Nikon refines its enthusiast-level DSLR with GPS-equipped D5300

Oct. 17, 2013 at 8:18 PM ET

The latest from Nikon D5300 Cyber Monday Deal is a refresh of the popular D5200 that doesn't fix anything that wasn't broken, but makes a few welcome changes under the hood, such as adding built-in Wi-Fi and GPS.

The predictably named D5300 doesn't just add extra bullet points to the feature list, though. The actual picture-taking parts have gotten an upgrade as well. Its 24-megapixel sensor has lost the anti-aliasing filter - this optical filter was necessary on digital cameras for years, but recent advances in high-resolution sensors and in image processors have made it obsolete. Removing it can improve image quality, and that's just what Nikon has done.

Also updated is the image processor, which will allow the D5300 to shoot five stills per second, or video at 1080p and 60 frames per second. It's only a small step up from its predecessor, but every little bit counts.

Its articulating rear LCD has also gotten slightly larger, and the viewfinder is a bit better now as well. Again, nothing that will make D5200 owners particularly jealous.

Wi-Fi and GPS, however, might come in handy. Being able to geotag your shots and sync them with Dropbox quickly becomes indispensable, and perks like being able to activate the shutter from your smartphone don't hurt either.

At $800 for the body or $1,400 with a capable 18-140 F/3.5-5.6 zoom, the D5300 is competitive with the likes of Canon and Sony for consumer-grade DSLRs. That said, if none of the new features are calling your name, just remember: pretty soon you'll be able to pick up the D5200 for a song.

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. His personal website is coldewey.cc.
Source: Nbcnews

Nikon D5300 accessories | LetsGoDigital

<Nikon D5300 Cheapp>

Nikon D5300 accessories
Mark Peters : October 24th 2013 - 14:50 CET

Nikon D5300 camera accessories : Nikon introduces Nikkor lenses and accessories for the new D5300. One of the D5300's greatest advantages is its compatibility with Nikon's wide range of Nikkor lenses and powerful system accessories. Combine the Nikon D5300 body with such versatile partners, and your creative options become limitless. Nikkor lenses are renowned across the world for their superior optical performance, and the new D5300 is compatible with the full range of DX-format lenses. From compact zoom lenses that are perfect for general use or travel, to fast prime lenses that enable beautiful 'Bokeh effect', as well as wide-angle and micro lenses, there is a lens for every photographic situation.

Nikon D5300 accessories
In addition to theNikkor lenses , Nikon Speedlights like the SB-400 and SB-700 open up opportunities to get creative with light, and optional wireless remote control devices like the Nikon WR-R10 and WR-T10 let you control key camera functions from a distance, even if there are obstacles between yourself and the D5300. Whichever you choose, you can enjoy the precision and flexibility to make the most of the camera's 24.2 megapixel resolution and capture pictures with amazing vivid colour and striking contrast, or experiment with great cinematic effects when shooting Full HD movies.


Nikon camera tools
For even more possibilities, a range of in-camera tools put creative techniques conveniently at your command. Enjoy optimum results in high-contrast situations with HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode or quickly capture perfect shots in various situations using any one of the 16 scene modes. When you want to explore different ideas, let your creativity run wild with the D5300 in-camera tools of special effects for photos and HD videos; evoke a certain mood by isolating specific colours, or create a retro look-and-feel with the Toy Camera effect. Visit the official site for more product information and availability of optional Nikon D5300 accessories.

Nikon D5300 accessories


Source: Letsgodigital

Latest Snowden Leak Shows NSA's Involvement In US Drone-Based Assassination Program

At this point, both the NSA's extensive surveillance programs and the CIA's controversial drone "targeted killing" program (read: assassination program) are known and widely discussed. But the two had not been fully connected until now. There had been some reports from the various reporters who have access to the leaked Snowden documents that the NSA was involved, but the details are finally coming out. The first article comes via Barton Gellman at the Washington Post, detailing the NSA's extensive involvement in helping the CIA find targets to kill, including Hassan Ghul, who was taken out by a drone strike a year ago.

In the search for targets, the NSA has draped a surveillance blanket over dozens of square miles of northwest Pakistan. In Ghul's case, the agency deployed an arsenal of cyber-espionage tools, secretly seizing control of laptops, siphoning audio files and other messages, and tracking radio transmissions to determine where Ghul might "bed down."

The e-mail from Ghul's wife "about her current living conditions" contained enough detail to confirm the coordinates of that household, according to a document summarizing the mission. "This information enabled a capture/kill operation against an individual believed to be Hassan Ghul on October 1," it said.

The file is part of a collection of records in the Snowden trove that make clear that the drone campaign - often depicted as the CIA's exclusive domain - relies heavily on the NSA's ability to vacuum up enormous quantities of e-mail, phone calls and other fragments of signals intelligence, or SIGINT.

The NSA likes to talk about how its focus is on counter-terrorism operations in the form of finding out about potential terrorist activities in order to stop them. It likes to pretend that it isn't so involved in offensive actions. However, the reporting here suggests a different story altogether. The NSA is a key part of the assassination program.

While it may be a good thing to track down terrorists working to attack the US, the potential that these kinds of programs might also be abused is serious. Once again, what becomes clear is that the NSA will apparently do everything possible to get access to the information it wants:

"But if you wanted huge coverage of the FATA, NSA had 10 times the manpower, 20 times the budget and 100 times the brainpower," the former intelligence official said, comparing the surveillance resources of the NSA to the smaller capabilities of the agency's IOC. The two agencies are the largest in the U.S. intelligence community, with budgets last year of $14.7 billion for the CIA and $10.8 billion for the NSA. "We provided the map," the former official said, "and they just filled in the pieces."

In broad terms, the NSA relies on increasingly sophisticated versions of online attacks that are well-known among security experts. Many rely on software implants developed by the agency's Tailored Access Operations division with code-names such as UNITEDRAKE and VALIDATOR. In other 5s iphone cases boot pipe with holder vintage, the agency runs "man-in-the-middle" attacks in which it positions itself unnoticed midstream between computers communicating with one another, diverting files for real-time alerts and longer-term analysis in data repositories.

Through these and other tactics, the NSA is able to extract vast quantities of digital information, including audio files, imagery and keystroke logs. The operations amount to silent raids on suspected safe houses and often are carried out by experts sitting behind desks thousands of miles from their targets.

The reach of the NSA's Tailored Access Operations division extends far beyond Pakistan. Other documents describe efforts to tunnel into systems used by al-Qaeda affiliates in Yemen and Africa, each breach exposing other corridors.

It appears that the attacks are quite effective as well:

The operations are so easy, in some cases, that the NSA is able to start downloading data in less time than it takes the targeted machine to boot up. Last year, a user account on a social media Web site provided an instant portal to an al-Qaeda operative's hard drive. "Within minutes, we successfully exploited the target," the document said.

Now, to some extent, you can argue that these kinds of activities are the ones we'd expect the NSA to be taking: using systems to break into communications efforts of terrorists to track them down. But, as the report also notes, this main operative who they caught through use of this system, Ghul, was actually in CIA custody for years before they released him... only to then have the NSA go through this big process to re-find him and take him out with a drone.

Oh, and not just take him out... but then use the NSA to find out for sure that he was dead:

Even after Ghul was killed in Mir Ali, the NSA's role in the drone strike wasn't done. Although the attack was aimed at "an individual believed to be" the correct target, the outcome wasn't certain until later when, "through SIGINT, it was confirmed that Hassan Ghul was in fact killed."

The NSA and its supporters will undoubtedly spin this to show how good it is that the NSA has these kinds of capabilities, allowing them to track down and dispatch terrorists. But it remains concerning how this level of spying and power (all the way down to assassinations) can easily be combined and used in ways that are even more questionable.

Source: Techdirt

Lok Sabha polls: BJP says it may swap some seats with SAD in Punjab

<rubberimg src="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-24100451,width-310,resizemode-4/bjp.jpg">

PHAGWARA: The BJP today said there was likelihood of its swapping some seats with its ally Shiromani Akali Dal for upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Punjab.

Addressing a press conference here, state BJP chief Kamal Sharma, however, did not specify which seats the party might swap with the SAD.

He said there was possibility of the BJP changing some seats with the SAD in the next Lok Sabha polls in the state.

The state BJP head, however, added the party might end up contesting from its traditional seats --Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur.

On the possibility of an increase in BJP's seat share, Sharma said since the stakes were very high this time, the matter was not under consideration.

He said "our alliance with the SAD is based on trust and maturity. We want to win all 13 seats in Punjab,"

On Narendra Modi, Sharma said both the BJP and SAD cadres were very much enthused with the projection of the Gujarat CM as the Prime Ministerial candidate.

"We have already gone into the election mode. We have appointed in-charges and co-incharges for all 13 seats for better co-ordination between the two parties," he said.

Source: Indiatimes

The Macalope: An oldie but a baddy

<prirfq303p>How can you idiots keep buying Apple products?! Can't you see they're ripping you off?!

Boy, if the Macalope had a nickel for every time he's heard that, well, then he'd have another nickel today. He'd also be rich but still just as annoyed.

Minyanville's Vincent Trivett says "Apple Inc.'s Pattern of Rip-Offs Forces Customers to Buy New or Pay Up" (tip o' the antlers to Matt), because no one's ever heard that argument before.

The Macalope wouldn't normally pay attention to an outfit like Minyanville, but somehow they've gotten themselves into cross-publishing relationships with Yahoo and now Nasdaq and, sheesh, there's only so much a mythical beast can put up with. Did Minyanville's dad go to prep school with Yahoo and Nasdaq or something?

On one hand, everyone was aware that Apple trails its rivals in emerging markets where its devices cost exorbitant amounts of money. A low-cost device could really help it compete in countries like China, where subsidies for phones aren't the norm. On the other hand, a cheaper device would wreck the sky-high margins that make the company so successful.

Sure. Unless, of course, the margins were higher on a lower-cost iPhone.

But another word for "high margins" is "rip-off."

Uh, no, actually, it's not. Yes, if you can get the same exact thing for less without incurring extraneous costs, you're getting ripped off. But you can't, in fact, get anything exactly the same as an iPhone from a manufacturer other than Apple. Users of Apple products have only been saying stuff like this for more than 30 years, it's a wonder it hasn't sunk in yet.

Well, look what we have to work with.

This has been on my mind since Wednesday when Mike Schuster wrote for Minyanville about the iOS 7 upgrade, and how third-party charger cables no longer work... If you bought a non-Apple charger, you are out of luck and you have no choice but to buy a new one, from Apple of course.

Wow, that's really weird because the Macalope just plugged his iPhone 5c running iOS 7.0.2 into an Amazon Basics Lightning cable plugged into the charger that came with his Nexus 7 and it charged fine. But, please, don't let facts get in the way of a good anti-Apple rant.

Of course, many chargers don't work anymore and, gosh, it couldn't have anything to do with the fact that some people were literally killed by knockoff chargers, could it? No, no. Certainly not, or Trivett would have mentioned those incidents.

Which he doesn't.

You might think of it as a luxury strategy rather than a rip-off, but it's certainly puzzling that we still regard Apple as a corporation worthy of love.

Hey, even the Macalope doesn't love Apple unconditionally. In many cases its add-ons are usuriously expensive when compared to alternatives. But even when there isn't an alternative or Apple blocks that alternative, its user experience is still better, its products are better made and their resale value is far higher than that of its competitor's products.

But, of course, naysayers never want to talk about the total cost of Apple's products; they just want to build a one-sided case about how the company's "ripping you off."

Source: Macworld

Some Senate GOPers look for way out

<adhesivep>They have been sitting out the budget impasse that led to the government shutdown - and only been a spectator in the bitter battle between House Republicans and Senate Democrats.

But some uneasy Senate Republicans are eager to take matters into their own hands.

Moderates like Susan Collins of Maine, conservatives like Rob Portman of Ohio and deal-makers like John McCain of Arizona have quietly begun to reach out to top Senate Democratic leaders to see if they can help break the political logjam. There's no indication the informal talks will lead to a resolution, particularly since the White House and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid refuse to negotiate before House Republicans agree to raise the debt ceiling and reopen the government with no policy strings attached.

But as the shutdown drags on, the back-channel discussions are a sign of the growing frustration among Senate Republicans that there is no end to the shutdown in sight - and that their House colleagues appear to be at an unbreakable impasse with the White House.

"We have discussions going on, I'm on my way to one right now," said Collins, who spoke with two Senate Democrats Friday morning. "I think that the vast majority of our conference believes the shutdown needs to be brought to an end as soon as possible."

New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the No. 3 Democratic leader who has helped broker bipartisan deals on immigration and the filibuster "nuclear option" this year, said he's already hearing from Senate Republicans.

"Look, I think there are a good number of Republicans, even very conservative ones that would like to come to an agreement and get the government open again," Schumer said. "There are talks going on, but I'm not going to speak about any details."

Reid added: "I think there are a number of them who have been working very hard to try to get something done. They've come to me."

Portman, the Ohio Republican who was on the short-list to be Mitt Romney's running-mate last year, said he's spoken to seven different Democrats and was "trading ideas back-and-forth." Among his ideas are to push Democrats to lower the spending cap on the continuing resolution from $986 billion to $967 billion, as well as instructions for the House and Senate tax writing committees to produce a tax reform proposal to find $600 billion in mandatory savings outlined in President Barack Obama's budget in order to raise the national debt ceiling by a similar amount.

"There's a growing consensus that we have to do something about spending in the context of the debt limit," Portman said.

While Portman is not demanding proposals to gut Obamacare, like his House GOP counterparts, his calls for spending cuts go much further than Democrats have thus far been willing to tolerate. For instance, Reid said Friday that the "biggest compromise" he's made in 31 years on Capitol Hill was agreeing with House Speaker John Boehner to lower federal funding to $986 billion, the level currently in the Senate's continuing resolution.

And Reid reiterated Friday that he wouldn't compromise further or offer Boehner a concession to end the shutdown.

"This is not a face-saving deal," Reid told reporters. "This is not a date to the prom. This is our country."

Standing in the way of a potential deal is the fact that a number of Senate Republicans are unwilling to undercut Boehner in the high-stakes fight, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has stayed mostly out of the spotlight this week but has echoed the speaker's demands for changes in the health care law.

While Boehner and Reid aren't talking, Senate and House Republicans are coordinating closely during the bruising fall fiscal fights. McConnell, Portman and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) huddled with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Thursday afternoon, according to a source familiar with the meeting.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), who has been sharply critical of the hardball tactics of tea party Republicans in the government shutdown fight, said it's still up to the House Republicans and Senate Democrats to lead the charge.

"At the end of the day, we're dependent on the House to pass good policy," he said.

Corker was part of a group of Senate Republicans who have previously entertained the idea of a major fiscal deal with the White House. The GOP group repeatedly met with Obama and senior White House officials over fiscal matters this year, though those talks stalled and broke off in August.

Some are renewing those efforts with Senate Democrats.

Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) said Friday he's buttonholed Schumer with some thoughts on how to end the crisis.

"It was very informal, it was talking to somebody who actually has the ear of Harry Reid and the president," Coats said. "Simply saying: This is where Republicans are coming from."

And with public anxiety growing over the shutdown - and Republicans worried they may suffer more of the blame for the gridlock on Capitol Hill - some are clearly ready for the fight to be resolved.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who joined Senate Republicans in earlier fiscal talks with the White House, said he's ready for the impasse to end.

"This is not a position I want us to be in," Johnson said. "I don't want this brinksmanship - I think the government does enough harm to our economy; we don't need to put on a whole new layer."

Source: Politico

Mays Landing man receives Carnegie medal for coming to police officer's rescue

<couponp>The national medals are given to civilians who engage in random acts of heroism, some awarded posthumously. Since the fund's inception in 1904, 9,633 people have received the award; fewer than 100 are given each year. Carnegie medalists or their heirs receive financial grants.

Harding's act of heroism took place in April 2011 in Elmer, Salem County, where he was driving on a dark and rainy evening and encountered Sgt. Steve Felice, of the Elmer Police Department, engaged in a struggle with someone in the middle of the road.

"It was raining so hard, I thought someone had hit a deer, but when I got closer I saw it was a man in the road, and then I thought maybe someone had hit a hitchhiker," Harding recalled. "But then I saw it was a police officer on top of a man, and I thought he was giving him CPR or medical attention."

According to Felice's account of the incident, he was struggling on the ground a suspect who grabbed his handgun from its holster.

"The gun was coming toward me, and I was doing everything I could to keep it away from both of us," Felice said. "This was all happening in the middle of the road, while several cars were passing by, none of of them stopping, except Harding."

Felice said Harding pulled up nearby and yelled, "Are you OK?"

Felice responded, 'He's got my gun.'

"I wanted him to know this was a dangerous, potentially life-threatening, situation," Felice said.

But instead of speeding up, Harding exited his vehicle and ran toward them, jumping on top of the man and helping Sgt. Felice recover his weapon and make the arrest.

"I've been a police officer for 23 years, and I've seen a lot. But for somebody to be as courageous in his actions as he was says so much about his character. His thought was to help me, not of himself," Felice said. "I give him all the credit and gratitude in the world."

Felice said he doesn't know who nominated Harding for the Carnegie honor.

Harding also doesn't know who nominated him. Though he is honored, he doesn't consider himself a hero.

"Everyone is still calling me a hero, but I don't like that word," he said. "It was just an impulsive (reaction). He needed help, and I happened to be there."

He said looking back, he now realizes he could he died, but he doesn't regret his decision.

"I did what my gut told me to do. If someone needs help, you help them," he said.

In 2012, the Elmer Borough Council and Salem County recognized Harding for his act. Also in 2012, he received the Best Security Personnel award during Atlantic City's annual hospitality industry workers award ceremony for his position as an investigator at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.

The Carnegie awards were started by steel baron Andrew Carnegie, who was inspired by rescue stories from a mine disaster that killed 181 people.

The others honored Thursday were from New Jersey, California, Texas, Oregon, Washington, Arkansas, Tennessee, Maine, Rhode Island, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Minnesota, Virginia and Ontario and Saskatchewan, Canada.

Contact Elisa Lala:

609-272-7260

elala@pressofac.com

@ElisaLala on Twitter

Source: Pressofatlanticcity

Virgin selling iPhone 5s, 5c at $100 discount

Buyers interested in the iPhone 5c or the iPhone 5s iphone iphone 5 cases hello kitty cheer may want to give Virgin Mobile another look. As we mentioned last week, the low-cost Sprint-owned carrier is offering the new models as of Tuesday, but they're doing so at a cheaper price than you'll find elsewhere.

Virgin tends to sell phones for the full unlocked cost, but in this case it's offering $100 off that unsubsidized price. That means if you're looking for an iPhone 5s, you can pick one up for $550, $650, and $750 for 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB, respectively. An iPhone 5c, likewise, goes for $450 for 16GB and $550 for 32GB. All that on top of Virgin's generally cheaper monthly plans, which start at $35, offer unlimited data and text messaging, and do not require a contract.

Of course, Virgin is one of the smaller carriers in the U.S. and it relies on Sprint's network, which is somewhat smaller than those offered by AT&T and Verizon. It's also worth keeping in mind, however, that the Sprint version of the iPhone 5c and 5s used by Virgin are not compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon (though they do work with several smaller carriers), so your switching options are limited.

Source: Macworld