The Creative Life

The Creative Life's New Home - www.blog.thecreativelife.co.uk

2007-01-02T09:45:00.000Z

The Blog has moved to . . . It's New Home
Please remember to bookmark!

iPhoto Time Machine

2006-12-30T17:54:00.000Z

iPhoto is a really agreeable way of reviewing personal events of 2006, as someone who struggles a tad with written language, the visual and organic nature of flicking through time in iPhoto's thumbnail mode is quite appealing. I guess this would also apply to video, but there's never enough time to actually review an entire years worth of video. Note to self: Shorter videos in 2007 please!

Wii Powered By Opera!

2006-12-22T09:30:00.000Z

The Wii web browser channel is now live! You can download Opera from the Wii shopping channel and get surfing. I was quite amazed by the speed and slickness of the experience, though there are a couple of things missing that I'm sure the final version will contain. Check out the video to see how quick it is and also to see how it deals with Flash, bookmarking and the like.

Link to the video on Blip.tv

Tech Stuff: Filmed on a Nokia N93

Nokia N93 Video Stabilization Test

2006-12-20T12:55:00.000Z

Due to some trouble with Blogger and Blip.tv on the same day, this post has been messing me around. So to keep things simple, here are the links to view the original MP4 files.

Stabilization On
Stabilization Off

Check the videos and see for yourself - the the video shot with stabilization on actually appears to be worse. You can see that there clearly is some kind of processing going on, but it seems to create it's own set on problems. Perhaps this is something that could be fixed in firmware?

Eight Core Mac Pro Madness!

2006-12-20T11:16:00.000Z

Geek Patrol | Eight Core Mac Pro Benchmarks
Soon we'll have one core for every app that's currently running. At the time of writing this post I have seven apps running using a total of 80% of my available processing power (Intel Core Duo at 2ghz). Some would argue that multiple cores is not the way the industry needs to go, I would tend to disagree with that. Yes there are obviously diminishing returns, especially when running only two or three applications, but as RAM gets cheaper and cheaper people are going to want to leave applications running - ripping a DVD whilst transcoding a movie for playback on my Nokia N93, whilst designing a logo in illustrator at the same time as uploading a file to Bliptv is pretty much a standard snapshot of my Mac usage these days. The more CPU cores the merrier I say!

One Laptop Per Child

2006-12-20T08:49:00.000Z

The OLPC Wiki - OLPCWiki

"Why do children in developing nations need laptops?

Laptops are both a window and a tool: a window into the world and a tool with which to think. They are a wonderful way for all children to "learn learning" through independent interaction and exploration.
What is the alternative for education? The laptop is cheaper than two or three ordinary textbooks, but gives access to the entire wealth of information on the Internet. This is for children who cannot walk to a library, and are out of range of any kind of television, educational, commercial, or otherwise."

It would seem that the very first production models of this amazing $100 laptop are out in the wild and reaction of all who have seen one is resoundingly positive.

Apple Nokia iPod Phone!

2006-12-19T14:06:00.000Z

Over at www.nokiaring.com they had a rumour about a rumour, about a rumour, about Apple and Nokia working together to create the iPod Phone. The idea was that Apple would add it's coolness to the Nokia N95. Whilst the prospect of these two highly respected companies working together is exciting, there seems to be zero evidence to support it. After reading this post I got to thinking about The Creative Life blog and it's ranking in Google when searching for the Nokia N93. In Most search terms The Creative Life was listed a few pages down, however the term "N93 iMovie" put The Creative Life at number 1, 2, 3 and 4. I can't quite make up my mind if this means that there really aren't many Nokia N93/Mac owners out there or if iMovie is so much of a standard and so very easy to use that nobody bothers to even mention it. Just a small tip to everyone editing the Nokia N93 movies in iMovie - try using the iSight import settings, I know it sounds odd but it makes for a much easier editing experience. The iMovie file will be bigger than a standard MP4 iMovie file and you will loose a very tiny amount of edge detail but the trade off in terms of speed and ease is well worth it.

N93 iMovie - Google Search

Wii Can Change!

2006-12-19T08:47:00.000Z

So my Nintendo Wii finally arrived yesterday. It's too early for my full thoughts on the decisions that Nintendo made when designing their 5th console, however I can already say, with only a couple of Wii hours logged, that the Wii changes everything. I still not convinced that Nintendo can win this latest round in the console wars, but I am certain that the Wii will be remembered as one of the most influencial designs in game, and indeed computing, history.

For those of you who are still waiting (and waiting . . .) to get your Wii, why not start designing your Mii now? http://www.thewiiexperience.com/images/mii.swf

Photo de Amigos!!

2006-12-18T08:56:00.000Z

Amigo Lou.jpg
Originally uploaded by The Creative Life.

Derek came to visit this weekend. As always, it was a pleasure to spent some time with him. Thanks to Phil and Jen for arranging a lovely meal.

Tech Stuff: All the pictures on the flickr page were taken using the Nokia N93. The usefulness of the flash starts to die off at about 3 feet, making it quite handy for close portraits such as these.

Part 2 - The Nokia N93 Low Light Test

2006-12-14T00:15:00.001Z

Part 2 of my Nokia N93 video shoot out. Comparing the video capabilities of the Canon MV630i DV camcorder to the Nokia N93 Smart Phone. In this post I focus on real world recording in an entirely artificially lit room (totalling about 220 watts) In the daylight tests that I posted a few days ago the Nokia N93 came out the overal winner, in this test the opposite is true, the Canon is much better in artificial light. Anyone who has spent some time with the N93 will already know that it really struggles on low-light - artificial or otherwise. If this is to be a deal-breaker or not, will depend on how often you think that your perfect home video or podcast will depend on being able to pick out detail in low light environments. For me it's hardly an issue as a quick review of my home iMovies reveals perhaps only twenty or thirty scenes (out of about a thousand!) that were shot in low light.

This post also includes an initial comparison of the stereo recording ability of the Nokia N93. The soundtrack to these small test videos was recorded by placing each device between two standard surround sound speakers, with the centre speaker about a foot from the device. They'll be more extensive testing of the sound in another post, but for now it would seem that the audio capture of the N93 is more than adequate for the purpose of the device. Though not as clear as the Canon, it doesn't pick up any strange noises from the tape mechanism, thank goodness - this was something that drove me to distraction with the Canon.

Click to Play

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: nokia, n93

Click to Play

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: canon, mv630i

Just How Good is The Nokia N93 at Video?

2006-12-10T00:37:00.000Z

When I was looking to purchase the Nokia N93 I looked to online reviews to give me some idea regarding the quality of it's two main features, almost DVD video capture and 3MP photography.

To be honest, back in September 2006, sample video and photos were in short supply, even now in December 2006 there isn't that much on the net regarding video quality, despite video being one the main selling points of the Nokia N93. So it's with inquisitive potential N93 owners in mind that I now present my N93 video shoot out!

This post contains video samples (at full res) and screen grabs of almost identical video, shot on both the Nokia N93 and a Canon MV 630i Digital Camcorder (Note, this is the UK model number, the American model number may differ). I picked the Canon MV 630i because it's a common DV camcorder and about as close to a standard DV cam and you'll find. It also happens to be the only DV camcorder that I own!

For the details of my analysis please be sure to read the posts below, not forgetting to download the full format video from both the N93 and the Canon MV 630i.

Please note that the Canon is PAL format and the Nokia is in an NTSC style frame format.

EDIT: It would seem that at least one reader considers the Canon video sample to be really quite awful. Though I only own one camcorder (the Canon MV 630i), I have edited video from both Sony and Panasonic camcorders and I'd say that the Canon is only slightly inferior to a budget Song camcorder. Again, please be sure to check the full H.264 versions of the test videos.

Canon Vs Nokia N93 Colour Test

2006-12-10T00:34:00.000Z

Canon Vs Nokia N93 f.png
Originally uploaded by The Creative Life.

The Nokia N93 wins this round. This video was filmed on a cold December day but looking at the Canon frame on the left you might be forgiven for thinking is was late summer. Colour accuracy on outdoor shots is general very good on the Nokia N93, this was a genuine surprise to me as based on my previous experience with Nokia photos and videos (on the 6630 & 3650), I was expecting to have to colour correct almost all the video in iMovie. In low light the N93 is not nearly as accurate, but I'll leave that for another day and another blog post.

Canon Vs Nokia N93 Detail Test

2006-12-10T00:26:00.000Z

Canon Vs Nokia N93 e.png
Originally uploaded by The Creative Life.

The Nokia N93 wins - just! I used the optical zoom on the N93 to try and get a similar framing to the Canon capture. Clearly there is more detail on the Nokia N93 video, just look at the texture of the boards on the walkway. The N93 is not without fault however, take a close look at the strange blurring on the boards to the left and on the water's surface in the right. This is a product of the MP4 compression. It would be nice if Nokia were to offer an uncompressed (or slight compressed) video option, MiniSD cards are now becoming very cheap indeed. Even if you could only capture about 30 minutes on a 2GB MiniSD it would, in my opinion, be worth the extra space used. When viewing N93 video on a standard CRT TV this compression artifacting is almost a non issue, but on a large LCD TV or computer display it becomes a problem. Perhaps there are bandwidth issues that prevent Nokia from allowing an uncompressed capture mode.

Canon Vs Nokia N93 Sunlight Test

2006-12-10T00:15:00.000Z

Canon Vs Nokia N93 d.png
Originally uploaded by The Creative Life.

I'm going to call this one a draw. Though the Canon has more detail it looks somewhat unnatural to me.

Canon Vs Nokia N93 Zoom Test

2006-12-10T00:11:00.000Z

Canon Vs Nokia N93 c.png
Originally uploaded by The Creative Life.

An easy win for the Canon here. The Nokia, despite the having just about the best zoom of any photo phone, is clearly outclassed in this test. 3X optical zoom verses 20X on the Canon - game over!

Canon Vs Nokia N93 Panning Test

2006-12-10T00:08:00.000Z

Canon Vs Nokia N93 b.png
Originally uploaded by The Creative Life.

Another win for the Nokia N93. The Nokia is filming in progressive, the Canon is interlaced and it shows! Though motion on the N93 is not perfect , sometimes dropping the odd frame or two, it is still more natural (in this scene at least) than the Canon.

Canon Vs Nokia N93 Final Verdict!

2006-12-10T00:04:00.000Z

Canon Vs Nokia N93 a.png
Originally uploaded by The Creative Life.

In this sequence the Nokia N93 wins.

More accurate colours and a shaper image give a much more realistic rendition of the actual scene. The Verdict: To be honest, just looking at these screen grabs is not going to give you a totally accurate feel for the quality of video that the Nokia N93 can capture. In truth, the video just has a completely different look and feel to standard DV video capture. It's not always as warm as DV but in daylight at least, it's nearly always a more vivid capture. Soon I will be comparing video in low light and indoor light, which will should prove interesting . . . check back in a few days.

Nokia N93 Test Video In Full

2006-12-09T23:15:00.000Z

Click to Play

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Canon MV 630i Test Video In Full

2006-12-09T23:13:00.000Z

Click to Play

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

How long until the mobile is the heart of entertainment? | The Register

2006-12-04T15:01:00.000Z

How long until the mobile is the heart of entertainment? | The Register : "Our best guess is that the handset will begin to emerge as the heart of all entertainment in the 2010 to 2012 time frame." - Sounds about right to me.

Otter Escape!

2006-11-28T23:28:00.000Z

Click to Play

Filmed by Louise on her Samsung phone at the Weymouth Sealife Centre. Though not as accomplished as the Nokia N93, it seems that the diminutive Samsung is rather good at video.

Formats available: MPEG4 Video (.mp4)

Tags: sealife, samsung, otter, weymouth, phone, centre

The Truth About Blogs!

2006-11-28T22:13:00.000Z

True . . . true.

"I feel the need, the need for speed"!!

2006-11-28T11:37:00.000Z

Need for Speed: Carbon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Take a good look at the picture above . . . all done? Right, now imagine that scene, complete with all the motion blur and reflections at a glorious 30 to 60 frames per second! That pretty much sums up EA's, Need For Speed - Carbon. Honestly, this is the most exciting driving game that I've played since F-Zero X or to a lesser extent, Metropolis Street Racer. The handling may not be accurate, but the shear thrill of leaving the '50' (the police) standing is quite amazing. I've been running Need for Speed on my MacBook Pro in Windows XP so I haven't been able to push it up to the highest resolution available, but it looks only slightly inferior to the XBOX 360 version. I'm sure that one of the new Core 2 Duo MacBook Pros or even the new iMac could run the game at it finest detail settings. Also of note is the difficulty curve. It's paced perfectly, for me at least. You never feel as if you've been robbed, yet there is always pressure to win, and in style!

The one thing that has really changed my whole perception of driving games on the PC is using a USB Playstation 2 controller adaptor. Being able to use the Dual-Shock instead of the keyboard or some other duff PC joypad makes all the difference in the world.

Nokia - Music Mixer

2006-11-28T08:25:00.000Z

Music Mixer
Make you own ring tones and upload them to your phone. This looks like fun. I should imagine that a more comprehensive version of this little web app could prove to be very popular - kind of like a Garageband SuperLite.

Get a Mac - TV Ads

2006-11-28T08:16:00.000Z

Apple - Get a Mac - Watch The TV Ads
It seems Apple's cheeky 'Get a Mac' adverts are working, they certainly get people talking. I wonder if we'll ever see them broadcast over here . . .

One Weekend in November

2006-11-24T14:26:00.000Z

Click to Play

Paul, Aline and Sophia move to Brazil in just a few days. Louise and I said our goodbyes this last weekend. As always it was a relaxing and enjoyable time, though obviously there was a tinge of sadness in the air as their stay came to an end. On a positive note, thanks to Vanessa we managed to do some vigorous Skype (video) chat testing as a prelude of future chats across the Atlantic. It worked remarkably well and will certainly make the pain of separation that much easier to endure. Paul, Aline and Sophia, we love you more than perhaps you'll ever know.

Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (protected) (.m4v)

Tags: n93, corfe, swanage, weymouth, nokia, seaside, castle

MUSE Live at Cardiff Arena!

2006-11-15T00:15:00.000Z

Click To Play

Massive thanks to James for arranging what was one of most incredible music experiences of my life! So many classic moments that I simply don't have the time to relate them all here. Needless to say MUSE are every bit as good as the rumours suggest . . . and then some! (^_^)

James Morrison

2006-11-10T08:55:00.000Z

James Morrison on MySpace

James Morrison's Undiscovered is an accomplished debut album, though a few of the songs have a similar vibe about them, fortunately that vibe is most certainly a good one!

The Cows

2006-11-06T21:25:00.000Z

Click to Play

I picked up my N93 from the service centre expecting it to find it repaired, only to find that it was not!! (The left mic still does not work). Anyway, on the way home I noticed this scene . . .

Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (protected) (.m4v)

Tags: nokia, cow, dorset, n93

This video was originally shared on blip.tv by TheCreativeLife with a Creative Commons Attribution license.

iLike, iLike Very Much!!

2006-10-26T20:03:00.000Z

What an amazing service! If you have a Mac and like music (or 'legal' free stuff) you MUST have this . . .

Head over to www.ilike.com (yes it's still far to difficult to add links in Blogger on a Mac) and get your iTunes plugin now!

Lemurs!

2006-10-24T11:00:00.000Z

Click to Play

They are not at all camera shy!

Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (protected) (.m4v), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: nokia, lemurs, n93

This video was originally shared on blip.tv by TheCreativeLife with a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Right Place, Right Time

2006-10-23T22:35:00.000Z

Click to Play

it's dead handy having the video camera with you at all times, it means your just ready to go as events unfold.

Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (protected) (.m4v)

Tags: nokia, weymouth, swans, n93

This video was originally shared on blip.tv by TheCreativeLife with a Creative Commons Attribution license.

My First iMovie.

2006-10-20T19:45:00.000Z

Click to Play

Reading Phil's blog post about nostalgia, checking on Dane and Jenny's blog and preparing myself for Paul, Aline and Sophia's departure got me thinking about places I wish we could visit again soon. Anna Maria Island in Florida is such a peaceful place, it's the perfect complement to a week's worth of screaming Disney and Disneyesque excitement that Orlando offers.

Formats available: MPEG4 Video (.mp4), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: family, imovie, anna, maria, florida, island, holiday

"Such tiny teeth" . . .

2006-10-18T21:15:00.000Z

Click to Play

These little fella's seemed only too happy for me to film them with my Nokia N93, that is until I got just a tad to close . . .

Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (protected) (.m4v), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: n93, nokia

$4.84 Billion!!!

2006-10-18T21:14:00.000Z

MacDailyNews | Apple Q4 results: $546M net profit on $4.84B revenue, sold 1.61M Macs, 8.729M iPods

Nice going Apple! 2007 looks as if it's going to be rather interesting . . .

Wii - Experience Videos

2006-10-18T21:11:00.000Z

us.Wii.com - Experience Videos

Love this video - I really hope that the Nintendo Wii truly lives up to the hype.

250 People for Ten Days . . .

2006-10-18T06:50:00.000Z

Sony BRAVIA - The Advert

HDR Photography

2006-10-17T11:42:00.000Z

Fisheyed Stillness
Originally uploaded by Mark Yezbick.

High Dynamic Range Photography produces some spectacular results. I love to try this out myself. It would seem that the key it not to go too far into the high end exposures for fear that the whole scene becomes too surreal.

From Weymouth to New Zealand

2006-10-16T08:55:00.000Z

Click to Play

Hi Dane, this one's for your new iPod! Don't forget to download the main video file linked below.

Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (protected) (.m4v)

Tags: nokia, weymouth, imovie, n93

Portraits

2006-10-13T12:55:00.000Z

See more over at Mark's Flickr archive.

N93 Vs The Web Slinger!

2006-10-11T19:15:00.000Z

Click to Play

Here's a tiny clip from a video I'm working on.

Formats available: MPEG4 Video (.mp4), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: n93, spiderman, nokia

Has It Really Been 2 Years . . .

2006-10-11T18:19:00.000Z

In a couple of weeks it will be the 2 year anniversary of our amazing Brazilian holiday. The experiences that we enjoyed were so amazing that I can remember ever hour of every day as if it was yesterday - it was truly special. I always miss Brazil. Fortunately I have my good friend Paulo to keep me up-to-date with all the crazy antics! (^_^)

Thorpe Park, October 2006

2006-10-10T11:05:00.000Z

Click to Play

Anyone who lives in the UK will realise what a rare privilege it is to have such a gloriously sunny day in October. It really was perfect theme park weather. Thanks for Paul and Aline for arranging everything and giving up their bed for the weekend! Looking back, I seem to have an quite a number of roller-coaster related movies here . . . It's not intentional, it's just the way it's worked out these last few weeks.

Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (protected) (.m4v)

Tags: uk, nokia, october, park, mp4, 2006, h.264, thorpe, n93

Nokia N93 Vs . . . The Darkness?

2006-10-09T20:40:00.000Z

Click to Play

The range on the Nokia N93's light isn't exactly stella, but hey, it's better than nothing right?

Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (protected) (.m4v)

Tags: nokia, light, n93

N93 Vs The Tidal Wave!

2006-10-08T23:15:00.000Z

Click to Play

The idea was to dodge out the way just before the water hit the camera, as you can see I didn't quite move fast enough! The Nokia N93 survived . . . the audio capture was shot for about 1 hour afterwards, but once it had dried out it worked beautifully! More Thorpe Park videos soon . . . (^_^)

Destination New Zealand!

2006-10-03T09:30:00.000Z

Dane, Jenny, Thomas and Molly fly to New Zealand today. We're really going to miss them all so much, Weymouth will never be quite the same. Fortunately the other side of the world has never been so close . . . English Kiwi Blog. Have a great flight guys, we'll see you soon!!

Old School

2006-10-03T07:30:00.000Z

Click to Play

We attended a Ball the other day, the music was on Vinyl, no really it was!

When Cygnets Attack!

2006-09-29T09:35:00.000Z

Click to Play

Needs no description . . . First a head-butt from the cat and now this! They're out to get me! (^_^)

The Nokia N93 Stunt Show

2006-09-27T18:40:00.000Z

Click to Play

The N93 is so 'small', lightweight and generally immediate, that it can be used to film a variety events that you might not try filming with a conventional DV cam . . . take our impromptu 'Miami Vice Stunt Show' for example! This video (the main one on blip.tv) is compressed straight out of iMovie using the new iPod export (found in the 'Expert' option) it's 640 x 480 at about 1.6mbps - the original video, though not perfect, is considerably better quality than this version.

Video Blogging

2006-09-26T21:20:00.000Z

We were just about to climb mount Skiddaw . . . it was a gorgeous September afternoon. Film on the Nokla N93.

The (Pepsi Max) Big One!

2006-09-26T21:05:00.000Z

This was a real work out for the Nokia N93 . . . just watch to find out if the little beauty survived!

Weymouth Harbour

2006-09-25T09:30:00.000Z

Click to Play

Boats coming in and out of the harbour, what a peaceful scene and one which defines what makes Weymouth so special at any time of the year.

Cats Are Quick!

2006-09-21T13:40:00.000Z

Click to Play

Phoebe can move very quickly when see wants to. I surprised her and then she surprised me right back! (^_^)

Sheep Poo!

2006-09-21T13:30:00.000Z

Click to Play

Louise chasing sheep, and Chris finding the poo!

Did I mention . . .

2006-09-18T08:15:00.000Z

. . . that John Mayer’s Continuum is quite amazing? Honestly, what a album! I wish I could afford to buy 200 copies and dish them out to all my friends and family. It has that special quality of performance, not that the song writing is substandard - far from it, it's just that the delivery of the performance, both vocal and guitar, is so very . . . right! . . . love it.

Continuum - John Mayer

2006-09-13T10:05:00.000Z

"Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
Fear is a friend who's misunderstood
But I know the heart of life is good"

Great new album, jam packed full of lovely moving melodies.

The Nokia N93

2006-09-13T08:29:00.000Z

First up, this is a big big phone. So big in fact, that you can only just get away with stashing it in your jeans pocket. There is a reason for the size though - it does a lot of things, most of them very well indeed.

1. Phone
2. Text
3. Email
4. Web Browsing (no, not like Opera mini, think Safari!) via Wireless G or GSM, etc.
5. Video recorder (full 640x480 with 48khz stereo, 30fps MP4)
5b. Video player, including H.264, same as iPod
6. Still Camera (3.2mp with 3X optical zoom
7. Radio
8. MP3 and AAC player
10. Document viewer and editor (MS and Acrobat)
11. Video calling
12. Games machine (with full 3D acceleration)
13. TV out (PAL and NTSC, works will all apps and functions)
14. Calendar, Diary, DoTo, etc. etc.
15. Voice recorder
16. Torch

The most impressive features, the reason why I love this big beauty, are the wireless web browsing and the video recorder, both of which work (almost) flawlessly. The still camera is not quite up to the same standard but still 'good enough' for my needs. One other point of note is just how bright the screen is, it's very bright! To think that these kind of features will become part of all phones sometime before the end of 2008 is quite amazing and probably spells the end of most other devices. Having said that, I guess that the other devices will just have to stay two steps ahead. So perhaps these feature rich phones spell the end of low end devices.

Happy Anniversary

2006-09-11T07:05:00.000Z

I know this is late but . . . Congratulations Paul and Aline on another year of married life! Surely your most eventful year so far. (^_^)

The Lakes

2006-09-10T22:26:00.001Z

We had a really great time in the Lake District this last week. It's easy to see why everyone raves about it some much, it's like a mini Austria! Thanks to everyone for making it such a great holiday, we love you all! (^_^)

I am so far behind . . .

2006-09-10T22:25:00.000Z

I am way, way behind on my posts here, I'm going to try and get up to speed as soon as possible . . .

Razorlight

2006-08-24T06:20:00.000Z

Razorlight by Razorlight is one the best albums I've ever had the pleasure to listen to.

It's sounds somewhat like Crowded House meets Razorlight, if that makes any sense! The guitar work is just gorgeous and the vocal harmonies work so well.

Above all else, every song is incredible singable. Honestly, songs like 'Before I Fall to Pieces', 'America' and 'Kirby's House' will create a brain ich that will niggle you for weeks.

Practice Makes Perfect!

2006-08-10T07:18:00.000Z

GAVIN!

2006-08-05T15:31:00.000Z

It’s a Saturday afternoon, the Kooks are playing on iTunes, Louise is finishing a book by Jeremy Clarkson and I’m installing widgets on the Mac mini / TV combo.

I’ve come across a rather nice Blogger widget, which I’m using to post this entry. It doesn’t appear to have any photo integration, which is a pity as it would be very handy indeed if it did. It does however allow you me to make text bold and italic very easily.

Cats

2006-07-25T23:57:00.000Z

Phoebe.jpg
Originally uploaded by The Creative Life.

Are cats the most photogenic animals on the planet? Quiet possibly.

Happy 14th Anniversary!

2006-07-25T23:52:00.000Z

14th.jpg
Originally uploaded by The Creative Life.

The 20th of July was our anniversary, due to circumstances we decided to stay local this year. Turns out it was a great idea, lunch was lovely.

Brief Encounter

2006-07-25T23:47:00.000Z

Brief Encounter.jpg
Originally uploaded by The Creative Life.

This is quite possibly the best photo in my collection, there is just something so right about it . . . I love it!

Boobs!!

2006-07-25T23:44:00.000Z

Boobs.jpg
Originally uploaded by The Creative Life.

Sometimes even men need a little support! The evening of the 22nd of July was one of the best evenings of the summer, still so hot, even at 9:00! If only these pleasant summer evenings would last . . .(^_-)

I'm Back!

2006-06-27T11:30:00.000Z

I guess there's no real point in ending the blog completely . . . perhaps I was just in one of 'those' moods. :)

Blog. Be Gone!

2006-05-22T09:16:00.000Z

Well that was fun. Blogging is quite time consuming, so this is the last post. I wait with baited breath for the next revolution in publishing! Myspace? Ha! Thanks to all my readers. (Paul, Mark and Phil) Hehe.

Perhaps it’s time for a Podcast? (^_-)

No Wii for me then!

2006-05-10T12:41:00.000Z

Interesting that there was no mentioned of the price last night . . . I expect that when Nintendo got wind of just how expensive the PS3 is going to be they could see a chance to make more money from their Wii.

Wii

2006-05-09T13:06:00.000Z

Should find out a bit more about Nintendo Wii (pronounced ‘We’) tonight. After the awful news regarding the PS3 last night, I fail to see how Nintendo can go for wrong. Just show some great graphics (some just beyond XBOX), some great control options using the ‘Wiimote’ and a price point of $200 — $250. (^_^)

Eyes Open? Open Your Eyes!

2006-05-04T09:33:00.000Z

Snow Patrol’s new album was released on Monday, I think ‘long-awaited’ would be an appropriate phrase to use in connection with this collection. Some have said that it’s not as immediate as ‘Final Straw’, I would agree, but that’s not to say that it’s a bad thing. There’s certainly no lack of emotion here! The last two tracks represent a master class in song structure and lyrical depth . . . ‘Open Your Eyes’ is the most emotionally charged song that I’ve heard since ‘Fix-You’ the last minute of this song is right up there with the best of them, it bought a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes - amazing stuff! This is immediately followed by what I can only describe as truly beautiful, ‘The Finish Line’ is the kind of song I’d like to write one day - simple, melodic, powerful and dreamy, not much to ask then! Hehe. (^_-)

Lovely Picture!

2006-04-13T22:47:00.000Z

Peaceful . . .

Paul, Aline and Sophia

2006-04-12T07:31:00.000Z

Congratulations!!! We’re so proud of all three of you. Looking forward to meeting Sophia for the first time on Sunday! \(^_^)/

Hey Paul, that baby-grow is almost Arsenal red!

Mark and Louise

2006-04-09T07:46:00.000Z

Congratulations Mark and Louise, your first year together!!! Was it really one year ago? What a lovely day it was, lots a great memories.

Your first anniversary falls on a Sunday, that’s the best day for anniversaries, it just seems more special on a Sunday. (^_^) Have a fantastic day!

Wow!!!

2006-04-05T08:53:00.000Z

TheForce.Net - Fan Films - TFN FanFilms | FX Projects | Ryan vs. Dorkman

Easily the best saber effects I’ve seen since the films, download the large version, it’s brilliant stuff!

Wired News: Steve Jobs' Best Quotes Ever

2006-03-29T11:14:00.000Z

Wired News: Steve Jobs' Best Quotes Ever: "'You know, I've got a plan that could rescue Apple. I can't say any more than that it's the perfect product and the perfect strategy for Apple. But nobody there will listen to me.' -- Fortune, Sept. 18, 1995"

I guess he was referring to the iMac, or perhaps, (and this is a wild leap of imagination) something we have not yet seen.

The Gotan Boys are Back!

2006-03-29T08:13:00.000Z

If you like Argentinian Parisian dance music then be sure to check out the new Gotan Project CD on the 10th of April, entitled ‘Lunatico’. Their music is about as infectious as music gets, you’ll love it!

15 Best Skylines in the World

2006-03-27T07:37:00.000Z

15 Best Skylines in the World

What! No mention of Paris or Rio!!! (>_<) Grrr!

Sleep Deprivation: The Great Myth

2006-03-26T15:37:00.000Z

FOXNews.com - Science News - Sleep Deprivation: The Great American Myth

You know when you hear or read something and you think ‘yeah, that makes sense’?

A Pet Hornet!

2006-03-16T09:11:00.000Z

YouTube - Large hornet on hand
Yikes! Not my kind of pet! Look at the size of that thing!

Bits of my face kept falling off . . .

2006-03-15T12:43:00.000Z

We went to have tea with Gail and the kids at the weekend, they made us lovely Pizza and a rather lush icecream for dessert! The quote of the evening was "I'm not picking my nose, I'm just getting something out" (^_^) Classic!

Hello Waveforms?

2006-03-06T12:07:00.000Z

The new album by William Orbit is rather good. 'Sea Green' and 'They Live in The Sky' are both superb, but the real surpirse is 'Spiral' which features the vocal artistry of the Sugababes - just fantastic. I really hope that 'Spiral' is released and promoted properly. On a slightly different note, how cool is that logo?!

Microsoft iPod Packaging!

2006-02-27T18:11:00.000Z

YouTube - microsoft ipod packaging parody
You have to watch this, absolutely fantastic!

The Water Margin

2006-02-27T12:22:00.000Z

The greatest Chinese food I’ve ever tasted. Simply put, it was like eating plates full of pure perfection. (^_^) Mmm.

The Awesome Blogger Widget!

2006-02-24T12:42:00.000Z

This is very cool, go get it now . . . It’s pretty basic at the moment, but it’s a good start.

Random Ramblings

2006-02-23T08:43:00.000Z

Hey cool! It works. Thanks Phil.
Random Ramblings

Flu?

2006-02-14T14:18:00.000Z

About 1 hour ago I felt of wave of flu pass over me. Within the space of a minute I went from being fine to being very ill.

Diddy Kong Racing

2006-02-13T21:58:00.000Z

Recently I found a a analogue USB controller on the roadside (no, really I did!). It works perfectly with Sixtyforce 0.8.0, a Nintendo 64 emulator for the Mac, providing sensitive analogue control and mapping of all the buttons.

I loaded up a ROM copy of Diddy Kong Racing and gradually realised how much I missed gaming. DKR was colourful, fun, rewarding and technically accomplished.

I haven't bought EDGE (a video game magazine) for about 2 years and the last console game I played and enjoyed was Project Gotham Racing in the XBOX some 12 months ago. Is it just me or do they really 'not not make 'em like they used to?'

Gaming as a hobby very much defines a certain generation of people, it would seem that everyone over the age of 35 with a few exceptions, just doesn't seem to understand it. A good game is a complete reality shift, a good game will place you in another space and time. Ocarina of Time, Super Mario Sunshine, Shenmue, Goldeneye, Banjo Kazooie, Diddy Kong Racing and Metroid Prime all have that ability.

I really would like to get back into gaming, it's just that I don't were to start, the PS2 seems a safe bet as it's quite cheap and there are many many good games, I've had an XBOX and to be honest there were only about 3 or 4 games worth having. The XBOX 360 is just too much money for too few good games and the Nintendo DS is cheap but very basic. That leaves the PSP and retro gaming via emulation . . . hmm, looks like I'll be revisiting old classics for a few months! ;)

The Creative Life Lives!

2006-02-13T10:07:00.000Z

10 years in the making.
For all your design needs visit www.thecreativelife.co.uk

Snowboarding. Olympics 2006

2006-02-13T09:48:00.000Z

Watched some of the snowboarding on Sunday. One of the commentators mentioned the the snowboarders don't seem to take the competition seriously and see the games as a chance to show off. What a breath of fresh air! There are few things more annoying to me than sport being taken too seriously.

These guys look über cool and are clearly phenomenal athletes — great television!

The Squirrel Whisperer

2006-02-13T09:27:00.000Z

On my way to work this morning I heard a strange bird call, I looked up to see a grey squirrel perched on a branch about 3 metres up. I made a few bird chirping noses and the little critter chirped back! The *conversation* lasted the best part of 2 minutes . . . it was like the paradise!

Lost In Translation

2006-02-09T11:56:00.000Z

One of the best films of all time, one of the best soundtracks ever and a truly great poster!

Employment

2006-02-03T10:06:00.000Z

Hey now listen, I don't really know anything about the band so I'm not advocating their way of life or anything. However Employment by the Kaiser Chiefs is an amazing CD, So many great tracks. Top CD of 2005? As old Obi would say "possibly".

a-ha

2006-01-20T21:44:00.000Z

This post is a simple 'thank you' to Pal, Mags and Morton.

I remember the first time that I heard 'Take On Me' and then listening to Radio Luxembourg til the early hours of the morning just waiting for their next play of the follow up 'The Sun Always Shines On T.V.'. Now I have their new material 'Analogue' on my iPod, I'm pleased to report that it's a classic!

I have developed a system of defining my *classic* albums. A classic album has to have 5 five star rated songs, so 'Analogue' is up there with 'Scoundrel Days' and 'Hunting High and Low'.

Listening now to 'Living A Boy's Adventure Tale', 1985 seems like only a heartbeat away . . . I'm always amazed at the power of music.

“We're thrilled about this . . ."

2006-01-10T12:29:00.000Z

"Nice as notebooks are, we’re hoping that the Jobster also talks some more cutting edge kit. How about a video Airport, able to wirelessly stream movies to your telly as well as tunes to your hi-fi? Or perhaps a media centre crammed inside the cute frame of a Mac mini? Or an Apple mobile phone with iTunes (please help us banish the memory of the awful Motorola ROKR…)?!"

A quote from the T3 website which pretty much somes up my feelings.

Slideshows!

2006-01-04T08:20:00.000Z

. . . "Sir, my intelligence circuits appear to have melted". We had a slideshow over the holidays and thankfully it was nothing like Rimmer’s tour of the engine deck! There is something really atmospheric about an old school slideshow — the noise of the fan, the smell of the vinyl, the poor quality of the pictures . . .

Family

2005-12-29T22:25:00.000Z

What I really love about my family is that they are both comforting yet challenging (as portrayed by this picture), is there any better way for a family to be? I don't think so!

Top Artists of 2005 — Part 1

2005-12-22T11:06:00.000Z

As the last few days of 2005 pass by, it's a good opportunity to have a look at the play count in iTunes to see what I've been listening to this year. Top track for 2005?

'Jamaica Inn' taken from the Tori Amos CD 'The Beekeeper'. I've found this track to be super addictive, a lovely little melody and some memorable Tori style lyrics all blend to make this one of her finest in years!

17 Tori tracks make it into my top 100 of 2005 smart playlist, making her my artist of the year.

A Local Artist

2005-12-19T11:40:00.000Z

A oil painting of the bay by a local artist. It captures the scene nicely and gives it a novel twist via inventive use of perspective and shadowing.