Gadget corner
Close call
Whatever your photographic skills, the 10-megapixel Olympus ? [mju] 1060 compact digital camera (below) is intended to make you and your subject shine. It offers a 7X optical zoom (37-260mm) that gets you up close to subjects and a panorama function with which to compose a 130-degree shot through its 3-inch display. Novices can rely on the in-camera help guide to explain menu functions. Illuminated buttons help differentiate between the controls and intelligent features include the ability to detect the five most commonly used scene types and preview various special effects on the screen. Available in silver, black or pink, the Olympus ? 1060 sells for HK$2,690 at Fortress.
Audio engineered
The LG-KM710 (above right), the first mobile-phone collaboration between LG Electronics and high-end audio guru Mark Levinson, raises the standard for the way music-dedicated cellular handsets and portable media players ought to sound. 'Golden Ear' Levinson has tuned the device so that it even makes distorted recordings sound natural and resonant, even at high pitches. The tri-band slider handset, which supports Edge cellular networks, has nine graphic equalisers to individually fine-tune the sounds. It features an iPod-like scroll wheel for playback functions, a 2-inch screen, a backlit touchpad and a 1-inch touch-screen display. The LG-KM710 also boasts a built-in FM radio, an internet browser, a camera and a video recorder as well as Bluetooth connectivity. The handset is priced at HK$1,780.
Bomb the bass
Bass-heavy music, such as reggae, hip-hop and electronic dance music, is given added depth by Sony's Walkman NWZ-B135F digital audio player (below). Touch the bass button and the player's built-in enhancer will boost the back-beat. Besides its three-line liquid crystal display, a power illuminator serves as a visual cue for users to easily identify which mode they are in - be it connected to a USB host, recording or in bass-enhanced mode. The FM radio feature allows you to preset up to 30 radio stations. Three minutes of charging provides 90 minutes of music playback. With a 2GB capacity, it can hold about 1,300 songs. Available in black, red, pink or blue, the Walkman NWZ-B135F costs HK$528.