Some first photos from the Artbots Robot Talent Show in New York City. I'll post a few of my favorite robots as I see them.

- mike lee -

We're looking out a window on the north-facing side of the 19th floor of The Club Quarters Downtown in NYC. Below us is Chase Manhattan Plaza, straight ahead is The Federal Reserve, and to the left and up is AIG Headquarters. It's going to be a beautiful day in the city.

- mike lee -

On the 9am boat from Wall Street Pier 11 headed to Colgate Exchange Place in Jersey City. This is the last Hudson River morning I'll see for a while. I'm enjoying the cool breeze and the splashing sounds of our boat's wake.

The Manhattan skyline is shrouded in low-hanging clouds, which are dropping gentle bursts of drizzle. For once, those priviledged people who sit at the very tops of these buildings have to rely on their memories of the breathtaking views.

- mike lee - new york

Knowledge about large-scale technology activities is transferred from one smart person to another via markings and gestures on a whiteboard. Diagrams rule!

- mike lee - new york

Some new and current web team members are being briefed on the next generation of a Fortune 10 web site. Lots of words like "level set", "time boxed" , "leverage" , "taxonomy" , "validate" , and "metrics" are flying around.

- mike lee - new york

Victor and I take in the noise between ferry stations as we ride from Manhattan to Jersey City. It's his first day, and mine in a while.

- mike lee - new york

We picked up the book of 35,000 baby names to think about one for our girl-in-the-making. We got a few good ideas but I wish my grandfather was still alive. He would just meditate for a while and declare a beautiful and appropriate name.

- mike lee - new york

Success!

With a willing conspirator back in Baltimore, friend Tim Windsor who runs Sunspot, I was able to do a two-way video chat using iChat AV from the 3rd floor balcony of South Street Seaport. The view is of the East River and The Brooklyn Bridge.

Not knowing where exactly the Cornercast free WiFi was broadcasting, I had to walk around with my open laptop and MacStumbler to find the signal. Ofcourse it was in the place I thought of last--right by the food court.

I connected with Tim easily--he was using a firewire camcorder and iBook from his home in Baltimore. I panned around the dimly-lit promenade and the various couples, a few tourists, and a homeless person didn't really take notice. There were actually some people nearby watching a DVD on a laptop. The Bridge and Brooklyn didn't show up terribly well. Late evening or twilight will be better next time.

Though this wasn't really a massive technological achievement, it was astonishingly easy to set up two way video with basic hardware such as the PowerBook and iSight camera. This is more unwired experiential brain food.

Now I have to work on my roving journalism skills, but I think Edison Carter would already be proud.

- mike lee - new york

At NY Penn Station I hopped on one of the new six-seat cabs which rides high like our PT Cruiser, but isn't as cool looking. Snapping away down the West Side Highway towards the financial district, it was nice to see that the new Sidekick camera does a passable job on night scenes in the city. The cabbie was cussing up a storm about having to drive another guy's car. Arriving near the hotel, we discovered that Pine Street is now an open trench with utility pipes exposed. I got out on Wall, walked a half block, and was quickly checked in in the lobby. Got up to my 19th floor room to meet LITTLE SOAPS again!

- mike lee - new york