Filed under: TECHNOLOGY | Tags: Bluetooth, Consumer electronics, Data Communications, Dongle, Engadget, Personal computer, Universal Serial Bus, WIRELESS
SoundLink, the too-expensive, yet pretty OK looking wireless music system by the “too expensive, yet pretty OK looking” consumer electronics people over at Bose, has gone from rumor to reality as of today. Expect to pay $599.90 for the whole McGillicuddy or — if you’ve already bought into the Bose Wave thing — pick up that SoundLink upgrade kit featuring a USB Bluetooth dongle for a mere $149.95. (Engadget10/22)
Amazon has just made their new Kindle for PC available for pre-order online, a move that turns almost any PC in the entire world into a fully-fledged ereader. The software comes on the heels of all of the big Win7 announcements today evens up the playing fields when it comes to PC-based ereaders. (Crunchgear10/22)
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Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: Alaska, Government, NBC Universal, Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Palin, Television, Television program, United States
Oprah Winfrey, aiming to climb back from last season’s ratings slump, will attempt to make up with conservative viewers on Nov. 16 when she has Sarah Palin on her syndicated talk show. Palin’s new book, “Going Rogue,” is scheduled to hit bookstores the next day. (Iwantmedia 10/21, Washington Post 10/21)
Combining metrics across multiple platforms, ESPN says it delivered its biggest audience ever in Sept., including a combined total day rating of 1.65 million homes across ESPN’s networks, a 250% spike in time spent on ESPN 360.com (per Move Analytics,) and a 21% boost in unique visitors to ESPN.com, totaling 28.8 million visitors for the month. ESPN.com also had more viewers of online video in September than ever, with 9.3 million viewers logging nearly 196 million minutes of video viewing. (Cynopsis10/21)
Traditional television viewing patterns are collapsing and the industry needs to quickly figure out how to profit in a world where people can watch TV shows anytime, anywhere, says NBC Universal TV chief Marc Graboff. “The audience is so fragmented at the expense of TV shows.” (Iwantmedia 10/21, Reuters10/20)
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Filed under: ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA | Tags: Arts, Cable television, Carol Bartz, Comcast, Google, Television, Time Warner Cable, Yahoo
ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
Google will partner with iLike and LaLa for their new music service, Techcrunch has learned. And the announcement date is Wednesday, October 28, 2009. (Techcrunch10/21)
Yahoo announced third quarter earnings today, showing net income more than tripling to $186 million, or $0.13 a share, nearly double analysts estimates of $0.07 a share. This was definitely a financial achievement for Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz, but it was done almost entirely through cost cutting. (Techcrunch10/20)
Comcast will become the first cable television operator to unlock online access to cable shows and movies. Subscribers can initially watch programs only on their home computers after verification. Time Warner Cable and other cable providers plan to follow with similar programs. (Iwantmedia 10/21, AP, 10/20)
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Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: Business, Chief executive officer, Google, iPhone, Microsoft, Mobile device, Smartphone, Steve Ballmer
Microsoft personnel are working around the clock to restore personal data lost during a recent outage of the company’s Sidekick mobile device, and Steve Ballmer, the software giant’s chief executive officer, says his company needs to do more to assure enterprise customers that a similar mistake won’t occur in the future. Ballmer said it was imperative for Microsoft to “explain to customers our method and process and quality approach and what went wrong in that case and how we are making sure that it does not happen again.” Network World (10/19) , InformationWeek (10/19) , CNET/Beyond Binary (10/19)
Google is said to be planning to release its own smartphone directly through retailers, as opposed to through a carrier partnership, in what could be a huge disruption to the industry’s business model. Google’s phone “could be the first credible competitor to the iPhone.” (Iwantmedia 10/21, Internet News10/20)
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Filed under: TECHNOLOGY | Tags: Apple, Barnes & Noble, IMac, Mac OS, Mac OS X, Online shopping, Operating system
As Mashable reported earlier yesterday, Apple’s online store went down for updates earlier today, amidst rumors of new products and product updates. Now that the store is back online, the new products up up for display.So what’s new? Well, as usual, intricate accuracy of the rumors proved to be true: new iMacs with slight redesigns and brighter, larger displays, updated Mac minis (including a Mac OS X server option), a newly designed MacBook and a new multi-touch mouse (which was rumored early in the month) that will finally free Mac users from the Mighty Mouse’s impossible-to-keep-clean clutches. (Mashable 10/21)
The Nook, Barnes & Noble’s new ereader, has upped the ante. With a small, 3.5-inch LCD screen in the lower quadrant, the Nook adds touch capabilities that the Kindle definitely does not have. (Techcrunch10/20)
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Filed under: Feature | Tags: Digital Hollywood, Hulu, iTunes, Mobile content, Mobile phone, Netflix, Television, YouTube
MOBILE MOVIES ON THE GO: MSPOT
Just launched about a month ago now, mSpot allows consumers the opportunity to watch movies on 30 phones domestically. Interested in taking in Zach and Miri Make a Porno? Now, you can introduce your fellow train mates to comedy nudity as well. Incidentally speaking, this was the movie playing when mSpot was demoed to me. Currently, over 350 movies are available on the service and a few TV shows as well.
The business model:
I had the opportunity to sit down with Darren Tsui , CEO of mSpot, today at Digital Hollywood LA. The service in available both in a rental and monthly subscription model ($4.99/movie and $9.99/month for 4 movies). When asked why the service wasn’t available in an unlimited monthly Netflix type of model, Tsui responded that this model wasn’t compatible with the way studios make money on their content.
I questioned viewers’ desire to watch full length movies on a cell phone. Tsui responded that this was more of a challenge two years ago but not at this point. Of the audience using the service, consumers tend to rent rather than subscribing via the monthly model.
The competion:
The other players in this space include iTunes, and possibly if rumors are true and you know they are, the Hulu, YouTube, and Netflix apps to come. mSpot attempts to differentiate itself from iTunes with a streaming content model. “People don’t plan when they want to watch something,” Tsui tells me. In essence, iTunes requires some forethought to download the content in advance whereas mSpot is available on the go. That said, clearly iTunes has its advantages in its ability to allow viewers to watch on planes, subways, and anywhere else where cell service isn’t available…like the panel rooms at Digital Hollywood.
To come:
Currently the service is only available as a mobile website but applications are sure to come.
Marauder Weigh-In:
I continue to wonder how many people will truly watch full length movies on any type of mobile service…only because I would never do such a thing if offered the option between my laptop and my phone. That said, I’m not a parent and I clearly see the advantages that this platform offers the parental units.
Related articles by Zemanta
- Review: mSpot Mobile Movie Streaming (geardiary.com)
- mSpot Launches Web-Based Mobile Movie Streaming Service (techcrunch.com)
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Filed under: Feature | Tags: Break.com, Funny or Die, Humor, Mandy Moore, Red Bull
WHAT I LEARNED AT DIGITAL HOLLYWOOD LA YESTERDAY
1) 1) The comedy panels are where it’s at.
I was introduced to 3 videos that made my week.
Woman Faceplants Off of Mechanical Bull
#1 on Break.com last week. Currently has amassed over 490K views.
Being a recent transplant from NYC to LA, this Funny or Die video has special meaning to me. This video has currently amassed over 117K views.
I have been blindsided by at least 2 traumatic Ed Hardy shirt sightings in the past 3 weeks. In fact, observe this gentleman in the wild at Digital Hollywood LA. Priceless. I’m not saying that I’m not without fashion fault. I mean, there was a time in junior high during which I rocked jean jumpers. But Ed Hardy flare is no flare at all sir.
Red Bull Energy Douche with Mandy Moore
Fresh. Clean. Extreme. Must I say more? Being the sort of girl who is obsessed with Red Bull (I’m carrying a sugar free varietal in my purse as we speak), I appreciate this faux-mercial for several reasons. This video on Funny or Die has currently tallied up over 397K views.
Funny or Die apparently doesn’t pay the talent who stars in their videos. Clearly, this makes sense based on the turnaround time in which these videos are produced but honestly, it’s refreshing to see talent working on things that they enjoy. And as a pleasant after taste, these funny little videos clearly garner the actors with a certain amount of brand cache and publicity that is clearly attractive.
Mike Farah from Funny or Die dropped news of a new series coming to HBO showcasing Funny or Die’s best in 30 minute episodes. Can’t wait.
2) 2) “Content is king in the way that religion is the opiate to the masses.”
Sarah Szalavitz from 7 Robot uttered one of the most intriguing statements I’ve ever heard, in any digital panel frankly, earlier this morning. There is some considerable debate afoot about whether content is still king. Some say the community is king. Some say that content has lost a bit of cache in the world of online media. I still say that great content is king. There’s a lot of content out there but to be great, is to be the most powerful beast in the room.
Just in case you’re not sure, THIS is great content.
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