The Veiras.com

Detective Dee (2011) Official HD Trailer

2011-09-23T22:43:00.000-04:00

Puss In Boots "No Pants" Pants

2011-09-23T07:14:00.000-04:00

Puss In Boots - "He's So Legendary..."

2011-09-23T07:13:00.000-04:00

Puss In Boots - "The Cat Haz Swagger"

2011-09-23T07:10:00.000-04:00

Roll A D6

2011-05-07T21:09:00.000-04:00

Roll a D6 from Connor Anderson on Vimeo.

The Cruz Reader

2011-03-29T09:29:00.000-04:00

So the latest iPad was just release in Canada, last Friday (March 25, 2011). Again, I have passed on picking up one up. While the iPad 2 is a better device then the first iPad, it is still lack for the amount of money that they are asking. However, as a ways if someone wants to give me one for free then I would not say no.

The main reason for my interest in tablets is for ebooks. I have been reading ebooks for over decade now. While I have either use a PDA, cellphone, notebook or desktop, none as a truly perfect reading experience. PDAs and cellphones do have great portability, the small screen size has been limiting. Notebooks or desktop , while having a good screen sizes, are not that as portability. The tablet form format is appears to be that happy medium.

Now I did purchase a dedicated ereader, the Sony Reader Touch Edition PRS-650, last year. It is very portable and has a nice reading area. Another plus, is the e-ink display with a fast page turn. However, for PDFs, I have found the grey scaled display is not so great and can be very slow depending on the PDF’s size. All things consider I am rather happy with it, expect for the fact I rarely see it as my wife has taken ownership of it.

So I was still in the market for a tablet or another ereader. Now, I had thought about just purchasing another Sony Reader, but I was not looking to spend that much money again. So I began to look around for something cheap. Most items were just too expense, not suitable or available.

Eventually, while search Kijiji, I came across a guy sell a Velocity Micro Cruz Reader for a reasonable price. After doing some research on it, I made him an offer, which he accepted. That is how my adventure with Android began.

The Velocity Micro Cruz Reader is basically a 7” Android tablet, which was designed to be an “affordable touch screen color ereader”. It is a workable ereader, but it not a really great tablet. There are number of clear design flaws in both the hardware and software. Most are the fault of the manufacturer, but a surprising number are due Google.

The first problem the Cruz Reader has is the screen. Instead of a capacitive touchscreen, Velocity Micro used a resistive touchscreen and low quality one at that. This means that a stylus is really need and you need to press down pretty hard to have your taps or swipes picked up. Android like Apple iOS is designed to work with a capacitive touchscreen, using resistive one instead, is a poor decision.

That leads into the second problem, the lack of buttons. Clearly taking a page for the Apple playbook, there is only one power button and a volume rocker button. However, the design of Android with a resistive touchscreen clearly needs a couple more buttons. Physical buttons for Home, Back, Menu and Search would have been very welcome. Heck, even just a Home button be a great improvement.

Thirdly, the Wi-Fi is rather weak and flaky at times. while the Cruz Reader specs stat that it has 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, the card in the unit is states that it is really an 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. Why Velocity Micro would see the need to limit the card to 802.11b/g is beyond me. However, there is at least one way to improve the Wi-Fi by add another antenna. See the link for details; http://tadlewis.com/CruzReader/index.html.

Another head scratching decision of Velocity Micro is their use of Android 2.0. That version of Android is way out of date. At the very least it the unit should been running 2.1, but honestly should be 2.2. There is a whole host of apps that will not support anything less than 2.1, even if it would run fine on 2.0. Fortunately, there is a work around but you need to root device: http://www.droid-life.com/2010/03/15/making-2-1-only-apps-viewable-on-android-2-0-1/.

Another cost cutting move that is very troubling is lack of internal storage. It is limited to only 256MB and only a small amount of that is available for apps. While most apps are small size, it all adds up quick and some of my favorites are on the bulky side of 5+MB. Fortunately, there are solutions like App2sd or Link2sd, which can expand the space for the apps on to the micro SDHC.

Finally, there is lack of the official Google Android Market on the Cruz Reader. While Android is open source, the Android Market is closed and Google does not want to share. Google refused to let any tablet maker to use the Android Market as Android before version 3.0 is for phones, not tablets. There are a number of alternatives markets or sources for Android apps, but most of what I want to use is only available from the Android Market. This is a shame as I think this make Google look bad and Android lacking.

Still it is not a bad piece of tech. It just took a good deal of work to get it usable.

Updated the firmware with latest version.
Replaced the internal SDHC with something better.
Add second antenna.
Rooted the device.
Faked the OS version identifier.
Installed Link2sd.
Remove all the crapware installed by Velocity Micro.
Install some proper applications that I had to find the hard way.

Have to say that Apple has the right idea in having their just works products.

A Response to HarperCollins

2011-03-22T21:41:00.001-04:00

Recently HarperCollins decided that ebooks licensed to schools and libraries would be limited to 26 viewings. As one might expect, librarians and the general public are up in arms over this. I have to question the wisdom of HarperCollins' move. This has PR disaster written all over it.

There is only one response that can given to HarperCollins; boycott. Now I am not suggesting a complete boycott of HarperCollins as that would only hurt authors. Instead I suggest that all their ebooks and any physical book that are in the public domain, such as the plays of Shakespeare. That should impact their bottom line while reducing the harm to their current writers.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology

2010-11-03T12:17:00.002-04:00

Press release for immediate distibution

National Geographic presents

Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology: The Exhibition

Coming soon to a museum near you!

Montreal, November 2, 2010 - For the past thirty years, audiences around the world have followed Indiana Jones on his quests for treasure, adventure, fortune and glory. And now, Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology, a redefined modern exhibition experience, is coming to a museum near you. This innovative exhibition, made possible by Lucasfilm Ltd., presented by the National Geographic Society and produced by Montreal’s X3 Productions, will feature fascinating artefacts from the National Geographic Society and the Penn Museum, along with an extensive collection of Indiana Jones film materials from the Lucasfilm Archives. This first-of-its kind touring exhibition will be presented in twelve world-class institutions in Canada, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. The world premiere run will be held at the Montreal Science Centre, starting April 28, 2011.

Kyra Bowling, Exhibits Manager at Lucasfilm Ltd., is pleased to see that “Dr. Jones has found his way to the museum and accompanies visitors on their very own adventure into the science of field archaeology.” Bowling adds, “The Indiana Jones films have entertained generations of audiences and this exhibition provides a wonderful way to merge that on-screen excitement with the science of archaeology to help inspire learning in a fun, dynamic way.”

Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology not only features a vast and exclusive collection of Indy props, models, concept art and set designs, it also presents a wealth of historical and cultural facts. The internationally renowned University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, otherwise known as the Penn Museum, is providing genuine archaeological artefacts and educational material. The National Geographic Society, the exhibition’s global presenting partner, also shares artefacts, photos, videos and content from its impressive and historic archive.

“This exhibition is an exciting journey into the real world of archaeology,” says Fredrik Hiebert, National Geographic’s Archaeology Fellow. “This is the perfect opportunity to introduce audiences of all ages to this fascinating scientific field through the inspiration of these highly popular films. It is a natural for National Geographic.”

Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology transforms the museum experience into a multimedia and interactive adventure. Visitors will be immersed in the world of Indiana Jones, an environment created by state-of-the-art technology and spanning over 1,000 square metres. Equipped with a video companion, visitors will embark on a quest to uncover the true origins of archaeological mysteries. Charged with comprehensive educational content, photos and videos, the interactive hand-held devices will guide visitors on the “Indy Trail” and through the various archaeological zones. Visitors will also have the ability to create their own adventure with an interactive quest.

Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology will elucidate myths associated with relics like the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail and explore mythical places such as Akator or Mayapore. The exhibition also will shed light on how archaeologists really work on projects such as deciphering ancient scripts and discovering the true origins of the mysterious Nasca lines in southern Peru. With Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology, visitors will discover where fact meets fiction.

A Team of Experts
In order to create a new kind of museum experience, one that will engage, educate and entertain visitors in innovative ways, X3 Productions has not only put its creative expertise to work, it has also gathered a team of world-renowned specialists. With their recognized knowledge in academic and field archaeology Drs. Michel Fortin and Fredrik Hiebert have helped to create and develop the exhibition’s educational content. With a specialty in Near Eastern archaeology, Fortin is a Full Professor of Archaeology who has been teaching in the Department of History at Université Laval in Quebec City for nearly three decades. He has led numerous excavation teams in the Middle East and is a true ambassador to his profession. A world-renowned archaeologist and National Geographic Fellow, Hiebert is a field expert who has searched for human history in some of the world’s most remote and exotic places. His experience in both North and South America and across Asia is ideal for this project. The team is further supported by Shirley Reiff Howarth, director of the Humanities Exchange in Montreal, whose expertise in travelling exhibitions and museum curation has proven to be a great asset in the development of this project.

Archaeology and Local Treasures
Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology sets the wheels in motion not only to inspire, but most importantly to cultivate a lasting interest in archaeology. The world abounds with treasures, some of which can be found in our own backyard. The exhibition is designed in such a way that the last gallery is dedicated to local archaeology, allowing the host museum to feature some of its prized collections. For its world premiere in Montreal, artefacts from the Archaeology Collection of the City of Montreal will be on display.

Information and ticket sales
Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology: The Exhibition will launch its world premiere at the Montreal Science Centre from April 28 through September 18, 2011. Tickets are on sale now! For complete schedule and ticket information, visit the Montreal Science Centre Box Office or contact them at (514) 496-4724 or (877) 496-4724 or visit indianajonestheexhibition.com. Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology is the first production of X3 Productions, for more information visit x3productions.ca.

Atomic Robo: Last Stop Teaser

2010-08-28T12:33:00.013-04:00

No iPhone 4 for Me

2010-06-27T11:35:00.002-04:00

So the iPhone 4 has been released in the US and the Canadian release should be in the near future. While I would accept one if given one, I have no plans to purchase the latest iPhone. It is just not something I cannot justify at this time.

Currently, I own an iPhone 3GS with 32GB storage on a Rogers 3 year contract. So I would need to break my current contract and that would result in an expensive penalty. Also, I am not sure that I really want to ever purchase a locked phone again. Apple will be selling unlocked iPhone 4s directly to the public in Canada. So I would get any new phone from them and look a telecom service like Wind.

Since the iPhone 3GS can run iOS 4 fully, unlike the original iPhone or the iPhone 3G, there is less of a need to upgrade my phone. If I had one of the original iPhone, I would a pre-order already made. The changes in iOS 4 are impressive and welcome.

Now the new iPhone 4 is only with 16GB or 32GB storage which are options that were offer on the iPhone 32GB. I would have liked to have seen 64GB or 128GB models, as 32GB is just not enough anymore. My music collection is just over 30+GB, have download nearly 300 apps and have a large ebook collection (thank you, Baen Books).

To be honest I am not what people who be called an early adopter of technology. I normally like to wait for at least one or two generations pass before I get something. The iPhone 4 seems like a complete new direction with the new form factor, screen and processor. Clearly as I do not have reason to upgrade, all the more reason to wait.

So when no iPhone 4 for me, at for now.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Ottawa,Canada

Azureus Rising - Proof of Concept

2010-05-23T22:57:00.003-04:00

Very Troubling - CBS Report: Copy Machines Retain Copies On Their Hard Drives

2010-04-20T22:46:00.000-04:00

Watch CBS News Videos Online

The Lost Gatchaman Rebirth

2010-04-19T17:21:00.004-04:00

There was going to a CGI Gatchman movie, however the company responsible, Imagi Studios, has gone bankrupt. Only concept art and a teaser trailer remain.

Steampunk Feature Film Goodness

2010-04-13T23:13:00.002-04:00

Check out these to videos of upcoming feature films for some steampunk goodness.

First, the animated feature War of the Worlds: Goliath. This is a sequel of sorts to the original H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds. The idea being the Martians have returned but Earth has advanced it technology by studying the technology the Martians left behind during the first war.

See it's website for more information: http://www.wotw-goliath.com/

Then, we have Les Aventures Extraoridnaires D'Adèle Blanc-Sec, a French live-action movie based on a series of Franco-Belgian comics written and illustrated by Jacques Tardi. The lead character is becoming known in wider circles thanks to this film, as a French female Indiana Jones. The story takes place in Paris and Egypt before the First World War, involving a pterodactyl egg and a mummy.

There is an official website for the movie with English content here: http://www.adeleblancsec-lefilm.com

The iPad is Not the Saviour of Comics, At Least Not At Marvel's Prices

2010-04-03T19:20:00.062-04:00

The iPad is finally available for sell and so are a number of apps designed for it. One of those new iPad apps is from Marvel Comics. While a number of people in the comic industry have been waiting for some like the iPad to herald new Golden Age for comic book sales, it is not going to be the saviour. The reason is really very simple, the comic book company are charging way to much money for the product. Marvel Comics is asking for a $1.99 per comic, the same cost as iTunes ask for a television show. So not cool.

Comparing costs of single issues:

SRP = $3.99
via a subscription = $1.91
via a hardcover = $3.04
via a trade = $2.60
via iPad app = $1.99

The following is the math using for above table. The average cover price of a single comic book published by Marvel is currently $3.99. However, Marvel does subscriptions to their comics. The first subscription costs $24.97 for twelve issues and then $22.97 for each additional subscription after that. That works out to either $2.08 or $1.91 per issue depending on the nature of the subscription. Now these days most people are purchasing comics not as single issues but in a collected format. Marvel normally puts around six issues in any given collection. Their average suggested retail price for $24.99 hardcovers and $19.99 for trades, but one can easily find better prices with various online retailers. For example Amazon will often have a hardcover at $18.24 or a trade at $15.59. So the cost per individual issue in a collection works out to be $4.17 to $3.04 for a hardcover and $3.33 or $2.60 for a trade.

Simple put, for a product that I will not have a physical copy, the price is too high. Plus, you only have the option to re-download from Marvel's servers as I cannot backup purchased issues to my computer. At most the pricing should have been $0.99, but in reality, I would still prefer a price of $0.49.

I found this specially insulting as Marvel already has digital subscription service available online. That service is unusable on iPads or iPhone as it uses Adobe Flash. It only costs $59.88 per year (that $4.99 a month) or if billed monthly, $9.99. Now if the Marvel's app was structured that way, I would be whipping out the old credit card in a flash.

Challengers of the Unknown - Pulp Fiction Style

2010-03-24T19:30:00.010-04:00

In their continuing quest to increase their share of the marketplace, DC Comics has been just starting new comics and seeing what appeals to their consumer base. So we have seen a bunch of characters given their own series recently, both ongoing and limit; such as Power Girl and Red Tornado. Also seen the reinvention of old characters from other companies, such as Archie superheroes like the Shield or the Web. Now, DC Comics has decide to try and tap into the current nostalgic market for pulp fiction, via their new First Wave universe, featuring Doc Savage and a gun welding Batman.

This new universe was launched in the pages of the Batman/Doc Savage Special and is being fleshed out in the First Wave limited series. Beyond Doc Savage and new version Batman, they will be joined by Will Eisner’s Spirit, the Avenger of Justice Inc., Rima the Jungle Girl, plus new versions of Black Canary and Blackhawks. Possible even more characters could be added to this line of comics should it proved to be successful.

Now, some might be wishing for the Shadow, the Golden Age Crimson Avenger or Golden Age Sandman. All good characters but I would suggest that DC Comics consider the Challengers of the Unknown as great candidates for a pulp version. The Challengers created by Jack Kirby were a quartet of adventurers who felt they were “living on borrowed time” after surviving a plane crash unscathed. They would take on missions or “unknown challenges” from many different sources of various natures. While their later adventures would would veer into the realm of the superheroics with supervillain enemies, most adventures could have been taken directly from the pulp adventure stories of the 30s and 40s.

Missed Opportunities: Constant Payne

2010-03-15T21:00:00.065-04:00

It simply never fails to amuse me, just how truly foolish most executives in America can be and how they really do not deserve to be in the positions of authority they occupy. In this case I talking about the bosses of Nickelodeon circa 2001. The proof, was when they passed on Constant Payne, an 11-minute animated pilot created by Micah Ian Wright. A rather Kim Possible like show, with a female lead, but appealing to both boys and girls.

Various reasons were behind, Nickelodeon's decision not to go forward. From the little I have heard, none were reasons to not go ahead. None thing to do with the worth of the show but all about the internal politics of Nickelodeon. This would have made it to air around the time Kim Possible began and could have enjoy some of the same success.

The Spectre on DVD

2010-03-02T19:00:00.041-05:00

Simply the best part of the latest animation offering from Warner Bros, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, is the Spectre animated short written by Steve Niles. It is also the very first animated short in the DC Showcase series. The role of the Jim Corrigan/Spectre was voiced perfectly by Gary Cole.

They nailed the spirit, no pun intend, of the 70s Spectre stories. I would have loved to have 4 or 5 Spectre animated short stories on the DVD rather then the feature presentation. That is would have been heaven.

Best Tech Guy caller EVER with Leo Laporte

2010-02-21T17:45:00.006-05:00

It is rather sad that I have had this type of call myself and this kind of conversation with clients in the past.

Layoffs are bad for service firms

2010-02-12T19:00:00.017-05:00

Please read this amazing article by Brian Sommer from ZDNet. It neatly sums up some thoughts and experiences I have had on the subject.

Layoffs are bad for service firms: "Service firms have used layoffs with greater frequency. But, shouldn't people-oriented businesses exercise even more care in using this 'management tool'? Newsweek has a great cover story that kicks off this discussion.

Why is He in Charge Again?

2010-02-11T07:00:00.110-05:00

In the last few days, Warner Music's CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. has been saying some interesting things concerning the digital side of his business. These statements which could led some to question why this individual has been allowed to remain in charge of one of the big four record companies. At appears to me, that his business sense is rather lacking. That is not really surprise as most large media companies seems to have problems adjusting to this new age of computers and the Internet.

His first comment was on how Warner Music's higher iTunes prices which resulted in a lost of revenue was a really good thing for the company. He did however, admit that perhaps it was not such a great idea to go raising prices in the middle of a recession.

Then later this week he stated in an interview with the BBC, that Warner Music was done with free streaming services and they would be canceling or not renewing a number of licenses.

Free streaming services are clearly not net positive for the industry and as far as Warner Music is concerned will not be licensed.

The 'get all your music you want for free, and then maybe with a few bells and whistles we can move you to a premium price' strategy is not the kind of approach to business that we will be supporting in the future.

These statements well illustrate how truly clueless many running media companies are to the new reality of the digital age. Firstly, everyone has come to realize that the Internet and digital media has been pressures prices down, not up. Secondly, free streaming services are simple digital radio stations, which give artists much needed exposure to purchasing public.

As to the question posed in the title of this blog, the answer is really simple, he owns a large part the company and that is why he is in charge.

Inevitable Disappointment of Reality

2010-02-10T19:00:00.315-05:00

It has been two weeks since Apple revealed their latest product to the world. The long expected, extremely over-hyped and very badly named, the iPad. Here are my thoughts on the subject beyond the it's poorly thoughout name (link to earlier rant about just that).

In what can be only be called example of a massive, over the top, marketing hyperbole, Apple is calling the iPad: "Our most advance technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price." Now I would agree that it has some great potential. However, the sad truth is that the iPad is a rather pedestrian and ordinary device overpriced for what it is.

While it is not a traditional computer, like a laptop, netbook or tablet; it is a device that we have seen before. A number of commenters have stated that the iPad is just an overgrown iPod Touch, which I agree to some degree with. The iPad is just the latest in a long line of Internet appliances. It maybe the first one ever truly designed to appeal to the general public at large but is still just an Internet appliance.

Internet appliances have been trying unsuccessfully to gain a foothold in the market place for over 20+ years now. The basic idea of Internet appliance is to take the personal computer of the digital information delivery experience. The thinking has been that PCs are expensive and can have a steep learning curve. This has led to the idea that are could be a market for a cheap, user-friendly device which you could surf the web, read/write emailing or enjoy some multimedia entertainment on. However, they have been a complete flop.

The theoretical market for Internet appliances just never materialized for the following reason:

Overpriced. Especially in an age of falling computer prices. Most people will not buy an Internet appliance, when for around the same price one can purchase a true computer system.
Bad hardware. Most had crudely thought out designs, which were obsolete before they were released. Designs with cost in mind, more then purpose.
Terrible software. What should been have user-friendly designs were anything but. Plus, the software was usually closed and not quickly updated to ever changing standards of the web.

So, with a history of failure and false starts, one wonder why Apple want enter the Internet appliance market. The answer is very the simple, Apple is convinced they have two things key to creating a healthy thriving market; iTunes and the App Store. As most pundits having been stating, software and content is going to be key to this new market. By building upon the existing infrastructure Apple has in place to for the iPhone, from its' launch iPad users will have access to a ton of media and applications. Which in theory will allow Apple to be a game changer ing this market, as they have been in the smartphone market due to the iPhone.

I believe that I would rather like to have iPad. However, there is just no way I am going to purchase a 1st generation model. Now, when the 3rd generation models are available, then I am going give it some more serious thought. Then only, if there is also a massive price drop. That is what I did with the iPhone and only got serious about buying one when the 3GS was announced.

iPad, Seriously?

2010-01-27T19:00:00.012-05:00

I am sure that I will have more to say on the new Apple iPad after I have chance to research it some more. However, I have to just get one thing out of my system.

iPad. They are serious calling it iPad. Come on Apple, could you have picked a worst name? What was wrong with either iSlate or iTablet?

I can understand the thinking behind the name due to branding considerations. Follows the logic of iPod to iPhone to iPad. A name that suggests a high-tech pad of paper.

Please note that like the iPhone before it, Apple does not appear to own the trademark on the iPad. With the iPhone, Apple after the fact had to worked a deal with Cisco. It might not be any easier this time as three different companies are currently selling products they call iPad. So, Apple may have to change the name.

Also noteworthy, it is possible that Apple is saving the iSlate for either a software package or more traditional tablet product.

All that said I still dislike that name, iPad.

New Decade, New Site

2010-01-01T12:00:00.005-05:00

I originally started this website as placeholder for my two domains; http://www.theveiras.com/ and http://www.veira.com/. An under construction message just did not seem that or professional for someone in IT. Plus, I figured that an active website would ensure that people that as a Veira I had every right to my domains.

Over the years, this site has gone through a number changes. There has way too many starts, stops and long periods of inactivity. Not to mention different looks this website sported. Most of this has been my fault but somethings has been due to changes with Blogger and Rogers.

So with a new decade, I thought I would restart the website yet again. Hopefully, this time will be slightly better.