It’s that time of year again. Days are getting shorter, the beach is getting colder, and secretly rejoicing parents are getting ready to shuffle off the kids onto a bus again – or even off to college. Sad as this perennial parental parting is, a little back-to-school outfitting goes a long way in soothing back-to-school blues, and tech gifts are among the most useful ones to bring them back to the classroom. From elementary-school kids, to grads and undergrads, here are a few of the most useful gadgets you can send the young ones off with (and one killer backpack to put them in).
Tag Archive: image
Olympus E620 DSLR Packs Image Stabilization and In-Camera Filters
Olympus has taken the wraps off its new E-620 DSLR, a small consumer-friendly camera with all the power of a DSLR for the serious photographers, plus image stabilization and in-camera filters and multiple exposure capabilities designed to inspire creativity among shooters of any experience level. Olympus says the E-620 offers a 12/3 megapixel resolution, a 2.7-inch swing-out display, and, and 16.76 ounces, is the lightest DSLR on the market with image stabilization.
IWF Backs Down From Wikipedia Image Ban
Yesterday it was banned, today it’s not. UK watchdog, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has backed away from its ban of the cover of the Scorpions’ 1976 album, Virgin Killer, on Wikipedia.
After the IWF had labeled it as “potential illegal child sexual abuse” a number of British ISPs had blocked the image. Very quickly, however, the IWF has been forced to do a U-turn, admitting that since the image is 32 years old and widely available online, there was no point in proscribing the image on the online encyclopedia.
In a statement on its site, the IWF said:
Pack Your Tunes in Sharper Image’s SoundBag
When last we heard from the Sharper Image it was shedding stores after declaring bankruptcy, blowing out inventory, and getting ready to retool itself as a “brand” rather than a retailer, “exploiting” the familiarity of its name to market products via other partners. Now, we’re starting to get a look at what the new Sharper Image brand might look like: the company has just announced the SoundBag, a new travel bag developed by The EnE Group combined with a flat-panel portable speaker system to be sold through Macy’s, Dillard’s, and Navy Exchange, along with other retail partners.
Nikon Launches Six Coolpix Cameras
Nikon has taken the wraps off six new Coolpix digital cameras due to hit retailers in September, each targeting a different segment of the point-and-shoot digital camera market and offering unique features for different uses and different styles of photography. Each camera sports a smart scene selector that chooses an appropriate scene more for an image, along with smile detection and Blink Warning technology that displays a warning when it detects a subject has blinked.
Klipsch Adds Image X5 to Headphone Line
Audio gear outfitter Klipsch seems to think it has a good thing going with its Image line of headphones, which were introduced last year with the $350 Image earbuds—now rechristened the Image X10—that earned solid reviews but, let’s face it, they’re earbuds. Now Klipsch has decided that it wants to build on that success, but perhaps reach out to a wider market segment. Its answer? The forthcoming Image X5 earbuds, claiming to offer a full-range design with a tuned bass reflex response and noise-isolating ear gels that let users focus purely on their music…and the sound of their pulse, and any noise their jaw might make.
Sharper Image Shutting Down Stores
The saga of The Sharper Image’s bankruptcy woes has reached its final chapter: the company has announced it plans to shutter its remaining 86 retail locations and blow out some $50 million in inventory, offering discounts of 20 to 40 percent on all merchandise.
The closeout is being handled by Hilco Merchant Resources, which, with Gordon Brothers and Bluestar Alliance, picked up the failing retailer for $49 million at a bankruptcy auction on May 29. Hilco had already been liquidating Sharper Image’s assets, including 96 of the company’s existing retail locations.
PhotoBucket Adds Image Editing
It seems like every digital camera and computer operating system comes with some sort of image editor these days, but that doesn’t mean photo fans have access to image editing tools anytime they need them—like, say, at an Internet cafe, someone else’s computers or (we won’t tell!) posting images from work. So photo sharing sites have been keen to add Web-based image editing capabilities to their services, and PhotoBucket is the latest to join the crowd, announcing today it has added Web-based image-editing tools from FotoFlexer to its site.
Sharper Image Files for Bankruptcy
Upscale gizmo retailer The Sharper Image has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection blaming three straight years of losses on declining sales and problems stemming from its much-derided Ionic Breeze air purifiers.
According to court papers, the chain has been facing declining sales since 2004, and has posted losses during the last three fiscal years. As of January 31, the company claimed to have $251 million in assets and $1999 million in debt, with about $700,000 in cash on-hand. The company is seeking a $60 million loan arranged by Wells Fargo to keep operating.
Digital Foci Bringing Photo Frames to CES
Some folks love the idea of putting their digital snapshots (or other images on display throughout their home, but are understandably reluctant to (say) work an aging laptop into their living room decor. So a burgeoning market in digital photo frames has developed, enabling users to display their digital images on LCD displays that more closely resemble traditional photograph frames. Digital Foci will be bringing three new digital photo frames to the CES show in January under the "Image Moments" line, aiming to please multiple segments of the developing market.
