GOOGLE TV on it's Way

According to the New York Times, Google is partnering up with Sony and Intel to develop an entertainment system, that integrates television and the web in one product. The device will allow users to watch TV or surf the web, with one piece of equipment.

Read the article from the NYT to get the low down.

In case you didn't know, this product is essentially out there. I have one at home. It's called a computer. I envision this device to be different than a computer. It will install just as easily as a video player but be much more simpler to use than a computer. They could use either the Android mobile system as an OS or use Google's Chrome OS. Either one would give the user enough computing power to browse the web, check email, watch the nightly news and download videos from services like Netflix and Hulu.

What it won't do is handle major software like Office or AutoCAD. I see it as being a browser based OS (Chrome OS) similar to Apple's iPad, except it will have flash installed and USB ports.

This product has the potential to be what Web TV was meant to be. I'm sure there will be several different types. One that comes with a TV, one that is a standalone to hook up to your current TV, different hard drives and speed.

What do you think? Would you get one? If so, what would the price need to be?

p.s. There is also a Google Car in the works!

GOOGLE TV on it's Way

According to the New York Times, Google is partnering up with Sony and Intel to develop an entertainment system, that integrates television and the web in one product. The device will allow users to watch TV or surf the web, with one piece of equipment.

Read the article from the NYT to get the low down.

In case you didn't know, this product is essentially out there. I have one at home. It's called a computer. I envision this device to be different than a computer. It will install just as easily as a video player but be much more simpler to use than a computer. They could use either the Android mobile system as an OS or use Google's Chrome OS. Either one would give the user enough computing power to browse the web, check email, watch the nightly news and download videos from services like Netflix and Hulu.

What it won't do is handle major software like Office or AutoCAD. I see it as being a browser based OS (Chrome OS) similar to Apple's iPad, except it will have flash installed and USB ports.

This product has the potential to be what Web TV was meant to be. I'm sure there will be several different types. One that comes with a TV, one that is a standalone to hook up to your current TV, different hard drives and speed.

What do you think? Would you get one? If so, what would the price need to be?

p.s. There is also a Google Car in the works!

Advances in Water Treatment and Environmental Management by: G. Thomas

Advances in Water Treatment and Environmental Management by: G. Thomas 


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Clean Tech Grant to Europe

Got this from Simon G’s blog……interesting to know…

http://thesustainabledesigntoolbox.typepad.com/blog/2010/03/autodesk-expands-clean-tech-grant-to-europe.html

“Autodesk yesterday announced the expansion of the Clean Tech programme into Europe. This provides grants for design and engineering software to early-stage clean technology companies who are working to solve some of the World’s most pressing environmental challenges.”

Mobile blogger

I want to post to my existing blog from my mobile device.

Thank you.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Mobile blogger

I want to post to my existing blog from my mobile device.

Thank you.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Autodesk University 2010 Call for Proposals - Now Open

The Autodesk University 2010 Call for Proposals is now open. It seems to me that they are starting off a bit earlier this year than in the past. that's good because several speakers take on several classes. There is a lot of effort that goes into these classes. Planning, writing, testing, handouts, and then showing up!

Autodesk University is a giant convention covering all of the products that are produced by Autodesk. There are over 600 presentations with close to 10,000 visitors. It is perhaps one of the largest networking opportunities in the CAD/Design software industry.

Once at AU, you can attend training courses that are tailored to you industry, improve your own skill set, get up to date with current and future technology, and find solutions to your company's situations.

Autodesk University 2010 Call for Proposals - Now Open

The Autodesk University 2010 Call for Proposals is now open. It seems to me that they are starting off a bit earlier this year than in the past. that's good because several speakers take on several classes. There is a lot of effort that goes into these classes. Planning, writing, testing, handouts, and then showing up!

Autodesk University is a giant convention covering all of the products that are produced by Autodesk. There are over 600 presentations with close to 10,000 visitors. It is perhaps one of the largest networking opportunities in the CAD/Design software industry.

Once at AU, you can attend training courses that are tailored to you industry, improve your own skill set, get up to date with current and future technology, and find solutions to your company's situations.

Autodesk Release BIM deployment plan

Want to know how to deploy BIM?

“The Autodesk BIM Deployment Plan offers tools and guidance for building industry professionals interested in implementing Building Information Modeling (BIM). Tools offered in this resource provide a practical framework for AEC stakeholders, and can be used by individual organizations on specific projects.”

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?id=14652957&siteID=123112

LRUG (London)

What the hell is “LRUG” you may ask? Well LRUG is short for London Revit User Group. Not more Rugs!!!! Unlike the US, the UK has always had a bit of a problem getting User Groups off the ground. They start, then run into allsorts of issues with funding, politics, goals etc etc. Been there, done that. So a couple of months ago I reopened a thread about a need for a UK group driven by users on Linkedin. It went along the lines; If I managed to get a room and a projector and every body threw in five quid for a beer and pizza, how many would actually turn up? The overall response from everybody was that it sounded like a bargain. So off the back of this, the LRUG was born. With the help of Carl Collins of Arup Associates and Alan Woolridge of Scott White Hookins and  Revit Learning Curve fame; we now have a London User Group. We are even organised enough to have a web site! wow! For more details go to……

http://www.lrug.org.uk/

The group plans to start smallish and hopefully grow into something which is sustainable….often these groups fall apart after a few meetings. But I (we) are keen that this group can grow and flourish. It has no secret agendas, it is trying to go back to grass roots; a group for users to share knowledge and learn from one another across all disciplines of Revit. We have been speaking with AUGI in the UK, so hopefully we will get some support from these guys. Whilst internet forums are a good place to share knowledge and learn from others, sometimes there is nothing like a warm beer and a dodgy pizza and face to face conversation to share your Revit tales. The first meeting is today 17th March 2010, this will be hosted by Arup Associates in London.

What I’m also hearing, is that a user group called BIM up North for northern UK users is in process of being formed as well as a Scottish user group. So 2010 could be the year of the Revit user group for the UK! :-)

Autodesk Special Event - Yeah I'm going!

Next week Autodesk is having a special event at their San Francisco office.  Several CAD bloggers, like myself, will be in attendance.  I can't give out any real information yet, but I can share with you a list of who will be there.

• Michael Beall ~ http://www.cadtutor.net/corner/
• David Cohn ~ http://cadman-do.blogspot.com/
• Donnie Gladfelter ~ http://www.thecadgeek.com/
• Mark Kiker ~ http://www.caddmanager.com/CMB/
• RK McSwain ~ http://cadpanacea.com/
• Melanie Perry ~ http://mistressofthedorkness.blogspot.com/
• Curt Moreno ~ http://www.kungfudrafter.com/
• Barry Ralphs ~ http://www.opendcl.com
• Dean Saadallah ~ http://LTisACAD.blogspot.com

This list is simply amazing.  I have personally worked with most of the bloggers listed in one way or another, either on a project with AUGI, sharing blog posts, or through Cadalyst Magazine.  I have also gone to each and every website listed for CAD help or advice at some point in my career.  If you need CAD help, start with this list.  If they can't help you, well, then reboot three times and try again.

I went to a similar event last year.  There will be a live Webcast that you can sign up for and watch.  Here is the link:  http://www.autodesk.com/webcast

Other members of the Autodesk team will be there and we will have the chance to speak with them and ask them questions.  They too will be asking us questions.  I am very excited to be attending this special event.

Do you have any questions that you would like Autodesk to answer?  I can not guarantee anything, but I will be happy to inquire for you.  I will be blogging the event and Tweeting details, so stay tuned.

You can follow my tweets at: www.twitter.com/bcbenton

Now, what to wear . . . .

Autodesk Special Event - Yeah I'm going!

Next week Autodesk is having a special event at their San Francisco office.  Several CAD bloggers, like myself, will be in attendance.  I can't give out any real information yet, but I can share with you a list of who will be there.

• Michael Beall ~ http://www.cadtutor.net/corner/
• David Cohn ~ http://cadman-do.blogspot.com/
• Donnie Gladfelter ~ http://www.thecadgeek.com/
• Mark Kiker ~ http://www.caddmanager.com/CMB/
• RK McSwain ~ http://cadpanacea.com/
• Melanie Perry ~ http://mistressofthedorkness.blogspot.com/
• Curt Moreno ~ http://www.kungfudrafter.com/
• Barry Ralphs ~ http://www.opendcl.com
• Dean Saadallah ~ http://LTisACAD.blogspot.com

This list is simply amazing.  I have personally worked with most of the bloggers listed in one way or another, either on a project with AUGI, sharing blog posts, or through Cadalyst Magazine.  I have also gone to each and every website listed for CAD help or advice at some point in my career.  If you need CAD help, start with this list.  If they can't help you, well, then reboot three times and try again.

I went to a similar event last year.  There will be a live Webcast that you can sign up for and watch.  Here is the link:  http://www.autodesk.com/webcast

Other members of the Autodesk team will be there and we will have the chance to speak with them and ask them questions.  They too will be asking us questions.  I am very excited to be attending this special event.

Do you have any questions that you would like Autodesk to answer?  I can not guarantee anything, but I will be happy to inquire for you.  I will be blogging the event and Tweeting details, so stay tuned.

You can follow my tweets at: www.twitter.com/bcbenton

Now, what to wear . . . .

Who Likes AutoCAD and Free Stuff?

A couple of blog posts ago I mentioned that I haven't been blogging much lately.  That's about to change.  All I have to really do is post once a week and my post count will go through the roof!  I have been using AutoCAD and other Autodesk products for about 17 plus years.  That experience, plus my training opened a door that I was happy to walk through.  I have authored and reordered my very first training video series called AutoCAD Fundamentals. I was able to work with a great group of people from a company called Infinite Skills.  Together we have created a nearly 10 hour training video.  It is a video that will take anyone that has never used AutoCAD before and make them into an AutoCAD user.  I'm going to blog about this title more and more as the days go on.  But suffice it to say, that I have plans to get some free copies out there to readers of CAD-a-Blog!!  Stay tuned for more information about the title and on how you could win a free copy.

Who Likes AutoCAD and Free Stuff?

A couple of blog posts ago I mentioned that I haven't been blogging much lately.  That's about to change.  All I have to really do is post once a week and my post count will go through the roof!  I have been using AutoCAD and other Autodesk products for about 17 plus years.  That experience, plus my training opened a door that I was happy to walk through.  I have authored and reordered my very first training video series called AutoCAD Fundamentals. I was able to work with a great group of people from a company called Infinite Skills.  Together we have created a nearly 10 hour training video.  It is a video that will take anyone that has never used AutoCAD before and make them into an AutoCAD user.  I'm going to blog about this title more and more as the days go on.  But suffice it to say, that I have plans to get some free copies out there to readers of CAD-a-Blog!!  Stay tuned for more information about the title and on how you could win a free copy.

Cadalyst's Tips & Tools Weekly

Cadalyst magazine has several newsletters.  I am the Tip Patroller for their weekly newsletter Tips & Tools Weekly.  It is published every Monday.  This weeks tips include:

Start Commands with a Double Click

Set Extrusion Distance

Two-Key Commands

Program Keyboard and Mouse Inputs

Go to Cadalyst's website and click on the CAD Tips button to find all of the tips and to sign up for the newsletter.  Every tip is reader submitted.  There is a ton of great stuff there.

Cadalyst's Tips & Tools Weekly

Cadalyst magazine has several newsletters.  I am the Tip Patroller for their weekly newsletter Tips & Tools Weekly.  It is published every Monday.  This weeks tips include:

Start Commands with a Double Click

Set Extrusion Distance

Two-Key Commands

Program Keyboard and Mouse Inputs

Go to Cadalyst's website and click on the CAD Tips button to find all of the tips and to sign up for the newsletter.  Every tip is reader submitted.  There is a ton of great stuff there.

Autodesk releases Hotfix for running Impression 3 on Windows 7

Autodesk has been silent (or at least very quiet) with regards to Impression for some time.  I even stopped writing about it for AUGI World.  It's back! Sort of.  Impression doesn't run to well on Windows 7.  Or so I'm told.  I'm running it ok on Windows XP and Windows Vista.  They have released a hotfix for it.  According to Autodesk's website, this hotfix fixes a problem Impression has in Windows 7 where when you attempt to open, save or import a drawing, Impression fails!  Ouch!  

Download the hotfix from this site.

Impression is great.  I use it and have several tips on this blog about it.

Autodesk releases Hotfix for running Impression 3 on Windows 7

Autodesk has been silent (or at least very quiet) with regards to Impression for some time.  I even stopped writing about it for AUGI World.  It's back! Sort of.  Impression doesn't run to well on Windows 7.  Or so I'm told.  I'm running it ok on Windows XP and Windows Vista.  They have released a hotfix for it.  According to Autodesk's website, this hotfix fixes a problem Impression has in Windows 7 where when you attempt to open, save or import a drawing, Impression fails!  Ouch!  

Download the hotfix from this site.

Impression is great.  I use it and have several tips on this blog about it.

Solution Manual Fluid Mechanics- Fundamentals & Application by Y. A. Cengel & J. M.Cimbala

Fluid Mechanics- Fundamentals & Application by Y. A. Cengel & J. M.Cimbala

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Redesign London???

Fancy redesigning the London Skyline? If so checkout this interactive tool from Hayes Davidson. Hayes Davidson are one of the UK’s premier visualisation houses and have provided imagery worldwide to many of the worlds leading architectural firms.

http://www.hayesdavidson.com/skyline/