Canon PowerShot SD880 IS

If you’re looking for a digital camera for yourself or as a gift, you might want to check out the Canon PowerShot SD800 IS.  This is a slick, trendy, and compact 10.0 megapixel camera with 4x Optical Zoom. I always recommend an optical zoom over a digital zoom. The optical zoom is handled by the lens, while a digital zoom is calculated by the camera’s processor. There’s also an optical image stabilizer to reduce blurring in low light and on moving objects. The 28mm wide-angle lens can zoom to the equivalent of a 112mm lens on a standard camera. 

The back of the SD880 has a large high-quality 3-inch color LCD with an anti-glare and anti-scratch coating. The camera back is esentially all screen.  The camera image review controls take up a minimum of space, and there’s very little in the way of wasted metal and plastic surface.

Face Detection and Self-Timer

If you use a camera’s timer to get yourself in the picture then you’ll love the Face Detection technology of the SD880 and its DIGIC 4 Image Processor. The Face Detection programming, in conjunction with the self timer, detects when another face has entered the scene before taking the picture. This will help alleviate “rushing” to get into the shot before the timer goes off.

The SD880 also has a Print/Share Button for easy direct printing and downloading, plus ID Photo Print and Movie Print with select PIXMA Photo Printers and SELPHY Compact Photo Printers. (See Tuesday’s Digital Photo Printer post).

The camera comes with:

• Lithium-ion Battery Pack (NB-5L)
• A Battery Charger CB-2LX
• A 32 MB SD Memory Card
• A Wrist Strap
• A Digital Camera Solution CD
• A USB Interface Cable
• and an AV Cable for connecting to a television or other audio-video device

Recommendation:
I’d recommend buying a 2 GB (gigabyte) SD Memory card along with this camera.  The included 32 MB card will only hold about 6 images (at the highest setting). A 2 GB card will hold about 450 images.  2 GB SD cards can be purchased these days for around $10 or $20.

Special Offer from Dell and Skylarking:
The Canon PowerShot SD880 IS’s has a MSRP of $299, but Dell is currently selling the camera for $259. Skylarking readers can save an additional $40 from now until Dec.4 by applying the coupon code 6CJFK841QJCZVR at checkout (see picture at right, click to enlarge). That brings the price down to $219. This offer is good until 12/4 or for the first 500 readers. Just click the following link to access the Dell page for the SD880.

Save $40 off Canon SD880 digital camera! Coupon Code: 6CJFK841QJCZVR

If you want a good price on a SD memory card from HP, checkout the 2GB card selling at TigerDirect for $9.99. Click this link to transfer to TigerDirect.com: HP 2GB Secure Digital Card Or get a HP 4 GB SD High Capacity card for double the storage. That’s about 900 photos on one memory chip. Tigerdirect sells thius card for $25. Today they’re offering a $5 instant rebate. HP 4GB Secure Digital High Capacity Card (SDHC)

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Photosmart A516

Last year I gave several my sister and my parents Hewlett Packard digital photo printers as gifts, specifically the HP Photosmart A516 (at right). The Photosmart printers are very small, compact, and lightweight. It measures roughtly 10 inches wide, 5 inches tall, and less than 6 inches deep.  That’s about the size of a small loaf of bread. It weighs less than 6 pounds. (A slightly heavy loaf of bread).

The Photosmart printers print on 4×6 inch and 5×7 inch photo paper, and can hold about 20 sheets at a time. Me, my family and friends agree that the picture and color quality is fantastic.

The other great thing about the Photosmart printers is that you don’t have to connect them to a computer to print your photos. They will accept most of the popular media memory cards (Memory Stick, Memory STick Duo, SD, xD, and MMC). Some printer models have an optional Bluetooth adapter so you can print wirelessly from your Bluetooth enabled cellphone.  If your camera uses PictBridge technology you can plug your camera directly into the printer via a USB cable. Some models even allow printing from your iPod.

If I were to buy HP Photosmart printers this year, budget-minded as I am, these are the models and offers I would give serious consideration to:

HP Photosmart A536 (New, TigerDirect.com, $80) The Photosmart A530 series prints on sheets up to 5×7 inches in size, and accepts MemoryStick, MS Duo, SD, xD, and MMC media cards. So it will work with most Sony and Olympus cameras quite well. It doesn’t accept CompactFlash cards.  The unit is light and small enough that you can consider it portable. I often take it with me when I go to parties at the homes of friends and relations. It accepts an HP 110 Tri Color printer cartridge. The print cartirdge sells for about $22. HP also packages the cartridge with 140 sheets of 4×6 paper for $42. Supported operating systems: Windows 2000; Windows XP Home; Windows XP Professional; Windows XP Professional x64; Certified for Windows Vista(TM); Mac OS X v 10.3.9 or higher.

HP Photosmart A616 Photo Printer (Remanufactured) $35 from Buy.com Buy.com has refurbished models of the A616 selling for $35 with a one year warranty. In prints in as little as 39 seconds, accepts paper up to 5 x 7 inches. For media cards it accepts CompactFlash, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, Secure Digital/MultiMediaCard and xD-Picture Card. It also supports Mini SD with an adapter. It has a 20-sheet input tray and wireless capability with an optional HP bt450 Bluetooth Wireless Printer adapter. Weight: 3.46 lbs. Supported operating systems: Windows 2000; Windows XP Home; Windows XP Professional; Windows XP Professional x64; Certified for Windows Vista(TM); Mac OS X v 10.3.9 or higher. Compatible cartridges: HP 110 Tri-color Ink Cartridge. Here’s a link for getting a new Photosmart A616 from Buy.com for $69: HP Photosmart A616 Photo Printer - Color Inkjet - 39 Second Photo - USB, PictBridge - PC, Mac Normal retail price is $129.

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If you’re not familiar with these terms, a hosting company provides computer service and equipment for other companies and individuals. A hosting company typically offers storage service for email and web sites. An ISP provides companies and individuals with access to the Internet.

In last week’s case, McColo, a hosting company with locations in Delaware and California, was providing hosting services to several companies and individuals who used the McColo’s computers to distribute viruses and spyware via spam and harmful web sites. Many of the sites and messages dealt in pharmaceutical drug sales and child pornography. These companies were paying McColo for the use of their computers, and despite the illegal activity McColo ignored it.

McColo’s host computer center in San Jose, CA was connected to the Internet via several Internet Service Providers.  Two of the providers took it upon themselves to deprive McColo of Internet access and shutdown the Internet connection. Within seconds the level of spam traffic worldwide dropped by 50% to 75% according to several spam watchdog services such as Spamhaus.

Consumer Risks: “XP AntiVirus Protection” and “AntiVirus 2009″

If you downloaded either of these two programs then you can probably count yourself among the victims of this incident. “XP AntiVirus Protection” and “AntiVirus 2009″ were fraudulent programs distributed by several companies and individuals who were provided hosting services by McColo.

AntiVirus 2009

XP AntiVirus

Help Yourself, Help Your Computer

If you downloaded either of these programs you should remove them immediately. To do so:

1. Click Start > Conrol Panel
2. Click or double-click “Add/Remove Programs”
3. Locate and click each of these programs on the list and click “Remove”

After removing these programs, go to http://pack.google.com and download, install, and run “PC Tools Spyware Doctor” and “Norton Security Scan” to remove any traces of these programs and the harmful software they may have added to your computer. Users of Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware 2008 software may want to run an additional scan of their system for through cleaning. You may need to scan your system three times to fully clean out these programs.

Click here for more news

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Here are some holiday shopping links from Apple. Apple is offering free engraving on all iPods, plus free shipping. Clicking the Buy button under each product description will transfer you to the Apple web site. Apple will also be informed that you were referred by Skylarking. First up is the iPod Touch in 8, 16, and 32 GB editions respectively. The ipod Touch looks like the iPhone, and offers Internet access, email, surfing the web, watching videos and playing music.

Readers looking for other holiday shopping offers should send me a message describing the products you’re looking for.

Apple iPod touch, 8GB - MB528LL/A Free Shipping, Free Engraving on All iPods. iPod touch, 8GB. Five new hands-on applications. View rich HTML email with photos as well as PDF, Word, and Excel attachments. Get maps, directions, and real-time traffic information. Take notes and read stock and weather reports. Touch your music, movies, and more. The revolutionary Multi-Touch technology built into the gorgeous 3.5-inch display lets you pinch, zoom, scroll, and flick with your fingers. Internet in your pocket with the Safari web browser, see websites the way they were designed to be seen and zoom in and out with a tap. And add Web Clips to your Home screen for quick access to favorite sites.

Apple iPod touch, 16GB - MB531LL/A Free Shipping, Free Engraving on All iPods. iPod touch, 16GB. Five new hands-on applications. View rich HTML email with photos as well as PDF, Word, and Excel attachments. Get maps, directions, and real-time traffic information. Take notes and read stock and weather reports. Touch your music, movies, and more. The revolutionary Multi-Touch technology built into the gorgeous 3.5-inch display lets you pinch, zoom, scroll, and flick with your fingers. Internet in your pocket with the Safari web browser, see websites the way they were designed to be seen and zoom in and out with a tap. And add Web Clips to your Home screen for quick access to favorite sites.

Apple iPod touch, 32GB - MB533LL/A Free Shipping, Free Engraving on All iPods. iPod touch, 32GB. Five new hands-on applications. View rich HTML email with photos as well as PDF, Word, and Excel attachments. Get maps, directions, and real-time traffic information. Take notes and read stock and weather reports. Touch your music, movies, and more. The revolutionary Multi-Touch technology built into the gorgeous 3.5-inch display lets you pinch, zoom, scroll, and flick with your fingers. Internet in your pocket with the Safari web browser, see websites the way they were designed to be seen and zoom in and out with a tap. And add Web Clips to your Home screen for quick access to favorite sites.

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Marilynn K. Yee/The New York Times

1,100 flat panel, high definition monitors will be located at concession stands, inside the 59 luxury and party suites, around the restaurants and bars, and in restrooms will ensure that fans don’t miss a moment of the game no matter where they are. Monitors will also offer local weather and traffic updates, archival and highlight video footage, and promotional messages. Each will be individually programmable from a central location.

Touch screen phones in luxury suites at the stadium will allow for ordering food and merchandise. Similar technology, which might be ready opening day, will allow fans to order food and merchandise through their cellphones.

Marilynn K. Yee/The New York Times

Video conferencing equipment and a business center has been installed which will allow the stadium to connect with students and community groups through local libraries and hospitals to let players and executives talk to fans. The ballplayers themselves will each have a computer at his locker. Fans at home may also have access to the video and data systems through their televisions, computers, and cellphones. What do you think the Babe would have thought of that?

“The ultimate fan experience is when Derek Jeter can help some kid in the Bronx learn long division” via video conferencing, said Ron Ricci, the co-chairman of Cisco’s sports and entertainment division , who said he learned arithmetic through baseball.

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