Categories
Design Information Technology Innovation Software

Watch Erik Johansson’s “Impossible photography” talk at TED

Erik Johansson creates realistic photos of impossible scenes — capturing ideas, not moments. In this witty how-to, the Photoshop wizard describes the principles he uses to make these fantastical scenarios come to life, while keeping them visually plausible […]

Categories
Design Innovation Readings Software

Autodesk software behind ‘Best Visual Effects’ Academy Award Nominees

The five movies nominated for the “Best Visual Effects” Oscar havea something fairly obvious in common: They all relied on special software to create the effects. Check out the various 3D tools from Autodesk that were used for each film […]

Categories
Economics Information Technology Trend Watching

Internet in Brazil: Active Internet users grew 14% year-on-year

The number of active Internet users in Brazil in September 2011 was 46,300,000, an increase of 14% over the same month last year. With the new number, Brazil beats Germany, France and the UK in number of active users at home or at work. The Brazil ranks third in the list of countries that monitor the internet using the same methodology […]

Categories
Design Economics Information Technology Trend Watching

Information Technology in Brazil: two factories of screens for tablets to be built

The Brazilian Minister of Science and Technology, Aloízio Mercadante said recently that Brazil will have two factories touch screens for tablets. He met at the Presidential Palace with President Rousseff and executive Terry Gou, the chairman of Foxconn, a Taiwanese company that produces the iPhone and iPad from Apple and will be responsible for making the screens […]

Categories
Consumer Behavior Economics Information Technology

Information Technology in Brazil: bill that creates tax incentives for the production of tablets is enacted into law

Tax incentives for the production of tablets in Brazil were enacted into law recently, according to publication of the provisional measure that stimulates the manufacture of the devices in the country free of PIS and Cofins in the Diário Oficial da União. Devices that have “a central processing unit with input and output data through a touch screen area exceeding 140 square centimeters with no keyboard” will benefit from the new law. […]

Categories
Consumer Behavior Economics Information Technology Trend Watching

Consumer Behavior in Brazil: Internet is the media that most influences buying tablet computers

The Internet is the medium that most influences the decision to buy a tablet for the Brazilians, according to market research firm Ipsos in nine Brazilian markets. The comments by word of mouth are second in time to help the user decide to purchase […]

Categories
Design Innovation Software

Watch Aaron Koblin’s “Crowds and Clouds: Data, Sheep, and Collaboration” talk at MIT’s Office of the Arts

Where others see just data points and fodder for bar graphs, Aaron Koblin visualizes dynamic systems where information assumes forms both abstract and familiar. In this talk, Koblin shares recent projects that meld statistical science and art to convey a really big picture, while often inviting the viewer to partake in a more personal experience […]

Categories
Consumer Behavior Economics Trend Watching

Consumer Behavior in Brazil: leading in worldwide purchase of mobile phones and HD TVs

Brazilian consumers led the purchase of mobile phones, HDTVs, digital cameras and netbooks in a study by consultancy Accenture. The annual survey on electronic products and services, highlighting the emergence of “a new paradigm of consumer technology,” calls attention to the emerging countries’ thirst for consumer electronics, compared to more stable markets of rich countries […]

Categories
Consumer Behavior Information Technology Software Trend Watching

Information Technology in Brazil: PC sales sets record and Brazil moves up to 3rd place in the world ranking, says IDC

Brazil shipped 3.8 million PCs between April and June of 2011, behind only China and the United States […]

Categories
Consumer Behavior Economics Trend Watching

Watch Joseph Pine’s “what consumers want” talk at TED

Customers want to feel what they buy is authentic, but Mass Customization author Joseph Pine says selling authenticity is tough because, well, there’s no such thing. He talks about a few experiences that may be artificial but make millions anyway […]