svp digital camera

Nikon D90, Canon EOS 50D, D300 and D80 Compared Side by Side

2008-10-07T18:43:00.013-07:00

Nikon D90, Canon EOS 50D, D300 and D80 Compared Side by Side
With the announcement of the new 15.1 MP Canon EOS 50D and the 12.3 Nikon D90 enthusiast digital SLR cameras coming on almost the same day, there is certainly a lot of excitement (and debate) happening among photographers within the Canon and Nikon communities. We have just posted a side by side comparison overview between the Nikon D90, Canon EOS 50D, and the D300 and D80 and highlighted the major differences in order to hopefully help make the buying decision process a little easier. See full story...

Tigerdirect: Blackberry 7290 Blue Unlocked GSM PDA Cell Phone $80

2008-10-07T18:43:00.011-07:00

Tigerdirect: Blackberry 7290 Blue Unlocked GSM PDA Cell Phone $80

Sony Alpha A350 Compared to Nikon D80 SLR Review

2008-10-07T18:43:00.009-07:00

Sony Alpha A350 Compared to Nikon D80 SLR Review
We have just posted a side by side comparison review between the new 14.2 MP Sony Alpha A350 digital SLR with DT 18-70mm lens versus the 10.1 MP Nikon D80 digital SLR kit with the AF-S DX 18-55mm VR zoom. To see what real world benefits the latest generation technologies and features incorporated in the Sony Alpha A350 offer in terms of image quality or enhancing the photographic experience, we decided to compare this new camera model against the Nikon D80 which remains one of the predominant cameras in the current Nikon line up. See how these two SLR cameras performed in our tests...

Nikon D300 Image Samples Available

2008-10-07T18:43:00.007-07:00

Nikon D300 Image Samples Available
Nikon Corporation has now provided another four image samples from the soon to be released Nikon D300 digital SLR. The full size images include a couple of portraits, one landscape/scenery and one action shot. The images are taken at 200 ISO, except for one of the portraits captured at 400 ISO. The Nikkor lenses used for these Nikon D300 sample image tests include the Nikon AF-S DX VR Zoom Nikkor ED 18-200mm F3.5-5.6G, the prime AF Nikkor 50mm F1.4D and the AF-S VR Nikkor ED 300mm F2.8 IF telephoto lens. Read Full story...

Dell Home: XPS M1530 laptop T5750 15.4in 3GB 320GB DVD+-RW 128MB video $1049 + free Inspiron Mini 9 laptop

2008-10-07T18:43:00.005-07:00

IE7 icon missing On WinXP Desktop

2008-10-07T18:43:00.003-07:00

My poor technician must have freaked out earlier today when his boss (me) suddenly burst into fits of hysterical laughter and couldn't stop giggling for at least 5 minutes.

The thing that provoked such mirth was a couple of lines from the Microsoft Help section. It read like a cross between Monty Pythons Cheese Skit and a programmers joke. The lines in question are bolded below.

SUMMARYThe
Internet Explorer icon might be missing after either you upgrade the
Internet Explorer version to 7, or installed through Windows updates.
Back to the top
CAUSEThis
is not an issue and is by design. Unlike the previous versions of
Internet Explorer, the option to enable to Internet Explorer icon on
the Windows Desktop is not available. The behavior of Internet Explorer
7, which is bundled with Windows Vista is also the same.

[ BTW - HERE IS THE FIX FOR THIS ] -> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555849

As a programmer I know that poor programming practice* leading to buggy functionality is often passed off on the poor unsuspecting customer as a 'feature' or an implementation 'by design'. For Microsoft to state that the ability to put the Internet Explorer icon on the desktop or Start Menu is not an issue and is by design is ludicrous. Further more for Service Pack Three to REMOVE the icon from the Start Menu or Desktop or even worse, to change the functionality of the icon to bring up Internet Properties instead of starting IE is doubly idiotic.

Some claim it is part of Microsoft's anti-trust agreement responsibilities to have the icon removed and to also remove the ability to put the icon on the desktop as part of the display properties. Personally I think that is bollocks too. How long ago were the anti-trust hearings? Years. To take this long is a mockery of anti-trust, if indeed that was the causative action.

Secondly - with the advent of service pack three, Microsoft's IE components and Internet Explorer security properties are more tightly integrated with the system than ever. As an example, to Install Mozilla Firefox version 3 requires IE 7, or at least some of its components to be present. Why? Because without them some of the dialog boxes and under laying componentry is not present causing the failure of Mozilla 3 during installation.

Further more Mozilla Firefox Three is now so affected by the internet settings in XP that in order to tighten IE 7 to stop downloading and running active X ( and other executable code ) in the Internet Zone also disables downloads in Mozilla Firefox Three (Ref 1). It is now impossible to cripple IE's active X vulnerability completely without also crippling Mozilla's ability to download programmes. While some of these problems stem from Mozilla developers tying Firefox into the Internet Security Panel (Ref 2), the rest also points to Microsoft's embedding of IE in the operating system. Again, try removing IE7 and watch how fast Mozilla Firefox, and presumably other applications, fail.

As this blog entry isn't a rant about MS or how IE is such a PITA I wont go into detail about the fact that if you start IE7, after it has upgraded itself, you have no ability to set the default page until you stop pushing cancel and start answering the damn questions about security and settings you ~~have~~ ... eeerrr .. had already dealt with previously and that has now been reverted by MS with the IE 7 upgrade.

Did I mention that trying to tell IE7 to push off and not bother me with Live Search (AKA dead useless) as I am already using Lycos, or google, or yahoo or wiki or ....bugger!!!!! There is now only live seach - and if I click on - "Go make another search engine the default" - Mozilla pops up as the default browser so I have to enable IE7 as the default browser to get rid of live search tool bar and then re-enable Mozilla as the default browser.

No IE7 tie in to the operating system - hah - my left testicale is less tied in to me than IE is to Microsofts OS.

1 - http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/07/firefox_3_follows_ie7s_securit_1.html

2 - http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_save_or_download_files#Reset_system_Internet_security_settings_-_Windows

* DISCLAIMER - Not my programming practices - other peoples. I just had to explain or fix up their bollocks - honest injun - it wasn't me.

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Abode CS4 already the victim of software piracy

2008-10-07T18:43:00.001-07:00

The ink has barely dried on price tags for the retail version of Adobe Creative Suite 4 image editing and design software, and already it's climbing the charts for number of illegal acquisitions. Read More

Crutchfield: Sony KDL46XBR8 46in BRAVIA XBR 1080p LCD HDTV $5000 shipped

2008-10-07T18:42:00.005-07:00

Crutchfield: Sony KDL46XBR8 46in BRAVIA XBR 1080p LCD HDTV $5000 shipped

Ensure your kids are safe on the Internet

2008-10-07T18:42:00.003-07:00

Today I had my weekly lunch with Microsoft's Darryl Burling and we talked about kids' computing. He tells me his oldest daughter just got a laptop - and her own e-mail account as well as a Live Messenger account.

We then moved the conversation to the dangers of having kids on-line without proper supervision.

TelstraClear provides an interesting website with information about cybverbulying and tips on how to prevent your kids being victims on-line.

One of the tips is to have a family computer, in a shared location so you can be aware of what's going on. But since you can't be there all the time, and most of these new computers are highly mobile, what can you do?

Enters Windows Live OneCare Family Safety. Add this to the Windows Vista Parental Controls and you have a solution to manage your kids' activities on-line.

It is actually really cool. You can filter the web sites they visit, provide safer e-mail, IM, and blogging with contact management - including built-in contact approval so you know who your kids are talking to on IM, e-mail, or their blogs. You can even approve or reject each new contact for their Windows Live Messenger,

The best thing? Windows Live OneCare Family Safety is free and works on Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista.

And yes, this came up today, and soon after I found out the Apple New Zealand newsletter touches exactly this subject. It looks like Mac OS X implements some Parental Control, but it's not as extensive as the OneCare Family Safety package.

New Olympus E-520 - preview compared to rivals

2008-10-07T18:42:00.001-07:00

New Olympus E-520 - preview compared to rivals
Today Olympus announced its latest DSLR, the E-520. Successor to the E-510, the new E-520 builds on what was already a feature-packed DSLR. The core specifications of a 10 Megapixel sensor with built-in stabilisation, Live View and effective anti-dust features remain, but the E-520 now features a slightly bigger 2.7in screen, quicker 3.5fps continuous shooting, a new IS mode and the addition of contrast-based AF facilities complete with Face Detection. Also announced is the new Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm 1:4.0-5.6 lens which delivers extreme wide angle coverage equivalent from 18-36mm. The Olympus E-520 will be available from June 2008, costing 479 GBP body alone, 529 GBP with the 14-42mm or 629 GBP with both the 14-42mm and 40-150mm kit lenses. The Zuiko Digital 9-18mm will go on sale in September 2008, but no pricing is available yet. Check out our Olympus E-520 preview to see how it measures-up against its rivals.

Buy.com: 4 Pack - Speck See-Thru Sleek Hardshell Case for iPhone $6 shipped

2008-10-02T21:13:00.003-07:00

Buy.com: 4 Pack - Speck See-Thru Sleek Hardshell Case for iPhone $6 shipped

Skype surveillance: You can't trust closed-source software

2008-10-02T21:13:00.001-07:00

It has been widely reported now that apparently Skype is helping Chinese authorities monitor the Internet. Specifically, TOM-Skype - a joint-venture between eBay and a Chinese provider - is searching IM messages for 'suspicious' words and then sends ... (more in the full post)

Skype surveillance: You can't trust closed-source software

2008-10-02T21:12:00.015-07:00

Eddie Bauer: 20% off

2008-10-02T21:12:00.013-07:00

Abes Of Maine: TOMTOM GO 730 GPS Navigation System $360 shipped

2008-10-02T21:12:00.011-07:00

Canon Lowers Price on EOS 40D, Rebel XS, SD770 and SD790 IS Digital Cameras

2008-10-02T21:12:00.009-07:00

Canon has today announced price reductions on two of their digital SLR cameras, the popular 10.1MP Canon EOS 40D and the new 10MP Canon EOS Rebel XS. The price has been reduced on both the EOS 40D body and the Rebel XS body and also on the respective available body with Canon lens kits. Two other Canon cameras that have been reduced in price include the compact Canon Powershot SD770 IS and the Canon Powershot SD790 IS. See full story... Read More

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 with 18x zoom

2008-10-02T21:12:00.007-07:00

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 with 18x zoom
Panasonic has today introduced the 10.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-FZ28 digital camera, featuring a 27mm wide-angle Leica lens with an 18x optical zoom (27mm-486mm). The powerful 18x zoom lens makes it easy to pull in subjects from far away or to take dramatic close-ups. See full story...

WMV - the little format killed by neglect.

2008-10-02T21:12:00.005-07:00

WMV - the little format killed by neglect.
Over the last 2 or so years I have witnessed the slow demise of yet another format that saw Microsoft no doubt spend millions on developing. Windows Media Video (WMV) has been a relatively safe format to deliver video content to users as it offered good compression along with pretty much guaranteed compatibilty. Doing post production myself I often have to email a quick proof and would generally use WMV. It worked. It Played - as long as the person recieving it had a PC.
Yet Redmond, with it's infinite wisdom, decided to kill Mac support in early 2006 and then leave it to a 3rd party to continue offering playback support, via Flip4Mac. No DRM support but 99% of WMV content plays. It does the job. Of course the irony is it now plays in Quicktime, and not the ugly Windows Media Player for Mac.

Here's a post from a zdnet blog post on the discontiunueing of WMPlayer for OS-X:

....the decision to halt work on Windows Media Player for the Mac was a matter of prioritizing for Microsoft's Windows Media unit.
"It's basically a business decision for Microsoft," Anderson said. "Like any other company, we have business priorities. Our focus really is in delivering the best experience to Windows customers."

Sure. You want to keep it real. Microsoft has an operating system and want it to be a feature to support playback of your awesome video format. Everyone else can go screw themselves.

But seriously, do they really think a format they hope would displace the original AVI container format (and possibly Quicktime), can really win if it doesn't work everywhere. I'd argue making sure it's as ubiquitous as it can be is one of the main selling points. That means it must be platform agnostic. It's worked for PDF, MP3 - it could have worked for WMV.

A clipping of Microsofts Windows Media page in 2002

Via iTunes on Windows, Apple has managed to slip Quicktime on nearly every windows computer - and via that promoted (for better or for worse) it's other Windows applicaitions. Microsoft could have had this same 'in' on Mac's and Linux machines but for sake of "delivering the best experience for Windows Customers" it doesn't.

Of course hindsight is a great thing, and even in 2006 I don't think we could gaurantee that DiVX/XViD/MPEG4 would become the default format of video distribution on the internet and the widespread adoption of Bittorent for media sharing. Heck - we could be downloading files with the RV/RMVB extension now instead - or even *gasp* WMV - but we don't - it's all AVI. Fine AVI a orginally a Microsoft format but I don't think you could say its in anyway controlled or even promoted by Redmond.

But this isn't the only format that Microsoft is killing by it's pigheadedness - lets not forget MODI - Microsoft Office Document Imaging - MODI was introduced and installed by default in Office 2003 but was dropped by Office 2007 - it was a format that could have competed with the functionality of PDF but because Microsoft kept the format proprietry and only offered supported for it within that install it never went anywhere. The legacy of MODI is still around - anyone upgrading to 2007 or still just using Office 2003 will find an extra printer installed - a printer they neither really chose to install, explained to what it did and I gaurantee will ever use. The technology did eventually end up becaming part of Metro and then finally XPS, which on top of being a file distribution format is the foundation of Vista's printing subsystem.

This is of course a direct copy of OS-X's Postscript based printing subsystem - which is also the basis of PDF. Postscript & PDF are the industry standard for printing - on all platforms. Because of this ubiqutousness, one things for sure - XPS will never truely offset PDFs domince. Everyone can open files in the PDF format. The same can't be said for XPS - as of writing, and 2 years since it's launch, I could only spot 1 application that lets you view/edit XPS on a Mac and is a bargin at $US99 (not) and no support at all for Linux. Not a good way to get people onboard you're awesome new format MS.

Microsoft is the king of failed formats.

P.S. One last bitch -
Of course with the eventual failure of MODI/XPS, it would be good to see implementing system wide PDF support in Vista. I doubt that will ever happen though. Instead every man and his dog will continue to have to go off to Adobe.com and download Acrobat reader - giving another company an 'in' to the Microsoft system. I'm not condoning anti competitive behaviour, more that if Microsoft had much interest in improving the end user experience and if everyone has to install PDF support - then shouldn't it be on the list of needed features in Windows 7?

SQL DB? No firewall? Weak admin password? That is a trojan coming your way alright

2008-10-02T21:12:00.003-07:00

SQL DB? No firewall? Weak admin password? That is a trojan coming your way alright
According to the Symantec Security Response Blog, a new trojan called Trojan.Eskiuel is going around infiltrating SQL servers and causing havoc:

This time we have found a new SQL threat: Trojan.Eskiuel. The main functionality of this threat is to scan the Internet to find machines with poorly configured SQL servers (i.e. with weak or non-existing passwords), gain access to them, and use their stored procedures in order to download new malware from a remote host.

Check your servers...

Samsung Le 40F86B Tv

2008-10-02T21:12:00.001-07:00

Samsung Le 40F86B Tv
The Samsung LE40F86B 40 1080p HD Ready LCD TV is one of the latest additions to Samsungs range of

Buying a Digital Camera - Work the Controls Before Buying

2008-09-29T21:46:00.011-07:00

Comparing digital cameras to buy? Familiarize yourself with the controls before making a decision. Read More

Pentax K200D First Look and Sample Images

2008-09-29T21:46:00.009-07:00

We have had the opportunity to take a closer look at the recently announced Pentax K200D, a replacement to the Pentax K100D entry level digital SLR. The K200D is designed for users who may be unfamiliar with DSLR cameras but want a camera that will allow them to grow as they learn about photography. With 10.2 megapixels and a 2.7 inch wide view LCD, the Pentax K200D features an easy-to-use interface housed in a compact (now weather protected) body. See full story... Read More

Google Chrome - View Browsing History

2008-09-29T21:46:00.007-07:00

View the list of websites recently browsed with Google Chrome.

Want to view the most recently-viewed websites browsed with Google Chrome? Pull up the History and see where you have been on the Internet. Each History item is hyperlinked so you can go back to sites with one click. Plus, you can search through your History items to find a particular site.

To view the History, either:...

Read more at MalekTips. Read More

Fujifilm: EXR-equipped camera coming in Q1 2009

2008-09-29T21:46:00.005-07:00

Fujifilm: EXR-equipped camera coming in Q1 2009
Fuji's new Super CCD EXR technology has only been public for a day, but this potentially revolutionary technology may soon be coming to a FinePix near you.

Bluetooth-Headset and USB stick combo

2008-09-29T21:46:00.003-07:00

Bluetooth-Headset and USB stick combo
Some two-in-one gadgets just don't gel (the microwave TV springs to mind) but others like the Bluetrek “Bizz” Bluetooth-Headset make perfect sense. The device is a headset for making hands-free phone calls that also integrates a USB stick for storing data as well as removing the need for a separate charger...

Related Articles:

Canon Announces 10MP PowerShot SD890 IS, SD790 IS and SD770 IS

2008-09-29T21:46:00.001-07:00

Canon Announces 10MP PowerShot SD890 IS, SD790 IS and SD770 IS
Canon has announced three new 10 megapixel compact PowerShot digital cameras, the SD890 IS, the PowerShot SD790 IS and the SD770 IS. The Canon PowerShot SD890 IS features a rounded curve design incorporating a 5x image stabilized lens, optical viewfinder, and a 2.5 inch LCD. The more square PowerShot SD790 IS trades the optical viewfinder away to make room for a larger 3.0 inch LCD monitor, and features a 3x optical zoom with IS. The PowerShot SD770 IS offers a 3x optical zoom with stabilizer, an optical viewfinder and a 2.5 inch PureColor LCD II screen.. See full story...

ePHOTOzine member launches second book

2008-09-29T21:45:00.007-07:00

After the praise received for The Dream Enclosure, Victor Habbick releases La Femme, a book all about the female form. Read More

Canon EOS 1000D / Rebel XS - full review and video tour

2008-09-29T21:45:00.005-07:00

Canon EOS 1000D / Rebel XS - full review and video tour
Canon's EOS 1000D, or Rebel XS as it's known in North America, is the company's latest entry-level DSLR, and successor to the best-selling EOS 400D / Rebel XTi. The new 1000D / XS shares the same 10 Megapixel CMOS sensor as its predecessor and also the same sized 2.5in screen, but now adds Live View and comes bundled with an Image Stabilised kit lens. Interestingly some specifications have actually been downgraded a little: the AF system now has 7-points to the 400D / XTi's 9-points, and the 3fps continuous shooting rate now only applies to JPEG files. But the core specification of 10 Megapixels, Live View and a lens with anti-shake at an affordable price will greatly appeal to anyone in the market for a budget DSLR. Find out how Canon's latest DSLR compares against others in the range and key rivals in our EOS 1000D / XS review, and as always you can see the highlights in our EOS 1000D / XS video tour.

Suzuki unveils new GSX-R1000 superbike and Gladius 650 naked in Paris

2008-09-29T21:45:00.003-07:00

Suzuki unveils new GSX-R1000 superbike and Gladius 650 naked in Paris
Suzuki has given us our first glimpse at a completely redesigned GSX-R1000 for 2009. With very similar looks to last year's model, it's a completely new bike with a new, more powerful shorter-stroke 1000cc engine that's nearly 6cm more compact than last year's from front to back. Thanks to the new engine, the bike's overall wheelbase has been reduced by 1cm and the swingarm has been lengthened for better suspension performance. The Japanese motorcycle giant also unveiled a brand new nakedbike featuring a revised SV650 v-twin engine. Suzuki hasn't announced whether the Gladius will replace the SV650 or whether the 2 v-twin middleweight nakeds will sell side by side...

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Sony Kdl 46X3500 Tv

2008-09-29T21:45:00.001-07:00

Sony Kdl 46X3500 Tv
The Sony KDL46X3500 Full HD LCD TV is one of Sonys latest releases of High Definition glory. With 1080p,

Linkification v5

2008-09-25T19:40:00.011-07:00

Linkification v5
Wow, nothing Apple this week..

News / Web Happenings:

Dropbox has gone public - this popular service no longer requires an invite.
"Porn Mode" coming to Firefox - the FF team following suit on one of Chrome's popular features.
Spore and the great DRM Backlash - nevermind the DRM.. what a dissapointing game :(.
Integrated circuit turns 50, now isn't that nifty?
Smartphone sales up in Q2 '08, BlackBerry leapfrogs Windows Mobile
VLC 0.9.2 released: New interface, better codec support
BMW Vehicles gaining Google Maps
Google shows of Android powered phone - Video of the very 'iPhone' looking OS in action.
Google Maps Mobile Adds Street View, Walking Directions
SQL DB? No firewall? Weak admin password? That is a trojan coming your way alright
Joost Now Offers Online TV with Only a Browser - Seriously, is anyone actually watching any more?
Vista Group analyzes the new Auckland A
Sergey Brin launches a personal blog

General Interest:

20 Best Countries for startups - New Zealand listed as #2!
GPS guided UAVs used to ferry medicines in rural areas
Chevy Volt Uses GPS to Maximize Electric Engine Use

Development:

7 open source version control systems reviewed - SVN + Tortoise SVN + Visual SVN = WIN!
jQuery and JavaScript Coding: Examples and Best Practices
75 (Really) Useful JavaScript Techniques
Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2008 - Free e-book

Fail of the week:

Car security FAIL

Samsung Yp T10 4GB yp T10JAB

2008-09-25T19:40:00.009-07:00

The Samsung YP-T10 is a super slim and sexy MP3 player which although is looking a little like the Samsung Read More

New Olympus E-520 - preview compared to rivals

2008-09-25T19:40:00.007-07:00

Disabled Photographers photo comp

2008-09-25T19:40:00.005-07:00

Disabled Photographers photo comp
Gowrings Mobility & Disabled Photographers� Society launch national photography competition.

British Professional Photography Awards

2008-09-25T19:40:00.003-07:00

The date for the British Professional Photography Awards has been announced. Read More

Dell Home: Inspiron 1525 laptop T2390 15.4in 3GB 250GB DVD+-RW $599 + free Sennheiser Headphones

2008-09-25T19:40:00.001-07:00

Dell Home: Inspiron 1525 laptop T2390 15.4in 3GB 250GB DVD+-RW $599 + free Sennheiser Headphones

Vodafone - do you want my business?

2008-09-25T19:39:00.007-07:00

Vodafone - do you want my business?
Customer retention is something every business needs to be good at. If your customer don't come back then you'll very quickly find yourself going out of business.

Visit your local coffee shop these days and you're bound to get a loyalty card. Buy 10 coffee's and get 1 free. Visit Subway and you'll get credit that goes towards buying a sandwich. Fly with an Airline and you'll get frequent flyer points. Buy your groceries at New World or buy your petrol at Shell and you'll get Fly Buys points. I don't need to list any more - I'm sure you get my drift.

Most of these companies all exist in competive marketplaces where customers have many choices when it comes to spending their hear earned money. These companies realise that keeping their customers happy is not just something you pay sparse attention to, it's part of your core business.

Now lets look at the mobile market in NZ. Stastistics tell is that 100% of NZers own a mobile phone so I'll ask a question that everybody should be able to answer. Exactly what are Vodafone or Telecom doing for you to keep you as a happy loyal customer? Do you feel that your mobile carrier really wants your business or are you simply treated as a number? Do you think they really care if you moved away to another carrier?

This poses the question - do these companies care about customer loyalty? Both feature business models based around locking you into long into term contracts and giving you small discounts off overpriced handsets. Imagine if you wanted to buy petrol but could only do this if you entered into a 24 month exclusive contract with the fuel outlet of your choice, a contract that you couldn't break without paying a penalty. In return they would sell you a 1.5l bottle of Coke dicscounted to $3.00 - more than you would pay for this product if you shopped at a supermarket. Would you feel like you were a happy, content loyal customer or would you feel like you were just a number?

New Zealand now has a greater choice when it comes to mobile with TelstraClear launching a virtual mobile network using Telecom's CDMA network and Black+White are about to launch a similair virtual network using Vodafone's network. B+W won't be offering term contracts and instead believe they can compete by offering a package that makes their customers feel like they are receiving value for money which in turn will drive customer loyalty.

So I'll now ask the question - having been a Bellsouth & now Vodafone customer for 13 years do you really value my business? What have you done recently that should make me feel happy about being a customer of yours? How have you rewarded me for my loyalty over the years? You give me significantly less airtime for my $ spend than virtually any other Vodafone Group network. You've put up roaming rates so I now have to pay more to make calls when I visit Australia 3-4 times per year and also charge all incoming roam forward calls by the minute rather than per second. This annoyed me greatly. What else have you done? Nothing. What would I like you to do? Offer me a plan that feels like I'm receiving value for money. Don't lock me into a term contract. Don't make me laugh me by offering me $50 off a $1000 handset that's selling for $200 more than it's true market value. Quite simply don't insult me. I'm happy to pay good money each month for a plan that meets my needs.

Do you really value my business or not? If you do what are you going to do for me?

Microsoft SQL Server Data Services (SSDS) takes SQL to the web

2008-09-25T19:39:00.005-07:00

Microsoft SQL Server Data Services (SSDS) takes SQL to the web
Microsoft are progressing with their cloud based database service - SQL Server Data Services (SSDS) - designed to provide a scalable, on-demand data storage and query processing utility service. Certainly the service could be a boon for organisations... (more in the full post)

The autonomous vehicle that thinks like an ant

2008-09-25T19:39:00.003-07:00

We've seen numerous examples of science mimicking nature in the developing fields of robotic automation and artificial intelligence in recent times, from robotic fish to leaping micro-bots and mechanical rodents. Now a team of engineers from the University of La Laguna (ULL) in the Canary Islands have applied this thinking to self-steering vehicles using a system based on the way ants navigate between home-base and their food source...

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Canon IXUS 960 IS Digital Camera

2008-09-25T19:39:00.001-07:00

Canon IXUS 960 IS Digital Camera
The Canon Ixus 850is and 950is impressed us so much we though that Canon might struggle to improve upon

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35 - full review and video tour

2008-09-24T03:39:00.001-07:00

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35 - full review and video tour
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35 is a slim 10.1 Megapixel compact with a 4x optical zoom lens. It's the successor to the Lumix FX33 which was announced only six months ago - so what's new? Panasonic has extended the 3.6x optical range to 4x, but rather than make it longer, it's actually wider. So instead of 28-100mm, the FX35 boasts a 25-100mm range, giving it unusually wide angle coverage for a compact. Like the Lumix TZ5 reviewed last week, there's also 720p HD video recording, a component output for an optional HD cable, and the latest version of Panasonic's Intelligent Auto mode. Find out if it's the ideal slim compact in our Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35 review and as always, check out our FX35 video tour for a demo. Note, the FX35 is known as the FX36 in Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Sony DSC-T70 Digital Camera

2008-09-24T03:38:00.017-07:00

The Sony Cybershot T70 digital camera has a unique innovative feature that makes us want to shout out Read More

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50 with 15x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LCD

2008-09-24T03:38:00.015-07:00

Sony Canada today announced the latest addition to its high-zoom camera line, the 9.1-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-H50 digital camera. This new model (which is a successor to the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H9) incorporates a 15x optical zoom lens with Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization to capture action at a distance. The Sony DSC-H50 also features extensive manual controls, including an exposure bracketing mode that newly includes settings for white balance and color modes. See full story... Read More

Buying a Digital Camera - Work the Controls Before Buying

2008-09-24T03:38:00.013-07:00

Buying a Digital Camera - Work the Controls Before Buying
Comparing digital cameras to buy? Familiarize yourself with the controls before making a decision.

Sigma SD15 DSLR

2008-09-24T03:38:00.011-07:00

14 megapixel (2,652�1,768�3 layers) Digital SLR camera. Read More

NewEgg: SAMSUNG HD103UI 1TB 5400 RPM Hard Drive $120 shipped

2008-09-24T03:38:00.009-07:00

NewEgg: SAMSUNG HD103UI 1TB 5400 RPM Hard Drive $120 shipped

PowerPoint 2003 Menus - Toolbars - Status Bar - Enable or Disable Shortcut Keys When Hovering Over Toolbars

2008-09-24T03:38:00.007-07:00

PowerPoint 2003 Menus - Toolbars - Status Bar - Enable or Disable Shortcut Keys When Hovering Over Toolbars
Toggle whether or not shortcut keys should display when you hover your mouse pointer over icons in PowerPoint 2003 toolbars.

Depending on your configuration, when you hover over icons in Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 toolbars, keystroke shortcuts may appear along with the description of the button. For example, hovering over the disk icon may display "Save (Ctrl+S)", hovering over the folder open icon may display "Open (Ctrl+O)", and hovering over the ABC and checkmark icon may display "Spelling (F7)".

If you frequently use keyboard shortcuts, you may find these hints useful - when you later need to access a toolbar function, you may remember the keystrokes instead. However, if you rarely use such shortcuts or already have the keystrokes memorized, you can disable this feature....

Read more at MalekTips.

Leica S2 professional Digital SLR

2008-09-24T03:38:00.005-07:00

LEICA S2 professional Digital SLR features a custom 37.5-megapixel, 30 x 45 mm sensor integrated in a 35mm-sized body Read More

Wigram NOTAM

2008-09-24T03:38:00.003-07:00

Wigram NOTAM
Just noticed that the following NOTAM was published start of this month. It appears therefore to restrict operations at Wigram to specific prior approval effective back on the 1st of September (the AIP will be updated 20 Nov, but the changes read to be in effect 1 Sep). I guess that's what Ngai Tahu meant by "closed to traffic from September".

A1272/08 FROM: 31 AUG 2008 12:00 TO: 19 NOV 2008 11:00
AIP PAGE NZWG AD 2-52.1, WIGRAM OPR DATA DATED 15 FEB 07
REFERS.
DELETE ALL SUPPLEMENTARY DATA WITH EXCEPTION OF OPR DETAILS.
ADD NZWG AD UNAVAILABLE FOR GENERAL USE WITHOUT PRIOR APV OF OPR.
AIP WILL BE AMENDED 20 NOV 08.

Of course, one has to ask, "what are they gonna do about it" if somebody should decide to pay a visit without prior approval, lets just hope they don't go do a "Daley".

Also NOTAM'd at the moment is the following, I guess they are surveying for the pending slice and dice.

A1763/08   FROM: 14 SEP 2008 19:00  TO: 19 SEP 2008 05:00    
DAILY 1900 TO 0500
ENGINEERS ON FOOT AND WITH QUAD BIKE EQUIPPED WITH FLASHING
LIGHT OPR ON AD

A1811/08   FROM: 17 SEP 2008 19:00  TO: 19 SEP 2008 05:00    
GRASS AREA IN FRONT OF NR 4 HANGAR AND NR 5 HANGAR CLSD DUE
WIP

AVA Direct Gaming PC Workstation

2008-09-24T03:38:00.001-07:00

AVA Direct builds custom gaming systems to order, and our review sample turned out to be the computer equivalent of a 22-ounce filet mignon paired with a $500 bottle of merlot. Not surprisingly, the $6,200 amalgamation of high-end hardware blew nearly every game we could throw at it out of the water, with build quality and attention to detail from this manufacturer to match. This specific system build doubles as both a workstation and a gaming PC which explains why Xeon processors were used.

Read | Permalink | User Reviews | Linking Blogs

For everything but cameras and lenses

2008-09-19T18:15:00.003-07:00

For everything but cameras and lenses
Lakeland Photo Supplies is your stop for photographic accessories.

Wellington Workgroup Solutions Team

2008-09-19T18:15:00.001-07:00


James Hippolite, Senior .NET Developer	Martin Harris, Web Developer

Megha Barpande, Web Developer	Gary Saunders, Lead Developer

Dell Biz: Vostro 1510 laptop T5670 15.4in 1GB 80GB DL DVD/CDRW $424 shipped

2008-09-19T18:13:00.013-07:00

Dell Biz: Vostro 1510 laptop T5670 15.4in 1GB 80GB DL DVD/CDRW $424 shipped

New Zealand broadband according to Akamai

2008-09-19T18:13:00.011-07:00

I have just noticed the Akamai State of the Internet report Q2 2008 is out now. Interesting stats from around the world - worth reading it.

From a New Zealand perspective here is the only data provided:

- more than 962,000 uniqye IP addresses, a 3.78% increase from Q1 2008, about 0.23 per capita (or about 1 for almost four people here);
- only 2% connected to Akamai servers at 5 Mbps or more - 0.01 "high broadband" per capita;
- 52% connected to Akamai servers at 2 Mbps or more;
- 10% connected at 256 Kbps or less.

Sony Kdl 46X3500 Tv

2008-09-19T18:13:00.009-07:00

Sony Kdl 46X3500 Tv
The Sony KDL46X3500 Full HD LCD TV is one of Sonys latest releases of High Definition glory. With 1080p,

Linkification v4

2008-09-19T18:13:00.007-07:00

Linkification v4
News / Web Happenings:

Windows Home Server v2 set to offer Time Machine-like backup UI, Media Center and Live Mesh integration
Game update notifications coming to Vistas Games Explorer
How A Botched Web Story Wiped Out UAL's Shares - I love it.
Going Zero G - and please update your Geekzone profile - Sunday around 9am NZ time Mauricio will be floating like an astronaut.
TVNZ7 Internet Debate in association with InternetNZ - participate through the Geekzone ICT Policy and Regulation forum.

Apple:

Apple September ’08 Keynote - watch it online.
Apple releases iTunes 8
7 Years of iPod: What You Paid and What You Got - Wow.. 7 years.
iPod Touch Version 2 Review
4th gen iPod Nano Review

General Interest:

Salling Media Sync Puts iTunes Music on Your Non-iPhone Cell
The Power User's Guide to Google Chrome
Esquire's E Ink-infused magazine cover shown on video
Interesting project which allows anyone to graph anything from their daily life
Tikitag promises to bring RFID tags to everything - interesting concept.
TeamViewer Desktop Sharing - Remote Control - Support tool - very handy for those times you need to play the family 'tech support' role remotely. Crossloop is another good one.
Tokyo's Robotic Bike Parking Garage is Awesome - this video did the rounds some time ago, but worth a look for those who missed it.
Dr. Pic: A no-Flash online image editor
What Your Global Neighbors Are Buying - interactive metrics graph on spending by country.

Fail of the week:

Phone fail

LG 42LT75 Television

2008-09-19T18:13:00.005-07:00

LG 42LT75 Television
The LG 42LT75 is a revolutionary LCD TV that has an integrated 160GB hard drive allowing you to pause

T-Mobile Sidekick 2008

2008-09-19T18:13:00.003-07:00

T-Mobile Sidekick 2008

Before teenagers were snapping up iPhones and BlackBerrys left and right, T-Mobile’s original Sidekick was the phone to own for fashion-savvy textaholics. The latest T-Mobile Sidekick bulks up on features without bulking up on size, making it a definite upgrade and a solid value as far as we’re concerned – even with the more crowded market for smartphones.

Read | Permalink | User Reviews | Linking Blogs

Opening BLOB from DB as Attachment

2008-09-19T18:13:00.001-07:00

Opening BLOB from DB as Attachment

Background

· I'm storing attachments in a Binary Large Object (BLOB) field in a table in a database.

· I also store the MimeType.

· I want to open them.

· I list the attachments for the user to peruse, with a HyperLink under the name.

· The hyperlink opens a new blank window and redirects to a blank ASPX page.

· I also pass the Attachment ID to the new page.

· The ASPX page has a Page_Load event.

· The Page_Load event gets the record and Binary Writes the byte() to the Response.

· Also, I envisage that if it was a spreadsheet, I want to launch Excel.

Problem Description

· This works for JPG.

· But didn't work for a text file.

· I haven't tried PDF yet, for instance and the text file I chose was a .reg file so that might not have been a wise test!

· First I get a debug window

· Second the browser says 'The XML page cannot be displayed'

· 'Invalid at the top level of the document'

Problem Resolution

· Me.Response.AddHeader('Content-Disposition', 'inline;filename=' & fileName)

· Now the browser asks if I want to run or save the .reg file.

· I must specify the filename, even though I’m not loading the response from an actual file (but from a Memory Stream).

· This works for XLS, PDF, and JPG.

· I haven’t tried ZIP yet.

Peugeot’s Kinetic Energy Recovery System

2008-09-15T08:59:00.013-07:00

September 14, 2008 The quest for ever more efficient use of the energy gleaned from the internal combustion engine will see F1 using a kinetic energy recovery system from 2009, but it appears the innovative forces of motorsport competition may also extend to the Le Mans Racing Series. Peugeot Sport will use the final round of the 2008 Le Mans Series at Silverstone to unveil a 908 HDi FAP equipped with hybrid power featuring a kinetic energy recovery system. Currently, every racing car in the world wastes most of the energy it has used in reaching maximum speed down the straight when that energy is dissipated in the form of heat via the brakes. Peugeot’s HY technology enables a proportion of the kinetic energy produced under braking to be either recovered or stored. ..

Related Articles:

Pentax K200D First Look and Sample Images

2008-09-15T08:59:00.011-07:00

Pentax K200D First Look and Sample Images
We have had the opportunity to take a closer look at the recently announced Pentax K200D, a replacement to the Pentax K100D entry level digital SLR. The K200D is designed for users who may be unfamiliar with DSLR cameras but want a camera that will allow them to grow as they learn about photography. With 10.2 megapixels and a 2.7 inch wide view LCD, the Pentax K200D features an easy-to-use interface housed in a compact (now weather protected) body. See full story...

Photographic Evidence of the Conspiracy...

2008-09-15T08:59:00.009-07:00

As I promised my faithful reader, I have obtained at great risk to my life and well - being, photographic evidence of the conspiracy!

behold!

See the difference in the packaging? subtle very subtle...

Again! further subtley, notice the difference in sizes between the matches! they are reducing the capacity of fire!

you cannot claim you weren't warned! its going to happen!

Nikon D700 - compared to D3, D300 and EOS 5D

2008-09-15T08:59:00.007-07:00

Nikon D700 - compared to D3, D300 and EOS 5D
Nikon's D700 is the company's second full-frame DSLR, and comes in at a much more affordable price point than the flagship D3. The new D700 takes the D3's 12.1 Megapixel FX format sensor, 3in VGA monitor, 51 point AF system and Live View, but squeezes it into a smaller and lighter D300-sized body equipped with a popup flash and anti-dust features. In our D700 preview article we'll detail the features of the new model and compare the differences between it and the D3 and D300, along with Canon's EOS 5D. See our Nikon D700 preview to find out if Nikon's found the perfect balance of price and features.

Samsung Le 40F86B Tv

2008-09-15T08:59:00.005-07:00

Samsung Le 40F86B Tv
The Samsung LE40F86B 40 1080p HD Ready LCD TV is one of the latest additions to Samsungs range of

Camera Labs Assignment: vote for your favourite!

2008-09-15T08:59:00.003-07:00

It's the first day of a new month which means a new Assignment in the Camera Labs forums. The theme as suggested by the winner of July's Assignment, Orsan Kart, is 'Urbanism'. To enter, visit the September Assignment Submissions page. This also means submissions for last month's Assignment are now closed so you can vote for your favourite entry of richcaw's 'Trees' theme. So to vote, register or sign-into our forums and head on over to our August Assignment Submissions thread Read More

Buy.com: Logitech Z Cinema Advanced Surround Sound System $114 shipped AR

2008-09-15T08:59:00.001-07:00

Buy.com: Logitech Z Cinema Advanced Surround Sound System $114 shipped AR

Fujifilm FinePix S100FS First Thoughts

2008-09-15T08:58:00.005-07:00

Fujifilm FinePix S100FS First Thoughts
With the Fujifilm FinePix S100FS, Fuji continues their tradition of making all-in-one cameras that mimic DSLRs without the burden of interchangeable lenses.

Boots Photo and Photobox

2008-09-15T08:58:00.003-07:00

Boots Photo and Photobox
Boots UK and Photobox aim to lead both the on and offline photographic space by bringing digital services to a nationwide audience.

New Nikon D60 - deja-vu anyone?

2008-09-15T08:58:00.001-07:00

Today Nikon announced the D60, a new budget DSLR which bears an uncanny resemblance to what we expect to become the discontinued D40x. It shares the same 10 Megapixel sensor, same 2.5in screen and essentially the same body and controls. New to the D60 are a stop-motion recording mode, eye sensors which switch the screen off when you're looking through the viewfinder, Active D-Lighting, and an anti-dust system which both vibrates the sensor unit along with using an airflow system to channel particles from the image path. Overall though, it's a minor refresh of an existing model, and as such a disappointment especially without a built-in AF motor for non-AF-S lenses. Those hoping to see a D80 successor will have to keep their fingers crossed Nikon's holding something back for PMA. The D60 is expected in February, costing 529 GBP / 791 EUR with the recently-announced stabilised DX 18-55mm VR kit lens. See the complete Nikon DSLR range. Read More

DealWatch - September 10, 2008

2008-09-13T16:34:00.007-07:00

DealWatch - September 10, 2008

Canon PowerShot SX110 IS - $300
Nikon D80 - $900
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W150 - $230
Nikon Coolpix S210 - $160

Dell Home: Canon PowerShot SD750 7.1 MP 3X Zoom Digital Camera $145 shipped

2008-09-13T16:34:00.005-07:00

Dell Home: Canon PowerShot SD750 7.1 MP 3X Zoom Digital Camera $145 shipped

Nikon D700 High ISO Noise versus D300 and Canon EOS 5D

2008-09-13T16:34:00.003-07:00

Nikon D700 High ISO Noise versus D300 and Canon EOS 5D
Ahead of our in-depth Nikon D700 review, we thought you might enjoy seeing our High ISO results for the camera directly compared against the Nikon D300 and Canon EOS 5D. This page of results, taken with final production cameras, illustrates the advantages of full-frame DSLR sensors, but just how much better is the D700 than the cropped-frame D300, and is Canon's EOS 5D still a contender? Find out in our Nikon D700 High ISO results page, and remember to check back soon for our full review and video tour.

ION Audio's DESK ROCKER speakers

2008-09-13T16:34:00.001-07:00

ION Audio’s US$149.95 DESK ROCKER speaker system plays audio from any PC, Mac, TV, DVD, CD, and connected guitar or keyboard. The DESK ROCKER system consists of two self-powered desktop speakers, which plug into a standard wall outlet...

Tags: Audio, ION AUDIO, Music, Speakers, USB

Related Articles:

Nikon D90 SLR High ISO Full Size Image Samples Test

2008-09-13T16:33:00.011-07:00

We have just posted a small image gallery from the 12.3MP Nikon D90 with the Nikkor AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR zoom lens. The images are taken at ISO settings from 1600-6400 ISO. Original unedited images are available for download (JPEG FINE). Please note as of today Capture NX2 has not been updated to read the Nikon D90 digital SLR EXIF data properly. To see the correct EXIF data it seems that Apple Aperture and Adobe Bridge version CS3 will display the correct EXIF data. See our Nikon D90 image samples... Read More

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 - Toggle Playing Sounds When RSS Feeds Are Found

2008-09-13T16:33:00.009-07:00

Toggle whether Internet Explorer 7 plays a sound when it finds feeds related to the current webpage. ... Read More

Canon Rebel XS, EOS 1000D Entry Level Digital SLR

2008-09-13T16:33:00.007-07:00

Canon has today introduced the Canon Digital Rebel XS digital SLR. In some countries (Europe) the camera will be known as the Canon EOS 1000D. The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS / 1000D features an APS-C size 10.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and Canon's DIGIC III image processor, and joins the ranks in the Canon lineup as the entry level digital SLR model under the recently announced 12.2 MP Canon Rebel XSi / 450D. See full story... Read More

Retailers stung by credit card fraud

2008-09-13T16:33:00.005-07:00

Retailers stung by credit card fraud
There is a new form of credit card fraud going around New Zealand. It involves customers using fraudulent cards made overseas that either, not linked to a bank account or the bank does not exist at all. They have been hitting retailers throughout New Zealand. Their modus operandi is to be friendly, chatty, well dressed as well as talking on a cellphone. Primarily they are of Asian decent, and use credit cards link to Asian banks.

The credit cards have all of the signs of being genuine, embossed numbers match front and back, signature matches for of ID (which is usually and passport) as well as the name matching. They always know what they are after, and do not mind mixing and matching goods if certain colours are not available.
The retailer will not know what has happened until they find that a few weeks later the funds are never transferred into their bank account.
They are confident enough to ask for goods to be put aside if their card declines, and then come back with a different card. Transactions can vary between just under $1000 to just under $2000.

Purchases can include Apple products, Playstation products and prepaid mobiles. To help ease the retailer into the suspicious looking sale, they will ask for a cheap mobile, stating that it is to be used as a spare. The perpetrators are usually Asian, and are dressed very well. They are usually using a high end cellphone to talk to their mates in a near by vehicle.

Apple announces new iPod touch and iPod nano

2008-09-13T16:33:00.003-07:00

Apple announces new iPod touch and iPod nano
Apple's latest raft of product announcements includes a new, lighter and smaller iPod touch and the thinnest ever iPod nano, now in its fourth generation. The fresh models both boast sleek new designs but the nano gets the biggest boost in terms of functionality via a refined user interface and a built-in accelerometer which lets you performs tricks like automatically switching to Shuffle™ mode when the unit is lightly shaken...

Tags: Apple, iPod, iTunes, Music, Nike

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Three new Epson Stylus NX all-in-ones launched

2008-09-13T16:33:00.001-07:00

Epson has launched a trio of new sub-$100 all-in-one inkjets "designed to satisfy the printing, scanning, copying, and faxing needs of any busy household." Read More

Digital Foci Image Moments 6

2008-09-13T04:00:00.013-07:00

Share & relive your treasured memories, instantly in sharp, vibrant colours Read More

First for Panasonic

2008-09-13T04:00:00.011-07:00

Panasonic launch a interchangeable lens camera that is based on the new Micro Four Thirds System Standard. Read More

Checking your mobile data usage online is not easy: a Telecom New Zealand tale

2008-09-13T04:00:00.009-07:00

Checking your mobile data usage online is not easy: a Telecom New Zealand tale
Yesterday I posted about Telecom New Zealand's lack of a "meter" for their mobile data. Here is something that I thought would illustrate the issue well...

Let's say you rent a car on a monthly basis, for work. You agree to pay $49.95 a month if you drive up to 1,000 km per billing cycle, and $1 per km after this.

You decided on 1,000 km because you thought this could cover your average daily usage multiplied by the number of days in the month.

You get the car and notice there is no meter in it, but the rental agency tells you it's ok, they are monitoring it within their system, remotely.

You drive away. During 30 days you have no exact idea of how many kms you've done. You have to keep calling the company to find out how many kms you have driven so far, and calculate to see if you are still within the expected average.

Then you receive the monthly bill. You look through five pages for something that says "kms driven this month", but instead you find "times you started the car this month". And a charge for the rental.

Does it make sense?

No. Neither does Telecom New Zealand's "data sessions" line in the bill. They don't tell us how many megabytes or gigabytes we used during the month, only how many times we used it during the period.

Telecom, are you going to fix your systems?

Canon Announces Instant Rebates on EOS 40D, EOS 5D, EF Lenses and Speedlites in US

2008-09-13T04:00:00.007-07:00

Canon USA Inc. has launched a series of generous instant cash back rebates covering the Canon EOS 40D and the higher end full frame 12.8 MP Canon EOS 5D digital SLR, along with savings on a number of Canon EF lenses, and Canon Speedlites. Save up to $125 US on select EF lenses and $300 on the Canon EOS 5D. See the full story and a complete list of the products now covered by instant rebates... Read More

Nikon D700 - full review and video tour

2008-09-13T04:00:00.005-07:00

Nikon D700 - full review and video tour
The D700 is Nikon's second full-frame DSLR, taking the 12.1 Megapixel 'FX' sensor from the flagship D3 and squeezing it into a D300-sized body. This allows the D700 to share the same excellent high ISO performance as the D3 in a smaller, lighter and more affordable form factor. The D700 also features a 51-point AF system, high resolution 3in VGA monitor with Live View, an HDMI port for connection to HDTVs and superb build-quality with resistance to dust and moisture. It's one of the most feature-packed DSLRs to date, but with so many features matching the D300, the big question is how the quality compares - and whether it's worth spending the extra for the full-frame sensor. Find out in our Nikon D700 full review where you'll see it directly compared against the D300 and Canon's EOS 5D. And as always, you can see the highlights in our Nikon D700 video tour.

Great photojournalist will be missed

2008-09-13T04:00:00.003-07:00

The first woman to win the World Press Photo of the year has died. Read More

Sony Alpha A300 and Alpha A350 - compared to rivals

2008-09-13T04:00:00.001-07:00

The introduction of Sony's brand new Alpha A300 and Alpha A350 have doubled the company's current DSLR range - and at kit prices of $799 and $899 USD respectively, stack-up favourably against the competition. Both new Sonys feature Live View with quick AF, tilting screens for greater compositional flexibility, and like all Alphas sport built-in sensor-shift stabilisation. They're likely to be big sellers, so if you're in the market for a new DSLR, you'll want to carefully compare their features against the competition - and we've done just that for you in our Sony A300 and A350 feature comparison, where you'll discover where they fit-in with models like Canon's EOS 450D / Rebel XSi and the Nikon D60, along with Sony's existing Alpha A200 and A700. Read More

First for Panasonic

2008-09-13T03:59:00.005-07:00

Panasonic launch a interchangeable lens camera that is based on the new Micro Four Thirds System Standard. Read More

Olympus E-520 - full review and video tour

2008-09-13T03:59:00.003-07:00

Olympus E-520 - full review and video tour
The Olympus E-520 is the successor to one of the best-selling DSLRs of last year, the popular E-510. The new E-520 takes the 10 Megapixel resolution, Live View, built-in stabilisation, and effective anti-dust features of its predecessor and adds new contrast-based AF in Live View with Face Detection, a bigger screen, quicker continuous shooting, support for wireless flash control, an extra IS mode for panning with the camera held of its side, and a new optional underwater housing. It also offers improved dynamic range and previews of many adjustments. So one of the most feature-packed DSLRs has just got better, but is it enough to compete with the latest rivals? Find out in our Olympus E-520 review and to see a demonstration of its highlights, check out our Olympus E-520 video tour.

Chrome roundup

2008-09-13T03:59:00.001-07:00

I was going to post a few links about Googles new browser 'Chrome' in my weekly Linkification post - but as theres such a flood of information and articles this week I've decided to move them into their own blog post. So here it is:

Google Chrome, Google’s Browser Project - a great article which includes the original announcement and the 38 page comic that Google put together as a product overview.

Google Chrome screenshots - for those who haven't taken the plunge yet.

Download Google Chrome beta (for windows)

Google Chrome, Chromium, and V8 launch today - the official word from Google.

Google Chrome press event: the video

Browsing with Google Chrome

Google Chrome's about: Pages

Google Chrome Features that we miss in other Web Browsers

Google Co-Founder Expects Chrome-Like Browser For Android

Google's Brin says Chrome headed to Android, probably

Portable Chrome Puts Chrome on Your Thumb Drive

Run Google Chrome in Ubuntu with WINE

Google Chrome Tips and Pointers

Chrome vs IE8

So Is Chrome The Fastest Or What?

Mozilla's thoughts on Google Chrome

The story behind Google Chrome

Dr. Frankenstein's Browser: The Strangely Obvious Ancestry of Google Chrome

Google Chrome EULA Claims Ownership of Everything You Create on Chrome, From Blog Posts to Emails - see next links for an update.

Google does not want rights to things you do with Chrome

Google Updating Chrome EULA to Be Less Creepy

Privacy Concerns Over Google Chrome’s "Omnibox"

Google Analytics now tracks Chrome

Serious security flaw found in Chrome - originally found by Aviv

And now some local reaction / opinion:

Xero's Rod Drury talks about the significance of Chrome - Xero were also very quick to update their site to support Chrome beta.

The Geekzone forum thread on Chrome - some love, some hate and some serious paranoia!

By the way, this blog entry was posted from Chrome. How are you finding it? :)

Linda's Deep and Meaningful for the day. Week. Year?

2008-09-13T03:54:00.011-07:00

Linda's Deep and Meaningful for the day. Week. Year?
I hate it when I accidently delete my precious post. So, I will try again. (Gee, that was D & M, wasn't it...)

I had a dream last night. Can't remember who, what or why; but I was waxing lyrical and I managed to remember what I said.

There are four stages in life. These make you who you are. Maybe.

The first stage is actually before you were born. It includes your parents lives, you know, the things that made them who they were, brought them together to make you. It probably includes the womb, too, in case you are worried about that.

Stage two is from the time you are born up until now.

The third stage is today.

Stage four is the rest of your life.

Simple really. And, of course, you have no control over your parents' lives, and they were shaped in part by their own parents' lives.

Yesterday is gone, tomorrow isn't guaranteed. (Sorry, I don't want to sound morbid.)

So that leaves Today. It's the only place you can make changes. If you need to, of course. Plenty of weird and wonderful books around, no doubt, by lovely, weird and wonderful authors, telling you to seize the day. I even know a song entitled Sieze the Day! They used to play it on Rhema...

Not the greatest philosophy, and I certainly won't win a Nobel prize for it. Nor will I be awarded a Darwin...

But anyway, Ta Ta For Now!

2008-09-13T03:54:00.009-07:00

Add symbols for copyright, trademark, and registered trademark to your Word 2007 document. Read More

Sony launches flagship, full-frame Sony Alpha DSLR-A900

2008-09-13T03:54:00.007-07:00

Sony launches flagship, full-frame Sony Alpha DSLR-A900
Sony has announced the launch of its highly anticipated full-frame flagship DSLR, the 24.6 megapixel Sony Alpha DSLR-A900.

Pentax K20D - full review and video tour

2008-09-13T03:54:00.005-07:00

Pentax K20D - full review and video tour
The Pentax K20D is a 14.6 Megapixel mid-range DSLR which packs-in a broad range of features. It inherits an impressive core specification from its predecessor, the K10D, including a dust and weather-resistant body, built-in Shake Reduction, a decent optical viewfinder, a number of innovative exposure modes, a wealth of custom options, and the option of recording RAW in Adobe's DNG format. To this Pentax has increased the screen to 2.7in, boosted the sensitivity to 6400 ISO, added Live View, an X-Sync port, and improved the optional DA 18-55mm kit lens, along with that big jump in sensor resolution. The big question is how it measures-up to today's other 14 Megapixel DSLR, the Sony A350, not to mention Canon's EOS 450D / XSi and the semi-pro EOS 40D. To find out how the new Pentax compares, check out our Pentax K20D review, and as always for a demonstration of its highlights, see our K20D video tour.

HP: HP tx2500z 12.1in tablet laptop RM-70 3GB 160GBDVD+-RW webcam $700 shipped

2008-09-13T03:54:00.003-07:00

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50 with 15x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LCD

2008-09-13T03:54:00.001-07:00

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50 with 15x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LCD
Sony Canada today announced the latest addition to its high-zoom camera line, the 9.1-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-H50 digital camera. This new model (which is a successor to the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H9) incorporates a 15x optical zoom lens with Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization to capture action at a distance. The Sony DSC-H50 also features extensive manual controls, including an exposure bracketing mode that newly includes settings for white balance and color modes. See full story...

Pentax K200D First Look and Sample Images

2008-09-13T03:53:00.007-07:00

Microsoft's new (and confusing) ad

2008-09-13T03:53:00.005-07:00

Well. Microsoft sure have left me in a confused state of mind (along with many others). Do I need to say more?

Nikon D90 SLR High ISO Full Size Image Samples Test

2008-09-13T03:53:00.003-07:00

Apple announces iTunes 8, new and revammped iPod line, and 2.1 software update.

2008-09-13T03:53:00.001-07:00

It's been about a year since Apples last iPod announcements, and since various fan boy YouTube users have flooded the popular video sharing site with speculations and other un-just nonsense. Hopefully now we can give our eyes and mind a rest from most conscious, speculation-causing, thought as, yes, Apple has spoken!

Earlier today, at the Let's Rock media event, a new 4th generation iPod nano was announced. Yes, it look far more like the old 2nd gen than the 3rd, but it now sports a nice wide screen display and, finally, an accelerometer. Making this the second iPod (not including iPhone) to have one. No word yet to how accurate it is, or how many there are in it, but I’m sure that iPhone (and iPod touch) will remain superior in that regard.

Another, less heard of announcement was the introduction of a redesigned iPod touch. It still has the same stuff on the inside, but now boast’s dedicated volume up/down buttons and a loud speaker, much like those on the iPhone. The casing has also been modified slightly, now sharing the same tapered edges as the iPhone 3G.
Further on the line of new iPods, Apple has now ditched the 80 160GB classic models, replacing them with but one 120gb model at the same price as the 80.

The last thing I’m going to mention here is that the 2.1 iPhone software update now has a release date. Yes, i'm sure many of you were a bit worried that we'd have to sit through another eight updates to get from 2.0.2 to 2.1. But rest assured that the 2.1 update will be released this Friday!
At this time, Apple has not ye posted a list of all the fixes, but for now we can expect, at least, improved battery life, less dropped calls and, of course, the usual performance tweaks.

(iTunes 8 was also released, however I am short of time and there isn't much worth mentioning)

Sony BRAVIA KDL-40W3000 Television

2008-09-06T09:27:00.015-07:00

Sony BRAVIA KDL-40W3000 Television
Introducing the Sony Bravia KDL40W3000 from the KDL-W3000 series. As the LCD TV range has failed to