There isn't a lot of hardware out there for 3D programs. Really it comes down to having a good wheel mouse, keyboard, and a few monitors. A few years ago I heard about a device called a 3D mouse. My geek sense kicked into high gear and I started searching around for one. I stumbled upon the 3D Connexion Space Navigator. This amazing little device allowed me to "grab onto" my 3D models and work with them almost as if I was holding them. Recently, the folks over at 3D Connexion were kind enough to send over a SpaceExplorer for me to try out. Read on to find out how I liked it:
The 3D Connexion line of 3D mice all have one thing in common: the "cap" in the middle. This cap is what you grab onto to move about in 3D space. You can move the cap in six directions. This allows incredibly fluid and intuitive control of where you are in 3D. Within minutes of using this thing you will be flying around your models just like Superman, no phone booth or cape needed.
After using it for a while, you will notice that you hardly need to pick your hand up off of it when you are modeling. Your motion throughout your model is so much smoother. The way this thing gets you around really allows you to access places and get views that would normally be far more challenging. If you've ever modeled in the interior of something in Sketchup, you know that when something gets in front of your view, it's frustrating to get away from it. Usually you have to bail and do "Zoom Extents". Not with this gadget!
Check out this video I made of me using it:
The 3D Connexion mice also offer fine grained tuning of just about every function imaginable. From motion speed, to macros, you can control it all. It even automatically switches presets for each application you are in. For those of you that don't think glowing blue lights are cool, you can even turn that off. (Lets be honest, you aren't going to do that, are you?)
I love this thing. It has made me faster and more efficient. It's also an excellent presentation tool because it allows you to make presentations less "herky jerky" and more smooth and immersive. Just don't try to re-create the Star Wars trench run scene unless your viewers have strong stomachs!
As a recent new owner of an iPad, I have been discovering so many new apps that are useful in my daily life at work. I am a former iPhone owner, so I am no stranger to iOS, or the App store.
I had no idea that the larger form factor of the iPhone would make such a huge difference in the "app experience"
I have been looking for a way to put Sketchup models on the iPad in 3D, so I can present them to clients without having to drag out the laptop.
There is a company called 3Dvia. They have a 3D iPad browser that can do just that. They also have an online 3D repository that their 200,000 members can upload 3D models from a variety of 3D design softwares.
All of these models can be browsed with just a few touches right on your iPhone or iPad, check out the video below:
So now I can take all of my 3D models with me on my iPad! I use this to show clients current projects, and as a portfolio for my previous work. Head on over to 3Dvia and check out their mobile apps, pretty cool stuff!
They say a picture is worth a 1000 words, how much is a 3D model worth?
So I remember as a kid sometime after Sesame Street, Bob Ross would come on and show the world how to create "Happy little trees" using just a canvas, paint, and some soft spoken words.
As a recent new owner of an iPad, a device hailed by Steve Jobs as "Magical and Revolutionary" I have been rather obsessed with drawing apps for it. There are many out there. AutoDesk's Sketchbook Pro really stood out for me because it seems powerful enough for a real artist to use. I say "seems" because I am about as much as real artist today I was at the age I was watching Bob Ross on TV.
I think this app has great potential for interior designers and artists who want to add that artistic touch to their drawings. SketchBook Pro has the ability to allow the user to draw over existing photographs. I could see a designer to use this to color in an elevation or perspective drawing...
So what do you think? Is this app Bob Ross approved?
I originally ran this post a few months ago. I thought I'd repost it for those if you considering a smartphone for a holiday gift!
So after spending some quality time with my friend Paul Anater in Miami this past week, I have become inspired to expand what I write about on this blog. I usually like to stick to strictly Sketchup topics. I am a bit of a geek sometimes, and I'd like to share some experiences I have had switching smartphones.
I remember when the iPhone first came out in 2007. I watched in envy as everyone was able to switch over to get what at the time was, the most advanced smartphone out there.
I jumped on the iPhone bandwagon on the day the iPhone 3G was released. That was a great year to be an iPhone owner. There were 10,000 ways to waste time on the app store, and limited 3G coverage. The best part was, this was before AT&T was REALLY bad....
For two years I used my wonderful white iPhone. I loved it. It did everything I wanted it to. When the 3GS came out, I didn't even really want to upgrade. The 3GS was quite a bit faster, and I did feel myself wanting for a little more speed on my phone, but my 3G still ran great, and I never ended up trading up to the 3GS.
Then something happened, Apple released the new iPhone 4. At the same time, they also released a huge software update, iPhone software 4.0 for all models except the original iPhone. Apple has a nice habit of upgrading software on old devices, even as they release new hardware. This is nice for current owners as they usually add some nice new features, and performance enhancements. I think this is a really good move on Apple's part, it makes current customers happy, which generates good PR, and drives sales for new hardware.
I have been through three major software revisions with my iPhone. Each time there is a major release, there is a slew of new features, and a few bugs. Apple usually quickly fixes the bugs, so I always have felt really comfortable upgrading the day these new updates come out.
I upgraded to 4.0 the day it came out, and things were not as they usually are. The software took forever to install on my 3G, and once it did, I immediately noticed a major performance hit. Instead of feeling like I had all my apps, and the internet at my finger tips, it felt like I had to reach through a bowl of Jello-O to get to any of them. Once I got them they were, sticky, and hard to handle. I think that Apple put out a piece of software that was not well tested on the old iPhone.....
Check out my friend Paul Anater's blog post on the subject. There's a great video embedded in that post as well. If you're a current 3G owner, you will be able to relate.
I have a theory that this has something to do with their business model, but we'll keep theory and conjecture for another article.
My resolution was to switch phones, and carriers. I was sick of getting dropped calls, and slow internet connectivity on my iPhone. That software update did me in. I walked into my local Verizon store and picked myself up a Droid Incredible. I was a sucker for the original Droid ads. As a geek, they really got me interested... This was the first commercial.
Now, this commercial is a little dated already, as the new iPhone CAN do all of these things... But there is so much more to Android then just side by side comparions of features.
Lets break the two platforms down. You've got Apple, they want everything to be perfect. They control the entire process, from the hardware, to the software. I'll bet they'd even love to control the cell towers if they could afford to. You can't do anything on your iPhone unless Steve says that you can. Things are magical and perfect in iPhone land.
Then there is Google Android. Its open, customizable, and available to anyone who's got a piece of hardware that they want to put it on. This has its upsides, and downsides. The upsides are that you can do ANYTHING you want on Android. If you want to run 60 apps at the same time and drain you battery, go crazy. If you want to have a different music player then the stock one, just go ahead and download one. If you want to have apps that have full access to the phone, you can get them. A great example of allowing devolopers access to the entire phone system is that you can create apps that work great with other apps. For example, just about any piece of media on the phone can be shared. If you have your favorite Twitter app on your phone and you want to post a photo, that app comes right up in the list of ways you can share a piece of media. No longer to you have to launch the app, create the tweet, go to your camera roll, and search for the picture.
Perhaps you aren't happy with the dialer pad on the phone, simply download another one! Smartphones are more and more becoming portals to the internet, and less and less about phones. I think the internet should be open and free, and I also think that the device that you use to access it should be the same. Remember how angry we all got when Microsoft blocked Netscape back in the day? Its funny how we now tolerate that sort of Draconian control from Apple, just because they are "Hip" and "Cool".
Now for the really good stuff: The speed of the Droid Incredible. Between Verizon's speedy 3G network, and the Incredibles hi octane processor, this phone can go faster then you can think. The internet operates at nearly broadband speeds. You can even load Flash on it! Then there is Google's system wide voice search. Want to find something, anything on your phone or the internet? Simply tap one button, and just ask it!
You can ask Droid anything. Things like "Call Paul Anater" or "Navigate to Orlando Florida" will do exactly what you expect them to. The voice recognition is uncannily good.
If you are thinking of making the switch, you should. I use this phone more then I ever used my iPhone. Now have at the disposal of my thumbs the ultimate connection to the world. Its brilliantly fast, and rather then get in my way, it gets out of the way and just gets things done. Droid definitely Does.
As an aside, I was able to take my now deactivated iPhone 3G and downgrade it to the old 3.13 software. Its not as easy as upgrading, and you do have to wipe your phone and manually put everything back on it, but it does work perfectly now!
Ok, I've got to vent about Apple here. But before I tear into them, let's start with a brief history.
Apple has always been hip and innovative. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak started selling computers in the mid-seventies out of a garage. The whole idea behind these computers was that they were completely open source. You built them yourself, and programmed them yourself.
As Apple grew and grew, they became the "Alternative" computer. PC's were for those in suits, and Mac's were supposed to be for the non-conformist, open-minded free thinkers.
Apple, for years, has been a niche market computer. I have always thought they were great. I am typing on a nice MacBook Pro right now. Since Apple's business model is a "vertical stack" meaning they develop the hardware and the software, they are quite nimble in terms of being able to innovate. This has resulted in some great products over the years. I am a huge fan of Macs because of their ease of use, and reliability.
Then in 2007 the iPhone came out. I don't have to tell you, but it was a pretty big deal. Apple was profitable before, and now because of the iPhone they have more cash then they know what to do with.
I think all of the success at Apple has gone to their CEO's head. Take a listen to Apple's latest earnings call. And then strap in for an angry rant.
Ok, so lets break down some of Steve's comments. First, he says that Google calling its platform "Open" is disengeniuos. This couldn't be further from the truth. Lets look at Apple's iOS operating system. It's a completely closed eco system. You can only use it on specific Apple devices. As a developer, you are only allowed to use certain features of the phone. Your only method of distribution is through Apple's App store. Your apps can only get on the App store if Apple says it's OK for them to be on there. If you've been paying any attention over the past three years, you know that Apple exercises its right to remove apps from its app store for a variety of unfair reasons. I don't know about you, but this seems like Draconian control to me. It's Apple's way or the highway. Apple used to lockdown their app developers in NDA's so that they couldn't even talk to other developers about their apps!
Then there is Google Android. Google gives its Android software away for free. Anyone can use it on any device they can shoehorn the software into. Google provides an app store, and also allows apps to be sold though other app stores, and even directly off of developers' websites. In a nutshell, you can sell an app to an Android device anyway you want, with or without Google's help.
As a devoloper, you also have access to the entire phone. Do you want to make an app that will replace features that the phone already has? No problem, just write it. Apple would smite you to hell for even thinking about that!
Google's Android is a lot like Windows. Anyone who can write software can do anything they want with it. The only real difference is that Android is free, and Windows costs money.
Steve also goes on to say that Android is fragmented. He's a little right on this one, but it works well. HTC and Motorola sell phones with customized versions of Android on them. I have used both, and they are both very easy and pleasant to use. The user doesn't need to be a "Systems integrator". That is complete bullshit. These phones are just as easy to use as Apple's conveted iPhone.
Steve Jobs also called out the devoloper of TweetDeck, a Twitter app for iPhone and Android. He said that TweetDeck had to make only one version of its software for Apple, and 244 versions for Android. This is completely untrue. See this Tweet from the TweetDeck CEO
In fact, not only did he Tweet this, he was quoted as saying that it only took two people to create and deploy their app for Android. Does that sound like a nightmare? Two people create and deploy an app that will work on many more devices then its Apple varient will? And these developers don't have to worry about Google approving, or disapproving their app. Google lets the public do that.
Even Andy Rubin jumped into the fray. For those of you who don't know who he is, he is the "father" of Google Android. He responded with this tweet:
This is the command line used where any developer can build its own version of Android.
I think all the success and fame has gone to Apple's head. Steve Jobs has to get his head out of the clouds and look around. His company's arrogance and obsessiveness may work in their favor now, but with more and more "open" platforms being offered, I'm not sure how long it will last. Once I made the move to Android, I realized that open is the future. I like freedom of speech, and since most speech is electronic, I like an open platform to do it on. Apple has jaded me, and I don't think I am alone.
I'll continue to use my MacBook. Anyone can develop for Mac OS, and let's face it, Mac's are better than Windows machines in my opinion. As far as mobile devices go, I'll stick to the open ones, no matter what the OS is. Until Apple releases its grip on iOS, you can count me out.
I'll leave you with one last thing, back in 1984, when Mac was the "Alternative, Free thinkers" computer, they ran this incredible commercial. You can see that the runner represents the Apple user, and the "drones" are all PC users. It's funny looking at that commercial now and I can't help but think how the roles have reversed.
