InfoSpace announced the availability of InfoSpace Find It! for the Apple iPhone, enabling the hundreds of thousands of consumers who have already purchased the Apple iPhone to easily access and enjoy InfoSpace Find It! for free. InfoSpace Find It! is a premium local search application that distills millions of listings into six categories tailored to the on-the-go user, including: Dine Out, Go Out, Shop, Travel, Health and Services. ?The Apple iPhone has introduced a new level of innovation in mobile user experiences, and its intuitive interface and vivid display screen really maximize the usability and benefits of InfoSpace Find It!,? said Jeff Torgerson, senior product manager at InfoSpace.

It took a little while, but Hoya has purchased more than enough of Pentax’s stock to officially own the company. The Wall Street Journal reports today that Hoya is now stating it will have a 90.58% stake in voting rights, with over 122.7 million shares having been purchased at 770 yen each, which is a total of $793.3 million US. Hoya will make Pentax a wholly owned subsidiary. The shareholders have spoken!

Link: Hoya completes tender offer, wins control of Pentax

Electric car pioneer ZAP says its iZAP battery designed for the Apple iPod is more useful for the energy intensive Apple iPhone. “The iZAP battery was a life-saver during my business trip to China last week,” said Apple iPhone owner Steve Schneider, Chief Executive Officer for ZAP. “Frankly, if an Apple iPod runs out of power, losing your music and photo or video is not as critical to your business trip as the Apple iPhone. You lose your cell phone access, text messages, Internet and email access, time zone clock, business notes, scheduling software, driving maps, calculator and all the other news and information for which the Apple iPhone was designed.”

Last update: New user review

Name: PicaJet 2.5
Description: PicaJet offers direct import from your camera, image sharing via email or Web gallery, automatic photo enhancement, personal ratings and categories, as well as printing features. The photo organizer allows you to view your images by rating, keyword, or date/timeline and you can categorize your images by simple drag and drop. In addition, it offers editing features to correct red-eye, cropping, image sharpening, and level adjustment. Additional features include direct CD/DVD burning, an image search engine with support for EXIF/IPTC/XMP data, slideshow maker, and a tool to generate a Web gallery from perfect templates.
License: Free
Requirements: Windows Me/NT/2000/XP/2003 Server

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iPhoto '08

Apple announced an iMac refresh today and the latest version of their iLife application suite for Mac OS X, which includes a new version of iPhoto. I love iPhoto, and I'm glad that they've made easier to use without having to set up smart folders or use "rolls" like folders anymore. iPhoto now has the ability to create event folders from rolls and includes new sorting features familiar to Aperture and Lightroom users, notably quickly hiding images based on star ratings and keyword searching. Also, new .Mac sharing is more like competitive photo services, allowing you to present images in online galleries with the option to protect certain photos or allow hi-res downloads suitable for printing. Your gallery visitors can even contribute to your gallery. It's yet to be confirmed if previously unsupported Pentax cameras, like the *ist DS2 and K100D Super, are going to be able to use the new iPhoto without hacking the application. iLife '08 will be free with new Macs or $79 seperately. .Mac subscribers have 10GB of storage space for photos, movies, and websites they create ($99 per year).

Links: Apple iPhoto, Macworld Apple Announcement Info, Engadget Coverage of iLife 08

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Here’s a great video that does a wonderful job of explaining just what ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed are and how they impact your pictures. Many beginner digital photographers are intimidated by the various settings on their cameras. This video will help define those various setting and help you feel more comfortable with your cameras settings.

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Today is August 7, I mean, Argust 7. If you have an American-made Argus camera, shoot some photos with it today and remember that these classic cameras were made right here in Ann Arbor, MI. In fact, the Ann Arbor Area Crappy Camera Club is meeting for its monthly gathering at the ARGUS Building on 1st and William. I'll be giving a short talk on Argus cameras at 5:30 pm in the Argus Museum.

For more information on previous Argust days:

• Argust 2nd
• Argust 3rd
• Argust 4th
• Argust 5th
• Argust 6th

The Argus Collector's Group Homepage

Brilliant colors and clarity in this shot.. Simply love how it transitions to solid yellow.

sun, originally uploaded by aNNa Munandar.

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