Photosmart cameras wave of the future

Ease of use, compactness and handiness are among the best traits distinguishing one of the latest digital gems offered by HP. The PhotoSmart 618 digital camera boasts a 2.1-megapixel resolution, very easy-to-use manual controls and an interesting zoom lens, a perfect combination that you can expect to find on a typical mid-range camera.

Ideal for hobbyists, the PhotoSmart 618 sports a design based on simple yet sophisticated lines that allow a good grip on the camera body and easy access to its control buttons. The lightweight HP product looks and operates like a 35mm camera - with some exceptions. The pleasant two-inch colour LCD monitor on the back, in fact, allows instant review of the stored images. After assembling the desired pictures, they can be transferred onto a computer, ready to be e-mailed, displayed on a website or printed.

Image data can be transmitted using a high-speed USB cable, CompactFlash (Type I or II) card, or IrDA-compliant wireless infrared link. The PhotoSmart 618 is perfectly compatible both with PCs and Macs, but data can also be sent directly to an HP JetSend-compatible printer bypassing any computer.

The camera features a Pentax 3X optical zoom lens plus a 2X digital zoom performing more than satisfactorily. It also has many everyday functions, such as self-timer, auto-focus, and several flash modes, plus a few manual settings, all of them quite easy to use. A cool option is the ability to capture sounds, which is perfect for recording information when you're too busy to grab a pen, and let you recording up to 45 seconds of sound per image.

The PhotoSmart comes with a 16 MB CompactFlash (CF) card to store the images, which can store just 15 jpeg pictures at the highest resolution (1600x1200 pixel). This figure increases if a lower resolution (with its corresponding lower image quality) is chosen.

The HP branded camera comes bundled with some good software like ArcSoft PhotoImpressions 2000 and ArcSoft Photomontage 2000 for photo retouching, and ACDSee as a photo viewer; their use is just as easy and pleasant. Image quality is quite good, even if in some cases, such as in poor lighting, colours tend to diverge somewhat from reality. Moreover, pictures tend to lack luminosity not just indoors but also outdoors if the sky is overcast.

If image quality is acceptable, (non-rechargeable) battery life is the Achilles' heel of the PhotoSmart 618. My tests compelled me to stock up on batteries, in order to quench the unbelievable thirst of this digital camera. The use of the LCD monitor is probably the main reason for such disproportionate energy consumption, but even keeping it closed as much as possible the saving was marginal.

The $829 cdn camera is a definitely interesting product also for the SOHO market, the only precaution is to fill up on batteries, otherwise your photographic inspiration could be short-lived.

Phantasy Star Online
(Sega Dreamcast)

Multi-player RPG games are one of my favourites and Sega recently released "Phantasy Star Online", a must-have RPG title, set in the future where a scout crew has been sent to investigate an explosion on the planet Ragol. PSO is a role-playing game, that can either be played online or offline. You have to choose a character among nine different possibilities, that can be customised as you like, changing their wardrobe, hair, etc. The game allows up to four people to take part in each mission so you can ally with other players on the net to create a team.

The different characters all belong to one of three different "classes": Rangers, Forces and Hunters. Each class has its weaknesses and strengths that range from power to weaponry.

Communicating with players is extremely easy, thanks to a universal translation system. Aside from merely typing in messages with either your Dreamcast controller or the keyboard, you can choose from hundreds of pre-set phrases and sentences, which are then instantly translated into Japanese, English, Spanish, French or German. Oops! No Italian, so it's a "half-universal" translation system. At least Phantasy Star lets you use symbol chat, which comes pre-set with smiles, frowns, etc.

Graphically, PSO is a nice, colourful game, with good animation and decent, albeit repetitive, textures. The camera view is quite detailed, although there are occasional small problems that in no way detract from the fun. Whether you are moving in forests or cities, using Star Trek-style transporter beams, or interacting with your team, Phantasy Star Online is definitely an exciting and enjoyable game. You should be aware that in order to start a game you'll need a memory card, so you'll be able to save your progress and the ID number identifying you in any mission you embark on. No memory card? Sorry: no missions available. The Dreamcast title can be fully enjoyed with an Internet connection, so that your mission can be shared on the Net.

The learning curve is not difficult, but as a minimum you have to acquaint yourself with all the button combinations available. Anyway, the game offers different levels of difficulty (normal, hard and very hard) that can only be accessed after completing the previous level.

The choice is yours. Who knows, maybe tomorrow we'll meet in a mission, fighting side by side against one of the many monsters populating Ragol.

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