Casio’s EX-ZR10

    You may remember our previous blog with the Casio EX-FC100, and in addition to this great camera, the Casio EX-ZR10 deserves some attention.

     The Casio Exilim series is known for it cameras having the traits of a simple point-and-shoot camera but with amazing, high speed capabilities. The Casio EX-ZR10 houses some heavy specs for such a small, seemingly weak camera. As an update to the previously blogged Casio, this new point-and-shoot offers a generous back-illuminated 12.1 megapixel sensor, the Exilim Engine HS, 28mm 7x zoom lens, an automatic panorama option and a newfangled burst mode that enables up to 30 shots of 10 megapixel images to be taken, with high-speed burst shooting at a maximum speed of 40 shots per second!!!

     Remember the 720p HD that we mentioned with the previous Casio? Well, this newer camera of the series has the ability to shoot a commendable video resolution of up to 1080p! Also, the benefits of this camera that exceed the previous include: n an SD / SDHC / SDXC card slot, ISO range of 100 to 3200 and a rechargeable battery. If that's not enough for you techies, it will at least overwhelm those who are on a budget, as this camera is selling for only around $250.00!

     Worried about fitting in the high speed? No problem. Casio packed in 240 frames per second (fps) and 480 fps capture rates at respectable resolutions. Here is a youtube example featuring this technology:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mZGfascDkU

Here are the specs:

EX-ZR10 Specifications

Number of Effective Pixels	12.1 megapixels(/million)
Image Sensor Total Pixels	1/2.3-inch square pixel high-speed CMOS
File Format	Still Images: JPEG (Exif Ver2.3), DCF2.0 standare; DPOF compliant) Movies: MOV format, H.264/AVC, IMA-ADPCM (stereo)
Built-in Memory	62.1MB built-in flash memory * Built-in memory capacity after formatting.
Recording Media	SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card, SDXC Memory Card compatible
Number of Recorded Pixels	Still Images: 12M(4000x3000), 3:2(4000x2656), 16.9(4000x2240), 10M(3648x2736), 8M(3264x2448), 5M(2560x1920), 3M(2048x1536), VGA(640x480) Movies: FHD : 1920 x1080(30fps) / STD, 640x480(30fps), HS : 224 x160(480fps) / 432x320(240fps) / 432x320(30-240fps)
Lens	Construction: 8 lenses in 7 groups, including aspherical lens F-number: F3.0(W) ~ F5.9(T) Focal Length: F=5 ~ 35mm Focal Length (35mm-Film Equivalent): Approx. 28 ~ 196mm
Zoom Ratio	7X optical zoom, 10.5X Single SR Zoom, 14.0X Multi SR Zoom (10M), 4X digital zoom Up to 111.6X maximum digital zoom (in combination with HD Zoom, VGA size)
Focus	Focus Type: Contrast Detection Auto Focus Focus Mode: Auto Focus, Macro, Infinity Mode, Manual Focus AF Area: Intelligent, Spot, Tracking; with assist light AF Assist Lamp: Yes
Focus Range (From Lens Surface)	Auto Focus: Approx.0.8” ~ Infinity (Wide Angle) Macro: Approx. 0.8” ~ 1.64’ (Wide Angle) Infinity Mode: Infinity (Wide Angle) Manual Focus: Approx.0.8” ~ Infinity (Wide Angle) *Range is affected by optical zoom.
Exposure Control	Exposure Metering: Multi pattern, Center Weighted, Spot by by imaging element Exposure Control: Program AE Exposure Compensation: -2EV to +2EV (in 1/3EV steps)
Shutter	CMOS electronic shutter and mechanical shutter Shutter Speed Auto: 1 - 1/2000 second Night Scene: 4 - 1/2000 second *May differ according to camera settings
Aperture	F3.0 (W) ~ F8.8 (W) *ND filter is being used.
White Balance	Auto WB, Daylight, Overcast, Shade, Day White Fluorescent, Daylight Fluorescent, Tungsten, Manual WB
ISO Sensitivity (SOS/ REI)	Still Images: Auto/100/200/400/800/1600/3200 Movies: Auto *Range is affected by optical zoom
Recording Functions	Snapshot (Auto mode/ Premium Auto mode), High Speed Continuous shooting, Prerecord(Continuous Shutter), F Continuous shutter, Marco, Super Resolution Macro, Self-timer, BEST SHOT, Face Detection,Super Resolution, Macro Self-timer, High Speed Movie(with sound only when 30fps of HS30-240), FHD Movie, STD Movie, Prerecord(movie), YouTube™ Capture Mode
Playback Functions	Playback Zoom, Multi-image Screen, Start-up Images, Rotate, Re-size, Trimming, Copy, BGM Slideshow, Brightness, White Balance, MOTION PRINT, Movie Editing, Continuous Shooting Multi Print, Continuous Shooting Frame Edit (DPOF Printing, Protect, Copy, Delete), Divide Group(Dividing Up a Continuous Shutter Group), DYNAMIC PHOTO
Other Functions	PictBridge, Video Output(NTSC/PAL), Auto Rotate, Create Folder
Self-Timer	10 seconds, 2 seconds, Triple Self-timer
Built-in Flash	Flash Mode: Auto, Flash off, Flash on, Red eye reduction Flash Range: Wide Angle: Approx. 12” to 12’ Telephoto: Approx 1’ to 6.2’ *Range is affected by optical zoom
Monitor	3.0-inch TFT color LCD (Super Clear LCD), 460,800 dots (960 x 480)
Timekeeping Function	Built-in quartz digital clock Date and Time: Recorded with image data Auto Calendar: To 2049 World Time: 162 cities in 32 time zones, City name, date, time, summer time
External Connection Terminal	USB port (Hi-Speed USB compatible) / AV output terminal(NTSC/PAL), HDMI™*1output(Mini)*2 *1 HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC. *2 1080/50i output is not supported for PAL output using an HDMI™
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Monaural
Power Requirement	Rechargeable lithium ion battery (NP-110)
Dimensions	4”(W) x 2.3”(H) x 1.1”(D) (0.89” thick excluding projections)
Weight (CIPA Standards)	Approximately 6.2oz (Including Battery and Memory Card*) Approximately 5.3oz (Excluding Battery and Memory Card) * When using Panasonic Pro High Speed 1GB SD Memory Card
Bundled Accessories	Rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery (NP-110), Lithium Ion Battery Charger (BC-110L), AC Power Cord, USB Cable, AV Cable, Strap, CD-ROM
Specifications subject to change without notice.

Joe

Google IO

Hey techies! It's Ross again from Today's Tech Blogger's tech team duo.

Not sure how many of you guys out there know, but the Google IO conference is coming up. What is Google IO you ask? Google IO is a conference held by Google to present and promote current/future projects and products that will be hitting the market. For example, Google IO of 2010 introduced Motorolla's Droid Android based smartphone. Not only did they introduce it, they gave them away to all attendees prior to the actual release! Why would you want to see Googles new products and hear them boast about what they can do while they show you the endless uses and how to program them? Well, at least for me, you can learn about future technology and how you can integrate it into your life. For example, you keep up to date on the current smartphones and you want to learn how to develop X software for Y device. The conference is there to show you your options and even introduce some aspects of how you go along to do what you need.

In addition, I mentioned before that Google gave away the first edition Droids. If that wasn't for you, you had the option to get a Nexus One. Google sent a choice to all registered attendees asking which they would prefer, to which their choice was sent to them free of charge. These phones were then discussed in great depth at the conference after the new owners had a few months to get their hands dirty with the software. But hey, get this... They also gave away the HTC Evo prior to the release! So these developers, students, and new avid Android users got two pieces of free software that is over a grand without contract (general retail.)

Highlights for this years Google IO hardware give away are rumored to the new release of their CR48 laptop (also known as the Google Chrome Netbook), as well as some phone that just recently got released and or has yet to be released. Since it is Google I would speculate getting a Nexus S as it is their personal line of phones.

How do you sign up? Curious to see what Google has going for the rest of 2011 up to 2012? Or just want free hardware?!?! Well too bad. The tickets sold out in 20 minutes this year. Prices for non educational individuals were $450 and students $150. The conference is held in the Moscone Center in San Fransisco on May 10-11. Luckily I was able to grab a ticket along with a friend and the misses. So I'll fill you in live from the conference! Hopefully off of their CR48!

But thats it for now! Look forward to conference to let all of you know.

OnStar FML... I mean: OnStar FMV

Okay, we're posting this simply because it's amazing!

            General Motors (GM) has decided to call the mirror OnStar FMV. FMV, which stands for "For My Vehicle" and not "Full Motion Video," will act like a hands-free mechanism and allows you to acquire other blue button functionality, including turn-by-turn directions and emergency assistance. It is also looking to contain an external microphone at a price of $299 when it releases this summer. Of course, there will also be a $100 for installation and $18.95 per month or $199 yearly to make use of OnStar services.

            Here are some of its features:

• Free external microphone provides best-in-class audio quality

• Bluetooth speakerphones

• Automatic Crash Response

• Turn-by-Turn navigation

• Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance

• Two choices for hands-free calling: through the OnStar service itself, or through a Bluetooth connection to a mobile phone

            These can be viewed as are some pretty good features, but it's amplified since it's all in one package! The Automatic Crash Response is triggered by an accelerometer in the OnStar FMV mirror which connects the vehicle to a trained OnStar emergency advisor in the incident of a crash. The advisor can supply the precise position of the crash to emergency responders using the mirror's GPS location, even if the vehicle's occupants are incapable to respond.
     Also, the security services include Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance, which also uses OnStar FMV's global positioning satellite location. Roadside assistance is a blue button push away. A red button is for emergency assistance or situations such as witnessing a collision or a crime in progress.

I don't know about you, but when looking at this, I see the future - something that we're about here at Today's Tech Blogger.

-Joe

Google Nexus S 4G with WiMAX

Okay, first off, this phone is looking to hit the market for ~only $200 with a 2 year contract. While reading, I am sure that you'll consider this to be a fine deal.

Coming this Spring is the first pure Google 4G Device powered by Android 2.3. This phone will boast the Google experience, entail Google Voice integration, and posses a super AMOLED display and Mobile Hotspot capability. This Google Voice™ integration built into the Sprint Network will be a HUGE bonus for those who use Google Voice.

Inside this phone is a powered 1GHz Samsung application processor that produces rich 3D-like graphics, rapid upload and download times and supports HD-like multimedia along with a flexible Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to make mobile games, surfing the Web and viewing videos a smooth and enjoyable experience. It is designed with Samsung's brilliant Super AMOLED™ touchscreen technology. The 4-inch Contour Display is a more curved design for a more appealing look and feel in the user's hand or along the side of the face. It also offers a vivid screen with higher color contrast, leaving images ultra vivacious and text crisp - at any size - and produces less glare compared to other smartphone displays when outdoors, making videos, pictures, and games look their greatest even when it's very sunny outdoors!

For those who are into apps, the Sprint Nexus S 4G will be among the first to receive Android software upgrades and new Google mobile apps. In various cases, the device will get the updates and new apps as soon as they are available. Also, the Nexus S 4G features a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera and camcorder and front-facing VGA camera(for things like Skype). In addition, Nexus S 4G features a gyroscope sensor to offer a smooth, flowing gaming experience when the user tilts the device up or down or pans the phone to the left or right.

Awesome features that we would like to focus on include:

• 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot capability, supporting up to six Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously
• Android Market™ for access to more than 150,000 applications, widgets and games available for download to customize the experience
• Google mobile services such as Google Search™, Gmail™, Google Maps™ with Navigation, syncing with Google Calendar™, Voice Actions and YouTube™
• Corporate email (Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync®), personal (POP & IMAP) email and instant messaging
• Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which allows the device to read information from everyday objects, like stickers and posters embedded with NFC chips
• 16GB Internal Memory (ROM)/512MB (RAM)
• Wi-Fi® – 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth® 2.1 + EDR
• Integrated GPS
• 1500 mAh Lithium-ion battery

Google Voice makes it effortless for people to handle and contact most of their voice-based communication. It lets users manage up to six diverse phones through one number with clever call routing and sophisticated features like call screening, blocking and recording. For those unaware, checkout Google Voice by Googling "Google Voice", as it's completely free on your PC!

If you're looking for a phone that offers quite a standard, then look no further.

-Joe

HTC Thunderbolt

            If you want a phone - a FAST phone - that does just about everything paralleling today's needs for mobile devices, than the HTC Thunderbolt is right for you. If 4G and Google is not enough to float your boat, than you may want to read on to see what else this phone provides in it's elegant package Otherwise, I'm sure that you tech-fans are aware of this phone's incredible ability! It's hard to believe these are still called phones/smartphones, as with the Thunderbolt, it's almost insulting when looking at all of its features.

            Some neat features include:

• spacious 4.3-inch WVGA display
• 8 megapixel camera
• dual-LED flash
•  Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
•  integrated kickstand
•  a second "4G" radio
•  access to Verizon's LTE network

If you're still paying attention, it's no wonder that the Thunderbolt has a very real opportunity to be the finest 4.3-inch device HTC has ever created, at least for now...

Remember I mentioned FAST? Take a look at the AVERAGE 4G speed below:

     This is insanely fast, considering that there were only 2 bars!!!

            Underneath the kickstand (which has "with Google" engraved on it, how kool is that?!! -> In case you've haven't noticed, Google is taking over), there's a metal grating that hides a loudspeaker -- which is exactly that, quite loud!! The Thunderbolt's thickness and design details seemed to be improved from the EVO and the camera's rim is pretty flush with the back and the lens is actually counter-sunk, so do NOT worry about scratching up the 8 megapixel lens by setting the phone down. Did we mention that the 32GB microSD card can come pre-installed! That's 32GB the size of a pinky finger nail! I remember when hard drives were 1GB in the old PII PCs...

            Anyway, there are some downsides, in my opinion. There is a rather weak 1400mAh battery underneath the back case, which is very difficult to remove. This will make it less appealing when thinking about removing the microSD card. Besides this, I cannot see much flaw with this phone. The edges of the Thunderbolt are clean and simple and there is an HDMI-out  which is great for those who like to film with the 720p camera built into the phone! The power button is nicely seated and the volume rocker is also perfectly shaped, sized, and in the best possible location along the right edge. Also, the display is simply amazing.

            Overall, this phone is quite a force. My bet is that it will get better in newer generations, but for now, this smartphone is a leader for sure.

-Joe

TI Inspire

Hey everyone its Ross from Tech Today's Tech Team Duo. It's been a good year or so since the TI-Nspire line of graphing calculators got a refresh, but that was nothing compared to what the company's planning for this year. Possibly responding to changing times (or the Casio Prizm), the new Nspire devices are getting a WiFi dongle for communication with TI-Navigator workstations, a 16-bit (320 x 240) full color display, and a number of new functions, including the ability to load images and analyze images for such things as curve fitting functions and regressions. Perhaps even more exciting, the new Nspire OS 3.0 features 3D functions -- and, yes, the original grayscale TI-Nspire models will be able to upgrade to the new OS when it becomes available this spring.Tech Powered Math is reporting a mid-April release date, for an MSRP of $165. Totally psyched? We bet you are! See the PR after the break for more info.

Smartphones Vs. Personal Computers!

   Ross and I were discussing some things recently regarding Smartphones Vs. Personal Computers! Read on to find out what we found...

    The purpose of this blog is to help you understand where we are right now in terms of PCs and smartphones. When reading, you will better grasp how smartphones are going to become more and more constant and PCs may possibly become obsolete in the future.

     Personal Computers(PCs) are constantly being surpassed by smartphones. As CNN has discovered, smartphone shipments have been second to smartphones since 2010!

     In recent findings, it seems that about 100.9 million smartphones have been shipped to stores around the world via prominent manufactures in the last quarter of 2010 alone. This large number just cannot compare to the 92.1 million PCs, even when considering the necessity of computers today and how they are needed for work, school, and gaming. In spite of the importance of personal computers and the vast capability that they offer, "smartphone shipments have tripled, while PC shipments grew a comparatively measly 45%", says CNN.
       For those who find it difficult to believe that PCs are falling behind smartphones, at least in terms of shipments, consider that in the US, buyers constantly purchase new smartphones when their phone contracts end. Also in the US, we are constantly being hit with new wireless technology and commercials which demand that we buy the newest product to "stay ahead of the game." As you can see, there is undoubtedly a favoring to smartphones which is seemingly increasing at an incredible rate. Though smartphones have surpassed PCs and will likely be the future due to Apps and Web diversity with Facebook and Youtube, PCs are holding strong ground - at least for now.

Vs

      In comparison to the smartphone growth around the globe, 80% of Americans own a PC of some kind, i.e. a laptop or desktop. This is a comfortable majority "compared to the minute 17% who own smartphones, according to Forrester Research." Despite the majority of Americans being PC owners, this does not sufficiently instill confidence that this will last, due to the rapid mobile and portability-driven demand that we have in today's world.
     Smartphones are most likely going to replace PCs, as they are already starting to meeting and pass the PCs' abilities. For example, the smartphones that are being produced utilize multi-core microchips which are on the brink of meeting recent year PC processor speeds. This alone speaks for itself, but just in case you are not swayed, it doesn't end there! Remember that there is also the advancing technology such as built in cameras that have zoom, 3G and 4G connectivity,  and the ability to acquire Apps and Internet content from anywhere at any time. We see phones replacing even camera and even GPS, as many smartphones now how these abilities, to an impressive degree!
     Smartphones are also more customizable now, personal to the user/owner. Newer phones have the ability to handle tasks like monitoring your health or starting the engine of your car with the press of a button. Smartphones are also cheaper, more functional on a non-ground level, unlike a PC, and does not use a lot of electricity. Basically humans are looking for a solitary device that can do whatever one wishes, is dependable, efficient, and is simple. We believe this device is the smartphone of the future and the trending facts already favor smartphones over PCs.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/02/09/technology/smartphones_eclipse_pcs/index.htm
-Joe

Xooming Into New Tablets

Hey techies! It's Ross from the tech team duo of Today's Tech Blogger. A week ago I posted on how Samsung has been winning the competition between the Android Tablet market. Compared to the other Android 2.2 based tablets, the Samsung Galaxy S Tab takes the cake. But wait, thats just for Android 2.2. It hit me over the weekend... They are running Android 2.2... Thats a phone OS... Do I really want to have a phone running on software that was made for a phone?!? I mean, its like having a car running on an engine that wasn't made for it, like a Ferrari Enzo with a rusty Ford Escort motor in it... Its just not right! By the way, I don't mean to down Ford Escorts for you Escort fans out there it's only an example...

But back to the point, it's Android 2.2! After a little bit of noodling on the net, I noticed that Motorola is bringing out a Tablet, the Motorola Xoom. And yes, this tablet deserves those intense ads they use for the Droid line. I mean what is there not to like? With NVidia's new Tegra II dual core processor and a 10.1" screen this piece of hardware is amazing! And wait, its running a Tablet specific version of Android 3.0 "Honeycomb"!!! Why is this a big deal you ask? Well as I mentioned on the last tablet review, Android OS is an opensource product. With that in mind, realize that there is a difference between the software fitting the hardware and the hardware fitting the software. Just because it's great on one device doesn't mean it will be on the next.

Motorola has broadened their product to suit not only the individuals looking for a tablet, but more so a netbook alternative. Accessories for this tablet include docking bays, wireless keyboards as well as mobile cases. As this offers a multitude of applications this product beats out a ton of todays netbooks.

Like the rest of the Tablets on the market today they are equipped with a 3G air-card as well as the soon to be release Verizon LTE (Long Term Evolution) service. The Xoom is to be released by Verizon hopefully towards the end of this month (rumored to be on the 24th) for around $800. I'm not too sure if that is before or after a month's service, but expect it to be without contract. I'll be sure to keep updating what I find on the Xoom as the month goes on.

Casio Exilim fc100

Hey Guys, Joe here.

     I hope you're taking pictures of the weather out there, because at least in Maryland, the winter blast is crazy! Speaking of pictures, we would like to bring your attention to Casio's one of a kind point-and-shoot camera: The Casio Exilim fc100. Initially introduced to the market at $349.99, this amazing camera is now down to only $249.99! You can even find it on Amazon or eBay at a cheaper price.

     The reason that we are putting emphasis on this reasonably priced camera from Casio's Exilim series is not because of the modest 9.1 Megapixel ability or even the HD 720p x 1280p filming ability, rather we are letting you know that for the price of plane tickets, you can capture your memories in 1,000 frames per second(fps)!
     In addition to the 1,000fps shooting ability, this camera features 210fps and 420fps. If you do the math, that is a ridiculous 7 and 14 times slower than real-time, respectively. Since I am into skateboarding and technology, I wanted to see what my tricks would look like in when applying Casio's state-of-the-art high speed camera. The Casio Exilim fc100 allows me to study and enhance my coordination, providing me with another dimension of awareness to my skating. It is as if technology is facilitating my physical reality, in terms of my skating career. Here is a video that I created using the high speed 210fps capture mode that most point-and-shoot cameras couldn't dream of providing:

Thank you Casio for making an affordable camera with unparalleled capturing ability!

-Joe

Samsung Galaxy Tablet

Hey techies! It's Ross from the tech team duo of Today's Tech Blogger. I'm not sure if you've noticed but with today's consumer "need" growing to be connected socially and to the internet at all times companies like Samsung have been producing mobile devices to help us do just that. Samsung late last year released its Galaxy S Tablet after releasing its line of Galaxy S Smartphones. With the new craze of opensource software becoming available to phones, the Google Android OS market has been booming.

The technology Samsung had used at the time surpassed current Smartphone as well as mobile technology with their new AMOLED screen, which portrays the clearest images on mobile devices on the market today. Still currently, consumer's are still purchasing the Galaxy line as they still have the best screens on the market. Apple's iPad, the main competitor of the Galaxy S Tab, has a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 where as the Galaxy S Tab 1024 x 600. Though the resolution of the iPad does off the box say it is higher, they crisp color produced my the more vibrant AMOLED screen the Galaxy has is very noticable. Don't get me wrong, the screen of the iPad is great but I'm an opensource guy. Being able to freely create, distribute and download Apps that Apple charges users for I see as a perk. Not only that, but the Apps on the Android Market place are supported by their creators fairly well. And just to make it clear, I'm not saying all Apps for the Android are free, but more and more Apps that are used are opensource.

The Galaxy S Tab runs off of Androids new OS Android 2.3 "Gingerbread." The OS is Androids creme de le creme of OS's so far and all Android users will agree that the OS is very simple to use and aesthetically is amazing with or without the plethora of customizations offered.

Now to knock the product about one small detail... I have to admit, Apple did one thing right... They are selling it to individuals without mobile data plans... C'mon Samsung! When will you release this for the rest of us who just want to take advantage of WiFi? I mean I know you can pay full retail on the device and use the WiFi, but you still have the 3G receiver installed. The Galaxy S Tab generally runs around $500 ($499) without a data plan, but with a mobile 3G plan gets bumped down to what I'm finding to be $400 ($399.)

I know I'll be getting one when the WiFi only models come out without the cellphone company branding on it.

Here we go...

Guess we have to start somewhere, right? The following tech reviews will be brought to you by Ross and I. We plan on featuring today's technology involving cameras, computers (hardware/software), gadgets, automotive tech, cell phones and I guess what ever else comes up.