Apple finally unveils the iPad
The pieces of the keynote I was able to see -
before nearly every site reporting the event live
crashed from the overwhelming bandwith - were
very exciting. When
Steve Jobs was
unveiling
it and strolling on the stage, it reminded me of
something from my final year university project.
I designed a multi-sensory education environment,
where students + tutors could present their
lectures, exhibit their work, and communicate
interactively all in one massive “ambi-theatre”.
To exhibit the concept I wanted to show how a
lecturer could achieve this interactivity without
a podium to rest his laptop on. As the rumours of
the mythical tablet had started a few months
earlier, it was the obvious solution. I imagined
a LED-floodlit Steve doing what he does best.

View the larger version on
Flickr
ACM003 - intro to Archicad
In this
episode I introduce one of my favourite
applications, Graphisoft Archicad
the
world’s leading 3D parametric design software
for architects, interior designers and others
in the design industry. It has established
itself as a highly intuitive, flexible and
mature product, with which over a million
buildings have been
designed.
The show covers:
- Quick intro to Archicad
- The Virtual BuildingTM | BIM
- Version compatibility with mac + pc
- Award-winning designs
- Virtual TraceTM
- Partial Structure Display
- 3D Document
- Collaboration
- Useful websites
To view the show, please subscribe via RSS or through iTunes or Miro.
To check it out now, play the lower quality version below:
If you found this show useful, a quick review on iTunes would be very much appreciated! Thanks
Useful links
- Graphisoft Archicad
- Abvent Artlantis
- Best of Archicad
- Archicad Wiki
- Architectsjury.com
- Architalk.com
If you have any comments, criticisms, ideas for new shows, or just to say hi , please email me at archicadmonkey@gmail.com
Enjoy the show!
Will Apple's fabled Tablet have 3D technology?

For those of you who have missed a few steps - or have been living in a cave with no WiFi for the past year - check out the definitive rumour roundup (via TechRadar) + the awesome concept 3D renderings (via DVice)
This type of multi-touch device can obviously be beneficial in many fields but especially CAD; from sketching + annotating drawings, or by providing a more interactive user interface for viewing / editing 3D models + navigating through CGI environments. Imagine having a supersize iPhone while “pinching” + “flicking” through a Sketchup file, or even just tilting it 360° to view a 3D rendered environment - creating a more “natural” experience. The possibilities are mind-blowing if you could integrate this with 360cities or even better - 3D video panoramas!
Another potential revolution could be on the way from Apple, as a recent patent surfaced not long ago about 3D head-tracking technology. The logic is that an embedded camera with face-detection would track the user’s movement and adapt accordingly, creating even more realism to 3D objects and spaces:
“Using the detected position of the user, the electronic device may use any suitable approach to transform the perspective of three-dimensional objects displayed on the display.”

“It’s
a new level of virtual reality, meshing the real
world with a nonexistent one, but giving the
visual perception that an object is
real.” (via
AppleInsider)
If the Tablet also has a camera on the back as
well (doubtful as the iPhone only has one), this
concept could pair well with some form of
augmented reality
apps
that have surfaced on the iPhone in the past
year, blurring the boundaries between virtual +
reality even further.
The rumours keep multiplying every day and will
undeniably increase until Apple’s special event.
Then, we will be at peace knowing that most of
the rumours were actually true ...of course the
peace will not last long, the second it’s over
we’ll be scouring the net to find any way to
guarantee we get our hands on...whatever it is.
As fun as it is speculating - don’t get me wrong,
as any tech geek may admit I could do it for
hours - it seems 2010 is going to be a great year
full of more gadget goodies, a year full of
possibilities.
ACM002 - archiCADmonkey reborn | back in business

it’s more than just a screencast ... it's the archiCADmonkey blog!
So, the archiCADmonkey blog will feature the tutorial posts, some up to date information on the software I cover in the screencasts, along with useful CAD news and websites.
The upcoming shows will cover introductions, tips + tricks of many of the established architectural programs, as well as some other useful applications on the mac + pc + iphone.
I have received a few requests about some advanced features of the programs, but I think that the evolution of the shows should reflect the learning path of the beginner to the experienced user. So the first shows will be focused on the basic principles + techniques for CADnewbies and will evolve to more advanced techniques for the more experienced and CADveterans.
To view the show, you can subscribe via RSS or through iTunes or Miro.
To check it out now, play the lower quality version below:
Please feel free to comment on any of the posts, give some feedback on the content or just say hi at archicadmonkey@gmail.com
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