Nokia Buys Mapping Company

One of the problems broadcasters have is knowing where a photo was taken and, as some broadcasters have found to their cost, there are people willing to fake photos to get them on the TV. So interesting to see that Nokia has acquired Gate5, a German rival to the Tom Tom company, with the idea that future phones will have some navigation services inside them. Will photos you take have the option of getting a geo-tag? Nokia already have the Canadian company of Loud-eye to help them in competing with Apple with music downloads to mobile phones. Things are getting interesting. Of course, these services will take off when they get to the mid-prices phones, though that cannot be far off. 

Chumby by the bedside?

More wifi devices are appearing alongside the wifi radio in the kitchen. Is chumby the next generation clock radio? 

Awfully Nice Recipes

Highly recommend this site with truly awful commercial "cookery" books from the 1930's thru to late 1960's. I remember seeing some of this stuff as a small child when we lived for a year in Wisconsin. Good job we don't have a memory for pain - or taste. 

Big Sign, Big Ambition

 
This station will be one to watch, giving people practical training in broadcasting to communities 

Cool FM....

  Actually, its an educational station in Porto Novo. Because there is no local industry for radio transmitters (most I have seen are made in Italy or the UK) they are built to operate in European climate. In Benin, where it is tropical all year round, if you don't put a domestic fan infront of the transmitter it will fry in no time. 

Mike Barraclough notes that the British Pathe have now made 128 kbp/s versions of all their archive material available for free download. Interesting to see the olf stuff they have on BBC and Radio Netherlands
 

Capp FM, Cotonou

  The station with the transmitter in the loo. Great guys, don't get me wrong. 

Radio's Lifeline for Change

  Forget TV, radio is the most powerful medium in this part of Northern Benin - in fact the whole of West Africa. Why? Because it uses LOCAL languages...this pioneering stations broadcasts in no less than 11 languages. Benin is clearly the successful media lab for West Africa. 

My Favourite Transmitter Site

  This is my favourite shot of a local FM station in Cotonou, Benin. There's a UPS, plus a 500 watt transmitter all balanced above the loo. 

Community Radio - 90% community?

Just posted an article (click link on title above) on the corporate website, which updates previous thoughts on the vital role radio is playing in West Africa. Its going wrong in Congo now because the media commission has no power to stop hate broadcasts. Those second round of elections look like turning into living hell....

The Lin-Lin Box

  Since some of you asked, the (Linux) box costs 350 Euro, then 9.95 a month. 

Live Web

 Spent a pleasant couple of hours learning more about on-line computing from Keith Wallace, one of the partners behind Lin-Lin computing based in The Hague. Although many have tried in the past, the concept of the "network is the computer" hasn't taken off so far partly because of price. But many public organisations want to give members of the public cheap access to the web, make it simple for them, and at the same time concentrate their minds on doing work, not surfing the web for pictures (!). The box on the table has no hard-disk, the programs are on a 2GB flash disk inside the box on the table - and there's no noise because it has no fan. Great to see a genuine start-up with bags of good ideas. 

Power Cell

  The gas and electricity have been off here for about 90 minutes...makes you realise how reliant you are on power to get anything done. I now have another cellphone in the house - built inside a gas/electricity meter from start-up energy company Oxxio. The device sends gas and electricity meter readings by cell-phone to a central headquarters. Big brother is watching me...but what can they learn from meter readings? Saves about 100 Euro a year on the energy bill this way. 

Here's the Cross-Media Gamble....

 Can these people helping to organise and sponsor Picnic 06 generate enough buzz to bring a couple of thousand people to Amsterdam at the end of September. It has been a big investment for the city. I am surprised that nearly all the speakers are going to be from the Anglophone world - as though they have a monopoly on innovation. Lots going on in France, Germany, Denmark and Spain too. My predictions -

Philip Rosedale and Marc Canter will have inspiring things to say.

I hope John de Mol will inspire local "heroes" to create their own creative, original production houses, rather than just make more of the same. Hopefully John will show that it pays to take risks - in the country with the largest number of insurance companies. This speech is pretty crucial to the whole event.

Dan Gillmor will disappoint. Heard him speak a couple of times in the US and was uninspired. His blog is fine, he's fine on panels, just not a keynoter in my experience.

I sincerely hope that the organisers of the Cross Media Week will learn from the past mistakes with Creative Capital in that the foreign speakers must relate to the Dutch/European situation and not just wax lyrical about what they're up to in the US. Do any of the US companies think about do serious development work in Amsterdam? I think not (yet). The climate for entrepreneurs is improving in the Netherlands, but its a long way behind the neighbours. The key will be local heroes that others aspire to work for. 

Off to the Gasworks....

  This has holder is no longer active. You can actually go inside it. Its part of the former gas works in Amsterdam West that has been converted in what they term a "cultural" park. A month from now it will be the site of what's called Picnic '06. Organised by the city of Amsterdam, it is supposed to stimulate the IT/content sectors. Tonight is a "pre-launch" party at the Westergasfabriek. 

More Flattering Shot

  The brick buildings alongside the gas holder have also been converted and are now home to some creative companies, building websites and designing cultural exhibitions. 

Back Home - Back in Business

  Boy there has been some rain here while I've been away. Garden looks great though. But since I am doing a lot of video montaging at the moment, at least there is no sweltering heat in the office. Suits me fine... 

No ATM Machine in Schiphol

  Mastercard needs to have a word with Google about their ATM finder. Simply useless. No ATMS in Amsterdam airport? Ja! 

Windfall....

 Bit of parasailing as the holiday draws to a close. 

Smells great...

  The bakeries here in Lefkada are fantastic. Best way to get breakfast. Best time too...bread dries out fast in this climate. 

Got there in the end....

  

Definitely more than 3 kms

  They didn't say it was 3 kms along an uphill track.... 

This way to the waterfalls

  Great to hear that my birthday is pouring with rain in the Netherlands but 35 degrees and sun here in Lefkada. Decide to take an early morning walk to see the islands only waterfall.. 

Octopus in Vinegar

  Prefer the salads to the octopus once you have seen one hanging out to dry... 

Great Cucumbers

  Salads here are terrific, washed down with a little Ouzo. 

Greek Mobile Magnets

  Now who wants one of these?