Looking for the next tech toy to add to your collection? The Extreme Micro Drone 2.0 is ready for take-off.
This compact quadrocopter is perfect for indoor and outdoor flights and complex aerial maneuvers, and can capture it all with its on-board camera!
Simply charge up the drone via USB, pick up the remote control, and pilot the Extreme Micro Drone 2.0 as far as 400 feet away and perform 360-degree flips with ease. Order now from TNW Deals for just $74.99, including free international shipping!
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Microsoft’s Lumia 950 and 950 XL are finally going on sale November 20 and 25
After being announced in early October , we finally have firm launch dates for Microsoft’s newest Windows Phones in the US: November 20 and November 25th.
The smaller Lumia 950 is set to go on sale Friday via AT&T, but if you want to get your hands on the larger and slightly more powerful Lumia 950XL , you’ll have to buy it unlocked from the Microsoft Store (you can preorder now but orders won’t ship until the 25th).
If you need a recap, both devices come with a QuadHD display (5.2 inches on the 950 vs 5.7 inches on the XL), 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of storage, USB-C, Qi wireless charging, removable batteries and microSD card support. The Lumia 950 runs on an hexa-core Snapdragon 808, while the 950 XL uses the slightly more powerful octa-core 810.
The standout hardware feature on both devices is undoubtedly the 20-megapixel camera, which Microsoft says is even better than the one on the Lumia 1020 , long regarded as one of the best mobile cameras around.
On the software front, the devices will be the first to launch with Windows 10 Mobile (meaning they can run virtually any universal app made for Windows 10). Of particular note is a feature called Continuum, which allows the phones to run universal apps in desktop mode when connected to a monitor.
Unfortunately, the exclusive launch on AT&T means that the 950 will almost certainly not see much commercial success; exclusivity rarely works for brands lagging well behind competitors.
Likewise, an unlocked price of $649 doesn’t bode well for the 950 XL, with devices like the Moto X Pure Edition and OnePlus 2 pushing the boundaries of price range for a flagship device. It’s an odd choice of launches for a company that has to put in a lot of work to come anywhere near Android and iOS’ penetration.
Still, at least Microsoft’s getting the ball rolling with some new hardware with specs to match competitors; perhaps the new Lumia devices will just be placeholders while more developers build Windows 10 apps before the long-rumored Surface phone arrives.
➤ Microsoft Lumia 950 to Arrive First at AT&T on Nov. 20 [AT&T via Engadget ] | Microsoft Store via Neowin via WMPoweruser
Ricoh launches the Theta S 360-degree spherical camera for creative, tech savvy consumers
It was just two years ago that Ricoh launched the Theta spherical camera, targeted to photo enthusiasts and creative folks.
Today, the company has announced the Ricoh Theta S, a brand new model. The new camera is capable of shooting super-high resolution spherical photos and videos in one shot. It features a live preview function and greater compatibility with popular social media platforms.
“In order to be spherical, you have to capture 360 degrees in every direction,” Jim Malcom, president of Ricoh Imaging Americas told TNW. “ There are other products in the industry that claim to be 360 degrees, and they are in one direction, but they’re not 360 in all directions. That’s the difference between a 360-degree camera and a spherical camera. Spherical captures absolutely everything.”
The Theta S retains the light weight character of the current model — the Theta m15 — at 4.4 ounces, however the new model has a larger image sensor and faster F2.0 lenses to allow more light through its tiny twin-lens folded-optical system. It uses two ultra wide lenses, with an angle of view of more than 180 degrees, so they see behind each other and overlap slightly.
The lenses are specifically designed to have mostly equal image quality from center to edge, a construction that assures proper stitching of the resulting spherical image.
The camera employs two 1/2.3-inch, 12MP sensors for 24MP of data. Via the software, the photographer ends up with a 14 MP image (the extra data is needed for compositing purposes). The camera can also record spherical video in full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels at 30fps) with stereo microphones for audio. It has a maximum recording time of 25 minutes and some live streaming capabilities.
Improved image processing technology and bulb mode for long exposures allow the new cam to produce stills with less visual static, even in low-light settings, the company said.
The Ricoh Theta S also has an updated design and user interface. Handling has been improved with the camera’s matte black rubber coating and face-mounted LED mode indicator. Internal memory has been increased from 4GB to 8GB. It also has a larger battery and a heat distribution system. Still, to the eye, it is very close to the original in terms of dimension.
What can you do with all those gorgeous images? Why, upload them to theta360om , share them via Facebook , Twitter and Tumblr or post them to Google Maps , Google+, the brand new Google Street View or YouTube’s 360-degree channel.
A new Ricoh Theta S app for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets can be used to configure settings and instantly view spherical photos and videos via wirelessly connected devices. An improved Wi-Fi module transfers data four times faster than the first model. The company hopes that its open API will encourage people to make apps for the new camera.
The Ricoh Theta S costs $349.95 and will be available in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region beginning late October.
➤ Ricoh Theta S