Olympics at 8,000 frames per second

The biggest sports event deserves the best equipment to capture the show in all its glory. So it's no wonder I-Movix clinched the deal to provide its SprintCam to capture the Olympics in Beijing two weeks later.

Although it looks like your typical studio video camera, the SprintCam can do much more. For one, it can record at 8,000 frames per second (fps), which is about 260 times more than your conventional camcorder. This means that every single detail and action is captured with fluid-like intricacy. The closest you can get with a consumer camera would be the Casio Exilim-EX-F1, which can record video at 1,200fps.

Also, it allows for instant playback which is very important for the judging panel. With the SprintCam, they can immediately watch the replay of, say, a 100m dash and determine who crossed the finishing line first. Games in the past have relied on still cameras to determine positions, but that had its limitations.

If your region is broadcasting the Olympics in HD, you may get a glimpse of what the SprintCam can capture.

Picture credit: I-Movix

Samsung: New platform delivers better performance for camcorders

The Korean chaebol has just announced its new platform that features face detection, 3D noise reduction, edge filter and color control technology for camcorders and other portable multimedia devices. Using 65-nanometer technology on an ARM11 core, the chip supports MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. The company also claims the new platform will increase recording times and video quality by doubling the high compression ratio and, at the same time, lower power consumption. According to Samsung, the MX-20, which is based on this new chip, will be available in Asia Pacific next month.

A bitter Photoshop lesson

There are heaps of Photoshop help and how-to videos floating online, but this has to be the most bitter I've ever watched. For the first minute, you'll hear Donnie Hoyle, the narrator, rant about his week and how terrible it was. Apparently he doesn't like his wife because she doesn't want to have kids.

A good 2 minutes passes before the lesson begins proper. Although his explanation is clear and easy to understand, he peppers it with sarcastic remarks directed at the viewer or his family. Toward the end, he even chides the viewer: "Did they rub your tummy or give you a sweet for being excited?" That is when he assumes viewers get trippy over his lesson.

Sitting through one episode of this is enough for me. Personally, I prefer Deke McClelland's hip-hop rendition of Photoshop tips.

GP goes eco-friendly with new Solar Charger

Now, here's another way to do your part for the environment and save on your electricity bills at the same time. Instead of plugging into the mains to recharge your batteries, try the new GP Solar Charger, the company's first battery charger using solar energy. It comes with two thin-film solar panels laminated in UV stabilized and weather-resistant polymers. This supposedly helps make the charger more durable while minimizing its weight.

According to GP, it takes almost six hours to recharge two AA batteries (or 2 hours for AAA cells) under direct sunlight, which is slightly longer than what is usually expected of regular AC battery chargers. The advantage, however, is that the Solar Charger can be used outdoors where there is no access to the mains. Of course, with solar power being a free renewable source of energy, the Solar Charger also makes more economic and eco-friendly sense, too.

The GP Solar Charger was first launched in Hong Kong in mid-July, followed by Singapore last week. There is no word on when it will be available in other parts of Asia at press time. It will retail at S$39.90 (US$28.04) with two AA-sized GP ReCyko rechargeable batteries which have been pre-charged for use immediately after purchase.

Don't judge these two books by their covers

Since its conception, cameras have taken various forms, either for surveillance purpose or simply for the fun of it. If these two gadgets were placed with other publications in the bookstore, I doubt I'd be able to tell them apart.

The Hidden Book Cam from BrickHouse Security is great for parents who leave their toddlers in the care of the maid while they are out. This inconspicuous video camera blends in well with your encyclopedia collection and can record footages to see if the maid was Snow White or playing the Wicked Witch to your kid.

On a lighter note, the Kozika by SuperHeadz is more of a fun camera, utilizing the almost obsolete 110 film format to snap shots. It is similar to the Ikimono shooter we spotted before. Even if you cannot find the film, it still makes a great talking point when friends pop by and you get them to spot the fake on the bookshelf. From the pictures, it seems the innocent-looking shooter ships with a mini deer figurine that looks deceivingly like Bambi to complete the fairy-tale look.

The Hidden Book Cam ships in wired or wireless versions and prices range from US$99.95 to US$299.95. The Kozika is much more affordable (and cuter, too) at US$32.

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