Let's Play, "How Can I Use This With..."

http://www.eye.fi/
http://www.nikonusa.com/
http://www.apple.com/ipad/
http://www.apple.com/icloud/

I like to think of ways that my tech toys can work together.  Sometimes, a small idea or two triggers a regular storm of things that scream "put me together."  This week the ideas are the Eye-Fi SD card and the soon to be here iCloud, set to be up and running as part of Apple's OS X Lion operating system environment.

The Eye-Fi is used to move pictures (as jpegs) from you camera to your computer via a wi-fi connection.

The iCloud will move pictures from your Apple device to all your other Apple devices automatically.

Simple ideas with some big implications.

The workflow will really flow.  Does anyone remember film?  Take you pictures, drop your film off for developing ( or clear a lot of time to do your own darkroom work), then wait.

Hopefully, you got the focus, exposure and composition good enough to avoid going back to reshoot.

Now, you shoot, check the histogram, look over the focus and composition on the camera.

Now, for a really close inspection, have your jpegs wi-fied to your iPad.

Need to do some adjusting and don't want to do it on your iPad?  That's fine, because the iPad has already sent it to your computers with its Photo Stream feature.  Pictures could take up a lot of space, so there are some limits on how much time they will spend on Apple servers, but you will have time to get jpegs moved to a local drive.

I have been known to worry about the quality of my pictures (and I shoot the RAW format) and I think I will be paranoid about the limited time on Photo Stream (even if it was two decades!) So what would be the fix for that?  I think that would call for a camera with two disc drives. They exist!  The Nikon D7000 is an example.  Set one slot up for wifiing jpegs and one to capture the RAW information.  Perfect.

Big picture?  It has never been easier to do photography of good technical quality and get it in circulation.  A good imaginative eye for for photography, that may be another story...

Apple's Garageband vs SmartMusic

http://venturebeat.com/2009/01/07/who-did-apple-hurt-with-its-macworld-announcements/

Over at Venturebeat.com, Maya Baratz talks about who Apple hurt with its Macworld announcements.  Apple does write software for its platform and sometimes it does creep into what other people are doing.  iPhoto/Apeture vs Adobe, iWork vs Office, Garageband vs Protools.  The list of things Apple has gotten into is interesting and has helped stimulate other vendors' products.  Competition isn't all bad.  If you are a computer maker developing software to keep your platform vital is generally good idea.

Garageband vs SmartMusic?

Baratz does find a connection between the current Garageband and SmartMusic in that Garageband is now tutoring people learning to play.  I need to go take a look at the new Garageband to see what it is all the buzz is about.  I think I will end up getting a copy, but I don't think I am going to be switching away from SmartMusic for my teaching purposes.

Why?  

I like to be able to send and receive assignments and comments.  I also like to use the computer as a course management tool.  SmartMusic Impact is helping manage these chores.  Throw in a little FileMaker or a few Office tools to do what SmartMusic doesn't and you are set.  SmartMusic Impact is a useful tool for working music teachers.

More reasons?  

Garageband runs only on Mac.  I would be way out of line to expect families to buy a computer to run a particular piece of software.  SmartMusic runs cross platform.  I have practice room computers for the kids that don't make the system requirements.  It is tough enough to get everyone an instrument; I am not a huge fan of adding too much more to the cost of band. 

I also can't imagine the time it would take to teach a student to set up and use Garageband.  No, SmartMusic isn't "Lego easy" to use yet.  But I suspect they are further along and continuing to work on the ease of use factors.

On the other hand...

I do like the idea of how-to movies in Garageband showing play the instrument.  It seems more useful to me than the In the Chair conductor.  Though, that program may have improved recently.  That may be worth a look to compare.

Garageband may also be a big boon to guitar players.  The demos I have seen have involved that instrument.  This may be the answer to the question does SmartMusic help guitar players,  "Not yet, but have you looked at Garageband?"

I like the idea of people learning to play an instrument and if using your computer with any software helps you in any way, that is terrific!  Practice!