At US$1,199, this 19-inch Wi-Fi-enabled digital photo frame probably won't make its way to your living room anytime soon, unless you've wads of cash.
The PV1955 is PhotoVu's latest digital picture frame and, according to the folks there, it is the "crispest and brightest" PhotoVu they've ever offered. For the amount of money involved, you'll get a 1,280 x 1,024, 24-bit color LCD TFT display, built-in Wi-Fi (802.11b) or Ethernet connectivity and compatibility with Windows, Macintosh, Linux and Unix operating systems.
This gizmo is plug-and-play-compliant with most USB flash devices, so the standard thumbdrives should work instantly with the onboard USB port. To make the deal sweeter, you can customize the picture frame and its back board.
It certainly sounds like an awesome piece of device considering most digital frames available now offer much smaller displays (about 4 x 6-inch) compared with this PhotoVu. But at that sticker price, we are likely to give this frame a miss and settle for a good LCD monitor for maybe a third of the cost.
For those who are more adventurous, you can try making your own digital frame here.
Think of it this way, the next time you decide to head to a plastic surgeon, you might not have to pay the initial consultation fees for a preview of what or how you might look like post-surgery. You could do that in the comfort of your home with a new software.
Tommer Leyvand, a graduate of Tel Aviv University of Israel has developed a new program that applies an algorithm that can make minor adjustments, for example, to the thickness of the eyebrows or the ratio of facial width at the eye and mouth level. This "digital beautification" algorithm is supposed to make a face more attractive in a few minutes without dramatically altering the appearance.
According to New Scientist, a team led by Leyvand's colleague, Yael Eisenthal, did a poll asking people to rate the attractiveness of about 200 photographs and wrote a program that would make these facial adjustments based on the rules generated from the survey.
While initial results have proved promising, it doesn't mean that if you look like the Hulk, the program will turn you into Tom Cruise. You'll probably have to go to a plastic surgeon for that.
We all know about taking close-up pictures and there are cameras touting 0cm macro capabilities. For most intents and purposes, that's good enough, but apparently not so for X-Loupe's i6 Pro, which brings us even more up close and personal with its 150x magnification properties.
The X-Loupe i6 Pro is an attachment for the Canon Digital IXUS 55/60/65/Wireless digicams, which transforms your shooter into a 150x (60x and 100x also available) magnification handheld. This external lens module uses Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries and is rated for up to 5 hours of playtime. It also has a dimmable white-light LED to illuminate your subject. Just follow the six-step instructions online and you're good to go. Of course, you'll have to purchase the accessory from the company's Web site first.
For those wondering about the rationale behind such a device, there are, in fact, many uses. According to X-Loupe, these include archeology authentication, education and research, branded items appreciation and banknote discrimination, to name a few.
The possibilities are endless and, one of these days, we might just be able to start a bonfire by focusing sunlight onto a single spot with our digital cameras.
While Nikon has kept a tight leash on the leakage of its upcoming 10.2-megapixel dSLR, the company is still no match for enthusiasts who seem to be able to get their hands on just about anything. Rumors have been circulating on the Web and Gizmodo ran a piece with pictures of the new Nikon leaked from a French forum.
If the pictures are authentic, the rumored dSLR is a D80 with a few extra buttons and some styling differences. Pity we can't read French, otherwise we'd be able to provide you with more juicy details.
While everyone's awaiting the arrival of Nikon's new shooter, an anonymous tipster also sent blog site I4U some pictures of an as-yet-to-be-announced Sony Cyber-shot. The camera in question is a T50 which looks like a cross between the latest T10 and the touchscreen N1. According to the tipster, the T50 should be released in October in silver, red and black.
Hey, apparently Sony didn't forget its math. The company has announced the "real" successor to the Cyber-shot T9--the Cyber-shot, er, T10. Except for an increase in resolution to 7.2 megapixels and a maximum sensitivity of ISO 1,000, everything else remains. That aside, this Cyber-shot will also be available in pink and white shades, a good eye relief from the usual black and silver.
| |
Good news is the GPS unit is compatible with the latest Cyber-shots, Handycam camcorders and the Alpha 100. According to Sony, the Cyber-shot T10 is slated to hit local stores end August, while the GPS-CS1 will be available from this month onwards.