Posts Tagged ‘Ideas’

I guess since I sold 100% of my previous 20D, Gitzo Explorer, and Acratech setup I’m wondering if I should change things up and do it a bit more differently and intelligently.

The Explorer was a great tripod, and I’m pretty set on getting the new version. It wasn’t quick to set up but it was infinitely versatile. The Acratech was also a great ballhead, I can’t think of any complaints really, at least none that aren’t solved by the new Acratech GP ballhead.

I’m sort of thinking though that this new ballhead should have a pan arm though for video usage on the 7D. Thinking about it now, it’d be awesome if Acratech just added a screw hole to the right side of the quick release plate. That way you could screw in a pan arm. There’d be no question about the ballhead then. For now, it’s not that way so I’m considering options, next in line is a RRS BH-55.

Help me decide Internet! Too many forum discussions to read!

At any rate, the 7D with the EF 24mm f/1.4L II is awesome, I need to get off my ass and update the theme here and create a decent gallery. I wish this was all a lot cheaper it’s such a relaxing and enjoyable endeavor, it sucks that paying for it creates such stress.

Yes, I said it. Look at all the Windows 7 launch day hardware. What do all those all-in-one PC’s with multitouch have in common? Well, looking at the photos quickly it would seem they all have glossy screens. Really!? As if having touch features on your primary screen wasn’t bad enough they had to make it glossy.

Example Dell’s Studio One 19.

While Apple and the Microsoft Surface along with other research has clearly sparked the entire multitouch movement. Right now is not the time for people to be going crazy and buying these PC’s. Apple is at least being smart about it and only adding it where it makes sense, handheld devices, touch pads, the Magic Mouse. You probably won’t ever see Apple add it to an iMac screen.

On the PC at this point I’d probably tell anyone who asked to fore go the expensive multitouch desktop PC’s and simply buy Wacom’s multitouch tablet.

It’s not even really that the features for multitouch aren’t there in software. Windows 7 and Snow Leopard both have awesome support. Right now at least the hardware just doesn’t match reality when it comes to usability.

Multitouch for desktop PC’s really isn’t going to get anywhere till we have real haptic input via a secondary display surface that can replace both the keyboard and mouse. A good start might be Senseg’s stuff. There was another thing I remember seeing but can’t find the URL at the moment.

Imagine just having a surface below your primary screen that’s a secondary display that replaces your keyboard and mimics the feel close enough. The feedback areas could easily change with what’s being displayed on the secondary display. To the right or left of the on screen keyboard could be an area for your entire hand to control and touch multiple pointers, see 10/GUI.

This is the sort of control surface that’ll replace the mouse and keyboard in time. It’s certainly not going to happen over night, but until the technology really gets to this point, multitouch displays in the primary vertical orientation just don’t make sense.

I honestly don’t know what’s with PC manufacturers, they just don’t seem to get what Apple clearly does. Here’s another example from Dell, their new Adamo XPS laptop. From the looks of it, a pretty amazingly cool piece of hardware. I’d love to know just much time and energy was spent on adding the ridiculous heat sensing strip. What real purpose does this serve? Speaking of strips that serve no purpose Dell yet again with their EdgeTouch on the Z600. Engadget has it right, “makes overcompensated CEOs out of us all”. Why the hell does anyone really need a touch sensitive strip on the right side of the laptop screen that’s going to require some crapware that undoubtedly causes more issues than anything else.

Dell isn’t the only guilty party. It’s not like Toshiba, Sony, HP, you name it have decently designed crap that isn’t just a bunch of plastic. Microsoft Hardware has done their fair share of stupidity as well. Compare the new Apple keyboards which are simple and refined to some Microsoft keyboards and you’ll notice a bunch of extra multimedia buttons those F-Lock functions, you name it. Then each new generation they change what’s included as well as the behavior. My original Natural Pro has a complete different set of buttons than my Entertainment 7000. I prefer the Natural keyboards over Logitech and Apple and just about anything else. Microsoft has an *amazingly* awesome sense for ergonomics far above Apple, that’s for sure (I’m looking at you Mighty Mouse nipple). But they’re far from perfect. I don’t really get why it’s so hard for everyone that isn’t Apple to figure out how to make decent hardware.

There’s probably 2 or 3 well designed and well made machines from both HP, Dell, Sony, hell some even like Lenovo laptops. But the bulk of the crap that’s put out by the industry is rehashed plastic crap that has bloat inside and out.

Jonathan Ive’s was right, it’s not about what you add but what you remove. This doesn’t just apply to the design of the products but the entire product line.

Grr. Now I remember my last USB MIDI experience… Last time was with XP in beta, even then it was the same deal. No bloody drivers because XP wasn’t released. Now 7, though its RTM’d isn’t out on the street yet; so no bloody drivers for the just unboxed Axiom Pro 49.

What gets annoying is when you have a phone call earlier in the day where a customer complains about crap not working that used to work or relatively new stuff not working. No drivers, bad drivers, whatever.

I mean come on, it’s not Microsoft’s fault. It’s not like Vista wasn’t in beta for 6 years and 7 for 2+. Hell Microsoft even helps people write their drivers. Still, we get crap drivers way too late which just pisses people off.

I’m not blaming M-Audio here. I’m just frustrated at the statu quo. I’ve not completed my search for updates bits yet so for all I know it’ll be working in 5 minutes. I’m a bit miffed it’s not just a simple plug and play. Or updated drivers off Microsoft Update. My philosophy would be to release early at every point of the process. It’s understandable if the stuff doesn’t work perfectly during the beta. But at least you won’t have customers out in the cold come RTM.

And I do have to say, Vista’s only failure was in its public perception. Yes UAC was overblown, yes they failed to deliver half what they promised at PDC03, but at the same time it was a huge improvement over XP. People will forget that XP was considered crap until SP2 made it what it is. Vista is the same deal. SP2 is amazing most of the time.

Now with Windows 7 people are finally saying it’s what Vista should’ve been, this is rather funny really because even with 7 being as awesome as it is, there’s still a lot left that was still promised and shown at PDC03.

Perhaps Microsoft’s priorities have shifted, for example multitouch wasn’t as huge as it is now. Perhaps Microsoft’s resources haven’t quite been allocated as well as they could be. Or maybe what’s actually being engineered is just a little more complicated than we expected.

I’m still thinking of that amazingly good demo from PDC03 with the millions of photos and albums shown in 3D that was completely fluid, all driven by meta data in a WinFS powered back end. The reality unfortunately is that despite what Microsoft is delivering in 7 and Apple has been delivering in Snow Leopard really doesn’t match up to demos.

Still, 7 is pretty awesome, it’s definitely the best OS Microsoft has yet to release.

You know, it could just be a consequence of trying to move technology so quickly. On both the hardware and software side.

Example, 1080p 56″ LED DLP about 3 years ago was about $3400. Now you could probably find one for $900. LED LCD purchased about two months ago, $3200, at a steep discount no less. Now, $2500, via Amazon.

That’s a pretty fast progression in both price and obsolescence. Maybe everyone just expects too much too quickly .

Maybe Michael Moore has hit on something with Capitalism, I’ve not even seen it yet but I get the feeling we in general have expected exponential growth but have the lack of widespread focus to actually get anything accomplished. And this is due to the current state of Capitalism in the US. It doesn’t seem like everyone is as focused on a singular task as they were when getting to the moon or fighting the Axis powers.

It’s not just technology either, where’s the focus on health, energy, and sustainability? I think Dawkins and Maher might agree that to some extent the lack of focus is exacerbated in part by the lack of reason and the divisiveness of US politics and religion.

But anyway, I just want to make some music damn it .

I think it’ll end up being exactly what caused me to vote for him in the first place.

I filled in that dot next to his name for the fact that he’s an very intelligent grounded leader with good morals and a strong philosophical sense – a passionate open thinker.

The problem for what I think is a disproportionate amount of Americans is that they’re lacking in these very qualities themselves. (more…)

Well there’s a vibrator app for the iPhone, so I figure this wouldn’t be too far off and would most likely be well received by many.

The moment I saw Natal on the 360 the first thing that popped into my head was a good porn game utilizing the technology. I figure if Vivid Entertainment got behind it then some quality entertainment could be made.

I mean combine full motion capture with a nice MMO sort of thing with XBL, maybe do some games with live action video of the big stars, maybe some POV type stuff… it could really work. And just think, there’s tons of ways to up sell add-ons, both physical and virtual, special wireless controllers, virtual toys and stuff on the XBL Marketplace, oh and various porn stars could be downloaded to offer new experiences.

Now obviously it’d be pretty amusing, I mean, could you imagine the status reporting: coreygo is playing Porn Star in a session with Sasha Grey. There would be new meaning to achievement points.

Sadly I’m pretty sure Microsoft and Xbox have standards for this stuff and these games wouldn’t pass the approval process. But seriously there’s no reason why a Adult Only category couldn’t exist. The porn industry is huge, it made VHS win, it played a part in the BD vs. HD-DVD battle. It could make bank.

Now to get in contact with the right people in the industry… Sasha, email me. ROFL.