Have you noticed how Alias has been pushing their sketchbook software like crazy recently? What's the deal? Well here's why-- their new focus is on innovation-- they want to "shift from tools for making to tools for thinking". This may seem like a bit of an odd statement for a company that is known for it's 3D surfacing software, but maybe it's to be expected in this age of the "Information Economy". In an age where tech support, manufacturing, and engineering have all drifted off shore, we all know design is the next logical victim. It would appear Alias sees this, and believes that a lot of today's designers will be spending most of their future careers in concepting products, and not creating surface data. So, Alias tells us that "ideas and innovation can never be outsourced".

Let's sure hope so.