Icons: It’s Still Orange

I am glad to see that we can maintain some level of RSS icon standards between Mozilla and Microsoft. Wouldn’t be great if this level of cooperation could continue? My last post shared some of our conceptual designs of the feed icon and expressed some of the criteria that we are using to select the right [...]

I am glad to see that we can maintain some level of RSS icon standards between Mozilla and Microsoft. Wouldn’t be great if this level of cooperation could continue?

My last post shared some of our conceptual designs of the feed icon and expressed some of the criteria that we are using to select the right icon. Several of the comments liked icon #4 simply because it looked liked the Firefox icon, and many (like this one) suggested that we work with the Firefox team to standardize on an icon.

This seemed like a very good idea, so in November, Amar and I took a visit down to Silicon Valley to meet with John Lilly and Chris Beard from Mozilla to get their thoughts on it. We all agreed that it’s in the user’s best interest to have one common icon to represent RSS and RSS-related features in a browser. And the winner isR30; [Source: Microsoft Team RSS Blog]

Read more

The Anatomy of an RSS Feed

So what the heck makes up an newsfeed, anyway? Seriously, is it all that complicated? Ah, that might actually surprise you. RSS has become the standard data format for communicating news, updates or any other type of information that a company or individual wants to syndicate to a large audience. The name is an acronym that [...]

So what the heck makes up an newsfeed, anyway? Seriously, is it all that complicated? Ah, that might actually surprise you.

RSS has become the standard data format for communicating news, updates or any other type of information that a company or individual wants to syndicate to a large audience. The name is an acronym that stands for Really Simple Syndication, which is an XML format that consists of designated elements that are consistent for all RSS feeds and conform to the XML 1.0 specification. These elements need to stay consistent to allow for a standardized data format that RSS aggregators can then consume. In this article we’ll take a look at the elements in this structureR30;. Source: WebReference

Read more

Horde of Orcs updated, Flick Bowling released by Freeverse

Horde of Orcs updated, Flick Bowling released by Freeverse

Filed under: Gaming, Software, iPhone, App Store

Two big updates from our friends at Freeverse in the past few days. First off, Horde of Orcs, their extra-shiny (and funny) version of Desktop Defense, has gotten a big update to 1.1.4, and now features an in-game news system, two new maps, more helpful in-game tips, and "major performance improvements." That last note is of most interest to us -- I had a little trouble getting the game running smoothly on my mini, and can't wait to try again and see how it runs now. You can pick up the full version of the game for $24.95 over on Freeverse's site, or try out a free demo there.

And even more exciting, Freeverse has released another iPhone game: Flick Bowling brings the iPhone's touchscreen interface to one of my favorite games (after all, I did grow up in the very city that hosts the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame). With a bunch of different characters, locations, and even a choice of bowling balls to choose from, odds are that Flick Bowling is probably the best bowling game on the iPhone (though it may only one of a few, if not for long). The app is available in the App Store right now for $4.99. Once again this is a place where a demo would help us, but until Apple gets its App Store game back together, it's all or nothing. If you do decide to take the plunge, let us know how it is.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Maire 'reluctantly' sells Rakon shares

Maire 'reluctantly' sells Rakon shares
Businessman Peter Maire has sold a block of his Rakon shareholding, partly to fund fast growth at Fusion Electronics after being unable to attract private equity. Probably best known for founding marine electronics and global positioning...

SporeTV podcast now available on iTunes

Filed under: Gaming, Podcasts

By now, most of you have already made it to the Civilization Stage in Spore (or maybe you are enjoying the beginning stages on Spore for iPhone). Either way, you might like to know more about the universe simulation game that you're spending so much time with.

The SporeTV podcast (now available in iTunes) hopes to satisfy your tastes as the creator, Will Wright, explains the basis of the game and a little history behind it. You can subscribe to the podcast by visiting the iTunes podcast page. We hope there's more videos to come!

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read more

Sigma's DP2 compact with DSLR-sized sensor gets even better

Filed under: Digital Cameras

While the update from the SD14 to the SD15 was rather sad, just about any tweak to the bar-raising DP1 compact with 13.8- x 20.7-mm Foveon X3 sensor is reason to get excited. So listen up, Sigma just announced the DP2 -- same 14 megapixel X3 CMOS sensor only now coupled with Sigma's improved True II image processor and 24.2-mm F2.8 glass equivalent to 41-mm on a 35-mm SLR. No pricing or ship date announced.

[Thanks, David Z.]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read more

Geek Brief Radio #430 | Home Automation by Savant

We have an audio conversation with Jim Carroll, the founder of Savant. They the only company (that I'm aware of) that builds home automation systems on Apple hardware. You can check them out at SavantAV.com. I don't see the iPhone/iPod Touch app in the App Store. As soon as I get the link, I'll update this post.

We also officially announce the 2008 Christmas Party in Nashville with Geoff Smith. Last year, we did it virtually over Ustream. This year, we're inviting everyone to come to The Big Bang Bar (Geoff's dueling piano bar). We'll stream if we can on Ustream, and if we can't because of bandwidth, we'll record it and release later. If you can make it to Nashville on December 15th, it's going to be a blast!

We'll be renting a couple cameras and a Tricaster in addition to piping in some additional bandwidth. If you're interested in underwriting the event, please contact me. Read more