Talking QR.app at Barcamp Brighton 3

Thursday, 11th September 2008 in Development, Technology by Simon | 2 comments

Last weekend I attended Barcamp Brighton 3. For the uninitiated like me, a BarCamp is an international network of user generated conferences — open, participatory workshop-events, whose content is provided by participants — often focusing on early-stage web applications, and related open source technologies, social protocols, and open data formats.

Barcamp Brighton was a great event, attended by some of the web-gliterati: Jeremy Keith, Aral Balkan, Tantek Celik, Jerome Ribot and Mark Wudden to name but five I was lucky to converse with. That’s not to say the other attendees were any less significant. It was everyone who made the event great.

As you may have observed from the title of this post, I presented a talk, along with my good friend Rob Douglas, titled Talking QR.app.

The presentation can be viewed below, or via the SlideRocket website.

I have also bookmarked a number of QR-code links on Delicious.

ColdFusion Becomes a Teenager

Thursday, 10th July 2008 in Development by Simon | 1 comment

Today ColdFusion moved into the next stage of its life and became a teenager, hopefully not a precocious one!

Happy 13th Birthday ColdFusion.

Adobe ColdFusion has had a long and illustrious life. The first version of ColdFusion–written almost entirely by one person, JJ Allaire and then called “Cold Fusion”–was released in 1995. This first version, although revolutionising how web applications were built, was primitive by modern standards, doing little more than database access.

Although originally built in Visual C++, Allaire, around 1999, took the decision to rewrite the entire ColdFusion engine in Java–a project named “Neo”–which would allow for greater portability among different platforms. The rewrite, released under the monicker MX 6, would prove to be somewhat problematic and a wholescale update to the version resulted.

In 2001 Allaire was acquired by Macromedia. This union brought with it the integration of Macromedia’s Flash platform via Flash Remoting; a huge step towards rich Internet applications.

In 2005 it was the turn of Macromedia to be acquired and they merged with Adobe. A period of instability in the ColdFusion world resulted, brought about by the knowledge that Adobe was a company that developed tools, not programming languages. However, following a successful release of ColdFusion 8 in 2007 and the announcement that a version 9 would be developed, code-named “Centaur”, fears about ColdFusion’s future have subsided–albeit the continued debate over “ColdFusion is Dead” remains boiling in the background.

The primary distinguishing feature of ColdFusion is its associated scripting language, ColdFusion Markup Language (CFML), which compares favourably to its rivals, JSP, ASP.NET, or PHP and resembles HTML in syntax. “ColdFusion” is often used synonymously with “CFML”, but it should be noted that there are additional CFML application servers besides ColdFusion, and that ColdFusion supports programming languages other than CFML, such as server-side Actionscript and embedded scripts that can be written in a JavaScript-like language, known as CFScript. Adobe ColdFusion also includes native support for Flex, PDF, Verity and the embedded Derby database amongst a host of other features.

ColdFusion 9 is set to be an exciting release, much like its predecessor, with more features added to the core tag set, whilst also integrating other technologies such AIR and Hibernate.

Exciting times lay ahead. Let’s hope Adobe takes full advantage with such a fine product.

See Also:

Approximate Conversion from Points to Pixels

Wednesday, 21st February 2007 in Design, Development by Simon | No comments

Here’s a chart that converts points to pixels (and ems and %). It’s an approximation, which will depend on font, browser and OS, but it’s a good starting point.

Points Pixels Ems Percent
6pt 8px 0.5em 50%
7pt 9px 0.55em 55%
7.5pt 10px 0.625em 62.5%
8pt 11px 0.7em 70%
9pt 12px 0.75em 75%
10pt 13px 0.8em 80%
10.5pt 14px 0.875em 87.5%
11pt 15px 0.95em 95%
12pt 16px 1em 100%
13pt 17px 1.05em 105%
13.5pt 18px 1.125em 112.5%
14pt 19px 1.2em 120%
14.5pt 20px 1.25em 125%
15pt 21px 1.3em 130%
16pt 22px 1.4em 140%
17pt 23px 1.45em 145%
18pt 24px 1.5em 150%
20pt 26px 1.6em 160%
22pt 29px 1.8em 180%
24pt 32px 2em 200%
26pt 35px 2.2em 220%
27pt 36px 2.25em 225%
28pt 37px 2.3em 230%
29pt 38px 2.35em 235%
30pt 40px 2.45em 245%
32pt 42px 2.55em 255%
34pt 45px 2.75em 275%
36pt 48px 3em 300%

Sony DSC-N2 Digital Camera

Thursday, 28th December 2006 in Technology by Simon | No comments

My new toy the Sony DSC-N2 Digital Camera (10.1MP, 3x optical zoom) 3″ LCD is an awesome little toy.

Sony DSC-N2 Sony DSC-N2

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-N2 is an upgrade of the existing DSC-N1 model. The Sony N2 derives its higher ten mega pixel resolution from a 1/1.7″ CCD imager, rather than the eight mega pixel 1/1.8″ imager used in the previous camera. This is coupled with the same popup Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar zoom lens, which offers a 3x optical zoom range equivalent to 38-114mm on a 35mm camera. Also retained for the Sony DSC-N2 is is the N1’s whopping 3.0″ LCD display – ideal for showing off photos immediately that they’re captured, or using the camera itself as a portable photo album. Given the size of the display, there’s little room for buttons on the rear of the Sony N-series cameras, so the company opted for a touch screen on the display, useable either with a fingertip, or with an included stylus.

As with the DSC-N1, Sony has taken advantage of the LCD in the Sony N2 to let the camera function as a digital photo “wallet” of sorts. As you capture each image, it is saved twice. One copy is saved at your chosen resolution on the camera’s flash card, or in 26MB of memory reserved for image storage. The other copy is stored at VGA resolution in a further 26MB of memory that is reserved for a photo album. The user can then select favourite photos from the album for protection, or delete images they don’t like. As you continue to capture images and eventually the 26MB of album space (enough for 500 VGA images) runs out, the oldest non-protected image is automatically discarded whenever a newer photo is captured. This simple method should ensure that owners of the Cybershot N2 always have a good selection of photos on-hand to show off, with a minimum of fuss.

Also retained in the Sony N2 is a slideshow mode with a range of transitions including pans, zooms, wipes, and fades, all selected automatically by the camera, and accompanied by music stored in the camera. The user can replace the music with their own selections using the accompanying software, which will transcode the user’s personal music to MPEG1 format to replace the existing four background music selections that are built into the camera. 6MB of memory is reserved for the music to be stored in. As with the T50 model it is announced alongside, the Sony N2 adds a “normal” slideshow mode to the N1’s functionality, however.The Sony N2 draws power from an Info Lithium NP-BG1 battery, with the useful ability to give an indication of remaining battery life in minutes. It includes both video and USB connectivity, offers some manual control over images (including both Aperture- and Shutter-priority modes), and also provides a selection of eight scene modes to offer an easier way for beginners to get the results they’re looking for. Other changes from the N1 include a slightly stronger “smart zoom” mode, a minimum shutter speed of 1/2000 second, tweaks to the shutter speeds at which noise reduction is applied, and slightly reduced burst capture rate / depth. As with the T50, the Sony N2 also includes Sony’s Picture Motion Browser v1.1 software package.

Sony’s newest Cyber-shot, the DSC-N2, is quite a departure in interface design for digital cameras. In this day of Blackberries and Treos, stylus and touch screens aren’t really that revolutionary in themselves. We use touch screens everywhere: at the ATM, ticketing kiosks, even when we vote. But the last place I thought about using touch-screen technology was on a digital camera. So when I pulled the Sony N2 out of the box, I was thrilled to see its minimal controls and maximized LCD screen. Now granted, Sony has been using touch screens on their video cameras for a while, so it’s a natural to put one on a digital still camera. The use of the touch screen on the Sony N2 and N1 is genius, as it greatly simplifies the interface and keeps the camera body nice and clean. With most of the controls accessed through that bright 3.0-inch colour LCD display, there’s really no need for a mess of buttons cluttering up the camera body.

The Sony N2 is quite attractive, with a brushed metal finish on the front panel and a super sleek body that isn’t trapped by a myriad of buttons, dials, and switches. Dominating the rear panel is the huge 3.0-inch LCD monitor, with only three tiny control buttons lining its right side. Those with larger hands may find the Sony N2 a little difficult to keep a good grip on, but the camera fit my own hand well. You’ll definitely want to keep the wrist strap on when you’re shooting, though, as the camera’s smooth surface can be a bit slippery at times. The included stylus is attached to the wrist strap, so it’s always at the ready for making changes via the LCD interface, but I found a fingernail or fingertip just as useful.

The ability to make menu changes literally by touching the screen saves quite a bit of time in camera operation once you get used to it. Sony set up the menus logically, with large virtual buttons to accommodate fingertips as well as the stylus. My only minor complaint is that the Sony N2’s LCD monitor does end up with a few smudges on it if you do choose to use your fingertips, but they wipe off easily with a soft cloth.

What’s interesting about the DSC-N2’s touch screen is its Paint function, found in the camera’s Playback menu. Paint mode offers a mini image editing interface, with options for painting lines, stamping, cloning, and rotating. While any serious retouching is better left to a more complete software package and a larger display, it is fun to be able to alter images in the camera and then print them directly to a PictBridge device. However, take note, the Sony N2 automatically saves any altered file at 640 x 480 pixels, which is really only best for printing snapshots and sending as email attachments. I don’t know if the Paint utility will be useful for serious photographers, but some consumers may get a kick out of imprinting graphics on a photograph, or circling an area of interest with the paintbrush tool.

A small quibble with the touch screen interface is that the large semi-translucent buttons overlay large portions of the image. You can remove the buttons by pressing the touch screen button, but then you lose your ability to change to another image. So you end up having to press the physical touch screen button a lot to properly show off your images in their full splendour; better might have been to have a lighter, more translucent button for image playback mode than the rather than such bold and dark buttons.

Aside from the LCD menu, the most useful touch screen function is using your fingertip to indicate the AF point in Spot AF mode. I found this useful in dealing with off centre subjects, as I could literally tell the Sony N2 exactly where to focus.

Another bonus to the Sony N2 is its Manual exposure mode. You can manually adjust the shutter speed and lens aperture, with a maximum shutter time of 30 seconds available in Manual mode, perfect for low-light shooting. While the Sony N2 does offer a full range of automatic and preset Scene modes for novices and amateurs, it’s nice to have the option for manual control when you want it. ISO speeds go up as high as 1,600, though image noise is really quite high and obtrusive at the 800 and 1,600 equivalents. The maximum 30-second exposure time serves the camera well in low light and near darkness, as we were able to capture very bright images at the lowest light levels we test at (much darker than average city street lighting at night). Though noise becomes a factor, particularly with the higher ISO settings, the Sony N2 can still capture quite usable images under very dim lighting, though you’ll definitely need a tripod or some other form of stabilization to get the best results.
An advanced slideshow function lets you build multimedia presentations out of your photos, complete with MP3 music accompaniment, as well as sophisticated wipes, fades, and even “Ken Burns” effects, where the camera pans and zooms across a picture.

Equipped with a 10-megapixel CCD, the Sony N2 captures image resolutions as high as 3,468 x 2,736, which is quite large. With a suggested retail price of $449.95, this is a lot of resolution for the money (plus a host of unique, fun features to boot). The Sony N2 is quite versatile, offering image contrast and sharpness adjustments, as well as colour modes and useful tools like bracketing and Multi-Burst shooting. Overall, I’d say the Sony N2 is another good bet from Sony. It’s easy to operate, dextrous in a multitude of exposure conditions, and is pretty to look at. The Sony N2 captures good-looking images with good colour and exposure, and though image noise can sometimes be a factor at the higher ISO settings, the Sony N2 is flexible in its exposure capabilities. All in all, a good value for the money.

Basic Features

  • 10.1-megapixel CCD
  • 3x zoom lens (equivalent to a 38-114mm lens on a 35mm camera)
  • Max 3.4-17x digital Smart Zoom (depending on selected resolution) plus 2x Precision Digital zoom.
  • 3.0-inch color LCD monitor, with touchscreen capability
  • Automatic, Program, and Manual exposure modes, plus eight Scene modes
  • Built-in flash with five modes and an intensity adjustment
  • 25MB internal memory
  • Sony Memory Stick Duo storage (no card included), compatible with Memory Stick Pro Duo
  • USB 2.0 computer connection
  • Single Li-Ion rechargeable battery and charger included
  • Software for Mac and PC

Special Features

  • Beach, Fireworks, High Sensitivity, Landscape, Snow, Soft Snap, Twilight, and Twilight Portrait preset modes
  • Paint option in Playback mode offers in-camera editing/cleanup tools
  • Movie recording mode (with sound)
  • Burst, Multi-Burst, and Auto Exposure Bracketing shooting modes
  • Email modes
  • Shutter speeds from 1/2,000 to 1/8 second in Auto mode, 1/2,000 to one second in Program mode; and 1/1,000 to 30 seconds in Manual mode.
  • Aperture range from f/2.8 to f/16, depending on zoom position
  • Image Sharpness and Contrast adjustments, plus Image Color options
  • Self-timer for delayed shutter release
  • Macro (close-up) lens adjustment
  • Spot, Center-Weighted, and Multi-Metering modes
  • Adjustable AF area (Center, Spot, or Multi-Point options)
  • Single and Monitor (continuous) AF modes, plus five fixed focus settings
  • Auto ISO setting or 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1,600 ISO equivalents
  • White balance (color) adjustment with six options
  • DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) and PictBridge printing compatibility

In the Box

The retail package contains the following items:

  • Sony DSC-N2 camera
  • Wrist strap
  • One Li-Ion rechargeable battery pack, a case, and charger
  • USB cable
  • AV cable
  • Software CD containing Picture Package (ver. 1.6 for Windows), Pixela ImageMixer VCD2 (for Mac), a PC-based tutorial and USB drivers.
  • Quick-guide manuals and registration information

Other Images

Sony DSC-N2 Sony DSC-N2 Sony DSC-N2

Rinspeed Splash Hydrofoil Car

Thursday, 21st September 2006 in Design by Simon | 1 comment

Swiss design company Rinspeed, makers of the Rinspeed Splash have created a true sports car which transforms into a hydrofoil speed boat capable of a very respectable 50 kph. Under the ultra-light carbon-composite skin lies much more than just an agile and lively sports car. The Rinspeed Splash is the true incarnation of a really cool and fun sports toy. At the push of a button a cleverly thought-out hydraulic mechanism transforms the sports car into an amphibious vehicle. A highly complex integrated hydrofoil system enables the Splash-to-fly at an altitude of about 60 cm above the water.

On land, on water, and in the air

The almost magical transformation from a street vehicle into a floating and “flying” all-rounder is made possible by an electronically controlled hydraulic system with an array of sophisticated sensors.

The transformation starts with the nondescript rear panel, which flips up to reveal a Z-drive in horizontal rest position, borrowed from a watercraft. The Z-drive is fitted with a conventional 3-bladed propeller and can be lowered to its fully standing position from the cockpit. The position of the drive is infinitely variable, which guarantees immediate propulsion upon entering the water. A custom-designed transfer case sends power to the rear wheels, the propeller or both, depending on the input from the pilot. Starting at a water depth of about 1.1 meters the Z-drive can be lowered all the way to its fully standing position. Steering commands are entered via the steering wheel and transferred to the Z-drive.

At a minimum water depth of about 1.3 meters the pilot can deploy a highly complex system of hydrofoils integrated into the sleek body of the Splash. The Formula-1 type rear spoiler rotates 180 degrees down and comes to rest below the Splash. To the left and right of the high side walls of the cockpit two hydrofoils integrated into the outside skin rotate 90 degrees to point straight down before unfolding into their lifting V shape.

The angle of attack of each hydrofoil can be adjusted individually by the pilot to account for the various operating states. Already at low speeds the vehicle begins to lift itself out of the water. The fully suspended position can be reached at speeds as low as 30 km/h. The unusual vehicle then travels as a true hydrofoil at an altitude of about 60 cm above the water. Even the wheels are free of water contact. On smooth water the Splash is capable of reaching a top speed of about 80 km/h (approx. 45 knots).

Naturally the Splash can also be operated as a conventional amphibious vehicle. With retracted hydrofoils the Splash reaches a top speed of almost 50 kph (approx. 28 knots). That is fast enough for water skiing or knee boarding.

The body of the Splash is designed to be watertight. Additional buoyancy chambers provide extra lift. Also borrowed from shipbuilding are a bulkhead design with independent chamber.


Compact natural-gas power from just 750 cm3The Splash is powered by an environmentally friendly bivalent turbocharged natural-gas engine. Natural gas is an extremely clean-burning fuel that consists almost entirely of methane with near-zero sulfur content. The Splash is the world’s first amphibious vehicle to be equipped with this future-oriented engine technology.

Preserving the environment does not mean sacrificing driving fun – and neither does the low overall weight: The turbocharged two-cylinder four-valve engine from Weber Motor powers the watercrafts and snow mobiles from Polaris, albeit as a gasoline-powered engine. In its bivalent turbocharged natural-gas configuration the engine delivers a maximum power output of 140 hp/103 kW at 7′000 rpm. The peak torque of 150 Nm is available at a low 3′500 rpm. Street performance is nothing to be ashamed of: The 825 kg quick-change artist accelerates in about 5.9 seconds to 100 km/h and reaches a top speed of 200 km/h.

No bounds

The sleek lines of the Splash draw attention at first glance. However, one of the basic ideas behind the Splash concept was to design an automobile whose multi-functional capabilities are not immediately apparent. Hardly anyone will realize that the soft-edge design Splash can fulfill the age-old child’s dream of almost boundless mobility at the push of a button.

The entire body of the Splash consists of multi-layered carbon composite, a state-of-the-art plastic mainly used in Formula One racing. It offers exceptional stability at a low specific weight. The striking bodylines of the Splashare the expression of the fine art of engineering. The low windshield protects against drafts and its tinted Folia Tec glass contributes to the futuristic chrome look.

The sporty stainless-steel exhaust system from Remus provides the adequate powerful engine sound. The chrome-plated dual exhaust tips give the Splash a unique and highly dynamic rear appearance.

The lightweight body sits on a suspension custom-developed by KW automotive. It features inboard shock absorbers, adjustable ride firmness and height. The suspension engineers succeeded in creating a suspension that represents a perfect synthesis of ride comfort and sporty handling characteristics.

In.pro. custom-developed chrome-plated bi-xenon headlamps for the Splash as well as LED taillights. The latter not only represent the beginning of a new design trend, their ability to come on almost instantly also contributes to the prevention of accidents.

Aye aye, Captain

The interior of the Splash clearly pays tribute to its maritime qualities. Lightweight and waterproof plastics cover the tubular frame and the ergonomically shaped plastic seats. The small sport steering wheel is perfect for the agile handling characteristics of the lively and highly maneuverable Splash. A number of chrome-plated shift knobs, which govern the amphibious functions and the angle of attack of the hydrofoils, exude an atmosphere reminiscent of an airplane cockpit.

Hydroplaning – on water only

The Rinspeed Splash runs on Continental SportContact tires with 17-inch diameter in front (215/35-17) and 18 inches in the back (225/35-18). The Continental tires combine environmentally friendly design, very good handling characteristics and excellent grip. They are mounted on chrome-plated aluminum rims (7×17″ front, 7.5×18″ rear) custom-made by Barracuda.

Moller Skycar

Thursday, 21st September 2006 in Design by Simon | 2 comments

The Moller Skycar is a prototype personal VTOL aircraft – a “flying car” – called a “volantor” by its inventor Paul Moller.

Moller Skycar M400 Volante

The Skycar demonstrated limited tethered flight capability in 2003. More tethered flight tests are now scheduled for an undisclosed date sometime after mid 2006. Moller is currently upgrading the Skycar’s engines, and the improved prototype is now called the “M400X”.

Given the machine’s very protracted development and its ambitiousness, skepticism that the machine will work as claimed remains high. The craft currently under development, the M400, is intended to ultimately transport four people. It is described as a car since it is aimed at being a popular means of transport for anyone who can drive, incorporating automated flight controls. The driver should only input direction and speed, no pilot knowledge being required.

Also, it is argued that by using eight inexpensive Wankel rotary engines, its price will eventually fall close to that of a quality car, even if at the moment the price for the first units is expected to be close to US$1 million.

Its proposed features would include 275 mph (442 km/h) cruise speed, 375 mph (603 km/h) maximum speed, eight redundant, low-emission Wankel engines for safety, residential garage size, fuel consumption like a big car, a parachute for the whole machine and road capability for short distances (to be driven to a vertiport). Although current plans call for use of alcohol fuel, cheap, lightweight fuel, such as liquid hydrogen, could be used as an alternative to gasoline, as in the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE, although the lower energy density will limit range.

Moller Skycar M400 Hover Test

There are a great set of videos on their website: http://moller.com

The big three-O

Wednesday, 20th September 2006 in Miscellaneous by Simon | No comments

Happy Birthday Sandeep!

Sandeep Shetty the boozemeister

Sandeep post drink self

Concorde

Friday, 30th June 2006 in Miscellaneous by Simon | 1 comment

Aerospatiale-BAC Concorde supersonic transport (SST), along with the Tupolev Tu-144, was one of only two models of supersonic passenger airliners to have seen commercial service. First flown in 1969, her service spanned from 1976 to 2003. The 1973 oil crisis, along with political opposition and environmental controversy led British Airways (BA) and Air France to be the sole buyers. She flew most regularly from London Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle to New York JFK. A crash north of Paris in 2000, caused by tyre debris piercing a fuel tank, grounded the fleet whilst modifications were carried out. This, along with her age, the unwillingness of Airbus to continue maintenance, and the downturn in US demand for flights in the light of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, prompted BA and Air France to jointly decide to withdraw her from service in 2003. In retirement, Concorde remains an icon of aircraft history.

Concorde

Concorde

Ping-O-Matic

Thursday, 30th March 2006 in Technology by Simon | No comments

From the creator of Wordpress, Matt Mullenweg, and developed in collaboration with Dougal Campbell, Ping-O-Matic is a service to notify different search engines that your blog has updated. Update pinging is a great way to increase your exposure, and there are so many different services that want that data, it is a daunting task to visit each site in turn and manually ping. Ping-O-Matic neatly fills this requirement.

As one would expect, the service is included by default in Wordpress.

Common Services to Ping:

Specialized Services to Ping: