January 2012
1 post
How to build a Spotify app →
Jan 5th
December 2011
5 posts
I guess this is why people do Christmas cards
So, I spent a few moments the other day looking back at the last year. I have had an EPIC last year. I started the year working at Marmalade on Toast where I was working on various cool projects for the likes of Budvar & Harrods. Working on exciting projects.  In April, A friend came up with an idea for Instagram. He sent me a Direct Message on Twitter. “Dude, Instagram + cats. Epic...
Dec 25th
4 tags
"Find us in the app store" vs "Google it"
I was having a chat with a friend about app marketing, and the app store. The reason why they are starting off with a native iPhone app is due to the massive call to action presented with the “Available on the app store” image. Search for “ArtSpotter” This image provides the user with a MASSIVE call to action. “Oh right, that is where I can find it” That got...
Dec 20th
7 notes
ArtSpotter Helps You Discover Art in Your Area -... →
Dec 9th
Music Hack Day London - Ubelly →
This past weekend saw developers from all over the world flock to London for the third London Music Hack Day. Music Hack Day is  an event organised by the guys at Six Two Productions for developers to get together for 24 hours and make something awesome… Read full story here
Dec 9th
ArtSpotter Aims To Become Largest Arts Venue... →
Picture this: You’re in a new city and forgot to research its art scene before arriving. Does your iPhone have a solution to this first world problem? Thanks to the new app, ArtSpotter, it just might. ArtSpotter was created by UK-based Raphaëlle Heaf, who has worked in the contemporary art world for more than 10 years. This ambitious new app marries her love of mapping, architecture, tech...
Dec 9th
November 2011
1 post
Nov 2nd
18 notes
October 2011
2 posts
4 tags
WatchWatch
My slides from Mr Mobble’s Magical Emporium, October 2011
Oct 25th
8 notes
3 tags
WatchWatch
My slides from Front Row Conference, October 2011
Oct 25th
4 notes
September 2011
3 posts
9 tags
Apple's decision that changed cross platform...
Take yourself back to 2007. The first iPhone was released… The media, love to claim that this device changed everything. One thing everyone seems to forget is that at first, we, as developers, could not make applications for the iPhone. There was no app store. There were no apps. What was Apple doing? They were pushing for the web. They said, “Just make a web app”. They had their...
Sep 26th
2 tags
Sep 12th
4 notes
2 tags
Let's not party like its 1999
Currently (at time of writing) there are 4 main desktop platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS) and 6 main mobile platforms (iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone 7, Symbian, WebOS). In the future there is going to be even more platforms. Smart TVs will become mainstream, even the long awaited smart fridges. Each of these platforms support applications of one type or another. The current...
Sep 7th
1 note
July 2011
1 post
4 tags
QuickView for Google+
Last week I gained access to Google’s new entry into the social media world. I have been using Google+ quite a lot.  If you have ever used a google product before you may be aware that they like their keyboard shortcuts. Just like in Google Reader ‘j’ & ‘k’ move back and forward between posts. This works well in the Sparks section of Google+. However, one thing...
Jul 8th
8 notes
June 2011
9 posts
4 tags
Is someone making a remake of the Hackers film?
Do you remember the film Hackers? You know, the one with Angelina Jolie. Well it would appear as though someone is making a remake or something. So basically, in the film, there is a little battle between a collection of hackers. All trying to hack something quick than each other, they then eventually hack each other. Well yeah, that appears to be what is happening right now. In the last few...
Jun 15th
4 notes
8 tags
True cross platform development
By now, I am sure you are aware that you can use web technologies (HTML, CSS, JS) to build ‘native’ mobile applications. Well you can also use these technologies on other platforms too. I have compiled a list of resources for other platforms, (this is mainly for my own use, but I thought I would share it also :)) Mobile Titanium Mobile (iOS & Android) From the guys at...
Jun 10th
9 notes
“Don’t ‘redesign’ a site. Instead focus on ‘rethinking’ the copy, structure,...”
– (via paulspringett)
Jun 10th
4 notes
1 tag
Jun 10th
1 tag
Jun 9th
1 note
1 tag
Jun 9th
Safari Full Screen Bookmarklet
As there is currently no way to make a website go full screen in Safari. I have created a bookmarlet. Just drag the bookmarklet below to your bookmarks bar: Full Screen Only works on Safari 5.1B
Jun 7th
5 tags
Full screen websites using javascript, is it a...
So now, the latest Safari has been released with the full screen javascript APIs, it shouldn’t take to long for the others to catchup. Now, I wouldn’t usually use the term catchup with regards to Safari, as lets be honest. It is never one of the usual suspects for innovation. WebKit yes, safari no. After all, Safari was the last one in the fullscreen game. But it’s the first...
Jun 7th
6 notes
Jun 6th
May 2011
5 posts
5 tags
What's the most important thing to know as a...
If you already know me. You are probably aware that I waste precious time and money making pointless worthless sites. Examples of such waste of spaces (within the last few months): http://instac.at http://isthissitebuiltwithhtml5.com http://obamasmessagetoamerica.com http://sydlawrence.github.com Why do I do this? Simple, I enjoy it. And I learn things / teach things. Sometimes, other people...
May 20th
2 notes
WatchWatch
(via Can one crazy dungeon master defeat the forces of neo-nerd hipster douchery? - io9)
May 12th
I love technology
I know I am a geek, but I love technology. Let me tell you about something that happened today. Recently, I have been writing a book proposal. Usually I use my laptop. I also use dropbox, if you don’t know, it is a magic fairy dust document syncing service. So, I have been writing this proposal which is ‘on’ my laptop. Today however I am sans laptop, but have my iPad with me....
May 6th
You are not a software engineer →
May 4th
May 4th
1 note
April 2011
11 posts
3 tags
Everyone loves bunting
So, tomorrow it is the Royal Wedding. People all around the UK (and world) are putting up bunting. You can now put some union jack bunting on any website :) Earlier today @netmag tweeted “We have our first BUNTING! ;) http://t.co/zJ9ObfY” After seeing this I thought I would spend the next few minutes and make my very first javascript bookmarklet that I am releasing to the public. ...
Apr 28th
5 tags
Every time I mention AJAX in a talk, I can’t help but stress how important it is to use an a tag, or a button. I have just read a blog post by the guys over at 456 Berea st. One thing their blog post unfortunately assumes is that you, the developer, are in fact using a tags. The problem is that in truth, there are a lot of javascript calls not on an a tag nor a button. Why is this? Sloppy...
Apr 24th
10 notes
4 tags
Why the color app isn't worth $41M
I might be a little late to the game. But I had to wait to publish this blog post. Almost a month ago now, Color, was released to the world. Along with the tech press being set on fire about it receiving $41M investment before it was even launched. For those of you living under a rock, the color app is a photo sharing app, but it only shows you photos within 100m of where you are positioned. Now...
Apr 21st
Apr 20th
2 tags
Another productive weekend
This weekend, I have had another productive weekend: I have had my first BBQ of the summer. I created my first node.js application, very simple app, only local, wont have a public release I relaunched my personal site sydlawrence.com. I built my first tumblr theme, which happened to be the newest them for my blog sydlawrence.me. I have created 4 mindmaps, 2 UML data models, and have started...
Apr 10th
2 tags
Apr 9th
5 tags
Turning an HTML5 app into a mac app →
So, we have all heard of PhoneGap and various other tools to turn HTML5 apps into mobile apps, but what about desktop apps? What if you want to turn an HTML5 app into a mac app and submit it onto the app store? To do this, it is actually very simple.  I have found this out recently from a recent article.
Apr 9th
3 notes
2 tags
Advertumblr: An open letter to @Mashable:... →
adverplanner: Hi Mashable team! Instagr.am – it’s awesome right? Well, I know Ben Parr thinks so (how is Dominate HQ by the way Ben?!) and so does Christina, although she has obviously been too busy working to update her instagr.am since being in the Hilton Austin Hotel 3 weeks ago! Either way,…
Apr 4th
3 notes
5 tags
Cats on Instagr.am #instacat →
Apr 3rd
7 tags
A fond farewell and a new chapter
I have had an excellent couple of years, surrounded by very talented people doing amazing things. I have learnt a lot over the past couple of years. When I joined Marmalade on Toast, there were only 4 of us in the company. Today there are now 8 excellent members of the team. However it comes with great regret (and excitement) that at the end of April I will be leaving Marmalade on Toast. I...
Apr 1st
1 note
4 tags
Come see me talk at London JS
On Monday 18th April, in London, there is the inaugural event for London JS, a new free monthly meetup for JavaScript developers organised by @eventhandleruk. The first one is being held at Poke London’s offices. Peter Gasston (@stopsatgreen) is giving a talk titled “A Sensational Exposé with Bewildering Demonstrations!” What is the Constraint Validation API? How is it...
Apr 1st
March 2011
3 posts
5 tags
Some great HTML, Javascript & CSS Resources
It is approaching the end of the spring term for my students on the DMD11 course at Winchester University. Yeah, they get an easy life, they are soon to have 4 weeks off…. While they are on their ‘break’ they have a project to complete. As you may have guessed if you have seen any of my recent slides, is that they are making mobile web apps. As they will not have any direct...
Mar 22nd
6 notes
1 tag
Royal Wedding Charity Fund
Last week it was announced that Prince William & Kate Middleton (i.e the Future King & Future Queen) have created a charitable gift fund to help celebrate their wedding. Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton have created a charitable gift fund to help celebrate their wedding. The fund will focus on assisting charities which support the five causes chosen by the couple. These...
Mar 21st
1 tag
Ideas of March
I have just finished reading Elliot Jay Stocks’ “Ideas of March” and the original, Chris Shiflett’s “Ideas of March”. It made me realise that at the beginning of the new year I gave myself a couple of New Year’s Resolutions. These resolutions consisted of: Daily Excitment Daily Photo Weekly Lesson Blog more! “Daily Excitement” was my...
Mar 21st
February 2011
22 posts
Javascript Development →
Here are my slides for tomorrow’s lecture http://sydl.me/fl0k0l #dmd12 #fb
Feb 16th
Heart & Sole – Videos! →
Heart & Sole videos are now live!!! Free & in all their glory for your viewing pleasure: http://bit.ly/hq7k0b http://bit.ly/h40EPU
Feb 16th
5 tags
WatchWatch
My Heart & Sole talk :)
Feb 15th
MediaElement.js - HTML5 video player and audio... →
RT @html5: MediaElement.js 2.0.7 released http://mediaelementjs.com media player w/ Flash+Silverlight shims to mimic HTML5 MediaElement …
Feb 15th
free university lectures - computer science,... →
free university lectures - computer science, mathematics, physics, chemistry: http://lecturefox.com/ – Tristan Bailey (tristanbailey) http://twitter.com/tristanbailey/status/36781119269502976
Feb 13th
Initializr - Start your HTML5 project in 15... →
Very simple way to start an HTML5 page - http://initializr.com/ - sniggering at the option “no javascript” or “jquery” – Christian Heilmann (codepo8)…
Feb 12th
Syd & Rachel | Flickr - Photo Sharing! →
“@heartandsoleweb: Some good captions so far! Keep ‘em coming ;) Caption competition: http://t.co/josp0IM” <— only just seen this… ace
Feb 11th
2 tags
Feb 11th
October 2009
1 post
3 tags
Oct 15th