Robot Reviews

If you're the type who constantly smiles when drunk, better be careful when this robot's invited to the party, for not even the dim light can hide you from it.

Nope, this machine's not a gun-happy Terminator; au contraire, you'll find it happily snapping pictures wherever the mood brightens up in a room. The Sony Party-shot IPT-DS1 is a camera docking station that pans, tilts, and then automatically shoots using Face Detection and Smile Shutter features - perfect for candid shots, don't you think?

That means, you just need to load it with a compatible digicam, and it'll take care of the rest. Right now, only the equally new DSC-WX1 and DSC-TX1 can be attached to it.

Both the DSC-WX1 and DSC-TX1 are equipped with the Exmor R, a back-illuminated CMOS sensor that allows for low-light shooting. The Exmor R is also capable of antimotion blur multishot modes. Thus, combined with the Party-shot, these digital cameras can capture smiling faces without the aid of a flash, a tripod, or even a human photographer.

With just 2 AA batteries, the IPT-DS1 can already last a full 11 hours, and virtually forever when attached to an AC adapter. That's more than enough time to capture a good collection of memories ... or evidence. 

Lest you want your wife to catch you having fun at a time when you were supposed to be working late, be wary when you may end up in a condition you wouldn't consider Facebook material whenever this robot's around.