RunPee

While RunPee has been around for a while, 2011 was a big year as the app was rebuilt from scratch and launched new Android and iPod versions last June and July.

The app runs a timer (that can be set to vibrate), which let's you know when the best times are to visit the rest room during a movie, ie when a 3-5 minute opportunity appears when nothing is really happening. When you return, you can hit a button to reveal a synopsis of what you missed, without spoilers.

Great, I can use this app after I've downed a couple of pints at the pub, need to make a call or experience and undeniable urge for Twizzlers in my ice cream. The RunPee database has more than 400 movies and the family of reviewers is adding new releases all the time.

Other bonuses? RunPee can give you a synopsis of the first five minutes of the movie in case you're running late, and let's you know if you should stay after the credits for bonus content. Best of all, this app is still free.

DC Metromaster

In time not so immemorial, when riding the DC Metro, I often dictated to friends which car I wanted to be in. Not even just which car. But beside which door.  The reason? I had a mental map of where the escalators were for my favorite stops. Getting off at Woodley Park from in town? Second car, last set of doors. Going to RFK for a DC United match? Front of the train baby, you'll beat masses of fans.

So hats off to the makers of, DC Metromaster, an iPhone or iPod app that tells you the best place to board Metro trains to be as close as possible to your desired station exit. Metromaster also one ups my mental map with a 'heat map' which indicates which cars are most likely to hold empty seats (based on yearly ridership demographics).

Washington Post's Express has a great snippet, "Left to Your Devices", in the February 24 issue.

And remember that the side of the tunnel with the florescent lights is the side that the doors are going to open next.  No, thank YOU for riding Metro.

Warco

There's a new first-person shooter in town. However, instead of changing an M16 for a shotgun, you'll be switching the zoom and film angles for your video camera.

Being developed by Defiant Development, an Australian-based group, Warco is an FPS with the intention of simulating the experience of a war correspondent (or warco).

From deviant's website, the object of the game is to:

"Record dramatic images of war, save them in-game, then edit the results into a compelling frontline TV news story." 

One of the interesting aspects about this concept, is how Warco developers have latched onto the way gamers have already been using video games to create movies. For instance, Red vs Blue appeared on the scene just as gameplay cinematic experiences, and the "Machinima" movement in general increased in popularity. Players of Quake and Halo have spent hours filming and editing films of their gameplay.  And clips from the Halo community's best films are routinely submitted to content generators like Halo Waypoint (I recommend any of the 'top five' or 'top ten' content).

Ars Technica has a good discussion of Warco at, "Warco: an FPS where you hold a camera instead of a gun".

While Warco is not on the market yet and only prototypes have been tested, I, for one, will be waiting with baited breath.

PS  You can watch episodes of Red vs Blue, here. But that's another post.

The pain of inter-web email technology

The Oatmeal recently posted a collection of email archetypes, loosely based on the idiocy brought forth by the human-keyboard matrix, i.e., the inability to envision consequences when faced with an internet connection and a send button during the hours of 9am and 5pm, roughly speaking of course. Because there is no way that mere timing could inhibit the impulse to load your colleagues with unintelligible bullshit or useless, time-wasting responses to an email that wasn't even meant for you. Wax Wendy has an actual life experience that documents the latter for you, which is so intensely ridiculous, it induces rapid-fire wheeze-snort responses. The Oatmeal's hilarious send-ups of our daily "You've got mail" kind of pain are scary, insightful, and funny enough to make you spit out your coffee. "I hate your email signature" is my particular favorite. I wish I could append it to all my messages.

Io9 Movie Mondays

Io9 has launched Movie Mondays, A live-tweeting event that involves selection of a sci-fi gem from Netflix's watch instantly library. Fans start the flick or their own DVD of a movie at the same time, all around the and then tweet the heck out of it.

It's kinda like watching a movie in your living room with all your geeky friends, except they can all talk while it's on. The inaugural event cued up the theatrical release of David Lynch's Dune. Followed by Christian Bale's lackluster performance in Reign of Fire the following week.

Taking part is easy, all you have to do is follow I09commentary on twitter or visit Io9, to find out the movie selection, then at Monday, 9:00 PM EST, fire up your DVD/Movie platform of choice and proceed to tweet your heart out using the @io9commentary reply tag or #io9moviemonday index tag.

Ahh, the things we will do to re-live MST3K.

The speed of change - 140 characters

Photo by Getty Images

Twitter has been around since 2006, allowing users to update the mundanity of life 140 characters at a time. 2009 may well mark the point at which it went from a toy to a powerful communication tool. Trendhunter has put together a list of 13 ways Twitter enables activism - whether it's fans trying to save their favorite TV show, or voters in Iran struggling to preserve their rights and make their voices heard. Tweet, tweet.

Hulu Set for September UK Launch

It's a little late since I purchased the last two episodes of the "Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles" from itunes, but better late than never. Hulu is flinging the barn doors open and giving international access in September 2009, according to the Telegraph's, "Hulu set for September UK launch".

Are you listening, music companies? I've always had the impression that not hooking international audiences on your shows to guarantee DVD sales was a huge miss for the networks, and I hope this means that they agree with me. Divided for just three weeks from my television, I was beginning to forget why I needed one in the first place. Oh well, back to the glass teat.

Staying In Touch Internationally on The Cheap

Read the Frugal Traveler's article, "Staying in Touch Internationally on the Cheap," from the New York Times. The article expounds on the virtues of Skype internet calls and the magic of call forwarding for free "air" time. Now there is no need to worry about keeping in touch with friends and family in London, Berlin and anywhere in the world.

You know who you are.

6 Projects That Could Change Publishing for the Better

The London Book Fair is in full swing next week, and in honor of shaking up the book industry, (and publishing in general, you magazine and newspaper people) I suggest Michael Tamblyn's video on blip.tv, "6 Projects That Could Change Publishing for the Better".

Not the usual yadda yadda, Tamblyn (CEO of BookNet Canada) unashamedly points out that interesting things can happen in tough times, especially when recessions force people to think in new ways. Far from finger pointing, he admonishes the institutions resistance to change with humor and the precision of a surgeon and suggests the industry is on the brink of revolution, where we can decide what we want that revolution to be.

10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know

Facebook is a lot like an unfamiliar church. It's terrifying if you've never gone before, but generally more scary to think about going then actually being there (then again, maybe its like Pringles).

Everyone has different privacy needs. Teachers don't want to be searched by students, lawyers by clients, artists by admirers (but maybe they do) and everyone else doesn't want their boss to receive off hours (hooky playin') status updates. That's why the article "10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know" from All Facebook is such a great read. Learn how to create groups (ahem, high school!), how to remove your profile from Facebook's and Google's search engine (students!), and other nuggets that keep you pictures, status or whatever, under lock and key.

And remember this sage advice, you don't have to worry about someone posting a picture of you with panties on your head, if you don't wear panties on your head in the first place.

Tune-Up

It's true. I have a secret weapon when it comes to tidying my iTunes (curse you DRM!). Not that I would ever, EVER mind you, share music with my mates. I certainly wouldn't accept music from their iPod devices either. But if you sometimes find that the songs in your digital musical collection (ahem) mysteriously have the track information missing, there is help.

Created for music lovers by music lovers, Tune Up software cleans up the meta tag mess your music is in. Songs without titles, artist, or album info are corrected with the click of a finger. Missing cover art ruining your album flicking mojo? Tune Up will fix that too. And look up the upcoming gigs of your most played artists. And find their YouTube videos. And that geeky concert t-shirt you missed.

Its simple, intuitive, and impressive. Let me know your thoughts on Tune-Up. Then spread the love.

Fontgasm

Looking for a way to add some flair to your blog, annual report, or TPS cover pages? urbanfonts has a collection of 8,000 downloadable freeware fonts. They're grouped by categories like Adventure, Scary, and Graffiti. Some of my favorites are found in the Famous group. But then, how could my little fangirl heart not love Angel, Blade Runner, or Floydian?

Shown: HaloRegular by Will Turnbow

via Cupcakes and Mace

Hope - Change - Obey

Few political symbols have become as iconic as quickly as the HOPE and CHANGE posters created for the Obama campaign by artist Shepard "Obey Giant" Fairey.

Thanks to Paste magazine's Obamicon, you too can turn any photo into a symbol for the ages. (via Jezebel).

Paste, by the way, is well worth the price of admission for their monthly sampler CDs alone.

When the reds and blues start to run together and you need to take a break, check out this interview with Fairey and publicist Yosi Sergant from October 2008, where they talk about the genesis of the idea and its popularity and sudden ubiquity.

You don't suck at Photoshop

Worth1000.com 's regular contests offer plenty of examples of people who know their way around masks and layers.  

Recent themes have turned celebrities into clowns, and Old Hollywood divas into manga characters.  My favorite is the Superhero ModRen Series.

I loved Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman back in the day.  I spent a great deal of time in my backyard imitating her patented twirl, sure that the transformation was going to happen any moment.  

I was not a child with the firmest grasp on reality.   Although I haven't tried it in awhile ... you never know.

Photoshop Disasters

Have you seen a truly awful piece of Photoshop work? There is only one place that really cares and wants to show the whole world. Photoshop Disasters is run by the mysteriously anonymous Cosmo7, who uses his powers to shine the light of truth on the clumsy manipulation, senseless comping, lazy cloning and thoughtless retouching perpetrated by the world of Photoshop driven advertising and art. Also, his thoughts and the comments of his community are worth the price of admission alone.

You Suck at Photoshop

Okay, some of you will recognize this Donnie Hoyl's Videos from the "My Damn Channel" website from my post on the "Top Ten Lifehacker Videos". Well, I had to pull his series "You Suck at Photoshop" out because, not only are his methods succinct and easy to understand, but I haven't laughed so hard since I was addicted to Sifl and Olly in 1998.

Much of the information we have to remember in modern life is presented dryly using printed words or in a straight forward lecture format. Our brains do not easily encode information from either method. However, add mnemonics, vivid imagery and strong emotions (like laughing your ass off) and presto, you get rich retention of both information and the structure of the information. And because the images are vivid and the emotions strong, the message is easy to recall when you need it.

Otherwise, just watch so you'll laugh your ass off.

Google Chrome Goes to the Comics

What's all this buzz about Google Chrome? It's not just the "Incognito Mode" that's great for hiding your skeevy midnight browsing habits. Conveniently, Google has a web comic called, "Google Chrome: Behind the Open Source Browser Project," explaining why their product kicks every other browser's ass.

Already know why about it and want to become a Google Chrome Thaumaturge? Check out Lifehacker's, "The Power Users Guide to Google Chrome".

Ready to make the switch-a-roo? There's only one caveat. Google Chrome is not yet compatible with the Google Toolbar. Oversight much? Why Google, why?

Tech Habits to Improve Your Life

So, I spent a little time on an information technology help desk. Who hasn't? It turns out, a lot of people. There isn't a single place I have worked that hasn't turned me into the de facto go to person when it came to computers because I was available and knowledgeable, even though I never worked in IT out of college.

Keeping good technology habits can be hard, but teaching my Mom how to use the clipboard across software platforms led to a glow of pride when she eventually cracked open her own tower hardcase and installed new memory cards. If you fear the electrical demon in your home or office, it's time to face the music. And PC World's article "20 Tech Habits to Improve Your Life" is the right place to start. Go on kids, learning how to do backups should be taught in middle school, and after you learn how using a mouse can actually slow you down and how the essentials of basic e-mail tidiness can speed you up, you'll feel like a new person.

Web(non)sense

Websense has dropped public access to their website lookup tool.

Yes, I correct Wikipedia articles. I also submit corrections to internet censorship companies like Websense and the now defunct SurfControl (who recently bought by Websense in 2007). Some of my favorites corrections have been the censorship of official Adobe Product Help Forums and various sites which provided educational materials (like blank sheet music) or reference materials (say information about coin collecting and starting your own coin collection).

Last week I received this dandy notification from Websense in my In-box (shortened version follows):

During a recent upgrade to MyWebsense, we have implemented steps which increase the accuracy of our customer information. This allows us to better meet our customers' support needs.

Unfortunately, your MyWebsense account is missing some key information and is no longer active.

To re-initiate your account, please visit http://www.websense.com/supportportal/ .
By providing this information, we will be able to provide you with more focused support offerings, improved ability to create support cases via our online portal, and online forums, to be released in the near future, which will enable you to interact with other customers to resolve issues.

We apologize for any inconvenience.
(Blow yourself),
Websense Technical Support

Okay, I added the "Blow yourself" at the end. But the long and short is the new required information is the Activation Key for their product, which will only be available to the Information Technology (IT) professionals which installed the software and not to the millions of users effected by the technology in public school systems and libraries, on high traffic machines in hospitals and private universities or government workers across the globe. Not to mention independent website providers and bloggers who can no longer look-up how their own websites are categorized by Websense and request changes to (their often inaccurate) categorizations.

Cheerio.

We're Powerless Against Data Grazing

Sound like the first step in a new addictive behavioral support group? Not exactly. Take a gander at Lee Gome 's article in the Wall street Journal, "Why We're Powerless To Resist Grazing On Endless Web Data" that explains why surfing the internet activates the same centers in the brain we get in the snack aisle, the buffet table, or (worse) the sale section).

Like a cat with a laser pointer, surfing the web can become and endless, ahem, rat chase. But by recognizing are own human attraction for abundance, we maybe able to do a better job learning what is useful information and what isn't.