Thursday, September 16, 2010

How to Take Wireless Photos with Your DSLR and iOS Device [Photography]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5639184/how-to-take-wireless-photos-with-your-dslr-and-ios-device

Whether you're looking to wirelessly upload your photos to your iOS device or want to use it as a remote shutter, here's how to make it happen.

We're going to take a look at two ways to make this happen. The first is with an app called Shutter Snitch, which sends photos wirelessly from your camera to your iOS device, and the second is with an app called DSLR Remote, which lets you control your camera with your iOS device. Check out the video above for a quick run through of how to set things up.

Shutter Snitch

Here's what you'll need to get started:

A camera
The Shutter Snitch app ($8)
A Non-X2 version Eye-Fi card (Around $50) or a wireless adapter for your camera (expensive!)
An SD to CompactFlash adapter, if your DSLR doesn't take SD ($15-25)

Before you can start using your Eye-Fi card with your iOS device you'll need to turn off Relay Mode in the Eye-Fi manager and make sure it's not automatically uploading photos to your computer, Flickr, or anywhere. Once you do that you can set up Shutter Snitch on your iOS device.

To start the setup, tap options and sign in to your Eye Fi account on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Shutter Snitch will, hopefully, recognize your card and sync up with it. If you check your Eye-Fi manager, you should see the name of your iPhone as the computer your Eye-Fi card is connected to. If not, try restarting. Now you can make a new collection in Shutter Snitch, open it, and start taking pictures. You have to be in a collection in order for the photos to be transferred. If you are, they should start appearing on your iPhone in a few seconds.

DSLR Remote

Here's what you'll need to get started:

A camera
The DSLR Remote Lite or Pro app ($2 or $20)
A USB cable that fits your camera (probably mini to regular)

How to Take Wireless Photos with Your DSLR and iOS Device

DSLR Remote is $2 for the lite version, which has basic features, but it'll set you back $20 for the pro version which gives you things like live view mode. Setup is pretty easy. You download software on both your computer and iOS device, then connect your DSLR to your computer with a USB cable. Your iOS device should recognize your computer pretty quickly. Select your computer from the list and that's really all you have to do. Aim the camera where you want it and then you can start capturing pictures directly to your machine by hitting the shutter on your iOS device. You can even change settings and focus. Unfortunately, so far, you can only take pictures. No video yet.

Shutter Snitch [iTunes App Store via Jesse Rosten]

DSLR Remote Lite / Pro [iTunes App Store]

Audyssey's Sound Dock Packs a PhD [SpeakerDock]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5638988/audysseys-sound-dock-packs-a-phd

Audyssey's Sound Dock Packs a PhD Audyssey's new iOS-compatible speaker dock squeezes sophisticated software engineering cred—found in the high-end audio equipment you might already own—into one diminutive grilled black slab. With years of university research under its belt, the tiny guy wallops your iPod.

Audyssey's Sound Dock Packs a PhD

The Audyssey dock pounds out a surprising amount of power from a box the size of a large lunchbox (albeit a very heavy one), using two 4" drivers and 2 3/4" tweeters. You're free to park your iPod or iPhone into the dock connector, or stream tunes over Bluetooth or via micro USB. Another clever function of the box—again, accomplished through refined audio wizardry—is the inclusion of dual microphones, turning the dock into a full telephony station—whether Skype or traditional phone call. The station has two built-in mics, each of which spatially track the location of voices in the room, and alternate between acting as input and blocking out noise or echos.

Audyssey's Sound Dock Packs a PhD

At $399, the Audyssey dock is certainly not a dorm essential (or possibility), nor will it replace your home theater (despite being impressive for its size). But those looking for an alternative to similarly-priced and featured docks would be served by giving it a listen. [Audyssey]

Meet Sony's Future Reader Displays, Made From Flexible E-Paper [EReaders]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5639629/meet-sonys-future-reader-displays++flexible-e+paper

A few months back Sony demonstrated their ultra-thin flexible OLED panel, which was thinner than a human hair, and could be wrapped around a pencil. While not as visually impressive, their flexible e-paper at least has a chance of launching.

Saying that, I can think of a dozen of uses for the 80μm-thick OLED. Imagine it as a watch, circling around your wrist—displaying crazy graphics like a vamped-up Tokyo Flash.

With their e-paper, it's really only intended for use as a newspaper or book substitute, as demonstrated previously by LG. Whether their next Readers use the flexi-paper or if we could see a 19-inch version of broadsheets in the near future, time will tell, but it's pretty obvious this plastic substrate will be used quite a bit in the coming years. [Sony Insider via SlashGear]

Toshiba brings WX800 and VX700 HDTVs stateside, BDX3000 3D Blu-ray player this month

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/15/toshiba-brings-wx800-and-vx700-hdtvs-stateside-bdx3000-3d-blu-r/

Remember that slate of drop-dead gorgeous Toshiba HDTVs that emerged at IFA? They're back, and they're making a beeline for a living room near you. Provided that "you" are in "the US of A," that is. Just as we expected, Tosh has come clean with the US variants of its LED-based Cinema Series, with the flagship WX800 models (46- and 55-inches) getting 3D Resolution+ technology, 240Hz processor, inbuilt 802.11b/g/n WiFi, the company's own Enhanced NET TV service, Yahoo! widgets (score!) and a native 1080p panel. The lower end VX700 series (again, 46- and 55-inches) is meant for those content with 2D imagery, but they still retain the connected features along with two USB ports, an SD / SDHC card slot and DLNA support. Lastly, the BDX3000 3D Blu-ray player that we've been holding out for finally has a ship date, and it's soon. Within a fortnight, the aforesaid player will be out and about on US shelves for $249.99, representing a $50 premium over the 3D-less BDX2700. Check out the full list of details embedded after the break.

Gallery: Toshiba WX800 and VX700 HDTVs; BDX3000 3D Blu-ray player

Continue reading Toshiba brings WX800 and VX700 HDTVs stateside, BDX3000 3D Blu-ray player this month

Toshiba brings WX800 and VX700 HDTVs stateside, BDX3000 3D Blu-ray player this month originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel testing context-aware API for smartphones and tablet PCs, teams with Fodor on dynamic travel app

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/15/intel-building-a-context-aware-api-for-smartphones-and-tablet-pc/

Intel CTO Justin Rattner just described a future where your devices know more about you -- not just "where you are," but "where you're going," to use his words. Intel's working on a context-aware API that uses not only physical smartphone and tablet sensors (like accelerometers and GPS) but also "soft sensors" including social networks and personal preferences to infer what you're doing and what you like, and deliver these inferences to a "context engine" that can cater to your tastes. It's presently being tested in an app by travel guide company Fodors on a Compal MID that dynamically delivers restaurant and tourism suggestions based on these factors, and also in a social cloud service (demoed on a prototype tablet) that can show you what your friends are up to (using game-like avatars!) on the go. Rattner told us that the API itself is not quite like the typical experiments out of Intel Labs -- while there aren't presently plans to make the API publicly available, he said the context engine was made to commercial software standards specifically so it could become a real product should the technology pan out. In other words, Intel just might be agreeing to do all the heavy lifting for a new generation of apps. How sweet.

Gallery: Intel's context-aware presentation and Fodor travel app at IDF 2010