JOBY Launches Free Stop Motion iOS Camera App


JOBY, the industry-defining creator of the bestselling GorillaPod tripod and the GorillaMobile for iPhone 4 tripod, announces the availability of Frame X Frame, the first indispensible free iPhone 4 camera app that easily creates and shares stop motion videos.

 An all-in-one app for snapping and sharing great shots, Frame X Frame will inspire new creative approaches for capturing unique videos with the iPhone.  JOBY’s first iPhone app, Gorillacam, has been downloaded more than 2.5 million times from the Apple iTunes store. Frame X Frame is available for free download from the iTunes App Store now.
 
To celebrate the launch of Frame X Frame, JOBY is kicking off a “Stop Motion Addict” contest on their YouTube channel, on May 3rd.  The competition will be fierce as participants compete to win a grand prize bundle including a Canon 7D DSLR, a GorillaPod Focus and Ballhead, and a screening of their Stop Motion film at the Renderyard Short Film Festival in Spain this November.   The contest will close on May 31st and the winner will be announced on June 8th.
 
Contest judges will include Mark Reid,  Founder and Director of Renderyard Short Film Festival, Estafania Merino, Co-Director of Renderyard Short Film Festival, Trevor Hardy, Animator of Watermill Farm on Nick Kids, Gregory Han of Apartment Therapy Unplggd, Mike Doyle from About.com’s Skiing Guide, and pro-photographer and JOBY pro-team member, Safe Solvent.  A Canon Powershot S95 will be awarded to the fan favorite video entry which receives the highest number of YouTube “thumbs up” votes.
 
Capturing perfect stop motion video and time-lapse creations is a snap with the GorillaMobile for iPhone 4.  This hands-free solution allows you to get the perfect angle for all your activities from chatting on Facetime to capturing the sunset. The newly refreshed version is now available and is compatible with all iPhones including AT&T and Verizon.
Example using the app, avalible here

Microsoft announce purchase of Skype

The rumors that appeared overnight have turned out to be true. Microsoft has confirmed the purchase of Skype for $8.5 billion in cash.

Microsoft has been very clear in that it sees Skype’s technology and services being applied across the board to both its consumer and business customers. That means enterprise customers will receive a new way to communicate over voice and video, but more excitingly, those who own an Xbox and Kinect will also benefit from its introduction, as will Windows Phone 7 owners.
With Skype now a wholly-owned branch of Microsoft there may be worries that the service could disappear from non-Microsoft platforms. But Microsoft has been quick to state that Skype will continue to be supported across all devices going forward.

With guaranteed billions coming their way, investor group Silver Lake, who previously owned Skype, were delighted. Both Skype and Microsoft boards of directors approved the purchase and only regulatory approval is now required to finalize the deal.
Read more at the Microsoft press release

 

Duke Nukem to appear at GAME, Oxford Street tomorrow

Ahead of the eagerly anticipated launch of Duke Nukem Forever next month (10th June), GAME are hosting the real life character in their Oxford Street store between 3.00pm and 5.45pm on 11th May.
This is the first time that lookalike has appeared in public.
The immortal character will be giving away free t-shirts, magazine and badges, as well as completing public signings and posing for photos in the flagship store.
GAME have secured the only UK exclusive available for the launch of Duke Nukem Forever, entitled ‘Duke’s Big Package!’, which is free to all customers when they pre-order the game at GAME on Xbox 360, PS3 or PC. The preorder bonus includes: Ego Boost; extend Duke’s ‘ego’ health bar, Big Heads; play with oversized characters and six in-game t-shirts.
Head of UK PR for GAME, Neil Ashurst said:
“Duke Nukem is 20-years-old this year and the release of the fantastic new game, Duke Nukem Forever is the perfect way to celebrate his birthday. Ahead of the launch, we’ve got our own Duke in-store, in his first ever-public appearance and we know that our customers are really excited to meet their hero in real life!” 

Dynamic Duos Deliver Comfort, Style And Outstanding Audio

Radiopaq Duos are new high definition DJ-Style headphones that deliver comfort and balanced acoustic enjoyment in five captivating colours. Extending their highly popular range of unique designer audio headsets to include the classic over-head design, Radiopaq have today launched "Duo" - a set of DJ-style headphones available in five expressive colours.

Securely built and thoughtfully designed, the Duo headphones are adjustable and easy to store thanks to Fold Flat Tilt & Swivel headphone cups, whilst soft 15mm cushions offer unrivalled comfort during prolonged play. With powerful 40mm sound drivers rounding up a first class specification, the Duo headphones deliver terrific acoustic enjoyment with just the right amount of low and yet defined, mellow bass.

Key Features

o Fold Flat DJ-Style Tilt & Swivel headphone cup design
o Adjustable soft padded headband for a secure fit
o Ultra soft 15mm deep ear cushions reduce pressure on ears
o Dynamic sound quality from powerful 40mm sound drivers
o Unrivalled, superior audio performance and quality for price
o Thoughtfully robust design and reliable practical construction
o Gold plated 3.5mm connector for optimal sound transfer
o Compatible with Apple iPod, iPhone and other MP3 Players
o Five stylish colours: High Gloss Copper, Candy Green, Candy Purple, Metallic Silver and Soft Touch Black

Thoughtfully Designed

A comfortable combination of the adjustable padded headband and 15mm deep ear cushions (made from durable, soft and textured materials) helps reduce pressure on the ears and head during prolonged play and ensures a snug fit for every size ear and head.

In addition, the clever Fold Flat Tilt & Swivel headphone cup design (a style highly favoured by audio professionals and DJ's) allows the Duo headphones to be worn around the neck and independently positioned for optimum freedom when choosing your next track, and can then be effortlessly stored flat into a bag or case to avoid damage when not in use or whilst travelling. 

Express your personality with a choice of five fantastic colours (High Gloss Copper, Candy Green, Candy Purple, Metallic Silver and Soft Touch Black) - the perfect way to accessorise and be on-trend when the crowd is moving to the beat. 

Audio Performance 

Featuring impressive 40mm sound drivers, the Duo headphones reproduce a wide frequency range with superb stereo separation, detailed mid-range and balanced rich bass to deliver pronounced quality for all musical genres.

Radiopaq Duo Compatibility 

o Apple iPod, iPod Touch, iPad and iPhone
o Any MP3/MP4 Player with a 3.5mm Stereo Jacket socket (including music decks or electronic instrument)
o Tablet PCs, Laptops, Netbooks and Desktop Computers
o Portable DVD players 
o Note: Duo headphones are not compatible with Apple iPod Shuffle

Pricing and Availability

RRP £19.99 and available in store now at Carphone Warehouse, ASDA, Argos, WHSmith and online at Radiopaq Products.


Technical Specification
Available in the PDF here.

Google to announce music streaming service today

Although not official yet, there is very little doubt in anyone’s mind that today, 10th may 2011, Google will launch its Google Music service at its I/O Conference later on today. Google’s service will essentially be the same kind of service already launched by Amazon Cloud Service last year to mediocre sales, however, Google’s version will not offer the ability to sell song directly to the customers, after talks with labels broke down late last year. According to a spokesperson from Google "A couple of the major labels were less focused on the innovative vision that we put forward, and more interested in an unreasonable and unsustainable set of business terms." So rather than putting the project on hold, Google will launch its music service with the ability to store up to 20,000 of your own uploaded songs, to then stream back to your desktop, Android phone or tablet, in fact just about any device that supports flash (I thought they said innovation? Wouldn’t innovation be HTML5? – Mikey) but don’t worry iOS users, your time will come.

In comparison, Amazons service lets you store a measly 1,200 songs (5GB), stored at mediocre bitrates. As Google do so often, they will attempt to beat Amazon in more areas then one, offering features like automatic playlists (Again, I thought they were innovating, sounds like Genius playlists to me – Mikey) Google should have this service available to the US market “within weeks” , yes the UK market will have to wait, for a change. Google will be handing out Music Beta invites later today to owners of the Verizon Xoom (but don’t worry you will also be able to sign up at music.google.com) A live blog will be available here once the event has begun (5PM GMT)

Youngsters Embrace Classic Cameras

Second hand cameras are attracting a younger marker say organisers of the Photographica Fair, which is due to take place in London on Sunday 22nd May.

Photographers will be hoping to snap up (pun intended) a bargain at one of the 140 stalls. There they will also be able to buy and swap cameras, lenses, images, accessories and literature.

Billed as the UK's largest fair for camera collectors and users, the event is organises bt the Photographic Collectors Club of Great Britain  (PCCGB). Spokesman Walter Morley said: 'Last year, it was noted that there were more young photographers who are studying photography at college, looking for quality equipment at a good price, this is the ideal place to find a great variety of equipment as many (PCCGB) members use the event to sell item no longer wanted' 

Photographica will be held at the Royal Horticultural Society's Lindley Hall, Bincent Square, London SW1P 2PB. Entry costs £5 and doors open at 10am. To book an early buyers ticket call 01684 594 526 or 01920 821 831.

Green Farm Out Now on iPhone / iPad

 

Gameloft have today announced their first Facebook game, Green Farm, is now on iPhone and iPad. Players can now login to their existing Facebook farm using their phone, or create a completely new farm and raise crops, trees and livestock or make your own homemade apple juice & cheese, or develop specialties like gardening or carpentry!
 
Green Farm is the ultimate farming application with a unique organic and renewable energy twist and its completely free to download and play. The App can be found here on the app store. The official trailer for the game can also be found on their YouTube channel

So what are you waiting for? Get Planting. 

Tweakker release free beta to android users

Mobile Internet connectivity company Tweakker today releases a free beta version of an Android app aimed at helping the growing number of Android users in over 150 countries on the networks of more than 600 operators to start getting the full enjoyment of their new devices in less than one minute. 

The Android app can be downloaded from here. The app solves a growing global problem. According to Google, it activates 350,000 new Android devices every day. Google has also established that Android users are downloading 16.66 million apps per day, 695,000 apps per hour, 11,500 apps per minute, or 193 apps per second. 

But, as increasing numbers of Android users take advantage of mobile virtual network operators (MVNO's) budget offerings for smartphones with all-you-can-eat data subscription plans, they struggle to get the right Internet settings to surf the Internet and download apps. 
Android users can experience numerous problems in getting online. Examples:
- user's operator is not supported in the Android OS
- user's subscription is not supported in the Android OS
- users change operator and settings are not installed automatically
- users reset their phone and all settings are lost

These problems affect especially mobile users in emerging markets where operators do not have advanced systems that push correct settings to a user's phone. And as complex smartphones spread in these markets, connectivity problems can only increase.

Installing Tweakker's Android application "All operator APNs | Beta" on an Android phone is very simple. Once installed, the app asks the user to select his operator and subscription plan and then connects automatically to Tweakker's internet settings database. The app then installs correct settings on the phone.

It's as simple as that. Tweakker's app is automatic, free and transcends geographical barriers and language, supports over 150 countries, 600 network operators and provides over 700 internet settings. 
As you would expect from the world's most innovative Internet connectivity company, the app comes with great graphics, an automatic connection test checker, and corrects any faulty manual set-ups made previously by Android users. In the unlikely event of installation problems, the app will roll back to previously installed settings and Tweakker's staff is available to provide personal support.

Tweakker's app is a fully functional free beta version and will be available for a couple of weeks. Tweakker will then fine tune the app based on feedback and usage data and provide a final version for download from the Android Market. The final app will also support other settings including MMS and email.

"Tweakker's fundamental role in the mobile space is to simplify the process of getting mobile users online and fully enjoying their devices in the shortest timeframe," says Dennis Juul Poulsen, Tweakker's business director. "Every minute counts in the mobile space and this Android app provides mobile users all the functionality of their new phones within one minute."

Cisco Expands Home Networking with Linksys E-Series Switches

Home Networking Leader Linksys, Unveils New Switches for Providing High Performance and Simplicity for Connected Wired Devices
 
Providing Powerful Connections While Saving Power
The new range of Linksys E-Series switches include features to enable faster and more simple wired connections. These include plug-and-play, eliminating the need for configuration, as well as Quality of Service (QoS) auto-sensing ports and power-saving features. The power-saving modes include auto power-down to disable unused ports, sleep mode when all ports are inactive and smart power for short cable runs. The switches are ideal for consumers or home office workers seeking an alternative to wireless, connections for multiple wired devices, or simply an extension of their existing network.
 
Linksys SE2500 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch Features
Connect up to five computers, printers, storage devices, gaming consoles and other wired devices
Plug-and-play – no configuration required
Gigabit power – up to 1000 Mbps, 10 times faster than standard Ethernet – perfect for quick file and media sharing between Gigabit devices
QoS traffic prioritisation technology – auto sensing ports automatically optimise speed for each connected device
Auto power-down features are designed to disable unused ports, sleep mode when all ports are inactive and smart power for short cable runs 
 
Linksys SE2800 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Features
Connect up to eight computers, printers, storage devices, gaming consoles and other wired devices
Plug-and-play – no configuration required
Gigabit power – up to 1000 Mbps, 10 times faster than standard Ethernet – perfect for quick file and media sharing between Gigabit devices
QoS traffic prioritisation technology – auto sensing ports automatically optimise speed for each connected device
Auto power-down features are designed to disable unused ports, sleep mode when all ports are inactive and smart power for short cable runs 
Brett Wingo, general manager, Cisco Home Networking business unit. “
The new switches provide consumers and home workers with the ability to easily expand their home network and benefit from multi-connected high-bandwidth wired office and entertainment devices.”
“The new family of Linksys E-Series switches shows our commitment to develop home networking products that deliver the best possible entertainment and productivity experience,” said

Home Networking Leader Unveils New Switches for Providing High Performance and Simplicity for Connected Wired Devices 

Pricing and Availability

The suggested retail prices for switches are from £34.99. The full line of switches is available at select retailers including Amazon and eBuyer or by visiting the Linksys website.

A New Handheld Bluetooth Keyboard With Touchpad

AHX Global has announced the immediate availability of the itablet Thumb Keyboard, a new Bluetooth keyboard with patented rear-facing touchpad. It is compatible with a wide range of Bluetooth-equipped devices including iPad, iPhone, tablet computers and mobile phones. 

The itablet Thumb Keyboard is also compatible with many other Bluetooth-enabled devices including the latest interactive IPTV systems providing a convenient way for users to interact with screen content from the comfort of their armchair. In addition, it can be used with commonly used gaming platforms including the Sony PS3 and Nintendo XBox 360.
According to Francis Davis of AHX Global: "The Thumb Keyboard provides a fast and intuitive way to create emails, tweets, texts and documents. It is the perfect antidote to the awkward onscreen keyboards used to enter data and text into today's mobile devices that do not have proper keyboards."
The itablet Thumb Keyboard is battery operated and ergonomically designed to be comfortable to hold and easy to use at the same time. The patented rear-facing touchpad provides fast and accurate cursor control using either index finger, and the keys are backlit for use in low lighting conditions. The compact size of this new keyboard (150 x 90mm) also means that it can fit into a standard tablet carry bag. 
This new keyboard is available in black or white versions with UK and USA keyboard layouts. Other commonly used keyboard formats will be launched in Q3 2011.