Cd's are going extinct

First the stiffy disk then tapes and next in line is the compact disk. who would have thought it would be so soon less than 8years on when compact disk technology had only recently hit the market it may be leaving once again. All due to technology like the ipod which allow you to store whatever you want and whenever so you dont need those scratable cds anymore.

How am i going to play songs in my car if cd's become a thing of the past? this is how welcome to the new age of interface were docks are now being created that allow your phone to interface with your entertainment system, heard that one before. What about the attempt to create docks for your cars, now you can upgrade your car to play your ipod and you can listen to your favourite music wherever you wish. the interface would also mean you can download music, videos, and documents whilst in the comfort of your car so long as you are within a hotspot.

Next is definitely a video calling ipod, damn im running out of the ability to keep up with the next possible ipod inovation its almost endless but they always keep it out of the box. The gerat thing about the idea about making ipod interface bigger would mean that you would have a bigger storage capacity in the palm of your hands, yet smaller than the compact disk. 40giga-bytes as opposed to 4 or 5 which a compact disk can store. Yet the best part is that its endlessly re-writeable.

technological evolution of film

Technology has worked its way into all aspects of film. From production to promotion and even as far as the way we consume this form of entertainment.

Many of the movies we watch today would not exist without technology. Almost every movie release makes use of some form of new technology. This helps make the movie more appealing to the modern day audience; who seek thrills and glamour when they watch a movie.

The film and entertainment industries realise the evolution of technology is seriously impacting how content is promoted and delivered. New technologies are impacting audiences, filmmakers, and film festivals. The new opportunities now available to all of them are endless. In the old days the only form of advertising a film was print; either on a classic poster or in a newspaper. Now the forms are endless; and in this day and age the bigger and more spectacular the promotion the better. New technologies are disrupting the traditional distribution methods of film, so outlets must evolve, also, to comply with the greater consumer choices and control.

In India, the ticketing process in some cinemas have been completely revamped by employing the latest technology to help annihilate any hassles. There are no more any counterfoils being given. Instead of counterfoil a slip is given at the ticket counter with the seat numbers on it together with a photograph of the person who purchases the tickets. Once you enter the theatre with the photo ticket the person standing at the door uses a barcode reader to scan the ticket and the photo of the person who has purchased the ticket appears instantly on the computer screen. Furthermore all the people enter through a metal detector which ensures that one is not carrying some weapons with him and also updates the count as the ticket is read by the barcode reader. This is really phenomenal development.

YouTubing history

It’s 7:15 and my evening tea is going down particularly well to the tune of the E-tv news in the background. Yet another incident of teens beating each other up in school and getting a handy mate to record the whole ordeal via his camera-phone airs on the news. Then it hit me, I am watching the news reporting on news being recorded on a cell phone. The ramifications of such devices being around when John .F. Kennedy was assassinated boggles the mind, could some erstwhile amateur film maker with his camera phone have recorded live footage of the true killer? Who knows where history would have taken us had such tools been at our disposal eons ago. Or more importantly how will history be written today, with the world of recording historical events live takes flight.
Ok so back to my E-TV experience. Now why would kids be recording a school yard fight? Surely such triviality belongs in detention? However December 2005 came along and YouTube was born. YouTube has provided a platform for dribble such as these School Yard scuffles; however along with the dribble comes the golden key to burgeoning young film makers. YouTube allows users to upload videos that can be easily shared and accessed by anyone. About 35,000 videos are uploaded and 40 million are watched every day. That’s an incredible medium for talent scouts. The genius of YouTube is it’s unique rating system, the content is created exclusively by users and anyone can see how many times a video has been viewed. This allows users to virtually survey the cultural whims of our society at any given time. This gives the film industry a key hole view of what the public wants to see and hence an incredibly powerful marketing tool is born.
Aside from emerging markets, YouTube features your full length blockbusters online. Negating the need for a trip to the video store, that’s if you live in a speedy broadband community. According to a survey undertaken by comscore Video Metrix, internet users in the United States watched 11.5 billion videos in March 2008, yes that’s billion. That an average of 83 videos watched per viewer during March alone. Stagering figures and I am sure South Africa is hot on their heels.

New age in learning

Get off your ipod. Dont you have work to do. stop listening to that junk! Anything you heard before? well i have very often. Probably a reason im having a hard time on getting the ipod touch. Now i have a way to be more persuasive and its all thanks to a new inovative move by ipod to bring learning to your phone. If you acnt con them into buying you a ipod why not settle for a learning device which the Apple ipod has also become. The new move by Apple allows the user to interface with learning documents, to obtain notes and even listen in on recorded audio books and classes that you can access anywere anytime. Downloadable books tutorials to podcasts and just for ipod study guides and applications.Certainly the easiest way to learn by far.

If thats not enough what about the amazing software called istudytogo which on your ipod lets you create texts and andthing you want to write whilst you are on the go. its make ssharing and getting notes from friends and colleagues easy and means no need for loose pages falling all around your desk.

Tax on my ipod!

What the hell was my first thought on hearing this. The goverment in the UK wants to add a tax on all mp3 players, primarily the ipod. This is aparently in order to compenate music companies for the loss in 'sales' of their label due to the transfer from cd to mp3 player. The arguable factor is, if I buy the cd dont i have every right to then transfer that data onto a digital device for my own use if i please. are we then going to be placing a tax on radios television sets computers, voice recorders and so forth because the may involve the same basic actions of copying. yes piracy is illegal, but to include a tax on mp3 players seems absurd. how big a levy do they realuy expect to include on an ipod?

A 160gb ipod with 40 000 songs, I wether this means i would then be able to download any piece of material for my ipod regardless of copyright laws because I have paid a levy. Maybe the problem is not that its not completely about illegal downloads as the record labels are claiming but more about the fact that Aplle is profiting on the format shifting that allows the ipod to store all those songs and this profit they feel should be shared with the entire music industry. The issue is that the ipod is jsut like a computer in the palm of your hands so why not place a levy on computers as they also store 'illegaly' transferred music.

You may say that a computer is unlike a Apple ipod but then we have to look at the ipod touch and iphone which allows for browsing of the net. the real place that the levy should infact be placed is upon the recors thus the companies will be compensated for the records that are cloned onto computers, ipods and various other music storage devices. PLacing a levy on the ipod series would be totally irrational as the ipod isnt the only mp3 player in existence merely the most popular.

Technology's effect on film narrative

The narrative of film has changed quite drastically over the years. From their initiations as short, silent moving picture shows to the introduction of sound and then colour, movies have been forced to alter their narrative structure. With the rise of digital filmmaking, motion pictures are once again going through a reinvention. In addition, digital technology has altered the traditional conceptions of the film narrative.

On the surface, movies shot on normal film and those shot on High Definition video are the same. But when you look at the two from the perspective of narrative a noticeable difference can be seen. First and foremost there are the many stories being told on digital now that filmmakers would never have been able to put to film. A good example of the shift in storytelling resulting from digital filmmaking is the recent movie Transformers. Before digital filmmaking that film would've been exceedingly expensive and would've required many months of shooting at a variety of locations. However, digital technology allowed the filmmakers to cut financial corners and shoot the entire film on a green screened soundstage.

Narrative or our concept of narrative is constantly changing, because filmmakers can do about anything they wan, thanks to new technology. They can alter the structure. They can rethink their heroes and villains and create a multitude of characters without any limitations. They can increase the level of graphic content and they can conjure up fantastical worlds. The result from all of this technological flux brings raises the question of “just because we can do it should we?” Is it always valid to make use of all this new technology as great as it might be when film makers over indulge in the usage of technology is takes away the true essence of film.

How high

Growing up in the beautiful haven that is the South Coast, left one surrounded by unimaginable beauty, tranquil night skies and beautiful people. However what we gained in ambiance we lost in the world of the arts. But for one escape, the cinema or as my folks would call it the Bioscope… Referring of course to the beginnings of popular cinema and the instrument used to project those magical moving pictures onto a screen. Indeed we have traveled light years from the days of silent movies. The pursuit of perfection innate in human nature never seizes to amaze me.

The cinema for me was much more than an excuse to get lost in the realm of fantasy, it was a family adventure. Seeing your dads eyes light up at him seeing an alien being knocked out cold by Will Smith in Independence Day or the bewilderment which overwhelmed him in seeing the Matrix for the first time. Its memories like these that made the friday night dinner and movie experience so memorable. Where else can the generation gap be so silently filled than in a cinema theatre?

However something strange has seemed to occur almost unnoticed by the masses. The big screen has seemed to have lost its luster. Where can we look for answers to this global phenomenon? Then the answer hit me lying in my bf arms and glancing over at the latest T3 magazine he was reading. Gadgets gadgets and more gadgets, each offering a new world of convenience to the user and the majority of which promoting a cinema quality like experience in your own home. There is no greater pretender to the thrown of cinema than High Definition.

High definition television basically provides us with a superior quality image than standard television. This is possible by HDTV being able to cram in a massive 1080 lines of resolution into the image it projects. This has thrust the world of home entertainment into the stratosphere. We, yes you and I can now experience near cinema quality entertainment in the comfort of our living rooms. Yes this comes with a price tag, but that is life I suppose. But where does that the leave my revered family experience?

The world of high definition has ventured far beyond the realm of HD and Blue Ray Discs. It’s now infiltrating our air waves. Due to a deal signed by the SABC and FIFA come 2010 all our favorite television shows will be beamed to us via a high definition signal.

Whats with the crazy price!

A marvellous piece of technology but there seems to be a huge problem and thats accesability. The technology which ipod allows its consumers to hold in the palms of the hands seems to be a extremely pricy level. This is a common complaint that many people have when asked why they dont get one although they find it so incredible.

When we look at the new ipod tuch for example you could be paying no less than a good thousand for a small device. Yet im sure im not alone in saying that it is definitely money well spent. We are however only looking at the price of the ipod as a music device.What has to be taken into account in the price of an ipod is that it has more than a singular feature so you are not just paying for an mp3 player but a movie player, picture and data storage device with an incredibly large memory.

The thing about the ipod is that you can connect it to your entertainment system so you wouldnt need to purchase cd's borrow as many movies what about the convinience of never having to carrry a flash drive or re-writeble cd with you to record data. Maybe the pricing is out of the reach of many but an ipod is moast certainly a device which is worth every penny you pay.And the marvelous thing that i have found is that if you are just looking for a music edition the ipod shuffle is available at a reasonably low price, even the ipod touch isnt that bad and either one could be added to that christmas list.

Pimp my what?

So here I was making my ritual late night pit stop at the local fuelling station, to stock up on my beloved Rooibos ice tea. My expedition started off as normal, and then well then the extraordinary happened. A young guy in his early 20’s pulled up next to me, his eyes transfixed on the shiny bright flames projecting from his dash board. Now that peaked my waning interest in the night and got me thinking. There he sat, gleaming with self satisfaction at the screen in front of him, oblivious to his surroundings but at the same time acting nonchalantly cool. I had to chuckle at his obvious attempt for attention, and sadly enough the male crowd at the station were drawn to his pimped out ride. The pose of techno whores huddled around his window, to get a glimpse of a ripped copy of the latest blockbuster Iron Man beaming through his personal movie player (P.M.P).

The notion of pimping ones ride was popularised by the hit MTV production of the same title. Where personalising ones vehicle was taken to drastic and absolutely lucrative heights. Television in your car? Live satellite feed beaming movies, music and the World Wide Web to your motor-vehicle? The elderly or the ill informed could be forgiven for thinking this where a futuristic fantasy. A vehicle which by design is a means of getting us hurried humans from point A to point B is now transformed into a media hub.

What comment are we making on our societal values when even our transportation is a centre of entertainment? Could it be we really do lack the time to venture to the cinema for the latest movie, broadcast in pristine quality and by heavens on a screen larger than my puppy? Or are we truly a nation of techno savvy slaves, driven by the latest gadget, coolest convenience and indeed the shiniest toys? I am all for convenience but at what cost?

Well costing wise, a simple Archos Personal Media Player goes for around R2000 and yes many an avid techno junkie finds that price particularly palatable. Hence the prevalence of this little gizmo. With a 4.3-inch and 30GB of capacity the Archos 604 holds up to 25 movies for viewing on the go or playback onto any TV, 15.000 songs for listening on the move or 300.000 photos for presenting slideshows. This new 604 model allows via the DVR station the ability to record TV in DVD quality directly onto your media player. Oh my hat, all of this in one device. Well in my view the world is becoming smaller as we speak, so why not our gadgets too.

So here we are, the latest movies in our car, who would have ever imagined? The viewing audience has certainly expanded and with it the market for the on the go patron. The way in which we access our media has transformed from a societal experience to a very personal one. The personal nature expands the access, but where does that leave the experience?

Cell Life

AIDS is a global pandemic, with billions of dollars being spent on research, development, treatment and education. In South Africa the challenge is huge, with a primary problem being the distribution and adherence to medicinal schemes. If treatment is not properly maintained it cannot be effective and so the problem will continue to get worse. Cell Life is an organisation that aims to help with this issue by sending reminders and information to people across the country regarding treatment via their cell phones. It can also be used as an educational tool improving awareness and prevention. With weak infrastructure, this is a great way to communicate with a population that faces the challenge of AIDS and has such extensive access to cell phones.

Please visit the website to find out more information about this remarkable, yet simple, use of technology.

The utimate accessory?

Many people wonder what the ultimate accessory is, well thats hard to distinguish as there are so many in ready availibility to the individual. One that cant be missed however in this long list and certainly stands out is the ipod. the practical uses just go on and on. its fast become a well recognised utility. personaly i knew nothing about the ipod until a friend of mine got one. to be honest it didnt catch my fancy at first as i thought:

'Hey it plays music, but so does my cellphone, who needs gigabytes of memory for music. realisticly speaking if you managed to fill up all that memory you could hit the play button and the next time you would hear that song would be months later!'

Well haha i was the fool on that one, i had no idea you could store documents and pictures and any form of media in this palm device. How convenient is that! No need for large numbers of Cd's and data storage devices just your ipod. The amazing ability of storing data is even used in films. Just yesterday i spotted an ipod being used in the movie 'The Transporter' I was amazed, normally in a movie you would find data being transfered onto a disk but this shows that the practical use of the ipod is becoming largely recognized within society.

My view on the ultimate utilities definitely includes the Apple ipod. If you dont believe me on how incredible the device is then you have to try one for yourself. The smart look alone will have you thrilled to hold one.

The Marvel of the ipod

With the increased tecnological advancements in ipod technology society has seen the remarkable era of accesories with ipod technology. You can strap your ipod to your arm for convenience, ipod docks to allow connectrion tyo you home entertainment system or computer and a health inovation that allows you to track your training progress on your Mac through sencors in your shoes thanks to a inovative move by ipod to intergrate there technology with Nike.

If that doesnt sound astounding how the ipod has become a massive want in mordern society that it has seen so many and more uses then you are in for a surprise. Its indeed a trend setter that has come along way with the intergration into our daily lives. if you are sceptical for a moment on the the accesory capabilities of the ipod because its seen by many as a simple media storage and playback device, then Apple will change your mind as they have been extremly inovative in including this marvel of the ipod into basic things like a kitchen fridge to your car and even the your cellphone.

Such inovative thinking leaves the question were to next Apple? Well certainly we cant deny that the ipod has got some pretty cool accesories. cool though because thats what ipods are seen as, its a trend setter, a trend in itself and exemplifies the ultimate accesorry.

Ode to My Cell Phone

My cell phone, as basic as it is, is so important to me. It wakes me up in the morning; tells me the date and time; reminds me about appointments and birthdays. It helps me to talk to my friends and family and gives me comfort when I am alone, in a strange place, because I know that help (or company) are just a phone call away. My phone also provides me with music when I am bored and games to entertain me. I can carry pictures of my loved ones wherever I go.

Everyone I know cannot image life without this precious little device. Some give them names, buy them sports covers or socks.. we decorate them too - with stickers or jewelry to make them truely our own.

Cell phones seem to complete us. I know that I would be totally lost without my own cell phone.