Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Microsoft Kinect SDK for Windows 7 available Spring 2011]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/22/microsoft-kinect-sdk-for-windows-7-available-spring-2011/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/22/microsoft-kinect-sdk-for-windows-7-available-spring-2011/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/22/microsoft-kinect-sdk-for-windows-7-available-spring-2011/#commentsMicrosoft Kinect Windows 7 SDK Impressed by the latest and greatest Kinect hack? Wait till you see what they can do with a full SDK.

That's right, Microsoft is about to unleash a full blown Kinect SDK for Windows 7. Developers will be able to utilize Microsoft's own drivers and libraries, giving them access to more than the raw camera data. The SDK will allow coders with more interest in what the Kinect can allow them to do, rather than how it works, to use the RGB camera, microphone array plus all the motors that move the Kinect around.

The initial release, scheduled for 'Spring 2011,' will be aimed at academics and enthusiasts, for use in non-commercial software. Microsoft will then firm up commercial licensing details later in the year for those who want to utilize the Kinect for paid-for software. Can you see Kinect-powered home automation? It's certainly going to be exciting to see what developers can create with full access to the device.

Download SquadMicrosoft Kinect SDK for Windows 7 available Spring 2011 originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>camerasdeveloperKinectKinect SDKKinectSdkMicrosoftperipheralsutilitiesWindowsTue, 22 Feb 2011 03:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Double Exposure Pro photo blending app for iPhone]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/28/double-exposure-pro-photo-blending-app-for-iphone/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/28/double-exposure-pro-photo-blending-app-for-iphone/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/28/double-exposure-pro-photo-blending-app-for-iphone/#commentsDouble Exposure Pro The iPhone has packed a pretty good camera ever since the iPhone 3GS was launched, but it was the iPhone 4's five-megapixel camera that really brought out the photographer in iOS. Now that we know we can take decent pictures on an iPhone, photo modification apps have really come into their own, and Double Exposure Pro is no exception.

Essentially allowing you to combine two photos into one, with filters and control of the blending, Double Exposure Pro lets you create some really interesting and unique photos. Although a lot of apps like Instagram and Hipstamatic already allow you to apply filters and effects to photos, not many other apps allow you to blend two photos together on the iPhone. Double Exposure Pro uses a pretty simple slider based interface that allows you to combine photos, apply filters, or make adjustments to brightness and contrast with either a slider bar or by sliding your finger across the photo. There's even a pretty comprehensive help menu in the app that'll explain the features and guide you through the process should you lose your way.

Continue reading Double Exposure Pro photo blending app for iPhone

Download SquadDouble Exposure Pro photo blending app for iPhone originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appscamerasDouble Exposure ProDoubleExposurePrographicsiOSiPhonephotographyreviewsTue, 28 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Canon to launch system that blocks banned words from being printed, scanned or faxed]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/10/13/canon-uniflow-printing-system-that-blocks-banned-words-from-being-printed/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/10/13/canon-uniflow-printing-system-that-blocks-banned-words-from-being-printed/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/10/13/canon-uniflow-printing-system-that-blocks-banned-words-from-being-printed/#commentsFiled under:

The upcoming version of Canon's document management system, Uniflow 5, will have a keyword-based security system. A user will not be able print, scan, copy or fax any document that contains a banned word.

Uniflow (or 'uniFLOW'), which is only available on very high-end (and expensive) Canon products, is a management suite used by large businesses -- such as law firms -- that need to keep track of every printed document. In its current form, Uniflow keeps a record of everything that is scanned, copied, printed or faxed -- but now, even the content of your document will be parsed before you can interact with a Canon device.

With this new technology, you could walk up to a photocopier, place the paper face-down, ... and it will refuse to copy your document. The "start" button simply won't work. Better yet, the Uniflow server will email a PDF copy of the document to the system administrator! If you try to print from your computer, you will receive an email that says "sorry, you can't print that." Canon representatives admitted that a determined user could bypass banned keywords by substituting numbers for letters -- b0mb or pr0n -- and indeed, if someone wants to copy a document, they will find a way to do so.

While this is very much an enterprise-level technology, you can only begin to imagine the implications if such a technology was to find its way to consumer-level devices -- which it surely will in the next few years. A parent could prevent his child from printing homework with liberal -- or conservative -- points of view. Book publishers could use hidden watermarks that only scanners can see, and thus refuse to copy.

This could finally be the beginnings of DRM for the printed medium! Woohoo!

[via Slashdot]

Download SquadCanon to launch system that blocks banned words from being printed, scanned or faxed originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 06:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canonDRMenterprisefaxpaperphotocopierprintedprinterprivacyscannersecurityuniflowWed, 13 Oct 2010 06:26:00 EST<![CDATA[RAW compatibility update for Aperture 3 and iPhoto '09 released]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/04/raw-compatibility-update-for-aperture-3-and-iphoto-09-released/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/04/raw-compatibility-update-for-aperture-3-and-iphoto-09-released/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/04/raw-compatibility-update-for-aperture-3-and-iphoto-09-released/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you don't know what RAW format is, you can stop reading now. If, on the other hand, you've just bought a brand new camera, shot a few pictures, and then bashed your head against your shiny white miracle machine because it doesn't recognize the file format -- well, I have good news! Apple's Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 3.3 adds RAW support for a bunch of brand new cameras to Aperture 3 and iPhoto '09.

Because there's nothing else to report, here's a list of the cameras that are now supported: Canon PowerShot SX1 IS, Olympus E-PL1, Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2, Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10, Samsung NX10, Sony Alpha DSLR-A390, Sony Alpha NEX-3, Sony Alpha NEX-5.

Download SquadRAW compatibility update for Aperture 3 and iPhoto '09 released originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 06:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apertureapplecameracanondigitaliphotoolympuspanasonicrawsamsungsonyWed, 04 Aug 2010 06:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Super-charge your Canon PowerShot camera (shoot RAW format!) with CHDK]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/15/super-charge-your-canon-powershot-camera-shoot-raw-format-with-chdk/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/15/super-charge-your-canon-powershot-camera-shoot-raw-format-with-chdk/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/15/super-charge-your-canon-powershot-camera-shoot-raw-format-with-chdk/#commentsFiled under: , ,

CHDK, or Canon Hack Development Kit, can magically turn your regular Canon PowerShot into a professional workhorse capable of shooting RAW files, displaying live histograms, motion detection and even executing Lua script.

Seriously, CHDK takes almost any PowerShot camera and turns it into a device that is probably worth twice as much as you paid for it. Just being able to shoot RAW images is almost enough to make me buy a PowerShot for those times when my DSLR is just too big for the job. Heck, with CHDK, a PowerShot can actually do more than my DSLR!

Anyway, as I don't actually own a PowerShot yet, I can't provide a proper hands-on review of CHDK. Instead, I point you towards an excellent two-part write-up and tutorial over at LinuxPlanet. You should be warned that while it's not particularly hard to install CHDK, it does come with associated risks. Don't go anywhere near the experimental builds unless you really know what you're doing.
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Download SquadSuper-charge your Canon PowerShot camera (shoot RAW format!) with CHDK originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canonchdkdigic IIdigic IIIDigicIiDigicIiifirmwarehackhistogramimagingtipspowershotrawThu, 15 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Adobe Camera Raw 6.1 arrives; automatic lens correction finally here!]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/14/adobe-camera-raw-6-1-arrives-automatic-lens-correction-finally/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/14/adobe-camera-raw-6-1-arrives-automatic-lens-correction-finally/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/14/adobe-camera-raw-6-1-arrives-automatic-lens-correction-finally/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you use your digital camera for anything other than family or touristy snaps, you've probably run into the raw image format. If you haven't heard of raw, think of it as a bigger, high-quality JPEG file. Unlike JPEG, raw files contain a lot more data, enabling you to manipulate your photos a lot more easily. With JPEGs a lot of data is lost -- if you shoot raw photos, you have more choice over how your final photo looks!

The problem is, every camera manufacturer has a slightly different file format. Canon has CR2, Nikon NRW, Sony SR2, but ultimately they're all a modified TIFF format, believe it or not. It's because of these similarities that Adobe can produce a tool like Camera Raw. I've always been a bit surprised that Adobe actually manipulates these proprietary raw file formats better than own-brand implementations like Canon's Digital Photo Professional (which is a bit shit). Still, the consumer wins as always!

Anyway, Adobe has just released Camera Raw 6.1 beta. Historically these betas are very close to the actual production-ready release, so it should be fine for everyday use. In the screencast above I play with the new lens correction profiles -- and as you can see, they're really rather good.

Incidentally -- and I missed this in the screencast -- if your lens isn't supported in the new Camera Raw beta, you can grab the Lens Profile Creator, print some checkerboard, take some photos... and make your own profile!!

Download SquadAdobe Camera Raw 6.1 arrives; automatic lens correction finally here! originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 14 May 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6.1adobebetacamera rawCameraRawcanoncs4cs5digitalimagingtipslightroomphoto manipulationphotographyPhotoManipulationphotoshoprawFri, 14 May 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Canon aims to register the .canon domain. Will others follow suit?]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/17/canon-aims-to-register-the-canon-domain-will-others-follow-sui/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/17/canon-aims-to-register-the-canon-domain-will-others-follow-sui/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/17/canon-aims-to-register-the-canon-domain-will-others-follow-sui/#commentsFiled under: ,

In the ever-shifting maze of domain names, ICANN, and approved registrars, companies often behave as if their valuable intellectual property is in the crosshairs of evil domain-name squatters. The new gTLD system, slated to kick off in 2011, only makes the universe of possible domain-name fights even bigger. Canon is already battening down the hatches for the day when you'll be able to register dot-anything as a domain, by announcing its intention to buy .canon.

In its press release, Canon says it finds value in the new gTLDs because .canon will be easier to remember than Canon.com. I'm not sure I agree, but it's conventional wisdom that you ought to defensively register your company name before a squatter gets it. It might not be accurate conventional wisdom, though. One study found that, out of 1043 major companies, only a small percentage even bothered to grab up the last round of new TLDs, which included duds like .pro and .cat.

Companies don't bother to register these upstart TLDs, and squatters also don't bother to exploit them. The survey found plenty of corporate-friendly domains that were completely unregistered. So, maybe .canon is a good buy, but it's not likely that corporations will be shelling out billions of dollars to buy every generic TLD they can think of.

[via Daring Fireball]

Download SquadCanon aims to register the .canon domain. Will others follow suit? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canondomain namesDomainNamesgtldregistrationtldWed, 17 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CuteCanonCapture enables hands-free photography via a USB cable]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/04/cutecanoncapture-enables-hands-free-photography-via-a-usb-cable/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/04/cutecanoncapture-enables-hands-free-photography-via-a-usb-cable/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/04/cutecanoncapture-enables-hands-free-photography-via-a-usb-cable/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


When I look at the elaborate setup our driver licensing bureaus use to photograph people, I've often wondered if there isn't a less expensive solution. A decent Canon camera and CuteCanonCapture looks like it would be up to the task.

CCC is compatible with ten different PowerShot models: the A620/640, S80, S3/5 IS, G7/9/10, and SX100/110 IS. Plug in a USB camera to your camera and click to connect. Once active, you'll get a realtime view of what the camera sees. The program also allows you to adjust the exposure mode, flash, auto focus, and zoom.

It's fairly similar to the applications that come packaged with webcams, except the image quality is much better.

CCC is open source and available for download from the project's wiki site or from Freeware Files.

Download SquadCuteCanonCapture enables hands-free photography via a USB cable originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canondigital-camerafreewareopensourcephotographyremote-controlTue, 04 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cameras makes managing multiple cameras a snap on your Mac]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/07/10/cameras-makes-managing-multiple-cameras-a-snap-on-your-mac/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/07/10/cameras-makes-managing-multiple-cameras-a-snap-on-your-mac/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/07/10/cameras-makes-managing-multiple-cameras-a-snap-on-your-mac/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Cameras

Since almost all phones can now take photos, many people have both a phone and a regular camera (or four) that they manage with their Mac. By default, you can choose whether to automatically open iPhoto when a camera is connected, but what if you want to do different things depending on which camera you connect? A new application by Flexibits has just been released to deal with this problem.

Cameras installs as a preferences pane, and allows you to very specifically choose what you would like to do with each camera. By default it is set to "Ask what to do" each time a new camera is plugged in, at which point you can choose to open a specific application, do nothing at all, or leave the option to ask what to do each time.

This functionality seems so dead-simple and obvious that I'd be surprised if Apple doesn't adopt it at some point in the future. For the time being, if you have more than one camera and you want to handle each one in different ways, Cameras is your free magic bullet.

[via our close personal friends at TUAW]

Download SquadCameras makes managing multiple cameras a snap on your Mac originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cameracamera-phonecamerasfreewarehardwarephotospreferences-paneFri, 10 Jul 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Map of the world's unsecured cameras]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2006/01/04/map-of-the-worlds-unsecured-cameras/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2006/01/04/map-of-the-worlds-unsecured-cameras/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2006/01/04/map-of-the-worlds-unsecured-cameras/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Goocam World MapGoocam World Map is a spooky mash-up that finds unprotected net-connected cameras on Google and plots them on Google Maps. Clicking on one of the pins on the map will show a preview of the camera with a link to the full-sized stream? Invasion of privacy? Probably. Fun? Definitely.

Download SquadMap of the world's unsecured cameras originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 04 Jan 2006 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>axiscamerasgoocamgoogle mapsprivacyWed, 04 Jan 2006 18:30:00 EST