New 3-D Internet Software to Be Launched
Two high-tech powerhouses--Intel Corp. of Santa Clara, Calif., and Macromedia Inc. of San Francisco--are about to launch software that adds a third dimension to the flat world of the Web.
The new versions of Macromedia’s Director and Shockwave Player software are the latest in a long series of efforts to boost the use of 3-D technology. Those attempts haven’t made much of an impact on the Web, however, as 3-D has largely been confined to games and virtual tours.
What makes the latest effort different, though, is its head start: More than 200 million Web users already have Shockwave Player installed on their computers, and they’ll automatically download the 3-D version as soon as they encounter a site using the new technology.
The two companies are expected to announce the software today at a conference for Macromedia developers in New York. It’s slated to be released in May.
Pat Gelsinger, vice president and chief technical officer of Intel Architecture Group, said one problem for 3-D technology has always been that Web users have viewed it as a frill instead of a useful addition. “I think the real issue is getting 3-D to the point where people really want to take advantage of it on the Web,” he said.
One hurdle has been the large size of many 3-D files, which discourages users with dial-up modems from trying to download them. The new technology by Macromedia and Intel, however, can squeeze complex 3-D images into small packages, Gelsinger said. It also can recognize how powerful a user’s computer is and adjust the presentation accordingly.
Not surprisingly, the more powerful the computer, the better the 3-D images appear. One of Intel’s goals in developing the software, Gelsinger said, is to promote sales of its latest generation of souped-up Pentium 4 microchips.
Shockwave Flash animation technology is already a standard feature on millions of Web sites, powering everything from introductory screens to online entertainment. Macromedia’s ambition is to provide a similarly widespread foundation for 3-D, one that will work with other companies’ 3-D tools as well as its own.
Rob Burgess, Macromedia chairman and chief executive, said he expects the first uses of the new 3-D technology will be in entertainment, product demonstrations and training. It’s also likely to be put on display by Macromedia’s online entertainment affiliate, AtomShockwave Corp.
Intel and Macromedia announced the 3-D project last year. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
