Way back in January 2006 I blogged on eightbar about perplexcity, then here.
Recently we have bumped into the mindcandy guys at various events and it is great that season two is on its way, or even started depending on where the rabbit hole is.
So now its off to do some cards and get the brain cells going.
I seem to have got some competition from fellow eightbars too.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Getting a signal
This evening we walked down a road for 15 minutes to one of the predlets pre-school, for a parents evening.
Just out of interest I sparked up the n95 to hunt for wireless networks whilst walking. I was expecting 1 or two but there were about 20. They were (apart from 1 secure) a mixture of netgear, belkin, sky and bt hubs.
Firstly, this was surprising that ther were this many, secondly we were walking a fair way from the front of the houses all set back in their gardens.
It is a pity that we can all use the networks in a open way, but still it seems that wireless is really catching on even in a sleepy coastal village.
Just out of interest I sparked up the n95 to hunt for wireless networks whilst walking. I was expecting 1 or two but there were about 20. They were (apart from 1 secure) a mixture of netgear, belkin, sky and bt hubs.
Firstly, this was surprising that ther were this many, secondly we were walking a fair way from the front of the houses all set back in their gardens.
It is a pity that we can all use the networks in a open way, but still it seems that wireless is really catching on even in a sleepy coastal village.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Winchester tower of light still works
The Winchester tower of light near the cathedral still worked. Its a light sculpture that you are able to SMS a message to and things happen. A night out with Babbage Linden led to this structure. So here you see, albeit in the dark the SMS to sculpture, which was live web cast just for a laugh.
Babbage got a response SMS from the system about the sculpture 2002/2003
Babbage got a response SMS from the system about the sculpture 2002/2003
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Streaming life from a mobile
It would appear that streaming live video is the weapon of choice for all us web 2.0+ crew.
Having recently got a Nokia 95, as I had the urge to move from a drab work account to a shiny new all singing all dancing t-mobile one, I have been playing with all the bits and pieces.
So, I now have sat nav in the car as the n95 is gps and map enabled. I have hooked up to Flickr to post images, and this blog to post comments.
I have posted to youtube a video that the phone mixed itself (is low quality as its an MMS message "muvee". This was through ShoZu thanks to peder for twittering that to me :-)
Tonight I signed up to Comvu and now have the ability to stream video from the phone to a streaming server for the viewing publics pleasure. There has been a lot of this going on on ustream.tv but this allows me to hit the streaming servers in a way suited to mobiles. Of course the neat thing is the n95 will use a WiFi network, such as one at home to do the streaming and not bust the fair use policy.
The video and photos can also be geotagged using the GPS device builtin. Its all easily available commercial stuff. Not overly robust, things do crash sometimes but its way easier than is used to be!
Its all very cool and interesting and just a little bit mad :-)
Having recently got a Nokia 95, as I had the urge to move from a drab work account to a shiny new all singing all dancing t-mobile one, I have been playing with all the bits and pieces.
So, I now have sat nav in the car as the n95 is gps and map enabled. I have hooked up to Flickr to post images, and this blog to post comments.
I have posted to youtube a video that the phone mixed itself (is low quality as its an MMS message "muvee". This was through ShoZu thanks to peder for twittering that to me :-)
Tonight I signed up to Comvu and now have the ability to stream video from the phone to a streaming server for the viewing publics pleasure. There has been a lot of this going on on ustream.tv but this allows me to hit the streaming servers in a way suited to mobiles. Of course the neat thing is the n95 will use a WiFi network, such as one at home to do the streaming and not bust the fair use policy.
The video and photos can also be geotagged using the GPS device builtin. Its all easily available commercial stuff. Not overly robust, things do crash sometimes but its way easier than is used to be!
Its all very cool and interesting and just a little bit mad :-)
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
Knight rider prizes
My millions of us prizes arrived to day from teh hammer and coop mini photo comps
Are you sheep electric?
Epredator bumps into some sheep? But are they electric?
More real life/virtual life crossover
Sunday, April 22, 2007
moblogging
it is amazing what you can do with a decent mobile i am just doing this from my n95 on my home wireless loads more to do with video and flickr
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
epredator in habbo hotel
Well my green spikey hair little self has joined habbo hotel. The room for eightbar is a little sparse :-)
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Activeworlds - its still around
I got prompted (thanks Sandy) into looking at Activeworlds again. A good few years ago when I was trying to some investment in a company called SmartVR activeworlds was out there. A few of us dabbled but at the time, the infrastructure and machines to access it just were not up to it.
Activeworlds are still there and looking pretty good.
epredator is already in there and wandering about, and soon eightbar will have some sort of presence.
It was broadway that caught my eyes and ears. A few more people in there with me and, well its a metaverse so we can do metaversal things
Activeworlds are still there and looking pretty good.
epredator is already in there and wandering about, and soon eightbar will have some sort of presence.
It was broadway that caught my eyes and ears. A few more people in there with me and, well its a metaverse so we can do metaversal things
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Rockabilly history part ii - Guitar hero its all linked!
I have been really enjoying blasting through guitar hero ii. As a not very good but enthusiastic guitar player this gave me quite a buzz. Its not the same, but it is.
However the really trange part was that admist all the ozzy, pearl jam, stone temple pilots (and the excellant swwet child of mine by G'n'R) this awesom game served up "Rock this Town" but the stray cats.
So... the serendipity and connections continue extending this post rockabilly history
So my favourite group of my formative years, rediscovered because of a memory sparked by the movements of babbage to Brighton and now blasting out of my Xbox360 in a game not unlike my favourite of all time "Quest for fame" - WOW.
I have twittered and flickred and now blogged. If you have a 360, and like music. BUY THIS!
My fingers now hurt pressing the button, I have that guitar RSI going too.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
What a week/month stop I want to get off
There seems to be so much going on, much of it metaversal.
Several trips to London both presenting at unusual venues such as under the influence and going to the Open Rights Group meeting.
More than ever though, and as an opposite to the view that online virtual worlds make you introverted this has been about meeting people.
Hanging with Ren Reynolds, Eric Rice, Roo, Kosso of podcast and bloghud and meeting new people like Justin from the music group Redzone.
Having been doing lots of SL I was convinced (by ren) to go back to There.com and give it a longer go. Not least because There were opposite the IBM stand I spent a few days on at Virtual Worlds 2007
I ended up buying a very cool buggy and razzed around, after a very odd conversation about metrosexuality with a There resident concerned about how his trousers looked.
Twitter has taken up a fair amount of time and SMS usage too. Its facsinting the way that is binding people across many platforms and giving a feeling of connectedness.
I am also trying to document the history of IBM and eightbar in Second life and virtual worlds. Partly for fun and partly for when people ask, "so what did you do then? and why? and when?" before it all fades into metaverse rock and roll obscurity.
Still did the whole ego trip thing on jyte (blame roo for getting me on that)
Several trips to London both presenting at unusual venues such as under the influence and going to the Open Rights Group meeting.
More than ever though, and as an opposite to the view that online virtual worlds make you introverted this has been about meeting people.
Hanging with Ren Reynolds, Eric Rice, Roo, Kosso of podcast and bloghud and meeting new people like Justin from the music group Redzone.
Having been doing lots of SL I was convinced (by ren) to go back to There.com and give it a longer go. Not least because There were opposite the IBM stand I spent a few days on at Virtual Worlds 2007
I ended up buying a very cool buggy and razzed around, after a very odd conversation about metrosexuality with a There resident concerned about how his trousers looked.
Twitter has taken up a fair amount of time and SMS usage too. Its facsinting the way that is binding people across many platforms and giving a feeling of connectedness.
I am also trying to document the history of IBM and eightbar in Second life and virtual worlds. Partly for fun and partly for when people ask, "so what did you do then? and why? and when?" before it all fades into metaverse rock and roll obscurity.
Still did the whole ego trip thing on jyte (blame roo for getting me on that)
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Thursday, April 05, 2007
wannabe aimee weber
After VW2007 sophie saw stuff about aimee on the web, and decided to join in in RL (as she is too young to go near SL)
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
I won a photo comp with millionsofus:-)
Millionsofus have a photo competition for hammer and coop powered by mini.This morning I noticed a 'photograph a villain' competition and happened to have this costume from haloween. I decided to stand in my timeless prototype camp fire and let the flames zoom up over me on my land I rent from Jessica Qin on Austin. So my extra land has been very useful. I also love snapzilla
Well they seem to have picked me as a winner :-)
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Tonight I'm a rock 'n' roll star
My recent trip to New York for Virtual Worlds 2007 was very much a work trip. However it was also social. I got to meet some really famous (in my metaversal circles) people. Many of whom I have already met in blogs and in Second Life and alike.
However it was a great ego boost, albeit a tongue in cheek one, to be treated and respected as one of this group that I aspire to.
Several people actually told me I was a rock and roll star. Well I will take that one and feel good about it :-)
I just twittered "Starting to believe own hype :-) just need the metaverse equivalent of a multi mill$ recording contract any offers ? :-)"
Anyway, it was my SL rez day the last day of the conference and it was a great meet up all day and then later in the pub. My bag got a little guiness on it, via another famous avatar.
I am also convinced that Frodo Baggins wandered past in the bar we were in, of course it may have been the fumes from Ren Reynolds White Russian (the drink of a philosopher)
However it was a great ego boost, albeit a tongue in cheek one, to be treated and respected as one of this group that I aspire to.
Several people actually told me I was a rock and roll star. Well I will take that one and feel good about it :-)
I just twittered "Starting to believe own hype :-) just need the metaverse equivalent of a multi mill$ recording contract any offers ? :-)"
Anyway, it was my SL rez day the last day of the conference and it was a great meet up all day and then later in the pub. My bag got a little guiness on it, via another famous avatar.
I am also convinced that Frodo Baggins wandered past in the bar we were in, of course it may have been the fumes from Ren Reynolds White Russian (the drink of a philosopher)
Sunday, March 25, 2007
PS3 looks good to me
Okay so the delivery of my Game 3.0 machine having been ordered in a Web 2.0 way was not delivered very smoothly. Parcel Force Worldwide seemed to have hired some new drivers who were unable to find our house.
So I ended up with a mad dash to the depot (down the road) and caught them despite being out of hours.
Anyway, that done, and having no games (as they were coming by snail mail ) I nipped to Argos and got a couple more.
So what is it like?
Well it does look like a george foreman lean min fat grilling machine. It also DOES NOT COME WITH ANY HD CABLES AT ALL. How mad is that, I had my HD cable on the way for HDMI but figured I would have atleast had a component cable for the massive amount of money I was spending.
So I plugged it all on on old fashioned scart and sparked it up. Machines being connected now means that developers can get lazy and it spent a little while (once my wireless WEP key was entered using the on screen keyboard) updating itself.
I also tried to associate my playstation europe login that has my PSP registered as an existing login for the ps3 online network, but it turns out thats a 'different' system so I ended up re-registering to get online as epredator.
So I was at this point mildy annoyed, but still looking forward to some actual games.
Virtua Tennis 3 was first, and off to 'wimbledon' even though the name is not use. This has always been a fantastic game and the PS3 new version made for some great entertainment and I am very pleased with it. It may not be much better than the 360 version in reality but what the heck.
Virtua Fighter 5. This is awesome, I have always lover VF. It was the first proper 3d fighting game in the arcades and I still remember the moment I saw it running as a blocky low polygon game. despite loving it my wife elemming still manages to beat the c*ap out of me on it as I think too much and she button mashes. Eventually I will win over as I get the buttons and timing in my fingers but for now she is house champ.
I then downloaded some demos/freebies.
Formula 1 - Erm.... Wow. It looks awesome, TV like. I still had a quick go with automatic braking on so that messed it up a bit experience wise. But loved the look, I love F1. Just a pity as per usual it last years season.
Gran Turismo HD - One track, free game. Bloody awesome. It is pure GT. The replays nearly made me wet myself. Online ranking for timed laps is the basic structure. Blows all the other real car racing games away even as a mini HD demo.
The next day my HDMI cable and my two launch games arrived.
HDMI cable, HD (only 1080i on our TV but you cant have everything
Resistance Fall of Man. 3d shooter, not as good as I had expected a bit linear. The physics and AI might be great, and the depth of the graphics etc. May take a bit to get into. Its not call of duty or Halo.
Then....... Motorstorm. Blooming heck this is AWESOME. The HD intro, I was not sure which bits were real or rendered. The game, off road racing, dirt, deforming sand particles on the track. Tilting controller as you restle with the ruts and bumps in bikes, lorries, rally cars with a stonking soundtrack. The star of the show for me. Pure run, awesome Audio and Visuals.
Of course this was a quick set of dips into PS3, life intervenes and I am off to NY this week.
Other things that surprised and delighted me.
1. Sticking photos on the hardrive with an SD card and then using the 'photo album' slide show. This is a 3d animation of your photos as if they were paper and thrown onto a desk as the days scroll by. It is beautiful and engaging.
2. PSP remote. You pair your PSP with the PS3 and the PS3 is then put in remote mode. The PSP (where ever you are in range) will get a rendering of the PS3 screen. Some games will also work apparently. However, it means you can browse the photos as in 1 above, but on your PSP, with the ps3 doing all the rendering. Not sure I explained that but its very good.
There are some youtubes people have done. Does not do teh HD justice :-) but imagine this whilst tilting your PS3 controller.
Some footage of the photo album browser too
PSP remote play video too
Finally I woudl really have liked to have had Home ( the virtual world doodah) there for launch. Its one of teh reasons I felt I should get a PS3 both as a gamer and metaverse evangelist. Just gogin to have to wait until Autumn, I should have realized! Damn release dates and schedules.
Also really looking forward to Little Big Planet, but I am happy to let them get that right!
So I ended up with a mad dash to the depot (down the road) and caught them despite being out of hours.
Anyway, that done, and having no games (as they were coming by snail mail ) I nipped to Argos and got a couple more.
So what is it like?
Well it does look like a george foreman lean min fat grilling machine. It also DOES NOT COME WITH ANY HD CABLES AT ALL. How mad is that, I had my HD cable on the way for HDMI but figured I would have atleast had a component cable for the massive amount of money I was spending.
So I plugged it all on on old fashioned scart and sparked it up. Machines being connected now means that developers can get lazy and it spent a little while (once my wireless WEP key was entered using the on screen keyboard) updating itself.
I also tried to associate my playstation europe login that has my PSP registered as an existing login for the ps3 online network, but it turns out thats a 'different' system so I ended up re-registering to get online as epredator.
So I was at this point mildy annoyed, but still looking forward to some actual games.
Virtua Tennis 3 was first, and off to 'wimbledon' even though the name is not use. This has always been a fantastic game and the PS3 new version made for some great entertainment and I am very pleased with it. It may not be much better than the 360 version in reality but what the heck.
Virtua Fighter 5. This is awesome, I have always lover VF. It was the first proper 3d fighting game in the arcades and I still remember the moment I saw it running as a blocky low polygon game. despite loving it my wife elemming still manages to beat the c*ap out of me on it as I think too much and she button mashes. Eventually I will win over as I get the buttons and timing in my fingers but for now she is house champ.
I then downloaded some demos/freebies.
Formula 1 - Erm.... Wow. It looks awesome, TV like. I still had a quick go with automatic braking on so that messed it up a bit experience wise. But loved the look, I love F1. Just a pity as per usual it last years season.
Gran Turismo HD - One track, free game. Bloody awesome. It is pure GT. The replays nearly made me wet myself. Online ranking for timed laps is the basic structure. Blows all the other real car racing games away even as a mini HD demo.
The next day my HDMI cable and my two launch games arrived.
HDMI cable, HD (only 1080i on our TV but you cant have everything
Resistance Fall of Man. 3d shooter, not as good as I had expected a bit linear. The physics and AI might be great, and the depth of the graphics etc. May take a bit to get into. Its not call of duty or Halo.
Then....... Motorstorm. Blooming heck this is AWESOME. The HD intro, I was not sure which bits were real or rendered. The game, off road racing, dirt, deforming sand particles on the track. Tilting controller as you restle with the ruts and bumps in bikes, lorries, rally cars with a stonking soundtrack. The star of the show for me. Pure run, awesome Audio and Visuals.
Of course this was a quick set of dips into PS3, life intervenes and I am off to NY this week.
Other things that surprised and delighted me.
1. Sticking photos on the hardrive with an SD card and then using the 'photo album' slide show. This is a 3d animation of your photos as if they were paper and thrown onto a desk as the days scroll by. It is beautiful and engaging.
2. PSP remote. You pair your PSP with the PS3 and the PS3 is then put in remote mode. The PSP (where ever you are in range) will get a rendering of the PS3 screen. Some games will also work apparently. However, it means you can browse the photos as in 1 above, but on your PSP, with the ps3 doing all the rendering. Not sure I explained that but its very good.
There are some youtubes people have done. Does not do teh HD justice :-) but imagine this whilst tilting your PS3 controller.
Some footage of the photo album browser too
PSP remote play video too
Finally I woudl really have liked to have had Home ( the virtual world doodah) there for launch. Its one of teh reasons I felt I should get a PS3 both as a gamer and metaverse evangelist. Just gogin to have to wait until Autumn, I should have realized! Damn release dates and schedules.
Also really looking forward to Little Big Planet, but I am happy to let them get that right!
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