So I have to say, I've generally been impressed with the iphone's (4s) "pano" function, wherein you can pan the device's camera and it will create an image from the entire scene.  It does a pretty impressive job of stitching photos together in real time to create one seamless image.  About the only "quality" issue is the tearing you can get from motion - either because the subject is moving or because you're panning a little too fast.  This is pretty easy to control in the latter case.  For the former, however, the process has issues if there are any significant movements in the scene (I've actually taken a single pano in which my daughter appeared twice).  Still, for landscapes and otherwise basically still scenes, it's a lot of fun.

One of the more interesting qualities of the pano photographs is how distortion manifests.  Due to the lens perspective as it moves, there is significant horizontal distortion as the processor stitches everything together, but there is virtually no vertical distortion.  The end result gives you fisheye-like curvature on horizontal aspects across the pan, but, unlike a fisheye lens, vertical lines remain straight.

Used correctly, the pano actually does a good enough job that it can be difficult to tell that what you're looking at is a distorted perspective and not simply an area from a much narrower angle of view if you're not personally familiar with the space pictured.

~PS

First thing, as I mention in the edit of last post, I am enjoying my shiny new iPhone (which has been named Sadie, after one of the characters from Mouse Guard). In particular, I like the ability to always have a 'net connection, to be able to sync and always have my mac's calendar (which i nearly *rely* on these days) with me, to have a phone that isn't work related (and I don't have to worry about using it for personal calls), and for *Sheri* (who also got one) to have her own phone so I don't worry as much when she goes somewhere in our less-than-perfectly-reliable jeep. Also, text messaging is fun, having a portable pdf reader is handy, and I think I like the iPhone facebook app better than the actual facebook *site* - it doesn't have all the stupid clutter everywhere.

Sheri and I got our bikes out for the first time this year and went for a ride on the Linear Trail in Erwin last saturday. I think we went about 7 or 8 miles altogether, though at a somewhat relaxed pace. We saw a lot of geese and ducks and a couple of rabbits. It was a lot of fun and I'm hoping we'll get to ride our bikes a lot more this year than last year.

My World of Darkness game had session #3 last night, which was fun if a bit slower than previous sessions. I think it was still good, but I'm thinking over how to smooth out some of the bumps. We are still trying to get Curtis involved, and we're gonna try a new weeknight to see if it works better.

I've been trying to do some drawing lately - actually working on a character sketch for Rucht's Rogue Trader game. I'm pretty rusty at this sort of art. Also, I'd love to try a pc tablet/drawing pad.

Other randomness: Tony introduced me to a comic/graphic novel series called Fables, which is pretty awesome. You should check it out. Yes, you.

Looking ahead, our GitP 2k10 meetup (this will be meetup #4 :)) is fast approaching. We are sad that Ginger can't make it out this year, but hopefully she'll get to come hang out one of the subsequent weekends. The Igloo will be hosting a few other friends for the meetup though, including our former-local Ken who it will be cool to see again. The meetup is always a great time, and this year should be just as awesome as usual.

~PS