As an avid gawker of the low end pro video recorder market some interesting trends seem to be emerging. There are also some puzzling scenarios unfolding between competing companies.
Panasonic pretty much paved the way for affordable quality video recording with the DVX100. They went on to introduce one of the first cameras (the HVX200) to offer solid state recording. Sony has been leading the charge over the past few years with the EX1, an excellent cam with a large processor also storing to solid state. Canon… Hmm!
What is really going on in the Canon camp? To date Canon has offered nothing in the solid state market. They clearly have the technology. Take a peak down the ladder and you will see the consumer (arguably prosumer) HF-S11 sporting a 1/2 sensor and all types of goodies including a lanc adapter (usually found in more professional models). And don’t forget what’s happening on their DSLR side. The Canon 5D Mark II has proven to be a game changer for filmmakers looking for the filmic look at an affordable price. So, what’s up Canon?
There is a company called RED owned by Oakley (that’s right, Oakley glasses) who is steadily creating some powerful cameras that’s making the big boys scratch their heads. The RED One has a huge chip, interchangeable lenses and solid state acquisition. They have also announced the release of the Scarlet, a smaller and more affordable version of the RED One.
So this is what I’m thinking: Canon is waiting for the release of the Scarlet, then they will the respond with the death blow. It with be the Frankenstein creation: the combination of their video and DSLR technology – solid state, 35mm chip size, interchangeable lenses (making use of their huge inventory) all at an affordable price.
That’s it! Sony/Panasonic/RED pack your bags, go home, there’s nothing more to see.
If only one had a crystal ball, the future would be clear and our decisions would not be missteps. Such is the case for TomTom and Garmin, two of the bigger players in the GPS market. Both are faced with the behemoth Google, in the form of Android 2.0. Motorola released the Droid with has turn by turn navigation with real street views. And guess what? It’s free. That pesky price that has companies quaking in their, proverbial, boots.
If only they had know. All those R&D dollars. What a difference a day makes.
Microsoft isn’t about to get into the PC manufacturing business but they are definitely exerting a stronger influence on their partners. What is being dubbed the “Signature PC”, gives customers an experience that is carefully crafted by Microsoft. This includes Windows Live suite, Security Essentials, Zune jukebox, Bing 3D Maps software, Adobe Flash Player and Acrobat Reader. Bing will be the default browser in Internet Explorer 8.
This strategy has worked Apple and the benefits are not lost on Microsoft’s marketing department. I am pleased to see Microsoft taking control of their brand.
Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired and recent author of the book “Free”, proposes that the most effective price is no price at all. Public libraries have always embraced this model. So what’s new?
Libraries are now expanding their horizons to cyberspace in its electronic variant. It is now possible for borrowers to check out an e-book, which will be made available for two to three weeks after which it expires, all taking place on the internet. Only a limited number of copies are made available therefore customers will have to wait in line for titles to become available. There are even some electronic readers, such as the Sony Reader, which are compatible with this format (Amazon’s Kindle, is not). This begs the question: “Why purchase when it can be acquired for free?”
The free model has frightened the publishing industry. There has to be a way to monetize “Free”
The coming of the tablet seems to be the story that we keep hearing and inevitably leads to disappointment. All the major players have their feet in the pool but few waves are being created.
Take a look at the specs of the latest buzz-maker from Microsoft. They are featuring a book-like device, opening into two 7-inch screens. Why? This just shows a lack of creativity and an inability to stretch their imagination. Once again, everyone will wait around for Apple to get the ball rolling then attempt to climb aboard. It will be too late. Let the iPhone be a lesson.
Maybe the problem is, we are calling it the “tablet”. It doesn’t, exactly, inspire forward thinking.
Representative Joe Wilson, Republican of South Carolina, had an outburst calling President Obama a lier. It is our position at Podratic that “one outburst deserves another” (from a dear friend of mine whose sentiments I share):
What a tremendous amount of disrespect for the President of the United States. What a grand show of racism, and, in turn, vitriol. I love watching Joe Wilson, Rush Limbaugh and the bigoted crowds claiming to be proud Americans, simply implode, because they can’t fathom a Black person who is Ivy League-educated, articulate, smart, accomplished and most of all, IN POWER OF THE MOST POEWRFUL NATION in the world. I LOVE IT. A good 10% of hard working Americans make too much for Medicaid, but are too poor to afford health care. Others have health care through their employers, but self-ration because it’s just too expensive. The deficit Obama inherited occurred under the Republican watch. What’s more, the shrill Tea Party supporters who believe market forces can better provide health care clearly have missed the news that OUR government had to bail out “the market” with massive stimulus to the banking and auto industry and anyone who knows their history is aware this wasn’t the first time. I’m not even 45 and I remember Chrysler’s Lee Iacocca with his hand out, and government intervention with failing SNLs in the 1980s. So much for the supposedly superior and efficient free market that can’t get through much more than two decades without a government hand out. Ha, ha. Continue to stew Joe Wilson. You and your rabid, racist, selfish, spiritually corrupt, mindless supporters—who to boot are probably 1 paycheck away from foreclosure due to the policies of the Right, but would rather lose their homes than admit a Black man has a better plan for us all. For many years, all you’ve had to cling to is your white skin. It’s no coincidence that all the detractors who converged on the Beltway were white. It must be very hard to see a Black man who is smarter, more decent, full of grace, and moral than you.
Maureen Dowd of the New York Times, would also like to chime in.
With very little fanfare, Apple introduced its latest iteration of, what was considered to be, an already fabulous operating system. Mac OS X Snow Leopard takes the operating system rollout in a whole different direction. In the past one would expect many “Lust-worthy” features (as described by Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal).
At first glance you would think that nothing had changed. After installation take a closer look at your hard drive’s free space. In my case I was able to reclaim 15GB on my laptop. That was, indeed, a welcome sight. Just stick to the diet plan and we will all be happy.
This, my friends, is what happens when your an early adopter. I purchased the Canon HF-S10 camcorder and I have been happily singing its praises until this BAD BOY came along a few months later. Yes, the Canon HF-S11 with an optional RA-V1 LANC controller. Wow!
With the ability to remotely control this camera, with its small form factor, sends off all kinds of alarms in my head. There is one nagging question that I’m sure no one at Canon will be willing to answer: “Does the HF-S10 have the capability to remotely access its controls and your just not telling us?” It wouldn’t be a first.
I didn’t even see it coming. Apple dropped Final Cut Studio (no numeral) without fanfare. Not event an honorary welcome on the opening page – I heard about it from a friend. I did a quick check on the blogs, decided that it was a worthwhile upgrade, headed off to the Apple store like a zombie and made the purchase.
Was it worth it? At $299 for the Upgrade. Yes.
I’ve been diving into After Effects CS4 because of its superior power over Motion 3. Motion 4, however, is pulling me back. Ok, it is still not as powerful, but for the quick-and-dirty stuff, you can’t beat it. Motions ability to pre-visualize makes it a worthy contender to After Effects.
Now that Shake has been discontinued, will Motion take its place with future upgrades and really challenge After Effects?
Just in case you haven’t heard, augmented reality is the next big thing coming to an iPhone near you (i.e. if you own the new 3GS). Acrossair has an early app which demonstrates how augmented reality can be put to use as a navigational tool. By making use of the phones built in compass, GPS and video; you can view real-time data that is pertinent to your surrounding environment (in this example subway locations).
I think this is brilliant! Wait till the merchandisers get a load of this one.
If only one had a crystal ball, the future would be clear and our decisions would not be missteps. Such is the case for TomTom and Garmin, two of the bigger players in the GPS market. Both are faced with the behemoth Google, in the form of Android 2.0. Motorola released the Droid with has turn by turn navigation with real street views. And guess what? It’s free. That pesky price that has companies quaking in their, proverbial, boots.
