Kindle fire deal

Mars One, or Mars’ got talent

Following on from my last post about people with vision finally taking the first steps to true space industry. Comes the rather off the wall idea from dutch entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp, that the way to fund a mission to mars is not with government money ala NASA but with good old TV money.

Bas’ idea boils down to turning the mission into a reality tv event, and its not as crazy as you might think at first. A mars mission would inevitably be a huge event for the media anyway. Bas’ has just turned that on its head, lets use that media interest as the driver for the whole thing. The reality tv show would follow the prospective colonists through the selection process leading to the 4 people sent in the first mission or season/series being picked from a public vote. The show would than follow these 4 people as they travelled to mars and set up the first human settlement on another world. These 4 people would than be followed by subsequent missions expanding the settlement with the hope of it eventually becoming self sufficient.

Wait though before you put yourself forward. This is most likely a one way trip. No return is planned and any help is a considerable distance away. Add to that that a sizable minority of the viewers will be tuning in hoping for your horrible death and it is not for everyone.

Personally I’m not yet convinced. Its such early days and I can’t help but have concerns for any endeavour were the FAQs page starts with “Is this for real?”. They have done a lot of work for it to be some elaborate joke, and I’d love this to be the actual point were business starts leading us into the solar system.

Asteroid Mining!!

James Cameron and several Billionaire “friends” have decided to start a company with the express intention of mining near earth asteroids. They will start by designing and launching a fleet of prospecting “telescopes” into earth orbit that will be used to map and analyse near earth asteroids. They will than design and build prospecting and mining equipment. They hope to have an orbital depot of refined metals and water in orbit within 10 years.

I just hope they actually do it. Arguably space industry has been in humanities grasp for decades now, no one was willing to invest the money to get it started. The vast amount of resources literally on our front door, have enticed scientists and investors before but the initial cost has always been prohibitive. Once the space race was over national governments could not justify to tax payers the expense and the mega rich did not see a quick enough return of investment for their liking.

So space industry stalled before it even started. If someone had had the vision to take the chance 20 years ago who knows what world we would currently be living in. The availability of water and metals in orbit will make all kinds of space industry viable, by removing the need to boost raw materials into orbit from earth. The explosion in space industry will open other markets.

Its the bootstrap principle, if you look at the launch loop its technically probable now but economically unfeasible. There is not the payload tonnage needed to make it profitable but dramatically reducing the energy needed to get things into space would create the demand to pay for it. Its catch 22 and the weakness of short term capitalism. Planetary Resources will hopefully create that feasibility in cheaper methods of reaching and coming back from orbit.

It’s the tip of the iceberg, it’s fantastic news in a world struggling to regain economic growth. True industry lead growth into a near limitless new market.

Bring it on.

Grand National 2012 Sweepstake Kit v3

It final the declaration has been made.

Just 2 changes out are Le Beau Bai and Always Waining, in come Neptune Equestor and Kate's horse Hello Bud.

Grand National 2012 Sweepstake Kit v2

Updated with numbers, colours and just the runners as of today (11/04/2012)

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Version 3 now available here this is the final version.
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Grand National 2012 Sweepstake Kit v1

Its that time of year again. The country will soon be going Grand National crazy. Like last year I've created a simple sweepstake kit. The kit is most definitely version 1 as the full list of horses will not be available for some time yet. It contains the best guesses of the horses likely to be running, but hopefully might be of use for those that need a bit of time to organise a sweep.

Keep checking back for updates as we learn more about which horses will actually be running come the 14th. This sweepstake brought to you by Spree4.com.


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Version 2 now available here
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Roomzzz Newcastle

Got to admit I'm quite excited to hear Roomzzz's news that they will soon be opening their 5th hotel. Roomzzz's new hotel will be in Newcastle which is a little surprising as they have been talking about opening hotels in Bristol and London for a while now.

We only recently came back from a brilliant birthday weekend at Roomzzz's Manchester, and we are still as much in love with Roomzzz's as we were the first time. As we are fast approaching gold membership the addition of a new hotel is very welcome indeed. So long as they keep the quality as high as their other properties they should be on to a real winner here.

Nice review of Spree4

Seems i'm not the only one out there singing Spree4.com's praises. Found this blog today.

No Kindle Touch or Fire release date still.

....What more can i say.

That Amazon are missing a valuable market. That goes without saying.

That by offering their UK customers only the economy model they are alienanting the very people (early adopters) they need to grow their brand. Again its obvious.

The mad thing is that even if they announced a release date of October at least we'd know. We would be able to make a informed decision. Instead we have a situation where we are well aware a new "better" version is on its way (well 99% sure) at some point in the future. So instead of buying the excellent kindle keyboard or the cheap Kindle, we wait.......and we wait. We don't wont to give in and buy the currently available product (for more money incidentally) only to have the new one released the next day. So instead of selling us all the clever content they make their money on kindles from they are making nothing, and why? No one knows. Amazon have not given a explanation of why no UK release. Which again leaves the UK customer wondering if they even want our business.

Personally i really like the Kindle Keyboard and if its going to be 12 months till the Touch is available i may get one. I just want to know if its worth waiting.


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Edit 14/03/12

Started a new blog to keep track of Kindle Touch and Fire's release or lack there of.

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Spree4's New Auction!

A few days ago i blogged information from my source inside Spree4.com, that interesting things were reaching fruition for Spree4. Today we find out what. Along side a minor redesign of the site comes...Drum roll please....Lowest Unique Bid auctions.

While most people will know what these are, allow me to explain for those that don't. In lowest unique bid auction you win if you are...well...the lowest unique bid. So if you bid 2p and 3 people bid 1p you win. Specifically at spree4 the auction closes when the number of bids reach a preset limit. This keeps in with spree4's more laid back approach, that said the fun interface they have designed will definitely be used in some interesting end game plays. I'm already getting my strategies sorted so watch out!!

New LUB auction interface. I blanked out my bid values!!

The new interface keeps you up to date with your current bids. It also lets you know several other pieces of info that may help in finding that elusive lowest bid. You can place tactical single bids or strategic spread bids (every price from one value to another.) What's even better is that each lub bid costs only 10p, and they have even re-instated the free credits for new users. If your an existing customer don't cry, unlike most companies this offer is open to you to, if you post on their facebook page for a limited time only you will get a one time only credit of 2 free credits to your account. I've played this new bid already and i can say it really is fun, especially if you get into a bidding war. Why not try it now for free with the mock bids on their how it works page?

Joining the new auction as new for spree4 for 2012 is the "Sky Sports" banner. A ticker that will keep you informed of who is winning what. Also they have literally gone to town with a new cornucopia of new products. Joining the old favourites of the Amazon Kindle, Apple iPhone 4s and xBox with Kinnect are Sony's 3d HD Camera, Motorola's Xoom tablet just to name 2. My Spree4 source has told me that with the new auction type making the site more dynamic they hope to keep a steady flow of new products coming on to site so if you don't see anything you want keep checking back.

Good luck with your bidding and always remember the Amazon Kindle is mine!!!!!!!!!!!

CES 2012

Some interesting blogs over at Spree4 Eye on Technology.

The blogger takes a look at the products that the industry leaders hope we'll be queing up outside electronics stores for. So far the Pure Sensia and Bag of Rythm but more should be coming here.

Have a look I dare you.

Ender's Game Movie blog 2

Trust me to post a blog the day before I listen to Orson Scott Cards post script on the audiobook. Orson speaks a lot on the various attempts Hollywood has made to film ender’s game. It seems that he has been under great pressure almost from the minute he wrote the novel to sell his story out, with most Hollywood industry execs going to some length to try to “improve” the story by making ender 16 so he can have a love interest. This kind of explains similar treatments of other works (I’m looking at you Percy Jackson,) and makes the fact we didn’t get a 16 year old Harry Potter a marvel. As Card says those that think the story can be changed and still work just proved to him to not understand the story. He includes some very interesting anecdotes about execs using questionable tactics, such as agreeing that ender will be played as 11 only to include in a sub paragraph in an unrelated clause of the contract that “casting will be at the studios discretion. This clause invalidates any other condition made in this contract.” And I have to wonder how many adaptations have been spoiled by these tricks being played.

It does seem to me that the film is in good hands having been in talks for a movie for damn near 25 years it seems that he isn’t going to let his story be ruined now. Some over interesting tit bits are that to make the screenplay work he effectively merged enders game and ender’s shadow. This way he could give the film the dynamic it needed. While it’s not necessarily his script that will be used it seemed that at the time of recording it was a good bet that the final screenplay would be his work with a better known screen writer’s name on it.

Ender's Game Movie

Having finally read Ender's Game last year (review here) I'm thrilled to find that a big screen adaptation of it is in full swing. With no less that Harrison Ford playing Colonel Hyrum Graff.

The movie is scheduled for release in March 2013. It will be directed by Gain Hood the helmer of X-Men Origins - Wolverine. Let's hope he doesn't have the same problem with leaks this time.

I'm very excited about this, but can't help but worry. Will they be able to do it Justice? Will the child actors be able to pull off the performances? Will the battle room be truly realised or will we get futuristic paint balling?

I'm going to stay positive until i hear otherwise.

In other Ender news I’m almost finished on the whole saga, I’ve just not got round to reviewing them yet. I'm about to start Ender's shadow which promises to be just as good. I also used my audible credit a few months back to purchase the audiobook of ender's game. All of which will be reviewed when other commitments have vanished.

Interesting Things Happening at Spree4.com

As seems to have become a bit of an new year tradition Spree4.com are going to be making some interesting additions to the site.

Along with what the developer has termed design 2.1 and a cornucopia of new products, comes an additional auction type. This auction type whose details are being kept under tight wraps at the moment will join the already popular price drop and minimum price auctions.

Insider info is that this new auction will be quite different to the laid back auctions that they currently run and will offer a bit more hectic fun for those who like their auctions a bit more lively.

My insider has indicated that the new features have entered the "final…final..we mean it this time really…this is the last one" testing phase, much to my sources relief.

So watch this blog for more details or keep an eye on the site itself.

How it Should Have Ended!

I have over the past week become a little bit obsessed with HowItShouldHaveEnded.com

If you haven't seen them, they are animated shorts of how movies should have ended.

My personal highlights are Iron Man, X-men first class and The dark night. Also any of the bookends with Superman and Batman having coffee are amazing.

Briton's Blame Poverty on Lazyness.

A worrying report from The National Centre for Social Research was reported today by the bbc. It highlights an issue that i have felt for some time is a problem we need to tackle.

That is the growing selfish attitude in the UK. The study shows that increased numbers of Brits think that the poor "Deserve to be poor" as they are lazy. It also shows while increased numbers of us believe the pay gap between the rich and the rest of us is excessive, the number who believe this wealth should be redistributed has fallen. Thanks to headline reports on benefit cheats/claimants public support for welfare is at an all time low. The only bright point of the report is generally increased satisfaction in public services up to the point the Tories got their knife out.

Thanks in great part to the influence of Rupert Murdoch. We now live in a society were the majority don't care about what we can build but what they can take. We hold those that gain the most through the least effort as pillars of society and those that add the most but gain the least as an unnecessary drain. For example while executive pay skyrockets, the majority support reduced pay (working conditions) for Nurses and Social workers. It’s a dark dark day for our great country.

iCalendar for Saints Super League fixtures 2012.

Again for those lucky saints fans heading to the brand spanking new Langtree Stadium.

Here for your usage free of any licence or other stupid legal double speak, is an iCal file for Saints fixtures in the 2012 Super League.

This iCalendar can be imported into pretty much any calendar software(even Lotus Notes.)

Drop the Bill

I’ve been making a concerted effort to keep politics off this blog recently. Its been hard I’ve taken to arguing with people on the yahoo comments pages. Not a healthy hobby for someone of my political beliefs as anyone who has waded into it will know, to quote Obi Wan “You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.” I have to make an exception for this though.

The NHS is under attack. The conservatives won votes by categorically promising that they would not touch the NHS. They have, to some people’s great surprise, not even pretended to honour this promise. They make thin insistence that the dismantling of the NHS and the shifting of public funding to private health firms is for the NHS’ own good. While an organisation named “NHS” may well exist after the changes, it will not be National, will have very little to do with health and most likely will not actually be providing service(s).

I would ask anyone reading this that thinks universal free at the point of use health care is a good idea to sign the petition. I would also ask those that don’t to look closely at their view point.

Thanks

The Kat.

Fuming about Kindle.

For a long time I’ve been playing with the idea of a kindle. I really like them but that initial outlay added to the fact that despite zero production costs eBooks are the same price as physical books has stayed my hand (see eBook Prices for details). Yesterday Amazon threw another spanner in the works with their release of the Kindle Fire and Kindle touch. Now the kindle Fire is a so called “iPad killer” in that it is designed to go head to head with the lord of tablet computers the iPad. The kindle touch is a smaller lighter cheaper faster version of the kindle that drops all controls in favour of touch technology. I was pretty much instantly sold on the kindle touch.

That’s when it all went wrong. When will these two fab products be released in the UK? The answer….Not now and maybe not ever. Don’t worry I thought I’m going to the states in November I’ll buy one and bring it home! Oh no I wont, Touches and Fires are for US residents only, they can not be registered with Amazon.co.uk and buying sufficient eBooks from Amazon.com would lead to the tax man paying me a painful visit.

Instead what do we get. We get the new entry level “Kindle” that has none of the ergonomic controls of the current kindle (now called “Kindle keyboard”) or the current kindle at the new low low price of ….£10 less than it was yesterday.

American news agency’s are asking “will the Fire at half the price of the ipad2 be able to knock it off its perch.” I can answer for them. No. As they have completely ignored the potential of other markets.

eBook Prices revisited.

Reading a forum post recently lead me to review what was happening with eBook prices. I was surprised to find quite a few blog posts supporting the rather extortionate prices currently charged.

Quite rightly they point out that the production and distribution of a book actually accounts for only around 13% of the book cost (not counting mass edition paperback were this percentage rises significantly as the price drops.) They forget to point out though that all the remaining costs are fixed, and that the percentage is to cover those costs, once they are covered this percentage changes into profit. They also are blind to the idea that lower costs might mean increased sales. This would mean higher revenues and as all costs are fixed increased profit.

..but don't let me preach to you. Here are two very good reads putting forward both sides of the argument.

For or Against

(Even the one defending the pricing does admit he thinks they are slightly over priced and would never buy an eBook were a cheaper paper back was available.)

Personally I can't accept that eBooks are not significantly less than physical edition books, and am outraged by eBooks 5 times the price of the physical book. (e.g. The Da Vinci Code is £1 in many shops in mass edition paperback. eBook price £4.99.)