The WAVE Report on Digital Media
3D --- Media Creation --- Shared Space
---Published by 4th Wave, Inc.---
Issue #0351------------------02/20/04

 

The WAVE Report is Searchable on

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0351.1 Hot Topics

0351.2 Story of the Issue

0351.3 Wireless

0351.4 Digital Photography

0351.5 3D

0351.1 Hot Topics

*** VIRTOOLS Launches the Virtools Dev 3.0 Development Platform for Interactive 3D Content
(February 16)

Virtools announced the release of the Virtools Software Suite and Version 3.0 of flagship product, Virtools Dev.

The reformulated offer allows the clients to choose the combination of tools for their specific production constraints (video game prototyping and development, interactive VR/simulations, online marketing applications).

Based on Virtools Dev as the main authoring hub, the Virtools Software Suite offers a multi-faceted framework, also allowing free download of the Virtools Web Player or custom players/executables.

The Virtools Software Suite creates and publishes specialized content such as Virtual Reality and multi-user applications. Users can activate a suite of Add-on Packages with Virtools Dev:

- Virtools Physics Pack and Virtools AI Pack authoring tools to enhance content in these specific areas.
- Virtools Server / Virtools Publishing Server: authoring and publishing tools for creating multi-user applications and making customized components accessible for the Virtools Web Player.
- Virtools VR Pack Development / Publishing Editions: authoring and publishing tools for managing Virtual Reality peripherals and creating immersive applications.

With Dev 3.0 users have access to features such as programmable vertex and pixel shaders, along with the Action Manager and NXN alienbrain asset management integration. New behaviors include Web BBs for dynamic file download and content exchange to and from web servers.

http://www.virtools.com


*** Telcel to Launch ZIM's Wireless E-mail Solutions
(February 12)

ZIM announced that three of its wireless products have been selected by Mexico-based Telcel, the subsidiary of America Movil, for introduction to Telcel's customers. The products, to be called Telcel SMS Office (Standard and Enterprise) and Telcel SMS Mail, offer wireless e-mail through a software-only solution and SMS text messaging, providing the functionality of wireless handheld devices on any mobile phone.

Telcel SMS Mail, the entry level product, allows e-mail forwarding from an e-mail account to a mobile phone with reply capabilities. Telcel SMS Office Standard Edition, designed for the Microsoft Outlook environment, allows users to receive, reply to and forward e-mail and integrates reminders and calendar items. The Enterprise Edition is designed for a networked environment. It includes real-time 'to phone' meeting invitations and uses a host of phone initiated on-demand commands for connectivity and productivity.

All products will be sold through Telcel's existing sales network and are compatible with SMS-enabled mobile phones. Products are localized for the Mexican market with customer support provided directly by Telcel.

Once the products have been rolled out in Mexico, it is expected that parent company America Movil will introduce the products to additional markets where America Movil owns and operates wireless carrier properties. These markets include: USA, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

http://www.zim.biz


*** WaveMarket and SK Telecom Sign Deal to Introduce Location-Based Trigger and Alert System
(February 15)

WaveMarket announced that SK Telecom has purchased WaveMarket's new WaveAlert software. SK Telecom, under terms of the agreement, will incorporate WaveAlert infrastructure software to power the location-based alert wireless service. The Asian carrier will deliver the first products to the Korean market in the next calendar quarter.

WaveAlert was introduced at the DEMO 2004 executive conference. WaveAlert is the infrastructure software that generates alert notifications based on user movement. Applications range from fleet tracking and "true" geo-fencing. WaveAlert notifies users based on locations and times they specify.

http://www.sktelecom.com
http://www.wavemarket.com

0351.2 Story of the Issue

*** NEC Pushes the Envelope with a New Design for Computing
By
John. N Latta

The world of personal computing is driven by meeting quarterly numbers and satisfying the street. Moore’s Law drives expectations for performance. The size of personal devices is determined by display sizes – notebook, tablet, PDA and some would like the watch. This a nice neat package of how computing can be expressed. Right?

Wrong.

At ITU Telecom World we got a sample of another view by NEC. It is based on the pen and called P-ISM. This concept is so radical that we went to Tokyo to learn more.

The design concept uses five different pens to make a computer. One pen is a CPU, another a camera, one creates a virtual keyboard, another projects the visual output and thus the display and another a communicator (a phone). All five pens can rest in a holding block which recharges the batteries and holds the mass storage. Each pen communicates wireless, possibly Bluetooth.

During our visit at NEC headquarters in Tokyo, Japan we spoke with its designer Toru Ichihash. In developing this concept he asked himself – “What is the future of IT when it is small?” The pen was a logical choice. He also wanted a product that you could touch and feel. Further, the intent is to allow for an office anywhere.

Ichihashi-son used as inspiration James Bond and the future of what technology could be. But Ichihashi-son stated that this is closer to reality than what appears in the 007 movies.

A summary of the design components, its functions and his assessment of the realizability is in the table below.

Concept Component Function Realizability
CPU Pen Computing Engine Open
Communications Pen Cell Phone, Pressure Sensitive Pointing Device, Pointer and ear piece.Communications using Bluetooth Near Term
Display LED Projector
A4 Size
Appx. 1024 X 768
 Slightly Farther Out Than the Phone and Camera
Keyboard Projected keyboard with 3D IR Sensor Slightly Farther Out Than the Phone and Camera
Camera Digital Camera Near Term
Based Battery Charger and Mass Storage Open

The keyboard is done using technology by Canesta.

http://www.canesta.com/
http://www.canesta.com/news/20021028.htm

During our meeting I was shown the only sample built – it is quite elegant. Each of the keyboard and display pens have their own “legs” that allow the pens to remain erect to project the virtual keyboard and the display onto a surface. To make just this sample costs $30,000.

The design paradigm in P-ISM is quite different than a notebook, PDA or even a cell phone. Each of these are self-defining by their shape and form factor which is one integrated unit. This is good and bad. It is good in that if the unit can be positioned or held the way it is defined it works well. The bad aspect is that all like units are just that – alike. While what the P-ISM seeks to do is to create a new form factor based on the individual user. However, this has its own compromises – a surface is needed to make it functional. What is important about P-ISM is that it challenges the notion of what is a personal computing device in a form factor which begins as a pen but is much more.

Yet to be explored in the P-ISM concept is:

OS considerations
Human Interface – display and interaction

Ichihashi-son acknowledged that two key issues are:

Cost
Battery life

When asked what he would like to see happen with P-ISM Ichihashi-son has 3 objectives:

1 – For NEC to make this as a product or with partners that would license the IP.

2 – That the concept would help promote NEC as a leader in products and technology.

3 – The NEC Design team would be seen as a leading design organization.

Based on our visit we would certainly agree with 3.

P-ISM will be shown at CeBIT.

For pictures of the design:

http://www.wave-report.com/other-html-files/P-ISM%202%20PICS%201.htm

0351.3 Wireless

*** Agere Systems Announces Chip Set and Software Architecture for Smartphones and Multimedia Wireless Handsets
(February 16)

Agere Systems announced a mobile handset architecture that supports applications such as real-time audio and video streaming, digital photo imaging and interactive gaming.

Agere's new Vision mobile handset architecture combines a digital baseband chip set, software and state-of-the-art tools to provide a framework for multimedia mobile devices using the same platform. The Vision architecture supports network technologies, including 2.5G/GPRS, EDGE, 3G/WCDMA and beyond.

This architecture provides a protected protocol stack running from the same external memory as applications.

The architecture's digital baseband chip set has three separate processing domains: a communications processor, an applications processor and a signal processor and provides video streaming at rates of up to 30 frames per second Video Graphics Array.

Agere provides One-Time Programmable memory, which assigns an individual serial number within the chipset identifying a GSM-based phone and protecting against fraudulent cloning of the handset.

The software provided as part of the Vision architecture includes Agere's protocol stack. It includes the requirements for Field Type Approval, Global Certification Forum testing and PCS Type Certification Review Board, as well as field and interoperability testing.

It supports many open operating systems, including SymbianOS, Windows Mobile, PalmOS and Linux. Agere's software platform is supports both multiple and single processor solutions.

The architecture integrates enhancements including cameras, high-resolution displays, USB2.0 as well as supports short-range wireless technologies as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Agere supplies its OptiSuite design tools, which is a set of development, production and testing tools.

Agere expects to deliver silicon and software samples based on the Vision architecture to select customers in the third calendar quarter of 2004.

http://www.agere.com

0351.4 Digital Photography

*** PhotoVu Launches Custom-Made Wireless 19" Digital Picture Frame
(February 12)

PhotoVu announced the launch of the PhotoVu PV1900, custom-made 19" wireless digital picture frame. The PV1900 displays digital images and wirelessly retrieves them from a computer's hard drive.

The PV1900 features a 19" LCD screen, wireless and wired connectivity, and a USB port for plug-and-play display. The PV1900 requires no monthly subscription, additional image manipulation or software installation. Consumer can display digital photos or content stored on any computer that has a network connection and is running Windows, Macintosh, Linux, or a UNIX based operating system. The user has to plug in the PV1900 within range of their wireless network. All features and operations are controlled remotely from any computer's web browser on the network.

Priced at $1549, the PV1900 is now available through the PhotoVu website at

http://www.photovu.com

0351.5 3D

*** iPIX InfoMedia and REALVIZ Form Technology Partnership to Support the iPIX Interactive Studio Platform
(February 12)

iPIX InfoMedia announced a technology partnership with REALVIZ. REALVIZ and iPIX InfoMedia have developed a fisheye stitching plug-in for the iPIX Interactive Studio platform. The REALVIZ Stitcher plug-in is based on the REALVIZ Stitcher technology.

By working through the iPIX Interactive Studio platform, REALVIZ Stitcher plug-in users can use the plug-in tools developed by iPIX InfoMedia and its development partners. The iPIX Interactive Studio provides them with a single point of control over the image creation process.

The iPIX Interactive Studio integrated with the REALVIZ technology enables users to stitch together multiple fisheye images in portrait and landscape mode.

http://www.realviz.com
http://www.ipix.com

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