09-24-08

World of iPod: A tale of love (from Microsoft?!)

Cheeky little video this morning. Such a simple idea that a brand could have done. But it didn’t. Paul Tosolini did it. And Paul is New Media Business Manager at Microsoft, which is pretty funny given the amount of Apple kit he clearly has (and loves).

[via Lloyd on Twitter, via Chris Brogan]

09-08-08

Home automation in the UK – frustrating

I spent a good chunk of Saturday evening (yes, I *am* approaching 30) looking for a solution to something I’ve been researching for absolutely ages. It’s like my backburner web research project that I treat as a proper research thing that I keep coming back to and building on (thank you delicious, I heart you big time)But, I still haven’ t cracked it.

Basically I want to try out some home automation. I want to be able to dial into my house. I want to be able to check on an IP cam, turn the lights off remotely and generally get all geeky and do lots of cool stuff in the house – control everything via Twitter?!. Maybe that’s just getting way too geeky, but I’m adamant that home automation is the future and I’d like to get in there early. Besides, now is a great time for me to install some of the infrastructure for it as I’m building an extension and have the opportunity to rewire and mess around with 4 rooms at the same time.

Anyway, I’ve narrowed my search down to using the Insteon system (it already appears to have a community – good early signs) , potentially Indigo to control it all and ideally this latest bit of kit from Insteaon that web enables the whole lot and is iPhone optimised. However – the Insteon kit is from the US, not available in the UK yet (but coming soon, yay). Oh and even if you do get hold of it over here right now (which to be fair is easy) then it operates on the wrong voltage/frequency. Grrrrr.

So, I’m still hoping that I’m find a way of making all my geeky home automation dreams happen. Until then – here’s what could be.

07-15-08

3G Airport Express?

Just a thought, but what if you could plug in your 3G USB dongle (Mine’s a Vodafone Pebble thingy) into an Apple Airport Express? Would be very useful indeed. Maybe you can do it already?! (Surely it’s all in the software, though I’m sure there is a really obvious reason why it couldn’t happen)

That also got me thinking about lots of other things that could, should and will happen. As hardware gets more and more connected and connectable, things like X10 get more mainstream and Maplin keeps on having sales – then who knows what we’re going to come up with. And I’m not just talking about brands/companies. I mean us, the geeks, the ones tinkering with things and doing all that stuff that voids warranties, infringes copyright and breaks new boundaries.

07-02-08

Touchscreen Turntable Action

Uh oh. So awesome, I just reached for my credit card of the future. Waiting for iPhones to be used as turntables at some point this Summer and loads more impossibly cool stuff like this. Bring. It. On.

Final Product // ATTIGO TT from Scott Hobbs on Vimeo.

UPDATE – Just looked more closely and it looks like Mac OS X in action, using touchscreens with the software action running on the side.

[Via here, source of much goodness]

03-12-08

I want to live in Japan

Because then I wouldn’t have to get really frustrated at seeing stuff like this and not being able to get my grubby mitts on it – the Korg DS 10 synthesizer for the DS. There’s blatently going to be so many more things like this out over the next year. And I CANT WAIT.

With the iPhone/iPod Touch SDK out and Nintendo showing all the right signs – mobile music is getting even more exciting all the time. New Macbook Pro for me next week – means I can crack open my copy of Logic Studio and get Live and Reason up and running again. I haven’t done any tunes for a couple of years and now the potential to do so is just round the corner . . . I’m really rather excited about the whole prospect.

Via Wired (one of the only magazines I still absolutely have to go and buy in print, which actually gives me an idea – say you were reading Wired whilst clutching a mobile device, then let’s say that the cover had an RFID device in it and your phone could read it, wouldn’t it be cool if your web device served up supporting multimedia content whilst you were reading the mag? Hmmm, back to thinking about making music again.)

01-29-08

I love the Internet

I’ve said it before and I know I’ll definitely say it again, but I really do love the Internet and everything (nearly) that it enables.

My dad (self-confessed technophobe) has just set up his brand spanking new internet radio (Roberts WM201) – using the easy to use Netgear browser interface and adding the radio manually by MAC address to the trusted access list. I was able to go to the Roberts website, download the manual and run through the whole set-up procedure with him.

He’s now happily surfing over 6,000 internet radio stations and checking out on demand content from BBC Radio 4 from his study in the Northumbrian hills (where he can’t get FM because of said hills and only just gets broadband because of the distance to the nearest exchange).

And for I think perhaps the first time ever, dad’s got a piece of kit I haven’t got! Bit jealous really . . .

Nice one dad and thank you Internet.

11-12-07

Wireless memory card

An SD card blended with wi-fi to get your photos direct from your camera/phone onto the web. Bet you can’t buy them in the UK yet though. Via Wired.

09-25-07

One TENORI-ON left

There is one Tenori-On left at BM Soho. Call 0207 439 2403 and ask for Hilit if you want it. £60 deposit, £539.99 on collection. I’d emailed in to enquire about availability and Hilit kindly reserved me one. But I don’t have £600 to splurge right now on amazing looking music gadgetry. Go on. You know you want it!

Check out the official site here if you’re thinking WTF (or watch th video below).

06-22-07

Graffiti & mobiles

Seen this over on Nathan’s ever impressive blog. “Using ‘always on’ technology, cell phones with SMS allow an audience to interact with public space through projections on the structures that surround them”.

Can’t get enough of stuff like this. Mobile phone projectors are just round the corner too.

Also want to be able to use my mobile to actually graffiti posters – would be great to stand on a tube platform and write on an ad across the tracks . . . (not that I would because that would be illegal. But just want to know that I could).

02-26-07

Hello

Apple says hello this morning. Something tells me there are going to be a fair few takes on this. (*See disclaimer in About me)

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