News Stories

Ballmer Keynote: Windows and a Life Without Walls

1.7.2009

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer launched the public beta program for Windows 7 – a linchpin to his vision of a “life without walls” as described Wednesday during his pre-CES keynote.

He described an opportunity to connect information and people, across all screens including PCs, TVs and mobile devices – “the last mile” to creating breakthroughs for consumers.

To do this, he outlined the transition with Windows 7, Windows Live and Windows Mobile.

Calling Windows 7 “the best version of Windows ever,” Ballmer said the new version includes an improved ability to access media across devices, enabling longer battery life, and a touch interface.

windows7

The latest on Windows Live: Worldwide availability of the new Windows Live Essentials; a partnership with Facebook, connecting Facebook with Windows Live; and a partnership with Dell to pre-install Window Live Essentials on its consumer PCs.

And on Windows Mobile: A partnership with Verizon to offer its Live Search.

Addressing the economy, Ballmer said: “It feels like we’re entering a time to temper our optimism and scale back our ambition, but I believe our digital life will only continue to get richer.”

“There is no turning back,” he continued. “I believe companies and industries that continue to pursue innovation during these times are positioning themselves far more effectively for growth than others.”

He reported that Microsoft has invested more than $8 billion in the past year. “We will continue to invest more than others,” he asserted.

Resource: The Microsoft CES Virtual Press Room includes Ballmer’s keynote address, video product demos, and press releases.

Where to see it:

  • Central 7144

 

Sony Press Conference…and Sir Howard has more tomorrow

1.7.2009

As many CE manufacturers mentioned in their press conferences, this was a challenging year but the consumers are putting their money in brands they trust — in this case, Sony.

Not surprisingly, Blu-ray was a continuing theme.  Blu-ray sales have risen 300% year over year. The Playstation continues to drive adoption.  Sony announced all their new Vaios will offer BD Live functionality.  

Sony finally unveiled their Vaio P series netbook.  It features a weight of 1.4 pounds, 3G broadband, 802.11, Bluetooth, GPS, X Media Bar and Webcam.  Cost is $900 and available tomorrow from Sony Style online.

vaio

Bravia Internet Video will be built into some TVs.  This enables consumers to access online content using Yahoo! Widgets to get realtime stock quotes, news, weather and online videos.

Finally, 3D was highlighted with Sony mentioning their role in enabling Thursday’s Fox Sports FedEx BCS Championship Game at CES and at 300 theaters around the country.  Sony’s booth includes a display of 3D technology.  And Sony hinted that Sir Howard will have more to say on 3D in his CES keynote Thursday morning.

Where to see it:

  • Central 14200
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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.

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