Can someone tell me why Canon chose such a dumb design for the Powershot TX-1? Obviously borrowed from camcorders, the TX-1 is downright awkward to use. CNET agrees-

"If you absolutely have to have a combo still camera/720p HD camcorder, the Canon PowerShot TX-1 is probably the best bang for the buck. Its two serious competitors, the Sanyo Xacti HD2 and Panasonic SDR-S150 both cost significantly more, and in the case of the Sanyo, you get lower quality video and stills but a more comfortable-to-use design. Ultimately, you’re still better off buying separate video and still cameras, though maybe someday combo devices like this will reach a point when they’ll make sense for the casual vacation shooter. Despite all that, we do have to commend Canon for having the guts to push ahead with an experimental product like the TX-1. "

Canon PowerShot TX-1 7.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom