Olympus is working on a Sony-style remote lens camera, too

It’s been a year since Sony launched its range of lens cameras, WiFi-enabled zoom lenses that connect to your smartphone and offer far better pictures than your built-in snapper. For its second generation hardware, the company went one further and built the QX1, which enabled you to swap in any E-mount optic. I say all of this because Olympus has, perhaps belatedly, cottoned on to the idea that there might be something in this type of technology, which is why the company is showing off its Open Platform prototype here at Photokina.

If you’re already familiar with the QX1, then you’re already up to speed on what the Open Platform is designed to do. Broadly speaking, the hardware has a Micro Four Thirds sensor, digital signal processor, WiFi module, battery and, erm, that’s it. It’s designed to connect wirelessly to an Android or iOS smartphone, with the boxy hardware capable of taking any compatible lens from the company’s range and, presumably, Panasonic’s MFT lenses as well. The prototype was designed with MIT’s Media Lab, and is part of a project to “expand the field of application for a huge variety of hardware.” We’d take that to mean that the whole point of Open Platform is to democratize and open up the various uses of digital imaging in ways that go beyond just pointing a DSLR at things.

As we said before, the boxy unit has no screen of its own, and instead relies upon your phone to play the part of the viewfinder. You can, of course, shoot blindly without it, simply by pushing the silver shutter release button on the top of the device. The only other technical feature worth mentioning is the hot-shoe mount in the top corner, opening the device up to add even more accessories like flashes.

As a prototype, and one that was kept behind glass, there’s more than a few uncertainties about the hows, whens and whys surrounding the Open Platform hardware. For instance, there’s no word on a megapixel count, battery life or if we’re likely to see Olympus come out with a consumer version of the device. As for the future, the company is going to be taking Open Platform on the road, asking the crowd at various idea, make and hack-a-thons to come up with innovative ways that a remote lens could be used — and, presumably ignoring anyone who just whips out a QX1.

Steve Dent contributed to this report.

Filed under: Cameras

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Source: Olympus Open Platform

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Dixons Carphone gives hundreds of stricken Phones4u employees new jobs

When Phones4u announced its surprise decision to call in the administrators, its 5,600 employees were left facing a very uncertain future. While the retailer is busy figuring out its options, one of it’s biggest rivals, Dixons Carphone, has swooped in and offered a lifeline to some Phones4u staff. In a statement today, Dixons Carphone said it has reached an agreement with Phones4u to hire all 800 employees who had worked in a partnership between their stores.

If it sounds confusing, it kind of is. You see, before Dixons and Carphone Warehouse agreed to merge, Phones4u operated small stores-within-a-store in some Currys and PC World branches. That agreement was ongoing at the time of Phones4u’s closure, which put Dixons Carphone in a position to bring those 800 Phones4u staff under its own roof. While the majority of employees are still left wondering they’ll ever have a job to go back to, there’s at least some happy news from what has been a very messy breakup.

Pleased to confirm we have secured agreement to offer all Phones4U colleagues (circa 800) in our@curryspcworld stores roles​

– Dixons Carphone plc (@DixonsCarphone) September 17, 2014

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

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Source: Dixons Carphone (Twitter)

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Logitech extends Harmony line to control more of your home

Logitech’s got a new Harmony remote and it’s an even bigger push into home automation over the current Harmony Smart Control home theater remote lineup. Shipping this month, the new Harmony Home Control devices start at $99 for the Home Hub (which turns your smartphone or tablet into a home automation controller). Then there’s the Home Control for $149, which adds a simple, button-only remote. At the top of the line is the $349 Harmony Ultimate Home, which swaps out the simple remote for a 2.4 inch touch screen model (seen above). Available in either black or white, Harmony Home can control both your home theater and other devices from partners via IR, Bluetooth or WiFi. There’s a lengthy list of support, too: August, Honeywell, Kwikset, Lutron, Nest, PEQ, Philips, Schlage, SmartThings, Sylvania, Yale and Zuli.

Alongside the new devices, Logitech is also introducing the Harmony Developer Program, and promises to keep an up-to-date list of compatible devices on its site. If your current home automation solution includes ZigBee or Z-Wave devices, then the Harmony Hub Extender for $129 loops in those prevalent protocols to your Harmony Home Hub. We have full faith that the Harmony Home will be easy to program, but are less sure how well Harmony’s success in the home theater remote space will translate to controlling the entire home — compromises are sure to have been made — but we are certainly excited to see how it might.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Peripherals, HD

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