Michael Antonoff's blog

Separated at Birth was a popular column in the 1980s magazine, Spy, which paired photos of celebrities in uncanny ways. But people’s faces have no monopoly on similitude. A product may also bear a striking resemblance to something entirely unrelated. As you browse through the hundreds of thousands of items offered by B&H, it’s easy to imagine what might have motivated a particular product designer. Here are some suggestions, with the actual product on the left and its possible inspiration on the right.

Tip-offs that these are no ordinary TVs are the four USB ports and keypad/mouse combo remote. You've seen connected TVs before, even from Sony. But the new Sony Internet TV models let you navigate anywhere—not only to preselected sites. The four TVs and one Blu-ray player are future proof, too, thanks to downloadable firmware upgrades. Even Sony refers to these products as "Google TV."

Before analog TV broadcasting bit the dust, portable TVs were often seen at a tailgate party or picnic, on a beach blanket or in the backyard. With the switch to digital broadcasting, set owners may as well use them as doorstops. Now, outdoor viewing is back with portable DTVs. With a digital tuner, antenna and rechargeable battery, a portable LCD TV takes advantage of free DTV channels in the air.

Flip Video has unveiled its fall line of UltraHD and MinoHD (left) pocket camcorders. Most models now have built-in image stabilization and capture video at 720p/60 frames per second. The UltraHD 2-hour version (black or white) debuts the FlipPort, a proprietary connector that can be plugged into specially designed accessories including external microphones (wired or wireless) for audio pickup close to the subject and external batteries for extra power.

When is less more? When you remove an overlay that's causing excessive glare and diminished touch-screen responsiveness. Not only has Sony made its e-readers better by stripping away a millimeter of screen depth, it's now incorporating infrared sensors to detect finger position and execute commands.

A flat-panel TV can be so seductive that the buyer is blinded to the practicality of where to put it.  So, why not a multi-shelf A/V rack? Z-Line provides two types: tabletops (left) that lend support via the set's built-in pedestal, and rear risers that let you hang the set without breaching a wall. Z-Line forges metal frames and safety glass in sleek designs that enable your components to stand and deliver.

With manufacturers splitting their camcorders between ones sporting optical zoom lenses, memory card slots and removable batteries, and pocket models with digital zoom, internal memory and embedded batteries, Sony has expanded its choices in the latter category with the introduction of four Bloggie Touch cameras.