes, while continuous shooting and auto exposure bracketing add to the camera's versatility. Samsung's Wise Shot feature lets you shoot a pair of shots, one with ASR image stabilization and one with flash, in a row, so you can keep the best of the two. As you may have come to expect, the S850 can attach 10-second voice memos to your images. Its video mode also includes image stabilization and can capture MPEG-4 clips up to 800x592-pixels at 30fps. Plus, the continuous movie mode lets you pause and resume video capture. Most compact still cameras won't allow this. Samsung expect the S850 to it stores in the spring for about $250.

Another $100 lets you step up to the 10-megapixel S1050, which has a 5x optical zoom lens, a top sensitivity of ISO 1600, and a 3-inch LCD screen. It too features ASR image stabilization, Wise Shot mode, 10-second voice memos, and in-camera editing. Its video mode, lets you record MPEG-4 clips in your choice of one of four resolutions from 160x128-pixels up to 800x600-pixels, but at a frame rate of only 20fps. The S1050 runs on AA batteries and is expected to hit stores this spring for a bout $350.

According to Samsung, all these new models support the new SDHC standard. (Originally, we reported that they didn't, due to a mixup on our part.) We would've liked to see some of these cameras include real optical image stabilization instead of just ASR, but you can't always get what you want.

Looking down the barrel of the SC-HMX10

Sure, they took their time, but now Samsung has officially announced their intention to join the HD camcorder revolution with the SC-HMX10, which records AVCHD video to either 4GB of built-in flash memory, or SD/MMC cards . As is typical of higher-end camcorders, the SC-HMX10 has a relatively short, 10x optical zoom lens, but it does sport a 2.7-inch 16:9 touch screen LCD screen.

Side view: Samsung SC-HMX10

Samsung hasn't yet shared very many details about this camcorder, but given the relatively small amount of built-in memory, and its somewhat anemic 1.5-megapixel CCD sensor, the outlook is seems less than stellar.

We hope we haven't gotten your hopes up too high, because you won't be able to see this camcorder anytime soon. Samsung expects the SC-HMX10 to start shipping this September for a price of about $850.