Ricoh has issued a new firmware update for the awesome GR-D.  One major feature for this firmware update is that you can now select the quality of the accompanying JPEG when using RAW mode, which alleviates some a little of the painful wait times between shots in RAW mode.  Well, according to my not-so-scientific tests, when set to the smallest JPEG quality, the RAW writing times is down by an average of a whopping TWO SECONDS.  (Please note that the average write times is TWO SECONDS less.  Yes, I was being sarcastic.)

This has been asked so many times in a number of forums: why can’t Ricoh just use the internal memory as a buffer for RAW mode?  Hey, Ricoh, this blog hosts one of the most popular (if not THE most popular) Ricoh GR-D reviews on the net, why not give an official statement about this?

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 I have been one of those semi-skeptics when Nintendo finally revealed the design of their much-hyped controller.  When they explained that it has some motion-sensing technology built in, it only gave me nightmarish memories with the POS ”Power Glove” in my high school days.  Not only was Power Glove heavy, it only worked 0.000328% of the time.  And it was heavy.  

Fast forward to today: I have been playing almost non-stop with my Wii since I got it last Monday (breaking for sleep and…um, work).  I know some reviewers are bitching about the how the controller play with the Wii Sports…here is my take:

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I usually don’t toot my own horn…but compared to the usual shitty pictures you see of gadgets being unboxed, this is probably one of the better gadget undressing pr0ns. 

More imressions about the Wii later…gotta sleep.

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I just got a new gadget for product studio lighting: The Photoflex LiteIgloo. 

I was looking for an el-cheapo way to do professional-looking lighting for product shooting.  Most table-top lightin kits are uber-expensive–costing in the neighborhood $450 dollars.  After googling towards the end of the internet, I came across this product from Photoflex.  I have a Photoflex Softbox and a set of reflectors, and I thought this product should be decent at worst.

It came in three sizes: The large LiteIgloo was around $100, medium at $80 and small at $50.  I ordered the largest and the smallest ones from Adorama last Friday, and it came this afternoon and did the test shots.  With the AlienBees studio lighting and the Photoflex softbox I own, I thought I just found gold!  Not a bad product at all.  The only nit I could say was the smallest was a tad too small…and the setup doesn’t really form a perfect cube…but considering it folds to a small package and at a relatively cheap price, I shouldn’t really be complaining too much.

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If you haven’t been watching this series, you’re missing out a lot.  It’s simply the best series this year, bar none. 

And speaking of TV, “Prison Break” is quickly becoming the victim of mainstream programming…the plotline is becoming stupider every episode…Come on, Teabag loses his hand again?? 

“House” is still ok, I guess…not as great as it used to…but the new recurring character is awesome. 

“Heroes?”  eehhh…there’s too many subplots already…the “Save the cheerleader, save the world” tagline is getting tackier every minute.

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I came across this body of work of Constantin Manos, a Magnum photographer, while looking at some information about the Leica M8 digital.  No, I’m not insane enough to purchase one…yet, though in a way made me miss my M6 just a little bit.  The photo you see here was taken with an M6 and an 90mm Elmarit.  Yeah, I know not exactly in the same league as Manos’ work…….well, come to think of it, none of my photographs are in the same league as any photography gods, living or dead.

Speaking of cameras, I noticed that that 75% of the time people land on this blog because of the GR-D review. I must admit I haven’t touched that camera in a while, but I just thought of a photo project/essay and decided to use this camera exclusively for that project.  Once I get that thing done, I will be updating the review.

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Last April, I made a bold prediction that the Nintendo Wii (code-named “Revolution” back then) will win this generation of console war.  I’m still 100% behind that.  I’m going to get my Wii pre-order tomorrow and will post my first impressions as soon as i clean up my pants after creamed them.

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Nowadays, it’s hard to go wrong with thumb drives if you just need its storage functionality.  You just pick what size you want, go to NewEgg, then search for the cheapest thumb drive with your specified capacity.  Buy it then you’re done.

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I have finally succumed to the evil that is the Microsoft XBox 360 because of this game.

Don’t get me wrong; this is an AWESOME game…but unlike most sites who would point out why this game is great, I will do the opposite:

• Yep, the graphics are gorgeous alright.  But it is kind of deceiving; you got billions of polygons on the main characters…but once you get to the supporting characters and extas…the models look like they were taken from Half Life 1 (except they’re rendered brown)
• Everything is BROWN.  Even the blood.  WTF?
• AI of your teammates for the campaign mode are complete morons.   
• Cutscenes are probably running at 30fps or lower.  While the cutscene motion capture/acting isn’t particularly horrible, but after seeing the cutscenes of games like “Bully”, this is a POS in comparison.
• The camera shake effect while running (CNN reporter-style?) makes me dizzy. 
• The default setting is TOO EASY.

I was up until about 1:30am playing this game…wahoo.

Update: I just finished the game.  The gameplay’s flaw actually made the last stage a lot more difficult.  Most of the time, the controls assume that I’m running for cover when I’m near a block, when what I really wanted to do was…run around it.

And the single-player campaign is too short.

Wii!

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I bought this game because of Bully.  But I hated GTAIII.  We’ll see how this one goes.

Update: After playing the game for 30 minutes, things aren’t looking good.  The controls are so unrefined compared to Bully.  I’m this close to giving up.

Update 2: Ah, screw it.  I’m playing Gears of War instead.  I’m gonna get me an XBox 360 at Costco later today…that and Guitar Hero 2…Yummy.

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