A New Eye View
Video cameras are everywhere, as is editing equipment and home made movies. Well, here’s a new twist on home video, a few ways to play with “special” effects like the pros (sort of).
First there is Garden Watch Cam. The name says it all. The camera can be set up in your yard and takes long videos of your plants as they grow. You can now have your own professional nature show and watch flowers bloom from bulbs to full plants. Speed it up for sure, but the Garden Cam keeps you from having to sit outside with a normal handheld for weeks.
For a less professional, but nicely ridiculous concept, there’s the Pet’s Eye View Camera. The camera takes photos instead of video, but hey, you still get a unique angle and look don’t you? And isn’t that the point anyway?
Free Friday
This Friday Hulu will begin broadcasting commercial free entertainment (for one night only).
Again, through it’s advertising partners (this time specifically brought to you by Mcdonald’s McCafe ) Hulu will be able to provide legal, free, and quality streaming of both movies and television on the internet.
I’m not a big coffee or fast food person, but I fully support and appreciate this step by Mcdonalds and hope that other companies may follow suit and provide more than one commercial free day. Nissan used to provide limited commercial breaks during Heroes episodes on NBC and I appreciated the extra show time and limited interruptions even then.
There is still a way for companies to advertise without hindering the viewing experience or losing out to Tivo. Advertisers just need to get creative, you get more with honey than you do with vinegar.
Robots and Us
This is probably the best idea ever. Not only does it exemplify disposable tech, it’s also incredibly amusing.
Tweenbots is a project by Tisch ITP students at NYU . The idea behind the project is to examine people’s relationships to space and how they interact with what they find there. Armed with a cardboard covered robot and a video camera the experiment is pretty excellent.
The web site has the cutest video of the little robot in Washington Square park and shows both the great people who help it along and the wary people who take a step away. The trick is the robot can only move forwards and absolutely depends on the help of strangers to get to its destination, the other side of the park.
Due to the unanticipated success of the first project other tweenbot scenarios are under development, including other traveling bots and a few that are left about the city with “family” phone numbers to call if they are found. I’d help out if I lived in New York City, I only wish I was capable enough to build my own robot in the first place.
Wii Have Video
Wii has at last joined the video trend that has swept the video game market. Wii, as the most original of the consoles, has still decided it wouldn’t hurt to hop on this particular band wagon.
Though Xbox and Playstation 3 are still the only consoled to offer DVD playing capabilities soon Nintendo will begin streaming video just like its competitors. Original Wii videos to stream exclusively on the console are planned as part of the project. Consoles can already reach the internet so hopefully video won’t be too hard to add. It certainly can’t hurt the Wii’s already incredible popularity.
All in the Wrist
Watches don’t just tell time anymore, often they don’t tell time at all. The fact is, they’re still portable, always have been, and that makes them a great base for any on the go gadget.
Thanko has released a video camera watch in a new MP4 version. It comes with a color screen and both photo and video camera capabilities. The quality of said video is pretty poor but what do you expect from a watch? It’s a little large, but someone out there should be able to pull it off. (And it still tells time too).
Also new on the market is the asteroid wrist watch. It’s exactly what it sounds like, a wrist watch that plays the old school asteroid game. You don’t even need buttons to slack off in class, you can play simply with a twist of your wrist. How convenient.
Not Just Time
Watches don’t just tell time anymore, often they don’t tell time at all. The fact is, they’re still portable, always have been, and that makes them a great base for any on the go gadget.
Thanko has released a video camera watch in a new MP4 version. It comes with a color screen and both photo and video camera capabilities. The quality of said video is pretty poor but what do you expect from a watch? It’s a little large, but someone out there should be able to pull it off. (And it still tells time too).
Also new on the market is the asteroid wrist watch. It’s exactly what it sounds like, a wrist watch that plays the old school asteroid game. You don’t even need buttons to slack off in class, you can play simply with a twist of your wrist. How convenient.
3G comes to Wally-world
I opened my Sunday paper and there it was–the Apple 3G iPhone (8GB) on sale at Walmart for $197. Now, I know I’ve already decided it wouldn’t be the appropriate mom-phone, but just look at it. Sleek, beautiful and really cool. I long to use the apps. I crave the screen that knows which way I turn it. It’s becoming a small obsession.
This Sunday at church I saw a mom with a baby use it to show her infant a video to keep her calm. Hey, I could do that, I thought, my defenses crumbling.
My birthday is coming . . .
On Tape
As I’ve said before I’m a huge Youtube fan and quite a movie buff, so I pride myself on the camcorder I own. There’s a lot of options out there now (both where features and prices are concerned). All I can do is give the low down on a few simple variations that can make all the difference when it comes to personal satisfaction.
I own a Canon camcorder and did have a Panasonic model earlier in my rather short film career. There were a few simple reasons I made the decisions I did when it came down to the wire, and in the end a lot of it was personal preference.
A lot of confusion comes up surrounding video storage when purchasing a camcorder (in particular miniDV tapes or internal flash/ memory cards). Again, it’s personal preference, but personally I like the mini DV tapes. I like that I can label them and save them outside of my computer (which could always crash) and that I have options as to what tape I want to use. From brand, to quality, to high definition, there’s extra security and control in a tape. Flash memory does cut down on camera size and can often hold more footage in one go than a tape though.
Other simple options include actual camcorder control. Do you prefer buttons to touch screens? Sony uses touch screen playback controls where Canon and Panasonic still use buttons. Again, I’m not a touch screen person, but Sony cameras are pretty sleek.
Price and use are really two of the most important factors. How much can you spend on your equipment and how much do you actually need to spend? Home movies are cheeper than independent films, but you didn’t need me to tell you that one.
TV On My Time
DVR is probably the best thing to happen to television since color displays. I mean, it wouldn’t be worth much if there weren’t anything to watch, but there are (Lost and Heroes to name my top picks). The fact is TV hasn’t been this engaging, or more irritating , in years. You can’t miss a single episode or you’ll be disoriented for weeks, thus DVR comes in.
For anyone still unsure as to what a DVR is it’s a digital video recorder, you can record any programs you are going to miss, due to unfortunate time conflicts, without having to set a tape and a VCR. Pull up the television guide, hit a few buttons, and you’re golden. The example I have at home is a Tivo. The Tivo controls are relatively simple, and definitely easier than any VHS recording. Simplicity should be the goal of all technology and a DVR provides just that.
Even better than missing a show and not worrying about it is being able to watch an incredible show a second time! (As a Lost fan this specific possibility is especially important.) If a simple recording option wasn’t enough Tivo has recently announced that it will soon be providing Youtube videos directly to your television (a service previously only offered through Apple TV). What could be more amusing than watching Charlie the Unicorn on a wide screen display?
If only I could bring a DVR back to college with me, if I’m ever likely to be over scheduled and miss a show it’s at school.
Everything Old is New Again
Its finally happened. Just as predicted (due to the ever popular free ipod deal for college students) Apple has cleaned out its warehouse and restocked with the all new ipod nano.
Lets start with a quick overview:
-The ipod now comes in an unprecedented nine different colors in an all new aluminum design. With a 2 inch screen laid sideways the ipod nano is ready for music and movies.
- There are currently two models where storage size is concerned, 8 GB and 16 GB.
- New features include cover flow (browsing music by cover art) genius (a feature that will set up a new playlist for you with like songs to that which you are currently listening) and shake (give the new ipod nano a little flick, like the Wii, and a new random song jumps into your ears).
The newest ipod returns to the second generation ipod’s rectangular style (much more convenient for pockets) and with screen capabilities both straight up and sideways (much like the iphone) video still works.
I like the new look, the new color options especially, and the genius playlist feature. My only concern is that I, as a current college student, will not be able to get my hands on one of those new $149 nano’s for quite some time.
PS The ipod classic and ipod touch also received updates today, with an 120 GB version and a new aluminum case respectively.
