Influenced from/ Based on russian developer GrAnd,

CHDK is an open source software project that can be loaded on cameras using Canon's DIGIC II or DIGIC III firmware platforms. It unleashes new features including RAW file format, live histogram display, a battery readout, and the ability to run scripted actions on a camera.

The Software Kit does not replace your original firmware, so you can every time uninstall/undo it.

The Kit (only 3 files: 'DISKBOOT.BIN', 'PS.FIR' and a language pack 'english.lng') will be stored on the root of your sd card.


I pimped my Canon IXUS 70/SD1000 with allbest-ixus70_sd1000-101b-49.zip and got a lot of new features.

allbest firmware update list can be load from http://malbe.nm.ru/chdk/.
for detailed information and how to install read a howto article from wired.com. very easy to understand...thx.


What camera models are supported by the CHDK program?

via | tags: chdk canon firmware open source

Labels: communication, electronic, hardware, image processing, opensource, photo, software

CanSecWest's PWN 2 OWN contest was won in 2 minutes. Mac gets hacked.

Show organizers offered a Sony Vaio, Fujitsu U810, and the MacBook as prizes, saying that they could be won by anybody at the show who could find a way to hack into each of them and read the contents of a file on the system using a previously undisclosed "0day" attack.

Charlie Miller, best known as one of the researchers who first hacked Apple's iPhone last year, didn't take much time. Within 2 minutes, he directed the contest's organizers to visit a Web site that contained his exploit code, which then allowed him to seize control of the computer, as about 20 onlookers cheered him on.

read on

via | tags: mac pwn2own miller

Labels: hardware, iPhone, networking

Elastra, located in San Francisco, is a scalable MySQL service on Amazon's elastic compute cloud (EC2) cluster and S3 Storage.

As i read from Peter Van Dijck

If it works as well as advertised I’ll probably end up using it for some project. The only disadvantage is that your database is hosted somewhere else than your servers (unless your servers are also on EC2 of course), but according to their benchmarks that only means a tiny slowdown. If so, this rocks.

url http://www.elastra.com/

via | tags: database amazon webservice computing cloud

Labels: consumer cloud computing, hardware, networking, software, web2.0

The creators of this bizarre little device have generated a huge buzz over the past few months - and it's not even due to be launched until early in the year. The Chumby is a wireless internet device about the size of a rugby ball. It has no keyboard or mouse but instead uses software called widgets to display pretty much anything you want it to - all the time. For instance, it will act as an alarm clock, play your music, show you constantly updated news or track an eBay auction.

Chumby is hackable.
http://www.chumby.com/

via | tags: chumby gadget hardware device

Labels: electronic, gadgets, hardware, mashup, messenger, music, opensource, web2.0

electronic plug and play gadget - maybe an open-source voip sip iphone alternative ;-)

Main Platform is a linux computer, equipped with a fast CPU, 128MB RAM, built-in WiFi, rechargeable battery, USB, Ethernet, and a small LCD with button controls.
then these hardware modules snap together physically and the services connect together logically to enable users to easily build, program and share innovative devices and applications....

scobleizer filmed three videos (here) introducing the gadget

more info on buglabs.net

via | tags: bug labs electronic gadget micro computer

Labels: electronic, gadgets, hardware, software