djm blog

djmblog.com podcast 4

(download)

show notes for djmblog.com podcast #4
Host: Dan (danieljmckeown.com)
Guests: Jim and Mark
1. iOS apps
    a. games
        i. Tap to Flap
        ii. Cut the Rope Holiday Gift (the one I confusedly tried to reference last time)
        iii. Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2
        iv. FIFA 11
    b. camera
        i. Retro video apps

I. 8mm

II. iSupr8 [still haven't tried this one yet]

ii. “Camera replacement”: apps

I ProCamera: Cool imaging features, also does video

II. Camera+: Includes post processing filters, built-in photo sharing

2. sports talk
    a. Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers and the pursuit of the Halas Trophy
3. URL shortening script
    a. Why have your own URL shortener?
        i. Some sites use one to make their URLs Twitter-friendly
            I. nyti.ms; youtu.be; wp.me, t.co

ii. Still trying to roll my own for my own site; project called pacificpelican.us/cms

I. Doesn’t use a SQL database

II. Requires a password

III. Can do 301 redirects or JavaScript redirects

IV. Allows CSS to work with pre-loaded IDs and classes already there

V. Implemented at r.sf3am.com

b. If you want to use a 3rd party URL shortener, bit.ly is solid; goo.gl is the new name out there

4 New videos
a. Christmas in Chicago (2010)
b. The Treat [starring the parakeets]

5. Google Chrome drops H.264 for webM--is this good for the web?

[alternative mp3 link]

Filed under // podcast

Posted

Walgreens has an epic special on sweatpants

Walgreens-sweatpants-special--january-2011-by-daniel-j-mckeown

3 for $10!

Filed under // photos

Posted

Jessica visits Sandwichheads

Taken at Panera Bread

(NOTE: "Sandwichheads" song is on the Neener 0 EP.)

Filed under // photos

Posted

The Treat (a movie starring the parakeets)

The flock: Sparty, Belle and Dodger, vie to munch a treat.

[download the video]

Filed under // birds video

Posted

Jessica and me on New Years

Filed under // photos

Posted

Cleveland, OH

Google says Chrome will kick its H.26Four Loko habit

Is it hyperbolic to call Google's move to withdraw built-in H.264 video codec support in future versions of Chrome the opening shot in a media format war no less significant than Betamax vs. VHS and HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray?

Ars Technica carries the story if you're looking for background.

I am astonished to hear this news. And while has yet to deliver on this, if Google depractes H.264 support in their browser it will have an enormous effect in boosting unencumbered technologies that are free to use like WebM and Theora. Though this may be annoying in the short term (I sometimes watch and encode H.264 videos myself), it will give a boost to the free alternatives just by necessity--people want their content to be seen on a browser that has around ten percent of the market and is growing fast.

Desktop users can still use a different browser for H.264 content. Safari can play such video, for example.

It seemed like Google had an iron in both fires on this one--the current version of Chrome was supporting both Theora and H.264, for example. Maybe competition with Apple and Microsoft, both backers of H.264, is driving this to some extent. Now that change is coming, Google has showed where they are lined up on this one--in favor of the open web, even despite short-term technical hassles.

[I previously discussed the H.264 vs. WebM debate in an oggcast.]

Posted

Cleveland, OH