#185 - New Browsers on the horizon

Microsoft unveiled the first beta (trial) version of Internet Explorer 9 last week. Firefox (version 4.0) & Google Chrome (Release 7.0) also have new versions coming out before the end of the year. Lets take a look at these new browsers (or at least at what they are supposed to look like).

First lets talk about what we want in a new browser. 1. I want it to be fast to open, fast to display a page, 2. I want the capability to block ads and pop ups. 3. I'd also would like it to protect me from Malware & Spyware. Lets see if any of these will be addressed in the updates.

IE 9 is all about speed. The Microsoft engineers are tired of Internet Explorer being the slowest browser out there. They've put all their attention on speeding it up. The interface is very minimalist - no menus, toolbars or other distractions. It looks alot like Google Chrome. In a reversal from all the other Internet Explorers this interface is bare bones. "The browser is the stage and the backdrop, but the website is the star of the show,” Microsoft general manager of Internet Explorer Dean Hachamovitch tells Wired.com. “ We think the browser should totally take a back seat to the sites.”

Most testing of IE 9 say its MUCH faster then IE 8. Good for Microsoft! (I'm still not sure they really listen). OK check on the first box. Unfortunately there is NO information on IE 9 addressing #2 or #3. Being able to block ads and security improvements are actually the most important for me. We'll see if they get added before IE 9 is finally release. And by the way IE9 does NOT support Windows XP; Windows Vista or 7 is required.

Firefox 4.0 is also in beta release. Firefox is also leaner meaner. They have minimized the interface but still added new features. Tabs have been moved to the top of the screen. An Awesome bar now holds tabs and tab navigation items. There is a new Firefox button that will hold all the main items like Print, Save, list your History, etc. There is a new APP tab that hold the sites you keep up all the time - Items like Internet radio stations, Webmail and weather sites can be permanently in the Browser. It appears faster then Firefox 3.6 so that is good. The Add-ins that protect you from ads, malware and slow downs will still be there. Check, Check and Check.
And note that Firefox works on all Windows, Linix AND Mac OSX.

Google Chrome 7.0 is mainly just a faster version of the current 6.0. Several more web standards have been added, but still not many Add ins or protection devices. 7.0 will have an "Incognito" mode that will not save where you have been or what you are doing on the web. so Check, no check, no check.

We'll have fun over the next 3 months playing with these new releases and give you the final verdict early in 2011!

#184 - Acting might not be a good career path

The growth of simulation animation has cut down on the number of acting roles in Hollywood. If it weren't for dubbed voices the future would indeed be very bleak. The use of Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) began with Toy Story (I guess #1) in 1995. This was the first movie COMPLETELY made by computer. Special effects had been using CGI for decades. Actually the first use of CGI was in the SciFi movie Westworld in 1973. The best of the CGI special effects came in Jurasic Park(1993) with those extra real looking dinosaurs terrorising real people on the screen seamlessly.

All the CGI was made possible by more powerful computers and in particular more powerful graphic processors used with those computers. The big CGI shops (Pixar for example) use banks of computers (computers tied together in a tight network) called a render farm in their graphic design. Thus the graphic load is spread out over many computers and not just one. The recent SHREK series, Toy Story series, Up and Finding Nemo are great CGI films that the characters in the films generate just as much emotions in their audience as real actors.

So when will the job of imperfect human actor end? Already you can have a virtual sales person for your business web site. No need to hire an actor, just go to the virtual actor site and pick out who (whom???) you like and type in their script. No mistakes to worry about and they are all cosmetically perfect. Finding perfect simulated actors for your next script can't be far behind. If my son or daughter announced they were thinking about being an actor, I might ask them if they wouldn't rather be a blacksmith or buggy whip salesman....