I'm moving!

To my few readers. I am moving on to bigger and better things. Please visit and support my site at www.royalbluff.com. I will be updating the site regularly so make sure to make comments!

Second Night - More of Downtown Vancouver, Olympics 2010

More of Vancouver! Thanks to my friend Keith for lending me his LX3!

 

  

A Perfect Winter Night - Vancouver, Pre-Olympics

It was a perfect clear night to snap some photos. Walked along Burrard, all the way down to Yaletown then around English Bay and back. I had my personal reservations on the whole 2010 Olympics buzz, but after seeing how it is all coming together, I do hope for it's success. (Shot in manual mode with a Panasonic Lumix LX3).

 

  

  

 

 

  

  

  

  

  

Apple iPad - Just released today!

First impressions:

• A blown up iPod Touch, geared more for casual users who is looking for something between a Macbook and an iPhone/iTouch.
• Should have came with a camera for video conferencing, iChat/Skype calls. This will most likely come out with the second generation iPad
• iPad sounds too much like iPod.
• Screen looks awesome as usual
• I will most likely pass on this one and wait for the second generation
  

Pricing 

Wi-Fi

16GB - $499US

32GB - $599US

64GB - $699US

Wi-Fi + 3G

16GB - $629US

32GB - $729US

64GB - $829US

Technical Specs

Size and weight

Height: 9.56 inches (242.8 mm) 
Width: 7.47 inches (189.7 mm)  
Depth: 0.5 inch (13.4 mm)  
Weight: 1.5 pounds (.68 kg) Wi-Fi model
             1.6 pounds (.73 kg) Wi-Fi + 3G model

Final Fantasy 13 (FFXIII) - March 9, 2010

The latest Final Fantasy installment, Final Fantasy XIII ($59.99US) from Square Enix is just right around the corner. For those of you who haven't seen the trailer, check out the video below. As expected, awesome looking game play and phenomenal graphics and animations.


Release Date: March 9, 2010
MSRP: $59.99 USD
Platforms: PS3, X360
ESRB: T
Genre: Action RPG
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix

World's Most Expensive Earphones - Ultimate Ears

If you have the money to burn and want the best earphones ever created, it will cost you about ten times more the cost of your iPod. A company called Ultimate Ears, a division of Logitech has released the Ultimate Ears 18 Pro Custom Monitors ($1150US) that promises to deliver a six-speaker system that fits in an earphone casing. It includes new technologies like a new cable built for durability and reduced distortion, three acoustically tuned sound channels, and multiple passive crossover points creating the ultimate in separation, detail, and clarity.

The earphones can be ordered in a variety of colors and can even be customized with artwork, which I'm sure will add to the total cost. Here are some examples of what celebrities have ordered:

Brian Vollmer of Helix

LeBron James - Cleveland Cavaliers

Paula Abdul

 

Kobe Bryant - LA Lakers

Nikki Sixx - Motley Crue

Melissa Etheridge

Jordan 23 Basketball Limited Edition

Just something cool to post to end the night...
"Wanna be like Mike? Add this Nike Limited Edition Jordan 23 Basketball ($150US) to your short list. Only 2323 of the full-grain leather balls are being made, featuring the trademark Jumpman on the side, and a graphic chronicling his Airness' triumphs wrapping around." -- Uncrate

Lasercut design detail on full-grain leather.

Comes in a collector 23 Jumpman Box with a velvet protective bag. Now all it needs is an autograph.

Vancouver: Life Half a Century Ago - Photos by Fred Herzog

Here is a look at Vancouver in the 1950's and 1960's through the eyes of acclaimed German photographer, Fred Herzog. Herzon is the only photographer with a comprehensive body of documentary/art photography of Vancouver in existence, and yet in color. He has a color book available titled Fred Herzog: Vancouver Photographs

Herzog immigrated to Canada from Germany following World War II. While employed as a medical photographer in Vancouver, his passion for photography took him on evenings and weekends to the streets to document daily life.  It was there he captured the subtle human gestures of everyday people, savoring every moment in perfect light. The unique public space that he so carefully cataloged with glimmering lights and psychedelic neon has since been replaced by big-name retailers and cookie-cutter storefronts.  - Laurence Miller Gallery

Above is a colored photograph of shoppers on Robson Street in 1957.

Granville and Robson. 1959

 Hastings and Columbia. 1958

 

Hub and Lux. East Hastings and Pender Street. 1958

 

White Lunch Restaurant. West Hastings. 1959

West End view from Burrard Bridge. 1957

Granville Street view from Granville Bridge. 1966

Granville and Smythe. 1958

 

Howe and Nelson, 1960

Main Street. 1968

Hastings Street, 1968

Here is a view of the West End from Granville Bridge in 1957

And here is a view of West End from Granville Bridge in 2004.