iPhoning it in

There's a really neat article up at the New York Times (yes, it went up several days ago, but I finally finished reading it) about the backstory behind the iPhone.  The original iPhone, that is.

It makes for very interesting reading, seeing how much of a gamble the project was, and how fine a line the original demo (the one six months before they went on sale) was.  You see a number of the ways that that could have crashed and burned, and an idea of how badly that would have hurt the company.

It's amazing, too, that we don't see more stories like this, even after the fact.  Although the article does show some of the ways that explain why it doesn't happen before the fact, which is also interesting.

What is that glow?

This comparison photo of the introductions of Popes Benedict XVI and Francis are impressively different. The camera companies might want to take note: all those people taking pictures and video, and (almost?) none of them are using "camera"s.

I just want to know more about the reporter using an old Nikon 1200/1700mm lens (fascinating lens story). Specifically, want to see his photos (well, and am curious how he got hold of the lens. Would expect it'd cost more than a year's salary for a journalist).