It’s been an interesting few weeks with most of the F1 teams now deeply into their test programmes before the new season starts in a few weeks. 

This year Twitter seems to have been the place to keep up with the action, with the teams, drivers, the BBC and various independents posting updates and info.

One guy in particular has been tweeting some very good technical info about the new cars.  @scarbsf1 is an independent journalist following F1 and posts some great analysis of F1’s technical side.  He’s also setup a blog at http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com.  If the techie side of things interests you it’s a very good resource.

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I guess I’m quite fortunate that the projects I’ve worked on have always turned out well, but some have been very hard work – far harder than they needed to be.

The biggest difference would seem to be the people, not necessarily their skill or innate talent (though of course that helps!) but the support they are given to get the job done.

Anyway, Charlie Kindel, who’s a Programme Manager on the Windows Phone team at MS posted an interesting account of the work being undertaken around the new Windows Phone 7 Series phones.  He talks about some of the principles he uses to run projects, most of which I’d agree with.   It’s worth a read if this sort of stuff interests you.

Linky

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I remember commenting in another post last year that I wished there were an XBox app for TED.  Unfortunately there isn’t one, but something that does work is the browser on the PS3.  It turns out that browsing to TED.com will let you watch the videos in full screen.  Well full screen apart from the player controls.

Much better :)

Jamie’s talk from this years conference.

Blaise Aguera y Arcas’s impressive demo.

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Thanks to @Jangles for pointing out this great pic of the recent snowfall in the UK from Nasa.

Snow blanketed Great Britain on January 7, 2010, as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite passed overhead and captured this image. Snow covers most of England, from the east to the west coast.  The cities of Manchester, Birmingham, and London form ghostly gray shapes against the white land surface. Immediately east of London, clouds swirl over the island, casting blue-gray shadows toward the north.

The image is from the Earth Observatory site, here:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=42237

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Whilst catching up on some reading earlier I noticed an interesting post over on James Allen’s blog about ESPN’s announcement that they’re going to start broadcasting sports events in 3D.  It seems like one of the first will be this years world cup.

Of course 3D TV’s still a bit of a rarity, though I imagine big sporting events will increase sales.  However with the content starting to appear, I wonder if cinemas may well expand the use of their 3D enabled screens?  They will have invested in the technology to supper 3D, so should be keen to be get the most use out of it as possible.  They could use the screens to show, for example, the world cup matches in 3D.  It would be a good way of increasing the use of screens at quiet times.

Now if only they would start showing F1 in 3D…

(Photo from ESPN, via Jame’s blog)

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According to Autosport, Lotus F1 are going to be ready to test their new car at the second Jerez test on 17th February.  Considering the team only got a place on the grid on the 12th September I think that’s quite a feat. 

The teams technical director Mike Gascoyne say that the team is a week ahead of their plans, which should allow them to comfortably make the test, and have the second chassis running by the final Barcelona test.

The full article is here: 
 http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80763

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3D stuff has always interested me, when I was at Uni I basically taught myself how to use 3D Studio and Lightwave after seeing how programmes like Babylon 5 used them to such good effect.  These were quite early days for these apps, and tools for modelling particles, hair and grass were only just becoming available.  I never really did anything professionally with it, but I knocked up what I thought were some pretty good models and animations.   

I think the time I spent playing with those apps helped me appreciate Avatars technical achievements even more.  Whilst the  rendering is pretty, and motion capture as realistic as ever, it’s the sheer depth and detail that has been put into Pandora (the planet where the film is set) that really impressed me.  Whist I know there are all sort of techniques to automate the creation of grass, water etc., I’ve not seen anything quite as detailed as  landscapes, plants and animals that make up Pandora.

The fact the the film is shot and available in stereoscopic 3D just makes the experience even more believable.  I’ve seen a number of 3D movies recently, and whilst some have been gimmicky (Final Destination…), on films where the 3D is incidental to the story, like Up, Ice Age or Avatar it really works.  As with the demo’s of 3D TV football matches and racing that I saw last year, stereo viewing brings the experience closer to the viewer.  You feel more involved somehow, rather than watching a flat screen it’s more like looking through a window into these other worlds.

The quality of 3D stereo viewing has got me wondering it might mean for media outside of cinema.  With so many movies now available in 3D it’s inevitable home 3D televisions will become more common, both because people will want it, and because so much money is made from DVD/Blueray releases of films.  I think we’re already seeing that pressure on consumer electronics with a couple of 3D TV technologies fighting it out and people like Sky here in the UK committing to 3D programming.

Personally I think one of the big drivers for the consumerisation of 3D viewing will be games.  For years now consoles and games have been based around the ability to render real-time 3D environments, adding an extra layer into this to present those virtual worlds to the players in stereo 3D makes a lot of sense.  Indeed there are games already available that support this – I’ve seen at least one game on the Xbox marketplace that support 3D TV, and I’ve heard James Cameron talking about 3D versions of the Avatar game too (I’m not sure if the final versions included this though).

If 3D is available on the cinema screen and the TV screen, it’s can only be a matter of time before it will also have an impact on your computer screen.  You’d probably expect it as a matter of course to be honest.  Stereo monitors have been available for PC’s for a while now, but only really for certain games.  They’ve never become mainstream, probably because the operating systems haven’t made use of it, and it hasn’t yet become part of middleware layers like DirectX.

One of the more interesting aspects of the Avatar world for me, was how the computers, screens and even photographs that the characters use and interact with are all also in 3D.  Throughout the film to get to see these virtual 3D interfaces with elements sitting in layers and they seem like they would work.  A good real life example might be the subtitles that are used in the film itself, as it’s in 3D they sit in the foreground of the scene so it’s as if you’re looking through or around them at the scene.  It’s seems very natural.

Assuming that 3D capable screens and monitors become more common, I think there are huge opportunities in building OS’s and applications that can make use of proper stereoscopic 3D.  Tools like T3Desktop show a basic view of what could be done now, and perhaps hint at the potential of what could be possible.  I imagine even mundane tasks as typing a Word document could benefit from using 3D.  I can image a view into the document with the page in the foreground and menu’s etc. being moving in and out of view as they are needed.  Combine that sort of stereo interface with something like Microsoft’s Natal input technology and it would be a massive shift in how we use and interact with applications.

I know that MS are working on a more PC focused version Natal as Steve Bulmer spoke about it at a Windows 7 launch I attended in November.  Well, when I say speak… it was more like shout or scream.  To say he was enthusiastic would be an understatement, and I would hate to be the engineer on the end of that enthusiasm!  Apparently Natal currently works very well from a few feet away from the screen, but not so well in the 0-3 foot range that would be needed for a desktop or laptop PC solution.  It is coming though…

It’s going to be an interesting couple of years, and I can’t wait to see how these things develop.  I think 3D stereo viewing will eventually be something that everyone is used to.  It’ll take time I’m sure, but I imagine it will be like HD television or 5.1 surround sound, where the technology will move from cinema to high-end home setups, then gradually become more and more mainstream as costs lower.  I can’t wait! :)

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Whether or not I’ll ever get that chance I don’t know, but I just stumbled across these three video’s from Autocar where Chris Harris gets the chance to drive an old Jaguar F1 car on the Silverstone National circuit.  I’ve met Chris a few times at various events, and he always comes across as a decent chap.  Lucky bastard, but a decent chap :)  I know over the years he’s driven and raced some pretty special cars, so it’s interesting to hear how surprised he is at the performance of the Jaguar.  It was obviously going to be fast, but he really seems taken aback by just how far ahead of other road and race cars it is. 

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There’s no news yet as to what has changed in the 1.2 version, but I’m sure there’ll be an update to the Modality Systems blog soon with an update.

(Via Tony Cocks and Justin Morris)

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It’s not a bad pairing to be honest, both have proved to be quick but neither (to my mind) have ever really stood out from the crowd.  I think I’d rather have had young Kobayashi who was so impressive in his two outings for Toyota last year.  They should be a good team to help develop the new car though.

Here’s a copy of the Q&A session that accompanied the press release:

Jarno Trulli

What were the reasons behind your decision to join Lotus F1 Racing?

“I am really pleased to be joining Lotus F1 Racing. It was quite a difficult situation at the start of November with my former team withdrawing from Formula 1, but I was convinced I would stay in Formula 1. I was in contact with Mike (Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer) about the possibility of joining the new Lotus team and it became quickly clear that it would be a very good opportunity for me. I have been in Formula 1 for many years but there is something extremely motivating about helping to build a team from the ground level up. There is a lot of ambition from Tony (Fernandes, Team Principal), Mike and in fact the whole of Malaysia as a nation, and that level of enthusiasm is infectious for a driver. I am really looking forward to the challenge.”

You are one of the longest-serving drivers in Formula 1 – how important will your experience be for the team?

“I have driven for quite a few teams in my career, both manufacturer and independent teams, so I have a wide range of experience. I hope that this experience will be a positive asset for Lotus as we begin this new challenge together. We should not underestimate the task in hand. Formula 1 in 2010 is an exciting prospect with brand new teams, established manufacturers fighting back and of course other young teams looking to repeat their 2009 success. Everyone will be fighting hard for results, but we still have all our foundations to set, so we have a lot to do.”

Do you expect the team to be immediately competitive?

“We have to set realistic targets for the first year. We are one of the new teams, so we have to prove ourselves and to gain respect in the paddock. We have to establish ourselves as the best of the new teams and see what gap we have between us and the rest. Only then will we really understand what gains we need to make during the season. The points system has changed to reward the top ten drivers, so I would like to see us making progress towards the top ten by Abu Dhabi.”

What do you think of the team’s approach to Formula 1 based on your previous experiences?

“Having spoken to Tony and to Mike, as well as being in Malaysia this week, I can see a very sensible attitude and professional approach to racing. Of course everyone supporting the team wants results but everybody knows that will take time. We certainly have the capabilities and the tools to do the job. I know Mike very well from our time at other teams and I have a lot of faith in his technical operation.”

What do you think of having Heikki as a team-mate?

“It’s great to have a younger driver like Heikki on board. He has been in Formula 1 for a few years now, so he has matured into a competitive and well-rounded race driver. His experiences at other teams will certainly help Lotus F1 Racing as a whole and I am looking forward to working alongside him. He is bringing a different character and driving style to the team which I think will benefit all of us during 2010.”

Heikki Kovalainen

You are entering your fourth season as a Formula 1 race driver by joining a brand new team in Lotus F1 Racing – what factors were behind your decision to join the team?

For me there were a couple of major factors – Tony and Mike being the two leading figures in the project, and the backing behind the team were both very important, and having spoken to both of them I became aware that the whole operation has a lot of potential, and a very good chance of being a successful team in the future.  I saw Lotus F1 Racing as the best choice for me to progress my career, after considering several other options that were available to me.

What have you seen of the team so far?

I have visited the base of the team, as well as meeting Tony and Mike, and I can see that everyone involved is very motivated, excited and happy to be pushing this program forwards. The team has ambitious plans for the future and everyone will see Lotus F1 Racing in Bahrain GP as a professional, competitive yet very humble group of intelligent individuals.

What do you think of your new team-mate Jarno?

I have known Jarno for many years now and I think together we can push the team forwards very quickly, and develop our car and the team in a professional way.

Do you have any specific targets for your first season with the team?

I always race to win and I will do everything as if I was preparing to put the car on pole, but of course we have to be realistic and keep the focus on developing the team to a state where we can operate like any other current top F1 team. It will not be easy and we will have tough times at the beginning, there’s no question about it, but as long as we keep improving all the way through the year and have the earned respect of the other top teams on the grid, then we can be pleased about the first year.

Does the Lotus name add any pressure on you or the team?

Well maybe at the beginning we will get away with some difficulties, but of course Lotus has been a winning team in the past and, like I said earlier, the team has ambitious plans to become successful, so after a little while we need to be making progress to keep the Lotus name at its current high status.

Tony Fernandes

There has been a lot of speculation recently about the driver line-up. How did you reach your decision?

“Firstly, I would like to say this is an historic day for all us at Lotus F1 Racing as we announce our first driver line-up. We have three drivers who I believe complement each other excellently and who I think represent what Lotus F1 Racing and 1Malaysia is all about. That is not to say it was a straight-forward decision because we spoke with other drivers who I rate very highly, but ultimately we have opted for a careful mix of experience, youth and ambition. In Jarno we have the F1 veteran who proved in 2009 that he is as quick and determined as ever. In Heikki we have a continuing rising star who is still hungry to prove himself, and in Fairuz we have a Malaysian national driver who is eager to progress up the F1 ladder to fulfill the hopes of a nation. It’s the full package if you ask me.”

What do you expect from the drivers in 2010?

“It is more a question of what we all expect from each other rather than just from the drivers. 2010 will be the first season for Lotus F1 Racing and we have a lot to achieve in a short space of time. As with any new venture, it is a case of ‘all hands on deck’. Everybody has a vital role to play but it is about bringing a new team together and gelling. The drivers each bring different experience to the team and I think the combination of their skills will help us quickly establish ourselves as the ones to watch in 2010 and beyond.”

Did you ever think you would see two race winning drivers in the team’s first season?

“I am still pinching myself. We have not even finished our first race car, so to attract two race winning drivers to the team is a huge achievement and honour. I think it is a testament to our ambition and our long-term vision that we have such talent on our books in year one. It is further proof that we are serious about what we do and I am sure the other new teams are looking at us with some envy right now.”

You have also unveiled the new team logo…

“We have thought long and hard about our team brand and logo, and I am very pleased with the end result. F1 aficionados will immediately recognise the classic green and yellow colour of Lotus, but we have given it a modern twist which is essentially what this team is about. We are not pretending to be the Lotus of the past, but we are honoured to be able to bring the name back into Formula 1 at the start of a new decade of racing. We will draw on its heritage and use it to inspire and motivate our team, Lotus F1 Racing. I hope everybody likes the logo and enjoys a small glimpse into the livery of our race cars for our first season.”

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I was just reading a thread about Google Wave on Seloc where someone posted this pic – seems pretty accurate to me so far!

There are clearly some very clever ideas in Wave, and I can see some of them being very useful… but will it ever replace email?  Not sure to be honest… whilst email is old tech, its strength is that everyone on the internet has an email address, and probably knows how to use it to send and receive messages.  Will Wave ever be that ubiquitous?

Giving away the server component is probably a good start, and I guess embedding it into GMail would probably help too.  But even with a free server component, how may clients will there be?  Will people want to check their email and their waves?  I have to admit when I first looked at Wave I wondered if I could set it up to send me an email alert when there was an update… then realised that was probably missing Google’s point :)

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To be honest there’s not a whole lot of information out there… the teams website is still very much under construction, but it does seem like cars are coming along nicely.  There’s a nice pic or two of them undergoing wind tunnel testing, but not much else.

In terms of driver line-up there have been plenty of rumours, but as far as I know no real announcements.  Jarno Trulli is a name that keeps coming up, now of course being free of his Toyota commitments following their exit from F1.  Jarno has worked with Mike Gascoigne before at Jordan, Renault and Toyota so may well be a good bet.   Interestingly Toyota’s stand-by driver from the last couple of races Kamui Kobayashi has said he’d be interesting in a Lotus drive.  Given his speed and how entertaining he was I hope he gets a drive somewhere in 2010.

Jake Humphrey from the BBC F1 team spent some time at the new factory last week and posted up this pic of the garage… looks like Classic Team Lotus have been lending a hand :)

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If you have one of the Microsoft webcams or headsets you’ll no doubt be aware that the the Call Button (by default) opens up Windows Live Messenger.  If you’re in a businesses that uses Office Communications Server however that’s probably not much use, you’ll actually want it to open up Office Communicator instead.

The other day I stumbled across this article on the MS site that provides an administrative template (adm) that will allow a company using Active Directory to configure the Call Button to trigger Office Communicator.  It’s a little thing I know, but it makes for a nicer user experience if you have MS hardware.

Anyways… essentially you need to save the following code into a .adm file, import this into a Group Policy and use that policy to configure your computers/users (more information on AD and Group Policy can be found here).  Obviously don’t mess around with AD or Group Policy unless you know what you are doing, and test everything before applying settings to end users!

CLASS MACHINE

CATEGORY !!MSHW

POLICY !!EnableMOCIntegration
KEYNAME "Software\Policies\Microsoft\Hardware"
EXPLAIN !!EnableMOCIntegrationExplain
VALUENAME "EnableMOCIntegration"
 VALUEON  NUMERIC 1
 VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0
END POLICY

END CATEGORY

[strings]
MSHW="Microsoft Hardware"
EnableMOCIntegration="EnableMOCIntegration"
EnableMOCIntegrationExplain="Enables MOC Integration"

; Online Help Strings
ADM_TITLE="Group Policy settings for Microsoft Hardware"
COMPUTER="Computer Configuration"
COMPUTER_EXPLAIN="Contains computer settings only."
SUPPORTEDON="Requirements:"

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Working for a company that designs some pretty impressive buildings (here or here) this video caught my eye when I saw it on Laughing Squid today.  Whilst the Burj Dubai isn’t one of ours, it’s equally impressive and this video, shot from the top of the spire, shows just how tall the building is.  I’m not sure how much I’d like being up there!

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From a fantastic set of pictures from Nasa’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on the Boston Globe’s Big Picture site.  The MRO has been orbiting Mars for a few years now sending back hi-res images of the planets surface.  The images are a real mixture of familiar looking landscapes and alien details like the swirls in the image above.

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