3D animated avatars using either "cartoonish" or even realistic photos are nothing new. Gizmoz was one of the first to allow you to animate avatars that were based on real photos of yourself. The software would automatically detect and add facial movement, mouth movement, eyebrow movement, etc. when you spoke or moves certain facial features. Of course, you have Klonies, which also work with Skype. Then there is IMVU, which offers cartoonish avatars and I'm sure there are many other 3D avatar making pieces of software out there.
Now word comes from another company PQ Computing Corporation offering you the ability to animate pictures of yourself, family members, pets, etc. using their PQ Talking Photo application. They're known for their DVD video conversion software PQ DVD, which can convert a DVD to iPod, Zune, PSP, or 3G format. How or why they decided to branch off into 3D avatars is beyond me. But apparently 3D avatars are popular amongst teenagers and they are willing to pay for avatars just like they pay for ringtones. Personally, I feel ringtones should be free, since you can easily install your own custom ringtones, but what do I know? Ringtones are a multi-billion dollar market, so either there are a lot of ringtone buying fools or I'm just too damn techy (or cheap) for my own good. Even if 3D avatars don't reach the billion dollar plateau, it sounds like it could be a lucrative business.
In any event, below is a sample. Oh and if you are a blogger, you will receive a copy of PQ Talking Photo just by blogging it ($59.90 value for free). It's a limited time offer: you must blog before Xmas. Your blog cannot be newly created and must have at least 10 previous posts.
Now word comes from another company PQ Computing Corporation offering you the ability to animate pictures of yourself, family members, pets, etc. using their PQ Talking Photo application. They're known for their DVD video conversion software PQ DVD, which can convert a DVD to iPod, Zune, PSP, or 3G format. How or why they decided to branch off into 3D avatars is beyond me. But apparently 3D avatars are popular amongst teenagers and they are willing to pay for avatars just like they pay for ringtones. Personally, I feel ringtones should be free, since you can easily install your own custom ringtones, but what do I know? Ringtones are a multi-billion dollar market, so either there are a lot of ringtone buying fools or I'm just too damn techy (or cheap) for my own good. Even if 3D avatars don't reach the billion dollar plateau, it sounds like it could be a lucrative business.
In any event, below is a sample. Oh and if you are a blogger, you will receive a copy of PQ Talking Photo just by blogging it ($59.90 value for free). It's a limited time offer: you must blog before Xmas. Your blog cannot be newly created and must have at least 10 previous posts.
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These PQ Computing "3D Avatars" *are pretty
darn cool, Tom.
And I'm guessing they will definitely become a Rage!
Bill Burke
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