Thursday, 17 December 2009

Holiday E-Cards


So I find the concept of ecards fine.... just not for around the holidays. Recently I received one via email. Not only did I find it lazy but I also found it extremely insincere and impersonal. At least when a card is sent by mail you know the person spent time to write down the name of your family, and truly thought of you. Christmas cards are a sort of loving tradition, and by clicking a few buttons and selecting all the contacts on your email account makes the entire process less heart warming. I find these ecards lazy, but who am I to judge.. people lead busy lives these days. Maybe, if this alternative existed years ago, people would have used them and they wouldn't seem like a modern thing. I love technology but sometimes I do not like the changes it brings.

(photo: http://ecards.hallmarkcards.com.au/ecardsCaption.aspx?cat=679)

-A

Tuesday, 15 December 2009

Crazy Christmas Gifts

Today I was in the holiday spirit and decided that I would blog about all the crazy things I've been seeing online that have been advertised as gifts during this holiday season. Before I head into the list I'd just like to point out that this weekend I was sick and sitting around my house. I decided to watch TV for the first time in quite a while. I went to turn on the TV and it took about ten minutes as we have about ten remotes and I am completely incompetent. After about ten minutes of sitting around lazily on the couch I realized that all I had seen were perfume ads... I don't understand why there are so many. I honestly would prefer any of these over a bottle of perfume:
-
PoGo Instant Photo Printer- Quick prints that dry instantly. No more smudge risk sounds like a plan to me!

- Apple's Magic Mouse- At only $69 this wireless mouse is innovated and super useful.

- Refresh Charging Station- Similar to the amazing gadget Young shared with the class, but for less! I find these things amazing, especially since I travel so often.

olutely crazy... Just thinking about the images I could capture makes me want to run out and buy it (too bad the price isn't great!).
- Blackberry Bold 9700- I'll admit it, I love Blackberrys. I have had one since I started high school and cant see myself leaving the smartphone world (for a dumbphone, can we say that?).... Anyway, this new Blackberry is great, and would be an amazing gift.

- The Kindle 2- The more I read online, the more this Kindle keeps popping up as the "King" of eBooks. Defiantly would be a great gift for all of those who enjoy literature.

- USB Negative Scanner- OMG! Yes, OMG. I try to refrain from saying it, but this is one of the greatest ideas I've seen for some time. I do a ton of film photography, and honestly I don't trust the people at Snappy Snaps. I am reluctant to let them develop my film, as I prefer to do it on my own (but sometimes I cant take the risk of burning off my epidermis with film chemicals). I never get the CD of my photos, I always get the negatives and manually scan the ones I want. The process is long and tedious, and this seems like an angel to me.

This list could go on forever.... but I'll leave you all here. Hope you enjoyed my Christmas tech gift list! Have a great holiday season :)

(photo: http://www.firebox.com/product/2234/USB-Negative-Scanner?via=cat)

-A

Saturday, 12 December 2009

Bionic Body Parts

Its amazing how technology can help human life so directly. Recently I was reading a blog and found this:


I found it so impressive and useful. Technology is truly helping us when it comes to things like this.

-A

Tuesday, 8 December 2009

the Hype Machine


I have a question for all those reading my blog, and it pertains to music. Is it legal for this music site/blog to post links to downloads for the music they speak about in their articles? I know the site is quite popular and has been around a while and has never run into trouble... I just dont understand how people like Kevin Cogill can get into legal trouble for sharing music, and then sites like this can have no trouble. Not to get my wrong, I love free music and music blogs, but often times I wonder if I am breaking the law in some way. Until then, I think I will stick with http://www.hypem.com/. I highly recomend checking it out, it offers a way to build a playlist and find new music without wondering if you doing something that isnt permitted. Hypem, or the Hype Machine, does not allow the user to download the music they place on their playlist but it is a portal to millions of other music blogs (under each song is an article that discusses the song, the blogs vary) where one can find the links to the download for the song. In addition, it allows you to have a playlist you can access from any computer, unlike things like iTunes which are specific to private computers, so you can remember the names of the songs you found. This eliminates the annoying possibility of remembering a song, but not remembering the name of the artist or song. We all hate when we really want to download (..or buy) a song that we cant specifically remember any defining characteristics about. Hypem prevents this from happening while allowing you to enjoy music without the question of whether what you are doing is legal or not.

(photo credit)

-A

Saturday, 5 December 2009

Google Search Results

Here is a quick video that I found interesting. Recently, we were discussing the fact that Google may know too much about us, and this is proof to back up this theory.


Many may not find this to be a negative thing, but I prefer not to have Google track my Internet use... Its really a matter of privacy to me.

If you click here you can turn off this personalization setting...

-A

Vogue Italia vs. Twitpic?


You know the world is a changing place thanks to techonology when a classic fashion magazine, Vogue Italia, does a Twitpic inspired spread. Vogue Italia has always been known as the inspiration Vogue. It is the Vogue that designers and artists alike look to for artistic reasons, not the Vogue the average woman would pick up before a shopping spree. Vogue Italia has been known for its highly creative group of staff. It is more than a fashion magazine, it is a collection of the greatest works done by people in their own artistic fields.

Recently I went to a street art exhibition. The eighteen year old guy who put the entire thing together came up to me and told me he had just been interviewed by Vogue Italia. Naturally, the Italian interviews were four hours late to the show and did not reply to any of his messages, but in the end it all worked out. This kid knew what it meant to be interviewed by Vogue Italia, he knew that he had made it. Vogue Italia's standards are extremely high, and to be interviewed by them is to be told that you are someone who will inspire thousands of others.

The Twitpic spread in the issue was slightly aggravating to me. I had always loved to look through the pages, which are primarily ads and spreads (Vogue Italia is less text than say, American Vogue which is more celebrity centered), and admire the almost weird editorial work that some of the best designers, models and photographers come together to create. Normally, these shoots are like pieces of art, so unique and inspiring. I found some comfort in the fact that, of course, the Twitpic spread featured primarily angst ridden looking half naked models... I guess even Vogue Italia cannot leave its comfort zone.

(Photos: http://gizmodo.com/5419381/twitter-vogue-gallery/gallery/1)

-A

Hermes

Recently I saw an article online that was discussing how technology can be used to sell a product in real life. As I wondered how this was possible I came across a video. Hermes, the French fashion house, recently used the combination of video and timed wind (possibly small fans or vents) to create the illusion that the female in the video was literally moving the silk Hermes scarf draped in front of the screen. The affect is beautiful and highly appealing, giving the product this dreamy and desirable quality. If you were to ask me, I would say that this form of advertisement is genius. I think that designers will soon be incorporating technology into their design methods more as time passes.

This installment will run until January 19th and was created by renowned Japanesse artist, Tokujin Yoshioka.
-A