Ikea Cardboard Digital Camera Unveiled

Ikea Cardboard Digital Camera

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It appears that Ikea is set to offer its own reasonably-priced camera in the market and the camera is reportedly made out of cardboard. The furniture manufacturer from Sweden has included the Ikea cardboard digital camera in the press kits given to the participants of the Fuorisalone design expo that was held in Milan.

It would be a problem for the company to get the materials it would need to for the Ikea cardboard digital camera.

The reported Ikea cardboard digital camera will supposedly allow users to shoot forty pictures and it is powered using a pair of AA batteries. The disposable device will also come with a small integrated USB port.

Users can use a cutout on the Ikea cardboard digital camera as the viewfinder while the black button located in front of the device will serve as the power button of the device. When the camera will be ready for use, a green light will be seen near the viewfinder.

It is also possible to delete photos on the Ikea cardboard digital camera by using a paper clip on the reset button. The device was given the Knappa by Ikea. According to reports, the Ikea cardboard digital camera is set to be released into the market soon although it remains uncertain whether it will see an international release.

The Ikea cardboard digital camera will reportedly be given by the company to clients who acquire the environment-friendly line of furniture. A video trailer emerged last month that gives potential users how to use this rather unique digital camera.

Latest Rendering of EN-V 2.0 Mobility Concept Vehicle Unveiled

Chevrolet EN-V 2.0 Mobility Concept Vehicle

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A new concept vehicle was unveiled recently by Chevrolet which may help decongest traffic in megacities around the world. The latest rendering of the EN-V 2.0 Mobility Concept Vehicle made its first appearance during the Beijing Auto Show 2012.

The company also revealed that the EN-V 2.0 Mobility Concept Vehicle, which is an electric vehicle for two, will undergo its first tests in China.  The two-seater vehicle was designed by General Motors for the megacities around the world with the hope of reducing traffic, parking and pollution is these dense urban centers.

This was likely one of the reasons why China was selected to become the pilot location for the testing of the EN-V 2.0 Mobility Concept Vehicle will be tested. Beijing will likely be one of the cities where the vehicle will be tested.

The upcoming electric vehicle or Electric Networked Vehicle will be able to communicate with other similar vehicles. The EN-V 2.0 Mobility Concept Vehicle can also be driven by the manually or autonomously.

The latest rendering of the EN-V 2.0 Mobility Concept Vehicle does not appear to show any new modifications on the next generation electric vehicle with the exception of the solar panel found on the roof of the vehicle. According to General Motors the EN-V 2.0 Mobility Concept Vehicle will feature a climate control feature and personal storage space.

The upcoming electric vehicle will also will also capable of moving around in all weather conditions and on any type of city road. For the moment the schedule of the test program of the EN-V 2.0 Mobility Concept Vehicle in China has yet to be finalized.

Production of the EN-V 2.0 Mobility Concept Vehicle started last October and it will be necessary to increase the accuracy of the GPS system of the vehicle before the testing of the vehicle will start.

Stock Price of Apple Projected to Reach $1,111

Apple

The stock price of Apple is currently above the $600 level although an analyst has hinted that this will increase by nearly two-fold in the coming year.

A note to investors from Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White saw an updated version of his earlier projection on the stock price of Apple. The initialprojection put Apple stock prices to reach $1,001, which White indicates is a conservative estimate in the recent note.

He revealed that the increase in the stock price of Apple was inhibited by some negative feelings in the past few weeks. However this will be replaced with concerns of being left behind in the increase in stock prices that is projected to reach around $1,111 in the coming year.

According to White the increase in the stock price of Apple, which is currently at $603, will be spurred by the upcoming iPhone 5, the rumored Apple TV and smaller iPad, and the deal between Apple and China Mobile. China Mobile is the biggest mobile operator based in China. These factors will provide the momentum in the increase of the stock price of Apple in the coming year.

However it remains uncertain if the iPhone 5 will indeed become a revolutionary device while the other factors remain uncertain for the moment.

The stock price of Apple has increased recently following the release of the second quarter earnings of the company. The increase was beyond the earlier estimates at Wall Street. An increase of $49.72 was seen following the release of the report although it went down by $4.70 or 0.77 percent after the market closed on Friday.

Features Added on Draw Something

Draw Something

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A number of users of Draw Something have often found out the hard way that some of their digital sketch creations will get lost in the void as they were not able to save them into their devices. However with the recent update, these users will have the chance of keeping their artworks for a long time, may until they lose their devices or brick it somehow, but that’s another story altogether.

The creators of the games have added a number of new features including the capability of saving their works of art into the photo library of their devices.

The update for iOS devices will allow the players to save their Draw Something sketches into the photo library of their devices as well as make comments on the drawings of other players. The update also allows them to upload their Draw Something creations directly into Twitter and Facebook.

Zynga recently paid more than $200 million for the drawing and guessing game, which was considered the pervious notable event in the life of the Draw Something application. The game is basically a Pictionary where opponents have to make guesses basing on the clues that are drawn. The drawings are also animated in real-time, which makes Draw Something quite cool.

Players will also have the capability of ‘undoing’ one backstroke, which may not be much since its limited to only one stroke and it will not be necessary to use the eraser option to often. Draw Something users will also be able to write down short notes on the drawing. The short notes will be limited to 100 characters.

Pull to refresh will also be supported on iOS devices to allow users to update their game list while the number of drawings that can be rendered in Draw something was increased from 99 to 999. These are just some of the new features that are expected to give Draw Something players a better user experience.

The Android update for the Draw Something game is also still set to be made available in the future.

Sprint May Be Affected by 4G On iPhone 5

Apple

It appears that an iPhone 5 that features LTE support may be disadvantageous to Sprint once it enters the market. The possibility of an LTE-enabled iPhone is considered likely with the release of the LTE supported iPad of Apple.

The competitive standing of Sprint may be affected if the iPhone 5 will feature support for LTE connectivity since consumers would likely look to AT&T and Verizon once the iPhone 5 becomes available since the two carriers offer faster data speeds.

The network of AT&T is currently considered as the fastest among the major carriers, as shown with its iPhone 4S offering. Both Verizon and Sprint offer iPhones that use the EV-DO network which is slower compared to the network of AT&T.

However this may change once the iPhone 5 with LTE support enters the market since Verizon offers the biggest network among the US three major carriers. Verizon currently covers 230 markets, which is much higher than the 35 markets of AT&T. With the bigger coverage, consumers may look to carrier if they aim to acquire the IPhone 5.

So far Sprint will only cover 6 markets in the middle of this year although the company did not offer additional details about its plans for the future.

According to Dan Hesse, the CEO of Sprint, consumers will not be too concerned with coverage and the company will remain competitive even if the iPhone 5 will feature 4G support. He cited the sales of the HTC EVO 4G which mostly went to non-4G markets although this was when the device was the only 4G device in the market at that time.

Once the iPhone 5 will enter the market, it is expected to bring in sales for the carriers and Sprint may not be getting much of the market if consumers will take the LTE network into consideration.

The increasing focus on LTE has compelled Sprint to upgrade its network to LTE according to Hesse and the company may be concerned with an early release of the iPhone 5 as it hopes that the device will be released in the later part of the year.

No Plans For MacBook/iPad Hybrid - Tim Cook

Apple

The recent earnings call of Apple saw Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, denying that the company was planning on producing a MacBook/iPad hybrid device.

According to Cook, convergence is possible for anything although it may result to some tradeoffs that may not be acceptable to the consumers. The question on the MacBook/iPad hybrid came up during the second quarter earnings call of Apple was raised by an analyst who inquired about the Windows 8 of Microsoft.

The dismissal by Cook on the supposed MacBook/iPad hybrid comes following the report that sales of iOS devices nearly reached 47 million units for the second fiscal quarter. In comparison Mac sales did not reach the expectations of analysts from Wall Street as it sold only around four million units.

The iPad and MacBook do not use the same platform and Apple does not plan to combine the two devices to product a MacBook/iPad hybrid.

The statements of Cook dismissing a MacBook/iPad hybrid come as the release preview for the Windows 8 is set to be unveiled near the start of June. The Windows 8 OS combines a touchscreen interface with the conventional Windows OS and is going to be called “Metro”.

Cook already dismissed any plans of combining touchscreen functionality into a MacBook in a February interview with the Wall Street Journal.

In dismissing any possibility of a MacBook/iPad hybrid, Cook indicated that previous efforts were made in combining such functions on desktops but no progress were made in such developments.

ZTE Aims to Increase Smartphone Sales to Fifty Million for the Year

ZTE Corporation

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ZTE, a phone manufacturer based in China, appears set in increasing its presence in the mobile market. The company made its presence felt during the Mobile World Congress earlier this year it is currently increasing the number of devices it is bringing into the United States market.

ZTE intends to bring up its sales in the US as it prepares to release two phablets into the mobile market. The company is reportedly worth around $9/3 billion and smartphone sales in 2011 reached fifteen million units. ZTE currently ranks fourth among the handset manufacturers in the world.

The company aims to increase its smartphone sales to around fifty million units for this year and it intends to increase this number to around 100 million by 2015.

ZTE also aims to release a pair of smartphone/tablet hybrids that is similar to the Galaxy Note of Samsung within the year. Aside from releasing new devices, the company is also planning to update the Blade and the Skate, two devices that were released by the company earlier.

Sales of the Blade of ZTE have reached eight million units since it was released into the market around two years ago.

ZTE will have to work on its brand recognition if it aims to compete with the iPhone of Apple and the Galaxy of Samsung according to recent reports. For the moment the company is not quite popular in markets outside of China according to an analyst from IDC, a research company.

PlayMemories Online Service Set To Unveiled Soon

PlayMemories Online

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An online photo sharing service will be launched by Sony within the week according to a recent announcement by the company. Users in six countries will be able to have the first crack at the 5GB free online storage of the “PlayMemories Online” on May 25.

The first six countries where the “PlayMemories Online” service will be available are the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada Japan and the United States. Users in these countries will be able to upload images and videos taken using Sony cameras through the “PlayMemories Home” application that can be used on PCs and Macs. The images and videos can also be uploaded directly into the “PlayMemories Online” from Wi-Fi-enabled Sony cameras.

The uploaded images can also e shared online or they can be viewed using the Bravia television units of Sony or through digital photo frames.  Users can also upload images taken using tablets and smartphone into the “PlayMemories Online” service through an Android app which will be released through the Google Play online store.

The introduction of the “PlayMemories Online” service comes as Samsung is set to unveil its own version of the iCloud of Apple, the Samsung S-Cloud. The S-Cloud will also offer a similar 5GB free online storage as that of the “PlayMemories Online” service. These cloud storage services have a similar function, which is to link their respective products with an online platform.

Sony also intends to integrate its gaming consoles into the “PlayMemories Online” service. A photo editing suite was recently announced by Sony for the Sony PlayStation 3 which can be used with the “PlayMemories Online” service. Users will be able to view and edit files that are stored on the gaming using the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita mobile game consoles.

Even as the “PlayMemories Online” service is set to be made available by Sony, the company is also reportedly working on enhancing its online services in different areas as a number of online movies, music and games were grouped together into the Sony Entertainment Network while the Sony PlayStation platform will be expanded by the company into other devices aside from the consoles produced by the company.

Reports Hint at Upcoming Launch of Samsung S-Cloud Service

Samsung S-Cloud Service

It appears that the competition between Apple and Samsung may not be limited to the device offerings of the two tech giants. Recent reports have hinted that the South Korean company may be preparing to unveil its own version of the iCloud of Apple, the Samsung S-Cloud service.

This upcoming unveiling of the Samsung S-Cloud service comes as the Samsung Galaxy S3 is set to be launched by Samsung during a May 3 that will be held in London. According to Maeil Business, a Korean news site, a consolidation plan of Samsung was reportedly leaked recently showing that the company was preparing to unveil the Samsung S-Cloud service on the same date as the Samsung Galaxy S3 launch.

Users will reportedly be able to send content into the Samsung S-Cloud service and sync different devices. The same report indicated that the Samsung S-Cloud service will not limit the content uploaded by users, which is being implemented on the iCloud of Apple.

The May 3 event where the Samsung Galaxy S3 will be launched was announced recently by Samsung even as a number of reports have emerged on the possible features that will be offered by the device. Pre-orders are reportedly already accepted through the Amazon Germany.

A video that reportedly showed the Samsung Galaxy S3 was also posted recently on a Vietnamese website. The pre-order posting and video has revealed some of the features that the upcoming Samsung smartphone will offer, some of which were consistent with earlier reports linked to the Samsung Galaxy S3.

Reports on the Samsung S-Cloud service have been circulating in the past few months. Last February reports have hinted at the possible launch of the cloud-based service of Samsung by August.

Although the availability of the Samsung S-Cloud service has yet to be revealed, the report has given indications that Samsung will likely collaborate with Microsoft to guarantee a smooth launch of the service in the international market.

Reports Point To May 17 Facebook IPO Listing

Facebook

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Reports have indicated that the much-awaited Facebook IPO may make its debut on Wall Street on May 17.

The recent reports appear to verify earlier reports that the shares of Facebook will be listed on Nasdaq by the third week of the month of May.

A number of sources reportedly indicated that if the Securities and Exchange Commission or the SEC will give its approval, the Facebook IPO will be made available on Nasdaq by May 17. The company will reportedly have a value of about $100 billion with its initial public offering.

The papers for the $5 billion Facebook IPO were filed by company at SEC last February which ended previous speculations that the social networking company will go public. The filing also showed that around 845 million users have signed up with the social network and it earned $3.7 billion a year ago. The company has been making money in the last three years, which may add to the appeal for the Facebook IPO.

Following the listing of the Facebook IPO, the shares of the company will reportedly use the ‘FB’ ticker symbol. A number of technology companies are listed on Nasdaq including Google and Apple. On the other hand, Pandora and LinkedIn are listed on the NYSE, the rival of Nasdaq.

Prior to the reports on the possible listing of the Facebook IPO on May 17, the social networking company acquired Instagram for $1 billion. Instagram is a mobile photo sharing app that has attracted around 40 million users around the world.

Aside from the upcoming listing of the Facebook IPO and acquisition of Instagram, Facebook is also set in expanding its California headquarters. The City Council of Menlo Park gave its approval for the planned expansion of the 57-hectare property of the company, which will result to an increase in employment and increased revenue for the city.

Nikon D3200 - The Latest DSLR Offering From Nikon

Nikon D3200

(Image Credit: nikon.com)

The successor to the Nikon D3100 was unveiled recently by Nikon. Although it looks like its predecessor, the Nikon D3200 has a number of features that makes it an enhancement to the previous model of the DSLR from Nikon.

The main feature that makes the Nikon D3200 a definite enhancement from the Nikon D3100 is its 24-megapixel sensor. This is a major upgrade from the D3200 which only had a 14-megapixel sensor. The Expeed 3 image processor of the latest DSLR offering from Nikon allows it to shoot four frames per second in its burst mode.

The Nikon D3200 also offers a high ISO at 6400 although its expanded mode will allow an ISO of 12800. Its video mode allows the DSLR to record 1080p videos at 24 frames per second and 30 frames per second. It also features an HDMI output and a 3.5 millimeter mic-in port.

Focusing on the images will be facilitated with the 11-point autofocus system of the Nikon D3200.

Wireless image sharing to smartphones is also possible with the Nikon D3200 although it will be necessary to purchase the WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter which has a price tag of around $60. The wireless adapter can be clipped on the side of the Nikon D3200 and allows users to control the DSLR using the smartphone art a maximum distance of fifty feet. The Android app will be released near the end of May while the iOS app will be available by autumn.

The Nikon D3200 will come with the AF-S DX Nikkor 18mm-55mm kit lens and it is expected to be available near the end of April at a price tag of around $700. The upcoming Nikon D3200 will be available in two color options, the standard black color option and a red color option.

Aside from the Nikon D3200, the camera manufacturer also unveiled the latest full format prime lens, which is a 28mm / D1.8 lens with a price tag of around $700. The latest prime lens offering of Nikon is compatible with the FX and DX cameras.

Combining Reasonable Price and High Quality With The Blackmagic Cinema Camera

Blackmagic Cinema Camera

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The Blackmagic Cinema Camera may not come cheap but it does try to offer independent film makers high quality results for a reasonable price. Priced at $2,995, it is reasonable enough if the quality it provides is taken into consideration.

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera was among the small number of video cameras that were announced during the National Association Broadcasters event or the NAB 2012. It offers professional film quality results to users who may be watching their finances.

The features on the Blackmagic Cinema Camera include a 2.5k high-res sensor, super-wide dynamic range, along with full compatibility with a number lenses with the Zeiss ZF and Canon EF mounts. Direct metadata entry can be made directly on the five-inch touchscreen of the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, which also offers a number of settings including the shutter angle, frame rate, dynamic range, focus assist and color temperature.

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera also features the standard line audio-in jack, headphone, BNC 3Gbps SDI out, LANC remote control, Thunderbolt, and a standard 12-30V DC power connection. No proprietary ports are used on this upcoming device from Blackmagic.

Open file formats that are compatible with NLE software including Avid DNxHD, CinemaDNG 12-bit raw and Apple ProRes are supported by the Blackmagic Cinema Camera. A solid state drive stores the recorded material which meets the demands of long duration compressed video and raw video capture.

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera will reportedly be released into the market by July.

The Contour+ HD: Latest Innovative HD Camera

Contour+ HD

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A new HD camera is being offered by Contour that offers a number of new features that may set it apart from other cameras in the market to date. The Contour+ HD offers a number of notable features that allows the device to make it distinct from other devices in the market.

The Contour+ HD appears slim with its 3.8-inch frame while its wide angle f/2.8 lens offers a rather extensive 170 degree-view. The camera also comes with a number of mounts that users can make use of to allow them to attach it into a helmet, goggles, bikes, cars and even a surfboard.

The Contour+ HD also has a number of HD recording modes including 720p, 960p and 1080p. The camera also features an external microphone jack and an HDMI output jack.

The Contour+ HD also features a two-inch slider along its top which serves as the record button. This makes it unnecessary to press a button to record and is considered as the best feature for the Contour+ HD. This feature also facilitates recording using this innovative camera.

The Contour+ HD also features Bluetooth connectivity and is capable of connecting to an Android-powered or iOS-powered device with the appropriate application installed into the devices. The Contour+ HD also features GPS tracking, which is activated once the camera is turned on by the users.

Although this camera from Contour comes with a 2GB microSD memory card, it is possible for users to upgrade it to a 32GB microSD memory card. The battery life of the camera is reportedly at two hours while spare batteries are available at $25.

The Contour+ HD with all of its innovative features has a price tag of around $500.

Flaw May Result To Canon EOS 5D Mark III Recall

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

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A product advisory was released recently by Canon for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III that confirmed that the recently released DSLR may have a manufacturing flaw.

Recently a number of reports on the possible flaw on the Canon EOS 5D Mark III have emerged on the net. Following these reports, a product advisory was issued by Canon for the DSLR as it conceded to the possibility that the device may have a problem.

According to Canon, the displayed exposure value on the Canon EOS 5D Mark III may change due to the detection of light by the AE sensor. The light reportedly comes from the LCD display panel of the DSLR and this happens when the Canon EOS 5D Mark III is used in exceptionally dark environments and the LCD display is lighted.

The company will work on solving this problem facing the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and once the solution is found, it will reportedly be posted on the website of the company.

It appears that the light form the LCD display is leaking through the top portion of the LCD panel and it goes into the AE sensor. Due to this the exposure values us affected. Videos were reportedly posted to show the problem affecting the Canon EOS 5D Mark III.

A user reportedly received a reply from Canon that confirmed the problem facing the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and it appears that a simple firmware update may not solve the problem that the recently-released DSLR from Canon. The defect found on the DSLR may be a connected to its physical build and it may be necessary for users to bring their products back in order to repair the defect.

Ten Million In Ten Days for Instagram

Instagram

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Following the purchase of Instagram by Facebook for one billion dollars and the addition of the Android version of the app, users have increased from around thirty million to forty million recently.

The availability of Instagram to Android users was unveiled only recently, which allowed a huge number of Android users to finally use the photo-sharing application after a very long wait. This resulted to the addition ten million users for the app within ten days after it was made available to Android users.

Although some users downloaded the photo-sharing application out of curiosity, this only served to further increase the number of users of the app. Gramfeed was the first site to make the number of Instagram users available. Gramfeed is a website focused on the photo-sharing application and it identified the 40,000,000th user as “valentinoelbuti’

With the rate of increase in the Instagram users, some industry watchers have indicated that the number of fancy images from numerous users around the world will also increase. So far so good for an app that was launched less than two years with an initial funding of around $500,000.

Designer Claims Mystery Apple Product Will Be Released Within The Year

Mystery Apple Product

A French designer recently claimed that Apple is set to release a revolutionary product that he was supposedly been working on. Philippe Starck, a noted French designer, revealed that the supposed mystery Apple product will be unveiled in eight months time.

Starck made the revelation during a discussion with Le Figaro, a French newspaper. He revealed that he was collaborating with the company to develop a new mystery Apple product which will be unveiled at the year. No specific details were revealed by Starck in connection to the supposed mystery Apple product due to the obsession of the company for secrecy when it comes to its future product offerings.

However Starck indicated that he had monthly meetings with the late Steve Jobs in California for seven years. He also indicated that he has continued to go to California to meet with Laurene Powell, the widow of Jobs.

Although some speculations have pointed to the Apple television as the supposed mystery Apple product that Starck may be working on, some observers have hinted that the French designer may be working on a remote control for the Apple television. Starck and his team reportedly have the expertise to design this type of device which may be the mystery Apple product that he was referring to.

However the iPhone 5 is also set to be released around the same time that Starck has pointed to the possible launch of the mystery Apple product. The modifications on the iPhone may be considered revolutionary as it faces stiff competition from a number of Android-powered devices in the market.

Starck is popular for a diverse range of products that show elegance coupled with simplicity. This particular style is compatible with the approach of Apple with its product offerings. Starck has already used his talent and skills to design tech products including external hard drives, speakers and headphones.

For the moment the mystery Apple product will remain mere speculation until concrete details are revealed by the company. However it is not likely for a designer of Starck’s stature to make claims that have nothing to back it up, so it will be a wait-and-see situation once again until the supposed mystery Apple product finally enters the market.

Latest Raspberry Pi Pass Tests, Sales To Continue Soon

Raspberry Pi

(Image Credit: wikipedia.org)

Following the introduction of the Raspberry Pi last February, it gained a lot of attention from users that the first batch of devices was sold out within two hours. However the succeeding batches were delayed since the wrong kind of networking jack was soldered into the mini PC.

Some time ago, the latest batch of Raspberry Pi units were lined up at the CE testing center. The Raspberry Pi Foundation recently announced that the Raspberry Pi already passed EMC testing and did not need any more adjustments. The new units of the mini-computer have been tested at the South Wales facility of Panasonic for a week and it appears that it may be all set to be released into the market.

RS Components reportedly would have to check the Raspberry Pi units although this latest evaluation will not be as stringent as the evaluation made earlier. The latest units of the mini-computer have also complied with the regulations of the FCC in the United States along with similar regulations in Canada and Australia.

This will indicate that the latest units of the mini-computer are all set to be released into the market.

The Raspberry Pi was initially planned for sale without the CE certification since it remains an unfinished project however the creators eventually decided to get the certification for the mini-computer. For the moment the specific release schedule has yet to be announced although it is expected to attract the same amount of attention when it was initially made available in the market.

Canon EOS-1D C Introduced by Canon For Cinematographers

Canon EOS-1D C

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The latest DSLR offering of Canon was unveiled recently and it is reportedly aimed to be promoted to professional cinematographers. Even though the Canon EOS-1D C looks similar to the Canon EOS-1D X, the features on this $15,000 DSLR will spell the difference between the two Canon DSLR offerings.

The Canon EOS-1D C features a full-frame 18MP image sensor that has the capability of recording 8bit 4K videos using the motion JPEG format that has a sampling rate of 4:2:2 at 24fps. The upcoming DSLR also has the capability of recording 1080p videos through a range of frames rates from 24fps up to 6-fps.

The focal length multiplication factor of 1.33x is due to the fact that the Canon EOS-1D C only uses part of the image sensor when it record 4K footage. However recording 1080p videos will require the entire 36mm image sensor width. The Canon EOS-1D C also imitates the cinematographic standard field of view through the Super 35 crop setting.

The Canon EOS-1D C can also use all the Canon EF and Canon EF cinema lenses that can be purchased or rented by the users. The dual Canon Digic 5+ image processors of eth DSLR also allows it to record stills of up to around 12fps while the JPEG shooting mode allows it to record at 14fps.

The maximum ISO setting for the Canon EOS-1D C is at 25600 for videos while capturing still images offers a maximum ISO setting of 51200. The Canon EOS-1D C was initially previewed last November when the Canon C300 was the inaugural camera of the Cinema EOS lineup.

Aside from the Canon EOS-1D C, the company also announced a pair of Canon EF Cinema Zoom lenses that is compatible to both PL and EF mounts. The CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L is considered a wide angle to short telephoto zoom lens while the CN-E 15.5-47mm T2.8 L is an ultra-wide angle to normal lens.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 Offers Enhanced Version of the DMC-GF3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5

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The latest Micro Four Thirds digital camera of Panasonic, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5, was announced recently by the company. The upcoming camera is an enhanced version of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 and features a better twelve-megapixel camera sensor, better handgrip, enhanced LCD, and a better touchscreen interface.

Although the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 is promoted as a point-and-shoot camera, it features an interchangeable lens and has a number of features that facilitates its use among novice camera enthusiasts.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 also offers the iAuto shooting mode, which is a full automatic mode that makes life easier for neophyte photographers.

The user interface of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 was also enhanced that allows users to have more control on the shooting modes that they want to use with the addition of more conventional physical controls. The camera also offers a 920k dot touchscreen while the iAuto mode will recommend the use of the Art Filter to enhance the images taken by the users.

Real-time preview will be made available to users through the Live View display of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5. Users will also see how the Art Filter looks like using the Live View display of the camera.

Users will be able to use a number of different scenes through the Scene Guide on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5, which will allow them to fully optimize the settings on the camera.

The precision and speed on the autofocus system on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 is enhanced as focusing speed was increased by ten percent through the Venus Engine. Spot focusing can also be done with a simple touch on the rear screen of the camera,

Burst shooting on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 was enhanced through the improvement in the image engine and the focus speed of the device. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 is also capable of shooting four frames per second due to the enhancement on the camera.

The ISO setting of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 reaches 12800, which is a two-fold increase compared to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3. The megapixel count on the camera remains the same as its predecessor although image noise will reportedly be reduced since the circuitry of the camera was repositioned under the chip.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 is set to be released into the market soon and will come in two different kits with three color options, red, black, and white.

The price tag of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 is $599 and $749 for the standard 14mm to 42mm zoom lens model and the retractable 14mm to 42mm power zoom lens model respectively.

Polarized Glasses May Cause Display of New iPad To Appear Black

New iPad

(Image Credit: apple.com)

A number of issues have affected the performance of the new iPad which resulted to some not-so-encouraging comments from users of the device. The latest issue may be trivial since it only arises once the new iPad is used while the user wearing a pair of polarized sunglasses.

The latest issue on the new iPad shows that the screen will turn black once the new iPad is viewed on portrait mode while the user wears polarized glasses.

The phenomenon is also known as extinction, something that is established by the manufacturer. This is a phenomenon that is not limited to the new iPad since it was also noted in previous models of the device. Even as the phenomenon was dealt with by Apple on the iPhone, it was not addressed on its tablet offerings. Majority of other tablets have also worked on this rather marginal issue.

All iPad units including the new iPad would appear black when a pair of polarized sunglasses is used while the device is on Portrait mode. Some displays would show the issue while on Landscape mode. Some observers have hinted at a 45-degree extinction angle to avoid the issue while the device is in either Landscape or Portrait mode. Compensating films can also be used to deal with this latest issue facing the new iPad.

Both the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the iPhone 4 do not have any extinction. The extinction phenomenon is applicable to LCDs since polarized light is used internally. OLED do not appear to experience the extinction phenomenon.

The extinction of the Samsung Galaxy S is at 45 degrees although it only occurs when the device is used outdoors whenever the polarized sunglasses are used by the users.

It would have been better if Apple set the extinction level at 45 degrees or they could have used compensating films in order to deal with the issue.

Apple Shares Continue To Rise

Apple

The share price of Apple has surpassed the share price of Google recently. Following the close of the markets on April 9, Apple shares were at $636.23 compared to the $630.84 of Google.

However share prices do not actually show the actual worth of a company since market capitalization is a much more significant indicator of the value of a company. The market capitalization of Apple is actually much higher compared to that of Google, share prices are more of bragging rights for a company.

Apple shares have actually increased gradually over the past year although much of the increase was noted in the last five months as it went from $363.57in November 25 last year to the current value of Apple shares at $636.23.

Despite its rise, the price of Apple shares pales in comparison to Berkshire Hathaway of Warren Buffett. However in terms of market capitalization, Apple is way ahead compared to the holding company of Buffett.

It is also important to take note that ten years ago Apple shares barely passed the $12 mark and it has come long way since the time when the company may have been considered to be a good candidate for bankruptcy. However a decade after, Apple shares have increased by more than fifty times since it was initially offered in the market. The passing of Steve Jobs may have gone down a little it has increased to a significant degree since then.

According to Philip Elmer-Dewitt of Fortune, Apple shares surpassed Google shares last April 5 for the first time as it increased by around one percent to $631.26 compared to Google shares which were at $630.59 at that time.

The value of Apple shares have continued to increase as it has widened its gap with the shares of Google as of April 9, 2012.

Latest Carl Zeiss Prime Lens Unveiled Recently

Carl Zeiss

(Image Credit: zeiss.de)

The Compact Prime Lens lineup of Carl Zeiss saw the addition of a new ultra-wide and tele-lens recently. The latest addition to the Carl Zeiss prime lens lineup were a 15mm and a 135mm Prime lenses, which can reportedly be used for video, cine and DSLR cameras.

The new Carl Zeiss prime lenses will be available for video and DSLR users by the fourth quarter of the year. Owners of Nikon and Canon DSLRs can use the lenses using an adapter even as it features the PL-mount, which is widely used in the movie industry, as well as the Micro Four Third cameras of Panasonic and Olympus.

The same Carl Zeiss prime lenses can also be used on the E-mount of the Sony NEX cameras.

The Carl Zeiss Prime Lens lineup highlights the meeting point for the video and photography markets, which was led by the release of the Canon 5D Mark II DSLR a couple of years ago. The Canon DSLR pioneered the use of DSLRs for video recording aside from the basic still photography applications.

The latest Canon 5D Mark II will continue the trend even as it offers better shooting capabilities in low-light situations which facilitates shooting in such situations instead of waiting for better lighting. The upcoming Nikon D800 offers better video features compared to the Canon DSLR as it provides high-quality HDMI output.

The CP.2 15/T2.9 compact Carl Zeiss Prime Lens weighs around 900 grams while the CP.2 135/T2.1 weighs around 1.6 kilograms. The two compact Carl Zeiss Prime Lenses are expected to be released by the fourth quarter at a price tag of $5,700.

The compact Carl Zeiss Prime Lenses were unveiled by Carl Zeiss during the National Association of Broadcasters event that was held in Las Vegas.

Option To Watch 3D YouTube Videos Added by YouTube

YouTube

(Image Credit: wired.com)

YouTube recently announced that all short-form YouTube videos that were uploaded in 1080p will be converted to 3D as it expands this beta 3D YouTube Videos feature that was launched a year ago.

According to YouTube, users can choose the 3D viewing option on the Quality settings of the YouTube player to view 3D YouTube Videos. This will allow users to view the 3D YouTube Videos using a pair of 3D glasses.  All users have to do is to click on the gear icon found on the video which will give them two video options, in 720p or in 360p.

The 3D YouTube Videos beta feature was launched by the company last September which would convert videos automatically into 3D once they are uploaded into the website. The recent update also took out the fifteen-minute limit for the trusted users of the website. This limit was implemented following the appearance of a number of pirated movies on the website although the fifteen minute limit is not implemented for trusted users.

The issue on piracy came out following the revival of the copyright-infringement lawsuit filed by Viacom in connection to clips that were copied illegally and were uploaded prior to 2007.

Stereoscopic 3D makes it necessary for the right and left eye to view slightly different images which are combined by the brain to create the impression of seeing a three-dimensional object and create the 3D YouTube videos. Each time an original two-dimensional video is uploaded on the website, a depth map is created by Google as it searches for a number of video characteristics including motion, color and spatial layout that are based on previously uploaded 3D videos in order to create the 3D YouTube videos. The depth map is necessary to create the second image that is necessary for the 3D YouTube videos.

The cloud computing infrastructure of Google was used by Google in order to use the conversion process to create 3D YouTube videos from previously uploaded two-dimensional videos.

Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy Note Over the Amazon Kindle Fire

Samsung Galaxy Note

(Image Credit: amazon.com)

The line dividing a smartphone with a smartphone was made unclear with the release of the Samsung Galaxy Note. This recent device offering from Samsung may be an appealing option for users who have no idea on what they want for a tablet even as they would not want to scrimp too much that they lose a number of features that they may need in the future.

The Samsung Galaxy Note offers a better option for users compared to the Amazon Kindle Fire, which has appealed to users who want the basic functions of a tablet while not spending too much for a device.

However the Samsung tablet/smartphone hybrid may offer a much better option for users who are thinking of acquiring a tablet even as they do not know what features to look for. The Samsung Galaxy Note comes with a stylus, internet connectivity, email access, and 16GB storage that is expandable through the microSD memory card slot.

Some of these features are found on the Amazon Kindle Fire although the Samsung Galaxy Note may offer more features for an additional $50 with the standard two-year service contract. The Amazon Kindle Fire is priced at $199 while the Samsung Galaxy Note has a price tag of $249.

Amazon Kindle Fire

(Image Credit: amazon.com)

Aside from offering the functions of a tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Note also offers the features of a 4G smartphone through the 4G LTE network of AT&T. In comparison, the Amazon Kindle does not allow users to make or receive calls through their tablet devices.

The Samsung Galaxy Note also features a 2MP camera in front for video-chatting purposes while its 8MP camera at the back has the capability of recording 1080p HD videos. The S Pen of the tablet/smartphone hybrid also recognizes the handwriting of users and allows sketching, doodling and drawing on the tablet. These are some of the features that Amazon Kindle Fire owners do not enjoy.

The Amazon Kindle Fire does offer a bigger screen at 7 inches as compared to the 5.3-inch Super AMOLED display screen of the Samsung Galaxy Note. However in terms of resolution, the Samsung Galaxy Note offers a pixel per inch resolution of 285 compared to the 169 PPI of the Amazon Kindle Fire.

The Samsung Galaxy Note offers users the functions of a tablet and smartphone in one device. The internal storage of the Samsung Galaxy Note is also bigger at 16GB compared to the 8GB internal storage offered by the Amazon Kindle Fire and only 6GB of this can be used by the users.

These features may make potential buyers of the Amazon Kindle Fire to think twice of purchasing the tablet offering of Amazon. Although in the end, the users themselves will decide whether they would want to save the additional $50 and opt not to sign up for a two-year contract required for the Samsung Galaxy Note and purchase the Amazon Kindle Fire instead.