Category Archives: Technology

Why it is time…

Posted on by
Reply

Ah Blackberry… you have served me well the past decade.

It is time to move on… Why? There are lots of reasons: small screen, slow device, 15 minute reboots after every application upgrade, random system failures, to name a few.

What you see in the picture is the latest reboot required by an app upgrade. That screen was there for close to 20 minutes, so I figured it there was enough time to take a picture and post this entry by the time the device returned to usable (that is a metric I’ve started tracking: MTTU – Mean Time to Usability). The device just came back up, so I was close.

So, Blackberry, thank you for all the memories. I hope you can find a way to return to your greatness. I hear there is an existing mobile OS available - maybe you can cut a deal with HP…

Ministry of Alien Silly Walks

Posted on by
Reply

When I was younger, oh so younger, I found the movie Alien to be fascinating. I am not sure why. I read all about it, including the alternate story lines, how the sets were made, everything. I even knew that there was a guy named Bolaji Badejo who wore the Alien suit.

When I saw this print of Alien Silly Walks on laughingsquid, I nearly fell out of my chair. I found the way the tongue comes out near the end most amusing.

Up and coming interface to make meetings more interesting

Posted on by
Reply

Some of this is very cool, but I’d be concerned that I’d hit others by accident. This might lead to a new out break of slap-by-Powerpoint…

Either way, I’ll be all over this when it becomes semi-affordable.

The company is Oblong Industries, the product is Mezzanine, and their new user interface platform is known as g-speak.


g-speak overview 1828121108 from john underkoffler on Vimeo.

This is a corporate demonstration. The assets shown: desks, laptops, offices, meeting rooms, etc. are way too clean, but I like to think that the future holds such things as clean workspaces as a given.


preview of oblong’s mezzanine system from john underkoffler on Vimeo.

PowerPoint and the soul sucking suckiness it can become

Posted on by
Reply

I have a confession… I am someone who likes Powerpoint. Shocking, I know, especially with the amount of visualization posts here.

Somehow I have figured out how to create some fairly good, high-impact slides over the past three years (I upped my game when Office 2007 showed up… Say what you will about the Ribbon bar – it is NOT the new Clippit! – Office 2007 pulled up to the surface a whole lot of advanced features that, if used right, can make good slides. And can make some really awful 3D beveled multi-colored monstrosities, too.).

There are few types of presentations you can use software like Powerpoint (or Spotlight) for:

  • Steve Jobs-like awesomeness to a full house.
  • Board-room / meeting room discussions
  • Idea / concept communication
  • Information communication

Continue reading →

PageLine’s Platform Pro theme

Posted on by
Reply

I’ve just switched over to the new PageLine PlatformPro theme. This is a framework theme, ala Frugal, and has a good set of options for the first release of a framework. Frugal (now Catalyst) has more granular and detailed options available in the interface, but PlatformPro has a better initial look & feel, I think.

I’ll continue to refine the theme to find the right balance of layout, look, feel, and readability.

Solar Energy DIY kit for less than $1000

Posted on by
1

Sometime next year you’ll be able to go to Home Depot and buy a solar kit for less than $1000. This is according to Clarian Power, the winners of the Ecomagination Challenge (sponsored by GE).

Not sure about the efficiency, but I’m sure excited about the idea of the entry price.

I can also see a market for “solar wiring” to easily connect smaller panels together. A new meaning to USB – Universal Solar Bus.

As the next generation of SmartGrid technology hits the market, this could be a very beneficial product.

Congratulation Clarian on winning the $200 million prize!

3D Printing and See-through Screens

Posted on by
Reply

Yea! The future’s almost here!

Samsung announced screens that you can see through that could replace windows. I like this a whole lot, being the screen real estate junkie that I am.

The other thing I read about today was 3D Printing. How awesome is that – these printers can produce lots of different things, including replacement parts, sculptures, and even dental items! Continue reading →