Archive for December, 2007

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Shot in Brazil, 2007.

We don’t always have all the information we want about what is happenning inside the computer. Sometimes, we get too much of it. But these technical details don’t always appear in a way pleasant to the eye. However, this is what CoolMon has to offer.

Free utility for Windows.

During the recent weeks, several web sites reported a rumour coming from a Chinese site about a possible announcement by Pentax in their line of Digital Single Lens Reflex (D-SLR) cameras. Currently, the K10D is one of the most impressive nearly-pro cameras on the market despite its low price. The K100D is also an impressively inexpensive DSLR.

Now, will Pentax replace them both (or announce replacements) with K20D and K200D? January 2008 would be right to prepare for major trade shows like the PMA in Las Vegas and CES.

The prosumer-oriented K20D would have a Samsung 14 megapixel sensor, with 14 bit A/D converter (the new kid on the block for image quality and color rendering), improved shake reduction and a 3″ LCD screen (a must for all new D-LSR cameras).

The K200D would have a 10 megapixel Sony sensor, 12-bit image processing, 11 AF points and 3fps continuous shooting. Low specs but right in line with the needs of today’s entry market.

Source: Chinese forum.

There was only a claw. It was dead for nearly 390 millions d’années. But this little creepie-crawlie was probably much more than 2-meter long. Anyway, it was only one of the most impressive guys arthropods of this era reaching these gigantic proportions only explainable by the fact that the harsh competition for survival did not yet include the more recent groups like reptiles or mammifers.

Source: ScienceBlog.

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The Southern crested caracara is probably the most common falcon in Pantanal and Mato Grosso (Brazil). It feeds on nearly anything and is commonly seen on carrion (like below) and road kill. This adaptability and its powerful beak allows it to catch very different preys.

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Southern Crested-Caracara (Caracara cheriway, Caracara huppé). Pantanal, Brazil, 2007.

Some people still think that there may be some uncertainty about global warming. Maybe it’s not really there. Apart from the scientists consensus, some people would have you believe that a temporary warming happened recently, but stopped even more recently. Just let them look at the global air temperatures over the last century and a half:

Then, judge for yourself, if it’s worth waiting a little more for decisions.

After years of multiple announcements but a launch always pushed far into the future, the oldest PC First Person Shooter on the planet comes back again with a video trailer supposed to thrill us with anticipation. However, it’s been years that we’ve been thrilling and the vibration is now dampened.

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The capibara is supposedly the largest rodent on Earth (and it really is much bigger than the usual grey mouse). You will find this placid animal anywhere water meets earth (swamps and rivers), in Matto Grosso as well as near the Amazonia.

A fairly good one created by Ava7.com.

According to PhotoBlog, Canon is about to announce new photo products on the 24th of January just before the PMA fair in Las Vegas.

Obviously, they do not have more information than anybody else on what will be announced really. But they speculate on a replacement for the EOS 400D/Rebel Xti (Canon EOS 450D, maybe) or a replacement for the EOS 5D (either Canon EOS 6D or Canon EOS 5D Mk II, depending on who you ask to).

This PC First Person Shooter (FPS) game was already presented on Roumazeilles.net some time ago. Here is a preview by HookedGamers.

As they say: “Ghosts and zombies and rust, oh my!”