Colloquial Search Engine
Whilst researching for my dissertation I came across the development of a natural language search engine. Being developed by Xerox this technology may revolutionize the way users operate search engines, the article link below proved a really interesting insight into the future developments of web usability. It basically outlines a new innovative, dynamic way to search for anything using natural language, as opposed to the current method of typing key words and tags, well worth reading!
Add comment March 30, 2007
Yahoo Pipes
Heard about this on a TWIT podcast, worth having a look at.
Proper web 2.0 stuff!
Add comment March 28, 2007
Cool website!
Saw an Addidas advert on TV earlier “Impossible is Nothing” showing these 2 young lads that have conquered Everest already at 18! Now they have set off on a trip from Pole to Pole, saw the website address and had to find out more about their advertures.
Website is excellent, love the way you can select an item and be taken to a different area on the same page. This is perhaps a consideration for navigation on the DVD Studio project in fact.
Add comment March 25, 2007
How to design a Favicon for your website
Somebody asked me ages ago about how to design a favicon for a website, you know those small icons in the address bar which become really useful if you use bookmarks as you can visually spot the bookmark amongst others.
So heres a tutorial on how to do that: How to make a website icon.
Note that the application used in the tutorial is Photoshop on Windows however Photoshop on Mac OSX does not have the .ico format. Instead use IconFactory Pro (the app we used to create CD-ROM icons) to export this format from Photoshops filter menu. It’s installed on all the Macs in ALF19.
Failing this you can always design your image in photoshop, save it as a flatten .gif and us this online tool to generate the favicon.
When you add the code to your html document head make sure you do so in lowercase and not in uppercase as the tutorial suggests (thats not valid xhtml).
2 comments March 20, 2007
StoryCubes
A simple idea to look at for year 2, Multimedia Authoring, Non-linear Narrative, Storycubes:
StoryCubes are a tactile thinking and storytelling tool for exploring relationships and narratives. Each face of the cube can illustrate or describe an idea, a thing or an action, placed together it is possible to build up multiple narratives or explore the relationships between them in a novel three-dimensional way. StoryCubes can be folded in two different ways, giving each cube twelve possible faces – and thus two different ways of telling a story, two musings around an idea. Like books turned inside out and upside down they are read by turning and twisting in your hand and combining in vertical and horizontal constructions.
Add comment March 18, 2007
Web Design
Have followed this design companies work for quite a few years now and some of the stuff he has done is quite nice, I find their style pretty good… hey it’s pretty corporate (with a little funkyness) alright, you know me 
Just found this area on their website with links to some of the latest work. I particularly like elements of the BP Title Sequence.
http://www.dreamshock.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.pl
Most of the recent work seems to be combining digital creations with TV and with Interactive TV only likely to get bigger in the future I think this could be a key area to be working in. Question is, shouldn’t this sort of thing be looked into more than Director (I know director teaches us different things about interactivity and CDROM development) as part of the Digital Media course?
3 comments March 17, 2007
Cibo Matto – “Sugar Water”
Just remembered this music video directed by Michel Gondry, which relates to the Interactive DVD project we’re about to start in the second year. One video runs in reverse, the other moves forward – but the two stories still relate to each other, and the focus of the screens switches in the middle of the video. It’s a brilliant idea marvellously executed.
1 comment March 15, 2007
Actors Neeeded!
Volunteer Actors and Actresses aged 18 to 80 wanted for a forthcoming short film in the East Kent area.
Parts include both speaking and non speaking, as well as background extras. Brother and Sister actors (18-28) ideal for lead roles, but all will be considered.
The film is a conspiracy thriller.
Everyone that takes part will get a copy of the film and will be credited for taking part.
If interested or if you know anyone who might be please contact us with your details and a photo for further information.
cd.russell1@virgin.net
marcusroberts37@hotmail.com
Add comment March 14, 2007
Adam Curtis documentaries; a must see
Not sure how many of you saw the new documentary by Adam Curtis on BBC2, Sunday night The Trap: What Happened to Our Dreams… but it was as stunning good as his previous work. The documentary continues next Sunday and the following Sunday.
Hopefully the documentary will be online somewhere soon but in the meantime to see some of Curtis’ previous work see archive.org for:
Century of the Self
and
The Power of Nightmares
Strongly recommend The Power of Nightmares.
1 comment March 14, 2007
g.tec launches ready-to-go brain computer interface kit
“We know what you’re thinking [1], how come no-one has made any of the various brain interface technologies out there into a commercial product? Well, your dream last night [2] took a step closer to becoming reality with the announcement of the “ready-to-go” g.BCIsys Brain-Computer interface kit by the German company g.tec. Out of the box, the BCIsys can play simple games and comes with a P300 spelling device which, with a little training, can read your thoughts and place single letters on a screen. Ok, so you’re not exactly going to want to throw away your QWERTY just yet, as the P300 can take as many as 20 “flashes” to correctly read the word that you’re thinking; nor should the weight conscious be concerned that Wii Sports will be moving back to the sofa just yet, as the only included game is Pong. Also, this system isn’t exactly what you’d call a commercial release (lets just say that g.tec’s distribution partners aren’t the “one click purchase” type). In fact, we can’t find any information about how much the kit costs, or even whether simpletons like us would be allowed to get their hands on one. Little steps, little steps.
1] No, we didn’t place one of the brain interface kits onto your head whilst you were sleeping: it’s just a turn of phrase …
[2] … honest!“
Add comment March 13, 2007
