Congratulations to Polyphony Digital

Not only have you managed to develop the slowest loading game that I've had the misfortune of playing since I upgraded from the ZX Spectrum in 1989 but you've also succeeded in developing the world's worst operating system in the world, ever.

:slow clap: Well done Sirs, well done

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Jon Newman's made me an emo

Been sitting next to Jon Newman at work for a few months now and loving every minute of it, but I think he may have turned me into some sort of emo. Just loving thoughtful, melodic, acousticy, prolific sounds right now.
Princess Sophie introduced me to Ellie Goulding at the weekend and I just cant get enough of her. Incredible voice, technically amazing, not a huge fan of her album but the acoustic stuff on Youtube is off the chart. I'm guessing that guitar, piano and vox were what she did before the label got hold of her and ruined it all with huge production.
Anyway, enough ranting - check this out:

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Tune of the moment: limit to your love, James Blake

Incredible sound.

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Ladies & gentleman I give you Finley Quaye

How about you face the audience who have paid £10 a go to see you rather than the angled wedge who is telling you your conga player can't play in time.

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Ironman is helping me be more productive today

Posted via email from Marc Biles

It's 10:30 and all RBucks' Halloween cakes have gone already!

I've got a sneaky suspicion that this fella's eaten them all.

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Had to go for a dual screen setup tonight

Sophie's home so inevitably Xfactor is on the tv for next few hours. Thankfully I had a spare screen to set the xBox up on and a few Ringwoods in the kitchen. :-)

Posted via email from Marc Biles

A "character property"...

One of the most difficult aspects of looking for somewhere new to live is learning the language of estate agents. "Character property" is my favourite new Agentish phrase of the day. It basically means - odd, weird, nobody has so far wanted to buy this place or plain uninhabitable.

The search continues...

Posted via email from Marc Biles

On my best behaviour today...

there's no way I'm messing with Soph when she's got a loaded weapon

Sent from my iPhone

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Dear xBox user interface designer

What exactly was the thinking behind this ridiculous keyboard?

Sent from my iPhone

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Bestival tickets

I'm going to be outside the bestival site with 5 adult tickets 2 childrens tickets up for grabs. Anyone want them?

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Eid Mubarak

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Happy Birthday James Cowan

Download now or watch on posterous

IMG_1503.MOV (766 KB)

Just got back up from our last dive in Thailand

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Postcard1

After ten months pretty much solid hard graft at work I decided it was time for a holiday. So Sophie and I had a brainstorming session. My most important requirements were that I wanted to become a qualified diver and that I wanted the holiday to be in the tropics because I love the warm sea. Sophie's check list was beach, sun and Lara Croft-style temples. So with the help of the wonderful Christine Kimbrell and the amazing staff at Seyexclusive, we decided on a little tour of South-East Asia. Saigon, Vietnam is our first stop and we've been here now for just over a day now. 

Having endured 15 hours of flying and a 6 hour time difference, we were met at the airport by our local holiday rep who's name is Dung. We spent yesterday afternoon just trying to pull it together, battling it through the jag lag and extreme fatigue from Thai Airway's cattle-class accommodation (very small seats = very little sleep).

We went solo this morning and have been for a wander around the city, taking in the War Remnants Museum, the Presidential Palace and many street vendors in between. So far though I would say that this country is simply amazing, the pound is really strong here, the people are wonderful and all in all I've fallen instantly in love with the place. It has chaos and sanity in equal measures, with a very similar air of adventure to India but without the complete lack of organisation.

Dung informs us that our hotel, The Rex was frequented by American top-brass during the Vietnam war and the Roof Terrace bar in particular was popular with American G.I.s. We're staying in the newly renovated west wing and the place is pretty special. There is history all over the place, not just from the 1955-1975 conflict but from the French occupation before that too. The food in Vietnam is pretty awesome, especially if you have a sweet tooth and if the menu says giant prawns, they really mean 

giant prawns.

 

We managed to keep the price of the holiday down by coming in the monsoon season but as the guide book says, this is a massively underrated time of year to visit SE Asia. It has rained pretty heavily now and again but with a steady temperature of 32ish and some fantastic sunny periods in between the brief downpours, I can't help but agree with them. And besides, even when it does rain you can duck for cover and sample the aptly named local brew. 

 

Marc's traveller's tip: for those of you with an iPhone, iPod or iPad who might at some stage encounter wet weather or water - grab yourself some Aquapacks. They are a great travel companion, good to a depth of 5 metres and although a little on the pricey side they are far cheaper than buying replacements. Gadget of the day. 5/5.

 

Love to everyone at home. Miss you loads.

 

S & M

Posted via email from Marc Biles

The first album that's excited me in a while

How I Got Over The Roots Hip-Hop/Rap Released: 2010 37 Ratings

I've been so disillusioned with music recently, it's great to hear something that really stands out as being truly great. In particular check out "Walk Alone", "Radio Daze" and the title track "How I Got Over". 

I need some tunes to take travelling. What are you listening to that's impressed you recently?   

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Italian feast!

Thanks to Phil for a wonderful meal. A signature Cowan masterpiece!

Posted via email from Marc Biles

I thought the iPad was good...

...until I saw this:

Posted via email from Marc Biles

LF V2 testing

I just awoke from a dream where I was testing V2 of the LF site. Oddly, the bit of the site that I had to test involved sliding down a bannister, then sliding off the end of the bannister into a little swimming pool.

@ashleighbarrett - if that is indeed a feature that you've managed to fit into V2, you may want to nudge the pool about a foot closer to the stairs.

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Loving Google's homepage today

Posted via email from Marc Biles

The best marketing communication I have seen in a long time

Check this out:

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Bed-wettingly exciting news!

I have awoken to some historic and frankly groundbreaking news that you all need to be aware of. No it's not the news that after the completely shambolic and inconclusive election, the country is veering wildly with nobody at the helm. It is of course the announcement made by MediaMolecule that they will be launching a sequel to one of the most progressive and innovative games ever made - LittleBIgPlanet. 

This little guy will be returning to your screens before the end of 2010 in a game that promises to be every bit as engaging and as exciting as the previous instalment. For those of you who don't know LittleBigPlanet it is the marvellous crowd-sourcing game platform made by in-house Sony development studio, MediaMolecule. For user-interfacing geeks, fans of great design or just those people who love to play immensely engaging games, this is one for you.  

Here's the trailer: 

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Woke up early. Watched a couple of films.

So I woke up stupidly early this morning as I tend to when Soph's not around and have lazed in bed watching a couple of movies, courtesy of veetle.com. 

The first was Reign of Fire staring Christian Bale and Matthew McConaughey. It's a post apocalyptic tale of a few survivors who are left after the world is besieged by.... dragons. Yes that's right, dragons. I know what you're thinking, "that sounds like a rubbish film". It's actually worse - I would probably sum up the experience as a truly ridiculous waste of an hour and a half of my life. 

Thankfully, the second movie was much better though. Baraka is an experimental film with no words or talking at all (Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baraka_(film)). It's pretty much just amazing and beautiful video-photography from around the world - featuring religious ceremonies, lots of people working together in factories, all kinds of nature and time lapse views of cities (I find it quite  amusing when people look like they are scurrying around like ants). It also has some cool drumming in the soundtrack too. 

It makes some powerful statements about the environment, 1st world vs. 3rd world, the follies of industrialisation and all sorts of high brow intellectual stuff like that. I'm not gonna lie, it's pretty slow moving but it's utterly enthralling and very compelling viewing. I would recommend it. 

I'm feeling pretty bloody cultured now so it's probably time to hit the PlayStation. I may shoot some gangsters. 

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Sam Wells vs. Fashion

Wow. Sam Wells' purchasing decisions are second to none.

Posted via email from Marc Biles

Here's to Hannah and Jon

Best wishes to Hannah Jones and Jon Syrett who are getting married today. After Jon made the perfect proposal at the top of a mountain at sunrise ,they are all set for the perfect wedding today. Looking forward to seeing the new Mr and Mrs Syrett at the party tomorrow. 

Posted via web from Marc Biles