Some sort of battle bot
(It’s a Puzzleman)
Best cup of coffee all week
A Link Between Worlds
I have just finished the latest zelda game: A Link Between Worlds. and what a fun game it is. It has all the regular fun of Zelda but with the added nostalgia of the older top down Zelda games (it’s set in the same world as A Link to the Past).
One of a great things about this game is instead of having to play for hours before you get various weapons you can rent nearly all of them very early in to the game. So instead of passing cracked rocks that you know can be broken by a certain tool you can break them right there and then. This also allows you to tackle the dungeons in whatever order you happen to get to them.
I would definitely recommend this one.
New Year, New Website
I have actually updated this website after a number of years with the same design.
As you can see the blog is no-longer on Tumblr (although I think I might keep posting there too so people can use the Tumblr dashboard. When Kottke.org was redesigned he created a Tumblr blog where he cross-posts everything and found it to be a good thing). I am running the blog on a Ghost installation. I have found Ghost to be really easy to design for; it only has three template pages at the moment that you need in your theme.
I will try to write some posts this year too!
About
My name is Toby Curl, I’m a software developer in North Yorkshire, England. I am currently working as a web developer. I try to make things in my free time but also play video games.
Contact
@tobycurl on Twitter.
@tobycurl on Micro.blog.
Email me at contact@tobycurl.com.
Follow the site via RSS or JSON Feed.
Projects
Dart
Dart was an app for iPhone and iPod touch that saved links to Pinboard with minimal effort.
Screen Watching
Everyone has the same advantage. It’s just that they get annoyed when they can’t use it effectively.
Yo-Yos in Space
A yo-yo in space, what is not to like.
(via Kottke)
MakerBot Replicator 2
Extra points for calling it “Replicator”.
via Dan Benjamin
Clean 'Open With' List
On my Mac the ‘Open With’ list in the context menu keeps filling up with duplicate entries for apps. Not really sure why it keeps happening but I keep forgetting how to clean it and then not being able to find the solution again.
So this is how to do it:
Enter this into terminal (this is on 10.8 the file path might be different on other version of OS X):
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user
I have also created an alias for this in my bash profile:
alias cleanopenwith='/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user'
Neil Armstrong, The First Man on the Moon, RIP
Let’s keep exploring space.
Extending the Life of a G4 Mac mini
I still have mine connected to my TV. Until recently I rented things from iTunes on it but now I just use it as a DVD player.
Genesis Aladdin or Super NES Aladdin?
We had the Amiga version, so that was clearly the best.
AeroPress “Ritual”
Speaking of the AeroPress, Adam Lisagor made this fantastic video that captures the essence of the whole process.
AeroPress
The AeroPress is my favourite coffee brew method right now. It just makes such a good, smooth cup. It somehow seems to make most beans taste better than the other methods at my disposal.
Recipes
There are so many ways to make a cup with the AeroPress.
I am not a fan of the original way, I generally favour the inverted methods. You get a part brewed, part pressed, filtered coffee. The Has Bean method is a good example.
However I find my current method to be great. It’s probably a bit of a mix of various methods I have been told or read (or it’s exactly one I have read and just think I have made this, I just can’t remember).
The Method
- Boil the water.
- Measure 15g - 16g of coffee (this varies depending on the coffee. Grind the beans, finer than for filter but a coarser than espresso.
- Put the plunger in the AeroPress so the bung is just fully in, so to around the 4 mark.
- Once the water has been off boil for a minute or two fill the AeroPress without coffee. This heats the AeroPress and lets your wash the filter paper at the same time.
- After a minute or so put 2 filters in the cap and attach to the AeroPress and plunge over the sink.
- Reset the AeroPress and put the coffee in.
- I have no idea what temperature the water is but it usually has been off boil for around 5 minutes by this point.
- Fill the AeroPress with water so the bubbles are just at the lip.
- Stir a little to make sure the grounds are all wet and start the stop watch, stirring for about 10 seconds.
- Leave for a minute.
- Stir for 10 seconds.
- Leave for another minute.
- Give it another quick stir.
- Put the cap on, hold a strong cup over the top and invert the whole thing so the AeroPress is now standing on the top of the cup.
- Plunge, but stop before the air comes out.
- Rinse AeroPress off.
- Add some more water from the kettle to fill the rest of the mug.
- Allow to cool a little, drink, enjoy.
Coffee
I used to really dislike coffee (as my brother keeps reminding me when I try to push for better coffee at my parents). Now I really like coffee and for that I mostly blame my good friend Andrew Duncan.
The Early Years
The earliest I can remember actually having a coffee I liked was probably 1997/1998 when we went to Canada on holiday. I’m fairly sure I had a coffee Frappuccino type drink which was likely from Starbucks. I probably enjoyed this because it was cold, sweet and full of milk so took away the bitterness usually associated with coffee. I think from then I probably started to drink coffee on occasion at home; instant with lots of milk and sugar.
Proper Coffee
I’m fairly sure my parents had ground coffee either on a Sunday with breakfast or for special occasions. My brother and I always enjoyed plunging the cafetiere (who doesn’t, it’s the best bit if you’re not drinking it!). I’m sure I had some on occasion but I have no good memory of it.
The University Years
Mostly instant, but more of it. I got a little desktop coffee machine (although older that that one, with only one tiny mug) as a present so needed some actual ground coffee. It worked pretty well for a tiny cup of coffee and sure helped for 9am lectures.
In my third year someone in our house got a drip coffee machine so that was good for a while.
Starting Work
Once I got a job I was persuaded to get rid of the instant and go for the pre ground from the supermarket. I generally ended up with the Qualità Rossa blend from Lavazza and sure remember enjoying it. It all started to build up from there.
Fresh Roasted
I started ordering fresh roasted but ground coffee from Has Bean. Then I got this awesome hand grinder and obviously started ordering whole beans. I got an electric grinder (although it’s the older version now, the Maestro Plus) last year and it’s great.
The number of brew methods I had at my disposal also increased. The obvious starting point of a cafetiere, then an AeroPress and then a SwissGold one cup filter. All make a great cup of coffee.
I use the SwissGold by far the most. It makes a good cup with very little effort and interaction. This is extremely handy first thing in the morning as I am rushing to get out the door. The AeroPress is my favourite though. It makes such a good, smooth cup.
Good Beans
I generally get my beans from Has Bean, the best beans with the best service.
I go for a different coffee every time just to try them. Through a process of elimination I have come to find I enjoy the earthier coffees a lot more than the fruity ones. It’s a difficult thing to tell, as it’s mainly a description from the roaster as I can’t tell myself (most of the time) when a coffee would be described as fruity. Sometimes you can really taste a certain flavour though; there was this lovely one from Bolivia last year that had a great biscuit taste.
Additives
When I have a good cup with good beans I just drink it black. If it’s done right then it’s not bitter and doesn’t have any of the bad tastes. It can be naturally sweet and tastes great. Sometimes I get the need for a milky cup though and that’s good too.
In Conclusion
So, I like coffee a lot. I only generally have one cup a day. It tastes great.
Weetabix Technique
I personally find eating half at a time with a little milk and sugar the best way to enjoy Weetabix.
One critical difference between Google Drive and Dropbox.
There is one critical difference beetween Google Drive and Dropbox. I trust Dropbox with my data right now.
rstevens on Twitter
Give it five minutes
Project Glass. Google's Glasses
I’m sure everyone has heard about these augmented reality glasses that Google are developing. Google have shared a concept video today that makes it look better than I imagined (we will have to see if this is actually the case).
I have to agree with Jason Kottke though:
The glasses look a little strange, like Geordi La Forge’s visor…they might go over a little better if they looked more Warby Parkerish.
As futuristic as they look, a pair of classic glasses seem to me like a better idea. Especially if you already wear glasses, then you could just get a prescription pair.
Now all we need is for them to be as immersive as the glasses in Dennō Coil.
Photography
I like taking photos. I think I have always liked taking photos.
Original Film
When I was little my parents mostly used one of two cameras: an Olympus Trip 35 and a Canon T50. Both of which they still have but aren’t used any more. I don’t think anyone has tried the T50 for a long time but my brother apparently used the Trip a while back but the low light warning doesn’t work any more (someone dropped it!).
I remember the Trip being used a lot by Dad when we were on holidays, probably because it was smaller and he was probably having to deal with us. I can’t remember how much my Mum took photos, I only really seem to remember Dad with the cameras. At somepoint I was allowed to use the Trip, but I don’t remeber using it a lot. The T50 had my attention.
I always thought the T50 was the best. It wound the film on itself, you could change the lens and you could manually focus it. I even got to take photos with it! I don’t remember if they were good, probably not, but I learnt to change the lens between the two we had; a prime and a zoom, the zoom was the best. I also learnt to focus them, which really helped. The one very clear memory I have is playing with the camera with no film “taking” photos of this one toy car I had. You pulled the car back and let go. It went slowly but then after a little way it’s bright yellow outer shell burst off to reveal a sports car and it went racing away; I loved that car. I think I was trying to get action shots.
After this I think more school happened and I didn’t really have a real camera. I got one of those Advanced Photo System point and shoot cameras. It wasn’t great, but this did let me see what happens when you open the back of the camera with a film in: the developer sticks an infuriating sticker on the picture telling you not to do that.
On to Digital
At some point I got a digital video camera. One of the earlier, small cheap ones. It had a tiny terrible screen and it was likely very low resolution but I really enjoyed that. I remember getting a huge 256mb compact flash card for a cheap £30 or so (not sure how close that price is to reality). It also did stills and could record just sound. I remember using it a lot but can’t remember what for and I can’t find anything that was shot on it. I do remember making a video of the house one Christmas for Mum to remember where things were the next year.
I used my phone camera for a year or so before I got a dedicated digital camera; a Nokia N70. I think it did a pretty good job overall:
It’s Getting Serious Now
The next camera I can remember getting was a while later (2008): a Canon IXUS 950 IS. After much Internet research I settled on the Canon. It’s a really great point and shoot and did everything I wanted at the time. It could also have the custom firmware CHDK which let you do a lot of cool things that the camera shouldn’t have been able to do, such as long exposures and movement triggering (for lightning! (that I didn’t really get working)). I really liked the results I got out of that camera:
I loved I could get some bokeh in the shots.
DSLR
In 2009 I decided I wanted to step things up an get a DSLR. After much research again, I went with the suggestion from Ken Rockwell of the Nikon D40, it was good advice. This was at the time such a great choice. It was soon to be replaced by the D3000 so it was actually fairly cheap. It’s fast and works really well. I was very happy with the results with the included lens:
But I also wanted to get the 35mm prime lens. I love the photos I get with this lens; it’s the only one I end up using. I find it fantastic in most situations:
Did I mention how much I love my photos from the D40.
I would of course like a super fancy newer camera but it won’t make my photos overall any better, probably just bigger (and videos), I’m so happy with my results right now.
iPhone
I also like taking photos with my iPhone, the camera is good. The ridiculous amount of good editing software available for it is so great and so much fun.
Film
I love the look of shots taken on a film camera, just something about them. There is this shot of my group of friends at university that is grainy and kind of looks like it could have been taken anytime in the past 20-30 years (at least I think so).
One of my friends went around Europe in 2009 and took some great photos on film.
Looking at all these photos made me want to try a film camera again so I got an Olypmus Trip from eBay. My first roll didn’t go so well as I had apparently forgotton how to load a film. The second roll has been in the camera for about a year now, only a few shots left so I get to develop it soon!
Conclusion
Take more photos.