tech stuff
SuperPopCam
It took a while, but I have come to realize that most of the apps I download for my iPhone are photography related. And my latest DL is no exception.
From Art & Mobile — the makers of Tilt-Shift Generator, QuadCamera, Random Pose, Old Camera and Toy Camera comes the new SuperPopCam — a live effect preview, funky iphone camera app.
If that description threw you off, let me put it in simple terms. You point the iphone camera at your subject and swipe the screen to select the effect you want to use, while seeing the finished product real-time. See image below.
So if you love lo-fi photography, but want to see what the end product is gonna look like, this may just be the app for you, with 9 different effects to choose from (Lemonade, Violet Fizz, Cherry Pie, Dreamy, Cross Process, Hollywood, Cyanotone, Sepia and Monochrome). The application also gives you 5 border types to choose from, 5 vignetting styles, quick post to Twitter and Facebook, and the option to save your images at 640X480 or 960X720.
SuperPopCam is available on the iTunes store for $0.99. At this price, it’s a steal.
Here are my initial samples:
stereographic view
I downloaded a new iPhone photography app and decided to test it out. It’s basically a Panoramic application with a few tweaks. The 360 Panorama allows you to take panoramic shots with a simple tap of the screen, and swivel of the body. The unique feature of the app, is that you get to save the photo as a stereographic image… Confused? See the image below.
The app is available for $1.99. I haven’t really taken it out for a field test, but for the price, i’d say it’s definitely worth it.
Hipstamatic
iPhone owners and Toy Camera fans, here’s a new reason to celebrate: Synthetic Corp’s new Hipstamatic application. Bringing back the look, feel, fun and unpredictability of the old school fantastic plastic machines, Hipstamatic merges the digital world of photography with the analogous realm of capturing images. And to make things more fun, with the swipe of a finger, you can even change your lenses, add gel filters for your flash and experiment with your film of choice… and get instant results.
Here are a few samples I took today.
[Lens: Kaimal Mark II | Film: Ina's 1969 | Flash: Berry Pop]
[Lens: Roboto Glitter | Film: Kodot Verichrome | Flash: Off]
[Lens: Lucifer VI | Film: BlacKeys B+W | Flash: RedEye Gel]
[Lens: Roboto Glitter | Film: Kodot Verichrome | Flash: RedEye Gel]
For $1.99, this application is a steal. You get a starter pack of the John S Lens, the Jimmy Lens, the Standard Flash, Ina’s 1969 Film, and Kodot Verichrome Film. And for an additional $0.99, you can purchase some of the booster packs which contain more lenses, flashes and film.
All in all, you spend less than $5.00 for a kick-ass camera application with an old-school feel in this digital age. I would definitely recommend this app for photography fans.
Find out more from the creators
More photos on my Flickr set
Lumix LX3 firmware update
Attention all Lumix LX3 owners. Our favorite little toy has released a firmware update for us to take advantage of. Much like the iPhone upgrade to 3.0 firmware, the Lumix 2.0 firmware offers a lot of new things for the camera. Among the most notable:
-
Improved auto white balance performance. - Auto Focus speed-up.
- Recording function with an aspect ratio of 1:1 has been added.
- A white balance (WB) bracket function has been added.
- [HIGH DYNAMIC] has been added to scene mode.
- The exposure compensation and the auto bracket compensation can now be set up to ±3EV.
- Position of the guide line can now be set.
- It is now possible to display the highlights in playback mode.
- Digital red-eye removal has been modified.
For a detailed description of the improvements, as well as what’s in store for the firmware upgrade, click here.
But if you’re ready to jump in head first and download the firmware, here’s the download link, with a detailed instruction of how to install the upgrade.
Panasonic Lumix GF1
Over the past few months (or perhaps even the past year and change), I have noticed a shift of preference for a lot of photographers — mostly enthusiasts and semi-pro shooters, myself included. Whereas a couple of years ago, my trusty, yet aging DSLR would always be by my side (or on my back along with a lot of other gear), I now find myself sporting a much smaller case… and, naturally, a much more compact piece of equipment to go with it — my Lumix LX3. Of course, with a smaller camera, there are more limitations, but I felt that it didn’t seem necessary to bring my bulky DSLR to drinking sessions or small get togethers. Besides, with the Panasonic range of compact cams, you get a piece of equipment that acts like an SLR minus a lot of the weight and size.
Of course, with this compact camera renaissance, there is bound to be a lot of tinkering and toying for improvement. And today, Panasonic announced the launching of its newest baby, the Lumix DMC-GF1.
While I haven’t gotten my hands on this little bad-boy for a test run, I’m pretty positive that it will perform just as well as the LX3, if not better. For the meantime, here are a few photos I have dug up:
[Panasonic Lumix DMCLX3 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1]
For more info (like a proper gadget review), check out DPReview’s take on the new Panasonic camera.
iPhone Case with interchangable lenses
As I am an avid iPhone fan, as well as a photography enthusiast, iPhone photography seemed like a logical next step. In fact, iPhone photography has pretty much become the basis for this blog (among a few other things). And today, I stumbled upon another little toy that just made me drool with envy: the Factron iPhone case.
Yes, I have drooled over numerous iPhone cases before (most recently the Griffin Clarifi — USD35, sold locally for PhP2,550), but this one really takes the cake.
The Factron iPhone case is a stylish, metal finished, old-school Leica-esque looking case with a complete set of interchangeable lenses — fish eye, wide-angle, and close-up lenses which can range from USD15 to USD55. However, the case itself is a hefty USD200. While it does cost quite a pretty penny, the possibilities with this toy are endless, especially for a iPhone photography freak like myself. But of course, I will have to continue drooling for a bit until someone gives me the case as a gift, or I win the lottery.
For now, check out some of the product photos, while I go buy a lotto ticket.
iBlur and DXP
After upgrading to the new iPhone 3.0 software update, it seemed like I had a brand new phone. The features were just too massive to ignore. As a result, I did a bit of application Spring cleaning, so to speak. I started deleting some of the more useless apps to free up some space. But in doing so, I also got tempted to download a few new applications… of the free variety, of course. And through my iTunes store scouring, I found two photo apps that you may find quite fun to use with your iPhone.
The new iPhone 3G[s]
iPhone lovers, here’s a bit of good news… and some bad news too.
Apple has launched it’s new iPhone calling it the iPhone 3G [s]. Of course, with a new iPhone version comes a whole lot of new functions. Among the more notable additions are:
- Improved speed — faster launching of apps
- Video function
- 3.0 megapixel camera
- up to 32g capacity
- Cut-Copy-Paste function
- Landscape Keyboard
- Internet Tethering –sharing the internet connection from your laptop
- Accessibility
- Search function across the iPhone
Of course, Apple promises much more with their new and improved iPhone. For more info, you can read this.
I know most iPhone 3G owners are groaning because of the cooler new functions that the new model offers… but that’s just the way technology works. And, as a bit of consolation (for me, as well), there will be a Software Update (3.0) for old iPhone owners coming this June 17… and some of the new functions will be included in the update — including the much sought after Cut-Copy-Paste function.
Type Drawing
My cousin Danni is the Devil… at least when it comes to iPhone applications. Every time she whips out her iPhone, she tempts me with new apps to download. Thankfully, they are of the 99¢ value; not too heavy on the thinning wallet.
Yesterday, she introduced me to Type Drawing — a typography based iPhone application with lots of fun filled uses.
If you’re a fan of typography, this app may just be for you. Have fun creating your messages, create drawings using the font and do a hundred other stuff with it.
At the moment, the application offers a limited number of fonts, and a handful of backgrounds, but this should change, come more updates from the developers.
You can even take photos and add your message, as you see fit.
Yahoo! Philippines launches Project Purple
Adhering to its company colors, Yahoo! Philippines has just launched an innovative endeavor in sharing Filipino passions with the rest of the world via its latest local venture, Project Purple.
The social movement actually began in the US with Yahoo!’s ‘Start Wearing Purple’ campaign, and has moved out of North America for the first time — with the Philippines as its first stopover, as Yahoo! Philippines GM Jojo Añonuevo realizing that “there are millions of creative, innovative and passionate Pinoys.”
Añonuevo added: “Project Purple is a social movement and is open to everyone — online and offline. We are rallying Pinoys to be Purple and utilize the internet to aim higher.”
The campaign aims to empower Pinoy Passions — to encourage and nurture the Filipinos’ natural creativity, innovativeness and drive to excel in their chosen fields. So much so, that six up and coming local artists have submitter their artworks to Yahoo! to be featured i a soon-to-be-released limited edition art book showcasing the perspectives of 20 different graphic artists from around the world. Also, local art group WeeWillDoodle will create a truly unique and one-of-a-kind art piece, using a Honda Jazz as their canvas.
At their launch, various artworks from up and coming Pinoy artists were on display, photos from local photogs were up for view (via a Flickr gallery) and WeeWillDoodle were on hand for a “on-the-spot” artwork creation, using the audience suggestions on what “purple” meant to them.
new apple iPhone in the works?
As usual, Apple is coming up with a bigger and better (?) version of one of it’s great products. The Apple iPhone 4G will supposedly come with the following features:
- 80GB or 120GB flash drive
- Widescreen 1540-by-480-pixel resolution at 163 ppi
- Camera with 8.0 megapixels
- Video recording
- Text editing with copy/paste
- MMS messaging
- Adobe Flash Player
I just hope some of the functions will be made available through a software update.
First seen on www.deaddog.com/
Molo Action Sampling
I just recently purchased an iPhone — something I have been lusting after for some time. Instantly, I fell in love with the phone. The functionality is seemless and the possibilities with this phone seem infinite. I can’t even begin to describe how convenient everything has become.
But enough on the virtues of the iPhone… as owners can easily attest to this, and haters can just keep on naysaying.
One of the more interesting applications I came across (and purchased) is Molo. Basically, it works like a Holga or Lomo Action sampler… but on a digital level, in camera.
Simply choose the type of photo output you want, click on the diagram and take a shot… and the software will do the rest for you.
Here are a few sample shots I took over the weekend:
[faux mickey mouse and friends]
[the eb babes]Apple Philippines
Yehey! Apple is finally opening up their online retailing locally. You can now purchase your favorite Apple products online, via their local shopping mall. I got this alert in my email and decided to check out what it was all about.
It’s the same as ordering from the US — shipping and all. But now, you don’t have to wait too long (1-2 days) AND you don’t have to get screwed by the foreign exchange rates. There is, however, a shipping fee of PhP 400.00… unless you purchase items worth PhP 3,000.00 or above.
Now I’m really tempted to get their Apple Remote and Wireless Mighty Mouse
trippy new program
As I was surfing through the PhilMug forum, I came across a post that led me to a new program that transforms your photos into polaroid shots. Of course, you can do this manually via Photoshop, but this application makes life simpler, by allowing us lazy users to just drag and drop the images into the application… and voila: instant polaroid, with a few neat effects (so far, I’ve come across scratches and fingerprints).
Of course, you have less control on the framing of your photo or the saturation of colors, but it’s a trade off, if you wanna use a drag-and-drop app.
Here’s a sample:
[before]
[after]If you like what you see, you can download the beta version over at www.polaroid.net.
switch
Windows user?
Ready to change systems?
SWITCH is an Apple Premium Reseller which symbolizes the shift of windows users to Mac which just recently launched their second branch over at the Alabang Town Center.
During the opening, food was aplenty, drinks were flowing and a lot of comfort snacks, like cotton candy, hotdogs and popcorn were readily available. Music was provided by DJ Funk Avy. And the people behind SWITCH made sure that lots of cool gadgets and hot prizes were given away.
I myself came away with a pair of Chops earphones from Skull Candy.
Here are a few photos from the event…
starting wrong
I wanted to start the month right, by putting a blog entry on the 1st of the month. But as fate would have it, my Macbook Pro decided to die on me.
Okay, so die may be overstating it, but it’s as good as useless. For some reason, my four-five month old baby just decided to quit on me. I did everything I could to resuscitate it, but even the people at the Power Mac center couldn’t reformat it or fix it… so I had to bring it to one of the official distributor / service centers. Currently, it’s being diagnosed. There’s a huge probability that it’s a hard disk problem. I’m gonna have to wait a week or more before I get my machine back.
This new misfortune got me to thinking, too. I seem to be really unlucky with electronics. Apart from my trusty four year old 20D, everything else seems to be conking out on me. My TV remote (see previous entry) mysteriously stopped working, my pc at home just doesn’t seem to load (while it works fine when I bring it to the office), my mobile phones always seem to have bugs in them, one of the iPods I previously owned died and suddenly resurrected (after I bought a new unit) and now, my Mac.
Ghosts in my machines or just plain unlucky?
customize your PSP
Tired of your boring PSP? Why not fool around with the portable toy like these two “modders” / hackers who transformed their playthings into a Touchscreen PSP and a fully functional PSP Phone.
All posts found in PSP Fanboy.
multiplayer Patapon?!
Wooohooo. One of my all time faves for the PSP, Patapon, is going multiplayer, according to PSP Fanboy.
One of the most addictive music / adventure games just got a major upgrade. According to Hiroyuki Kotani, we can expect more bosses and mid-boss enemies, as well as double the amount of content to explore (in terms of stages alone). And with a customization option Kotumi states further that “to be honest, you may never get to fully explore every bit of it.”
Patapon 2 is set for a winter release in Japan. Surely, the US version will follow shortly after that. I can’t wait to get my hands on the game and test out the ad-hoc multiplayer function.
You can read more at 1UP.
skyfire
Good news for all you internet junkies out there: a new product that allows you to browse the web on your phone just came out. Yes, there are already a lot of other similar products in the market, but Skyfire claims to make browsing on your phone exactly like browsing on your PC. With that said, the browser boasts of support for Flash Videos, Rich Flash content, AJAX, Quicktime and Java.
Check out the demo video for more info.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mWUoxiLZFc&hl=en]
