Read Before Monday #23
This week #RBM got a new timetable, it's only launched at 9pm UK time, so it you wanted it earlier, just let me know :) Heading to today's newsletter edition; we cover a range of tech advancements and historical insights - we have it all folks! From HowStuffWorks, we learn about the evolution of Olympic timing technology, highlighting innovations like high-speed cameras and RFID transponders for accuracy. In contrast, an analysis of Intel's struggles reveals challenges in diversifying beyond x86 processors amidst rising AI competition. Then we'll focus on exploring the pixel art on CRT displays, which showcases the artistry involved in overcoming technological limitations. In the same topic, we have Disney's filmmaking process that blends creativity and technology in animation. Meanwhile, <Nostalgia_Time> Ford's first engine, examined by Lagado Academy, underscores its historical significance and preservation challenges. See you next week!
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HowStuffWorks explains the advanced technology behind Olympic timing, which ensures accuracy to one-millionth of a second. It highlights the transition from traditional stopwatches to digital systems using high-speed cameras, touchpads, and RFID transponders. The technologies vary across sports, such as lasers and photo-finish cameras for track events, and infrared beams and transponders for skiing and cycling. Omega has been the primary timekeeper since 1932, and innovations continue to enhance precision and reliability.
- My take: The Paris Olympics are just about to end, but this is an interesting article on how the time keeping and tracking works for the athletes. As a kid, that was the reason I loved Seiko so much ;) - and I still do, but was mostly because of its Kinetic versions. Any current system is way better than guns and photo-finish cameras really do the trick with their 2k frames per second. RFID is also a thing to track progress and timing, but since everything is electronic, connected and smart, soon it will be hackable too.
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Intel's decline, marked by a significant drop in share price and a market cap lower than Arm's after disappointing Q2 2024 results. Revenue fell by a third compared to three years ago, with a bleak outlook for Q3 2024. It highlights Intel's struggle to diversify beyond x86 processors and failures like missing the smartphone SoC market. While job cuts aim to reduce costs, Intel's turnaround plan faces skepticism. Despite subsidies from the CHIPS Act, Intel's challenges in adapting to AI competition persist.
- My take: uh-oh. It's no news for you that I really think Intel is in deep trouble, since the launch of Apple M1 - the system on a chip. It feels like a Nokia all over again. Whilst AMD can produce both CPU's and GPU's, Intel is stuck on the CPU only and risks alienating NVIDIA - I do think they're closer to launch their own consumer SoC (CPU+GPU) soon. But their struggle to focus on AI - which they lost to ARM and TSMC - plus the decline in profits and layoffs, and the lost mobile market, doesn't pave a good future for Intel.
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This article explores the nostalgia and misconceptions around pixel art and CRT displays, emphasising how CRTs naturally smoothed the edges of low-resolution graphics through their inherent properties. It argues that while CRTs contributed to pixel art's distinct look, techniques like dithering, anti-aliasing, and strategic colour use were equally crucial. Modern pixel art often exaggerates blockiness, overlooking these traditional methods, which results in a skewed representation of how vintage art originally appeared. The discussion highlights how technology and artistry intersected in retro gaming.
- My take: We all had a CRT, haven't we? I mean, I can't the only one old here... I never noticed that CRTs inherently smoothed the rough edges of pixel art due to their unique properties, enhancing the visual appeal of low-resolution graphics. But looking at today modern pixel art creators, they overlook traditional methods, leading to an exaggerated blocky aesthetic, killing the real pleasure for pixel art. The struggle of pixel art back then was relied on limited resolution and colour palettes, which we needed to overcome by using creative techniques to maximize its visual impact.
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The Disney Animation website details the filmmaking process at Walt Disney Animation Studios, highlighting how they create animated films through collaboration across departments. The process involves development, asset creation, and shot production, including story development, casting, modelling, rigging, animation, and post-production. Films are typically 90 minutes long, comprising sequences, shots, and frames. Innovations in technology, such as new lighting techniques and Cinemascope aspect ratios, contribute to the unique visual style. The entire process takes three to five years to complete a film.
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- My Take: Since we're talking about pixels.... This Disney article shows how animated films are created, which involves extreme and extensive collaboration across areas - from story development to post-production. It also provides a good view on the creative process and in particular the film structure and production timelines. It's interesting to see how Disney's rich history in traditional animation contrasts with its current digital-focused methods. I do think that todays emphasis on technical innovation sometimes overshadows the importance of traditional hand skills -? even more now with GenAI and AI just around the corner, creating everything from scratch, in seconds - from the previous three to five years.
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The article from Lagado Academy examines Ford's first internal combustion engine, built in 1893 and known as the "Kitchen Sink Engine." It details the historical significance and the engine's condition after 126 years, discussing its construction using mostly off-the-shelf parts. The author describes their detailed inspection of the engine at the Henry Ford Museum, noting the effects of time and past restoration efforts on the engine's components, such as corrosion and misalignment.
- My take: This is the true nostalgic part of the newsletter! :) Henry Ford's kitchen sink engine, in full detail and spectacle - the first internal combustion engine, from 1883. This detail is amazing and if you're an 'aficionado' for cars, then this is a must read! There are some contradictions on the article, like on how the engine was mounted - questioning the historical accuracy of current displays,, to ignition interpretation - with the system design and function, offering different views from its original implementation. But never the less, a very good and interesting reading.
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This Week in GenAI
Due to technical issues, there was no #TWIGAI this Friday. My bad! But here's what I think it was relevant :)?
- TPU transformation: A look back at 10 years of our AI-specialized chips
- Activision Releases Call of Duty?: Warzone? Caldera Data Set for Academic Use
- Hollywood's Divide on Artificial Intelligence Is Only Growing
- AI disempowers logistics workers while intensifying their work
- Apple Intelligence may come to EU after all…but only for Mac
- Leaked Documents Show Nvidia Scraping ‘A Human Lifetime’ of Videos Per Day to Train AI