MacWorld

Just logging on to say hello. I'm about to launch a new video production business in New York and will need all the Cow help I can get.

My partner and I are currently producing marketing and pr video for numerous international clients and will continue with these projects, but have plans to open our creative window a little wider to include short and long form advertising for the internet, documentary, website development and indi shorts and features. We have a great creative pool to pull from and look forward the the challenges in our first year.

I will try to be faithful to this blog by keeping a regular report of our ups and downs. The endless challenge of production work . . .

ns

Until this weekend I have avoided the Media Manager, which has been dubbed the "media mangler" for good reason. In the past, when you used the Media Manager to do anything, it would produce varying results....none of them the correct ones. It still has issues with SPEED CHANGES, but that is because actual media isn't made. But other than that, its reputation has improved.

Within freaking MINUTES of the COW newsletter going out this week (Jan 22 '08), people were on my case arguing with my assessment of this as the best MacWorld in years. So I figured I should answer once, and point everybody else here.

As I teased in the graphic but will say here straight out, this was the weakest set of announcements from a MacWorld keynote that I can remember. And while I've missed the last couple, I've been to nearly all of the other MacWorlds, on both coasts (and both east coast cities).

Shane Ross hipped me to this. Until he posts his MacWorld ruminations, I'll tell you about it.

The Apple Cinema Display is just fine, thanks -- but here's a 30-inch monitor that's faster and brighter, with higher contrast and a wider viewing angle. It can be hardware calibrated - way way WAY overdue for ACD. (Professional monitor? Hmph.)

2560x1600 res, dual DVI including HDCP-encryption and analog inputs, 12-bit LUT...

Now throw in automatic backlighting and pixel-level adjustments to ensure uniform color across the screen and across time. Did I mention killah and crazy? It is.

Maybe these folks have stayed on your radar, but definitely not on mine. I was going to call this "Where are they now?" but the story is more "Behind the Music." Once you know they're alive it's easy enough to track them down, but unless you're really old yourself, somebody really old needs to explain what the big deal is.

Magma was one of the companies we saw as real live heroes back in 1997. This is the year that the Power Mac and its 6 PCI slots gave way to the G3 with, appropriately enough I suppose, 3 PCI slots.

... does it make a sound or have any relevance?

a blog is really a "blahhh-g" unless you, the blogger, are a brand with valued equity. the blogger must be someone or something that has relevance to the world as a whole, validated by entities greater than blogger themself. otherwise that blog & the blogger are just part of the missing ozone in the blogosphere.

Here's a thought, what comes after the blog/blog?

It should also be noted that no one will read this blog... for now!

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about! None of this "I'm going to MacWorld to check out the professional video news" bullshoes. What? You think is 1995 or something? No way, man. Feel free to pooh-pooh Apple's news, because the one and only reason to go to MacWorld anymore is to check out iPod doo-dads.

Pun intended. But no kidding. This is a combination iPod dock and toilet paper dispenser that they just ROLLED out. Holy crap!

Everyone is talking about the new MacBook Air that was announced by His Jobsness yesterday at Macworld 2008 in San Francisco. I think you'll find that the majority of people's initial reactions are not glowing and positive as is the buzz with most newly announced Apple products. Yesterday was a far cry from the fan fare surrounding the iPhone announcement last year at Macworld or even all-but-forgotten Mac Mini in '05.

The newest news: our friends at G-Technology have been acquired by Fabrik Inc. They're a California company whose previous offerings were in the consumer space, but who were interested in G-Technology for their Mac and professional content creation orientation.

G-Tech also announced the world's first 500 GB 2.5" external drive -- bus powered over FW, no less. (It also supports USB 2.0.) They also have an update to the G-RAID mini line, now up to 1TB, also a triple interface device (FW 400 and 800, USB). The details aren't up yet, but we can assume it's in more or less the 9x5x3-ish inch form factor as the current mini.

I don't know, maybe I'm missing something here, but overall, the announcements are a bit ho-hum for me.

Super thin laptop, ok, but I would have preferred a mini laptop, something smaller like the size of a portable DVD player.

Movie downloads, ok Netflix was already doing that.

Time Capsule, ok the Mac Mini re-branded as something else

Am I missing something here. Haven't seen the entire keynote yet, but nothing really jumps out and says "Dang! I have to have that!"

Walter Biscardi, Jr. www.biscardicreative.com

Not necessarily hardcore pro gear, but gear that pros will definitely use.

Actually, this is pro tool: a 640MB portable raid from the highly respected folks at Sonnet. It's built on 2 2.5 in drives for a crazy small size: 5.9 x 6.2 x 0.72 inches! This is insane, in a good way. Also runs at TWICE the speed of FW arrays.

The day before the keynote is usually very very quiet, which has always surprised me. Why NOT try to get your story heard before the big wave hits? Maybe there will be more news later in the week, but here are a handful of stories for media creation pros that shouldn't get lost in the flood. 

Maxon To Showcase 3D For The Real World At Macworld 2008 I list this one first because it affects the most apps: "render straight out to popular editing and compositing applications including After Effects, Final Cut, Shake, Combustion and others, on the MAC OS X."

While spec'ing a new Mac Pro (8 core) system today, I found that RAM is now available at 3rd party sites. At www.crucial.com it's almost 50% less than Apple's pricing.

4GB RAM at Crucial - $269

4GB RAM through Apple Store with Mac Pro - $500

www.edgetechcorp.com has the same RAM for $229, though they only list the 3.0ghz as the top of the line machine, not the 3.2Ghz so I would check with them before purchase.

Other World Computing (www.macsales.com) has their own RAM for $249.99

Largest MWSF show floor since 2000

With the addition of the Moscone West convention hall, Apple has ended the easy traverse between halls in the underground passage between the ever familiar North and South Halls. Had this years Macworld show been held at its usual first full week in January, I might have been a little more upset by the move. Yet Show management has moved a few new booths into the new space.

The big buzz leading into tomorrow's keynote speech from Steve Jobs at MacWorld is the potential announcement of a mini-laptop, possibly along the size of a portable DVD player or smaller.

Just a reminder that we have discussed this very scenario back in March of 2007 right here on this blog!  http://blogs.creativecow.net/node/59

Back then it was just a "what if" question. Now it's possibly a reality in less than one year from that entry. I'm really curious to see if our discussion turns out to be a winner tomorrow!

Robert Cringely is one of the higher profile tech pundits, and like all pundits, is only barely credible based on predictions coming to pass.

But he brings up again the possibility of Apple buying Adobe. 

Actually, he says flat out it's going to happen. His reasons are a teensy bit more interesting this time, plus "inside sources," but I wasn't persuaded before and I'm not now.

He uses the Final Touch acquisition as an example of Apple's commitment to pro apps, and it is...but Final Touch wasn't a $36 billion purchase, as Adobe is likely to be.