MarcForrest.com

Category: Tech News

  • Using Wunderlist to get things done

    Using Wunderlist to get things done

    I came across a really cool FREE tool the other day called Wunderlist. Basically, it is a task management tool, that helps you get things done. There are a number of ways you can update your tasks.

    The software and platform is totally free to use, and you can update & view your tasks by either using the the very cool web interface at http://www.wunderlist.com, or you can download software for Mac or Windows, and even an iPhone, iPad or Android app. So many options !! And, they all stay synced with each other.


    I have found this to be really handy, as it helps me keep on top of what I need to do. You can also share specific lists with other people. As an example, I have created a list that I shared with the wife to keep a list of all the things that need to be sorted out around the house. You could also create shopping list, and collaborate on whats needed, and then print the list off.

    I have tired so many of these things, and none of them have ever done the job, but I really think this one has the upper hand, and I’m really looking forward to getting things done !

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  • Cool Spy Cam keyring gadget

    I came across this awesome little gadget the other day. It is a spy cam on a keyring, which looks like a random car or house remote. The cam records video at a resolution of 720 x 480 at 30fps. The sound also picks up pretty good as well. The video is recorded to a Micro SD card (not included), and can also take still images at a resolution of 1280 x 1024.

    The cool thing about this gadget is that, it is always with you, and you can use it anywhere. The other day, I went for a ride on my Mountain bike, and I taped it to the front of the bike, and recorded some of my ride. I have also seen guys use it on their cars & motorbikes as well. The cam is also pretty simple to use, and takes 1 button to start recording, and no one will be any the wiser. You can also use the spycam as a webcam on any computer as well !! (info below)

    [toggle title_open=”Instructions” title_closed=”Click here to see the instructions” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default”]

    There are two function buttons. The one closest to the camera hole is designated REC. The other one is inboard of the REC button and designated ON/OFF.

    • The device has a built-in rechargeable battery that needs to be fully charged when the device is first used.
    • Insert a MicroSD card before using the device.
    • Press and hold the ON/OFF button (bottom button) to turn on the device. The Orange LED will turn on, which means the device is in STANDBY mode.
    • Press and hold REC (top button) to start recording video. The orange LED will blink fast three times, then turn off. This means that during video recording, the LED is not lit, which makes it less likely to be spotted.
    • Press REC to pause video recording and save the recording to that point. The LED will turn on. The device is now in STANDBY mode. In STANDBY mode, press REC to take a still image. To continue recording, press and hold REC.
    • To record a still image: Turn on the device by pressing and holding ON/OFF to enter STANDBY mode. The LED will turn on. Press REC to record a single still image. The LED will flash. Press REC for another image.
    • To set the date/time of the device, which is used to timestamp media recordings, create a text file in the root of the MicroSD card with a file name of TAG.TXT. Open the file and add the following three lines: [date] 2011/03/29 03:45:00 Replace the date and time above with the values you want. Save the file. Turn the device off, then back on to reset the clock based on the text file.
    • To turn off the device, press and hold ON/OFF until the LED goes out.
    • The device powers off by itself after a period of inactivity.
    • Use the provided USB cable to connect the device to your computer. You will now be able to see the recorded files on your device, which you can view. Video files are saved in a .avi format
    • If the device stops functioning, use the reset button to reset the device. The reset button is recessed inside the small hole between the MicroSD card and the USB port
    • For clearer instructions, you can check out this very cool instruction sheet (http://bit.ly/caminstructions)
    • You can also use the spycam as a webcam (Windows). To do this, while your cam is plugged into your PC, press & hold in the “capture” button. Then press and hold the “power” button in for 3 seconds. Release the Power button, and then release the capture button. This should install device drivers, and you can use the cam as a webcam.
    • I came across a very cool WINDOWS app, which sets the time for you automatically. You can download it here (http://bit.ly/camtimesetter) . Once you have the app open, plug in the cam, and it should set the correct time on the device[/toggle]

    This video gives you an idea of what the spy cam is all about. I haven’t managed to upload any of my videos yet, but as soon as I do, will update the post with it.

    [youtube id=”dt10cFk0C8c”]

    Here is a video from @zayinkrige who bought one of the previous batch, and attached it to his remote control plane. Awesome footage !!

    [youtube id=”7NX66PyLfr8″]

    I managed to order a bulk order of these awesome spy cams, and am selling them, to anyone is who is keen for this awesome gadget. The prices are as follows:

    Spy Cam Keyring : R150 ($27 if paying by PayPal)

    Micro SD card 4GB : R85 ($17 if paying by PayPal).

    Shipping – Standard Shipping with tracking number – R50

    Shipping – Overnight Express (to counter) – R90

    If you are keen to try out this awesome little gadget, you can drop me an email on [email protected]. I have to admit, this is a really cool gadget, and have had loads of fun with it.

     

     

  • Woolworths climbs on the QR code bandwagon

    As you may know I have always been a huge fan of QR codes and the potential they offer. Slowly but surely South African companies are climbing on the QR code bandwagon, and using it to promote their brands.

    But I was very pleasantly surprised on Saturday to see Woolworths have also started using QR codes to promote their latest sale, by displaying a huge QR Code poster on the store window.

    The code resolves back to a .mobi site, which gives you more info about the sale. You can also watch a video of the TV ad promoting the sale. They did suggest Beetagg reader on the poster as well as the direct URL (woolworthssa.mobi). That said, the mobi site doesn’t have too much information about the actual sale. From the poster one would have thought you would have seen what is exactly on sale. Another thing they could have done, although not a biggie, is to have a specific url per store to see how many sucessfull each stores campaign was.

    All in all though, well done to Woolworths, and I’m looking forward to see what they come up with next in the QR code arena !

     

     

  • iOS 4.3 now available for download

    2 days ahead of schedule Apple have (finally) released iOS 4.3 for iPhone & iPad. This is a biggie for me, as it now turns your iPhone into a fully fledged WiFi hotspot. This means I can now use the WiFi iPad anywhere, and don’t have to worry about internet not being available. Bonus.

    Here are some of the changes for iOS 4.3:

    • Personal Hotspot
      • Share iPhone 4 cellular data connection with up to 5 devices (combination of up to 3 Wi-Fi, 3 Bluetooth,and 1 USB)
    • iTunes Home Sharing
      • Play music, movies and TV shows from a shared iTunes library on a Mac or PC (requires iTunes 10.2)
    • New AirPlay features
      • Play videos from the Photos app including the Camera Roll album, iTunes previews, enabled third-party apps and websites on Apple TV
    • Faster Safari performance with Apple Nitro JavaScript
      engine
    • HD video out using the Apple Digital AV Adapter
      • View 720p HD videos from Videos app, iPod app, Photos, YouTube, Safari, Keynote, and enabled third-party apps on an HDMI display
    • New Settings
      • Messages setting for number of times to repeat an alert
    • iPad side switch setting to lock screen rotation or mute audio notifications and sound effects

    You can use these direct download links (Thanks @MikeCTZA) to get the files now without having to wait, and then you can manually update your iPhone  or iPad

    iPad
    http://appldnld.apple.com/iPhone4/04…0_Restore.ipsw
    Size: 625814678
    MD5: 9a889ba48bc2715292f199f50c70ed60

    iPhone 3GS
    http://appldnld.apple.com/iPhone4/04…0_Restore.ipsw
    Size: 443762287
    MD5: 87ebb9b2c025fb5f87a4cab0631b1547

    iPhone4
    http://appldnld.apple.com/iPhone4/04…0_Restore.ipsw
    Size: 702264955
    MD5: e0a463bded8f5b1e076b466535b18c75

    Source: http://www.felixbruns.de/iPod/firmware/

    Looking forward to giving iOS 4.3 a run, and seeing how it works out.

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  • See how moral you are with the Moral Experiment

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    About 2 weeks ago, I came across a site called the Moral Experiment, run by John Bushell, who is based here in Durbs.  The Moral Experiment is exactly what it says. It’s an experiment to see how moral we as humans really are. The Moral Experiment is a totally new & revolutionary concept on the internet & is designed to harness the power of your online social network. The site was also featured on Mashable this morning !

    The objective of the Moral Experiment could best be described in the following scenario: If you came into some money that was not meant for you, what would you do with it? Would you keep it all, or would you give it to a worthy cause? Or possibly both? The Moral Experiment is designed to try and understand our choice. Do demographics (religion, race, age, sex, education, etc) influence our decisions? To get a better idea of how the Moral Experiment works ->

    • Jane joins the Moral Experiment, and pays subscription fee of £1. You can also chose a 6 month or 12 month subscription. Payment is done through PayPal
    • Jane then encourages her friends to also join the Experiment by giving them a unique URL to sign up with.
    • When Jane’s friends join the Moral Experiment, she will keep her friend’s subscription fee.
    • Jane then decides what she will do with this cash. Keep it? Give it to charity? Or both? Within two friend referrals to the Moral Experiment Jane as made her original £1 back and is now in profit.

    Jane’s choice is totally anonymous, only she knows what she has chosen to do with her ‘Moral Earnings’. Her general demographics (religion, race, age, sex, education, etc) are fed into the Moral Experiments results, and this data is presented as group data that can be viewed on the web site. Are younger people more charitable than older people? Are women more giving then men? The Moral Experiment is designed to be insightful, fun, and possibly even controversial.

    You can also watch this video to get a better idea of how the Moral Experiment works. I signed up the other day, and I am really impressed with the interface and how the experiment is layed out. I’m def gonna be keeping my eye on this one to see how it all pans out, as well as to see how moral people really are.

    It only costs £1 and there is no obligation to continue. If you keen to give it a bash, you can sign up here