Samsung out NX11 at CES

There's no word on price, but it's expected to be in the region of £599 inc VAT. From the specification sheet below, the NX11 adopts the same 14.6-megapixel resolution sensor as the NX10 (though the sensor / pipeline maybe updated slightly) and will be available in February. We're waiting for Samsung to supply images, but as it's based on the NX10, we don't expect there to be much difference visually. A 20mm pancake and a 20-50mm zoom have also been announced.

'Appy Christmas from MacPhun

For a limited time, MacPhun LLC announces a sale for its 10 top products from December 21st, 2010 till January 3nd, 2011. With some extra savings over 75%, for those who own iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, this is a good chance to pack their iDevices with some really nice photo and entertainment applications. Apps include FX Photo Studio, FX Photo Studio HD, PhotoPal, Predator Vision, Doodle Cam, iRetroscope, Real-Time Distorter, PopArt VidCam, Amazing Facts HD and ArtPuzzle HD.

Star Trails Captured in Time Lapse

YouTube user Nachtwolke captures beautiful star trails with 1262 photos taken at 30-second exposures.
Lens/aperature/camera used: Sigma 12-24mm/4.5-5.6@ 12mm f/4.5, ISO 800, Canon 20D
Take a look at this...

10 Brand New Christmas Eve iPhone Photography Apps

Oh boy, they keep on coming and we just love 'em. Here we have the latest iPhone photography apps just approved by the App Store, take a look at these...

Photo Folders

Photo Folders is an iOS application that is able to file your photo and videos using custom folders.
You can put comments on your photos and able to search and sort by the comments added.
Application description:
1. You can create custom folder within this application.
2. You can protect your folder by setting password.
3. Original date can be saved with your photo.
4. Location information can be saved with your photo.
5. You can sort your photo by original date or import date, ascending or descending.
6. You can show photo location map by your folder or single photo.
7. You can add comments to your photo and video.
8. You can perform search against your comment.
9. Easy to select your photo/video with our custom image picker.
10. Original image can be saved by setting system options.
11. Folders are always iTunes file shared. You don't need to export yourself.
Notes:
You need iOS 4.1 or later. You must enable location service while using this application.
Now on start-up sale $2.99 -> $1.99.
Download

Fuji reveal more about X100

We were one of the first sites to break the news about the Fuji X100, the innovative rangefinder-esque compact with the hybrid viewfinder, APS-C sensor and attractive but fixed 35mm f/2 equivalent lens. Details at the time of the announcement were sketchy, though, as the X100 was and is still a work in progress. However, the company's dedicated X100 micro-site launched shortly after the news of the camera continues to add details, as and when they're finalized by Japan. If you're wondering what sort of expertise Fuji have then think of their now discontinued 6x7 and 6x9 rangefinders, and the Hasselblad XPan, which was made by...yep, you guessed it, Fuji.

UNICEF Photo of the Year 2010 Winners Announced

Each year, UNICEF Germany grants the “UNICEF Photo of the Year Award” to photos and photo series that best depict the personality and living conditions of children all around the world in an outstanding manner.
“High-quality photography shows both, beauty and the things that really matter. The aim of this award is to help us increase the awareness of children’s suffering and also of their hopes and dreams“, says Dr. Jürgen Heraeus, Chairman of UNICEF Germany. “Images can tell us much better than words where children suffer and where they are neglected or exploited. They show the unique way how children experience the world, they show their tears, joys and challenges. Without much ado, they let us know why we must think of these children and how we can.”
Renowned photographers from all over the world take part in the contest. They document the living conditions of children who are in difficult circumstances such as war, material and emotional distress after natural disasters but also moments of happiness and joy of living.
Young photo journalists, above all, are being addressed with the contest. A recommendation from a renowned photography expert is a prerequisite for taking part in the competition. The award is granted annually on an international basis. A participation in the contest is not possible without a nomination. The winner receives a commission for a photo-reportage in GEO as recognition. The award is being presented in Berlin at the end of December.

First Prize - Vietnam: The legacy of war

Photograph: Ed Kashi/Agency VII/UNICEF Photo of the Year 2010
First prize: Ed Kashi, Agency VII, US
The Vietnam war ended in 1975. The US withdrew their troops and north and south Vietnam were reunited. But for the Vietnamese people the legacy of American warfare continues. US forces used the herbicide Agent Orange to destroy foliage that the north Vietnamese were using as cover. Agent Orange contains dioxins that are known to cause cancer and damage genes. The effects of the toxic substance can be seen among Vietnamese people to this day, such as cancer, immune disorders and severe deformities. According to official estimates, 1.2 million children, including nine-year-old Nguyen Thi Ly, are disabled. In rural areas, the percentage of disabled children is significantly higher than in urban areas.

'Steve Jobs - The American Dream' By Obama

US president Barack Obama cited Apple boss Steve Jobs as an example of the ‘American dream’, saying that the incentive to be rich is a ‘good thing’ and part of the free market.

“We celebrate somebody like a Steve Jobs, who has created two or three different revolutionary products. We expect that person to be rich, and that's a good thing. We want that incentive. That's part of the free market.”according to PCR today.

Man Of The Year

Meanwhile The Financial Times has given Steve Jobs their Man of the Year accolade. In particular citing the iPad as marking the moment when the ‘rebound’ in Apple’s fortunes “was complete”.

The iPad is the culmination of an approach that he has seemingly been perfecting for his entire career,” stated the Richard Waters and Joseph Menn from theFT.

NIKON UK COOLPIX SPONSORS HOLLYOAKS IN 2011

Nikon UK is pleased to announce a return to the screen with its sponsorship of the hugely popular daily Channel 4 TV show, Hollyoaks, which forms part of its wider TV advertising campaign for 2011.
 
Nikon’s sponsorship of the programme will run for one year from 1st January 2011 and will support its COOLPIX compact camera range. The COOLPIX sponsorship will be featured on the weekday show on Channel 4 and E4, as well as the weekly Saturday omnibus on E4.

The focus of the sponsorship is Nikon’s COOLPIX range, from the feature packed and very affordable COOLPIX S3000 to the more premium COOLPIX models which offer powerful performance features for creative photography.   
 
The company’s “I AM Nikon” messaging is pivotal to the sponsorship reflecting the emotions and fun of taking pictures with the COOLPIX cameras. The ident visuals will feature playful and amusing vignettes which viewers will be able to empathise with, or relate to the characters and story in the show, and which are punctuated with an emotive “I AM” message.
 

Jeremy Gilbert, Group Marketing Manager at Nikon UK says: “Nikon’s sponsorship of Hollyoaks in 2010 proved to be very successful and undoubtedly contributed to a significant rise in market share for our COOLPIX products.
 
He adds, “Hollyoaks continues to provide Nikon with access to a young, trendy audience to whom we are able to communicate the strengths of the COOLPIX range. We look forward to promoting our key COOLPIX products throughout the campaign”.
 
Hollyoaks is one of the only long running dramas to attract and sustain the lucrative 16-24 demographic. The programme sets new trends with brave direction and ground-breaking visuals.  Credited for powerful performances, award winning story-lines and beautiful people; Hollyoaks is one of the most stylish and contemporary long running drama on our screens. 

Our App of the Day - SkyFire - Bringing Flash To Your iPad

Finally on the iPad! Skyfire is the browser that not only allows you to view Flash Videos on iOS, but provides as well the best integration of social features for a quicker, more informative and most of all fun internet experience.

Features

• Play millions of Flash videos – everyday, with no limits!
• All-new ‘Skybar’ toolbar gives one-click access to video and related content
• Stay in touch: Unique Facebook and Twitter 'Quickview' allows you to see your wall and feeds with one click.
• Universal ‘Like’: Like ANY page on the internet, with one click.
• Fireplace: See only the links shared by Friends. Why? Filter what friends did from what friends shared (which is a great starting point for browsing)
• Popular: See what Friends and the Facebook community have to say about the site you are currently exploring
• Be informed: Quick access to GReader feeds
• Be social: Share via Facebook and Twitter
• Share to more services including GReader, Instapaper, Pinboard and Read It Later
• Standard browser elements: Tabs, search, sharing, bookmarks, history, etc.
• Full screen option for maximum use of screen real-estate – with scroll to top
• ‘Desktop’ option loads pages as on a desktop browser, giving more flexibility in accessing web sites
• Private Browsing option: Browse with no history and cookies left behind

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SKYFIRE

Although Skyfire is known to “bring Adobe Flash to the iPhone”, you should be aware of the following limitations:
» Flash VIDEOS are supported; Flash Games and Flash Apps are NOT supported.
» We do NOT SUPPORT ALL WEB SITES that use Flash Video. We are working hard at it, with millions of videos already supported. But we cannot guarantee that your favorite site is already on the list.
» For users and sites outside USA: Your country's TV website may not work in Skyfire as some sites do not stream to our US based servers.
» Hulu is NOT supported (they don’t allow it), but scores of other premium sites are available
» It may take 15-30 seconds for videos to load: Preparing goodness takes time…
» The application language is in English.

WHAT ELSE?

Skyfire for iPad is the best way to browse your favorite web sites, be in touch via Facebook and Twitter and enjoy millions of videos, including FLASH VIDEOS (Flash Games and Apps not supported). Access the content that matters to you: funny clips, sports and news updates, recommendations from your friends. Skyfire for iPad introduces as well the innovative ‘Fireplace’ and ‘Popular’ feature, which gives your quick access to links shared by your friends and the most popular content liked by people on the current site. Thus with Skyfire you are always in the know about what is hot – and share it easily via many means.

Skyfire’s award-winning technology enables Flash video for millions of mobile users and is finally available on the iPad. Our cloud-computing platform translates videos from Flash into an iOS-friendly format. We unlock millions of videos that otherwise would not play on your iPad. It’s a bit of engineering magic. Over 100,000 web sites presently supported, with more added every day.

How to choose a Gitzo tripod

UPDATE 26 Feb, 2012: Gitzo has dramatically updated the Systematic Tripod range, replacing all the models with a new improved body casting, and by adding a safety mechanism to the removeable top-plate. Please see here for details. This article is still relevant but please be aware that model numbers have changed slightly (the last number has changed from '1' to '2').

Gitzo tripods are owned by the same company that owns Manfrotto (formerly Bogen in the USA) and are now no longer made in France but in the Italian Manfrotto factory, just a short trip from Venice. That same company also owns Lastolite, Avenger, OConner, Vinten, Kata and Sachtler, the preeminent tripod of choice for video and movie cameras. But this isn't about the company (a British company as it happens), this feature is all about how to choose from the bewildering array of Gitzo tripods.

These tripods are amongst the best that money can buy* for stills cameras, but like any "tool" you can't really just buy one and expect it to "do everything", just like you can't buy one screwdriver and expect it to fit every screw. Buying your first Gitzo, therefore, is the most difficult decision, as you'll want to get the most use for your hard-earned cash - that's only natural, but you've got to think long-term too.

There are all ready excellent features on the net that explain why you should chose Gitzo over other makes, and I'm not going to reiterate any of that here, there's really nothing more to add. However, I'm going to suggest specific models for certain applications, along with genuine Gitzo accessories and make recommendations for third-party products.

Why am I doing this? Well, I find Gitzo's website a little perplexing and I often refer to it. I know what they're trying to achieve, but they're trying to sell all the models, obviously, and that only adds to the confusion.


Small - Gitzo Series 2 Explorer 4-section GT2541EX 

Unless you have a specific task outlined, for which you'll need to refer to the rest of the article, your first Gitzo will need, for practicality's sake, to be a good 'all-rounder'. That's to say this tripod will be the most used, for traveling, backpacking and every other time that you're not using one of the other more specialized tripods (listed later) for a specific purpose. This then will be your main tripod. The four-section Explorer GT2541EX costs a little more than the three section (GT2531EX), but it packs down another 10cm (to 54cm) and can easily accommodate a pro-DSLR with a lens up to 200mm (or up to 12kg, say Gitzo but that's not realistic). Read our review of the earlier (essentially the same) model, the Explorer GT2540EX here.

Don't choose the aluminum version, after all what you want here is the smallest and lightest. The Explorer is more versatile than the others in the range thanks to the pivoting central column. This makes it ideal for macro photography as well as landscape, architectural and the rest. The weight for the legs is 1.84kg, we'll talk heads later, pretty light considering the overall flexibility. If you simply must have the lightest, go for one of the Travellers, such as the GT-1542T, but the Explorer still offers more all-round flexibility.

Links

Adorama | B&H Photo | WEX (UK)


Medium - Gitzo Series 3 Systematic 4x section GT3542LS 

Our next Gitzo on the list is aimed users wanting something with greater load carrying capacity, while maintaining versatility. That means only one range, the Systematics. They all have a removable top-plate for a choice of columns, should you decide you need one. However, unless you intend to use it occasionally in the studio then it's not really needed. Gitzo make both geared and what they call 'rapid' (lockable sliding) columns for the Systematics, but you must buy the right size for your tripod, either series 3, 4 or 5.

Gitzo no longer make the superb (but seriously heavy) Series 5 Systematics in aluminum, unfortunately (get them now before they sell out: G1500 and G1505). They were the staple for studios, but unless you need that in particular, the material to go for is carbon-fibre - it's pricey but light, rigid and pretty durable. As you'll most likely want to use this on location, that means choosing the four-section over the equally impressive (but slightly more stable) three-section version.

Carbon Fibre absorbs vibration pretty well, but some lightweight designs are susceptible to lateral movement and flexing - that doesn't happen with the 5-series though it does with some of the 3-series - particularly the 4-section models which have thin tubing for the last (fourth) section. I've noticed a few professional photographers use the tripods partly extended from the bottom. This is not the way it should be used. To reduce vibration, always extend the legs from the top down (using the fourth, and thinnest stage, as a last resort).

The four section carbon-fibre GT3542LS (above) doesn't come with a column, that's extra, however the platform is used to mount a head directly to it. If you need to level a head, for video capture or panoramas, then the you can replace the platform with either a video bowl adaptor (designed specifically for 75mm or 100mm fluid video-heads, which feature their own built-in leveling bowl) or the leveling base for panoramas.

This is the industry standard** tripod for sports and wildlife photographers using long-lenses up to 500mm, with something like the outstanding Wimberley WH-200 Head - Version II (pictured below). The GT3542LS is the long version (stands 146cm tall at its maximum, packs down to 55cm (nearly the same as the Explorer above) and can carry a load up to 18kg. It weighs just 1.72kg. The GT3542XLS is an alternative if you want a little extra height but there's quite a price premium, and it's susceptible to some flexing at the tallest setting, when it must be used with care. This tripod stands 198cm at its maximum and closes down to 70cm, quite a jump over the LS version (and may cause issues with Airline carry-on restrictions) but still weighs just 1.97kg.


Links

Adorama | B&H Photo | WEX (UK)

Neither model is quite stable enough for the 600mm f/4 lenses though. For that you'll have to read on.

Large - Gitzo Series 5 Systematic 4x section GT5542LS

The GT5542LS (shown above) is quite a brute with much larger leg-tubes, but it's more than capable of supporting the longest lenses with pro DSLR bodies. Four leg sections make it more compact (60cm) when folded, over the GT5532S three-section version (63cm) and it's reasonably tall at 153cm as opposed to 133cm, which is rather low for most users. As well as sports and wildlife, this tripod is ideal for medium and large format cameras in the studio as well as on location.

Links

Adorama | B&H Photo | WEX (UK)

I'll be looking at different heads next.

Balancing the Wimberley Head

It goes without saying that your tripod must be leveled before you attempt this and that I would suggest removing the lens when adjusting the height of the head to achieve the correct balance - the slightest adjustment can mean the difference between the correct balance or not.

Contact


For more information on Gitzo tripods, please visit www.gitzo.us

For more information on the Wimberley head, please visit www.tripodhead.com.

Related Posts


Gitzo officially announces new Systematic tripod range

Gitzo softly launches new Systematic tripod range

We All Need 'Skattered Moments'

Skattered Moments is a cool new company that takes a favorite photograph and transforms it into spectacular artwork of almost any dimension.  
 
The innovative process uses patent pending software to turn photographs into stunning wall art, by pixelating an image using a variety of shapes and then dividing the image across any number of frames.
 
A simple 4x6 inch photo can be skattered, customized & transformed into spectacular wall art of almost any dimension for display in your home, office, or school. Frames are lightweight so hanging is a cinch!

Prices

Exclusive Holiday Special: 20% off now through December 31, 2010.

Take advantage of this incredible offer and create your own skattered masterpiece now!

To find out more about this innovative service, go here

Poster 1.0 for Mac OS X

Reinvented Software introduces Poster 1.0 for Mac OS X. Poster is an application for posting photos and videos. Poster provides a first-class experience for posting photos and videos to Flickr and photos to Facebook. Its sleek design takes advantage of each site's unique features to make posting photos and videos a truly enjoyable experience.

Poster is a Mac OS X application for uploading photos and videos to multiple sites and accounts, sporting a sleek design that not only lets you see your photos properly, but work with them effortlessly too. Supporting Flickr and Facebook at launch, Poster takes a tailored approach that makes the most of each site's unique features.

For Flickr, Poster can post both photos and videos, auto-complete tags, allows you to create and choose sets, submit photos to groups, tag people and moderate your photos all within the app. Its All Items view lets you work with an entire set of photos as easily as just one.

For Facebook, Poster will not only post to your profile, but also any pages that you administer, making Poster ideal for anyone whose business, band or cause takes advantage of Facebook's massive user community.

Poster works with the photo editing and management applications you use and can even perform some tricks of its own, such as rotating and resizing photos before uploading. As a convenience, plug-ins are provided for iPhoto and Aperture to launch Poster with the exported files.

The best part of Poster is that it is a pleasure to use. Packed with thoughtful touches, its understated design and tasteful animations are both intuitive and easy on the eye and its support for multitouch gestures and full keyboard navigation help make posting your photos and videos as enjoyable an experience as taking them.

Pricing and Availability:
Poster 1.0 requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later, and is available as a 15-day trial that can be unlocked upon purchase. A full license of Poster 1.0 costs $19.95 (USD).

To download go here

LaCie Introduces Slim Blu-ray Optical Drive

LaCie have introduced a new Slim Blu-ray optical drive. It represents a convenient way to record, rewrite, and play back high definition (HD) video. This bus powered drive combines Blu-ray technology and 50GB BD-ROM into a portable form factor, allowing users to enjoy both high definition Blu-ray and a 3D picture, or even burn discs—all on the go! That sounds pretty useful to us for photographers on the run - take a look at more details below:

    •    Bring Blu-ray™ to your PC or laptop
    •    Record, rewrite, and play back BD and DVD video
    •    CyberLink Blu-ray Disc Suite included
    •    No power supply needed – burn discs on the go!

Starting at $264.99/To read more go here

Nikon UK Updates Firmware for Coolpix P7000

The following improvements have been made in version 1.1.

Total image recording times for NRW (RAW) files have been reduced.  This includes image recording times for NRW+JPEG file recording options .

Lens control has been optimised to reduce the frequency with which the “Initializing lens. Cannot focus.” message is displayed.  

An issue that, in some rare cases, prevented zoom operation has been resolved.  

An issue that caused the monitor display to exhibit a loss of detail in highlights (blown highlights) when the shutter-release button was pressed halfway with Active D-Lighting enabled has been resolved. 

To find out more about this update, go here

Canon offers lens tips with Change your lens, change your story

Canon UK has started showing a range of video tutorials based around the choosing of lenses for different subjects, such as macro, landscapes, portraits and wildlife/sports. They're hosted by Rob Grove and Jenny Hare, and they talk intelligently about the subjects raised and the equipment used. There's a interesting section on technologies and optical heritage too. The tutorials can be found here, but it takes a little while to load, so please be patient.

NEC announce flagship 30-in MultiSync PA301W display

UPDATE 1 Feb 2011 NEC has announced the SV version today, see here for further details.


NEC Display Solutions has announced today the availability of the new flagship 30-inch MultiSync PA301W, which will eventually replace the highly regarded MultiSync 3090. The new model boasts a 10-bit P-IPS panel and has an in-built 14-bit LUT (although not fully hardware calibratable, like the SpectraView models) for improved colour reproduction and a 3D LUT for exacting colour space emulation. The NEC MultiSync PA301W will be available in January 2011, priced at £1,519 (excl. VAT). For more information please see the press release below.


Press release:

NEC Display Solutions launches PA Series flagship 30-inch LCD monitor
The professional display for the most demanding applications


London, 7 December 2010 – NEC Display Solutions is proud to unveil its flagship 30-inch model from its award winning PA Series. The NEC MultiSync® PA301W with a true 10-bit P-IPS panel has an in-built 14-bit LUT for the smoothest colour reproduction and a 3D LUT for precise colour space emulation. Backlight ageing correction ensures stable brightness, as well as compensation for white point drift over the monitors lifetime. These professional features coupled with the latest wide viewing angle IPS panel technology and high resolution wide format make the display the first choice for creative professionals, demanding office applications, scientific engineering analysis and the medical field.

With its uncompromising true 10-bit P-IPS LCD technology, the NEC MultiSync® PA301W offers a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. Innovative new features and outstanding ergonomics guarantee increased productivity and user-friendly working. For example, several program windows or multiple video feeds can be displayed simultaneously on the large-area display in 16:10 format using the picture-in-picture function. The new model has a pivot capability, can rotate and tilt and can be height-adjusted by up to 150 mm.

Two DisplayPorts and two DVI-D interfaces provide the user with advanced connection options and ensure even greater flexibility. It is also possible to connect to multiple PC platforms with a single mouse and keyboard thanks to the integrated, programmable USB hub. “Through this latest addition to our acclaimed PA Series we can now meet all demands and expectations in the professional display field. NEC Display Solutions is once again setting the reference benchmark in this market segment and showing its pre-eminence in monitor technology and accurate display image reproduction,” explains Christopher Parker, Product Line Manager for Professional Displays at NEC Display Solutions.

Availability, price and warranty
The NEC MultiSync® PA301W will be available starting in January 2011 in black priced at £1,519 (excl. VAT). The package supplied includes a power cable, digital DVI-D and DisplayPort signal cables, a manual and an installation and driver CD-ROM. NEC Display Solutions Europe offers a three-year warranty including backlights.

More information can be found here at the UK site (the US doesn't appear to have introduced this model as yet).

Related posts:

UK readers can order from Colour Confidence here (please don't forget to mention our site). 

Read our review of the 27-inch NEC SpectraView Reference 271 here.

Adobe releases Lightroom 3.3

Adobe has released Lightroom 3.3 offering compatibility with the new Canon Powershot G12, and S95, Nikon D7000, Pentax K-5 and Sony A560 and A580 amongst others. It's available for download now, from here.

Update: contrary to our report earlier, LR 3.3 can indeed process PEF files from the Pentax 645D.

Adobe Releases Lightroom 3.3 and Camera Raw 6.3 Along With New Lens Profile Downloader
 
Adobe today announced the Lightroom 3.3 and Camera Raw 6.3 updates are available for immediate download on Adobe.com. Originally posted as release candidates on Adobe Labs, the final updates bring raw file support to 15 new popular camera models including Nikon D7000 and Canon Powershot S95, as well as lens profiles for over 60 new Nikon, Canon, Pentax and Sigma lenses. Available on Adobe Labs, the Lens Profile Downloader 1.0 – a free companion application to Lightroom 3, Photoshop CS5 and Camera Raw 6 – allows customers to search, download, rate and comment on over 300 lens correction profiles provided by the community. Photographers can create custom profiles for their own lenses and share them with the user community.
 
A full list of the newly added raw camera support and the new and improved lens profiles can be found on the Lightroom Journal: http://blogs.adobe.com/lightroomjournal.
 
Lightroom is the essential digital photography workflow solution, helping serious amateur and professional photographers quickly import, manage, enhance and showcase all their images within one application. The Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in provides fast and easy access to raw image formats produced by many leading digital cameras.
 
Pricing and Availability
The Lightroom 3.3 update is available as a free download for Lightroom 3 customers, and the Photoshop Camera Raw 6.3 plug-in is available as a free download for Photoshop CS5 customers. For more information and to download these updates please visit http://www.adobe.com/downloads/updates/. To download the Adobe Lens Profile Downloader 1.0 and Lens Profile Creator visit http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/lensprofile_creator.html
 
*Users can connect with the Lightroom team directly on Facebook (www.facebook.com/lightroom) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/lightroom).
 
Newly Supported Camera Models
Canon PowerShot G12
Canon PowerShot S95
Nikon D3100
Nikon D7000
Nikon Coolpix P7000
Olympus E-5
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
Pentax K-5
Pentax K-r
Ricoh GXR, GR LENS A12 28mm F2.5
Samsung NX100
Samsung TL350 (WB2000)
Sony A560
Sony A580

Adobe Join Forces With Google Over eBook DRM

Adobe Systems Incorporated have just announced today that Google has licensed Adobe® Content Server 4 software as its ebook content protection solution for Google eBooks. With the addition of Google, more than 200 publishers and distributors worldwide have now deployed Adobe Content Server, making it the most pervasive Digital Rights Management (DRM) solution for ebooks and other digital publications.

As a true cross-platform solution, Adobe Content Server enables consumers to purchase or lend ebooks through thousands of points-of-purchase without being tied to one store. With support of the Adobe® Reader® Mobile software development kit (SDK) on more than 85 devices and applications, consumers can download and read protected ebooks from Google eBooks in both PDF and EPUB format. Supported devices include a broad variety of platforms: smartphones, tablets and desktops, as well as dedicated reading devices like the Sony Reader or the Barnes & Noble nook. With more than 13 million downloads of Adobe Digital Editions, a free software application for acquiring, managing and reading ebooks, users can transfer their digital content to their netbooks and desktops, and by taking advantage of a growing number of mobile applications, users can also consume ebooks from Google eBooks on tablets like the iPad. For a complete list, visit Adobe Digital Editions Supported Devices.

“We are excited about Google joining the largest ecosystem of content distributors that believe in giving consumers the freedom to read ebooks across platforms and device types,” said Dave Burkett, vice president and general manager, Creative Solutions Business, Adobe. “Adobe is helping publishers navigate a rapidly changing media landscape, where new devices are opening up new business opportunities to distribute unique content.”

Mobile

Adobe Content Server is part of Adobe’s end-to-end Digital Publishing Solution for ebooks with Adobe InDesign® CS5, Adobe Digital Editions and Adobe Reader Mobile SDK. The solution allows users to download and read ebooks from Google eBooks without being locked into a proprietary file format or device. More than 200 publishers and distributors worldwide are using the solution today to securely deliver their copyrighted content to end-users through thousands of points-of-purchase across the globe, including many public libraries. This reduces the risk of unauthorised distribution and gives content owners the flexibility to develop their own monetisation models around digital content delivery. Licensees of Adobe Content Server include Barnes & Noble, Google, Random House, Sony, WW Norton, OverDrive, Ingram Digital, Kobo, British Library, and many more

With the Reader Mobile SDK, Adobe enables companies to offer smartphones and reading devices that can easily download, manage, and display ebooks based on PDF and the open EPUB file format. Adobe’s ebook initiatives come at a time when Adobe is pushing the boundaries of delivering new digital publication experiences with leading publishers such as Condé Nast and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. With these new types of interactive, branded experiences, publishers can create rich content on tablets, smartphones and other devices that attracts high-value subscribers and advertisers.

My Eyes Only Photo Pro Secure Photos App for iPad, iPhone, and iPod

Software Ops today is pleased to announce the release of a new application, My Eyes Only Photo Pro, the powerful photo encryption application for iOS devices. This app is the first app in the My Eyes Only family to support the iPad as a universal app for Apple iOS devices.

My Eyes Only Photo Pro has the functionality of the existing My Eyes Only Photo app built for iPhone but is packaged into a universal app to support iPad as well as iPhone and iPod touch devices.

My Eyes Only Photo Pro is designed to secure photos on your iPhone or iPod touch by password protecting and encrypting photos. My Eyes Only Photo Pro uses 256 bit RSA encryption, built into the iPhone and supported by Apple. The photos are protected by a password that prevents others from viewing the images that are too sensitive to be stored in the Photos application.

Users of the application can select photos from the existing photo library on their iOS device or use the camera to take photographs and store them directly into My Eyes Only Photo Pro. Users can create as many photo libraries as they like within the application. The photos library presents all the photos in a thumbnail view for easy selection. An easy to use photo browser displays the images or viewing even as My Eyes Only Photo Pro is decrypting the photos in the background.

My Eyes Only Pro can import and export photos using a WiFi network with your favorite browser. "This is the most customer requested feature and we're glad to be able to satisfy our customers with this amazing new feature," states Joe Michels, CEO of Software Ops. "The other exciting feature is the ability to transfer photos from one iOS device running My Eyes Only Photo to another via WiFi or Bluetooth."

$5.99/Download

Best Case Scenario? Pantone Have A Great Solution

For photographers and graphic designers surely there's no other option but a Pantone colored iPhone/iPad case. Maybe the only problem will be which swatch to choose.

There are nine colors in the initial iPhone offering: Yellow, Red 711, Blue 7462, Orange 021, Pink 226, Green 354, Cool Gray 5, 418, and Black. For the iPad, Case Scenario has four colors: Black, Cool Gray 5, 7462, and 711.

The four pantone iPad cases come in: pantone blue 7462 C, pantone black C, pantone 711 C and pantone cool gray 5 C.

To purchase and/or order go here, to Case Scenario