Métro Paris, an iPhone app [see also the FastCompany article] to help us navigate the Paris subway has been beefed up to include heads-up[1] displays that allow you to see pop-up displays of information about the buildings and businesses around you. You turn on the app and it shows you what your camera is seeing (vélos, motos, voitures moving along the street, and buildings) and rectangular squares pop up that tell you what the buildings and businesses are. In addition, you can get a big red arrow (like in SecondLife when you’ve teleported close to your destination but still have to fly to get there) that points you at a nearby Métro station that you can duck into to take the train to your destination. These augmented reality[2] apps [see article on LA Times site] have been rumored to be on the way for quite some time. Apparently the heads-up portion was sneaked (snuck) into the app without Apple pretty much noticing that it was there. Thus the speculation about whether it‘ll be taken down. The photos/videos tell the story – take a look. [SEE VIDEO BELOW vids are in French – the demo is at Place de L’Opéra – I know it well.] [Read more…]
Personal Democracy Forum #PDF09
It’s little late for full coverage, but you might like to watch for tweets including #pdf09 hashtags, since they refer to the Personal Democracy Forum [PdF] taking place today and tomorrow in New York City (June 29th-30th 2009). This is a gathering of those who are influential in the use of new media and social media in reinvigorating political participation around the US and the world. They’re also starting PdF-Europe this November (2009) in Barcelona.
As they say at PdF, “Technology is changing politics.” We saw this in the US with moveon.org, then Howard Dean (using meetup.com and other tools during his presidential campaign in 2004), and then more succesfully (perhaps) with President 44, Barack Obama.
Just needed to get this written because it’s timely. Sorry I can’t write more right now.
Making Space- Hubble’s up again
Time to start tracking another one of my interests. Space.
The shuttle crew, being way farther up than usual missions (350 mile orbit), has finished fixing the Hubble space telescope and the telescope is being checked out. The shuttle landing has been postponed to Saturday, May 23rd, 2009. The first photos from the refurbished Hubble – more spectacular photos than ever before – will be released by NASA in September.
See also: The NASA Hubble telescope web site.
I Don’t Know, I Don’t Know, I Don’t Know
They have to be the words I say more often than any other phrase in any language… “I don’t know.”
What does it mean to say “I don’t know?” My first thought is “it means nothing at all.” Because it just means I don’t know the answer to the question. One is constantly moving from a state of ignorance to a state of knowing. From the first day of life, first day of school, last day of university life, first day of professional life, and every day after that. S
I don’t know – means I have a gap in my knowledge.
I don’t know – means there is something new to explore.
I don’t know – means there’s an opportunity to ask someone else. Maybe you can teach me.
I don’t know – means there’s an opportunity to learn.
A “Periodic Table” of Visualization Methods
Thanks to Marcia Connor for pointing out this Periodic Table of Visualization Methods (via a long chain of retweets). I was explaining to someone the other day about Mind Maps, and how they’re a particular type of visualization technique. There are even special-purpose programs that you can use to make some of these diagrams.
For basic diagramming needs, I use OmniGraffle on my Mac Powerbook, and I love it. For WIndows users unaccustomed to such things, it’s a lot like Visio.