Sigma acquires Foveon and all of its sensor technologies

In what seems like a bid to get ahead in the competitive digital imaging market, Sigma has acquired Foveon, the company that developed the current X3 sensor found in most of Sigma's shooters.

This move is hardly surprising considering that both companies have been working together since 2000 and the proven technology had garnered critical acclaim among professionals. Typically, each pixel in a sensor can record only either red, blue or green. Foveon's chip is designed such that there are three light-sensitive areas within each pixel. Each of these parts can record all three shades simultaneously. Foveon says this results in more natural-looking colors and reduced digital artifacts.

What will happen after the acquisition? For now, Sigma has said in a press release that it will continue to rely on the X3 sensor, with two more shooters utilizing this technology to debut in 2009. What this writer here thinks could happen is that since the Japanese company now holds the patent, there is a chance it can collaborate with other major players in the industry to produce even better cameras. Only time will tell how Sigma will fully maximize on its acquisition.

Adobe delays Photoshop.com, CS4 goodies

Adobe Systems has delayed by a few weeks the release of some upgrades to its Photoshop.com online service and to its high-end Photoshop CS4 software.

The upcoming Photoshop site upgrades include features to import address book entries from Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, and Gmail to improve photo sharing; an uploading tool to synchronize software on a person's PC with the version stored online; and new pricing options. They had been due Tuesday but now will go live "later this month," Adobe said in a statement Monday night.

Also slipping a few weeks is the Photoshop CS4 Configurator, a tool to let people create customized control panels for the image-editing software. It had been due in October, but now it and another new CS4 option, the Pixel Bender filter gallery, won't debut until later in November, John Nack, senior product manager for Photoshop, said in a blog post. Pixel Bender is a technology enabling high-performance special effects that Adobe hopes will be easier to use than earlier plug-in filter technology.

"We decided to give both tools a little extra bake time, so look for them to appear on Adobe Labs within the next two weeks," Nack said. "Also stay tuned for a Camera Raw update for CS4 that'll include a number of nice little surprises."

Via CNET News

Nikon teaches you to be photogenic

Some people are so at ease in front of the camera that no matter which angle you shoot them, it always looks natural. For me, I become a nervous wreck when I see a lens pointed in my direction. Blame it on low self-esteem, but I prefer to be behind the shooter.

Maybe Nikon can solve my woes. It has come up with a series of online videos called Look Good in Pictures. Hosted by TV personality Carson Kressley, each episode reveals tips and tricks on how to make you look photogenic. Currently, the Web site is showing a series on weddings, so brides-to-be may want to head over and take a peek. Though even after watching the episode Relax and Be Yourself, I still get sweaty palms at the thought of having my picture taken.

Jobo digital frame goes cordless, not wireless

What's the difference between a digital picture frame, err, photo display that's cordless and one that's wireless? Wireless means it's ready to connect to a wireless network, cordless means it doesn't always need a power cord. The Jobo AG 8.4-inch PDJ801 Photo Display is cordless thanks to a built-in rechargeable Li-ion battery, making it more portable than your average outlet-needing digital frame.

Along with the battery you get 1GB of internal memory, card slots for CompactFlash, SD, MMC, Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro, xD-Picture Card, and a 800x600 resolution with a 500:1 contrast ratio. Price is US$179.

Don't need the rechargeable battery and all that storage? For $20 less you can get the PDJ800 that has the same acrylic and metal design, but you get only 128MB of on-frame storage and a plain old AC adapter.

Both will be available at the end of November 2008.

Via CNET Crave

Study: BlackBerry has twice failure rate of iPhone

Apple's iPhone has half the failure rate of RIM's BlackBerry in the first year of use, a study carried out by a mobile-phone warranty firm has found.

The SquareTrade study, released Saturday, looked at more than 15,000 handsets that were covered by the company's policies. It found iPhones had a malfunction rate of 5.6 percent in the first year, compared to 11.9 percent for Research In Motion's BlackBerry smartphones. Palm's Treos fared even worse, with 16.2 percent having some sort of malfunction in the first 12 months of use.
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