Thursday, August 02, 2007

Prevent Visitors from Downloading Images from Your Website

Technically it is impossible to protect web pictures from leeching since most browsers will first download a copy of the entire image from the internet to the local cache before rendering.

Some webmasters try to disable right click on their webpages so that visitors cannot access the "Save Image As.." command in the menu but that trick can be easily defeated by disabling Javascript or using Firefox. Image Maps are another option but the sliced images can be saved as a whole using any screen capture program.

So what's a good alternative if you are very eager to protect you images on the internet ? One option is is convert your images to SWF Flash objects before uploading them to the web but if that sounds too impractical, try swfIR (SWF Image Replacement tool).

prevent download pictures

swfIR is a very simple technique to prevent image download from your website - instead of adding the standard tag for embedding pictures, you define the image location in Javascript and the image will then wrap inside a Flash movie on your webpage.

What's so nice about swfIR is that it lets apply nice visual effects to your images including borders, rounded corners, small rotations and shadows without actually modifying the original image.

Tech savvy users can easily download the image by looking at the HTML source code of your web page but for the not-so-geeky crowd and image leech software, all they'll see is a blank Flash movie.

www.swfir.com | swfIR Examples

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Casio Adds A 5.1 MP Cameraphone To Its Exilim Line

While Casio's Exilim line has become synonymous for quality cameras, they took a different route this time and hit us with the W53CA Cameraphone. The device features a 5.1 Megapixel camera with 9 point auto focus, image stabilization and a clamshell swivel screen. To top it off, Casio added MicroSD, MP3 support, and one hell of a sleek design. Unfortunately, it's a Korea exclusive.

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$1150, Quad-Driver, Ultimate Ears UE-11 Pro Headphones

ue-11-pro.jpg Ultimate Ears makes some of the best earphones I've ever heard, with the high end UE line made of custom molded pieces with multiple drivers inside. The UE-11 Pro raises the bar to having 4 in each ear, broken down into dual subs, a mid and tweeter. Audio sensitivity is 110dB at 1mW, which is very efficient. Available in a variety of colors and designs (including monograms) for $1150. I believe that's in a custom metal case. [iLounge]

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Three Concept Video Projectors for Gaming More than All White

08.07_userdesigned_07.jpg These three objects are all video projectors that go by the name of Trisha, Dane and Trey. They are the fruits of a collaboration between Texas Instruments, Ignition, DLP and a trio of students on a Masters program in video game development at Southern Methodist University.

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"Made In China" Gets Expensive

The last anyone heard, US companies manufactured goods in China because labor costs were low and the out-sourcing saved money.

Yesterday, Mattel's (MAT) Fisher division recalled about one milion toys. They had high levels of lead in the paint used on them. Mattel had not inspected them as carefully as it might have because the company knew the manufacturer well. Target (TGT) and other firms have recently announced that they had problems with the quality of products brought in from China. These issues now cover a range of goods from toothpaste to dog food to toys.

What has become obvious very quickly is that US companies importing Chinese products are going to have to audit manufacturing in that country and significantly increase the inspection of items as they come to the United states. And, that could be very expensive given the tens of millions of units that come from the Asian country to American each month.

While labor costs may be China's biggest ally in terms of getting US business, low quality and poor inspection standards are its greatest enemies.

If US companies have to increase costs to monitor Chinese products, the country may cease being the low cost provider. And, public opinion is showing the US consumers are already worried.

Douglas A. McIntyre for 24/7 Wall St.

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