Category: Technology

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Apple TV Getting an Upgrade

Apple TV is getting an upgrade.
Coming soon is the ability to download and watch the more popular YouTube videos. YouTube will be encoding them in H.264 codec.

The YouTube videos will be the most popular to begin with, but YouTube will begin to convert all the videos to h.264 codec later this year.

Also coming soon is a higher capacity Apple TV. The current version, which I have, is 40 GB for $299. But they will have a 160 GB for $399. I guess that it what I get for being an early adopter.

Read the CNET article: “Apple TV set to download YouTube“

Read my earlier review of Apple TV.

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Marriott Updating TVs and Computer Options

Well Marriott announced it a while ago and now they are beginning to role out the new TVs and ways to connect to them.
They are putting in a 32″ LCD TV from LG that has a connection box attached to it so you can play your audio and video files. You can also even connect your laptop to it for one big computer monitor.

This is a tremendous move from a hotel chain because I travel a lot and it is impossible to hook anything up to the TVs. I travel with my own media and iPod and I like to watch my own stuff.

Well with this I can.

The connection box will have connections for HDMI, mini-plug, RCA jacks for audio and video, and a 15-pin VCA connector. This should cover most everyone and their travels.

I can’t wait until this is in all their properties. It will be nice to stay at a Marriott.

View more at: plugintomarriott.com

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Newspapers Don’t Get It – Harsh On Google Indexing

In an article that appeared on the weekend edition of CNet’s News.com website, newspaper publisher’s are harshing on Google wondering why they are getting a free ride.
Last month in a speech at Stanford University, the Tribune Co’s new owner wanted to know, “If all of the newspapers in America did not allow Google to steal their content, how profitable would Google be?”

But the problem is that newspapers get about 25% of their traffic from search engines. If they start trying to get compensated for this coverage, then they will lose viewership and revenue.

Basically, if someone can’t find you on Google, then you don’t exist on the web. Whether that is right or wrong, it is the truth.

When I search news stories on the Internet, I am searching for specific stories. If I can’t find them, then they don’t exist. It would be best for them to let Google index them and make them available so I can find them.

That increases views and that increases their ad revenue.

The newspaper business is changing from a paper based model to a mixed paper and electronic and will soon be all-electronic.

If they don’t adapt and move towards new ad revenues, then they won’t be around. And that would be a bad thing.

Now don’t get me started on subscription based newspaper websites. I think that they are stupid. More soon.

Read the entire CNET story: “Newspapers want Google News’ quarter“

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Macbook vs Macbook Pro

I am looking at getting a new computer for home use.
This will be to do home finance, photos, web design, videos, and other personal stuff.

It would be interesting to hear from people out there to see what they think I should get and help me make my decision.

So, what do you think?

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Media Rights Technologies are nuts!

A company, Media Rights Technologies, has filed suit against Apple, Microsoft, Real Networks, Adobe and others for violating the DMCA by not using their product.
There product even works plugging a hole so that when it is played back it still can’t be copied.

To me this is a desperate attempt to get business and force people to use their software and a real weird take on the DMCA.

I doubt this will get anywhere and the companies that they are suing have a lot more money than they do.

If you can’t sell a product, you can’t threaten them in court. Get a clue and a life!

You can read more on CNET, Apple, others draw legal threat over media players.

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Digg the Code

To commemorate Digg and its users taking a stand against the DRM police, Geoff Smith (thegeoffsmith.com) developed a song, Digg the Code.
Well, Cali Lewis of GeekBrief.TV developed a music video to go along with it and it is great. View it here.

What is better than some Geoff Smith music and Cali Lewis dancing around.

Plus it sends a message to the DRM police.

You can Digg the music video at: Digg Music Video Starring Cali Lewis from GeekBrief.tv “Digg the Code”

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Digg Users Go Crazy

Well the community is now going crazy over a pulled story on Digg.
Someone had posted the HD-DVD key that allows you to crack its security protection and Digg pulled that post. Now the user community is an uproar.

I think this is crazy. Digg and Kevin Rose are only doing what they feel best for the community and these unfortunate posts should not be made. There are rules, regulations and other things that Digg needs to adhere to.

They received a cease and desist declaration. Clear and simple. If not, Digg could have been taken down. Then where you would you go?

The user community needs to get over it and fight the laws, not Digg and Kevin Rose.

Read more on Gizmodo: Breaking: Digg Riot in Full Effect Over Pulled HD-DVD Key Story

Read Kevin Rose’s response: Digg This: 09-f9-11-02-9d-74-e3-5b-d8-41-56-c5-63-56-88-c0

Digg’s Response: What’s Happening with HD-DVD Stories?

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New York Times Reader

Well in my inspection of using an online reader for the New York Times, I stumbled upon the New York Times Reader.
This has been in Beta and is coming out of it soon. It may already be out of it.

This is really cool. It takes the paper and continuously updates it. If your device does not have internet access, you can read the latest version it downloaded. It is pretty simple.

It automatically scales to your screen size and it is quite easy to navigate between sections and pages. I think this will revolutionize newspapers and how they are read.

But there is one problem. The New York Times is charging $14.95 a month after 30 days. This is ridiculous. They sure know how to kill a good thing.

The New York Times is still living in the print world. If they want people to use it and make money, they need to charge a lot less. They would get a lot more subscribers.