video: paddling with gopro camera test

Hey everybody! In a previous outdoor video, I had tested the GoPro Hero 8 Black while biking. This time, I try it out while canoe paddling. I test the video quality, image stabilization and waterproof features of the action camera. While on the water, I catch (and release) a big bass.

Is the small but expensive gadget worth the price? Watch the camera in action in my video. Enjoy!

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video: gopro camera test for biking (to cherry blossoms)

Ever wonder how surfers, snowboarders or sky divers capture amazing close-up footage of their stunts? Well, they can’t carry a heavy DSLR camera while they are doing tricks. Enter the little camera, GoPro Hero 8 Black (boy, that’s a mouthful for a small device), that packs a punch. It is so small that it can be attached to a helmet or a chest harness.

In my video, I try out the cam while riding a bicycle, attaching it to the handlebars and then a selfie stick. I test out its features and HD video quality. The image stabilization is simply amazing, considering how much shaking is going on while I am cycling. Check out my video review!

Please note: I feature wildlife shots, such as birds, in the video which were not taken with the GoPro but rather with my Panasonic camcorder, which has a strong zoom lens.

I hope to do more gear review videos in the future. Let me know if you think I did a good job :)

What would you use the GoPro cam for?

The following gear I used in this video:
GoPro Hero8 Black
Smatree Selfie Telescoping Stick with Tripod
Smatree GoPro Base Adapter
Maxcam Tempered Glass Screen Protector
Sony RX100 20.2 MP Digital Camera w/ 1-inch sensor
Panasonic HC-V800

cartoon: the anomaly

My characters are back :) This will be my last illustration… of the decade, that is! That sounds kinda sentimental doesn’t it? Well, it is, because 2020 is upon us. Drawing is one my favorite ways to end the year. I am also a fan of science fiction and technology. Do you notice the influence? Anyway, my cartoon takes us on an another adventure. Enjoy!

By the way, I want to thank my followers, readers, fellow bloggers and fellow creators for the likes, comments and for simply sharing! How will you celebrate the end of this year and decade? Let me know!

Happy New Decade, everybody!

illustration: no signal (v2)

Houston, we have a problem. The Shuttle program is shutting down. This drawing, originally, was to be a simple cartoon, but I liked how the drawing turned out, so I pushed it to be more complete, painting it digitally in Photoshop. As a kid, I marveled at the art for sci-fi such as in Star Wars. So, for that as my inspiration, plus the basic structure of the Shuttle, I worked extra on the concept design for the spaceship, including windows for passengers and sleeker aerodynamics. One day, perhaps, a ship will be used as human transportation between planets. Unfortunately, this is the last year for NASA’s Shuttle program. So the dream of mankind traveling in space will have to wait further into the future. The following list details the last flights for the Shuttle:

2010 Space Shuttle Launches

February 7
Space Shuttle: Endeavour
Site: Kennedy Space Center
Time: 4:39 a.m. EST

March 18
Space Shuttle: Discovery
Site: Kennedy Space Center
Time: 1:34 p.m. EDT

May 14
Space Shuttle: Atlantis
Site: Kennedy Space Center
Time: 2:28 p.m. EDT

July 29
Space Shuttle: Endeavour
Site: Kennedy Space Center
Time: 7:51 a.m. EDT

September 16
Space Shuttle: Discovery
Site: Kennedy Space Center
Time: 11:57 a.m. EDT

Note: date and times may vary due to weather and launch conditions.
Please refer to the official NASA site for more details.

Do you agree with the government ending the space shuttle program?

sketch: iphone

I gave an iTunes gift card to my friend for the holidays, and he was wondering how to use the gift card directly with his iPhone because he is rarely home.  It is a good question, and yes, it is possible.  Note: if you want to purchase a file larger than 10MB such as certain heavy Apps, you will have to use your computer to download it.  If you do wirelessly download songs or Apps directly to the iPhone over 3G or Wi-fi, remember to backup those files to a computer.  I did a drawing and put together simple step-by-step instructions here…

How to redeem an iTunes gift card on your iPhone.

for Apps:
– Go to the app store > featured > new
– Scroll all the way to the bottom until you see “redeem”
– Press “redeem” and enter the iTunes gift card number

for Music:
– Go to the iTunes store > music > new releases
– Scroll all the way to the bottom until you see “redeem”
– Press “redeem” and enter the iTunes gift card number

cartoon: no signal

photoshop CS4 tip: merge photos

In the Adobe CS4 suite, ever wonder how to merge a series of photos to create a hi-res landscape? Please note: this only works if you took a series of shots of a scenery or subject matter. (i.e., from left to right, top to bottom, etc.)

First, navigate to your set of pictures within Adobe Bridge. In my example, I am using two photos in RAW format. In the Bridge menu bar, go to Tools > Photoshop > Photomerge…

Select the Layout, meaning how Photoshop will handle the perspective and arrangement of the pictures.

Click OK.

This part of the process may take some time for Photoshop to calculate, depending on the size of your pictures. Even longer, if they are in RAW format.

In Photoshop CS4, your final merged photograph will appear.  Note: each image will be masked and in its own layer.  This allows you to save the native PSD file for later editing, if you wish.

Finally, the cleanup.  Flatten the image.  Adjust the colors and brightness.  Crop out any stretched, unused portion of the composite, and save the panoramic file as a JPEG.

iphone 3.0

Yes, folks. The Cupertino-based company sent ripples across the world, again this morning, with its announcements for the iPhone 3.0 OS.  The goodies in this puppy are not minor. A much awaited feature is the ability to cut-and-paste.  Here it is! Yay! And you will be able to do so between different applications. For example, you can copy a paragraph from a recipe website, paste it into an email and send it off to friends.  One missing feature I personally complained about (by contacting Apple, so they actually listened to lil’ ol’ me?) is to have a landscape-oriented, larger keyboard.  The current keyboard in the vertical position is very small, even for average-sized hands, allowing for too many mistakes when typing. Other notable announcements, are the Voice Memo recorder app, a more detailed Stock app, and the ability to send multimedia files, such as video and audio, through email and texting.

Oh, and one more thing… Spotlight, which can search through all of your files (from contacts to music) by name.  Shuh-weet.  Judging by last years developer’s announcement and release of 2.0, this new iPhone update should be out by early July.

Good-bye Circuit City

Circuit City is in its finals days. I always felt they were overpriced (and so is Best Buy).. but i did get my Xbox 360 from there, when supplies were sparse, so there is some sentiment in my heart for them. So thanks for the memories, Circuit City.

I think that the 3rd week of  Circuit City’s liquidation sale was the sweet spot, when items were about 30% off, and there were still things worth while to get. I got a Xbox 360 game (Mass Effect), a Nintendo DS game (Professor Layton), Canon ink cartridges, double-layered DVD’s and Sony MiniDiscs. Two months later… the stores are gutted.

apple store grand opening

I always wanted to attend a grand opening of an Apple Store, mainly to feel the vibe of fellow Apple fans. I have been a fan of Apple products, thanks to my college, School of Visual Arts. When a foundation class required students to learn on this strange-looking computer (Mac SE or Mac Classic), all I could think is “What is this?” Little did I know this was the wave of the future – the beginning of digital technology. At the opening of the Willowbrook Mall, NJ, it is like attending a rock concert, except it is for iPods, iPhones, and Macs. I think it is a bit overkill to have the staff cheer you as you enter and leave, but it is amusing to feel like a celebrity. My second reason for being here is to get a free t-shirt. Too bad the shirt only comes in XL size.