In response to a previously related incident involving the security of our postal delivery arrangements, I recently invested in a Y-Cam Black. I have had suspicions regarding the moral integrity of some of the regular users of the footpath that runs past our house for a while now, but the theft of sixteen Chuck Ds worth of train tickets confirmed them. In an effort to thwart any further attempts at stealing my possessions via this particular method, I moved our postbox inside our front porch, and affixed the Y-Cam Black in a suitable position to monitor both the box and any parcels placed on the floor inside. Triggered by the motion activation feature built into the camera, it uploads still pictures to an FTP server whenever anyone enters the porch. This arrangement allows me to see any activity related to postal deliveries to my property, and, potentially, any criminal efforts on the part of the mentally subnormal, mail-bothering yokels that frequent our lane.
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2 comments 2008-03-01 22:00 Categories: Computers, Consumerism, Geek Stuff, Reviews
This is my obligatory Apple fanboy Macworld opinion post. Deluded advocates of other, lesser computer and consumer electronics manufacturers should avert their gaze now. (more…)
0 comments 2008-01-16 13:35 Categories: Computers, Consumerism, Geek Stuff
- Literary event of the year: Kittenwar: The Book. The launch party was brilliant fun, thanks to everyone who turned up.
- Best book about cats not written by me and Fraser: Cat Getting Out of a Bag by Jeffrey Brown. This is a smashing little book, endearing and beautifully observed. Chronicle are clearly the quality cat-book publisher.
- Best book not about cats and not written by me and Fraser: Oystercatchers, by my mate Sue, read it now.
- Album of the year: We Can Create by Maps. Lovely.
- Most overrated album of the year: Neon Bible by Arcade Fire. Am I the only person in the world who thinks this is a load of whiny rubbish? And I liked Funeral, too. Deeply disappointing.
- Best animated feature, and about time too: Futurama - Bender’s Big Score.
- Best computer I have owned to date: 15″ Apple MacBook Pro. Not quite perfect, and Leopard is a bit crashy still, but much nicer than using Windows on some shonky PC.
- Depressing non-event of the year: our house sale. The current state of this almost eight-month long transaction is so fragile that I’m wary of discussing it in public for fear of the remote possibility that our buyers might read what I think of them and take offence, so I’m going to leave it until the sale has fallen through entirely or (unlikely, this) completed before relating the full saga. It’s a cracking story though; the whole experience has led me to believe that English property law needs serious reform, perhaps involving the statutory deployment of stocks and public floggings as deterrent measures for recalcitrant parties.
- Scary number of the year: 30.
That’s about it, see you next year.
5 comments 2007-12-31 14:05 Categories: Animation, Books, Cats, Comics, Computers, Consumerism, Geek Stuff, Kittenwar &c., Music, Personal, Rage
I recently treated myself to a new MacBook Pro, and one of the first things I did (after fitting a ridiculous amount of RAM) was to install Parallels. This splendid piece of software allows OS X to run other operating systems in a virtual machine, which means I can do boring Windows-based day-job work on my shiny new Apple laptop.
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3 comments 2007-07-20 14:33 Categories: Computers, Consumerism, Geek Stuff
Wow. Microsoft and Fiat have teamed up to produce a Windows-based Fiat 500. The legendary reliability of a Fiat combined with the rock-solid stability of Windows! What could possibly go wrong? Enjoy the thrilling experience of a BSOD at 90 mph! Marvel at the mere three minutes it takes to start your vehicle every morning! Feel safe and secure as your car asks you if you really want to change gear again, whilst simultaneously allowing random strangers to mess with your brakes via Bluetooth! Grit your teeth manfully whilst being overtaken by little old ladies in mobility scooters as your mode of transport indexes its components and checks that its engine is still there! Pray for salvation when your car suddenly grinds to a halt in order to install two-hundred megabytes of updates right here, right now, in the fast lane of the M25!
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0 comments 2007-07-13 12:04 Categories: Computers, Consumerism, Geek Stuff
I finally cracked and bought something I’ve been secretly coveting since it was introduced: a Mac mini. So far I’m very pleased with it, and whilst it is not perfect, it is a massive improvement on the big old Windows box that it has replaced in the front room.
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1 comment 2007-02-15 14:05 Categories: Computers, Consumerism, Geek Stuff, Reviews
I read about Pleo last month in Make, and whilst the enthusiasm of the team involved was intriguing, the pictures of the product itself didn’t really make me want to know more: in still shots the little robotic dinosaur looks like a cheap plastic toy, boring and static. Seeing it in action, however, I begin to think they might have made something rather splendid. I almost want one for myself.
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2 comments 2007-02-03 12:04 Categories: Consumerism, Geek Stuff
If this rumour is true, I might actually switch. I’ve been coveting OS X for a while, and I’m a sucker for dinky laptops; a 12″ version with a decent spec would probably swing it for me.
0 comments 2006-12-06 11:09 Categories: Computers, Consumerism, Geek Stuff
These are fantastic! The Space Invaders ones are clearly the best, but I like the Pong designs as well. 100% Merino too. Brilliant.
1 comment 2006-11-23 10:45 Categories: Consumerism, Geek Stuff
