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Could Microsoft's Photosynth be the future of online walkarounds?

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#11
Stew -

You don't have to have 100's of photos - about 10 to 20 should do it. Yes, you would have to shoot a few more photos than the average. If you figure 10 photos of the exterior and 10 photos of the interior then it isn't that hard.

Video is much more difficult because of the editing process and planning. Taking 20 to 40 photographs is already being done.

You seriously jumped ahead with the holographic video on CNN - now that's cool! I can see a used car being reconstructed for product display like that in quite a few years. Combine Photosynth and Video holograms and you'll have a 3D rendering of a car that can be clicked on to explore various parts. You might even be able to see how the gas door opens before ever seeing the car in person!

I love technology!
 
#12
Could this be a future tool for retailers?
Yes, in part, but it isn't a one stop solution. It better enhances the marketing capabilities but what I have argued many times with some that it is not a selling tool. You gain interest not sales, and I have been studying and preparing for what will be the next evolution of the selling model.
 
#13
This stuff has tremendous potential...... for vendors such as CDMData/DealerSpecialties/etc.... and take some of the power away from companies that exclusively sell a walk-around product such as UnityWorks or Sister Technologies....

If it were tweaked, packaged, and integrated properly into an existing online marketing tool.... it would rock.
 
#14
Granted, this is cool stuff, but...

I still don't see how Photosynth can be better than a video of the car for a shopper??
Maybe another way to view a car perhaps, but would the extra cost to have Photosynth on our websites be worth it?

Video is a bunch of pictures shot frame after frame. If that luxury isn't available to some dealers, then it might be an alternative, but good video cameras are $300 and some time!? And the automated vehicle videos are a couple hundred bucks a month.

Pete you're right on, this like video gains interest only, now we need to get the sale!

Jerome I gotta disagree here sorry.

"If it were tweaked, packaged, and integrated properly into an existing online marketing tool…."
Now that's the problem. How much time and money will this take for any company accomplish? How would you marry a vehicle audio description to Photosynth? How could PS link to viewing/reporting? How could you bind PS into a format that would allow viewing portability, or searchable (iphone, youtube/google)?

Why would CDM or DSpec want to invest into this tech, versus vehicle videos?

BTW, CDM uses Sister Tech video, and DSpec has their Vevo videos.
Both are automated vehicle video systems that use multiple photos and text to speech software(TTS) and can crank out 1000's of vehicle videos a day.

There's also Ebiz autos, Dealer Impact, and Liquid Motors all the basic same video thing.
UnityWorks isn't quite fully automated because they use real human voice, but similar.

I just don't see how photosynth could rival ANY of these companies that can create vehicle videos in bulk at anytime now or in the future.

Now vehicle holograms could rival all, and I get giddy over it, read one of my posts above.
Problem is tho, we're way too far away from getting there for dealers.
Maybe when we're all retired:)
 
#15
Thanks Stew you see what I see.

It's funny to me and still crack up when slide shows are called video. Even better when I hear audio descriptions. I have my speakers off 99% of the time unless I am listening to a live sportscast or radio station.

Hologram, you bet that's cool and did you catch CNN's on election night? It was still about human interaction and selling vehicles will always be that way unless they are under say 20K, only primary colors, no additional options, 5 star safety rating, seats up to 7 and get's 100MPG. I don't even need to see or talk to anybody. Here is my credit card # and ship it to me and keep the key chains.
 
#16
@Pete, you said "It’s funny to me and still crack up when slide shows are called video".

I totally agree BUT place your mom, dad or even a friend that is not totally tech savvy and see if they know the difference? I think you might be surprised. I know I was :)

However, as web surfers mature, the slide show will slide their way out. If you're a Video vendor, I wouldn't be sitting back thinking the slide show "video" is going to last forever.
 
#20
Pete, yeah I saw the CNN election broadcast. I stood up in the living room and said OMG? The video production cost on that has to be $500k easy! My wife and kids started laughing at me.Then my kids asked me for a Batman hologram for Xmas for their rooms.

I had to explain to them in this economy they'll be lucky to get a color 8x10 printout of a Batman Hologram.

Then I showed the kids MS Photosynth, told them to upload all their Batman pics there, and call Alex for a demo:) Merry Xmas kids!

Seriously tho, we should look at it from the shoppers perspective.

Slideshows aren't real videos, but what Jeff mentioned might be true. The average shopper probably doesn't know or care about the difference between a slideshow, or a real video of the vehicle.
They want to know if it's a vehicle THEY want to buy.

Which confirms Pete's point about gaining the shoppers interest about the vehicle, that's really what it's all about.

Pete I like your thinking on the "here's my credit card" thing too. That could certainly apply to NEW vehicles since they're similar - just take your pick Mr/Mrs Shopper.
The vendors out there that provide the automatic bulk slideshow style video vehicle presentations should definetely look onward, of course this presentation style won't last forever.
 

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