VizWorld.com

If you’ve been hear lots about Manuel Lima’s “Visual Complexity” text but don’t think you’re visualization-savvy enough to really get anything form it, then be sure to check out frequent VizWorld contributor Tiago Veloso’s review of the text.

Because, let’s face it, to write about a book from someone considered to be the next Edward Tufte, it’s no easy task, especially when you’re kind of an outsider in the field. Yes, I post a lot of examples of infographics and data visualizations, but I’m far from being an information designer, despite the fact I actually use network mapping in my “real” work.

However, after I began reading it, I realized that it really doesn’t matter if you’re a designer or not. Because this book goes far beyond the traditional approach of showcasing examples of beautiful works.

He has lots of example images and references to the Visual Complexity website, as well as lots of insight from a non-expert.

Update 10/20: Typo correction.

via Visual Loop – Book Review: Visual Complexity, by Manuel Lima.

Science book, review

Christophe Riccio has published a nice review of the new OpenGL4.2 on Google Docs, covering all the new features and even showing off some results.  I particularly like his in-depth coverage of the new texture compression formats, complete with some included images showing the differences.

It’s available via the Google Docs link below, where you can conveniently download it as a PDF.

OpenGL 4.2 review – Google Docs.

Science opengl, review

I’ve really loved the theory behind Lucid’s Virtu technology, a hybrid multi-GPU system that allows you to use AMD and NVidia GPU’s at the same time.  BenchmarkReviews takes the new ASUS P8Z68-V Pro board out for a spin with the new Lucid Virtu stuff, and finds it promising but complicated.

Virtu’s i-Mode supports only a single, single-GPU graphics card, while d-Mode supports multi-GPU graphics cards as well as CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI configurations. Lucid claims the Virtu technology will work equally well with video cards from NVIDIA or AMD. NVIDIA’s forthcoming Synergy technology, which ASUS will supply via an update to P8Z68 motherboard owners, will only work with NVIDIA graphics cards.

Toward the end, they talk about the many complexities of the system.  It sounds like it still has lots of problems, requiring reboots and such to get some features to work between the two card.  Hopefully they can keep developing it and get a better version out soon.

via Lucid Virtu Graphics Virtualization Technology | Lucid Virtu,Graphics Virtualization,Technology,David Ramsey,Lucid Virtu Graphics Virtualization Technology Article by David Ramsey.

Hardware lucid, review

Matt Toder has a piece up at Gizmodo on the new Final Cut Pro X, and how in spite of all the new features, he’s dumping it for Avid.  Mostly, the entire review is summed up in this one sentence:

And now we’ve been given a glimpse of FCPX, a massive, from-the-ground-up revision of Final Cut Pro which proves one thing definitively: that Apple understood many of the problems that were inherent to Final Cut Pro. But, instead of fixing them, they just decided to change everything.

He does break it down into more details tho, particularly in how the new interface seems to go a little too far towards automation, taking away some valuable controls.

The biggest, most apparent change is the absence of the source monitor: it’s the iMovie-ing of non-linear editing. Of all the people watching the preview, applauding wildly and yelling out “I want it!” and “thank you,” I can’t believe that one person didn’t scream, “where’s the freaking source monitor?” This represents a gigantic change in the way non-linear editing occurs, a nearly unfathomable one. Since non-linear editing was invented, the mainstays have been the source monitor, the record monitor, the browser and the timeline. To take one of these away means that non-linear editing has to be rethought entirely. I’m not quite sure how you can set an exact in point without it, especially when you’re forced into using the iMovie yellow selection brackets.

What do you think?  Has Apple embraced the consumer, in lieu of the professional?

via Why Final Cut Pro X Is Sending Me Back to Avid.

Graphics apple, finalcut, review

Bryan Connor has a new website out called ‘The Why Axis’ which aims to analyze visualizations critically, hoping to ‘raise the bar’ of what we expect from designers.

Through a regularly updated collection of case studies, interviews and analysis The Why Axis aims to enrich the discussion surrounding the current state of data visualization. Each project featured will be used to help uncover the attributes of a effective data visualization both in terms of aesthetics and functionality. All articles focus on larger data visualization projects, and when possible, illuminate the working process rich with decisions and compromises straight from the mouth of the designer. Our ideal visualization is visually refined, supremely useful and undeniably enlightening

While still young, he does do a great job analyzing some of the better graphics to come out of the Japanese Nuclear Reactor radiation scare, covering everything from the JESS3 graphics to the Xkcd comic.

The Why Axis » Understanding Scale in Radiation Dosage Charts.

Graphics review, visualization

Over Christmas, I was lucky enough to receive the Griffin Powermate from a relative.  A co-worker (a video editing guy) uses one with Final Cut and it really is impressive.  An infinite-turn knob with a smooth response, he can easily scrub through video of any length at both high and low speeds and easily set markers, make selections and cuts all from the knob.  It’s an impressive piece of kit. From their website:

PowerMate functions beautifully as a convenient volume knob and mute button for music listening on your PC or Mac. But that’s just the beginning of PowerMate’s possibilities. Edit movies just like the pros with PowerMate functioning as your very own Jog/Shuttle wheel. PowerMate makes editing a breeze, anything from home movies to your next demo. It even comes preset to work with iMovie, FinalCut Pro and GarageBand, right out of the box!

If you dig around the internet, you’ll see lots of people using it as just a glorified volume knob.  It does that just fine, as I’m able to attest.  I hooked it up to my MacBook and loaded their software, and viola it’s a volume knob.  With just a few minutes in their software, I also set it up to scroll up and down in Chrome, making it a GREAT addon for use with Google Reader.

However, I really wanted it for use with iMovie.  I’m preparing to resurrect the VizWorld Podcast (Yes, you heard that right!) and I’ve bought some kit to help, like the Elgato Turbo264HD encoder (I’ll write this up later, I promise!), and really hoped to use the Griffin Powermate with iMovie.  Unfortunately, I’m here to report that it does not work as advertised.

By default, they ship it with a profile for iMovieHD, the old iMovie6.  I’m running iMovie10 (haven’t upgraded to iLife11 yet), so I had to create a new profile. No problem, I just copied the iMovieHD profile over and it should work right?

Wrong.  Honestly, it’s not entirely Griffin’s fault.  Apple has really messed up the iMovie suite since iMovie6 and the Powermate suffers from this.  There are no good keystroke combinations for selection (Set Selection Start & Set Selection End), nor are there good keystrokes for moving around in the video.  Sure, you can use the arrow keys but that moves at less than realtime.  If you setup the Powermate to echo arrow keys it works just great, until you stop turning the knob and iMovie has to flush out the entire keyboard buffer.  In my tests I quickly turned the knob to fast forward through the video and got to exactly where I wanted in under 2 seconds, but then I had to wait another 30 seconds while it kept fast forwarding way past where I wanted.  I then tried mapping it to mouse left & right, which you can do easily in their software.  Unfortunately, Apple is a bit inconsistent in how they treat this.  If you click & drag, then moving right and left will automatically also wraparound and move up and down to the next or previous “line” of track.  Unfortunately, click and drag isn’t available in the Powermate GUI, and just left and right work as you’ld expect.

So in short, I’m finding far less utility in the PowerMate than I had hoped.  I can’t find anyone else online reporting similar experiences, which leads me to believe either a) I’m doing something wrong, or b) Nobody is using iMovie with a Powermate.  I suspect it’s more B.  I have found people reporting similar problems with the PowerMate & GarageBand, like this forum thread on how it doesn’t do Scrubbing.

Nonetheless, I’ve submitted a ticket with Griffin Support (of which the first response was a useless cut-n-paste about lowering keyboard repeat rate, *sigh*) and I’ll update if anything changes.  I honestly doubt they’ll suddenly release a new version of their software that fixes this, but it seems dishonest for them to report it “comes preset to work with iMovie & GarageBand” when apparently the last time they tested that was 4 years ago.

So, anyone out there using the Powermate?  How do you like it?

Hardware feature, griffin, powermate, review

Over at BenchmarkReviews they put the new “Call of Duty Black Ops” ProGaming Glasses through their paces.  The glasses are actually just rebranded Gunnar’s, glasses specifically made for extended computer usage through colored lenses & special construction.  I’ve been eying a pair of Gunnars for quite some time, although I would need prescription ones which seem to clock in around $400 or more, but his final conclusion does make it a bit more tempting.

Would I pay $79.99 for a pair of glasses that improve clarity and reduce eye strain? Before experiencing the positive effects first hand, I would have certainly been skeptical. However, in the aftermath of several sixteen hour days behind my computer while wearing the Mad Catz Call of Duty: Black Ops ProGaming glasses, I would gladly pay the asking price without thinking twice. If it were an option, I would also go back and ask my expensive laser eye surgeon to give me a Mad Catz ProGaming Riddick-style shine job… which cost a lot more than twenty menthol Kools.

So, $80 vs $400 is still a big difference, but I’m glad to hear they actually do most of what they claim.

Mad Catz CoD: Black Ops ProGaming Glasses | Mad Catz,ProGaming,Call of Duty: Black Ops,Glasses,Review,CD76180300A1/02/1,Gunnar Optiks,Mad Catz Call of Duty: Black Ops ProGaming Gunnar Optiks Glasses Review.

Hardware glasses, gunnar, review

News of NVidia’s GTS450 is all over the net.  While not a powerhouse of computational horsepower (only 192 CUDA Cores), it’s got a faster clock speed and lower power consumption, making it a perfect candidate for overclocking.

The company’s third Fermi desktop iteration is described as “a little more than half of the GF104 implementation,” which in real terms means 192 CUDA cores versus the GTX 460′s 336, reduced memory bandwidth with a 128-bit-wide bus and a lower number of ROPs at 16. These disadvantages are ameliorated by 783MHz graphics and 1566MHz processor clock speeds as well as a much more forgiving power profile — the new GTS 450 cards will require just the one 6-pin power connector for auxiliary juice.

Reviews abound, so check em out:

• Read – HardOCP
• Read – Tech Report
• Read – Guru 3D
• Read – PC Perspective
• Read – Legit Reviews
• Read – Hot Hardware
• Read – TweakTown

via NVIDIA makes GeForce GTS 450 official, promises beastly overclocking — Engadget.

Hardware nvidia, review

The boys at Engadget take Panasonic’s HDC-SDT750 for a spin, and finds it a pretty decent consumer-grade 3D experience.  If you don’t remember, this is a regular consumer grade camcorder with a special addon lens that takes the usual 1080p sensor and splits it into a side-by-side view, suitable for 3D, reducing the horizontal resolution by half.

We didn’t get to do any free roaming with the camera, but that’s none too thrilling anyway: your preview image is a slightly fuzzy 2D on the built-in LCD. What we did do was watch the camera feed its 3D capture live to a Panny 3D TV (in one of the hilarious outfits provide for us by Panasonic, as pictured above), and while the 3D effect is certainly for-reals and non-janky, the actual image quality takes an obvious hit from the fact that a 1080p sensor is being cut in half to capture the dual images. It almost took us back to the early days of HD cameras, or your friendly neighborhood “HD” webcam, where the output resolution is clearly higher than the sensor is physically capturing.

via Panasonic HDC-SDT750 3D camcorder preview — Engadget.

Hardware camcorder, panasonic, review, stereoscopic

As the iPad grows into its own as a convergence media consumption and creation device, we’re on the lookout for new applications that might be of interest to our readers.  Our first review comes from Konstantin Golovchinsky (@bespokephoto) who reviews Autodesk’s Sketchbook Pro app for the iPad, currently available for $7.99.

In truth, I’m not much of a drawer or sketcher, I can manage a stick figure if I need to, but overall I am drawing challenged. That being said, Sketchbook Pro in the right hands is a powerful tool. In my hands it has its uses as well.

The first thing that I appreciate as a photographer and retoucher about Sketchbook is that it has layers. This is a huge asset in general because you can turn them on and off as you work. The second is the brush palette is really robust. It has most of Adobe Photoshop’s best qualities for making just the right brush to paint with; Radius, Opacity, Spacing, and Feather. Plus you get two options for your color picker, a standard swatch grid of 30 colors:

His review continues after the break…

Read more…

Graphics autodesk, feature, ipad, review, software