Apple Store Amsterdam

London has an Apple Store. Paris has one and so does Munich. We want one too!

The historic Hirsch building in Amsterdam is now the Apple store. This building was originally built by the Hirsch family for their now defunct department store. The building has had many uses like offices and even a cinema.

Apple is using the corner part of the building for their Apple Store which is located at the most busy area of Amsterdam. Surely it will get the huge traffic Apple Stores get all over the world. We arrived there pretty early and it was already a busy place.

Apple redesigned the interior to their famous Apple Store style. Yes, the famous glass stair is here too! It's nice to see how people are allowed to test a device, be an iMac or an iPad, at their own leisure. If you want to ask a question there are dozens and dozens of Store employees available. The Amsterdam Store has the longest Genius Bar of all Apple Stores so far.

Even kids have their own tables (check out the lower height of the table) so they can have a go with their own device. The spacious interior has a very luxurious yet very friendly atmosphere. I've only seen people smile and enjoy their visit.

The Apple Stores generates some of the highest revenue per square meter of all retail stores in the USA. I'm sure it's no different here. Apple Store gives the potential buyer the utmost pleasurable buyer experience one can get. I doubt any other flag ship store from Nokia or Microsoft gets the similar responses or experience.


Here's a short video of the upper floor:

Looking for a new camera

Since my good 'ole Fujifilm Finepix E550 died during my last trip, I have been looking around for a replacement. Compact cameras are easy to carry around but I want to do more creative video filming in the future.

The video capabilities of compact cameras are impressive these days, but there's a limitation. The current DSLRs are almost professional video camera's. But I hate the bulkiness and the weight of a DSLR.

How about the new generation of mirrorless and interchangeable cameras like the Sony NEX-5N or the Panasonic GH2? They are a lot smaller than the DLSR's and have interchangeable lenses for flexibility.  I'm really impressed by these new generation cameras.

Besides taking very good pictures some of them are also capable of shooting 1080p 60fps movies. The pixelation of moving streams of the movies I shot using my Creative Vado is because of the compression it uses as well as the low frame rate of 30fps.

Still need to read more reviews, comments and watch videos captured by the Sony NEX-5N. But man, it sure is a step ahead of what I have seen so far using pocket videocams...

Here's an amazing footage just to see what this Sony camera is capable of:




Update 30 Aug 2012:
Sony is releasing the successor of the NEX-5N, the NEX-5R.
Nice new features like more manual control, adding apps to gain new features (wow!) and wifi.

Check out this video to see all the new features.

Windows Phone 7: not quite...

Well, I haven't tried or even hold any of the new Windows Phone yet, but I do have been reading the reviews and writings about them.

Although the new tile-based user interface Microsoft embraced for their mobile OS seems to be a huge new direction for the guys at Redmond in terms of user friendliness. However from a distance it still looks 'not quite'.

Molly Wood from CNET was given a Windows Phone by Microsoft to try it out for several weeks. Her verdict? It's a 'like but not love'. It won't be her next mobile OS.

RISE 2012 - All sold out & gone

Well, it's gone before you know! Both Rotterdam and Amsterdam venues sold out on the last day before the shows.

We had a great show in Rotterdam and an even better show in Amsterdam. Tuschinksi is located down town Amsterdam with the parking problems that goes with it, but people all still gathered to this historic cinema to enjoy the show.

Nick couldn't attend the show so Morten Huwyler from the sponsor Imago joined me as co-host of the show. Thank you Morten for a great two days man!

Unfortunately the mind blowing footages of Slovenia in the feature movie Hatch didn't make it to the show. Nick had some last minute problems with the logistics that comes with the editing, narration and converting the movies files to high definition DCP-format.

Surely the final DVD will include many glorious footages of the gin clear (get it?..) streams of Slovenia. Probably the hottest trout destination in Europe at the moment.

RISE Fly Fishing Festival 2012 edition will continue with the European tour until early April.
Go team RISE!

Thank you Rudy van Duijnhoven for providing the photo's.

Patagonia's new wading boots

Patagonia has a new wading boot out that has superior gripping power. These boots have aluminum bars attached on the sole and it's supposed to have amazing traction on difficult surfaces most other soles have problems.


If you want just the same traction using your current wading boots, then the Patagonia's removable cleats might be the solution. These cleats are worn around your current wading boots, but the price is pretty horrible: $199!!

I was looking through some old Fly Fishermans this afternoon. Always nice to see what was going on back in the good 'ole days! And look what I ran into in the May 1983 issue. Haha, every few decades we invent something new and in the end it's just recycling previous ideas!

Update:
Here's a review of the Patagonia Rock Grip wading boots.

Here is an idea to make one out of you old boots.

RISE - in the mean time

Promotion for the 2012 edition of Rise Fly Fishing Film Festival is in full swing right now.

Here's a picture of the promotion poster at the door of the famous fly shop 'Peeters Hengelsport' in Amsterdam.

Apple's vs Microsoft's approach

Nice video which shows how the two companies think, work & executes their ideas.

Fly fishing in the winter: layering!

Here's a good explanation of how to keep your self warm when fishing in the winter. Layering is the magic word here.



Update: january 2012
I ordered a Nano Puff hoody recently and man I'm impressed! It's extremely lightweight ("this is gonna keep me warm & protected from the wind?..") and it's very warm without feeling choked and soaked. In other words it's also very breathable. It packs to the size of a large grapefruit.

RISE Fly Fishing Film Festival 2012 edition!

Yes, we're setting up the 2012 edition of the RISE Fly Fishing Film Festival here in The Netherlands!
Besides the Rotterdam we've added Amsterdam as a second venue.

The Rotterdam show will be held on 27 Feb 2012. The Amsterdam show probably the day after, but we're still waiting for confirmation from the cinema.

Tickets for either of these venues are only available here.

The trailer of the main feature movie called Hatch can be seen here.

Here are the postings on the previous 2010 show here in The Netherlands.

Update 23 dec 2011:
We can announce that the Amsterdam venue (28 feb 2012) will be held at the famous Tuschinski theater!

Kamchatka

Here's very nice capture of what Kamchatka has to offer.
Enjoy!

Ultra lightweight hippers

I like to use my lightweight breathable hippers when I don't need to wade deeper than my thighs. Especially when the weather conditions are warm and sunny, walking around in full chest waders can be pretty warm. Mine is made by Vision.

Here's a new idea from Chota. It started as a 'wading sock', which is a real dumb idea, but they developed it further to a 'packable hipper'.

When you don't need it to go deeper than knee deep, the upper part stays rolled (packed?) down. When you need to wade deeper, just roll the remaining part up and you've got a full hipper!

The Vision hipper I got is really lightweight. When traveling these hippers can be rolled to the size of a shoe. It beats wet wading when you're concerned about getting cold later in the afternoon. You can pull down the upper part when you need to walk longer distances so the transpiration can't build up inside.

But Chota's version looks even more lightweight. Not sure about the durability though since the fabric seems to be a lot thinner too. Click here to watch a video on the Chota hippers.

Reading glasses

I've never thought I would be needing reading glasses but it looks like it won't be long before I'll really be needing one myself. During bright day light conditions I can tie my fly without any problem. When it starts to get a bit darker it can be a bit more difficult.

Well anyway, here's a neat foldable reading glasses specially made for fly fisher(wo)men. It is put out of the way (when clipped on your hat's visor) when you don't need it and it folds back when you need them. You don't even have to take your sunglasses off as it can be positioned in front of your sunglasses. Pretty neat!

Click here to watch a video on the Flex Spex.

Predatory trout

A few trips back I hooked a small trout. A few seconds later the fish made a huge run. Well, that's what I thought it did but actually the little guy turned into lunch for a big guy.

The big guy was holding the smaller fish so firmly that I could fight the fish all the way to the shallow part. I lost the big guy eventually because I was trying to get a picture of the situation while trying to beach him.

The picture is terrible but it did capture the scary moment for the little guy. Click here to get a better look.

iPhone 4S

The new iPhone 4S has a new improved 8 megapixel lens.
Check this short video out. The field of depth capability was already pretty impressive on the iPhone 4, the new iPhone 4S is even more impressive.

Steve Jobs passes away

  

                   1955 - 2011

Indian Summer

Yes finally! Unexpected yet so a very welcome surprise. Mid september the weather started to warm up again and the sun was shining as it were mid summer. So I took a few days off and headed to Austria. My buddy Rolf missed out this trip again and he's regretting ever still.

I went for a 3 days trip to the lower Austrian alps to fish the Mur as well as an old friend in Southern Germany. The Mur is a pretty intimidating river at first. It can be swift and steep for many miles on end to widen and slow down in pace.

The days prior to my arrival the warming started with a 5 inch snowfall in Austria. The melting of the snow made the river slightly higher as well darken the water. The day I fished the Mur the water was just clearing up, yet not as clear as the days after.

I decided to try the mid section of the Mur (8 km total length), which also happens to be the swiftest part. The sun was high and hot. The fish didn't seem to mind. The fish weren't big but they were eager to take the offerings. The way to fish this kind of swift waters is to search the slower edges.

This 3 days of warm inidan summer fishing was a very welcome break from a mediocre summer season.

I made a short video of the trip. This almost never materialized because I seem to have left an essential part of my tripod at home (the removable tripod head) as well my almost ancient digital camera taking a dunk on the first day. It has been wet before but this time it didn't survive the dive.

Thanks to my little GorillaPod I still managed to capture some nice steady video shots.






A note on my (more than 30 years old!) Orvis Tippet:
I fished my Orvis Tippet on the 3rd day. My trusty Orvis Tippet got a new grip (yes, that amazing Superfine grip!) at Orvis headquarters in Manchester Vermont early this summer. They did a great job at Orvis. I got a dozen locally baked doughnuts delivered at the Orvis rodshop as thanks. Orvis just checked my posting as you can see in the screen shot.

Steve Jobs resigns as CEO of Apple

Historic day in Apple history. Steve Jobs resigns as Apple's CEO.

It was obvious that Jobs' health has been diminishing the past few years. He wasn't getting any younger either. So the day Steve would pass the job to another guy (or gal) was just a matter of time.

A CEO leaving is nothing special. This happens all the time all over the world. But how is Apple going to stay at the cutting edge of technology without Steve's vision and his ability to make a product such a huge success? Steve was Apple and Apple was Steve. Who's going to take this role over? Of is it even possible?

Here's a very interesting documentary about Steve Jobs and his amazing achievements at Apple.




Lots of stuff on Steve Jobs at AllThingsDigital.

All video's (interviews / presentations / keynotes) are stored at one place here with the Ultimate Steve Jobs collection.

iPhone & warfare (at the office)

Check this commercial on Griffin's new toy for your iPhone (or iPad).
Simply brilliant!

Getting the iPhone really wet

Ever taken a swim in the stream when fishing? A bit of water won't harm your gear. It's the vulnerable cameras, pocket camcorders and cellular phones I'm worried about. How to keep them dry when there's a chance they'll get wet. Or if you want to shoot some underwater shots?

Some time ago I got a waterproof case for my pocket camcorder (Creative Vado HD). This case sure gets the job done. In fact it's really waterproof so it will keep the camcorder dry when you take a swim or capture shots while swimming. Think about nice shots of your trout swimming away after releasing.

So, I did try shooting some underwater shots with my Vado with this jacket on. The verdict? Not quite. The captures were fine all right. It's the noise of the rubbery material of the case that can be heard on the recordings I don't like. Scratching noise of the case while handling the case and noise of the camcorder rubbing against the material really distracts from any natural sound of water rushing underwater.

Recently I have been planning to use my iPhone to shoot some video captures on my next trip. The idea of getting my iPhone wet or even drop it in the water doesn't sound good. So I have been looking for ways to keep it dry when using around the stream.

The other day I ran into this: the Phonedome.
Basically it's like a condom for the iPhone. Very light polyurathane based skin that goes around the iPhone.  The final sealing is done using the sticky tape that comes along with it.

I really like the 'cut to the bone' sealing of the iPhone. No loose pieces sticking out. It's supposed to be waterproof so I could even shoot some nice underwater shots too. Nice to know that the phone is also protected against dirt, grease, etc. Both front and rear camera lens area are clear to ensure sharp pictures and videos.

The downside is that you have to take the phone out to get it charged. I'm not sure if the tape will stay 100% waterproof after removing it a few times. Fortunately the Phonedome is shipped with an extra tape strip (I got a two pack deal by the way for $12 including shipping).

Now, the proof of the pudding is eating it. So we'll see how this works out on our next trip.
Here's in the mean time a video on Phonedome.


Update 30 sept:
I tried the Phonedome on my recent trip to the Mur. The Phonedome does give me a very secure feeling that if my iPhone gets wet, there will be no damage what so ever. My good old digital camera went for a dunk and it died, so getting your gear wet is a real threat when fishing.

However the photo and video shots made with the Phonedrome on gives the captures a misty hue that I don't like. The sound gets muffled as well. So, unless I know I will be wading on wobbly stretches I think I'll use my iPhone without the Phonedome. I'll keep it in my vest so I can put it on when I start a wobbly walk in the water.

Free as a bird

Check out the latest adventures of Jetman: a guy flying around with a wing on his back with a mini jet engine. This time he's flying over the Grand Canyon!

Watch the full 720p version to get the maximum boost!

Moose fishing with a dry fly

Here's how people in Sweden catch moose with a dry fly. But be sure you know what you're doing though!

Another One from Sage

Sage is replacing the Z-Axis rod series with a new rod series by the name of 'One'.

Even though the Z-Axis series has been on the market for around 5 years, it still sounds like it hasn't been that long ago the Z-Axis was introduced. I have no idea whether the Z-Axis has been the success Sage hoped for? I got the saltwater version for a 6 weight line. I bought it for light saltwater fishing but I haven't used it so far.

I think the green pea color of the Z-Axis blank is one of the ugliest color I've seen on a fly rod. The new One will be black. Well Sage calls it 'black ice' or what ever that may be. The lighter rods (3 - 5 weight) have the similar half or mini wells grip like the TXL-F rod series. In fact it's almost a copy of the TXL-F look as the hardware is almost the same. I like the mini wells grip and it feels comfortable too. Sage also reduced the weight. The 5 weight 4 piece rod weighs under 3 Oz, which is pretty amazing.

Well, I'm sure this new One will cast very nice. Oh the price! Starting off at around $700, so that's pretty steep for a fly rod. As soon as I've cast one, I'll let you guys know what I think.


Update 23 nov 2012:
I have cast the One on several occasions during the last 6-8 months. But recently I've cast the One (9ft #5) next to a Hardy Sintrix (9ft #5). Wow, what a huge difference! The Sage felt lifeless and stiff. It came alive after 25+ feet of line. Close in was pretty bad. The Hardy was amazing close in and longer line. It felt smooth all the way.

Sage has in my opinion gone just too far with their ‘performance rods’...