byte-sized: An easier way to share pictures

An easier way to share pictures

One of my little tech pet peeves involves digital cameras. Have you ever been out with a group of friends celebrating, say, a birthday, and everyone gets together for a group picture to be taken? I hate when some nice stranger volunteers to snap the picture, but then is bombarded by 8 digital cameras to take the exact same picture with. “Oh, can you take one with mine too?” “yea, and mine” “oh and here’s one more”. We’re talking about the exact same picture, captured digitally- I always thought the idea of using one camera and then e-mailing the picture to everyone was a pretty simple concept. Recently, though, I’ve found the person who’s camera is assigned “master camera” duty forgets to e-mail the picture, and 3 weeks later is still making excuses like “I keep meaning to send out that picture, but I’ve just been so busy.” So now no one has the important picture.

Sony has introduced TransferJet – a technology included in their new digital cameras which allow you to transfer pictures from one camera to another without wires. I immediately saw great possibilities for this. Use one Sony camera to take that master picture, and then instantly share it with everyone at the birthday party. Problem solved.

TransferJet, I later learned, is actually a consortium of electronics manufacturers who will all develop and use this technology. Even better! Canon, Kodak, Nikon, Panasonic, Samsung, Epson, Sharp, Toshiba, JVC, Kenwood, Pioneer and many more are on the list. This technology will also allow you to transfer files from your digital camera to your computer using a wireless TransferJet dock, to your printer, TV or digital picture frame- all without wires! I love simple improvements that make a great product even better.

Another great unv

eil at Sony’s booth was their new Bloggie – their new HD camera that captures HD video, 5MP pictures and costs only $169! A friend of mine had an earlier version of these cameras, and shot a great skiing video on a trip last year, so I can vouch for the quality of these. We’re not talking professional quality, but certainly good enough to carry around on a trip, snap some quick highlights and easily share memories with family & friends. The camera is tiny (about the size of a compact digital camera) and the battery will last about 90 minutes when shooting video.

For a cool add on, spring the extra $20 and get a 270 degree fish eye lens on their $189 version- pictured to the right. (They also throw in a 4GB memory stick for your extra $20, which makes it even more worth it.) I tried a demo model with the fish eye, and this thing is just plain cool! You hold it above your head and walk normally- the camera will capture everything around you as you go. The cool trick comes on playback- it doesn’t play a giant circle video file (as it does on the screen to the right), it actually converts your video to look normal, with a scroll bar underneath that lets you move your vantage point. For example, you start off watching what was happening in front of you, then you slide the bar under your video and look at what happened to your right, then slide to see what happened on your left. Great way to capture parts of your life when there is a lot going on!

--Peter

Labels: digital camera, Sony, TransferJet

This entry was posted by Amber, on Saturday, January 9, 2010. You can leave your response .

An easier way to share pictures

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“An easier way to share pictures”