Developages - Development and Technology Blog

The $69.96 Ultra-RX1 Kit from MidnightScience has no practical application. You know what–let me let you make that value judgment. Maybe you’ve been looking to find a receiver for listening to the ultrasonic sounds made by “insects, rodents, bats, and more.”

Which is it? Am I nuts or is this cool? Nah–I don′t want to know.

In the general scheme of the animal world we humans don’t have particularly good hearing. Our frequency response is limited on the high end to around 20 kHz. Whatever’s going on above that threshold is invisible to us. And, of course, that’s where these (mostly) little critters are making noise. The Ultra-RX1 moves those high frequencies down to a range audible to us.

Part of the appeal is that this is a kit. In this day of large scale integration when multiple functions are programmed onto a single chip, you’ll be pushing resistors, capacitors and diodes through a pre-drilled printed circuit board. The kit comes with detailed instructions including simple testing procedures at points along the way. That’s to keep you from building past a mistake. A steady hand, small soldering iron, VOM (Volt Ohm Meter) and reasonable eyesight (or a magnifier) will get you through the project in a few hours.

Unfortunately, Google has not yet produced a Bat-to-English translation tool so you′ll mostly be hearing clicks and sine waves with no explanation.

Original post by Geoff Fox

If you thought your new HD TV was just for watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre this Halloween, think again. Sound and Vision Magazine just announced that will hold a costume contest ending midnight (EST), the morning of Halloween. No, they don’t want to see what you’re going to as, this year; they want you to dress up your home entertainment products and personal tech gear in award-winning costumes.

You′ve probably never really stopped to look at the products you use everyday, but you may be surprised to see some obvious costume concepts in them. For instance, Sound and Vision dressed up a mStation Stereo Orb and a Boston Acoustics tower speaker and, ta-da, you’ve got Sarah Palin. You can hardly tell the difference.

The winner will receive the just-released James Bond Blu-ray collection, featuring Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Thunderball, Live and Let Die, For Your Eyes Only, and Die Another Day. The results will be posted on Halloween day.

The magazine’s Web site has more details. E-mail your photos in JPEG format to soundandvision@hfmus.com with the subject line: “Halloween Contest.” And remember, no Photoshop!

Original post by Jennifer Bergen

We at Gearlog love Halloween; and it seems we′re not the only geeks who do. We found so many chill-inducing devices that we had to break our list into two posts! So turn on all the lights, lock your doors, and peruse Part 1.

Mimobot’s rayD8gig
Mimobot’s rayD8gig (above) is a super, ultra-limited inverse color variant of the extremely popular MIMOBOT Core Series 2 character, rayD8. The drive glows in the dark, and like all Mimobots, when you insert and remove the drive, it greets you and says goodbye (this one actually says, “Get out” and “Step into the underworld”). The drive also comes with a personalization suite that gives you icons, avatars, wallpapers, screensavers, and other surprises related to its character. The rayʰgig is $99.95 for 8GB, but you’d better hurry–only 200 are being sold.

Will Work For Food With the Mini Candy Grabber
It’s not so easy to grab a few candy bars and run the next house, when you have to work for them. The mini Candy Grabber ($33), via Popagadget.net, has three joysticks to maneuver the claw. Fairground music plays for 75 seconds as you try to get your candy. The toy comes with a bag of fake coins, but the candy, and batteries, are not included.

Ex Voodoo Knife Set
OK, so it doesn’t plug into a computer, but it’s still really cool. Impress your friends with the Ex Voodoo Knife Set ($99.99), via ThinkGeek. The knife set could also make a great gift for your husband or wife: You’re supposed to give a gift of steel for your 11th anniversary, so what better way to show you care than with the Ex Voodoo Knife Set? The holder is magnetic to keep the knives in place.

USB Hub Monster
For the uber-geek, why not make your own Halloween gadget? VIa Ubergizmo, the Hub Monster is a DIY project that lets you be scary, MacGyver style. The project consists of a 7-port USB hub, a roll of wire, black fabric and seven 1-foot USB extension cables. For full instructions, visit Instructables.com.

Pumpkin USB Lights
If you like to decorate your cubicle, like PC Mag‘s Jen the Weird Hunter does, then USB Brando’s USB Halloween Pumpkin Decor Lights are for you. A string of eight lights cost $13 and plug easily into your computer. They′re great for decoration, but Jen says the incessant blinking can get a little annoying.

Take My Hand, I Insist
If cute little pumpkin lights don’t cut it for Halloween spirit, then how about a dismembered hand or foot? Your wrist can get tired when sitting in front of a computer and resting your wrist on a cold, hard desk all day. Well, the Halloween Bloody Hand and Foot Wrist Rest ($17.90), via Coolest Gadgets, can help your wrist stay comfortable. And, you may appreciate your own limbs more while you stare at the detached limbs on your desk.

Disco Is Dead
With the release of the movie “Mama Mia,” ABBA has brought back disco to the masses. So, why not do a little dance with this skeleton disco ball ($40), another find from Coolest Gadgets. The disco ball has an 8-inch skull and red light-up LED eyes.

Spider-Senses Tingling? Make Your Own Spider Webs
If you′re really into making an authentic-looking haunted house, cobwebs are essential. The Webcaster Gun ($49.95) is your solution. It looks pretty similar to a glue gun, and although I haven’t tried the gun myself, it seems to work the same way–but with one exception. You need an air compressor, which shoots the “webs” around your set. You can order white webs, glow-in-the-dark webs, and even black light reactive webs. If you want your house to look like it belongs to the Munsters, the Webcaster can help.

Boo! Mouse
The Halloween Ghost Computer Mouse ($39), via Ubergizmo will make a good addition to the limb wrist wrest at your desk. The mouse is designed by Pat Says Now, a Swiss manufacturer of computer mice. The ghost glows in the dark, is a modern 3-button optical wheel mouse, and has a 3-year warranty.

The Pumpkin Gutter
What’s the worst part about carving a pumpkin? Is it lugging a 20-pound pumpkin home? Is it risking cutting your finger off as you carve into it? Or is it taking out all the goop and seeds that seem to get stuck in the those pumpkin-strings? I’m going to go with the latter. It takes just as long, if not longer, to take out the insides of the pumpkin, so why not make it easier on yourself and try the Pumpkin Gutter? Simply insert the gutter into a regular or cordless drill. It removes the seeds and strings, and still keeps the seeds undamaged. It’s dishwasher safe, and you can use it on squash!

Come back soon for Part 2 of Gearlog’s Halloween gadget guide!

Original post by Jennifer Bergen

Now this is a great idea: Joel Durham of our fellow PCMag.com Network site ExtremeTech, decided that instead of buying an updated PC for his family, he’d build one. Even better, he enlisted his 10-year-old son to help. (The perfect age to begin–or perhaps to complete?–the geekification process!)

Joel details the entire process, including all the components he rounded up and each step the father-son duo took to create their new PC. The story’s instructive–and encouraging–not only for building systems with kids, but also for those of us who haven’t quite worked up the courage to take a crack at this ourselves. Check out the story along with plenty of photos at ExtremeTech.

Original post by Carol Mangis

Smashd.TV: Episode 2 from Smashd.TV on Vimeo.

I’m pleased to report that, after producing the first episode of Smashd.tv, neither Kyle nor I were promptly fired. After that sort of behavior, we both expected to have had our key cards forever deactivated. Instead, we’ve lived to shoot another day.

In this second episode, we brought on PC Mag’s CE reviews editor, Dan Evans to talk about the MIO Knight Rider and Bug Labs’ Peter Semmelhack, who spoke about his company’s cool, hack-friendly device.

And, of course, the show wouldn’t be complete without a bit of smashing. An old LG clamshell gets the business-end of a hammer, and that’s a wrap for episode two.

Oh, and if you haven’t yet, don’t forget to check out episode one. Back story is very important.

Original post by Brian Heater

FEMA just can’t catch a break. A hacker broke into the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s voicemail system in Emmitsburg, Md last weekend, using the organization’s phones to make more than 400 calls to the Middle East and Asia, racking up nearly $12,000 in charges.

“In this case it’s sort of embarrassing that it happened to FEMA themselves — FEMA being a child of DHS [Department of Homeland Security], with calls going to the Middle East,” security consultant Jack Johnson told AP.

The hacker used an old hacking method to tap into the organization’s recently installed phone system. Calls were made to a number of countries, including, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, India, and Yemen. Most of the calls lasted around three minutes a piece.

Original post by Brian Heater

The PC-Xᧉ is a chassis replacement for the XBox 360 that was designed to alleviate heating issues from hot components and reduces noise from vibrating optical drives in the original case design. Now heat will no longer be a factor in dampening your gameplay.

The PC-XB01 is essentially an aluminum black hair-line brushed anodized chassis
The company claims that the 120mm (1500RPM) rear fan draws off the heat from inside the case effectively and silently, while the ODD region is encased in stylized foam to reduce noise from spinning disks. All the Xbox 360 ports are hidden behind dust covers and the ODD bay. The PX-Xᧉ has a spring loaded dust cover. The unit can be placed horizontally or vertically, and the water cooling pipe holes are an option to use should you be inclined to do so. The case is designed to fit the entire Xbox 360 internals similar to the original, with the power transformer attaching from the outside.

Unfortunately, using the DIY PC-XB01 means that Microsoft probably won’t cover your Xbox 360 in case something goes wrong during the modding process. The company has an installation guide on their website for users.

The DIY PC-XB01 sells for $149.00.

Original post by Chris Gampat

Taken in Times Square this past weekend before the giant storm hit. View fullsize here.

Good photography can capture the vibrant pulsing heart of the beauty and excitement of the largest cities. Whether you’re the casual point-and-shoot tourist, the mid-level person with a superzoom, or the enthusiast/pro with a DSLR, there’s just always something about bright lights and large architecture that fascinates photographers. Here’s how to get those amazing city shots.

This shot was taken on Center Island in Canada while it was raining. I was under a tree and saw downtown Toronto through the mist and realized I had to catch it.

Shoot Wide: Cities and architecture are meant to be shot and viewed in their full width. With a point-and-shoot, try not to zoom in. Instead get within mid range, aim, and fire. For DSLR users, use a wide angle lens. This is much easier to do if you have a camera with around 10 MP because any specific details you′d like can be cropped into later on in post-editing. Your angle is all preference–either get up nice and high to get great skyline shots, or stay down on the streets for the average person’s perspective. Whatever it is, make it exciting.

Turn Off Your Flash: I feel like I say this all the time and I can’t help but stick to it. While in Times Square this weekend, I can’t tell you how terrible one tourist’s shots looked with his daughter standing against the Yankees store and his flash going off in the middle of the day. The flash (especially when shot against glass) will cause your colors to be washed out, reflected against reflective surfaces (like windows), and may even distort what your image looks like depending on distance. Besides, you’re outside.

Once a year, people gather together in Union Square for the annual Pillow Fight. People get very serious, as you can tell with this guy dressed as William Wallace. These people WANT to be photographed.


Shoot With the Intention of Eliciting Emotion: Thousands of photographers have shot New York City, so what’s going to make yours stand out and actually look really nice? Well, maybe something exciting and different–like someone in an Elmo Costume taking pictures with tourists holding a sign saying “Tips Please.” Or how about a very fun and intimate moment, and I’m not talking about your head through the hole on a cardboard cutout of Superman–instead why not setting your camera to continuous shooting, a quick shutter speed, and capturing someone close dancing outside in the rain? Or why not a detail shot of just how crowded the city has become?

Use the Environment to Frame Your Shots: I saw a tourist snap a photo of her adorable son imitating the gesture that a statue makes in Columbus Circle. The environment in a city was designed to draw in tourists and business go-ers. Use it well and you’ll pull off a great shot.

Stabilize Your Camera: Optical Image Stabilization can′t save your shot during the night or in scenarios with little light. Once again, don′t turn on your flash. You’re much better off using a tripod, resting your camera on a flat, stable surface, or cranking up your ISO just a little bit. If you absolutely must use a flash, change your White Balance and set it to fill-flash.

How many cities have a Museum of Sex? Find the odd things in life and capture them.

Visit the Not So Famous Places: We’re all guilty of it, compiling a list of all the famous places that everyone’s been to in the big cities. But everyone’s photographed them. Why not do some internet research about what’s going on at the not so famous places? Exciting alternatives are always around, you just need to find them. Start with haunted houses (shoot in black and white). The lesser known beaches are probably not so famous for a reason–maybe you can photograph why. Those are the shots that not everyone else will get, but they can help strike a chord with someone.

Original post by Chris Gampat

After reading Geoff Fox’s post on How to Shoot Dogs with Your Camera I’ve been itching to try his tips out for myself. On a recent vacation to Toronto, Canada I photographed the area’s diverse wildlife and am very happy with the results. I found that when you’re taking photos of wildlife, as opposed to pets, though, you need patience, steady breathing, perseverance, and a good camera. More tips, after the jump.

Canadian Geese are usually seen in large flocks eating together or in small groups. They’re not often seen swimming along as a pair… goose love, perhaps?

Take your camera’s settings off Auto: Switch to Portrait, Wildlife, Sports, Shutter Priority, or (my favorite) Manual. If you’re using a DSLR like my Olympus E-510, you should use Manual mode at a fast shutter speed with continuous shooting and possibly and ISO of 400.

Be very quiet Whether you’re using a DSLR, a superzoom, or a point-and-shoot, you should turn your camera’s sounds off. The little digital beeps and whirrs that your camera makes can frighten animals. I learned this the hard way while trying to photograph timid cardinals with my Canon S5 IS.

Turn your flash off: You don’t want to frighten the creature or disorient it from acting totally natural by aiming bright, startling light its way. Besides, the flash tends to wash out the colors of your shot. Unless it’s a nighttime shot (use fill-flash in this case), try not to use a flash.

Use image stabilization: You′re going to need it. If the ducks are swimming too fast and the seagulls are fighting, you′re instinctively going to move to follow the action. OIS comes into huge play here. Set continuous OIS if you′re a far-to-medium distance away and single-shot if you′re close up and are going for the macro shot.

This shot of a bird sand-bathing was taken with a fast shutter speed–ISO 200–and zoomed in. Birds like this will fly away if you get too close, so I used a zoom lens, framed the picture the way I wanted it, and then started shooting. I got this moment thanks to timing and to reading the bird’s body language.

Look For the funny, unusual, exciting, and intimate moments: The squirrel posing like a ninja, the sparrow feeding its chicks. As you get more experienced, your eyes and mind will know what to look for.

How often do you see a squirrel climbing onto someone’s leg to get food?

Frame your shot well: If you’re shooting a mother duck swimming along with her hatchlings at a high resolution (about 8 to 10 megapixels), then you can afford to shoot a bit wider (depending on your distance) and include some of the water on either end of the shot. If you’re shooting a Red Admiral butterfly on a flower, your distance once again determines your framing. How the wind is affecting the flower the butterfly sits on, how close you get, and your movement speed all determine what your shot will look like. Run too fast and too close, and you may frighten the poor thing as it tries to feed. Move at a slow steady pace, control your breathing, stay low, and keep looking through your viewfinder or LCD.

Shoot first, ask questions later: That way, you won’t miss the moment. Afterward you can go back and look at your shots. A good indicator: If someone who wasn’t with you at the moment isn’t mesmerized by the shot, it probably isn’t usable.

For DSLR users–long-distance macro: Use a telephoto zoom lens and set your camera to Macro mode, fiddle with the lens until your subject becomes totally clear or until you frame your picture just right, and snap your photo. This works well in situations where you can’t get very close to the animal. You’ll be impressed with the results.

Original post by Chris Gampat

July 26th is the anniversary of the US Postal Service. It’s also Darlene Love, Mick Jagger and my birthday (Canon compatible lenses if you′re wondering about a gift). The big deal this July 26th is the pay-TV release date for the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert on Starz. However, I intend to hold my celebrating until the next day when Starz’ On Demand begins offering the Miley/Hannah concert in 3D. When was the last time you sat in front of the “tube″ to watch 3D fare? Probably never.

For the uninitiated, your current TV is a 2D device–vertical and horizontal. Add depth as the third dimension and you get 3D. It’s a type of image that only exists through optical trickery. What’s on the screen fools your brain. Fortunately, it turns out fooling your brain isn’t that difficult!

The conventional technique for 3D capture places two cameras in sync, both pointed down a parallel plane. If that technique sounds familiar, it’s because that’s how your eyes get their stereoscopic sight. During playback anaglyph images, where two color layers are superimposed and slightly offset, produce the 3D depth effect. Here’s where the dorky 3D glasses you’ve seen come in. By using two differently colored lenses, the superimposed images can be split with one going to each of your eyes.

You’re probably saying, “Wow Geoff, I’d sell a kidney to see Miley’s concert, but I don′t have 3D glasses?” Fear not modern music aficionado. Starz has you covered with do-it-yourself 3D glasses!

You will need:
• Poster board - file folders work well too
• Regular paper
• Scissors
• Clear tape
• Red permanent marker
• Blue permanent marker
• Clear plastic wrapper
• Decorations - like stickers and glitter
• One adult to help!

Even if you’re not a big Hannah Montana fan I know you’ve always wanted to make your own multidimensional optics. Have at it and have fun. Stickers, glitter and extra adult optional.

Original post by Geoff Fox

A microscope eyepiece, the Flip Mino, and the DIY macro lens I made.

If you’ve tried to shoot up close and personal with bugs, flowers, and other tiny things, you’ve probably noticed that they don’t film well with a low-end camcorder such as the Flip. But after performing some Frankenstein-like experiments, I figured out a way to make a macro lens for the Flip Mino (also works with other Flip camcorders.) Encouraged by this, i tried shooting with a microscopic eyepiece too, with varying success: Sometimes the focus was off, but some of the detail is startling. Here’s what you’ll need for both projects.

• a pair of binoculars (get a cheap pair that fits into your pocket with lenses about the size of the Flip Mino’s)
• a microscope eyepiece (available at some science supply stores here’s an example)
• a couple rubber bands (one is all you need initially, but have a spare handy, in case it breaks).
• one or two paperclips
• the Flip (I recommend the Mino, because it has the best image and sound quality)

Making the macro lens

1. Take your binoculars apart, and take out the two glass lenses at the front of the binoculars (not the part where you put your eyes) and the tiny plastic casings they may be in. Also, be sure to cut out one rubber circle from the end of the binoculars you’re going to need it later.

2. Place a lens inside the plastic casing (if it isn’t already in there), and place the rubber circle over the casing.

3. Flatten your rubber band out and slip one end under the left part of the rubber circle and the other end under the right part of the circle. Pull the rubber band through the circles so that a little bit of the ends is sticking out.

4. Break off 2 small U-shaped pieces of the paper clips and feed them through the ends of the rubber band. This will help it stay secure when you mount it on the Flip.

5. Slide the lens right over the Flip’s lens and be sure to line it up correctly or else you may get uneven picture quality. Afterwards, turn your Flip on and shoot in the Macro field (about 7 inches away the furthest.)

Using the microscopic lens

1. Get a microscope eyepiece from a science or lab supply store.

2. Turn your Flip on, and hold the eyepiece between your index finger and your middle finger.

4. Get very close to your subject, almost on top of it, and start shooting. Focus results may vary; the best way to get around that is to light your subject well.

You can now try making videos of insects, like the ones you see on the National Geographic Channel.

Test without any lenses. To view in High Quality, click here and click “watch in high quality.”

Test with the DIY Macro Lens. To view in High Quality, click here and click “watch in high quality.”

Test with a Microscopic Eyepiece. To view in High Quality, click here and click “watch in high quality.”

Try it out yourself and reply with links to your videos. For other shooting tips, you can check out this post.

Update: How To Attach the Microscope Lens to Your Flip Mino

After putting on my Dr. Frankenstein lab coat again, I’ve figured out how to use the microscope eyepiece without having to hold it on. Use a rubber band, two paperclips, and a rubber ring that fits around the eyepiece (I used the other rubber ring from the binoculars I used in the macro lens),

1. Attach the paperclips to opposite ends of the rubber band.

2. Hold the paperclips flat against the eyepiece (with the rubber band at the other end of the eyepiece) and slip the rubber ring over the eyepiece all the way to about the end.

3. Attach the eyepiece to the Flip. You may need to turn it on so that you can line it up correctly. Focusing is still totally manual (handheld), but at least now it’s easier and your eyepiece shouldn’t move.

Original post by Chris Gampat

This Friday is the 4th of July, which means lots of fireworks from sea to shining sea. Fireworks are fun to watch and even more fun to photograph–if you know how. Honestly, it’s not that difficult to get photos which will amaze your friends.

In fireworks, as in real estate, start by thinking: location, location, location. You want a spot with an unobstructed view, upwind from the show. In other words, if there’s any breeze at all, you want it to blow the smoke away from you. Having something identifiable in the shot helps keep the look local. Even better is to shoot from a low position that includes the unlit audience in silhouette. Do that and they′ll start mentioning you and Ansel Adams in the same sentence.

While it’s possible to shoot fireworks with a camera that doesn’t allow for manual settings, it’s going to be tough. Allowing your camera to control its own destiny by shooting in auto will leave it confused. Digital pics are free. You might as well give it a try. Don’t expect much.

The best fireworks shots capture the burst as the shell moves through the air. Lengthening your shutter speed will make that happen effortlessly. I’ve gotten good shots with everything from 1/3 to 10 second exposures. Unfortunately, those speeds make hand held photography a no-no. Use a tripod. If you don’t have one, improvise. I’ve taken great shots with my camera sitting on my car’s roof. A bean bag or large plastic baggie partially filled with sand makes that stable perch even more stable.

Turn off your autofocus. Luckily, long distance focusing is less critical than close-up. While in manual focus mode, look for a distant object, focus and forget it. If you’re in focus at 50 feet, you’re probably in focus to infinity as well.

The fireworks will be bright and your shutter will be open for a while. Loads of light will hit your camera’s sensor. Use a slow ISO, like 50, 100 or 200 and set your iris to a mid-range value like f8 or f11. A wide open lens will overload your frame with light and you′ll lose all detail. It’s tough impossible to fix a shot that’s overexposed.

If you′ve got an external shutter release cable, use it. If not, you might consider using your camera’s built-in self timer (they all have it) to take your shots. In any event, you′re going to want to “lead” the action by snapping before the burst of color. Be sure to check your framing to make sure you′re not cutting off the top or bottom of the display.

It’s the digital age. Take shots like they’re going out-of-style! Bracket your photos by changing your exposure settings. Then, don’t be afraid to peek to see if you′re on the right trail. Last night, watching a local display, I took 207 shots and ended up with around ten keepers. That was enough to make me happy. Your mileage may vary.

Original post by Geoff Fox

Your cell phone’s camera might have settings you haven’t ever used.

The average person uses a camera phone the same way he uses a point-and-shoot camera: Whip it out, power it up, and take the picture. But the flash may wash out the shot’s color; and the ISO may be set at an absurdly high level, making for blocky, noisy images.

Most newer camera phones have a number of settings that you can play with to get a better shot, so try experimenting with them. (Thanks to Geoff Fox for inspiring this post!)

• Ever been to a Yankees game and seen people pull out their cell phones expecting to get great-quality shots by using the zoom? Don’t use it–it’s a digital zoom. Digital zooms just make your shots look blocky and pixelated. (According to our cell phone analyst, Sascha Segan, there aren’t currently any camera phones offered by US carriers with optical zooms. Verizon sold one a while ago, the Samsung 𐆲, but it had problems. You can find some others through specialty importers.)

• Light your subjects well–I can’t stress this enough. The quality of your phone’s 1- or 2-megapixel camera can be improved tremendously by great lighting. Here’s an example below: Compare the lit photo to the non-lit. The former obviously looks much better with less image noise. Even if your phone has ISO settings (which should be kept at the lowest possible setting), shooting in low or little light is not recommended. Leave the camera’s exposure (or brightness) settings on the standard mode. Making the shot brighter without proper lighting just throws off the color balance of the entire shot. Also remember to keep your white balance on Auto and the metering exposure on Center-Weighted.

Notice the difference that lighting makes in the above photo vs. the one below. The one below clearly has more image noise and the finer details in the shot are not as visible as the one above.

• Explore your settings. While looking at a co-worker’s three-year-old phone, I noticed that even it has multishot capabilities. (Most point-and-shoots call multishot the “burst” mode.) My phone (a 2-year-old Samsung T-619) can take 6, 9, and 15 shots in a row on medium and high-quality settings. This is great for being right up in the action and catching it at high speed.

• Use your camera’s rule-of-third’s framing system, if it has one. This helps you frame your shots better. While using this system, try to keep your subject right in the middle–the framing system will help you do so. That way when you′re showing off a pic of your new puppy at work, people will know exactly where to look in the shot.

My phone, a two-year-old Samsung T-619, has a framing system in the camera settings.

• The slightest movement can make your pictures look grainy or blurry. So you need to hold your phone correctly, as optical image stabilization has not been implemented in phones yet. The phone may be very light-weight and your hands are probably steady, but you want to get the best quality possible. So flip your phone around and hold it the way you hold your point-and-shoot. Otherwise, try to hold your phone with two hands.

Notice how Jen DeLeo holds her phone like a point-and-shoot camera–for extra stability and to frame your shots well, this is the best way to take a photo with your cell phone’s camera.

Holding your phone with two hands this way is also another great way to ensure you have a stabilized shot.

• Want something that looks really different? Try using your phone’s color/effects settings, such as sepia, black and white, emboss, negative, or anything else it may have.

• Use the timer. One of the reasons a pro will use a timer is so that the camera won’t move when they press the shutter button–therefore getting rid of excess camera shake. The same concept applies with phone cameras.

• Shoot in the highest resolution possible. On my 1.3-megapixel camera, it’s SXGA (1,280 by 1,024). Also use the least compression possible: Choose Fine or Super Fine.

• As a rule of thumb, try to use your flash as little as possible. It washes out the beautiful natural colors in your shots–unless it’s too weak to be of any use at all.

• Some new phones offer basic photo-editing options. In some cases, this can be handy–but in general, you’re better off uploading the shots to your computer and editing them with an app such as Paint, Photoshop, Paint.Net, GIMP, or Microsoft Photo Editor.

• As a personal favor to me, please don’t use the frames! A photo of you and your love with hearts around it is, well, tacky. The shot will look much more intimate just the way it is without any framing.

Any more suggestions? Please let us know in Comments!

Original post by Chris Gampat

What can’t LEGOs do? Seriously, if colleges invested in LEGOs for their physics students, we’d have a working time machine by now! In the meantime though, this DIY scanner may actually be useful for the offices someday in the future.

Why good for offices? Cost-consciousness, of course! While this LEGOs scanner, created by Anders Soberg, may require a longer setup time than one straight out of the box, at least you can tell everyone that your scanner has customizable colors. Find out how you can build your own flatbed scanner, which can scan and saved BMP images in 24-bit true color, 8-bit color, or grayscale, at Anders’s Mindstorm Page.

[Via Coolbuzz]

Original post by Chris Gampat

Yes, it’s possible. Jamie Bernstein at PCMag.com has figured out how to dual boot Linux and Windows XP on your PC. Now it’ll be easier for you to decide which operating system to use.

The good news is that you don’t need a super-powered machine with massive RAM and hard-drive space to dual-boot Windows XP and Linux. The EeePC–ASUS’s popular ultramobile PC (UMPC)–can do the job

According to the article, it’s a rather lengthy process that requires some effort. However, it can be done.

Head on over to the article to check out this mission-formerly-not-thought-possible.

Original post by Chris Gampat