This is a strange one. Getting to the Ubuntu website and downloading the Ubuntu ISO package is no problem. However, I can’t seem to run apt-get update without VPN. May be a blocked port number or something like that.

This is part of my Blocked in China series.

Possibly a local WiFi issue, and not a GFW issue. But today I’m having trouble posting to my blog with the WordPress iOS app. I have to use VPN. While the world enjoys one day of SOPA protest blackouts on major websites, it’s just another day here in China, land of the endless Internet blackout.

In my opinion, with the exception of photos and rendered digital art, all web graphics, applications icons and UI elements should be made using Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) or an equivalent. SVG is a brilliant format for web development. It’s fully scalable and based on XML. If app UI elements in iOS were all SVG or equivalent, there would be less need to release HD versions. Also, the iOS home screen could be customized. Maybe you want 2×3 larger app icons on each page, or 7×10 smaller icons. This applies, of course, to all platforms. SVG is highly underutilized, as are vector graphics in general.

A few years ago, while I was self-learning web languages from sites like W3C, I attempted to produce a site design using only vector graphics for UI elements. Admittedly, it was quite difficult using only the open source tools at my disposal. Eventually, I gave up and have since designed graphics-less sites. I prefer minimalistic, content-centric designs anyway.

“Headz Up” is a recent SNL parody app that sends you instant notifications about real things that are immediately in front of your face, like a speeding truck, closed elevator door or your grandma, while you are busy starring down at your smartphone. Funny.

During this volatile period of ICT development, it will be normal for unbalanced user experiences. Lots of people are going to complain about the “heads down” syndrome for some time to come. Eventually, however, I believe the functionality of person ICT devices will balance out and integrate more harmoniously into our lifestyles. Until then, try to keep your headz up.

Just last night I was at my local pub, sitting around a table with three friends. Three foreign guys (including myself) and one really interesting and beautiful Chinese girl. All three guys were heads down playing on Weixin, a new Chinese social location-based app, looking for interesting and beautiful Chinese girls who might be in our vicinity. Occasionally, I would lean over to our Chinese friend and ask her to check my Chinese. It was all rather deliberate, and the app is quite novel. Eventually we moved to the pool table and had a good evening. Good times.

Well, not exactly, but let me explain. In 1998 I was a freshman at the University of Western Australia studying mechanical engineering. For the first time in my life I had 24/7 access to a computer lab of Internet-connected computers. I discovered ICQ. It was to be another three years before I bought my first mobile phone. ICQ was way ahead of it’s time and to this day every other IM client and social communication service is offering very little functionality beyond what ICQ achieved. Prior to ICQ there were just forums, IRC and for the real oldies, Usenet.

What I imagined was simply a mobile phone that launched immediately to your contact list, showing you who was online, where they were, and their latest status message. Through this device you would be able to text in real time or leave messages, start voice and video calls and conferences. You could also share content individually or ”publish” your content for public access (though I hadn’t considered where that content would reside). My mind was racing with ideas for social context data that could be integrated into the device, some of which now exist in various social media services, some still don’t but definitely should.

What did I call this imaginary device? iCall

Yep, that’s exactly right. At first I was thinking ‘Cell’ or ‘iCell’ but I felt that ‘calling’ more properly represented the idea of remote human communication and information correspondence.

I spent a lot of time thinking about what personal information and communication devices should be able to do. I’m still doing this today and though I love Jobs’ iDevices, there is still so much more that could be achieved even with existing technology.

Why am I only writing this now, when the iPhone has been out for five years? Well, because over the past decade I have become accustomed to imagining what should be, and then seeing someone produce it. It just means my ideas are regularly spot on. But this isn’t really worth anything unless one day I take one of my ideas and do it before someone else does.

Maybe I will do that.