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If you're the kind of person who can remember when you first heard Darth Vader speak the words, "I am your father," you'll want to be in Seattle starting next week.

That's because on December 13, the Ltd. Art Gallery there will begin exhibiting "Who Shot First," a collection of more than 40 artists' "Star Wars"-themed works.

The artists "will be displaying their own unique interpretation of these classic films," the release for the show reads, "drawing upon the characters and themes that have inspired them since … Read more

I was on a video shoot recently, helping haul equipment over the hills and river rocks in the Gold Country of California. A metal slider rail for the camera was an especially challenging piece to move around due to its size and weight.

There will soon be an inflatable alternative. AirTracks is a blow-up camera track and dolly designed to hold 8 pounds of equipment. It deflates down to fit into a small stuff sack so you can pack it into the backwoods and still get smooth tracking shots.… Read more

While there are numerous apps that help you edit, organize, and share your digital images, many of them cost a lot and are geared toward users with experience in image editing. Picasa is an app from Google that offers only the basics and it won't cost you a dime.

The app's gray interface is on the plain side, but all of the options are easily accessible and even less experienced users should be able to jump right in. If you do run into difficulties, you can visit the Help center to view tutorials from the publisher and from … Read more

Anyone who needs lightweight screen-capturing and editing software will love Skitch for Mac. Although it lacks some of the tools -- such as mask and layer -- that you find in a high-end image editor such as Photoshop, its well-designed, intuitive interface guides you all the way through the quick and effective editing actions, and the result speaks for itself.

The app launches in a gray window with a white canvas in the center, while the outer borders contain all the available options, allowing you to perform a long list of actions. But since Skitch is centered around screenshots, you … Read more

Just when you didn't think your purse or wallet had any more space for plastic, here's a concept that might convince you to make room. ClearShot is a card-size stand for your smartphone that seems perfect for snapshots, video, chatting, and time-lapse pics.

Designer Mike Carney, a Boeing engineer, calls it the world's most portable phone tripod, and has submitted a patent for the design. It's only 0.09 inch thick, about the size of three non-embossed credit cards.

With a pinch, it unfolds into a ready position and supports all iPhone models, as well as Windows and Android phones. It can also be used with the Samsung Galaxy S2, S3, and Note. … Read more

Taking screenshots on your new device is a great way to show off your home screen, or even show a friend what settings they need to have in a particular app. It wasn't long ago that root access, a third-party app, or even the Android SDK was required to take a simple screenshot.

Thankfully, taking a screenshot on the Nexus 7 is as easy as it was on the Galaxy Nexus.

To take a screenshot on your new Nexus 7, hold in the volume down and the power buttons at the same time. After a brief pause, you'll … Read more

The number of waterproof rugged cameras has exploded over the past few years. The segment was basically owned by Pentax and Olympus, but now all of the major compact camera manufacturers have a rugged model, if not two or three.

The upside to that is there is something for just about everyone at various price points, starting at just more than $100. The more money you spend, the tougher the camera, though, so make sure you get something that meets your needs.

And if you're more interested in shooting video than photos, check out the two minicamcorders that follow the camera list. … Read more

What a week for Panasonic. Of all the products CNET reviewed this week, the company scored the best ratings for both the most expensive gadget and the cheapest. There must be some sort of award for that. (Actually, there isn't, but there should be.)

The Panasonic TC-P65VT50 (affectionately known around these parts as the "VT50") is a 65-inch plasma TV that nabbed the hardest-won praise of all: A glowing review from our own David Katzmaier. Katzmaier gets right to the point in his review, explaining that the whole line of TVs in the VT50's series have &… Read more

Zoom lenses sell cameras these days, so it's no surprise that manufacturers are doing everything they can to get longer lenses into increasingly smaller bodies.

A 3x or 5x zoom lens used to be the standard for ultracompact cameras -- those measuring 1 inch thick or slimmer -- but in 2012, you can easily find a skinny point-and-shoot with a 10x optical zoom.

The frontrunner here is the sub-$250 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX150 thanks to its excellent features, fast autofocus, and the quality of its pictures and video (though its color accuracy could be better). Most of the category consists of sub-$200 cameras, though, so there are several options if you're just looking for a simple pocket camera with a long lens.… Read more