Sanyo Xacti Waterproof Camcorder

Sanyo Xacti Waterproof Camcorder

Author JoeDigital | 09.08.2008 | Category Japanese Gadgets, cameras

 Sanyo has just announced the release of Xacti, a comcorder that is perfect for fun in and out of the water.  It is rated waterproof at a depth of up to 1.6m, and features a 5 me4gapixel camera with additional 5x video zoom.  Recording life for the batteries is about 30 minutes, and you can record as much as 5 hours of video on a single disk, at 30 fps.

Another major plus it how fast it can be ready to shoot.  It boasts a bootable use time of 1.8 seconds, which will catch all but the most short-lived of picturesque events.  For snorkeling and other water fun, the Xacti is both extremely lightweight, and has a sleek and attractive design. Read the full review.

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Scientists Develop Camera Shaped Similar to an Eye

Author JoeDigital | 08.08.2008 | Category Technology, cameras

Based on one of the most amazing inventions of nature, researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University have developed an electronic-eye camera.   This is the first time that a camera has been used with a curved surface, and it promises to revolutionize the way digital photography is accomplished.  In addition to providing smaller lenses with increased resolution, the device could also be developed for such uses as bionic eyes.

Traditional camera lenses use a flat surface, and tend to provide a sharper focus at the center of the image than at the extreme edges.  The new invention allows pixel recognition to be placed on a curved surface which makes it possible to keep the entire image in sharp focus.  The possibilities for such devices in the medical field alone are nearly endless, not to mention the military and non-technical uses that could be made of it.

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DelFly Micro – Dragonfly Sized Ornithopter

Author JoeDigital | 30.07.2008 | Category Robotics, Science, Technology, cameras

This could be one of the coolest flying machines to come along since flying machines have been coming along.  It’s an ornithopter, which means that it flies the way a a bird would fly, with flapping wings.  What makes it especially interesting is that it is tiny, measuring only 10cm from wingtip to wingtip, and it weighs a whopping 3 grams.  It is remote controlled, and contains a miniature camera, and holds the title of the smallest flying machine with a camera in the world.  Mimicing flight has been a challenge for humanity for as long as we’ve been self-aware, and realized that we couldn’t do it it ourselves.  Greek mythology is credited with the first story of human flight, and inventors have taken stabs at flying machines doazens of times over the centuries, even such notable names as Leonardo DaVinci.  But no one has ever built a machine this small that could fly under it’s own power.

This one has quite a few traits in common with insects.  The Delfly Micro’s wings that actually resemble those of a dragonfly, which is credited with being one of the first flying animals to ever exist.   In fact, it has quite a few similarities to insects, including antennae and filmy wings.  It can fly forward at a rate of 15m/s, is able to compensate for light winds, and has the amazing ability to fly backward at the smail’s pace of .5m/s

As a scientific device, the DelFly promises to be a boon for areodynamics, and has already required the sciences of mechanics, areodynamics, and phototechnology to cooperate.  Plans are to use it for research in flight and micromechanics, but we can only wait to see how long it takes government powers to snatch it up and hide it away from the public eye.

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Iogear Offers a Versatile 56-in-1 Card Reader

Author JoeDigital | 09.07.2008 | Category Computers, Technology, cameras

As more and more consumer products are using memory cards, and since there are so many different types of data storage cards on the market, Iogear is making life easier for the gadget collector.  With a new device that allow reading and writing data from 12 different card types, or the ultimate card reader which can handle data transfer for 56 different cards, the consumer is no longer shackled to purchasing a new card reader just because they bought a different digital camera.

Prices are reasonable, and the time-saving implications are enormous.  the US$19.95 56-in-one flash card reader claims to support all current flash memory cards, including SD, Micro SD, Mini SD, MMC, Memory Stick, and MS Duo, to name only a handful.  Digital junkies rejoice!  You have just been liberated from buying devices that have flash memory cards compatible with your old card readers!

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UAV: Ultimate Spyware in Miniature Spy Planes

Author JoeDigital | 07.07.2008 | Category Innovation, Technology, Telecommunications, cameras

Espionage has come a long way since fake mustaches and faulty accents.  These days, a lot of the spy work gets done by machines the size of a macaw, or smaller.  In just over twenty years, we’ve gone from a spyplane that was the most expensive plane built to gadgets that are little more than toys for big boys.

These little babies are ready for the job, though.  Some sport flapping wings, which helps them resemble a bird in flight, while others in the works will be able to tap into existing power lines to refuel.  Remotely operated, and equipped with cameras and other sensors, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) solutions are the newest way to gather information without the risk of loss of life.  One model, with wings that flap, is only slightly larger than 3 inches, and weighs only 10 grams.  At considerably less than a million dollars apiece, UAV are both affordable and relatively expendable.

If the military has ‘em now, it’s only a matter of time until either the general public is spying on their neighbors, or the UFO hotlines are ringing off the hook.

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DXG Unveils A Pocketsized HD Recorder

Author JoeDigital | 29.06.2008 | Category Consumer Electronics, Gadgets, Technology, cameras

It’s small enough to take with you, and easy enough that youngsters and grandparents alike will be using it in no time. The DXG-567V palm sized recorder features a retractable USB cable that allows you to quickly and easily upload video directly to the internet, or connect to to your home theater for HD quality enjoyment.

Priced below $200, and available in four colors, this handy little piece of equipment is a great gadget for everyone, and it’s easy 1-2-3 access menu means more time recording great moments, and less time trying to figure out how to record them.

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DVR Camera Recorder Looks Like A Pen

Author JoeDigital | 22.06.2008 | Category Consumer Electronics, Gadgets, cameras

Okay, it looks like a pen because it doubles as a pen, but anyway. This hand held camera comes with either 2GB or 4GB of flash memory, a built in rechargeable battery, and easily plugs up to your PC using a USB 2.0 connection.

While it is able to capture up to 30 hours of video, you’ll have to charge it between scenes. The battery’s charged life is only 2 hours, but that’s a small price to pay for the thrill of looking like all those secret agents out there who need to record video on the go.

Not only does this little beauty feature one touch digital recording in color, but you sign checks with it as well, because it really is a working pen. Starting at about US$199, it is an expensive autograph, but having them on video makes it all worth while! If all you want is the sound portion, this company also carries a pen that acts as an MP3 player/recorder.

For more on this amazing product, and many others, visit Brickhouse Security.

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A Camera in a Mouses Brain

Author JoeDigital | 01.02.2008 | Category Japanese Technology, Science, Technology, cameras

Those crazy Japanese are up to it again with their innovation and technology. What are they up to this time? Something straight out of a scifi novel!!!

“Japanese researchers have implanted a small camera inside a mouse’s brain to see how memory is formed, in an experiment they hope to some day apply to humans to treat illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease.“(reuters.com)

Full Article, Tiny Camera in Mouses Brain.

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Eye-fi, Wireless upload for your digital camera

Author JoeDigital | 30.01.2008 | Category Computers, Consumer Electronics, Gadgets, Networking, Technology, cameras

I was browsing the net and came across a really cool product, the eye-fi. The Eye-Fi is an SD memory card that has wireless capabilities on top of the memory storage. All you do is make a few simple configurations and you’re set to begin automatically uploading pictures. So, when you’re out and about taking fancy shots of downtown the card acts as a regular SD memory card and stores the files as it normally would. As soon as you return home, simply turn on your camera and it automatically begins to upload the images to your computer.

Check out the site, Eye-Fi

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