Reviews

Review: Joby Gorillapod Original

I'm always on the look out for new gadgets and technology that will make daily activities easier. Having already picked up the fantastic Hama 61 tripod some weeks ago I thought I had everything that I needed in terms of a tripod for Kodak Zi8 usage. However as good as the Hama is, it is somewhat inadequate for indoor desk filming which is something I very much want to do. I could work around it but why would I when the fantastic Joby Gorillapod Original provides me with the perfect solution. ...
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Review: Battlefield Bad Company 2

I've taken something of a dislike to all things FPS of late, with the exception of MAG with it's uniqueness in scale. It's not that I don't enjoy the genre, it's more that I have started to find it rather tedious, repetitive and if I'm honest boring. I think Modern Warfare 2 was the final nail in the coffin of doubt, that game; despite the merits it has received; bored the crap out of me. Perhaps a further reason for my dislike is that lately a lot of my gaming time has been restricted to times ...
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Heavy Rain Feature Review

Evolution pushes things forward, I take that as a given, however evolution takes many forms and not every type or step in that forward movement is exactly what I would term evolutionary or progressive. Take modern cinema, the recent release of James Cameron's Avatar has been hailed by many as a pivotal moment in the time line of motion cinema, a true step forward for the medium. While I can agree that technological advancements have resulted in things looking prettier and sure there are moments ...
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Mahara 1.2 E-Portfolios Beginners Guide

I have already discussed Mahara and the wonderful range of features it offers in an earlier post on the blog and have received some inquiries regarding it's implementation. While the initial setup process is fairly straightforward I can appreciate for those not technically minded or with the same knowledge and experience with computers as myself it may prove more of a challenge. Indeed although the basic setup and usage of the platform is fairly intuitive, Mahara provides a wealth of features an...
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Review: Moodle 1.9 Teaching Techniques

Recently I was lucky enough to get my hands on a review copy of Moodle 1.9 Teaching Techniques distributed by the wonderful people at Packt Publishing. I have long been an advocate of Moodle and indeed of all things open source, so I must complement Packt Publishing on the excellent job they do in providing educational material on a wealth of open source software. I have ordered several e-books from them over the past few months, with each delivered quickly and securely, while saving me money by...
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US TV For Me!!

I really enjoy a good drama, not the type that life flings my way just about each and every day, I'm talking more of the type I can lose myself in while lying in bed. There's nothing like chilling out in front of the TV with an ice cold drink and some quality TV to take your mind of the stresses of everyday existence. While there are some great locally produced shows, the BBC in particular offer some great ways to pass an evening, I find particular enjoyment in TV that originates from the US. So...
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DJ Shadow: Entroducing & Premeptive Strike

Some things get better with age, your favourite but battered comfy chair, lying on in bed, good wine and great music. It's been nearly ten years since I first discovered DJ Shadow; late one night listening to some alternative music radio broadcast. It was love at first listen; the funky fresh drum beats, scratchy mixing and quaint samples were unique, exciting and captivating. There's no particular reason for revisiting his work right now, despite reaching the level of mastery with his initial r...
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Hama 61 Tripod

To provide a more professional look to any video or images that I capture with my new Kodak Zi8 I thought it best to invest in a decent tripod. Even though the Zi8 has EIS (Electronic Image Stabilisation) it still is no match for a properly rigged camera placement on a tripod. While wanting a professional setup I was only prepared to pay what I considered an affordable amount - tripods can cost thousands of pounds and while they may bring added bang for buck at that price point, fundamentally so...
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Unboxing Mass Effect 2 & Dante’s Inferno Collectors Editions

Equipped with my shiny new Kodak Zi8 I thought a good way to start would be with some unboxing videos - YouTube compression has been applied but the videos should be available in 720p when YouTube is finished processing them... Enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntBiLrzqOpU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5b6Hz1qXuA
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Daemon – Review

Daniel Suarez's Daemon is classic cyberpunk, a techno thriller set in a time when cyberspace means more to each of us on a daily basis than it has ever meant before. We live in cyberspace now, banking, shopping, communication, education, politics, recreation - all stapled to electronic mechanisms. Ten minutes from now I will be notifying people all around the world that I have published this review via Twitter, anyone with a computer and an Internet connection can view my thoughts. When you real...
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Eels End Times – Review

Great artists quite often are categorised as being prolific, the production of their art as natural and and as intuitive to them as breathing. While that may not always be the case, the ability to produce art of a consistently high quality is something to revere and respect in and of itself. End Times is the second Eels album in six months and while it may not live up to the sheer genius of Blinking Lights & Other Revelations or their debut Beautiful Freak it's still a very worth while liste...
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On The Job – Review

I am continually working on different projects and find it hard to keep track of the time spent on each of them; there are times when I feel I am neglecting certain projects over others and times when I feel as though I have spent too long on one thing. With development work ongoing for the GeekCaster Store, GeekCaster News Network, Blog updates, writing for a book, screencast production and others I thought it was about time I invest in some time tracking and invoicing software. After co...
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