PowerShot A1100 is available with a well-formulated plastic body having no creaks and the moving seams. Right side of the camera has a slight bulge, which creates a hand grip. With a dimension of 3.7in X 2.5in X 1.2in, this camera might feel bulky in certain pockets. Again, since it utilizes couple of AA batteries, it is heavier than the ones working with the rechargeable battery. Still, A1100 is small enough and can easily slip inside a bag or a coat pocket. The gadget is available in four colors: Gray, Pink, Blue and green.
After undergoing most tests, Canon PowerShot A1100 IS was able to fire off 146 shots prior to the batteries needing replacement. This is a small number considering the small LCD screen and a point-&-shoot camera.

When you look at the back of the camera, you will find a 2.5-inch LCD screen along with a set or control. Top of the Canon PowerShot A1100 IS is home to the mode dial, shutter & zoom control and the all-important power button. Officials at Canon have done a great job by standardizing the layout of the control in the camera along with the on screen interface across the point-&-shoot option.

Again, Canon PowerShot A1100 IS offers you with a galore of auto features. From mode dial, you have the option of choosing between Auto, Program, Movie and various other scene modes. If you have chosen the Auto mode, cameras make significant exposures and settings option for you. In case of the Program mode, you are allowed to manually toggle the flash usage and adjust the ISO along with the white balance and similar other settings. Even though this camera is devoid of a manual mode and true aperture priority, A1100 does allow you for adjusting the exposure compensation.

The scene modes of Canon PowerShot A1100 IS should work for you, if you are looking to get results from tricky situations with your camera. They can be your best opportunity to get good results during tricky situation while handling the camera. In case of the Mode dial, there is an option for you to select from 5 scene modes. Again, you can even choose SCN. This option enables you for considering extra scene modes, which are listed on the on-screen menu.

The 2.5” LCD screen of the Canon PowerShot A1100 IS looks slightly washed out. However, this means finer details are possible when you are shooting in brightly lit areas, where it is harder to see. Optical viewfinder of the camera is one of the features, which can help you out in such cases, where viewing LCD screen can be difficult. However, it will only show you around 80% of the image.
At $200, Canon PowerShot A1100 IS offers strong performance. In case you are looking forward to a good quality entry level camera, you must consider the model.

This camera has an additional feature, which includes the multi-face detection along with anti-blink/red-eye reduction and smile shutter. If you compare the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 Blue with other cameras of a similar price range, the quality of the images could have been a bit better. It also could have given a touch faster performance. However, the camera offers tough competition, as it is available at an affordable price tag. The silver model of W290 retains fingerprints over its body, which can be a concerning issue for all those individuals, who love neatness in their asset. Another point, which might be a problem for some people, is that it has got concentric ridges. These ridges add to the slight texture, which can improve gripping. However, they can also trap dirt and grease. Thus, expect your fingers to be embedded, the sooner you touch this camera. Again, these marks cannot easily be wiped off.

One of the most commendable things about Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 Blue is that Sony has been able to manage every control on its back without giving a cramped feeling. Again, the design has been such that you will not get confused while going for a secured single-handed grip. The designing also does not allow you to accidentally press buttons, which you did not wish for. The 3” LCD is well-placed at the camera’s rear end.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 Blue has no Home & Menu buttons. They were available in the past models and used to confuse the shooter. In this case, only a single Menu button has been provided on the camera. This button can give you the access for shooting controls. At the same time, you can make the selection for seeing every setting.

Overall performance of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 Blue is excellent. From startup to first shot, it takes only 1.3 seconds (approximate value). The W290 can be considered a good digital camera, which can shoot images of high resolutions. It has a perfect blend of usability features, design and portability. At a price of $250, you get a complete value for your investment unless your requirements for the image quality are extra ordinarily high.

Asus has been generous enough to supply everything that the user will need in the box itself, starting from USB and Ethernet to built in WiFi. The rechargeable battery of the Sv1 adds to the device’s portability; setting up is quick and very simple as well, just set the time and date, let the auto detection find your wireless connection, log in with your Skype username and password and you are ready to use the videophone.

Normal voice calls also sound loud and clear thanks to the high quality built in mic and speaker, also the interface is designed with simplicity in mind which has made the Asus AiGuru Sv1 a videophone that is easy to use and therefore will appeal to everyone. The arrow keys take care of navigation in the phone menu and there is not much more that you need to know about before using this phone to make video calls without the computer.