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Smart Watch Market Domination: Pebble vs. Sony SmartWatch

By nice on May 9, 2013 No Comments

Just when we all think that the smart phone technology has already been stretched to its limit and all the smart phone accessories possible have already been invented and released, here comes a new buzz-causing gadget that seems to be entirely changing the smart phone culture – the smart watches! These are watches designed to link with smart phones to enable users to connect to the internet via their phone – without the need to tinker with their phone all the time! Interesting concept, right? At this point, this new niche is still a little shaky, and various companies are competing for their market share. Among the leading products are the Sony SmartWatch and the Pebble smart watch. Let’s have an overview of these two products.

pebbleOverall Design and Construction

Both watches have ups and downs when it comes to this aspect. If you’re asking which of them looks more stylish as a watch when worn, we’d say it’s the Pebble. It’s sleek and slim, and it looks very cool. Meanwhile, the Sony SmartWatch, although it also looks neat, catches more attention because it looks thicker. That’s mainly because it has a clip on its back, which enables it to be clipped on to your clothing (such as your belt strap). This improved the versatility of the Sony SmartWatch, with a bit of sacrifice in terms of style.

The SmartWatch is more touch-oriented while the Pebble is more button-oriented in its operation. The screen of the latter is black and white while that of the Sony watch is colored. However, the Sony SmartWatch poses a challenge outdoors because it’s difficult to read in bright light, whereas the Pebble is easily readable in such a condition.

sony

Function and Comfort

One notable thing that distinguishes the two watches from each other is their compatibility with smart phones. The Sony SmartWatch is compatible only with Android devices, whereas the Pebble watch can work with both Android and iOS devices.

When it comes to function, the difference lies in whether the watch focuses solely on sending you notifications to let you know you’ve got a mail or a call, or in whether it allows you to interact right on the phone. The Sony SmartWatch offers more interaction than the Pebble. It works with a wide range of apps, although adding the said apps into the watch can be a bit of a hassle.

While Pebble may not be as versatile in function, it has other redeeming features. First, this watch is waterproof, making it the more durable of the two. And, it also has a longer battery life compared to the Sony watch.

It is evident that both smart watches hold a lot of promise. And while there’s still a big room for improvement in both of these, they’re useful as they are at the moment. If you want a great-looking watch that can simply alert you of your phone activities without you having to get your phone, the Pebble smart watch is for you. And if you want one that can perform a certain substitute function to your phone, the Sony SmartWatch is a good choice. Whichever of the two you prefer, you’ll find the right one at Geekie Store.

Categories : Electronic Gadgets, Mobile Devices
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Amaze Your Friends With Your Photos Using These Photography Tips

By guest writer on May 4, 2013

If you’re new to photography, then it’s natural for you to want to find a way to improve your pictures quickly. Read this simple post for some great advice on how to capture great photographs.

Use photo manipulation programs to create images that would have been impossible with ordinary film only, including those that resemble watercolors, pencil sketches, and oil paintings. Adobe Photoshop is widely considered the industry standard for digital images, but there are numerous other companies with adequate programs. After choosing the medium you desire and hitting the filter button, you can instantly turn photographs into wonderful pieces of art.

It is a good idea to look at what other photographers do in order to get inspiration. Their photos will help you remember that there are different ways that you can take a picture of a particular subject.

Practice using manual adjustments to the white balance in your photographs. When you take shots inside, you usually end up with a yellowish color because of the light-bulbs. By changing the white balance feature on your camera this will be reduced and you will notice a whole different quality to your photographs. This should give a much more professional looking appearance to your photographs.

Shutter Speed

Check out this tip! You should take the time to educate yourself on shutter speed. Your camera has settings labeled A,M,P, and S. P means your program mode. The program mode allows you to set up the shutter speed and the aperture automatically. If you don’t know what you’re shooting, use your “P” setting.

In most parts of life, we are trained to make things even and centered. In a society that values perfection, it can seem logical to frame your photos with the subject perfectly framed in the center, but you should actually try placing the subject off-center for a more interesting shot. If your camera has an auto-focus feature, it may try to lock onto whatever appears in the middle of the frame. Instead, focus the camera manually, then secure the focus prior to taking the photo.

As you journy to new and different places, look for tips on what interesting things there are to photograph. If you’re looking for ideas, a great place to start is by checking out postcards. These photos contain ideas of things people really feel strongly about.

Be sure to shoot your photographs without any hesitation, to ensure you get a picture that you will be happy with. You do not know how long the magic moment will last, so stand fast to capture the moment in a literal flash. Animals will run, people will blink and little kids might start making funny faces while you are trying to get the ultimate shot. Don’t fiddle with your camera so much that you just miss the shot altogether.

Taking an amazing photograph will capture a second of time for eternity, sharing it with the world. You will not longer be a beginner to photography after reading this tips, you will be an expert!

Categories : Digital Cameras
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Nikon D800 On The Way

By jon on Apr 24, 2013 No Comments

Nikon D800The options for the use of video and photography expanding more rapidly than ever. From private video sharing to viral marketing campaigns and social media tie-ins, freelance videographers have more options than ever to share their work, build their own brands, and create their own companies. Simply owning a quality camera in this day and age opens up a variety of options both for work and recreation.

A slate of extraordinary cameras have hit the market in the last few years, including the Nikon D700, the Canon EOS Rebel T3i, the Olympus PEN E-PL3, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V. Video cameras have been upgrading as well, with the likes of the Sony VX-1000, the Panasonic DVX-100b, the Canon 5D Mkii, and the Red. With the trend of digital cameras offering both supreme still and moving image capability, we’ve entered a new generation of consolidated all-in-one gadgets. This trend does not appear to be dying down.

Nikon appears poised to attempt to lead this generation as anticipation over its new D800 camera continues to grow ahead of the rumored February 7th release. With the discontinuation of the D700 and the D300 (which came as somewhat of a surprise) digital SLR cameras, Nikon appears ready to embrace the upgrade of one of its most popular cameras. The buzz over this camera centers around its shooting in 36 megapixels, which of course is in addition to Nikon’s Expeed 3 image processor. Additional specs for the camera include shooting 1080p video at 20 fps, an enhanced LCD display, and integration with SD and CF cards.

The Nikon D800, in addition to its 36 megapixels and excellent video quality, will also sport face recognition technology, the ability to support PCM sound devices, 86k pixel RGB sensor, uncompressed HDMI, and full viewfinder coverage. It will have the same ISO features as the D700, which includes a range of 100-6400, which can be expanded up to 50 to 25,600. Of course, the camera will cost $4,000, so its immediate widespread adoption during a time of tough economic conditions is no certainty.

Analysts expect the product to be officially announced at the CP+ Photography Show in Japan, by which time there could be other announcements pending regarding the new waterproof, shockproof Coolpix cameras for kids. Nikon seems intent in diversifying its output for multiple markets and appealing to different demographics of consumers, from professional and freelance photographers and videographers to amateurs and children looking to document their wild times.

Categories : Digital Cameras
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Great Ideas To Improve Your Photography Skills

By guest writer on Apr 20, 2013

Photography is a superb way to capture and show the beauty surrounding you and the world in which you live. If you are really awesome at photography, you can even make some nice money snapping photos. When you learn your camera’s settings, the effects of various features and lighting, you will be able to produce interesting photographs.

Find the right person or thing to photograph. You always need good subjects, it doesn’t matter how talented you are or how good your gear is. When searching for the best subject for your photography, choose one that actually inspires you.

Fluorescent Lighting

If you are taking pictures of subjects near fluorescent lighting, you’ll need to manually set the white balance to correct for the tinting effect this causes. Fluorescent lighting can cause green or bluish light, so the subject will appear “cooler-toned,” without having to compensate for the fewer red tones from your camera.

If you are warming up for a wedding shoot, take pictures of simple, still subjects, such as a flower in the bouquet or the rings. This could be the occasion to take some great pictures.

Ordinarily, the subject makes “eye contact” with the lens of the camera. A great and unique picture is to have the person you are photographing look off in the distance at something. You could also try to have the people in the picture look at something in the frame.

Whenever you are taking photographs of landscapes, your pictures should always have three key aspects. These include a mid ground, a background, and a foreground. These things are not just fundamentals of basic photography. They are also fundamentals for other kinds of art.

Have you ever had to take pictures of subjects that had been in the rain? You can create a similar effect by using a spray bottle to gently mist the object with water.

When taking group photos of couples, families or larger groups, give them advice on the best type of clothing to wear in the photoraph. Matching colors are not necessary, but complementary shades will greatly enhance the overall results. If it’s a natural environment, let them know to wear warm colors or a more neutral shade of clothing. To avoid a garish display, bright colors should be balanced with black or other neutrals whenever possible.

Practice the ideas you have just read about. Do not expect to master them in a few days; think of improving yourself as an ongoing process throughout your career as a photograph. Who knows, you could even improve to the point where you are good enough to be a professional photographer.

Categories : Digital Cameras
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Which is the Better iPad Stylus—the Wacom Bamboo Stylus or the Adonit Jot Pro Stylus?

By nice on Apr 12, 2013 No Comments

IPads have been in wide use for quite a time now, but it’s only been fairly recently when stylus for iPads have become in demand. And right now, there are already so many types and brands of stylus in the market—different designs, different sizes, and different capabilities. Two of the favorite stylus in the market today are the Wacom Bamboo Stylus or the Adonit Jot Pro. And, it seems many users still can’t decide which of them is better—they are very close in terms of performance.

Now if you are in the market looking for the right stylus for your iPad, we give you an overview and a comparison between these two leading stylus products.

bambooThe Wacom Bamboo Stylus

The Bamboo stylus has a satin-textured metal body that gives it a solid feel. It’s a bit thicker than an ordinary pen but also shorter, not too heavy and also not too light—just heavy enough for day-to-day writing (weight: 20g). This combination makes the Bamboo comfortable to use. It feels almost like an ordinary pen, so there’s no discomfort even when you use it longer.

The design is modern and simple, even a bit minimalistic, if not for their bright colors. If you want to go for the sophisticated look, you can get the black or silver Bamboo stylus. If you want chic and perky, you can try other bright colors.

The Bamboo has a 6mm rubber tip that is very responsive. The tip is removable in case you need to replace it after a while, and it also has a removable pocket clip. The Bamboo stylus is ideal for all around us, and even more for drawing and sketching.

jot proThe Adonit Jot Pro Stylus

This stylus is built with an aluminum and steel interior body and a rubber exterior grip for easy writing. While the Bamboo is great for drawing, the Jot Pro is liked by many because of its precision and accuracy—it’s perfect for writing and taking notes.

The Jot Pro Stylus has many appealing features, among which is its locking cap that protects its tip when not in use and the magnetic cling that keeps it firmly attached to the iPad, preventing possibilities of rolling away and getting lost. Of its great features, the favorite is the transparent plastic disc that is attached to its tip via a ball connection. This disc is pretty much behind the accuracy of the Adonit Jot Pro, and it also promotes a more comfortable grip. The only complaint about the Jot Pro is the loud noise that it makes every time it comes in contact with the iPad (and that can be frequent when you’re writing notes, as compared to when you’re sketching by which the stylus won’t need to be in and out of contact with the iPad surface.

So Which is for You?

Overall, both stylus are on the higher end among all the available stylus products today. Your choice would just depend on the type of activity you’ll use the stylus for. Go for the Wacom Bamboo Stylus if you’ll do lots of drawing, but get the Adonit Jot Pro if you’ll be using the device for day-to-day note taking. Once you’ve decided which of these to get, you can find your needed product at Geekie Store.

Categories : Gadget Gifts, Mobile Devices
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