Sony Cyber Shot DSC HX5V and DSC TX7  CES 2010

LAS VEGAS -- With a handful of new Cyber-shot camera announcements at CES 2010 today, Sony became the first company to offer TransferJet-capable devices for wireless peer-to-peer sharing between cameras, laptops, and other devices.

The new Cyber-shots are also the first Sony point-and-shoot cameras to (finally) support SD and SDHC cards; today's announced models all offer hybrid storage-card slots that can handle both SD/SDHC and Sony's proprietary Memory Stick format.

Other notable features include full HD video capture in AVCHD format, an improved Sweep Panorama mode, an in-camera high-dynamic range mode, and geotagging capabilities.

TransferJet Wireless Sharing
The Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V and Cyber-shot DSC-TX7 are the first TransferJet-enabled cameras. TransferJet is a proximity-based, wireless technology that transfers images, video, and other files between compatible devices when you simply hold the gadgets about an inch apart.

From there, the technology creates a link between the compatible devices and allows you to transfer files. It's fast, too: TransferJet supports peer-to-peer file sharing at speeds around 375 megabits per second. Unlike the lower-bandwidth Bluetooth, no device pairing is necessary.

Users will need a TransferJet-capable Memory Stick card to transfer files wirelessly. Though Sony developed the TransferJet technology, the company is just one of several members of the TransferJet Consortium; the group includes companies such as Canon, Casio, Kodak, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, and Samsung.

TransferJet-capable Memory Sticks, available sometime in January, will sell separately for about $100.