Cornell Finch » Technology

Can I Have A Blank Stare Please?

Collin — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:43:20 +0000

On a quick trip to Argos this afternoon to do a spot of geek toy shopping we were greeted with what Argos apparently thinks are “Student Essentials”. No computers, calculators, drawing sets, writing pads or similar.

Nope, Argos thinks that students need freeview receivers and DVD players. It’s no wonder our education system is screwed is it!

This Is Just Nasty – SFW

Collin — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 10:37:54 +0000

Due to the graphic nature of the image that I took of a mouse, I have put it after the jump. Please do not click through if you are of a sensitive nature. If you’re reading this via the feed then I apologise in advance.

Most of the muck that you find stuck to the bottom of your mouse is remnants of food and dead skin. This image was captured when I sat at a PC to do some work on it. I thought the mouse (an optical unit that is normally lovely and smooth) was moving slow and erratically. I turned the mouse over and this is what I found:

Clean your mouse you dirty fucker!

Going To Gunwharf? Turn Your Mobile Phone Off!

Collin — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:44:24 +0000

BBC News reported yesterday that the Gunwharf Quays shopping centre in Portsmouth is tracking the movement of people from the location of mobile phones within the site. The report (video) says that 4 aerials have been erected on the site which track whereabouts a phone will be at any time.

The developer of the technology was adamant in the report that no personal information can be collected, they can’t even tell the phone number of the phone that is being tracked. Gunwharf is simply using the information for shopping trend analysis in an attempt to improve facilities for visitors.

Personally I have no problem with this as I have nothing to hide, but, having been to Gunwharf regularly since it opened I have never seen a sign telling me that this information is being collected during my visit. It would have been nice to know.

Of course, when you’re attending a major event such as the Gunwharf Quays Italian Job Mini Event, the statistics will be all screwed up. The owners of the vehicles will wander around at random, visiting places within the centre with no particular direction.

Hey, perhaps we should organise for a couple of hundred people to visit the shopping centre, each with two or three mobile phones in their pocket and just wander around the centre without going to a single shop, bar, restaurant or other facility. See what that does to their “anonymous” statistics…

iPod Ready Blog!

Collin — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:53:43 +0000

Wow, I have 12 posts lined lined for the next week or so and I think this is my third today! I must be a nerd…

Whilst away with some friends a few weeks ago I borrowed a iPod touch, haced the hotel’s broadband (ok, they gave me the password, but saying I hacked it sounds better!) and looked at this blog. It was almost impossible to read the text in the posts. Due to the sexiness of this blog, the associated sexiness of the iPod touch and the iPhone and my desire for global device domination[1. I have yet to figure out a way to set every homepage on every browser the whole world over. I'm working on it!] I have installed a plugin called WPTouch.

It’s a highly customized iPod specific theme that will allow this blog to present just the useful information (ie the posts!) in an easily readable format on the iPhone and iPod touch. Apparently it automatically knows if you’re lucky (or rich or nerdy!) enough to be in possession of one of said devices the blog should be much easier to read. Unfortunately I’m not lucky, rich or nerdy enough so I don’t actually know if it works! If you are reading by iPod or iPhone could you comment and let me know what you think please you lucky rich nerd? Thanks y’all!

Only Nerds Understand This

Collin — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:30:07 +0000

Yes, *nix users are nerds. Just ask Root.

Update: Forgot the credit: http://www.xkcd.com/ – awesome comic. Thanks for the reminder Mike.