Mighty is hosting ROFLthing tomorrow night (August 29th) featuring Andy Baio talking about Star Wars Kids, LOLcats micro-humor presented by Ben Huh, Eric conveying an emotion, Evil Berts aplenty, and most importantly, an open bar!
Nrrrds unite!
An incredible archive spanning 20 years of daily photos (1979-1997). And while you are at it, read a thoughtful analysis on the death of the polaroid medium. Fond memories soon gone.
Via Daring Fireball
Thus far, one of my favorite interface design teams for my iPhone applications is TapTapTap. Well, in the spirit of their past ventures, they have released numbers for AppStore sales. They talk about the results and the spirit of being an indie developer, along with Apple’s decision to release numbers over at their blog.
There is nothing quite like the smell of fresh cooked bacon… especially if you are sleeping right next to the kitchen! Enter Wake ‘n Bacon! A wooden, pig-shaped alarm-clock/oven which summons your from slumber with the sizzling smell of bacon! Plus, they could easily modify the device for you vegetarians… and I suppose it would be called Wake ‘n Fake ‘n Bacon? Ooooh, or how about a tanning booth, bacon alarm clock called… Wake ‘n Bake ‘n Bacon!!!! Hott. (yes, with TWO t’s)
(Thanks to Schlaut for the wake-up call.)
Not sure it really produces the same effect as a pro-level turntable, but at $4, it is quite a whole lot cheaper! Get your Plastinkus pocket-size DJ scratch pad today from Art Lebedev Studios.
Sofa just released an extensive look into the indie Macintosh developer community, with close to 50 hours of interviews and lots of online resources! Here is what they have to say about the project:
“‘Indie Fever’ is the first result of a multi-year human geography research program to investigate the social and economical world of so-called ‘Indie’ developers on the Macintosh platform. ‘Indie’ is the self-chosen nickname of software developers that serve worldwide markets from the Internet, hold their artistic values in high esteem and celebrate their ability to make high quality software as small companies. Indies form a major part of the pool of developers of third party software for the iPhone that is currently available in Apple’s App Store.
Indies have organized themselves informally but strongly in a virtual community. Although they are scattered over several continents, they continuously interact over the Internet, share rumors and code, and discuss business and private interests as if they were coworkers while –technically– they are competitors. They share a common culture which is intertwined with the history of the platform they develop for and the Cocoa programming environment in particular. The thesis describes the turbulent social history of Cocoa and its early protagonists who became the role models of the Indie community. Furthermore, it analyses how Indies sustain and reproduce their particular culture primarily through online means, something that is argued to be rather difficult in the social-scientific discourse.
Indie Fever also pays attention to the relationships between the Indie community and Apple Inc. It argues that they have a symbiotic relationship but that the balance of power between the two is different from what one would expect from just looking at the economic dimensions. Indies substantially contribute to Apple’s software innovations and play an important role in the platform’s competitiveness.”
If any of that sounds interesting, head over to the Sofa website for the full story, or download the PDF here.
With all the hubbub over Apple’s iPhone 3G, it keeps you thinking of how big they must be getting. And add to that fact, the minor backlash against the phone and/or company and it becomes east to forget how many small, independent developers wildly thrive and help make the Macintosh platform so great. Same is now true about the iPhone!
I have an old-model iPhone. No fancy 3G here, just your plain old revolutionary phone, web, iPod combo. What has me so excited is the App Store (which Apple released the same day and the new phone)! This is the most exciting new phone feature in my opinion, and all iPhone owners have access! From just about anywhere you get service, you can now download cheap and free utilities for your phone that do everything from baseball scores to restaurant ideas to blog publishing (yes, I am posting this from my phone).
Some of my favorites include Twitterriffic [app store], Tipulator [app store], Urban spoon [app store], Comic Touch [app store], Aurora Feint [app store], Dizzy Bee [app store], andWordPress [app store].
And so I pose the question to you, which (independent) iPhone apps are your favorites?
We struggle with it everyday. Are these guys “independent”enough to endorse or talk about their product? If we haven’t looked that company up to see what they’re about should we even cover what they’re doing? The new Friend or Foe series is here to help with those questions. This is where we will have coverage of questionable companies and people in regards to independence with unquestionably good ideas or philosophies we should know about. We’ll leave it up to you to make up your own mind.
With that said here comes GINA . If you can’t acknowledge that BMW is on to, well… something then you might want to come back tomorrow when we’ll only be talking about companies we know for sure are independent.
Loving the YouTube video on the fancy new DJ Pacemaker… its definately on my review wishlist!! Wonder if the cartoon characters come bundled or if you have to buy them as extras!?
(via DJ Strong)
I have never really understood the name California Extreme… but I do have to say that it is a really, really fun event if you love old gaming machines: pin ball, classic video games, and vintage game collectors. Everything from the favorites like PacMan, Asteroids, Twilight Zone, and Funhouse to rarer games that you just don’t see everyday like Quantum, Journey, Fathom and Pinball Magic. All set on “free mode” to play all you want!!!! See the list games at www.caextreme.org/games.
So, head on down to the San Jose Convention Center at Parkside Hall (just behind The Tech Museum downtown) on July 19-20, 2008! For more information, visit www.caextreme.org or download the flyer.
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The Crucible is gearing up for their 8th Annual Fire Arts Festival, happening July 9-12, 2008 (nightly from 8pm - Midnight)! This one-weekend-only event is not to be missed. They take over the huge empty lot across from their building/workspaces, create a city of machinery, and basically set everything on fire!!!
It’s a spectacular open-air exhibition with nearly four acres of fire sculpture and interactive art, amazing fire and dance performances, great music, food, libations, and more. This annual celebration showcases the largest collection of fire and light sculptures in the West Coast, like the gigantic sculptures by Dan Das Mann and Karen Cusolito, and the fabulous Steampunk Tree House, making its Bay Area debut.
Ever since their Firebird ballet performance, I have been anxiously awaiting this festival… just a few more weeks left. Better get some tickets quick?!
If you are a fan of battling robots, destruction derbies of electronic compnents and scrap metal destruction… this is your weekend! RoboGames (formerly RoboOlympics) is setting up in Fort Mason for some showdown-style battles!
When: Fri-Sun, June 13-15, 2008
Where: Fort Mason, San Francisco
Cost: $20, $15/kids (under 18), $0/kids (under 5)
The Long Now Foundation held another of it’s monthly lectures last night. Their guest speaker, Iqbal Quadir, spoke about how technology (specifically cellular-based) is empowering 40 million of the poorest Bangladeshi people to communicate, and how decentralized systems such as this are good for everyone involved.
Some very radical ideas presented (especially since the entire project started in 1994). But further justifying the role of independent business in empowering the people of the world!
Here is video from the TED conference, where Mr. Quadir gives a similar lecture to what was presented last night.
LEGENDmag TV headed out to cover the Maker Faire and ran into our old friend Ernie, from littleyellowdifferent.com! Come with us on a fantastic journey through the seemingly neverending exhibit halls, race tracks, and proving grounds and explore the Maker Faire!!
UPDATE: Added some photos from the event and a little more about the video.
(Photography: Jake Thomason, kc! Bradshaw)
PS: In case you were wondering about that amazing techno giraffe at the end of the episode (I fell in love with it and had to get it in the video), his name is Russell and he is an electric giraffe with a wonderful story. Go check out the website for more info and if anyone wants to build me one, I would forever be indebted! 
A special thank you to all the wonderful people we met and spoke with during the event… like our new friends working on Within Reach Movie! Keep up all the hard work we will see you all next year again at Maker Faire 2009!!!!
