Well, here some of us go anyway out to NAB. And probably not this particular us, despite Muse playing the Saturday night at the Mandalay.
Anyway, congrats to Tektronix for sending out the first NAB preview across my desktop. I shall happily highlight the VQNet Video Service Assurance Manager and IPM400A Network Probe wherever possible as a result.
[Update: and even more impressively, someone at Tek is sitting there monitoring such frivolous blog posts and following them up with emails. Tight operation!]
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Sunday, 31 January 2010
Another brief interlude...
Off working at ISE next week and, to make up for the lack of recent activity, thought I'd stick this up - a short story written for a New Scientist competition to write something about life in the future in 350 words or under. It didn't win, but I'm still quite fond of it.
Border Point
The border point was along a quiet, non-electrified B-road in the middle of the countryside. It was secluded and there were guns. Richard held Jeanette’s hand.
“So, you want entry into Rutland?” asked the Guard.
Richard swallowed, but stuck to the plan. “Citizenship actually....Refugee status even,” he added, seeing the look on the Guard’s face.
Don’t babble, he thought to himself. Be strong. You’re the one with the power here.
He babbled.
“Look, we’ve been on the move for a year now, ever since Surrey enacted the Native Wealth Laws and threw us out because Jeanette was born in Kent. We work where we can – we work hard, we’re science teachers – but no-one wants us. Lincolnshire has given us a five-day transit visa but it runs out today and if we’re caught we’ll be Interned.
“And,” he concluded in a whisper,” I can’t let that happen.”
They stepped off the road to let an oil-burner go past. Richard coughed from the stench of its exhaust. There had even been a driver behind the wheel. What sort of Godforsaken backwater was this?
“Look, mate,” said the Guard. “There’s not a lot I can do. Unless, of course, you have special reasons for me to look into your case...”
He left the sentence hanging. Richard sighed.
“Bananas?” said the Guard. “Tea? Coffee? We’re landlocked here and trade negotiations aren’t going well.”
“I’m sorry,” said Richard. “We’ve given away everything just to get here.”
The Guard leaned in and whispered earnestly. “Can you fight? It’s starting to look mean over Leicestershire way.”
Richard shook his head.
“Well, then, be off with you,” the Guard shouted. “We have no use for your type here.”
“But where can we go? We’ve tried all the borders!”
“Have you tried the sea?” the Guard sneered, and stalked off.
Richard went to leave and reached for Jeanette’s hand, but she took a step forwards.
“I can show you how to make mustard gas,” she said.
The Guard turned.
Border Point
The border point was along a quiet, non-electrified B-road in the middle of the countryside. It was secluded and there were guns. Richard held Jeanette’s hand.
“So, you want entry into Rutland?” asked the Guard.
Richard swallowed, but stuck to the plan. “Citizenship actually....Refugee status even,” he added, seeing the look on the Guard’s face.
Don’t babble, he thought to himself. Be strong. You’re the one with the power here.
He babbled.
“Look, we’ve been on the move for a year now, ever since Surrey enacted the Native Wealth Laws and threw us out because Jeanette was born in Kent. We work where we can – we work hard, we’re science teachers – but no-one wants us. Lincolnshire has given us a five-day transit visa but it runs out today and if we’re caught we’ll be Interned.
“And,” he concluded in a whisper,” I can’t let that happen.”
They stepped off the road to let an oil-burner go past. Richard coughed from the stench of its exhaust. There had even been a driver behind the wheel. What sort of Godforsaken backwater was this?
“Look, mate,” said the Guard. “There’s not a lot I can do. Unless, of course, you have special reasons for me to look into your case...”
He left the sentence hanging. Richard sighed.
“Bananas?” said the Guard. “Tea? Coffee? We’re landlocked here and trade negotiations aren’t going well.”
“I’m sorry,” said Richard. “We’ve given away everything just to get here.”
The Guard leaned in and whispered earnestly. “Can you fight? It’s starting to look mean over Leicestershire way.”
Richard shook his head.
“Well, then, be off with you,” the Guard shouted. “We have no use for your type here.”
“But where can we go? We’ve tried all the borders!”
“Have you tried the sea?” the Guard sneered, and stalked off.
Richard went to leave and reached for Jeanette’s hand, but she took a step forwards.
“I can show you how to make mustard gas,” she said.
The Guard turned.
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
Today's tasks
1. Update blog (man, that was easy)
2. Sort out TVBe email
3. Sort out BVE email. Actually, perhaps even get ahead and sort out two BVE emails
4. Deal with facetious PR people
5. Check over Broadcast 5.1 feature
6. Go see Wolfmother
7. Really get to grips with Liferay CMS this time round
8. Walk dog/buy food/cook/remember to breathe etc.
9. Amend list of recommended PRs (see 4)
2. Sort out TVBe email
3. Sort out BVE email. Actually, perhaps even get ahead and sort out two BVE emails
4. Deal with facetious PR people
5. Check over Broadcast 5.1 feature
6. Go see Wolfmother
7. Really get to grips with Liferay CMS this time round
8. Walk dog/buy food/cook/remember to breathe etc.
9. Amend list of recommended PRs (see 4)
Thursday, 14 January 2010
12 Trends to Watch in 2010
The Electronic Frontier Foundation's list of a dozen things that could affect electronic civil liberties in 2010...
12 Trends to Watch in 2010 | Electronic Frontier Foundation
12 Trends to Watch in 2010 | Electronic Frontier Foundation
Sunday, 3 January 2010
Meanwhile...
It has come to my attention that, after a two week layoff, tomorrow is Monday the 4th of January and it's time to start being economically productive again.
So, today = copious cups of tea and looking out the window at the birds, listening to the cricket from Cape Town and wondering if it's going to snow again later.
Tomorrow = steadily increasing amounts of judicious panic while listening to the cricket from Cape Town. It's going to be a busy January...
So, today = copious cups of tea and looking out the window at the birds, listening to the cricket from Cape Town and wondering if it's going to snow again later.
Tomorrow = steadily increasing amounts of judicious panic while listening to the cricket from Cape Town. It's going to be a busy January...
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
It's patently obvious
According to the New York Daily News, patent analysis by Thomson and Reuters points to a real upswing in patents related to 3D viewing. Now, whether this in turn means that the technology is a definite winner is, of course, a bit more contested. But the effort is certainly there...
"* 3-D TV in Your Living Room: It will only be a matter of time before you can enjoy 3-D television programs from your couch. From 2003 to 2008, patent activity in the 3-D television space grew by 69%. Breakthrough new technologies include lenticular lenses, which create a more natural 3-D viewing experience without the need for special glasses.
* Capture Moments With 3-D Photos: 3-D photographic technology is also on the rise; it grew by 57% from 2003 to 2009 as the digital camera industry works to combat declines in other areas.
* 3-D Glasses Are Big Business: A great deal of 3-D cinema innovation has less to do with movie production than it does with ancillary products. From 2003 to 2008, patent activity in the 3-D cinema space grew by 45%. Areas receiving the most attention include: projection systems, specialized glasses, cleaning apparatus and registration systems for glasses."
More (and a distressing habit of spelling 3D as 3-D) here.
"* 3-D TV in Your Living Room: It will only be a matter of time before you can enjoy 3-D television programs from your couch. From 2003 to 2008, patent activity in the 3-D television space grew by 69%. Breakthrough new technologies include lenticular lenses, which create a more natural 3-D viewing experience without the need for special glasses.
* Capture Moments With 3-D Photos: 3-D photographic technology is also on the rise; it grew by 57% from 2003 to 2009 as the digital camera industry works to combat declines in other areas.
* 3-D Glasses Are Big Business: A great deal of 3-D cinema innovation has less to do with movie production than it does with ancillary products. From 2003 to 2008, patent activity in the 3-D cinema space grew by 45%. Areas receiving the most attention include: projection systems, specialized glasses, cleaning apparatus and registration systems for glasses."
More (and a distressing habit of spelling 3D as 3-D) here.
Friday, 18 December 2009
And so...Xmas
Well, not yet. But if you're tried to get anyone in the broadcast industry on the phone or raise them via email today, you'll know that Xmas has started early this year - about a week early. It's Friday the 18th of December, and everyone is either snow-bound and at home or down the pub.
Might as well join them. Peeking through the looking-glass to January, 2010's looking manic.
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