The New Browsers: Google Chrome, Firefox 3, Internet Explorer 8 (Read more...)

These days Chrome, a very lightweight web browser developed by Google, was released. Also, Internet Explorer 8 beta can be downloaded since the end of August. Firefox 3 v3.0 was also released in June.

These 3 new web browser have something in common: a warm feeling. They are browsers that were designed thinking in their usability.

I've been using Firefox 3 since the v3.0 version was released (previously I used Firefox 2, and before that when it was called Phoenix), and I find it's a very fast and stable. Some extensions or add-ons have not been made compatible for FF3 yet, but they will.

I recommend this browser over all the others for these reasons:

• Has complete customization possibilities. You can change the visual theme, and almost everything.
• You can browse in tabs at an extreme speed.
  
• Extensions can be added, that will allow you to make all kind of things from inside Firefox.
• Follows the web standards completely.
  

The only drawback it has in my opinion are the high quantity of RAM it consumes, but it's something logical if you consider the possibilities and quality of this browser.

Google Chrome received some criticism because some possible security issues but it's a very lightweight browser, with neat and warm interface, and very easy to use.

Its installation is a little strange because it is done without downloading, directly through Internet to your computer.

The application opens in just one second, and browses very fast, as quick as Firefox or maybe a bit faster. Google Chrome can import your bookmarks from Firefox or your Internet Explorer favorites.

It's a good option as secondary browser for people that use Firefox, or for systems with low resources (like happens with Kazehakase in Linux). Chrome only uses 24 MB of RAM approximately.

For now, Chrome offers little customization and no add-ons, compared with Firefox.

You can read a very interesting article highlighting some of its features here:

http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2008/09/invisible-browser.html

Although the beta of Internet Explorer 8 is out, I did not dare to test it. You can do it here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/beta/

I would advise you to wait until the beta is more advanced, to avoid the first problems that will arise. Uninstalling a version of Internet Explorer and reverting to a previous one without problems is tricky.

IE 8 looks really neat, and the great news is that (at last!) they have decided to follow the web standards, so web pages will look the same when viewed with IE than with Firefox.

Presto3D: Preview, Buy And Sell 3D Models (Read more...)

See it in 3D before you buy it: that is the founding idea of Presto3D.com, a new marketplace for digital models launched today. In what could be considered a natural step forward, buyers of 3D models for animation, architecture, gaming, and other applications can now preview models in 3D without ever leaving the browser.

The process is fully automatic; an artist submits a model for sale in a format produced by one of the major 3D authoring tools (3dsMax, Autodesk Maya, etc. file tyes: .max, .3ds, .ma, .mb, .dae, .obj, .fbx) at a price they believe is fair. Presto3D creates a 3D preview of the model, also making the original model available in COLLADA, a universal file format. Once the preview gets final approval from the artist, it can then be viewed in the browser by all prospective buyers.

The 3D previews are available for Windows, and can be viewed in Firefox (version 2 or 3) and Internet Explorer (version 6 or 7).

You, as seller, don't have to fill any tax forms, and get 50% of the sale price of all your models each time one of them is sold, and you can change the price any time. But don't wait to join the beta program, as any model submitted in this phase will get 60% of the sale price forever.

You get paid the 15th of each month after you sold a model, and by check, once you accumulate over $100 in sales.

Something that is really valuable is that Presto3D really cares about content developers' rights. As explained in their FAQ:

If someone can see my model in 3D, can they steal it?

The model that can be seen on the site in 3D is not the original model that you uploaded. The model is encrypted and displayed in a proprietary format based on, but not the same as, COLLADA. Though it may look very close to the same as your original model at first glance, the model quality has been reduced to make the web viewing more smooth, which is why we include a disclaimer to that effect under each model.

Someone else is trying to sell my model or texture (or a derivative of my model or texture). What do I do?

If you find a model or texture on Presto3D that is uploaded by someone who is not the rightful copyright owner, please notify us immediately, and the item will be removed from the marketplace. This is a violation not only of the artist’s intellectual property rights, but also of Presto3D’s Terms of Service, and we take both very seriously.

Don't forget to visit their website and the FAQ for any doubts you may have.

http://www.presto3d.com/

Five Events: Two Expos At Second Life, Three At MixED (Read more...)

Two Second Life events and 3 exhibitions at MixED have been added to our Calendar.

Animations & Gestures Expo:
Date: September 20, 2008 from 11:00 PM to 11:45 PM

Location: Monogram Virtua Convention Center - Second Life
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Monogram%20Tria/160/126/23

This expo shows animations and custom gestures for your avatars. Everyone can participate. Live music, fun, dancing. For more information, contact Anakalia Catteneo or Harlow Madden (http://www.monogramvirtua.com/)


Custome Designers Expo:
Date: September 6, 2008 from 11:00 PM to 11:45 PM

Location: Monogramia Prime Convention Center - Second Life
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Monogramia%20Prime/230/213/302

Designers Expo/Masquerade Ball at Monogramia Prime Convention Center. Music, costumes, custom work & more.

A Masquerade Ball in Second Life. Photo by Ravenelle

Lutece Chat At MixED
Date: September 5, 2008 7:00 PM GMT (UTC/ECT)
Location: Lutece Chat

Lutece is a virtual world built with VRML. To enter, you need Blaxxun Contact or BSContact plus follow the instructions provided in MixED.


Seamless3D Chat At MixED:
Date: October 3, 2008 7:00 PM GMT (UTC/ECT)
Location: Seamless3D Software

Seamless3D is a modeler and avatar design suite for VRML and X3D. It also has a server for collaborative edition of models. To enter, you need to follow the instructions provided in MixED.


X-ROBOTICA/X-3DME At MixED:
Date: Nobember 7, 2008 7:00 PM GMT (UTC/ECT)
Location: http://www.x-robotica.ca/

Meeting and exhibition of the work that has been done in X-ROBOTICA/X-3DME. Just go to their website and follow the instructions.

9 Image And Texture Resources For 3D (Read more...)

Texture Map Of The Week: Although it has not been updated since years ago, it has a big set of quality free textures. See the archive to watch and download them all. You can also watch a preview of render using each of the textures.


Absolute Cross Textures, Simple and quite psychedelic textures that are free for every use. They are not seamless but there are some really remarkable.


Absolute Background Textures: A big amount of textures sorted by color. They're free for personal use.


Free Photo: Free images and photos that require a link back or credit for personal use.

Textures By Gracey: Jan Gracey shows textures that are free for commercial and personal use, created by her. She also sells texture packs. She is a skilled professional photographer that also has another blog that offers stock images that can be used for free for any purpose, but linking or crediting the work, and sells her work at her gallery. An example:


Tartan Maker: Make tartan textures that are good for tables, clothes, etc. Web tool.

Free Textures: These are more free photos than free textures. Their quality and size is really high.

Torley Seamless Textures: Nine packs of seamless textures for 3D and virtual worlds, most of them of surreal style, made by the great virtual artist Torley Linden.


Arroway Textures: Quite cheap commercial texture packs that offer an extreme quality, as seen here. These textures are mainly for buildings.

Free Blender Tutorials (Read more...)

Blender is one of the most preferred 3D modeling applications. I prefer much more Art Of Illusion, but I just can't ignore that Blender is the favorite for many 3D artists.

Free Blender Tutorials

The tutorials come in PDF format, and include the materials for doing all what's explained on them.