Event Date: Thursday 9th June 2011 - London

MacVideo Expo, June 9, 2011

Bringing together the best of the digital video scene, MacVideo Expo is shaping up to be the major 'shoot and edit' event for 2011. Featuring: exhibitor showcase, buffet meal, new products in action, and the chance to network with fellow creatives and colleagues.

Click to reserve your place

 

4pm Doors Open

4.15pm Rick's camera tips, filming on location and being prepared for whatever the client throws at you - Rick Young, Producer/Director

5pm Exhibitors' showcase; enjoy good food and drink; network and meet with colleagues and filmmakers

6.30pm Show Starts

* Discussion: preparing for Final Cut Pro X - a lifeline for making sure you don’t get caught out by the on-coming shift in editing technology

* Headline Sponsor: Adobe - new features CS5

* Guest Speaker: Guest Speaker: James Tonkin - Hangman Studios - director James Tonkin will share his approach and workflows behind several recent projects, including the specifics behind using DSLRs for a live 10 camera concert shoot and most recently filming with the Sony NEX-FS100 and PMW-F3. James has created documentaries, commercials and DVDs for a number of artists from Bjork to companies such as Jaeger and Coco De Mer. He has also directed music videos for Robbie Williams. James will share knowledge of working with Final Cut Pro including the recent addition of DaVinci's Resolve for colour grading.

8pm Break

* Headline Sponsor: AJA Video Systems - shooting to ProRes and latest product news

* Sponsor: AVID Media Composer 5.5

* Guest Speaker: M dot Strange - the self taught 3D animator known for producing, We Are The Strange, a full-blown animated feature film, single-handedly! After 4 years of hard work M dot Strange will preview, for the first time ever, excerpts from his new movie: Heart String Marionette. M dot Strange is an animator, filmmaker and musician, and is regarded as having produced what would normally take a team of people months or years of work. 

10:30pm Finish

MacVideo Expo will take place at:

Royal Society of Medicine
1 Wimple Street
London
W1G 0AE

Date: June 9, 2011

Click to reserve your place

Keep watching this page, more details coming soon

Sponsors & Exhibitors

Videos Sponsored By

As we’ve suspected for a long time, Apple is very close to launching an online music service which may go by the name iCloud. The basic idea is that it will mirror your iTunes collection online so that it is available on any device without clunky cable syncing.

While getting rid of those cables will be a big step forward, if iCloud is nothing more than a music locker service it won’t go far towards transforming digital music, as BusinessWeek proclaims. Brad Stone and Andy Fixmer at BusinessWeek report that three out of the four major U.S. music labels have already signed up with Apple, and the fourth is about to sign. This will give Apple a huge advantage over already-announced music services from Amazon and Google, both of whom failed to secure licenses from the music industry and thus launched with compromised products. Since they don’t have the right licenses for streaming music, they require consumers to upload their music collections to the “locker” services. (Apparently, Google was willing to pay the labels $100 million up front for the music rights, “but talks broke down over the music industry’s concern that search results in Google and YouTube often point to pirated music”). Apple will simply index your collection and mirror it without the need for bulky uploads. Here is how BusinessWeek describes Apple’s upcoming iCloud music service:

Armed with licenses from the music labels and publishers, Apple will be able to scan customers’ digital music libraries in iTunes and quickly mirror their collections on its own servers, say three people briefed on the talks. If the sound quality of a particular song on a user’s hard drive isn’t good enough, Apple will be able to replace it with a higher-quality version. Users of the service will then be able to stream, whenever they want, their songs and albums directly to PCs, iPhones, iPads, and perhaps one day even cars.

. . . While it may be a huge shift, it won’t be free. Apple no doubt has paid dearly for any cloud music licenses, and it’s unclear how much of those costs it will eat or pass on to consumers. One possibility would be to bundle an iCloud digital locker into Apple’s MobileMe online service, which currently costs $99 a year and synchronizes contacts, e-mail, Web bookmarks, and other user data across multiple devices.

So let me get this straight. Apple’s iCloud will be iTunes online, with a few features that make it slightly better than Google’s Music Beta—namely, I won’t have to spend hours uploading my music collection and I will get better quality audio files for some songs. That’s all great, but I am not sure it is enough for me to pay a monthly subscription. If it’s bundled with MobileMe, it certainly would make that service more appealing, but I wouldn’t pay for iCloud as a standalone service if that is all there is to it. And certainly, this could turn out to be only one part of a revamped MobileMe service. Depending on what else will be added, iCloud could help push more MobileMe subscriptions overall.

But let’s take iCloud as a standalone service. If it’s so great, people should be willing to pay for it on its own. But why would I pay a monthly subscription for the privilege to listen to my own music collection streamed from the Internet? I’ve already paid for all those songs, and now I am going to pay again just to have them available online? I don’t think so. Guess what, I can already do that for free with Google Musc beta. Sure, it takes a while to upload all of your songs. But it’s all done in the background with a music manager desktop software that you download. When I did it, I was surprised at how fast my songs became available—so much so that I thought Google was mirroring my collection. (You can see what Google Music Beta looks like in this episode of Fly or Die, which I’ve embedded below).

Forget about streaming your own collection from the cloud. That’s great and all, and it should be a feature of iTunes included for free. If I am going to pay a monthly subscription for a music service, I’d better be getting access to any song I want. I’d rather sign up for Rhapsody, Rdio, or (one day) Spotify, and get unlimited access to millions of songs. If Apple wants to truly transform digital music again, it needs to change the way we consume and pay for it. If iCloud is just a better music locker, it’s not terribly exciting. If it’s also a jukebox in the sky with a full-blown music subscription service tied to my existing iTunes collection—well, now I’m listening.

RELATED POSTS:

• Apple Is Said to Secure Music Accords With Labels for ITunes Cloud Service 

• Apple Patents A Streaming Music Service That Has A Key Advantage Over Current Providers

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• New York Public Library brings history to your fingertips with Biblion for iPad

 

Facebook has no iPad app. It’s ridiculous. Their iPhone app is the most downloaded app in the history of apps. And third-party iPad apps (many of which aim to trick users) constantly dominate the top 10 lists for both free and paid apps. And yet, Facebook doesn’t seem to care at all about the device. Because they’re all about HTML5, right?

Well, someone might want to tell the Seattle office that.

On the jobs page for the relatively new Seattle Facebook office, one of the openings is for “Software Engineer, Desktop Software”. Desktop software. Desktop. Before the damn iPad. Hey Facebook, 1986 called, they want their strategic vision back.

Seriously though, this isn’t just one engineer they’re looking for to work on fun products (like the nifty, but experimental Mac Desktop Notifications app), this is an entire team they’re building. Again, to work on desktop apps. The job description:

The desktop software team is a new team at Facebook based out of Seattle, WA. We will be working on new products that we expect to deliver to millions of users’ computers to help make their entire computing experience more social. Facebook is seeking experienced Software Engineers in Seattle to join this team.

The job asks for expertise in creating desktop applications for Mac and/or Windows (Linux fans can now revolt as well).

Other responsibilities include:

• Work closely with our product and design teams to define feature specifications
• Work closely with our Platform team to build server-side APIs and interfaces in support of these applications
• Conduct design and code reviews

Is Facebook actually building a full-fledged desktop app? If so, that’s awesome. But again, it doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense given their stated (over and over again) commitment to HTML5 and that being the key driver for why they don’t have an iPad app.

Of course, I also don’t believe that they’re not actually building an iPad app. I think they just thought they could get away with not building one (remember “the iPad isn’t mobile” — but the desktop is?) and only more recently realized they should probably be on the fastest growing new computing platform in history.

And then there’s the Facebook Phone project. Which totally doesn’t exist. Double pinkie swear (with fingers crossed behind the back).

Or might this be about the Facebook Browser that I’ve been thinking about for a while? That might actually make a lot of sense.

Interesting times for the social network. I just better see that damn iPad app before I see a desktop client.

With WWDC quickly approaching, the rumor mills are heating up with what we should expect at Apple’s annual conference known for big announcements. We’ve learned a little bit more that speaks to what to expect — including a couple of big, widely-requested things.

First of all, a lot of sites seem to be working themselves into a tizzy about the so-called “iPhone 4S”. While it has already been widely reported that there will not be any major hardware announcements at WWDC this year, people seem to be letting their imaginations get the best of them anyway. This site, for example, notes that Apple is pushing for British journalists to fly out for WWDC. And today, there’s a report about Australian journalists getting the same message. Both conclude this must be for the “iPhone 4S”.

As Electricpig writes:

A source tells us that Apple’s UK iPhone PR team is approaching journalists from major publications to fly out to the event in San Francisco next month. The obvious conclusion would be that Apple is announcing a new iPhone. Or rather, an updated model. The iPhone 4S is slated as a stop-gap before the appearance of a true, ‘&%!*, they’ve done it again!’ game-changer next year.

In no way is that an obvious conclusion. I’m not disputing the fact that Apple’s iPhone PR team wants people at this event. But guess what else that PR team is in charge of? iOS.

Apple is Apple — they may always have a “one more thing” up their sleeve. And at least one of our sources still thinks that Apple will surprise with some new iPhone hardware. But right now, we’re not buying it. All other (solid) indications are that there will still be no hardware announcements at WWDC. None. And the extension of invitations to journalists in no way indicates anything different.

Instead, we’re hearing that Apple is pushing for journalists to come to WWDC because the software announcements will be huge (and they likely know that journalists hearing there will be no iPhone 5 announcement may choose to stay home instead this year). And the changes will be vital for all developers in the Apple ecosystem(s) to know about.

And remember, this isn’t just about iOS 5. This is about Apple’s entire software backbone. iOS and OS X are both about to receive massive upgrades at the same time. And both will likely be extensively previewed at WWDC. Add to this Apple’s cloud announcements (which may or may not include the “iCloud” music stuff) and you suddenly have a WWDC that looks anything but boring, new iPhone or not.

The second bit of information we have heard is about iOS 5 itself. First of all, while we’ve been leading the reports of Nuance technology being fully baked into iOS 5, one place we’ve heard it won’t be used (at least not yet) is Voice Control. That’s odd since it’s perhaps the most obvious usage. But apparently, in the builds of iOS 5 currently being tested, the little-used feature hasn’t changed at all, we hear.

That could obviously change before the release (which is still likely months away, even though it will be previewed at WWDC), but apparently the Nuance technology is meant for bigger things more core to the OS than that one feature.

The other big news for iOS5 — and yes, I’ve completely buried the lede here, thanks for reading! — two things: completely revamped notifications and widgets.

Expect a lot more in a couple weeks. Obviously, we’ll be there live covering the event.

Today, during their Google Wallet/Offers unveiling at the NYC headquarters, Google touted the openness of their new system. Naturally, someone asked a question about what this meant for other, non-Android phone?

“In terms of iPhone, RIM, Microsoft — we will partner with everyone,” Google VP of Commerce Stephanie Tilenius said. Of course, that depends on two things: 1) the inclusion of NFC chips in their phones. 2) the willingness to work with Google on this system.

The former seems to be a sure thing at this point. The latter? Yeah…

It has been widely rumored for months that Apple was working on their own NFC solution for a future version of the iPhone (perhaps the next iteration, perhaps not). It is coming, and Apple is going to want to use their own payment solution. The same is likely true for Microsoft and RIM. NFC is a huge opportunity — massive, really — it doesn’t make a lot of sense to partner with a rival on it.

Probably knowing this, Tilenius was sure to follow up with the big stats. In the past six months, Android is the leading mobile operating system, she noted. They have 50 percent of the market now. She reiterated that Google is making a huge bet on NFC and they’re willing to work with any partner on this.

We’ll see what those potential partners have to say…

Update: But there may be another way. While Google only mentioned it in passing, apparently, there will be a sticker that can be applied to any device (on the back or where ever a customer wanted to put it) that can hold the information for one card. This sticker, when tapped on an NFC device, then works with Google’s cloud and an app on your phone to handle payments.

In other words, if the other players were willing to accept a Google Wallet app on their devices, a somewhat limited (again, one card) version of this system could work pretty easily without hardware modification. Next question: would Apple approve such an app?

Last month, French researchers Jeremie Francone and Laurence Nigay posted a video showing off a method for using head tracking by a device's camera to simulate three-dimensional scenes for the iPad, a concept in which Apple has expressed some interest.

As noted by MacStories, a new demo app from Francone and Nigay known as i3D has appeared in the App Store, giving users the opportunity to test out the technology on their own devices.

i3D is a free universal app running on the iPad 2, iPhone 4, and fourth-generation iPod touch. It contains a sample video image displaying a bounding box as it tracks the user's head location, as well as five demos showing the simulated 3D perspective that can be generated using the tracking.

RELATED POSTS:

• Franken pushes Apple, Google toward privacy policies for apps

• Brightcove steps into app creation biz with App Cloud 

• Hackathon Hacker Builds Working iPhone-based Torrent Streamer

 

TechnoBuffalo shares claimed details of Verizon's internal testing for the iPhone 4, highlighting security measures taken by Apple and the carriers to maintain control over the test units.

According to the report, a small number of Verizon employees were provided with iPhones two weeks before the public debut, using them out in the field to ensure that there were no last-minutes hitches in real-world performance. Staffers receiving iPhones were of course required to sign non-disclosure agreements regarding the new hardware, which the source unsurprisingly describes as being above and beyond what is typically required for unreleased hardware. Those privy to the testing process were also reportedly instructed to never refer to the iPhone by name, instead using the code name "Acme" to refer to the device.

But what is particularly interesting are the security methods reportedly employed to help ensure that the handsets remained in the possession of the testers, a system that required testers to manually report in on their devices every twelve hours.

Our source describes a unique protocol requiring staffers to text a secret PIN code to a dedicated phone number every 12 hours. This served as ongoing confirmation that the handset was still in the proper hands. So no PIN code, no functionality.

Early field testing in Apple Stores around the country reportedly began as much as six months ahead of the Verizon iPhone's launch, but it was only in the last several weeks before launch that testing opened up beyond engineering staff to a broader, albeit still select, group of Verizon employees. As is par for the course with Apple product releases, the vast majority of Verizon employees were kept in the dark about the iPhone testing and launch plans.

 

 

Sen. Al Franken

(Credit: Sen. Al Franken)

 

U.S. Sen. Al Franken wants Apple and Google to require that apps clearly detail their privacy policies so users can better understand what information is being collected.

Franken (D-Minn.) sent a letter to Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Google CEO Larry Page this morning thanking them for sending company representatives to his hearing on mobile privacy earlier in the month. Franken also followed up on a request made during that hearing to make privacy policies "clear and understandable," saying there was work to be done to get that information out there in the first place.

"Unfortunately, neither of your companies requires that apps on your stores have a privacy policy. As a result, a significant portion, and potentially a majority of apps, on your stores lack privacy policies," Franken wrote. Consumers "want more transparency and control about who is getting their information, how it is being used, and who it is being shared with."

Franken cited studies by TRUSTe and Harris Interactive, as well as The Wall Street Journal, which noted that many popular applications did not contain links to privacy policies, with others not having a policy to begin with.

"Requiring that each app in your stores have a clear, understandable privacy policy would not resolve most of the privacy concerns in the mobile market," Franken wrote. "But it would be a simple first step that would provide users, privacy advocates, and federal consumer protection authorities a minimum of information about what information an app will access and how that app will share that information with third parties."

Franken's hearing earlier this month followed the high-profile coverage of the location database discovered in Apple's iOS. That tracking file, which contained information about Wi-Fi hot spots and cell towers, was well-known in the forensics and law enforcement community, but questions arose as to what Apple's intentions were.

Following a flurry of media and government attention to the matter, Apple explained that the file was a smaller part of a location database used by its devices to more quickly determine their location. Apple also tipped its strategic hand slightly in mentioning that the company had plans to use the file to provide detailed traffic information as part of a future service. Apple then drastically scaled back on the size of the database that's stored on the device, as well as taking measures to let users delete any local database files, along with promising to encrypt the information in a future iOS update.

Besides Apple, Google and Facebook were called to provide testimony at not only Franken's hearing but also at a separate subcommittee hearing, which took place last week. That hearing also focused on location privacy and its place on mobile devices.

Like Apple and Google, Microsoft collects records of the physical locations of customers who use its mobile operating system, though it has not been targeted in any Senate committee hearings.

Franken closed his letter by saying that "at minimum" Apple and Google should require location-aware apps to have privacy policies that spell out what location information is being collected, how it's being used, and how it's shared with third parties.

"Apple and Google have each said time and again that they are committed to protecting users' privacy," Franken wrote. "This is an easy opportunity for your companies to put that commitment into action."

 

Brightcove, a company best known for its online video platform, is today launching a new online product, dubbed App Cloud, that will help developers create mobile apps.

It looks like App Cloud will do for mobile apps what Brightcove has already done for video publishing — making the production process as painless as possible, while delivering a high quality result.

App Cloud will allow companies to develop apps once using its online interface, and then deploy them as iPhone and Android native apps, as well as mobile web apps.

The apps are built using HTML5, Javascript, and CSS3, but you can also include native code if you wish. Brightcove’s app platform will also make it easy for you to include advertising, engage audiences with notifications, and give you analytics to help you track your app’s performance.

Brightcove joins plenty of other companies aiming to simplify mobile app development, including Red Foundry and Mobile Roadie, but its added experience with its video platform could give it a leg up. The company is reportedly preparing to go public this year, and having a strong mobile app platform will certainly help it seem more valuable.

The company is based in Cambridge, Mass., and has so far raised over $100 million from backers including Hearst Interactive Media, GE Commercial Finance, Allen & Company, Brookside Capital, Maverick Capital, Dentsu, J-Stream, Cyber Communications and TransCosmos.

RELATED POSTS:

• Hackathon Hacker Builds Working iPhone-based Torrent Streamer

• Apple Is Said to Secure Music Accords With Labels for ITunes Cloud Service 

• Dispatch.io, Hackathon Runner-Up, Tames The Cloud

• Google And Amazon May Have Just Handed Apple The Keys To The Cloud Music Kingdom

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Carnegie Mellon student and a future Google intern Sohail Prasad built a working torrent streamer at this weekend’s TC Hackaton and demoed it to us today after tweaking a few things. The product will be available soon at Nowstre.am and Sohail is trying to figure out a more, shall we say “legal,” use case for the product.

The app allows you to grab a torrent link, pass it to the interface, and then begin streaming the video instantly. We saw it work at Disrupt but, obviously, he wants to assure you and the MPAA that he means no harm.

You can sign up for the beta or you can see the product in Sohail’s demo video below.

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