Recent Comments:
Ricoh GXR now official, generates sample images and early impressions {Engadget}
Nov 10th 2009 11:58AM Yes, it would have been preferable if they offered a decoupled the lens and sensor. But I understand their logic, these are small cameras, designed for individuals that are around and about, moving around, and actively doing stuff.
To change a normal lens can be tedious, especially not just worrying about dust, but you need to worry about taking off the cap, not touching the sensor (and issue for short FFD cameras), not touching the back of the lens putting your oiling fingers on it, putting the cap back on the lens you took off, both back & front. Considering these are very small lenses, I can see people not wanting to fiddle with them. Personally, I take lens swaps pretty seriously because I take good care on my glass, and I would say it takes a good 20 seconds for prime, longer for a larger lens especially if I'm putting it back in its case.
For the GXR: Snap-> lens/sensor-> Off, snap-> lens/sensor->On. Take off/put on front cap. Likely won't take longer then 5 seconds.
Granted, in regards to the APS-C sized sensor, its probably very cheap. The sensor I'm assuming likely bought from a third-party supplier like Sony that already sells their sensors to Nikon as well as others (also rumored that the Leica X1 is using their 12MP sensor as well).
The Canon 50mm f/2.5 Macro is around $300 msrp, this Ricoh 50mm f/2.5 + 12MP sensor is $550. So it is more expensive. For Ricoh they may think about releasing a Sensor only module + lenses as well in addition to these lens/sensor combos.
Ricoh GXR now official, generates sample images and early impressions {Engadget}
Nov 10th 2009 11:36AM Micro-FourThirds are compatible with a range of lenses larger then any dSLR, this is because it has a short focal flange distance of 20mm. You can use a Nikon F-mount, Canon FD/EF mount, Contax, PL, Minoltas, Leica M, and even C-mount lenses on Micro-Four Thirds cameras. This is because via a simple adapter you can make up the difference compared to other mounts.
Also, when attached with a pancake lens you'll get a camera significantly smaller then the entry-level dSLRs with picture quality to match. You also have to consider the lenses are smaller as well, the relatively compact 14-140mm has the same 35mm field of view as an the Canikon 18-200mm f4-5.6 lenses at a significantly smaller lens.
VIDEO: Weaving the Lexus LFA's carbon fiber A-pillar is mesmerizing {Autoblog}
Oct 30th 2009 2:06PM @Evan
Use of extruded aluminum chassis is not unique, in fact most of the technology has been done by Hydro Aluminium of Denmark, which is Lotus' supplier.
Also, I think you're missing the point of this carbon-fiber loom. CF looms are exist, but they are largely 2D looms, this is a fully 3D loom that actually binds CF to aluminum. Right now you have sheets of CF and you have to layer them atop one another, impregnate them with epoxy and autoclave it. Its done by hand, and binding it to a metal is difficult because the areas that are joined serve as weak points.
Conventional methods like the one used in the Mclaren MP4-12C uses metal inserts on sheets to bond the two substances; then they are vacuum packed and autoclaved. Toyota has found a method to bind a aluminum to CF and then have this machine weave around it- its an entire generation ahead.
This is important because:
1.) Its largely automated, which means its more suitable for mass-production because it reduces the amount of hand-labor/error that is required in CF manufacturing (layering sheet upon sheet of CF).
2.) CF can be used strategically because this is an effective method to bind carbon fiber to aluminum by using a flange connected to a 3D loom, and aluminum can be used in larger quantity. Dramatically reduced cost and increase in torsional rigidity.
This is a whole generation beyond that Lotus is doing with aluminum, and the LF-A isn't just about carbon-fiber, its all about aluminum as well.
VIDEO: Weaving the Lexus LFA's carbon fiber A-pillar is mesmerizing {Autoblog}
Oct 30th 2009 2:13AM McLaren doesn't weave their own carbon, looking at that loom you understand why. Toyota built that just for the LF-A at this point, and its probably as complex, or more complex, then the LF-A itself.
Automakers like Mclaren merely buy pre-weaved sheets wholesale, they come in different patterns and types; 1k,1.5k,3k,6k,12k .24K,48K, etc. The main CF manufactures are companies like Toray, Mitsubishi-Rayon, SGL, Hexcel, etc.
What Toyota is doing is unprecedented in that this machines not only does custom weaves, it weaves around a sub-frame, and they've created a massively complicated equipment to do that.
Rendered for Your Pleasure: Subaru WRX-powered Kickboxer motorcycle concept {Autoblog}
Oct 27th 2009 11:17PM Excuse me? Bike looks amazing.
It has that Confederate B91 Wraith look it it. Also, it looks like it has the swing-arm front suspension design like the Bimota Tesi IDs.
Officially Official: Fisker buys GM's Wilmington Delaware plant {Autoblog}
Oct 27th 2009 8:35PM @letstakeawalk
Fisker is most definitely not well-known amongst the general public. Would you spend your $40k+ on a Fisker versus a BMW, Mercedes, or Audi?
If you randomly asked anyone who is walking into a luxury car dealer I'd be surprised is 1 in 20 people knew what a Fisker was. An even if you knew, the service, reliability, and maintenance of this vehicle is entirely unknown. A car is the second largest investment a person makes after home ownership, atop this, this is likely going to be a $47,500 car at least (being that tax rebates max out at $7,500 for PHEV and EV vehicles).
Also, you're saying that the US needs another manufacter???? When in the last year we've seen an attrition of American brands in the US. We lost Pontiac, Hummer, Saturn, etc, etc, etc. The US is no longer the largest car market in the world, its behind China, and its an over-saturated one at that. We should be strengthening the brands we have instead of creating an unknown one.
If the DOE wanted to support an expensive sport-luxury car they should have built it under the Cadillac brand, not Fisker. At least that way it would have helped other Cadillac cars in terms of image, and not wasted US tax payer money.
The only reason this deal got through with Fisker is that it would save UAW jobs. That's all...
Officially Official: Fisker buys GM's Wilmington Delaware plant {Autoblog}
Oct 27th 2009 1:48PM That's $40k (after tax-rebates). Which puts in expected price of the Volt.
There are several things here that reek of BS:
1.) First, they plan on selling 75,000-100,000 units a annually. That's an incredibly high-number, the 3-series sells around 100k units a year in the US. And that's not a $40k vehicle that requires a tax-rebate. We're talking about insanely high numbers for a company that is starting from nothing.
2.) Secondly, this is a company with no brand recognition and more important no infrastructure to support and maintain tens of sounds of cars. There is no dealer network in place to support 75-100k cars. And its hard to imagine they can ramp up from zero to 100,000 in 3-4 years.
3.) Why is this being built in a UAW plant? For a no-brand upstart, it would have been much more preferable to move away from union-labor, there are a ton of non-union factories recently closed in the US which would have served as a better alternative. Is UAW labor a prerequisite to getting Government funding?
4.) Fourth, the US Government is giving this company $528.7 million, and the Vice-President is to announce the deal. This whole thing reeks of politics. I'm looking at this as a massive waste of the tax-payers half-a-billion dollars. If the government wants to invest this much money into these technologies then why not give that $528 million to build a full-scale Li-ion battery factory in the United States so that we don't have to buy the batteries from Asia (the Volt's battery comes from South Korea). The battery is the single technology holding back EVs and PHEVs and is the most expensive component, yet the US has no presence in that area globally. Why not use that half billion for that instead? The last thing the US needs is one more car manufacter.
Netflix for PlayStation 3 requires a disc, software solution coming late 2010 {Engadget}
Oct 26th 2009 11:52PM @ Puggs
Its been confirmed that Netflix will remain only for paying Xbox Live Gold members.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6238087.html
>>GS: Well, I guess the big advantage of streaming Netflix via the PS3 is you don't have to pay a premium membership cost for Xbox Live Gold. Do you know if Netflix will be available to Xbox Live Silver members in the future?
SS: That's a question you'd have to ask Microsoft. We just think they're both great platforms. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Microsoft has since confirmed Xbox Live Gold membership will still be mandatory to access Netflix on the 360.]
Netflix for PlayStation 3 requires a disc, software solution coming late 2010 {Engadget}
Oct 26th 2009 10:49PM BD-Live uses JAVA and has the full run-time engine, so its actually a relatively powerful interface. Its not just streaming from the website.
So essentially this Netflix should be like a small JAVA application.
First Drive: 2011 Lexus LFA is wicked and this way comes {Autoblog}
Oct 26th 2009 12:38PM The original concept design back in 2005 was actually designed by the famous Leonardo Fioravanti. Who has designed the Ferrari Dino, the Ferrari Daytona, the Ferrari P5 and P6, the Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer, the Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 , the Ferrari 308 GTB, and the Ferrari 288 GTO. He now runs an independent design house.
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-127723736/fioravanti-helps-lexus-create.html
Obviously, the LFA design has moved forward from the original concept to production reality, but a lot of the identifiable design elements are from Fioravanti; such as the three-exhausts, the overall shape, and the unique rear design.
