Apple acquires high-end 3D company
I saw today on <a href="http://www.macminute.com" target="_blank">http://www.macminute.com</A> that Apple bought <a href="http://www.nothingreal.com/" target="_blank">Nothing Real</a>, described as a high-end 3D company whose software was used to make the Lord of the Rings.
Animation Studio Pro?
Animation Studio Pro?
Comments
<strong>I saw today on <a href="http://www.macminute.com" target="_blank">http://www.macminute.com</a> that Apple bought <a href="http://www.nothingreal.com/" target="_blank">Nothing Real</a>, described as a high-end 3D company whose software was used to make the Lord of the Rings.
Animation Studio Pro?</strong><hr></blockquote>
maybe they need people to make OpenGL half decent?
either way, this (software) combined with the raycer (hardware) purchase could be interesting. plus the rumors of G5s plus the new amazing Geforce 4Ti, hmmmmm
Sounds like their stuff is workflow-oriented more than the primary modeler or renderer. Does anyone have more info on the two titles as their website is essentially down?
[added: ah, showing my complete ignorance. I saw animation and just assumed... I done me homework now. No wonder I never heard of it. ]
[ 02-06-2002: Message edited by: BuonRotto ]</p>
3D? <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
You'd probably need some red-blue glasses if you want 3D.
[ 02-06-2002: Message edited by: Nostradamus ]</p>
But if they are running on underpowered hardware like their PowerMac is a real joke....
[quote] Tremor is an integrated software/hardware solution running on Hewlett-Packard computers with storage supplied by Ciprico. <hr></blockquote>
Now this is interesting. Could apple be putting togther a high-end workstation capable of HDTV and 601 uncompressed I/O ? Will the software features of Shake and Tremor be built into Final Cut Pro, or share a tight integration ? Sounds promising.
<strong>First they buy Raycer who does 3D hardware then Maya is ported to X, then they buy a top end 3D compositing package. Soundl like they are going after SGI's market in a big way. But there ain't no way even a dual 1.0 G4 is going to run those at speeds/$$ performance folks are going to be happy enough to leave Linux or Irix for. Apple is up to something and betting big on it. Timing is the question, dominance in Hollywood is the apparent goal.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Apple is always up to something The hardware is coming. Might finally shut up some people too... <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" /> Ok maybe people will always complain
<strong>Rexicult is right, this isn't 3d, it's 2d. It's motion graphics compositing for film & video.</strong><hr></blockquote>
What exactly is "motion graphics compositing"? Is it related to blending multiple layers of images, some of which may be partialy transparent (which is supposedly part of why Quartz is slow)?
Perhaps we should track Apple's procurements in the past 18 months or so; it may give us the master plan.
<strong>there are rumors of them working on an audio app to compete with Digidesign Pro Tools.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Who says they want to compete with Digidesign? Didn't you notice that the new |HD system is strictly mac, at least for now? If that doesn't show that Apple hardware already dominates the audio indudtry, I don't know what does.
<strong>What exactly is "motion graphics compositing"? Is it related to blending multiple layers of images, some of which may be partialy transparent (which is supposedly part of why Quartz is slow)?</strong><hr></blockquote>
That's sort of it. It's a means for taking multiple (flat, 2d) picture elements and creating a sort of moving or evolving collage of these elements, along with other elements like text. Special effects (movements, fades, filters) might be applied to one or all of the elements individually or together.
The system looks at all the elements you're using, and all your "instructions" for how to interleave & collage them, and how everything moves over time, and it renders a composite motion graphic out of all those elements.
<strong>Who says they want to compete with Digidesign? Didn't you notice that the new |HD system is strictly mac, at least for now? If that doesn't show that Apple hardware already dominates the audio indudtry, I don't know what does.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Pro Tools (the high end pro stuff, not the consumer level gear like the 001 interface and LE and "free" software) seems to be about 99% Mac, even though Windows versions are available.
I've heard plenty of rumors that Apple was considering buying out Avid, and since Avid owns Digidesign, that would give Apple undisputed ownership of the top pro platforms for both pro audio and desktop video. Of course, that's just a rumor, but I've heard it from several people in both the audio & video sides of things.
First Final Cut Pro vs Premiere
Now "Apple (milk) Shake" vs After Effects
Tomorrow we will see the new announcement from Adobe : "We will stop the development of Photoshop for Mac"