Digital photography and DSLR's

During the weekend I made special time for one of my favourite hobbies, the beautiful art of photography. Its not to say that I have been away from photography for a long time, just last week I snapped several lunch and snack time photos that I hope would make any food connoisseur proud. Those pictures were taken with my iPhone, which overall produces satisfactory, yet unspectacular results (it’s a camera phone after all). The main difference with last week's photos and the ones over the weekend are that the weekend snaps were taken with my trusty DLSR. It’s been a while since I used it (more than five months in fact) and after the first press and release of the shutter button all I could think was “wow, I sure missed this DSLR.” I also thought about how wonderful it would have been to have that camera while I was in New Zealand last year.

My wonderful, trusty non-video capable DSLR camera

Now I should mention that my DSLR is from the era before video capability integrated in DSLR cameras was the norm. Part of me is sorry my DSLR is not equipped to handle moving images and the other part of me is happy, having comfort  in the thought the picture quality would be better because my camera is just that, a camera. No matter which point of view I have at any given time, one thing is for certain, my DSLR camera rocks. I almost forgot the true joy of photography having spent the last few months in what might as well be referred to as the photography wilderness. During the weekend memories returned of numerous assignments in my journalism days as well as freelance projects. Feeling happy to be using my DSLR again I kept snapping away at the lovely scenery on the rugged east coast of Barbados. I will post some of the images on my Twitter account during the next few weeks.

My overall photo tally during the weekend was just about 400 photos. Ah, the beauty of digital photography. I am indeed grateful for the digital photo age. I remember years ago as a child the excitement of receiving the developed photos from the photo studio or department store. Sometimes that initial excitement was replaced with surprise when you realised not all of the photos were in focus or the composition was not quite what you thought it would be when you looked in the viewfinder.

Of course, it can be argued that those were also the days when you thought more carefully about each and every photo….after all, you had to pay for the film and to develop it. Now its click, click, click, review…"hmm…maybe I’ll delete this one” then click, click, click again.  For me even in the digital photography era I place great effort to ensure that as much as possible each photo is of the highest quality, of course not every snap taken would meet that standard. Some would argue that the main disadvantage of digital photography is you may end up being overwhelmed by the hundreds of images accumulated during a photo shoot. For me however, I enjoy the wide variety and so love this era of digital photography.

The ever changing mobile landscape

Mobile phone operating system sales data released by IDC for Q3 of 2013 highlights that Android continues to dominate world wide. According to an article on CNET’s website which reported the IDC findings the Android platform enjoyed an 81 percent market share that quarter in terms of shipments of new phones and their operating system (OS).

A table was also presented which showed that compared to the previous year Android’s market share increased while iOS and Blackberry saw a decline. The Windows Phone platform also registered an increase, but along with Blackberry its market share at less than 5% remains small.

According to an IDC report,  for Q3 of 2013 the Android OS had an 81 percent world wide market share

The article noted that while the iPhone does really well in the United States its market share is not as strong in some markets throughout the world (with a total world wide market share of 12.9%). As a new iPhone user myself, I was initially hesitant to make the switch from Android. I can now say that initial concern has been replaced by extreme joy. In no way I am saying the iPhone or iOS platform is perfect but it does what I wanted most, to easily synch with my computer and provides me with pretty good battery life. I do miss the open source nature of Android, the graphical user interface, the bigger screens and flash compatibility but for now at least, I appreciate the longer lasting battery life of my iPhone. 

For consumers, competition among the mobile phone ecosystems is a good thing and drives innovation and new product development. The industry has definitely seen many changes since the early days of monochrome one-line screens. Back then a mobile phone was just that a phone. Now it’s a phone, an mp3 player, a flashlight, portable video screen, portable gaming console, address book, map, GPS and the list goes on and on. The mobile phone has become such an important part of life for many people (myself included) that if you leave home without it, your inclined to turn back for your phone, that is once your not too far away.

Speaking about older phones, I watched a cute video the other day on YouTube which showed kids reaction to rotary phones which brought back lots of memories. I never used a rotary phone at home but as a kid I did have the opportunity to use one on several occasions. I can remember how it felt when you mis-dialed the number and had to dial again, oh how long it seemed just to make one call.  It’s not surprising that the kids in the video preferred the modern mobile phone but its always good to reflect and see the technological advancements that have been made. So much has changed and so much more will change during the next few months and years and I look forward to see what new technological and innovation changes will be made in the mobile phone industry.

Spotify how I miss thee

I thoroughly enjoyed my time living and working in New Zealand for a portion of the year 2013. It is truly an amazing country and definitely one which you should place on a list of places to go if you have the opportunity.

Being from Barbados where online music streaming services such as Spotify are not available I took the opportunity during my time in New Zealand to sign up for a free Spotify account. Reading about the service is one thing but having the opportunity to use it is another. The interface is clean and navigation is easy. Of course the main attraction of a service like Spotify is the music and I found the content to be quite comprehensive, also including some selections from the Caribbean.  The only disadvantage was not having on the go access with my free Spotify account. Yes, I downloaded the iPhone app which gave me access on my mobile device but this was for a promotional period. Since then, however, users of the Spotify service do have complimentary access on their mobile devices, albeit with some limitations attached.

I recently read an article in the online edition of the New Zealand Herald that Telecom (soon to be re-branded as Spark) will offer some its pre and post paid customers free Spotify premium accounts. It will be interesting to see how popular this initiative will be.

Towards the end of 2013 Spotify expanded into 20 more markets, including some in Latin America and the Caribbean, however, Barbados was not included. We do however, have Netflix, which I will write about in another article. Here’s hoping that when Spotify rolls out its next country expansion that Barbados will be included. 

Let the games begin...no not #GameofThrones

Game of Thrones is an awesome show but a review of that programme would be placed on an entertainment blog, not a tech blog such as this one. As it relates to technology, the last few months have been quite exciting for video game fans with the speculation and announcements of new and improved consoles by Sony and Microsoft.  And let's not forget Nintendo, which also vies for a piece of the multi-billion dollar industry pie. All three firms would be eager to position themselves in this highly lucrative industry, although Nintendo which got a head start with the launch of its Wii U last year has so far seen poor Wii U sale figures. This year Sony and Microsoft have been looking to promote their system as the "best of the best" so to speak.

Microsoft would be keen to see a solid sales performance for its up-coming system entitled Xbox One, especially after the poor response to Windows 8. To be fair, as the article (poor response to Windows 8) highlighted the trends in the technology industry are changing and the traditional PC/laptop as a mainstay of an individual's daily life while still important will continue to decline with the advancement of mobile and tablet devices. After all, its so much easier to sit on the couch and tweet on your tablet or mobile device about that awesome goal than have to look for the keyboard or position the laptop to type the same tweet. At this point your tablet or mobile device not only provides connectivity 'on-the-go' but also in the comfort of your living room. But I digress....looking again at the video game industry Sony looks to compete with Microsoft through its newest entry to the console market the Playstation 4 (kudos to Sony for maintaining continuity with the naming of their new system).

As has been reported there has been extensive debate about the Xbox One versus the PS4, especially as it relates to online connectivity requirements and used game sales. Microsoft seems willing to take the potential risk (at least with consumers) of creating a system which provides limitations in certain areas (namely unlimited game sharing) but promises to reward users with a system that not only will meet your video game expectations but also your home entertainment needs. This philosophy could possibly explain the branding of the unit as 'Xbox One' in that this is a new, fresh approach to gaming with a system that Microsoft envisages would be the centre of your entertainment room.

While this thinking could end up being a gamble when it comes to the consumer, we have to wait and see if game developers may be keen on the idea of limited game sharing, which could in theory lead to more profitability for them. On the other hand Sony has decided to maintain the traditional approach of unlimited game sharing.

The real test will be later this year when the systems are released and the sales resulting from the holiday season are tallied. What is defiantly certain this holiday season is that gamers will have the final say as to which of the three new video game consoles is the best of the bunch.

♪♪ Let it "Flow", Let it "Flow", Let it "Flow" ♪♪

As promised today this article will take a quick look at the newest cable TV provider in Barbados, Flow which is owned by Columbus Communication. Flow's market share potential will be strengthened as Columbus Communication bought Karib Cable which was another new entrant to the Barbados market. Flow will be offering a "Triple Play" of Cable, Broadband and Homephone.

With the purchase of Karib Cable, Columbus Communications will integrate that network with theirs to provide a fibre based roll out on the island. The service is currently available in parts of St. Michael, Christ Church and St. James with more parts of the island scheduled for September 2013 and beyond.

Flow also provides service in several Caribbean countries including Jamaica, Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago. Based on comments online there are mixed reviews to the quality of the cable TV and Internet offerings of Flow, ranging from great to disappointing.

I have only been able to see the service at a public exposition which Flow held earlier this year. During that event I was able to get a glimpse of their High Definition offering as well as their broadband speeds. In Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago Flow offers speeds up to 100Mbps and the same is here for Barbados. Just going by numbers, that speed is five (5) times what telecommunication provider LIME offers as its maximum broadband speed (20Mbps). Of course those are maximum possible speeds and many factors come into play when it comes to realisation of actual speed. However, the announcement of Flow's arrival should have positive results when it comes to competition among the Internet and Cable TV providers in Barbados.

In addition to the Internet the prospects of the Cable TV service sound quite interesting. Namely because when I glance through the Flow Barbados Channel List I see an incredible amount of HD channels on offer (by Barbados standards of course). The basic package alone has about 19 HD channels. A further browse of the channel list reveals about 30 more HD channels (available in packages and a-la-carte). So basically Flow will offer around 50 channels in HD while MCTV has 4 channels....hmmm...and to be honest looking at Flow's HD offering of 19 channels in the basic package, in terms of price Flow wins. Even looking at the amount of standard definition (SD) and HD channels offered in the other two extended packages, overall Flow looks like the better value. Flow will also offer at least two channels in 3D (the 3D channels are free, most likely because the potential market for 3D channels is small). Of course, at the end of the day the real answer comes in the quality of the actual service as well as customer service. Columbus Communication has also promised new technological developments for Flow will be introduced in Barbados later this year. At this point I can not comment on how Flow in Barbados will be overall but what I can say is that based on the channel package information Flow has online as well as the demonstration of the service at the exposition, it seems like Flow will bring a new level of technology  and innovation to Barbados, which should lead to better product offerings available by Flow's competitors. In the end this should benefit the consumers.

...and then there was HD...sort of

The MCTV (Barbados) High Definition (HD) receiver

So without any research I believe the award for the longest delay in offering High Definition television channels to its cable TV lineup would be given right here in Barbados. Just about last month, MCTV in Barbados started offering High Definition channels. With the announcement of HDTV channels, I was obviously excited, having had to get my HD fix via HD-DVD, Blu-Ray, YouTube and other online sources. The opportunity to be able to watch my favourite sporting event, drama or comedy show in crisp, clear, glorious high definition was alluring. In fact the thought was magical. I have watched HD cable before while on vacation in the United States and Canada but being able to watch it here in my living room in Barbados...nice. That was until I realized what they were offering.

I must admit I was never a fan of our cable provider MCTV but that is too long a story for this blog. But a quick summary, MCTV has always had a history of receiver boxes not working properly (the remote does not respond to button presses, basically the box sticks, no programme data etc...) and that long tradition continues with the new HD box.

In addition, as can be seen their website....yeah...you get the point. If they don't put effort into their website how can you expect them to put effort into anything else. Of course there may be reasons why MCTV has the issues they have but again too long of a story for this blog. So then upon reflection it really did come as no surprise when I found out their HDTV offering was a "whopping" four (4) channels...yes...4 channels. To make it even more depressing only 2 of them sounded worthwhile to have in HD and then for the reality check only 1 of those 2 is actually in HD. The channels are CTV Toronto HD, Justice Central HD, FightNow HD and WGN HD. Now WGN HD is not actually in HD, which leaves CTV HD as the only real choice. One can only imagine what MCTV management was thinking when they thought to add Justice Central HD and FightNow HD. If those two channels were part of a 20 or 30 channel HD package then it may be more understandable but with a small offering of 4 channels MCTV offers Justice Central and FightNow HD? Not really the best channel choices with such a limited HD offering.

I should add that sometimes NBC Sports and CBS are in HD or near HD. Obviously MCTV's offering is way to small for the year 2013...and to think they are offering this when a new cable provider has entered the Barbados marketplace. So for MCTV's sake they better improve. For years they had the luxury of having the best channel package in Barbados but the new entrant into the Barbados cable TV market is offering more channels and more importantly more channels in HD. More on that new provider tomorrow.

And to be honest, MCTV's paltry HD offering is a pity, because the picture quality of CTV HD is really quite good. Hopefully management at MCTV will improve the HD product offerings soon...in fact it is in their own best interest.

Apps, Bajan style

The main screen for the "Bajan Lingo" Android OS app

Apps are the in thing when it comes to smart phones and tablets. Apple has its App Store, Blackberry has its Blackberry App world and Android has Google Play (formally the Android Market). Unfortunately application development has not been looked at a lot in Barbados. The Nation Publishing Company Ltd does have an application for the Blackberry platform available for download but this is one of the few locally developed apps.

The majority of smart phone users in Barbados are utilising the Blackberry platform and in terms of application development, apps developed for Blackberry are far fewer than those for market leading Apple OS and second place Android OS. Of course now that Research in Motion (now formally known as Blackberry) is placing a lot of hope on its latest OS, Blackberry 10. Time will tell if they are able to make any significant dent into the app market. While application development in Barbados is still in the infancy stage there have been Barbados related apps that have been developed in other countries.

We are going to take a look at a couple of them. The first is an app entitled “Bajan Lingo” which is developed by GCT Labs. This app is your portable source for Bajan sayings and phrases. Popular phrases such as “plaster for every sore (an excuse for every situation)” and “wha gine on? (a greeting saying how are you doing?)” are included in this app.

The app gives you access to Bajan words and phrases on the go

The app provides a Bajan word or phrase for the day feature and also allows users the option to look for words and phrases alphabetically by letter. It is a great little app to have on your phone and with it you can ensure you always have a piece of Barbadiana with you, even if you are “ova an’ away (overseas)”. Best of all, the app is free to download from Google Play.

A downside to this app is that unlike some translation apps, there is no audio option. Such a feature would allow you to hear the words or phrases being pronounced. That would have been a great addition and hopefully a feature that would be added in any update that may be done.

Streekes on Tech gives the “Bajan Lingo” Google Play app a 4 out of 5 'Green Coconut' rating