I was very surprised that this camera actually performs fairly well. While there are limited options for manual functionality, it does what it needs to do taking photos. For the casual photographer, does everything you want it to do. It can also be a good companion to a DSLR as well.
The camera's option to support SD & Memory Stick is a great option. No longer do you have to be tied to proprietary Sony MS. This is definitely a step forward.
On with the camera itself, I found that it does not fair well with the flip the lid and take the shot movement. It takes time to startup and focus. This camera takes quite a bit of time to focus on an image.
The preset functions built in are very useful. Different useful modes do tailor to many daily activities. The iSweep, is great for a quick panoramic shot. The superior auto mode along with other preset modes takes several shots and merges them on the camera to produce a better image.
The movie mode is pretty good on the camera. While not as functional as a true video capturing device, this camera does the job at high quality. The ability to take stills, zoom, while recording is a cool feature. I dislike the fact that the camera needs to be in standby mode for a few seconds before recording can begin.
The 3D function is probably gimic'y and requires a 3D tv to view the content. Thus it was useless.
The waterproof feature has yet to be tested. The shockproof wasn't so bad, the camera was dropped, got nicked but still functions properly.