Author Archives: James Iliff

About James Iliff

James Iliff is a freelance writer and technology whiz who regularly contributes content for the talkTECH Communications blog and provides research and technology development ideas for many of the firm's clients. He is currently a student at USC in Los Angeles, California, where he is an undergraduate student working towards his B.A. in psychology.

Maker Faire & the DIY Ethos: How Small-Time Hobby Innovations Can Spark the Creation of Big-Time Fringe Tech Markets

Posted on by James Iliff

This post was originally posted on June 6, 2012 by James Iliff. Visit his website and read his blog post here. Last weekend was an explosion of wacky projects, do-it-yourself products, and massive art installations, including everything from  steampunk motorcycles and fire-breathing metallic dragons to musical tesla coils and robot petting zoos.  What I speak of [...]

IEEE VR Conference Rundown: Off-the-Shelf Virtual Reality & Stereoscopic SmartPhones

Posted on by James Iliff

Originally posted on JamesIliff.com The IEEE Virtual Reality Conference 2012 was a swinging success in OC this past week, and I had an absolute blast – all while learning about the cutting edge in virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, and meeting a ton of incredibly talented people.  I was graciously awarded passes to the conference by Mark [...]

LA Film Fest Report: Creative Conflicts with Technical People in 3D Independent Filmmaking

Posted on by James Iliff

This weekend, I had the chance to check out the 3D Vision Lab panel at LA Film Fest 2011, where indie producers and expert technologists tossed about the emerging use of 3D techniques in independent films.  With the technology getting much more portable and inexpensive, ultra low-budget filmmakers are starting to define the real capabilities [...]

Narrative Games, Mechanical Films, and the Big Ugly Birth of an Emerging Field

Posted on by James Iliff

There is a debate raging in the world of game theory that rattles the very identity of videogames.  In short, people are asking: are the mechanics most important in a game, or the story?  Henry Jenkins of MIT, in an article titled Game Design As Narrative Architecture, discusses the roles of interactivity and narrative in [...]

E3 Expo, Women In Games Spotlight

Posted on by James Iliff

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the third annual “Women in Games International” (WIG) E3 after party at Exchange LA as part of the E3 Expo experience.  With free food, cocktails, and – you guessed it – a Roller Derby (if you don’t know what that is, educate yourself), the night proved itself [...]

Putting Your Classical Education To Work, Millennial Style

Posted on by James Iliff

With the end of the school year approaching – and for many students, the end of a college career – a big question continues to poke at the back of their minds: “so what am I going to do with my education?” For liberal arts and classically-oriented people, this question is particularly agonizing.  “What are [...]

App-ril Fools Day: Are These Apps A Joke?

Posted on by James Iliff

We all love April Fool’s Day and the often confounding shenanigans that come with it: whether its Google pulling your leg by changing its name to your hometown (in my case), or the endless prank calls you get from Arnold Schwarzenegger (“I am Quaid!”). However, when it comes to the following list of iPhone apps, [...]