News Stories

NINTENDO “PUSHES” 3D

12.28.2011

[]

…

So Nintendo has done a number of things to entice the potential buyer (as well as keep a hold on the early adopters who snagged a model). Mall shows and special presentations have been held with the sole purpose of calling attention to the 3DS — the “byproduct” of those viewing are able to try out a 3DS should actually be considered just as important.
Nintendo also began to enhance the abilities of the 3DS game console — keep in mind that the technology has to be there from the start for any software “update” to take hold: if that wasn’t the case we’d all have 3DTV, instead of HDTVs and not need to get a new Blu-ray player that can handle a 3D signal (Sony proved this point by making their PlayStation 3 software compatible with 3D, even though the system came out initially well before 3D was even considered a viable home addition). So the dual cameras on the 3DS that only took stills are now unlocked to handle video, be that full motion or single-frame ala stop-motion. Other examples are the eShop opening up the addition of downloadable 3D games and 3D videos.
But probably the biggest inducement comes from “hotspots” which are free to use by 3DS users. These include airports and hotels and malls and number over 29,000 (thanks to a hook-up with AT&T). Besides the 3DS being able to download in the background or while the console is “off,” there’s the addition of special incentives based off the “StreetPass” technology in effect — which can contact and connect 3DS’ers together wirelessly.
Adding to all this, club Nintendo members are offered discounted “coin” costs for purchasing/downloading 3DS titles to their consoles. Just another example of Nintendo keeping 3D up close and personal. Good job!

The year’s most talked about gadgets – and they’re nearly all Apple (plus Nintentdo 3DS and Kindle Fire)

12.28.2011

 

[Periscope Post]

…

Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo, makers of the Wii and, of course, the original NES, revolutionised the way we game once again, with the release of a 3D version of the DS, its best selling handheld gaming consoles. The 3DS came with a 10 percent larger display and stereoscopic 3D graphics, an inbuilt music player and the ability to take low-res 3D photos. When it was released in March 2011, it was the most pre-ordered system on Amazon.co.uk ever, and it saw significant sales in the US market. That said, initial sales were lower than Nintendo had hoped and analysts predicted; the device was also dogged by complaints that the 3D feature caused eye strain and nausea in users, and suffered from a short battery life – only three hours when 3D and wireless communications are on.

But a few tweaks and several better games later, the company has gone on to sell more than 4 million units in Japan alone and the device is an unqualified hit – thanks to Nintendo, commutes across the globe have been made that little less dull.

Read the full list here: http://www.periscopepost.com/2011/12/the-years-most-talked-about-gadgets-and-theyre-nearly-all-apple/

< PREVIOUS ARTICLES NEXT ARTICLES >

Specification for Naming VFX Image Sequences Released

ETC’s VFX Working Group has published a specification for best practices naming image sequences such as plates and comps. File naming is an essential tool for organizing the multitude of frames that are inputs and outputs from the VFX process. Prior to the publication of this specification, each organization had its own naming scheme, requiring custom processes for each partner, which often resulted in confusion and miscommunication.

The new ETC@USC specification focuses primarily on sequences of individual images. The initial use case was VFX plates, typically delivered as OpenEXR or DPX files. However, the team soon realized that the same naming conventions can apply to virtually any image sequence. Consequently, the specification was written to handle a wide array of assets and use cases.

To ensure all requirements are represented, the working group included over 2 dozen participants representing studios, VFX houses, tool creators, creatives and others.  The ETC@USC also worked closely with MovieLabs to ensure that the specification could be integrated as part of their 2030 Vision.

A key design criteria for this specification is compatibility with existing practices.  Chair of the VFX working group, Horst Sarubin of Universal Pictures, said: “Our studio is committed to being at the forefront of designing best industry practices to modernize and simplify workflows, and we believe this white paper succeeded in building a new foundation for tools to transfer files in the most efficient manner.”

This specification is compatible with other initiatives such as the Visual Effects Society (VES) Transfer Specifications. “We wanted to make it as seamless as possible for everyone to adopt this specification,” said working group co-chair and ETC@USC’s Erik Weaver. “To ensure all perspectives were represented we created a team of industry experts familiar with the handling of these materials and collaborated with a number of industry groups.”

“Collaboration between MovieLabs and important industry groups like the ETC is critical to implementing the 2030 Vision,” said Craig Seidel, SVP of MovieLabs. “This specification is a key step in defining the foundations for better software-defined workflows. We look forward to continued partnership with the ETC on implementing other critical elements of the 2030 Vision.”

The specification is available online for anyone to use.

Oops, something went wrong.