Sony hopes its full-frame A9 makes pros forget about DSLRs

Sony held an event in New York City today, where it unveiled its new flagship full-frame camera, the A9. This mirrorless shooter, which the company is pegging as a DSLR killer, is geared toward professional photographers — especially those who shoot sports and other fast-paced environments. The A9 features a 24.2-megapixel 35mm sensor, a new Bionz X processor, an insane AF system with 639 phase detection points (93 percent frame coverage) and built-in 5 axis image stabilization. Given its target audience, the A9 is naturally all about speed, so you’ll find a blackout-free, 20fps continuous shooting mode and 1/32,000 shutter speed. Sony says it is its fastest digital camera to date.

Video-wise, the A9 can shoot 4K (3,840 x 2,160) with full-frame capture and 1080p at up to 120fps, in case you’re looking to record some slow-motion footage. The body itself resembles a number of Sony’s latest Alpha shooters, such as the A7S II, A7R II and A7 II. Its looks are so similar to these that a few people at the launch event tried to snatch my A7 II thinking it was the A9. There are three physical dials on the top of the camera (exposure, scene and shooting mode), as well as two SD card slots and an Ethernet port. Meanwhile, Sony claims its new Z battery will last you for more than 500 shots.

Sony says its new flagship full-frame is “half the size and weight” as the DSLRs it wants to dethrone, like Canon’s 5D Mark IV or Nikon’s D5. If you’ve ever held one of the other Alpha shooters mentioned above, you’ll feel right at home with the A9’s ergonomics. On that note, Sony revealed today that it is now the number two seller of full-frame interchangeable lens cameras in the US, thanks in large part to the A7S II and A7R II. With the A9, the company’s hoping that this momentum continues.

Unfortunately, while Sony let us shoot briefly with the A9, we weren’t allowed to use our own SD cards to see what the full-resolution images looked like. That said, stay tuned, as we’ll be spending more time with the A9 before it hits stores May 25th for $4,500 (body-only). And if you want the new $2,500 G Master 100-400mm telephoto lens to go with that, you’ll have to wait until that glass arrives in July.

Facebook predicts where you’ll look to improve 360 video

When you stream a regular video, it’s tough enough to get high-quality visuals to your screen without sacrificing viewing quality. Now imagine the even higher difficulty of streaming a 360-degree video. You don’t know where your viewer might be looking at any given time. That’s where Facebook’s new view prediction systems come in.

The company already keeps video fresh with a process it calls dynamic streaming, a way to send the highest number of pixels to your field of view. To do this in a 360 degree video, however, involves knowing where you’ll be looking at any given moment. That’s easy for a human to do, as we all tend to know where the most interesting stuff is, but tough for a computer.

Facebook has put together three strategies to address this. A gravitational view-prediction model that uses physics and heat-maps has increased resolution on VR devices by up to 39 percent. An AI model can assist by “intuiting” the most interesting part of a video. The company is also testing a new encoding technique, called content-dependent streaming, that improves resolution on non-VR devices like your smartphone by up to 51 percent.

Facebook says that you’ll be able to see 360 degree video at a higher quality resolution, even when network conditions are rough. If you want a much deeper dive into how Facebook achieves this, be sure to read the post detailing a ton of technical information on each of these new approaches. For the rest of us, though, perhaps we can look forward to higher-quality streams on our VR and flat screens in the near future.

Source: Facebook

Cartoon Network Implements Support for Apple’s TV App, Single Sign-On and Universal Search

Cartoon Network today announced that it has implemented support for several of Apple’s recently introduced television features on the Apple TV and iOS devices, including the TV app, Single sign-on, and universal search.

Through the TV app installed on Apple iOS devices in the United States, Cartoon Network content is now displayed alongside content from other apps that have added TV app support. Cartoon Network shows are now available in the “Up Next” and “Recommended” sections of the TV app.

With Single sign-on, Cartoon Network app users with supported Single sign-on cable providers will no longer need to sign into the Cartoon Network app with their cable credentials on the Apple TV and iOS devices as signing in will be automatic.

When using Siri on the Apple TV to ask about content, Cartoon Network app content will now be displayed alongside other results thanks to universal search support.

The Cartoon Network is a popular channel that offers shows like Adventure Time, Steven Universe, The Amazing World of Gumball, Regular Show, and The Powerpuff Girls. While the app offers some free content, cable authentication is required to access all of what the app has to offer.

Cartoon Network can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10
Tag: Cartoon Network
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Don’t Buy)
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Apple to Dismantle Iconic Glass Cube at Fifth Avenue Store

Apple will soon dismantle and remove the iconic glass cube entrance at its Fifth Avenue Apple Store in Manhattan, New York, which is in the process of being renovated and expanded.

On March 16, Apple filed a permit for the “full removal of the glass cubical structure at the Apple Store entrance,” which, according to BuildZoom, was granted on April 17. The removal of the cube will cost Apple $2 million, and according to a second source, could commence on May 9.

Apple is planning to expand its Fifth Avenue store to double the size of the original location. The store is growing from 32,000 square feet to 77,000 square feet, giving Apple more space at its flagship New York location.

It is not yet clear what Apple is planning to do with the cube. It could be temporarily removed to allow for construction underneath, or the company could have bigger cube renovation plans in mind.

This will be the second time the cube has been dismantled — it was torn down in 2011 to allow Apple to reconstruct it from larger, more seamless glass panes. Prior to 2011, the cube was made up of more than 90 glass panes, but the new cube uses just 15.

While construction is underway at the new location, Apple has temporarily relocated the store to a nearby empty storefront that formerly housed the FAO Schwarz toy store.

Apple has not announced when the new store will be complete, but rumors suggest it will have some notable improvements, including a unique area for a Beats 1 radio station that will enable live in-store Beats 1 broadcasts.

Related Roundup: Apple Stores
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MyPostcard, the next evolution of eGreeting Cards (Review)

Overview:

MyPostcard is a service that allows you to create and send physical personalized postcards and other greeting cards to your friends and family from the comfort of your smartphone. You can choose any pictures you want, and add custom borders as well to make it unique.

Developer: MyPostcard

Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)

Impressions:

MyPostcard is reminiscent of the classic eGreeting cards that your grandparents still insist on using to this day. Those cards were digital of course, which is what makes MyPostcard different. The people behind the MyPostcard service have brought the process full circle and made the online postcard a physical product again.

The app is rather slick to use, with clear and easy to use menus to help you make a tasteful greeting card or postcard that you would be happy to send to a loved one. The app allows you to choose photos from your gallery, camera or straight from Instagram if you want to use those stylish filters. You choose your style of card, then add a photo, border, and message in a few simple steps and then you’re all set to send it out. The cards all have an option to be sent in an envelope for discretion as well, for an extra charge. Also, you can make the postcards extra large for an additional charge as well, if you’d like.

1 of 5

None of this is free, of course. The cards all cost about 2 dollars for a postcard and 4 dollars for a greeting card. You can also send a gift card valued at 15-100 dollars, but the app isn’t clear if the gift cards are for use anywhere or just to send more greeting cards.

The app is very good for the most part, user-friendly and well designed. However, the biggest complaint I have is that you can’t pay on a card-by-card basis, you have to buy credits valued based on the number of cards starting at 5 cards, which is about 11 dollars. That is the minimum amount you can pay even if you just want to send one card ever. This makes the app lose a ton of value unless you’re going to be sending a lot of greeting cards with your phone.

Conclusion:

I like the premise of MyPostcard, despite its poor payment system. The novelty of a well-meaning greeting card to a loved one is always appreciated and a physical, tangible card is much nicer than a digital “ecard”. If you can get passed the cost of entry, this service could be a real winner next holiday season.

Download MyPostcard from the Google Play Store

Sound Devices’ MixPre Series controllers make recording audio a cinch

Why it matters to you

The MixPre Series could make recording podcasts, music videos, an interviews easier than ever.

When you’re a videographer on a budget, capturing high-quality sound is a tough proposition. Generally, camera and smartphone mics don’t cut it — ensuring your sound shines through usually means forking over hundreds for bulky, unintuitive control boxes with steep learning curves. But Sound Devices, the Hollywood audio company behind La La Land, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Game of Thrones, wants to change all that with the MixPre Series.

It marks the first time Sound Devices has targeted the wider consumer market. “Our new Sound Devices MixPre Series is the culmination of decades of experience designing products for the best-of-the-best in the professional audio industry,” Matt Anderson, CEO of Sound Devices, said in a statement. “Our mic preamps simply have to be heard to be believed, whether micing drums, birds, or dialog, using condenser, dynamic, or ribbon mics, the finest textures of the audio are preserved.”

The MixPre Series, which consists of a high-end MixPre-6 and MixPre-3, doesn’t look like much, but there is more to them than meets the eye. The six-inch-thick aluminum die-cast bodies, which Sound Devices claims are “some of the smallest in their class,” pack three LED-illuminated fader knobs, up to six XLR inputs for Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) devices (like keyboards and synthesizers), and 3.5mm auxiliary ports for powered mics and headphones. Recordings are stored on an SD/SDHC/SDXC card or streamed to a computer via one of two USB ports, the real-time levels of which can be viewed — and adjusted — from a color IPS touchscreen.

Under the hood, the MixPre Series sports custom circuits that record, mix, and stream sound in real time. State-of-the-art Kashmir mic pre-amplifiers with analog limiters minimize distortion, and a 32-bit audio-to-digital converter streams sound up to 192kHz. An automatic timecode feature syncs video piped through the devices’ HDMI-in with recorded dialogue, and standard AA batteries (or an optional Li-Ion battery sled supply) supply power.

Sound Devices is positioning the MixPre as an alternative to high-end recorders. Both models come with a basic mode that offers no-frills recording modes for videos, podcasts, interviews, and music. Experts can tap into advanced mode, which unlocks multichannel recording and settings.

Many of those settings can be adjusted from Wingman, Sound Device’s app for iOS, via Bluetooth Smart. You can start and stop recordings, enter and edit metadata, and rename tracks from a connected iPhone or iPad.

The differences between the devices come down to inputs and outputs, mainly. The MixPre-3 offers up to 5-in/2-out USB audio interface with three discrete mic preamps, the ability to stream up to three analog inputs (including three high-quality mic inputs), and a two-channel mix over USB. The MixPre-6, on the other hand, offers up to 8-in/4-out USB audio interface with four mic preamps, and streams up to six analog inputs (including four high-quality mic inputs), a two-channel mix over USB, and an XLR 1/4-inch combo inputs that allow 1/4-inch line-input sources to be connected directly.

The MixPre-3 and MixPre-6 go for $650 and $900, respectively.

Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time

Everyone likes apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers make paid apps free for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up while you have the chance. Here are the latest and greatest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.

These apps normally cost money, and this sale lasts for a limited time only. If you go to the App Store and it says the app costs money, that means the deal has expired and you will be charged. 

More: 200 Awesome iPhone Apps | The best Android apps for almost any occasion

Persistence

Persistence is a simple and easy to use goal and habit motivator and tracker. Its smart reminders and views help you set and keep goals and track your habits.

Available on:

iOS

Pret a Template

Ideas come up all the time. Registering them instantly in our inseparable mobile devices has become a habit, and now you can sketch them with this app.

Available on:

iOS

M Stopwatch

This is simple, straightforward implementation of multiple stopwatches in a single list. The look and style is patterned after the native iOS stopwatch for consistency.

Available on:

iOS

Secret Apps Pro

Secret Apps Pro disguises itself as a normal iOS folder — it’s password-protected, and it will snap photos of anyone trying to pry inside.

Available on:

iOS

Wallz Wallpapers

Wallz claims to have the best Retina HD Wallpapers for iPhone 6s/6s Plus, iPad and iPad Pro with over 100,000 HD retina wallpapers or backgrounds.

Available on:

iOS

eDI Pro

Easy Downloader is like an all-in-one Download Manager app with fast download capabilities and file management features. It includes an audio player with playlists, video player, ad blocker, and more.

Available on:

iOS

Maximize typing accuracy, comfort with KrBn mechanical keyboard, now 74% off

There are many reasons to upgrade to a mechanical keyboard, not the least of which are increased accuracy and tactile feedback while typing. This is especially true for gamers who demand more precision from their PC accessories than modern rubber dome keyboards can provide. Full-sized models like the KrBn mechanical keyboard feature integrated hand rests as well, offering even more comfort for long gaming and work sessions.

The KrBn mechanical keyboard utilizes blue switches which are similar to Cherry MX Green switches. These mechanical units feature a medium level of stiffness and both tactile and auditory feedback with their “clicky” sound and feel. This gives you improved accuracy for rapid keystrokes and a more satisfying touch response compared to rubber dome keyboards, which can often feel mushy and imprecise.

Along with the integrated palm rest, KrBn’s mechanical keyboard features flip-up feet for a more comfortable wrist angle and ergonomically-designed suspended concave keycaps, an improvement over other models with completely flat surfaces or chiclet keys. The KrBn keyboard is backlit as well, with nine different LED color configurations which let you create a stunning desktop environment and easily type in the dark.

Rubber feet on the bottom of the keyboard keep it from sliding around on your desk, while the water-resistant design features four holes on the base to allow liquids to drain out without ruining the components — a great feature to have in case of unfortunate spills. All 104 keys contain frosted molded letters that won’t fade or rub off with continued use.

The KrBn mechanical keyboard is well-reviewed with a 4.6-star rating from users on Amazon. This model retails for $250 but Amazon is currently offering it on sale for just $65, giving you an impressive 74 percent discount. Included with the keyboard are a handy keycap puller and three spare blue switches which allow you to repair or replace broken or damaged keys if necessary.

$65 on Amazon

Homebrew patch reinstates Windows Update on systems hit by CPU block

Why it matters to you

This unofficial patch means that affected users no longer have to choose between their preferred version of Windows, their chosen CPU, and their usage of Windows Update.

Last month, it emerged that Microsoft was implementing a plan to restrict systems built with newer CPUs and running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 from utilizing Windows Update. Now, a GitHub user known as Zeffy has published a fix that allows users to continue receiving updates.

Microsoft announced its intentions well in advance, but many users working with the likes of Intel’s Kaby Lake processors and AMD’s Ryzen line were still frustrated to find that they would have to choose between their preferred operating system and Windows Update. Fortunately, Zeffy’s solution seems to be a comprehensive workaround.

The fix works by patching Windows .DLL files, according to a report from Bleeping Computer. This bypasses the CPU version check that finds out what operating system is in use, which in turn allows Windows Update to interact with systems running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.

Zeffy has made batch scripts available via GitHub, so that more suspicious users can poke around his code until they’re confident enough to run the workaround on their system. The scripts were apparently created by reverse-engineering the KB4012218 update that initially blocked Windows Update from working on older versions of Windows.

The fact that Zeffy was able to come up with a fix relatively quickly seems to confirm that Microsoft introduced these measures as a means of encouraging users to make the upgrade to Windows 10, rather than because of any technological limitations. That’s not particularly surprising, but it sets a troubling precedent for the future.

Microsoft has made no secret of its ambition to see a billion devices running Windows 10, even if it’s not likely to hit that estimate in 2018. However, between annoying reminders and these restrictions on what hardware is compatible with older versions, it certainly seems that the company is prioritizing big usage figures over the quality of the user experience.

Experts discuss the exponentially worsening space debris problem

Why it matters to you

Without an effective solution for cleaning up orbiting debris, space travel may become more treacherous.

Last month, while setting a record for the most spacewalks by a women, astronaut Peggy Whitson lost her debris shield. Although initially concerned, NASA soon determined that the blanket had floated far enough away from the International Space Station to not pose any immediate danger. Instead, it went on to join the very debris it was intended to protect against.

In the grand scheme of things, Whitson’s shield is insignificant, but it ironically showcases the growing mass of space debris orbiting our planet.

In under 25 years, the amount of junk big enough to destroy a spacecraft has more than doubled, the Agence France-Presse reports from the seventh European Conference on Space Debris in Germany this week.

“We are very much concerned,” said Rolf Densing, who heads operations at the European Space Agency (ESA).

The big concern is that accumulating space debris may lead to something called the Kessler syndrome, a chain reaction of collisions that exponentially increases the amount of junk. A collision between two satellites may make thousands of smaller objects. Those thousands of objects could collide into millions more objects, and so on. The end result is an impenetrable cloud of debris that would make space travel treacherous.

But this isn’t science fiction. The amount of space debris is already in the hundreds of millions, according to experts.

“Today, we find in space roughly 5,000 objects with sizes larger than one meter (3.25 feet), roughly 20,000 objects with sizes over ten centimeters,” said Holger Krag, who heads ESA’s space debris office, “and 750,000 ‘flying bullets’ of around one centimeter.”

“For objects larger than one millimeter (0.04 inch), 150 million is our model estimate for that,” he added. “The growth in the number of fragments has deviated from the linear trend in the past and has entered into the more feared exponential trend.”

Krag told the conference that ESA receive a collision alert on its ten satellites about every week, and each has to shift position to avoid collision about once or twice a year.

Over the past few years, organizations like ESA and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have been researching methods to clean up space debris, including corralling the debris with massive nets and attracting junk with magnets. Unfortunately, JAXA failed in its attempt earlier this year.

The scientists will spend the next few days discussing the problem and reviewing tentative solutions.