gReader Catchup: Next iPhone

Caught up on some of the MacRumors about the next iPhone.

• the next-generation iPhone will have "a significantly faster Internet connection." While no further information is given as to whether this is referring to cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity. source
• the new iPhone would indeed have a video camera. source
• New iPhone announcement around mid-June. source
• Supporting only 802.11n devices on a wireless network can significantly improve performance.
  If Apple does indeed provide video recording and publishing, it certainly makes sense to offer some limited editing/clipping ability. source
• 802.11n wireless connectivity … also supports both reception and transmission of FM radio signals.
  Apple has certainly been known not to enable all features their hardware is capable of, and FM reception/transmission is one that have shown no interest in supporting in the past. source
• The discovery that Apple's next iPhone might contain both video input as well as a magnetometer (digital compass) opens up some interesting possibilities for future iPhone applications.
  Examples of how this could be used include pointing your iPhone's camera at a building and the phone telling you what building it is by combining GPS, accelerometer and compass information. The iPhone could even overlay graphics and text on top of the image to provide additional information. Another application described is the ability to show information about stars and constellations simply by pointing your iPhone towards the sky. source

I’m counting the days already. Even if they are just rumours at this stage.

Linx B-tube

Linx B-tube, originally uploaded by dimacleod.

Linx b-tube arrives. It looks good and feels good. For a few seconds i forget my lurgy and leave my breathing to a lower brain function. For a wee while. Watching last week's "old dogs" and seeing behind the scenes of John Simpson's journey to Afghanistan. Lots to do. And I'm on holiday now.

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Added “out of the box” video.

Cartophiles of the world, arise!

I love maps. Maps hold information, and information is power. When in the outdoors, it can be the power of life and death. Or simply finding a decent, comfortable wild camp hours before arriving in the area. It is almost magical.

The new iPhone also worked its magic on me when I was off ill. I found out about the launch accidentally when looking at my O2 phone bill. It launches on the 11th of July this year. Shiny. By the time I had finished watching the keynote speech, I was hooked. Heck, Jobs had be hooked about 25% in.  (link)

The big draw? Assisted GPS (dfn). This will allow so many new applications to be developed as to be unimaginable.

For me, I want to be able to link a live trail-log to blog posts. In English: I post a blog entry from the trail, and the system updates a map with a flag to allow users to click and read the blog post. An old-school version of something similar exists on this blog: My Munros map. It is clunky and requires 2 apps to get it updated. Not very WebGeo.

So, what I want to be able to do is:

1. Write post in a decent editor. Add photos to it. Be able to send post direct to my blog.

2. I want to be able to add my current location from the GPS system to the post and have this used by the software (i.e. I don't want to have to type in long old-school lat/long numbers).

3. I want that data to be added to a map on my blog (I'll accept some initialisation if required).

The details of the map (probably Google Maps), won't be as good as the Ordnance Survey, but it will be good enough to allow people to read that I'm okay/moaning/singing/sleeping in/changing plans (delete as applicable) and see where abouts on the trail that I am.

Of course, for this to work out in the real world (i.e. not within the proportion of the country that the telephone companies can be bothered to give cellular access to). I think that OffConn needs to step in - but they'd have to climb out of the pockets of the companies and start standing up for the citizens that pay their wages.

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Some GeoBlogging links (old-school definition on Wikipedia)

• Google Geo Developers Blog
• Lat Long Blog (official Google Earth & Maps blog)
• Google Maps Mania (unofficial)
• Where2.0 Conference
• Adam Burt's 2006 post:  Overview of Geo-Blogging
• Geobloggers.com
• How to insert a map in your blog
• Geoblogging using Google AJAX API
• Rob O'Daniel's post: How to Geotag Your Blog

Personal Wind Turbine

This came through on Kirou's newsfeed: the alternative power source HYmini is now available for purchase.

A quick search and there's a longer article on CoolHunting. I'm more interested.

I find the manufacturer's site: hymini.com

I finally see a photo giving me an idea of scale. I'm impressed. I want to see if I can secure it to a pack during the day and use it to generate and store power. Even tie it between 2 guylines overnight.

YouTube search brings up some good videos, for example, this one:

I want one for the next long hiking session. After 3-days, I get concerned about recharging the mobile phone. And finally, it looks like the output is via USB instead of some proprietary connection.

Convergence 2.0

Yesterday I watched Alan Yentob's "Imagine...WWW" again, as he covered the future of the Web. Although a year old, I was surprised to find a couple of items from it being cited later that day:

1. David Firth, of SaladFingers fame, was on ScreenWipe last night on BBC2.
2. "The Long Tail" being discussed on the new http://twit.tv/natn podcast. (YouTube video)

To me, this reflects the power of Web2.0. It is about sharing ideas, just-in-time learning, and creativity. A real meritocracy. Participate or not, it is your choice, just don't complain about missing out. Learn Japanese if you want. Learn how to create spheres in Photoshop if you want. Learn how to fold a lightcube if you want.

Leo and Amber described themselves as being Internet Content Creators. Not being pigeon-holed into one particular format. I thought back to the Yentob programme, where he mentioned convergence. The two ideas, memes if you will, merged, intertwingled. I had been thinking of convergence in a Web 1.0 way: the technologies coming together so that, for example, my mobile phone has a media player, so I don't need two devices. What if I think of convergence in a Web 2.0 way? The sharing, the communities, the people, the learning, the exploration, the fun, and the meritocracy is all that is important, and not the hosting technology.

Do I care that you are listening to this on a podcast? Nope. Do I care if you are using Safari on a Mac, or browsing via a mobile phone? Nope. So why should you care if this is posted on a blog, written on a forum or a wiki, in some class notes or discussed in a YouTube video. Is this not what converging technologies should be really about? Share the knowledge, share the creativity, share the power. In return you will gain new knowledge, find new creativity, and be empowered to take new strides forward.

Any media that fails to keep up has a problem. Any technology that fails to keep up has a problem. But that is their problem, and not ours.

Sleep, Little iPod

I resurrected an old project: using the iPod to listen to podcasts instead of going to sleep listening to the radio. I used to listen to Radio 4 last thing at night, but these days the "comedy" isn't that funny, and then they have "today in Parliament" - so if I catch that instead it often gets my blood boiling and I'm suddenly awake, arguing with the radio. Oops, I just noticed that the BBC's link to "today in Parliament" hasn't been updated since 2004 - that says a lot.

With my current iPod accessory list, the options are either headphones or one of those short-range radio gadgets that allows me to play through a radio speaker. Not ideal as headphones are uncomfortable to wear in bed and the other system has to be switched off completely or the batteries die.

So, whilst in Tescos the other night/morning, I let my eyes fall on their range of external speakers. Most were unpleasing to the eye, others too expensive for this sort of thing. The Logic3 i-Station3 was neither. 6rms of slinky black docking station/speaker system for 25 notes. It could be set up to sync with a pc, and can run on batteries or can charge a unit through the mains connection. It even has little perspex speaker covers. Mainly, some thought has gone into the design. Manufacturer's link.

As to the 'sleep' function. I went looking for Apple software, but found that the iPod's clock already has a sleep function. Which has just kicked in, finishing the movie I was watching ("The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" recorded from TV years ago), and all it leaves is a blue light showing at the station's On/Off switch. Apple link.

Final stage is to add a shortcut to the Sleep Function to the Main Menu. Settings > Main Menu. Sadly only allows me to add the Clock to the Main Menu, and not the submenu item of Sleep Timer. iPod Manual PDF.

I can now drift off to sleep listening to podcasts instead of BBC Radio, and so their mundane regular shows lose another customer to the Internet and the world of OnDemand media. Not because I want to, but because the stuff that is being churned out at times that I am listening/watching is of variable quality. Unlike the Today show in the morning, which is great to wake up to.

Buy The Power

I was looking through my favourite alternative energy site, ModernOutpost to see what was available to recharge phone and/or batteries.

Solar - well, I have the SolarUno, and to tell the truth, there isn't enough sun in Scotland. But I found that I can use it to take power from AAA batteries and use it to charge up my mobile phone.

George went for the Freeloader, but you have to find a power supply to recharge if the solar panels don't pick up enough charge.

Wind up - I have a hand-wound recharger for the phone, and it doesn't seem to charge the phone at all. I have tried, and the "charging" symbol comes up, but I may be winding too fast or too slow. Never just right.

Hence looking for alternatives. I found the shake-n-light. Sorry, that should be ShakeLight

Onward I looked, eventually finding the Tekkeon myPower Go. The ModernOutpost description says "Use it to charge batteries via USB port, and then use that same power to run your portable USB devices". But the page was incomplete, so off to the Tekkeon website. Expansys sells the unit in the UK for £12.95 plus P&P. Takes 4 AA batteries and uses them to recharge units via a USB output.

I only use AA batteries for the point-and-click camera. The Sony camera hardly drains any power, but I usually carry some spare AA batteries in my pack. The myPower can be used as a recharger. But I'm not looking at it for that, as I'm more likely to buy extra AA batteries on a long hike than spend an evening in a building, recharging AA rechargeables.

A detailed review can be found on gearDiary.com Now, I remember speaking to Darren about rechargers, and he found that some batteries worked better than others (i.e. Duracell wasn't as good as Energizer). I may run some tests, but I doubt that I'll waste the battery power finding out, saving it for a real field test.

Unit ordered.

postSUW

Since returning from the Southern Upland Way, I've spend the week compiling the YouTube feeds and catching up with emails and action on OutdoorsMagic. The only ongoing problem with my feet are the wee toes, and then only the itch as dead skin is replaced.

As you may have gathered, something as big for me as a 2 week through-hike, is going to lead to some changes in approach and gear.

• The large pack of unused waterproofs
• Bulky food
• Repowering mobile phone
• Length of tent pole sections

Called FastAndLight and ordered a pair of Montrail Namches. As the call was on Skype, I had a good chat with Craig, and ordered a more modern lighter waterproof jacket too. I'll be back for the trousers when the 2007 stock comes in at the end of May. He told me about a diet, and I ordered the book, "The Paleo Diet for Athletes" from Amazon, as I already had a couple of dehydrator recipe books on order.

I went with the previously mentioned Insul mat, and Stef/BG is adding it to his order. Also 'won' from eBay a new USB charge-head for my phone to replace the broken one. I noticed that GadgetsQuick sell a charge head for my phone that looks like it may fit the rotary charger that I had given away to a mate. She doesn't use it, and has will look it out (I may need to repay the tub of ice cream that was the original price).

The length of the Akto's tent pole sections, 440mm, prevents the pole/peg bag fitting anywhere else on the Osprey Atmos pack except in the main compartment. A smaller length will allow the pole/peg bag to stay in an outer pocket (i.e. one of the zipped 'side' pockets). The aim is to be able to pitch the tent quickly as soon as I stop, and that means not having to faff around with rummaging inside the main compartment.

After searching the OM forum, I went to Fibraplex.com and ordered their Akto poles, asking if they can shorten the section lengths. I'll see what happens.

I haven't been in a gear shop in 3 weeks.

Found the new WayMerks website, and emailed the creator to congratulate him on his idea, and tell him of the 3 empty kists.

Went to see the Aberdeen Students' Show "The Invasion of the Doric Snatchers" [link]. First one I've seen, and I was impressed at the professionalism of the production. A tail of superheroes and supervillains in Aberdeen, it was novel to see that the sidekick was the main character. Being mainly in Doric, it took me a couple of goes before I got the Lisa Lane name-gag. For example:

• Hello, you look nice, what's you're name?
• Lisa Lane
• Sorry for asking, I'll just go then.

Getting in the mood for Bellingham by listening to Bob's preview podcast.

Oh, emailed CamelBak about my invention. Doubt anything will come of it. I'm probably the last person in the world to figure this one out.

If anyone thinks this is overkill, well, I am looking forward to the summer, and another coast to coast (or maybe two).

SUW 2.1245

Hey ho. Just spent 45min lunchbreak trying to fix usb connection to charger for phone. No joy. Will try some field-soldering tonight.

SUW T-3

Dropped in to PC World at lunchtime to see about USB connectors for the mobile phone, as I have a couple of mobile phone chargers that are miniUSB out, but I need to convert them to accept the normal USB in. They suggested Maplins, so I'll drop in there on the way out to the Benn' tomorrow (in my B-kit).

Went to the oriental supermarket for some seaweed cakes. I read that they are good as trailfood, as they contain vitamins and suchlike. I don't know for sure, but a few won't do me any harm. Tried them before with riceballs - tastes like I imagine seagull vomit does, but has that exotic kick to it. Went in with my scavenger eyes in, and came out with a couple of packs of pickled vegetables, some more noodles, and a strip of "Hello Kitty" sweets.

Saw the photo of the aircrew holding a Garmin eTrex out of the door of his hello, and I thought - you want to have a lanyard on that, as they're slippery wee things.

Signed up for the UK Outdoor Bloggers Forum.

Got the charity page up and running at: www.justgiving.com/duncanmacleod-suw

Mike came round after work, and we watched Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man" about Timothy Treadwell. A thought-provoking movie. Most of my thoughts were "no - don't do that, these are wild animals". An example of the movie can be found here. It was a good movie, leaving me with questions and thoughts about reality and sanity, but I definitely felt more sorry for his companion, Amie Huguenard, who died with him. She does not get a wiki entry.

Alan Sloman has beaten 25% of the UK on his (truly) big walk. 423 miles in 28 days.

There's an exhibition about Aberdonian volunteers in the Spanish Civil War at the art gallery - I must get to see it. When I was looking in to the conflict, I found this page of Spanish children's drawings from 1938. A photo-diary of the war can be found here.

On a cheerier note, Simon's photos of Beinn Dearg and An Teallach can be found here.

Update: WD has some good tarp pictures and advice here.

SUW T-4

Is it? I've lost track. Am I supposed to be counting to Friday midnight, or Saturday (SUW d1)?

Went to Boots at lunchtime, and got some batteries. The ones the e-Lite use (CR2032's are on 3-for-2 just now), also some steri-strips for the first aid kit, and some more AAA's for the gps and phone. Stopped off in the Polish deli to get some traditional sausages for the backpack. I couldn't see the ones I liked from last week - I reckon I must have finished the off. Oops.

After work, I mainly went to the supermarket in "hunter/gatherer" mode. As well as rice, beanfeast and cous-cous, I got some stock cubes, chocolate, coconut milk, chocolate, peanuts, chocolate, health bars, chocolate and syrupy porridge for breakfasts. Also some healthy drinks and fruits for the rest of this week, as I must get the dregs of this cold shifted.

My PC's been processing cd tracks down to a manageable size for the 2gig player. I'm using an old version of dBpowerAMP music convertor, and knocking tracks down to 12kHz mono at 24Kbps sample rate. To give you an idea, Sam & Dave's album on the iPod weighs in at 47.9MB (from the CD). The same album is only 7.21MB on the wee mp3 player. Quality is lost, but what the heck, I've only a wee cheapo pair of headphones anyway. That's about 30 albums and podcast folders, and I've still about a 800MB left. That'll be enough for photo-storage if I can get to a Net cafe.

Off to get some Wildebeat (ooh, a new TWiT is out). Shame that Andy's blogger-interview isn't up yet, as I'd love to hear that.

The Links Effect

Went for a walk on a cold and windy, but sunny Sunday afternoon. Tried out the 3MP camera on the phone to capture these images of Aberdeen, starting from the beach and going back up to the town.

Links: Links, Beach Ballroom in the 1960's (site), Transition Extreme, The Lemon Tree, Provost Skene's House

Phone test 5

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UPDATE:

well, that didn't work, so I'll kill the link. It was an attempt at using a native AMR file via the MMS system in O2 on the QT. TTFN

Skippinish

Ordered OL42 Kielder Water & Forest (Bellingham & Simonside Hills), from themapcentre.com - the pound off was charged in postage and package. Even my cold/flu addled brain can figure out that that means it is post free. Woohoo (cough/splutter).

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Nifty feature on the Ordnance Survey site, where you can zoom to an area, and it shows you what maps cover that area.

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skipinnish.com - they have some mp3s to legally download too. Including a Norman MacLean sketch. If you like his style, try this on YouTube too; and this. yes, mentioned him before, but he is funny, and I need cheering up.

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I don't speak German, but AlpinAktiv.de has some great video podcasts. Thanks to Chasrle at OM for finding it.

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Ooh, email from Andy Howell for the great blogger podcast. Will someone be podding the blogs of the podcast? And which category will that appear in WD's weekly round-up. It can't be an exclusive scoop if he reports it in both podcast and blog. I obviously work with Excel too much, when I keep on waiting for a blue dot to appear.

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SUW planning - copy of GMF's "The Steel Bonnets" dug out (just seen the price on Amazon, wow, it is 400 pages long and only £8.57 plus pnp), also the Osprey book "The Border Reivers". Must get an appropriate book for the journey. Maybe some Burns? Rabbie, not George. Boom tish.

Also, thinking last night that a cheap wee mp3 player with radio for the train journey, or if I get rained in to the tent. Now that this just subliminal advertising from Amazon, as they sent me a message about cheap mp3 players yesterday. Gads, the power of advertising, eh?

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alt.UOBC2007

Pulling Teeth

After a flash of inspiration last night, I tried the K750 battery in the K800, but no joy. Still, I found the usb charger cable hidden in a drysack in my rucksack (from 3 weekends back).

Added the North of England bothies to Memory Map. Hmm, I should have done the ones on the SUW first, ach well, I'll come back to that. Found this site when looking for info on a bothy: Northumberland University Mountaineering Club, and their worst night ever. Waking up with my face in an asthtray...sorry, must be hiking related.

Not horrendously bad, but the most uncomfortable pitch was this one above Bridge of Orchy. Not ideal, steep slope, on heather, in wet. But, hey, that's life. Or was the midge-one at Geldie Lodge worse? Hmm, I think I was annoyed to be caught out be the wee horrors, but nothing dangerous.

Back to working on the Secret Project.

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Useful site discovered after trying to use 'symbols' in the previous entry: http://www.foxinternet.co.uk/bloggerkeyboard.html

I can now be so passé about it. And thus it begins, from the α to the Θ

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BBC's "Click" tv prog talked to David Braben, co-creator of "Elite", the first 3d computer game. Ah, takes me back.

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Shout-outs on FrapprMap up to 23. So far only Chris is smiling - maybe it is because it is sunny in his photo.

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Been reading up on americanbushman.blogspot.com as he learns new outdoors skills and takes the reader along on his journey. To start at the beginning of his blog, click here.

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Downloaded the beta of Audacity 1.3 to see if it will clean up audio any better.

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Found this very early blog from Birmingham.

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Programme on Channel 4 just now about "The Last Slave". A descendant of the last slave transported from Africa by British slavers searches through his ancestor's life. The gent asks honest questions and is coping with the honest answers.

I had my eyes opened when I worked in Hull, and visited Wilberforce House. Also some of the writings of Frederick Douglass (who has a cameo re-creation in "Glory"). Man's inhumanity to their fellow man in the sake of making money. 1838 before slavery itself was abolished, it was just some of the trading that was abolished in 1807.

Chump

Darren (of the clan McWeird) started his 'weekly roundup' slots on OM yesterday. Podcasts and blogs. Poor WD forgets that it was his good self who found the link to the US Army's review in the first place.

If you are short of something to read, Aktoman has reviewed the April issue of Trail here. There's also a fantastic link to a very in depth look at dry bags, and a link to a US Army review of commercial water purifiers.

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Got as far as Bruce Miller's before starting to feel like a zombie. Stopped in at work and did some simple marking before going home. Played with camera from work. The daffs were too dark, but I wanted to see the quality of the shots. Phone camera takes them as 2048x1536pixels, saving to 640kb. Shrunk down for posting to 580x435pixels, at 132kb.

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Hillwalk Scotland found a good YouTube video mimicking the "Mountains of Scotland" helicopter shots by using pan/tilt (as found in MS PhotoStory, amongst others), and set to music. I'll not raise the issue of copyright if you don't. The shot of the loch did look like the water was rippling. (Links: YouTube, Rewind Studio).

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Demo of video blogging (last post) straight from phone seems to work in IE, but not FireFox. So I had to dust off the old MS browser to view (AMR/3gp format). Sorry for the inconvenience. I also note that the O2 media hosting is short-term.

Also noticed that the title = text, that should read "indigenous people's music". Opening sequence from one of Michael Kickingbear's video podcasts, giving a glimpse of the work of Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. The full clip is from the Nammys 2006, with the Soul Splitting Band playing. (link to full clip).

Hey, Kickingbear's on Youtube too. Good show.

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Summertime soon. Dates to remember. Mother's Day too. Plus birthdays.

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I'm So Dave is on the WHW section of his Land's End to John O' Groats adventure. No he's not, his blog has reached there, but his body has reached Inverness. Well done, Dave.

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Hmm, randomly chosen album, and the Green Day/Dookie song titles just seem to be stirring things up.

Demo video off video podcast from indige

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Phone test 4.

Happy pre-Easter, Chrissie

Phone test 3

This time with pic rotated through 90'. That's the Avid shaving system from BPL. And the sweeties too.

Phone Test 2

This time with the built-in 'blog this' feature.