Fenway dreams come true, courtesy of litl
Ever since I became a Red Sox fan during the season of 1987, when baseball cards had wooden borders, I dreamed of running on to the field at Fenway while my name was being announced. As I got older and started going to more and more games, that dream grew to one day sitting in a luxury suite at Fenway. Earlier this week, I learned that our generous CEO at litl had made a contribution in the company’s name to the Foundation to be Named Later, an organization run by Paul Epstein which raises money for charities. To coincide with the foundation’s upcoming Hot Stove Cool Music summer concert event, they had invited significant contributors to be honored at a pre-game ceremony and meet Theo Epstein and Peter Gammons. I will let the following video and photos tell the rest of the tail of one of the coolest experiences at Fenway I’ve ever had…
And now for the photos..
With Theo Epstein:
With Theo Epstein:
With Jay Santos, of Hell’s Kitchen, and Jordan Newman, of litl:
Thanks again to Jordan for accompanying me to the presentation, taking photos, and helping me represent litl so well!
Video Demo: Control a papervision3D sphere with a litl remote
After doing our first 2 live video workshops recently, some folks were asking about PaperVision3D and general 3D performance on litl. We grabbed a simple sphere rolling demo and wrapped it in a litl channel. The result is a simple, but insanely fun example of controlling a 3D object in Flash within a litl channel. This is also a great demo of the litl platform channel on a TV via HDMI:
Using the current webbook remote, the litl OS events WheelNext and WheelPrevious make the ball roll right and left respectfully. If you’ve never controlled 3D Flash content with something other than a keyboard and mouse, this should excite you even more! We think this is a very capable foundation for building games and 3D experiences on the current device and platform. However, once accelerometer is added via our new remote paired with our upcoming TV companion device, you’ll be able to control 3D and other object movements all over the screen.
For now, we’ve got a pretty cool foundation for 3D gaming and you’ll find the sample code, available in the Sample Channels section on developer.litl.com, impressively simple. Lastly, one of the reasons this is all so easy is due to the great work of the Papervision3D team and John Lindquist, whose rolling a sphere example led us to such a simple example.
Flash channel ecosystem taking shape this summer with litl SDK
Lots of exciting things coming together with the litl OS and SDK. The team has been growing as well as the developer community. A new batch of litl webbooks shipped and many went to developers eager to build Flash channels for the OS. We have a very busy summer planned and we are on schedule for several key evolutions that will turn our platform into the great opportunity for the Flash community we envisioned.
Channel Submission Guidelines
We are close to publishing a checklist of guidelines, both required and suggested items, that developers will need to build their channels by. Like most ‘app store’ platforms, litl recognizes that those who buy our devices are especially buying into a level of simple computing. Guidelines will exist to help developers craft their channels to the standards that we feel our users expect. Another goal in publishing these guidelines will be to attain a level of transparency with our developers so they know what we are looking for in a channel and what requirements to follow that will ensure a smooth submission and review process.
Accepting Channel Submissions
Of course, in order to distribute developer channels to our users, we are implementing a smooth and equally transparent submission and review flow. Developers will submit their packaged Flash channels via a streamlined form. Once submitted, developers can check status of their submission and receive reviewer notes if their channel is flagged for any reason. Once published in the channel store, the submission portal will act as a tracking and reporting tool for developers.
Flash Player 10.1
Although we’ve been preparing for integration since the spring, only recently has Adobe finalized Flash Player 10.1. Our team now is working to apply our custom and enhanced build template to the latest bits for Flash Player. At the center of our integration is video hardware support. We’re also working to fix webcam and microphone access issues that have surfaced with our present/temporary use of Flash Player 10. This team is researching features that will further optimize viewing Flash content on TV, to support the existing HDMI feature on the webbook and our future device, the web-connected TV box.
Launching the Channel Store
At first, developers will be able to submit and distribute free Flash channels. I believe this will create a good foundation of content and establish our ecosystem based on notable and commissioned-channel projects (where Flash developers are hired to build out channels). Certainly, there will be developers looking to establish themselves in the OS. We also have several content partners looking to get their premiere brands on the OS as channels.
A merchant system has been designed, reflective of litl’s simple computing brand, to accept payment from users towards downloading/purchasing channels. We are now architecting this system and a few week’s prior to its launch, we will start accepting paid channel submissions. At this point, we will have further established a very real opportunity for Flash developers to distribute channels to users and actually receive revenue from the sale of their interactive content.
Adding new APIs to SDK
Another piece of the puzzle we are assembling this summer is the advancement of our SDK. As we introduced at Flash And The City, our forthcoming web-connected TV device will add accelerometer, touch and video functionality to the OS. Our SDK team is working on the fun, but complex task of adding these APIs to the SDK code and OS. In conjunction with the opening of the channel store, the new APIs will be key to allow maximum appeal and distribution potential for the channels you develop.
Get Started
Head over to developer.litl.com now and get started with the SDK. Now is the time to learn our simple code and get familiar with the channel development process. As the above pieces come into place, you can be among the first to launch a Flash-based channel and distribute it to our users! We look forward to realizing the potential of this exciting ecosystem.
Lightroom 3 is awesome. So much fun enhancing photos.
My work-to-fun ratio with software reached about 50 to 1 many years ago. I stopped playing PC games and have spent almost all of my time using software for coding (admittedly fun – sometimes) and for work and personal productivity.
The timing was good to see this tweet last week just days after I off loaded my first batch (on flickr here and here) of photos taken from my new Canon T2i (550D) and EF-S 18-135 and 55-250 lenses. While very impressed with the upgraded quality of the images (from my slightly older Rebel Xsi), I was eager to see how I could enhance them with Adobe’s Lightroom 3. I downloaded the trial. While usually lost in Photoshop, I found Lightroom quick and easy to get started and I was able to tweak and enhance photos to an exciting level.
The post production process for me, a former Editor of photography and darkroom dweller back in my high school and college days, is as much fun as taking the photos themselves. To re-discover this in the digital photography world is just awesome.
You can clearly see the richness and difference in photos from left to right. In Lightroom 3, I found adjusting “Temp” and “Recovery” instantly effective. I also found additional detail when playing and increasing “Blacks”, “Brightness” and “Contrast” against each other. Even with these amazing results, there are still Lens Corrections and Effects to add.
If you’ve got a great camera and want the best out of your photos, you should start playing with Lightroom.
Links:
My “Stage Fort Park” set
My “T2i Selections” set
Adobe Lightroom 3
litl SDK Available, Developers get webbook for $199
At FlashAndTheCity, we officially launched our Developer Center at http://developer.litl.com. You can now sign up for the SDK, which is in private beta. To date, we’ve approved 75% of developer signups based on Flash experience, and more importantly, ideas for channels developers want to build. The latter is important to ensure we dedicate support early on to those developers most interested in building compelling channels for our users.
We have decided that while coding with the AIR-based Simulator included with the SDK package is sufficient, having a webbook to test and play with is much more fun. Upon signing up for the SDK, developers can get a litl webbook (plus FREE remote) for a subsidized/discounted price of $199.
Visit http://developer.litl.com to sign up, learn more, get your discounted webbook and start building fun channels for our users.
Send questions for FATC session panel: Devices with Flash
TODAY, Saturday, May 15 at Flash And The City:
At 3:00 EST I’ll be moderating a panel with Elad Elrom, Lee Brimelow, Scott Janousek and Thomas Joos.
The topic is Devices with Flash and we will be discussing the future of Flash across devices.
It is an interactive panel and I invite you to submit questions that I will field to the amazing panel.
You can submit questions 2 ways:
1. Post a comment to this blog.
2. Tweet your question with the hashtag: #FATCm
I look forward to seeing your questions and, if compelling, fielding them to our panel.
Litl to Launch Flash-Based Web-Connected TV Product
I am more than thrilled to relay the announcement, made public today, that we are working on another device for the litl OS. Per the press release, I can say that we will have a Flash-Based “Web-Connected TV” device on the market, running litl OS as well as ALL channels built with our new SDK.
As I am finalizing my FlashAndTheCity keynote presentation now, I am working with some exciting photos and images of the new device. This means that the SOLD OUT FlashAndTheCity keynote audience will be the very first to see what we have in ’store’ for the Flash community.
In the coming months, our SDK will be expanded to include “accelerometer movement, video chat, trackpad gestures, and microphone input” that will allow open development of “gaming, communication, entertainment and other experiences”.
There are too many ideas and details to share right now, and I am respectfully saving a lot to reveal at FlashAndTheCity. We’ve got a very exciting week and weekend ahead in New York City. Join us over at http://developer.litl.com to download the SDK and get the latest information on building for BOTH our devices!
You’ll hear me say this many times going forward, but: “We believe that our platform’s use of Flash will be the best and easiest way for developers to deliver great content and applications to the TV!”.
Twitter making its own apps concerns developers
My HTC Intredible shipped with a Twitter app built-in called Peep. It was cool, but lacked some polish I enjoy with Seesmic’s Twhirl AIR app on my desktop. Being new to Android, I didn’t realize that features like taskbar notifications were available to other apps — so I was really impressed when I saw a little ‘birdie’ icon whenever someone replied/dm’d/or included me in their tweet.
Days after I got my Incredible, I learned that Twitter, themselves, had launched their own Android app. I downloaded and fell in love. Not only did it beat Peep in terms of usability, navigation and ‘Android’ integration, it also surpasses Twhirl. It’s got me wondering now, when will Twitter put out its own desktop-integrated app (not counting the web site) as an alternative to existing 3rd party apps. And if they do, what will the makers of Twhirl, Tweetdeck and many others have to say about it.
Turns out, Twitter is already fostering some bad blood among its own developer community. Up until now, I think developers integrating Twitter APIs felt they had the franchise on building 3rd party, OS/Desktop/Mobile integrated apps. To see the service company now build/acquire apps and offer them as their own is sending the wrong message to developers. It says, “we appreciate you doing what you did and helping grow our user base to millions. Now let us take it from here…”. This is a dangerous message for a service providing company with an abundant platform like Twitter to send.
Members of the developer community have been voicing their opinions starting around Twitter’s developer event “Chirp” (see
“Tensions Rise for Twitter and App Developers” and “Why is Twitter suddenly making its own apps?“) and you can see there’s something interesting brewing here. I’m interested to see how this pans out. While the ‘mashup’ scene has all but faded over the past few years, building apps around 3rd party APIs remains hot. Other companies who have no intention to compete with their developers, as Twitter seems to be doing, will need to make it super clear to avoid potentially negative comparison.
HTC Incredible Android in hand
I am very excited to finally be an Android user. This is my first non-Windows Mobile phone since 2005. That’s right, between the Samsung i730, MotoQ and Samsung Omnia, I’ve been relying on Windows as my mobile OS for 6 years.
The lack of available apps has left me frustrated and the performance, touch and app start up is sluggish and pales in comparison to newer phones. My wife got the Moto Droid back in December and loves it. I’ve never had any desire to switch away from Verizon or, if you can believe it, get an iPhone. Android seems like a great operating system, and this new device, with 8mp camera and out-of-the-box tethering ability (there is a literally a card in the box reminding you of this feature) seems to fit my needs so well right now.
I’ll try and post a detailed review once I actually use this phone. If you’ve been using Android, any suggestions on which apps I should install?
And of course, I can’t wait for Flash Player 10.1 and AIR betas to enjoy on this puppy!
Hosting this week’s Boston Flash Platform User Group at litl
If you are in the Boston area this Wednesday, April 28, and are part of or interested in the Flash scene, please join us at litl’s HQ right in Boston’s Back Bay. We’re ordering some amazing food, so plan to have dinner at the meetup.
We’ll cover topics related to the new litl Flash SDK and you will get to play with and learn how to code for the litl webbook! Please RSVP here: http://bfpug.eventbrite.com/
You can learn more about BFPUG on Adobe Groups here: http://groups.adobe.com/group/322
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