Visiting the giant booths at the Consumer Electronics Show gives you a terrific sense of the latest and greatest videomaking gear. All of the top full-featured camcorder manufacturers were there including Sony, Canon, JVC, Panasonic and Samsung. I prefer full-featured models versus much less expensive Pocket Camcorders since they deliver much better video quality, have optical zooms—not digital—plus they record lifelike stereo sound. They may cost more but the payoff is worth it when you check out your family memories on a big-screen HDTV.
Sony dominates the full-featured market and they made a ton of announcements in Las Vegas (11 in all, ranging from $299-$1,599). First some general trends--high-definition camcorders have gone mainstream and Sony predicts 65% of all sold in 2012 will be HD. In fact, the company is not introducing any Standard Definition editions—and neither will other major companies. Sony still sells older models like the SX85 for awhile but don't expect anything new

CES is always known for its gigantic television displays—and this year didn't disappoint.  Companies want bragging rights—"we're the biggest and baddest"—as well as to showcase their latest technologies and stand out among the hundreds of TVs at the massive tradeshow.  Without doubt LG won the crown with its 84-inch 3D Ultra TV (84LM9600). The demo I experienced in Las Vegas was spectacular. The 3D effects were top notch—and this was using LG's passive Cinema 3D system rather than active-shutter glasses.  No price was given but the set should arrive later this year and be "five figures," according to a spokesperson.

LG 84-inch 3D HDTV

The television is part of new display technology wave called "4K" which is used in movie theaters across the country. Currently the best consumer sets are "2K"—1920 x 1080 pixels, often referred to as 1080p. Sets like the LG are 4K x 2K (3840 x 2160 pixels) for a total of 8.29MP, four times better than today's models. Now before you put a 4K HDTV on your shopping list,

Wi-Fi capability, more powerful zooms and a new Compact System Camera was the new big digital imaging news coming out of International CES held January 10-13 in Las Vegas.

FujiFilm made the loudest noise as it added to the growing field of CSCs that includes models from Olympus, Nikon, Panasonic, Samsung, Pentax and Sony. This type of camera offers many of the pluses of DSLRs but without the bulk. The new X-Pro1 (due late February) features a 16-megapixel APS-C sensor (the same size as a DSLR), has a very retro look buts shoots a modern Full HD video. Also impressive is the price which will range between $1,500-$1,700. Lenses for the new X mount cost $650; there will be three at launch.

FujiFilm X-Pro1

Samsung DV300F

With smartphones making deep inroads into the camera market, manufacturers are adding Wi-Fi capability in order to compete. It's not nearly as untethered as a cellphone but if a Wi-Fi network is nearby, you can share your photos with friends and family. Samsung unveiled four Wi-Fi enabled cameras with

Those who love outdoor winter sports might not love the cold.

OK, so a Canadian like yours truly might get strange looks from such a comment, but just because one enjoys snowboarding or skiing doesn't mean they're thrilled about freezing their buns off while shredding down the mountain.

And so this is why I was eager to try out Columbia Sportswear's Circuit Breaker Softshell jacket ($850) that claims to keep you warm on a few levels — including a built-in electric heater, which we'll get to in a moment.

Columbia Sportswear employs "Omni-Heat" technology, which includes a silver-dotted thermal lining on the inside of the jacket to reflect your body heat. This soft, synthetic insulation feels like down and pumps out 30 percent greater heat retention per gram than the leading competitor, says Columbia Sportswear.

But there's a more interesting part to Omni-Heat — a built-in heater that warms the jacket up when you need it. Press and hold a small button on the outside of the jacket, near

Apple will unveil not one but two new iPads at the Macworld|iWorld conference on January 26, says DigiTimes, a publication that focuses on the supply side of the electronics, semiconductor, computer and communications industries.

Taipei-based authors Yenting Chen and Ingrid Lee (with Jessie Shen) say sources new models will target the "mid- and high-end markets," while the existing iPad 2 tablet will compete with Amazon's Kindle Fire.

Instead of the previously-rumored 7.85-inch tablets, the upcoming iPads will still maintain its 9.7-inch screen form factor but with better-resolution screens. Instead of the current 1024-by-768-pixel resolution, the new iPad screens are said to ship with QXGA resolution (1,536 x 2,048 pixels).

Dual LED light bars are said to strengthen the brightness of the new screens, which will be supplied by Sharp, says DigiTimes. Samsung Electronics and LG Display are also responsible for a part of the orders.

Samsung will continue to manufacture the iPad's

It's the time of the year where we make all kinds of resolutions -- lose weight, spend less, quit smoking, and so on -- but you also shouldn't neglect your personal computer.

After all, if you add up how many hours a week you spend on your PC or Mac, you'll see why you should take your beloved machine's health seriously.

The following are five suggestions for "techy" new year's resolutions in 2012.

I will back up my important info

You know the old adage -- you don't know what you got until it's gone -- so be sure to back up your important files on a regular basis in case of theft, fire, a virus or power surge.

Examples of the kinds of files you should back up include irreplaceable digital photos, documents, email addresses, calendar appointments, favorite web bookmarks, and so forth. You can burn a disc with these files, copy and paste them onto an inexpensive USB memory stick or if you're a digital pack rat, invest in a portable hard drive that can store a lot of files.

In case of

No matter which industry analyst you speak to, the iPad2 is the Secretariat of tablets. Its sales are so far ahead of the competition, you need the Hubble space telescope to see who's in second place. This is a bit of exaggeration, of course, but the race is really to see who will come within shouting distance of the iconic Apple device in the tablet horse race. I own an original iPad and the iPad2 so I'm very familiar with the tablet gold standard. It was with this background that I reviewed two contenders—the 8GB Amazon Kindle Fire ($199) and Sony Tablet S ($399 with 16GB of storage).

Kindle Kitchen

The Fire is generating the most heat and I anxiously looked forward to using it. Initially I was shocked by its tiny size compared to an iPad and the Tablet S. The Wi-Fi-enabled Kindle has a 7-inch diagonal screen rated 1024x600 pixels (approximately 23 square inches). Sony's display is 9.4 inches diagonal (1280x800, 41 square inches) while the iPad2 is 9.7, 1024x768, 42.6. Right off the bat, you know

If you've owned digital cameras for years and are now looking to upgrade, a Compact System Camera like the new Nikon 1 J1 is seriously worth considering. Anyone who has used a classic point-and-shoot is well aware of their limitations. Perhaps one of the most frustrating is the fact it takes a long time to focus and capture pictures, so many times you'll miss the perfect expression on your child's face. Besides response, quality of many cameras is not where it should be--especially in low light. Digital single lens reflex cameras (DSLRs) solve these issues yet they have their own baggage—they're big, bulky and can be very expensive.

Compact System Cameras--also known as mirrorless cameras--are fast, deliver the quality goods, are  relatively affordable, let you use interchangeable lenses and are much smaller than DSLRs. That weight issue is important especially if you're carrying your camera around all day on vacation. The Nikon 1 J1 is the first CSC from a company well known for its