a multi-tasked stream of consciousness or perhaps just emails to myself
(2003-06-02) — Today the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will approve a new set of rules allowing newspapers no one reads… [ScrappleFace]
“That’s true,” said Mr. Powell, “But it’s like owning Baltic Avenue on the Monopoly board game. Even if you put hotels on that puppy, it’s still not Boardwalk or Park Place. “
Direct Marketing of course! It all starts with collecting data on usage and viewing preferences. Then targeting relevant programming and commercial messages to people who will be genuinely interested. Good for TiVo here… I doubt it will be the only player in the data market. Look for Replay to do this as well (my guess). I would also imagine that any foray by cable company or telco into the ITV/PVR marketplace will certainly include both the ability to track usage as well as the ability to target against it.
TiVo Plans to Sell Information on Customers’ Viewing Habits
TiVo, the maker of digital video recorders, is starting to sell information about the viewing patterns of its customers to advertisers. [New York Times: Technology]
Last night I caught Scratch which covers the entire Turntable and Hip-Hop movement from the initial scratch on Herbie Hancock’s Rockit
SCRATCH is the critically-acclaimed, award-winning, feature length film about hip-hop DJs and the turntablist movement. From the South Bronx in the 70’s to San Francisco today, the world’s best scratchers, diggers, party-rockers and producers celebrate beats, breaks, battles, and the infinite possibilities of vinyl…
This morning I happened to catch Hype, which covers the “Seattle Scene” and provides insight from the music makers.
They are both directed by Doug Pray and have a very similar quality to them. Both seem to running on cable this month on Showtime, so set your Tivo.
The software giant is phasing out standalone versions of its Internet Explorer Web browser, according to statements attributed to IE’s program manager on its Web site. [CNET News.com Entertainment & Media]
I wonder what this really means… The browser will become part of the OS officially now, I guess and anything else will probably feel bolted on compared with what develops from within. What about the Mac? I know the MSN browser is technically IE 6 for Mac (since that is how it says hello) but it is not yet available alone and I can’t see that being the reason to subscribe to MSN when you have browser options that are at least as good, if not better.
Caught X2 this rainy afternoon and it rocks. Much stronger than the first, which is saying a lot. I like how it picks right where the first left off and immediately swings into action. A definite winner.
On my walk home from the subway last night I used WiFinder and scanned for open APs… finding 28 places to connect!! My walk home is only about 5-7 minutes…About 5 of these places had WEP enabled and were locked while most I am sure I can connect to with little effort. I was also able to see an AP I know is on the 15th floor of a building from the far corner…
Free internet access is everywhere and I imagine it will only become easier and easier to find a connection as both broadband and wireless adoption continues to grow.
Unwanted messages now makes up more than 50% of e-mails, according to experts. [BBC News | TECHNOLOGY]
Not that surprising, but certainly depressing…
Turner has a great piece in the Post about the dangers in Michael Powell’s June 2 proposal.
Turbo10 really is that good [The Register]
But how good is a search engine whose home page does not load and cannot even be loaded through the Google Cache???
The association’s new working anti-spam strategy takes a wide view of how to deal with the spam problem. [internetnews.com: Top News]
There was a little earthquake here last night. 3.7. Nothing like the big one we had a couple years ago. But still. The earth should hold still a little better. [inessential.com]
I just missed it… left Seattle yesterday!
Like other U.S. telephone companies, Qwest is getting set to pump video and TV services into homes in order to counter recent moves by cable providers to sell Net-based phone services. [CNET News.com Communications]
Qwest is the third of the nation’s four major phone companies to tip its hand about upcoming video services. SBC Communications recently said it intends to offer video, and BellSouth is reportedly testing a video service. Verizon Communications hasn’t yet given any indications about video
Rather than argue back and forth as to why only 25% of all Mac users have moved to OS X, I really wanted to know the ‘real’ reasons. So began my research into why OS 9 users refuse to join the rest of us in OS X-land. My non-scientific answers are very disappointing, but are worth discussing. [MacNETv2]
[infoSync]
First and foremost, VLI is introducing Gphone for Palm handhelds to enable VoIP for Palm Tungsten C handheld users. Gphone is a VoIP (Voice-over-IP) application available for several platforms that will allow users to place phone calls to any other Gphone-using Tungsten C, Pocket PC, or desktop system, or even over the public telephone network. Gphone also integrates into existing infrastructures to allow for automatic call forwarding to the handheld, and lets users within the same company call each other over the company network without any telephone costs at all.
Just what we needed…
A new app has been released to make it easier to find a working WiFi connection. WiFinder works on the Palm Tungsten C to scan the airwaves for working 802.11 access points. [PalmInfocenter]
Major U.S. phone companies have plans to pump video and TV services into homes via their lines–countering recent moves by cable providers to sell Net-based phone services. [CNET News.com Communications]
It could be 10 years until we see this and by that time I would imagine the TV guys will have long since upgraded to even more capacity…
As the recording industry swoons over Apple’s 99 cent download store, the software giant renews its bet on more-advanced subscription services. [CNET News.com Entertainment & Media]
Will it be a premium service for MSN, or just a service that runs Windows only?
Most people do not know how to avoid getting spam even though they find it hugely annoying, says Yahoo. [BBC News | TECHNOLOGY]