Manifest Tech Blog

Mobile phones are a modern miracle, as we have grown accustomed to connecting to a cell tower anywhere around the globe. But there still are remote regions where travelers need to rely on satellite phones to keep in touch.

Yes, satellite phones still seem James Bond-ish, but they have become affordable and practical -- phones are available for around $500 to $1200, calling plans can fall under $1 a minute, and handsets weigh from 13 ounces down to only 4 1/2 ounces.

Currently, Iridium is the only mobile satellite service that offers full coverage around the globe, pole to pole, using its constellation of 66 low-earth orbiting satellites.

Regional services like Thuraya use a handful of satellites parked in geosynchronous orbit over specific regions of the globe. It offers consumer-friendly (but less rugged) small and light handsets, some also with GSM cellular service.

My experience with the Iridium phone was very good. It successfully connected even walking under light foliage and in the car near the window. And it worked fine from my front porch during a thunderstorm. Calls connected quickly (within a few seconds), the voice quality was fine, and the round-trip delay through the satellite was very short.

Today's satellite phones also have familiar features from mobile phones -- including phone book, voice mail, call forwarding, hands-free, and even ring tones. Callers dial your number as an international call. And you can send and receive text messages and e-mail.

For a remote data connection, you can hook a satellite phone to your computer with a data kit. However, the bandwidth is very low -- around 9.6 Kbps for Iridium. Laptop-sized data terminals like the Immarsat BGAN offer more broadband-like data rates up to 492 Kbps, while also providing simultaneous voice calls.

See my full article on Satellite Phones, for more on satellite phone carriers, products, and services.

See my article, Trip Tech: Far and Away, in the Oct. 2008 issue of Condé Nast Traveler for summaries of these products.

While you can use a satellite phone (see previous post) to keep in touch when travelling in remote areas, calling to chat does defeat the whole idea of getting away.

Especially for shorter less rugged trips, the SPOT Satellite Messenger is an inexpensive beacon that can signal your status while travelling. Press the OK or Help buttons to send a pre-determined message to a pre-selected e-mail and text message list. Or press the 911 button in a serious emergency to call out search and rescue. The transmitted message also includes your GPS coordinates.

The basic SPOT device costs $149, and requires an annual service plan of $99 a year to forward messages. Add a $49 per year Tracking option that updates your location on a shared Google Maps website. There's also a a $7.95 per year private Search and Rescue option that manages the rescue process when official emergency services are not able to respond fast enough.

The SPOT unit is palm-size and relatively lightweight (7.4 oz.), and is designed to be drop-resistant, waterproof, and to float. My SPOT worked fine in most circumstances. I received text and e-mail messages within 5 to 10 minutes of pressing the buttons, but received only 2 to 4 of the 6 messages per hour sent during a hike through light woods, or when clipped to my car's sun visor.

The SPOT is a fun and useful product at the price for some get-aways, but if you're concerned about needing to be able to call for help in an serious emergency, you can carry a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) instead. PLBs have only one function -- to broadcast a distress signal that will activate the international Search and Rescue (SAR) system to respond to a life-threatening emergency, using the same international satellite system used for marine and aircraft distress beacons to coordinates through national authorities to deploy and coordinate search and rescue.

PLBs from companies including ACR Electronics are available from outdoor and sporting supply retailers for around $500 to $700, or you can rent for around $70 a week. There are no additional costs or annual subscription fees.

PLBs typically are rugged and waterproof, and transmit the signal for 20 to 40 hours. The batteries typically have a 5 year replacement cycle.

Just don't press the big red button by accident -- unless you have a real emergency and need to call out the rescue helicopters.

See my full article on Satellite Rescue Beacons, for more on these products and services.

See my article, Trip Tech: Far and Away, in the Oct. 2008 issue of Condé Nast Traveler for summaries of these products.

    Find the ACR TerraFix PLB and ACR MicroFix PLB
    and SPOT Satellite Messenger on Amazon.com

We love our media -- music, photos, videos -- and we've got so much of it. We've got photos and video shot on digital cameras and cell phones. We have copies of some of these copied up to our PCs and laptops, along with music that we've ripped from CDs and miscellaneous other stuff we've received from friends over the Internet. And we've then uploaded and shared some of all this media to online communities like YouTube and MySpace.

But what if you want copies of some of our MySpace photos on your cell phone to show to friends, or your favorite music and videos on your Sony PSP for a trip, or a collection of stuff from different sources on your iPod? Now you're caught in a mess of format conversions, figuring out which formats are compatible with which devices, and which tool will convert and/or transfer the files where you want them.

Along with Nero 9 (see previous post), Nero has released a new application, Nero Move it, to attack this problem head-on. You plug in your devices, choose the source and destination, and it takes care of converting and transferring the files.

And Move it is a media organizer, so you can rip from CD, rename and categorize files, and preview clips. It collects your media files even across devices that you have unplugged, so it can convert media offline, and then sync later when the device is connected again.

The software is designed to be easily updated to support new devices. The current list includes lots of mobile phones (including the iPhone), iPods and a handful of other portable players, the HP iPAQ PDA, and Sony PSP game consoles.

However, while I was impressed by these applications when I saw them demonstrated last week, I'm currently having trouble installing them. According to Nero, the installer for Nero 9 has a known problem that makes it run very slow when installing from CD, and another problem which blocks the further installation of other Nero applications(!) After running into these, I'm now having problems cleaning up my system to get these to install. Nero is working on updates to resolve these problems.

Nero Move it is available for $49.99, or download for $39.99.

See press release (9/08) - Nero Launches Nero Move it

See my DVD Authoring Software Gallery for more on Nero 's software, DVD authoring, and media suites.

    Find Nero Move it on Amazon.com

Cell phones have become our ever-present comfort, not only carrying our contact list to stay in touch, but also storing our favorite music to soothe the journey.

And with Bluetooth wireless communications, it's really easy to connect to useful accessories to make more efficient use of the phone, or to share the experience.

Here are three examples of some of your options, courtesy of the Verizon Wireless collection of Bluetooth Accessories:

Noise-Reduction Headset -- Jawbone II

You may already have a wireless Bluetooth headset for chatting on the go. But today's noise reduction technology makes conversations much more pleasant with devices like the second-generation Jawbone II Bluetooth headset ($129)

The Jawbone provides standout voice clarity even in ridiculously noisy environments (see previous post).

    Find the Aliph Jawbone II headset on Amazon.com
    or from Verizon Wireless

In-Car Music & Hands-Free FM Transmitter -- Venturi Mini

Your car has become a great place to listen to music, with in-car entertainment systems with great speakers, and digital radios with informative displays. So until Bluetooth comes to cars, devices like the Venturi Mini FM transmitter ($129) can bridge the gap to your portable devices.

The Mini connects to your MP3 player to play music on the car speaker system (through the FM transmitter), and can switch to your cell phone as a hands-free device (with integrated microphone). With support in your devices, you also can control music playback from the Mini, search your contact list, and even display caller information on your car's digital radio display. It also has connectors for audio in (for direct connect from non-Bluetooth players) and output (for headphones) -- plus a bonus USB connector for charging your devices.

    Find the Venturi Mini FM transmitter on Amazon.com
    or from Verizon Wireless

Bluetooth Speakers -- Altec Lansing SoundBlade

A wireless headset is great for listening privately, and an in-car transmitter lets you talk hands-free and share your music on the go, but what about sharing with a group? The next step is a portable wireless speaker unit like the Altec Lansing SoundBlade stereo Bluetooth speakers ($129).

These are dual 2” full-range high output stereo speakers, with stereo headset support (Bluetooth A2DP) for playing music from mobile phones, laptops, and some MP3 players, plus two-way remote control support (AVRCP) for adjusting volume and forward/back from the speaker unit. Even better, it's also a wireless speakerphone for hands-free calling, with an echo-canceling microphone and voice-activated dialing.

    Find the Altec Lansing SoundBlade speakers on Amazon
    or from Verizon Wireless

See my Audio Accessories Gallery for details and related products

The Npower consumer electronics line is designed for 5 to 12 year-old kids, and includes digital cameras, digital photo frames, music players, and audio accessories. The line was introduced last September 2007, distributed by Memorex, and featuring familiar Nickelodian personalities including the infamous SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go!, and The Naked Brothers Band.

The products are decorated in bright colors with the Nick characters, relatively straightforward and simple to use, and inexpensive while still resistant to damage from kids (often in basic hard plastic).

This year's new line adds the hot new iCarly, with several new products available exclusively at Toys"R"Us through December:

The iCarly Micro MP3 Digital Music Player is small and simple (like the iPod shuffle), and stores some 250 songs (in 1 GB). It comes preloaded with a sample of iCarly’s new single, “Leave it All to Me!” ($29.99 at Toys"R"Us)

The iCarly Travel Speaker Case is a zippered case with shoulder strap, with a nook for a MP3 player on one side and built-in speakers on the other. Plug in the line-in jack to play your music out load, or use the dual headphone jacks to listen with friend.
($29.99 at Toys"R"Us)

The SpongeBob SquarePants Eyeball Speaker Dock is a wacky yellow sponge speaker. Nest your MP3 player in the cradle on top, wire up line-in to the player and left/right audio to the two eyeball speakers. And the speakers are removable -- select ROCK mode to have them wobble, rock and roll with the music (as a motor runs inside). ($39.99 at Toys"R"Us)

The SpongeBob SquarePants Digital Photo Viewer is a small and simple way to share photos, as the cover flips around as a stand to show the tiny 1.4" display. It stores up to 59 photos (in 2 MB), but requiring the built-in ImageViewer software to transfer files (Windows).
($24.99 at Toys"R"Us)

See my Portable Peripherals and Accessories Gallery for more on the Npower line

DXG Technology develops digital still cameras and video camcorders as an OEM for other brands, and has been expanding its own brand with some interesting new products, especially highly portable High-Def pocket video cameras.

The DXG-569V HD Camcorder is designed as a mini upright camcorder (at 5.4 oz.), complete with a 3" flip-out display (960 x 240). In addition to video, it shoots up to 8 megapixel still photos (3200 x 2400). It's available in black and silver for around $229 to $179.

The 569V is best held with a pistol grip, with the thumb resting on the navigation pad at the back of the lens barrel, with the record and function button on the back spine below. It runs on 3 AAA batteries.

Both of these DXG camcorders shoot video in three formats: HD (1280 x 720), standard def D1 (720 x 480), and Web-res CIF (~352 x 240), record on removable SD cards, have a Macro mode for close-up shots, and have video connectors for displaying your clips on either a standard and HD display.

The DXG-567V HD Camcorder is a vertical design like the Kodak Zi6 (see previous post), in the same size (~3.2 oz.), but with a different collection of features. It's available for around $170 in black, red, pink, and sky blue.

The 567V has a smallish 1.7" display, runs on 2 AA batteries, and has a pop-out USB connector to upload to a PC (with built-in software).

Both camcorders also include useful printed manuals, plus additional digital media software on CD. The video files are in QuickTime MOV format, with H.264 video and AAC audio, and so should be playable and editable with a variety of other tools.

While around the same price point, the Kodak Zi6 impressed me more, with a significantly bigger display (2.4" vs. 1.7"), and better video quality especially for indoor scenes (1/2 as compressed -- 9 vs 4 Mbps). The DXG camcorders do offer the option to shoot in lower Web resolution (for longer record times on a card), and support both NTSC and PAL formats (for compatibility with European TV).

DXG has introduced some interesting options for getting HD video in your pocket, with a variety of designs (and colors) for different types of users. Unfortunately, I did run into some glitches with the demo units of both products -- the DXG-567V seemed to hang a couple times (I had to remove the batteries to reset), and the DXG-569V had a wind noise effect on the audio track.

See my Digital Camcorders Gallery for specs and comparisons of pocket video camcorders.

    Find the DXG 567V and DXG 569V on Amazon.com

I'm a big fan of LED flashlights -- they're rugged and last forever, and quite bright. But now my flashlights pale by comparison to the new Duracell Daylite LED Flashlight, that has such a brighter and whiter beam that it washes out my old light.

The trick is Duracell's TrueBeam technology, which uses both a lens and a reflector to capture and project up to 100% of the light from the LED, and without the dark spot from old flashlights. The beam is adjustable from narrow spotlight to wider floodlight.

The Daylite flashlights are rugged (aircraft grade aluminum), with a lifetime guarantee.

The Daylite line is available with 3 different included batteries: AA or AAA batteries (3W / 80 Lumens, $24), or a CR123 model (4W / 160 Lumens, $34).

See my Portable Power Accessories Gallery for more details.

    Find the Duracell Daylite LED Flashlight on Amazon.com

Prolific author Derrick Story will be in New York next week for PhotoPlus Expo -- teaching seminars and at the O'Reilly booth.

Check out his recent book, The Digital Photography Companion (O'Reilly, March 2008), which crams both photo basics and creative advice into a nicely packable 200-page book.

It's a handy guide to indeed serve as a companion, friendly and well-illustrated. Use it first to help you get started into the breath of options in digital photography (with alphabetical summaries of features and controls), and then to bring along for advice when moving from basic to more advanced photo situations.

Story starts with the basics of choosing and using a digital camera (DSLR or compact), by discussing common features and camera controls. He then provides advice on using the camera for various shooting situations, from shooting kids and museums to lens filter tricks with sunglasses and, yes, pantyhose.

The reminder of the book then moves to the computer, covering managing and sharing digital images with photo editing tools (but not deep into editing and enhancement techniques), and then printing the final results, including advice on photo printers and services (but not details on specific services).

The Appendix provides handy quick reference guides for camera modes and settings.

The Digital Photography Companion
    by Derrick Story
    O'Reilly Media, March 2008, 214 pages, ISBN 0596517661, $24.99 ($16 street)

See Derrick Story's blog, with photo tips and podcasts, at The Digital Story.

See O'Reilly Media for more information, including digital version in PDF format and access through Safari Books Online.

    Find The Digital Photography Companion on Amazon.com

More on the chapters ...

"Anyone can take pictures, but not everyone can make pictures," writes Rick Sammon, travel and adventure photographer and author of some 27 books.

And in Face to Face: Rick Sammon's Complete Guide to Photographing People (O'Reilly, May 2008), he shows what he means, with pages of stunning photographs of people, along with his informal commentary about where, why, and how he took each shot.

This is not a step-by-step how-to book, or a tips and tricks book. It's more of an inspirational guide to thinking about taking better photos. After all, the largest section of the book is on Photo Philosophies, thinking about composition and poses and creativity to get fun and interesting shots.

Sammon's deeper message is that “Every picture is a self portrait” -- as you frame a subject, "the attitude and the energy that you project will be reflected in your subject’s face--and eyes--you’ll get a higher percentage of pictures that you like... you are subconsciously “directing” the subject to mirror the way you feel." And the result here is powerful shots of happy, comfortable, and confident people.

The second half of the book then does get into more specific advice, with sections on Outdoor Photography (action, groups, controlling lighting) and Indoor Photography (especially working with lighting). And Sammon concludes with a section on Enhancing Your Pictures in Photoshop -- again not detailed advanced techniques, but more fundamental attention to cropping and enhancements to change a snapshot into a portrait.

You can study this book from cover to cover, or just enjoy the fascinating portraits. But then you'll get pulled in to Sammon's informal commentary about the places he's picturing, the subjects he's shooting, and the choices that he made to get the shots that he wanted.

So as you do your own shooting, have fun with it, move in closer to focus more on people, and think about making -- rather than simply taking -- pictures.

Face to Face: Rick Sammon's Complete Guide to Photographing People
    by Rick Sammon
    O'Reilly Media, May 2008, 282 pages, ISBN 059651574X, $34.99 ($23 street)

See O'Reilly Media for more information, including digital version in PDF format and access through Safari Books Online.

    Find Face to Face on Amazon.com

Web video can be stupid pet stunts shot in jerky camera phone video and playing in a tiny window . Or it can be much more, using the compelling power of video to connect with viewers to tell a story -- or send a message about your company or yourself.

Web Video: Making It Great, Getting It Noticed draws on Jennie Bourne's background in TV news production and editing to focus on bringing the power of well-produced video to the Web.

The first part of the book focuses on shooting high-quality video that will look good when it's shown on the web, with details about camera and audio settings, and shooting in specific environments like events and interviews.

Bourne then discusses two specific video styles: video blogs with your personal syle, and TV-style productions for storytelling.

Once you're done shooting, the next sections get your raw material to the Web: editing to convey your message, with advice on techniques for tighter editing and better storytelling, and then compressing and uploading to the Web, with information Web video hosting sites and choosing the best video formats and compression settings.

The final sections reaping the benefits of your work, with advice on getting your video noticed though networking and promotion to drive traffic, and then making it pay, though advertizing and by promoting yourself and your skills.

The chapters also include interesting interviews with Web video pioneers and suggested projects to get you started. The book ends with the two final projects that sum up Bourne's message: Identify and Target Your Audience -- and then Network!

So if you have something you want to say, and the creative urge to say it in video, then this book can help you do a better job -- first, by shooting a higher-quality video production designed for Web playback, and then by using the Web more effectively as a platform to spread your message.

Web Video: Making It Great, Getting It Noticed
    by Jennie Bourne with Dave Burstein
    Peachpit Press; August 15, 2008, 322 pages, ISBN 0321552962, $39.99 ($26 street)

See Jennie Bourne's WebVideoBook.tv companion site for sample footage, extended interviews, reviews, and tips for making better video.

See Peachpit for more information, including access through an electronic subscription at Safari Books Online.

    Find Web Video on Amazon.com

To celebrate the upcoming release of the 22nd James Bond mission, Quantum of Solace starring Daniel Craig, coming November 14 in the U.S. (see the aptly named 007.com) -- MGM and Fox Home Entertainment are releasing six films across the Bond canon in high-def Blu-ray Disc (BD) format, available on October 21.

The films are restored and re-mastered for high quality picture and sound via digital frame-by-frame restoration, and includes scads of special features, including featurettes refinished in HD.

The James Bond franchise has generated more than four billion in global box office gross and has an astounding 98% global consumer awareness. Casino Royale, the most recent James Bond film, debuted on Blu-ray in March 2007, and continues to be one of the best selling BD releases to-date.

The six films newly released in Blu-ray are:
- Dr. No, 1962, with Sean Connery
- From Russia with Love, 1963, with Sean Connery
- Thunderball, 1965, with Sean Connery
- Live and Let Die, 1973, with Roger Moore
- For Your Eyes Only, 1981, with Roger Moore
- Die Another Day, 2002, with Pierce Brosnan

Each film is available individually in Blu-ray format for $34.98 U.S. ($24 street), and includes an e-movie ticket cash certificate (up to $10.50) for the new Quantum of Solace Bond adventure.

The films also are available in two sets of three, the James Bond Blu-ray Collection Three-Packs, with two movie tickets:
Volume 1 (Dr. No / Die Another Day / Live and Let Die) and
Volume 2 (For Your Eyes Only / From Russia with Love / Thunderball), each for $89.98 ($59 street).

Or you can get the full set in the James Bond Blu-ray Collection Six-Pack for $179.96 ($112 street).

The Hollywood studios will be pushing Blu-ray for the holidays, hoping that you upgrade your movie collection to enjoy new releases -- and classics -- on your widescreen HD TV.

So MGM / Fox hopes you agree that "Blu-ray was made for Bond" -- See FoxBD.com for information on the latest releases, including the Planet of the Apes series coming on November 4.

Find the James Bond Blu-ray Collection Three-Packs Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 and the complete Six-Pack on Amazon.com

I continue to be impressed with the Flip Mino pocket camcorder (see previous post) -- It's small enough to take along everywhere, and yet shoots very good video. I used it this weekend at a wedding -- capturing the first kiss unobtrusively in the church, and then shooting at the reception in a restaurant with rather dim lighting. The Mino did well -- yes, the indoor footage is somewhat grainy, but the contrast range is still very good, from white dresses to dark suits, and the Flip even holds up with sometimes constant flashes from all the photographers.

The Flip concept of pocket camcorders really has broken open the market -- Flip Video reports having sold over 1.5 million camcorders after one year, and currently has the #1 and #3 best-selling camcorders in the U.S., according to the latest rankings from market research firm NPD.

Meanwhile, Flip has introduced a new personalization option to customize your own Mino when you order online -- and the service is free.

You can choose from thousands of designs including retro, tattoos, sports, and nature, or from leading design firms and popular brands.

For your personal style, upload and use your own image, or use the Pattern Generator tool to create a unique design: start with your favorite colors and pattern style, scroll though generated variations, and set the intensity from mild to wild.

The design is applied to the entire front of the camcorder (currently only the white model), and can include transparent areas to mix with the base color. The design is then covered with a protective clear coat.

But there's more -- you can share your design for free, or set up a Flip Designer account on CafePress.com to sell your design, and earn $10 each time it is purchased.

Currently, the custom designs are only available on the Flip Mino. But the satisfaction guarantee allows you to return even a personalized camcorder for any reason within 90 days of purchase.

The Flip Video Mino is available in white and black for $179 (or $152 street), with 2 GB of internal memory, to store approximately 60 minutes of TV-res video.

See my Digital Camcorders Gallery for more on digital camcoders, from webcams to HD.

    Find the Flip Video Mino on Amazon.com

Adobe has done it again -- Adobe Creative Suite 4 shipped on October 15, 2008 for Windows and Macintosh, with a major update to its to its collection of design and development tools, spanning the creative workflow across print, web, video, interactive and mobile.

This is another impressive piece of software engineering and project management by Adobe -- CS4 includes upgrades to 13 core applications, a year and a half after the release of CS3.

CS4 features full version upgrades of 11 stand-alone applications that are available individually, 2 more applications bundled with Premiere Pro, and 4 additional components.

CS4 is available bundled in 6 suites (with Standard and Premium versions, as was CS3), including the full Master Collection with all the applications.

- The Design suite includes Adobe Photoshop CS4, InDesign, and Illustrator
- The Web suite includes Adobe Flash CS4 Professional, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, and Contribute
- The Production suite includes Adobe After Effects CS4, Premiere Pro, and Soundbooth, plus Encore and OnLocation (bundled with Premiere)

The additional components are Adobe Bridge CS4, Version Cue, Device Central, and Dynamic Link

PR - 10/08 - Adobe Creative Suite 4 Now Shipping
PR - 9/08 - Adobe Introduces Creative Suite 4 Product Family

See full article: Summary: Adobe Creative Suite 4 for a summary of the CS4 suites and individual applications.

See summaries of video applications and versions in my Video Editing Software Gallery.

    Find the Adobe CS4 Design, Web, and Design Suites
    and the CS4 Master Collection on Amazon.com

The PDN PhotoPlus Expo is in New York this week, Thursday through Saturday, October 23 - 25, at the Javits Center.

In its 25th year, PhotoPlus includes 11 seminar tracks on topics including business, digital tools, photo markets, promotion, and technology -- with over 100 photography and imaging seminars and workshops.

With a record 185 exhibitors, it's a great place to get some hands-on time and expert advice on cameras -- and accessories. Just go early -- there are over 35,000 people pre-registered.

We've been traveling this week, so this is a good time to highlight the CityPass discount booklets, available for eleven cities -- across the U.S. and Toronto.

Each booklet concentrates on the most-visited attractions, with no more than six per city -- featuring art museums, aquariums, science centers, natural history museums, zoos, themed attractions, and historical attractions -- plus viewing towers or waterfront cruises when appropriate for the big view of the city (i.e., the Empire State Building and a Circle Line or Statue Cruises in New York, or the Prudential Skywalk Observatory in Boston).

These are great when you are visiting a city, of course, and also helpful when you have friends visiting and want to set them loose to see the landmark sights. And there's a further bonus -- CityPass tickets allow you to avoid waiting in the main ticket lines at some sites (including the Empire State Building, MOMA, and Guggenheim Museum in New York).

Each ticket also includes information on the attraction, including hours, directions, and insider tips with the best time for visiting. And the booklets also include additional pages with additional special offers, city maps, and city information from National Geographic Traveler magazine on shopping, restaurants, and nightlife.

The New York CityPass is $74 and the Boston CityPass is $44, around a 50% savings from standard prices (see the CityPass website for price information on each attraction). Lower prices are available for kids, and the booklets are valid for 9 days.

More on the New York and Boston CityPass booklets --