Real Technology Blog

You probably remember the ol' lemon/copper battery via electrolysis experiment from when Mr. Wizard blew your mind with it in 1958, but this "Citrus Clock" by French design troupe Annagram updates the concept with a touch of Ikea sensibilities, to the point where we might be cool with this sitting on the kitchen counter (quick access for lemon tea). But the UV bug light we'd have to install next to it to catch the fruit flies might cancel out the sleekness. [Design Boom]

Wired published an interesting look at the recent trend of Japanese videogame banks—essentially, a means for the thrifty gamer to save the quarters that could otherwise be lost forever to an arcade machine.

The article, by Brian Ashcraft of Kotaku fame, gives us a walkthrough of three differently themed game banks, with styles that range from RPG (you put in money to level up) to dating sim (as a modern female, you feed your dates coins to hear sweat nothings).

And while the games are useless to most of us as they are written in Japanese, the Ikemen dating sim Bank does offer one universal climax that we all can appreciate:

...you totally forget to insert money into your Ikemen Bank for a whole working week. Your greedy hunk writes you a letter that simply says, "Sayonara." No translation needed.

The moral? Always feed your hunk. [Wired via Kotaku]

Adding to the already impressive pile of Vista-deflating features we're expecting to see in Windows 7 is WARP, a tech which will allow your PC's CPU to act as a graphics accelerator, possibly doing away with the need for integrated graphics hardware to render user interfaces and low-end games. Not-so-seductively described as a ‘fully conformant software rasterizer’, WARP requires nothing more than an 800MHz processor for complete—if comically slow—DX10 compliance.

At this stage WARP won't be intended as a gameworthy replacement for dedicated graphics cards, but it could help avoid another "Vista Capable" type debacle by standardizing essential graphics capabilities across virtually all hardware. That said, it's not that slow: Microsoft reports that when paired with the rather awesome i7, it runs Crysis faster than Intel's integrated DX10 solutions. Like, 42% faster. Granted, that's still only 7.36FPS on the game's lowest settings, but don't miss the point here: Windows 7 will run Crysis—or any other game—without a video card. [CustomPC via Slashdot]

We are currently processing the votes of the judge panel, and we will need to postpone the declaration of the winner until tomorrow. Two votes have been cast already (mine and Ricky’s from Keyword Country), and we are just waiting for Jarrod to finish his evaluation and communicate his decision.

I can’t tell you who got the two votes so far, but I can say that each vote went to a different competitor.

Below you will also find the email that Ricky sent me. He did quite a complete analysis before choosing his favorite blogger.

Hello Daniel

I went through many blogs of the contestants and what they have to say about the strategies they used to boost traffic on their blog. I was originally looking for the most clever strategy that anyone of them came up with which is something new to the blogging community.

Also, I copied the entire scoreboard and wanted to look at people who gave the biggest shock to their numbers. This list is of those people who increased their subscribers by more than 50% (a minimum jump of 100 subscribers).

• http://d3so.com/
• http://slamblogger.com/
• http://www.suzannefranco.com/
• http://www.redswish.co.uk/
• http://puppyintraining.com/
• http://www.bloggingfromscratch.com/
• http://vanae.com/
• http://heroestelevision.com/
• http://theweblogzone.com/
• http://www.happyschoolsblog.com/
• http://geniushackers.com/blog/
• http://www.ilovemacapps.com/

Here is what my half day of research says:

1. SuzzaneFranco.com

I love the Sharing Strategy that you adopted. It not only goes with the spirit of blogging idol contest… but also is the right thing to do. It is an excellent brand building strategy and is excellent for boosting traffic on your blog in long term.

Plus, I like the way you contacted Gurus for the same and you actually convinced one of them to support you. An another long term strategy that will help you improve relationships with gurus. There is always alot to learn from these people.

The techniques that you apply are more like holistic approach to marketing :). You do what is the right thing to do. You are dedicated to what you do and you are one of my favorite contenders.

2. Happyschoolsblog.com

You have worked really hard on your blog. I must appretiate your dedication towards the topic you are bloggin about. I really like your strategy where you bifurcated your audience in 6 groups and then started writing according to what they want to read and that too Keyword Optimized. It cant get perfect than this. You know your numbers and you know how to play them well.

A free counseling was an excellent give away and chatting with your visitors will definitely make them visit your blog again. You are truly an Internet Marketer material and you deserve alot of success and a bright future. You are one guy I would love to have on my side.

3. Vanae.com

This girl is doing some amazing stuff online. I like her idea of being a guest blogger and focusing more on her visitors. Getting intouch with your visitors with emails and clever giveaways like a Pre launch of a ebook while still earning from it.

I went thru all the strategies listed on those links, visited all major blogs and my personal favorite strategies were:
1 - Clever irresistible giveaways - The bloggers who practiced this one…. got quite creative and clever
2 - Guest blogging - I think this is an excellent way to exchange traffic and can work wonders if done properly
3 - Getting to know what readers want to read and focusing on that content - This is what blogging is all about

Blogging Idol 2: Processing The Judges’ Votes

Netflix streaming has been making waves with its wide, fast integration into just about anything that'll have it, and the reception has been generally positive. As has been the pattern for the last decade, Blockbuster is slightly but embarrassingly behind: according to company Chairman Jim Keyes, we'll be seeing Blockbuster's download-to-rent service in a Blu-ray player by Q1 of next year. It's not clear if this will come in the form of a firmware update for existing hardware or as part of a new player, but it'll need to be fairly ubiquitous (and probably lower its rental prices) to have a fighting chance against the 'Flix. [RegHardware]

We've only just been getting excited about MSI's U120 3G-packing netbook, but now it looks like MSI has even more interesting machines just around the corner. Apparently due sometime in January, the U110 and U115 will run Atom Z530 chips, drawing less power than the "typical" N270 netbook processor. And they'll pack a hybrid drive system, with the OS on fast SSD and conventional HDD for user storage. Plus they'll run the Poulsbo US15W chipset instead of the usual Intel 9456G. If that's not interesting enough, there'll also be Draft-N Wi-Fi, and up to 250GB HDD for the U110. The price is unknown, though a guess around $700 seems sensible, given the higher price of the Z520 Atom. [UMPCPortal]

The screen-based controls and rich visuals that make a device like the iPhone an attractive option for deaf users aren't of much use to the visually impaired. By employing a combination of an embossed "Moon Type" alphabet casing, a custom home screen and a screenreading app, the InVision solution could (awkardly) provide most of the core functions of the iPhone, including almost bearable browsing, text input and music navigation, to the blind.

Feel-good sentiment aside, a project like this would face some huge hurdles. Not only would the screenreading and interface apps likely require a good deal of research and development, but their deep integration into the iPhone's OS would almost certainly violate the App Store rules, which can and one day will be construed to mean that Apple despises blind people. Right? RIGHT? Controversy! [Yanko]

Modding your laptop to add a touchscreen is certainly possible, though you'll need to be pretty competent with tools: with the Duo gizmo all you need to be able to do is clip it to your screen. The two-piece device has a sensor you pop on top of your monitor or laptop screen and a wireless pen sensor—in combination they can give you that tablet-PC-alike pen-control performance you may have been yearning for, though only if you're running a PC with XP or Vista. Still, it's just $44, which isn't going to wound your wallet. [RedFerret]

Portable speakers for MP3 players are two a penny, but not many are not far off a penny in size: Landport's Cubes are though. They're just an inch cube, but fit in stereo speakers, 3.5-mm jack plug, rechargeable batteries and a mini-USB port. They'll run for 4-5 hours on a charge, too. Just don't go expecting bone-rattling volume as they pump out a similarly tiny 0.8-watts. Out soon in Japan for $25. [Slashgear]

Even though The Simpsons has a history of satirizing tech culture, and even Apple specifically, last night's episode felt like it was making up for a bit of lost time. It's not just iPods and iMacs getting reprefixed and animated: it's Apple Stores, the G4 Cube, past and present fanboys, vintage advertising and even Steve Jobs himself. Groening and co. aren't exactly breaking new ground here (though they seem to reserve most of their venom for Mr. Jobs), but there are more than a few great lines buried in the sketch. [Teencast—Thanks, Shivi]

Posted by Jane Murphy

So who'd win in a heated debate between bottom-slapping double act the Cheeky Girls and ubiquitous pig-pleasurer Rebecca Loos?

Actually, we already know the answer: it's the Cheeky Girls. The perky pair appeared at the Oxford Debating Union on Friday to argue for the motion: "With celebrity comes great responsibility".

"We firmly believe that celebrities have a moral responsibility to set a good example," Gabriela - or, then again, it could have been Monica - told the captivated audience.

And although Ms Loos put up a spirited defence for badly behaved stars, she lost the motion by 56 votes to 151.

Still, around a quarter of the students had already walked out rather than listen to the full debate. It's almost as if they had better things to do...

Picture: Big Pictures

SEE ALSO:

Look out! Loos on the loose again >>

Hurrah! It's the Cheeky Girls >>

Celebrity catfights: who's feuding with who? >>

Posted by Jane Murphy

As any self-respecting celebrity knows, if you're really going to shift bottles of your new signature scent, you've got to come up with an eye-catching gimmick for the launch party.

Some examples? Well, Jordan unveiled her post-surgery boobs at the same time as her latest perfume; Victoria Beckham wore boots with no heels; and Kerry Katona snogged Max Clifford in a bid to get punters to shell out for her fragrance.

So what did Paris Hilton come up with at the launch of her new scent Fairy Dust in New Jersey on Sunday? She screwed her right leg on sideways! (Just look at the pic above if you don't believe me.) Now, that's magic!

Picture: Wenn

SEE ALSO:

Dress wars: Paris v Vanessa >>

Paris waves Fairy Dust at Letterman >>

Jordan peels off at perfume launch >>

The rumors pointed pretty firmly to it, and then some leaked specs detailed what it'd be like, but now Nikon's new pro-level D3X DSLR has arrived officially. Touting it as a 24-megapixel "Digital Masterpiece," with exceptionally low noise sensor, 5fps full-frame shooting speed and with file sizes of 138MB, Nikon's saying the camera's available now for an estimated selling price of $8,000 for the body only. Full press release below.

MELVILLE, N.Y. (Nov. 30, 2008) – Nikon Inc. today announced the D3X, an FX-format digital SLR featuring extreme 24.5-megapixel resolution and superb low-noise capabilities, which provides professional photographers with commercial-quality image performance in a familiar and extraordinarily versatile D-SLR form factor. In conjunction with the groundbreaking Nikon FX-format D3, the D3X tops off a collection of flagship level, rugged, professional caliber digital single lens reflex cameras engineered to excel in all types of professional photographic disciplines from photojournalism and sideline sports, to commercial in-studio applications.

The foundation of the enhanced performance of the D3X is its FX-format, 24.5-megapixel (6048 x 4032) CMOS sensor providing commercial, high fashion, fine art and landscape photographers with the extreme resolution, dynamic range, color depth, detail and sharpness that clients demand. Whether creating catalogs, magazine covers, billboards or gallery prints, the large 5.49-micron pixel size and high signal to noise ratio produces vibrant images with breathtaking image fidelity while reducing lost highlights and shadows, and ensuring smoother tone reproduction with minimized noise. With full resolution shooting speeds of up to five frames-per-second (fps), and 14-bit files, that when processed are approximately 138 MB, the D3X offers today's photographic artists an extreme level of performance and versatility ready for demanding assignments in the studio or on location.

“In 2007, the 12.1-megapixel FX-format D3 delivered groundbreaking digital SLR image quality, coupled with incomparable high ISO, low noise performance and high-speed handling. In doing so, the D3 broke photographic barriers, enabling photographers to work in ways never before possible,” said Edward Fasano, general manager for Marketing, SLR Systems Products at Nikon Inc. “Now, the new 24.5-megapixel FX-format D3X D-SLR provides the extreme resolution and high dynamic range capabilities needed to meet the extraordinary needs of photographic disciplines such as high fashion, commercial advertising and fine art. The D3X delivers this remarkable capability while fitting seamlessly within the Nikon system, taking full advantage of Nikon’s world-renowned collection of NIKKOR lenses and Speedlights.”

Image Quality Takes Center Stage
To re-emphasize the importance of image quality above all else, the D3X delivers an incredible level of digital SLR performance to provide photographers with extremely high resolution, exceptional dynamic range, phenomenal total gradation and outstanding color reproduction. Image files can be recorded as TIFF, JPEG or NEF (RAW) formats in either 12- or 14-bit compressed or uncompressed formats, and recorded to UDMA compatible CompactFlash™ cards for optimum speed. Photographers can save image files directly to the dual card slots as overflow, backup, or as separate file formats to different cards. Building on the D3X's flexibility, users have the creative option to shoot in the 5:4 crop mode with 20.4-megapixel resolution, the ideal format for creating 8 x 10-inch portraits. While using DX-format lenses, faster continuous shooting of up to seven frames per second can be achieved at a resolution of 10.5 megapixels.

The exceptionally low noise of the D3X is essential to any professional commercial application, and it provides photographers with an ISO range of 100 to 1600, expandable to 50 (Lo-1) and 6400 (Hi-2). The ultra smooth tones and lack of grain at ISO 1600 as well as at low sensitivity settings result in smooth, natural skin tones and exacting detail that, before the D3X, required larger and far costlier studio-bound camera systems.

Advanced Technologies, Meticulously Executed
In a commercial setting or on location, imaging professionals need high performance in both speed and processing. The Nikon D3X can shoot at up to five fps at full resolution or up to seven fps in DX crop mode, allowing photographers to catch the split-second difference in a model’s expression or capture all of the action in a sequence. Just like the D3, the D3X achieves a start-up time of a mere 0.12 seconds and a shutter release time lag of 0.04 seconds.

The D3X’s speed, as well as high levels of performance, leverages Nikon core technologies including a newly enhanced EXPEED™ Image Processing System, specially designed for the D3X to provide superior image quality, faster processing speeds and lower power consumption. This advanced system is able to achieve extremely precise color reproduction for a broad spectrum of hues, in addition to vivid saturation and smooth gradation. What’s more, Nikon’s advanced noise processing function is engineered to minimize noise at all sensitivities and operate seamlessly without interfering with other image color parameters.

The D3X also features Nikon’s exclusive Scene Recognition System, which continuously analyzes information from the 1,005-pixel RGB light sensor, to further refine auto exposure, auto white balance and autofocus calculations. This results in flattering portraits and awe-inspiring landscapes that portray accurate color and fine details. Nikon's exclusive 3D Color Matrix Metering II helps ensure accurate exposures, even in the most challenging lighting conditions. Instantly evaluating each scene before capture, input data from the system's sensor is automatically referenced against an internal database of more than 30,000 images derived from actual photographs to calculate correct exposure values. Active D-Lighting, used in combination with 3D Matrix Metering II, helps to determines proper exposure, and creates realistic contrast while compensating for lost shadows and highlights. Prior to shooting, users can choose from Extra High, High, Normal, Low or Off settings, as well as an Auto mode.

Additionally, the D3X features Nikon’s exclusive Multi-CAM 3500FX focus module, with 51 AF points, 15 cross type sensors and 36 horizontal sensors that easily track and lock onto moving subjects, delivering the same fast and accurate AF performance that helped make the D3 immediately successful. Users can select any of the AF points, making it easy to consistently attain accurate focus right on a subject’s eyes, frame after frame. Additionally, three AF-area modes – Single point, Dynamic-area AF and Auto-area AF – are available to maximize the use of the 51 focus points by selecting the most suitable one to match subject conditions. AF is also available in one of two Live View modes optimized for the studio, including a phase detection handheld mode and a tripod mode. This feature allows the user to zoom in up to 27x on the LCD screen to ensure critical focus. While in Live View, the graphic indication of a virtual horizon is also available, making it easier than ever to confirm camera orientation.

To further ensure each photographer's ability to balance their personal style, Nikon’s Picture Control System enables users to adjust their images to pre-set parameters such as Standard, Neutral, Vivid and Monochrome that apply tweaks to image sharpening, tone compensation, brightness, overall tone and saturation. Photographers have creative control over these image parameters with the use of up to nine available customizable presets.

Synchronizing Both Form and Function
Engineered for real-world functionality, the D3X retains a rugged shell with moisture, dust and shock resistance that has become a hallmark of flagship Nikon D-SLRs, while preserving the usability and ergonomics that allow the camera to remain an extension of the photographer’s vision. Attention to detail goes so far as to include a self-diagnostic shutter system that is tested to exceed 300,000 cycles for maximum durability and longevity. The camera’s body also maintains the resilient magnesium alloy construction and form factor of the D3, promoting consistent Nikon system synergy.

A bright and accurate viewfinder offers 100 percent coverage with 0.7x magnification. The body also houses Nikon’s acclaimed 3.0-inch super density LCD screen, now relied upon by so many photographers. The high-resolution 920,000-dot screen is viewable at wide angles up to 170 degrees, and will allow photographers to quickly zoom in to confirm critical focus. Users can also output the video signal to an external display via HDMI to allow client viewing. Thanks to incredibly efficient internal circuitry, the D3X can capture up to 4400* shots per single charge of the camera’s Lithium ion battery.

System Strength Withstands the Test of Time
The D3X is fully compatible with Nikon’s Creative Lighting System (CLS) to give photographers a mobile lighting solution that is easy to manage. To further enhance mobility, the D3X is compatible with Nikon’s GP-1 GPS receiver to gather information such as latitude, longitude, altitude and date of shooting. Photographers can easily shoot tethered via USB, or use the WT-4a wireless transmitter to send images wirelessly when speed and mobility are essential. D3X users will also enjoy the system strength of more than 50 genuine NIKKOR lenses that provide outstanding sharpness and high resolution across a broad range of focal lengths.

Price and Availability
The Nikon D3X will be available at Nikon Authorized Professional Dealers starting December 2008, and will be available for an estimated selling price of $7999.95.**

* Based on CIPA Standards
** Estimated selling price listed is only an estimate. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

[Nikon]