Friday, April 30, 2010

Adobe CEO, Ex-Adobe Engineers Weigh In on Jobs’ Flash Attack

Luh was one of the lead architects of flash lite. Here’s an excerpt:

“Flash was designed for the desktop world, for web and large screens, not the user experiences you want to create in these new devices with touch, accelerometers and GPS,” Luh said. “It wasn’t designed with that in mind at all.”


Luh was also formerly employed by Apple on the Final Cut Pro team. He said that because Adobe’s iPhone Packager didn’t use Apple’s toolchain to create apps, the resulting code would not work well on an iPhone or iPad. For instance, apps made with Packager are much larger than they would be if they were made with Xcode. A simple “Hello World” app created in Flash and compiled to work on the iPhone is substantially larger in file size, and it would take up 3.6 MB when it should be no larger than 400K when made with Xcode, according to James Eberhardt, a mobile developer who has tested iPhone Packager...."


Full article after the jump:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/04/adobe-flash-jobs/

Adobe Training: May lineup

This is a great (free!) way to get up to speed on a variety of Adobe products, especially their new CS5 products and features.
http://direct.adobe.com/v?xPJcnPcEqnWlvqnclc

CS5 Launch Video recording

http://direct.adobe.com/v?xPJJnWcElWcqcW

CPAUG could win a Manning sponsored dinner!

I received this email below - let's try to win this and get ourselves some good prizes!  :-)   Here's a link to a better formatted version.




usergroup
How Geeky Is Your User Group? 
Find out in Manning's Geekiest User Group Challenge
ATTENTION USER GROUP LEADERS! Does your merry band of programming misfits stand a chance at claiming the title of "Geekiest User Group?" Here's your chance to find out--and get some nice swag in the process! This month we're launching Manning's first Geekiest User Group Challenge! Read on for details.
How it works
On Tuesday, May 4, we'll post the Geekiest User Group Challenge quiz. Your group will have a week to get your members to take the quiz. At the end of the week, we'll announce the answers--and the winners.
The prizes
Most Geeks: The group that has the most members participate will win a Manning sponsored dinner* plus 20 printed Manning books of their choice! They'll also win the inaugural Geekiest User Group 2010 badge to display on their site.
Smartest Geeks: The group with the highest average score will receive 10 print books of their choice for their user group.
Luckiest geeks: Plus, every day we run the quiz, all participants will be entered into a daily drawing where two (2) lucky geeks will each win a free ebook of their choice.


uglyguy2User Group special!
Save 40% on any print, ebook or MEAP edition
through the end of May!

Enter ug367 in the Promotional Code box when you check out at manning.com.
*Manning will cover the cost of food and drink to be consumed at a user group meeting up to $500(US). User group leaders/members are responsible for making arrangements with a local caterer or restaurant. Manning must be informed of the venue, time, and date of the user group meeting.

Adobe shipping CS5

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20003841-264.html

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Apple Didn’t Kill Flash, HTML5 Did


Apple Didn't Kill Flash, HTML5 Did

The battle over Flash and its role (or lack thereof) on the iPhone really came to a head today when Apple CEO Steve Jobs published an open letter expressing why his company won't support Flash on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen spoke with the Wall Street Journal to deliver his response. Unsurprisingly, the arguments from both parties are self-serving in parts and gloss over some of the real world realities.

It's time to cut through the BS and break down what both companies are really arguing and, in turn, what the Apple-Adobe feud means for consumers and developers.


H.264 Rules Web Video, Not Flash


For most end-users, the debate over Flash is largely a debate over web video. Yes, Flash is used in other ways — for web-based games and ever decreasingly in website design — but thanks in large part to YouTube, Flash is most commonly associated with web video.

In his letter, Steve Jobs highlights a point that I have made myself on many occasions — web video is overwhelmingly encoded in H.264. Not only is the H.264 codec the default encoding setting for practically every video service online, it is also by and large the default codec for raw video from digital video cameras. That means if you upload video from your Flip camera directly to YouTube, it doesn't have to convert that video into a new format, which requires more time and more resources.

Adobe started to support H.264 back in 2007, which essentially bought it time as Flash could continue to be used as a video container without video services like YouTube needing to go through the trouble of transcoding the native H.264 video into something else that Flash could us...


Apple-Adobe battle heats up

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/04/29/BU2B1D6VES.DTL

Adobe CEO responds to Steve Jobs open letter | TiPb

http://www.tipb.com/2010/04/29/adobe-ceo-responds-steve-jobs-open-letter/

Highlights: The Journal’s Exclusive Interview With Adobe CEO - Digits - WSJ

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/04/29/live-blogging-the-journals-interview-with-adobe-ceo/

Thoughts on Flash by Steve Jobs (official statement)

http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Make Your Website So 1998 with the Geocities-izer


Make Your Website So 1998 with the Geocities-izer

Geocities might be no more, but thanks to the Geocities-izer, you can give any site on the web that straight-out-of-1998 look and feel.

The site –- complete with a Netscape Now button, an odometer-like traffic counter and plenty of animated GIFs — lets you enter in a URL and have it instantly transformed into something that would've made many a Geocities user swoon back in the day.

Above, you can see Geocities-ized Mashable, which also included a MIDI of the 1990s hit by the Smashing Pumpkins "Today" when I gave this nostalgia-soaked tool a spin (there are apparently several songs in the rotation –- let us know which...

50 Excellent Adobe After Effect Tutorials

 
 

Sent to you by Megan via Google Reader:

 
 

via hongkiat.com by hongkiat on 4/26/10

Adobe After Effects is a digital motion graphics and compositing software. Its main purpose is for film and video post-production. With Adobe After Effects it's possible to create so great looking visual effects as in "Hollywood style" movies. Adobe After Effects is mainly used to create visual effects for commercials and movies but you can also create image slide-shows, some small videos, transition effects for websites and stuff like that.

after effect tuts

It is not difficult to learn by your own. You only need to find some good tutorials and you are ready to start. There are a lot of good tutorials these days, just try to search for them on the Internet. Here is a massive collection of Adobe After Effects tutorials which, in our opinion, are very useful for learning After Effects. They are categorized in these following section for your learning convenience: Beginners, Intermediate users and Advanced users. Enjoy the beauty of Adobe After Effects!

For beginners

Introduction to Adobe After Effects | Andrew Kramer

Basic effects | Andrew Kramer
Learn to create some basic effects using After Effects.

Animation | Andrew Kramer
Now you can learn how to create an animation.

Trim Paths | Aharon Rabinowitz
Learn how to create simple trim paths.

Simple Reflection Techniques | Aharon Rabinowitz
Very simple but cool technique creating reflections.

Web 2.0 Glossy Text | Matt Evans
Learn to create a glossy text.

How to track motion in Adobe After Effects CS3 | cgsutra.com
This useful tutorial explains how to track motion in After Effects.

Boharg II Breakdown | David Madry
Learn to set different speed for your footage and also learn how to set a color correction.

Starting with After Effects | Pascal Verstegen
Great tutorial explaining how to transform work from Photoshop to simple animation using After Effects.

Rendering | Shoaib Khan
Learn about rendering your video.

For Intermediate Users

Creating 3D Cloud Motion From a Still Image | Aharon Rabinowitz
Very useful effect for cloud motion. It gives much more realistic feeling than just a moving image.

Heart Rate Monitor | Shoaib Khan
Learn how to create a cool heart rate monitor.

Car Light Trails | Shoaib Khan
Shows how to create car light trails in After Effects.

Light Sabers | Andrew Kramer
Learn how to create Star Wars style Jedi.

Create a Split-Flap Type Display | Mattias Peresini
Very cool looking animation.

Creating Fire | Steve Holmes
Learn how to create a fire effect.

Adjustment Lights | Eran Stern
One way how to create adjustment lights.

Create an Elegantly Handwritten Text Reveal | Jurrien Boogert
Good looking effect for intro or outro.

Animating Spray Paint and Stencil Effect | Haley
Amazing soray paint effect.

Ink Bleeding Effect | Barton Damer
Learn how to create an interesint ink bleeding effect.

The Dark Knight | John Dickinson
Shows how to create a cool dark knight effect as on the poster.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball | Steve Holmes
Create a 3D looking ball animation using After Effects.

Creating a Force Field Effect | Aharon Rabinowitz
Useful effect if you are creating futuristic videos.

Color Grade and Enhance a Horror Shot | James Twyman
Useful tutorial to get a horror film feeling.

Growing 3D Vines | Jerzy Drozda Jr
Create 3D vines using After Effects only, no other 3D programs.

Create a TV bumper | Harry Frank
Very simple but cool animation.

Create an Animated Homage to Bruce Lee | Markus Gustafsson
Brilliant video including very cool text and image transitions. This tutorial also teaches how to use an audio for your video.

How to Create Glowing Elegant Lines | Haley Saner
Learn how to create an animation with elegant lines.

Smokey Type Effect | Steve Holmes
Basic smoke effect for a text.

Flaming Chrome Text | J. Schuh
Create an animation of flaming text.

Jumbotron Column | John Dickinson
Creating a jumbotron column for your video.

Learn How to Create an Advanced Jumper Effect | Tim Babb
Create a "Jumper" style effect.

Shine Some Light On The Situation | Marc R Leonard
Great looking effect with beautiful lighting and sky.

Designing a Graphic From Scratch | Nick
Useful tutorial for creating some cool video using only scratches.

Creating a Tracked Head Wound | Mathias Mohl
Learn to create a head wound which is tracked in constant position on the face.

Bessie Potter | Michael Park
Create a movie title just like in "Harry Potter".

For Advanced Users

"Private Ryan" Style Movie Shot | Michal Jagiello
Brilliant tutorial, showing how to create a war movie style scene.

Create a Stormy, Electric Type Reveal | Markus Gustafsson
Beautifully made effect. Could be useful for intro text.

The Dancing Can | John Dickinson
Learn how to create a can which dances following music beats.

Forging Fire | Jorrit Schulte
Create a forging fire in the background of the text.

Light Rays Custom Effect from Scratch | Michal Jagiello
This technique can be useful for your own effects.

Create Whispy Spirit-like Text | Adam Everett Miller
Awesome looking text effect.

Learn to Make a Custom 3D Wall Text Reveal | Roman Komurka
Awesome looking 3D text effect.

Create a MoGraph Urban Jungle | Naim Alwan
Stunning effect using After Effects and Boujou.

Create a 3D DNA Strain | Jerzy Drozda Jr
Cool animation of 3D DNA strain.

Cinematic Opening Title Redux | Lloyd
Very interesting animation using a lot of texts.

Animate Your Logo Into Characters | Chaithanya Y
Cool transformation from characters to logo.

Explosive TV promo graphics | John Dickinson
Learn to create "Fast and furious" style text animations.

Create a Sci-Fi Movie Title Sequence | Michael Park
Very cool tutorial for a movie intro.

The Birth Of A Logo | Stefan Surmabojov
Brilliant looking animation with cool lighting.


 
 

Things you can do from here: