Creating Historical Photographs

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Andy Rush
Melchers Olde Tyme

Melchers Olde Tyme

As I and others are finding out, the iPhone 4 is a pretty spectacular digital still camera. One of the key differences with the iPhone is that there are applications (“apps”) that can enhance the capabilities of the handy little device. The iPhone comes standard with a camera app, but one that provides some pretty stunning functionality is Tap Tap Tap’s Camera +. It’s one of those take a picture and apply the filter type programs, but it works very well and provides loads of functionality that I’m just beginning to play with.

Camera + on iPhone

Camera + Effects

The picture at the top of this post, and the ones following, are using the effects (the grunge effect in this case) and the border (the one called Old-Timey) features.

Seeing the photos in this context makes me want to find the stories of these buildings. There are also the “flaws” of the modern day (bicycles, cars, modern signs) intruding on the historical accuracy, but it almost makes it fun to find those errors. Here are the rest.

Olde Tyme duPont

Olde Tyme duPont

Trinkle OT

Trinkle Olde Tyme

Seaco OT

Seacobeck Olde Tyme

Chandler OT

Chandler Olde Tyme

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It’s a Glif

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Andy Rush

IMG_0397

I got my Glif last week and haven’t used it yet, but I’m still excited about it. After I received it, I subsequently listened to three podcasts that mentioned what a great product it was. It’s nice to have affirmation that you made a smart purchase, especially one like the Glif. You could say it’s a little pricey (about $20), but that’s before you see what it does, and how well it is designed.

Oh right. What is a Glif? Well, on a basic level it is a tripod adapter for the iPhone. It form fits on the iPhone 4 to give you a standard tripod socket. However, because of its design, it can also be used as a stand for both horizontal and vertical orientation. It will be one of those handy gadgets I keep in my computer backpack for different occasions.
IMG_0401 IMG_0403 IMG_0404IMG_0402

Now it’s time to get some use out of this thing.

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Visions of Students Today

Posted on January 21, 2011 by Andy Rush

I’m getting back on my feet after a busy live-streaming week, and a bit of a hiatus from posting in this space. Anyway, here’s a quick post about an interesting follow-up to a great video from Michael Wesch’s Digital Ethnography project.

We’re working on a new video, tentatively titled “The Visions of Students Today.” We are hoping that a few students all over the world will be willing to show us how they see their world and how they learn.

The post giving the details is a call for submissions of a two-minute video of “critical learning moments” from the students perspective. Hoping some of the “ds106-ers” will see this and run with it.

Update: Here are the videos on YouTube tagged with vost2011.

Posted in Audio & Video, New Media, YouTube | Tagged | 1 Comment

Punch and Judy Show

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Andy Rush

Swanage Punch & Judy

This post is apropos of nothing, but Jim Groom’s The Shining commentary got me interested in Punch and Judy after what might have been a throw away comment at the end of his analysis. Of course, I loved that he was talking about what is probably MY favorite movie. And I must admit I love the “labor” theme that Jim talks about. I think many times about that fine line between how much work and play I do. My DTLT colleagues cut a little close to the bone sometimes as well when they make jokes about my work ethic (such as it is).

The Punch and Judy reference also reminded me of one of my favorite bands songs, Punch and Judy, an obscure one by XTC. It’s a song about a couple who are married and a baby comes along to ruin the potential dreams of the father, which leads to violent behavior. Sound familiar? Maybe that resentment is the key to Jack Torrence’s violent behavior. Don’t worry I’m not going to take this very far, but watching the build up to extreme violence in The Shining does expose Jack’s simmering hatred for his responsibilities.

Again, not related seemingly is the knowledge that all Punch and Judy shows used a device called a swazzle that changed the “Professor’s” voice. It was a “reed” that was placed deep in the throat to make Punch sound more, well, frantic and annoying. It is interesting to me that before violent video games and violent cartoons before that, Punch and Judy shows have existed for over 300 years and probably at various times they have been blamed for encouraging violence in our society.

Finally, my last disconnected thought is of my first exposure to a Punch and Judy show was from one of my favorite Marx Brother’s films Monkey Business. Harpo is a stowaway on a ship along with his brothers and hides from the authorities by playing Punch in the puppet show. The annoying, and yet funny sound of his voice was obviously changed using a swazzle of some sort. Thanks Jim for conjuring up all these thoughts and leading me to greater knowledge!

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The Not Ready for Prime Time HTML5 Players

Posted on October 12, 2010 by Andy Rush

CoversHTML5 video is taking over the world! It’s just that the world isn’t ready for it yet. Flash has powered both good and bad websites for years now, but video publishing has been democratized by the ability of anyone to publish their content by embedding a Flash player into a blog post or a web page. Shoot your video, upload it to YouTube, and publish. Simple.

And now, the downsides. Flash is a plugin in a web browser, which needs to be installed – and updated on a regular basis. The other downside? It doesn’t work on iThings – iPods, iPhones, iPads. Flash is having it’s performance problems on other mobile devices, and it doesn’t seem to be that Apple is just making it up.

So how does this all clear the way for HTML5 video? What is HTML5 anyway? The what is it question is answered by a very informative website called Dive Into HTML5 by Mark Pilgrim. HTML5 is (the shortened description) a specification about how components work in a web page, but they include fancy new capabilities like animation and video, and more interaction – you know, like Flash – but without the plugin. It does it natively with whatever browser you have, as long as the browser supports the capabilities. It’s why HTML5 is not quite ready for prime time yet. Not all the browsers fully support it. The Internet Explorer browsers have been particularly slow to adopt it, though IE9 will make up quite a bit of the distance that its predecessors left it.

HTML5 video is being adopted more quickly that the other HTML5 bits because of the Flash deficiencies mentioned previously. However, the browser support issue needs to be dealt with. A common way forward is to program for the HTML5 video and then have a “fallback” plan in case it isn’t supported in the browser. In other words program so that Flash kicks in if there is no HTML5 video support. Do a search for “html5 flash fallback” and you get a bucket load of procedures.

Now this is where you should be shouting, “You’re doing it all wrong!” Why? Because the HTML5 support is immature, and it shows. The built in players just don’t have the functionality of the Flash players. Use the same search terms for falling back to HTML5 and you get much less information. But that’s how it should be done. Look, Flash works great in the modern web browsers because it has been around for so long. It has years of development on its side. So use it. Then if your device doesn’t support Flash (I’m looking at you iPhone and iPad), fall back to HTML5. A great tutorial by Lee Brimelow shows you how it’s done.

A word of caution is that the HTML5 fallback works for standard web pages, but it gets tricky to make it work in a WordPress installation. Luckily there is a nice plugin for that. Rodrigo Violante has created the HTML5 and Flash Video Player plugin which allows that Flash player with HTML5 fallback functionality, and it works like a charm. It should be noted that sites like YouTube and Vimeo are also using a Flash interface, but support for the iDevices is there as well (you need a Vimeo “Plus” account for their mobile, non-iPad, support). However, keep in mind – it’s still early. We’re still in the dress rehearsal phase.


Posted in Audio & Video, umwnewmedia | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Super Happy Fun YouTube Downloader

Posted on September 14, 2010 by Andy Rush

fast_youtube_download

A while ago I mentioned a cool program that could download and convert YouTube videos. It was a Mac only program called Evom. I lamented that I wished there was an easy program for Windows that could do what Evom did. Well, it’s here in the form of Fastest YouTube Downloader. I know, what a great name ;-)

It’s not quite the drag and drop goodness of Evom on the Mac, but it lives up to its name. IT IS FAST. Almost magically so (you hear that Apple?). There is also a version for the Mac, so this might be that elusive cross-platform beauty I’ve been looking for. It does what you expect, and after downloading the video, gives you a wide selection of files types to convert to – including MP3 audio files. I’m putting it through its paces, but it looks like a good one. The creators even have a quick video for further enticement.

Posted in Audio & Video, YouTube | 2 Comments

Let the HTML5 Party Begin

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Andy Rush

HTML5 fist, after A List ApartI have a feeling that I am going to be writing a few articles/posts about HTML5 in the next few weeks and months. Mostly because we’re starting to see some real cool stuff being built with it. I, of course, will concentrate on the new video capabilities, but if you want to Dive Into HTML5, you certainly can. I talked at the Summer NMC Conference this year about HTML5 video. The video and resources are posted on the Digital Media Cookbook site. Apple has made this a battle against Flash, which they claim (and there is evidence for) is quite processor intensive. Hence, there is no Flash on iPhones and iPads. When and if Adobe can create an optimized version for the mobile processors, you may see enough pressure to allow Flash on these devices. Don’t hold your breath. If there’s one thing Apple likes, it’s controlling as much of the technology as possible. If HTML5 can do as much as Flash, they will give it all of their resources to make it come out on top.

Today Apple has an event introducing their new iPod lineup. Included in the iPod lineup is the Apple TV device which as many people are reporting is due for an update today. While this will be a media based device, it could also function as an iPad for your TV. Especially if the rumors are correct that it will run the iOS that the iPhone and iPad share. So it might be possible that the Apple TV could be an HTML5 delivery device. The iLife software is due for an update, so instead of iDVD being updated, there could be an HTML5 creation app. It’s less than 2 hours from now, so we’ll see soon enough. I would like Apple to support this open standard, and make it easy for the average person to create content for these devices. I’d love to see a mix of Netflix, network television, and user-generated content playable on these devices. A guy can dream right?

Flickr photo by justinsomnia


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Flex Your Plex

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Andy Rush

2010-08-30_2234There is a big event coming soon that has to do with Apple and TV’s, and the unveiling is just hours away now. No, it’s not Apple’s music/media event with an anticipated new iTV device, it is the release at midnight August 31 of the new Plex Media Center. I’m a long way from Media Center 1.0, and have long since given up on Windows based home theater PC’s. I have been using a Mac Mini for over a year now and have used different media center software like Front Row (which comes with Macs, but is limited), and for a while, Boxee. But, I found that Boxee was just too clunky. I discovered Plex and liked it. It was updated a couple times and I liked it even more. It was missing a good media manager feature (which most media center software is missing). Back in May there was a sneak peak at code name Alexandria with…media management. Three and a half months later, it’s ready to go.

Now, they call it Plex/Nine, but it is actually version 0.9, so it’s still beta software. I do use it often and it’s the least frustrating media center software I’ve used. So besides media management, what do you get? First, it will read all of your movie files. That includes all my Handbrake ripped movies as well as the “raw” DVD rips of my video library. It seamlessly merges both types of files from a single directory and gives you a clean, attractive interface to view your collection. You also get the ability to watch your Netflix Instant Watch queue, view your Flickr photos, view YouTube videos, play your iTunes music, videos, and podcasts, along with many more services. It even plays my old catalog of DivX videos.

So the anticipation is killing me. I do have some anticipation for the Apple TV device and will be curious if they deliver a $99 device that has similar capabilities to Plex. I find it interesting where we are in computer history. We still have the HTPC/Media Center PC and then several set-top box media devices such as the Apple TV, Roku, Popbox, the Western Digital TV Media Players, and many more. It is similar to the market for traditional desktop/laptops and tablet(iPad)/netbooks. What’s going to be the best combination of features? The appified box (will Apple TV be iOS 4? Seems almost certain) vs. the full on OS box. To me the iPad et. al., and the iTV et. al. are just new markets in the computer world. How it all shakes out will be interesting. It definitely needs a good shake.


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Evom. Is it Mov(i)e backwards?

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Andy Rush

Stormie Steve Does HomeworkFlickr photo by ShellyS

Welcome to the new school year. I’m still shaking my head about where the summer went. I’m also still grinding gears from vacation last week, but despite those issues, I’m very excited about 2010/11 at UMW. While perusing my RSS feed today, Lifehacker reminded me about Evom, a Mac only (sorry) video converter that is super slick and easy. If it were on the PC it could be the one program I would recommend to do a myriad of tasks.

Evom window
Evom comes from a company called Little App Factory, makers of the Mac DVD ripping software RipIt! I don’t know where the name Evom came from, but the program works great. It converts many types of videos, and uses the ffmpeg engine to perform its magic. The beauty of the program is the ease in which it gets video into the right configuration for Apple devices. You drag a file from your hard drive into the interface and you get asked which device you want to prepare the file for.

Evom convert
Choosing the iTunes or iPod buttons gives you the option convert the video, or to ditch the video and just save as an MP3 audio file, so it’s handy for ripping audio from video files. You can also prepare videos for an Apple TV (and therefore iPad), or for uploading to YouTube. It’ll even take care of the uploading part (supply your YouTube credentials). You also have the option to simply save the file to a folder anywhere on your computer.

OK. So lots of converters do similar things to Evom. Big deal. Well, for me the big deal is that it can also convert videos that are ON YouTube. If you’re using Safari or Firefox, simply drag the YouTube link from the address bar to the Evom window, and then choose your destination. The downloading and conversion can take a while, depending on connection speed, length of the video, etc., but it all happens in the background. So it’s YouTube to iPod, or iPhone, or iPad, or Apple TV, or to PowerPoint or Keynote, in minimal steps.

One wrench in the works, and it’s not Evom’s fault, is that the Google Chrome browser doesn’t allow the dragging of links into the Evom window. I don’t know what prevents this, but there’s a simple solution. Simply copy the link, with a Command-c shortcut, or by clicking the Edit menu and Copy, then paste the link into Evom (use Command-p or choose Edit>Paste in Evom). Since Google Chrome still does not have a YouTube downloader extension, this is a great solution for grabbing those videos.

One final word about Evom. It’s free!

I know.

You’re welcome.

Standard disclaimer about grabbing YouTube videos or ripping audio from files. Remember there are copyright issues.


Posted in Audio & Video, umwnewmedia | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Why the iPhone antenna issue is somewhat important

Posted on July 16, 2010 by Andy Rush

“Oh no, not another iPhone post, please.” OK, but hear me out just one last time.

Apple is holding a press conference today. No one knows exactly what they are going to say, who is going to say it, or whether people will be satisfied with what they say, but it’s a big deal in the technology world. The iPhone 4′s antenna issues have been documented. Experts are saying there will be a recall. I personally don’t think the issue warrants it. But why is this a big story?

I believe it is because of what this device is. It’s a computer. It’s not a phone, or just a phone. As I and others have said, sometimes a dropped call is a good thing. I use my iPhone for so much more than calling people, which at this time in history is becoming quaint. The iPhone 4 compares to a Mac from 2000 – AND it fits in your pocket! The power of these devices is only accelerating. I’ve long said that these devices will be our main computers. We’ll carry them to do certain tasks, and then dock them to do tasks that require more monitor space.

Look at where we are. It’s a device that fits in your pocket. It turns on instantly. It connects wirelessly to the Internet (in two ways). I has a built in still and video camera. It can triangulate where you are in the world. It has a 32GB hard drive with no moving parts. An on and on. I think sometimes we miss the revolution that it is. Still, it is a device, made by a company. There are other companies that make similar devices. It’s the computer wars of the early 90′s all over again, with some different players. It is still a big deal, in terms of technology and in terms of communication.

Yes, Apple thinks different. They don’t always think right. While most other companies have evolved their online presence to include things like Twitter and/or Facebook and have openly shared any issues and bugs with an online community, Apple has not. That’s what I want to see change today, or at least start to change. They may think they don’t need to. They may think they are successful because they don’t have that open presence. I believe that if they continue to be closed, it will be self-destructive. There are many who enable this closed attitude – its fans, journalists, and customers themselves. However, Apple is getting more popular and with that will come increasing demands that they be more open, or at least more honest.

Apple’s latest issue with the antenna is not a big deal. It is an issue on a lot of cell phones including previous iPhones (like the 3G in my video above). They can do minimal things to make it right, like give people a free bumper and improve the software that displays signal strength. The reason that they need to change their software at all is because they made it so that the signal would look better than it really was. It was all about the bars (thanks AT&T you have some culpability in this too). Now it’s time to be honest. Stop with the lofty talk. It’s one thing to try to make superior products. It’s another to act superior. Please, no more Jony Ive videos. He’s a great designer, but those videos now couldn’t look any more phony (no pun intended). Let’s have just a wee bit more REAL.


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