Wednesday, September 25, 2013

UCSD engineers develop mini wide-angle lens that's ten times smaller than a regular one

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/25/ucsd-engineers-miniature-wide-angle-lens/

UCSD engineers develop mini wideangle lens that's ten times smaller than a regular one

What you see here, dear readers, is the image of a fiber-coupled monocentric lens camera that was recently developed by engineers from the University of California, San Diego. The researchers involved in the project say this particular miniature wide-angle lens is one-tenth of the size of more traditional options, such as the Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L pictured above. Don't let the sheer magnitude (or lack thereof) of this glass fool you, however: UCSD gurus note that the newly developed optics can easily mimic the performance of regular-sized lenses when capturing high-resolution photos. "It can image anything between half a meter and 500 meters away (a 100x range of focus) and boasts the equivalent of 20/10 human vision (0.2-milliradian resolution)," according to engineers. As for us, well, we can't wait to see this technology become widely adopted -- don't you agree?

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Source: UCSD Jacobs

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Google+ introduces better RAW-to-JPEG conversion for over 70 cameras

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/25/google-introduces-better-raw-to-jpeg-conversion/

If you've been paying much attention to Google+, you already know that the social network is doing its damnedest to become the go-to destination for photographers. Accordingly, it's attracted a number of RAW format enthusiasts -- thanks to the ability to store full-size photos -- and to make their lives a little better, Google+ is introducing a new RAW-to-JPEG conversion method that offers noticeably better results. Over 70 cameras from Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic and Sony are supported as of today, and Google says that it'll add additional models over time. Since Google+ automatically converts RAW photos to JPEG for viewing purposes (while retaining the original), the new conversion method should be readily apparent. You can view the complete list of supported cameras after the break, and as for the improved quality of conversions, go ahead and have a look for yourself. Hopefully your eyes agree with Google's claim.

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Source: Ronald Wotzlaw (Google+), Nik Photography (Google+)

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drag2share: Mailbox for iOS Has a Huge Security Flaw (Updated)

source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/vip/~3/XMjK1gPY_cg/mailbox-for-ios-has-a-huge-security-flaw-1385847324

Mailbox for iOS Has a Huge Security Flaw (Updated)

Mailbox, the tidy iOS email app recently purchased by Dropbox, has a pretty wide-open hole that could allow bad actors to hijack your device. And unlike phishing attempts that should probably set off your sketchiness detector, this flaw involves emails that look completely innocuous.

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drag2share: Google Search adds support for hashtags, pulls related info from Google+

source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/25/google-search-hashtags-google-plus/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi

Google Search adds support for hashtags, pulls related info from Google

The latest way Google is working social media into its search engine is with the use of familiar hashtags, but at least for now that doesn't include direct results from competitors like Facebook and Twitter. Available initially to users in the US and Canada, searches that include hashtags (like #ExpandNY, for example) will gain a right rail display relevant Google+ posts that were either shared publicly or to you. Even if you're not an avid user of the #, since Google+ autogenerates hashtags for many posts, it should be easy to find relate! d info f or pretty much any topic. According to Zaheed Sabur, there are also links to search said hashtag on other social sites, although which ones weren't specified. Even if you're in the right area you probably won't see the new feature just yet, as it's going live "within the next few hours."

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drag2share: Ginger is a new app for creating presentations, somehow tied to Adobe

source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/25/ginger-adobe-mobile-app/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi

Ginger is a new app for creating presentations, somehow tied to Adobe

Ginger isn't available yet, but it is already generating buzz. Not for its marketing video, nor for its simple website, but for its potential tie to a massive company in the software world: Adobe. Ginger promises to enable users to "show your story to the world in minutes" via its upcoming mobile application -- you can create slides with audio and visual components and then push them to various social media. It sounds a lot like PowerPoint for mobile, albeit with fewer options (no mention of video, for instance) -- not exactly Adobe's first foray into mobile, but another interesting step for the company.

The Adobe tie-in pops up when signing up for Ginger's "keep me in the loop" email newsletter. A confirmation email from gingerfeedback@adobe.com arrives as confirmation, which tells us that either Adobe's involved or the company's been kind enough to Ginger to offer up free email hosting space (an unlikely scenario, we'd say). Of course, we've reached out to Adobe for furth! er detai ls and will let you know if we hear back.

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