Amazon Offers New Digital Photo Service; Cue Cat Device Scans and Surfs

Amazon offers a service that lets you upload pictures to a special Web site from which your friends and relatives can order photographic prints.

Although more expensive than film cameras, digital models are the rage. But renowned photo-pro Roger Ressmeyer says digital cameras save the cost of film and prints.

With a digital camera, you can shoot pictures quickly, studying them instantly and deleting the ones you do not like.

For large prints, film cameras still rule. They have considerably more resolution, but digital cameras are closing the resolution gap. 'Cue Cat' Sniffs Out Web Sites Using Bar CodesACue Catmay be arriving in your mailbox in the near future. The device is a bar-code reader that links codes to Web sites.

With Cue Cat attached to your computer, you can scan almost any kind of bar code, and your computer will take you to a related Web site. For instance, we scanned a Coke can and Cue Cat took us to the Coca-Cola Web site.

Some publications are using the codes to link up stories, and companies are beginning to use bar codes in print ads for use with Cue Cat.

Companies can offer customers special deals with the codes, and Web surfers can navigate the Internet without having to guess addresses.

The device also works with your TV set. Activated by a tone, it automatically brings up Web sites related to the program or TV channel.

You can order the free Cue Cat from theirWeb siteor pick one up at a Radio Shack dealer.