tech, news, productivity, views and stuff
Finally had a chance to try out my new Elgato Video Capture.
I connected a PSP to it using the PSP AV Cable and captured the use of the PSP GO!Explore.
It was very simple and easy to use. Once I had captured the movie I could either save as a Quicktime movie, send to YouTube or edit it in iMovie.
BBC reports on changes Facebook wants to make.
The social networking site Facebook has come under fire for planned changes to its privacy settings.
It wants to “simplify” the process so users only have to set them once, instead of for each individual feature.
Facebook says the change will help people share more information with one another.
However, critics argue the new set up could lead to members being persuaded to share too many personal details – their date of birth for example.
Saw the new 13” MacBook Pro complete with SD card slot in the Apple Store.
I was well impressed and am starting to really like this laptop, certainly bigger than a netbook, but more powerful as well (and a lot more expensive too).
Seriously thinking about getting one as a computer for travelling with. The lack of removable battery seems less of an issue these days, what with power sockets on trains and more conference organisers adding power sockets too.
It has Firewire which means moving files (large video files that is) will be easier.
Not too heavy, well heavier than a netbook, but lighter than a 15” MacBook Pro.
Big issue is the price, what with 4GB of RAM and a large HDD, we’re looking at over £1,100…
Thinking about it!
Having just purchased the turbo.264 HD from Elgato I have now purchased their new Video Capture device.
Transfer video to your Mac from a VCR, DVR, camcorder, or any other analog video device as an iTunes-ready H.264 or MPEG-4 file. Elgato Video Capture’s easy-to-use software assists you through every step, from connecting an analog video source to recording the video on your Mac and choosing how you will watch and share it.
There is no easier way to transfer home video to your Mac to play in QuickTime, to sync with an iPod, iPhone or Apple TV, to edit in iMovie, or to upload to YouTube.
I have been looking for something like this from Elgato for some time. I have a couple of Pinnacle devices for capturing video, however either they capture without a preview which is fine for most things, but not all. Or it is Windows only and this means adding extra conversion time to use the captured footage with iMovie or similar.
I use to be able to do it with my original EyeTV device, however that did not capture at a sufficient quality, but this was a fair few years ago now.
So now I have one, still in the bag at the moment.
Despite some issues with JoikuSpot with some mobile devices, it is still one of my most useful applications on my Nokia N95 and I use it a lot.
I have considered getting an iPhone 3GS and this (alongside the iPhone 3G) now (eventually) comes with tethering, the ability to use your phone as a modem with your laptop. I have done this for years with various phones including the Nokia N95.
The only downside is the cost!
I have tethering included as part of my T-Mobile deal which costs roughly the same per month as the O2 iPhone deal, however O2 want an extra £15 per month for a 3GB limit for tethering.
Expensive!
BBC reports on Intel and Nokia working together.
The world’s largest chip maker has teamed up with the world’s largest mobile phone maker to create what they say will be a “new exciting industry”.
Intel and Nokia said their “technology collaboration” would deliver new mobile computing products – beyond existing smartphones, netbooks and notebooks.
But both companies added it was still too early to talk about product plans.
I realise that I don’t write about my digital cameras much on this blog, I have talked about other cameras, but not mine.
I originally had a film Canon SLR and about six or seven years ago I got a Canon EOS 300D Digital SLR which back in 2007 I upgraded to the Canon EOS 400D.
One of the original reasons for going for the Canon DSLR was that I hoped to use my Canon accessories with my new camera. The lenses seemed to work fine, but I could never get my Centon Flash unit to work with my Canon EOS 400D. I just put it down to new camera, old flash!
Today I was going through a box and I found the Centon Flash and I thought, why not have another go, so I did and yet again it didn’t work.
So… I know lets use Google!
Found this blog entry which though talking about a different Centon Flash unit made this useful comment.
I had to tape over the four communication pin contacts on my 400D with electrician’s tape – it won’t fire the flash otherwise when it is mounted on the hotshoe.
So using a bit of tape I taped over four of the contacts and tried the flash…
It worked!
Simple.
When you know how.
Back in October last year my EyeHome stopped working. I assumed has had happened before that the transformer had broken again.
What I did back then was ask Elgato and they replaced the transformer for me, however according to their website they can no longer provide replacements.
I was hoping to find a replacement for my EyeHome, but after having a good look around, trying even to use the PS3, in the end I decided that the only possible replacement was a Mac mini and even that was a compromise and not a real replacement.
I did try and find a replacement transformer, but though I thought I had found a potential supplier, it wasn’t clear which transformer I should buy for the EyeHome.
So for most of this year, the EyeHome was sat in the office and I waited paitently for Elgato to make a replacement…
Yesterday I started tidying up the office and I “found” the EyeHome and started to pack it into a box when I looked at the power supply input, noticed it said 5V and started to wonder…
The PSP power supply looked like it could fit…
It does fit…
It does power the EyeHome…
It lives!!!
Fifty ways in which Twitter can be used to enhance and enrich learning in the classroom.
Some examples from the article…
5. Brainstorm. The ability to share ideas as the occur any time and any where creates an excellent opportunity for brainstorming on class topics.
16. Follow mentors. If professors or other key figures in your field of study are on Twitter, follow them to keep up with their research and activities.
So is Twitter just hype?
Research from people (who don’t use Twitter) seem to think so.
Micro-blogging service Twitter remains the preserve of a few, despite the hype surrounding it, according to research.
Just 10% of Twitter users generate more than 90% of the content, a Harvard study of 300,000 users found.
Anyone who reads my e-Learning Stuff blog will know that I believe that Twitter is all about the coffee and the conversation. Yes there is hype, but for my e-learning community of practice it is working really well as a collaboration and conversational tool.
Steve Wheeler over on Learning with E’s has similar thoughts about the Harvard study.
No, I’m not convinced that this study (which is a survey of 300,000 users) is actually saying anything useful or positive. Some people don’t get Twitter and others only get it partially and use it in a limited manner. Potentially, Twitter is one of the most powerful social networking tools ever to have emerged from the so-called Web 2.0 – and I think it will stand the test of time. There is a large and growing body of tools that support Twitter, and already a vast amount of evidence to show that Twitter can be used inventively as a teaching and learning tool. It seems to me that from their tone, the Harvard researchers can be numbered amongst those people who simply ‘don’t get’ Twitter.
Though having suffered recently from some Twitter problems, I hope that Twitter will sort them out so that Twitter can survive the hype and continue to be a useful tool.
One of the “features” of my mobile phone contract with T-Mobile is that I have access to any T-Mobile Wifi Hotspot.
Yesterday at one of the services on the M5 I was taking a break and decided to catch up on e-mail using the T-Mobile Wifi Hotspot.
I was very disappointed with the speed of the connection, which was slow, intermittent and not very good.
If I had to pay as you go for that connection I would be asking for my money back…
Actually I have paid for it, maybe I should complain!