iPhoto '09 (v.8.0)

OK. No, better than OK.

Aside from a few caveats, the latest iPhoto from Apple has some fairly decent new features.

First: Faces. This is the initial implementation of face recognition software that helps to identify certain faces in one's photographs. It is far from perfect, but it is quite handy. There are a few tricks that seem to help, but more than a few shortcomings. This is an initial release of this feature, so be forgiving. It works best on straight on and straight up faces. It seems to have a hard time with heads cocked to one side and has an even harder time even noticing profile shots.

One thing I do find very frustrating, is that upon initial updating of an existing iPhoto Library, the face recognition begins building what looks like a list of pictures that it believes are pictures that have faces. At least, faces are displayed as the progress bar advances. However, when I clicked on "Faces" the corkboard had a default "How to begin" message instead of a listing of unknown faces. So then, one has to go to a photo that has a known face, either by going in to an Event and then on to a photo, or straight on in to the Photos listing. Pick a picture with a face, hope that it recognizes that there is a face or add the missing face selection to the person's face, and then identify the person.

Sounds cumbersome. It's not too bad, but it is less convenient then it will be in the next few updates, I hope. Anyway, once you ID a face, it seems quickest to let the program find what it thinks are matching faces and then confirm or deny them. You've got to keep doing this for as long as it takes to find as many faces as the software can find, by each new lesson. So you may have to do this a dozen times before iPhoto stops presenting you with new choices to evaluate.

Another thing I wish would be available is the index picture, which is the portion, the subset of the photo, which has the face. A photo could have any number of heads and faces in it, but when confirming a "Face", iPhoto presents just one of the faces it believes it sees. It zooms in to this face and presents it in a standard size at the best resolution it can muster-up.

Second: Places. This is an attempt at popularizing geo-tagging. Something that flickr has been doing for some time now. This implementation has a ways to go as well. However, it could be my first generation Mac-mini is feelings its oats drop with a thud, but it seems like a slow process.

I believe that many of my pictures have geo-data in their EXIF data file. I have an Eye•Fi card that I use in one of my cameras. When the library was updated, those pictures did not automatically show up on the iPhoto map. I have only done a small number of map placements so far, and they were to photos of our recent vacation. Many of these photos do not have geo-tags or necessarily correct info if they do. It's the nature of the Eye•Fi card in these instances. So I will reserve judgment on the functionality of the Places feature until I know more about it.

Third: Adjustments. Apple changed the way the photo editor window looks. Not a very big change, just a little better organization. However, change is change and I will need to get my hands dirty on this modification before I make further comment on it.

Most of my recent hours in iPhoto has been time spent in updating each of my various iPhoto '08 libraries and teaching each and everyone, the names of my family members and then pointing out who and where the are. Oh, this brings me back to one other oddity. When one has to add a face for recognition to the photo, the selection tool is a rectangle whose size and proportions varies on center. The handles work on axis from the center of the rectangle. Seems kind of clumsy if you were to ask me. I would suggest that the selection would be an oval with one handle for rotation (or orientation, if that makes more sense to say) and another or two for size and shape - o - 0 - O. That seems more face like and would allow you to cover an individual with a head cocked to one side.

I think the selection tool is a rectangle because it only uses the eyes-nose-mouth area for its calculations. But then, maybe the tool should have been a triangle. Anyway, it works as well as it works. The software misses what seems to be about 60% of all the faces available from all pictures, and all heads turned away (which makes sense). Hopefully, as they add profile algorithms to the software updates, this gap will diminish.

Overall, I am pleased with my $80 investment.

iPimp iMy iJetta iGLI - iOh-my!

OK, MSN.com had a spot on new gadgets for ones' car. In the article was a link to a forum to discuss what gadgets you want on your car. However, I am not about to make another account for yet another Microsoft website. My plethora of Google and Yahoo! accounts are bad enough. So it is high time that I do a little rant about pimpin'-out my 2007 Jetta GLI.

I want cameras, all over the place recording a stream to an on board DVR that get's uploaded to a secure web page, perhaps in bursts or for emergencies, in real-time.

Two facing forward in the front windshield; one facing the opposite side window from the inside of the car (so that it records someone looking in to the car); two camera's in each side's rear view mirrors, one facing out and the other one facing back; and two in the rear windshield. Also, there should be two dashboard mounted cameras to get a clear view of the driver and passenger. Essentually, as close to 360 degrees a possible on the outside of the car and both sides of the car looking out from inside, ten cameras in all. I'd want about 24 hours of the video saved on a hard drive in the car. I'd want the video to have accurate date/time stamps, GPS data and be availble on a secured web page via wireless broadband and via the home wi-fi (or WayPoint, the same system used for the Eye-Fi SD memory cards).

I also want a Mac-Mini installed in the car. It should have the DVR software, FTP server, wireless broadband card, bluetooth, email server, Mac Lo-Jack, as well as the normal OS-X software. Connected to a touch screen monitor. The Apple computer should be able to send a fax, email JPEG pictures, and speak any one of several scripts on a voice call. The computer needs to be able to be accessed and controlled remotely and via automation and verbal commands from a valid user. The computer needs to function like a self-contained OnStar on steroids. I should be able to use an iPhone to locate my car, send photos to the cops, shut down the car safely, lock or unlock the doors and be able to use the video's in court.

The Mac and Monitor should function as a video and music juke-box, maybe an IP phone, GPS/map server, technical analyzer (interface with the engine) and everything else that you'd want in an automated vehicle.

Depending on additional cost, I would also want to have a HUD (heads up display on the windshield) as well.

I don't think I'd want to call my iJetta GLI "KIT" but it does not seem to be all that difficult or far fetched to these days.

The caveats are that none of the items can interfere with the safety equipment and most of the hardware could be housed in the trunk, which may need additional cooling. But if for some strange reason Xibit wants to pimp my ride, these are my first choice of modifications.

By the way - speaking of Yahoo!, like I did way up at the top there, Yahoo! needs to make launchcast Mac compatible!!!! I want my Yahoo! Radio in my Jetta via my boadband capable Mac, PLEASE! At least make it Mac compatible so that I can stream at home.