D-snap: thanks for the memory

By PETER GRIFFIN

It's hard to know what the D-Snap's primary use really is.

For journalists, it has a couple of really handy work-related functions. I can pop along to an interview, take a publishable picture of my grinning subject and record everything that is uttered, all using the D-Snap. Two functions there.

But it can do more. The little camera taking the digital pictures can also handle video - with audio soundtrack as well. And then there's the MP3 capability. That's four useful features - digital camera, video recorder, voice recorder and MP3 player - in a device that's about a centimetre thick and weighs just 59g.

The MP3 player is the main function for me. Here you come up against the annoying digital rights management most hardware vendors feel obliged to build into their products.

It means you cannot load up songs on to the 8MB SD storage card supplied with the D-Snap, simply by dragging files across in Windows Explorer.

An SD card loaded with songs taken from another PC will not be detected by the D-Snap. You must use the supplied Panasonic software to build a song list. The software is relatively user-friendly but there are better file managers, maybe already sitting on your machine.

The D-Snap supports MP3, WMA and AAC audio files, which sound impressively good through the supplied headphones. A swivel ball in the centre of the D-snap allows you to scroll through song titles which are displayed on the tiny colour LCD screen.

The camera, in theory, boasts the same quality as my two megapixel Sony Cyber Shot, but the results were slightly less effective.

Still the D-snap has a swivel lens for self portraits, a 10-second timer, four times digital zoom and a built-in flash.

Video can be taken in clips up to one minute long. They are recorded at a rate of 10 frames pre minute, so don't expect handicam quality. But this isn't a video camera replacement and for small clips that will be emailed to friends, the D-snap is perfect.

Panasonic claims 10 hours play-back for MP3s. Battery life drops substantially when you start taking photos using the LCD or flash. However the battery can be easily recharged by placing it in the supplied cradle.

The audio recording is equivalent to what you would expect from a Pocket PC-type device like the Hewlett Packard iPaq or the Qtek. The small microphone struggles to pick up anything not in close proximity and the recorded audio has that tinge of squelchy echo to it. You'll get about 15 minutes of audio on to the supplied 8MB SD card.

For video and audio playback you'll need a Quicktime player (a good product which is free to download.

The D-snap is seriously let down by its puny 8MB of memory. A good bargain-basement price for a 256MB SD card is $125. Then you'll really have a useful device that can pack in about four hours of music, or hundreds of photos.

While the Apple iPod is compelling with its gigabytes of onboard storage, it obviously is without the functionality of the D-snap. Dick Smith is selling the 15GB iPod for $550.

If it's music and file storage you're after, the iPod still reigns supreme. If it's a little bit of everything you want, D-Snap with a bullet-biting purchase of extra memory is an attractive option.

Pros & cons

* Pros: Lightweight, good quality pictures and sound, easy to use.

* Cons: Puny storage; limited to supplied software.

* Price: $699.

* Herald rating: 8/10.