My Best Toys

Download new ways to shoot photographs

Canon, Olympus, and Nikon have announced a new partnership (CON) to create an app store for digital cameras that will allow you to download a range of applications for your digital camera, while at the same time inviting Samsung and Panasonic to join them.

The new app store is to be called App-e-ture and allows users to force their camera into taking images like a pro and is sure to help gain ground on phone cameras that many believe are damaging compact camera sales.

Apps will range from simple presets, similar to that found in Adobe Lightroom, to more detailed offerings that will even direct how you frame the picture.

Although many cameras are equipped with similar, if not the same offerings available from the service, the new App-e-ture store should mean that users with cameras lacking certain specifications will be able to “upgrade”, enabling a better user experience at a fraction of the cost.

The Philip Bloom app will help you time lapse everything for example, while the?Mario Testino Royal app will help you frame your shot as if your Nan is a royal subject complete with black and white settings and making sure she is smiling in the right way.?

The three companies are hoping that the new service, which will be available on most cameras over the next couple of months via a firmware update, will bring a new lease of life to photography and photographers who are hoping to do something different without years of experience.

Other apps include Tilt-shift apps and the ability to warn you when you’ve left a bag or something unsightly in a landscape shot.

“It’s amazing,” photographer Iver Beanfooled told us. “Even though I’m a pro, I can get my camera to shoot like other pros”.

Details on how much the apps will cost haven’t been released although sources briefed on the matter we spoke to have suggested around 59p for basic apps and up to ?4.99 for more intricate offerings.

Thankfully the three companies have banned games altogether citing that the apps are for those looking to take better pictures, not just those looking to have fun when on holiday.

Tags:
Cameras Compact cameras DSLR cameras Canon Olympus Nikon April Fools Ltd

Canon, Olympus, and Nikon unveil App-e-ture: the app store for your digital camera originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:01 +0100

A slice of something slightly sordid perhaps?

Long story, but I’m without Sky+ at the moment. It’s awful. I actually have to watch the adverts now. No more casually skipping through them at 30 times speed any more. No, I’m now at the mercy of the advertisers and this one really grabbed my attention.

I don’t know what I was expecting really. But I wasn’t expecting quite so many devious and slightly disturbing confessions from people telling all about what people do with their bread.

Have these people no shame?

Kingsmill Confessions

If you have a website that you want to tell us about email us via the feedback form.

Tags:
WebsiteOfTheDay Websites Software Online

WEBSITE OF THE DAY ? Kingsmill Confessions originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:01 +0100

Download new ways to shoot photographs

Canon, Olympus, and Nikon have announced a new partnership (CON) to create an app store for digital cameras that will allow you to download a range of applications for your digital camera, while at the same time inviting Samsung and Panasonic to join them.

The new app store is to be called App-e-ture and allows users to force their camera into taking images like a pro and is sure to help gain ground on phone cameras that many believe are damaging compact camera sales.

Apps will range from simple presets, similar to that found in Adobe Lightroom, to more detailed offerings that will even direct how you frame the picture.

Although many cameras are equipped with similar, if not the same offerings available from the service, the new App-e-ture store should mean that users with cameras lacking certain specifications will be able to “upgrade”, enabling a better user experience at a fraction of the cost.

The Philip Bloom app will help you time lapse everything for example, while the?Mario Testino Royal app will help you frame your shot as if your Nan is a royal subject complete with black and white settings and making sure she is smiling in the right way.?

The three companies are hoping that the new service, which will be available on most cameras over the next couple of months via a firmware update, will bring a new lease of life to photography and photographers who are hoping to do something different without years of experience.

Other apps include Tilt-shift apps and the ability to warn you when you’ve left a bag or something unsightly in a landscape shot.

“It’s amazing,” photographer Iver Beanfooled told us. “Even though I’m a pro, I can get my camera to shoot like other pros”.

Details on how much the apps will cost haven’t been released although sources briefed on the matter we spoke to have suggested around 59p for basic apps and up to ?4.99 for more intricate offerings.

Thankfully the three companies have banned games altogether citing that the apps are for those looking to take better pictures, not just those looking to have fun when on holiday.

Tags:
Cameras Compact cameras DSLR cameras Canon Olympus Nikon April Fools Ltd

Canon, Olympus, and Nikon unveil App-e-ture: the app store for your digital camera originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:01 +0100

A slice of something slightly sordid perhaps?

Long story, but I’m without Sky+ at the moment. It’s awful. I actually have to watch the adverts now. No more casually skipping through them at 30 times speed any more. No, I’m now at the mercy of the advertisers and this one really grabbed my attention.

I don’t know what I was expecting really. But I wasn’t expecting quite so many devious and slightly disturbing confessions from people telling all about what people do with their bread.

Have these people no shame?

Kingsmill Confessions

If you have a website that you want to tell us about email us via the feedback form.

Tags:
WebsiteOfTheDay Websites Software Online

WEBSITE OF THE DAY ? Kingsmill Confessions originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:01 +0100

Links to the biggest stories of the day in one place

Want to know what’s been hot in the world of technology and gadgets today? Top of the pile today in the news roundup is our full review of the Nikon Coolpix P100 - check out how the feature-packed ultra zoom compact scores via the link below.

In news and we bring word of Sony’s new Blu-ray toting Vaio E laptops for on-the-go HD action, whilst UK iPad users should be looking forward to their new ebook store - courtesy of Amazon.

SanDisk attempts to make storage sexy with its “Something Big” claim turning out to be a 32GB microSD card, meanwhile Ofcom looks to open up Sky Sports, with the possibility that the premiership will become available on Freeview next year - fingers crossed. Here are the top stories from the last 24 hours:

REVIEW:Nikon Coolpix P100 camera
NEWS:Sony Vaio E laptops take Blu-ray on the road
NEWS:UK iPad users will get book store
NEWS:VIDEO OF THE DAY - Photoshop 1st demo
NEWS:SanDisk “Something Big” is 32GB microSD card
NEWS:Premiership could be heading to Freeview
NEWS:Campaign to get Brian Blessed to become voice of satnav started
NEWS:SanDisk launching “Something Big”
NEWS:VIDEO: Ben Folds turns up on Chatroulette with new improv vid
NEWS:PM promises super-fast broadband by 2020

Tags:
Audio Car And GPS Dad Gadgets Gaming Hardware Home And Kitchen Home Cinema Phones Cameras Software Sports Fitness

Daily news roundup: Coolpix P100 review, Sony Vaio E laptops and more originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:04:55 +0000

What newspaper is the perfect one to say “iPad”

Apple?has updated its?iPad?images on its UK site to reflect that Brits don’t all read the New York Times.

The move can either be read in a “Fan boy type of way” that a UK specific announcement is about to be made any moment now, or just a “more likely type of way” that the iPhone maker has got around to updating out of date and out of reference imagery.

Of all the national papers, The Guardian, has been chosen as the best fit to lure potential iPad users to sign on the dotted line and is now plastered across the Apple UK homepage.

The imagery and voice, which has also been used in the past for the iPhone 3GS, is very different from when Apple launched the iPhone 3G with The Times as the newspaper of choice instead.

The Times was the paper of choice for the iPhone and iPhone 3G. Image Credit: Flickr

At the time, people within the The Times told Pocket-lint, as an aside, that the newspaper had nothing to do with the decision, but was grateful for the extra advertising.

So do Apple feel that the Guardian readership is more suited to a tablet device, are they worried that News Corps (the owner of The Times) isn’t web friendly enough just months before a paywall is erected, or did they just fancy a change?

What do you think?

Read

Tags:
Hardware iPad Apple The Guardian

Apple says UK iPad owners read The Guardian originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:37:53 +0000

Best phone deals from around the Web

With so many mobile phones available and so many deals to compare how do you know you’ve got the right one? We’ve set up a mobile deals and prices site called Pocket-lint Mobiles to bring you the best deals from around the Web, which should help you choose the right one.

Every Monday we’ll give you a heads up on a few of the best mobile deals we can find, meaning all you have to do is scroll down the page and select the handset that you want for more info and a place to buy.

Alternatively, if none of these phones take your fancy or suit your price bracket, you’ll be able to find some that do at Pocket-lint Mobiles.

So what are the hot deals this week?

1. Nokia X6

With a 3.2-inch, 16:9 display, a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens and a dual LED flash Nokia’s music phone should tick some of the right boxes. The deal will give you 100 minutes talktime and unlimited texts on an ?20 a month contract over 18 months. GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are all included on the handset, which is available from O2.

GET DEAL | READ REVIEW | ALL X6 DEALS

2. HTC Tattoo

This deal will give you 300 minutes of free calls and unlimited texts for ?25 a month over 24 months. Available from Vodafone this handset could also be a nice introduction if you want to get in on some Android action as it sports v1.6 with HTC’s Sense UI skin.?

GET DEAL | READ REVIEW | ALL TATTOO DEALS

3. Samsung Tocco Ultra

This Tocco Ultra deal could well be worth a look. The handset features a whopping 8-megapixel camera and a 2.8-inch, high contrast, AMOLED touchscreen with haptic touch along with GPS navigation and 30fps video recording. For your ?25 a month, 24-month contract you’ll get 500 minutes of talktime and unlimited texts with 3 mobile.

GET DEAL | READ REVIEW | ALL ULTRA DEALS

4. Sony Ericsson Aino

Available from T-mobile via mobile phones direct this deal will see you good for 300 minutes talk, unlimited texts and 3 months free insurance for the accident prone. The handset itself sports a 3-inch touchscreen, GPS receiver and a big 8.1-megapixel camera which you can get for parting with ?25 a month for 18 months.

GET DEAL | READ REVIEW | ALL AINO DEALS

5. Nokia N97

Available from orange via mobiles.co.uk this deal will deliver onto you 900 minutes of calls and unlimited texts. You do, of course get the handset free, which boasts a 3.5-inch, 16 million colour, 640 pixel wide 16:9 widescreen touch display as well as a QWERTY keyboard and 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics. The package is on a 24-month contract for a payment of ?35 a month with the first 8 months half price at ?17.50 month.

GET DEAL | READ REVIEW | ALL N97 DEALS

This is just a smattering of the handset deals that we compare week in, week out so for more visit our mobile comparison site Pocket-lint Mobiles.

Tags:
Phones Mobile phones Mobile Deals Nokia X6 HTC Tattoo Samsung Tocco Ultra Sony Ericsson Aino Nokia N97

Pocket-lint mobile deals: Samsung Tocco Ultra, HTC Tattoo and more originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:53:52 +0000

Impossible project brings back Black & White film

Film suitable for?Polaroid?cameras will on sale at the end of the month following a two year project but two men sad to see Polaroid discontinue it.

Although officially canned by Polaroid, that hasn’t stopped a company called the Impossible Project, recreating in a factory the film to sell to avid fans once more.

The films, developed with help from Harman Technology, will be available in the UK on 25 March and will cost around ?16 for a pack of eight photo sheets.

“We’ve made the impossible possible” say the founders of the project.

The PX100 has been developed for the SX-70 camera, while the PX6000 will be available for the One series of instant cameras. The films will develop from a blue colour before unveiling the black and white image rather than the original Polaroid film, which started a murky brown/yellow.

The Impossible Project plans to release colour film in the summer this year.

AT CES in January, Polaroid confirmed the return of the Polaroid OneStep instant camera, the PIC 1000, which will be available in a range colours and uses classic Polaroid Color 600 Instant Film to produce the brand’s iconic white bordered instant pictures.

Recently Polaroid appointed Lady Gaga to be its creative director, something Lady Gaga is keen to show her love for in her new NSFW video.

Image credit: Amateur Photographer

Read

Related links:

• Via - bjp

Tags:
Cameras Polaroid Polaroid OneStep Film cameras

Polaroid film goes back on sale originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:54:56 +0000

Who needs a video shop anymore?

Sony BRAVIA Internet Video users can now get the LOVEFiLM streaming service on their telly and Blu-ray players at home without having to do anything but decide where to sit.

The service, which has gone live on Monday, will let LOVEFiLM members instantly watch thousands of titles directly through the new Sony BRAVIA Internet Video TVs, Blu-ray players and Blu-ray Home Theatre kits.

Unlimited LOVEFiLM subscribers will be able to select the service as an icon on the Sony menu bar of Sony Internet Video devices, search for titles through categories such as genre or “most watched” and eventually manage their DVD and Blu-ray rental lists through the TV.

TVs with the system include the BRAVIA NX803, BRAVIA EX703, and BRAVIA HX703, while the Blu-ray players include the BDP-S730.

You do of course need a decent broadband connection, sorry but dial-up is probably not going to cut it.

Read

Tags:
Home Cinema Sony LoveFilm

LOVEFiLM goes live on BRAVIA Internet Video enabled devices originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:16:58 +0000

Dell breaks into US phone market

We already knew it was coming (back at CES) however AT&T has just got official with the Dell Aero,?or Dell Mini 3 to you and me.

The new Android?powered phone will be Dell’s first smartphone available in the US, and will feature a new, custom user interface on top of the Android OS developed by Dell and AT&T.?

Dell?gave Pocket-lint a sneak peak as to what its new Android skin, called Dell Stage, will look like when the?Dell Mini 3i?comes to AT&T in the states and then to the rest of the world.

The new interface keeps things clean, however rather like Motorola’s Motoblur interface, the homepage and corresponding slides will allow information widgets of the stuff you want to track.

In a mirror image of the iPhone, it looks like Stage will offer four permanent shortcut buttons at the top of the screen, with a grid-like menu for the rest. There also appears to be a search bar allowing you to search the device on the homepage as well.

Dell’s VP of small devices said that Dell would be allowing AT&T to customise the phone how it saw fit, but that it would be offering its own version to customers SIM-free in good time.

Check out our photo gallery of the Dell Aero

Tags:
Phones Mobile phones Dell AT and T Android Dell Mini 3 Dell Aero

AT&T Aero, or the Dell Mini 3 to you and me confirmed originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:02:06 +0000