Festoon Media | Blog

Moving a step closer toward quantum computing

2010-12-23T18:25:00.004+05:30

Single Quantum Dot Nanowire Photodetectors

Moving a step closer toward quantum computing, a research team in the Netherlands recently fabricated a photodetector based on a single nanowire, in which the active element is a single quantum dot with a volume of a mere 7,000 cubic nanometers.

Photodetectors based on single quantum dots are expected to find uses in optoelectrical interfaces in future quantum computers, where single photons will carry information over long distances and single electrons will be used for computation....

Louder than words

2010-07-20T11:49:00.004+05:30

A cool image viewer application i stumbled across - Cooliris. This is just one of the many image viewer applications out there which have made building image galleries an easy job.

Long time no post in here from Festoon Media.. i guess we are all still recovering from the [World Cup] football fever. Anyways to start afresh with our posts in here.. nothing like a few images to kickstart the blog again.. after all images speak louder than words.

{Images up there from the Festoon Media flickr page}

- Node 3

Photography and Branding

2010-04-30T13:44:00.023+05:30

Photography is often a core element of a company's brand. But truth is, not every picture is worth 1,000 words. Too many companies use photography that can be characterized in four words: "What were they thinking?"

It isn't difficult to start a list of corporations that rely on outstanding photography to convey their essence to consumers: Nike, Target, Condé Nast. But your brand doesn't have to be a household name — and you don't have to be able to afford the world's most expensive photographer — to make photography work to your company's advantage.

Let's take a look at some examples of photography that are consistent, compelling, and on brand.

First create a Style
When creating your unique photographic style, start by thinking about your brand and your core attributes. Are you technical? Serious? Intelligent? Trustworthy? Helpful? Creative? Fun? Now look at your photography. Does it communicate these attributes? How you want customers to view you is the key to your photographic style.

You should also seek consistency by setting limits and narrowing your focus. Decide, for instance, if your photography will primarily be product-based, people-focused, scene-focused, or metaphorical. There are countless appropriate choices; which is right for your brand? Once you've decided, narrow again. If you decide to focus on people shots, maintain consistent lighting, background, and point of view so that all of your photography appears related. The reality is that the tighter you keep your parameters, the more interesting and consistent your images will be.

Please note: Consistency doesn't mean "sameness." No one wants to see the same photograph over and over. A consistent style is one where there are recognizable similarities between photos — in subject matter, background, color, lighting, and attitude.

People Photography
Photography using people can be highly effective if done purposefully and professionally. It's especially important when shooting people to have an overarching concept.
If the people you are photographing are actual employees, your approach should be equally purposeful. What is the message you want to convey? Trust? Expertise? Competence? Friendliness?

Product Photography
Need to make your product look enticing? It can be done if you think more like a marketer and less like a product developer or an engineer. Surprise your audience. Shoot your product from different angles, use close ups. Place your product in an unlikely setting. Use lighting in creative ways. Product photography can be both accurate and beautiful.

Metaphorical Photography
A metaphorical approach can be highly imaginative and powerful. Whatever metaphor you choose, keep it simple and use it consistently.

A library of images
Once you have defined your unique photographic style, create a strong, deep library of images for various marketing venues — ads, brochures, websites, direct mail, packaging — wherever your brand appears.

By creating a simple, consistent, and creative style, you can help your audience move from "What were they thinking?" to "How did they do that?"

________________________________

*Image source: aussiegall
* available for use under THIS license

Speed Up

2010-04-29T12:12:00.010+05:30

That is precisely what every one is crying for in India. Yes, you guessed it right…we are talking about our ‘slower-than-snail’ connection speed of broadband in the country.

We have got to admit that our broadband service and speed are abysmally poor. A recent international survey showed that we rank in the high eighties when it comes to the internet reach and speed, compared to more than 180 other nations in the world. Even a few relatively less developed African and Latin American countries have achieved a better ranking. This is a really disgraceful especially when we boast of us being one of the largest and fastest developing economies of the world.

For a company like Festoon Media which focuses in providing the latest new media services to our clients, we rely heavily on smooth and fast internet connectivity. Any blockage in that severely hampers our developmental activities. Moreover, it is indeed a well known that with out a proper, reliable, fast and efficient internet backbone no country can strive to achieve growth. Thus if we want to sustain our high GDP and economic growth rate, it is paramount that we invest heavily in creating just that.

Update: A neat infograph showing internet speeds + costs around the world.
[click on the image for a larger view]

*Image source: rodrigo.haenggi
* available for use under THIS license

Getting away with Murder

2010-04-28T17:26:00.013+05:30

Desperate times call for for desperate measures...well we are not quite in this situation. But seriously..if you are still surfing the web using Internet Explorer 6 it's high time you upgraded or switched to another browser - that's faster and better. We can't force you.. but we are requesting you to kill IE 6. We guarantee you'll get away with it.

Of course here at Festoon Media we have the skills and give a high priority to ensure that whatever we develop is backwards compatible.... but we get that despairing feeling when we have to put in that extra bit of code just to ensure that things work smoothly on your antique browser - IE 6!!!

Antique furniture is cool. Antique browser - not. So, do yourself [and us] plus everyone who might be using your computer to surf the web by getting rid of IE 6.
Here are some points to help you in making this monumental change:

IE 6 = Slow JavaScript engine {what is javascript? ...well lets just say it makes webpages cool and functional}
IE 6 = Incorrect rendering of web pages
IE 6 = Bad security
Bill Gates will send you a free copy of Windows & Doors Vista Edition once you upgrade OR use a better browser. You will have to send them a mail with your browser update details. This is a strategy by Microsoft to reduce the amount of expense they have been incurring due to the millions of customer complaints from IE 6 users who lost data on their computers because of this ancient browser.

Consider the last point false. However this is true: IE 6 Funeral[s] have already been held world wide. Now go kill yours. Some browsers you might consider giving a try to help you in this task: Use Chrome, Firefox, Safari or upgrade to a newer version of IE. We stand strong in our mission to make the World wide web a better place for you to enjoy. Kill IE 6. Some people think you should dump IE all together but lets leave this for another day.

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*Image source: Mike Rohde
* available for use under THIS license

Fake IPL Player is Back

2010-03-22T18:00:00.004+05:30

Where there is excess money, there is dirt, back-stabbing, and conspiracy theories galore. Controversies have followed the immense success of the Twenty20 tournament, which was launched by the BCCI in 2008 with the backing of the International Cricket Council.

With huge money at stake, the tournament, modelled on the franchise system, has had many offshoots on and off the field. One of them was a blog by a person known only as the 'Fake IPL Player'. It became a big success on the Web during the last season of the IPL because of the way it detailed the dirty goings-on inside a franchise; the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

The KKR management took the blog seriously and is believed to have suspected a few players, who could possibly be either writing the blog themselves or passing on inside information to the anonymous blogger.

Now the anonymous player/person has shifted from his blog to a brand new website. I know that all of you also know that what is the name of his website, guess!!!

The basic relation b/w new dishes and new media….

2010-03-03T10:27:00.001+05:30

We talk about creative “juice”, we talk about “new recipe”, we talk about “new tone, new texture, new taste”. The context could be a new brand development or could be a new invented or discovered dish.

Its all about conceiving a new thought, performing the methodology with new touch and “visual audit” (in certain places menu cards are not so extensive).

And “portfolio” changes all the time, with more experiences. But couple of esteemed, niche “jobs” are always there – Oly’s beef steak, for instance……. .

beta post...

2010-03-02T12:42:00.001+05:30

Festoon Media is a multi-disciplinary visual communication firm where we deliver design and visual communication solutions to our clients, emphasizing mainly on brand development and marketing strategy across a wide range of industry segments. The work domain of the company spans from Website Designing to Multimedia Presentation to 3D/2D Animation.

We lay special emphasis in catering a complete creative solution to our clients by providing innovative and customized design solutions. The emphasis is to offer a need-based design solution which provides an in-depth, accurate and effective communication.

At Festoon Media, we call it – InDesign. .........

.....Whew!!!

..did you read all of the above content? Well, thats just us trying to sound serious.
This is just a beta post.. posted by me..i.e. the person "incharge" of the "social" dept. of our firm. Ironic i say.. because i'm the most anti~social person of the lot here in our office... Anways enough of me...

if you've landed up on this blog.. hopefully you'll be seeing a whole lot of thought provoking, mind boggling, creative work in here in the near future.. and maybe short guides on the best places to eat here in Kolkata... from the others in our office..

Yes, yes we know... it's already year twentyten and we've just started a blog..doing the 'Johnny-come-lately' act.. but as they say better late than never ...

Cheers..
Node3 (a.k.a. Abel...)