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Vivitar Tries To Sell Its Last Film Cameras To The Aged

Posted: 18 Sep 2010 02:57 AM PDT

It’s a stinking world cause there’s no film cameras any more. It’s a stinking world because it lets the young get on to the old like you’ve done with your photos stuck on computers and printers that are hard to use. Oh, it’s no world for an old man any longer. What kind of a world is it at all? Men on the moon and men spinning around the earth and there’s not no attention paid to going to Drug Emporium to pick up your photos no more. Oh dear dear land I fought for thee.

via BB


Intel Promises To “Avail” Itself Of Lawsuit “Remedies” For HDCP Crackers

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 06:00 PM PDT


Intel intimated in somewhat disturbing understatement today that they and everyone else would be suing the pants off anyone who dares to make a HDMI/HDCP encryption workaround device. Listen to this:

There are laws to protect both the intellectual property involved as well as the content that is created and owned by the content providers. Should a circumvention device be created using this information, we and others would avail ourselves, as appropriate, of those remedies.

Sounds like a threat John Grisham might have made. Plainly, they mean business, and as the HDCP master key appears to be legitimate, the threat is real enough for them to respond in this way.

I wonder, though, whether it would stand up in court? It comes down to whether it is possible to use this key legally — not an easy matter to settle. I also expect it won’t be long before we see the first hardware running code to intercept and record the HDMI signal. The cat is out of the bag. Can Intel revise the standard? Can they sue a hardware maker for creating something that might be used in an illegal act? Seems like if you own the content and you don’t modify it, but simply circumvent a non-material part of it… but I am not a lawyer. I’ll leave this to people who actually study this stuff.

Stay tuned, folks. It’s going to get interesting.

[via Wired Threat Level]

A Stocking Stuffer For The Wooden Robot Fan In Your Life

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 05:30 PM PDT


These little wood and magnet “Mr. Cube” robots are so cute, they should have called them Mr. Cute. Am I right or am I right?! Okay, stop looking at me like that. But they are neat little things, and a designer or toy fiend in your life might be delighted to find one on his or her desk one day. Too bad there are no plans to sell them just yet.

Back To School: Cameras For Campus

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 05:00 PM PDT


There will be many times you will want to remember during your years at college, and many you will be unable to remember. In both cases you’ll be glad to have taken pictures, though you may wish to keep them off Facebook. And of course there is the whole question of what you’re going to take these pictures with. Well, there’s no shortage of cameras to choose from, but depending on budget and your photographic aspirations, we can probably narrow it down a bit.

Broke or Don’t Care

Phone camera with a flash

This is kind of a cop-out suggestion, but if you can’t afford or don’t want a separate “real” camera, you’re actually not in a bad position. Many phones these days come with cameras better than the one I went through college with. Take a look at the selection and pick one with at least four or five megapixels and a LED flash. The iPhone 4, of course, takes pretty great pictures, and so do most of the higher-end smartphones. It’s certainly better than having nothing at all.

Any low-end Canon Powershot or Nikon Coolpix

Here’s a great thing you can do these days: pick an amount of money — any amount. Say $150. For under that price you can get a great camera that shoots HD video, takes pictures over 10 megapixels, and if you stick with the major brands, probably even has some decent glass. I don’t want to advise too much on this option; just go to your local camera store with $150 in cash, or spend a little time on Amazon or Adorama sorting through the options; a great camera will catch your eye within a few minutes and chances are it’s going to be more than you’ll ever need for snapshots, trips, and so on.

Cameras other people will wish they’d bought

Casio Exilim EX-FC150

I’ve never had anything but good things to say about Casio’s versatile Exilim FC series. The FC150 is the latest in the line, though you can still find FC100s on the market. These things take great pictures, solid HD video, have a ton of interesting modes for messing around with, and most important of all, shoot amazing super-slow-motion video that you and your friends will have a blast with, guaranteed. $270 is a fair amount of money, but believe me, it’s worth it.

Casio EX-G1

Yes, another Casio. No, I’m not on the take. They just have great mid-budget compact cameras. The EX-G1 was my pick for the rugged camera roundup we did a while back; its MSRP was $300 but you can get one for under $200 now. The best reason to get one of these is that it’s both compact and totally rugged. This thing will last through all the trips you take, all the parties you go to, all the times you drop your bag, and so on. It’s only about as versatile as your average camera, but it makes up for it with being reliable and cool-looking.

Future BFA

Nikon Coolpix P7000

This monster camera was released just a few days ago, and seems to be more or less all-around superior to the similar (and even newer) Canon G12. It’s a great way to get into learning about manual settings and such, without worrying about lenses or bulky camera bodies, and of course it’ll take great pictures like any point and shoot if you want it to. $500 is a lot for a single-lens camera, but (and I’m saying this as an avid Canon man) this is probably one of the very best out there.

Canon T2i

If you’re at all interested in getting into serious photography or video work, the T2i is a fantastic place to start. Not only is it (like many other consumer DSLRs like the K-r and D3100) a fantastic still camera with a huge selection of lenses, but it also (unlike other cameras) gives you a number of video options and, while still limited, is far more fun to use than even the best consumer camcorders out there. You’ll feel like a cinematographer in no time, and all your friends will want to borrow it. The body-only kit will run you a touch over $700, though, so you have to really want it.

Wild Card:Micro Four Thirds

This emerging standard doesn’t exactly have any stand-out cameras yet, and also no one is a clear leader in lenses. But the compact mirrorless interchangeable lens camera is a compelling and powerful alternative… if you feel like taking a leap of faith. Personally, I’d wait until CES in January, where we will almost certainly hear about some improvements to this nascent format.

Don’t forget that no matter what camera you get, you’ll need to know how best to shoot it. OK Cupid of all sites just dropped some knowledge bombs on this topic, but keep an eye out for our Photography Week coming up for all kinds of tips, accessories, and other good stuff you might want to have on hand.

The fact is, though, that you really can’t get a bad camera these days; the technology has advanced far enough in the last decade that almost every camera is far more than you need for basic stuff, and for a few dollars more you can get something that would have cost thousands back in the day.

And if your favorite camera isn’t listed, I want you to take a deep breath… in…. and now make a fist and scream as loud as you can. Doesn’t that feel good? Do you still feel the need to flame me? Oh, all right, go ahead.

See the rest of our Back To School 2010 coverage right here!

Is the Nikon Q the next EVIL camera?

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 04:41 PM PDT

There’s been some interesting noises coming out of Photokina in the form of some leaked photos that were sent to Nikon Rumors. There’s not much to the photos, just some phone camera shots of what closely resembles the lens mount of the new EVIL camera that Nikon has patented. Could we be seeing a micro 4/3rd’s from Nikon next week?

C’mon People, It’s Not Rocket Science – Don’t Kindle And Drive

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 03:30 PM PDT

I’m going to keep this one short. Don’t Kindle and drive. A TriMet bus driver in Portland Oregon (yay Portland! My home town!) got busted by a rider who filmed him reading a Kindle while driving through a really dangerous stretch of freeway. As someone who used to ride TriMet, I’m not really surprised..

[via Techflash]

How Nice! IGN Gives Indie Developers Free Coffee And Facilities

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 03:00 PM PDT

It’s not quite breaking news, but this is something I never thought I’d read. IGN, corporate games and entertainment giant, is extending the olive bough, or peace pipe, or hand of friendship or whatever, to indie game developers in a pretty serious way. They’re offering them free access to IGN offices, conference rooms, kitchens, and staff — no obligation, no money changes hands. The obvious question is “what’s the catch?” But amazingly, there doesn’t seem to be one.

Well, actually, there is a catch — it’s just a really minor one. You’re working in the IGN offices. There’s no obligation, but of course while the indie guys may have access to IGN, IGN also has access to the indie guys. Working on stuff informally, going to lunch, talking about this and that — it’s a great incubator, and IGN is right not to demand anything for it.

And what can the cost really be? A little more coffee, maybe a slush fund for taking these guys out to lunch every once in a while… I doubt it would amount to more than a couple hundred bucks a month. I think this is win-win.

By the way, if you guys are looking for a good indie game to play, try Hero Core. I just finished it, was addicted for several days.

[via TG Daily]

Nokia Turns Any Display Into A Touchscreen With “Plug And Touch”

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 02:45 PM PDT

I was prepared to be really disappointed by this video, but it actually looks kind of awesome. Basically you set up your Nokia N8 about five feet from any TV or display it can plug into via HDMI, and it uses its little camera to track your hands and turn the whole thing into a touchable surface. Brilliant! Well — maybe not brilliant, but certainly a cool feature.

They call it Plug and Touch, which sounds vaguely… vulgar.

Continue reading…

Cute Video Of Cargo Bikes In Copenhagen

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 02:30 PM PDT


This video really makes me want to visit Denmark, and maybe take a side trip up to Stockholm and Helsinki. I bet they have cargo bikes there, too. These things remind me of the ubiquitous tuk-tuks of east Asia and the autorickshaws in India. Wholly different types of transportation, so common there that they don’t think twice about it, but so uncommon here in the USA that they’re oddities.

I’m not sure these would work so well in Seattle. Lots of rain plus lots of hills equals soggy kids and groceries spilling out all over the place.

[via Treehugger]

Leica To Unveil EVIL Camera On Monday?

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 02:00 PM PDT


Leica rumors are usually pretty subdued, since the company doesn’t exactly make consumer cameras. But if they’re getting on the EVIL train, that’s worth shouting from the rooftops. That seems to be what is indicated by these mysterious stamps on invitations to an event on Monday; the form factor recalls earlier rumors of a mirrorless, interchangeable lens camera to be announced at Photokina.

With a rumored price of €3200 for this thing, Leica isn’t aiming for the masses, and of course it would be suicide to do so. But I’ll wait for the actual photographic tests before considering this thing worth ten times the price of its competitors.

[via Leica Rumors]

Capcom Fight Club Heads To Chicago, Brings Marvel vs. Capcom 3 With It

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 01:00 PM PDT

Chicago, the city made famous by Molly’s Cupcakes and their Ron Bennington’s Got His Own Cupcake cupcake, will have its very own Capcom Fight Club event next week. It’s on Wednesday, September 22, from 8-11pm. If you’re one of the first 300 folks to arrive you will walk away with swag of some sort. And if you’re one of the first 100 people, well, then apparently you get super-duper swag.

Oh, and bonus: you’ll get to play Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds while you’re there.

And where is "there," exactly?

437 N Wolcott Ave
Chicargo, IL 60622

Could be a fun evening.


And Why Shouldn’t I Build A Wii Balance Board Into My Sneakers?

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:30 PM PDT


Here’s a weird project. Instead of using a Wii Balance Board to play those Wii Fitness and such games, disassemble the hardware and stuff it into a pair of perfectly good Nikes. I’m not sure it’s entirely practical in this case, but my gadget-sense seems to think that sensor-equipped shoes will be coming with games some time in the near future. They won’t have tentacles you have to attach to your waist, though.

[via Inhabitat and Make]

HP Gets Into The Pocket Cam Game With The V5020u

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:03 PM PDT


What’s there to say? It’s a pocket cam.

It does 1080p, has a 2″ LCD on the back, and records mediocre video video to an SDHC card. So far, so like every other one out there, but the HP has a couple tricks up its sleeve. It’s got a gyro for image stabilization, which is “handy” with these light cameras that can’t seem to sit still when you’re shooting. It’s also got a motion detection feature, which I assume starts to take video when something crosses its path.

It’ll cost $159 and should be available in October.

Apple Is Now Selling Refurbished iPads For $449

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 11:38 AM PDT

Do you absolutely have to have an iPad but can just can’t seem to scrounge up $500? Good news, friend! Apple is now selling refurbished iPads for $50 under their retail price. That’s right, you can now snag a previously used and abused iPad starting at $449. You even get free shipping. What a deal. </sarcasm >

Get Ready For Phantasy Star Online 2

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 10:30 AM PDT

And now, the best news you’ll see all day long: Sega has confirmed the development of Phantasy Star Online 2. This is cause for a celebration of some sort.

Right, so Sega confirmed the game at the Tokyo Games Show a few hours ago. It will be released for the PC in 2011. Well, in Japan at least. No North American dates have been announced.

The release will coincide with the 10 year anniversary of Phantasy Star Online, the DreamCast action/RPG that that introduced console gamers to the joys of online RPG-ing.

It was quite fun, till some jerk hacked a session I was in and stole my equipment.

Cut Your Apples And Bananas On This iPad Board

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 10:01 AM PDT

This clearly states that the iPad‘s form is so iconic that it trendsences traditional product barriers as it’s replicated in other fields. I fully expect to see cheap Android cutting board clones now. [myBrett via leetlady via technabob]

Are We Less Than 5 Years Away From Quantum Computing?

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 09:30 AM PDT

Are we actually looking at a viable quantum computer? Could be, amigos. A team of researchers from universities in the UK, Japan, Israel, and the Netherlands, have announced that they’ve come up with a method of quantum computing that works at everyday temperatures and pressures. No need to be just a few ticks above absolute zero, then.

The research, published in the journal Nature, could well change our lives forever. Complex computations done in the blink of an eye and all that! Look how excited Grig is over the news!

(I seem to remember, a few years ago, another such group claiming to have reached a similar quantum breakthrough. Nothing really came from it, though.)

Quantum computing would put the POWER~! of quantum mechanics to work. Here’s Michio Kaku, quite possibly the greatest man on the planet, talking about quantum computers. It’s a little over a year old, but the mechanics are sound.


CrunchDeals: Old, 160GB AppleTV for $149

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 08:32 AM PDT

Get thee to MacMall and pick up a 160GB AppleTV for $149. Don’t worry about not getting updates – just install XBMC and you’re golden.

Hop over here for the deal.
via MDN

Hands-on: Miniature LCOS Laser Picoprojector Is As Big As A Matchbox

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 08:25 AM PDT

This amazing little projector, OEMed by XDM, a part of Explay in Japan, is truly something to behold. Smaller than a matchbox – it’s about an inch on each side – it pumps out an unspeckled 14 lumens image in full color at about 800 pixels on the top side. It small enough to fit in the upper corner of almost any phone and the aperture is so tiny it’s almost unnoticeable. And guess what? XDM is making it smaller.

The rig they showed me was fairly bulky but they’re currently working on an ASIC controller chip that will reduce all of the circuitry to a few square centimeters. The are also working on a 20 lumens model as well as a smaller model that is half the size of the current system.

XDM will OEM these parts and they currently have a number of folks interested. Expect picoprojectors to really take off in the next few months as these hit market, especially considering you can stick these things into almost any device including cellphones, cameras, and laptops.

Product Page [Website is currently down]

Boxee Gains United Football League Live Streaming App

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 08:00 AM PDT

Boxee, the social network-y media center for Windows, Mac, and Linux, has a fancy new App that may interest you, particularly if you’re a sports fan. It allows you to watch live games of the United Football League right from within the Boxee software.

The league, which began last year, is made up of five teams, and is aimed at people who either A) just want more football in their life or B) want an alternative to the overproduced, extravagant NFL. Real, "bone-crushing football," if you will.

Raise your hand if this at all sounds like Vince McMahon’s XFL to you. That was quite literally the first thought that popped into my head. "Oh, boy, all I need to see is the word 'extreme' in there and we’re all set."

The games air (in HD, mind you) via the App at the same time they air on Versus or HDNet.

The first such game that will be streamed via the App will take place tomorrow evening at 11pm.

Neat if you’re a pigskin fan.


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