Our better models have USB, which is faster than serial. Some people use flash media readers. Optical zoom actually gets a closer shot, while digital zoom essentially just crops an image tighter. There's 3x optical zoom, plus up to 9x digital. But shots can get muddy at maximum zoom.
Interpolation adds pixels to an image, making it easier to enlarge.
But it doesn't make the image sharper. It's got interpolation if you need it, but its real strength is its high true resolution. Many deluxe cameras offer perks like audio tags for your pictures, or very limited video capability. Yes, it has these extras, but if that's your main interest, check out digital video cameras instead. Choosing the perfect digital camera doesn't have to be a chore, even if you're the kind of person who always gets your thumb in the way on those rare occasions when you remember to take off the lens cap in the first place.