photos

A device to help mom digitize old memories

For the woman who gave you life, you can help her keep all her old memories this Mother's Day with this digital picture converter. Looking a little like a small paper shredder, this device lets you feed in photographs which will then be converted into a format you can edit on a PC.

We know what you're thinking--a scanner can do exactly the same thing for much cheaper. But honestly, we don't think anyone will relish trying to teach their mom how to use a flatbed scanner and Photoshop Elements for resizing, cropping, and touch-ups. This solution … Read more

Stunning panoramics made easy with MagToo

MagToo is a service for creating really simple slide shows and interactive panoramic photos you can share on your blog or social-networking profile or by e-mail. To help put what you share into context, MagToo also throws in geotagging, letting you stamp any of the content you've added with a specific place where it was taken. Other users can then browse through the items on a large world map like they would photos and videos on Flickr.

Of all the tools my favorite is the panorama maker. While I couldn't get any of the three tests I did … Read more

Sony offers multi-tasking photo frame in Japan

Given the apparent glut in digital picture frames, it behooves manufacturers to try something different when entering this packed market. So Sony Japan deserves at least a bit of credit for offering a multi-functional version.

The VGF-CP1 can play MP3s, has 512MB of memory, and is capable of receiving news feeds and downloading photos from online albums through a Wi-Fi connection, according to Newlaunches. And unlike those lame analog "Photo Frame Speakers," it has a pair built into the frame around its 7-inch screen.

The downside is its price: Sony is releasing it on the Japanese market for … Read more

Photoshop Express now Flickrs

Update: Adobe has informed us that while the new Flickr connection isn't live yet, it will be very soon. We will provide another update when we have confirmed that it is live.

When Adobe launched Photoshop Express at the end of March, it indicated that Flickr support would be next on the agenda, and today the company can cross that item off its to-do list. With the capability to round-trip photos into PSE for editing and back out to its site, Flickr joins Facebook, Photobucket, and Picasa in the ranks of Photoshop Express supporters. Additionally, users of Photoshop Express … Read more

Hands-on with the HTC Touch Diamond

Is it a Google Phone? Is it the 3G iPhone? Is it something MacGyver put together using a matchbox and his pants? Nope, it's none of those, it's HTC's latest smart phone, the Touch Diamond, which aims to take a bite out of Apple's iPhone cake.

We headed down to its launch today to give it a quick once over and see if this Windows Mobile phone can keep up with the competition. We even took some photos so you can have a proper gander at it--how thoughtful we are.

It's due out in June … Read more

Digital frame has a secret to pull out

We know, it's just what the world needs--another digital photo frame. But this one's different, honest. At least a little bit.

Kenko's KDF-07 may look like an ordinary 7-inch screen, as seen on Fareastgizmos, but it hides a secret control panel that slides out from the side then retracts when not in use to maintain the sleek look of the frame in silver, black matte, and wood grain finishes. That's hardly enough reason to charge $160 on the Japanese market for a product that has comparable competition for less money and more features from other other … Read more

Gadgettes 88: The 'scaring the bejesus out of us' episode

They're creepy, sometimes crawly, and some might classify them as ooky. Then there are people like Kelly who don't seem to be afraid of the dark like the rest of us. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 88

Robometer concept device promises to help you feel happy http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/01/ robometer-concept-device-promises-to-help-you-feel-happy/

BAE Systems working on spider-bots, other ways to scare you to death http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/01/ bae-systems-working-on-spider-bots-other-ways-to-scare-you-to-d/

Coffin sofa brings creepy furniture to new extremes http://dvice.com/archives/2008/04/coffin_sofa_bri.php

Push-kun, the cute robot with the … Read more

Parrot's $500 designer photo frame

We'll get this out of the way at the start: This is an expensive photo frame. The $500 price tag for the Parrot Digital Frame by Andree Putman--yes, that's its full name--is sure to dissuade most casual photographers from popping down the shops to buy one. If the price wasn't enough, you can only buy it from one place at the moment--a concept store called Few and Far in London.

The design is courtesy of interior designer Andree Putman, who has had a hand in the interiors of some posh hotels, mostly based on black and white … Read more

Microsoft hopes new photo tool will boost Windows

Microsoft likes digital photography enthusiasts as customers, and on Thursday plans to release a free new utility designed to keep them wedded to Windows.

Pro Photo Tools is geared for photography professionals and enthusiasts, and its first notable feature is the ability to geotag photos, or add geographic information showing where the picture was taken. Geotagging is an onerous chore with today's technology, but camera makers are working to build it into cameras, and it can pay off down the road.

That's because geotagging, done well, enables people to find photos by searching for the word "Paris&… Read more

Using tags to improve the Flickr experience

SAN FRANCISCO--In return for the huge amount of work Flickr users do to tag photos on the popular photo-sharing site, they should get the benefit of the algorithms the service uses to bring meaning to the data.

That's how at least some at Flickr feel, according to Kakul Srivastava, the service's director of product management said in her talk, "The next generation of tagging: Searching and discovering a better user experience," at the Web 2.0 Expo here Thursday.

The idea behind that theory is that as Flickr users proactively add tags to countless millions of … Read more