This thing fits in the palm of your hand and absolutely defines cute. With Mickey or Minnie Mouse on the case, it is definitely set to please. The camera packs a surprising number of features, such as adjustable picture resolution, and works with a free editing app. We found it at Walmart and online at B&H Photo.

Though the $60 price seems reasonable for a cute camera like this, there is a catch to it. Since it only connects to the iPad, which costs around $500, it’s really a $560 camera. One critic pointed out that you can get good digital cameras for $100, and you could give that to a child or young person and they would be able to plug it into almost any device to unload and view the photos. So to use the new Disney Camera you should already have an iPad, or at least be on the verge of buying one.

By the way, needing the right connector to plug into the iPad can be gotten around by buying a $30 “Camera Connection Kit” from the Apple store. This lets you transfer photos from almost any digital camera.

But back to the camera … The free Disney Pix editing software that you download at the iTunes app store lets you add Donald Duck and other Disney characters to your photos, as well as Disney photo frames and other fun stuff. Photo editing is easy but basic: you can flip the image or crop it. We loved it.  The app can be used with any photos.

A recent press release drew a lot of attention from some people when it claimed a new cartridge let old cameras take digital pictures. You just put the cartridge into the compartment where you would normally put a roll of film, the release claimed, and the camera would be able to take digital pictures.

A number of high-tech blogging sites as well as Popular Science magazine went into a tizzy over this device, labeled the “RE-35” and wrote it up as a major breakthrough. Unfortunately for them, it was an April Fool’s joke. We went to RE35.net to find out more. Turns out a German design company, Rogge & Pott, created the RE35 as an exercise. The designers say the huge response they got shows there’s a lot of interest. With demand like this, they are “looking into the possibilities” of actually building it. (Don’t hold your breath on this.)

Sony Bloggie Cam

Cisco has killed the Flip, the first of the cheap and super-easy to use video cameras. They bought it from the original maker for $590 million in 2009 and are now chucking it over the fence.

That’s too bad. The cameras worked great and we bought two of them, back in the days before Cisco took over. Cisco’s problem, we guess, is that design of the Flip made so much sense that a lot of makers have now jumped into the field. One of those is Sony, which offers the “Bloggie,” for $150 at SonyStyle.com. Looks a lot like the Flip but has better resolution and more features. It won an “editor’s choice” award from PC Magazine.

The Bloggie has a touch screen and can record four hours of high definition video. The touch screen has choice buttons, like an iPhone, which lets you move through viewing your shots and post to FaceBook, editing with Picasa, etc. Like the Flip, it has a little arm that springs out when you push a release button. Plug the arm into your computer’s USB port and the software starts up, making it easy to transfer videos and photos to your computer for editing and uploading. Some users wish it had flash, but a small flash has very limited use for a video camera. Some users complained of a weird clicking noise during playback, didn’t like the tech support and said they’d rather have the old Flip camera. Most user reviews were favorable, however.

The start-up visa is only offered to those living abroad who can raise $100,000 from a “qualified” U.S. investor. That’s someone who has invested at least $50,000 three years in a row. Immigrants already living in the U.S. can also get a startup visa if they raise $20,000 and meet one of two conditions: 1) They have an employer-sponsored H-1B visa, or 2) They’re a recent graduate from a U.S. university in math or science and have an annual income of at least $60,000.

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The 10.1-inch Motorola Xoom (which will be out February 17 and cost $700 – $800) is one of these and got the most attention at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this January because of its fast dual-core processor. It’s compatible with the fastest 4G cellular network, has front and back facing cameras for video chatting, and an HDMI-out port for connecting the tablet to a big-screen TV. Four tablets from Asus also got a lot of attention. We like the look of the Asus Slider, with its slide-out keyboard and the Transformer, with its docking station. Tablet prices will be all over the map, some similar to the iPad, some half as much, most using the Google Android operating system.

There are a lot of interesting new cameras announced for release in the next few months. Polaroid will offer sunglasses with a built-in camera. Other makers have video cameras built into goggles. We like the looks of the Casio Tryx. It has a handle that can double as a tripod or a hanger, so it can stand upright or be suspended from a nearby hook or tree. It has a 21-milimeter wide-angle lens and a 12.1 megapixel sensor; it captures still or video.

Photo by Josh Miller, CNET

About 50 iPad rivals were on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The 10.1-inch Motorola Xoom tablet got CNET’s “Best of Show” because of its fast dual-core processor, compatibility with the fastest 4G cellular network, its front-and-back facing cameras for video chatting, and its HDMI-out port, for connecting the tablet to a big-screen TV.

Acer Tablets in 3 sizes

The latest tablets from Acer will come in three sizes:4.8-inch, 7.1-inch and 10.1. All will use Honeycomb, the latest version of Android.

CES also displayed a lot of cameras, from the Polaroid sunglasses with built-in camera worn by Lady Gaga at the show to video cameras contained in goggles. We liked the Casio Tryx. It has a handle that can double as a tripod or a hanger, so it needs no help to stand up or hang from a nearby tree. It has an ultra-wide 21 milimeter lens and a 12.1 megapixel sensor, and also captures video.

Casio Tyrx

A wide-angle lens would fix that, and Microsoft just came out with their “1080p LifeCam Studio” webcam. This is an accessory for laptop or desktop computers. The wide angle lens cuts down the need to shift positions to get in the picture. The camera swivels full circle, allowing you to also get the folks behind the computer. A sensitive microphone picks up everyone’s comments. You can use the camera with Skype, AOL or Yahoo Instant Messenger, but they’re pushing you to try Microsoft Live Messenger, which takes advantage of the high definition video quality. It will be available later this month from BestBuy stores or can be pre-ordered at the Microsoft website for $100.

We’re big fans of the Flip, which starts at $150, but if you like a wide-angle lens, the third generation Vado HD from Creative Technology lists for $230 but we saw it for $98 at their own website.  A wide-angle lens means you get more of the scene when you snap the picture.

Unlike the Kodak, the Vado doesn’t have removable storage. Its built-in memory records up to four hours of high definition video or eight hours at lower resolution. It takes excellent video in low light. You can post your videos directly to YouTube, Photobucket or Box.net with the built-in software.

The new Flip SlideHD, which has become the best-selling brand in this category, also holds four hours of ultra high definition video or 12 hours of regular video, but sells for $280 from theflip.com.