Claire carelessly dies whilst cataloguing the TV Gallery acrylic triangles. SPC, soon to be PC, Lacey takes control of the crime scene ... or something like that.
Tomorrow the team *might* actually do some work, but for now they seem happy. Best not to disturb them.
FINALLY! I've been holding back for almost a year now, convinced that Apple must have something in the works that can open up my media library in my living room ... and today they did just that.
I have gotten very close to buying a full blown Mac Mini to allow me to play my music and videos on my TV and HiFi, but I was loathed to spend that much money on a device that was capable of so much more ... and then just play music through it. A few years ago I bought an Apple Airport Express, which allows me to 'send' my music from a Mac or PC to my HiFi. It's been fun, but it's not practical - and since you have to trek downstairs every time you want to change tracks - it doesn't really let you enjoy your music.
So along come Apple today with the announcment of the 'iTV'. A media adapter, for want of a better phrase. It's basically a cut down mac that's sole aim in life is to play music, videos and photos - in HD - on my lovely LCD TV. Although it's not available until Q1 next year, it looks like it may only cost about £170.
So many new things to think about in the space of a single presentation. I tip my hat - that floppy white one I got on holiday - to Apple.
Right ... I'd better start saving!
:o)
Apple has today updated it's iTunes software to version 7.0 ... and it's a pretty major upgrade.
It's far easier for you to just download it and use it, than for me to explain what's new ... but this screenshot gives you an idea of how the album art is finally being exploited.
If, like me, you have gaping holes in your music collection with no album art - never fear. iTunes 7 now downloads the art for you.
Along with a host of new organisational tools, this really is a decent upgrade ... and it's free!
I grew up with PCs.
Actually, I grew up with my parents, younger sister and an imaginary friend called Rupert ... but that's beside the point. Where was I? Ah ...
Yes, I've grown up with PCs. My first 'real' computer was an Amstrad CPC-664. While my friends were busy playing games on their Amigas and Ataris, I was learning BASIC on the 664. Fun, eh? The Amstrad was soon replaced with a 286 PC running a curious operating system called 'Microsoft Windows 286'. It would never catch on. :o). In fact it was useless, so I ignored it - returned to DOS, and continued playing with programs using QuickBASIC.
I'm not going to give you a blow-by-blow account of every PC I've ever owned, but I've had quite a few over the years. It's only in the last five years, as I began working in a more creative AV environment that I discovered Apple, and Mac OSX. I have to admit, I was completely taken in by Steve Jobs' Reality Distortion Field - and continue to be taken in by it. The Mac is a fantastic platform for creative work, and the operating systems is years ahead of Windows. The Mac was the first computer I sat down to use, and didn't have the overwhelming urge to dive into the system settings and tweak everything to my preferences. Everything was just so easy to figure out and use that I just wanted to get on with the important job of actually using the software.
I've been using Macs for almost three years now, and about a year ago I even replaced my home PC with a G5 iMac. All went well until I began to realise the things I couldn't do on a Mac. Don't get me wrong, I'm not thinking of getting rid of the Mac. In fact, therein lies of the problem. I don't want to give up the Mac - but I want to get back to doing so many things that only the PC can offer. I've spent 6 years working in VB and ASP, and have started the move to the .NET platform. It seems a waste to throw all that experience away and learn Cocoa or Carbon - just so I can continue development on the Mac platform.
The other thing I've missed over the last two years is PC gaming. I've tried the consoles (XBox and Gamecube), and even the Nintendo DS ... but it's nothing compared to the sheer range of game genres and performance you get from a PC.
They say you can't have your cake and eat it ... but I disagree.
It's time to go... [CUE: Back To The Future music] ... Back To The PC!
I've accepted a new job!
For those of you know know me well, don't get too excited. I'm only moving offices. I used to be a 'Media Developer' ... and I've now accepted the completely different role of 'Media Developer'. I'm sure I'll figure out what the differences are soon, but the job looks very promising. More creative work - more development work - less messing around being the jack of all trades.
I start on the 21st of August, so I'll let you know how I get on.
I decided that was now bored with the old irrelevant lighthouse theme, so I've gone with an equally irrelevant dotty theme. Hope you like it ;o)
We complain when it's cold ... and now we're complaining that its too hot.
Having spent the week sat in an office at 35-degrees, the latest Weebl cartoon cheered me up ;o)
http://www.weebls-stuff.com/wab/cold/
I thought I'd swing the topic away from work for once ;o)
My sister sent me this link, and it's one of those videos you watch the first time with a slack jaw ... then a second time with a wry grin; checking over your shoulder to see if anyone is looking your way.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3382491587979249836
I can't figure out whether is good-funny ... or baaaad-funny. It's either a clever attempt at self ridicule, or its a vain, lame, baaaaad music video :o)
Thanks Sis!
PS: Only 3 days to go. Eeeep!
Sorry I've not been posting much lately. If you're desperate for some updates, we've decided to document the final 7 days of the Experience TV project on the Starbucks Blog.
Check it out ... we're either going to succeed or fail, but either way it will be dramatic ;o)
I really want to talk about that damn place, and everything that's happened in the last two weeks, but I find myself lost for words.
.... nope .... not a single word to attempt to explain what has happened and why. If I ever find out, I'll let you know.
Some of you will know the cryptic nonesense of which I speak. The rest of you will have to remain in the dark for now :o)
Goodnight.
Yet more graphical nonsense. Shame I don't have time to animated it as we'd planned :o(
I've spent the last few days working on some 3D sequences for the museum's TV Heaven area. I got bored tonight, and started throwing the logo around ...
... I think I broke it :o)
I installed a CCTV camera at my house a few months ago. Not because I'm paranoid, but because we can't see our driveway - and it's always nice to know our cars are still there.
So - as always - I got bored with the simple setup whereby I could watch the camera on our TV. So I installed a motion-tracking CCTV DVR ... you know, as you do. Basically - whenever anything moves on my drive way, it records the video and emails me a picture...
...so you can imagine my reaction when this appeared in my inbox:
Hmm. A 4-foot wide, glowing spider. That's something you don't see every day. I think I'll lock the door tonight! :o)
I took this photo from the end of my garden. It's official. Not a cloud in the sky. Summer has arrived :o)
