Well to start with the TViX and the Kaleidescape is in two completely different leagues but they can still complement each other in some ways. And that was the reason for me to get a TViX setup when I already had a Kaleidescape system that to manage. The TViX is a multipurpose media player and should hopefully eat what ever it's feed with. Kaleidescape on the other hand handles your DVD and CD library for you in a sophisticated way but it doesn't do much else.
What I needed was a simple and not to expensive (compare with Kaleidescape players if you like) media player that could be used and administered by the crew onboard the yacht which I'm currently working on. I wanted to give the users as much freedom as possible while I still had to ensure that the system would continue to work. An option would ofcause been to get a media PC but this felt like it could introduce more troubles and support issues for me than it would ease anything. The solution which I'm currently are trying out is instead a TViX M-6500A player with a QNAP 109 Pro II for content storage.
I initially had some trouble to get the QNAP to install properly on the new drive but a full reset and to start from scratch seams to have getting it all working as expected. When coming from the Kaleidescape with their well described ethernet control protocol it was a bit of a set back to realise that the TViX natively only had IR control. Using a hacked firmware (see http://www.binary-art.net/) I did get some elementary ethernet to IR control over the box, still not quite two-way communication but a step in the right direction. Lets hope that the people at Dvico enables a proper two-way protocol for the TViX shortly, perhaps this could make it into an actual contender with some Kaleidescape installations.
Configurations continue and if everything goes well I might write about my experience as the system starts to get used for real.
lördag 27 december 2008
fredag 28 november 2008
First Swedish review of G1
What better way to get a proper review of the G1 than to lend it to a reporter?
Feel free to read the first Swedish review of the Google Android phone T-Mobile G1 at: http://www.mobil.se/ArticlePages/200811/28/20081128115759_MOB313/20081128115759_MOB313.dbp.asp (Swedish only)
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As a response to a comment to the article above I'm posting this image of the back of the phone, see earlier post for more pictures.
Feel free to read the first Swedish review of the Google Android phone T-Mobile G1 at: http://www.mobil.se/ArticlePages/200811/28/20081128115759_MOB313/20081128115759_MOB313.dbp.asp (Swedish only)
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As a response to a comment to the article above I'm posting this image of the back of the phone, see earlier post for more pictures.
fredag 21 november 2008
One year of waiting - 5 minutes of work
It is now a year ago that I first started coding on the Android platform. While this is the first mobile platform I'm developing on there has been few hurtles during the year, much thanks to the good documentation and other developers on the forums. I have followed the improvements of the SDK with much interest since the initial preview and was delighted when they finally released the source of the platform together with the G1. And now there is something unreal with watching that application on the phone that for so long only has been another window on the computer.
When the SDK first came out, and until the G1 was released, many developers with experience from other mobile platforms complained that you can't develop for a mobile platform without having the physical device to ensure everything works as expected. Today Google proved, for me at least, that everyone that has been skeptical where wrong. Until about an hour ago I have only seen my application in the emulator on the computer. I did expect to get a similar result on the phone but I could not have dreamed of it being this simple.
Here are the 4 steps to get the applicatiton on the phone:
1) Check Settings->Applications->Development->USB debugging
2) Connect the USB
3) Run your project in Eclipse
4) Select the phone from available devices
That's right, it wasn't more to it!
The application is working great on the phone and the only real differences I can identify so far is that I have a touchscreen and not a mouse to work with and that the DPI is much higher. One thing that didn't work straight away however was debugging against the device, but I'm to excited to care about that now.
For the last month I have been using a G1 skin on the emulator and like to give credits to Jeffrey Sharkey for the great skin he has produced, check it out at: http://www.jsharkey.org/blog/2008/10/10/leveraging-the-android-emulator/
One year of waiting is now over and I like to hear what the skeptics should complain about now.
When the SDK first came out, and until the G1 was released, many developers with experience from other mobile platforms complained that you can't develop for a mobile platform without having the physical device to ensure everything works as expected. Today Google proved, for me at least, that everyone that has been skeptical where wrong. Until about an hour ago I have only seen my application in the emulator on the computer. I did expect to get a similar result on the phone but I could not have dreamed of it being this simple.
Here are the 4 steps to get the applicatiton on the phone:
1) Check Settings->Applications->Development->USB debugging
2) Connect the USB
3) Run your project in Eclipse
4) Select the phone from available devices
That's right, it wasn't more to it!
The application is working great on the phone and the only real differences I can identify so far is that I have a touchscreen and not a mouse to work with and that the DPI is much higher. One thing that didn't work straight away however was debugging against the device, but I'm to excited to care about that now.
For the last month I have been using a G1 skin on the emulator and like to give credits to Jeffrey Sharkey for the great skin he has produced, check it out at: http://www.jsharkey.org/blog/2008/10/10/leveraging-the-android-emulator/
One year of waiting is now over and I like to hear what the skeptics should complain about now.
Two of a kind...
The G1 have arrived and I must admit that I'm happily surprised so far.
I don't really like everyone that compares Android with the iPhone. Android is so much more than the iPhone can ever be but since I'm an iPhone user for over a year back and really like that phone it simply is my point of reference.
List of things that I like:
* The size was smaller than I had expected, it's not as wide as the original iPhone (and 3G). It's about the same length but thicker.
* The screen slides away nicely for the keyboard. But the screen can wiggle a little bit when pressing on it.
* It's really responsive, after the 2.0 firmware update I have constantly been irritated on the delay on the iPhone (currently using firmware 2.1).
* The speaker volume is actually loud enough to be used, or so I think.
* The home screen is just great with the customization that can be done.
* USB STORAGE, after a year with the iPhone I didn't really think that I would get access to the storage on the phone by simply puttin in the USB cable. Not having to use a specific program to access my information is just the beginning of what an open handset can offer us.
* Memory card slot, with MicroHDSD now at 16GB there isn't really any reason not to use replaceable cards for all of your media. And why stop with 16GB just bring an other card with you!
* Paying mp3 files, I know I have a friend how love Ogg but I haven't tried those yet. But with the open platform and the ability to replace any program for your own favorite that can hardly be a problem.
The weak list so far:
* No onscreen keyboard, as soon as something should be typed the keyboard has to be opened which can be quite irritating if you using portrait mode.
* The camera is just as bad as the one on the iPhone.
* Smaller screen than the iPhone but the same resolution so Steves "IT'S AMAZING" should be valid for this one also.
Unsettled whether I like or not:
* It uses physical keys for the back navigation and many other functions, going from the iPhone this feels a bit strange but on the other hand it's nice to always have the buttons their and save the screen area.
The final remark after playing with the phone for less then an hour must be that it is a nice product and as Android continues to improve this could very well be the iPhone killer that we untill now have been waiting for.
Finally some comparison shots with the iPhone.
måndag 17 november 2008
Two G1 please...
At last I have got a confirmation that we will get our hands on two G1:s. It took us just a bit under one month but shortly we should be among the first to get our hands on the handset in Sweden.
I like to thank everyone that has assisted in the hunt for G1:s. This is really great news for the upcoming ADC!
There will be an update when I actually have had them in my hand, until then lets cross our fingers and hope that we will receive them this time around...
I like to thank everyone that has assisted in the hunt for G1:s. This is really great news for the upcoming ADC!
There will be an update when I actually have had them in my hand, until then lets cross our fingers and hope that we will receive them this time around...
måndag 10 november 2008
A cinema that moves you...
I spend this weekend at HBC's show in Stockholm.
My biggest impression was from the motion programmed easy chairs developed by D-box. While high definition is great there is hard to compare incremental advances against adding a whole new dimension. I cannot help but wondering when we will see this as part of the original movie instead of as an added feature.
In the pictures below you can see some of the setups that was available at the show. There is only when someone has installed multiple projectors which all has been calibrated to the same standard that you really can start to compare them. The same goes for receivers and speakers which they also had an seamless test setup for at HBC.
My biggest impression was from the motion programmed easy chairs developed by D-box. While high definition is great there is hard to compare incremental advances against adding a whole new dimension. I cannot help but wondering when we will see this as part of the original movie instead of as an added feature.
In the pictures below you can see some of the setups that was available at the show. There is only when someone has installed multiple projectors which all has been calibrated to the same standard that you really can start to compare them. The same goes for receivers and speakers which they also had an seamless test setup for at HBC.
The secured iPhone...
Have you been worried what your phone might be used for if it got stolen or lost? On my trip to Stockholm this weekend I managed to secure the iPhone so I only could receive phone calls and short SMS. No more worries that someone might call some expensive overseas calls with my phone or that someone should grab my contacts.
The problem with securing the phone to this level is that I was unable to call, check my contacts, get the details about my hotel reservation or do anything else except receiving phone calls and SMS, but that is a small price to pay for the ultimate security - right?
It might not have been my intention to secure the phone while I was traveling but if you like to try for yourself here is what I did.
1) Ensure you have a bunch of programs from the AppStore and some bookmarks and other icons (Cydia perhaps?)
2) Get a train ride or other transport medium which cannot provide a reliable internet connection.
3) Ensure that you can update one of your AppStore applications.
4) Update the application and ensure that the internet connection is interrupted during the process.
5) If you are lucky all of your icons except your bookmarks should have disappeared.
6) Just to sweeten the deal further, neither the bookmarks or the media player should now work, and once someone calls you you should not be able to hang up either.
7) Congratulations you have an iReceiver!
The problem with securing the phone to this level is that I was unable to call, check my contacts, get the details about my hotel reservation or do anything else except receiving phone calls and SMS, but that is a small price to pay for the ultimate security - right?
It might not have been my intention to secure the phone while I was traveling but if you like to try for yourself here is what I did.
1) Ensure you have a bunch of programs from the AppStore and some bookmarks and other icons (Cydia perhaps?)
2) Get a train ride or other transport medium which cannot provide a reliable internet connection.
3) Ensure that you can update one of your AppStore applications.
4) Update the application and ensure that the internet connection is interrupted during the process.
5) If you are lucky all of your icons except your bookmarks should have disappeared.
6) Just to sweeten the deal further, neither the bookmarks or the media player should now work, and once someone calls you you should not be able to hang up either.
7) Congratulations you have an iReceiver!
onsdag 29 oktober 2008
A brick of Alu that isn't bricked
So I got my new MacBook yesterday and took some unboxing images which I will share with you below.
My initial feeling is that the size is optimal, it's the same size as a normal A4 folder which makes it easy to carry with you. Both the screen and keyboard has a decent size ensuring it to be comfortable to work with even when traveling.
Getting new connections is not a benefit by itself and I do miss the firewire port on this model. Regarding the new display port was I however happily surprised, the new display port is as easy to plug in and out as a USB connection which is a great advantage for me since I use the computer with an external monitor most of the time.
While using the computer on battery power I'm sure the easily accessible battery meter will be appreciated. The most noticeable change is the new trackpad which I highly appreciated. The multitouch on my previous MacBook Pro wasn't very useful since it was hard to manage anything else then very easy gestures. On this new trackpad it feels natural to even use the four finger gestures.
My initial feeling is that the size is optimal, it's the same size as a normal A4 folder which makes it easy to carry with you. Both the screen and keyboard has a decent size ensuring it to be comfortable to work with even when traveling.
Getting new connections is not a benefit by itself and I do miss the firewire port on this model. Regarding the new display port was I however happily surprised, the new display port is as easy to plug in and out as a USB connection which is a great advantage for me since I use the computer with an external monitor most of the time.
While using the computer on battery power I'm sure the easily accessible battery meter will be appreciated. The most noticeable change is the new trackpad which I highly appreciated. The multitouch on my previous MacBook Pro wasn't very useful since it was hard to manage anything else then very easy gestures. On this new trackpad it feels natural to even use the four finger gestures.
fredag 17 oktober 2008
New things coming in...
This will be a really short post just to inform that I have got back a new Canon 1000D. And that I have ordered one of the new MacBook 13". So soon I might be in a state where all of my equipment is working, wouldn't that be great...
Is Turing test the answer to IM and community spam?
I guess I'm not the only one that have got strange messages to my IM or at community sites. Some of these messages can be hard to tell if it just some foreigner who uses a bad translator or if the whole message is computer generated.
While I ignore all suspicions e-mail, the community sites are kind of intended for people that you don't know so I'm willing to give everyone at least a chance. So for all of you computers out there who like to send me messages, ensure you have a good answer to the Swedish reply below:
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Har du hört talas om Turing test? Om inte så tycker jag du kollar lite snabbt på Wikipedia och ger mig ett bra svar :-).
Ursäkta ett möjligen kryptiskt meddelande men om du förstår så ber jag om ursäkt och om du inte förstår så hade jag rätt :-P.
MvH
//Erik
While I ignore all suspicions e-mail, the community sites are kind of intended for people that you don't know so I'm willing to give everyone at least a chance. So for all of you computers out there who like to send me messages, ensure you have a good answer to the Swedish reply below:
---
Har du hört talas om Turing test? Om inte så tycker jag du kollar lite snabbt på Wikipedia och ger mig ett bra svar :-).
Ursäkta ett möjligen kryptiskt meddelande men om du förstår så ber jag om ursäkt och om du inte förstår så hade jag rätt :-P.
MvH
//Erik
fredag 10 oktober 2008
Does it take Apple two months to inform their customers of known problems?
Anyone that has read my blog should know about my problem with the MacBook Pro that I bought in March. nVidia inform that they had a problem in the beginning of July. Today little over two months later Apple acknowledge that the MacBook Pro between May 2007 and Sept 2008 http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377. Does this mean that it takes Apple two months to verify a known problem or just to inform their customers?
Apple is releasing new MacBooks on Tuesday, maybe was that the reason they acknowledge the problem today. Is it only me that think a bit more transparency from Apple toward their customers could be good?
Apple is releasing new MacBooks on Tuesday, maybe was that the reason they acknowledge the problem today. Is it only me that think a bit more transparency from Apple toward their customers could be good?
Do I destroy technology?
They have accepted that there is something wrong with the camera. Since I did not accept their excuse that the problem was with the lens they did some more tests. I just got a call from the service center and they had manage to see the problem even with their own lenses now. They haven't found the exact problem yet but they will order a new camera for me so I don't have to wait for them.
I should get my replacement Canon 1000D within a few days. I'm really glad that there wasn't anything wrong with the lens since that would have cost me quite some money. Tamron does not have European warranty so it would have cost me about 50% of the price of the lens to get it fixed, did feel like a lot to pay for my first 700 photos.
I'm afraid that new technology does not like me. In less than a year I have had to replace the following brand new products because of problem I got the first week: Marantz SR6001, MacBook Pro and now my Canon 1000D.
Wounder if I should dare to by a new MacBook Pro after next Tuesday or if I simply have to stay away from new technology altogether.
I should get my replacement Canon 1000D within a few days. I'm really glad that there wasn't anything wrong with the lens since that would have cost me quite some money. Tamron does not have European warranty so it would have cost me about 50% of the price of the lens to get it fixed, did feel like a lot to pay for my first 700 photos.
I'm afraid that new technology does not like me. In less than a year I have had to replace the following brand new products because of problem I got the first week: Marantz SR6001, MacBook Pro and now my Canon 1000D.
Wounder if I should dare to by a new MacBook Pro after next Tuesday or if I simply have to stay away from new technology altogether.
måndag 6 oktober 2008
Service...
The instructions on the link posted earlier didn't help my Canon 1000D. I left it at for service today and hopefully it will be returned during the week.
Some indications on the net suggest that the error could be when not using Canon lenses which is hard to accept since there was no problem during the first 700 shots.
As usually, to be continued...
Some indications on the net suggest that the error could be when not using Canon lenses which is hard to accept since there was no problem during the first 700 shots.
As usually, to be continued...
Canon 1000D - Err 99
This blog more and more remindes of a technology failure blog...
I bought a Canon 1000D for two weeks ago and when I had almost filled the memory card it started to give me Err 99 messages. I'm able to take out the battery and reinsert to be able to take some photos again but it is highly inconvenient to go through the process everytime you start take photos after a short break.
I found this link in dpreviews forum with someone with a simular problem:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1031&message=9598105
I will try this solution now and hopefully I do not need to give the camera to Canon to fix the problem.
Now lets hope that this will not take as much time as my earlier problems...
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