Well, let’s start with what I thought was the sexiest tech item at the show I have seen so far: the new Sony XBR series with a screen so thin, it looks like it is floating 0n air. Yes, the on screen image is beautiful. Yes, the bezel is an example of minimalist design. Sony has done such a fine job over the years on producing great TV’s, such features are no longer surprising. However, when you check out how incredibly thin this TV is, you’d be amazed.
It’s art. It’s engineering. It’s both.
Arriving at Las Vegas.
Between Comdex and Consumer Electronics Show, this is my 31st year of electronics or computer trade shows in Vegas. If the first day is any indication, it could be a banner vintage.
OK, there is the usual share of weird stuff that leaves you scratching your head, so let’s get that out of the way. Sketchers is going to launch their kids shoe line that features a version of the “Simon Says” game on the shoe itself. Why? I have no idea. But just in case there are some kids out there that still lack stimulation and distraction, they can now play with their shoes.
Maybe you’ve taken plenty of awesome photos and can’t choose a favourite to print. Or you’d prefer to capture the memory of the whole holiday rather than one single day or event. The Photolab has your solution, with a wide selection of engaging Photobooks, or even a calendar. You can create any kind of Photobook you like; you may want something light, fun and portable, or perhaps you’d prefer a leather-bound coffee table book with a bit more gravitas. Check out this post to learn more about Photobooks.
In addition to the cover, you can also select from a variety of design templates for the actual pages—or you can opt for a clean, white page.
Similarly, you have a wide range of calendars to choose from, as I’ve described in this post.
The best thing about Photobooks and calendars is how completely customizable they are. You can download the Photolab Home Edition software for free and use it to create exactly the kind of layout and page effects you want. You can build it, make changes and send it to the Photolab for printing without ever having to exit the software. For a full how-to or more information check out this post. (Oh… and before I forget, you can also use the software to create original greeting cards, which are a great way to send out personalized post-holiday thank you’s).
Because that’s what will happen in 2015 to all those great photos you’ve taken during the holidays if you leave them on your hard drive or sock them away in the cloud. Sure, you’ll share them on your InstaTwitFace account, where they will accumulate Likes and warm & fuzzy comments, but within a few days your followers’ collective short-lived attention span will flitter elsewhere and your wonderful holiday photos will fade away into obscurity.
Don’t relegate your holiday photos to the cloud. Print them out using one of our many options and display them throughout the year.
OR…
You could actually, you know, do something with them. Like turn them into actual physical keepsakes. The kind that people are able to see in perpetuity. And every time they cast their eyes on it they will remember that specific moment or event. After all, isn’t that why we photograph these moments in the first place? Not so that they can remain a bunch of digital information packets that we archive indefinitely in cyberspace.
The specific kind of physical product you should create is entirely up to you. You can go for something traditional and classic, or choose a piece with a funkier, more modern edge, or maybe warm & fuzzy is more your thing. And yes, you can even opt for something purposefully tacky if the photo calls for it.
If you’re not familiar with the Photolab’s photo printing products, I’ve reviewed a few of the more popular ones below.
The holidays are the time of the year when typically the whole family gets together. The whole gang of friends, too. At the workplace, the annual holiday party is the one of the few times where everyone is gathered in one place—and the marketing department actually gets dressed up! All of which are reasons why this tends to be the best time of year for taking photos, and why holiday photos often make the best ones to put on display. The Photolab offers a great selection of enlargements and art prints to suit any photo, occasion, or décor.
Enlargements— To begin with, there’s always the simple, tried and true photo enlargements. The Photolab can print sizes from 7 x 7” all the way up to 44 x 66” — the latter being the ideal size if a co-worker is photographed in a Christmas sweater so hideous it simply begs to be on display in the lunchroom all year.
A simple enlargement is a great option for a desk photo, or if you’ve already got a frame you really like. Hey, some people are frame fans. I get it.
Gallery wrap— If you managed to capture some amazing shots of the kids, or your winter vacation to the ski resort yielded some breathtaking scenic panoramas, a gallery wrap can provide a stunning reproduction of either.
Using specially pigmented inks, the image is stretched on a fine art canvas, which requires no frame (although you can still add one for aesthetic purposes if you wish.) The canvas wrap adds tremendous depth and dimension to the image, giving it the presence of a gallery piece. This post provides more detail about gallery wraps.
Metal Prints— If you really want to make a bold statement, a metal print is a state-of-the-art way to display a photo. This method infuses dyes onto specially coated aluminum sheets, providing vibrant colour reproduction and incredibly crisp detail. These shimmering, glass-like prints are an eye-catching way to bring life to an accent wall. I’ve written more extensively about metal prints in a previous post.
The Photolab offers quite a variety of art prints, which I encourage you to explore. You’re bound to find the ideal option to suit both your photo and your home or office.
Photo mugs have come a long way. This mug shows how beautifully images can now be reproduced.
Suppose you want to do something a bit out of the box with your photos. After all, certain photos are just crying out to be made into crystals, mouse pads or a smartphone/tablet case.
The Photolab has a wide array of products that you can grace with your favourite photos. Have a look—some of the options may surprise you. Of course, one of the most popular options would have to be the photo mug. I wrote about them here in a recent post, but suffice to say if you’re a pet person, or you have grandkids, nephews or nieces, it’s almost mandatory that you own at least one mug bearing their photo—and nothing spreads good cheer throughout the year like an adorable holiday photo. There are also magic colour changing mugs that are heat activated, as illustrated in this short video here:
Certain products—magnets, for example—can be put together using the Photolab Home Edition software. Others can be created and ordered online just like photo prints. In either case, the process is simple and affordable. And the end result is a keepsake that will bring a smile to your face all year long.
There is a web vulnerability that was recently discovered called Poodle. The vulnerability makes it possible to exploit secure web browsing that uses SSL (secure sockets layer) communications. SSL is one of the communication methods that may be established between the browser and the web server. SSL is an old communication method that has been replaced by a more modern and secure method known as TLS (Transport Layer Security). However, many if not most web servers still support SSL (as well as TLS) in order to support older web browsers.
Due to the potential seriousness of the vulnerability, London Drugs will be immediately taking steps to remove support for SSL from all our web sites. For the vast majority of our customers, there will be no issue at all. A very small percentage (less than 0.2%) will be able to browse our websites but will not be able to make purchases, login, or perform any operations that require secure communications (https://).
Our research suggests that those affected will be customers using Internet Explorer versions 6 and earlier. For many reasons, these customers should consider upgrading their browser to a newer version.
As a general note, all customers should take a moment to disable SSL in their browsers to protect against this vulnerability when using other web sites that may not have taken the same action we have.
Follow the link below for instructions on how to do this.
