Cablog

Blog-free

Sorry but I've been unable to post for the last couple of days. Initially I was cleaning up some old design issues and managed to italicise the entire archival section. I'm here to tell you, spending hours hunting down broken Javascript is not_much_fun. The issue was compounded by Typepad's server slowly going down at the same time.

Fortuitously, Typepad had recently invited me to trial a new blogging platform they are developing, which was unaffected by the shut-down. So I took the opportunity to create a private family blog, for a large extended clan scattered all over the joint. Now we have a central online place to post and view personal news and information via text, images, video and audio, from any Web-enabled digital device.

Another project I addressed was road-testing an ultra-compact digital camera, not much bigger than a credit card. The Sony Cybershot DSC T7 is one slick camera featuring 5.1 megapixel lens and 3×optical zoom, yet failed my basic test - low night-light compensation. In fact my mobile phone produces better outdoor night-time images, so I'll now wait for a much heralded new Nokia with a 3 mpx lens and 3×optical zoom. As with the Sony Cybershot, this Nokia phone boasts top quality video of 30 frames per second and sounds like a ripper.

Finally during this Cablog-free period I came across one the most compelling blog tales I've read for some time. Occasionally, a blogger self-destructs publicly in a most humiliating way. Jeff Goldstein of Protein Wisdom was recently attacked by a psychology 'professor' from the University of Arizona. For a lesson in the perils of undisciplined blog commenting, watch this train-wreck unfold...it's excruciating. Scratch one career.

New Mobile Tele

A recent item from The Australian's Technology section really caught my eye - mobile TV. Tele broadcast to a mobile phone, not from a 3G service but via a dedicated TV application called DVB-H, from The Bridge Networks. This tool enables greater reliability of signal reception than video broadcast to 3G mobile phones.

I was especially interested in the news a trial has just commenced using 1000 Nokia 7710 video mobile phones around Sydney. And who better to join the fun than yours truly ? So I've just fired off a late application to join the trial. DVB-H sounds like the perfect antidote to my interminable waiting on quiet City ranks. And no longer will I miss seeing Desperate Housewifes ! No wonder the City's so dead Monday nights. (image enlarges)

Lazy is...

Lazy is...mobloging in bed. Rather than getting off my arse and taking two steps in order to fire-up the PC. Note the cabbie suntan - yesterday's thong marks after a rare day in the sun. For anyone interested in mobloging, this post cost approx. $1 - 0.70c to send and 0.30c to check it arrived onsite. Anyway, the cricket's on the radio and I've a new book to read on sports writing. I'm not moving !

Moblogging

In responding to an inquiry from Steev in comments here, I realised it would be better served in a post. He has inquired as to the ins and outs of moblogging. I don't know a whole lot but this is how I understand it. Others may have more detail to add,

Steev, Mobile blogging or moblogging is as you say sending an email message over the phone to your site, given your blog server supports this. Basically it's done in text via email. More advanced form is via a multi-media message with images, however present carriers like Telstra allow only 160 characters of text and/or 100kb of image. It should be noted advanced moblogging requires a smart phone or PDA...

A new look

Welcome to the newly re-designed Man of Lettuce weblog. I've undertaken this to coincide with an upcoming story on me and the blog, appearing soon on tele. And not before time either, as I was thoroughly sick of the original design.

The basic layout, banner and sidebar is now complete. However there are few minor features to add over the next week, so please bear with me while this happens.

The design is by Raena Armitage, the Tasmanian web wizard of Synapse. She toiled into the night to have it ready on time. Thanks mate, you're a star, who I'd highly recommend to anyone contemplating a re-design. Pay her a visit and be impressed by her technical knowledge and competence.

Practise

Heres a video of myself doing a piece to camera this morning. The sun was out, I was up early, I was inspired. It's a weird feeling holding the phone up in my face, taping myself, but I need to practise in order to develop some competence with the medium. It's the only way I'll ever get offered a fabulously well-paid cigarette commercial. Or grog, ammo, 4WD's, nuclear power plants. Anything's better than driving cabs on a Saturday night.

Yobbo video

Ever wondered what Yobbo sounds like. Well, he sounds like a real Aussie bloke. Go meet him in his local pub, having a drink with some of his sensitive new age mates. Bastard. Here I am, deep in the Web trying to find out how to present my phone/videos. Yet he buys a new smart phone and punches one out like a real pro. The video, not his mates...

SF-sunset

Hello from San Francisco!
Demo KABLOG photo/moblogging software for Nokia / Series 60 phones.

Time out

Having a short break am I. Will be back on the keyboard tomorrow. Just talk amongst yourselves while I perfect my various (bloody) phone tools. Also in the process of having a real professional, Raena of Synapse do a blog redesign. Cheers, Adrian.

Phone videos

Here's a couple of daytime, early morning, videos I shot on the way to the Court this week. Unaccustomed as I am to being up at this time of day, I took the opportunity of capturing beautiful Sydney Harbour on the phone. Yeah, it's a slow load but hey, it's the weekend, relax. Soon though, I'll work out how to set-up video for better access. Videos open in Quicktime.