Interesting Bits

Facebook’s virtual currency, “Facebook Credits,” is getting very close to its full launch: a post on the Facebook developer blog explains some of the full terms of the system and what developers can expect as the currency continues to roll out slowly.

We might use it as a billing system for our new App – as well as iPhone Appstore sales – this should cover nearly all the market.

It might be a way around the Android billing problem too – as an Australian iPhone development company, we can’t develop for Android yet and get paid – so it will have to be a free app on Android and upgrade via Facebook or iPhone!

(Credit: Facebook)

via Facebook to developers: Get ready for Credits | The Social – CNET News.

Wow… Just WOW!

…. but if the basic product isn\'t compelling, adding more features won’t save it. By focusing on only a few core features in the first version, you are forced to find the true essence and value of the product. Put another way, if your product is great, it doesn’t need to be good.

via Paul Buchheit: If your product is Great, it doesn\’t need to be Good..

The Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 AF-S sets a new standard in ultra-ultra wide angle lenses. It is the best on the planet, and by a large margin. The 14-24mm is significantly sharper than any fixed or zoom ultrawide from Canon or Nikon, and that includes Canon and Nikon’s 14mm, 18mm and ultra-wide zoom lenses.

The 14-24mm does things no lens before has done. It is sharper wide-open at 14mm in the far corners than a fixed 14mm f/2.8 is stopped down at f/5.6! For sharpness, the 14-24mm is blazingly sharp and devoid of any coma or softness at every aperture, everywhere in the full film and FX Digital field.

Full review at Ken Rockwell

Gyrofocus, voted ‘World’s most beautiful object’ 2008–2009 in Pulchra competition.

The Gyrofocus, designed by the award-winning contemporary fireplace maker Focus, has been named as the World’s Most Beautiful Object for the 2008-2009 Pulchra design competition.

The suspended fireplace achieved the highest number of votes in the inaugural year of the ten-year design competition. Over a year, 74,425 participants voted by Internet for the 10 most beautiful objects among 100 selected by a jury of experts in design and architecture.

The fireplace created by Dominique Imbert in 1968 came out as the voters’ top choice.

The black fireplace is made of 4mm-thick steel, has a diameter of 1.25m and a weight of 97kg. It rotates 360° so it can be easily directed to face different parts of the room. The length of the flue and other adaptations are produced to requirements

Even the digital paperboy is late sometimes, this notice on my Kindle tells the story… must have been the snowstorm

We normally get the NYT delivered in the early evening here in Australia.