Hasta La Gadget!

You might figure that a climate-controlled exhibition center would offer a safe haven for even the most delicate of electronics, but with thousands of consumers getting handsy with these gadgets, many devices take quite a beating during a week-long trade show. No drop to the floor, counter crush or attendee sneeze is too much for these ruggedized Nikons, however. The Coolpix AW110 and S31 were both designed with wild lifestyles in mind, with waterproof and shockproof housings offering protection on land and under the sea. Our test location this week was limited to a display counter positioned front and center at Nikon’s CP+ booth in Yokohama, so we can’t speak to durability, but both offerings look convincing enough.

With a sticker price of $350, the AW110 is certainly the higher-end of the two. We were particularly taken with the 3-inch OLED display, which looked fantastic — it’s perhaps the sharpest screen we’ve seen on any ruggedized model. The 5x internal zoom lens wasn’t speedier than we expected, but it’ll get the job done. The S31, however, looks very much like a child’s plaything. And, considering the $120 MSRP (for a ruggedized camera, no less), it seems to be priced as such. We’ll let you make that call for yourself, however — take a closer look at both point-and-shoots after the break.

Filed under: Cameras, Nikon

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In Japan, they’ve been coined the IXUS 255 HS and IXUS 132, but folks in the US will probably recognize them as the ELPH 330 HS and 115 IS. By any name, they’re Canon’s two mid-range point-and-shoots for CP+, and while they were joined by the A2500 during this week’s announcements, that latter model didn’t seem to make it to the company’s booth here in Yokohama. In any case, if you’ve handled an ELPH model in recent years, you know what to expect here — Canon’s design hasn’t changed much, but we’re not complaining. The 330 HS includes a 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, compared to a 16-megapixel CCD in the slightly smaller 115 IS.

Cosmetically, the biggest difference between the two is the powerful 10x optical zoom lens on the 330 HS, compared to a still-respectable 8x optic on the lower-end model. Both cameras offer the same familiar PowerShot UI, and they look nearly identical with the lens retracted. Zoomed in, however, it’s clear which camera is the more capable of the bunch. Both performed very well during our hands-on at Canon’s booth, though we’d definitely opt for the 330 HS, which offers a superior sensor and extended lens, not to mention built-in WiFi — it’s definitely worth spending an extra 60 bucks to snag the $230 HS model. Both cameras are set to ship beginning in March, but you can check them out in our walkthrough today, embedded just past the break.

Filed under: Cameras, Canon

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They’re the compact cameras point-and-shooters have been waiting for, wrapped up in deliciously retro shells, and so forgive us if we drool a little over Fujifilm‘s new X20 and X100S cameras. Officially unveiled at CES and brought out for some shutterbug time at CP+ in Japan, the pair of cameras follow on from the already cult-status X10 and X100, with boosted autofocus, better sensors – 16-megapixels in the X100S and 12-megapixels in the X20 – and more.

The X100S takes the fundamentals of the original X100 and then bumps up the sensor, but it’s the on-sensor phase detection autofocus that makes the big difference in the hand. Fujifilm claims it’s now the world’s fastest, in fact, and it’s certainly clear from the moment you start snapping that the whole process is improved. Even the time to turn on and be ready for shooting has been trimmed.

Manual focus is also refined, with a new UI that combines the full frame and a magnified portion, while the electronic viewfinder has jumped in resolution, from 1.4m dots to a far more detailed 2.35m. However, the buttons, dials, and other controls are still the same as on the X100, which should make transitioning from one camera to the other more straightforward.

As for the X20, that does away with the X10 and introduces a new sensor, the X-Trans CMOS measuring in at 2/3-inch and 12-megapixels. It keeps the zoom lens – no great hardship, given the X10′s 28-112mm equivalent zoom was speedy and satisfying already – and F2-2.8 aperture, as well as the neat power control triggered by winding the zoom ring right back in.

The X-Trans sensor uses the same color filter array as in the X100S (and, indeed, the well-esteemed X-Pro1 rangefinder) and a backside-illuminated sensor, rather than the X10′s more pedestrian system, and the upshot should be crisper shots and improved low-light performance. At $600 – versus the X100S’s $1,300 sticker – it’s also something of a bargain.

Fujifilm X100S and X20 hands-on is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

This week the BlackBerry Z10 has been introduced as the first all-touch hero for BlackBerry 10, and along with it come a couple of lovely accessories we’ve gotten to see up close – speakers, batteries, and all! The BlackBerry Z10 is a smartphone that’s meant to represent BlackBerry 10 as both a business and a personal smartphone, this set of accessories therefor acting as extensions of that goal with both audio conferencing and all-day battery life in mind for you, the modern professional.

BlackBerry Mini Stereo Speaker

The Bluetooth speaker you’re seeing here is not made to be hinged entirely on the success of the Z10, as it connects with Bluetooth to any device you’ve got handy. Being able to work with BlackBerry software for conference calls with its own microphone input and loudspeaker output will be fabulous for your future teleconference needs. This beast will be costing you MSRP $100 USD and has a unique shape made to clip on to the many belts in your life – seatbelt, messenger bag belt, or to simply sit on your desk quietly.

BlackBerry Z10 Battery Charger Bundle

The Battery Charger Bundle is a machine that’s made to be as sleek as possible in surrounding the Z10 unit specifically. You’ll be working with a spare battery that’s made for the Z10 which you can charge while you’re on the go, switching this and your primary battery out in the middle of the day or whenever you have the need to do so. With this simple accessory you’ll never again be without battery life. The Battery Charger Bundle will run you a mere $50 USD MSRP and will be available right around the same time as the Z10 hits stores across the USA and abroad.

Pocket, Transform Shall, Flip Shell, and Holster cases

The main case you’re seeing here is the Flip Shell, a fabulous horizontally flipping back cover for the Z10 that’ll have you sitting up with ease. The Holster and Pocket cases you’ll be seeing soon have magnets that turn the display off on the Z10 when they’re closed (or you slip the device inside, that is), and the whole lot will cost you between $30 and $40 USD each. The Shells will cost $35 USD each and the whole bunch will be hitting shelves right around the same time as the Z10 itself – can’t wait!

BlackBerry Z10 Accessories hands-on: Bluetooth Speaker, Charger, holsters galore is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

This week we’re having an up close and personal look at the BlackBerry Z10, the very first all-touch hero for the new operating system known as BlackBerry 10. This machine is the first of two smartphones to use the operating system, the other being the touchscreen/QWERTY keyboard combination device BlackBerry Q10, both of these devices being prepped for 4G LTE action inside the USA and abroad. The BlackBerry Z10 is made to bring on the most impressive display ever offered by BlackBerry (formerly known as RIM) with 4.2-inches of LCD at 1280 x 768 pixel resolution (that’s 355 pixels per inch, if you’d like to know).

This machine works with 2GB of RAM under the hood and a lovely 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus processor to keep you running powerfully into the night. The battery inside this device is 1800mAh strong and is removable and replaceable so you’ll be able to purchase extras for long no-power trips. Internal storage adds up to 16GB while you’ve also got a microSD storage slot for up to 32GB cards at a time.

The front-facing camera on this device is 2 megapixels strong and made for video chat while the back has an 8 megapixel shooter with singe LED flash. Bluetooth 4.0 is included inside as is wi-fi and NFC. The full unit weighs in at 4.8 ounces, that being a bit more than the iPhone 5 (4 ounces) and less than most of the main competitors in the field.

As you’ll be able to see in the photos here and the hands-on video above, the BlackBerry 10 operating system is based on gestures rather than home-buttons where each of the major mobile OS brands in the world rely on at least one central unit. Instead of said button, the BlackBerry Z10 has a rather pure-looking front facade with several physical buttons around its edges.

This machine feels light to the touch but but not so light its uncomfortable, its touchscreen is as responsive (if not more responsive) than the leading touch-sensitive smartphones across the market today, and the software appears swift. We’ll be reviewing this device in full rather soon – until then, have a peek at the hands-on photos (and video immediately if not soon) and let us know if you’ll be picking up the Z10 in the near future!

BlackBerry Z10 hands-on is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.