Archive: Posts about Technology
March 24th, 2009, 1 Comment »
Yesterday Julie wrote about the Skate Bug, a kind of auditory aid for getting from (to borrow Lee and Sachi’s metaphor again) A to G:
At the Four Continents Championship in Vancouver last month I saw the ‘Skate Bug’ for the first time. It’s a radio device that connects listeners with live event commentary. One part fits in your ear; the other part is hand held. With the Skate Bug, listeners can get real-time event commentary–even more detailed than those watching the event on TV at home–and can even ask questions about elements or scoring via text message during the event. The device is meant to make figure skating more understandable and fan friendly, according to this article in the Vancouver Sun.
It’s kind of like a real-time tutorial in your ear. I remember watching figure skating on the BBC during the 2002 Olympics. The eloquent commentators did an astonishingly good job of articulating the nuances of the sport and the judging system. This was critical, as the Beeb’s audience probably only sees figure skating once every four years. I often feel that this is an explanation failure of North American coverage of the sport–the hosts assume that their audience know more than they do.
Apparently Skate Canada is offering this device directly, as a means of recruiting new fans to the sport. In their press release, they say they’re introducing “a new multimedia tool at Skate Canada events”. That’s a misnomer, isn’t it? I mean, it only offers the one media.
The next step would be to offer the feed in stream audio, so that neophyte fans at home could tune in. And it’s easy to imagine that these could be offered for other sports, too. The first time I go to a cricket game, for example, I could seriously benefit from one of these.
1 Comment »
March 11th, 2009, 1 Comment »
We’re shortly off to South by Southwest, the big interactive, film and music conference in Austin, Texas. We’re there for eight or nine days, though we’re taking a little side trip into the countryside for a few days. I’ve never been to SXSW or Texas before, so there should be lots to discover.
The scope of the event is a bit daunting–more than 10,000 attendees, 108 film screenings, and hundreds of musical performances, panel discussions and parties. I’ve been paying attention to an unofficial SXSW blog and the Twitter search for ‘SXSWtip’ to try to get a handle on things. I’ve also been using this excellent web app from SCHED to assemble a schedule of what I plan to attend.
Posting may be light over the next week–we’ll see how it goes.
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March 3rd, 2009, No Comments »
A colleague who runs an online business is looking for a developer for a project. Here’s the brief, admittedly vague spec:
Our site is programmed in PHP and we use MySQL for our database. We currently have an inhouse developed shopping cart which uses two payment gateways, one that tracks credit card info for recurring members and one that processes the payments. The one that processes the payments now offers a service that tracks recurring, making the former redundant. So we are looking for a programmer that can implement the transition from one gateway to the other.
If you’re interested, send me an email at darren at darrenbarefoot dot com. I’ll forward the email on to my colleague, and he’ll get back to you if the’s interested. I really must get that Jobs page up and running on this site.
Note to future searchers who find this page: Please note the date on this post. If it’s later than April 1, 2009, it’s too late, so please don’t email me.
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March 2nd, 2009, 3 Comments »
Tod is, to put it mildly, unhappy with Fido (they apparently rebranded–who knew?). He’s a user of PhoneTag, a voicemail-to-text service with which we fell in love while living in Malta and Morocco. It enabled us to defer calls (and the associated crippling international charges) and call people back using the dirt-cheap Skype..
As Tod reports, Fido has discontinued “Conditional Call Forwarding”:
This is when someone calls me and I don’t answer or I’m out of range, the call forwards to my voicemail service.
In other words, how every voicemail system on the planet works.
I use a voicemail service called PhoneTag.com which transcribes the message into text and emails it to me. As Fido does not offer this service, I’m forced to use this outside service.
But now, you’ve disabled the ability for me to use such a service. In fact, you now bar all your customers from using ANY voicemail provider other than yours.
It’s sleazy. It seems like a cheap, amateurish grab for money — forbidding your customers to use any voicemail service that’s not yours. Besides being unethical, it’s against the spirit of the Competition Act.
That’s not cool. I don’t use PhoneTag anymore, but I’d be filled with a particular flavour of anti-Fido rage if they’d turned off access while we were living abroad.
UPDATE: Good news–Fido apparently reversed their decision.
3 Comments »
February 3rd, 2009, 6 Comments »
I was fortunate to get a bunch more recommendations for OS X apps from Twitter and my previous post. I’ve included most of them below. I skipped a few that seemed particularly specialized, or specific to a particular profession (for example, software developer, web designer, and so forth). Here they are:
AppTrap - Ensures that all files are removed when you uninstall software.
Boxee - From what I gather, a kind of free, open source media centre.
Calaboration - For syncing Google Calendar with iCal. I’ve tried three solutions, and this is the only one that’s worked without serious agony.
CrossOver Games - Apparently a ’seamless’ tool for playing PC games on OS X.
DoubleCommand - A utility for remapping your keyboard. Apparently useful for using a non-Apple keyboard with OS X. I’m going to give this a try, as I want to use my big old Windows keyboard instead of the dainty one that came with my iMac.
DropBox - Storage app and syncing service for storing and sharing files. For what it’s worth, I tried this tool on OS X 10.4 and had a difficult time uninstalling it.
Evernote - Very handy research, note-taking and forget-me-not tool. I’ve never used their software, but have lately used their Firefox add-ons for research on our book.
Freedom - Turns off your network connection for eight hours, enabling you to temporarily defeat your Internet addiction so you can do actual work.
iAlertU - A car alarm for your laptop. It uses your Mac’s built-in motion sensor to trigger an alarm and snap a photo of the apparent thief with the iSite camera.
iTunes Alarm - Predictably, turns iTunes into an alarm clock.
Jumpcut - Access your clipboard’s history, and edit the contents on the fly.
LittleSnapper - Yet another screen capture app.
Little Snitch - A firewall app that can tell you what’s coming in and out of your computer’s network connection.
MacTheRipper - Extracts DVDs to video files. I used this app about a year ago, and it worked like a charm.
Mojo - Looks like a modern-day Napster or Kazza.
Popcorn - Another tool for extracting your DVDs to your computer.
Scrivener - Another app specifically built for the writer. Looks quite cool, though I wonder how a tool like this influences the kind of work you might create.
TextExpander - Saves you time by enabling you to create customized keyboard shortcuts for commonly-used phrases.
Transmission - A pretty terrific BitTorrent client that I’ve used on occasion.
TrueCrypt - “Free open-source disk encryption software for Windows Vista/XP, Mac OS X, and Linux.”
Thanks to Aaron, Masey, Newley, Rebecca, Darren, Chris, Mike, Ross, Kerry, Peter and Brian for the suggestions.
6 Comments »
February 2nd, 2009, 23 Comments »
This week I got a new iMac. It’s the first machine I’ve had that’s running OS X 10.5 (that would be Leopard for all you cat-lovers), the current version of Apple’s operating system. I thought I’d ask on Twitter about the Apple desktop apps that the cool kids are using. Here’s what I heard back. I expect that Apple power users will be familiar with all of these.
UPDATE: If this post interests, you might want to check out part two as well.
1Password - A password manager and form completer.
Adium - The popular all-in-one instant messaging client.
Bento - “Personal file organization and database”. I’m a little unclear on why I’d want this. Anyone?
Boot Camp - The app that enables you to run Windows on my iMac. Assuming I can acquire a copy of Windows, I plan to install it for running Windows-only games.
Caffeine - “Caffeine is a tiny program that puts an icon in the right side of your menu bar. Click it to prevent your Mac from automatically going to sleep, dimming the screen or starting screen savers. Click it again to go back.” I gather this is for when you’re watching longer web-based videos, where the screen goes dim without inputs after a while?
ClicktoFlash - A Safari plug-in that turns all Flash elements in a web page to gray boxes until you click them. I’m a Firefox user myself, so FlashBlock looks like the equivalent.
FileVault - Software for encrypting one’s files. Boris assures me that I “can ignore FileVault — it’s for encrypting your home directory. Only uber nerds use it.” I am not an uber-nerd, so I’ll take his advice.
FileZilla - An open-source FTP client. I’ve always used CyberDuck, for no particular reason. They both have incredibly goofy names.
Fluid - Make site-specific browsers for your favourite web apps. I’ve been using Google Gears to get certain web app icons in my desktop’s dock, but this will work better.
HandBrake - “An open-source, GPL-licensed, multi-platform, multithreaded, DVD to MPEG-4 converter, available for MacOS X, Linux and Windows.”
KeePassX - Another password manager. Yes, I’m troubled by that creative spelling of “key”.
Layers - If I understand it correctly, it enables you to build multi-window screen captures? Seems kind of like a nail in search of a hammer, but who am I to judge?
Mailplane - This is kind of a custom email browser for Gmail that makes the web-based email app act more like desktop software. I’ve used this on my laptop for a while, but lately (probably due to Gmail, not Mailplane itself) I’ve found it rather sluggish. So these days I’m giving Apple Mail a try.
PersonalBrain - A mind-mapping tool, from what I can gather.
Quicksilver - Hard to describe, so here’s Wikipedia: “allows users to use the keyboard to rapidly perform tasks such as launching applications, manipulating files and data, running scripts, or sending e-mail.” I’ve had this installed on my laptop for some time, but I barely ever think to use it.
Skitch - The very handy, exceptionally usable screen capture and quick illustration app.
Snackr - An Adobe AIR app that, I gather, turns part of your desktop into a kind of CNN news ticker, powered by the RSS feeds of your choice.
Storyist - A word processor designed for novelists and screenwriters.
TextMate - A fancier TextEdit. I used NotePad++ on my Windows desktop–I must check to see if there’s a OS X version.
Things - Task management software. Boris, if I recall correctly, described the Areas of Responsibility feature as a ‘game-changer’.
Ted - Combines RSS and BitTorrent to automagically download the TV shows you specify. I’m familiar with another app that does the same thing, TVShows.
Time Machine - Apple’s fancy backup system.
Tinderbox - “A personal content assistant that helps you visualize, analyze, and share your notes.”
VideoLan - The workhouse, almost-never-fails video player I’ve come to know and love. Nowhere is Apple more irrational than in its ridiculously narrow native support of video formats.
Yojimbo - Yet another information manager.
Thanks to Avi, Ian, Chris, Miranda, Graeme, Andrew, David, Kerry, Derek, Chris, Ryan, John, Danny, Martin and Masey. Apologies if I referred to you as a geek if you are, in fact, a Normal Human.
That’s a good start. What favourite app would you add to this list?
23 Comments »
January 16th, 2009, 3 Comments »
Three years ago, I wrote about the moment that I knew the idea of podcasts had entered the mainstream. A friend from the theatre industry referenced an audio program that they listened to on the BBC. I asked if he had downloaded it, and he replied “no, it’s not a podcast or anything–it’s streaming.”
Last night, I had a similar experience with Twitter. I was at the opening of the Belfry Theatre’s production of “The Real World”, and chatting with two theatre artists before the show. Knowing of my day job and, uh, geeky predilictions, one asked me “what’s this Twitter thing about? Is it some kind of Flickr knockoff?” The other jumped in and said “yeah, I’m hearing about Twitter everywhere. What is it?”
These are both Normal Humans who, I think, view the computer as a tool they occasionally need. When friends and colleagues outside my geeky circle start asking about a technology trend, it’s a good indication that the thing has, as the kids say, tipped.
3 Comments »
January 12th, 2009, 6 Comments »
Every laptop-using traveler knows that walk. It’s the brisk trot of the security detail, scanning the surroundings not for threats, but for electrical outlets in an airport lounge.
In my experience, European airports are the worst. I defy you to try to find an available outlet in Heathrow. They’re under concealed floor plates, on the back side of columns and behind the stalls of credit card hucksters.
I rejoiced, then, to see these things in the Newark airport last week (click for the largesse action):
Hurray for Samsung
They’re ‘charging stations’, sponsored by Samsung (some background on Gizmodo). They have six or eight plugs, easily accessible at eye-level. As you can see, they’re branded with the Samsung name, and contain a little display case for showing off new Samsung stuff. They’re apparently in 15 airports across the US.
Hurray for Samsung! This is well-executed marketing. They’re delivering something of value to us just when we need it. The station doesn’t play audio or video ads, require registration or time out after 30 minutes of recharging.
The only addition I would have made was listing a specific URL on the station, or providing a little tear-off sheet with a product offer. That would provide another means of measuring the campaign’s success. I assumed that the airports are tracking power usage so they can bill Samsung appropriately, but I expect that’s assuming too much.
And bonus points for putting the stations in the actual boarding lounges. When they’re provided, study carrels and outlets are often in some dismal corner, far away from your boarding gate. It’s like you’re being punished for being a hard worker.
For example, in Chicago O’Hare, they have a bunch of study carrels with outlets in little clusters. I guess they’re owned by the airport, and advertisers can sponsor them on an ad hoc basis. Unfortunately, the carrels are usually in busy hallways, and the one I used wasn’t in view of my gate. Compared to Samsung, they get a C- on execution.
6 Comments »
January 8th, 2009, 23 Comments »
In 2006, I bought a new Windows desktop. It enjoyed a year off when we lived abroad and I exclusively used my laptop, but I’ve been using it heavily over the past ten months. It’s beginning to feel seriously creeky.
In 2009, I’d like to buy an Apple desktop. I’ll still need Windows occasionally, but I’ll just use Apple’s Boot Camp to run it in parallel when necessary.
I almost certainly don’t need a Mac Pro, which would cost more than I’d like to spend anyway. So that leaves me with the iMac.
But here’s the thing: I’d like to get a second monitor. And it’s going to trouble my sense of symmetry tremendously if those monitors aren’t exactly the same. Obviously they won’t be the same, because one will be an iMac and one will be a plain old monitor.
We’ve talked about dual-monitors before–I’ve still never worked with that set up. Have you used two monitors side-by-side when they’re not exactly the same model? Did it make your OCD go zing?
This is such a Foamy Latte problem. I’ll explain what I mean by that in an upcoming post.
23 Comments »
January 5th, 2009, 7 Comments »
For at least a year, Barracuda Networks has been running large ads in Vancouver’s airport. I think I’ve seen their ads in other airports, but can’t confirm that (anybody?). I snapped a bad photo of one of several large display ads in the baggage collection area:
You can see better versions of their ads on their website.
I’m always puzzled when I see these ads. Barracuda makes humming boxes that companies install in their networks to protect against email spam, viruses, phishing and so forth. This one costs about CAN $650:
The Barracuda Spam Firewall is compatible with all email servers and can fit into nearly any corporate or small business environment. It is used by small organizations with as few as 10 employees and large organizations with as many as 200,000 employees. A single Barracuda Spam Firewall handles up to 100,000 active email users. Multiple units can be clustered together for even greater capacity and high availability.
According to YVR, about 4.1 million international passengers passed through their gates in 2007. What tiny fraction of those passengers are potential buyers of Barracuda’s products?
The math gets murky, but according to BC Stats, there are about 81,000 technology workers in BC. Of course, not all of those are potential Barracuda customers. Plenty of those have no interest in the IT concerns of their companies. Others work for companies that have fewer than 10 employees. Let’s be generous and imagine that one third of these tech workers might possibly be or know somebody who could become a Barracuda customer.
That works out to 6 out of 1000 British Columbians who might be the target market for these ads. That fraction is certainly lower for foreign visitors. So–best case scenario–that ad might be relevant to one out of every 200 passengers. In truth, I suspect the number is closer to one in 1000.
And yet this is a sadly commonplace scenario. Most offline ads are incredibly dumb–they’re irrelevant to 99.9% of people who see them. Barracuda runs these ads as an act of faith. That one or two out of the madding crowd of visitors grabbing their bags might take an interest, and start on the long, treacherous path towards an IT purchase. And do the folks at Barracuda Networks have an accurate sense of the return on investment of these airport ads? What do you think?
On a vaguely related note, I saw an enormous barracuda in shallow water in Panama a couple of weeks ago. It was at least three feet long, and just cruising gently by in about three feet of water.
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