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News – Universal mobile charger

Dave — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:51:13 +0000

Isn’t it daft how the computer industry can standardise itself with the USB connector, but all our mobile phones use different power adaptors – sometimes even within the same brand (you reading Nokia?). Well it looks like being a problem no longer!

According to an article on the Guardian website yesterday a new universal charger has been agreed amongst the major phone companies. I notice that Apple is missing from the list at this point though, I wonder if we’ll see interfaces arrive to get round this?

Meowcam – Iphone app for cat photography

Dave — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 23:59:43 +0000

As a photographer who loves to take portraits I appreciate how important it is to build a rapport with your subject and keep them interested. But how do you make that connection with our feline friends?

Japanese startup Appliya have launched an Iphone photo application which includes a button to make a meow noise to get the cat’s attention before you take the shot.

Appliya also make Bow Cam and Baby Cam with similar buttons and different noises. I wonder what noise Student Cam would make?

Iphone app of the week – WordPress

Dave — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:59:25 +0000

I bet that sometime in your life you’ve been told to keep a notepad handy to record that winning idea that will make you a million bucks.

I’m still waiting for that idea, but in the meantime if I think of a topic to blog about you can bet that I’m not anywhere near a PC. That’s where the WordPress Iphone application comes into its own.

WordPress has arguably been the blogging channel of choice for a few years now. You can host the files yourself or let WordPress do it for you, and only Google’s Blogger service really comes close to a similar platform. And this application lets you compose and edit posts from anywhere with a mobile signal.

After downloading the app, you need to go to your WordPress settings and activate XML-RPC remote publishing in the Writing section. Then it’s just a case of putting in your URL, username and password and away you go.

It’s great if you have a topic you think of on the move – for instance I’m sat in the car writing this while Wifey shops. Once I’ve finished I can either publish the post, or save it to draft locally (on my Iphone) or on the web server. I tend to start a draft and sketch out ideas for the post, save it to draft then complete it when I get home.

A new version of the app is in beta with some cool new features. Read about version 1.2 of the WordPress application here.

Iphone Application of the week – Focalware

Dave — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:16:53 +0000

As featured on Scott Kelby’s blog last week, Focalware is my first Iphone application of the week.

If you’re a landscape photographer and you visit a new location it’s really useful to know where the sun will rise and set for those killer knockout landscapes. This application uses the GPS function on the Iphone to calculate the directions based on your current position.

An update due in February will also allow you to save data for custom locations, magnetic declination and times for dusk, dawn and solar noon.

Follow the link below to see the application (requires Itunes):

Focalware application on Itunes