(Credit: Photojojo)I'm really glad all the cameras I have are still functional, but I'm sure there will come a day when one of them refuses to fire the shutter, or worse, has a damaged circuit. When that day comes, I'll refer back to this article.
Photoblog Photojojo has a nice writeup on what you can do with your spoiled cameras, though most of it applies only to film-based shooters. The Web site suggests you turn these defunct gizmos into a flowerpot and grow plants in them. From lenses to camera bodies, it seems almost anything can be converted into a unique piece of green art.
In my cupboard I have an old Canon EF 50mm F1.8 lens that has been severely infected by fungus. So perhaps I'll remove the lens and turn it into a flowerpot. Anyone want to see me grow flowers out of my lens? Put your request below.
(Source: Crave Asia)
GoCart/ShopSavvy was a winner of the first Android Developer Challenge.
(Credit: Taylor Wimberly)Starting in August, Google will open submissions for the second Android Developer Challenge (ADC2). With close to $2 million in prizes, expect to see some amazing entries.
The first Android Developer Challenge gave us many of the top applications available today. The 50 finalists included Locale, TuneWiki, PicSay, GoCart, Compare Everywhere, and more.
The Challenge
For the second challenge, Google has changed the format of the contest. This time around, the Android community will play an important role in deciding the winners. Sometime in late August, a voting application published on the Android Market will allow users to sample the submissions for each category and vote for their favorites.
Instead of 50 finalists, there will now be 200 finalists divided into 10 categories. They'll be selected based on the score they receive from the community votes. The official contest categories include:
- Education/Reference
- Games: Casual/Puzzle
- Games: Arcade/Action
- Social Networking
- Lifestyle
- Productivity/Tools
- Media
- Entertainment
- Travel
- Misc
After the community determines the top 20 apps in each category, a second round of voting will begin in October. Once again, users will access the voting program to to review and score the final apps. The community vote will account for 45% of the final score. Google will select a panel of judges that will determine the other 55%.
The top three entries with the highest score in each category will receive a cash prize. In addition, there will also be three grand prize winners across all categories with first place netting $250,000. Overall, close to $2 million will be rewarded to developers.
Since the entries for ADC2 have to be new releases, many developers are holding back their new projects for the challenge. This has created a temporary lull in new releases, but should benefit the community in the long run. We might also see some new teams enter the contest based on the 4,000 Android phones that were given out at the recent Google I/O developers conference. Expect competition to be fierce.
The first challenge also created several success stories. Rylan Barnes, lead developer of GoCart, and Jason Hudgins, who worked on TuneWiki, went on to found a new startup Big in Japan. Their most popular app, ShopSavvy, played an important role in T-Mobile's launch of the first Android phone. Now the startup has started their own developers program to help others publish mobile applications.
Another one of the winners, Jeffery Sharkey, actually went on to work for Google. He began his project called Android Scan while attending Montana State University. After graduating, his app Compare Everywhere went on to be one of the ten grand prize winners.
The iLive iB109 iPod speaker.
Boombox designs typically go to masculine extremes. Products like the Sony Xplod, or Altec Lansing iM7 look like they belong on Vin Diesel's shoulder launching rockets at enemy helicopters. Even classically-styled boomboxes like the Lasonic i931 are purposely designed to be unwieldy, oversized contraptions that require a gym membership and an unhealthy appetite for punishment.
The iLive iB109 strikes a retaliating blow against the male-centric design of these beat-blasting behemoths by mimicking one of the most emasculating objects ever devised--the purse. With its flexible strap, glossy finish, and iPod-matching color schemes, this portable speaker system is just a Hannah Montana sticker away from repelling men like kryptonite.
Aside from looking adorable, the iLive iB109 will only set you back $29, and includes an AM/FM radio, universal iPod dock, and an aux input. You also get the added assurance that men will never ask to borrow it.
(Via Chip Chick)
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SMS Unread Count displays the number of unread messages on top of your icons.
(Credit: Taylor Wimberly)Android's open nature makes it easy to customize the look and feel of your phone with widgets, themes, and home screen replacements. Not surprisingly, many have chosen to make their Android phone look and operate like the wildly popular iPhone.
Yet, Android and the iPhone differ in the way they display unread application notifications. Android places new alerts in the systemwide notification bar while the iPhone places a notification directly over the specific app. Both systems work well, but some might prefer the iPhone's system.
SMS Unread Count is a free Android widget that attempts to emulate the iPhone method. Once installed, users can replace the default messaging and dialer icons with new notifications that display the unread number. Though it doesn't provide any real functional use, it is a nice visual cue.
Adding the new widget to your Android phone is easy after installation: Just long press on an empty space of the home screen to add a new object. Browse through the available widgets and select SMS Unread Count. During the initial setup, you can change the type, counter size, and toggle show zero count.
Only messaging and dialer icons are available in the current release of SMS Unread Count, but support should be expanded over time. The developer Kanok Gems has already released several updates that added new functions. In the future, I would like to see support for Gmail, Email, Market, and other default icons.
iPhone applications featuring particular musicians have been around for a while now--Nine Inch Nails was recently in the news when Apple rejected an update to its application, and tech companies like Melodeo and The Orchard have experimented with creating iPhone apps for their clients.
In the teaser video for the new U2 BlackBerry app, this map of a concert venue appears immediately after the text "Experience the tour from all angles." My guess: you'll be able to shoot and share concert videos.
(Credit: Research In Motion)Soon, BlackBerry fans will be able to get in on the fun. Research In Motion, which is sponsoring the U2 360 tour, has posted a page on its Web site declaring the imminent arrival of the U2 "mobile album."
Although the video teaser is fairly cryptic, it looks like the app will let users listen to the latest U2 album "No Line on the Horizon," watch videos, and read news updates. A more interesting twist: it also looks like users will be able to share video clips from U2 concerts--a map will let you pick among BlackBerry-toting audience members with different stage angles.
U2 fans with BlackBerries can sign up here to be informed when the app's released. No word yet on timing or pricing. One possibility: the app might launch in conjunction with the Blackberry Tour 9630 on July 12.
Whether you're a U2 fan or not, it's great to see RIM getting serious about mobile music, and I think it'll help cement RIM's position alongside Apple at the top of the consumer smartphone heap.
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I got an e-mail over the weekend from a reader who read my earlier post, "Does the iPhone need a real keyboard?"
Ed writes:
What I would like to see is a portable keyboard for the iPhone and iPod Touch. This would be very helpful in meetings and/or traveling.
For what's essentially a minicomputer, a compact external keyboard would seem like a simple and logical accessory and would be especially appealing to those who haven't mastered--or aren't comfortable--typing on the iPhone's virtual keyboard, as good as it is. Travel-friendly, fold-up keyboards are available for the old Palm Pilots and Treos, but a quick search on Google reveals precious little on iPhone keyboards.
The $100 BTKeyMini is still in limbo.
(Credit: MacAlly)Way back in January 2008, Macworld wrote up some notes from the now-defunct Macworld Expo under the headline, "A Bluetooth keyboard for the iPhone?" The article referenced the small MacAlly BTKeyMini Bluetooth keyboard ($100). At the time, MacAlly reps claimed that when the BTKeyMini arrived in March of 2008, it would be compatible with the iPhone. But alas, Apple has never provided Bluetooth keyboard drivers for the iPhone and the BTKeyMini has never shipped. A note on the Web site AValive, which sells the BTKeyMini, says:
The BTKey Mini for the Apple iPhone will not ship until Apple updates the iPhone to accept Bluetooth input. No date has been given as of yet. THE iPhone 3.0 UPDATE DOES NOT SUPPORT THIS PRODUCT.
Of course, the lack of Apple support hasn't stopped hackers from getting Bluetooth keyboards to work with the iPhone. Back in January of this year, Ars Technica had a report on the Bluetooth keyboard hacking efforts of iPhone expert Ralf Ackermann. And more recently, in March of this year, a couple engineers at Perceptive Development managed to connect an infrared keyboard to an iPhone using a 1,200-baud modem via the headphone port. iPhone Central called it, "One of the most unnecessarily complicated hacks in iPhone history." Ars Technica described it as "clever," partially because it didn't require a jailbroken iPhone.
So, there you have it, Ed. Yes, it would be nice if there was an external keyboard option for the iPhone--wireless or wired--but it looks like you're going to have to wait for Apple to decide it's ready to supply the drivers for it. ... Read more
Can't take the sweat? Get out of the gym.
(Credit: CBS Interactive/Corinne Schulze)Update: W-Series Walkman owners experiencing an issue with their players can visit the Sony help site for more information. It appears the issue is only affecting devices within a certain serial number range, so not all products should have the problem.
Original post: The Sony W-Series Walkman is an MP3 player built into a set of earbuds, which feature modules resembling Bluetooth headsets connected by a flexible neckband that loops over the back of the ears and behind the head. The design is undeniably innovative, and the player's ultralight weight and lack of headphone wires does appear to make it ideal for active applications. And in fact, I found this Walkman to be quite handy at the gym during my testing for the review. However, several Sony customers have logged complaints that the device isn't actually sweat-resistant, a rather important feature for any fitness-friendly gadget.
The main complaint is that the Walkman has a tendency to short out after just one or two particularly sweaty workouts. Volume gets wonky, or the music just refuses to play back altogether. In some cases, the player's Zappin feature will turn on and off on its own. Although our review unit did not suffer from such problems, and not all users have experienced the issue, there has been enough negative feedback to warrant a response from Sony, which is just what I solicited after receiving a couple of e-mails on the topic. Below is the company's reply...rather canned, if you ask me, but at least it's something.
Sony makes every effort to ensure that its products not only meet its own strict quality standards, but also support a positive customer experience.
Recently, there have been comments made about the W series Walkman (NWZ-W202), which has been available for purchase in the US and Europe since April 2009. These comments involved a small number of W series Walkmans reportedly malfunctioning following exposure to sweat or other liquids.
We take all customer feedback seriously, so we have implemented additional safeguards to promote sweat/moisture resistance. We are confident that these measures will ensure all W series Walkman models support increased customer satisfaction and meet our high quality standards.
Sony will provide information for contacting Sony Customer Support and replacement unit availability by Tuesday, June 30. We sincerely apologize to our customers for any inconvenience.
Sony promised to supply me with a customer support link as soon as it is up and running. I will post that here when I receive it.
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One of the features that iPod Touch users have been requesting from Apple is a camera. According to reports, they may be getting their wish.
Apple's iPhone 3GS still-camera autofocus feature.
(Credit: Apple)While attributing its information only to a "sources in Asia," TechCrunch claims that Apple has placed an order for camera modules destined for the next version of the iPod Touch. The size of the order, according to TechCrunch, is "massive."
MacRumors is taking the camera information a step further, claiming that both the iPod Touch and iPod Nano will receive cameras when they are updated. New case designs, purportedly for the iPods, show a hole for the camera.
This isn't the first time rumors of iPods getting a camera have come up. In May, AppleInsider said that iPods would get cameras similar to those found in iPhones.
At this point the only handheld device from Apple with a camera is the iPhone. All three models of the iPhone come with a one.
In addition to its 3-megapixel still camera, the iPhone 3GS includes video recording and basic video-editing software, which allows chunks of video to be uploaded to YouTube or MobileMe.
The city of Boston is set to launch an official iPhone application for residents to file complaints about "neighborhood nuisances--nasty potholes, graffiti-stained walls, blown street lights," according to The Boston Globe.
Called Citizen Connect, the app will let Bostonians send pictures and tips right to City Hall.
The app was built with the help of a New Hampshire mobile development firm called Connected Bits.
Citizen Connect has been submitted to Apple but hasn't made it into the iTunes App Store just yet. When it does, it will be free.
Beware, Citizen Connect: complaints about this 'Aqua Hunger Teen Force' ad campaign turned into a huge mess for Boston two years ago.
(Credit: Boing Boing)The Boston Globe said Citizen Connect is the first app of its kind, but other cities have also been turning to new technology to make the minutiae of municipal government run more smoothly. New York's 311 nonemergency hotline for residents now has a presence on Skype and Twitter. New York also now accepts photo and video submissions for 911 and 311.
But the iPhone app has a few advantages. Per the Globe: "The application, which will be free to download from Apple, will allow residents to use the Global Positioning System function on their iPhones to pinpoint the precise location of the problem for City Hall. After submitting a complaint, users will get a tracking number, so they can pester city officials if the problem persists." Ooh! Pestering city officials sounds like fun!
That said, the idea of a complaint-filing iPhone app for Boston is particularly hilarious: the most famous instance of Boston municipal complaints in recent history happened when people started calling in concerns about suspicious-looking devices that turned out to be an ad campaign for the cartoon flick "Aqua Teen Hunger Force." This fact, however, did not come to light until the city had already shut down all traffic on the Charles River.
Or, as one blogger has pointed out already, the system could easily get flooded with photos accompanied by captions like "Please send a cop over to make these Yankees fans leave this bar."
Preorder two copies of the Windows 7 upgrade, then sell one later to recoup all your costs.
(Credit: Microsoft)By now you've undoubtedly heard the news: Until July 11 (or while supplies last), you can preorder the Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade for $49.99.
After the deal expires, that same upgrade will cost you $119.99. Needless to say, if you're interested in Windows 7, now's the time to buy.
My advice: buy two. Then, after Windows 7 ships (on October 22), turn around and sell your spare copy for $100. Obviously that's $20 less than the list price, meaning you should have no trouble moving it on eBay, Craigslist, or wherever.
At the same time, you recoup 100 percent of your investment and get Windows 7 to boot (literally).
Risky? A gamble? Perhaps, but to this day upgrade copies of Vista are selling on eBay for $100 and more. And that's two years later. The only real downside is that you're out $100 for about four months. Worth it? Let me know in the comments.
In the meantime, keep in mind that if you're a Windows XP user, there's no automated way to upgrade your system to Windows 7--not without wiping your hard drive. (Vista users, however, can upgrade directly.)
That means you'll need to back up your drivers, data, and the like, install Windows 7, restore your stuff, reinstall your applications, etc. It's a hassle, but in the end you'll have an outta-the-box-fast PC with a spiffy new OS.
And a free one at that.
