We usually don't dish on Asia-only release dates to preserve your Occidental sanity, but since price and date for the U.S. drop of the new Micro Four Thirds, 1080p-capturing GH1 is still mysterious, let's look.
According to Impress, the GH1 will be available April 24 at an estimated cost of ¥150,000. That's a dissapointing price, since ConvertBot-ed over to dollars, that's an ugly $1,500. Regardless, that doesn't mean we won't get it cheaper over here, but it's not the most comforting detail.
The other thing to keep in mind, though, is that the GH1's video capture mode (which is basically the only differentiation from its $800 predecessor, the G1) does things the others from Nikon and Canon can't: that is, the cinema-friendly 24fps framerate at 1080p (60fps at 720p), as well as continuous contrast-based autofocus with an especially silent-focusing lens.
HD-Shooting Panasonic DMC-GH1 Looks Hot in Red, Availabile April 24 in Japan
Timelapse Garden Video Camera Watches Your Garden Grow So You Don't Have to
Sure, Planet Earth was great. But what if you want to get stoned and gawk at time-lapsed videos of your own garden? The Timelapse Garden Video Camera can make that happen.
The Timelapse Garden Video Camera (henceforth TGVC) is a weatherproof digital camera that'll take interval photos and combine them into a neat 1280x1024 video file presumably via some custom software. The intervals can be anywhere from every five seconds to every 24 hours, and can shoot objects as close as 20 inches away or as far as a 54-inch wide view. It comes with a removable 2GB of storage and the battery will last for up to 4 months while taking a picture per hour. It costs $159.99, which is awfully cheap considering you'll pay about the same for a half-decent point-and-shoot that'll explode upon the first morning dew. Then how will you watch your tomato crop wither and die because you counted on God to water it for you?
source:gizmodo
Texas Decides Evolution Needs More Study, I Decide I Need Less Texas
In Austin, creationists have managed to include several amendments aimed at casting doubt on the theory of evolution. The amendments may affect the content in science textbooks across the country.
While the creationist groups did not manage to get the bulk of their agenda included in the State Board of Education's legislation, they did pass a few amendments casting doubt on the theory of evolution. Some tricky language, like an amendment requiring students to "analyze and evaluate scientific explanations concerning any data on sudden appearance and stasis and the sequential groups in the fossil record," is more insidious than it seems. When new textbooks come up for review in 2012, the board can reject books that they feel do not adequately address the issue, a key creationist talking point. And as Texas is a major buyer, textbook publishers may be forced to alter their products so as to avoid conflict with the self-proclaimed creationists on the Texas Board of Education, which could affect the rest of the country as well.
It remains to be seen if these new amendments will indeed affect science textbooks, and hopefully they'll make no difference at all. Check out Salon's article for more information from a decidedly pro-science point of view.
source:gizmodo
