OTHER TECH

All Together Now "Ease of use." "Plug and play." "User-friendly." These phrases are tossed about with far too much abandon by the guys who write ad copy for A/V gadgets. But you'd be hard pressed to accuse Kodak's EasyShare DX4530 digital camera ($400) of breach of promise. It matches an easy-to-learn interface with some serious digital firepower: 5-megapixel resolution, 3x optical zoom, 3.3x digital zoom, 32 megabytes of built-in memory, and even 60 minutes of video capture when you use an optional memory card. The interactive software tutorial, exhaustive print manual, and in-camera menus are both simple and thorough. (And the Kodak has that most useful of all digital-camera features - an on-body, dedicated delete button.) Crave instant corroboration of your shutterbug talent? No lines, no waiting, no creepy one-hour photo guy fixating on your family - the Kodak EasyShare 4000 printer dock ($200) offers one-stop charging, transferring, and printing. Pop the camera on the dock, press the print button, and in less than 2 minutes you get vivid 4 x 6-inch thermal-dye-transfer prints that are even laminated for long life. (Kodak offers refill kits, good for 40 prints, for $25.) www.kodak.com, 800-235-6325

Vested Interest It just isn't cool to look weighed down by your tech tools. But you can cut the conspicuous consumption with the Scott eVest Version Three.0 Fine-Tex System ($200; with fleece liner, $310). This waterproof jacket could pass for another sporty piece of outerwear, but its inner universe puts the eVest in a niche of its own. I loaded mine with all manner of matter, hi-tech and low: cellphone, PDA, MP3 player, digital camera, extra batteries, sunglasses, keys, water bottle, and emergency rations (okay, a mini bag of Doritos). Even with all that gear in place, the eVest still looked, and felt, good. (The eVest line begins with the $50 Windshirt and ends with the $450 Limited Edition Leather.) Zip off the sleeves, and you have a high-capacity vest. The eVest's PAN (Personal Area Network) lets you string wire through the jacket's lining for strangle-free cable management. With more than 40 pockets and 36 zippers, about the only thing the Scott eVest can't hold is the kitchen sink. Maybe. www.scottevest.com, 866-909-8378