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RainyDayMagazine's content can now be licensed for your print magazine or web site. Please contact us directly here. If you want to see something reviewed, then drop us a note with a link and we'll be happy to take a look.
NOTE: Click here to read more about our approach to product reviews. |
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October 31,2012- Trend AirShield Pro... |
Before we fire up the CNC machine, we wanted to have a good system in place for chip collection. To keep the shop clean and safe, we have been researching the different types of collectors: single-stage; two-stage; and two-stage cyclones. Another, some say more important, part of keeping the work area clean is proper air filtration. The goal of filtering the air is to rid any micro dust particles. They are problematic as they can get trapped in the lungs and create respiratory issues. The most effective mean of dust management is capturing the dust at the chip collection stage. However, a good complement to a central dust-collection system is a filtered face-shield.
A full mask offers good protection because it shields the wearer from the particles thrown up into the air at the workstation. However, for any mask to be effective it must be worn consistently. This means besides being able to filter out the dust, it must also be easy to use and... [more] -Trend AirShield Pro FirstLook
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October 29,2012- Frankenstorm Sandy... |
Last year at this time we got smacked with a snow storm that brought many New England communities to a standstill. This October, instead of snow, we will wrap up the month with a hurricane. Not just any hurricane, but a "Frankenstorm." This giant storm has already wreaked havoc in Cuba and the Bahamas. As it heads north, coastal flooding, flooding rainfall, high winds, downed trees, power outages, and snowfall are all possible. Weather-geeks on the East Coast are all a-twitter over this one!
Why is this storm such a monster? Hurricane Sandy was coined a "Frankenstorm" because of a rare confluence of factors: an existing storm to the east of it is causing Sandy to take the unusual path of turning westward into the coast instead of moving out to sea; the existing storm is making Sandy's movement slower than usual; Sandy is coinciding with very high tides; there is a cold front coming down on Sandy's northwest. So even if the force of Sandy's wind is only at the CAT 1 level, the duration will be much longer than... [more] -Frankenstorm Sandy
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October 26,2012- Free Wheelin Speakers... |
Wireless speakers are attractive because they don't have to be physically connected to the source of the signal. By removing that limitation, speaker placement is limited only by mounting method and imagination. Outdoor and garden installations are obvious applications, as are uses where wires would either detract from the aesthetics or would not be practical. We have reported on quite a few wireless speakers and headphones over the years (BlueAnt, Logitech, Saitek, BlueTrek Duo, Jaybird). However, FreeWheelin from SoundRyder is the first to combine the open sound of speakers with the mobility of headphones. We are going to take a FirstLook at them today.
The FreeWheelin speakers are designed to be attached to different kinds of helmet (cycling, skiing, etc). They can also be mounted to a stand for use in the car or on a desk. Because FreeWheelin uses Bluetooth V.2.1 for connecting, it will communicate with any device which... [more] -Free Wheelin Speakers FirstLook
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October 25,2012- Zuiko to Nikon adapter... |
When we worked at Kodak's digital imaging group in the early 90's, a 1.2MP camera was strictly for professionals. Digital camera technology has changed a lot since those early days. It has improved so quickly that some cell phone cameras today are better than professional DSLRs from just a few years ago. As a result, film cameras have all but disappeared from the market. Film-based professional or high-end gear (Leica, Nikon, etc), can still be found, but only on EBay or Craigslist.
We have a professional system of Olympus OM gear which we had considered putting up for sale twenty years ago. The last time we used any of it was in the early 90s. However, we held onto them for sentimental reasons more than anything else. Fully mechanical bodies such as the OM 3 have since become collector items while the more technically-advanced body such as the OM 4-T have not. The same is true for Zuiko lenses. Lenses such as the rare 500mm mirror lens commands a higher than original list price on the used camera gear market, but many others are not worth the effort it would take to list them (28mm, 35-105mm, 75-150mm). The thing is, most are still... [more] -Zuiko to Nikon adapter FirstLook
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October 24,2012- Freedom case and keyboard... |
Having looked at a number of iPad-sized keyboards the last two years (Zaggmate, Logitech, Sena, ThinkGeek, Brando), we have come to the conclusion that they are just too small to be used for prolonged typing. We have also stated pretty emphatically that if someone was set on doing a lot of typing with the iPad, the keyboard they should get is the Apple wireless unit. We thought that was the end of the story, that we would never look at another iPad-sized keyboard again. So why are we writing about yet another iPad-sized keyboard?
Because we had not yet seen Freedom Input's i-Connex Combi. Freedom Input has introduced an iPad case with the most features that can be packed into a case. It also managed to make said case look great. Here is a list of... [more] -Freedom Case And Keyboard FirstLook
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October 23,2012- Lens and Lensbaby... |
Recently, we have been posting quite a lot about lenses (Nikkor 18-300mm, Composer Pro, Edge 80). We also got a lot of emails asking if we could recommend some books for readers interested in diving deeper into both the technical aspects and creative uses of them. As luck with have it, we were in the midst of reviewing two books on the subject. The first is NK Guy's The Lens: A Practical Guide for the Creative Photographer (published by rockynook). The second is by Corey Hilz, Lensbaby: Bending Your Perspective (published by Focal Press).
We like The Lens: A Practical Guide for the Creative Photographer because it summarizes in oneplace a lot of information about interchangeable lenses. The coverage is broad enough and the discussions sufficiently deep to give readers a quick, working understanding of interchangeable lenses. This is valuable for both beginners and seasoned shooters. Beginners will find lots of topics and terms they may not have heard of clearly explained. Knowledgeable photographers will find the book a solid reference for things they may have... [more] -Books: Lens and Lensbaby
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October 22,2012- Lytro FirstThoughts... |
We are the recipients of a lot of press releases. A few weeks ago, one announcing Lytro's update to its innovative Light Field camera caught our attention.
We first reported on Light Field tech in 2005. It is a cool technology, but it was confined to the lab. Since then, Yi-Ren Ng has successfully created a company (based on his research), commercialized the technology, and is trying to make money in the real world, so we thought it was time we gave our take on it. We believe that it is MISTAKE for Lytros to... [more] -Lytro FirstThoughts
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October 19,2012- Front Rotor Replacement... |
The last time we replaced the front rotors was six years and 50K miles ago. While most of those were highway miles and the rotor thickness was still within spec, it will probably fall below the minimum thickness after another few thousand miles. As we were in a rotor-replacing state of mind, we decided to replace the front ones now instead of next Spring.
With our recent experience replacing the rear rotors, we expected the front replacement to take no more than a hour or so. Unfortunately, things did not go exactly as planned. As with the rear rotor replacement, we removed the wheel and hooked the caliper onto the spring using the hanger in preparation for freeing it from the rotor. The first problem we encountered was... [more] -Front Rotor Replacement
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October 18,2012- Rear Rotor Replacement... |
The rear rotors of the Boxster needed replacing last Fall. We meant to do it this Spring, but things kept getting in the way. With the cooler temperatures here, we thought we should do the replacement before the weather makes things less pleasant to work outside.
For the details of the rotor replacement steps, we refer readers to two excellent sources. The first one is Wayne Dempsey's 101 Projects for Your Porsche Boxster. The second is the Bentley's Porsche Boxster Service Manual. They both have good, clear, step-by-step instructions. We always reference both because there is no such thing as too much information :-) Of course, there is nothing like actual experience in learning the tricks and tips that... [more] -Rear Rotor Replacement
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October 17,2012- MyndPlay Install... |
Mention "brainwave detection" and people think of its tantalizing potentials: controlling things with our thoughts; mind-reading; and of course, mind-control. Tantalizing, but the reality is a still quite a bit different. The electromagnetic brain waves we can detect with an external sensor are a very low resolution version of what is going on inside the head.
NeuroSky MindWave Mobile is one of those emerging technologies searching for its place in the world. At this point, EEG sensors such as the MindWave can only give us a very rough feel of what is going on in our noggins. It is not yet able to distinguish anything specific. A simplistic analogy would be like listening to music through a thick wall and hearing the thumping of the... [more] -MyndPlay Software Install
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October 16,2012- Meade ETX-90EC Autostar... |
Buying a telescope is tricky. It is tempting to start off with an inexpensive telescope (say, a $50 one) to see if astronomy is a pursuit worth pursuing, but that is exactly the problem. A cheap telescope will do nothing but turn you off because they are not much good for star gazing. The photos on the side of the packaging of the planets, stars and galaxies are most certainly NOT what one would be likely to see with a low-priced scope. This is why we always steer readers away from most low-priced telescopes as they are typically not worth the money.
If you want a good telescope you can buy one retail, or you can do what the RainyDayScience team has been doing for that past few years and keep an eye out for high-end units on Astromart, EBay, or Craigslist. Astromart is the best source for hard-to-find quality astro items. The buyers and sellers are quite knowledgeable and the rating system is very trustworthy. EBay is great for accessories such as filters, eye pieces, and other more common items. For those interested in acquiring a telescope, Craigslist is the way to go. You get to see the equipment, check things out, and avoid having to... [more] -Meade ETX-90EC FirstLook
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October 15,2012- Lensbaby Edge 80 FirstUse... |
We took a FirstLook of the Lensbaby Edge 80 Optic last week and were eager to give it a FirstUse workout. Since we were heading to NYC for an event, we thought we would bring it along and see how it handled as a "street" lens. For us, "street photography" is about responding to the unstaged and unplanned scenes that unfold around us just by being out and about. Speed and flexibility are the two key things we want in our gear for those situations. It is why when we are shooting in the streets we do it with the Nikkor 50mm f1.8
lens. We like the Nikkor because it is light, fast, and gives us good depth-of-field control.
After this weekend's experience, we were blown away by the performance of the Lensbaby Composer Pro with the Edge 80 Optic. It is likely that it will replace the Nikkor 50mm and become our lens of choice for street photography! While the Edge 80 Optic is not as fast as the Nikkor 50mm, the Lensbaby's focus control enabled us to be so much more expressive, which allowed us to get so many more interesting shots. We have picked a few representative samples to... [more] -Lensbaby Edge 80 FirstUse
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October 11,2012- Lensbaby Edge80... |
Tilt and shift are two different types of selective focus techniques. Tilt is the angle of the lens plane relative to the image plane. It is used to control the orientation of the plane of focus, and hence the part of an image that appears sharp; it makes use of the Scheimpflug principle. Shift is the movement of the lens parallel to the image plane. It is helpful in avoiding the convergence of parallel lines, as when shooting tall buildings.
These selective focus techniques have been available to large-format photographers since the 30s. Because of their bellows construction, large-format cameras allow photographers to precisely control where to focus in the image by tilting and shifting the lens element. The same can be accomplished with a 35mm camera, but the lenses have always been cost-prohibitive.
With the recent release of the Edge 80 Optic, that cost barrier has finally been... [more] -Lensbaby Edge80 FirstLook
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October 10,2012- Rumor Has It... |
Fabulous. No wait, I have to say it in French...fabuleux. Fabuleux. Oui, fabuleux. And I don’t even speak French. But last Saturday night’s L'Académie’s Rumor Has It was so...fantastically...French—and Baroque French at that—that no word but fabuleux will do.
L'Académie may be a start-up in the classical music world, but at five years old, it’s established itself as a serious, Baroque-focused ensemble. It’s general director, Leslie Kwan, is the... [more] - L'Académie's Rumor Has It review by Carolyn Donovan
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October 9,2012- Slow-Cooker Cookbooks... |
The RainyDayKitchen folks have been making dinner in the Cuisinart PSC-400 slow cooker for a few weeks now, and after half a dozen different soups, they have familiarized themselves with the machine and are now looking to expand their slow cooker repertoire.
After some research, we found a series of slow-cooker cookbooks with recipes that looked really delicious. The author, Lynn Alley, specializes in traditional foods from around the world. Ms. Alley has taught cooking classes around the world, contributed food-related articles for magazines such as... [more] - Slow Cooker Cookbooks
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October 5,2012- Mammoths and Mastodons... |
The Museum Of Science's new exhibit, Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age, opens on Sunday October 7th. The RainyDayScience folks had a chance to preview the exhibit on Wednesday and came away impressed.
The Pleistocene Epoch spanned from 2,588,000 to about 10,000 years ago, which also marked the end of the last Ice Age. Discoveries made by British, American, and Soviet scientists and explorers have indicated that the last of an isolated population may have been living on Wrangel Island until as recent as 2500 BC.
Mammoths and mastodons were giant creatures of the Ice Age. These beasts weighed as much as 8 tons and had tusks reaching out 16-feet. As amazing as it was that these huge animals existed, it was even more amazing that they eventually became extinct. What is cool is they have... [more] - MOS: Mammoths and Mastodons
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October 4,2012- NeuroSky MindWave Mobile... |
We looked at a product called the MindWave a year ago. The device was a low-cost way to get a glimpse of the electrical activities of the brain. NeuroSky managed to take decades of laboratory brainwave technology and squeeze it into a headset that anyone can use, and for under $100! A year later, they have improved it by eliminating the need for the proprietary USB dongle.
The newest headset, the NeuroSky MindWave Mobile, is now Bluetooth enabled. This means that any device (iPhone, iPad, etc) that supports the Bluetooth communication protocol can potentially work with the MindWave. This is absolutely the right decision by NeuroSky. It gives the users more flexibility: no need to decide whether to buy the Mac, PC, iOS, or Android version. It may also... [more] - NeuroSky MindWave Mobile FirstLook
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October 3,2012- Iris Seed Pods... |
Most of the plants in the RainyDayGarden are perennials. When a plant gets too big for its location, the interns will split it. They will either trade it for something we don't have or create a new spot for it in the garden. Of course, splitting a plant is not the only way to propagate perennials. Many of the perennials in the RainyDayGarden also generate a lot of seeds. Most of the time, we just let the birds have at them. Every once in a while, though, we collect some just to hone our seed-propagating skills. This is what we did this year with the iris pods.
We had hundreds of iris blooms this year in the RainyDayGarden. It was a little surprising because we had split them last June and didn't think they would be that vigorous this season. In August, we noticed that we had a... [more] - Iris Seed Pods
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October 2,2012- Plier Holder DIY... |
Not every RainyDayProject we do is involved and complicated. Sometimes the projects are spur of the moment, take less than thirty minutes, and can be done with simple tools and scraps. Our recent Plier Holder DIY was such a project.
One of our editors is a beader. It is amazing the number of different pliers, crimpers, and whatsits she has managed to accumulate in the pursuit of her craft. Recently, she inquired of the RainyDayProjects crew how difficult it would be to make a holder for the pliers, similar to the ones commercially available. We took a look, and it looked simple enough: a few pairs of 1/2" holes in a block of wood. We decided to... [more] - Plier Holder DIY
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October 1,2012- Elements... |
At the beginning of the year we did an article on The Elements. It has been touted as "the most beautiful Periodic Table Products in the world." After having spent some time with it, we could not agree more. The photography is excellent, the info on each element engaging, and the layout and presentation were first rate. We didn't think we would find anything to match it and we still haven't. However, what we have found is another take on the Periodic Table which is just as innovative, engaging, and amazingly enough...entertaining. This fresh new look is by Japanese artist Bunpei Yorifuji in his fantastically illustrated book, Wonderful Life with the Elements.
Wonderful Life with the Elements: The Periodic Table Personified is a whimsical guide to the elements, their relevance in our everyday life, and their place in the overall order of things. The author/illustrator, Bunpei Yorifuji, is well known in Japan for using humor to... [more] - Wonderful Life with the Elements
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