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Rare Snap of a 19th Century Killer Becomes Fourth Priciest Photo Ever

Posted on June 28, 2011 by StevenTorresRamos

Of course, it’s not just any old 19th century killer, pictured in this ferrotype—it’s the one and only Billy the Kid, the wild west outlaw who killed between four and 21 men. Selling for $2.3 million in an auction on the weekend, it became the fourth most expensive photo to ever be sold. Billy the Kid originally paid 25 cents to have his photo taken in either 1879 or 1880 in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, a price far from its current-day value of $2.3 million, which was willingly paid by billionaire William Koch. Photographer Cindy Sherman recently leapt to the headlines with her $3.89 million-selling photo Untitled 96, which is now the most expensive photo in history. While I’m not much of a fan of her photo, I’d rather hang it on my wall than this spooky Billy the Kid ferrotype. [CNN via PetaPixel]

via Rare Snap of a 19th Century Killer Becomes Fourth Priciest Photo Ever.

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Teenage girl in China offers to sell virginity for iPhone 4

Posted on June 28, 2011 by StevenTorresRamos

A teenage girl in China has offered up her virginity in exchange for an iPhone 4, Chinese news site Biznewschina reports. The young girl recently took to Weibo, a Chinese microblogging service similar to Twitter, to seek out someone willing to buy her an Apple iPhone 4 in exchange for sex. According to the report, the girl’s dream is to own an iPhone 4 but her father refused to purchase one for her. The girl posted a photo of herself on the website alongside some personal information, and offered to sell her virginity to anyone who buys her the new Apple smartphone. Some people responded by telling her that an iPhone is not worth the trade, while others joked that she should wait for Apple to release the iPhone 5 in September. It is also possible that someone has gained unauthorized access to her account and is playing a prank on her. If genuine, this is the second story we’ve reported this month about a teenager willing to go to extremes for an Apple device. Earlier this year, a Chinese boy sold his kidney for 22,000 yuan $3,400 on the black market in order to purchase an iPad 2.

via Teenage girl in China offers to sell virginity for iPhone 4.

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Apple will release iPhone 5 and second prepaid iPhone model in September, analyst claims

Posted on June 27, 2011 by StevenTorresRamos

Apple will release not one, but two new iPhone models this September, Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Whitmore wrote in a note to investors on Monday. The Cupertino-based tech giant has a new iPhone 5 model lined up to replace the current iPhone 4, but it also has the rumored “iPhone 4S” in the works — a supposed modest upgrade that will maintain the same physical design as the current iPhone model. The 4S model, Whitmore believes, will launch as a $349 prepaid phone with a data plan that works much like the iPad Wi-Fi + 3G; users will be able to choose from multiple data plans and purchase them on a monthly basis without being locked into a contract. “With Nokia and RIMM struggling, the time is right for Apple to aggressively penetrate the mid range smart-phone market (i.e. $300-500 category) to dramatically expand its [total addressable market] and market share,” Whitemore wrote.

via Apple will release iPhone 5 and second prepaid iPhone model in September, analyst claims.

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Eyes Forward, Asshole! Quit Looking at My Screen

Posted on June 25, 2011 by StevenTorresRamos

On my flight Tuesday, the dude sitting next to me was staring at my laptop the entire time. Look, I know the middle seat sucks. And true, Gullivers Travels is a great flick. But knock it off!People looking over your shoulder at your laptop. Its an incredibly annoying and increasingly common issue. Wifi is seemingly everywhere in public spaces now, so much that when its not present its almost surprising. And so quite often were sitting around with our laptops open on airplanes, or trains, or in cafes around a bunch of strangers. Moreover, modern laptops all tend to have viewing angles wider than your moms ass, making it super easy and tempting to check out our neighbors screens.

via Eyes Forward, Asshole! Quit Looking at My Screen.

Posted in Humor, [ STR ] | Leave a comment

Limited Edition Transformers 3D Gascan Eyewear

Posted on June 24, 2011 by StevenTorresRamos

The ultimate 3D experience is coming soon, and Oakley has joined forces with Paramount Pictures to commemorate the event. Introducing the Oakley 3D Gascan Transformers Limited Edition. Celebrating the 2011 big-screen release of “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” this special rendition will be available in limited numbers, and it comes with all the technology you need to plunge into the virtual reality of state-of-the-art 3D.The unique edition carries the art of graphics inspired by the movie, along with a different color icon on each side. One icon salutes Optimus Prime while the other has the emblem of Megatron. It’s Autobot versus Decepticon and good versus evil… or maybe an alliance against a greater evil. A custom Microclear™ bag is included for lens cleaning and frame storage.

via Oakley Limited Edition Transformers 3D Gascan Eyewear available at the online Oakley store.

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The Bamboo Water Bottles Secret Ingredient Is Way Better than Bamboo

Posted on June 23, 2011 by StevenTorresRamos

Bamboo bamboo bamboo. I get it. Its written on this damn bottle four times. I know, its gonna save the world. Im not against bamboo, but Id rather focus on a far more important component of this water bottle: air. Plusses Between the Leed-ready bamboo shell and the deliciously nonporous glass liner is a layer of air. The great insulator. And the shit works as advertised. On a steamy NYC day, I still had traces of ice cubes jingling around in there after 2 hours. Also, the bottle comes apart in a jiff, and every layer except the bamboo is dishwasher safe. Nobody likes a manky water bottle.

via The Bamboo Water Bottles Secret Ingredient Is Way Better than Bamboo.

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Bootstrapping the CNN of tech: the story of TWiT — Online Video News

Posted on June 22, 2011 by StevenTorresRamos

I have been watching Leo Laporte & Friend since “The Screen Savers” on what use to be TechTV (Don’t even get me started on the fact it’s no longer on the air) back in early 2000. His shows have to be my favorite Tech news & gadget shows ever and there have been many. They informative and entertaining but what I like best is the fact he never presumes to know it all and is not afraid to admit when he is wrong. Leo is not perfect and I’m OK with that, In fact I appreciate it. He surrounds himself with smart knowledgeable people and together they make up the TWIT network. I’m proud to be a member of the TWIT Army. Check out this interview, follow the link below…

It all started with boredom. Leo Laporte had a few gigs with TV and radio networks back in 2005, but his work schedule left him with nothing to do half of the month. So he started an audio podcast called This Week in Tech, also known as TWiT. He asked listeners for donations, which allowed him to hire production help and add additional shows. And then, one day, he told his then-bookkeeper Lisa Kentzell about his real goal: to become the CNN of tech.

“I said: Okay, let’s do it,” recalled Kentzell when I met her and Laporte in the TwiT cottage in Petaluma, Calif. last week. Kentzell is now the CEO of TWiT, and the company is ready to take the next big step towards its ambitious goal in July with the move into a spacious new studio built with a 24/7 live video operation in mind.

via Bootstrapping the CNN of tech: the story of TWiT — Online Video News.

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Lytro’s light field camera captures ‘unprecedented’ images, lets you choose focus later — Engadget

Posted on June 22, 2011 by StevenTorresRamos

Woah, could this really be as game-changing as it seems? A Silicon Valley start-up called Lytro claims it’s working on a consumer camera that uses light field technology to radically change the way we take, edit and experience photographs. Whereas a normal digital camera captures a snapshot of light hitting a sensor, a light field camera first separates rays of light in order to individually record their color, intensity and direction. This extra information opens up a world of possibilities, including the ability to focus on any depth of field within a taken photo, observe a 3D-type effect even without specs, and boost images taken in extremely low light. Although light field cameras have been around for some time, they haven’t been commercially viable. Now though, Lytro has secured backing worth $50million to bring a “competitively priced” camera to market “later this year”. Can’t wait that long? Check out the interactive photo #click on Elvis to re-focus# after the break, plus a video that also shows off the 3D effect. Both are the definition of mind-blowing.

Check out the video after the link…

via Lytro’s light field camera captures ‘unprecedented’ images, lets you choose focus later — Engadget.

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Mystery Photographer of the Nazis Found After Online Hunt

Posted on June 22, 2011 by StevenTorresRamos

A photo album showing never-seen-before photos of Hitler and the Nazis has surfaced with photos dating back to 70 years ago. Its current owner has no clue who the photographer was, but judging by the level of access he was given, he must have been someone.UPDATED

The NY Times’ Lens blog has published some of the images, with the hopes they can uncover some details about this mystery man. Containing photos of Nazis; prisoners in rags standing by their own graves; Hitler standing at a train station; and lastly a beautiful woman who people are speculating might’ve been the photographer’s own wife, it’s an intimate look at one of the grisliest events the world has ever seen.

via Mystery Photographer of the Nazis Found After Online Hunt.

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Apple may have iOS powered TV planned for fall launch

Posted on June 22, 2011 by StevenTorresRamos

Apple may have an iOS powered TV in the works. According to Daily Tech, one former Apple executive recently said that customers will soon be able to “go into an Apple retail store and be able to walk out with a TV. It’s perfect.” Apple won’t build the televisions itself, though. Instead a manufacturer like Samsung may be behind the product. The former exec also said that the Cupertino-based firm will “blow Netflix and all those other guys away,” so we presume there’s a connected aspect that will allow users to access iTunes content in a manner similar to the current Apple TV product. Apple has been rumored to be working on a connected television numerous times in the past, though obviously nothing has materialized to date.

via Apple may have iOS powered TV planned for fall launch.