Appleby Horse Fair Images by Steve Franck, 2010

Image via Wikipedia

The Appleby Horse Fair is possibly over a 1,000 years old. Although its where Gypsies and Travellers gather to buy and sell horses its become a major tourist attraction in Cumbria. It even has a Royal Charter. Steve Franck, a freelance photographer, has put together a slideshow of images with voiceover by Billy Welch, a Gypsy himeself adn organiser of the Fair. You can find it on the BBC site at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8728149.stm.

You can also read a short interview of Steve Franck and of how he came to taking photographs of the Fair on the EPUK site at http://www.epuk.org/Showcase/960/appleby-horse-fair-england-steve-franck

3D Camcorders reach the consumer with the HDC-SDT750

Panasonic makes excellent digital technology, both for professionals and for the consumer. Having only just launched the first Full HD 3D Camcorder for Professionals earlier this year at CES, Panasonic have gone and announced one for consumers.

The Panasonic HDC-SDT750 is a 3MOS camcorder that allows users to produce their own 3D movies. You can then watch your creation on a 3D capable TV such as the Viera 3D TV. The camcorder relies on a 3D conversion lens that comes with the camcorder to record in 3D. This records the right and left images at the same time, just like we do with our two eyes. Each image produced is 960 x 1080 pixels, giving HD resolution in the final image.

The SDT750 comes with the usual array of Panasonic technical goodies, including:

• 3MOS System with Improved Noise Reduction
• HYBRID O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabiliser)
• IA (Intelligent Auto) function
• SDXC, SDHC and SD Memory Card storage capability

Available now. For more information checkout the Panasonic site at  www.panasonic.co.uk

Related articles by Zemanta

• The Third Dimension, in a Panasonic Camcorder (gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Panasonic HDC-SDT750 3D Camcorder Bundled With 3D Conversion Lens (mydigitallife.info)
• Panasonic reveals HDC-SDT750 3D camcorder, is super proud of itself (engadget.com)
• 3D Camcorder Attachments - The Panasonic HDC-SDT750 Will Bring Your Videos to Another Dimension (GALLERY) (trendhunter.com)
• Panasonic HDC-SDT750 leaked (ubergizmo.com)
• Panasonic HDC-SDT750 consumer-class 3D camcorder leaked (zdnet.com)
• Leaked: Panasonic Prosumer HDC-SDT750 3D Camcorder [Camcorders] (gizmodo.com)
• "Panasonic HDC-SDT750 3D Camcorder Using 3D Conversion Lens" and related posts (3dvision-blog.com)
• Panasonic's consumer-grade 3D camcorder leaks out, the HDC-SDT750 (engadget.com)
• Panasonic's new consumer 3D (maybe) camcorder (feldmanfile.blogspot.com)
• Panasonic's HDC-SDT750 3D Camcorder Will Cost You $1400 [Panasonic] (gizmodo.com)
• Panasonic HDC-SDT750 3D camcorder official: $1,400 in October (slashgear.com)

Spammers beware!

Image via Wikipedia

It is always pleasing when someone takes the time to write a comment on one's postings. When this happens the comments are always moderated and if they are decent, in English and make sense they are likely to be published. However, any comments that have links to other sites are always checked out first and if found to be links to sites containing spyware, trojans, offensive material or spam they will not be accepted. I may even, in certain circumstances, report the commentator to Google and in extreme circumstances (links to pornographic or racist sites for example) report them to the authorities.

Sadly, the vast majority of comments these days on all blogs are not suitable for publishing. However, please don't let that put you off if you are a genuine commentator. I check each comment and make my mind up by first reading the comment and checking any links it contains, so if you have something worth saying then it may very well be published!

Blackberry Torch - can it stem the rise of Android and iOS?

Image via CrunchBase

Blackberry's maker, RIM, has been in the news recently for the wrong reasons (or is it in fact the right reason - you decide). Several countries in the Middle East are planning to curb the rise of the Blackberry, not because they make their own smart phones. Not even because of their inherent lack of security - the exact opposite in fact. Yes, Blackberrys are too secure for the likes of the UAE and Saudia Arabia!

Seems these denizens of democracy object to their citizens being able to communicate, conduct business and generally browse the web without the State looking over their shoulders. The move to suspend data services on the popular devices has upset users in the Middle East and other countries including China, Turkey and Pakistan, as the authorities attempt to grapple with the free flow of information over the internet. Don't they know that like water, information will find its own level. There is nothing in reality that the State can do to turn back the clock and un-invent the internet. It won't stop them trying of course.

In the end, all they will do is force business away from their economies and make their citizens believe that the State is trying to control them (which it is - that's the nature of the beast I am afraid). They should look at North Korea and China to see where this attitude will get them. North Korea is a desert as far as business is concerned and China only started to experience real economic growth the more it loosened the chains upon its citizens. It's not perfect but it is moving in the right direction.

So, what's your take on all this - will they actually go down what many consider the road to ruin or will they pull back from the brink?

In the meantime, RIM has released the latest version of its smart phone - the Blackberry Torch. Called BlackBerry 6, and boasting various innovations such as the ability to combine information feeds from email, text messaging and social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, its seen by some as an 'iPhone killer' -but then doesn't everyone say that these days. It will go on sale for $199 (£125) in the US in partnership with AT&T on 12 August, with a roll-out in Britain later this year.

Related articles by Zemanta

• RIM removes the veil on BlackBerry 6 and the new BlackBerry Torch (zdnet.com)
• BlackBerry Torch: New Smartphone From Research In Motion and AT&T (manolith.com)
• BlackBerry Torch hands-on (slashgear.com)
• RIM announces BlackBerry Torch 9800 (infoworld.com)
• BlackBerry Torch official, hits AT&T soon (electronista.com)
• BlackBerry Announcement: What the Web is Saying (jkontherun.com)
• Sorry, But The BlackBerry Torch Won't Save RIM (RIMM, AAPL, GOOG, MSFT) (businessinsider.com)
• RIM prepares to fight back with Torch, its best BlackBerry ever (sfgate.com)
• AT&T and Blackberry Releasing Blackberry Torch Right Now (crenk.com)
• RIM Unveils Blackberry Torch Smartphone (trustedreviews.com)
• Hands-on: BlackBerry Torch 9800 (electronista.com)
• BlackBerry Torch 9800 Officially Announced - Too Little Too Late? (readwriteweb.com)
• RIM prepares to fight back with Torch, its best BlackBerry ever (seattlepi.com)
• Catching up: RIM launches BlackBerry Torch, touch-based OS 6 (arstechnica.com)
• RIM Regains Lost Edge with BlackBerry Torch (pcworld.com)
• UAE's Blackberry Services and Porn Ban a Boon to Steve's iPhone (fastcompany.com)
• RIM may allow India to snoop on some BlackBerry data (electronista.com)
• UAE Blackberry Ban Includes Visitors and Tourists [BlackBerry] (gizmodo.com)
• UAE: BlackBerry a National Security Threat (newsy.com)
• Saudi Arabia, UAE to block BlackBerry services (electronista.com)
• BlackBerry faces new government crackdowns on phone use (independent.co.uk)
• Experts: BlackBerry ban could affect privacy everywhere (cnn.com)
• UAE May Ban BlackBerry Smartphones (phonereport.info)
• US Slams Blackberry Ban (newser.com)
• Here's What The BlackBerry Torch Looks Like (RIMM, T) (businessinsider.com)
• Early Reviews of Blackberry Torch and New OS: "Old, Clunky, Uninspired" (cultofmac.com)
• RIM lights a candle for the BlackBerry Torch (go.theregister.com)
• Research In Motion Unveils New BlackBerry Torch (dailyfinance.com)
• All Canadian carriers, Vodafone get BlackBerry Torch by fall (electronista.com)
• BlackBerry Torch first impressions (cnet.com)

If you need a docking station for your Blackberry why not check out the Dexim MHub Dock Station for iPhone 3GS/3G/iPod/Blackberry - buy yours now for £34.99 whilst stock lasts!