The latest hits from gadgetland

JVC HOME THEATER QP-E27
JVC Korea introduces a home theater system with an automatic set-up function. This seemingly magical system sets up the best movie-watching environment by the sound of your clapping. The speaker measures the distance between you and itself and processes the optimal sound setting.
A chic exterior is another charm of this system, and the floor-standing speaker and subwoofers create a theater-like environment. The disc player moves up and down while playing the discs, minimizing the problem of surface scratches. A quick-start function decreases the initial reading time from 10 to three seconds. The system costs about 1,400,000 won ($1,200).

CANON IXUS I SERIES
Canon takes a fashion-savvy approach to design with the IXUS i camera series. They are available in silver, black, bronze and white. With four megapixels, these cameras are equipped with Canon’s Digital Imaging Integrated Circuit system.
Carefully chosen “fixed focus lenses” guarantee quality pictures of figures, objects in motion and subjects in bad lighting. You can choose from 12 operating languages. The cameras record up to three minutes of video , including sound.

KODAK MAX WATER & SPORTS
A waterproof disposable camera that’s also durable in rough outdoor activities. Sounds like a very expensive camera, but Kodak Korea offers it at the same price as other disposable cameras.
Not only are these cameras 10-meter (32 feet) water-resistant, they have a sturdy exterior and a scratch-proof rubber skin to withstand tough treatment. A rubber wristband is attached to the body for safe hand-carrying. Using 27-exposure Kodak Max 800 film, this product promises quality pictures and sharp catch of motions.

SONY DSC-F77A
With 4.1 megapixels to ensure high-quality pictures, a rotating lens for taking pictures from whatever angle you want, plus two glamorous color choices ― silver and light blue ― what more could you ask for from Sony’s DSC-F77A?
When news of this digital camera came out, stores carried a waiting list. The cameras are now more readily accessible. The cute camera comes in a perfect size to fit in your palm, and is lightweight at 152 grams (5 ounces). Not only is it charming to look at, but you can also change the photo settings to shoot a variety of subjects ― whether closeup portraits or looming landscapes ― and to adapt to a variety of lighting situations.

PANASONIC SV-AV20
If you have seen Angelina Jolie’s “Tomb Raider 2,” you may recognize this as one of those “multi-purpose” gadgets that the wealthy explorer and videogame character Lara Croft owns. This one is Panasonic’s latest, SV-AV20 D-Snap. D-Snap is a digital camera, a digital camcorder, an MP3 player and a voice recorder all at the same time.
Even with all those functions, this gadget fits in one hand, and the weight does not exceed 119 grams (4 ounces), even with memory cards and batteries. In spite of its slim physique, you can use it to take up to 1,780 pictures, listen to MP3s for three hours, videotape for 80 minutes, and record sound for four hours (64MB). The 32MB version costs 390,000 won; the 64MB costs 440,000 won.

by Eugine Oh