Author Archives: heathaplexvision - Page 2

Super 8 Guaranteed to Deliver Childhood Movie Memories

Posted by on June 27, 2011 2 comments

Hello there everyone! Thought I’d share some quick thoughts with you about the movie, Super 8. Yesterday, I took my beautiful bride out to see, what I believed, would be an instant Spielberg classic with a big dose of J.J. Abrams and boy did this movie deliver. To put it simply, this movie brought back all sorts of childhood movie memories from such films as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Goonies, The Explorers and E.T. It was funny, thrilling and meaningful delivered in a late 70s/80s look and feel. There were no superstar actors who overshadowed the cast and story, there were no cheap special effects and certainly no loss of movie magic. The train wreck alone was simply one of the most amazing scenes of the movie.

Now, I can see how some may complain about a far-fetched story and hints at what’s to come throughout, but C’mon….it’s a Sci-Fi thriller, so the story is automatically far-fetched. In my humble opinion, the movie delivered throughout and will certainly continue to do well at the box office. Despite the fact there’s an alien on the lose, you lose yourself in the value of family, friends and a gold ol’ fashioned military cover-up! What else could you ask for?!?!  Oh, the soundtrack rocks to the tunes of the decade and the movie’s original score by Michael Giacchino beautifully flows throughout the film in John Williams-esque fashion.

Seriously, this movie is polished and filmed in such detail to mimic those Spielberg/Lucas films of past and definitely worth seeing in a quality local theater. If you have the means, catch this gem in a THX-equipped theater. I would love to hear what you have to say about the movie, so please post a review below. Catch the early Summer movie wave with “Super 8.“

Perspectives: Diabetes Will Not Slow Down Charlie Kimball at Indy 500

Posted by on May 29, 2011 No comments

Take a look at how one man battles to control his diabetes while doing the thing he loves….driving at over 200 mph. This is a story that I hope motivates each and everyone of you, not to ever let things get in the way of your dreams. We all have challenges in our lives, but the real challenge is finding a way to work with them and not against them.

Enjoy the film!

THX….You Had Me at That Deep Note™

Posted by on May 28, 2011 1 comment

Anyone who’s followed cinema technology over the past 30+ years knows there’s been only a few significant upgrades in the way we experience movies. Sure, we’ve got better 3D visuals now and high definition viewing experiences, but nothing comes close to the increase in sound quality than what THX has brought to theaters. I’m sure my statement is debatable, but in my mind, nothing captivates, moves or creates a truly emotional experience like great sound and THX has forever transformed the soundscape. I ran across this short video on THX.com‘s website and their Vimeo page that I’m sure will spark your interest for the future of home speaker design. THX is experimenting and determined to redefine speaker design and how to achieve precision placement of sound within your listening environment. Over the past decade, they’ve become dissatisfied in how speakers are designed today and are looking to revolutionize how speakers should look and act. They are striving to achieve far more compact and unobtrusive designs. They even unveiled some of their technology at this year’s Consumer Electronic Show (CES 2011). The short video below describes their Steerable Line Array speaker concept and what they hope to achieve. If I were you, I would keep a sharp lookout for this technology to hit the market very soon. Enjoy!

THX Speaker Array Video from THX Ltd. on Vimeo.

 

Perspectives: Some Things Can’t Be Reproduced by Technology

Posted by on April 18, 2011 No comments

The Aurora from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

I spent a week capturing one of the biggest aurora borealis shows in recent years.

Shot in and around Kirkenes and Pas National Park bordering Russia, at 70 degree north and 30 degrees east. Temperatures around -25 Celsius. Good fun.

Available in Digital Cinema 4k.

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Music is Gladiator soundtrack “Now we are free”

Happy Happy DODOcase Day!

Posted by on April 16, 2011 No comments

Happy Happy DODOcase Day! from heathaplexVISION on Vimeo.

Words from the nest, “The DODOcase philosophy is simple, manufacture things locally and help keep the art of bookbinding alive and well by adapting it to a world of e-readers and iPads. Each DODOcase cover has its own unique character as it was handmade in San Francisco using techniques developed hundreds of years ago.” borrowed from www.DODOcase.com

Check out DODOcase in action below…

Your iPad 2 On An HD-Flat

Posted by on April 9, 2011 No comments

I did it folks! I upgraded from an iPad 1 to an iPad 2. I can’t believe it took me this long, but supplies have been somewhat limited. I actually got very lucky by popping into the Apple Store at Pentagon City one Saturday morning. The line was short, the inventory was large, and I walked out with a 64GB, WiFi/3G (AT&T) Pad of joy!

I won’t bore you will all the changes to the iPad 2…you can read about them on the web and many of you who follow this blog already know the basic differences. Personally, I love the new form factor. It is extremely comfortable to hold for long periods of time and the Smart Case rocks. Additionally, the speed and graphics capability is insane. I also feel the display is a bit better despite it being the same resolution as the original. However, the camera is not so good. You really need a lot of light to take great photos, but I didn’t really buy it for the rear camera. The front camera, however, is important to me these days since I keep up with my friends and family via FaceTime and Skype.

One of the best features is iPad 2′s ability to display Video Mirroring. What is Video Mirroring? Well, it is literally just that! Whatever is on your 9.7″ iPad 2 screen can now be displayed on your HD Flat! You can share presentations with Keynote, output Netflix movies or play your favorite video games bigger than Dallas. So, what is needed to harness this capability? You need an iPad 2 and a Digital A/V Adapter.

Apple sells a Digital A/V Adapter ($29.99) that plugs into the 30-pin connection at the bottom of the iPad 2. The other end features an HDMI plug and another 30-pin connector, giving you the ability to output audio & video and charge your iPad 2 simultaneously. Once plugged in, Apple’s no non-sense peripheral kicks in and starts working. No extra settings, no needed adjustments, no guessing of resolutions for your HDTV…IT JUST WORKS! It will work with an iPad 1, but you won’t get any video, just audio. I tested this out with my original iPad. Check out the video at the bottom as our Chief Engineer, Joshua, explains this new feature!

The only downside I see with this is that I’m still connected to a cable. And if you want to do some serious presentations, you’ll need a long HDMI cable. Despite this tethered feel, Keynote and PowerPoint briefings looked beautiful on my HDTV. Maybe down the road this feature will spill over into the AppleTV 2, giving us the ability to go wireless with our iPad content, but for now, I am more than thrilled to have this level of functionality and so is my son!

Post your questions and comments below. If you want to speak to me directly catch me on Twitter (heathaplexvsn) or on facebook (heathaplexvision). Let me know what I can do to help feed your technological needs today!
 

Your iPad 2 On An HD Flat from heathaplexVISION on Vimeo.

Straight from Apple’s website, “Video mirroring doesn’t just turn your iPad into a big screen. It actually turns the big screen into your iPad. With the Digital AV Adapter (sold separately), it works instantly. Everyone sees what’s on your display — even when you rotate iPad from portrait to landscape or zoom in and out on photos. Video mirroring is engineered into iOS so it’s always smooth and slick. Just like your presentation.”

SunChip Part Deux – Frito’s Revenge

Posted by on March 12, 2011 No comments

SunChips Part 2 – Frito’s Revenge from heathaplexVISION on Vimeo.

At first, it was noisy…now it’s new and improved! Check out the difference in SunChips new 100% Compostable bag. You won’t believe your ears! To see Part I visit my first audio/video test here at heathaplexVISION.com

Link: http://heathaplexvision.com/2010/02/22/potato-chip-techonology-that-destroys-your-hearing/

The Optical Drive Is On Life Support…It’s Time!

Posted by on March 1, 2011 No comments

Folks….it’s time to move on. Let go of your optical drive…I know you are not using it! Seriously, how often are you using your DVD Burner or CD Drive on your computer? I just thought about this the other day. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I have not used my DVD drive on my computer in over a year. Not for a movie, not to burn photos or videos, not to install software…not with green eggs and ham, Sam I Am. Had to throw that in there since it’s Dr. Seuss’ Birthday tomorrow (2 Mar 1904).

We are starting to become institutionalized towards wanting our media streamed and our files transferred through cloud computing on a fairly regular basis. Even transferring large files (bigger than 1Gb) is no big deal these days with the help of a variety of online services. I can still remember when the MacBook Air first came out and the masses wanted to throw Apple into a fire for not having an optical drive, but look what happens when you remove it! Devices get smaller, lighter, and eventually we won’t miss it one bit. Sure, there are still practical applications for this type of media  and having this functionality (archival, distribution services, commercial applications), but I don’t think it will last. I love my Blu-Ray, but only for home theater applications. I believe this is why Apple never offered a Blu-Ray drive on their Macs. They looked far into the future of a world free of discs and removable media. What are your thoughts? Oh…and ‘Thank You’ for reading! I truly value your feedback.

One last thing to think about….Hard drives are next on the chopping block! Start preparing yourself for this reality.

Happy Valentine’s Day From DODOcase

Posted by on February 12, 2011 No comments

I absolutely love everything about this company and their product and services. This is just one of those organizations that seems to get it and treats customers like gold. I figured the best way to thank them was to share this with you all. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone. Be sure to take the time to tell that someone special how you feel about them.

Happy Valentine’s Day from DODOcase! from DODOcase on Vimeo.

A little fun for the holiday of love…enjoy!

Perspectives: Wildlife Technology That Could Save Your Life

Posted by on January 26, 2011 No comments

Hello there heathaplexVISION fans! I’ve decided to start a new trend on my blog and get off the beaten path every now and then. Gotta keep things fresh and it starts with expanding your horizons. From time to time we’ll explore the world of design and design thinking, leadership and leaders in action, or that something special that I feel may inspire you and make you go hmmmmm. Perhaps we’ll just refer to these posts as “Perspectives.” So check out the header and let’s start this crazy journey.

For my inaugural post I ran across an amazing international design competition aimed at reducing road hazards on our nation’s highways through the use of wildlife-safety bridges. This initiative not only preserves the natural beauty of our environment but could potentially save our $8 billion roadkill problem. Even if we could cut this back in half, it’s a step in the right direction. Plus, just think of the lives and animals that could be saved because of these bridges. I’ll let the video speak for itself, but if you would like more information check out the article by Suzanne Labarre’s (Senior editor at Co.Design) on FastCompany.com here: “A Simple Concrete Bridge That Could Save America’s Wildlife.” Enjoy!

ARC: International Wildlife Crossing Infrastructure Design Competition from ARC on Vimeo.

ARC will engage the best and most innovative international, interdisciplinary design teams—comprised of landscape architects, architects, engineers, ecologists, and other experts—to create the next generation of wildlife crossing structures for North America’s roadways. This competition seeks specifically from its entries, innovation in feasible, buildable context-sensitive and compelling design solutions for safe, efficient, cost-effective, and ecologically responsive wildlife crossings. In doing so, it hopes to raise international awareness of a need to better reconcile the construction and maintenance of road networks with wildlife movement.

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