From Instamatic to Instagram: Keeping up with the changing world of photography

Kodak EK4 Instant Camera

When Kodak launched the Instamatic camera in 1963, it was hailed as a cheap and easy-to-use alternative for the average photo-taker.  An instant success, Kodak went on to produce 50 million of them by 1970.  When a pocket version was introduced in 1972, it took just under three years to sell 25 million.  That was back in the era dominated by the "Kodak Moment", back when the iconic brand commanded 90% percent of film sales and 85% of camera sales in the United States.

TECH: Google and Flickr April Fools' pranks

Two tech companies known for their pranks in the past are back at it this April Fools' Day.  You'll notice some "new" features today for Google Maps, as well as for photo-sharing website Flickr.

HOLLYWOOD: Behind the Scenes

Stargate Studios 2010 Virtual Backlot Demo from Stargate Studios on Vimeo.

Ever wonder what everything looks like behind the scenes of your favorite TV show or movie?  This video from Stargate Studios offers a glimpse of the smoke and mirrors that bring the sound-stage to life.  Truly fascinating.

We use the same green-screen technology every night on the news, but obviously on a much more simple level.  Smaller green-screens in television news studios allow us to put the meteorologist in front of full-screen weather maps, and give us the option of putting reporters in front of still or video images.  You have to be careful though - no green clothing at all, or viewers at home will see right through you!

The whole thing works with computers that are calibrated to recognize a particular shade of green.  The computers then replace the green with whatever image is desired, say a weather map for example.  A person standing in front of the screen blocks the green, and therefore appears in front of the image.

I came across this by accident.  About two years ago, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper stopped the presses, cut staff, and went to an all digital format.  I wanted to see what the website, seattlepi.com, and came across this video.

TECH: Motorola's Super Bowl jab at Apple

In a play on Apple's legendary "1984" commercial in which the computer company unveiled the Macintosh, Motorola is now accusing it's tablet rival of having become "Big Brother." It's no secret that Apple's Ipad dominates the tablet PC market. With Motorola gearing up for the launch of it's Google Android-based "Xoom" tablet, the Super Bowl proved the perfect venue for a 1984 rematch. The ad shows the open-source Android tablet as non-conformist, and portrays Apple users as mindless consumers accepting the latest Apple products. To see Apple's classic 1984 commercial, play the video below.

TELEVISION: Syracuse station now in HD

News Channel 9 (WSYR-TV ABC) in Syracuse debuted it's new HD studio, graphics package, and website this weekend. Above is a clip of the station's morning news "on the go". Channel 9 is the dominate local station in Central New York, and is the first to switch to HD. It's owned by Newport Television, the same owner of 13 WHAM in Rochester - which started broadcasting in HD this past September.

Above is a promo the station has has been running for the past month. Aside from the new studio and graphics, going HD means many other changes. New cameras in the field and in the studio, new broadcasting equipment behind the scenes, new makeup for the on-air talent, and even more limited wardrobes. The amount of white and certain other bright colors needs to be limited on set so the viewer is distracted or blinded by how they come across on the TV.

Included with the other upgrades, Channel 9 got a refreshed logo and new slogan (The Local Station). The logo, the style of the "9" in particular - harkens back to the loco used in the late eighties and early nineties.  Channel 9 had advertised that HD newscasts would begin in February.  As typical when stations debut new sets and graphics, management has elected to roll out a "soft launch" over the weekend to work out the bugs before the more formal debut on Monday.  Click HERE to visit the station's refreshed website.