Stop this 3D madness!
December 13, 2010 in Entertainment, Movie Reviews, Technology
Source: http://3dvision-blog.com
I’m so sick of watching a promising trailer for a new film, only to see in big letters at the very end, “Coming to you…in 3D”!!!
Here I go again. I have been consistently vocal in my objection towards this current tidal wave of 3D films hitting our cinemas. Sure, there are some movies that provide an enhanced experience in 3D — for example Avatar, or dare I even say Resident Evil: Afterlife, but ther vast majority of 3D films out there charge a hefty premium and give you a shitty time with the uncomfortable and darkening glasses and pointless 3D effects.
Worst of all, 3D films aren’t discounted at all, even on cheapo days, and even those that use movie money have to pay a few dollars extra. For instance, if you go watch a 2D movie on cheapo Tuesday (in Australia), you can catch a film for around $10 (or less if you use movie money on any day of the week). But if you watch the same movie in 3D, you can fork out up to $24 for an adult ($17.50 + $3.50 for 3D + $1 for Vmax + $1 for internet booking) and $19.50 for a child. Enough said.
I thought after films like Clash of the Titans (where the 3D actually made the film worse) , the backlash against 3D will make studio execs think twice before making their latest release in 3D, but it hasn’t appeared to slow the trend at all. According to this article from the Economist, 3D is relatively inexpensive, adding only a 10-15% to the cost of production, with a huge upside and low risk of piracy. No wonder they’re even trying to re-release a bunch of old films in 3D to cash in.
Much of the blame of course rests with moviegoers that continue to go to 3D movies. These days I choose 2D whenever the option is available, but I admit there have been times when I have wondered: will the 3D finally be good this time? Needless to say, it never is. I’m a frequent visitor to the cinema, but with a lot of people or families who only go a handful of times a year, 3D can seem like a real treat, especially if you haven’t experienced it before. So I guess as long as people keep paying up to 240% the price of what they ought to be paying, the 3D rush will continue.
It was interesting, though, to see this New York Times article that discussed the backlash against 3D films in Hollywood. Perhaps it is filmmakers who will take the charge to stop this 3D madness.
Why the heck is Apple so popular?
May 28, 2010 in Best Of, Social/Political Commentary, Technology
The Apple iPad was launched in Australia today
Today marked the official launch of Apple’s new iPad in Australia.
As with just about anything released by Apple these days, people camped outside all night in the cold and rain just so they could be among the first in the country to purchase one of these babies. The frenzy was slightly more subdued than when Apple released the iPhone, but it was still a very solid crowd.
Most admitted they didn’t know a whole lot about the product, which has been shrouded in Apple’s trademark mystery for many months. Some others even said that they didn’t even know if they wanted one, but they just wanted to get it for the sake of it.
Seriously, what is going on here? It’s not like Apple is giving away these things for free. Apparently, an iPad ranges from AU$629 (for a 16GB Wi-Fi model) to AU$1049 (for a 64GB 3G + Wi-Fi model). And there’s nothing astroundingly revolutionary about it either. Both tablet computers and touch screens have been around for years. Further, critics have pointed out the lack of an in-built camera and USB port. The reviews have been varied, but the general consensus is that the iPad is essentially a bigger version of the iPhone.
Nevertheless, the iPad has once again become the latest “must have” product from the Apple. It seems whenever Apple releases anything, no matter what it is and regardless of the merits of the product, it is always guaranteed to sell and sell big. The iPad has been selling extraordinarily well around the world and in Australia, pre-sale orders have been mind-boggling. There is even expected to be a shortage in stock for the first few weeks at least.
How has Apple managed to do this? Are their products really that innovative and far ahead of the rest of the pack? Or is it the clever marketing campaigns designed to make Apple products look ‘cool’? Or is it a combination of these and many other factors? Whatever it is, Apple has somehow made the iPod, iPhone and shortly almost certainly the iPad, the most ubiquitous personal devices in the developed world — possibly ever.
The iPhone
I still remember a time, many years ago, when the Apple brand almost had the opposite effect on people. Everyone had PCs and Macs were considered ‘pretty’ computers for unsophisticated users. Then, something happened. I started seeing those ‘silhouette man’ iPod commercials on TV and on the side of buses. Then there were those ads with Justin Long. Before long, iPods were everywhere. Everyone in the city had an iPhone. Getting iMacs and MacBooks suddenly became the ‘in’ thing to do. Now when I go to a cafe, most people I see have iMacs. The lecturers in my writing course (and most students, might I add) all have MacBooks and one even said to us, “I’m a writer, of course I use a Mac!”
I don’t believe promotion alone can elevate a brand to where Apple is now. There has to be merit in their products. But what I don’t get is why Apple has become such a crazy phenomenon world-wide. It’s not like competitors have not come out with similar products which either have stronger specs and/or have cheaper prices. But none have been able to make any significant dent in Apple’s market share. It’s almost as though consumers are hypnotised by the stylish exterior of Apple’s devices and have shut their minds to alternative products. Can you think of another electronic device brand (or any brand, for that matter) that would have people lining up outside for 24 hours or more, just so they could be one of the first people to buy a new product?
I only have two Apple products — an 80GB Video iPod and an 8GB iPod Touch — both gifts from a former employer. Everyone in the workplace got one, which just shows how popular — or at least how popular my employer thought — these products had become.
I don’t have anything against Apple or their products, other than the annoying fact that everything has to be synched to the extremely frustrating iTunes. That alone was enough to make me look for cheaper and more user-friendly alternatives.
There have been numerous articles that touch on the Apple ‘phenomenon’ (I do have some reservations with this term because Apple is apparently bringing out a next gen compositing application by that name), but I haven’t found any serious pieces that have provided a comprehensive examination into just what it is that makes Apple products so popular. I’m sure someone, somewhere, has written a thesis or dissertation on this topic — if you know where to find such a thing, please feel free to point me in the right direction.
Tags: Apple, Apple phenomenon, Australia, iMac, iPad, iPhone, iPod, iPod launch, iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle, iPod Touch, MacBook
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