iPad Review!

After much anticipation, reading US reviews from Apple enthusiasts and haters alike, I was more than a little apprehensive about the iPad. Nevertheless I got up this morning, and after an hour or two trying to find my car keys I made my way into the shiny new Apple Store in Newcastle.

Outside the store there was temporary queuing bollards for the morning rush, now disused as the queues had subsided by the time I got there. But either way there was crowds of people squishing around the iPad tables, desperate to get their hands on one. So much so that they had Apple "Geniuses" abandoning their posts and running around with little Apple branded cloths to wipe the Geordie peasants grubby fingerprints off their new babies.

I had a vague idea of what it would be like. An iPhone thats a bit bigger with some higher resolution apps on. But once I had squeezed my way past I picked it up, and using it was just like second nature to me. I was proud of myself figuring out the screen rotation lock and finding my favourite websites on it etc.. But looking around the table, that was how everyone else looked. People who young and old, all figuring out the different apps with a massive smile on their faces. From just being around the table, you can tell that this was a device that was so well designed, that it rendered people of all ages to the same level, without patronising anyone.

So I did what anyone else does with it, checked my email, tweeted about tweeting from an iPad, checked out how nice my YouTube videos looked on its screen (fantastic by the way) and left Safari open with my blog, you know, everything someone does in the Apple store.

While I was there I had a chat with my friend who works there (Hey James!) and he told me how much he wanted one too, took me over to a spare one and showed me some of the features I might have missed. Quite a lot. I also played on the somewhat limited choice of apps available on each iPad: a Zombie Flower game and Flight control HD. Both stunning definition and colours so sharp!

Basically, I love this product. It just feels right to use, All the Apple Fanboys where right, you just love playing on it, surfing the internet is so easy and (probably from an extension of my iPhone) just touching the screen works for me, you don't feel like you are squinting through a hole at the internet like on the iPhone or other mobile devices, you feel like you are a part of it. And more importantly, I can see myself using it at home. And not even in a romanticised "just imagine what I could do with it" but genuinely wanting to use it every day.

Leaving the Apple store, I kind of felt like I was betraying myself by letting myself fall in love with a piece of technology and wanting it in my life. But sat here in my girlfriends bedroom, on her bed, blogging on my laptop, I can't help but notice how much my back aches, and think what I can possibly sell to get an iPad.

-Jonny

Jonny Eveson Posters!

I have had a DeviantArt for a number of years now, and I upload pretty much everything I do to it. but recently I have been making quite a few poster designs, So I thought I would make myself a simple little online portfolio for everyone to take a peek at. If you have a Tumblr, be sure to "follow" me here!

Doctor Who Posters

I love Doctor Who. This new season feels a lot more grown up and less slapstick than previous series. Im really enjoying it! And tying together my love of both Doctor Who and Poster design, I threw together some designs! So far they are gaining quite a bit of popularity of a few sites. Hopefully I will get some better higher res versions up for people to download.




I hope you enjoy them as much as I do making them! I really do love making posters, and I plan to make quite a few more of different things I like. Let me know what you think of them!

DandAD Update

I got an email earlier this week from Fergal Kilroy, the head of D&AD Student Awards, and unfortuatly my animation didn't make the cut for D&AD this year. So no Yellow Pencil for me this year! Maybe next time.

On the plus side, I get to upload it and show it off now! Take a look:


Click HERE to see the video in High Definition

To be fair, I did make it in 4 days. The D&AD brief sort of crept up on me this year. I think If i spent more time on it, and actually put some animation in there, then I might have made something worth a Yellow Pencil. As soon as the briefs for next year come through I am starting right away.

Tuesday Night: MGA at the Tyneside Cinema!

The Tuesday just gone was the MGA Interactive Animation and VJ Night at the Tyneside Cinema!

For all those who didn't come along, it was a great night! Took pretty much all day setting up, hopping from the cinema, to Uni, then back home etc. But after all that it was a good night showcasing some of our work. Unfortunately the bar we hired out closed at 11, something we didn't know in advance, so some people didn't get to show their work. Hopefully I will get a video soon of everyones work that went into the night.



My work was down in the bottom corner along with a couple of other peoples, projected on the table. It went down amazingly! Everyone loved playing with my amoebas and had loads of fun. Even if it did have limited capabilities and a few glitches. But nothing that anyone was too worried about. Im working on a video showing how I made it later today. Im looking forward to the next night now! And I love playing with Touch Designer.

Also my mum paid a visit too. She drove a 200 mile round trip to come and see my work. And chat to my Tutors, which I think she was looking forward to the most.

Finished My Interactive Animation!

I have just finished putting the last few details on my Interactive Animation project. Its come along really well these past couple of days. I can't wait to show it off at the Tyneside Cinema on Tuesday. I fully expect everyone to be there! Not only to see my work, but to take a gander at everyone else's work too! Varying from VJ Sets, to Interactive Animation. If you can't make it on the night come up during the day! We should be there all afternoon setting up.

If you can't make it on Tuesday don't worry! We are recording the entire night and making a short film showing the best bits of the night. It will be like you where right there. Except you weren't. Boo.

Now all thats left to do is sit and play test it tonight! Search for faults and such before letting everyone else have a go.

Two more sleeps till MGA Interactive Animation and VJ Night!

Its my last weekend to get everything finished for the Motion Graphics and Animation Night at the Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. If you are in the North East on Tuesday night I highly reccomend you come down and visit from half 9 till late. We are all really excited for it and we can't wait.

My project is coming along nicely, Im just putting the finishing touches to it this weekend. Its a piece of interactive animation that will hopefully be fun to play with! Ill get some videos up mid next week of how the night went.

There have been some brilliant projects being made this semester, and its going to be brilliant showcasing it all on Tuesday. If you are free on tuesday please come down and check it out. Invite yourself on our Facebook Event or "Like" our event on Tyneside Cinema's Facebook page!



See you on Tuesday!