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Posts with tag DigitalPhotography

Filed under: Photo, Windows, Macintosh, Microsoft

JPEG 'XR': courtesy of Microsoft.

Earlier in the year, on the Windows Media HD photo format. According to Computer Buyer UK, the JPEG group is now working on a successor to the venerable JPEG image format - and making extensive use of Microsoft's HD Photo standard within the format.

According to the site, "JPEG says it has received assurances from Microsoft that it will make patents necessary for implementation available free-of charge" - a surprising move, but definitely a welcome one, given the huge "proprietary standard" reservations people generally had toward HD Photo not too long ago. Don't expect to see this new format any time soon, however: it could be the better part of 18 months before the standard is finalised.

Filed under: Developer, News, Windows, Microsoft

Vista fires warning shot at JPEG images

There are few file formats ubiquitous as JPEG (ASCII text comes to mind). It's almost universally compatible, available in every image handling application you could possibly want to use and, it works swimmingly well. Who could possibly want to change all that? Microsoft, that's who.

Last year Microsoft began promoting its Windows Media Photo format, recently renamed HD Photo (ostensibly to gain a little street cred from public familiarity with HDTV), as a "better" alternative to the standard JPEG. According to Microsoft's specification literature, HD Photo gives twice the quality compared to JPEG at similar file sizes. Vista includes built-in support for HD Photo and, Microsoft has been actively promoting HD Photo to camera manufacturers as a superior alternative to the aging JPEG specification.

Sounds great, where's the catch? Licensing. Patents surrounding JPEG have expired, meaning if you want to include JPEG support in your application, and be universally compatible with other applications supporting JPEG, you don't have to pay fees to any company or individual. HD Photo is a published standard, but it's owned by Microsoft lock, stock, and barrel. If you want your application to be compatible with cameras that use HD Photo, you'll need to sign a deal with the boys in Redmond, and pay the license fees they demand for the privilege. If widely adopted, HD Photo could spell big trouble for compatibility on Open Source platforms, or any platform Microsoft feels presents an undue competitive threat.

Update : HD Photo is licensed under the Open Specification Promise, under which Microsoft vows not to enforce its patent rights as long as developers conform to the specification. Thanks to Bob for straightening me out!

Filed under: Design, Fun, Photo, Web services

Flickr MiniCards redux

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the new Flickr MiniCards being offered by MOO. Obviously I took advantage of the free 10-pack offer, and yesterday my MiniCards finally arrived in the mail. They turned out great! I'm very impressed with the quality of the cards, and they're just so damn cute! When I ordered them, I didn't realize just how tiny they really are. Here's photographic evidence:

Flickr MiniCards - free 10-pack
The packaging the cards arrived in. Attractive and efficient!

Flickr MiniCards - size comparison
Flickr MiniCards - size comparison with my keys.

Flickr MiniCards - bite size!
All 10 cards fit in my hand!

I'll be ordering a 100-pack. In addition to personalized business cards, I also plan to use some as holiday gift tags. And I'm brainstorming about other possibilities, as well. Ideas? Share 'em here.

Filed under: Design, Internet, Photo

New from MOO: Flickr MiniCards

Flickr MiniCards Got a Flickr Pro account? Then you'll want to take advantage of the new Flickr MiniCards being offered by MOO. The MiniCards are customized calling cards, each one featuring a different photo. If you work in a creative field, this could be a great way to give your business cards a unique flavor.

MOO is giving away 10,000 free packs of 10 MiniCards to Flickr Pro users, so get yours now. Or, if you want to go all out, you can order a pack of 100 MiniCards for $19.95. MOO is also offering free international shipping on all other orders through the end of September.

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

View more Time Wasters

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