Photomarathon.co.uk

I’m determined to shoehorn this in one way or another :)

Those with a 35mm camera (film, remember that?) may want to consider entering the PhotoMarathon competition that is scheduled for the 16th June.

It’s basically a time bound photography competition, during which photographers are encouraged to take photos in/ around Cardiff that reflect their interpretation of a variety of themes.

I know it isn’t digital, and it isn’t at all online, but it is quite a cool concept and I’m already thinking of how the web could take part in making it interactive…

Microsoft "Surface" - next steps in UI

Ever since watching Minority Report, I've been waiting for this sort of thing:

Microsoft Surface

Street level images come to Google Maps

360 degree photos of streets come to Google Maps, yay!


Only in the U.S. for the time being, boo...

Where to find Welsh language software

Kevin Donnelly, the man behind Welsh language versions of the Gnome and KDE Linux desktop environments, has started a directory of cross-platform software that can be used in Welsh, not dissimilar to the updates about Welsh language software you can find at Meddal.

So far Donnelly’s directory includes:

The KnotsBag vector graphics software which allows you to create intricate Celtic knotwork patterns, making it ideal for tattoo designers with a penchant for maths, amongst others.

kTranslator, a program to translate words from one language to another.

QCAD, for 2D computer-aided drawing.

To Bach, the little utility from Draig Technology (based in Bangor) that allows you type diacritic marks when typing in Welsh.

Donnelly is welcoming submissions, so if you know of any cross-platform software that can be used in Welsh, contact him via his blog.

Important considerations when building a website

Another good article from A List Apart:

http://alistapart.com/articles/educatingstakeholders

Although aimed at web designers, there are some very useful lessons in here for anyone considering [re]building a website in the current legislative climate.

Our goal must be to equip decision-makers with the knowledge they need to make sensible and informed choices about development.

The purpose of this article is to show you how to do this by means of a simple process of stakeholder education. This will enable you to explain the main factors that shape web deliberations and help “set the scene” for future decision making.

Google under your skin

Over in the US on Tuesday, it was announced that Google invested almost $4m in 23andMe. 23andMe is a privately held genetics company that promises to help consumers understand and browse their own genetic information - "Don't panic - we're here to help". The Wall Street Journal stated that 23andMe "aims to unite people with copies of their genetic blueprint" but it’s not Google’s first investment into genetics. In 2005, the search giant invested in Craig Venter’s genome project (which is in direct competition with the Human Genome Project). Venter’s vision is to work with Google to catalogue the genome and make it searchable.


Now I’m more than happy allowing Google to ‘read’ my blog and visit my site on a daily basis but I’m not as happy allowing them to sequence my genetic code. Who will then own my code – Google or me? Whatever happens with these investments, their vision to collate and organise the world’s data is defiantly moving on.


Saying that, who needs Google when you've got TV? The BBC Wales and Yellow Duck programme ‘Coming Home’ did a great job of uniting the likes of Donny Osman and Petula Clark with their Welsh roots. Finding out that Paul Daniels, the renowned magician and conjurer, is an 1/8th Welsh pu a big healthy smile on my face. Even Google couldn’t have guessed that Debbie McGee husband had connections to Carmarthen.

Boom a bust a boom

Online retailing has grown at its fastest rate since the dotcom bust reports the BBC. The figures are big and the results so far attribute this to more of us having broadband. The headline figures are amazing and apparently by 2011 almost 9% of all retail transactions will be online (wayhey!).

We’ve seen several local Welsh e-tailers do very well JoJo Maman Bebe for one and trendy eco clothing shifter Howies as well as a ‘clicks and mortar’ outfits like Welsh Whisky. I even notice that even high end Jeweller Clive Ranger is starting to dabble with the big ‘e’.

Children forbidden from using Google

I don't know where the legal ramifications of this, but it does re-raise the question of "what point is there in terms and conditions no-one reads..."?

http://blog.outer-court.com/archive/2007-05-24-n26.html

Roger Browne in the forum points out the following passage from the Google Terms of Service (US):

"Your use of Google’s ... web sites ... is subject to the terms of a legal agreement between you and Google ... You may not use the Services and may not accept the Terms if ... you are not of legal age to form a binding contract with Google"

Roger comments, “Probably every schoolchild in the developed world is breaking Google’s Terms of Service. How can lawyers be so far out of touch with how the web works?” (Is there a lawyer in the room?)

Online ads up 35% in 2006

Interactive Advertising Bureau releases results of recent survey in conjunction with PWC: http://www.iab.net/resources/ad_revenue.asp, then 2006 Full Year Results (190k pdf)

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) today released the Internet Advertising Revenue Report which shows record results for the full year and final quarter of 2006. Internet advertising revenues in the U.S. continued upward totaling $16.9 billion in 2006, a new annual record exceeding 2005 by 35%. Q4 2006 internet advertising revenues totaled $4.8 billion, representing record revenues for a single quarter and a 35% increase over same period in 2005.

And I struggle getting reception on parts of the M4.

Rod Barber made two mobile calls and sent a text from the top of Everest. I know of several places on my 5 mile drive home from the office in the centre of Cardiff where my orange signal disappears without fail, and God does it get on my nerves.

I’m obviously impressed, but why oh why would you want to do that? I love mountains and I like technology, but the whole reason people go up the blessed things is to get away from it all….

Make $70 million a year through registering domains

A fascinating article on a quiet multi-millionaire, who has built his wealth registering hundreds of thousands of misspelled domains.

When Ham wants a domain, he leans over and quietly instructs an associate to bid on his behalf. He likes wedding names, so his guy lifts the white paddle and snags Weddingcatering.com for $10,000. (...) When it's all over, Ham strolls to the table near the exit and writes a check for $650,000. It's a cheap afternoon.

I wish my afternoons were that "cheap" ;)

Panorama Wifi scare roundly criticised

http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2084218,00.html

The programme's evidence was criticised as "grossly unscientific" by Malcolm Sperrin, director of medical physics and clinical engineering at Royal Berkshire hospital. "It's impossible to draw any sort of conclusion from the data as presented there."

*So* disappointed in the BBC.

Internet death threat (but not in Cardiff yet?)

On Monday the BBC’s panorama programme will be looking at the possible health side effects of using WiFi across our cities, possibly prompted by the similar story in the Telegraph.

I notice that they mention that 12 cities are now completely covered by WiFi, and looking at the BT Openzone press release does this mean that Cardiff is already covered? I don't think it is...

Keeping in mind I haven’t watched it yet, am not a scientist and know very little about what happens when 802.11 networks get busy… legal WiFi kit operates at very low power outputs (0.1 watt) compared to the average mobile phone handset (of nearer 2 watts), I'm personally more worried about risks from a saturated mobile network than a busy WiFi cloud.

Anyway, if you’ve got more exciting things to do on Monday evening, an on demand webcast will be available to watch on the Beeb’s website.

S4C content available on demand to students via broadband

From icWales:

The channel has teamed up with Abercynon-based internet protocol television (IPTV) specialist Inuk Networks to make S4C digidol available free-of-charge to students living in halls of residence across the UK.

S4C digidol – which unlike sister channel S4C doesn’t broadcast any English language content – will be carried on Inuk’s IPTV Freewire TV service, which students are able to access on their own computers via the high speed Janet network.

Online sales of clothing overtakes geek goods

From the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/14/technology/14clothing.html

For the first time since online retailing was born a decade ago, the sales of clothing have overtaken those of computer hardware and software, suggesting that consumers have reached a new level of comfort buying merchandise on the Web.

Young women largest demographic of web users

A surprising article from the BBC on the latest demographics of web users:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6662469.stm

"Young women are now the most dominant group online in the UK, according to new research from net measurement firm Nielsen/NetRatings"

Looks like the days of the 'net being a tool for young male geeks is long gone...

BBC New Media: "Death by Strangulation"

An interesting post from Monday's Media Guardian (needs registration):
http://media.guardian.co.uk/mediaguardian/story/0,,2079046,00.html

The BBC has set itself a very ambitious task with their iPlayer, but can they deliver?

Wales buying in Welsh

The national procurement website for Wales (Sell2Wales) has started to allow public sector buyers to publish notices in English and Welsh.

The Welsh Language board and National Library of Wales have both published (below European threshold) notices using the facility, and when the goods or services they are buying need a demonstrable ability to use Welsh, then why shouldn’t they conduct the buying process in Welsh as well….?

APS WAG WWW

A slightly confused icWales article heralds that our brothers and sisters at the Senedd have got a new website. In reality I *think* it’s just the APS bit that’s new, as the WAG bit looks to be the same.

The new Assembly Parliamentary Service website is live and it is to mark the separation between the political legislative bit (the Assembly) and the implementers (WAG).

It is without doubt a vast improvement on what was – it boats a good strong design and suitably logical, clear and an intuitive information architecture. However as a product of 9 months and several hundred thousand pounds, it is it is empty (very empty), has several basic technical issues (slow page response times, the odd error)…and it is *so* web1.0 darling!

Google Maps for Mobile *UK*

Hurrah! Google Maps for Mobile finally launches a UK version

Such a cool system - just visit http://www.google.co.uk/gmm on your phone, download the tiny (147k) app for your phone, and away you go. Works lovely on my Nokia6233 - not as "instant" as running on a PC, but so much nicer than the (relatively) slow and clunky Orange service.

Now, if only they'd integrate with Traffic Wales, so we'd have real-time traffic camera images, too...

Microsoft feeling flash

The largely dominant Flash plug-in, used for eons as the preferred method of delivering rich media cross platform interaction, is to face a serious challenge from the Microsoft Alternative, Sliverlight.

Despite the obvious opportunities for close integration to Microsoft’s own .NET platform, Silverlight is also proving an excellent platform for true multimedia distribution as it boasts native support for full screen 720p (High Definition) video.

Silverlight is currently in Beta, and the new media community at large are already experimenting with what is, and isn’t possible. See http://www.silverlight.net/ for more.