The world of 3D imaging

I was recently looking and playing with the new tool of Google (well, atleast to me): Google Sketchup.
Imagine the endless possibilities of this tool. If we can model our homes (well, have the patience to learn the tool and then more patience to model our home), furniture shopping would be so much of a delight. It might be a shocking concept to us women - going to shop knowing EXACTLY what is needed. But for all we know, it isn't that much of a sin! The tool is owned by Google, so we could have a choice to save our models onto their server (much like we upload our pics on picasaweb or even this blog for that instance). I am not sure if you want to let other people search through these models, but it is not a bad idea after all. Google can allow ads of different furniture providers posted on their website. Pick the store and pick the piece of furniture from their website! Fit it in your 3D model. Voila! You have a miniature of your home being prepared. This can be accessed anywhere in the world! Once you have decided the exact furniture, you could either order it online (from the website itself) or you could walk into the store, pull up your model and purchase your piece. Now, I am wondering if I should extend this to actually using a 3D printer..well, that is a different thread.

The second application I can immediately see is in Clothes Retailers. Just as simple as your customize your Y! avatar (i.e if you use Y! msgr. Well, if you don't, I suggest you go to avatar.yahoo.com and have a look at the funky play tools). You can provide your vital stats, color of skin, hair, eyes, weight etc and get a 3D model of yourself. Wanna upload it, why not, feel free. Use this model while searching for clothes. Want to try the clothes? the concept should be as simple as Clink-n-Fit! Although the women folk might still not love the idea, I am sure the men would be thrilled to shave "valuable hours" off their shopping experience :).
More to come..in bits and pieces. Use your 3D tool to put them together :p

ps: Wonder why we don't have emoticons yet with Blogger..

Fun?

I had an awakening yesterday. B was simply thinking out aloud. He said "I want to do something fun". So, I asked myself, what would I do for fun? and guess what? shocked myself as I drew a blank..so seriously, What do you do for fun?
I started thinking about those days when I had fun without realizing I was having fun. It meant taking your mind off work, your finances, your things-to-do, your regular routine, fitness schedule, classes, assignments, projects..just anything that you are compelled or self motivate to do.
I am still thinking hard and wondering if I ever have such an activity these days..Well, may be I do. I enjoy shopping..err.. I guess. But many a times, I have looked through 4 floors and found nothing. I enjoy dining out..well, I am not sure. Sometimes, the food doesn't suit me. Ahh, you know what? I enjoy bluff, the game where all of us have a hearty laugh for no reason. I enjoy travelling, but then this cannot be as spontaneous so no longer belongs to this category. May be music, singing, dancing...there is no preparatory steps there. (Pause..long pause..thinking hard..bright smile..) ah! yes, I enjoy cooking too especially making up my own recipes with the available ingredients..
I strongly resolved I need to stop and smell the roses. So ask yourself, what do you do for fun? Are you thinking as hard as I am..may be it is time for you too to free your mind of all the daily trivialities of life. 50 years later, it is not the daily chores that you will raccount to your future generations (well, frankly if you did, I don't think you would likely have an audience). 50 years later, it would be the fun times that you can vividly draw a picture and entice your families. It is the "I was the only one who.." words that would bring the little ones closer to you and beg you for more of those tales. It is the "remember that day when..(laughter)" that you would share with your remaining few friends which would brighten your days..
So go forward, live a life you would be not only proud of, but also happy about..

Favorite Passtimess

One of my favorite things to do, while distracting myself from anything else I am doing, is to scrouge the net for travel deals. I keep checking on Lonely Planet, websites of big airline companies, check my luck on priceline, kayak, and the list goes on. I hear the calling from the far away lands, yet to be visited. I become painfully aware of those unvisited territories. I become humble after realizing my ignorance about those cultures yet to be experienced. I begin to yearn to tingle my taste buds with those unheard of spices. I get filled with the excitement of a whole new experience, look forward to the life changing voyage. I wish to get lost in translation, struggle with directions in strange languages, wish to be so tired of everything new, wish to be dying to get back home only to pack my bags and leave again.