Blakey's Bits: September 2009

And here's a pic...

Found a screenshot option within the software (but still can't take screenshots of anything else without hacking).

Very nice...

OK, new toy to play with.

Layar

I know you've probably seen this before on your iphones, but to me, this is black magic voodoo shit.

Unfortunately, one thing lacking without alot of hacking (which I'm not doing) is to take a screenshot, so I can't share what I'm seeing in Glasgow.

Now where this gets REALLY freaky, is that the phone picks up GPS when I'm in the house, blinds closed, etc. But the sat nav in the car won't pick up satnav unless it's on the bloody windscreen, so to program it you've got to stretch out for about 2 minutes, then program it, then stick it on the screen. And the phone picks up it's location in about 3-5 seconds. Very slick.

Labels: gadgets

I could have written this!

Here speaks io9.com - an opinion I've had for a long time:

Movies that use the shaky camera technique strive for a realistic approach to better "connect" with the audience. Sure, in theory it's realistic. People move and so do our eyeballs. But our eyes are so well adapted that trying to replicate them is useless. No camera even comes close to capturing the details our eyes can.

Although I would have said "But our brains are so well adapted...." because it's the visual cortex that sorts out the eye-shake and makes everything look crisp and clear.

But what the hell, I'll let them have that one.

And they follow-up with something I've felt since paying 10 zillion pounds to see Star Trek in Imax:

If this camera feature is supposed to be so authentic and realistic, how come I always feel like I'm missing so much of the action? Action movies are great; the adrenaline, the jumps, the fights. But with a shaky cam, I feel as though the movement detracts from the pivotal action. I want to see the bad guy getting his face kicked and during car chases; I want to see the car we're supposed to be chasing; I definitely want to see the monster I've been waiting for all movie.

Here, here.

Labels: movies

Apple? Or Google? Apple? Or Google?

Took me a while to decide. But I figured it's better to go for something that at least gives me the option of not using Google, rather than something that is pure Apple.

So I got myself an Android-driven HTC Hero.

Nice. Very nice. Aside from calling a customer of mine about 4 times today because his was the only number in it at that point, and I kept accidentally calling him as I got used to the touchscreen.

Fortunately, we get on well and had a laugh about it...

Labels: tech