tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79616602384506932452024-03-13T18:47:55.081+00:00Eat Electric DeathThe most l33t of the l33t clans in the world. The clan with the server, the mailing list, the shirts, the mouse mats, the mugs and 0wner of the magnificent NotreBot. Apparently they used to be good at computer games once.Slimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020308502156946280noreply@blogger.comBlogger1196125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-90726713844053730372010-06-09T09:49:00.007+01:002010-06-09T10:04:18.864+01:00iPhone 4Whether you love or loathe Steve Jobs and Apple, there can be no denying that his WWDC keynote on Monday signalled a generational shift in smartphone technology. The iPhone 4 unveiling marked the end of two years of lacklustre updates that allowed competitors, such as Google's Android, to close the gap, then finally surpass the once mighty iPhone. Like all things Apple, the keynote was slick to Unknownnoreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-22435538713506822010-06-04T15:40:00.002+01:002010-06-04T15:40:57.516+01:00iVerdict (Initial)Of course I got suckered into wanting to try it. It’s practically in my job description. The lemming-like draw of new technology pulled me in as certainly as if I’d been a big dumb ox on the end of a rope. Which may be more or less accurate. It had me there in PC World on Sunday, standing next to all the other meat-bags pawing the display setup of eight iPads. Canterbury being a Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04346905864384912674noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-24057300278635708662010-05-21T10:39:00.003+01:002010-09-11T00:06:42.393+01:00Re-containering And Transcoding video for androidIf you’re a fan of downloading video from iPlayer unencumbered by nasty DRM this may be useful. The high(ish) res files for iPhone can be downloaded by iPlayer Downloader or get_iplayer. But they are in a MOV container & unplayable on android devices. I’m yet to get my desire, but that didn’t stop me wanting a fix now :) MP4Box will do the job, and here’s a batch file that will do theSpinyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17191432476651821560noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-39972626927943396972010-02-19T12:43:00.005+00:002010-02-20T01:10:26.007+00:00GrrrrI've been using Growl to get popup notifications from Pidgin for some time. (I use Pidgin as a replacement for the bloated Sametime at work.Now, mIRC can do it's own toast popups, but the neat thing about Growl is that you can send notifications on to other computers running it. FWIW, Growl notifications also look a bit nicer than the mIRC ones.If you bung this script* into your remote script Spinyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17191432476651821560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-14875635613132630292010-02-14T15:11:00.004+00:002010-02-14T15:22:12.831+00:00Amazon KindleIt's not very often that you can evaluate a major purchase objectively. The very act of investing a couple of hundred quid in a single object tends to colour one's subsequent opinion of that object - almost as though your cash investment obligates you to love it. This is why we see the bizarre internet phenomenon of fanboism. Nothing stirs the blood worse than someone calling your hard-earned Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-81730917156220051612009-11-22T17:05:00.004+00:002009-11-22T18:41:20.463+00:00The Climate Research Unit HackIn the last couple of days, it has emerged that The University Of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit has had one its servers hacked, and a number of emails and documents stolen. Furthermore, a number of these emails have found their way onto the internet - and are causing quite a stir.The emails date back more than a decade, allegedly sent by a number of high up figures in the recent IPCC Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-24478908902905609202009-11-06T13:25:00.001+00:002009-11-06T13:27:15.322+00:00What Google knows about meI've had some disagreements on the interwebnet about the benefits of centralised data vs a more federal model. My view is that it's far easier to throw resources at securing important data if it's all held in one place rather than scattered around in small pockets. Many commercial organisations operate in this fashion, but when governments try to achieve it, it's met with hostility and suspicion.Slimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020308502156946280noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-2819821299022464152009-10-23T18:51:00.001+01:002009-10-23T18:51:59.858+01:00360 Update previewGot on the preview thing. Quite impressed! Everything installs like an app rather than integrated into the dash, kind of how the quiz thing worked. Zune Video: Very impressive. 1080p instant video shouldn't work, but it does, and it looks bloody amazing. last.fm: Pretty simple, loads up your last fm account and your stations are available. It shows pictures of the band and stuff as you listen. Slimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020308502156946280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-71997797254032516442009-10-11T19:00:00.013+01:002009-10-11T19:41:09.969+01:00Google Wave ExperimentOkay, Google Wave isn't exactly "great" in its current incarnation. It definitely doesn't live up to the initial expectations. But it is nevertheless an interesting piece of technology and, immature UI notwithstanding, still holds great promise. So here's an experiment. Embedding a Wave in a blog. Not sure how this will work out... (you'll probably only be able to see this if you have a Wave Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-61928300708518187782009-10-11T18:03:00.001+01:002009-10-11T18:05:42.994+01:00Stuff which is hot and stuff wot is notIn a decidedly intermittent series of posts, I thought I’d update some recent experiences of what’s rocking and what’s not rocking to the blog. You never know, some clannies might follow.... Anyway - is it hot or not? Lets find out... Hot: Podcasts for commuting. Currently about 45 episodes into Mike Duncan’s History of Rome podcast. Absolutely brilliant tales of empire, bloodshed, Amhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04346905864384912674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-23696190342978377952009-10-01T00:00:00.003+01:002009-10-01T00:17:14.421+01:00Useful Android apps on my HTC HeroTHERE'S AN APP FOR THAT! Thanks macspacks, we know you're into Steve Jobs for £50/month for 2 years! What we need is my overdue blog on what's running for free on my HTC Hero! Here are some apps I'm trying.Here's my home screen. You know it has 4 virtual desktops to the left and right though? :)This is beebPlayer.WifiAnalyzer, useful for seeing what's around, or troubleshooting at home.Google Beejhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18059253988194945046noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-48910527365902651022009-09-29T11:15:00.003+01:002009-09-29T11:19:02.063+01:00Winter lighting for tightwadsI need a night light for my mountain bike for the ole winter training. I've the following considerations: - I'm a total tightwad - I might want to use this on a few bikes - I walk/run too so want something flexible - I've a load of gadgets in my gaff that use rechargeables, so I've invested in some high quality batteries, I'd like to use those if poss. - I really am a tightwadDedicated mtb Slimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020308502156946280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-46825183180180543662009-07-31T10:18:00.001+01:002009-07-31T10:19:12.072+01:00Daftest anti-congestion ever?Is this the worst thought out congestion reducing scheme ever?http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/5942306/Motorists-to-pay-250-tax-for-parking-at-work.htmlI'm a big supporter of the reduction in car trips, but any system has to be fair and work for everyone, not just businesses. This is daft, it's going to get passed right on to people in employment, while other car users will not be affected at Slimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020308502156946280noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-39391916184254523792009-07-30T17:33:00.004+01:002009-07-30T17:39:51.275+01:00Streaming SpotifyAs a clan, we're loving spotify. It's like having the worlds biggest itunes library without having to buy anything and sharing playlists is great fun. But one downer is that it doesn't stream to your upnp devices, it's PC only, bugger.I found a nifty solution though: Jamcast . It's a little upnp server that will expose whatever your PC is playing as a playlist item, called 'virtual soundcard', Slimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020308502156946280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-88058943910994944812009-07-22T19:13:00.003+01:002009-07-26T15:06:50.340+01:00Google WaveBack in May, Google announced that they were rethinking the whole dated concept of communications that we hold so dear. With Google Wave they claimed to have gone back to the start and invented electronic messaging from the ground up, with none of the baggage of SMTP or the various IM network protocols.Indeed, their keynote presentation at I/O 2009 was almost universally praised. Wave looked to Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-19347620765971948432009-07-21T10:06:00.001+01:002009-07-21T11:57:16.872+01:00The Ultimate Burnout Playlist Paradise City / Guns N' Roses Race / Yello Always Crashing in the Same Car / David Bowie Crash Dance / Yello Cities in Dust / Siouxie & The Banshees Smash / Offspring Smash You / The Ramones Bad Habit / Offspring Cars / Gary Numan Take Me Out / Franz Ferdinand This Wheel's on Fire / Siouxie & The Banshees Fine Young Cannibals / She Drives Me Spinyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17191432476651821560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-50783453331872712912009-07-16T09:25:00.004+01:002009-07-26T15:17:37.198+01:00Google IntegrationFor a lot of years, it looked as though Google were just throwing any old tat out there with no real purpose or direction. Apps like "Notebook", "Bookmarks", "Base" and countless others seemed clever, but very indicative of Google's "start an idea, but never finish it" mentality.Like most Google watchers, I quietly despaired and craved a little bit of integration. Well, it seems that they're Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-652922892985561782009-07-15T22:31:00.001+01:002009-07-15T22:32:24.709+01:00Apache FAIL   P45 sir?   Source: Muz :) Spinyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17191432476651821560noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-45924976116571039132009-07-11T21:15:00.002+01:002009-07-11T21:20:28.167+01:00Gadget surpriseEver had a gadget which confused you, its too unexciting to want...but works that well you've got to! Borrowed a power washer this weekend and the results off it stunned me. But its such an old man gadget I don't want to buy one!We've all these cobbles out the side of front door, blasted all the moss and crud off them. cleaned the path, then all the slabs out the back. Four hours of high Shedirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07253830125851295774noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-89153650019671523052009-06-29T12:58:00.003+01:002009-06-29T13:09:34.450+01:00Sci-Fi Must Read Shortlist: Part The SecondThe bookclub didn't really work. Well, it was an EED project after all. Actually, that's not quite true... it didn't work in it's stated aim to get us all reading and discussing books (blame: Spiny) but it did succeed in getting your old pal Dave reading again. Since our foray into the world of the high brow, I've found my baths getting longer and longer, and even spent long afternoons ploughing Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-34292724628912887292009-06-25T16:09:00.001+01:002009-06-25T16:09:02.327+01:00Glacial IE8 Tabs?  I had a problem with new tabs & links in IE8 taking aaaages to open. 15 seconds or so. Turns out the problem is the Java addins, even with the latest at the time of writing (6.0.140.8). Disable these and it’s back to being nearly as quick as firefox ;)   Spinyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17191432476651821560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-30498791531913486132009-06-18T14:43:00.002+01:002009-06-18T14:47:06.083+01:00Ex Directory your mobile118800 is a site some may find useful, but I personally feel is taking things a bit far. A directory listing mobile phone numbers for the UK, it boasts. I'm not in favour however, so to the nitty gritty. Short and sweet. Enter your mobile on this page , then the code is sent to your phone by text message.Put that in the box and you're exempt from their effectively unathorised publication of Shedirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07253830125851295774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-30054829320593968392009-06-12T22:06:00.001+01:002009-06-14T21:18:05.451+01:00Safari So Goody Being the OCD sort for trying out new stuff, I downloaded & installed Safari 4 for Windows final, even though I found the beta, utter utter rubbish. And you know what? It isn't half bad.   Things I like: It’s quick. Noticeably so over Firefox & especially IE8. It makes Google Reader & mail a whiz. It’s sleek. Typically Apple, the UI is very good, much more visually Spinyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17191432476651821560noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-43863702036112667972009-05-23T09:16:00.002+01:002009-05-23T10:05:58.797+01:00Public SafetyDave posted a link to a new V trailer on facebook. Sure, looks nice enough, but only about 19 seconds in i see something very important. Public Safety important.A bookshelf falling.Now i am as crazy as the next guy, but not anchoring bookshelves to the wall? Thats institution crazy right there. Its very common for all of us to think about our homes and offices as someplace safe, a slowmoving areaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961660238450693245.post-6159470568673369862009-05-22T08:13:00.001+01:002009-05-22T08:13:48.203+01:00GelTetris crossed with Pengo! Why hasn't this been done before? Gel on Xbox Live Arcade has got Pengo's sliding and pushing blocks, now in 3d but instead of just matching the special blocks and busting the ice, you've got to get four like colours together to make them dissolve. That's nifty on it's own, but Gel ads combos. The gel blocks don't disappear when you group them, they slowly dissolve. IfSlimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020308502156946280noreply@blogger.com0