A Nano Swarm

If you ever wonder what the world may look like in a few years with Nano bots flying through the sky. In perfect formation they could act as giant CO2 scrubbers, or even survey disaster sights for search and rescue. The possibilities are enormous but the sound will be much like a swarm of bees coming towards you. Have a look and see for yourself the work being done at the GRASP Lab, University of Pennsylvania. Quickly you can imagine a world filled with swarms of flying robots.

A swarm of flying robots

Restore Pattern Security Android

I really like my security pattern on the Android phone (Nexus 1). Basically I can draw a pattern to unlock my phone rather than using some pin number or password. I don't like password or pin as it is just annoying to quickly input on my phone with the keypad. I've seen many friends using this feature, however recently there was a problem.

After trying to install e-mail from my work account on my phone, I kept recieving security updates from the server. [Note to self: do not install stuff when you are intoxicated]. After allowing this by accident I realized I coudn't use my pattern security swipe anymore. I kep[t recieving the message "pattern disabled by phone administrator". What? So how do you fix this?

1. Goto Home > Settings > Location & security settings > Device administration

2. remove the device administrator.

Now I'm not sure what other security problems this may have, but I've got my security pattern back. If you have the same problem I hope this helps. And of course if anyone has any tips or comments about this and why it may be good or bad, leave a comment!

And remember to keep your fingers clean or it doesn't work so well :-)

Related articles

• Smartphone Security Thwarted by Fingerprint Smudges (pcworld.com)

Data Visualization Movies

Image via Wikipedia

I really love the incredible boom of data visualizations. To me this exploding artform is really offering us a new insight into our lives. As an example, via Many Eyes [an open data visualization site developed by IBM] I came across an interesting graph for all my film making buddies. A graph that shows all the various genres of films made since the late 1800's. Interesting that Reality TV has the most increase lately where as Westerns have been in the decline for years. Funny enough Musicals have been rather steady since 1920's. The most interesting is the enormous rise of Short Films in the last years, and seems to be making a comeback. Probably because the tools are getting easier again to not only create but also to publish. I say if you're making a movie check which genres are doing best if you wanna get your audience, or go for a niche that is in decline if you feel you can bring something new to the table. There are lots of other graphs to check out as well on the site, or even make your own.

If you are interested in learning more about data visualization there is an excellent film on Vimeo that I received via my old colleague Peter Hutton. The film describes how Journalists are starting to use these tools to research stories. Once we start to navigate information in new ways, new conclusions and discoveries begin. My feeling is that Good Data Visualization Designers are going to start creeping into every aspect of our lives. From our bank statements, tax reports, health reports to even our report cards from school [if you are still in school]. I say try making a simple data visual of some data block from your life and see what you discover about yourself. If you want some inspiration go check Nicholas Feltron and his beautiful personal year reports.

Journalism in the Age of Data from Geoff McGhee on Vimeo.

Related articles

• Google Expands Data Visualization To Europe (informationweek.com)
• Six Stunning Projects That Show the Power of Data Visualization (pbs.org)
• Where should an aspiring data journalist start? (onlinejournalismblog.com)
• ManyEyes is a Powerful Visualizer for Your Data [Data Visualization] (lifehacker.com)

My New Job as Digital Creative

The headline says it all! Today I have just signed a contract to be Digital Creative at Indie in Amsterdam. I am so excited about this new job and about working with the team at Indie. Indie is a great Agency in Amsterdam with an excellent reputation, formerly known as SVH. For the past month I have been working closely with Lode Schaeffer, the head Creative at Indie on a few projects. I am very excited about all 3 concepts that we have created and successfully pitched over the past month. The chemistry at Indie feels perfect. Here I've found a company that's not scared to try new things and strive to push the envelope of advertising. One of my favorite campaigns they created was with Sportlife and the Yetiball.

Working with Lode over the past month has been a challenge and also a great creative collaboration. In Holland Lode's reputation proceeds himself, and to say I've sat across from him for the past month concepting is enough to make many people in the biz in Holland nearly break their necks in a double take.

There are big plans and lots of great projects on which I will be working, officially starting on January 1, 2010. All I can say is that Indie is finally a place where the crazy ideas I have and the preachings about engagement and approach of digital campaigns do not fall on deaf ears. Quite the opposite, they are being stimulated. What's also great about Indie is that they understand how important it is for me to be able to work on purely creative projects and to keep teaching Design for Virtual Theater and Games at the HKU, which they have re-enforced in our agreement by allowing me to work part-time still as a teacher and digital artist.

To get a perspective on how much Indie is prepared to try new things we have projects ranging from Augmented Reality Games to Virtual Flashmob Dance mash-ups in pre-production. A very exciting time, and a very exciting company to work with. I couldn't have dreamed of a better job at a better company a few months ago. A big thanks toIsabelle O'kanewho made the first introduction with Tim O'Kennedy that landed me an interview with Indie. Thanks a bunch Isabelle! Next time out the champagne is on me. Now I head back to the states for the Holidays to reconnect with my family before starting this next adventure. PEACE!

Image by Guido Van Nispen

Video Mapping or Augmented Reality

At the moment I'm talking with Marius Veltman. He has a really awesome tutorial and technique about how to do Video Mapping or a Augmented Reality experience. We are talking about doing a project together for the Cannabis Cup here in Amsterdam to really freak out some people together with the guys form Hemp Works. Just have a look at the experiments that he has made. And get excited. It is a new technique which some have been very good at. However up until now only Marius has shared his findings and techniques. Most are keeping their cards very close to themselves on how it is achieved. Just check out his site where there are also documents about how to do it yourself. Very cool Marius!

Video Mapping on Buildings

PIXAR CREATIVE PROCESS

Image by matlock via Flickr

In this interview from , Michael B. Johnson of Pixar discusses tips on the Creative Process. He also talks about moving from an analog to a digital creative process and some of the pitfalls of working virtually as well as some of the pros. Michael develops software for the animators and creatives at Pixar animation Studios, which is known for it's creativity and 3D animation films. To watch more of these interviews, check the link here.

INTERVIEW WITH URBAN GAME GURU

Image by fiahless via Flickr

This is an interview I filmed for Picnic in New York together with my good buddy Kevin Slavin. Kevin is the founder of Area Code and is an extremely smart and creative dude. He develops everything from Urban Games to ARGs, to Cross Media games, and more. Have a look at the interview and definitely check him out at Picnic in Amsterdam this year. In the interview he talks about the Augmented City and how information technologies need to simplify rather than complicate the information we generate around a city.

Is TV so Bad?

I haven't had a TV in Holland for a little over a year now. Actually I never really watched dutch TV to be honest when I did. When Bicyclemark skyped Amserdamize and I if we wanted to be on TV, we said sure why not? A friend of his Shylo (fun geek girl who loves games) +, was asked to be on about the whole Twitter and Iran story. She was friends with BicycleMark and he called us and we went with the 4 of us there. I cannot devulge all that happend but it was lots of surprises. I thought it was going to be some Dutch sitting around a table drinking coffee talk type of program which they have mastered. Nope it was a revision of the classic "The Gong Show " but now with audience support and twitter. Something called " NON". I broadcasted backstage via my live stream and some stuff after wards on Qik . But to really see how it went, just watch the clip. Warning it is in Dutch, and it makes no sense at all! A BIG SHOUT to Zenuno for recording this and putting it up for us so quick! and ANOTHER BIG SHOUT to J.P. Oosterom that took the twitpic. Love ya guys!

Milo Xbox of AI friends

Xbox and Steven Spielberg have gotten into a project called "Milo". It is scarely like A.I. that was made by Spielberg, and really shows how far the "Tamagochi" Phenomenon can happen. When we feel lonely our laptops and our games are our new friends. Scary and sick but this is how it is going. But does Milo have a soul? Do these inatimate items that we had as kids, such as the blanket, doll, or star wars figure we loved have a soul? A new generation of imaginary Virtual Friends is about to occur. Get ready, because everything ios about to change! Thanks for the tip GabeB!

@Maarlooz and the twitter Love at 140conf

My roommate Marlooz gave a presentation today at the 140 conf by Jeff Pulver. Back in Kinnernet, Pulver and I where in a group talking about twitter and I shared my TwitterDate experience with Marlooz. Now Marlooz and I are roommates. He said he wanted that story at the 140conf. So Marlooz was able to go becuase it was with her vacation with her family. She is such a wholesome girl. I was helping her out with the presenation till late last night. Then this morning I see a brief twitter about her laptop being stolen.

@marlooz

"#140conf My MacBook Pro looks like this: http://mobypicture.com/?ea0wih Please keep an eye out for it. It got stolen at Touch."

Then I started to see donations flowing in after that. Briefly I was able to skype chat with marlooz, all of 3 sentences before she had to go. I had no idea how the laptop was, the presenation would go, nothing. Presentation comes and I start to see a slew of comments about it come up in my search. As the presenation was about twitter love, when people heard that Marlooz had raised some €700 for a new laptop, people started understanding love in another way.

Let me tell you something about Marlooz. She is the best roommate. We don't have much money at the place, both struggling, but she knows how to shop cheap and make money stretch. And even though I have other clients, having worked for Marlooz and get paid from her, she was fast with payment. Something I don't see often in the freelance business. And that laptop of hers was her life. Once already she had spilled water on it, and borrowed my old laptop while it dried for a week. Then just before she had to goto London to film a project, her laptop died. Luckily I still had mine, but the battery is completely shot on it, and no new batteries help. Then she was able to fix her old laptop herself, (all kinds of screws on the kitchen table and stuff). Just before leaving for the States. THEN IT GETS STOLEN!!! I can't wait to see her when she gets back and I hope that there was enough money donated so that she could buy a really great laptop while she is in New York.

An Awesome Geek Chick like Marlooz, needs a laptop!

---Update---

She has raised enough money now to get her laptop.... I see here. I guess I should start to love twitter again as well. This story has brought me over from my twitter hate.