When the new Google Chromebook Pixel was announced a week ago, one of the new apps announced alongside it was for managing photographs. Photography played a bit part in the laptop’s design: it has a 12.85-inch, 4.3 million pixel touchscreen (the highest pixel density of any laptop) that has a strange aspect ratio of 3:2 — the aspect ratio of classic 35mm film.
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Here’s a unique invention that could make many a photog’s life easier — especially if they’re shooting tethered. The Tripad, which is available on the company’s website for $100, is a laptop stand for your tripod. The unique design allows you to hang the Tripad over your tripod, and use the platform to hold your laptop, notebook, or other photography gear.
Unless you’re hauling around your desktop, the 50lbd weight limit should be more than enough for the average person; and sunrise photographers will be happy to know that the Tripad also comes fully equipped with a slide-out cup-holder to hold your coffee or energy drink of choice.
Erik Pettersson was looking for a nice digital frame, but found that all the commercially available ones were too small, ugly, and cheap looking. He had an old Thinkpad T42 laptop lying around, so he decided to make his own custom frame. After installing Linux and writing some custom scripts for operating the frame, he disassembled it and joined it with a nice-looking IKEA frame. Best of all, he documented his entire process and published it online as a tutorial for those who want to make their own.
Today at Google I/O, Sports Illustrated editor Terry McDonell showcased this demo of the HTML5 version of the magazine. Last December, SI released a mockup video of how their online version would look as an app, but this version is based on the web and can be viewed with laptop and tablet browsers. It looks like a print magazine layout, with fantastic spreads, photos, and fonts, but it also has a lot of unique multimedia features that are incorporated into the design.
In the presentation, McDonell said:
“The idea is really very simple: combine the best of the web with the best of the magazine, like the sports photography, which is deep, deep in Sports Illustrated’s DNA.”
SI’s really giving photography a great plug: the demo issue also has a behind-the-scenes portrait shoot with Shaq, and there’s an expanded photo gallery option for readers to see more shoots than the ones included in the main design. Even the interactive demo ad is photo-related, showing a faux camera brand with interchangeable lenses.
This web design really opens up the doors for visual and multimedia storytelling, and is an exciting way to make an interactive publication accessible (not to mention SEO-friendly) to the entire World Wide Web.
Let us know what you think about SI’s new magazine format in the comments.
Hot on the heels of the latest Canon coffee mug craze, here’s another fun item for you to drool over: a Canon mode dial vinyl decal for your laptop. What better way to show your love for photography and/or nerdiness by displaying a cryptic circle of symbols for the world to see? It’s available for $15 + shipping from suzieautomatic’s Etsy store.
(via PDNPulse)
Update: For more photos of the decal check out this Flickr set.
