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Quick Takes

A camera for self-portraits; a wireless connector for the road; an artistic mouse; and a wristwatch workout PC.

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Sony's Self-Portrait Cyber-shot Camera

Photograph: Rick Rizner
The rotating lens on Sony's $450 Cyber-shot DSC-F88 makes self-portraits easier--but otherwise this 5.1-megapixel camera has little unique about it. Though it's larger and weighs more than Sony's similar DSC-T1, it has a much smaller LCD (1.8 inches versus 2.5 inches). The F88 costs a bit less and has some useful manual exposure controls, but you really have to like pictures of yourself to choose it over the T1.

--Alan Stafford

Wireless Travel Router Rocks

Photograph: Rick Rizner
Hotel broadband is great, but if you'd rather do your work outside on the balcony--instead of at the uncomfortable desk in your room--check out Netgear's WGR101 Wireless Travel Router. A little bigger than a deck of playing cards, this $100 device has its own firewall and connects to the hotel network, providing 802.11g wireless access for one or more notebooks (you can even securely share your connection with a colleague rooming next door).

--Edward N. Albro

A Case of Style Over Substance

Photograph: Rick Rizner
The new Microsoft Optical Mouse by designer Philippe Starck belongs in a modern art museum--but not on your desk. While the $35 mouse is one of most elegant and attractive pointing devices I've used, it's also one of the worst because its egg-shaped design makes manipulating the scroll wheel and assorted buttons far too difficult and uncomfortable.

--Michael S. Lasky

Polar's New Running Computer

Photograph: Rick Rizner
Fitness geeks, rejoice: Polar's $350 S625X package uses a wristwatch heart-rate monitor and a distance-measuring foot pod to serve up a smorgasbord of workout details, including advanced measurements such as maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max). After measuring my morning run with the hardware--everything from average running speed to altitude gained to maximum heart rate--I transferred the data from the watch to my infrared-equipped notebook and then used the included Polar Precision Software to pore over the particulars. Learning to operate the five-button watch and to navigate the PC software takes some time, but as a reward you get performance details usually reserved only for the pros.

--Tom Mainelli

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