I got home last night, fired up the laptop and installed a Bluetooth adapter (which took longer than Windows to install... why is that?!) to link my Wiimote to the PC.

Within a few minutes I had managed to create a link between the PC and the Nintendo Wii remote, downloaded the software from here and was up and running.

Ok, I looked like a fool dancing around my room holding my Wii sensor bar to my forehead, but the 3d effect produced on the tiny screen was truly awesome! And well worth the effort.

Next steps:

1 – Link the laptop to the big TV to enhance the effect (need to by a VGA to Composite lead)

2 – Get hold of some Infrared LEDs, a pair of safety glasses, some glue, a battery and other electronic bits to make the head tracking device (or HTD from now on – I’m doing this properly after all!!)

3 – Create a 3D program that I can interact with, utilizing the power of the PC and the interaction made available by the HTD*

So I have a wireless Wii Sensor bar coming in the post from Amazon (I see this as the easiest way of getting the bits I need...) which should arrive tomorrow!

The only question left is what am I going to do with it once I have it all set up?

Answers on a postcard to the usual address!

Al

*er... I should probably learn how to write C# to do all this too!

 

It’s very rare for me to have a proper geekgasm, but this guy really ignites my inner nerd! So much so I have purchased a Bluetooth adapter and will be linking my Wiimote to my PC at home!

Here is another great use of cheap technology to answer a usually expensive need:

 

Maybe we could do this in our conference room?

Alastair

It would seem it's human nature not to leave things alone. We will take something designed for one role and use it for something completely different. This emergent use of technology creates some unique and unusual uses of existing objects. Take a look at what you can do with a Nintendo Wiimote:

 

I think I might give this a go when I get home! If I do I’ll post some videos of my results!

Alastair

 

Why is blogging so hard? We all have so much to say and yet can't find the time to say it!

I guess it's better to be too busy to blog that have nothing but blogging to do!

Oh, and Happy New Year!

Alastair

Going back to what Richard said a couple of weeks ago regarding new media phrases it is strange how new words spring up from the technological world.

Phrases like "Pwned" come from typos. Others, like LOL (Laugh Out Loud), BRB (Be Right Back), IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) etc come from the need to express yourself quickly online.

But some phrases surprise even me!

Check here for some unusual software terms!

Alastair

 

Having recently been commissioned to produce an online, touchy feely brochure for one of our clients, I am encouraged to see so many 'Digital Editions' going live this week.

Both New Media Age and DDR magazine (Digital Display for Retail) have now embraced this technology, and more and more corporates and publishers are buying into the concept, Microsoft, VW, Ikea, 3M,

The premise is simple, provide the user with a a tactile and familiar alternative to the real thing, with the added benefits of video, hyperlinks and searchability to name but a few.

There are two leaders in this technology, Zmag and Ceros.  Both are similar in many ways but the Zmag solution tips the balance for me with the CMS engine that drives the digital editions.

The core technology behind the scenes is Flash, and the orginal master of the page turning arena was Pageflip, you can download the FLA source for free.  I seem to remember doing this about five years ago and having lots of fun.

It's great to see the technology being embraced at last. Check out the DDR example below.

Richard Lawrence

A company seeks to resolve the "occlusion problem" in touch screen interfaces.  LucidTouch demonstrates a working multi-point and multi-surface interface, whilst currently bulky could suggest the a direction that we may be heading towards, with new interfaces and design.

More, including a video here.

- Scott

This is too funny

It is very easy to presume that when a new media agency refers to a client stuff  like a ''Sitemap'', ''Mockup'', ''Walkthrough'', ''Storyboard'', ''Draft'', ''Beta'', ''Pilot'', ''Demo'', ''GANTT'' etc etc that the client knows what you are talking about, there is a language designers and developers use that is simply not in their vocabulary.

This terminology also differs from agency to agency, for example I don't use the term ''Colourways'' or ''Swatch'' to describe what I would call a ''Palette'' or ''Corporate Colours''.

Often the terms used on new media projects are an essential part of a design or development process so if their is any mis-understanding as to what they mean this can have dire consequences.

In addition to to the non-technical terms you can add to the mix the Technical acronymns, the Software and File formats that are regularly added to such as ''CMS'',  ''LMS'', ''.NET'', ''W3C'', "PSD", "FLA", "SWF", "FLV", the list is endless. 

Basically, don't presume that a client understands the term or the process that you have labelled, explain it thoroughly and ensure that the client is on board, be willing to educate the client in a non-technical, non-patronising way (unless they are really really stupid in which case good luck to you!)

Richard

It seems record label Sony-BMG have once again put their foot in their mouth over Digital Rights Management.

 

Not content with stealth installs of their rootkit DRM software that leaves users' PCs vulnerable, they now hope to make it illegal to rip a CD. Yes, that’s right, the CD you paid for and own is not yours to transfer to your PC or iPod to enjoy on the move. Oh no, that would be stealing according to Sony-BMG chief laywer Jennifer Pariser.

 

As tech.co.uk report, Pariser was giving evidence in a US legal case involving Capitol Records v. Jammie Thomas where she stated: "When an individual makes a copy of a song for himself, I suppose we can say he stole a song. [Making a copy of a purchased song is just] a nice way of saying 'steals just one copy'."

 

I’m sure the accountants at Sony-BMG are rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of consumers having to pay again for a digital version of what we already own. Well, much as I'd hate to disappoint poor Ms Pariser and her accountant friends, there’s this small thing called the digital age that they might have noticed. The very concept of digital content is its versatility, flexibility and portability that allows us to enjoy it where, when and how we like. I would not buy music that only played in my car for example. Equally I would not buy a book or magazine I can only read in my house.

 

As a developer I can see the need to protect intellectual property from unauthorised exploitation or theft. However, this could have been achieved by a workable system of DRM, with appropriate licensing of portable copies for consumers who simply want to enjoy what they’ve paid for. The sad truth is that record labels where late to the digital party so now they’re screaming and stamping their feet in the corner when things don't go their way.

 

What the whole thing serves to highlight is the desperate need for new legislation to protect the rights of the consumer. In the US ‘fair use’ legislation has in the past been held up in defense of backup copies of digital media, but in the UK our legislation is woefully archaic. Wary of impeding private enterprise and seemingly unsure in technological matters, the UK government has failed to produce anything meaningful to address copyright in the digital age. With the Internet and new technologies driving the growth of portable, on-demand content this issue is too important to be left in the hands of big business. Sony-BMG will just have to forgive me if I don’t throw out my iPod just yet.

Nick Welch