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The article discusses issues related to the use of dual-core and multi-threaded processors. According to the article, instead of continually upping the speed limit, processor companies chose to make the road wider, adding more processor cores so the central processing unit (CPU) could carry more data with a reasonable speed limit. The first step was to create dual-core processors, which had two processors on a single chip. The concept of having dual processors in one workstation has been a reality for at least a decade. The big difference with a dual-core processor is that both processors are on a single chip. The article notes that in the area of computer animation, video editing and visual effects, the benefits of multi-threaded applications are clear.

Features various computer software that offer animation capabilities. Includes Hash Inc.'s Martin Hash's 3D Animation; Caligari's Truespace; Metacreations' RayDream; Macromedia's Extreme 3D; Valis Group's Pixel Putty.

Focuses on the use of motion-capture technology for making computer animated characters move. Types of human body-capture systems on the market; Systems for capturing facial expressions; Advances in optical capture methods; Digital puppetry; Control of animation using sound.

Discusses the increasing use of desktop computer graphics in composite drawing. Affordability of equipment for desktop graphics prompting the trend; Suitability of the desktop systems to adapt to the rigors of online production; Examples of software packages popular with desktop compositing include After Effects, KPT Final Effects, and Speed Razor.

Focuses on motion-capture technology in the United States. Implementation of the technology; Optical systems; Magnetic systems; Service bureaus. INSET: Designing motion, by GM..

Focuses on Macintosh computer-based three-dimensional animation software. 3D animation marketplace; Character animation tools; Vendors of Macintosh-based 3D animation software. INSET: A more polished Mac for animators..

The article provides information about gaming through mobile phones and devices. It is inferred that Nintendo is the longest-lasting company in the mobile gaming industry, from its black-and-white Gameboy portable console to its wide-area networking-capable Nintendo DSi console that has two screens and two cameras. The iPhone from Apple Inc. reportedly boasts an operating system (OS) that supports standards like Open Graphics Library (OpenGL) for game development.

The article discusses the emerging role of graphics processor units (GPUs) in the computing process. It states that over the years, graphics cards have evolved in terms of greater computing power which allow for a much wider range of applications other than graphics. It also mentions the convergence of the GPU and the central processing units in computers that will eventually result to more applications and faster graphics.

The author discusses the innovations in computer graphics technology, with emphasis on high-end graphics on portable devices like cellular telephones and mobile gaming devices. He notes that startup firm Ngmoco is devoting itself exclusively to gaming for Apple iPhone. He cites that the Blackberry smartphone has a large touch screen and a lot more graphics capability. Information on the Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system and Android phones from Google are given.

This author discusses the impact of the growing demand for high-definition content on compositing. According to the author, compositing is one area that is particularly affected because it combines multiple streams of video into a single image, multiplying the bandwidth requirements and taxing both the hardware and software. He notes that not only does the increased amount of data require faster and more capable computers, it also requires faster software. He claims that one advance that helps high-definition compositing is the advent of the 64-bit operating system.

The article focuses on the advances in workstation graphics cards technology. The latest workstation graphics cards sport faster chips, more memory, and, most recently, support for Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express 2, a faster hardware interface that gets data to the card even faster, the author said. Current graphics cards are based on the PCI Express hardware interface, which replaced the venerable Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) interface a few years ago. All current motherboards support PCI Express, and, as of late last year, this interface has been updated to PCI Express 2, which doubles the bandwidth over the previous generation.

Features In:sync Corp.'s Speed Razor Mach 3.5 computer graphics software. Features and functions; Strengths and weaknesses; Systems requirements; Price; Contact information.

Features ElectricImage Animation System software. Capabilities; Specifications.

The article evaluates the Nvidia Quadro K5200 graphics cards from technology firm Nvidia.

The article offers brief information on the RealFlow 2013 fluid-simulation software from the software development company Next Limit Technologies.

The article reviews mid-range workstation HP Z620 from Hewlett- Packard Co.

The article evaluates the Silhouette FX version 5, a full visual effects suite software.

The article evaluates the graphics card Quadro K5000 by the technology company Nvidia.

The article reviews the environment-generation software Vue xStream Version 11.5 by the computer graphics software developer e-on.

The article reviews the KeyShot 4 rendering software from Luxion.

The article reviews the 3ds Max animation software from Autodesk.

The article reviews the FaceFX software, a solution for creating facial animation and lip sync directly from audio files, from OC3 Entertainment.

The article evaluates the NEC PA271W-BK computer monitor.

The article evaluates Quadro series of professional workstation graphics card from Nvidia.

The article reviews the updated Creative Suite 5 computer graphic software from Adobe.

The article reviews the three-dimensional (3D) software application Maya 2011 from multinational corporation Autodesk Inc.

The article evaluates Nvidia's Quadro FX 3800, a midrange professional graphics card.

The article reviews the interactive 3D sculpting software ZBrush from Pixologic.

The article reviews the Maxwell Render computer software that offers three-dimensional computer graphics applications, from Next Limit.

Reviews the visual effects software Maya 7 from Alias systems Inc.

The article focuses on new mobile workstations desktop models. PCI Express-based graphics and fast processor speeds, along with good ergonomics and large LCD displays, make these mobile powerhouses excellent platforms for virtually any type of graphics work. Right now, there are two main providers of workstation-class graphics chips for the mobile workstation market: ATI, with mobile versions of its FireGL chips, and Nvidia, with its Quadro FX Go chips. ATI has been particularly aggressive in the mobile market, and its FireGL cards have been used in a number of mobile workstations from Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Fujitsu. Nvidia also offers workstation-class mobile chips in its Quadro FX Go series, which has found a home in mobile workstations from Alienware, Dell, and Boxx Technologies. Many mobile workstations currently use Pentium 4 Extreme CPUs, which offer the same speed and power as desktop workstations. Disk speed and capacity are important, particularly when working with large video files.

Now making its debut in a number of products, PCI Express technology is well on its way to becoming an industry standard. Workstations and servers in the graphics community are well known for being the fastest machines on the market. Graphics Professionals demand of their systems cutting-edge speed, whereas processor, graphics, disk, and networking speeds have increased dramatically over the past decade, the PCI bus used to connect those devices, has remained the same in terms of speed for nearly a decade, and it's showing its age. PCI Express completely revamps PCI and provides an upgrade path fast enough for the next generation of workstations and servers. PCI has been the standard bus for PCs for roughly a decade, eclipsing the original ISA bus in the mid-1990s. Over the course of the decade, taster graphics, networking, and hard disks have all pushed the PCI bus to its limit. To remedy the bottleneck, a number of stop gap solutions have been introduced over the years to add more bandwidth.

Motionbuilder 4.0 is the latest offering from Kaydara Inc., a company whose name is almost synonymous with motion capture. It is being presented as a new program but is actually a complete rebuild of Kaydara's Filmbox 3.5 animation system. The new software uses Filmbox technology but features an interface that has been totally revamped to render it more user friendly. In addition, it has a number of new features that make it a robust character animation system that should be highly useful to anyone involved in motion-creation projects. To facilitate this complementary aspect of the program, Kaydara provides Motionbuilder's FBX file format and plug-ins for most of the major 3D packages. INSET: Motionbuilder 4.0.

Features several workstations. Specifications of Wildcat cards from Hewlett-Packard Co.; Availability of Wildcat 6000 series; Retail price of Intellistation M Pro from International Business Machines Corp.

Reviews Image Processing Factory, a suite of integrated computer graphics tools from Los Angeles, California-based RealViz. Task of mixing live-action photos and footage with 3D digital objects.

Reviews the computer software Extreme 3D 2.0 from Macromedia Inc.

Evaluates the features and performance of Immersion Corp.'s MicroScribe-3D digitizing system with Amapi software package. Lightweight graphite for the digitizing arm; Power supply; RS-232 connection to the host computer; Compatible software packages; Efficiency Amapi's digitizer interface; Pricing; Contact information.

Introduces Adobe Systems' After Effects version 3.0 software for designers who work in special effects or post production. Compositing and special-effects tool for the seamless integration of multiple layers of video, graphics and text; Full support for Illustrator and Photoshop files; Motion control and time mapping; Full D1 support; Basic interface; Bezier masking; Pricing; Contact information.

The article evaluates the MSI GT60-20KWS mobile workstation from MSI Computer Corp.

The article reviews Maya 2012, a computer animation software program from Autodesk.

The article focuses on various fashion-wear trends related to the Spring 2009 collection. Good stylists believe that adding layers to clothes enrich their looks. Prada SpA layered tunic-length tops over shorts, which proved the importance of having the lengths and proportions exactly right. It is stated that this season, light-weight trenches are in fashion and the most intriguing and sophisticated application of color is gradation.

The article presents information on the spring 2009 collection of various clothing brands. It is stated that fashion designer Clare Waight Keller's Pringle collection had plenty of fresh modernity, with seamless architecture of colors and shapes. Allegri developed new spinning techniques to create thinned, stretched-out yarns for its spring/summer 2009 collection. Loro Piana & Co. SpA spun cashmere fibers with a gossamer fine silk thread to produce a wrinkle-proof, ultra lightweight fabric.

The article presents information on upgrades made in yarn qualities by yarn producers that participated at the Pitti Filati trade show and the impact of the economic crunch on yarn trade. It is stated that the Italian yarn industry has been effected by the devaluation of the American dollar. Yarn producers Cariaggi introduced a 2/28 cashmere yarn called Goad, dyed with an intense azure-blue pigment. Lanificio dell'Olivo showcased its pesticide-free wool and alpaca fibers.

The article presents information on the Milan Fashion Week in Milan, Italy. Fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have adopted the theme of marine colors for their collection. Designer Consuela Castiglioni is stated to have worked with a circular seam that descended from the back of the shoulders. Fashion house Moschino used a picnic-inspired theme and produced gingham suits, candy-striped ties, tuxedo pants and waistcoats accentuated by buttons.

The article focuses on 3ds Max 8, which is the newest version of Autodesk Media and Entertainment's 3D modeling and animation suite. The suite is sighted as possibly one of the most significant releases from Autodesk in quite some time. The software takes a big step in the direction of character animation with the addition of hair, cloth, and a non-linear animation module. Probably the most notable addition to Max 8 is hair and cloth. Clothing is created using methods that mimic the real world. For example, the designer creates a "pattern" out of splines for each garment panel, and the panels are "sewn" together using the Garment Maker module, which also "dresses" the character by draping the cloth over the mesh. The cloth itself can be controlled by many parameters, including material type, stiffness, and elasticity, and the tension of the stitching. Forces such as gravity and wind can also be applied to the cloth for more realistic results. 3ds Max 8 proves to be a significant software upgrade. Character animators will appreciate the addition of hair and cloth, and work groups will appreciate the improved asset management features.

Reviews the programming environment software RenderMan from Pixar Animation Studios.

Reviews the graphics software Creative Suite 2 from Adobe Systems Inc.

Evaluates the mobile workstation HP Compaq nw8240 by Hewlett-Packard Co. Features of the workstation; Battery life of the workstation; Configuration of Compaq nw8240; Price of the product.

The article focuses on latest FireGL boards by ATI Technologies Inc. which range from the high end to the entry level. PCIExpress is taking the graphics world by storm. With the introduction of PCI Express, ATI began shipping a new line of its venerable FireGL professional graphics boards. They all offer a wide range of capabilities and take advantage of the speed provided by PCI Express. ATI shipped four different cards for evaluation , its entire line of PCI Express cards, save one. Application performance was solid for each of the cards. ATI supplies a unified driver software with its FireFL cards, and it worked well for all the cards reviewed. The control panel allows you to set up multiple displays, manage color, and customize OpenGL settings. The drivers proved to be highly stable. Overall, the FireGL cards from ATI represent a strong lineup for those who need professional features and performance at modest prices. The cards are well-built with stable drivers, take full advantage of the speed offered by PCI Express, and are a good choice for anyone involved in 3D animation, compositing, or design work.

The article focuses on Modo, 3D software company Luxology's first product. Modo, is a robust, easy-to-use 3D polygonal and subdivision surface modeling program. Modo runs on Windows 2000/XP and Mac OS X. Like any graphics application, Modo loves memory and a good OpenGL graphics card. Modo's interface is based on a modular design with all menus, functions, and 3D viewports existing in separate windows. These modular windows offer lots of flexibility and can be arranged in virtually any layout imaginable.