The legacy Steve Jobs has left us in the guise of the iPhone continues to amaze us in the types of applications and solutions it inspires. When technology converges, incredible solutions are born. And when that technology involves the powerful Internet and the elegant iPhone user interface, a novel, simple and elegant solution arises.

In this case, researchers at Boeing and MIT have designed a controller for a small UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) using the iPhone. The solution is elegantly simple: tilt the phone in the direction you want the plane to travel or raise it to make the plane fly higher, with the view from a camera on the plane transmitted back to your phone’s screen. Or tap a point on a map on the screen, and have the plane automatically fly to the designated spot. Of course, this is all accomplished remotely through the Internet, with the plane flying above a field on the MIT campus in Cambridge and the person controlling it in Seattle, some 2,500 miles away.

This control system is so intuitive that an inexperienced person learns to fly the plane after only a few minutes of instruction. The system can be adapted to fly any airplane, commercial or military.

via physorg

Today, Canon announced that the PIXMA MG8220, MG6220 and MG5320 Wireless AIO photo printers will now support Apple AirPrint. Users can now print wirelessly from their iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. The new printer functionality allows printing of photos, emails, web pages and other documents.

PRESS RELEASE

CANON CANADA ANNOUNCES SELECT PIXMA PRINTERS NOW SUPPORT APPLE’S AIRPRINT ENABLING WIRELESS PRINTING FROM iPad, iPhone & iPod Touch

MISSISSAUGA, ON, September 20, 2011 – Canon Canada Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced that the PIXMA MG8220, MG6220 and MG5320 Wireless Photo All-In-One inkjet photo printers will now support AirPrint1 wireless printing for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. AirPrint allows users to wirelessly print photos, emails, web pages and other documents without the need to install device drivers, saving time and making for a seamless user experience.

AirPrint will be supported by the majority of Canon PIXMA inkjet printers launched from this point forward. AirPrint works with iPad, iPad 2, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPod touch (3rd generation and later) running using iOS 4.2 or later.

For more information on the support models and other details, please visit www.canon.ca/airprint

About Canon Canada Inc.
Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, the company employs 1,200 people at its offices nation-wide, servicing the Canadian market from coast to coast. Innovation and cutting-edge technology have been essential ingredients in Canon’s success. Canon’s leadership in imaging, optical and document management technology and solutions is based in large part on the thousands of patents the company has secured throughout its history. Since 1994, Canon Inc. is among the top four US patent recipients.

The company’s comprehensive product line includes networked multifunction devices; digital copiers (colour and black and white); printers, scanners, image filing systems and facsimile machines; calculators, digital camcorders, digital cameras and lenses; medical imaging equipment, semiconductor, broadcast and other specialized industrial products.

For more information, visit www.canon.ca

From photowalkthrough

Fast forward to the 2:14 min. mark to see the pinhole camera which uses any 5×4 film holder. The camera’s body itself is made from injection moulded ABS finished with a very durable non-slip coating, features tripod mount positions, two built-in spirit levels, and an accessory mount. Get this: “The accessory mount won’t necessarily be used for a flash. We’ve found that a lot of people liked to use their iPhone as a digital viewfinder. If there’s demand, we might even build our own, custom-made iPhone holder.” Amazing! A pinhole camera that uses the iPhone as a viewfinder!

The first version of Harman’s pinhole camera will be available with a focal length of 72mm, with future plans to release a 110mm and 150mm version, depending on demand. Also in the planning is a version of the pinhole camera with no pin hole! Apparently, some users want to create their own irregular shaped pin holes. Go figure!

Visit www.ilfordphoto.com.

Read the article at: bjp.

Kogeto Unveils Final Design for Dot™ and Launches Web Platform Dotspots™ to Support Panoramic Video Sharing

Dot’s new optic features better resolution and will be licensed to other consumer hardware providers

New York, NY (PRWEB) September 13, 2011

Kogeto today unveiled the final design for Dot™, the panoramic video camera accessory for the iPhone 4 that hits retail shelves in October. Kogeto’s compact and durable iCONIC lens works with the iPhone 4′s HD video camera to capture full 360-degree footage, seamlessly integrating the video into an easy to share format without stitching frames together. The unique catadioptric optical system is fully AR-coated for excellent color fidelity in all environments and now offers better resolution. Dot does not require batteries or external power.

“Dot has evolved into a camera that has outstanding video quality and optimal sharing capabilities for its users,” said Jeff Glasse, CEO of Kogeto. “The initial pre-sales success of Kogeto has also come with some great feedback and suggestions from our early adopting community. We have diligently worked to ensure user satisfaction and to bring Dot to the marketplace beyond our users’ expectations.”

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So, just what does multiplexed video chat means? In Apple’s patent, an iPhone with two video cameras (one facing forward and one backward) can film two people having a chat and which video stream gets displayed on the screen will depend on who is talking at the moment. A couple of methods are proposed to detect who is talking: direction of sound and lip movement. The whole exchange can be saved to be replayed later.

Wonder what happens if both parties talk at the same time? Maybe whoever talks louder win?

source photographybay

Apple iPhone patent: fixes perspective

Now, here is a really useful firmware feature that should instantly make many of us better photographers. I am always getting my horizontal and vertical lines tilted, yes even with the grid turned on! And I consider myself having a gentle shutter release that does not move the camera. However, I hope this feature can be turned OFF because otherwise, you’d never be able to take pictures with purposeful tilted verticals (for added compositional strength) — and also of the Tower of Pisa!

Apple iPhone patent: fixes tilt

source photographybay

If you want to be able to capture 360-degree panoramas using your iPhone, Kogeto is planning to get you a device that can do just that. Trouble is, they need your Kiskstarter pledge before they launch into the manufacture of Dot at $99 a piece.

Snap Dot onto your iPhone 4 and in an instant you can capture fully immersive 360-degree videos and share them with anyone.

Read more and pledge at: Kickstarter.

source crunchgear

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From EyeFiCard

The Eye-Fi card with its built-in Wi-Fi has kind of revolutionized the transfer of pictures from camera to PC. However, it has always needed a router in between to accomplish this transfer. No more.

You can now use the Eye-Fi Mobile X2 Card [QuickPrice Check] (or download “Direct Mode” from their site to augment the capability of any of your Eye-Fi X2 card) to transfer JPEG images directly from camera to your iPad (iPhone and Android) without the need of a router in between. So, if you shoot RAW+JPEG, the JPEG will be immediately available for viewing/review on your iPad. $80. Sweet!

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