|
Technology for horse-owners, breeders, buyers and sellers.
Cameras
New Waterproof Camera
This camera is perhaps mostly for those into actual
underwater photography--however if you have ever been out in the pouring rain trying to view horses, you may appreciate it.
NEW YORK TIMES—TECH
4-21-05
circiuts (column at NYT.com)
casual photographers to shoot digital pictures underwater. You had to buy a separate waterproof
housing for your camera and then worry about how well it would work.
The Optio WP from Pentax has taken out the middleman. The $350 digicam does not require a
separate housing to keep it watertight. Pentax says it will function for up to 30 minutes in water up to 5 feet deep, and
it's dunkable right out of the box.
But what makes the camera most attractive is its ability to combine amphibiousness with a
portable and powerful point-and-shoot. Less than an inch thick, the palm-size camera snaps 5-megapixel shots and features
a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, large 2-inch liquid-crystal display and a 3x zoom lens. It also starts up in just over
half a second and has a 0.05-second shutter-release time.
Equally impressive, it shoots movies, has 20 still-shooting modes, records up to 20 seconds
of sound for each picture, recovers erased shots and automatically monitors the movement of targets within the frame to maintain
focus.
Just don't get too enthralled with capturing the life aquatic: held underwater too long, or
at too great a depth, the camera could perish along with your marine memories. ADAM BAER, tech columnist at New York Times
Newspaper, www.nyt.com
Flat Digital
Camera
New digital camera is flat so can fit in a shirt or jacket pocket. Super
for pix when out checking mares and foals, or viewing at sales or shows. Two resolutions, 100 and 300; up to 102 pix.
Takes a small clip video too. Looks light and easy enough to ride with in pocket. USB Connection. $60
(e-z ship to Canada)
Check CNET.com comparism shopping for other sources.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Software
Let your computer do your reading for you!
If you do not have text to speech capabilities
on your computer, there is a software program for $30/usd that will do so. It
can read the news for you, the Emails, and basically anything on the Internet--you can download to an Ipod and put on an portable
so you can actually listen to all of this while out checking mares, feeding, driving to the vet, etc. Or just
kick back and relax while checking on the "latest" (or doing something else!).
Anyway--can be quite a time saver!
posted 5-10-05
http://www.freeclassicaudiobooks.com/downloads/textaloud.htm
This site includes other audio books
www.nextup.com
This in the home page for the Text to speech
software.
Prices are the same.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Read more at CNET.COM
Adobe Photoshop most recent versions improvements
CS2 has improved tools that reduce noise and blurring in photos, as well as a filter that
corrects for lens distortion. (Now buildings at the periphery of pictures need not appear slightly curved.)
The program has one-click red-eye correction, with a more accurate tool that can color the
subject's pupils with a soft, realistic dark gray rather than a blob of black.
The most impressive new feature is called vanishing point. It lets the user add and move objects
within a picture while automatically maintaining perspective. If you want to add cars to a road that fades into the distance,
for example, the vanishing point function automatically scales the size of the cars in proportion to the road. More information
is at www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.
Adobe has improved the Help menu to include detailed instructions for some of CS2's more complicated
new features. This is full-powered software for professionals; weekend hobbyists may be happy to stick with Adobe Elements
2.0 ($99), which will probably include some of this new technology in a year or so.
ROY FURCHGOTT, tech columnist for www.cnet.com
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Video Equipment
Video Converting
Have some Analog or Digital video that you would like
to put on your computer? Well, there is a lot more to it than just a video converter, however unless your camera has
one built in, and your PC is set up for it, you have to buy a video converter.
Some places to start:
Run a search for analog or digital video, and they give you a selection of converters,
along with a selection of places to buy them, so you can compare prices, etc.
Search will include software and discussions where you can post questions, etc.
for free to get on-line help.
Stores
Most computer stores will offer these.
(A surprisingly affordable basic converter, tho limited in some ways in terms
of tech specs (know what you need before you buy!) is available at Wal-Mart on line--under $100--can convert to PC from
a VCR).
Free Video Editing Software
Sources for free downloads vary in their reliability
and how they rate them. None of them guarantee that the software is bug-free, etc., tho some are much better than others.
So, try to check on the company or software developer offering them.
WWW.CNET.COM provides user ratings (naturally, this cannot be considered an objective, scientific survey). Very reliable resource
for computer info generally.
Some software is just Free Trial.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Free Online Courses
Many sites offer free online courses. Free often is basically "you get what
you pay for", however often some information can be obtained no matter how accomplished you are.
If you want a complete listing, do a search for "free online" courses and narrow
it with topic like digital or video photography, editing, web site design, etc., etc.
Some good resources include:
Currently has these to offer that might be of interest: digital photography,
PC troubleshooting. Says will soon be offering video editing.
|
