October 2008
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PERFECT B&W
Change a color photograph to black-and-white instantly with Nik Software's powerful Silver Efex Pro. Selectivity is the key here with tone and contrast enhancements that can be adjusted locally. U Point-powered Control Points let you isolate an object within a photograph. Just drag and drop a Control Point onto an area of the image and use sliders to lower brightness, increase contrast, etc. More than 20 preset styles include effects such as ambrotype and tintype, artistic renderings, soft focus and grain effects. There also are 18 emulated black-and-white film looks. Estimated Street Price: $199. Contact: Nik Software, (619) 725-3150, www.niksoftware.com.
IN SYNC
Keep your iPhone or iPod Touch up-to-date with e-mail, contacts and calendar information using MobileMe, a more integrated version of Apple's .Mac online services. All .Mac members switch to an @me.com e-mail address, which redirects mail to all of the user's devices. Changes made to contacts and calendars are updated in seconds. The service also works with apps already in use on your iPhone, Mac or PC, and syncs them with me.com every 15 minutes depending on your operating system. MobileMe includes 20 GB of storage. List Price: $99 per year (individuals); $149 per year (Family Pack). Contact: Apple, (800) MY-APPLE, www.apple.com.
SHARP SHOOTER
Record your next video on the Samsung SC-MX20 camcorder, which packs 720 x 480 resolution, a powerful 34x optical zoom Schneider lens and advanced noise-reduction technology into a sleek, affordable body. With a slot for SD/SDHC (up to 32 GB) and MMC+ memory cards, the camcorder uses H.264 compression for longer record times and enhanced video quality. This technology more than doubles the compression ratio so that it takes less time to send video files via e-mail or upload them online. List Price: $279. Contact: Samsung, (800) SAMSUNG, www.samsung.com.
COMPUTER SAFE
Lock up your laptop in the Pelican 1090 HardBack Case and protect it from the rigor of travel. The case fits up to a 15-inch notebook and sports a high-impact, chemical- and heat-resistant shell with a shock-absorbing foam liner and watertight seals. A solid aluminum latch keeps it tightly shut, while an automatic pressure-equalization valve makes the case easy to open at any altitude. A sturdy nylon shoulder strap is included. Estimated Street Price: $139. Contact: Pelican, (800) 473-5422, www.pelican.com.
REDUCE NOISE
Correct lens problems such as distortion, softness and vignetting with DxO Optics Pro v5.2. The latest upgrade to the image-enhancement software improves RAW conversion for images shot at ISOs as high as 25,600, while enhancing detail and color. The app is based on camera- and lens-specific profiling so corrections are made by removing defects and aberrations specific to that combo. Also new are noise-removal technologies that do a better job of preserving color nuances and removing large noise spots. Estimated Street Price: $169 (Standard); $299 (Elite). Contact: DxO Labs, www.dxo.com.
PLUG AND PROJECT
Click through your next slideshow presentation using one of Epson's latest 1700 series projectors. With 3,000 lumens of color and white light, your images will come through looking clear and bright. The 1720, 1725, 1730W and 1735W all weigh less than four pounds and feature Epson's Quick Wireless Connection USB Key, allowing you to stream wireless audio and video from a source with USB connectivity. The 1720 and 1725 project XGA (1024 x 768) resolution, and the 1730W and 1735W offer WXGA (1280 x 720) resolution. Estimated Street Price: $1,299 to $1,899. Contact: Epson, (800) GO-EPSON, www.epson.com.
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