Creating a video and uploading to LiveText

We are just beginning to roll out LiveTetx here at UW/CC, and with that comes the need to create and upload videos. We have a number of older Flip HD cameras and several newer Bloggies to be used for this purpose. It made sense to create a simple tutorial on uploading video to a Windows computer, load it into Windows Live Movie Maker, and then upload the completed video into LiveText. Of course these instructions are only of use on Windows computers. I will try to develop one for the Mac as soon as I can.

I 'd like to stress that this is not completely restricted to Bloggies and Flips. Just about any modern smart phone can be used for this purpose as well, along with most digital cameras that have the ability to shoot movies. Just follow the instructions in the tutorial and you will have a video that can be uploaded to Facebook, LiveText, TeacherTube, and many other services of this type.

You can find the instructions in PDF format here.

openSUSE Edu Li-f-e 12.2 Linux Distro

The open SUSE Edu Li-f-e 12.2 Linux has been released. I confess that I have not heard of this distributino before, and I am a long time user (back to 7.0) of this operating system. Given what I have read and experimented with in the past, this distribution looks to be an almost ideal option for schools wishing to create low cost computer labs without the overhead and expense of separate client and server software. Edu Li-f-e includes the Linux LTSP server, which makes it possible to use older computer hardware as thin clients for use in the classroom. This means no licensing fees or upkeep for the software on the individual machines as the operating system is delivered acros the network from the server. That means that every client (individual machine) has a copy of SUSE remotely running on it. That reduces the maintenance needs for the client computers to hardware and network maintenance. That is a significant saving over time.


In addition to the large selection of K-12 software included in the distribution, there is also a copy of both Moodle and aTutor to create hybrid and web assisted courses with.

Given the state of the economy in many states right now, this potentially represents an excellent opportunity to update older computer labs with modern software, without having to invest in newer infrastructure in order to do so. The minimum client requirements for this distro (knowing of course that a more powerful machine will be needed for the server) is "Any PC or a Virtual Machine with 1G RAM. PC should have a DVD drive or should be USB boot capable. For installation minimum 15GB partition is required. " That should not be difficult for just about any computer lab with machines less than ten years old to meet.

For more information, check out the wiki for the distribution here: http://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Education-Li-f-e

I bought an iPad, Now What?

Here is the presentation for the course at Casper College on Saturday the 15th. https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BzePI4lBjEKzdGxSNDkyWFdnVFU

WebP, a JPEG replacement begins to gain traciton

I'll be the first to admit that this development has gotten by me for the last however long that Google has been working on it. There is a new graphic format that is being developed at Google with the aim of replacing the JPEG standard for images. According to what I have read, the WebP format is supposed to be more size efficient than JPEG and PNG (over 20% smaller in both cases) at the same resolution, supports transparency like the PNG and GIF formats, and is capable of both lossy and lossless compression using two very different compression methods.

Why is it important? The WebP format will be able to provide smaller file sizes for graphics used on the web, and also smaller email attachments when sending images.

As of this time the format is supported natively by the Chrome browser, and plug-ins are available for some other browsers. You can find out more about the format from Google here: https://developers.google.com/speed/webp/ . For those interested in being able to use WebP on Windows, the codec is available here: https://developers.google.com/speed/webp/docs/webp_codec?hl=hu-HU

Considering the period that the PNG format was available before becoming a de facto alternative to GIF and JPEG, WebP probably has a couple of years left before becoming ubiquitous. It is good to see that there is continuing development on better image compression standards, especially given the continued adoption of wireless connected devices, where file size and transmission time is a real consideration.

iPad Security presentation link

Here is the link to the presentation from the Sept. 8th iPad security course.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zU03K2fXwMBE_RnV0FBozNaynvwAoNrE1WjgUUYsOlA/edit

Windows 8 RTM: Retro under the hood?

Not much to say here in detail, since I have not yet had an opportunity to play with Windows 8 with the exception of the developer's preview last year, but I have read a few article with screen captures. I still have hopes that the OS will be a success. I do however have some reservations about the GUI design choices. When reading the Ars Technica hands on of the Windows 8 RTM (release to manufacturers), I was struck by the similarity of some of the settings windows (in this article, the taskbar properties) to some of the older X Windows shells form the early 90s or even Windows 3.1.  I realize that the push toward simplification of operation, and by extension the simplification of the visual metaphor, is what this new Windows is supposed to achieve, but when I am immediately reminded of a windowing system that dates back 20 years, I do begin to wonder. Or is it possible that MS and the Unix shell developers got it right way back then and this is simply a return to the classic form?

I have not looked into the system requirements for Windows 8 yet, but if the graphics, and so the load on the processor to render them is reduced, does this means that lower spec machines will be supported?

Sony Bloggie Touch: Replacement for Flip Mino HD?

I finally got around to comparing the old Flip video cam to the unit we are replacing it with, the Sony Bloggie Touch. While this is not an "official" review on my part, I thought that I might throw out some first impressions.

The Touch is much more of a modern smart phone shape than the Flip, which reminds me of the older designs for such cams, a great deal of my now antique RCA. With this come some positives and negatives. The case on the Bloggie is very smooth and reflective. This is attractive, as it looks in many ways like my Sony Ericsson phone. Since it is much thinner than the flip, it would seem to be easier to hold were it not for the slick surface. I am finding that I am taking more time to make certain that I do not drop the Bloggie than I did with the Flip. In addition to this, the finish shows fingerprints very well, so it does not take long to look as though one were eating a sandwich while using it. So even though the appearance id more modern and attractive, it requires more cleaning than the Flip.

Holding the Bloggie without covering the lens while filming is also a bit less intuitive. The Flip lens protrudes from the case, and so it is much easier to have some tactile feedback in avoiding placing your fingers over the lens while filming. In contrast, the Bloggie has  a recessed lens like that of a cell phone, so one must be much more aware of of where their fingers are while shooting in landscape.

Another huge difference is in the operation. The Bloggie is a touchscreen and the Flip is not. This is a mixed bag. On the Bloggie it is very easy to set the timer for timed shots using the intuitive touch screen. Likewise the settings are easily available. One potential problem is that the zoom is also on the touchscreen instead of being separate physical buttons on the unit itself. This results in having to move a slider on the screen to zoom. Since it is on the screen, there is no tactile feedback, and so you must be watching the screen while operating the zoom.

Not only is this harder to accomplish while filming, without shaking the camera, but the slider frequently does not move the zoom in a continuous fashion. The best way that I can describe the result is as if the zoom were "catching" frequently. This means that the final  product will not have the same smooth zoom into and away from an object that you will see on a  camcorder or even a cell phone. I'm not sure what to attribute this problem too. Perhaps the microprocessor in the Bloggie isn't capable of keeping up with the zoom itself. Perhaps it is a problem with the software itself. The problem is further magnified (pun intended) by the focus during zoom. When zooming in,  it sometimes takes up to a second for the focus to catch up with the zoom, sometimes giving one a jerky and out of focus image. Hopefully there will be an update at some point that will address this.

In terms of final video quality, the Bloggie is on par with the Flip. This seems to be totally dependent on how still the camera is held.

In summation the Sony Bloggie Touch seems a good device for shooting video in the classroom, or in other situations where zoom and stabilization are not an issue. The camera is in many ways easier to use than the Flip, especially if you already have experience with touch screen phones or tablets. The overall build quality, LCD, and feel is much like a mid range cell phone. That said, the Bloggie does have some differences in terms of use and particularly the zoom and focus.

Is it a replacement for the Flip? It is close. I like the screen, the simple timer, and the video quality in general. The zoom and focus on the camera that I am using are poor. However the Bloggie does have  a tripod mount, and as long as zoom is not needed, it would make a good choice movies that do not contain a great deal of movement.

As with everything, you mileage will vary. The Flip is a hard act to follow.