The magic of digitalization

The magic of digitalization

By Ari Darmawan
Contributor
Jakarta

One of the latest advances in technology is digitalization.
The word "digital" has mesmerized almost everyone, from kids to
adults. Almost every activity in human life is now in one way or
another related to this phenomenon, as today most equipment and
gadgets for daily use incorporate digital technology: personal
computers, notebooks, cellular phones, cameras, audio and visual
equipment, watches, refrigerators and washing machines, just to
name a few.

Just like magic, digitalization has given a new meaning to
life and has made it richer and, obviously, much more convenient.
In telecommunications it has made contacts and relationships more
integrated.

Nicholas Negroponte, the author of "Being Digital", referred
to the digital era as an era of greater freedom. He wrote: "Being
digital is about being free. Free to gather, sort, censor and
expand information on a personal level. Through the use of
computers, we will be both the editors and consumers of the
information before us. This future technology will change the
perspective on how humans think, interact with one another and
live. The culmination of this technology will change civilization
and how we are going to live in the future."

Apart from being bewitched by the digital technology, we also
appreciate its numerous sophisticated advantages. Not long after
its introduction, many of us have learned to use the various
digital products, for example digital cameras, both the lesser
known and the pricey world-renowned brands.

With only one click, these digital cameras instantly give us
ready-to-use pictures. By connecting the digital camera to a
computer, we can easily enhance the picture using the related
software in the computer. This technique -- digital imaging --
enables us to retouch the picture, change its colors, enlarge or
reduce it, light up or darken parts of the picture and even add
captions etc. The possibilities are only limited to your
creativity.

After this process, you do not have to get it printed the
conventional way in order to show the end result to your family
or friends. You can simply e-mail it to anyone anywhere and
within seconds the recipient can share your creative work.

Keeping thousands of your favorite photos, such as photos of
birthdays, weddings, anniversaries etc., is no longer a problem.
Using the conventional method -- photo albums -- you have all the
hassle of pasting them in dozens of such albums, not to mention
finding the space to keep them. However, with digital technology,
all you need is just one PC that is equipped with the relevant
software.

Digitalization has affected not only daily life, but also has
greatly benefited the business world. Numerous manufacturers have
been able to increase their sales by incorporating the digital
element into their products, and the individual users of these
innovations have also been able to expand their businesses.

Digital camera manufacturers have literally flooded the
market, as, based on a survey conducted by a market research
bureau in the U.S., the figures for 2000 show that famous makes,
such as Sony, Olympus, Canon and Nikon, produced approximately
three million digital cameras. One can easily imagine the huge
numbers of cameras produced when the other -- less famous --
brands are included.

The mushrooming of digital cameras has also spurred the rapid
growth of the photo printing business, including both smaller
shops and giant chains. Leading digital photo printer makes, such
as Fuji, Canon and Sanyo, are easily found here.

Other businesses that have also benefited from digital
technology are printing companies, audio and video post-
production houses and advertising agencies. Indigo, Heidelberg
and Xerox are some of the reputable names for quality digital
printers, while the post-production and advertising industry also
utilize various types of digital equipment with the most
sophisticated technologies.

Take The Post Office, for example. Being one of the most
thriving post-production houses in town, it has greatly enhanced
its capabilities by using the latest digital equipment made by
Discreet: the Inferno Version 4 and Fire version 4. The Inferno
is a high-tech visual effects tool that includes features like 3D
and 2D motion tracking, color warping, motion animation, time
warping, modular keying, high-speed editing, painting and text
insertion. The Fire version 4 is a highly versatile editing
machine that, among its numerous features, also includes multi
layering with the highest image resolution.

"To maintain our leading position, we continuously upgrade our
equipment and keep up with the latest technology ... like the
sophisticated digital equipment you see here," said Youk Tanzil,
the president of The Post Office. He added that in his business,
speed and quality are the two most important factors that the
company always strives to deliver best.

Much simpler in its process, faster, less costly, with more
room for creativity, and quality that is close to perfection.
These are some of the benefits of digital technology that have
magically changed our lives and the pace of most businesses.