I know I'm not the first to notice the biblical parallels in Jurassic Park but whenever either one of these is quoted, I can't help thinking of the other...
St Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 6, verse 12:
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Dr Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park (David Koepp / Michael Crichton / Malia Scotch Marmo):
Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should.
Showing posts with label entertainment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label entertainment. Show all posts
Sunday, 12 November 2017
Monday, 11 September 2017
My TRE Talk Radio Europe 'gadget guru' technology for September 2017
Here's the technology I talked about in my September 2017 'gadget guru' chat on TRE Talk Radio Europe:
Samsung Galaxy Note8
The Note8 is a phablet, with all the functions of a phone but the size of a small tablet. This device is the successor to the ill-fated Note7, so there are no surprises that it’s called the Note8… and also no surprises that it’s had a whole load more pre-production checking.
The most obvious feature of the Note8 is the size: it has a 6.3-inch quadHD display. Because the screen’s so big, you can comfortably run more than one application at once. What also makes the Note8 stand out are the two cameras on the back. This means you can take a photo and then adjust the depth of field – effectively the focus – afterwards. You can even take a close-up shot (it’s got a 2x optical zoom) and a wide-angle shot at the same time.
The whole thing is waterproof, too – and it comes with Samsung’s voice assistant, Bixby, which can help with tasks and reminders without pressing buttons. Price is £869 without a contract.
Caterpillar T20 rugged tablet
Caterpillar is a brand that’s usually associated with construction equipment – but for a few years they’ve also lent their name to tough phones. Now, specialist mobile company Bullitt Group, which produces Cat-branded handsets, has made a tablet computer with the same kind of protection.
The T20 is the first Caterpillar-branded tablet on the market, it’s got an 8-inch screen and it runs the Windows 10 operating system. As well as WiFi it’s got a mobile connection, so you’re not tied to being near a broadband connection.
But it’s the protection that’s really notable. This is IP67-certified: dustproof and waterproof for 30 minutes at a depth of one metre. It is drop-resistant up t a height of 1.8 metres and is vibration-proof, too.
The whole thing runs on an Intel Atom chip, it’s got a five megapixel camera on the back, a two megapixel camera on the front and toughened glass on the screen. Rather sensibly, it’s also supplied with a hand strap. Expect to pay £599 without a contract.
ILIFE V5s Pro robot vacuum cleaner
Robot vacuum cleaners are a relatively recent innovation. Imagine something like one of those aluminium food covers that restaurants sometimes use, rolling itself around the floor and picking up dust. These robot cleaners can get under chairs and tables without you needing to move the furniture – and you can set them to work when you’re going out, so you don’t need to hear the noise.
ILIFE is a Chinese company that’s quite big in this kind of thing. The ILIFE V5s Pro isn’t just a vacuum cleaner but can also mop the floor. It’s got a microfibre cleaning pad and a 300ml water tank that can give you over an hour of cleaning; up to 180 square metres. (The water tank takes the same space inside the machine as the dirt bin: you need to take one out and put the other in.)
As you’d expect, it’s clever enough to avoid crashing into your furniture or falling downstairs. Yes, there are compromises but they’re reflected in the price: you can pick one of these up for less than £200.
BeoVision Eclipse TV
This television comes from a partnership between Bang & Olufsen and LG, although it’s being sold under the B&O brand. Effectively, it’s B&O's sound and design plus LG’s 4K display.
As with most big, flat televisions you can fix it to the wall – but this one offers the option of a motorised wall mount. That means you don’t have to keep the TV or the furniture in the best position to watch things. With this, you can hang the TV in the place that looks best for your room – perhaps flat against a wall – and push a button on the remote control when you’re all sitting down. The TV then angles itself into the room.
The optional floor stand does the same. Switch on and it’ll spin to bring the TV away from the wall, then you can angle it to suit where you’re sitting: up to 90 degrees either way.
There are two sizes available: a 55-inch version and a 65-inch version. Pricing reflects the technology: it’s just under £9000 for the 55-inch TV and around £11,500 (€13000) for the 65-inch model.
Samsung Galaxy Note8
The Note8 is a phablet, with all the functions of a phone but the size of a small tablet. This device is the successor to the ill-fated Note7, so there are no surprises that it’s called the Note8… and also no surprises that it’s had a whole load more pre-production checking.
The most obvious feature of the Note8 is the size: it has a 6.3-inch quadHD display. Because the screen’s so big, you can comfortably run more than one application at once. What also makes the Note8 stand out are the two cameras on the back. This means you can take a photo and then adjust the depth of field – effectively the focus – afterwards. You can even take a close-up shot (it’s got a 2x optical zoom) and a wide-angle shot at the same time.
The whole thing is waterproof, too – and it comes with Samsung’s voice assistant, Bixby, which can help with tasks and reminders without pressing buttons. Price is £869 without a contract.
Caterpillar T20 rugged tablet
Caterpillar is a brand that’s usually associated with construction equipment – but for a few years they’ve also lent their name to tough phones. Now, specialist mobile company Bullitt Group, which produces Cat-branded handsets, has made a tablet computer with the same kind of protection.
The T20 is the first Caterpillar-branded tablet on the market, it’s got an 8-inch screen and it runs the Windows 10 operating system. As well as WiFi it’s got a mobile connection, so you’re not tied to being near a broadband connection.
But it’s the protection that’s really notable. This is IP67-certified: dustproof and waterproof for 30 minutes at a depth of one metre. It is drop-resistant up t a height of 1.8 metres and is vibration-proof, too.
The whole thing runs on an Intel Atom chip, it’s got a five megapixel camera on the back, a two megapixel camera on the front and toughened glass on the screen. Rather sensibly, it’s also supplied with a hand strap. Expect to pay £599 without a contract.
ILIFE V5s Pro robot vacuum cleaner
Robot vacuum cleaners are a relatively recent innovation. Imagine something like one of those aluminium food covers that restaurants sometimes use, rolling itself around the floor and picking up dust. These robot cleaners can get under chairs and tables without you needing to move the furniture – and you can set them to work when you’re going out, so you don’t need to hear the noise.
ILIFE is a Chinese company that’s quite big in this kind of thing. The ILIFE V5s Pro isn’t just a vacuum cleaner but can also mop the floor. It’s got a microfibre cleaning pad and a 300ml water tank that can give you over an hour of cleaning; up to 180 square metres. (The water tank takes the same space inside the machine as the dirt bin: you need to take one out and put the other in.)
As you’d expect, it’s clever enough to avoid crashing into your furniture or falling downstairs. Yes, there are compromises but they’re reflected in the price: you can pick one of these up for less than £200.
BeoVision Eclipse TV
This television comes from a partnership between Bang & Olufsen and LG, although it’s being sold under the B&O brand. Effectively, it’s B&O's sound and design plus LG’s 4K display.
As with most big, flat televisions you can fix it to the wall – but this one offers the option of a motorised wall mount. That means you don’t have to keep the TV or the furniture in the best position to watch things. With this, you can hang the TV in the place that looks best for your room – perhaps flat against a wall – and push a button on the remote control when you’re all sitting down. The TV then angles itself into the room.
The optional floor stand does the same. Switch on and it’ll spin to bring the TV away from the wall, then you can angle it to suit where you’re sitting: up to 90 degrees either way.
There are two sizes available: a 55-inch version and a 65-inch version. Pricing reflects the technology: it’s just under £9000 for the 55-inch TV and around £11,500 (€13000) for the 65-inch model.
Tuesday, 30 May 2017
TRE Talk Radio Europe 'gadget guru' conversation from May 2017
Here's the technology I talked about in my May 2017 'gadget guru' chat on TRE Talk Radio Europe:
InstruMMents 01
I like a bit of hyperbole and I like a bit of technical language as well. So let me introduce you to the World's First Dimensioning Instrument.
If you want to measure a straight line, you probably use a tape measure. You can also go high-tech and use a laser measure, which shoots a beam of light across the room.
But how do you measure something that’s not in a straight line? Well, you can try to use a tape measure or even something as simple as a piece of string – but you’ll probably end up with estimates and approximations.
Or you can whip out the 01, which is – as the name suggests – the first product from a company called InstruMMents.
The 01 looks like an aluminium pen. It’s battery powered and connects wirelessly with an app on your phone. You pretty much just switch it on and roll the device along the surface you want to measure. The casing rotates, so all you need to do is move it along. It means you can measure a straight line up a wall, a curved line on a plan or even an irregular surface: perhaps measuring how much carpet you need for your stairs, Inside there’s a gear and magnet sensor system to track rotation and revolutions – and Bluetooth to send the data to your phone.
You could argue that this kind of measurement is already available to designers – and indeed it is – but they’ll potentially be spending tens of thousands of pounds on something that’ll track coordinates and measure dimensions.
Selfridges have claimed a UK exclusive launch for the InstruMMents 01 at £149.
Bosch EasyCut NanoBlade
This is a product that’s been described as a ‘pocket chainsaw’, which isn’t too far off the truth.
It weighs just 900g and is more like a cordless electric drill in its shape – but instead of a drill bit there’s a tiny chain with 44 teeth. Because it’s so small, you don’t get all the vibration you would with a regular chainsaw - and you also don’t need to oil or adjust the tension on the chain.
It’ll cut through 65mm of wood, which means it’s suitable for gardening as well as woodwork. It runs from a 12v rechargeable lithium-ion battery and the blades can be replaced, although apparently a single set can last for over 100 metres of cutting.
Price is £130 for the EasyCut 12. There are also a couple of corded mains-powered models with more power and more blade choices.
ION360 U smartphone camera
This is a clip-on camera and a rechargeable battery built into a protective case that’ll fit on a mobile phone. More specifically, on to an Apple iPhone 7 or a Samsung Galaxy S8.
At which point, you’ll probably say: why do I want a camera and a rechargeable battery in a case? I’ve already got those on my phone.
Yes,but you haven’t got a camera that shoots 4K 360-degree images and video. That’s ultra-high definition pictures – still and moving – with the ability to view the recorded scene from different angles. In fact, it doesn’t even have to be recorded: the ION 360U can stream video live to Facebook or YouTube, which is where that extra battery is especially useful. It can even recharge your phone when you’re not using the camera.
You can either shoot up to two hours of 360-degree video or take loads of 8-megapixel 360-degree images.
The camera/case is due to start shipping from mid-July and is expected to sell for £299.99, although at the moment you can order a ION360 U unit for the special price of £219.99.
Disc Jock-e
This is not a Frisbee with a built-in Bluetooth loudspeaker. Let me make that absolutely clear. Not because that’s an incredibly daft idea but because Frisbee is a trademarked product and this is not a Frisbee. So what we have here is a flying disc with a built-in Bluetooth speaker.
It’s 25cm across, 4cm deep and looks pretty much like you’d expect a flying disc to look. Except there’s a USB charging socket and some chunky control buttons as well.
Connect it wirelessly to your phone or compatible music player and you can stream music when you’re in the garden or at the beach. And yes, you really can take it to the beach because it’s waterproof.
You can pause or play and change the volume from the disc itself; the speaker is in the centre, so it’s evenly balanced and flies as well as you’d hope. Just make sure your dog doesn’t get too interested.
UK price is £27.99.
InstruMMents 01
I like a bit of hyperbole and I like a bit of technical language as well. So let me introduce you to the World's First Dimensioning Instrument.
If you want to measure a straight line, you probably use a tape measure. You can also go high-tech and use a laser measure, which shoots a beam of light across the room.
But how do you measure something that’s not in a straight line? Well, you can try to use a tape measure or even something as simple as a piece of string – but you’ll probably end up with estimates and approximations.
Or you can whip out the 01, which is – as the name suggests – the first product from a company called InstruMMents.
The 01 looks like an aluminium pen. It’s battery powered and connects wirelessly with an app on your phone. You pretty much just switch it on and roll the device along the surface you want to measure. The casing rotates, so all you need to do is move it along. It means you can measure a straight line up a wall, a curved line on a plan or even an irregular surface: perhaps measuring how much carpet you need for your stairs, Inside there’s a gear and magnet sensor system to track rotation and revolutions – and Bluetooth to send the data to your phone.
You could argue that this kind of measurement is already available to designers – and indeed it is – but they’ll potentially be spending tens of thousands of pounds on something that’ll track coordinates and measure dimensions.
Selfridges have claimed a UK exclusive launch for the InstruMMents 01 at £149.
Bosch EasyCut NanoBlade
This is a product that’s been described as a ‘pocket chainsaw’, which isn’t too far off the truth.
It weighs just 900g and is more like a cordless electric drill in its shape – but instead of a drill bit there’s a tiny chain with 44 teeth. Because it’s so small, you don’t get all the vibration you would with a regular chainsaw - and you also don’t need to oil or adjust the tension on the chain.
It’ll cut through 65mm of wood, which means it’s suitable for gardening as well as woodwork. It runs from a 12v rechargeable lithium-ion battery and the blades can be replaced, although apparently a single set can last for over 100 metres of cutting.
Price is £130 for the EasyCut 12. There are also a couple of corded mains-powered models with more power and more blade choices.
ION360 U smartphone camera
This is a clip-on camera and a rechargeable battery built into a protective case that’ll fit on a mobile phone. More specifically, on to an Apple iPhone 7 or a Samsung Galaxy S8.
At which point, you’ll probably say: why do I want a camera and a rechargeable battery in a case? I’ve already got those on my phone.
Yes,but you haven’t got a camera that shoots 4K 360-degree images and video. That’s ultra-high definition pictures – still and moving – with the ability to view the recorded scene from different angles. In fact, it doesn’t even have to be recorded: the ION 360U can stream video live to Facebook or YouTube, which is where that extra battery is especially useful. It can even recharge your phone when you’re not using the camera.
You can either shoot up to two hours of 360-degree video or take loads of 8-megapixel 360-degree images.
The camera/case is due to start shipping from mid-July and is expected to sell for £299.99, although at the moment you can order a ION360 U unit for the special price of £219.99.
Disc Jock-e
This is not a Frisbee with a built-in Bluetooth loudspeaker. Let me make that absolutely clear. Not because that’s an incredibly daft idea but because Frisbee is a trademarked product and this is not a Frisbee. So what we have here is a flying disc with a built-in Bluetooth speaker.
It’s 25cm across, 4cm deep and looks pretty much like you’d expect a flying disc to look. Except there’s a USB charging socket and some chunky control buttons as well.
Connect it wirelessly to your phone or compatible music player and you can stream music when you’re in the garden or at the beach. And yes, you really can take it to the beach because it’s waterproof.
You can pause or play and change the volume from the disc itself; the speaker is in the centre, so it’s evenly balanced and flies as well as you’d hope. Just make sure your dog doesn’t get too interested.
UK price is £27.99.
Tuesday, 7 March 2017
Miss Odeyne Spark
She's described as a dancer and comedienne in a number of English regional newspapers from late 1902. The Shepherd's Bush Empire, where she appeared in May 1906, called her a "Delightful Comedienne and Dancer". She's also mentioned as being on a vaudeville bill in South Africa earlier in 1906.
Variety in 1907 tells us "a case today under sharp Federation scrutiny [presumably the Variety Artistes' Federation] is that of Odeyne Sparks, engaged to open Oct. 7 at a Keith house for four weeks. She is considered a good turn here, and was booked through Hyman's agency, Mr. Feiber never having seen the act, his tactics toward Miss Sparks are construed by sound legal authority as intimidating." It goes on to say "if Miss Sparks concludes to face the music she will have ample artistic support".
The Cardiff-based Evening Express on 30th August 1910 reports that "Odeyne Spark is electrifying as a comedienne and dancer" at the Newport Empire.
Adelaide's Evening Journal of 19th January 1911 contains an advertisement that informs us Miss Odeyne Spark is "arriving to-day by the R.M.S. Malwa, direct from London" and that she is "one of England's daintiest and brightest comediennes and dancers".
The Advertiser reviews her show with "Miss Odeyne Spark, a bright comedienne from London, made her first appearance in Australia on Saturday, and proved herself an artiste with plenty of charm and originality. Clog-dancing is one of the strong points in her turn."
She proves popular in Australia: the Sydney Sportsman of 15th February 1911 describes her as "a recent arrival from across the herring pond" and notes that she "piles up encores nightly".
The Argus of Melbourne, Australia, dated 20th March 1911, tells us "A number of good new turns were given at the Opera-house on Saturday afternoon. Miss Odeyne Spark, described as a singer and a dancer, is neither a very excellent singer, nor does she dance very well, but her turn is a very bright one, as she has a good appearance and a pretty way of putting her work before the house. She had the gallery singing her chorus for her on Saturday, and that is a sure sign of approval. Her songs include one concerning the advantage of being named William, and another centred about the hobble-skirt."
A month later, the Amusements section of The West Australian (Perth edition) dated 25th April 1911 alerts us to the "Decided Success of Miss Odeyne Spark". It was around this time that some of her dresses were stolen from the Cremorne Theatre; William Parsons was sentenced to two months' imprisonment for the crime.
Odeyne Spark returned to England at the end of April 1911.
Thursday, 24 June 2010
The Commodores rewrite 'Nightshift' as Michael Jackson tribute
The Commodores have rewritten the re-written the lyrics to 'Nightshift' and have re-recorded it as a tribute to Michael Jackson.
Michael, he was a friend of mineTomorrow, Friday 25th June, is the anniversary of Michael's untimely death. Nightshift is a good song, although I'm not sure about the concept of rewriting a tribute song as a tribute to someone else. I wasn't sure 13 years ago, either.
For more than forty years, no brighter star did shine
Michael, they call you, “King Of Pop”
But for your gentle soul, the pain would never stop…
Monday, 28 December 2009
The rabbi, the comic and the poet
I've had a good year for live entertainment. A few weeks ago I went to see An Audience with Rabbi Lionel Blue. It was the last part of what I thought of as my "carpe diem" 2009 tour. You see, I'd nearly booked tickets to see Chas & Dave - but didn't. Next thing I know, they're not performing together. I didn't want the same sort of thing to happen again, which is why I've been to see John Cooper Clarke, Simon Amstell and Rabbi Blue this year.
And you know what? All three shows were pretty similar (in a good way, naturally). Any one could have been prefixed by "A conversation with..." - but I reckon the rabbi told the most jokes. After suggesting that problems were also opportunities, he went on to explain that his health was presenting him with plenty of opportunities at the moment. (May he live to 120). My favourite joke involved the mohel - but he tells it much better than I could, so I won't. Sadly there wasn't time for me to meet him after the show, although he was happy to wait.
John Cooper Clarke - who, like Rabbi Blue, doesn't seem to be planning retirement - also kept the audience entertained with jokes and conversation between his poems. And Simon Amstell's entire act was very much like a conversation with the audience.
Which is how I like my stage shows. If I wanted something two-dimensional, I'd have watched them on TV. If I wanted to drift off into my own thoughts, I'd have read a book. Instead - and in all three cases - I left feeling that we'd had a bit of a chat and the world was a better place. If only they'd consider touring together.
And you know what? All three shows were pretty similar (in a good way, naturally). Any one could have been prefixed by "A conversation with..." - but I reckon the rabbi told the most jokes. After suggesting that problems were also opportunities, he went on to explain that his health was presenting him with plenty of opportunities at the moment. (May he live to 120). My favourite joke involved the mohel - but he tells it much better than I could, so I won't. Sadly there wasn't time for me to meet him after the show, although he was happy to wait.
John Cooper Clarke - who, like Rabbi Blue, doesn't seem to be planning retirement - also kept the audience entertained with jokes and conversation between his poems. And Simon Amstell's entire act was very much like a conversation with the audience.
Which is how I like my stage shows. If I wanted something two-dimensional, I'd have watched them on TV. If I wanted to drift off into my own thoughts, I'd have read a book. Instead - and in all three cases - I left feeling that we'd had a bit of a chat and the world was a better place. If only they'd consider touring together.
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