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Daily iPhone App: Note.S is a simple and impressive daily journal
Yes, there are plenty of notes apps out there, in varying amounts of quality and cost, and odds are that you already have some notes saved up somewhere on your iOS device (for me, it's right there in the official Notes app). But every once in a while, an app comes along that's just so simple and elegant it's worth a look anyway, and that's the strangely named Note.S. This is a really beautiful notes app that's set up as a daily journal, so you can track, from day to day, what you're trying to remember and note on any given day. As you can see above, the interface is simple and clean -- there are just a few icons across the bottom, and then the rest of the screen is yours to fill up however you wish. You can add photos or a map to your notes, change fonts as necessary, or even save or export your notes out to Dropbox, email and a few other options. This isn't the kind of app that demands you to use it in a certain way -- it's the app that you download, use a few times and then create your own usage patterns for it. The "daily journal" element is very interesting -- each note is filed by date and time, so as you enter more and more notes into the app, you can get a nice scope of your life as it goes on. It's not as robust as Day One, but it isn't supposed to be. Anyway, if you've already got a notes solution, this one might not make you look twice -- there are plenty of great notes apps out there that offer more features. But Note.S is a solid app currently available at a launch price of US$1.99.
Caturday: Kitty wireless
Late on Caturday, reader Paulo Vinicius Vitto Ruthes shares his cat's preference for a warm alcove atop the Mac mini Airport Extreme, sorry. He notes that the image is a bit old, and while the cat still likes that spot it's not so easy for him to fit there anymore -- see below. If you've got a Caturday candidate, please let us know.
Facebook trialling automatic Photo Syncing for Android app
It might not be the biggest Facebook-photo news of late, but if you like to share your life with the network's Android app, there's word of a new feature on trial just for you -- photo syncing. Sound familiar? Sure, that's because you might already be doing something similar with the Google+ app with your very same phone. But, if Facebook is more your jam, then it looks like you might soon be able to shuffle those food pictures up to your profile "automagically." If you're worried that you might accidentally share something a little more private, be assured that photos sent to Facebook won't be public until you decide to share. Also, much like Google's implementation, you can decide whether to use mobile data or WiFi for uploading, with images that are shared over cellular being crunched down to a smaller size. It seems that this is still in trial though, so don't despair if you can't see the option -- or perhaps that's just how you like it. More info at the source.
Photokina 2012 wrap-up: Canon, Nikon, lust-worthy Leicas, a full-frame Sony compact and more
The sun is setting on Germany's monster of a photo show, but Photokina didn't come and go without shaking up the industry. The biennial trade show drew all the big names -- Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Sony and many more manufacturers all had their latest wares on display for tens of thousands of photographers, journalists and local attendees -- with each company releasing a suite of impressive products. Canon and Nikon made an impression with their $2,100 6D and D600 full-frame DSLRs, while Olympus, Panasonic, Sony and Fujifilm each upped the ante with new mirrorless lineups, and Leica demoed its new M, which for the first time brings live-view and video capture to the high-end rangefinder series. The fun doesn't stop there, though -- there was plenty more to explore, and you'll find it all in our wrap-up just after the break.
We're live from Photokina 2012 in Cologne, Germany!
Germany just can't get enough of Engadget, it seems. Just two weeks after the close of IFA in Berlin, we're back in the land of Bier and Honig, for a camera-fueled journey to Cologne. This giant photography trade show is held only once every two years -- the last Photokina was way back in 2010 -- and it's arguably the industry's biggest event, drawing manufacturers the world abound to launch their latest prosumer and professional devices. We won't likely see a blockbuster product like Samsung's Galaxy Camera, but there could be another Android shooter or two in store, along with plenty of updates to last year's advanced compacts and mirrorless cams, and a modest spattering of full-frame DSLRs. We'll be bringing you all the news as it happens, so keep your eyes peeled to this very site to catch the action as it goes down.
Hidden photos found in Mac SE ROM (Updated)
Update: As noted in the comments, the presence of these images in the original Mac ROMs has been known for years, so this decoding project qualifies as a "rediscovery" rather than an original find. The folks from NYC Resistor found an old Macintosh SE computer on the side of the road in Brooklyn, NY. The team grabbed the device and started to dig into the Macintosh's ROM. Using modern tools on the old code obtained from a ROM dump, the team pulled four images that were added to the ROM as an Easter egg. The images, available on NYC Resitor's website, are reportedly of the team that created the ROM and each one shows a different group of people. Besides images, the NYC Resistor team also found a fifth surprise buried in the ROM, but they couldn't parse it out of the ROM at this time. Based on the strings in the ROM, the team guesses that it could be an audio file. You can read the details on how they tracked down these images in the ROM on NYC Resistor's website. [Via TechHive]
Adobe Revel 1.5 released with new UI, text captions and auto-syncing albums
Adobe's cloud-based photo storage and editing app has been enjoying its new name since it hopped off the Carousel, and now it's appreciating a feature bump too. Version 1.5 has just hit the virtual shelves of the Mac and iTunes stores, complete with a new UI and the option to log in using Facebook or Google accounts. Functionality wise, the update adds text captioning for your snaps and the ability to create albums which auto-sync across your devices and can be shared with others via the web. Alright, so the update isn't revolutionizing the service, but we're sure those that currently subscribe are reveling in it.
Facebook for Android app updated with messaging emoji, easy event creation and a bit more
If you were wondering what features would be on the way after Facebook ditched pre-Froyo Android support for its app your questions have been answered. This revision lets users easily create events from their mobiles, share photos quicker and annoy their friends across platforms thanks to the kind of emoji iOS users have been annoying each other with for ages. In the screenshot above you see the new event creation pages and messaging screen where friends can toss in the icons or a picture while chatting privately, although updating to v1.9.8 will require a manual approval since it also seeks permission to obtain your location via coarse network-based methods. Assuming you're already down with Facebook's Open Graph-enabled tendrils snaking their way throughout your digital life (and, as an existing user already allowed it access to precise GPS-based location data) that's probably not too much of an issue, hit the Google Play link below to upgrade.
Facebook starts really, truly deleting removed photos
For those who haven't kept track, Facebook has had a years-long history of only maybe-sort-of-more-or-less purging our photos: they could be removed from a profile, but they would sometimes float around the site's content delivery networks for months or years, just waiting for a prospective employer to spot those embarrassing frosh week snapshots by accident. As Ars Technica discovered through experiments and official remarks, that problem should now be solved. In the wake of a months-long photo storage system migration and an updated deletion policy, Facebook now won't let removed photos sit for more than 30 days in the content network stream before they're scrubbed once and for all. The improved reaction time isn't as rapid as for a service like Instagram, where photos vanish almost immediately, but it might be a lifesaver for privacy advocates -- or just anyone who's ever worn a lampshade on their head in a moment of insobriety.
NASA's Curiosity rover receives long-distance OTA update, 'brain transplant' on Mars
Think it's nifty when your carrier deigns to provide your smartphone with that long awaited OTA update? That's nothing. Over the weekend, NASA's Curiosity rover will be receiving its first long-distance OTA update -- all the way out there on Mars. The goal is to transition both redundant main computers from software suited for landing the vehicle to software optimized for surface exploration -- such as driving, obstacle avoidance and using the robotic arm. NASA calls it a "brain transplant" and points out that the software was actually uploaded during the flight from Earth. Now can someone please enable OTA downloads for the human brain? We'd really like to know kung fu. PR after the break.
Facebook improves photo viewing with larger images, takes cues from Google+
Facebook has offered photo sharing in one form another since shortly after the site's launch, but while certain features have been added over the years, such as tagging and downloads, image formatting has remained mostly unchanged. Until today. Facebook has announced that it will roll out a new tool for thumbing through galleries across the site, presenting photos in a new square format with the option to "highlight" certain shots to increase their footprint on the page. Google+ users may recognize the format, which bears some resemblance to the tool on that site. We haven't seen the feature go live on Facebook just yet, but eager social networkers can preview it today at the source link below.
Nokia completes acquisition of Scalado's imaging tech and developers
It's taken just over a month for Nokia to get everything in place, but its now announced that around 50 "world-class imaging specialists" have joined Espoo's already substantial mobile imaging department, alongside a stack of Scalado's technologies and intellectual property. The imaging specialist's co-founder, Sami Niemi, who will now head up the Capture and Relive section of Smart Devices at Nokia, said: "The technologies and competences we've developed should help move from taking photos to capturing memories and emotions." (We're sure those hulking PureView sensors will help too.) Take a look at Nokia's brief statement on its future in mobile imaging after the break.
Editorial: Engadget on EyeTap, Project Glass and the future of wearable cameras
Summer in Paris -- you can't walk a block on Champs-Élysées without locking eyes with at least one camera-equipped tourist. But Steve Mann's shooter wasn't dangling from his shoulder and neck; it was mounted on his head, with a design strikingly similar to Google's Project Glass. Unlike that mainstream Mountain View product, however, Mann's version has reportedly been around in one form or another for 34 years, and was designed with the objective of aiding vision, rather than capturing stills and video or providing a bounty of database-aided readouts. It's also street-ready today. While on vacation with his family, the Ontario-based "father of wearable computing" was sporting his EyeTap as he walked down the aforementioned French avenue, eventually entering a McDonald's to refuel after a busy day of sightseeing. He left without his ranch wrap, but with seriously damaged hardware. What allegedly occurred inside the restaurant is no doubt a result of the increasing presence and subsequent awareness of connected cameras, ranging from consumer gear to professional surveillance equipment. As Mann sat to eat, he writes that a stranger approached him then attempted to pull off his glasses, which, oddly, are permanently affixed to his skull. The man, at that point joined by one other patron and someone that appeared to be a McDonald's employee, then pushed Mann out of the store and onto the street. As a result of the attack, the eyewear malfunctioned, resulting in the three men being photographed. It wouldn't be terribly difficult for police to identify those involved, but this encounter may have greater implications. McDonalds has since launched an investigation into the matter and seems to be denying most of the claims, but it'll be some time yet before the full truth is uncovered. Still, the whole ordeal got us at Engadget thinking -- is the planet ready for humans to wear video recorders, and will it ever shake a general unease related to the threat of a world filled with omnipresent cameras? Join us past the break for our take.
Microsoft dishes details on Windows 8 Photos app
Microsoft's been dishing out details on all kinds of goodies we'll see in Windows 8, and the Photos app is the latest to get the behind the scenes treatment from the Building Windows 8 blog. If you downloaded the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, then you got to check out a trial version of Photos -- and its four-column Metro UI that can access your local pics, plus those from Facebook, Flickr and SkyDrive. In the Release Preview, Microsoft's given users who install the SkyDrive desktop app -- regardless of OS -- the option to have all their photos archived automatically in the cloud. That means all those photos are then accessible via the Photos app on any Windows 8 device. The app's also gained the ability to import photos directly, and sharing them's gotten easier as the Share charm now lets you send them as attachments or SkyDrive links. Want to know more? A fuller accounting of the Photos app awaits at the source, as does a video showing off all the fresh features.
Lightroom 4 finally floats into Adobe's Creative Cloud
Adobe's primary tool for tweaking and organizing photos was always destined to be part of the Creative Cloud offering, but for whatever reason it didn't make it in time for launch. As of today though, Lightroom 4 is available to download on PC or 64-bit Mac (or both, since you're allowed multiple installations) as part of a CS6 monthly license. The additional title may not be enough to sway cloud doubters, but even they can't dispute that the subscription approach now delivers more software than the full-on $2599 shrink-wrapped Master Collection.
Nokia Camera Extras hits Lumia 900 in US and China, offers four new ways to capture candids
Although Nokia's Camera Extras app was scheduled to hit Lumia 900 smartphones sometime next week, owners in the US and China will be pleased to know they they can get it now. Nokia has officially pushed the free app into the Windows Phone Marketplace for both regions, giving Mango-flavored Lumia users four new options for capturing photos. Along with a much-needed self-timer, you'll find three other modes: Panorama, Action Shot (for photographing fast-moving subjects) and Smart Group Shot (selects the best faces from a sequence of frames). Don't fret if you don't have a 900 or live outside of the aforementioned either -- Nokia plans to release the Scalado-bred software for all Lumia smartphones worldwide in July. Hit up the links below for more info, and be sure to let us know how it works for you in the comments.
Daily iPhone App: Avocado aims to connect couples on the go
In any marriage or romantic partnership, there are moments of agreement, negotiation, compromise and conflict -- but, above all, there has to be communication, digital or otherwise. The team behind the couple-centric new app and web service Avocado, which includes three couples, aims to facilitate that communication with easy one-to-one tools for messaging, photo sharing and collaborative task lists. The "less is more" ethos pervades the $1.99 Avocado app, so named because the avocado tree bears fruit in pairs. You simply sign up with two email addresses and a single password, and within minutes you can begin exchanging brief messages, photos, emoticons -- but only with that singular someone that the app repeatedly, annoyingly refers to as "your boo." The app comes in both iOS and Android versions, supporting notification alerts to make sure that you don't miss a moment; the web version provides a helpful archive. In some relationships, the shared (low-fi) checklist tool might be a lifesaver, although there are other options out there with more flexibility. When I suggested to my wife that we field-test Avocado, her response was "Really?... Do I need 'a fun new way to stay connected with the most important person in [my] life'? And is this fun new way kind of mushy and more about texture than taste, though it's really good mixed with lime juice and salt?" Yes, I allowed, we already have a full folio of digital points of contact, ranging from the simple SMS to the Twitter DM to the Facebook message -- even a phone call, if you're into that kind of thing. Sending an iMessage pings multiple devices and the Mac; you can build a private sharing spot with Glassboard if you want to. But there is one area where Avocado sells itself as a superior solution. Ever sent a text message to your significant other, then realized you accidentally sent it to your boss instead - or to your mom? Had a direct message that somehow lost its leading D and went live to the Internet instead of to your sweetheart? Yeah, we know. So there's something to be said for an app that makes the entire addressing process moot. By design, Avocado is point to point and person to person -- if you're in the right app, you're reaching your one and only. (Or, if we must, "your boo.") The core functions of Avocado may be pretty basic now, but the company has plans to add more features based on user feedback. If you haven't found that perfect way to connect digitally with that perfect person, maybe the Avocado app is for you. [hat tip Techcrunch]
Dropbox updates iOS app to 1.5, says goodbye to size limitations, hello to automatic uploads
Sick of letting your Android-toting friends lord their slightly fancier Dropbox app over you? Relief has arrived: Dropbox 1.5 is now available for iOS. The latest update brings the app in line with its Android cousin, adding automatic uploads for photos and video over WiFi and cellular connections, the ability to upload files of any size and a new Gallery view. Cloud storage aficionados who take advantage of the new automatic upload feature will score up to 3GB of additional storage space, doled out in 500MB increments as needed. Sound good? Of course it does, check it out for yourself at the iTunes link below.
Twitter post-to-Facebook integration adds photos, tags and links, makes wild nights more regrettable
Twitter has long had the option to send updates to Facebook, but most of what makes Twitter unique has been stripped out while cross-posting the night's escapades. That's been fixed just in time for the weekend. As of now, Twitter has confirmed to The Next Web that updates will automatically display the first photo as well as link Twitter users' names and any hashtags. The change isn't automatic and will require a quick on-and-off flick of the cross-posting setting before the gobs of extra information make the trip to Facebook. It's just as well -- we'd really rather not make it any easier for Aunt Mildred to see photos of our weekend benders.
Visualized: Stunning long-exposure 'star trail' photo taken from the ISS
Ever wondered what goes on up at the International Space Station? We like to think it's all floating around and eating freeze-dried steak. Astronaut Don Pettit decided to take a break from his no-doubt mundane routine and capture the spectacular image you see above. We say image, it's actually multiple 30-second exposure snaps layered on top of each other. Needless to say the result is both humbling, and hypnotic. Best of all? There's a collection of them, waiting to steal your afternoon with slack-jawed wonderment. Hit the source for the mind-melt.