Jeremy Pearson

Recommended App: Photo Transfer App for iPad and iPhone

2012-12-22T23:48:00.002+00:00

See Photo Transfer App on iTunes Preview

A quick and simple way to transfer photos and video clips from an iPad or iPhone to a computer, using Wi-Fi. Launch the app, select photos and videos, then open up a web browser on your computer. Just browse and download items individually, or as a zip file of everything.

On a recent holiday I shot a large number of video clips on an iPhone. Back at my room, with my laptop and iPhone on the same Wi-Fi connection, I was able to transfer the day's videos to a MacBook Air, then import the video clips into iMovie.

If there's no Wi-Fi available, create an ad-hoc Wi-Fi network from your computer, join your iPhone or iPad to this network, then transfer photos and videos as above.

Photo Transfer App can also be used to upload photos and videos.

Recommended App: GoodReader for iPad and iPhone

2012-12-22T23:37:00.000+00:00

See GoodReader on iTunes preview

The iPad has no built-in file system, so files are stored locally within individual apps. GoodReader is my preferred app for handling files, and it provides a file storage system, complementary file handling tools (rename, zip, unzip, email, organise, and "open in other apps"), a web file download facility, connections to numerous file storage services (e.g. Dropbox, Skydrive, Windows/Apple servers, FTP), and connections to popular email/webmail services for downloading attachments.

GoodReader has an embedded web server, for directly transferring files to/from a computer over Wi-Fi, and can also transfer files to/from a computer over the iPad's USB cable, acting as an external drive.

GoodReader began life as a PDF reader, and can be used to open and annotate PDFs, documents, images and photos,.GoodReader can also play music and video clips.

Typical use cases are based on file handling, and storing files for offline access:

Download and store files from websites (e.g. PDF documents)
Store email attachments on the iPad (e.g. booking confirmations and boarding passes)
Upload files from a computer to the iPad over Wi-Fi or USB cable (e.g. non-itunes music and video)

A Week With Windows 7

2012-10-14T21:51:00.000+01:00

This week I've switched from using a MacBook to using a Windows 7 laptop, in my job as a network manager. Here are the five things that struck me on the first day, in no particular order:

1. Windows is perfectly fine
I'm satisfied that the choice between OS X and Windows is largely a personal preference, and not a compromise in functionality. I'm now more wary of anyone who tells me that one system is better than the other. However, the choice will be governed by familiarity with conveniences that each system offers (see below).

2. I need a mouse!
Within minutes I connected a mouse. The laptop's trackpad feels cramped, and seems unsuitable for anything other than small, occasional mouse pointer movements. This is a criticism of the hardware, not Windows, although I rarely see laptops with a trackpad as large or responsive as the Macbook's.

3. Task Switching
I tend to have 3 or 4 application windows open at any time, and I need to switch between them. In OS X, a three-fingered flick on the trackpad tiles all open windows, and a click selects a window.

The nearest equivalent I could find in Windows is switching tasks using the Windows Key and Tab, which cycles through all open application windows. This feels awkward and disruptive to the "flow" of work. Maybe I should just get used to clicking applications in the Taskbar?

4. Dashboard
OS X supports "spaces": multiple desktops, which can be swapped using a trackpad gesture. The first of these spaces is the Dashboard, which contains "widgets": simple applications like Calculator and Sticky Notes. I use widgets regularly for keeping notes and for calendar checking, but I couldn't find a Windows alternative for quickly reaching these applications. Browser tabs were the temporary solution, which is a functional but poor equivalent.

5. Trashcan
Maybe I'm paranoid, but I never directly delete files or folders. I prefer to drag these into the Trashcan, then empty the trash from time to time.

The OS X trashcan sits on the edge of the Dock, at the bottom-right of the screen, and is always visible. The Windows Trashcan sits on the desktop, and is obscured by the stack of application windows I'm using. The technique I've adopted in Windows is to drag a file to the bottom-right corner of the screen, wait for all the windows to minimise, drag into the Trashcan, then restore the window I was working with.

I know about the DEL keyboard shortcut, but I'm looking for a simple drag/drop mouse pointer action. I've read about hacks to add the Trashcan to the Taskbar, but this is unsuitable when I visit many laptops during the day. Is there a better solution?

My Burning House Photo

2012-07-19T20:53:00.001+01:00

1. A Taste Of Freedom, Ajahn Chah. A collection of Buddhist lessons. Passed on by Rob, whom I met working on a farm on St Martin's, Isles of Scilly, in summer, early 1990s.

2. Passport.

3. Broken pin from 2010, when I coxed the ladies Islander gig rowing crew in the World Pilot Gig Championships. A great bunch of girls!

4. Pink strip of gauze from summer 2009, from a certain person. One of the most memorable years of my life.

5. 10 litre rucksack to carry it all, from a recent trip to the Scottish highlands.

6. Magnetic cow fridge magnet, from my sister.

7. 2-step verification thing from my bank. A necessary evil.

8. MacBook Air

9. iPhone

10. Samsung featurephone. It goes where the iPhone cannot. I believe this to be indestructable.

Most Uninspiring Film Of 2011: Archipelago

2012-01-07T16:16:00.000+00:00

Archipelago: my most uninspiring movie of 2011, which is a shame because it's the one film I looked forward to seeing and most wanted to like. I live where Archipelago was filmed, and ultimately thought "what a wasted opportunity".

The Scillies are a unique part of the British Isles, and a film made here should leverage the location in some way to drive the plot, give a sense of place, or set a mood. Archipelago did none of these things, and could have been filmed at any other coastal or rural setting without changing the feel.

I could forgive this if the plot or the performances could have lifted the story. After all, a film must made somewhere. However, the experience felt like a dreary trudge along a muddy path with aching feet in bad weather, rather than a walk on the hills on a bright, breezy sunny day. Not the worst film I've seen, but many better examples exist of this type.

See some of my photos of the Isles of Scilly, or browse Flickr (Scilly), Google Image Search (Isles of Scilly), or YouTube (Isles of Scilly).

Favourite Movies Of 2011

2011-12-31T16:22:00.000+00:00

Below are ten favourites that I got to see during occasional visits to the mainland, and to put these into context, a wish list of movies I missed.

Country Strong (12A)
Commanding central performance by Gwyneth Paltrow as an iconic country singer fallen from grace. Charming romance from Leighton Meester and Garrett Hedlund, supported by a strong Country and Western soundtrack performed by the cast. This year's Walk The Line.

Drive (18)
A getaway driver gets mixed up with the wrong crowd in this year's most stylish and atmospheric thriller. Had me hooked from the start; one of those movies with instant appeal. The director keeps tight control of the pace, alternately flooring the throttle then stamping on the brake to deliver a tempestuous ride. Compelling dialogue, nasty characters capable of horrific brutality, all backed by a hypnotic soundtrack.

The Ides Of March (15)
Ryan Gosling and Philip Seymour Hoffman fight for control of George Clooney's political campaign in a standout drama. The politics are purely a backdrop; this story could be about control of a company or a sports team. What underpins this movie is the sparring between the two characters and their aides, as morals are tested, agendas and allegiances change, and stories are spun to a baying press corps. A career-defining role for Hoffman.

Source Code (12A)
High concept action thriller as a man searches for a bomb on a commuter train. An awkward setup and steep learning curve are compensated by a touching conclusion that suggests a sequel. This movie demands that the audience keeps up, and raises questions of how you would respond to a similar challenge under intense pressure.

The King's Speech (12A)
Colin Firth plays the reluctant King George, seeking therapy for a speech impediment, in preparation for addressing the nation on imminent war with Germany. What begins as a man's trial to control a stutter becomes a suspense thriller as the ominous task of making a seemingly-impossible speech looms ahead. Gentle pacing gives rise to climactic tension. Colin Firth delivers an outstanding performance as the king, with Geoffrey Rush in a compelling role as his unconventional therapist.

The Way Back (12A)
A group of convicts escapes into the Siberian wilderness and fights the elements, and each other, for survival. Painfully real scenes of suffering and hardship make this an uneasy watch. Despite a simple plot and shallow character definition, this true story of survival remains absorbing as the group encounter great obstacles under impossible odds. Breathtaking scenery and temperature extremes abound; watch this with a roaring fire.

TT3D: Closer To The Edge (15)
A glimpse into the world of motorbike racing on the Isle of Man's public roads, seen from the perspective of several riders. Candid and insightful, down-to-earth characters, edge-of-the-seat action sequences and a profound sense of loss at the fatalities make this a well-rounded documentary of a thrilling event.

Hanna (12A)
A young girl, raised in the arctic by her father and trained in combat and survival, goes on the run from US authorities in an international game of hide and seek. Sensitive portrayal of a girl torn between childhood and having to fight for her life against sinister government agents and experienced killers. Warm and touching, with an instantly-hummable soundtrack by the Chemical Brothers.

Limitless (15)
A secret new drug gives a man super-human intelligence, but the drug falls into the wrong hands and he must fight to protect his life and his girl. A classic moral tale of the pitfalls of not being yourself, raising questions of "what would I do", but very watchable as the man becomes more deeply embroiled in a job and lifestyle made possible only by a fast-reducing bag of pills.

The Mechanic (15)
Jason Statham is the Englishman who has quietly carved a niche for his own brand of action movies. Delivering exactly what the action movie genre demands, and little else, this is a satisfying and indulgent blast, with fights, chases, stunts and Jason's unique charm. This year's "The Transporter".

Notable others..

Super 8 (12A): A Steven Spielberg tale of a group of kids making a home movie in the 1970's, against the backdrop of a train crash and mysterious disappearances in the town. Doesn't approach the highs of ET, but a solid drama with likeable characters. Stay until the end credits to see the kid's final production.

Friends With Benefits (15): Probably this year's best romantic comedy, with a strong chemistry between the leads and some great one-liners.

Senna (12A): the fatal crash seems all the more poignant and devastating, coming at the end of 106 minutes of gripping storytelling. Equally good for fans and non-fans of motor racing.

The movies I missed

Midnight in Paris, The Guard, Rise of the planet of the apes, The Help, One Day, Contagion, The Skin I Live In, In Time, Melancholia, Hugo, The Muppets, The Artist, My Week With Marylin, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Sherlock Holmes: a game of shadows, Mission Impossible - ghost protocol, The Iron Lady, The deep blue sea, A Separation, We need to talk about Kevin

Publishing QuickTime Screen Recordings On YouTube

2011-03-27T14:52:00.002+01:00

Screen recordings made with QuickTime on a Mac lose audio/video synchronisation when published on YouTube. The longer the recording, the greater the skew. Here's how to fix it.

What happens?

The problem lies with the mov file format, and the conversion process within YouTube when a video file is uploaded. This can be overcome by converting the mov file to a specific format before uploading. MP4 video and AAC audio seems to be a reliable combination.

YouTube's file format and editing tips for Apple users gives details.

How to convert

First, open the mov file in iMovie (begin a new project, import the mov file as a clip, then add the clip to the project).

Next, choose Export using QuickTime from the Share menu.

Enter a file name to save as, and choose a location to save to. Then click the Options button to specify the file format.

The Movie Settings dialog box opens.

Click Settings for video and choose MPEG-4 Video as the compression type.

Click Settings for audio and choose AAC as the format.

Confirm all changes with the OK button, then wait for the finished mov file to be produced. Upload this file to YouTube using the YouTube website upload tools.

How to remove a PC virus from a USB flash drive

2010-09-30T11:07:00.005+01:00

If you suspect that a USB flash drive (pen drive, thumb drive) is infected by a PC virus then follow these steps remove it. Make sure that the PC you use to remove the virus is already free of any infection. This information is correct at the time of publication (September 2010) but may change as viruses evolve.

1. Insert the USB flash drive. If Windows shows a dialog box and prompts to choose an action, select Cancel.

2. Open a command prompt (Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Command Prompt). This option may not be available if your PC is managed by an IT department.

3. Type the drive letter of the USB flash drive, followed by a colon, then press enter. For example: this could be drive E:

4. Viruses typically hide files and folders on the USB flash drive, so reset the file and folder attributes with the following command:

attrib -h -s +a -r * /s /d

5. Open the USB flash drive in Windows Explorer to view the contents with the following command (be sure to type the full stop/period afterwards):

explorer .

Note: Don't attempt to open the USB flash drive directly from My Computer (Windows Explorer), as this may activate the virus and infect your PC.

6. Delete any shortcuts (these will have the same names as any folders). Also delete the RECYCLER folder if it exists, and the autorun.ini file, if it exists.

The USB flash drive should now be free of infection.

Howto: Importing PDFs by URL into iBooks

2010-07-11T14:01:00.001+01:00

For me, iBooks is currently the best PDF reader for iPad, but the options for getting PDF documents into the iBooks library are limited.

Here's how to import a PDF document into iBooks, using just the web address (URL).

1. You'll need the GoodReader app, which you can download from the app store (currently £0.59). GoodReader is a great document viewer, but crucially offers file management tools too.

2. Open GoodReader, tap "web downloads" then "enter URL". Type or paste the address (URL) of the PDF document. This will download and be added to the GoodReader document library.

3. Still in GoodReader, tap "Manage files", then tap the PDF document. Tap the "open in.." button and choose "iBooks" from the list of options. The PDF document will be added to the iBooks library.

How to add Delicious bookmarklets to Safari on iPad

2010-07-05T23:45:00.005+01:00

If you miss not having the Delicious.com browser toolbar bookmarklets since moving from a desktop browser to an iPad, then here's how to get them back.

Step one: Create a new bookmark on the bookmarks bar

Visit any page..

..then bookmark it:

Rename the bookmark to "Tag" (for example) and store this bookmark in the Bookmarks Bar.

Step Two: Grab the source code

Safari's security prevents the Javascript code from being copied directly from the bookmarklets help page on Delicious.

Instead, visit a website which displays a page's source code (search for "view source"). Dan Winchester's View Source does this. Enter the URL of the Delicious help page which contains the Javascript code:

http://delicious.com/help/bookmarklets

When the source code is displayed, scroll down to the bottom third of the page and look for the "Safari" heading. Look to the right for the word "javascript". Select this, and all the code to the right, until you reach the final quote (don't select the quote). Copy this selection. If you're not sure of this step I've included the code at the end of this post.

Step Three: edit the bookmark

Open the bookmarks in Safari, open the Bookmarks Bar then tap "edit" and choose the "Tag" bookmark. Clear the web site address and paste in the Javascript code, then save.

You're done! If you mess up, just delete the bookmarklet and begin again.

Reference: Javascript source code

javascript:(function(){f='http://delicious.com/save?url='+encodeURIComponent(window.location.href)+'&title='+encodeURIComponent(document.title)+'&v=5&';a=function(){if(!window.open(f+'noui=1&jump=doclose','deliciousuiv5','location=yes,links=no,scrollbars=no,toolbar=no,width=550,height=550'))location.href=f+'jump=yes'};if(/Firefox/.test(navigator.userAgent)){setTimeout(a,0)}else{a()}})()

Domestic Broadband Must Evolve

2010-06-19T17:28:00.000+01:00

Home Internet connections are based on a technology called ADSL. Put simply, it's biased in favour of fast downloads and slow uploads. This makes sense, as typical domestic web users are consuming content - web pages, video and music - rather than producing and publishing content.

Recently, the methods of handling files and information have evolved, and it's now convenient to have files and documents synced across many devices (computer, smart phone and slate/iPad) using services like Dropbox. This syncing all happens over the Internet, and results in a far greater flow of uploads than we've seen before.

My iPad keeps track of downloads and uploads, and it's interesting to note that the figures for both are similar.

The growth of syncing services suggests that domestic broadband providers may need to offer synchronous DSL, alongside ADSL, which supports downloading and uploading at the same speed. The system could even switch intelligently between the two types of service, although such a flexible system would come at a premium cost.

The best things in life are shared

2010-06-12T18:36:00.003+01:00

Over the past few years the number of web-enabled gadgets around us seems to have exploded. The computer in the spare room is now perhaps the least-favoured method of going online, having been supplanted by laptops, iPods, smart phones, and now slate computers.

File sharing and "cloud storage" have emerged as convenient ways of sharing files between computers and devices, but what about the data that the apps use? Wouldn't it make great sense to combine some of the app data into centralised silos?

I'll give two examples: a shared browser history and a shared dictionary.

I can browse the web on various devices and computers, but each browser maintains it's own web history; the list of sites that I visit. Wouldn't it be cool if I could register the same web history account on each browser I use, which is then updated whenever I visit a web site from any browser.

Google Web History is a great service, but could be much more tightly integrated into the browser.

Here's another example: a shared dictionary of custom words. Pretty much every device I use allows text editing, but of course the spell checkers all use an internal dictionary. Wouldn't it be cool if this dictionary could be provided by a web site/service, which has a central list of my custom words, which knows where I live and where I'm travelling, and can provide place names to the spell-checker.

With the pace of online evolution I expect that by the time I submit this post one of these examples will emerge into the World as a fully-fledged service.

A week with Apple's iPad: five more thoughts

2010-06-07T23:28:00.001+01:00

1. It really is a great web browser, with simplicity as a strength. In fact, any media created for digital display will look good, which includes traditional documents, photos and video. The noticeable absence of Flash adverts, particularly on US sites, is a welcome side-effect of Apple's shunning of Adobe's ubiquitous web plug-in.

2. It's a poor e-book/e-magazine reader. The intense glare from the backlight can easily be reduced, but not eliminated, which becomes tiring. Specular reflections from the glossy display are a nuisance, but more so is the touchscreen, which begs for interaction, and the desire to tap an icon or swipe away a page can become an overwhelming distraction from reading.

3. The battery life rocks. I run the iPad typically 36 hours or more between charges. The downside: a full charge takes around 3 hours.

4. The beautiful screen easily shows fingerprint marks, but a thorough daily scrub is sufficient to maintain a glossy sheen.

5. Editing paragraphs of text with the on-screen keyboard is certainly possible, but feels frustrating. An external keyboard would be a must for anyone planning to use the iPad as a productivity tool, or as a laptop replacement.

Apps will probably determine the iPad's longer-term value. Many apps offer an enhanced engagement with the web, which is over and above the typical experience of visiting a site. Interactions are often streamlined or supercharged. Apps can also expose and curate content, and can effectively marshall and present information in ways that the site designers might never have considered or afforded.

Apps linked to web sites ultimately leverage the iPad's greatest strengths and qualities. If your digital life is deeply integrated with the web then the iPad provides a rich user-experience through a natural and compelling interface, and comfortably occupies the expanding niche between laptops and smart phones.

5 first impressions of Apple's iPad

2010-05-31T16:03:00.002+01:00

1: wow, it's heavy. This is a device designed to be rested on a knee, table or work-surface, not held.
2: the on-screen keyboard is good. I can type almost as fast as with a physical keyboard. the undo/redo key is a welcome addition.
3: the home screen rotates for landscape view :) sounds trivial but I anticipate using the iPad in landscape most of the time
4: all web sites look fantastic. This is truly the best web browsing experience, and the pinch/zoom accessibility features would make it particularly well-suited to older/younger people.
5: iPad-specific apps look v grown up compared to their iPhone counterparts. Evernote, in particular, is brilliantly re-engineered to use the extra screen space, and I'll be bringing this (discreetly) into every meeting from now on.

Malware Removal: Security Tool/XP Anti-Spyware

2010-03-03T09:34:00.004+00:00

Description

Security Tool is Windows Malware, which displays a window warning of virus infections (see image), and will display the Windows Security Centre. Characteristic of this malware is the av.exe or ave.exe process, which will be running (use the Task Manager to view processes).

This malware has other names (XP Anti-Spyware, XP Guardian), but the behaviour is the same and the pop-up windows will appear similar.

Infection

Infection occurs by following links in emails and on web pages which lead to this software being downloaded and installed.

Web sites may claim that the computer is already infected with a virus, and may offer a software download to remedy the problem.

Removal Instructions

Start the computer and log in as normal
Create a registry settings data file: copy and paste the following into a text file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.exe]
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\secfile]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\secfile]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe\shell\open\command]
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command] @="\"%1\" %*"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe] @="exefile" "Content Type"="application/x-msdownload"

Save this file as fixexe.reg for use later.
Launch the registry editor (click Start then Run, then type regedit and press enter) (learn more)
Use the Task Manager to remove the av.exe or ave.exe process (this process may have other similar names)
Import the fixexe.reg file using the registry editor
Remove rogue keys from:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

These keys will have random names and will point to an executable file in the user's profile

Change of name

2010-02-14T18:09:00.000+00:00

Time to move to a sensible URL. This blog is moving to http://jeremygpearson.blogspot.com/

If you are subscribed via RSS to http://jpg1723.blogspot.com/ then you'll need to update your subscription. If you are subscribed via Feedburner then you need take no action; feedburner will handle the changeover for you :)

Thanks for following me;
Jeremy

Measuring Technological Affluence

2009-10-03T17:30:00.002+01:00

Roughly a decade ago, Ian Nelson (@ianfnelson) proposed a measure of affluence for owners of computers and gadgets: count the number of devices with a CD player. The greater the number, the more affluent (and nerdy) you probably are.

This was an astute observation. At the time, games consoles and DVD players/recorders were proliferating, and it was becoming common to see households with more than one computer.

Times and technologies change, and the optical disc mechanism is fast disappearing, despite the emergence of HD content. Digital downloads are now cheap, legal and convenient, and the advent of the netbook has seen optical discs finally head the same way as the floppy disk.

So what to use as a new measure?

Connectivity Is King

Internet connectivity is perhaps the most compelling feature of any modern device, particularly for mobile gadgets. The Internet is becoming central to so many activities - social networking is a great example - and the wider availability of smart-phones and intelligent devices has transformed how we go online.

Using the Internet no longer means a planned visit to the spare room to power-up a PC (and make a cup of tea while waiting). Now, it's a more spontaneous, near-instant experience; pull out a smart-phone, wake it with the touch of a button, and hit an icon to go directly to a website.

I believe that this experience, once embedded in our lives, will strongly influence our future relationship with technology. The expectation will be that devices (including computers) can be turned on within a second or two, and that the battery will last at least a day or two. Cables and connectors will become too inconvenient. Anything with a lens or microphone must be able to transmit sounds, images and videos directly to a computer, or preferably directly to the Internet.

The enabling infrastructure already exists: wireless internet in homes and better coverage of mobile broadband provides the connectivity, it's now down to manufacturers to make the final step and incorporate wireless technology into their products. Premium goods will probably lead this evolution, with budget brands following as soon as the technology becomes cheap enough.

Applications Not Browsers

Internet browsers are not the software solution. We're already comfortable with applications on smart-phones which bypass the browser and provide direct access to mobile versions of web sites. The same idea could naturally extend to all digital devices; the simplicity of an application would be far more suitable for a digital camera than the generic desktop experience of a web browser.

The Challenge

Build Internet connectivity into every digital device, making sure to support the various protocols (802.11, Bluetooth, Wireless USB), and link with major hosting providers and social networks - YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter et al - to deliver a seamless digital upload experience.

How Affluent Are You?

So, how many wireless Internet connected devices can you count?

Recovering Deleted Photos

2009-09-10T21:29:00.003+01:00

Recovering deleted photos from a digital camera memory card is straightforward, although large cards or disks can take a long time to scan.

WARNING: THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE PROVIDED FOR INFORMATION ONLY. I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM OR ASSOCIATED DEVICES, HOWEVER CAUSED.

Background

Files (photos) are never completely erased. Instead, the space they occupy on the disk is marked as "available". This is important: don't take any new photos; they may overwrite the deleted photos which you're trying to recover.

Software

This process uses a free tool called PhotoRec. There are many others, although I've not have the same level of success as with PhotoRec.

Download TestDisk (which includes PhotoRec) for Windows from the CG Security website

This download is a ZIP file. Save it to your desktop. The ZIP file is an archive which contains many other files.

Right-click on the new TestDisk icon on your desktop and choose "extract all..". Accept all the default settings in the wizard
A new window will open. Open the TestDisk folder, then the win folder

If you haven't done so already, plug in your camera memory card or USB flash drive. Close any windows which pop up.

In the win folder, run the PhotoRec program by double-clicking on photorec_win.exe
A black window will open with white text

Using PhotoRec to recover photos

Use the up and down arrow keys to choose the disk you want to recover photos from. The size of the disk should help you decide. Press ENTER to select.
Make sure INTEL is selected on the next screen and press ENTER again
A list of disk areas (partitions) is displayed. Just press ENTER again to choose the default partition
Press ENTER again to choose the default partition type (FAT/NTFS)
Press ENTER again to scan only for deleted files
The final prompt is to choose a location to save recovered photos. Type Y to save these in the win folder, or use the up and down arrow keys to save these in a different folder.

The recovery process will now start. This may take some time, depending on the size of the disk. Once this is complete, look in the win folder for any recovered photos. Press ENTER at any time to stop the recovery process.

A Day In The Life: Thursday 25th June 2009

2009-06-26T17:27:00.004+01:00

Ferris Bueller famously said "Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. " With this in mind I've tried to capture something of my daily routine - particularly with a birthday just passed - to preserve for the future..

Thursday 25th June 2009

7:45am

Not an early start, which is typical for a Thursday. Blame the night out yesterday with the girls who row the gig boat "Golden Eagle". I'm their cox'n, and after coming 5th in the triangle race - we were hoping for 3rd - it seemed appropriate to drown a few sorrows in our local pub The Atlantic Inn. A few post-race bottles of beer on Porthmellon beach beforehand was soothing, and one never tires of watching the sun setting behind the island of Samson.

8:55am

Off to work at the Five Islands School (ICT and Electronic Services Manager). 4-minute walk. Wander past the harbour. Blue skies and sunshine, Northerly breeze.

9.01am

School e-mail system non-functional. Re-boot the server. Fixed. Will plough through the event logs later to determine a reason for failure, meanwhile digital life can proceed as normal.

10.45am

Teach a class of 25 9/10-year-olds the fundamentals of digital movie making. Quick presentation followed by group filming & editing session. Success! After an hour we've got a short movie.

12:00pm

Meet with project manager to discuss ICT facilities needed in the new school we're planning to build. Make an ambitious wishlist with a £500K price tag.

12:40pm

Am a guest on the book show on local radio station Radio Scilly. Talk about Fooled By Randomness by Nassim Nicholass Taleb. Give a positive review and try to emphasise the humanitarian aspects whilst diminishing the focus on maths and jargon.

2pm

Internet feed into school stops working, disconnecting around 250 people. Not a good day for technology. Catch a taxi up to the TV transmitter mast on St Mary's to reset a box of electronics in the equipment room. Success! No taxis available for return journey - all collecting holidaymakers newly arrived on helicopter - so walk back into town (20 mins).

3pm

School fete. Have volunteered to go in the stocks for half an hour, to be pelted with wet sponges by the kids, all to raise money for the school's charity. Very refreshing after a long walk in the hot sun!

6pm

Cook dinner for some friends: chicken wrapped in bacon and cheese with vegetable rice and Mediterranean vegetables.

7:15pm

Go with friends to watch a performance by the local theatre club of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Superbly acted and thoroughly enjoyable; on the edge of my seat the whole time. The club have won regional awards for other plays in the past.

10:30pm

House party back at the flat. Pancakes and post-theatre drinks with two of the actors. Plenty of impromptu performances of key scenes in the play.

3am

Bed. Exhausted. Will clear up in the morning. Maybe.

Microsoft's Evolution

2009-01-29T23:35:00.003+00:00

See my comment in response to Ben Toth's recent blog post on The changing Microsoft eco-system.

Most Visited Sites In Google's Chrome Web Browser

2009-01-24T19:52:00.004+00:00

I've been using Google's excellent Chrome web browser for almost three weeks, and one of the more interesting features is the pictorial display of most-visited web sites when opening a new tab.

For the record, here's the top five web sites in the list:

NB: This excludes all the web sites configured as application shortcuts:

Book review: The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, John Le Carré (1963)

2008-12-31T18:47:00.001+00:00

Set in a time of heightened East-West tensions during the cold war, this modern classic novel tells the story of Alec Lemas, a British spy working in West Berlin. After being recalled to England in disgrace, Lemas is ordered to stay out "in the cold" - under cover - for one last mission: to defect to the East and provide false information to the Communists.

The mood of the period and the main characters are quickly established, and we're thrust into an already moving plot of exasperating complexity. The chilly fear of Lemas being followed, watched and scrutinised is conveyed with mouting suspense and expectation. Throughout the novel, Lemas's character is slowly revealed, but Le Carré always holds something back to keep the reader on the edge of the seat. Gone is the glamorous sophistication of James Bond's secret service; Le Carré depicts a brutal underworld of torture, bare-knuckle fights and desperate acts.

The real satifaction in the novel is of the reader being manipulated and led. The surprises and shocks are sudden and unsettling, and the final climactic scenes come all too soon as we become attached to Lemas and his awkwardness. Superbly constructed, this novel both defines the genre and stands out as a thrilling example of deception, espionage and gritty, matter-of-fact intelligence service business being carried out by real people with real fears and vunerabilities.

Hello World

2008-09-09T21:26:00.001+01:00

So this proves that blog posts created from an email is working
smoothly (from my new toy).

Expect a critical review of the iPod Touch some time over the next few
days.

The Internets Is Too Fast

2008-08-22T10:56:00.001+01:00

I'm working in school over the holidays, which means I have a 2Mb DSL internet connection entirely to myself. Yes, it's quick, but I never expected to see this when signing into Delicious (click for enlargement):

My Favourite CAPTCHA

2008-08-21T14:10:00.005+01:00

CAPTCHAs are fast becoming a standard way for web sites to determine if there's a real live human behind the keyboard, or not.

This is my favourite so far; click to enlarge: