Developages - Development and Technology Blog

Will the YouTube camcorder wars never end? No, they will not. Pure Digital had fired the most recent shot by launching the HD version of its Flip Mino, a direct response to the high-def capabilities of Kodak’s first entry into the space.

It seems Creative is fighting back too–with the Vado HD. The price in the above ad is actually Singapore dollars; the device made an appearance in the company’s Singapore holiday catalog. ($299 in Singapore dollars comes out to roughly $195 U.S.)

Personally, I liked the original Vado better than the Flip Mino, thanks in no small part to its larger and clearer display. It’ll be interesting to see how these next-gen device stack up.

No word on U.S. availability yet.

Original post by Brian Heater

Kids break stuff. It’s a fact. If your son or daughter has ever asked to play with your new digital camera or tried to put a DVD into your $300 player, you’ve probably been one of the many parents who freeze in terror as you watch your kid destroy your tech toy. Instead of spending time guarding treasured electronics, why not buy your child a Fisher-Price Kid-Tough DVD Player or Digital Camera?

Both toys are made for kids three years old and up, and are very easy to use. To start with, the DVD player is simple and functional. It can act as a DVD player or a CD player. The screen, although small, has a good resolution. The player comes with an AC adapter, but it also has a rechargeable battery. So once you charge the battery, your son or daughter can watch DVDs or listen to CDs in the car.

And yes, there is a headphone jack, so you won’t have to listen to the Wiggles anymore. You can also connect the player to your TV with an AV cable (not included).

The DVD player is made to handle being dropped over and over again, so this is the perfect solution for your uneasiness when it comes to kids and electronics. The player does come with a hefty price though: $150. But, for a practically invincible portable DVD player, it’s well worth it.

Speaking of invincible, the Kid-Tough digital camera not only has the same protective rubber sidings as the DVD player, but it’s also waterproof. That’s right, you can now be free of worry when your daughter brings the camera to bath time. The camera is waterproof only for 30 minutes and in up to 3 feet of water, so no deep-sea diving!

The digital camera is just as easy to use as the DVD player. It has big buttons, and unlike your digital camera, there’s only one option when taking a picture. There are no “autumn leaves” or “candlelight″ settings–you’ll need to buy a real camera for that. But, for a 3-year-old, the Fisher-Price camera will do just fine.

Also, if your kid can tell the difference between low- and high-quality photos, this may not be the camera for them. The camera lets you take photos at the standard setting of 640-by-480, or you can take high-resolution photos at an interpolated 1.3 megapixels. Either setting produces pretty grainy photos, but most kids won’t care.

To take a photo, you can look through the LCD screen or use the two eye-holes that look like they belong on a View-Master. The camera automatically uses a flash if the area is too dark. There’s no way to control the flash, and there’s also no way to control the camera’s sound. Although not loud, sound effects play each time you turn the camera on or off, take a photo, delete a photo, or scroll through the photos.

It’s simple to connect the camera to your computer with the included USB cable, but keep in mind that the USB outlet is on a part of the camera which requires a screwdriver to open. This is to keep the camera waterproof. So, you’ll have to help your children when they want to upload their photos. The camera stores up to 500 photos with 64 MB of memory. For only $50, this is a gift that will make your kid one happy little photographer.

Original post by Jennifer Bergen

While there are those with a penchant for the big picture, there are also those who see beauty in details. For me, however, the Kenko Digital LED Microscope Camera could have meant something much more. As a science major back in college, we had to document not only tiny insects but microscopic seeds and cells among others of the size and this would have been a tremendous help.

The Kenko digital microscope camera utilizes high power LED lights to illuminate most things up close that can be viewed onscreen. Magnification is between 20 to 100 times depending on the display connected to the microscope camera (hit the jump if you want to see sample pictures taken by using the device). The device is made of ABS plastic, runs on three AAA batteries, shoots videos in NTSC format, measures a handy 50×58x132mm, and has two LED lights for illumination purposes. You can grab a Kenko Microscope Camera at Japan Trend Shop for $111.

Original post by Mariella Moon

First things first. There’s a lot to like about a high def camcorder that shoots 720p and 1080p video and sells for around $185. So my first impression would be to like the DXG-595V. And I do, though with a slew of reservations. For this price you assume there are compromises and limitations–there are.

It is a hand sized camcorder weighing in at a little more than half a pound. That is a blessing and curse. I took it on a hike up Sleeping Giant Mountain this afternoon–just shoving it into my pants pocket. But small also means it’s difficult to hold steady. Without the mass of a heavier and larger cousin it’s everything you can do to keep it from bobbing and weaving especially when zoomed in.

DXG could have… no, should have compensated for the small mass with a wider angle lens. The wider your lens the less motion matters. Even without wobble consumer cameras need to start wide because that’s how camcorders are used. If you’re shooting family or friends you’re probably going to be close. On the DXG-595V that means most of a face or maybe an eye and nose. Up on Connecticut’s Sleeping Giant Mountain I couldn’t move back far enough to capture the three story stone tower in the frame. And though there is digital stabilization in every mode but 1080p it wasn’t effective.

I was surprised to find an actual 5:1 ratio zoom lens going from medium to long telephoto (one of the few moving parts on this digital machine). It’s real zoom, though there is also the digital zoom hocus pocus usually found on low priced gear. If you’re shooting sports the zoom lens will definitely come in handy.

Played back on my Vizio 47″ HDTV the quality is surprisingly good. It looks like compression artifacts are compensated for by sharpening. The video is soft and sharp at the same time! The colors were reasonably saturated and true. Video played from the camera is smooth. Playing it back off a hard drive on a variety of PCs here at home produced jumpy video.

What’s sorely lacking is the ability to easily use this video after it’s shot. The camcorder comes bundled with the Presto! VideoWorks. That means this HD camera comes with editing software that won′t render HD video as HD! Maybe I’m just not using the software correctly. The documentation′s entire chapter on supported formats reads, “Presto! VideoWorks supports video, image, and audio files, in several formats that you can import, edit, and produce your finished project according to your needs.” Gee, thanks.

I was hoping to try other software but the H.264 encoded MOV files were incompatible with anything else I′ve got.

This is the kind of camcorder I′d take on vacation in a New York minute. It’s a camera for someone who doesn’t use or need one often and is wondering if they can get away with spending less than $200. It’s simple, small and beyond lightweight. A carrying pouch, easily adjusted wrist strap and internal lens cover are included.

Original post by Geoff Fox

LiteOn IT, maker of optical storage solutions for PCs, is releasing its first consumer electronics product under the brand-name Skyla. With the Memoir Scanning Digital Photo Frame you can easily convert your old photos (as long as they’re no bigger than 4 by 6 inches) into digital files and display them on the frame.

The frame has 1GB of internal memory for instant playback on the frame’s 8-inch display and can play up to 200 4-by-6-inch photos or 400 3-by-5-inch prints. It has an 800 by 600 screen resolution, and offers up to a 600-dpi scanning resolution. To load in your pictures, you just push a button on the side of the frame to open the guider in the front, and then insert a photo. The frame scans it, and leaves you with a sharp digital version.

Another nice feature is its two USB ports for PC/USB flash drive connections, which lets you view digital images on your computer, as well as back up the scanned photos from the internal memory.

The Memoir can also play back Ṃ, Motion JPEG, MPEG1, and MPEG4 files. It features a clock, calendar, and alarm clock with picture slideshows.

The frame will hit stores in late December, just in time to display all those holiday photos. The Memoir has a suggested retail price of $219.99.

Original post by Jennifer Bergen

If truly unique images are your game, Lensbaby’s got you covered. The Lensbaby Composer is the latest lens to join the company’s line of selective-focus optics. If the $270 price tag doesn’t give it away, this lens is not a toy: It’s a tool for professionals and hobbyists alike.

Unlike other lenses in the Lensbaby lineup, the all-glass Composer is able to retain its focus position, thanks to a ball and socket design. I was able to obtain and hold focus on my subject in seconds previous lenses required much more patience to achieve the same selective-focus effect.

Available with Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony Alpha, Pentax K, and Olympus mounts, the 4-ounce lens maintains a low profile, extending only 2 inches beyond the camera body. The $270 Lensbaby Composer ships in early December, and includes a Double Glass Optic, with Single Glass, Plastic, and Pinhole Optics available for about $35 each or $95 in a set of three. The Double Glass Optic produces the sharpest image, with the other lenses producing images with softer focus.

Original post by Zach Honig

Haven’t you heard? The kids these days are crazy about tiny projectors. Optoma, 3M, Microvision–pretty much everyone seems to be getting on the mini bandwagon. Mitsubishi, a long time leader in the space, naturally, refuses to be out done. The company today announced the release of its Pico Portable XD95U Projector.

At 3.3-pounds, the Pico isn’t quite as diminutive as the aforementioned models, however. As PC Mag’s M. David Stone notes, “This is NOT a real Pico projector. It’s what’s usually called the micro category–2 to 3 pounds. ”

The projector has a 3,000-hour lamp life, projects at 2,200 ANSI lumens, and has a quick-cooling instant shut-down feature. The XGA (1024 x 768 pixels) Pico uses DLP technology from Texas Instruments.

Interested parties can pick up the X᫯U for $1,495. It ships with a three-year limited warranty on parts and labor and a 90-day warranty on the projector’s lamp.

Original post by Brian Heater

Well, this was pretty much inevitable: Pure Digital, the company that nearly singlehandedly launched the low-priced YouTube camcorder revolution, is taking a cue from Kodak’s Zi6 HD Pocket Cam and going HD.

The company debuted the Flip Mino HD, a 3.3 oz camcorder that can capture high-def images. The camera isn’t exactly the cheapest device we’ve seen in the space–it will run about $40 more than the company’s current Flip Mino and $90 more than the Flip Ultra–$230.

This is our first product that is starting to scratch a little bit at the traditional camcorder buyer,” Pure Digital exec Jonathan Kaplan told The New York Times.

From early shots of the device, the Flip Mino HD looks an awful lot like the standard Mino–tiny display and all.

Original post by Brian Heater

I have a penchant for losing gift cards. I can’t explain it. I’ll stick one in my wallet on a drawer, and I won’t see the damn thing for another six months. So here′s a novel idea from Target–why not add some value to the gift card itself? The mega-retailer is issuing its latest series of holiday gift cards in the form of miniature digital cameras.

Shoppers picking up gift cards in denominations ranging from $50 to 1,000 can pick up one of these 1.2-megapixel beauties. The cameras have 8MB of on-board memory and ship with a USB cord, driver disk, and a coupon for 40 free prints. It runs on two AAA batteries and can be reloaded in value, just like a standard Target gift card.

Original post by Brian Heater

A week after it announced 155 store closures in the U.S., Circuit City on Monday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The electronics retailer “plans to continue operating the business without interruption,” according to a statement.

On Nov. 3, Circuit City said it would shut down 155 stores in 28 states, and reduce its workforce by 17 percent.

The company said Monday that it also laid off an additional 700 people at its corporate headquarters for a total workforce reduction of 20 percent.

The move comes amidst concern from Circuit City vendors about its financial situation.

“Despite aggressive efforts to secure vendor support, vendor concerns about the company’s liquidity and ability to pay for its purchases in this difficult economic climate have escalated considerably since” the company announced plans to shut down some of its stores, according to Circuit City.

No additional store closings were announced, but the company said it reserves the right to “review additional cost-cutting initiatives.”

“We understand how difficult the recent announcements have been on everyone at the company, and we recognize the changes personally affect many people,” James A. Marcum, vice chairman and acting president and CEO of Circuit City Stores, Inc., said in a statement. “In the meantime, our stores remain fully operational, and our associates are focused on consistent and successful execution this holiday season and beyond.”

Circuit City lists its total assets at $3.4 billion and its total debts at $2.3 billion.

In April, Blockbuster announced that it offered to acquire Circuit City Stores for $1.3 billion, but Circuit City declined the offer.

Original post by Chloe Albanesius

Another day, another deal! Here are Gearlog’s grabs for Thursday:

1. The Cambridge SoundWorks Radio 705 is on sale for $35 via DealHack. The AM/FM radio has an AUX in jack that provides playback for MP3, CD, DVD players, and PCs. Other features include a headphone jack and 30-minute sleep-timer. Normally $119, the radio is 71 percent off and is on sale until noon tomorrow.

2. Mr. Burns USB Webcam via ThinkGeek (left). A high-quality webcam shaped like Monty Burns at his desk includes a large clip that allows it to be attached to your flat-panel monitor or laptop screen.On sale from $49.99 to $19.99. Excellent.

3. Tenba Small Messenger Multi-Purpose Case in platinum is on sale through Buy.com for $61.99 with free shipping. The bag usually goes for $140.

Original post by Jennifer Bergen

Tuesday, while in the voting cubicle in the lunchroom of my local elementary school, I pulled out my cellphone. clicked to the camera and took a photo of my ballot. In some states that was a criminal act!

“Election laws are serious business - you could be removed from the polling place and even subject to criminal penalties. Some states like Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, and Texas expressly prohibit the use of photographic and recording equipment inside polling places. - Citizen Media Law Project”

The ‘why′ of these laws is simple. States have tried desperately to prevent people from selling their votes. It’s a tough sale without documentary proof–like a photo. But these laws were put into effect before cellphone cameras, YouTube, Flickr and the Internet. Who could have foreseen how ubiquitous cameras would become?

If I was performing a criminal act (here’s a brief rundown of the laws from all 50 states) then websites that encourage photos or videos from polling sites might be accused of incitement or conspiracy (I so wish I was a lawyer right now). The decidedly left-leaning Air America is asking for photos. So are the aforementioned Flickr, with its US Election 2008 group and YouTube which is asking its members to “Video Your Vote! And Then Watch the Election on YouTube.”

In the end the question probably won’t be whether you broke the law but whether these laws are practically enforceable when phones fit in your pocket and nearly everyone is carrying one. Is this the initial trickle of a soon-to-come tsunami of technology advancing faster than the law?

Original post by Geoff Fox

The economic downturn has taken its toll on Circuit City. The electronics retailer announced Monday that it will shut down 155 stores in 28 states starting Tuesday, a move that will see a 17-percent reduction its workforce.

“The company expects that impacted stores will not open on Tuesday, November 4, and the store closing sales will begin on Wednesday, November 5,” according to a statement. “The company expects the sales to be completed no later than calendar year end.”

California will see the largest number of store closures, with 24 in cities like Compton, Palo Alto, and Santa Barbara, according to a list released by Circuit City. The company will continue to operate 76 stores in the state.

Georgia will lose 19 Circuit City stores, including four in the Atlanta area. Illinois and Arizona meanwhile, will lose 14 and 13 stores, respectively.

Circuit City currently has a presence in 45 states. After the store closures, California will continue to have the largest number of Circuit Stores, followed by Texas with 55 and Florida with 49.

Texas will lose nine stores in the closures, while Florida will lose seven. Stores that closed had “lower net sales, a lower close rate and a lower gross profit margin rate. [They were] also unprofitable when marketing expenses were allocated to the individual store-level results.”

Meanwhile, the company will not open 10 new stores that had been planned for 2009, and will try to renegotiate the leases on existing stores. “We deeply regret the impact today’s announcement will have on our associates, our guests and the communities where these stores are located,” according to the company.

The company cited several reasons for the store closures, though the recent financial crisis has had the biggest impact.

“Since late September, unprecedented events have occurred in the financial and consumer markets causing macroeconomic trends to worsen sharply,” James A. Marcum, vice chairman and acting president and chief executive officer of Circuit City Stores, said in a statement. “The weakened environment has resulted in a slowdown of consumer spending, further impacting our business as well as the business of our vendors. The combination of these trends has strained severely our working capital and liquidity, and so we are making a number of difficult, but necessary, decisions to address the company’s financial situation as quickly as possible.”

The economic turmoil has prompted several of Circuit City’s vendors to tighten their belts as well.

“Certain of the company’s vendors have set more restrictive payment terms than in previous quarters, including in some cases requiring payment before shipment,” according to a statement. “Vendors also have limited the credit available to the company for purchases, including in some cases not providing customary increases in credit lines for holiday purchases.”

As a result, “the current mix of terms and credit availability is becoming unmanageable for the company.”

Meanwhile, Circuit City claims it has been unable to collect an $80 million income tax refund the company believes it is owed.

In April, Blockbuster announced that it offered to acquire Circuit City Stores for $1.3 billion, but Circuit City declined the offer.

Original post by Chloe Albanesius

OK, camera junkies, here’s your chance to win a boatload of color-calibration tools from X-Rite, maker of the venerable, well-respected ColorChecker. The company is hosting a photography competition dubbed “Where in The World is your ColorChecker?,” and the rules are simple: Take a photo with an X-Rite ColorChecker someplace interesting, register your photo via the link below and then upload it to the contest’s Flickr group.

X-Rite will award the top ten images prizes ranging from, $100 Huey monitor calibrators to the $1,495 i1XTreme color management suite. The winners will be judged by a panel of four world-renowned photographers who are looking for “creativity and uniqueness.” The contest ends December 10th. (Man, do I wish I had a picture of the ColorChecker and the Montalk Monster!)

Start the submission process here!

If you’re new to the X-Rite ColorChecker, this video demos one of its many uses. Long story short, before you shoot an important picture, snap off a shot with the ColorChecker in the spot of the picture that is your focus, and later in Photoshop you can use the checker to reference all your colors for accurate and tasty images.

Original post by Gearlog

Forgot about finding a bag to match your shoes. For women, it’s challenge enough finding any camera or laptop bag that isn’t black, ugly, or both. Here’s a photo bag that looks great but, unlike the lenses you’ve got inside, won’t break the bank. Check out the Jill-e Small Red Leather Camera Bag. No too-cute names here. This 14-inch bag costs $170 direct and holds a digital SLR camera body, two lenses, and a flash. As you might expect from the name, there are medium and large versions, too, and different colors. Jill-e also makes rolling photo-laptop bags that would be great alternatives to my favorite black and ugly (but most useful) rolling combo bags. (See The Best Bags for Trade-Show Bloggers.) Founded by a pair of Eastman Kodak alumni (Kodak currently has way more alums than anything else), Jill-e also has a new line of bags for men called, appropriately, Jack.

Original post by Bill Howard