Technofile: BenQ, better known for making mobile phones, has updated its C800 digital camera, writes Mike Butcher
The C1000 boasts 10.1 megapixels, a 3x optical zoom and 2.4 inch TFT-LCD viewing screen. You can set it up to be anything from fully automatic all the way down to fully manual. You will also be able to take good night shots with the eight second shutter speed, and mini movies at 30 frames per second. It comes with 24MB of internal memory, which can be expanded and is priced around €280.
• Based on photographs posted online from a recent games conferences, rumours are flying around that Nintendo is about to add the ability to play MP3 music files to is portable DS and DS Lite handhelds next month.
If true, the device will play music via SD cards up to 2GB, with a launch date around early October and cost around €30 for the add-on.
•You may have seen watches that can play MP3 files. But how about a watch that plays MP3s and has Bluetooth as well?
The Powerdisk watch - which looks like an ordinary watch - does both but packs up to 1GB of music. It's available in the US, or online from powerdiskwatch.com.
•If you've just come back from your holidays to find a massive mobile phone bill from all those overseas calls and texts, start thinking about VoIP. "Voice over Internet Protocol" - the techy term for making calls over the Net - is a growing movement and products are now appearing almost every week to allow consumers to take advantage of free or very cheap voice calling.
The Linksys WIP330 Wi-Fi-connected VoIP phone was launched this week at the IFA electronics show in Berlin. With a colour display and the ability to connect to wireless networks, it features caller ID, call forwarding, speed dial, last number redial, a vibration alert, call waiting and conference calling. Priced around €400.
• If that's not of interest, check the more reasonable €90 USRobotics Skype DECT phone which works with Skype, the common software for free VoIP calls.
• Microsoft has released a "near-final" test version of Windows Vista which has an improved user interface, more device drivers and improved performance. With a mainstream launch in January, it's likely to almost match the launch of Windows 95 in scale and importance for Microsoft.
• And speaking of big announcements, Apple chief Steve Jobs is expected to announce some new products on Tuesday.
These are likely to include an updated iPod Nano (more memory and features), a deal to download movies via the iTunes music store and possibly a clever piece of hardware to stream movies to your TV.
