Category: technology

EEE.TV via Bigpond NextG

As a recent fan of micro-TV stations, and live podcasting audiences; and as an owner of an ASUS EEE PC, it was time to join the dots.

eeepc_bigpond

After installing the Bigpond Next G software for the USB card I own (note: this is the slower NextG as well) over to ustream.tv and broadcast away.

This makes an ultra-small, ultra-inexpensive and ultra-mobile micro TV broadcast system in-a-box.

Below is a 6 minute sample recording from earlier today.

Bandwidth use? About 1Mb/minute upload video+audio.

Loosely Coupled Communities Across Space and Time

 Godley Head, Christchurch

From Glenn Derene, wiring at Popular Mechanics in “How Social Networking Could Kill Web Search as We Know It”

… with the rise of social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Second Life, LinkedIn and even Google’s own Orkut, the next generation of Web users may find what they want by using their social network rather than a search algorithm. After all, the people in your online social network should know you better than a mathematical equation, right?

I find this article resonates. The concept that a mathematical formula can replace the collective knowledge of trusted friends always seems weird, and the absolute innocent dorkiness that “algorithms solve all problems” as naive.

Being able to ask your twitter-hive mind friends a question, say about WordPress themes (see: http://www.nickhodge.com/blog/archives/2508) and receive an intelligent set of answers is way more powerful than blind search engine bingo.

The power of the internet comes from its ability to very cheaply connect like minded people into loosely coupled communities unbounded by space and time.

Tips and Techniques for Presentations

BarCamp Sydney

(photo by JJ)

As presented at BarcampSydney3: 

  • Imagine the best presenter/presentation you have seen
    • This person has practised more than once.
    • plan for the worst case scenario (no projector, laptop nor audience)
  • know audience, topic, environment
    • If you are not comfortable wit the topic, don’t present it
  • Theatre
    • projecting your voice: always stand
    • volume levels: for any audience above 4 people, you need to turn it up a little bit
    • breaking the fourth wall (that is, walk and talk into the audience)
    • Use props.
    • hot vs cold liquids: careful with water as it tightens the vocal chords
  • emotional connection
    • Emotional projection: like voice volume, you need to turn it up a few notches to make an impact 
    • tell stories: humans have brains wired to remember stories and retell them
    • audience involvement: get someone on stage and break the fourth wall
  • referential comedy
    • appropriate humor (think of your audience) is always a good thing to incorporate
    • to help: keep referencing one humourous comment/moment
  • Dealing with the hecklers
    • attention seekers (so give them some attention)
    • or are pained by some experience (divert to post-presentation one on one)
  • always leave your audience wanting more

Thanks, Sridhar, for the positive blog comments. 🙂