Gadgets | DigitalAppleJuice

The Accidental iPad and How I Use It

April 5, 2010 By David Alison Leave a Comment

When Steve Jobs announced the iPad a few months ago I didn't think "Wow, I gotta have me one of those...". Though I was intrigued by the form factor and slightly motivated by Steve Jobs' demonstration of the device, it didn't scream out at me as something I needed. I was actually more amused with all the criticism surrounding the choice of iPad as the name for the device. I yawned and went on with my life. Nearly a month ago I walked in to our local Apple store with my family. We weren't … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Gadgets, Parallel Desktops Tagged With: ipad, iPhone, mac, mac pro, MacBook, review, steve jobs

Digital Camera Infrared Conversion

March 15, 2010 By Britt Stokes 2 Comments

Since the 1930’s, photographers have enjoyed the use of infrared films for both scientific and pictorial use. The infrared spectrum is beyond the ability of the human eye to see, and objects viewed in light from the infrared spectrum often look quite different from visible light. Most living foliage will appear light or white in a final print shot with infrared film, and human skin can be almost translucent, with veins showing through the skin like magic. But with the advent of digital … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Gadgets, Photography Tagged With: camera, Conversion, Digital, digital camera, Exposure, film, filter, infrared, Isaac Szabo, ISO, Photography

For the Harry Potter Fan: Kymera Magic Wand Universal Remote

December 7, 2009 By madbadcat

Definitely on my wishlist: This universal remote is able to control almost anything normally controlled by an infrared remote. It learns from almost any existing infrared remote control and has 13 buttonless functions triggered by waving the wand in varying motions. A flick of the wrist and Abracadabra! Channel's changed. Don't miss their website- its a hoot. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gadgets Tagged With: christmas, gift, infrared wand, remote control wand, wand remote

Shopping for your Favorite Technophile just got easier.

November 30, 2009 By madbadcat Leave a Comment

If you are over shopping Black Friday's doorbusters and are now concentrating on buying your favorite technophile their gift of choice, Popular Science has published their PopSci Genius Guide to Tech Buying. (download from zinio) In case you don't feel like downloading the guide, topical excerpts are available on their website: Read Tech Buyer's Guide For Netbooks The PopSci Top Pick? HP Mini 311-1000NR 11.6-Inch Black Netbook Read Tech Buyer's Guide For … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gadgets, Hardware, The Not-So-Daily Edition Tagged With: gift, Popular Science, shopping, Tech buyer

Lighting On A Budget – Pt. 2

September 22, 2009 By Kirk Draut 1 Comment

My 6-light CFL fixture worked well in the studio, but I wanted more light and the option to add a light modifier. I decided to move up to 3” PVC and install eight lamp sockets around the outside of the pipe. We're going to call this fixture a SPIDER, you'll see why in just a moment. Here is my original collection of parts. A 3” clean-out plug serves as a hub for the sockets. My original idea was to attach the clean out plug to a 3” bushing … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Gadgets, Hardware, Photography, Tutorials Tagged With: budegt lighting, budget lighting, cfl, compact flourescent lightbulb, green photo studio, lighting kit, OCTOBOX, Photography, still photographer, studio lights, studio photographer, Troubleshooting

Lighting On A Budget (Pt. 1)

September 14, 2009 By Kirk Draut 7 Comments

A few months ago, my boss told me that we are expanding my department (me) into the world of video production. I was given complete freedom in choosing the camera, computer, and lighting. Like any good photographer, I spent the entire budget on the camera and computer. Whoops! I initially thought that I could use 500W work lights with diffusers, but two problems arose. One- the color temperature of the work light bulbs is very warm and it changes with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gadgets, Hardware, Photography Tagged With: budget lighting, cfl, compact flourescent lightbulb, green photo studio, lighting kit, studio lights

Offset mounting bracket for Nikon P90

August 14, 2009 By Bradley W. Lewis 1 Comment

So I love my new Nikon P90, but I don't love the fact that the battery and memory card are behind an ill designed battery/card door on the bottom of the camera. Which has a hinge so close to the mounting point that you cannot open the door to get to your memory card and battery while the P90 is on the tripod. This fact never bubbled to the surface in researching the new camera before purchase, but I thought, well, I'll just live with it and download the pics over the usb … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Gadgets, Photography Tagged With: bracket, camera braket, nikon, Offset mounting bracket for Nikon P90

Quick Guide: Connect Your Powerbook to Your TV

April 15, 2009 By madbadcat 4 Comments

Life can be complicated. This past weekend my air conditioning AND my dvd player died. Within the span of 4 hours. Possible reasons: 1. Power Surge. Maybe. Things haven't been quite right since Hurricane Ike dropped by for a visit last September (2008). The phone line for my dsl needed replacement. However, the surge suppresor built into our electric box remains intact (the light would have turned red if something had happened electrically). 2. Retrograde Pluto transiting my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Gadgets, Hardware Tagged With: component Video, DVI, HD15, HDMI, laptop, s-video, sVideo, VGA

Lensbaby Composer: A Selective Focus SLR Camera Lens (pt 3)

March 18, 2009 By Britt Stokes 6 Comments

A Three Part Series Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Pt. 3 of 3: Be My Lens, Baby...always Another improvement over my Lensbaby 2.0 is the lens cap - the 2.0 shipped with a nice, heavy solid metal lens cap that screwed in place... unfortunately, it was kind of slippery and difficult to get off sometimes. The Composer ships with a new squeeze-type lens cap (the style that lets your fingers get inside a lens hood, hmm, what a handy accessory that would be?). Easy on and easy off, but not so … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Gadgets, Hardware, Photography, Reviews Tagged With: apple, camera, camera lens, lens adapter, lens elements, lensbaby, mac, nikon 60mm micro lens, Photography, review, wide angle lens

Lensbaby Composer: Selective Focus SLR Camera Lens (pt 2)

March 17, 2009 By Britt Stokes 6 Comments

A Three Part Series Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Pt. 2 of 3: Be My Lens, Baby...again Remember our fun with the Sima? The Lensbaby Composer (and all the Lensbaby line, since they use interchangeable elements) is 50mm in focal length compared with the Sima's 100mm. That gets into the usable range for many landscape opportunities, and makes a decent average focal length for portraits and details. Need wider? They can do that... it's that system concept I love so much. Offered as … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Gadgets, Hardware, Photography, Reviews Tagged With: Aperture, apple, camera, camera lens, lens adapter, lens elements, lensbaby, mac, review, wide angle lens

Lost Your Camera? Did You Look On The Internet?

February 10, 2009 By Lesli Jason 1 Comment

In 1977 while hanging out with some friends in Philly, I inadvertantly left my camera at an outdoor lunch joint near Second and South. Having shared a few bottles of Merlot (to wash down the double cheese steaks with onions and mushrooms) I hadn't realized the camera was missing until later in the evening and by then, I figured I was out of luck. In those days, there was no craigslist on which to post lost & found, and I had no idea of the name of the place where we'd eaten lunch (see Merlot … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Gadgets, Media, The Write Stuff Tagged With: camera, memory card

Getting Organized: Evernote

February 3, 2009 By Wendy Arnold Leave a Comment

Organizational Tool Reviews by the Unorganized! Okay so I found Evernote in my latest handy dandy copy of Real Simple- a magazine I subscribe to in hopes that one day I will be more organized than not. I am getting there. The article started of with a warning that these apps may become addictive. I had no idea they were serious. On the web. On your desktop. On your phone. I downloaded first my desktop version of Evernote onto my Imac and immediately started to document all the notes I had … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Gadgets, Software, Workflow Tagged With: evernote, iPhone, iphone app