Monday, October 20, 2008

Turning Pedometers into Interactive Games = Great Idea

This is from here: http://gizmodo.com/5065140/bandai-rpg-pedometers-like-nike%252B-for-the-extra-masochistic

“As users walk, their characters will both level up and reach new destinations on the map, unlocking new chapters in a story that unfolds over 90 days of exercise.”

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Wednesday, October 15, 2008

The Corporate Social Media Curve

LOL… well if it wasn’t so absolutely smack dab on painfully true.

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Monday, October 13, 2008

Changing your resolution on Windows Mobile - Nice Video

Found this great video on YouTube after seeing the Tweet from @PocketnowTweets

Using this app allows you to crush more things on to your screen in Windows Mobile; it’s a great idea… but you better make sure your glasses prescription is up to date.


Here’s a snip from the video How-to producers website:

Update: I've just added a video that further demonstrates the before and after. Also, it doesn't look like RealVGA works with non-touchscreen devices. For that, download the file and run through the steps posted on AllShadow, but again, we caution that it may not work on all devices.

Take a look at the bottom two screen captures, taken off of the Palm Treo Pro that we
just reviewed. See the difference? The one on the top is default, and the one on the bottom is set to 96dpi, which shrinks the top and bottom bars, plus makes the icons smaller (more like a VGA screen), allowing you to really maximize screen real estate. After doing this modification, I'm able to see more on the screen in all programs, and the Treo Pro now feels like a very high resolution device.

To do this on the Treo Pro or any WinMo touchscreen device, it's going to require some experimentation and bravery. First go to
XDA-Devs and download the RealVGA_11 CAB and install it on your device. Then, download and install either the 96dpi or 128dpi CAB, and run that too. Then, open the RealVGA program on your device, and select which dpi setting you want to use. What works on my device may look different on yours, so experiment if you don't get desired results.

Caution: changing the dpi setting your device can have adverse effects. There are some icons on the Treo Pro that don't render properly now, but I think it's a fair exchange for all of the extra screen space that I'm enjoying. Thanks to kanzlr for the idea to do this =D.”


Monday, October 6, 2008

Windows Live Writer (WLW) Recommended Plug-ins

I was browsing some posts today on various blogs, newsgroups, etc. and a number of folks recommended the following plug-ins.

Code Formatter

syntax Highlighter

SkyDrive file attachment

Visualize Social Networking

I found this post on the rb.trends blog.

It’s the standard idea of how to visualize large sums of complex, sometimes divergent data… applied to social networks..

http://www.visualcomplexity.com/vc/project.cfm?id=617

“commenTree uses Adobe Flash to essentially mine through hundreds of thousands of MySpace profiles, their biographies, their interests, and their comments. This data is then presented in the form of a graphical network interface displaying users in a organically connected manner. CommenTree aims to explore the various functions meshing real world and online interactions.”

Water Art

I found this on rb.trends too.

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/4093/ex-iles-by-electronic-shadow-at-the-biennale-of-contemporary-art-seville.html

“the duo of electronic shadow, naziha mestaoui, architect and yacine ait kaci, multimedia creator, who work to
merge the built environment with digital imagery, will be presenting their project 'ex-îles' at this year's
biennale of contemporary art, seville, spain. 'ex-îles' is an interactive installation which consists of a 5 by 2 meter,
20 cm deep pool filled with luminous water and a numerical extension on the internet. physical water is triggered
into motion by a water pump that projects interactive images, as well as sounds, created by real water.
two islands of light are located at either end of the pool.  one represents a 'real' island and is located on
the ground, while another situated in the pool is interpreted as a 'virtual' one. as visitors enter the space,
they produce a natural luminous shadow which appears swimming across the pool.  this silhouette leaves
an illuminated line from one island to the other.  the line indicates the presence of the visitor and corresponds to
the course taken by the luminous shadow in the water.”

Where can I get one you ask http://www.electronicshadow.com/?

Obama iPhone App – Social Politics, Network Style

I found this on the rb.trends blog; I love what he finds!

http://gizmodo.com/5058149/obama-08-iphone-app-is-grassroots-gadgety-perfection

“It sorts your contacts by battleground states and turns them into a checklist, making it easy, and almost obligating, to harass your loved ones to vote O. (Worth noting for tinfoil types: It does keep track of how many people you call, but it's totally anonymous.) It finds local events and Obama news using GPS, constantly updated. And it delivers more video highlights and newsreels than you'll be able to stand (though videos were kinda crashy for me). There is some hucksterism, yes, like a dedicated button to call and make a donation—it makes it easier than ever, which is part of the power here. Also it's a campaign app, what do you expect?”

Flexible Displays – a new approach

I just read this snipit on a simpler flexiible display concept that avoids some of the pitfalls. SnipIt here

It’s fun to watch cutting edge coolness evolve… we’ll all be rolling up our laptop displays in a few years.