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GET ON THE (BIGGER) STICK!
Are you a Sony Memory Stick user who has been eagerly awaiting a higher-capacity card? The wait is over: Sony’s new Memory Stick with Memory Select Function ($160, street) doubles capacity to 256MB (128MBx2) and is compatible with all Sony products using the original Memory Stick. The Select Stick is divided into 128MB segments, and requires the user to flip a switch on the back of the card to open up another 128MB of memory for the camera, CLIÉ, or other Sony device. (This also lets you keep music files, say, separate from your digital photos.) Need more memory still? In conjunction with Sandisk, Sony has also announced the new Memory Stick PRO format. These cards, which will be compatible only with more recent products and future devices, will be available in sizes 256MB ($190, street), 512MB ($440, street), and 1GB ($880, street). For more info or to find out which Stick you can stick in your camera, log onto www.sony.com. (P.S. Lexar Media will also be producing both formats.)
FASTER COLOR FIXER-UPPER
Hey, experienced Photoshop jockeys: Want to do color work easier or faster? Asiva Photo 1.3 ($378, street) is a stand-alone program designed specifically for adjusting and manipulating colors. With it, you can convert one area, selection, or tone of an image without having to make a perfect selection or mask. It also lets you control how an operation (effect) is applied to an image, using adjustable curves in the hue, saturation, and luminance components. You can even turn your operations on and off with the click of a button for a quick comparison. More time-savers: Asiva Photo lets you save your operations, then recall them and reuse them later. And you can work on a low-resolution file, without hogging memory, and apply the operation to the full-resolution version later. We particularly like that Asiva Photo works in 16-bit color mode, which gives the user a wider color range than 8-bit when working with images. Asiva Photo offers some photo retouching and is both Mac and Windows compatible. For info, go to www.asiva.com.
CARRY IT ALL IN A CRUMPLER
The fashion-trendy Crumpler messenger bags from Australia now come in a family of digital photo bags. Available in nine different sizes, from 3.5x2.5x1.5 inches to 7.25x6x3 inches, and priced from $20 to $60 (street), they feature pockets to carry extra batteries and memory cards. They’re currently available in three retro color schemes, blue/orange, brown/tan, and basic black/gray. If you’re looking for a bigger bag to carry more stuff, Crumpler offers its Bunion Inserts (padded partitions) that can be put into its other bags to form cubby compartments. For more info, log onto www.crumplerusa.com.
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