tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68359208556861845982024-03-14T03:35:29.352-07:00Media in a digital worldAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-52625467780439240292016-07-20T05:12:00.006-07:002016-07-20T05:12:59.749-07:003 cool uses for Scrivener<a href="http://literatureandlatte.com/scrivener_ios.php">Scrivener for iOS</a> is finally out so here are 3 ways - other than for novel writing - that it has become a vital tool for me.<br />
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<b>1. Collating articles</b><br />
A .scriv file is a wonderful way to collect and archive articles, whether older ones or current articles. You can drag in Word docs and text files and it stores them all as .rtf documents. It's quick to flick back and forth between different items, and search words and phrases.<br />
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<b>2. Client projects</b><br />
I create a .scriv for each client I work with. This enables me to collate briefs, written work and any background research and information, as well as correspondence and teleconference notes. It's so much easier having it all in one place, rather than as a desktop folder with a range of different items inside it.<br />
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<b>3. Collecting & compiling</b><br />
Recipes, poems, information, snippets: you can aggregate whatever text files you like inside a .scriv - even images (in the Research section). This makes it easy to export a specific set of recipes, for example, as an eBook or pdf, selecting only those you want to export.<br />
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In summary, Scrivener works just as well as a filing and easy (multiple type) document viewing solution as it does as writing software. It will be the best 45 bucks you ever spend.<br />
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Even if you decide not to buy it after the free demo expires, you can still access your files. They're bundled inside the .scriv (you can just Unpack it) as .rtf files. You won't lose anything.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-70743758110093528372014-04-14T18:43:00.001-07:002014-04-14T18:43:34.634-07:0015 *GENUINELY* free stock image sourcesPutting this list together because a search for "free stock photos" always turns up a load of sites that are mainly or entirely payware/premium, or you only get a couple of free images per month.<br />
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Bear in mind that even where credits aren't required, they're usually still appreciated.<br />
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<b>Totally 100% free photos</b><br />
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<a href="http://unsplash.com/">Unsplash.com</a><br />
Beautiful, artistic high-res images that are totally free to use. Lots of nature shots and roads, but a few objects and people as well. Perfect for the cover of that novel you always meant to write.<br />
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<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page">Wikimedia Commons</a><br />
20 million images free for reuse, and you can add your own.<br />
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<a href="http://imagebase.net/">Imagebase.net</a><br />
"Absolutely free photos" (and they are) with helpful categories to get you started.<br />
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<a href="http://unprofound.com/">Unprofound.com</a><br />
Has a helpful "search by colour" feature.<br />
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<a href="http://picjumbo.com/">PicJumbo.com</a><br />
High quality, artistic images, also accepts submissions.<br />
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<b>Free photos but beware the premium pics ads</b><br />
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<a href="http://pixabay.com/">Pixabay.com</a><br />
A wide range of free stock photos and illustrations: if you upload ten of your own photos (may as well do something with all those scenic holiday shots languishing on your hard drive) you won't see any adverts for paid sites.<br />
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<a href="http://freerangestock.com/">Freerangestock.com</a><br />
This has an enormous amount of free images, with the usual premium photos bar.<br />
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<a href="http://morguefile.com/">Morguefile.com</a><br />
Big range of totally free photos, also has tabs to premium sites.<br />
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<a href="http://stockvault.net/">Stockvault.net</a><br />
Scroll down because the top hits are premium ones.<br />
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<a href="http://rgbstock.com/">RGBstock.com</a><br />
Huge amount of free images between premium bars.<br />
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<b>Free photos that require attribution</b><br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/">Flickr: Creative Commons</a><br />
These images do have various licenses but are free to use in many circumstances.<br />
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<a href="http://500px.com/creativecommons">500px.com: Creative Commons</a><br />
Huge range of creative commons pics with various licence levels.<br />
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1016&bih=764&q=apple&oq=apple&gs_l=img.3..0l10.6735.7269.0.7397.5.5.0.0.0.0.105.225.3j1.4.0....0...1ac.1.41.img..2.3.160.EjZIEPWeIQ4#q=apple&tbm=isch&tbs=sur:fc">Google Images</a><br />
Click Search Tools -> Usage Rights -> Labeled for reuse (or the usage of your choice), as Google is an Aggregator the exact rights of these images may vary.<br />
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<a href="http://freeimages.com/">Freeimages.com</a>/<a href="http://sxc.hu/">Stock.Xchng</a><br />
Wide range of photos, some require credits.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imcreator.com/free">IM Free</a><br />
Also has website templates, good range of artistic images.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-66346120771582668552013-10-14T14:47:00.000-07:002013-10-14T14:47:16.494-07:00No more waiting around for parcels to arrive. No more rushing to the post office and queuing up with a "misssed delivery" slip.<br />
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With drones, you can get packages delivered to your exact location, within minutes. They target the location of your smartphone, via GPS, so even if you walk down the road they'll still find you.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/76606906" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <a href="http://vimeo.com/76606906">Flirtey Zookal flight</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-58632270453177309102013-09-12T06:11:00.003-07:002013-09-25T05:18:29.817-07:006 ways personal data tracking is getting easierAutomation is key with personal analytics, because people are too busy and too lazy to self-record everything, despite increasing numbers of mobile apps trying to make it easier.<br />
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Actively self-tracking also introduces errors and reporting bias. You're more likely to remember recording your mood when you're miserable than when you're neutral, or slightly happy. Here's how it will get easier:<br />
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<b>1. Ubiquitous sensors</b><br />
The Internet of Things will be busy learning about you. Expect a deluge of sensors in every home and every object. Your phone already collates data on when and where you travel, expect your car and GPS to do likewise.<br />
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<b>2. Wearable computers</b><br />
Google Glass and its rivals have a key role to play, even more so when they can reliably interpret commands given through brainwaves.<br />
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<b>3. "Old skool" devices</b><br />
Pedometers, heart rate monitors, sleep monitors and others will get increasingly connected, transmitting data automatically, in realtime, much like the <a href="http://www.fitbit.com/">FitBit</a>.<br />
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<b>4. Social mining</b><br />
Social media networks are already gathering up vast realms of data on users, the next step is grabbing this yourself and taking a look. <a href="http://givememydata.com/">Give Me My Data</a>, which lets you extract and visualise your existing Facebook data.<br />
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<b>5. Smart meters</b><br />
Already going into homes, the same meter that helps you use energy more efficiently will also be able to tell you about your life: when you're up, how often you cook, how much longer you shower when it's cold.<br />
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<b>6. Data interfacing</b><br />
<a href="https://www.mint.com/">Mint</a> grabs data from your different financial accounts, so there's no need to add it separately. Similarly you authorise various apps to automatically mine and analyse your Facebook data, or your Google history.<br />
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So you've discovered that you sleep longer after eating tomatoes, that your mood is higher when you've seen more yellow, and that you drive faster on days you send less tweets. The question then is what do you do with all these insights?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-86361341529658045262013-09-12T06:08:00.000-07:002013-09-12T06:08:33.485-07:00Personal analytics: tracking yourselfMajor technology trends these days tend to lead from the ground up. Consumer adoption is followed by corporate adoption. iPads arrived in the living room long before tablets appeared in the office.
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So what about big data? Will personal analytics end up driving BI?
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<a href="http://www.wolframalpha.com/">Wolfram Alpha</a> creator Stephen Wolfram has <a href="http://blog.stephenwolfram.com/2012/03/the-personal-analytics-of-my-life/">experimented</a> with this, but given his PhD in Particle Physics he's hardly a layperson.
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To what extent, then, are we seeing regular individuals tracking different data sets in their lives, and analysing them? Here are some interesting ways:
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<b>1. Diet & fitness</b><br />
<a href="http://www.fitday.com/">FitDay</a> records nutritional intake, activity, mood and custom data, and spits out charts showing nutrient deficiencies or calories vs mood.<br />
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<b>2. Conception</b><br />
<a href="http://www.fertilityfriend.com/">Fertility Friend</a> allows women to compare and overlay menstrual cycles with those of thousands of other women, to analyse why they may be struggling to conceive.<br />
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<b>3. Infant care</b><br />
Numerous apps, like <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/ibabylog-baby-breastfeeding/id466576348?mt=8">iBaby Log</a>, help new parents capture and analyse information about their newborns, to figure out correlations between feeding and sleep.<br />
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<b>4. Happiness</b><br />
<a href="http://moodpanda.com/">MoodPanda</a> records and creates a graph of your mood, which you can compare against the entire world's mood, or the mood of your geographic area.<br />
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<b>5. Money</b><br />
<a href="https://www.mint.com/">Mint</a> pulls in information from different financial accounts, and graphs how much you are spending in different categories at different times.<br />
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If you're interested in turning your own life into a graph, try these sites:
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<a href="http://personalinformatics.org/">Personal Informatics</a><br />
<a href="http://measuredme.com/category/personal-analytics/">Measured Me</a><br />
<a href="http://your.flowingdata.com/">your.flowingdata (YFD)</a><br />
<a href="http://owenmundy.com/blog/2011/07/12-apps-to-track-share-and-visualize-personal-data/">12 apps to track, share and visualise peronal data</a>
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<a href="http://www.wolframalpha.com/facebook/">Wolfram Alpha Personal Analytics for Facebook</a><br />
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What will really propel the wider use of personal analytics is ease of capture: making the data collection effortless.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-1021937859494448102013-04-17T18:50:00.001-07:002013-04-17T18:50:57.229-07:00How to make love to the cameraSo you want to make a video, but you're more George Constanza than George Clooney?
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There are quite a few tricks that can help you maximise your attributes and minimise your flaws.
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Ultimately it's about having personality and confidence and letting that shine through.
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But the camera can also lie for you a bit - <a href="http://www.savvysme.com.au/article/379-how-to-make-love-to-the-camera">here's how.</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-88552437596680708302013-04-07T19:15:00.000-07:002013-04-07T19:15:21.640-07:00Seven ways to create easy, affordable videoIf you want to do more with video but have limited resources, here are seven options you can try - even for free:<BR><BR>
<a href="http://www.savvysme.com.au/article/353-7-clever-ways-to-create-video-for-free">From slideshows to event promos - see all seven on SavvySME</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-30442489539917452852012-12-15T03:34:00.000-08:002012-12-15T03:34:07.139-08:00When does online video work?Tim at Mumbrella asks whether <a href="http://mumbrella.com.au/is-journalisms-final-frontier-online-video-126771">online vide is journalism’s final frontier</a>? He claims there is no definite rulebook as to what works.<BR><BR>
The key question - in fact the only question - that needs to be asked is WHY would someone want to watch a video rather than read a transcript or short article with photo(s)?<BR><BR>
1. Is it incredibly funny or astoundingly cute visually for at least several seconds?<BR>
2. Is it someone so famous/beautiful/sexy that people want to watch them rather than just read their words?<BR>
3. Is there an interaction/reaction that cannot easily or as satisfactorily be transcribed?<BR>
4. Is it an astounding, amazing, spectacular moving sight?<BR>
5. Is it a beautifully crafted and edited piece of moving, and/or musical, visual art?<BR>
6. Is it a phenomenal piece of history?<BR><BR>
Another way to look at it is <i>"no one needs to hear a policeman speak"</i>. Unless he has no clothes, green skin or matinée idol looks, I don’t wish to watch his verbal statement to media, I’m quite happy to read it.<BR><BR>
If photos can convey what your video can convey, then use photos (try a slideshow).<BR><BR>
Video is never worth it just for the sake of it.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-5157952192034480342012-12-10T16:38:00.001-08:002012-12-10T16:38:44.035-08:004 great graphics apps for businessGet creative while giving your business ultimate visual appeal. These days you don’t need to be a professional photographer or graphic designer to add some colour and visual buzz to your business. These are some apps that are easy and enjoyable to use, and could give extra appeal to your website or social media feed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLO41uSEZ05Fl4fQ2RLb40HrGdFZ03BSomH39YIWSypt5cNOkt1hWSqxt-n-CvFBptbWo5mfRfHL9Yja5e5CJkFxUVpjfKInCwJMwEPFgZH21XZyR6lFhcdltAjTTphyphenhyphenwE8Q_eJW0Jesx/s1600/photosynth.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="65" width="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLO41uSEZ05Fl4fQ2RLb40HrGdFZ03BSomH39YIWSypt5cNOkt1hWSqxt-n-CvFBptbWo5mfRfHL9Yja5e5CJkFxUVpjfKInCwJMwEPFgZH21XZyR6lFhcdltAjTTphyphenhyphenwE8Q_eJW0Jesx/s320/photosynth.png" /></a></div>
<b>Photosynth</b><br />
<i>Windows Phone, iOS</i><br />
This brilliant, free app from Microsoft Labs allow you to easily turn digital photos into 3D panoramas. All you need is a camera smartphone and you can quickly create spectacular, useful scenes that can be uploaded and shared from <a href="http://photosynth.net/">Photosynth.net</a>. Microsoft allows 20GB of storage - even for commercial use. Photosynths are ideal for businesses that need to show off locations, such as the real estate or hospitality industries. <br />
<b>Suggestion:</b> use it when checking out venues or recording the progress of a building development. <a href="http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=fd84ce4c-c4ef-4339-911c-bc561584fb6f">example</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg582-p8jYB6iTFiqT8VuBj9u_cKlS8RgGfY7t48FUZQ1CvarvM9A0w21RHfvsOpWCKlCGdKIK68BThq0BiWuhPQ_8wuCouxCouWtx_HKMvGotJRdmLgBtIG3Eaboda7PUTbMu9UZd0wpqF/s1600/cinemagram.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:0em"><img border="0" height="65" width="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg582-p8jYB6iTFiqT8VuBj9u_cKlS8RgGfY7t48FUZQ1CvarvM9A0w21RHfvsOpWCKlCGdKIK68BThq0BiWuhPQ_8wuCouxCouWtx_HKMvGotJRdmLgBtIG3Eaboda7PUTbMu9UZd0wpqF/s320/cinemagram.png" /></a></div><b>Cinemagram</b><br />
<i>iOS</i><br />
Cinemagraphs, also known as "cines", are high quality, animated gifs that looks like moving photos. Created from video, only a selected area of the image is animated, reducing the file size and making it look more like a photo than a movie. They’re easy to create, and a fantastic way to add subtle movement to your site, creating a dynamic quality without the need for Flash. <a href="http://cinemagr.am/">Cinemagram</a> also allows you to upload and share your creations online.<br />
<b>Suggestion:</b> put a cinemagram of your office on your website to create a sense of serenity. <a href="http://cdn.cinemagr.am/cine_1/1154278.gif">example</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixPrLqycuSZa0xC-D-pRY6AMS5j4DMFzreOXNPk63h23PNZY4UajsP7HQAKOhyphenhyphenfOAxi8JnFYiDJyeiU10WTJvz-FvjuwH4Cs_lMyxhGryd7ynF9sfj26tBMRqP1tlpFGTyB5cjAolGTD4C/s1600/diptic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixPrLqycuSZa0xC-D-pRY6AMS5j4DMFzreOXNPk63h23PNZY4UajsP7HQAKOhyphenhyphenfOAxi8JnFYiDJyeiU10WTJvz-FvjuwH4Cs_lMyxhGryd7ynF9sfj26tBMRqP1tlpFGTyB5cjAolGTD4C/s320/diptic.png" width="65" /></a></div><b>Diptic</b><br />
<i>iOS</i><br />
With <a href="http://www.dipticapp.com/">Diptic</a> you can combine multiple photos to create a new image. It’s great for sending a quick collage, rather than multiple images. There are a range of templates for between two and five photos, as well as customisable, expandable layouts.
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<b>Suggestion:</b> use it to combine several images of people at an event, to convey the busy atmosphere. <a href="http://jenniferbryant.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/wof-diptic2.jpeg">example</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OnHQZrOvf_hhG1rwR-8d-nT4VyWXr9b3pL6lUQ95pYcZyaQR_irRQyKIfE1myegHpbi-YOAh7YQd8FBQ5oxCyfsmdF1nFBYYJ2HeKXfhhk218YQ17GoiWSz73H9uA7XJg6aYJH3kPFG_/s1600/photshopexpress.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="65" width="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OnHQZrOvf_hhG1rwR-8d-nT4VyWXr9b3pL6lUQ95pYcZyaQR_irRQyKIfE1myegHpbi-YOAh7YQd8FBQ5oxCyfsmdF1nFBYYJ2HeKXfhhk218YQ17GoiWSz73H9uA7XJg6aYJH3kPFG_/s320/photshopexpress.png" /></a></div>
<b>Adobe Photoshop Express</b><br />
<i>Android, iOS</i><br />
Adobe PhotoShop Express is a free image editing app for smartphones, with a <a href="http://www.photoshop.com/tools?wf=editor">Flash-based online version</a> too. It allows you to very quickly and easily crop, rotate, straighten and flip your photos, as well as adjust exposure, colour saturation and brightness. There are extra tools you can buy, such as a self-timer, noise reduction, and extra effects.<br />
<b>Suggestion:</b> brush up a quick self-portrait if someone needs you to email a last-minute profile pic. <a href="http://static.photoshop.com/images/products/mobile/express/ios/features/edit.jpg">example</a><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-51906469542868289282012-09-27T04:31:00.001-07:002012-12-10T16:39:37.605-08:00September 27, 2012 at 09:22PM<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Interesting if predictable reversal - Times and Sunday Times to allow limited content to appear on Google <a href="http://t.co/DISVdc56">http://t.co/DISVdc56</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-28632908862636059472011-04-07T18:44:00.000-07:002011-04-07T18:46:51.180-07:00Convergence CrisisTechnology has wrought huge change in media content, consumption and access. It's changed business models, viewing patterns, and now - in the words of the Australian government - "the NBN will transform the delivery of content in Australia, allowing viewers to access virtually limitless content from all over the world."<br /><br />And so the government is planning a major review of its media policy, the "Convergence Review". A big challenge with convergence is the increasing irrelevance of national borders and the futility of national governments attempting to regulate and restrict what is now an international - and internationally accessible - media.<br /><br /><a href="http://skynews.com.au/blogs/blog.aspx?Blog=20&Post=1199"><b><i>Read more here</i></b></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-85098749549848023092011-02-11T03:23:00.000-08:002011-02-11T03:28:09.654-08:00On the Burning DeckJust a day after writing <a href="http://skynews.com.au/blogs/blog.aspx?Blog=20&Post=1186">this blog post</a> about Nokia, it seems Question 5 has finally been answered:<br /><br /><blockquote><font size="1"><i>5. Why the OS schizophrenia?<br /><br />Nokia has been venturing into various different operating systems (MeeGo, Maemo) when Symbian's dominance has long been shrinking. Given Android has clear dominance among Linux-based mobile OSes, why not bring out an Android device? Or even Windows Mobile. Interestingly, new CEO Stephen Elop previously headed Microsoft's business division.</i></font></blockquote><br /><br />Looks like Nokia <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12427680">plans to do both</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote><font size="1"><i>Nokia has joined forces with Microsoft in an attempt to regain ground lost to the iPhone and Android-based devices.<br /><br />The deal will see Nokia use the Windows phone operating system for its smartphones, the company said.<br /><br />It means that Nokia's existing operating systems will be sidelined.<br /><br />[...]<br /><br />"We reserve the right to introduce tablets using other platforms, including ones we may be working on internally," [Nokia CEO Stephen Elop] said.</i></font></blockquote>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-7704192439341750092011-01-03T18:08:00.000-08:002011-01-03T18:09:31.386-08:00Why bricks should lose to clickseBay ran a particularly clever campaign this year: "Browse at Westfield, buy on eBay." It's a 180-degree turn from a few years ago, when the internet served more as a catalogue for shopping that actually took place offline.<br /><br />Retailers predicted a gloomy festive season: they claim one of the key reasons, other than rising interest rates, is a rush by Australian consumers to overseas shopping sites. The strong Australian dollar means that buying items from the US - even when international shipping costs are included - often works out cheaper than buying goods here.<br /><br /><a href="http://skynews.com.au/blogs/blog.aspx?Blog=20&Post=1183"><b><i>Read more here</i></b></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-74086079335437674382010-12-05T15:52:00.000-08:002010-12-05T15:53:33.602-08:00Wikileaks: Winning the WarWhat's the point of trying to shut down Wikileaks? If this past week has shown anything, it's that cutting off the hydra's head only results in a hundred more growing in its place.<br /><br />Thousands of people are now mirroring Wikileaks' content, both officially and unofficially. Tens of thousands are downloading and sharing gigabytes of data from Wikileaks. One file - insurance.aes256 - is a "poison pill" that will automatically be encrypted and released on the djavascript:void(0)isappearance or death of its figurehead, Julian Assange. Not even US authorities have been able to crack it.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://skynews.com.au/blogs/blog.aspx?Blog=20&Post=1180"><b><i>Read more</i></b></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-46008937840851828262010-11-07T18:46:00.001-08:002010-11-07T18:47:05.456-08:00Eternal September"Eternal September" was first coined in 1993, to describe millions of AOL internet users that came online, disrupting Usenet's previously small, intimate community.<br /><br />It's now a term used to describe any ongoing influx of newbies who discover a service, and overwhelm it, often ignoring its conventions and etiquette and changing it beyond recognition. Which is understandably resented by original users and early adopters.<br /><br /><a href="http://skynews.com.au/blogs/blog.aspx?Blog=20&Post=1174"><b><i>Read more here</i></b></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-70527148116222279962010-10-29T01:07:00.000-07:002010-10-29T03:44:07.987-07:00Interviewing Buzz AldrinBuzz Aldrin was a fascinating interviewee when he visited Sydney this year. Even though he must have sat through tens of thousands of interviews in his life, he still sounded as though he was answering questions for the first time. <br /><br />Here's an excerpt from his interview with Sky News Business, where he discusses moon dust. The question was: what most surprised or amazed you about the moon?<br /><br /><object width="320" height="192"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Za95xSOVUKI?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Za95xSOVUKI?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="192"></embed></object>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-30390780046496906732010-10-17T17:54:00.000-07:002010-10-17T17:55:23.795-07:00BROADBAND BREAKTHROUGH?Is the tide turning on NBN sentiment?<br /><br />Despite a concerted disinformation campaign by the Opposition, it seems that mainlanders are scrabbling to get connected to the fast, fibre network.<br /><br />According to NBN Co, 90 per cent of households in some regional cities have already signed up. That compares with around 51 per cent of Tasmanians.<br /><br /><a href="http://skynews.com.au/blogs/blog.aspx?Blog=20&Post=1149"><b><i>Read more</i></b></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-33565879813350113892010-09-09T17:06:00.000-07:002010-09-09T17:07:24.618-07:00Fibre FutureIt's amazing to think that this election was largely decided by the issue of broadband - by a man who admits to not even using a computer himself. But even without personal knowledge and skills one can still be a visionary. And this is what Tony Windsor has demonstrated, describing broadband policy as a "game breaker":<br /><br />"You do it right, you do it once, you do it fibre."<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://skynews.com.au/blogs/blog.aspx?Blog=20&Post=1135"><b><i>Read more here</i></b></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-75501136048351544082010-07-24T00:44:00.000-07:002010-07-24T00:47:52.728-07:00Interview with ITC SecurityCarson Scott and I recently interviewed Tom Millar from ITC Security on Tech Report. They've uploaded it on their site, click the image below to watch:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.itcsecurity.com/node/265"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWe3Q79MSUrUKqFWGPtm9BbCAWUA-v3intSAmAgk-q5rzb9sgSIVciUx6rSoEwk7XxOFDQgKLXvuTkiCHZ9wLJF7KxKbj6iHmYzTl6MIajEHJS-7qjsYTY8e2OfvMMms8o3p2STyoajc_1/s320/itc_security.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497375844307867154" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-14885555158399262362010-07-20T16:20:00.000-07:002010-07-20T16:23:00.031-07:00Era of the E-CelebrityThe most interesting aspect in the whole Jessi Slaughter/4chan/Stickydrama saga is Stickydrama itself. It's further proof of the trend towards user-generated content, encroaching on yet another Old Media phenomenon.<br /><br />Stickydrama is a gossip site about internet celebrities. It's about people who don't have agents and aren't "famous" in the traditional media sense. But they're objects of fascination and notoriety to thousands, even millions, of internet users.<br /><br />From the Star Wars Kid to Justin Bieber, internet celebrities can and do make the mainstream media, and plenty of them stay there. A day after eleven-year-old Jessica Leonhardt became the victim of cyber-bullying for her expletive-strewn online video rants, the only Google News hits for her were blog-style sites such as Gawker. A couple of days later, and her web name "Jessi Slaughter" generates hundreds of news hits from Fox to the New Delhi Chronicle.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://skynews.com.au/blogs/blog.aspx?Blog=20&Post=1116"><b><i>Read more</i></b></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-28511870799931366192010-07-18T16:10:00.000-07:002010-07-18T16:12:11.717-07:00Conquering the Great Firewall of ChinaNo visit to Shanghai would be complete without conquering the Great Firewall of China. It's arguably more challenging - and more satisfying - than ascending the Eiffel Tower, climbing Uluru or scaling Everest.<br /><br />China's censorship regime comes in for plenty of well-deserved criticism, but the motivation behind the censorship is not always properly understood. While there is some moralistic blocking of adult content, the main aim of the censorship is to avoid social instability. It is less about covering up corruption (though of course it does cover it up) than preventing widespread outrage and public riots that would be very difficult to handle in a country of 1.5 billion people.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://skynews.com.au/blogs/blog.aspx?Blog=20&Post=1109"><b><i>Read more</i></b></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-51053834549418860252010-07-08T21:10:00.000-07:002010-07-08T21:12:04.375-07:00Filter BackdownIt's hard to believe that it took a democratic government nearly three years to come up with basic transparency and accountability measures for such a major policy as the internet filter. The fact it took this long, and the lack of commitment to such measures from the get-go, are an outrage.<br /><br />Sadly, those of us who have witnessed the propaganda, misinformation and outright lies by the Communications minister on this policy, won't be surprised.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://skynews.com.au/blogs/blog.aspx?Blog=20&Post=1103"><b><i>Read more here</i></b></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-75851815965637899622010-07-01T21:14:00.000-07:002010-07-01T21:15:57.337-07:00Digital SplitThere's a growing schism in the world of digital content.<br /><br />On one side: those that advocate a free, ad-supported business model.<br /><br />On the other: those pushing paid content.<br /><br />The paywalls are already flying up in force, but it's going to be some time before the results and the analysis are thrashed out. And both ideologies face significant hurdles.<br /><br /><a href="http://skynews.com.au/blogs/blog.aspx?Blog=20&Post=1102"><b><i>Read more</i></b></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-13371157612603498822010-05-31T20:36:00.000-07:002010-05-31T20:37:47.718-07:00Communications Breakdown"A liar." "Sneering, sarcastic, patronising, grudge-bearing." "The most incompetent excuse for a communications minister in living memory."<br /><br />Not the words of disgrunted punters in the pub, but the opinion of leading IT industry executives and commentators about Australia's communications minister, Stephen Conroy.<br /><br />Relations between the ICT industry and the minister have been dire for a long time. Now the ill sentiment is escalating at such a rate that several commentators are wondering if it's time for Sentator Conroy to step down.<br /><br /><a href="http://www2.skynews.com.au/blogs/blog.aspx?Blog=20&Post=1085"><b><i>Read more</i></b></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835920855686184598.post-25631676983726036392010-05-10T20:14:00.001-07:002010-05-10T20:15:17.132-07:00The Disclosure DilemmaYet another Facebook glitch, a new Twitter hack, and online privacy is again making headlines.<br /><br />People increasingly want to share personal information with friends, but keeping this data private and secure is proving difficult. Managing intricate privacy controls on sites such as Facebook is one issue. But even without technical threats, there's still the problem that any person who can access your data or profile or tweets can leak them to an unauthorised third party. Can you really trust your "friends"?<br /><br />Even deleting your data is problematic. For a start, a lot of social networking material gets cached all over Google and shows up high in search results. Facebook does have a mechanism for deleting accounts but it isn't immediate. An account stays in "deactivate mode" for two weeks and only then will it be deleted. Experts even suggest putting safe, fake data in your profile before you delete it, in case it does get retained - beyond your knowledge and control - on a remote server somewhere.<br /><br /><a href="http://www2.skynews.com.au/blogs/blog.aspx?Blog=20&Post=1076"><b><i>Read more here</i></b></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15490823214939957260noreply@blogger.com0