Gallery: Casio trots out world’s slimmest shock-resistant digicam: EX-G1

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Capture Life’s Elements on EXILIM Digital Cameras from Casio



CASIO RELEASES WORLD’S SLIMMEST*1 SHOCK-RESISTANT DIGITAL CAMERA

EXILIM G – Waterproof and Dustproof, in a .78-inch,*2 Smart Design



DOVER, NJ, November 18, 2009 – Casio America, Inc. and its parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., announced today the release of the EX-G1 shock-resistant, waterproof, dustproof digital camera-the first in the company’s new EXILIM® G brand of digital cameras. With its smart design featuring functional beauty, the EX-G1 embodies Casio’s endurance-minded features and specifications in a sleek 0.78-inch*2 low-profile camera.



Casio first introduced the shock-resistant G-SHOCK® timepiece to the world in 1983. The

G-SHOCK brand remains extremely popular among consumers and adventure enthusiasts around the globe thanks to its distinctive, unique design, rugged toughness and practicality, even under severe environmental conditions. In 2000, Casio launched the G’zOne™, a durable, water-resistant mobile phone.



Casio is positioning the EXILIM G brand in an “endurance” category, which demonstrates its determination to create digital cameras suitable for top athletes and adventurers. The endurance category caters to those who never quit challenging both extreme conditions and their own limits. The new model was developed to embody this brand concept, using Casio’s years of experience creating technologies for shock resistance, waterproofing and slim-line design.



The EX-G1 is designed with shock-resistant elements throughout the camera, both inside and out, creating a smart look in a slim-line camera with functional beauty. In addition to capturing





*1. As of November 18, 2009, based on a Casio survey of shock resistant digital cameras (excluding protruding parts).

*2. Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) standards.



high-resolution 12.1 effective megapixel images, the EX-G1 also features modes such as interval shooting and multi-image capture which utilize the camera’s endurance qualities. The interval shooting function can automatically take still photos or movies at fixed intervals, enabling users to capture great shots while engaged in active sports such as snowboarding or cycling*3.



“Whether it is the lifestyle that you have chosen or your career path that requires you to carry a camera tough enough to endure life’s elements, the EXILIM G EX-G1 offers an endurance level that will withstand the demands of your daily routine,” says Toshi Iguchi, senior general manager of Casio’s Digital Imaging Division. “The EX-G1, Casio’s toughest camera to date, is a prime example of Casio’s constant devotion to creating cameras to accommodate all levels of photographers.”



Through rigorous testing, the EX-G1 has been designed and created with a shock-resistant shell which passes drop tests including multiple falls from seven feet.*4 Featuring a two-layer construction with a stainless steel outer-casing, the EX-G1 inner body withstands shock and water damage. The camera’s intelligent design is constructed with a resin cover to protect the body side near the shutter and a resin lens ring to protect the lens.



The technologically-advanced design features waterproof performance and corresponds to IEC/JIS Protection Class 8 (IPX8) waterproofing. The EX-G1 can be used at depths at 10 feet for 60 continuous minutes*5. Water will not penetrate the camera even when directly sprayed with jets of water from every direction corresponding to Protection Class 6 (IPX6). Capable of withstanding temperatures as low as 14°F*6, Casio’s EX-G1 boldly captures images where any adventurer goes.



The EX-G1 will hit shelves in December 2009 with an MSRP of $299.99 and will be available in black and red.



*3. A commercially available mount is required to support the camera.

*4. In accordance with Casio’s own standard with reference to the US MIL-STD-810F Method 516.5-Shock, the camera passed a test in which it was dropped from a height of 2.13 meters (7 feet) onto lauan plywood at 26 different angles. However, the camera is not guaranteed to withstand all shocks in terms of damage, malfunction and performance. Moreover, camera shock may result in inability to retain waterproof performance.

*5. Based on testing conditions established by Casio.

*6. Battery life will be shorter than under normal temperature conditions.



EXILIM G EX-G1

Shock-Resistant, Waterproof, Dustproof, Slim-line Digital Camera



Slim-line Design with Toughness Construction

Shock Resistance

The EXILIM G EX-G1 offers the world’s thinnest profile*1 of .78 inch (excluding protruding parts) in a shock-resistant digital camera. The camera passed multiple drop tests of seven feet based on Casio’s own standard*2.



Waterproof/Dustproof

The EX-G1 offers waterproof performance corresponding to IEC/JIS Protection Class 8 (IPX8) waterproofing, and can be used for 60 continuous minutes at a water depth of 10 feet*3. It also withstands water jets corresponding to IEC/JIS Protection Class 6 “IPX6″ waterproofing, and can be directly rinsed under running water. The EX-G1 is also impervious to dust, with performance corresponding to IEC/JIS Protection Class 6 “IP6X” dustproofing.



Freezeproof

Withstanding ever the coldest of temperatures, the EX-G1 endures through temperatures as low as 14 °F*4.



Shock resistant/waterproof construction and design

Exterior

The outer body of the EX-G1 is made from stainless steel to withstand external shocks while a polycarbonate cover absorbs shocks to the body side near the shutter. The camera’s wrist-strap holder is made of die-cast zinc to withstand drops while a rotating lock secures the external memory slot cover. For additional protection, the EX-G1 comes with two types of detachable protectors to absorb shocks.



Internal construction

The waterproof inner body of the camera is made from polycarbonate reinforced with fiberglass while a buckle-lock construction is added to absorb impact, using fewer screws to secure the inner body. Additionally, the camera’s frame comes equipped with speaker and microphone filters to prevent water from penetrating the camera.



Lens

To prevent damage to the camera’s lens, a resin ring as been added around the glass casing to ease shocks to the lens area. With the addition of a reinforced, glass lens cover, the EX-G1 is tooled with a multi coating that is water-repellent and prevents light reflection from ruining pictures. To further protect the camera from impact, high-performance damping material has been added to protect the lens unit from external shocks.



LCD panel

The acrylic plate to protect the LCD from water pressure and shocks is 1.5 times thicker than conventional point-and-shoot cameras. The LCD panel features a resin mount to ease shocks to the LCD panel area.



BEST SHOT® functions befitting a waterproof, shock-resistant camera

Interval shooting

The interval shooting function allows users to automatically take still photos or movies at fixed intervals while engaged in action sports such as cycling, snowboarding, and wind surfing*5. With the EX-G1, users can take powerful photos from inside the action, the kind which are usually almost impossible to capture. The shooting interval can be set at 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, or 3 minutes, and the capture time for movies may be set at 3, 10, 20, or 30 minutes.



Great for a variety of outdoor photography scenes

The BEST SHOT function enables users to take beautiful photos just by selecting the desired subject scene. The EX-G1 includes additional BEST SHOT settings suitable for various outdoor situations, such as “snow” and “beach” scene settings, which automatically adjust to prevent subject underexposure due to the brightness of snow or sun. There is also an “underwater” setting to control the tendency of underwater photos to come out looking too blue.



12.1 effective megapixels

This thin stylish model features a large 2.5-inch monitor with 230,400 dots of high resolution and a non-extending 3X zoom lens ranging from 38-114mm (35 mm film camera equivalent).



Intelligent AF

When the camera is pointed at a desired shot, the Intelligent AF function automatically detects the photo subject even if it is not a human face and determines the focus and exposure area accordingly.



Advanced Dynamic Photo function

Casio’s original Dynamic Photo function, which creates composite moving images using the camera’s own high-speed image processing technology, now does even more. When a moving subject is cut out of a number of images and combined with a different still shot that forms the background, the size of the subject can be changed to suit the background image. Additionally, the Dynamic Photo video can easily be converted in-camera into a motion JPEG movie file. Moving graphics such as hearts and bouquets of flowers are included so that users can have fun decorating their still images using the Dynamic Photo function. Casio not only allows users to have fun taking and viewing photos, but also provides innovative new ways for them to create original images, right on the camera.



Wide Screen Movies

The camera also features a wide format (16:9) Movie function. Just press the dedicated Movie button to take beautiful movies at 848×480 pixels.



*1. As of November 18, 2009, based on a Casio survey; *2. Established with reference to the US standard, MIL-STD-810F Method 516.5-Shock; *3. Based on test conditions set by Casio; *4. Battery life will be shorter than under normal temperature conditions; *5. A commercially available mount is required to support the camera.

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These times are strange. Five years ago if you walked onto the set of a movie, TV show, or music video — before you got kicked out by a strung out production assistant — you’d have probably seen a bustling group of workers huddled around a giant camera changing out huge spools with Kodak or Fujifilm logos on them. The RED ONE camera shook up the industry when it was released two years ago and those cans of film were replaced with hard-drives and digital technicians. Now, we’re in the midst of another monumental camera shift, and it’s not the 3D revolution that everyone predicted. Nope, in 2009 we make our movies on DSLRs. Just how good are they? Well, the recently released Canon EOS 7D may just be the new Engadget workhorse. Read on for the inside scoop on our ridiculously cinematic new rig.

Gallery: Canon EOS 7D video rig

Backstory

A little more than a year ago Canon dropped the EOS 5D Mark II, which recorded real 1080p video using its 35mm, full-frame sensor. One of the advantages of big sensors is much greater control of depth-of-field, and the 5D enabled anybody with a few thousand dollars to burn to approximate the look of 70mm movie film straight out of the box. Indie filmmakers everywhere began posting gloriously blurry test films of their friends on Vimeo and industry pros took notice. Now, Canon’s newest HDSLR offering, the EOS 7d, takes the concept and runs with it, in surprising and sometimes frustrating ways.

Build quality

You can buy a new 7D (body only) for $1800. That’s more than $1000 less than the 5D. We shilled out around three grand for ours with some quality glass (the EOS EF-s 17-55mm f2.8 lens, in case you were wondering). Besides a smaller form-factor than the 5D Mark II, the 7d has a new control layout that makes video shooting quicker and easier, including a dedicated movie-mode switch and a recording start/stop button. Like you’d expect from a high-end device, the build quality is excellent and the camera feels solid in your hand. The LCD is crisp and bright and the camera adds a few new features like a pitch and roll level meter and a nineteen point autofocus.

Sensor info (camera nerd alert)

The 7D has an APS-C cropped frame sensor, which is actually closer to Super 35mm movie film and/or RED’s sensor than the full-frame of the 5D Mark II. This means that you can’t get quite the same level of shallow depth of field as the 5D, but trust us, you won’t have any problem getting backgrounds to go all creamy, especially with some fast glass in front of the camera. One thing to note, full-frame 35mm lenses will have a crop factor of 1.6 on the 7d. This is true of all cropped-frame cameras and it results in that 18mm wide angle lens behaving like a 30mm lens (take your 35mm lens length and multiply it by 1.6 for its equivalent cropped-frame length).

Video capabilities

One of the biggest drawbacks of the 5D Mark II was its 30 frames per second video framerate. Movies are shot at 24 frames per second and those six frames make a huge difference in terms of the film-ness of a piece of video footage. With the 7D, Canon is offering a choice of multiple framerates for video recording for the first time. You can now record at 23.98 fps, 29.97 fps, or 59.98 fps. The 59.98 recording mode downscales the video to 720p, but it’s great for an “overcranked” slow-motion effect when conformed back to 23.98 on your computer. Get ready for a rash of Wes Anderson-style, slo-mo montages of people entering and exiting cars and buildings. Of course, all this flexibility is par for the course in modern broadcast cameras, but it seems that Canon is learning as it goes instead of simply looking at the requirements of professional video shooters. Case in point, after 5D Mark II adopters cried foul, Canon announced a firmware update to bring these additional framerates to the 5D sometime next year, which begs the obvious question of why they weren’t included in the first place?

Another troubling omission on Canon’s part is the audio recording capabilities on the 7D. Aside from the limitations of a small onboard microphone and a 1/8-inch microphone input, the camera has automatic gain control (AGC), which adjusts the volume of the audio signal inside the camera. The problem? It’s impossible to disable. If the point of an SLR is to give the user full control over the tiniest details of their camera setup, then there is absolutely no reason why this crucial function should be left to the camera’s discretion. Great video quality is nothing without great audio and in the production world, omitting manual controls for audio is akin to creating an SLR that won’t let you manually adjust the iris. It’s that bad. “Sure,” you’ll say, “the 7D is above-all a stills camera ,” but if Canon went to the trouble of giving its video users the framerates they’ve been asking for, why not correct the audio recording issue? The 5D had the exact same problem and it’s been talked about (and hacked to work better) since the camera first hit the streets.

Fortunately for the 7D, the footage just looks too damn good to not find a workaround. Enter the Zoom H4N. This $300, battery-powered audio recorder can record four independent channels of 24-bit audio to an SD card, including a two-channel stereo mix from its built in dual-microphone. Two 48v phantom-powered XLR inputs gives you professional connectivity for your lavelier or shotgun mics and the headphone output allows you to send the mixed signal back to the 7D as a reference to be recorded along with the video. When you get the project into your editing computer, just import the externally recorded audio, sync it up with your reference audio and enjoy the pristine sound you could never get with the 16-bit recording on your $5,500 Panasonic HVX-200 or your $8,320 Sony EX-3.

We put together some videos demonstrating the camera rig, both with and without the Zoom recorder. Take a look.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the 7D does stills too. At 18 megapixels, it has plenty of resolution for cropping your pictures into oblivion, and the 19-point autofocus is a big step-up from the previous generations. The camera can burn through 8 shots every second, which, when coupled with the cropped-frame sensor makes the 7D perfect for shooting action stills.

In action

From our initial experience using the camera, we found it very easy to go from shooting stills to shooting glorious 1080p movies. Even during dedicated photo shooting, it’s hard not to be inspired to flip the switch and roll some 24p video. We also found ourselves using the live-view mode to eyeball exposure for stills much more than we had on previous live-view enabled cameras; perhaps this was a carryover from all the video shooting.

One of the major downsides to the 7D is the 12 minute recording limit for video. That’s not a lot of time, especially if you’re interviewing somebody on camera and you don’t want to break up the flow with constant stopping and starting. This is actually a limitation of the FAT32 formatting of the flash memory that even plagues P2 cameras like the Panasonic HVX-200, although the HVX gets around this problem by automatically creating a new clip at the 12 minute mark and combining them together when the recording is stopped. That said, we noticed the camera getting very warm (dare we say hot?) during recording durations longer than 4-5 minutes in an air-conditioned room, and we’re a little worried about how hot the camera would get outside in the sun on a hot summer day during longer recording. With all that processing in such a small body, the heat isn’t exactly surprising — we’ve known the RED ONE camera to get extremely hot during long takes — but it is something to keep an eye on.

Lastly, it’s almost impossible to use the camera for “run and gun,” documentary-style shooting without some sort of after-market stabilizing device, like a shoulder-mount or brace. The camera is just too difficult to balance, especially when you add accessories and big lenses, plus you have to be constantly adjusting focus. It’s a good way to wear out your arms. That said, try using a RED ONE (or any cinema camera, for that matter) without a shoulder-mount — it’s not gonna happen. These devices are built for imaging and there will always be a tradeoff with ergonomics.

So, is this our new video camera? We like to think of the 7D as another very specific tool in our arsenal. Will we be shooting segments for The Engadget Show on it? Yes, but there is a time and a place for this camera. If we’re running around shooting a mile-a-minute, we’re still going to reach for our trusty HD camcorder. But if we have a moment to breathe in between takes, you can bet the 7D will be the go-to camera. It’s easy to get caught up in the beautiful images from this camera, but like with all recording, it’s merely a tool to help tell a story.

Gallery: GoPro Hero HD unboxing and comparison

Unboxing and first impressions

The HD Hero has gained a bit of volume and weight compared to its predecessor, the Hero Wide, but it’s still impressively small and light. Even with the new 1,100mAh rechargable cell installed it’s such a featherweight that it almost feels flimsy in the hand, yet still gives a sense of quality, with a nicely rubberized coating and solid buttons. That said, the boxy design won’t win any awards for asthetics, particularly when affixed to a helmet. The smooth contours of a modern lid contrast directly with the boxy HD Hero, a distinct problem for those conerned with aerodynamics — or style for that matter.



We were sent a slew of attachments of various types to test out, the primary ones relying on two-sided 3M adhesive pads that smell awful but grip fiercely to any smooth surface. Also provided was a Panavise-sourced suction cup mount that’s part of the Motorsports bundle, good for windshields or fenders, and GoPro was kind enough to send along a strap enabling it to be affixed to vented (i.e. bicycle) helmets and even a harness for strapping the camera to your chest. They all rely on the same hinged attachment point used in the earlier Hero cams, allowing mounting that is easily adjusted but, as you’ll see below, somewhat less than secure.

Mounting the camera requires use of a clear plastic case with the receiving end of the various mounts molded into the bottom. The camera slots in and the rear door latches securely shut, providing a waterproof seal and extra protection for little guy inside. However, that water-tight seal foils the effectiveness of the internal microphone, in the previous models resulting in only muffled suggestions of what was going on outside the case. The HD model ships with a second rear door with two large cutouts that allow the sound through. Of course those cutouts also let the water through, so you’ll have to choose between audio fidelity and moisture survivability.



Controls and hardware

The HD Hero has just two buttons, a shutter release on the top and another on the face for tweaking things. Via these two you’ll cycle through settings and, of course, start recording. There’s a tiny LCD display on the front showing the number of recordings you’ve made, the amount of battery life remaining, and what video mode you’re in. Helpful stuff, but we usually found ourselves wishing that display was on the back.

High-def video modes range from 720p30 all the way up to 1080p30, stopping at 720p60 along the way and a 960p30 mode that offers the best combination of pixels, frame-rate, and viewing angle — if you don’t mind the 4:3 aspect ratio. The camera’s internal menus are a bit confusing (take that manual along) but allow for quick changes between modes and exposure settings.

Videos are written to an SDHC card, which is not provided, and the works are powered by that new 1,100mAh battery pack. It’s charged via a miniUSB port that can only be accessed while the camera is removed from its plastic housing, meaning no recharging while recording. That said, we filmed over an hour of video over a few days and didn’t even knock a bar off the charge indicator, a big improvement over the previous Hero models.



Mounting and testing

We tried a few different scenarios for our tests, focusing on motorized applications as that’s the primary intent the Motorsports bundle we received. Camera charged, we used the Panavise suction mount to throw it inside and outside a car and take it for a spirited spin on some of our favorite roads. Here it performed well; the chunky design not an issue when behind the windshield and the mount pivoting in every direction and allowing easy adjustment — though with no sort of viewfinder we were making educated guesses about where it was pointing. At a very minimum a set of molded-in gun sights on the top would be nice.

Next up was a trip to the kart track for some rather more intense testing. We took one of the concave adhesive mounts and stuck it onto a Shoei then applied one of the flat ones to the front fairing on the kart itself. We started with the fairing mount, slotting the camera in, inserting the threaded screw onto the side, tightening it as much as we could with our fingers, then heading to the grid. With the camera mounted on the front of the kart we could quickly hit the record button, make sure the light was flashing, then jump in the kart and take off. The results can be seen below — the camera lasted about five seconds before flopping forward and spending the entire session flat on its face. Lovely.



Try as we might we couldn’t tighten the mount any further by hand, but with with a screwdriver we were able to crank it down another few turns, much more than we liked and making us wonder when the plastic would give and the whole thing fly to pieces. That it didn’t do, holding on for a subsequent test mounted on the helmet, providing a good picture and good audio… though we realized later we’d aimed it little too low. We really were guessing as to where the thing should be pointed, and having to make sure you always have a screwdriver handy is a real drag.

We also had problems getting it to record. At the track you need to be suited up and ready to go well before you actually hit the track; that means helmet and gloves on. From here it’s impossible to see the indicator lights and to tell whether the camera has started recording. Indeed in multiple sessions we pressed the button but not hard enough, so no recordings were made. The camera does emit some beeps when it starts and stops, but they’re far too quiet to be heard with a helmet on and any sort of din in the background.



Stacking up

The first competitor for the GoPro HD is either of the older GoPro models, the original Hero or the Wide. Against these two there’s only one reason to choose either over the new: cost. The Wide can be had for $139, less than half the new one, but for the extra money you get markedly improved video quality — and we’re not just talking about more pixels. See for yourself in the video above.

The HD Hero produces bright and clear images at 1080p with little if any visible encoding noise. You’ll need a good sized memory card to back that, though, at about 100MB of footage per minute at 1080p, with 720p60 videos not taking up much less. But, invest in a 16 or 32GB SDHC card and you’ll be good to go for most of the day, and the quality is worth the consumption.

On top of that there’s the issue of audio quality, or the lack thereof in the original models. The vented rear door on the new case (and surely some internal tweaks) results in impressively good sound. Even at speed only a modest amount of wind noise muffles the experience. It’s a huge leap forward and the best we’ve yet heard on this type of camera.



Which takes us to the next competitor: the ContourHD 1080p we tested a few months back. One of the biggest complaints we’ve had with the ContourHD line of cameras has been excessive wind noise at speed and, while the 1080p addressed that somewhat by allowing for reduced microphone sensitivity, it’s still far more intrusive than on the Hero. That said, there are plenty of reasons to like what it has to offer, the primary one being design. It is physically larger and a bit heavier, but still far easier to use.

The main reason for that is the glove-friendly sliding record button on top that lets you quickly feel whether you’re recording, even when camera is stuck to the side of your head. Rotating internals means you can mount this at nearly any angle and still get video that comes out level; the Hero allows recording upside-down and right-side-up, but nowhere in between. Finally, dual lasers on the front of the ContourHD tell you where it’s aiming and, with a little practice, help to ensure proper framing, and we’ve never had a problem with the cam’s mounting solutions failing.

That said, we do like look of the video from the Hero a little bit better, though it’s a very minor difference. Both support the same resolutions and frame rates, the Hero seeming to offer slightly better color while the ContourHD footage looks a bit more clear. See which you like better:

Conclusion

The GoPro HD Hero is an absolutely massive step forward from the old model in terms of visual and audio fidelity. There’s simply no comparing the footage you’ll get from one of these to the footage from the originals and, since the design has stayed more or less the same, those upgrading will still be able to use all their old mounts. That’s something of a shame, though, because we wish the company had thrown them all out the window and started with something fresh, something with teeth, and something that doesn’t require a screwdriver to get clamped down in place. We’d also love a more helmet- and glove-friendly set of controls.

That said, this isn’t a bad choice among all the action/POV cameras out there. If you’re going to be mounting it to a location where you can easily see and access it while recording (to make sure that it is, indeed, recording), like inside a windshield or the front of a snowboard, it offers stellar video and audio fidelity in a small package. However, for mounting to a helmet or use with gloves on, we preferred the ContourHD 1080p despite its poorer audio quality. It’s a little bigger and, at $329, a little more expensive, but that $30 extra gets you a 2GB starter storage card, solid mounts, and a much more reassuring interface. That it doesn’t look like a little toaster sitting on your helmet isn’t a bad thing either.

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Gallery: Casio EX-FH25 and EX-FC150

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* The new Intel Reader, a mobile handheld device, increases independence for people with reading-based disabilities.
* The size of a paperback book, the Intel Reader converts printed text to digital text and then reads it aloud to the user.
* The Intel Reader can help the estimated 55 million people in the U.S. who have specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia or vision problems.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 10, 2009 – Intel Corporation today announced the Intel® Reader, a mobile handheld device designed to increase independence for people who have trouble reading standard print. The Intel Reader can assist the estimated 55 million people in the U.S. who have dyslexia or other specific learning disabilities, or have vision problems such as low-vision or blindness, which makes reading printed words difficult or impossible.

The Intel Reader, about the size of a paperback book, converts printed text to digital text, and then reads it aloud to the user. Its unique design combines a high-resolution camera with the power of an Intel® Atom™ processor, allowing users to point, shoot and listen to printed text. The Intel Reader will be available in the United States through select resellers, including CTL, Don Johnston Incorporated, GTSI, Howard Technology Solutions and HumanWare.

When the Intel Reader is used together with the Intel® Portable Capture Station, large amounts of text, such as a chapter or an entire book, can be easily captured for reading later. Users will have convenient and flexible access to a variety of printed materials, helping to not only increase their freedom, but improve their productivity and efficiency at school, work and home. The Intel Reader has been endorsed by the International Dyslexia Association as an important advance in assistive technology. Additionally, Intel is working with the Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs, the Council for Exceptional Children, Lighthouse International, the National Center for Learning Disabilities and the National Federation of the Blind to help reach and address the needs of people who have difficulty reading print.

“The Intel Digital Health Group’s expertise is in finding innovative technology solutions to improve quality of life,” said Louis Burns, vice president and general manager of Intel’s Digital Health Group. “We are proud to offer the Intel Reader as a tool for people who have trouble reading standard print so they can more easily access the information many of us take for granted every day, such as reading a job offer letter or even the menu at a restaurant.”

The original concept for the Intel Reader came from Ben Foss, a researcher at Intel who was identified in elementary school as one of the estimated 20 percent of people nationwide who have symptoms of dyslexia. Throughout high school, college and graduate school, he had to depend on others to read to him or work through the slow process of getting words off of a page himself. As an adult, much of the content he wanted, from professional journals to pleasure reading, just wasn’t available in audio form.

“As someone who is part of this dyslexic community, I am thrilled to be able to help level the playing field for people who, like me, do not have easy access to the printed word,” Foss said. “Feelings of loneliness are often the experience of not being able to read easily. We hope to open the doors for people in these communities. The Intel Reader is a tool that can help give people with dyslexia, low-vision, blindness or other reading-based disabilities access to the resources they need to participate and be successful in school, work and life.”

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