Videos for Valentine’s Day

In a world as connected as ours, Valentine’s Day offers some interesting new challenges, as well as opportunities, for those who make heavy use of technology. A recent Twitter post from @GeekSquadUK asks, “Can a Facebook message be as romantic as a bunch of flowers?

As a Geek, I think so. Of course, that Facebook message will need to uniquely and creatively gets your feelings across to your loved ones. Continue reading “Videos for Valentine’s Day”

Camcorder Alternatives

If you’re shopping for a family video camera these days, there are reasons you might ask yourself if you even need a full-sized camcorder thanks to some new technological alternatives.

It’s amazing how small camcorders have gotten over the last decade. I remember the first video camera my family bought was a large over-the-shoulder unit that recorded to full-size VHS tapes. However, even with hard drive camcorders shrinking every day, they’re still not small enough to take with you on a daily basis.

Here are a few alternatives for shooting video on the go:

  • Pocket Camcorders – These flash-memory based camcorders from the likes of Flip Video, Kodak or Insignia, have exploded in popularity due to their extreme portability, price and ease of use. Even the higher-end models capable of HD video are affordable enough to be popular with teenagers looking to keep their YouTube accounts filled with fresh video of their daily life.
  • Point & Shoot Cameras – These sleek and slim digital cameras have learned new tricks by using the same lens technology they take still images with to also record video. Many models, such as those from Canon and Sony, can shoot HD video comparable to the pocket HD camcorders, but with the added advantage of taking great still shots as well.
  • iPod Nano – Although the video recorded by these tiny MP3 players from Apple are only SD, the fact that they’re more likely to be with you on the go means they will be there for when you absolutely need to get video of that crazy scene you just walked past on the way to work.
  • Smartphones – There are a huge number of choices here, but in between all the apps each platform has, you’re also seeing better built-in cameras on many makes and models that mean you can not only shoot video on the go, but often edit it on the phone itself before uploading directly to YouTube and posting about it on Twitter.

Twelpforce Space Experiment No. 2

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One of the best parts about living in the technological age we do is how the average home computer can be used to create your own media.

I’ve been playing around with a few different “entry level” consumer video editing programs like Sony’s Vegas Movie Studio HD 9. I created the test video above using only a few photos and music, and as you can see, the results can pretty pretty stunning as you become more comfortable with the program.

With the wide availability of inexpensive HD camcorders, it’s quickly becoming a world where a little time and some creativity can really unleash your inner director.

The Statistics of Social Media

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The most surprising thing for me when it comes to stats about social media is just how quickly it’s becoming popular with the traditionally non-tech orientated non-teen population.