GoPro HD : GoPro Alaska Expedition

Shot 100% on the HD HERO2® camera from ‪‪http://GoPro.com‬.

GoPro recently partnered with Project Aether on an ambitious expedition to Alaska to conduct science experiments and record the first high quality images of the Aurora Borealis from the edge of space.

Project Aether is a non-profit collaboration between public school teachers and graduate students and is designed to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, explorers and dreamers.

Read more here: http://gopro.com/gopro-alaska-expedition-with-project-aether/

Music
Insightful "Sunlight"
Buy at: http://insightful.bandcamp.com/track/sunlight

The Rise & Fall of Apple

The Rise & Fall of Apple ... with record revenue & profits for the first quarter of 2012 can Apple keep this success going without some game changing innovative products?

Google Unveils Nexus Q Streamer

Nexus Q streams your favorite entertainment directly from the cloud to your living room. Just use the Google Play and YouTube apps on your Android phone or tablet to surf an ocean of music, TV, movies and music, and Nexus Q will play it all on the biggest speakers and screen in the house. There are no downloads, no syncing, no running out of space. Just the stuff you love -- at home and out loud.

Google Nexus 7 Tablet Outed

Google were just about to start their Google IO 2012 Keynote and they outed their new Nexus 7 tablet early. Here it is.

Google I/O 2012 Live

Today sees the Google I/O 2012 Keynote address kicking off at Moscone West where we should see the latest version of Google Android aka JellyBean revealed. The event may also hold a surprise announcement of a new 7-inch Nexus Tablet. The event is being streamed live, so come back here at the times below to watch things unfold.

Pacific – 9:30 AM
Mountain – 10:30 AM
Central – 11:30 AM
Eastern – 12:30 PM
London – 5:30 PM
Tokyo – 1:30 AM (June 28)
Sydney – 2:30 AM (June 28)

10 Amazing Pet Gadgets that will Blow you Away

Here is a list of the top 10 gadgets for pet owners.

1. Global pet monitor

This device is a small collar-mounted piece of technology that utilises GPS software that not only keeps track of your pet’s whereabouts from your mobile phone, but also helps to deliver information such as health monitoring, activity level and external temperature.

2. Cat DJ scratching deck

Yes, you read correctly. This hilarious cat ‘scratching pad’ designed by Suck UK is a novelty item DJ turntable deck that comes with a carpet textured record that spins as your cat paws at it – ingenious.

3. Frobo pet bowl

Another great gadget, this bowl is specially designed to give your pet access to chilled water for up to eight hours. This product is great for long car journeys or if you’re used to preparing ice cubes to melt in your dog’s water bowl whilst you’re at work.

4. Electronic Nail file

Few dogs enjoy their nails being trimmed. This gadget is a lightweight, hand-held battery operated nail file for pets with long claws. It works by removing the thinner layers of your pet’s nails to leave a smooth and nicely finished result. Be careful with Frodo’s nails or you may need to consider some cheap RSPCA pet insurance as well.

5. Pawz dog boots

Reusable, waterproof and disposable, this range of dog boots are every dog owner’s must have item. Think of all the times you’ve walked your dog after it’s rained and the mud gets right into your dog’s paws and pads? These dog boots are your answer.

6. Video camera for pets

It’s a simple small camera device that attaches to your dog or cat’s neck so that as they wander around the house while you’re at work, you’re able to log online and see what they’re up to (or what they’re seeing).

7. Frolicat Bolt

This amusing gadget is an interactive toy for your cat or small dog. It’s a small tower device that shines a laser that moves randomly in many different directions, so that your cat or dog can chase it for hours and exercise while it plays.

8. A dog treadmill

Treadmills are proving very popular in the world of dog exercise. Think of all the time you’ll save being able to exercise your dog at home (but you’d better join a gym yourself to compensate). A treadmill will be easier on your dog’s joints instead of the hard tread of the streets.  It’s a known fact that well exercised dogs have less behaviour problems.

9. Glofish

Glofish are a novelty themselves. Bred originally to help scientists detect environmental pollutants, these little fish are fluorescent and retain their glow all times of the day. Imagine how cool they’d look in a tank with a black backdrop?

10. A laminating dog leash

While retractable dog leashes are great for allowing your dog a controlled amount of freedom to roam as they’re walked, imagine a retractable lead with a built-in torch for those long walks at night? At least you can see where Rover’s wandered off to.

[Sponsored Article]

Drobo 5D & Drobo Mini Launched with Thunderbolt Goodness

Drobo, maker of award-winning data storage products for businesses and professionals, today announced a wide range of industry-firsts with innovations in a new generation of storage devices for personal and professional users.  The Drobo 5D and Drobo Mini – the world’s smallest and most portable full-featured storage array - are designed to accelerate workflows for creative professionals managing data-intensive files; home media enthusiasts looking to consolidate and accelerate video, photo, and music files; and small businesses that need fast, portable backup to protect large amounts of data. Drobo, widely recognized as the maker of the easiest-to-use storage device, has added advanced performance to the new systems with Thunderbolt, USB 3.0, automated SSD acceleration and greatly enhanced hardware and software architectures. 

“In my 30 years covering the technology industry, I have not seen something as portable, scalable and powerful as the Drobo Mini,” said Rob Enderle, principal analyst for The Enderle Group. “The SMB and prosumer market is clamoring for a plug-and-play storage product because it lacks the technical expertise and resources to manage complex storage systems.  With the new Drobo products, there is no question that this enigma is solved.”   

New Era of Performance and Flexibility

Both the Drobo 5D and Drobo Mini include industry-first SSD acceleration – utilizing the performance benefits of solid state drives (SSDs) and the capacity benefits of hard disk drives (HDDs) to deliver an automated, no-compromise system.  In addition to supporting SSDs in any of their drive bays, both units include an additional bay that will accommodate a small-form-factor SSD to achieve significant performance boosts while making all drive bays available for high-capacity HDDs.  

The products also support both lightning-fast Thunderbolt (2 ports) and USB 3.0 connectivity, an industry first for storage arrays, that will provide flexibility to both Mac and Windows users.  The two Thunderbolt ports allow customers to easily daisy-chain devices to accommodate massive growth, and the USB 3.0 port ensures compatibility to millions of USB systems. 

Along with SSD acceleration and Thunderbolt / USB 3.0 interfaces, the new Drobo products have been completely redesigned from the ground up with new hardware and software architectures. These enhancements provide a significant increase in processing capability and several optimizations to BeyondRAID™ that will increase baseline performance by at least five times – prior to the addition of SSDs – easily making the new Drobo 5D and Drobo Mini the fastest storage arrays in their class.

Save and Protect

All Drobos are based on patented BeyondRAID technology, which automates sophisticated data-protection algorithms so users can enjoy the peace-of-mind of safe data protection without having to be a storage expert. The new Drobo arrays add an advanced safety feature that also protects user data during and after power outages, another industry-first for professional storage and a feature that has traditionally been reserved for more expensive, enterprise-grade storage.  

“Our customers love Drobo’s ease of use, but they want it all – the easiest, the fastest, the safest for their data, plus the smallest and quietest,” said Tom Buiocchi, Drobo CEO.  “That’s why we're here – our new Drobos will deliver on our promise of the best storage experience ever.”

Drobo 5D: Capacity and Speed with No Compromise

The Drobo 5D is the most modern and complete storage system for creative professionals including photographers, videographers, graphic designers and individuals creating and working with large amounts of rich media. In particular, professionals who are power users of Adobe and Apple applications including After Effects, Aperture, Final Cut Pro, Lightroom, Photoshop and Premier Pro are a great fit for the new product, which is ideal for editing, storing catalogs and backing up files of all types. 

With up to five drives with an additional SSD bay, the 5D can support up to 16 terabytes of protected, SSD-accelerated data.  This is the equivalent of 32 million photographs, 4 million songs, 1 million HD movies, or 48 hours of uncompressed HD video – all accessible through lightning-fast Thunderbolt or USB 3.0 interfaces.

Drobo Mini: The Smallest, Most Powerful Storage Array

Drobo Mini is a technical marvel that redefines personal, professional, and portable digital storage.  It combines a unique blend of the most advanced storage technologies with unrivaled ease-of-use, all in a sleek, world’s-smallest package, measuring seven inches square by less than two inches tall and weighing less than three pounds.  Drobo invented a patent-pending “carrierless” design, which allows up to four 2.5” drives to be easily inserted into a Drobo Mini without the need for any additional drive carriers or screws. The benefit to the customer is not only the ease of drive insertion and removal, but also flexibility; because the design accommodates a common industry drive size, customers are free to choose the drive vendor, type (HDD or SSD), capacity, speed and price that best meets their needs. 

Since the Drobo Mini is portable, it features a ruggedized design that allows users to transport it with drives inside. In addition to being the first Drobo to offer this capability, the Drobo Mini features a custom miniature power supply and an optional carrying case, making it the ideal storage for professionals who travel extensively.

“I will shoot thousands of images per day at the Olympics, and having fast, protected storage is critical to my workflow,” said Jeff Cable, one of the few photographers representing Team USA at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. “The new Drobo Mini provides Thunderbolt performance and RAID protection in a compact package that is not much larger than a single external drive. I can’t wait to get my hands on one.”

Additional Resources

Visit www.drobo.com/5D or www.drobo.com/mini to learn more about the new products. Ordering and availability information will be announced in July.  Pricing – including a Thunderbolt cable – is expected to start at under $650.

Here at Geekanoids we are super excited about these new products, expect to see reviews on the Geekanoids Channel in due course.

New Headphones from Harman Kardon

13th June 2012: London, United Kingdom – HARMAN International Industries announces the availability of a new line of Harman Kardon®headphones that deliver a performance destined to impress music lovers and long-time fans of the innovative and legendary audio brand. The Harman Kardon headphones range includes four options: two sound-isolating in-ear models tailored specifically for iPhone use, one on-ear model and one over-ear wireless Bluetooth® model – for music lovers seeking a refined industrial design true to Harman Kardon’s rich acoustical heritage. Harman Kardon will follow the launch by adding a noise-cancelling on-ear model in August 2012.

 

Harman Kardon, which introduced the world’s first stereo receiver in 1958, is synonymous with beautiful sound and attractive design. Pulling from a heritage of acoustic innovation, the Harman Kardon headphones incorporate optimized drivers that produce accurate bass even at low volumes, whereas many competing models today artificially exaggerate bass or treble. The distinctive rectangular shape of the in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones mirrors the back case of an iPhone, highlighting a design meant to pair with an iPhone, iPad or iPod.

 

“These headphones are enhanced by several audio technologies developed by HARMAN yet also reflect the brand’s commitment to innovative industrial design,” said Dinesh Paliwal, chairman, president and CEO of HARMAN. “People who truly appreciate beautiful sound – whether it is on the go or in the living room – should not compromise when it comes to performance. These refined and distinctive headphones are built with the precision that has always defined Harman Kardon’s high-fidelity products.”

 

The headphones share several distinguishing features:

 

• The two on-ear/over-ear models are framed by a lightweight sand-blasted steel outer band that comes in two sizes so users can create the correct fit, while a leather inner band rests on the wearer’s head for comfort. Steel hinges accentuate the rugged feel of the headphone frame, which does not include plastic. Leather ear pads float in an enclosed steel frame, with only soft leather touching the listener’s ears. The detachable ear pads are connected by industrial-strength magnets to remove for cleaning or replacement. The headphones include 40mm drivers and have detachable cables. The headphones fold flat to slip easily into a briefcase or bag, a storage feature that will appeal to travellers. Each model includes a premium carrying case.

 

• Both in-ear styles were designed for passive noise cancellation so users clearly hear music and other audio content at lower volume levels – healthier for the ears. Multiple earphone sleeve options allow users to find the right fit while blocking exterior noise from disturbing the clarity of the audio content. Each model includes a three-button Apple-specified remote to make and receive phone calls while controlling volume and playback features.

 

Details of the four headphone models include:

• The in-ear model NI (£89.95) features 9mm drivers to provide a wide-dynamic range and high sound-pressure levels. This ultra-light model has a rectangular black housing – shaped like the back of an iPhone – and a three-button remote with a built-in microphone for calls. Three sizes of silicone sleeves offer a comfortable fit and noise isolation.

• The in-ear model AE (£129.95) acoustically enhanced headphones isolate noise and are enclosed by a silver-toned aluminium casing for superior acoustic dampening to provide true low-frequency reproduction. The headphones include premium 9mm drivers optimized to work with the metal housing to deliver an extended bass response. A three-button remote with a built-in microphone is included, while a Comply™ foam sleeve is offered along with three sizes of silicone sleeves.

• The on-ear model CL (£169.95) are defined by precision with metal hinges, a sand-blasted metal finish and rectangular ear cups that reflect the iPhone’s iconic design. The 40mm drivers are uniquely baffled to create an air flow that extends the low frequencies – bass – better than other models in their class. The detachable cables feature highly finished metal connectors, while the cables are made of a tightly woven fabric to enhance feel as well as durability and flexibility.

• The over-ear model BT (£219.95) Bluetooth headphones include an integrated microphone so users don’t have to remove them for a call. Built-in playback buttons sit along the side of one ear cup for easy music controls. These high-performance wireless headphones are charged via the included USB cable, but also work in passive mode. That means if the battery – which lasts 12 hours – is dead, users can attach the fabric-covered headphone cable for wired playback from an iPhone, iPod or iPad. Competitive Bluetoothheadphones do not offer passive playback.

Canon unveils the new EOS 650D – get in touch with your creative side

United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 8th June 2012 – Canon UK & Ireland today launch the EOS 650D – a new, easy-to-use Digital SLR (DSLR) that offers high image quality and simple touch-screen operation, allowing anyone to capture beautiful images and Full HD movies. Ideal for photography beginners, the EOS 650D combines intelligent automatic shooting modes with a range of advanced features – making it easy-to-use today, with a full range of manual modes to explore tomorrow.

The EOS 650D is the first-ever EOS to feature a dual AF system, which ensures exceptional detail in stills and continuous autofocus tracking when shooting movies. At the camera’s heart is an 18 megapixel (MP) Hybrid CMOS sensor and powerful DIGIC 5 processing, enabling the capture of sharp, full resolution images at up to 5 frames per second (fps). A Vari-angle capacitive touch-screen also makes camera operation quick and easy, providing instant access to an extensive range of settings and scene modes. 

Outstanding quality in all conditions 

The EOS 650D offers outstanding image quality and performance. Its newly-developed 18MP APS-C Hybrid CMOS sensor provides super-fine resolution, capturing poster-sized images that are rich in colour and detail. Ideal for shooting in low light without flash, the camera features a native 100-12,800 ISO range, allowing the capture of natural-looking shots with minimal noise, while an expanded ISO 25,600 range also offers the ability to shoot in more extreme low-light conditions. 

The EOS 650D is the first entry-level EOS to be powered by Canon DIGIC 5 processing, offering greater speed, responsiveness and advanced colour rendition. DIGIC 5’s 14-bit image processing provides beautiful and subtle transitions between colour tones, such as those of an evening sky, and its vastly-increased power also makes the camera ideal for capturing fast-moving action such as football or other sports. 

The new dual AF system makes it easy to capture sharply-focused shots of all subjects, whether capturing stills or movies. A superior 9-point all cross-type AF system provides exceptional performance during stills shooting, offering precision accuracy when capturing sports, action and wildlife. Additionally, a new Hybrid AF System offers continuous autofocusing during movie recording, and when shooting in Live View¹ mode. 

Touch control and Vari-angle flexibility 

Getting the perfect shot has never been easier thanks to the new 

7.7cm (3.0”) Vari-angle Clear View LCD II Touch screen. Featuring capacitive technology, the screen is highly responsive and supports a variety of multi-touch gestures, such as pinching and swiping – making it easy to access shooting modes, alter settings and even capture a shot using the screen alone. 

Touch control adds a different dimension to Live View shooting. You can select AF points, track faces and objects, and fine-tune image settings via the camera’s Quick Control screen. Navigation is instant and intuitive, while pinch-zooming in playback provides a great way to check the finer details of a shot. The Vari-angle hinge allows the screen to be angled and tilted to suit virtually any situation, while a super-sharp 1,040k-dot resolution ensures every detail is clearly displayed. 

EOS Movie: Enhanced with Continuous AF 

The EOS 650D makes it easy for anyone to shoot Full HD (1920x1080p) videos. Thanks to Hybrid AF, users can focus exclusively on story-telling while the camera continuously tracks the subject. New EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lenses are also ideal for shooting videos, utilising a virtually-silent stepper motor to ensure movies are smoother and clearer than ever. 

With Video Snapshot mode, anyone can create fun, fast-paced videos with a professionally-edited feel. Snapshots can be recorded in two, four, or eight second segments, and then combined or reordered in-camera ahead of playback. An integrated mini-HDMI port also makes it easy to share the results on any HDTV. 

EOS 650D – key features

• 18 MP APS-C Hybrid CMOS sensor 

• Full-HD movies with manual controls and continuous AF 

• 5 fps continuous shooting 

• Vari-angle Clear View LCD II Touch screen 

• ISO 100-12,800 sensitivity, extendable to ISO 25,600 

• 9-point wide-area AF 

• Integrated Speedlite Transmitter

Pricing and Availability 

The EOS 650D body is available from 15th June 2012, priced at £699.99/€839.99 RRP incl. VAT. 

The EOS 650D + EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II is available from 15th June 2012, priced at £799.99/€949.99 RRP incl. VAT. 

The EOS 650D + EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM is available from July 2012, priced at £1019.99/€1219.99 RRP incl. VAT.

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and EF 40mm f/2.8 STM

United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 8th June 2012 – Canon UK & Ireland today unveils two new compact, lightweight lenses - the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and EF 40mm f/2.8 STM. Showcasing a number of new features, including continuous autofocus in Movie mode, both models offer superior image quality and enhanced flexibility to enable photographers of all skill levels to capture both stills and movies of practically any subject.

Fast, accurate autofocus for film-makers and photographers 
As well as offering full-time manual focus controls when shooting stills, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and EF 40mm f/2.8 STM are both also ideal for aspiring movie makers, allowing them to focus more accurately during shooting. The perfect companion lenses to the new EOS 650D, both models feature new stepper motor technology (STM), enabling fast, continuous focus when recording moving subjects - ensuring movies will be smoother and clearer than ever before.

Offering enhanced AF performance with high-speed, high-precision focusing, the two new lenses make it easy for photographers to capture more spontaneous shots, with exceptional detail and clarity. This is particularly useful for documentary, action or travel photography. With a minimum focusing distance of 0.39m and 0.3m respectively, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and EF 40mm f/2.8 STM allow you to get even closer to the action whilst keeping the subject in perfect focus.

EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM – versatile, high-performance zoom

Offering a focal range of 18–135mm, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM has been created to offer photographers a compact, versatile zoom lens which can be used to capture a variety of subjects, from portraits to landscapes and action shots. Ensuring high-quality stills at slow shutter speeds, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM features an intelligent optical Image Stabilizer which offers a 4-stop advantage over non-IS models. The lens will also sense whether the photographer is shooting normally or panning, engaging the most appropriate IS mode to capture the best possible image. When shooting movies, Dynamic IS automatically engages, countering any shake caused by the videographer’s movement to produce smooth, stable footage. 

For subtle background blur when exploring shallow depths of field in stills and movies, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM features a circular aperture with an Electro Magnetic Diaphragm (EMD) which permits highly-accurate control over aperture settings. High image quality is also assured throughout the zoom range thanks to four groups of lens elements including one Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) and one Precision Molded Optics (PMo) element to counter chromatic aberration. Canon’s optimised Super spectra coatings on each lens element also reduce ghosting and flare, ensuring images require minimal post-processing.

EF 40mm f/2.8 STM – super-slim, high image quality

The EF 40mm f/2.8 STM is Canon’s first EF pancake lens with a fixed focal length of 40mm and wide f/2.8 aperture, making it ideal for photographers who want a versatile, compact and lightweight lens for portrait, reportage, travel or landscape situations. Precision control over the circular, seven-blade aperture is enabled by the EMD, producing a beautiful bokeh effect and an aspheric lens with Super spectra coatings ensures optimal image quality from the centre of the lens to the periphery for stunning shots of practically any subject.

EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM – key features

• Versatile 18-135mm zoom range – perfect for travel 
• Smooth, quiet STM focusing when shooting movies on compatible cameras 
• Dynamic Image Stabilizer for smooth movie footage 
• Fast autofocus with full-time manual override 
• Minimum focusing distance of 0.39m 

EF 40mm f/2.8 STM – key features

• Portable pancake design 
• Smooth, quiet STM focusing when shooting movies on compatible cameras 
• Fast f/2.8 maximum aperture for low-light shooting 
• Close focus to 0.3m 
• Fast, quiet AF for pin-sharp results 
• Great image quality right across the frame 

Pricing and Availability

The EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM is available from July 2012, priced at £479.99/€569.99 RRP incl. VAT. 

The EF 40mm f/2.8 STM is available from 15th June 2012, priced at £229.99/€279.99 RRP incl. VAT.

Canon Launch the EOS 650D

Canon have finally made the EOS 650D official, along with a couple of new lenses. The 650D does not replace the 600D, instead sitting just above it as a new model and just below the 60D. On offer is the same 18 megapixel stills, but on a new sensor that has phase detect added to it.
This is very exciting as phase detect allows for continuous autofocus during video capture. The sensor uses phase detect for the initial focus acquisition, then switches to the standard contrast detection to pull everything into pin sharp focus. All sounds very exciting.

This coupled with the news lenses, a 40mm and an 18-135mm, sounds very appealing. These two new lenses are stamped with an STM monicker, which means that have a stepping motor. In laymans terms this allows the lens to smoothly transition between focus points, rather than jump to focus. This should eliminate that awful hunting that we see on the current lineup of Nikon DSLR cameras and other brand compacts. Only time will tell if and how well it works, but it certainly sounds like Canon have done their homework.

On top of all this the 650D gets a new capactivie touch screen, a dedicated video switch and some nice auto-secene modes and filter effects thrown in for good measure.

Check out this first look from What Digital Camera.

And an overview from TechCentury.

Is this the New Apple iPhone 5

Exciting news or somebody pulling a fast one? With over one million views this could be a key component of the Apple iPhone 5. If this is the new back plate, it looks very cool indeed and to my eyes certainly looks genuine. The only thing that detracts from this is the naration. [source etradesupply]