First Impressions

Right off the bat the design of the Otterbox Commuter Series Strength case was something that I knew would be able to handle daily wear and tear of a Smartphone. There is a silicon inner case that wraps around the Blackberry 8530, but there is also an outer shell which is of a harder plastic and that the inner case fits into.

With the photo above you might notice something a bit different. When someone purchases this particular case from Otterbox, they will donate 10% of the purchase price to the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. The colour scheme also matches that of various Breast Cancer Charities too.

Another thing I noticed after taking apart the two pieces is that Otterbox includes a screen protector for the Blackberry Curve as well. I’ve recently gotten better at applying these small, delicate screen protectors and it only took me once try in adding it to Robyn’s phone. I love it when case companies offer screen protectors for the devices they are made for.

Installation:

Installing the Ottercase Commuter Series Strength case is not a difficult task at all, not that I was expecting it to be difficult either. You take the white silicon inner case and put the phone inside. The phone fits perfectly, just make sure you do put the phone right-side up else the side buttons won’t line up with the proper spots of the silicon case.

Next you insert the phone (with the white silicon case) inside the pink outer shell. Again, the two pieces fit perfectly together. You will notice that all the various ports align nicely and are easily accessible with the case on.

The cool thing I do like about this particular case is that Otterbox has included little connection jack tabs. These little tabs can help prevent dust and dirt getting into these electrical ports on the phone. This is a feature I rarely ever see on phone cases, including ones for the iPhone.

Final Thoughts

Granted there isn’t much to talk about when dealing with cases for phones. The Otterbox was easy to use when attaching it to the Blackberry Curve 8530 and it doesn’t look bad either. The inner silicon case helps protect it from scratches and debris, where the outer shell gives it a more solid feel.

If you’re looking for a easy to use, functional case for your Blackberry Curve 8500 series phone, want to support Breast Cancer Research and like the colour pink, I would recommend checking out the Commuter Series Strength Case from Otterbox.

Pros

• Comes with a screen protector
• Both an inner case and outer hard shell for better protection
• Jack tabs or covers to protect from dirt and dust
• 10% of purchase price goes to Cancer Research

Cons

• Must like the colour pink

When we got back from our little getaway on Galiano Island, I was checking out the local camera shops’ websites. Low and behold, the Canon BG-E7 had a crazy sale price and I quickly called in to try and get my hands on one. The first store I called did not have any in stock and they were not expecting any until at least the last day of the sale. I called another camera shop (which I typically end up buying most of my stuff from) and they had it in stock and they were willing to sell it to me at the crazy price. I hopped into my car and picked it up.

Canon BG-E7

When it comes to the land of digital SLR cameras, or the world of professional camera gear, there are always various addons, accessories and other gadgets you can buy for them. In this particular instance, the battery grip allows for some additional efficiencies when shooting photos. In the case of the lower level digital SLRs in the Canon and Nikon models, the addition of a battery grip allows you more battery time since you can use two batteries at the same time, it allows you to easily take photos in portrait mode because of the orientation of the additional shutter button and controls and in some cases, it might help make the fit better for you as well in terms of how large your hands are. The high-end models, such as the Canon EOS 1 Series or the Nikon D3 Series, have these battery grips already built into them.

The Grip Itself

The BG-E7 is specifically for the Canon 7D and is made of the same magnesium alloy construction that the camera is made of. Even though you attach the battery grip up into the battery compartment of the Canon 7D itself and screw it into the existing tripod mount, it still does retain the environmental seal protecting the batteries from the outside elements. You also do not loose your tripod mount as the battery grip has one.

As you can see from the photo of the back of the BG-E7 you have the similar controls when you shoot in portrait orientation as you would with the regular controls on the camera. They function the same, even if you have reprogrammed the buttons, just make sure you have the power switch to the on position as it is shipped in the off position.

The battery compartment of the BG-E7 is a bit different than the battery grip I have for my Canon XSi (BG-E5). The batteries for the BG-E7 slide into the grip parallel to each other.

Yes, if you only have one battery you can still shoot with just the one, you do not need to have two of them in order for the camera to operate. With the battery grip attached to the camera, you can still check on the individual battery info via the camera’s menu, such as serial number, the charge, shots taken and life expectancy.

The battery magazine (BGM-E6) allows you to use 6 AA batteries instead of the  two lithium (LP-E6) ones. Though, you would really only ever use the battery magazine as a last minute option if you have no other alternative. Since AA batteries do not have any sort of circuitry built-in, the camera is unable to display any information about them like the LP-E6 batteries can.

Installed (though I would say Attached)

When you install (attach) the BG-E7 to the Canon 7D, the size increases of course as does the weight. It is noticeably heavier with the battery grip than without, but it does fit nicer in my hands. With the battery grip attached it becomes closer to the size of the Canon EOS 1 Series as I would image the weight might also be closer to them as well.

The battery grip’s buttons that allow you to easily shoot in portrait orientation are placed relatively in the same position as the normal camera ones so your fingers can easily find them. The grip’s handle isn’t as contoured as the camera body’s is, which I find to be a bit odd. I would only have to assume it is because of the battery compartment size wouldn’t allow for a direct match in contour.

I also found that the shutter button on the BG-E7 was a bit more sensitive and I accidentally fired off a few shots when I meant only to fire off one shot. I guess it also doesn’t help that I typically have the camera set to High-Speed Continuous either, but that’s beside the point. I do like that the power switch for the battery grip is recessed a bit as well as a little out of the way so I cannot accidentally turn it off or on.

Final Thoughts

Overall I believe the use and addition of a battery grip is a great accessory for those who are more serious about their photo taking practices. Not only does it make shooting in portrait orientation easier, but it does help extend your shooting time with the use of the additional (optional) battery. More time out and about taking photos the better, right? I do like the fact that I can shoot with only one battery, as I have not yet picked up additional batteries, something next on my list to get.

I personally also like how it fits in my hand better, feels a bit more balanced when I am using my larger lens. The camera looks more heavy-duty and professional too with the battery grip attached. I am sure more people will inquire as to what I am shooting with when they see this beast of a camera in my hands. Did I mention that I am also happy that it retains the environmental seal? I would hate the camera to loose that feature.

The only downside that I see with the BG-E7 is the added weight and perhaps the possibility of it not fitting into smaller camera bags. It might just squeak into my Lowepro Top Loader Zoom AW, or at least I hope it will as that bag is my primary walk-around bag.

Pros:

• Might fit nicer in one’s hand
• Ability to easily shoot in portrait orientation
• Ability to add additional battery (LP-E6)

Cons:

• Added weight and bulk

Typically there are two ways of retrieving your recently captured images from your camera; connecting your camera directly to your computer to download them, or to remove the memory card and use a memory card reader to download them. Typically the Camera to Computer approach is alright, but not the quickest. You can also save wear and tear on your memory card (if you rarely swap it out) but then usually drain your battery when you have it connected to your computer for download.

The approach I prefer (as do most photographers) is the use of a memory card reader. A small electronic device that you can plug your memory cards into and have them download your images to your computer. They are also great when you have multiple memory cards to read from, I myself have two 16 GB Compact Flash cards, one 8 GB Compact Flash card and one 16 GB SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) card. You also typically get faster read speeds with a stand alone memory card reader than you would by plugging in your digital camera.

In the past I have used various memory card readers, typically ones that were for specific types of cards. I had one card strictly for Compact Flash, another one for SD and SDHC cards. Robyn even has a nice portable, USB SD and SDHC memory card reader which I’ve used plenty of times. Though with the recent upgrade to a higher end camera, I also got into the higher end memory cards too. The Compact Flash cards I have are both UDMA (Ultra Direct Memory Access) capable and offer read/write speeds up to 60 MB/second. Yes, in the world of camera gear, your memory cards can play an important role, especially when capturing fast action events.

Lexar Professional UDMA USB Memory Card Reader

When I was looking around for the fastest memory card reader I came across a couple from Lexar, both which are in their Professional line up memory products. Their fastest memory card reader uses the Firewire interface (both 400 and 800), the next one down, the one I wanted, is of the USB 2.0 variety. USB 2.0 is not as fast as Firewire 800 and a bit behind Firewire 400, but it is faster then any other memory card reader I have tried or looked at.

USB 2.0 has an effective data transfer rate of about 40 MB/second, whereas Firewire 400 is relatively the same speed perhaps a bit faster, but Firewire 800 can offer speeds up to 100MB/second. With that being said, my 60MB/second Compact Flash cards won’t truly shine in their read/write speeds with the USB 2.0 Lexar memory card reader but that’s alright, the memory cards shine when it comes to the frame rate on my Canon 7D.

The USB 2.0 memory card reader handles both Compact Flash memory as well as Secure Digital (and SDHC) memory and at the same time. This little device replaced two other devices I was currently using.

First Impressions

First impressions are always the most important right? When I first saw Keith using his Lexar dual-slot memory card reader, I made note of the size. It isn’t much larger than the Compact Flash cards it reads itself. You can even click it closed when not in use which makes this little unit half the height when in operation. The cool thing I liked, right off the bat, was that it supported both Compact Flash and SD (or SDHC). I use both these memory types as one is used with my Canon 7D and the other is used with my canon XSi (EOS 450D).

When you have both memory cards inserted they will both show up separately (in Windows anyway) as stand alone drives. This allows the easy use of retrieving your data off of them, but also writing back to them if you need to simultaneously.

You can, of course, still use them independently if you need to.

Performance

Granted with the memory cards I currently own, various factors can come into play when you are testing the read/write speeds of such a little device. My Compact Flash cards are of the 60MB/second type so with USB 2.0, I should theoretically only reach about 40MB/second, which isn’t their fastest rated speed. Other factors such as read/write speed of the hard drive they are being written too can also change the result. In this case I am using HD-Tune to check out how fast I can read/write to one of my 16 GB Compact Flash card.

Compact Flash

The Compact Flash cards, as I have mentioned, are of the 60MB/second UDMA types with a capacity of 16 GB. Though i do have one that is 8GB and is of a slower rate.

It is nice to see a decent sustained transfer rate averaging at about 24.3 MB/second, about one third of what the actual memory card is rated to be able to do. Though it is faster than from reading directly from the camera, at least that is what my observations are when I did import to Lightroom via the USB cable attached to my Canon 7D.

SDHC

The SDHC or Secure Digital High Capacity card I have is that of a Class 4 specification. This means that it is guaranteed to be able to do a minimum of 4 MB/second in transferring data.

With running HD-Tune, I was able to sustain an average of 12.7 MB/second, which isn’t that bad, but of course it is not nearly as good as the UDMA Compact Flash card. The SDHC card I have was fairly inexpensive, which is also probably why I get a lot of BUFFER FULL messages when I shoot in Continuous Mode on my Canon XSi. I have missed many a great shot with that camera and memory card.

Thoughts and Conclusions

I am really happy with the Lexar Professional Dual-Slot UDMA USB reader. Not only does it allow me to easily load multiple memory cards into Lightroom for the post-process portion of my workflow, it also allowed me to replace two existing memory card readers that read specific types of memory cards. Now I just use 1 device for all of my digital cameras!

The design of the card reader is also fairly minimal (which I like). It fit easily into my camera bag without taking up needed room when I was in Whistler for the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival. It is nice to also be able to click it closed when not in use, or when moving it around in a bag. The rubber around the edges of the bottom allow it to not slide around on whatever surface you place it on either.

Yes, it technically isn’t able to reach transfer speeds for the higher-end memory cards out on today’s market, but it does a decent job for those who don’t have access to Firewire 400 or 800 ports. Currently the fastest memory cards on the market can reach up to speeds of 90MB/second, and then the ones I have are 60MB/second, though that’s mainly for use in digital cameras who require a fast form of media for high frame rate shooting, or doing 1080p video.

When transferring files from the memory card to the computer that are roughly 22MB each, it can take a while to download 1,000 or so images. The reader helps pick up the pace, which means I have to wait less time when wanting to edit the photos to get them to their respective clients or on the web to share with the world.

Some people might shy away from a card reader such as this thinking they don’t need it and the cheapo $10 reader would do just fine, yes this card reader (at the time of this post) is retailing for about $60, but is is worth the price. If you’re shooting with professional cameras with professional grade memory cards, you will definitely see a speed increase (in regards to transfers between memory and computer) if you go with an UDMA capable reader such as this Lexar dual-slot reader.

If you do have a Firewire enabled computer I would recommend checking out the line of Firewire card readers by Lexar. I believe Macs do come standard with one Firewire 400 port, I know even my Windows-based computer has one. If you do not have a Firewire port then I do highly-recommend the USB 2.0 Dual-Slot memory card reader. I went with the USB dual-slot device so I can use it between the 3 windows-based computers we have here at home.

Pros

• Reads both Compact Flash and SD (or SDHC)
• Small size and footprint
• UDMA capable

Cons

• Max transfer speed of 40MB/second as specified with USB2.0 specs

When I first started looking for an easy to use bag that would fit my camera and largest lens (while attached) but not hamper me on my travels, I had looked at many different styles. I found that styles tend to change drastically from manufacturer to manufacturer as of course their functions. Eventually I settled on one that would suite my needs while I walked around taking photographs.

Lowepro Topload Zoom AW

The Topload Zoom (or TLZ) is designed for a smaller dSLR (digital SLR) camera and decent sized telephoto lens. In my case, it would be for my Canon XSi, with the battery grip and still allow me to keep my EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS lens attached. I tend to shoot a lot with my big white lens so a bag that would easily allow me to accommodate my setup without hampering my ability to pull it out and use it was something I was looking for. Other bags I’ve seen typically don’t allow for me to easily access a camera with a large lens like the 70-200.

The walls of the Topload Zoom are padded to help ensure small bumps don’t hurt your camera gear. There are also small dividers that are included which can help you organize some of your gear, but I found them to be more of a pain and got in the way. The two included dividers (which attach via Velcro) do have a pocket each, where you could easily store a memory card or perhaps a micro-fiber lens cloth.  Since I have my battery grip attached to my Canon XSi, I did not have enough room for the dividers and removed them. I could see the use of the dividers to keep the lens in the middle of the bag. I find that the width of the camera’s body keeps everything relatively in the middle.

The outside of the Topload Zoom is made of a tough, water-resistant fabric. I have found the fabric holds up to drizzly weather, but for those harsher, wet Vancouver days the included All Weather Cover provides great protection and keeps my camera gear dry. The AW covered is permanently attached to the inside pocket but can be scrunched up to easily fit inside without sacrificing room.

The Lowepro Topload Zoom AW comes with a pretty hefty shoulder strap which is long enough to wear the bag as a sling. I like being able to easily swing it around to pull out my camera or to change a memory card and then swing it back behind me out of the way. It also came with a chest harness, which was one reason I originally wanted to purchase it. I wanted something that was small enough for my dSLR but easy enough to stay out of the way when I snowboard. Though I have never used the chest-harness and found that using a simple backpack while snowboarding works out nicer than a sling would.

Optional Accessory

In the beginning of using my Lowpro Topload Zoom AW I used to sneak my EF 18-55 f3.5-5.6 IS kit lens into the bag along side my camera. Since I’ve upgraded my kit lens to a EF 17-40mm f4.0L lens I have not been able to have them coexist. My camera + 70-200 with the 17-40 is a bit too much for the Topload Zoom to handle. The solution to this little problem was to purchase one of Lowepro’s lens cases, in particular the Lens Case 1 or LC1.

This little guy fits my EF 17-40mm f4.0L perfectly snug. If you are wondering why I don’t have the lens hood, it is because I’ve read numerous forum posts that say due to the cropped sensor, the lens hood provides function at stopping things such as lens flare. For that reason, it is why I don’t use it or bring it along with me. Unlike my 70-200’s lens hood, the one for the 17-40 doesn’t provide any front-element protection either.

The LC1 utilizes Lowepro’s SlipLock technology which allows the case to be attached to the Topload Zoom and other Lowepro bags that feature SlipLock technology.

The LC1 is built with the same fabric as the Topload Zoom AW and is padded nicely to help suppress any bumps that might happen. Though I have found that there are a couple of downsides:

1. There is no All Weather Cover like there is with my Topload Zoom. The fabric and zippers do allow for some water-resistance, but take it out in the pouring rain as I have done with the Topload Zoom and eventually the water will work its way inside. Not so good for what is inside the case.
2. The other factor is how the SlipLock technology seems to work. It uses a system of reinforced Velcro straps that slides through a loop on the Topload Zoom, but there seems to be too much wiggle room. The LC1 wiggles around as I walk and it makes me feel like it will fall off. Perhaps if there was a strap I could cinch it would feel more secure. There are loops on the Topload Zoom that look as if a strap could go around the LC1 for a more secure attachment, but neither product came with such a thing.

Final Conclusion

I still use the Lowepro Topload Zoom everywhere I go when I bring my camera along. Granted I can’t fit all my gear in it, but when I’m on photowalks during the day it works great. There is even enough room for some other items like additional memory cards, change, lens clothes etc. Having the LC1 alongside the Topload Zoom allows me to make use of my telephoto lens and a wide angle lens, both where have their place in my photowalks from time to time.

When I upgraded from my Canon XSi to the Canon 7D there was no issue as the Canon XSi with battery grip is not much larger than just the Canon 7D itself. Though if in the future I pick up a battery grip for my Canon 7D I fear I might have a room issue. Lowepro does make larger toploading bags for pro camera bodies, though I don’t think I’ll spend the money on a bag similar to one I already have.

I really love the All Weather Cover that this particular model has. We’ve walked around the entire Stanley Park Seawall (10Km) in the pouring rain and my gear stayed nice and dry, we were soaked though. I was a bit worried, but I had faith in product and it did not let me down.

If you’re looking for a sling bag, but don’t plan on taking everything and the kitchen sink with you then I do recommend the Lowepro Topload Zoom AW.

Before I forget to mention it, when looking for a bag or backpack or pouch for your camera equipment, it is a good idea to bring the camera equipment you are going to lug around with you to the store. That way you can find the right bag/backpack/pouch/case that will fit it all and comfortably.

I’ve been looking at upgrading my camera body for a while, but the means were not available. Until now.

The decision between two Canon bodies had me in a pickle; the Canon EOS 7D and the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Both excellent cameras, both have their pros and cons, but really only one would be more helpful to me. Granted the 5DMkII is also about $1000 more expensive than the 7D, but in the end I wanted the Canon 7D.

There is the Canon 7D in all it’s brand new glory. Right away from pulling the camera body out I noticed one big difference over the Canon XSi, the weight. The Canon 7D is significantly heavier but I would assume that is because the camera body is made of a magnesium alloy. It feels well constructed, sturdy and fits nicely in my hand. The Canon XSi has always been a tad small for my hands.

Some of the features of the Canon 7D that I tend to favour are the following:

• Dual DiGiC 4 Processors
• Up To 8 fps (frames per second shooting) (in RAW)
• ISO up to 6400 (higher if you enable a particular mode)
• Environmentally Sealed body
• Top LCD panel
• Integrated Speedlite Transmitter
• 1080p HD Video with Manual Control capability – I’ll have to try this out eventually

The other main reason why I went with the 7D is not only does it have a pretty fast continuous mode, but with the 1.6x crop factor it still allows me that little extra reach with my lenses. From reviews and people’s comments I have heard the 7D does a pretty good job with sports photography, something I love doing more than birding.

Physical Compairson between Canon XSi and the 7D

As I mentioned above, the 7D is significantly larger than the XSi (450D). It’s comparable to that of the Canon 50D or Canon 5dMkII bodies.

As you can see from the above photos, there is a significant size difference. This will make using my EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS lens easier and less awkward than with the Canon XSi. In fact, one reason I bought the XSi’s body grip was it was easier to hold on to the camera with.

Over the next little bit I will have to familiarize myself with the Canon EOS 7D. The button layout is different than the XSi but in the end I am sure it will be that much better with more information available at my finger tips too.

I am hoping that tomorrow is a somewhat decent day. The weather calls for a partly cloudy morning with some rain in the afternoon. Hopefully I can get out in the morning to take the camera for a little spin.

Have you ever been somewhere that was beautiful, but the scene was too large to capture with your iPhone in one photo? Well perhaps this application can help you, I managed to stumble upon it one day and thought I would try it out today. It will help stitch your photos together to help create one large panoramic photograph; AutoStitch by Cloudburst Research.

Stitching on the go!

What does it mean to “stitch” photographs together? In a nut shell, it means to connect multiple photographs together by aligning similar features to help increase the length (or sometimes height) of a scene.

AutoStich allows you to do this easily and effortlessly. Once you have started AutoStich, browse to your Camera Roll on your iPhone and select the photos that make up your panoramic or that you wish to stitch together and hit the Stitch button. After a few moments it will create your stitched image. It shows you the stitching process live too, which is pretty neat. Just make sure to Save your results before you go back or close the application down.

Tip: When you want to make a panoramic, make sure when taking the photos to overlap them by at least 30% on one side, preferably the side in which the direction you move the camera in. I tend to over lap them about 1/4th or even 1/3rd of the photo just to ensure it has enough information and similar references to make a better stitch.

My Thoughts

So far using AutoStitch has worked out pretty well. It was also worth the $1.99 the application costs. It allows me to quickly put together pretty cool looking panoramic scenes without having to load my photos on to my computer first. I can just stitch and show!

There is a bit of duplication in the stitch and I noticed the colours can be a bit off. Though I’m going to blame that on the iPhone’s camera. I never did like the quality of camera Apple decided to include with their $800 phone, but that’s another story.

Here are the few panoramic shots I created using AutoStitch during a walk around Vancouver’s Stanley Park Seawall:

You can click on the photos above to see a larger version. Not bad for an application that only costs $1.99! Don’t forget, I did this all without using a computer. Just my time, a bench to take in the beautiful views and my iPhone. There is some colour issues and some ghosting, but that could be me and my somewhat shaky hands.

Requirements:

• Apple iPhone
• iPhone OS 2.0 or later

I recommend this application to anyone who wish to photograph larger scenes with their Apple iPhone.

With the more recently announcement of Apple releasing the 3Gs iPhone what better way to protect your new investment by purchasing a good, sturdy case? I have used some of Speck’s products before but their newer CandyShell iPhone Cases have definitely peeked my interest in ensuring my iPhone stays clean and scratch free, but still allows it to stand out in the crowd of other iPhones.

Speck CandyShell iPhone Cases

I have been using my Speck SeeThru case for quite some time and was looking to upgrade to something a bit sturdier. I received notification that Speck release a new iPhone case called the CandyShell and when I looked at the initial photos, I thought that this might be a great upgrade to the SeeThru I was previously using.

My first impressions when I received my CandyShell cases were that not only would it protect against scratches and marks on the outer portion of my iPhone 3G, but it would would give my iPhone a more unique look. In fact, I still get people asking me what sort of phone and case combo do I have when I take my phone out.

Features of the CandyShell.

• Fits iPhone 3G and iPhone 3Gs
• Lightweight, one-piece design.
• Colorful on the outside, rubberized on the inside
• Includes screen protector with screen cloth
• Easy access to ports and controls

The Speck CandyShell offers me the features I want in a case for my iPhone; uniqueness and protection.

Performance

How does one measure performance on an object that is passive? Well in the case of the Speck CandyShell, placing your iPhone into it doesn’t take much effort. The corners are rubberized to allow a bit more flex when you put your iPhone into the case and take it out (if you ever need to). I would recommend applying the included screen protector prior to placing your iPhone into the CandyShell.

The case itself is a constructed of hard plastic with rubber corners. The rubber corners allow the harder plastic to flex when you first insert your phone, or ever need to take it out. The rubberized interior allows for protection against bumps and scratches. The CandyShell case also does not add much bulk either, which I think is important. I love that I can still easily slip my phone, with the case on, into a front pocket and be able to easily retrieve it when needed.

The opening for the ports allows easy access for connecting your iPhone’s USB cable as well as headphones. There could be a little bit of an issue if you have a dock of some sort, but for me I haven’t had any issues.

The headphone jack is also easily accessible in case you need to plug in a pair of  headphones, or when you hook it up to an auxiliary port on a stereo or some similar device. The power button has a cover over it and does not allow for accidental button presses.

When you need to access the mute/silent switch on the side, it can be a bit tricky with larger fingers. It also helps keep you from accidentally switching on  mute/silent, which I used to do in the past. The volume buttons are similar to that of the power button, and you need to push a bit harder to make it work. Though I have had no issues pressing them and no fear of breaking it either.

The back of the case also has a small opening for the camera of the iPhone. If the front of the camera gets a bit dirty, the case still has enough room that you can take a small cloth and remove any dirt or dust that might have settled over time.

When you go to apply the screen protector, make sure the surface of your iPhone’s screen is completely clean and free of any dust. I accidentally dropped my screen on the floor and spent a good 30 minutes using scotch tape to pull off the dust that stuck to it. It was easy to apply, and it was my first ever successful screen protector application. I have no bubbles and there is no loss in touch-sensitivity with the screen protector in place either.

Final Thoughts

Overall I have always enjoyed using Speck products. Not only do they release new innovative cases for Apple’s iPhones but they also release some pretty cool protective cases for their Macbooks too.

Every time I bring out my phone, I get people asking me what phone I use because they have never seen one like it. People also ask me what case I use because it looks cool and they want one as well.

If you are looking for a great looking, good protection case for your Apple iPhone 3G or even that new iPhone 3Gs you have your eye on, I would highly recommend the CandyShell case from Speck. They also come in 4 great colour schemes too; Lemondrop Liqurorice, Keylime Jawbreaker (featured above), Cranberry White Truffle and Watermellon Gumball.

Pros

• Unique Design
• Included Screen Protector and Screen Cloth
• Rubberized Interior for better shock absorption
• Easy access to ports, buttons
• Does not add bulk

Cons

• Power and Volume buttons might be a bit harder to press
• Mute/Silent Switch can be tricky to flip back and forth

Enter To Win!!

Want to win your own iPhone 3G/3Gs CandyShell case? I have a Lemondrop Liqurorice CandyShell (black with yellow accents) case to give away to one of my readers here at Tyler Ingram dot com. All you have to do is comment on this post to be entered to win the case!

If you leave a comment, I will draw 1 lucky random person to win the free Apple iPhone 3G/3Gs Lemondrop Liqurorice CandyShell from Speck!

Want to earn an extra entry to increase your odds of winning the case? Just click on the following Twitter link: http://twitter.com/?status=Win+an+Apple+iPhone+Case+from+%40TylerIngram+over+at+http%3A%2F%2Fsnipurl.com%2Fk6fmc – This, along with your posted comment will allow you for 2 entries into this small and simple contest.

I will make the draw on July 1st (Canada Day) 2009. Comments must be posted no later than June 30th 23:59:59 PST 2009.

Please be sure to include a valid Email address so that I can get in contact with you if you are the chosen random winner.

Good Luck!

We cannot change the camera hardware in the iPhone so we must resort to various software applications to try and improve the photos as best we can.  One issue I find with iPhone is how noisy (or grainy) photos become. Hopefully the application I recently found can help eliminate some of that noise.

That application is NoiseBlaster (Omer Shoor).

I randomly came upon the NoiseBlaster application and by the icon it uses, I thought it was a game. I looked it up via iTunes App store on my iPhone and found out that it is to help reduce the noise (or graininess) visible on the photos I take with my iPhone, or does it?

Settings

The only settings NoiseBlaster has is what the output file size will be. I found under the 1600×1200 (Very slow) was not all that slow when saving the final result. Luckily it also saves a copy and does not copy over the original as some programs I have noticed have done.

Colors

The Colors menu I believe should be called something else, as you don’t really play with the colours of the photo at all. You get to adjust the Contrast and Exposure. This is great for those many underexposed photos the iPhone will take, but with Contrast, where is the Brightness adjustment too? They seem to go hand in hand, right?

Denoise

This is the main feature of NoiseBlaster, to be able to denoise you photos. The above photo I applied what looks to be just a bit over 1/3 of a denoise value. The more I denoised the image the softer the image would become. This to me isn’t the greatest result, to have softer photos after denoising, but perhaps in a later version (hopefully next update) they can add in a sharpening option.

Here are the before and after result of a  photo I took of Robyn (right) and my brother’s girlfriend Kristin (left) while at the Giggledamn in Port Coquitlam BC.

Before using NoiseBlaster

After using NoiseBlaster

I don’t know about you but, the difference in noise between the two above photos seem to be a bit marginal. I also think uploading to Flickr might have reduced the quality a tad bit too. The After shot almost looks like someone took a photo from an old TV show or something. It probably also did not help that I had a halogen light in the background facing towards me.

Final Thoughts

For the $0.99 that NoiseBlaster costs it does get rid of noise but, at a cost of softening up your photo too.  I do like that I can bump up the Exposure level if I need to, as in the photo above, so to me the $0.99 would be worth the Exposure portion. Though I am sure there are better iPhone applications out there that can do that and more with your photos.

If they add the ability to sharpen the images after  you’ve used the denoising tool, then this application would be worth downloading and paying the $0.99 for. What can I say, I’m cheep when it comes to my iPhone applications!

Pros:

• Can adjust Exposure level
• Does not save over original
• Denoise is alright
  

Cons:

• The more you denoise, the softer the images become
• No way to sharpen up images
  

Do you own an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch and love using Twitter on the go? There are a few Twitter applications out there for the iPhone/Touch but none are comparable to that of Tweetie.

Up until recently I have been using Twitterific on my Apple 3G iPhone and it has served me well as a Twitter client. Though there are some aspects of the application I did not like such as no area to see replies or direct messages only. It would also group all my replies and direct messages at the top of the time line. The inline browser was poor and liked to crash a lot. If I were to look at a particular person’s profile, I would end up having to view it in Safari thus closing Twitterific. Using my iPhone with a Twitter client was becoming more of a pain in the butt, until I saw Tweetie.

I think the first time I briefly saw Tweetie was on Arieanna’s iPhone over at WordCamp Whistler. Her and her husband swore by it but I had forgotten about it since.

While looking over the What’s Hot list recently on my iPhone’s App store, I noticed that Tweetie was one of the popular applications. I looked over it briefly and decided to pay the $2.99 for it. Something has to be better than Twitterific, I was right.

Tweetie

Tweetie is a great, fully featured Twitter client for your Apple iPhone or iPod Touch. Curious as to what Tweetie has to offer you as _the_ Twitter application? Check out the extensive feature list!

• Handle multiple twitter accounts.
• View your timeline, replies, direct messages and favorites.
• Browse your friends and followers.
• Post new tweets, retweet
• Reply directly to tweets and send direct messages.
• Follow and unfollow people.
• Mark tweets as favorites.
• Navigate reply chains.
• Inline web browser.
• Post links with automatic link shrinking via bit.ly.
• Upload pictures to twitpic.com.
• Update your twitter location.
• View twitter trends and perform custom searches.
• Save your favorite searches.
• Implements the full twitter API.
• Uses secure connection (https).
• Go to User shortcut
• Nearby search
• Themes and adjustable font size
• Bookmarklet support

Look at that! Wow! Multiple accounts can come in handy since I do have 3 Twitter accounts, ability  to view timeline, replies and direct messages in separately, inline photos from TwitPic, Trending and Searching just to name a few. The list goes on.

One big feature that Tweetie has (and I think is a must) is the ability to use a landscape keyboard. Faster typing, no more fat-finger-syndrome for me! I can type out better tweets now without my fingers accidentally hitting other keys. (Apple when are you giving us a supported landscape keyboard for everything?)

Twitter Timeline

Right off the bat I noticed a difference over Twitterific user interface. The user interface for Tweetie is simple, clean and easy to use. You can even make it look like chat conversations with the bubbles, similar to the look you get with SMS on the iPhone.

Twitter Replies

Twitter Direct Messages (DMs)

Yes you still get your replies and direct messages shown in the main timeline but you can switch to either mode easily to recall previous messages replied to you or directly sent to you.

Tweetie supports Landscape Keyboard

Sure the text area itself allows for 2 lines at a time, but you only get 140 characters, so I don’t think that is much of an issue. The landscape keyboard is great for typing out messages. Like I previously mentioned above, when is Apple going to make this a native feature for the iPhone?

I have been using Tweetie for about a couple days now and I highly recommend people spending the $2.99 on this great application for their iPhone or even iPod Touch. If you’re an avid user of Twitter you will definitely see benefits to using this as your Twitter client of choice.

Other features I like about Tweetie is that you can not only see your own profile, but those other people without having to leave the application. You can also follow and unfollow people too! Previously I had to load up Safari, go to Twitter’s website (non iPhone version) and follow new people that way if I was on the road. Tweetie makes it easy!

Tweetie also has added features within the application itself which people, I believe, will find really useful. Just check out the above screen shot. You can look at the popular trends happening in real time on Twitter. You can search through Twitter on your iPhone using Tweetie too! For those who are not scared about people knowing where you are, you can also find other Twitter users nearby. Great for that last minute coffee or beer meetup!

If you use Twitter a lot and have an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch, I highly recommend downloading (spend that $2.99) Tweetie today! You will definitely not regret it.

In today’s world of electronic gadgets one such gadget I find people talking about more or even saying they want is a portable GPS unit for their vehicle. Well prior to this I have never used a GPS unit before though I was able to see a Garmin in action when Robyn and I were in Minnesota this year. I was curious as to how other vehicle GPS units perform and looked at the various GPS manufacturers out there in today’s market. One that came to mind was TomTom.

It seems TomTom has released an updated version of the TomTom ONE series with the XL 330/330 S which has a smaller compact design and smaller mounting hardware.

TomTom

When I first saw TomTom being mentioned as a GPS device manufacturer it was a TV commercial. It intrigued me then and when people talk about GPS units now, TomTom’s name usually comes up.

TomTom focuses on car navigation with combining high quality map data that is kept up to date with help from the large community of people who use TomTom products. They also try and deliver quicker travel routes using historical speed data and real time traffic information services.

Even though TomTom has not been in the market as long as Garmin they still have been around for over 15 years and stay competitive in today’s market of car navigation devices. With the acquisition of Tele Atlas I am sure they won’t be stuck behind the pack when releasing map updates either.

GPS – Never Getting Lost Again

I was excited to try out my first GPS device and when I received the TomTom XL-330 S my first impression of the device was that it looked good, small and hopefully seemed easy to use. The other feature of the TomTom Xl-330 S is that it came with what they called an EasyPort which greatly reduces the amount of hardware needed to mount it to a car surface.

Features

• Maps of US and Canada
• EasyPort Mount
• Plug and Go Operation
• Spoken Instructions and Street Names
• 4.3″ Widescreen
• Preloaded Points of Interest (PoI)
• Stay Up To Date with TomTom’s Home Service
• TomTom Latest Map Guarantee
• Traffic Ready
• Daily Fuel Prices (optional service)

I am glad that this particular unit came with Canadian maps out of the box. I remember seeing other manufacturer GPS devices that made you purchase a model or two above to get it preloaded with Canadian maps.

EastPort Mount is pretty cool in itself. It attaches easily attaches to the back of the TomTom XL-330 S and mounts to the windshield with no troubles.

Though I do recommend you attaching the mount to the windshield and then attaching the TomTom unit to the mount. Just don’t push hard on the screen, use the frame as it can be a bit tough clipping in. This is easier because you can attach the EasyPort mount to the glass easier without the unit attached. The suction cup engages with a simple twist.

The Plug and Go operation is nice. I took the unit out of the box, mounted to the car and turned it on. Within a minute or two it acquired 12 satellite signals and knew exactly where I was. Was there any doubt? When you first turn it on you do need to set up the basics such as home location, time and default maps. You can also choose the voice for which it uses to speak upcoming streets. This is only when you first take it out of the box or have to do a hard-reset.

Design

It seems that TomTom has redesigned their ONE series into a thinner and more compact version. The EasyPort mount (as mentioned above and pictured above) is compact and folds up against the back of the unit. This is good because it is thinner than previous models and fits better in a bag or even your pocket. When you turn it off they even show a picture of someone putting it into a hand bag, a reminder to take it with you.

The widescreen is really nice. I recommend if you can afford a widescreen version I would go that route. More visual information for you and also makes it easier to glance at while driving. Wider screens also allow for larger keyboards and in this case the onscreen keyboard is nice and big. I do not recommend using the onscreen keyboard while driving though.

The USB port at the bottom of the unit is tricky to connect to as it is a bit recessed. I would recommend plugging in the car adapter prior to mounting it on your dash or windshield.

Once the TomTom XL-330 S is mounted to the EasyPort you can easily rotate it 360 degrees, you can also swivel the EasyPort mount though it can be a bit stiff. Just make sure, like when attaching it, you grasp the frame of the unit when positioning to your liking.

One thing I did notice is that it does lack an option for an external antenna. External antenna would allow you to acquire a better GPS signal, hopefully in a more dense building area too.

Performance

So you have the TomTom XL-330 S mounted to your chosen location inside your vehicle, now what? You can set up a destination without much trouble. There are a few menus you have to navigate around when setting up a destination but the nice thing is you can set it as a favorite and choose it later without much hassle. After you have inputted your destination it will calculate your route fairly quickly. You can also choose how it should calculate its route buy: shortest distance, quickest time or arrive at no particular time.

I told the TomTom to take me from my place in Pitt Meadows BC to Robyn’s place in the West End of Vancouver. I also specified that I did not have to be there by any particular time. Clicking on the above image will show you a larger version but as you can see TomTom’s route was not as direct but I assume it has less traffic lights to go though. Then again my route downtown is not a typical main artery I guess either, well if you’re not a Vancouver resident I suppose.

A few times I had troubles picking up a decent signal when I was downtown Vancouver. The taller buildings will hamper with acquiring a GPS signal. Once it took over 30 minutes to acquire a GSP link and by then I only had 10 minutes left in that particular journey. Another time it was able to acquire a signal 3 blocks away. Perhaps an external antenna could help with this. They do have a QuickFixGPS update on their website that will help keep track of GPS satellite locations to help aquire a quicker location fix.

When I am out in Pitt Meadows (where there are no large steel and concrete buildings) I am able to pick up a good GPS signal within 2 minutes of powering up the TomTom XL-330 S.

I noticed when I was driving from Robyn’s place and set TomTom to route me home it kept trying to redirect me 2 streets over. I did not want to go that route and after I would miss the ‘Turn Left’ directions it kept giving it would then just recalculate and keep asking me to ‘Turn Left’ at each intersection I approached. It would have been nice for it to realize I would not comply to its wishes and recalculate the route based on the road I was traveling on.

Battery life is specified to be up to 3 hours of operation. I have not needed to try this part out as I plug in the unit with the car adapter every time I use it.

A feature that might be fun to use would be the Traffic reporting but that is a separate option for this unit. It uses the FM broadcast and will help recalculate a route if there are traffic issues up ahead on your current route.

Updating TomTom

You install the TomTom Home software by plugging the TomTom into your computer and agreeing to install it. I thought it would install off of the TomTom itself but it actually goes to the TomTom website and downloads the software.

TomTom’s Latest Map Guarantee means that within 30 days of your purchase if there is a newer map available to download you get to download it free. You do have to attach the TomTom to your computer via the supplied USB cable. You also need to install their Home software.

TomTom Home also allows you to download new voices, as well as PoI or Points of Interest that might be handy for you and your area. Their Map Share service allows you to connect with other TomTom users and download their corrections to maps in your area, or you can share your updates. Perhaps streets have changed, or a road is blocked, you can edit them and upload them to the community. With constant road upgrades or even road closures due to construction this could be very handy.

TomTom Home also will update the TomTom device with any firmware releases or any other software updates that might be needed. Though be warned that if you do have to download a new map like I did (there was an updated version of the Canadian map) it was over 200 MB and over a USB port it took quite the time to complete (download, transfer, install, reboot).

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

I have enjoyed using the TomTom XL-330 S GPS unit though I wish I could create some more fun car adventures and test the navigation and route calculation a bit better. I have entered in some known addresses and just followed the TomTom as it directed me which each time turned out pretty well.

The compact design, which is not bulky, is great and with the EasyMount port it allows for less clutter on your vehicle’s dash.

It seems that the lower cost GPS units do not come with external antennas or a port to plug one in but that would be a nice option if you do a lot of city driving. Though if the buildings are quite high I am sure it might be a bit difficult to obtain a decent satellite signal.

For being my first GPS unit I have quite enjoyed using the TomTom XL-330 S. Using it to find locations I might be unfamiliar with was great, though for the routes I did know I would have liked it to recalculate the route on the road I currently was driving on.

If you are looking for a widescreen vehicle GPS unit I would recommend looking at the TomTom XL-330. It would be great for road trips where you are not quite sure where you are going. If you are doing deliveries or driving around locations you are familar with, you probably know a better route than the TomTom, but if not it will find you the quickest or shortest route.