Gadgets Base

Filed in archive Tutorial by jim on May 15, 2008

<!– <rdf:Description rdf:about=”http://www.digital-shot.com/50226711/great_video_for_digital_camera_owners.php” trackback:ping=”http://www.creative-weblogging.com/cgi-bin/mt-tb.pl/123014″ dc:title=”Great Video For Digital Camera Owners” dc:identifier=”http://www.digital-shot.com/50226711/great_video_for_digital_camera_owners.php” dc:subject=”Tutorial” dc:description=”" dc:creator=”jim” dc:date=”2008-05-15T00:00:01-08:00″ /> –> For all you digital camera owners who have put off trying to use the "Manual" setting on your camera this video is for you.

Digital Photography Tips: Exposure, Shutter Speed And Aperture

This video provides a brief but thorough explanation of the basics of controlling Exposure, Shutter Speed, and Aperture, which will allow you to achieve results that cannot be obtained with any of your camera's automatic or "scene" settings.

You can "tailor" your photos to emphasize or de-emphasize certain elements by controlling light and depth of field and turn an ordinary scene into one that is dramatic.

Of course you can also take several shots using "Auto" and/or any other settings you want to insure that you get an acceptable picture and then you can make changes or corrections at home by using a digital photo graphics program.

Try it, you have nothing to lose, and because it's digital you only pay for what you print so there's no waste.

After you view the video click the link beneath it and see what other video tutorials are available at the "Picturesocial" website.

Take a camera with you whenever possible, and look around, you'll find a picture somewhere.

Source:www.picturesocial.com

Look what I’ve fished out from our CG forums - a Cell Phone + GPS tracker + GPS datalogger + watch. I don’t even know what to call it in the first place, but apparently it prefers to be known as the Wrist Tracker. This multi-functional device features integrated GPS and GSM modules complete with a high performance antenna. You will be able to configure its system settings through SMS or USB, and I believe the latter will be the more affordable method. The LCD display shows a variety of information such as system setting, your current coordination data and satellite indicator among others. It will transmit both longitude and latitude coordinates to your cell phone via SMS and can also be tracked online in real time by GPRS. No idea on how much this puppy will cost though.

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by Steven Kim, posted May 15th 2008 at 5:08PM
Talk about product overlap: just over a month ago, Mitsubishi introduced its XD500U, boasting a pixel count of 1,024 x 768 and brightness of 2,200-lumens. Now say “hello” to the XD211U, with the same pixel count, brightness, and BrilliantColor specs. The XD211U weighs in at 0.5-pounds lighter and does boast a new DDP 2230 TI microarray, however. The theft-deterrent security hook will protect the $1595 beamer from any grabby hands around the office or classroom. The projector might be secure, but you know some deadbeat is going to make off with the detachable keypad and render this thing unusable — better order a spare keypad right up front.

[Via AboutProjectors]

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Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

by Darren Murph, posted May 15th 2008 at 3:30PMRest assured, this won’t be the first or last time you hear of insects and mammals being used as inspiration for robotic creatures. Nevertheless, a recent MIT mechanical engineering course saw students craft bots that could handle “beaver-like tasks” such as “knocking down trees and gathering food in the form of street hockey balls” while fending off competitors in 45-second rounds. Separately, the EU-funded SPARK endeavor is seeking to “develop a new robot control architecture for roving robots inspired by the principles governing the behavior of living systems and based on the concept of self-organization.” There’s plenty more material to make your skin crawl in the read links below, just don’t feed the mechs, okay?

Read - SPARK project
Read - MIT competition

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Filed under: Robots

Eating only half an apple is easy, but eating half a banana isn’t. Well let me rephrase the statement. Preserving a left-over apple is easy, but preserving a left-over banana isn’t.

Which is why the NANA Saver Banana Holder seems like a good idea. The plastic banana holder can be clipped to the exposed end of a sliced banana to minimize air contact. So that the slice remains fresh for a longer duration – just don’t ask how long as it is not mentioned on the site. What the heck, it is definitely innovation at $2.98.

Via Random Good Stuff.

You know those shopping sites where you have the option to view clothing you’re thinking of buying “on a model?” Of course, everything looks great on the model, but for all you know, she’s six feet tall and weighs 90 pounds. Some online shopping sites have a virtual model feature where you pick a model based on body type (for instance, you might be given a choice of triangle, upside triangle, or hour glass - but what if you’re more of a rectangle?), height, skin tone, hairstyle, etc. I’ve never found this kind of feature to be useful because the model never looks anything like me.

In Japan, Avielan Company has developed software for a virtual fitting room called Awaseba that lets you create an online model of the real you rather than a cartoonish avatar. The software application is sold to online merchants who provide the service for free to their customers. To use it, you simply upload a photograph of yourself in the designated pose (face forward, standing straight up, arms at your sides not too close to your body).

A motion sensor spotlight that runs off batteries is perfect for those spots that your outdoor lights do not quite reach or that extra dark hallway at night. You do not have to worry about having to install any new wiring. The light only works at night so your batteries are not wasted, and it will also shut off automatically. You can also adjust the brightness accordingly. This is great for the not so handy man. There is nothing complicated about this product. This is also a great product for those who want some thing that will not affect the electric bill.

Gimme!

More info from the manufacturer

Price: $39.99
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

Posted in Audio/Video, Home Theater, Cameras and Photo, Gizmo of the Day

The Levi Strauss 3G Slider offers a 2 megapixel as well as the following features:

* engraved with the Levi Strauss logo
* Tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900MHz)
* WCDMA (2100MHz) support
* 2″ 262k color TFT, 176 x 220 pixel resolution display
* 80MB
* microSD card slot
* built-in mp3 player
* Bluetooth 1.2 with A2DP support

Via MobileBurn.

Bathing your baby can be quite the bonding experience for either father or mother, and it makes perfect sense to get just the right temperature as you wouldn’t want to scald or shock the little one now, do you? The Bear Baby Bath Thermometer certainly comes in handy, helping you measure the current temperature of the bathwater by turning on automatically the moment it floats. Since it is made out of soft plastic, it doubles up as an impromptu bath toy as well. The Bear Baby Bath Thermometer will retail for $12, and I am pretty sure this can be used whenever you want to bathe your dog, too, although I’m rather skeptical whether it will be able to stand up against the chewing power of any pooch.

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Trimble has rolled out its Copernicus II GPS receiver that ought to see action in many a miniaturized gizmo in the near future. After all, it shares roughly the same measurements as the average thumbnail, being a surface-mount, high sensitivity module. Some of the major advancements found in the Copernicus II receiver include the ability of signal tracking for applications functioning despite being in poor signal environments and a high-sensitivity stationary timing mode for time synchronization. Thanks to its higher sensitivity, performance and faster startup times, the Copernicus II GPS module allows system integrators to add Global Positioning System (GPS) capability to a mobile device with minimal impact on its size or battery life without breaking the bank, and these savings will also be passed down to consumers which is always a good thing considering the global credit crunch at this point in time.

The Copernicus II GPS module is a complete, ready-to-go receiver that provides position, velocity and time data. The receiver features Trimble patented software technology that provides faster startup times and even higher performance in foliage and urban canyon environments. Compatible with active or passive antennas, the Copernicus II GPS receiver can be used in portable handheld, battery-powered applications such as Bluetooth appliances, sport accessories, personal navigators or cameras, computer and communication peripherals as well as vehicle tracking, navigation, and security products.

The Copernicus II GPS receiver will come with version 3.0 firmware, allowing it to generate position fixes with high accuracy in extremely challenging environments and under poor signal conditions, even down to -160dBm. This GPS receiver won’t consume much power at all, where a typical session takes just 120 milliwatts at full power with continuous tracking. Trimble is expected to release the Copernicus II GPS receiver sometime in the third quarter of this year.

Press Release

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