Fredstuff.com » app http://fredstuff.com/blog Hi. I'm Fred. I live in Stockholm, Sweden. I like: Music, TV, Gadgets, Technology and the Webs. I also like to try out new things on the web and when I do I will write about it here. I've been blogging since 2005, mostly in Swedish. This is my first all English blog - Welcome! Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:58:20 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Hipstamatic Disposable D Series http://fredstuff.com/blog/pictures/hipstamatic-disposable-d-series http://fredstuff.com/blog/pictures/hipstamatic-disposable-d-series#comments Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:22:36 +0000 Fred http://fredstuff.com/blog/?p=15289
I’m not really sure why I’m writing this post. I don’t like this product — I’ve tried it and I will not be using it again. So, what is it? Well, The guys behind the Hipstamatic app for the iPhone have released a new app called Hipstamatic Disposable, or the “D Series”. The idea is that you have to shoot 24 frames (like old world cameras with actual film in them) before you get to see the results. I don’t get it. Maybe this promo video can explain?

Click here to view the embedded video.

I know that you are supposed to use this app together with some friends but will people actually use the app in this way? I doubt it. I shot one “roll” of film yesterday and today, no special pics just some stuff to get through the “roll”. Here are four of them:

I don’t like the results at all. You get much much much much better stuff from other retro cameras. To be fair I only tried one filter/camera but having to shoot all those frames to be able to see (I’m rambling!) the result made me lose interest. The app is free with additional in-app purchases if you want more film/cameras/filters/whatever. In conclusion; stick with the original Hipstamatic — skip this app — and you’ll be happy! Much more info on the app at iPhoneography (if you’re interested). And now for something weird; links to stuff I don’t like!

Links:
A really long review from another guy.
Hipstamatic Disposable D Series @ Official site
Hipstamatic Disposable D Series @ The App Store

]]> http://fredstuff.com/blog/pictures/hipstamatic-disposable-d-series/feed 2 iPhone Photo App: PhotoToaster http://fredstuff.com/blog/pictures/iphone-photo-app-phototoaster http://fredstuff.com/blog/pictures/iphone-photo-app-phototoaster#comments Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:23:23 +0000 Fred http://fredstuff.com/blog/?p=7746 Far to few posts about photography apps for the iPhone. I have to change that. You can always visit iPhoneography or Life in LoFi if you want a constant stream of iPhone photography related material. Both sites are great and I visit them often.

I’m still into really grimey, grungy photography and I’ve found that the app PhotoToaster by East Coast Pixels ($1.99 @ the App Store) is great for applying nice filters and effects of the grungy, yet subtle kind. The more subtle effects offered by the app are nice as well. Some examples from a shot I took in the wood shop:

UPDATE Oct 11, 2011: There’s now a free version called PhotoToaster Jr. on the App Store. Try it out before getting the full app!

Links:
PhotoToaster Official Site
PhotoToaster @ The App Store Preview

]]> http://fredstuff.com/blog/pictures/iphone-photo-app-phototoaster/feed 0 iPhone App: PictureShow http://fredstuff.com/blog/pictures/iphone-app-pictureshow http://fredstuff.com/blog/pictures/iphone-app-pictureshow#comments Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:51:09 +0000 Fred http://fredstuff.com/blog/?p=5098


I’ve got a new favorite photo app for the iPhone and it’s called PictureShow. I swore by the awesome Camera+ app just a week ago but I wanted to do some crazy image effects lately and PictureShow is so much better when it comes to wild, over-processed stuff. The developers behind Camera+ are somewhat crazy on their own — their app was just yanked from the App Store by Apple since they sneaked in a “banned” feature in their app. The feature was welcomed by the users of the app, you could use the hardware volume sliders as a shutter when taking photos. Apple didn’t like that, at all. They asked developer tap tap tap to remove the “feature” which they didn’t and now the app is gone until they comply with Apple’s rules. Read more about the incident over at TUAW, I don’t wanna talk about it any longer. I’ll just add this: it’s a viral marketing stunt orchestrated by tap tap tap. Hey, this post was supposed to be about PictureShow! OK, Let’s start off with a video. Um, no — let’s not. Their promo video is so badly shot that I refuse to post it. But how will we know what the app is all about? Well, see the pictures above? Compare them to the original files straight from my iPhone 3GS by clicking the “Read More” button. The post continues after that you see. Click it and read the rest — it’s that simple. Trust me. Click it.

So, here are the pictures before being totally destroyed in PictureShow. I’m afraid you’ll have to scroll up and down to be able to fully compare the (in this case) “After & Before” pictures. Kind of like an adventure. Scrolling is a huge part of being on-line and on the computer these days — I’m sure you’re already used to the technique. It’s real easy, try it! Mac and iPad readers can swipe with their fingers. So cool.



If you’d like to you could do more gentle and discreet editing in the app, stuff like adding a soft vignette or simply make it look like it’s scratched and worn. there are 25 photo styles to choose from including the mandatory PopArt, Holga, Retro and Lomo effects. In the upper right corner of the app is the handy “Randomize” button, it’s pretty handy if you run out of inspiration or further editing ideas. Bare in mind though, the button won’t take amazing pictures for you, it simply messes around with what you already shot. You have to take the pictures yourself, the app won’t do more than it’s designed to do which is apply filters and effects to whatever you provide it with. It won’t add delay to your songs and it wont add subtitles or slow motion to your videos. It only does photos. I like that you can edit the color values separately; red, green and blue. You can also mess around with brightness and contrast. There are a bunch of frame styles and stuff like that, they are all useful in one way or the other. It’s really cheap too, maybe they lowered the price to get even more people to buy it now that Camera+ is out of the App Store. Sneaky! Normal price for PictureShow: $1.99. Current super low price: $0.99! It’s totally worth it, trust me. Oh, and thank you for reading all of this. A whole post without correct formatting, all the text just blends into one big mess. Makes your eyes bleed, doesn’t it? You are brave my friend.

Links:
PictureShow | App Store | Site | Flickr Group (not the official one – but the best).

]]> http://fredstuff.com/blog/pictures/iphone-app-pictureshow/feed 0 Swedish Public Service Broadcaster To Steve Jobs: Hurry Up! http://fredstuff.com/blog/miscellaneous/swedish-public-service-broadcaster-to-steve-jobs-hurry-up http://fredstuff.com/blog/miscellaneous/swedish-public-service-broadcaster-to-steve-jobs-hurry-up#comments Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:01:37 +0000 Fred http://fredstuff.com/blog/?p=322 SVT – the Swedish public service broadcaster is trying to get their app approved, and they are tired of waiting.

Click here to view the embedded video.


The campaign is called ‘Dear Steve Jobs‘. An open letter along with a huge button saying ‘JA’ (YES) asking Jobs to approve the app just went on line.
steve_jobs_svt
From the site:

Dear Steve Jobs,

we at SVT (the Swedish public service broadcaster) would like to ask you a favor. Below is a description of our SVT Play application. And to the right you can see all the Swedes who are eagerly awaiting its approval. So please Steve, hurry up and approve our app.
We have tried to simplify the approval process as much as possible for you. Just press the green button below and record a video of yourself saying “JA” (that’s “yes” in Swedish, pronounced “yah”).

Come on, Steve, Sweden is waiting. Say JA!

Sincerely,
SVT, Sweden

I’m really looking forward to having this app on my iPhone and this is my way of helping out. Go check out the site, it’s really nice with a wooden, Swedish feel. It’s a bit tounge-in-cheek but I think that’s a smart move. Well done SVT!

Uppdate:

Haha! I just realized they have a live video stream from Cupertino (outside the Apple HQ) showing people dressed in traditional Swedish ‘Folkdräkt‘. They are holding signs with messages to Jobs. STEVE LOOK!

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