Life in Pixels

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  • Ray Bradbury on writing

    “You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.”

    – Ray Bradbury

    Bradbury is one of my favourite sci-fi writers. He wrote unrelentlessly until his death a few weeks ago, forever imbuing his passion for the art and the genre into his large collection of work.

    His most famous novel,  Fahrenheit 451, illustrates a dystopian future not unlike the reality we’re experiencing today.

  • The Challenge of Creating Something New

    If you truly want to break boundaries and create something entirely new, you need to start over and re-think your entire process. You need to re-envision your ideas, adopt a refreshed approach to creating. You need to look at the problem from a different angle – only then will you be able to see the creative solution in a light that is both inventive, and innovative.

  • Is it a Tablet? Is it a Netbook? No, it’s a Surface

    Ah, Microsoft. Last to the music revolution party with the fateful Zune, and now last to the tablet party once again with Surface, Redmond’s reply to the post-PC computing revolution.

    As it was aptly captured by bloggers in the wake of the Microsoft special event on Monday evening, the software giant has struggled to find its place in this new world where the personal computer is no longer dominant, and devices such as the iPad are becoming more and more relevant for most users’ computing needs.

    From what I’ve seen, Surface is a bit of a confused gadget. Microsoft touts it as a tablet computer, however, there are a few glaring things that detract from this description:

    • One of the two Surface models (the high-end version) runs a full-version of Microsoft’s new operating system, Windows 8. It runs the desktop version. Now, whilst Windows 8 has been designed with tablet computers firmly in mind, the inclusion of the desktop version makes the Surface sound more like a netbook or laptop, instead of a tablet computer. Apple’s tablet offering, the iPad, by contrast runs a specific operating system, iOS, designed to integrate firmly with the app-centric model of Apple’s touch-devices. There’s clearly more focus from Cupertino then there seems to be from Microsoft.
    • Microsoft made a big deal during their presentation about the tack-on soft keyboard, which they call the Touch Cover. They claim (in an obvious quip at Apple’s iPad) that typing on this cover is “twice as efficient as typing on glass.” However, tablet computers are, traditionally, full-screen touch-based computers, with no reliance on a keyboard. If you need a keyboard, you’re better-off with a proper netbook, ultrabook or laptop. Furthermore, whilst the Touch Cover doubles as both a keyboard and a magnetic latch-on cover to protect the magnesium-made device, it’s a clear copy of Apple’s Smart Cover technology made for iPad, and would only work properly (and comfortably) on a flat surface – so forget trying to use it while relaxing on your couch.

    Microsoft’s Surface does have one thing going for it, though: beautiful design. Finally, Redmond has adopted a good sense of design, and the tablet does indeed look good. However, without any word about its pricing, definitive release date, and availability, it’s difficult to say more about the device. If they can successfully market it, Surface could pose as a formidable contender for iPad’s throne of dominance in the post-PC era, but given that Apple literally created the post-PC with iPad, that’s certainly going to be a tough challenge for Redmond to take on.

  • Why You Should Blog

    Well, because it’s fun, really.

    Blogging is a great hobby for anyone enthusiastic about writing. It allows you almost-instant content creation ability, and thus increases your creativity. It’s a great way to develop your writing skill, and gain feedback from a plethora of fellow bloggers and readers across the interwebs.

    I’ve been blogging for many years now, and in that time, having the knowledge that I have this facility out there in cyberspace – my blog – gives me the inspiration to constantly think of ideas for what to write next. Of course, using a strong blogging platform such as WordPress helps augment the enjoyment of the whole blogging experience.

    Blogging shouldn’t be seen as a stressful pursuit, but rather an enjoyable escape. I always encourage creatives to keep a blog. If anything, it can serve as a digital portfolio of your work, and a rapid-fire way to interact with like-minded people; people who care about the work you produce.

    So, go forth and blog. And if you have any questions about blogging, feel free to post them in the comments below; I’ll be glad to help.

  • Write Anywhere

    This is a great video that I found, about how you can write anywhere, anytime using a system of apps that works for you. A must-watch for any aspiring novelists out there! (Make sure to watch in full-screen to get all the details).