Ken McGuire

Author: Ken McGuire

  • Getting Ahead In The Music Industry

    I thought I’d give this a mention here as I’m involved in the setting up of a course with ArtLinks, due to be offered this Saturday in Kilkenny and on November 24th in Wicklow. The idea behind the day is “getting ahead in the music industry” and features

    • Myself (in my KKM capacity)
    • Alan Dawson (Sound Engineer)
    • Ross Costigan (Communications & PR, IT Carlow)
    • Ken Allen (Faction Records, ex-Polydor)
    • Angela Dorgan (First Music Contact)
    • Keith Johnson (IMRO)
    • James Doran (Itchy Trigger Finger)
    • Davy Holland (Good Tiger / Blue Ghost)

    as speakers / facilitators on the day. The purpose is to arm musicians both young and old with the information they need to get ahead in the music industry and as such we’ll be covering topics such as

    • Internet use for bands and musicians
    • Promoting yourself and working with the press
    • Booking gigs, booking venues
    • Writing an effective press release
    • Working in a studio environment (including preparation, etiquette, budget)
    • Working in a live performance environment (ok, you’ve got the gig – so what happens now?)
    • The changing face of the Irish music industry
    • Music rights and issues
    • A few more bits as well!

    If you’re living in the ArtLinks region you can register for free as a member of ArtLinks and the entire day (including lunch) will cost you €15. If you’re outside the ArtLinks region or you’re not registered on the website, the day will cost a total of €20. The ArtLinks region covers Kilkenny, Carlow, Wicklow, Wexford and Waterford County (not Waterford City).

    Registration takes place from 9:30am and the day wraps up around 4pm. If you’re interested in attending, leave a comment or email me and I’ll get someone at ArtLinks to contact you back (pop your phone number in an email). Alternatively you can register for free on ArtLinks or get the course details here.

    *Note if you register for free on ArtLinks you still have to register your interest in attending on Saturday.

  • Sticking With Pink

    October has come and gone and so has the “Pink For October” campaign but over the last month I’ve become accustomed to the electric pink feel of the current blog template surrounding kenmc.com so I’m going to run with it for a while more, perhaps alter it up a little for Christmas.

    I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a pink shirt (I’m sure it wouldn’t suit my skin or something) but I’m more than happy to incorporate the colour into a design and was happy to turn pink for October. Seen as it’s grown on me, I don’t quite feel like changing back. Just yet anyway…

  • Playlist Mix Eight Arrives, Don’t Forget Headphones

    Regular readers of the blog will know that I’ve a big interest in all things podcasting and certainly all things music and if you haven’t had a chance to listen to the Playlist Mix podcast yet, the eighth one has gone live (as of the wee hours of the morning). There’s music from The Cribs (UK), Warm Wax (Dublin), Pora Pora (US), Bloc Party (UK) and more.

    As I refine my podcasting habits, one thing to note is not to underestimate the use of podcasting – or namely don’t just rely on your computer speakers to get a final mix. About 18 months ago I invested in a pair of Technics headphones (RPF200 – about 35 quid in Argos) and I use them for all my audio work in studio B. If your speaker setup has individual dials for treble / bass and/or a subwoofer, your output might be a bit misleading, not everyone is going to have the same audio setup as yourself.

    There’s a fancy set of audio monitors in studio A but if I’m on my own in studio B the headphones are what I rely on as you’re not letting any of the sound escape so it becomes easier to pick up echo trails, background noise etc. Unless I’m out of the house or office, the majority of my podcast listening is done in front of the computer, speakers blaring away. But the Playlist Mix is short enough, something I like to take with me between my ears if I’m walking into town so I’ll mix it to sound well in a pair of headphones and if it’s comfortable between my ears, I’ll be happy with the speaker output when playing it back through a computer.

    I don’t think you could really do any mixing without a pair of headphones and if you’ve got a spare 35 euro or so, you can’t go wrong with the Technics.

    Have a listen below or download for free (26mb)
    [audio:http://www.playlistmix.com/podpress_trac/web/15/0/podcast008.mp3]

  • MySpace, One Way In – No Way Out

    MySpace is a strange one. From a musician’s point of view, if you want a profile there it’s easy out. Go to the MySpace music site, register yourself as an artist and away you go. (Note that you have to be on the MySpace music site to do it, or you’ll wind up with a personal profile instead).

    If you register a new account with MySpace, you’ve now got the choice to remove it within 14 days. I set myself up with a music profile at the weekend in an attempt to encourage myself to demo some material (only demos going to MySpace at present as I’m not getting into serious recording until time and money allows it). I set the profile up, I’ve no intention of removing it.

    Two profiles though that I want to remove include one for the Sound System Podcast and one for the One Take Sesssions, both of which are pretty redundant as there’s a main KilkennyMusic.com myspace which is handling gig bookings, comments, music submissions etc. Having the one profile to govern all KKM activites saves time, energy and draws the traffic to the one spot. So why am I pulling my hair out?

    Well, the ‘cancel account’ option available in the account settings simply doesn’t work. Two weeks now I’ve been trying to remove both accounts and no joy.

    MySpace – if you’re watching, that’ll be the accounts at myspace.com/soundsystempodcast and myspace.com/onetakesessions – support mails have been sent and to no avail. You try to cancel your account and they say no problem, email is on the way to confirm. No chance. Ok I thought, maybe a problem with the email address, I’ll change my address and get the cancellation emails sent there. No chance. You have to confirm your change of email address and surprise surprise, no confirmation email.

    But – BUT! An account I held at MySpace (registered to a forgotten email address) rose from the dead just before the weekend, MySpace reminding me to log in or they’ll delete the account as it’s been six or seven months since it was used and I’m holding up what could be a valuable username. They’re happy to cancel accounts themselves but when you ask for it yourself all you get is a headache.

    It’s like socks in a washing machine….

    Gripe aside, my new profile is there to let me demo some material before starting the recording process in 2008. The tracks are available to download for free, do with what you please (barring re-recording them or releasing them as your own, that’d just be wrong) as they’re likely to be replaced as frequently as possible with updated versions, the MySpace profile allowing me to document the progress of certain tracks in a recording environment.

    The address is http://myspace.com/kenmcguiremusic

  • Don’t Rush A Podcast (Or Podcast On An Empty Stomach)

    “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry” (via), such was the case last night in recording the 7th PlaylistMix.com podcast. When recording the KKM podcast there’s a schedule we adhere to – Wednesday nights, start around 8:30pm, no problem. With PLM it’s pretty much the same – Monday nights, start around 10pm, record, review, tweak, bounce, upload by midnight.

    Knocking off work before six yesterday I figured I’d have plenty of time to get home, record and release the podcast before heading to a meeting for the Rockfall Festival (kicking off this week in Kilkenny). Alas, in my attempt to change the schedule and rush the podcast I came across the following…

    • I crashed the PC after recording the first segment – shownotes and everything else are on the Mac so the only activity the PC is doing is recording.
    • Moving the mixer used for the podcast (small Xenyx 502) introduced a low hum into the recording – given I wasn’t paying attention to the cables on the floor I failed to realise the XLR from the mic was bunched up over the transformer on the power cable for the mixer, hence the interference. Only after recording the first two sections did I notice this (mic channel lowered in my headphone mix). Scrapped that.
    • I wound up with an eye on the clock, wondering how late I could leave it before hitting the road to race the entire way across town for the meeting.
    • I went straight from the office to Studio B, no food after a long day which made me edgy in the chair (which was picked up on the mic with chair squeeks)

    With about five minutes to go, I jumped into the van, hit the meeting, went home via local chipper for a number seven pizza with no mushroom and relaxed for a bit. About 10pm I found myself sitting back at the helm in Studio B, more relaxed, let the mic run and thought to myself – yep, happy with this one. Gone were the chair squeeks, gone was the hunger, gone was the thought of having to run anywhere.

    When I set out the Playlist Mix schedule a month ago I figured Monday night would be the best opportunity for me to record the show and I guess I’m right. I tried to change it for the one night and it went pear shaped.

    So, my tips to you if you’re recording a podcast…

    • Relax, be yourself
    • Don’t rush the production – it’s not like it’s a live show, and you’re still going to get it out on time.
    • Don’t podcast on an empty stomach.
    • On a tech side – if you’re using a mic > xlr > mixer setup, make sure your mic cable is away from any power sources or anything that could cause signal interference! Took me a while to figure out that simplest of rules!

    The result?

    Listen to Playlist Mix #7 (Download 33mb)
    [audio:http://www.playlistmix.com/podpress_trac/web/14/0/podcast007.mp3]

  • Attending Limerick Open Coffee via Online Meeting Rooms

    Online Meeting Rooms

    Thought I’d throw this up as I’m not long off a session at OnlineMeetingRooms.com with Bernie Goldbach, Joe Garde, Conor O’Neill and Antoin O Lachtnain (author of Making an Impact Online: Creating a Website That Really Works Without Breaking the Bank (Business on a Shoestring)).

    The invitation was made to participate in the meeting with the bulk of questions coming from Tipperary IT students calling on various aspects of Antoin’s book, myself adding two cents on photography online for music and hotels (which hopefully made sense). Whatever about the content, the technology available via Online Meeting Rooms provided a perfect opportunity for me to link up with 4 others in various locations (Conor in Cork, Bernie in Limerick, Joe and Antoin in separate locations in Dublin – myself in Kilkenny) and enjoy streaming video and audio, along with an interactive drawing board (multi-user) and separate chat window for making notes, sharing links etc.

    My own set up via the iSight (running OSX and surfing via Firefox) was a breeze, Joe guiding me quickly through the Flash setup to get the camera and audio up and running. The option of Flash video of course means that the solution, catering for up to six people at present, is browser and platform independent. Of course, I had already poked around through the screencasts on OnlineMeetingRooms.com and figured out what to do once the meeting room went live but chatting with Joe added a nice personal touch to it.

    The whole event also meant I got to sit in on some of the activity at Limerick Open Coffee and get involved in the discussion there, saving a few euro on diesel in the process. The overall experience was very enjoyable, great quality audio, great video too depending on your bandwidth and web cam quality though Bernie had no real difficulties on a shared WiFi node at Absolute Hotel. I think the iSight camera wins hands down in terms of quality though 🙂 I think Conor mentioned something in discussion about becoming more accustomed to online video as a means of delivery and I think I’m the same, having tested out various means of video calling amongst the KilkennyMusic.com crew.

    If you need to step away for a minute (as I had to do at one stage – when nature calls, nature calls) you can disable your video and / or audio feed while remaining within the window no problem. Prior to joining the full swing of things at 11:30am I was happily listening to the background banter between Conor and Joe while wolfing breakfast in the office, posting quietly in the chat window (nobody really needs to see you eat breakfast at your desk).

    When all is said and done, the experience was a very enjoyable one, something I would have no problem in getting involved in again. Thanks to Bernie for the invitation and Joe for setting it all up.

  • And The Blog Turned Two

    The Blog Turns Two

    I’m marking two years of kenmc.com as a blog. That in itself means I’m blogging around the two year mark overall, or actively blogging, whether through kenmc.com or any number of the other blogs I have run / am running at present.

    I’ve met some terrific people over the past two years due to blogging and interaction with the blogging community in Ireland and I’ve had my eyes opened to many an experience, service, thought or otherwise as a result. I’ve been to BarCamp (Waterford), PodCamp (Kilkenny) – mind you I’ve yet to make it to an OpenCoffee – but these events I wouldn’t have heard about or become involved with if it wasn’t for blogging.

    As a result of PodCamp I’m now back producing the Playlist Mix podcast, the sixth episode of which went out earlier this week. That in itself, reviving the podcast, has provided more opportunities and contacts for me musically.

    To everyone who reads the blog (past and present), to new readers and to the entire Irish blogging community – thanks for continuing to inspire me to blog, to try, to test and to enjoy letting go in one of the most creative and easily accessible means of communication there is!

    Now, I’m off to get a can of coke with my breakfast, do something a little different for the morning.

  • iPod Hack – iPod Video becomes iPod Classic (How To)

    iPod Hack – iPod Video becomes iPod Classic (How To)

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    Update: Updated on February 29th 2008 with latest versions of firmware (1.2.2 version at time of press). See main site here.

    After picking up on a new firmware release for the iPod Video (both 5G and 5.5g), I’ve gone and replaced the original firmware on my iPod to that resembling the iPod Classic. (via)

    The ‘Before’ images…

    Original iPod interface Original interface (menu)

    What you’ll need…

    • Latest version of iPod Wizard
    • Access to a Windows machine (no Mac version at present)
    • Firmware for your video iPod (5G Version or 5.5G Version). I’m on the 5G version, no search feature and it’s the 60GB model. If you’re on the slim 30gb / 80gb model and/or have the search feature then it’s likely you’re a 5.5G model but be sure! See my warning note below.
    • iPod cable

    How to modify the iPod’s firmware…

    • Connect iPod to PC (iPod Wizard is windows based). If iTunes opens on connecting, you’ll need to close it and make sure that nothing else is accessing your iPod at the time. If connected properly, you will see the ‘Do Not Disconnect’ warning on your iPod screen.
    • Open up your copy of iPod Wizard (it doesn’t require installation, but does need to be unzipped to a folder).
    • Browse (via My Computer) to your downloaded firmware and if zipped, unzip it to a new folder. Unzipping should create a folder called ‘Classic Firmware for 5G v1.0’ (depending on what firmware version you downloaded).
    • In iPod Wizard, set your edit mode (top left corner) to ‘Firmware File’.
    • Click the ‘Open Firmware’ button and navigate to your ‘Classic Firmware…’ folder and open the ‘Classic Firmware…’ file (Windows displays the default icon if no filetype associated). Once loaded, the firmware’s version name will appear beside the ‘open firmware button’.
    • In the ‘Firmware Information’ box, press ‘Write To iPod’ (top left). The writing process may take 2-3 minutes.
    • When finished, you need to eject your iPod safely from your computer – whether via the ‘Safely Remove Hardware’ icon in your system tray of via My Computer (right click on your iPod and press ‘Eject’. Ejecting the iPod will restart the iPod automatically, booting with the new firmware.

    The ‘After’ images…

    Now playing (track view)Now playing
    iPod Interface (Video now playing)iPod Comparison

    See full photoset here

    Feedback

    I hadn’t seen the interface on the iPod classic before today but really like the split screen approach. I don’t feel anything is lost by adding the firmware. Navigating through the menu system is quick, though the slide from left to right could be a lot smoother (or instant). The new fonts are bigger, smoother, clearer though the fonts in the title bar look a fraction distorted (menus are fine).

    I also realised through the new interface that I really need to update my album artwork across the majority of recent additions to my iPod. Also, it’s worth going through the iPodWizard forums if you’re up for a bit of hacking!

    Warning (a.k.a How Not To Update Your iPod)

    Adding this firmware does not erase the contents on your iPod. BUT – make sure you’re using the correct firmware version for your iPod. The wrong firmware on your iPod will leave it in the infinite loop mode (as I did with Aidan’s). To get around this you need to restore your iPod to it’s original settings, effectively wiping whatever music is on your iPod. Resyncing with your library will restore your music.

    To restore your iPod you must hold the middle button (centre of wheel) and ‘Play’ at the same time, forcing the iPod into Disk Mode (like safe mode for all the world). Reconnect your iPod to your computer and pop open iTunes, the iTunes software automatically recognising the iPod needs to be restored. The restoration process takes 1-2 minutes.

  • Talking Gadgets On The Radio

    I’m starting a tech / gadget / home entertainment slot on KCLR this week that will go out on Wednesday’s, every two weeks, as part of The Afternoon Show. As far as I know the slot will be more “drive time”, airing at some point between 5pm and 6pm but I’ll have all the details for certain today.

    The segment this week will be pre-recorded on a Monday and aired on a Wednesday (due to availability) and will look in brief at things new to the world of gadgets and home entertainment – be it mobiles, consoles, audio, etc. As the slot progresses it should incorporate a quick “how to” segment, taking emails and texts from listeners etc. – or so my meeting with the radio station revealed last week.

    Must say, I’m looking forward to it.

  • Kilkenny Moosic

    My first batch of Moo cards arrived this evening in the post (along with a great free CD to review and podcast from Hybrasil) and I’m pretty impressed. The order was placed around 2am finally getting home after PodCamp and a gig on the 29th of last month. Picking up cards from Elly and Grannymar was enough to convince me to finally press the submit button on an order and I couldn’t be happier with the result.

    The quality of the card is great, durable, nice print finish, fonts all readable, packaging all tidy and there was even a few free stickers thrown in (so you can guess what’s coming next).

    I’ll certainly be ordering more of these!

  • Kilkenny To Become A “Free Wireless” City?

    By the reading of today’s Kilkenny Advertiser, moves are being made by Kilkenny Borough Council to make Kilkenny “the first city in Ireland to provide universal free wireless internet access” in and around the city itself. Given Kilkenny’s positioning as the “creative capital” of Ireland and the success of recent events like PodCamp Ireland, a “free wireless” city would be a massive boost for Kilkenny.

    Of course, this is already rolled out in Carlow so it looks like Kilkenny don’t want to be left playing catchup to the neighbours.

    A notice of motion was passed at this month’s meeting of Kilkenny Borough Council calling for the council to undertake to examine the possibility of Kilkenny becoming the first city in Ireland to provide universal free wireless internet access throughout the city area.

    Cllr Sean O’ hArgain asked that a working group of councillors and officials be established with a view to progressing the project this year.

    “This would allow the use of modern technology to visitors to the city, business people and our own citizens. The county manager has already assisted Carlow with this project successfully and Dublin city centre is also considering the option. Starbucks cafes around the world provide free wireless access as do many hotels, however, it’s not that available in Kilkenny,” he said.

    Read the article in full via the Kilkenny Advertiser.

  • Reinvent How You Communicate – Google Acquires Jaiku

    Jaiku

    Well, that didn’t take long. On the go to the public not long over a year and Jaiku has been snapped up by Google. I can’t say that I didn’t see it coming – you get a reliable web service with great social network capabilities, a nice colour scheme and a funky name and Google or some other heavyweight won’t be too far off with a big bag of money.

    This, just as Google’s shares today had broken the US$600 level. Maybe another small increase tomorrow as a result of today?

    Wonder why it hasn’t happened to Twitter yet? Or is the Jaiku acquisition a kick in the stones to Twitter since at the heart of things their services are very similar. Why choose one over the other? For me it me it came down to three factors – reliability, functionality (use of channels) and interface design, the overall interface something I find a lot more appealing than that of Twitter’s, but I’m not one to bash the Twitter service as I still use it and have no problem in using it.

    Straight off the bat, Jaiku has gone down the Google road of being invite only. Existing Jaiku users can still invite their friends into the service while people attempting to sign up from here on can apply for a limited invitation. Welcome to the members-only club, boys.

    In order to focus on innovation instead of scaling, we have decided to close new user sign-ups for now.

    No doubt the financial clout and power behind Google will allow Jaiku to expand – hopefully expanding in it’s own manner and brand as opposed to getting sucked into the grand scheme of things. It is a simple service, I don’t see any reason to over complicate it. Though when Twitter announced earlier in the summer that you could import your gMail contacts I figured that they were next on the shopping list – maybe they will be, but with Jaiku going to Google I wouldn’t be surprised to hear the likes of Yahoo or Microsoft drawing up plans for what they could do with Twitter, “keeping up appearances” and all that. Of course, I wasn’t the only one to think that.

    We’ve a while to go yet before seeing what Google produce on the fifth of November (this being the rumoured rival to Facebook through a redevelopment of Orkut’s current platform) but they’ve got just over three weeks to get Jaiku hooked up with it.

    See the new Jaiku Google FAQ for more or read the original blog post.

    Other Links
    Me on Jaiku | Me on Twitter

  • Podcasting Notes, Tips

    I released the fifth Playlist Mix podcast last night (listen | download), having spent the weekend digging around and doing some research. Research of course meant sitting in a coffee shop in Kilkenny with various podcasts playing through my ears, hosts discussing podcast promotion, tips, techniques, marketing strategies for podcasts – as well as playing out some great podsafe music.

    While I fine-tune the delivery of the Playlist Mix and revamp the delivery of Sound System with Ross, here’s a notes I made over the weekend, some of which already apply to me, some need to apply to me, and some of which will hopefully be of benefit to others venturing into regular podcasting.

    • Pre-production Is Key
      Until recently we had fallen into a routine of arriving for the podcast recording session, setting up Pro Tools and the mics, sitting down to record before asking “right, what are we talking about?”. While we have an idea, given the previous hosting nature of Sound System (up to four voices), it helps to have everyone on the same page before even thinking about taking out a microphone. That means content, hot points, music, backgrounds etc. Even taking a half hour to cement the content on paper before going into record can help. That said, we don’t use a “script” as such, but planning what is being played and what has to be discussed makes for a much smoother, more engaging podast.
    • Be Consistent
      Consistency applies to quality (audio quality), format (podcast structure) and delivery (weekly, daily). This means being able to schedule your own time for recording and make a commitment to it. Again, this applies directly to me as I let Playlist Mix slide for 5 months after launch, while Sound System experienced a 2 month gap because of a hectic summer schedule between gigs, theatre and work. I feel we’ve got that audio quality element sorted, the format for Sound System has recently been revised but delivery remains key.

      The note might have been more in relation to attracting sponsors or advertisers who will need certain criteria met (such as a weekly ad spot) but whether you’re advertising or not, consistency (I feel, going forward) is a must.

    • Engage The Audience Outside The Podcast
      To me this comes from cross promotion. Playlist Mix is a music heavy podcast, Sound System is more chat and informative banter than music (though we know there’ll be four tracks per show). The MySpace profile for Playlist Mix alls bands being contacted prior to and post podcast release. KKM members are alerted through blog posts and forum posts for questions, comments, contributions. Those not heavily active on the forum are contacted via MySpace bulletins, messages, comments.

    They’re just three small points. Honest to God, it felt like being back in a college lecture again – lecturing away to myself anyway. I’m prepping a PDf on all the notes I’ve made over the weekend, happy to make it available once it’s tidied up as they’ll be acting as suggestive guidelines for myself and the KKM crew going forward in podcasting.

    Sure while you’re here…

    Playlist Mix Podcast, Show #5 (Download)
    [audio:http://www.playlistmix.com/podpress_trac/web/11/0/podcast005.mp3]

  • I Smell A Splog – Ideahustle.com

    Ideahustle

    As Keith found his feeds republished last week, I’ve found the same this week with ideahustle.com. Not only is my kenmc.com feed appearing (with trackbacks on all posts made thus far in the week) but so to is my KilkennyMusic.com feed and Devious Theatre feed.

    Would Ideahustle republish a feed that has me criticise whoever is behind the adsense heavy blog? It looks to be a wordpress mu installation using ripped feeds to populate a wide variety of blogs. No link from me but check ideahustle.com for yourself.

    Original KKM post that was ripped above (posted around 8:30am this morning)

  • Unmountable Boot Volume (Dell, Fix)

    Unmountable Boot Volume (Dell, Fix)

    Recovery Console

    So you’re using your Dell laptop (in this case a Dell Inspiron 1501 running Windows XP Professional) with no problems, turn it on one day and you get that gorgeous blue screen of death telling you that you’ve an unmountable boot volume. You call Dell support and they take you through diagnostic tests, get you to boot in safe mode (which won’t work by the way) and then they tell you to launch the recovery console or reinstall Windows.

    Reinstall? No sirree!

    Getting around this problem today (see previous post) here’s what I did (not my laptop as the MacBook Pro doesn’t throw up those kind of errors)…

    • With the laptop on the blue screen, grab your Windows XP CD (might be branded as a Dell Reinstallation CD), pop it into the CD drive and reboot the laptop.
    • When prompted, press any key to boot from CD, allowing a minute or so for drivers to load in the background.
    • From the first menu you see, press ‘R’ to launch the recovery console. This will launch a dos-prompt driven recovery console allowing some basic disk commands.
    • Enter your first command: “chkdsk /r” (give about 20-30 minutes to run).
    • When completed, follow up with “chkdsk /p” (give about 2 minutes to run).
    • Finally, follow up with “fixboot c:”. This will quickly test the boot sector and prompt you to write a new one. It is likely that the boot sector on your drive has become corrupt, once you agree to write a new bootsector, allow a half minute or so for the task to run until prompted with a success message.
    • Type ‘EXIT’ to quit the recovery console and restart the laptop.

    That… should be that. It helps to have the original Dell XP disc though. A standalone version wouldn’t display the recovery console menu on launch but the Dell OEM version does (purple coloured CD including Service Pack 1a – it’s been a while). Of course, if the disc doesn’t boot when you restart the computer it may be possible that you’re BIOS is looking to the hard drive before the CD. In that case you’ll need to enter the Dell BIOS (pressing F2 for setup on immediate restart). See here (Dell support) for specific details.

  • No Room To Work Today

    No Room To Work

    Yep… this is my desk for the afternoon. I’ve shifted around from my own desk (behind the clutter of screens on the left) to the small one which normally houses a single flat-panel screen (17″). Actively going between all screens; L-R Aidan’s Inspiron 1501 (having the HDD repaired), 19″ Dell LCD, 17″ Dell LCD, 15″ MacBook Pro.

    Thank God for the slide-out keyboard and mouse!

  • Designing, The Next Morning

    I’ve developed a habit over the last couple of years of working very late into the night on projects, as a lot of us do, not really knowing when to stop. That or only giving in when you wake up to find your laptop beeping at you and shopping network ads on the TV behind you.

    I’ve also got a little thing called the “morning after test”. I used to apply it in college, I apply it in work and I apply at home when tinkering away on designs and web projects. Basically put, if I’m happy when I look at the design first thing in the morning (after a late night’s work) then I’ll run with it – if not, if there’s even a hint of doubt then it’s straight back to zero.

    Over the years I’ve seen designs and templates fall by the wayside as a result, some getting shifted on to other projects (when you have that “oh you know where that would look good?” moment) and this morning is no different. After sitting up until 2am last night with the aid of whatever was on Paramount and E4 coupled with a little bit of Robocop on Sky, I’ve ditched the work I pieced together last night.

    There has to be no hesitation about this though – you want to achieve the best possible design so if you’re not happy, why proceed with a second-string line of attack! Having just gone past the 9am mark I’m off to town for breakfast, pen and paper in hand in an effort to achieve the design I’m after.

    That or I’ll wind up with another one of those “oh you know where that would look good?” moments. Anyone else in the same boat?

  • Gone Pink For October

    I might be a few days late with this one but with a few hours down time I’ve thrown together a pink stylesheet for the blog in support of breast cancer awareness for the month of October. More details can be found on PinkForOctober.org.

    Jennifer Farley made reference to some pink designs during the week, while Eoghan McCabe has also “gone pink” for the month of October.

    I’ve no problems at all in sporting a pink design and I’m happy to do it in raising awareness of breast cancer, knowing as well that it can develop in men as well as women.

    Update: Also spotted the iQ Content blog is sporting a pink theme, while Will is going to be posting pink-coloured photos for the remainder of October.

  • How Many Mobile Phones Do You Carry?

    I’m currently carrying three mobile phones…

    • Sony Ericsson K800i for personal use
    • Indestructible Nokia 6230i for work use
    • Slow-to-react Nokia E50 for KKM / Jaiku / Twitter (meteor sim)

    I’ll be ditching the E50 within the next month or two – hasn’t exactly worked out as I planned. The speaker phone and call quality is fine, battery life is fine, I’ve been able to toy around with some S60 themes and designs but navigating through the phone is slow – lengthy screen refreshes aren’t something I care for.

    My intention is to combine the K800i and E50 into an N95 when the next gen model arrives. The 8GB version is on the Vodafone Christmas list, hopefully too making the O2 one as I’m due a contract upgrade in 2-3 weeks time.

    The K800i is a terrific phone, albeit lacking in speaker phone quality but I resolved that issued earlier in the year with a tip from Bernie on making your own car kit (works great – K800i audio routing through my iPod FM transmitter to the radio). Outside of calls, the big attraction for me is the 3.2mp camera in the phone which is great for taking photos on days and nights out. The 6230i operates on a different number, different contract rate and does what it does best – make and receive calls, no frills. The E50’s purpose was to route Jaiku / Twitter SMS away from my phone and allow me to control the spend on it (plus the Meteor international SMS rates are a lot cheaper than other mobile providers in Ireland).

    Sitting down to lunch with people I often get strange looks explaining the presence of 3 mobile phones beside me on the table, but then I read this morning that 47,000 Koreans are currently carrying over four mobile phones each. Of course, if you’re a foreign national living in Korea you’re legal limit is two mobile phones (an attempt to cut down on illegal or illicit activities?).

    Can’t say I’d ever see myself carrying around four devices but I’m looking forward to ditching at least one of these phones anyway! Anyone else in the three-and-up mobile bracket?

  • Fancy Free Tickets To Web 2.0 Expo In Berlin?

    Web 2.0 ExpoIf you’ve thought about travelling to the Web 2.0 Expo in Berlin just over a month from today, there’s a great opportunity to bag a pair (yes – two) of tickets which kicks off in Berlin on November 5th, running to November 8th (Monday to Thursday).

    The competition stipulation is that you must be an Irish blogger OR Irish-based blogger, the winner being the one with the “best suggestion for an original web applciation with an Irish focus”.

    You’ve got until this Sunday, so get the thinking cap on! You’re looking at over €2,000 worth of a prize!