» Posts Tagged ‘android’
When I originally wrote, “Google TV is what independent filmmakers have been waiting for,” in retrospect I forgot the “is” at the beginning of the sentence and the question mark at the end. So far the answer to that question has been, admittedly and unfortunately, a resounding “no” — so much so that, despite being sent a Google TV by Google (in part because of writing that article), I still haven’t set it up. But when it comes to independent film distribution, the TV is the final frontier, and whether or not Google TV version 1 made an impact, version 2 is currently rolling out this week and looks to improve things significantly. Oh, and rumors are flying that Apple is apparently getting into the TV game for real (the current Apple TV is nothing more than a hobby). More »
If Google and Apple were politicians — and if this blog were actually a legitimate news site — I’d have to give each of them equal time. So, since I mentioned the improved video and photo capabilities of the iPhone 4S, I would be remiss if I did not also mention Google’s demonstration of Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” last week, which, to contextualize things, will make most mobile phones higher resolution and more feature-laden for shooting video video than the first digital video camera I used a dozen years ago (which retailed for $3,500 at the time). And if you think this doesn’t relate to filmmaking at all, it turns out DP Seamus McGarvey used an iPhone to shoot parts of The Avengers — actually this has since been debunked, but the Android headline still stands: More »
At the same MAX conference where they announced Creative Cloud, Adobe also demonstrated not one but six new touch apps for tablet interfaces. These $9.99 programs, along with a $60/year Carousel photo storage/sharing service, include “anytime, anywhere” apps that allow for image editing, sketching, “ideation,” mood boards, website/mobile prototyping, and presenting finished work. The apps — which do not include a video editing solution (yet), will be available on Android starting in November. As for iOS and their sometimes bristly relationship with Apple, Adobe “expects to make an announcement regarding iOS availability in early 2012.” Here are video demos of each touch app in action: More »
While Netflix has been available on iOS since last year, it’s been conspicuously absent on the arguably most popular smartphone OS, Android. By finally releasing an Android application late last week, Netflix is moving closer to their goal of being on every platform. But their Android release is a perfect example of the fragmentation issues plaguing Android, as their app is currently only available on five specific phones: More »
Back in November I criticized Google’s Android operating system for lacking an iTunes-esque media marketplace. Android’s openness seemed a good match for independent content creators, except it lacked a streamlined way to sell media content. Yesterday, at Google I/O, the Big G finally announced an Android Movies Marketplace, as well as an Amazon Cloud Player
Apple has released iOS 4.2, which comes with a slew of improvements for iOS devices. However, iOS isn’t the only kid on the block, with reports that Samsung’s Android-powered iPad competitor shipped 600,000 units in the first month. Amid reports that Android phones are outselling iPhones (possibly 2-to-1), and the news that Apple and Google are locked into competition over who will premiere “tap to buy” first (which will allow us to use our smartphones as virtual credit cards), I thought I’d delve into NoFilmSchool’s analytics to see what percentage of visitors are running iOS versus Android. Both mobile OSes will be a growing distribution platform for movies, but which OS will help independent filmmakers? More »
Soon, the iPad won’t be the only tablet on the block. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab was first out of the gate, but a bevy of other Android-powered tablets have also been announced. And while this first wave of Android tabs looks a bit hacked-together (Google has referred to their current rev of Android as “not optimized for tablets“), one thing’s for sure: we’re going to see a lot of iPad knockoffs in the months to come. Whether or not you already have an iPad, what features would you like to see added to the iPad’s basic feature set? For my own filmmaking and creative purposes, there are two things I’d want to see in a tablet: More »
Lifehacker is currently running a great series called “Lifehacker Packs,” wherein they round up all their favorite applications for the iOS, Android, and Mac platforms (no Windows love yet). Many of these applications are free, and each post is a great resource for anyone looking to add some creative/productive/fun tools to their computerized lives. The compilations are aimed at anyone, not just filmmakers (the full links are at the bottom of this post), but I’ve grabbed a number of relevant apps (and Lifehacker blurbs) for independent creatives: More »
As transmedia pioneer Lance Weiler recently wrote in the pages of Filmmaker, mobile devices “offer opportunities for filmmakers to reach audiences directly, with little to no intervention from middlemen. While the selling of a film on iTunes requires a filmmaker to go through one or maybe two aggregators, it is possible to go direct to the App Store as long as the mobile app receives approval from Apple.” But while Apple’s iOS requires approval, Google’s Android does not. Not only is Google’s app marketplace more open than Apple’s ecosystem, but Android has rapidly rising market share, and now Google is releasing App Inventor for Android, a new tool for creating applications with drag-and-drop simplicity — no coding (or approval) required. More »
Since the iPad was announced I’ve been thinking about it as an agent of change for filmmakers. In that article at FreshDV, one of the reasons I didn’t talk about the iPad as a potential on-set production aide was because I had my own ideas for designing and developing such an application, although I didn’t end up pursuing such an undertaking due to lack of time and resources. Now that the “magical and revolutionary” device is out there in the wild, however, others are developing applications for this purpose and finding uses for iPads on set. HDSLR pioneer Vincent LaForet has shared a short video demonstrating the iPad being put to use on a recent shoot in LA for a new Sony Playstation game: More »
Next week I’ll be modeling shooting some of [REDACTED]‘s summer line on a Panasonic HPX2000.1 [REDACTED] does an online virtual runway which, on the production side, consists of models walking in front of green screens; for the website, the green screens are later replaced with, you guessed it, runway. I started thinking about a runway configuration and how the models will be covering a fair amount of distance from back to front, requiring deep focus if they’re to look sharp the whole way (minor pun alert!). We’re not shooting on a 5D or anything so I’m not hugely concerned about an overly shallow depth of field, but why leave it up to chance? I turned to my trusty Android phone and searched the app market, where I discovered CamCalc, which has been downloaded less than 500 times (because it just came out) but looks to be an incredibly handy app for shooters. More »
- Unless the gig falls through, which is usually why I don’t talk about work until it’s in the can. [↩]
Is your film playing at a film festival? Are you selling DVDs or T-shirts? What if you’re a photographer selling prints out of your home? Maybe you’re a street artist doing sketches of tourists, or an artist selling paintings or sculptures at a street fair. Hell, you could be mowing lawns for money. Now imagine you had a miniature cash register that takes credit cards, accept signatures, and send receipts automatically, all using the mobile device you’re already carrying in your pocket. For filmmakers and other independent creatives, Square is a big deal. More »
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