Adigital video camcorder, digital camera, MP3 player, webcam, voice-recorder and a mass storage device—all rolled into one compact device measuring 70 x 30 x 42 mm and weighing just 80 grams! We are talking about the new Miniket VP-M110S from Samsung. With internal storage of 1 GB and 10X optical and 100X digital zoom, the Miniket also supports additional memory in the form of MemoryStick Pro. The two-inch foldable LCD supports up to 210K colours, and also acts as viewfinder for the video and image capture, apart from displaying the Menu. The Miniket connects to a PC using the bundled cradle and a USB cable. Windows
XP recognises it as a removable storage device and you can transfer music and other data easily to and from your PC. The Miniket captures videos at 720 x 576 or 352 x 288. There are three quality options—Superfine, Fine and Normal. In the Superfine mode and at 720 x 576 size,
the internal memory can accommodate approximately 22 minutes of footage, provided no other files are stored. Videos use a proprietary MPEG 4 standard licensed from DivX Inc. For stills, you can choose between 800 x 600 and 640 x 480. An 1280 x 960 extrapolated option is also available, and images are captured as JPEG. The flash works only in the Photo mode, and can be set to Auto, ON/OFF. Customisable options for video and still image capture include Auto/Manual focus, four White Balance modes (Auto, Hold, Outdoor and Indoor), and five programmed auto exposure modes—’Auto’, ‘Sports’, ‘Spotlight’, ‘Sand/Snow’, and ‘High Speed Shutter’. You can choose from seven effects, including Sepia or Negative. ‘Electronic Image Stabiliser’ and ‘Backlight Compensation’ are also included. In terms of performance, image quality was not up to the mark, for either video or photos and there was evident Noise. As far as the MP3 player is concerned, it is primitive at best. All you can do is play and listen to music. You can also record voice files in the WAV format in 8 KHz, 128 Kbps stereo mode. It’s good
only for voice and all other noises are lost in the background. The device heats up a bit even when used for a short period. Also, battery life is affected by zooming. In our battery tests
(which involved playing assorted MP3’s over and over), the Miniket could manage about three hours and 15 minutes on the regular 3.8V 900 mAh battery. However, an 1800 mAh extended battery pack is also included in the package. The Samsung Miniket is a lifestyle product, and not
meant for users who want a dedicated digital handycam or an MP3 player. Still, it’s great for those who have the cash to spare and want a product with flaunt value.
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