tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230465952024-02-07T20:57:36.282+00:00Matt Grover - Freelance Camera Operator & EditorHi, I'm Matt. I'm a freelance Cameraman based near Brighton in the sometimes sunny South East of England and this is my blog.
It's going through a minor re-vamp at the mo, so bear with me..
This blog consists of work related posts, non-work related posts and posts that have very little relevance to anything...ever. Enjoy.Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.comBlogger233125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-4647608016119949602009-07-20T17:13:00.001+01:002009-07-20T17:16:01.432+01:00A new great AdventureA while ago now (late 2006), I made the very conscious decision to <b>not</b> get involved with any more short films, with the exceptions of the occasional bit of helping out mates, I decided to avoid the whole <i>"indie film industry"</i>, partly as I felt it's not really an industry.<br /><br />Now I'm not saying there's not such thing as the Indie Film Industry, there clearly is, there's plenty of feature films being made without studio backing and being sold through a variety of distribution channels, from DVD distribution to Sundance and successful theatrical release, that, to me is the Indie Film Industry.<br /><br />One of the definitions of Industry is <i>"the organised action of making of goods and services for sale"</i>, the <i>"for sale"</i> bit, being my key point here. I seemed to be working with a lot of people who were under the impression that they were working in the "indie film industry" by making short films and maybe getting them screened in a pub somewhere. (Or even longer films in some cases), not seeing the film as a product, not having a realistic plan for it's distribution or getting any sort of return on, in some cases, quite a substantial investment. I myself spent out about £1000 on a short that didn't come out quite as I'd hoped and sat on an edit hard-drive for a couple of years, before getting archived on another hard-drive (still unfinished), but that's a slightly different post, although a realisation hit me at the end of the main part of production on that short.<br /><br />That realisation about the "industry" I was involved in was that it clearly wasn't "the film industry", that it's more of an Amateur Film Maker's club.<br /><br />That realisation was born of accepting to myself that, despite all the special features watched, the course at <a href="http://www.brightonfilmschool.org.uk/" target="_new">Brighton Film School</a>, the books I'd read and all my enthusiasm, I really didn't know what I was doing. I had an idea about it sure, but going out and directing this reasonably ambitious short for a first timer (anything I'd shot before doesn't count at all), pulling together a crew and cast, making the whole thing work over a weekend, I was clearly an amateur, and so were the majority of people I'd worked with on this and other shorts/films.<br /><br />There's a lot to be said for just going out and doing it, learning as you go. There's also a lot to be said for learning how to do it wrong.<br /><br />At the time I was trying to change career, move entirely into a different industry, from retail into media/film, so my outlook was very career focussed and before my anti-shorts decision, I was all about getting involved with shorts, writing my own scripts, going to screenings, alongside the paid work I'd gained working in factual TV production. (The choice of going the Factual TV route was a circumstance/financial one really, but that's the route I chose at the time!)<br /><br />Obviously, like many people out there i was hoping to, not only gain film-making experience, but also contacts, people in the industry who could then hopefully lead to more work. Unfortunately, most of the people in the "proper" film industry are not working on your average no-budget miniDV short film, thus the contacts being made only led to other no-budget miniDV short films, plus all of us were in the same boat on the skills front, sure there were people who'd been doing it longer, but pretty much all of us were just bumbling along figuring stuff out. Working on an "indie" film set is <b>not</b> the same as working on a professional film/tv set. Blind leading the blind and all that.<br /><br />So I decided (after much faffing about with my own film) that I needed to learn a hell of a lot more and that doing these short films wasn't getting me to where I wanted to be. Time to focus all my energies on 'proper' work.<br /><br />At the time, where I wanted to be was still up in the air. I'd already made the decision to go the factual production route (researching) for various reasons, so that's where my focus lay, eventually being allowed to shoot stuff, deciding that I really wasn't all that happy with being stuck in the office phone-bashing for 7 of my 8 weeks of contract, then getting to the point of using "real cameras" instead of just PD170s & Z1's (although I still get a LOT of Z1 work, plus I KNOW how to shoot on one!), then working with and alongside experienced professional cameramen to start learning <i>"the craft"</i> and that's essentially where I want to be now.<br /><br />I am a cameraman, I moved on from factual production over a year ago, although still keep a hand in every now and again to keep skills up, but I'm developing myself as a cameraman. The route I've taken (via production) has kind of niched me to a degree, the same as other routes, such as the kit-room upwards route can do, but in different areas, but that's something I'm working on, at the end of the day I'm a cameraman, yes I'm multi-skilling, I can edit on FCP and (bit rusty on) Avid, I have a strong factual production background and years of management experience behind me, but at the end of it, I want to be the best camerman/camera operator I can be, learning <i>"the craft"</i> so that with any luck, down the line I can be a top end operator, perhaps be able to call myself a "lighting cameraman" or even a "DoP" (people giving themselves titles above their station/experience, again is another post). Getting to this point, which is still early days as far as I'm concerned, has come from focussing on that 'proper work' and ignoring the Amateur Film Club/Indie Film Industry stuff.<br /><br />Now you may be thinking that this is just a big snobby rant about short films and slagging off the people who make them, it's not (it's leading somewhere, honest). I know people who have and who currently are, making low/no-budget films, FEATURES even, with a view to distributing them and with any luck, pulling in some sort of revenue, they also work on shorts, some of them have also been doing work in the "proper" film industry, but that hasn't been garnered solely from doing no-budget dv shorts.. I've worked on odd shorts and other projects since my decision, for friends, as I've said. I've no problem with the many people who are out there making shorts, I've seen some absolutely cracking ones along with the plethora of dross, just to me, at the time, and to a degree, still now, feel that the "indie film industry" is not where I should be focussing my energies to achieve the goals that I want to reach.<br /><br />So why is it then am I about to embark on producing, what is, for all intents and purposes a number of short films, shot for minimal budget, with minimal crew and generally as far removed as you can get from a "professional film set", what I've been purposely avoiding for the past few years??<br /><br />It could just be put down to the "working with friends" exception rule, but it's not, I'm investing a lot more time, effort and cash into this. We're <i>really</i> starting to go against pretty much everything I've been saying now!!<br /><br />Is it because we're calling them a "Podcast" or "Web Series" instead of "Short Films", does merely a change of title mean that makes it all okay, when everything else about the project fits the description of your usual no-budget DV faire? Well partly. I say partly because, we've got a definite distribution plan for the product (it IS a product after all), okay getting something up on the web isn't exactly rocket science any more, but getting that all important marketing and promotion down, that's still eluding a lot of people. Plus we're developing a series rather than a single short, which means it's more marketable and more open to viewer investment (of the repeat/return viewing kind rather than monetary), AND we are looking at ways to monetise it, it's certainly more feasible to make money back (on what ever scale) from a series than a single short or group of disparate shorts.<br /><br />The fact remains tho, that we're not expecting to make any money from it and even the vague expectations we have at the moment, amount to covering production expenses. There are podcasts/web series out there who have "made it", ones who are pulling in high viewing numbers and reasonable revenue from varying sources, the same as there are filmmakers out there who have made a few shorts and gone on to "make it" in the film industry, but I'd say the numbers (in some form) are comparable.<br /><br />So I <b>am</b> going back on everything I said earlier then? Again, partly. There's a whole lot of "speculate to accumulate" in this project, and no real guaranteed "accumulate", I've got to invest a fair bit of time and energy, as well as some cash (although trying to keep it as low as possible) into what is essentially an experiment into a field I've been interested in for a while, all the time, fitting it around my 'proper' work, to make sure I can still bring money in and further my career goals (along with the other people involved), with the hope that it will see some modicum of success. Much like many short film makers.<br /><br />So apart from having some vague plan and a good level of belief in the project, what else? Enjoyment.<br /><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/AdventureMen" target="_new">Adventure Men</a>, as we call it, is carrying on from a thing I got involved in back in March (wow, that went by quick!!). A friend of mine, who for the purposes of this post we'll call <a href="http://twitter.com/roskolewis" target="_new">Ross Lewis</a>, who worked with me at Gadgetshop, got in touch and said that he and his good friend <a href="http://twitter.com/sdaneski" target="_new">Simon Daneski</a> were planning on doing something for Comic Relief and did I fancy coming along and filming it for them. It sounded like it could be fun, so this fell into the "working with mates" exception category.<br /><br />Fun is not how to describe it. Having an absolute BLAST is slightly better. A total of six hours of filming time (an evening, a morning of climbing a hill, some lunch and a little bit after lunch) became the five episode behemoth comedy event that is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=BC0D6AD6291ED585" target="_new">Touching the Dyke</a>, (that links to YouTube, you could also have the <a href="http://vimeo.com/channels/touchingthedyke" target="_new">Touching the Dyke</a> Vimeo Channel if ya fancy) which thus far has been pretty well received, over 3000 views, cumulative across all videos and sites (and raised over £400 for Comic Relief). So the viewing figures, ratings and people saying "That was actually pretty funny", all from very little planning and haphazard promotion efforts, combined with the enjoyment on the day (the edit schedule was ridiculous, t'will be more measured this time around), gave all three of us involved a full on robot chubby for doing some more.<br /><br /><i>Factoid: I initially insisted that TtD would be a single max 10 minute short. D'oh!<br />Factoid: I've initially insisted that the first installment Adventure Men (and subsequent installments) will span no more than two 7-9 minute episodes. This is being met with some doubt/resistance from within the AdMen camp. Only edit time will tell!!</i><br /><br />So this time round, <i>slightly</i> more planning, some may say even collaborative workflow (!! more on that another time), a lot more ideas and struggling to come up with ideas to expand the thing. Trying to format it better, this is mostly down to me as I've got to cut the thing together, so I need to make sure I cover all my shots on the shoot day(s) whilst letting Ross & Simon keep to their flow. The reason for formatting is, we're going for a series, a series needs identity, more than characters and titles, although considering I'm no After Effects wiz, I'm pretty chuffed with what I came up with on the title front! A series needs structure, I'm basing that structure on existing programmes and adapting it accordingly, whether we can stick to that once we get into things, we'll have to wait and see.<br /><br />It's still all very experimental though. All a bit "run-and-gun", there's no script, simply a number of beats we know we want to hit, and ideas we want to include, the rest is totally improvised by Ross & Simon, thus from a filming POV, especially as a single camera shoot, that's a challenge, need to get coverage and details in one take (thinking two camera shoot's a possible, if I can cover kit and find someone for next Tuesday! the 28th!!) although I think I'm gonna cover my technical concerns in another post as this one is MAHOOSIVE! (at least compared to what I normally post)<br /><br />Anyway, My point, if there is one to this, is that I'm not totally going back on what I decided was my way forward back in 2006, I'm still not going to devote time to working on loads of other people's shorts, but this project is something I'm willing to devote to, something I'll work to fit in and make work, whether it does or not, we'll have to wait and see, it will hopefully evolve and improve, but it's still down to people watching it and liking it as to whether this particular "amateur" project will make it or not. I hope it does.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lookoutfilm/3425319342/" title="Adventure Men - Title Logo by lookoutfilmanddigital, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/3425319342_a5b6968374.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="Adventure Men - Title Logo" /></a></center><br /><br />Finally, apologies for any bad links, spelling mistakes and the glaring grammar issues throughout, but deal with it (in a nice way).<br /><br />You can follow the progress of Adventure Men in a few ways...<br />On the <a href="http://lookoutfilm.blogspot.com/" target="_new">Lookout Film & Digital blog</a> (<a href="http://lookoutfilm.blogspot.com/2009/07/adventure-men.html" target="new">Adventure Men announcement</a>)<br />Follow <a href="http://twitter.com/AdventureMen" target="_new">@AdventureMen</a> on Twitter<br />and currently we've set up our YouTube account <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/AdventureMenShow" target="_new">http://www.youtube.com/AdventureMenShow</a> although we'll also be publishing to other hosting sites.<br />We're currently toying with a dedicated website, but nothing just yet.<br /><br />I'll post certain personal thought son stuff here, and I'm sure Ross will do much the same on his <a href="http://rosko123.wordpress.com/" target="_new">blog</a>.<br /><br />A couple of links to people who I know and I feel are actually doing something vaguely sensible in the "indie film industry" ;)<br />Mike Peter Reed, his blog is here - <a href="http://denmedia.blogspot.com/" target="_new">Filmmaker Slog</a><br />Simon Drake and Dan Rickard working on <a href="http://www.darkestday.co.uk/" target="_new">Darkest Day</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) --><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, fantasy;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, fantasy;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><!-- /End -->Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-77468818932391706952009-05-21T13:39:00.000+01:002009-05-21T13:40:12.552+01:00White Star Liners - Tyre Pressure Was The Least Of His Worries (Live)Helped out some friends of mine by cutting together some recent gig footage for them, taken from a couple of camcorders (one 16:9, one 4:3, yay, both auto-exposing, double yay), I synced and cut together the two angles, applying a little re-framing (or a lot on the 4:3 stuff), and the odd bit of motion, as well as a bit of a grade (within FCP) to take the edge off the DV footage and some of the blown out areas.<div><br /></div><div><center><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lEJi7xEgTrQ&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lEJi7xEgTrQ&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object></center><br /></div><div>I've got the rest of the gig sat on the work drive as I work on building videos for each song for them, so they could well upload some more at some point.</div><div><br /></div><div>For those of you in the Liverpool area, they're playing The Cavern, this weekend (23/24 May), check out their website for more details <a href="http://www.whitestarliners.co.uk/">White Star Liners (www.whitestarliners.co.uk)</a></div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-8793397172871366922009-03-11T10:40:00.003+00:002009-03-11T10:49:18.920+00:00Touching the DykeSomething I've been working on for this year's Red Nose Day...<br /><br /><center><embed src="http://blip.tv/play/AwGU2h4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></center><br /><br /><br />You can follow their progress on <a href="http://touchingthedyke.blip.tv/">blip.tv</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/LookoutFilm">YouTube</a>. Enjoy and if you fancy you can donate <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/devilsdykeclimb">here</a>. Cheers!Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-28889478647756373682009-02-18T22:48:00.001+00:002009-02-18T22:49:18.217+00:00HURRAH?<center><a href="http://www.heyquiz.com/quiz/tapeworm"><img src="http://www.heyquiz.com/bimage/15_12.jpg" alt="What are your chances of getting a tapeworm?" /></a><br /><br />Is that good? I'd rather be guaranteed not to get tapeworm.</center><br /><br /><!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) --><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.scripts/twitthis.js"></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>');<br />//--><br /></script><br /><!-- /End -->Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-67072233214773113322009-02-10T10:12:00.005+00:002009-02-10T10:23:42.330+00:00new (old) lens arrived!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwx4PFyNwItNgGFqs5H9sNBeAORbDQ9TLNx0y7oSgiSa0nld_jpTndFkaSBsPDBoUWEXZooTciSfR5i1gqZdyJQUglzLC34RbfKPYXgLSw35yqg0w6kWu3utB_dnj2Rsbtf_RviA/s1600-h/IMG_0280.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwx4PFyNwItNgGFqs5H9sNBeAORbDQ9TLNx0y7oSgiSa0nld_jpTndFkaSBsPDBoUWEXZooTciSfR5i1gqZdyJQUglzLC34RbfKPYXgLSw35yqg0w6kWu3utB_dnj2Rsbtf_RviA/s320/IMG_0280.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301111510091674498" /></a><br />HURRAH! the 50mm 1.8 Nikkor that I ordered off eBay has arrived! I ordered from <a href="http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Jesscollie-Classic-Cameras">Jesscollie Classic Cameras</a>, who's now on my fave sellers list.<div><br /></div><div>So what's next for this lens?? Well it should get some use in some upcoming photoshoots, at f1.8 it should be a nice portrait lens, and as with the other lenses, it'll hopefully get some use in the video world via a 35mm adapter later in the year.</div><div><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattgrover/3269272184/" title="Nikkor 50mm by mlgroveruk, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3450/3269272184_05c21e71cb_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="Nikkor 50mm" /></a></center><br /></div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattgrover/sets/72157613318451153/">Lens comparison set on Flickr</a><br /><br /><!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) --><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.scripts/twitthis.js"></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>');<br />//--><br /></script><br /><!-- /End --></div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-89258530434120532522009-02-06T14:59:00.004+00:002009-02-06T15:03:11.078+00:00more lens comparisonI've just snapped off a few shots for lens comparison on my Nikkormat EL and Olympus Trip 35, I've still got frames to use up on the rolls in both cameras, so they'll be a while away yet, however after I did it I thought I may as well snap a shot off from my iPhone, after all it has a camera, I do take pictures with it, why not add it to the mix. So here it is.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattgrover/3258320042/" title="IMG_0276 by mlgroveruk, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3031/3258320042_32581641d0_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="IMG_0276" /></a><br />Shot landscape, no adjustments.</center><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattgrover/sets/72157613318451153/">The full set</a>. More will be added as and when.<div><br /><!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) --><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.scripts/twitthis.js"></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>');<br />//--><br /></script><br /><!-- /End --></div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-56118834611963349282009-02-04T14:14:00.005+00:002009-02-04T14:37:04.803+00:00Lenses lenses everywhereWell not quite everywhere, but still...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMFFlDL6B9noodY_0qgCzQwmbIw4CYzBpoWITr5alcxw9cihVu9GRj2hEdR2ATXPrVVa2wPa5E38vm-g2gVsjudPoXWVJmr79vE01F_mrn7oXcNK8ufLvvY8sOaF34yshReVnfg/s1600-h/IMG_0275.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMFFlDL6B9noodY_0qgCzQwmbIw4CYzBpoWITr5alcxw9cihVu9GRj2hEdR2ATXPrVVa2wPa5E38vm-g2gVsjudPoXWVJmr79vE01F_mrn7oXcNK8ufLvvY8sOaF34yshReVnfg/s400/IMG_0275.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298945528358491906" /></a><br />I've just recently added a couple of zoom lenses to my kit (2nd and 3rd from left), both by Tokina and both found in a charity shop in Horsham! (hopefully on it's way via eBay soon is also a Nikkor 50mm f:1.8 prime)<div><br /></div><div>The main reason I snapped the lenses up is that they're Nikon AI-S F-mount lenses and thus compatible with my Nikon D80, the older lenses I have (3 on right) are Pre/Non-AI lenses which are fine with my well old Nikkormat EL, but not so good for the D80 without being modified first.</div><div><br /></div><div>The idea of me building up my SLR kit, is partly bringing still photography into the work side of things, for stuff I work on and also projects I'm developing, but also to have a collection of lenses to use with 35mm adapters such as the Letus, which while doesn't quite give you the quality of a set of DigiPrimes or similar, does lend an interesting creative turn to video filming that I intend to explore.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of the first thing's I've done so far is to compare viewing angles of the lenses, or at least the D80 compatible ones (3 on the left up there), I'm also going to run off a few shots on film with the EL and the same lenses (with the exception of the Nikkor DX), plus the 3 non-AI lenses.</div><div><br /></div><div>Left to right (and with the samples below, top to bottom), they are:-</div><div><ul><li>Nikkor AF-S DX 18-55mm f:3.5-5.6G VR (kit lens)</li><li>Tokina SZ-X 270 28-70mm f:3.5-4.5</li><li>Tokina SZ-X 210 70-210mm f:4.0-5.6</li></ul><div>For each lens I took two snaps out of my window, one fully wide, one fully tele. (Mouse over for alt text)</div><div><br /></div><div><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattgrover/3253386338/" title="Nikkor 18-55 @ 18 by mlgroveruk, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3533/3253386338_20635cafc8_t.jpg" width="100" height="67" alt="Nikkor 18-55 @ 18" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattgrover/3253384218/" title="Nikkor 18-55 at 55 by mlgroveruk, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3116/3253384218_f576866e47_t.jpg" width="100" height="67" alt="Nikkor 18-55 at 55" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattgrover/3252556349/" title="Tokina 28-70 at 28 by mlgroveruk, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3375/3252556349_bd7e62346c_t.jpg" width="100" height="67" alt="Tokina 28-70 at 28" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattgrover/3252554763/" title="Tokina 28-70 @ 70 by mlgroveruk, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3252554763_f1be27fc2e_t.jpg" width="100" height="67" alt="Tokina 28-70 @ 70" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattgrover/3252553121/" title="Tokina 70-210 @ 70 by mlgroveruk, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3532/3252553121_8b8764898e_t.jpg" width="100" height="67" alt="Tokina 70-210 @ 70" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattgrover/3253377640/" title="Tokina 70-210 @ 210 by mlgroveruk, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3312/3253377640_56fb22c08f_t.jpg" width="100" height="67" alt="Tokina 70-210 @ 210" /></a><br /><br /></center>So there you have it, 3 lenses' focal lengths compared with dirty, no frills snapshots. Bet you're looking forward to the others now eh? ;)</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/mattgrover/">http://www.flickr.com/people/mattgrover/</a><br /><br /><!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) --><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.scripts/twitthis.js"></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>');<br />//--><br /></script><br /><!-- /End --></div></div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-64969307463404230072009-01-31T12:39:00.005+00:002009-01-31T13:32:25.213+00:00Up and Running 6aPage 2 of my iPhone and it's apps...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8sOoxrUIKEAKn9CeqiHFXjH_5N_Sl3NcGDtOVZx9eqaZ6WKA97JMGozKPxCbji2Jn8WguIqeqB3uPK8T4qCRExy5YeztbTY043yUZd_p78zuUyGnXBzHY9On_yyAlhf80G-mxw/s1600-h/IMG_0002.PNG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8sOoxrUIKEAKn9CeqiHFXjH_5N_Sl3NcGDtOVZx9eqaZ6WKA97JMGozKPxCbji2Jn8WguIqeqB3uPK8T4qCRExy5YeztbTY043yUZd_p78zuUyGnXBzHY9On_yyAlhf80G-mxw/s400/IMG_0002.PNG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297437237782354786" /></a><br />Again top to bottom, left to right.. All non standard apps on this page were free.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Clock:-</span> I use the alarm feature quite regularly but that's about it, if I want to know the time a quick press of the home button while locked will tell me. No complaints tho.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Weather:-</span> Another standard iPhone app, built from the Yahoo! widget, it's ok, but very very basic, I'm gonna look for a more detailed one, but then if I find one I won't be able to delete this one!!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">MySpace:-</span> I don't use MySpace a hell of a lot any more, but I still have an active profile, and I occasionally check it on the go and delete all the crappy spam adds that you get on MySpace, functionally, the app's not as good as Facebook (much like the site itself!) (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284792653&mt=8">iTunes</a>)(<a href="http://www.myspace.com/mattgrover_uk">Profile</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Digg:-</span> Bookmark to the mobile version of Digg, which isn't the easiest to use, and thus doesn't get much use from me. (<a href="http://m.digg.com/">Link</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">TubeStatus:-</span> As I do a fair bit of work and commuting to/from and in London, this would seem like quite a handy app, which I suppose it would be if I actually checked it regularly before my journey, but at the same time, the Tube isn't that hard to navigate and if there's a major problem (becuase "minor or even major delays" generally don't matter if you're just getting the next train), you can easily figure out how to go around, and if you're checking the app now, it's already too late. If it was integrated into a map, that may be more useful. (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=285535503&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Linkedin:-</span> Another social network site, this one supposed to be more business orientated, so I've got a profile, have some connections and that's about it at the moment, but the mobile app comes in handy if I want to check on it.(<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=288429040&mt=8">iTunes</a>)(<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/mattgrover">Profile</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Photos:-</span> The standard iPhone photo gallery app, once again, I've got no issues with this, I don't want to be doing any photo manipulation or editing on the go, it simply stores my phone cam photos and syncs with iPhoto. Cheers.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">UK Trains:-</span> WebApp interface for the National Rail Timetable search, the interface isn't great, but it delivers the same results, and for a free webapp it's ok, does the job. (<a href="http://themacbox.co.uk/iphone/trains/#_Search">Link</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">ShoZu:-</span> This seemed like a bloody good app, I could post pictures to my various accounts from a single app, could blog on the go, all looked good. First time I tried posting a pic to TwitPic, it failed, nothing posted. I think I've had one test blog post from it and that's about it. There has been an update and I haven't tried it since, so maybe I should give it another go. (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284768495&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">IM+ Lite:- </span>I keep this on as a just in case, it should handle multiple IM accounts and protocols, I very rarely use it. Don't know if the paid version's any better. (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=285688934&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Remote:-</span> AWESOME!!! Brilliant app from Apple to control iTunes. Unfortunately I rarely have cause to use it as I'm generally sat with or next to the computer that's playing the music, however when I eventually DO get a media centre set up, this WILL be used! (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284417350&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">eBay:- </span>The interface isn't great, but I have been using it recently to keep an eye on my watch list, and even placed a bid with it, so on that score I guess it does it's job. (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=282614216&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">AroundMe:-</span> I really like this app in principal, I wish I could get more use out of it. It should link to the location services and tell you what's nearby in any given category, for instance Restaurants. Which it seems to, as long as their in whatever database it looks up (Google??), I've used it to find somewhere to eat, as well as confirm that there were no better options from what we'd already found. (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=290051590&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">AIM:-</span> I get more use out of this than IM+ Lite, mainly as my girlfriend has a MacBook now I set up an iChat/AIM account for her and now if I'm out and about this can save on SMS Texts, as long as there's a decent connection. Hopefully it'll get the whole push server thing going on and then will run in the background, that would be handy. (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=281704574&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">MMS:-</span> Okay, was told about this one recently whilst filming at Olympia. We had a chat with one of the guys on the O2 stand there at BETT, and he pointed us in the direction of this app. It's a simple app that gives you an interface to the O2 MMS web portal, so if you receive an MMS message you can use this app to read it rather than faffing about through Safari. This is definitly a much better way to do it. My only concern is with sending. Now, unlike the majority of the whinging iPhone community, I'm not that fussed about having MMS capabilities, true this app makes it easier for me to pick up any that are sent, but I could do that on the web anyway. If I want to send a picture I'll generally email it. However there's still a lot of people who haven't got decent mobile email and so are still using MMS, like my girlfriend for example who has a <a href="http://www.nokia.co.uk/link?cid=PLAIN_TEXT_970330">Nokia 5000</a>, because that suits her mobile phone needs, and has MMS. So I can view MMS messages from her, and with the MMS app I can also, if I <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">REALLY</span> needed to send them. However you need to top-up MMS credit from within the app via PayPal, the rates seem about average, but are they on-top of my mobile tariff, is it a seperate thing? I haven't been able to clarify, thus I haven't given any money over. (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=300925874&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Darkslide:-</span> I added this yesterday, because I was specifically looking for a picture of something. Sat in the car, bought it (free) over 3G, used it to search Flickr. Couldn't find what I wanted, but that's not the app's fault. It seems pretty good, lot of functionality, I'm gonna keep it about for a bit. (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284919489&mt=8">iTunes</a>)(<a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/mattgrover/">Profile</a>)<br /><br /><!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) -->Starting to notice I have a lot of apps that get bugger all use.<br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.scripts/twitthis.js"></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>');<br />//--><br /></script><br /><!-- /End --><a href="http://pownce.com/send/link/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fxkcd.com%2F388%2F%20%20&note_body=Lemons+are+not+untasty%21"><br /><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/buttons/pownce-16-green.gif" width="16" height="16" border="0" alt="Pownce it!" /> Pownce it!<br /></a></div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-42048744639991349892009-01-23T10:33:00.006+00:002009-01-23T11:21:35.523+00:00Up and Running 6<div>I've now been using my iPhone 3G for about 6 months, so here I'm going to cover the 'page 1' apps on my iPhone. Top to bottom, left to right. (pages 2-4 will follow)</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ79CYAQa8MUPVrH4seW7CmgKsDa7SvTe6ET5OS0PFEHp-ERAxwm5j_Fkzdj3KHDntJG_kY_OxjzG6sxZyTEwDmSiHjK79ymTrUdVeH7av-5Du4DwigLOIavY1M_ONEiJyxWD5EA/s1600-h/IMG_0002.PNG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ79CYAQa8MUPVrH4seW7CmgKsDa7SvTe6ET5OS0PFEHp-ERAxwm5j_Fkzdj3KHDntJG_kY_OxjzG6sxZyTEwDmSiHjK79ymTrUdVeH7av-5Du4DwigLOIavY1M_ONEiJyxWD5EA/s400/IMG_0002.PNG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294436484054502338" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Calendar:-</span> Pretty straight forward this one, I use iCal on my MacBook as my main calendar, so it's synched to that. Unlike on my previous Nokia phones, I can add an item to any calendar category I like, rather than having to specify just one iSync or something. Only bugbears with it are that there's no week view and the calendar colours don't match the one's in iCal, the latter at least seems like a no brainer!!<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Maps:-</span> Maps gets knocked by a fair few people, mainly for it's lack of "turn-by-turn" SatNav abilities, all I can say is that so far, it's got me everywhere I've needed to go. True every now and again there's a post code error and it takes me to the wrong street, but this isn't the application's fault as such, more the data it's using from Google Maps, or maybe even address having the wrong post code on it. </div><div>Back to the "turn-by-turn" side of things, yes, this is is a tad fiddly in Maps, you have to tap through each waypoint and then re-engage GPS tracking each time, not the best thing to have to do while driving. Rumors still fly about the Tom-Tom software for iPhone and a guy from O2 told me there was another SatNav app coming out soon (same one as they have on XDA perhaps), but I've yet to see it, plus it'll be a subscription based model, not sure about that.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Contacts:-</span> I don't have to delve into this that often, apart from via the phone book. It was dreadfully slow to begin with, updates have pretty much sorted that.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Camera:-</span> For a bog standard phone camera, it's not terrible, yeah sure there's better phone cameras out there, but this is comparable to and better than some previous Nokias and Motorola's I've had. Does ok.</div><div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Twinkle:-</span> I'm a Twitter addict. So until it goes bankrupt (revenue model yet anyone?) I'll keep going. There's a variety of Twitter apps out there, I've been happiest with the interface on this one, plus it's location aware. (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284967867&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Calculator:- </span>It's a calculator...</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Notes:-</span> It does exactly the job I need it to do. If I need to make a note of something, this is where it goes.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">NetNewsWire:-</span> I got into the whole RSS thing a few months back, and I have both the mobile and desktop version of NNW, both pretty good, for collating the various sites I read. Still think the mobile one has syncing issues tho. (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284881860&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Facebook:-</span> A pretty good interface for the site, they do keep improving it, there's more needed, but I'm sure they'll get there. I do get quite a bit of use from this. (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284882215&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Safari:- </span>All in all, it does a pretty good job, can be a little fiddly with some sites if there's crowded text, you can easily tap a link when you wanted to zoom in, or tap an adjacent link to the one you want. Can be a tad slow at times and obviously doesn't cope well with pop-ups etc.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Evernote:-</span> Thinking this may go soon. It's an interesting concept when combined with the broswer applet, you can clip to Evernote then it's accessible from pretty much anywhere. Thing is cell data isn't great and I rarely use it. Favouring emails, Notes and PDFs it seems. I want to like it tho. (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=281796108&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Settings:-</span> Cos there's no quick switch icon for Wi-Fi on/off</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Air Sharing:-</span> Brilliant, gives you wi-fi disk access to your phone, create folders, drag over docs, whatever really. I've got a store of useful docs on my phone and use this a fair bit. Be handy to have some integration to mail or something, to allow you to save docs to it tho. But that's probably more a restriction by Apple. Luckily I also got this when it was free, but well worth the £2.99 now! (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=289943355&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Traffic:-</span> WebApp, quick view list of traffic problems around the UK, listed by region, very useful (if I remember to check before I set off!), would be handy if it listed by Motorway, cos half the time I'm going somewhere of any distance, I lose track of which county I'm in!! (<a href="http://iapps.co.uk/traffic/#_home">WebApp</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">FireFone:-</span> Recently discovered <a href="http://fireeagle.yahoo.net/">Fire Eagle</a>, added it to my Twitter-style addictions and online explotation. Tried a couple of Fire Eagle apps out, this seemed to do the job the quickest. Apparently the recent update allows Location to Twitter posting, haven't tried that yet tho. (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=290004119&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Quick bar.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Phone:-</span> No complaints so far, sometimes the Visual Voicemail is a bit sketchy whether it will actually be visual or not, but that hasn't been a major issue so far.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Mail:-</span> Again, this has been working okay, nothing has stopped me from working or anything like that, would like to be able to save documents tho, that did cause a minor delay in things the other day as I couldn't get the doc off the phone (no wifi to pickup email on my MacBook), but overall it's done well. My email accounts are all over the place, but I will be upgrading my server to Exchange which will hopefully solve all that (but not until Snow Leopard!)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SMS:-</span> I'm pretty sure I text a hell of a lot more with this, the conversation format works well, only issues are me being too quick and accepting some of it's stupid spelling and word suggestions by mistake.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Checklist:-</span> I tried various ToDo list apps, this one enabled me to add tasks the quickest, so it stuck. (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=285533710&mt=8">iTunes</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, so there's page 1, I'll cover pages 2, 3 and 4 when I can/feel like it/am bored/etc. Always interested to hear about useful and interesting apps, especially paid apps that are actually worth the money!<br /><br /><!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) --><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.scripts/twitthis.js"></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>');<br />//--><br /></script><br /><!-- /End --><a href="http://pownce.com/send/link/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fxkcd.com%2F388%2F%20%20&note_body=Lemons+are+not+untasty%21"><br /><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/buttons/pownce-16-green.gif" width="16" height="16" border="0" alt="Pownce it!" /> Pownce it!<br /></a></div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-88127173702675104802009-01-14T23:49:00.003+00:002009-01-15T00:14:05.939+00:00BETT 2009Today was the first day of BETT 2009 @ Olympia, and as I've done for the past couple of years, I was part of the team covering it for Teachers TV. It's been a long day and I have a blister on the ball of my left foot.<div><br /></div><div>If you're hoping for an insightful post on the current state of technology in the education marketplace, this is not going to be the one. This is about what freebies we snagged on the way round, mainly as despite being rather tired, I'm not quite ready to go to bed yet, so you get this!</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HB2Qcp5eiARJqZGMFmxaF6L3CdowDKSxc5QYyC5ww784PPUYwcBcuEMNIw99KdKMnr5buYJg5Mukr-dnQtqYHqVNMyFQbCvp-mTq6nUCUN2Np4Cq-tam7O8ccmZPaofd3rlybA/s1600-h/IMG_0227a.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HB2Qcp5eiARJqZGMFmxaF6L3CdowDKSxc5QYyC5ww784PPUYwcBcuEMNIw99KdKMnr5buYJg5Mukr-dnQtqYHqVNMyFQbCvp-mTq6nUCUN2Np4Cq-tam7O8ccmZPaofd3rlybA/s400/IMG_0227a.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291306689390498146" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The haul is not as good as previous years :( no bags, no mugs, no drinks bottles. I'm pretty sure we could've found all three of those (bags at the very least), but for some reason, the freebies were hard to find, the stands were more reluctant to give them away and we seemed to have a much tighter schedule (or at least it became tighter!) this time round, which meant less time to browse on our way between I/V locations!</div><div><br /></div><div>But what did I come back with.</div><div><br /></div><div>A Pencil with TWO rubbers on it!</div><div>A Rubiks...sorry...Logo-Branded-Generic-Puzzle Cube (which one bit pinged off while I was smugly boasting about it to the presenter)</div><div>A rather snazzy flower shaped highlighter (may give that to my g/f, on the other hand, may not)</div><div>A few sweets, including a sherbert lolly!!</div><div>A Stress LightBulb</div><div>A Stress Phone</div><div>2 'credit-card' sized packs of mints</div><div>&</div><div>3 USB Memory Sticks! (not sure on the sizes yet, won't be huge, although my sound guy got given a 2GB one and he didn't even ask!!!!!)</div><div><br /></div><div>Also got recommended a couple of iPhone apps by the guys on the O2 stand, I'll cover at least some of them in a post tomorrow (yeah right, believe that when I see it!!... I Will honest!)</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, it was a great show and we saw (and filmed) some interesting stuff, should be a good programme!! <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">BETT Report 2009</span> goes out on Teachers TV 20:15 Thursday 15th (Today now!!) and should be available online shortly after at <a href="http://www.teachers.tv/video/30904">http://www.teachers.tv/video/30904</a><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) --><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.scripts/twitthis.js"></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>');<br />//--><br /></script><br /><!-- /End --><a href="http://pownce.com/send/link/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fxkcd.com%2F388%2F%20%20&note_body=Lemons+are+not+untasty%21"><br /><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/buttons/pownce-16-green.gif" width="16" height="16" border="0" alt="Pownce it!" /> Pownce it!<br /></a></div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-78061453744185186382009-01-02T01:20:00.004+00:002009-01-02T01:39:30.641+00:00YO YO YO'9Well it had to happen I suppose... as it does every year, one finished and another arrived, this time, something a little different, Two Thousand and NINE, yes NINE of all numbers!!<div><br /></div><div>OK it's late, 20 past 1 in the AM Jan 2nd 09 and after pretty much 3 months, I NOW decide I want to post some random shite up here. Deal.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, was pretty damn busy at the end of last year, mix of stuff and, by the time it came around, I was really glad for a bit of a break over xmas! :/</div><div><br /></div><div>How did '08 go?? Not bad, first 8 months of being freelance done and dusted, all going ok so far, sure there's a way to go, but for a start, I'm pretty pleased. 4 months left of my first year, and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">then</span> a proper assessment I think.</div><div><br /></div><div>Been trying to work out my 1 year and 5 year plans, not going great, still needs a lot of work, and preferably some sort of writing down, once I do figure out what they're going to be. Still interested in creating some sort of online content, still toying with various ideas, still not moving forward with anything... that'll be on the plan.</div><div><br /></div><div>Spent too much money over xmas... mainly on myself, post xmas. I'm not a bastard, I bought good presents, just buckled afterwards and bought myself one..</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjJASrPWrgUrb6XuOQY-6JnkOFRJNIb3KsBGLRvni48tuATqIvlkAVTBM3X7ndTBkKTySR78SW-7x9Lzb9wwtDXxPvL3ScrokM7HiJ9fML6I-csv6iTb5sUfuMpYoXwDt4roLmQ/s1600-h/IMG_0221.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjJASrPWrgUrb6XuOQY-6JnkOFRJNIb3KsBGLRvni48tuATqIvlkAVTBM3X7ndTBkKTySR78SW-7x9Lzb9wwtDXxPvL3ScrokM7HiJ9fML6I-csv6iTb5sUfuMpYoXwDt4roLmQ/s400/IMG_0221.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286501527226731234" /></a><br /></div><div>What you see there is my spanking new Nikon D80 sat next to what can now probably be described as my vintage Nikkormat EL, which used to be my Dad's. The Lens on the D80 is an 18-55 'G' lens, which isn't great, but it's a start. I want to get a decent zoom for it as the Nikkor 80-200 I picked up recently for the EL is of too old a type to mount on the D80. Damn.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Apparently I can get the lens modified to fit, which I may need to do anyway, as I bought it not only for the EL but also for use with lens adapters on video and I think there's a similar mounting issue there.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, Happy New Year.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mood is quizzical and ever so slightly apprehensive</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Currently (still) listening to <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/White+Star+Liners/_/Dimmer+Then+Explode">White Star Liners - Dimmer Then Explode</a></span></div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-44197790059224877642008-10-30T21:45:00.004+00:002008-10-30T21:50:51.910+00:00BREAKING THE LAW?!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLMVWQbVIhKLRdWxY6Rwv9caYFoqI35qHOItRpDH2m2fvyUpKFwietrAdzCyWRVh-FS-2-Vf0PhNbgX38DQBAiFJQLVtRxJEft4wO4XyjPwhBF4SbcoD0fQL8TTsSiUEpXdXo3gQ/s1600-h/Picture+2.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 69px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLMVWQbVIhKLRdWxY6Rwv9caYFoqI35qHOItRpDH2m2fvyUpKFwietrAdzCyWRVh-FS-2-Vf0PhNbgX38DQBAiFJQLVtRxJEft4wO4XyjPwhBF4SbcoD0fQL8TTsSiUEpXdXo3gQ/s400/Picture+2.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263066844411104802" /></a><br />Apparently anyway according to Facebook, although it could well be a click of the "Report" button on a video (haven't tested what happens with that as yet).<br /><br /><div>I've asked them for details as to what the actual problem is, currently waiting to hear and as of this time, the video that they say has been removed, is still listed under My Videos.</div><div><br /></div><div>The video in question is a showreel, so it'll be interesting to see what comes back from FB as the precise issue.</div><div><br /><br /><!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) --><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.scripts/twitthis.js"></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>');<br />//--><br /></script><br /><!-- /End --><a href="http://pownce.com/send/link/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fxkcd.com%2F388%2F%20%20&note_body=Lemons+are+not+untasty%21"><br /><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/buttons/pownce-16-green.gif" width="16" height="16" border="0" alt="Pownce it!" /> Pownce it!<br /></a></div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-58692929534434031952008-10-07T19:22:00.003+01:002008-10-07T19:26:49.655+01:00Me MemeIn response to <a href="http://denmedia.blogspot.com/2008/10/me-meme.html">Mike</a>....<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnSSvkZQhYAFK9tKIO0-f7PxhSP8tgbb5d_SBbUX2BRCd6K5yUXWg2JFDEup7nwH8HwI1AIrtHZF27ltvTYRo___1O2PPJByzejF6PnbCI7yhWHB0M1zXWKMmAtugqg2oXdx27Q/s1600-h/Photo+38.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnSSvkZQhYAFK9tKIO0-f7PxhSP8tgbb5d_SBbUX2BRCd6K5yUXWg2JFDEup7nwH8HwI1AIrtHZF27ltvTYRo___1O2PPJByzejF6PnbCI7yhWHB0M1zXWKMmAtugqg2oXdx27Q/s320/Photo+38.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254479542461666162" /></a><br /></div><div>1. Take a picture of yourself right now.<br />2. Don’t change your clothes, don’t fix your hair…just take a picture.<br />3. Post that picture with NO editing.<br />4. Post these instructions with your picture.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Do it. I did and (as you can see) I'm tired, haven't done much except sat on my bed and opened my laptop since I got in about quarter of an hour ago and I don't even know what a 'meme' is!</div><div><br /></div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-84602380734737790892008-10-03T17:56:00.003+01:002008-10-03T18:00:22.748+01:00Comic collection<a href="http://media.shozu.com/cache/portal/media/52803cf/16777224"><img src="http://media.shozu.com/cache/portal/media/52803cf/16777224_blog" /></a><br />Testing out Blogger integration with Shozu on my iPhone by posting a random picture of my comic collection (minus one just out of frame and a few in the loft).<br /><br />It's growing, just read the first trade of Proof, which was awesome, also started reading 'normal' comics, currently following Wolverine with the Old Man Logan storyline, Marvel Apes, Kick-Ass and I Kill Giants, all very good.<br /><br />Verdict on Shozu just before posting is that it's a tad slow and unresponsive, let's see how the posting goes... <p align="right"><a href="http://www.shozu.com/portal/?utm_source=upload&utm_medium=graphic&utm_campaign=upload_graphic/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.shozu.com/resources/messages/logo_blog.gif" alt="Posted by ShoZu" border="0" /></a></p><p align="right" style="text-align: left;">[edit]</p><p align="right" style="text-align: left;">Okay it seems that didn't work so well, in that ShoZu posted to the wrong blog (it dawned on me that I hadn't been asked to specify while it was sending), so I've copy and pasted here, not sure how the geotagging went down there either.</p><p align="right" style="text-align: left;">[more edit]</p><p align="right" style="text-align: left;">Ok have now rectified the situ via ShoZu's web page, hopefully posting from the iPhone will go straight here now.</p>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-3829044731674614122008-09-20T13:50:00.003+01:002008-09-20T14:02:44.896+01:00Busy Busy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ypLPQGgLLVdcr6A7FHk5tLLmvqm7j8GkueeUUT-SsyzwpRpEKgG26QZ3CQkKhf1XbNT8_1OxBuVDP351URKpRjyRbfCEuN9_R4dFOAYrcd7GsSDuaQgqJ4VdTxLy9zaFhUWBSQ/s1600-h/applelight.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ypLPQGgLLVdcr6A7FHk5tLLmvqm7j8GkueeUUT-SsyzwpRpEKgG26QZ3CQkKhf1XbNT8_1OxBuVDP351URKpRjyRbfCEuN9_R4dFOAYrcd7GsSDuaQgqJ4VdTxLy9zaFhUWBSQ/s200/applelight.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248087813112301890" /></a><br />It's been little over a month since I last posted on here, not that I'm that regular with posting anyway, but still..<div><br /></div><div>Been a busy month so far, and subsequently I'm fucking knackered! (there's no pleasing me!) Been good fun though and tomorrow, all being well, I'm off to Brussels for the final few days of this part of the BT job I've been on. (which reminds me I must check the train time for getting to St Pancras!).</div><div><br /></div><div>As I've been busy, the comic script I've been working on has had to go on back burner for a few weeks, not a bad thing really, need to come up with some new stuff for it as it was too short, and as I had a pretty tight story worked out originally, it's hard to come up with something to extend it without just adding "stuff", I'll get there tho.</div><div><br /></div><div>Couple of other projects bubbling under as usual, waiting for something to kick off. BTW anyone been watching "The Wrong Door"... Brilliant!</div><div><br /></div><div>On the iPhone front, things are going pretty well and I'll chuck up another "Up and Running" post soon, maybe in a bit if you're lucky ;)</div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-60328658510574899532008-08-15T12:00:00.001+01:002008-08-15T12:02:47.601+01:00White Star Liners<center><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/P8dXaY0RcU8&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/P8dXaY0RcU8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/whitestarliners">myspace.com/whitestarliners</a><br /><br /></center><br /><br /><!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) --><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.scripts/twitthis.js"></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>');<br />//--><br /></script><br /><!-- /End --><a href="http://pownce.com/send/link/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fxkcd.com%2F388%2F%20%20&note_body=Lemons+are+not+untasty%21"><br /><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/buttons/pownce-16-green.gif" width="16" height="16" border="0" alt="Pownce it!" /> Pownce it!<br /></a>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-82007097781050124832008-08-05T11:36:00.002+01:002008-08-05T12:18:41.068+01:00Up and Running 5c: Web Apps and more/less appsOk, let's start with the native apps..<div><br /></div><div>Gone from the phone now are both PhoneSaber and Labyrinth Lite.</div><div><br /></div><div>Added to the phone is:</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>TubeStatus</u></b><br />TubeStatus is a simple app that's pretty much Ronseal, gives you the (I'm presuming) current status of the various London Underground lines. Having just installed it a few minutes ago, I haven't tried it "in the wild" yet, but I will and we'll see how that goes. To be honest, I don't usually worry about "minor delays" and stuff, because of the pretty poor nature of the tube anyway, but it's possibly handy to know about any major problems before getting to the station, or even setting out on your journey.<br /><br />What would be good to see is DLR info in there as well and at least a link to an online tube map if they're not allowed to include one (of course TFL could always buy him out and include a map then ;) I'm not gonna stop carrying my trusty paper tube map just yet, but it's a start maybe.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5230981963743846322"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJguYY9tX7I/AAAAAAAAAvM/TRN0U97xc-k/s400/IMG_0001.PNG" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Now onto the WebApps.</div><div><br /></div><div>Referring back to a <a href="http://mattgrover.blogspot.com/2008/06/nearly-iphone-time.html">previous (pre-iPhone) post</a>, where I'd been looking at some WebApps to see what I'd potentially use, only one of those is currently bookmarked on my home screen.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Depth of Field Calc</u></b></div><div>Instead of having a circular piece of card or plastic that costs around £1m give or take, there's a handy little web app for doing something similar. You pick your camera, which should then give you the correct sensor size, then give your focal length and subject distance and the app calculates and displays your DoF. It's video only, not a problem for me as pretty much all of my work is on video at the moment, and despite having smaller cameras like the HVX200 and EX1, it's missing others that may be useful, such as the Sony DSR-450/570.</div><div><br /></div><div>Again, I've not tried this out properly yet (will post when I do), but it's certainly an interesting app and I know a couple of people who've had it installed on their original iPhones.</div><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5230985053092994482"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJgxMNr8XbI/AAAAAAAAAvk/tFijtrdu8Vw/s400/IMG_0001.PNG" /></a><div><br /></div><div>Before I deleted PhoneSaber, I installed an update for it (no major changes), played about with it and randomly decided to tap on the info button. This displayed who it's by; <a href="http://themacbox.co.uk/">TheMacBox</a> with a "Tap here for more apps" button... so I did. It seems they've got some pretty good stuff going on!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>UK Train Times</u></b></div><div>nationalrail.co.uk on the iPhone is a bitch! Okay so Safari gives you the 'real' web, but some sites are still a bitch to navigate with it, National Rail being one. So this app sounded really interesting.</div><div>It seems pretty good, great clean interface (although all these standard colours are getting a bit dull now, not this particular app's fault though), seems to work well, I'm guessing it queries the National Rail site and displays the results in a more iPhone friendly format.</div><div>Only complaint so far, can't select Arrival time, which is what I normally use.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5230981963323187378"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJguYXZaoLI/AAAAAAAAAvc/encxSs6EryQ/s400/IMG_0003.PNG" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Cinema Times</u></b></div><div>From the same guys comes Cinema Times, type in the film and area, or just the area, give a date and tap search and it returns, first the various cinemas around there, tap one to get the times, tap the film to get links to it's IMDb page, trailer if available, where else is showing it and the ability to mail the details to someone.</div><div>You can't book online, but it does give you the phone number for the cinema (which you can obviously call from your iPhone!) and a Google Maps link showing the location, although this is a web based Google Map link rather than invoking the iPhone's Maps app.</div><div>I think the last time I actually pre-booked tickets was for The Phantom Menace (and we all know how that turned out!), so the booking doesn't bother me, I'm liking the look of this for quickly finding out what's on though.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5230981961709401954"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJguYRYqN2I/AAAAAAAAAvU/9ALxX1a9JeM/s400/IMG_0002.PNG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I know I've been crap with hyperlinking the various apps, but the UK Trains and Cinema apps are on TheMacBox's site and I've linked that above ;)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-33894650758656548782008-08-02T15:29:00.003+01:002008-08-02T16:11:42.955+01:00Up and Running 5b: Apps still on my iPhoneSo part two (or as the observant have notices, part 'b' and technically part 3, but hey..) on iPhone apps that I've been trying/using. Previous post covered the ones that I'd tried and removed, now for the ones that are still on the iPhone, for now at least.<div><br /></div><div><b><u>Twinkle</u></b> (free)<br />A location aware Twitter client, apparently Twitteriffic is location aware as well, but I couldn't find that in the version I had, plus I prefer the interface on Twinkle.<br><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229928414844205730"><img align="center" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJRwLxeCuqI/AAAAAAAAAtI/034o5fo01lE/s400/IMG_0003.PNG" /></a></div><br /><div><b><u>AIM</u></b> (free)<br />When Apple's push server is up, this will rule, as would any other IM client hopefully, and with any luck significantly reduce the amount of SMS texts I use each month. The interface isn't brilliant, but it does the job, haven't checked out the Online/Away/Offline side of things when you go back to the home screen yet tho, so not sure how good that is.<br><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229930250062252722"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJRx2mMHyrI/AAAAAAAAAtk/OZe4PHYKZTE/s400/IMG_0006.PNG" /></a><br /></div><br /><div><b><u>Cube Runner</u></b> (free)<br />Quite an addictive game, simply (uhuh) fly your craft through the blocks for as long as possible amassing points on the way, very simple premise, controlled with the phone's accelerometer, I haven't played it in about a week tho, so it may come off soon.(I have managed to get a higher score than 12 btw)<br><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229930259517069810"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJRx3JaU2fI/AAAAAAAAAt0/4zz-ovH8Jxs/s400/IMG_0009.PNG" /></a></div><br /><div><b><u>PhoneSaber</u></b> (free)<br />I tried to resist, I couldn't, this was one of the first apps i downloaded to the iPhone, it's great for showing off your new iPhone to all the people who haven't got one, but that's about it, the novelty wears off and I've shown it to pretty much all the people who's be impressed by PhoneSaber now, so it'll probably come off soon. Not yet though, just in case.<br><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229930260120113954"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJRx3LqGkyI/AAAAAAAAAts/93NeIuCr8GQ/s400/IMG_0007.PNG" /></a></div><br /><div><b><u>Tap Tap Revenge</u></b> (free for now)<br />Another game, yes, a good one though (although could do with some sort of better feedback when you tap), I'm not gonna bother to explain, it's a rhythm game, it's doing very well for itself and is definitely worth getting.<br><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229930271224845490"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJRx31BrVLI/AAAAAAAAAt8/Txzo3GEKAqg/s400/IMG_0011.PNG" /></a></div><br /><div><b><u>Facebook</u></b> (free)<br />The Facebook app is getting there, still needs a couple more features implemented, video of example, more detailed friend feeds, but it's pretty good for a "mobile" app, haven't tried the chat on it, but the Mobile Photos part is a very very good idea.<br><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229930244628553186"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJRx2R8oHeI/AAAAAAAAAtc/pATboXeG7wA/s400/IMG_0004.PNG" /></a></div><br /><div><b><u>MySpace Mobile</u></b> (free)<br />MySpace is a bit of a has been now, true it's still pushing forwards with the music and stuff, but it's all about marketing now rather than a pure social thing, i've got the app anyway, as I'm still on there and I still use it.<br><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229933640845486194"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJR079116HI/AAAAAAAAAuE/fxKTGTgdTsI/s400/IMG_0012.PNG" /></a></div><br /><div><b><u>Labyrinth Lite Edititon</b></u> (free)<br />Another addictive little game, simply one of those puzzles where you have to maneuver a ball bearing around a course, avoiding the various holes. Not impossible, but a couple of the courses took a few tries. I've got one left, not sure if I'll upgrade and pay for more, but it's worth investigating.<br><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229933637423158626"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJR07xF5VWI/AAAAAAAAAuM/U7n2fRwnvPY/s400/IMG_0013.PNG" /></a></div><br /><div><b><u>Pownce</u></b> (free)<br />I've got a Pownce account, but it hasn't seen much use yet. Transferred a couple of files, got Twhirl linked up to it, but it's still in early days yet, got the app tho cos I would like more use from it.<br><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229935009888717890"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJR2Lp7LzEI/AAAAAAAAAuk/OvQBUgSiAJ4/s400/IMG_0002.PNG" /></a></div><br /><div><b><u>Remote</u></b> (free)<br />Finally buckled and downloaded this today. It's AWESOME, at the end of the day it's a simple principal, but the fact that, I'm downstairs typing this, my PowerMac (which had my iTunes library on it) is blasting away upstairs (listening via the staircase, oh for an Airport Express) and I can change tracks using my cocking PHONE is AWESOME!<br><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229935007013927010"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJR2LfNx-GI/AAAAAAAAAuc/2XSpYgk5Aq0/s400/IMG_0001.PNG" /></a></div><br /><div><b><u>Dizzy Bee</u></b> (£1.79)<br />Ok, finish up the post with the first app that I decided to pay for. Is it some uber-productivity app? Something camera or video related? No it's a cutesy little game featuring a bee who has to recuse fruit. Another accelerometer based game, with which you could easily tie yourself in a knot or dislocate something, you roll around resucing fruit, collecting flowers and dropping it all in a hole. As the levels go up, so baddies are introduced who squish your fruit and pop your bee. It's brilliant, especially for only £1.79!<br><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229933645224380690"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJR08OJ2iRI/AAAAAAAAAuU/oiHXL201R3M/s400/IMG_0014.PNG" /></a></div><br /><div>So that's it for now, 5c will cover the web apps I've looked at and the ongoing adventure that is the iPhone 3g (?), the only other thing app related at the mo, is a complaint.<br /><br />I don't have any stocks, I don't currently want to purchase any stocks so I sure as hell don't need a stupid Stocks app on my phone! Can I get rid of it? No, it seems I bloody well can't! (And no I don't want to Jailbreak my phone thanks), just to uncheck it in the settings somewhere or something.</div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-29619975438018699802008-08-02T15:03:00.005+01:002008-08-02T15:27:35.157+01:00Up and Running 5a: Apps I tried and removedOk, Blogger's formatting restrictions are REALLY pissing me off. I JUST WANT AN IMAGE NEXT TO EACH ONE!! WHY IS THAT SO FUCKING HARD?!?!? Fine I'll put them below, FUCK YOU BLOGGER!<div><br /></div><div>Okay and here.. we.. go. A rundown of the various apps I've have or have had on my iPhone 3G. I'll do this in two parts, starting with the apps I've tried and have removed. <br /><br /></div><div><b><u>ToDo</u></b><br />This little app by Erica Sadun, will be leaving my iPhone shortly, as a) I'm not using it and b) it takes like 3 taps to even get a ToDo up and running, may suit some. Not me though.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229922079224207074"><img align="center" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJRqa_chluI/AAAAAAAAAsg/bHPA0XarQKo/s400/IMG_0008.PNG" /></a><br /></div><br /><div><b><u>Google</u></b><u></u><br />It would probably be good, if it was actually quicker then me using Google in Safari and didn't have a nasty habit of rebooting my iPhone. You are the weakest link. Googbye. (see what I did there.)<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229921842159037762"><img align="center" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJRqNMTyLUI/AAAAAAAAAsY/-VFxaYYYy6A/s400/IMG_0005.PNG" /></a></div><br /><div><b><u>Sim Stapler</u></b><u></u><br />You tap the stapler, it staples, every 10 is says something to you.<br />Funny at first. Not any more.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229925679995490482"><img align="center" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJRtslXTELI/AAAAAAAAAso/VMqC9ZoqwwA/s400/Picture%201.png" /></a></div><br /><div><b><u>Jared</u></b><br />God Awful! I don't even know what to say about it, it's terrible, a total waste of a download, despite all the "positive reviews"<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229925686258573122"><img align="center" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJRts8siH0I/AAAAAAAAAs4/JBO6-mJ47rs/s400/Picture%203.png" /></a></div><br /><div><b><u>Bubbles</u></b><br />A cute little prog to demo the touch screen, but that's it, I downloaded the free versio (obviously), apprently there's a paid one?!?!?<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229925685698713410"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJRts6nDV0I/AAAAAAAAAsw/V-vLLVFpoJY/s400/Picture%202.png" /></a></div><br /><div><b><u>Twitteriffic</u></b><br />I gave up using Twitteriffic on the desktop, favouring Twhirl, now I've switched on the iPhone as well, to Twinkle. Seems camps are split by these two, I like the loction based tweets in Twinkle, hated the Twitteriffic interface.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mattlgrover/TheRantingsOfATrueRooserCont/photo?authkey=RtBtu5kohWg#5229925686723585458"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/mattlgrover/SJRts-bZpbI/AAAAAAAAAtA/giZGJVkVnmI/s400/Picture%204.png" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Ok that's those, next post the stuff that's still on there... for now MWAHAHAHA! :/</div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-62812299972592938662008-07-29T11:28:00.003+01:002008-07-29T11:34:59.080+01:00Up and Running 5: First paid for purchase<!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) -->This morning I downloaded my first PAID FOR app from the iTunes App store! It was a game. Damn.<div><br /></div><div>So much for "<a href="http://mattgrover.blogspot.com/2008/06/nearly-iphone-time.html">steering clear of stuff like that</a>". I'm gonna post soon about the apps I've been using/trying out on the phone, but just thought I'd share on here rather then <a href="http://www.blogger.com/twitter.com/matt_grover">Twitter</a>, dunno why. ;)<br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.scripts/twitthis.js"></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>');<br />//--><br /></script><br /><!-- /End --><a href="http://pownce.com/send/link/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fxkcd.com%2F388%2F%20%20&note_body=Lemons+are+not+untasty%21"><br /><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/buttons/pownce-16-green.gif" width="16" height="16" border="0" alt="Pownce it!" /> Pownce it!<br /></a></div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-16194271866540226072008-07-29T10:01:00.004+01:002008-12-09T17:15:30.718+00:00CuilI had a look at this new search engine today... <a href="http://www.cuil.com/">Cuil</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsCqQEIfTtTyK-nTQpKAi861fPGaguULuLtLdqzuoJFIIjzKiMdpjyI0uZK5ibKTjRh9U_IOpJSRXyI9cZb0C56YAfogcz7l9-ag5qazyuyhvshZINdGUZEKioWvwcEfNWORG7A/s1600-h/Picture+3.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsCqQEIfTtTyK-nTQpKAi861fPGaguULuLtLdqzuoJFIIjzKiMdpjyI0uZK5ibKTjRh9U_IOpJSRXyI9cZb0C56YAfogcz7l9-ag5qazyuyhvshZINdGUZEKioWvwcEfNWORG7A/s400/Picture+3.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228359035341004418" /></a><br />Obviously the first thing I decided to search for was me, see what profiles and sites of mine came up and how high in the rankings. It took a few term variations to find my stuff (not good for starters) and then when I did, there was something not quite right about the results where my actual website was listed. Namely the accompanying pictures.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMCJR1OZl4hGzeyK6CMIFIXG4oagXuFnxZK0GDyM9s4tS-J9baQft207aX0tsgXkvibtqTg9YVRRqJGkeqahm4NfvjXubR-97mYKgnjecEgXl782UTl_SLDVAqWp1gV5CmNSgKw/s1600-h/Picture+1.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMCJR1OZl4hGzeyK6CMIFIXG4oagXuFnxZK0GDyM9s4tS-J9baQft207aX0tsgXkvibtqTg9YVRRqJGkeqahm4NfvjXubR-97mYKgnjecEgXl782UTl_SLDVAqWp1gV5CmNSgKw/s400/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228358966382047986" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTAv1YVcpu9r4nyyhTFgUHadMWF_NirNJdNQZWZjvmmDRw4EVzBpRtbyvcqrCDENbl6XKVMy107l6w36pPHTNhJAlCjmP6d1EL8AWOY0TrwMH3Ei75I2ETznc_u9ZIsMQNt6U5Xg/s1600-h/Picture+2.png" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span><img style="text-decoration: underline;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTAv1YVcpu9r4nyyhTFgUHadMWF_NirNJdNQZWZjvmmDRw4EVzBpRtbyvcqrCDENbl6XKVMy107l6w36pPHTNhJAlCjmP6d1EL8AWOY0TrwMH3Ei75I2ETznc_u9ZIsMQNt6U5Xg/s400/Picture+2.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228358854418505842" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div>Right... So in illustrating my site, we've got a picture of what appears to be maybe a hotel of some sorts and the logo of <a href="http://www.theportlandhospital.com/">The Portland Hospital for Women and Children</a>, ok.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I have to say, thus far I'm not overly impressed with Cuil, the webserver that my site's on is undergoing an upgrade of some sorts at the moment, this <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">could</span> be throwing Cuil's results off a bit, so I'll be checking again, when I know that my site's back up, and if it's not back up soon getting onto Fasthosts to find out why!</div><div><br /></div><div>Odd, nonetheless.</div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-90056623926574605472008-07-18T20:04:00.001+01:002008-07-18T20:05:54.642+01:00YES PLEASE!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">It's awesome, watch it! and if you're in the states BUY IT in iTunes (cos we can't over here in the UK <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">:( </span> )</span><br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.drhorrible.com/"><img src="http://www.drhorrible.com/images/banners/banner2.gif" border="0" /></a></center><br /><br /><br /><!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) --><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.scripts/twitthis.js"></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>');<br />//--><br /></script><br /><!-- /End --><a href="http://pownce.com/send/link/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fxkcd.com%2F388%2F%20%20&note_body=Lemons+are+not+untasty%21"><br /><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/buttons/pownce-16-green.gif" width="16" height="16" border="0" alt="Pownce it!" /> Pownce it!<br /></a>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-22642766387303649162008-07-15T13:32:00.003+01:002008-07-15T13:44:13.081+01:00Short showreel updateI've uploaded a slightly updated short showreel to my various profiles (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/MattGrover">YouTube</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=513727299">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.channel&channelid=36553490">MySpace</a>, <a href="http://share.ovi.com/channel/MattGrover.public?page=1&sort=1">Ovi</a> etc) as well as to my main website, <a href="http://www.mattgrover.me.uk/">www.mattgrover.me.uk</a>. The one on there's iPhone compatible too! ;)<br /><br /><br /><center><embed src="http://share.ovi.com/flash/player.aspx?media=MattGrover.10007&channelname=MattGrover.public" width="480" height="394" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></center><br /><br /><br /><!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) --><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.scripts/twitthis.js"></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>');<br />//--><br /></script><br /><!-- /End --><a href="http://pownce.com/send/link/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fxkcd.com%2F388%2F%20%20&note_body=Lemons+are+not+untasty%21"><br /><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/buttons/pownce-16-green.gif" width="16" height="16" border="0" alt="Pownce it!" /> Pownce it!<br /></a>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-29624156910115817432008-07-14T12:33:00.002+01:002008-07-14T12:42:38.143+01:00Up and Running 4: The first callHURRAH, after only 3 days of owning the iPhone, I've actually made a call!! Albeit to O2 customer services to transfer my number from Orange, but still a call has been made.<div><br /></div><div>It's pretty phone like, the ear speaker's not too tinny, I had a slight moment of panic when the O2 automation asked me to press a number, only to find when I took the phone from my ear, nothing was there!</div><div><br /></div><div>It's ok though, I'd forgotton about the fact that the screen turns off when it's next to your face, and it quickly came back, I then figured out to tap the "keypad" button and I was away!</div><div><br /></div><div>Debbie at O2 was very friendly and helpful, number will be transferred on the 16th and we had a quick chat about typing on the iPhone and how it takes a fair bit of adjustment.</div><div><br /></div><div>The main thing so far (apart from tapping the wrong letters), is the preditction. All the "AMAZING MATHS" that goes into predicting what you're typing and it corrects correct words.</div><div><br /></div><div>Example: I was typing <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">"ported</span>" into a tweet. iPhone was suggesting <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">"porter"</span>, i typed ported, pressed space to go onto the next word and iPhone changed <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">"ported"</span> to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">"porter"</span>, I then had to go back and change it back again.</div><div><br /></div><div>No while this is not the end of the world, it does slow down the typing process somewhat. The fact that pressing space accepts the suggestion and tapping the suggested word declines it, could be a bit backward. It's not suggesting every word like T9 or something, only odd ones, so it would seem better to tap the word to accept?? Have to see how that one goes.</div><div><br /><br /><br /><!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) --><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.scripts/twitthis.js"></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>');<br />//--><br /></script><br /><!-- /End --><a href="http://pownce.com/send/link/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fxkcd.com%2F388%2F%20%20&note_body=Lemons+are+not+untasty%21"><br /><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/buttons/pownce-16-green.gif" width="16" height="16" border="0" alt="Pownce it!" /> Pownce it!<br /></a></div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23046595.post-55979937921764968452008-07-13T19:11:00.007+01:002008-12-09T17:15:31.490+00:00Up and Running 3: The SatNav edition<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCO_LPNYSINKrHAvuGqkXXSnRJjXD1ni8ZUySBtG7oFdmnw8aBIY5XHkZ-IVpKfATtCrSRD7XWM_pmuhdHdjdH-lWmQBl8du2_AcfvlxjdhjJkWImyCbqlgLeVAcjTj0pFmcNZQ/s1600-h/Image018.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCO_LPNYSINKrHAvuGqkXXSnRJjXD1ni8ZUySBtG7oFdmnw8aBIY5XHkZ-IVpKfATtCrSRD7XWM_pmuhdHdjdH-lWmQBl8du2_AcfvlxjdhjJkWImyCbqlgLeVAcjTj0pFmcNZQ/s200/Image018.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222569245513498050" /></a><br />...so today was the first real, proper like, test of using iPhone 3G's Maps to navigate my way somewhere. The somewhere in question was Radlett (for work I assure you).<div>In this instance, I didn't have any backup printed Google Maps as my printer had decided to run out of ink. Thanks. So I was relying TOTALLY on the iPhone (well I did have a road atlas in the car, and the A-Z may have helped, but I'm not sure if Radlett's in there), today helped in the fact that I don't have a 'known' route (as with yesterday), but knew I needed to go round the M25.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>One of my concerns with navigating by iPhone, is that the thing keeps going to sleep. Luckily if you have the iPhone in 'tracking' mode, whereby it's using the AGPS to constantly monitor your position, this doesn't happen.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The next </div><div>problem I discovered, is that after I'd got the route (as straightforward as normal GMaps), and pressed start to kick off the first step, the phone came out of tracking mode, I put it back in tracking mode and skipped forward to around step 11 or so, which was which junction I needed to come off the M25 at (the bit before this is easy ;), again the phone came out of tracking mode.</div><div><br /></div><div>This happens pretty much any time you do anything, although i was able to zoom in and out (although I don't think you can zoom right the way in when tracking) without it losing me, but each time you advance a step in the directions, you have to re-engage tracking again. Thus it would be rather nice if it recognised each waypoint on the journey and updated itself.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Signal wise, which was my main concern prior to getting the phone, it held up pretty well. The thing with this is that the maps aren't stored on the device, so each time you scroll along, it has to download the next bit. If you're in a no-signal area, you'll lose the maps and just get a pulsing blue dot on a grid. Not very helpful. So far, I haven't had a problem, but I'm sure it'll crop up before the TomTom software's out!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>A couple of things that helped with the whole satnav side of things are a couple of purchases I made yesterday from Carphone Warehouse in Tonbridge (as the O2 store and staff were SHITE)</div><div>, being a Griffin in-car charger and a holder. Tried it first in the centre of the windscreen, didn't like that, moved to to the right.. much better (as above).</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0W2K4pxSmt2LbCln19RJImZu9YgTPYBu-yb1daEcwo6SQQ1HSWHuZrxROjnF93lpfWNDis8tgGVnF4LWiFIX8GIsiTgfDiopKkHk5lQnPbGtOYiaPVHo07UmuBl347bBdgSL3Lw/s320/IMG_0008.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222569832618017026" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">An iPhone view of the world</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So I eventually got to the location okay, reasonable straightforward, couple of unsure bits and brief wrong turns but all was well. I still needed to navigate my way back out and to the M25 th</div><div style="text-align: left;">ough. C'MON iPHONE SHOW ME WHAT YO GOT!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Again, I made it okay (I know you were all worried there for a moment!), signal held up okay, as it should in a built up area, GPS tracked okay, what confused me a couple of times going this way though was the map.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The map stays compass orientated, rather than orientated to your direction of travel as a standalone satnav would do, this created issues on a couple of roundabouts, as not wanting to keep tapping buttons on the iPhone as I was driving, I opted for the "follow the blue line" approach. Which was reasonable successful, but a couple of time where it looked like I was going straight across the roundabout, I wasn't, I wanted the next exit over. A quick double back and I was sorted, but this was a bit of a niggle.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNckAjvHGzCzeDAW5MFTgqbS9s7ffVJOZXTegXRcHqywA_mKPtq5EtUeoMtvN3FZbE2Q1J_LXbUs7rBCYdYjIikRHbvHSqgF2eJ8ZFYaNt1A_zGCQ2NtDnNQdpyZJ5hOuRQgWGEQ/s320/IMG_0001a.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222572359480943138" /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">All in all it was a pretty successful first test.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Main points</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ol><li>Tracking works fine</li><li>Until you step through the directions, then it gets switched off.</li><li>Data signal holds up well enough for the maps on most of today's route, built up and motorway, O2 needs some more 3G coverage tho!</li><li>When you do lose signal, you're fucked.</li><li>Have to think about the directions, due to the map orientation.</li><li>Not bad for a basic feature, needs improving though.</li></ol><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fBBOyEVBRBZiavQ4GQBHO2bwC6scVio-SlwLDlC6ispNTKU1yR4LBFNrgRRBTZMTpnuxgSeeKYqTbGXF80iAGGfEvuNVa55proIldmPq6YV3_IGf0U9PY_o4vdZCvZ0Lr9yYew/s320/IMG_0002.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222573838233752754" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPf45uqDTTKSd8SUWzONmX-bj9eAiM9lUajOxPTgZriMFbobd6MTQ1B9NpfE00BxUKwDwlRXuG4h4aZMh4j_Qb3irjI4XMZVzGUS8NV50ZBTT2AHTyh_bsit54fRCOhyphenhyphen1KRPEBbg/s1600-h/IMG_0003.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPf45uqDTTKSd8SUWzONmX-bj9eAiM9lUajOxPTgZriMFbobd6MTQ1B9NpfE00BxUKwDwlRXuG4h4aZMh4j_Qb3irjI4XMZVzGUS8NV50ZBTT2AHTyh_bsit54fRCOhyphenhyphen1KRPEBbg/s320/IMG_0003.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222574312649420786" /></a><br /></div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><!-- Begin TwitThis (http://twitthis.com/) --><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.scripts/twitthis.js"></script><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><!-- document.write('<a href="javascript:;" onclick="TwitThis.pop();"><img src="http://s3.chuug.com/chuug.twitthis.resources/twitthis_grey_72x22.gif" alt="TwitThis" style="border:none;" /></a>');<br />//--><br /></script><br /><!-- /End --><a href="http://pownce.com/send/link/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fxkcd.com%2F388%2F%20%20&note_body=Lemons+are+not+untasty%21"><br /><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/buttons/pownce-16-green.gif" width="16" height="16" border="0" alt="Pownce it!" /> Pownce it!<br /></a></div>Matt Groverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16769959827899337461noreply@blogger.com0