Johnnys Blog http://johnnysblog.net High Flying Technology Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:41:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Kinect tracks your hands and lets you play with balls in real time http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/10/kinect-tracks-your-hands-and-lets-you-play-with-balls-in-real-time/ http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/10/kinect-tracks-your-hands-and-lets-you-play-with-balls-in-real-time/#comments Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:34:44 +0000 John http://johnnysblog.net/?p=980 At the first DDDNorth, I did a session on Kinect and the Kinect SDK. One of the question I get asked is “can it track my fingers?” Well, the SDK doesnt let you do this – yet. However, because you have access to the raw video streams, theres no reason why you cant do it yourself.

Microsoft Research have taken a Kinect, and using the reflection on a piece of glass from a normal monitor, and managed to recreate a HoloDeck environment, right on your desktop – Called HoloDesk.

It lets you manipulate 3D objects in real time, and allows intrgration with real world objects. Its much better to see than explain, so watch this video.

]]> http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/10/kinect-tracks-your-hands-and-lets-you-play-with-balls-in-real-time/feed/ 0 DDD North – My Session on Kinect – Feedback http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/10/ddd-north-my-session-on-kinect-feedback/ http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/10/ddd-north-my-session-on-kinect-feedback/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:51:23 +0000 John http://johnnysblog.net/?p=974 Thanks to all of you for the great feedback on my session about Kinect. I’ve shared the feedback I got on this post, but you might need to click on the picture to make it big enough to read, but I wanted to share it in the same format as I got it.

Looks like I need to work on the abstracts a little, but overall I’m pretty damn chuffed – thanks.

 

 

]]> http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/10/ddd-north-my-session-on-kinect-feedback/feed/ 2 DDD North 1 – Done and Dusted http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/10/ddd-north-1-done-and-dusted/ http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/10/ddd-north-1-done-and-dusted/#comments Wed, 12 Oct 2011 08:41:25 +0000 John http://johnnysblog.net/?p=971 Well, the first DDD North is over. It was a load of fun and Andy Westgarth and his team did a fantastic organisation job. I say “team”, but a large number of the people helping out were family. It was amazing the number of family members that had gotten stuck in to help, both adults and children alike. It made the the event feel different to others. Even the geek dinner on the night, paid for by DevExpress, was organised so that rather than being a in a local pizza place, ended up at the Staduim of Light, With a family carvery – I had to drive to Bristol that night, but there was no way I was going to miss it!

 

]]> http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/10/ddd-north-1-done-and-dusted/feed/ 0 Steve Jobs – The world is poorer without you. http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/10/steve-jobs-the-world-is-poorer-without-you/ http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/10/steve-jobs-the-world-is-poorer-without-you/#comments Thu, 06 Oct 2011 10:58:21 +0000 John http://johnnysblog.net/?p=961 We’ve known Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, has been ill for some time, but I am still shocked at such an early departure so soon after stepping down from Apple. Maybe, just maybe, his time there was what kept him going.

I read a post on Richard Bransons blog, quoting an advert Steve made back in 1997.

“Heres to the crazy ones. The misfits. The Rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in square holes. The ones who see things differently…. They are not fond of the status quo.

You can disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them…but you cant ignore them, Because they change things, They push the human race forward. While some may see crazy, others see genius. Because the people who are craxy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones that do”

This sort of sums things up for me. Without Steve, and Apple, we wouldn’t have the Mouse, the GUI, the essence of computing today. It doesn’t matter he didn’t come up with the original idea, he was the one that pushed it, drove it forward. And more recently, we wouldn’t have the smart phone, the concept of touch screens, the iPhone, which effectively started the revolution, and which has been emulated by so many. None of that without Steve to drive it forward.

And besides the technology, Steve has been a beacon to inventors, and early adopters, entrepeneurs and designers, the inspriation to college students and businesses alike. The idea of the family, both at home and at work. Apple has changed its home page to be nothing but a picture of Steve. That speaks volumes.

Couldn’t help having a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat when I heard this morning. My thoughts are extended to his family.  Finally you can rest now Steve. Thank you.

]]> http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/10/steve-jobs-the-world-is-poorer-without-you/feed/ 0 Speaking at DDD North on 8th October http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/09/speaking-at-ddd-north-on-8th-october/ http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/09/speaking-at-ddd-north-on-8th-october/#comments Sun, 04 Sep 2011 19:51:19 +0000 John http://johnnysblog.net/?p=949 Firstly, thanks you all of you that voted for my session, “Kinect The Dots”, for DDD north. I’m pleased to say that your votes mean I got the speaking slot and will be there on the 8th October talking about the wonderful things you can do with Microsoft Kinect and its SDK.

Hope to see you there!

]]> http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/09/speaking-at-ddd-north-on-8th-october/feed/ 0 Vote for DDD North sessions http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/08/vote-for-ddd-north-sessions/ http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/08/vote-for-ddd-north-sessions/#comments Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:33:00 +0000 John http://johnnysblog.net/?p=943 The voting for DDD north is currently open and will remain so until Saturday.

I’ve got a couple of sessions submitted, including one on the Kinect SDK which a blogged about a earlier this year.

If you’d like to see that session, then you need to vote for it.. It wont happen without your votes!

Head on over to http://www.developerdeveloperdeveloper.com/north/Users/VoteForSessions.aspx to vote.

 

Update: I’m now speaking at DDD north. Hope to see you there!

]]> http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/08/vote-for-ddd-north-sessions/feed/ 0 Watch TV while you shop http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/08/watch-tv-while-you-shop/ http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/08/watch-tv-while-you-shop/#comments Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:23:16 +0000 John http://johnnysblog.net/?p=940

Those good folks at Sky have taken Sky GO to the next level. Along with Sainsburys, they have fitted iPad docks to the top of supermarket trolleys. Sky GO brings Sky sports to mobile devices anywhere, and I assume other channels may follow.

They’ve even thought about people getting run over by trolleys driven by engrossed dads as they watch the footie while ‘assisting the missus’ on a Saturday afternoon. They’ve fitted parking sensors to the front of the trolleys!

If you want to go and see it for real right now, you can, as its being trialled at the Cromwell Road branch in west London. Remember you’ll need your own iPad though.

Now, this is all well and good, and you might think that watching tv while shopping is rediculous, but it does show that these mobile devices are becoming more and more integrated into everyday lives.  I can imagine apps for shopping lists being used, and price comparison apps that look at the barcode of everything you put in your trolley and tell you if its cheaper elsewhere. Basically, its time to rethink mobile apps – again..

 

 

]]> http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/08/watch-tv-while-you-shop/feed/ 0 A ride on board Discovery – The Proof! http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/06/face-in-space-certificate/ http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/06/face-in-space-certificate/#comments Sun, 05 Jun 2011 20:47:47 +0000 John http://johnnysblog.net/?p=931 A couple of months ago, I wrote about a cool marketing campaign from NASA, which basically allowed you to register some details and, in return they flew, in digital form, your face on board Discovery, during STS-133, her final flight into space. After she came home safely, I returned to NASAs website and downloaded my certificate to prove I’d been into space!

Heres that certificate.

]]> http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/06/face-in-space-certificate/feed/ 0 Party in the Park http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/05/party-in-the-park/ http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/05/party-in-the-park/#comments Mon, 23 May 2011 10:51:16 +0000 John http://johnnysblog.net/?p=928 Just a couple of weeks to go now until Party in the Park.  Its been a real eye-opener, especially since the event is taking place in a field with absolutely no services. Its amazing how much we take electricity for granted!

Read more about the day over on Satsuma Entertainments website.

 

]]> http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/05/party-in-the-park/feed/ 0 When I was a lad… http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/03/when-i-was-a-lad/ http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/03/when-i-was-a-lad/#comments Sun, 13 Mar 2011 13:51:13 +0000 John http://johnnysblog.net/?p=922 Sinclair ZX81

Sinclair ZX81

A couple of days ago, I noticed an article on the BBC news website, that talked about the birth of computing
in the UK. It featured a picture of a ZX81.

Seeing the picture brought back memories, because this was the first computer I actually purchased.

With its 1K (yes thats kilobytes) of ram, people did amazing things. It taught me to write code in an efficient manner, otherwise it wouldnt fit. It taught me to focus on providing a solution (which was usually a game!) rather than worrying on it being pretty. These are skills that programmers new to the industry have a hard time understanding as they write code thats way bigger and more convoluted than they need to be, with way more style than substance.

Heres a link to the original bbc article. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12703674

]]> http://johnnysblog.net/blog/2011/03/when-i-was-a-lad/feed/ 0