Leica, Apple and Other News

Leica Launches Leica Lux Camera App

On June 7, Leica launched the Leica Lux camera app, which is currently only available on the App Store and comes with 11 color profiles (called Leica Looks) that are designed to emulate Leica camera styles and classic film styles.The Lux app can be used in fully automated mode like Apple’s built-in Camera app, but also has The Lux app can be used in fully automatic mode like Apple’s built-in camera app, but there’s also an “aperture mode” that allows users to make manual adjustments, using software emulation to simulate the bokeh effect of advanced lenses. In the free mode, users have access to five Leica Looks color profiles and one lens simulation. To unlock all color profiles, software lenses, and pro features (such as manual exposure control), pay $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year.

Apple’s 2024 Design Award Winners Announced

On June 7, Apple held its annual Design Awards ceremony, honoring 14 winning apps and games. This year’s Design Awards featured seven categories, including a new category for spatial computing; each category recognized one app and one game, and the winners were selected from 42 finalists, including Bear Appreciation Diaries and New York Times Games for Fun, Oko and Crayola Adventures for Diversity and Inclusion, and Procreate Dreams and Lost, which won the Diversity and Inclusion Award. Procreate Dreams and Lost in Play for Innovative Thinking, Crouton and Rytmos for Outstanding Interaction, Gentler Streak and The Wreck for Social Impact, Rooms and Lies of P for Visual Graphics, and djay and Blackbox for Spatial Computing.

Canon Announces New Wide-Angle Fixed-Focus Lens

On June 5, Canon officially announced the new L-class wide-angle fixed focal length lens RF35mm ƒ/1.4 L VCM, which adopts VCM voice coil motor, equipped with 2 UD lenses and 2 GMo aspherical lenses, equipped with ASC coating technology, with 35mm classic humanistic focal length and ƒ/1.4 aperture, which significantly optimizes the smoothness of high-speed zoom, the image chromatic aberration, and the closest focus distance can reach 0.28 meters. distance of 0.28 meters. Canon also announced the SPEEDLITE EL-10, an entry-level flash with a multi-function shoe connector, powered by four AA batteries, with a maximum flash index of GN.40 and wide-angle coverage of up to 14mm, which is compatible with a wide range of EOS R models. It supports E-TTL II/E-TTL auto-exposure, synergy, and automatic flash intensity adjustment, and can be controlled and adjusted via a mobile app.

Kuaishou Releases KLING Video Generation Model

On June 6, Kuaishou released the KLING video generation model. The official said that the KLING model adopts the similar technical line as OpenAI Sora, which is self-researched by the AI team of Snapdragon, and the generation effect is similar to that of Sora. It is reported that the KLING large model supports the generation of videos that conform to the laws of reality, generates videos with a resolution of 1080p, generates videos of up to 2 minutes in 30 frames, and supports the free adjustment of the aspect ratio.

Apple Music and Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Launch Dolby Atmos Performance Recordings

On June 6, Apple announced that the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra will launch live recordings in Dolby Atmos spatial audio format on Apple Music and Apple Music Classics, with the first albums including Sibelius: Symphony No. 7, Respighi: The Pines of Rome, and Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2. It is rumored that in the future, HKPO will record more important performances with spatial audio technology and go live on Apple Music and Apple Music Classical.

Ricoh Launches Waterproof Cameras WG-1000 and WG-8

Ricoh Imaging announced on June 6 that it has launched the Pentax Waterproof Camera WG-1000 and WG-8 compact digital cameras, which are suitable for casual underwater photography and various outdoor shooting applications. The Pentax WG-1000 is an entry-level model with a 16.35-megapixel back-illuminated sensor that is waterproof to 15 meters and drop-resistant to 2 meters. It features a 7-group, 7-element lens with a 4x optical zoom, and focal lengths ranging from 4.9 mm to 19.6 mm (approx. 27 mm to 108 mm in 35-mm-equivalent format). It offers a wide range of shooting modes, including auto, manual, underwater, scene, and 20 color modes, and supports 1080p 30-frame H.264 video.

The Pentax WG-8 is a high-end model with a 20-megapixel sensor, 20-meter waterproof, 2.1-meter drop-resistant and -10°C cold-resistant, and supports 4K 30-frame H.264 video. It is equipped with a 9-group, 11-element lens that supports a 5x optical zoom, with a focal length range of 5 mm to 25 mm (35 mm equivalent format from about 28 mm to 140 mm), and a 1-cm closest focusing distance. The camera supports webcam functionality for live video streaming, with six LEDs around the lens and a 3.0-inch LCD display on the other side, with built-in GPS functionality and a digital compass.

Microsoft Announces System Requirements for AutoSR

Microsoft updated its support documentation for AutoSR on June 6, announcing the system requirements for the technology. It requires a Copilot+ PC with a Hexagon NPU, Snapdragon® X-Series processor with integrated GPU, Windows 11 24H2 or later, the latest graphics and neural processor drivers, and a system resolution of 1080p or higher.

Other News

Nothing Founder and CEO Pei Yu posted a tweet and video stating that Nothing has now begun work on prototyping AI interactions and plans to redesign the phone’s interface, as well as introduce AI into the next generation of phone systems. Based on these considerations and improvements, Nothing has decided to delay the release of the next-generation Nothing Phone until 2025.

Amazon recently completed the acquisition of Indian streaming service platform MX Player for a total purchase price of up to $100 million, according to sources. Upon completion of the acquisition, Amazon will retain the MX Player brand, which was originally a locally-based video playback app that was acquired by India’s Times Internet in 2018 for $140 million. Since then, MX Player has transformed from a local video playback app to a comprehensive video streaming platform. The app contains a variety of licensed and original content, including TV shows, movies and games, to meet the growing demand for online entertainment in India as well as in many international markets, including the UK and the US.

Posted on June 7, 2024 uninstalledly editor