Dilemma of civilized man; body mobilized, but danger obscure

- page 161

While on holidays I finished Phillip K Dick’s book, The Man in the High Castle, a story of how the world might look if the Allies lost the war. Like all great science fiction, this is a biting commentary on our own culture. Well worth a read.

My initial reaction to the teasers for 3.0 was excitement. My understanding of the opening up of the accessory port to developers would allow for fun innovation. I was wrong.

The dream I had was to be able to connect my iPhone, via USB, to my camera(s). This would allow my phone to act as a remote control, and as an external screen for photos & video. The gPhoto libraries looked like they could provide a starting point.

What is actually provided doesn’t allow for straight USB connectivity.

The External Accessory support requires a validated accessory, with appropriate hardware protocols, to work. You also need to be a member of two programs, iPhone Developer and the Made for iPod program.

I can’t see Canon or Nikon releasing cameras with iPod dock connectors or protocols.

This doesn’t leave many options. One is to build a hardware device that is USB in one end and a custom protocol out the other. This gets tricky fast as the hardware device needs to figure out the camera support. And I really liked the idea of a simple cable connection being all that is required.

The second option still has some merit: WiFi. There are a few downsides. Firstly, you need a camera that supports WiFi or an expensive adaptor. This limits the audience for the app. Secondly, you need a wireless network available and to also manage pairing between your iPhone and your camera. This starts to be more equipment than desirable.

If you have a laptop lying around, onOne software released such an iPhone app.

• On the flight, I get to watch lectures on iPhone development from Stanford, along with talks from a conference in California.
• Catch up with family and friends in Singapore, as a result of sharing my location on Facebook.
• Photos I took of Singapore are instantly shared with other friends and family around the world.
• I keep in touch with my girlfriend back home using free telephony via the internet (thanks Skype).
• A friend at work recommends a book to me, and I order it from America to arrive at my Melbourne office, along with some other recommended books to read.
• Reviews, freely published on the internet, guide me through a tricky lens purchase. Global warranty allows me to haggle in Singapore’s Chinatown for a lower price than back home.
• Hear about a new album by Fat Freddy’s Drop, a New Zealand band, on Twitter on my phone, purchase the album and instantly(ish) download via wireless internet
• My camera (5D2) gets updated with new features today, via the internet, making it more video capable.
• Subscriptions via NetNewsWire and Tweetie on the iPhone guide me through the bankruptcy  intricacies as two 20th Century car companies fall apart.
• I can share this with you, as publishing is freely available.

Thinking back only a few decades, most of this would seem science fiction. I’m looking forward to the next few!

ps. I still hold out hope for personal flying devices in my lifetime.