Help to think creatively

I find that when I'm stumped by a problem at work, I need to read or see something that is completely random -- meaning it has nothing to do with the problem at hand. For some reason, it changes my brain waves and helps me think in different ways. Here is a list of some web sites that can help stir up your grey matter when you need some fresh ideas and help you think creatively:

Future Technology Portal: Crazy futuristic ideas and images
Picocool: Random images from social media and subcultures
PrintMag: Where you can read/see innovative print design. I also found this awesome video there created by Element X Creative (check out their demo reel).
Poetry Foundation: Fill your mind with new combinations of words
Dvice: Feed your technology obsession

There are a bajillion other places to visit so, if you've got others let me know and I'll add to this post.

Encoding video for Adobe Connect

I just stumbled across a decent article on how to compress video for Adobe Connect.  I've been doing it for years but never thought to write down my knowledge.  I use Sorenson Squeeze to produce my final product. But I've been dabbling in Adobe Media Encoder lately as well.

Connect with Abbas has a good description of how to do it, including the three main factors you need to consider for a good final product:

1. Frame size - width & height of your video. 
2. Bitrate (or data rate) - how many kilobits per second are needed to display video. 
3. Frame rate (or frames per second).

So take a look at his post. I think it's well written. But the most important thing to remember when compressing your videos is that you should always test a variety of settings.

The Best Export Settings for Final Cut Pro

I've been trying to figure out the best export settings for Final Cut Pro.  I've traditionally just exported as QuickTime, but I was having problems with my traditional settings -- like getting strange grey screens, bitmapped images, video pausing while the audio continued, etc. So I found a decent tutorial on YouTube that helped with some new settings.  The tutorial is a bit long (and the export settings don't start until about half way through) so I thought I'd type them out for you to save you some time:

1) Click File > Export
Select Using QuickTime Conversion...
Format = Quick Time Conversion
Use = Default Settings

2) Click Options > Settings
Compression = H.264
Frame Rate = Current
Key Frames = 24
Data Rate = Automatic
Quality = High

3) Click OK

4) Click Size
Select HD 1280 x 720 16:9

This produced excellent Final Cut Pro Export results that I then took into Sorenson Squeeze to compress even further.

We are all Digital Farmers

On a farm, when the chickens needed feeding, the pigs needed slopping or the cow got out of the barn, you took care of it.  That was your job, day and night.  As a kid, when my dad and I were irrigating our apple orchard there were times we forgot to pull the headgate out of the creek. So, late at night, I'd trudge through the woods with a flashlight to take care of the chore.  I didn't like it, but I did it because I had to.

I've found that today we've all become digital farmers.  We get up early, not to milk cows but to work digitally with global partners and to ensure systems are up and running.

On a farm, you'd find that a fox got in with the chickens, today it's gremlins in the network. In either case, you have to answer the call quickly and efficiently to solve the problem so that the fox or gremlins don't eat your assets.

I find that many people complain they are "leashed" to their work day and night with mobile phones and email.  Although that may be true, we have jobs to do whether it's collecting the eggs, irrigating the fields or replying to an urgent client need from another country.

It's interesting that the more things change the more they stay the same. I'm just glad my office doesn't smell like a barn.

Complete feature list for iOS 5 software update

If you're like me, the feature list for the new iOS5 update went by too quickly -- I wanted to reread the iOS 5 Software Updates after I had uploaded it. So, when I updated my wife's phone, I captured it all. HGere is the full listing of new features for iOS 5:

This update contains over 200 new features, including the following:

• Notifications
• Swipe from the top of any screen to view notifications in one place with Notification Center
• New notifications appear briefly at the top of the screen
• View notifications from lock screen
• Slide the notification app icon to the right on the lock screen to go directly to the app
• iMessage
• Send and receive unlimited text, photo, and video messages with other iOS 5 users
• Track messages with delivery and read receipts
• Group messaging and secure encryption
• Works over cellular network and Wi-Fi*
• Newsstand
• Automatically organizes magazine and newspaper subscriptions on Home Screen
• Displays the cover of the latest issue
• Background downloads of new issues 
• Reminders for managing to do lists
• Syncs with iCloud, iCal and Outlook
• Location-based reminders when you leave or arrive at a location for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4
• Built-in support for Twitter
• Sign-in once in Settings and tweet directly from Camera, Photos, Maps, Safari and YouTube
• Add location to any tweet
• View twitter profile pictures and usernames in Contacts
• Camera improvements for devices with cameras
• Double click the home button when device is asleep to bring up a camera shortcut on iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch (4th generation)
• Volume Up button to take a picture
• Optional grid lines to line up shots
• Pinch to zoom in the preview screen
• Swipe to camera roll from preview screen
• Tap and hold to lock focus and exposure, iPad 2 and iPod touch (4th generation) only support exposure lock

• Photo improvements for devices with cameras
• Crop and rotate
• Red eye removal
• One tap enhance
• Organize photos into albums
• Mail improvements
• Format text using bold, italic, or underlined fonts
• Indentation control
• Drag to rearrange names in address fields
• Flag messages
• Mass mark messages as flagged, read or unread
• Customize mail alert sounds
• S/MIME
• Calendar improvements
• Year view on iPad and new Week view for iPhone and iPod touch
• Tap to create an event
• View and add event attachments
• Game Center improvements
• Use personal photos for your Game Center account
• Compare your overall achievement scores with your friends
• Find new Game Center friends with friend recommendations and friends of friends
• Discover new games with custom game recommendations
• AirPlay Mirroring for iPad 2 and iPhone 4S
• Multitasking Gestures for iPad
• Use four or five fingers to pinch to the Home Screen
• Swipe up to reveal the multitasking bar
• Swipe left or right to switch between apps

• On-device setup, activation and configuration with Setup Assistant
• Software updates available over the air without tethering
• iCloud support
• iTunes in the Cloud
• Photo Stream
• Documents in the Cloud
• Apps and Books automatic download and purchase history
• Backup
• Contacts, Calendar, and Mail
• Find My iPhone

• Redesigned Music app for iPad

• Hourly weather forecast
• Real-time stock quotes
• Wireless sync to iTunes
• Keyboard improvements
• Split keyboard for iPad
• Improved autocorrection accuracy
• Improved Chinese and Japanese input
• New Emoji keyboard
• Personal dictionary for autocorrection
• Optionally create keyboard short cuts for frequently used words
• Accessibility improvements

• Option to light LED flash on incoming calls and alerts for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4
• Custom vibration patterns for incoming calls on iPhone
• New interface for using iOS with mobility-impairment input devices
• Option to speak a selection of text
• Custom element labeling for VoiceOver

• Exchange ActiveSync improvements
• Wirelessly sync tasks
• Mark messages as flagged, read or unread
• Improved offline support
• Save a new contact from a GAL service
• More than 1,500 new developer APIs
• Bug fixes

Products compatible with this software update:

• iPhone 4S
• iPhone 4
• iPhone 3GS
• iPad 2
• iPad
• iPod touch (4th generation)
• iPod touch (3rd generation)

* Normal carrier data rates may apply. Messages will be sent as SMS when iMessage is unavailable, carrier messaging fees apply.

For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website: 

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

Just Ask

My wife is wise.

One of her famous quotes is, "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." This is absolutely a correct principle.

For example, I was recently asked to conduct a speaking session at a conference. However, if I wanted to attend any of the other sessions I was going to have to register for the conference at a $1,500 fee. Ouch!

So, I called the conference and asked, in a very nice way, if there was any way they could comp me in. After a few minutes on hold she said she'd talked with the head of the conference and they'd provide me a pass for free.

Today I'm traveling back from Chicago, I've got an hour before my flight and really wanted a quiet place to work. So I walked into the Delta Sky Club and asked if I could go in for a while although I don't yet have a pass to get in. The gentleman at the desk looked through my records and saw that I travel a lot and that I will soon have earned a pass. He let me in.

People are generally nice (with a few bad eggs thrown in the mix) and will usually try to be of assistance -- especially if you are courteous and kind to them. I know that if someone asks me for something, I will really try and help them out.

13 years ago I asked my wife to marry me. Either she was feeling especially generous on that beautiful San Francisco day or I asked the right way (or maybe a bit of both). She said "yes" and my life has been blessed ever since.

The next time you're in a bind or need a favor, crack open the jar of honey and just ask real nice. You won't always get the answer you're looking for, but you should always ask.

Happy anniversary Laura!

Have you heard about the Singularity?

I just finished reading this article on the coming Singularity. What? You haven't heard about this event predicted to occur in about 2020? I hadn't either...at least not in these terms. WARNING: The article will fry your brain around the edges a bit.

Here's a taster to get you interested:

The difficult thing to keep sight of when you're talking about the Singularity is that even though it sounds like science fiction, it isn't, no more than a weather forecast is science fiction. It's not a fringe idea; it's a serious hypothesis about the future of life on Earth.

This movement even has a university, SingularityU, and an annual conference. I have a friend from Denmark that actually paid the $25,000 to attend the university last year. He's trying to get me to go next year, saying that it is the most amazing experience he's ever had. I'll let you know if my wife let's me sell her car so I can afford the tuition.

So, read the article to get a glimpse of what this means. For me, I'm pretty excited about it all!

Export your Facebook contacts with new Open-Xchange tool

I found this great post about how to import your Facebook contacts into Google+. The original post was found here. Thanks for the post Andrew Couts!

Right now, using the service is a little bit complicated. But for those of you who are anxious to migrate all you Facebook friends over to Google+, here’s how to use it:

1. If your browser is set to block pop-up windows, turn that off.
2. Visit ox.io.
3. Click “Create an account,” and fill out the necessary fields.
4. Validate your account via the link sent to your email address. A Wizard will pop-up on your screen. Cancel that, and instead go to Mail View, which is accessible though the blue envelope icon located in the top left corner.
5. Click “Add email account” on the left side, and add the email address you use for most of your contacts. You can add additional emails later, if you wish. The email you use must be IMAP (not POP), but that includes most major email services, like Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Hotmail, etc.
6. Click the Contacts View icon (black, fourth over in the top left corner). Then select “Import Facebook contacts.” To complete the process, we had to click “…or create a fresh one for your profile” button that appears in the pop-up menu. This will ask you to add the Open-Xchange app to your Facebook account, so it’s best to be already logged into Facebook before you get to this point.
7. Click “start” and the tool will begin the export process. (This takes about 5 minutes.)
8. And you’re done! Your contacts will then appear in the Open-Xchange, and you can also download the list directly to your computer. You can now import the contacts into a range of address books and social networks, including Google+

The Open-Xchange tool, which exports only email addresses, is not as thorough as the now-defunct Chrome extension, which also included things like birthdays. But it’s good enough to get things rolling past the Facebook blockade.

Why is the Space Shuttle project ending?

It seems sad that the Space Shuttles are ending. I remember when this started and how it affected my life -- I was just a kid watching it blast into space but it opened my mind to new way's of thinking. I even built a pseudo-model that I would launch from my school's baseball field and then watch it glide back down to earth.

I'm sure the space program will continue, I just hope that it will have as dramatic effect on my kids as it did on me.

View Space Shuttle and over 3,000,000 other topics on Qwiki.

When it's Due - by Seth Godin

I love this post by Seth Godin (by the way if you don't subscribe to his blog via RSS, you're really missing out!). You can find his blog at http://sethgodin.typepad.com/.

Here is the full text of this post:

WHEN IT'S DUE

Here's the schedule. Follow it.

There's your in box. Empty it.

When something is imminent, speed up. When you're off the deadline machine, take a breath and poke around a bit, explore, relax.

Nonsense.

The goal isn't to do work and hand it in just before it's due. The goal is to do the work as beautifully as you can, faster than anyone else, so you can do more work.

If it takes a deadline to get you off your butt and to push past the resistance, then move the deadlines forward.

You don't work on an assembly line any more. You work in project world, and more projects mean more chances to screw up, to learn, to make a reputation and to have more impact.

When it's you against the boss, the goal is to do less work.

When it's you against the project, the goal is to do more work.

Mid-year goals

My goal setting bench in Cascais, Portugal.

I'm a goal-setting kind of guy. If you don't believe me just ask my wife. Each year for our wedding anniversary I'll take my wife out to dinner and we use this time to talk about our goals -- for each other and for each of our four children. Besides this routine goal-setting time, I'm always thinking about what goals should be accomplished.

This spring, while on a trip to Portugal, I found myself walking through the Parque Marechal Carmona one evening. It was a really beautiful park and I had the place to myself. So, I sat down on this park bench and started writing down a long list of goals that I wanted to accomplish.

I always write my goals in four areas: Spiritual goals, Mental goals, Social goals and Physical goals. I find that when I focus on these four areas I can usually capture the bulk of what I need to work on.

The secret, I've found, is to regularly review your goals and make weekly plans to move them along. I know...it 's really hard to work on them all of the time...so you have to plan on being flexible. I try to find a quite place each week to read my goals. It could be at lunch, on a Sunday morning, or on a plane ride. But the important thing is to keep them in the front of your mind all of the time!

So, here we are at the middle of the year -- July 1. If you haven't been able to keep up on your New Year's resolutions, try dusting them out today and make a Mid-Year Resolution to refocus on them and accomplish them during the next six months.

Three lessons I've learned this year

It's been a while since I've posted anything. I like to use the excuse that I've been traveling a lot, but that shouldn't be an excuse...it should be a reason to post!

I've been learning and experiencing so much over the past few months it's unbelievable! Here are a few lessons learned:

1) You need to carry your own weather. I've found that I'm happiest when people around me are happy. The problem is that people aren't happy all of the time so I've made a resolution to try and make them happier, thereby having an impact on my environment. Here's a short video to help inspire you.

2) There's no place like home. I've logged more than 100,000 miles in the first half of this year. I've traveled to four different continents and seen some amazing sights like Cabo de Roca, the westernmost point in Europe; a Bollywood opera in New Delhi; The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul; and Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed. I don't list these things to brag and boast, rather to illustrate how inconsequential they are. Because there's nothing like coming home to your family -- pushing your daughter on a swing; riding a bike with your son; playing a game with a daughter on a lazy Sunday morning; or teaching a son to play baseball. I would trade my travel experiences -- all of them -- to have more family experiences like these.

3) Focus begets success. When you truly focus on a goal and take steps to accomplish it, you have a greater chance of success. Conversely, when you are unorganized and undisciplined you have a tendency to wander in circles, unable to attain that which you seek because you have not charted a course and diligently focused on it.

Isn't life strangely wonderful? It's like a constant puzzle that you're always trying to solve but, as one piece slips into place you see more pieces that need to be arranged. It's a never ending game of trial, error, and success. Hopefully we'll all find more success than error for the second half of this year!

Good Thoughts

I was asked to go to India to speak at a conference this week. I really didn't want to go because:

1) India is really hard to get to (35 hours of multiple long flights)

2) It's really hot (The last time I was there it was 120 degrees)

3) It's extremely dirty

4) It's a really, really sad place

But I went.

While there, I saw the horrific poverty of the people -- families literally living in cardboard boxes in the dirt. I saw young children, the ages of my own kids, dragging sheets of corrugated metal through the streets, supposedly to create a rudimentary shelter for their family for the night. I saw beggars in the street with nothing to eat. I saw horrific pollution and dirt.

It's almost too much to take in.

But then I read an article online about how you should try and look for the good in everything, no matter the situation. The next day, I saw things differently.

I saw families laughing together. I saw neighbors helping neighbors. I saw hard workers providing for their families. I saw children playing soccer and having fun. I saw people serving each other. I saw beautiful colors. I saw lots of smiles.

I don't mean to diminish the horrific situation of these people. But they seem to be happy with what they have. Perhaps because they don't know any differently. Maybe they realize any other life is unattainable and they've come to accept their reality.

I have a new appreciation for India. It is a beautiful place filled with a rich culture that I will never be able to fully understand.

Hong Kong Kaboom!

Treion and Matt have been visiting Hong Kong to help organizations understand The Learning Explosion and embrace virtual classrooms. Hong Kong is truly an amazing place with a great culture, lovely people, and, like other major cities, lots of traffic.

Imagine the stress relief you can experience by using virtual classrooms rather than having to drive in endless traffic to your training. We talk a lot about the convenience of virtual classrooms, but rarely do we hear about the stress relief it can have.

So the next time you plan a live training session, think about holding it virtually. You'll may save some unnecessary tension in your life and in those of your participants.

How long until I get one of these?

My friend's agency, StruckAxiom, created this amazing technology display for PepsiCo.

PepsiCo Social Media Visualization from StruckAxiom on Vimeo.

My review of Adobe Connect

Adobe asked if I would do a review of one of their software solutions, Adobe Connect. Here is the final video as posted on Adobe.com.