I hoped to get this posting done by midnight so I could get some other work done and then some sleep, but that didn’t happen. Tomorrow is another big day and the final day of Autodesk University with a final big party celebrating 20 years of Autodesk University and is being held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. I have two classes then a couple meetings then I will call it a wrap and start to relax and start thinking about AU 2013 unless the Mayans were right. Read more →

Learning, Connecting, and Exploring! The official day 1 of Autodesk University 2012 general sessions started today. I started my day up in the rafters of the Mandalay Bay arena high above the audience like a cloud with arms, legs, and a camera taking photos during the main stage keynote. It kicked off with Autodesk CTO Jeff Kowalski talking about the Beyond Form: The Whole Design Process. Jeff talked about the history of design and challenges faced due to decisions made during design. Read more →

Yes you read the headline correctly. On Wednesday night here at Autodesk University at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas we are holding cage match style debates as we have at the IDEAS and TED where they were a hit . We have a referee Tom Wujec, Maurice Conti a medic to administer bandages or a shot of vodka, and a ring. I just found out at lunch I will be in a match with the 12 year old Maker extraordinaire Schuyler St, Leger. He is like a pint sized PhD who can make about anything and has been a hit on YouTube with a video on why he loves his 3D printer. http://bit.ly/RhcmCH Read more →

I landed today in Vegas to attend and present at the annual Autodesk University. I immediately had to drop my bags in the room at the THEhotel (silliest name for a hotel, ever), then get running to events. I ran into many old friends, and even more friends that did not recognize me having dropped 50 pounds of myself this year. Some of the reactions were priceless. Read more →

Over the past few days thousands of Autodesk products users have invaded Las Vegas Nevada to attend Autodesk University 2012. The general event starts tomorrow but today is the leadership forums, ADN developer sessions, and this evening is the Freshman Orientation and some social receptions including the annual Press and Blogger social managed by our favorite spin doctors in PR. Think of thins as Day 0 of 3, and tomorrow is day 1. Read more →

Get ready for the live play by play and photos of the week at Autodesk University 2012. Yes that is me all ready for my cage match at AU! Cheer, Shaan Read more →

Great Info from a recent AU 2012 email blast. Get Oriented at the AU Freshman Orientation With so much going on at any moment, it is easy for first-time attendees to feel overwhelmed. To get the most out of AU,... Read more →

In an effort to continue improving our products based on customer feedback and CER reports a new Update was posted for 3ds Max 2013 & 3ds Max Design 2013 today. Read more →

This week is the last week before Autodesk University next week. Thousands are heading for Las Vegas in the next few days and we will be ready for them with great speakers, classes, technology, Innovation forums, vendors, AUGI Annual meeting, entertainment and more. Read more →

Autodesk University 2012 is only two weeks away! After attending every Las Vegas based Autodesk University, I have compiled a long list of tips for not only surviving but making the most of Autodesk University which will be held this year at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas November 27-29, 2012 Read more →

Autodesk is looking for developers to develop an App and win some prizes. Time is growing short with Autodesk University 2012 in only 18 days away. Grand Prize US$5000 2nd Prize US$2000 3rd Prize US$1000 4th Prize Ten finalists will receive a recently-released tablet computer valued at approximately US$500. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, Nov 14 at midnight (Pacific time) There is still time. Read more →

We don’t want anyone feeling left out or not considered for this special annual gathering of bloggers, press, and Autodesk executives, PR, and more at Autodesk University. Last year I saw one Vice President of Autodesk (keeping secret) shoot another Vice President (Buzz) in the rear with a marshmallow gun at this event, how will we top that unplanned sniper attack. This event is a great place to meet other bloggers, press, and deskers before AU starts. Please spread the word so we don’t miss anyone as it is hard to reach out to everyone. Read more →

3D Modeling for the Masses Debuts with Autodesk 123D Design on Windows, Mac, cloud hosted version that runs in your browser, and an iPad version. NO COMPLEX CAD SKILLS REQUIRED “For the first time ever, users can create sophisticated, precise 3D models of real objects on their iPad, Mac, PC or via their web browser. People said this couldn’t be done on iPad, and we’re happy to prove them wrong,” said Samir Hanna, vice president of Consumer Products, Autodesk. “We believe that everyone is creative, and we intend to put easy to use design software in the hands of millions of people so they can create real objects, have fun doing it and then fabricate the things they want and need, just the way they want them.” The brand new Autodesk 123D Design is a 3D software package for everyone especially the Maker market or the young children and students interested in design and technology to those Makers and their parents and grandparents. Did I mention this is FREE** Read more →

Awhile back Autodesk got some great feedback and an award with a new method to get people to try a new software trial version of 3ds Max much more deeply than they might have just testing on their own. With some structured exercises you can see more of the value and features of the software than just poking around on your own. Make it a game and it becomes fun as well as a learning and exploring experience. Now with the launch of the Autodesk product suites where multiple Autodesk products are bundled together it is even more important to get people deeper into the benefits of the software. And so we have the gamified trial experience where you take on missions to score points and in the process learn more about the different software contained in the AutoCAD Deign Suite and their features. Read more →

Don't miss the Autodesk University 2012 Rock of Ages Party at the the Hard Rock. Read more →

Attention Engineering and Architecture students go to the Autodesk Education Community to try the leading edge of Cloud powered Autodesk Simulation 360 technology at no cost. Autodesk Simulation 360 gives you Mechanical and Computational Fluid Dynamics tools that leverage the power of cloud computing to compute solutions faster than ever. This is in addition to most every Autodesk product free for students for 3 year software licenses. Read more →

Goal Zero Solar and their Goal Zero Nation is actively helping assist those affected by the East Coast storm “Sandy”, and those who continue to try to recover their lives and get needed power and fuel. Goal Zero Solar just this weekend have driven a truck full of Goal Zero Solar equipment to the East Coast to give away. They are also contributing one of each product for each purchased this month to help even more. Read more →

There is a very interesting story about an Mechanical engineer Carlos Paris using AutoCAD to generate an amazing visualization to find a solution to a prime number challenge and claim a $250,000 dollar prize. Carlos did not get to the billion digit prime number, but in the pursuit generated an amazing visualization of prime numbers on a line as well as the justification of the the twin prime conjecture. Read more →

Yes, the clock is accelerating faster as we grow nearer to Autodesk University. This year there will be the largest number of exhibitors in the exhibitor hall, over 1000 classes, and expecting over 8000 attendees. Read more →

I presented to an Inventor User Group organized by CADPro Systems last night in Christchurch New Zealand, but I never left my house, dealt with the security & customs checkpoints, or the long flight with the standard baby with an earache crying with an unchanged diaper on the 15 hours of flights each way. I used my webcam and GoToMeeting web conference software to present to the user group virtually where I could see and hear the attendees and they could see and hear me. It was 10:30 pm time Wednesday (Halloween and wearing my Zombie Food shirt) and 5:30pm Thursday for them, so technically I was presenting into the future. Read more →