Friday, May 30, 2014

Keywest Video Blog: Professional Cameras


This week’s Keywest video blog examines what makes a professional video camera. We discuss the different varieties available, and which ones best suit your needs.


There are an extremely wide range of professional video cameras on the market today. The end product, and where that video will be displayed, play a large role when selecting an appropriate camera.


In the past, professional video cameras were larger than consumer models, but today that’s not always the case. A large camera can sometimes even mean that it’s out of date.


At Keywest video, we have several different camera systems, and they are selected depending on our client’s needs. We often use digital SLR cameras in our video productions. At times our clients wonder why the camera is so small, or why it looks like a camera used for photography. We like to use DSLR cameras because of their versatility, and high quality image processing. Their wide array of lens options also allows for more dynamic #videography.


On other occasions, when a #DSLR may not be suitable, such as for a long performance or live feed streaming, we utilize other camera systems.


The fact is, it doesn’t matter the size of your #camera, but how you use it.


Find out more about choosing a DSLR for video production.


Keywest Video Blog: Professional Cameras Keywest Video Blog: Professional Cameras


Thursday, May 29, 2014

Virtual Reality Hardware

Sale of Oculus VR’s Virtual Reality Hardware to Facebook:


A Sell-out or The Right Move?


virtual reality


You might remember hearing back in March that Facebook purchased a company called Oculus VR for 2 billion dollars. This is interesting because Oculus VR was supported via crowd funding, and has yet to release a single consumer product.


Oculus VR released a development kit for a virtual reality headset back in 2012, and reignited an interest in virtual reality gaming. The Rift provided a 3D experience with a wide field of view, emulating human vision in a virtual world. It also featured head motion tracking, which proved to be a truly inspiring experience, getting them high praise from almost anyone who tried it.


A video of a 90 year old grandmother experiencing a virtual representation of Tuscany on the Rift went viral in 2013, she seemed to believe the virtual environment was so realistic, it must have been composed of real photos.


Some individuals that contributed to Oculus VR’s original Kickstarter campaign had strong objections to the Facebook sale, claiming that Oculus VR was “selling out”, and fearing that the company, which had been so focused on video games up to this point, would suddenly become more social media oriented in its vision for the future.


This might be a little bit short sighted. The added capital and support from Facebook should allow a consumer model to be released sooner, and be more powerful when it arrives.


A second developer kit has recently been announced, it has higher resolution internal displays and reduced latency in its motion detection (among many other improvements).


So what does this mean for consumers? Aside from providing more realistic gameplay than has ever been experienced before, the Oculus Rift is essentially a 3D display, so in the end it may be used like any other content streaming device, so you can play a game in a 3D virtual world and then simply flip over to Netflix. Oculus VR is bringing us one step closer to the Holodeck, and they aren’t alone. You can check out Sony’s upcoming VR headset for the PS3.


Tuesday, May 27, 2014

VOD Revolution is Here

Families used to gather around the TV at 8pm to watch their favorite prime time shows. It was a mark of honor for a program to be placed in that prime time slot. They had the largest audience, and with that came the most valuable advertising space. VOD (video on demand) in all its various forms is changing that.


VOD


Some popular shows are now only available through VOD services. For example, after an extremely popular run on FOX, Arrested Development was brought back exclusively on #Netflix, 7 years after its initial cancelation. Forbes.com columnist Dorothy Pomerantz thinks that “Bringing Back ‘Arrested Development’ is Netflix’s Smartest Move Yet”.


There have also been wildly successful series that premiered on the #VOD medium. The American series House of Cards premiered its entire first season on Neflix in 2013 to widely positive reviews.


VOD services like Neflix, Hulu, iTunes & even YouTube are even affecting DVD & Blu-Ray sales, especially when it comes to TV series boxed sets.


“What amazes us is that TV content owners are making TV streaming rights available to Netflix . . . It will be interesting to see if Hollywood executives can resist Netflix’s short-term cash, in order to protect their DVD ‘cash cow’ or whether they at least start adding some ‘000’s’ to the annual rates they charge Netflix for content.” – BTIG Research analyst Richard Greenfield


Which ever VOD service takes the lead in this movement, its clear that the user is really becoming their own personal content programmer, and watching their favorite shows when its most convenient for them.


Albert Cheng, vice president of Disney/ABC Digital Media, doesn’t think prime time television viewing is going anywhere anytime soon.


“They give the viewer another opportunity to see a show they’ve missed; they’re another opportunity to get that show further along (in its overall visibility). (Even with iPods and PCs), the bulk of consumer time will be spent in front of the tube. The largest platform you have will still be TV in five years, and it’ll play a large role in driving other platforms. In 10 or 15 years, I can’t see that far.”


Let us know what you think! Do you watch most of your favorite TV shows during it’s regular broadcast, or through VOD services, or something else? What do you foresee as the future of television?


 


Monday, May 26, 2014

3D: Is It Here To Stay?

3D films have been around for decades. However, over the past few years their popularity has re-surged, as well as the creation of 3D TVs. But is this technology sustainable, or just another passing fad?


3DThe short answer is yes, it is here to stay. You may have noticed that there is always at least one 3D movie in theaters, and it has been that way for a while. Check your local show time listings and try to prove me wrong.


The public has been slow to adopt 3D TVs for a few reasons, some find it visually unsettling, even nauseating, while others just don’t think there is enough media available to justify the purchase. For a long time, all that was really available was a handful of Blu-Rays and an extremely limited 3D Satellite TV offering.


That is going to change for two main reasons; 3D media is becoming more common, new gaming consoles are expected to release several 3D capable titles, and as time goes on the back catalogue of 3D movies is growing. This is illustrated best if you consider that virtually every single animated film from DreamWorks or Pixar released in the past 5 years has been shot in 3D and released on 3D Blu-Ray.


Secondly, eventually buying a 3D capable TV won’t be optional. As the hardware becomes cheaper, all televisions will be 3D capable. It will be viewed as an added feature, whether you use it or not. On a long enough timeline, consumers who would normally avoid 3D TVs will find themselves owning one, and they might realize they like it. Check our some of the various types of 3D TVs from c/nets guide.


The potential widespread adoption of the technology could justify the production of more 3D content, because developers will have a larger potential customer base, giving them the confidence to create more 3D productions.


Studios are motivated to produce 3D films because it drives the price of tickets higher and for now, it offers customers a theatrical experience that most people don’t have at home.


When done right, a 3D feature film can be an incredibly engaging experience, and even some of the long time critics of the format have come around in recent years. Take a look at “How Gravity Changed My Mind About 3D” by telegraph columnist Anne Billson.c


Whether you like it or not, 3D in theatres and in homes is here to stay, and the quality of the experience is getting better all the time.


Friday, May 23, 2014

4k Ultra HD in Corporate Video

You might have noticed that most television producers are now offering TV’s that are 4k Ultra HD ready. 4k is essentially four times the resolution of a Blu-Ray discs which are 1080p HD.


4k

This digital resolution has been in use in the film industry for years, but is now slowly making its way into the consumer market.


#Sony was one of the pioneers when it came to 4K consumer televisions, offering some of the earliest consumer televisions capable of #4K resolution. They continue to have a wide array of 4k Sony TV offerings today.


Here at Keywest Video we realize the importance of keeping up with technological advances. Experience has taught us however, that we need to find the right balance between investing in these new advances and our client’s practical needs.


The reality is, most #CorporateVideos are presented on websites often in small embedded windows. Therefore extremely high resolution projects really aren’t justifiable, especially when you take the added equipment and post production costs into account.


Consumers have been slow to adopt #Blu-Ray, and with 4K Ultra HD being four times larger, it’s reasonable to expect that it will take several more years before it becomes the standard format.


That is not to say that it doesn’t have plenty of practical applications.  For instance, maybe a real estate video tour of a property might benefit from being shot in 4k Ultra HD, (after all, YouTube does support it). However, a simple address to camera for your website, usually wouldn’t be viewed on a large enough display to justify it. At theblackandblue.com they detail how large typical 4k films are, and the file sizes one can expect.4K video production makes sense when the end product is intended to be viewed full screen on a 4K capable display.


Check out these 10 incredible Ultra HD video examples to get a sense of what distinguishes 4k from other formats:



When it comes to 1080p vs 4K Ultra HD in the corporate video world, the resolution really doesn’t have much to do with the final presentation quality. The overall production quality is really what makes a video stand out, and those factors include the location, camera positions, lighting techniques, and audio quality. These are all things we take great pride in doing well here at Keywest Video, regardless of the video resolution for any given project.


If your project might benefit from a high-resolution production, we will let you know, and help you each step of the way, including how best to present it.


Thursday, May 22, 2014

Keywest Video Blog: Professional Production

This week’s video blog discusses the benefits of professional production quality.



Technology has changed the landscape of video production. We are now at a point where it’s easy for a company to make their own corporate videos for social media use. Most portable devices such as an iPhone, have HD video cameras, and sites like YouTube and Vimeo make hosting and embedding easy. So you might wonder why anyone would hire a production company to produce corporate videos for their business.


For starters, HD is actually a very ambiguous term. While a $400 point and shoot camera and a $10,000 DSLR may both film in high definition, professional video cameras have superior image processing and color rendering capabilities. This becomes extremely evident under direct comparison with those consumer products.


And even though the type of camera used is extremely significant when it comes to image quality, possibly even more important than the camera itself, is professional lighting equipment. As well as the skills needed to use it effectively.


This level of production quality will impress, and impart a sense of professionalism to your potential clients.


Want to take it a step further? Multiple cameras really help when it comes to seamless dialogue edits… sorry can we take that line again? Multiple cameras really help when it comes to seamless dialogue edits and can be very useful when filming larger scripts.


No matter how simple or complex your project is, a professionally produced video leaves viewers focused on your message, and not distracted by quality issues.


Professional Production


Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Video Length: What’s Best?

The length of your video plays a much larger part in your #CorporateVideoProduction than you just might think.


Lengthy videos may be packed full of useful information and resources, but are the viewers even getting to it? Audiences have shorter and shorter attention spans, resulting in a decline in viewership of lengthy videos. As a result of these #ShortAttentionSpans, it is imperative to keep videos short in order to ensure that your audiences are receiving all of the content. What kind of attention spans are we talking about? We suggest that an ideal length for your video is approximately one to two minutes, depending on your content of course. Take a look at Wistia’s findings below:



Wistia


This graph tells us that shorter videos are better for getting people to watch the whole thing. After all, most #BusinessVideo is created to serve up a pre-packaged message, so the longer the video, the less people will watch. It’s also noticeable that after a certain point the engagement average flattens out — so there’s not a major difference in engagement for a 4-minute versus a 10-minute video.


Video length: what Video length: what’s best to keep your viewer engaged?


There are a few general rules when it comes to the length of your corporate video. First, if possible, keep your video under two minutes so that you may convey all of the necessary information and still stand a chance of having your audience watch the entire length of the video. Next, it’s important to put the message at the very beginning so that even if your audience does not watch the entire video, at least they were able to receive the main idea at the very start. And finally, be engaging. The only way that you can guarantee a viewer watches the entire length of your video is to keep them interested. If the audience is genuinely captivated, then they will be more likely to watch your video until the very end.


At Keywest, we suggest that if you’ve got a great deal of content to showcase, it’s best that you break it up into #VideoModules. Although we know that shorter videos are the best for maximizing your audience viewership, we also understand that some instances require longer videos in order to showcase a great deal of content. In these cases, mainly when it comes to #training or #InstructionalVideos, we highly recommend that you break up the long video into shorter, more digestible #modules that are more likely to maintain your viewer’s attention.


Take a look at the example below. This module was initially part of a much longer video; however, shorter modules were created in order to maintain viewer attention.



Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Keywest Crew on Set

Every production is different, but on average, our crew consists of a Director of Photography, a Producer, and when warranted, a Grip or Production Assistant.


Keywest is corporate video production company located in downtown Toronto. Some of our clients request a small #crew on video shoots in order to not only cut costs, but also minimize distraction during the work day (when shooting at their offices). As a result, we’ve learned to adapt and will occasionally shrink our crew size to meet our clients’ need without sacrificing production value. The following role descriptions outline those that we find most valuable on set and why they are needed in order to make your production a success.


Keywest Crew on Set Keywest Crew on Set


Director of Photography

It’s important that someone on set has a good technical vision of the project. The Director of Photography is responsible for focusing on the visual aesthetic of the production. Their role includes making decisions on the following:



  • Angles, height, movement within the shot

  • Framing

  • Background/set

  • Length of shot

  • Actions of on-screen talent

  • Lighting techniques/style


 


Producer

Since the Director of Photography is responsible for the presentation, the Producer focuses mainly on the content. Their role begins in pre-production, working with the client to develop and finalize concepts, scripts, storyboards, and shot-lists (when needed). Once concept development is complete, producers begin scheduling and seeing to locations, talent, additional crew, etc. This allows them to be the person on set responsible for the coordination, timing, and ensuring all content requirements are met. As well, when it comes to interviews, the producer will focus on acquiring the correct response and delivery from the subjects.


Keywest Crew on Set Keywest Crew on Set


Grip/Production Assistant

Having a grip on set can ease the stress of the production and help to ensure that everything flows smoothly. Besides helping with equipment, setup, and teardown, the grip’s main focus is helping the Director of Photography meet their vision for the production. In addition, a grip can also help with miscellaneous tasks, much like a Production Assistant would on a larger set.


Keywest is always working towards ensuring that we fit the needs of a wide variety of clients. We work with all kinds of companies, ranging from start-ups to multinational corporations, and are able to flawlessly integrate our team into your video production goals.


 


 


 


Friday, May 16, 2014

Scripts, Storyboards & Shot-Lists, Oh My!

Scripts, Storyboards & Shot-Lists: Essential Tools on the Yellow Brick Road to a Successful Production


Scripts, shot-lists & storyboards


The pre-production stage of any project is the most integral step in creating a well polished video. It is the catalyst which propels the rest of the production, and truly informs each step afterwards. There are a variety of tasks which need to be accomplished within this stage. Depending on the project this may include; defining the concept, location scouting, scheduling of crews, casting, and of course most importantly, the creation of scripts,  storyboards, and shot-lists.


However, not all video productions are created equally. Many of our clients have heard these terms thrown around, and yet aren’t fully aware of their salience, or even the reason for them, depending on their project. Here is some insight into why each of these tools can be a great asset for your production, and when they are needed, or not.


Scripts


The major component of any script is action and dialogue. They are a way to express what you want to see, and what you want to hear in your video. #Scripts aren’t always necessary for every type of production, but an outline of your video is. For example, if you plan on utilizing interview footage as the main dialogue in your video, it would be pretty difficult to script out exactly what someone you are interviewing is going to say. Although, you can put together an outline, which details the questions you want to ask your interviewees, as well as your expected outcome. Scripts and outlines are thus a way to prepare for what you wish the final product to look like.


Storyboards


#Storyboards can be a great visual to accompany your script, or even by themselves. Most often, scripts are born out of the initial concept, and then storyboards are created afterwards in order to help the production team visualize the desired outcome. In certain instances, you may have a general idea of how you want the visuals to play out in your video, but don’t yet have a definitive script in place. This is okay too. Storyboards can also help mold the story. Once you know how you envision the visual storyline, the script will follow.


Storyboards are often less necessary than scripts or shot-lists. They are a useful tool, however, in some cases a shot-list will suffice in getting the vision across to the production team. Storyboards are important when there is a larger crew involved, or a very specific look that you want to ensure you accomplish.


Shot-lists


Shot-lists are an exceptionally important tool for virtually all video projects. Even in their most basic form, they allow the production team to be aware of the scheduling for the day, and provide direction to what they will be filming.


A detailed project requires a more detailed #shot-list. For example, if you have a tight schedule and a lot of shots to get done in a day, then the shot-list will be a guide as to how long you can spend on a certain shot, the action in the shot, the camera movement, and an array of other things. It is also helpful in arranging the shoot based upon location, talent needed, lighting set-ups etc. Therefore, even if you do not have a script or storyboard for your video, a shot-list in of itself can be a very useful tool.


 


 


Thursday, May 15, 2014

Keywest Video Blog: Making Use of Your Location

This week’s video blog discusses making use of your location to provide context for your audience.



Setting is an incredibly important element within your corporate video production. As of late, a great deal of corporate interviews and testimonials tend to be shot in front of a solid white background. This type of setting can be particularly useful in providing the viewer with a clean, unpolarized view of your company or brand. With that being said, there are a variety of advantages to shooting your video in a practical location. Using a relevant location for your corporate video presents your prospective client with a window into your company’s world. A practical setting allows you the opportunity to advertise your facilities, thereby making your company more tangible to the viewer.


When an interview is set in a relevant location, it not only lends credibility to the speaker, but also allows us, as a production company, to take advantage of the space and employ more dynamic photographic techniques. Next time you are thinking about shooting a corporate interview, consider an interesting and relevant #location to enhance your video and provide context to your audience.


Keywest Video Blog: Making Use of Your Location Keywest Video Blog: Making Use of Your Location


Wednesday, May 14, 2014

RFPs, RFQs & RFIs

As a corporate video production company, we receive a variety of RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs on a regular basis. It is important to recognize the differences between these three requests, and which best suits the needs of your company/organization.


What are the differences between RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs?


RFP: Request for Proposal


RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs


RFPs are beneficial when you’re looking to produce a specific project, as they allow the client to outline exactly what is needed from the vendor. This, in turn, affords the vendor the opportunity to provide the necessary information and resources suited to the particulars of the project. Effective RFPs typically reflect the strategy and short/long-term business objectives, providing detailed insight upon which suppliers will be able to offer a matching perspective.


 


In principle, an RFP:



  • informs suppliers that an organization is looking to procure and encourages them to make their best effort.

  • requires the company to specify what it proposes to purchase. If the requirements analysis has been prepared properly, it can be incorporated quite easily into the Request document.

  • alerts suppliers that the selection process is competitive.

  • allows for wide distribution and response.

  • ensures that suppliers respond factually to the identified requirements.

  • is generally expected to follow a structured evaluation and selection procedure, so that an organization can demonstrate impartiality – a crucial factor in public sector procurements.


When it comes to video production, RFPs allow vendors to not only highlight their strengths in relation the requested project, but also to present/pitch ideas and concepts as well.


RFQ: Request for Quotation


RFQs deal specifically with pricing or bidding for a particular project. In these cases, a client may outline their project details and merely require a breakdown of the cost associated. To receive correct quotes, RFQs often include the specifications of the items/services to make sure all the suppliers are bidding on the same item/service. Logically, the more detailed the specifications, the more accurate the quote will be and comparable to the other suppliers.


RFI: Request for Information


RFIs are the most general of the three varieties, used mainly to gather information about the supplier/vendor. RFIs provide the client with the most information possible, which can be very beneficial to aiding in the progression of the project. By understanding the vendor’s previous experience, work ethic, offered services, references, samples, pricing, timelines, staff, etc., the client is able to receive a more comprehensive view of the company. In terms of video production, RFIs can help clients determine exactly what the production company’s strengths are, and the scope of their work. This can be helpful for partnering with vendors that are beneficial within a multitude of styles, project types, and budgets. It is important to understand that an RFI, however, is not an invitation to bid, is not binding on either the buyer or sellers, and may or may not lead to an RFP or RFQ.


#RFPs, #RFQs, and #RFIs serve different purposes, and when used properly can be a great asset to those companies looking to partner with a production company. Contact Keywest today if you’re interested in our response to your RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs.


Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Key West Video: Why Our Clients Love Us

Key West Video: A Trusted Source for all Your Corporate Video Production Needs


Key West Video The Keywest Team On-Set


The Key West Video team has been producing videos which solve our client’s problems for over twenty-five years. From dramatic #training to event highlights, we have worked on any type or style of corporate video that you can imagine. The reason we have so many trusted clients, who keep coming back, is due to these factors;


Professional


Due to the lowered cost it takes to establish a production company these days, virtually anyone with a #DSLR and a website can set-up a business. However, a professional and experienced staff are not formulated overnight. It is exactly this professionalism, from arriving on-time, being overly-prepared, and able to tackle any circumstance, that sets Key West Video apart from the rest.


High Quality Equipment


When it comes to tools, it is important that you are working with a company that will provide you with the best equipment for your specific circumstances. #ProductionCraft states in their blog regarding the Top 5 Things to Look for When Hiring a Video Production Company, “If you are shopping video production rates find out what exactly is being included in your package so that that you can compare across the board”. Deciding on a company based upon the lowest rate isn’t the best solution. You need a partner that will provide you with fair rates for quality equipment. At Key West Video we don’t try to up-sell our clients, we simply provide them with a quote for what they need, and then tell them about other options if they wish to raise the production value of their video.


Experienced Staff


It is not only the equipment itself, but how you use it, that truly makes a difference. Nothing can compare to the value an experienced #videographer, #editor, or #producer, can bring to your project. Clients often like to throw things at us last minute, such as adding an additional scope to the project, or changing their needs. It is our knowledge of the industry, our experience on-set, as well as in the office, and dealing with similar situations, which allow us to think on our feet and always stay ahead of our clients needs.


Excellent Customer Service


Amazing #CustomerService is something that Key West Video prides itself on. One of the ways we do this is through being as flexible as possible for our clients. When a potential client calls us for a videographer for that day, we will do everything we can to book them in. When we have multiple clients who wish to book a shoot on the same day, we look to one of our trusted freelancers to help get the job done. And when a client has an extremely tight deadline and needs a quick editing turn around time, we work around the clock to get it done.


At Key West Video, We Solve Our Clients Problems With Amazing Video


Friday, May 2, 2014

Phones Back to Watches: Reverse for the Better?

Phones Back to Watches: Reverse for the Better? Nowadays, it’s simpler than ever before to manage our lives in the palm of our hands. We update our calendars, keep track of birthdays, social media accounts, emails… we’re even able to watch our favorite television shows and movies on a screen no bigger than our palm.


We remind ourselves of when and where we have to be and why and our smartphones help us get there. Now that wearable technology is finding a niche in this industry, we have the questions about why we need Google Glass or #smartwatches. Do we really want our tech on our heads and on our wrists? Can we really manage our lives through a pair of glasses or a watch?


Image Source: Shutterstock Phones Back to Watches: Reverse for the Better? Image Source: Shutterstock
Phones Back to Watches: Reverse for the Better?


We Are What We Wear


A nascent version of the smartwatch, Samsung’s Galaxy Gear, was a large, loud, and boxy device that appealed mostly to technology fanatics, not someone looking for a user-friendly experience. Nowadays, companies are attempting to create a more fashionable and more wearable gadget that will appeal to a more general public. The Moto 360 and LG’s Android Wear devices are smaller, less bulky, round like an actual watch, and have yet to be released. Will these devices fly off the shelves or gather dust?


While the smartwatch began as a fitness band and evolved to include a heart rate monitor and trackers for time, distance, speed, and other levels that could better inform an athlete, or someone trying to lose weight, about their performance, it’s speculative as to whether the Moto 360 or upcoming smartwatches will support health tracking. Smartwatches that benefit fitness and health run along the lines of the The Skully Helmet: technology used to change lives for the better. Will these smartwatches improve the lives of their users or act as superfluous gadgets that are more annoying than useful?


Friend or Foe?


Wearable tech that has real life applications, instead of just providing an extension to a device we already have, seems a lot more profound. No longer are mobile phones solely limited to calling and texting on-the-go. With today’s technology, we’re able to create and share our daily lives with the rest of the world and watch our favorite television shows and movies– all at the touch of a screen. Whether that be actually creating home videos or building an entire website, technology has come a long way and helps us stay connected with the world without skipping a beat.


A Silicon Valley startup, Skully Helmets, was named the best wearable tech company at a technology contest at South by Southwest on March 9th. The Skully Helmet is an “augmented-reality” motorcycle helmet that allows the wearer to see behind him without having to turn his head around. The helmet has a 180-degree rear-view camera that projects images onto a transparent headset display, a bit like Google Glass except in a helmet, so the driver never has to take his eyes of the road in front of him.


While some airlines, like Virgin Atlantic, are attempting to use Google Glass to improve the experience of their frequent fliers, major companies like Google are creating practical applications for smartwatches. SlashGear, a site dedicated to highlighting the latest trends in technology, predicts that the union between Google and Fossil will produce fashionable smartwatches that will be much more successful than those that have been sitting on shelves already.


Connecting Technology with More Technology


There’s a lot we can do with the technology we have today, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone is happy. If we can connect our phones to our television sets (like the Apple TV and the iPhone remote app), why not connect our watches as well? While some smartwatches offer features that can set timers to capture images and video, it’s another thing to be able to actually view these memories on a device such as a smartwatch, which is exactly why many tech enthusiasts are looking for Apple to keep things ticking (pun completely intended).


Image Source: knowyourmobile.com Phones Back to Watches: Reverse for the Better? Image Source: knowyourmobile.com
Phones Back to Watches: Reverse for the Better?


While there are still many rumors about the development of Apple’s “iWatch”, most of them are trending in the health industry, spreading talks about Apple planning some kind of health and sport-focused device that will help predict heart attacks and other health issues. Then again, these are all just rumors and no one is 100% sure about the final concept.


Can these major companies play their cards right in creating the next best thing in wearable tech? Will receiving notifications, text messages, and other alerts on our wrists be more helpful than annoying? In a world where the paths of the internet and our real, physical lives are converging more and more often, is an iWatch the next big step? Whether or not you’re in love with the idea of a phone for your wrist or not, you’ll have plenty of smartwatch options to choose from this year (not if you’re on a budget, though).


Camille McClane is an writer and online entrepreneur living in Southern California. She holds a strong passion for technology, and often enjoys sharing her knowledge about it through her writing. She is honored to have had the opportunity to contribute to KeyWestVideo.com.


Thursday, May 1, 2014

Living with Lag Experiment

Living with Lag is an experiment conducted to illustrate the fact that we wouldn’t accept internet lag offline, so why would we accept it online?


Living with Lag Living with Lag


The unique experiment was performed Swedish network provider UmeNet that filmed what was happening in front of their subjects with a webcam hooked to a Raspberry Pi computer and then intentionally staggered the video replay of whatever happened before displaying it to users through an Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. The rig also comes equipped with noise-cancelling headphones, which makes it pretty difficult to receive some audible assistance while you’re fumbling around 3 seconds behind everybody else.


Living with Lag has the subjects perform everyday tasks while wearing the headset and experiencing some type of lag. The minimum lag is 1/3 of a second, while the most frustrating delay is around the 3-second mark. The footage was pretty hilarious, to say the least.


Outsider’s Perspective



Subject’s Perspective



So why did UmeNet conduct the Living with Lag experiment? Advertising of course. The company provides fiber broadband that offers up to 1000 Mbit/s. They used four volunteers to illustrate the internet’s biggest disturbance in real life – lag. By revealing the frustrations associated with real-life lag, the company hopes that you will turn to them for a lag-free experience of course.


Though the results of a ping pong match where one person is living with lag aren’t surprising, it’s still amusing to watch him try to compete — or even attempt to pick the ball up off the floor after he misses a swing. Similarly, watching a girl dance out of step with her peers is infinitely more amusing when it’s because she’s lagged, rather than because she’s rhythmically challenged. Even making pancakes becomes a quest when you realize the measuring cup fills before you can actually see it fill.
www.geek.com


What did you think of #LivingWithLag?