Editorial Review

Compatible with T-Mobile service, the color Sidekick features a large 11-line color screen, a full QWERTY keyboard, the usual PDA features, and a wide range of AOL-based online services, in a device aimed at users who want versatility over portability in their "hiptop" computer. In addition to being a full-featured cell phone, the Sidekick also provides Web browsing on T-Mobile's national GPRS network, which includes access to Sidekick forums, contests, and a personalized homepage.

It also provides up to 6 MB of email storage, and users with AOL accounts (not included) can sign on and access, manage, and set up as many as three different POP3 e-mail accounts and use AOL Instant Messenger to chat with anyone on your AOL Buddy List. The device also sports a customizable address book that lets you give favorite contacts their own ring tones, blinking light, and their own caller ID picture, taken with an available attachable camera. The camera also works for taking pictures of just about anything else that strikes your fancy, for easy storage or emailing to other interested parties.

The Sidekick's PDA functions include wireless synchronization to your desktop, configurable notifications to alert you to important events and information, a personal information manager (calendar, address book, notes, etc.) backlighting, a clock, and a thumb control for the included arcade-style games Rock & Rocket and Snowbored.

Cell phone features include a text message indicator, voice mail button, voice mail indicator, volume select/display, and a signal strength indicator. Cell phone features include built-in paging, caller id, conference calling, call waiting and call hold, customer care, access to directory assistance, emergency calls, detailed billing, voicemail with message alert, call forwarding, international dialing, call restrictions, lock alarm, call timers, redial, missed call indicator, call log, any-key answer, auto-answer, auto-redial, speed dial, mute control, no-answer transfer, one-touch 911, vibrating ring, and differential ring. Its phone book capacity is 2000 entries.

Features

• Up to 1,200 x 2,400 dpi resolution
• 48-bit depth for over 281 trillion possible colors
• 1 cable handles both USB and power
• Z-Lid expansion top accommodates bulky objects
• Scan, copy, or e-mail photos at the touch of a button

Reviews (92)

Good scanner, dubious quality
I had a UMAX SCSI scanner that was a workhorse from 1997 through 2002.I got a LiDE 30 about a year and a half ago, and it has developed a short in the USB port, which causes it to be uncommunicative with the computer unless you hold the cable in the socket JUST right.I am unimpressed with the durability of this scanner.It scans SLOOOOOOOW compared to the SCSI or USB 2 scanners on the market.

I would only recommend this for light use home users that do not have any need to move peripherals around, plug and unplug the device, and are amenable to slow scanning speeds.

I love this scanner.It's just simple, plain and simple
As noted in one of the reviews.The software is in great, but the fact it is powered by USB is one less chord to worry about.I recommend it to anyone interested in a cheap portable scanner.You'll fall in love with it.Again, don't expect too much and we pleasantly surprised.

One thing I love the auto crop feature when I scan a photo it crops it in the final image.Instead of having a big white area where there was no photograph.It is cool.

Peace out

Editorial Review

Stay ahead of the digital curve with the Sony DSC-F707. Showcasing superb functionality and some of the most advanced technology currently available, the DSC-F707 combines a 5.24-megapixel CCD, a swivel Carl Zeiss lens, hologram AF laser focus assist, and Sony's NightShot technology, which enables you to shoot infrared photos.

Optics and Resolution
The Sony DSC-F707 features a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens with 5x optical and 2x digital zoom (for a 10x total), an f2.0 maximum aperture, and a focal range of 9.7-48.5mm (equivalent to 38-190mm). It contains a 5.0-megapixel (effective) CCD, or 5.2-million gross pixels.

More Features
The DSC-F707 uses Sony's NightShot technology, the same feature seen on Sony's camcorders, which uses infrared illumination and an infrared filter to take photos in complete darkness. The night-framing system provides infrared light as a composition assist, and utilizes hologram AF focusing and preflash exposure metering for consistently great shots even in low- or zero-light conditions.

Picture quality is enhanced with clear-color NR (noise reduction) that reduces color noise and slow-shutter NR that captures and subtracts CCD noise from long time exposures.

Movie Mode
In movie mode, the DSC-F707 produces color digital videos in multiple creative formats, including 320 x 240 (high quality), 320 x 240 (normal), and 160 x 112. You can fill up the Memory Stick with digital video, but you are limited to 15-second movies with 320 x 240 mode. Another movielike feature is called ClipMotion, which will take 10 images and put them into an animated GIF.

The limited resolution of your movies guarantees that this feature won't replace your camcorder, but it's perfect for when you just want to capture a quick movie and e-mail it to a friend or relative.

Storage and Transfer
Images are stored on Memory Sticks, Sony's proprietary memory-card format. The included 16 MB stick holds approximately 11 images at the camera's standard 5-megapixel setting (2,560 x 1,920 pixels). Memory Sticks are reusable, but if you tend to take more than 11 images per outing, then you'll want a bigger card. A 128 MB stick is a great size for this camera, storing around 70 images.

To transfer images to your computer, simply attach the included USB cable between your PC and your camera--your computer should automatically recognize the camera and let you move the pictures to your hard drive. If you own a Sony desktop or laptop, your computer may also have a built-in Memory Stick reader, which makes transferring as easy as reading a floppy disk.

Power
The DSC-F707 uses a proprietary rechargeable Infolithium battery (model M).

Size
The DSC-F707 measures 4.75 by 2.75 by 6 inches and weighs 25.06 ounces with battery, Memory Stick, lens cap, and shoulder strap attached.

Other features include:

• Through-the-lens (TTL) preflash metering and red-eye reduction, cold-shoe and accessory terminal for HVL-F1000
• Twilight, portrait, and landscape mode autoexposure
• Multipattern measuring exposure system
• 46-step shutter priority (30 sec to 1/1,000 sec)
• 13-step aperture priority (f2.0 to f8.0)
• Full manual exposure
• High-speed scan autofocus
• Manual focus ring with LCD magnifier