Tech to wish for in 2015

Its a new year and I'm really eager to blog more. I've got lots of posts planed for 2015 some I probably should have posted in 2014 but didn't quite get around to finishing.


So to kick of the year I thought's do some tech wishes for 2015. I'm not saying these will make it to the UK market, but some are in US market so next logical step is Europe.

and after all we are in the future......

First on my list is Disc to Digital, now this is slowly growing in US but essentially is a way to get your DVD's onto the ultraviolet platform and then have ability to play them. I'd like to see this so I can get my large DVD collection in the cloud and eventually into HD (cost permitting). I though can't see why it has to be a cost per disc  CD ripping was around for years and then came iTunes Match and Amazons Auto Rip both of which brought those digital files to the cloud at a reasonable cost.

Oh how nice it would be to free my shelf space of DVD's.

This leads me to my next wish.

Ultraviolet  movie access across itunes/google play, if my collection is in the cloud i'd like to have option of where to watch it from. As an Apple fan I love using my Apple TV to watch my TV collection but my ultraviolet collection is a pain to watch currently its all third party apps which don't let me watch on my television easily or in HD.

One App that has enabled this and I'm really hoping will come to UK is Disney Anywhere  not only can you sync your movies between iTunes and Google it brings the great Disney collection together and all in HD and with iTunes Extras (which for me brings best of DVD to digital).

So keeping with movie theme I'd like to see the release of a TV next year and no not a TV made by apple (though look forward to seeing what they come up with) but a TV built on YouView technology.  Having owned a box I can say currently it is a great connected television box. Like with everything there are still a lot they've just not got right but I think they may just be about to fix all that with future upgrades.

Also if TalkTalk buy Tesco's Blinkbox then we could finally see Ultraviolet get a proper platform on TV in UK. Which if falling in place could see Youview as a technology moving across the world.

Before I move on from TV there is going to be an explosion of programs from British producers flooding the worldwide market in 2015 and it will all start with the launch of BBC Store. The one stop shop to get BBC programming from last 50 years. It will also mean other platforms getting access to these programs for their platforms and more as BBC attempts to untangle ownership rights so that all programs ever broadcast on BBC are released on demand. This will obviously see programs broadcast but not owned by other UK Broadcasters profited from for first time in years.

I better wrap up this blog but I think 2015 will be the year of innovation and introduction. We already can see technology for hover-boards on their way. I think its developments from these kind of projects and scientific endeavours that we shall see the biggest change in our lives.

Think new dentistry techniques coming to the market. New health treatments, automated houses, big data used to benefit our lives, the list goes on. I don't even know what to expect or to take educated guesses with.

I want to talk about so much technology in 2015 because I think it will be known as the year that inspired a generation. The year man kind reached a new technological peak. So I hope that I actually have some time to write about things this year as 2015 is ours to explore. 

Final Cut Studio - Where Next?

It's been over a year since the last update to Final Cut Studio, and rumors have been flying around for months the update could be January. I personally think its more likely to be a summer release given the current twenty-four month cycle of the software and the release of new operating system Lion. Though there are changes to this cycle on occasion and the release of Lion could affect a cycle change.

What I thought I'd look at is what we could or should expect from a new release.

Final Cut Pro
The heart of the studio, Final Cut Pro is the industry standard edit program that is beginning to loose it's share to other systems such as Adobe's Premier Pro. Final Cut has been very popular but the code is written in several languages as apple has bolted on features to the original. Rumor is this is where the majority of work will have to take place. The software will need to be re-written entirely in Cocoa, this is a lot of work to keep the same functionality Final Cut users are used to, this though should make it a even stronger and more reliable product. The main benefit of this is the 64bit support many editors want and is already available in Adobe Premier.  It will also give the application a  fresh new look and feel.

One of the most requested features is native support of camera codecs, as more tape-less cameras come to the market, so do more format specific codecs. Its more than overdue that Apple provide these codecs as native way for Final Cut to edit. I personally think that if they can use Camera Raw for Photo editing its the same concept for video. I think in the long run it will allow less problems due to multiple conversions.

Once that's all been dealt with there may be little time to actually build new features, but I think that Final Cut needs to build this release as more than a interface refresh. Considering how little went into the last release.

It should defiantly look at supporting stereoscope editing (editing 3D movies) as this is becoming increasingly popular the need for the right tools is only going to grow so Final Cut should be the first at the table.

I'd like to see some additions to 'Scratch Disks', as someone who deals with tape-less filming amongst multiple users I find the need to set my scratch disks to a local external hard drive for editing but at the same time a duplicate to be sent to the shared storage. This is a big thing duplicating media in an age where tape is being used less and less, you find people get more paranoid about loosing data. Dual copying of media is a must for any professional.

Further to this and I've mentioned it in previous blogs, I'd like to see more integration with Final Cut Server as I can see this benefiting the shared storage environments and the idea of edit in place editing that most larger post houses are looking at.


All this is under the hood stuff, you expect final cut to do anyway. So what about the bells and whistles.
I think for that we need to look at other applications made by Apple. As with anything Apple does, if the consumer app does it well, the pro apps will do it better. So I see more integration with pro apps such as Aperture and Logic. I see features from the other final cut applications shared more, as some of the advanced abilities are made available in a limited way within Final Cut. I'm always looking for a way to blur out peoples faces or non broadcastable material such as adverts or car number plates. I want to able to do this in final cut in as few buttons clicks as possible but find motion having the better tools.

The biggest features though will come from iMove, I think the majority of their new features will make its way into some of the Final Cut pro suite. Personally I think Face detection will be good for metadata or for blurring out faces.  One step effects would be welcome to most editors especially if there are some extra parameters for them to tweak.

I think the share function will grow with the ability to create custom compressor droplets that will publish to youtube from with in Final Cut, meaning video producers can automate more of their process. We may even see integration with Vimeo, which is becoming the favorite video site for filmmakers to post on if they want to be taken seriously.

One feature i really want to see is the ability to bring master templates in with audio. There are some I've created in Motion that when I'm using in Final Cut require the audio as well as video.  Having to add the audio separate seems pointless when I've used it to create the graphics in the first place.

All in all I think the next Final Cut Pro could be the best but I have a feeling Apple will again hold back on major features in a bid to get the under the bonnet stuff working correct.


Motion
Motion is a program I have love, hate relationship with but its becoming increasingly powerful with each release and I think the next one may see the biggest changes.
Again iMovie features should be making it into Motion. I think the news and sport templates will make it across with the focus on providing real time graphics. Real time graphic support would bring a lot more power to the already bulging application but I think Motion will look to take on traditional news graphic systems with some new tools.

I also think iMovies unique way of creating trailer credits will filter across and extend to creating end credits. I think we will start seeing this auto filling from meta data available more often. Taking a long task of creating credits into a few easy steps.

If Apple were to make Final Cut Pro cope with 3D surely Motion would see stereoscope graphic capability.

I do think though that we will see many of Shakes capabilities filter into Motion. We could see better integration with CGI programs to embed 3D objects or environments. Who knows maybe Shake will become part of Final Cut Studio or at least a major part of Motions capabilities.

Soundtrack Pro
Sound track has a lot of work to do, its a wonderful program when it works. That's the problem it's not the most stable program in the suite, in fact I find freeware like Audacity more stable. Which is a real shame for a program with such potential.

So first thing I want to see in the next version is better stability, I want to have to try and break the program not see it quit of it's own accord.

Again I think we'll see some of iMovies new audio features being used as well as Logic and Garage Band bringing features to the table.

My biggest wish is for Soundtrack to get 64bit compatibility and really take on Adobe Audition as an audio editing program. I'm a big fan of Audition and love the fact there is a Mac version coming soon. Having tested the beta version of Adobe's software it seems to be beating Soundtrack Pro as an audio editor.

I'm a person who takes my videos and quiet often have to edit an audio only version for radio, Soundtrack pro would go a long way if it could export Wav files and give me the flexibility and reliability I get from Audition.

Apple take my advise pull your finger out and produce a program that fulfills the same level of functionality as Audition, then push it to match pro tools as your currently not able to match freeware  like Audacity in its current state.

Color
As someone who's only ever briefly used color all I can mainly say is it seems to have some stability issues, that desperately need addressing. On another note there are features I feel are missing or restricted that need to be expanded on.

At the end of the day you need to be a colorist to fully appreciate color and though I enjoy dabbling in the program, I am not a colorist and don't see me having the skill to do so. However I can see the benefits of the program and that Apple will bring some amazing features and development in the future.

Compressor
The most important asset in the suite, as it becomes a fully fledged outputting suite for digital production. Compressor defiantly needs to move to 64 bit support as well as the ability to support 3D conversion/output.

There are more features I want to see though, as mentioned earlier I want to be able to set me publishing output such as YouTube in compressor so that it becomes a simple share option in Final Cut Pro. I want to be able to publish to Vimeo. Audio conversion I think needs better support in compressor with publishing for not only podcast producer but for websites (HTML5) and to audio hosting sites such as ONM Voice or Mix Cloud. I dearly miss Visual Hub and Audio Hub for file conversion and feel Compressor just needs to meet this amazing program.

I love the fact I can add water marks to my video during compression but I want to take this a step forward and bring in a feature mostly found when printing to tape. That is the idea of slates or bumpers. As I export videos sometimes you want to put bars, slates or countdowns at the beginning as its going into a tape-less playout system. In my case videos I produce always need to be top and tailed with a short video bumper, this is normally a short motion video of the companies logo. Now I'm fine doing that in Final Cut but most of the time its a hassle to add to something just for a web output.

I think compressor is soon to become more important, as we move away from physical media into the digital world. We've already seen Apple introduce iTunes LP and iTunes Extra but there isn't a program that helps create that. Maybe this is what we shall see in future versions of compressor.

DVD Studio Pro
Lets be honest, DVD Studio Pro hasn't been updated in years and it probably won't be this time. With dwindling sales of DVD and no advancement in the technology the program is just waiting to die. I hear people shouting what about Blue-ray. Why its true that Apple could create more support for Blue-ray, in this version it's doubtful. Blue-ray has only been taken up as well as it has due to PS3 and the gaming market. I do see the advantage of having a disk that holds so much content and in my opinion its more to archive your material on a physical format rather than for watching it.

Apple feels the same way as they are pushing digital downloads, for me Blue-ray is the modern day Mini-Disk. A great technology but it came a little too late as digital downloads are already available. I feel we shall see a lot of the features reserved for DVD going to compressor for digital download creation. The only other option is for the whole program to get a radical overhaul and become a a one stop shop for creating menu based content for DVD, Blue-ray and digital media. Though again I doubt Apple would even waist the time unless they wanted to do a similar thing for a future version of iLife.

Anything Else
With Final Cut Studio Apple always try to bring something new, this normally means buying some existing technology and repacking it. The last time they did that they brought Color into the suite, which is now two versions ago. I think that the next thing will follow in Adobe's foot steps and copy Adobe On Location. This application is all about transferring your footage on location and meta-data. Now I think Apple will just start with the meta-data side seen as a lot of the functionality and future I've mentioned has meta-data underlining. I honestly see Apple using an iPad app to access and update meta-data on location and sync with files via something like Final Cut Server.

I doubt Apple would ever go down the script writing route unless they acquired a program like Final Draft. I think for now Apple would rather work with the company to create better integration.

As I've mentioned the big things for the next update is 64 bit and stereoscope support. This is Final Cut Studios big chance to fight critics and Adobe's closing market dominance. I guess we will have to wait and see what is the next big step for this Pro Apps Suite.

Apple Apps I want to see on iOS

I am a big Apple fan and I am fast falling into the hardcore category, I work on a mac, I own a mac, I have an iPhone, an iPod. I spend most of my time working on apple products or software and I'm trying to save for an iPad as I want one to ease my working day.

This got me thinking of the Apps available on the iOS and what I'd like to see in future.

So I looked at what's currently available:

Mobile Me Related apps - iDisk, Find My iPhone, Gallery
iWorks Related - Pages, Keynote, Numbers, Keynote remote
iLife Related - iMovie
Remote (iTunes controller), iBooks

That's not to mention Mail, iTunes, App Store, Notes, Photos, Calculatore, Contacts that are built in iOS but also appear on my Mac.

So what could we see appear in the future, that i personally would like Apple to make.

I think that we will start with iLife applications, obviously iMovie has made the transfer and iPhoto is represented as Photos but what else.

First I think that the new release of iLife that's rumored to have a mystery application, will see an iOS flavor, whether that's something on the iOS already on Mac or a app release iwe will have to wait and see. I'm expecting an encoding/sharing software like compressor for creating iTunes content such as videos or audio maybe even iTunes LP's.

Next I'd expect iWeb to make an appearance in the apps store. This web building tool is for blogging, podcasting, updating my website so I'd expect to be able to blog on the road with the iPad or podcast on the iPhone and it sync with my Mac version especially if I'm publishing to Mobile me.

Garage Band is the program I think would be the most interesting to turn into a series of apps. It's so big but has three distinct sections I'd love to see as separate apps.

First is the most recent addition of 'Learn to Play" I can see this being a very advanced app, where it's a store for downloading lessons like the artist lessons already available, but extends the range of instruments and artists available, i'd also think it appropriate to provide sheet music via this store. Really breaking away the learning at the computer and opening up even more creativity.

Second, is the podcasting capabilities of Garageband and how that integrates with Podcast Producer another Mac program.  This could become an amazingly useful app that could integrate with the iWeb app and social networks to bring something quite unique.

Thirdly the heart of Garage band is to create music so an app to allow music notation or basic music creation would be beatifically to any musician who finds the creative juice take hold.

These apps would complement what I currently use on my computer and bring my creativity with me always. For me though there are still things missing and these are found by more advanced users of Apple products.

ARD or Apple Remote Desktop is an application for administering computers among other tasks. Many of the features available in ARD are available in apps already but I'd like to have access to my ARD on an iPad when I'm away from my computer because that's always when I need access to ARD's functions.

Pro Apps - These applications are for the advanced photographers, filmmakers and musicians now I'm sure every application has some features that would be ideal for the iOS, for me though it falls into Final Cut Server. Though the program needs lots of work as a whole, what it does well I'd like to have access to as an app. Such as using the client app on my mac to look through files, play video and add meta-data to be able to do this on the move would be great. My ultimate wish would be to use my iOS device to send the data via a Final Cut Server App to my server, whether that's just the meta data notes or the actual files, all of it would befit the filmmaker. This I think will have to wait for the technology to catch up.

So by looks of it there are still potential for a lot of programs to become apps in the future its only our imaginations that can stop us.