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The Genius Look 313 Media webcam is multifuntion device packing some often used ports in one portable unit. It comes with everything needed to get up and running on both the Mac and PC. The build quality of the unit is quite high, just click on any of the images to get a closer look
The speakers are at each end of the cylinder. The USB, mic, and headphone ports are at the back of the unit. Power is supplied via USB. The speakers have 36mm Neodymium magnet drivers which can handle 2 watts with a frequency response of 20-20KHZ.
The coolest part of the Genius webcam are its directional speakers. Just rotate them to the desired angle. The same is true for the manual focus lens.
Readers will of course note the obvious similarity to Apple's popular iSight camera. There are some advantages the iSight have over the Genius. The iSight has autofocus capabilities and an integrated mic. The Genius has a manual focus lens and a mic port. One big advantage the Genius has over the iSight is the Genius is available, the iSight has been discontinued by Apple :-)
We use the iSight all the time in our teleconference calls via iChat. In our FirstUse report, we'll see how well the Genius performs compared to the iSight. - Wan Chi Lau
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It is often difficult to comprehend "large numbers." When we are presented with a statistics such as "The US replaces over 400,000 cellphones a day", it is difficult for us to visualize that with our mind's eye. Chris Jordan's new series of images exploring the concept of numbers may make it a little easier...and a lot more interesting!
Go here if you want to see some other "large numbers" as represented by physical objects. To really appreciate these images, you have to see them in person.
If you are in NYC, you can see the images at full scale starting June 14th at the Von Lintel Gallery in NYC. Go and be "Wow'ed." - Wan Chi Lau Microsoft offically announced Surface today. Readers will recognize Surface as a more mature form of the multi-touch technology we have talked about in the past.
This is more than just a technology demo... you can actually purchase Surface for around $10K. While that might be out of your price range at present, do remember that the Apple LISA (precursor to the Mac) was the same price when it was first introduced. The price will drop quickly as it catches on. THIS is going to be fun. - Wan Chi Lau |
The first structure we made with the color version of the Zome kit didn't really take advantage of the different colors of the struts. The shape is called a Fullerene or "BuckyBall" after Buckminister Fuller. This structure has a lot of interesting applications in pharmaceutical, architecture, and sports.
To make this structure with Zome, start with the pentagon, add the struts for the ring of hexagons, and repeat until it closes in on itself. We made the structure because we wanted to see the surface pattern of the pentagons and hexagons.
With the model completed, the hexagon/pentagon pattern is visible, but still a little difficult to follow. In order to make it even easier to see, we replaced all of the sides of the pentagons with their "glo" equivalent.
Readers with interest in nanotechnology will undoubtedly know that this shape is creating quite a buzz due to its potential as a drug delivery vehicle. We think it looks cool at any size :-) - Wan Chi Lau
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RainyDayMagazine would like to thank those who served and sacrificed so that all may live in a better world.
We will be back tomorrow. - Wan Chi Lau
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The Canon S100 Digital Elph is our favorite "project camera". It is well designed, well constructed, and readily available. We have been amassing a collection of S100 cameras, both working and non-working units from various sources.
What we've noticed is that even though they are well made, there are some problems common to these digital cameras. The one which has received the most press is the infamous "E18 error."
The E18 error was just the incentive the DIY guys here needed to take one of the units apart to see what made this puppy ticked. Working on a pocket-sized digital camera is similar to working on fine watches. You need the right size tools... it is a good thing we have lots of tools :-)
A good magnifier is a must. We use a flourescent bulb with the magnifying lamp to reduce heat. To track all of the screws, we diagram it on Posted-Notes and tape the screws down onto the diagram. By numbering the notes, we create a convenient way to back track when it comes time to put everything back together.
We'll soon have available a detailed "How-To" on taking apart and putting back together the S100 . The task does require some dexterity and a bit of patience, but it is a DIY project that is both fun and educational. One of our goals is to document the disassembly, repair, and re-assembly of different types of digital cameras. If you have a non-working digital camera you want to donate to the cause, drop us a line. We can always use the parts and we'll be happy to "recycle" it into something useful! - Wan Chi Lau
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Everyone is heading out on the road this Memorial Day Weekend. Not everyone knows how to get to where they want to go. The Harman Kardon Guide+Play GPS is one device which will help both get you there and entertain you once you are there (just in case you need a break from your girlfriend's family gathering of 100 aunts and cousins).
Videos and music may be loaded in the Guide+Play via the SD slot on the top of the unit. The current limit is 4GB. While it is not as much as the iPod, with 2GB card around $10, the limit is not a big deal.
The unit has a built-in speaker, but it is really for use with the GPS' voice guidance feature. For the best sound quality when listening to musics or watching video, there is a headphone jack on the side.
A feature we have yet to try is the "night mode". It is pretty cool looking in the day time and we are eager to see how well it actually works at night. We expect there would be less glare thus less interference with night vision with the display inverted. We'll see ...
The mount for the Guide+Play will let you easily position the unit in the most readable angle. The suction mount will attach to most flat surfaces, but it works best on glass.
Folks here at the office have been using the Guide+Play for a month now. We have one more trip planned using the G+P before the FirstUse writeup scheduled for June. - Wan Chi Lau
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Once in awhile, we come across a device and we think..."Hey, that's smart." Today, we will give you a brief look at a device that had us saying "Hey, that's Genius!" The complete FirstLook will be coming after the Memorial Day break.
Readers who lamented Apple's decision to drop the iSight product may be interested in considering the Genius as an alternative. The form factor is similar to the iSight, but the Genius camera has quite a few additional features (speakers, USB hub, headset socket).
The Genius Multi-function Web camera should be available in the US now. Who knows, maybe you will win one just by being the first to click on something... - Wan Chi Lau
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A few packages showed up at the office this week. Some were bigger than others. The one we have been watching the loading dock for was the eVo 1.1 video projector from LumenLab.
The exciting part is not the 150" projection setup we are building using the LumenLab projector, or the under-$500 price tag of the unit, but the $30 cost of the projector's lamp! As anyone who has ever priced a replacement lamp knows, it can run as much as the price of this projector!
While Eliot is interested in checking out the box, we are eager to set the eVo up and check out the quality of the image. There will be complete RainyDayReview in June. BTW, any guesses as to what are in the other packages? - Wan Chi Lau
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This week's WowUsWednesday entry is from Karen N. After reading about our Zome structures, Karen sent us a link to Richard Sweeney's collection of forms in paper.
We got the color version of the Zome today. While we had fun playing with Glo version, the color kit would make it MUCH easier to visualize and construct the more complicated structures.
To thank Karen for clueing us in on Richard's amazing sculptures, we'll be sending her the Glow-In-The-Dark Zome kit once we are done playing with it. Karen, when you get it, make something cool and send us a pic :-) - Wan Chi Lau
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Innovation is a constant in the technology industry. Everyone knows this. How to handle the changes brought on by innovation? Not many people know. We didn't... until we happened upon a lecture by Clayton Christensen at MIT about six years ago. It was also then when we read his first book, "The Innovator's Dilemma." "The Innovator's Dilemma
Following up "The Innovator's Dilemma" is "The Innovator's Solution If you want to bring new technology to the marketplace, you must read this book. If you are looking over your shoulder at the innovations coming up behind you, you should have already read this book. If you don't have the time to read this book, don't worry... you will when they lay you off. (permalink) - Wan Chi Lau
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Spring is here and we are cleaning our RainyDayMagazine office from top to bottom...whether it needs it or not. And when we clean, we want soaps and cleaners that are effective, but not toxic. That's why we look to our friends at Method.
They just happen to have a whole line of microfiber cloths and cleaners for everything from stainless steel to wood. Why microfiber cloth? They have their reasons.
Method also make cleansers for softer surfaces. Their new line of body products is called "bloq". As with all Method products, they clean great, don't contain anything harsh, and are never tested on animals... unless you count the staff here.
We had reviewed the AromaPill last year. The AromaPill is great for cleaning the air, but it does take up an electric outlet. Method's new AromaRing is a scent diffuser that uses "peel and forget" technology.
When we are done testing all these products, we should be one good smelling group. Maybe finally then we'll have more visitors here at the office :-) - Wan Chi Lau
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Last month we took a look at Saitek's optical mouse and gave away a few to lucky readers during the Easter Egg Hunt. This month we are going to check out Saitek's wireless Bluetooth version called Obsidian.
The Saitek Obsidian is a sleek-looking mouse. Along with Obsidian's good looks is a host of advance technology: touch scroller, optical sensors, Li-ion battery, 30' range, 1000 dpi precision. The docking cradle doubles as recharging station.
The Saitek Obsidian is perfect for the totally wireless setup we've been slowly assembling from various vendors (keyboard, mouse, speakers). One problem with all the wireless devices, though, is that each device requires its own Bluetooth dongle. Maybe someday soon, a company will make one dongle which can transmit multiple frequencies. Would that be too much to hope for? - Wan Chi Lau |
The Neuros OSD allows us to easily record movies and shows from any source. We store all of that data on our portable terabyte drives. Sometimes that data need to jump from the world of electronic bits onto some transport medium such as CDs and DVDs. When that happens, the cases we trust to protect our discs are from one company...Slappa.
The new Slappa d2i Hardbody CD storage case are an evolution of the Slappa CD cases we have looked at in the past. The exterior is made of the same xEVA Duro-Shock exterior, is water and heat resistant, and has a tough zipper and pulls. The interior features cargo pockets, velvet lined sleeves, and a cleaning cloth.
What is new with the d2i cases are the removable sleeves via a rail system. Now organizing or moving discs from one case to another is even easier than before. Not having to take the discs out also means less chances of accidentally scratching or damaging them.
Our view is if we are willing to spend the time burning the discs, we are sure going to spend the money to store them in gear that will protect them in the best ways possible. It's your time and your money... spend it wisely :-) - Wan Chi Lau
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Today is our final review in our TrekTech TrekPod series. There were quite a few readers who asked about the magnetic mount. Most of the questions were regarding whether the magnet would affect the digital camera. Some readers were worried that the camera would not stay on the mount. Both of these questions are addressed on the TrekPod's FAQ.
To the readers who worried the camera might fall off, there is an integrated clip which physically locks the camera mount to the magnet on the TrekPod. The clip slides on quickly and can be removed just as easily. The TrekPod comes with two magnetic mounts. The silver mount is for the typical pocket size cameras and the black mount is for the larger, heavier SLRs.
The magnetic mount makes changing cameras quick and easy. This is especially convenient when using the TrekPod out in the field. Another cool feature of the magnetic mount is that it allows the camera is able to rotate while on the tripod. Once you've achieved the angle you want, just attach the clip.
To readers who have been reading this TrekPod series from the beginning, you may have noticed one glaring error and one omission. If you think you know what they are, send us the correction in an email with the subject line "You got it wrong!" or the omission with the subject line "You forgot to..." We'll pick the winners at the end of the month. - Wan Chi Lau The first winner to yesterday's Tom Bihn puzzler is Jonathan B. of Alexandria VA. Congrats! We'll be sending the prizes out this Saturday. There is still time to enter the second drawing!
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We don't know how the folks at Tom Bihn do it, but they keep coming up with gear that is just amazing. This latest briefcase slash computer bag is no exception. The FirstLook review is coming, but we thought we would give away some more stuff today instead.
Want to win some Tom Bihn gear? Go to their site, find the name of this bag and how many pockets it has (hint...you can always ASK the Tom Bihn folks). Send us your answer in an email with the subject line "Bag It Up!" We'll give away one of the colored accessory bags to the first reader with the correct answer, and then randomly pick another winner at the end of the week. - Wan Chi Lau Michael C of Baltimore was our winner in the second part of the May Puzzler. He was the first to answer correctly the question posted here. The "black" one is for use with heavier devices.
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Before we used the NeurosOSD, the enclosed notification recommended we upgrade the firmware immediately. Since we always do as we are told, we upgraded.
The basics steps are: download the file to an SD card, put the card into the NeurosOSD, and follow the on screen directions. The package will copy, unpack, and install itself to the appropriate places.
The process was quick and simple. Anyone with basic computer skills would have no problems following the procedure. The entire process took about five minutes or so and worked as expected. If the unit was connected to a network, there is a setting to enable the device to automatically update itself. It can't get much simplier than that.
Recording movies for different devices are just as easy. Select the appropriate device and all of the device-specific parameters will be automatically set. If your device is not on the list, it will likely be supported in the future...ah, the power of OpenSource! Next up in this review series are the results of our first experience using the OSD to record something. To all the readers asking what crazy things we are going to try with the NeuroOSD, no worries...we have been thinking about that. The only things we are going to reveal now are the following: DraganFlyer, on-board camera, streaming video: -) - Wan Chi Lau
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The TrekPod is a great mobile tripod. To make it even more versatile, Trek Tech offers an accessory called the VersaMount. The clip on camera mount has the same proprietary magnetic mount, but is designed to clip on anywhere along the post of the TrekPod.
The VersaMount attaches quickly and is secured by a thumb screw. Combined with the multi-angled ability of the head, just about any camera position can be quickly achieved.
With the VersaMount, it will be much easier to set up and get those ground level closeup shots. - Wan Chi Lau BTW, the second May Puzzler clue has been posted. To find it, go back in time...yes, that would be a hint :-) If you know the answer, send it to us with the subject line " I know the difference".
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The AV guys at RainyDayMagazine are constantly rearranging the gear in the media room. When the Neuro OSD showed up at the office, it was just the "incentive" they needed to totally reorganize their setup.
Some of our other editors were not enthusiastic about having to hear yet another "water flowing through a pipe" explanation of how things were now connected.
However, with gear such as the Neuros OSD, managing the content (DVD, MP3s, JPEGS, etc...) may actually get simpler, as least from the perspective of recording and playing them on different devices. For the next few days, we'll walk you through the features of the device: its setup, firmware updates, and basic capabilities.
One major difference between the Neuros OSD and other similar gear is that the "OS" in OSD means OpenSource. If you want to find out why you should be excited about that, check out Neuros' site. Come back tomorrow, we'll have more on the OSD! - Wan Chi Lau Tonight is another new episode of our favorite TV series "Heros." We first mentioned this show last October. The crew here have been glued to the series ever since. If you have never seen it or have missed an episode, go catch up here.
We applaud NBC for pushing the new media experiment by making every episode available for watching online. Now if only we had something which would let us digitally record these episodes so we can watch it on our iPod ...hmmm. - Wan Chi Lau |
Readers who went and checked out TrekTech's site have noticed the T'Pod has a big brother called the TrekPod. The TrekPod is both a monopod and a freestanding tripod.
The secret to the TrekPod is the expandable base. It can quickly convert from a walking stick, to a monopod, to a tripod. We had used it in one of our recent outings and it performed exceedly well.
Today, we took it out to the RainyDayGarden to use it for some shots of the blooms. The write-up will be in a few days, but here are some shots of the FirstUse TrekPod setup to tie you readers over until then :-) - Wan Chi Lau The Blue Hills Trailside Museum and Reservation is only a short drive from the RainyDayMagazine office, so we packed up the crew and headed over for a visit a few weeks back.
This Mass Audubon santuary is more than a fun hike (or a hard hike, depending on what you're up for). There are all kinds of events and activities for kids thoughout the year. It is also a sanctuary for injured and recovering wildlife of all kinds.
When we were there, we got to see a Snowy owl, a Red Tail hawk, and a fawn...all of whom had sustained some kind of injury. Most are permanent residents of the Museum because even though they have recovered from their initial injury, they would not be able to survive in the wild (one of the Red Tail Hawks had been blinded in one eye, for instance).
The Blue Hills Reservation trails offers all kinds of things to find and see. Not all are furry or feathery, but they are all interesting if you take the time to look. - Wan Chi Lau |
It is good to hear from readers who tell us that they learn things first on RainyDayMagazine before anywhere else. Doug M from New York told us he first heard about "Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain" back in March. Bought it, read it, and loved it.
Last week, Doug saw it mentioned in BusinessWeek and asked if we knew we had scooped BusinessWeek. We happened to have an issue in the office and sure enough, there was the review.
Another reader from Rhode Island wrote to ask us whether the "TwitterCam" he saw in Business 2.0 was the same one we had featured back in 2004! David even sent us the magazine just in case we didn't know what he was talking about. Of course, this is not the first time we "scooped" the big boys :-) - Wan Chi Lau Today we are continuing our FirstLook at the T'Pod from TrekTech. The key to T'Pod's versatility is the use of strong magnets for mounting various components. The magnet at the base and the stem allows for various support options.
The magnets are SO strong that when we placed the threaded camera plate on the magnetic base without the camera, we could not remove the plate by hand.
The magnets make setup and teardown of the T'Pod quick and simple. The use of the magnets also mean the stem is free to rotate. The head of the T'Pod is articulated to allow the camera to be held in a variety of angles. If you need to get down low, shoot from a table, or just want a sturdy portable tripod...the T'Pod BTW...the first tripod winner is Trevor H. Trevor found the question and correctly identified the item as the "BottlePod" from July 31, 2006. Nice work! We'll be sending the BottlePod to Trevor this weekend. Keep a sharp eye out for the clue to the next tripod that we plan to give away. It will come in handy when it is dark out. - Wan Chi Lau
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Many of you have asked us what happened to the promised puzzler for May... we fell behind because we were lazy :-) To make up for it, we are opening this month's contest to everyone...including all you past winners who have not sent in photos of you and your prized, and you know who you are! If everything works according to plan, we will have given away all of the tripods in the photo below by the end of May. Today, we are giving one of these tripods to the first reader who sends in the answer to the question. Oh...first you have to find the question :-)
Those of you who heeded our hint back in April will have an advantage ONCE you find the question. Now go find the question and send the answer via email to us ASAP!!! Don't forget to put "May2007 RainyDayPuzzler" in the subject line so we won't accidentally filter it out. - Wan Chi Lau The newest tripod in the bunch is the T'Pod
Its wide base gives it great stability, even when mounted with larger cameras. The metal construction gives it strength. It is highly unlikely that it will fail when being used on the job. A unique magnetic mount makes it extremely convenient to use, especially if you are shooting with multiple cameras.
TrekTech also has a version for field use. The design is especially suited for hiking and other outdoor situations. We'll have more on both units this month. - Wan Chi Lau
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Spring does not last long in the North East. When the weather "wows us," we get out there and enjoy it. 80º temperature in May is perfect for convertibles ... warm enough to have the top down, but not too warm if you are moving.
This was a perfect opportunity to fire up the Harman Kardon Guide+Play GPS, punch in some coordinates, and follow it to a sandy destination.
Some of you may recognize it as Crane Beach. If you are sitting inside today reading this, consider dropping whatever you are doing, going outside and enjoying the day. There will be plenty of time to work when the weather is crappy :-) - Wan Chi Lau
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Wild Planet makes a lot of really cool toys. Our interns have had the pleasure of playing with a bunch of of them in the past. They were so impressed that when they learned that Wild Planet had an entire line of toys for exploring the outdoors called Explorer Ops, they insisted we get them all.
We are not exactly sure what all we got, but every piece looks really cool! Most of them have multiple functions and they all "really work"... at least according to the interns :-)
We have a few eager testers chomping at the bit to "test out" all of this gear. However, they will have to wait until we are done with our FirstLook :-) - Wan Chi Lau
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So many of you have asked to see pics of the "glow-in-the-dark" Zome Hypercube that we decided to post one even though it is a bit grainy.
We tried for quite a while but couldn't figure out a good way to get a good "glow" image in a darkened room. Any suggestions from any of our Pro photography readers? In any case, we have been busy trying our hands at other different 3D constructions. We quickly came to realize why Zome had different colors for their connectors. It would be much easier to see the symmetry at different layers when they are of the same color.
The color version of this construction kit will be coming in a week or two. We will make some of the more complicated structures using the different color connectors. You can then be the judge as to whether it is easier to see the internal symmetry. - Wan Chi Lau
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Somerville had their annual artists open studios event this weekend. We sent our crew out to take a look at what's been happening in Somerville's vibrant art scene. The weekend was so nice that we decided to skip doing any work, so here are some pics of the event, but not many details :-) Ted Beatie is a photographer who started out shooting travel-related photography. Over the years, Ted has gradually migrated to more abstract images, especially from close-ups.
Molly Van Nice is an artist whose work totally blew us away. Looking at Molly's constructions, one gets the sense of being in a museum in a parallel universe where things are just a bit skewed. The installations are at once familiar and extraterrestrial.
There were many artists who work in more traditional ways. We were fortunate and accidentally came upon Jason Aponte's work while looking for someone else. You can see more of his paintings here. We'll have a more complete write-up of the Somerville Open Studio weekend in a day or two. - Wan Chi Lau
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For RainyDayMagazine readers who are close to MIT, join us on Friday, May 4th at 10am on the Barry Astroturf Field for an F-15 Flyover!
The 102nd aircraft were responders to the September 11 attacks on New York City. Their main responsibilities are around-the-clock Combat Air Patrols over the New England/New York area. - Wan Chi Lau
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The convergence of functionality of all our electronic gadgets and devices are inevitable. Apple added calendars, contacts, and games to the iPod Harman Kardon is taking a similar direction new Guide+Play
Most of the GPS units on the market use a touchscreen interface. The Guide+Play is no different. The screen itself has an anti-glare coating. The touch response is very crisp and quick. Contrast and brightness is excellent indoors. We'll see how this unit performs when we use it in the Boxster with the top down :-)
Guide+Play's interface is simple and straightforward. Most of the preference settings are logically grouped, only a level or two deep, and can be quickly accessed without much hunting around. We managed to program a route without cracking the manual. We have not played extensively with music and video capabilities of the Guide+Play, but they seem quite well designed on our first pass look. There is a built in speaker, but the audio quality is obviously much better with headphones.
We will continue the FirstLook review of the Harman Kardon Guide+Play over the course of the month. In the next installment, we'll take a closer look at the various pieces included as part of the package, the device itself, and relay some of our thoughts on the unit after using it for awhile.- Wan Chi Lau
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Some bakers are good at making bread, others are experts at designing wedding cakes, but a few are able to take their craft to a whole new level. We got an email from a reader named Carla with these enclosed images. The only note enclosed with the pics was one word..."cakes."
To Carla... all we cn say is "AWESOME!" - Wan Chi Lau
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Kata Waist Pack (W-92) is the best designed on-location camera bag we have seen to date. This pack has many of the features we would have put into a gadget bag had we designed it ourselves.
The front pouch opens for access directly into the central compartment. On the lip of the front cover is a small zippered section for storing small items (flash cards go great in this space).
There are flat zippered pockets on the side for ID, credit cards, cash, etc... At both ends are pouches for lenses and larger items.
The W-92 is padded using Kata's proprietary Thermo-formed "rib-shape" construction. It is protection without the extra weight. An essential combination for gear on the go.
This part of the FirstLook review is a quick overview of the main features of this bag. We'll have more on this Kata W-92 throughout the month. - Wan Chi Lau
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" is an extremely interesting and eye-opening look at the unexpected paths innovations often take before they become the fixtures they are in our everyday lives. 
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