More Bad News for Blu-Ray
In a Q & A session that followed Apple's press conference yesterday, Steve Jobs expressed concerns about including the Blu-ray format in Apple products like the new MacBook. OK, that's the sugar-coated version of it. What Jobs actually said was that Blu-ray is "just a bag of hurt," and that he's still waiting until "Blu-ray takes off in the marketplace."
But wait, didn't Blu-ray win the format war against HD-DVD? Shouldn't it have been selling like hotcakes and taking over the market by now?
Considering that Blu-ray is the dominant HD video format, it has had a pretty rough time. For the average consumer the cost of a new Blu-ray player plus the higher cost of Blu-ray movies is just too much to pay for the HD upgrade. And even with recent drops in Blu-ray player prices only 1.7 percent of American homes have jumped on board the Blu-ray bandwagon. And with news that the cost of Blu-ray discs won't drop any time soon in the current economic situation most people will opt for the cheaper DVD version. Of course, the average movie watcher probably doesn't buy many discs, but instead rents most movies. But with services like Netflix charging extra for Blu-ray rentals that option is seeming less viable than just renting the DVD.
The cost wouldn't be such an issue if the upgrade to Blu-ray seemed worth it. But to most, the jump from DVD to Blu-ray just isn't drastic enough. Sure, it looks better, but it's hard to argue that DVD's look terrible by comparison. When DVD came in to replace VHS, it offered a clear difference in both quality and features that made VHS look arcane by comparison. Blu-ray doesn't offer enough of a difference from DVD to justify the cost of the upgrade.
I own a Blu-ray player, even if it is only in the form of my PlayStation 3. But I own only a single Blu-ray movie, and that's because at the time I bought it, "Planet Earth" was offered only on Blu-ray. But if I can get a movie on DVD, then there's no reason to consider the Blu-ray version. The cost is less and the difference in quality, in my opinion, is negligible.
For Blu-ray to really break out it needs to start securing movies that will only be released in the format. As long as the DVD alternative exists, Blu-ray is going to have a tough time. After all, they always say if it ain't broke don't fix it, and DVD ain't broke yet.
McCain Pushes Fair Use on YouTube
In a move that suggests at least a rudimentary understanding of the Internet, the McCain campaign has sent a letter (here as a PDF) to YouTube and Google about fair use in political YouTube videos.
After watching one too many McCain videos stripped from YouTube due to supposed copyright infringement, Trevor Potter, general counsel for the McCain campaign, wrote a three-page letter to YouTube CEO Chad Hurley, William Patry, Google's senior copyright counsel, and YouTube's General Counsel Zahavah Levine, arguing the campaign has not violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and suggests YouTube "commit to a full legal review of all takedown notices on videos posting from accounts controlled by (at least) political candidates and campaigns."
When a video is pulled, the campaign can file a counter notice, but the DMCA does not repost videos until 10 to 14 days later -- far too long for an ongoing political campaign so close to the finish line.
Though the McCain campaign has seen a boost from its YouTube videos, it has also run into trouble showing broadcast television footage and using song snippets without permission. It is on this basis that Potter offers four reasons these do not violate the DMCA but are instead "paradigmatic of fair use": "1) the uses are non-commercial and transformative; 2) they are factual, not fictional; 3) they are extremely brief; and 4) they have no conceivable effect on the market for the allegedly infringed works." (These are the criteria in the fair use law). Potter then cites a 30-year-old First Amendment case supporting the use of popular songs in political campaigns.
So as to not appear grumpy because of personal slights, the McCain campaign cc'd the Obama campaign on its message.
This move poises McCain to be an important contributor to the ongoing debate regarding the definition of fair use as Internet technology expands. It's interesting to me that even though Obama has used technology to greater extents and acclaim, it's the McCain campaign that steps up for the "little guy." It would be foolish of Obama to not support the proposals outlined in Potter's letter. However, it is well within YouTube's right to banish any videos -- its terms of service explicitly state "YouTube reserves the right to discontinue any aspect of the YouTube Web site at any time."
Firefox Update Enters Beta
The Mozilla team has just released Firefox 3.1, but I don't recommend you download it just yet as this is just the first of several beta releases.
This version is intended to be used by developers and Web designers to test their plug-ins and Web pages against the new browser. If you do decide to take Firefox 3.1 beta 1 for a spin, be warned: your add-ons may cease to function. Here are some highlights of what's under the hood:
Geolocation: a Java-based set of Web tools that can do things like plot maps, give directions, geotag photos, and give a location for a blog post.
Tab-switching shortcut: lets you preview another tab before switching it.
Better control over the Awesome Bar.
Improved fonts: I know what you're thinking. Who cares? Well, it may not seem like much, but better access to fonts will make your browsing experience much better, especially if you visit non-English-language sites.
Better video and audio: Firefox says it wants to make adding video to a Website as easy as it is to add a photo. Mozilla also says that with this improvement, video can be embedded in the page more smoothly instead of being trapped in "plug-in prison."
XHR Cross-site Access Control: This one is a little complicated. Basically, this means that users viewing something on Firefox will be able to see more mashups between two different sites, if both sites opt in to this feature.
Tracemonkey: Mozilla's touted Java engine, is supposed to be "super fast" but you have to turn it on in the controls because it's off by default. You should expect some bugs when using this engine at the moment.
Mozilla is hard at work on Firefox 3.1 Beta 2 and the team promises more improvements in the next release. No word yet on when Firefox 3.1 will be out of beta, but you can keep track of it here.
Other browser teams are hard at work, too. A new version of Flock, the social networking browser, is now available. Flock 2 highlights include MySpace support in the sidebar, Media RSS support (MRSS) and customized visual themes.
In other browser news, Google's Chrome grabbed an extra 3 percent of marketshare, according to GetClicky Web analytics, but is still limping along after a highly publicized debut.
Googling Is Good For Your Brain
Searching, finding, and then reading this article will make you smarter. That's not because I'm a member of MENSA and about to share unique insights into the string theory of theoretical physics. Rather, researchers at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) released a study suggesting that searching online could be beneficial for the brain.
The UCLA team put 24 volunteers in MRI machines to measure their brain activity while conducting online searches. This way they found that searching the Web with search engines such as Google or Yahoo, stimulates centers in the brain that control decision-making and complex reasoning. Also, the researchers say that searching the Web could help counter the brain slowing down, as we get older.
Better than reading
Apple vs. the Economy: Can the New Macs Really Sell?
Apple's heavily hyped line of new laptops is finally in front of us. As exciting as all the added bells and whistles may be to Mac fanatics, though, the systems have a serious challenge: Can they beat the economic blues to win over weary wallets and fly off store shelves?
Pricing Predicament
The new notebooks, revealed at an event inside its Cupertino, Calif. campus Tuesday, range in price from $999 to $2499. The lower-end product -- the basic MacBook -- did see a $100 drop in price from the previous model. Missing from the lineup, though, was the rumored $800 laptop that was believed to have been in the works. Already, the blogosphere is buzzing with reaction -- and questions over whether the price tags will be able to draw PC users in. Some are doubtful.
Continue reading "Apple vs. the Economy: Can the New Macs Really Sell?"
Motorola, Verizon Deliver ZN4 Touch-Screen: Krave
With the increasing popularity of touch-screen smart phones, it was only a matter of time before more affordable options started popping up. Verizon announced today a new entry into the touch-screen phone market with the Motorola Krave ZN4. With it Verizon hopes to appeal to the mass market with this sleek touch-screen price at a low $150 (with a two-year contract).
Specs on the Krave include 3G (EVDO) support for Verizon's wireless network. It does not, however, feature any WiFi capabilities. It also has a number of features that have become standard including GPS, Bluetooth v2.0, a 2 megapixel camera, a microSD card slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack (unlike other phones that don't support standard headphone inputs). The Krave also features a full QWERTY keyboard on the touch screen, complete with tactile feedback.
Quasi Flip-Phone
Continue reading "Motorola, Verizon Deliver ZN4 Touch-Screen: Krave"
Pimp Your Flip Mino with Customizable Designs
The Flip Mino went the Zune route and introduced customizable patterns and images for its pocket-sized camcorder. Users can choose from a variety of exclusive-to-Mino designs, create a pattern of their own using Cafe Press software, or upload personal photographs and images to be plastered on the back of the $180 device.
The Website boasts some stellar designs that are sure to be popular, such as the Weezer decal and exclusive selections from Santa Cruz, an artist featured on the Rock Band video game.
The best feature is the ability to upload your own photographs. I assembled a Mino in 30 seconds by uploading a .jpg image, centering it, and filling it to the size of the device. This is a great way to engage in bragging rights. Designs can also be submitted to the Flip community, and if yours sells, you get $10. Proceeds can be taken home or donated to charity.
For its size, the Mino boasts decent specs. It comes with 2GB of memory for 60 minutes of 640 x 480 video recording, a rechargeable lithium ion battery, works on Windows and Mac, and sports a built-in flip-out USB arm for cordless transferring. Now that you can make a Mino unique to your own style, the purchase price seems more worthwhile.
First Look Blackberry Bold: Hands-On Evaluation
While the Blackberry buzz this week is focused on Research in Motion's first flip phone Pearl, I'm more interested in unanswered questions surrounding the yet-to-be launched Blackberry Bold. This is RIM's answer to recently launched Nokia E71 and the forthcoming Motorola Q11 - and other Windows Mobile powered QWERTY devices.
While the Blackberry Bold is not yet available in the U.S., here in the U.K. (where I live) it is. I got my hands on one, in advance of its U.S. debut (expected "later this year"), and here is what I think of RIM's Blackberry Bold.
Out of the Box
First impression is the Bold looks really good. The screen is covered by a glass-like plastic and the backside is made of some type of leatherette, which doesn't really match the glossy front. The silver colored frame is not made out of metal but plastic. The phone fits comfortably in my hand and weighs slightly more than the iPhone.
Continue reading "First Look Blackberry Bold: Hands-On Evaluation"
New MacBooks and Apple Displays Out Today: Rumor Roundup
Later today Apple will launch a revamped line of MacBook laptops at a much-anticipated Steve Jobs special event held at the Apple campus. Pictures (blurry, of course) surfaced on the Web as early as last night that appear to show the new MacBook Pro with an iMac-esque look. In addition to notebooks (predicted to be sub-$1000), a new line of Apple displays is speculated.
Although nothing is official until Jobs says so, the similarities between the latest leaked pictures and the previous enclosure leaks appear to match. The pictured MacBook Pro (MBP) sports a glass-like display cover with a black bezel, similar to the current line of iMacs. Also, the keyboard is black, as it was introduced with the MacBook Air.
Speculated Specs
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Could Free Nationwide WiFi Really Work?
Free nationwide Internet access may be on the way sooner than you think, thanks to a hotly contested Federal Communications Commission ruling decided Friday. The plan, just given the go-ahead by the government, would create a federally endorsed WiFi network supported only by ads and optional subscription-based speed boosts.
Communications Clash
As you might imagine, the concept isn't sitting so well with commercial Internet service providers. Companies such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon have been fighting the idea since its introduction, claiming the free network would interfere with their own offerings.
The government's top communications official, though, now says that's simply not true. In a report released Friday (PDF), FCC Chairman Kevin Martin asserts that recent field tests conducted in Seattle show no significant interference between the services' neighboring spectrums.
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