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.