What's open: Things to do on Christmas Day

Got visitors in town and kids about to drive you up the wall? If you are itching to get out the of the house on Christmas Day, there are a few places you can go besides the movies.

Tampa's Downtown on Ice: Even in balmy Florida, you can get in the holiday spirit by skating on an outdoor rink in the park. Each 90-minute session includes skate rental for $10. The rink is open Christmas Eve 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. and Christmas Day 4-10 p.m. at Curtis Hixon Park, 600 N Ashley Drive, Tampa.

MOSI: Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry will open its galleries from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Christmas Day and the first IMAX film will start at noon, and the last IMAX show ( Hunger Games: Catching Fire) is at 7 p.m. Admission is $21.95, $17.95 ages 2-12, $19.95 seniors. The museum is at 4801 E Fowler Ave., Tampa. (813) 987-6000.

Get outside: Stroll along Tampa's Riverwalk Park near the Tampa Bay Times Forum. Cruise past the Convention Center then wind your way around toward Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park and take in the views along the Hillsborough River (this is about a mile in length, so wear comfortable shoes). Another nice walk is the St. Petersburg downtown, with its series of waterfront parks and banyon trees that are just about the best climbing trees ever.

Christmas Day at the Gardens: The Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales will celebrate Christmas Day with a tour of the Holiday Homes of Pinewood Estates and "Sounds of the Season" carillon concerts at 1 and 3 p.m. Regular daily admission applies. For the Gardens and Pinewood Estate, tickets are $16 for adults, $8 for children (5-12); gardens only, $10 and $3. Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales. (863) 676-1408. Open noon-5 p.m. Christmas Day.

Mote Marine: The Sarasota Bay aquarium is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, 365 days a year, including all holidays. It's a great way to explore the secrets of the sea through touch pools, viewable-working labs and high-tech interactive exhibits that showcase the research of Mote Marine Laboratory scientists. See sharks, manatees and sea turtles, along with more than 100 other species of marine life. Admission is $19.75 for age 13 and older, seniors $18.75, kids age 4-12 $14.75, age 3 and under free. The aquarium is located at 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway , a few minutes from downtown Sarasota by way of the Ringling Causeway, and one mile north of St. Armands Circle.

Busch Gardens: Like most theme parks, the Tampa park is open every day and on Christmas will be open 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Insiders say that day and Christmas Eve are two of the least crowded times to go on what is typically a very busy week.

Hunt for Florida snowmen: Or better yet, make one of your own. The beaches of Tampa Bay, especially the stretch of sand between the snack bar and the Don CeSar at Pass-a-Grille, have several sand people this time of year, ranging from tiny 2-footers to some that are life-sized and carved out of the sand. Be sure to bring a camera to document. They'd make a perfect Christmas card from Florida next year.

Outside the Dali: The Dali Museum is closed Christmas Day but it's still a cool place to visit because the garden outside has a wonderful maze for kids to play in. There are patches of places where you can sit and visit or take photos in the Avant Gardens. Plus, there is a great and little-used kids park across the street at Albert Whitted Airport that has lots of business christmas card greetings themes. Even better, it's all free at Bayshore Drive SE and Fifth Avenue SE in downtown St. Petersburg.

Go fish: The Sunshine Skyway fishing piers are open 365 days a year and are rich with fins around the old bridge, which has been turned into fishing piers on the north and south sides. There are snack bars and picnic areas open every day of the year, 24 hours a day. You don't need a fishing license because they have a pier fishing license that covers all of their guests. Rod rentals are $8 a day with deposit and they'll even loan you a bucket. Pier admission is $4 per car, plus $4 per adult, $2 for children 6 to 11, 5 and under free. Or you can pay a $3 "sightseeing fee" to go there at sunset. skywaypiers.com.

Sink a mini putt: Take advantage of the beautiful weather and hit a miniature golf course. Smuggler's Cove locations in Indian Shores and Madeira Beach are open from noon to 11 p.m. Christmas Day. And to make a special Florida memory, they have real live alligators that you can feed. Give them your email address and they'll send you a coupon for money off a round. smugglersgolf.com.

What's open: Things to do on Christmas Day 12/19/13

President Obama Meeting With Tim Cook And Other Leaders Tomorrow To Talk Tech | Cult of Mac

The White House has announced that President Obama is scheduled to meet with a number of top-level tech executives in the industry tomorrow, including Apple's Tim Cook. Topics of discussion will be the recent controversy surrounding the NSA's phone surveillance, HealthCare.Gov, and ways the government can work with tech companies to grow the economy.

"Tomorrow, President Obama will meet with executives from leading tech companies to discuss progress made in addressing performance and capacity issues with HealthCare.Gov and how government can better deliver IT to maximize innovation, efficiency and customer service," a White House official said. "The meeting will also address national security and the economic impacts of unauthorized intelligence disclosures. Finally, the President will discuss ways his Administration can partner with the tech sector to further grow the economy, create jobs and address issues around income inequality and social mobility."

Other names on the list include Google's Eric Schmidt, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, dropbox for mac CEO Drew Houston, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, and AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson.

Apple participated in an open letter with eight other tech companies last week that says "it is time for the world's governments to address the practices and laws regulating government surveillance of individuals and access to their information." Last month Apple released a public report that details the government requests for customer data it has received.

Alex Heath is a news contributor at Cult of Mac. He previously served as an editor for iDownloadBlog. You can find out more about him on his personal site. And please do follow him on Twitter because that would make his day.

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Public Art Shakes Up Navy Yard Area

<old navyp> Michael Kirby and three other paint-splattered artists sat cross-legged in a parking lot next to the former intelligence agency, inside tall iron fencing, near the big security gatehouse, with the drab, almost windowless walls of a high-security building behind them.

Two of the outside walls were no longer blank: On one side, artists on this recent day had dumped more than 100 gallons of bright paint - SPLAT! - down the front of the building. On another, there was a five-story high mural, with two lederhosen-wearing figures grappling, little cartoon lightning bolts coming out of one of their mouths. One had a gleaming gold dinosaur skull head. The other might be a sock monkey, or, possibly, a gray, heavily tattooed, mustachioed little man wearing a ski mask.

So, yeah: It's no longer part of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Now it's art.

The building, once home to top-secret CIA programs, is empty, stripped, with cables hanging down from the ceiling. "Zombie paradise," said Kirby, who peeked in a door when demolition workers came out.

A public art project kicked off recently in the area around the Navy Yard in Southeast Washington, which is in the midst of a massive redevelopment - from a place by turns seedy, industrial and forbidding into a beautiful waterfront neighborhood. The Defense Mapping Agency moved to a secure location on a military base. The Navy shuttered the buildings it used to make boilers and anchors. The strip clubs buttoned up and left.

New apartment towers, the U.S. Department of Transportation and Nationals Park rose up. Now about a third built out, with construction cranes all about, it's a funny place, with bleak vacant lots, mountains of dirt, and a water treatment plant, as well as lovely parks, expensive homes and unexpected bright spots: an ice-skating rink glowing at night, bright kayaks bobbing along the river, a trapeze school, and one of the city's buzziest bars.

Forest City Washington, the massive real estate company that owns 42 acres and will be building here for many years, commissioned artists to help fill in some of the blanks.

Art Yards, an "evolving canvas" of a project that will stretch from late November to mid-December, happened kind of by chance, with D.C. street artist Kelly Towles pitching an ambitious plan that included inviting artists from across the country to try to shake things up. Both the developer and the Capitol Riverfront business improvement district have been interested in promoting "temporary urbanism," with pop-ups like the makeshift bar area outside the ballpark to fill in empty spaces.

On Friday and Saturday nights, DJs spun at a silent disco inside one soon-to-be-filled space, with dancers choosing channels on their headphones. The Art Yards project is focused on the building across from the ballpark, a monolithic chalky grayish block that, artists decided, was a perfect blank canvas. This week, Dabs Myla, a couple of Australian artists now based in Los Angeles who create a world full of fat, doughy letters, wide-eyed cheeky spray-paint cans, hotdogs, foxes and other cheerful characters, are painting a giant bat on the south wall.

New And Exclusive Micro-Site Content

ePHOTOzine's Micro-Site Roundup - Find out what's been happening on our five Micro-Sites.

Posted:

Here's a roundup of the exclusive content we've got for you to have a read of on our five micro-sites this week:

On PENTAXPORTAL this week, you can take a look at some top tips for photographing seals with your Pentax camera, and check out some top Pentax sunset photos. Plus, the brand new K-3 DSLR has been reviewed on site this week, and there's news of new images from Ricoh Imaging brand ambassadors.

Over On EIZO ColorZone, you can learn how to perform a monitor viewing angle check and find out why ColorNavigator software is a great tool for aiding calibration. Plus, there's news of a new 3D CG colour management handbook that's now available.

Meanwhile, on Olympus Image Space this week, there are techniques on how to use blur creatively, and there's news on Olympus workshops taking place over the coming months with Damian McGillicuddy and Steve Gosling. Plus, news on the Olympus Impressions 'Fall' competition, and £100 accessory cashback when you buy an Olympus OM-D E-M1 camera have also gone live.

On Totally Tamron this week, you can learn some top tips for taking better photos of ice with your Tamron lens, plus there are some top Tamron portrait photos for you to take a look at. Don't forget to take a look at David Pritchard's blog the days zoom past, too, as he's been out-and-about with his newly acquired Tamron 24-70mm lens.

Last but not least, on Nikon Nation this week, you can check out some ideas and tips for on location portrait shoots, get creative with colour balance and lots more. Plus, don't miss the Nikon D5300 Black Friday Deal DSLR review and news of ono-to one training with Nikon School in December.

Make sure you check back to the Micro-Sites regularly, as new and exclusive content is posted weekly!

Source: Ephotozine

Nikon D5300 Review

<Nikon D5300 Black Friday Dealp>

Introduction

The Nikon D5300 is a new 24.2 megapixel DSLR camera with no optical low-pass filter that can record Full HD movies at 1080/50/60p with stereo sound and comes equipped with built-in Wi-Fi and GPS. A high-resolution 3.2-inch vari-angle LCD monitor makes it easier to compose your shots from difficult angles, while the extensive ISO range of 100-25600 should cope with virtually all lighting conditions. A 5fps burst shooting mode, EXPEED 4 image processor, 39-point autofocus system with nine cross-type sensors, 2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor, High Dynamic Range mode, Active D-Lighting, and nine different special effects for stills and movies complete the Nikon D5300's headline specs. Available in three colours, black, grey and red, the Nikon D5300 costs £729.99 / $799.95 / €899 body only, or £829.99 / €1029 with the 18-55mm VR kit lens, and $1,399.95 with the AF-S NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens.

Ease of Use

The Nikon D5300 replaces the year-old D5200 as the new mid-range model in Nikon's extensive DSLR line-up, slotting in between the existing D3200 and D7000 models, not only in terms of feature set and functionality, but also in terms of size and weight. It isn't quite as compact and lightweight as the D3200, but neither is it as bulky and heavy as the D7000. In comparison to its predecessor, the D5300 is slightly smaller and lighter than the D5200. The right-hand grip is deep and therefore quite comfortable for photographers with large hands and/or longish fingers, and there's also a handy rubberised thumb rest on the back of the body.

The D5100's 24.1 megapixel CMOS sensor has been superseded by a 24.2 megapixel sensor with no optical low-pass filter, which promises to deliver slightly finer details. The sensor can clean itself by way of high-frequency vibrations that will, at least in theory, shake off any non-adhesive dust particles that may have settled on the low-pass filter during a lens change. You can specify, via an option in the Setup menu, whether you want sensor cleaning to take place at shutdown, startup, both or neither, with the default being 'both'. The cleaning process pleasingly has no practical impact on startup times, which were near instant. The new image sensor is complemented by the more powerful EXPEED 4 processing engine and a larger buffer as well.

The D5300 is the first Nikon DSLR to offer both built-in wi-fi and GPS connectivity, instead of relying on optional accessories like all previous models. The wi-fi function essentially pairs the D5300 with an iOS or Android smartphone or other smart device, and allows you to eidt and share images directly to social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. It also makes it possible to control the D5300 remotely via a smart device using the free Wireless Mobile Utility app, and set the focus point using the smart device's touchscreen. The built-in GPS/A-GPS receiver logs location information such as latitude, longitude, and altitude in the image's EXIF data, even when the camera is turned off, allowing you to retrace your steps even when you're not taking photos.

The 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR kit lens that Nikon supplied feels fairly well-balanced on the Nikon D5300 and it fits into place with a reassuring mechanical click. It also adds the very important advantage of Vibration Reduction. Nikon bodies don't offer any form of in-camera image stabilisation, unlike similar models from Sony, Pentax and Olympus, so the affordable 18-55mm VR lens is a good starting point if you don't already have any Nikon lenses.

The shutter release action on the Nikon D5300 is surprisingly quiet, with a dampened mirror slap that makes this DSLR actually quieter than some rangefinder cameras. Furthermore, there is a Quiet Shutter Release mode, in which the mirror is raised fairly slowly to further reduce the sound it makes. This does, however, introduce some shutter lag, which usually isn't worth the few decibels of difference versus what is already an impressively quiet shutter.

FrontRear

The Nikon D5300 follows conventional DSLR design in having a shooting mode dial on the top of the camera, which allows you to select either one of the advanced modes like Manual, Aperture- or Shutter-priority, or a number of scene modes. The Exposure Compensation button is thoughtfully positioned next to the shutter release. Hold down this button with your right forefinger and spin the control wheel on the top-rear of the camera with your thumb to adjust its settings - simple and intuitive.

The Effects shooting mode, first introduced on the D5100, now provides 9 different filters that can be applied to both still images and movies. The Night Vision effect is particularly worth of mention, pushing the camera's sensitivity to a whopping ISO 102,400, although a monochrome rather than colour image is recorded. For stills, you can enter Live View mode to preview the effect or simply use the optical viewfinder. For movies, the recording is slowed down (dependent upon the chosen effect) as the camera uses a lot of processing power to apply the effect, leading to footage that can have a rather staccato feel. Note also that the camera sets virtually everything in the Effects mode - exposure, shutter speed, white balance, ISO, file type and quality - so its only creative in terms of the arty effect that's applied. Several of the same effects can be applied to an image or movie that you've taken, though, so you can have the best of both worlds (albeit without the luxury of a preview).

The second button sitting next to the shutter release is labeled 'info'. This button is arguably at the heart of the Nikon D5300's ease-of-use, as like its predecessor the camera lacks the monochromatic status LCD of the older D90, so Nikon had to provide a different way to check vital shooting information without having to look into the viewfinder. Enter the info button - pressing it displays virtually all of the camera's main settings on the large rear screen. Pressing the "i" button on the rear of the D5300 then allows you to interact with and set the onscreen options, with 14 available in total.

The rear articulated LCD screen is hinged at the side rather than the bottom. This fully articulated design is a much more flexible solution, allowing the screen to be folded out from the left side of the camera and folded inwards to protect it when not in use. The screen is slightly bigger than the D5200 at 3.2 inches and higher resolution too, with 1,037k dots, so there's nothing to complain about in this department. The screen also has an anti-glare coating, so that it's usable most of the time outdoors in strong daylight, although it still struggled a little with reflections.

The D5300's Live View is accessed in a different and arguably less intuitive way than on the D3200/D7100. Instead of a combined switch / button on the D3200/D7000, the D5300 has a fore-finger operated spring-loaded switch on top of the body that is pushed downwards and toggles between turning Live View on and off. Positioned next to the Shooting Mode dial, it allows you to enable Live View whilst holding the camera at arms length with one hand, or to turn it off as you hold the camera up to your eye. We'd prefer it to be on the rear of the camera and also to incorporate the Movie record button, in keeping with the D3200/D7100 models.

Press the Lv switch and the mirror flips up, the shutter opens and the rear screen displays the scene as seen through the lens. There is a red rectangle in the middle, which you can move practically anywhere in the frame. When in manual focus (MF) mode, you can magnify into this rectangle in a number of steps by repeatedly pressing the button marked with a loupe icon, but this magnification seems to be at least partially interpolated. This means that you cannot see detail down to the pixel level, unlike some competing cameras.

Fortunately, MF is not the only focusing option in Live View, at least as long as you are taking stills. Single-servo AF (AF-S) and Full-time-servo AF (AF-F) modes are also available and, while slow, they tend to be accurate. Both modes can also be used in connection with face detection. 'Face-priority AF' had no problem finding and keeping track of human faces as long as they were facing the camera, but acquiring focus was another story - very, very slow.

Live View must also be entered to shoot movies. After pressing the Lv button and optionally presetting the aperture and focus, you can start recording video by pressing the dedicated Movie Record button on top of the camera next to the shutter release. The camera records full high-definition, wide-screen video in 1920x1080 pixel resolution, at a frame rate of 60p/50p/30p/25p/24p, in AVI format using the motion JPEG codec. As with Live View, contrast-detect AF is possible whilst shooting movies, although as with still images there's an audible whine as the camera refocuses and it's still too slow to focus on any fast-moving subject, so much so that we suspect most serious users will use manual focusing instead. Although the D5300 can automatically focus during video recording, it's just not fast enough to warrant regular use.

You can set both the aperture and the shutter speed during movie recording, although the slowest shutter speed is limited to 1/30th second, plus exposure compensation and AE-Lock can also be set. Out of the box the D5300 can record stereo sound via its built-in microphone with three different levels of sensitivity on offer, and improved sound can also be recorded using an optional external microphone. The maximum size of a single video clip is 2 gigabytes which, given that movies occupy about 100 megabytes of storage space per minute, would theoretically translate into about 20 minutes of continuous recording.

The D5300 has a proper through-the-lens optical viewfinder with a slightly improved magnification of 0.82x, on par with most of its rivals. The Nikon D5300's 39 auto-focus points are permanently marked on the focusing screen, whereas the compositional grid lines can be called up via a menu option. Two warning signs - telling you that the battery is running low or you have forgotten to insert a memory card - may also appear in the form of overlaid icons when appropriate. Below the finder is a traditional monochromatic status bar showing practically all relevant shooting information (including the ISO sensitivity, if so specified in the menu).

As stated above, the Nikon D5300 has 39 auto-focus sensors, out of which 9 are cross type. The other thirty are of the line variety, consequently being only sensitive to either vertical or horizontal detail, but not both. In practice, this did not turn out to be a real problem, with the camera typically locking focus on the subject quickly and easily, no matter which AF point was selected. In the viewfinder, the active AF point appears in red, which is easy to see. Selecting the active AF point is done by way of the four-way pad - except if you choose Auto Area AF - again a simple and intuitive solution. In low light, the AF sensors are helped by an AF assist lamp located on the front plate of the camera.

The 2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor used by the D5300 is again identical to the system used by the more expensive D7100 model. This provides precise data to the camera's Scene Recognition System, which optimises exposure, autofocus and white balance immediately before the shutter is released.

Memory Card SlotBattery Compartment

The Nikon D5300 only has one control wheel and there are no dedicated buttons for controlling ISO sensitivity, white balance, metering or AF mode. The Fn button can be reprogrammed to perform ISO selection or white balance adjustment (or one of a few other functions such as file quality specification), but the others still have to be set through the main info screen, called up by pressing the [ i ] button top-right of the rear display. With practice, performing adjustments via this screen becomes fairly quick and easy, but it's not as efficient as the older D90's dedicated controls.

Most of the camera's rear controls are scattered, seemingly almost randomly, to the right of the D5300's large folding screen. While we can understand the need to locate them to accomodate the 3 inch LCD, the positioning of the Zoom In and Zoom Out buttons in particular isn't very intuitive, being operated with your right-hand thumb, and right next to the Delete button. As the D5300 isn't a very complex camera in terms of the number of external controls, it thankfully doesn't get too confusing, but is something to consider from an ergonomic point of view.

For the images that you've already already captured, the Nikon D5300 offers a broad range of retouching tools, including post-capture D-lighting (useful if you forgot to turn on Active D-lighting before capture), red-eye correction, trimming, monochrome conversion, different filter effects, colour adjustments, image resizing, image overlay, in-camera raw processing, quick auto retouching, straightening of crooked pictures, lens distortion correction, fisheye, colour outline, colour sketch, selective colour, miniature effect, and perspective control. Many of these functions make it unnecessary to buy specialised computer programs or plug-ins and spend hours in front of a computer to achieve a desired/popular effect.

The Nikon D5300 is powered by a proprietary EN-EL14a Lithium-ion battery, good for 600 shots, and records videos and image files on SD/SDHC/SDXC cards. As we noted in our D5200 review, we would really have liked to see Nikon add a second card slot for Compact Flash cards, so that owners of higher-specified Nikon DSLRs who buy a D5300 as a second body can use their existing memory cards. It also lacks the dual-SD slots of the D7100. As far as connectivity goes, there are USB/VideoOut and Mini HDMI ports as well as an accessory terminal for the connection of a wired remote or a GPS unit, all sheltered behind a door on the left side of the camera, when viewed from the back.

That concludes our look at the D5300's interface and feature-set. Now let's take a look at the D5300's image quality...

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Source: Photographyblog

Nikon NEF Codec updated with support for Nikon DF, D5300 digital SLRs

<Nikon D5300 Black Friday Dealp>by Mike Tomkins

Planning to pick up one of Nikon's latest digital SLRs as soon as it hits the market, and want to be ready when it shows up? If so -- and if you're using a Windows XP, Vista, 7, or 8 computer -- we've got a download you'll want to grab.

Nikon has just updated its NEF Codec package, which lets Windows machines display thumbnails of .NEF raw images in Windows Explorer, just as they do for your JPEG files. The latest release, NEF Codec v1.20.0, adds support for the recently-announced, soon-to-ship Nikon DF and D5300 digital SLRs. It follows on from the recent version 1.19.0, which newly supported the Nikon 1 AW1 and D610.

If you want to update your Nikon raw support in Explorer, download a copy of the free Nikon NEF Codec package now.

(via Nikon Rumors)

Source: Imaging-resource

Nikon D5300 Sample Images

<Nikon D5300 Dealsimg src="http://www.photographyblog.com/images/sized/images/uploads_ee2/camera_preview_images/nikon_d5300_photos-550x400.jpg">

Ahead of our full review, here are 44 sample JPEG photos and a 1080p movie taken with the new Nikon D5300 DSLR camera, including the full ISO range.

The Nikon D5300 is a 24 megapixel APS-C DSLR camera with no optical low-pass filter, built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, EXPEED 4 image processing engine, 3.2 inch vari-angle screen, ISO 10-25,600, 39-point AF system with nine cross-type sensors, and Full HD movies at 1080/50/60p.

A gallery of 44 JPEG photos and a 1080p movie taken with the Nikon D5300 DSLR camera.

Nikon D5300 JPEG Images

Sample Movie

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 1920x1080 at 50 frames per second. Please note that this 20 second movie is 53.2Mb in size.

View the sample movie.

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Source: Photographyblog

Nikon D5300 Rumors, Specs, Price and Release Info: Camera Company Recently Releases Full Specs

<Nikon D5300 Discountp>Nikon has recently come out with a full list of specs for the new D5300.

The latest model of the DX-format DSLR has 24.2 megapixels, a DX-format CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter, built-in Wi-Fi capabilities, a built-in GPS, a durable light body, a 3.2-inch 1037k-dot vari-angle LCCD monitor with wide viewing angle, NAL-1 features for zoom/focus assist, and more.

It also has a full-HD 1920x1080/60p capability for movies, where selection can range from 24, 25, 30,50, and 60p. There are also 9 special effects for creative expression.

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As previously reported, Nikon Rumors reports that the Nikon D5300 is expected to be introduced before the Photo Plus show in NYC at the end of the month or the CES show in Las Vegas in January.

It is reported that this will be the first camera to get the new EXPEED 4 processor. Some other rumored specs include 24 Megapixels, 39 AF points, built-in Wi-Fi and built-in GPS.

Photography Bay reports that the D530 will be introduced as an entry-level APS-C format camera. There are no reports yet of whether or not it will have better image quality over the D5200, but it would make sense to add additional video features to the D5300.

No prices have been reported yet either, but Inferse reports that it may be priced lower than the D5200 was when it first was released.

Source: Designntrend

Nikon Instruments, Inc. Introduces Ti-LAPP

<Nikon D5300 Black Friday Dealp>

| Source: Nikon Instruments

MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 11, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nikon, Inc. is pleased to introduce the new Ti-LAPP, an innovative new laser application system designed for Nikon's inverted research microscopes, the ECLIPSE Ti. With more than 32 different configurations spanning a wide variety of applications, the Ti-LAPP system provides researchers with unparalleled flexibility and modularity. The system will debut at the 43rd Society for Neuroscience Meeting, taking place November 9-13 in San Diego.

The Ti-LAPP system provides modular illumination modalities ranging from simple epi-fluorescence, to total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF), photobleaching and digital micromirror device-mediated photoactivation. This modularity enables users the freedom to custom combine different imaging modalities to suit their needs. The system works seamlessly with Nikon's popular NIS-Elements software, as well. By providing multiple modes of imaging on the same microscope, the Ti-LAPP system offers ease of experimentation as well as time and money saved, since users will no longer need to purchase multiple microscopes or systems to support different modes.

"Optical imaging techniques have evolved rapidly beyond just qualitative visualization. The Ti-LAPP system responds to those advances in imaging technologies and probes that further enable researchers to quantitatively address biological questions," said Stephen Ross, Ph.D, General Manager of Product and Marketing for Nikon Instruments, Inc. "This is the first system providing researchers with the ability to combine multiple imaging techniques with ease on the same imaging platform, as well as the freedom to make additional modifications to those configurations as research and experiments evolve and change."

The main features of the Nikon Ti-LAPP system include:

• Modular illuminators for incredible flexibility and expandability. The Ti-LAPP system modularizes illumination modalities, including epi-fluorescence, total internal reflection fluorescence, photobleaching and photoactivation. Individual modules can be combined to provide a fully-customized imaging system for the user. The modularity and flexibility of the LAPP system also provides for future expandability and modification as the needs of the user change.
  
• Combination with Nikon Ti provides ultimate versatility. The stratum structure of Nikon's inverted research microscope, the ECLIPSE Ti, enables even more complex combinations of illumination modules. By utilizing two illumination layers, the system can accommodate up to five different illumination modules - epi-fluorescence, manual TIRF, fully-motorized and auto-alignment TIRF, manual FRAP and DMD.
  
• New H-TIRF module for high performance TIRF illumination. The H-TIRF module provides auto-alignment for TIRF and auto-adjustment of incident angles for optimizing the evanescent field depth. The auto-alignment and adjustments can be made independently for each wavelength and experiment, and the settings can be saved and re-used for consistent results.
  
• New digital micromirror device module for user-defined ROI based photostimulation. This module enables multi-point simultaneous photoactivation at user-defined positions as well as precision patterning of illumination, capabilities that are of great utility in the emerging field of optogenetics.

The new Nikon Ti-LAPP system will be available in Spring 2014.

ABOUT NIKON INSTRUMENTS INC.

Nikon Instruments Inc. is a world leader in the development and manufacture of optical and digital imaging technology for biomedical applications. Now in its 96th year, Nikon provides complete optical systems that offer optimal versatility, performance and productivity. Cutting-edge instruments include microscopes, digital imaging products and software. Nikon Instruments is one of the microscopy and digital imaging arms of Nikon Inc., the world leader in digital imaging, precision optics and photo imaging technology. For more information, visit www.nikoninstruments.com. Product-related inquiries may be directed to Nikon Instruments at 800-52-NIKON.

Lia LoBello Peppercomm 212.931.6180 Trisha Bruynell Peppercomm 212.931.6129 other press releases by Nikon Instruments

Melville, New York, UNITED STATES

http://www.nikoninstruments.com

Lia LoBello Peppercomm 212.931.6180 Trisha Bruynell Peppercomm 212.931.6129

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Source: Globenewswire

Nikon D5300 Rumors, Specs, Price and Release Info: Camera Company Recently Releases Full Specs

<Nikon D5300 Black Friday Dealp>Nikon has recently come out with a full list of specs for the new D5300.

The latest model of the DX-format DSLR has 24.2 megapixels, a DX-format CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter, built-in Wi-Fi capabilities, a built-in GPS, a durable light body, a 3.2-inch 1037k-dot vari-angle LCCD monitor with wide viewing angle, NAL-1 features for zoom/focus assist, and more.

It also has a full-HD 1920x1080/60p capability for movies, where selection can range from 24, 25, 30,50, and 60p. There are also 9 special effects for creative expression.

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As previously reported, Nikon Rumors reports that the Nikon D5300 is expected to be introduced before the Photo Plus show in NYC at the end of the month or the CES show in Las Vegas in January.

It is reported that this will be the first camera to get the new EXPEED 4 processor. Some other rumored specs include 24 Megapixels, 39 AF points, built-in Wi-Fi and built-in GPS.

Photography Bay reports that the D530 will be introduced as an entry-level APS-C format camera. There are no reports yet of whether or not it will have better image quality over the D5200, but it would make sense to add additional video features to the D5300.

No prices have been reported yet either, but Inferse reports that it may be priced lower than the D5200 was when it first was released.

Source: Designntrend

Nikon D5300 DSLR Unveiled, 24.2MP Successor to the D5200

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

Nikon D5300 Offers-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

Summit County Community Notes: 10-17-13

BRC October Mixer

The Breckenridge Resort Chamber (BRC) Ambassadors are hosting the October Mixer at Summit Thrift and Treasure located at 1745 Airport Road, Breckenridge. The mixer will take place from 5 to 7 pm on Wednesday, Oct. 23. The October Mixer is sponsored by DexOne Colorado, Summit Thrift and Treasure and The Lost Cajun. Beer will be provided by Bud Light. Cost is $5 members/$10 nonmembers. The BRC mixer is a great opportunity to network with other business people from the community in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. For more information on the mixer contact the Breckenridge Resort Chamber at (970) 453-2913.

Advocates for Victims of Assault events

Turn the Beat Around Dance Party on Saturday, Oct. 26. $20 per person, 7-10 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, Frisco. Dance party with a costume and dance contest, silent auction, wine wall and tons of fun. Help us raise $7,000 to name a room after Stephanie Roller at our new Shelter.

Bellyween, a belly dance variety show on Saturday, Oct. 26. $10 per person, 6:30 p.m. at the Riverwalk Center in Breckenridge.

2014 Master Gardener Training

Colorado State University Extension in Summit County is accepting applications for the 2014 Colorado Master Gardener Training. This signature CSU Extension program provides a unique opportunity for local gardening enthusiasts to help their community while learning more about home gardening issues. The 2014 training will take place on Thursdays at the County Commons building in Frisco, from Jan. 23 to March 27. The 10-week course offers comprehensive, research-based instruction in home gardening topics, delivered via distance education technology and presented by CSU Extension specialists from around the state. Upon completion of training, Colorado Master Gardener trainees agree to contribute 50 hours of volunteer service toward home gardening education. The cost of the training program is $265. A non-volunteer option is also available for $625, and is often chosen by professionals in the green industry as continuing education. Please contact the CSU Extension office at (970) 668-4140 or write dan.schroder@colostate.edu for further information and to request an application form. Applications can also be downloaded at www.co.summit.co.us/extension. The deadline to register is Friday, Dec. 13.

Roots Community School/Escuela Comunitaria Roots

Please join us at our next community outreach and informational session. We'll be meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Senior Center, 85 Nancy's Place, Frisco. Roots, Learning and Community School, will foster multicultural, bi-literate learning that is experiential, trans-disciplinary, collaborative and empowering by nurturing, cultivating and encouraging self-directedness. For updates visit Roots Community School - CO on FACEBOOK.

Por favor, venga a participar de nuestra próxima reunión informativa para la comunidad. Nos vamos a reunir el miércoles 23 de octubre a las 7 pm en el Senior Center, 85 Nancy's Place, Frisco. Roots, va a ser un Centro Comunal de Aprendizaje, el cual promoverá aprendizaje multicultural, y bi-literario que es experiencial, multidisciplinario, colaborativo, y que empodera a través de un vínculo cálido y de confianza, y que a su vez cultiva y motiva auto-dirección en los niños. Para actualizaciones visite: Roots Community School - CO en FACEBOOK.

N'Balance class

Join us for a community-based balance class on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:15-2:15 p.m. at the Summit County Community and Senior Center in Frisco. Classes start Tuesday, Oct. 22 and run through Dec. 5, with no class during Thanksgiving week. Come improve your balance, increase core and leg strength, improve posture and enhance your ability to navigate obstacles! This class is taught by Pat Aden, PT with Avalanche Physical Therapy. There will be a FREE balance assessment on Tuesday, Oct. 22 from 1:15-3 p.m. at the Senior Center, please call 668-2940 to reserve space in this beneficial class! The suggested donation is $5 per class.

The Grand Lodge on Peak 7 Fall Festivals

Celebrate all things fall with two weekends of family-friendly fun at the Grand Lodge on Peak 7 Fall Festivals, taking place Saturday, Oct. 19 and Saturday, Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Sevens restaurant outdoor patio. The events will feature an array of fall activities and entertainment, including pumpkin and caramel apple decorating pumpkins for thanksgiving, trick-or-treating throughout the resort, a photo booth and bounce house, face painting, balloon art, dancing and karaoke with DJ Summit and more. Costumes are encouraged! The Grand Lodge on Peak 7 Fall Festivals are free to attend and open to the public. Sevens will have a fall-themed food and drink menu available for purchase, and designated street parking will be available on Ski Hill Road.

Agape pumpkin patch

This is our first year to offer a pumpkin patch to our community. Our goal is to provide a safe and fun experience for families as we celebrate the fall season. Proceeds from pumpkin sales will go to supporting ministry to children locally and in orphanages and aftercare homes around the world. If you would like to schedule a field trip to the patch, please contact Carolyn Atkinson at (970) 485-2787. We would be happy to set up a time for you for you to bring your group, take pictures and hear a story or two. Kids can also color a fall coloring page, make a craft, etc. Field trips are on a first-come, first-served basis with limited availability, so call early to set up a time. The patch is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and is indoors! Prices start at $.50 for miniature pumpkins and increase based on the size of the pumpkin. The Church at Agape Outpost, 15404 Highway 9, Breckenridge, (970) 453-1247 x101.

Rotary Thanksgiving dinner

Summit County Rotary Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be held at the Silverthorne Pavilion on Thursday, Nov. 28 from noon to 3 p.m. Come and give thanks with your family and friends while enjoying a wonderful traditional Thanksgiving feast provided by the Keystone Conference Center. The dinner is free and everyone is welcome! For further information, call Wendy Myers at (970) 262-9336.

Working with e-mails and attachments

This basic seminar is for folks who are comfortable with e-mails but not with attachments to e-mails. We'll address how to attach documents and pictures to e-mails that you send to others as well as how to deal with documents and pictures that come to you in e-mails from others. Since the techniques can vary depending on the e-mail program you're using, we'll demonstrate them using a variety of different e-mail programs. As time permits, we'll touch on other e-mail topics, like adding auto-signatures and organizing your clutter of e-mails into personal folders. Bring your computers to the class and follow along. The seminar will run Saturday, Oct. 19, from 9-11 a.m. at the Community and Senior Center in Frisco. The cost is $5 and the seminar is limited to 20 so please call to register, (970) 668-2940.

Dialogue Over Dinner

Parents looking for ways to discuss drugs and alcohol with their kids are invited to Dialogue Over Dinner on Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Summit Middle School. Healthy Futures coordinator Jordan Schultz, MSW, will be discussing "Talking to Teens about Healthy Decision Making." This will be an open dialogue and parents are invited to bring their teens to the presentation. The evening is free and includes dinner and child care. RSVP with Kerri at FIRC, kerrib@summitfirc.org or call (970) 262-3888, ext. 330.

Inaugural adult HOWLaween Ball

Eat, drink and be scary at the Howlaween Ball. The adult ball is fun for everyone 21 and older, with costume contests, dancing, appetizers, cash bar and huge silent auction. This event is a fundraiser for four local animal nonprofit organizations, including LAPS, Far View Horse Rescue/Fairplay, Animal Rescue of the Rockies/Breck and Swan Center Outreach/Silverthorne. Even though we are all involved with animals, this is a no-pets event. Friday, Oct. 25, from 7-11 p.m., Silverthorne Pavilion, $13 in advance and $18 at the door, howlaween.com.

LAPS needs your help:

1. Buy tickets - You can do this in advance by going to www.howlaween.com or stopping in Horse Cents Thrift Store at 252 Warren Ave. (across from Comcast) Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., or at For Pets' Sake Thrift on Main Street in Breckenridge or email Sally LAPS@colorado.net. There's also a link to the volunteer sign up at www.howlaween.com along with information about the categories for costume contests and a list of the silent auction items!

2. Volunteer - Various shifts and jobs include setting up/decorations, registration, silent auction, food and cleanup. You can volunteer online at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C49ADA82CA3FC1-volunteers or email Sally LAPS@colorado.net. Each shift is only about two hours so you can enjoy the party too - please wear a costume!

3. Silent auction items and food donations are needed. Current silent auction items can be found at www.howlaween.com under "Silent Auction" tab. Finger food and desserts are needed for the event (anticipating about 200-plus people), so if you bake some cookies or whip up an easy appetizer - of any quantity - we'd really appreciate it. (You don't have to make enough for 200 people.)

4. Help spread the word about the event! Let all your friends, family and co-workers know about this fun benefit for FOUR good reasons - LAPS, ARR, Far View & Swan Center!

CMC English language classes

Students can register for English Language classes this week at Colorado Mountain College in Dillon. The cost to register is very low and financial aid is available. Classes are offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Monday and Wednesday mornings, with childcare available! Now is a great time for employers to encourage workers who speak foreign languages to learn English. For more information contact professor Sharon Aguiar at (970) 468-5989.

CMC clases de inglés

Estudiantes pueden inscribir para clases de inglés esta semana al colegio CMC en Dillon. El precio es muy bajo y becas son disponibles. Las clases reúnen los martes y jueves en la tarde y en los lunes y miércoles en la mañana con guardería disponible. Para más información llame a la profesora Sharon Aguiar al (970) 468-5989.

Retirement plans for business owners: Free workshop

If you're self-employed or own a small business, whether your business is a corporation or a sole proprietorship, this free seminar is for you! It will profile the various types of retirement savings plans that may serve your (and your employees') needs. It will also cover issues such as costs, tax benefits, timing requirements and possible benefits and limitations associated with 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA, SIMPLE IRA and SEP IRA Plans. This is a hands-on seminar. Be sure to bring a calculator and information about your budget, assets and expenses. Presented by Aleda Kresge, CFP, Affinity Wealth Management Group. The Summit Independent Business Alliance will offer the workshop on Thursday, Oct. 24, at noon SHARP (feel free to bring your own lunch) at the Summit Community and Senior Center, 151 Peak One Blvd., Frisco. Join us to find out what will work best for you and your business!

Seedling trees for conservation

Summit County Extension and the Colorado State Forest Service are partnering to provide local landowners with low-cost seedling trees, grown from native stock at the Colorado State Forest Service Nursery in Fort Collins. Seedlings are sold in lots of 30 or 50, and include native mountain species such as aspen, Engelmann spruce, Colorado blue spruce, limber pine and bristlecone pine. CSFS seedlings offer an affordable way to ensure a diverse, forested landscape on your property in years to come. Place your order early for the best selection, as popular varieties often run out. The extension office will accept orders until April 18, 2014. Seedlings will be available for pickup in Frisco in mid-May (exact date to be determined). To download an order form and for more information on selecting appropriate species for your property, visit the extension website at www.co.summit.co.us/Extension, or call (970) 668-3595.

Nordic Center volunteers needed

Breckenridge Nordic Center is seeking volunteers for Saturday, Oct. 19, to help us prepare for the upcoming winter season. Indoor and outdoor projects are available, and volunteers will receive trail passes in exchange for work. Additional work days scheduled for Oct. 23, 26 and 30 as well as on-demand days to suit your schedule. For more information and to RSVP, contact Annemarie at nordicvolunteers@gmail.com.

Free Affordable Healthcare Act seminar

Due to an overwhelming response, the Summit Chamber of Commerce and Arrow Insurance are sponsoring a second educational seminar on the new federally mandated healthcare legislation on Tuesday, Oct. 15, from 10:30 to noon at the Breckenridge CMC campus. This new legislation will affect virtually every American citizen and business owner. Learn about how it will affect you by attending this free seminar. Larry Stone of Stone CPA will address the tax considerations for business owners. No RSVP's are needed but you can call 970-668-3811 for information.

Free Breck walking tour

No school? No sitter? No plans? Join the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance for a FREE Historic Walking Tour of downtown Breckenridge at 11 a.m., Friday, Oct. 18. All students and accompanying adults can learn fun facts and interesting tidbits and soak up local history. Please call (970) 453-9767 (x2) to make a reservation. Space is limited.

Frisco haunted house

The annual Frisco haunted house is gearing up for its most chilling haunted house yet! Come to the Frisco community building on Granite Street and Third Avenue this Halloween for a terrifying experience. The "Haunted Main Street" theme is sure to leave you shaking with fright. The haunted house is sponsored by the own of Frisco and benefits Mountain Mentors and Activities Run by Youth. The haunted house will be open 6-10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, Saturday, Oct. 26 and Thursday, Oct. 31, Halloween night. Cost is $5 per student, 7$ per adult or $20 for a family of four. The haunted house is not recommended for children under 7 years old. Beware!

Call for artists: Ullr Fest 2014 poster art

As part of the Ullr Fest community tradition, the Breckenridge Resort Chamber (GoBreck) is accepting submissions for the 2014 Ullr Fest poster art contest. Submissions are due by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5, and should tie in to this year's theme, "An Ullympic winter," in honor of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Winning artwork will appear on the 2014 Breckenridge Ullr Fest poster, merchandise, advertising and other event collateral; the winning artist will receive a prize package of event merchandise. Submissions should be finished quality, about 14" x 17" in size, and can be submitted via email (gavind@gobreck.com), in person at the GoBreck offices (111 Ski Hill Rd. in Breckenridge) or via U.S. mail to the Breckenridge Resort Chamber, ATTN: Special Events, P.O. Box 1909, Breckenridge, CO 80424.

Free homebuyer education class

Have you ever wondered what steps are involved in purchasing a home? Come find out at our free homebuyer education class on Friday, Oct. 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Buffalo Mountain Room at the County Commons in Frisco. You will learn the basics A-Z what it takes to purchase a home, as now sure is a great time to do so! The class is sponsored by the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and put on by the Summit Combined Housing Authority with help from local volunteers who will walk you through the lending process, real estate transaction, title company portion and home inspection. There will also be information on current down payment assistance programs and much more! Snacks will be provided. Please register so that we know how many people to expect; call Joy at (970) 423-7041 or email JoyK@summithousing.us to register for this great class.

Girl Scouts: Learn how to join

Imagine the smiles, the excitement, the memories made - those are the moments you'll share at Girl Scouts! Summit County Girl Scouts invite all girls in grades K-12 to come experience the fun of Girl Scouting this Sunday from 3-5 p.m. at the Senior Center in Frisco. Older scouts will lead activities for girls while volunteers talk to parents and answer any questions. Contact Cricket Hawkins at (970) 379-9059 or Cricket.Hawkins@gscolorado.org for more information.

Adult reading program at Summit libraries this fall

The Summit County Library is celebrating the fall with a fun adult reading program - Great Britain style! This special reading program, especially geared for adults ages 18 and over, will begin Oct. 21 and run through Nov. 22. Just stop by any of the three library locations to pick up your reading log to get started. Check off a crown or a cuppa for each hour you read. When all are checked (for a total of 17 hours of reading), turn this in to any library branch for a prize and entry into the Grand Prize Drawing for a Kindle PaperWhite eReader, which will be held on Nov. 22., while two other winners will receive special gift baskets filled with goodies! For those voracious readers, there is a limit of five entries.

In addition to the Grand Prize Drawing, we have many special events planned, all taking place at the County Commons in Frisco, and all free to the public! The schedule for this year's fall programming is:

* Friday, Oct. 25, 6:30 p.m.: Celtic and Irish musical group, "Gobs O' Phun"

* Friday, Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m.: Authors Panel, with local authors Margaret Bailey, Lindsay Eland, Sandy Mather and Janice Parrish

* Thursday, Nov. 7, 4 p.m.: Downton Abbey Tea

* Thursday, Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m.: An Evening with Dave Cooper, photographer, climber and author

* Friday, Nov. 22, 6:30 p.m.: Matthew Gurnsey, The Kilted Man - hauntingly beautiful music in the Celtic tradition

The Grand Prize Drawing for the Kindle PaperWhite eReader prize basket and the other two prize baskets also will be held this evening!

Please visit any of the branches of the Summit County Libraries today to pick up your game piece and get started toward a prize. For more information on other upcoming events or programs, or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call Joyce Dierauer, at (970) 668-5555 or contact her by e-mail at joyced@co.summit.co.us; please visit our website at www.summitcountylibraries.org

Howlaween volunteers needed

Adult volunteers are needed for the inaugural Howlaween Ball at the Silverthorne Pavilion on Friday, Oct 25. Volunteers are needed to assist with decorations/set up, registration, food, silent auction and cleanup. Various shifts starting at 3 p.m. and throughout the event. You can volunteer online by going to www.signupgenius.com, e-mailing howlaweensummit@gmail.com or calling (970) 389-6370. The Howlaween Ball is a fundraiser for four local animal nonprofit organizations including Swan Center Outreach, LAPS, Animal Rescue of the Rockies and Far View Horse Rescue.

Hazard tree removal on CR51

The Colorado State Forest Service, town of Dillon, Denver Water Board and U.S. Forest Service are partnering to complete a hazard tree project along County Road 51 in Dillon. CR 51, aka Straight Creek Road, will have intermittent closures for the next couple of weeks due to a hazard tree removal project. Flaggers will be on site to allow traffic through the project area. Be aware that closures could be as long as 20-30 minutes.

Howlaween Ball

Eat, drink and be scary at the first annual Howlaween Ball on Friday, Oct. 25, from 7-11 p.m. at the Silverthorne Pavilion. This adult Halloween costume ball is full of spooktacular excitement featuring costume contests, DJ and dancing, free appetizers, cash bar and a huge silent auction. Tickets are only $13 in advance or $18 at the door. Purchase tickets and find out more about the event at www.HOWLaween.com. This is a fundraiser for four local animal non-profit organizations including Swan Center Outreach, LAPS, Far View Horse Rescue and Animal Rescue of the Rockies. Although it's a fundraiser for animals, please leave your pets at home!

Take the Summit Daily News Reader Survey

The Summit Daily News' mission is to connect our community. Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on how we are doing in 2013. The purpose of this survey is to gain a deeper understanding of how locals, visitors and second-home owners access and use our newspapers, magazines and websites. In August 2012 over 700 readers participated in a survey that has shaped some of the changes we made over the last year to our editorial content and advertising programs. This survey is shorter and asks specific questions on which we are seeking additional details. We value your opinions and thank you in advance for your input to this important process. One survey per person, please. The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete and you could win a iPad mini! Visit Summitdaily.com/readersurvey today!

New SOS Outreach website

After 20 years of serving at-risk youth, SOS Outreach just launched a new website and logo featuring the Morse code distress signal - S.O.S. The new image highlights that SOS Outreach is responding to at-risk youth signaling for help, and the website offers ease of mobility and quick access to information, with a fresh, pictorial look. Please visit www.sosoutreach.org.

'Stepping On' fall-prevention workshop

When: Fridays, Oct. 11 to Nov. 22 (with the exception of one Thursday instead of Friday on Oct. 24). Where: St. Anthony's Summit Medical Center Classrooms. Bristlecone Home Health Foundation and Summit Medical Center Health Foundation are sponsoring a free fall-prevention workshop. The seven-week workshop is for seniors who have a fear of falling or have fallen in the last year. The "Stepping On" program has been researched and proven to reduce falls in older people. The workshops are led by health professionals. Information is provided on exercise, vision, safety and medications. To RSVP and for questions: (970)668-6980.

SAGE Special Speaker Event

Summit Advocates for Gifted Education (SAGE) is pleased to host Jim Delisle, Ph.D., on Oct. 9 from 6-8 p.m. at the Summit School District (SSD) Central Administration Building in Frisco. Dr. Delisle is an author and advocate on the topic of gifted education. He will be speaking about "The Top Ten Strategies for Raising a Happy and Successful Gifted Child," and will address some strategies for teacher/parent collaboration with gifted students. SSD educators are eligible for two contact hours applied to line advancement. RSVP by Oct. 4 to info@summitgifted.com to ensure enough refreshments, materials and child care are available.

Spanish Honor Society seeks your support

Students from Summit High School Spanish Honor Society are looking for household items you're ready to clear out for a good cause! The students will be traveling with Summit In Honduras on a Spanish immersion service trip to rural Honduras to volunteer at an orphanage, paint a school and create a nursery at a medical clinic. To make their trip possible and to help pay for supplies to perform these services, they are holding a fundraiser Oct. 12 and 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Colorado Mountain College in Breckenridge. You can help by donating gently used household items such as clothing, including shoes, jewelry and accessories; home decor; toys, games and sports equipment; linens; small appliances; books, CDs, records and tapes; knickknacks and small furniture. We cannot accept furniture that takes more than two people to load, TVs, computer monitors, building materials or hazardous materials, mattresses or box springs, mirrors without a frame or backing, tires, toilets and trash compactors. Questions? Please contact Reena John at (512) 924-5481 or Tina Schroeter at (512) 422-0790 or email tina@mtnpath.com. Thank you for your support, and we hope to see you on Oct. 12 or 13 at the CMC parking lot in Breckenridge from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fall hours at Breck rec center

The Breckenridge Recreation Center will move to fall hours beginning Monday, Oct. 14. The recreation center will close one hour later Mondays through Fridays only. Fall hours Monday-Friday will be 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Weekend hours are unchanged. Monday-Friday hours will remain in effect until the winter season beginning Dec. 1. Please see Recreation Center Hours online for more information.

Go2Work free weekly workshops for job seekers

Drop in any time on Tuesdays between noon and 4 p.m., Colorado Mountain College in Dillon in the Computer Lab Room 11

Services available include:

* Computer access

* Internet job searches

* Job application and resume assistance

* Interviewing skills

* Interest inventories

* Computer-based work skill enhancement

* Skill assessment and certification through ACT WorkKeys

* Earn the new CareerReady Colorado Certificate!

* Skill training through Career Ready 101™, a web-based study program.

* Information on Colorado Mountain College classes and financial aid

* Information on other training and educational resources

* Online registration for Colorado WorkForce Center

* Information regarding WIA (WorkForce Investment Act) benefits

* Referrals to additional services

All Services are Free & No Pre-Registration is Required! Contact Jason Read, (970) 468-5989, jread@coloradomtn.edu.

Frisco Adventure Park COO Breakfast

The Frisco Adventure Park COO Breakfast, presented by the Summit Chamber of Commerce, is being held at the Beaver Run Resort in Breckenridge on Oct. 10 from 7:30 a.m. to noon. There might be confusion on where the event is being held and this is just to confirm the event will be held at the Beaver Run Resort. We look forward to a completely sold out event, so get there early and have a great time.

Take 'The Great Adventure'!

A Journey through the Bible, with Jeff Cavins, Tim Gray and Sarah Christmyer. A Story of Salvation using The Bible Timeline learning system to get across the "big picture." This system simplifies the biblical narrative by dividing it into 12 periods of Bible history, focusing on 14 of the 73 books of the Bible that tell the story in order from Creation to the time of the Church. Once that overall context is learned, the rest of the Bible is read from within the understanding that framework provides. If you are Catholic and want a better understanding of Sacred Scripture; If you were raised Catholic but have fallen away or attend Mass only on Christmas and Easter; If you are not Catholic but your Christian faith is hungry for a Bible-study class; If you are not Christian and want to know why Christians are so zealous about God's plan through His son Jesus Christ; then join the Great Adventure at Our Lady of Peace in Silverthorne. This will be a 24-class adventure from November 2013 through May 2014. Call Larry at (970) 513-0045 for more details or request information by email from larry@cattlehedging.com.

GED prep classes at CMC

Colorado Mountain College offers GED preparation classes at the Dillon Campus on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and Monday and Wednesday evenings. Register now for the new session beginning on Oct. 9! Currently, there are five content-area exams necessary to complete the GED. They are mathematics, reading, writing, science and social studies. Students may focus on preparing for any or all subjects with the support of CMC's team of dedicated GED instructors. Preparation is the key to completing the GED and earning your certificate. Earning your GED can open the door to higher education, career development and increased wages. Registration for GED prep classes at CMC costs $30 per seven-week session. There are big changes coming to the GED in 2014, so register now! It's never too late (or too soon) to complete your General Education Development! Contact Professor Laura Pless at (970) 468-5989 for more information or stop by CMC's Dillon Campus located at 333 Fiedler Ave., across from Summit Thrift and Treasure.

Tax planning seminar

The Peaks Society of The Summit Foundation is pleased to host Hope and Change - a Tax Planning Seminar for 2013 on the morning of Thursday, Oct. 3. With the passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 and the implementation of several key revenue raising provisions of the 2010 Health Care Act, change in taxes is a certainty for 2013. This free workshop will help you learn how you will personally be impacted in 2013. On the morning of October 3, the tax experts from Eide Bailly, LLP will be covering the following topics and more:

- The Medicare Contribution Tax

- 2013 Individual Tax Rates

- Capital Gains Taxes

- Itemized Deduction Phase Outs and Limitations

- Maximizing Charitable Deductions and Other Tax Planning Opportunities

The Summit Foundation Trustee Steve Smith will moderate the discussion. This will be an interactive workshop using comprehensive illustrations to highlight how tax law changes will impact individual taxpayers in 2013. The workshop will emphasize practical strategies for managing your tax liability and how charitable deductions can play into those strategies. Don't miss this opportunity to take the fear and apprehension out of your 2013 tax return. To learn more about the workshop, which will be held at Beaver Run Resort from 9-11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3, or to RSVP, call The Summit Foundation at (970) 453-5970 or email kasey@summitfoundation.org.

FIRC looking for cooking class volunteers

Are you passionate about cooking food and eating healthy? Cooking Matters is a national program designed to teach youths, teens, adults and families how to cook and eat healthy and nutritious foods. If this interests you, think about becoming a Cooking Matters volunteer with the Family & Intercultural Resource Center (FIRC). We will be holding a volunteer training and information session on Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Blue River Room in the Silverthorne Library. To RSVP or for more information, contact Matt Madsen at FRIC, matthewm@summitfirc.org, or call (970) 380-1275.

Thank you from Alpenglow

Thank you to our community, sponsors, volunteers, contributors and advertisers for making the 16th season the best ever. The festival's board of trustees appreciates the enthusiastic response of Summit County music lovers to a most exciting season under the artistic direction of Rieko Aizawa and Jesse Mills. Concertgoers welcomed the six outstanding professional musicians whose performances both thrilled and challenged listeners. The ensemble presented outstanding performances of classic repertoire as well as newer works at each of the four concerts. Thank you to our audiences for supporting this extraordinary music. We especially appreciate our soiree hosts, Wayne and Mollie Brunetti, Kevin McLane and Mike Ragsdale, for generously offering their homes and providing the intimate settings in which this music is meant to be played. We are most grateful to Lord of the Mountain Church for allowing us to use its facility for our public concerts.

Wine Dinner raises $52K for FIRC

The Hearthstone Restaurant's 20th annual Wine Dinner was the most successful in event history, as over $50,000 was raised for the Family & Intercultural Resource Center. Thanks to the generosity of the 80 guests in attendance and a $20,000 match by Grand Lodge on Peak 7 and Tom and Nancy Keltner, the guests stepped up to the challenge of raising over $21,000 in donation matches to help with the construction costs of FIRC's new Silverthorne offices. FIRC purchased the old Silverthorne post office through a low-interest USDA loan. The new office space will provide Summit County with a larger food bank, multipurpose space for parenting, life skills and cooking classes, and space for FIRC's growing staff and programs. FIRC hopes to move into the new space by January 2014. For more information please visit SummitFIRC.org.

Teens in for a spooky treat

The Summit County Library invites all Summit County Teens, from middle school through high school, to celebrate Teen Read Week, beginning Sunday, Oct. 13, and running through Saturday, Oct. 19. This year's theme is "Seek the Unknown @ Your Library." Come and join the creepy fun on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 5:30 p.m., at the North Branch Library, Silverthorne, as we "Seek the unknown" with LeeAnna Jonas of Spirit Realm Investigative Project. She and her all-girl team specialize in the mining towns of Colorado. They use scientific equipment and metaphysical sensitivity during investigations. LeeAnna and her team have done over 50 investigations and have been featured on the "Paranormal Challenge" and "My Ghost Story." They will talk about their experiences with the paranormal and demonstrate the equipment they use. This event is free to the public. For more information on Teen Read Week, check out http://teenreadweek.ning.com/. And for more information on this or other upcoming events or programs, please call Janet Good, at (970) 468-5887 or contact her by e-mail at janetg@co,summit.co.us; visit our website at www.summitcountylibraries.org ; "like" us on Facebook; follow us on Twitter (@summitlibraries); or simply come by and check with us at any of our three locations, in Frisco, Breckenridge and Silverthorne.

LDTC is looking for volunteers

Help professional live theatre thrive in Summit County! The Lake Dillon Theatre Company is seeking patrons and volunteers to become Lake Dillon Theatre Company Ambassadors. Ambassadors are not merely patrons or volunteers (although they are often both.) Ambassadors are the people IN THE KNOW about all things Lake Dillon Theatre Company. Please join us for a fun and informative training at the theatre on Saturday, Oct. 12, 1-4 p.m., to get the inside scoop and learn more about how you can help the Lake Dillon Theatre Company. RSVP required. Call Mari at (970) 513-1151 x 107 or email mari@lakedillontheatre.org

Breckenridge Dining Passports

The Breckenridge Restaurant Association (BRA) is offering fall dining specials at participating restaurants as a fundraiser for Summit County Cares, a collection of organizations that includes the Care Clinic, Family & Intercultural Resource Center, Advocates for Victims of Assault and Social Services. The restaurant community wants to give back to the organizations that help many of its employees, patrons and community members. Breckenridge Dining Passports are each valid for two people and are valid now through Nov. 14. Passports are available at the Breckenridge Welcome Center, the Summit Foundation and participating restaurants.

Brain Injury Support Group

Brain Injury Support Group, which meets the fourth Thursday of every month will meet Sept. 26, from 5:30-6:30 p.m., at St. Anthony Summit Medical Center, Frisco, in the classrooms on the first floor. Cynthia E. Parker, with Adult Mental Health Services LLC, will be the guest speaker and will be doing a presentation on "Fatigue - What Can Help the Struggle after a Brain Injury?" This support group is for survivors of a brain injury, their supporters and friends. Please join us! For information, please contact Kim Ramey or Melissa Chang in the PT/OT/ST Department at St. Anthony Summit Medical Center at (970) 668-6980, or at Avalanche PT and Sports Rehabilitation at (970) 668-0888.

Summit County's new seed library

High Country Conservation Center is working with community gardeners and Colorado Mountain College students to develop a new community seed library. The seed library will offer free access to seeds and seed-saving education to everyone in our community. Saving seeds specific to Summit County is an important step in strengthening our local food system. Locally adapted seeds are more resilient and regionally adapted to our soil and microclimate. We need your help to raise $1,000 to launch this program. To support the Summit Seed Library Campaign and to find out how you can get involved, please visit ioby.org/project/summit-county-seed-library or contact Jen Santry at (970) 668-5703.

Optimist Club ski pass raffle

The Summit-Lake Dillon Optimist Club is now conducting its annual ski pass raffle. A $2 ticket (or six tickets for $10) buys a chance to win a season pass to Copper Mountain, Loveland, A-Basin or the Vail Epic Pass. Your local Optimist Club supports a wide variety of activities for the youth of Summit County, including basketball, volleyball, oratorical and essay contests and chess tournaments. The proceeds from the ski pass raffle are used to provide scholarships to graduating seniors at Summit High School. The drawing is Oct. 16 at 12:30 p.m. at the Summit Community Center and you do not need to be present to win. Tickets are available at any Alpine Bank or First Bank location, Dillon Ridge Liquor, or the Edward Jones office of Mark Nunn in Frisco.

Volunteer for Summit County Teens

The Summit County Library would like to invite all middle and high school students to the North Branch Library, 651 Center Circle, Silverthorne, every Monday after school from 3-5 p.m. to do community service to help meet any requirements you may have for school or other organizations with which you are involved. Volunteer work can count toward the schools' IB program, Scouting, etc. No need to call ahead. Snacks provided. For more information on this or other upcoming events or programs, please contact Janet at (970) 468-5887 or janetg@co,summit.co.us; visit our website at www.summitcountylibraries.org ; "like" us on Facebook; follow us on Twitter (@summitlibraries); or simply come by and check with us at any of our three locations, in Frisco, Breckenridge and Silverthorne.

Reading is a team effort for teens

The Summit County Library is looking for teen readers, from the middle and high schools, with active imaginations and a sense of fun for a missing-ending book club. This is a book club with a twist ... each reader gets a book with the final pages of the story stapled closed. Please pick up your free book and a special surprise package throughout September at the North Branch of the Summit County Library, 651 Center Circle, Silverthorne. Read the book all the way up to the stapled pages (the missing ending), then join us for the meeting on Monday, Oct. 7, at 3 p.m. We'll provide the snacks, games and even a craft, and you provide the ending! Finally, the author's ending is revealed, and the reader with the best guess at the ending will win a prize! For more information on this or other upcoming events or programs, please contact Janet at (970) 468-5887 or janetg@co,summit.co.us; visit our website at www.summitcountylibraries.org ; "like" us on Facebook; follow us on Twitter (@summitlibraries); or simply come by and check with us at any of our three locations, in Frisco, Breckenridge and Silverthorne.

Coats for Kids campaign

The second annual Knights of Columbus "Coats for Kids" Campaign was jump-started with a significant donation by Century 21 Realty. Your monetary donations will enable the Knights to purchase new warm winter clothing for cold children in need. Please support this priority cause by sending your tax-deductible donations payable to: Knights of Columbus, P.O. Box 3673, Dillon, CO 80435. Call (970) 468-6566 for info.

Source: Summitdaily

10 Things I Want From My iWatch

With the launch of the iPhone 5s, we may have the heart of a new device: The much-rumored iWatch. Apple says the M7 coprocessor allows for incredibly sophisticated motion tracking - it understands whether you're walking, running, or even driving. It certainly sounds promising for powering a biometric-centered smart watch for Apple. It would need to be. Tim Cook's comment at the AllThingsD conference that the good wearable devices on the market right now only do one thing well, and that the devices that do more than one thing don't do them particularly well, points to an overarching goal for Apple: One device that does all of these things well.

But what are all of these "things"? For the iWatch, I break them into three big categories: optimize my life, keep my hands out of my pockets, and make me look good.

Optimize My Life

Most of the products on the market right now try to optimize our lives through health trends. Nike's Fuelband, Jawbone's Up, Fitbit, Misfit's Shine, Basis and others all work on the premise that we need to quantify our behavior, identify trends and adjust our lives to move more and sleep better.

• 24/7 Wearability. The first rule to optimizing my life is you have to live with me - while I sleep, work, shower, watch TV, exercise, read, do dishes, take out the trash, whatever. I don't want to worry about taking my iWatch off. Taking it off means two things: One, I'm not tracking my behavior, so I'm not getting credit for my activities, and two, I may forget to put it back on, so see No. 1. This means that an iWatch would need to be durable, waterproof and comfortable enough to sleep in. Plus, it would need a battery powerful enough to last for at least a few days on a single charge. I want to put it on and forget about it until I need it.
• Biometrics. The promise of the wearable devices on the market right now is that they can help us identify patterns in our behavior and improve them. I want the iWatch to track all my activity, just like Jawbone Up, Fitbit, Fuelband and others. But I want it to go further than these devices. The Basis shows a deeper level of biometrics. It tracks perspiration and pulse, accounting for cardio workouts, where many other wearable wristbands fall short. An iWatch would also need to track my sleep patterns: Light sleep, deep sleep, when I fall asleep and when I wake up during the night.
• Intelligent Activity Tracking. One of the biggest shortcomings of the current crop of wearable devices is their lack of intelligence. They track how many steps we take and extrapolate them into a point system or distance traveled and potential calories burned. But an intelligent device would learn my behaviors and help me not only identify where I can save time, but actively help me live a better life.

  First off, it would know when I go to bed without me telling it (as you have to do with the Jawbone Up and Misfit Shine). It would know when I'm watching TV versus reading. How long I spend eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. How much time I spend on the train, at work, in the shower. It would distinguish between activities like running, walking and riding a bike. In short, it would give me a detailed snapshot of how I'm living my life and how each of these activities is affecting my overall health. If running helps me burn calories more efficiently than riding a bike, I should know that. If I spend five hours watching TV, it should identify that trend for me as well.

  Going beyond simple activity tracking would mean an unprecedented level of insight into my behavior and provide me with opportunities not only to move more, but save time.

• Intelligent Alerts. With intelligent tracking should come intelligent alerts. If I watch too much TV, stay up too late, or if I'm running late in the morning, I should get an alert. Plus, my iWatch should wake me up at the ideal time by tracking my sleep patterns (like Jawbone's Up) and schedule.

  But it could even go further.

  For example, I take the commuter rail every day to work in Boston. Unlike the T, it arrives on a set schedule. But, it's a few minutes late a few times a month. Those few minutes are crucial to me because I run everything down to the last minute - and that means one last kiss from my wife and daughter. I want my iWatch to help me with this so I don't have to run a mile in dress shoes.

  My iWatch should know how long it takes me to walk to the train (about 15 minutes), what time it is, when the train is scheduled to arrive, when I need to leave the house, and make adjustments on the fly when the train is running late.

  Intelligent alerts would provide more sanity to my hectic life and go beyond simply identifying trends by actively creating new, better habits. (Apple is already scratching at the surface here with the Frequent Locations feature in iOS 7. And its recent purchase of personal assistant app Cue could provide even more support here.)

Keep My Hands Out of My Pockets

Given the screen size, there are certain things that the iWatch should leave to big brother iPhone. But there are a number of tasks that the iPhone does that could be replicated on an iWatch that would prevent us from having to dig into our pockets or purses looking for our phones.

• Payments. With the right level of security, perhaps even a fingerprint scanner like we have in the iPhone 5s, my iWatch would be a perfect payment device. Tap, scan, or simply just be close to a payment system, confirm the purchase and be on your way, all without having to grab your phone. Apps like LevelUp would work beautifully on an iWatch. (Mastercard's Watch2Pay is already up and running in the U.K.)
• Tickets. Whether it be for the MFA or the Red Sox, Amtrak or Jet Blue, all of my tickets should be on my iWatch. I should never have to pull out my wallet or phone again to get access to an event or transportation. Apple's Passport app is already moving in this direction and would be a perfect fit on the iWatch.
• Lists. There are plenty of great apps that help me with my grocery shopping. But using the iPhone to check the list is tedious. I have to grab the phone from my pocket, peck in the security code and open the app. Having the list on my iWatch, despite its limited size, would be a much better experience.
• Siri & Maps. While Siri may not be everyone's favorite personal assistant, I want her on my iWatch. With such limited screen space, there won't be much opportunity for searching or browsing, just answers. And to answer a message directly on the iWatch, Siri will certainly come in handy. I want Siri connected to Maps as well, so when I walk somewhere I have a super simple map on my wrist with no need to pull out my iPhone, enter my passcode (or fingerprint), and check on Maps. I would be happy with arrows, street names and steps or time to the next turn.
• iConnected. One of the most obvious features of an iWatch is being able to control your iPhone from your wrist. Increase the volume of your music, see who's calling, read messages, accept calendar invites, that sort of stuff. This is one of the least interesting features of an iWatch for me, but it's a necessary part of the smartwatch experience.

Make Me Look Good

Style. There's quite a range of beauty for wearable wrist devices on the market right now. The Jawbone Up is a flashy sporty wristband. The Misfit Shine looks like some type of futuristic jewelry. The Basis looks like a wristwatch from the 80s halloween costumes plus size. Jawbone's Up, Nike's Fuelband and Samsung's Gear Watch have tried to provide some choice to the market by offering multiple colors for their devices. But a watch is a highly personal object and can make a statement about who you are, so the iWatch needs to go beyond color and provide, at a minimum, models for men and women.

And the price? Considering that most wearable wrist devices fall between $90 and $300, I would expect an iWatch to be in that range. The challenge Apple faces is that the iPhone has traditionally started at $199, which may have anchored the price for many people. Having an iWatch that costs more than your iPhone may not feel right to some. But with the iPhone 5c starting at $99, that price comparison may change. Regardless, $199 for an iWatch would be a huge win and make it an easy buy.

Matt Fiorentino is the director of marketing for Visible Measures. The ideas here are his own. Follow him @FiorentinoM.
Source: Allthingsd

Pre-pumpkin fun in Orleans

Before the Orleans Halloween Stroll on Saturday, Oct. 26, people are invited to Snow Library for the Spooky Goofy Halloween Magic Show. Greg McAdams and his dog pumpkin can Axel will be entertaining attendees with a free, spooky magic at 1:30 p.m. and end at about 2:15, just in time to start the stroll at 2:30 in the library parking lot.

Before the Orleans Halloween Stroll on Saturday, Oct. 26, people are invited to Snow Library for the Spooky Goofy Halloween Magic Show. Greg McAdams and his dog Axel will be entertaining attendees with a free, spooky magic at 1:30 p.m. and end at about 2:15, just in time to start the stroll at 2:30 in the library parking lot.

Source: Wickedlocal

Apple grabs top Windows feature: BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH for iPhone 5s

Twice as fast as the iPhone 5? Twice as CRASHY claims app bug watcher

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Apple's flagship iPhone 5s iphone cases otterbox defender handsets are suffering "Blue Screen of Death" crashes that force fanbois to reboot their expensive gear.

And we're told application software, when launched by the user, crashes twice as often on the new mobile than freshly run code on the iPhone 5c and 5.

That's all according to data provided by app-performance tracker Crittercism: it claims about two per cent of the "hundreds of millions of app launches" it has tracked on the iPhone 5s result in crashes, compared to one per cent for the iPhone 5c and 5.

"Anytime there is new hardware or software release, we see issues," Crittercism boss Andrew Levy told AllThingD. "Inevitably, over time, those issues get resolved."

Levy is of the opinion - which we share - that it's no surprise that the 64-bit A7-equipped iPhone 5s apparently has a higher app-crash rate than its 32-bit A6-equipped brethren. After all, developers have had over a year to tune their apps for the A6, which was introduced in September 2012 in the iPhone 5, and the iPhone 5c is essentially an iPhone 5 in an " unapologetically plastic" case.

The A7 and the iPhone 5s' M7 sensor-managing coprocessor have been available for devs to conquer only since September 20 of this year. There were undoubtedly some lucky folks who got their hands on prerelease versions for optimizing and testing their apps, but the unwashed masses of iOS app developers had to wait in line like the rest of the fanboi flock.

New hardware. New operating system. Nothing to see here. Move along - but keep your ear to the ground to learn whether Apple and its developer community can improve that 2X crash rate in a reasonable amount of time.

Of perhaps more interest is the fact that some iPhone 5s users are experiencing a nostalgic Windows-like Blue Screen of Death, especially when exiting the apps in Apple's iWorks productivity suite: Numbers, Pages, and Keynote.

The BSOD-then-reboot problem has been reported in Apple's discussion groups, MacRumors forums, and a YouTube video, among other places. Although the complaints center mostly on iWork apps, other users claim to have had the same problem with Chrome and Safari, and while using FaceTime.

Interestingly, iOS (like any system worth its salt) supposedly sandboxes apps, so you'd think that a misbehaving program couldn't take down the entire device - but perhaps Apple bent its own sandboxing rules for its iWork apps, and is now paying the price.

Some users have suggested that the BSOD issue can be fixed by disabling the iWork apps' iCloud syncing - which seems reasonable, knowing Apple's less than stellar history of cloudy offerings. To do so, launch Settings, tap iCloud, then toggle off Numbers, Pages, and Keynote in the app list that appears.

The BSOD problem is not new to the iPhone - it has been reported previously on the iPhone 5, 4S, and 4, as well, but our best guess is that those appearances were due to hardware problems.

This time around, well, who the Tophet knows? We're dealing with Apple, after all, and our role as consumers is to simply sit back and wait until Cupertino's iOS engineering team releases an update. ®

Supercharge your infrastructure
Source: Theregister

Apple's iPhone 5S sensors are massively screwed up (and so are the games that rely on them)

Apple appears to have a serious hardware problem on its hands as the internet sensors of its new flagship phone, the iPhone 5s iphone amazon iphone 5s cases for girls justin bieber, are not reporting accurate numbers.

Numerous reports on Apple support communities indicate that people believe the sensors the report level, motion, and acceleration seem to be reporting incorrect information. And a detailed Gizmodo test indicates that indeed, they are "all screwed up." I tested the iPhone 5S myself and found that the iHandy Level app indicates plumb (straight up and down) when the phone is clearly at an angle, and the Gyroscope app reports pitch and roll numbers that indicate the phone is on a slope when actually, it's on a flat and level table.

My iPhone 5, other the other hand, reports numbers that are much more accurate.

Here's just one example:

This has real-world implications, as Gizmodo points out, and it's not just that your shelves or paintings will hand crooked (of course, I'd never use an iPhone sensor to hang a painting or install furniture). Games also rely on those sensors, and gamers who want to beat the game or beat their friends may run into trouble - like I did in Real Racing 3.

As you can see, when the phone is flat on the table, the car turns left and hits the bumper:

I have asked Apple for a comment, and will update this story when I hear more.

Source: VentureBeat