Category Archives: Gadgets & Apps
Apple Watch
It’s been a long time since I wore a wristwatch (the word even feels odd). I’m pretty sure I was wearing one that day in November 2008 when I purchased my first iPhone. And probably for a while after that. But with the phone always at hand (so to speak) the watch became… unnecessary. So, sixteen years since I depended on a wristwatch to tell me the time.
The first Apple Watch was released on April 24, 2015. Not quite ten years ago. And while I’ve purchased most of the devices Apple has come up with over the years, I never took the plunge for an Apple Watch. Until this morning.
This post is something of a warning. As I become familiar with the many features of the Apple Watch I’ll be sharing my experiences here.
Only those of a certain age will remember the entertainment role played by newspaper comics. And how impossibly futuristic Dick Tracy’s “2-way wrist radio” seemed.
Timeline 3D
In 2016 I posted a screencast on an app called Timeline 3D. I stumbled upon the app this week while doing some file maintenance. (video above runs less than 2 min)
15,500 emails. Poof!
I’ve previously posted about creating a Gmail account in 2004. Google launched the service on April 1st of that year and I created my account (invite-only at the time) on April 21, 2004. In those 20+ years I accumulated more than fifteen thousand emails. Google’s pitch was their search was so good you could just keep all of your emails and they’d help you find it. And it worked pretty much as advertised. But I rarely needed to find an old email. And my ALL MAIL folder just got bigger and bigger. If memory serves, I downloaded all/most of my Google stuff a couple of times during those 20 years but never had a need to use those backups.
Most of my computing these days happens on my iPhone and my MacBook. But given my lengthy history with Google (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar), I’ve never migrated over to Apple for these tools. Until now.
I was very impressed with Apple’s approach to AI (“Apple Intelligence”) and to get the full benefit I’ve decided to go all-in. Starting tomorrow I’ll be using Apple Mail and Calendar. Not sure yet about switching from Google Drive to iCloud. I have a lot of files in Google Drive (850 GB).
As for deleting 20+ years of emails? Felt great. If I experience any regrets, I promise to update this post.
Pocket 3: Slow Motion Video
Click here for 27 seconds of slow motion video recorded on the Pocket 3 camera.
Pocket 3: Chest Mount
Follow Mode is the default mode and suitable for most shooting scenarios like vlogs and selfies. The pan and tilt axes are unlocked, allowing the camera to follow your movements left/right and up/down. In the Tilt Lock Mode the tilt axis is locked, maintaining an absolute horizontal orientation. You can pan the camera left and right, but it won’t tilt up or down.
I think the problem with today’s video was the gimbal rotational speed. I had it set on fast and the slow setting would have given me slower, smoother movement.
Pocket 3: Vlogging with a Selfie Stick
Twenty years of cameras
Playing with the Pocket 3 is bringing back fond memories of cameras I have owned. I do not think of myself as a photographer or videographer, I spent a lot of hours (and money) over the past 20 years and most of them got a post or two on this blog.
- 5/1/2008 – iMage Webcam (CamTwist, Ustream)
- 5/22/2008 – Flip Video Camera
- 6/13/2009 – Ecamm BT-1 “World’s first Bluetooth webcam” (related: twitCam) –
- 12/8/2018 – Sony Handycam DCR-TRV 74 (I’m sure I was shooting video with the Sony much earlier but getting that video off the camera and encoded on a computer was such a time-consumer nightmare, it’s not worth mentioning)
I’d have to say my favorite cameras during those early days were made by Casio:
In 2009 I bought my first iPhone and that was pretty much it for point-and-shoot cameras.
DJI Osmo Pocket 3: Face tracking and remote mic
In this 3 1/2 minute video I play with face tracking features of the Pocket 3 and the sound quality of the remote microphone.
Face tracking feels like magic. To be able to move around and have the camera follow and keep me in frame creates a lot of possibilities. As far as I can recall, every video I ever recorded was a solo effort which meant the camera had to be stationary and I couldn’t move around. This feature should make for more interesting shots.
As for the remote mic… I’m impressed. I’ll have to figure out the best levels and settings but the quality is as good as anything I’ve ever used. And I’ve used a lot of microphones.
I’m looking forward to recording a uke song with this camera/mic. If I can get good audio from the uke as well as my voice, I can try some stuff. Still lots to learn about the Pocket 3.
Every time I power on this camera I discover some new and useful feature. If you noticed me looking at my iPhone in the video, I was using the DJI app to monitor and control the camera on the other side of the room. Additionally, the tiny remote mic can also control certain settings on the camera. It’s easy to see why this camera is so popular with vloggers.
Final thought: At 76 years of age, close-ups are not kind to me. This is about the right distance.
Barb’s Garden (May 2024)
The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 has scores of features and hundreds of settings but I’ve been reduced to just capturing a few minutes of straight-on video. (I’m just guessing about the number of features and settings because I’m still discovering new ones every time I turn the camera on)
All of those options allow one (who knows what they’re doing) to create amazing cinematic shots. If you don’t know how to configure and use this camera, it is frustrating. Even with countless how-to videos on YouTube. I’m determined to get comfortable with this camera but I know there will be times when I’m tempted to just grab my iPhone and start recording. Shoot, I haven’t scratched the surface of what the iPhone camera can do. This is probably what it would feel like to take your first flying lesson in an F35.