DigMo!

Learning Interchange Compromised

DigMo — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:35:31 +0000

If you use the brilliant Apple Learning Interchange site you should be aware that some aspects of the site may have been recently compromised. Today I received an email to say :

“We recently learned that the security of Apple Learning Interchange (ALI) members’ names and passwords may have been compromised. These accounts are limited to accessing the ALI discussion board and do not contain sensitive information such as credit card or social security numbers”

The Interchange site is currently down for maintenance as we assume they are resolving the issue. In the meantime if you use the same username and password combination anywhere else you need to change such passwords immediately.

We hope the Learning Interchange site is restored to its full glory again very soon.

Safari Gets Inquisitive

DigMo — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:16:27 +0000

I have always been a bit of a Firefox fan but with the release of Safari 4 including top sites, cover flow style history and synchronised MobileMe bookmarks Apple’s Safari is providing a worthy challenge. One aspect of Safari that bugs me a little is the search lock in to Google. There is no questioning Google’s reign on search but user choice is just as important.

I mentioned this issue on Twitter and a massive thanks to both @dfinney and @jakerussell who both suggested I look at the Inquisitor application. To be as upfront as possible it should be noted that Inquisitor has strong Yahoo links in that they appear to own it. That said the application offers a wide range of user selectable search engines and the ability to add your own.

Installing Inquisitor is simple, download the package (only 1.2megs) and the install process commences on completion. Quit Safari and click through the install process, note, you will have to enter your password to complete the installation.
Once installed re-load Safari and view the preferences (File menu then preferences). You will notice that a new icon has appeared along the top row entitled ‘Search’ click this to set up Inquisitor.

Inquisitor has highly customisable. You can select the default search engine with full region support, in the example below we have opted for Yahoo UK but this could have easily have been Google UK, or even Yahoo Sweden.

The application comes with the ’send anonymous information to Yahoo’ option ticked, I un-clicked this but really it is up to you what information you share.

Click the ‘Display links to additional search engines’ option allows you to add your own specific search options. The application comes set up with Amazon and Flickr that can be easily added but it also allows you to add your own custom searches.

For example you can click edit sites and add DigMo! to list. Enter the name DigMo! and the search address http://www.digmo.co.uk/?s=%@ this will then add DigMo! as a search option on the drop down.

I did note that word associates appears in the default Amazon search option so you might want to change this to the generic Amazon search. Once complete close the preferences window and go back to Safari.

Type your search phrase into the Safari Search box and Inquisitor will present you with a few search results and a number of different options. You can see from the screen shot the addition of both Flickr and DigMo! in the additional search options.

I think with a few more days of adding custom searches Inquisitor is going to speed up the way I search for information on the main search engines as well as my favourite blogging and shopping sites.

For more information and to download inquisitor for free click here.

Inquisitor for iPhone

Inquisitor is also available for free via the iTunes Apps Store. The iPhone version offers some of the capabilities of the desktop with live news searching to boot.

The Inquisitor for iPhone settings are under the main settings icon on the phone and you set the locality setting (as it comes defaulting to the US) to get the best from the App.

Click here to get the free iPhone version.

Lifeboat for iPhone

DigMo — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:32:14 +0000

Northern Ireland created Lifeboat Luke has been launched on the Apple iTunes Apps store. The maiden voyage is entitled ‘Keek on a Crab’, and is both funny, clever, and rude. Rab, the unlucky Crab, who lives in the rock wall below Luke’s Lifeboat Station, is hiding among the stones on the beach.

You play the role of Gannet, the incontinent seabird. Scroll around the beach and if you’re lucky you might catch Rab scuttling from one stone to another. If you spot him, click to ‘keek!’

The game has been authored by Straandlooper’s resident iApp wizard, Kevin Beimers; “The iPhone is a tool for adults but easy enough for kids to use, so our app has to appeal to all ages. We gave the game three levels of difficulty, so it can take anywhere between 30 seconds to two minutes to find Rab and ‘do the business!’ Every game is different, and children even as young as three enjoy the vibrant graphics and silly sound effects.”

The new app is the latest spin off from the series Lifeboat Luke and follows the successful launch in Ireland earlier this year of the first book – Rubberduckadoo, and Donaghadoodles 1, a DVD of the first thirteen episodes.

The series and spin offs are part of an ongoing partnership between Lifeboat Luke and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution to create attractive, quality products and participate in educational and sea-related events. This partnership has so far yielded upwards of £34,000 for the charity, which is dependent entirely on donations.

‘Keek on a Crab’ is priced at 59p and available through the App Store on iTunes. Further upgrades are in the pipeline. Click here for more information.

Links:
Keek on a Crab
Lifeboat Luke

Tubestick Map Released

DigMo — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:47:42 +0000

If you have ever wondered what digital TV channels are available in your area then wonder no more. Equinux the makers of the Tubestick TV adaptor have just released TubeStick Map.

Tubestick Map is an interactive map lists which free-to-air TV channels existing users of equinux’s innovative Mac USB TV Tuners are able to receive in their area.

“With TubeStick Map there is a new home on the Internet for checking the digital channels you can receive,” says equinux CEO Till Schadde. “Utilizing the huge user base of the TubeStick, we have succeeded in answering one of the most fundamental questions of over the air TV users: Which digital TV channels can I receive?”

The TubeStick Map is based on the channel lists and ZIP codes of TubeStick users from around the world.

To view the channel listing for a certain area with the TubeStick Map all you need to do is to select a country, enter a ZIP code and the TubeStick map will list the channels avalible in that area.

TubeStick Map utilises Google Maps and includes DVB-T regions such as Europe and Australia along with ATSC regions including the U.S. TubeStick Map is available via www.equinux.com/tubestickmap.

Tweetie Love

DigMo — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:18:23 +0000

DigMo! is celebrating our Twitter birthday this week and quite honestly it would be fair to say we have a bit of Twitter addiction going on. Looking back we’ve had more Twitter Apps than hot breakfasts (literally) but a few months ago we found the holy grail of Twitter Apps in the form of Tweetie for both the iPhone and Mac desktop. We counted down the hours on release day for this application and we weren’t disappointed.

Tweetie offers a really simple to use Twitter client offering multiple accounts, saved searches, advanced notifications and one of the best graphical user interfaces around. Threaded Direct Messages, easy photo support and the ability to open links in the background make Tweetie our ‘must have’ Twitter application for Mac.

Tweetie is available under two payment models. Firstly you can use the application for free with ad support, the ads appear in the tweet stream and generally don’t interfere with the user experience, actually it was only after a few hours of use I even spotted an ad. The second is to pay around £14 to enable the ability to remove the ads (see 11).

The aim of this post is to outline the main Tweetie features and demonstrate just how simple the application is to use and how remarkably fully featured it is for such a simple bit of software.

1. Main account list
Tweetie supports multiple accounts and uses your Twitter avatar to represent each account on the list. Click on the avatar to reveal the twitter stream for that account.

2. @ Replies
These are your replies, retweets and basically any other time someone mentions your Twitter username. A blue dot will appear beside the @ sign to indicate new @replies but you can also configure Tweetie to change the dock icon and toolbar icon when new @ replies arrive.

When it comes to notifications Tweetie has covered it all. Menu bar, Dock and even Growl notifications and Tweetie gives you full control over what changes it tells you about.

The notification settings can also be different between Twitter accounts, so you can have Tweetie notify you of all changes to your main account and say only direct messages of an other.

3. Direct Messages
Direct messages are the private messages you receive from one of your followers. Unlike any other Twitter application we have used Tweetie displays direct messages as threaded conversations.

This is a really useful feature as quite often direct message conversations can happen over many days with long intervals between responses. Like @replies a blue dot appears when you have new direct messages waiting.

4. Search
As well as offering the ability to search Twitter, Tweetie offers a few advanced search features. Clicking the search symbol lists the current Twitter trends, click on a trend (for example today Jeff Goldblum is a trending topic) to reveal the related tweets.

Tweetie also offers saved searches. Saved searches are listed with the number of search results, this is particularly useful if you have a topic of interest for example a the mention of your website. You can see instantly if there are any new mentions since your last view.

5. New Tweet
This is where you enter a new tweet and the same window is used when replying to other tweets. The tweet window offers a counter that lets you know the number of characters you have left. Unfortunately there isn’t an easy way of replying to more then one recipient yet.

6. Account dropdown
If you have more than one account in your Tweetie install you can decide which account your are tweeting from using the drop down. Tweetie defaults to the first account on the list. If you want to change the order of accounts both in the main window and in this drop down open the application preferences, click on accounts and drag the Twitter usernames around to change the order.

7. Options
The options drop down offers three key functions, the ability to Shorten URLs, Add Image, and record video. With only 140 characters to play with the ability to shorten URL (web addresses) down is essential. Paste a web address into a tweet, click the shorten url option and Tweetie does the rest. You can change the URL shortening service and photo hosting service within the preferences window.

8. Retweet options
Most people find they want to ‘retweet’ or ‘repost’ a tweet they have read in the Twitter feed. Tweetie allows you do repost a tweet by right clicking on it in the main window. Some people prefer the RT @digmo option while others prefer to have a (via @digmo) at the end. Tweetie allows you to decide which notation suits you best. As you can see in the screenshot as well as re-tweeting you can reply, direct message and even mark the tweet as a favourite.

9. Dim Previously Selected Tweets
If you follow a large number of users it can be confusing when the tweets come flooding in. Tweetie offers an attempt to make this more manageable by dimming previously viewed tweets. I use this feature a lot and I tend to leave the scroll bar at the last read tweet so I can skim through recent tweets. If you want to ignore missed tweets Tweetie has the option of keeping the scroll bar at the top thus only showing the most recent tweets.

10. Open Links in Background
There is nothing more annoying than clicking a link and have your web browser appearing in front of the application you were using. Tweetie allows links to be opened in the background which is particularly useful if you are scrolling down a large list of tweets and clicking a number of links.

Activating this option means each link opens in your browser (in a new tab). I tend to go through the tweets, click on a number of links and then peruse the opened sites in the browser. This has the added advantage that all sites have fully loaded by the time I go to view them.

11. Remove Ads
This option is obviously only available if you have paid for a license and entered your license code into Tweetie (File menu).

If you haven’t tried Tweetie yet then you are really missing out on one of the best Twitter applications we have used. You can download the free version of Tweetie from the Atebits website.

Flickr to Twitter

DigMo — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:54:17 +0000

The ability to tweet photos as part of your 140 characters is nothing new for Twitter users but what is new is now you can tweet from flickr. Popular photo sharing website flickr now offers the ability to easily tweet photos directly from your photostream. The process could not be easier and it only takes about 60 seconds to set up.

Step one, log in to flickr account and select any photo from your photostream. Along the toolbar (above the photo) you will see a ‘Blog This’ option. Click this button. (We have highlighted the button with the number 1).

If you have previously set up the capability to post your photos to other blogging services then a list of your blogs should appear. If not, and this is your first time clicking the option you should be met with a configuration option. Click the “Do that now” hyperlink.

Next, select Twitter from the list of compatible blogging options. As you can see from the screenshot flickr is compatible with a wide range of blogging platforms and services.

Clicking Twitter will take you to the Twitter authorisation stage of the process. Unlike some other services you don’t need to give Flickr your Twitter username and password.

Instead Twitter authorises Flickr access to your account and this authorisation can be easily revoked at a later date if necessary.

If you have already logged into Twitter you simply have to click the authorize button, if not you will have to provide Twitter with your username and password. Once authorised Twitter will send you back to flickr where you can tweet your first photo.

Now you are set up tweeting photos is quick and easy. Click on an image in your photostream, this time when you click the ‘Blog This’ button your Twitter account name should appear on the list. Click this to tweet the image.

flickr enters the title of the photograph automatically but you are free to use up the remaining 140 characters with an optional message.

Clicking ‘Post Entry’ sends your photo and message to your Twitter followers. You will notice Flickr uses its own URL shortening system Flic.kr which offers Twitter users the ability to recognise tweeted photos in the Twitter feed.

The tweet I sent in this post can be viewed here.

Links:
DigMo! on Twitter

MobileMe Refresh

DigMo — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:55:07 +0000

Apple have upgraded their MobileMe service. It isn’t a massive refresh by any means but a number of little improvements that together make the experience that bit better. Sadly there are still no server sided mail rules, we have been begging for this service for sometime (see here) as they are an essential side to any cloud service.

Actually some of the changes we requested are beginning to become a reality (see the 5 changes we would make to Mobile Me).

The current refresh includes :

Mail

Forwarding or replying to HTML (rich text) messages maintains the message’s original formatting instead of converting it to plain text
Unread message count is displayed next to inbox and each folder
Resolves an issue where an email alias may not appear correctly in Mac OS X Mail
On an iPhone or iPod touch, a user can search all messages including those stored on the Mobileme “cloud” (server). Search in the From, To, and Subject fields is supported (iPhone OS 3.0 required)

Gallery

iPhone 3GS users can publish videos to a Gallery album
If no Gallery albums exist, an album is automatically created when publishing a photo or video from iPhone (iPhone OS 3.0 is required)

iDisk

Uploading to a Public folder with a web browser correctly shows completion status
Resolves an issue where an email address may not be recognized as valid when using file sharing

Account

Resolves an issue preventing the setup of some personal domains for iWeb hosting
Resolves an issue preventing some expired accounts from being converted to Family Pack sub-accounts
Active accounts with no upgrades can be converted to Family Pack sub-accounts

Push Contacts and Push Calendar
Note: iPhone OS 3.0 is required for these improvements.

Option to merge existing contacts and calendars on first sync from iPhone/iPod touch
Deleting a MobileMe account or turning off contact and calendar sync on iPhone/iPod touch allows users to keep a copy of the data on the device
iPhone contacts that sync with MobileMe maintain ring tone associations

We still find MobileMe to be a great service, with server sided mail rules and the ability to use a personal domain for email it would be amazing.

Call for Submissions

DigMo — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:39:26 +0000

The 19th Coca-Cola Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival for Young People takes place from 18th November- 4th December 2009 at venues throughout Belfast with satellite events in selected towns throughout Northern Ireland.

THE COMPETITION
Cinemagic is a competitive festival with prizes for:

Best feature and best short film for a teenage audience as judged by a jury of young people aged 15 -18.
Best feature and best short film for a children’s audience as judged by a jury of young people aged 10 -14.
Prizes of £1,000 are awarded to the directors of the best feature films and £500 to the directors of the best short films. The competition programme will include a minimum of 10 feature films and 15 short films.

SCREENING FORMAT
For screening purposes 35mm film is standard (and preferred) but in some cases we will screen Beta SP, Digi Beta, DV Cam and mini DV (all PAL European standard).

ENTRY PROCEDURE AND DEADLINE
Deadline for entries is 31st JULY 2009. The entry form (downloadable in the festival submissions section of the Cinemagic website www.cinemagic.org.uk) with all the required information and a preview DVD/VHS (PAL or NTSC) should be posted at the senders cost to:

Chris Shaw, Cinemagic, 49 Botanic Avenue, Belfast BT7 1JL, NORTHERN IRELAND.

Entry to the festival is FREE OF CHARGE. Please use a separate entry form for each film submitted. The entry form should be accompanied by the following:

1. A detailed synopsis of the film.
2. The biography, filmography and a recent photo of the director.
3. Photographs or transparencies of the film.
4. Press materials and posters.
5. A listing of the film’s participation and awards received at any other film festivals.
6. Information on whether the film has been exhibited in the UK/Ireland/Northern Ireland previously.

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY
All films must be available in English or with English subtitles. Feature films must be at least 50 minutes long and shorts must be less than 50 minutes in duration. Cinemagic accepts all kinds of films as long as they are suitable for an under 18 audience.

All films entered for competition must have been made within the 3-year period 2007 – 2009. Films with a theatrical distribution deal in the UK and films made before 2007 are not eligible for competition but may be screened at the festival.

It is the filmmaker’s responsibility to obtain all permissions and releases from the persons who appear in the film and who appear in any associated photo/still images. It the filmmaker’s responsibility to ensure that you have the right to show the film to a public audience in the UK.

PREVIEW DVD
Only DVDs in English or with English subtitles or dubbing are acceptable. Preview DVDs will only be returned if international reply coupons are enclosed by sender.

SELECTION
The Cinemagic selection committee of film specialists, educationalists and young people will decide which films will participate in the festival. The committee’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The festival management may invite films for the competition and programme. Successful submissions will be informed before 1st September 2009. If you have received no communication from Cinemagic by this date then please assume that your film has not been selected for participation in the festival.

TRANSPORT INSTRUCTIONS
Film prints (and Beta or DV tapes) accepted for the festival must arrive at the above address by 2nd NOVEMBER 2009. If a film arrives after this deadline (except by prior arrangement) it’s participation in the festival will not be guaranteed. Notification of dispatch of the print should be sent in advance. The costs for transport of films to the festival are to be paid for by the sender.

Transportation should be by mail or courier only. Do not send films by airfreight. Film prints sent from non-European Union countries should be accompanied by a proforma invoice stating FOR TEMPORARY IMPORTATION ONLY, FOR CULTURAL EXHIBITION AND OF NO COMMERCIAL VALUE. The value of the print should be declared as less than £50 to avoid excessive importation taxes.

RETURN OF FILMS
Cinemagic pays for the cost of returning the film prints. For the period in which the films are in the care of the festival, they are fully insured for their print value. All prints will be returned to the address indicated by the sender within two weeks of the last day of the festival.

Links:
Cinemagic

HD Comes to EyeTV

DigMo — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:23:58 +0000

If you have been following DigMo! for even a few months you will know how much we love watching, recording and editing TV on our Macs. So far we have been restricted to the generic list of Freeview channels and although they are great there isn’t an HD offering.

The new Elgato EyeTV Sat with CI Slot

Well that is about the change with the launch of Elgato EyeTV Sat, a new satellite TV tuner that delivers the stunning clarity of HDTV to the high resolution display of the Mac. EyeTV Sat connects the home satellite dish directly to the Mac via USB 2.0, and receives DVB-S and DVB-S2 transmissions.

Although not officially endorsed by FreeStat the full range of channels will able accessible (see here for a full list) including BBC HD. Direct HD TV recording via EyeTV is an exciting development both for home and educational use.

Powered by Elgato’s award-winning EyeTV 3 software, EyeTV Sat enables users to watch, record, edit and enjoy satellite HDTV on a Mac. For switchers, it also offers a complete Windows solution in the form of TerraTec Home Cinema software. EyeTV Sat has a built-in CI slot to enable Pay TV programming with an appropriate subscription module.

Superb quality recordings
EyeTV Sat has one quality setting, Lossless. The DVB stream is recorded unaltered to deliver the full quality MPEG-2/H.264 file as encoded by the broadcaster, both in HD and standard definition. EyeTV Sat supports multilingual programming, Teletext and Dolby® Digital sound.

Satellite Pay TV
EyeTV Sat has an integrated CI slot for satellite Pay TV which can be used with a compatible combination of conditional access module (CAM) and Pay TV subscription smartcard (not included). Elgato recommends that users check with their Pay TV provider to verify support of third-party standard CI receivers. Some providers, such as BSkyB in the UK, allow their smartcards to be used with proprietary set top boxes only.

Powered by EyeTV 3 Software for the Mac
EyeTV Sat comes complete with EyeTV 3 software for which we have produced a number of tutorials and help How to remove Ad breaks with EyeTV and How to use Smart Guides to name but two.

EyeTV 3

Watch, pause, and rewind live television at a desk or from the comfort of the couch. Search the Program Guide and create Smart Guides to subscribe to a TV series and topics of interest. Organize channels, edit unwanted content from recordings and create Smart Playlists to keep them organized. Put recorded TV shows and movies into iTunes to sync with an iPod, iPhone, or Apple TV. Share EyeTV recordings over a local network, or access them via Wi-Fi on an iPod®, iPhone™ and selected SmartPhones.

Compatible with Windows
EyeTV Sat comes with TerraTec Home Cinema software and drivers for Windows PC compatibility, and many of the same features offered by Elgato’s EyeTV 3 software are supported.

Pricing and Availability
EyeTV Sat is now shipping and can be purchased at the Elgato Online Store for £179.95. It will be available at Apple retail stores and other local Mac resellers shortly.

Frankly we really can’t wait!

Expect a full review on site in the next few weeks.
To be alerted when the review is live why not follow us on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.

Navigon MobileNavigator

DigMo — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:49:36 +0000

Exactly a year ago this month my excitement about the new iPhone 3G started to heighten. The already excellent mobile internet device was about to get the GPS work over. Rumours of turn by turn navigation by TomTom and the use of Google Maps were rife.

Well one year on iPhone users finally get their hands on turn by turn GPS software. Anyone who watched the Developer Conference Keynote will know that TomTom software is promised “this summer” but Navigon have pipped them to the post.

As a special release offer (ends 30th June) you get can your hands on turn by turn navigation software for just under £38 if you opt for the the UK and Ireland Maps option.

Navigon in Action.

I always found the Navigon maps to be excellent compared to TomTom that said I discovered the shipped maps are about 3 years old but hopefully Navigon will enable (free) updates via the Apps Store when relevant.

Navigon MobileNavigator for iPhone works pretty well for a first release application. I was able to enter destinations really easily although for some reason Postcode input is limited to 4 characters, this displays a list of possible streets and you select your destination from there (if you know the street).

The app ships with a single voice and although this has been criticised elsewhere I don’t really see it as a big issue. The voice is clear and understandable and I suspect Navigon wanted to keep the download down to an absolute minimum.

The application works equally well in landscape mode but I would recommend setting the screen lock time for a large value (or never) as it still kicks in when using MobileNavigator.

Picking up the current location isn’t quick compared to the Google Maps application although I think this may be down to Google Maps using cell tower information to get an initial location. Once connected the application works as described flawlessly getting me from A to B. I even noticed that when connected to my car kit (for iPod) the GPS voice works well over the music.

The directions are clear and the application is pre-programmed for road speeds and even warns you if you surpass the limit of the road (..not a confession).

I have tested the software over a few journeys and I despite all the TomTom talk I feel perfectly happy the Navigon MobileNavigator does everything I need and considerably more.

Features and range of functions:

2D and 3D map displays
Can be used in portrait and landscape format
Precise voice announcements
Intelligent address entry
Reality View Pro (realistic display of motorway interchanges and exits)
Lane Assistant Pro
Real signpost display
Speed Assistant with adjustable audio-visual warning
Day and night mode for map display
Direct access and navigation to contacts saved in the iPhone’s address book

There is no doubt £38 is an expensive application compared to most of the software we purchase on the Apps Store but still for the first GPS solution on the market I am more than pretty happy with the investment.

It will be interesting to see how the TomTom application fairs when released later this summer, it will have to be something special for me to move from Mobile Navigator.

More Information.

The Special offer ends 30th June 2009.
DigMo! Rating : ★★★★

Flip Ultra HD Released

DigMo — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:58:53 +0000

The new Flip Ultra HD camera was released in the UK today. We reviewed the Mino HD that offered 4GB of storage a few months ago and loved it. The Flip Ultra HD offers a massive 8GB of storage and is actually cheaper than the Mino !

Flip video cameras offer a zero learning curve. The device features a power button, TV out, a flip out USB connector, a record button and 2-3 small control buttons used (mostly) for playback. Unlike the the Mino the Ultra reportedly offers an HDMI output for direct connection to a TV.

The device is simple, there is literally nothing to setup or get to know, you hold out the camera and press the red record button to video, easy !

The device offers crystal-clear 720p high-definition video capture, alongside the standard VGA model. Key advances for both the Ultra and UltraHD include a doubling of the internal memory capacity, allowing users to capture up to two hours of footage on the camera without the need for costly additional SD cards. The Flip Ultra’s viewing screen has also been significantly expanded to two-inches to offer superior playback.

A comparison between a Panasonic HD camcorder and Flip Mino HD is shown above. As with the original Ultra, the cameras provide simple, one-touch recording and the signature flip-out USB arm connects directly to any computer.

FlipShare™, the advanced on-board software, comes as standard and loads automatically when you plug the camcorder into the computer. Fully compatible with both Mac and Windows operating systems – the software leads you seamlessly through the process of editing, organising, sharing and capturing photo stills from your videos.

Given the ease of use and high quality video capture these cameras are perfect for any classroom.

Links:
Click here for more information

Top Pro Photography Tips

DigMo — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:16:22 +0000

DSLR cameras are becoming more and more affordable. The Canon 500D even enters multi lens High Definition video capabilities but it is very easy to be “All the gear and no idea(r)” Steffan Hill is one of Belfast’s top professional photographers focusing on portraiture, film stills and reportage. Steffan has taken time to offer up his top tips for those learning the art of photography.

1. Always shot RAW format files if your camera can. This is the ultimate format which gives you incredible control over your shots. With memory cards much cheaper and with more capacity there really is no reason to not shoot raw. Programs like Adobe Lightroom make processing raw a breeze.

2. Keep the sensor clean, a little bit of maintenance will save a lot of time later on the computer trying to remove dust spots. Never use a brush or compressed air like Kenair to clean the sensor, as propellent can mark it. I use a thing called a rocket which is ideal. When cleaning, hold the camera body with screen facing up and sensor facing down so as dust can fall out easily.

3. Always hold the camera with 2 hands, sounds silly but the amount of times I see people with a compact camera’s snapping away with one hand. If you are using a slow shutter speed, tuck your elbows into your body for support, or lean against anything to help you keep steady.

4. To make a great photograph think about the 2 most important elements, composition and lighting. You can be in the most beautiful countryside, but on a dull grey day you won’t get a nice shot. You don’t need bright sunshine, dramatic lighting works just as well, but avoid flat lighting!

5. When composing follow the Rule of Thirds but don’t be afraid to break it now and again! Be aware of what is in both your foreground and background. If shooting a portrait make sure that a tree or lamppost is not protruding from your subjects head. If shooting a landscape, remove the crisp packet or other such litter that is just visible in the foreground.

6. Think about depth of field by using a large aperture on a long lens as a way to isolate and emphasize subjects.

7. When using a camera with auto focus, don’t forget to focus first and then re-compose the picture, especially if you are taking a snap of family or friends.

8. Think about using a slow shutter speed for effect, like moving water of traffic at night. It’s very easy to experiment now with digital to work out the best exposure, but don’t forget to use a tripod!

9. Use fill light when there are harsh shadows, say when photographing a portrait in bright sunshine. Turn the subject with their back to the sun and either use flash or something white/silver for a reflector. This will also stop them from squinting. Try not to use direct flash, try bouncing it off something white.

10. Be quick and try to capture ‘The Decisive Moment’ as defined by Henri Cartier-Bresson : “Photography is not like painting, there is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative, once you miss it, it is gone forever.”

A massive thanks to Steffan for taking the time to give us his top digital photography tips. Why not visit his website / portfolio at http://www.steffanhill.com/

Twitter
Follow Steffan
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The iPhone 3GS Come Down

DigMo — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:02:53 +0000

3-4 days after I spend my hard earned money on the bleeding edge of technology I always enter a time verging on ‘buyers regret’. It isn’t so much that I regret the upgrade more that new hardware brings with it new problems.

Today was that very day, I face three new issues with the iPhone 3GS, one I have a work around for the other two remain unresolved :

1. iPhone Movies in iMovie
Recording video with the iPhone is great. No matter what way I hold the phone the video records perfectly. When I import the footage it plays without issue in Quicktime yet when I load up iMovie it indexes my iPhoto library and the video appears. Everything is perfect until you look at the preview window :

The problem here is that i am left handed. If I record footage with the phone in right hand mode there isn’t any issue. Quicktime forgives my lefthandedness why not iMovie ?

2. Find my iPhone
Having upgraded to the iPhone 3GS (Have I mentioned that yet). I find that my old 3G phone still appears in the ‘Find my iPhone’ page on MobileMe. I can’t see a way of easily removing this phone from the list.

3. Wifi
Probably the most annoying and perplexing problem to date. Here goes. The iPhone 3GS connects perfectly to my home router that uses WPA2 security. In work we also use WPA2, each time I try and connect and I enter the password and it fails to connect, re-asking for the password.

Two other 3G iPhone work perfectly. We changed the security to WPA1, both 3G phones connected yet the 3GS didn’t. We then changed the security again, this time to WEP. All three phones (including the 3GS) were able to connect.

The wireless is the most annoying of the issues as I really need wifi access at work. I can only assume there is some sort of issue with the iPhone and DLink rather than something wrong with the phone (given the phone works on a stack of other wireless networks).

Frustrating issues, I had mentally heralded the iPhone 3GS as the gold A class version of the iPhone but after today, (considering the cost) I am hoping for a fix very very soon.

Tuffwrap – Tuff Protection

DigMo — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:22:13 +0000

I have also been a keen believer in protecting your most valuable assets. Cricket boxes, baby car seats cycle helmets and of course the invaluable iPhone case. I have been protecting my mobile assets since my PocketPC days, I have had leather cases, silicon cases, and even cases made of solid metal causing me to walk slumped to one side due to the additional weight.

I have always viewed the iPhone of slightly different, it seems a shame to mar something of such technological beauty with a case. A believe I held up to the second I dropped my iPhone 3G scratching the screen.

Welcome the XtremeMac Tuffshield case and screen protector. Firstly to the screen protector, given the only thing I could see each time I looked at my phone was the scratch screen protection is now a big priority.

My memories of screen protectors were bubbles, bad surfaces, and sticky residue. Having asked about screen protection on Twitter I was talked into it.

It seemed only fitting to apply the screen protector to my wife’s phone first, chivalry rather than protecting my phone if something goes wrong! The XtremeMac Tuffshield was actually very easy to apply to the surface of the phone (cleaned first). Application is a two stage process.

The first action sticks the shield down and smooth out the bubbles. I was nervous looking at the phone it was detracting from the screen until I loved to stage 2 which involved peeling the top layer from the protector.

The result was a basically invisible anti scratch surface. Impressed I applied a Tuffshield to my own iPhone 3GS. The case is equally as impressive. It fits well, is very easy to get on and off the phone and unlike a hard case it isn’t going to leave any scratching.

At under £12 for both the excellent screen protector and Tuffwrap case this is the perfect protection system for what is after all an expensive asset worthy of protection. (The Tuffwrap fits both the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS).

Please note there has been some discussion on wether to use screen protectors on the 3GS phone (see here). I have kept the protector on the 3G but I have removed it from the 3GS until confirmation they won’t damage the Oleophobic coating. Please research any protector before you apply it to your phone.

Links:
TuffWrap Kit

Urban Arts Go iPhone

DigMo — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:01:41 +0000

If you own an iPhone, chances are you haven`t come close to unlocking its full potential. Want to find out what the world`s most revolutionary pocket-sized communications and entertainments device can really do?

Developing iPhone Apps is a brand new Urban Arts Academy course taking place on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July, in partnership with Digital Circle.

There are literally thousands of applications specifically designed for the iPhone to enhance its functionality and course participants will learn how to develop their own apps so they can customize and make the most of their iPhone.

Participants will learn about XCode and Interface Builder, the tools used to build every iPhone application and how to build a simple application which can run on Simulator, iPhone or iPod Touch.

iPhones and their applications are now more popular than ever: the brand new iPhone 3G is now available and an amazing 10 million new iPhone applications were downloaded during the first week it went on sale.

“At Digital Circle we aim to ensure this fast growing digital content industry is recognised as an important component of the economy and the Urban Arts Academy is a great way to make this training accessible to a mass audience.” (Matt Johnston – Digital Circle).

Developing iPhone Apps is just one of many Short Courses at Urban Arts Academy. Other Short Courses include beginners courses in Stand Up Comedy, Alternative Reality Gaming, VJing, Home Recording – Garage Band, Creating A Music Video and Masterclasses in Song writing, Guitar and Ableton Live.

“These courses represent our desire to always be looking for ways to train people in new technologies and unconventional career paths. Whether trying something entirely new or re-training in the latest advances in your chosen field you won`t have to take a week off work to do these courses.” (Adam Turkington – Urban Arts Academy Co-ordinator).

Urban Arts Academy short courses run over two days to act as a taster session or for those who do not have the time for a full course.
Courses are for ages 15 + and there is no upper age limit. All courses take place at Belfast Waterfront and cost £25.
Places on courses are strictly limited so early booking is strongly advised.

Urban Arts Academy at Belfast Waterfront is the only place where participants receive vocational training across a wide range of creative industry-based courses from practicing professionals.

For full Urban Arts Academy course listings and availability check online or go to www.transbelfast.com Places can be booked online, by phoning 028 9033 4455 or in person at the Waterfront or Ulster Hall Box Offices.

Macworld UK Awards

DigMo — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:23:28 +0000

A number of weeks ago I had a surprise invitation to the coveted Macworld UK awards. Having managed to sort the logistics at work with great excited I accepted the invite and sorted the onerous task of booking flights.

This year’s awards were held in the Honourable Artillery Company a large castle like building with 6 acres of ground right in the centre of the City of London.

You can see just how great our seats were. We can almost touch the main stage from our seat, it couldn’t have been better.

The evening kicked off with a champagne reception followed by a gala formal, entertainment and of course the main awards ceremony.

It was great to see the brilliant Elgato picking up an award for ‘Best Consumer Product’ for their EyeTV DTT Deluxe device. (Link to our Elgato reviews). The photo below shows one happy Elgato employee brandishing the coveted award.

Other winners :

Apple product of the year
App Store – Apple

Consumer photo product of the year
Pixma IP4600 – Canon

Best pro photo and print imaging
Nikon D3 – Nikon

Best iPod accessory
WINNER – Shure SE210 – Shure

Best iPhone accessory
hf2 Custom-Fit – Etymotic

Consumer audio product
Valve80 – Logic3

Best iPhone/iPod touch application
ConcertVault – Wolfgang’s Vault

Best iPhone/iPod touch game
Zen Bound – Chillingo

Best consumer software
Toast 10 Titanium – Roxio

Consumer hardware product of the year
Eye TV DTT Deluxe – Elgato

Education product of the year
MacSpeech Dictate – MacSpeech

Best professional storage
Data Tank 3.5in – Freecom

Best productivity hardware
Phaser 8560DN – Xerox

Best productivity software
FileMaker Pro 10 – FileMaker Pro 10

Best consumer storage
Drobo 800 – Data Robotics

Professional video product of the year
DeckLink HD Extreme – Blackmagic Design

Best animation and 3D product
Cinema 4D 11 – Maxon

Creative hardware product of the year
Intuos4 – Wacom

Creative design software of the year
Photoshop CS4 – Adobe

Creative web software of the year
Adobe Air – Adobe

For a full list of nominees and winners visit the official awards site.

It was a great night concluding with an after show party where guests were presented with a goody bag including a fantastic rucksack laptop bag and a number of iPod/iPhone accessories.

It was great to meet some of the Macworld staff including Mark Hattersley (Editor in Chief) and Nick Spence in real life. A massive thanks to those who organised for us to be at the awards and who looked after us so well. It was a great night and very much appreciated.

Check out photos from the event here.
Visit Macworld UK
Visit Macworld UK Awards

The story of my 3GS

DigMo — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 07:29:27 +0000

I was lucky enough to attend this year’s Macworld awards in London on the eve of the iPhone 3Gs. The event was exciting, packed with proud trophy weekders and entertainment it went on well into the next day. It was almost 10am before I made it to Regent St.

From a distance I could see a crowd or orange bibed security but the crowd had lapsed. In actual fact I was able to walk straight in and out with my new phone on pay as you go in minutes.

I asked the pleasant sales person if it had been busy and it was soon clear it wasn’t as busy as they expected or hoped. He “thought” there were about 30 people queuing when he arrived at 7am. That said as I made my way around London I stumbled across a number of O2 stores with short queues outside their doors.

Interestingly enough he commented on how the O2 systems were struggling to process the orders. Having entered my credit card details the computer sat at the “processing don’t refresh the page” for fifteen minutes before he ushered me on my way stating “it would go through eventually”.

I remember vividly last July sitting at my computer for a full day on the O2 site wondering if I had managed to upgrade or not. The same pain seemed to exist in a much smaller scale.

Nonetheless I had in my hand the new Apple 3GS and I was content and guilt ridden at the cost. The photo in this post was taken just before ten at which stage I was a very happy iPhone 3Gs owner.

It was unquestionably exciting to have bought my new phone on launch day in Apple’s flagship store. Perhaps I should be thankful to O2 for keeping the crowds down but to be honest a certain level of resentment has crept in.

To be in the position to buy a 3GS I had to come up with a rather convoluted process including convincing my wife her life will be transformed by an iPhone 3G on pay as you. I even received a tongue in cheek “traitor” twitter message from a friend who was in the same 3G upgrade turmoil.

Certainly the same fanboy buzz wasn’t apparent at this launch in the UK perhaps when O2 see the profits harvested by AT&T in the states they just might be kicking themselves.

iPhone 3G S Not Fast Enough for Me!

Death of the Camcorder?

DigMo — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:40:31 +0000

I haven’t fully thought this entire idea through but I thought I would put it out there none the less. I have been playing with the new Canon 500D digital SLR camera. I say playing as the work produced is laughable compared to the video I am going to reference later.

The 500D is the first amateur digital SLR to offer High Definition digital video. It is limited to 20 fps at 1080p but records at 30fps at 720p, the sound isn’t amazing but the picture quality is stunning.

Add the mix the fact you interchange lenses and you have quite a remarkable video system. The video below was recorded using the 500D’s big brother the 5D Mrk2. I would LOVE one but at a price tag of over £2000 it is the same as saying I would love an Audi TT… it just isn’t affordable.

The video is remarkable and is one of a series of films by photographer Mike Kobal. Mike’s blog is definitely worth a subscribe as he not only offers up the best in video production but also explains how the work was created.

Mike has his own Vimeo channel and it is evident this creation isn’t a one off. Taking Mike’s obvious massive creative ability out of the equation the picture clarity is stunning and it really does make me wonder where Moving Image education will move in the next five years.

As these cameras become more and more affordable where does that leave the traditional camcorder market ? Yes camcorders offer a range of features a digital SLR don’t such as hours of recording at a time, external mic, automatic and silent auto focus but is that enough to compete ?

What do you think ?

iPhone 3G S Not Fast Enough for Me!

DigMo — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:21:16 +0000

Today Apple announced that as well as the iPhone update coming 17th June a brand new iPhone 3G S is to be released two days later. The S on this occasion indicates ’speed’. The phone is reportedly faster and as someone who is interested in photography boasts a 3megapixel camera with auto focus and video capabilities. I want one !

The possibilities and potential of a device that allows the recording of video, quick editing and output direct to YouTube all from the palm of your hand are massive in education. Excitedly I headed to both the Apple and O2 websites to gather up as much information as possible in advance of the launch.

Previous Apple iPhone launch dates have been historically particularly exciting and memorable. In 2007 we have the launch of the first iPhone in the UK and many of us queued to get our hands on this cherished technology. Good friend Vox O’Malley documented his unique experience in Larne. Last July we had the epic fail of the iPhone 3G launch where thousands of UK customers all tried to upgrade through o2 at once. At this stage O2 offered the ability for current iPhone users to upgrade but re-start their contract. Again we queued, hogged phone lines or refreshed the O2 website and despite the pain most of use had a new iPhone on launch.

All memories and the content of many reviews and blog posts. This time round things are different. In fact according to the information on the O2 website you won’t seen any 3G S content on this site until around next January as current customers can only upgrade when their current contract expires. I genuinely don’t think my current predicament is down to Apple who, I would think want to sell as many iPhone 3G Ss as they possibly can !

Renowned for my cynicism I wonder if this is to protect providers from the upgrade headache as iPhone 2G and 3G customers clamber for the latest release. My understanding is only current first generation owners (or new iphone customers) are able to upgrade without buying their way out of their current customers. The result with be a rather lackluster affair, exceptionally short queues (if any) and considerably less tweeting or blogging about first impressions or hands on.

It is a shame as devices such as the iPhone live on hype. If the bleeding edge technologists who live for upgrades aren’t able to get their hands on the device for another 6 or 7 months other devices have the opportunity to shine. I can see massive educational potential for the 3G S but won’t be able to put any of it into practice until 2010.

Like most other iPhone customers I can’t get my hands on the new device fast enough, sadly though I have 7 months cooling time. I would happily renew for an 18 contract for the new device but the option (currently) just isn’t there. A blow to the fanboy market and a real boost to the gray marketeers. Wise thinking ?

Top 10 for May 09

DigMo — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 11:21:40 +0000

A quieter month on DigMo! in terms of posts yet traffic appeared to increase. Strangely and definitely for the first time ever a ‘Top 10 for’ post has actually made it into the Top 10, (if that makes sense) see number 9.

I hope to create more DigMo! content on as things relax over the summer period. A busy time of photo and video creation with a whole lot of learning to boot …. Here is hoping.

500D : The Communities

DigMo — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 11:12:52 +0000

If you have just shelled out your hard earned cash on the new Canon 500D then you might be looking for a few good resource sites to help you get the best out of your camera or to put your creativity on display. I have listed 4 useful sites or groups that offer a great community for 500D owners.

1. 500D Vimeo Channel
This channel features amazing high definition video produced using the digital SLR’s video settings. Upload your video and tag it 500D and the moderators will ensure it makes its way into the channel. The channel can be found here.

2. 500D Vimeo Group
A little different to a channel the group offers the ability to discuss video productions and tips on how to create the best video output directly from the camera. I have gained from the group on learning about suggested lenses etc. Join the group here.

3. 500D Flickr Group
A Flickr pool featuring only images created using the Canon 500D camera. Submit your best photos, view and comment on photos taken by others and even ask questions in the group forum. There are just under 200 members who are all keen to share and learn. Click here to view the group.

4. MyBestPic
Having posted what I think is my best photo to Twitter, fellow twitter user José Picardo suggested the idea of a hash tag and allow other Twitter users to submit the best ever photos. The hash tag is #mybestpic and we have also created a flickr group so users have a permanent gallery of those submitted. The group is here.

It is certainly a fantastic camera and we would love to see your photos in the MyBestPics group. If you are still at the temptation stage then buy the camera at a bit less than I did !

Cinemagic : Consultants

DigMo — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 10:15:05 +0000

Cinemagic has launched its annual call for young film enthusiasts, aged 10 – 18, to take on the role of film consultants and help select the films for this year’s festival. The Coca-Cola Cinemagic International Film & Television Festival for Young People will take place in Belfast from 18th November- 4th December 2009.

The award winning festival will be action packed with fascinating events for film fans that include over one hundred film screenings, masterclasses with film and television industry guests, workshops for schools, a festival jury panel and Q&A’s.

Over the course of a three day workshop in Queen’s Film Theatre, Belfast (6th – 8th July inclusive), the young consultants will work with the Cinemagic team to help steer the choice of films for the festival, as they watch and critique films from around the globe. Over the years Cinemagic has welcomed hundreds of young people to the young consultants panel and they have contributed greatly to the organisation of the festival, as well as introducing their schools and teachers to the variety of workshops and films on offer in November.

If you are a budding young film critic, then this is a fantastic opportunity to meet like-minded young people, and have fun deciding the content of the largest film festival for young people in Ireland and the UK. The lucky young people who become film consultants will also contribute ideas for the festival programme, and help with the marketing and promotion of festival events.

Chris Shaw, Cinemagic Film Programmer explains what the young consultants can look forward to: “Cinemagic, now in its 19th year, is dedicated to providing new and exciting opportunities for young people with all interests in film. The young film consultants will have the opportunity to watch and review international films that they would not normally have access to, so as well as being fun, the three day event will expand the young people’s understanding of the different genres of film and world cultures. The workshops will provide lots of opportunities for debate and a lively platform for young people to interact with each other and exchange their views on film”.

How to apply to be a Young Consultant:
Applicants aged 10-18 with a keen interest in film and the enthusiasm to work within a group should apply for a place by writing/emailing a letter telling Cinemagic why they would like to be a Cinemagic Young Film Consultant, and include a review of their favourite film.

This information, along with name, address, age, telephone number, email address and name of school/college should be sent to Claire Baxter, Cinemagic, 49 Botanic Avenue, Belfast, BT7 1JL or claire@cinemagic.org.uk. All applications should be received no later than Monday 22nd June 2009. Successful applicants will be contacted after this date with further details.

Links:
Cinemagic

Canon 500D : Thoughts

DigMo — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:28:35 +0000

Back in the early 1990s I won my first EOS film camera, it was amazing and when the EOS 300D arrived it was a must buy. I pretty much suffer from an illness known as upgradeitus and thus I have owned the 350D, 400D, 450D and now the 500D. Have any of these upgrades been a significant improvement ? probably not and to be honest I really should have kept the 350D and waited for the 500D but that is the nature of the illness.

Given that I teach a course involving digital video and animation I have always personally owned a camcorder initially a mini DV but more recently I had moved to AVCHD. To be honest for personal use these devices worked out a bit of a waste of money simply as I never really used them after the initial month of attention.

I have pretty much being considering my digital imaging needs which coincided with the release of the Canon 500D that offers HD video support. Before buying this camera I took a look at all the digital video I have created in the last five years and more often than not these amounted to short video clips of family outings and events.

I never could be bothered taking a camcorder on holiday so surprisingly the video clips were created on a small Canon IXUS camera and they reasonable good for standard VGA.

The Canon 500D HD mode though is spectacular. The quality actually more visually impressive that my AVCHD camcorder in terms of image quality but there are negatives. Audio is mono and if you use the autofocus recording you get very nasty lens motor noise on the audio track. That said I really think this camera is the perfect solution to my home photo and video needs.

The camera can record up to 30mins of HD video directly to an SD card. This video is in .Mov H.264 format so is instantly playable and sharable. The quality is amazing and given that I will only be capturing a few minutes at a time and can opt for manual focus I think it really meets my needs very well.

Given the image quality achievable by the Canon 500D I think it may inspire better video recording and experimentation which is no bad thing either. Thus I have decided to sell both my Canon 450D and my AVCHD Camcorder and upgrade to the 500D.

Hopefully I won’t grow to regret this decision but at the minute I am pretty happy that the Canon 500D becomes my main camera for both photography and home video recording. Obviously the fact the 1080p is only 20 frames per second none the less it produces stunning moving images.

There is a dedicated 500D Vimeo group here.

More Information on the 500D.

Glossaries in Moodle

DigMo — Wed, 20 May 2009 13:38:28 +0000

Over the last few weeks we have been exploring some of the less obvious yet massively advantageous activities available in Moodle courses. One of my personal favourites is the brilliant Glossary feature. The glossary allows teachers (and students) to build up definitions of key terms used within the course.

The benefits don’t end with a simple alphabetic list in fact Moodle offers massive value for how the terms are used. Firstly lets look at how to set up a Glossary within a course. Log in to your course and ‘turn editing on’. Click the ‘Add an Activity’ option and chose ‘Glossary’. Once you have named your glossary you are met with a number of options that offer a brilliant range of custom features.

You have to decide how you want the glossary to work. You can limit it so that only course editors can add entries to the system or alternatively you can allow students to enter definitions (that can then be approved my editors).

You can offer a rating system for definitions and even limit the rating so that only teachers can reward the entries.

One really nice feature is the ability for Moodle to analyse your resources (web pages, text files and forum posts) and if it finds words or terms in your glossary it will create a hyperlink to that actual glossary entry.

Personally I restrict glossary entries to the teacher user level. I started with only ten definitions and as I updated the VLE course I updated the glossary as I went.

I now have nine pages of definitions that your pupils can print, learn and I have opted for a term of the day on the front page of the course.

This is one of my favourite features. As you can see from the screenshot to the right we have an ICT term of the day.

The BBC Tech is an RRS feed directly from the BBC Technology pages but under this is a daily glossary entry. You can complete control over how regularly the definition updates (and the title) but it is a really nice way of offering the definitions to the students and a great question to ask “Anyone know what the ICT term of the day is ?”

This encourages students to check it out each time they visit the course.

In Moodle Glossaries can also be exported to XML which means you can share your work with other schools or course leaders. How great would it be if we shared our Glossary exports ?

Glossary units are really easy to set up and a definition of the day will work with any number of entries. A year of adding new definitions has resulted in a really useful resource for students especially when it comes to exam revision.

The glossary can also be printed for revision purposes although one thing to note is the user must click the ALL view option (see the screen shot above) for the entire glossary to print, otherwise it simply prints the first page.

Anyone made their glossaries available to share ?

Apple Selling iPhones

DigMo — Sun, 17 May 2009 17:43:19 +0000

Perhaps a slightly bizarre title for a post given Apple make the iPhone but this week they moved to sell the Pay as you Go offering via their website. A number of websites have reported this as further evidence that an updated device is set for the summer.

Pay as you Go customers benefit from a year free 3G and internet access but over £300 for the handset you are going to have to make sure you use it.

So is this is clear evidence that Apple are getting rid of excess stock and the iPhone version 3 is right around the corner ?

For more information on the Pay as you Go offering visit the Apple Website.

Elgato : Video Capture

DigMo — Wed, 13 May 2009 17:57:52 +0000

Elgato have pretty covered most of our video needs with TV encoders (and EyeTV) for our TV capturing and editing needs. The Turbo.264 HD allows us to encode footage directly from AVCHD camcorders and virtually any other video format. Now the company tackles our analogue video needs in the form of “Video Capture”

Video Capture package is a USB device with Composite / RCA and S-Video inputs,a SCART adaptor for connecting to a range of devices and a CD containing the really easy to use Video Capture software. One of the biggest selling points is the device captures directly to the H.264 / MPEG-4 format that is iTunes and iPod friendly.

The device arrived in perfect time as I have a video produced in 1986 on VHS that I needed for a presentation at the end of this week. Traditionally we opted for using a Video to DVD recorder (capturing in real time) we then had to handbrake the DVD for editing in Final Cut or iMovie. This device offers a direct to edit workflow.

I decided the best way to test the device was to connect it to the various analogue devices I could easily get my hands on and import a section of video from each. The list includes a video recorder, Sky+ set top box and a Xbox 360 console.

The video (above) shows 30 seconds of output from these various sources that was imported into iMovie for adding titles. Note the video hasn’t been adjusted or enhanced in anyway.

Over the years I have found capturing from analogue devices to be particularly problematic. Low video quality, incorrect dimensions and frequent audio issues have dogged the experience so much I have sat with VHS tapes on my to-do list for a number of years.

The Video Capture software features a very simple workflow that steps through a number of stages before final capture. These stages check both the video and audio settings to ensure the best possible recording is achieved.

Once you have installed the software you can connect the Video Capture hardware directly via a free USB port. Obviously such a system is going to be best suited for Macbook and Macbook Pro users who can move their computers close to the likes of Sky+ boxes etc. Elgato have also included an RCA extension cable for those hard to reach devices.

The first stage is to select the video input, i.e. S-Video or RCA and the video size (4:3 or 16:4).

The next stage is to check the audio is coming through to the computer and then it is off to the large red record button. The software allows you to either man the recording and click stop when it is complete or alternatively you can set the duration of the recording and let the Elgato Video Capture system do the rest.

For testing purposes I monitored the recording directly but the ability to capture for set time periods is particularly useful when capturing old VHS tapes etc.

Once the recording is completed you can trim the ends of the video (if necessary) before it is saved into your My Movies folder. Finally you have the option of watching your recording in Quicktime (or iTunes) or further edit with iMovie. If you are happy with the recording and want to share it with the world direct export to YouTube is also just a click away.

I think looking at the show reel of captures (above) it is easily to see the value in the Elgato Video Capture system. To be honest I am especially happy with the VHS recording as much of the noise visible on the TV screen has been ignored in the recording making the imported footage of a higher visual standard than the original. The baby featured in the video is now considerably older and excited about seeing the clips.

The Sky recording looks as good as the TV but the recording from the console looks a little darker than the reality. I am sure the brightness could be tweaked a little but I think the quality is as good as game footage I have seen featured in TV programmes etc.

One slight negative was I found I had to play the game through the laptop screen as my TV didn’t offer any form or video out from an HDMI device. Again this is a very small negative and I sure there is a better way to connect the device to the Xbox to overcome these issues.

I love this device as it serves a genuine need I face on a regular basis. TV recorded on Sky+ and old videos on VHS are now easily transfered to a digital format using the Elgato device. In reality this little USB device will record virtually anything with an RCA or S-Video output.

The Elgato Video Capture package is a perfect combination of top quality video hardware coupled with really easy to use software. Analogue video brilliance !

DigMo! ★★★★★

The devices costs £89.75
Click here for more information (non-affiliate link).

A Guitarist’s Dream

DigMo — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:54:25 +0000

Garageband is one of those Apple applications that I appreciate massively. It isn’t the fact that it is one of the most powerful and easy to use podcast creators or audio editors but the appreciation comes for its power as a multitrack recorder. Having played in numerous bands growing up I am no stranger to multitrack tape recorders, I frankly hated them.

Nothing ever really sounded as it should and the recording process was an utter nightmare. I so envy the guitarists and musicians growing up in today’s Garageband generation. I think what I find most shocking is that Garageband comes as part of the iLife application pack and this pack costs considerably less than £100.

I am not going to mention the fact that Garageband can actually teach you both guitar or piano, I am not even going to mention how easy it makes the process of recording podcasts the I love Garageband statement is simply for the software’s functionality for any guitarist.

Garageband 09 takes the great multitrack recording features and adds a range of software based guitar processor systems. The big benefit is the effects are controllable from within the Garageband interface and can even be tweaked in post production.

If you are used to the classic stomp box and amp set up then using your guitar with Garageband is going to be a breeze. Firstly you will need an audio interface (USB) to connect your instrument to the computer. I recommend the Native Instrument Guitar Rig Session device. This not only allows you to connect a guitar but you can connect other instruments and Mics in essence allowing you to record your entire band.

Once you connect your hardware you should be able to hear your guitar (or at least see the audio meters jumping up and down as your hit the strings). If you don’t, click Edit or double-click the amp, then choose the input from the Input Source pop-up menu.

If your guitar is connected to your computer with an adapter cable, choose Line In. If your guitar is plugged into an audio interface connected to your computer, choose the correct mono channel from the list.

To hear your guitar as you play and protect against feedback, choose “On” or “On with Feedback Protection” from the Monitor pop-up menu. “On with Feedback Protection” lets you hear your guitar as you play, but warns you if feedback occurs.

Garageband 09 comes with around 40 preset sounds but you can also easily create your own using the drag and drop stomp boxes.

You can see in the image above I have a number of stomp boxes in a chain connected to the main amp. The image shows the back of the amp as I double clicked it to change the input setting. Garageband allows 5 stomp boxes in a chain and you can drag and drop to alter the order. You can add or remove boxes from a great selection of pedals.

Double clicking on an amp or stomp box brings up a larger image of the pedal on which you can adjust the various controls.

You can take one of the Garageband preset sounds, double click on a stomp box and make adjustments and then save it as your own with just a few clicks. It is actually surprising the range of custom settings each pedal offers and given the range of amps virtually every guitar sound is easily achievable.

Once you have created your very own custom tone you can now use Garangeband’s multitrack recording and editing to record your songs. I am pretty sure you could record a professional sounding output using Garageband.

When you consider iLife costs just £59 (click here) and offers not only Garageband but iMovie, iDVD, iPhone and iWeb I really consider it to be one of the biggest software bargains going.

If like me you are facing a midlife crisis and want to revisit your guitar slaying youth then Garageband offers a low cost system that not only provides you with every guitar pedal you ever dreamt about but also allows you to record into the bargain. What more could you want ?

Top 10 for April

DigMo — Mon, 04 May 2009 22:15:20 +0000

I think this is the latest I have ever posted the top 10 posts for the month but better late than never. April was a particularly busy month, we had the release of the Turbo.264 HD and a stack of video tutorials on OS X and Final Cut.

The Top Ten Posts for April are :

The Top 5 iPhone Apps were :

If you work in education you might be interested in a small project at www.digitaled.net visually listing our favourite education resource and blog sites. It is early days but there are already a few really great sites listed.

Guitar Hero Aerosmith

DigMo — Sat, 02 May 2009 09:48:49 +0000

I’m definitely no stranger to connecting a guitar to a Mac for some Garageband recording but Aspyr software have come up with a guitar system that completely transforms my playing to a whole new level.

We have been fans of the Guitar Hero & Rockband games for a while but finally they have arrived for the UK Mac market in harmony with one of the biggest rock bands of the last thirty years.

If the haven’t yet discovered the Guitar Hero game you have really been missing out. The guitar hardware features four coloured buttons, a whammy bar and strumming/picking leaver. Initially you may think (as I did) “how hard can it be, there are only five buttons” but believe me it is a challenge.

Before reaching my guitar legend status I will actually confess to playing it on ‘easy’ mode at the start which only uses 3 of the 5 buttons and I still struggled.

Installation
Installing the Guitar Hero game on your Mac is simple. The game comes on two DVD discs. The first is the Mac Install disc, insert this into your Mac first and drag the game into the Applications folder (just over 5GB).

Once copied insert the second disc to play. The play disc is needed each time you want to play the game.

This is not just the standard Guitar Hero game with dedicated Aerosmith tracks the band on screen are computer generated character versions of Steve Tyler and company which works really really well.

The graphics are stunning although you only ever see them when others are playing the game due to the level of concentration required.

You can play the game in quick mode and multiplayer over the internet but the best mode in my mind is to follow the Aerosmith Career mode. Career mode even features video interviews from the band.

With career mode you track the band from their first T-Shirt stealing high school gig through to the big stadiums. The initial songs feature (obviously) early Aerosmith tracks as well covers of the likes of legends Cheap Trick.

What I like about this mode is you really progress in the same way as the band developed. In other words as you get better at the game the stadiums get bigger and the more of the big hits are unlocked.

I hadn’t really considered the level of concentration needed for Guitar Hero but I don’t think I blinked very much during any of the songs.

As well as the buttons the guitar features a ‘Star’ mode. Instead of a circle on the fret the indicator is a star, shake or tilt the guitar quickly to activate ‘Star Mode’. Star mode in an adrenaline boost, the crowd goes wild, the guitar gets louder and I tell you your heart beats even faster.

It is a hard game to walk away from, the just “one more song” feeling is definitely strong especially with the hope of unlocking the bigger titles.

Guitar Hero is an ideal game for a group of friends to play together and attempt to outdo each other. Failing a guitar hero performance will not only earn you the abuse from your friends but the audience on the Mac are pretty quick to tell you what they think.

A number of DigMo! readers run the Mac Mini as a media centre style living room system. Guitar Hero would be a perfect game for such a setup. (check min specs). A living room style setup is perfect for a game like Guitar Hero where you can involve the whole family.

If you don’t run a living room system the good news the game looks just as stunning on a 20″ and 24″ screen than it does on a TV.

XBox 360 users may like to know that the USB guitar for the Xbox game (this is the version we have) will work perfectly with the Mac version of the games so need to purchase additional hardware.

It should also be noted that Guitar Hero Aerosmith is not an add-on pack so therefore will work even if you don’t have the original Guitar Hero game.

If you are even the remotest fan of Aerosmith this game revolutionised your air guitar experiences to a whole new level. At less than £20 (if you already have the guitar) this is definitely one of the gaming bargains of the year.

DigMo! Rating : ★★★★

Buy Now.

Features

More than 40 playable songs
Shred 25 of Aerosmith’s master tracks
Play as virtual versions of Joe Perry (guitar), Brad Whitford (guitar), or Tom Hamilton (bass), along with vocalist Steven Tyler and drummer Joey Kramer, and experience Aerosmith’s rise to fame through venues from historical moments during the band’s illustrious career
Perform songs from musical legends such as Lenny Kravitz, Run DMCand Stone Temple Pilots
Rock out offline or shred with friends via the Internet
Stand-alone game does not require the original Guitar Hero III game to play

DivX 7 For Mac Released

DigMo — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:02:56 +0000

DivX have now released a free version of their pouplar code for Mac. DivX® 7 for Mac is a free download that provides everything you need to enjoy high-quality digital videos on your computer, including high definition H.264 (.mkv) videos with AAC audio and videos created using all previous versions of DivX technology.

You can also play your DivX files (.divx, .avi) on millions of DivX Certified® devices today. Look for DivX Plus™ HD Certified devices soon that will support playback of all DivX and DivX Plus HD files, as well as .mkv (H.264/AAC) videos from the Internet.

The free DivX for Mac download includes trial versions of the DivX Pro Codec (6-month trial) and DivX Converter (15-day trial). Purchase DivX Pro 7 for Mac for £13.99 to get full versions of DivX Pro Codec and DivX Converter.

Fear not though as the free player will continue to function even after the Pro Codec trial expires.

DivX 7 has a semi transparent interface and looks great on the Mac Desktop.

Other highlights include the ability to play your HD H.264 (.mkv) videos in DivX Player, Take your DivX videos from your computer to your TV or mobile phone, Use DivX Converter to create DivX videos in one easy step (Full version available in DivX Pro)

Download the free version here.

DigMo!

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