earthquake
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FujiFilm's $1,700 X100 Black Edition now shipping, limited to 10K units worldwide
We somehow missed this retro-styled gem at back at CES, but no matter -- Fujifilm's X100 Black Premium Edition is now shipping and available for purchase. This is exactly the same 12.3-megapixel camera that's been pleasing photographers for nearly a year, albeit in a darker, single-tone finish that's limited to a run of 10,000 units worldwide. Priced at $1,700, the black X100 is 500 more bones than the standard-issue variant and features the same 23mm fixed lens, but it comes with a lens hood, leather case, clear lens filter and an adapter ring; all of which are all painted to match. We'd say this blacked-out shooter gives the NEX-7 a run for its money in the dapper looks department, but you can decide for yourself at the source link below. Full press release past the break.
The Mog Log: Eye of the earthquake
This has not been a normal year. Not for me, certainly -- I certainly didn't expect back in January that I'd be facing a week without power later in the year -- but not for Final Fantasy XI or Final Fantasy XIV either. None of us was expecting both games to be shut down for a while in response to a horrible earthquake hitting Japan, for example. But barring something truly bizarre happening over the next week, the year is finally winding down to a close, so we can look back on what's taken place with analytical minds. Even without the earthquake, though, this hasn't been a usual year for either game. Admittedly, Final Fantasy XIV hasn't had a "usual" year to use as a baseline, but it was certainly a tumultuous one for players and developers. And Final Fantasy XI... well, it's had an unusual year more in terms of what didn't happen. Take a look past the break as I take a look down memory lane.
Google's new Street View feature provides eerie glimpse of post-tsunami Japan
Google has put the devastation of March's Japanese tsunami in hauntingly stark relief, with the release of a new Street View feature that covers the country's most ravaged regions. It's all part of an initiative to "digitally archive" the aftermath of this year's earthquake and tsunami, with Street View images captured across some 44,000 kilometers of Northeastern Japan. The panoramic, 360-degree photos cover both inland and coastal regions, allowing users to retroactively trace the path of destruction across Fukushima and other areas, while placing them at ground level amidst a graveyard of battered homes and abandoned buildings. Google hopes this archive will help scientists to gain a better understanding of the damage wreaked by natural disasters, while preserving the memory of those who suffered most. It's viscerally eerie, powerful and, above all, tragic. Be sure to check it out at the source link below.
Mobislyder offers low-level roll track for filming, gleams the cube
You tried to shoot a quick handheld movie with your smartphone the other night. And it wound up looking like you shot it in the middle of an earthquake. Before putting your video editing application's "Analyze for Stabilization" feature to the test, have a gander at Glidetrack's Mobislyder. Essentially a combination of a roll track and a skateboard, the Mobislyder ships with a variety of mounts to fit a selection of smartphones, camcorders and compact cameras. This, combined with four non-rolling feet and a swivel mount, allow the Mobislyder to be used at almost any low angle. That thing you're peering at above is available for $135, which could be a solid deal for a good, steady, sliding platform to shoot from. Or, it could be $96 more than the parts you picked up from Radio Shack and Home Depot to perform the exact same function. A full video demo awaits after the break.
Google launches Person Finder app following earthquake in Turkey
In the wake of yesterday's devastating earthquake in Turkey, Google has launched a specialized Person Finder to help victims find missing loved ones. First developed in response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Google's Person Finder has since been deployed to several other natural disaster zones, including post-tsunami Japan earlier this year. The idea behind the company's Turkish initiative remains as straightforward as ever: users can enter information on the person they're looking for, or add any details they may have on people who aren't already accounted for. Of course, all submitted records remain available for public search and viewing. If you've been affected by the earthquake or have any information on someone who has, you can find Google's Person Finder at the source link below.
Totem Talk: 4.3 changes for elemental shaman
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement, and restoration shaman. Josh Myers once only tackled the hard questions about enhancement but has recently expanded his sphere of responsibility to all shaman DPS specs. (And no, two-handed enhancement is still never coming back.) It's crazy for me to think that it's been nearly four weeks since the first patch notes detailing class changes went up on the PTR. Three Saturdays back, I devoted the first post to tier 13 so as to benefit both specs of DPS shaman. Two weeks ago, it was enhancement changes. And, in my most recent post, elemental changes got pushed to the back burner after the elemental tier 12 set bonus got nerfed hard on the PTR. So, nearly a calendar month after PTR notes first went up, it's high time to discuss some of the awesome (and not-so-awesome) changes in store for elemental shaman in patch 4.3.
MOTOFONE F3, the zombie apocalypse survival phone (video)
You can never be too prepared. Whether you're being chased by brain sucking zombies, hunted down by ruthless killer robots, or -- more likely -- the victim of an earthquake or other natural disaster. There's only one phone you really need, and that's the MOTOFONE F3. Forget your smartphone and its fancy pants features, forget the internet -- when the apocalypse strikes your survival might depend on a durable handset with great battery life and just the basics, which is exactly what the MOTOFONE F3 delivers. Introduced in 2006 for developing markets, it makes and takes calls, sends and receives text messages, beeps and vibrates, stores and recalls your most important contacts, and includes an alarm clock -- that's it. Of course, these specs describe almost every simple phone launched since SMS was added to the GSM standard. What makes the MOTOFONE F3 unique is that it uses a segmented e-paper display which sips power and remains legible in both direct sunlight and dark back alleys, along with dual antennae for superior radio performance. Battery life is absolutely incredible, with over 2 weeks in standby and several months powered off. Motorola also designed the handset to be light (68g), thin (9mm) and strong -- it's resistant to shock, dust and moisture, with a sealed keypad and speaker (which is extremely loud). The best part? You can pick one up online, unlocked, for as little as $25. Check out our gallery below, and whatever you do, don't be like our protagonist in the zombie apocalypse video after the break -- don't leave your SIM at home. Psst... yeah, we know this phone's ancient, but every now and then we like to reach back and have a little fun. And, you know, escape a looming zombie horde. %Gallery-131641%
Apple reportedly adds earthquake warning to Japanese iOS
Apple is supposedly adding an Earthquake widget to its Japanese version of iOS 5. The widget will connect to Japan's earthquake warning system and will alert iPhone owners of an impending natural disaster. The system will tie into iOS 5's new notification center and give Japanese residents a few extra minutes to prepare for an earthquake and possible Tsunami. The early notification could lower your battery life, but that's an acceptable trade-off for public and personal safety.
iOS 5 turns Japanese iPhones into earthquake alarms
Following the devastation wrought by the recent Japanese earthquake, Apple has hooked the country's early warning system into iOS 5. The tectonically-volatile nation has the most sophisticated alarm in the world, delivering life-saving warnings seconds or minutes before disaster strikes. iOS users already had access to this functionality via apps like Yurekuru, but iOS 5 will bring it directly into the operating system. The service can be activated in the Notification Center settings pane, accompanied by a warning that the constant connection will deplete your battery faster -- a fair exchange if it saves your life.
World of Warcraft pet sales contribute over $1.9 million to Red Cross
In May, Blizzard announced that sales of the Moonkin Hatchling in-game pet had raised $800,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Around the same time, Japan suffered a devastating earthquake and Blizzard was quick to introduce a second in-game pet in the form of the Cenarion Hatchling, the sales of which would all be contributed to the Red Cross's Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami relief fund. Well, it looks like the World of Warcraft community -- with a little help from the adorable feathered Cenarion Hatchling -- has done it again. Blizzard announced today that as of today, sales of the Hatchling have totaled over $1.9 million, with every last penny going to the Land of the Rising Sun in its time of need. Blizzard -- and we here at Massively, for that matter -- send out heartfelt thanks to the players who helped contribute to this staggering amount to the Red Cross.
Cenarion Hatchling raises over $1.9 million for Japan Earthquake Relief
Here's some wonderful news for the WoW community -- Blizzard's recent charity drive to help those in need after the recent devastating earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan has raised over $1.9 million for the American Red Cross efforts. At $10 per pet and 100% of the proceeds going to the American Red Cross, that's over 190,000 pet purchases since the pet went on sale in May. Good job, WoW community! The Cenarion Hatchling is still up on the Blizzard store, so if you missed your chance to purchase the little guy for charity, you'll still be able to pick him up, as he is a permanent part of the store from here on out. Feel good about this one -- that's a lot of money going to people in need. Editor's Note: Comments have been disabled in this post due to excessive trolling.
Sony Ericsson posts surprising Q2 loss, blames Japanese earthquake
Many analysts and market watchers were expecting a strong Q2 earnings report from Sony Ericsson today, but the company took them by surprise, posting a net loss of some €50 million (about $70.5 million), compared with a net gain of €12 million (around $17 million) at the same time last year. The manufacturer also sold only 7.6 million phones during the quarter, marking a 31 percent year-on-year decrease, while overall revenue fell from €1.76 billion (about $2.5 billion) last year to €1.19 billion (almost $1.7 billion) during Q2 2011. CEO Bert Nordberg attributed much of the decline to the Japanese earthquake, which disrupted the venture's supply chain, resulting in the loss of around 1.5 million devices. The report comes after Sony Ericsson launched a widespread cost-cutting campaign and re-focused its efforts on smartphone production, which comprised more than 70 percent of all sales during Q2, compared with just 40 percent at the end of last year. For a more thorough breakdown, head past the break for the full press release.
Video App Demo: QuakeInfo
If you live in an area where earthquakes happen, or if you just want to track earthquakes around the world, check out QuakeInfo from Atomic Powered. It's a simple thing, really, but a handy way to track earthquakes globally. QuakeInfo uses information from the U.S. Geological Survey to display quakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater within a week. Check out the video below to see QuakeInfo in action. There's a list view and map view, with the map view allowing you to look for geological trends. Handy if you're predicting the end of days! if(typeof AOLVP_cfg==='undefined')AOLVP_cfg=[];AOLVP_cfg.push({id:'AOLVP_1034484109001','codever':0.1, 'autoload':false, 'autoplay':false, 'playerid':'61371448001', 'videoid':'1034484109001', 'width':480, 'height':270, 'stillurl':'http://pdl.stream.aol.com/pdlext/aol/brightcove/studionow/p/f225fbb05fba2/r/8d4e9e87e5ecc/al/193064/poster-10.jpg', 'playertype':'inline','videotitle':'TUAW - App Demo - QuakeInfo','videolink':'#'});
Fukushima plant operator uses modded robot vacuum to suck up radioactive dirt (video)
A few months ago, back when Japan was freshly reeling from that devastating earthquake and tsunami, it became obvious that robots could help survey radiation levels in Fukushima, even if they were powerless to lower them. Now, Tokyo Power Electric Co., the company that operates the damaged nuclear plant, is experimenting with an ad hoc system designed to clean at least some of the radioactive dirt from the reactors. What you see in that clip below is an industrial-grade vacuum cleaner attached to a Warrior, the most heavy-duty of iRobot's mobile bots. The idea is that workers can control the system from a safe distance, and let the robot handle the dirty work of removing toxic sand and debris. Head past the break to see it in action, combing the floor of the (eerily) empty plant.
Polyphony Digital shipping a third of its employees out of Tokyo
Gran Turismo 5 developer Polyphony Digital is transferring 50 of it's 150 employees to a new location in Fukuoka, over 500 miles away from their main HQ in Tokyo. According to EDGE, the partial relocation has been prompted by mounting concerns over another devastating earthquake in the Tokyo region, as well as the Fukushima nuclear crisis that followed last March's tsunami. Fukuoka, while no stranger to earthquakes itself, is Japan's second-youngest and second-fastest-growing city, according to 2000 census information. The city is positioning itself as a developer-friendly environment, counting Professor Layton developers Level-5 among its denizens. Polyphony Digital's arrival bodes well for the district, as it may encourage other developers to reduce operational risk by spreading their teams across the nation.
Topcon's IP-S2 Lite creates panoramic maps in 3D, spots every bump in the road (video)
You'd need only a smartphone app to pinpoint every pothole on your block, but to map out more severe structural damage, you'd probably need more sophisticated equipment -- which is where Topcon's IP-S2 Lite comes in. Unveiled at last week's 3D & Virtual Reality Expo in Tokyo, this road condition evaluation system is comprised of a 360-degree camera, GPS and an inclinometer. After using its camera to capture images at 16 frames per second, the IP-S2 analyzes the properties of every shot and uses this information to create 3D video footage. The contraption can also measure the height, distance and surface area of any given frame, allowing engineers to insert computer-generated images into the video (as pictured above) and to construct more accurate maps of disaster-stricken regions. In the wake of this year's devastating earthquake, for example, Japan's Geospatial Information Authority used this technology to map coastal areas of the Miyagi Prefecture, giving officials and rescue workers a better idea of the damage inflicted upon the region. You can find out more about the IP-S2 in the video after the break. [Thanks, Don]
Beat Ne-Yo at Child of Eden to help Japan
Hey, there's a headline we didn't expect to write today. Ubisoft's new Child of Eden promotion, "Project Hope," challenges players to exceed musician Ne-yo's high score in the "Evolution" level to boost Ubisoft's donation to Japanese earthquake relief. $100,000 is already pledged; for every score on that level's "Normal Kinect" leaderboard exceeding Ne-Yo's 306,800 between now and July 4, Ubisoft will add an additional dollar, up to a maximum of $20,000. While replaying this game over and over again for leaderboard position seems like a weird subversion of its happy, love-everyone vibe, it's hard to argue with a good cause. And it is a promotion that results in a lot of time spent playing Child of Eden, so that's nice.
Parrot AR.Drone floats into damaged New Zealand cathedral, returns with haunting video
Whenever disaster strikes, robots are among the first to scope out the damage. Rarely, however, do they return with footage as eerie as what this Parrot AR.Drone recorded in Christchurch, New Zealand. In the wake of Monday's 6.0-magnitude earthquake, engineers sent the $500 bot into the city's Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament -- a 106-year-old Roman Catholic church that had sustained significant damage, rendering it too dangerous for humans to enter. The iPad-controlled quadrocopter swooped in and captured rather depressing images of the cathedral's battered interior. The video's quality may be low, but its creepy quotient is high: shattered stained-glass windows, piles of debris, stray pieces of iconography -- it's all quite heavy. Head past the break to see it for yourself. [Thanks, Ross]
gPotato players pitch in to help Japan relief effort
While March's earthquake and tsunami in Japan is no longer in the headlines, relief and recovery efforts go on -- and will continue for some time to come. Gamers have been generous in answering the call to help by their favorite MMOs, and today we've received word that gPotato players have donated €22,151 to help with the Red Cross' relief efforts. This hefty sum was raised through the sale of special in-game items created in response to the disaster. These items appeared in Rappelz, Flyff, Castle of Heroes and Terra Militaris. Players who purchased one of these items between March 25th and April 30th saw their money go entirely to the Red Cross. This was a part of a global effort by Gala Networks that ultimately raised over €50,000. Gala Networks Europe CEO Hyun Hur has a few words for those who participated: "We're hugely proud of the amount our players have raised for the Irish Red Cross and that our community is so kind-hearted."
Game music superstars contribute new music to 'Play for Japan' album
The name of the "Play for Japan" charity initiative typically refers to playing games, but a group of well-known video game composers, led by Silent Hill's Akira Yamaoka, has decided to play some music to raise money for earthquake relief. The album features new songs by composers such as Bear McCreary, Nobuo Uematsu, Tommy Tallarico, Super Mario Bros. musician Koji Kondo, and Creatures Inc. president Hip Tanaka, who has branched out in recent years from his work as a Nintendo composer (Metroid, Dr. Mario) into the role of a chiptunes DJ. The album will be released in early June on iTunes, with all proceeds going to the Japanese Red Cross. Check out the unexpectedly creepy cover art by Yoshitaka Amano above, and a significantly less creepy statement from Yamaoka after the break.
