Hasta La Gadget!

JVC's Everio MS120 is a decent standard-def camcorder with expandable memory up to 64GB.

There are plenty of devices for capturing video these days, including cell phones, laptops, and digital cameras. But, for the time being at least, you’ll get the best results from a dedicated camcorder. Of course those aren’t all created equal either.

The biggest decision you’ll have to make before starting your search is whether to go standard definition or high definition. Standard-def camcorders are a cost-effective way to get good video for Web sharing sites and for viewing on standard-definition TVs, and it’s less demanding for playback and editing on computers.

However, you can get a good HD camcorder at a price only $100-$200 more than some SD camcorders. Obviously you may not have that extra cash, but if you’re looking toward integrating your movies into a future high-def home theater experience, you’ll want to think long and hard before buying a standard-definition camcorder.

Not sure where you fall? Visit our camcorder buying guide so you know what features you’ll need to avoid making a disappointing purchase. If you already know what you want from a camcorder, here are some tips for further refining your choices to get the best possible deal.

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As useful as information found on the Internet can be, at times, it’s also frustratingly myopic, resulting in moments when you have to take matters into your own hands.

Recently, my fiancee pleaded with me to start turning my PlayStation 3 off when it’s not in use. Since the red standby light was on, she contended, the unit must be drawing significantly more power than if the unit was simply switched off via the power switch on the back.

Having just tested a couple dozen monitors as part of a CNET power consumption project, I felt I knew a bit about this and explained to her that the difference between standby and off was minuscule at best and that the savings for a whole year would be less than five bucks at the most.

That "1.5434" number represents the wattage average for the PS3 in standby. Pay no attention to the other numbers!

(Credit: Eric Franklin/CNET)

She remained adamant, and since I couldn’t prove my point outright at that moment–and didn’t feel like an argument–I let her win and said I’d start switching it off.

Unfortunately for her, I sometimes see compromising as losing–and I hate to lose.

So the next day I pursued the matter, as standby was too important to me to just give up on. Having your PS3 in standby lets you turn it on from the controller. The laziness in me couldn’t let this slide, so I told my fiancee I’d prove that when the PS3 is on standby it draws, at the most, only slightly more power than when it’s off.

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Is it possible that Eye-Fi could make its range of geo-tagging’, Wi-Fi sharin’ cards any more useful? We didn’t think so, but it turns out we were dead wrong. The company has today released the Eye-Fi Pro, a 4GB SD card with a couple of very handy new features.

First, the cards finally support RAW files. Previously, only jpeg images could be geo-tagged and sent over Wi-Fi, but now you can use it with proper images. Next, and possibly more important for some, is that the cards work with ad-hoc Wi-Fi networks. This means that you no longer need a Wi-Fi router to get connected — if you set up an ad-hoc network using your laptop, for instance, then the Eye-Fi Pro can connect direct. Handy for wireless tethered shooting away from power outlets.

Eye-Fi has another new trick, one which will apply to all its cards via the Eye-Fi manager. You know the lock feature on the camera, the one which lets you protect a photo against deletion? Now it’s actually useful. Lock a file and Eye-Fi will engage in Selective Transfer, which in English means you can choose which photos get transferred. This is particularly useful with huge RAW files.

I have a question for the you, the readers. I’m thinking of picking up an Eye-Fi card to use back in Spain. Has anyone had any luck using the cards for geo-tagging in Europe?

The Pro costs $150 and is available now.

Product page [Eye-Fi. Thanks, Gina!]

It’s no surprise that smartphones are immensely popular these days. The New York Times has a piece today entitled “Smartphone Rises Fast From Gadget to Necessity” confirming this trend. In it, the research firm Gartner projects sales of BlackBerrys, iPhones and other smartphone models will rise 25 percent this year–even as total cell phone sales fall due to the struggling economy.

A Dell Mini 10v: $299

(Credit: Dell)

Owning a portable powerhouse of a lap-dwelling machine may be a bit economically out-of-reach for some, but there’s never been a better time to get a decently-performing laptop for a great value. Just follow these tips:

Try a Netbook. If your computing needs are low, or even basic (web browsing, office doc work, and not too much need for heavy-duty graphics or HD video), Netbooks offer a great package for very little money. Mainly equipped with Intel Atom processors and running Windows XP, they’re not so great a multitasking, but they’ll do the work that most computers handled five years ago with ease. Low-end Netbooks are where the best value’s at, with some coming in at under $300, like Dell’s Mini 10v. Some are on sale online for even less, or are subsidized by cell carriers (the HP Mini 1151nr costs $199). You will, however, need to sign up for a wireless 3G data plan for a subsidized Netbook, which will cost more in the long run than simply looking for free Wi-Fi hotspots.

Thin-and-light laptops are getting cheaper. It was just a year and a half ago when the MacBook Air cost an arm and a leg for super-light computing power. While the Air is more affordable now, there are a variety of similarly-powered machines running lower-cost CULV processors just hitting the market that cost even less. MSI’s X340 is practically a Windows version of the MacBook Air, with an equally good form factor (but made of plastic instead of aluminum), but costs $800.

Leave off the extras. Go for the bare-bones configuration unless you really need more RAM or a larger hard drive — those can sometimes be added later, usually for less money. …