All through your life, you will be plagued with unwanted intruders in you room (e.g. younger siblings) or need to be two places at once.  So, I have compiled some of the coolest spy type gadgets in this articles.

1. Laser Trip Wire This gadget is, in my opinion, a basic.  It is like those seen in the movies and on Claymore Mines in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. When someone walks through it, they set off an alarm loud enough to wake any sleeper.  Best of all, it is less than $30 in the U.S.
2. USB Tank Missile Launcher This would be fun for office wars and such.  It is a small tank with four foam missiles.  The tank is controlled from a computer via a USB attachment.  The missiles fire twelve feet, and the USB attachment has a range of twenty-five feet.  This device will bring nerd wars to a new level.
3. Rovio What if I told you that you could have your very only military recon robot?  Well, that’s what Rovio is.  According to the manufacturer, Rovio is a “the groundbreaking new Wi-Fi enabled mobile webcam that lets you view and interact with its environment through streaming video and audio, wherever you are!”  Use your PC, your iPhone, or your PS3 to control Rovio.  The robot even comes with a charging dock!
4. EyeClops Night Vision 2.0 Binoculars One of the other current military devices that would be cool to have is night vision.  Now you can buy these, too.  EyeClops Night Vision 2.0 Binoculars are the coolest civilian night vision devices.  With them you can see up to fifty feet in complete darkness.  They fit over your head and are just fun.  Imagine something like midnight airsoft sessions with them!
5. Assorted Spying Devices Now, these actually scare me a little.  You can buy spy cam pens, glasses, lighters, key fobs, and more.  Although this is cool, it is a little scary to think anyone could be watching me at anytime without me knowing.  Oh well, the government can do that anyway.

Well, that is my compilation of spy gadgets for civilians.  Have fun using some of them!

With the dawn of a new decade during the information age, there is much hope for great things to come.  I am going to ramble on as to where I see the trends going.  I am not a techno-geek, but as an investor I am always on the hunt.

First, the world of computers.  Everything these days has a hard drive.  Video cameras, digital cameras, MP3 players and even gaming systems.  All of this data costs a lot of money to replace, and many pictures are priceless to the parent of a newborn or the newlywed couple.  The trend is going to drive toward home servers to back-up all this data for the savvy and off site back-ups for the average Joe.  Those with the knowledge and marketing skills could make a killing.

Next, the touchscreen.  This type of technology is in cell phones and supermarkets.  People of all ages love it, and it is much easier to figure out than 20-button controllers.  Begin to look for this in television remote controls.  Now that we are using one remote to control a TV, sound system, DVR, etc., there is an increasing need to simplify the process.  Touchscreen remotes are currently very pricy, but once makers come to their senses everyone will need one.

Back to computers.  With the home server or off-site server coming to age, there is going to be much less of a need for the DVR and sound systems mentioned above.  We can do everything through a computer, and TVs are basically hopped-up computer monitors.  Having a centrally based data center will allow for the elimination of thousands of dollars worth of equipment.

The last will be the completion of a current movement…wireless.  Wireless mice and keyboards finally are getting to a good point where they are reliable.  Bluetooth is proving its worth in the headphone and earpiece world.  Soon enough, all speakers will be wireless, and freedom from wires will be granted except for the pesky power cords.

All of these are not far-fetched ideas, and the trends are moving that way.  Get ready to live more easily.

Remember that time when you really wanted to show someone a picture, but you really did not have a good way to show it because you were not near a computer or TV and your screen is a little small? Remember passing your camera around to the whole group of people who were trying to see if they blinked or not or seeing people hit heads as they crowded around your camera? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just project the image on a wall or something?

Well, Nikon has made this wishful thinking into reality. That is correct, they have built a small projector into one of their cameras. I never would have thought to do this, but I think that the design is a good idea.

Called the COOLPIX-S1000pj, this little gadget is the first camera with an ultra-small built-in projector (as of July 2009). The VGA projector is able to project about 40-inches onto a wall up to two meters away. The camera also comes with a remote control and a stand for your personal viewing convenience.

Not only does this camera come with a projector, but it is a good camera as well. I was surprised to see that Nikon did not sacrifice anything too drastic, except perhaps thickness, to create this camera and instead they added on all of the nifty features that you usually do not need but are cool to have. For instance, their Smart Portrait System now includes a Skin Softening feature as well as In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, Smile Timer, Blink Proof and Blink Warning. It also has a neat auto-scene selector that automatically recognizes the scene in your picture and adjusts camera setting.

More importantly, it has a 5 wide angle zoom and shoots up to 12.1 Megapixels. It has a 5-way VR Image Stabilization System that will aid in preventing blurry pictures, and it has a Bright 2.7-inch High Resolution LCD.

Here are the approximate dimensions:

Height: 2.5 in. (62.5mm)
Width: 4 in. (99.5mm)
Depth: 0.9 in. (23mm)

And here is the approximate price: $430…. yikes.

Are you in the market for a baby monitor?  Then your last stop is the Summer Infant Best View Color Handheld Video Monitor.  This monitor is a wireless camera with many features for those who want to be on top of every moment when you are not in the room.

I know most people don’t think the topic of baby monitors is an interesting one, but this monitor is very cool and actually could be used for many different applications.  However, my favorite is the intended purpose…watching my little girl when she thinks I am gone.

The baby monitor comes with a handheld video monitor with a  2.5″ color video screen.  Although, the kit only comes with one camera, up to five can be added.  The monitor also allows you to hear the noises baby makes along with a sound sensitivity bar in case you want to mute the volume.  Lastly, the best feature of this monitor is a remote control pan of the camera with zoom.

You read it right, the camera is adjustable by remote control.  The camera can be tilted up and down and rotates roughly 270 degrees.  This mobility lets you see almost every area of a room.  I am very pleased with the motion and angles you can achieve with ease.  The zoom is not controllable other than zoom in and zoom out.

When there is ample light, the monitor provides a color view and the night vision feature displays in black and white.  Automatically, the night vision kicks on when the light disappears.  Honestly, there is nothing you need to do except point the camera where you want to watch and enjoy.

My only objection to the system is the mount.  If you are placing it on a flat surface like a table, there is nothing to worry about.  However, if you are mounting it to the wall there can be some challenges.  The camera has all the weight and extends outwards, so if you are not into the stud it will pull the screw right out of the wall.  Forty pound drywall anchors worked for me.

There are numerous choices to make everyday, especially when it comes to purchasing new electronics.  Once you think you have something figured out, there are new developments and twists.  This lesson was re-learned by me when I set out to buy a video camera.

The major types are DVD, mini DVD, and hard drive, and all are available in high definition, if desired.  All have numerous pros and cons favoring one over the other.  I have narrowed out the desire to buy one that requires a DVD.  I remember the old video cassette camcorders, which always seemed to run out of tape once you got to the action.  Having a limited recording time is not a restriction I choose to worry about.

For this reason, I am getting a hard drive or HDD camcorder to film all of life’s precious moments.  A 60 GB HDD camcorder will allow roughly 70 hours of recording time.  I pray I am never involved in a dance recital that lasts up to 70 hours.  Then I can go home, load the footage onto my computer and edit out all of the pointless stuff.  From there I can create a DVD with only the footage I choose.

Afterward, I can delete the old footage and start fresh.  The next issue is whether or not to go high definition.  Obviously, the quality of the picture is outstanding, but the price is one major deterrent.  However, if the 1920 X 1080 pixel capture is worth the extra cash, HD is the way to go.  For those of us who can stomach the mere 340 X 340, then HD is not a necessity.

The camera I have been able to narrow my choice down to is the JVC Everio.  It is a digital camcorder with a 60 GB hard drive.  All of the reviews have been positive, and there have been very few criticisms brought up in all of the online reviews that I have read.  People seem to like the JVC better than many others because it is easy to use and the quality is a great bang for the buck.

Any other thoughts?

Pranks are a thing of the past. The ol’ Charlie Chaplin films and Three Stooges shows are worth mentioning, even though they aren’t anywhere close to being in a league together.

Prank stores used to exist everywhere, and they had tons of ways to play a silly game on friends. Pens that would explode in a flash of confetti, ink that wouldn’t show up unless on the correct paper, and even crazy ways to shock your friends.

Speaking of shocking your friends, a brand new prank toy exists that will shock friends while they attempt to snap your photo. The toy looks almost exactly like a brand new digital camera and has no branding, as if it were generic. The body is slim and adorned with a shutter button and many other buttons that give it the perfect digital camera look. The only difference is that when a user goes to press down the shutter button, they get a nice little shock much to the entertainment of those posing.

It also helps as a great way to pass some time or pose as a conversation piece after shocking some unknown stranger. The fake camera itself will help play an important role in shocking gullible folks with some old school pranks.

So, if you’re still one of those old school prank folks who loves to surprise others, this hilariously rigged new camera will provide some fun. No one will ever notice since its designed with some new school taste. Oh, and did I mention you can pick it up for only $3.35?

In the incredible world of family experiences there is always a moment that deserves to be captured for looking back at a later time,  especially when there are children involved. Unexpected events most certainly can be humorous and entertaining.

In today’s modern world, even though small, users would have to carry around a bulky camcorder, especially if they wanted to capture their moment in true HD quality. Of course, there is no argument, today’s technology is certainly much more compact compared to let’s say ten years ago, but sometimes devices even in a small size can be a hassle to carry around all day when they don’t fit in your pocket.

The Flip MinoHD is a small and compact video camera that records full 720p HD video and will fit in your pocket at the same time! A 4GB internal memory stores up to an hour of high definition video, videos which are stored in the H.264 compressed video format. A unique flip up/down USB connector on the top of the device allows a direct connection with any PC or Mac for simple file transfer to a computer. The MinoHD also includes a special TV connector cable, so users can connect it right to their HDTV for viewing on a large size screen.

The device includes additional features, such as 16:9 widescreen video support, a 3.3 ounce total body weight, one touch recording and digital zoom buttons, and unique Flipshare software that is designed to allow users a unique video editing and sharing experience.

A rechargeable Lithium Ion battery recharges while the camera is connected via USB, and a small 1.5″ LCD screen allows users to monitor what they are filming and playback videos at a later time directly on the MinoHD device. All in all this little baby is packed with features and retails for a low $200 when compared to what consumers get from it.

I highly recommend picking one of these up for those of you looking to capture some “Kodak” family moments with a much more simple and compact device.

Digital cameras have come a long way in the last few years, and right now you might be looking at your current camera and thinking, “I really should replace this thing.” How do you know it is time to buy a new camera or upgrade the camera you already own? Here are a few hints:

1. Your camera doesn’t work anymore. Okay, that one was sort of obvious; here are a few more subtle clues that it is time for a new digital camera in your home:

2. The camera doesn’t take the pictures you want. This was my pet peeve with my old digital camera, a point-and-shoot Nikon. I would push the button to take a picture, and then the camera would take a few seconds to “think” about taking the picture. By the time the shutter actually snapped, the image I was trying to capture no longer existed—the person had moved, the light had shifted, etc. It was incredibly annoying.

3. The camera doesn’t have the megapixels you need. If you are using an older digital camera, chances are the clarity you once had isn’t the clarity you want now. 2.3 megapixels is now considered “low quality”, and six or seven mega pixels is the norm. The difference is in the detail of the picture. A 2.3 megapixel camera will take a perfectly adequate snapshot, but if you really want your photos to be clear, it might be time for an upgrade.

4. You’ve outgrown your old camera. This happens frequently in the world of digital photography. Because you don’t have to worry about film development costs, you are free to explore and try new things with your camera. Before too long, you’ll have exhausted your cameras options and be craving for something that gives you even better control over the images you are trying to capture.

]]> http://www.inspectorelectra.com/a-new-digital-camera/feed/ 0 http://www.inspectorelectra.com/photo-hacking/ http://www.inspectorelectra.com/photo-hacking/#comments Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:00:22 +0000 Erin Steiner http://www.inspectorelectra.com/?p=53

Imagine taking a family trip to see, say Mt. Rushmore. You spend the day at the site, snapping pictures of your kids and spouse in different poses in front of the monument and then, when you get home and download the images (or get your film developed if you still take photos “old school style”), instead of a happy smiling family standing in front of Mt. Rushmore, you see a happy smiling family standing in front of Mt Rushmore….and George Washington has a picture of a Range Rover plastered to his forehead. You don’t remember Washington advertising Range Rovers when you were there, but…there it is in your photo!

Is photography hacking possible? It didn’t use to be, but if the wrong people get their hands on Julius von Bismarck’s ‘Image Fulgurator’, it could become the next big marketing tool.

The Image Fulgurator is a camera that, instead of taking photos, it uses a flash to quickly throw an image into someone else’s photos…images that you can’t see when you take the picture and that only will show up once your images have been processed. The Image Fulgurator detects the flash used by your camera and uses that split second of light to project its own image onto whatever has been targeted by the flash. Currently the Image Fulgurator is only used by von Bismarck, who is quickly trying to get his technology patented to keep it out of the wrong hands (aka marketers).

To learn more about Julius von Bismarck’s Image Fulgurator, read this Wired Blog entry about the camera and its inventor. You will be astounded at all of the ways this new invention can be used….and terrified of the repercussions if the wrong hands get hold of it.

Imagine taking a picture of the Statue of Liberty, getting home and finding that, in your photo, she’s wearing a sash that reads “Try Bud Lite!”