Overheard #101

This might be one of my favourites, one end of a telephone call just now:

"Your brother's birthday?"
"..."
"Oh, both brothers!"
"..."
"What do you mean, semi-identical?"

PhotoPhonoPhoto

I just found a load of photos on my phone I had completely forgotten about. So, in no particular order (click to enlarge, if you fancy):

Lady Penelope on the school run at St Dunstans College

Four quid for a box of twigs? That's Dulwich for you

Big owl problem in Kensington, is there?

Most men still couldn't hit the target...

Enough said!

Overheard #72

Walking past a desk at work, this snippet:

"...and I think you'll find that radio is less of a visual medium..."

Hit Me

Love it: Drum Set

Try typing your name, recording it and using it as your SMS text message alert. That should wake them up on the Northern Line...

Overheard #69

The workplace can do odd things to people:

You sound strange. Like you're calling from inside a small dog.

Overheard #67

This was the tail end of a mobile phone conversation:

"...as they gently drive more and more of their cars into the sea."

I never found out the context.

Phone Gone

Bah. After over ten years without misplacing a mobile, I have only gone and lost my new SonyEricsson in Dubai. There's a lot of desert to search, but in the meantime, if you sent me a text or voicemail or tried to call in the last week or so, I will have been somewhat 'out of range'. Sorry about that.

Normal service will be resumed when I get back to the office on 5th Jan but in the meantime, Happy New Year for 2009!

Just Put Your Lips Together -- And Blow

This is this killer app that may just force me to buy an iPhone:

Smule: Ocarina

Yes, it's an ocarina.

In order to play your Ocarina, you will need to blow into the microphone (you will see a small gold arrow where to blow). The mic is sensitive, so try not to blow very hard (if you are puffing your cheeks, you are blowing too hard).

Rest the iPhone on your ring fingers and thumbs with the headphone jack facing away from you. Use your index and middle fingers to cover the four holes.

To play the highest note, you will need uncover all four holes, but don't drop the iPhone! It may take some time to learn how to balance it, so be patient and remember to play over a cushioned surface.

Let me repeat; it's an ocarina...

Kung Pong?

This is great:



Quite what it has to do with a mobile phone is somewhat debatable, but still, nice work :)

Overheard #60

Another one from work, I felt it was a bit early in the morning for naval gazing:

"Yes, corporate broking - it's all about the sailors."

In so many ways :)

Make It So(ny)

It. Is. Done.

A life-changing event has befallen us. Our inner sanctum will never be the same again. Let us breathe deeply, cast out thoughts of ancient times and reach out -- onwards, upwards to a new beginning. This is Day One, Ground Zero, Point Break, Face Off, Layer Cake, Don't Tell Mom The Babysitters Dead [stop now - Movie Ed.]. It's the launchpad to a better world. To infinity ... and beyond.

Yes, I've got a new phone.

But are you sitting down?

Because it's not a Nokia.

*pause for collective gasp of gathered crowd, smelling salts to be liberally applied, children removed to a safe haven and learnéd philosophers to be consulted as to whether the Earth is still on its axis*

Currently nestled in my slightly-clammy palm is a shiny new SonyEricsson C902. It's lovely. Sleek, understated graphite design. Crisp, clear screen & responsive keypad. Quad-band, 3G HSDPA and Bluetooth. MP3/AAC/FM radio and really impressive sound quality. Clever touchscreen 'hotspot' features for the camera options. Oh, did I mention the camera? 5.0 megapixel -- with a flash. A flash I tell you! On a phone!

But the best bit, the thing that makes me grin like a moron, is how you activate the lens cover. You slide the end of the phone out - like Bond' Minolta spy camera in OHMSS! Look, here in this somewhat OTT promo video:



Yes, yes, I'm sure there'll be a new one out in about, oooh, fifteen minutes that makes mine appear like this, but for the moment I simply don't care. Loyal readers (and anyone unlucky enough to get caught at the bar with me) will know that I have roundly derided Sony for its ongoing proprietary attitude to file formats, memory sticks and the like but I'll forgive them (for a bit, natch) on the back of this shiny little bit of gadgety goodness.

Sorry, Nokia, but just so you know where I am -- I'm out. It's been fun. But my head has been turned by the dark side, mwahahahahaha.

Right, who shall I call?