New Look, Webmaster tools integration

Been playing Civilisation:Revolution on the Xbox. Is quite good, if you like that sort of thing (and I do!).

They've managed to convert the Civ experience to the console very well indeed.

Apologies for lack of posts recently. Slammed.

Also, check out the new 'webmaster tools' link on the dashboard of blogger down at the bottom, which you can see over at the blogger blog.

Fire Eagle

www.fireeagle.com

New API from Yahoo for location based services.

Quick take: seems like both ends having to log in seriously flawed.

Maybe I'm missing a trick, but I really don't have the time or inclination to update my location multiple times per day.

Great idea, though.

Writeups

Well, it's been far too long, and I've been awfully slack.

I'll write more this weekend (and a bit tomorrow), but I just wanted to weigh on the whole 'net is making you stupid' thing which is doing the rounds.

Long story short -> a few well-respected (?) writers are claiming (basically) that the net shorterns their attention span.

This article goes a long way towards explaining things well, and also has links back to the original posts.

I'd go one further, though, and say that actually, the internet has made me much much smarter. All the information I could ever need is at my fingertips, literally split-seconds away from me.

I wholeheartedly agree with David Aaronovitch at the Times, who says that the internet actually gives him better access to books.

I haven't started reading less since going online 15 years ago - I've started reading even more, because instead of milling around Borders all day, hoping something jumps out, I can actually search for stuff recommended by people who like the same things.

The best thing? I don't have to meet these people. I don't need to find a set time where I can ask the expert.

I just pick a couple of minutes, and go online. I know they're out there, creating recommendations for anyone who cares to look.

The only downside to the internet, as far as I can see, is that it still sucks on phones, meaning when I'm on the go, I feel a lot more stupid, because my access to this insane wealth of info is effectively fettered.

Thursday @ the Campus party

Well, things are not going well.

That's actually a very unfair way to start.

Things are going brilliantly. Lots of presentations, lots of questions, lots of fun.
But it's all limited to the Google stand, so I still haven't had a chance to explore the rest of the place.

Tomorrow night, I think, I'm going to pull an all nighter, or at least a late nighter, giving myself a chance to really explore the place.

Anyway, today we presented GData, YT GData integration and the Chromeless player.
We also launched a little contest to build something cool with the YT API.

Speech start - Zach's talking. More to come later.

Day 2

Just a flying visit today.

I dropped in to give a "What's new in Geo" talk, with no powerpoint, because powerpoint is bad, m'kay.
So, I showed some websites and some stuff.
I knocked up a quick Google site to provide some links, and we'll fill it during the week.

Mike's going to add his Android stuff too.

Fortunately, Joachim from Panoramio was there to translate into Spanish for me, so everyone could understand.

There's some incredibly cool stuff there. I'm going to take pictures tomorrow and talk about them a bit.

Rut

Hello there!

Rut (not Ruth) is speaking now. But she's speaking Spanish, so I'm not sure what she's saying.
But, she's presenting this. Which, to be honest, looks pretty cool.

Also, it seems like embedding a map in my previous post broke the ability to edit.
I meant to add that I'll get some pictures before the week is out, but I'm not great with camera technology (or printers, come to that).

Anyway, yes.
http://www.openhealthassistant.com/

Campus Party

It could be argued that I have the best job in the world. I certainly think so.
This week, I've been sent to the Campus Party in Valencia.
Well, actually in the Feria de Valencia, which is either a town, or a conference centre, depending on who you speak to.
Either way, here's the place, using a handy embed from Google Maps.

View Larger Map

Anyway, it's a 7 day conference slash lan party, where people can geek out with friends and strangers, and share a love of computers. As you can probably tell from that map above you (if you're on a browser that can handle the javascripts), this place is HUGE. The third floor is given over to tables (see below) and a few stands. The second floor is given over to camping.
Yes, that's right.
Camping.

Part (or perhaps most) of the Campus Party is the camping, and as an attendee, you can live here for the whole time. It means that actually, most stuff happens after midnight, and people are mostly passed out during the day.

We provided some tents last year. It seems like many have made a triumphant return.

Anyway, here's their YT channel.
Google has a pretty big stand
I'm here to pimp Maps, OpenSocial, iGoogle themes, apps, gadgets and some other stuff too.

Right now, I'm watching Mike Jennings speak about Android, and actually learning quite a lot, which isn't supposed to sound as rude as perhaps it does.

It's more that I had no idea what was involved with Android before, and now have a great understanding.

There's also an iPhone app development talk going on in the next booth, which is a Telefonica booth. I guess they're distributing the phone in Spain, eh? Yep, a quick search proves that they are!

Anyway, what else is going on here? There are about a zillion people with their own rigs here, almost exclusively playing WoW, as far as I can tell. I'll wander around with a camera at some point, and get some shots, but my favourite so far is a water-cooled rig installed in a toy fire engine. Splendid!

I also saw an Xbox setup last night, whilst wandering in a drunken stupor. I'll try and find that again later today, after Mike's finished. Actually, after Mike is Ruth, who has built Android apps already, and is going to talk about how easy and awesome Android development is. At least, I hope she is. Time will tell. Ruth entered the Android Developer Challenge, although I'm not sure how she did. Anyway, I'll post an update after her talk, so you're all up to speed.

Oh, and I'll write about the Google Earthwalk and Google Earth Umbrella in another post.