| Nikon Coolpix L610: an AA-powered, 1080p-capable point-and-shoot for $249 Aug 9th 2012, 04:01  A flagship it isn't, but Nikon's newest Coolpix will certainly hit the sweet spot in terms of pricing for many. The Coolpix L610 is an entry-level compact that breaks away from proprietary cells in order to rely on a pair of AAs. World travelers may argue that it's easier to find a pack of those at any corner shop than a power outlet, and while it may only suit a select few, we're glad that the AA notion hasn't been tossed aside completely. Specs-wise, you're looking at a 16 megapixel BSI (backside illuminated) CMOS sensor, a 1080p movie mode, 3-inch rear LCD, optical VR image stabilization, HDMI socket and a 14x wide-angle zoom lens. It's designed to sit between the P510 and P7100 in terms of size, with a newfangled design that looks pretty darn attractive at the $249 asking price. For those interested, it'll be hitting shelves in September donning a red, black or silver motif. Filed under: Digital Cameras Nikon Coolpix L610: an AA-powered, 1080p-capable point-and-shoot for $249 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Nikon 1 J2 mirrorless camera: minor control tweaks, $549, ships in September Aug 9th 2012, 04:01  Not even a year after Nikon ceremoniously entered the mirrorless world, it's issuing the followup to the J1: it's the Nikon 1 J2, and it's -- at most -- a gentle revision to a camera that was near-universally hailed as being one of the more disappointing ILC options. Disappointing, of course, because it's Nikon. A company that quite clearly knows a thing or two about photography (D3S / D4, anyone?), but seemed to miss the mark in terms of price, performance and lens compatibility. With the J2, it sort of feels like a do-over. Outside of a slightly tweaked orange color and a reimagined exterior finish, the J2 is identical in size to the J1. You'll find the same 10.1 megapixel CMOS sensor (1-inch), the same autofocus system and support for the same lens collection. What's new are the additions to the Mode Selector dial, which add a smattering of creative options and access to P/S/A/M exposure modes. The rear LCD has seen its resolution double (to 921,000 dots, same as on the D4), and the camera has been intelligently designed to turn on when extending a 1 Series lens out, and turn off when retracting it into storage. Perhaps most importantly, Nikon's finally on the same playing field in terms of asking price. The J2 will ship in September for $549.95, and that includes the same 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens that shipped with the J1. If you'll recall, the J1 kit started at $100 more, yet offered far less punch than Sony's cheaper NEX-C3. It's also worth noting that one other player has joined the ILC movement since the J1: Canon. Arguably, the EOS M still beats the J2 in practically every way; the thing that really needed an overhaul in the J2 was the meager 1-inch sensor, yet it remains. Perhaps the best news out of this ordeal is that the J1 isn't immediately going away. Nikon confirmed that it'd remain on store shelves for an undetermined amount of time, likely at a nice discount. If it's offered low enough, it may be easier to live with the shortcomings. In terms of accessories, Nikon's also introducing an optional 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 lens ($189.95; ships next month) for the 1 Series. Though similar (on paper) to the 10-30mm kit lens, this guy is nearly 30 percent smaller from a physical size and weight standpoint. And on the other extreme, there's the WP-N1 waterproof case. This one's engineered to encase both the J1 and J2 for beneath-the-sea action up to 140 feet deep, but the staggering $749.95 (!) price tag is bound to attract jeers, chuckles and blank stares. Now, underwater cases of merit aren't ever "affordable," but offering an enclosure that's a full $200 more than the hardware it protects? Questionable. That said, we'd certainly relish the chance to test one out, but you best be sure that Nikon's J1 / J2 is going to be your underwater cam of choice for a long while before plunking down that much coin. Continue reading Nikon 1 J2 mirrorless camera: minor control tweaks, $549, ships in September Nikon 1 J2 mirrorless camera: minor control tweaks, $549, ships in September originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Akamai: peak internet speeds jumped 25 percent year-to-year in Q1, Germany tops the mobile world Aug 9th 2012, 04:00  If you thought world internet access speeds were facing a large-scale slowdown, you can stop fretting for now. Data from Akamai suggests that average speeds were just 2.6Mbps, but that was a healthy 14 percent improvement over the fall and a noticeable 25 percent better than early 2011. Average peak internet connection speeds surged just as much in the first quarter of this year: at 13.5Mbps, the average maximum was a 10 percent season-to-season boost and that same 25 percent versus a year before. The leaders remain Asian territories with that ideal mix of dense populations and high technology, culminating in Hong Kong's blazing 49.3Mbps typical downlink. Akamai attributes much of the growth in peak speeds to an explosion in "high broadband" connections, where 10Mbps is the minimum -- countries like Denmark, Finland, South Korea, Switzerland and the US roughly doubled their adoption of extra-fast access in the past year. Before cheering too loudly, we'd point out that mobile speeds are still trudging along despite HSPA+ and LTE making their presences felt. The most consistent speed came from an unnamed German carrier, which neared 6Mbps; the best regular American rate was 2.5Mbps, which underscores how far even some of the most developed countries have to go. There's also a clear gap in regular landline broadband quality if we go by the US' own National Broadband Plan standards. Just 60 percent of US broadband is over the 4Mbps mark, putting the US at 14th in the global ranks. We're hoping that projects like Google Fiber can raise expectations for everyone, but you can hit the source in the meantime to get Akamai's full study. Filed under: Wireless, Networking, Internet Akamai: peak internet speeds jumped 25 percent year-to-year in Q1, Germany tops the mobile world originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Akamai | Email this | Comments | | Stop motion animated film ParaNorman taps 3D printers to create 31,000 unique facial features Aug 9th 2012, 03:18  Take one look at the upcoming 3D stop motion film ParaNorman and it's easy to see that moviegoers are in for some stunning visuals come August 17th. Once you realize the contribution of 3D printing to the film's creation, however, you're likely to appreciate the movie on an entirely new level. In order to portray a wide array of emotions on the faces of the film's 62 characters, animation studio LAIKA tapped 3D Systems and their ZPrinter 650 to generate over 31,000 individual facial parts for inclusion in the production -- talk about working overtime. According to Brian McLean of LAIKA, "By using a color 3D printer we were not only able to push facial performance to new levels, but we were also able to achieve a level of detail and subtlety in characters' faces that a few short years ago would have seemed impossible." If you've yet to catch a preview of ParaNorman, just hop the break to see some of the printed handiwork. Continue reading Stop motion animated film ParaNorman taps 3D printers to create 31,000 unique facial features Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Home Entertainment, Meta Stop motion animated film ParaNorman taps 3D printers to create 31,000 unique facial features originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 23:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | |
