Read and create mobilecodes

Increasing amount of mobile codes -matrix shaped barcodes- can be found around the cities. If you have a camera phone you can upload a code reader and even create your own barcode, like I did for this blog. Now after loading the application I think I'll go to window of Kiinteistömaailma to test it for different apartments ;) -Not that I have anything to complain. I just rented an apartment without seeing that first. -It really paid of. Perfect apartment in the heart of Oulu with a slice of (almost own) green grass =)

How to make a 3D paper snowflake

As mentioned, I'm not the most presents buying type of person. -But making those can be fun. And this really made my fingers itch..
How to make a 3D paper snowflake via Core77 and WikiHow.

"There's a special place in hell for women who don't help each other"

I was buying some christmas presents which is quite unusual for me. I usually buy such only if I clearly see something is for somebody or then I just see something really nice. I bought two books and for a reason not totally clear to me the other book was "There is an special place in hell for women who don't help each other" by Liza Marklund and Lotta Snickare (Helvetissä on erityinen paikka naisille jotka eivät auta toisiaan). Today I had to open the package and I read it.. The reasons for this were probably the same as already in the store: My dear friend used the frase and I got interested how deep feministic values it posessed. And I also seem to end up in different kind of equality conversations, and I was a bit curious what kind of book this was.

I have never understood why men and women wouldn't have more or less equal possibilities in study and working life. After reading this book I understand that there's more connected than just a persons own survival strategy. It might not be enought if a person decides to claim one's place and space and be a Person instead of a stereotypic representative of one's sex. There's certain sosiomechanic structures in working environments too. Raising them to the open certainly helps to start understanding these issues. For that reason I would have wanted to see more issues from the book on the posters that Mahdollista menestys -organisation is publishing 1) 2). Posters sadly include more orders than explanations.

Reading this book also reminded of the bubbles that we create around us. For me I have found myself already in engineering bubble, academic bubble and arts bubble. Bubbles are comfortable but also make us forget what is happening in other bubbles or on the ground. I didn't remember how stubborn ideologies people still can have in some bubbles.

Most of the bubbles leave out rural areas and suburbs, where new kind of equality thinking would help a lot according to Marklund and Snickare. Unfortunately writers don't go too deeply in that what kind of changes could be made, but at least schools have major impact on the development and misery of both, boys and girls.

One thing was nice to understand. I have been on the right track when I have expected equal results from both sexes. But it is not always simple. Even now I feel that I have started to be carefull in some situations, so I wouldn't break anything. Too much political correctness is not a good thing. If we try to guess other peoples opinions, we end up rating them.

Flock - a test drive

Earlier I made a brief mention about Flock - a social web browser. This weekend I have been forced to be still due a hard flu, so I was able to test this new browser. -It really feels that this could be my default browser!

For you who are regular visitors might be aware that I'm a user for several social web services like, Flickr, Facebook, Blogger, Google reader, Del.icio.us and Dopplr. Using many different services can be challenging and that's why services tend to collect themselves as clusters (money plays also a major role in this). But like me I have to use several clusters, like Google and Yahoo. And balancing on these services is sometimes quite awkward. Feeling of control is lost on these several services.

The thing about Flock is that now I have all my accounts open on the sidebar of my browser and I constantly receive RSS feed from those all. This means that I skipp the whole mess of opening pages to see my accounts. And for example uploading my photos, I just press the upload button, and after that I can choose to which service I want to upload. Or for this blog entrty I needed a single button. -Me likes..

Blogged with Flock

Usability orientation - the cause or the symptom

I have been wondering the mindscape of an usability person. Does usability point of view on everyday issues turn us cranky, demanding and short tempered or was it already there before we started to form theories about that to justify our own anxiety and to make a living out of that.

Another great generalization could be that people with usability expertese have all experienced something which has formed them to be more emphatic than the average Joe.

A usability oriented person senses the problems more easier, but like the rest of us, cannot escape those. This is a reason why usability persons themselves are an interesting group to monitor and see what kind of protective tactics they use against the stress the world has to offer.

Time management for creative people

Time management is something what you can always do better. Especially in case of creative people.
So in this case I'll proritize and only leave you the link -that is said to be a really good one- and just wait for you to comment was it any good..:
Time Management #1: Why You Need to be Organised to be Creative
You can also download it, thanks BODO.

IT security

Opening our University webmail I popped into this nice contradiction in the picture. There's been a campaign for the IT security and password policy. This picture astually shows what is the difference between talking and doing.
People are willing to adopt protective means, if they can do it conveniently. -The meaning on convenient for starters is Not:
1) You just Have to uninstall your firewall not knowing where to get a new one. (picture)
2) Every year you have to go to helpdesk to loan a CD to get your virus scanner running.
3) An old post about passwords

Some interesting findings

Been busy lately, but here's some findings

Microsoft breaking into map services; Imposing bird-eye perspective views for example Oulu city centre from 4 different directions.
Flock; a web browser that combines blogs, friends, picture services and some more into same window.
Smugmug; competitor to Flickr?

A day to note

Today is a day to note for two reasons:
First, it's World Usability Day.
And secondly, today I started my work at Nokia.
-Warm thanks to the people on product development unit at Sweco PIC for the past time :)

Contradictions and safety of Facebook

I should really be working at the moment, but I cannot help wondering the contradictions of Facebook. (See, it Is addictive!)
Recently I've had some friend requests from my colleagues. Few I accepted, but for some I'm just not sure. In the end I know and like the persons, but where the boundary goes, who get's the access to my 'livingroom'.

Facebook appealed for me for the reason that it felt safe. I could add pictures and personal data, for only my friends to see. On the opposite, Facebook is by far the easiest application to find friends. -These two appealing factors seem contradicttive, without a convinient solution. Somehow it doesn't seem so fair thing to use 'limited profile' either. -I better try, so I'll know..

Totally other story is, if Facebook really is so safe like it seems. The applications you add to your Facebook account -which actully make Facebook so live- supposedly get all the data available on your account. And anybody can make an application. -That's really frightening.
There already was news about false bank accounts made by Facebook data. Facebook didn't publish this information on it's pages, although it would have been a fair thing to do.

Invitation to update your profile

There's been a lot of talk around how you shouldn't close a shop (in finnish). -I just received a mail, which gave a perfect example How you shouldn't invite a member to update one's profile.

First I was happy to receive a mail saying there's something new at Club Nokia And I was ready to update my profile, but the way it put me to wait for a confirmation mail _before_ the update, was really awkward.
While editing that pic on right and writing this post, I haven't received the mail, so I think the next thing I'll do for my account is to delete it.

Stora Enso shuts down a city

While reading Lapin Kansa a bit forward, my ticket started to seem a small fish.

Mobile phone charger manufacturer Salcomp decided to shut down it's factory in Kemijärvi in the autumn of 2003. This resulted in a fairly great depression of the whole town. People got sick, several killed themselves and the overall financial situation for the city and it's habitants was compareable to afterwar time.
Last month Yle reported how things in Kemijärvi start to look positive again after four years.
And this week Stora Enso informs that they will shut down their profitable pulp mill in Kemijärvi - second and last major employer from the town. Stora Enso doesn't want to sell the mill - only shut down, which will surely bounce the unemployment procentage to 45%.
Ok, so what you ask.. There's families where the salary is coming from the single company. Families have bought or built houses by loans, and now they have to move, apartment is worth nothing and the bank still want's their money. And there really isn't that many tax payers anymore in there.
So in the end, I'm happy just to be able to pay my parking ticket. I just wish it went for better purpose.

More from: Lapin Kansa, Helsingin Sanomat and Kaleva

"Committed to sustainability

Sustainability has been identified as one of the key success factors in the Group's business strategy: Stora Enso aims at superior performance and image in the area of sustainability. To succeed in this, we need to ensure that we build accountability into the way we actually work, thus creating long-term value on an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable basis. We will do this by being transparent, and open to dialogue with our stakeholders."
Stora Enso

Parking ticket again - Rovaniemen parkkipirkot

I just hate being ticketed because of parking. Especially in a small town like Rovaniemi. -I also hate speed-traps, that instinctively make me step on my brakes 13 times while I'm driving between Oulu and Rovaniemi (and this time it seemed to be slippery too).
Today I received a ticket. -I took my bike to for service and placed my car on front of the shop making sure everybody have enough space. -Everybody else had, but the warden. There's no place for explanations - those women are rude here in Rovaniemi.

The shop owner felt bad. -He said it happens a lot.
I continued to Kauppayhtiö to have a comfort-baquette and started to read a newspaper Lapin Kansa (21./22.10.07).
Another bicycle-shop owner was complaining about the same topic. -He actually ended up changing his whole profession 'due' the wardens. -Please read more from the pic, where the text is unfortunately only in finnish.

Nordea surprised by packaging

Posted from N73 through Flickr

Today I received a thick envelope, just like the ones that grant you access to fortune and fame. -Only this time it was from my bank.
Some might remember my post about Nordea's good UI on ordering personalized card. This was the delivery, but the best was yet to come. -The double-slider package was a blast, after all those dull, thin letters ;D

Mikael's portfolio -piece of art

My friend Mikael Heikkilä updated his portfolio, which is really worth to see!
Includes also Grandma's Revenge. A table inspired by rug weaving.

How to lie with Design research

On a presentation I saw on wednesday, there was a slide where it was written, "Don't buy user research, if you are not willing to use the information on the product development"..

I found a clip of Dan Shaffers presentation How To Lie With Design Research on Mobile Observations. It had a kind of similar message. The key point was maybe 'Most companies are looking to have their ideas validated anyway. So why waste your budget on field research. -Just do it in the Google.'

I can't help wondering, does this tell more about clients or designers.

<5mins

Fiskars - keeping up the brand?

When a company starts to gain size, daughter companies and additional product categories, the problems in keeping the product portflio in tact start to form. This and pirate-copies about the products create a challenge for a consumer.

I found these. -Please somebody tell me that the restaurant made a quickfix and these are not in the market!

Mie -clothes from Lapland

This weekend the theme was all about our user experience team visiting the north. We went all the way up to Karigasniemi. Somehow we ended up talking about could you live up here as an designer.. -And the visit to Tivoli in Rovaniemi added a flavour to this conversation:
Mie is a clothes-line based on the very same idea. I have to say that I appreciate the values they work by. And the print 'Kemijärvi Night Train"-is one of my favorites.
Read their story from their site.

Loota - social networking with virtual content by physical means?!

My dear friend portugalilainen and rest of his group is at 1st Riga International Young Designers Biennale with their Nokia Only Planet consept, Loota.

In my opinion that was one of the greatest inventions for a social networking where a virtual and physical content and objects are being intertvined. I would like to see if they have come up with a design for that, but while waiting news you can watch a video about the consept:



See also an open blog Exploring creativity, by Portugalilainen.

Pylon surround speaker

Pylon is a high quality speaker with unexpected shape and changeable textile cover on all sides. Speaker breaks the barrier between the technology driven design and home environment. Speaker is designed by Perttu Luomala.

-Around the cabinet, four metal rods are used to create the unexpected shape for the textile cover.
-Changeable and washable textile covers the speaker on all four sides. User can tune the speaker into any interior or atmosphere. The four piece textile serie called Elo is designed by Eija-Riitta Vähämaa.
-Terminal is placed at the bottom of the speaker, and the wires can be lead conviniently to any of the four directions, making it possible to place the speaker even in the middle of the floor.
-Speaker is based on single Tangbang element and the cabinet design relies on transmission-line principle, which makes it possible to reach frequences down to 60Hz.

Habitare 2007 - opening tomorrow

The official opening of Habitare 2007 is tomorrow. Lots of work done and a great department accomplished. Thanks for all the participants.

Come and see yourself how it looks inside the grey and stoned fasade. Lapin Yliopisto at Ahead! -area in Hall 5.

Receipt guarantee

Posted from N73 through Flickr

Since the lack of extra time during last two weeks, I ended up having a take away pizza from Kotipizza. There's a good campaign against the grey economy on the box. -You get your money back, if you don't get a receipt..
 Take a note next time you eat in your local pizzeria what is their practice with the cash register. -Does it really print a receipt ;)

(Edit; photo location changed)

Pylon -surround speaker at Habitare furniture fairs

Habitare 2007 will be held at Helsinki at 20.-23. of september.
Our department from university of Lapland is also participating. Earlier today I heard that one of the early prototypes is featured on university web pages ;)

Unfortunately the article is available only in Finnish, but have a look at other designs too.
Codesigner for the textiles, Eija-Riitta Vähämaa and I hope that you come and visit Ahead-design area in Helsinki Fair Centre hall 5 to see how the design Really came out like.. Other interesting object might be Grandma's Revenge, by Mikael Heikkilä

The idea for the design of Pylon speaker relies on combining everyday living with new technology.
Pylon is a high quality speaker with unexpected shape and changeable textile cover on all sides. Speaker is wired from the bottom, and wires can be led to any of the four directions, which makes it highly suitable for surround speaker. With changeable covers speaker can be tuned into any interior, either to be bold or almost invisible. Textile covering all sides, speaker can be placed even in the middle of the floor. The four piece textile serie called Elo, is designed by Eija-Riitta Vähämaa.

Introduction to User Experience

Marjut had linked an introduction to user experience design onto her blog Matkalla. Since I've had similar conversations as Marjut, I find this really helpful, despite that it uses iPhone as an example.

Sony bio battery uses sugar to generate electricity

Consumer electronics companies have studied using glucose to energize their gadgets for some time, but Sony seems to be one of the first to provide some results.
Check the video from their site.
-Anyway it's absolutely great if we could get rid of massive use of different kind of batteries.

Configuring Windows wireless connection

Sometimes when repairing windows (it must count as a hobby) you end up in quite contradictive situations. Maybe most of these situations are related to internet connections.
Here Windows tells that everything will be fine after I can connect to internet. -Yes, I know that. That's the reason why I'm trying to fix it..
-Just put the article on my system!

Why mobile keyboard is below the display?

Posted from N73 through Flickr

I've been wanting to have a reversed phone for a long time. I cannot see why it couldn't be possible.
In the regular layout, with the hands of taiga- region dweller, it's nearly impossible to reach the lowest keys like C.

VR - green image of rail transportation vs. bikes

It is coming increasingly difficult to take your bike on a train at times of InterCity and Pendolino.
While old express trains can take bunch of bikes as freight at the rate of 9€, typical InterCity can take only 3 bikes at the same rate - accompanied by the passangers.
On Helsinki area commuter trains the bikes are a headache for both other passangers and bikers with the price of 3,60€. On my opinion taking bike with you could be free - if only VR facilitated trains with hooks, to lift the bikes up.

Actually those three bike places in IC-trains use kind of complicated hooks, but the actual system is terrible. There's no intuitivity nor proper guidance. The good thing is, that it locks your bike (needed?) and gives your money back - if only you end up sticking your finger into right hole.

Biomimic mechanisms and ecology

While searching mechanisms with biomimicry, I ran into Better by Design - innovation guide. It has interesting examples and has a reasonable set of tools for analysing products ecolocical impact. It also features a lists of restricted materials, bio-materials, green fabrics and alternative flame retardants.
Via Treehugger Via Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Check also how some American Federal Agencies are "leading by example" on their site for best practices Federal sustainability

Church bells of Konevitsa monastry

I found today an forgotten gem from my favorites, and started to share the story to my foreign friend:

The gem was Church bells of Konevitsa by Piirpauke. -The melody literally comes from the church bells: At the time when lake Laatokka still was part of Finland, there were some musicants living around the lake. And at still summer evenings they could hear the bells from monestary of Konevitsa island. Musicants started to follow the sound by Kantele and turned it into a folkmusic.

And pretty well it came out even on modernized(1975;) version. -At least I can really easily picture the lake shore while listening..

Even more modern version is made by Finnish metal band, Sentenced on 2002.

Live MSN to to your S60 phone

I have boosted earlier about Fring. -Despite the obvious advantadges there's still some annoyances in Fring, so the use has been less than I expected. -Today I read from Tero Lehto's blog that Live Messenger is available for S60 phones.

I haven't tested it yet, but I waiting a lot. -After all there's Nokia and Microsoft behind this, so there's probably no 3rd party complications..
Via: Mobiili- ja PDA-blogi, Symbianv3.com

BusinnesWeek&IDSA IDEA winners

Check out this years BusinnesWeek/IDSA IDEA winners.
Via Core77

Bank card + own photos

Pictures in bank cards. -That's an old story. Even using your own pictures doesn't sound so sexy anymore.
But I wouldn't have imagined it to be this easy and enjoyable.
The only problem is that which picture should I choose.. -How many cards would I actually need ;)

Perfect evening at lake Inari

Posted from N73 through Flickr

First evening was still, warm and absolutely No mosquitos. In the morning it was raining slightly, but it doesn't really matter while paddling. -You end up getting wet anyway.

The lake itself is remote, quiet and complex with all it's islands. Great place for kayaking and camping. The water is really good and clear even on finnish scale.

Flexible polymer armour for sports

Hilavitkutin wrote recently about a polymer developed by d3o that is flexible until you hit it. In that case it hardens instantly and in this case protects you body.
-I would like to have that kind of stuff on my knees next time I go off-piste. -I would be great if it could support joints in similar manner, only when you need it.

Headset interface

When I wrote about the headset wires I got a hunch that I had a sketch in my bedside notebook about how the interface could be used through shirt or jacket.
Still I might prefer one which would be U-shaped and would come out-and-front from the collar. Never the less, now after I searched the pic, here you go..

Headset wiring

I bought a Nokia HS-20 headset, a really enjoyable purchase. Especially the plugs fit into my ears perfectly and shut a lot of noise out. -Should try them today in night-train instead of normal plugs..

It's just that the wires in the headsets are so incomprehensible. You need to keep the microphone near you mouth and that creates a fair length of extra wire near your neck. With this kind of miniplugs you wouldn't need the connector behind your neck. My headset lacked the connector, but even with that, the wires would bee too long.

-I wish there was a place for extra length or the wires would be adjusted to this use. And am I really the only one who want's to lead the wire under my shirt, because there's no headset that allows it properly?

Nokia and Outlook calenders and holidays

Today we were talking about placing appointments accidently on public holidays.
Nowadays you can live your life based only on virtual calendars. I think MS should provide local calendars for Outlook, so that at least holidays would be marked, preferably also other calendar information.
My colleague brought up the the way how traditional calendars are sold to different target groups and the thing is, there could be 3rd party providers for different kind of calendar items. -Outlook might actually start to look more attracting and inviting, rather than _the_ dull office application.

Airport security checks

This morning I managed myself through security check really fast. There has been times that it takes several minutes with all the gear. Somehow I would feel it less invading if there was a line for naked passangers and another for the gear and clothes.
This morning I dropped some coins below the conveyor. It reminded me a lot how harsh Finland can be for foreigners. Nobody moved to help in a situation which was basicly caused by 'service provider'.
I still remember how they handled the situation in Osaka airport security check when I forgot that I was using metal enforced shoes: They really made me feel it wasn't my fault. They offered me a pair of slippers on a plate and were quite sorry that they needed to scan my shoes. It made me laugh, but since - finnish security check has seriously lacked some service attitude.

The small plastic bags seem to be also really Required. The point is that people want to bag their liquids, and staff want's to see them. -So if I have a single bottle of liquid, why is it nescessary to bag that into a plastic bag? -That's regular stuff too..

Web trend map 2007 - by Information architects

Information architects have created nice maps about what's kind of internet services are hot at the moment.

The map is interesting as it is, but is also a great example how statistics can be formed interesting and usable form.

www.matka.fi & asuntojen.hintatiedot.fi

One good thing about checking Destia's site was to find a route finder www. matka.fi for whole Finland in the same manner as YTV works for Helsinki. It includes all the major cities and trains and busses!!

Another good new service is asuntojen.hintatiedot.fi, where you can find the prices of apartments in 15 major finnish cities.

Itella - Destia

Lately I have been amazed how are these new brand names telling more than the old ones about the businnes the companies are practicing..:
Posti changed it's name to Itella and government owned Tieliikelaitos to Destia.

Illustrator art

Forget 3D tools, check how Yukio Miyamoto renders it in Adobe Illustrator..
Picture: Yukio Miyamoto & Core77

Vuosaari by bike

Posted from N73 through Flickr

After living in Helsinki for awhile I think that this city is heaven for XC-biker!

Today I took the subway to east and we started to explore forests around Vuosaari. Kallahti was a great place, felt nothing like Southern Finland. Also Uutela with the beautiful cow sculptures by Miina Äkkijyrkkä is a sight to see! (On Google Maps)

And don't forget the sausages. -Plenty of places to grill, but unfortunately no axes.

Midsummer

Posted from N73 through Flickr

Building sauna on the eve of midsummer; We made everything ready before the midnight, and the löyly was great =)

The thing about festivities is to prepare those. -Like christmas, the thing is to make the food and decorations. If those are done already, what's the point just sit around..

But sauna is finished and tomorrow is just for sauna and games. And hopefully some more sun 8)

Bar smoking

Posted from N73 through Flickr

Smoking in bars was banned from beginning of June.

The great thing in this is that your clothes don't smell anymore like fireman's. Unfortunately though, instead of smoke, the dominating smell nowadays is sweat.

At least the scenery on streets has changed. In away it's nice, but I can believe there's bunch of problems rising from this. And the least of those isn't the noise and smoke for the apartmens around the bar.

KYN - Kauppakorkeakoulun Ylioppilaskunnan Naislaulajat

When I was driving around eysterday, I popped into church of Kaleva in Tampere. As you can see in the picture, there was a group of people in the front. -At some point they organized themselves and started to sing..
-I was the only person listening when 30 young energetic women sang 'Tulisit' (would you come). I couldn't help smiling .. a lot =)
Later that afternoon I had to go to see KYN's real performance in Tampere talo, where Tampere Vocal music festival was taking place.
-Now just have to order a cd from them ;D

Pyynikki, Tampere

Posted from N73 through Flickr

One of the best places to be on a weather like this, Pyynikki swimming beach in Tampere.

I decided that Bianchi is a perfect choice for me. (see earlier post) And now I've been cruising around city.

One of the best things about shopping outside Helsinki is that you can really talk about the price and conditions with the owner or clerk with a sufficient negotiation rights. When considering the user satisfaction in shopping experience, this is a major factor to utilize. It cannot be too hard give negotiation rights to clerks also in bigger organizations. The cost for this is not nescessary high, but the loyalty of customers is gained easily.

In this case I bought the bike from Suomen Urheilupyörä. The deal was all together more than 20% cheaper than the same in Helsinki. -Some more customer satisfaction for me ;)

Panasonic driver support

Ready for another quizz?
Go to www.panasonic.fi and select support and downloads.
-Then you need to answer some quizz questions to find your digital camcorder..

Basicly you could select the cam by model, but it doesn't really help you finding the driver. -Even after you might realize that it actually isn't NV-GS500 like spelled on the side of the cam, but instead it is PV-GS500.. -Enjoy ;)

Mapping in case of vertical arrow

Posted from N73 through Flickr

For a considerable time I have kept my eyes on arrows pointing to your front or behind you.

I seriously think that at least in Finland the direction has changed during last 2 years.

Todays quizz was in a sunny city of Kotka. -At least I wasn't sure at all, how to park with these signs.

In case my opinion, that arrow pointing up means forward is still valid, for example the whole mall of Kamppi has signs pointing to all possible wrong directions. *starting to doubt.. Please leave an opinion*

Finnish touch screen

Hilavitkutin posted a clip of finnish touch screen available in Helsinki.
(And for the people in northern Finland i recommend to see this -a bit similar one one, which Teemu made for Hannu Hautala's nature picture centre in Kuusamo)

Microsoft surface

Usually I add interesting blog topics on to my "Just read about..." list on the right, but this time I have to add this as an entry.

Microsoft Surface is about to change many ways how we manage information, files and our everyday activities. -If only it will be affordable.

See engadget gallery and the video below:

Jörn Donner theme in SEA

Finnish movie archieve offers this summer a collection of Jörn Donners works. Donner is lately been infamous about his "Lukeminen kannattaa aina" campaign for Kirjakerho, but actually has directed several great movies. Now there's a great opportunity to see those.
There's also some other interesting films like Barbarella, 1968 and Modesty Blaise, 1966 ;D

-Still I'm missing one of the best TV series ever; Pikkukaupungin tarinoita, where Donner was a producer. It was filmed in Kristiinankaupunki at summer and had a really intimate small town feeling along with the stories, as the name already says.

Coffee related trash

Posted from N73 through Flickr

While having a coffee I usually cannot avoid thinking; Where I should put this litter I'm creating with papers from sugar etc. This is a problem especially in airplane where table space is limited, or outside where the wind tends to grab things.

The answer was surprising: Cappuchino cups in FAZER Cafe had an elevated plate to hide the bottom of the cup and it could be used also for small litter created during your coffee moment!

I'd go there again just for the cups, but luckily the coffee was great too!
(btw: they also have a great 'eat all that you can' -type breakfast ;)

Update

I kept a long weekend, and what a nice weekend it was :)
Saw Tamminiemi, went to Turku to see Mikael, grilled in Aurinkolahti, saw Hietaniemi cemetary and finally had a hike in Uutela. -And all this in great company!

Btw: our companys official 'lähiökuppila' Luna has been mentioned in City-magazine. -Along with the next place I try to check, La Place..

Guidance on bicycle paths

Generally the guidance on bicycle paths in Helsinki is really poor. You might see the path existing on the map, you follow the sign at the start of the path and you would think that it really quides you somewhere. -Then, suddenly you don't have any idea where the path went..
Though this time it was quite extreme, especially for my replacement bike.. :D -Finally the next day I found the right way, thanks to Google maps for mobile and now I have a shortcut to work and back :)

Sofa of the nation

Posted from N73 through Flickr

Talking about flatscreens and big sofas =D

Good day for Finland,won a game against russia and plays tomorrow ice-hockey finals. And today Hanna is trying her best at Eurovision finals.. Good luck for both!

VR and how to wash your face vs. floor

Posted from N73 through Flickr

On my train trips on these new 2floor cars I've tried to wash my face in cabin toilet, cabin sink and also in corridor toilet -failing every time. There's just no room for your head on top of the sink.

This time I thought I was clever. -There was cleansing wipes in the cabinet, I thought!
-No way, it would have been too easy. Just some soap to make the floor even more slippery..

Only place where you actually can wash your face is the shower. Shower as a concept is great. But there is a mapping problem. You could think that just use the big knob. -No. Every 30 seconds you have to find the small metal button just over the big one. The pic is blury, but you can immerse yourself in the moving and steamy environment ;).

Product design and free riding

Lately I've been watching how Ville has written about deep things behind design and somehow it reminded me of an text I wrote three years ago about analogy between telemark skiing and product developement. Unfortunately it is in finnish only.. -But english readers can see some lectures from Michael Hardt instead - I promise, there's a lot more proven facts ;)

"Tuotekehitystä voi verrata vapaalaskuun. Päästäkseen nauttimaan menestyvästä tuotteesta tai onnistuneesta laskusta, on ensin kiivettävä pitkä tie vuoren huipulle ja tuotekehityksen huippuhetkeen.

Nousuun tulee valmistautua huolellisesti. Matkalla voi sattua odottamattomia asioita, jolloin on osattava toimia oikein ja pitää suunta oikeana. Valmistautuessa ei myöskään saa unohtaa mitään tarpeellista, koska takaisin kääntyminen on voimien ja motivaation kannalta turmiollista. Huipulle haluaa mahdollisimman nopeasti, mutta on osattava kiivetä resursseja säästäen, sillä voimia täytyy olla vielä laskun hallitsemiseen ja siitä nauttimiseen.

Jos lumi tai markkinat eivät olekaan odotetut, ei lopputuloskaan ole odotettu. -Tämä voi johtua siitä, että matkalla on eksytty, tai on alunperin lähdetty kiipeämään väärälle huipulle tai väärään aikaan. Tai voi olla että kiipeäminen on lopetettu liian aikaisin, jolloin lasku -ja tuotteen myynti- jää lyhyeksi.

Parhaassa tapauksessa lopputulos on kaunis, teknisesti täydellinen ja haluttava. Niin luontainen, että kaikki samaistuvat siihen. –Ja mikä tärkeintä, kuluttaja haluaa sen hinnalla millä hyvänsä!"

PL -04

Fring - VoIP calls and instant messaging

Today I saw a little text on the contact list of my messenger; www.fring.com.
-By far this is the most perfectly quided installation of any service for multimedia phones.

You should try it just to see the installation. But after half an hour use, it's really great. It really brings your Skype and Messenger in to your pocket. And the application even stays on, unlike Nokias own applications.
-Try it, probably you love it :D

Visa electron

During last two days Nordea has experienced some major problems with their data connections to confirm Visa electron purchases.

I have been amazed by the willingness of banks to push Electron to market. On users point of view, the card is very unreliable and even humiliating when you have to keep the cue waiting the card to confirm itself.

-Why not provide a proper cards for the customers?

Mikael Jungerin syytä erota?

Sorry folks, finnish again..

Joku aika sitten kirjoitin Ylen ongelmista digitelevisio kritiikin kanssa.

Tällä kertaa huuto taitaa käydä kovaksi..
Mikael Junger selitti hymyssä suin äsken televisiossa, että ensin sairaalat ilmoittivat etteivät halua joka televisioon digiboxia, sitten kuulemma taloyhtiöt. Asioita on ratkottu yksi kerrallaan ja nyt on tultu siihen tulokseen ettei digiboxeja tarvitakaan.
Ei sovi pohjalaiseen mentaliteettiin tälläinen. -Jos ajatus oli, että siirretään Suomi digiaikaan, niin sitten siirretään! Harvoin tulee sellaista oloa, että jonkun erominen tekisi asioille mitään hyvää, mutta nyt tuli.

Pari hauskaa testiä ja Spreadshirt

Blogilandiasta löytyi tälläiset testit perjantai-illan ratoksi.
-Toinen iloinen jälleennäkeminen oli Spreadshirt, jossa voit teettää paidat tai vaikka alushousut haluamallasi painatuksella!

Kiroileva siili on tyypittänyt persoonansa riviin, voit löytää sieltä omasi. Minä olin näemmä lähimpänä sarjan päähahmoa..


e-on tekee saman kodinkoneilla..

Olet sisäinen tulisielu, vaikka ulospäin näytätkin herkästi viileältä. Jos joku sattuu tulemaan luoksesi väärään aikaan, saattaa heiltä palaa näpit. Et välttämättä kaipaa suuria joukkoja ympärillesi ja viihdyt itseksesi varsin hyvin, mutta jos menet juhliin, menet sinne tyylillä.
Olet tarkka työssäsi ja yleensä jälki on erittäin siistiä. Paneudut työhösi antaumuksella.

Radio Säteily

The new week started with a workshop with Japanese quests.
Our goal is to make a lamp with costs closing zero..
I like the way Japanese work on their projects, they have a limited materials and amounts. Today we didn't have limitations. Sometimes the way that everything is allowed makes things really messy. Let's see how we survive out of this..

The weater was great today. Unfortunately I didn't have the time to take pictures of people ice fishing or skiing on the river. 8)

Anyway there's a party at railway station this evening. -Exotic experiences which only Rovaniemi can offer ;) Today it's about Radio Säteily, which starts in two weeks. Station is run every year for some weeks by the students of department of arts.

Been busy

I participated a workshop called Green Imperative in UIAH about sustainable developement by means of converging technologies.
The week was busy, but enjoyable. It was really interesting to see how groups worked on the subject. And also to see, in vhich topics we all ended up thinking the same way. -In bad and in good.
We set the aim as far as possible, because it seems that everytime we fail to go far enough.

Our point of view was from the side of wireless technologies (including breakthroughs on nano, bio and information sciences). We ended up to a basic idea that available information for decision making on every level of the society might create holistic understanding about the causes of our decisions. This increased knowledge and understanding together with economical (and ekological) pressures would start to change consumption, production and also the way we are living.

Thanks for the group and all other new friends, hope to see you soon again :)
And some irrelevant pics from UIAH to fill the space ;)

PhotoShop

Check this video to see how photo shop ought to be used!!


-And there just happens to be video of Scarlett Johansson from same artist ;)

Updating N73

There were some bugs in my N73, so I decided to update it's firmware.
Firstly I was surprised that I could do it myself. But the major surprise came a little later.

I used the backup option on the phone to store 'something' into my memorycard. Then I updated the firmware and restored the data from the card..
..Everything was back. And I mean EVERYTHING including all the 3rd party applications. Only things that didn't survive were the theme, the order of the icons and a text message which I opened just before the phone went black.
-Amazing!

This has been a problem in Windows for -god knows- how many years. And then suddenly Nokia pulls it of! -And I know it can be a lot trickier on PC, but anyway. Thanks guys! ;)

Rasism

I enjoyed of videoclip where some US. people were asked about some questions on international topics.
Not that this is any kind of truth, but it still reminded me some US politics can be elected.
-Usually rasism is something what you practice against a minority, but are you rasistic if you don't like majority?

There was interesting article in NYT about rasism and how we can actually might cause harm with our over tolerance for Everything.
Also spending some time with japanese people I started to think, should I behave like a normal Finn, or try to adapt to their customs.. After all, the saying goes "When in Rome, do as the the romans do."

Power point file sizes

Power point files tend to become quite massive. The fill your hard-disks and your mail. Some of them are junk, some usefull. But the general problem is the large pictures imported into the show.

Some time ago Microsoft added a handy function for this problem:
When picture is selected and Picture toolbar is visible, click Compress picture, and continue selecting All pictures, 150dpi and Crop. The result is probably up to ten times smaller file size.