Skype has announced that it will acquire mobile video company Qik, a Redwood City-based provider of software allowing mobile users to capture and share video. Describing the companies as sharing “a common purpose of enriching communications with video,” the purchase will give Skype control of Qik’s Smart Streaming technology to optimize …
Portables
Digital Camera Sales Up in Emerging Markets
According to records released by GfK Retail and Technology, digital camera sales have increased by a wide margin in emerging markets for the first three quarters of 2010. Sales in countries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and in the Asia-Pacific region rose about 20 percent with the biggest sector in growth found in China and Asia. …
Three Tech Anti-Predictions for 2010
For my latest Technologizer column over at TIME.com, I peered ahead into 2011 and compiled a list of products and trends that should have an impact before the year is out. I tried to avoid making out-and-out predictions: I think that so much is unknowable that if your prognostications pan out it may be due to luck as much as anything …
Apple, Canon, TiVo Sued For Patent Infringment
Alcatel-Lucent has declared war on Apple, Canon, LG and TiVo with a new lawsuit alleging that each of the companies is knowingly using Alcatel-Lucent patented technology without appropriate royalty payment. The lawsuit, filed earlier this week through Multimedia Patent Trust, a holding company set up by Alcatel-Lucent, says that …
Next Year’s Royal Wedding May Be Transmitted In 3D
What would be the only thing to make next year’s impending nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton – almost officially Britain’s favorite commoner by this point – even more special than they already are? If they were transmitted around the world in 3D, of course!
Sadly, it’s not a joke; British broadcasters are said to be …
“Path” Photo Sharing App Has Big Backers, But Will It Stick?
There’s a new photo sharing service in town. Path, available initially for iPhone, makes the idea of social networking an images-only affair and limits your network to just 50 people. The result is a “place you will always feel comfortable being yourself and sharing the story of your life with your closest friends and family,” according …
Coming Soon to Your Digital Camera: the FluCard?
Naming new tech products is hard.
For every inspired choice (Apple’s iPod), there’s usually one that’s bizarre (Tivoli Audio’s iYiYi), off-putting (DigiScents’ iSmell) or just plain incomprehensible (Samsung’s LA46A850S1F).
Henn Tan, the Trek 2000 CEO who trademarked the “ThumbDrive” name for those ubiquitous USB …
Two Minute Video: Visions of a 3D Point and Shoot Camera
The Finepix Real 3D W3 is Fujifilm’s second stab at a consumer-friendly point and shoot camera that takes 3D photos. While the first version met with less-than-favorable reviews last year, the W3 has slimmed down a bit and gotten a little easier to use so it should fare better this time around.
It’s still a niche product for a niche …
ReadySteady Stabilizes Pocket Camcorders, Doubles as Tripod
The $30 ReadySteady camcorder stabilizer is a little smaller than a hockey puck. It’s made of two high-quality, sturdy aluminum halves that house a flexible seven-inch rod that screws into your camcorders tripod mount.
When you want to use the ReadySteady, you untwist the two aluminum halves, remove the gooseneck tripod rod, twist the …
Pentax K-5: Faster, Stronger, Friendlier
Following up on last week’s K-r announcement, Pentax has announced its Big Daddy DSLR, the K-5.
The K-5’s weather resistant body is similar – if not the same – as the K-7 except for a dial mode that sits a smidge higher for easier controls. Using Sony’s 16.3-megapixel CMOS sensor, the K-5 rattles off 7fps with an ISO …
Casio Camera Features Maps, Can Geotag Photos Indoors
Photography nerds, rejoice! Casio’s upcoming Exilim EX-H20G camera features geotagging that works even when you’re not within sight of GPS satellites. Inconceivable! Or is it?
“Casio’s Hybrid GPS system combines GPS with autonomic positioning, which is made possible by an internal motion sensor. This enables the EX-H20G to track a
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Quick Look at Microsoft’s ‘LifeCam Studio’ 1080p Webcam
Earlier this week, Microsoft announced availability of its $100 LifeCam Studio webcam. The camera sports a compact design, autofocus, glass lens, 360-degree panning, tripod mount, and—most importantly—a 1080p sensor. I’ve been playing around with the LifeCam Studio for a bit and have some early impressions to report.
If you’re …
