I have been looking for reasons why my Internet has been slowing down. Is it just my connection to SL? Well, no. Other sites have been sluggish loading too.
The Face of Pure Evil
Is my computer bugged? Windows’ Resource Monitor says, not. Adware, virus, and Trojan scans say no problem and I don’t get pop up ads or land on strange search engines. Continue reading
This is a big change. I’m not sure I like it. In fact I currently dislike it so much this may be a change that drives me to Firefox or CoolNovo.
Google’s New Bookmarks Manager
The change was only appearing in the Beta version of Chrome, which I run. But, it is feedback from beta users that will decide if this feature becomes mainstream, which is probably a near certainty anyway, based on Google’s past history of how they change Chrome and other Google products. Feedback may change it, but I doubt it will stop it. Continue reading
Did you know it will be FREE? What!?! That is the word on the street. PC World published in January that Windows 10 would be a free upgrade for Windows 7 and 8 users. See: Windows 10 will be a free upgrade. There is some question about Vista, but it looks to excluded.
Windows 10 Logo
I am somewhat surprised that Windows XP users are not included. But, I know that transferring users from XP to 7 and 8 is a technical pain. It is so bad I only ever move data over now. Installing over XP as an upgrade while a limited possibility, is usually a disaster. A new install is the practical and much easier way to go. Even the Microsoft transfer program doesn’t really work for an XP to 7 or 8 transfer. Continue reading
The political battle for control of the Internet is being won by politicians, citizens are losing. This loss is very likely to impact everyone in Second Life.
Consider. The news citizens can post on the Internet is mostly uncontrolled, as pure a case of freedom of speech as anyone has. For politicians this a disaster and a threat for their control and power. The Internet gives minorities, crazy or sane, a voice they have never had. Continue reading
This was planned for release on Monday… but, the blog would not cooperate… I see that Ciaran found the article and reported on it.
Once upon a time manufacturers were thinking that Second Life would be a great way to market their products. A big obstacle to marketing online is letting the potential customer see the product and decide they have to have it. A 3D world moves one closer to the being there.
The immersive nature of 3D with Oculus and other HMD devices is re-awakening those hopes and thoughts. There is potential. The site AdWeek has an article by Christopher Heine titled: How Oculus Rift Is About to Reshape Marketing Creativity.
Second Life has prominent mention in the article. What Christopher does not mention is why 3D marketing in SL failed in the first years of SL’s life. Continue reading
I’m busy with holidays and work, so not much blogging. But, work-wise I came across an interesting program I needed to for making some unique original textures: MandelBlub 3D, a free 3D fractal generator. It is mentioned in the Advanced Photoshop magazine too.
Mandelblub 3D Generated Image
The art I first came across shown on Deviant Art looked like the type of art I needed for a work project. So, off I went to find the software and generate those textures. It occurred to me that some of these could be awesome for use in Second Life, especially since it appears the Lab is never going to change the TOS to something acceptable to CG Textures and similar suppliers of stock textures.
Getting the program is the easy part. It is pretty much a stand-alone program that does not need to be installed, just unzipped and run. Continue reading
It looks like the Samsung Head Mounted Display (HMD) know as Gear VR is out or almout out for retail sales. The Road to VR has an article comparing the Gear and Oculus. The short story is it appears Oculus is doing software and software tech while Samsung is doing hardware. However that works, it is a device making it to market with the Samsung brand name.
See: Samsung Gear VR Detailed Review: Part One – Design Comparison to Oculus Rift DK2.
See: You can buy Samsung’s virtual reality headset right now for $200.
See: Buy Samsung Gear VR.
While I am excited about Oculus Rift and the competing Head Mounted Displays, it seems we may get them about the same time or even after they appear in other fields. Medical uses seem to an interesting use of the new technology.
HMD Use
Atheer Labs (and they do use an ‘S” in their official name) is developing a device somewhat like Google Glass. Their information pages on the device are here: Atheer Labs, where they refer to this as ‘gesture-based 3D augmented interactive reality.’
They have numerous uses that they show for their device. They imagine assembly and repair manuals that superimpose over the object being worked on. Medical imaging (Fox News Video) that displays x-ray, CAT and MRI scans, and anatomy models imposed on the patient’s body.
Some describe the process as Google Glass meeting 3D. Whatever the case, this technology is breaking into mainstream RL uses.
And there is now the Kissing Bug as a hazard in the USA. (Reference) (DDT Safe but Illegal – University of Nebraska at Lincoln)