Hyperwhelmed

[vc_row][vc_column][us_image image=”1377″ align=”center” size=”full” link=””][vc_column_text]Here we are again. A few days ago, Apple used a rather cosy venue on their own campus to unveil the latest iteration of the iPhone, the iPhone 4S. Stepping back from all the hype surrounding this release, the iPhone 4S is a predicable incremental, or Read more…

Farewell Steve Jobs

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/1″][us_image image=”1382″ size=”full” link=””][us_separator icon=”fab|apple” show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Midway though writing a blog entry about yesterday’s iPhone 4S launch, I’m struck with this totally unexpected news. Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple has passed away, aged 56. Steve, and the company he helped create, have been an inspiration to Read more…

Aperture 3.0

[vc_row][vc_column][us_image image=”991″ size=”full” link=”” onclick=”lightbox”][vc_column_text]I’ve long been a fan of Apple’s photograph management tool, Aperture, but it’s only in the last year – along with the purchase of a new iMac – that I’ve really started to use it as my primary tool for managing and processing my photographs.

For many years I was PC based, and was very happy using Adobe’s Lightroom (also now at version 3). Lightroom is very similar to Aperture in terms of functionality, and is a great tool for anyone already familiar with Adobe Photoshop, as the terminology used in the Develop module is identical.

However, I always looked longingly at Aperture’s clean, simple UI and envied it over Lightroom’s boxy, web-like interface. I understand the design choices made my Adobe when they created Lightroom, but for me it’s just ugly and industrial – and not at all the UI I want wrapped around my photographs as I work on them. Aperture was designed by Apple with the usual attention to detail, and as soon as I had the opportunity to switch I did. (more…)

iOS 4 and Google Calendars

Hi everyone! By far the most popular post on this blog has been my article on setting up iPhone 3.x to use Google Calendars (and in particular, multiple Google Calendars). I still get quite a lot of queries from people who seem to be jumping through all the hoops I outlined in that article. In short, both Apple and Google have added a number of features to both iOS4 and Google Sync that make the setting up of multiple Google calendars a lot easier.

[us_message type=”success”] UPDATE August 2011: I don’t seem to get multiple calendars working via this method any more – maybe it’s just me, but I did manage to get everything working by following the instructions below – but instead of selecting ‘GMail’, I set up a ‘Microsoft Exchange’ account just for my Google calendar (Tip: The server name is ‘m.google.com’). [/us_message]

iOS 4 (iPhone 4 and new iPod Touch)

First of all, if you’re using either an iPhone 4 or have upgraded your device to the new iOS4, setting up the calendars couldn’t be easier.

Simply follow these steps: (more…)

Does DRM fuel piracy?

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Picture this: I settle down one evening; set the lights low, open the LoveFilm envelope and drop the DVD into the player. Then I sit back with a notepad and pen, and take careful note of the things I am forbidden to do with this particular title. Then, because this is a Paramount title, I have to select a language … and wouldn’t you know it, “English” is on the very last page. At least my remote control is getting a work out…

OK, pen and paper at the ready again. My careful language selection has confirmed my country of origin, and therefore the laws unto which I am held … so some more legal jargon appears, apparently listing further things I must not do with this title. I’m beginning to feel sorry for those guys on the oil rigs – they always seems to get excluded at this point. There’s so much text on the screen, but they only ever seem to give you enough time to read the first sentence before the next slide appears. Of course, I could press pause – but oh no – they’re overridden every single button on my DVD remote at this point, so trying to press anything simply presents me with a friendly “FORBIDDEN!” message. Nice. I’m feeling all warm and cosy now. Does my movie start now? (more…)

Why I’m buying an Apple TV

[vc_row][vc_column][us_image image=”895″ align=”center” size=”full” link=””][vc_column_text]So then. Why am I buying an Apple TV? No, it’s not just because I’m an Apple fanboy who must own the very latest Apple gadgets – although I can’t deny there’s a small amount of that involved!

Actually, I already have an Apple TV, and I’ve been happily using it for several years now. The problem is that’s it’s getting a little long in the tooth; the fan and hard drive is noisy, and it’s recently started overheating which has made it unreliable to use as much as I’d like. At that time, Apple hadn’t given any hints they were reworking the Apple TV – in fact I, like many other Apple TV users, have felt a little abandoned by Apple with this particularly product. I started investigating hopeful alternatives such as Boxee and XBMC, both of which were available on a hacked Apple TV, but were better established on PCs and Linux boxes. Personally, I like XBMC for it’s functionality – but not much else. Boxee certainly has character, and has a nice clean look (until you start using the Apps!) – but it seemed like it was trying to do too much. All I really want is a way of using my iTunes content on my TV, with the ability to access additional content (such as rentals, iPlayer, etc).

Nothing really stuck, so I’ve ended up persevering with my Apple TV and it’s quirky problems. (more…)

Timelapse | Cowling Pinnacle

Some recent experiments with timelapse photography The first was taken from Cowling pinnacle (near Lund’s Tower), and is about 30 minutes of time passing in just 60 seconds. [vc_video link=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cNM3XDUlug”]   And in a slightly less picturesque setting, I shot a series of timelapse videos of my attempted repair of Read more…

The iPhone 3G Lives On!

A few months ago I made a decision: Whatever new ‘iPhone’ Apple reveals at WWDC, I’m not interested. I don’t have any money, and I’m perfectly happy with my iPhone 3G. My intentions were good, but unfortunately I got sucked in by Apple’s Reality Distortion Field along with everyone else. At one point I actually found myself welling up at the promotional video for the new iPhone 4’s Face Time feature; thinking to myself, “I need that.”.

Overheating Apple TV (Updated)

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I’ve had an Apple TV for a number of years now, but in the last 12 months I’ve noticed an increasing number of problems with graphical glitches – some pretty minor, such as the odd white pixel in the menu (shown above), up to the horrendous video playback problems like this:

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I’ve done quite a bit of experimentation, and the most obvious problem turns out to be the culprit: Heat. I’ve always thought my Apple TV (ATV) ran a little hot, but it seems to be notably hotter when the problems arise. None of this is very scientific, so I’ve set out to see if there’s a fix to this problem. (more…)