Hanging Up on Disney Mobile

I know it's a different studio's catchphrase, but I can't help but think "That's all, folks!" Almost a year and a half after it was launched, the Disney Mobile MVNO (mobile virtual network operator, i.e. a company offering specialized branded content on a carrier's network) is immediately ending the sale of new phones, then fading to black at the end of the year.

In a statement, Walt Disney Internet Group President Steve Wadsworth said that the whole MVNO thing has proven, as we've seen with other companies this past year, to be a difficult proposition in the hyper-competitive U.S. mobile phone market." Never mind other companies: it was a year ago, almost to the day, that Disney's ESPN Mobile went down for the count.

Back then, the company said that their major obstacle was the simple fact that people don't switch over from their existing service based on the kind of branded (and more expensive) content they were offering. Maybe they thought they'd have better luck with Disney Mobile, whose main draw was the fact that you could manage your kids' phone use, and keep track of where they were. I guess there weren't enough parents with the free time required to play Big Brother.

In Digital Music, Multinationals Are Often Provincial

I had a few minutes to kill last night so I decided to head over to Amazon.com and try out their new MP3 download store. Shopping list in hand (okay, onscreen) I metaphorically walked through the doors to browse the racks.

It didn't take me long to find two albums I wanted: David Sylvian's Gone to Earth and Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life, at $9.99 and $8.99 respectively. I dithered for all of two seconds, went for the Stevie Wonder album, clicked the Buy MP3 Album button...

...and there it was in fine print, parenthetically no less: "Amazon MP3 Purchases are limited to U.S. customers."

I can't say I was entirely surprised; this is fairly common when it comes to music purchases, due to the Byzantine array of licensing and distribution deals that are common in the various media industries. (I was, however, piqued that this limitation wasn't made clear before I started browsing -- and Amazon isn't the only online vendor guilty of this time-wasting oversight.) So I kinda understand where Amazon and the music companies licensing their tracks to them are coming from.

But as a consumer, I don't care. After all, the whole point of the digital revolution is that it's supposed to be easier, not harder, for me to get my grubby fingers on what I want. In the pre-download days, I could drive over the border to New York or Vermont and buy a CD if it wasn't available here. The issue wasn't where I lived, but where I bought the disc. In the e-commerce era, that didn't change: I could buy a disc from Amazon.com and have it shipped here.

So, finally, we have the ultimate convenience of downloadable media -- and suddenly, in this global medium that erases boundaries, the formerly porous borders are impenetrable.

Shouldn't there be a better way by now? Shouldn't I be able to buy an MP3 unfettered, while behind the scenes Amazon (or Wal-Mart, or whoever) takes a note of my billing address, aggregates the geographic data of all purchases by region, and then sends that data over to the relevant music companies so that the appropriate distributors get paid? I should be able to buy Songs in the Key of Life here, with Universal's Canadian arm getting their cut.

Is this unreasonable? I don't think so. Ultimately, it comes down to a slightly more complex database than the ones already in use. Also, much of the downloadable music available in the world is controlled by multinational corporations, the very same entities that have the resources to keep track of these kinds of intricacies.

The closest I've come to that kind of flexibility thus far is eMusic, where I download album after album every month, but I can't get Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson's From South Africa to South Carolina. ("We're sorry. This album is unavailable for download in your country (Canada) at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause." Nice of them to say that up front, and nice of them to apologize twice.) It's better than a blanket denial of services, but -- as a fan who's more than willing to spend a lot of money on downloadable, high-quality music -- it's not quite good enough. The last decade has seen a lot of lip service to the idea of global companies, but in some areas they're startlingly provincial.

Speaker Powers You Through Your Ride

Summer may be over, but it's still 80 degrees in Manhattan and other parts of the East Coast, which means that it's still primo biking weather. And the Cy-fi is the primo accessory for your bike (only, well, it's not quite available yet).

This wireless speaker mounts to your bike, blasting music from your iPod or iPod nano in the direction of your ears. That means you can listen to tunes while you ride, without plugging in earphones and thereby sealing out the annoying--but all-important--car honks or "on your left" warnings. At less than three ounces, and just a touch larger than a deck of cards, the Cy-fi supposedly features "100 percent lossless performance." It also lasts close to six hours on a charge, and can even beam your tunes to four different speakers, which means that if you and your buddies stick close enough together (within 30 feet), you can all pedal to the same beat. The Cy-fi is due out early next year, just in time for that first ride of the spring.

PS3 Keeps an Eye on Things

No, we're not talking about the PS3 Eye camera. Not for the first time, research scientists are putting the processing power of game consoles to good use. (And, no doubt, sneaking a Super Stardust HD session in during coffee breaks.)

In this case, the field is machine vision: the same field that allows industrial robots to pick out flawed items on conveyor belts (yay!) or snap your license plate if you've been speeding (boo!). A team of researchers at Dartmouth and the University of California at Irvine were able to get a 2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor to recognize a bar stool in an image in three minutes. By networking three PS3s to the PC, they were able to bring that time down to one second -- a lot closer to the time it takes us humans to recognize an object within a scene. The PS3's cell processors enabled the consoles to work through the required computations at up to 140 times the speed of the Core 2 Duo.

The intended goal is to create robots that can operate more autonomously, with real-time performance -- Dartmouth associate research professor Andrew Felch cites DARPA's research into creating a robot that can drive a vehicle on its own. Naturally, this would be for military purposes, but I'd like to think that eventually the morning commute will be a lot easier.

Get These Fox Shows While They're Free

It's not often that you get something for nothing, so when you get the opportunity, I say it's generally good policy to take advantage. Fox has announced that it will be offering seven season premieres episodes through iTunes, all for free.

I'm all over the pilot episode of Kitchen Nightmares, which features chef Gordon Ramsey fixing up flailing restaurants. Other episodes on offer include the pilots for K-Ville (cop show set in New Orleans after Katrina) and Back to You, the Kelsey Grammer sitcom about a self-centered TV anchor. Plus you can get the season premieres for several returning shows, including Prison Break, Bones, 'Til Death, and American Dad. Of course, Fox is hoping that by offering the shows for free, you'll become hooked and will repay them by watching the shows on TV or buying episodes later on. For me, I'm just looking at it as some free entertainment while I sit on a plane this weekend with my knees smashed up against the seatback in front of me.

Free Music Isn't Always Worth It

Earlier this week I tried out SpiralFrog, the ad-supported music service that lets you download as much music as you want, from major music labels (right now, that's pretty much Vivendi; but that's nothing to sneeze at). However, "as much music as you want" turns out to have the hidden addenum "as long as you can stand being here."

It's not that the SpiralFrog service is hard to use; although not as slick as iTunes, its clutter makes it confusing only for a few moments when you first get into it. It also turns out that the ads aren't all that much of a problem. If you're already used to tuning out Web banners and the like, you won't even notice them.

SpiralFrog's real problems are speed and convenience. My broadband connection suddenly felt like dialup when I tried to explore the SpiralFrog catalog, and downloading was almost as bad. However, I tried the service out on Monday, when SpiralFrog officially launched -- I imagine their servers were maxed out in short order.

Normally I'd say something about seeing how the speed improves on future visits, but I've got no urge to go back. First of all, all the tracks are DRMed WMA files, which won't play three of my five of my portable audio players; nor can I play them on any PC but the one I downloaded them on. (And as you can imagine, my MacBook is right out.) Second, downloads are pretty inconvenient -- using SpiralFrog's Web-based download manager, I had to initiate the download for each track individually.

Third and most heinously, SpiralFrog holds its users hostage; without monthly visits to the site, any downloaded music or videos just stop working.

So, yeah, the SpiralFrog service is free, in that it doesn't cost money; but it demands far too much from me in other ways.

ABC Offers Shows on AOL Video

With the fall TV season about to kick off, I feel like I need at least 10 extra hours in the day, and as many viewing outlets as possible, just to fit in all the shows I want to watch. I probably won't be getting the extra hours, but networks are getting more aggressive about how they distribute shows. Yesterday the Peacock Network announced NBC Direct, a service for downloading shows like "The Office" and "30 Rock" straight to your PC (though shows expire a week after they air). And today, ABC announced that it will make primetime shows available on AOL Video.

Up until now, the Disney-owned network had only offered its shows on iTunes or through its own player on ABC.com or local affiliate sites. Now programs like "Grey's Anatomy," "Dancing with the Stars," "Cavemen," and "Carpoolers" will be available through AOL Video one day after they air. Shows will be viewable on a special ABC.com-branded AOL video player and will include a maximum of three ads--one national, the others targeting local viewership. Yeah, it's no TiVo, but what're you gonna do?

Sidekicks Get Mobile MySpace

You've got one of the best texting phones on the planet. The audience is hip and young. And they just may freak out if they're out of touch for one second. So it just makes sense to bring MySpace to the Sidekick.

MySpace Mobile for Sidekick, which T-Mobile will be rolling out over the next few weeks, is divided into four sections: Home, MyMail, Blog, and Search. The home screen informs you of new messages, friend requests, and comments. You can also edit your profile, upload pics, and read/respond to comments, either on your own space or a friends'. And for obsessive MySpacers, the service actually pushes content to the phone, even when using another app, so you'll be the first to hear about new messages and friend requests.

Is Warner Music Lightening Up?

Now that EMI and Universal Music have plunged into the DRM-free waters, everyone's looking at the other two major labels--Sony BMG and Warner--to see who might budge. Well, it looks like Warner is maybe kinda sorta considering the option of possibly just maybe softening their stance on DRM. According to Reuters, the head honcho of Warner Music said at an investor conference that there's a possibility that DRM may not make sense in certain circumstances. "DRM is here to stay, whether it's here to stay on every business model in the music business is open to question." OK, so not exactly a definitive promise, but a tiny little light from a company that in the past has sworn to see DRM through to the bitter end.

A Game for Wine Noobs

Ask me what I look for in a wine, and generally all I can tell you is that I like my reds full-bodied, I like my whites not-too-sweet-not-too-dry, and I hate Chardonnay (doesn't everyone?).

So here's the game for me: Beginners Wine DS from Square Enix. Pop the cartridge into your Nintendo DS and you can find out how to swirl a glass, check a database of bottles, look up a glossary of wine terms, or read up on directions for picking a bottle of wine (and it'll probably be something more scientific than my transparent order-the-second-cheapest-bottle trick). You can also take a quiz and learn how to fake wine knowledge. Then again, whipping out a Nintendo DS won't exactly help your cause, will it?

The game is due out on November 15, though it's not clear whether it'll be Japan-only. Hopefully Square and Nintendo will realize that we here in the U.S. need help too.

Coming Soonish: USB (and FireWire) for Speed Freaks

Anyone remember the old days of USB 1.1? I do, every time I plug my thumb drive into an older computer and find myself waiting interminably for that 800 MB file to copy -- usually just before I have to catch a train.

USB 2.0's faster throughput hasn't become too uncomfortable yet, but as storage capacity increases and we start moving more data around (insert your own chicken-and-egg ruminations here), things should start getting uncomfortable pretty soon. Which is why Intel is working with other companies to establish the USB 3.0 spec, with theoretical speeds above 4 Gb (that's gigabits) per second -- nearly ten times the current 480 Mb/s rate. The hope is to get products out by early 2009, which should be around the time that USB 2.0's limitations actually start chafing.

The folks behind FireWire aren't sitting still, though; the 1394 Trade Association is currently working on a spec to bring the next generation of FireWire up to a speed of 3.2 Gb/s, and reviewing proposals for a 10 Gb/s spec as well. While it seems like a foregone conclusion that USB 3.0 will take the crown if they aim for a faster spec, other factors are also at play -- for instance, USB 3.0 might require shorter cables to maintain data integrity, while the FireWire group has already been actively exploring transmission over longer distances usign Cat-5 and Cat-6 cabling. In any case, it looks as if 2009 will be the year that you can fill up your 160 GB iPod without having to take a lunch break.

Sennheiser Sounds Off with New Earphones

Sennheiser makes some good, affordable headphones that you can stick into your ear canal without feeling like they're millimeters from your brain. And with four new models headed our way, the choices are greater than ever.

As part of the classic line, Sennheiser will be adding the CX400, which is your basic nickel-shy-of-a-$100 earphone with three-foot extension cord, pouch, cable wind, and cable clip. If you step up to the $130 CX500s, you'll gain wider frequency response, and an improved seal for sound isolation, along with an in-line volume control. If you prefer thumpin' bass, the $80 CX55 Street delivers just that. Finally, the $140 CX95 Style (which doesn't appear to be up on the Website yet) is all about looks, with its metallic finish; it also comes with three-foot extension cord and hard carrying case for when you're not rockin' your tunes.

Alaska Air Tests the Wireless Waters

Usually when I see that an airline plans to adopt WiFi, I take note, but it doesn't tend to affect my life. But now that Alaska Airlines--an airline that I fly at least several times a year--has announced plans to launch a wireless service next spring, it seems that I may actually find myself sending emails, buying shoes on Zappos, and, well, blogging mid flight.

The airline announced plans to start testing broadband technology from Row 44. Testing will take place on Alaska's Boeing 737 fleet, but if everything goes swimmingly, the company will add the technology to all 114 of its planes. I'm all for reading a book (or, uh, a trashy magazine) while flying, but there are just those times when you can't afford to lose five hours of the workday. So provided it's not too expensive, I may find myself dropping People magazine and booting up my laptop on some future flight. I'm not sure if that makes me happy or sad.

eMusic Hits the Books

If you do most of your reading through headphones or your car stereo, then prick up your ears: eMusic, the number-two digital music vendor, is now selling audiobooks on its website -- and like all of the company's offerings, the books are being made available as DRM-free MP3s.

In a nutshell, eMusic is extending its music-selling tactics to its new wares. Audiobooks are available by monthly subscriptions, at $9.99 a title (compared to the $20 that appears to be the iTunes average), and the site will feature audiobook reviews from established critics. (If the music titles I've bookmarked to save for later on eMusic are any indication, this last feature will guarantee that customers stick around.)

The current list of titles numbers in the thousands, from publishers like Penguin and Random House, as well as smaller imprints @@@ -- a casual search of the site turned up Alice Cooper, Golf Monster, A Scanner Darkly and The Firm.

eMusic doesn't seem to be content to stay #2 in this arena -- eMusic CEO and president David Pakman said that eMusic will "overnight become the second biggest digital audiobook retailer," clearly taking aim at Apple, whose iTunes is currently #1. This David has done a good job of holding his own against Goliath so far; let's see how this new challenge plays out.

LaCie External Drive Goes for the Gold

You know we've reached some sort of tipping point when even the most pragmatic tech devices start looking like they've stepped out of your kid's favorite anime show. I mean, just look at LaCie's forthcoming Golden Disk external hard drive. Designed by French designer Ora-Ïto, the 500 GB fanless backup drive -- please, try to remember that this is for making backups, the least sexy computer activity ever -- sports a "liquid-motion" look that's a cross between something you'd buy at an upscale jewelry store and a Wonka Bar wrapper. The distracting USB 2.0 drive will sell for $189 when it goes on sale in late October.

Warner Tables Dual-Format Discs

Remember that dual-format high-definition disc that Warner Bros. was planning on rolling out? Well, apparently that's no longer the plan. Ron Sanders, president of Warner Home Video, told TWICE that the company's TotalHD disc technology, which was supposed to carry both HD DVD and Blu-ray content, is "kind of on hold right now." The reason? No one else would be adopting the technology, so as the only publishers, "it would be hard to make it go."

In the meantime, Warner will continue to play Switzerland, releasing content on both formats. Sanders says that Blu-ray new releases generally tend to outsell HD-DVD by 2-to-1, but it also depends on the title (for instance, "Planet Earth" HD DVDs outsold its Blu-ray counterpart). Plus, if Toshiba can lower the price enough to sell a large number of HD DVD players, Sanders says, "I think [HD DVD] will be around for a long time." It's an interesting read, so check out the full interview here.

Porn Producers Ponder P2P Piracy

Over the last year there's been a lot of discussion about the influence of the porn industry on technology, as well as the lessons we can learn from how it's dealt with technological change.

One of my longtime contentions has been that the porn industry has generally been lax about prosecuting casual piracy because, in the end, it works out well for them. Unscientific observation appeared to confirm it: from the moment the GIF format was invented twenty years ago people have been downloading scanned pornographic images, and when it became less onerous to to encode and transfer video clips, they started doing that as well -- until we got to the point where it was easier to accidentally find porn on P2P networks than whatever you were actually searching for. Meanwhile, the adult entertainment industry was raking in ever more money.

So how, then, to explain the news that 65 porn companies recently met to discuss piracy, P2P, and the fact that, as attorney Greg Piccionelli put it, the public has the impression that "copying and stealing adult content is something that has absolutely no punitive consequence associated with it whatsoever?"

My guess is that it's because the porn industry has been facing the same problem as the music industry: physical media sales are declining, while digital consumption is on the rise -- but the rate of uptake isn't quite enough to offset the drop as yet. In short, they're starting to lose money (or what passes for it these days: they're not making it as fast) so it's time to pay attention to the people who are trying without buying.

The first lesson here is one that people tend to forget during heated rhetoric about greedy entertainment corporations: namely that even the scruffy underdog that lets people distribute their stuff freely will start to complain when it stops working for them.

The second lesson is the most important. Faced with this reality, the gathering of porn movie moguls discussed the copy protection offered by high-definition DVD's DRM schemes; but Piccionelli also points out that DRM isn't really effective, and that, as a result, "the industry simply has to learn how to deal with the new milieu." His idea is that prices for digital content should decrease, such that it "deters people from stealing it" (note that he doesn't say "prevents").

There's no guarantee that that will be the eventual approach -- but it's good to see that such an option, with a clear view of actual consumer behavior, is there at the outset.

Bose Gets Portable

It seems like eons since Bose updated its SoundDock iPod speaker system, and really, in technology years, it has been. But the company is finally getting ready to release the SoundDock Portable, and, well, the name says it all. In a nutshell, the Portable features a retractable dock, carrying handle, and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery--all the things you need to be able to lug the thing around with you. But it's a Bose, and so it costs ($399 to be exact).

So is it worth the scratch? CrunchGear has an early review of the unit, and after blasting no less than five different genres of music, has determined that the sound is "exceptionally good" and the system is "the loudest and best-sounding thing out there by far for its compact size." In fact, their only gripe, besides the price, was the lack of carrying case and how sensitive the volume controls were. Of course, for that price--you could buy two nanos for that amount of cash--you kinda want everything to be perfect.

Mobile Mouse Gets Some Smarts

I know that when you use a laptop, you're supposed to outfit it with an external keyboard and mouse, if you're interested in practicing good ergonomics. But when I'm on the road, the thought of traveling with yet-another-thing is pretty unappealing. Microsoft's new multitasking mobile mouse might just make it into my carry-on.

On the surface, the Mobile Memory Mouse 8000 looks like a regular old wireless laptop mouse. But inside the transceiver is a full gig of storage, which negates the need to tote along a USB thumb drive (and God knows, one of these days I'm going to end up losing one). The other cool part is how it recharges: The device comes with a cable with magnetic connectors that snap to the underside of the mouse and the end of the transceiver, so you can juice the sucker while you keep on tapping away. (It comes with a triple-A rechargeable battery that lasts about three weeks.)

In fact, you don't even need to plug in the transceiver at all. If your laptop has built-in Bluetooth, you can flip the switch on the bottom of the mouse and connect that way. If it doesn't, you can connect using the 2.4GHz transceiver. Super cool. Hand relief is on the way in October for a hundred bucks.

Get Your Bluetooth Groove On

Bluetooth-enabled gear is ramping up furiously. And now that there is a significant number of A2DP mobile phones and a smattering of Bluetooth MP3 players, accessories are needed in order to fully realize their promise. Gear4's recently announced Bluetooth-equipped BlackBox is here to help. This intriguing looking, uh, black box sits on your shelf innocuously enough, but then comes alive with red LEDs once you start blasting your tunes wirelessly. You get 24-watt output from the stereo speakers, and the touch-sensitive controls on top light up blue whenever you approach them, thanks to motion sensors that just know whenever you're near. There's also a portable version called, appropriately enough, the BlackBox mini, which can run on 4 AA batteries. Both are "coming soon" for 100 and 50 pounds or, oof--I just checked the currency converter--$200 and $100 US.

Still Waiting for the Perfect iPod

A week ago, Apple released three new iPods with features that I've specifically been waiting for, at prices I can (mostly) afford. But I'm still not reaching for my wallet.

I'm want those features pretty badly, too. I really like the first-generation 2 GB nano I got free with my MacBook, but lately I've been wishing for longer battery life or higher capacity; the new nano has both. I've hoped for a svelte, lightweight player with over 120 GB of storage, so I can put my entire audio collection on it, with room to grow over the next few years; the 160 GB iPod classic fulfills that nicely. And when I tried an iPhone for the first time, I loved everything about it (I e-mailed my parents: "I want one so bad, my teeth hurt"), except that I didn't care about the phone itself; hello, iPod touch.

So, somewhere out there is an iPod with my name on it. It's just going to have to stay on the shelf for a while.

I've owned over a dozen media players over the last ten years, and currently cycle through four (five, if you count the PSP) on a regular basis. Of course, I've also tried many more. I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed using an audio player as much as the different iPod models that have crossed my desk. They always sound great, and everything else seems clunky after using the scroll wheel. But there's one thing that all iPods have in common that keep me from actually spending money on them: the iPod/iTunes ecosystem.

More precisely, what bugs me is the way the whole system is sealed up tight. I appreciate that iTunes and the iPod are so easy that non-computer people can use them with no trouble -- in fact, I wish more technology products were designed that way. But I don't want to use iTunes. I want my operating system to recognize an iPod as a USB mass storage device, and allow me to drag and drop my music files onto the iPod, no questions asked. I want to be able to use the same iPod on any computer in exactly the same way. Essentially, I want the iPod to act like my other MP3 players (except for the Zune, which follows the ecosystem concept to a fault).

I also appreciate that the iTunes/iPod hookup, plus the iPod's technique of scrambling audio file names, makes it possible for Apple to ensure that someone's iTunes purchases stay within a certain number of devices. But seeing as I don't buy my music through iTunes, why should I have to play these games?

This isn't an either/or proposition. There's no reason why Apple couldn't have both methods coexisting, much like many Windows Media-enabled MP3 players. On most such players I can drag and drop straight from the OS, or use Windows Media Player -- with the caveat that protected files have to go through Windows Media Player, no ifs, ands or buts. If they pulled that off, my biggest concern would be which iPod to get, rather than trying to find the next best thing.

Here's the thing: in the past, Apple has benefited by making things open enough that nerds and non-nerds can coexist. The Mac is designed so that non-nerds can use a computer easily, but nerds can happily dig deeper if they want. (Early in the OS X era, I'd astonish ill-informed PC snobs by opening a Unix terminal window.) Even the Apple II managed to straddle the hobbyist and average-consumer demographics.

So how about it, Apple? Give us our drag and drop, and I'll bet your sales will go nowhere but up. Ease of use is a deal-maker for most people, but a complete lack of flexibility is a deal-breaker for some of the rest of us. Give a little, and we'll give right back.

SanDisk Goes Cheap and Slim on New PMP

Is it just me, or is 16GB of storage just a bit too pinched for a video-focused device? Yes, yes, I know, I bought an 8GB iPhone, and I'm already having to severely trim down my music and video collection. But that's a cell phone, first and foremost, and so I have different tolerance levels (kinda like when the first child doesn't get to date till she's 18, but the rest of the brood can do whatever the hell they want). That's why I would never buy a first generation iPod Touch. Because I'd be kicking myself when I realized I hit that 16GB limit and had to start playing favorites with my episodes of "The Office."

SanDisk's new SansaView player has the right idea. There's 16 gigs built in (on the high-end model), but the device is expandable to 24GB if you take full advantage of the included microSD slot. So the device is slim, like the Touch (just .35 inches), but not-so-limited in the capacity department.

Other SansaView features: 2.4-inch widescreen display for checking out H.264, MPEG-4, and Windows Media videos; music subscription services support; FM radio with 20 presets; line-in recording; and 35-hour battery life (seven for video). Oh, and like all SanDisk players, the SansaView is dirt cheap, with the 16GB version going for $200 and the 8 gigger costing $150 when it comes out next month.

E-books from Amazon Coming Soon?

It makes sense that the premier online book retailer would want to become the premier digital book distributor. According to the New York Times, Amazon.com is finally getting ready to show off the Kindle, an e-book reader that can wirelessly download material from Amazon's store.

The device is rumored to be priced between $400 and $500 (a good couple of Benjamins more than Sony's Reader). Besides wireless, the Kindle will reportedly include a keyboard (for notetaking and Web browsing), the ability to subscribe to newspaper feeds like the Times and The Wall Street Journal, and the inclusion of free reference books. Unfortunately, the device purportedly uses a proprietary format so that books bought on Amazon can only be read on the Kindle.

Sony resuscitated the e-book market last year. Can Amazon actually revolutionize it the way it did for online book sales? Analysts are skeptical (so am I), but let's see what October brings.

Is Apple Looking to Drop Video Prices?

Could this be one of the reasons NBC bailed on iTunes? Variety is reporting that Apple is interested in halving the cost of TV shows, from $1.99 to 99 cents. Supposedly Apple has been arguing to content companies that cutting the price will increase sales significantly. But the CBSs and NBCs of the world are worried that doing so will affect the number of DVD boxed sets they can unload.

According to Variety, several unnamed sources at various networks and studios have admitted that it may make sense to offer lower prices on older shows, such as "The Brady Bunch," but not for new content, like "Lost." The article also states that non-major networks like MTV or Bravo might find it appealing to sell shows for less. So will we see 99-cent shows on iTunes anytime soon? Apple declined to comment, but Variety seems hopeful that several pricing tiers could emerge: perhaps $2.99 for premium shows (such as those from HBO); $1.99 for hit shows; and 99 cents for older programs.

If Apple can actually deliver on 99-cent TV shows, and someday soon enable video downloads to iPods and iPhones over WiFi, they may just start to look invincible again.

Griffin Reflects on New iPods

New iPods means new iPod accessories, and Griffin is offering up a refresh of my favourite cases.

I'm a fan of the accessory company's Reflect line of cases because I think they fit the sleek iPod aesthetic perfectly. Not only do they maintain a cool, metallic look -- the polycarbonate cases are covered in mirrored chrome -- they give you a great "wow" moment. When the iPod is off, the face looks like a blank sheet of chrome. Turn the iPod on and the screen shines through the metal surface. The three cases for the new nano, Classic and touch iPods all sell for $25 and will be available next month. (Alas, the Reflect case for the touch doesn't do the blank-surface trick. But I'd say the player is cool enough to make up for it.)

iPod Dock Promises HD Quality

Want to watch downloaded iPod videos on your TV screen? You'll want to eke out as much resolution as possible, and Meridian Audio's iRis is just the dock to help you do that.

The iRis is capable of upconverting iPod video to 1080p resolution via HDMI or 1080i or 720p using component video. The quality of the actual video remains to be seen, though the company is claiming "astonishing images with clarity and detail" and "true big-screen performance." (Ratchet that down however you see fit, based on your level of cynicism.) Along with HDMI and component, the iRis also sports S-video and composite connectors, plus coax and optical digital-audio outputs. There's also an HDMI input for plugging in other sources, such as a DVD player. A remote lets you flip through content on your TV screen, with menus that echo those of your iPod.

Meridian says that the iRis is compatible with any current iPods, though it's not clear whether that includes the 'Pods that were announced yesterday. Of course, there's a cost for going upscale: The iRis will hit in November for $379, aka more than the price of one of those kickin' new 160GB iPod Classics.

Shure's Cheap(ish) New 'Phones

If you're planning to lap up one of those newly discounted iPhones, then one of the first things that will annoy you about your new purchase will be the fact that you won't be able to squeeze a normal set of headphones into the narrow casing that surrounds the jack.

Rumor has it (according to IGN) that Shure's SE110 earphones, due later this month for $100, are skinny enough to slip into the iPhone without requiring an adapter. If true, I'm sure that iPhone owners will be snatching these up in droves. If not true, the earphones still make for an affordable choice for iPods and other MP3 players. The SE110s use a single driver to deliver "a vivid and detailed listening experience" along with the ability to block out more than 90 percent of outside noise. The 'phones come with two pairs of black foam sleeves, three pairs of soft flex sleeves, a carrying case, and a cleaning tool. Not a bad haul for the price.

NBC Universal Moves in With Amazon

Oh snap, Apple! No sooner does NBC declare that they're moving out of Apple's iTunes (but leaving some stuff behind until the movers get there) than the Peacock goes and hooks up with Amazon, offering $1.99 episodes on Amazon's Unbox service, as well as package discounts. As of September 10, Unbox customers will also be able to snarf free downloads of some of this fall's pilots (Bionic Woman, Chuck, Journeyman and Life).

As with many a breakup, NBC is getting its revenge by living well. Not only is it flaunting its relationship with its new partner, it's looking fabulous: Less than 24 hours after NBC's content became available, three of its shows (Battlestar Galactica, Heroes and The Office) are among the top ten sellers, with Galactica and Heroes nabbing the top two spots.

Magellan Downsizes Maestro GPS Devices

We've taken to toting our GPS unit with us whenever we go on a vacation in which we plan to do a lot of driving, whether in our own car or a rental. Case in point: This past weekend, we lugged our chunky old TomTom with us to San Diego, and if you discount an unfortunate misunderstanding between my husband and TomTom during a weird interchange near Irvine, it came in quite handy.

Understanding the need for pocketability and packability, Magellan is portable-izing its GPS line even more with its second generation Maestros. At just .7-inches thick, the Maestro 4250 and 3250 include a traffic receiver for up-to-the-nanosecond info on the latest rubber-necking, voice command tech (tell it to "Go Home," and the devices just understand), and Bluetooth. Both come preloaded with maps of North American and Puerto Rico, as well AAA travel listings for hotels, restaurants, and the like.

The 4250 features a 4.3-inch widescreen and will cost $499 when it comes out in October, while the 3250 offers a respectable 3.5-inch screen for $399. And if you can live without some of the more uppity features, there are several baser models available for less.

Should They Stay or Should They Go?

NBC is thinking a little different. At least, it's thinking different from Apple. Despite Apple's claims that it would stop selling the Peacock network's shows before the start of the new fall season, NBC says that its new slate of shows will be available on iTunes until December, which is when the contract expires.

But NBC is also fighting back against Apple's other claim that the company would have to sell TV shows for $4.99. NBC says that it wasn't looking to double the cost of programs, but wanted more flexibility when it came to pricing and bundling content. It also jabbed back at Apple, stating, "It is clear that Apple's retail pricing strategy for its iTunes service is designed to drive sales of Apple devices, at the expense of those who create the content that make these devices worth buying."

Guess we'll see who has the better lawyers come the end of the month when the fall TV season kicks off.

OtterBox BlackBerry Case Gets Skinny

Given the amount of fragile handheld electronic devices I handle on a regular basis, it's hard not to love Otter Products' OtterBox cases, which promise maximum protection for cell phones, iPods and the like. Unfortunately, that thorough coverage comes at a cost; OtterBox's ultimate protection sometimes leads to bulky and/or unattractive designs.

The company's new $49.95 OtterBox 1933 case for the BlackBerry 8800 and 8830 reaches something of a compromise. It protects against dust and scratches and can withstand 3-foot drops, but it's certainly not as sturdy as some of their crushprood cases, and it's definitely not waterproof (it can resist light rain, but don't dunk it). However, the silicone skin hugs the phone so that it doesn't take up too much extra room in your pocket or purse -- and it doesn't look like something enlisted personnel would use on the battlefield. (Though I imagine some might consider that a negative.)