|
Week
of Mar 1, 1999
|
Fri
5
|
  
Macromedia has made available a 30
day demo of FireWorks 2, its
updated Web graphics tool, for both Mac
and Windows. This version includes an
Export to Size Wizard, and automatically
creates sliced graphics (including
creating the HTML for them.) Price is less
than $200.
<www.macromedia.com
web page "Fireworks">
The just released version 1.5 of
CineMac for Director is designed to
work with Macromedia Director 7 to create
screen savers for Mac and PC using live
internet content, animations and video.
Screen savers can be up to 75% more
compact and no longer need specialized
lingo programming. The new version
includes an option to create expiring
screen savers for demonstration
purposes.
Pricing
starts at $299 with a license to
distribute up to 10,000 screen savers.
Upgrades are free to registered users who
purchased CineMac for Director in the past
year.
<www.macsourcery.com>
 
IBM, Intel, Matsushita
Electric (Panasonic) and
Toshiba have jointly announced the
development of a content protection
framework for Digital Versatile
Disk (DVD)-Audio. This framework has
been in development over the last 12
months as a result of discussions among
the four technology companies and five
music companies: BMG, EMI, Sony Music
Entertainment, Universal Music Group and
Warner Music Group.
The
new framework uses watermark and
encryption technologies created or
identified by the four technology
companies to protect the music made
available on the prerecorded DVD-Audio
disc. The copy protected DVD-Audio discs
can be played only on licensed players, in
a way similar to that used for today's
DVD-Video discs and players.
The
framework provides consumers with the
ability to make one digital copy, per
recorder, of the original audio content
for personal use at a sound-quality equal
to CD-Audio or less. For example, a
consumer who purchases a DVD-Audio disc
for a home player would be able to make
one copy -- on recordable CD, MiniDisc or
DAT media -- for existing automobile or
other personal music players. Content
owners will have the option of allowing
additional copies at various levels of
quality, up to and including the full
quality of the prerecorded DVD-Audio
original.
<www.ibm.com>
Amorphium is a a new 3D modeling
package from the Electric Image
division Play. It's received some very
favorable reviews including the following
one at 3D Design:
<www.3d-design.com
article "AMORPHIUM:
A Truly Organic
Trip">
|
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Thur
4
|
SEYBOLD
I just spent the afternoon at
Seybold and it was a really
interesting show. While I'm not really
into print there was quite a bit to see.
Here's my highlight list:
- Final
Cut Pro This was the first time I
got to see Apple's new editing
software. Unfortunately, I couldn't get
my hands on it; just had to put up with
the demo. It looks good, and I look
forward to it's release
(NAB??)
- ColorSync
2.6 I haven't paid too much
attention to color calibration
technology, but if you have a Mac you
should look into ColorSync. Frankly,
I'm still trying to figure this all out
(and will write more about it in the
future) but calibrating color is vital
and it looks like it's becoming more
practical for those not involved in the
press industry. The most interesting
thing for web people is that Internet
Explorer on the Mac supports ColorSync,
and code for ColorSync has been put
into the Mozilla Open Code project.
If all browsers supported ColorSync it
could make the Mac/PC gamma problem go
away.
- Adobe
GoLive 4.0 see more
below.
- InterView
see below.
- Nikon
CoolPix 950 This looks like the 2
MegaPixel camera to beat!
- FireWorks
2.0: Macromedia's just announced
update to this web graphics program
kicks butt! Really like the slice
support and output to HTML. Compression
previews is cool too.
And
I won a copy of Dreamweaver 2.0
too!
I saw XLR8's video capture and
editing device InterView. Now I
know why it's only $99 -- it's tiny!
It has a single composite video (RCA plug)
input; and there's no output so you can't
use it to edit video. It captures at 30
frames per second, but it's only 1/4
screen (i.e. 358 x 250) though they said
it can capture a single frame at 640 x
480. It's expected to be shipping sometime
in May.
[In
the original posting a few days ago we
reported that XLR8 said they were
including "Adobe VideoShop" with the
device. It is infact Strata VideoShop.
This was simply an error in XLR8's press
release.-Ed]
<www.xlr8.com>
Months ago I saw a preview of GoLive's
Web Publishing solution and got really
excited. It promised the ability to create
templates and a database, and then enable
contributors to use a browser interface to
enter updates to the site that are
automatically plugged into the appropriate
places on the site. I saw it as a solution
for updating this site more
efficiently.
At
the time it was supposed to be released
early this year. Now Adobe has
bought the company, and though they showed
the software at Seybold in a keynote
session it was shown as a "Technology
Demonstration." There's no announced date
or price (GoLive was saying just under
$1,000.) A person at Adobe's booth said
that the software would be released
"sometime this year." I hope
so.
I
looked at GoLive 4, and it actually
has some promise. But then I won a copy of
Dreamweaver, so I guess I better
test that out first...
<www.adobe.com>
Digital Origin has announced a
software-only version of its desktop DV
editor, EditDV 1.5 for Apple Power
Macintosh G3 computers. EditDV uses the
standard FireWire (IEEE 1394) interface
now included in the Apple Power Macintosh
G3 for transferring video to and from DV
devices. Digital Origin also sells a
FireWire card for computers that do not
come equipped with this interface. EditDV
is based on QuickTime enabling easy
integration of multiple professional tools
in a multimedia editing environment.
EditDV
1.5 includes the editing software, MotoDV
for full-motion video capture, Terran
Interactive's Media Cleaner EZ, Bias' Peak
LE, key cap stickers and a FireWire cable
for connecting the camcorder to the
computer. The package lists for $899.
Special
features of EditDV supported on the Apple
Power Macintosh G3 include DraftDV, a
specialized rendering mode for extremely
fast preview, and LiveDV, which provides
full screen interactive preview of all DV
footage as well as enabling users to set
marks on the fly. EditDV's software-based
Accelerated Video Architecture (AVA)
enables rapid rendering and compression
and decompression of digital data
streams.
The
software-only version of EditDV 1.5 will
begin shipping on March 12, 1999. Current
users of EditDV 1.5 moving to the new
Apple Power Macintosh G3 personal computer
will be able to download a driver update
that will allow them to use their current
copy of EditDV on that system as permitted
in the product's software license
agreement.
<www.digitalorigin.com>
Sonic Solutions has released a
DVD-Audio authoring systems, Sonic
DVD AV Workstation and OneClick DVD.
DVD-Audio is the next-generation consumer
audio format that extends the DVD-Video
format into high-quality audio. DVD-Audio
features 24-bit, uncompressed digital
audio at high-resolution sampling rates of
96kHz and 192kHz, and surrounds listeners
with the realism of multi-channel
High-Density Audio. It also provides an
interactive interface for the listener,
such as real-time text, on-screen slide
shows graphics, menus, and integrated
digital video.
Sonic's
new DVD AV Workstation provides complete
DVD-Audio and DVD-Video authoring and
formatting in an integrated audio-video
system. OneClick DVD integrates with
SonicStudio and SonicStudio HD
workstations to create simple DVD-Audio
disc images that may be written to DVD-R
or delivered to replication facilities on
DLT tape. OneClick DVD supports the full
range of audio formats, from 44.1kHz to
192kHz at 16-, 20- and 24-bit
resolution.
<www.sonic.com>
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Wed
3
|
MetaCreations says that Bryce
4 will be released in March. this
release will include the ability to export
textured terrains to most 3D
modeling/animation applications such as
NewTek's LightWave, MetaCreations Ray
Dream Studio (.RDS), and Infini-D (.ID4),
Bryce 4 will additionally feature a range
of import and export formats for all Bryce
generated objects, textures, models and
scenes, including output to the MetaStream
(.MTS) format, for viewing, manipulating
and streaming textured Bryce models and
terrains on the Web.
The
new Sky Lab provides access to all
controls governing aspects of sky
generation. The program is also able to
import United States Geological Survey DEM
(Digital Elevation Maps) and the latest
USGS standard, SDTS formats.
Bryce
4 can export scenes to HTML with image
mapped links, export options that include
RealPlayer movies, VRML and QTVR for
animations and still images on the Web.
The MetaStream output features will allow
users to create and stream 3D objects and
terrains for dynamic 3D Web
sites.
Bryce
4 will be available for Windows 95/98/NT
and Power Macintosh on one hybrid CD-ROM.
Suggested Retail Price is US $249; Upgrade
Price to registered users is US $99.
<www.metacreations.com/products/bryce4>
Agfa Corporation has announced an
exclusive worldwide distribution agreement
with the epic software group, inc.,
a 3D graphics development company based in
Woodland, Texas, to distribute epic's
library of royalty-free 3D models.
The
epic 3D model library, currently two
volumes, consists of over 500 models.
Volume 1, Everyday Objects, features
office/business objects, household
objects, tools and vehicles. Volume 2,
Fantasy Figures, features sci-fi figures,
characters, animals, holiday objects and
figures, and buttons and interfaces. All
models are accessible in three file
formats: .LWO for LightWave 3D and Inspire
3D, .3DS for 3D Studio and 3D Studio Max,
and .DXF.
The
complete library is available for $499,
and each volume retails separately for
$299.
<www.agfadirect.com>
GRAPHICS
Adobe's new PressReady
software, is a printing and proofing tool
for desktop color inkjets based on
a new implementation of PostScript 3 has
optimized for inkjet printers. It includes
color management tools to help create,
print and manage color-calibrated Portable
Document Format (PDF) files.
PressReady
includes a Create Adobe PDF driver, based
on Acrobat 4.0 technology, that enables
creation of color calibrated PDF files.
Additionally, Adobe Circulate Printer
Edition, a PDF file management tool,
allows users to scan thumbnail versions of
PDF files, navigate through individual
pages, and automatically launch Acrobat
4.0 to view files.
Adobe
PressReady version 1.0 has an estimated
U.S. street price of $149 and is expected
to be available in the early summer of
1999 with platform support for Mac OS
7.6.1 or higher, Windows 95/98 and Windows
NT.
PressReady
initially supports eight inkjets : Canon
BJC-8500; Epson Stylus Color 800, Epson
Stylus Color 850, Epson Stylus Color 1520
and Epson Sylus Color 3000; and
Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 895C,
Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 1120C and
Hewlett-Packard 2000C. Adobe expects to
expand the number of supported inkjets in
future releases.
<www.adobe.com
web page "Pressready">
GRAPHICS
Imaging Technologies Corporation
has announced ColorBlind Prove it!,
a fully automated, network capable color
matching and calibration program for
computer monitors and displays.
Prove
it!, uses a set of visual calibration
screens or an optional colorimeter (color
measuring device) to calibrate a color
monitor and create an ICC display profile.
A wizard-based help system in Prove it!
guides the user through the steps of
monitor calibration and
matching.
Prove
it! is scheduled to be released in May of
1999 for Macintosh and Windows 98/NT, The
product will be sold in two
configurations: software-only selling for
under $50.00 U.S. or software with an
optional colorimeter selling for $299.00
U.S. Both versions will allow
visual
calibration,
profiling, and network color matching. The
optional colorimeter automates the process
of calibration and profiling.
<http://www.imagetechcorp.com>
GRAPHICS
And while we're on color, Apple has
updated ColorSync to version 2.6
and there are new drivers avialable at
their website.
<www.apple.com/colorsync>
CD-ROM
Adaptec has announced Toast
3.8, the Macintosh CD-ROM mastering
software. This release supports USB
interface CD-R and CD-RW devices for the
iMAC and new G3 desktops.
Adaptec
Toast 3.8 will be bundled with the Que!
Drive from QPS, Inc. and the new LaCie
blue CD CD-Recorders. [Neither of
these drives are currently available,
though the Que! drive is supposed to be
available in three weeks-Ed]
<www.adaptec.com>
GRAPHICS
Coral has unveiled CorelDraw
9, which is scheduled to be widely
available in North America in May 1999.
CorelDRAW 9 and PHOTO-PAINT 9 users can
now embed ICC profiles from images, edit
and output to PDF format and exchange
files with most graphics and desktop
publishing applications on the market
today. Enhancements were made to EPS
export, Adobe Illustrator (AI) support,
and Adobe Photoshop® multi-layered
.PSDfor compatibility between file
formats. Corel PHOTO-PAINT can now also
import MetaCreations Painter® files.
QuickTime 3.0 VR allows users to create,
open, edit and save single or multiple
node QuickTime VR Panoramas and
Objects.
Both
CorelDRAW 9 and Corel PHOTO-PAINT 9
incorporate a plug-and-play ixla Digital
Camera Interface for acquiring images from
over 120 digital camera models.
<www.corel.com>
Media 100 has announced the
Media 100 PowerGrade series, a
sub-$6K broadcast-quality video production
workstations for Windows NT. Each
PowerGrade workstation includes Media 100
qx with Adobe Premiere v5.1, a Compaq
Professional Workstation AP500 with
storage and monitor, and RealNetworks'
RealProducer. There are four Media 100
PowerGrade configurations (PowerGrade 1,
2, 3, and 4), priced at $5,995, $7,995,
$7,995, and $9,995, respectively. All
configurations are available immediately
from Media 100 authorized dealers in the
U.S.A. and Canada.
<www.media100.com>
Sony has finally listed the
DVMC-DA1 Digital Video (DV) to
Analog video conversion box. This suggests
that it is now available officially as a
US item. The DVMC-DA1 has been available
for a few months as a imported item. The
MSRP is $500, more than $100 more than the
imported units.
[I'd
be tempted to buy the imported item given
that it's not as likely to break as a
mechanical item like a camcorder. However
note that there are compatability problems
with some hardware (including Apple's
current FireWire drivers) and it only
supports NTSC. The other thing that gives
me pause is that Newer Technology has
announced a box which appeared to do the
same things for half the price, FireStorm
DV $199. The FireStorm DV isn't out yet,
but it might be worth waiting
for
<www.newertech.com>-Ed]
<www.sel.cony.com
web page "DVMC-DA1">
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Tue
2
|
Macromedia's new website, the
Vector Zone, is described as a
comprehensive vector graphics resource for
Web developers. It features articles,
interviews and technical pointers for both
novice and professional Web developers.
Macromedia's tool Flash is based
upon vector technology.
Macromedia
says that King, Brown & Partners, an
independent research firm, has determined
that 77% of Web users have installed the
Flash player. Based on industry estimates
of approximately 130 million people
online, over 100 million Web users can
experience Flash.
In
February 1999, King, Brown, &
Partners, an independent market research
firm, conducted a study to determine how
many Web browsers have Flash
pre-installed. As part of the study, 1,675
participants, representing an Internet
sample, visited various Web pages
containing animations in different
formats. Respondents then indicated
whether or not they could see the
animation on each page. The survey
revealed that 77% of Web users could view
Flash:
|
|
%
Respondents
|
#
Respondents
|
|
Animated
GIF
|
99%
|
1,663
|
|
Flash
|
77%
|
1,287
|
|
Java
|
62%
|
1,037
|
Auto-downloading
of players and plug-ins was disabled, so
as to determine which players and plug-ins
were already installed on the
participant's system. For more information
or to request a copy of the King, Brown
& Partners study, visit:
<www.flash.com/survey>
<www.vectorzone.com>
FlashPoint Technology Inc's just
announced Digita FX enables users
of Digita-enabled cameras, including the
KodakDC220/260 and the Minolta Dimage ZOOM
EX 1500, to apply artistic filters, adjust
color balance and edit images inside the
camera without connecting to a PC. Digita
FX will be available in March for $19.95
via FlashPoint's Web site
www.flashpoint.com. Digita is a common
software platform for digital cameras,
printers and other emerging imaging
solutions.
This
in-camera image editor provides access to
it's features via the camera's graphic
interface displayed on the cameras LCD
panel. Users can review and modify their
images immediately after capture.
Digita
FX offers creative filters including,
stucco, water color, mosaic, underwater,
emboss and pixelate. Digita FX also
includes tools that can edit and enhance
existing images including sharpen, rotate,
mirror, posterize, blur, color balance,
brightness/contrast and
hue/saturation.
<www.flashpoint.com>
Brilliant Digital Entertainment,
Inc has announced the B3D-Minimize For
Max (B3D) plug-in which allows digital
animators to create entertainment content
in the b3d digital storage format.
The plug-in works in conjunction with 3D
Studio Max, a 3-D modeling and animation
application from AutoDesk Inc.'s Kinetix
unit. B3D enables digital animators to
create streaming animation in a compressed
format. The b3d file format is viewable
using Brilliant's Digital Projector, a
real-time 3-D rendering plug-in for
Netscape and Internet Explorer.
B3D
will be available as a download from the
developer section of Brilliant Digital's
web site. Distribution will also be
handled through Digimation
http://www.digimation.com and other online
resources beginning in April 1999. The
retail price for B3D will be $495. A
30-day trial version will be
available.
The
b3d format dramatically reduces file
sizes, for example, the broadly
distributed "Dancing Baby'' AVI with sound
is a huge download -- typically 2MB to
4MBs -- which takes approximately 9 - 18
minutes using a 28.8kbs modem, yet plays
back in a small window within the computer
screen. In contrast, the b3d file, with
full sound and animation and full screen
playback, is under 200k, requiring less
than a minute to download.
<www.bde3d.com>
Media 100 Inc has announced
serial digital input and output
(SDI) capability for the Media 100
product line, the Media 100 now provides
simultaneous support for SDI, DV, and
Betacam SP.
The
SDI Option supports the SMPTE-259M
standard (Society of Motion Pictures and
Television Engineers) and allows users to
work with broadcast-standard SDI-based
devices such as DVCPro cameras and Digital
Betacam and D1 tape decks. In addition,
Media 100's SDI technology offers the
ability to input and output AES/EBU
digital audio.
The
SDI Option includes: Two SDI video
outputs, four physical AES/EBU digital
audio channel pair inputs, and a separate
SDI junction box.
The
SDI Option is priced at $3,995 and
requires Media 100 Version 5.5
software.
<www.media100.com>
Avid is now shipping version 5.1 of
Avid Media Illusion software, a
digital effects and compositing system for
film and television. The latest Media
Illusion release provides tighter
integration with Avid's Media Composer and
Symphony nonlinear editing and finishing
systems, and integrates Avid Marquee
software as a plug-in, adding 3-D title
creation and animation features within the
Media Illusion environment.
<www.avid.com>
Agfa has lowered the price on the
ePhoto 1680 megapixel digital
camera. Effective immediately, the ePhoto
1680 is available in the United States for
the suggested price of $699. Note that
previously Agfa was offering a free Iomega
Clik! drive with this camera.
<www.agfa.com>
|
|
Mon
1
|
I just got a new Mac G3 (the one
with USB and FireWire, and no
floppy disk) and I have to say that I'm
really exicted about the possabilities
offered by USB and FireWire. Several
companies have announced products, but
we're all in the wait and see mode at the
moment.
So,
hear's another product to wait
for:
XLR8,
a developer of Macintosh products and
tools, has demonstrated a USB video
capture and editing device called
InterView. Bundled with
VideoShop software, InterView
offers:
- Real-time
viewing of satellite, VCR and Home DVD
- Interactive
video capture from any standard source
- Easy
editing and production with Adobe
VideoShop
[Adobe
VideoShop? Did I miss something? Last time
I looked VideoShop was owned by Strata.
Have they sold it to
Adobe?-Ed]
It's
expected to be shipping sometime in May
and has a suggested retail price of
$99
<www.xlr8.com>
The cranky digital camera guy
says:
A
recent report on CNET about the
future of Digital Camera and the impact of
the lastest 2 Mega pixel cameras included
the following comment:
"Cameras
offering over 1.3 million pixels offer
close to the same resolution of
traditional cameras", according to
Holec [a digital imaging analyst at
ARS.]
Well,
I'm as excited about the quality of these
new cameras as the next guy, but that
comment is carrying things a little too
far. These new cameras with "over 1.3
million pixels" are producing images up to
about 1600 x 1200. A "traditional" 35mm
camera can produce images at 3072 by 2048
(that's over 6 million pixels.)
<www.news.com
article "Digital
cameras reach traditional
standards">
The recording industry, comprising
of the RIAA, RIAJ and the IFPI, is working
to layout an initial framework for the
Secure Digital Music Initiative
(SDMI).
SDMI
is an initiative providing a forum where
technology companies can work together to
create an open architecture and
specification for digital music security.
The ultimate goal of the initiative is to
enable consumers to access music in new
ways, while ensuring interoperability
among digital products and services
[And
stop them from copying
it!-Ed]
The specification will protect copyrighted
music in all existing and emerging digital
formats and through all delivery
channels.
<www.riaa.com>
GRAPHICS
Ulead Systems has a new web site
called Image Mechanic where users
can simply upload images to the server and
perform edits directly within their Web
browser. Users can choose from the
following applications currently available
from The Image Mechanic:
- Particle
Engine allows users to add random
"natural" particle effects to any
image.
- Image
Any-Sizer alters image size,
sharpen and define re-sized
graphics.
- SmartSaver
Online supports GIF, JPEG and PNG
formats and users can control an
image's palette, color, sub-sampling
(for JPEG), smoothness and dithering.
<www.webutilities.com/mechanic>
Zat, Inc has announced a preview
release of an authoring tool for
Internet applications that enables
development of both server- and
client-side applications by
non-programmers. Called Spin, the
new product uses the JavaBeans
architecture and a new authoring
technology to make it possible for
professionals such as web designers and
businesspeople to create interactive,
distributed applications for Ecommerce,
intranets, entertainment, and
education.
Spin
uses Java as a scripting language, and
enables the creation of custom JavaBeans
components without programming.
Spin
Developer Preview Release is priced at
$495 and is available immediately.
Purchasers of the preview release will
receive a free upgrade to Spin Version
1.0, available in late summer,
1999.
The
estimated retail price of Spin 1.0 is
$1,495. Multi-user licenses for Spin are
also available. The product supports
Win95, WinNT, and Macintosh as development
platforms. Applications developed with
Spin can be deployed on any operating
system that includes a Java Virtual
Machine.
<http://www.zat.com>
Open Text Corporation has
introduced Livelink Forms for Adobe
Acrobat. Livelink is a scalable,
collaborative knowledge management
application for intranets. Livelink Forms
is a Web-based and platform-independent
module that supports common business
transactions that require structured data.
It supports forms integration, providing
version histories of forms and audit
trails, forms security, workflow routing
and searchable form data.
The
Livelink Forms--Adobe Module will be
offered as an optional module to Livelink,
a collaborative knowledge management
application. The Module is shipping now
and priced at $25,000 and is available
from Open Text's world-wide direct sales
organization and growing network of
Affinity partners.
<www.opentext.com>
Terran Interactive is now selling
Electrifier Pro, the authoring tool
for QuickTime 3. Electrifier Pro is
available directly from Terran Interactive
for $595. A special bundle price of $899
is available when the product is purchased
in conjunction with Media Cleaner Pro
Purchasers of Electrifier Pro 1.0 will
receive a free upgrade to Electrifier Pro
2.0 when it ships in the second quarter of
1999.
<http://www.terran.comwww.terran.com>
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