What exactly is a Wi-Fi digicam, and why should I buy one?

Three companies have so far released consumer-oriented digital cameras with Wi-Fi: Kodak, Canon and Nikon. All let you transfer pictures via Wi-Fi to a computer or printer, eliminating the needs for USB cables. Some do considerably more. Nikon's CoolPix S6 is a pocketable, slim 6-megapixel camera with a 3X optical zoom. It joins the earlier Wi-Fi-equipped 8MP CoolPix P1 and 5MP CoolPix P2, which are standard-size models. You can print to either a printer connected to your Wi-Fi network, or to a Wi-Fi-enabled printer directly. Nikon sells a $50 USB Wi-Fi adapter for PictBridge printers that will work with the camera. Another interesting feature in the three Nikon Wi-Fi cams is the ability to send pictures to your computer as you take them, bypassing your memory card altogether.

Canon's new Wi-Fi digicam, the PowerShot SD430 Digital Elph Wireless is a compact 5MP, 3X optical zoom camera. In addition to transferring pictures wirelessly to computers and printers, the PowerShot is getting a firmware upgrade that will allow it to share pictures between cameras via Wi-Fi, and the SD430 allows direct saving of images to a connected computer while shooting, similarly to the CoolPixes. But its real claim to wireless fame is the ability to control the camera remotely over a Wi-Fi network with the Canon software, a feature we've not seen on any other consumer wireless digicam. You can preview your shots on your computer screen, and even zoom in and out. A USB Wi-Fi adapter for PictBridge printers is included free with the camera.

Kodak will ship the second generation of its EasyShare-one Wi-Fi camera this summer. Unlike the Canon and Nikon models, which only allow connections to home and office networks without login requirements, the EasyShare-one can connect at T-Mobile hotspots and send pictures via email, or upload them to the Web, no computer needed. This makes it a great travel companion. The new EasyShare-one 6MP will work at many more hotspot locations, not just T-Mobile's, and will sell for $299, plus $99 for the optional Wi-Fi card, which is $200 less than the original 4MP EasyShare-one.