In Brief

By Anita Hamilton

NOT JUST FOR KIDS Until now, cute digital cameras have been playthings for children who don't mind jaggy snaps. Now Samsung's SDC-80, due out in March, combines style with substance. Available in translucent blue, green, orange and white, this $299 point-and-click sports a respectable 1024 x 768 resolution and stores pictures on removable smart media cards. And that bulb on top? No, it's not a mushroom; it's a removable flash.

NO MORE SQUINTING You've got a comfy desk chair, your favorite ballpoint pens and a killer mouse pad. So why not get the boss to spring for a classy desk light too? The Canopy Light from Steelcase ($350) uses a new, slimmer type of fluorescent bulb that illuminates up to twice as much space as a typical task light. Its newly designed, compact optic system makes its bulb about a third narrower than a typical fluorescent light while still providing the same energy-saving benefits. Available in 2-, 3- or 4-ft.-long models, the dimmable light can also be mounted on cubicle walls.

HAGGLE-FREE DEALS If online auctions leave you cold, why not try swapping instead? At INTELLIBARTER.COM, members list everything from used CDs to elegant evening gowns in the hope that someone will offer them a desirable trade. You can read the listings for free, but in order to get a person's contact information, you must pay 35[cents] to 50[cents], using virtual "tokens" you buy on the site. A rival site, MRSWAP.COM, launches early next month. Look out, eBay.

--By Anita Hamilton