Interactive Multimedia Technology: multimedia

Showing posts with label multimedia. Show all posts

Nov 21, 2010

Digital Newspaper from News Corp, for the iPad (via physorg, Guardian)

iPad 'newspaper created by Steve Jobs and Rupert Murdoch
Apple and News Corp reportedly set to launch joint iPad news publication exclusively via download Edward Helmore, Guardian Weekender, 11/21/10

"According to the US elite fashion industry journal Women's Wear Daily, the Murdoch-Jobs "newspaper" will be run from the 26th floor of the News Corp offices in New York, where 100 journalist have been hired, including Pete Picton, an online editor from the Sun, as one of three managing editors. The editor of the Daily has not been announced, but observers are assuming it will be Jesse Angelo, the managing editor of the New York Post and rising star in the News Corp firmament." -Edward Helmore

Rupert Murdoch Does Another Daily
John Koblin, WWD 11/19/10

Website: Media magnate Murdoch preps digital newspaper for iPad
Craig Johnson, CNN 11/21/10

SOMEWHAT RELATED
Here's a video clip of a recent interview of Rupert Murdoch, News Corp. Chairman & CEO discusses countries with the greatest growth for business. "Our best growth industry is in this country (US)" (Rupert Murdoch reportedly admires Steve Job and likes the iPad.)

Nov 11, 2010

Newspaper Biz and 21st Century Tech: Great post by Tracy Boyer (Innovative Interactivity)

My solution to the failing newspaper business plan
Tracy Boyer, Innovative Interactivity (11/10/10)

Take some time to read Tracy Boyer's thoughtful post on the Innovative Interactivity blog covers some of the key issues facing the newspaper industry today, even if you don't read the newspaper. She brings up some points that are worth thinking about, no matter what your field, since technology is rapidly changing the way everyone does business--and life.

I read the printed newspaper every day, but I also scan an assortment of "news widgets" I selected for my browser's home page. I get much of my new news from tweets.

My morning paper delivers old news, but that's OK, since it satisfies my addiction to newsprint. But that's not all. It brings up fond memories of my childhood when I looked forward to the Sunday paper so I could use it to build forts around the coffee table with my brother.

Nov 9, 2010

Resources about Interactive TV and Media: The Interactive Television Dictionary and Business Index

Here is the link:

The Interactive Television Dictionary & Business Index

More information to come!

Oct 30, 2010

Philipp Geist: Blending the Physical with the Digital; Google TV/Leanback, Vimeo's new Couch Mode, oh...and ViewSonic's 3D (glasses-less) pocket camcorder...

I'm thinking about getting one of the new "internet ready" TVs. I have a serious reason to do this. I'm working on some interactive video projects, and a couple of my projects are geared for teens and young adults who have autism.* My hunch is that many of my students would like to watch- and interact with-content optimized for Google TV and Vimeo's Couch Mode. The content is designed to look good on larger high-resolution flat-screen displays, and I'm sure it would be great on my school's newer SMARTBoards. I need to learn more about developing applications for this purpose.

(Currently I use my HP 22-inch TouchSmart PC to view web-based video content, and to evaluate websites that provide "touchable" and interactive content that might work well on interactive whiteboards.)

At any rate, I've been looking for great videos that have the potential for use at work with older students who have autism. I'm also looking for effective ways that the students can use to interact with multimedia and video content. This is important, since the students have minimal verbal communication skills, have limited reading ability- if they can read at all. They learn about their world through visual means, and are capable of learning much more - but not through traditional means.

Since our school is focusing on globalization and learning about the cultures of other countries, I've been on the lookout for some interesting videos that might appeal to our students.

Today I came across a great find- Philipp Geist. Who is Philipp Geist? According to his bio, Philipp works internationally as a light and multi-media artist in the mediums of video, performance, photography and painting. Some of his work focuses on architecture, history, and cultural heritage. A good example of his work is the installation he created for a festival in Thailand in 2009:

Bangkok / Thailand 4D Light & Sound Installation by Philipp Geist (23Min) from Philipp Geist | Videogeist on Vimeo.

"The one-hour show is the central part of the celebrations and will be seen by thousands of visitors. It interprets artistically the king's life and his work dedicated to public welfare. The art installation combines images of the kings and his social projects in the past and present with 3D animations of Thai natural and cultural heritage and abstract painterly passages." (from the Vimeo site)

Phillip Geist's Showreel

Philipp Geist Showreel 2009 from Philipp Geist | Videogeist on Vimeo.

HIGH-RES MULTIMEDIA WEB CONTENT ON LARGE PANEL HD TV!

This might boost holiday gift sales and in turn, give a little jolt to the economy. To do my duty for my country, I will continue to research Internet TV as I narrow down my selection for my new Internet-ready TV.... Below is some Information about Google TV, Google Leanback, and Vimeo's Couch mode that I've recently gathered to share with my IMT followers:

GOOGLE TV: "The web is now a channel"

"With Google Chrome and Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Google TV lets you access everything on the web. Watch your favorite web videos, view photos, play games, check fantasy scores, chat with friends, and do everything else you're accustomed to doing online. Plus, the world's best websites are now being perfected for television -- check out our Spotlight gallery for examples." "The worlds' favorite websites are being tweaked and perfected for the television." -Google TV

I'm not too excited about the design of the application that transforms your Android phone or iPhone into a remote control. I hate most remote controls. According to Google TV, multiple phones can control the same TV, and you can use your voice to search, which seems like it would be a good thing... I wonder if they tested this out with real families, not just families of Google TV techies .

GOOGLE LEANBACK Video (Integrated into GoogleTV)

Google Leanback
When I visited the Leanback website, I encountered the following screen with a suggestion that I type in what I was looking for. I typed in "lynnvm", the name of my YouTube channel. Apparently Google provides you with a randomly generated featured video that appears in the background that has nothing to do with what you are looking for.

In this screen shot, my YouTube channel offerings are in the foreground. "Maleficent Halloween Tutorial" is what played in the background:

VIMEO INTRODUCES COUCH MODE: Vimeo's version of Google's Leanback is Couch Mode. It is optimized for use on Google TV, so that makes things less complicated in the world of videoviewingland. According to Ryan Hefner's article on the Vimeo staff blog, "Couch Mode is a special new section of Vimeo that allows you to watch collections of videos (such as Staff Picks, your inbox, your videos, etc.) completely uninterrupted like a TV channel."
Couch Mode works on computers, but since it relies on HTML5 and CSS3, without Flash, it only works with Chrome and Safari browsers. For more information, see the video below:

Philipp's Blog

VIMEO Couch Mode

Google TV

Google TV Web Site Optimization Guide

Google TV is coming to 10,000 lucky developers

"A few of our favorites include Net-A-Porter, which lets you watch runway videos and shop for high fashion; Meegenius, a place where you can read and customize children’s books; TuneIn, a personal radio for your TV; and The Onion which always gives us a good laugh." - Google TV Blog

MeeGenius If you are a teacher, parent, kid, or lover of children's books, visit this interactive website ASAP. It is optimized for Google TV and works nicely on touch-enabled screens and devices.

As I was wrapping up this post, I came across information about Viewsonic's new 3D, glassesless pocket camcorder. I'll update information about this new gadget when I have a chance to learn more about it. !

Comment: The idea of developing interactive multimedia apps in 3D intrigues me. At this point, the technology is too new for an "armchair technologist" like me to pursue with my incredibly busy work obligations. I don't have the money to buy a 3D video camera. But I might try this out, if it is true that it only costs $238.00!

Viewsonic introduces 3Dv5 3D pocket camcorder, no glasses required
Darren Murph, Engadget, 10/20/10
Film Videos In 3D for Under $250 With Viewsonic's 3DV5
HotHardware, 10/28/10

* About me:
I presently work full time as a school psychologist at a high school and at a program for students with more severe disabilities, including autism. The students I work with have made amazing gains through the use of interactive multimedia applications, and also have responded well to video presented on the large IWB screens.

I went back to school to take computer courses, initially so I could make interactive multimedia applications and games. I continue to blog about interactive multimedia, emerging/ new technologies, and topics related to post-WIMP HCI/UX/ID/IA. Although my "spare time" is limited, I try to keep up my technical skills whenever I can by working on projects that can support the students I work with.

Oct 23, 2010

SepiaTown: View and Share Mapped Historical Images On-Line

What is SepiaTown?
"In a way, it's a time machine. SepiaTown lets you use your computer or mobile device to see what the very spot you're standing on looked like decades or centuries ago...SepiaTown lets you view and share thousands of mapped historical images from around the globe....The objective of SepiaTown is to map a virtual past by collecting and mapping a vast collection of historical and vintage photographs, prints, film, audio and other media. Please help this collection grow and share your history - contribute your own early photos, pieces of history, and other media from yesteryear"

This site would be great for history teachers and their students, especially in classrooms that have interactive whiteboards!

Image: SepiaTown

RELATED

SepiaTown Blog

SepiaTown Facebook

SepiaTown Twitter

History Pin "Pin your history to the world"

via O'Reilly Radar,
via Fresh + New(er) -"discussion of issues around digital media and museums"
"Fresh+New is a blog primarily written by Seb Chan at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. The purpose of the site is to act as a repository and sounding board for discussions around digital media and its use in museums. It evolved from a team discussion tool into a sector resource."

Oct 22, 2010

Screen Future: The Future of Entertainment, Computing, and the Devices We Love - Book by Brian David Johnson, Intel Press (and more)

I subscribe to InteractiveTV Today, which focuses on news and information about interactive multi-platform television. Brian David Johnson, an Intel Futurist, is the author of the Jet Set column in ITVT. His most recent article provides a good overview of Intel's Developer Forum (IDF) in his article, Get Your Geek On.

In my opinion, the best part of the article were Johnson's links to his new book, Screen Future: The Future of Entertainment, Computing, and the Devices We Love, and a video interview of key players in the world of the future of interactive television/media.

About Screen Future: "Screen Future is about the people, technology, and economics that are shaping the evolution of entertainment. Blending social and computer sciences, media history, and engaging conversations with industry experts, author Brian David Johnson provides an informed and illuminating vision for what happens when TV and entertainment are transformed by the power and intelligence of computers."

A New Vision of Television
In the video below, Brian David Johnson discusses the future of TV with LeVar Burton and Mark Wolfe, of Burton/Wolfe, and Asra Rasheed, CEO, RRKidz:

The following information about David Brian Johnson was taken from Intel's Screen Future website:

About the Author

Brian David Johnson

Futurist and Director, Future Casting and Experience Research
Intel Corporation

The future is Brian David Johnson's business. As a futurist at Intel Corporation, his charter is to develop an actionable vision for computing in 2020. His work is called "future casting"—using ethnographic field studies, technology research, trend data, and even science fiction to provide Intel with a pragmatic vision of consumers and computing. Along with reinventing TV, Johnson has been pioneering development in artificial intelligence, robotics, and using science fiction as a design tool. He speaks and writes extensively about future technologies in articles and scientific papers as well as science fiction short stories and novels (Fake Plastic Love, Nebulous Mechanisms: The Dr. Simon Egerton Stories and the forthcoming This Is Planet Earth). He has directed two feature films and is an illustrator and commissioned painter.