My GPS Camera Phone

I’ll file this under “extreme endurance testing.” These guys in Russia put an iPhone through a rigorous battery of tests that include freezing, tumbling in a dryer, dunking in beer, dropping and more. The site is in Russian, but the marvel that is Google Translate makes the read worthwhile. For example:

The aluminum lid compartment nutrition allowed to stand the test of honor fall to the asphalt. We threw smartphone flat and at an angle. Before the asphalt was a mini-training on grass, where the phone was left unhurt, even if dropped from two meters, the same situation with the office and carpeting in it. Asphalt is left to the body of a vanishing ink. In addition, the cap has become a bit of waste, has a slight backlash. But it should be noted that other elements are not affected. With pleasure, the screen is not only remained operational, but very slightly scratched.

Can the iPhone withstand the “test of honor?” What about abuse like being rolled over by a car? Watch the video and find out.

I wonder if the Nokia folks would be upset if I tried this with the 6650?

Apples for the masses
So the news of Apple selling the iPhone at Wal-Mart is being hyped as unbelievable. I mean, really, Wal-Mart? Apple? What is this, the Beverly Hillbillies? You know, I don’t think I would have ever guessed that any schmoe on the street could walk into their local Wal-Mart and buy a 12-pack of Old Milwaukee and an iPhone in the same visit. Really, the huge display of iPods in my local Wal-Mart never made the thought cross my mind. Completely blind-sided I tell you. Contrary to rumor, “everyday low prices” does not apply here. Apple would never stoop THAT low.

Androids will rule…maybe, someday
Google’s method of market-testing beta releases seems to be carrying over into the physical world with news coming out from HTC saying that they expect over 1 million phones to be sold by the end of the 2008. While these numbers pale in comparison to the iPhone (especially since you can now get one at Wal-Mart), the groundswell is growing and it won’t be too long before the market sees an influx of Android-powered devices. Other devices are on the way from other manufacturers and HTC is rumored to be releasing the G2 phone sometime, so we’ll see what happens.

Gas-free zone
Everyone likes lists, so here’s Gizmodo’s take on the best Android apps of 2008. I don’t care how cool those apps are, they still don’t have iFart. Move along, Android.

Photo credit: MShades via Flickr

And I’m not talking politics.

My GPS Camera Phone has been going strong for well over a year now, much to my satisfaction. I’ve been able to exercise my right brain with photography while feeding my left brain with website management. While this worked for most of the time, I’ve noticed that my mind is looking for more. What started as a hobby has slowly become something bigger, causing both sides of my brain to look ahead for the next big thing. What that big thing is will be revealed in time, but maybe not on this blog.

Given this, I’ll be posting more mobile-related news and events, turning more to industry news, while keeping the original personality of the site intact. In other words, I’ll continue to post photos, albeit more selectively, while posting sarcasm-laden news about iPhones being sold at Wal-Mart. You get the picture. (Wow, a pun! Move along, nothing to see here…)

What does this mean to you? Well, it means that you might notice a little less of a personal feeling, but that’s about it. Even if My GPS Camera Phone did go all corporate, I’d still strive to keep it real. Anyway, look for more changes in the months ahead.

I welcome suggestions and guest posts (in the realm of mobile technology), so if you have something interesting you would like to share, just let me know and we’ll talk. Aside from that, I’d just like to thank everyone for helping me achieve something that I’ll never forget about, no matter what becomes of it.

There are literally hundreds of mobile phones available to customers these days with more and more becoming available. You could almost compare mobile phones to computers in terms of obsoleteness. As soon as you leave a store your phone basically becomes obsolete!

So what are the best ways to shop for a mobile phone then? First, decide what you can afford. Mobile phones can range anywhere from $0 to hundreds. The price also depends on whether you plan on signing a contract with your mobile service provider. The longer they chain you up to them, the cheaper a deal you’ll get on your phone!

Second, decide what features you want! If all you want to do is chat and text, go for a basic mobile phone – you’ll save money in both the price of the phone and most likely the plan you choose.

If you love music and want to be able to play it on your phone look for a device with an mp3 player built in. Sony Ericsson makes some great mp3 phones, and there is also the iPhone from Apple.

If you need a personal organizer go for a PDA or Smartphones, great little gadgets to help keep your schedule organized. These phones often have the ability to ‘sync’ information easily from your computer. Check out brands like Blackberry who just released their highly anticipated Blackberry Storm model.

And finally, do a bit of homework! After you’ve decided on price range and features hunt around online for reviews. Mobile phones always come with pros and cons. A simple search can yield tons of helpful tips, advantages and pitfalls of almost any mobile device available!

Generally, fog is thought of as a thing that obscures vision and makes things difficult to see. With regard to photography, it is just the opposite.

Fog actually helps you see better.

Many photos I’ve taken in the past at the Paynes Prairie overlook have been on days with clear skies and no fog in sight. You could see for miles and the sun lit up the green surroundings. Good consditions for shooting the obvious, but not good for highlighting the obscure.

This morning, the fog was incredibly thick – as it is this time of year – with the moisture actually visible to the naked eye. You could see waves of tiny droplets floating by in the breeze, getting caught up in the thousands of spiderwebs, shedding light on one of nature’s invisible masterpieces. The surrounding foliage was covered in spiderwebs, producing a visual as if there was a big net covering the prairie. Had the camera been able to capture this with some reasonable amount of detail, I’d have posted it. Looking at this image, though, should give you a good idea of what it was like.

Visit the Wordless Wednesday HQ for more.

While I’ve had some success in the past with taking camera phone photos of the moon, it doesn’t mean I really knew what I was doing. Hard to believe, I know. This time around, however, I think I can say with a slight bit of conviction that the best time to shoot the moon is dusk on a semi-clear evening while the sky is still blue. Having a polarizing filter, as seen in Dan’s example, would eliminate the glow around the moon, but we’re talking about a camera phone here. Instead of agonizing over the inability to get a “perfect” photo, work with what you have and be positive about the potential results.

It goes without saying that a little bit of Photoshop surgery is still going to be required to remove the dreaded camera phone jpeg artifacts that will likely arise from this low-light photo. A little application of the “Reduce Noise” filter and the image is less pixellated, resulting in a smoother blue sky.

I think that the biggest point to remember is to not move. It’s a no-brainer, but seriously, don’t move. If you have to freehand the shot, exhale before the snap and relax. If at all possible, brace yourself against something solid to reduce body movement. In a best case, try to use something as a camera mount, like a wall, fence, car, newspaper stand or anything else. Motion is not the enemy, but it certainly doesn’t help us in this scenario.

Just remember to keep trying and to keep a positive attitude on your results. There’s no film to develop, so delete the bad photos and try again! Before you realize it, you will have captured your subject. Happy shooting!