Yup! I took the plunge!

Bought a new digital SLR camera to play around with…. try to get a little more professional with my photography. I decided on the Canon EOS 40D.

There’s not really much I can say about it right now, since I’ve just barely opened the box, but from several reviews on the web it seems to be among one of the top notch prosumer level cameras out there. 10 megapixel, 6 frames/sec, and a host of other cool features. I’m sure I’ll be posting some new pics here and on my Flickr account soon!

Until then, here’s more specs:

Canon EOS 40D Kit W/ EF 28-135mm IS

The Spirit of Photography.

• Superb image quality: 10.1 Megapixel CMOS Sensor, extensive noise reduction technology, and 14-bit conversion for outstanding color tones and gradations.
• Outstanding performance: 6.5 fps, burst rate up to 75 consecutive JPEGs or 17 RAW images and DIGIC III Image Processor.
• Strong, rugged build quality: magnesium-alloy exterior, shutter durability-tested to 100,000 cycles, top speed 1/8000, top x-sync speed 1/250.
• New AF system with 9 cross-type sensors, and world’s first diagonal high-precision cross-type AF at center point with f/2.8 and faster lenses.
• EOS Integrated Cleaning System, Picture Style settings, Spot metering, and Highlight Tone Priority for advanced in-camera image control.
• Large 3.0-inch LCD monitor and advanced Live View Function with new options for reduced shutter time lag and quiet operation.
• Wide range of accessories, including interchangeable focusing screens, extensive remote control options, and new battery grip BG-E2N.

Welcome to the next generation of digital SLR photography-the Canon EOS 40D. The EOS 40D combines Canon’s tremendous know-how in both the digital and photographic worlds, creating a camera that not only does everything one would expect of a traditional digital SLR, but one that incorporates staggering leaps forward in technological innovation. With new features like Canon’s EOS Integrated Cleaning System, Live View Function, a more powerful DIGIC III Image Processor, plus a 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, a 3.0-inch LCD monitor and more, the EOS 40D elevates digital photography to new heights, enhancing the shooting experience, and delivering images one could only expect from a Canon. (http://www.camerax.com/show_item.php?140-19017@1794)

As I’m starting to travel a bit more again I have been looking for cool/fun toys for being MOBILE.

twittervision:
I have talked about the twittermap.com site before, but actually I think my page on twittervision.com is more cool.  (Yes, both sites are from Dave Troy).  Not only does it show where I am at on the google map, but also shows SEVERAL of my last posts, in case you missed one or two.  Id REALLY like to embed the twittervision map and log to my rock808.com front page some how.  I looked at the API page a little, and found a cool way to update just my location from the Linux command line, but nothing about embeding the map and log…. yet.

facebook:
I have also decided to do more on facebook rather than MySpace.  I think they are providing more interesting things for people to do, and do together, and the fact that facebook has a mobile app for my BlackBerry, as well as a tool for using twittervision has just really boosted my desire to make the switch.  Facebook also seems to have a way for directly accepting my uploaded images.  I’ll have to see if I even need my ITookThisOnMyPhone account any more….. I’m really not happy about having to use all these various external websites for mobile social networking.  I know we are REALLY headed in that direction fast, but I’m technologically impatient.

More on all this later.  I’m pretty worn out from a couple days of long hours, so heading to bed.
Be sure to check out the map to see where I’m at and what I’m doing !

David

A cool new site I’ve started poking around with as I’m traveling more:

ITookThisOnMyPhone - As soon as I take a picture on my phone it gets posted here!

I also have a link to the site in the left side bar under “links”.

Yes, I know… it’s one MORE different site to have to go to, but until I find another fast and easy way to get pics from the phone to this blog, it’s my best solution at the time.

I’ve been dealing with some REALLY bad service from a small mom&pop internet provider out in BFE.
It’s gotten to the point I’ve started documenting the outtage times, and poor service, over there on http://YourDailyBeef.com.

If you’re interested, you can check out the thread: Futuristic - a Texas based ISP

If anyone’s got some suggestions, I’m open.

Another interesting idea is the NON RECIPROCAL Links Exchange System.

You might want to read more about it at the link above.

I just talked to a friend of mine over at MyTVmusings.com who has recently found an interesting new “game” to play which is suppose to help increase your blog ranking over at Technorati.com. So far (2 days) it seems to be working a little for her, but it also means she (and all others) will need to be posting a HUGE list of links every 30-60 days as a blog post.  Something I am sure any normal readers/subscribers of their blogs will not really care for.  So, I’ve come up with a little experiment that might just do the trick for her…. keeping the unsightly post away from her readers while still bringing the bonus of a higher ranking.

My little test starts with THIS blog post and I’ll keep you updated with how things turn out. (in the comment section here)

If this DOES work, I’ll have a new, spiffy way to increase blog traffic. :)

I just finished up a little work on a friends new political blog, BubbaSoundsOff.com. I’m curious to see how he manages it. We’re setting his site up as a blog, but I have thought with his ideas of a political sounding board, that perhaps setting it up as a forum might be better. Perhaps build up a little community around it. His first post “Homosexual ‘marriage’ and civilization” really opens the flood gates for some heated debate!

As I’m playing around with TwitterMaps more, I’ve found it does NOT seem to know where some zip codes are! Such as 78641. I’ve looked around at how to add zip codes, perhaps with a Lat/Lon value, but can’t seem to find anything. Does anyone know how to get zip codes added?

In my research, I came up with a couple very cool zip code map web pages, though! And I’ll share them here:

http://maps.huge.info/zip.htm - Google Maps mashup with colored area for zip code. (same API: http://www.usnaviguide.com/zip.htm)
http://www.city-data.com/zips/78727.html - Tons of city / zip population data, statistics, sex offenders, home sale prices, census information, etc. Notice the zip code there at the end… just put in the one you want. The main website city-data.com might be fun to check out too.

At least according to a few bloggers, including my newest Twitter friend Paul Walhus, who also lives in Austin. Paul has a recent post about Twitter’s ‘explosive growth’, which I’m not overly surprised to read about. This site/tool really does seem like it could be something VERY useful in helping friends keep in touch. It’s extremely easy to use, which is an important key factor. Just use your cell phone, IM client, or web page to send out a quick note about “what you’re doing now”, and anyone (or friends only) can get an instant update sent to THEIR phone, viewed on a web page, or through ay RSS reader. On the left side bar of this blog I have set up a live view of the Twitter feed from all of my “friends”, which is a nice and convient way for me to keep up with everyone.

I think one of the MOST interesting apps I’ve seen with Twitter so far is TwitterVision, a mashup of Google Maps and the public feed for Twitter members. Be sure to zoom out enough so that you don’t have to deal with map scrolling. It’s quite something to watch! You really get the sense of a community.

For another something interesting, you might try TwitterMap, and then punch in a search location (keyword) of something like “Austin, TX”, or “rock808″ for me. I just discovered that sending a Twitter message with “L: [location]” will put a marker on the map with my bit of text, or do the Twitter Search, and punch in “rock808″ for your search keyword.

Now THIS is getting fun!
Of course, only for those of us who don’t care about other people knowing what we’re up to, or where we’re at.
If you’d like, you can follow my Twitter feed by adding me.

LOL! Like, OMG! ICU….

Yes, I think i’ve found my new home. Stickam.com is a new site I was introduced to yesterday. I don’t know much about it yet, but so far it seems to be very much like MySpace, but even better for people with webcams! It’s extremely easy to jump in to a chat room with several other people (many of whom also have webcams), and suddenly you’re chatting away…. and with most the other bells and whistles you’d expect from a web2.0, social network site.

A few days earlier I had randomly stumbled across TokenBlackChic’s videos on YouTube, and found her to be an absolutely creative genius! Not just in her deep cutting sarcastic humor, but also her amazing marketing skills (whether she is aware of them or not). She posted a video “Bad Girls vlog II” the other day and mentions she’ll be LIVE on stickam. Well, duh… of course I’ll be there. Like which one of her 8500+ subscribers wouldn’t want to see if she is really as quick witted live as she appears in her vids.

Unfortunately, I was having some… uh… technical difficulties with my camera and windows audio settings (I had to go in to the Windows Recording properties change my recording device from “Mono Mixer” to “Mic”), also a set of headphones was important to kill the echo feedback. The bottom line? I missed her show… well… I DID see/hear a lot of it, but I was one of those lurker freaks peeping in from the outside window, unable to participate. — It wasn’t until after the show I realized clicking the magnifying glass icon was the way to get in!?

By now I was hooked! Stickam strikes me as the next BIG thing to take over MySpace (unless myspace adds the cam features which I’ll take about below). I poked around the site more. Looking for other people to join in these webcam chat rooms, and trying to learn more about the set up, and navigation, etc. I think the potential for networking and building relationships is substantially higher on a site like this where live video is involved. Everyone knows facial expressions and tone of voice play a MUCH larger role in communication than text. Yes, I think I’ve found my new home… at least until the virtual worlds take over in the next 5 years.

As for more tech specs on Stickam…. Like I said, I haven’t even been a member for 24 hours yet! So there is a lot I don’t know, but some of the features I like the best are things like the total ease of being able to get your video going live on the net. They have a way you can embed your live feed on any webpage (as shown in the left column of this blog). Unlike YouTube where you have to record and then upload your video separately, Stickam has a way for you to record a video from a link right on the site! I’ve never uploaded a personal video on YouTube . Mainly because it seems like more of a “production”. I know many people do just record and upload, but since I’m a bit more of a perfectionist, I haven’t taken the time.. blah blah… but I’ve already recorded 2 videos (very short) onStickam. Perhaps the reason for that also, is because after spending 9 hours in various webcam chatrooms, talking with people live… it did seem a lot more laid-back , personal.. and more like a COMMUNITY where I felt comfortable just putting out some non-prepared bit of video. In fact, it’s taking me a long time to write this blog post, where i could do it much faster, AND with facial expressions and tone of voice if i just recorded a short video blog (vlog).

Anyway, enough blogging for now. I’m going to try and be LIVE on Stickam as much as possible for a while (weekends excluded - as I’ll be at work), and see how I feel about it in a week or two. Feel free to watch from the cam link on the left column in this blog, or check out my stickam profile… and say HI.