Hasta La Gadget!

While there are many futuristic uses for the heads-up display in Google Glass, several people I’ve met who were wearing them used them primarily to capture images and videos from their personal point of view. So if you don’t want to spend $1500 on a pair of real Google Glasses, you can get the camera part for less than 1/10th that cost.

Made by Japan’s Thanko, the Mitanmanma Megane HD Camera Glasses(JP) are designed so you can capture POV video on the cheap. Just place the glasses over your eyes, press the button, and start capturing video to a microSD card. Unlike Google Glass, however, that’s all these glasses do. If you start asking them where the nearest Starbucks is, you’ll be waiting a very long time for an answer. They don’t capture still images, and they won’t make appointments for you either.

Unlike other video glasses, these ones are quite minimal, weighing in at just 2.1 ounces (though a regular pair of sunglasses weighs about 1/4 of this). Also, they can’t be worn over other eyeglasses like Google Glass. They’re capable of capturing a (suspect) 1920×1080 resolution AVI format video at 20 to 30fps. They’re supposed to run for about 30 to 40 minutes on a charge. Here’s some craptacular sample video so you can check out the image quality:

I’m not sure if the frame rate gets any better than that, so they look like they’d be good for capturing animated GIFs and Vines more than full-motion video. Still, what do you want for a hundred bucks? You can get a pair of the Thanko Mitamanma Megane HD Camera Glasses from Japan Trend Shop for $112(USD) plus $12 for worldwide shipping.

Google has launched a loan program for its back-mounted Google Maps Trekker camera, the 360-degree Street View mapping tool it has used to photograph the world’s highest tower and the Galapagos Islands. The new Trekker program will see third-party organizations apply to take the Trekker out into the wild, gathering up panoramic photography of normally

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Samsung does not only churn out brilliant smartphones (in recent years, anyways. Anyone who has used the early iterations of mobile phones from Samsung would know just how much of a recycled plastic feel there was in the beginning), but they have also moved on to other segments of the consumer electronics industry – including the realm of digital cameras. This time around, the Samsung Galaxy NX has been announced, where it holds the distinction of being the first 3G/4G LTE connected Compact System Camera (CSC). Samsung claims that it is versatile and easy to use, where the Galaxy NX would merge cutting edge optical performance with connectivity capabilities, in addition to having a slew of applications that will be able to run on an Android eco-system, where it is all crammed into a single, stylish package.

With the Galaxy NX camera being hooked up to the Internet all the time (as long as there is a signal, of course), you need not worry about your photos getting lost, ever again. After all, each photo that is taken will be uploaded to the cloud for safe storage. It does not matter whether you are on the move or at home, the Galaxy NXs’ seamless connectivity will be able to transcend the current offering to photographers. Not only that, you can also follow up on the trail of other shutterbugs who have gone before you, as the Photo Suggest feature would offer location based recommendations of popular photography spots, and all of these recommendations have been sourced from a huge library of images which were snapped by fellow photographers prior.

The Samsung Galaxy NX would pack in a 20.3-megapixel APS-C Sensor that is said to deliver bright and detailed images, even in low light conditions, where it will be accompanied by the DRIMe IV Image Signal Processor, achieving speed and accuracy levels which today’s photographers demand. Not only that, it also boasts of an Advanced Hybrid Auto Focus (AF) System, a 1/6000 sec shutter speed, a bevy of Interchangeable Lenses to choose from, all running on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean as the platform of choice. There is no word on pricing just yet though, but it should arrive sometime in the third quarter of the year.

Press Release
[ Samsung Galaxy NX camera announced copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

A lensless, focussing-free camera that can take photos from multiple angles simultaneously, building up either different perspectives of a scene or combining data to produce faster, higher-detail images, could revolutionize the digital camera industry, its developers have teased. The prototype, developed by a team led by Hong Jiang at Bell Labs, eschews traditional glass or

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We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget inquiry is from Diego, who wants to give his son the gateway drug into photography. If you’re looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

“I’m an amateur photographer, and my 10-year-old son has started to show an interest in what I do on weekends. I’ve shown him a thing or two on my DSLR and he wants to learn the basics, but I’d prefer it if he didn’t do it on my $1,500 rig. His birthday’s coming up, and I’d like to get him something that he can use for himself, that lets him customize ISO, white balance, aperture etc. Naturally, I was thinking of just a regular compact camera, but if you can suggest something else that won’t break the bank, I’ll gladly listen. Thanks!”

So, we turned this question over to one of our photo experts, who suggested that really, if you’ve got the budget for it, you might as well pick up a very old, very cheap DSLR. For instance, you can pick up an old Canon Rebel XT for around $200, and while it won’t be shiny and new, will let them play with features and settings beyond the average compact camera. But what do we know, eh? This is the part of the weekend where we poll our community for their sage wisdom, so have at it, chums.

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras

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