Tag: Galaxy S22 Ultra

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 12, 202411:40 pm

The (Honorary) Cats of University Heights: AI

I first photographed today’s feline on Jan. 7, 2023, using Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. But on examination, some guy’s beefy arm could be seen inside the window behind, left of the animal. I thought best not to use that one until remembering Samsung’s Generative AI photo editing, which is available in the Gallery app on S24 Ultra.

The results are scary remarkable. I selected the full frame of the window pane to the left of the cat and let the tool do its thing. Result: Perfectly placed full reflection of the car. Whoa. Wonderful. Icky. Vitals, for the Featured Image: f/4.9, ISO 40, 1/640 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 11:10 a.m. PST.

Photo by Joe WilcoxOct 9, 202310:33 pm

Happy Hangul Day

The official language of South Korean is celebrated today—although it’s already tomorrow in Asia, so my post is belated then. Hangul, or Hangeul (my preference), refers to the alphabet, which conceptualization is scientific compared to, say, Chinese or Japanese.

My wife and I both study the Korean language, although she is far more advanced than me. We both have tried different learning systems, such as Billy Go or Talk to Me in Korean, among others. Some months ago, I accidentally came upon the How to Study Korean website and found the educational program to be approachable, methodical, and sensible. Annie adopted it, too—surprising me.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 30, 20236:41 am

The Cats of University Heights: Firecracker and Dynamite

Look who lives with Frost. I spotted the pair on Jan. 12, 2023—and, so far, not since. The two are the one-hundred-tenth and one-hundred-eleventh felines found behind door or window. As you can see, there […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 20, 202310:24 pm

Lose Something?

I do not recall taking the Featured Image, presumably from a laundromat that my wife used to frequent in San Diego’s North Park neighborhood. In January 2010, we owned the same smartphone, so metadata can’t confirm whom. However, sixth of the month means me.

About that device: Nexus One, Google’s first of many mobiles. Do read my first three stories (sequentially presented), following the device’s debut. They accurately analyze what the mobile meant for the future of contextual computing, particularly around search and voice: “Google Takes Ownership of a New Mobile Category“; “Nexus One Foreshadows Google Mobility That Could Get Ugly for Apple and Microsoft“; “Google’s Superphone is Super Surprising“.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 1, 20238:33 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Bristle

From the door we go to the window: Different resident owners and different wonderous pets. In August 2019, we met Misty, during her last days living in an apartment listed for rent. Same flat, on Jan. 21, 2023, a seemingly scowling tabby looks onto the world where he (or she) cannot go. That’s lucky, too, because it’s pup season and more coyotes hunt the neighborhood streets than is typical. These are dangerous nights (and days) for any of the scrawny scavengers’ potential prey. This situation also partially explains why so many of our recent profiles are indoor kitties.

The Featured Image comes from Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Vitals: f/4.9, ISO 40, 1/900 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 3:16 p.m. PST. For perceived manner and fur coloration that reminds me of a brush, this fine feline earns nickname Bristle.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 21, 202310:02 pm

Android and Me: Back to @Work

With a sigh of resignation, I handed the shipping box containing Galaxy S22 Ultra to the guy behind the FedEx counter, today. The smartphone is headed to a Samsung facility—fulfillment of my trade-in commitment. The manufacturer already credited the (expected) vaue to my purchase of successor S23 Ultra.

Considering that I only possessed the now older model for about two months, and because of otherwise overall intrinsic value, letting go was a bit challenging. Sentiment also weighed into my reluctance. The S22 Ultra marks my return to Android, after a long hiatus.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 15, 20238:49 pm

Out with the New, In with the Newer

My ownership of Galaxy S22 Ultra is short lived. The smartphone arrived on Dec. 15, 2022, and, today, FedEx delivered its replacement: successor S23 Ultra, which Samsung launched on Feb. 1, 2023. Feelings are mixed. For one, two months seems such short amount of time. For another, I am quite satisfied with the now older model. Additionally, I somewhat regret my color choice.

The smartphone comes in a choice of four standard colors: cream, lavender, green, and phantom black. Samsung sells four more direct: graphite, lime, red, and sky blue. Ordering from the manufacturer’s website, I opted for red, but hours later changed my mind. Unfortunately, undoing the decision would have meant cancelling the purchase and making another; I worried about losing the discounts and extras already given.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 14, 20238:48 pm

Love is Consequential

For Valentine’s Day, I share a card that my wife made me for Feb. 14, 2017. I keep it in the desk drawer on top of my computer, which in 2023 is Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio. The sentiment means much to me, and you can see some wear and tear from being moved about when my notebook is removed or replaced. Love is consequential, after all.

Annie adores this plush Yeti, which to me seems perfect way to show off her card craft. I also use the moment to give glimpse of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra‘s 108-megapixel camera. The Featured Image is straight from the smartphone—composed as shot and unaltered. Color is spot-on accurate and dynamic range satisfies. Vitals: f/1.8, ISO 250, 1/40 sec, 23mm (film Equivalent); 8:05 p.m. PST, today.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 11, 20239:12 pm

The Sunbather

Two days ago, our cats Cali and Neko were beside themselves with excitement, as they sat transfixed—and chirping—looking at something outside in our apartment courtyard. I peeked through the window numerous times trying to see what, which typically would be a squirrel. I looked low when my eyes should have turned high.

A pigeon, or is it a dove, perched on the upper balcony railing directly across the way. My camera was in the office, so I used Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to capture the Featured Image. Vitals: f/4.9, ISO 64, 1/120 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 4:53 p.m. PST; composed as shot. The bird basked in the last rays of the setting sun.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 10, 20239:25 pm

Ash is Alone Now

Sometime soon I will write post “The Departed”, remembering kitties who appeared in my “Cats of University Heights” series that no longer live in the neighborhood. Many are gone because their owners moved elsewhere. Others are missing or confirmed deceased; coyotes are major suspected, or confirmed, cause.

This fine feline is very much alive, or he was when I captured the Featured Image two days ago. Ash is alone now. In November 2017, his yard mate Booger was hit by a car on the SR-163 entrance ramp, which is down an embankment close to his former home. Ash’s other cat companion, Sebastian, vanished in late October 2022.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 9, 20238:55 pm

Because It’s Garbage Day

I am not as wowed with the photos coming from Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra as anticipated. Inconsistency best describes my overall gripe. I have possessed the smartphone since Dec. 15, 2022. The pics are a bit too artificial, even by small-sensor mobile standards, and color could be more accurate or as the eyes see. That said, if unique look is standard of measure, then the sometimes somewhat smudgy shots are impressionistic-painting worthy.

The Featured Image is one of the better (cropped) captures, which underwent a fair amount of post-production tweaking—or as much as can be expected when working with a JPEG original. Vitals: f/1.8, ISO 12, 1/220 sec, 23mm (film equivalent); 2:26 p.m. PST.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 4, 20239:21 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Sunny

Happy Caturday. We celebrate with a portrait that I couldn’t capture if still using iPhone 13 Pro. But Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra‘s 10x zoom lens delivers better than my expectation. Granted, pixel-peeping reveals mushy details—but, hey, I would have nothing otherwise.

I captured the Featured Image late morning, along an undisclosed street East of and parallel to Park Blvd. Vitals: f/4.9, ISO 40, 1/850 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 10:13 a.m. PST. The ginger is our one-hundred-seventh feline found looking out window or door.