Gowalla checkin API for developers

The cupboard-dwelling nerd in me was genuinely excited to read about location-based social networking platform Gowalla making their checkin API available to third party developers using OAuth.

I found this particularly encouraging, since it significantly increases Gowalla's chances of gaining traction in the market, given Facebook's plans to add location-based services to its feature-set a couple of months ago. This is extremely important, if we are to avoid the space being monopolised by a single leviathan platform.

Recipes for the visual thinker

How recipes should look by Starsammy, on Flickr

This visualisation of a recipe by Starsammy tickled me so much that I had to share it. Inspired design!

The Role of Social Networks in Buying Decisions

I was a little disappointed when I read about Gartner's report on the impact of social networking on consumer buying decisions. I had hoped for an incredible insight into consumer behaviour that would revolutionise e-commerce as we know it, but it did little more than confirm what Gladwell had already observed in The Tipping Point.

Air Harmonica

I’m falling in love with this lens. Manual focus is taking some getting used to, and rules out certain types of photography, but the colour rendition compared to my Canon lenses is incredibly accurate. Little or no correction required.

EXIF: 50mm : f/1.4 : 1/3200sec : Canon EOS 5D Mark II : Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4

Should-be iPhone Killer

Technology just doesn't last like it used to. Take my iPhone 3GS for example; it's less than 18 months old and already it's a doorstop. Upgrading to the latest iOS pretty much ground it to a halt.

Trying to send a quick text message this morning, it took 21 seconds for the keyboard to open! I'm no Scrooge McDuck, but I would have expected such an expensive gadget to have lasted a little longer. Paying premium money for disposable goods just isn't on, so I'm looking elsewhere for my touchscreen fix.

Touchscreen vs Mouse

Mashable are running a poll to find out which user input device is most popular: Touchscreen or Mouse. When I posted my vote the mouse was blazing ahead, which seemed a little ironic to me.

Carl Zeiss 50mm Planar T* f/1.4 Test Shot

First test shot with my new Carl Zeiss 50mm Planar T* f/1.4 prime lens. It’s got real character that I haven’t seen before on Canon lenses. It’s manual focus, which is taking a little getting used-to, but I love that bokeh!

Click on the photo to see it full-size against black.

EXIF: 50mm : f/1.8 : 1/800 sec : Canon EOS 5D Mark II : Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4