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whyPhone

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Businessweek has a good article discussing Apple’s decision to go with AT&T and it’s slower EDGE network over other potential carriers (like Verizon) and/or the faster 3G network.

Wildstrom makes good points, and it makes sense why Apple chose this route, I guess. Verizon is notorious for locking up their phones so that you only get the features they want you to (pay for). I can’t see that policy working with something like the iPhone, where Jobs is used to making the tech companies dance to his tune. (And quite frankly, I wouldn’t buy a partially enabled iPhone from Verizon, anyway)

Yes, the iPhone isn’t perfect, and probably never will have every feature that everyone wants. But Apple has shown with its iPods that it’s very good at keeping a product line alive with constant innovation and improvements. I don’t see any reason to think it will be different with the iPhone.

(thanks for TEDWRD for the link!)

Complete That Scene!

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Apparently, some new software in development will one day let you play mashup with your (or anyone else’s, really) vacation photos in a big way. I can already tell you this would incredibly useful to have from a visual fx perspective.

Of course, it makes faking photographs easier for anyone so inclined to do so–pranksters, conspiracy theorists, governments.

But as with all things, especially on the web, you shouldn’t always believe what you see.

Still, God Bless the internet, eh?

(I’m goin’ a little crazy on the whole blog thing today….)

Can it really be 25 Years Since Tron??

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Computerworld has a great interview with visual fx guru John Knoll, on the film “Tron” and its impact on the field of special effects (particularly CGI) over the last 25 years! Knoll is an ILM veteran, and also one of the original developers of Photoshop!

“Tron” was a very big influence for me, and even though the look of it might seem clunky or crude compared to todays virtual worlds, they all owe something to it.

I’ve been in visual effects for 10 years now, and I’m amazed how much its changed in just that time. The tools just keep getting better, but I can’t wait for holographic/immersive-type interfaces. Imagine sculpting your 3D world with your hands?

Alas, those will probably toys be for our kids or grandkids to play with. Or maybe Ray Kurzweil is right and those days will come along sooner than we think… See, for instance, this handy gadget.