Just a quick note to let anyone who’s interested know… the PostPixel forums are up and running. You can check ‘em out right here. We haven’t opened the forum to the public yet, and you’ll see there’s no link for the forum at the top of the page. But if you are interested, feel free to apply for membership. 
Archive for April, 2006
Don’t jack my Mac!
A neat idea that basically installs a car alarm in your MacBook Pro! Using the remote to active the alarm you’ll hear the ‘chirp’ just like you do from a car’s alarm. Then using the built-in hard drive sensors that were originally purposed to stop the hard drive in the event of the laptop falling, the alarm will sound if anyone tries to run off with it.
An idea that may discourage potential notebook nabbers… but car alarms can get really annoying. Imagine having one go off in the room you’re in. Actaully, I’d probably go around bumping tables just to set off all the alarms. 
Perps beware: ‘Jacking Macs’ could prove hazardous | CNET News.com
A new game from Sierra and Massive Entertainment - World In Conflict has you playing the role of a soldier in a world where the Cold War didn’t end.
I can’t comment on the gameplay, but everyone loves a cinematic trailer (especially when it’s in HD). 
An interesting little test of the MacBook Pro’s performance as measured by various 3D applications. Cinema 4D, LightWave and Maya are all tested, but with Cinema 4D being the only one that’s available as a Universal Binary - you can guess what the results look like.
The 2.16GHz dual-core MacBook Pro with 2GB RAM did out-perform a dual-processor 2GHz G5 (2GB RAM) on some of the C4D tests. (I wonder why they didn’t use a dual-core G5?) So if you’re looking for a mobile option, the MacBook’s are they way to go. If you can make do without some of the major apps being Universal.
Check out Crysis, the game engine from CryTek. Everyone will know CryTek’s game Far Cry, which left a big mark in the world of gaming. Looks like they’ve been working on the game engine, and it’s looking the goods.
Check out the Crysis tech demo from GDC 2006. HD trailer version available.
GameTrailers.com - Crysis (PC)
Thanks to David for the heads-up.
A new podcast focusing on digital media production has been launched.
Everything from green screen production to distribution and new advertising models will be discussed. Looks like this will be a great podcast for anyone interested in the digital media business or the technology behind it. Check the link to download the first episode. 
If anyone’s been wondering about all this hype surrounding the new Microsoft/Intel joint project Origami, here’s a few links to fill you in.
‘Origami’ Stumps CEOs in Jobs-Style Presentation
CeBIT 2006 - Origami (.avi, 135MB, HD)
Also check CeBIT Video for more coverage from CeBIT ‘06.
More UMPC news at OnlyUMPC.com.
First documented by the BBC back in 1957 - the spaghetti bush.
Presented by distinguished broadcaster Richard Dimbleby, the documentary featured a family from Ticino in Switzerland carrying out their annual spaghetti harvest, carefully picking spahgetti strands from the tree and laying them in the sun to dry.
View the original documentary footage at BBC.
This is my latest and most ambitious digital painting of a Chicago scene unveiled at Photoshop World in Miami on March 22, 2006.
It is a panorama of the Damen Station on the Blue Line of the Chicago Transit Authority.
Adobe Illustrator was used for generating the majority of the basic shapes as well as all the buildings in the Chicago skyline.
The rest was created in Photoshop.
• The image size is 40 inches by 120 inches.
• The flattened file weighs in at 1.7 Gigabytes.
• It took eleven months (close to 2,000 hours) to create.
• The painting is comprised of close to fifty individual Photoshop files.
• Taking a cumulative total of all the files, the overall image contains over 15,000 layers.
• Over 500 alpha channels were used for various effects.
• Over 250,000 paths make up the multitude of shapes throughout the scene.
Damen (@ BertMonroy.com)