How to Add Instagram Effects to Any Photos

Photographers will have to use external help when it comes to adding effects to their shots. Fortunately, there are many photo effects software for your computer available in the market, and pro users will usually use Photoshop given its advance editing options. Non-experienced users will have to settle for photo editing software like Perfect Effects. It’s easy to use and is available in paid and free versions. It’s also good enough to help you add and edit professional photo effects.

Photographer David Hill #Photography

Windows 8 Coming In October, RTM In August

Microsoft has announced that Windows 8 RTM (Release to Manufacturing) will land in the first week of August, and Windows 8 will be released in October 2012.

The news was announced by Microsoft’s Tami Reller at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference in Canada today, and he said that Windows 8 should be released by late October.

It will be interesting to see what the final version of Windows 8 is like, we suspect that Windows 8 will end up being a popular OS for Microsoft, especially considering the low upgrade cost of Windows 8 from existing Windows versions, which is a first for Microsoft.

Source The Verge

LG Working On New Quad Core L9 Smartphone Processor

It looks like LG is the latest company who has their own smartphone processor in the works, according to a recent report LG is working on a new L9 quad core processor for their future smartphones.

The LG L9 processor is an ARM based chip and is expected to launch in a new LG Android smartphone in September, and the device will also use LG’s True HD smartphone display.

The device will also come with a camera with either 10 megapixel or more, unfortunately those are the only details we know at the moment, as soon as we get some more information we will let you guys know.

Source Phone Arena

Sony Xperia Go Headed To O2 UK

The Sony Xperia Go was announced recently and now it looks like it is headed to UK mobile carrier O2 some time this month, the device will be available with a range of contracts with the carrier here in the UK, although no exact launch date is given.

The Sony Xperia Go is designed to be a rugged smartphone, and it is waterproof and dust proof and conforms to the IP67 rating, it will come with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, Sony will release an Android 4.0 update for the device in the future.

The Sony Xperia Go features a 3.5 inch Reality Display with Sony’s Mobile BRAVIA Engine, and it is powered by a dual core 1GHz processor and it features a 5 megapixel camera.

O2 have not released any details on pricing of the Xperia Go on their network in the UK, there is also no release date as yet, all we know is it will be some time this month, more details can be found over at O2.

Source Into Mobile

Commodore 64 Bass Guitar Hack (video)

Jeri Ellsworth has created an awesome hack using a Commodore 64 and transformed it in to a C64 Bass “keytar”, and  was unveiled by Ellsworth at this years Makers Fair Bay Area.

The fantastically innovative hack was created by splicing a bass guitar neck to the retro Commodore 64, you can hear Ellsworth explain her awesome hack and how it was created in more detail after the break.

The Commodore 64 Bass “keytar” uses the original SID 6581 sound chip, and is fitted with piezo pickups to capture the vibrations from the strings. The one downside to the C64 “Keytar” at the moment admits Ellsworth it its poet consumption. Which eats through 18AA batteries every eight hours of play.

Source: Verge : Make

FIFA Approves Use Of Select iBall Smart Soccer Ball (video)

FIFA has approved the use of the worlds first intelligent football, called the iBall which has been design to help referees know when a soccer ball has crossed the goal line or not.

FIFA has been the new Select’s iBall design over the past few months in the GoalRef system, and has now approved the new intelligent iBall system for final testing ready for use in professional football games. Watch the video after the jump to see how the Select iBall will help the game of football.

The iBall is constructed with an internal mesh of copper wire, which is then used to communicate with antennas mounted in the frame of the goal. When the ball passes over the line of the goal a notification is then sent to the referee’s wristwatch.

Peter Knap, CEO of Select explains: “It is challenging work to design an intelligent ball that can withstand Ronaldo’s kick and at the same time be able to communicate with a system on the goal line. We have been developing the soccer ball for more than 65 years, so we have a solid head start when it comes to ensuring quality in new solutions.”

Source: Slashgear

Nokia Lumia 900, Lumia 610 And Lumia 710 Getting Software Updates

Nokia has announced that it is rolling out a software update for a number of its Lumia Windows Phone devices, and the list includes the Nokia Lumia 900, Lumia 710 and Lumia 610.

The software updates for the various devices bring a range of new features to these Lumia Windows Phone smartphones as well as performance enhancements, you can see a list of what is included in the update below.

- Lumia 900 version 2175.2101.8779.12201: Enhanced sensitivity for proximity sensor performance and improvement to your phone’s screen colours in low light conditions

- Lumia 710 version 1600.3031.8779.12180: Internet sharing (Wi-Fi Hotspot) — Share your phone’s internet connection over Wi-Fi with up to five other devices or computers and Flip to silence — Silence incoming calls by turning your phone face down.

- Lumia 610 version 1066.0000.8779.12201: Enhanced sensitivity for proximity sensor performance and improved sound level for alarm tone during voice calls.

You can find out more information about the software updates for the three Nokia Lumia Windows Phone devices over at Nokia.

Source Brief Mobile

HP Unveils 4 New All-in-one PCs For Consumers & Business

 

HP has added four new all-in-one desktop PCs to its range of systems this week in the form of the HP Envy 23, HP Pavilion 23. Which have been created specifically for consumers.

The new HP Compaq Elite 8300, HP Compaq Pro 6300 on the other hand have been created with business users in mind, and come with optional 2 finger multi-touch features.

The flagship of the four systems is the HP Envy 23 which is powered by Intel Ivy Bridge processors and sports a 23 inch screen with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080, as well as Blu-ray drive, a TV tuner, an HDMI input. Emilio Ghilardi, vice president of HP America’s PC division explains:

“Customers have been asking for all-in-one PC designs that don’t compromise on performance, reliability, or security,”-“With these sleek, elegant designs and powerful options, HP continues to innovate to meet the needs of a growing marketplace.”

The HP Pavilion 23 will be priced starting at $650 and the HP Envy at $950 and both will be going on sale on August 2nd 2012. With the business systems priced at $799 Pro 6300 which will drive in stores on September 3rd, and the 8300 for $929 arriving September 10th. For more information jump over to the HP website for details.

Source: Venture Beat

Next Issue brings its all-you-can-read magazine store to the iPad, plans start at $10 a month

The last time we heard about Next Issue, the all-you-can-read magazine store was launching on Android, with an iOS version said to be coming “soon.” Three months later, the startup’s made good on its promise: the storefront is now up and running on iOS, with an iPad app going live in the App Store today. If you’re not familiar with the way Next Issue works, it’s angling to be the Netflix of digital magazines, with a monthly subscription getting you unfettered access to a library of 39 titles. In brief, the fees break down to $10 per month for all the monthly and bi-weekly mags, and $15 if you want all that plus access to tabloids and other weeklies. One last thing: the free app is just the magazine reader; you’ll need to download the apps through Next Issue’s browser-based store.

Now, if you’re wondering what sorts of magazines will be represented in that list of 40-some-odd titles, know that every bigwig in magazine publishing is on board: Conde Nast, Time, Hearst, Meredith and News Corp. That means the The New Yorker is on board, as are Esquire, GQ, Vanity Fair, Sports Illustrated and Popular Mechanics. In an interview, a company rep told us that Next Issue Media plans to double the catalog by year’s end, as well as ink deals with additional publishers. The biggest caveat, it seems, is that content providers have the prerogative to make a title available on one platform but not the other, so don’t count on the iOS and Android apps offering identical selections. Feeling a bit tentative? The company is offering new customers a 30-day free trial, and we’ve also got not one, but four (yes, four) demo videos after the break.

Next Issue

Wacom outs the Cintiq 24HD touch, adds multi-touch controls and more to its largest pen display

Hot off the heels of the more modest Wacom Cintiq 22HD’s introduction, the outfit has announced a new version of its 24HD pen display as well. Labeled the 24HD touch, the upcoming offering adds multi-touch functionality to the company’s 24-inch input device — just as the name would suggest. The added features don’t stop there. A touch-enabled 24HD also touts an improved display that shows 1.07 billion colors while covering 97% of Adobe’s RGB gamut and implementing RGB backlighting that improves on-screen color rendition. Similar to the sans-touch offering, you can expect to utilize Express Keys and Touch Rings to customize your workflow for maximum efficiency in addition to the touchscreen. When the 24HD touch hits shelves, it’ll play nice with Windows 8 and will work just fine without installing drivers. In order to customize those pricey multi-touch commands, though, you’ll need the requisite software.

If you splurged for the regular ol’ 24HD, we can understand your frustration. However, Wacom says that it intended for the touch model to be released at the same time as the pen-only version, but the development took a bit longer than anticipated. Part of the reason for the delay was the extra time needed to perfect features like palm rejection in the kit’s software. The peripheral company also hopes that software developers will take the gesture tech and create features that will showcase its full range of potential — your move, Adobe. Itchin’ to snag one already? Well, you’ll have to wait until sometime in August to get your hands on this model and be prepared to shell out $3699 for the pen display ($1100 more than the previous release). Need a bit more info before emptying your savings account? Hit the PR button for all the particulars or take closer look in the gallery below.

Wacom Cintiq 24HD touch

Samsung EX2F point-and-shoot with f/1.4 lens hands-on (video)

We’ve been generally unimpressed with the latest round of basic point-and-shoots, including those from Samsung’s mid-range Smart series, but we do tend to take heed whenever a manufacturer opts to focus on optics rather than bumping up the megapixel count to boost sticker appeal. Compared to sub-$200 shooters, there’s a fairly limited market for $549 pocketable models — a price point that often prompts would-be owners to dig beyond superficial specs in search of full manual control, solid high-ISO performance, fast focusing and a lens that enables both low-light shooting and shallow depth of field. Samsung’s EX2F appears to fit the bill, offering a 12.4-megapixel 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor, a top extended ISO setting of 12,800, a 3-inch VGA-res AMOLED display and — the crown jewel — an f/1.4-2.7, 24-79mm lens. That optic delivers an additional one 2/3 stop of sensitivity over the EX2F’s predecessor, the two-year-old TL500. Other advantages include a lighter magnesium alloy body, an NX power pin-enabled hot shoe for adding an external mic or flash, and a new micro-USB trigger cable.

Facebook App Center goes globetrotting with 7 new countries, blankets all of the English-speaking world

Facebook’s App Center is having its passport stamped quite a lot lately. Just days after the HTML5 app portal set foot in the UK, it’s making the leap to seven more countries. Brazil, France, Germany, Russia, Spain, Taiwan and Turkey will all get a crack at using web apps both on the desktop as well as in the Android and iOS native clients. The new group is coming onboard in the next few weeks. In the meantime, countries where English makes a frequent appearance — Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and the US — now supply the App Center for every single user. To help speed along the virtual customs claims, Facebook is trotting out a translation tool to get developers on the right track. It shouldn’t be long before App Center is a mainstay of the entire Facebook world, even though we may end up cursing the company after hour three of a Jetpack Joyride marathon.

Facebook Developer Blog