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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-N1

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Features
Unless you purchase a high-capacity Memory Stick DUO with the Cyber-shot N1, the 8-megapixel CCD sensor will only add to your frustration--before you know it, you will have run out of memory capacity to take high-resolution pictures. Even though the camera comes with a measly 26MB internal memory, it can be your lifesaver for that precious moment if you forget to bring the darn Memory Stick out. With the built-in capacity, you can store up to 500 still images in VGA format, good enough to fill the 3.0-inch screen in the unit's Pocket Album.


Our colleague grew wings and halos at our command.
The N1 Paint function comes complete with draw, templates and erase features, allowing the user to personalize their images. As a little exercise, we gave our colleague wings and halos. So go on, let your creativity flow and draw an ugly moustache on that irritable teacher of yours and save that Kodak moment your way. We found this to be a good topic starter during an otherwise monotonous outing. On an added note, the templates we mentioned are actually icons of stars, water droplets, paw prints, snow flakes, hearts, etc.--a total of 15--which you can add to your doodles. You can also select from a total of 10 colors (red, orange, yellow, lime green, green, blue, pink, white, gray and black) to draw with.


Choose from a total of 15 icons to doodle on your photos.
Adding to the whole user experience, you can install a maximum of four music tracks (in MP3 format, each lasting 180 seconds) with the supplied Picture Package software to accompany your movie clips and slideshow playback. We are probably nitpicking, but if we can put in more tunes on the N1 or save it in the Memory Stick, it can do double duty and replace our current MP3 player. Mac users will be disappointed as the software is Windows-compatible only, leaving them stranded with only the four built-in tracks.


Roses are red, violets are blue. We love colors, and so will you.

Other than bringing out that artistic flair in you, the N1 comes with a Manual mode (no shutter- and aperture-priority, though) for you to adjust aperture (F2.8/F4.0/F8.0 in wide-angle and F5.4/F8.0/F16 in telezoom) and shutter (30 to 1/1,000 seconds) settings. Though we felt somewhat stifled by the limited manual mode, the amount of creativity given to us in the art arena makes up for the lack somewhat.