Tapping Your Smartphone's Processing Power for Classic Photography

The stumbling-block to using a phone as an all-in-one solution for photography is basically that the lenses aren't as good as those on any dedicated camera. While you would expect a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera to sport a better lens, even the most basic, sub-hundred-dollar point-and-shoots have higher quality glass than the best phones.

Manual adjustments for exposure and other settings like white balance are also missing on many smartphones, as is an optical zoom that provides higher quality close-ups than a processor-driven zoom.

However, there are two things the smartphone, resplendent with camera, does offer. One is a seriously powerful computer processor -- much more so than any camera's -- and the second is filter- and editing-style apps -- tons of them.

My solution to the dichotomy is to use an existing camera to take the shots, and discard the laptop or PC commonly used for editing, substituting a smartphone or tablet for the crunching. Why not? You gain portability -- two pocket-sized devices; you gain the effort that developers have put into smartphone photographic processing apps; and you retain the better glass.

The downside is getting the shots over to the phone from the camera. But you can get around that with some planning.
Zoho

Step 1

Plan how you're going to get the images out of the camera and into the phone or tablet. I've been using a 2006 Nikon Coolpix P2 point-and-shoot whose 3x, 7.5-26.3mm zoom lens I adore. I've had photographs accepted by my stock agency with that camera -- unusual for point-and-shoots.

This inexpensive camera conveniently has a full-sized SD card slot. I've coupled the P2 with the other part of my camera kit, a Toshiba Thrive 10.1-inch Android tablet, also with a full-sized SD slot. Hot-swapping the cards works easily for me like this.

You can achieve the same effect with micro SD card-to-full-sized SD card adapters that are packaged with many micro SD cards.
 
Step 2

Install some of the killer camera filter and editing apps onto your phone or tablet.

The two I've been using: Vignette (Nasdaq: VIGN) Demo from Neilandtheresa, (free) for its filters; and Adobe (Nasdaq: ADBE) Photoshop Express from Adobe Systems (free) for its editing software. Both have paid versions with varied additional benefits, including full resolution.
 
Step 3

Pull the full-sized SD card or micro SD card with adapter out of the camera, making sure that you follow the camera manufacturer's instructions relating to unmounting the card.

This will avoid corrupted files.
Step 4

Remove the adapter from the card if necessary and slot the card into the phone or tablet.

Allow the card to mount, and launch the app you want to use.
Step 5

Import the image. Vignette Demo allows you to import images using file managers that you may or may not already have on your device.

I've successfully imported from stock Gallery and also Root Explorer. Touch the "Import" button and choose "Gallery." The SD card should be listed.

vignette

Select the image you want to work with by touching it, and it will load into the Vignette app using the last settings used.
Step 6

Apply the filter by using the "Effects" and "Adjust" settings in Vignette Demo.

I've been using Fake HDR, which lowers global contrast and raises local contrast, and Infrared, which provides high contrast for grim, theatrical landscapes.
Step 7

Make further edits with other applications. Photoshop Express on a tablet or phone is worth experimenting with because it faithfully creates the same kind of edits that you'd ordinarily do on a cumbersome PC.

Install a file manager if you don't already have one. Look in the Market. I use paid Root Explorer, but there are free ones too.

Browse to the SD card image files and cut the file you want to work on. Then browse to the "Camera" folder within the DCIM folder on your device and paste it there. This can be complicated because there may be more than one SD card folder listed. The device often has a built-in SD card you may be unaware of. Your inserted card will likely be "sdcard2" or something similar within a folder called "mnt."

Paste the file into "Camera," and when you open Photoshop Express, the file will be listed under the "Phone" tab there and you'll be able to work on it with the "Edit" button. After working on it, press "Save," and then refresh the file manager to see it listed. 


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Alienware Packs Big Gaming Power Into Little Box

Dell's (Nasdaq: DELL) gaming computer brand, Alienware, has released a new desktop computer that -- while not quite in keeping with the trend toward mobile gaming -- is compact, powerful and sleek.

Alienware X51
The Alienware X51

The X51, which weighs about 12 pounds and measures roughly 13 inches tall by 12.5 inches deep by 4 inches wide, is unobtrusive enough to be placed near a television. It is powered by a range of graphics cards and several Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) Core processors. Pricing starts at US$699 and goes to $1,149, depending on how the device is configured.

Options in the low-end version include a second-generation Intel Core i processor, 8 GB of 1333 Mhz dual-channel memory, a 1-GB GDDR5 Nvidia (Nasdaq: NVDA) GeForce GTX 555 video card with 330W PSU, a slot-loading dual layer Blu-ray reader, and a standard integrated wireless LAN card.

The $1,149 model is equipped with the Intel Core i7 processor, a 1 GB GDDR5 Nvidia GeForce GT 555 graphics card, and 8 GB of RAM.

Alienware did not respond to our request for further details.

The Mobile Trend

With the X51's diminutive size, it is easy to miss the fact that it is not designed to be mobile -- a major driving force in the gaming market now.

Gaming captured the largest proportion of a mobile user's time spent with mobile applications -- a whopping 49 percent -- according to Flurry. Social networking came next, but at a distant 30 percent.

A majority of tablet owners who play video games use a console or a handheld gaming device less often as a result of owning their tablet, according to research from GfK MRI's iPanel.
Gaming Laptops

Alienware isn't ignoring that trend -- last year, it released three powerful laptops including the M18x -- which it called the most powerful 18-inch gaming laptop in the universe and "a true desktop replacement." The other laptops are the M14x -- with enhanced performance and a focus on portability -- and an upgraded M11x. They also sport second-generation Intel Core i processors.

That said, there is still a place for the little X51 desktop unit in the current gaming environment, J. Gerry Purdy, principal analyst of mobile and wireless at MobileTrax, told TechNewsWorld.

"There are really two mobile stories unfolding with gaming," he said. One is that more people are using smartphones or tablets, and providers are extending the availability of some games on these platforms. The second one are the wireless initiatives, where you are seeing controllers become de facto smartphones or computers."

College student dorm rooms, for instance, are typical venues for these devices, noted Purdy. "The gaming market is huge enough, especially among the 18-24 age group, to accommodate a number of different form factors 

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Poker on your iPhone

f, just for a chance, you decide not to follow every single game of the World Cup, I think I have just found the perfect place for you…..on your Iphone!

Last night, I spent hours on a new poker application on the Iphone and it is great!

I was always a bit cautious about playing poker in casinos or even with friends because I never really knew if I was good at it. I always wondered where all these people were training to become so good. Well, now I found the perfect tool for that my Iphone…

There are several applications worth the try, such as Poker Texas Hold’em, Absolute Poker or Zinga Poker live is excellent. You can play without spending a fortune and you can train as much as you like to become a real pro.

The best thing is that you get lots of advice and tricks and you really can improve very quickly. I did! You can also choose who to play against, real people, your friends or very realistic players.

Check out this website PokerListings, and especially their quick guide to poker on iPhone to get all the info you need and see you soon on the green carpet…

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Sony Ericsson releases Android 4.0 preview ROMs for Xperia Ray, Arc S, and Neo V

Once a laggard in the Android update race, Sony Ericsson is flexing its muscle today by releasing alpha-quality Ice Cream Sandwich updates for its Xperia Arc S, Neo V, and Ray models. Though that's extremely cool (and well ahead of the expected releases early next year), average users are going to want to steer well clear of these for now, particularly if you're using the phone as your day-to-day device — the modem, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth are all disabled at present. That said, the ROMs give us a pretty good idea of how Sony Ericsson plans to position its skin in the ICS framework, and it's also a tremendous sign of openness toward the Android enthusiast community — heck, they're even encouraging users to visit a thread on xda-developers to discuss the builds. Hopefully, other top-tier manufacturers are going to follow suit with this kind of thing.

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ION Audio Road Rocker

ION Audio has just introduced its latest piece of consumer electronics – an ultra-compact speaker system that targets iOS-powered devices, microphones, instruments and other miscellanous Bluetooth-powered music players. Known as the Road Rocker, it debuted at the recently concluded CES in Las Vegas, and is tiny enough to be carried around with you wherever you go, regardless of whether it is meant for a camping trip, tailgating, parties and most definitely road trips.

Just how does the Road Rocker work? Well, it has Bluetooth connectivity to thank, as it will stream music wirelessly thanks to Bluetooth – so basically most modern smartphones are compatible with it, in addition to a bevy of Bluetooth enabled devices such as tablets and portable media players. Do not sneer at its size, as this is one “pooch” that has quite a mean “bark” despite its size.

Despite being incredibly compact, it still packs in a high-quality full-range speaker, a 1/4-inch input for connecting microphones or instruments, and even comes with a bass port which will offer music an additional low-end thump. It does not matter whether you are using the ION Audio’s Road Rocker to make sure everyone at your party has a rocking good time, or to keep your guitar skills sharp through practice even when you are on vacation. Sporting a built-in rechargeable battery, the Road Rocker will be able to deliver up to eight hours of uninterrupted music.

Not only that, it will come with an 1/8-inch input and cable that will let non-Bluetooth enabled music players and devices hook up to it. The integrated cradle will make sure your iPad, iPhone or other device remains nice and secure on top of the Road Rocker even when you are having the time of your life with your favorite tracks, good friends, and great food. No idea on pricing though, but we do look forward to its general release to the market later this year.

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Get Ready for Less Boring Green Cars - Until now green cars have had all the sex appeal of a Birkenstock sandal, but carmakers are beginning to change that

Everybody wants clean air, but the increasing public and political clamor to cut greenhouse gases and raise fuel efficiency is giving the world's automakers an ulcer.

Executives in Detroit, Toyoda City, Stuttgart, and Turin are passing the Prilosec because times are already tough enough for the auto industry. Stricter standards for CO2 emissions in Europe and a new 35-mpg Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard in the U.S. mean they have to sort out which alternative fuels hold the best solutions, in terms of cost, technology, regulations, and customer acceptance. And they have to pay for it out of their increasingly dwindling profits.

But there's nothing like having a gun to your head to stir the creative, and gastric, juices. The recent North American International Auto Show, which ended Jan. 27, featured an impressive array of fuel-efficient, green-themed technologies (BusinessWeek.com, 1/16/08), including clean diesel, biodiesel, ethanol, gasoline-electric hybrids, diesel-electric hybrids, plug-in hybrids, two-mode hybrids, and fuel cells.

The pressure to succeed has produced unexpected juxtapositions, like Audi's diesel-powered super-sports car, which to some people may sound like an oxymoron. Instead of the mighty V8 and V12 gasoline engines the U.S. market has come to expect, Mercedes-Benz (DAI) displayed a greener, though less exciting, four-cylinder diesel-hybrid version of the S-Class flagship. Even notorious Italian fuel hog Ferrari, whose 534-hp 612 Scaglietti rates a Hummer-like 9 mpg in the city and 16 mpg on the highway, showed a car that can run on 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.
Plug-In Prospects

There were also a few surprises in Detroit, such as the introduction of a great-looking plug-in hybrid, the $80,000 Karma (BusinessWeek.com, 1/17/08), from Lake Forest (Calif.) startup Fisker Automotive. What makes it so special is the combination of great looks and innovative technology. CEO Henrik Fisker has devised a method of building the car's body separate from the bulky battery pack, which is installed underneath the car. "The battery never really gets put in the car," he said in a Jan. 14 interview, pointing out that by doing so it saves cost and complexity, and keeps the car's center of gravity low. However, the company is mum on most other details about the car, including how fast it is, and even where it will be built.

And yes, just like it sounds, a plug-in hybrid can be recharged from a plug, off household current. That gives it greater range than most of today's hybrids, which rely on a conventional motor to recharge the battery, but plug-in hybrids still have a conventional motor, too.

Toyota (TM), newly crowned the world's No. 1-selling automaker, also roiled the Detroit show by announcing it will introduce a fleet of hundreds of plug-in hybrids for research and development by 2010, in greater numbers than expected, and with lithium ion batteries. Toyota already has a small handful of plug-in hybrid prototypes around the world, with poorer-performing nickel-metal-hydride batteries. Other rivals, such as General Motors (GM), have been careful to avoid hard deadlines for introducing plug-ins with lithium ion batteries like the Chevrolet Volt (BusinessWeek.com, 1/7/07).

Source - BusinessWeek

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LG's 55-inch OLED TV Snags CNET's Best of CES

Best of CES 2012 Award Winners

Best of Show: LG 55EM9600 OLED TV
The first 55-inch OLED TV
announced as shipping in 2011, and the only one to get an actual model number and public ship date ("Q3"), the 55EM9800 promises the superb all-around performance of OLED (absolute black levels, ultra-fast panel and excellent viewing angles) in an ultra-thin panel. People's Voice: Razer Project Fiona
Razer's Project Fiona concept gaming tablet, shown at CES 2012, suggests that Windows 8 is a serious player in portable gaming, and that Razer is serious about moving into manufacturing computers.
Cameras: Fujifilm X-Pro1
Fujifilm bolsters its reputation as a quality camera company with the new X-Pro 1, its first mirrorless model. Targeted at professionals, the camera incorporates several innovations, including a promising new sensor and lovely hybrid viewfinder, all in a sleek retro design.
Car Tech: QNX CAR 2 mobile apps platform
QNX shows us its vision for the future of dashboard technologies, including an innovative application of NFC technology to instantly and automatically Bluetooth pair a smartphone, Ultra HD voice technology that brings stereo CD quality audio to phone calls, and an apps integration for both front and backseat passengers.
Cell phones: Nokia Lumia 900
Nokia uses the Consumer Electronics Show to hold a coming-out party for its new Windows Phone-based Lumia 900, with a 4.3-inch AMOLED screen and dual cameras.
Emerging Tech: MakerBot Replicator
The MakerBot Replicator one-ups the Cube 3D with "dualstrusion" technology, meaning it can print objects in multiple colors and materials. Pre-orders available now for $1,999, shipping in 6 weeks.
Home Theater: Simple.TV
The Simple.TV DVR might just be the next-big thing for cable-cutters. It's improbably a DVR without a built-in hard drive or video output, instead letting you supply your own hard drive, then stream live and recorded over-the-air TV to the Simple.TV app available on iPad, Roku, Boxee, Google TV. Simple.TV can stream your live and recorded over-the-air TV outside your home network (Slingbox-style), as long as you sign up for the $5/month premium service. Think of it like your own personal cloud for your over-the-air TV.
PCs: HP Envy 14 Spectre
The newly announced HP Spectre is the most glass-covered laptop we've ever seen, with it's all-glass lid and palm rest. At a CES devoid of many eye-popping laptops, the Spectre could be the most stylish of the bunch. Beats Audio is included on this premium ultrabook, along with an inset analog wheel for volume control, NFC support, and HP Wireless Audio.
Software and apps: BlueStacks for Windows 8
Windows 8 just got a kick in the apps via BlueStacks. The program, which will ship pre-installed on select Windows 8 machines, will bring the entire Android marketplace to Microsoft's nascent OS. So when Windows 8 launches, more than 400,000 Android apps will be at your fingertips.
Networking: D-Link Amplifi HD Media Router 3000
When released later this month, D-Link's Amplifi HD Media Router 3000 DIR-857 router will be the first on the market that supports USB 3.0, concurrent 450Mbps dual-band with cloud-based and HD Fuel feature that power media streaming.
Tablets: Asus Memo 370T
This quad-core, Android 4.0 tablet proves that premium performance doesn't require a premium price. In spite of its $250 asking price, this tablet comes stock with 1GB of system RAM, 16GB of storage, an 8 megapixel camera, HDMI output, and a 1,280x800 resolution IPS screen.
TVs: LG 55EM9600 OLED TV
The first 55-inch OLED TV announced as shipping in 2011, and the only one to get an actual model number and public ship date ("Q3"), the 55EM9800 promises the superb all-around performance of OLED (absolute black levels, ultra-fast panel and excellent viewing angles) in an ultra-thin panel.

Source - CESweb

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