Nikon D5300 Digital SLR Wi-Fi Camera

Nikon D5300 Black Friday Deal.jpg">

Nikon just introduced the D5300 DSLR camera, which offers an enhanced 24.2-megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor, EXPEED 4 image processing, Vari-angle LCD, GPS and the convenience of built-in Wi-Fi. The mid-range SLR is compact and lightweight (16.9 oz.), and can easily be packed for a day trip or a planned getaway. The small body of the D5300 affords the photographer the freedom to travel while still being easy to handle and comfortable to use.

The D5300 is Nikon's first D-SLR to feature built-in Wi-Fi, allowing the user to share high quality photos instantly. The Nikon D5300 sends images to the user's smart device, allowing them to share their D-SLR quality photos through e-mail and social media. The Nikon D5300 also includes built-in GPS, another first for Nikon D-SLRs. Now the user can geotag images and allow others to see where life has taken them.

The enhanced 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor delivers stunning images and HD videos with heightened clarity and detail due to the removal of the optical low pass filter (OLPF). Its 39-point high-density autofocus system with 9 cross-type sensors quickly locks onto your subject, and Nikon's unique 3D-tracking uses the 2,016-pixel RGB sensor to recognize and follow it across the frame.

Features:

• Amazing Low Light Performance - For clean, sharp details even in the most challenging lighting conditions including night games and dimly lit restaurants, the Nikon D5300 covers a wide ISO range of 100-12,800 and is expandable to ISO 25,600.
• EXPEED 4 Image Processing - Nikon's most recent image processing engine drives the rapid response and swift performance of the D5300, while maximizing energy efficiency, reducing image noise and delivering true-to-life colors.
• Scene Recognition System - To further help users capture the image they intend, the Nikon D5300 features Nikon's Scene Recognition System and 2,016-pixel RGB metering system to analyze and recognize the scene. Utilizing these systems results in adjustments to exposure, AF and white balance to deliver the best photo possible, whether it's a landscape or portrait.
• 39-Point AF System - Nikon's quick and precise 39-point AF system works with the Scene Recognition System to accurately acquire and track subjects throughout the frame, resulting in tack-sharp images. Kids too active to pose for a photo or pets chasing after a toy are easily captured in brilliant sharpness for memorable photos.
• 5 Frames-Per-Second - While using the optical viewfinder or in Live View, capture great moments that would have otherwise been missed with the D5300′s 5 frames-per-second (fps) rate.
• 3.2-inch Vari-Angle LCD monitor - Whether shooting above a crowd or getting low to capture the details of a flower, users can explore new shots from a dramatic point of view with the large 3.2-inch Vari-angle LCD monitor. This super sharp (1,037K-dot) screen allows photographers to easily make camera adjustments and read menus, while also allowing them to compose the photo they want clearly when shooting from high or low angles. The rotating LCD makes it easy to capture "selfies" at an arm's length away or frame creative perspectives when capturing still photos and HD video.
• Full HD 1080p Video Capture - Create movies fit for the big screen with Full HD 1080p video capture at 60p with built-in stereo, wide ISO range for high quality videos in any light and improved full-time AF to keep the subject in focus.
• NIKKOR Compatibility - The Nikon D5300 is compatible with Nikon's legendary NIKKOR lenses and powerful system accessories, further adding versatility and creativity.

Price and Availability
The Nikon D5300 kit with the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens will be available in October 2013 for$1,399.95. Available colors include Black, Red and Gray.

Source: Ecoustics

Nikon D5300 First Look Preview

<Nikon D5300 Offersp>It's just under a year ago since we witnessed the arrival
of the D5200 and Nikon has announced the Nikon D5300. Slotting in above the D5200 in the Nikon line-up, the D5300 is designed to appeal to aspiring users looking to upgrade from a compact, as well as what Nikon terms 'networkers', which hints at its Wi-fi functionality, but more on that shortly.

While it shares a virtually identical resolution to the D5200, Nikon claims the 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor inside the D5300 is newly developed and like its big brother the D7100, the sensor does away for the need of an anti-aliasing filter for improved sharpness.

New EXPEED 4 image processor

The D5300 is the first Nikon DSLR to feature the EXPEED 4 image processor, improving the performance of the camera in a number of areas over its predecessor, including better Auto White Balance control and ISO performance at higher sensitivities - the D5300 sports a native ISO range up to ISO 12,800, but can be expanded to an ISO equivalent of ISO 25,600.

One of the strengths of the D5200 is its relatively sophisticated AF system, and it's no surprise to see the 39-point Multi-CAM 4800DX unit transfer across to the D5300. We've been impressed with its performance in the past, particularly the 3D tracking system that's linked to the D5300's Scene Recognition System to cleverly track your subject across the frame, so it shouldn't through up any nasty surprises on the D5300.

Interestingly though, where Canon has made efforts to improve the live view AF performance of the EOS 700D by adding phase-detect photosites onto the sensor, the D5300 continues to rely solely on contrast-detect AF during live view and video capture. We'd have welcomed some innovation here from Nikon or at least built-in phase-detect photosites on the sensor as this in the past where some Nikon DSLRs have struggled - not only against the likes of the 700D, but the growing range of system camera rivals too.

Wi-fi Connectivity

With the trend for built-in Wi-fi connectivity increasing on new cameras, it's nice to finally see a Nikon DSLR offering this built-in functionality, rather than as a optional accessory as we've seen with both the D3200 and D5200 for example. Expect easy transfer of images from the camera to your iOS or Android device via the dedicated free Nikon App to share in social networking sites, as well as offering the ability to remotely shoot, with feed from the D5300 transmitted to your smart-device.

At the rear of the camera, the vari-angle screen remains, but increases in size to 3.2in with an aspect ratio of 3:2 and a boosted resolution of 1037k-dots. Curiously, while touchscreen functionality is becoming more wide-spread on cameras in this sector, the D5300 goes without.

There's also a dedicated HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode that captures two images in quick succession at different exposures before merging them together in a single image with a much broad range of shadow and highlight detail compared to a single exposure. The Active D-Lighting mode has also been tinkered with, now with a specific Portrait mode to balance the exposure.

As the D5300 is likely to be used as a dual-role camera for both stills and movies, you'll find Full HD 1080p video capture at either 60/50p, while there's a built-in stereo microphone too.

Nikon revealed that the D5300 is based around a new monocoque construction that does away with the need for a separate chassis and is formed from a new material that Nikon remained tight-lipped on on what it actually was. That said, if you've handled a D5200, you'd be hard-pushed to differentiate the look and feel of the D5300 once in the hand.

First Thoughts

While we've seen a fair bit of innovation recently across the market, Nikon plays it much safer with the D5300. Looking at the specification and at first glance at least, appears to be a suitable upgrade of the D5200,though there are still some areas that we feel need attention if it wants to be the best there is for the aspiring photographer. We can't make any real judgements though until we've gott our hands on a final production sample to find out how it really performs.

The Nikon D5300 is expected to be available mid-November
with a body-only price of £729, and a kit price of £829 with the 18-55mm VR lens.

Watch our First Look video preview:

Source: Whatdigitalcamera

Nikon D5300 DSLR Unveiled, 24.2MP Successor to the D5200

Posted on 18. Oct, 2013 by Steve in Digital Cameras

Nikon D5300 Deals-with-18-140mm-Nikkor-lens.jpg">Nikon has unveiled the successor to the popular Nikon D5200 digital SLR, which the company launched almost one year ago, the new model is named Nikon D5300. The new Nikon D5300 will start to ship early next month with a retail price that is just under $800 for the camera body. The D5300 and the D5200 both share a similar body design, but there are minor differences or improvements that the D5300 has to offer buyers.

The improvements list is short and consists of features that enhance the photographic abilities of the camera and a feature that brings the camera up-to-date with a new digital camera market trend.

Improvements that will help the overall performance of the new Nikon D5300 over the now-old D5200 include a newly designed and higher resolution CMOS image sensor along with a brand new image processor.

Between the Nikon D5200 and the new Nikon D5300, the 24.2 megapixel D5300 has just 0.1 megapixels more resolution than the 24.1 megapixel D5200, however the D5300′s sensor has no built-in OLPF (optical low pass filter) and Nikon say's that will help with image clarity, both the old D5200 and new D5300 use similarly sized DX-format CMOS image sensors.

Nikon D5300 digital SLR gallery:

The new image processor that you will be getting with the upcoming Nikon D5300 is Nikon's newly developed EXPEED 4 image processor. According to Nikon, the new EXPEED 4 offers fast performance while 'maximizing energy efficiency, reducing image noise and delivering true-to-life colors'. The D5200 digital SLR features the EXPEED 3 image processing engine.

After the new image sensor and processor the only other major new feature included with the new Nikon D5300 digital SLR is Wi-Fi. The camera will be shipped with Wi-Fi capabilities built-in that don't need any external accessories like the Nikon WU-1a. The built-in Wi-Fi will let you pair your D5300 to your mobile devices iOS or Android after you install the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility free app. Also the Wi-Fi working with the cameras built-in GPS can geo-tag files all without external accessories.

However, with the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility app you will be able to complete functions like remote shooting where you can use your mobile device as a live view enabled wireless remote for snapping photos, wireless transferring of photo and video files, manual file upload for sending files to your mobile device even when you're not paired to the device (the image just downloads later when you are paired).

After you consider all of those differences the Nikon D5300 isn't really a radically new camera compared to the out-going Nikon D5200. However nobody should have expected a totally different camera given the very short gap between the two cameras launches, the D5200 was launched November of last year.

Some big similarities include Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps, continuous Shooting up to 5 fps, expandable ISO from 100-25600, 39-Point auto-focusing system, active D-Lighting and built-in HDR, Nikon F mount support, and an at eye-level pentamirror optical viewfinder.

From an exterior design perspective you can really see the lack of a re-design in the D5300 compared to the D5200. The only difference in looks is the vari-angle LCD is now 3.2-inches with the D5300 instead of 3.1-inches. Even with the color options the new Nikon D5300 is much like the D5200, the new camera will be offered in Black, Red or Grey colors.

Camera seller B&H Photo Video is offering pre-orders for the Nikon D5300 body at $796.95 (same price for each color) and they are offering a body+14-140mm telephoto zoom lens kit (pictured first above) for $1,396.95. With this particular retailer you can expect your pre-ordered D5300 camera to ship on November 14, 2013 according to notice put on each listing.

Tags: 1080p, 3.2-inch Vari-Angle LCD, 720p hd, active D-Lighting, auto-focus system, cmos sensor, digital camera, dslr, DX-format DSLR, full hd, FullHD, gps, hd, hdmi, hdr, image stabilization system, interchangeable lens, memory card, Nikon, Nikon D5300, Nikon dslr, Nikon Expeed 4, Nikon F mount, Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility, optical low pass filter, optical viewfinder, pentamirror optical viewfinder, sd memory card, sdhc memory card, sdxc memory card, tilt LCD, Video, wi-fi

Source: Digital-cameras-planet

gdgt's best deals for October 21st: MakerBot Replicator 2, Nikon D800

Nikon D5300 DealsReady to save some cash on your tech buys? Then you've come to the right place. Our friends at sister site gdgt track price drops on thousands of products every day, and twice a week they feature some of the best deals they've found right here. But act fast! Many of these are limited-time offers, and won't last long.

Whether you're taking snapshots, making films or designing the next big whatchamacallit, these deals will help you on your way. Making all that magic happen will definitely burn some calories, and Garmin's Forerunner 610 fitness tracker can tell you if earned that extra cookie. And 3D printing? The sky's the limit. We won't try to box in your imagination, but we will point you in the direction of a sale when we see one. Join gdgt and add the gadgets you're shopping for to your "Want" list -- every time there's a price cut, you'll get an email alert!

It's not too late to join the 3D printing revolution, and whether you plan to do some rapid prototyping for your new Kickstarter project or just replace a few doorknobs around the house, you'll have the tools for the job. Not only will you save $150 off the regular price, but for all you CAD fans out there, this version also comes with a custom AutoDesk 123D face and build plate.

All for living the quantified life, but not really interested in tracking your sleep patterns? Garmin's Forerunner 610 may be just the thing to help monitor your workouts and save some cash. It's not the newest gadget in town, but its rain and sweat-resistant touchscreen interface can display distance, time, laps, history and more, while allowing you to leave the smartphone at home. If your workout takes you to the treadmill instead of the park, it also works with ANT+ compatible fitness machines. This deal is for a manufacturer-refurbished model, but it comes with a heart rate monitor and a one-year warranty. Plus, it earned a pretty decent 82 rating at gdgt, so it's still a solid buy.

Yep, that's right: 36.3 megapixels. Even though this shooter was released back in 2012, it's still a more than capable DSLR for professional snaps and even HD video. Image quality is one of the major benefits here, and while there may be slight delays when writing these huge RAW files to a memory card, the final results are worth the wait. Both users and critics have weighed in, resulting in a respectable gdgt Score of 88. It's still a pricey bit of kit, but this is a significant price drop, and that extra savings can be used toward a lens for this body-only offering. Don't worry, there's no shortage of Nikon lenses that are compatible with this shooter.

Hands-free interfaces like the Leap Motion controller aren't quite ready for primetime, and most people can only take so much touchpadding. So unless you're looking for Logitech's freshest offering, the Performance MX will suit your needs with aplomb. The ratings are solid and we're told this mouse will even track well on glass surfaces, reducing those annoying cursor jumps in case your office work surface was ill-planned.

Source: Engadget

Nikon D5300 DSLR Unveiled, 24.2MP Successor to the D5200

Posted on 18. Oct, 2013 by Steve in Digital Cameras

Nikon D5300 Black Friday Deal-with-18-140mm-Nikkor-lens.jpg">Nikon has unveiled the successor to the popular Nikon D5200 digital SLR, which the company launched almost one year ago, the new model is named Nikon D5300. The new Nikon D5300 will start to ship early next month with a retail price that is just under $800 for the camera body. The D5300 and the D5200 both share a similar body design, but there are minor differences or improvements that the D5300 has to offer buyers.

The improvements list is short and consists of features that enhance the photographic abilities of the camera and a feature that brings the camera up-to-date with a new digital camera market trend.

Improvements that will help the overall performance of the new Nikon D5300 over the now-old D5200 include a newly designed and higher resolution CMOS image sensor along with a brand new image processor.

Between the Nikon D5200 and the new Nikon D5300, the 24.2 megapixel D5300 has just 0.1 megapixels more resolution than the 24.1 megapixel D5200, however the D5300′s sensor has no built-in OLPF (optical low pass filter) and Nikon say's that will help with image clarity, both the old D5200 and new D5300 use similarly sized DX-format CMOS image sensors.

Nikon D5300 digital SLR gallery:

The new image processor that you will be getting with the upcoming Nikon D5300 is Nikon's newly developed EXPEED 4 image processor. According to Nikon, the new EXPEED 4 offers fast performance while 'maximizing energy efficiency, reducing image noise and delivering true-to-life colors'. The D5200 digital SLR features the EXPEED 3 image processing engine.

After the new image sensor and processor the only other major new feature included with the new Nikon D5300 digital SLR is Wi-Fi. The camera will be shipped with Wi-Fi capabilities built-in that don't need any external accessories like the Nikon WU-1a. The built-in Wi-Fi will let you pair your D5300 to your mobile devices iOS or Android after you install the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility free app. Also the Wi-Fi working with the cameras built-in GPS can geo-tag files all without external accessories.

However, with the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility app you will be able to complete functions like remote shooting where you can use your mobile device as a live view enabled wireless remote for snapping photos, wireless transferring of photo and video files, manual file upload for sending files to your mobile device even when you're not paired to the device (the image just downloads later when you are paired).

After you consider all of those differences the Nikon D5300 isn't really a radically new camera compared to the out-going Nikon D5200. However nobody should have expected a totally different camera given the very short gap between the two cameras launches, the D5200 was launched November of last year.

Some big similarities include Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps, continuous Shooting up to 5 fps, expandable ISO from 100-25600, 39-Point auto-focusing system, active D-Lighting and built-in HDR, Nikon F mount support, and an at eye-level pentamirror optical viewfinder.

From an exterior design perspective you can really see the lack of a re-design in the D5300 compared to the D5200. The only difference in looks is the vari-angle LCD is now 3.2-inches with the D5300 instead of 3.1-inches. Even with the color options the new Nikon D5300 is much like the D5200, the new camera will be offered in Black, Red or Grey colors.

Camera seller B&H Photo Video is offering pre-orders for the Nikon D5300 body at $796.95 (same price for each color) and they are offering a body+14-140mm telephoto zoom lens kit (pictured first above) for $1,396.95. With this particular retailer you can expect your pre-ordered D5300 camera to ship on November 14, 2013 according to notice put on each listing.

Tags: 1080p, 3.2-inch Vari-Angle LCD, 720p hd, active D-Lighting, auto-focus system, cmos sensor, digital camera, dslr, DX-format DSLR, full hd, FullHD, gps, hd, hdmi, hdr, image stabilization system, interchangeable lens, memory card, Nikon, Nikon D5300, Nikon dslr, Nikon Expeed 4, Nikon F mount, Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility, optical low pass filter, optical viewfinder, pentamirror optical viewfinder, sd memory card, sdhc memory card, sdxc memory card, tilt LCD, Video, wi-fi

Source: Digital-cameras-planet

Halloween costumes stick to traditional themes in 2013

Witches, superheroes and princesses will fill neighborhoods on Halloween night, hearkening back to traditional costume trends, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation.

More than 5 million adults plan to dress as a witch this year and 2.9 million will dress as a Batman character, the survey says. Princesses, animals and superheroes top the list for tiny costumed characters.

Americans are expected to spend $2.6 billion on Halloween costumes stores, the survey says. The average person will spend $75.03 on the total Halloween celebration. That number is slightly lower than last year's average of $79.82.

Karen Grizzard, owner of Party Station in Newport News, says she is seeing similar trends toward the traditional in her store.

"They're going more conservative again," she says. "Thank goodness, we're kind of getting away from the sexy look. They had gone way too far with the sexy thing. They had pre-teen costumes that were sexy."

Superheroes, witches and vampires are big sellers at Party Station, along with men searching for Duck Dynasty costumes.

"The men like costumes that are easy, and they like to be manly," Grizzard says.

Zombies continue to be a huge hit among customers, too, she says.

"Another trend this year is that our customers are telling us that they want to shop local," she says. "We have heard that so much. Shoppers are really starting to shop where they know their money will stay in the community, which, to me, is really good."

And, like the National Retail Federation survey indicates, shoppers are being a bit more careful with their money this Halloween.

"I think people are shopping wiser," Grizzard said. "They're thinking about what they're buying. They're being a bit more conservative with their dollar. With what is going on in the economy, what would you expect?"

Go homemade

Thrift stores are still a big hit for Halloween shoppers.

Amanda Bartley, of Newport News, is going with the "Star Wars" theme this year, and she found all of the pieces to make her costumes at a local thrift store.

"I found a brown hoodie to turn my 2-year-old into a Jedi knight, a lion costume to turn my 8-month-old into an Ewok, and a graduation gown for me to be Leia," she said.

Even if you don't want to piece together a costume from scrap materials, thrift stores are a great place to find used Halloween costumes in their complete form.

Children's consignment stores, such as Twice Upon A Time in York County, are advertising large stocks of gently used Halloween costumes, as well.

Tricks for cheap treats

Regina Novickis, an employee with the website promotionalcodes.com, is organizing an office-wide costume-swap with a co-worker.

"Get with friends to trade kid and adult costumes or coordinate a swap within your neighborhood or at your office," she recommends. "Not only will others appreciate the money-saving idea, but you'll likely score a great costume for free."

Source: Dailypress

Hoboken Harvest Festival promises farmyard fun for all the family

<cool pumpkin facesbr>

HOBOKEN -- Ponies, pumpkins, and bales of hay will be found in Pier A Park Saturday when the waterfront green space becomes a family fun farm.
The City of Hoboken will be holding the Hoboken Fall Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Pier A Park near First Street and Sinatra Drive.

Activities include hay rides, a hay maze, pony rides, petting zoo, pumpkin painting, face painting, moonwalk, music, dancing, trackless train, puffy the dragon, Boo the Clown, balloon art, and craft activities.

Additional activities will be provided by the Hoboken Fire Department, My Gym Hoboken, Super Soccer Stars, A Brighter Mile, Mad Science, Monroe Movement Space, Studio L. Dance Co., Mimi Kids Yoga, Hudson Dance & Movement, and Hoboken Hip Hop.

The event is being sponsored by Hoboken Grace Church, The New York Times, Hoboken University Medical Center, The Hoboken Family Alliance and Garden Street School of Performing Arts.

Volunteers can help with the event by calling (201) 420-2207

Source: Nj

Halloween events for the family throughout October

<creepy halloween candyimg src="http://boston.com/community/moms/blogs/parent_buzz/assets_c/2013/10/spectacular-thumb-590x395-116147.jpg">

Looking for new ways to celebrate the spooky season (or just want to get more use out of your little ghoul's pricey getup)? Here's a roundup of fun-filled Halloween happenings in Boston and beyond:

Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, Roger Williams Park Zoo, 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence, RI. Through Nov. 3, 6-11 p.m. Mon. - Thurs.: adults $12; seniors, $10 seniors; ages 3-12, $9; under 3, free. Fri. - Sun.: adults, $15; seniors, $13; ages 3-12, $12; under 3, free. Thousands of illuminated pumpkins on display in a woodland setting, hundreds of which are carved with amazing artistry. www.rwpzoo.org

Great Pumpkin Fest, Ecotarium, 222 Harrington Way, Worcester. Sat., Oct 19, noon-9 p.m. $15; members, $12; under 2, free. Halloween fun, as well as a display of 1,500 carved jack-o'-lanterns, which are lit after dark. The museum and grounds will be open for exploring exhibits, visiting animals, taking in a free digital planetarium show, and enjoying free hayrides and train rides, as well as face painting, pumpkin-carving demonstration, crafts, animal encounters, and much more. Family-friendly costumes are encouraged. www.ecotarium.org ( Photo: Scott Erb)

19th Annual Children's Haunted Playground, Martin's Pond, 61 Burroughs Rd., North Reading. Sat., Oct. 19, 5:30-9 p.m. Free. Haunted tour tickets $5 (3 and under free). Family-friendly Halloween festival that includes a kid's costume parade, games, a free scavenger hunt, magic shows, haunted tour, and food.
Martin's Pond, 61 Burroughs Road, North Reading. www.martinspond.org

Source: Boston

medwireNews - Psychiatry - Bipolar risk markers identified in depressed ADHD children

<crystalp>medwireNews: Researchers have identified risk markers for bipolar I disorder conversion in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and major depressive disorder (MDD).

The team found that children with subthreshold bipolar I disorder symptoms and impaired emotional regulation were at the highest risk for converting to bipolar I disorder during an average follow-up of 11.4 years.

Joseph Biederman (Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA) and colleagues say that previous studies have pinpointed ADHD itself as a risk marker for bipolar conversion in children with MDD. But they say that their work "expands on the extant literature by identifying additional, compounding risk factors that may more precisely predict switching in this population."

There were 24 children who converted to bipolar I disorder during follow-up and 79 who did not. Only seven children had subthreshold bipolar disorder symptoms at baseline, but 57% of these converted to a full diagnosis, compared with 21% of those without such symptoms. This gave a 9.57-fold increased risk for conversion, after accounting for age, gender, and emotional dysregulation.

"Taken together, past and current findings emphasize the critical importance of attending to subsyndromal manifestations of [bipolar I] disorder in children with MDD when making therapeutic decisions, especially given the potential risk for manic activations when treated with antidepressants," write Biederman et al in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Emotional dysregulation, as ascertained using the Child Behavior Checklist, was itself associated with a 2.66-fold increased conversion risk, after adjustment for age, gender, and subthreshold bipolar symptoms. Both deficient emotional self-regulation and severe emotional dysregulation increased the risk for bipolar I disorder conversion, although only the former, less severe subtype was significant. The team attributes this to the sample size; just 22 children had severe emotional dysregulation at baseline.

"Clinicians should consider subthreshold bipolar disorder and emotional dysregulation in conjunction with previously identified risk factors of switching when evaluating, treating, and monitoring youth with ADHD and comorbid MDD," conclude the researchers.

medwireNews (www.medwirenews.com) is an independent clinical news service provided by Springer Healthcare Limited. © Springer Healthcare Ltd; 2013

Source: Medwirenews

Some iPhone 5s users sing the blues over iWork bug

Some iPhone 5s iphone cases otterbox black\/pink defender case iphone iphone 5s & 5s users have discovered a rather unwelcome Easter egg on their new phones: a "blue screen of death."

Several 5s users on Apple's support forums say the bug crops up in iOS 7 when they double-tap the iPhone's Home button to switch from an iWork app. As this YouTube video shows, the phone's screen briefly flashes to blue, and the phone then restarts.

True to Apple form, it is a rather clean and simple blue screen, a far cry from the cluttered Windows error messages of yesteryear.

Fortunately, a couple of possible workarounds have been discovered: Users can either exit back to their documents list before opening the app switcher, or they can disable iCloud syncing of iWork data.

iOS 7 is a major overhaul of Apple's mobile operating system, so a few bugs are to be expected. In addition to the blue screen of death, some users are having trouble with iMessage -a problem that Apple has already promised to fix.

The revamped operating system is causing some headaches for app developers as well. Citing performance-tracking firm Crittercism, All Things D reports that apps are crashing twice as often on the iPhone 5s compared to other models.

On the bright side for iPhone users, Apple is being aggressive about fixing these errors, and has already pushed out two updates to iOS 7 since launch. Those who have a perverse love of the blue screen of death should enjoy it on the iPhone while it lasts.

Source: Macworld

App roundup: Best fitness apps that use the iPhone 5s' M7 motion co-processor

The M7 motion co-processor Apple packed into the iPhone 5s iphone ipad waterproof cases otterbox uk is already seeing use from a number of fitness app developers anxious to maximize its potential, changing the handset into a new platform.

Apple didn't exactly hype the M7 when it introduced the chip last month in announcing the iPhone 5s, but among the handset's many new features, the co-processor may turn out to be the most impactful for app developers and consumers alike.

Using very little power, the M7 constantly measures and tracks motion data, keeping the information accessible to any apps that may need it. That means fitness and lifestyle apps no longer need to be active or running in the background to track user movements throughout the day, a benefit that could allow developers to harvest and utilize information on their users' daily habits in much greater detail than previously possible.

Developers on the iOS platform are already taking advantage of the M7's capabilities, with the first wave of enabled apps coming to the App Store just days after the iPhone 5s' release.

Strava Run

Strava was first out of the gate to take advantage of the M7, releasing version 3.5.3 of Strava Run just four days after the iPhone 5s was released. The new version adds an Auto-Pause feature for runners, giving them highly accurate activity level data without having to directly interact with the app. It also takes advantage of the M7's low-power constant monitoring, as the app gathers information from the chip for those times when Strava is not running.

Strava allows users to track their runs with GPS, displaying maps of their route alongside stats such as distance, pace, elevation, and calories burned. It also allows users to compete on interactive score boards, find and follow friends, and explore new places to run.

Strava Run is a free download in the App Store. The 53.7MB app requires an iPhone, iPad, or iPod running iOS 5.0 or higher.

WeatherRun

GammaPoint, too, has taken advantage of the M7 with version 2.2.1 of WeatherRun. The new version adds a step counter that draws data from the motion co-processor. Step data is logged and organized in both daily and monthly measures.

WeatherRun provides users with up-to-date weather information while they are outside being active. The app also tracks activity and compares it against weather, altitude, humidity, and temperature. It interfaces with the Pebble Smartwatch, as well as other Bluetooth 4.0 devices such as the TI SensorTag.

The latest update also includes a fix for a bug that affected deleting and sharing functions on devices running iOS 7.

Version 2.2.1 of WeatherRun costs $2 in the App Store. It is a 12.2MB download that requires an iPad, iPhone, or iPod running iOS 6.0 or higher.

Argus

Also joining in on leveraging the M7 was Azumio, which recently released version 2.4 of its Argus app. The latest iteration uses the M7 for passive step-counting when not running, meaning the app automatically pulls data from the chip once the reactivated. The update also includes a streamlined honeycomb user interface and improved visual design, including a step counter that shows up as an app badge.

Argus monitors not only user activities, but food intake, workouts, sleep, hydration, weight, and vital signs. The app is engineered to consume very little power and is designed to run in the background at all times. Users can create food diaries, observe trends over time, and track and share data with friends. Also included is interaction with a number of third-party wellness devices, like the Withings Smart Body Analyzer.

The new version of Argus is available as a free download in the App Store for iOS devices running iOS 6.0 or higher.

Pedometer

The most recent addition to the line of M7-supporting apps comes from Cross Forward Consulting, which debuted its Pedometer++ app on Tuesday. The new app functions as a simple step counter that relies on the M7's passive monitoring to log steps taken throughout the day. Pedometer++ allows users to compile their data on both a weekly and a daily basis. Like Argus, Pedometer++ can be set to display the current step count as the app's notification badge. The figure displayed in the badge will dynamically update throughout the day.

Pedometer++ version 1.1 is available now in the App Store as a free 0.3MB download only for the iPhone 5s.

Maximizing the M7

The coming months will almost certainly see more developers adding new features relying on the M7. Nike, maker of the popular Nike+ app, has already promised a Nike+ Move based on the M7's capabilities.

Apple's motion co-processor will also likely figure into apps outside of the fitness category. In addition to user motion tracking, the M7 can, even in sleep mode, tell when a user is walking or even driving. For example, navigation apps may leverage the data to switch from driving to walking directions dynamically depending on a user's speed.

Source: Appleinsider