Historically ditto have been loved up with all things Apple, so I’m rather happy to buck the trend and blog about a competitor. We know the current power and reach video has in the digital age, but with Microsoft revealing its brand new interactive video production studio in L.A., they are shining a light on what’s to come in the form of ‘new content’ (in addition to traditional broadcasting and gaming.)

With the rumour mill circling around the next gen Xbox console – equipped with Siri like voice recognition as well as the much loved Kinect – a new and more immersive way of consuming content will be possible. Instead of the traditional one stream of video with one direction for viewing – the consumer will be presented with a more proactive experience in which participation gives the freedom to choose viewing angles and proximity to the subject matter alongside oral interactivity.

The development of real time interactive multi-view video opens up huge possibilities in the video arena – with exceptional opportunities in the realm of advertising. Of the 75 million Xbox consoles sold worldwide so far – Xbox Live has more than 46 million subscribers, users of which spend a monthly average of 87 hours consuming material – with the majority of this being non-gaming content, and with the new console looming, these figures are set to increase.

 The younger demographic will also play a key factor in this new era of video – kids who have grown up with interactivity available over many platforms will embrace the opportunity straight away. The monetisation opportunities attached to this demographic will be huge – hopefully providing some really smart, high-end content for all areas of video consumption.

Developers are now claiming insider knowledge on specifications of the latest consoles from Sony and Microsoft. The two new consoles are predicted to hit the video games market in March 2014.

Any console offerings from Sony and Microsoft deserve serious attention. The game console market is worth about $26 billion. In 2016, the global games console market is forecast to have a value of $36 billion, an increase of 34.7% on 2011. America has the biggest appetite, accounting for 42.4% of the global games console market value. Big money, considering many consoles are sold at a lead loss too with profits made on peripherals and games.

There have been rumours doing the rounds suggesting that Sony is calling the PS4 ‘Orbis’. This comes from sources “who are not authorised to talk publicly about next-gen hardware but has shared correct information” online in the past. The next Xbox has been publicly codenamed as Durango. Both will be powered by processors based on AMD’s Jaguar CPU architecture and offer AMD’s Radeon GCN graphics technology.

Leaked information also points to Sony working on a new controller for the PS4. Some developers are said to be working with dev kits supporting the existing Sixaxis and DualShock 3 pads, as well as PS Move, all integrated into one controller.

The new controller is rumoured to retain the familiar face buttons, two analogue sticks and shoulder triggers of current PlayStation pads, as well as improved vibration and motion-sensing. Excitingly, it’s also rumoured to feature a touch pad, like that found on a iPad, capable of recognising two-point multi-touch.

As for comparative features and performance, we won’t know until the devices are officially released later this year. But either way I can’t wait!

With Christmas rapidly approaching, households are frantic across the UK. Gifts are out of stock, the high street is full and the fridge needs stocking for the perfect Christmas meal. However, amongst the chaos there is one festive activity we can all look forward to. That is putting your feet up and enjoying some great Christmas telly. You can count on seasonal specials of your favourite shows and Hollywood films for the whole family. Firmly in the technological age, we at ditto have been thinking what tech can help us not miss our festive shows.

Freeview + and Sky +

Simple and straight forward. These boxes will record shows using a on-screen planner. Simply look for the shows you want to record and the boxes will remember to save the programme. Both devices will allow you to pause and rewind meaning you’ll never miss a moment.

Tip: A good device will even allow you to record more than one programme whist watching another.

Apple TV

If your a fan of the iTunes store, then Apple TV is a great way of bringing your purchases to the living room. Watch all your purchased Film and TV and browse the store to find new content. A great way to watch exactly what you want when you want. You can choose between renting or purchasing most media which is great for the cost conscious.

Tip: Apple TV will mirror the screen of a iPad 2 or later, great for big screen gaming.

YouView 

Much like Freeview + and Sky +, YouView will allow you to record and pause live TV. Where YouView differs is that it allows you to catch up on most Freeview programmes broadcast at any time via the internet. Great if you catch an episode of a programme and want to enjoy older broadcasts.

Tip: YouView needs a good internet connection to allow you to access the online shows speedily.

Roku

Roku is a cheap little box which will bring family fun to your screen. Although Roku does not show live TV, it allows you to stream catch-up content from BBC iPlayer and Netflix. It will also connect your TV to Facebook, Flikr and Vimeo meaning you can use it like a computer.

Tip: Roku supports games like Angry Birds, you can even use the motion sensitive remote control like a Wii!

Today is d-day for the ultimate next step in mobile phone technology. And it’s not the latest iPhone for once!

Today we see Britain’s communications infrastructure come up to speed with the technology they serve. Mobile phones to wireless tablets and laptops can now enjoy the benefits of the UK’s first 4G network.

Delivering blistering speeds of 15 mbps, it’s comparable to home broadband. Which EE offer too, at incredible speeds of up to 70 mbps.  15 mbps for mobile use can be expected to drop to 8 mbps with a high contention ratio (lots of users using the same mast) and high data demand. However, compared to the ailing speed of 3G at a maximum of 3 mbps with Vodafone and tailing off with T-Mobile at 1.4 mbps, it is still triumphant.

The latest generation of devices including the recent mobile phone efforts of both Samsung with the Note S3 and Apple with the iPhone 5, will now enjoy live streaming and super-fast loading of data hungry software like Maps. Personally, I am looking forward to enjoying more mobile content on the move rather than pre-downloaded music and film. Finally the ratio of watching versus loading will be in the viewers favour!

The time working out a simple set of directions for example, could be halved. First locating the venue via Maps which both uses 4G to locate and load the in formation, then using the mobile Transport for London website to work out a route, and finally, having arrived at the station, using Maps again to calculate the last leg on foot. This is a strenuous task on 3G, often leaving me stuck outside of a station waiting for these vital information tit-bits to arrive, now 4G will leave me no excuse for lateness.

My nano-sim arrives more slowly next month and I can’t wait!

NHK (Nippon Housou Kyoukai), the Japanese equivalent of the BBC, is much more than a national public broadcaster. It is a Japanese institution that continuously pushes forward advances in televisual technology. NHK has recently announced prototype examples of the innovations we can expect to see in our living rooms in the 2020s and even the 2030s! These range from huge leaps in screen size to breathtaking breakthroughs in resolution.

As someone who likes to put their feet up in front of a film on a Sunday, not many developments have caused me to raise an eyebrow from my current setup. 61” Plasma Screen, CHECK, high-end blu-ray player, CHECK, bunch of cables that cost as much as the kit it connects, CHECK. Guests coo at the high definition football players running across individual blades of grass, and close ups of Tommy Lee Jone’s face look like relief maps of the Grand Canyon. Not that I can hear their comments over over the wind inducing surround sound…

The tech which has me looking for change down the back of the sofa is 8K, or just plain 7680 x 4320 pixels. Super Hi-Vision is NHK’s proposed future high-definition TV format. To give you an idea of what those names and numbers amount to, a “Full HD” 1080p picture would take up just a sixteenth of a Super Hi-Vision screen!

The broadcaster has been demonstrating the format in Japan, running on the world’s largest plasma TV, a 145-inch behemoth from Panasonic that would entirely cover many living room walls.

It is reported that viewing Super Hi-Vision content on the screen is a surreal experience — any closer than six feet or so and it’s almost too much information to take in. Like sitting in the front row at an IMAX cinema, you constantly have to look around the display and watch for where the camera’s focus lies.

If you’re already satisfied with 1080p or the size of your set though, there’s still benefit to be found for you in Super Hi-Vision. NHK displayed a touchscreen interface that lets you remotely pinch, zoom, and pan around the picture — you can zoom into an 8K image up to 16x and still get the same clarity as 1080p. The video below features a wide-angle shot of an ice rink. Using Super Hi-Vision, it is possible to zoom in and track individual figure skaters as easily as finding a pub on Google Maps.

Super Hi-Vision has been successfully broadcast at 184Mbps using a dual-channel terrestrial signal, and NHK also demonstrated an IP transmission system that employs eight hardware H.264 encoders for use at live events. This will be put to the test during this year’s Olympic Games in London, with NHK and the BBC collaborating on public Super Hi-Vision screens to be set up in Japan, the UK, and the US. Though probably not for the domestic consumer at this point in time, the best view will still be at the stands!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/events/olympic_screenings

Those of you that have spent idle minutes, (or hours!), browsing the internet will know that an animated GIF image can be a thing of comedy genius. From a laughing baby, to a panda on a slide, or even a father dropping his daughter to catch a baseball, these short animated clips sit somewhere between video and a picture and, in my opinion, the internet is a better place for them.

Cinemagrams aren’t used to create comedies though, nor are they used to record video. No, Cinemagrams are all about movement.

The name alludes to Instagram and although very different, Cinemagram has adopted a community feel similar to that of the $1 billion Facebook acquisition, allowing its users to share images and comments and enabling community appreciation with a following function.

Although making a Cinemagram is an easy enough process to learn, it requires a few goes to master.

In simple terms its just a combination of video and masking that allows users to create an image that has some still and some moving elements. First you take a short piece of video, and then draw, (mask), around the areas where you want to retain movement. The rest of the image remains frozen creating a hybrid between photo and video.

The result can be very clever! And users are given the option of adding a range of vintage filters too, giving their creations a stylised look.

Here is a selection of our favourites…

http://cinemagr.am/uploads/1160987.gif

http://cinemagr.am/uploads/624498.gif

http://cinemagr.am/uploads/654972.gif

http://cinemagr.am/uploads/662611.gif

http://cinemagr.am/uploads/358971.gif

Here at ditto’s Tech Lab, we like to think of ourselves as tech and music aficionados. Some may dismiss us as geeks or music snobs, but for us there is nothing cooler than tweaking dials and bangin’ bass!

So with that in mind we’d like to introduce our new favourite App, Figure by Propellerhead. For those in the know, Propellerhead is a name already synonymous with the leading desktop music production software, Reason. Reason is a virtual studio rack with all the tools and instruments you need to turn your ideas into music.

Figure however is an iOS App, designed specifically for the touchscreen phone. Its interface is graphical and easy to use, instantly allowing users to play with the features.

Music production is split into 3 steps. Drums – tap out a beat using the 4 percussion sliders. Next, add Bass. This uses one finger over a touch pad. Finally add some Lead, using two fingers. And there you have it – you are a superstar producer!

Well, at least for the duration of your commute you are. Get some headphones on and its not long until you’ll be adjusting and tweaking your loops like a pro…

Available for a bargain 69p in the iTunes store now: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/figure/id511269223?mt=8

The latest craze to hit the iTunes App store are drawing games. The premise is simple, draw an object selected for you by the game, and see if other real-life players can guess what the object is. The principle sounds simple and it is. The concept however doesn’t sound like a tear-away success, but with one drawing game currently the no.1 App in over 80 countries, it is!

The concept perfectly utilises the power of the accurate touch-screen displays of iPads and iPhone, and the ease of fingertip drawing. Offering the results for judgement by real human beings is a great buzz. It is both exiting to see if others can make heads or tails of your masterpiece and to try and decipher other users creations. A great mix between the virtual and real.

There are now two clear leaders of the drawing game App market. Depict by Makeshift Games and Draw Something by OMGPOP.

Having played both, we here at ditto are fans of Depict. It’s clearly the winner for us because it offers quick gameplay and a great GUI. Depict is fast paced and exciting, 4 players play at once in a real time turn based rounds. The users are given a multiple choice answer too so deciphering is a little easier. An addictive game for all ages.

Depict is currently 69p in the UK iTunes App Store.

ditto recommends!

ditto is all about creativity. From music and arts to books and film ditto can’t get enough, so it’s always interesting to see a new take. In a new theatre show called 7 Day Drunk, Bryony Kimmings explores the relationship between alcohol and creativity. Now the observation of creativity and substances is well documented – from Aldous Huxley and Jack Kerouac, to John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix. But what’s different about Bryony Kimmings’ take is her regimented analysis.

Enlisting a team of psychologists, psychiatrists, neuroscientists, sociologists, GPs and carers she’d start the day with a double shot of vodka at 10am. Then throughout the day, the carers would carry out regular breath tests to ensure her blood alcohol levels remained at 0.2%, administering vodka when necessary. By day seven, she was downing ten shots of vodka in the morning (within five minutes) and by the end of the experiment had consumed 5.5 litres of vodka.

“By day seven I was so teary and depressed. I’d been told that I’d feel awful and in a state of depression, but when you are in that state you can’t rationalise it,” she told Wired magazine. Although Bryony might have enjoyed a few days of artistic vision, after a week, ditto suspects the creative juices were no longing flowing – bodily maybe, but not creative.

But even so, she endeavoured to compose music, dances and sketches, culminating in a song called “I drink therefore I am” which she performs sober but stealing patterns of behaviour from her drunk self.

“I don’t want to spoil the end of the play, but I wasn’t surprised by the results of the experiment. I think that the false confidence that alcohol gives you can be helpful for creativity but it has a cut-off point.”

ditto thinks the same. The ancient Greeks understood the muse to be a capricious being, one that could not be forced, beckoned or lured with external stimulants. And besides the boss might have something to say when you start swigging from the vodka bottle in your desk at 10am.

7 Day Drunk is on at the Soho Theatre between 13 and 31 March.

Almost 25 billion downloads. That is the epic number of App downloads since the launch of the Apple App Store in June 2008.

Apps are being downloaded by the 100s every second. This represents Apple’s domination of the handheld device market and the success of its App Store framework. Users must enter payment details on registering for an iTunes account, vital for users of Apple devices. This process embeds the ease of use of the store from the outset. At a click, users can download Apps, free or paid, with most loaded and ready to open in a few minutes. This accessibility coupled with the Apps integration with the device creates a secure and comfortable environment for spending, as the figures show, with an estimated $3.6 billion dollars revenue in 2011.

One of the standout successes of the App Store is the game, Angry Birds. The hit game by Rovio, a small Finnish company, is an unlikely pop-culture craze, demonstrating that anyone with coding skills, an idea, and good characters can launch a product that catches on without spending millions for marketing. In 2011 it topped the charts in its free, paid and iPad variants:

Most Downloaded Free App

Facebook

Top Selling Paid App

Angry Birds

Top Grossing App

Tap Zoo

Angry Birds success is perhaps based on two elements. Accessibility and time.

Users can understand the concept instantly and the learning curve is as short as catapulting the first bird. It is engaging for children and adults alike, with universal satisfaction. There are no long-winded intros or stories to distract from the action: pigs and birds are what you get! As for time, a single round of the game can satisfy, and while away less than a minute. However, for those seeking further challenge, hours can be spent tossing the birds in ever more complex structures.

We can learn from this simple application’s success. Consumers want something instantly engaging and easy to use. The tactile action of touch screens can allow complex controls to be simplified into a finger swipe, and understanding the concept is simple. Mastering it, however, is where the application’s persistent appeal lies. Keep it simple and keep it easy.