http://mattapps.com Wed, 08 Nov 2023 13:52:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.3 Tough Mudder Essential Gear, Training and Preparation http://mattapps.com/2011/07/13/tough-mudder-essential-gear-and-preparation Wed, 13 Jul 2011 06:15:34 +0000 http://mattapps.com/2011/07/13/tough-mudder-essential-gear-and-preparation So in a little more than a week, I am competing in the Tough Mudder Wisconsin 2011 event, which is an obstacle course designed by British Special Forces.  I’m not exactly sure why I’m doing this… it turned out to be more of a dare than anything, but a team of 4 of us will be working our way through this crazy, 10-mile course with 25 obstacles with names such as “Devil’s Beard”, “Kiss of Mud” and “Electroshock Therapy”… At the end of the race you get free beer and free tattoos (?!)  Click below for an interactive map of what we’ll be in for:

Tough Mudder Course

My prep work for this event was doing p90x, replacing most of the cardio with simple 4-5 mile running workouts.  This was going fairly well for the first 6 weeks, until the wheels fell off and for the last 4-weeks or so I’ve definitely be slacking… this may prove disasterous race day, but the point is not to get through quickly, but to survive the event.  Maybe it is more bad-ass to do this unprepared?

Because this isn’t some sissy marathon, the gear you require for an event like this is different as well.  My list of what I’ll be using:

  • Shirt: don’t have this specific one, but you can’t go wrong with this.  Duh!
  • Shoes: Will likely wear an old pair of running shoes, or my old Merrell’s.  I’ve heard Vibram’s work well too, but too weird for me. Whatever you use, it’s going to get trashed.
  • Shorts: Since this is a summer event, shorts are obviously what we’ll all be wearing.  Go retro with Umbros!
  • Gloves: not sure I’ll wear them the whole time, but you are doing enough grappling that gloves should come in handy.  Peal Izumi have good fingerless ones that will get wet, but hopefully still have some grip.
  • Camera: I’m a photographer, so of course, I need to capture the action.  No DSLR or standard point-n-shoot here. I just got the Olympus Stylus Tough 6020, so should be able to hold up.  It shoots 720p video, so should be good for some laughs as well.  Waterproof, shockproof.
  • Flask: It’s a long event, but there are aid stations, so I’m not carrying a camelback… but a flask will come in handy.   It’s less than $5!  Big question is what to put in it… Jaegermeister?  Red Bull Vodka? Both? (that’s a Jaeger Bomb, by the way).

So excited and scared for this event.  I haven’t ran more than 5 miles until the training for this, and I haven’t ran 10 miles in over 20 years….  either way, it should be quite an adventure.  Check this video from a recent event to see what it is really all about.  Good luck to those of you participating, and remember to work together!

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Take a photo-a-day, EVERYDAY for a year! http://mattapps.com/2011/01/10/take-a-photo-a-day-everyday-for-a-year http://mattapps.com/2011/01/10/take-a-photo-a-day-everyday-for-a-year#comments Mon, 10 Jan 2011 06:04:47 +0000 http://mattapps.com/2011/01/10/take-a-photo-a-day-everyday-for-a-year Matt Apps Photo-a-day 2011It goes by many names (photo-a-day, PAD, Project 365, etc.), but attempting to ‘make’ a picture every day for a year is anything but an easy task.  I’ve been intrigued by other photographers who have done this, so one of my new year’s resolutions for myself was to give it a shot.  Nine-days in, I can tell you it is challenging, but fun.

Follow my progress here: mattappsphotography.com/2011-photo-a-day

A little about my process and rules:

  1. The photo MUST be taken on the exact day – While I may go out and shoot 10 solid pictures in a given day, I can only post ONE of those on the day I shot it.   Tomorrow I must shoot another one… A bit of a loop-hole would be that if I shoot a band starting at 11PM, and shoot the band past midnight, I could technically have 2 pictures from the same event that I could submit.  Note that my first day’s picture was from quite early in the morning…
  2. The photo SHOULD be posted on the day I take it – I’m giving myself a little leeway here, as it may not be possible to easily post the picture I shot that day, but I will make a strong attempt to do so.  I will post the image to my new photography website with links from Twitter, Facebook, and a copy to my Flickr too!

I’m thinking one of my biggest challenges will be to attempt to stay creative throughout this process.  I’ve found that in the dead of winter, the pictures can be tough to make, but I have my son, Ian (who is already in 3 of the 9 pictures I shot) as well as my goofy dog, Pepe that will help me get through the winter. Still, working full-time does limit the time allowed to shoot the pictures.

As for gear used to shoot the PAD, my preferred order of what I use:

  1. Canon 7D – I have numerous lenses, flashes, etc. so this is definitely my preferred method of shooting to keep the image quality high
  2. Canon s95 – I will literally keep this camera with me at all times.  It gives me manual control, and takes pretty darn good pictures for a point-and-shoot.
  3. HTC Evo – My phone is a last resort, but with an 8MP camera, it takes pretty good pictures (for a phone).  Retro Camera is a lifesaver–that android app rules!

Why do this?

  • The main goals are to keep me shooting, and thinking. Being on the hook to make a picture every day, you can maybe have a few ideas ‘in reserve’, but you really need to observe your surroundings and quickly identify and capture an idea.  I’m excited to see what I’ll do when ‘forced’ to take pictures.
  • After doing this for a year, you have quite a body of work and a historical representation of 2011.  That’s pretty cool to look back on, in that you can see EVERY day where and what you did.

If you’ve thought about it, I definitely encourage you to try it, if even for just a week or a month. I hope I can keep it going for the year!

If you’d like to follow my progress, simply check this main link where the photos will be posted: mattappsphotography.com/2011-photo-a-day

Good luck, and happy shooting!

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Boxee Box in-depth Review: a $200 powerhouse http://mattapps.com/2010/11/14/boxee-box-in-depth-review-a-200-powerhouse http://mattapps.com/2010/11/14/boxee-box-in-depth-review-a-200-powerhouse#comments Mon, 15 Nov 2010 01:08:57 +0000 http://mattapps.com/2010/11/14/boxee-box-in-depth-review-a-200-powerhouse Boxee Box in the HandThe highly anticipated release of the Boxee Box is finally upon us!  Since its debut at CES in January 2010, the thought of a relatively cheap consumer electronics device that could take the place of a typical media PC was indeed attractive.  While most likely initially targeted at those already quite familiar with the Boxee (or XBMC) interface, it is likely the sub-$200 device will bring an entire new market of casual over-the-top video users into the foray. This review will go through installation and use of many of the screens and local media types.

If you find this review helpful and wish to buy the Boxee box, please do so via this Amazon link to help support this site.  Thanks!

Review Methodology

As with many of my other media box reviews (Popcorn Hour, the unfortunate PopBox), I’ll focus on showing pictures of the screen rather than video.  There are plenty of video reviews around, but it isn’t always appropriate to watch a video demonstration when seeing stills of a screen would suffice–i.e. while you are at work. As for experience, I’ve had a PC hooked to a big-screen since 1996 when when I got a Gateway Destination with a 31″ monitor.  Currently I have a Dell Studio Slim, a Dell Zino, a Popcorn Hour and a WDTV Live Plus hooked up to 4 different TVs.  In the past have had a MediaGate, the original WDTV and for 1 day, the terrible Popbox.

Gear used in this review:

Unboxing the Boxee Box

Yes, I more or less just wanted to say that, but want to show you some of the industrial design and engineering that went into not only the box itself, but the packaging.

Boxee Box, still in it’s box Boxee Box Box Boxee Box Not Plugged in Boxee Box: Back
Boxee Box Guide
Remote, HDMI and Power Supply Remote Front Boxee Remote: Keyboard! 

The biggest thing you’ll likely notice, apart from the asymmetrical design of the box, is that sweet remote.   After using it for a few hours, I must say it is a usable, couch-keyboard replacement.  While I never hit the keyboard keys while using the remote, I do occasionally end up hitting the remote while using the keyboard.  The keyboard is more responsive than I expected and the range is great. The only gripe I really have is that it isn’t back-lit at all.  The box does sit rather oddly, but actually looks very nice by your TV.  The logo lights up, but no light through the bottom (as I originally guessed).

Boxee Box Specifications

(note:  I added this section on 11/15/10 to address some omissions I had… hard to believe the Ethernet port is NOT gig, but alas it’s true.  Thanks JackieC)

  • Dimensions: (LxWxH): 4.5″ x 4.5″ x 4.6″
  • Language Support: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
  • Network Protocol Support: IPV4, ARP, TCP, UDP, ICMP, DHCP Client, DNS Client, DDNS Client, HTTP Server, Samba Client, RTP/RTMP, VPN: PPTP, DLNA 1.5 (DMP)
  • Wireless: 802.11n/g/b
  • Ports: HDMI 1.3, 10/100 Fast Ethernet, 2x USB 2.0, Optical Audio (S/PDIF), Analog Audio (RCA L/R)
  • Memory Card Support: SD, SDHC up to 32GB, MMC
  • Audio Formats: MP3, WAV/PCM/LPCM, WMA, AIF/AIFF, AC3/AAC, OGG, FLAC, DTS, Dolby Digital/Dolby True HD
  • Video Formats: Adobe Flash 10.1, FLV/On2 VP6 (FLV/FV4/M4V), H.264 AVC (TS/AVI/MKV/MOV/M2TS/MP4), VC-1 (TS/AVI/MKV/WMV), MPEG-1 (DAT/MPG/MPEG), MPEG-2 (MPG/MPEG/VOB/TS/TP/ISO/IFO), MPEG-4 (MP4/AVI/MOV), DivX 3/4/5/6 (AVI/MKV), Xvid (AVI/MKV), WMV9 (WMV/ASF/DVR-MS)
  • Image Formats: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF
  • Playlist Formats: M3U, PLS, WPL
  • Subtitle Formats: SRT, SUB, SSA, SMI, ASS
  • Supported Resolutions: H.264: 1080p at 30 fps, 1080i at 60 fps; WMV9/VC-1: 1080p at 30 fps, 1080i at 60 fps; MPEG4: 1080p at 30 fps, 1080i at 60 fps; MPEG2: 1080p at 30 fps, 1080i at 60 fps
  • Two-Sided RF Remote: with 4-way navigation and full QWERTY keypad

Setup and Installation

Much like the Popbox I reviewed, you are ‘welcomed’ with an immediate update that needs to happen when you turn on the box.  Note: I initially had the Boxee hooked up via wired Ethernet utilizing HomePlug AV, to keep things simple.  I moved over to wireless later, and it was fairly painless.

Boxee Box glowing logo, close up Initial Screen of the Boxee Box Upgrade firmware Boxee Box
Boxee Downloading new Firmware Rebooting Boxee Boxee Updating

So the update process started off much like the Popbox… but while there were a number of screens and a couple of reboots, it only took 6 minutes total. On to the boot-up screen animation and setup.

Boxee Box Loading Screen Boxee Box boot-up animation Boxee Box boot-up animation Boxee Box Startup Screen
Boxee Box Screen Configuration Boxee Box Looks good? Welcome to Boxee Login Remote Quick Tip Boxee Box

Pretty intuitive setup, and note that you need to either log on or create a Boxee account in order to use the box.  I had an account already, so didn’t see what the new user screens look like.  I’m also now curious if you don’t have Internet connectivity, will the box even boot to a usable fashion without logging in? (assume you had a bunch of content on a USB drive and didn’t care about the online content…)

Home Screen

The Boxee homescreen has a number of features, and links to larger boxes that you seemingly can’t control… (ad space?) As for the main groups:

  • Friends – shows what your friends are ‘sharing’, but not just Boxee–it will scrape videos shared by your Facebook friends, which is pretty cool
  • Watch Later – think favorites or bookmarks.  You can send items to your Boxee from anywhere via the Watch Later link on Boxee’s site.
  • Shows – Typically TV shows, either locally detected and indexed, or online ones
  • Movies – Like shows, these are locally indexed as well as the vast amount available online
  • Apps – This isn’t me, but Applications.  There were over 130 available at launch, and if you turn off Adult filtering, you get a few more..
  • Files – The thing you need to get use to is that TV and Movies are typically online movies or your local data that has been recognized.  If your data has NOT been recognized, then this will fall under ‘Files’.

Also, your Music and your Photos will be under files as well, which may be a little confusing for some.  Not sure why Music got demoted, but would be nice to be able to customize this home screen, especially the big boxes below, which are contained nothing I cared about.
Boxee Homescreen

Boxee Overall Video Playback

One thing I can’t stress enough is that Boxee will play almost any file. In my 2-days using it, I didn’t find a file it wouldn’t play.  .MKV, .AVI with various codecs, DVDs as .ISO, uncompressed VIDEO_TS DVDs, .MOV, and even .MTS files naively were not a problem.   Also, it was interesting that my HomePlug AV connection (rated at 200Mbps, but typically does 60-70Mbps) was outperformed by the Wireless N in the Boxee Box.  I had a 8GB 1080p MKV that stuttered and buffered over the Homeplug AV connection, but after I switched to the wireless N connection, played without a hiccup (after an initial buffer).  I imagine that over USB it performs very well (too bad the Ethernet port is not gigE, as that would work even better).

Local media and Metadata

The main reason I got the Boxee box, is that I have 6+TB of local content (TV Shows, Movies, plus my own photography and videos) and I’m always looking for an easy and fast way to get that onto a big screen.

One of the most important aspects of a good media player is to link meta data with a media file based on a standardized name.  For example, for the TV Show ’30 Rock’, a valid file name for the first episode of Season 5 would be 30 Rock – S05E01 – The Fabian Strategy.avi.  Both XBMC and Boxee for the PC will automatically recognize this (as will plugins for Media Center), and then download a synopsis and screen shot of the particular show.  Having a good naming structure is important, and I use the directory structure of Name of Show/Season/Filename.avi, with the filename also containing enough information stand-alone.  An excellent free program to help you do this automatically is TV Rename.  So back to Boxee… how does it handle this?  Though it takes a LONG time to pull all the metadata, it does a nice job of doing this.  I actually set up all my shares to scan, and then let it run all night.  Some of the setup screens for that:

Boxee Box Local Media Boxee Box Add Local Media Boxee Box Username and Password for Shares Boxee Box add local media TV Shows and type of Scanning

One of the frustrations of the Boxee Box so far is of the Samba username and password screen (third screen above).  It pops up ALL the time.  If you add a share, it will no longer pop up, but going through the process of browsing machines it will repeatedly pop up.  How about a save feature?  I’m sure I entered my username and password at least 50 times.  I also learned that it can be laggy, so that if you attempt to go to quickly, it will not work, and you’ll need to reenter it. Again, very tedious. I would imagine this is something that is easily fixed and will be addressed with future fixes.

If you want to rescan files, you can do that too.  The PC version of Boxee allows this to happen ‘continuously’, but this one only has ‘daily’ as the quickest option.  Even when you force a rescan, it isn’t quick by any means, even if you only add one file.  It seems to take at least 10-20 min before it even starts.  Some shots of that:

Boxee File Sources Setup screen Boxee File Rescan screen button Rescan of files on Boxee Box

Boxee and TV Shows on your own drive or network

So after you add a folder and it scans your data, (which can take many hours), how does it look?  If you keep in mind my above naming recommendations, it looks and works great!  Note that you have a few options of how you want to view your shows (screenshot #1 and #2 below):

Boxee Box TV Shows show files Boxee Box TV Shows show files, alternative view Boxee Box TV Show Detail Boxee Box Waiting…

Shot #3 above shows the awesome extra data you end up with if you name your files correctly.   The Popbox promised to do this, but did such a shoddy job, it was unusable.

My overall impression of the meta data is that it does a great job, though 2 areas of improvement do exist:

  1. There is no way to change the sorting of shows (at least that I’ve found).  It always shows newest shows to oldest (see 3rd image above), which is fine if you are keeping up with a show, but if you are just starting a series, you have to go all the way to the bottom each time.  XBMC does a better job of this by allowing you to change this to your liking (also break out seasons on sub-screens).
  2. If the media isn’t USB attached, navigation is very slow.  You’ll be seeing the 4th screen above A LOT.  I was hoping caching would be in place more here, but the first time you load this screen each time it can take 20-30 seconds.  I was doing this over wireless, which actually was faster than my HomePlug setup.  I know it isn’t a throughput issue either, as I have no issue streaming 1080p content over the connection (more on that later).

The second gripe is more severe than the first, but I found that if you simply search for a show, you’ll be much better off than browsing.  Searching is fast, and takes you directly to the show, as shown in my search for Reno 911!:

Boxee Box direct searching for Reno 911 Boxee Box direct searching for Reno 911 Results Screen Boxee Box Reno 911! Episode Screen

Boxee and Movies on your own drive or network

Along with TV Shows, Boxee will also look at the names of your movies and attempt to get the meta data for them as well.  I found this to be a little more hit-or-miss, as the names of the movies have to be a little more exact (I believer Boxee uses IMDB as a source for this).  It also doesn’t help that there isn’t a handy program to rename these like there is for TV Rename (at least that I’ve found… if you have something that works well, please leave it in the comments!)  Here are some of the screens you can expect for your own detected movies:

Movie Browsing with Boxee Boxee Movie Browsing, alternate view Boxee and Movie Browsing, multiple versions

The first 2 screenshots are of the 2 different ways to browse movies, and the 3rd is the play screen for Fight Club.  I have multiple versions of that (SD & HD) so it is nice that it does put them together and then simply lists the path to the file.  Nice way to see where you have dupes if you have them on multiple drives (which I have, since I didn’t know I had 3 versions of that movie…).

As for subtitle support, they show up fine natively, and are easily configurable:

Boxee showing playback screen Boxee showing subtitles screen Boxee showing subtitles

Another way to view movies is via search, and you can filter by genre or ‘channel’.  Here I chose the Youtube Channel, and went to play “Home” (note the multiple versions–local and online).

Boxee Box movie search Boxee Box Movie Search with Youtube Boxee Box Movie Search with Youtube

Boxee and Music Playback

Something that has seem to have taken a backseat is music on Boxee.  It isn’t on the main screen, but now buried on the ‘files’ page.  Still, the playback is fine even if you only have one visualization available while music is playing.  As with TV Shows and Movies, you scan your folders and Boxee can pull down extra meta data about your library:

Boxee Box music library Boxee Box Music Library: albums Boxee Box music Tracks Boxee Box Music Library Song visualization

You don’t have to stay on the visualization screen, it actually keeps it playing in the top menu which is nice.

Boxee and the Weather

Boxee has a nice weather app built in by default.  For some reason, it thought I was in Anchorage, AK when I got it (if this is the default, it’s an odd one) but after changing that to Madison, WI, you do have some nice options that are quickly accessible:

Boxee Weather Current Conditions Boxee Weather hourly forecast Boxee andthe Weather Radar Boxee Weather updates via video

All the information was fast, and looked great.  I was surprised by the multiple up-to-date forecasts available as well (note that Madison was getting hit w/ a storm which may have made it a little more interesting than usual). Very usable and handy application, especially with the weather always available in the upper right-hand corner.

Boxee and Photos

One thing I was a little disappointed in was the speed that Boxee played photos.  Most of this is likely due to the network speed and the file sizes, but it did make for a rather ‘meh’ photo experience.  Plugging in an SD card did work well though, and files played fairly fast off of that, movies included:

Playing photos with Boxee Pop in an SD Card to the Boxee Note ‘kingston’ is the SD Card showing up under ‘files’ Photos and videos easily playable via the SD Card slot

Boxee Box as a Web Browser

With a keyboard on the back of the remote,  you’d think the Boxee would make an okay browser… I can say, this will not take the place of your computer, and it is mainly because the ‘mouse’ is simply not usable.  The browser will work in a pinch though:

Boxee loading a website in the search bar Boxee running google in the browser mode Boxee Hide your kids, hide your wife Boxee Hide Your Kids on Youtube
Boxee Youtube Bed Indruder Boxee Youtube Bed Indruder leaving the video Boxee In Browser Mode on Youtube

Note that you can also do searches from the bar, and if YouTube videos come up, they’ll play full-screen.  If you try to exit, you can either completely quit, or go to the ‘browser view’, which puts you on the Youtube page of the video you searched for.  This is actually pretty slick, and is worth noting that this is different than using the Youtube Leanback App that’s available in the Apps section.

Boxee Apps

Boxee Apps screen

Some of the most interesting stuff going on with Boxee are the Apps.  Folks not familiar with Boxee will be surprised at the number of Apps available at launch, but those familiar with Boxee on PC may see some missing.  Below are some screenshots of logging into Pandora, the TWIT.tv app, the Wired App, and the Revision 3 app (featuring Boxee no less!):

Pandora Activation Screen TWIT.tv on Boxee Wired App on Boxee Box Revision 3 App on Boxee Box

After you set up Pandora, it plays mostly like your other MP3s (with the one visualization, unfortunately).  The above apps all work well, and the content plays quickly and cleanly.  The 2 most notable Apps missing from the Boxee Box are both Netflix and Hulu.  I actually ran into a situation where Boxee recommended that I play something with Hulu, and then got these screens:

Playing Modern Family on Boxee Box with Hulu… or not Message when you try to play on Hulu… grrr… Youtube Leanback on Boxee Box

Not a deal breaker for me, but keep an eye on it because there will likely be many changes coming where Boxee either adds content, or it is removed.  Also, the 3rd shot above is of the YouTube leanback App, which is very new.  It was pretty buggy too–it crashed a few times and I had to hard-reboot the Boxee Box.  It was tricky logging into youtube as well (had to do it in the browser) so that I could use the Youtube Remote Android app… but it did work, sometimes.  It will be interesting to see how this develops in the future.

Overall Conclusion

The Boxee Box is a rather daunting undertaking by trying to take software normally run on a computer, and put it in a box that is only $199.  My overall pros and cons are as follows:

Pros:

  • The Boxee Box plays every file format you can throw at it
  • Fairly comprehensive solution for local and online media
  • Excellent and responsive remote with usable keyboard
  • SD Card slot for quickly playing of files off of a camera
  • Searching is quick, intuitive and involves local and online media
  • Wireless N can stream 1080p files locally
  • Less than $200

Cons

  • Multiple authentication entries required when setting up shares (could be easily fixed)
  • Can be painfully slow to view large movie and show libraries (over 30 seconds to load)
  • No Netflix or Hulu (yet… likely will be there soon)
  • Keyboard is great, but not backlit.  Can’t see any of the keys in dim light.
  • Only one audio visualization…hope they get more or bring back ones from XBMC
  • Some Apps do crash (i.e. youtube leanback)
  • HDMI Audio issue, but may be on my end
  • Scanning of metadata takes hours
  • Photos load very slowly if not over USB or SD Card

Verdict for the Boxee Box? 4 out of 5 Stars

Buy the Boxee BoxThough there are a few bugs and quirks, I’d say the Boxee Box is quite an elegant piece of both hardware and software design given the modest price tag. It definitely has the capability to be a 5 out of 5 product, but given the above, I current give it 4 out of 5 stars.  Still a great Christmas present, and the development community will likely get rolling as the box hits the mass-market.

Oh, and if you don’t already have one, please support this site and buy one off of Amazon with this link. Thanks!

If the Boxee Box isn’t for you there are other media players out there.  Here is how I’d recommend them, best to worst:

Comments? Feel free to post below!  Note this review is dated 11/14/2010, so all functionality is with the current firmware from that time.  Things will likely improve!

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Top 50 Android Apps for the HTC Evo 4G http://mattapps.com/2010/07/23/top-50-android-apps-for-the-htc-evo-4g http://mattapps.com/2010/07/23/top-50-android-apps-for-the-htc-evo-4g#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 19:06:43 +0000 http://mattapps.com/2010/07/23/top-50-android-apps-for-the-htc-evo-4g HTC Evo 4G Top Android AppsAfter having the HTC Evo 4G for just over a month, thought I would spill the beans on all the Apps I’ve been using (afterall, Apps is my name…)  While these will likely work on most Android phones, they are all ones I use on the HTC Evo.  Since there are so many good apps, I’m also going to skip the super-obvious ones, like the Facebook, Twitter, FourSquare, etc. apps. If you use those, just get the official one.  (I do use Peep for Twitter though).

First off, i’m a big believer in the ‘teach a man to fish’ philosophy, so one of the first Apps you should get is the AppBrain App Market. I typically use this in place of the ‘Market’ app, as it has what is popular in the last 24 hours, week, etc., and is a nice way to see what good new Apps are available.

Best part about all these apps?  They are all FREE, (unless where noted).  Many do have ads, so if that drives you nuts or you simply want to support the author, grab the paid version (usually just a couple of bucks).  The easiest way to get them is to simply look up the name below in either Market or in AppBrain and then download from there or click the name to get more info on each one.

Also, the ‘Showoff’ column is useful if you want to show someone the power of what your phone can do.

Finally, if you have the EVO, you should do yourself a favor and GET YOURSELF THE EXTENDED BATTERY.  I’ve had this for awhile, and you can heavily use your phone without worrying about it dying at the end of each day!  It’s the best ~$50 you’ll spend.

Note, this is dated 7/23/2010 and are my favorites from around that time.  Without further ado, the list sorted alphabetically:

App Name Category Showoff
Why it’s on the list
.PodKast. Audio/Video   Though many like Stitcher, I use this one or CarCast.  You can quickly set this up to subscribe and watch video podcasts mostly anywhere.
Advanced Task Cleaner Pro Utility   Many of these work well, but this one has ignore lists and auto-kill lists
Air Horn Utility   A handy way to be more annoying than usual.
Amazon.com Shopping Yes It’s kind of a hybrid with Google Googles and the Barcode reader… only all built into Amazon search!
AppBrain essential   As previously mentioned, check this every day to see what great apps are out there.
Barcode Scanner Shopping Yes I use this often when shopping… ever wonder if a product is any good?  Why not put the power of a zillion reviews at your fingertips!  The beep makes you think you work in a supermarket.
Battery TimeLite Utility   I mainly look at the % remaining with the widget.  Yes, w/ the Evo, you are more vested in battery management
c:geo GPS   Geocaching app.  While no replacement for a dedicated GPS, this works very well in a pinch.  Also if you forgot to load geocaches lately, this one is up-to-date since it is using the geocaching.com site
Caller ID Faker >:-) Yes It is ad ridden, but actually works.  You put in the number to call and the number it looks like it is coming from.  Even can do wacky voice disguising!  You have to listen to an ad first, and you only get 2 minutes, but worth it to screw with someone
Car Cast Audio/Video   Nice podcast for the car.  Doesn’t do scheduled downloads, but it does have 30 second skip, which is great for podcasts w/ ads.
ChompSMS Messaging   Annoyed you can’t tell the difference between the vibration from an incoming email from an SMS?  Chomp can do custom vibration notification!  (and a lot more)
Compass GPS   It’s a bit old-school, but the compass also has the address on the top to let you know where you are.  Who knows where you are going…
ConnectBot Network   Good SSH Client.  Used by Network Discovery app too.
Dropbox Network   Great, free service (2GB for free) for having files available in multiple places.  Can use it to back up any file from your phone, or a place to put commonly used files from your PC.
eBuddy Messenger Messaging   MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, GTalk, Facebook and MySpace IM. Pretty much every type of old-school and new school chat rolled together handily!
FreeCaddie GPS, Utility Yes Surprising number of golf courses already loaded! Uses GPS to determine your distance to the middle of the green on each hole. Easy to operate when drinking! It’s accurate, and free.
Fring Messaging   When it gets Skype Video back, I’ll start using it again. Still good though.
FxCamera Camera   Semi-good camera effects. Waiting for these types of apps to improve. Hopefully soon!
Google Goggles Shopping Yes When it works, very impressive way to search for things.  Works flawlessly on books.
Google Sky Map GPS, Utility Yes If you have android, you probably already have this… if you like astronomy at all, this is a must.  Even if you don’t, and someone says to you “what is that bright star right there?!” You can simply hold up your phone, point and say “That’s Venus, dumbass”.
GPS Test GPS   Detailed stats on your GPS, cool map, compass and even tracks speed.
LED Light Utility Yes I like this flashlight app the best, because it uses the dual camera flash.  It also has an easy on/off widget
Lookout Mobile Security Utility   Awesome virus scanner, backup utility and phone finder.  Only a matter of time before it’s no longer free I’m assuming, since it can back up all your photos and contacts daily.  The phone finder works too!  (can make phone start ‘screaming’)
Maverick Lite GPS   Probably the best screwing around GPS program, as you can easily choose from NINE different map sources!  Surprisingly, the Bing maps are excellent.
Metal Detector Utility Yes This is rather pointless, but fun to show people because it actually works!  Good for locating bullets if you’ve been shot!
MicDroid Audio/Video   It’s like a lame version of ‘I am T-pain’.
Mint.com Utility   If you use Mint, the Android app is excellent.  I find it easier to use than their website.
MixZing Audio/Video   This is the main music player I use since there is a nice widget that fits 2×2 on one of the 7 Sense homescreens
MortPlayer Music Audio/Video   Benefit here is that if you don’t have all your stuff tagged (or have playlists, etc.) this can play straight folders which is handy.
My Paper Plane 2 Lite Game Yes Mindless way to show off the sensors in your phone with a mildly fun game
My Tracks GPS Yes Excellent tracks program for running, walking, hiking, etc. Not as powerful, but likely easier to use than ones in dedicated GPS units
Neocore Audio/Video   Benchmark the Graphics on your phone!  Cool little demo too. I get 25fps on my evo currently (probably too much running).
NESoid Lite Games Yes I actually bought this app, since it was cheap and I’m an emulation fan.  Plays old-school NES roms flawlessly.  Controls are actually onscreen, but sort-of usuable.  Too bad the Evo can’t connect the wiimote like other Android phones can.
Network Discovery Network Yes If you are connected via WiFi, useful app to see who else is on the router.  You can then portscan the other machines and easily login…
ONN Audio/Video   Onion News Network!  Finally got their video app on Android. Top-notch parody content.
PdaNet Free
Network   If you haven’t rooted your phone, quick and free tether option that works quite easily.
Peep Messaging   This is the Twitter App I use.  Handy since you can configure it to message you with mentions
Photoshop.com mobile Productivity   Photoshop on your phone?  Yes!  While you wouldn’t think this is a good idea, you can do some pretty good (but basic) photo editing this way.
Qik Messaging Yes Evo users are likely familiar with this app… be broadcasting live online in just seconds!
Quickoffice Productivity   Edit documents on the go, on your phone.
Racing Live Game   I moved this over from my iPod touch–network based game where you race other users and build up your network, etc. etc.
Remote RDP Lite Network Yes Quick, free remote desktop client.  Nice to be able to hop on your home machine from anywhere.  Works pretty well even over 3G. Works very well over WiFi.
RockPlayer Audio/Video   DIVX!!! Finally a good Divx player for Android (especially the Evo). I can play most any file with this player with no stutter or lag. Free version has a logo, but is manageable (paid is $10…. too much for a phone app, IMHO).
Scanner Radio Audio/Video   Embrace your inner redneck by listening to the police scanner to see if your neighbors are getting DWI’s again
Shazam Audio/Video Yes Many are familiar with this app, but if not, it is quite impressive. Hold your phone up to almost any playing song and it will figure out what it is.  Even works w/ club remixes!
Speedtest.net speed test Network   Nice quick way to figure out your online speed.
Talk To Me Utility Yes Voice Recognition, then translation into many other languages! Funny if you want to try out your Spanish, German, etc.  Only downfall is, requires network, so if you are in Germany w/ your Sprint CDMA phone, yer screwed (or you need wifi for it to work).
Wardrive Network Yes 8 years ago, this was a super-pain to do anything like this (laptop, GPS, post production to merge the map files, etc. etc).  Now, simply drive around and turn it on!  Too bad most every AP is locked these days.
WiFinder Network   Shows APs, what channels they are using, their signal strength and encryption.  Very handy.
Official XBMC Remote Audio/Video   This XBMC remote is often easier to get around than if you have a keyboard and mouse!  There are 3 versions of this app, but the newly released ‘official’ one is the best. A must if you use XBMC.

Cliffs of Moher HTC Evo BackgroundThose are my 50–hard to believe you could use so many in a short period of time, but many I use daily or weekly. Have some favorites I missed? Too bad, these are the correct top 50.

Just kidding, post below.

Oh, and as a bonus, to the left is the background I use for my phone in the above picture (it is a picture of mine from Cliffs of Moher in Ireland taken a couple years ago).   The HTC Evo has a nifty background since it sort-of scrolls when you move from screen to screen.  Enjoy!

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Gadget Review: EOS Canon 7D http://mattapps.com/2009/11/11/gadget-review-eos-canon-7d http://mattapps.com/2009/11/11/gadget-review-eos-canon-7d#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:11:25 +0000 http://mattapps.com/2009/11/11/gadget-review-eos-canon-7d canon-eos-7d-small.jpgAfter spending a few weeks with the Canon 7D, I decided to put together my mini-review of the camera.  I was able to take it to a few events, and also on a 5-day vacation to Athens, Greece where it got quite a workout.  For perspective of this review, prior to using the 7D I’ve shot 4 different versions of the Canon Rebel series, (original, XT, XTi and XSi).  My Pro’s / Con’s are mostly related to moving from the Canon Rebel XSi.

Canon 7D Pros:

  1. Focusing system – Compared to the Rebel series, this thing is amazing.  With a 9-month old, using focusing groups with AI servo yields a ton more usable shots. Complements my higher quality lenses which I wasn’t getting full benefit from with the Rebel Series.
  2. Quality high-ISO images – I never shot 1600 ISO on the Rebel series, as I was never happy with the quality, even after noise reduction.  Though I don’t have a lot of examples yet, the Canon 7D does an admirable job at 1600 ISO and even 3200 ISO.  Still, if shooting stock images, I likely won’t submit many over 800 ISO (as they’ll likely get rejected for noise) so I likely won’t change that habit.  I do end up getting usable non-stock images all the way up to 3200 ISO, so paired with a F1.4 lens, you can shoot in most any situation.
  3. Frames per second – this thing is like a machine gun!  Bracketing is a dream with 8 frames per second.  I’m looking forward to trying more wildlife and action shots with the 7D.
  4. HD Video capabilities – I never thought I’d want my DSLR to have video, but with a little one around this house and the ability to use all my lenses, it’s really a plus.  Nothing like shooting video in low-light with a F1.4 lens–depth-of-field is professional looking and the quality is excellent!  Check below for a quick video I shot at the 10/17/09 UW Badger game vs. Iowa (Badgers lost unfortunately).  This was shot w/ my 70-200L f/2.8 from across the field.
  5. Bigger size, better feel – coming from the Rebel, this camera feels ‘more appropriate’ in your hands.  I can’t believe how small the Rebel grips after you use the 7D.
  6. The jog wheel – 30/40/50D users are accustomed to this, so I was already looking forward to this handy input.  It is intuitive and I was quick to acclimate myself to it.
  7. Off-camera flash firing – The manual documentation on this was sketchy, but I was able to get this to work.  Pretty slick.

Canon 7D Cons:

Though a great camera, it does have a few cons for me:

  1. CompactFlash – I just weened myself off of CF (the XSi Uses SDHC) and they go and put CF on this… I imagine 8 frames per second is the culprit, and if that’s the case, it’s worth it. But if SDHC was fast enough, it is a better choice.  I opted for a 32GB RiDATA that does a nice job even with RAW+JPG.
  2. LCD screen doesn’t shut off  – Though it has the “Q” quickscreen, there is no sensor to have it shut off when you put the camera to your eye.  Not a deal breaker, but a step backwards from functionality in the entry level camera from 2 years ago.
  3. No usable auto-focus in video mode – With as advanced a focusing system this camera has for still pictures, the video auto-focusing is awful to the point that you wouldn’t use it while recording.  This may help your composition, but why doesn’t AI servo ‘just work’ like it does when focusing for stills?
  4. Still no AF illuminator other than firing flashes like crazy – I nice red light would do the trick–though not sure where they would put it.  Granted my external flashes use this, having it built in would help low-light focusing without blinding people.

These cons are quite minor.  The camera is well designed, fast and powerful.  And it’s a blast to shoot too.

Still Samples:

There are many test shots at other websites, but here are a few ‘real world’ pictures shot with the camera, from my recent vacation to Greece.  The below images are re-sized with some minor adjustments, but pretty much right of the camera.  The full size, unprocessed JPGs also available for you to check out below each picture (note size!)

My travel photo methodology: in a sight-seeing situation, if bright enough, I usually shoot aperture priority (usually at f/8 as it is a sweet spot of of the 24-105L), take a light reading, see if I can get away with ISO 100, and still end up bracketing.  Greece is far from my house, so I can sort out bracketed images when I get back (and have HDR opportunities).  These were the best chosen images of a 3-shot bracket (except for the 20 second exposure, where that one was a one-shot deal).

Acropolis, Athens, Greece
Acropolis, Greece, 2009. Shot with Canon 7D, 24-105L f/4 IS USM
Specs: 1/200 second, f/8, ISO 100, Focal length 97mm, hand-held
Full size, out-of-camera JPG: 5184 x 3456, 7.56MB

sample2-small.jpg
Athens Gate Hotel, Greece, 2009. Shot with Canon 7D, 24-105L f/4 IS USM
Specs: 20 seconds, f/8, ISO 100, Focal length 65mm, tripod
Full size, out-of-camera JPG: 5184 x 3456, 4.82MB

sample1-small.jpg
Delphi, Greece, 2009. Shot with Canon 7D, 24-105L f/4 IS USM
Specs: 1/50 second, f/8, ISO 100, EC -1, Focal length 35mm, hand-held
Full size, out-of-camera JPG: 5184 x 3456, 8.58MB

Video Sample:

Here is a sample video shot at the October 17, 2009 UW Badger game.  A bit shaky, but shows what you can do.  This was shot with my 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM:

Jump up, jump up and get down! That’s it.  If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up (the Canon 7D that is).  Ferris would approve.

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The Lost Art of Creating a Mix Tape http://mattapps.com/2009/08/12/the-lost-art-of-creating-a-mix-tape http://mattapps.com/2009/08/12/the-lost-art-of-creating-a-mix-tape#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 05:29:43 +0000 http://mattapps.com/2009/08/12/the-lost-art-of-creating-a-mix-tape mixtape3.jpgIn the land of multi-terrabyte hard drives, iPods, MP3’s and ‘infinite playlists’, the art of actually using some restrain and editing to create a cohesive, interesting representation of your musical self is an art form long lost.

On my continual quest for quality and fresh music, about twice a year I create an 80-minute mix CD of my ‘favorites’ that I’m rocking at the moment.

While I haven’t made a ‘mix tape’ since college (yes, that is an actual one of mine above), I still have a CD player in my car which is where 90% of the mix is consumed.  Some rules I follow when creating my mix:

  1. A majority of the music must be < 1 year old – While I might create a ‘best of grunge’ mix or something like that, for the most part, I want to hear new music.  The life of the CD is usually around 3-6 months until I am ready to make a new one.
  2. Genre variety – I want to hit 2-3 genres at least, but no hard and fast rules.  Just not 80 minutes of metal–the mix needs some contrast (not so true of “Ultra Mosh II” above…)
  3. No more than 3 songs from the same artist/album – If you really like an album, it forces you to pick your favorite 3.  Also, mix them up throughout the mix
  4. Fill the 80 minutes as best you can – For my mix below, it clocks in at 79:59.11.  Yes, less than 1 second to spare! (with 0 second breaks between tracks as well)
  5. Try to make the tracks ‘flow’ – This can be tough… I don’t spend hours doing this, but you typically want some contrast without abruptness
  6. Don’t repeat a song from one mix CD to the next – Yeah, that song may be your favorite, but if that’s true, try and find a re-mix.  I did that below w/ the 2 Bloc Party tracks.

While you could, of course, do this exercise with an MP3 playlist, often you wouldn’t use any harsh editing because you usually don’t have constraints (after all, an 80 min. mix encoded at 256K is only about 160MB, which most every MP3 player has at least 10-100 times that much room…)

So without further ado, here is my Summer 2009 Mix.  The first thing you might notice when reading the below is that YOU HAVEN’T HEARD OF ANY OF THESE SONGS OR BANDS.  Well, the mix is mine, so that’s your problem…  I typically try to put some indie, punk, alternative, electronica, so while you may not know them, the songs work for me (and they are good, trust me).  Own your mix, it is something that is probably truly unique to you.

Matt’s 80-minute 2009 Summer Mix: (with links to either the video or a streamable version of the song)

  1. Bloc Party – Ares (Villains Remix)
  2. Julian Plenti  – Games For Days (Paul Banks of Interpol, solo album)
  3. Röyksopp ft Robyn – The Girl & The Robot
  4. Future Of The Left – Stand By Your Manatee
  5. Flight of the Conchords – Sugalumps
  6. Does It Offend You, Yeah? – With a Heavy Heart(I Regret to Inform You)
  7. Silversun Pickups – Growing Old is Getting Old
  8. Late of The Pier – Space and The Woods
  9. The Bird and the Bee – Diamond Dave
  10. Flight of the Conchords – You don’t have to be a Prostitute
  11. The Mars Volta – Cotopaxi
  12. Sunspot – Grand Guignol
  13. Bloc Party – One Month Off (Filthy Dukes Remix)
  14. The Bird and the Bee – My Love
  15. Future of the Left – Arming Eritrea
  16. Does it Offend you, Yeah? – Attack of the 60ft Lesbian Octopus
  17. Silversun Pickups – Panic Switch
  18. Flight of the Conchords – Too Many Dicks on the Dance Floor
  19. The Bird and the Bee – Polite Dance Song (this video is soooo David Lynch)
  20. Sunspot – Sweet Relief
  21. Silversun Pickups – Catch and Release

That clocks 79:59.11.  Do you still make mixes?  Favorite ones you’ve made?  Comments, baby.

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Palm Pre vs. Treo 700p with SERO Plan http://mattapps.com/2009/07/27/palm-pre-vs-treo-700p-with-sero-plan http://mattapps.com/2009/07/27/palm-pre-vs-treo-700p-with-sero-plan#comments Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:58:27 +0000 http://mattapps.com/2009/07/27/palm-pre-vs-treo-700p-with-sero-plan palmpre3.jpgWhile there have been countless comparisons of the Palm Pre to the Apple iPhone, I haven’t seen many comparing the Palm Pre to the Treo line of products (Treo 650, Treo 700p, Treo 755p, Treo Centro). There are still tens of thousands of old Sprint SERO customers on a Treo 700p (or similar) that like me, are looking to upgrade to something. The old Sprint SERO plan was at it’s peak around 2-3 years ago, so many Sprint customers are either rolling off their plans, or at a minimum, definitely ready for a new phone.

image by THA Casino

I was a Treo 700p user for 3 years with heavy use on a $30 SERO plan (upgraded later to $45 with unlim. text). For over a year of that, I also extensively used email, RSS, web, Twitter, Twitpic, Facebook, etc. I made the move from the Treo 700p to the Palm Pre in early June 2009, and decided to put together the comparison of what you have to look forward to (or what you have to give up): NOTE: this comparison was written on 7/27/09 and is based on Palm Pre WebOS v1.1

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Features where the Palm Pre has the advantage:

Feature Treo 700p Palm Pre
User Interface / Experience Okay Revolutionary
Size of device Bulky and heavy Thin, sleek
Touch Screen Okay, for 2005 All the multi-touch features you’ve come to expect
Screen resolution Okay, but square Excellent high-res for size, auto-rotate for web, movies
Youtube No Yes
WiFi No Yes
GPS No Yes
Web Browsing Yes, though not great Yes, zoomable, fast
Easy SMS threading Yes, though a little clunky Yes, nicely done
Gmail 3rd party App, not great Excellent built-in support
IMAP email Okay Easy, better than 700p
Multitasking ability Limited Robust
Camera 1.3MP 3.0MP (though tends to oversharpen)
Camera Flash No Yes (though bad)
Camera low-light quality Fair Better than 700p
Online Contact integration (i.e. Facebook) No Yes
Calendar support Good Even better
Twitter Site was clunky Great Twitter App available at launch (i.e. Tweed)
Watching Video Not bad, not great Excellent, though lack of DIVX is limiting
Compatibility Plays thousands of Palm apps With the ‘Classic’ emulator, will play many of them, but your mileage will vary

Features where the Palm Treo 700p has the current advantage

Features Treo 700p Palm Pre
Calling Plan cost and features SERO, $30-45 per month for 500 min, unlimited everything else (deals varied) Everything plan, $60-100 per month (450 min – unlimited) You HAVE to give up your SERO plan
Durability of device It’s a tank, 3 years with multiple drops, no problems I’m on my 2nd one already, current one has ‘oreo’ issue
“Casual” data tethering Easy hack, or 3rd party App Complicated hack, no app yet, Sprint clamping down
Easy RSS / Podcast downloading Yes, 3rd party app (i.e. Quick News) Not yet
Battery Life Better than Pre Pretty bad—can barely get through a day with moderate use
Customizable Alerts, etc. Yes through App, (i.e. Butler) Limited, no app yet
DIVX Playback Yes, 3rd Party app Nothing yet
Applications available Thousands 30 (as of 7/27/09) Not counting homebrew
Camera Zoom Yes (digital) but good for twitpic, etc. where digital cropping is useful No—in fact, camera has no features at all!
Camera can shoot video Yes No
Memory SDHC Cards 8GB built in, not expandable
Facebook Site was actually better in Treo Blazer browser IMHO Facebook pre-populated bookmark is an unusable joke on the Pre. Terrible.
# of dropped Calls Fair Seems worse than Treo. No one is on Sprint for their voice network though…
Games Thousands of Palm games Just a few native ones, and they seem lame. Classic would give you more, but emulated may not work.

Features where the 2 phones are very similar

Features Treo 700p Palm Pre
Removable Battery Yes Yes, harder to open
Pop Email Yes Yes
MP3 Playback Yes, 3rd Party app Yes, built in (big battery killer)
Keyboard Excellent Treo has slight edge, but for smaller size, still perfectly usable for me
Initial Cost of device $199-$399 (755p can be had new for $99) $199 (after $100 rebate)

Conclusion

So should you upgrade? The question isn’t really should you upgrade, but rather when you should upgrade. Using the 700p is not a sustainable solution, so while you know you need to get something else, check the list above to see if you ultimately lose something you absolutely need today. Sure, an app will probably come out in the future that will address what is missing, but the development has been slow going so far…

It boils down to: Is it worth paying an extra $15-35 more a month for a device that isn’t as seasoned as the 700p, but has a greater potential (and some distinct advantages already)?

The answer for me is yes, but depending on your needs, you may want to wait until more apps are available. The success of the Palm Pre is dependent on Palm staying active and getting people developing on the platform ASAP. If and when that happens, it makes it an excellent upgrade from the Treo 700p.

Thoughts? Any key features I’m missing? Comments below:

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40 Free Wallpapers for the Palm Pre http://mattapps.com/2009/06/25/40-free-wallpapers-for-the-palm-pre http://mattapps.com/2009/06/25/40-free-wallpapers-for-the-palm-pre#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:47:54 +0000 http://mattapps.com/2009/06/25/40-free-wallpapers-for-the-palm-pre palmpre3.jpgI’m still working on my review for the Palm Pre (I’ve had it less than a week), but in the meantime, enjoy some wallpapers I created specifically for the Palm Pre!

The images are from various trips I’ve taken the last few years and are already sized and optimized for view on the Palm Pre (320×480 resolution, appropriate sharpness, etc.).

To get these wallpapers on your Palm Pre simply:

  1. Click the file(s) you like, and when the file is loaded right-click and save to your computer.
  2. Plug your Palm Pre into the USB port of your computer and choose “USB Drive”.
  3. Once the folder opens on your computer, copy the images into the “Wallpaper” directory on your Palm Pre (you don’t have to do this, but it may be easier to find them than just copying them in the root folder).
  4. After you disconnect your Pre, go to the “Screen & Lock” application and choose “Change Wallpaper” to set your desired background!

Pretty easy as you can see.  On to the wallpapers!

30rock-320x480.jpg   alley-320x480.jpg   andrewwk-320x480.jpg   bench-320x480.jpg   broken-window320x480.jpg

burgeltz-320x480.jpg   caboarch-320x480.jpg   chrysler-320x480.jpg   cliffs-320x480.jpg   collesium-320x480.jpg

creepytree2bw-320x480.jpg   creepytreebw-320x480.jpg   desert-320x480.jpg   empirestate-320x480.jpg   fenceshadow-320x480.jpg

 florencebw-320x480.jpg   forestlight-320x480.jpg   grandcentral-320x480.jpg   guinness-320x480.jpg   hallstatt-320x480.jpg

lourve-320x480.jpg   madisoncapital-320x480.jpg   mtrainier-320x480.jpg   neuschwanstein-320x480.jpg   nyse-320x480.jpg

ouch-320x480.jpg   racoons2-320x480.jpg   sandtrap1-320x480.jpg   sandtrap2-320x480.jpg   skateboard-bw-320x480.jpg

spiral-320x480.jpg   spiral-staircase-320x480.jpg   statue-of-liberty-320x480.jpg   subwaynyc-320x480.jpg   tiberriver-320x480.jpg

tunnel-320x480.jpg   vegas-320x480.jpg   waterfall-320x480.jpg   winegrapes-320x480.jpg   staircase-320x480.jpg

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10 years of Sunspot Pictures (the band, not the sun) http://mattapps.com/2009/06/11/10-years-of-sunspot-pictures-the-band-not-the-sun http://mattapps.com/2009/06/11/10-years-of-sunspot-pictures-the-band-not-the-sun#comments Fri, 12 Jun 2009 04:26:01 +0000 http://mattapps.com/2009/06/11/10-years-of-sunspot-pictures-the-band-not-the-sun SunspotIt’s hard to believe, but I’ve been friends with Madison, WI rock band Sunspot for over 10 years!  Since tomorrow they are releasing their 5th full-length album, Singularity, I thought I would post some of my favorite pictures I’ve taken of Mike, Ben and Wendy over the last decade.  Out of over 8000 (!) that I’ve taken, here are 130 ordered chronologically that are my favorites.  Check it.

Almost as crazy as attending one of their live shows is the number of digital cameras I’ve owned over this same time frame…it’s pretty nuts:

  • 1999-2001 Largan Lmini 350 – 0.6 MegaPixel – this thing was terrible in most every way, but it was digital, which is what a digital guy needs.  Yeah, 0.6MP.
  • 2001-2003 Sony FD-90 – 1.6MP – Great optics, but sloooow camera.  Made you slow down, but almost too much.  I still have some pictures I really like from this camera.  If it only had 10x the sensor quality.
  • 2003-2005 Olympus 5050z – 5.0MP – My first prosumer camera, this taught me the photo basics, mainly aperture, shutter speed and ISO.
  • 2005-2006 Canon Digital Rebel –  6.3MP – The first in a crazy-upgrade cycle of Rebels.
  • 2006-2007 Canon Digital Rebel XT – 8.0MP – I started selling stock photos and the upgrades in both lenses and cameras now were ‘funded’.  It’s nice when your hobbies pay for themselves.
  • 2007-2008 Canon Digital Rebel XTi – 10.1MP – Sensor cleaning = good!  A great camera, I only really upgraded because in stock photography it helps to have higher MegaPixel for increased size for increased $$.
  • 2008-2009 Canon Digital Rebel XSi – 12.2MP – While still a very capable camera, I’ve vowed this is the last Rebel I’d buy… the 50D (or 60D) or 5D MarkII product line is next for me, but I’ve been investing in lenses lately.
  • I had a Casio Exilm EX-Z57 which I used only for a couple of shots at shows (since I had the Rebel then).  What’s most interesting about this camera, is it is what Wendy uses for her “Drummercam” photos!

Finally, I also have a video of Sunspot from their March 2009 show at the Frequency. They are playing their song “Neanderthal” and they segue into some Megadeth.

It’s shot with my Canon Vixia HF100 HD video camera.  It’s flash based, small with a great quality picture, even in low light.

Be sure to check out Sunspot live if you get a chance–they don’t disappoint!  Pick up their new album too!

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HGTV’s Man Land: Vegas City Style Casino Basement http://mattapps.com/2009/06/05/hgtvs-man-land-vegas-city-style-casino-basement http://mattapps.com/2009/06/05/hgtvs-man-land-vegas-city-style-casino-basement#comments Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:27:54 +0000 http://mattapps.com/2009/06/05/hgtvs-man-land-vegas-city-style-casino-basement Over 2 years ago, my friend Chad Draheim was contacted by HGTV for a show they were doing entitled “Man Land” (they found his ‘casino basement‘ blog post).  After the long wait, it was on HGTV last Saturday!  Even though it is episode #2, they played it as the premier episode.

Since most people aren’t watching TV @ noon on a Saturday, (and it’s nowhere to be seen online) I decided to rip it from my DVR.  I edited it down to 7 minutes which is just the part featuring Chad and Kitt’s Basement:

In the clip is Chad, Kitt and Keely Draheim, the host George Gray, Chad’s brother Brian, Apollo Marquez, Matt Griswold and me!  It was a lot of fun to film, and it was interesting seeing how much time, effort and footage goes into just 7 minutes of television (i.e. they edited my interview down to about 7 seconds, which is probably a good thing since I don’t really remember what I was talking about).

Man Land is available in HD on HGTV and looks like it will continue to be on Saturday’s at 1PM eastern and pacific, noon central.  Enjoy!

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