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The animation is top notch, and the remastering by Disney has done well to remove any artifacts from the original film print. I watched this in the English dialogue version, which has had modern stars Patrick Stewart, Uma Thurman and Edward James Olmos doing the voices for characters in the film.
The second disc of the 2-disc set includes the complete storyboards of the film.
What is even more impressive is that all the photos in the book came from a point and shoot digital camera (owned by the author's wife, in fact) further illustrating that composing the shot is much more important than any other factor.
It is a book geared more for amateurs than for professionals, but even pros can pick up a few good tips or two from reading this book.
Genes that control the timing of organ formation during development also control timing of aging and death, and provide evidence of a biological timing mechanism for aging, Yale researchers report in the journal Science.
“Although there is a large variation in lifespan from species to species, there are genetic aspects to the processes of development and aging,” said Frank Slack, associate professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and senior author of the paper. “We used the simple, but genetically well-studied, C. elegans worm and found genes that are directly involved in determination of lifespan. Humans have genes that are nearly identical.”
PC monitors don't do the color blending that a television set does, so the resultant image had brighter colors and a crisper image. Before the GameBridge, the only way to play console games on your monitor was to custom design a cable specifically for that system and that monitor, or to invest in a expensive video card that had RCA inputs. Even with all that, one could only play the game on the monitor, it couldn't do what the GameBridge does, which is to record your gameplay in realtime.
My evaluation unit was the the 1400, the version without the TV tuner.
Package Contents:
What Exactly is the GameBridge?
The GameBridge is a new video capture device specifically aimed at gamers. It takes in standard RCA inputs and outputs it to your PC monitor through a USB 2.0 interface.
Device Size and Weight The GameBridge device is small and incredibly lightweight. This device is smaller than an iPod and probably smaller than your cellphone. It's easy to just shove the GameBridge in your pocket with the cables to take it on the go. The GameBridge uses software encoding to transform your video input to MPEG-1/2, which means the faster your PC is, the less you'll notice the video encoding process churning away in the background.
Software
The GameBridge includes a program to output and record the video from the device, which has a large and easy to use interface.
Conclusion
I'm quite impressed by this little device -- being able to record video has never been so easy or so quick, and I can see a lot of possibilities for this device, as people not only use it to share movies of their favorite game moments, but as a quick and easy way to transfer their old home movies into a digital format. Adaptec's new GameBridge is the best device I've found for connecting and playing console video games on the PC. As a bonus, it can record both screenshots and video while you're playing. It's small, affordable and simple to use, and will be a valuable solution for those gamers looking for an all-in-one media entertainment system for their PC.
Adaptec GameBridge
(PC, Xbox, GameCube, PS1/2)
$70
Available from Amazon
Manufactured by Adaptec
UPDATE:I missed Keyhole the first time glacing through.
A decent read, but the information presented is at times repetitive, leading one to wonder if Johnson was given a page quota to fill that he couldn't quite meet.
10:30 am: Depart Mountain View, Drive towards LA
4:00pm: Arrive Home
4:05pm: Sit down at the dining table and begin eating
11:00pm: eating finally ends
I'm exhausted, tired and about to crash. maybe I'll update this entry later when I'm more coherent.
Happy holidays/Merry Christmas/Season's Greetings!
The authors of the book do an excellent job of guiding the reader through the process, from the initial setup to taking the photos, to editing them in software. This is a rather non-technical book, and the focus is definitely on the photography and not the image manipulation aspect of product photography. It is written to be understood by the beginner, but has useful tips for advanced photographers as well.
The book is filled with pictures to provide examples of how to transform an everyday object into a visually appealing photograph. The advice and tips given in the book helps beginners solve the common problems of home photography. It is an excellent introduction to product photography and a valuable reference book that no photographer (or eBay seller) should be without.
eBay ® Photos That Sell : Taking Great Product Shots for eBay and Beyond
Dan Gookin, Robert Birnbach
2004, 172 pages
$20
Available at Amazon
I was hoping there would be a few more photos, but the explanation of how it was done should inspire other 3d artists to do the same, creating some really photorealistic texture maps in the future.
Didn't I just get laid off from my job? Yes, I did. I haven't found a new job yet, but I cannot afford to not donate to a worthwhile cause such as Child's Play. I'd like to see them break half a million this year -- I know our contribution will help them head towards that goal. I'm also hoping that our donation will encourage others, that regardless of their financial situation they can do good things this holiday season. I know some of you think that games and toys are expensive, but there are items on these wishlists that fit any budget. Take a look at the Wishlists for Child's Play (San Diego Children's Hospital). $100 can buy a Gamecube, $50 can buy a game or a couple of dvds, $20 can buy a DVD, toys or a good quality discount game. $10 can buy some great toys and children's books. These little things can make a big difference in the children's happiness and well-being while they stay at the hospital.
. It's actually a book calledFreakonomics : A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
. More details, including excerpts of the book are available onFreakonomics Author's Blog. It also happens to be #3 in Amazon's Top Sellers
The book is about the hidden economic side of cerain decisions - for instance, the author claims that backyard swimming pools are more dangerous than guns to children, and that a side effect of the Roe v. Wade decision is a reduction in violent crime rate. It definitely sounds lik an an interesting book I'll have to read.
If you were planning on buying me a gift for the holidays, but haven't yet, please consider buying something for a Child's Play Children's Hospital instead.
On Friday, I was listening to Jim Lehrer Interview President Bush on NPR. Personally, I'm really surprised that Bush's handlers let him speak without a puppeteer. What's really interesting is if you listen to the interview and then read the address, you realize just how much difference a day makes.
Jim Lehrer Interview (Dec. 16, 2005)
PRESIDENT BUSH: I-- Jim, I know that people are anxious to know the details of operations, they-- people want me to comment about the veracity of the story. It's the policy of this government, just not going do it, and the reason why is is that because it would compromise our ability to protect the people.
National Address (Dec. 17, 2005)
PRESIDENT BUSH: The authorization I gave the National Security Agency after September the 11th helped address that problem in a way that is fully consistent with my constitutional responsibilities and authorities. The activities I have authorized make it more likely that killers like these 9/11 hijackers will be identified and located in time. And the activities conducted under this authorization have helped detect and prevent possible terrorist attacks in the United States and abroad.
Of course, the most infuriating thing in the interview is this part, regarding the casualty rate:
JIM LEHRER: The war has now been going on 2-1/2 years. This week in fact the one-thousandth day went by, and more than 2,100 Americans have died.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Yes, sir.
JIM LEHRER: When you made the decision to go to war, did you expect this kind of casualty rate?
PRESIDENT BUSH: First of all, I knew there would be casualties. I never tried to guess.
He never tried to guess? Don't they teach cost analysis at school anymore? Isn't part of miltary strategy determining the casualties and determining whether "the objective" is worth those casualties? What kind of commander-in-chief sends men off to war without knowing how long it's going to take, and what it's going to take to win? How can you possibly formulate any kind of strategy without knowing the cost and the losses?
JIM LEHRER: Did you ask General Franks or Secretary Rumsfeld, what's the risk here, what's the casualty possibility?
PRESIDENT BUSH: I think everybody understood the risks, Jim. I'll never forget making the decision in the Situation Room, and it affected me. I mean, it was-- I got up out of the chair and walked around the South Lawn there and I thought, you know, I knew the decision I had just made, a decision, by the way, that I had been wrestling with for months, was the right decision in my judgment, or obviously I wouldn't have made it, but also one that would have consequences for Americans and families and members of the soldiers who died.
We run a danger of trying to say the casualties are less than other wars or more than expected. It's just everybody matters, every person matters, and what really matters is having the strategy and the will to make sure any death is not-- is honored by achieving an objective.
If everybody matters, if every person matters, isn't it better to say "we've lost 2,100 people, let's not lose another 2,100 by staying here"? Does President Bush really understand that so far on this war of terror, we have lost over 5,000 people, and not saved a single person? This war has ruined lives -- so many of our soldiers come back wounded, missing limbs, injured, crippled. Our country has killed an estimated 30,000 Iraqis over the past two and a half years. We have spent close to half a trillion dollars, and for what? It's costing the American people five billion dollars a month. We have a population of 297 million people. That's almost 17 dollars a month for every citizen of the United States. Each Iraqi killed has cost us close to 17 million dollars. It takes the money of a million of us to kill just one of them. I don't know about you, but I can think of much better uses for 17 million dollars than to kill just one Iraqi soldier. Like, how about making America better for the people living in America?
For instance, at a gambling casino, which is more enjoyable: a game of blackjack or a game of craps? Personally I find poker more enjoyable, because I have a greater sense of control over the fate of my bet We are tied to the outcome of the game because of the money involved. Once we put down our money, we are not likely to just walk away without seeing if we win or lose. Everything we have been taught in life is that money matters. Our choices matter in the game too. Which cards do we toss out, and which cards do we keep?
Settlers of Catan can be described as poker combined with craps. There's a sense of choice and control (in determining where you place your roads, settlements and cities, as well as the cards you purchase or trade), but there's also the random factor of dice rolls, and development cards.
The object of the game is to get to 10 points, and that can be done a number of ways -- building cities, making a large army, building the longest road, purchasing development cards, etc. There are a variety of ways to accomplish the win condition.
One of the interesting aspects of the game is how people react to the game in relation to the rolls of the dice. There are players who think the dice are non-random and put the blame there. There are others who drop out of the game because their numbers or resources aren't coming up enough, or they've been beat up by the other players. But all these things are the consequences of the choices they've made. Despite this, the drop out rate for the games is incredibly low -- perhaps one in twenty games has a player who leaves during the game, the vast majority stay until the end. Part of it, I believe is the investment players have made on the game -- but the other part is the belief that they can make enough better choices to catch up and win. That's how games should be -- players should always feel like they have the power and chance to make decisions to get out of their predicament. Having this ingredient of hope allows players to continue to play on, despite the odds.
I think this book is a must-read for anyone who has ever been tempted by the "new and improved" or experienced buyer's remorse, or wondered about the road not taken. It's a fascinating read on the how and why of choice.
Of all the consumers planning to purchase an iPod this holiday season, only 4- percent said they would purchase another brand of MP3 player if a store was out of their desired model.
"We think this speaks wonders on iPod brand loyalty and ultimately ties consumers into an expanding portfolio of Apple products," Runkle said. The analyst notes that: "Of the current MP3 player owners planning to buy an iPod this holiday, 40-percent currently own a non-iPod MP3 player -- a sign of additional iPod market share traction."
Still, only 8% of US households own iPods and 5% own Macs.
I suppose it's because I live in Silicon Valley, but that 8% of US households number seems really low to me -- it seems almost everyone I know has an iPod, and those who do have iPods sometimes have more than one.
I've been thinking about the iPod, and what made it a success in the MP3 player market. To find out more, read the extended entry.
First you have an audience that wants an iPod. They may own another brand of digital music player, but for whatever reason are dissatified with their purchase and think that the iPod would be a better choice for them. They might also be a person who has never owned an iPod before but saw their friend's iPod or played with one in the store. They might have never seen an iPod in person, but saw the commercials. Whatever the case, they've decided that the Apple iPod (and no other media player) will make them happy.
Second, you have an audience who refuse to convert to owning an iPod. They'll stick with whatever brand they own. This group is actually very similar to whose who have an iPod already. They are loyal to their brand because of sunk costs. In purchasing an music player, they are likely to also have purchased other accessories. They are likely to have bought music for your device in a format that only their brand of player can play. They are also loyal because they have a sense of ownership in owning that company's product.
Third, there are the people who already own an iPod. They have one, they use it, they bought accessories, it makes their life better. The Apple iPod dominates the digital media player market, with a really large market share.
In order to crush Apple's market share, all you really need to do is one thing: convince everyone who has bought an iPod that they made a mistake, and that Brand X Media Player Y is better. This is hard, because the majority of iPod owners are satisified with their purchase -- they don't want to upgrade to a new player, and here's the problem that Apple has to face -- part of the satisfaction that comes with an iPod ownership comes with their experiences in the last few months. iPod battery capacity only lasts a few years before it can no longer hold a charge. If Apple can manage to have these customers upgrade (and stop using their old iPods) before this happens, then those customers will still have a very positive feeling about the iPod. However, the more problems the iPod has near the end of life, the less happy customers are going to be. A company that wants to take market share from Apple would have to wait for the right point to advertise the iPod's flaws, and convince them that their product is better. If it is possible to make their product compatible with the iPod line of accessories, even better.
Apple knows this flaw, and they know this strategy -- after all, they convince people to upgrade their iPods for the latest model everyday. Every model they introduce is better than the last one in some way. First it was more space, then photos, then color screens, then video. Their next shuffle I can almost guarantee will have a color screen. At some point, they will run out of features and improvements to add to the iPod. It is at this point where the majority of iPod users will consider what they have "good enough", which leave the market open for competitors. That day is coming soon, but people are reluctant to change and switch, and I suspect that converting iPodders to another brand will be nearly impossible. Here's the really scary thing that competitors must also think about -- with the iPod being a recognized brand, Apple can now brand future products as "iPod". For instance, how about the iPod Time, an iPod squeezed into a wristwatch? Or the iPod Athlete, an iPod with heartrate monitor, pedometer and other athletic functions? The possibilities are endless. Right now Apple has a generalized product designed for mass appeal. That's not to say that strategy will continue into the future as more specialization takes place in the media player market.
I think that the iPod will sell well this holiday season, and continue to sell well for the next 2 to 3 years. There's nothing on the horizon able to challenge the iPod product, and if I'm right, 2 to 3 years is about the time to transform iPod into a new type of product.
. In the book, Barry Schwartz talks about a study called "When Choice is Demotivating", which sets up an experiment with a line of exotic high-quality jams. In one condition of the experiment, there were 6 varieties available for tasting, in the other condition all 24 varieties were available. The table with 24 varieties attracted more people than the 6 variety table, but on average, the number of jams that people tasted was about the same. However, the interesting result is this: 30 percent of the people who tasted at the 6-variety table bought a jar of jam, while only 3 percent of those who tasted at the 24 variety table bought a jar of jam. The researchers speculate that having more options may discourage consumers because it forces the amount of effort needed in making a decision. So the consumers decide not to decide and end up not buying the product.
Costco is a very interesting store -- they have a very limited item selection, often only stocking only a few brands of a given type of product, and everything only comes in one size (the exception being clothing, which I won't get into here). By going into Costco, a lot of the choice process is taken away from the customer. Rather than comparing brands, sizes, varieties and cost, the consumer's decision-making process in Costco becomes whether or not they wish to buy the product. The sample tables at Costco are designed to introduce customers to new products which Costco only stocks one brand of. For instance, today at Costco, I noticed them pushing Progresso Soup in the Clam Chowder variety -- They have other varieties of soups (Campbell's Chunky Chicken Noodle and Campbell's Cream of Mushroom), but no other brand of Clam Chowder. This makes it very simple for the customer who is looking to buy Clam Chowder to make a decision. They don't have to choose a size, nor do they have to choose a brand. They merely need to decide whether or not they liked the sample they tried enough to purchase a 12 can package of Progresso Clam Chowder.
Compare this to the experience of shopping at a supermarket. You walk into the canned soup aisle and you are bombarded with a plethora of choices - a dozen or so brands, each with a dozen different varieties and at least two sizes of cans, with 3 varieties of packaging -- pull-tab, can opener, and microwave-safe. Costco makes the decision-making process easy by removing choices.
One of the items that Costco has more than one variety of (but is still selection limited) are Plasma TVs. Whereas stores like Best Buy and Circuit City stock over 50 varieties of Plasma TVs, Costco has 6. I'd guess that Costco sells just as many Plasma TVs at the Electronics stores do, perhaps even more because people feel they have a more limited selection to choose from. You can see all 6 Plasmas at the same time and decide which has the size you want, and which has the best color. Go to an electronics store and try that, and I'll find you in a couple of days still trying to figure out whether Set #23, the 3rd TV in the 3rd row or Set #76 (the 6th TV in the 8th row) has better color.
Long story short, the more choices we have, the more effort it takes to make a decision, and less likely we are to purchase the product. If we give people less choices, they are more likely to buy.
Flickr: Santana Row (Photos are from a photoshoot I did in August)
I've been reading a book called The Paradox of Choice : Why More Is Less
Some advice for holiday shoppers:
