Utterz is teaming up with SOBCon (Business School for Bloggers) by hosting a contest to create a commercial for your blog. The winner will receive a spanking new Nokia N95 phone.

SOBCon attendees and all website owners alike are invited to submit a commercial for your blog or webpage to the SOBCon Utterz “GET MY MESSAGE” contest. Entries will be reviewed and judged by SOBCon (Business School for Bloggers) attendees on Sunday May 4, 2008 in Chicago and one lucky website owner will win a Nokia N95 mobile phone.

Why Make Your Commercial
This is your opportunity to tell people why they should visit your site AND you’ll get unbiased advice on how to improve your message and drive more traffic. That, and you’ll get a lot of free promotion by being a featured participant in the GET MY MESSAGE Contest.

How Do I Participate?
Make a short commercial for your blog or webpage using Utterz – no longer than 60 seconds and 1,000 characters. Create your commercial using any combination of audio, video, pictures and text. Then, submit your commercial by tagging it “GET MY MESSAGE Contest” on Utterz.

Some suggestions:
- This is your value proposition. In other words, why do people care about visiting your website?
- Use a combination of media. Record some audio, make a video and upload an image – anything goes!
- Keep it short
- Get creative

What Then?
Commercials will be posted on Utterz.com and published to
http://getmymessage.blogspot.com/ so everyone has one place to view them. Before, during and after the event, people are invited to leave replies to each others’ commercials with words of encouragement, praise, or advise. User submissions can be edited based on this feedback right up to SOBCon on May 3 and 4. Please note, only one submission per person!

On Sunday, May 4, SOBCon attendees will have a chance to view everyone’s commercials in work groups. They will narrow the field to a set of 5 finalists based on the lessons learned during SOBCon ‘08. Then, we’ll ask everyone online and at SOBCon to vote on their favorite commercials in real time! The winner walks away with a brand spankin’ new Nokia N95.

For more information or questions about the SOBCon Utterz GET MY MESSAGE Contest or for questions about the Utterz service, email lizsun2@gmail.com and/or sim@utterz.com.

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I’m not sure if I will be entering. It’s good timing since I’ve been messing with video.. but what am I suppose to present? Visit this site so you can watch fishing videos and possibly win a pair of blue nuts?

Link

Engadget is giving away a HTC Shift.

TabletBlog is pairing paired up with Dynamism to give away a Nokia N810.

UMPC Portal likes the idea too and is pairing up with Mobilx to give away a WiBrain B1 UMPC.

GottaBeMobile is even jumping on the bandwagon and giving away its own Matt Faulkner.. if they let him out of the cube.

So how about here? I’m not so sure about buying readers.. but I don’t want to leave my current awesome readers in the dust.. So I’ll try something. If this post receives 30 comments by midnight tonight, I will purchase the item below, probably do an unboxing video and first impressions, then do a give-a-way contest.

Damn straight! Again, if this post gets 30 comments by midnight tonight, I will order a pair of Bumper Nuts Blue Balls edition and run a give-a-way contest. No joke!

I mentioned the announcement of this device along with a size comparison chart.

Also known as the Sony HDR-TG1, here’s an exclusive unboxing of Sony’s new ‘Full HD’ hybrid cam brought to you by Matt of Tracy and Matt’s Blog.

Big thumbs up for the built in ports. It includes USB, HDMI, component video, composite video, and a docking port as well.

It does appear a bit long. May not be fit well in jeans but should fit fine in a jacket pocket or cargo pants.

Tracy and Matt’s Blog :: Sony HDR-TG3E Handycam preview video (exclusive)

Copy the below text and save it to a batch file. I called this one H264_480_270.bat. Stick it in your SendTo folder which should be C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\SendTo if you are using XP. Of course, you’ll need VLC installed.

If you want to change the output resolution or bitrate, modify the appropriate values at the beginning of the script.

When right-clicking a video, navigate to “Send To” and then choose your batch file. After encoding is done, you’ll find a new file in the same folder but with “.mp4″ tacked on the end.

One downside is that the H.264 video VLC produces is not compatible with the iPod/iPhone. In order for it to work, you need to change the codec to normal MPEG4 (mp4v).

Note: The last three lines should be a single line.

For more information on encoding video for iPod, check this out.
—–

@SET vlcpath=”C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe”
@SET vcodec=h264
@SET bitrate=1024
@SET width=480
@SET height=270
@SET acodec=mp4a
@SET ab=128
%vlcpath% -I dummy -vvv %1 –sout=#transcode{vcodec=%vcodec%, vb=%bitrate%, width=%width%, canvas-height=%height%, acodec=%acodec%, ab=%ab%, channels=2}:standard{access=file,mux=mp4,dst=%1.mp4} vlc:quit

First 5×5 Vignette. It was a very windy day so I took some footage of some plants & trees blowing in the wind.

Shot from Canon TX1 at 720P. The audio had a lot of wind noise even though I turned on the wind filter. It was ridiculously windy though so it was expected. My hat flew off twice during this time.

I did an experiment in post. Edited this with my 800Mhz Fujitsu U810 UMPC using Sony Vegas. While editing, the preview screen couldn’t really keep up but it wasn’t actually too bad editing HD footage on such a slow computer. I’m somewhat glad now that the Canon TX1 encodes to MJPEG. If it encoded to H.264, there would be no way I would be able to edit it since H.264 is so processor intensive.

I ended up encoding the final product to 720P WMV. It took 54 minutes to encode 25 seconds worth of footage.

I doubt I will edit HD footage on a UMPC in the near future, but it’s nice to know it’s even possible.

Download WMV from Vimeo page - 1280×720 30FPS (99MB)

I’ve compiled a list of links for cheaper alternatives to expensive solutions.  I’ll try to keep adding to the list as I find them.

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/steadycam/ - $14 Steadicam “The Poor Man’s Steadicam”.  The most popular DIY Steadycam by Johnny Chung Lee.

http://www7.taosnet.com/f10/steadycam/ - More elegant looking steadicam/monopod using a cheap Walmart tripod.

http://www.cartala.com/diy.html - Modification of the $14 Steadicam.  Uses a longer cross bar with additional weight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTR5EYO0rLc - Another variant of the $14 Steadicam.  Most interesting part is the there’s no drilling for the camera mount.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7TMa-v03aE - Another project by cinepegger.  Using a bicycle wheel for a Fig Rig.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shygantic/129121710/ - PVC FigRig.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=T1aPbwcqquk - Zero Cost Steadicam.  This is what I’m using in the meantime. :)  All you have to do is extend a tripod and hold it in the right place.  It’s not perfect but the result is a lot better than normal handheld.

http://homebuiltstabilizers.com/greyhandheld.htm - List of DIY stabilizers for handheld cameras.

jabancroft World Exclusive: I got to play with the Lenovo and Aigo MIDs today at Intel Shanghai. Here’s a set of 33 photos: » link to World Exclusive: Lenovo and Aigo Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) at Intel Shanghai - a photoset on Flickr 4 minutes ago from twitterrific

There are some nice size comparison shots with the Fujitsu U1010 and the Samsung Q1U.

Update: Josh posted a writeup on his blog about the gallery..

World Exclusive: I got to play with the Lenovo and Aigo Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) at Intel Shanghai

jabancroft Quick blog post on my MID photos, with some more details. Will post more of a writeup, and the videos, after sleep » link to World Exclusive: I got to play with the Lenovo and Aigo Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) at Intel Shanghai at Josh Bancroft’s TinyScreenfuls.com 5 minutes ago from twitterrific

Unedited.

My first video with my new Canon TX1. Took a cruise to bowling alley.

It was around 5PM, overcast, and raining. Basically just stuck in traffic. Somewhat of a good test to see if the autofocus would search all over the place. It wasn’t too bad though.

I had the camera mounted on a GorillaPod SLR. The video was very shaky but didn’t go into a mess of blur. The OIS did its job I guess. The shakiness was just too much.

I encoded the raw MJPEG file (2.48 GB!!) to H.264 at 3.5 Mbps with VLC player. VLC player is a very fast encoder but probably not the best quality. Especially since it only did 1 pass.

I did a bit of handheld toward the end. Someone was pulled over so wanted to see what the cops were up to.

Download MP4 from Vimeo page - 1280×720 30FPS H.264 3.5Mbps (274MB)

It appears the hybrid cam movement is in full swing. Sony announced the HDR-TG1 high definition camera.

Weighing in at only 300g, it’s appears very pocketable with its 32×119x63mm dimensions. This is now the smallest Full HD camcorder.

You can expect to record 1 hour and 50 minutes of 1080i 30 FPS video at 16Mbps on an 8GB MemoryStick. You’ll be able to snap 4 megapixel photos in camera mode and 2.2 megapixel photos while recording video. I’ll assume the video is not interrupted while taking photos like the Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1000.

As for the lens..

“Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar® 10x optical zoom lens and 2-megapixel ClearVid™ CMOS sensor with Exmor™-derived technology”

—–

The specs and functionality appear to be a combination of the Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1000 and the Canon TX1 which isn’t a bad thing at all.
Wish Sony would dump the MemoryStick and just go with SDHC cards though.

It has all the latest goodies such as an Easy mode and Face detection. I’m crossing my fingers for a 720P 60FPS video mode.

Using sizeasy.com, you can see it’s just a bit taller than the Canon TX1. This is most likely due to the Sony’s 2.7 inch LCD display.

Check out the video and gallery over at Akihabara news.

So here we go…

New Camera, originally uploaded by Rodfather.

I only checked the door two times after hearing a truck go by. Pretty good eh? Anyway, here’s what I received.

* Canon TX1
* A-Data 2GB SD card which came free with the camera
* A-Data 16GB SDHC card
* Dolica Canon Accessory pack. For only $15 it came with a mini-tripod, 2 screen protectors, case, and most importantly, a spare battery.
* Another Dolica spare battery

This should cover me for now. 3 batteries and a 16GB SDHC card.

Immediate impressions? A bit heavier than I thought. Very solid build. Trying to figure out how an AC adapter plugs into this.

I’m just relieved I don’t have to go through all the research anymore. I am giddy with excitement.

—–

Since the TX1 is so small, I tried to look up any discussion on stabilizing a small digicam for shooting video. The TX1 has Optical Image Stabilization but I’d imagine it’s still difficult to keep stable using such as small device in a non standard form factor. To achieve a nice floating-like motion, gained from using a stabilizer like a SteadiCam, would be awesome on a tiny hybrid cam.

So how about a Fig Rig? This is a wheel-like anti-shake device created by Director Mike Figgis (Leaving Las Vegas, Time Code) to gain stability with DV sized cams. There’s a bunch of DIY projects trying to emulate Manfrotto’s expensive version. Here you can build your own with only $10 in parts.

Of course this is way too big for a TX1. So.. what’s shaped like a wheel and small???

The UbiSoft Wii Steering Wheel! These are basically shells to stick a Wiimote in to try to simulate the feeling of a real racing wheel. Call it air steering.. whatever.

This one comes with GT Pro Series for the Wii but there’s a few shady looking sites selling it separate for $10. There are other cheap wheels available as well.

I don’t have either yet but it might be worth looking into. You can probably screw in a bolt to mount the TX1 in the middle. It might just work!

So ya, anyone want to try to mod that into a small DIY Fig Rig?

I doubt this is scaled right, but you get the point..

For those who didn’t get a chance to get one there, I have a few to give out.

The first 10 to leave a comment will receive an Evernote Beta invite.  Make sure to submit the email address you wish me to send the invite to.

Taking a cruise along San Andreas Rd. Shot at around 6:30PM with about an hour or so left until Sunset.

Using the Aiptek A-HD at 720P 30FPS ~4Mbps attached to a GorillaPod SLR which was clinging to the dash of my Subaru. It was very shaky but speeding it up somewhat helped.

Edited with Sony Vegas 7 and rendered to 720P WMVHD at 6Mbps.  Original footage was 30 minutes.  Sped it up to a little over 7 minutes.

The fixed lens helps out when shooting from a car. The Aiptek is not meant for motion though.

Looking into a Sanyo Xacti HD1000 with its 60FPS 720P mode.

Song is Master of Puppets by Metallica performed by Apocalyptica.

Download source 720P WMVHD video (328.66MB)

Sanyo has been leading the way producing flash based, compact hybrid photo/video cams.

Now, they are trying to focus on marketing to women with their new, easy to use, compact, and stylish Xacti CG9 hybrid cam.

It contains a whopping 9.12 MP CMOS sensor and encodes video to max 640×480 at 60 FPS using the H.264 codec. I don’t know about you but H.264 and ‘easy to use’ don’t exactly go hand in hand.

This should be a great alternative if you are looking into the Sanyo VPC-CG65 but want something slightly more bulky and the option to shoot at 60 FPS.

The CG9 will be aggressively priced as an entry level camera. I’m guessing around $300.

Specs from Sanyo’s site:

• MPEG-4, H.264 Digital Video
• 9.12 Megapixel Still Images, CMOS
• 2.5″ LCD Display
• 5.0x Optical Zoom
• Video and Still Image Stabilization
• Real-Time Interpolation (12MP)
• High Quality Audio Recording (AAC-LC)
• Wind Roar and Red Eye Reduction
• Web Cam Function
• PictBridge Compatible
• USB 2.0 and S-Video Output
• Built-in Flash
• SDHC Flash Memory, Compatible, 40 MB Internal Memory (approximately 1 hour, 20 minutes video recording per GB)

Check out the video and gallery over at Akihabara News.

UPDATE (3/26/08):
I guess I was right about the price. Just noticed this on Amazon. Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG9 Retail $299.

Linux Devices posted info on a new rugged CarPC by Aaeon.  The  Boxer AEC-6905 is a rugged, vehicle mounted computer running an Intel Celeron M processor.  They were able to make it fanless by the use of the huge orange colored heat-sink which doubles as the case.

Features and specifications listed by Aaeon for the AEC-6095 include:

• Processor — Intel Celeron M from 600MHz to 1.5GHz
• Memory — up to 1GB of DDR RAM in single SODIMM slot
• Display — integrated VGA output; supported resolutions not specified
• Networking — 10/100 Ethernet port
• Other I/O:
  • 4 x USB 2.0
  • 3 x RS232
  • 1 x RS232/422/485
  • 1 x PS/2
  • 1 x VGA
  • audio mic-in, line-in, and line-out via DIN connector
• Expansion:
  • PCI slot (size not stated)
  • PC/104-Plus interface, accepts two-board stack
  • CompactFlash slot
• Operating temperatures:
  • From -20 to 60 deg. C (with SSD)
  • From -20 to 55 deg. C (with HDD)
• Dimensions — 13.3 x 11.6 x 10.3 inches
• Weight — 12.3 pounds
• Power requirements — 9VDC to 30VDC; external AC adapter is optional

 Link

I’ve been playing around with the Aiptek A-HD and a bit with the Flip Video Ultra and I’m disappointed with the CMOS sensor. It creates the typical ‘wobble’ effect. characteristic of digicams. I know the higher end HD cams from the big 3 (Sony, Panasonic, Canon), don’t have that effect with their CMOS sensors, but we’re talking about cheap webcam parts strung together and hope the chip is smart enough to figure it all out.

What appeals me with the Aipteks are the technical features, solid yet cheap build, and price to go with them. For $130, I have a 720P cam that produces H.264 video at around 4Mbps. I won’t feel bad bring an Aiptek along while surf fishing. If I end up catching the big one and have to sacrifice a cam to the Ocean, then so be it, I could always grab another.

I will always strive to be at the place where I can have a nice balance of a solid build, high tech, and portability. So, now, I’m looking a step up. Sanyo’s.. Or perhaps a Panasonic HCD-HD9 (not very durable or portable). I’m leaning toward the Sanyo HD700 though. Pocketability (!) is fairly important.

The Sanyo E1 is very appealing as well. It’s freaking water proof. You can submerge the MoFo 5 feet deep and it’ll record all that in at 640×480 using the H.264 codec. It’s a bit bulky though. I cruised over to Fry’s and compared the E1 to the C6 , which has the same build as the CG65 and HD700; the E1 is pretty huge in comparison, but it does look durable.

What’s lacking for these cheaper hybrid cams.. are the essentials to compete as a heavyweight in the camcorder field.

Let’s see:

• Opitical Image Stabilization (OIS). Much better than EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization).
• Auto/Manual Focus. Fixed lens cams have their use. For day-to-day use, autofocus is convenient. The option for manual focus is gold.
• Optics. The big players (Sony, Panasonic, Canon) all focus on their optics #1 priority. They don’t bother with cheap webcam parts. I love the pistolgrip form-factor, but it’s tough to combine a huge lens and portability. The big 3’s solution for their flash based cams are bullet shaped. House the best optics and ergonomics goes out the window.
• Standard? This is one to argue about. Sony and Panasonic are going AVCHD which has caused a bit of trouble for those trying to edit video with both Mac and PC. Every format seems have trouble working with your favorite video editor though. Basically, most people have trouble even playing 1080p/720P H.264 footage since it’s so demanding. The thought of them even editing HD footage is a shiny new computer, long, far.. away.
  For me, Sony Vegas has worked well. For you videographers/vloggers using digicams, MP4Cam2AVI has been gold for converting video to an editable format.
  Installing ffdshow also helped in viewing/editing video with the preinstalled Windows Movie Maker.

Ok this is awesome.

I have Jam Sessions for the Nintendo DS which basically turns your DS into a guitar. It’s fairly realistic if all want to do is strum chords.

Soon you’ll be able to have synthesizer for your DS. AQ Interactive is releasing the KORG DS-10 synthesizer.

From the AQ Interactive site:

Description:

• World’s first music tool software created for the Nintendo DS
• Two patchable dual-oscillator analog synth simulators:
• Four-part drum machine that uses sounds created with the analog synth simulator
• Six-track (analog synth x 2, drum machine x 4) /16-step sequencer
• Delay, chorus, and flanger sound effects available from the mixing board
• Three note-entry modes: touch-control screen, keyboard screen, matrix screen
• Real-time sound control mode via touch-control screen
• Exchange sounds and songs and play multiple units simultaneously through a wireless communications link

Release date is July 2008 for 4800 YEN in Japan

KORG DS-10 synth turns Nintendo DS into instrument of awesomeness - Engadget