Quick review of new Canon Ixus and Powershot

Canon has launched three new cameras in its Ixus and Powershot series.

The new Ixus model, the Ixus 310 HS is a stylish compact shooter with a 12.1-megaxpixel CMOS sensor.

The Ixus comes with a new HS or "High Sensitivity" system that allows users to take sharper and better photos in low light conditions, Canon said.

It is also designed to allow users to snap photos with low noise levels while retaining accurate colour reproduction.


Interestingly, the Ixus 310 HS has a 3.2in wide touchscreen panel that features touchAF, where users can select a point to focus on just by touching the screen.

It comes with a 24mm wide-angle lens that has a 4.4x optical zoom with optical image stabiliser.
For better low light photography, the Ixus 310 HS has a wide f/2.0 aperture for snapping at faster shutter speeds, the company said.

Other notable highlights include full HD movie recording and manual shooting functions such as Aperture and Shutter Priority.

Powershot charge
Canon also introduced two new Powershot cameras - the Powershot SX230 HS and Powershot A3300 IS.
The Powershot SX230 HS is a 12.1-megapixel camera with a 28mm wide-angle lens that has a long reaching 14x optical zoom complete with optical image stabiliser.

The camera has a large 3in LCD screen for framing and reviewing photos.

Unique to the SX230 HS is a built-in GPS with geo-tagging function for easy tagging and identification of photos with location names.

It also has Full HD movie recording at 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution with stereo sound.
A new Movie Digest feature is also available on the Ixus and Powershot cameras.

This feature basically allows users to capture a still photo and a four-second movie clip with one click.

The company said this feature would give users the opportunity to relive the story behind each photo.

Movie Digest also automatically compiles the day's events into a short movie so users can easily share the highlights of their day on YouTube or Facebook.

Users looking for a value-for-money camera may want to take a look at Canon's new A-series camera, the A3300 IS.

Equipped with a 28mm wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom, the 16-megapixel shooter has a Dynamic Image Stabiliser for steadying telephoto shots.

The camera is targeted at beginners with its Live View Control feature that provides user-friendly terms for altering camera settings like brightness and colour saturation.

The A3300 IS also comes with a new Discreet mode that turns the camera's autofocus assist beam, sound and flash off at the press of a button.

That's not all, the camera is also capable of recording 1,280 x 720-pixel HD videos.
New Smart Auto

Canon's newly improved Smart Auto mode is also available across all three of the new cameras. It now detects up to 32 different scenes and intelligently adjusts the exposure and settings for varied scenarios.

The highlight of the new Smart Auto mode is its advanced subject detection that allows the camera to detect and track even non-human moving subjects while keeping subjects in focus and correctly exposed.

Quick review of new Canon Ixus and Powershot

Canon has launched three new cameras in its Ixus and Powershot series.

The new Ixus model, the Ixus 310 HS is a stylish compact shooter with a 12.1-megaxpixel CMOS sensor.

The Ixus comes with a new HS or "High Sensitivity" system that allows users to take sharper and better photos in low light conditions, Canon said.

It is also designed to allow users to snap photos with low noise levels while retaining accurate colour reproduction.


Interestingly, the Ixus 310 HS has a 3.2in wide touchscreen panel that features touchAF, where users can select a point to focus on just by touching the screen.

It comes with a 24mm wide-angle lens that has a 4.4x optical zoom with optical image stabiliser.
For better low light photography, the Ixus 310 HS has a wide f/2.0 aperture for snapping at faster shutter speeds, the company said.

Other notable highlights include full HD movie recording and manual shooting functions such as Aperture and Shutter Priority.

Powershot charge
Canon also introduced two new Powershot cameras - the Powershot SX230 HS and Powershot A3300 IS.
The Powershot SX230 HS is a 12.1-megapixel camera with a 28mm wide-angle lens that has a long reaching 14x optical zoom complete with optical image stabiliser.

The camera has a large 3in LCD screen for framing and reviewing photos.

Unique to the SX230 HS is a built-in GPS with geo-tagging function for easy tagging and identification of photos with location names.

It also has Full HD movie recording at 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution with stereo sound.
A new Movie Digest feature is also available on the Ixus and Powershot cameras.

This feature basically allows users to capture a still photo and a four-second movie clip with one click.

The company said this feature would give users the opportunity to relive the story behind each photo.

Movie Digest also automatically compiles the day's events into a short movie so users can easily share the highlights of their day on YouTube or Facebook.

Users looking for a value-for-money camera may want to take a look at Canon's new A-series camera, the A3300 IS.

Equipped with a 28mm wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom, the 16-megapixel shooter has a Dynamic Image Stabiliser for steadying telephoto shots.

The camera is targeted at beginners with its Live View Control feature that provides user-friendly terms for altering camera settings like brightness and colour saturation.

The A3300 IS also comes with a new Discreet mode that turns the camera's autofocus assist beam, sound and flash off at the press of a button.

That's not all, the camera is also capable of recording 1,280 x 720-pixel HD videos.
New Smart Auto

Canon's newly improved Smart Auto mode is also available across all three of the new cameras. It now detects up to 32 different scenes and intelligently adjusts the exposure and settings for varied scenarios.

The highlight of the new Smart Auto mode is its advanced subject detection that allows the camera to detect and track even non-human moving subjects while keeping subjects in focus and correctly exposed.

Quick review of new Canon Ixus and Powershot

Canon has launched three new cameras in its Ixus and Powershot series.

The new Ixus model, the Ixus 310 HS is a stylish compact shooter with a 12.1-megaxpixel CMOS sensor.

The Ixus comes with a new HS or "High Sensitivity" system that allows users to take sharper and better photos in low light conditions, Canon said.

It is also designed to allow users to snap photos with low noise levels while retaining accurate colour reproduction.


Interestingly, the Ixus 310 HS has a 3.2in wide touchscreen panel that features touchAF, where users can select a point to focus on just by touching the screen.

It comes with a 24mm wide-angle lens that has a 4.4x optical zoom with optical image stabiliser.
For better low light photography, the Ixus 310 HS has a wide f/2.0 aperture for snapping at faster shutter speeds, the company said.

Other notable highlights include full HD movie recording and manual shooting functions such as Aperture and Shutter Priority.

Powershot charge
Canon also introduced two new Powershot cameras - the Powershot SX230 HS and Powershot A3300 IS.
The Powershot SX230 HS is a 12.1-megapixel camera with a 28mm wide-angle lens that has a long reaching 14x optical zoom complete with optical image stabiliser.

The camera has a large 3in LCD screen for framing and reviewing photos.

Unique to the SX230 HS is a built-in GPS with geo-tagging function for easy tagging and identification of photos with location names.

It also has Full HD movie recording at 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution with stereo sound.
A new Movie Digest feature is also available on the Ixus and Powershot cameras.

This feature basically allows users to capture a still photo and a four-second movie clip with one click.

The company said this feature would give users the opportunity to relive the story behind each photo.

Movie Digest also automatically compiles the day's events into a short movie so users can easily share the highlights of their day on YouTube or Facebook.

Users looking for a value-for-money camera may want to take a look at Canon's new A-series camera, the A3300 IS.

Equipped with a 28mm wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom, the 16-megapixel shooter has a Dynamic Image Stabiliser for steadying telephoto shots.

The camera is targeted at beginners with its Live View Control feature that provides user-friendly terms for altering camera settings like brightness and colour saturation.

The A3300 IS also comes with a new Discreet mode that turns the camera's autofocus assist beam, sound and flash off at the press of a button.

That's not all, the camera is also capable of recording 1,280 x 720-pixel HD videos.
New Smart Auto

Canon's newly improved Smart Auto mode is also available across all three of the new cameras. It now detects up to 32 different scenes and intelligently adjusts the exposure and settings for varied scenarios.

The highlight of the new Smart Auto mode is its advanced subject detection that allows the camera to detect and track even non-human moving subjects while keeping subjects in focus and correctly exposed.

Full Review of Canon imageClass D520

The Canon imageClass D520 is the company's latest multifunction printer for homes and small offices.

It's quite a big printer that weighs a hefty 10.5kg. Although big and heavy, a single person should still be able to set it up easily.

Getting the printer up and running was straight forward - we just had to hook it up to a PC and install drivers which came with the printer.

The printer's control panel is fairly well designed and has a four-way directional pad that makes it easy to tweak the settings and choose print jobs.


The scanner bed can be opened to reveal the output tray. And hidden beneath the output tray is the cartridge compartment.

We like the single-cartridge system which combines the toner and drum into a single unit. This makes it easy to replace the cartridge in the future.

At the bottom of the printer is the manual paper feed tray which can hold up to 250 sheets of paper. You can also manually load the paper into the feed tray at the bottom.

It's cool that the D520 features automatic duplex printing. It's a really useful feature to have as you'll be able to save paper (and the environment) by printing on both sides of a paper. Also, the duplexing feature comes in handy when printing brochures and such materials.

Performance
We tested the speed of the D520 by printing a number of A4 documents and it was able to churn out pages at 25ppm (pages per minute) which is actually the rated speed by manufacturer.
The quality of the printouts were impressive - the text was crisp and sharp.

The printer is also capable of scanning colour documents and photos at a resolution of up to 9,600dpi (dots per inch).

Scanned documents are saved in PDF format in the computer. The printer can also be configured to attach the scanned document to an e-mail automatically.

The printer's scanning speed tended to vary depending on the type of document being scanned.
It only takes about three seconds to scan a monochrome text document. A colourful brochure, on the other hand, can take the D520 about 13 seconds to complete the scan.

The quality of the scanned documents looked accurate and sharp, and it's a great way to digitise a document and send it via e-mail.

Conclusion
There is a lot to like about the all-in-one Canon imageClass D520. The laser printer produces professional-looking printouts and the built-in scanner does a decent job.

As the printer prints out at 25ppm, you also don't have to wait long to get your documents. And its automatic duplex feature works great and it's a handy feature to have that saves paper.
And when it comes to changing the cartridge, the single-cartridge system makes the task simple and easy.

Overall, the all-in-one Canon imageClass D520 is a decent printer that performed well in all areas.

Pros: Feature-packed; convenient single-cartridge system; automatic duplex printing; good print and scan quality.
Cons: Nothing major.

(Canon)
All-in-one monochrome printer
PRINT RESOLUTION: 1,200 x 600dpi
PRINT SPEED: 25ppm
COPY SPEED: 25cpm
SCAN RESOLUTION: 9,600 x 9,600dpi
INTERFACE: USB 2.0
PAPER HANDLING: 250-sheet front cassette tray
PAPER SIZES: Up to A4
DIMENSIONS (W x H x D): 390 x 414 x 301mm
WEIGHT: 11.1kg

Full Review of Canon imageClass D520

The Canon imageClass D520 is the company's latest multifunction printer for homes and small offices.

It's quite a big printer that weighs a hefty 10.5kg. Although big and heavy, a single person should still be able to set it up easily.

Getting the printer up and running was straight forward - we just had to hook it up to a PC and install drivers which came with the printer.

The printer's control panel is fairly well designed and has a four-way directional pad that makes it easy to tweak the settings and choose print jobs.


The scanner bed can be opened to reveal the output tray. And hidden beneath the output tray is the cartridge compartment.

We like the single-cartridge system which combines the toner and drum into a single unit. This makes it easy to replace the cartridge in the future.

At the bottom of the printer is the manual paper feed tray which can hold up to 250 sheets of paper. You can also manually load the paper into the feed tray at the bottom.

It's cool that the D520 features automatic duplex printing. It's a really useful feature to have as you'll be able to save paper (and the environment) by printing on both sides of a paper. Also, the duplexing feature comes in handy when printing brochures and such materials.

Performance
We tested the speed of the D520 by printing a number of A4 documents and it was able to churn out pages at 25ppm (pages per minute) which is actually the rated speed by manufacturer.
The quality of the printouts were impressive - the text was crisp and sharp.

The printer is also capable of scanning colour documents and photos at a resolution of up to 9,600dpi (dots per inch).

Scanned documents are saved in PDF format in the computer. The printer can also be configured to attach the scanned document to an e-mail automatically.

The printer's scanning speed tended to vary depending on the type of document being scanned.
It only takes about three seconds to scan a monochrome text document. A colourful brochure, on the other hand, can take the D520 about 13 seconds to complete the scan.

The quality of the scanned documents looked accurate and sharp, and it's a great way to digitise a document and send it via e-mail.

Conclusion
There is a lot to like about the all-in-one Canon imageClass D520. The laser printer produces professional-looking printouts and the built-in scanner does a decent job.

As the printer prints out at 25ppm, you also don't have to wait long to get your documents. And its automatic duplex feature works great and it's a handy feature to have that saves paper.
And when it comes to changing the cartridge, the single-cartridge system makes the task simple and easy.

Overall, the all-in-one Canon imageClass D520 is a decent printer that performed well in all areas.

Pros: Feature-packed; convenient single-cartridge system; automatic duplex printing; good print and scan quality.
Cons: Nothing major.

(Canon)
All-in-one monochrome printer
PRINT RESOLUTION: 1,200 x 600dpi
PRINT SPEED: 25ppm
COPY SPEED: 25cpm
SCAN RESOLUTION: 9,600 x 9,600dpi
INTERFACE: USB 2.0
PAPER HANDLING: 250-sheet front cassette tray
PAPER SIZES: Up to A4
DIMENSIONS (W x H x D): 390 x 414 x 301mm
WEIGHT: 11.1kg

Full Review of Canon imageClass D520

The Canon imageClass D520 is the company's latest multifunction printer for homes and small offices.

It's quite a big printer that weighs a hefty 10.5kg. Although big and heavy, a single person should still be able to set it up easily.

Getting the printer up and running was straight forward - we just had to hook it up to a PC and install drivers which came with the printer.

The printer's control panel is fairly well designed and has a four-way directional pad that makes it easy to tweak the settings and choose print jobs.


The scanner bed can be opened to reveal the output tray. And hidden beneath the output tray is the cartridge compartment.

We like the single-cartridge system which combines the toner and drum into a single unit. This makes it easy to replace the cartridge in the future.

At the bottom of the printer is the manual paper feed tray which can hold up to 250 sheets of paper. You can also manually load the paper into the feed tray at the bottom.

It's cool that the D520 features automatic duplex printing. It's a really useful feature to have as you'll be able to save paper (and the environment) by printing on both sides of a paper. Also, the duplexing feature comes in handy when printing brochures and such materials.

Performance
We tested the speed of the D520 by printing a number of A4 documents and it was able to churn out pages at 25ppm (pages per minute) which is actually the rated speed by manufacturer.
The quality of the printouts were impressive - the text was crisp and sharp.

The printer is also capable of scanning colour documents and photos at a resolution of up to 9,600dpi (dots per inch).

Scanned documents are saved in PDF format in the computer. The printer can also be configured to attach the scanned document to an e-mail automatically.

The printer's scanning speed tended to vary depending on the type of document being scanned.
It only takes about three seconds to scan a monochrome text document. A colourful brochure, on the other hand, can take the D520 about 13 seconds to complete the scan.

The quality of the scanned documents looked accurate and sharp, and it's a great way to digitise a document and send it via e-mail.

Conclusion
There is a lot to like about the all-in-one Canon imageClass D520. The laser printer produces professional-looking printouts and the built-in scanner does a decent job.

As the printer prints out at 25ppm, you also don't have to wait long to get your documents. And its automatic duplex feature works great and it's a handy feature to have that saves paper.
And when it comes to changing the cartridge, the single-cartridge system makes the task simple and easy.

Overall, the all-in-one Canon imageClass D520 is a decent printer that performed well in all areas.

Pros: Feature-packed; convenient single-cartridge system; automatic duplex printing; good print and scan quality.
Cons: Nothing major.

(Canon)
All-in-one monochrome printer
PRINT RESOLUTION: 1,200 x 600dpi
PRINT SPEED: 25ppm
COPY SPEED: 25cpm
SCAN RESOLUTION: 9,600 x 9,600dpi
INTERFACE: USB 2.0
PAPER HANDLING: 250-sheet front cassette tray
PAPER SIZES: Up to A4
DIMENSIONS (W x H x D): 390 x 414 x 301mm
WEIGHT: 11.1kg

Kaspersky tips Android to dominate mobile

Computer security expert Eugene Kaspersky predicted that Google's Android smartphone operating system will come to dominate the market, reducing Apple and BlackBerry to niche players.

Kaspersky, who founded the leading antivirus firm Kaspersky Lab, said there is only "one company, one operating system which follows Microsoft's strategy of the 1990s" when its Windows computer operating system became dominant on personal computers.

"I believe that if Apple, BlackBerry, Microsoft ... don't change their strategy very soon we will soon have the same mobile operating system landscape as we have with computers," he told journalists on the sidelines of the mobile phone industry's annual get-together in Barcelona.

Kaspersky predicted Android would eventually end up with 80% of the smartphone market, with Apple's iPhone and RIM's BlackBerry sharing the rest with 10% each.

Android dethroned Nokia's Symbian as the top smartphone operating system in the final quarter of 2010 by units shipped, according to market research company Canalys, with its market share leaping from 8.7% in 2009 to 32.5% last year.

Kaspersky's forecast comes amid a major shake-up in the smartphone market.


Nokia, which had difficulties mounting a response to the rise of Android and Apple's iPhone, announced last week it was phasing out Symbian and switching to Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 smartphone operating system.

Kaspersky said Microsoft was not repeating for mobiles the strategy of working closely with developers that ensured the success of Windows for personal computers but was instead keeping tight control over Windows Phone 7 like Apple does with its iOS.

"They are going the Apple way... I don't really believe they will have success," he said. "Maybe Nokia will force them to be open."

Both Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer and Nokia's Stephen Elop have emphasised at the Mobile World Congress they intend to work closely with developers to ensure that outside developers create lots of applications for Windows Phone7 to ensure its popularity with consumers.