Canon's Macro Lens has a Built in Ring Flash

First Macro Lens for EOS M Camera System

The first macro lens for the EOS M camera system, the EF-M 28, f/3.5 Macro IS STM, had been announced by Canon. There are two amazing things regarding Canon’s new EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM lens.

• It is an EF-M lens for the EOS M mirror less system and Canon has totally neglected EOS M, releasing only five lens when the system had been launched almost four years back, four slow zooms as well as a 22mm f/2 prime. The macro lens of 28mm is said to be the sixth though it has a trick up its sleeve which is not found anywhere in the extensive DSLR lens line-up of Canon. 
• It essentially has a pretty innovative design. Several of the macro photographers tend to opt for the relatively long focal lengths, in order not to disturb their subject. For stationary objects also, wider macro lenses seem to cast a shadow since one has to get too close. The EF-M 28mm though tends to get around that with a built-in mini ring flash which features two user-controllable `Macro Lites’. One could utilise both or one at a time and adjust the intensity of the lighting. Canon also mentioned that the lens’ tapered shape whenever extended tends to help to avoid shadows.

Eliminates Shadow/Darkness

The tiny MacroLite electronic flash units tend to curve around the front component of the lens, giving the effect of a ring flash, which helps in eliminating shadow and darkness from subjects. Users could also adjust the brightness and opt whether both units are illuminated together or individually.

The new lens is also said to be the first autofocus lens for exchangeable lens cameras which has the potential of focusing from infinity to life-size – 1x, in usual shooting and 1.2x enlargement in Super Macro mode. The other features comprise of the same Hybrid IS system that is found on the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens to lessen camera shake, a lead screw type STM stepping motor for the purpose of smooth as well as quiet focusing operation while taking videos and an angle of view just like a 45mm standard lens. This enables users to capture videos in near-silence.

Lightweight – 130 g/ Outdoor Trips

The EOS M cameras are lightweight, weighing just 130 g and easy to take it along on outdoor trips. Canon states that the biggest breakthrough of the EOS M is in Canon’s ability to contain an EOS System in a compact body with full compatibility with new and existing EF and EF-S lenses, (with adapters). EOS M is by far the most accessible EOS camera offering the same level of photographic brilliance of a DSLR.

Canon has informed that the new EF-M would be available in June this year from authorized vendors at a price of $299.99. Besides this Canon has also announced the Speedlite 600EX II-RT flash, which is compatible with the majority of EOS cameras. On using the standard AA batteries it tends to increase continuous flash rate by around 1.1 to 1.5 times and up to two times on using the latest Compact Battery Pack CP-E4N.

Living with Robots

 

Robots and Interactive Companions

In a world that has been progressing by leaps and bounds, we now have the entry on robots taking the place of humans. Robots are future machines whose application area seems to be improving. Inventions of robots which tend to imitate human movements are on the rise all over the globe. Technology now has the capability of creating artificial human with bare metal and some electronic chips known as Robots. They are the Autobots who tend to have no real IQ though can think better than the humans, they do not seem to have any power but can perform better than the humans and they have no intelligence but tend to act better than the humans.

One could ask oneself and which Financial Times has asked in their new five-part video series titled `Living with Robots’, regarding robots and their relationship with us mortals. Could they be our friend or foe? The series unfold with the introduction of Zara the robot that seems to work for Spot Digital and is also about the relationship between the robot and man in the 21st century. Some of the robots look like human and could be scared but the big question that arises is `could these machines really have feelings and match up to us mortals?

Robots Helpful or Threatening

Robots could be helpful or threatening and whether we like it not, these machines are becoming common in our daily lives replacing the manual functions done by us humans. FT checks on the roles that robots tend to play in our lives, at home, at workplace and the world around us. Talking to computers is mainly controlled by the human voice for the functions to be carried out by these digital companions. Tech companies have been making progress in providing the smoothest and the most efficient artificial intelligence companions which will make a great impact in our lives.

In an age where popular culture tends to offer vision of intelligent machine that seem to control us; it tends to get difficult to know if artificial intelligence should be embraced or to fear it. Machines have already replaced about 70 to 75% of the work that is done by humans and several of the individuals seem to have meaningless task in their work life only to bring home a salary.

World’s Most Advanced Humanoid

Robots could be an inevitable disaster for many. It could be a friend for some of the rich and the elderly people, impersonal for the assembly-line employees who would welcomeco-bot sometimes and disturbing for the poor as well as for those outside the digital world like those in Africa. Robots have been considered to be the world’s most advanced humanoid robot who can perform any function as well as communicate and interact through its voice and facial recognition systems.

Talking to computers has been a dream of several technologists as well as story tellers for decades which could at time tend to become a bit scary. In the case of digital assistants, intelligence agents and chatbots, there is a grain of ray with these smart companions that are now eager to be our guides in the digital world. Established firmly as manufacturing technology, robots have been gaining acceptance by the labour force, reaping praise for its dependability and is being used more widely in small and medium businesses

Facebook is bringing 360-degree photos to the News Feed

Facebook’s 360 Degree Photos to News Feed

Facebook has informed that in the coming weeks, it will let you upload and view 360 degree photos on mobile and the web. Facebook has progressively made VR an essential part of its platform and hence this announcement is not much of a surprise of 360 degree photos coming to your News feed. The feature would function identical to a 360 degree video wherein one will be able to click and drag to discover the environment on desktop or move your smartphone around as if its screen were a viewfinder.

The feature is said to be a part of a great mission to frame Facebook as a means of exploring faraway places. Moreover it is also tied directly to Facebook-owned Oculus VR’s push for more live-action photography and video you can experience with the Gear VR and Rift headsets.

With both the device you will also be capable of viewing 360 degree photos that are shared on the social network. Since September of last year, 360 degree video had been available on Facebook and it will still be quite a while before users as well as creators hold the new format in large numbers. Facebook is presently making its platform friendlier to photos that can be shot with smartphone rather than an expensive video rig.

VR – An Integral Part of Platform

We may see a firm uptick in professional grade as well as consumer shot 360 degree content.Update would enable you to upload scenes that have been captured with native smartphone cameras, 360 degree photospheres made with third party apps or photos shot utilising a dedicated 360 degree rig. Facebook has increasingly made VR an integral part of its platform, so today’s announcement isn’t a huge surprise: 360 degree photos are coming to your news feed.

Facebook needs to urge users to create many photos and videos as possible so that it made a camera of its own. At the time of its annual F8 developers’ conference, it had announced a reference design for a new 17 camera array known as Facebook Surround 360. The company expects that the third party manufacturer would develop their own 360 degree cameras utilising the blueprints since at the end of the day, the more photos and videos which make their way to Facebook, the more time users would spend engrossed in social network.

Landscapes Captured on Phone – Better Viewing Experience

Three years ago, Google had first attempted to promote360 degree images with the introduction of Photospheres, but they never caught on much since they were difficult to share. Anticipate that to begin changing now that Facebook tends to support the format. There is no information regarding the release date, though Facebook states that 360 degree photos would be available on mobile and the Web in the coming weeks.

 The landscapes captured on the phone would ultimately provide a better viewing experience both on News Feed and the Oculus powered Samsung Gear VR. For the first time, Facebook would also be releasing Gear VR usage stats, stating that Gear VR tends to have 1 million monthly users and those who seem to use it spend around 25 minutes each day on the device which would encourage developers in building the platform.

WhatsApp now has a Desktop Version for PC and Mac users

WhatsApp desktop App Linked to Mobile Phone

WhatsApp has eventually brought its highly popular messaging platform to the PC for Windows as well as Mac users and a desktop app has been launched, which tends to link with user’s phones so that they can message from their computer. Prior to the launch of its native desktop app, user could only utilise it through third party apps or the web version of the site.

Facebook owned company had informed in an official blog statement that the new app would include all the features such as desktop notifications, keyboard shortcuts and much more. Besides WhatsApp abilities, it brings it in line with other messaging platform Messenger of Facebook that has a native Windows 10 app in addition to web version. Intended to mirror the conversations from the mobile app, WhatsApp desktop app needs the mobile phone of the user to be switched on, close by and connected to the internet in order to function.

The basis for this apparently inconvenient need is to strengthen the security of the app by sending all the incoming messages to a specific device for protection from potential account hacking, according to the independent report. Moreover, account users are compelled to sign in with their phone numbers and forbid users from installing the app on other platforms such as tablets which makes the messaging service essentially mobile first and PC second.

No Calling Abilities

The new app is said to work just the same way as WhatsApp Web, the web browser form of the well-known messaging service. Users could scan a QR code on their computer screen with the phone to connect the two devices which is believed to improve the security of the app.

By providing inroad for PC users, the improvement will further speed up the growth that WhatsApp has seen over the years. Presently, WhatsApp has over a billion users all over the world. Early in the year, in order to improve the privacy of the user, WhatsApp had added end-to-end encryption to its mobile app.

Various keyboard shortcuts, comprising of Ctrl (command on a Mac) +Shift + M to mute a conversation and Ctrl + Shift + U to change the read status of a message, make the desktop app, an improved form of WhatsApp Web. Besides the shortcuts, the desktop app does not provide any new services to set it apart from the web form and does not have calling abilities.

WhatsApp Free to Download

But it does fill a gap bringing the service that has over a billion users, in line with apps like Slack, Messenger and Hangouts. Users will not have to log back in every time they close their web browser; with the desktop app. Desktop App of WhatsAppis free to download and is available for all software types after Windows 8 and Mac OS 10.9. In the meanwhile the release of the desktop app comes at an extremely contentious timing since the company is involved in legal problems with the Brazilian government especially with the law enforcement agencies over debated access to user data. The judge has already suspended the services of WhatsApp, nationwide, twice and has also ordered the jailing of a Facebook executive over its apparent refusal to hand over the requested data mentioned in a report of Venture Beat.

Windows 10 to Kill Wi Fi Password Sharing Option

Microsoft Adds Wi-Fi Sense to Windows 10

When Microsoft had publicized Windows 10, it had added Wi-Fi Sense, which had earlier debuted on the Windows Phone operating system. Wi-Fi had been a password-sharing option which enabled the user to share Wi-Fi passwords with friends and contacts in Skype, Outlook and Facebook. This option is aimed at making it easier to share the Wi-Fi network with family and friends within range and the goal is to eradicate the stress of physically doling out the Wi-Fi password to those you decide to grant access.

When one tends to share Wi-Fi network access with Facebook friends, Outlook.com contacts or Skype contact they are connected to the password-protected Wi-Fi networks which one opts to share and get access to the internet within range of the networks. Similarly you will also be connected to Wi-Fi networks that they tend to share for Internet access also. You only get Internet access but don’t get to see Wi-Fi network passwords. They will not have access to the other computers, or devices or files stored on your home network and likewise you also will not have access to things on their network.

Password-Sharing Option has Raised Concern

But, the password-sharing option has raised concern, at first particularly from people who thought that it automatically shared your network with anyone desiring to access. Wi-Fi Sense tends to offer controls wherein one can choose which networks to share, which contacts could tap into your Wi-Fi. Your contact can gain access to your network but your password tends to be unknown to them.

 Microsoft in the latest preview edition of Windows had intentions of removing the Wi-Fi password-sharing option which was not sufficient in justifying the cost of maintenance, though it will keep the Wi-Fi Sense feature which enables to connect to open networks.

Microsoft VP Gabe Atul had mentioned in a blog recently that `the cost of updating the code in keeping this feature working, together with low usage and low demand, does not make this worth the effort for further investment. Wi-Fi Sense, if enabled will tend to continue to get you connected to open Wi-Fi hotspots which it is aware of, through crowdsourcing’.

Persuading Individuals to Shift to Windows 10

Microsoft has been trying to persuade individuals to shift to Windows 10, in order to make up for the failings of Windows 8 that is available as a free upgrade to those running Windows 7 or 8.1. However that deals is said to be scheduled by end of July 29 and hence before that, Microsoft needs to lure as many users as possible. Moreover, if one tends to choose

Express Settings when Windows 10 is installed, Wi-Fi Sense is turned on by default.The first thing to be done is to turn it off and to do this, you will have to go Settings and then Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Manage Wi-Fi settings and uncheck the option of sharing your networks with Outlook.com contact, Skype contacts and Facebook friends. You can also turn off the ability of automatically connecting to open hotspots here and to connect to networks shared by your contacts.