Although it isn’t the smallest of the lot, it’s still fairly trim, and you can handle it without feeling weighed down by bulk. Its operation is simple. I’m someone who doesn’t like to look right away at the user’s manual for a new device because I want to figure things out for myself. Fortunately enough, the XR520E won’t make you go bonkers for doing this, as it’s very user-friendly.

What’s more, it has an “Easy Handycam” operation, allowing you to set basic options such as changing the size of an image or 
deleting things.

Its 3.2-inch” LCD panel is impressive. The XR520E has a touch screen interface, and the functions on it are easy to learn. It rotates up to 180 degrees upward (conveniently allowing you to take narcissistic shots of yourself) and 90 degrees downward.

If you’re a trigger-happy shooter who seems to forget about storage capacity, you may not have to think about that. The XR520E gives you 240 gigabytes of space, so go ahead and pull the trigger.

Don’t worry about blurry images while shooting because the XR520E can immediately fix your focus. At 12.1 megapixels, it zooms in well, giving you clear shots even at the maximum 12x optical, 150x digital, zoom distance. Use responsibly, folks.

And it has a built-in GPS receiver. Acquiring your location information enables you to use functions such as the Map Index. You won’t get lost.

The XR520E is supplied with Picture Motion Browser software, or PMB, which allows you to use the Easy PC Back-up function. The software lets you import files to a computer, view or edit stored stuff, create a disc, and upload your movies and photos on to the Web. Don’t fret if PMB isn’t supported by Macs, because Sony has a Web page to guide you through.

Another neat feature is the One Touch Disc Burn, which easily transfers your files on to your Blu-ray, HD DVD and DVD media. Just place an empty disc in your drive, plug in your XR520E, press the One Touch Disc Burn button, and you’re ready to go (after a few on-screen instructions).

alvin@khaleejtimes.com