Somehow I missed this accessory when I posted the new TX1 and WX1 cameras from Sony last night. How could I… well, let me check. Nope… nope, this was not in the press release I got. Very funny, Sony. I know we give the PS3 a lot of flak but that’s pretty cold of you.

So the accessory is the Party-shot IPT-DS1. It’s a little dock that you put your TX1 or WX1 on, which then spins, tilts, and automatically zooms the camera to take pictures of everyone around it — and only when they’re smiling. Now that’s something I think I can get behind, even though I mentioned smile shutter as being one of the eight features point-and-shoots need to lose.

I don’t want smile shutter because I can tell when people are smiling. But for a totally automated little gadget like this, smile shutter is the perfect feature. If I’m not behind the lens, I’d like the camera to be exerting at least a little caution in when it shoots. If this Party-shot contraption actually works, it’ll be great. No info on pricing from what I saw at the European press release. We’ll keep you posted, even if it turns out to be Europe-only for whatever reason. We have readers there too, believe it or not!

[via i4u]