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Snap, the parent company of photo sharing app Snapchat, recently announced that it will release a handheld mini drone called Pixy. The company made its foray into hardware products with Spectacles, a pair of augmented reality-powered glasses that didn't quite catch on with a mainstream audience, over five years ago. The Pixy, a compact and submarine yellow drone, is expected to perform better with Snap's primarily 13 – 34-year-old audience.

Available for purchase this coming Thursday, in both the United States and France, the palm-sized and 101g mini drone is a companion camera for the photo-sharing app. There isn't a remote controller or slot for an SD (memory) card. Users simply power the drone on, hold it in the palm of their hand at eye level, and it will take off and follow them around.

'Today, we’re taking the power and magic of the Snap Camera (the app's built-in camera that includes filters) — the spontaneity, the joy and the freedom — to new heights. A new camera to match the limitless potential of your imagination. Meet Pixy, the world’s friendliest flying camera. It’s a pocket-sized, free-flying sidekick for adventures big and small,' Snap CEO Evan Spiegel stated at Snap Partner Summit's keynote.

Featuring a pared-down design, there is a button on top to power on the drone and a camera dial that features six different automated flight patterns. You shouldn't fly it far or over water as the bottom camera could be triggered and cause it to land. After take off, the drone will follow you around and perform the desired effect you selected on the dial. With a fully-charged battery, that can be swapped out, you can get a range of five to eight flights, from 10–20 seconds.

Snap's Pixy drone is lightweight, quiet and fits in the palm of your hand.

While that may seem like a minuscule amount of time compared to typical drones, whose battery life averages 30 minutes per full charge, the Pixy is meant to capture content suited for Snapchat's audience that shares temporary, short-lived content clips. A 12MP camera is capable of shooting up to 100 videos at up to 2.7K/30p or 1,000 photos. The 16MB locally-stored drive automatically syncs content captured on the drone directly to Snapchat.

The quality of the imagery isn't ideal for sharing on YouTube or viewing on a television screen. But for smartphone consumption, it's suitable. Evan Spiegel, Snap's CEO, clearly knows his audience—and one that is growing at a rate faster than Twitter's or Facebook's according to the company's latest quarterly report.

'I think Pixy opens up a whole new space here because your smartphone can’t fly. You can get a totally new and different perspective. And so in that way, I think Pixy is meaningfully better than what your smartphone can create,' Spiegel told The Verge on a call. He expects more iterations to come in the future, depending on how well this model performs.

Pixy can be purchased on Snap's site. While available for sale this Thursday, it won't ship out for another 11-12 weeks in France and 16-17 weeks in the US. A 'Flight Pack' that includes two batteries and a dual battery charger retails for $249.99 while the basic Pixy is $229.99.

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The James Webb Space Telescope is fully aligned. After a full review, NASA has announced that the JWST team has completed the seventh and final stage of telescope alignment. Following completion, the team held a series of key decision meetings and unanimously agreed that Webb's ready to enter the final series of preparations, science instrument commissioning, ahead of full scientific operations.

The image below shows the alignment of the JWST across all of Webb's instruments, including NIRSPEC, NIRCAM, MIRI, the Fine Guidance Sensor and NIRISS. The images show a marked change from when Webb detected its first photons in February. At that time, only the onboard NIRCAM, one of four cameras on Webb, was switched on and its image was unfocused. The team has made significant strides in just over two months.

'Engineering images of sharply focused stars in the field of view of each instrument demonstrate that the telescope is fully aligned and in focus. For this test, Webb pointed at part of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, providing a dense field of hundreds of thousands of stars across all the observatory's sensors. The sizes and positions of the images shown here depict the relative arrangement of each of Webb's instruments in the telescope's focal plane, each pointing at a slightly offset part of the sky relative to one another. Webb's three imaging instruments are NIRCam (images shown here at a wavelength of 2 microns), NIRISS (image shown here at 1.5 microns), and MIRI (shown at 7.7 microns, a longer wavelength revealing emission from interstellar clouds as well as starlight). NIRSpec is a spectrograph rather than imager but can take images, such as the 1.1 micron image shown here, for calibrations and target acquisition. The dark regions visible in parts of the NIRSpec data are due to structures of its microshutter array, which has several hundred thousand controllable shutters that can be opened or shut to select which light is sent into the spectrograph. Lastly, Webb's Fine Guidance Sensor tracks guide stars to point the observatory accurately and precisely; its two sensors are not generally used for scientific imaging but can take calibration images such as those shown here. This image data is used not just to assess image sharpness but also to precisely measure and calibrate subtle image distortions and alignments between sensors as part of Webb's overall instrument calibration process.' Caption and image credit: NASA/STScI

Webb's optics are not only fully aligned, but they're also performing better than the team's most optimistic expectations. NASA writes, 'Webb's mirrors are now directing fully focused light collected from space down into each instrument, and each instrument is successfully capturing images with the light being delivered to them. The image quality delivered to all instruments is 'diffraction-limited,' meaning that the fineness of detail that can be seen is as good as physically possible given the size of the telescope. From this point forward the only changes to the mirrors will be very small, periodic adjustments to the primary mirror segments.'

The beginning of the final step of Webb's preparations means that some members of the team are now done working on the project altogether, which is likely a bittersweet moment. Webb has taken many years of year from countless dedicated individuals. Scott Acton, Webb wavefront sensing and controls scientist at Ball Aerospace said, 'With the completion of telescope alignment and half a lifetime's worth of effort, my role on the James Webb Space Telescope mission has come to an end. These images have profoundly changed the way I see the universe. We are surrounded by a symphony of creation; there are galaxies everywhere! It is my hope that everyone in the world can see them.

Now that Webb is fully aligned, it's time for the team to configure and test Webb's scientific instruments. Each instrument is a 'highly sophisticated set of detectors equipped with unique lenses, masks, filters, and customized equipment that helps it perform the science it was designed to achieve.' Key personnel involved with each of Webb's scientific instruments have convened at the Missions Operations Center at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, MD.

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German film brand ORWO has announced Wolfen NP100, its latest ISO 100 black and white film stock. As reported by KosmoFoto, this is the company’s first new film since its parent company, Filmotech, merged with fellow German film producer InovisCoat back in 2020.

ORWO describes Wolfen as ‘an exceptionally fine grain 100 ASA, 36 exposure, black and white photographic film’ whose name is a nod back to ORWO’s beginnings in 1960s when the company was formed after the split of AGFA following World War II.

The film stock is produced in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, at the site of the company originally started back in 1910. Below are a collection of sample galleries captured on the new film stock, provided by ORWO:

ORWO has only made 36,000 36-exposure cassettes of Wolfen NP100, which are going up for pre-order starting today, April 20, 2022. The first orders are expected to ship in June 2022. ORWO has also teased a new ECN-2 cinema film, which it says will be released later this year for 35mm cameras.

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About Film Fridays: We've launched an analog forum and in a continuing effort to promote the fun of the medium, we'll be sharing film-related content on Fridays, including articles from our friends at 35mmc and KosmoFoto.

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NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter has seen a lot on the Red Planet since it sent its first image back to Earth just over a year ago. Ingenuity has now set its sights on wreckage and debris from the Perseverance rover's successful landing on Mars. Ingenuity's new photos could still help inform future missions to Mars.

When the Perseverance rover landed on Mars, it was parachuted to the surface while protected by a backshell. This shell helped ensure a safe landing but was destroyed in the process. Ingenuity has captured detailed images of Perseverance's backshell, supersonic parachute and associated debris.

'Perseverance had the best-documented Mars landing in history, with cameras showing everything from parachute inflation to touchdown,' said Ian Clark of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Clark was a Perseverance systems engineer and is now a Mars Sample Return ascent phase lead. 'But Ingenuity's images offer a different vantage point. If they either reinforce that our systems worked as we think they worked or provide even one dataset of engineering information we can use for Mars Sample Return planning, it will be amazing. And if not, the pictures are still phenomenal and inspiring.'

Perseverance impacted Mars at about 126 kph (78 mph). Many of the components that helped safely deliver the rover to the Martian surface remain intact, including parts of the backshell's protective coating and the many of the 80 high-strength suspension lines connecting the shell to the parachute. The supersonic parachute, which is nearly 21.5m (70.5') wide, shows no damage but further analysis is required. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

'NASA extended Ingenuity flight operations to perform pioneering flights such as this,' said Teddy Tzanetos, Ingenuity's team lead at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. 'Every time we're airborne, Ingenuity covers new ground and offers a perspective no previous planetary mission could achieve. Mars Sample Return's reconnaissance request is a perfect example of the utility of aerial platforms on Mars.'

Landing on Mars is, as you'd expect, a stressful endeavor. The Mars rover experiences extreme temperatures, significant gravitational and other challenging situations as it enters Mars' atmosphere at about 20,000 kph (12,500 mph).

The new images from Ingenuity provide more detail than the rover's onboard cameras can show, plus an aerial perspective. The images may help future spacecraft with their landing on Mars, such as the Mars Sample Return Lander. The new lander will retrieve Perseverance's samples of Martian rocks, atmosphere and sediment and return them to Earth for analysis.

Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

For Ingenuity to capture the images, it required a lot of maneuvering during its 26th flight on Mars. Håvard Grip, chief pilot of Ingenuity at JPL, said, 'To get the shots we needed, Ingenuity did a lot of maneuvering, but we were confident because there was complicated maneuvering on flights 10, 12, and 13. Our landing spot set us up nicely to image an area of interest for the Perseverance science team on Flight 27, near 'Séítah' ridge.'

The helicopter's new area of operations is in Jezero Crater's dry river delta, a marked change from Ingenuity's previous, relatively flat terrain. The delta could hold many secrets of Mars' mysterious past, and perhaps even offer proof of microscopic life on the planet billions of years ago. The helicopter will help chart Perseverance's path as it works its way to the top of the delta.

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Samsung’s T-series SSDs are popular storage solutions for photographers and cinematographers alike, due to their compact form factor and relatively fast speeds. Now, creatives have another option to choose from in the lineup with Samsung’s announcement of the T7 Shield, a ruggedized version of its original T7 drive that’s IP65 certified for water and duster resistance.

The Samsung T7 Shield offers the same specifications as the original T7, with sequential read and write speeds up to 1,050MB/s and 1,000MB/s, respectively. It uses a USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-C connection and features a silicone cover that helps it survive drops up to three meters (10').

Even with the silicone protector wrapped around the device, Samsung claims the SSD shouldn’t have any problems keeping cool during use.

The Samsung T7 Shield SSD is available with black, blue and tan silicone covers, and comes with both a USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cable. The 1TB version is currently listed for $134.99, while the 2TB version is retailing for $239.99.

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Dell's upcoming workstation-level notebooks look to pack a punch. The Dell Precision 7670 and Precision 7770 promise a lot of power without sacrificing mobility. Backed by Intel's 12th Gen Intel Core i9 CPUs and Intel vPro graphics, the laptops should be well-suited to numerous demanding tasks, including video editing.

The display size is the primary difference between the 7670 and 7770 models. The 7670 is the smaller of the two, with a 16:10 ratio 16-inch display. The 7770 is slightly larger, offering a 16:9 17.3-inch display. They both offer a few different display options, including configurations with FHD (or FHD+ in the case of the 7670, thanks to its taller display) and 4K UHD (or 4K UHD+). The 4K display on the 77700 offers a 120Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of max brightness, whereas the 7670's 4K UHD+ display tops out at 60Hz. But, the 7670 can display 100% of DCI-P3, whereas the 7770's display shows 'only' 99% of the DCI-P3 color space.

The smaller 7670 offers an additional low-end GPU option, while the 7770 features a MicroSIM slot and SD card slot, whereas the 7670 lacks those ports. Other ports include a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports, USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), two USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1), HDMI 2.0a and HDMI 2.1 ports, ethernet and a 3.5mm audio jack. Both notebooks include four speakers and dual-array mics. Both models also include Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 and 5G wireless connectivity.

Aside from the NVIDIA RTX A2000 option available on the 7670, the two machines offer the same GPU choices up to an NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti.

Storage options are also identical, with up to 4TB of PCIe 4.0 (Class 40) internal storage. You can fit up to 12TB of storage across three PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots, but the notebook will ship with a max of 4TB. Regarding memory, there are some impressive options available. Both notebooks offer up to 64GB DDR5-4800MHz or 128GB DDR5-3600MHz RAM options. The DDR5 memory utilizes a new design for Dell called Compression Attached Memory Module (CAMM). It's technically a proprietary design, which has some people upset, but Dell promises to not keep its new design to itself. The design allows for a thinner chassis design that doesn't skimp on performance. Traditional RAM options will be available later.

Traditional SODIMM memory (left) versus the new CAMM technology Dell is introducing in the new Precision notebooks. Image credit: Dell

The 7670 is 0.98" thick while the larger 7770 model is 1.13" thick. There's a slight caveat here, as the 0.98" thin model is a 'thin' version. There's also a performance-oriented version that's 1.09" thick. Despite the relatively thin designs, the notebooks are moderately heavy. The 'thin' 7670 weighs 2.6kg (5.75 lbs.), whereas the 'performance' trim weighs 2.67kg (5.9 lbs). The 7770 weighs just over 3kg (6.65 lbs.).

By opting for the thinner version, you are limited to an RTX A1000 with 4GB of VRAM or an RTX A2000 with 8GB of VRAM. In either case, the thermal design remains the same for all chassis options.

Pricing for the new Dell Precision 7670 and 7770 notebooks has not yet been announced. Dell expects the notebooks to begin shipping by the end of July.

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Edelkrone has announced the JibONE v2, an updated version of its original JibONE that is more compact than its predecessor while offering a collection of new and improved features.

As its name suggests, the JibONE is a motorized rigging tool that offers jib movements for attached cameras. Through an accompanying app, the rig can be pre-programmed to make smooth, custom movements that can be further accentuated with other motorized tools from Edelkrone.

This second-generation version keeps all of the features found in the original JibONE, but now offers improved wireless connectivity, an updated OLED display and better power management. It also comes in a much smaller form factor, with the ‘v2’ version being able to shrink down to just 61cm (24”) long when not in use. Despite its compact form factor, the JibONE offers up to 50cm (1.64’) of camera travel vertical, horizontal and diagonal, and can work with cameras up to 5kg (11lbs).

While you can physically move the JibONE and attached components to certain position to set keyframes for movements, the entire system can also be controlled and programmed using Edelkrone’s accompanying Android and iOS app. There’s also the Edelkrone Controller for those who prefer a dedicated means of positioning the unit and setting keyframes.

The entire JibONE v2 and its accessories (not the tripod) fits inside this backpack.

JibONE v2 also features a more durable head plate for increased strength and now offers a fully wired connection option in addition to the wireless connectivity for those who don’t mind trading a few cables for the sake of reliability.

Although the JibONE will certainly work on its own, it’s designed to be used with Edelkrone’s entire ecosystem, including its HeadONE, HeadPLUS v2 and Pan PRO motorized pan/tilt heads for multi-axis movements. It can also be paired with Edelkrone’s Vision Module, which attaches to a HeadPLUS v2 unit to provide face and object tracking for live tracking during pre-programmed movements.

The JibONE v2 starts at $999 for the standalone unit. Various bundles that include various pant/tilt heads and other accessories are also available to purchase with savings for purchasing the items together.

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Lexar’s has announced its Diamond CFexpress Type B cards, which should be the fastest CFexpress Type B cards on the market once they start shipping. Also announced is a new set of Gold Series CFexpress Type A cards.

Longsys, the owner of the Lexar brand, says the new Diamond Series cards offer read speeds up to 1,900MB/s and write speeds up to 1,700MB/s. The cards are VPG 400 certified, ensuring write speeds never drop below 400MB/s, making them ideal candidates for recording up to 8K Raw video internally on cameras that offer it.

The cards are shock and vibration proof, and suited to work in intense environments, with a working temperature range of -10°C (14°F) to 70°C (158°F).

The new Gold Series CFexpress Type A cards from Lexar offer read and write speeds of 900MB/s and 700MB/s, respectively, and are also rated for VPG 400 performance.

Both the Diamond Series CFexpress Type B and Gold Series CFexpress Type A cards are currently under development and should be available in the second quarter of 2022, according to Lexar. No pricing information has been shared at this time.

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After Apple first introduced its first MacBook Pro with an integrated SD card reader back in 2012, memory manufacturer Transcend released half-sized SD cards that were designed to sit flush with the side of your device to add storage without adding any additional bulk. These devices became less relevant when Apple removed its SD card readers from its ‘Pro’ laptop lineup in 2015, but now that the SD card readers are back with Apple’s new M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pro models, so is Transcend with its new JetDrive Lite 330 SD cards.

Just like the original JetDrive cards, these pint-sized cards feature a lip on the end that sit flush with the SD card slot on Apple’s latest MacBook Pro models so as to create a seamless transition from the body of the laptop with the card. The metal outside will even be color-matched with the aluminum used for the MacBook Pro’s unibody frame.

Transcend says the new JetDrive Lite 330 models, which come in various capacities between 128GB and 1TB, offer read and write speeds of 95MB/s and 75MB/s, respectively. That’s not exactly fast, especially compared to integrated flash storage or even a USB-C SSD, but it should be more than fast enough to use for something like Time Machine backups or as an alternative storage location for less resource-intensive file formats.

The new JetDrive Lite 330 is resistant to water, dust, and shock, according to Transcend. Each device is covered by a five-year limited warranty. The 128GB 256GB, 512GB and 1TB JetDrive Lite 330 models are available to purchase for $37, $60, $120 and $250, respectively, through Transcend’s Amazon store and at authorized Transcend retailers.

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