Contour+2 Review: Sweet Images, Sloppy Mounts [Video]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5948640/contour%252B2-review-sweet-images-sloppy-mounts

Think of an action cam, and the name GoPro probably comes to mind. But there are a lot of alternates to consider, as a recent action cam Battlemodo proved. One brand, Contour, has always been just a step away from gaining GoPro-style notoriety. The recently announced Contour+2 might change that.

What Is It?

A miniature HD video camera that you mount to a helmet, bike, surfboard, or car.

Who's It For?

Those who engage in activities during which "cowabunga" might be heard.

Design

Ravishing. Sleek brushed metal. Definitely better looking than the homely GoPro line. Then again, you don't buy these for looks.

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Using It

Contour makes a big deal about a single switch handling power and record. On the rear, a status button shows battery strength and storage space. You can control almost all aspects of the camera via bluetooth-enabled iOS or Android smartphone. Being able to start recording and change settings without fiddling with the camera is a really great feature.

The Best Part

Great image quality. There are minor issues such as a yellow color-cast in certain lighting conditions, and the occassional "jello effect" if the camera is vibrating havily. But compared to the GoPro Hero2, the images are noticeably sharper when viewed full-screen.

Tragic Flaw

Not rugged enough. Stuck to the underside of a skateboard, the plastic rotating surface mount actually broke apart while skating down the street. The rear-control hatch was knocked open. Luckily, we had some backup duct tape holding the camera in place. Not good—and all from skateboarding down the street!

Test Notes

• To fit the camera on an object, there is a strappy "Profile Mount," meant for a helmet, and a "Flat Surface Mount," an adhesive square that sticks to most smooth surfaces. This mount, which rotates so you can align the camera properly, was the one that came loose from the skateboard.
• The camera's rotating sensor is really cool. You can rotate it a full 360 degrees so that your horizon is straight no matter what crazy way you have the thing mounted. You will never have annoyingly off-axis video to watch.
• The Contour software can overlay a data box on your video that displays GPS location, elevation, and even speed.
• The kit comes with waterproof housing. This used to be an add-on accessory, but with the Contour+2 it is included, all for $100 cheaper than the previous kit.
• The laser beam on the front, meant to help level your camera is damn near useless in daylight. It shines in your eyes when you least expect it. If I go blind, it's on Contour.
• There are decent options for adjusting picture settings—contrast, sharpness, and white balance.
• Battery life is decent at 2-2.5 hours, but it takes forever to recharge.
• The camera seemed a bit heavy for the helmet strap. It held in place, but wobbled around a lot.
• Field of view is fixed at 170°, whereas as GoPro Hero2 has variable field of view going up to 180°.
• Sound is not great. There is a mic jack (that uses a proprietary adapter cable) if you want to record anything besides muffled wind and vibration.
• For those not interested in complex video editing, the Contour Storyteller software is easy to use and designed fairly well.
• The price for the kit is $399, which is $100 cheaper than the previous version, and that was without the waterproof housing. (The GoPro Hero 2 Outdoor kit is $299, but doesn't have GPS capability or smartphone control.)

Should You Buy It?

The Contour+2 is not a bad product. Yes, we had a couple of problems, but it still offers great image quality in a versatile device.

The real question is whether to buy a Contour+2 or a GoPro. It comes down to what you care about. If you like tracking GPS data, want excellent footage of your exploits, and you love the idea of controlling the camera with your iPhone, then the Contour+2 is a great choice. If you just want a decent image mounted as securely as possible, you might want a GoPro—as we learned recently, GoPro mounts are freaking strong.

Another factor to consider: The Sony Action-Cam is on the horizon, and it could potentially offer a better product for less money. Wait to see how the Sony tests, and then make a decision based on what you need. The Contour+2 could be the one. Just don't forget your duct tape.

Contour+2
• Field of View: 170°
• Storage: up to 32 GB microSD (comes with 4 GB)
• Frame Rates: 1920 x 1080 @ 30/25fps, 1280 x 720 @ 60/50 or 30/25fps, 1280 x 960 @ 30/25fps, 854 x 480 @ 120/100
• Dimensions: 98mm x 60mm x 34mm
• Price: $399
• Gizrank: 3.5

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BlackBerry Has a Mystery Quad Core 2GB RAM Superphone in the Works [Rim]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5948989/blackberry-has-a-mystery-quad-core-2gb-ram-superphone-in-the-works

Well this could be (but sadly probably won't be) interesting. A spec sheet of a supposed new phone from RIM has turned up on RapidBerry, and its specs actually seem, for once, pretty modern.

Here's the spec rundown: a Qualcomm APQ8064 Krait Quad Core 1.5GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, LTE, an OLED 4.65-inch 1280x720 screen, 16GB of storage with a microSD card slot, and a 2800mAh battery. Its dimensions, 68 x 136 x 8.85mm, put it basically right at the same size as the Galaxy S III, which is 71 x 137 x 8.6mm.

So it looks like this should be, on paper, a solid, competitive phone. But RIM has fallen flat with competitive hardware before. The success or failure of any new BlackBerries, if their fate isn't already sealed, rests with software. And it's still not clear if BB10 has anything people actually want. Still, for the RIM faithful, this should be at least mildly exciting. [RapidBerry via Slashgear via GSMArena]

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This Machine Can Sequence a Genome in Just Two Days [Science]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5948891/this-machine-can-sequence-a-genome-in-just-two-days

Researchers at a hospital in Kansas have been using this machine to crank out entire genome sequences of just-born babies in two days—which could be fast enough to change treatment regimes and save their wonderful little lives.

Usually, gene testing in neonatal intensive care units takes over a month, which means babies expect aggressive or guessed-at treatment at best. Thanks to this piece of kit, the Illumina's HiSeq 2500, doctors are now able to do it in 50 hours, Technology Review reports. It might cost $13,500 a pop, but when you're dealing with a baby's life, that's worth it. Stephen Kingsmore, one of the researchers from Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, explains:

"For those of us who have been decoding genomes, it's been phenomenally frustrating that, up until now, practical medicine has not benefited from whole-genome sequencing... We can now consider whole-genome sequencing to be relevant for hospital medicine."

What's desperately sad is that, so far, all the babies who have had their genomes sequenced at these high speeds—six in total—have been so ill they've all died. But there's hope that in the future, the fast turnaround time will allow doctors to perform life-saving treatments.

It's not all bad news: one family has learned of their underlying epilepsy thanks to the tests, another has worked out why they've been struggling to have children in the past. Of course, looking to the future, the technology's strengths could change the way children—and adults—are treated. For once, speed certainly does not kill. [Technology Review via Geekosystem]

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Motorola RAZR i review: Intel's 2GHz processor in a small, Android ICS package

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/04/motorola-razr-i-review/

More Info

• Motorola and Intel hold hands for multi-year, multi-device partnership
• Motorola announces Intel-powered RAZR i, launches in Europe next month
• Motorola's RAZR i: benchmarking Intel's first 2GHz Medfield smartphone

If you're getting a serious dose of déjà vu, we're right there with you. The RAZR i is a version of Motorola's Droid RAZR M that's headed to Europe and South America with a few differences. For the most part, though, it's cut from the same Kevlar cloth: you get a 4.3-inch AMOLED screen with qHD (960 x 540) resolution, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2,000mAh battery and 5GB of built-in storage -- with a microSD slot for expansion.

So what's different? On the outside, the RAZR i gets a physical, two-stage camera button. It's a welcome addition, but Intel reckons that its 2GHz processor is what you should be concerned with. It's the highest-clocked Medfield processor we've seen yet -- and perhaps more importantly, it's been placed in a core phone-maker's device. We've already come a long way from the Orange-branded San Diego. So how does this compare to the Qualcomm-powered (and ! LTE-capa ble) RAZR M? Will this Intel iteration charm us the same way? Join us after the break to find out.

Gallery: Motorola RAZR i review

Continue reading Motorola RAZR i review: Intel's 2GHz processor in a small, Android ICS package

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google, Intel

Motorola RAZR i review: Intel's 2GHz processor in a small, Android ICS package originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Atooma Automates Almost Anything In a Few Taps, Is Like IFTTT for Your Android Phone [Android Downloads]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5948760/atooma-is-like-ifttt-for-your-android-phone

Android: Atooma offers complete control over your Android phone's sensors and components, and gives you a remarkably easy to master interface to program activities that you may be doing manually, like switching to Wi-Fi when you get home, silencing notifications when you get to the office, or even read incoming SMS messages aloud when you're driving, for starters.

We've covered a few apps that let you build triggered events for your Android device, most notably Tasker and Llama, but the learning curve for both of those tools can be a little steep. Atooma aims to give you the same level of control over your device without the struggle to learn and master dozens of operations and triggers, and it really comes through. When we say it's like IFTTT, we mean it: creating activities is as simple as filling out "IF [X], DO [Y]," where X and Y correspond to triggers and activities you choose, whether they're system activities, or involve external apps like your music players and social networks.

Filling in those triggers and activities is as simple as selecting from a icon-based menu of options, each of which asks you for more information if it's required. For example, if you select "location" and "GPS," you'll be prompted to select the map area you want to trigger the event. The UI is simple to master, and if you've been intimidated by or just don't need the extreme detail that apps like Tasker offer, it's worth checking out. Best of all, it's completely free and available to download now at Google Play.

Atooma | via GigaOM

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