Home / Technology & Gear / Gadgets 10 Great Outdoor Gadgets

Warm weather draws more people outdoors as people participate in a variety of sports and hobby activities. Often this means that gadget lovers have to “rough it” away from the beloved treasures that make life inside comfortable. Here are 10 outdoor gadgets that will help make outside more civilized.

Portable Power Generators

A variety of high tech mini wind turbines, hydroelectric packs, and solar chargers are available that can keep your batteries charged without needing an AC outlet. Those who think of technology as a toy will have to eat their words when they see you watching movies, playing games, and charging your gadgets while they sit in darkness with nothing to do. These are great backup devices for storms or power outages (or at least you can justify the cost that way). Price: $140 and up depending on the size and power.

Solar Tents

Far from being a toy, solar tents are gadgets you can live in. Whether camping out in the mountains or in the backyard, this tent will store up power to produce a pleasant glow, creating a beautiful spectacle for others to enjoy while you enjoy some of the best outdoor aemenities available. You might want to camp near a road, however, because some solar tents are heavy.
Price: $60 - $250 or more depending on the manufacturer and size.

Inflatable Spa

Outdoor gadgets can bring some of the amenities of home with you outside. Whether you're in the yard or at a campsite, as long as you have power, you can "rough it" in style with an inflatable hot tub. Perfect for all sorts of outside get-togethers, these handy gadgets with built-in filtration and have room for six.
Price: $500 and up.

Water Weapons

Gadget lovers will enjoy the blend of excessive fire power and electronic targeting controls as high tech merges with brute force in the great outdoors. No gadget lover should do without when it comes to Special Forces operations. From sniper operations to “shock and awe,” water weapons are out there to give you the tactical advantage over an enemy armed with toys.
Price: $8 and up.

Flying Toys

Some outdoor gadgets really are toys. Who says you need batteries and remote controls to have fun outside, especially when you have science on your side? Toys that feature gyroscopic flight aids launch saucers, cups, and a variety of other designs into the air for amazing and entertaining flights.
Price: Starting at $10.

Water Purifiers

So you like the outdoors, but you don’t like the idea of sharing waterholes with deer, frogs, and other critters? You need a water purifier. These handy devices come in a variety of sizes, some small enough to fit in a pocket. Use ultraviolet models to eliminate messy chemicals and add a healthy dose of technology into your water supply.
Price: $25 and up.

Solar Coffee/Tea Makers

While many gadgets for outdoor survival focus on generating power to operate some of the comforts of home while living outside, others – like solar coffee and tea makers – harness the power of the sun to make delicious hot coffee and tea.
Price: Starting at $20.

Mobile Lighting

Everyone needs light while outside in the dark – how else do you read, navigate trails, and make your way to the outhouse? From high tech head-mounted lighting to LED space lighting, gadget lovers can find a variety of exciting gizmos that relieve the boredom of regular flashlights.
Price: $14 and up.

Computer and video game degree programs continue to grow at American colleges and universities

Video game programming classes expand.

Three hundred American colleges, universities, art and trade schools will offer degrees in video game design, development, programming and art during the 2010-11 academic year, according to new research from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). The degrees offered at 300 institutions represent an almost 20 percent increase over 2009-10. The growing number of educational programs comes as no surprise to Rich Taylor, senior vice president for communications and industry affairs at the ESA, which represents computer and video game publishers. "The steady increase in higher education programs is an important indicator about the expanding role computer and video games play in today's world," said Mr. Taylor. "While computer and video games have been a source of entertainment for decades, our society is increasingly recognizing the broader uses of games and their positive impact. Whether it is in healthcare, education, business or government, schools across the country see the value of games and are training their students to meet the demand."
Prospective students interested in game design and development careers now have far greater options than their predecessors. During the 2008-09 academic year, 220 schools offered such programs and more than 250 programs were available during 2009-10. This year's record-setting list includes new programs such as the Game Design and Digital Studies Program at Dartmouth College, Gaming Certificate Program at Arizona State University's Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, and Digital Animation and Interactive Media at Ohio State University's Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design.
Schools offering game design and development programs can be found in 42 states and the District of Columbia. California remains at the forefront of this educational field, home to 50 institutions of higher learning that offer game-related degrees, followed by New York (26), Texas (21), Illinois (17), Florida (15), Massachusetts (13), Pennsylvania (12), Michigan (10), Washington (10) and Georgia (9).
The continued growth of video game programs coincides with the overall growth of the entertainment software industry. According to the ESA's 2010 Essential Facts about Computer and Video Games report, 67 percent of American households now play computer and video games. In addition, public and private sector organizations in the fields of healthcare, education and business are increasingly relying on computer and video games to modernize and improve their operations. According to a study by the ESA, 70 percent of major employers utilize interactive software and games to train employees and more than 75 percent of businesses and non-profits already offering video game-based training plan to expand their usage in the next three to five years.

Mamiya RZ33 is for the pros

Here is the Mamiya RZ33, a 33-megapixel camera that features a 1.1 frames-per-second burst rate, touchscreen digital control interface, 16-bit RAW files. ISO 50-800 sensitivity range and a large sensor.

Camera is meant for the real professional photographers with the $17,990 price tag.

Eye-Tracking Technology now in the works, will tell if you’re lying

The lie detector polygraph test may soon be a thing of the past because dishonesty can now be tested by a new technology by some University of Utah people.
Dilated pupils can tell if a person is saying the truth or not. With this idea, the researchers are working on eye-tracking lie-detection system now but it will be a while before it’s finished.
For now, I’m fine with the polygraph test. Not that I need it…
[Link] [IMG] Photo by darkpatator

Microsoft XP still widely used by businesses

This isn’t surprising but about 74 percent of Windows users still run Windows XP. I’m proud to say I’m part of the list and I have no intention to upgrade to Windows 7 yet.
Business computers still use Windows XP and Microsoft is extending downgrade rights until the year 2020. It makes sense actually since we don’t see businesses slowing down in their use of the XP OS (at least not yet).
If Microsoft wants to push Windows 7 more, they should stop distributing and downgrading to XP. Just saying…

Americans spend a lot of time on Facebook and Twitter

Americans spend about 22.7 percent of their time online on social networking sites Twitter and Facebook. This is a big leap from the 15.8 percent last year. This is according to Nielsen who also said that Americans spend more time “online socializing” than playing games.
Americans spend only 10.2 percent of their time to play games. E-mailing now only 8.3 percent while instant messaging and portals have greatly decreased.

Wife discovers husband married another woman on Facebook

Discovering criminals and adulterers in Facebook is nothing new. We’ve heard a few already and just recently, a wife discovered a secret Disney wedding with his husband as the groom.
Westlake, Ohio’s Lynn France has always been suspicious of her husband. He goes on business trips very frequently. One day, she found a hotel website on their computer and visited it with a friend. There, she saw a woman who said she was engaged to John France, Lynn’s husband.
Lynn checked out woman’s Facebook page and saw wedding pictures of them. The wedding was a Disney-themed one with the woman as Sleeping Beauty and John as Prince Charming. After seeing the photos, she started to file for divorce.
John France has been busted although he is claiming that he and Lynn’s marriage is not legally proper as reported.

Intel's New Core i7 and Core i5 Processors Explained

Intel's two new Core i7 CPUs (860 and 870) are mid-range counterparts to its top-of-the-line Core i7 900-series chips, and initial tests (using Intel's new DP55KG motherboard) indicate their performance follows suit. Our early tests also show the new entry-level Core i5 750 is the one to watch when it comes to best bang for your buck.
Intel's full processor breakdown--including the axing of its Core i7 940 processor--includes some potentially confusing differences between the chips. So here's what you need to know.
The existing Core i7 900-series processor lineup, codenamed Bloomfield, now features three separate products: 3.33-GHz Core i7 975, 3.06-GHz Core i7 950, and 2.66-GHz Core i7-920 processors. Between the Core i7-950 and Core i7-920 processors sit the new "Lynnfield" 2.93-GHz Core i7 870 and 2.8-GHz Core i7 860 processors. The brand-new, 2.66-GHz Core i5 750 CPU is a Lynnfield chip as well, but we'll get to that odd duckling further below.

Technology Differences

Intel took a big leap forward in the design department when it launched Core i7 900-series processors last November. Just a few of these included a new triple-channel memory controller integrated into the chip, a new QuickPath Interconnect system to replace (and improve upon) the front-side bus architecture of old, and the return of hyperthreading that split the chip's four physical cores into eight virtual cores for increased system performance. As the Core i7 900-series chips were based on a new Intel X58 chipset and LGA1366 socket, aspiring upgraders had to invest in new motherboards to reap the benefits of the Core i7 900-series platform.
That part still rings true for the new Core i7 800-series and Core i5 CPUs--all three run on Intel's latest P55 chipset and LGA1156 socket, which necessitates a new motherboard purchase for use. What's changed, however, is that the Core i7 800-series and Core i5 CPUs each adopt different permutations of the fanciest of the Core i7 900-series' features.
All three chips have dropped down from a QuickPath Interconnect and triple-channel memory controller to a Direct Media Interface and dual-channel memory controller. But don't freak out; This is more a loss of future-proofing than anything else given the minute performance differences between current dual- and triple-channel memory configurations.
An integrated PCI Express graphics controller on the Lynnfield CPUs can either deliver 16 lanes of bandwidth to a single PCI Express 2.0 videocard or split this connection into two x8 lanes for an SLI or CrossFire setup. Although it's a cut from the full 32 lanes (for a dual 16x or quad-8x configuration) provided by Core i7's X58 chipset, the bandwidth reduction should only affect those crazy enough to SLI or CrossFire dual-GPU videocards on a Lynnfield setup.

Turbo Boost: Automatic Overclocking

The new Core i7 800-series CPUs and the Core i5 750 still support the same automatic overclocking functionality, or Turbo Boost, as the Core i7 900-series processors. However, this feature has been jacked up on the newer chips. Core i7 900-series CPUs will only increase their multipliers to a maximum of two additional steps according to system demands (effectively taking a 3.33-GHz processor to 3.6-GHz depending on how many cores are in use). The new Lynnfield processors are able to jump up five multiplier steps for the 800-series chips (taking a 2.93-GHz processor to 3.6-GHz) and four for the Core i5 750 (2.66-GHz to a maximum 3.2-GHz).

Performance

Both Core i7 800-series processors support hyperthreading the same as their Core i7 900-series brethren. The Core i5 750 does not-its four physical cores are all that will appear in your operating system's task manager. Even so, the CPU's noteworthy performance makes it an excellent value for its roughly $200 price. We only saw a performance difference of 5 percent between the Core i5 750 and the roughly $555 Core i7 870 (based on WorldBench 6 testing of the two CPUs on identical system builds). In fact, the Core i5 750's score of 127 falls right around the scores set by competing Value and Power PCs that use Core i7 920 processors.
Test Bed: Intel DP55KG Motherboard, 4GB DDR3 1333 RAM, ATI Radeon HD 4890 graphics, 2x Seagate ST3750630AS hard disks (Raid 0), Windows Vista Ultimate 64 bit Service Pack 2
So where does that leave the Core i7 870? Given that its price is almost identical to that of the high-end 3.06-GHz Core i7 950 CPU, a processor that natively runs faster than the 2.93-GHz Core i7 870, it's difficult to see the compelling reason to pick up this chip. The Turbo Boost feature of the Core i7 870 does ultimately beat the speeds of the Core i7-950's, but for the enthusiast market, the increased memory support and bandwidth for multi-GPU setups might not be worth giving up. The Core i7 860 is more reasonably priced at $285, provided you can make sufficient use of its hyperthreading functionality.
It remains to be seen just how far the Core i7 800-series CPUs will overclock compared to the Core i7 900-series chips-the lower power draws of the 800-series processors could make quite a difference in this area. As for the Core i5 750, this chip looks to be a solid winner for those looking to dip their toes into the Nehalem platform without breaking the bank-given Intel's dramatic price points, that's always a strong possibility.

Apple iPad review

The Apple iPad. The name is a killing word -- more than a product -- it's a statement, an idea, and potentially a prime mover in the world of consumer electronics. Before iPad it was called the Apple Tablet, the Slate, Canvas, and a handful of other guesses -- but what was little more than rumor and speculation for nearly ten years is now very much a reality. Announced on January 27th to a middling response, Apple has been readying itself for what could be the most significant product launch in its history; the making (or breaking) of an entirely new class of computer for the company. The iPad is something in between its monumental iPhone and wildly successful MacBook line -- a usurper to the netbook throne, and possibly a sign of things to come for the entire personal computer market... if Apple delivers on its promises. And those are some big promises; the company has been tossing around words like "magical" and "revolutionary" to describe what many have dismissed as nothing more than a larger version of its iPod touch. But is that all there is to this device? Is the hope that Apple promises for this new computing experience nothing more than marketing fluff and strategic hyperbole? Or is this a different beast altogether -- a true sign that change has come to the world of the PC? We have the definitive answers to those questions (and many more) right here, so read on for our full review of the Apple iPad!

Apple iPad unboxing and hands-on

Hardware

Industrial design

The first thing you notice about the iPad is, well, you don't really notice it. In many ways, there is just not much here -- design wise -- to comment on. The bulk of its surface is taken up by a 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768, capacitive, multitouch LED-backlit display surrounded by a glossy black bezel that some will say is too wide but, in practice, is an important design consideration that prevents the touchscreen from being inadvertently activated when handled. There's only Apple's signature "home" button to interact with, and the back of the device is a dutifully simple piece of curved aluminum. Like most Apple products, it's a beauty to behold, but it's not exactly notable for design flourishes; simply put, it's good looking but not terribly exciting. But if the design of the iPad is an exercise in restraint, it only serves to reinforce how formidable this technology feels once it's in your hands. The device has some heft, weighing in at 1.5 pounds, but is still comfortable to hang onto at most angles. Considering the computing power of the tablet, a thickness that tops out at half an inch is pretty impressive, too. But how does it feel in your hands? Well, that matte aluminum on the back surprisingly communicates warmth (though we don't recommend resting this on any bare flesh on a cold morning), and the rest of the design gets out of the way and lets you concentrate on what is really most important: that screen. And that's kind of the point, isn't it?

The iPad does house a few other components you should be aware of: a volume rocker and screen position lock (which forces the device to remain in landscape or portrait mode) on the upper right hand side, a power / sleep button and headphone jack on either side of its top edge, and Apple's famous 30-pin dock connector alongside a single thin speaker on the bottom of the unit. There is nothing outwardly notable about the buttons or layout on the iPad -- if you've used an iPod touch or iPhone, you'll find yourself right at home... and that's exactly how Apple wants it.

As far as ergonomics are concerned, the standard seated-with-iPad-in-lap move is a completely comfortable experience, but there are definitely use cases where handling a flat slab becomes a pain. For instance, single finger typing becomes a bit of a game of hunt-and-peck, and that's the situation you find yourself in if you're ever standing with the iPad or holding the device with your other hand. We mentioned that iPad has some weight to it, and while it's comfortable to hold, it is considerably more of a handful than an iPhone. You'll feel that weight in your arms after extended period of keeping it aloft. Apple promo videos like to show their users happily grabbing the iPad and swinging their legs up onto a table -- Fonz style -- but if you're like us, most of your heavy text entry is done while seated at a standard table or desk, which means that unless you have a dock you're going to be typing on the iPad as a flat surface. The thing is, we actually found the flat-typing experience to be pretty good; it takes a little getting used to, but it's not totally bizarre either. In fact, we'd say it's a much more enjoyable experience than single-hand typing. Still, just as with the iPhone, there is a learning curve here that may diminish some hit-and-run shoppers' interest.

Internals

As you probably know by now, the iPad packs Apple's custom, PA Semi-designed 1GHz A4 system-on-a-chip -- a single Cortex A8 core coupled with a PowerVR SGX GPU. RAM on the iPad hasn't been revealed, but we suspect there's 512MB (at least) inside here -- we'll know more once iFixit or someone else puts the pad under the knife. Also onboard is 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, a digital compass, an accelerometer, microphone, and ambient light sensor. The 3G model that ships at the end of the month will add UMTS / HSDPA data along with an AGPS chip. You can purchase the device in capacities of 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB. We had the 64GB version for this review.

In our testing, the A4 SOC seemed to deal with whatever we threw at it handily. From opening and rendering webpages to playing the most graphically intensive games (including scaled iPhone versions, of course), it didn't miss a beat. The photo app was particularly impressive, allowing for fast scrolling through high resolution pictures without a hiccup, and handling rotation and zooming with no resistance or hesitation. Applications themselves opened quickly -- not instantly. Of course, as many detractors have noted (Engadget included), there's no true multitasking here, so seeing a system with this much power perform admirably one app at a time wasn't a huge surprise, especially since we'd experienced the same thing on an earlier version at the January event (more on this in a moment). Still, it seems like the A4 has power to spare, and that's a good thing if the third party apps we used on the iPad were any indication of where things are headed -- more graphically intensive and packing far more functionality.

The battery -- a 25-watt-hour lithium-polymer (non-removable of course) -- held up surprisingly well in our testing. More on that in the battery section down below.

Display

As we mentioned at the start of the review, the iPad is all about its screen, and Apple's 9.7-inch LED backlit IPS display does not disappoint. Colors on the screen are vibrant and saturated, while blacks feel true and deep. The iPad can be cranked up to an almost painful brightness, but also handles lower settings well -- that's especially important for readers (they even include a brightness control inside of iBooks). Because Apple employs IPS (in-plane switching) for the display, viewing angles are remarkably broad, though we can't honestly say the feature will come in handy for us -- we usually want to keep people's eyes off of our work. The screen is, as we mentioned, capacitive and multitouch, and handled input excellently -- if you're used to the iPhone, then you know how very good Apple's input technology is. To call it best in class would not be an overstatement; we've never used a more responsive screen.

We know there's a lot of talk about reading with this type of display versus a Kindle or other E-Ink device, but we'll just be straight with you -- it didn't hurt our eyes to use this as a reading device. You're able to crank the brightness down a significant amount, but it's also just a matter of adjustment. After a few minutes we didn't see the device or the screen tech anymore -- we saw a book. We won't speculate on what prolonged use will feel like, but there is data out there that suggests the technology might not be as important as some people think it is when it comes to e-reader displays.

Other hardware

For the most part, there's not much else to say about the iPad when it comes to its physical attributes. The home button is your only point of hardware interaction with the software, though you have those volume controls and rotation lock switch. The speaker actually does a rather impressive job of outputting clean, well balanced sound given its size, but let's be honest -- you're not going to be using this as your party sound system. The 30-pin connector is standard issue for Apple's mobile products, but we have to take serious issue with the lack of a USB port or SD card reader. The company offers both of these as an accessory as a means to transfer photos and video onto the device, but it seems like such a glaring oversight to not have built these in that it bears mentioning. If Apple wants to compete with the netbook market -- which it presumably does -- there should be some port options beyond its proprietary dock connector. This just feels like a money grab and a waste of potential for third-party peripherals.

One piece of hardware you won't find here is a webcam, which we already mourned the lack of when we first saw the device. It's a bit of a crime that the iPad won't allow you to carry on an iChat or Skype video conversation, because holding this in your hands while talking to a friend or family member not only seems like a match made in heaven, but the total realization of one of our sci-fi fantasies. We know Apple couldn't possibly cram every component Engadget editors might have hoped for, but this one seemed like a no-brainer, and its omission has left pretty much everyone scratching their heads.

And one other item of note -- Apple chose to place the headphone jack at the top of the device. We don't know about you, but we think the idea of draping our headphone cord across the screen or snaking it around back is a tremendously bad idea. And guess what? In practice, it kind of stinks. Why the company didn't opt for putting the plug in the logical place -- say, the bottom of the iPad, or the side even -- is a mystery that will undoubtedly haunt our every waking moment.

Software

Operating system / User interface

By now you should know that the iPad's interface is nearly identical in every way to the iPhone or iPod touch UI. The reason for that is obvious: it's built on the same operating system, a derivation of OS X for mobile devices. As far as actual navigation on the device goes, it really is exactly like the iPhone. You have pages and pages made up of grids of icons, a dock for your favorite apps (up to six, mind you), and a persistent status bar which displays the time and other information. In our opinion Apple has missed a huge opportunity to open up the "desktop" space on the iPad and allow for micro-apps or widgets on these screens. On the iPad there isn't really a single glanceable piece of information you can get at beyond the time and WiFi status -- and using all of that gorgeous screen real estate just to display a widely spaced grid of icons is not only a waste, but just kind of looks silly. In truth, if Apple's developers believe that it's not helpful to give people more than a single thing to look at at one time, they're not only wrong, but they're contradicting years of improvements to the company's desktop OS. That said, there are a few new components present in the iPad UI which shows that Apple has put some effort into expanding the language of this OS.

Besides those quirks we've come to know, love, and / or gripe about on the iPhone, the company has augmented the existing user interface with a small handful of tools. Before we talk about the overall feel of using this device, we wanted to break down those new elements:

• Pop-overs (modals): Windows which pop up and hover above the content you're interacting with, used to excellent effect within the iPod app for displaying track listings when you touch an album, or getting information on books or music to purchase in the iBookstore and iTunes. These modals have their own navigation and points of interaction separate from the main content you're working with.
• Split screens: Exactly what it sounds like. Apple is using all that big real estate to break up what would have been multiple pages on an iPhone, dividing up the content into segments of the same screen. In the mail app, that means you can look at the list of your emails while keeping a message in view, or keep your multi-page work in Keynote available to you even when editing (think how Preview handles a folder of images).
• Tap-and-hold: Now, this is present in some places on the iPhone, but Apple has really expanded its use with the iPad, offering lots of situations where a long press gets you deeper, contextual interactivity and functionality. We're big fans of this gesture on other devices (hello, Android), and it's nice to see Apple putting it to better use within the iPad's UI. We hope this trend continues throughout the company's mobile OSs.
• Contextual menus: While tap-and-hold gets you some options for context-specific menus, the iPad interface is littered with other single tap buttons that pop open those same kind of options. The shift certainly seems to be towards these transient menus as opposed to paging through screens like we're used to on the iPhone.
• Toolbar drop-downs: Apple hammered on toolbar items with previous iterations of the iPhone OS, but on the iPad, toolbars aren't just links to deeper pages -- they're self-contained menus, often with lots of levels and options for tweaking the work you're doing. They are literally all over the iPad.
• Tabs (or Cover Flow) everywhere: You know how Safari handles multiple pages? Well that behavior is used throughout the iPad to navigate through files or lists of options. In Safari, as in other apps, the content is presented as a grid, while elsewhere it's a scrollable list akin to Mobile Safari's present use (or webOS cards).
• Nearly full-sized virtual keyboards: In portrait mode, we were able to tap out some messages using our thumbs, but we mostly did single finger typing. On the other hand, the landscape keyboard is big and totally usable. In fact, we were surprised at how quickly and accurately we could bang out emails on it.

So what does this all mean for the experience of using the device? Well if you're not getting the message, we'd like to point out that we haven't mentioned files, folders, or windows. That's because there's no such thing in the universe of the iPad. This isn't a computer the way you think of a computer. All of these UI additions to the iPhone vocabulary help you do more and go further than what is possible on an iPhone, and a lot of the applications you'll use on the iPad are far more expansive than what the iPhone offers, but it's not like any computer you've ever used. This is something totally different -- a hybrid of sorts -- and while the user interface will feel familiar to most, it's also simply not a PC in any way. You will get work done with it, play with it, consume content with it, but the underlying framework of the real operating system is almost completely invisible. For instance, in applications like Numbers or Keynote, you don't have "files," rather a long, Cover Flow-style list of work to scroll through. Have 200 documents you've "saved"? Tough -- you just have to scroll through them all to get to the last one. To say that sometimes it feels like a computer for beginners might be overkill. But it's close.

There's no question that the route Apple has taken is genius; they've built a "computer" that's so obvious and easy to use that anyone can pick it up and understand it immediately. And there's a lot to like, particularly in some of the innovative and engaging applications being built by third party developers right now, like the Marvel app, TweetDeck, or SketchBook Pro. But there are holes here too -- big ones -- and not just in the user interface.

For starters, as we mentioned earlier the iPad doesn't support multitasking, save for Apple's own applications: Safari, iPod, and Mail. Everything else you use on the device is a jump-into and then jump-out experience, which means that for things like IM apps, you're either having a conversation or you're not. For those of us who are used to the iPhone way of doing things, that's at least familiar, but if you're looking to have a conversation while getting your email in order (as you would on a laptop), you're out of luck. The same goes for those of us who like to keep a Twitter app open in the background to monitor updates. Even updating settings or downloading software is a chore due to the stop-start nature of the OS. You just have to go one. at. a. time. That's almost acceptable for a smartphone -- you don't expect laptop performance -- but this is different. Admittedly, there aren't a huge number of scenarios where you need to be multitasking, but it's not uncommon for Engadget editors to keep a running IRC session, AIM, a browser, Twitter app, Skype, and music player open at the same time, and we suspect a lot of you out there do the same (or similar). So how much of a stumbling block is the lack of multitasking? The honest truth is that a large number of users won't notice or care, which is why it's easy for Apple to ignore the problem (or claim that their OS supports the functionality because they allow a handful of their native apps to run in the background). For the rest of us, this is starting to feel just like copy and paste -- a problem so obvious and so easy to fix that it's just perplexing Apple doesn't come up with a solution and end the conversation. The iPad may do many things better than a netbook, but multitasking is not one of them.

Adding difficulty to that lack of multitasking is the way the iPad handles notifications. As you know, Apple provides a method of utilizing push notifications to circumvent backgrounding an app. For instance, with AIM set to deliver push messages, you can still see what your contacts are IM'ing at you, and jump back into the app when you need to respond. That's all well and good, but Apple is still handling notifications in the same terrible, interruptive manner that it uses on the iPhone. Namely, pop-up messages that must be dismissed by the user. Imagine if you had to repeatedly click "OK" on a pop-up window which froze you out of the application you were working in every time you got an IM on your laptop, and you'll start to get the idea. Again, this isn't great on a phone, but hey -- it's a phone. On your revolutionary new computer-like device? It's extremely annoying. You can always set the notifications to just a sound and badge, but we know Android and webOS handle this more elegantly, and can't figure out why Apple won't do the same.

To put a point on the iPad's UI and the user experience: there is no question that Apple has created an engaging, simple, and surprisingly powerful platform for this device. For many of the applications -- especially some of the third party titles starting to trickle out -- the stuff people are coming up with is insanely clever, just plain cool, or both. For many consumers, it will be easy enough to accomplish much of what you would with a netbook or laptop on the iPad, and yet other experiences will extend far beyond what you would do on a typical computer. It's not a laptop replacement, and this OS can't do everything a laptop can do -- but maybe it doesn't have to.

Included applications

We're not going to go super deep into all of the bundled applications, but we feel quite a few deserve special mention. There are brand new applications that are hugely important to what the iPad is and does, and we wanted to take a moment to give an overview and opinion on what we felt really stood out.

Mobile Safari

Apple promises that web browsing on the iPad will be, to quote Steve Jobs, "The best browsing experience you've ever had." Let's just go over that one more time -- Steve Jobs says that the browsing experience will be the best you've ever had. So, is it? Well, we can tell you this: the browsing experience on the iPad is amazing. It is smooth, fast, and fluid. The screen displays beautifully in landscape or portrait, the scrolling is buttery, touch response is out of this world, and you can easily pinch-to-zoom all over the place with nary a hiccup. The finger-based navigation really is kind of spectacular, and it makes browsing weirdly like rediscovering an old friend. Other additions to the app like a proper bookmarks bar, use of toolbar drop downs, and an improved tab grid make it a pleasure to use. It is without question one of the best browsing experiences we've encountered. But is it the best? Well, not really.

Why, you ask? Well that answer is simple and extremely complicated at the same time. Currently, there is a web standard called Flash, developed by a company named Adobe, which allows for the easy insertion of rich media into webpages. That's everything from streaming video and audio files, online gaming, to entire websites made using its broad and deep development tools. The penetration percentage for Flash on PCs around the world is something like 98 -- that's almost everyone -- and many, many sites employ the standard on their pages. When we say many, we mean most if not all of the pages you typically visit use Flash to display some of their content. The iPad browser doesn't support Flash, and won't support Flash, perhaps ever. Apple has not only turned away from what is the industry standard for rich media in webpages, but it instead is pushing a newer standard called HTML5. Apple has been very successful thus far in moving its agenda forward and bringing websites into the fold of HTML5, but we're talking maybe, say, one percent of websites on the internet. Probably way less.

So what does this mean for an end user? Well it means that when you visit a site like Hulu, HBO, NBC, Lala (which ironically, Apple just purchased), Engadget, Gizmodo, or many, many others, you will have a broken experience. That means there will be certain elements of these sites (in the case of HBO, the entire site itself) that simply won't work. Now, we're geeks. We get it. We know what's going on when a site shows the broken plugin icon, or says we need Flash. But to the wide world of "everyone" that Apple wants to sell this product to, this will result in a confusing and frustrating experience... a broken experience. That may be fine to Apple, but it isn't fine to us, and shouldn't be fine to the rest of the world. As an aside, we've been surprised other iPad reviews have not been more forthcoming in pointing this problem out -- this is not a small thing; it's is a major deficit in the iPad's browser. Now keep in mind we're not saying we love Flash and want to marry it -- in fact, we'd love to see a less CPU intensive format take its place -- but HTML5 isn't that format, at least not yet. It's important to understand that a lot of users will see the lack of Flash as a drawback, even if Apple doesn't like the standard, and even if Safari on the iPad is a brilliant experience (which it frankly is).

iBooks

To say Apple is about to put a major dent in Kindleworld is an understatement. The iBooks app is one of the most beautiful and thoughtful uses of the iPad screen real estate on the device. It would be easy to rattle off a thousand words alone on how good of an e-book experience this is, but we'll try to keep it brief considering how much there is to say about the iPad. Simply put, it's a great e-reader with enough options to please even the most strident critic. The layout is quite simple; along the top of the page in portrait mode you have a button to flip to your library (a very slick hidden room kind of effect), a chapter button, brightness control, font size and face options, and a search drop down. Within the book you can long press to bring up copy / paste, dictionary (a beautiful implementation which pops up right over your content), bookmark (another perfect implementation), or search options. Besides the incredibly sexy page turning animations -- useless but gorgeous nonetheless -- the entire package is just so airtight. It's the first e-book reading experience we've seen that seems to truly understand the visceral, sensual enjoyment of holding an actual volume in your hand.

Calendar / Contacts

The calendar and contacts apps on the device aren't exactly groundbreaking, but they are far more usable and information heavy on the iPad. Both utilize -- at different intervals -- split screen, book-like displays. The calendar app actually gives you a proper full month view and lets you interact with your schedule much like the iCal application for OS X does.

Mail

This is a biggie for Engadget. Much of our time is spent dealing with email, and it hasn't always been a pleasure on the iPhone. Has that changed on the iPad? Not quite. As Gmail enthusiasts, we're sort of locked into the label / archiving / conversation scheme the big G has worked up. Honestly, we think it's a smarter, faster way to handle lots of email from lots of places. On Mail for OS X, Apple at least adopts threaded messages to keep your conversations under control, but no such luck here. In other "the iPad is not a computer" news, we couldn't find a way to export a .txt file to any of the applications on the device, thus seriously hamstringing our ability to finish this review on the iPad itself. We also take issue with how Apple wants you to handle attachments here. They have to be done from the source app out into Mail -- what the hell kind of sense does that make? In all, we love the split screen displays and real estate for composing, but still feel like we're floating out in the ether when managing our email. It works, it's fast, it's consistent... it's just not what it could be.

iTunes / iBookstore / App Store

All three of these money-shredding stores on the iPad hew much more closely to the desktop version of iTunes, which is a really good thing. Finding, previewing, and buying titles is super simple due to the vast amount of data you get in a single view, and the modals which Apple uses to perfect effect here to pop over info about the content as you're checking it out. The iBookstore is a perfect companion to the reader, but we did find the current selection lacking (very little Philip K. Dick and George R.R. Martin -- for shame!). Downloading was clear and simple, and there are free samples (as well as lots of free titles) to pick up if you just want to test the waters. It's obvious that publishers who aren't yet involved with Apple will see the light on this -- if the company is half as successful at pushing books as it has been at pushing music, this is indeed a game changer. We're not saying there's no room for improvement, because there is plenty (such as a clearer and more coherent periodicals strategy). Still, this is a tried and tested model for the company, and the iPad versions deliver (well, the iBookstore delivers for the first time ever).

Video / iPod / YouTube

The entertainment portions of the iPad aren't going to blow anyone away, but they all do an admirable job. The iPod app is actually much, much better than its smaller cousin, though we're surprised that Apple hasn't leveraged its new-ish iTunes LP content here. The iPad is the perfect place to view all that rich media, yet it's nowhere to be found on the tablet. A real miss, guys! Otherwise, the video player takes on the task of running your video (up to 720p, with restrictions) in a solid if spartan manner. We'd like to pause and just mention how sweet the marriage of HD content and the iPad's display is. Video really does look absolutely stunning on this screen -- Apple has done its homework on the tech, and we couldn't be more impressed with the results.

YouTube makes big use of the segmented windows concept you see all over the device, giving you the option to browse other videos or even comment on what you're watching while it's playing. Of course, it also allows for YouTube HD content, which looks fairly sharp most of the time.

iPhone apps on the iPad

Yes -- the iPad can run almost all 150,000 of the iPhone and iPod touch apps you know and love (not every one is compatible, but the vast majority). It does this in two modes, the first is a scaled down version in the middle of your giant screen, while the other is a pixel doubled iteration. Both of these leave something to be desired, and we can't say that anything besides gaming really ends up looking okay. It's nice that Apple has included the functionality, but keep in mind that you are locked into what is essentially an iPhone simulator, complete with an iPhone keyboard (scaled up if you're using the pixel doubling, which doesn't look that great). It's tremendous because you have access to applications you may need to use, but it's not something you're probably going to spend a lot of time with.

The iWork suite

If you doubt the claim that the iPad can be a viable tool for creating content -- even stuffy businessman content -- then these apps should seriously make you clam up. They are superb, surprisingly useful, amazingly robust applications. We don't necessarily agree with Apple's saving scheme (in that, there really isn't one), but you can't knock the core functionality of these apps. It's clear that at some point Apple is going to have to open up some kind of shared file repository on these devices to make them truly effective tools, but the combo of Numbers, Keynote, and Pages show that getting work done on these devices is not only possible, but actually kind of good in the right hands.

Our columnist and friend Michael Gartenberg has a done lengthier piece for us right here that goes a bit deeper on these apps -- if you're interested to hear how they fare for a very busy man, you'll want to read it.

Third-party apps

There are really far too many third-party apps to do a deep dive on, but we want to call out a few innovators that we feel are making the iPad seem like a viable fourth screen we want to engage with. Here's a lightning-round rundown of what we saw and liked the most, but you can see a much larger and more detailed list right here:

• Marvel: This is just a cool application, and really gets our juices flowing about what will be possible with this larger format. Excellent execution, but they need to convert the whole catalog into this format. When we can re-read the Secret Wars on our iPad, we'll be seriously happy campers.
• ABC video player: Even though it feels like a sidestep around the Flash issue, this iPad app does a perfect job of managing the network's online video assets. We can only imagine Hulu will stir things up in a similar manner.
• Netflix: It's Netflix. On the iPad. And now apparently it's headed to the iPhone and iPod touch as well.
• USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times: If this is printed media's last gasp, it's definitely a lungful. All three of these apps show that the big boys still have some fight in them, and while we can't abide the WSJ's zany pricing scheme, we will admit that each of these does a beautiful job of delivering the newspaper in a whole new way. Kudos, boys.
• Yahoo! Entertainment: This one was an honest surprise. We didn't expect Yahoo!'s first iPad product to be either handsome or useful... and it's both. The TV schedule and news presentation is top notch, though we're hoping they take things a little deeper in future updates. And when it comes to entertainment gossip, we won't really be satisfied till an US Weekly app appears.
• Photogene, SketchBook Pro, and Brushes: Three apps that show the iPad can and will be a content creation tool as well as a content consuming tool. We used and loved all of them, and think they show amazing potential for this platform.
• TweetDeck: Just a really, really good way to use Twitter. A lot like the desktop app. If only we could run it in the background...

Battery life

It's almost impossible to believe, but during our initial tests, using the iPad pretty heavily, downloading and using lots of new apps, doing some 3D gaming, watching HD video, all the while getting email downloaded in the background, we got just about what Apple claims this device will do. In fact, it went a little better -- we managed to get 10 hours and 43 minutes of life out of the iPad before we had to plug it in again in our first run through. That's pretty crazy endurance considering what we were doing with it. Now, we were not watching HD video the whole time, or running the music player in the background while streaming Netflix movies, so we can't promise this will be the case in every situation. Still, it did a pretty amazing job of matching up to Apple's numbers, and you may color us impressed.

We're going to be doing further battery testing once some other team members get their devices, so hopefully we'll be able to report back with a more well-rounded assessment of what this thing is capable (or not capable) of.

Wrap-up

At this point we've run the full spectrum on iPad opinion. It should be clear that there are aspects of this device which we love, and others which we clearly do not. In summarizing our feelings about the iPad, we're forced to take two paths -- one which analyzes the device's position in relation to the advancement of the personal computer, and one which clearly speaks to whether or not we think you should spend your money on this thing.

Path one: the iPad as a computing revolution. Does the iPad evolve the personal computer in a significant way? Yeah, actually, it kind of does. Despite what you think right now, and despite the limitations Apple has put on some aspects of this device, what it says to the market is significant. The iPad is powerful, elegant, and largely unlike any computer you've ever used. You know how first generation games for a console look kind of dated when you put them against titles released after years of honing? Imagine what will be happening with something like the iPad in a year or two. This stuff is legitimately important. It's not magical, but it's a little bit revolutionary, and you have to at least give Apple that. They've pulled off a cohesive touch computing platform with very few rough edges -- and that's no small feat.

Path two: should you buy into the revolution today? The first thing that must be said -- although we've already stated it -- is that we don't think the iPad is a laptop replacement. Not yet. What that means is that if you need a laptop to work in something like Excel, Word, or countless other PC or Mac applications, you shouldn't expect the iPad to take its place. But, if you're like a lot of computer users, you don't really do much on your system except for listen to music, casually browse the web and read news sites, watch some online video, play games, and keep in touch with friends via Twitter, IM, and Facebook. If you fit that description, you might just fall in love with Apple's $499 bundle of joy -- because it does the majority of those things much better than its laptop counterparts (granted, one at a time, and, er... not online video).

So the verdict? The buyer of an iPad is one of two people, the first is someone who sees not just the present, but the potential of a product like the iPad... and believes in and is excited about that potential. This is also a person who can afford what amounts to a luxury item. The second is an individual who simply doesn't need to get that much work done, and would prefer their computing experience to be easier, faster, and simpler. Does that sound like anyone you know?

Playstation Home Review

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What an epic tale Sony makes for. Here's a company that was the undisputed king of consoles during the last generation that has been doing everything it can to sabotage its own success since the release of the PS3. Like Hamlet, Sony's strategy regarding its latest console seems to involve the death of everything associated with it, followed by flirtations with suicide. The latest player in this Shakespearean drama is none other than the greatly anticipated Home, touted as a virtual nexus of sorts for all of the PS3 denizens to gather, play games, watch streaming content, and design their own homes. Sort of a "Second Life" for the console crowd. Have two years of development and God knows how many millions of dollars invested been worth it?

Following a relatively brief initial download you have to go through a standard EUA and then you're prompted to create an avatar. The process is surprisingly limited in terms of options. There are several base models you can pick to represent your virtual self, but the options for fine-tuning those selections are relatively weak. You can manipulate a few specific parts of your anatomy such as your jaw, lips, etc., but in the age of the Sims and Second Life, to name a few, I honestly expected greater degrees of customization. I wasn't even able to create an avatar that looked remotely like myself, and I'm a decidedly average looking guy. Even worse are the options for hairstyles (bald, anime, goth, and punk are the only real options), and as far as facial hair goes you're out of luck unless you want a mustache that makes your avatar look like a 1900s villain who ties damsels to railroad tracks.

After you create your virtual self you're dumped into your own little studio apartment overlooking the ocean and a marina. To be fair, the graphics live up to a healthy standard. Everything looks like it should on a next-gen console, though the animations are a little stiff. For some reason in the dystopian world of Home the sun never sets, but unlike the British Empire this phenomenon is quite literal. Perhaps the world of Home is set in one of those small regions of the Earth where it's always daytime for six months, but it'd also probably be bitterly cold, and none of the avatars seem particularly well dressed for that kind of climate. After wandering around my tiny apartment for a bit the tutorial prompted me to visit the central meeting point for Home users, a nexus that connects the populace to a mall, a theater, and a bowling alley. Not one to want to disappoint the tutorial gods, I followed instructions dutifully, and was then prompted to download the nexus which took a good 10 minutes. What the hell? I just installed the damn program and all it provided me with was my own apartment? But whatever, we'll roll with it. After the lengthy download, I then had to load the actual nexus, which took another minute or two, but finally, I thought, now my patience will be rewarded.

After loading into the central meeting point I wandered around some more (detecting a theme here?), occasionally bumping into a crowd of equally perplexed Home citizens. This could be my fault, but I was unable to figure out how to get into the theater, but I recovered from that stinging defeat and managed to wander into the mall... after another download and loading session. After bumping into a few more avatars I went to the virtual clothing store and browsed a bit, eventually stumbling across an ugly cowboy hat that I could purchase for $0.49. And then it hit me... Home is entirely about micro-transactions. You can leave your tiny studio apartment and purchase a summer home for five bucks, and then pay $20 or so to furnish it. When browsing the furniture and nick-knacks store I noticed that a tiny model airplane decoration cost another fifty cents of real money. Who the hell pays for this shit? I'd be ashamed to show off my well-furnished house in Home that probably cost me tens of dollars to my friends - it'd be like having a neon sign nailed to my forehead that says, "I'm a consumer tool. Will you be my friend?"

Speaking of friends, during my jaunt at the mall I only noticed two people attempting to have a conversation, and it must have been using hunt-and-peck text entry through the controller, because the conversations looked more like text-messages fired back and forth through cell phones, "u r hot." There were a few dance troupes engaging in an informal breakout session, their virtual bodies tearing up the mall floor to the ambient, easy-listening-esque elevator music that flowed through the mall's invisible speakers. Off in a corner there were a few male avatars simulating oral sex with each other. This was truly worth the wait.

I can just picture the execs at Sony:

"Hey, I have a great idea - let's create a free virtual world for people, ala Second Life, only there'll be no user-created content and we'll soak the users with a Mississippi River of micro-transactions to do anything remotely fun."

"That sounds good - but we should have fun, free activities for users too. Throw in some arcade game ports and bowling."

"Ok, but only on the condition that we make the users stand in a virtual line before they can play."

"Done. Now how long will this take to develop?"

"Oh, about two years."

"Excellent. How much will it cost?"

"Millions and millions of dollars."

"Run with it."

This is what Sony has been working on? Not making a competent online service that can compete with Xbox Live? Not improving XMB functionality? Not working on across-the-board PS2 emulation? Every day it seems more and more that Sony is doing everything they can to lose this generation's console war, and I honestly hope that they don't lose it to the extent that they get out of the console business, because frankly the only reason the Xbox 360 exists and is in as solid shape as it is today is due to competition with Sony, and it'll be a sad, gloomy day when there's only one console left on the market - but I'll be damned if I help support Sony with an endless deluge of Home micro-transactions.

And then there's the inevitable comparison to Linden Labs' Second Life. For all the flack Second Life takes in gaming circles, the beauty of it is that you really can do whatever you want. Sure, this leads to a vocal minority of pervs and furries, etc., but that's what they are, a minority. Sometimes it's fun to just find an ocean area in SL, whip out a schooner or a yacht, and go sailing with real wind physics and day-night cycles. Sometimes it's fun to work on building additions to your house while chatting it up with some friends, and for the more entrepreneurial, you can make serious real life cash in SL by designing and selling items. I'm not being a SL evangelical here, but the point I'm making is that Home is just Second Life with none of the freedom while constantly being elbowed toward paying fifty cents for a cowboy hat.

Oh, and finally, some people may criticize the harshness of this review using the excuse "But it's only a beta!" To which I say "tish-tosh." It's an open beta, and the reason it's subject to my ridicule is that it was released purely so Sony wouldn't miss another release date and thus approach the three year mark of Home's development. Desperate to get Home out the door to the unwashed masses before the end of 2008, Sony opens Home up to critique.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens Review

 

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens is an excellent macro lens - and may be Canon's most fun per dollar lens. This is the lens I most frequently recommend for someone starting out in macro photography.

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens is a medium-small lens and is rather light in weight. This is a very comfortable-to-carry-and-use lens. Build quality is decent but not as solid as Canon's L Series lenses.

Model	Weight		Dimensions w/o Hood		Filter
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens	11.8 oz	(335g)	2.9 x 2.7"	(73.0 x 70.0mm)	52mm
Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro Lens	14.3 oz	(405g)	2.8 x 3.8"	(71.0 x 97.0mm)	55mm
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens	21.1 oz	(600g)	3.1 x 4.7"	(79.0 x 119.0mm)	58mm
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L IS USM Macro Lens	22.1 oz	(625g)	3.1 x 4.8"	(77.7 x 123mm)	67mm
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens	15.8 oz	(450g)	2.9 x 3.7"	(74.0 x 95.0mm)	58mm
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM Macro Lens	32.0 oz	(895g)	3.1 x 5.4"	(80.0 x 137.0mm)	72mm
Canon EF 180mm f/3.5 L USM Macro Lens	38.4 oz	(1090g)	3.2 x 7.3"	(82.5 x 186.6mm)	72mm
Sigma 180mm f/3.5 EX DG APO HSM Macro Lens	33.6 oz	(965g)	3.2 x 7.1"	(80.0 x 182.0mm)	72mm
Tamron SP 180mm f/3.5 Di LD Macro Lens	32.0 oz	(921g)	3.3 x 6.5"	(84.0 x 165.0mm)	72mm

Utilizing USM (Ultrasonic Motor), the Canon 100 Macro internally focuses very fast, quietly and very accurately. I've been questioned on the fast AF statement several times since writing this review. I've rechecked my lens and, though it takes a little time to go from 1:1 macro to infinity, it focuses very fast at normal focusing distances. The second person to question this exchanged their lens for another - the replacement was much faster than the original lens they received. This would indicate to me that there may be an issue with some samples of the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens. Another site visitor emailed me - they were ecstatic that a firmware upgrade to their Canon EOS 1D Mark III DSLR resolved their 100mm Macro focusing speed issue. Also note that there is a discontinued non-USM version of this lens. Keep these datapoints in mind if you run into a slow version of this lens.

When focusing at 1x subject distances, it is very nice to have a lens that does not extend. FTM (Full Time Manual) focusing is enabled and the front element does not rotate. A focus limiter switch enables full or restricted focus distances. The MF ring is nicely sized, well-damped and smooth.

Above, from left to right, are the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens, Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro Lens, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens and Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens (for size comparison). The same lenses (sans Canon 24-70 L) are shown fully extended (1:1 macro focusing distance) below.

Most macro lenses are sharp, and the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens does not disappoint in this area. This lens is sharp wide open and even sharper stopped down slightly with corners showing the most improvement. The tiniest details in your tiniest subjects will come to life with this lens.

Vignetting is apparent at f/2.8, but rapidly disappears when stopped down. Flare is very well controlled. Color and contrast are excellent. Distortion is negligible. Eight aperture blades help to create an excellent quality background blur.

There are other (non-macro lens) solutions for macro photography such as extension tubes and close-up filters/lenses (such as the Canon 500D Close-Up Lens), but these solutions require adding/removing lenses or filters to take a lens from macro mode to normal mode and vice versa. I find true macro lenses (1:1) such as the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens to be more convenient to use. The advantage alternate solutions have is usually their affordability. Like all of the other photo gear decisions that must be made, this decision is your personal choice.

Model	MFD		MWD		MM	12mm ET	25mm ET	1.4x	2x
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens	7.9"	(200mm)	3.5"	(90mm)	1x	1.28x	1.61x	N	N
Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro Lens	11.4"	(290mm)	3.9"	(99mm)	1x			Y	Y
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens	12.0"	(300mm)	6.0"	(150mm)	1x	1.19x	1.39x	N	N
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L IS USM Macro Lens	11.8"	(300mm)	5.9"	(146mm)	1x	1.17x	1.37x	N	N
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens	12.2"	(310m)	4.8"	(122mm)	1x			N	N
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM Macro Lens	15.0"	(380mm)	7.6"	(194mm)	1x			Y	Y
Canon EF 180mm f/3.5 L USM Macro Lens	19.2"	(480mm)	9.5"	(240mm)	1x	1.09x	1.21x	Y	Y
Sigma 180mm f/3.5 EX DG APO HSM Macro Lens	18.0"	(460mm)			1x			Y	Y
Tamron SP 180mm f/3.5 Di LD Macro Lens	18.5"	(470mm)			1x			Y	Y

As it is a true 1:1 macro lens, the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens will deliver a subject to your sensor at the same size it is in real life. 1x magnification is achieved at the MFD (Minimum Focus Distance) of 1' (.3m). It doesn't take a very big subject to completely fill the frame at this 1x magnification. The Canon 100mm macro allows a reasonable minimum working distance (MWD) of 6" (150mm) from the end of the lens (without the hood in place). Going further, extension tubes can take the magnification to 1.19x and 1.39x for 12mm and 25mm tubes respectively - at the expense of lost infinity focus. Canon's extenders are not compatible with this lens.

Pictured above from left to right are the Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens and Canon EF 180mm f/3.5 L USM lens.

With their hoods in place, from left to right, are the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens, Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro Lens and Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens. As is obvious below, these macro lenses are much more similar in size when extended 100% at their shortest focus distance.

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens's ET-67 Lens Hood is an optional accessory as is a lens pouch for storage. The Lowepro Lens Case 2 (tight) and 3 (loose) are good options while Canon suggests their LP1219 soft pouch. Another optional accessory for this lens is the Canon Tripod Mount Ring B(B). Tripod rings/collars make tripod and flash bracket use much better experiences. A 58mm filter size makes buying filters for this lens affordable.

So, which macro lens should you choose? Good question.

Choosing the right focal length is probably the first criteria. Longer focal length macro lenses generally give you more distance-to-subject working space for the same subject framing. At the Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro lens' 3.5" or so (9cm) 1:1 working distance, it is hard to keep from scaring insects out of the territory. The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens allows about 6" (15cm) and the Canon EF 180mm f/3.5 L USM lens allows about 9.5" (24cm) of working distance at 1:1 magnification. More working distance is usually better for my typical macro work.

The focal length also affects other macro photography aspects. Longer focal lengths require more distance to acquire the same subject framing. The result is a change of perspective - the telephotos compress/flatten the subject features more than short focal lengths. The wider angle of view of the short focal length macro lenses mean that more of the background will be in the picture - and that the background will be less-diffusely blurred. Picture what I am talking about ...

The pictures above were taken with three macro lenses (180mm L, 100mm and 60mm). They are identically framed using the same aperture setting (f/16) and have identical subject to background distances. DOF (Depth of Field) is not different (same framing, same aperture = same DOF until closer to the hyper-focal distance), but perspective/compression and angle of view are very different. The 180mm lens shows only a small physical area of background subject that is compressed/enlarged to magnify the blur. Background subjects in the 60mm picture appear to be more in focus. They are not - they are just about as blurred, but they appear much smaller in the picture - and there are more of them because of the 60mm's angle of view. This yields a less diffusely-blurred background. If you are using a backdrop (such as rolled paper), the background blur aspect will probably not be important to you.

There are downsides to the longer focal length macro lenses. They are larger/heavier and require a faster shutter speed for handholding. They also cost more.

If you are looking for the ultimate nature macro shots, there is probably not a better choice than the Canon EF 180mm f/3.5 L USM lens. But, this is a relatively heavy and expensive lens that focuses slowly.

Another good option is the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM Macro Lens. It does not focus as quickly or as accurately, weighs more, has more vignetting and costs more. Well, costs more until the optional lens hood and tripod ring are added to the Canon 100. The 150's advantage is the longer focal length and working distance.

If you are looking for a great macro lens, the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens is a very good choice. It offers excellent optical performance and middle of the road focal length, working distance and size/weight. Price makes this lens a great value. The 100mm focal length along with great bokeh (foreground/background blur quality) makes this a great portrait lens as well.

Here is a warning for anyone contemplating the purchase of the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens: You will find yourself looking for little things to use for subjects - which are everywhere. No bug is safe. You will find you neck hurting from looking down all the time. You will discover a world you never knew existed. Macro photography is great fun. And men - You now have another reason to buy your wife flowers (they make great subjects).

Kodak playsport

Kodak pocket HD camcorders don't receive the recognition they deserve. The Zi8 is arguably the best pocket HD camcorder of the last generation, and the only to feature an external mic jack, but it lacks the brand recognition of the rival Flip.
Still, Kodak persists, and they have done something impressive with the new Kodak PlaySport. That is, produce a waterproof 1080p pocket camcorder for an MSRP of $150.

BUY the PLAYSPORT Digital Camcorder

Crutchfield.com   $149.99

Newegg.com   $135.99

KODAK   $149.95

see all pricing for the PLAYSPORT Digital Camcorder

Does it meet the high standard set by the Zi8? Or is the waterproof PlaySport simply all wet?

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BUILD AND DESIGN
The PlaySport is a follow up to the weather resistant Zx1, but more closely resembles a walkie-talkie than it does that pocket camcorder. It has rounded edges, rubberized grips and textured plastics to give it a solid feel. The front side sports all the controls including a two-inch LCD screen, four-way dial, record/photo button as well as buttons to toggle live view and the LCD glare shield, play clips, trash footage and access camera settings. Found on the opposite side is a fixed-focus lens in the upper portion and an on-board mic. A tripod slot and wrist-strap notch are located on the bottom of the device.

On either side are watertight ports with locking covers. One contains a mini-HDMI port, USB out and AV jack just below the power button. The other houses the SD/SDHC slot and the removable lithium ion rechargeable digital camera battery.

The PlaySport measures 4.4 x 2.3 x 0.8 inches and weighs 5.1 ounces with both the battery and an SD card, making it perfectly pocketable and light to boot. It comes in purple, blue or black, all with a white control side.

Ergonomics and Controls
The PlaySport is both comfortable to hold and easy to use. The textured plastic and rubberized edges make it easy to grip even when wet, and the wrist strap keeps the device secure. The buttons and dial are appropriately labeled and require a hearty press, most likely the result of being waterproof.
Everything is laid out logically and I had no trouble operating the camera with one hand. After a couple uses, I could record and snap stills without even looking at the device.
Like most other pocket HD camcorders, the PlaySport lens is almost flush with the unit and has no cover, making it vulnerable to fingerprints or worse. Also, it's extremely easy for the odd finger to make its way across the lens during shooting, something I encountered more than once.


Menus and Modes
The PlaySport offers four recording modes of 1080p/30fps, 720p/60fps, 720p/30fps and WVGA, and one 5 megapixel still option, all rendered through a 1/2.5-inch CMOS sensor. Curiously, you have to switch between the recording modes using the four-way dial. It's simple, but takes some getting used to as it's not labeled on the device and most other camcorder include a dedicated button or menu option for switching between stills and video.

The PlaySport doesn't offer much in its menu, sans a few features and camera settings. These include:

• Electronic image stabilization (EIS)
• Face detection
• Underwater mode
• LCD brightness
• LCD glare shield
• Microphone gain
• Volume/sounds
• TV video out
• Date/time settings
• Format card
• Camera info

Each menu item is represented by an icon. They are a bit cryptic at first glance and I had to consult the manual to figure out what each represents and does.
Especially confusing is the underwater mode, represented by the symbol "H2O." The manual instructs users to "turn on to take pictures/videos underwater." However, it merely adjusts the picture for underwater shooting, as the device is waterproof regardless if the mode is activated.
Display
At only two-inches, the PlaySport LCD is on the small side of displays and works well within the confines of the device. There aren't many icons cluttering up the space and it's not a touchscreen. It's just large enough the monitor the action and play it back.
Kodak included two controls to fight off the sunlight glare that plagues LCD screens: a glare shield and brightness setting. While neither eliminate the issue, they both work well enough, and the glare shield is easily available as one of the PlaySport's five dedicated buttons. The glare shield alters the display by rendering it in black and white or with high saturation. The footage is not affected.

PERFORMANCE
The PlaySport Zx3 is waterproof in up to 3 meters (9.8 feet) of water, but Kodak is quick to remind users it doesn't float. So keep the wrist strap secured when diving with it and resist the temptation to toss it overboard. It's also not shockproof, despite its tough exterior. Even though I accidentally dropped it a few times without breaking anything, I wouldn't recommend casually tossing it around, if only for the sake of the display screen and lens.
Shooting Performance
In addition to being an underwater HD camcorder, the PlaySport is also a decent pocket camcorder. Everything is automatic, including the focus, exposure and white balance. All do an admirable job of rendering accurate colors and keeping up with any camera movements. The up and down buttons on the four-way dial control a 4x digital zoom, which predictably lessens picture quality, but not enough to render the function useless.
The focus range begins at about 40 inches, meaning you'll have to keep the object at least that far from the lens to retain focus. That length increases to 52 inches for underwater shooting.
The battery lasted a disappointing 90 minutes of continuous shooting at the highest resolution. Other pocket camcorders can go upwards of two hours between charges.
One feature worth noting is the PlaySport EIS. Pocket camcorder stabilization typically produces jittery and warped video, making it worse than the shaky alternative. Not the PlaySport EIS. While the video does warp and bend a bit due to the processing, the EIS ultimately works as intended and proves itself useful.
Here's a bumpy stretch of bike trail recorded with the EIS on:

Here is the same stretch with the EIS off:

Operation and Extras
The Kodak PlaySport shoots H.264 video wrapped up as .MOV files and JPG stills. Extracting them both is a simple drag-and-drop operation. The unit also comes preloaded with Windows-only Arcsoft Media Impressions software (Mac users will have to stick with iMovie). Here, users can organize and access photos and videos, trim footage, correct colors, apply video effects and upload to sharing sites. There is even a simple movie-making feature to splice together clips with transitions and add narration and music. This user-friendly and useful program is on par with the Flipshare software I praised in the SlideHD review.
In addition to a battery, charging adapter, USB cable and AV cable, the PlaySport comes packaged with a mini-HDMI cable. I've seen $1,000 flagship HD camcorders packaged without an HDMI cable, so kudos to Kodak for providing one in their $150 pocket device. Unfortunately, it doesn't come with a cloth bag or carrying case to help protect the lens and screen. Of course, Kodak sells a carrying case separately on their site.
The PlaySport has 128MB of on-board memory, but the Media Impressions software takes up about 100MB of that. So you'll need to spring for an SD or SDHC card (up to 32GB).
Video Quality
The HD video quality is impressive and compares favorably against other pocket camcorders. Examining the maximum resolution footage reveals the PlaySport to have a sharp picture with smooth colors and minimum digital artifacts.
Here's a sample in continuous overhead light:

The PlaySport struggles in low light, which is expected for a pocket camcorder. Digital artifacts litter the clip and the colors are way off. Notice the artifacts near the skunk's tail:

The rolling shutter effect is an issue with any pocket HD camcorder featuring a small CMOS sensor, and the PlaySport is not immune. Any moderate to fast panning or camera movement will result in a skewing of the video.
Switch down to the PlaySport's 720p/60fps resolution and the footage loses some sharpness in favor of 30 additional frames per second, which also lessens the skewing. This mode is ideal for shooting active clips like a kids' soccer game or a dog running around the yard.
Skunks and skewing aside, the PlaySport is built for recording underwater, and we dunked it in every pool, puddle, cup, lake, and river we could find. I even sent TechnologyGuide Editorial Assistant Kevin Bierfeldt out in the rain to test it against the elements.
The PlaySport Zx3 performed admirably on all fronts, never once taking in a drop. The only drawback is that lacking an external light and requiring at least four feet of space to focus, the PlaySport can't capture much of anything in murky water, like in Boston's famed Charles River ("Love that dirty water"):

In something clearer, like the fountain outside the TechTarget home office, the clips are crisp and objects easy to discern:

Did I see a quarter in the lower right hand corner of the clip?
Still Quality
The 5 megapixel stills are mediocre and close to cell-phone level quality. The colors look nice, but the images are soft on the edges. I won't complain too loudly. The Flip doesn't even offer a stills option.

Sample Images

Sound Quality
The Zi8 is the only mainstream pocket camcorder with an external mic jack, so I had faint hopes Kodak would include one on the PlaySport. Alas, there is only an on-board mono mic. I suppose underwater audio is all gargles and bubbles anyway, but an external mic option would have been nice for everyday use.
You can set the mic gain in the settings menu, and it gets very sensitive at the highest level. However, the audio quality is no better than that captured by other pocket camcorders, which is far from great.

CONCLUSIONS
The waterproof Kodak PlaySport Zx3 is a fine device for capturing a day at the beach, in the pool or out among the elements. It's waterproof as advertised and feels much more rugged and solid than other pocket camcorders. The PlaySport also stands out with impressive HD video for its size, an effective electronic image stabilization feature and a low MSRP of $150.