Zach Honig
Articles by Zach Honig
Tesla opens 100th Supercharger... in a state where sales are banned
You can't buy a Tesla in New Jersey, but now you can Supercharge one up! Tesla's 100th Supercharger just came online in Hamilton, located just a few miles from the NJ state capital of Trenton. The Garden State's very first Supercharger sports six stalls, and, since it's positioned just a few miles from the New Jersey Turnpike, can accommodate Tesla owners traveling down the East Coast, from Connecticut to Florida. Of course, while you can fuel up your Tesla in Jersey, you can't make a purchase -- direct-to-consumer sales are still banned, following a shady (Jersey-esque) backroom deal between politicians and lobbyists just last month.
DARPA envisions a smarter, safer autopilot
Autonomous aircraft serve their purpose, but there's no question that pilotless passenger flights are a long way off, if they ever become a reality. Still, there's obviously room for improvement when it comes to on-board systems that assist pilots in their duties. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is in the process of creating an advanced autopilot system called ALIAS (yes, another acronym). The Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (there you go) would control military aircraft in all stages of flight, from takeoff to landing -- even during a system failure. Pilots would interact with the system using a touchscreen and voice control, supervising a flight instead of commanding it. Of course, we'll see this technology make its way to military planes long before it's adopted by airlines, but ALIAS could play a key role in keeping us all safe at 30,000 feet.
Honeywell's Bluetooth air purifier gets pollen alerts from your smartphone
Your air conditioner may already be connected to the web, but what about that lowly air purifier gallantly battling dust in the corner? If a completely connected home is on the docket, prep your 270 bucks and get ready for an upgrade. Honeywell's latest air purifier includes integrated Bluetooth, letting you use your Android or iOS smartphone to turn the device on when you enter the room, control cleaning levels, set a schedule and track when it's time to swap out the HEPA filter. But it takes automation even further, pulling pollen and mold alerts from the web via your smartphone and adjusting fan levels automatically. The HPA250B, which can accommodate rooms of up to 310 square feet, is available from Best Buy for $269.99.
KnowRoaming review: This SIM 'sticker' makes it easy for travelers to save on data
Thanks in no small part to T-Mobile's free global data initiative, US carriers have begun to lighten the fee load when it comes time to roam. But you'll still pay an arm and a leg in many countries, and discounted plans from AT&T and Verizon, while more reasonable than they once were, require a monthly subscription that can be a hassle to add and remove. If you're expecting to use gobs of data abroad, KeepGo's disposable-SIM program is probably your best bet, but an intriguing alternative from KnowRoaming will keep leisure travelers and other casual users connected in 220 countries without the need to worry about coming home to an enormous bill. That solution, an incredibly thin card with passthrough leads and an adhesive back, simply sits atop your existing SIM, springing into action whenever you arrive in a foreign country. Join me as I travel to Europe and beyond to see how well this sticker works.
Ford's Skyliner concept is like a private jet for the road
If you had $40 million to spend on a ultra-lux vehicle, you might opt for a (pre-owned) Gulfstream V. VIPs on a tighter budget could instead pick up this decked-out Ford van, which comes complete with incredibly comfy leather seats, a Crestron home (or van) automation system, a 52-inch drop-down projection screen with Kaleidescape media server, and plenty of other goodies like maple flooring, a bar with fridge, multi-color LEDs around the roof, individual reading lights (like you'd get on that private jet) and integrated WiFi. You can even add a set of matching luggage.
HotelTonight app now lets you preview room availability seven days ahead
HotelTonight's namesake feature is also holding it back: You can only book a room beginning at 9AM on the day of check-in. If you're planning to arrive during a major event, say, in Los Angeles during E3 or Rio during Carnival, landing without a confirmed room can add to the already stressful travel process. But the folks at HotelTonight have a good idea of whether or not you'll be able to find a room, and the team's now ready to share that info with you. Now, when you open up the iOS app, Look Ahead will let you preview room pricing and availability for the next seven days. The app will even give you a heads up if there's an event in town, so you can be aware of higher than normal rates, or opt to change your plans to avoid the crowds. Look Ahead is available today in Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington, DC. You'll need to have an iPhone to take advantage, but expect the feature to hit Android soon.
Office 365 Personal now available for $7 per month
Office 365 Personal, a leaner version of Microsoft's subscription-based productivity suite, is now available for $70 per year or $7 per month. The new package lets you use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher and Access on one Mac or Windows computer and one tablet. You also get smartphone access with Android, iOS and Windows Phone devices, online versions of Office, 27GB of online storage and 60 Skype minutes each month. Power users can access Office from up to five computers by opting for Office 365 Home instead, which will run you $100 per year or $10 per month.
Apple CarPlay coming to Pioneer's in-dash systems this summer
Apple CarPlay in an aftermarket dash system? You bet! And you may not even need to spend a dime. Pioneer's NEX line of five in-dash head units, priced from $700 to a whopping $1,400, will score CarPlay compatibility through a firmware update in early summer. NEX owners with an iPhone 5, 5c or 5s will be able to use Apple Maps for navigation, listen to music and other iTunes content, and tap Siri to make phone calls and send text messages. Pioneer's devices already in stores will be able to take advantage, so there's no need to wait for CarPlay integration to go live before picking one up.
Sony's A7s turns night into (very noisy) day with ISO 409,600
This week, Sony announced the A7s, a full-frame mirrorless camera that captures 4K video. But the 12-megapixel shooter has a few more tricks up its sleeve, including a phenomenally high top sensitivity of ISO 409,600, matching the Hi4 setting of Nikon's much larger (and pricier) D4S. Sony commissioned DP Den Lennie to shoot a demo reel that highlights the camera's 4K capabilities, but he had another chance to test out the cam at NAB. This time, Lennie put high-ISO video capture to the test, comparing ISO 6400 through 409,600 in a single clip. The difference is staggering, and while that top sensitivity brings more noise than you'd tolerate for a formal production, it could definitely come in handy for surveillance activities. See for yourself in Lennie's high-sensitivity demo video, embedded at the bottom of his post.
Ultra HD's the word at NAB 2014
Whether you call it 4K or Ultra HD, next-gen television sets are on their way to your living room. Some experts expect sales in the US alone to approach 1 million this year, with early adopters opening their wallets at an even greater rate overseas. But while many of us still get by with 1080p, content producers are adopting Ultra HD as the norm on set, with manufacturers focusing almost exclusively on next-gen hardware here at the National Association of Broadcasters' annual trade show in Las Vegas. Ultra HD cameras take every shape and size, from Sony's just-announced Alpha A7s mirrorless camera to Blackmagic's giant URSA, with its foldout 10-inch screen. Even drones are snapping 4K footage, including JVC's new gimbal-mounted Super 35mm cam. Some models, such as Red's $14,500 Dragon cam, can capture even higher-res video -- in this case, that means 6K footage from a camera you can hold in your hand.
Flying high above Vegas with the DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ drone
There's been a lot of killer gear here at NAB, from Sony's Alpha A7s to the Blackmagic URSA. But of all the gadgets that debuted in Vegas this week, I'm most obsessed with DJI's Phantom 2 Vision+ drone. This year's version represents a significant boost over 2013's model, due to one brilliant feature: a three-axis gimbal. The flying craft sports an integrated 1080p camera that can shoot solid stills and video alike, but the gimbal adds serious stabilization, keeping footage impossibly still, whether you're flying at 30MPH, caught in a gust of wind or simply hovering above the ground. The built-in GPS and compass keep the device on track at all times, letting you focus not on staying aloft, but on getting the shot.
These plastic pipes filled with warm water help Airbus test passenger comfort on the A350
Airbus has been flying A350 test aircraft with passenger seating since February, but the European manufacturer has just now welcomed journalists (and its own photographers) on board at Germany's Aircraft Interiors Expo. The plane is outfitted with an array of test equipment, including plastic pipes filled with warm water mounted on each seat. Temperature-controlled pipes are used to simulate a full cabin after hours of flight, likely to give Airbus an idea of how ventilation systems work to keep the interior comfortable and cool. This is also one of the first A350s to be outfitted with proper coach and business seats, giving us an idea of what we might experience on Airbus' answer to the Dreamliner once it begins scheduled flights later this year.
Lightroom mobile arrives for iPad with touch-friendly interface, realtime sync
Adobe Lightroom is one of the most popular image archive tools on the market, and beginning today, iPad-toting photogs now have an iOS app for their DSLR, smartphone and even tablet pics (gasp!) to call home. The companion application, Lightroom mobile, brings much of the desktop version's functionality to your portable slate. The touch-friendly interface, which supports both portrait and landscape orientations, swaps mouse clicks for taps and swipes. Flick up or down to pick or reject images, for example, or tap twice to cycle through metadata. Any changes you make to an image in the app will be pushed to the cloud and out to any other Lightroom apps that you've signed into. Similarly, if you edit an image on a desktop or laptop (which you'll want to do before making prints, since the iPad's display isn't calibrated), your changes will appear in Lightroom mobile within a few seconds.
Red adds wireless camera control module, software development kit
Another Red introduction at NAB is RedLink. This $395 wireless module serves as a bridge between your camera and other wireless devices, letting you use a smartphone, tablet or computer to operate your cam. We caught it in action at NAB today, and the demo iPad app worked well. The wireless module currently only supports single device connections, so if you're operating over WiFi, you'll only be able to control one camera from the app. Networking your devices via Ethernet, however, lets you interact with an unlimited number of Red cameras. Red's releasing an SDK as well, complete with Android, iOS and Windows templates, so it should be no time at all before a variety of compatible apps hit the market. Or, if you're looking for a customized level of control, you can always create your own. The $395 RedLink Bridge ships today.
Blackmagic's 4K URSA camera features massive 10-inch 1080p display, ships in June for $6,000
Consumers may not be familiar with Blackmagic Design, but the firm's cameras are all the rage with filmmakers at NAB, drawing enormous crowds within seconds of the show floor opening up to attendees. This year's flagship is the URSA, a relatively massive 4K camera with an enormous 10-inch 1080p flip-out display. There are also two 5-inch monitors on each side, displaying everything from camera settings to a duplicate preview. Another highlight is the Super 35 image sensor (the same used in Blackmagic's existing 4K cam), which is upgradeable should you wish to swap in a refreshed version down the line. You also get plenty of SDI inputs and outputs, XLR mic jacks and either a Canon EF or PL lens mount.
Delta to equip flight attendants with Nokia Lumia 1520s
The Lumia 820 just reached EOL at Delta. The airline's 20,000 flight attendants will be stepping up to the significantly larger Nokia Lumia 1520 "phablet" come this fall, matching the larger form factor that AA currently has in the sky. The 1520s will include flight manuals and can support on-board sales, letting employees process credit card payments on the fly. The move will also enable flight attendants to ditch the 500-page, five-pound manuals they're used to bringing on board, saving Delta more than $1 million each year in fuel and printing costs. Meanwhile, pilots are still on track to receive Microsoft's Surface 2 -- that process should be complete by the end of 2015. The 1520 will make its way on board much sooner, though. Delta is expecting to issue the Windows Phone 8.1 handsets beginning in October, with all FAs expected to have one in hand by the end of the year.
DJI brings its smooth video tech to the ground with Ronin camera gimbal
DJI's best known for its versatile photography drones, but the company's bringing its stabilization technology to ground-based shoots with the Ronin camera gimbal. The compact device, which appears to be a more consumer-friendly version of last year's Movi Freefly, is designed to work with a variety of compact cameras, from DSLRs to a Red Epic. The handheld gimbal is based on the firm's ZenMuse tech, which you'll find in select camera copters. A single videographer can control the rig, or you can have a second operator manage pan and tilt wirelessly. Ronin can be configured in less than five minutes using a companion smartphone app, which enables auto calibration after balancing the camera. Pricing should come in under $5,000, and DJI says to expect the device to ship later this quarter.
Google+ adds page view counts to user profiles
Earlier this month, we learned that Twitter's considering introducing view counts to individual tweets, and it looks like Google+ just flipped the switch on a similar initiative. Follower counts are now joined by the total number of page clicks, which includes the sum of your profile, post and picture views since October 2012. Some profiles have already begun showing the count by default, but you may need to check a box in your profile settings before it appears for you. Similarly, you can disable the feature by unchecking the box.
Olympus brings five-axis image stabilization to the point-and-shoot with $400 Stylus SH-1
Olympus introduced its five-axis image stabilization in 2012 with the OM-D E-M5. That $1,000 camera was mighty powerful for its day, but the new IS tech was perhaps its most impressive feature, enabling sharp stills and steady handheld video. It's very exciting, then, that Olympus is bringing that same stabilization to its point-and-shoot line with the Stylus SH-1. This compact cam has plenty of other tricks up its sleeve, too. Take the f/3-6.9, 25-600mm 24x optical zoom lens, for example, or the 16-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor and TruePic VII processor (the same found in the OM-D series). There's also a 3-inch 460k-dot LCD, 1080/60p video, an 11fps burst mode and integrated WiFi. The SH-1 is expected in stores this May in black, white and silver. It'll retail for $400, which, considering the optics and the five-axis image stabilization on board, is a pretty solid deal.
Olympus Stylus Tough TG-3 ships with WiFi and f/2 lens for $350, dead fish sold separately
We question Olympus' decision to photograph its latest ruggedized cam next to a dead fish, then send that image out to reporters. But puzzling marketing practices aside, this is one impressive point-and-shoot. The Stylus TG-3 hails from the company's Tough line, which means it's waterproof (to 50 feet), freeze-proof (to 14°F), shockproof (from seven-foot drops) and crushproof (to 220 pounds). Unlike many other ruggedized cams, however, the TG-3 is equally impressive when it comes to traditional capabilities. There's a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, an f/2-4.9, 25-100mm optical zoom lens, a 3-inch 460k-dot LCD, 1080p video, GPS and WiFi. A new microscope mode lets you snap macro shots just 10mm from your subject and a ring light accessory (perhaps our favorite feature) mounts atop the camera's built-in LED to provide even light with small subjects positioned just in front of the lens. The TG-3's expected to ship this June for $350 in black and red.