Thursday, July 31, 2008

Mwave: Adesso Cyberpad Digital Notepad + electrical Inking Pen + PhotoShop Element $145

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DSLR Tips! A new website from Camera Labs

DSLR Tips! A new website from Camera Labs
Today sees the launch of DSLR Tips, a new photography site from the founders of Camera Labs! DSLR Tips is aimed at anyone who's just got their first DSLR or wants to take their photography beyond automatic. Our video tutorials will show you how to achieve a number of effects and styles, while the lens guide will help you decide which optics are best for your style of photography. So if you'd like to learn more about your DSLR, or know someone who does, then head over to DSLR Tips!

Nikon D700 - compared to D3, D300 and EOS 5D

Nikon D700 - compared to D3, D300 and EOS 5D
Nikon's D700 is the company's second full-frame DSLR, and comes in at a much more affordable price point than the flagship D3. The new D700 takes the D3's 12.1 Megapixel FX format sensor, 3in VGA monitor, 51 point AF system and Live View, but squeezes it into a smaller and lighter D300-sized body equipped with a popup flash and anti-dust features. In our D700 preview article we'll detail the features of the new model and compare the differences between it and the D3 and D300, along with Canon's EOS 5D. See our Nikon D700 preview to find out if Nikon's found the perfect balance of price and features.

Annoying KiwiSaver

Currently Im an IT student living in Palmerston North. Week or so ago I scored myself a great weekend salesperson job, today I had orientation and signed contracts etc. etc. It pissed me off that I had to first fill out the kiwisaver form and then straight after fill out another form to opt out of it. Not only did it waste my time and pen ink but it also wastes time and more importantly money, for someone else to actually process these forms. To be honest I dont really know much about kiwisaver and was wondering why its compulsory? Someone told me that its going to die soon anyway, is this true?

Any thoughts on kiwisaver??

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Toshiba Satellite M300-S1002X

Toshiba Satellite M300-S1002X
Toshiba Satellite M300-S1002X

Toshiba’s latest business notebook, the M300, won’t blow your hair back with whiz-bang features and record-shattering performance, but it’s a very solid package that covers all the basics one needs in a laptop that’s somewhere between an ultra-portable and a desktop replacement. This 14.1” notebook is tastefully appointed in a Titanium Silver finish, weighs just 5.2lbs, and has one of the best keyboards we’ve ever sampled in a notebook. Though its trialware issues and long boot time are easily remedied, its lack of security features –either biometric or facial recognition – are disappointing on a laptop aimed at business users. Overall it’s still a surprisingly well-polished machine that is extremely affordable and easy to live with.

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Camera Labs Assignment: vote for your favourite!

It's the first day of a new month which means a new Assignment in the Camera Labs forums. The theme as suggested by the winner of June's Assignment, richcaw, is 'Trees'. To enter, visit the August Assignment Submissions page. This also means submissions for last month's Assignment are now closed so you can vote for your favourite entry of Georgie2H's 'Minimalism' theme. So to vote, register or sign-into our forums and head on over to our July Assignment Submissions thread. Read More

Nikon D60 Digital SLR Test and Sample Images

Nikon D60 Digital SLR Test and Sample Images
Having had the opportunity to test the Nikon D60 with the new AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G Vibration Reduction (VR) kit lens, we have published a few sample images taken with a Nikon D60 (Firmware A 1:00, B 1:00) under a range of ISO sensitivity settings and exploring some of the available options on the camera. See full story...

Canon Announces 10MP PowerShot SD890 IS, SD790 IS and SD770 IS

Canon Announces 10MP PowerShot SD890 IS, SD790 IS and SD770 IS
Canon has announced three new 10 megapixel compact PowerShot digital cameras, the SD890 IS, the PowerShot SD790 IS and the SD770 IS. The Canon PowerShot SD890 IS features a rounded curve design incorporating a 5x image stabilized lens, optical viewfinder, and a 2.5 inch LCD. The more square PowerShot SD790 IS trades the optical viewfinder away to make room for a larger 3.0 inch LCD monitor, and features a 3x optical zoom with IS. The PowerShot SD770 IS offers a 3x optical zoom with stabilizer, an optical viewfinder and a 2.5 inch PureColor LCD II screen.. See full story...

Sony BRAVIA KDL-40W3000 Television

Introducing the Sony Bravia KDL40W3000 from the KDL-W3000 series. As the LCD TV range has failed to Read More

Buyers Guide updated with latest models

Following a run of excellent cameras, we've updated our Buyers Guide to include the Canon EOS 450D / XSi, Sony Alpha A350 and Panasonic's Lumix TZ5 and FX35 compacts. So whether you're in the market for a new compact, super-zoom, budget DSLR or semi-pro DSLR, check out the Camera Labs Buyers Guide to find out the best models around right now! As always, every model recommended in our Buyers Guide has been fully tested. Read More

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

How to take photos at night - DSLR Tips workshop

How to take photos at night - DSLR Tips workshop
Photos taken at night can produce spectacular results - in fact many cities present their best views after dark. Night photography can also be very forgiving in bad weather, so if rain's prevented you from grabbing the shots you want of a city, it's well worth trying again after sunset. Night photography can however prove quite a challenge in Automatic modes, but it's surprisingly easy with a few simple tricks and in our latest video workshop at DSLR Tips, we'll explain how.

Joby Gorillapod SLR Zoom - full review

Joby's Gorillapod SLR Zoom is designed for those who want the stability of a tripod, without the inconvenience of lugging one around. Like earlier Gorillapods, flexible jointed legs allow you to securely grab onto almost any object or surface from curved railings to tree branches. Once locked into place you can then comfortably take long or multiple exposures, along with self-timer shots. The big difference with the SLR Zoom Gorillapod is it can support weights up to 3kg, thereby accommodating semi-pro DSLRs, while remaining light and portable. Is it the perfect tripod for you? Find out in our Joby Gorillapod SLR Zoom review. Read More

Windows XP and Explorer - Remove / Add Labels to/from Toolbar Functions

Windows XP and Explorer - Remove / Add Labels to/from Toolbar Functions
Explain what the toolbar buttons in Windows XP Explorer folders do, or if you're an expert, remove all such descriptor text. ...

Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 review - updated results and samples

Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 review - updated results and samples
We've updated our Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 review with new results and sample images taken with a final production camera. We've compared this retail unit with what's likely to be its biggest rival, the Canon EOS 400D / Rebel XTi, and shown how they measure-up in terms of studio resolution, real-life detail and noise levels. The entry-level DSLR market has never been tougher, so to see how the latest Alpha compares against its biggest rival and its predecessor, the best-selling Alpha A100, check out the updated results and gallery pages of our Sony A200 review. For a demo of its features, see our Sony A200 video tour.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 with 18x zoom

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 with 18x zoom
Panasonic has today introduced the 10.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-FZ28 digital camera, featuring a 27mm wide-angle Leica lens with an 18x optical zoom (27mm-486mm). The powerful 18x zoom lens makes it easy to pull in subjects from far away or to take dramatic close-ups. See full story...

Toshiba Satellite M300-S1002X

Toshiba Satellite M300-S1002X

Toshiba’s latest business notebook, the M300, won’t blow your hair back with whiz-bang features and record-shattering performance, but it’s a very solid package that covers all the basics one needs in a laptop that’s somewhere between an ultra-portable and a desktop replacement. This 14.1” notebook is tastefully appointed in a Titanium Silver finish, weighs just 5.2lbs, and has one of the best keyboards we’ve ever sampled in a notebook. Though its trialware issues and long boot time are easily remedied, its lack of security features –either biometric or facial recognition – are disappointing on a laptop aimed at business users. Overall it’s still a surprisingly well-polished machine that is extremely affordable and easy to live with.

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Dell Home: new ultra compact Dell Studio Hybrid mini desktop $499

Dell Home: new ultra compact Dell Studio Hybrid mini desktop $499

Sennheiser PC 350

Sennheiser PC 350

I had a very difficult time sitting down to write this review because every waking moment in front of the PC became a “testing session” as soon as I laid eyes on the PC 350s at my desk. If you are the competition - these are THE headphones to beat. While they aren’t designed around multiple uses, with some minor design tweaks we could see these cans ushering in a new lineup of Sennheiser headphones. Read on to find out why we are so excited about a set of headphones for the first time in a long while.

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DSLR Tips workshop - how to use a polarizing filter

Polarizing filters are an essential accessory for every DSLR owner. They cut through haze, deepen blue skies and make colours more vibrant. They're also one of the few filters which can't be simulated with software. In our video workshop at DSLR Tips we'll show you how to use polarizing filters to improve your landscape photos, along with providing a step-by-step guide for reference. Discover everything you need to know in our polarizer workshop Read More

Sony 75-300mm telephoto zoom review - new video tour

Sony's 75-300mm telephoto zoom lens remains a popular option for owners of Alpha DSLRs. It's a common bundle with the earlier A100 and likely to find itself fitted to many of the new A200 bodies. As such it's an ideal time to revisit our Sony 75-300mm lens review with a brand new video tour, using the Alpha A100 body. Remember the new A200 has the same sensor, so our quality results are equally applicable for this new body. So to see - and hear - how this budget telephoto zoom compares, check out our Sony 75-300mm video tour. Read More

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Canon Announces Instant Rebates on EOS 40D, EOS 5D, EF Lenses and Speedlites in US

Canon Announces Instant Rebates on EOS 40D, EOS 5D, EF Lenses and Speedlites in US
Canon USA Inc. has launched a series of generous instant cash back rebates covering the Canon EOS 40D and the higher end full frame 12.8 MP Canon EOS 5D digital SLR, along with savings on a number of Canon EF lenses, and Canon Speedlites. Save up to $125 US on select EF lenses and $300 on the Canon EOS 5D. See the full story and a complete list of the products now covered by instant rebates...

Samsung YP-T10 (2 GB) MP3 Player

The Samsung YP-T10 is the latest in a family of spectacular MP3 players and MP4 Players. The YP-T10 Read More

Asus M70SA-X2

Asus M70SA-X2

If watching Blu-ray movies is at the top of your “must have” list for a notebook, the Asus M70S should be a system you need to be looking at. The M70S offers a fantastic movie watching experience thanks to its huge, crisp display, excellent sound system and Blu-ray drive. You can also store an unbelievable amount of your own movies and music on the M70 too, thanks to its unheard of (on a notebook at least) 1 terabyte of storage space. The systems only major drawback is the annoying media controls embedded in the touchpad. Not only are they difficult to control, but they include an area that disables the touchpad if you touch it accidentally, which was highly annoying.

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Canon Rebel XSi and Powershot price drops

Canon Canada Inc. has today announced a significant price reduction on the 12MP Canon Rebel XSi camera body, and on the available Canon Rebel XSi kit configurations, including the standard EOS Rebel XSi kit with EF-S 18-55mm IS zoom lens. Canon has also reduced the price on the sleek and pocketable 10 megapixel Canon Powershot SD890 IS, SD790 IS and the Powershot SD770 IS digital cameras by up to $50. See full story... Read More

Pentax K200D First Look and Sample Images

We have had the opportunity to take a closer look at the recently announced Pentax K200D, a replacement to the Pentax K100D entry level digital SLR. The K200D is designed for users who may be unfamiliar with DSLR cameras but want a camera that will allow them to grow as they learn about photography. With 10.2 megapixels and a 2.7 inch wide view LCD, the Pentax K200D features an easy-to-use interface housed in a compact (now weather protected) body. See full story... Read More

Windows Vista - Mouse - Toggle Hiding the Mouse Pointer When Typing

Configure Windows Vista to hide the mouse pointer as you type, or disable this behavior. ... Read More

Officemax: HP Pavilion dv6926nr 15.4in Notebook T5750 3GB 250GB Lightscribe webcam 11n $700 shipped

Officemax: HP Pavilion dv6926nr 15.4in Notebook T5750 3GB 250GB Lightscribe webcam 11n $700 shipped

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 Digital Camera

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 Digital Camera
The Panasonic TZ3 is an 8.5 mega pixel digital camera with a 10x optical zoom, 4x digital zoom and a

Tigerdirect: Refurbished Tom Tom ONE 3rd Edition GPS Navigation $115

Tigerdirect: Refurbished Tom Tom ONE 3rd Edition GPS Navigation $115

Microsoft Windows Mojave

Microsoft Windows Mojave
So you complain about Windows Vista but actually never used it? Maybe what you need is Microsoft Windows Mojave.

In summary, a set of people were asked what they think is bad on Windows Vista. Their answers were recorded.  They were then shown "Microsoft Windows Mojave".

One of the subjects in the study even said "Wow", the word Microsoft used in the "The wow starts now" campaign for Windows Vista.

Microsoft then revealed "Windows Mojave" and "Windows Vista" are the same one.

I know a lot of Linux and Mac OS X users who bash Windows Vista without ever having touch a computer running the OS. How can they "know" so much? Or perhaps they don't.

Isn't this a big perception problem?

All the details here.

UPDATE: The Mojave Experiment results are coming on-line!