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App demo: SonicPics
SonicPics does something I'd been wanting an app to do for a long time: create annotated slideshows with timing you direct. The demo speaks for itself, but I have to say that, after testing, it works as advertised. There could be some UI tweaks, but the act of creating slideshows that move to the next slide as you speak and when you want them to move is as simple as it gets. First, you select the photos you want in a show, then you flip to each photo in sequence as you record your voice. The timing of each photo is done in sync to the audio, and that part is quite intuitive. Less intuitive are some of the other controls, but perhaps that's just my penchant for attractively-skinned interfaces. SonicPics has uses beyond simple photo galleries. I could see using this to walk through a UI demo, for example. The app is flexible and can export .m4v files to YouTube or transfer to your Mac using WiFi. You can try the Lite version here, or buy the full version for $2.99.
First Look: Make cool slide shows with Pix Remix
It's summer, a lot of people are going on vacation, and here at TUAW we've been inundated with postcard apps. First there was my not-so-glowing review of Postcard Express, and then C-mac published her look at Postman 2.0. Today, I received word of something a bit different -- an app that turns your iPhone photos into animated collages and slideshows that can then be shared with friends or the world through email, Facebook, or Twitter.Pix Remix [App Store, US$2.99] was previewed for TUAW at WWDC '09, and you can watch Victor's video of the app in action.Creating these animated shows is simple and intuitive. You pick a show type (collage, slideshow, or pan & zoom), select some photos from a photo library or camera roll, and then drag, pinch, and tap to arrange the photos or determine the start and end points of the pan & zoom. Don't like how your photos are arranged? Just shake your iPhone to let the app do the job. You can add titles to every slide, and when you're ready to share your work, you just tap the send button.However you choose to send your show, the recipient gets a link that takes them to the Pix Remix website to view it. If another Pix Remix users sends you a show, you can view it from within the app. The developers at Jump Associates have done a wonderful job of making this app bug-free. It's one of the cleanest version 1.0 apps I've used in a long time, and considering all of the iPhone technologies and external links it takes advantage of, that's saying a lot. Why just send a postcard to your friends to make them jealous of your vacation when you can send them a Pix Remix show instead? Check out some screenshots below and check out a demo slideshow here. %Gallery-67706%
WWDC Demo: Pix Remix for iPhone, iPod touch (preview)
Pix Remix isn't yet on the App Store, but I'm hoping it lands soon. If you've ever tried the Ken Burns effect in iPhoto to move photos around during a slideshow, you know how frustrating it is when the effect chops off the faces or other important parts of your photo while moving. Pix Remix does this better, plus more, all on your iPhone with your photos.With Pix Remix you choose the photos you want (on your iPhone or iPod touch), put them in order, then create a slideshow using a path for the camera. You control the zoom as well, so instead of cutting off faces you can zoom into them instead. As you can see in the video, it's quite simple. This is the "pan and zoom" type of slideshow.Pix Remix features a collage mode that reminds me of Microsoft's Surface technology -- a set of photos sit on a virtual table, and you can zoom, move and rotate them with your fingers. It looks like someone placing photos on a flat surface, except you can animate them.Those are a couple of the slideshow options, and there's the option to add captions as well, or you can create a simple slideshow with nothing but transitions and captions. The final piece of the puzzle: export. You can send your slideshows to Twitter or Facebook or via email. I noticed the other day there were inactive links for a "reader" app, presumably to watch Remix slideshows on another iPhone without the full app, but that has been removed.We'll keep an eye out for when Pix Remix hits the store, so check our Twitter feed for the latest updates.
12seconds, Animoto release iPhone apps for video slideshows
12seconds.tv is a site that started up a little while ago that seems to be aiming at a "Twitter-for-video" kind of idea -- you upload just twelve seconds of video, whether that's you saying something, video of a short scene, or whatever else you want. The site was in alpha but has recently opened up to beta (so anyone can join), and they've also released an iPhone app, available for 99 cents in the App Store right now."But wait, Mike," I hear you saying, "the iPhone doesn't record video!" And it still doesn't, but it does record pictures and audio, and the 12seconds app will combine a slideshow of three pictures you take with any 12 seconds of audio you record, thus creating a close approximation of a 12 second video. You can see my sample upload here, just a few pictures of my apartment's hallway and some Mountain Goats playing from my speakers. You can use pics you've already taken, and the whole process of recording, combining, and uploading works pretty well. You don't have any control over how the images slide across: it's more of a "throw it all into the mix and hope something good comes out" thing.It's an interesting idea, and while you're paying a buck for a social networking video app that can't actually record video (not that that's 12seconds' fault, Apple), you could probably come up with some pretty creative stuff, from the artistic and witty to the requisite cat videos (because no video site is complete without a cute kitty). It's definitely not a video replacement for the iPhone, but for uploading quick and simple snippets of experience from wherever you are, it does the job.For a different approach to photo-based videos generated on your iPhone, you can check out the free Animoto app, released last week by the website of the same name. Animoto will take 8-16 photos from your iPhone or iPod touch, let you order them and select musical accompaniment (from a provided but fairly ample list of tracks; you can't use your own music or record a soundtrack). The app then uploads your images to the Animoto site and cranks out a 30 second, montage-style video for you. You can stream the video back to your iPhone, or send it along to friends. If Techcrunch gushes about it, well, you know it must be just awesome, right?
Ultimate home theater accessories get chosen: thoughts?
For most, acquiring some sort of HD display, multi-channel surround sound system and an HD source constitutes a full-blown home theater. For the hardcore, however, having those basic components just isn't enough -- after all, that's not really doing the term "home theater" justice, now is it? Electronic House took the initiative to hunt down the 30 (give or take) greatest HT accessories one could possibly buy, and there's some real gems packed within. We're talking signs, posters, oversized popcorn machines, elaborate seating arrangements, life-sized statues and even bona fide ticket booths. Check out the slideshow below for EH's picks, and then drop your own recommendations in comments below. C'mon, newbie home theater builders are in desperate need of ideas here!Read - Slideshow: Ultimate Home Theater AccessoriesRead - Article: Ultimate Home Theater Accessories
KeynotePro releases new "Ohm" Keynote theme
We've written about KeynotePro before. They make very nice themes for Keynote that you'll be happy to use for your presentation. This week, they've updated the "Ohm" theme for Keynote '08. It's been completely rebuilt to use shapes and placeholders native to Keynote '08, contains up to 58 master slides (the Pro version) and two palettes.The Pro version includes 16:9 and 16:10 aspect-optimized versions, and the new OM '08 EP Edition is optimized for the iPod and iPhone. They look just as great on those tiny displays as they do when connected to a projector via video out.Both versions require Keynote 4.0 or higher, and the Gill Sans and Helvetica Neue font faces. A single license will cost you $24.95US, though discounts are available for bundle orders and those who purchased earlier versions of the theme.[Via MacMinute]
Sony intros the HDMS-S1D digital photo album
Have you been hankering for a central spot to store your thrilling, heart-warming family photos? Some easy-to-reach locale where you can pick up a remote, flip on the tube, and travel through a mind-blowing tunnel of memories? Well, let us introduce you to Sony's latest and greatest, the HDMS-S1D "Digital Photo Album." Coming off as a glorified DVD player with an 80GB hard drive and HDMI outs, the new device lets you store and view your precious memories, replete with a soundtrack of your choosing, and slow, dreamy fades between photos (thanks to Sony's x-Pict Story HD -- with face recognition!). How much would you expect to pay for such a device? How does about $400 sound? No good? well, you can't put a price on memories... can you? The whole kit and caboodle is available this month for your purchasing pleasure.
Aluratek's 10.5-inch ADMPF110 digiframe does HD movies, too
Since the medium-sized digiframe market is getting so crowded these days, it's leaving manufacturers with little choice but to spruce up their offerings or get left in the crowd. Thankfully for us all, Aluratek has decided to bolster its stance by throwing down a 10.5-inch digital photo frame that not only sports a sleek, classy design, but also ups the ante in the specs department. The 1,024 x 768 resolution seen here has definitely made an appearance on another (albeit larger) frame before, but it touts 256MB of built-in memory, USB 2.0, compatibility with CF, MS, SD, MMC, and xD flash cards, and support for JPEG, Motion JPEG, AVI, and MP3 file formats. Additionally, a bundled wireless remote allows you to control the still / video slideshows from afar, and the audio output enables users to crank things on the home stereo whilst utilizing the integrated display. Best of all, the pricetag isn't one to balk at, as the $199 Aluratek is asking for here isn't too greedy at all when compared to the (mostly lacking) competition. [Via PopGadget]
Toshiba Portege R400 12-incher revealed
Among the fistful of products announced in the Bill Gates keynote was the Toshiba Portege R400, a 12-inch mobile PC that's constructed on Windows SlideShow technology and of course, is Vista-friendly. We haven't gotten much new info that we didn't know from last time: it's got 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and gigabit Ethernet. Unfortunately, we're still waiting on an MSRP and a full spec list.
Widget Watch: ThinkFree/Office doc viewer (Dashboard, Yahoo! and Google)
If, for one reason or another, you don't have or don't want Microsoft Office installed, but you still need to view a doc, spreadsheet or presentation, the ThinkFree Online office crew have created a couple widgets (and even a Google module) to help ease your pain. I haven't been following ThinkFree's products very closely, but one of their services called the ThinkFree Viewer lets anyone publish a document online by linking to their web-based viewer - this removes a visitor's need to have one compatible app or another installed just to be able to view the file.To make things even easier for those attachments you receive or the occasional document you simply have lying around, they have now released a new Dashboard widget and a Google module (for their Personalized Homepage), in addition to the Yahoo! Widget we blogged way back in May. These all work essentially the same way: drag and drop a compatible ThinkFree or Microsoft Office doc onto the widget, and it will upload the file to ThinkFree's temporary online viewer so you can crack it open with the least amount of hassle. Of course, there might be limitations to what their viewer can render, but this should make things a little easier for non-Office Office users out there.
A beautiful Remote Play video [Update 1]
Remote Play really is quite an amazing feature, for those of you with PLAYSTATION 3s. PSP GadgetZ took this lovely direct-feed video of the PSP accessing the PS3's XMB, and it's amazing how quick and seamless the transition is. The video shows you the PS3's impressive Photo slideshow playback, and music visualizations (which easily trump the PSP's new visualizations). It also shows you how videos play with absolutely no lag or loading at all. Wow! I'm very impressed. The PSP really has become a "virtual PS3." Now, how do I get a PLAYSTATION 3 without selling one of my body parts? [Update 1: Gizmodo unfortunately tells us that the PS3 is non-functional while in Remote Play mode. What? I hope Sony fixes this in a future firmware upgrade. You would think with the massive power of Cell, it can send a signal to the PSP AND do other things.]
Smartparts adds 5.6-inch and 10.4-inch digital photo frames to lineup
Smartparts is expanding its offerings in the ever-popular digiframe market by offering two new models just in time for the holiday rush. The 12- x 10-inch option (SPDPF104) boasts a 10.6-inch 640 x 480 resolution LCD, 350cd/m2 brightness, 250:1 contrast ratio, MP3 playback, video output, and a nifty wireless remote to control the action from afar. The smaller sibling (SPDPF56E) rocks an 8- x 7-inch frame, which packs a 5.6-inch 320 x 234 resolution display, 300cd/m2 brightness, and 150:1 contrast ratio. Both units support automatic slideshows, AVI / JPEG playback, USB 2.0 ports, and a built-in flash card reader supporting SD, MMC, and MS cards, while the big brother plays nice with SM, CF, and xD flavors as well. The acrylic-framed SPDPF104 will set you back $249.99, while the wood-flanked SPDPF56E will run you just $99.99, and both are available right now.
Make slideshows using AppleScript
I'll save my hate for Automator another day. Meanwhile, I will profess my love for AppleScript. While Automator is great for the MacNoobs, I find AppleScript, for those willing to learn, can greatly enhance your life. Automator plus AppleScript will, of course, turn you into Godzilla. More on that another day as well.But to keep you happy through the weekend I stumbled upon a little script by way of one of our readers. Manny, thank you. I might disagree with you, but thanks anyway. One of Manny's links took me to a crazy script that automates the process (somewhat) of making a slideshow. Just create two folders: one with graphics, one with audio files. Fire up the Script Editor, paste in the code, and you're all set. Running the code will prompt you to find those folders, and within seconds (depending on how many files ya got) you'll have a little QuickTime slideshow complete with pictures and audio.There's not a lot of documentation, so let me give some tips. First, make sure you have an equal number of pictures and audio files in each folder. The audio sets the duration of each pic. Also, if you want to align pics to audio (which would make sense, wouldn't it?), name them with numbers. Pic01 and Aud01 should do nicely. Also, it helps to make sure all your images are the same size or you'll see that wash of brushed metal. QuickTime sizes the player to the largest pic, and any smaller ones get crammed up in the upper left corner. Otherwise, have at 'em!
