the blog of ryan moser

My $100 DIY Camera Slider

ryanmoser — Wed, 09 May 2012 21:49:00 -0400

After scowering the Internet for the best DIY camera slider I stumbled onto J.G. Pasterjak’s Vimeo tutorial which lead me to this design. I fell in love with this design for the fact that it could be used on a 5”-10” rail/track or on any smooth solid surface. Total cost on this build came in just at $100. I spent $20 on (8) blank 52mm skateboard wheels, $20 on (16) Abec 5 bearings, $30 on all the hardware and paint from my local Ace Hardware, and $30 for a base plate and both drilled side rails from Kitty Hawk Iron & Steel Works. Since we live in a slightly pricey area with not many budget friendy resources I’m sure this build could be done for anywhere between $50-$75 with cheaper/comparable parts.

Jesse from Kitty Hawk Iron & Steel Works cut my 4” x 7” base plate and my 2 side rails.

All my parts spread out, minus my bearings that were still in the car…

Freshly painted base plate and side rails.

Wheels and Axles assembled.

What’s in a Name? Over one week with the new iPad and I...

ryanmoser — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 00:07:26 -0400

What’s in a Name?

Over one week with the new iPad and I couldn’t be any happier. As a user of the iPad2 since day one when I saw the keynote for the new iPad I couldn’t have been any more excited! The display is amazing, the resposivness and speed are like no other, and the name is perfect.

That’s right, the Name. Apple confused everyone when they simply called it the new “iPad” and not iPad3, iPad HD, iPad 4G, etc. I totally think this move was a fantastic decision. Apple has been pushing the iPad as a complete alternative to using a laptop or even desktop. And to do so even further they needed to drop the number, it’s not like they have an iMac HD, MacBook Pro 9, or even an iPod Touch 4.

Less is More.

TwelveSouth and I think alike!

ryanmoser — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:15:44 -0500

About 18 months ago when Apple launched their magic track pad I had the idea to bring it together with the wireless keyboard in this blog post: http://blog.ryanmoser.com/post/3156092094/why-didnt-apple-create-a-magic-keyboard

Today while browsing YouTube I noticed that TwelveSouth released something great! The magic wand which brings the Apple wireless keyboard and the magic track pad together like never before! Check it out here:

Props to TwelveSouth for bringing this to life!

google search + helvetica

ryanmoser — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 01:19:47 -0500

google search + helvetica

Have you seen the new iPhone 4S?

ryanmoser — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:59:53 -0400

It’s beautiful, amazing, simplistic, sheik, and did I mention identical to the iPhone 4. That’s right, identical…

When I watched the unveiling the other day of the new iPhone I was blown away by all the enhanced features in iOS 5, Siri, dual antenna bands, and the identical body design. I’m not really sure how the design of the phone could be made better, thinner, bigger screen? Speaking with a close friend, Matt Reed the other evening he brought up a great point about screen size and thumb size. Matt mentioned how the iPhone is not only designed around your pointer fingers, but your thumbs too. When you hold the iPhone in your hand your thumb can easily reach any corner on the screen.

But anyway, back to our subject, exterior design. The exterior of a product isn’t always changed every year, look at the Mac Pro which has held the same exterior appearance since 2006.

When a design is great, why change it?

Steve Jobs the Ultimate Inspiration

ryanmoser — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 20:24:00 -0400

Today Apple shocked me with the biggest announcement ever, no not a new phone or a new way to browse the web, but the passing of a legend; Steve Jobs. Steve started from the bottom working his way to the top and truly building an empire along the way. Steve strived to create the very best products that could ever be imagined and for this he will go down in history as the most influential person in technology. My thoughts, prayers, and sympathy are with Steve’s family, friends, Apple-Family, and supporters. This will be a rough patch, but we’ll never forget you Steve.

the best reuben ever.

ryanmoser — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:25:29 -0400

I’ve raved over this sandwich for over a whole year so it’s due time that I write about it. Before we moved to the Outer Banks I was certain that I had eaten the best Rueben ever. A week or so after I moved down here a few of the girls that I work with took me to a local sandwich shop at a small marina called, Great Gut Deli. The tiny little sandwich shop located in the marina was swamped with local customers all making their lunch purchases. When I reached the counter I was still unsure of what to get, my eyes scrolled quickly through all the listings on the chalkboard. Running out of time I made a snap decision to get the Pastrami Reuben with extra thousand island dressing and macaroni salad.

Until this moment I had enjoyed the occasional “good” Reuben”, but never had I experienced a “life changing Reuben”. Five key parts make up this amazing sandwich: Grilled to perfection Rye bread, warm and gooey Swiss cheese, a fair stack of thinly sliced pastrami, freshly created Sauerkraut, and the ingredient that ties it all together the homemade 1,000 island dressing.

If you’re ever in Wanchese, NC this is a must eat at place, fresh local ingredients and a casual atmosphere. I’ve always been a fan of the Reuben, here are a few places I’d put Great Gut Deli’s Reuben up against.

Katz Deli -New York, New York

Hams -Harrisonburg, VA

The Hungry Pelican -Manteo, NC

Alton’s -Buffalo, New York

Byers Street Bistro -Staunton, VA

a quick video I filmed with my iPad, enjoy!

ryanmoser — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 00:31:00 -0400

a quick video I filmed with my iPad, enjoy!

my experience on March 11th 2011 when the iPad2 launched.

ryanmoser — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 21:05:16 -0400

my experience on March 11th 2011 when the iPad2 launched.

A shot I took of my friend Mike’s car when I was in...

ryanmoser — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:05:06 -0500

A shot I took of my friend Mike’s car when I was in Virginia last month.

I just finished watching the documentary “Helvetica”...

ryanmoser — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 23:23:00 -0500

I just finished watching the documentary “Helvetica” and was really inspired by the film to create something ultra-modern. This film is a must watch for anyone interested in typography or design, and it’s on instant netflix if you were wondering!

Has Gowalla considered Item Sharing?

ryanmoser — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:06:39 -0500

While checking in at a local spot tonight I thought of something cool Gowalla could possibly implement in the mobile application. My Idea: Attaching items to “Notes” left at checkin locations. How great would it be to be able to attach an item to a note that you were leaving for a friend! It’d be so much fun to be able to easily share and exchange items between friends. What do you think?

this is why Google kills Yahoo

ryanmoser — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:53:06 -0500

this is why Google kills Yahoo

My First trip to NYC

ryanmoser — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:34:44 -0500

This was my first time ever to New York City and three days just wasn’t long enough. We saw so many great things and ate some really great food! It’s awesome to have friends that live so close to the city, it makes everything so convenient!

of course we hit up the 5th Avenue Apple Store…

my wife Rachel and I

our friends Nathan and Megan

the city from the top of Central Park

I'm super stoked for EightBit.me to launch their site!

ryanmoser — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 21:26:00 -0500

So in honor of EightBit.me launching very soon, I decided to create an 8bit of myself! Good luck with the site guys, can’t wait to see it go live!

It's Christmas time at the Moser House!

ryanmoser — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:50:00 -0500

Rachel and I officially have all of our lights and decorations up for the holiday season! Our shopping is about 90% complete with just a few gifts left to buy. We’re just finishing up some final details like wrapping and Christmas cards!

Here is a quick video of the Outer Banks Christmas House that I filmed with my iPhone. I couldn’t get over all of the lights and decorations, it was truly Amazing!

Charleston, South Carolina. Pretty Rad!

ryanmoser — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 11:25:00 -0500

Possibly one of the coolest cities I’ve ever been to!

Art, Architecture, and Culture fill the downtown streets of Charleston. Below are a few photos from our trip to visit our friends Megan and Paul.

another perk was the Apple Store…

dailysnapp officially launches!

ryanmoser — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:45:00 -0400

Well after some extremely late nights working on a side project I wasn’t sure I’d ever pull off, dailysnapp is officially live!

I’ll have to admit, when I first considered the idea I wasn’t sure I’d even be able to find photographers to submit content for the site to even work. Through the help of twitter I was able to reach out and find many awesome photographers interested in helping with my idea. Before I knew it I was getting multiple photo submissions daily, and the numbers are still growing!

My intentions for dailysnapp are to feature a photographer each day with a new photograph. This in turn promotes the photographer’s blog/website and helps them to gain more exposure! If you’re interested in submitting to dailysnapp or are interested to see the first snapp, click on the link below.

A photo I took before we evacuated for HurricaneEarl

ryanmoser — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:03:00 -0400

A photo I took before we evacuated for HurricaneEarl

Why didn't Apple create a Magic Keyboard?

ryanmoser — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 01:10:00 -0400

So yesterday morning I awoke to the Apple store being down, as we all know from previous site downtime this means new products! Of the new products released like the 27” LED Cinema Display, the AA battery charger, the faster iMac line, and the beastly 12-Core Mac Pro, one item caught me eye in particularly; the new Magic Trackpad. At first I was thinking this was the best idea ever and I still plan on getting one. However the more I looked at it and thought about how it could possibly function better, I realized that maybe the trackpad and keyboard should have been united for a more versatile design. This would allow for the user to easily rest the entire unit in his or her lap, separated it would make it near impossible. This could also be any easy upgrade for some one who wants an all in one wireless keyboard/mouse for portability.

** Don’t mind my weak photoshop skills, it’s almost 1:30 in the morning. **

Just a thought.

Props to Apple for another great idea!