Last week, I was one of more than 150,000 people wandering through two million square feet of booths and presentations from more than 3,200 exhibitors who represented a full spectrum of Fortune 100 companies, start-ups, and International manufacturers at the 2014 International CES. The four-day event is convenient way for corporations, manufacturers, and inventors to introduce their wares to the buyers who will bring them to a big box store near you. Major trends include smart homes and smart cars, but the real game changers for industry professionals are a handful of tools that will make a very big difference in the way you work in the near future.
MOVE OVER NSA — HOLLYWOOD HAS A NEW CANDID CAMERA
Go Pro introduced their little point-of-view camera in 2007 and it quickly became the go-to equipment for anyone wanting in-your-face action footage. A reasonable purchase price enabled them to gain significant market share at the top of the mobile camera market , though that might soon change, thanks to a company called Pivothead. While Go Pro enables you to strap a camera onto your chest or the top of your head, Pivothead has built an eight megapixel camera into the bridge of a pair of eyeglasses and the sides of the glasses contain eight GB of Flash memory. So, while sporting a pair of Bono-esque specs, you can obtain high definition video footage from your exact point of view. More importantly, it’s not at all apparent that you are videotaping your subject. Imagine a world of reality programming where obvious cameras are replaced with just another friendly participant. Pivothead has already developed a live-streaming solution for their video glasses, but has not announced a release date for this next generation.
THE NEXT AVATAR MAY BE COMING TO A PHONE NEAR YOU
Another new toy for those of you who live behind the camera comes from 3-D Vision Technologies Limited, a Hong Kong based company. The Whoosh 3D™ mobile app will let you to turn your iPhone into a 3-D video camera as well as a viewing device. 3-D conversion is accomplished through a two-part system that combines mobile software with the addition of a simple cover that snaps onto the screen and becomes virtually invisible when conducting all other iPhone transactions. My jaw dropped as I watched them shoot footage around the booth and then viewed the scene in both 2-D and 3-D. Though not quite like watching Avatar on the big screen, the app will enable you to download and watch 3-D films on your phone. Currently, Whoosh 3D is only available for the iPhone, until later this year, when you’ll be able to get the system for Android. Sundance 2015 might need to add a night for 3-D shorts shot on the iPhone.
PRESERVING THE REAL “ART” OF THE CINEMA
If you work in one of the design areas—costumes, props, set design/construction—chances are you’re dependent on one or more design software programs. One of the challenges of these programs is the need to sketch with a stylus. For designers who developed their skills putting pen to paper, the feel of stylus on a screen or graphics tablet lacks the element of drag that facilitates control in drawing. The solution to this challenge began as an assistive technology device for learning disabled students and evolved into a professional tool for executives who like to take notes by hand. Livescribe 3 Pro puts an actual pen in your hand, and you sketch your ideas right onto paper. The pen has a Swiss-made tungsten-carbide ballpoint ink cartridge that interacts with the specially designed paper that transfers the image onto a tablet via Bluetooth. In that form, the design can be manipulated, annotated, and placed in a file and transferred into other design programs.
SIZE REALLY DOES MATTER
Perhaps the most startling change is that this year’s television screens transcend the definition of “big.” But while size matters, the level of quality is what makes home entertainment a game changer for the way we create content. LG is establishing itself as the leader in this category in two significant ways: a screen that bends into a curved shape with the flick of a remote, and a screen that’s bigger and brighter than anything you’ve seen before. The LG Flexible 4K OLED TV has Ultra High Definition four times sharper then regular HD. The black levels are unparalleled and the color intensity and contrast are incredible. The screen curves, enabling a more immersive viewing experience—watching The Life of Pi on a 77-inch curved screen was far more impressive than watching it on a big screen. LG is also releasing a 105-inch screen that is designed to emulate the experience of watching a wide-screen release in theaters. As the quality of the home viewing experience improves, the incentive for people to go to the Cineplex will diminish. Studios have new reason to keep their focus on big-budget tentpoles, while television studios will have to increase their emphasis on “prestige” programming with high production values that are worthy of 4K Ultra High Definition. Even independents are going to be held to this higher standard. If it’s going to be on television, it will have to look amazing. Everything else can go online.
International CES will be back in Las Vegas next year and those who plan to attend should consider themselves warned: if you’re planning to check out the smart homes and smart cars and smart TVs, be sure to bring smart shoes!