a multi-tasked stream of consciousness or perhaps just emails to myself
Very cool – the Washington Post goes video.
This video podcast includes news and documentary video from washingtonpost.com.In the first video Washington Post personal technology columnist Rob Pegorarodiscusses his initial impressions of the latest iPod which can play video and TV shows.
If the Treo is your preferred device for all occassions this certainly seems like a great add. PocketTunes is a killer app for the device and iTunes integration is just solid.
The newly released version 1.3 of Mass Storage Synchronizer, a free iTunes add-on by Tea Vui Huang, lets you sync iTunes to your Treo 600 or 650. Just use either RealPlayer for Palm or Pocket Tunes to play the synced music.
While Thomas thinks it’s all about the picture, that unfortunately is just a detail. There are plenty of other details that need attention as well… music library management is certainly a key piece — but I think it’s really much more about the whole package. MCE is too complicated, period.
Picture quality is so super important. I would agree with the observation that the television picture quality on a Media Center PC has never approached that of even an entry level non HD TiVo. This is the single biggest obstacle in the way of Media Center acceptance. We must get a better picture — preferably CableCARD or Satellite or IPTV HDTV. I’m hoping we see this improve in Vista.
Thomas Hawk’s Digital Connection: Media Center Gets Slashdotted
Don’t get me wrong, I want solid crystal clear images from my DVR and don’t think that’s too much to ask. I believe though, that until the computer part of the system is masked (no virus pop-ups, device drivers etc) this thing is in trouble from a mass adoption perspective. The idea of a 10′ UI is a good thing, it just needs some serious refinement. When I recently attended the Digital Life show in NYC, I stopped by the Microsoft booth and played with an MCE device, presumedly the latest. Switching between screens / modes required far too much wait time, with loading icons… I can’t possibly bring something like that into my living room without expecting a family conflict about how much more complex and annoying I’ve made things.
Technorati Tags: MediaCenter, Microsoft, Digital Life, Thomas Hawk
I just caught this hilarious post on BYOPVR courtesy of Channel9. This piece chronicles the adventure of a seemingly highly techncal geek setting up their own MCE box from scratch. The main way MCE gets sold is through packaged boxes which have addressed (in theory) some technical issues, but it’s still quite amazing to read of the troubles… and of the amount of work to get things configured in the HDTV world in which we live…
What Media Center does really well is show many ways there are to mess with an HDTV monitor that it doesn’t like, and allow you to practice starting in “safe modeâ€.
What is does really poorly is most of everything else. I retired from battle with a strategic retreat: moving the whole shebang to the bedroom, cohabitating with me, spouse, two medium dogs, and a vanilla 27†CRT.
DVR – Sort of
As a DVR, one tuner was just OK, with a second tuner working, it was still OK, provided you weren’t too picky about mouths moving at the same time words came out. Out with the snazzy Realtek integrated sound on the ASUS-A8V motherboard. In with an Audigy 2ZS to lessen the load on the AMD 64 3000+ processor. More gadgets. That cured the synch. The picture still was no where close to a vintage Tivo. [Build Your Own PVR]
I would certainly recommend the read to anyone interested in the category. The final point pretty much sums up what I know I’ve said, experienced and certainly read from others…
The Netopian dream of the refrigerator that orders more milk when you run low remains elusive. But in the 21st century, with Media Center, your VCR can now offer to sell you Viagra. And it has a social disease.
That is the final curse of Media Center. Even if it worked, it would still be Windows .
While the Apple Front Row solution is similar in that it’s an application / UI running on top of an existing OS, the underlying system is easier to manage, and generally speaking free from hassle. It’s quite unlikely that you will see a Virus warning pop-up at any time while running a Mac.
The more transparent the system – from setup to playback – the better the whole HTPC category will do. While TiVO can be a challenge to setup and configure to the average consumer, HTPC devices which seek to do far more than handle “simple” DVR functions will blow the minds of most — if not the just the early adopters who crave the technology, but can’t stand the issues. This stuff is getting close, but is still not where it needs to be for a consumer technology to be accepted on a mass level. Regardless of how many boxes MS says they’ll ship in the next year courtesy of bundling…
Technorati Tags: MediaCenter, BYOPVR, Microsoft, Apple, Front Row
One of the cooler functions of social bookmarking and rating systems is that the story can come from anyone. I posted a link to del.icio.us last night on Front Row running in the wild on Mac Minis and pretty much any other system and today it’s running as the second most popular story / link. This is cool since it means quite a few people are tracking on the same stuff, but more so since it means we can all contribute to the items that are interest. I’m not exactly an A-List blogger and this story still pushed to the top within a pretty wide array of new items and within a very short period of time.
Social systems like Digg and potentially Ma.gnolia
Technorati Tags: del.icio.us, popular, social bookmarking, digg
So as soon as I read the info and watched the video in my last post I could not help but think how I could get it going myself… well – it took all of 5 minutes to find the link and begin my download adventure.
Front Row kicks ass! Even in the limited hack version that’s out, it is a far superior way to travel through content than in my experience with MCE. Seriously. Things move quickly and it really is quite simple. I know you don’t have TV and quite a few other features, but who cares. I can get where I want without any fuss and it works (or will if we had the release version rather than a hack).
In the few minutes I’ve played with this, I’ve noticed one interesting thing. The iApps need to be running. Mine were not initially and it took a bit for my initial load to happen in iPhoto (5868 photos) and iTunes (21,501 tracks). At first I thought it was a large library issue, but when I dropped back to the desktop I noticed both apps were running when they had not been previously.
I would gladly pay money for this application today. There’s no reason why it can’t be sold as a package with either a USB IR Remote or with a Bluetooth remote for those with capable machines.
What a cool start… this could (and I am sure will) get very interesting in the near future. The mini is a nice platform, but it’s actually quite a bit underpowered compared to what Intel will be able to deliver in a similar form factor for Apple in 2006.
Technorati Tags: Front Row, Apple, MediaCenter, Mac Mini, iTunes, iPhoto, iApps, Intel
From TUAW, I see that Zeno (of the MacMiniCenter Wiki) has Front Row running on a Mini, which just totally rocks! This is the vision many of us had when the mini was released and it’s one step closer today. The implementation is still in hack mode, but certainly a great indication of what lies ahead…
Well Done Zeno!!
There are some good pics on Flickr of another implementation as well…
I can’t wait to get my hands on this to play.
The addition of an EyeTV or certainly DVR via Azureus would be a relatively simple way to maintain a regular flow of new video content.
Technorati Tags: Mac Mini, Front Row, HTPC, MediaCenter
I’d certainly be open to making this work on PCs as well since I use wone at work and it counts against my 5 macs. We have 4 Macs at home and my work PC pushes me right to the limit as it is. When some new Intel Macs arrive, I’m sure there will be something in our home’s technology future…
Instead of allowing three machines or five machines to unlock a iTunes song DRM, make it n+1 where n equals the number of Macs you have purchased and registered. It does two things for you that are both good for Apple and good for customers. One, it lets people know their iTunes music has a future.
How Apple can appease the fanboys FOREVAH | A Whole Lotta Nothing
Interesting… though I would imagine that the crowd most interested in it are probably all using Flock which has integrated Del.icio.us. Perhaps we’ll be able to add another service, which seems like it’s possible but deactivated for now.
What
you mark in Ma.gnolia not only stays found but keeps coming back to you
as your interests change. That’s our pitch, plain and simple, and it’s
why we say that found is the new search.
TechCrunch » Ma.gnolia: More Social Bookmarking
Technorati Tags: del.icio.us, social bookmarking, browsing, software, ma.gnolia
APC Magazine’s Dan Warne reckons Apple is about to deftly round-house kick Microsoft’s media center strategy for six. First Apple leaves a mysterious header on the Mac Mini motherboard for a non-existent iPod dock connector. Then it brings out media center software and a video iPod at the same time. Then it recruits the head of TV recording company ElGato. When you put the pieces together, it ain’t pretty for Microsoft. [apcmag.com]
All the stuff I love thinking about. The mini as a trojan horse, and the iPod 5G as the stealth bomber that flys directly towards Redmond.
Apple has collected the pieces, maintains software and marketing superiority … we just need the public plan of action and like lemmings we’ll flock.
Seriously though Apple will likely nail it, if they decide to roll FrontRow, plus TV beyond the dorm room through the new iMac.
Technorati Tags: Apple, MediaCenter, TV, iPod, Microsoft
I’ve been using NewsGator Online recently rather than Bloglines and I missed the added feature of keyboard shortcuts for navigation until tonight — whoa! I really like this a lot and immediately moved back… well sort of as NewsGator does not seem to have an export function — not cool.
NG is a bit more up to date than BL, but I am mainly back after some effort. I was just reorganizing things from a massive (well over 600) list of feeds in folders to a few key folders which I want to be sure and track daily.
I cannot say this enough: Aperture is the application for the photographic creative process. It is not an image manipulation tool like Photoshop, and it is not a toy like iPhoto. Aperture is a professional application from top to bottom that works with the photographer’s process. This program puts the technology where it belong — out of the way in the background — and allowing the creative process to take precedence. [Macworld]
The more I’ve been using my new Nikon D70s, the more I want Aperture. I am getting used to RAW and completely see the value in what can be done before any interpretation has been made on the image. I’m just hoping the machine requirements are not so severe that my PowerBook can’t keep up. Apple says you can use a G4, but we’ll have to get some real reports when it ships.
Technorati Tags: Aperture, Photography, Apple, Nikon, RAW
I discovered my Nano had a broken screen while commuting home last night. I was just sitting on the train listening to a podcast and went to choose something else when it ended and found this.
I can assure you that no extreme activities had been taking place. This is just crap. Now I will have to deal with Apple to see if I can get anything going for a replacement. aigh…
Service Request Submitted…
Flock continues to make me very happy in hours I’ve had a chance to deal. The Windows version is super fast! I love that I have the same sets of things on both sides of my browsing experience – well almost. I think Sync can be improved quite a bit, but it’s only .5 for now.
One of the nicer things you can do with Firefox, Flock, Mozilla etc, is add in Extensions and Flock has provided a nice list of recommendations for people to try out. One I had only heard of in passing, but just gave a shot is StumbleUpon. This is totally cool. It’s like a WebRing meets Hot or Not.Once installed, you say what kind of sites you like and while browsing simpy say what you like and don’t like so much. StumbleUpon delivers things of interest.
My first hit – Jumping Cats! Hilarious…
Technorati Tags: flock, stumbleupon, extensions
I love, love, love this. Donald Trump has zeroed in on Martha Stewart as the cause of the declining ratings suffered by his original version of The Apprentice. He says that confusion between the two has led some viewers to leave his show. Both he and producer/creator Mark Burnett think that NBC failed the franchise by scheduling them on consecutive nights. My favorite part of all this is how they’re pinning a good deal of the blame on the names causing confusion. Stewart’s show was labeled as The Apprentice: Martha Stewart as a way to extend the brand and they’re now saying that the similar names are the problem. Sounds like Burnett and Trump are trying to deflect as much of the blame as possible.
Flock has landed here in blogland…. I am posting this with the built in blog editor which is a very cool thing. I can see using this all the time.
Flock integrates with much of what you might already be dealing with which what really drives my interest. It’s fast – seems stable and uses standard courtesy of the Mozilla team (some of who I believe now work on this). Integrated del.icio.us, flickr and as mentioned blog editing all in the same place. I love it.
Much more to play with – I’ve installed on both my PowerBook and work Dell craptop, so I’ll be testing and living on both platforms for comparison and consistency which is always nice. With del.icio.us built in, I’ll be using it MUCH more as my bookmark engine (also posts my links on the sidebar of the blog and in my feed) which will keep things consistent.
More to come… nice way to play online tonight.
Technorati Tags: flock, browser, mozilla, del.icio.us, flickr
Sounds like a very cool demo and I certainly like the sound of the UC.?
In my work with Intel, I’ve gotten wind and seen some cool stuff as well though it usually lives in presentation rather than live and in person.
Lastly, the Universal Communicator was a great idea, but I dare anyone at Intel to get it past the cellphone carriers. With five different radio
signals built in seamlessly, you could easily switch from a VoIP call, to a GSM call, then move to WiFi and to a GPS network—all without any interruption. Except explain to me why any carrier would want to switch you from a paid call to a free one? I certainly can’t. Maybe Intel has some inside deals working.
The Future of Intel–Kinda – Gizmodo
Engadget scored some pics and a hands-on of Ruby another potentially slick micro-PC Handheld.
Just your standard non-sensical bug for Mobile Windows users… I like how the added security features in windows are apparently the cause of the disconnect, yet it works when connected wirelessly vs. the local cable where it does not work at all. Nice.
The software maker said some users of ActiveSync 4, the latest version of Microsoft’s synchronization software, are unable to link up to their PC, particularly on systems running firewall or parental control software. The problem occurs in devices based on Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 5 operating system, including recently released handhelds from Dell and HP as well as cell phones from Sprint and iMate.
The problems are limited to those connecting a device to a PC via a USB connection, Microsoft said. No problems have been reported when connecting wirelessly using a Bluetooth or infrared connection, or when connecting directly to a server. [CNET News.com]
Walt Mossberg on DRM. Amen brother!
For some activists, the very idea of Digital Rights Management is anathema. They believe that once a consumer legally buys a song or a video clip, the companies that sold them have no right to limit how the consumer uses them, any more than a car company should be able to limit what you can do with a car you’ve bought.
But DRM is seen as a lifesaver by the music, television and movie industries. The companies believe they need DRM technology to block the possibility that a song or video can be copied in large quantities and distributed over the Internet, thus robbing them of legitimate sales.
In my view, both sides have a point, but the real issue isn’t DRM itself — it’s the manner in which DRM is used by copyright holders. Companies have a right to protect their property, and DRM is one means to do so. But treating all consumers as potential criminals by using DRM to overly limit their activities is just plain wrong.
Let’s be clear: The theft of intellectual property on the Internet is a real problem. Millions of copies of songs, TV shows and movies are being distributed over the Internet by people who have no legal right to do so, robbing media companies and artists of rightful compensation for their work.
Even if you think the record labels and movie studios are stupid and greedy, as many do, that doesn’t entitle you to steal their products. If your local supermarket were run by people you didn’t like, and charged more than you thought was fair, you wouldn’t be entitled to shoplift Cheerios from its shelves.
On the other hand, I believe that consumers should have broad leeway to use legally purchased music and video for personal, noncommercial purposes in any way they want — as long as they don’t engage in mass distribution. They should be able to copy it to as many personal digital devices as they own, convert it to any format those devices require, and play it in whatever locations, at whatever times, they choose.
The beauty of digital media is the flexibility, and that flexibility shouldn’t be destroyed for honest consumers just because the companies that sell them have a theft problem caused by a minority of people.
Instead of using DRM to stop some individual from copying a song to give to her brother, the industry should be focusing on ways to use DRM to stop the serious pirates — people who upload massive quantities of music and videos to so-called file-sharing sites, or factories in China that churn out millions of pirate CDs and DVDs.
I believe Congress should rewrite the copyright laws to carve out a broad exemption for personal, noncommercial use by consumers, including sharing small numbers of copies among families.
Until then, I suggest that consumers avoid stealing music and videos, but also boycott products like copy-protected CDs that overly limit usage and treat everyone like a criminal. That would send the industry a message to use DRM more judiciously. [WSJ.com]
Perhaps a blog maintaining a list of all the DRM enabled content would be good… that way consumers could more easily steer clear from frustration and of course help stick it to the man. 😉