I am Ashley Elsdon

someone who's doing some things

Month: January 2012

Starting Basic 4 PPC

Posted by on in Making things, Tech

I’ve started messing about with Basic4PPC again. I know that Windows Mobile is totally dead now, but I like to mess about with stuff like this to see what I can make it do, and it is quite good fun too!

Finding software for older platforms

Posted by on in Mobile Applications

The recent update to Pixilang made me try to find a decent text editor for my Axim Windows Mobile device, which wasn’t that easy. In fact, I found that there were only about 3 text editors that were even workable for my device. It made me realise that it isn’t easy to find software for aged software platforms, especially not terribly popular ones.

When I was looking for Einstein (the Newton emulator for Android) I realised that the Newton was very well supported, but that’s not true of everything in the older mobile world. So it got me thinking about setting up a site/store/repository for this stuff. Sounds like loads of work though! Maybe someone else will do it.

I just don’t seem to be buying apps right now!

Posted by on in Mobile Applications

Bizarre as it might seem I don’t think I’ve bought an app for ages now. It does feel very odd, but I haven’t bought one all year I think. I haven’t even downloaded very many free iOS apps either. On Android it is slightly different, but I think my purchases may total just 2 or 3 so far. Even so, it’s nothing at the moment. Not compared to what my app consumption was.

3 weeks without an iPad

Posted by on in Stuff, Tech

Since the shattering of the screen on my iPad 2 I haven’t used it, that is, I’ve hardly used it. It does still work, but parts of the screen aren’t too nice to touch as the glass is broken. Hence, I haven’t used it. My plan was (is) to put a screen protector on it to effectively protect my fingers from the sharp edges, but actually getting hold of a screen protector has been amazingly difficult.

Anyway, what’s been interesting has been not using it. I do miss it. That’s for sure. But  not nearly as much as I thought I would miss it. In fact, what I miss most are the ideas / experiments that I had planned that involved it that I can’t now carry out. Although hopefully I will be able to very soon.

It has also made me question getting an Android tablet. I’d almost decided on an Android 3.2 tablet, but then didn’t buy it. I couldn’t decide what I would actually do with it, which was a problem really, and it doesn’t make too much sense to spend a few hundred pounds on something you’re not sure you’ll use. So I didn’t buy it, and I’m not sure that I will at all now.

In some ways it’s made me reassess a lot of tech and my wishlist for gadgets too. However, that may change when I get it workable again, or indeed if the iPad 3 comes out any time soon.

And some Jasuto Pro too

Posted by on in Mobile Applications, Music

I started on some new stuff in Jasuto Pro today, taking a sample made up in RealBeat and using it as a basis for a scene or patch or whatever it’s called in Jasuto. I do love the app, it has so many possibilities.

Robots of sorts

Posted by on in Books and Audiobooks, Making things, Robotics

I bought this on my last trip to the Science Museum as it looked really good. I was wrong, it was even better than I expected. All the templates are on the CD in printable and editable formats so you can do a lot with these robot models to really make them your own. I’m looking forward to making a few soon.

More Mixtikl

Posted by on in Creative Process, Mobile Applications, Music

More messing around with Mixtikl again, and tweeting the odd mix too. Interesting to get back into this app and start to do a few things that are a little more complex. It’s the kind of music app that satisfies on all levels. You can generate something immediate using the random function, or spend as much time as you like to create something completely unique.