GoPro Camera

The GoPro would appear to be a good digital video camera for sports/action videos. It records 56 minutes of video with sound at 640×480 resolution and 30 fps on a 2GB SD memory card. That's more than enough for YouTube. And the 120g weight will give you a more stable image than a heavier digicam. Best of all, it comes with all the mounting hardware for car/helmet/window, and it only costs $180! It runs on 2 AAA batteries. The main shortcoming is the lack of an LCD display.

This GoPro video is taken from a Formula Atlantic car at my favourite race track, Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma. The race car goes "off" between turns 3a and 4, to avoid contact with another FA car that it has just passed.


Update 4/18/08:
I bought the GoPro. The camera has the quality of a cheap toy. That wouldn't matter if the camera worked properly, or if it worked at all. But I was only able to take one 15 minute video. The video quality was good. Then it stopped working. And customer service is by email only...

Update 4/19/08:
Customer service by email is not good customer service! But GoPro has been responsive to my emails, and they will get the camera working or replace it.

The reviews on Amazon for the GoPro are all positive, so my unit might just be a dud.

Update 4/21/08:
GoPro customer service advised me to format the SD card as FAT16 rather than the FAT32 I'd been using. The problem is fixed. The videos are quite good for such a small/simple camera.

Update 5/2/08
More trouble: The camera will record short videos, but if I leave the camera running for more than a few minutes it stops recording. And the .avi file stored on the SD card is empty!
The GoPro is becoming more trouble than it's worth.

Update 6/4/08
Two weeks ago I returned the camera to GoPro for repair or replacement. I'm waiting to hear back from them.

Update 6/25/08
GoPro sent me a new camera two weeks ago. It was exhibiting the same problems. I thought perhaps my 30 minute battery charger was frying the NiMH AAA batteries, and they weren't holding a charge. So I bought a good Sony 8 hour charger. After charging and draining the batteries a few times, the problems have gone away!




Categories:Cars Movies Gadgets

I'm Walking Backwards (2008 vs 1956)

This video reminded me of The Goons:

Spike Milligan (comedian, and member of The Goon Show with Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe) had an amusing ditty that would sometimes be played between acts in the radio show. I sometimes sing it to myself as I trudge to work. It went something like this:

I'm walking backwards for Christmas,
Across the Irish Sea,
I'm walking backwards for Christmas,
It's the only thing for me.

I've tried walking sideways,
And walking to the front,
But people just look at me,
And say it's a publicity stunt.
...

Thanks GrowABrain
Video from RocketBoom
Categories:Movies

Replus Cat Tower

Osso&Co. has a new store at 1232 9th Avenue, in what was for many years a camera shop. They have a very expensive, but small, inventory of accessories for cats and dogs. Everything they sell seems designed to appeal to the human guardians rather than the animals.

This kitty condo caught my attention. The cat tower looks better in person than it does in these photos: The colours are more vibrant and the cubes are covered in a pleasant corrugated cotton material. I'd like to have it in my living room. I don't know if the boys would like it though. $290. Gulp. Yelp.

Chair by Jay Stanger (1986)

On display at the de Young Museum. (Note: The de Young allows non-flash photos of all art in the permanent collection!)

"Since the late 1970s, Jay Stanger has been creating functional artwork. Both in his furniture design and architectural sculpture, Stanger's work has broken the barriers between fine art and craft."- JayStanger

Hulu

Wow! Free streaming 480p/720p movies and tv programmes on my computer.

Hulu doesn't have a huge library of programmes, but the advantage over BitTorrent is that I can immediately start watching. Nice. Take a look:

The video is quite good at full screen on my 20" iMac.

Thanks Josh

Citroen Goddess

Seen today in Sausalito.


“DS” in French is pronounced “day-ess” (Déesse), which means “goddess”. - ArtOfDesign

There is too much design and engineering innovation in this car to mention here. So I'll just say that the Citroen DS is the best car ever. Not the best handling and accelerating car. But the best original combination of styling and engineering, and the biggest leap forward ever made in my lifetime. The DS does not take inspiration from any other car that came before it.


Image from Citroen advertisement
Categories:Cars

Read a Book

I think my neighbour's a librarian.

City Optix Sale

My medical insurance only allows me new frames every two years, but new lens every year. So I buy my frames at the City Optix sale, and get new specs each year.

The selection of styles is excellent, and you'll find frames that are half price or better.

The sale is from March 29th to April 5th at both the Chestnut and Haight St stores.
Don't go their website. It's very annoying.

Side Chair One

A combination of intersecting planes creates an armchair with an integrated side table.
By Alexander Kneller. Brilliant.

Thanks Dwell magazine
Categories:Furniture

Separation

I thought in cases like this, the tread separated from the casing, leaving a bald but intact and inflated tyre. Apparently not. In this photo you can clearly see that the tyre has separated into three parts. The sidewalls are still on the wheel, and the centre "cylinder"has come adrift.