Top Tech Trends for 2012

According to CNN these are the top 10 tech trends. Summary: "In short, 2012 is all about new ways to interact with our devices through touch and voice control, new lightweight ways to share content, a revolution in mobile payments and a plethora of rich Web applications -- not to mention the hundreds of new innovations that we've yet to dream up. I can't wait." How about a voice activated check out system for equipment?

Sifteo: Active Learning

A California based company is using technology in a unique way to create active learning. Check out Sifteo Cubes:

https://www.sifteo.com/

Portable Keyboard/Mouse Cube

The Magic Cube
The Magic Cube is a virtual projection keyboard and a multi-touch capable mouse, all in one easily portable product. Magic Cube projection laser displays keyboard layout onto any opaque, flat surface.
It connects easily to any USB and Bluetooth HID capable devices, including the latest iPhone, iPad, and all Android devices. You can also plug-n-play with any Windows operating system.

Ultra-fast Cameras

MIT scientists have created cameras that can capture images so quickly, they're faster than the speed of light! At one trillion frames per second, these cameras could really change the meaning of High Definition...

Check out this video which shows light traveling through empty space in slow motion. Incredible!

Video Game Consoles Exploding with Multimedia Content

As of Dec. 6th Xbox Live now offers television services from various cable providers in a packaged(cable, internet, phone) deal with plenty of benefits. What's even better is that the new kinect interface and technology allows the user to browse through television programs, movies(Netflix), video games, and music(Zune) all through the Xbox Live marketplace menu utilizing vocal commands without any remote or movement. This would be a great gift for the holiday season but make sure to abide by any new years resolutions to be more active if you have them! All of these new features will make it hard to leave the comfort of your couch.

MacOSaix

Hey Guys!

So i have had a couple of people ask me how i did the mosaic for my advertisement project and i thought it would be cool to share my little secret with you. For the creation of this project i used a program called MacOSaix, which creates mosaics using either Google images or images from your personal hard drive or flash drive. The link to the program is: http://web.me.com/knarf/MacOSaiX/Download.html The program works by using images, organized by color and structure, mathematically cropped to fit the outline of the image you select. I recommend playing around with the amount of pictures you use (rows and columns) before you spend a little while waiting for the images to piece together. Also, rty lowering the opacity to about 90 percent, this will allow a little of the background image to show through and will help with clarity. Have fun!
-Taylor Patterson

Digital Nativity story (just for fun...)

This Youtube video was making the rounds last year. Whether nor not you celebrate Christmas (no offense intended toward those who don't), it's a fun look at what the Christmas story might be like in the age of the internet and social media.
Enjoy your break!
Rich

Comic Sans Project

Years after the launch of the Ban Comic Sans Internet movement — when Comic Sans hatred hit critical mass — French designers Thomas Blanc and Florian Amoneau have launched a new Tumblr, Comic Sans Project.

"We are the Comic Sans defenders," reads the blog intro. "We fear no fonts and we will make the whole world Comic Sans. Because Helvetica is sooo 2011."

The blog features more than a dozen logos re-imagined in the much-maligned font — from the McDonalds "M" and the "Star Wars" logo, to tech titles like Tumblr, Android, Microsoft and PlayStation.

Personally, I think putting all these famous logos in Comic Sans makes them look like a 3rd grader drew them (or just a horrible, horrible typographic joke), but check out the tumblr site here and decide for yourself what you think of the Comic Sans Project.

Free internet?

The co-founder of the popular video chatting program, "Skype" had announced that by 2012 every American should have free internet. He explains that using the internet is not a privilege, but a right.

Link

iPad as a serious writing machine

This is an interesting post from a professional who uses an iPad for all his writing. I found it very relevant to our work since we rent out iPads for writing and other things. The author does use a bluetooth keyboard/case made by Logitech so he's able to type faster.

The downside to this is that for $500+the cost of the keyboard case, you could buy an small computer that could do a bit more. Regardless, it's an interesting look at a workflow we all might be emulating in 5-10 years with tablet computers.

Capturing a live stream in Final Cut Pro

Here's an email I sent out a week or so ago. It seems like something that may be useful in the future for the rare situation where we will need to capture a stream in Final Cut Pro.

"Just wanted to make you all aware of a unique request we had on Saturday. Two users came in and wanted to use a studio to make a video of them playing an Xbox game (I'm assuming for a project or a review or something of that nature.) There were attempting to use Camtasia or Premiere in Studio 1 with no luck. I moved them to Studio 4 to see if iMovie or Final Cut Pro would be more helpful. I hooked the XBox into the RGB input on one of the decks, and things were going well until I realized that since the footage was streaming, it would not have a timecode. Final Cut really really wanted a timecode, so I had to do a few Google searches and found that I needed to switch Final Cut settings in the Log and Capture window to let Final Cut know this was what is called an "uncontrolled device." Saw the user today and he said he's working "amazingly". Just thought you'd like to know if you have a similar need to record a stream through Final Cut."

Two Websites to Help You Learn More About Blender

Here are two fun websites that can help you learn more about our Blender software:

http://www.blender.org/

http://www.blendernation.com/

Vimeo Video School

The video sharing site, Vimeo, has a page dedicated to helping you take better photos and video. Check out Vimeo Video School:

http://vimeo.com/videoschool

PNC Christmas Price Index

I've always enjoyed the PNC Christmas Price Index, which calculates the prices of all the items listed in the song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and how they differ from years past.


This year, they've taken their list one step further and incorporated it into a great little interactive trip through a miniature winter wonderland. Enjoy!

Cracked iPhone screen

If you cracked your iPhone screen, this may be the site for you.  There are directions and a few videos for replacing the screen of an iPhone.  Take a look.

How to Fix a Broken/Cracked IPhone Screen

Wearable projection system

Carnegie Mellon University and Microsoft have been working together to develop a wearable projection system that will turn any surface into a touch pad. 

Check out the video. 
OmniTouch-Demo Video-ACM UIST 2011

The end of physical media?

If Rainbow's move from its prime location on Main Street isn't a large enough indicator of changing times, this article from Steve Guttenberg (no, not the one that ruled '80s big-screen comedy) serves as a reminder. The increasing emphasis on digital forms of books, music and movies is antiquating the good old physical forms. Now with the Cloud concept, your media can be stored on a remote server and accessed from anywhere you have Internet access. While some people have an attachment to the memories associated with physical, tangible products, there is still the inevitable wear and tear that comes with those memories. Digital media appears to be the new alternative to just updating the current form of presenting audio and video, and e-readers cut costs and paper usage. So, are the days of lugging textbooks and bringing DVDs for movie night soon to be over? Only time will tell.

Spreading Nerdy Holiday Cheer

With the holidays right around the corner, the quest for the perfect gift begins. You may find yourself wondering what to get that nerd on your list. (Or what you should put on your list this holiday season!)

CubicleBot.com has compiled a list of ideal gifts for those of us who spend 10+ hours a day staring at our computer screens. From anti-spill cup holders to protect your keyboard to an office chair that flattens out into a bed - this Christmas is nerd's paradise.


If you're looking to celebrate the holiday in nerdy-style, check out Digital Life's "A nerd's guide to holiday decorating."

Sorta Awkward

Who would have thought that they'd create technology to detect socially awkward behavior, but that's just what DARPA has done. They call it the Assessment of Asymmetric Social Indicators project. Now that's quite a mouthful. The project uses voice-sensing technology and body language-reading algorithms to detect anti-social behavior. When I first read this I thought to myself, what could possibly be the point? But this technology is used to find unsocialized individuals in the military. The purpose is to prevent conflict from breaking out between soldiers and civilians out in the field. I wonder how relevant this technology will be years from now, and if it will continue to be put to use for new reasons.

http://techland.time.com/2011/12/05/darpa-develops-technology-to-single-out-the-socially-awkward/

USB Mic that might be good for here, and OTT headset

In this tech roundup on USA Today, check out the first item, the Snowball mic. It's a USB mic and is getting very good reviews. Might it be something worth exploring for us as a checkout mic ($70 going price online). One feature is it can switch between cardiod and omnidirectional pickup. From product description on Amazon: "Create studio-quality recordings with Blue Microphone's Snowball, a USB microphone with exceptional sound-capture capabilities. Using Blue Microphone's award-winning dual-capsule and circuit design, the Snowball produces crisp, clean recordings that are free of feedback and distortion. A unique pattern switch allows you to toggle between three different settings, giving you the flexibility to record vocals, instrumental music, podcasts, interviews, and more. With a plug-and-play design that is both Mac and PC compatible, the Snowball requires no additional drivers and is ready to record straight out of the box."

Also the second item, a new gaming headset, makes the Bose noise cancelling headphones seem like cheap earbuds! Not suggesting getting one of these but if we did I'm sure it would be an in-demand item.

Rich

Student Multimedia Showcase

I've received 2 questions just today about nominations for the Student Multimedia Showcase -which are due Dec. 16. To nominate a video from their classes, I need:
a nomination form signed by the authors of the video (either in print or scanned and emailed)
and the video file on a DVD or dropboxed to Shelly or Bryce.

Just as a reminder, the Showcase is an event we do every couple of years to show a variety of videos, nominated by faculty, that students made as class projects. We try to show ~15 videos during the event, which is a come and go as you please event in the Library Lecture Room. The Showcase is also a good promotion for everything we do at the Center to help students create multimedia.

Canon camera with built-in projector

Could it be the future of cameras we loan? A video camera with a built-in projector! As Rich just suggested, wouldn't it be great if laptops had built in projector (albeit short range projection)

Live Action/Animated Film

Using a combination of real actors and elements with animation is known as live action/animated film. Putting the two together goes back to nearly the beginning of the moving picture with examples of films like Gertie the Dinosaur (1914). While live action/animated films have changed in definition and breadth over the years, there is no doubt that the two are a very intriguing mix. For examples, check out the great work from Alex & Steffen:

http://www.alexandsteffen.com/standard/

Career Services video finalists

Check out the link to view and vote for the Career Services video finalists. What's your favorite?

Thirsty in Japan? Ask a machine for a drink

Japan has more vending machines per person than anywhere else in the world. They dispense everything from col beverages and hot coffee to umbrellas and french fries.

The latest vending machine technology can be found on a train station platform in Tokyo. The vending machine “recognizes” the customer and suggests what he or she “should” have as opposed to the customer choosing themselves.

With a slick 47-inch touch screen panel, the drink machine is equipped with a face-recognition sensor that gauges information about the customer age and gender. Other sensors in the machine measure the outside temperature and help the machine come up with the recommendation depending on the time of the day and the season.

While a seemingly great idea, is the machine based entirely upon stereotypes of the culture? Are overweight customers recommended diet drinks? Or perhaps it's cold outside but I'd rather have a bottled water than a steaming cup of coffee. I'd be interested to see how the machine is programmed and who determines which beverage should be recommended for each customer.

Swiping the Competition

Business owners across the globe, feast your eyes upon the best thing since sliced bread (well not really but work with me here): Square. Although it has the name of a loser, Square is quite the opposite. Android and iPhone users can now plug up this little device to their cell phones and make CREDIT CARD TRANSACTIONS. With one fell swipe, Square could be the thing your business needs for the money to circle back into your pockets.

http://www.wired.com/reviews/2010/02/pr_square_iphone/

Have You Heard of the Protect IP and Stop Online Piracy Acts? They May Affect More than You Think.

November 16th marked the start of the hearings for what are becoming known as the Internet Blacklist Bills, the Protect IP Act in the Senate, and the Stop Online Privacy Act in the House. If passed, a massive number of restrictions will be placed upon internet usage in the United States. It's a reasonable concept to try to stop piracy, but when entire sites can be shut down for offending links and streaming of copyrighted content can be charged as a felony with a potential 5 year jail term, it's gone too far. Imagine Facebook being shut down because a small group of users posting. In addition, it makes the websites responsible for policing all content on their websites, which would indicate severely limited privacy. See AmericanCensorship.org for information on how you can contribute, and for more information on the acts.

Showcase Video Tutorial

Hey everyone,

I've gotten a lot of questions about how I did the animation for the Student Multimedia Showcase, so I figured I would put up a brief tutorial on how I did it the flickering light animation.

First off, I used After Effects for this project, using an illustration created by Mike Gates for the background.

After importing Mike's image, I first created a new adjustment layer, which allows changes to be made without directly affecting the footage under it.

My next step was to change the brightness and contrast in the effects menu

I toyed with the slider until I got a look I felt was appropriate; you can always come back to these settings later!

Using the pen tool, I created a mask on the adjustment layer resembling what a projector light might look like.

I didn't want to affect the footage on the screen, so I created another mask and set it to subtract instead of add in its menu on the timeline.

I wanted to give it a more natural feel, so I softened the edges of both masks in their menus on the timeline. The only remaining step would be the animation. Using the keyframe tool in the opacity menu, I alternated the opacity of the mask between 0 and 100 every two frames. This would mean it would animate 0 to 50 and then to 100 and then back down.

Last but not least, I highlighted the keyframes and copy and pasted them further and further down the timeline. It helps to go back and copy again, so the process is quicker!

After all is said and done, I ended up with this!

Hope that answered some questions!

Andrew Czudak

Cool Gadgets = Great Xmas Gifts!

Thanksgiving just passed and that means it's time to start thinking about Christmas shopping! Any one of these Top 10 Gadgets from Consumer Electronics (CE) Week 2011 would be great gifts for your tech-savvy family and friends. Included are a few neat accessories for the iPad and, my personal favorite, a bluetooth camcorder that is constantly recording the last 30 seconds of everything you see!

Chromebook

Holidays are just around the corner, and this could be a nifty gift for someone who needs a new computer.

The Chromebook was developed by Google with it's own OS and it's main purpose is just to get on the internet. That's it. The notebook, about the size of a netbook (screen is about 12"), boots in 8 seconds flat. You turn it on, and in 8 seconds, you're surfing the web. It's pretty spectacular, and for someone who is on the go and needs to have access to the internet, it's very useful (see this video for an example of just how fast and efficient it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn00774nmo0)

It can be a little pigeonholing however. You can't download any programs because there's no room on the hard drive. Everything is cloud based.

However, thinking about it and doing a little research of my own, that's not too bad. The Google Chrome browser has an app store. Many of these apps don't require an internet connection to use. I even found an app that lets you access the entire Microsoft Office suite in your browser (with a Windows Live ID). There's even online hard-drive and backup websites that you can save all of your data too. Again, it's all dependent on your internet connection, but for a netbook, as long as you have an internet connection, you're in good shape.

Chromebooks retail starting at $300, and are available with a 3G data plan through Verizon Wireless as well. While it's not going to be replacing your main computer, it's still a cool little toy to have on the go.

Keep Vid and copyright awareness

This semester 'Keep Vid' has been a popular website used to download embedded videos online from video websites like Youtube and Vimeo. I have seen many people using and asking about this site at The Center this year.

While this maybe an easy way to get that video you are wanting to use in a project or presentation, please be aware of copyrights. Keep in mind the proper way to cite video media, and be sure that the video is posted by the publisher, distributor, or affiliate. Many videos online are posted on accounts that are not affiliated with the original copyright holders, so using that URL may not be sufficient for a proper citation.

For citation help try using Easy Bib for free MLA citation or Citation Machine for free MLA, APA, Chicago and Turabian citation.

Good Luck with your final projects!

Enlightened Designs, Inc.

As people are probably anxious to start setting up the tree, imagine taking your Christmas lights to a whole new level- being able to wear them. This is a really cool company that does custom orders for putting lights on costumes and clothing. They use two types of lighting devices: light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or electroluminescent (EL) wire. LEDs are semiconductors that light up with low voltage, and are commonly used to pulsate with prominent sounds in music. EL wire gives the appearance of a smooth glowing line, and work well with designs on garments. So if you're interested in making a light show of your own to some holiday tunes, check out the website and see what Enlightened Designs, Inc. can do for you.

13 Ugliest cell phones (just for fun!)

What do you think of these ugly phones? Actually some of them aren't too bad... I guess cell phone beauty is in the eye of the beholder. No. 6 looks like something to take on a camping trip.
Rich

Clueless about Social Media?

In this time and age we all should know how to use social media, but if your not as technically suave as some of us this site should help ease you into society. This website provides tutorials for Twitter, Facebook, video and photo, blogging, podcasts and other up and coming social medias. Not only is it for everyday individuals but also for non-profits, and would be great for a student organizations.

Free Music Downloads

Just in case you did not know. . . Android Market and Google Music give away "new tracks each day from today's hottest artists as well as classic favorites, all for free."

https://market.android.com/details?id=music_series_overview_theme_2011_10_29

Tiny USB Stick Brings Android to PCs, TVs

This device is basically a thin computer inside a USB stick. It can be connected to any device that supports USB storage, and it will register as a USB drive. From there, you can run the Android OS in a secure environment inside your desktop, courtesy of a Windows/OSX/Linux-compatible virtualization client embedded in the device.

It's expected to be available around mid-2012 from just under $200.

More information can be found in this article: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab

Student Multimedia Showcase

We are accepting nominations for the Student Multimedia Showcase, which will be held Monday, Feb. 13.

The Showcase celebrates successful video projects that UD students have created throughout the semester using the resources available in the Student Multimedia Design Center.

Instructors are encouraged to nominate the best video projects created by their students during 2010 or 2011. The video projects can be on any subject and must be no more than four minutes long. For longer videos, instructors may recommend a four-minute segment of the video to show. Instructors must submit the projects as video data files (such as .mov, .wmv, or .avi files) on CDs or DVDs, plus a completed nomination form, to the Student Multimedia Design Center by Friday, Dec. 16.

Nomination forms can be found here. If you've created something, ask your instruct to nominate you!

Make Your Own Podcast

Ever dream about having your own iTunes podcast? Well, with a little effort it can become a reality. On the iTunes website they provide a complete list of instructions for making a podcast for the world to hear. There are even opportunities to make some money by becoming a iTunes affiliate to embed in your web links. If you become a iTunes affiliate, any purchase that the customer makes in the 24 hours after clicking on your link is directly credited to your affiliate account (check out the FAQs: For Podcast Makers). The website has tons of information to help guide you through the process and before you know it you'll have your own podcast!

http://www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts/specs.html

Adobe TV site -- lots of how to videos

Here's a great site for learning more about Adobe products by video. The About page says: "Adobe TV is Adobe's online TV network, offering free training, inspiration, and information about the latest Adobe products & services." There are four main links up top. To browse, click on "Channels" to see videos grouped by different topics. Especially useful is "Tutorials" for CS4 and CS5 products. Some of the videos are produced by Lynda.com, giving the benefits of Lynda.com without having to log in. Also under channels, there's a link to "Adobe Evangelists"(?) which seems to be another name for experts on certain topics. Having problems helping a foreign language student? Click on "Translation" up top and there may be a helpful video with captions in his/her language (38 languages listed!). Also the entire site is available in English, German, French and Chinese, links at top right (click on flags).
Rich

FONTS

If you are looking for places to find fonts . . . :


http://www.fontspring.com/

http://www.fontsquirrel.com/

http://www.dafont.com/

http://www.fonts.com/

http://new.myfonts.com/

http://www.fontshop.com/

http://www.urbanfonts.com/

http://www.searchfreefonts.com/

http://www.1001freefonts.com/

"Mobile Mobile" Christmas Jingles

So we've all seen the houses with festive lights that blink on and off to the tune of various holiday songs. But an interactive marketing agency, Lost Boys International, took the idea a step further.

Using mobile phones left over from a company overhaul, LBI created a hanging tree in which every phone has its own tone and (when no one interacts with the installation) it plays a carol.

"We took this as an opportunity to reinterpret the Christmas tree and its role as the traditional focal point for a communal space. 'Mobile Mobile' is a six metre circumference interactive sculpture, and signature piece for the entrance of the Lost Boys London Brick Lane studio.

To cut a long story short, after a company-wide upgrade the agency had a lot of old mobiles gathering dust. We took these, built and hoisted a gigantic interactive chandelier/mobile that plays Christmas jingles in their reception area."

Check out the results!

Experience Mobile Mobile from James Théophane Jnr on Vimeo.

Panasonic Toughpad

Just about everyday, it seems, someone is introducing the next big hit in the tablet world. From Apple to Barnes & Noble, everyone wants a part of the action and as a result there is a growing number of options for you to choose from. For example, Panasonic has expanded its full rugged line of products by creating durable tablets. The new ToughPads are impressively tough and with a price tag to match. So if you need it, here's a tablet for you to use just about anywhere:



http://www.panasonic.com/business/toughpad/US/best-android-rugged-tablet.asp

Augmented Reality

In a recent, rare visit to Christiana Mall, I was excited to see and play with a Display at the Lego Store that allows one to show the front of a box of legos and then watch it come to life using augmented reality. Here's just one of the examples of this on YouTube: http://youtu.be/BUDIduApeLI

New Mouse?

Are you looking for a new computer mouse? How about one that is compact, easily portable, and wireless. Introducing the Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse:

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/arc-touch-tutorial/

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en-us/p/arc-touch-mouse

Our Canon T2i is not just for stills...

One of our newest cameras, the Canon T2i DSLR, is great not just for still pictures, but also for video.  This web site gives some tips for shooting that video:

http://www.starkinsider.com/2010/06/canon-t2i-dslr-5-tips-for-shooting-video.html

TED

If you haven't been to TED then you are missing out! This awesome website has loads of talks and speeches on a variety of topics and concerns. Great site to go to if you need a bit of inspiration or are interested in learning something new or want to hear different view points on a certain subject.

www.ted.com

YouTube U?

Check out this Stanford experiment in social media! It could change post-secondary education forever!

iPhone SLR Mount

Although the new camera on the iPhone is great, some of us still want an even better photo. Enter the iPhone SLR mount which allows you to take your Canon EOS or Nikon SLR camera lens and connect it to your iPhone 4.
http://photojojo.com/store/awesomeness/iphone-slr-mount/

Holiday Lights

It's that time of year again, where people bypass thoughts of Thanksgiving to plan ahead for the holiday season- or at least that's how I see it. Anyway, this video is a time-lapse video of a two-day holiday event in South Dakota last November. For some reason I'm always impressed by time-lapse film. Maybe it's because the editing pulls together such long periods of time in a visually appealing way. Plus, the lights look that much cooler when they flash faster.

Take Notes on an iPad

With this app, you can write on the iPad screen with your finger, take notes, draw/distort shapes, etc. To select a portion, you can circle it and then move/edit/cut it.