Author: jamesclay

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Podcast Choice #06 – Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo’s Film Reviews

I have been asked a fair few times about the different podcasts I listen to. I not only have a lengthy commute to work, but also travel a fair bit for work, so it’s vital to me to have something to listen to. This series will discuss and review the different podcasts I listen to or have listened to. In a previous blog post I spoke about the why and how I listen to podcasts, now we look at the actual podcasts I listen to.

This week’s podcast is Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo’s Film Reviews.

Mark Kermode discusses the latest film releases with Simon Mayo. Lively, controversial and unmissable movie discussion. Broadcast live on Fridays at 2pm on BBC Radio 5 live.

I have often thought that the best movie critics to listen to are the ones that correlate with your own views on films. If you like films they like, then films they recommend will probably be ones you will enjoy.

Unfortunately I don’t go to the cinema as much as I use when I was younger, now that I have a young family. However I do find that I enjoy the weekly banter about what is coming out in the cinema between Mark and Simon. It keeps me informed about what is fresh and new in the world of cinema, whilst also enabling me to make a list of films that I will buy on Blu-Ray, download from iTunes or rent from my local library. I often refer back to previous shows when a new film is released on DVD to check what Mark thought of it before making a purchase decision.

On the surface I would not have correlated the films I like with the ones that Mark likes. He is a fan of horror films, in particular the Exorcist, and I really don’t like horror films and probably would never see the Exorcist. However I do remember when Mark reviewed Pan’s Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro. A Spanish language film I would probably never have seen if I hadn’t heard Mark Kermode rant on about how good it was on what seemed at the time a weekly basis. When it did come out on DVD, I did go out and buy it and thought what a wonderful film it was. Since then I have listened and learned from Mark about films and cinema and have enjoyed many movies that I otherwise may have missed. I also enjoy the regular rants on those cinema releases that are not really up to scratch and the discourse is really entertaining to listen to. I also like the fact that Mark can surprise me, a film I would be sure he would hate, he loves and vice versa.

The show or podcast itself is though more than just a series of film reviews the banter and discourse between Mark and Simon is as much of the why I listen to the show as for the reviews. There are a few in-jokes that add to the enjoyment too; hello Jason Isaacs! You can tell this is an important part of the show, as I rarely listen to the podcast if Mark and Simon are on holiday and some other people are doing the show; I would even say I was disappointed to find that they are not doing the show. The key factor I think for me for the podcast is the fact that it is Mark and Simon. I also rarely watch or listen to Mark on other shows when he is on his own, it certainly is for me the relationship and energy that this pair have that makes this an entertaining and a must listen podcast for the week.

The show has “evolved” or “mutated” over the years, it use to be under one hour, but since Simon Mayo moved to drivetime on Radio 2 it is now a two hour show which equates to a 90 minute podcast. They have guests to talk about films, usually an actor or director who has a new release as would be expected. Within a typical show you will get a review of the top ten in the cinema box office, a good chance to hear what Mark thinks of the current films in the cinema in an amusing pithy one sentence usually. As well as the interview there will be reviews of the new releases, sometimes long, sometimes quick and a recommendation of the film of the week.

At the end of the day you will either really enjoy this podcast or hate it, and a lot of that will depend on what films you like. If you like what Mark likes then you will enjoy this, if you don’t you may find that even with the banter this isn’t the film review podcast for you.

Subscribe to Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo’s Film Reviews in the iTunes Store.

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Kabaam – Comic Strip App

Kabaam is an app for creating comic strips using your photographs, either ones you take or from your photo library.

Though I think I prefer the other comic apps I have, this one is currently free, so nothing to lose in downloading the app.

Of course you could use another app to comicfy your images before using them in Kabaam.

It’s a great little app for quickly creating photo stories.

Via Tony Vincent

Get Kabaam in the iTunes App Store.

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Airport Express Reliability

Despite upgrading my Airport Express to the latest firmware, I have still been having continuing reliability problems with the Airport Express “disappearing” from my network. As a result certain devices (such as my iPhone and my printer) which rely on the 802.11g network can not find the wireless network. The only solution is to unplug the Express and plug it back in again.

There appears to be no pattern to it falling over and as I don’t print that often and I am less likely to need connectivity on my iPhone at home, I am not always aware that it has fallen over and needs rebooting.

I am going to at this point not replace it just yet, but if it continues to fail then I think I will need to get a new one.

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Homebase QR Code

This is another one of those mainstream uses of QR Codes that really fails to deliver for the consumer.

Regular readers of the blog will know that I have been noting where I have seen QR Codes in the mainstream, in other words in the places regular people will see and use them.

This particular QR Code was found on a flyer from Homebase which was delivered through the door with the post.

As you can see, there are instructions telling you that you need to scan it in with your smartphone.

The first issue is that have you seen the size of that QR Code? I have enlarged the picture so if you want to scan it in yourself you will be able to.

The problem is that the URL they are using is too big and the resulting QR Code is as a result very complicated.

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/HomebaseStaticPage
SecondLevel?langId=110&storeId=10151&includeName=HBCreate
TheLook/createthelook_collections.html&int_cmp=hp_main_beinspired

They should have used a shorter URL so that the QR Code was less complicated. I know from experience that some phones, notably the iPhone 3G and 3GS with low resolution cameras have trouble reading and resolving very complicated QR Codes. Using a short URL would have resulted in a less complicated QR Code and so less potential errors when reading and resolving them when using a phone with a low resolution camera. I should say though that the iPhone 4 with the Optiscan App read and resolved the code just fine.

So once you have read the code where does the it take you?

Well to the standard Homebase website.

This is not a mobile version of the site, no, just the full standard version, which to be honest doesn’t really work on the small screen on a phone.

I did check by opening the page in Safari to see if there was a mobile version, no there was not.

So does this use of a QR Code work?

Well the code does what it says, it takes you to the full range on their website, however the QR Code is too complicated for what it needs to do and the website really should be optimised for a mobile device.

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Open source DTP software

Was recently reminded about Scribus, an open source DTP package for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux.

Scribus is an open-source program that brings award-winning professional page layout to Linux/Unix, MacOS X, OS/2 and Windows desktops with a combination of “press-ready” output and new approaches to page layout. Underneath the modern and user friendly interface, Scribus supports professional publishing features, such as CMYK color, separations, ICC color management and versatile PDF creation.

Could be an alternative for InDesign, Quark and of course Publisher. Scribus website.

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Fantastic Contraption for iPhone – Game Choice #01

If you like using your iPhone for games (in the main casual gaming) then you may be interested in the following games that I have enjoyed playing on my iPhone over the last few years.

Fantastic Contraption – £1.49

If my memory serves me correctly I was introduced to this game by that Dave Foord. However the first time I played it was on my computer, as it was a Flash game. So when it came out for iPhone I did go out and buy it.

In Fantastic Contraption you build a machine from simple parts to move objects to a goal. There’s physics involved but don’t worry, just press “Start” and watch what happens! The simple controls and step-by-step tutorial will have you building fantastic contraptions in no time!

The concept is simple move stuff from one place to another using the bits, wheels and parts available.

What I like about the game is that there is a learning element, not just in the fact that there is physics involved, but that in order to pass a level you need to use trial and error and learn from your mistakes. Unlike some other games there isn’t a single solution either, so you don’t have to follow the path that the games designer usually makes for these kinds of games, you can create your own path entirely. One feature of the game is when you have completed a level you can see the solutions that others came up with.

As with a lot of games on the iPhone this one is nice in that you don’t need to spend a huge amount of time playing the game to have fun. You can spend five minutes fancompleting a level and then put the phone away (and catch that train or start watching that film).

For those that finish all the levels, there is now Fantastic Contraption 2.

Fantastic Contraption 2 is the sequel to the original Flash hit Fantastic Contraption! Developed in response to fan requests, Fantastic Contraption 2 contains the anticipated features of magnets, moving platforms, and a new integrated badge system. Users will also be able to conquer more than 60 new levels, master linking chains, and build creative contraptions of their own using the new Level Editor!

Get Fantastic Contraption in the iTunes App Store. – No longer available.

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Where’s me Spotlight?

I probably do have too many apps on my iPad. One of the reasons I bought a 64GB iPad was I knew there were going to be some big apps out there and I would need the space.

However one consequence of too many apps, is finding the app when you need to use it. I have to admit to not really organising my apps into folders, partly as it is such a bore to do that, but also I really don’t like the design and look of the folder icons. Also I am not sure how much they would actually help me find the app I was looking for.

So more often than not I swipe to the right from the Home screen and use Spotlight, the built in search on the iPad, to find the app I want.

So there I was on the iPad, when I wanted to quickly blog a picture that made me smile.

I decided I would use Blogsy, swiped to the right, typed Bl and it didn’t come up.

Hmmm, I thought, probably haven’t installed it on this iPad (or uninstalled it since upgrading to iOS 5). So I went to the App Store and weirdly it said it was installed.

I then went back to Spotlight and did some other searches, and nothing was coming up, no results, zip, nowt!

I did try turning off Spotlight in settings, but that had no effect, so I then did a reboot, by holding down the power switch for five seconds until the “Slide to power off” comes on and turned the iPad off.

Turning it back on again I checked and Spotlight was back!

I had just sync’d the iPad so wonder if that had caused Spotlight to fail. Generally the iPad just works for me, thought now and again I do find glitches and bugs with the operating system. Most can be fixed with a reboot though.