Monthly Archives: July 2013

6 posts

Google announces Views hub to showcase Photo Spheres and panoramas in Google Maps

Google are launching a new community site called Views that makes it easy for people to publicly share their photos of places by contributing photo spheres to Google Maps (photo spheres are 360º panoramas that can be easily be created with your Android phone).

Photo spheres can be created with the camera in Android 4.2 or higher, including most Nexus devices and the new Nexus 7 tablet. The video below shows you how to get started. You can also share panoramas you’ve created with your DSLR camera.

Creating photo spheres: https://support.google.com/maps/answer/2839084

Facebook powered auction application

Monarch Software Designs today announced the immediate availability of their Facebook-powered auction application, Monarch Market. The free service allows anyone with a Facebook account to signup with one click and start selling. There are no fees of any kind, other than those to your payment provider.

“Thanks to Facebook’s platform and the affordability of our Cloud hosting provider Heroku, our cost of operation is quite low,” said CTO Brian Thomason. “Given that, we don’t feel the need to charge exorbitant rates like some websites out there. In fact, we don’t wish to charge any fees at all.”

Where revenue is concerned, Monarch plans to team up with a payment provider. Currently, only PayPal is supported for sending or receiving payments.

In addition to being free, Monarch also plans to entice users to join due to their integration features with Facebook. “We are not only an auction site. We are a full-featured ecommerce solution integrated into Facebook,” said CEO Jason Radolec. “With one click of the mouse you can begin setting up a store, adding product inventory, and launching auctions. Once you have launched an auction, you can then share that with your friends or followers by using our ‘Announce’ feature to post it to your Facebook page or timeline.”

Monarch also boasts a wishlist feature whereby users can essentially bookmark items they’d like to own. In turn, their friends can then view this list, and if they are feeling generous, can purchase an item from it and have it delivered directly to the owner of the list.

Google announces new full screen compose window on Gmail

Google has announced a new full-screen compose window on Gmail.

full screen compose window on gmail
When this option is enabled, the compose window is centered in your inbox and expands to fit on your screen. In addition, the formatting toolbar is on by default. You can click on the expand button in the top right to switch to full-screen or set full-screen as the default by selecting Default to full-screen in the more options menu in the bottom right.

Polaroid Polamatic app for Android

Polaroid announces that Polamatic, the popular photography app that combines digital photo effects and showcases them in the frame of the Polaroid Classic Border Logo, is now available for Android™ devices through Google Play. With the Polamatic app, users can shoot a new picture or use an existing one from their photo library, add one of 36 frames in the Polaroid Classic Border Logo format, apply a choice of 20 filters, write a caption on the white border, and share their unique, retro photo across multiple platforms. Polamatic combines the camera technology available in today’s mobile devices with the classic look of an instant Polaroid picture.

polamatic
“Polamatic makes your pictures come alive with classic Polaroid style.”
The Polamatic app was first released for iOS in May 2012, and is now one of the few featured photography applications available on both iOS and Android. Today’s release is compatible for Android versions 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) and above, giving users across over 2,700 devices access to the Polamatic app.

“The Polamatic app allows Polaroid to bring the instant picture look and feel everyone loves and remembers to today’s mobile device user,” commented Scott W. Hardy, President and CEO of Polaroid. “There is something nostalgic about holding a picture framed by the iconic Polaroid Classic Border, and we are bringing that feeling to the digital world. Now that the Polamatic app is available for iOS and Android, everyone can easily capture their favorite image, edit it, apply the Polaroid Classic Border Logo treatment and share it quickly and conveniently on all their favorite social media networks.”

Offered by Appadana Development, an authorized Polaroid licensee, the Polamatic app opens up a new generation of photography enthusiasts to the iconic Polaroid Classic Border. Appadana Development’s Dana Shakiba notes, “You can bring back all of the magic of Polaroid pictures on your iPhone or iPad, and starting today across hundreds of Android phones and tablets.” He added that, “Polamatic makes your pictures come alive with classic Polaroid style.”

Users may select from 36 classic Polaroid borders and unlike other photo editing applications, the frames are not computer generated. Instead, they are high quality scans of new, used, and vintage frames in the Polaroid Classic Border Logo format, giving pictures a unique classic style. The app also features 20 photo effects allowing users to apply a number of color and tone adjustments to their pictures. Add a customized caption at the bottom of your Polaroid image by choosing one of the 24 available fonts and additional text customization settings.

Your Polaroid pictures can be saved to your gallery and easily shared via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr or email, making Polamatic a must-have app for bloggers and social media enthusiasts who want to add Polaroid pictures to their posts.

Feature Highlights:

* Easy to use, intuitive interface produces quality edits in seconds

* 36 authentic frames in the Polaroid Classic Border Logo format

* 20 photo effects for innovative pictures

* Easily share via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr or email

* Control flash, grid, and front or rear camera

* High resolution output – 2282 x 2271px

Polamatic 1.0 for Android is $1.99 (USD) and available worldwide through Google Play as well as the Apple App Store in the Photography category. For more information, visit http://www.polamatic.com.

Canon announce EOS 70D DSLR

Canon U.S.A., Inc., introduce the high-performance EOS 70D Digital SLR camera – bringing advanced features to photo enthusiasts looking for a step up from their entry-level digital SLRs. Featuring an innovative new Dual Pixel CMOS AF system for instant and precise focusing of video as well as still images, the EOS 70D also provides outstanding image quality and performance thanks to its new 20.2 megapixel APS-C Canon CMOS sensor and Canon’s superb DIGIC 5+ Image Processor.

EOS 70D
Canon’s newly-developed Dual Pixel CMOS AF, a phase-detection autofocus (AF) technology on the camera’s image sensor plane, enables users to shoot video with the new EOS 70D close to the quality of a video shot with a camcorder. Dual Pixel CMOS AF employs a revolutionary CMOS sensor on which all of the effective pixels are able to perform both still imaging and phase-detection AF simultaneously to achieve dramatically improved AF performance over other EOS cameras during Live View shooting and when shooting video.

Compared with Canon’s conventional Live View AF systems, Dual Pixel CMOS AF realizes shorter focusing times, exceptional tracking performance and smoother autofocusing during video shooting. And, because Live View shooting can be used in a manner similar to using the camera’s viewfinder, the fast and smooth AF performance allows users to concentrate more attention on the subject and composing the photo when shooting. Dual Pixel CMOS AF also supports 103 (1) models of EF lenses (including many earlier models), enhancing a photographer’s creative options as well as maximizing the benefit of Dual Pixel CMOS AF in a variety of situations.

“The new EOS 70D Digital SLR camera is a game-changing DSLR model that incorporates advanced features for high-quality still and video capture and intuitive operation that allows photographers to evolve their creative vision from shooting still images to shooting moving images,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. “This camera’s outstanding image quality combined with built-in wireless technology and popular creative functions and filters makes it easy to turn photos into works of art and share them immediately.”Wireless Connectivity

The EOS 70D Digital SLR camera’s built-in wireless transmitter offers users several connectivity options to easily share their images. With the download of the free EOS Remote app2 from the Apple App Store or the Google Play store, users can connect to both iOS® or AndroidTM smartphones and tablets3 to wirelessly transfer photos and videos from their camera to their device. They can also control aperture, shutter speed, and ISO from their smartphone. This camera also has the ability to connect directly to Canon’s iMAGE GATEWAY4, making photos easily accessible and ready to share on social networking sites. In addition, the EOS 70D has the ability to connect wirelessly to computers, DLNA devices, Wi-Fi Certified® Canon cameras and wireless PictBridge5 compatible printers, such as the PIXMA MG6320 Wireless Photo All-In-One printer model.

Superb Still Performance

Featuring a new 20.2 megapixel APS-C Canon CMOS sensor and Canon’s superb DIGIC 5+ Image Processor, as well as an extensive ISO range of 100–12800 (expandable to 25,600), the EOS 70D Digital SLR camera is capable of producing sharp, detailed images, even in low-light conditions. And with high-speed continuous shooting of up to 7.0 frames per second (fps) united with a 19-point all cross-type AF system (including a high-precision f/2.8 dual cross-type AF center point), it allows photographers to easily capture accurately focused fast moving subjects. In addition, the camera’s Scene Intelligent Auto Mode delivers optimized photos and offers outstanding scene detection for amazing results even when shooting in low light.

The EOS 70D also incorporates a 63-zone Dual Layer IFCL (Intelligent Focus, Color & Luminance) AE metering system which enhances accurate exposures by minimizing random metering errors caused by varying subject colors and light sources. Other useful features include a built-in Electronic Level Function, Manual WB settings and AF Microadjustment.

Enhanced EOS Full HD Movie Mode for Professional Quality Video

With Canon’s new Dual Pixel CMOS AF system and Movie Servo AF, the camera provides continuous phase-detection AF during video recording for quick and accurate focus tracking of moving subjects in the central 80 percent of the imaging area. While shooting with any of Canon’s Stepping Motor (STM) lenses, such as the new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens, motor noise from the lens is significantly reduced so the camera will only capture the stereo sound of the scene being recorded. For added flexibility, the EOS 70D Digital SLR camera also features a built-in stereo microphone with manual audio level adjustment and an attenuator function to reduce audio clipping, an accessory jack for external stereo microphones and Video Snapshot mode with editing for expanded video shooting options. When users select the EOS Movie Mode, the EOS 70D offers the ability to shoot in 1080p Full HD video up to 30 fps in either ALL-I or IPB codecs with optional embedded time code, matching the flexibility of other current EOS cameras such as the EOS-1D X, EOS 5D Mark III, and EOS 6D models.

Expanding Creativity

The EOS 70D Digital SLR camera provides advanced amateur photographers and photo hobbyists looking to hone their creative and technical skills with an innovative range of in-camera imaging features such as High Dynamic Range, Multiple Exposure, Handheld Night Scene and HDR Backlight Control modes that allow for expanded creativity. The new camera is also equipped with built-in RAW Image Processing and Image Resizing functions.

When any one of the seven Creative Filters is applied in Live View, users can preview the effect of the filter on the three-inch Vari-Angle Touch Screen monitor without having to shoot the image first. Users can pick from effects such as Art Bold, Fish-eye, Water-painting, Grainy Black and White, Soft Focus, Toy Camera and Miniature and choose the one that best expresses their creative vision before or after the image is captured.

All of these features, when combined with a high-resolution Vari-angle Touch Screen 3.0-inch Clear View LCD monitor II with intuitive touch controls featuring multi-touch operation and Touch AF, make the it the ideal camera choice for photographers looking for the best in imaging technology.

The EOS 70D is compatible with the full line of Canon EF and EF-S lenses as well as SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards, including Ultra High Speed (UHS-1) cards.

Availability

The EOS 70D Digital SLR camera is scheduled to be available in September 2013 for an estimated retail price of $1199.00 for the body alone and $1349.00 bundled with an EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens or $1549.00 bundled with the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens. Also available will be a new Battery Grip BG-E14 that conveniently accepts up to two LP-E6 battery packs or a set of six AA batteries for an estimated retail price of $270.00.

For more information about the Canon EOS 70D Digital SLR Camera, the full list of product specifications and compatible lenses, visit www.usa.canon.com/eos.

Review: http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canon-eos-70d

Three UK simplifies pay-as-you-go tariff

THREE GOES BACK TO BASICS ON PAY AS YOU GO: LAUNCHES GAME-CHANGING OFFER.

Simple rates and clear value of 3p a minute, 2p a text and 1p a MB.
Flexibility that lets you pay only for what you use without the need to convert your credit.

Today, Three launches a new simplified Pay As You Go offer with rates that will allow customers to top up and get great value across voice, text and internet use, paying only for the services they choose to use.

In a market with a confusing 179 Pay As You Go combinations currently available, Three customers now have the flexibility to use their top up as they choose based on clear and simple basic rates of:

– 3p a minute
– 2p a text
– 1p a MB of internet

Customers will not be forced to pick one value option over another. Pay As you Go price plans typically push people to make value trade-offs and choose between weekend or weekday use, UK or international calls, and use of texts, calls or data. Three’s new approach puts an end to confusing tariffs and value trade-offs by bringing Pay As You Go back to its roots. There’s no need to convert your credit to a 30-day add-on to get the best value. Credit lasts until the last penny is spent.

As the network built for the internet, Three’s cost per MB provides significantly better value than competitors’ standard rates.

Thomas Malleschitz, marketing director at Three said: “The number of complex Pay As You Go tariffs, Add-ons and options available is mindboggling. Consumers are forced into choosing where they want best value – whether that’s calls, texts or internet. Our new rates strip things right back to basics with a simple, clear and transparent rate for calls, texts and internet use that offers clear value across the board. It’s important to us that our Pay As You Go customers can use our Ultrafast network to chat, text and enjoy the internet without making a trade-off on value. This is Pay as You Go in its purest form.”

Once customers top up, they can use credit for talking, texting and the internet, safe in the knowledge that if they send more emails than text one month they won’t be penalised for doing the things they love on their smartphone.

Existing Three Pay As You Go customers can also enjoy Three’s new rates without having to change their tariff and they will be able to use their remaining credit as they wish. “We’re not just saving this for our new customers,” added Malleschitz.