Canon PowerShot A2600

The Canon PowerShot A2600 ($149.99 direct) is one of the less expensive cameras in the company's point-and-shoot lineup. The 16-megapixel shooter has a 5x zoom lens, the same design that is found in our Editors' Choice budget camera, the Canon PowerShot A1400. There are a few differences?the A2600 uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, is a bit slimmer, and doesn't have an optical viewfinder?but from an image quality perspective they are essentially the same. The A1400 is a better value, but if you are turned off by its use of AA batteries, the A2600 is worth a look, though you'll pay a $40 premium.

Design and Features
The A2600 employs a two-tone design; it has a blue, red, pink, or black faceplate with a silver backside. There's also an all-silver version. It measures 2.2 by 3.9 by 0.8 inches (HWD) and is light at 4.8 ounces. Compare this to the 2.4-by-3.7-by-1.2, 6.1-ounce A1400, which is thicker due to its use of AA batteries. The rear LCD is 3 inches and features a 230k-dot resolution. You're not going to find many budget cameras with better displays than this, although the Olympus VR-340 does have a sharper 460k-dot display.

The lens is a 5x zoom design. It covers a 28-140mm (35mm equivalent) field of view, which is wide enough for group and landscape shots and gives you a good bit of zoom for telephoto shooting?just don't expect to use it for, say, serious birding. The lens starts at f/2.8, which is fast enough to use in brighter, indoor lighting at ISO 400 without having to engage the flash. It dwindles to f/6.9 as you zoom all the way in, which should be reserved for outdoor use in daylight when shooting with this camera.

The camera defaults to Auto mode out of the box, but you can switch out of it you'd like more control over your picture taking. There's isn't a full Manual mode, but Program shooting lets you adjust the metering pattern, White Balance, ISO, Exposure Compensation, Focus Range, and Drive Mode. There are also a number of standard scene modes available outside of Auto. Regardless of the mode you are in, you'll always be able to activate the self timer and adjust the file size or the recorded video resolution.

Physical shooting controls are limited. There's a dedicated Record button to start rolling video footage, and a button to control the flash. Other buttons are for non-shooting functions?Eco enables a power-saving mode that is quick to put the rear LCD to sleep, and there are the standard playback, delete, and information display controls. There is a Help button, a big question mark on the back of the camera, that brings up an on-screen guide. Photographic novices will appreciate this, as it explains a lot of menu functions in real-world terms and gives tips on taking better photos.

Performance and Conclusions
The A2600 starts and shoots in about 1.7 seconds, notches a 0.3-second shutter lag, and is capable of taking a photo every 1.4 seconds when set to continuous drive mode. It's about as speedy as the Samsung DV150F, an inexpensive camera with dual LCD screens and built-in Wi-Fi. It starts in 1.8 seconds, records a longer 0.4-second shutter lag, and requires a 1.5-second wait between shots.

I used Imatest to check the sharpness of images captured by the A2600. The results were nearly identical to those from the less-expensive A1400. This isn't surprising as the two cameras share the same sensor and lens specifications. The A2600 does better than the 1,800 lines per picture height required for a sharp image; it scored 2,124 lines on the test. Sharpness is an area in which some inexpensive cameras struggle; the Olympus VR-340 only managed 1,733 lines on the same test.

Imatest also checks for noise which can make an image look grainy and sap detail. Noise increases along with the sensitivity to light, measured in ISO. The A2600 uses a CCD image sensor, a technology which generally doesn't do that great a job controlling noise when compared with more expensive CMOS sensors. The camera's lowest ISO setting is 100, and doubling its sensitivity to ISO 200 is the best you can do before crossing the 1.5 percent mark for noise. At ISO 400 the image is 1.8 percent noise, although detail is still pretty good at this setting. Noise increases to 2 percent at ISO 800 and detail goes away quickly. Canon's top-of-the-line A series camera, the PowerShot A4000 IS keeps noise below 1.5 percent through ISO 800, but images at that setting are also lacking in detail. With the A4000 IS, it's best to keep the ISO at 400 or below, which is an easier task, as it features optical image stabilization.

The video quality is limited to 720p25 in QuickTime format. The footage is a bit grainy, and there's no optical zoom available during recording. You can set the lens prior to starting a clip, and digital zoom is available?but using that quickly degrades video quality. There's only one port on the A2600, a mini USB connector, but standard SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards are supported. The battery is rechargeable, and a dedicated wall charger is included?a departure from many recent point-and-shoots that require you to charge the battery in-camera.

Photographers on a budget will appreciate the A2600's price, sharpness, and handling, but they'll also have to live with its so-so performance at higher ISO settings. The camera's CCD sensor can't keep up with CMOS models in low light, and the lack of optical image stabilization doesn't help matters. You may want to consider the Canon A4000 IS as an alternative; it was originally priced at $200 but is now selling for less, offers similar performance, and has a stabilized lens. Our Editors' Choice for budget point-and-shoots is the PowerShot A1400, which delivers image quality that is essentially the same as the A2600, and gives you the added benefit of an optical viewfinder?all for $110. The A1400 does use AA batteries rather than a rechargeable one, which could be viewed as a demerit by some.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/ZCdPt_jER0w/0,2817,2417158,00.asp

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Death penalty decision expected in James Holmes case

James Holmes sits with defense attorney Tamara Brady during his arraignment on March 12. (AP)

DENVER ? James Holmes, the man accused of killing 12 people and wounding nearly 70 others during a midnight shooting spree at an Aurora, Colo., movie theater last summer, will likely learn Monday whether he?ll face execution if convicted.

Prosecutors from the Arapahoe County District Attorney?s office plan to announce in a 9 a.m. MT hearing if they?ll seek the death penalty, should the case go to trial. Monday?s decision follows last week?s legal theatrics in which Holmes? defense team said it would enter a guilty plea if the district attorney settled on a life-in-prison sentence.

?It is Mr. Holmes? position that this case could be resolved on April 1,? his public defenders announced last Wednesday in wrote court filings posted online by the Denver Post. ?Mr. Holmes made an offer to the prosecution to resolve this case by pleading guilty and spending the rest of his life in prison, without any opportunity for parole.?

Not only did prosecutors decline the guilty offer ? first made prior to Holmes? March 12 arraignment ? they lambasted the defense for making it public.

In a 13-page rebuttal to the defense, the prosecution dubbed the public announcement ?grossly improper? and ?a calculated attempt to improperly inject? the plea in front of the Aurora community and the world. The prosecution also accused the Colorado public defenders office of violating the court?s order on pretrial publicity.

Because of the defense?s public plea, ?[t]he only conclusion that [people] would reach ? is that the defendant knows that he is guilty, the defense attorneys know that he is guilty, and that both of them know that he was not criminally insane,? the prosecution?s filing said.

Judge William Sylvester has scheduled the trial for four weeks starting Aug. 5. But the defense said that if the prosecution doesn?t accept the guilty plea, the trial could last months and could be delayed by multiple pre-trial motions. At the March arraignment, defense attorney Daniel King said a trial without the specter of the death penalty could take as little as three weeks. But if execution is sought, King said they?d mount a vigorous defense based on an insanity strategy.

A mental health defense would be central to Holmes? case, his attorneys have implied repeatedly. Nearly all courtroom argument so far has revolved around his mental state, with the prosecution alleging that Holmes carefully crafted a ?detailed and complex? scheme to commit mass murder ? with his sanity fully intact.

At the arraignment, King told Sylvester that Holmes wasn?t ready to enter a plea because the defense didn?t know if the prosecution wanted to pursue the death penalty. The judge then entered a not-guilty plea on Holmes? behalf, as allowed by law.

Also at Monday?s hearing, Jana Winter, a FoxNews.com reporter, is expected to testify about conversations she had with sources who gave her information for a story she wrote a few days after the July 20, 2012 theater massacre. Her story included details about an unopened package that Holmes mailed to the University of College at Denver. Winter, quoting unnamed-law enforcement officials, reported that Holmes sent his former psychiatrist a notebook containing drawings that foreshadowed the July 20 attack. Because of a court gag order, those law enforcement sources were prevented from talking to the media.

Holmes? attorneys have argued that by divulging details to Winter, the two sources damaged the defendant?s right to a fair trial. Winter, through her attorney, has on multiple occasions tried to avoid appearing in court and has appealed the subpoena in New York state. Sylvester has denied her motions.

Holmes, 25, was a former neuroscience student at UC-Denver before the massacre at the premiere of ?The Dark Knight Rises,? the latest Batman movie. Police arrested Holmes, who was wearing body armor and had weapons close by, behind the theater shortly after the shootings. Police say he also booby-trapped his nearby Aurora apartment with explosives to injure or kill anyone who entered. He faces multiple counts of murder and attempted murder.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/death-penalty-decision-expected-james-holmes-case-113742034.html

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Westfield Kids Enjoy Multiple Opportunities for Sports This Spring ...

WESTFIELD, NJ ? Looking for the perfect spring sport for your child? You won?t have to search far. With so many options right in this area, there are sports opportunities for every ability and schedules to suit even the busiest families. Here, a few great options:

The Westfield Area Y: The Westfield Area YMCA is well-known for family fitness. Right here in Westfield, the Y offers sports programs from soccer to basketball to track. Their indoor climbing wall is popular, and instructional sessions are available. The Y also has unique offerings such as fencing, racquetball, flag football, ballet, fusion dance and even Zumba for teens. Well-known for aquatics, the Y offers swim classes, competitive swimming and open swims at the pool for all ages.

?It?s very important to keep kids moving and have them find a healthy activity they will love doing the rest of their lives,? said Amanda Aguirre, Assistant Physical Director.

For more information about the Y?s sports, activity and dance programs and to access their convenient scheduling options, visit their website at www.westfieldynj.org.

JCC of Central New Jersey: There are varied sports choices available at the Jewish Community Center, located in Scotch Plains, including Jeff Serdinsky?s Martial Arts, Surgent?s Elite Gymnastics, basketball clinics, hip hop dance classes and ?Move and Groove? for two-year-olds. Because The JCC has both an indoor and outdoor pool, they offer year-round aquatics programming, including their ?Barracudas? competitive team.

Classes with Throwback Sports (listed below) are also available at the JCC.

?It?s important in health and wellness that we make programming available for young children through the teen years,? noted Robin Brous, associate executive director of the JCC.

For more information on how you can take advantage of the offerings at the JCC and join in their upcoming spring session beginning this month, visit www.jccnj.org.

Westfield Recreation Department: The Westfield Rec Department offers plenty of opportunities for younger kids, such as Parent and Me Karate, L?il Squirts soccer and tee-ball. Older children have the option of soccer camps, tennis, golf, girls? volleyball and field hockey.?

For information, schedules and registration, click here.

Throwback Sports: Looking for something individualized for your child? Westfield-based Throwback Sports, conducted by Coach Mike Cohen, helps kids improve their physical confidence through play.

?We aim to encourage happy and active children,? said Cohen, who has more than 25 years of experience working with children.

With Throwback Sports, ?personal play goals? are emphasized so that children will gradually increase their concept of teamwork while building on core athletic skills. For more information about Throwback Sports, click here.

Source: http://thealternativepress.com/articles/westfield-kids-enjoy-multiple-opportunities-for-s

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4 hurt in crash, attack at California Wal-Mart

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) ? Four people were hurt Sunday when a driver crashed his car into a Wal-Mart and then assaulted customers inside, officials said.

The man hit two cars in the parking lot at about 11:15 a.m. with his red Oldsmobile Cutlass sedan then crashed through the storefront near the pharmacy and collided with a beer display before stopping, police and witnesses said.

The unidentified driver then got out of his car and used a blunt object to attack people, San Jose police Officer Albert Morales said. The driver was arrested when officers arrived.

Investigators have not determined how fast the driver ? described as a man in his 30s ? was going at the time of the crash but the car went about 20 feet into the Wal-Mart Supercenter that had about 70 people inside in San Jose, Morales said.

One person suffered what Morales described as serious injuries. He did not know the extent of the injuries to the three other people but said they were not life-threatening. The injured included a store employee.

Customer Sharon Kaye told the San Jose Mercury News the driver sideswiped her car as he made several runs around the parking lot before driving between poles at the entrance and crashing into the store.

"At first, I thought I may have done something to anger him while driving," she said. "But then I realized he was out to get into the store."

After the crash, the entrance to the Wal-Mart was roped off with yellow police tape, and workers put up large boards covering the automatic doors where the car had entered.

A Wal-Mart spokeswoman told the Mercury News that the store remained shut down for several hours, and an employee was among those hurt.

"We're obviously very concerned about the associate who was injured," spokeswoman Kory Lundberg said.

Shopper and witness Tianna Doan told the newspaper the employee was a cashier who was hit with the object and had a head injury.

Calls to the store by The Associated Press went unanswered Sunday.

___

Information from: San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News, http://www.mercurynews.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/4-hurt-crash-attack-california-wal-mart-221547965.html

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Cory Monteith Checks Into Rehab

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/cory-monteith-checks-into-rehab/

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NVIDIA outs GeForce 700M GPUs for notebooks, boasts inclusion by 'every leading manufacturer'

In NVIDIA's ongoing efforts to monopolize the technical-sounding graphics card market, the California-based components manufacturer today announced a fresh mobile line of GPUs aimed at notebook computing. That's five new GPUs in total, with the GeForce GT 720M and 735M making up the "mainstream" segment, while the GT 740M, 745M, and 750M make up the "performance" portion of the lineup. All five cards include NVIDIA's "GPU Boost 2.0" tech, which allows the GPU to alter its clock speed on-the-fly for the sake of efficiency -- although this is mainly a software-level upgrade over the first iteration of Boost, and it's still the same familiar Kepler architecture under the hood. It won't be too long before we start seeing the newest NVIDIA mobile GPUs in notebooks at retail, as the PR says they'll be in notebooks from "every leading manufacturer" in the coming months.

Filed under: Gaming, Laptops, NVIDIA

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/01/nvidia-geforce-gt700m-series/

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Athletes, stars join Obama for Easter Egg Roll

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Easter Bunny, dozens of professional athletes and thousands of children will be hippity-hopping across the White House's South Lawn as President Barack Obama and his family lead the annual Easter Egg Roll.

One highlight of this year's event is the "Eggtivity Zone," in which athletes and coaches will help teach kids how to play sports. Among the stars scheduled to attend are Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, gymnast John Orozco and Washington Wizards point guard John Wall.

Two of the younger celebrities in Monday's lineup are Oscar-nominated actress Quvenzhane (kweh-VEHN'-zhah-nay) Wallis, star of "Beasts of the Southern Wild," and Robbie Novak, who plays "Kid President" in a series of popular YouTube videos. Elmo, Abby and other "Sesame Street" Muppets will also be performing.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-04-01-Obama-Easter%20Egg%20Roll/id-6ce31bf24f664ce0a5495e278180439c

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