Apple updates YouTube details
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Apple UK finally updated what went on their US website pretty quickly. Finally, the YouTube announcement goes online, showing the interface change and the June timeframe, which could mean the end of June. I quite like the idea of YouTube content, as I find myself viewing something specific, then having a quick browse, it all adds up to be some good entertainment. Only one small problem, what about the videos unsuitable for kids? hmmmmmmmLabels: Apple News
Lacie Launch 2TB Ethernet Big Disk
Lacie have made a new larger capacity Ethernet Big Disk available for purchase. In its new 2TB, yes, you read that right 2 terrabyte form, the drive is in stock at £669. Having been a long time Mac user, I have always liked Lacie products for their superb build quality, so this new drive is well worth a look. It offers Gigabit ethernet, and full support for Windows, Linux and Mac platforms. Of note for Mac users, AFP and Bonjour is supported, plus you get a USB2 port for extending the capacity further, or photo sharing with compatible digital cameras. I must admit, I want one.Labels: Mac Peripherals, PC Peripherals
Steve Jobs talks Apple to Walt Mossberg
Another great video from the All Things Digital conference, with Steve Jobs talking to Walt Mossberg… you even get a glimpse of the iPhone, which Steve confirms will ship at the very end of June.
Labels: Apple News
Steve Jobs & Bill Gates Talk at All Things Digital
The All Things Digital (D5) Conference featured some great product announcements, including a slew of new things from Apple. This video (courtesy of D5) is great, with Steve Jobs & Bill Gates answering some very interesting questions from Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher. Enjoy !
Labels: Apple News, General News, PC News
Geekanoids Seeking Tech Writers
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Over the next six months we are looking at developing the Geekanoids website even further, trying to bring an even wider mix of editorial and reviews to our readers. There is only so much my small team can do, so to deliver the quality we want, we need you!
If you have a passion for Apple kit, or a real technology or gadget addiction, and you feel you have the ability to contribute a small amount of time to this website, then please get in touch.
Let us know what you have done previously, maybe link us to some of your previous work. The final requirement would be to submit a small article (something not previously written) about a new piece of kit that has just entered your life.
This is a non-paying gig at the moment, so please take this into consideration before you apply. However, it will attract exposure for your work, along with the love and satisfaction of being able to contribute to Geekanoids. Send your applications via email to geekanoids@gmail.com
Labels: General News
160GB BTO Apple TV on 1st June
Not content with one, two, or three announcements, in a fourth, Apple today also announced that it is offering a new Apple TV build-to-order option with a 160GB hard drive. The new larger hard drive offers four times the storage for up to 200 hours of video, 36,000 songs, 25,000 photos or a combination of each.* Apple TV is easy to connect to a broad range of widescreen TVs and home theater systems and comes standard with HDMI, component video, analog and optical audio ports. Using high-speed AirPort® 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking, Apple TV can auto-sync content from one computer or stream content from up to five additional computers right to a TV without any wires.**Pricing & Availability
Apple TV, which includes the Apple Remote, is available through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. Apple TV has a suggested retail price of £199 (inc. VAT). Apple TV with a 160GB hard drive will be available 1st June for a suggested retail price of £269 (inc. VAT).
Labels: Apple News
YouTube Comes to Apple TV
Apple today announced that it’s bringing the Internet’s most popular originally-created content from YouTube to the living room with Apple TV™. Beginning in mid-June, Apple TV will wirelessly stream videos directly from YouTube and play them on a user’s widescreen TV. Using Apple TV’s elegant interface and simple Apple Remote, viewers can easily browse, find and watch free videos from YouTube in the comfort of their living room.“This is the first time users can easily browse, find and watch YouTube videos right from their living room couch, and it’s really, really fun,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “YouTube is a worldwide sensation, and Apple TV is bringing it directly from the Internet onto the widescreen TV in your living room.”
Thousands of the most current and popular YouTube videos will be available on Apple TV at launch in mid-June, with YouTube adding thousands more each week until the full YouTube catalogue is available this Autumn. With Apple TV’s stunning interface and simple Apple Remote, users can easily navigate through YouTube’s familiar video browsing categories or search for specific videos. YouTube members can also log-in to their YouTube accounts on Apple TV to view and save their favourite videos.
Apple TV seamlessly integrates with iTunes® to wirelessly play a user’s favourite content from a PC or Mac® on their widescreen TV, including movies, TV shows, music, photos and podcasts. Apple TV users can choose from over 500 movies and 350 TV shows in near DVD quality; over five million songs; 5,000 music videos; 100,000 podcasts; and 20,000 audiobooks from the iTunes Store (www.itunes.co.uk). Users can enjoy their favourite music on a home entertainment system and view slideshows of their photo albums on a widescreen TV. Television shows and feature films are available in the US only, and video availability varies by country.
Labels: Apple News
Palm Launches Foleo
Just when you thought things were coming to a quiet end at Palm… well, maybe that is a bit strong, what I really mean is that for Palm to move forward, they needed to do something special. Well, take a look at the Foleo, due this Summer for $499 (UK price TBC), this little device offers web, email, and photos on the move. This new device looks very interesting, with Bluetooth and Wifi built-in. If the 10-inch screen is good and the browser has good support (currently labeled up as Thor), this could be the business person or bloggers best friend. More details when we have them on UK pricing.**UPDATE** Runs under Linux, and the browser is Opera, so looking pretty good. Let's hope the UK pricing stays £299 or under.
Labels: General News
iTunes U - Learn with your iPod
A double whammy of big news, with Apple also announcing the launch of iTunes U, a dedicated area within the iTunes Store (www.itunes.co.uk) featuring free content such as course lectures, language lessons, lab demonstrations, sports highlights and campus tours provided by top US colleges and universities including Stanford University, UC Berkeley, Duke University and MIT.“iTunes U makes it easy for anyone to access amazing educational material from many of the country’s most respected colleges and universities,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes. “Education is a lifelong pursuit and we’re pleased to give everyone the ability to download lectures, speeches and other academic content for free.”
“From its earliest days, Stanford has sought to serve the public by sharing the knowledge generated by our faculty and students,” said Stanford Provost John Etchemendy. “Our partnership with Apple and iTunes U provides a creative and innovative way to engage millions of people with our teaching, learning and research and share the experience of intellectual exploration and discovery that defines our university.”
Created in collaboration with colleges and universities, iTunes U makes it easier than ever to extend learning, explore interests, learn more about a school and stay connected with an alma mater. Content from iTunes can be loaded onto an iPod® with just one click and experienced on-the-go, anytime, making learning from a lecture just as simple as enjoying music.
The iTunes Store features the world’s largest catalogue, adding new education content to over five million songs, 350 television shows and over 500 movies. The iTunes Store has sold over 2.5 billion songs, 50 million TV shows and over two million movies, making it the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store. Television shows and feature films are available in the US only, and video availability varies by country.
Labels: Apple iPod, Apple News
Apple launch iTunes Plus
Apple today launched iTunes Plus—DRM-free music tracks featuring high quality 256 kbps AAC encoding for audio quality virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings—for just 99 pence per song. iTunes Plus is launching with EMI’s digital catalogue of outstanding recordings, including singles and albums from Coldplay, The Rolling Stones, Norah Jones, Frank Sinatra, Joss Stone, Pink Floyd, John Coltrane and more than a dozen of Paul McCartney’s classic albums available on iTunes for the first time.iTunes will continue to offer its entire catalogue, currently over five million songs, in the same versions as today—128 kbps AAC encoding with DRM—at the same price of 79 pence per song, alongside the higher quality iTunes Plus versions when available. In addition, iTunes customers can now easily upgrade their library of previously purchased EMI content to iTunes Plus tracks for just 20 pence a song and £2.00 for most albums.
“Our customers are very excited about the freedom and amazing sound quality of iTunes Plus,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We expect more than half of the songs on iTunes will be offered in iTunes Plus versions by the end of this year.”
“This is a tremendous milestone for digital music,” said Eric Nicoli, CEO of EMI Group. “Consumers are going to love listening to higher quality iTunes Plus tracks from their favourite EMI artists with no usage restrictions.”
With the release of iTunes Plus, customers can now download tracks from their favourite EMI artists without limitations on the type of music player or number of computers that purchased songs can be played on. iTunes is also offering customers a simple, one-click option to easily upgrade their library of previously purchased EMI content to the iTunes Plus versions. EMI music videos are now also available in iTunes Plus versions with no change in price. iTunes Plus songs purchased from the iTunes Store will play on all iPods, Mac® or Windows computers, widescreen TVs with Apple TV™ and soon iPhones, as well as many other digital music players.
The iTunes Store features the world’s largest catalogue with over five million songs, 350 television shows and over 500 movies. The iTunes Store has sold over 2.5 billion songs, 50 million TV shows and over two million movies, making it the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store. Television shows and feature films are available in the US only, and video availability varies by country.
With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as integrated podcasting support, iMix playlist sharing, seamless integration with iPod® and the ability to turn previously purchased songs into completed albums at a reduced price, the iTunes Store is the best way for PC and Mac users to legally discover, purchase and download music and video online.
Labels: Apple iPod, Apple News
Firefox Reaches 25%
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
People are switching to Firefox fast as ever, while IE's share drops every day!via w3counter.com read more | digg story
Labels: General News
Video of the Intel Metro Laptop
Friends at AeroXperience got this great video of Intel's ultra-ultra-ultra thin concept laptop, the Metro, with lots of footage of the e-ink lid display in action. My opinion "Nice looking laptop, shame about the Vista, shame about the external e-ink display."via gizmodo.com read more | digg story
Labels: PC News
Pandora Will Launch Wifi Internet Radio Device
Pandora made a pre-announcement of an upcoming Wifi music player to be built by SanDisk and powered by Zing. The working prototype that CTO Tom Conrad demo’d tonight was physically similar to the Sansa Connect device launched last month with Yahoo, although it was slightly longer and thinner. Pictures included.via techcrunch read more | digg story
Labels: Music Technology
Cinemas use night goggles to nab pirates
Malaysian cinemas have found a powerful new weapon in their fight against movie pirates -- military-style night-vision goggles. After showing people to their seats, trained ushers are strapping on the goggles and scanning darkened cinemas around the country to spot anyone trying to make illegal copies of movies...via Reuters read more | digg story
Labels: General News
ModBook Shipping Soon
I covered the ModBook details when they were originally announced. This encouraging update came to my attention on the engadget website.Apple needs to create an ultra-portable like this! Maybe with Multi-touch?
via engadget read more | digg story
Labels: Apple News
First Review: $499 BoxTV Home Theater Projector
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Can you really get a good home theater projector for $499? That's the promise of the BoxTV Home Theater Projector, a 640x480 LCD unit that we've seen advertised in some places on the Web for $349. Hey, that's cheaper than a replacement bulb on most other home theater projectors.via gizmodo.com read more | digg story
Labels: General News
Apple’s Lesson for Sony’s Stores: Just Connect
RETAIL is supposed to be hard. Apple has made it seem ridiculously easy. And yet it must be harder than it appears, or why hasn’t the Windows side of the personal computer business figured it out?via nytimes.com read more | digg story
Labels: General News
Belkin Wireless G Print Server Review
Saturday, May 26, 2007
The Wireless G All-in-One Print Server at first glance looks like a very useful offering from Belkin. The ability to plug in any USB printer, even one with a scanner built-in and use it on a wireless network seems like a real boon. I just hope that this product lives up to expectations, where so many other offerings seem to fall over themselves at the first or second hurdle.The unit itself is very compact and comes supplied with everything you need, except a USB cable (which you should have for your printer anyway). The install CD is really easy to use and allows you to set up the little unit, in my case, under 10 minutes did the job. After running the install CD, configuring the print server and wireless setting, it was connected to my wireless network. I installed my Epson R1800 printer drivers, attached it to the print server and voila, I could print to the R1800 over my wireless network.
Because you install the standard printer drivers, all the usual options you would expect to see if hard-wired are available. And, although I was testing this with a standard inkjet printer, it is claimed (and I have no doubts) to work with multi-function devices, supporting both scanning and faxing, in addition to printing.
In addition to printing wirelessly, which is absolutely fantastic, the unit also sports a memory buffer. This frees up your computer a lot quicker, as queueing is handled by the print server, rather than in your computer's memory.
So, all in all, I was impressed. For such a small price you get fast wireless printing, ease of set-up, all in a very neat package. Well done Belkin, this product certainly gets my vote.
Product: Wireless G All-in-One Print Server
Price: £59.99
Supplied by: Belkin UK
Contact: +44 (0)1933 35 2000
Labels: PC Peripherals, Reviews
Bamboo Tablet from Wacom
Friday, May 25, 2007
Wacom have released a rather natty graphics tablet for the masses, called Bamboo. This new tablet can be yours for under £70 in the UK and offers a good resolution, 512 levels of pressure sensitivity, and a new scroll type area for zooming in and out of images. It also features express buttons for assigning shortcuts. Check out the full review here soon.**UPDATE** Good news, our Bamboo review unit is winging its way to us now, so expect to see a review by Mid-June.
Labels: Design
Mobile post with Sony K810i
Thursday, May 24, 2007
This photo was taken with the Sony Ericsson K810i and uploaded via its Photo Blogging feature. I was very keen to try this out and I may well use it in the future when reporting from some events.
Labels: Digital Photography, Mobile Phones
Upcoming - Traps Drums Review
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
We love bringing you alternative reviews here on Geekanoids. When we last reviewed the Roland HPD-10 the feedback we got was phenomenal, with literally hundreds of emails coming in. It is always nice to step away from the screen, do something a little energetic, whilst still keeping that creative edge.I am very excited to let you all know about the forthcoming review of Traps Drums A400 Drum Kit. This leading edge technology allows the A400 kit to deliver big drum sound in a flat compact package. Never having tried this type of drum before I really cannot wait to bring you the lowdown. Expect to see a review here around mid-June, in the meantime check out the Traps Drums website.
Labels: Music Technology
Commodore to return with Gaming PC's
I grew up with Commodore computers, some 25 years ago I had a Commodore 64, simply awesome in its day. Yes, I admit I was torn between Atari and Commodore, but the Amiga then led the way to my Desktop Publishing exposure, owning both an A1200 and A1500, before switching over to the Mac…Well, Commodore are back, launching with an interesting array of custom painted gaming PC's with a pretty good spec. Quad core processors, 4GB RAM, dual NVidia GeForce 8800 graphic cards, and a custom C-kin paint job, things look really promising. Check out the website here.
Labels: PC News
USB Mini Fridge keeps the dorks cool
We know you've been waiting for it. Now finally, Brando brings you the $33 USB Mini Fridge. Sure, it takes 5 minutes to bring the fridge down to 8.5 degrees centigrade (47 degrees fahrenheit) and it holds just one can. But hey, it's a 5V USB-powered refrigerator dambit and that's worth it at any price. via engadget
read more | digg story
Pre-Paid iPhone Service to be Available?
Screenshots from AT&T's accounting system revealing new account codes for three versions of iPhone sales: - iPhone PostPaid, iPhone PrePaid (Pay As You Go), iPhone Hybrid (Pick Your Plan). via Macrumors.
read more | digg story
The Mac Matrix - Space for one more?
The Mac Matrix comprises of 4 product groups: a desktop for the home user (iMac), a desktop for the professional (Mac Pro), a notebook for the consumer (MacBook) and a notebook for the professional (MacBook Pro). However, in recent times, the matrix has blurred at some points, and left a gaping hole in others. I want a headless Mac. via mactalk.com.au
read more | digg story
iPod Dock Clock Radio from Philips
Friday, May 18, 2007
Philips have released a nice looking iPod dock with integrated clock radio. The AJ300D/37 may not have the most appealing name, but it certainly looks the part. It sports a dual tuner, gentle wake, sleep timer, and delivers 12 watts of power. It is not yet showing on the UK website, but will retail for $80 in the US.Labels: Apple iPod
iPhone is GO - FCC approved !
You lucky guys in the USA should be seeing the iPhone real soon, as it gets FCC approval, so can now legally be sold. No surpises, but some nice docs for you to peruse here.Labels: Apple News
Apple MacBook Update
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Apple has updated its MacBook® consumer notebooks with faster Intel Core 2 Duo processors, 1GB of memory and larger hard drives in every model. The MacBook is just one-inch thin and features built-in 802.11n wireless networking for up to two and a half times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g.* Every MacBook also includes a built-in iSight® video camera for on-the-go video conferencing, Apple’s MagSafe® Power Adapter that safely disconnects when under strain, and iLife® ‘06, Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications.
"The MacBook is a huge hit with customers, and is one of the reasons that Mac sales are growing three times faster than PC sales," said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "The new MacBook is faster, has even more memory and storage, and is an ideal notebook for customers’ growing library of digital music, photos and movies."
Featuring a gorgeous 13-inch glossy widescreen display, the one-inch thin MacBook comes in three models: sleek white 2.0 GHz and 2.16 GHz MacBook models, and a stunning black 2.16 GHz MacBook model. The MacBook includes a built-in iSight video camera for video chatting on-the-go with friends or family using iChat AV,** recording a video podcast or iMovie® using iLife ‘06, or taking fun snapshots with Photo Booth. Designed for the mobile lifestyle, the MacBook includes Apple’s MagSafe Power Adapter that magnetically connects the power cord to the MacBook and safely disconnects when under strain, and the latest generation of 802.11n wireless networking for up to two and a half times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g.
The MacBook comes with iLife ‘06, the next generation of Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications featuring iPhoto®, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand™ and iWeb™. The MacBook also comes with the latest release of the world’s most advanced operating system, Mac OS® X version 10.4.9 Tiger, including Safari™, Mail, iCal®, iChat AV, Front Row and Photo Booth.
Pricing & Availability
The new MacBook is available immediately through the Apple Store (www.apple.com/uk), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorised Resellers.
The 2.0 GHz, 13-inch white MacBook, for a suggested retail price of £699 (inc. VAT), includes:
• 13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display;
• 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
• 667 MHz front-side bus;
• 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB;
• 80GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
• a slot-load Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) optical drive;
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950;
• Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
• built-in iSight video camera;
• Gigabit Ethernet port;
• built-in AirPort Extreme® 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
• two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire® 400 port;
• one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analogue;
• Scrolling TrackPad;
• the infrared Apple Remote; and
• 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
The 2.16 GHz, 13-inch white MacBook, for a suggested retail price of £829 (inc. VAT), includes:
13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display;
2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
667 MHz front-side bus;
• 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB;
• 120GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950;
• Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
• built-in iSight video camera;
• Gigabit Ethernet port;
• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
• two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port;
• one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analogue;
• Scrolling TrackPad;
• the infrared Apple Remote; and
• 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
The 2.16 GHz, 13-inch black MacBook, for a suggested retail price of £949 (inc. VAT), includes:
• 13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display;
• 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
• 667 MHz front-side bus;
• 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB;
• 160GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950;
• Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
• built-in iSight video camera;
• Gigabit Ethernet port;
• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
• two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port;
• one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analogue;
• Scrolling TrackPad;
• the infrared Apple Remote; and
• 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
Additional build-to-order options for the MacBook include the ability to upgrade to 120GB or 160GB (5400 rpm) or a 200GB (4200 rpm) hard drive, up to 2GB DDR2 SDRAM, Apple USB Modem, Apple Mini-DVI to DVI adapter, Apple Mini-DVI to VGA adapter, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare Protection Plan. Additional build-to-order options also include pre-installed copies of iWork ‘06, Logic Express 7, Final Cut Express HD 3.5 and Aperture 1.5.
Labels: Apple News
Apple Mac Mini Rant
Thursday, May 10, 2007
It has been a long time since I have written an opinion piece on Geekanoids… well this is more of a rant, through pure frustration of wanting to buy a new item from Apple's portfolio.With the WWDC coming up soon, I was really hoping that Apple would not save ALL of its announcements until then. They will be concentrating on the iPhone, which I want, but will have to wait for (being UK based), then I anticipate that the rest of the keynote will cover Leopard, which again I will purchase and install when available.
The recent announcements regarding the inclusion of LED displays in 2007, may well see the announcement of a refreshed MacBook and MacBook Pro, which again will be great, but on a personal note, my MacBook has to do at least another year before being replaced.
What I have really been waiting for is a new Mac Mini, with a Core2Duo chipset, or perhaps a Mini Tower, somewhere in between a Mini and a Pro. It seems a little suspicious to me that Apple have left the Mac Mini dragging its heals. Perhaps you could read into the lack of revision, that we may well see something special happening to the Mini at the WWDC. Then again, we have been here before, expecting big announcements and then in the aftermath of getting nowt, waiting as each week passes, hoping for a Tuesday announcement… so come on Apple, deliver us some small revisions before WWDC, or at least make it a two hour keynote and revise the complete Mac range in one go.
Labels: Opinion
Fuji F31fd Review
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
The Fuji FinePix F31fd is a compact digital camera, that one paper is very big on features. Offering a 6.3 million pixel resolution, face detection technology, up to ISO 3200 and an impressive 2.5-inch LCD screen. With all this boasting of uber-features, and some already great feedback from reviewers and end users, I was very keen to see what all the fuss was and still is about.Out of the box, you get a hand strap, USB and AV cables, for transferring your photos to a computer and the latter for viewing on a larger screen. You also get a CD containing the FinePix Viewer software and ImageMixer VCD2, an owners manual, AC Power Adapter and a lithium-ion battery to power this little baby.
What first struck me, was how solid the F31fd felt. Many digital cameras around this price bracket feel cheap and very light, but the F31fd is very well made and gives the impression that it would take the odd knock. Certainly, the in and out of the pocket, case or handbag (depending on your use) will be no problem.
The 2.5-inch screen on the back of the unit is nice and bright, with nicely saturated colours, and a nice update speed. The screen needs to be good, as there is no optical viewfinder. With this is mind, I would recommend fitting some sort of screen protector to the F31fd, to keep the screen in top condition.
The controls are very well laid out, and switching between scene modes, zooming in and out, in fact all of the navigation is absolutely superb. The zoom is very responsive and the focus on near and distant objects is pretty quick. On some distant objects the F31fd does search a little for focus, but once locked on you are ready to go. It is worth mentioning that no memory card is supplied. You do get 26MB of internal memory, but you really should factor in buying an xD memory card in your budget.
In use we took some macro shots, in which we were able to focus from a very short distance. Fuji quote 5cm which is pretty accurate, though we did manage a little closer than this. We also made use of the high ISO setting in low light situations, but at 3200 there was a lot of noise. ISO 1600 was aceptable, and at 800 things started looking pretty darn good. The face detection technology is pretty neat too. It picks up the iris' of any faces in the picture you are composing, and once it has detected them (maximum of 10), it ensures that each face is correctly focused and exposed. I was impressed with how this works and just how quick it does the job. Face Detection is also present in the S6500fd and Z5fd, so if you take a lot of family snaps, then this could be worth checking out.
In summary, if you are in the market for a nice compact digital camera, that has lots of nice features, that are actually useful in day-to-day use. Add to this the importance of build quality and of course the mega-important image quality, then you cannot go far wrong by adding the Fujifilm F31fd to your shopping basket. I was most impressed by the Face Detection, followed closely by the image and screen quality. The F31fd is certainly going to be missed when it goes back this week, so much so that I may well have to get my credit card out.
**EDIT**
Two images taken with the F31fd. Very nice depth of field control in the rose image, followed by nicely saturated and very accurate colours on the bike.
Product: FinePix F31fd
Price: £229.99
Supplied by: Fujifilm UK
Contact: +44 (0)870 084 1310
Labels: Digital Photography
iPod update Tuesday? Touchscreen?
An unconfirmed tip points to the possibility of an iPod update as early as tomorrow, with a touch-screen iPod taking center stage. The timetable contradicts tips passed on from more reliable sources, which have said not to expect a 6G iPod until later this year at the earliest, but... via thinksecretread more | digg story
Labels: Apple iPod
3 New Mac Ads Released
New Mac ads have been released including "Choose A Vista", "Genius", and "Party Is Over" via apple.comread more | digg story
Labels: Apple News
PC World - 10 Things We Love About Apple
Great design, a polished OS, a way to run Windows, and a faker's blog are just a few of our favorite things. via pcworld.comread more | digg story
Labels: Apple News
Creative Zen Stone - Shuffle the price down
Friday, May 04, 2007
Creative are due to launch the diddy Zen Stone for a paltry £27.99 that gets you a 1GB MP3 player. It is available in six flavours, have a simple navigation control (aka Shuffle), drag and drop your tracks, and upto 10 hours of music playback. We will bring you a review soon.Labels: Music Technology
The Authors
Dave
Dave has been in the graphic design industry for 14 years. Long time reviewer of technology related products, he is Owner/Editor of Geekanoids.
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