Why Laptops Will Survive in a Tablet World By Michael Blumreich
Tablet computers have been getting plenty of press lately, thanks mainly to the iPad, the newest Apple product to hit the market. Laptops are still the workhorse of the portable computing world, and will most likely weather the tablet storm and perhaps come out ahead of its netbook cousin.
...Read More »
Kayye's Krystal Ball - v.06 By Gary Kayye, CTS
Welcome to my seventh annual Krystal Ball feature article about predictions for the upcoming year for Professional AV, and even some Home AV technology, trends and products. If you?re a regular reader of this column, then you know that each year I actually start by reviewing my predictions from last year?s column
...Read More »
AMD64 - Directly Connecting Your Imagination to Reality By Charlie Boswell
Each generation of new technology assaulting the digital content creator typically comes with elaborate promises about how it?s going to change lives. Sometimes that?s actually true -- but not always for the better. Non-linear editing systems brought the number of ?workarounds? to new heights
...Read More »
Coolness Roundup 2005, Part I By Charlie White
It?s that time of year again where you can practically fry an egg on the sidewalk, and that means your Coolness Roundup 2005 is here. This year, we have a special 2-part expanded edition that encompasses not only professional and consumer electronics gear, but any objects that use technology to make your life more enjoyable. Some of these items are prosaic, readily available to everyone, while others are stratospherically priced. Either way, lusting after these techno doodads is a great way to relax and have fun within the steamy confines of the hottest season of the year.
...Read More »
How Much Time Does Apple Have? By Dave Nagel
Set sentimentality aside. Set aside the pride and the unfounded fears and all of the little irrelevancies I've seen people worrying over for the last five days about Apple switching to Intel. Focus, instead, on the big one: Will there be a Mac platform in two years? The answer to that will depend on whether Apple sticks to the plan announced at WWDC. If it does, then by this time in 2007, you will be doing your computing on a Windows box.
...Read More »
DVD Insider: The Game, The Video, Death of the Disc? By Miles Weston
Videogames aren't games to the people who create them and the systems are far from game systems. Should Hollywood take more of a page from the game industry in its approach to customers? The most poignant question: Is all the hassle over DVD media for naught? Are they like dinosaurs? Naw...
...Read More »
The Cat5 Phenomenon By Gary Kayye, CTS
After two years of writing about how signal distribution via Cat5 cable is on the horizon, it?s now almost mainstream. In fact, if you haven?t designed, built and installed a Cat5-based classroom or meeting room by now, you?re in the minority.
...Read More »
Santa's Wish List By Charlie White
Wherever you are, Christmas is coming and the pressure is on. Whether you?re in balmy Tinseltown where the sidewalk Santa Clauses are much, much too thin, or in the Frozen Tundra where only a self-produced deluge of body-temperature fluids can open frozen-shut locks, you?re probably compelled to come up with some gift ideas for that techno-charmed colleague, friend or family member who just can?t seem to get enough of those Things That Plug In. Looking for some Winter coolness? Well, we?re here to help, pointing out the greatest gifts for that gadget guru in your life.
...Read More »
CEDIA and IBC -- Shows to See By Miles Weston
Sometime -- you know, in all your spare time -- you've got to take in any one of the trade shows around the globe. Two recent ones were CEDIA in Indianapolis and IBC in Amsterdam. CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association) is always in Indianapolis -- who knows why -- and IBC (International Broadcasters Conference) is always in Amsterdam -- that's easy to understand. Of course you couldn't forget the Fall IDF (Intel Developers Forum) event where all of the chip people and system manufacturers tell us how good it is going to be for us.
...Read More »
The Convergence of HomeAV and ProAV By Gary Kayye, CTS
There is an emerging trend that many of you have already noticed. It's the convergence of the HomeAV market and the ProAV market. For example, hasn't it become a lot easier to tell your neighbors what you do for a living? HDTV and the need for higher resolution displays in the home have driven the trend. In fact, more plasmas have been sold into the home than through the ProAV distribution channel.
...Read More »
2004 Predictions: Mid-Year Review By Gary Kayye, CTS
Each December ProAV expert Gary Kayye writes a crystal ball-style article that addresses products, technologies and trends that he believes will make an impact in the upcoming year. And, each year, about half way through the year, he takes the opportunity to review the year's predictions and see how well (or badly) he's doing so far.
...Read More »
Coolness Roundup 2004: The Well-Appointed Edit Suite By Charlie White
It's turning into another long, hot summer -- time for us to provide chilly relief with our twice-annual Coolness Roundup, your touchstone to all things hip that will make your life easy in and around your edit suite or production facility. Presented in no particular order, here are items that tickled our fancy here at the Midwest Test Facility, including do-dads that you can use as you work, some that you can use around work, and some that will actually keep you from working. And that's OK, too, because after all, it's summer and everybody could use a little coolness.
...Read More »
Temporary Image Retention (TIR) in Direct View LCD Panels By Benjamin Clifton
Clarity Systems' Benjamin Clifton, holder of 16 patents in the area of flat panel displays and related technologies, explores the causes and effects of temporary image retention (TIR) in CRT and plasma displays. What causes this problem of image sticking and what can be done about it?
...Read More »
GarageGames Super Charges Torque with Blender Support By DMN Staff Writer
Harnessing the powerful combination of the 3D modeling, animation and rendering features of Blender, with the rich feature set of the Torque Game Engine (TGE) will allow independent game developers and artists to further realize their creative visions. The TGE Blender exporter offers full compatibility with the Torque Game Engine DTS native file format including Level-of-Detail (LOD), and bone and mesh animation sequences.
...Read More »
DMN Interview: Smoke and Fire Version 6 By Charlie White
Discreet just released Version 6 of its Smoke and Fire editing systems. DMN's Charlie White spoke with Maurice Patel, product manager, Discreet systems division, about the new features in this exclusive interview. Patel also offers his insight on the advantages of the SGI platform over PCs and at the same time talks about how Discreet is covering the PC bases as well with a new Linux-based release.
...Read More »
Roundup: Macworld Expo 2004 By Dave Nagel
Macworld San Francisco is one of the few great expos left to technology enthusiasts, a show packed--especially this year--with throngs of enthusiastic attendees just thrilled to be there, let alone afforded the opportunity to meet and shake hands with their favorite developers, to unload some cash on new technologies and to get a glimpse of The Man Himself as he delivers his annual opening benediction. But I travel to the Macworld convention every year with pretty low expectations because the company around which the show revolves--Apple--invariably fails to deliver on expectations leading up to the event, especially for the professional creative market, which is, after all, not just the core but the bulk of the Mac user base. This year was no exception. However, once again, it was third-party developers to the rescue with just a vast amount of wildly significant and sometimes surprising announcements for professionals and semi-professionals alike.
...Read More »
R-Studio By Stephen Schleicher
I?ve had it with Maxtor Firewire drives. Having a long term (18 month) failure rate of 75% (3 of 4 drives dead over the last four years), doesn?t make me like the company or their products too much. While I may not be purchasing any more Maxtor drives ever again, there is a bright light for the lost data. R-Studio from R-Tools Technology is a cheap and effective program for recovering trashed drives and deleted folders.
...Read More »
There and Back Once More By Dave Nagel
Well, as far as I can tell, I've made it back from the 2003 NAB convention with at least half of my mental and physical faculties still in tact. While I may have left a large quantity of my ankle skin, brain cells, bodily unguents and money behind in Las Vegas, I have nevertheless returned to Southern California enriched with buffet-style nutrients, cheap memorabilia and profound optimism for the future of the Macintosh creative production industry.
...Read More »
Talkin' Smack: Think Exploitive By Dave Nagel
Let's recap. First Apple releases OS X as a public beta, charging a "nominal" $30 shipping and handling fee. Then they release the full version, jacking up the normal price of their OS to $130 and offering those who purchased the beta a $30 "discount" on the cost of the full release version of OS X. Then they came out with a 10.1 upgrade and charged another "nominal" $30 shipping and handling fee for those who needed the update, which included literally everybody because OS X 10.0 was missing so many features. And now there's something new that's so infuriating I couldn't even believe it when I heard it.
...Read More »
Analysis: There's No More Running By Dave Nagel
I've questioned the value of some of Apple's moves in the past. At times they've seemed irrational, even flaky. I've even posited occasionally the notion that the mind of the head of Apple might still be a bit fogged over from the '70s, if you know what I mean. But of late I've begun to see glimpses into the larger, more coherent plan, one that seems more like a well plotted course than an acid trip. This new deal with Nothing Real brought it all into focus for me for the first time. And I must admit I like what I'm seeing.
...Read More »
NO...Doesn't have a thing to do with "that" smartphone...or "that" store...or "that" tablet. It's the next generation. Kids and we mean little kids. That's what today's products are being designed for/targeted at. You happen to buy one...fine. Watch a little, little kid pick up a smartphone. He/she just uses it. They've come pre-wired and we're still trying to figure out how to IM. It's the IGen. They want it instantly. They want to use it instantly. They expect their photos, their video, their music, their stuff immediately when/where/how they want it.
Read More
In this clip, lynda.com host Mark Abdelnour takes a look at proxy bidding. He discusses the strategy and how it works. He also discusses the maximum bid, and when to use Proxy bidding.
Read More
The blood, gore, adrenalin challenges that were unveiled at E3 and enjoyed at ComicCon are fun to look at, easy to hold but are they really the games people want to plunk down their credit cards to own or rent time with? Seems as though the investors, the players who control the controllers have a different idea of a "good" game than the kids who develop them. While mobs of people play educational, informational, stimulating games our kid huddles in his room and mumbles "The Few, The Proud, The Gamers."
Read More
Why Laptops Will Survive in a Tablet World
Tablet computers have been getting plenty of press lately, thanks mainly to the iPad, the newest Apple product to hit the market. Laptops are still the workhorse of the portable computing world, and will most likely weather the tablet storm and perhaps come out ahead of its netbook cousin.
...Read More »
Kayye's Krystal Ball - v.06
Welcome to my seventh annual Krystal Ball feature article about predictions for the upcoming year for Professional AV, and even some Home AV technology, trends and products. If you?re a regular reader of this column, then you know that each year I actually start by reviewing my predictions from last year?s column
...Read More »
AMD64 - Directly Connecting Your Imagination to Reality
Each generation of new technology assaulting the digital content creator typically comes with elaborate promises about how it?s going to change lives. Sometimes that?s actually true -- but not always for the better. Non-linear editing systems brought the number of ?workarounds? to new heights
...Read More »
Coolness Roundup 2005, Part I
It?s that time of year again where you can practically fry an egg on the sidewalk, and that means your Coolness Roundup 2005 is here. This year, we have a special 2-part expanded edition that encompasses not only professional and consumer electronics gear, but any objects that use technology to make your life more enjoyable. Some of these items are prosaic, readily available to everyone, while others are stratospherically priced. Either way, lusting after these techno doodads is a great way to relax and have fun within the steamy confines of the hottest season of the year.
...Read More »
How Much Time Does Apple Have?
Set sentimentality aside. Set aside the pride and the unfounded fears and all of the little irrelevancies I've seen people worrying over for the last five days about Apple switching to Intel. Focus, instead, on the big one: Will there be a Mac platform in two years? The answer to that will depend on whether Apple sticks to the plan announced at WWDC. If it does, then by this time in 2007, you will be doing your computing on a Windows box.
...Read More »
DVD Insider: The Game, The Video, Death of the Disc?
Videogames aren't games to the people who create them and the systems are far from game systems. Should Hollywood take more of a page from the game industry in its approach to customers? The most poignant question: Is all the hassle over DVD media for naught? Are they like dinosaurs? Naw...
...Read More »
The Cat5 Phenomenon
After two years of writing about how signal distribution via Cat5 cable is on the horizon, it?s now almost mainstream. In fact, if you haven?t designed, built and installed a Cat5-based classroom or meeting room by now, you?re in the minority.
...Read More »
Santa's Wish List
Wherever you are, Christmas is coming and the pressure is on. Whether you?re in balmy Tinseltown where the sidewalk Santa Clauses are much, much too thin, or in the Frozen Tundra where only a self-produced deluge of body-temperature fluids can open frozen-shut locks, you?re probably compelled to come up with some gift ideas for that techno-charmed colleague, friend or family member who just can?t seem to get enough of those Things That Plug In. Looking for some Winter coolness? Well, we?re here to help, pointing out the greatest gifts for that gadget guru in your life.
...Read More »
CEDIA and IBC -- Shows to See
Sometime -- you know, in all your spare time -- you've got to take in any one of the trade shows around the globe. Two recent ones were CEDIA in Indianapolis and IBC in Amsterdam. CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association) is always in Indianapolis -- who knows why -- and IBC (International Broadcasters Conference) is always in Amsterdam -- that's easy to understand. Of course you couldn't forget the Fall IDF (Intel Developers Forum) event where all of the chip people and system manufacturers tell us how good it is going to be for us.
...Read More »
The Convergence of HomeAV and ProAV
There is an emerging trend that many of you have already noticed. It's the convergence of the HomeAV market and the ProAV market. For example, hasn't it become a lot easier to tell your neighbors what you do for a living? HDTV and the need for higher resolution displays in the home have driven the trend. In fact, more plasmas have been sold into the home than through the ProAV distribution channel.
...Read More »
2004 Predictions: Mid-Year Review
Each December ProAV expert Gary Kayye writes a crystal ball-style article that addresses products, technologies and trends that he believes will make an impact in the upcoming year. And, each year, about half way through the year, he takes the opportunity to review the year's predictions and see how well (or badly) he's doing so far.
...Read More »
Coolness Roundup 2004: The Well-Appointed Edit Suite
It's turning into another long, hot summer -- time for us to provide chilly relief with our twice-annual Coolness Roundup, your touchstone to all things hip that will make your life easy in and around your edit suite or production facility. Presented in no particular order, here are items that tickled our fancy here at the Midwest Test Facility, including do-dads that you can use as you work, some that you can use around work, and some that will actually keep you from working. And that's OK, too, because after all, it's summer and everybody could use a little coolness.
...Read More »
Temporary Image Retention (TIR) in Direct View LCD Panels
Clarity Systems' Benjamin Clifton, holder of 16 patents in the area of flat panel displays and related technologies, explores the causes and effects of temporary image retention (TIR) in CRT and plasma displays. What causes this problem of image sticking and what can be done about it?
...Read More »
GarageGames Super Charges Torque with Blender Support
Harnessing the powerful combination of the 3D modeling, animation and rendering features of Blender, with the rich feature set of the Torque Game Engine (TGE) will allow independent game developers and artists to further realize their creative visions. The TGE Blender exporter offers full compatibility with the Torque Game Engine DTS native file format including Level-of-Detail (LOD), and bone and mesh animation sequences.
...Read More »
DMN Interview: Smoke and Fire Version 6
Discreet just released Version 6 of its Smoke and Fire editing systems. DMN's Charlie White spoke with Maurice Patel, product manager, Discreet systems division, about the new features in this exclusive interview. Patel also offers his insight on the advantages of the SGI platform over PCs and at the same time talks about how Discreet is covering the PC bases as well with a new Linux-based release.
...Read More »
Roundup: Macworld Expo 2004
Macworld San Francisco is one of the few great expos left to technology enthusiasts, a show packed--especially this year--with throngs of enthusiastic attendees just thrilled to be there, let alone afforded the opportunity to meet and shake hands with their favorite developers, to unload some cash on new technologies and to get a glimpse of The Man Himself as he delivers his annual opening benediction. But I travel to the Macworld convention every year with pretty low expectations because the company around which the show revolves--Apple--invariably fails to deliver on expectations leading up to the event, especially for the professional creative market, which is, after all, not just the core but the bulk of the Mac user base. This year was no exception. However, once again, it was third-party developers to the rescue with just a vast amount of wildly significant and sometimes surprising announcements for professionals and semi-professionals alike.
...Read More »
R-Studio
I?ve had it with Maxtor Firewire drives. Having a long term (18 month) failure rate of 75% (3 of 4 drives dead over the last four years), doesn?t make me like the company or their products too much. While I may not be purchasing any more Maxtor drives ever again, there is a bright light for the lost data. R-Studio from R-Tools Technology is a cheap and effective program for recovering trashed drives and deleted folders.
...Read More »
There and Back Once More
Well, as far as I can tell, I've made it back from the 2003 NAB convention with at least half of my mental and physical faculties still in tact. While I may have left a large quantity of my ankle skin, brain cells, bodily unguents and money behind in Las Vegas, I have nevertheless returned to Southern California enriched with buffet-style nutrients, cheap memorabilia and profound optimism for the future of the Macintosh creative production industry.
...Read More »
Vegas Pro 8 + Free Vegas Seminar Series
