SAMSUNG GALAXY S7 $699
Sleeker — with some useful new features
Samsung's Galaxy S7 is now available (so is the higher end S7 Edge), and its design is better than its direct predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S6. The new phone feels a little stockier, likely due to its big battery. But its shape is also sleeker, thanks to engineering that's shaved some girth from the Galaxy line's unsightly camera bump. It's also a little curvier than the Galaxy S6, more like the latest versions of the iPhone.
There are no complaints about performance. Even while playing games or watching video, the phone seemed to handle whatever was thrown at it. Also, the screen can stay on all of the time to display the clock or calendar.
Samsung has been heavily touting the camera on its latest models. The camera is high-performance and is noticeably crisp with dark shots. Samsung has also added some extra modes to the camera, including one called "motion panorama," which lets you take a panoramic shot that will animate when you scroll over it — a feature similar to Apple's Live Photos.
One of the greatest returns to form from Samsung is the inclusion of expandable memory on its new devices, making it possible for users to add in their own SD card and supplement the 32 GB or 64 GB of storage that comes standard with the phone.
No review of this phone would be complete without a short complaint on apps. Bloatware is a problem with all smartphones, and while there aren't quite as many preinstalled programs on this model as there have been in the past, Samsung has still loaded this phone with more apps than you would want.
WASHINGTON POST
CANON VIDEO CREATOR $1,300
Kit has everything needed for video
Canon's Video Creator Kit has everything a roaming videographer needs: an EOS Rebel T6i camera, a zoom lens, a Rode VideoMic GO microphone and a 32-gigabyte memory card. The digital SLR camera features an autofocus system that provides continuous focus on moving subjects and a sensor that allows for shooting in low light. Built-in Wi-Fi and near field communication, or NFC, capability means video can be shared among compatible devices and social networks, and the camera's touch screen can rotate for shooting selfie videos.
NEW YORK TIMES
