Hasta La Gadget!

With the current rebellion against Adobe’s subscription model, folks are taking a hard look at Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve Studio. And many like what they see. It’s arguably more powerful than Adobe’s Premiere Pro, offering better color correction tools along with built-in effects and audio apps. Best of all, it’s free (though you can pay $300 to upgrade to the Studio version).

To make it more practical for those editing on the go, Blackmagic introduced an iPad version in late 2022 with the Cut (editing) and Color pages, but no effects or audio apps. The idea was to offer creators a way to edit or color-correct on the road, with everything syncing up via Blackmagic Cloud. It was also a good option for those who prefer to work on mobile devices.

Earlier this year, Blackmagic introduced the $509 Micro Color Panel that gave users tactile control for color correction, just like the highly paid colorists in Hollywood. Better still, it can be used with Resolve on iPad, so you can click, dial and roll in a precise manner, rather than pawing inaccurately on a touch display.

Steve Dent for Engadget

I love control surfaces, so I was eager to test the Micro Color Panel with my iPad Air M2 to see how they work together. At the same time, I wanted to try out Blackmagic’s Cloud to share projects on multiple devices.

You get two installs with DaVinci Resolve Studio, so I used my desktop key to install it on my iPad Air M2. Blackmagic recommends an iPad with an M1 or later processor, and though it will work with earlier iPads, you may be restricted to HD and features will be limited.

Blackmagic provided me with a free trial of its Cloud service so I could transfer projects from my desktop over to the iPad. That normally costs $5 per month per library, which gives you 500GB of storage and unlimited projects that can be shared with up to 10 collaborators.

You can easily share timelines, effects, metadata and media. To transfer files, you can either connect a USB-C drive or share full or proxy media (smaller versions of your video clips) on Blackmagic Cloud. That requires a fast connection — both to upload and download — but once that’s done, they live locally on your iPad. Any new media files are automatically synced to the Cloud.

Steve Dent for Engadget

The downside of DaVinci Resolve on an iPad is the clumsy touch-based interface, especially for color correction – but that’s where the Micro Color Panel comes in. Blackmagic has a rich history of building such controllers for professional use, but the new model is its smallest and cheapest to date.

Though diminutive compared to the $859 version, the new Micro Panel still oozes quality. Its black finish can draw some dust but otherwise looks professional. The buttons light up to help you find them in a dark studio, but the labels on the dials don’t, so they can be hard to read.

The panel comes with its own battery that gives you about 15 hours on a charge. Though you can use USB-C to connect to PCs or Macs, iPads only support Bluetooth, with USB-C reserved for charging.

After pairing the Micro Control Panel to your iPad, you need to enable it in DaVinci Resolve’s preferences. Then, you can slide your iPad into the slot on the back and you’re ready to work.

Steve Dent for Engadget

To be clear, the Micro Control Panel is not designed for editing — it’s strictly for color correction. To that end, it mirrors the interface of DaVinci Resolve’s Color Page. The main controls are for “Lift” (black levels), “Gamma” (contrast) and “Gain” (overall brightness).

Those wheels and dials offer nice levels of resistance and accuracy, compared to the Loupedeck+ and other types of control surfaces I’ve tried. They’re used for things like shadows, highlights and saturation, while the buttons let you view the image full screen, move from clip to clip, add keyframes and more.

The tactile experience is a strong selling point of the Micro Control Panel, but there’s a catch-22 using it with the iPad. At home, I’d be likely to use it with my PC or Mac for more speed and versatility. When I’m on the road with my iPad, though, I’m not sure I’d take the Micro Control Panel with me, because it’s too bulky.

Steve Dent for Engadget

So despite Blackmagic marketing this as an iPad accessory, I’d say it’s currently better for desktop DaVinci Resolve Studio users who want more tactile control. It’s great for people who only edit on iPad, but I’d imagine that in a Venn diagram of those folks and the ones willing to spend $508 on a color correction panel, there is only a tiny overlap.

In sum, Blackmagic’s Micro Color Panel is portable, attractive, well-designed, nice to use and reasonably priced. If you spend a lot of time on color correction, you’ll find it to be a timesaver once the controls become second nature. It’ll also make your editing suite look more professional.

Though not yet a great match for the iPad, that could change. Apple recently launched the iPad Pro M4, including a 13-inch model that offers similar performance to many MacBooks. At the same time, Blackmagic Design has promised to bring the iPad version of DaVinci Resolve more on par with the desktop versions. If that happens, many Resolve users may opt to use the iPad version exclusively — which would make the Micro Color Panel more desirable.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-ipad-and-blackmagics-micro-color-panel-make-strange-bedfellows-183835929.html?src=rss

With the current rebellion against Adobe’s subscription model, folks are taking a hard look at Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve Studio. And many like what they see. It’s arguably more powerful than Adobe’s Premiere Pro, offering better color correction tools along with built-in effects and audio apps. Best of all, it’s free (though you can pay $300 to upgrade to the Studio version).

To make it more practical for those editing on the go, Blackmagic introduced an iPad version in late 2022 with the Cut (editing) and Color pages, but no effects or audio apps. The idea was to offer creators a way to edit or color-correct on the road, with everything syncing up via Blackmagic Cloud. It was also a good option for those who prefer to work on mobile devices.

Earlier this year, Blackmagic introduced the $509 Micro Color Panel that gave users tactile control for color correction, just like the highly paid colorists in Hollywood. Better still, it can be used with Resolve on iPad, so you can click, dial and roll in a precise manner, rather than pawing inaccurately on a touch display.

Steve Dent for Engadget

I love control surfaces, so I was eager to test the Micro Color Panel with my iPad Air M2 to see how they work together. At the same time, I wanted to try out Blackmagic’s Cloud to share projects on multiple devices.

You get two installs with DaVinci Resolve Studio, so I used my desktop key to install it on my iPad Air M2. Blackmagic recommends an iPad with an M1 or later processor, and though it will work with earlier iPads, you may be restricted to HD and features will be limited.

Blackmagic provided me with a free trial of its Cloud service so I could transfer projects from my desktop over to the iPad. That normally costs $5 per month per library, which gives you 500GB of storage and unlimited projects that can be shared with up to 10 collaborators.

You can easily share timelines, effects, metadata and media. To transfer files, you can either connect a USB-C drive or share full or proxy media (smaller versions of your video clips) on Blackmagic Cloud. That requires a fast connection — both to upload and download — but once that’s done, they live locally on your iPad. Any new media files are automatically synced to the Cloud.

Steve Dent for Engadget

The downside of DaVinci Resolve on an iPad is the clumsy touch-based interface, especially for color correction – but that’s where the Micro Color Panel comes in. Blackmagic has a rich history of building such controllers for professional use, but the new model is its smallest and cheapest to date.

Though diminutive compared to the $859 version, the new Micro Panel still oozes quality. Its black finish can draw some dust but otherwise looks professional. The buttons light up to help you find them in a dark studio, but the labels on the dials don’t, so they can be hard to read.

The panel comes with its own battery that gives you about 15 hours on a charge. Though you can use USB-C to connect to PCs or Macs, iPads only support Bluetooth, with USB-C reserved for charging.

After pairing the Micro Control Panel to your iPad, you need to enable it in DaVinci Resolve’s preferences. Then, you can slide your iPad into the slot on the back and you’re ready to work.

Steve Dent for Engadget

To be clear, the Micro Control Panel is not designed for editing — it’s strictly for color correction. To that end, it mirrors the interface of DaVinci Resolve’s Color Page. The main controls are for “Lift” (black levels), “Gamma” (contrast) and “Gain” (overall brightness).

Those wheels and dials offer nice levels of resistance and accuracy, compared to the Loupedeck+ and other types of control surfaces I’ve tried. They’re used for things like shadows, highlights and saturation, while the buttons let you view the image full screen, move from clip to clip, add keyframes and more.

The tactile experience is a strong selling point of the Micro Control Panel, but there’s a catch-22 using it with the iPad. At home, I’d be likely to use it with my PC or Mac for more speed and versatility. When I’m on the road with my iPad, though, I’m not sure I’d take the Micro Control Panel with me, because it’s too bulky.

Steve Dent for Engadget

So despite Blackmagic marketing this as an iPad accessory, I’d say it’s currently better for desktop DaVinci Resolve Studio users who want more tactile control. It’s great for people who only edit on iPad, but I’d imagine that in a Venn diagram of those folks and the ones willing to spend $508 on a color correction panel, there is only a tiny overlap.

In sum, Blackmagic’s Micro Color Panel is portable, attractive, well-designed, nice to use and reasonably priced. If you spend a lot of time on color correction, you’ll find it to be a timesaver once the controls become second nature. It’ll also make your editing suite look more professional.

Though not yet a great match for the iPad, that could change. Apple recently launched the iPad Pro M4, including a 13-inch model that offers similar performance to many MacBooks. At the same time, Blackmagic Design has promised to bring the iPad version of DaVinci Resolve more on par with the desktop versions. If that happens, many Resolve users may opt to use the iPad version exclusively — which would make the Micro Color Panel more desirable.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-ipad-and-blackmagics-micro-color-panel-make-strange-bedfellows-183835929.html?src=rss

After less than eight months, Amazon has discontinued the business version of its Astro security robot. GeekWire reported on Wednesday that despite being “fully committed” to its home robotics division, the company has discontinued the higher-end model that doubled as a security guard for spaces as large as 5,000 square feet.

Amazon launched Astro for Business in November 2023, pitching it as a workplace security robot. The $2,350 screen-on-wheels had an HD periscope and a tangled web of subscription types and tiers, including Ring Protect Pro, Astro Security and Virtual Security Guard memberships. Suddenly, only lasting about eight months doesn’t sound so surprising.

An Amazon spokesperson told GeekWire that it hasn’t laid people off because of Astro for Business’ demise, and the company plans to divert resources into its home robotics work. The consumer version of Astro, launched in 2021, is still available (invite-only) for $1,600. Panos Panay, the former Microsoft Surface (and much more) guru, joined the company to head up its Devices & Services division last year, which includes consumer robotics work.

Although Astro’s home version isn’t a full-fledged security guard replacement, it can patrol your home and alert you if it sees someone it doesn’t recognize or hears breaking glass or alarms. It can also do things of sketchier value, like follow you around with music, deliver messages to other people and set timers — most of which can be duplicated by devices that cost much less.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-pulls-the-plug-on-the-business-version-of-its-astro-robot-193907015.html?src=rss

Ever since the open world hacker adventure game Watch Dogs captured the attention of 2012’s E3, there were rumors circulating of a movie remake before the game even got a release date. Now more than 10 years later, the film version is finally happening. Ubisoft announced today on X that filming has begun on the Watch Dogs movie with a picture of a clapboard and the caption “Lights_Camera_Action.exe.”

The Watch Dogs movie was first announced in 2016 at Sony’s GamesCon press conference, according to IGN. Sony announced that Ubisoft Partners teamed up with New Regency to make a film adaptation of Aiden Pearce’s data-hacking adventure in a metropolis overseen by an intrusive server.

Since then, drips and hints of the movie’s status came and went for years until last month, when Ubisoft posted a press release announcing that production on Watch Dogs would start sometime this summer. The press release also announced that actor Tom Blyth from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Sophie Wilde from the sleeper horror hit Talk to Me will star in the Watch Dogs film. The movie is being directed by Mathieu Turi based on a script written by Christie LeBlanc (who wrote the 2021 Netflix sci-fi film Oxygen) with rewrites by Victoria Bata.

A few years ago, there was also talk of turning Watch Dogs and Far Cry, another big Ubisoft franchise, into an animated TV series following a run of the Rabbids Invasion cartoons. However, there’s been nothing but radio silence from those projects ever since then. Maybe if the Watch Dogs movie becomes a hit, the animated series will follow it into production.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-watch-dogs-movie-has-finally-started-filming-after-10-years-201040830.html?src=rss

Floppy disks may seem like a relic from an ancient time of computers but there are still places and even governments in the world that still use them to run its most basic functions. Japan is no longer one of those countries.

Japan’s Digital Agency announced on Wednesday it has rid its use of outdated floppy disks to operate its government computer systems. The only system still in place that requires the use of floppy disks is an environmental system that monitors vehicle recycling, according to Reuters.

Digital Minister Taro Kono declared in a statement to the news agency, “We have won the war on floppy disks on June 28!” Presumably, the statement wasn’t printed on that annoying dot matrix printer paper with the edges that never tear straight.

Kono’s agency started his crusade against ‘90s era computer technology in 2022 shortly after his appointment to the Digital Agency. Around 1,900 of Japan’s government procedures used floppy disks and other outdated technology such as fax machines, CDs and MiniDiscs. He famously declared “a war on floppy discs [sic]” to his 2.5 million followers on X.

Of course, Japan isn’t the only country that used to rely on floppy disks long after the rest of the world moved on to more efficient forms of data storage. The US military was still using 8-inch floppy disks to operate its Strategic Automated Command and Control System (SACCS), a 1970s computer system that received nuclear launch codes and sent emergency messages to military centers and field sources. The world learned the scary truth about SACCS thanks to CBS’s 60 Minutes and reporter Lesley Stahl. The Defense Department finally phased out the system in 2019. Let’s hope they also removed the shag carpeting and velvet upholstery.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/japans-government-says-goodbye-to-floppy-disks-214449682.html?src=rss