|
Newstips Electronic Editorial Bulletin Issue # 2008-03a
Snow-free Iditarod of news
JVC GEARS UP FOR CAMCORDER TIME
All the new SD Everio models that JVC announced at CES & all the
HD models announced at PMA are shipping now; most (not yet all)
are now available for review. The timing is not accidental, which
may help you pick some coverage themes. Spring school sports is
one of the peak times of year for end users & 2 of every 10 users
is likely to buy a new one this year. The fashion difference of
the new color-body SD Everio models has created one of those
happy high-pressure fits at JVC because retailers are
anticipating (some already seeing) they'll grab a hungry chunk of
"I'll take that one"; production is keeping up though units ship
out as soon as they come in. The new 1080p HD camcorders
(especially the amazing GZ-HD6) are smaller than a butter box but
perform on a par with many OED-size prosumer models. Ask Chelsea
to help your efforts to help those people you reach understand
their choices. Contact: Chelsea Vander Groef, JVC COMPANY OF
AMERICA (Wayne, NJ) 973-317-5000x5312 mailto:cvandergroef@jvc.com
http://jvc.com
RUN & GUN FUN: 2 MICROS OR ONE MINI?
"Run & gun" is what they call the style of shooting many news
cameras do in the field, especially those with a mike & light
affixed up top. Litepanels products for run & gun shooters make
more sense than the hot tungsten lights & the heavy, expensive
batteries they quickly eat up. The Litepanels Mini (20-degree
spot or 50-degree flood $640 online, kitted at $730 online) can
sip from those same brick batteries (or any 9-30VDC source, or
120VAC; a standard-cell back plate is in the works) & deliver as
much light at 7 Watts as a 25 Watt tungsten & with no appreciable
heat. They're 6.8"x2.3"x1.3" at just over half a pound, good for
60 foot-candles flood (140fc spot) at 2', 4.5fc flood/16fc spot
at 6', all at 5600K (or filter to warm). For a pro-grade camera,
the Mini puts a lot of oomph, convenience & savings in a package.
Somebody with a camcorder (or a pro shooting a lot of stand-ups)
may want to consider a pair of 3.3"x3.3"x1.5" Litepanels Micro
lights ($300 each online). Each one delivers 90fc at 2' & 8.5fc
at 6' & runs 1.5 hours on 4 alkaline AA cells or 7+ hours on AA
E2 Lithium cells. Using a pair provides more flexibility in
lighting any specific area & for 2 people in a shot, offers a way
to provide each with a more flattering light (using, for example,
a warming filter on a pale subject & a cooling filter on a
swarthier companion). For what you guys shoot, we recommend that
you ask Ken for an LP Micro to review. Contact: Ken Fisher,
LITEPANELS, INC. (North Hollywood CA) 818-332-3070
mailto:ken@litepanels.com http://LitePanels.com
SAMSON PRO GRADE, USER PRICED TINY WIRELESS CAMERA MIKE
No camcorder comes with a wonderful microphone & many places
(like trade show floors for you or a meeting for others) make it
tough to get decent sound with a shotgun mike. The easy choice is
a lavaliere mike but it's also easy (especially in uncontrolled
environs) to get tangled in the cord. A favorite pro alternative
is the wireless lav, but the best UHF models are expensive. The
Samson solution is the AM1-series AirLine Micro UHF wireless
mike; we saw very reasonable online pricing ($270) for a kit
including the tiny AM1 receiver (hotel soap size) that mounts on
a camera or camcorder hot shoe or a belt clip, a small AL1
transmitter & a teensy lav mike. The AM1 receiver has its own
headphone output (especially important in an era when so many
small camcorders are leaving that out) with a monitoring volume
control & a switch to select between mic or line output levels;
it runs 5-8 hours on a standard alkaline AAA cell. The companion
AL1 (14 hours on one AAA) body pack transmitter lets you plug in
a lav (it even provides phantom power if you want to plug in a
condenser mike) or you can use its built-in unidirectional
electret condenser mike; a level control keeps high-output mikes
from overdriving & distorting the signal & there's a mute switch
for the moments you don't want to share. Those of you who do a
lot of video work solo are already eager for this (we know); get
that message to Mark. Contact: Mark Wilder, SAMSON TECHNOLOGIES
(Hauppauge, NY) 631-784-2200x142 mailto:mwilder@samsontech.com
http://SamsonTech.com
X54 MOGO MOUSE AFLAME FOR GAME PLAYERS
This was unexpected: a new contingent of gamers is starting to
sue the X54 MoGo Mouse because of its high-resolution precision,
lightness & feel. Many of these are "B" level gamers (because the
"A" level extremists think they're faster than Bluetooth) who
were clever enough to bring the mouse from its notebook slot
"house" & onto the desktop. If you'd like to try, ask Jack for an
X54 MoGo Mouse, desktop charging cord & the USB Bluetooth 2
Dapter. Contact: Jack Corrao, NEWTON PERIPHERALS (Natick, MA)
858-792-0944 mailto:jack.corrao@newtonperipherals.com
http://NewtonPeripherals.com
NOT IN RETAIL STRIP, BUT EUBIQ RUNS MORE THAN POWER
When those innovative Eubiq power strips hit the electrical
distributor side of the business in the US, they'll be able to
run more than just power. Because of the way in its aluminum rail
box is formed, it also affords channels for running signal-level
wires, from phone lines to network cables & more. Punch-outs can
place those connections in their own panel on the strip, so
plugging into power & everything else can all happen in the same
place. These signal connections won't be in the strips getting
prepped for end users through retailers, but are available in
distributed or custom products. Look into it on the Web & for
more info, drop a note to Kee. Contact: NG Kee Haur, EUBIQ PTE
LTD (Singapore) +65-6372-9393x380 mailto:keeng@eubiq.com
http://eubiq.com
TINY BUBBLES END THE WHINE, BARS ARE FINE
With so much past focus on big bubbles of coverage in the cell
signal booster segment, we like the attention that Wi-Ex is
putting on smaller bubbles at lower prices. The zPersonal ($169)
provides a 4-6' boosted coverage bubble (about the size of a
desktop or a dorm room bed) for carriers in both PCS & CEL bands
(but not Nextel). It was designed for apartments & dorms but
innovative users are also turning it into a travel companion that
brings more cell bars to their hotel rooms. Interested? Contact:
Sharon Cuppett, WI-EX INC. (Norcross, GA) 770-239-5475x6380
mailto:scuppett@wi-ex.com http://wi-ex.com AGENCY CONTACT: Deanna
Anderson 404-759-1890 mailto:danderson705@comcast.net
APRICORN MINI REBATE A BIG DEAL
The Apricorn Aegis Mini was love at first sight for us: a
high-capacity drive (complete with wrap-around USB connector) you
can fit in your shirt pocket. Now there's a March-long rebate
promo: $25 on the 60GB model ($139 before) & $50 on the 120GB
model ($279 before. We know you don't cover rebates, but since
this is already bringing a little more end user attention, here
are some coverage angles (ask Michelle for reviewables) that you
might cover: The kids in college can get cut a break if they back
up their work before the notebook they take on spring break
breaks. If you haven't done anything yet with those Holiday
videos you shot, move them onto one of these for a cool way to
get them edited down without having to bring your camcorder to
the computer every time & without eating up the last of your
computer's free disk space. Take this & a notebook to the library
to borrow & rip music from the out-of-print discs in their audio
collection. Or make up your own & tell Michelle. Contact:
Michelle Fischer, APRICORN INC. (Poway, CA) 858-513-4480
mailto:mfischer@apricorn.com http://apricorn.com AGENCY CONTACT:
Jennifer Olson 415-402-0230 mailto:jennifer@atomicpr.com
KOMFORT PETS CARRIER PLANS
The original Komfort Pets small-pet carrier ($199) fits only the
smallest dogs or mid-size cats at 19"x13"x16"; it's the first of
4 planned sizes. The new 28"x19.5"x22" medium size can fit lap to
mid-size dogs; it should ship in May. Later (no announced dates),
there will also be 32"x22"x27" large & 38"x26"x32" extra large
sizes. We're laying all of that out now for those of you with
longer lead times who need to get, for example, a preproduction
medium carrier into a photo studio. Drop Bob a note. Contact: Bob
Inello, KOMFORT PETS (Revere, MA) 781-485-0077
mailto:rinello@komfortpets.com http://KomfortPets.com
SPECIAL REPORT: TV FIELD NEWS PRODUCERS
When a TV newsroom (especially at the networks) gets wind of a
story, one frequent option is to send a field news producer to
check it out. Once on scene, that producer gets back in touch
with the newsroom for a decision: no coverage, coverage as soon
as a crew can get there, or coverage now to break the news as
soon as possible. If absolute immediacy & a scoop factor are in
play, the feed may be from a video-equipped cell phone, but
that's extremely rare. With today's budgets, it's not uncommon to
ask the producer to do a shoot without a crew; since few field
news producers travel with anything more than a carry-on bag,
what gear makes sense for that? It has to be small & lightweight.
The most likely editing platform is the producer's notebook PC &
the most likely means of transporting the video back to the
newsroom is ftp over a Wi-Fi or broadband cell data stream.
Today's butter-box-size consumer HD camcorders with either hard
drive of Flash storage do the shooting. Some of the shots will be
handheld "cover" shots (establishing the place & the context),
generally using either available light or the rented car's
headlights; by this time next year, we anticipate LED panels will
be getting a lot of use. The stand-up shot, in which the producer
turns reporter, means using something better than the camera
mike; since consumer camcorders don't offer XLR mike connections,
the choice is limited to plug-in-power unbalanced connection
thin-cord handheld or lav mikes or one of the small wireless
set-ups offering that connection. The stand-up shot also means
finding a way to mount the camera to point in the right
direction; lightweight tripods that fold small can do OK at that
(grounder tripods offer even more flexibility for that), but some
of the little gadgets you see at photo shows also get pressed
into service with a handy wall, pole or car-top lending a hand.
That car top may also hold the producer's notebook PC with the
just-written copy as big as possible on its display; some
producers have figured out how to rotate the text so they can set
up the notebook with its hinge running vertically & view the text
portrait-style. TV news was never designed for lone-wolf
reporters, but tech is making it at least a little easier. Over
the next year, some of what we see on the consumer side may add
to that field news kit. For example, an in-car cell bar booster
can often improve the bandwidth back to the newsroom for faster
ftp transfers while on the move. The newest HD camcorders are 2/3
the size of last year's smallest. Some of the new wireless mikes
for musicians can adapt well to this kind of work. As far as
we've been able to learn, direct real-time feeds will still need
a lot more gear than a field producer carries & a lot more
expense for news operations for at least another few years.
SPECIAL REPORT BONUS REVIEW: US GLOBALSAT BT GPS
There are several manufacturers of portable GPS receivers that
connect to gear via Bluetooth; US Globalsat was the first to
respond to our review requests with 2 units that fill in the
hardware blanks for GPS on smart devices, including PC & Mac
notebooks, our Blackberry & more. They sent 2 such devices: the
slightly chunkier BT338 (looks like a tiny flip phone) & the flat
& slender BT359. Both are LiIon-powered, USB-recharged 20-channel
SIRF III receivers with Bluetooth 2; the biggest difference in
their specs is that the continuous operating time per charge for
the BT359 is 11 hours, while it's 36 hours for the BT338. There
are 3 LEDs: one for power (yellow when charging, red when on &
low, dark otherwise), one for Satellite acquisition (blinks when
connected, solid when not) & one for Bluetooth (slow blink when
searching, faster shorter blink when connected). When either one
goes 10 minutes without a BT connection, it automatically powers
down. In our first trial, indoors, it was quick finding the
satellites. Stuck in a shirt pocket for a walk to the mailbox &
with Google Mobile Maps 2 zoomed all the way in & switched to
satellite view, it readily identified our position along the
driveway or in the house. That kind of signal "stickiness" &
resolution was a pleasant surprise; we never expected it from
this class of gear. Our choice for travel is the slim BT359
(3.2x1.6x0.5"); offsetting the lesser operating time is its
compatibility with all those portable 5-pin USB recharger
devices. We do expect other BT2 GPS devices in for review, but
even if none of them should come, there are some quite
satisfactory hardware answers here. Bottom line: with this in
your pocket & the right software on hand, you can be a man &
never have to stop to ask directions (at least outdoors).
SPECIAL REPORT BONUS REVIEW 2: TEKKEON POWER TRIO
Tekkeon offers some clever ways to extend the run-time of
battery-powered gear & at our request, sent 3 of their products
for us to review. One of them (TekCharge MP1550) uses 2 or 4 AA
cells, alkaline or Lithium or NiMH (don't mix & match) & can
recharge NiMH cells. The power output is from a flat, full-size
USB "A" port; if you're using NiMH cells, the power input is from
a USB mini-5 port. It's a slim, flat pack (2.5"x3.3"x0.7") with a
sliding on/off switch & a 3-LED battery charge level indicator.
With most gear designed to plug into USB, it's got enough juice
to let you run & charge them at the same time. The run-time
extension is hard to predict; we'll that for a Blackberry, a set
of 2 older (lower capacity) NiMH cells will add a couple of
hours, a set of 4 newer NiMH cells will add 4-8 hours, 4 regular
alkaline cells will add about 8 hours & 4 E2 Lithium AA cells
maybe as much as 20 hours. If you don't want to deal with AA
cells, they have another product (TekCharge MP 1800) with a
rechargeable LiIon battery sealed inside. This is more a curved
bar of soap shape (3.2"x2"x1") with a mini-5 USB port for
charging it & a USB "A" port for charging your gear. A 3-position
top slider chooses off, on or on plus the end-mounted white LED
light turns on (they call it an emergency flashlight, but only in
an emergency would you ever consider this thing to be a
flashlight). Unless you populate the other model with E2 Lithium
all the time (at $10 a set), this model packs more juice, with
about 40-50% more runtime than the other model on alkaline cells.
Both of these gadgets for charging handheld gear come with a
retractable USB-to-special cable & a set of tips, plus a bag to
keep them in; our experience tells us to use the original
charging cable (there's just about always one for USB these days)
& skip the pieces & parts gig. So if these can keep your smaller
stuff going when you can't get to a plug, what do they have for a
runtime boost for notebooks? They call this one "myPower ALL
plus" (the capital offenses are theirs) & it has a lot to like.
The basic shape is a rounded-sides rectangle (3.3"x6.9"x.9",
about a pound) with a lithium polymer battery inside. It charges
in about 4 hours. You can set it up to deliver any of 8 Voltages
(5, 6, 7.5, 9, 12 14, 16 or 19V) to the notebook (or other gear)
through a coiled cord & the right pick from among 8 mating tips.
So you can add a pound to your carry-on load & get a bonus 3-4
hours of extra usage from a notebook. Not enough? There's an
expansion battery pack that piggybacks on (through slide-on end
caps & integrated connectors) to double that extra runtime. The
Voltage selection indicator doubles as a charge-level indicator.
There's also a front-panel USB "A" port so you can charge & run
handheld gear, too. As we said, these are 3 clever answers to
getting more run time. Bottom line: we feel empowered!
SPECIAL REPORT BONUS REVIEW 3: WAYFINDER 6
The write-ups of Wayfinder Navigator 6 make it sound like a
really good choice for doing navigation on a Blackberry Pearl;
that hasn't been our experience. We have not gotten it to see our
Bluetooth GPS at all. It's gotten us to see a number of things we
don't like about the user interface, include an unwieldy number
of clicks to get into its functions or move between them, a
display that sometimes masks its extremities on the Pearl's
display, a major wait if you haven't gone to their Web site to
download & store maps ahead of time. The data entry elements
smack of MSDOS-era architecture & the icons look like they were
pulled from the Windows 3.x era. The application does not
integrate live traffic data or point-of-interest data (so there
isn't of course any click-to-call feature). It appears that
version 7 (out for many phones but not yet for BB Pearl) may
improve some of these attributes, but we have no way of knowing.
Short term, the free Google Mobile Maps 2 utility is a much
better choice for navigation, real-time information & POI with
click-to-call. Bottom line: nice try but not up to our
expectations for usefulness, convenience & safety in a 2008
offering. We will invite them to get us version 7 when it's out
for the BB Pearl, but unless it also addresses some of our other
concerns, we anticipate it will still fall short.
GPS FOR JOURNALISTS
We recently got word (but not confirmation & certainly not
denial) that by the end of the year, all of the cell carriers
will be able to provide their subscribers with position
information, which will effectively give many more phones the
capability of helping us map, navigate, etc. We'll be devoting
some resources to the idea that the attributes a journalist needs
from any GPS gizmo vary a bit from the needs of other
professions; of course, there are many attributes in common as
well. For example, while driving, for how long do navigation
activities take your eyes off the road? How many display formats
are available & how likely is it to find a suitable choice for
bright-daylight versus nighttime driving, or for people who wear
glasses or contacts? What kinds of blended real-time information
are incorporated into the navigation logic & display? What POI
(point of interest) info is available & is there anything
compellingly different in any one product? For phone-based
navigation, what happens to navigation when there's an incoming
call? Is the logic smart enough to separately offer pedestrian
navigation? Is there any click-to-connect feature for POI phone
numbers? Is there any blend of aerial or satellite or ground
photography with map data? Is it possible to predefine personal
points of interest at a desktop PC or on the Web that get loaded
into the phone for quicker access? There are several special
circumstances we also want to consider for journalists. One is
the trade show, with the assumption that there is no rented car,
just convention centers and hotels and restaurants to consider &
just shuttle bus, taxi or shoe leather as transportation options.
Another is the field news producer, sent anywhere at a moment's
notice, solo, with just a carry-on bag & a rented car; getting
quickly to & from destinations, locating accommodations &
sustenance, finding WiFi hot spots for an ftp back to the network
& other such activities can all be enhanced with the right GPS
service features. We've asked for several pieces of hardware in
addition to a few of the more interesting Bluetooth GPS
accessories for cell phones; the idea is to determine if there
are compelling reasons to use any one piece of dedicated gear
instead of trusting it all to a cell phone. We'll also be testing
several software offerings on a Blackberry Pearl, which does not
have built-in GPS hardware. We also want to disclose that several
brands are not participating in our tests (some because we think
it's unethical to provide a credit card number to a vendor when
reviewing products, some because their "allotment of review
products has been depleted" (PR agency BS for "We don't care
about you") & some because they simply ignored our invitation to
be reviewed. We anticipate the first of our tests soon;
meanwhile, please tell Marty about the GPS products you
particularly love or hate & the GPS features you wish you could
find. Contact: Martin Winston, NEWSTIPS (Novelty, OH)
440-338-8400; mailto:marty@newstips.com http://Newstips.com
# # #
Newstips Bulletin [Novelty, OH] +1.440.338.8400 http://Newstips.com
|
