I am at a crossroads in my life, both personally and professionally. I’m sure both are common excuses amongst dormant bloggers, but it’s the absolute truth behind the lack of activity here at technotorious over the past few months. And although I’m a bit disappointed in myself, the primary reason behind the blogging lull is one that I couldn’t be happier about …

Mrs. technotorious and I will welcome a new little bundle of technotoriousness into the world very soon. To say it’s been a learning experience would be the understatement of the century, but to go into any great detail wouldn’t necessarily fit with the established tone of things here at technotorious.

The big question, as it relates to technotorious, is will this blog thrive as I make the transition from techno-buff to techno-daddy? The answer, at least for now? I honestly don’t know. Give me a month or two; let me get a few diaper changes and late-night feedings under my belt, and we’ll talk.

In the meantime, though, I’ve found that it’s much easier for me to find the time for 140 characters (or less) than regular blogging. As I’ve always appreciated all of you for taking the time to subscribe and/or visit this blog, I invite you to tweet at me … and we’ll see where things go from there.

Sincerely,

Brian

Special delivery…..for me, originally uploaded by 713 Avenue.

Catching up on my Flickr browsing this morning, I came across this clever photo from Flickr user 713 Avenue.

For Mac and/or Stormtrooper and/or Lego fanboys and girls out there, 713’s Stromtroopers and Mac + Troopers photo sets are recommended viewing.

The premise is definitely futuristic enough — control your iTunes with a simple wave of your hand (thanks to your webcam), never once touching a keyboard or a mouse. And once you overcome a bit of a learning curve, FluidTunes delivers on this promise. It’s cool and fun for a while, and it will definitely elicit its fair share of “ooohs” and “ahhhs” from your friends, but in the long run it’s just some techno-candy. It’d be great for a party or a group listening session, but it’s not a very practical interface when you simply want some background music as you work.

Still, I can’t advise you not to download it. For the most part, it’s programs like this that make me wonder what the future holds. Plus, it’s a relatively small file (0.7 MB), free for both Mac and PC users, and the cool factor cannot be understated. Just make sure to use FluidTunes in a well-lit room with no background interference.

Check out the video below and decide for yourself whether cool = worthwhile:

You’re at the park, enjoying a nice stroll on a particularly sunny day. Strutting along to the sounds from your mp3 player of choice, you notice a group of people tossing a Frisbee. One of the guys looks familiar … so you pull up his Facebook profile … floating … above his head … thanks to your sunglasses. He turns out to be an old friend you haven’t seen in years. You stop to say hello, and the two of you decide to meet for lunch later in the week to catch up. You’re not familiar with his neighborhood, so you consult a Google Maps interface … floating … in your field of vision …  thanks to your sunglasses.

Technically, the thanks would actually be due to an emerging technology known as Augmented Reality. In short, it represents the blending of real-world and computer-generated content into real time. And Mashable‘s Jennifer Van Grove reports that it’s not as far-fetched as it sounds. In fact, our park scenario only represents the proverbial tip of the iceberg when it comes to potential applications of AR. Van Grove breaks down the categories of possible AR experiences along with some incredible video clips, including the following exploration into AR and educational endeavors:

Check out “Augmented Reality Devices: See the Online World While Walking the Real One” for a host of details.

Had the T-1000 played it smart, traveled back to 2008 and created a Facebook account, his odds of locating John Connor would have increased exponentially.

If you’ve used Ubiquity, please leave a comment — I’d be interested to read about your impressions. Although a few months old now, the video below continues to intrigue, and I understand Ubiquity recently received an update.

While debating how best to approach the recent blogging drought here at technotorious.org, it occurred to me that many of you can probably relate to a phenomenon that typically makes the holiday season particularly busy for the tech-savvy — the role of Familial Help Desk Technician (FHDT).

As technology has crept into nearly every aspect of our daily lives, this important position has become a near year-round responsibility. It began with simple requests such as how to set the clock on the dearly departed VCR or how to go about connecting a gaming console to the televison. In recent years, the role of the FHDT has expanded immensely and includes everything from digital cameras and mp3 players to GPS devices and even coffee makers. More recently, fears fueled by ads warning of the pending digital television conversion have kept the FHDT hotline pretty busy.

Only four days have passed since Christmas and, already, I’ve aided in the installation of a car stereo, been consulted on a laptop purchase, attempted to solve a couple of digital camera quirks and embarked on a seemingly never-ending quest for the best HDMI cable on the face of the earth. Unfortunately for my Mom, approximately 369 days have passed since I last tried to tackle the conundrum of loading music onto a digital photo frame (sorry, Mom, I promise I’ll get that one sorted out sooner or later).

I should note that this isn’t a complaint about the duties that come with my position as FHDT. As a matter of fact, I’m generally more than happy (and a bit flattered) when asked to help. After all, it’s a part of my identity within the family. I bring nothing to the table when it comes to potluck dinners, and I’m not much help when it comes to more traditional home improvement projects. I’m the go-to guy for all things electronic and, with the exception of that blasted digital photo frame, I generally handle the responsibility fairly well.

I’m certain I’m not alone in my role as a proud FHDT. In fact, I’d wager many of you have also fielded a frustrated “why won’t my computer <insert task here>?” phone call or two. I’d share some more personal stories but fear I would embarrass more than a few loved ones.

After all, they’re all on the ‘net now … thanks to a little TLC from the FHDT.

“Where do I put these?”, originally uploaded by ShellyS. ]]> https://technotorious.wordpress.com/2008/12/21/the-sunday-slide-where-do-i-put-these/feed/ 1 Brian https://technotorious.wordpress.com/2008/12/18/uh-oh-uh-oh-here-tweets-the-hammer/ https://technotorious.wordpress.com/2008/12/18/uh-oh-uh-oh-here-tweets-the-hammer/#comments Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:53:58 +0000 http://technotorious.wordpress.com/?p=263 For a few weeks now, I’ve been looking for any excuse to mention the Stop! Hammertime! Firefox add-on. After all, he may not be burning up the charts today, but MC Hammer dominated the early 90s. While they may not admit it, anyone who was between the ages of 10 and 20 in 1990 owned a copy of Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt ‘Em. Many a fiery school-bus debate was sparked by the simple question: “Who’s the better dancer — MC Hammer or Michael Jackson?”

Lo and behold, today I learn Hammer is far more tech-savvy than I could ever have imagined, giving me more than enough reason to link to the aforementioned Firefox extension. His skills aren’t limited to dancing and sampling old Rick James tunes. He’s on Twitter. In fact, it was via a Hammer Tweet that a member of the Destructoid Gamer Community learned the baggy-panted one may have a new video game up his sleeve.

I, for one, wish him nothing but the best. It’s fun to chuckle about his long-gone fashion statements and pop-radio-friendly singles, but he seems like a stand-up guy. Plus, a part of me always respected his willingness to make fun of himself, even if it was to help pay all of those ridiculous bills.

So, here’s to Hammer, his Tweets and his top-secret project with Activision. If a Hammer game is truly in the offing, let’s hope it’s in the tradition of Guitar Hero and not this:

The Parthenon at Christmas, originally uploaded by joshunter. ]]> https://technotorious.wordpress.com/2008/12/14/the-sunday-slide-the-parthenon-at-christmas/feed/ 0 Brian