AtRandom Podcast http://www.atrandom.org Geek, Tech and Coder Podcast & Reviews Fri, 18 May 2012 09:41:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Geek, Tech and Coder Podcast & Reviews AtRandom Podcast no Rick Timmis, Jackson Matthews and John Wordsworth Geek, Tech and Coder Podcast & Reviews AtRandom Podcast http://www.atrandom.org/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg http://www.atrandom.org Devon, United Kingdom Monthly AtRandom #21: Microsoft and EU in UEFI ARM Lock http://www.atrandom.org/2012/05/atrandom-21-microsoft-and-eu-in-uefi-arm-lock/ http://www.atrandom.org/2012/05/atrandom-21-microsoft-and-eu-in-uefi-arm-lock/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 18:33:53 +0000 Rick Timmis http://www.atrandom.org/?p=368 As Microsoft wrestles to fight off Apple and Google from its global computing market dinner bowl. The European Union commission’s competition tag team, are preparing to tame the Washington based software company.

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Microsoft has continued to lose market share from it’s once lofty market dominance, the US behemoth has taken a beating from Mozilla and Google in the browser wars, with their respective Firefox and Chrome web browser offerings. In addition other players Opera and Safari have gained ground.

This is a good thing, and has perhaps been catalised by the EU’s 2009 ruling that Microsofts bundling of Media player and Internet Explorer was anti competitive, and provided Microsoft with the ability to monopolise the market.

The revolutionary rise of the Tablet computer, driven by Apples iPad and swiftly followed by a plethora of OEM manufactured devices running Google’s Android Operating System (OS) , has left Microsoft feeling the pain!

The strong steady rise of Linux over the last decade, driven firsty by companies such as Red Hat in the server space and now by Canonical on the PC desktop with its latest everyday computing software platform “Ubuntu” it looks like Microsoft is facing an all in tag team battle to remove it from dominance.

Of course the Microsoft board are consummate marketeers and masters of strategy when it comes to leveraging markets. Microsoft, recognising the strong prospects for Tablet computers and mobile smart phones, wants to ensure it locks down a big piece of the action.

The announcement that Windows 8 will utilise UEFI a new kind of computer startup procedure. Which gives Microsoft a new edge in the market, by enabling it to use its market dominance to force manufacturers to lock out other software platforms at machine start up, by requiring specifialised security keys. Microsoft denied it as a play to leverage an anti-competitive position by announcing that it would not force vendors to lock UEFI on PC’s installed with Windows 8. However, such retoric is misleading, as Microsoft issued instructions to OEM licensee’s that the UEFI start up system MUST be locked on ARM based devices.

In a recent press articled posted on to cnet Microsoft have sought to further  lock the ARM based tablet computer market by denying full access to the base software platform to ALL but their own Internet Explorer browser.

This has met with immediate reaction from the European Union’s competition overseers who having already slapped the hands of the digital giant and are now giving Microsoft the beady eye over its announcements regarding its upcoming Windows RT browser for ARM based PC’s.

 The commission is aware of these allegations and will remain vigilant that Microsoft fully complies with its commitments under the commission’s 2009 decision on browsers. This decision applies to Microsoft’s Windows operating system for PCs.

The defining term in all of this is PC, as in Personal Computer. If a Tablet computer can be established as being legally different from a Personal Computer then the commission might find the power of its 2009 ruling, suddenly has no teeth.

]]> http://www.atrandom.org/2012/05/atrandom-21-microsoft-and-eu-in-uefi-arm-lock/feed/ 0 ARM,BIOS,CPU,Microsoft,UEFI,Windows 8,Windows RT As Microsoft wrestles to fight off Apple and Google from its global computing market dinner bowl. The European Union commission's competition tag team, are preparing to tame the Washington based software company. - Listen to Episode 21 of At Random - As Microsoft wrestles to fight off Apple and Google from its global computing market dinner bowl. The European Union commission's competition tag team, are preparing to tame the Washington based software company. Listen to Episode 21 of At Random AtRandom Episode 21 – Enhanced Podcast (M4A) AtRandom Episode 21 – Simple Audio (MP3) You can also subscribe to AtRandom through iTunes and download our podcast to your iPhone / iPad. Microsoft has continued to lose market share from it's once lofty market dominance, the US behemoth has taken a beating from Mozilla and Google in the browser wars, with their respective Firefox and Chrome web browser offerings. In addition other players Opera and Safari have gained ground. This is a good thing, and has perhaps been catalised by the EU's 2009 ruling that Microsofts bundling of Media player and Internet Explorer was anti competitive, and provided Microsoft with the ability to monopolise the market. The revolutionary rise of the Tablet computer, driven by Apples iPad and swiftly followed by a plethora of OEM manufactured devices running Google's Android Operating System (OS) , has left Microsoft feeling the pain! The strong steady rise of Linux over the last decade, driven firsty by companies such as Red Hat in the server space and now by Canonical on the PC desktop with its latest everyday computing software platform "Ubuntu" it looks like Microsoft is facing an all in tag team battle to remove it from dominance. Of course the Microsoft board are consummate marketeers and masters of strategy when it comes to leveraging markets. Microsoft, recognising the strong prospects for Tablet computers and mobile smart phones, wants to ensure it locks down a big piece of the action. The announcement that Windows 8 will utilise UEFI a new kind of computer startup procedure. Which gives Microsoft a new edge in the market, by enabling it to use its market dominance to force manufacturers to lock out other software platforms at machine start up, by requiring specifialised security keys. Microsoft denied it as a play to leverage an anti-competitive position by announcing that it would not force vendors to lock UEFI on PC's installed with Windows 8. However, such retoric is misleading, as Microsoft issued instructions to OEM licensee's that the UEFI start up system MUST be locked on ARM based devices. In a recent press articled posted on to cnet Microsoft have sought to further  lock the ARM based tablet computer market by denying full access to the base software platform to ALL but their own Internet Explorer browser. This has met with immediate reaction from the European Union's competition overseers who having already slapped the hands of the digital giant and are now giving Microsoft the beady eye over its announcements regarding its upcoming Windows RT browser for ARM based PC's.  The commission is aware of these allegations and will remain vigilant that Microsoft fully complies with its commitments under the commission's 2009 decision on browsers. This decision applies to Microsoft's Windows operating system for PCs. The defining term in all of this is PC, as in Personal Computer. If a Tablet computer can be established as being legally different from a Personal Computer then the commission might find the power of its 2009 ruling, suddenly has no teeth. AtRandom Podcast no 56:17 AtRandom #20: NVidia 3D Vision Review http://www.atrandom.org/2012/04/atrandom-20-nvidia-3d-vision-kit-2-review/ http://www.atrandom.org/2012/04/atrandom-20-nvidia-3d-vision-kit-2-review/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:45:34 +0000 John Wordsworth http://www.atrandom.org/?p=359 NVidia 3D vision is a 3-part setup which provides a mechanism for displaying 3D gaming and media content from your PC through a compatible monitor. The AtRandom team have got their grubby paws on some NVidia 3D Vision 2 gear and give you a full and in-depth review in their usual friendly way.

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NVidia’s 3D Vision technology provides home users a way of watching and engaging with 3D content from their gaming PC. While Active Shutter glasses are the more expensive option, they provide content at it’s full-resolution, by providing each eye with 60 frames a second from a 120Hz monitor instead of providing a half-resolution solution like passive glasses do when coupled with a 3D screen.

We talk about our experiences with the NVidia 3D Vision 2 Kit used with a Benq XL2420T and a single GeForce GTX570 Nvidia graphics card.

]]> http://www.atrandom.org/2012/04/atrandom-20-nvidia-3d-vision-kit-2-review/feed/ 0 3D,3D Vision,GeForce,NVidia NVidia 3D vision is a 3-part setup which provides a mechanism for displaying 3D gaming and media content from your PC through a compatible monitor. The AtRandom team have got their grubby paws on some NVidia 3D Vision 2 gear and give you a full and in-... NVidia 3D vision is a 3-part setup which provides a mechanism for displaying 3D gaming and media content from your PC through a compatible monitor. The AtRandom team have got their grubby paws on some NVidia 3D Vision 2 gear and give you a full and in-depth review in their usual friendly way. Listen to Episode 20 of At Random AtRandom Episode 20 – Enhanced Podcast (M4A) AtRandom Episode 20 – Simple Audio (MP3) You can also subscribe to AtRandom through iTunes and download our podcast to your iPhone / iPad. NVidia's 3D Vision technology provides home users a way of watching and engaging with 3D content from their gaming PC. While Active Shutter glasses are the more expensive option, they provide content at it's full-resolution, by providing each eye with 60 frames a second from a 120Hz monitor instead of providing a half-resolution solution like passive glasses do when coupled with a 3D screen. We talk about our experiences with the NVidia 3D Vision 2 Kit used with a Benq XL2420T and a single GeForce GTX570 Nvidia graphics card. AtRandom Podcast no 53:24 AtRandom #19: What makes a Game Engine http://www.atrandom.org/2012/03/atrandom-19-what-makes-a-game-engine/ http://www.atrandom.org/2012/03/atrandom-19-what-makes-a-game-engine/#comments Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:00:00 +0000 John Wordsworth http://www.atrandom.org/?p=324 From retro 2D arcade games to epic story-driven 3D cinematic wonders, all of our gaming needs require thousands of man hours of work to drive each and every little piece of the action. Today we take a look at the programming and development that goes into creating a game-engine which handles all of the behind the scenes magic in a computer game.

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Join the AtRandom Podcast team as we take a short, but technical dive into the world of game engine development. In this episode of AtRandom Rick, Jack and John have a roundtable discussion about just what it takes to make a modern computer game tick on your PC, Xbox or PS3.

]]> http://www.atrandom.org/2012/03/atrandom-19-what-makes-a-game-engine/feed/ 0 Development,Game Engine,Programming From retro 2D arcade games to epic story-driven 3D cinematic wonders, all of our gaming needs require thousands of man hours of work to drive each and every little piece of the action. Today we take a look at the programming and development that goes i... From retro 2D arcade games to epic story-driven 3D cinematic wonders, all of our gaming needs require thousands of man hours of work to drive each and every little piece of the action. Today we take a look at the programming and development that goes into creating a game-engine which handles all of the behind the scenes magic in a computer game. Listen to Episode 19 of At Random AtRandom Episode 19 – Enhanced Podcast (M4A) AtRandom Episode 19 – Simple Audio (MP3) You can also subscribe to AtRandom through iTunes and download our podcast to your iPhone / iPad. Join the AtRandom Podcast team as we take a short, but technical dive into the world of game engine development. In this episode of AtRandom Rick, Jack and John have a roundtable discussion about just what it takes to make a modern computer game tick on your PC, Xbox or PS3. AtRandom Podcast no 53:14 AtRandom #18: SOPA and the Alternet http://www.atrandom.org/2012/03/atrandom-18-sopa-and-the-alternet/ http://www.atrandom.org/2012/03/atrandom-18-sopa-and-the-alternet/#comments Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:00:32 +0000 John Wordsworth http://www.atrandom.org/?p=320 SOPA and PIPA, the controversial USA bills recently being introduced, aim to give the government a much greater degree of control of the content and continued running of websites, and have caused extensive concern that their vague and far-reaching nature could mean the beginning of the end for truly free speech on the Internet.

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Today the AtRandom team talks about the mooted SOPA and PIPA legislation, what it seeks to do, what it could mean for the Internet, and about censorship and communication’s parts in the debate.

]]> http://www.atrandom.org/2012/03/atrandom-18-sopa-and-the-alternet/feed/ 0 Anti-Piracy,PIPA,SOPA SOPA and PIPA, the controversial USA bills recently being introduced, aim to give the government a much greater degree of control of the content and continued running of websites, and have caused extensive concern that their vague and far-reaching natu... SOPA and PIPA, the controversial USA bills recently being introduced, aim to give the government a much greater degree of control of the content and continued running of websites, and have caused extensive concern that their vague and far-reaching nature could mean the beginning of the end for truly free speech on the Internet. Listen to Episode 18 of At Random AtRandom Episode 18 – Enhanced Podcast (M4A) AtRandom Episode 18 – Simple Audio (MP3) You can also subscribe to AtRandom through iTunes and download our podcast to your iPhone / iPad. Today the AtRandom team talks about the mooted SOPA and PIPA legislation, what it seeks to do, what it could mean for the Internet, and about censorship and communication's parts in the debate. AtRandom Podcast no 50:04 AtRandom #17: Kinect for Windows http://www.atrandom.org/2012/03/atrandom-17-kinect-for-windows/ http://www.atrandom.org/2012/03/atrandom-17-kinect-for-windows/#comments Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:00:03 +0000 John Wordsworth http://www.atrandom.org/?p=316 Released on the 1st February 2012, Kinect for Windows brings the tracking and camera technology of Microsoft’s Kinect Sensor to the PC, blowing things wide open for anyone to be able to develop software using the technology above and beyond gaming applications.

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In this episode we look at existing applications using the technology, possible future developments, and how it relates to Windows 8 and other upcoming software. We also talk about how as a result the Kinect is likely to be absorbed in many areas of everyday life beyond the sphere of motion-controlled gaming.

]]> http://www.atrandom.org/2012/03/atrandom-17-kinect-for-windows/feed/ 0 Hacking,Kinect,Programming,Windows Released on the 1st February 2012, Kinect for Windows brings the tracking and camera technology of Microsoft's Kinect Sensor to the PC, blowing things wide open for anyone to be able to develop software using the technology above and beyond gaming appl... Released on the 1st February 2012, Kinect for Windows brings the tracking and camera technology of Microsoft's Kinect Sensor to the PC, blowing things wide open for anyone to be able to develop software using the technology above and beyond gaming applications. Listen to Episode 17 of At Random AtRandom Episode 17 – Enhanced Podcast (M4A) AtRandom Episode 17 – Simple Audio (MP3) You can also subscribe to AtRandom through iTunes and download our podcast to your iPhone / iPad. In this episode we look at existing applications using the technology, possible future developments, and how it relates to Windows 8 and other upcoming software. We also talk about how as a result the Kinect is likely to be absorbed in many areas of everyday life beyond the sphere of motion-controlled gaming. AtRandom Podcast no 51:26 AtRandom #16: Syria’s Business http://www.atrandom.org/2012/02/atrandom-16-syrias-business/ http://www.atrandom.org/2012/02/atrandom-16-syrias-business/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:10:41 +0000 John Wordsworth http://www.atrandom.org/?p=314 The AtRandom team take a step away from the norm and discuss the topical issue of the recent conflicts that have been taking place in Syria. We then take a bit of a look at the technology that might be in use by the military at the time, complete with a nice handful of techie, moral and random elements!

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Come join the AtRandom team as we flit between the topics of war, technology and the topical situation that’s appearing in Syria at the moment. AtRandom wouldn’t be the same without the same light-hearted feel throughout along with a bit of random discussion about the boundaries between real-world war and computer games.

Music Credits: We close the show with New Rage by Electric Frankenstein which was sourced through Magnatune.

]]> http://www.atrandom.org/2012/02/atrandom-16-syrias-business/feed/ 0 Syria,Technology,War The AtRandom team take a step away from the norm and discuss the topical issue of the recent conflicts that have been taking place in Syria. We then take a bit of a look at the technology that might be in use by the military at the time, The AtRandom team take a step away from the norm and discuss the topical issue of the recent conflicts that have been taking place in Syria. We then take a bit of a look at the technology that might be in use by the military at the time, complete with a nice handful of techie, moral and random elements! Listen to Episode 16 of At Random AtRandom Episode 16 – Enhanced Podcast (M4A) AtRandom Episode 16 – Simple Audio (MP3) You can also subscribe to AtRandom through iTunes and download our podcast to your iPhone / iPad. Come join the AtRandom team as we flit between the topics of war, technology and the topical situation that's appearing in Syria at the moment. AtRandom wouldn't be the same without the same light-hearted feel throughout along with a bit of random discussion about the boundaries between real-world war and computer games. Music Credits: We close the show with New Rage by Electric Frankenstein which was sourced through Magnatune. AtRandom Podcast no 50:30 AtRandom #15: Top 10 iOS Apps of 2011 http://www.atrandom.org/2012/02/atrandom-15-top-10-ios-apps-of-2011/ http://www.atrandom.org/2012/02/atrandom-15-top-10-ios-apps-of-2011/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:19:47 +0000 Jackson Matthews http://www.atrandom.org/?p=302 In this episode, we figured we’d pay tribute to the ludicrously popular Apple’s App Store, which is currently going strong with over 500,000 apps beneath it’s corporate skirts. To that end, we thought we’d boil down a list of our favourite all-time apps thus far!

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The List

#10 – Comic Zeal (Universal - £5.49)

A powerful and attractively presented app for reading comics on your iOS device. Not only does it accept a variety of popular comic file formats (including .cbz and .cbr), it comes with some powerful functionality to manage and organise your comics collection within the app itself.

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/comic-zeal-comic-reader/id363990983?mt=8

 

#09 – Stupidness 2 (iPhone – Free / £0.69)

Fun and innovative visual puzzler, makes creative use of the iPhone’s features to take the player through a series of tongue-in-cheek tests, rewarding the player with an IQ score as they go.

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/stupidness-2/id430537691?mt=8

 

#08 – Linux User & Developer (Universal – Free / £3.99 per issue)

An app for downloading and viewing issues of the Linux User & Developer magazine in iOS format. User friendly and well presented, and all of the back issues are included. In addition, the magazine itself is comprehensive and rich in content. Highly recommended for Linux professionals and enthusiasts.

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/linux-user-developer/id471278943?mt=8

 

#07 – World of Goo HD (Universal – £2.99)

Fantastically engrossing and brilliantly presented physics puzzler, which sees the player manipulating small blobs of goo into structures in order to reach a goal.

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/world-of-goo-hd/id401301276?mt=8

 

#06 – The Times (iPad – Free – £10/month subscription)

For those who like to read newspapers on their iPad, this app is one of the best. An app that has truly embraced the electronic medium, and makes for a very accessible, user-friendly experience.

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/the-times/id364276908?mt=8

 

#05 – Good Reader (iPad / iPhone separate – £2.99 each)

A powerful and robust PDF reader that can access documents stored on cloud storage and remote servers. Compatible with Dropbox, iDisk, SugarSync, FTP and more.

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/goodreader-for-ipad/id363448914?mt=8

 

#04 – Natwest / RBS Apps (Universal – Free)

Not bad at all for a banking app! Everything about this app flows very nicely, the UI is attractive and streamlined, and it makes it incredibly easy to transfer money between accounts, or make payments to others.

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/natwest/id334855322?mt=8

 

#03 – Speedball 2 Evolution (Universal – £2.99)

A superb update of the Bitmap Brothers classic, this retains all of the graphical charm and playability of the Amiga original and adds more new touches than anyone might expect. Memory lane done right!

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/speedball-2-evolution/id402172290?mt=8

 

#02 – Zinio (Universal – Free)

Another magazine app that distinguishes itself from others by adopting many stylish user interface touches. Zinio employs a slew of interactive mechanisms to present its content in the most dynamic and vibrant way possible.

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/zinio/id364297166?mt=8

 

#01 –  Magnatune (Universal – Free / Optional Subscription)

A fantastic app that streams music for free from a huge amount of artists. If you’re tired of the same old big-label music, dive into Magnatune to start listening to over 800 albums of music for free. Did I mention it was free?

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS

John: iLuaBox (Universal – £6.99) – An app-based environment to learn, write and run scripts written in Lua. (http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/iluabox/id398073834?mt=8)

Rick: iSAM Mobi / Lite (Universal – £14.99 / Free) – A powerful app for managing data in real-time on iSAM and SugarCRM systems. (http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/isam-mobi/id380884134?mt=8)

Jack: Photoshop PSD Viewer (Universal – £0.69) – An app specifically for viewing .psd files in iOS. An absolute must for designers and those working in similar fields, it can also open files directly from Dropbox. (http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/photoshop-psd-viewer/id408723437?mt=8)

]]> http://www.atrandom.org/2012/02/atrandom-15-top-10-ios-apps-of-2011/feed/ 0 iOS Apps,iPad,iPhone,Top 10 In this episode, we figured we'd pay tribute to the ludicrously popular Apple's App Store, which is currently going strong with over 500,000 apps beneath it's corporate skirts. To that end, we thought we'd boil down a list of our favourite all-time app... In this episode, we figured we'd pay tribute to the ludicrously popular Apple's App Store, which is currently going strong with over 500,000 apps beneath it's corporate skirts. To that end, we thought we'd boil down a list of our favourite all-time apps thus far! Listen to Episode 15 of At Random AtRandom Episode 15 – Enhanced Podcast (M4A) AtRandom Episode 15 – Simple Audio (MP3) You can also subscribe to AtRandom through iTunes and download our podcast to your iPhone / iPad. The List #10 - Comic Zeal (Universal - £5.49) A powerful and attractively presented app for reading comics on your iOS device. Not only does it accept a variety of popular comic file formats (including .cbz and .cbr), it comes with some powerful functionality to manage and organise your comics collection within the app itself. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/comic-zeal-comic-reader/id363990983?mt=8   #09 - Stupidness 2 (iPhone - Free / £0.69) Fun and innovative visual puzzler, makes creative use of the iPhone's features to take the player through a series of tongue-in-cheek tests, rewarding the player with an IQ score as they go. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/stupidness-2/id430537691?mt=8   #08 - Linux User & Developer (Universal - Free / £3.99 per issue) An app for downloading and viewing issues of the Linux User & Developer magazine in iOS format. User friendly and well presented, and all of the back issues are included. In addition, the magazine itself is comprehensive and rich in content. Highly recommended for Linux professionals and enthusiasts. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/linux-user-developer/id471278943?mt=8   #07 - World of Goo HD (Universal - £2.99) Fantastically engrossing and brilliantly presented physics puzzler, which sees the player manipulating small blobs of goo into structures in order to reach a goal. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/world-of-goo-hd/id401301276?mt=8   #06 - The Times (iPad - Free - £10/month subscription) For those who like to read newspapers on their iPad, this app is one of the best. An app that has truly embraced the electronic medium, and makes for a very accessible, user-friendly experience. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/the-times/id364276908?mt=8   #05 - Good Reader (iPad / iPhone separate - £2.99 each) A powerful and robust PDF reader that can access documents stored on cloud storage and remote servers. Compatible with Dropbox, iDisk, SugarSync, FTP and more. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/goodreader-for-ipad/id363448914?mt=8   #04 - Natwest / RBS Apps (Universal - Free) Not bad at all for a banking app! Everything about this app flows very nicely, the UI is attractive and streamlined, and it makes it incredibly easy to transfer money between accounts, or make payments to others. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/natwest/id334855322?mt=8   #03 - Speedball 2 Evolution (Universal - £2.99) A superb update of the Bitmap Brothers classic, this retains all of the graphical charm and playability of the Amiga original and adds more new touches than anyone might expect. Memory lane done right! http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/speedball-2-evolution/id402172290?mt=8   #02 - Zinio (Universal - Free) Another magazine app that distinguishes itself from others by adopting many stylish user interface touches. Zinio employs a slew of interactive mechanisms to present its content in the most dynamic and vibrant way possible. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/zinio/id364297166?mt=8   #01 -  Magnatune (Universal - Free / Optional Subscription) A fantastic app that streams music for free from a huge amount of artists. If you're tired of the same old big-label music, dive into Magnatune to start listening to over 800 albums of music for free. Did I mention it was free?   HONORABLE MENTIONS John: iLuaBox (Universal - £6.99) - An app-based environment to learn, write and run scripts written in Lua. AtRandom Podcast no 58:50 AtRandom #14: Smart TV http://www.atrandom.org/2012/01/atrandom-14-smart-tv/ http://www.atrandom.org/2012/01/atrandom-14-smart-tv/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:56:06 +0000 John Wordsworth http://www.atrandom.org/?p=299 Are TVs with smarts the future of our living room experience? As more and more TV sets add features and apps to their Televisions to set them apart from the fields of flatscreen TVs that you can find on the market nowadays, we take a look into Smart TVs and try to figure out if it’s just a buzz-word being applied to the natural progression of the TV set or whether it actually represents a significant change in the Television watching experience of the future.

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The AtRandom team take a look at the current evolution of the Smart TV phenomenon. We start by considering what Smart TVs really are before moving on to look at what is currently out there and what might just be around the corner for your TV / Computer. We also hear from Gerry, Manc Techie for the first time in 2012 and it’s great to catch up with our techie on the run!

]]> http://www.atrandom.org/2012/01/atrandom-14-smart-tv/feed/ 0 Embedded Devices,Smart TVs Are TVs with smarts the future of our living room experience? As more and more TV sets add features and apps to their Televisions to set them apart from the fields of flatscreen TVs that you can find on the market nowadays, Are TVs with smarts the future of our living room experience? As more and more TV sets add features and apps to their Televisions to set them apart from the fields of flatscreen TVs that you can find on the market nowadays, we take a look into Smart TVs and try to figure out if it's just a buzz-word being applied to the natural progression of the TV set or whether it actually represents a significant change in the Television watching experience of the future. Listen to Episode 14 of At Random AtRandom Episode 14 – Enhanced Podcast (M4A) AtRandom Episode 14 – Simple Audio (MP3) You can also subscribe to AtRandom through iTunes and download our podcast to your iPhone / iPad. The AtRandom team take a look at the current evolution of the Smart TV phenomenon. We start by considering what Smart TVs really are before moving on to look at what is currently out there and what might just be around the corner for your TV / Computer. We also hear from Gerry, Manc Techie for the first time in 2012 and it's great to catch up with our techie on the run! AtRandom Podcast no 54:55 AtRandom #13: iRacing http://www.atrandom.org/2012/01/atrandom-13-iracing/ http://www.atrandom.org/2012/01/atrandom-13-iracing/#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:23:26 +0000 John Wordsworth http://www.atrandom.org/?p=294 iRacing is a realistic online Motoracing Simulator which runs on almost any PC running Windows. It takes something pretty special to get Rick back into gaming, but iRacing seems to have done it! We take a look at iRacing and just how realistic it really is as Rick reviews it for John and Jackson.

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“iRacing is the ultimate place to go racing online. From NASCAR, to IndyCar, to sports cars and Grand Prix racing, iRacing has it all. All you need is a PC, a gaming wheel or game pad and an Internet connection. iRacing organizes all of the racing for you, or you can choose to host your own race. Either way the competition is as real as it gets – you’ll be racing against motorsports fans who share your passion for racing.”

To find out more about iRacing and to register, check out the iRacing Website.

]]> http://www.atrandom.org/2012/01/atrandom-13-iracing/feed/ 0 iRacing,Motoracing Simulator,Online Gaming,Racing Simulation iRacing is a realistic online Motoracing Simulator which runs on almost any PC running Windows. It takes something pretty special to get Rick back into gaming, but iRacing seems to have done it! We take a look at iRacing and just how realistic it reall... iRacing is a realistic online Motoracing Simulator which runs on almost any PC running Windows. It takes something pretty special to get Rick back into gaming, but iRacing seems to have done it! We take a look at iRacing and just how realistic it really is as Rick reviews it for John and Jackson. Listen to Episode 13 of At Random AtRandom Episode 13 – Enhanced Podcast (M4A) AtRandom Episode 13 – Simple Audio (MP3) You can also subscribe to AtRandom through iTunes and download our podcast to your iPhone / iPad. "iRacing is the ultimate place to go racing online. From NASCAR, to IndyCar, to sports cars and Grand Prix racing, iRacing has it all. All you need is a PC, a gaming wheel or game pad and an Internet connection. iRacing organizes all of the racing for you, or you can choose to host your own race. Either way the competition is as real as it gets – you’ll be racing against motorsports fans who share your passion for racing." To find out more about iRacing and to register, check out the iRacing Website. AtRandom Podcast no 49:29 AtRandom #12: Ubuntu 11.10 http://www.atrandom.org/2011/11/atrandom-12-ubuntu-11-10-oneiric-ocelot/ http://www.atrandom.org/2011/11/atrandom-12-ubuntu-11-10-oneiric-ocelot/#comments Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:06:57 +0000 John Wordsworth http://www.atrandom.org/?p=272 I’ve been a Windows user about as long as I’ve been using computers, and that’s not because I’m a Windows fanboy – it’s because I simply don’t know any better. I can rage at Windows and its foibles with the best of them, so I’m more than open to the idea of an OS that runs smoothly, efficiently, and constantly without the screen turning a deathly shade of deepest blue.

Listen to Episode 12 of At Random

AtRandom Episode 12 – Enhanced Podcast (M4A)

AtRandom Episode 12 – Simple Audio (MP3)

You can also subscribe to AtRandom through iTunes and download our podcast to your iPhone / iPad.

To that end, I’ve often flirted with the idea of joining the other side. No, not that one. I speak of course of that open source OS, Linux. The only things that have prevented me from doing so are oft-quoted fears of momentous, tech-heavy installs, endless visits to the terminal and a complete lack of compatibility with most of my software. With the latest Ubuntu, 11.10, I went in with a fresh approach, looking to see if my fears were grounded.

The installation experience was a good sign of things to come – relatively swift, straightforward, with a minimum of jiggery-pokery. For the most part, I could just let it do its thing, which didn’t take too long before I was up to the initial login screen.

The first thing that struck me was the clean, slick interface, on a par with that of Apple’s OSX. In fact, much of the stylistics can be directly compared to OSX – they both share an extremely similar style. This is no bad thing – the interface is clean, clear and functional, without looking bland or cheap. Looks-wise, it easily matches commercial OSes, and even does away with some of the more (in my opinion) superfluous visual tricks that can sometimes be employed.

The rest of the user experience was similarly straightforward, reliable and encouraging – it came preloaded with certain essentials and applications, such as LibreOffice, the open source office suite, Mozilla Firefox and Ubuntu One, to name but a few. This was all without having to install anything new on top – this was ‘straight out of the box’, so to speak. Likewise, the wireless access, sound and video all seemed to be up and running straight away, without having to install a thing. Again, this made me feel safer!

Ubuntu One I’d not heard of before, but apparently it’s a Linux-based alternative to Dropbox. This got my interest, not just because I use Dropbox extensively, but also because I was told it’s compatible with a variety of other devices, including the iPhone. If there was an app for this, I’d be very interested in exploring the limits of this further.

The App Store was fairly exciting to have a look through, although a few strange bugs concerning the occasional missing content and links going to the wrong place marred the experience slightly. Nevertheless, there was a wealth of content available, much of it professional quality, highly powerful, and much of it free. To be frank, the amount of software available surprised me.

As a complete newcomer to Linux, I was cautious about installing this on my home computer – however, as John and Rick informed me, I can use the system from a Live CD, and in this way run it directly off the disk, without it interfering with my Windows installation. I even have access to my drive and all the files on it – this is a huge plus point for me, as it will allow me to test out the system and see if it’s compatible enough with my daily activities that I can bear to make the final plunge.

So there you have it – a Linux Noob’s early impressions of Ubuntu 11.10. As far as compatibility goes, it remains to be seen just how many of my favourite programs will survive such a transition. But with the option of using a Live CD, there’s no reason for me not to find out. I came away from the initial experience of Ubuntu 11.10 more than pleasantly surprised. The Oneiric Ocelot is a good-looking, hard-working, reliable beast. I just hope it and all my exe files can be friends!

]]> http://www.atrandom.org/2011/11/atrandom-12-ubuntu-11-10-oneiric-ocelot/feed/ 0 Linux,Open Source,Ubuntu I've been a Windows user about as long as I've been using computers, and that's not because I'm a Windows fanboy - it's because I simply don't know any better. I can rage at Windows and its foibles with the best of them, I've been a Windows user about as long as I've been using computers, and that's not because I'm a Windows fanboy - it's because I simply don't know any better. I can rage at Windows and its foibles with the best of them, so I'm more than open to the idea of an OS that runs smoothly, efficiently, and constantly without the screen turning a deathly shade of deepest blue. Listen to Episode 12 of At Random AtRandom Episode 12 - Enhanced Podcast (M4A) AtRandom Episode 12 - Simple Audio (MP3) You can also subscribe to AtRandom through iTunes and download our podcast to your iPhone / iPad. To that end, I've often flirted with the idea of joining the other side. No, not that one. I speak of course of that open source OS, Linux. The only things that have prevented me from doing so are oft-quoted fears of momentous, tech-heavy installs, endless visits to the terminal and a complete lack of compatibility with most of my software. With the latest Ubuntu, 11.10, I went in with a fresh approach, looking to see if my fears were grounded. The installation experience was a good sign of things to come - relatively swift, straightforward, with a minimum of jiggery-pokery. For the most part, I could just let it do its thing, which didn't take too long before I was up to the initial login screen. The first thing that struck me was the clean, slick interface, on a par with that of Apple's OSX. In fact, much of the stylistics can be directly compared to OSX - they both share an extremely similar style. This is no bad thing - the interface is clean, clear and functional, without looking bland or cheap. Looks-wise, it easily matches commercial OSes, and even does away with some of the more (in my opinion) superfluous visual tricks that can sometimes be employed. The rest of the user experience was similarly straightforward, reliable and encouraging - it came preloaded with certain essentials and applications, such as LibreOffice, the open source office suite, Mozilla Firefox and Ubuntu One, to name but a few. This was all without having to install anything new on top - this was 'straight out of the box', so to speak. Likewise, the wireless access, sound and video all seemed to be up and running straight away, without having to install a thing. Again, this made me feel safer! Ubuntu One I'd not heard of before, but apparently it's a Linux-based alternative to Dropbox. This got my interest, not just because I use Dropbox extensively, but also because I was told it's compatible with a variety of other devices, including the iPhone. If there was an app for this, I'd be very interested in exploring the limits of this further. The App Store was fairly exciting to have a look through, although a few strange bugs concerning the occasional missing content and links going to the wrong place marred the experience slightly. Nevertheless, there was a wealth of content available, much of it professional quality, highly powerful, and much of it free. To be frank, the amount of software available surprised me. As a complete newcomer to Linux, I was cautious about installing this on my home computer - however, as John and Rick informed me, I can use the system from a Live CD, and in this way run it directly off the disk, without it interfering with my Windows installation. I even have access to my drive and all the files on it - this is a huge plus point for me, as it will allow me to test out the system and see if it's compatible enough with my daily activities that I can bear to make the final plunge. So there you have it - a Linux Noob's early impressions of Ubuntu 11.10. As far as compatibility goes, it remains to be seen just how many of my favourite programs will survive such a transition. But with the option of using a Live CD, there's no reason for me not to find out. I came away from the initial experience of Ubuntu 11.10 more than pleasantly surprised. The Oneiric Ocelot is a good-looking, hard-working, AtRandom Podcast no 1:10:02