LightTouch from Light Blue Optics
CES, CES 2010 January 7th, 2010 by Shai Perednik
We’ve seen this concept before in the form of a red laser projected image of a keyboard. What makes the LightTouch different is the full color image thats projected.
Light Blue Optics demoed various usage cases, but when questioned they have not even considered military usage.
So lets dare to imagine and think of a possible use case for the LightTouch on the battlefield.
First we’ll explore a possible current scenario. A squadron leaders calls a halt to his unit calling for a map or recon from the unmanned drone he’s sent in. A soldier will run up with either a paper map or an LCD. We can assume the LCD is heavy and very bulky and presume that the map is made of a paper or plastic that’s seen its share of abuse. So what’s the alternative?
Let’s explore the same scenario assuming the squadron leader was equipt with a LightTouch device. He no longer needs to call for anyone, he simply kneels down, clears the ground of small debris and turns on his LightTouch. He now has the ability to quiqly pull up his map or recon video, make his decisions and move on.
With a multi-touch LightTouch the squadron leader can interact with the map, pinch to zoom, pan the image. Now imagine the recon video where he can halt the drone at a safe location zoom in and pan beyond the optic capabilities built into the drone. He can even reposition and control the drone from the same screen.
This idea is not that far fetched as the reference design already has a 2hr battery, is compact, and can handle uneven surfaces.
Tags: battlefield, CES, military, Photo, video
iPhone Apps Design Mistakes: Disregard Of Context
My Clippings November 15th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
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The iPhone will always be part of a much bigger picture. How well you address human and environmental factors will greatly determine the success of your product. All too often, iPhone developers create products in isolation from their customers. In order to create really appealing applications, developers must stop focusing only on the mechanisms of the apps. Zoom out: understand the person using the application, as well as the complex environmental factors surrounding that person.
To better understand the context of these design challenges, we’ll highlight several levels of human and environmental factors.
Also consider our related articles:
- iPhone design mistakes: Over-Design
- iPhone App Design Trends
- How to Create Your First iPhone Application
Level 1: You Are Here. To Create An App That Customers Love, Zoom Out
Level 1: The app itself.
This is how many developers view their apps. As a developer, you have a vision of what your product should look like and why customers will turn their attention to it. However, if you observe your product so closely, you may put it in the wrong context and design it for the wrong purposes and for the wrong users. This is why you need to zoom out.
Level 2: A person is using this app.
That person has specific goals and challenges. In the section below we’ll start by exploring some of the most prominent — and most ignored — human factors pertaining to the iPhone. We’ll discuss basic physical ergonomics, visual limitations and common design mistakes.
Level 3: That person is using this app in a specific environment.
Step back and you’ll see that the app is a part of a complex social environment. It plays but a relatively small role in communication between people and helping people accomplish bigger goals. This is where the social components comes into play: networking, community, social-driven websites and applications and many other things create the environment — or the context — in which the application will be used.
Level 4: The environment is part of a greater culture.
Your ability to address the unique needs of different cultures will affect the success of your product. Ignoring them is too expensive, especially if your app sells worldwide. Here it is important to understand that the environment is a part of global networking. You need to be aware of cultural differences, traditions and metaphors in order to create an application that will not only gain popularity in certain local circles, but will also have a global success.
Tags: Apple, blockquote, cli, Extract, Google, Information, IO, ISO, ma, Mac, man, Photo, php, script, video, way, XP
YouTube Getting 1080p Video Next Week
My Clippings November 13th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
As long as people find their own cell phone footage compelling up to share with the world, low-quality video will continue to be an integral part of the YouTube experience. The Google-owned video site already attempted to buck that trend once, with the addition of HD video, and now it’s taking things a step further, introducing 1080p footage.
“As resolution of consumer cameras increases, we want to make sure YouTube is the best home on the web to showcase your content,” the company wrote in a blog post. “For viewers with big monitors and a fast computer, try switching to 1080p to get the most out of the fullscreen experience.”
The addition will roll out next week, bumping the site’s maximum resolution up from 720p. 1080p videos already posted to the site will be re-encoded by YouTube.
A Single Graphic Card to Control 8 Displays
My Clippings November 12th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Most likely annoyed by the new Radeon HD 5870 Eyefinity, able to manage 6 displays, and by AMD strategy to take shares of its niche markets, Matrox fired back with a new graphic card: M9188.
This card scored a new record as it is able to manage simultaneously up to 8 displays. I features 1 or 2 GB of VRAM and is installed on a PCI Express 16x slot. Matrox does not plan to compete on the market of graphic cards dedicated to games, but develop solutions allowing simultaneous management of several displays as used in airport, stock exchange places, video-controlled operation centers, etc.
PicturesToExe Deluxe 6.0 Multilanguage Portable
My Clippings November 12th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
PicturesToExe creates slide show in stand-alone EXE file. Using a clean-looking, intuitive interface, you select pictures from any combination of folders on your system. Then press the Create button. In just moments, you’ve produced an .exe file that, when run, displays the images with the options you’ve selected. Options let you specify automatic or manual sequencing, pick the timer interval, adjust font and background properties, and decide whether you want the sequence to run once and terminate or to repeat continuously. You can also add a MIDI, or MP3-based soundtrack and associate each picture with a .wav file. PicturesToExe is a nice way to share your favorite images with others in a compact, easy-to-email form. Ability to create AVI video file.
Programmer 101: Teach Yourself How to Code [Programming]
My Clippings November 12th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
You've always wanted to learn how to build software yourself—or just whip up an occasional script—but never knew where to start. Luckily, the web is full of free resources that can turn you into a programmer in no time.
Since the invention of the internet, programmers have been using it to discuss software development techniques, publish tutorials, and share code samples for others to learn from and use online. If you’re curious about how to become a programmer, you can get off to a running start using tons of great free web-based tutorials and resources.
First Things First: Don’t Get Hung Up on Choosing a Language
A common pitfall for beginners is getting stuck figuring out which programming language is best to learn first. There are a lot of opinions out there, but there's no one "best" language. Here's the thing: In the end, language doesn't matter THAT much. Understanding data and control structures and design patterns does matter very much. Every language—even a simple scripting language—will have elements that you'll use in other languages as well and will help you learn. In classes I took to get my degree in Computer Science, I programmed in Pascal, Assembly, and C—languages I never actually got paid to program in professionally. I taught myself every language I've used in my career, reusing concepts I already knew, and referring to documentation and books to learn its syntax. So, don't get hung up on what language to learn first. Pick the kind of development you want to do, and just get started using one that works.
There are several different kinds of software development you can do for various platforms, from the web to your desktop to your smartphone to a command line. In this article, we’ll outline some of our favorite starter tutorials and resources for teaching yourself how to program for each major platform. We’re going to assume you’re a savvy user, but a newb when it comes to wrangling code snippets, so we’ll keep things at the beginner level. Even just following through a beginner programming tutorial, you’ll be happy to see how far you can get.
Tags: Apple, backup, Bookmarklet, Bookmarklets, Build, cli, command line, css, email, flash, Google, Information, IO, Javascript, Linux, ma, Mac, man, Monkey, OSX, php, quick, script, video, way, wind, WordPress, XP
25 Slick PSD Website Templates Free for Download
My Clippings November 12th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
There are people all over the internet that are willing to give away their work for promotional purposes or because they want to spread their design talent to other people.
For this reason we are lucky enough to have a wide variety of free PSD website templates for your use and enjoyment. I have collected some of the best ones I found from around the web to bring to you, already split up into layers in Photoshop. Enjoy!
1) Design Studio PSD Template
2) Orange PSD Template
3) SanduneBiz PSD Template
4)Cambridge PSD Template
5) Crisp Presentation PSD Template
6) Citrus Square Burst PSD Template
7) Audryhipburn PSD Template
8 ) MyTwoCents Property PSD Template
9) Old Victorian PSD Template
10) Bright Colors Radio PSD Template
11) Blackboard PSD Template
12) Colorful Video PSD Template
13) Shape PSD Template
14) DelliStore PSD Template
15) Midnight Sun PSD Template
16) Environmental PSD Template
17) Smashing Multimedia PSD Template
18 ) Slideshow PSD Template
19) Fresh PSD Template
20) 5 Webdesigns PSD Template
21) 3 Free PSD Template
22) Organic Conference PSD Template
23) Summer of Love PSD Template
24) Herbal Treats PSD Template
25) Solitude PSD Template
About the Author
Tyler Denis is a part-time freelance designer from Ashland, New Hampshire. He is also the creator/writer of the design blog Denis Designs/blog, a website dedicated to bringing quality tutorials and inspiration. You can follow him on Twitter or at his personal site, Denis Designs.
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Pixmac: Stock Photos, Royalty Free Pictures and Images
Tags: css, Google, IO, ma, Mac, Photo, php, video, way, WordPress
Allmyapps Bulk-Installs Your Favorite Apps, Makes System Rebuilding Less Painful [Installation]
My Clippings November 8th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Windows/Linux: One of the most irritating things about reinstalling your operating system is installing all the non-OS applications you love. Allmyapps lets you select all your favorite apps and roll them into a bulk installer to make rebuilding easy.
At Allmyapps you can browse over a hundred popular applications in a dozen categories to build a master list of applications you want to install. You don’t have to install immediately after building your list, you can save your list for later installation. Check out the video below to see how Allmyapps works:
For another great time-saving bulk installation tool, check out previously reviewed Ninite. Have a way to get your favorite apps installed quickly? Let’s hear about it in the comments.
Allmyapps is a free web-based service and provides bulk-installation on both Windows and Ubuntu Linux.
Tags: Build, cli, Google, IO, Linux, ma, quick, Ubuntu, video, way, wind
Getting Started With Content Management Systems
My Clippings November 8th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
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The need to update websites faster to keep content fresh has been ever growing. Ever since the first business owner wanted their Web designer to update their website faster, content management systems have played an important role on the Web. Why does this matter to you? How do you know if your company is ready?
In this article, we will look at how to tell if your organization needs a content management system. We will also give you information on the abilities of content management systems to help you better understand what they can do. While content management systems may seem complex, their entire purpose is to streamline your workflow and make your life easier.
A content management system allows you to create, manage, store and edit massive amounts of content without any HTML programming skill. Because you are able to edit your content from any computer with an Internet connection, you no longer have to rely on third-party developers or companies to keep your website up to date. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Every company would like to reduce costs and increase productivity.
Also consider our previous articles:
- 10 Things To Consider When Choosing The Perfect CMS
Goes over what features to look for when choosing a content management system. - 10 Harsh Truths About Corporate Websites
Explains the mistakes we all make when running our websites. The nature of those mistakes varies depending on the size of your company. As your organization grows, the mistakes change. This post addresses common mistakes of large organizations. - Developers Toolbox
Offers tools and resources to help you achieve your goals at a more hands-on level.
1. What Is A Content Management System?
If you have never heard the term before, a content management system (CMS) is a Web-based solution that makes it easy for a company to manage website updates internally. For many companies, updating a website is not something to look forward to because it can be a lengthy and, over time, expensive process. Most companies search for easier means of accomplishing their goals. The solution that many large and small companies have found is a CMS. The easy-to-use application allows your company to control its online identity with little to no knowledge of Web design.
Tags: Apple, Build, cli, CURL, Google, Information, IO, ma, man, Microsoft, module, Photo, php, quick, script, security, ssl, video, way, WordPress, XP
No Doubt Sues Activision Over Band Hero
My Clippings November 7th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Not every rock star is excited about being included in the Guitar Hero franchise. No Doubt this week filed suit against Activision for unauthorized use of the band’s likeness in the new Band Hero edition of the video game.
The game has “transformed No Doubt band members into a virtual karaoke circus act,” according to a suit filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Band Hero was released on Tuesday and allows players to create their own virtual bands with any combination of multiple guitarists, bassists, drummers and vocalists. You want a band featuring Gwen Stefani, Michael Jackson, Taylor Swift, and Adam Levine? Set it up via Band Hero, and then select the song you want your newly formed band to perform.
This type of manipulation is apparently the root of No Doubt’s objections.
“They agreed to play three No Doubt songs as a band…. Activision then went and put them in 62 other songs and broke the band up [and] never even asked,” the band’s manager told the Times.
No Doubt pointed to a feature that would allow leader singer Stefani to sing the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women.” The suit said Stefani objected to the Stefani avatar singing “in a male voice boasting about having sex with prostitutes.”
Activision said it held extensive negotiations with No Doubt before the release of the game and is within its rights. No Doubt claims that Activision never told them about the character manipulation factor.
