Grant

HeraldScotland: the fastest growing regional news site in the UK

<![CDATA[In January this year I took over management of the Herald & Times Group news sites, taking resposibility for the design, technical, marketing and subscription aspects of our online platforms. From a technical perspective the sites needed work: the core framework was relatively sound, but a number of bespoke additions had left the sites aContinue reading “HeraldScotland: the fastest growing regional news site in the UK”

Review: Nintendo 2DS

<![CDATA[A few years ago the electronics industry grew obsessed with the third dimension – 3D televisions popped up in every superstore and dual-lens camcorders appeared, promising to add extra depth to the video of little Jimmy’s first football match. Broadcasters got in on the action too, offering 3D coverage of everything from Wimbledon to theContinue reading “Review: Nintendo 2DS”

Blueprint debate: My vision for the future of our state broadcaster

<![CDATA[I was asked to take part in a Guardian debate last week as part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. The venue was the Guardian Spiegeltent on Charlotte Square, and the topic was the future of our state broadcaster, the BBC. I joined Daily Telegraph Media Commentator Neil Midgley on stage in the debate chairedContinue reading “Blueprint debate: My vision for the future of our state broadcaster”

The Wee Red App 2013-14 edition now available

<![CDATA[Following the success of the first ever Wee Red App in 2012, we’ve been working hard on a new edition of the app for the 2013-14 football season. The new version features more content than before, plus an exclusive ‘offers’ section that allows companies to offer daily or weekly discount offers to app users. TheContinue reading “The Wee Red App 2013-14 edition now available”

HeraldScotland reader event success

<![CDATA[Last week I organised and hosted a focus group-style event, bringing together 20 HeraldScotland readers to find out what they thought about our sites, apps and other services. The feedback we got turned out to be incredibly useful – and insightful. My biggest takeaway from the night: a surprising number of people (maybe half?) thoughtContinue reading “HeraldScotland reader event success”

HeraldScotland receives commendation at the UK Online Media Awards

HeraldScotland.com, which my team at the Herald & Times develop and run, won a commendation at the UK Online Media Awards last night. The site beat six other shortlisted candidates – including fellow Newsquest nominees Lancashire Telegraph, South Wales Argus and Daily Echo – to receive the accolade in the best local/regional news site category.Continue reading “HeraldScotland receives commendation at the UK Online Media Awards”

Review: Netatmo Urban Weather Station

<![CDATA[My obsession with weather monitoring started a decade ago when I moved out of the city and took an interest in grown-up concerns such as when the plants needed watered or when the pipes in the garage were likely to freeze. Over the years I’ve installed, adjusted and souped-up several weather stations to broadcast theirContinue reading “Review: Netatmo Urban Weather Station”

Prototype contactless bathroom power switches with Arduino and Sainsmart relays

A couple of months ago a friend showed me his plans for a new bathroom in his house. The plans included a number of electrical items – fans, lights, etc – all of which required switches. The problem is that – in the UK at least – there are tight regulations around electrical switches inContinue reading “Prototype contactless bathroom power switches with Arduino and Sainsmart relays”

Nominated in two categories for the Online Media Awards 2013

<![CDATA[ The nominations have been announced for the 2013 Online Media Awards and I’m pleased to see my products nominated in two categories. First, heraldscotland.com has been nominated in the category Best Local/Regional News Site. Stiff competition in this category including BBC News, Sky and Newsquest stablemate the Daily Echo. Second, our Sunday Herald LifeContinue reading “Nominated in two categories for the Online Media Awards 2013”

Review: Honda Miimo robotic lawnmower

<![CDATA[A couple of weeks ago I tested Roomba from iRobot, a gadget that vacuums while you're out. The idea appealed but the reality – poor performance, clumsy navigation and a tiny dust compartment – was less exciting. This week I’m looking at what is essentially the outdoor equivalent of Roomba, Honda’s Miimo. Robot lawnmowers aren’tContinue reading “Review: Honda Miimo robotic lawnmower”