You are absolutely right about UGLY direct flash and how bouncing flash can product lovely light. Not everyone can afford an external flash with a tilting head for bouncing, though, and not all situations lend themselves to available light.

I thought you and your readers would like to know about Professor Kobre’s Lightscoop, a device that BOUNCES the POP-UP flash — http://www.lightscoop.com.

Full disclosure here… I’m Professor Kobre’s wife, but you can see the lovely pictures ordinary people are making with the Lightscoop on the Lightscoop Users Group on Flickr, http://www.flickr.com/groups/lightscoop_user/pool/.

And, FYI, Adorama has the Lightscoop on sale right now…