TGIF.

This is such amazing footage! It is entirely time lapses, so I am instantly intrigued. I have been shooting different time lapses of different people places and things and I have always been curious to see what this concept could conceivably look like to the human eye. endrant.
The Mountain from TSO Photography on Vimeo.

Inspiring.

Original creation by yours truly :)

ANTI SMOKING PSA from Candace Thomson on Vimeo.
This is a video I created for my Producing and Directing class with Summer Steele last quarter. I really enjoyed the class and I got a lot out of it. Currently, I am taking Ms. Steele's Acting and Directing class and it is a lot of fun. Hopefully I will have some video's to post from this quarter as well. I am also taking Short Form Media Production with Pat McGrath and I will have two new video's to add to my portfolio, more to come!

-CT

Mind Blowing. ZOOMQUILT II @ MADMINDWORX.COM

 

Copy and Paste the following to your web browser and prepare to NOT BLINK, its amazing!: 

http://zoomquilt2.madmindworx.com/zoomquilt2.swf


amazing.

I would love to do this...

Experience Human Flight from Betty Wants In on Vimeo.

beautiful.

When I'm Not Using My Camera for Video: The Animal Family

In Order: Jack, Poco, Maya, Zuska, Gary, Xander, Flea, and Snickers <3

Possibly One Of My top 10 Favorite Films! Jet Li's "Hero" 2002

Visuals alone, it's beautiful. To me, it is inspiring.

HDR is the new black.

HDR Video Demonstration Using Two Canon 5D mark II's from Soviet Montage on Vimeo.

Such inspiring image quality! I'd like to try this some time!

Upon the Arrival of my New Camera, I did some research...

 

"How to shoot great movies with your DSLR Video Camera."

Original Article by Will Hutchinson DON’T LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH - The chances are, if you bought a DSLR in the last few months, you would have received a surprising free gift in the form of a high definition video camera bundled in with the price. In this step by step guide, we will look at the basic principles of shooting high definition video on a DSLR, and a few simple tricks for getting some useful footage out of your free gift. Example settings are based on a Canon EOS 550D, but most video capable DSLRs have similar functionality. DSLR Video - Selector Dial DSLR Video - Selector Dial BASIC CAMERA SET UP FOR SHOOTING MOVIES LIVE VIEW Even though digital cameras have been popular for many years, I am still a devotee of the viewfinder, and find myself sneering at tourists holding their cameras at arms length and staring at tiny screens. Sadly however, if you want to shoot DSLR videos, this is something you are going to have to get used to. To record moving images, the camera sensor needs to be ‘live’, in order that it can receive continuous information from the lens. This state is called ‘live view’. To enable this, the 45 degrees mirror behind the lens, which reflects image forming light from the lens, via the pentaprism, into your viewfinder needs to be lifted out of the way, rendering that trusty viewfinder useless. The LCD screen on the reverse of the camera becomes your monitor, your only visual source for focusing and framing shots. FOCUS The auto focus systems found on DSLRs are generally not great for continuous auto focus while shooting video. In comparison to dedicated video cameras, they tend to be inaccurate, and noisy. This factor is most important in the context of shooting video, as you are likely to be recording sound and image simultaneously, and the last thing you want to record is the sound of your camera’s mechanics. If you try using continuous AF meanwhile, you will most likely all too often find the camera searching for focus lock, and this random back and forth shuffling won't look great on your final shot. DSLRs usually have three main focus options for movie mode – continuous AF, single AF and MF. DSLR Video - Zoomed Live View Screen Continuous AF is currently not a practical option. Single AF can be useful, especially if you don’t intend to refocus during a shot; but generally the most versatile focus method of all is the manual option, which is helped by most cameras having the facility for zoom focus for checking focus accurately. DSLR Video - Zoomed Live View Screen There are major up sides to using manual focus. It encourages you to think a little more about the shots you are framing, and to ensure you have got that critical focus just right. It also means that old manual prime lenses you have gathering dust in the cupboard may get the chance to relive their glory days. FRAME RATE Your camera will most likely have an 'Auto' mode for shooting movies, but if you are lucky you will also be able to choose frame rates and have manual control over exposure. DSLR Video - Manual/Auto Menu DSLR Video - Manual/Auto Menu DSLR Video - Frame Rate Menu In the UK, the standard PAL video and TV frame rate is 25 frames per second (or 50i). You may well also have options for 24fps and 50fps. 24fps is often quoted by filmmakers as giving a more film like quality, but unless you are transferring to film at this speed, it is unlikely you will notice any difference. 50fps is used for shooting slow motion scenes, but this requires post production to import at that frame rate and slow it down. DSLR Video - Frame Rate Menu For compatibility and ease, I would use 25fps (either way - try not to lose any sleep over the many opinions on the 24fps versus 25fps argument). SHUTTER SPEED When shooting movies, you will usually want to aim for a slower shutter speed than you'd expect wherever possible, with your shutter speed ideally being exactly twice the frame rate, ie, 1/50sec if shooting at 25fps. The reason for not going for a high shutter speed is that the frame rate is fixed. If you increase the shutter speed, you do get a sharper still image, but with moving images you also increase the gap between the movement captured in each exposure. The higher the shutter speed, the more clipped and stroboscopic your movie will look (think of the fight scenes in Saving Private Ryan and The Gladiator). The human eye doesn't mind - even barely notices - a bit of motion blur, but it positively dislikes constant strobing. A slow shutter speed is therefore especially important if you are doing anything involving tracking or panning, or when shooting moving objects (quite the opposite to when shooting stills). The slower the shutter speed, the smoother your shots will look. You can use faster shutter speeds for specific effects, but remember that tracking and panning at high shutter speeds will be very jumpy, and probably unwatchable. SOUND Orson Welles described film as 'illustrated radio'. Watching film is a multisensory experience, and many academics cite the sound track as being responsible for as much as 90% of the final experience. With this in mind, most DSLRs are not the best devices for recording sound. The 550D that I am using has a small built in mono microphone and a jack for an external stereo microphone. The only sound options are ON or OFF. When ON, the sound is recorded with auto gain which - especially if shooting outside - renders background noise off-puttingly loud. So, if Welles and the academics are correct, expecting a fully satisfying movie experience direct from any DSLR recording is an expectation too far. To the DSLR skeptics, I would remind them this - on all movies, sound is recorded separately and the advice to photographers should be simply to be aware of this - do not expect professional audio results direct from your camera. Seriously consider adding a soundtrack to your finished recording and to record any crucial dialogue on a separate device. If you do record audio separately, it is still useful to record sound in camera as a guide audio track. PROFILING None of the current DSLRs offer a Raw equivalent moving image format. For this reason, making sure you have the basic picture profile and white balance etc, correct before you shoot is very important, as it will be encoded forever in your finished movie file. Increasing contrast and levels in post production is easier than reducing them, so going for a flat profile is beneficial. DSLR Video - Profile Menu DSLR Video - Profile Menu GENERAL SETTINGS RECAP: Have your camera in movie mode, with the following options set: FOCUS: Manual FRAME RATE: 25 Frames per second EXPOSURE: Manual if possible, with a shutter speed of 1/50sec. PROFILE: Flat (or natural) SOUND: On (even if just as a guide) OPTIONAL: If you have the option of increasing the time that the exposure meter is displayed on screen, do this. On a Canon EOS 550D, the meter is activated by the shutter button, which is not the same as the button which activates movie recording, so you can be forever switching back and forth to reactivate the meter. I would also do the same with any auto power off feature. DSLR Video - Meter Menu DSLR Video - Power Off Menu DSLR Video - Meter Menu DSLR Video - Power Off Menu SHOOTING TIPS STABILISATION A downside to high definition movie capture is that any shaky hand held footage will be recorded in full HD wibbly-wobbly glory. There's no hiding it at 1080p. That said, Canon’s lens-based image stabilisation copes very well with reducing the sharpness of hand held wobbles, as long as you’re not moving around too quickly or attempting over adventurous panning shots. Before getting disheartened by any handheld judders, consider using a monopod or tripod. When making your first moving images, maybe try thinking of the camera as a fixed object observing movement, as opposed to the camera being the moveable object. You will likely find this approach much more productive to begin with. Camera movement can create some very dynamic shots, but requires a lot of care, preparation and potentially expensive secondary equipment. When done badly, it can create some wonderfully high definition, unwatchable footage! SHORT AND SWEET In the same vein, first time filmmakers should err on the side of caution when it comes to shot length. As much as I love the opening shot from The Player - all 7mins and 47secs of it - unless you are trying something very specific or waiting to capture something elusive, shots should be kept short. Leave them wanting more. Ever since the name was coined, photography has been fundamentally about light and about capturing light at a moment in time. But light is constantly moving, and its effect on a subject changes over time. Your DSLR now has the capability to effectively capture some of that movement and some of that time. Surely it's your duty as a photographer to give it a go? JUST DO IT! Put your camera in movie mode at 25fps with a flat picture profile. Focus your subject. If you intend to pull focus - shifting focus from one element of your composition to another - practice first. Use the zoom focus function, if available, to check that your focus is spot on. Check the exposure and aim for the shutter speed to be 1/50sec Practice any intended camera movements before shooting. Any movement will look much better and be smoother if it has been considered beforehand. Press your movie capture button to begin shooting. Press it again to stop. That's it! DSLR Video - Selector Dial DSLR Video - Shooting

The Infinite Possibilities Of Proggressive Technology

THE BEGINNING OF INFINITY from jason silva on Vimeo.

The Beginning Of The End

PIPA And SOPA Were Stopped, But the Web Hasn't Won

Here is the first sentence from a news story about what's going on in Washington:  "California's two most prominent and powerful industries -- Silicon Valley and Hollywood -- are at war in Washington." 
 That sounds about right, given the recent turn of events over the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), both of which are now more than likely gone from the legislative calendar for this year. In truth, if Silicon Valley and Hollywood were the only combatants, it wouldn't be much of a war. Hollywood would win every time. In this case, the spontaneous outpouring of opposition from around the country, combined with diligent work from groups in Washington, turned the tide.
The Internet community, in Washington and everywhere else, is basking in the newfound adulation as a result of the apparent defeat of the dreaded PIPA and SOPA.   Commentators are talking about the rise of the influence of the Internet in Washington and "watershed" moments.  Jan. 24 was supposed to have been the day on which the Senate would have voted whether to proceed with debate on PIPA.  Because of the widespread opposition to PIPA, the vote was cancelled, and it was no certain thing the legislation would have moved forward. 
One salient fact -- that first sentence to that news story was published on Sept. 24, 2002 and dealt with different bills. That's why it's time to cut the Internet community's victory laps short and prepare instead for the continued long slog ahead. Hollywood (used as a shorthand for Big Media Megaliths and their trade groups), never, ever quits, even when they get what they want, much less when they don't.
 It is certain that the normal Washington powers that be suffered an embarrassing defeat.  They didn't see it coming as the wave crested over Washington, and they weren't particularly gracious in defeat.  Indeed, MPAA Chairman (and former U.S. Senator) Christopher Dodd, in remarks he may wish he could "revise and extend" in the tradition of editing the Congressional Record, sounded more like a churlish Godfather than a diplomatic trade association executive.
 Dodd now famously told Fox News, "Those who count on quote 'Hollywood' for support need to understand that this industry is watching very carefully who's going to stand up for them when their job is at stake. Don't ask me to write a check for you when you think your job is at risk and then don't pay any attention to me when my job is at stake."
Those weren't the smartest remarks made during the debate, but they were the ones that consistently rang true.  After all, power in Washington is used to exercising power, absent some unusual event.  It's sort of like Newton's First Law of Motion, "a body in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force," as applied to D.C.  Blackout Day and related activities were an "outside force," all right, but was it the "watershed" moment it's being portrayed?
Maybe yes, maybe no. Probably not.
In the short term, SOPA and PIPA were stopped, perhaps for this year, as a result of dedicated activities on a number of fronts from a number of angles.  Inside Washington, groups like my day-job employer, Public Knowledge, worked to combat SOPA, PIPA and its predecessor, the Combating Online Infringements and Counterfeits Act (COICA).  Progressives and conservatives, business and non-profits came together.  Outside of Washington, online organizers also got out the word about the raft of terrible bills, culminating in the Blackout, which got the attention it deserved from Congress, along with millions of signatures on petitions and tens of thousands of calls and visits to Congressional offices.
The problem presenting itself, however, is how, or even whether, that level of effort and interest can be sustained over years, not simply over weeks or months.   And it will need to be sustained, if history is any guide.
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act was passed in 1998, including the notice-and-takedown provisions and safe harbors that have worked well even today. It wasn't long before the discussion started about how the law was out of date.  So in 2002, the first of a seemingly endless series of bills popped up, the "Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Act of 2002," which took a stab at trying to prevent digital distribution by requiring protection against copying in any device that could access copyrighted digital works, including the "broadcast flag" which would have limited recording of over-the-air broadcasting.  The 2002 news story was about the Hollings bill. Here's a good short history of some of the bills.  There are lots.
(In a case brought by Public Knowledge and others, the federal appellate court in Washington threw out the "broadcast flag" as implemented by the Federal Communications Commission.)
In 2004, there was the "The Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act of 2004," which contended that certain technologies were tantamount to "inducing" infringement.  Public Knowledge and others criticized the bills for, among other things, targeting technology rather than behavior.  Also in 2004, the "Protecting Intellectual Rights Against Theft and Expropriation (PIRATE) Act" passed the Senate, allowing the entertainment industry to use the Justice Department as its private law firm to enforce copyright law in civil, as opposed to criminal, cases.  PIRATE was one of eight intellectual property bills grouped into one omnibus that year alone.
 That package didn't pass, but the Senate kept trying and by 2007 came up with a winner in the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act of 2008 (Pro-IP Act) which brought back the DoJ as civil lawyer meme and also had harsher allowances for seizure of equipment, like computers, if there was suspected infringement.  It was signed into law on Oct. 13, 2008.  Industry leaders lauded the bill, saying it would create thousands of jobs and even help curb terrorism.
 And here we are again, starting in September, 2010, with the introduction of COICA, followed by its progeny, PIPA and SOPA last year.
So now you see why the victory laps need to be cut short.  There are only so many times that an event of that magnitude can be organized, only so many times that the extraordinary amount of public outrage can be harnessed, and only so many times dramatic actions can be used without losing their effectiveness.  On the other hand, there is no limit to the amount of times industry lobbyists will keep coming back with more bills that are supposed to solve the problem that bills passed just a couple of years earlier were supposed to solve.  Regardless of what happens with SOPA and PIPA, the movie and/or recording industries will be back with another bill, if not later this year, then next and the year after.
Certainly there are groups in Washington, like Public Knowledge, the Center for Democracy and Technology and others, on the lookout for those bills, and to work against having them pass.  But simply because of the odds involved, some will pass, as Pro-IP did.  Not all can be stopped as SOPA and PIPA were. That's the reality - a pessimistic reality to be sure, but a reality.
In the old days, the "threats" from technology evolved, from digital TV to peer-to-peer file sharing, to the Internet generally, and now to cloud storage companies like Megaupload.  Of course, the "threats" go back farther, to dual-cassette recorders, which allowed copying.  The track record of the entertainment industry suing devices out of existence is legion.  Before the iPod, there was the Rio, which few consumers got to use because it was sued out of existence, and the videocassette recorder, which consumers did get to use because Sony won its case in the U.S. Supreme Court.
At each turn, there are threats made and outlandish, unproven, predictions of job losses and economic despair that will be caused by the newest technology.
At some point, then, it would be nice if Congress stopped and tried to figure out for real, and not from the figment of the Big Media industry's imagination, what exactly is the problem.  What unauthorized access of works goes on?  As importantly, what is the relationship between that and any economic results?  Then, and only then, can appropriate remedies be rationally discussed.   Retail stores suffer theft all the time.  Is everyone who goes into a dressing room strip-searched?  No.  What measures are taken should be appropriate for the problem.  The same level of appropriate behavior is needed here.  Figure out the problem, then determine the solution, albeit in a more public, inclusive way than was done in this case.
So, Web community, bask briefly in your glory.  Then get back to work, because the next industry-sponsored bill to curb technology will be here before you know it, and they might be smarter next time about how they pursue it.

The Top 5 Most Essential Elements For A Quality Production

The Basic Three

1. Digital Video Camera or Camcorder

The number of digital video devices is growing all the time. You could have a palm-sized camcorder, a Flip video camera, an iPhone or other cellphone, a pocket-sized digital camera or a DSLR, a laptop webcam, and all might be able to take digital video of some sort or another, many of them in high definition (HD). Then there are the higher-end camcorders and prosumer digital video cameras.
If you have electronic stuff, chances are you have at least one thing that can shoot digital video. But will it do what you want it or need it do?
To help you choose the best camcorder for your particular situation, check out the pages about How to Buy the Best Digital Video Camera for You and Key Digital Video Camera Features You Need.

2. Video Camera Bag or Case

If your main video camera is a cellphone, your pocket may be all you need. But for most camcorders, a padded case will help protect your gear. If you have serious equipment or get around a lot, a good hard-sided case might be a good investment.
When looking for a case, be sure to get one that is big enough to carry what you want to carry. That might just be extra batteries and tapes or media cards. If you're going out for "a shoot," you might want an external microphone, an AC cord, various cables (firewire, audio), and more. (Keep reading for more info.)
If you travel a lot and are concerned about attracting attention with an obvious camcorder bag, you can try something more discrete, like a plain backpack (with extra padding), or even a diaper bag. They aren't very attractive to thieves — although if you don't have small kids, it may not be very convincing. :) They are padded, waterproof, and usually have roomy compartments for your gear.

3. Video Tripod

Unless you're going for that shaky, edgy hand-held look in everything you do, you'll want to include a tripod as part of your basic video equipment. A tripod will let you avoid the movement you don't want and focus on the movie you're making.
Tripods come in all shapes and sizes, and your tripod should support the kind of filming you want to do. If you have a small video camera or palmcorder, and want to travel light, a small travel tripod might do the trick — and would be better than nothing.
However, most people will want a full-size video tripod, so you have something solid and stable to support your video camera. Velbon makes some decent models that aren't terribly expensive, but you can spend as much as you're willing to pay on a tripod.

Don't Forget These Two

4. Extra Batteries and Recording Media (Tapes, Cards, DVDs)

If you're using a "real" camcorder and doing more than just a casual shoot, you'll want to make sure you have extra batteries along, as well as extra tapes, media cards, or whatever your camera uses to record the video.
There are a few shoots where you can plug into AC power (in which case, bring lots of extension cords), but most of the time, battery power is the way to go. It gives you more flexibility, and with some digital video cameras, AC power can create some annoying sound effects (buzz or hum) that will be picked up by your microphone.
Nothing ends a shoot faster than running out of battery. Or filling up your recording media.
It used to be easy — just bring along a lot more tapes than you need, and you'll be fine. Tapes are cheap and easy to carry.
However, with other types of digital media, especially media cards, it can be a little more complicated. Since cards are more reusable and easily downloadable, you may not need as many of them. But, if you fill them up before you can download your movies to something else, you're still stuck.
Just try to anticipate what you'll need, and bring along extras.

5. External Microphone

Every digital video camera has a built-in microphone. Even so, just about everyone who is serious about video will tell you that you need an external microphone if you want decent sound.
Of course, there are plenty of home videos and even YouTube million-view viral video sensations that are made with the built-in microphone — so if that works for you, then that's fine.
However, if you want to take your videos beyond amateur, an external microphone should be one of your first steps. Very often, the sound quality matters even more than the video quality: You can put up with less-than-ideal footage if the sound is clear, but crystal-clear video with lousy sound is hard to sit through.
To use your camcorder, your digital video camera must have an external microphone jack, and not all do. For consumer camcorders, they are usually mini-stereo jacks, so your microphone may need a mini-stereo plug as well.

The Company We Give Our Money To, and Just How Much They Make : Apple Products are irresistable!

With $97.6 billion, Apple has more cash than ..

By Paul R. La Monica @lamonicabuzz January 25, 2012: 12:32 PM ET

Apple may soon have no choice but to put some of its cash to work. Cash has nearly doubled since the end of fiscal 2010.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Apple has nearly $100 billion in cash. $97.6 billion to be precise. That is a lot of iDough. Even for Warren Buffett. Perhaps it's time for Apple to, I don't know, use some of it?
Unless Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) is planning to build an army of Siri-voiced iBots, it's hard to defend why the company needs that much cash. Even company executives admit that it may soon have to deploy some of it.

During the company's celebratory earnings conference call Tuesday, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer said the company "was not letting [the cash] burn a hole in our pockets."
Really? Apple's iMountain of money has nearly doubled since the end of fiscal 2010. But Apple doesn't pay a dividend. It doesn't make splashy acquisitions or buy back stock.
If Apple's cash keeps piling up, at this rate it won't just burn a hole in the company's pockets. It would be big enough to swallow up the entire universe.
Now one reason Apple is still hanging onto cash is because it doesn't want to pay a sizeable chunk of taxes to Uncle Sam if it used that money on something productive or shareholder friendly. Oppenheimer said Tuesday that $64 billion of its cash was offshore. It is "trapped" if you will.
Apple is a multinational company. So there is nothing legally wrong with keeping cash abroad. But it is apparently doing so to avoid having to pay the 35% tax rate on it if it were repatriated or brought back to the U.S.
Many companies are in the same boat. And that's why Apple, Cisco Systems (CSCO, Fortune 500), Google (GOOG, Fortune 500), Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500) and other cash-rich techs are urging Congress to enact a so-called tax holiday.
This group wants the tax rate on profits and cash held overseas to be temporarily lowered. They argue that doing so would help stimulate the economy. Lawmakers have yet to bite.

Apple passes Exxon in market cap again

But even if Apple wants to keep fighting the tax holiday fight, you can't ignore the fact that it has $33.6 billion in cash in the United States.
That still is a lot of money that Apple could use for a regular, steady dividend, a big one-time cash payout or stock buybacks. Heck, it could do all three. That would all be good for shareholders.
And Apple would still have plenty left over to keep investing in research and development. Keep in mind that Apple generated $17.5 billion in cash flow from operations in its last quarter alone!
Will Apple finally succumb to the pressure to part with some of its cash? Probably. It's really a matter of when as opposed to if. New CEO Tim Cook said during an earnings call in October that Apple was "not religious" about holding onto cash.
Cook didn't discuss the cash hoard Tuesday. But in response to a question from an analyst about it, Oppenheimer said that Apple's management team was "actively discussing the best uses of our cash balance."
But I wouldn't interpret that as a code for future acquisitions. While some talking heads are calling for Apple to make a splashy acquisition of one of its key partners -- voice recognition software firm Nuance (NUAN) and chip designer ARM Holdings (ARMH) are oft-mentioned targets -- I seriously doubt that will happen.
For one, Cook is not that different from his predecessor, the late Steve Jobs.
Under Jobs, Apple made small, opportunistic acquisitions instead of big multi-billion dollar ones. Based on their current market values. ARM and Nuance would both likely fetch more than $10 billion each if you factor in a juicy premium.

All Apple. All the time. Fortune's Apple 2.0 blog

Apple's most recent acquisition was of Israeli semiconductor company Anobit Technologies earlier this month. The price tag? $390 million.
I'd like to think that Cook and Oppenheimer will carry on the Jobs tradition of steering clear of bold "game changing" deals.
First off, Apple doesn't need to make a big strategic move when things are going this well. And Apple's execs are probably smart enough to realize that more big tech companies have difficulty successfully completing mergers (Cisco, HP (HPQ, Fortune 500), Yahoo (YHOO, Fortune 500), Microsoft, and former Time Warner (TWX, Fortune 500) brother-in-arms AOL (AOL) to name a few) than there are success stories. IBM (IBM, Fortune 500) and Oracle (ORCL, Fortune 500) are the notable exceptions.
So once Apple finally puts that cash to use, expect something that rewards shareholders -- a dividend and maybe share buybacks -- as opposed to something that could potentially destroy Apple's stock value in the future.
And hey. Just imagine how big a dividend might be if Apple and its Silicon Valley friends are ever able to successfully use their lobbying might to get a tax repatriation holiday.
Best of StockTwits and can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street? Forget about more cowbell. We need more Apple!
JayBWood: It's hard to explain to people that a $400 billion market cap company can be undervalued $AAPL
Amazing fact about Apple is that the "core" business is trading at less than 10 times fiscal 2012 earnings estimates if you subtract the cash.
phoenixtrader: $AAPL Battery life. If I had All that $$$$ I would improve batteries and a lot!
Ha! You would think that with $100 billion in cash they could make a device you didn't have to charge every night. Solar powered iPad anyone?
CreateCapital: Let's quantify the "unusual" media coverage for $AAPL last quarter: the equivalent of about $500m in free advertising.
Whoa. That's a bit crass and cynical. Even for me. But you are probably right that the death of Steve Jobs in October did lead to more publicity for all things Apple than normal.
manicakes: $AAPL $NVDA "Hard disk drive shortage" is starting to sound like a euphemism for "Apple is killing us"
Nvidia's (NVDA) warning does seem to be more proof that any company with big exposure to the Wintel-based PC market has a lot more to worry about than the flooding in Thailand.
Finally, all the Apple talk had me humming the following infectious tune from a Sesame Street video that Baby Buzz likes. "A is for Apple. Can you sing it with me? One two three. Apple!" I asked followers (now above 14K!) to name the band.
The winner is Tim G, who also has a 2-year old. He correctly noted that the band is the quirky indie group Tilly and the Wall. According to their website, they are from Omaha. I wonder if Buffett likes them? Or his secretary?
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul R. La Monica. Other than Time Warner, the parent of CNNMoney, and Abbott Laboratories, La Monica does not own positions in any individual stocks.