giovedì, gennaio 31, 2008

Paint!

MB pointed out this hilarious parody of MS Paint developers.


mercoledì, gennaio 30, 2008

Audiobaba

This site reminds me of the Pandora service B pointed out last year.

“Audiobaba is a next generation music search engine that allows you to find songs by acoustic similarity. Until now, there was no easy to way to browse for new music.”

http://www.audiobaba.com/

SharePoint: Use caution when toggling between inherited to custom permissions

I don’t think I’ve ever encountered this error, but it’s nice to have this info around…

“SharePoint has a known issue when you're working with the Security of SharePoint. When you are working with the permission in Sharepoint and want to go back and forth between inherited and custom security, MOSS 2007 gets mad. Breaks the entire portal. So if this happens look for this hotfix.”

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937038

martedì, gennaio 29, 2008

jQuery

SK just pointed out this neat JavaScript library to me.

jQuery is a fast, concise, JavaScript Library that simplifies how you traverse HTML documents, handle events, perform animations, and add Ajax interactions to your web pages. jQuery is designed to change the way that you write JavaScript.”

The JW FLV Media Player

I’ve been paying particular attention to JavaScript/Flash Media Players of late, since we are in the process of building are own. The JW FLV Media Player is particularly neat and used by Lee Brimelow on gotoandlearn.com.

“The JW FLV Media Player… is an easy and flexible way to add video and audio to your website. It supports playback of any format the Adobe Flash Player can handle (FLV, but also MP3, H264, SWF, JPG, PNG and GIF). It also supports RTMP and HTTP (Lighttpd) streaming, RSS, XSPF and ASX playlists, a wide range of flashvars (variables), an extensive javascript API and accessibility features.”

JoomEdit

I don’t think it’s quite ready for primetime (especially since Adobe AIR is almost, but not quite out of beta), but I thought “JoomEdit” might be an interesting application to keep an eye on.

“Joomedit is a desktop based Joomla content manager built in Adobe® Flex/ AIR™ Beta 3. It is designed to allow you to manage Joomla content from a sleek and friendly browser independent desktop user interface. It currently supports Joomla 1.0.13 and 1.50. The alpha (current) release supports Rich Text editing with XTHML support using TinyMCE, quick and easy image upload and management (video and audio support soon), plug-in support, multiple site management and more.”

lunedì, gennaio 28, 2008

Shadowbox

Shadowbox seems like a well-crafted, JavaScript media player.

“Shadowbox is a cross-browser, cross-platform, cleanly-coded and fully-documented media viewer application written entirely in JavaScript. Using Shadowbox, website authors can display pictures and movies in all major browsers without navigating away from the linking page. The default distribution of Shadowbox includes the full source code and a sample gallery (this file) that demonstrates how it is to be used.”

How To Build A Facebook Application

A neat “how-to” article: How To Build A Facebook Application.

Facebook, as you’ve probably noticed, is everywhere. And with that ubiquity comes a massive audience just waiting for your web app. Whether you’re looking to make things easier for your current users, or you have the perfect idea for a Facebook-only application, there are a few things you’ll need to know to get started. “

giovedì, gennaio 17, 2008

The Yahoo! Flash Developer Center

This is a really great resource maintained by Yahoo:

http://developer.yahoo.com/flash/

“The Yahoo! Flash Developer Center is an ever growing collection of Flash tools, resources and information — all open source and freely available for your use. Check back often for updates, and join the ydn-flash Yahoo! Group to exchange information with Flash developers just like yourself.”

Microsoft Virtual Earth

FYI, if you’re ever interested in playing with Virtual Earth I found the following two items very helpful.

1.       The blog article “What is Microsoft Virtual Earth?” is a very nice and simple explanation of how to implement Microsoft’s mapping technology within a web site or application.

2.       Next, to go more deeply into code examples, Microsoft has a great resource for learning:  the Virtual Earth Interactive SDK

The Virtual Earth Interactive SDK demonstrates how to use the Microsoft Virtual Earth map control APIs. This is just one of many resources to help you develop compelling Web sites that use Virtual Earth maps and search capabilities.”

 

mercoledì, gennaio 16, 2008

SyntaxHighlighter

This is great. I noticed that developer.yahoo.com is using it as well.

SyntaxHighlighter is here to help a developer/coder to post code snippets online with ease and have it look pretty. It's 100% Java Script based and it doesn't care what you have on your server.

 

Microsoft Filter Generator

Microsoft seeks patent for office 'spy' software

First I read an interesting/intimidating article from The Times: Microsoft seeks patent for office 'spy' software

Microsoft submitted a patent application in the US for a “unique monitoring system” that could link workers to their computers. Wireless sensors could read “heart rate, galvanic skin response, EMG, brain signals, respiration rate, body temperature, movement facial movements, facial expressions and blood pressure”, the application states.

The system could also “automatically detect frustration or stress in the user” and “offer and provide assistance accordingly”. Physical changes to an employee would be matched to an individual psychological profile based on a worker’s weight, age and health. If the system picked up an increase in heart rate or facial expressions suggestive of stress or frustration, it would tell management that he needed help.

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Then ER shed some more light on the subject:

Microsoft revs its patent machine

“However, I'm hearing that this patent is more aimed at building a more useful and relevant help system into software than it is at offering a snooping tool for bosses.”

“This particular patent application, in general, describes an innovation aimed at improving activity-monitoring systems and uses the monitoring of user heart rate as an example of the kind of physical state that could be monitored to detect when users need assistance with their activities, and to offer assistance by putting them in touch with other users who may be able to help," Gutierrez said.
"It is important to keep in mind that with most organizations in the business of innovation, some of our patent applications reflect inventions
that are currently present in our products, and other applications represent innovations being developed for potential future use."

Maybe this technology is being researched as they enter the robotics race (Microsoft Center for Innovative Robotics) such as "remote presence," or smart products that can alert the elderly to take medication at the prescribed time, for example.” I think mostly of this technology being used with the elderly or who are under medical care.

 

Akamai Media Framework for Adobe Flash

This seems potentially useful/interesting:

The Akamai Media Framework for Adobe Flash is a developer toolkit with player source code that allows organizations to easily build video player applications, while staying in complete control of the design. The kit leverages best practices and leading technologies—including Adobe Flash Player 8 and 9, Yahoo! Media RSS, and Akamai Stream OS—to simplify the task of creating video player applications. Together with the framework, Akamai Stream OS supports automated workflows for publishing and syndication, allowing organizations to organize, publish, and update their media content to targeted video players—developers can create video player applications that support streaming and progressive download of content created in Adobe Flash Player compatible video, Adobe Flex® and Adobe AIR™.

 

MacBook Air Guided Tour

In wonder if it will be confusing when people install an Adobe AIR application on the MacBook Air? J If you haven’t already seen the “guided tour” there are some neat features.

 

martedì, gennaio 15, 2008

Wiimote Wiidux

Johnny Chung Lee has created some amazing projects with the Wii controller and a bluetooth connection:

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/projects/wii/

Cynergy Labs has created an interface that allows the user to control various applications with your hands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CoJGrtVs4c

 

Flash Detection - SWFFix is now SWFObject 2.0

Just FYI, I was reading about a few developments with “SWFFix.”

First, SWFFix was renamed to SWFObject in October:

While getting closer in bringing our embed method to the market, we had to re-assess if SWFFix is the most fortunate name for the project. We had already received the feedback from the folks at Adobe that they were not entirely happy with the name, because is suggests the SWF format to be broken, while we are trying to communicate that it is the cross-browser support for embedding plug-in content that is broken.

Second, it looks like “SWFObject 2.0” is about ready for primetime. They even created a browser-based utility to generate the code. (It’s curious, though, that they haven’t updated the original SWF Object page.)

Fluid Animation

Pretty cool! From MB:

When you have some down time, here’s a production reel for the company, Fluid Animation.  They do the animation for the Cartoon Network show, Lucy: The Daughter of the Devil, and I dig their style.

Turns out they were started by a former employee of Pixar!

 

lunedì, gennaio 14, 2008

Look Vs. Feel

I thought this clickz.com article made an interesting distinction between “look” and “feel.”

Everybody throws around the phrase "look and feel" when referring to the way something operates. That term became famous in the early days of the Mac/Windows rivalry, when there were lawsuits over look and feel. Windows looked and felt too much like the Mac, it was said. Today, that term has been adopted by Web designers to describe a site's visual aspects.

Look and feel are two very different things, and I wish people would stop using that phrase as if they were one thing. Windows did not look and feel like a Mac. It looked like a Mac. It did not feel like one.

What's the difference, and how does it relate to interactive marketing? A site's look can be described by its physical and visual attributes. It has big blue buttons, black type, a clean layout, not too many graphics, and so forth.

A site's feel is how it operates, or its modus operandi. When a site asks you to select the country you're in so it can direct you to the appropriate localized Web site, one site may redirect you immediately when you click on an item from the list. Another may make you select the item and press the "go" button next to the list. Both sites basically look identical, but one site acts differently. Its rules about how it handles list boxes are different from the other site. The feel is different.

 

Greybox

Heh, they live up to their motto!

“A pop-up window that doesn't suck.”

http://www.orangoo.com/labs/GreyBox/

 

giovedì, gennaio 10, 2008

Papervision 3D

Even more from ER:

Papervision is a set of 3D libraries for Flash written in AS3. Most recent news using the 3D engine:

§  A showreel of work being done with Papervision 3D

http://papervision3d.blip.tv/

 

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Here’s a photo mosaic in 3D  I found that utilizes Papervision 3D.

 

Tech Predictions for 2008

More great stuff from ER!

Tech Predictions for 2008

Here are the key industry issues and trends for the coming year.

Tim Bajarin is recognized as one of the leading industry consultants, analysts and futurists, covering the field of personal computers and consumer technology.

2007

2006

 

Brooks's Blog

Coworker BH is starting a blog, and I know it will be great reading:

About a month ago I decided to get a kick start on my Blog “Tides of Stride” and chose WordPress because you can easily skin, use style sheets (pre-formatted) and its got good organization and SEO built in. 

 

Adobe Premiere Express

I was noticing that MTV, YouTube and photobucket are offering “Adobe Premiere Express.” From Adobe:

Mix and mash media right in your browser

Never edited video before? Never fear. With Adobe® Premiere® Express, make videos that rock in minutes. All you need is a web browser and Adobe Flash® Player, which you probably already have on your machine. And best of all, there's nothing to pay or download — it's online and free to use on partner websites. Reorder, split, and trim your video clips; add music, transitions, and titles; and then make it all your own with a mix of favorite photos, graphics, and animation. Be the director with controls so simple, your grandma could do it. Go on — express yourself. Mix and mash away with Adobe Premiere Express.

 

martedì, gennaio 08, 2008

hackaday

BH showed us an interesting link to an extremely techy site:

www.hackaday.com

lunedì, gennaio 07, 2008

Hey, you can embed SWFs in Blogger?


Dumb Terminals 2.0?

Pano is purpose-built for server-based desktop virtualization. Moving all software off the desktop to the server, the Pano device has no CPU, no memory, no operating system and no drivers. Using functionality enabled by server virtualization, Pano delivers not only a complete Microsoft Windows experience, including full USB support, but also a new set of high-value features not available with desktop PC and thin client architectures.

Open Source Hardware - Neuros OSD

Another cool article from ER. I want one!

Upcoming trends: Open source hardware

http://www.neurostechnology.com/

One Device to Archive, Organize, and Easily Play All of Your DVDs, VHS, and Video media

New York Times you can read What This Gadget Does is Up to You

 

venerdì, gennaio 04, 2008

Netscape Browser to Die a Quiet Death in February 2008

Sad! From ER:

The browser that started it all is going the way of the dodo.

Tom Drapeau, AOL's director of the Netscape brand, announced in a blog post Friday that AOL will cease development on all Netscape web browsers on February 1, 2008. The company will continue to support the current version of the browser, Netscape 9, by releasing patches or security fixes until that date. After February 1, all development will stop. more

 

Watch Out PowerPoint!

ER just pointed out Sliderocket. Cool! “SlideRocket is a web application that provides everything you need to design professional quality presentations, manage and share libraries of slides and assets, and to deliver presentations in person or remotely over the web.” I wonder if Adobe is tempted to buy this? Then they would have yet another cool flex application that could take the place of a Microsoft product (like their recently purchased Buzzword does for Word).

SelectORacle: CSS "Translator"

This seems like a handy utility: SelectORacle.

Ever wondered what a particularly complex CSS selector really means? Here's your chance to find out! Simply enter one or more semi-colon separated selectors or rulesets into the following "Direct Input" area, or provide the URL of a stylesheet in the "URL Input" area. Best of all, the SelectORacle will flag potential errors and other problems, and it won't choke on any actual rules. You've always wanted to know what makes those line-noise posers tick-- now you can.

giovedì, gennaio 03, 2008

MyFonts: Top fonts of 2007

How…fontastic. (Ooo, that was bad.)

 

 

mercoledì, gennaio 02, 2008

Greylisting

One interesting phenom I ran across today is a spam filtering method called “Greylisting.”

Wikipedia describes Greylisting like this:

Greylisting…is a method of defending electronic mail users against e-mail spam. A mail transfer agent which uses greylisting will "temporarily reject" any email from a sender it does not recognize. If the mail is legitimate, the originating server will most likely try again to send it later (see disadvantages), at which time the destination will accept it. If the mail is from a spammer, it will probably not be retried, and spam sources which re-transmit later are more likely to be listed in DNSBLs and distributed signature systems such as Vipul's Razor.

Yahoo Mail Servers Rejecting Email

This blog entry from October 23, 2006 is still receiving comments as recent as December 27th 2007! I have to say I’ve noticed some issues, too.

Check the Status of a Flight Using Google

I thought this was a fun tip included in the latest “Google Friends” newsletter:
Our flight stats search feature can now deliver real time status and info on your flight directly on the search results page. Just type the name of the airline and flight number (e.g. American 123, ua226) into the search box, and we'll return the most up to date information from
FlightStats.com.
http://www.google.com