Voicemail for the People

Yesterday, Google opened up it's Google Voice service to the unwashed masses (that's you). So now all you need is a regular old Google/Gmail account to get started. Check the video below if you're not familiar with Google Voice, or check out their "about" page, which gives considerably more information on the service. It's a great service, and one that I recommend wholeheartedly. We've done workshops on it in the past, and several lab staff use it as their personal voicemail, so my recommendation comes from experience.

Come Watch the World Cup!

Join us for the World Cup while you work on your digital media project. Right now: Spain vs. Switzerland!

Closed for Gadget Day!

Hey all! We'll be closed from 10am-3pm (basically, that means we'll be opening at 3pm) this Thursday, June 10. We will start printing posters after 3pm, and we may only be able to print 2 or 3 due to the shortened time we'll be open.

For more information on Gadget Day, including links where you can register for each session, see our page at http://wic.library.upenn.edu/wicshops/gadget2010.html

Back to School Computer Sale

The Back-To-School Sale has launched at the Computer Connection. This year the Back-To-School Sale features:

• new Dell Latitude laptops with the latest Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors
• a specially priced Dell E4310 13” notebook that is thin, light (at least a pound less than other Latitudes), while loaded with features
• new Dell OptiPlex desktops, also with the latest Intel processors, and choices of several versions of Windows 7 operating systems
• the latest Apple laptops and desktops with new pricing
• the new Adobe CS5 product family, at special pricing through the Adobe CLP Licensing Program for both departments and individual customers
• several special promotions for individuals purchasing Apple computers.

Details are available on their website at http://www.upenn.edu/computerstore/bts2010.

Just how fast is Chrome?

Cool commercial for Google's Chrome web browser. These speed tests were filmed at actual web page rendering times. If you're interested in the technical details, click on the video to go to the YouTube video page and read the video description.

Try our Chair

We've got a new chair outside the lab. The company left it here so that everyone can give it a test drive. It's the prototype Kimball mesh lounge chair, not yet available to the public. Aren't you special that you get the first crack at this baby. No, it doesn't look like a chair. But yes, it is a chair. If you sit in it, you'll see what I mean. The company is very interested in feedback, so let us know what you think by leaving a comment here on the blog, or emailing us at wic1@pobox.upenn.edu

A Poster Fair with Dynamic Computer Simulation Displays

Wednesday, May 5, 2010
9:30-12:00
Silverstein Forum, Stiteler Hall

Students in Professor Lustick’s seminar, Political Science 418
(crosslisted with PPE) will display and explain the operation of their
computer assisted agent-based models and the result of their research on
a wide range of political problems.

Please come by to view the simulations and posters, talk with the
modelers, and enjoy some coffee and donuts.

Topics include: lawyers vs. Taliban in Pakistan; the effect of special
interests in Washington; primate politics; ethnicity and religion among
Iranian immigrants; collective action on the Golan Heights; building
social capital; enforcement and cooperation; clan vs. Islam in Somalia;
democratic theory and destabilization; dynamics of free trade;
succession in Iran.

Former lab consultants create iPhone game!

Former lab consultants Michael Highland and Keith McKnight are working on an iPhone game called Hipster City Cycle, to be released later this year.

They were featured this week in the Daily Pennsylvanian ("Alumni's iPhone game explores the Phila. streets") and in Philly tech blog Technically Philly ("Shop Talk: The DIY game-makers of Port127")

Here's a screenshot of the game (I love Keith's pixel art. You may have noticed we have a cover of 34th Street magazine he created hanging on the bulletin board in the lab):


Most importantly (I'm totally burying the lead here, I know), they're having a contest where you can submit your photo and they'll turn you into a pixel person (see below for examples) and you could end up in the game itself! (I already submitted my photo. Wish me luck!) Check out the details at http://www.hipstercitycycle.com/pixelateme/ And most importantly, make sure you buy the game when it comes out. You can be sure we'll announce it here when the game hits the app store in the Fall.

Steve Jobs Makes the Case for Not Supporting Flash on iPhones

As annoying as the lack of Flash support is, he makes a compelling case.

http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/

Privacy and Facebook’s New Instant Personalization

Facebook’s New Instant Personalization feature is a powerful new tool that can certainly improve your online experience if you use it wisely, but it presents some major privacy issues which most of us don't even think about. Also, Facebook has decided to activate for everyone by default, meaning you must OPT OUT if you don't want to share your online activities with your friends and "partner sites" (ie. strangers) alike.

What's to be worried about? Here are a couple examples people cite:

"Like" a movie on IMDB, and all of your friends will get updates to that effect. For that matter, every time you look at a movie on IMDB, you will see a list of friends who have "liked" that page. It is a powerful tool, but my bet is most Facebook users will have no idea where, when, or how their Likes will show up on the Web. Or for how long. [via "Facebook: Privacy Enemy Number One?"]

or...

[For] example, if you sign-on to Pandora ... the site could automatically dip into your Facebook account. ... Your co-workers and other professional contacts will soon be privy to your late-night Miley Cyrus jam sessions. [via Facebook privacy warning; Instant Personalization at F8]

For me, the thing to remember is that Facebook is first and foremost a business. Everything they do is aimed at making them more money. And information about their users (ie. you and me) is a valuable commodity. When they implement new "features," they do it in order to increase profit, not to improve your online experience. Just keep that in mind as you use the site.


Some additional interesting links about Facebook and privacy:

Facebook group: MILLIONS AGAINST FACEBOOK's PRIVACY POLICIES AND LAYOUT REDESIGN
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=27233634858

Sophos's recommendations for Facebook settings
http://www.sophos.com/security/best-practice/facebook/

Facebook Planning To Give Away Your Data To “Partners”
http://www.allfacebook.com/2010/03/facebook-planning-to-give-away-your-data-to-partners/

10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know
http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/02/facebook-privacy/

Facebook’s Instant Personalization Is the Real Privacy Hairball
http://gigaom.com/2010/04/22/facebooks-instant-personalization-is-the-real-privacy-hairball/

Seltzer Family Digital Media Award Winners 2010

Congratulations to the 5 winners of this year's Seltzer Family Digital Media Awards!

Rose Espinola C'11
Olivia C/W'12Jung
Sascha Murillo C'11
Yuval Orr C'11
Allison Rhodes C'11

You can read more about the Seltzer awards at http://wic.library.upenn.edu/wicideas/seltzeraward.html

House Season Finale Filmed Entirely with Canon 5D Mark II

Very cool.

http://www.petapixel.com/2010/04/09/house-season-finale-filmed-entirely-with-canon-5d-mark-ii/

Sparky Awards 2010 Peoples Choice Award Winner

Aaron Ludwig, a sophomore animation student at Brigham Young University, has won the first-ever Sparky Awards Peoples’ Choice prize for his short film, “Clueless Discovery.” The video was voted the best by students and others everywhere in an open online vote held earlier this Spring.

Clueless Discovery from Aaron Ludwig on Vimeo.

Come try our iPad!

Yes, we've got an iPad. Just ask the lab consultant on duty if you'd like to try it out.

I'll have a short review of it sometime in the coming week, which I'll post here, and I hope we'll be offering a lunchtime session to anybody who'd like to come by, ask questions, and try it out!

Closed for a Workshop

Hi all. We'll be closed today from 2pm-4pm for a class. Sorry for the inconvenience!

The Greater Philadelphia Student Film Festival is this Friday!

The Greater Philadelphia Student Film Festival is this Friday!
Friday, April 2nd, 7-9:30pm
Levitt Auditorium at the University of the Arts
401 S. Broad St. (Center City, corner of Broad & Pine)
www.gpsff.com

Have a date on Friday, but low on cash? Want to hang out in Center City with your friends, but have no idea where to go? How does movies and some free food for under $10 sound? The Greater Philadelphia Student Film Festival will showcase some of the best student productions from around the region. Doors will open at 6:15pm. Buy your ticket in advance and use the code CAMPUSPHILLY10 to save money on admission. Tickets will be sold at the door for $10.

For more info or to buy tickets in advance, visit www.gpsff.com

Recycling in the Digital Media Lab.

We've finally added a blue paper recycling bin (that's a blue bin, not a bin for blue paper) to the Digital Media Lab. Please be sure to recycle your paper there.

FYI: Our glossy poster printer paper is NOT recyclable due to the plastic coating, so it should go in the standard beige trash can.

Bottles and cans can be recycled in the bins out in the Information Commons, but hopefully you aren't drinking in the lab anyway.

Closings This Week

Hi all. We'll be closed twice this week for workshops:

Tuesday, March 30, 3pm-4:30pm
Thursday, April 1 (no joke!), 1pm-2:30pm

Sorry for the inconvenience!

Flash Mob on 40th Street - please avoid.

Public Safety Notice From Penn Public Safety

The Division of Public Safety has been made aware through various sources that a large gathering of juveniles will be convening on the 40th Street corridor later this afternoon.

DPS is working closely with the City of Philadelphia and SEPTA Police to ensure there will be an enhanced police presence in the area.

Please plan your routes away from 40th Street this afternoon.

Photoshop's Upcoming Content-Aware Fill Feature Looks Like Magic

This is just frakking crazy. This is a sneak-peek at a possible upcoming Photoshop feature (cross your fingers for CS5!) that make our current tools like the clone stamp and healing brush seem almost pointless. It's clearly building on CS4's content-aware scaling technology, but it really takes it to a whole new level. Check the video out below:




via Gizmodo.