In an already overpopulated compact camera market, the Cyber-shot T90 solicits attention with a 16:9 touch-screen LCD and a sliding lens shield. The lads over at PC Mag grabbed one of these Sony shooters for an in-depth prodding and poking session to determine whether the external appeal of the camera is backed up by solid technology under the hood. Praise was meted out for image sharpness and 720p video recording, though battery life was found disappointing. For their full impressions, test results and an exhaustive spec sheet, hit the read link.

Once we heard that Dell was showing off the XPS 630i "compact" desktop and 16-inch, 16:9 XPS laptop concept at its booth / lounge, we headed right over the moment that the show floor opened. Unfortunately the notebook was locked behind a glass case, precluding any real face time with the prototype widescreen system, but luckily we were able to get right up in the grille of the 630i to check out all the angles. Of course, you'd rather peep some pictures then hear us drone on about our impressions, so check out the gallery below for the full package.

Just in case the world didn't have quite enough low-end, questionably built LCD monitors, we've got one more comin' down the pike, as V7 -- formerly "known" as Videoseven -- unveils its R22W02 monitor. This 22-inch LCD has a "focus on value," which presumably means it takes a hit in the quality department, but regardless, it sports a 16:9 aspect ratio, on-screen controls, 700:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m2 brightness, 1,650 x 1,050 resolution, 5-millisecond response time, VGA / DVI input, and a less-than-attractive black / silver color scheme. No, you won't soon be boasting about this thing to your pals, nor will find anything above marginal specs, but you will get a (relatively) large widescreen panel for "under $349."

We're not done with Panasonic's new additions to the Lumix lineup just yet; in addition to the four compact shooters we just saw, the company also unveiled a prosumer model called the DMC-FZ50, which packs a 10.3 megapixel CCD and 12x optical zoom into a DSLR-like body. Besides improving upon the resolution of its 8 megapixel predecessor, the FZ30, the FZ50 also throws down a new feature called Intelligent ISO Control, which adjusts the ISO setting (max. 1600) and shutter speed based on subject movement -- promising to minimize image blur without forcing the user to adjust the manual controls. Further enhancing ease-of-use are a new Function button that delivers quick access to frequently-used settings and a longer-life battery that claims to deliver around 360 shots before recharging becomes an issue. Other differences between the FZ30 and FZ50 include the addition of SDHC card support, a TTL Flash hot-shoe, 16:9 shooting mode, and the so-called Venus Engine III image processor, but the elimination of TIFF file support and several thousand pixels from the 2.0-inch LCD. Luckily the higher resolution and new features don't mean that you'll pay too much more for this updated model than you did for the old one, as it's expected to cost just $650 when it hits stores in September.

Because you can never have convenient enough access to all that great BBC programming, Sling Media has just released a version of their popular Slingbox for British TV junkies. The UK model has been tweaked a bit for European viewing, with PAL tuners replacing the NTSC versions found in US boxes, and a DVB-T tuner thrown in for placeshifting that sweet, sweet OTA Freeview content. In conjunction with the UK rollout, the folks at Sling also announced an updated version of the SlingPlayer PC software, whose main upgrades include widescreen 16:9 support and a skinnable client. Slingbox: UK will initially be available exclusively at PC World's website and retail locations -- and at Currys stores in four to six weeks -- for £180, VAT included.