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As we said above, the NEX-F3 is replacing the C3 at the low end of the NEX lineup, which means it has some pretty big shoes to fill. The new model differs from the old in a few important ways. First off, it comes in three colors (black, white and silver) and the F3's grip has hit the gym, and now looks and feels like a cross between the grip found on the NEX-5 and NEX-7. That means the shutter button is on the downward sloping portion on top of the grip, as opposed to the top of the camera, and we found the new design to be a distinct improvement from its predecessor.

It was easier to maintain a solid hold on the F3 than on our own C3, plus the two-stage shutter button was in a more finger-friendly position, making it a joy to use. The power switch has stayed on top, separate from the shutter, and sports a new design that we didn't like as much as the toggle on our C3 -- the switch is oriented 90 degrees down from the C3's, which made it a bit awkward for us to operate with our thumb.In addition to the external changes, the F3 has picked up a new, 16.1-megapixel APS-C sensor that one-ups the C3's max 12,800 ISO with 16,000 ISO capabilities.

It can take 1920 x 1080 videos at 60fps interlaced or 24fps progressive, whereas the C3 can only shoot in 720p. Unlike the C3, the new NEX is compatible with Sony's OLED external viewfinder attachment, and comes with a 1.5-amp USB charger instead of a separate external battery charger (now sold separately). Unfortunately, the camera is unusable while it's juicing up, but because it's got the same cell as the C3, you can still use your old charger if you decide to upgrade. And, Sony claims that the F3 is much more efficient with electricity -- it can get 470 shots per charge, up from 400 in the C3.


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Kristen Stewart will talk about her childhood upbringing, her love of acting and her book preferences, but the notoriously private actress draws the line at a circle: The gold band that she wears on her index finger."Everyone wants to know," she tells the June issue of Elle of having to fend off suggestions that she and “Twilight” co-star Robert Pattinson are engaged. "Everyone knows already. It's ridiculous."It has long been rumored that Stewart, 22, boyfriend Pattinson, 26, are on the brink of tying the knot, but aside from referring to Pattinson as her "f—ing boyfriend," Stewart remains mum.

"Laurence Olivier was asked, 'Actors, what's the impulse? Why?' And he was like, 'Look at me, look at me, look at me ...' That was his answer," the actress told the magazine."But at the same time, it's like, 'Nooo, don't look at me. Look at some version that I'm going to present to you. Let me control it.'"The young actress, who will be seen next in "Snow White and the Huntsman" opposite Charlize Theron, says her separation of professional and personal life is deliberate.She chooses to act, she says, because she loves "living in different worlds" for a bit, and because her own real life isn't quite as exciting as she'd like.

"Maybe because my life is so perfect, when I see the other side of life, it just seems like, almost like I want ... You can learn so much from bad things."I feel boring," she concludes. "I feel like, Why is everything so easy for me? I can't wait for something crazy to f—ing happen to me. Just life."But that groundedness and refusal to blend her worlds is what will ensure that Stewart has longevity in Hollywood, Theron tells Elle."That's what I like about Kristen," she says. "All that fame and spotlight stuff is not her life. Her privacy is not going to be up for grabs. But man, because of that, she's going to be okay."


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Resorts and hotels on Boracay Island have been hit by cancellations of tourist bookings from China amid a standoff over Scarborough Shoal, now on its 33rd day, a tourism official said Sunday.The Chinese move has also prompted Air Philippines to suspend the thrice weekly charter flights between Kalibo, Aklan, and Beijing and Shanghai since Friday, according to Helen Catalbas, regional director of the Department of Tourism.Since Friday, bookings for at least 65 rooms in four hotels have been scrapped, Catalbas told the Inquirer in a telephone interview.

In Manila, President Benigno Aquino III's deputy spokesperson, Abigail Valte, played down the reported cancellations."It's not a travel ban. It's just an advisory which is normal when they feel that they have to give their citizens warning about a certain event," she said, referring to last Friday's street protests in Manila against the Chinese.She said in a radio interview that the Philippines was "de-escalating" the situation at Scarborough Shoal. "It's not helpful for any side to escalate tensions," she said.Catalbas said the canceled reservations were mostly group bookings for packages for two nights and three days stay or three nights and four days stay, she said.

"We hope this is going to be temporary and the dispute would be resolved through diplomatic means soon," she said.In a dispatch from Beijing last week, the Associated Press reported that China was suspending some tourism to the Philippines and had ordered tighter inspections on imported Philippine fruit, such as bananas, of which China is the single largest buyer.The reports followed Beijing's summoning of Manila's charge d'affaires three times, while retired and serving military officers have called for a limited military operation to shore up China's credibility on the matter—a potentially explosive move.


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WHAT TO do with an unwanted gift from North Korea? At the risk of upsetting the supreme leader, a retired Irish diplomat has sensibly decided to flog it.The man – a former official with the United Nations who, understandably, does not wish to be named – has decided to sell unwanted gifts he received during his international career.After decades living overseas, he is now "decluttering", according to fine art auctioneer Mealy's, which will sell the curios later this month.His diplomatic bag of swag includes a distinctly unglamorous canteen of "stainless steel and gilt cutlery" he was given during a visit to Pyongyang, the capital of the communist state. He was there on a mission-impossible to promote tourism.

The cutlery – designed for 12 place settings – is cased in a drab, faux-leather plastic and cardboard box.In return, the diplomat allegedly "delighted" his hosts by giving them "two cassette tapes of tenor Frank Patterson", which resulted in the North Korean officials learning to sing Danny Boy in English.Gift-giving is culturally important in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The country boasts a museum containing presents given by international leaders to the state's founding father and "eternal president", Kim Il-sung, and his successor and son, the late Kim Jong-il.

The diplomat reported visiting the museum, known as the International Friendship Exhibition, housed in "an underground building about as big as the Vatican".In addition to the display of "a whole train – a gift from Stalin", he spotted, in a corner of the museum, a cabinet full of Waterford Crystal sent by Irish socialists.The North Korean cutlery is to be subjected to the indignity of the capitalist free market when it is publicly auctioned, on May 29th, with an estimate of €200 to €300.Other unloved gifts going under the hammer include a tapestry rug presented to the diplomat by Chinese Communist Party authorities in Hunan province.


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Your options depend largely on what type of cork flooring you have and whether it was sealed by the manufacturer or installer. The flooring can be either natural or synthetic cork. Synthetic cork is generally sealed by the manufacturer and often has a coating of wax. Natural cork might be sealed by the installer, possibly with water-based polyurethane. If you know who installed the flooring or made it, you should try and find out what cleaning methods and sealant are recommended.If you can't track down the sealant type, I think the best bet is to consult an experienced flooring professional to examine the cork and do the cleaning and re-sealing. This time, ask questions and take notes so you can do it yourself when the floor becomes soiled again.

One thing you can do at this point is test for wax. Put a few drops of mineral spirits (paint thinner) on an inconspicuous area of the floor. Wait a few minutes and wipe the treated area with a clean, white rag; if the rag picks up a yellowish or brown stain, the floor has been waxed and the sealant choices are limited (polyurethane sealers will not adhere to wax). When you do get the floor cleaned and re-sealed, use area rugs to help protect high-traffic areas. Cork floors with a lot of surface damage can be sanded and refinished much like a hardwood floor, but this is definitely a job for an experienced floor refinisher.

There are a number of options for helping to prevent the sun's ultraviolet rays from fading carpets, floors and other indoor surfaces. The options include window films, drapes, awnings and so forth, but solar window screens have some unique advantages — including a possible reduction in cooling costs. The screens have a coarser weave than insect screens but serve that purpose also and are installed just like insect screens. According to Phifer, a leading manufacturer of solar screens, they can block up to 90percent of the sun's UV as well as reduce glare and heat gain into the building. The screens still allow ventilation and some visibility.


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