One of the more exciting parts about technology for me is the times when a very simple idea proves to be a great help or time saver. It’s something I strive for and teach people regularly at my job, as I think sometimes a very elegant solution implemented in the right spot, however simple it may be, can really bolster a person’s opinion of a business. Continue reading
https://twitter.com/FairfieldDV/status/312595576946561024
Having worked at newspapers for a good chunk of my life, I certainly take the business of journalism seriously, and especially the slow and steady march to online journalism (although, having done page production, it makes me a bit sad that layout may go away at some point).
As a technologist, I applaud unique efforts on websites, and as a former copy editor I cringe at bad missteps. Today, a series of steps led me to a cringe-worthy moment, and a potential ethical issue. Continue reading
One of the great things about the printed word, the vinyl record, or even the CD, was that the item always retained some sort of value. The fact that you owned that item meant you could also sell that item, and the proliferation of options to buy used books, CDs, or even hunting through a stack of vinyl at a flea market had its moments of joy. Continue reading
If you’re like me, from time to time you acquire a gift card from various sources… friends, family, work, companies as an incentive, loyalty programs, etc. Because most gift cards are set to work at one or a few stores, they can sit dormant for months, or even years, with the value on them just waiting to be unlocked. The longer they sit, the more they lose their value thanks to inflation and ever-rising prices. Continue reading
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTLySbGoMX0
Disney seemingly effortlessly blurs the line between hand-drawn and CG animation. Some have been noodling with this for years (think “Futurama,” for instance, with some moments rendered in CG that mimics hand drawing) but Disney’s taken it quite a bit further along and reminds us, with a short that echoes some of the best kind of moments Disney movies have so aptly created over the last century, why the studio was once so successful. I hope this is a starting point for bigger and better things from the studio.
I’ve lauded Amazon for a number of its efforts over the years as a company that gets consumers, everything from letting consumers use credit card points to make purchases to their “read anywhere” approach to Kindle books that expand the reading options for eBooks and creating a true ecosystem. Their latest effort, AutoRip, is yet another consumer-friendly move that will only help their sales figures. Continue reading
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPozYQmYrf0
The blog’s getting video heavy lately… I blame my job, but hey, I get my music fix.
During one of those deeper dives for music recently, I tripped across the above video, promoting a timeline of Abba’s videos. It struck me as a clever use of existing YouTube tech to jump around in a video. Continue reading
http://youtu.be/AXz4P6EpX3s
Literally. Many of them. And more. Plus even more after the break. Continue reading
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuzKCjoJozc
The girl who brought us “It’s Thanksgiving” (produced by Patrice Wilson, the guy who also brought us such gems as Rebecca Black’s “Friday”) is back with a song not nearly as gimmicky, “Smile.” It’s fine as a pop song but doesn’t really have the same redeeming sing-along factor as “Mashed Potatoes… EY!” so I doubt this will catch on to the same level. But hey, gotta keep plowing ahead (and actually, I suspect Westbrook probably can sing relatively well without all the vocal effects). “It’s Thanksgiving” embedded after the jump: Continue reading
One of Pixafy’s clients that I’ve had the pleasure of working with, Melanie Dunea, is photographer and author of the My Last Supper series and website. She has photographed many celebrities for magazine covers, book jackets, promotional advertisements and much, much more. She’s also a lot of fun to work with, as well as a very kind individual. Continue reading