Casio's new EX-Z9 budget shooter is pretty in pink (and orange)

The two most exciting things about Casio's new EX-Z9 announced last week are the pink and orange body-color options (it also comes in black and silver) and its low-low $159 price. But while the 8.1-megapixel budget shooter doesn't really bring any new features to the table, it's a solid offering that sports a 37.5 to 112.5mm-equivalent f/2.8-5.2 lens and a roomy 2.6-inch LCD (but no optical viewfinder), and includes the ease-of-use-oriented feature set that we've come to expect from Exilim point-and-shoots. If you snag one of these for a less technically inclined friend or family member, you'll really appreciate the Easy Mode that simplifies the interface and settings (to minimize those "how do I..." phone calls you end up getting). Other convenient features include face detection, anti-shake, and 23 easy-to-use scene modes. Casio's YouTube Capture mode even lets you record videos and upload them to YouTube in just three steps. The camera is slated to ship later this month.