The rumor mill’s been churning out quite the picture of RIM's Blackberry tablet over the past several months, and it's a research analyst who's most recently picked up the brush — Ashok Kumar of Rodman & Renshaw, to be precise, who a…

High School students have sued the Lower Merion School District in Philadelphia for spying on them using their laptops’ built-in cameras. School administrator activated the webcams remotely and recorded students’ activities at home. Way to go, KGB-wannabe assclowns. Updated

The situation was discovered by the Robbins, when their kid was disciplined for “improper behavior in his home.” How could that be possible? The Vice Principal showed a photo as the evidence. A photo taken with the school-provided laptop webcam.

Update: Talking to Gizmodo, one of the students at the district says that they suspected this but the school tech support gave excuses. His Early 2008 MacBook’s camera light would turn on at random:

Frequently, the green lights next to our iSight webcams will turn on. The school district claims that this is just a glitch. We are all doubting this now.

He can’t access the Activity Monitor because he doesn’t have enough privileges, but he says the school uses Apple Remote Desktop.

Another student has confirmed this:

I questioned the IT guy about why it was happening he said that it was because people logged out when an application using the camera was on, he also stated that they could in fact go and look through your webcam it would just violate the fifth ammendment and that’s why they didn’t.

Today, their principal went on loudspeaker and said that all this was “not true.”

Sure, Mr. Principal, sure. If the lawsuit accusations are true, I hope they ground these slimy people forever. [Lawsuit via BoingBoing – Thanks Jason!]

Sadly, stories about police discrimination and the Tasering of 10-year old girls are frighteningly commonplace these days. Officers in San Jose, CA have a particularly bad reputation, which is one reason why they are being outfitted with head-mounted cameras.

The kit includes a camera, a control piece and a computer that hangs from the belt. Every time an officer interacts with a civilian, they are required to activate the AXON camera. Afterward, the officer can switch the camera to a “buffer” mode that records limited video, or turn it off completely. At the end of a shift, the video will be downloaded to a central server.

A leading critic of the department welcomed the cameras as a tool to provide useful evidence, but dismissed their significance as a solution to rocky police-community relations.

“The AXON project is unfortunately a positive thing right now because the level of distrust is so high,” said Raj Jayadev, director of the community organization Silicon Valley De-Bug. “But it doesn’t address the more fundamental problem: What stereotypes police may carry when they see people of color on the street and make assumptions about character.

Since an officer can simply turn off the device at anytime, I don’t think AXON will put an end to police abuse. However, keeping a record of these interactions can do nothing but help the evidence gathering process. Trials financed by Taser are currently underway, but reports estimate that a full-fledged deployment in the San Jose area would cost upwards of $4 million in taxpayer money. [Mercury News via Crunchgear]

Mark Goldstein is the Editor of Photography Blog. And he’s been so kind as provide us with his favorite point and shoot picks in every key category.

Best for lowlight

Canon PowerShot S90 ($400)

The camera of the moment, the popular PowerShot S90 is a small but perfectly formed compact for the keen photographer. Concentrating on image quality rather than simply joining in the megapixel race (just like Sony’s TX1 / WX1 models), the S90 offers DSLR-like results in a pocketable device, making it the perfect second camera for any self-respecting DSLR owner. A sensible resolution of 10 megapixels and fast zoom lens make the S90 an excellent choice when the lighting drops. This is one camera that you carry everywhere and still achieve breath-taking photos that will look great on your wall. [Review]

Best bang for your buck

Samsung HZ15W ($250)

Samsung can always be relied upon to deliver more for less, and the HZ15W is certainly no different. The HZ15W can’t quite match every feature that its main rivals offer, but it does cost a lot less than them. With an amazingly versatile 10x zoom lens, high-definition video and a wealth of beginner-friendly modes, this well-designed camera is simple to use yet offers enough features and quality to satisfy more experienced photographers. The HZ15W could well be the only camera that you ever need. [Review]

Best video/still crossover

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 ($400)

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 is not only one of the best video compacts on the market, it’s also one of the best cameras full stop. Support for the AVCHD Lite format almost doubles the recording time, albeit at the expense of editing ease. The dedicated Record button, stereo microphone, wind cut function and audio sampling at 48kHz combine to make the TZ7 a star performer for moving images. It’s also a fantastic stills camera too, with an incredibly versatile 12x zoom and top-notch image quality – a great do-it-all, carry-everywhere device. [Review]

Best super slim model

Sony TX1 ($300)

Sony has long ruled the roost in the “it’s so slim you can barely see it” category, and the desirable TX1 continues that tradition. Combining a sturdy yet stylish metal body, clever sliding front plate and impressive folded lens optics in a frame that’s just 14.1mm thick, the TX1 still manages to pack in a 4x zoom lens and 3-inch touch-sensitive rear screen. You also get the added bonus of Sony’s impressive “Exmor R” back-illuminated CMOS image sensor, which greatly improves low-light performance. Available in a variety of attractive colors to match your personality, the TX1 is guaranteed to look as good as you. [Review]

Best wet and rugged

Pentax Optio W80 ($210)

Ed note: Brian Lam reviewed most every rugged camera under the sun last summer, and his favorite all around performer went to the Pentax W80, a Jack-of-all-trades rugged cam featuring a 5x internal zoom lens. Its picture quality doesn’t compete with the best point and shoots, and the W80 can only be dropped from around 3 feet, but it can go underwater up to 16 feet and function in temperatures down to 14 degrees. [Review]

There are obviously a lot of other great cameras this year for every budget and level of experience. See all of Photography Blog’s camera reviews here (http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/).

Mark Goldstein is the Editor of Photography Blog. Photography Blog has been independently reviewing cameras and reporting photography news since 2003.

Last year, Esquire shot Megan Fox in 3K resolution using the Red One. This year, they’re going to 5K (yes, 5K, meaning you can see her pores) for the Sexiest Woman Alive, using Red’s Epic. Here’s a (low res) taste:

We’ll have to wait another month for another teaser as they pull the slow reveal. Still, not a bad way to show off the Epic’s Mysterium-X sensor. [Esquire]