Steve Vai on producing the movie Crazy

Steve Vai admits that becoming a movie producer was never high on his things-to-do list. But the celebrated, Grammy Award-winning guitar virtuoso is one of the executive producers of the film Crazy, which tells the story of guitar legend Hank Garland, one of the most influential session men who emerged from Nashville during the 1950s.

“I’ve certainly been familiar with Hank Garland’s music,” says Vai, “but I didn’t really know a lot about his story. What I discovered was what an important figure he was. He introduced jazz to the Nashville scene, and he was one of the first guitarists to confront racial stereotypes by playing with black musicians, which rattled a lot of cages back then. When my partner, Ray Scherr, brought me the project, I was drawn right in.” [read]

Facebook App Updated for iOS 4

The Facebook app has gotten its iOS 4 facelift, with fast app switching and a few other goodies (Korean and Russian localizations, oh my!) making up the bulk of the improvements. There are also minor bug fixes and some higher-resolution icons. You can go ahead and pick Facebook 3.1.4 here. [Thanks, Casey!] via Gizmodo

iPhone and iPod Touch Essential Training

In iPhone and iPod Touch Essential Training, Garrick Chow provides in-depth instruction on all aspects of the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch (OS 3.1): making calls, emailing, browsing the web, managing time, getting around town, taking notes, taking photos, and listening to music. This live-action course includes hands-on demonstrations of how to accurately type and efficiently use finger gestures, and includes tips for setting up the iPhone and iPod Touch so they behave as expected. An extensive section on troubleshooting helps when the occasional glitches happen. [Watch at lynda.com]

The DSLR Revolution: Not a Revolution at All?

Ever since Sir Vincent Laforet got his hands on that prototype 5D Mark II and shot his “Bad cologne ad” “Reverie” the industry has been swarming with talk of DSLRs. How good they are, how bad they are, and how they are a revolution. Well as a DSLR shooter myself, I’m here to question that notion or at least understand the direction of the revolution. Are we calling these cameras the future or are we calling the innovation the future? Do we envision Christopher Nolan and Spielberg using DSLRs or do we envision them using smaller more efficient film or DCS’? Can a 2400 dollar stills camera possibly become more viable than a 100K dollar film camera? Would the market allow for such a stark price gap between two devices that to most people produce work of similar quality? [read]

One Possible iPhone 4 Antenna Fix With Mixed But Promising Results

Earlier this evening, MacRumors forum member jav6454 related his story of how his iPhone 4 signal issues had resolved. Essentially, while at the Apple Store for a tech support issue related to his iPhone 4, his SIM card was removed for a period of time and then reinserted. He subsequently found that his reception had improved:

I went on my merry way, but realized something now. No matter what position I held my iPhone 4 in, the signal never decreased. I held it the many ways I know the signal issue pops and nothing. No bar loss, no signal loss, no call drop. NOTHING. So there you have it.

I am theorizing that moving the SIM card had something to do with the signal issue, because the only thing I have done to my iPhone 4 differently is take out and reinsert the SIM card. Other than that no other changes to it. No setting change, no software change no nothing. Just reinsertion of the SIM card.

To prove his theory he asked others to try it themselves. As people investigated, some thought that SIM contact with the SIM tray might be causing the issue. [read]

Creative Ways to Use Google Voice

Now that Google’s free telephone forwarding, screening and voicemail service Google Voice is open to anyone in the U.S., web workers are finding many creative ways to use it. Google Voice has an extensive list of features; here are a few ideas on how to use them:

* Forward cell or landline numbers to Google Voice. It’s not yet possible to port existing numbers to Google Voice, but forwarding allows you to take advantage of its automated message transcription service and some of its other features. Not surprisingly, the quality of the transcriptions varies, but they’re generally good enough to save the hassle of calling your voicemail to listen to messages.

[read]

The sugar cane machine [business]

A small island grows sugar cane. Many people harvest it, and one guy owns the machine that can process the cane and turn it into juice.

Who wins?

The guy with the machine, of course. It gives him leverage, and since he’s the only one, he can pay the pickers whatever he likes–people will either sell it to him or stop picking. No fun being the cane picker. He can also charge whatever he likes to the people who need the cane juice, because without him, there’s no juice. No fun being a baker or cook.

But now, a second machine comes to the island, and then three more. There are five processors.

Who wins? [read on]

Photography Workflow and Backup Strategies

Watching Chase Jarvis talk in-depth about his workflow and backup strategy has me pondering how to fill in the holes. It may not be fun, but it’s vital. Bits are so ephemeral.

Read the awesomely detailed blog post on Chase’s website:

http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/2010/06/workflow-and-backup-for-photo-video/

“We use social media but it’s not working”

I’ve written about churches and businesses who don’t want anything to do with social media either because of fear or don’t’ see the need.

There is another group out there and those are the ones that have incorporated some social media but it’s not working the way they thought it would. [read]

Rush get a star on Hollywood Walk Of Fame

Rush received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame last Friday, appropriately in front of the Musicians Institute on Hollywood Boulevard. And while their star was number 2412 and not 2112, as many of their fans might have preferred, Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee, both of whom were in attendance, were nonetheless pleased by the honor.

Noticeably absent was drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. The notoriously press-shy Peart was said to be riding a motorcycle to the band’s first tour date in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Tuesday.

On hand to induct the musicians were Smashing Pumpkins singer Billy Corgan and Donna Halper, a former music director at Cleveland’s WMMS-FM who was among the first to champion the band’s 1974 self-titled debut album. [read]