Troubles with bluetooth was predicted in November 1,2000
CARLSBAD, CA -- When a moderator at Red Herring's NDA conference on Monday asked an audience of entrepreneurs, VCs, and vendors what business models will come out of the Bluetooth short-range wireless protocol, the room fell silent. Finally, an undaunted Bluetooth entrepreneur leapt to break the silence. But the long pause when a roomful of 50 supposedly forward-thinking technologists and investors was struck silent indicates that Bluetooth has a long way to go.
"I get a real sense today that Bluetooth is a technology in search of an application," proclaimed one attendee, clearly annoyed that no one in the room could cite any research indicating a real market opportunity for Bluetooth-enabled devices and software applications.
Bluetooth is a technology standard that allows for a wireless local area network (LAN) that proponents say will rid corporate campuses, hotels, and airports of wires now needed to accommodate mobile workers. It's a step up from infrared technology, which requires devices to be in the line of sight of a network base station or another infrared-enabled device to establish a connection and relay data. Bluetooth systems talk to each other via a 2.4 GHz radio embedded on a chip.
The Bluetooth protocol was formed in 1998 by several computer and handheld device companies that would benefit from the technology, including IBM, Intel, Toshiba, and cell phone makers Nokia and Ericsson . The Bluetooth Special Interest Group numbers more than 2,000 members.
THEY'VE GOT SPUNK Attendees of the panel discussion -- "Bluetooth: Has a new industry been created?" -- were a feisty, skeptical bunch. They put panelist Skip Bryan, Ericsson's director of technology market development, on the spot by wondering out loud, in so many words, why they should care about Bluetooth-connected products if no one knows whether businesses and consumers want them.
Mr. Bryan tried to placate the audience.
"This is such a big marketplace, it's hard to put your finger on where it's going to explode," he said. "We're going to see things happen that we've only seen in science fiction movies."
That comment may not have been the best thing to say to a savvy audience that has seen its share of over-hyped technologies and products -- from the Apple's Newton to the pen computing disaster to Oracle's network computer. (A few might even have been thinking about Scout Electromedia, which sold a reported 3,000 Palm-like devices to consumers before it shut its doors last week, making the $100 devices worthless.)
It wasn't lost on the audience that Bluetooth proponents once promised that products would hit the market in mid-1999. And despite the long list of heavy hitters behind Bluetooth, important players such as Palm aren't on the bandwagon. Palm ran a demo of a Bluetooth device at the CeBIT trade show in February, but the company hasn't committed to producing a Bluetooth-imbedded Palm in 2001, a company spokeswoman said. Palm plans to ship a Bluetooth snap-on module "sometime next year," she added.
Despite the lack of consumer research, companies in the device-making business are confident there will be a market for Bluetooth devices and are preparing to put them on store shelves.
A few Bluetooth-enabled devices are scheduled to enter the market before year's end. Infospace.com , an infrastructure services company, and Xircom , a mobile network access provider, joined to develop a Bluetooth-enabled credit-card-size personal digital assistant (PDA) that is scheduled to ship in November. Ericsson is set to ship Bluetooth-enabled cellular phones to retailers in the first quarter of next year.
"Bluetooth is going to be the de facto protocol for any kind of personal internetworking products," said Miten Mehta, business development vice president at Infospace, referring to PDAs, PCs, laptops, and cell phones.
FINALLY, SOME NUMBERS Some research firms are projecting fast sales
Medicine life has been better... some recent hard losses. You know how its the young ones who always try to die.
I haven't seen you around much either. The new job must be tearing you away from the wonders of slashdot.
Computer life is going much better. Check out... http://www.tech-recipes.com. It's a little site a couple of buddies and I have been working on. Traffic is starting to flow in. Finally.
Been thinking of a similar site for us health-related professionals. Tricks of the trade and such...
I get the same fuzzy feeling talking and playing with the C-64 as I get thinking about atari, listening to 80s music... or watching those crack addictive shows about the 80s on VH-1.
Good times... good times...
Will be thinking about slashdot this way in 20 years?
Likewise, journals save lives... at least in the medical profession. Working in a university hospital we get the worse cases, and the rarest cases--and we reference the literature frequently. Just last week I was getting one of my buddies to translate an article from German...
The medical journals, at least, are making this work by giving discount rates on subscriptions... or charging huge fees if you need access to an article on a one time basis. Thus, the hospital/university just buys subscriptions to all the electronic journals to keep from having to pay these really high fees.
Anyway, we can all access this information... at least in abstract form. Enjoy reading about your favorite disease on pubmed.
I am worried that the matrix series is going to end with "not a bang but a wimper."
Releasing the movie on IMAX and the regular theater at the same time doesn't make sense (cents?) otherwise.
The last matrix flick did it correctly. Fans will go to the regular theater to see it on release day... and then spend the extra dollars to see it larger than life later.
For the third flick, die hards will see it on IMAX and then just purchase the DVD later... leaving the theaters out of the action. Are they afraid that after people see it in the theater that there will not be enough excitement to pay off the IMAX investment?
Is it going to be that big of a dud? Gawd, I hope now.
I guess alternatively this could just be IMAX's way of trying to position itself as a theater alternative...
Since the link from the original slashdot post is gone... here's the information on the conversion process.
-----------
IMAX(R) DMR
From traveling back in time to the pre-historic age of the dinosaurs, to looking into the future on board the International Space Station, the unparalleled image and sound quality of the The IMAX ExperienceO transports audiences to places far beyond the reach of most people. Now, through the magic of IMAX(R) DMR(TM) (Digital Re-Mastering), movie-goers can also experience the larger than life adventure, drama and emotion of their favorite Hollywood films, such as "Apollo 13," which won two Academy AwardsO in 1995, and Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. Coming to IMAX theatres this Spring and Fall will be The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, the second and third chapters in the Wachowski Brothers' revolutionary film trilogy. The release of The Matrix Revolutions on November 5, 2003 will mark the first time ever that a Hollywood live action event film is released concurrently in 35mm and in IMAX's format.
IMAX motion picture systems, invented and developed by IMAX Corporation (IMAX), are the most technically advanced motion picture systems in the world. Images of unsurpassed size, clarity and impact, enhanced by a superb specially-designed six-channel, multi-speaker sound system, are projected onto giant rectangular screens, up to eight stories high and 120 feet wide in IMAX(R) theatres, and in IMAX(R) Dome theatres, onto domes as large as 27m (88'-5") in diameter.
The film format used by IMAX (15/70) image is ten times larger than a conventional 35mm film and three times bigger than a standard 70mm film. The sheer size of a 15/70 film frame, combined with the unique IMAX projection technology, is the key to the extraordinary sharpness and clarity of films exhibited in IMAX theatres.
IMAX(R) DMR(TM)
IMAX Corporation has developed a total system to re-master 35mm live-action films into 15/70 film format for exhibition in IMAX theatres. Known as IMAX DMR this proprietary, patent pending technology digitally enhances the image quality of 35mm motion pictures for projection onto screens up to eight stories high and up to 120 feet wide. The resulting images are every bit as big, sharp and beautiful as those of the classic, visually stunning films originally produced in the 15/70 format.
The core of the IMAX DMR process is based on our in-depth knowledge and understanding of the 15/70 format and the projection environment in IMAX theatres.
There are no other systems available that can provide this degree of image enhancement. IMAX DMR is much more than just a software tool. It is a complete, purpose-built, end-to-end system designed to accommodate the high demands of day-and-date releases.
The Process
IMAX DMR starts by scanning, at the highest resolution possible, each individual frame of the 35mm film and converting them into digital images.
Next, proprietary image enhancement tools, developed and refined over many years, optimizes each image for printing onto 70mm film. The useful information contained within the small area of the 35mm format is analyzed. Some of the techniques used to enhance the digital image include sharpening, color correction, grain removal, and eliminating unsteadiness.
The enhanced digital signal is then recorded onto 15/70 film resulting in a visual presentation which, when projected on IMAX's state-of-the-art rolling loop projection system, is bright, crisp, steady and absolutely stunning.
The highly automated IMAX DMR system allows the process to meet rigorous film production schedules.
Sound
For IMAX DMR releases, the original soundtrack of the 35mm film will be re-mastered for IMAX's six-channel loudspeaker system. Unlike conventional theatre sound systems, IMAX sound systems are uncompressed, full fidelity and use proprietary l
Algolith has the software if you just wanna do it yourself.
APPLICATIONS Mastering Conforming of multi-format sources SDTV to HDTV up-conversion HDTV and Film down-conversion to SDTV HDTV cross-conversion Video to Film conversion HDTV to IMAX conversion Edge correcting of computer generated animations Interlacing of computer generated animations
REQUIREMENTS Apple Shake 3.0 software Mac OS X Linux
"We" is the Average Joe using the computer--obviously not the slashdot crew.
The world would be a much better place if everybody who used a computer knew as much as we did.
However... I'm sure people in the mechanic websites make fun of people like us all the time too because we phuck up our cars all the time.
Most of us know computers... most of them or at least the "we" in the quote above... do not really understand computers and computer security. That's why putting pressure on microsoft to fix its damn browser is such a good idea!
Of a side note... Even though the website I have in my sig is mainly a solaris/unix based site... 80% of the people who visit my site from slashdot report as IE.
In a great galaxy, many years ago The desire for more money took over the universe...
The Great Slashdot Scavenger Hunt!
on
Urban Challenge
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
I think we need a great slashdot scavenger hunt! List of things to find...
1. Dupe Postings 2. Misspellin's 3. A day without two SCO posts in one day 4. Window vs *nix thread/flame 5. New IE exploit 6. Ascii penis troll 7. An excellent idea by an AC 8. Geeks without social life jokes 9. Lame attempt at humor (ie, this post...)
Heck, I would just be happy if they would quit using flash-like crap for vital parts of the web structure. If a table is 1mm off, I'm not going to cry about it.
It is quicker and more stable than netscape. It is most familiar because it looks/acts like windows. It is better known than mozilla, opera, and clones.
The only way to stop the cycle is to enforce the ruling to have Microsoft remove the browser from the OS.
Slashdot Mirror
Noted... and appreciated.
Davak
Bluetooth is dying because the compatability problems that have been described since the beginning.
Some predictions have suggested compatability problems with up to 80% of the devices sold. Others have been yelling about the low level of security...
Bluetooth was a kickass idea... that is dying because the details were not ironed out.
Davak
Troubles with bluetooth was predicted in November 1,2000
CARLSBAD, CA -- When a moderator at Red Herring's NDA conference on Monday asked an audience of entrepreneurs, VCs, and vendors what business models will come out of the Bluetooth short-range wireless protocol, the room fell silent.
Finally, an undaunted Bluetooth entrepreneur leapt to break the silence. But the long pause when a roomful of 50 supposedly forward-thinking technologists and investors was struck silent indicates that Bluetooth has a long way to go.
"I get a real sense today that Bluetooth is a technology in search of an application," proclaimed one attendee, clearly annoyed that no one in the room could cite any research indicating a real market opportunity for Bluetooth-enabled devices and software applications.
Bluetooth is a technology standard that allows for a wireless local area network (LAN) that proponents say will rid corporate campuses, hotels, and airports of wires now needed to accommodate mobile workers. It's a step up from infrared technology, which requires devices to be in the line of sight of a network base station or another infrared-enabled device to establish a connection and relay data. Bluetooth systems talk to each other via a 2.4 GHz radio embedded on a chip.
The Bluetooth protocol was formed in 1998 by several computer and handheld device companies that would benefit from the technology, including IBM, Intel, Toshiba, and cell phone makers Nokia and Ericsson . The Bluetooth Special Interest Group numbers more than 2,000 members.
THEY'VE GOT SPUNK
Attendees of the panel discussion -- "Bluetooth: Has a new industry been created?" -- were a feisty, skeptical bunch. They put panelist Skip Bryan, Ericsson's director of technology market development, on the spot by wondering out loud, in so many words, why they should care about Bluetooth-connected products if no one knows whether businesses and consumers want them.
Mr. Bryan tried to placate the audience.
"This is such a big marketplace, it's hard to put your finger on where it's going to explode," he said. "We're going to see things happen that we've only seen in science fiction movies."
That comment may not have been the best thing to say to a savvy audience that has seen its share of over-hyped technologies and products -- from the Apple's Newton to the pen computing disaster to Oracle's network computer. (A few might even have been thinking about Scout Electromedia, which sold a reported 3,000 Palm-like devices to consumers before it shut its doors last week, making the $100 devices worthless.)
It wasn't lost on the audience that Bluetooth proponents once promised that products would hit the market in mid-1999. And despite the long list of heavy hitters behind Bluetooth, important players such as Palm aren't on the bandwagon. Palm ran a demo of a Bluetooth device at the CeBIT trade show in February, but the company hasn't committed to producing a Bluetooth-imbedded Palm in 2001, a company spokeswoman said. Palm plans to ship a Bluetooth snap-on module "sometime next year," she added.
Despite the lack of consumer research, companies in the device-making business are confident there will be a market for Bluetooth devices and are preparing to put them on store shelves.
A few Bluetooth-enabled devices are scheduled to enter the market before year's end. Infospace.com , an infrastructure services company, and Xircom , a mobile network access provider, joined to develop a Bluetooth-enabled credit-card-size personal digital assistant (PDA) that is scheduled to ship in November. Ericsson is set to ship Bluetooth-enabled cellular phones to retailers in the first quarter of next year.
"Bluetooth is going to be the de facto protocol for any kind of personal internetworking products," said Miten Mehta, business development vice president at Infospace, referring to PDAs, PCs, laptops, and cell phones.
FINALLY, SOME NUMBERS
Some research firms are projecting fast sales
Few FAQs for those BlueTooth newbies outthere...
BlueTooth Faq
Nokia BlueTooth Faq
Another BlueTooth Faq
Sorry... wrong link.
Here's the real link killing the rumor:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blsux.htm
Here's another showing the original untouched photograph
Please let the rumor die...
Please let the rumor die...
Etc.
Davak
This easter egg is a hoax...
Please let the rumor die...
Please let the rumor die...
Davak
Medicine life has been better... some recent hard losses. You know how its the young ones who always try to die.
I haven't seen you around much either. The new job must be tearing you away from the wonders of slashdot.
Computer life is going much better. Check out... http://www.tech-recipes.com. It's a little site a couple of buddies and I have been working on. Traffic is starting to flow in. Finally.
Been thinking of a similar site for us health-related professionals. Tricks of the trade and such...
Good to see you are still around.
Davak
If you are having the need for a good blast of history... get your java c-64 emulation here.
http://www.dreamfabric.com/c64/
Davak
I get the same fuzzy feeling talking and playing with the C-64 as I get thinking about atari, listening to 80s music... or watching those crack addictive shows about the 80s on VH-1.
Good times... good times...
Will be thinking about slashdot this way in 20 years?
Davak
Journals are very expensive. No doubt.
Likewise, journals save lives... at least in the medical profession. Working in a university hospital we get the worse cases, and the rarest cases--and we reference the literature frequently. Just last week I was getting one of my buddies to translate an article from German...
The medical journals, at least, are making this work by giving discount rates on subscriptions... or charging huge fees if you need access to an article on a one time basis. Thus, the hospital/university just buys subscriptions to all the electronic journals to keep from having to pay these really high fees.
Anyway, we can all access this information... at least in abstract form. Enjoy reading about your favorite disease on pubmed.
I realize the parent is in jest... but we should be supporting the little guys here.
For the independent fan-produced version of the matrix, you can download it here.
Obviously the graphics are not as sweet, but the story keeps the same feeling and theme...
Support these guys!
Davak
IMAX vs dlp!
Did the last matrix come out in dlp format?
I would imagine that this digital format would be better than our typical theaters... but what about IMAX?
I am almost certain that the last two starwars movies came out on IMAX and dlp... so maybe somebody could compare those for us.
Davak
I am worried that the matrix series is going to end with "not a bang but a wimper."
Releasing the movie on IMAX and the regular theater at the same time doesn't make sense (cents?) otherwise.
The last matrix flick did it correctly. Fans will go to the regular theater to see it on release day... and then spend the extra dollars to see it larger than life later.
For the third flick, die hards will see it on IMAX and then just purchase the DVD later... leaving the theaters out of the action. Are they afraid that after people see it in the theater that there will not be enough excitement to pay off the IMAX investment?
Is it going to be that big of a dud? Gawd, I hope now.
I guess alternatively this could just be IMAX's way of trying to position itself as a theater alternative...
Davak
The new upgraded systems/reels can support 150 minutes. I believe this change occurred about the time of the release of the second matrix movie.
Davak
Since the link from the original slashdot post is gone... here's the information on the conversion process.
-----------
IMAX(R) DMR
From traveling back in time to the pre-historic age of the dinosaurs, to looking into the future on board the International Space Station, the unparalleled image and sound quality of the The IMAX ExperienceO transports audiences to places far beyond the reach of most people. Now, through the magic of IMAX(R) DMR(TM) (Digital Re-Mastering), movie-goers can also experience the larger than life adventure, drama and emotion of their favorite Hollywood films, such as "Apollo 13," which won two Academy AwardsO in 1995, and Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. Coming to IMAX theatres this Spring and Fall will be The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, the second and third chapters in the Wachowski Brothers' revolutionary film trilogy. The release of The Matrix Revolutions on November 5, 2003 will mark the first time ever that a Hollywood live action event film is released concurrently in 35mm and in IMAX's format.
IMAX motion picture systems, invented and developed by IMAX Corporation (IMAX), are the most technically advanced motion picture systems in the world. Images of unsurpassed size, clarity and impact, enhanced by a superb specially-designed six-channel, multi-speaker sound system, are projected onto giant rectangular screens, up to eight stories high and 120 feet wide in IMAX(R) theatres, and in IMAX(R) Dome theatres, onto domes as large as 27m (88'-5") in diameter.
The film format used by IMAX (15/70) image is ten times larger than a conventional 35mm film and three times bigger than a standard 70mm film. The sheer size of a 15/70 film frame, combined with the unique IMAX projection technology, is the key to the extraordinary sharpness and clarity of films exhibited in IMAX theatres.
IMAX(R) DMR(TM)
IMAX Corporation has developed a total system to re-master 35mm live-action films into 15/70 film format for exhibition in IMAX theatres. Known as IMAX DMR this proprietary, patent pending technology digitally enhances the image quality of 35mm motion pictures for projection onto screens up to eight stories high and up to 120 feet wide. The resulting images are every bit as big, sharp and beautiful as those of the classic, visually stunning films originally produced in the 15/70 format.
The core of the IMAX DMR process is based on our in-depth knowledge and understanding of the 15/70 format and the projection environment in IMAX theatres.
There are no other systems available that can provide this degree of image enhancement. IMAX DMR is much more than just a software tool. It is a complete, purpose-built, end-to-end system designed to accommodate the high demands of day-and-date releases.
The Process
IMAX DMR starts by scanning, at the highest resolution possible, each individual frame of the 35mm film and converting them into digital images.
Next, proprietary image enhancement tools, developed and refined over many years, optimizes each image for printing onto 70mm film. The useful information contained within the small area of the 35mm format is analyzed. Some of the techniques used to enhance the digital image include sharpening, color correction, grain removal, and eliminating unsteadiness.
The enhanced digital signal is then recorded onto 15/70 film resulting in a visual presentation which, when projected on IMAX's state-of-the-art rolling loop projection system, is bright, crisp, steady and absolutely stunning.
The highly automated IMAX DMR system allows the process to meet rigorous film production schedules.
Sound
For IMAX DMR releases, the original soundtrack of the 35mm film will be re-mastered for IMAX's six-channel loudspeaker system. Unlike conventional theatre sound systems, IMAX sound systems are uncompressed, full fidelity and use proprietary l
Davak
One thing will keep me from seeing this at my local IMAX.
Popcorn!
They don't allow food and beverages in the IMAX here. What's a movie without a $10 bucket of popcorn and a 7.50 keg of cherry coke!?!
How long before everything is IMAX since we can approximate the current movie setups with our wide screens and dvds?
Davak
"We" is the Average Joe using the computer--obviously not the slashdot crew.
The world would be a much better place if everybody who used a computer knew as much as we did.
However... I'm sure people in the mechanic websites make fun of people like us all the time too because we phuck up our cars all the time.
Most of us know computers... most of them or at least the "we" in the quote above... do not really understand computers and computer security. That's why putting pressure on microsoft to fix its damn browser is such a good idea!
Of a side note...
Even though the website I have in my sig is mainly a solaris/unix based site... 80% of the people who visit my site from slashdot report as IE.
We all should give pivx a huge hand!
First, they applied the pressure to help force microsoft into fixing the software.
Second, they are now giving microsoft some slack (negative reinforcement?) for trying to fix its browser.
Bravo guys!
Plus, these guys are hiring!
This is a clone of the animatrix idea.
In a great galaxy, many years ago
The desire for more money took over the universe...
I think we need a great slashdot scavenger hunt!
List of things to find...
1. Dupe Postings
2. Misspellin's
3. A day without two SCO posts in one day
4. Window vs *nix thread/flame
5. New IE exploit
6. Ascii penis troll
7. An excellent idea by an AC
8. Geeks without social life jokes
9. Lame attempt at humor (ie, this post...)
Add your own!
Davak
Coffee? Coffee?
I see Mt. Dew as the drink of the programming generation...
I enjoy coffee. Mt. Dew improves the code.
(until you've had way too much... and at that time all code goes to sh!t. But, hey, that's life)
Davak
Where is freshmeat?
Freshmeat has to be the most addicted, most refreshed site that I know of.
It's like crack knowing that you can go and get new, exciting, cutting-edge software... and hell, it's updated all day long.
I love slashdot... but I think freshmeat deserved a mention as well.
Davak
Heck, I would just be happy if they would quit using flash-like crap for vital parts of the web structure. If a table is 1mm off, I'm not going to cry about it.
Davak
IE is the lesser of several evils.
It is quicker and more stable than netscape.
It is most familiar because it looks/acts like windows.
It is better known than mozilla, opera, and clones.
The only way to stop the cycle is to enforce the ruling to have Microsoft remove the browser from the OS.
That's it. Until then, they win.
Davak