It's only a small coffee, but compared to London the prices are very low; €1.70 for Coke and coffee. Bargain.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
The view from the sun lounger by the hotel pool...
...is really quite nice. Very peaceful, not too hot, and the beer is nicely chilled.
Our hotel, as seen from the pool
Nice looking pool. We are planning to give it a go (and the poolside bar) later this afternoon.
Friday, May 28, 2010
The View from the Hotel Room
There's birdsong as well, but not enough to wake us from last night's alcohol-laced slumber. This morning is bright, warm and cheerful but I'm absolutely starving - dinner was very nice but quite light and a long time ago.
Hurst Spit Lighthouse
Last weekend the wife and I strolled along Hurst Spit, eventually reaching the castle. This picture of the lighthouse is a composite produced on my phone by Autostitch (I have some "proper" photos to publish later) from shots taken from the steps of one of the castle's disused gun mounts.
Flying to Lisbon with BA
The strike by British Airways cabin crew didn't affect our flight other than to change the food on offer (why? No idea). The website warned that some options might not be available but even so we were surprised when the crew dispensed only a single biscuit to each passenger. It wasn't a bad biscuit, as biscuits go, and the fact that the normal pre-fabricated in-flight meals remained in their storage silo meant that the average quality of airline food served yesterday to innocent travellers crept up slightly, but it left us slightly peckish when we reached Lisbon. The flight itself wasn't to bad either. It was only an hour late and was largely uneventful, the only point of interest being an unexpected lurch groundward as we approached the runway in Lisbon. Other than that is was reassuringly dull - exactly how flying should be.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Do the trains work from Waterloo?
Only this morning I was telling a colleague how the trains had improved over the last couple of years. Now, on the first warm day of the year, I’m sitting on the delayed 18:35 (it’s 19:06 as I write) waiting to leave Waterloo after signalling problems near Woking caused huge delays to incoming services. Any minute now I expect to hear that the service is cancelled or further delayed. At least the air-conditioning works, which is a relief after the oven that is the concourse at Waterloo.
Sitting next to the smelly bloke on the train
The smelly people normally ride the trains late at night or at weekends but the chap sitting next to me this morning has a distinct pong. He's also humming, and occasionally singing along to whatever he's listening to, which isn't at all maddening.
Why is Mobile Phone Signal so Weak in Winchester?
And by "weak" I mean "non-existent". I'm sitting on the train in the station about 50 yards from a phone mast and there is no signal at all. Maybe they need to switch something on?
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Evernote by iPhone and Browser
Evernote, an App-plus-Service has been around for a while and although I've had it installed on my iPhone for absolutely ages it never really did anything for me; when I first installed it I was looking for a task manager rather than a notebook and I was not impressed (which is completely unreasonable since I was actually after a completely different set of functionality). I put it to one side and downloaded some list application - can't remember what it was called, haven't used it since the week after I installed it.
I had no further contact with Evernote (except to occasionally notice it in the iTunes app list) until late last year when I read an article from a long-term user explaining how he used Evernote as a sort of brain-dump for all sorts of stuff. Interesting, definitely, and deep enough that I gave Evernote another look, noting that the tool, while neat and slick, didn't really offer anything that I wanted.
When the iPad was released people started blogging about great apps that worked well on a larger display and Evernote cropped up several times. By now it was getting hard to ignore, like the squeaking door late at night or that annoying shred of beef that's stuck between your teeth (but in a good way).
Ignore it I did, however, until a few weeks ago when I decided that if it was as good as everyone seemed to think it was then I would probably want it on my iPad (which I'm planning to order soon, honest). So I fired up the iPhone version, made a few notes, installed the PC client on my laptop, checked out the web version, reviewed and edited notes on my phone and it was at this point, finally, that I had something that delivered value for me; syncing notes between different platforms is the killer feature, it works really well and I'm expecting to make good use of it when I add the iPad to my family of IT tools. No longer will I forget stuff! Life is good.
So how do I use it? At the moment I mostly make new notes in one of two places:
- On my phone as text or photographs to remind of things I want to do later or ideas that need further development (blog entries, for example, or ideas for work)
- On the laptop using the built-in screen capture tool to track things (normally problems with software related to work) that need to be worked on or investigated.
All the notes sync with the Evernote servers and can be accessed and edited from any of the clients. In the office I normally use the website or PC application, everywhere else I use the iPhone app. Once I have an iPad I'll use that as well, probably when I'm on the train or browsing around at home.
All of this fits nicely with my way of life. Both at home and at work I like to make notes, think about stuff and then make more notes, do a little research, put it to one side for a bit then come back and review. Sometimes this can go on for months (you would not believe how long I spend thinking about gadget purchase) before I reach a decision and Evernote is perfect for tracking my thoughts. Whenever something occurs to me I stick it in a note. When I'm looking for something to do, I scan through my notes to look for things that need to be progressed, or tweaked, or acted upon, safe in the knowledge that I'll always have the latest version of the note available to me, wherever I am and however I'm working. It's rather liberating.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Cardiff man speaks: "You can't scare me into silence"
via youtube.com
Speak free, stand tall; never let anyone stick anti-western messages on your door.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
I understand, up to a point
The guide also points out helpfully that when a Briton says "by the way/incidentally", he is usually understood by foreigners as meaning "this is not very important", whereas in fact he means, "The primary purpose of our discussion is..." On the other hand, the phrase "I'll bear it in mind" means "I'll do nothing about it"; while "Correct me if I'm wrong" means "I'm right, please don't contradict me.
via agonist.org
Originally published in The Economist this article describes the lengths to which British, Dutch and French diplomats have go to be sure of understanding one another. Quite amusing.
Back in the Gym and on the Treadmill
Didn't make it to the gym this morning, but yesterday I managed 5km in 27:46 which is a new personal best.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Travelling to Tallinn - How not to do it
Travelling to Tallinn used to be really easy; Estonia Air and EasyJet flew daily from Gatwick and Stansted respectively and it was just a case of choosing a cheap or convenient flight time. Now it's a little less easy. This is the way it went on Monday - not disastrously awful but also not a lot of fun:
- 06:30 - drive to Southampton Airport Parkway station. The motorway was busy so I had to run to catch the train.
- 06:50 - train to London Waterloo. Slight delay caused by unknown problem somewherre near Woking.
- 08:15 - walk cross Waterloo Bridge to our office on Strand.
- 08:30 - arrive office, work...
- 10:00 - leave office, walk (via shops) to Embankment underground station.
- 10:30 - tube to London Victoria, no problems.
- 11:00 - Gatwick Express to Gatwick Airport.
- 11:30 - check-in, Gatwick Airport. No queue, no problem - first win for airBaltic.
- 12:40 - through security to departure lounge - fail for Gatwick Airport.
- 13:10 - flight leaves on time - second win for airBaltic. Flight was ridiculously hot so goodwill generated earlier in the day evaporated.
- 18:00 (local time - two hours ahead) - arrive Riga, two hours wait for connecting flight to Tallinn. Riga airport very dull but the coffee from Coffee Nation was quite good (muffin ok, all other food too scary for contemplation).
- 20:10 - flight to Tallinn. Temperature ok and flight very short (only fifteen minutes of electro-gadget use between take-off and landing)
- 21:00 - arrive Tallinn. Rather colder than London or Riga but very quickly through airport to be met by friends with a car - excellent.
- 21:15 - arrive, dump bags, head to restaurant for long-awaited dinner.
In all that's five forms of transport (car, foot, train, plane and underground) over nine and a quarter hours to travel a total of 1,350 miles (average speed 150mph - not too bad) through four stations, three airports, a car park and a coffee shop.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Tallinn by Night, no Snow
It wasn't quite dark when I took this photo at about 22:30. Nice view of the old city from the apartment balcony plugged together with Autostitch for iPhone.
Saturday, May 08, 2010
iPad Pricing in the UK
There's a brief article here on the BBC News website about the newly announced UK prices for the iPad. As expected, it will cost more than in the US (mostly because sales tax here is rather higher) so if you're swinging through New York you might want to pick one up there. I'm not, so I'll have to pay UK prices. Not sure which model I'm going to go for yet, but I'm veering toward the 32Gb 3G version (explanation to follow), possibly paired with an Apple bluetooth keyboard.
Hung Parliament-tastic! What Now?
Here's what I want to see; by tomorrow afternoon, a joint statement from David Cameron that they have put aside their differences, hammered out a satisfactory compromise and reached an agreement that gives us a solid, stable Government. That will give the markets time to digest the news before opening on Monday, which will hopefully prevent further deterioration and allow time for implementation of the economic measures we urgently need. Failure will reflect badly on both parties, but if they can't reach agreement then a short-lived Government led by Gordon Brown and supported by the Lib Dems seems likely, followed by an election to deliver a decisive result, possibly as soon as October.
Friday, May 07, 2010
Elections, Votes and Interesting Times
I'm so glad I didn't wait up any longer than I did - 1am was quite late enough - and now I find we live in interesting times where the current Prime Minister has no real mandate and there isn't a clearly defined alternative. Let's hope they can do a deal over the weekend; if they don't thrash something out 3rd June is looking good the for the date of the next election and that's about four years too close for comfort.
Election Fever Cools!
I've been watching the election coverage but now, at 1am, there have been only 11 results and I'm going to be because it's just too boring for words. Maybe if I could stay up for another couple of hours things would pick up, but I can't be bothered.
Thursday, May 06, 2010
iPhone OS 4.0 Hints Upcoming Devices To Record Video At 720p HD | Cult of Mac
via cultofmac.com
The latest beta release of iPhone OS 4.0 is dropping hints about features in the new hardware. I'm not a big fan of video cameras in general but a hi-def camera on a phone sounds interesting, especially if it means Apple are going to deliver a decent lens; a decent lens means better still images, and that is definitely worth having.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
I think it might be one of those days
First there was frost on the car, which seems extreme in May. Then, slowed by heavy traffic on the motorway, I had to run for the train; never a good way to start the day. Now, I’m stuck on a train (about ten minutes, so far) because of track circuit failures at Basingstoke waiting for person or persons unknown to resolve the issue so that I can get to work. Aha – we’re moving! Might make it to London after all.
iPhone, Wifi iPad and Tethering. Or Not.
It is possible to tether an iPhone to a Wifi iPad? Seems like a logical, useful thing to do, but the short answer is “no”, presumably to allow mobile carriers to sell two data plans per customer rather than one and to encourage the sale of the more expensive 3G version of the iPad. That's a bit of a pain but not really much of a surprise. Read on for the long answer from Steve Jobs himself, as outlined in an email exchange (copied from here) with Jezper Söderlund of Sweden:
Söderlund’s e-mail:
“I’ll keep it short.
I’m Jezper from Sweden, a long time Apple fan, currently about to replace the very last computer at home with a brand spanking new iMac i7. I’m also awaiting the release of the iPad. However, I have one question:
Will the wifi-only version somehow support tethering thru my iPhone ?
Two devices, based on the same OS, with already built-in technology to share one data plan suggests a secondary contract could possibly be redundant.
From the look of your keynote, where the iPad sits well between my MacBook Pro and my iPhone, I was hoping the three of them could interact as seamless as possible.
All the best,
Jezper Söderlund[a famous DJ in his own right]“
Jobs’ reply:
“No.
Sent from my iPhone”
So there.
Monday, May 03, 2010
iPhone and Camera Kit - Compatible?
The iPad Camera Kit seems to be available in the US now, which is nice, and I'll probably pick one up when I'm eventually able to buy an iPad (I'm leaning toward the 32Gb 3G version at the moment).
Question: given that the iPad runs the same operating system as the iPhone and uses the same physical connector, can I use the Camera Kit with my 3G to attach a keyboard or USB headset to my phone or to read SD cards?
I'm not sure I would ever make use of this facility, if it exists, but there are keyboards all over the place it might be nice to be able to knock out the odd email on a full-size physical keyboard on my phone. Or maybe not. Maybe it would be one of those features that sounds great when you're thinking about it in the pub but which never get used. In fact, as I think about it some more, I wonder how much power a keyboard sucks from its USB connection and, even if it isn't very much, can I spare it from my phone? Hmm.
Musings on Apple - a new Blog
There are already more Apple-themed blogs than you can shake a stick at so why start another? Well, to be honest, I'm posting so much Apple-related stuff that my personal blog is a bit swamped and it's making me look a little obssessive (which I am, of course, but there's no need to draw attention). Here's the plan; a new blog on Posterous for Apple material, the existing Posterous blog continues to be my place for posting personal rubbish and there's a new one for the Apple stuff. If you're reading this anywhere other than on Posterous (Blogger or an RSS feed, for example) you'll continue to get everything in one seamless stream of drivel; enjoy it, please, but you might like to check out Posterous and see what it can do.
In the meantime, in case you're interested, here are the most-read of my Apple-themed posts:
- Amazon Kindle v Apple iPad 16Gb - a spec review
- Apple iPhone - leaked photos and details of the rumoured 4G phone
- What can you do with an iPad - image manipulation?
- Apple's ongoing advantage in the smart phone market
And there is more to come. At the moment I use an iPhone 3G, and Apple TV and iTunes but over the next few months I'm planning to pick up an iPad (probably 32Gb 3G) a new iPhone (assuming one is launched this year) and a MacBook (for the wife). Might also grab some accessories - keyboard, camera kit, cases etc. and I'll let you know what I think of all of them, even if nobody reads this damn blog. Cheers, James.
Sunday, May 02, 2010
Banks and the Election
There's been a lot of talk about the bailout for the banks and, in particular, the nationalisation of Lloyds Banking Group and RBS. Figures from the National Audit Office, reported in The Guardian, suggest that the Government paid the equivalent of £0.74 per share for it's stake in Lloyds and £0.50 per share for RBS. Today, these shares are worth £0.66 and £0.54 meaning that the taxpayer is currently down about £140m on the deal. That's actually not too bad and if things continue to recover, and particularly now that Lloyds is back in profit, there's a reasonable chance that we'll make a profit on these shares (assuming that the cost of insurance and toxic debt is ignored, for the moment - no idea what sort of money that might cost).
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