Visit the Guggenheim right from your computer

Anyone who’s visited the Guggenheim Museum in New York will no doubt wax lyrical about the building as much as the art it contains. Having been fortunate enough to visit myself, I can testify to the visual wonder of its spiraled ramps and incredible atrium. But if you haven’t been afforded the chance to visit yet, you can now do right from your computer.

I wrote a few weeks back about the wonderful work of Google’s Cultural Institute Project and the Guggenheim is its latest addition. You can wander the building using Google’s Street View technology, ascending and descending the ramps to further explore over 120 works of digitised art. Just click on the link here to do so

Due to the building’s unique layout a variety of techniques were employed to capture the necessary shots, including drones and trolley cameras. However the feat was achieved, it’s an excellent 360° experience!

 

‘Big Bang Data’ exhibition at Somerset House, London

• Who is this post for? Anyone interested in understanding how the growth in collection and use of data is impacting our lives
• What does it discuss? A new exhibition on the subject at Somerset House, London
• How does it benefit you? A fascinating outing for your weekend!

Yesterday I paid a visit to Somerset House to see a major new exhibition at Somerset House, ‘Big Bang Data’.  In the show, artists, designers and innovators show and discuss how the increased capture and usage of data is impacting our lives now and how it may do so in the future.

It’s a deeply fascinating show – sometimes wonderfully inspiring, sometimes horribly alarming. You need not be interested in the science of data collection and usage, simply interested in understanding what you know of who knows what about you, and how that information is used. For that reason alone I would heartily recommend, even say it’s vital that you take any children in your family whose ages have now reached double figures – it’s crucial that they take on this level of understanding as they start to use mobile devices, apps and social media. Here’s some pics I snapped along the way:

Datafied global representations of things like freedom of the press and credit ratings:

Take control of London’s future by making choices on how to plan its resources:

A horribly poignant visualisation of who really suffers in wartime:

And perhaps the key message for those who believe data is the answer to all our problems:

Do let us know what you think of the show after you’ve been!

Google puts you in the middle of the world’s premier concerts and plays

• Who is this post for? Anyone who has a passion for the Arts
• What does it discuss? Google’s new partnership with 60 global performing arts institutes
• How does it benefit you? Because you can’t make it to every event you want to!

Google just made it possible for you to take a seat at some of the world’s most celebrated arts venues without leaving your own living room.

Earlier this week the Google Cultural Institute announced a new partnership with 60 performing arts institutes around the world to bring 360-degree view, live performances to audiences online, including the American Ballet Theatre, Carnegie Hall and the Royal Shakespeare Company. As with over 360-degree view experiences online, you will have control of what you see.

The goal of the Institute is to bring the arts to people who might not otherwise have access to or be able to afford trips to world-famous museums, operas, symphonies, plays etc. It would seem arts institutions are beginning to realise that while technology will never be a replacement for the real thing, it may well inspire new generations to become interested in the arts or monetise the interest of those who can’t make it to the performances because of logistics, finances or demand.

“It’s going to transform the role of the arts in society,” said Clive Gillinson, executive and artistic director of Carnegie Hall, during Google’s announcement earlier this week, “and to us that’s what matters the most.”

Take a look at one of the first videos from the project—the Philadelphia Orchestra playing Carnegie Hall:

Google isn’t the only one trying to open the world of the arts to the masses with technology. Just last month, The Lion King on Broadway released its own 360 degree video experience.

3D Printing Helping Blind People Experience Art

Who is this post for? Anyone who appreciates art
What does it discuss? How 3D Printing is being used to allow blind and visually impaired people to experience classic art
How does it benefit you? Allows people to appreciate classic art who would not otherwise be able to

“Imagine not knowing what Mona Lisa’s smile looks like, or Van Gogh’s sunflowers. Imagine you heard people talking about them and knew they existed, but could never experience them for yourself. For the millions of people who are blind, that’s a reality.”

The Unseen Art project, run by Helsinki-based designer Marc Dillon, aims to let blind and visually impaired people experience some of the world’s most revered art, recreating them using 3D printing technology so that they may be touched and felt.

The concept is both ambitious and simple – approach 3D artists to contribute their interpretations of 3D art, and anyone in the world can download them for free and print them anywhere there is a 3D printer, such as many libraries, Universities, in their homes, or from a local business.

 

If you like what they’re doing, you can help them with their IndieGoGo fundraiser

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/unseen-art-experiencing-art-for-the-first-time#/

If you know of any other projects using technology that you find inspiring please let us know.

How to boost your home Wi-Fi connection

• Who is this post for? Anyone with Wi-Fi at home
• What does it discuss? A short video giving you tips to boost strength of connection
• How does it benefit you? No more slow-loading pages and videos!

I live in a small rural village, in a small 3-floor house. There’s no 3G or 4G phone signal available and there’s no high-speed broadband available either. Therefore it’s vitally important that our Wi-Fi connection is maximised all over the house. I already have a booster on the top floor as the router is on the ground floor. This and other tips for boosting your Wi-Fi strength, including a very handy Blue-Peter style trick with some cardboard and tin-foil, are included in this useful, brief video:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-34848853/embed

 

 

Have Sky TV? Then you should know about Sky Q

• Who is this post for? Anyone with or considering Sky TV
• What does it discuss? Sky’s ‘re-imagination’ of the TV viewing experience
• How does it benefit you? More flexibility and ease for how you watch Sky TV

On Wednesday, Sky launched its new service Sky Q (though it won’t actually be available to customers for just a little while longer yet). Considering that Sky is constantly having to make massive overhauls to its technology (satellite dishes and big set-top boxes are hardly representative of the simple viewing experience offered by Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon et al), we thought this was a pretty good update.

In a nutshell, you can now:

• Have mini-boxes connected by WiFi that allow you to watch on TVs in different rooms
• Watch up to four different programs on four different screens at any one time
• Download recorded programmes to smartphones and tablets to watch whatever you like

If you’d like to read a reaonably balanced article (avoid the mind-numbingly dull video) that talks about the impact of the innovation and other viewing choices, check out the BBC’s response here

YouTube Kids app now available in UK & Ireland

• Who is this post for? Parents
• What does it discuss? YouTube’s new app for Kids entertainment and the associated parental controls
• How does it benefit you? Big catalogue of free TV for your kids

A year after being launched in the US, Google has made its YouTube Kids app available in the UK and Ireland.

The app provides content that’s suitable for kids of all ages. The aim is to give parents peace of mind when it comes to their children browsing and watching videos on YouTube.

There will be new content aimed to appeal to a UK and Irish audience specifically, like Octonauts, In the Night Garden and UK YouTubers like Stampylonghead and his Wonder Quest.

To give parents peace of mind, Google has made it possible to deactivate the search function in the app. That means that the only videos available will be the featured ones on the homescreen, which are recommended by YouTube and avoids the possibility of children finding something their parents deem inappropriate through search. There’s also a timer mode that lets parents determine when videos stop playing and it’s possible to set a passcode to prevent children from accessing the settings area of the app.

You can read more on YouTube’s blog here.

 

 

 

Mix your technologies to share music like it’s the ’80s

• Who is this post for? Everyone
• What does it discuss? A lovely retro-style product
• How does it benefit you? Increased smiles

Those of us the wrong side of 35 will have grown up sharing mixtapes and what treasured items they were! Just think back to the effort they took to compile and the appreciation of the person who was the recipient of your labour of love.

It’s just not the same sharing your playlist on Spotify is it? I can create a playlist in minutes. It’s efficient and the music is just as good but there’s little emotion involved from a sharing perspective. Thus, we really like the work of Sydney based designer Tiffany Roddis whose rendition of a mixtape is actually a USB that can hold up to 8GB of files and media (hopefully music!). It also has a personal message written on it for those of you planning to give it to someone special.

Easy to buy from anywhere as ships worldwide from the UK at the designer’s Etsy store, Wild Card.

Immerse yourself in 360 degree video

(Please note image above is not clickable – see links in article to play with videos)

• Who is this post for? Everyone
• What does it discuss? It shows you the potential for immersive video experiences. Go play!
• How does it benefit you? Get inspired, get creative

The potential for 360º video has geeks like me excited everywhere. But what’s the point, one might fairly ask? Thus far the video format has been touted as the perfect experience for virtual reality headsets which are hardly mass market consumer items.

All that changed last week when Facebook announced it was supporting 360° video. That’s important because unless video can be watched in a video player that supports its format, it’s about as useful as a chocolate teapot. Now, any Facebook user can watch a 360° video without any special hardware or software.

The 360º experience is unlikely to be new to any of us. I’m sure we’ve all taken ‘virtual’ tours online around property, stadiums, theatres, famous buildings etc. Now, wearable cameras like those from GoPro allow for the relatively simple creation of 360° video for the viewing pleasure of us all.

It was this Star Wars video that kicked up a storm on social media but for a moment of natural beauty, check out this new surfing video from the team at GoPro. If you’re viewing on a smartphone or tablet, simply drag your finger across the video to control. If you’re on a desktop or laptop computer, simply drag your mouse cursor across the screen. Enjoy!

Snacks or…short stories?

• Who is this post for? Everyone
• What does it discuss? A wonderful idea for how commuters and shoppers can fill their spare time
• How does it benefit you? Increased happiness, decreased stress

We love, love, LOVE the work of a new start-up in France. Vending machines in the city of Grenoble are dispensing short stories instead of sugary snacks and drinks.  The publishing start-up company is called Short Édition and it has installed eight such vending machines in the city with the full approval of the mayor.

The company hopes that commuters and bystanders will use these quirky vending machines while around the city instead of reaching for the ever-present smart phone to check Facebook or Twitter (though frankly, if news of their presence is spread via Facebook and Twitter who are we to complain?).

Please someone bring this to the UK. Perhaps you can ask your mayor to do the same?