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Creative Time at MacWorld

I've spent an intensive day playing with new technology and chatting with some of the people who have developed it. I've met teachers, IT specialists, developers and representatives of companies of all sizes. San Francisco is a very creative, high tech city, and MacWorld Conference & Expo attracts thousands of local, national and international participants every January to the City By The Bay.

Apple announced a new computer at this year's MacWorld. The new MacBook Air is the thinnest notebook (0.76 inches) in the world and the coolest. I read about it and watched the demo on Apple's website, but I did not expect to be so impressed with this computer. It does not contain an optical drive, but one is available (it plugs into a USB port). However, we don't miss floppy disk drives on contemporary computers and I doubt if most people will miss the optical drive on this unit. It's a computer for people who travel and also for those who love fine design. It's impressive, and costs only $1799.

Apple has also updated Apple TV. US clients can now rent movies, even HD movies, for modest fees and play them (as well as photos and video podcasts) on their television sets. International clients (and I hope that includes Canadians) will be able to do this later this year.

MacWorld includes educational sessions and demos.

And, there's private time for those who blog.

iPhone and Other Delights: MacWorld '07, Day Two

It's 9:54 PM but most MacWorld folks are attending parties, or writing blogs and answering e-mail. While most of us were going from booth to booth today, talking to industry reps and gathering information, there were many people sitting at tables and in hallways working on their laptops.

This morning we watched a presentation on the iPhone: and, yes, it's a fascinating and innovative product. It's a phone, an iPod, a link to the internet, and more.

There was standing room only at all of the demos of the iPhone. After the session I attended one of the attendees went up to the stage and asked the presenter if he could hold the iPhone for just a moment. The answer was 'No.'
We were told that iPhones will be available in the USA in June, in Europe by the end of the year and in Asia next year. There was no mention of The Great White North.

I was lucky enough to be at the Maxell booth when they announced that they were giving away sets of portable speakers 'for people on the move.' Several of us were on the move quickly and joined the line. The speakers are great. I connected them to my iPod when I returned from the show and was very pleased with the sound.
One of the benefits of coming to shows such as MacWorld is that one gets an opportunity to learn about new companies and new products. We all know about Adobe and Apple, but we don't know about the start-ups and their innovative software and services.
I visited several of those today. Some of them are attracting crowds to their booths, while others are doing their best to work the crowd so that some people will stop and chat.
MacBak provides backup services for 'creative professionals.' Most of us could use some help in that area.
Blurb provides free software to let you 'make your own bookstore-quality books.' They then print the book for you. They had a crowd at their booth every time I walked past, but I did stop and got a brochure.
Humble Daisy (love the name) offers a product called ProfCast which it says 'makes lecture podcasting easy.'

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is across the street from the Moscone Center, where MacWorld is held. We visited the Museum twice today, once to have lunch at their courtyard café, and once to tour the exhibitions.

It was a fine day. Tomorrow is the last day of the show: but we'll stop by the Apple Store in the afternoon.

Scan This Book: Kevin Kelley's article in the New York Times

Scan This Book!

According to Kevin Kelley in the New York Times Sunday Magazine (May 14, 2006) scanning books and making them available to everyone in the world with access to a screen is both inevitable and desirable, in spite of the difficulties with copyright and the affection we still have for the paper book.
'In the clash between the conventions of the book and the protocols of the screen, the screen will prevail. On this screen, now visible to one billion people on earth, the technology of search will transform isolated books into the universal library of all human knowledge.'
Kelley said that people who currently have limited access to fine libraries and bookstores will benefit more that the rest of us from mass digitization of books and access to those digitized products.
This is a comprehensive and fascinating look at how knowledge will become more accessible for all of us and what impact this will have on writers, publishers, students and the public.

Back from Africa

I returned recently from a trip to Uganda and Kenya. While most of my friends are certain that this was a relaxing safari my main purpose was to deliver a keynote address on e-books and new information technology to the African Crop Science Society conference in Entebbe, Uganda. While I was there my colleague Ross Wein and I visited Universities, libraries, and government agencies to learn more about the opportunities for using e-books, e-journals and other technology in science and education.
We also re-visited areas where we as students with Operation Crossroads Africa had spent time in 1964.
There have been some significant changes in the past 41 years: there is increased prosperity in the upper income sectors of society and even in the lower income sectors. However, poverty is a major problem as is HIV/AIDS. Urbanization – which includes numerous shanty towns in Nairobi and Kampala – is creating (or allowing us to focus on) serious social and environmental problems. Deforestation and cultivation threaten the physical stability of hillside farms. Drought has been a serious concern: Kenya has not had the expected seasonal rains for three years.
Nevertheless, many people are optimistic about the future, especially with respect to tourism. Tourists fly in and out of Nairobi's Wilson Airport to exotic locales such as Maasai Mara. Safari companies take other tourists on day trips to see wildlife. One can be picked up at a five star hotel in Nairobi early in the morning and be taken through the Nairobi National Park, returning for lunch to chat about the wildlife one has seen just 7 km from the city centre. It's perhaps the smallest but the most accessible park in east Africa.
Most people feel some connection to or significant interest in the landscapes and the people of Africa. That may be due to movies such as Out of Africa or articles in National Geographic, but there may be more basic reasons. The challenges that African countries are attempting to meet are important to all of us.

Corner Gas Wins Comedy Award

Corner Gas is a quirky comedy set in the mythical town of Dog River, Saskatchewan (actually, Rouleau, about 60 km south of Regina). Last night Corner Gas won the Gemini award for the best comedy program on Canadian television, a medium usually dominated by programs made in and about Toronto.
Brent Butt – a comedian and actor originally from Tisdale, Saskatchewan – developed the concept of the program and stars in it. In the program he operates a gas station in Dog River, a job which he thought he might have done had he stayed in Tisdale.
The program is about people in Dog River, but it's universal. The writing is multi-layered and quite brilliant: if you liked Fawlty Towers you'll love Corner Gas.
Last year my wife Merle and spent some time in Regina and, on our way home, took a detour to see the Corner Gas set. The sign on the grain elevator close to the gas station and Ruby Café said Dog River, not Rouleau ( which is promoted on the web as Saskatchewan's first million bushel town).
I was surprised and pleased to find that there is an excellent Wikipedia posting on Corner Gas, the actors, writers and the DVDs which have been released.
Corner Gas airs Monday nights on CTV. Drop in and spend some time with Brent and his friends: or buy the DVDs. I'll see you at the Ruby – and it's my turn to buy the coffee.

I Want My CBC

CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) employees have been locked out for nine days because of a labour dispute, with no sign of an agreement. As a result, some of the most talented and dedicated journalists and broadcasters in this country are walking picket lines while the rest of us are listening to re-runs of regular programs with virtually no local news. The BBC International News is being shown on CBC TV instead of regular CBC TV news.
CBC– especially CBC Radio – is the glue that keeps this country together. People across the country miss it greatly, especially those in remote and rural areas.
Todd Maffin, one of the bright lights on CBC Radio, has used his interest and skills in blogging and podcasting to bring us news and podcasts from CBC employees and free-lancers as well as responses from CBC management.
In the meantime podcasts and other fine radio networks such as CKUA will attract greater audiences. Let's hope that this situation is resolved as soon as possible and that the creative people on both sides of the dispute will again be able to share their skills and commitment.