Politics, Philosophy & Technology
Tech Reviews
Reviews on technnology
Buying A Point n’ Shoot Camera
Jul 17th
So you want to buy a camera… where to start? which brands? what do you want to shoot? what features are important? These are the typical questions I field on a day to day basis — but which really matter?
FEATURES:
- Megapixels: The reality is that MP DO NOT matter… a 7MP camera is capable of outputting an 8.5″ x 11″ print
- Shutter lag: Make sure that when you press the shutter release the camera fires instantly… if not walk away
- Video: Most cameras should be capable of shooting 720P video at at least 27 frames per second and autofocus while zooming (unlike SLRS)
- FPS [frames per second]: How many frames can your camera fire? The average consumer model using a CMOS sensor averages out at around 2.5fps however newer cameras such as the ones that include the Backlit CMOS Sensor have the capability of firing 10fps…
- Sensor: As mentioned above the backlit CMOS sensor is the wave of the future… if your in the market for a point & shoot check out one of the following based on application:
- Zoom Camera: Nikon P100 (10fps, HD/HS video, Nikkor Glass, 26x Optical Zoom, 5-way Image Stabilization, MACRO mode,
- Point n’ Shoot: Canon SD4000, Sony WX-1, or Sony HX-5V
- Under Water: Sony TX-5 - Lens Quality/Capability: Nikon & Canon have been outputting great lenses FOREVER… its typically a safe bet… Panasonic’s use Leica lens’s which are also great quality anything else however is hit or miss….
- Lens Cap Contd.: Macro functionality… most point n’ shoots can get you within an inch these days… don’t settle for less!
- Processor: DiG!C 4 from Canon is fantastic and produces vibrant images however the Sony processor that stitches a panorama together seamlessly
- Memory: If it doesn’t take an SD card.. just say no… all camera manufacturers are moving towards SD cards (Sony, Olympus, Nikon, Canon etc.)
RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Sony DSC-HX5V: Backlit CMOS sensor, 10fps, 10x zoom, GPS built in, Full HD video, SD memory (Cost: $350)
- Nikon P100: 26x zoom, awesome macro, Backlit CMOS sensor, 10fps, 5-way VR, etc. ($400)
- Canon SD4000: 5x zoom, Backlit CMOS sensor, 10fps, ($350)
Tech Review: Nikon S8000
Jul 3rd
NIKON S8000
PRICE: $299.99
BUY Y/N: Y
SPECS:
14.2 Megapixels for stunning prints as large as 20 x 30 inches
New Slim, Stylish, Metal Design packs high performance into portable convenience for the slimmest in its class. Among compact cameras equipped with an optical zoom capable of zooming in at 10x or more as of January 15, 2010 (according to research conducted by Nikon Corporation)
Smart Portrait System includes:
- Smile Timer and Blink Proof makes sure you’ll always catch the decisive moment when your subject smiles and Blink Proof function shoots two pictures and automatically saves the one in which the subject’s eyes remain open
- Blink Warning, when activated alerts you that the subject may have blinked and allows you to retake the photo
- In-Camera Red-Eye Fix™ automatically fixes, while shooting, most instances of red-eye in the camera. You may never see red-eye again
- Face-Priority AF Nikon’s face-finding technology that automatically focuses on up to 12 faces
- Skin Softening smoothes skin tone at three different levels for optimal portrait
New Advanced Flash Control delivers natural flash images even when ambient or assisted lighting is typically insufficient, such as backlight or telephoto shooting
10x Wide-Angle Zoom-NIKKOR ED Glass Lens has a versatile zoom range from 30mm to an impressive 300mm telephoto coverage that gets you close to the action while capturing expansive landscapes. The NIKKOR ED lens is built on a proud heritage of producing precision camera optics that delivers superb color and razor-sharp results
Quick Performance with ultra-fast start-up, autofocus and shooting. Sports Continuous shooting enables high-speed shooting at approximately 3 fps for images up to 45 frames (3MP)
New HD Movie with Stereo Sound and HDMI Output Record stunning HD (720p) quality movies at 30fps with Stereo Sound, dedicated movie-record button and HDMI output for easy playback in camera, on HD-TV or computer. HDMI cable not included
4-way VR Image Stabilization System
- Optical VR Image Stabilization by lens shift minimizes the effect of camera shake
- Motion Detection automatically detects moving subjects and adjusts shutter speed and ISO setting to compensate for camera shake and subject movement
- High ISO up to 3200 at full resolution capability helps give you better results when shooting in low light or capturing fast-moving subjects
- Nikon’s original Best Shot Selector (BSS) automatically takes up to 10 shots while the shutter is pressed and saves the sharpest image
New Incredible, Bright 3.0-inch High Resolution VGA (921,000-dot) Clear Color Display makes images and movies come alive with rich detail and improved contrast. The large LCD makes it easy to compose and share your pictures with a wide-viewing angle and anti-glare coating
EXPEED Image Processing ensures high-quality pictures with stunning color and sharpness. Nikon’s comprehensive digital imaging processing concept incorporates the know-how and technologies accumulated throughout our long history of photographic and digital imaging development and is custom-tuned for COOLPIX. Applied optimized technologies render natural-looking pictures of incredible quality and quick response so you won’t miss that special moment
Subject Tracking will track a moving subject to ensure sharp focus. The camera will automatically track your subject – even if they temporarily move out of the frame
Quick Retouch optimizes contrast and color vividness for beautiful images
Macro shooting as close as 0.4”
16 Scene Modes for optimized shooting in various settings
Scene Auto Selector automatically recognizes the scene in your picture and selects the most appropriate scene mode (6) + auto mode
D-Lighting rescues dark or backlit images by improving brightness and detail during playback
6 Must Have iPhone Apps
Jun 16th
| Ultimate Guitar Toolkit – $9.99 |
|
|
|
- Highly accurate tuner (EADGBe + others) - Scales - Chords - Great layout / look - Metronome |
| Mint – Free |
|
|
- Great financial tracking tool - Includes ability to track car, house, student loans etc. - Warnings with preset thresholds - Budgeting System - Free! - Incredibly professional & secure - Great website that works seamlessly wit application - Push alerts - One touch access to all assets & accounts - Stock monitoring - Financial trends & more |
| eBuddy – Free |
|
|
- Provides a system that synthesizes all your messengers - Includes support for: Facebook, AIM, ICQ, Google etc. - Push notification - Free App that competes if you can deal with the ads - Now includes the ability to maintain login for 12 Hrs - Keeps a nice chat log similar to your SMS messenger |
| MyPhone+ – $3.99 |
|
|
- Interfaces with your facebook to fully complete contacts - Includes current profile picture in your phone book - Adds: emails, chat names, employers etc. to your contacts - Syncs quickly - Attractive GUI - Great way to organize your friends completely |
| Skobbler – Free |
|
|
- The ONLY true turn by turn navigation client thats FREE! - Similar to the AT&T turn by turn application ($10/m) - Doesn’t require registration - Includes ‘Go Home’, Recent Destinations etc. - Slightly buggy but the developers are always releasing updates - Pleasant turn-by-turn audio |
| Dragon Dictation – Free |
|
|
- Ever wanted a tool that transcribes what you say? - Dragon Dictation is the company behind MACSpeech - For the most part very effective and accurate - Has powerful tools for app to app copy paste - Can be great in a society where texting and driving is a no no |
Creating a plan for your small business
Jun 15th
If your thinking about starting a small business one of the most helpful things that I have ever done [outside of research, duh!] is create a business plan. Niveus — my last apparel company was founded on a grass roots/mountain town life style utilizing vibrant color and tapping into the local art scene.
I have since stopped creating Niveus products so hopefully the time and effort I put into my business plan can help you out while your in the planning stages. Good luck!
Photo Adventure Downtown!
Jun 14th
So today I thought my zero week class started… FALSE — anyways decided to take advantage of the super nice day + free time and do some shooting… here are the results!
FLICKR!
Mar 27th
hey all just wanted to remind you to check out my flickr page @ www.flickr.com/photos/dpilney — comment and rate! thanks!
Been Awhile!
Mar 26th
Hey all its been awhile I know! But life’s been well, life and just haven’t gotten around to updating the good old blog. So whats new? Well I recently started work at the Shutterbug which is a great family owned and operated business in Oregon selling Digital Cameras — so probably more to come in the tech reviews department. Later!
- Devon
Mighty Mouse Who? Introducing The New Magic Mouse from Apple.
Jan 30th
October 20th saw the introduction of Apples newest creature, the Magic Mouse.
Rating (4/5)
Price: $69.99
Review Summary:
This is the first mouse to utilize Apple’s patented Touch Technology. Giving you all the great functionality of your iphone; such as: Pinch, Scroll, Click, Double Click, and Flick.
The Magic Mouse does an awesome job of correcting past mistakes… such as having a right click! Yes! In addition it makes the whole surface into a sensor which has its practical application, such as scrolling through a PDF document quickly.
Apple has also done a great job with the accuracy of gestures. Meaning, when you pinch, flick or scroll — although it can at times feel unorthodox, it is quite precise.
All that being said lets break down the stars…
Ergonomics:
Magic Mouse not only looks great but also feels great. Apple spent plenty of time developing the texture of the sensor pad (on the top of the mouse) as well as weighting the front and hind quarters to perfection.
Gestures: (no stars)
Although the gestures are very accurate the one gesture I have in mind that is difficult is the swipe gesture. The swipe uses two fingers to advance backwards and forewords through photo albums, internet pages and the like. In order to execute this you have to awkwardly cradle the mouse with your thump and pinky while using the bulk of your fingers to swipe. Not a huge fan. The rest of the gestures are right on however which is why I have given the mouse as a whole a 4/5 stars.
Connectivity:
The Magic Mouses utilizes Blue Tooth technology in order to be wireless. This is the main reason why I’ve given it a star. Many wireless devices out there require a transmitter which looks similar to a thumb drive and takes up a USB slot. No Bueno! In addition this is a laser mouse, no trackball here! It tracks on the majority of surfaces I have tested it on, including: matte colors, bumpy surfaces, carpet, denim, & skin. The tracer did have problems on a mirror as well as glass — but thats to be expected. The performance was well worth a star.
Sex Appeal:
Have you seen this thing! I know I shouldn’t be surprised it being Apple n’ all but damn this thing is sexy. I have to say one of my favorite things about Mac products is the way they look and this certainly doesn’t leave anything to be desired. From the way the mouse clicks, to the contours, to the way light glints off the glass top — man of man I must be in love.
Overall Functionality & Price:
When purchasing any new electronic what it all really boils down to is a matter of dollars and cents. Does this new mouse provide new functionality that will make my life easier and provide a return on my investment? Does this thing stay charged for 5 seconds or will it last me for weeks like a mouse should? How durable is it? These are all tests the Magic Mouse passed with flying colors. At $69.99 its at a relatively affordable price and on par with the higher end Logitech mice that we are used to dealing with. In addition the battery life is great — I expect to leave mine on for at least 4 months (heavy use) without the batteries needing to be changed. Although you can get along just fine with your old mouse, this mouse will most definitely change the way you use your computer and give you style points to boot.
iPhone App: iCam
Jan 30th
Living in downtown the threat of theft is of constant worry. So one day at work I whipped out my trusty iPhone and went about finding an application that could potentially harness webcams in order to monitor my house while I was away — iCAM is what I found.
iCAM allows you to use up to 4 different web cams to monitor your home business or whatever while your away — but thats not what makes this application incredible. iCAM brings together computer software with iPhone application to make one of the most powerful webcam monitoring programs (if not the most powerful) I have come across.
To the right is the iPhone interface — this allows you to hear through the microphone on the webcam itself in addition to toggling on/off ‘push notifications,’ ‘record motion events,’ checking past motion events, & changing the sensitivity of the push notifications.
Push Notifications is an additional service ($0.99) on top of the iCAM application ($4.99) — but well worth the buck. Basically the software on your computer will read when there is motion in whatever room you have your webcam stationed and send you whats called a push notification (looks like a text). You can then choose to view the webcam which had the latest ‘action’ or leave it be and your iCAM software will take snapshots of the subject in question which can be reviewed at a later time by click ‘view motion events’ in the upper right hand corner of your iPhone iCAM interface.
In terms of setup it really isn’t that difficult. On your computer you have a similar screen to the one you see here (iPhones iCAM settings); you input a username and password (no registration required) and then press ‘start recording’ and match your login/pass on your comp with your phone — and your off and running. You can toggle push notifications and the whole 9 yards from your phone with one exception, you can’t press the “start recording” from your phone so its imperative that you get the webcam up and running before you leave!
The bottom line: this is a must buy! If you would ever like to keep an eye on something without KEEPING and eye on it, this is your tool. I’ve purchased tons of apps but this is literally the best in terms of practicality and peace of mind and quite possibly the best $6.00 I’ve ever spent. That’s why I’m giving this guy a 3/3; not only is it compatible for both Windows and Macintosh but its also relatively affordable when you consider what a normal security system goes for (cheapos @ $100).
Don’t wanna guess on gps? Garmin 255w vs Mio Moov 401s
Jan 29th
Mio Moov 401s
Price: $129.97
Garmin 255w
Price: $159.99
The garmin boasts a colourful 4.3″ display with, in my opinion, the most intuitive user interface on the market.
While the Mio matches the Garmin in sheer size, it lacks in color contrast in addition to using a fairly outdated, Tomtom esk, user interface.
Both units use the standard text to speech method of vocalization, which can be quite helpful in major metro areas… But no real difference in the models here.
Garmin systems do offer something in the way of security that Mios do not, Garmin lock. This is basically a standard 4 digit pin which is required on startup. Yet, as I’m sure many have experienced, 4 digi pins can be lost in the craziness of life — this is where Garmin gets creative. In addition to the pin it allows for an unlock location, or a place where the unit auto-unlocks without the need of a pin. Pretty handy huh?
The other things to talk about of course include battery life, maps, external services and the like most of which draw a conclusive winner. Both units utilize a standard lithium ion battery that lasts roughly 4 hours while being actively used.
Garmins all come standard with not just the U.S. But also, Puerto Rico, and Canada (Mio just U.S.).
Another key feature for commuters, cross country travelers and the like is the use of FM traffic service. The garmin offers it in the $10-15 range whereas it is currently not on all Mio units.
One legg that the Mio does have up though is the use of freeway lane assistance. My only guess why this was not included in the 255w would have to be age. But none the less, it’s a great feature.
The bottom line… Spend the extra money and get a Garmin. It’s an incredibly dynamic unit and hands down gives you more bang for the buck.
