Iceman Baldy - A Geek With Swag

The Great Compact Camera Debate: S100 vs. NEX-5N

2012-01-23T00:05:50-05:00

Two relatively different cameras: the Canon S100--an ultra-compact and a the Sony NEX-5N, an EVIL (electronic view finder, interchangeable lens) compact system camera. I've purchased both in an effort to find something to replace my Canon Rebel T1i which I recently sold on eBay in favor of something that I can carry with me all the time that still offers some of the creative manual features of a larger DSLR.

The S100 is truly pocketable. It slips into a bag or a pants pocket and, although it's well made with some solid weight behind it, it doesn't call attention to itself and is easily carried as long as you remember to bring it with you. It offers manual controls for aperture, shutter speed, and white balance while also providing the user with a full range of automatic functionality and creative scene controls. Shooting high-definition video, high speed video and RAW files is also a bonus that you won't find on other compacts in addition to fast shooting at 2.3 frames per second. The wide 2.0 aperture provides for some nice depth of field and the S100 has a larger sensor than most other compacts resuting in fantastic pictures and low light capabailty for a camera this small. I love everything about it except for the limited battery life which isn't a surprise given the power packed into such a small form factor so I have an extra battery at the ready.

The NEX-5N is a beast of a camera since it packs a DSLR sensor into a body that is at least a third as big as its full featured big brothers. The actual body of the camera is probably half an inch larger than the S100 which is pushing the limits of pocketability but since the sensor is so much larger, once you attach a lens like the kit 18/55mm, you either need to have some big pockets or be ready to carry this bad boy around in your hand or in a small bag or case. It's still easier to carry than a DSLR but the fact is it needs to be carried and isn't quite a inconspicuous. What I really like about it is you get the equivalent power, creativity and photo quality of a full DSLR including 10 frames per second shooting speed (60 frames per second are possible without continuous focusing) and a depth of field that blows the S100 away because the sensor is so much better. It's a low light powerhouse and offers creative video at full HD with complete creative control and select focusing.

So now you understand my dilemma. There is no pocketable camera better than the S100 at providing the kind of manual functionality that you get with this Canon mighty mite. There is no compact system camera better than the NEX-5N at providing the picture quality and video capability of a full DSLR APS-C sensor than this sensational Sony. Every manufacturer is working to produce better than these two in their respective categories but for now, they are Kings of the hill.

I would love to keep both and, until I can make up my mind and take some comparable pictures and video to put them through their paces, I'll hang on to each for a while. Neither is cheap, so I'll need to decide which tradeoffs I'm willing to make between pocketable and powerful in order to choose a carry-with-me-everywhere traveling companion that will play second fiddle to my completely unpocketable powerhouse, my Canon 60D. I also need to free up some cash tied up in cameras in order to satisfy me need for additional toys (and cameras) in the future when the inevitable latest and greatest hits the scene.

The Blackberry Playbook Ripens with 2.0

2012-01-11T09:05:19-05:00

The Blackberry Paybook just got a little sweeter now that the long overdue release of OS 2.0 has been confirmed with a preview of features that will delight both old and new purchasers of the 7 inch wonder tablet. RIM representatives discuss the latest CES presentation of the new operating system that will be available in February. Send me the download notification now!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The Android Tablet iPad Haters Love: Asus Transformer Prime

2012-01-11T03:38:52-05:00

The reviews of the Asus Transformer Prime are starting to hit the web and, aside from a small, oddly placed speaker, this is a tablet that rivals the form and build quality of the iPad while being one of the fastest tablets currently available among all tablet manufacturers. Add a detachable keyboard and tremendous memory capabilities beyond the built-in specs and you have a device that's one step closer to being the ideal laptop replacement. Check out The verge for more.

5 Web Shows to Watch In 2012, What’s On Your List? | Clutch Magazine

2012-01-09T00:34:36-05:00

As TV networks continue to ignore audiences of color, the web has become a bastion for shows by writers, directors, and producers of color.

By now we’re all familiar with the success of the webseries The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl and Milk + Honey, but there are so many well-written and well-produced shows on the web. From black comic book style shows, to talk and travel series, the internet has been great to up and coming filmmakers.

But what should you be checking for in 2012? The list is long and varied, but here are my recommendations for great web shows to add to your que this year.

12 Steps to Recovery

I discovered Tony Clomax’s hilarious webseries 12 Steps to Recovery last year, but the show just keeps getting better and better. It follows Parrish Diaz as he tries to recover from a broken heart. It’s been called ‘Sex & the City meets Curb Your Enthusiam’ and it’s absolutely hilarious. Check out the first episode.

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via clutchmagonline.com

If you're tired of channel surfing on network and cable television, try turning to the internet for some really innovative and solid programming by and about black interests. Clutch magazine provides some previews of great internet programming that you need to check out in the new year.

The IBM 5 in 5: The digital divide will cease to exist « A Smarter Planet Blog

2012-01-09T00:27:51-05:00

via asmarterplanet.com

Thoughts?

Best Cities to Live if You Are a Minority Entrepreneur | Black Web 2.0

2012-01-09T00:25:12-05:00

via blackweb20.com

The grass isn't always greener on the other side. If you live in one of these cities rated by Forbes as one of the best places to live for minority entrepreneurs, you might want to think twice about whether you're properly connected and tighten up your networks. There are 52 cites altogether--is your city on the list?

Getting More in Touch with a Swatch

2011-12-31T19:50:31-05:00

Looks like your favorite fashion-accessory watch has introduced a set of touch screen devices to the lineup. I'm not a Swatch fan--they're just too much of a novelty for my tastes--but it's nice to see them staying current with the latest features and functionality.

Swatch Touch Watch | Uncrate

RIP for RIM?

2011-12-28T18:47:25-05:00

via pcmag.com

Having recently purchased a RIM Blackberry Playbook for the discounted price of $199 (wandered into Staples looking for something else and it caught my eye--my mouth dropped when I saw the price and I nabbed the last one in the store), I've been fairly impressed with the hardware and form factor of the device and not as wowed by software applications beyond what the device shipped with.

The Playbook currently requires that you have a Blackberry phone to use in order to access your calendar, contacts, and email. I have a work-issued Blackberry but it's not currently configured by my IT administrator for use with the Playbook and I'll have to look into that once I get back to work. Hopefully, that won't be a showstopper. It's a capable web browser and media player. It also comes with Documents to Go installed for creating, editing and viewing Microsoft Office files.

So far, so good. It has a decent user interface that's a little choppy every so often and excellent multitasking that will hopefully become more stable with future updates. This article from PCMag discusses RIM's past mistakes with the introduction of the device as they lose their footing in the enterprise market to other tablets where consumer preferences drive IT responses rather than IT dictating our technology. Hopefully, RIM will take heed and the Playbook will become the best two hundred dollars I've spent in a long time. Game on?

V-Luxe iPad Stand | Uncrate

2011-12-25T07:43:07-05:00

via uncrate.com

Cool and awesome retro-tech style for your iPad.

Tech the Halls: 12 Christmas Decorations for Geeks

2011-12-25T07:19:23-05:00

via mashable.com

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Make Your 3 Step Million Dollar Business Pitch in 2012 - Michael Baisden Show

2011-12-15T18:29:05-05:00

via baisdenlive.com

With as much as $500,000 of his own money on the line, Michael Baisden is providing incentive to entrepreneurs to make a pitch about their business and take home anywhere between $10,000 to $100,000 to get their dreams going. Do you have what it takes to take a chance on living your dream? Submit an application, prepare a business plan, make a live pitch and reap the rewards to begin doing your thing. I think I'll start working on my application today.

Does Silicon Valley Have a Diversity Problem? Uh, Yeah.

2011-12-15T18:25:11-05:00

via techcrunch.com

Great insights from Navarrow Wright as a follow-up to the recent CNN Black in America documentary about the NewMe Accelerator and the experience of black entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.

I'm all for meritocracy but there aren't enough minorities who are being recognized and funded for business concepts and actual enterprises that have merit. The statistics for tech-related businesses are certainly a call to action both for entrepreneurs and those who would support them.

Tweeting While Black | News One

2011-12-15T18:06:22-05:00

via newsone.com

Interesting new series by News One showcasing the Top 10 New Stories that Broke on Twitter in addition to A History of Black Twitter and the Top 10 Black Tweeters. Good stuff focused on social media from our unique perspectives.

A Gentleman and a Rockstar

2011-11-29T17:10:21-05:00

Thanks to my iPhone with Big Lens and BlogPress apps, you get the first artistic, view-from-a-washing-machine look at my new Jeffery West boots. I ordered them from the UK and they arrived within four days. I love fast service. Check the stitching details.

Quest for the Perfect iPad 2 Notebook Case

2011-11-27T21:53:25-05:00

via padandquill.com

From DODOcase to Portenzo to Pad & Quill--which of these cases is the best? Well, I think I've finally found the best notebook-style case for my iPad 2 after having lived with each of the most popular traditional book-binding notebook-style case manufacturers and I'm ready to crown a king.

When I bought my first iPad, after some trials with the Apple case and a few others, I happened upon a blog article and some videos about the DODOcase which was among the first to provide a traditional notebook-style case for the iPad. Moleskine notebooks were very popular at the time (and still are) and this was a nice way of combining old-school looks and a bit of camouflage with the new-school technology of tablet computing that was the iPad.

My first case wore well but the friction hold always seemed suspect and soon suffered from corner grips that lost their adhesive quality. Shortly thereafter, the bamboo frame began to warp and ultimately one of the corners broke off. I really enjoyed the case and thought well enough of it to buy another for my iPad 2.

The iPad 2 case seems to fit the new device more snugly than the original iPad case fit the old and the adhesive on the wraparound corner material adheres better than the original case but the cover suffers from a gap between the bamboo and the cover that I find unacceptable--especially when the competition does not have the same sizing issue. It's almost as if the cover is a quarter inch too big for the frame and the cover either bows or slides quite a bit back and forth when closed on the iPad. Aside from this, the case is slim and quite handsome. DODOcase remains among the most popular of the notebook cases and they remain a favorite because they were first and have a really good story.

Given my frustrations with the DODOcase, I decided to give Portenzo a try. I found the case to be of excellent quality and craftsmanship and a step up from what was offered by DODOcase. The customization options were better for the same price and included a variety of exterior case colors and designs in addition to customizable interior colors, materials and wood frame selection.

Among other enhancements offered by Portenzo was better iPad protection with a wooden frame that covered the top and bottom of the device and provided cutouts to access ports and buttons where much of the iPad was exposed by the DODOcase and subject to scratches along the top and bottom edges. The Portenzo also had a sound chamber to enhance the iPad's speaker volume and provided the option of a camera hole so that you didn't have to remove the device from the case to take pictures or shoot video.

In terms of fit and finish, the case was just as slim as the DODOcase and the cover fit perfectly with no gap whatsoever between the spine and wooden frame. The corner design was better with no glued corner grips and a much cleaner design was utilized to secure the device. Even the wood finish seemed smoother and the side view showcased a woodgrain pattern that simulated book pages at first glance.

Still, the Portenzo had it's faults and it wasn't long before the upper right corner--the weakest corner for most of these cases as it's the thinnest place given the cutout patterns and structurally an area of concern based on the placement of the iPad's power button--splintered a bit and failed to hold the iPad securely at this pivotal corner. This was the same corner that broke on my DODOcase. If it weren't for this corner and its inability to continue to hold my iPad 2 securely, I would still be using my Portenzo.

So, instead of buying another Portenzo, I decided to give the Pad & Quill a try. Like Portenzo, several customization options are available and Pad & Quill even offers some unique styles that allow you to display the iPad at different angles or add an internal pocket. The Pad & Quill is the thinnest of all the cases but is also the longest and widest but only by about a quarter inch which seems like a lot when you compare the three wooden frames on each of the notebook cases.

The reason for the more substantial frame is that Pad & Quill seems to recognize better than DODOcase or Portenzo that the frame's strength and durability is tied to the robustness of the wood used to hold the iPad in place. The design used to secure the device is similar to that used by Portenzo with device frame coverage, cutouts, sound chamber, and camera access being similarly designed and executed. The book binding technique is the most traditional of all while including some even nicer enhancements than Portenzo like the cloth spine lining and a bookmark ribbon.

Given the Pad & Quill attention to detail where all of the DODOcase shortcomings are overcome and Portenzo enhancements are taken yet another step further, Pad & Quill has my vote for best notebook-style case. I have no doubt that this case will last until the iPad 3 is released and I'm on the hunt for hopefully an even thinner case with the kind of quality and durability that I've come to expect from my experience with several of the top notebook-style cases.

UPDATE: I neglected to mention one of the biggest selling points of the Pad & Quill case versus DODOcase and Portenzo. All of these cases are handmade in America; however, both the DODOcase and Portenzo took several weeks to arrive whereas I had my Pad & Quill within seven days which included the Thanksgiving weekend. Outstanding delivery for a superior product is another reason why Pad & Quill tops my list. What about Treegloo? Fugetaboutit. I placed an order and waited for over eight weeks and finally had to cancel because I got tired of waiting. Quality, reliability, value, service: Pad & Quill is the current king of the hill.