Well, my post the other day about the iPhone wasnt about BASIC programming, but now that Ive had a chance to think about it this new device does have some implications. One interesting thing about iPhones introduction is that nothing was mentioned about development tools. This is a little bit of a contradiction since the iPhone runs Apples OS X, a full blown Unix operating system. Since this new device is more computer than phone you would expect there to be some way to at least customize it by installing software, or perhaps by scripting. This would also make it easier to justify spending $500. On the other hand you must be a Cingular customer. Hmmm. :-/
It would be great if Apple decides to support this. Imagine Liberty BASIC on the iPhone! If software installation isnt a feature of the iPhone at least you will be able to run our web BASIC on it using the Safari web browser since youll have an always-on internet connection. :-)
Been wanting to purchase that shiny new iPhone 5s or maybe sport your favorite team color by getting one of the colorful iPhone 5c? Just a little more wait and you'll be able to get your hands on a subsidized unit! Very soon! Read more »
If you have not yet allowed your Samsung S3 to upgrade to Jelly Bean 4.3, DON’T!!!!! My absolutely brilliant phone under Jelly Bean 4.2.2 is now a broken piece of ****.
UPDATE: I finally found a solution. I bought Helium (which used to be called Carbon) backup and backed up everything from my phone. I then did a hard reset and wiped everything. Once it came back Google restored the apps automatically and then I had Helium restore the settings. Sure enough, everything works again. But be aware, not everything comes back exactly as before. But it is mostly the same and now I have the features of Jellybean 4.3 …
Samsung have been plagued by complaints from all over the world for almost two months now, and frankly I do not see things getting better.
My main problems were (both are now working):
Phone will not ring. (This is kind of big.)
Battery dies in hours if I switch WiFi on. (I can live without it, but it is inconvenient.)
I’ve owned these bodies for half a year and have done precious little in the way of posting on how one can get decent video from these. Well, here I am going to try to change that a bit. I am preparing for a concert that Nick and friends are giving at a local venue towards the end of next month, so I am working with a new set of SD cards.
They are PNY Polaroid 64GB cards with very fast read and write (>40MB/s and >30MB/s respectively.)
They are also very inexpensive for what you get – around 40 bucks at Amazon. So far, I have tested one of them in the GH2 pointed out the window at the garden and it managed 2:16 at >60Mb/s .. nice. That was a very detailed subject and shooting a concert is unlikely to get anywhere near those rates, which means that I will get very good quality for over 3 hours. Exactly what I want.
Note: These are SDXC cards! This means that you need to check your camera’s manual for compatibility with SDXC and with this size of card. I did that, downloading the manuals from the internet (they are all up there) in PDF format. Mine all support 64GB SDXC. Just make sure before you buy.
But what about power you ask? Batteries cannot last more than a couple of hours. And since I want to run the cameras for hours without stopping, I ordered some inexpensive power adapters. So far so good … the GH2 ran without stopping and did not overheat, so I am happy.
GH2, G5, G6
GF3, GF5, GF6
GX1, GF2, G3
I have tested all four and they power the four cameras just fine. However, do note that they are very inexpensive and light, so treat them gently. They need to be kept in a box until used and put right back if they are to give you years of service. Also, definitely make sure that you use gaffer tape to avoid people tripping on them or stepping on the various adapters etc. They won’t survive that. Anyway, here is the setup on my GH2:
Do note that there is a little door for the cord showing on the next image. The GH2 and G5 both have this, which allows them to run with AC power with their battery doors shut. The G6 will have this too, because the cord sticks out the side. But the adapters for the other cams are not like that and they must shoot on AC power with their battery doors ajar. No big deal, since they have to be on a tripod and near a plug, but just be aware of that.
Part 2 will cover the patches I use to improve the video on the hackable bodies …
ABOUT 3D TYPE I was reading some books in the library the other day and stumbled upon this 2011 publication titled "The 3D Type": http://3d-type.com/
That book is really worth reading and I absolutely recommend it. It is full of great 3D typography examples that you may have or have not imagined, for examples:
Alphabet made by juxtapositions of book on the shelf
Alphabet made by balloon.
Alphabet made by hair.
Alphabet made by arrangement of cup on a gate
Alphabet made by ink.
Alphabet projected on 3D environment
Alphabet of found stones that are shaped like one
Alphabet created by clever arrangement of sandwich
Alphabet created by melted cheese
And so on...
ABOUT 3D TYPOGRAPHY So, what is really 3D TYPOGRAPHY? In my own words, 3D typography is an arrangement and composition of text/alphabet in 3D space that we considered aesthetically beautiful, when properly designed can give extra impact to the message.
The typeface (the type of font) that is chosen can also influence the final look of typography design. True for 2D typography, even more in 3D typography, thus we have 3D TYPE topic.
Combine both 3D TYPE and 3D TYPOGRAPHY, then you have this huge design topic to explore. This is where you think FONT as character.
What would that topic has anything to do with Blender? Blender is actually a perfect tool for conceptualizing 3D TYPE design and TYPOGRAPHY arrangement in 3D.
Blender Text Object is pretty good starter. There is a limitation in term of control if you want to the details such as kerning, etc. It is not so important if your text is for TITLE/HEADING. You will not be doing novel inside Blender anyway. Surely, it could be interesting to think how to setup 3D TYPOGRAPHY for motion graphics animation, like how After Effects or MoGraph. Save that for later.
Alternative to Blender Text Object, we can always use NodeBox2 to prepare the Text Shape as Curves to pass on to Blender. This is perfectly recommended. NodeBox2 allows curve resampling and some easy 2D procedural curves.
3D TYPE(FACE) + 3D TYPOGRAPHY Like great examples shown on that book (shown at a glance on the video above), you can actually re-create most of them in CG.
Okey, purist artists might prefer to have a hands on 3D TYPE such as those made of grass or balloon, etc, that is all fine and dandy. Surely there are a lot more unexplored 3D TYPE concepts that are only possible to be done in CG, or at least create proof of concept, and maybe do 3D print. --- 3D print will get cheaper, so take notice! Home 3D printer is in my wishlist.
I remember some years ago, one of my college major projects was also to create 3D TYPE, Alphabet Set that is totally creative, made by juxtaposition of real everyday objects and to serve a purpose (for example: if the alphabet design is for furniture company, then you maybe design the alphabet using furniture). My design was this alphabet set created from liquid. Back then, we dont have Blender :) I created all the works using Photoshop. I kind of fake the liquid using halftone effect. This liquid text can be made a lot better if I were to do it again today.
THE BASIC STUFF So, lets think further about 3D type and typography together. 3D type in term of the design of the type (it should still readable as alphabet) and typography in term of the composition you will be creating.
Often time maybe we may just think: start with a Text object, choose a beautiful font, then extrude it and put it in 3D space, such as below:
Boring 3D type with perspective camera.
How about like this, set the camera to Ortographic and re-render with just ambient occlusion. Notice how "ortographic camera" can be quite neat. Try rendering your scene this way.
Very design-ish, but still boring.
These are very basic and will serve its purpose, sometimes you dont need any more than this. You could play around with the Bevel Object to create additional details. Similar to what you see at old signage design nicely carved edge and framed.
This beveled 3D TYPE alone, if you like to do further research and exploration can be interesting to study and explore.
BEVEL OBJECT EXAMPLE
Create a Text Object, hit TAB and change the text to your liking, keep it one word for now.
Under Text Object - Object Data panel, input Bevel Object with curve object. NOTE: Be careful here, if your Bevel Object curve is too big, you might get an unwanted result. You basically just need to rescale the curve you use as Bevel Object, and revoke the Bevel Object again. This does not refresh automatically, unfortunately, maybe they can change this in the future version of Blender. Maybe its the way for text object to cook off the object and save memory.
For Bevel Object, an open curve and a close curve profile will give you different result.
Without bevel edge, we get this more modern type (actually more boring, but simple, hence modern) tend to have this simple smoother plastic/metal-ish edge.
You could then continue then by adjusting other parameters such as:
COLOR: (notice that multiple materials on a single live Blender Text Object is possible)
Good thing being Text Object is that things are still easily editable. I try to always keep Text Object as is.
When you are in Text Object edit mode, you can easily assign multiple materials.
If I am correct, Blender Internal Render has little issue rendering Text Object with Ambient Occlussion, the solution is to convert it to normal Poly object and re-render. Alternatively, Blender Cycles render Text Object without any issue.
MATERIAL: (or surface property)
Blender Cycles is cool at creating this raytrace material: Chrome, Glass, but I think Blender Internal Render with Subsurface Scattering is still better at giving plastic/skin natural realistic look, similar to RenderMan.
TEXTURE:
Node based procedural texture in Blender is rarely noticed. Seriously they are fantastic, even better on Cycles because of the realtime preview. Separate tutorial needed to just explore the possibilities of material created with those procedural textures. Take notice of FAC attribute and MIX node, they are important.
SHADER (combination of color, texture, material, displacement) can play important job because it turns 3D TYPE into objects that have physical belivability.
Anything else I have not touched here? I think thats all the basic of what typically we do when doing 3D TYPE. Dont get me wrong, as designers, you can get really creative treating your 3D with just all above basic elements.
But of thats all about what we can do with 3D TYPE, it is still BORING, dont you think? I think so.
GET MORE INSPIRATION For more inspirations and research study, take a look some examples of 3D TYPE on famous movie posters. Some of them are interesting, some are a little bit boring. For these examples, I will borrow some images from Google Images Search, I dont think anyone would mind:
Movie Poster Title Examples
Dressed up movie title like Happy Feet Two is quite cute. Beautifully textured Kungfu Panda 2. Perhaps the Shrek Title also can be inspiration. Usually good 3D TYPE is easily recognizeable, even a single letter can tell you thats from which movie, for example The Matrix.
TAKE 3D TYPE FURTHER How can we take 3D TYPE into the next level? I will take you to explore this in the next article post.
DISTORTED TYPE (Particles, Displace Modifier)
SMOKE TYPE (Particles Fluid)
LIQUID TYPE (Volume Polygonizer)
FURRY TYPE (Hair)
BLOBBY TYPE (Particles)
ABSTRACT TYPE (Particles)
PROCEDURAL TYPE (Particles)
FRACTURED TYPE
ETC
Take a look at this awesome inspiration:
Hopefully this intro article on 3D TYPE can be useful for you, Try to take 3D TYPE further so that each text is totally unique and like a character in your scene!
UPDATE: Check this video for extra 3D typography inspiration:
UPDATE 2013.03.09: Motion Graphic Designer must love to see this: Sagmeister & Walsh Interview Its quite fun to see how those 2 designers worked really hard to create 3D type in real life. There is an art in itself of course. Their idea and execution is very clever.
Our job as 3D artist is probably to observe and think how to recreate the 3D type more efficiently in 3D, or maybe what can we create in 3D that cannot be replicated in real life? https://vimeo.com/58575990
Managing your personal finances is much easier when you know exactly where your money is coming from and where its going. MoneyLine Personal Finance Software helps you track your cash flow quickly and easily.
One of the easiest ways to see whats happening with your money is to use the split transaction feature in MoneyLine. For example, lets say you go to a store like Target or Walmart to buy groceries. Along with your groceries you stop off in the automotive section to pick up a couple of quarts of oil, then stop by the clothing section to pick up a few pairs of socks, and finally drop by the toy aisle to buy a birthday gift for a young relative.
Once youre home and have put away the groceries and the other items you bought, enter the purchase in MoneyLine. You can either record the total amount of the transaction and stop there, or take a few extra seconds and split the transaction into different categories. After entering the total amount spent at the store, break down exactly how much money you spent on food and allocate that to the Groceries category. Record the amount spent for the motor oil to Auto, put the socks under Clothing and finally the toy can go under Gifts.
You can even add subcategories to track things in still finer detail. For example, if you have two cars, you could make a subcategory for each vehicle underneath Auto expenses.
Over time, as you continue to categorize and split transactions you will have a better picture of exactly where you are spending your money. This helps when you are trying to create or stick to a budget—another feature of MoneyLine. You may find areas where you can cut back, or maybe you will find a few extra dollars that you can use for vacation and entertainment expenses—thats when keeping track of your money becomes fun.
Keeping track of your personal finances can be a chore, but with MoneyLine Personal Finance Software youll find that its actually a lot quicker than you may have feared.
Last Sunday I had the privilege to make two new friends, one blog reader from local Malaysia, and one visitor from the USA. Originally we were supposed to be shooting on the streets of Pudu that includes the large open air wet market where I have used for almost all my gear review purposes. Unfortunately, the sky rained like it never rained before for the whole morning, so we decided to just sit down and have some drinks instead.
We also stopped by the camera store at Pudu Plaza, YL Camera and I chanced upon some sample shots taken with the latest Olympus cameras, PEN E-PL5 and Stylus XZ-2. Suddenly, I felt like the urge to explore those sample prints and as I flipped through the calendar styled flipcard, I found my own photographs, there in prints !! I remembered Olympus Malaysia did request a few photographs from my reviews to be used for advertising a while ago. It was such a pleasant surprise to see my own name under the photographs. I know this is not much, but simple things like this can make a very happy Robin, and I think the smile lasted on my face for the rest of the day.
I have met Tai Foong before when I was shooting with Shaun at Petaling Street, and it was nice meeting up another fellow street photographer, someone who is also familiar with what I have been doing all this time. I took a photograph of him back then, and he politely requested me not to post that photo on my blog. It was about a week ago Tai Foong emailed me and asked if he could join me for my shutter therapy session. Of course !! Everyone is welcome !!
About the same time, Tony from the USA also emailed me, and asked if we could meet up and perhaps have a shutter therapy session together. I thought the timing was great, because I could form a small group of people for this session. Tony has been using the Olympus OM-D and discovered the joy of using smaller and lighter camera system, yet producing amazing photographs. I envy Tony and his wife, they are spending 18 months travelling all over the world !! I just cannot imagine all kinds of photographs that he is going to have the opportunity to shoot. Suddenly I felt like leaving my world behind and travel too without worrying much about anything else, but reality is never that kind.
I had to leave by noon, because I had a lunch appointment at 2pm. The rain stopped just when I was about to leave. Tai Foong and Tony went on with their shooting. I felt very bad for not being able to shoot with them, but hey, surely there will be future chances. I have a strong feeling this is not the last time Tony is visiting Malaysia. And I know I will be seeing Tai Foong really soon.
Tai Foong.
Not sure why I tilted the portrait like that, it must have been the after-effects of shooting the protest rally 112 a day earlier.
Tony
I did think that having this blog, spending all that crazy amount of time updating and maintaining it, all these become worthwhile when I get to meet people like Tony and Tai Foong. It was as if what I was doing was important and did matter for some people, and all my effort did count for something.
To Tony, thanks for looking me up when you were here in KL, I hope you enjoyed the dim sum we had, and surely it would be nice to catch up again if you do stop by KL anytime. Tai Foong, lets shoot some streets soon !
As a part of this alliance between Higher Education Commission and Microsoft, free latest licensed Microsoft software were provided to all the Public Sector Universities for their official use. Now HEC in collaboration with Microsoft has announced that every student, faculty and staff member of all public sector universities have full access to the e-academy Licensing Management System (eLMS) Portal to download the complete suite of Microsoft products for their home use absolutely free. All public sector universities recognized by HEC have been provided a customizable portal for licensed software distribution. The portal consisting of around 150 software applications will enable over one million students and about 40,000 faculty members to download genuine Microsoft software.
Now students can demand their own account from the IT Services department of their respective university. You have to acquire your account as early as possible to get the maximum benefit from this facility.
I am now in my beloved hometown, spending most of my time with my beloved mother. Just moments ago, we were watching one of the Smallvilles episodes in season 10. In that particular episode, the main theme was revolving around trust, faith and believing in someone.
Note: All photographs were taken with Olympus PEN E-PL1 and 14-42mm mk1 kit lens. Exposure and colour balance may be off, because I am away from my desk working computer.
Kolo Mee
Parked by the yellow window.
PINHOLE Art Filter
Whats that square fort thing again?
PINHOLE Art Filter
Recent events in life have driven me to the edge of my faith and trust in one friend that I have always believed in. I have not put as much faith, or had more respect and admiration other than this friend. It did not take much for that to crumble and fall. An unfortunate event happened, and I was downgraded from a friend to something worth less than a pile of garbage.
Watching that earlier episode of Smallville reminded me of why, and how I used to believe in someone. There were many meaningful quotes, daringly truthful I must say. Here are some of the highlights:
Scene 1: Clark was in conversation with Lois. They discussed about how Chloe left the group and Clark started to lost his trust in her. Lois was doing her best to convince Clark to open his eyes and to trust Chloe again.
Clark: I dont know Chloe anymore. I dont know whose side she is on. I dont know who she is working for.
Lois: Because she left?
Clark: Because she didnt say why.
Lois: I know that you know her more than anyone. She has always been there for you.
Clark: Maybe the history has blinded us from the truth. Chloe and I are on different paths. We do not know where she is headed.
Lois: And as much as you want to trust her, it is hard. Because she did not confide in you, maybe for the first time?
Clark: If Chloe really believed in us, she would have told us she was leaving and why.
Lois: All this time, this has been pestering you and you never said anything?
Clark: What am I supposed to say?
Lois: That it stinks? That its the hardest thing to trust someone enough to let them have their secrets? That you know they are doing it for a good reason? Trying to protect you?
Clark: I expected you and Chloe to know me well enough before you knew my secrets.
Lois: Yeah now its our turn to trust her. She has earned this Clark. Ok, everything in this world here is telling you that you should not trust her. And I can tell, your heart is seeing the opposite, and if I know one thing, is that Clark Kents heart is usually right.
Dried food
DIORAMA Art Filter
Sales on the five foot way.
PINHOLE Art Filter
Kuching waterfront.
SOFT FOCUS Art Filter
Scene 2: Clark and Chloe had a talk after all the dramas were over, and there were a lot of hard truths being spilled out. Truths that are applicable in many real life situations that we face everyday.
Chloe: Clark, every Frankenstein has a human heart.
Clark: How did you do it? Trust me, I mean back then, before you found out?
Chloe: I had my suspicions.
Clark: But thats what I mean. You knew I was lying to you and still you look to me in the eye everyday, and you trusted me?
Chloe: I guess thats the true test in believing in someone. Knowing that their lies are there to protect you.
Chloe: It is NOT really trust if you ask someone to explain themselves.
Clark: But thats hard.
Chloe: Its really hard.
Clark: You never gave up.
Chloe: And I never will.
What really spoke through to me from that episode of Smallville, was the part how everyone believed, and continued to believed in each other, despite all the opposing circumstances. It just appalls me to see how a friend can give up so easily on someone, and lose faith so instantly.
I guess faith is too much to ask for these days.
Gosh I miss Smallville.
Any Smallville fans out there? Did you guys catch the finale? OMGGGGGGGG Superman theme as the closing for the 10 years run, such awesomeness !!! I am having Smallville withdrawal symptoms already.
Singapore-based low cost airlines, Tiger Airways Singapore and Scoot, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding toward deep and wide-ranging cooperation.
The initial phase of this partnership will see each carrier marketing joint itineraries between Phuket, Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur, destinations served by Tiger; and Sydney and Gold Coast, served by Scoot. Customers may purchase a single itinerary for travel from Australia, via Singapore, to Tiger’s destinations.
On arrival in Singapore, customers will have to pass through immigration and collect their bags before checking into the second leg of their flight.
In the later phase, customers will be able to purchase flight itineraries originating from South East Asia. The airlines will also enhance this service with a direct connection process. Customers will be able to proceed with their onward journey without passing through immigration and without having to retrieve their checked baggage.
As the cooperation deepens in future, there could be a need for applications for anti-trust immunity, and this will be sought from the relevant regulatory authorities at the appropriate time as required.
The joint itineraries originating from Australia are available for sale from 2 October 2012 for travel from 15 October 2012 onwards. Itineraries originating from Asia will be available for sale and travel from 2 November 2012 onwards.
For SGX Interested Person Transaction declaration purposes, Tiger Airways is an associate of Temasek Holdings, which is the holding company of Singapore Airlines, the parent company of Scoot. Singapore Airlines owns 32.7% of Tiger Airways.
