Google Earth Flyby on Youtube

Taking the previous post's ideas a stage further (using open source screen-capture tool CamStudio and mixing it all together with Windows Movie Maker), here's a proof-of-concept of the flyby movie. This is the 56-mile bike route for the Wimbleball half-Iron 70.3 race bike leg:

Watch on YouTube

Some initial thoughts:

1) Slower would be better for a real training aid.

2) So would landmarks on the ground ("Morebath", "Transition", etc) and caption commentary ("This bit's steep!" "Fast for 3 miles: hoof it!").

3) Watch out that the camera doesn't fall into hillsides!

4) Lots and lots of waypoints on the original Gmaps Pedometer map make for a better flyby.

5) Billboard Head Soup makes for very silly soundtracks: entirely superfluous but entertaining.

Second Life Hair Fair (for Ankaret)

It's not just ankaret who has a thing for hair: I found this intro and roundup of a recent Hair Fair in Second Life while mooching around looking for some SL gesture accessories.  There's got to be a "thumbs up" and "crikey" gesture out there somewhere.  Why?  So that I could shoot some scraps of SL footage to cut into the Google Earth tours, of course.  Sierra Alpha Delta, hein?  :)

So there you go, virtual hair.  Surprisingly detailed, fancy, subtle moving-and-shiny hair.  And yes, people obsessive enough to buy (for about $0.50 a pop) a tidy style and a bedhead style and swap 'em around as the day - or night - goes on.  It's entertaining to watch just how elaborate the dress-up doll can become if you've got a groaning shedload of tech to play with. 

Which reminds me, my avatar needs some better sunglasses...