Canon DW-100 portable DVD recorder saves the day

So you're at a wedding. You've filmed the joyous day, in all it's rain-lashed tears-specked glory, on your new camcorder. You've fended off the uncles who want to play with it, and made it home. Now you have to transfer your footage to PC, burn it to DVD and fork out for fifty padded envelopes to send to every Cousin Tom, Uncle Dick and Auntie Harry. Or you could get the Canon DW-100 DVD recorder.

The DW-100 connects directly to your camcorder, for easy transfer of camcorder footage direct to DVD. A quick bit of in-camera editing while the best man makes his inappropriately revealing speech, and you're ready to start handing out DVDs by the time the toasts come round -- in theory anyway, as there's no word on burn speeds yet.

It works with MPEG-2 standard-definition video, and AVCHD for all you posh high-definition types. That means those third cousins you never knew you had can watch it on their Blu-ray-playing PS3s.

The DW-100 also hooks up with your PC or Mac via USB. Where it may well come into its own is when used with flash-based HD camcorders like the Panasonic DMC-SD5, which goes through memory like a bridesmaid through wedding cake. No word on price yet either, but the Canon DW-100 will be available in Japan in March 2008. -Rich Trenholm