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Easter Sunday [Flickr]
2008-03-23 22:38:00
John Hood posted a photo: My mother's memorial garden as seen this weekend. The first Easter without her soulful presence!
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Cats, Jelly Babies, FeedBurner and an iPhone wallpaper!
2008-03-19 23:49:00
The last few days have been particularly manic!Since Friday I've embarked on the process of updating Nick Smith's blog template and publishing his Blogger hosted site to a custom domain name using GoDaddy (you can register domain names from any of a number of different registrars). This is no mean feat when you factor in html coding, FeedBurner, AdSense and Google Webmaster Tools amongst others!Cat City OnlineCat City Online is the weblog of Nick Smith, author of "Scriptwriting: The Secrets Unleashed," "Milk Treading," "The Kitty Killer Cult" and "Undead on Arrival."Drop by Nick's new and improved site and leave a comment. He's a good friend and a creative chap...MemorialMaking further progress with my mother's memorial project! Today Shop@Panasonic, Harlequins Centre, Exeter, pulled through with a Plasma HDTV TH-37PX70, which will be installed at Lucerne House once the refurbishment work on the Alphinbrook Unit is complete! And a Shop@Panasonic staff member recognised me from ...
More About: Cats , Babies , Wallpaper , Iphone , Feedburner

Can't Speak French
2008-03-18 20:58:00
Yesterday Girls Aloud unleashed the sultry Can't Speak French EP, the third single taken from Tangled Up! The remix hits the sweet spot coupled with an evocative Marie Antoinette video promo, which recalls Madonna's MTV Music Awards 1990 performance of Vogue!

Wii Fit Generation
2008-03-16 15:00:00
Considering what a success the DS and Wii are now it's easy to forget what a risk they have been for Nintendo. Not just the consoles themselves, with their never before tried controllers, but also most of the games! After all who'd have thought that a puppy owning simulator would go on to become the most successful game of the current generation? With Wii Fit though Nintendo are pushing the definition of what a video game is even further, with a game that wants to get you fit as well as entertain you.Although the motion control sensing Wii remote has now been accepted by almost all. Wii Fit uses a completely different device for controlling its games. The Balance Board looks something like a set of bathroom scales, but is filled with press sensors that can not only measure weight, but also sense the movement of your body so that it can monitor and track exercises. There are around 40 activities in total, from yoga to press ups and step aerobics, as well as a number of "proper" gam...
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December Duet Online Premiere
2008-03-15 00:29:00
It only took 12 years! Now, thanks to an afternoon spent in my Panasonic encoding suite, here, for your pleasure and delight, is 'December Duet' (1996).I co-wrote (with novelist and friend Nick Smith - 'Milk Treading'), produced, directed and edited (non-linear for the final EDL) 'December Duet' (shot on Beta SP format), which was the culmination of the (BA Hons) Media Production course at the University of Bournemouth.This 10 minute drama starred Bob Sessions, who has appeared in numerous films including Clive Barker's 'Night Breed', 'Hackers' (starring Academy Award® winning actress Angelina Jolie) and portrayed Batman/Bruce Wayne in BBC Radio One's, episodic audio adaptation, 'Knightfall' (1995).
More About: Online , Premiere

Faster Photo Editing Aperture
2008-03-15 00:10:00
After much soul searching, I've decided to switch from Adobe Lightroom to Aperture 2 as my photo editor of choice!Aperture 2, Apple's groundbreaking photo editing and management software, delivers more than 100 new features that make it dramatically faster and easier to use and even more powerful.Featuring a streamlined user interface, Aperture 2 provides accelerated performance with its optimized database and new Quick Preview mode for rapid-fire browsing. Thanks to advanced image processing with powerful new tools--such as Recovery, Vibrancy, Vignette, and a soft-edged Retouch brush--you'll get the most out of every image. And thanks to integrated .Mac Web Gallery support, you can showcase your work on the web in minutes.From importing images to publishing them online or in print, Aperture 2 helps you realize your creative vision.The price cut made the decision even easier!
More About: Photo , Editing

Super Glau
2008-03-12 22:21:00
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is to be renewed!The Sarah Connor Chronicles mines the rich seams of Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (eschewing Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, which is notable for its brave Planet of the Apes ending).Although the series, now airing on Virgin 1 in the UK, has yet to truly capitivate me in the manner of Lost or The Big Bang Theory. The ever-enigmatic Summer Glau (best known as River from Firefly/Serenity) is a revelation as a Terminator! Her otherworldy performance, as Cameron, is pitch perfect and scene stealing! The fight scenes are more than a match for the franchises big screen origins!The intrinsic potential is there, but in the absence of James Cameron and Linda Hamilton...
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Get Your Motor Running - Gran Turismo 5 Prologue?
2008-03-11 18:09:00
Additional special features included in the European release: 16-player online racing on PLAYSTATION®Network ? a Gran Turismo first! 71 dream cars, High Definition graphics, new physics engine? and a TV channelTuesday March 11, 2008 ? Attention all driving fans!! One of the games industry?s most legendary titles is about to make its PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3?) debut! That?s right - the real driving simulator that?s already sold almost 50 million units is back. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Polyphony Digital are pleased to announce Gran Turismo 5 Prologue ?, a prequel title showcasing the forthcoming Gran Turismo? 5 for PS3, will be available both on Blu-ray Disc? (BD) on Wednesday 26 March for ?39.99 (RRP), and as a download from PLAYSTATION®Network on Thursday 27 March. Launching on the same day as the standalone BD version, a PS3 bundle will be available including a PS3 40GB model, a SIXAXIS? wireless controller and a Gran Turismo 5 Prologue game, all for just ?399 (RRP).Gran Tur...
More About: Running , Motor , Gran turismo

Digging Duffy's Dimples!
2008-03-09 20:18:00
Sitting pretty at number one in the Official UK Charts! The girl to watch in 2008 hit the stage at the Apple Store in London recently and knocked the onlookers nearly three decades back into soul heaven.Duffy's sassy, love-starved "Mercy" kicks off this four-track EP with her voice spiraling and rising up like a candy-coated Aretha Franklin. The meditative, nostalgic powerhouse of "Rockferry" finds a new vitality, moving beyond the loaded Phil Spector-isms of the studio version and firmly into the here and now.Duffy - Live from London (iTunes Exclusive) - EP"Rockferry" is the debut album from Duffy. Written and produced in collaboration with Bernard Butler, the album is a stunning showcase for her voice, which brings to mind such great singers as Dusty Springfield, Lulu and Sandie Shaw. Includes the singles "Rockferry" and 'Mercy".One Republic covered "Mercy" during a recent BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge session! Well worth listening to.

Kindle
2008-03-09 19:42:00
The Kindle Shop currently carries more than 100,000 books plus newspapers, magazines, and blogs. For your convenience, you can shop the Kindle Shop directly on Kindle or on your PC via Amazon.com. Either way, all titles are wirelessly delivered right to your Kindle for free. Amazon pays for the wireless delivery charges so you don’t have to. Buy a book and Amazon will auto-deliver it to you wirelessly in one minute.The Kindle Shop provides the same Amazon shopping experience you're used to, including customer reviews, personalized recommendations, 1-Click purchasing, and everyday low prices. Check the store often; we're adding new titles every day.BooksWhether you prefer biographies, classics, investment guides, thrillers, or sci-fi, thousands of your favorite books are available. The Kindle Shop offers more than 90 of 112 books currently found on the New York Times® Best Seller list and we’re adding more all the time. New York Times Best Sellers are $9.99, and you'll find m...

Mothering Sunday
2008-03-03 14:55:00
This is the first ever Mothering Sunday sans my mum! She died, last summer (link to obituary notice), under most tragic circumstances culminating in an out of court settlement with a NHS Foundation Trust Hospital! This post will not address medico-legal matters - they were reported, independently, in the online and offline press - but, instead, concentrates on my mother's enduring legacy...What follows is a transcript of my article, written for Lucerne House's The Home Front newsletter, regarding the inception of my mother's computer-based memorial (funded by donations from family, friends and business acquaintances).Margaret?s MemorialWritten by John HoodAt the start of January, Paul wrote to Robin, my dad, and me with the excellent suggestion that the donations, made to Lucerne House Care Centre, in memory of Margaret, my mum, be used to fund equipment for the computer room on Alphinbrook Unit!In view of my computer expertise, not only will I be able to provide input, with Paul...

Wii Got
2008-03-01 22:45:00
If, like me, you've patiently waited to buy another Nintendo Wii at £179.98! Fret no more!Nintendo's diminutive console is back in stock at the Wii Shop! Just in time for the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

Phil Harrison resigns from Sony
2008-02-25 12:57:00
SCE WORLDWIDE STUDIOS PRESIDENT PHIL HARRISON RESIGNSSCE Group CEO Kazuo Hirai Assumes ResponsibilitiesTokyo, February 25, 2008 ? Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced that Phil Harrison , President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCE WWS), will resign from Sony Computer Entertainment Group as of February 29, 2008. Kazuo Hirai, President and Group CEO of SCEI, will immediately assume responsibilities as president of SCE WWS, in addition to his current duties.Prior to the launch of the original PlayStation, Phil Harrison joined Sony Electronics Publishing, Ltd. in 1992, which later evolved into Sony computer Entertainment Europe, and since then, he has made a tremendous contribution to the company playing a strategic role in the launch of four PlayStation platforms, as well as building strong relationships with game developers and publishers throughout the world. Since his appointment to the position of president, SCE WWS, Harrison applied his consi...

Sky Non Plus
2008-02-24 17:22:00
For the last month I've had a persistent problem with sky+, which appears to be well documented on Digital Spy!Input 2 kept cutting out (irrespective of weather conditions and the south facing satellite dish has a clear line of sight), which resulted in innumerable failed recordings! I swapped over the cables and input 1 stopped working! So, clearly this was not a fault with the excellent Pace PVR3 box!After playing telephone ping pong with sky customer services, and threatening to cancel my subscription (for the umpteenth time), sky arranged for a contractor to visit gratis! He replaced my working Pace PVR3 with a brand new Thomson PVR3!I can now record two channels, but switching from standby the internal HDD boots up 'twice' and the 'technical fault' banner disappears following the second disc spin up! The Thomson also runs quite warm and noisily!

The Future is Blu
2008-02-21 00:21:00
It's "game over" for Toshiba's HD DVD format, thereby leaving 100,000 standalone HD DVD player owners (in the UK) with obsolete hardware. Conversely for those of us who've invested in Blu-ray, the future is most bright indeed! Put your Ray-Bans on...Sony's triumph illustrates that lessons were learnt, by the company, during the infamous Betamax Vs VHS war, which witnessed VHS' victory despite the superiority of Betamax! Admittedly the technological playing field was much more even, this time around, and Sony's marketing made all the difference. Lets face it, Blu-ray sounds so much cooler doesn't it?If you haven't made a decision on which Blu-ray hardware to purchase, it maybe worth noting the following, Sony's PlayStation 3 is the most future-proof Blu-ray player on the market!
More About: Future , The Future

Knight Rider
2008-02-19 21:47:00
This post was guest blogged by Nick Smith of The Scratching Post.I was looking forward to seeing the revamp of Knight Rider on NBC last night. I love driving my Ford Mustang, so I was quite happy with the make and model being used for the Knight Industries Three Thousand car (?KITT?). I was even willing to give Val Kilmer a go as the voice of KITT, and I thought a cameo by David Hasselhoff (from the original series) would be fun. The director had worked on Rome and Deadwood ? he had to be a smart cookie.I must confess, the hairs on the back of my neck prickled when the old Knight Rider theme began to play. But it was replaced within seconds by generic rock and from then on, the TV movie resembled a 2 hour car commercial: lots of shots of the tires, the windshield, the grille etc. No amount of fast cutting allowed for the fact that the director Steve Shill had forgotten to make the car chases exciting.Worse, the storyline was dull, formulaic American TV stuff; the leads were bland, w...

Toy Fair 2008 - Transformers Crossovers
2008-02-18 19:34:00
When Hasbro announced Marvel Transformers , I was sceptical, due, in part, to the scattergun success of Star Wars Transformers! Well, I'll be eating my own words, it seems, if these official images, from Toy Fair 2008 , are anything to go by!Iron Man and The Hulk have transitioned well into Hasbro's new Transformers Crossovers line (incorporating Marvel & Star Wars)!G.I. Joe can't be too far behind!

Transformers Crossovers
2008-02-17 20:16:00
When Hasbro announced Marvel Transformers , I was sceptical, due, in part, to the scattergun success of Star Wars Transformers! Well, I'll be eating my own words it seems!Iron Man and The Hulk have transitioned well into Hasbro's new Transformers Crossovers line (incorporating Marvel & Star Wars)!G.I. Joe can't be too far behind!

That "flat" feeling
2008-02-16 19:31:00
Last Friday I collected, following a 6 month wait, my new Ford C-MAX Titanium Sports! The delay was well worth it! Ford of Europe had ceased C-MAX production, midyear, to introduce a redesigned/re-engineered model boasting Ford of Europe's lauded "Kinetic design" philosophy coupled with subsidiary Volvo's world-renowned safety features! The build quality and road handling are exceptional! And, with a 2.0 engine, the C-MAX is no slouch!Fast forward one week. This morning a sheered bolt punctured the front passenger-side tyre as I drove behind Lloyds TSB Bank! Nursed the car to the dealership only to discover that they couldn't replace the tyre (due to contractual reasons)!I was referred to a well-known tyre specialist and, because the car is so new (requiring a specialist sports tyre), they didn't have a replacement in stock! Hopefully a new tyre will be delivered on Monday by the tyre company's mobile unit...
More About: Feeling , Flat

Be My Valentine
2008-02-14 22:53:00
Wishing my readers a memorable Valentine 's Day! Over to you Snoopy!

Marvel Transformers
2008-02-13 23:57:00
It was inevitable! In the wake of Star Wars Transformers , two great tastes that don't taste entirely great together, Hasbro has announced Marvel Transformers!*Venom/Jeep*Hulk/Tank*Iron Man/JetCould be interesting. What say you dear reader?

Mac OS X 10.5.2 released to the wild
2008-02-12 15:45:00
Tonight Apple released the most significant Mac OS X iterative update to date! Mac OS X 10.5.2.The 10.5.2 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac:Active Directory* Addresses issues which could hinder or prevent binding Mac OS X 10.5.x clients to Active Directory domains.AirPort* Improves connection reliability and stability* Includes 802.1X improvements* Resolves certain kernel panicsBack to my Mac* Adds support for more third-party routers, as detailed in this articleDashboard* Improves performance of certain Apple Dashboard widgets (such as Dictionary)* Addresses an issue in which Dashboard widgets may no longer be accessible after switching to or from an account that has Parental Controls enabledDock* Updates Stacks with a List view option, a Folder view option, and an updated background for Grid viewDesktop* Addresses legibility issues with the menu...
More About: Wild , Released

Pre-order New Apple iPod touch 32GB
2008-02-07 17:29:00
The iPod touch 32GB model arrives just in time for Valentine's Day!*Comes with the latest announced new software applications for the iPod touch*32GB flash drive*Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)*3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen multi-touch display*480-by-320-pixel resolution at 163 pixels per inch*Holds up to 7,000 songs in 128-Kbps AAC format*Holds up to 25,000 iPod-viewable photos*Holds up to 40 hours of videoMovies, music and moreListen to your favourite music. Watch video podcasts and music videos. Catch up on TV shows. Flick through photos. With iPod touch, you can bring it all along for the ride.The Internet in your pocketSurf the web and send email while walking down the street. Get directions, check the weather, follow stocks and more. With Wi-Fi, the Internet goes wherever you go.The increased capacity reaffirms my view that the iPod touch is a most viable proposition in the PDA space and knocks Sony's PSP back into a cocked hat!If you think it's too good a gift for your other half...
More About: Apple , Ipod , Touch , Order , Apple ipod

Building Buzz
2008-02-06 18:07:00
ebuzzingDan Levy wrote to draw my attention to a brand new online monitization platform called ebuzzing!ebuzzing allows bloggers to earn money writing about things they actually like.You browse ad campaigns posted by advertisers, create blog content discussing the things you genuinely wish to highlight and are paid for each article.Of greater interest to more well-established and influential blogs, ebuzzing also allow bloggers to define their own price-per-article and be approached directly by advertisers with bigger proposals.Whilst there's nothing particularly new or innovative about ebuzzing - the paid-for-blog post space is rapidly becoming overcrowded by the likes of ReviewMe - I am impressed by the branding, openness and transparency. Not only that, but their President is Pierre Chappaz, co-founder of Kelkoo. So, its principles and pedigree are assured.
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EasyWMV
2008-02-03 16:57:00
Since Apple decided to remove built-in third-party plug-in support from QuickTime, I've been dogged, like most Mac Users, with file format conversion trammels! Not any more!EasyWMV, a Universal binary, can be used to convert or resize wmv, asf, avi, mp4, mpg, mpeg, mov, m4v, flv, nsv, swf and vob video files so that they can be used with QuickTime Player, iPod and iPhone. EasyWMV has a very simple user interface, supports drag and drop as well as batch processing. EasyWMV can export video to mpeg and mpeg4 formats and can optimize videos for playback on iPod.Main Features:*Input formats: asf, avi, flv, m4v, mp4, mpg, mpeg, mov, nsv, swf, vob, wmv*Output formats: mp4, mpg*Manual or automatic audio bit rate selection from source (32-320kbps)*Video encoding up to 2.5mbit/s*Support H.264 encoding for mpeg4 video*Creates video for QuickTime, Apple TV, iPod, and iPhone*Batch processing*Optimized for multi-core and multi-processor systems*Drag & drop of files and folders*iTunes integr...

The Invisible Line
2008-02-01 11:28:00
UK electronic rock act Temposhark to release debut albumThe Invisible Line On March 25, UK electronic rock act Temposhark celebrates the North American release of its critically acclaimed debut album The Invisible Line. A massive hit on London?s Uber fashionable electro scene (Bjork, Placebo and Darren Hayes are notable fans), Temposhark creates a slick and sexy sound comprised of synthesised pop, underground electronica, angst rock and film score soundscapes.Two-time Grammy nominee Imogen Heap provides guest vocals on ?Not That Big? and helps to take this record to another dimension with her operatic harmonies. Diament and Heap sing this ?male vs. female? duet to create the ultimate anti-love song, loaded with heavy bass guitars and rock angst. Elsewhere, ?Knock Me Out? and ?Crime? (download link) are full of sexy electro sleaze while ?Little White Lie? is a darker, rockier number with razor sharp lyrics. Then there are beautifully crafted electronic ballads such as ?Battleships? an...

Skype Me on PSP
2008-01-30 14:32:00
PSP? (PlayStation®Portable) System Software Update Version 3.90 AnnouncedSkype ? communication features availableLondon, 30th January 2008 ? Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced the immediate availability of the latest system software update for PSP?(PlayStation®Portable). Version 3.90 will enable all owners of the new PSP Slim & Lite*(PSP 2000 series) to make and receive phone calls, adding a whole new raft of functionality, highlighting the true portability of PSP.Skype? is a simple to use piece of software that allows users to make free calls over the internet to other Skype users, anywhere in the world, whilst also having the ability to make paid for calls to traditional landline and mobile phones. With the addition of these functions, alongside the ability to send and receive voicemail to over 200 million Skype users worldwide, PSP can now claim to be a highly cost effective and accessible portable communications device, alongside its entertainment crede...

Hasbro Masterpiece Starscream needed!
2008-01-28 00:01:00
This is a request to my readers (also posted on Cloister Bell)!If you can help me procure Hasbro ?s G1 version of the amazing Masterpiece Starscream, for review, please use the contact form (right hand sidebar). You will, of course, receive a credit/link.Thank you in advance.

Shop@Panasonic
2008-01-26 22:23:00
For my birthday, last Wednesday, I received a Panasonic DMR-EZ47:*2-in1 DVD & VHS Combi*Full HD 1080p Up-Conversion*DVB-T Tuner and 7 Day EPG*HDMI with VIERA Link*Super Multi Format - Record and Play ALL DVD Formats*Super Easy GUI*Dual Layer Compatible*16X - R Compatible*DV-in*MP3, JPEG from -R*500 Line LP Mode*1 Sec Quick Start and Record*VHS to DVD Refresh DubbingUltimately, I decided that a built-in HDD was overkill! As it was my birthday, the sales person made the recorder multi-region and included a HDMI cable/DVD-R pack gratis! That puts Shop @Panasonic on a par with the Sony Centre for customer service.My various College and University video productions will be transfered from VHS to iTunes via this paradigm:VHS > DVD > HandBrake > iMovie > iTunes!Next month Apple will start shipping Time Capsule and my pre-order is in! Review to follow.Have a great weekend... I'll be clearing out clutter from the garage! It's surprising how much junk gets accumulated!

LEGO Skywalker
2008-01-26 22:03:00
This link was sent in by Dave (blogger and owner of BrickPlayer)! As someone who grew up playing with LEGO and Star Wars toys, I'd have done Dave a disservice by not giving props:Luke Skywalker LEGO SculptureDave's goal in creating BrickPlayer.com is to share information about: LEGO building projects, building tips/tricks, LEGO product/company news, and whatever other LEGO related topics come to mind. I wish him all the best with this endeavor and look forward to seeing more Star Wars characters and vehicles in the future!If you have an interesting blog post/link, that is relevant, to share with my readers, please e-mail me via the contact form (right hand sidebar).
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