Archive for the 'Technology' Category

Internet Radio Royalty Bill Passes House

Published
by
Andy
on September 29, 2008
in Music, Music Industry and Technology
. 0 Comments

to live and fight another day

CNET reports that the Webcaster Settlement Act has passed the House of Representatives unanimously.  Only the Senate now stands in the way of internet radio broadcasters and business viability.

According to the article:

Webcasters are fighting for the right to negotiate with the music industry to reduce the royalty rates they must pay to stream music over the Web. Any deal must be approved by the federal government.

It’s sad that it’s even gotten to this point.  The revised royalty rates from last year that put webcasters into this situation in the first place were completely unreasonable.  Now they are fighting for the right to negotiate?  With the music industry?

Granted, one would assume that the record labels themselves would see the futility in forcing internet radio out of business and would negotiate reasonable deals if the bill passes.  However, why did they allow SoundExchange to enact such ridiculous rates in the first place?  The fact that any deal must be approved by the federal goverment adds unnecessary red tape to the process.

Unanimously passing the House is a good first step; it appears as though the bill will get enacted.  At the end of the day, though, it’s still a workable solution.  Just not a very elegant one.

Put Your Pwnge Halo 3 Replays On The Web Easily

Published
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Andy
on August 19, 2008
in Technology and Video Games
. 0 Comments

I’ve been playing around with a new gaming community video content hub/service called GameVee.com.  Along with the ability for users to upload and share HD game video content, GameVee has a unique utility called “Grab.” Using a top secret voodoo propietary algorithm/solution, Grab automates the process of capturing video content from games and uploads it into a tidy Flash-based video player for you to share with everyone on the web.

Right now the service only works with game replays/clips on Halo 3 file shares, but it’s still pretty damn awesome.  All you need to do is put in an Xbox Live gamertag along with the title of a video clip on the person’s file share and Grab will automagically capture, convert, and upload the clip.  It does take a few hours to complete a Grab request, though, as it looks like a laborious process for the black box to download, play, capture, and convert a replay.  It’s hard to find fault with the results though.

Making gameplay video capturing this easy is going to take social gaming to a new level.  Games like Pixeljunk Eden already have the ability to capture gameplay video and upload directly into YouTube from within the game.  I know I’m going to be sharing my awesome gaming exploits with people who don’t even own a game console.  It’s only going to help generate interest and awareness for games and the games industry.

Indulge me after the jump as I share with you a video of me going 19-1 in a ranked doubles match recorded shortly after the release of Halo 3 last fall.
Continue reading ‘Put Your Pwnge Halo 3 Replays On The Web Easily’

Firefox 3.0 Final Released

Published
by
Andy
on June 17, 2008
in Technology
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firefox 3.0 logo

As a blog dedicated to the betterment of humanity, I feel it is my duty to inform you, the grand hope for mankind, that the latest version of Firefox is now available for download.

If you want to know more about the release, Lifehacker has a great write up here.  All I know is that one of the new features added is called the “AwesomeBar.”  I didn’t really need any other reason to upgrade.

Oh, and I guess there’s some sort of push to break the Guinness Record for most downloads in a day on this or something.

Download Firefox 3.0

Direct download for Windows

Direct download for Mac

(you might have to keep trying on these, their servers are hammered)

3G iPhone Is $199, Comes Out July 11th

Published
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Andy
on June 9, 2008
in Technology
. 0 Comments

iphone 3g

(photo credits: macrumors.com)

The biggest surprise to come out of Apple’s WWDC keynote was not the announcement of the iPhone 3G, with its improved battery life, 3G data network support, or GPS functionality.  It was the price of such a wondrous device.

Launching in 22 countries on July 11th at a price point of only $199 for the 8GB, it’s clear Apple means to break this device to the masses.  There will also be a 16GB model for $299 that will also come in white.

Here’s a slide of the promised battery life improvements - as always, we’ll see how real world use shakes out.

iphone 3g battery life

HTC Diamond Looks Kickass, Could Rival iPhone

Published
by
Andy
on June 8, 2008
in Technology
. 0 Comments


HTC Touch Diamond boot video from Joshua Topolsky on Vimeo.

Just when you thought no Windows Mobile device could compare to the iPhone, leave it to HTC to come up with something awesome.  The above video for the upcoming HTC Diamond’s interface looks very impressive.  It looks slightly more complex than Apple’s WunderDevice, but with more user customizability due to the Windows Mobile platform, it could appeal to more advanced users.

A History Of Hi-Def Gaming

Published
by
Andy
on March 28, 2008
in Technology and Video Games
. 0 Comments

is dat sum hdmi
If hi-def gaming gives you that funny feeling in your tummy, you might be interested in Wayne Santos’ new article on High-Def Digest.

Wayne goes through a retrospective of how we got to where we are today, gaming in high definition.

I will say that he forgets to mention Soul Calibur 2 on the Xbox. That was the first game i used to demo my shiny new HD TV back in the summer of 2005. It ran in 540P which was noticeably better than the 480p titles on the PS2/Xbox, but could not compare to the first generation Xbox 360 titles.

Read “The Long Road To High Definition Gaming” [highdefdigest.com]

Google Is Serious About Creating A Standard For Social Networking Widgets

Published
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Andy
on March 27, 2008
in Technology
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open social logo
When I first saw that Google, Myspace, Yahoo, and others were forming the “OpenSocial Foundation,” I almost yelped for joy that someone had finally wised up and decided to create One Social Network to rule them all.  Honestly, there are just too many damn networks to be involved in, much less keep track of, these days.

Unfortunately, the foundation’s main goal is not to consolidate social networks. Rather it is to provide developers with a standard for building applications for use on the different social networks.

Much less exciting, I know.

Nevertheless, it’s still a Good Thing. Open standards are what the internet was founded upon, and it’ll make for a better experience for both developers and users.

Predictably, Facebook is not a part of the initiative, probably because they have the most mature and tenured platform for social networking apps already in full swing.

My first inclination is to draw parallels between the iTunes vs Playsforsure battle of Goliath vs the Davids.  However, this battle may not be a similar debacle, as the battleground is for a development standard and I think the developers themselves hold the final say in determining the victor.

Read More [cnet.com]

Netflix, Best Buy: “HD DVD Bad, Blu-ray Good”

Published
by
Andy
on February 11, 2008
in Movies and Technology
. 0 Comments

My, how fast the machine works.

Both Best Buy and Netflix gave the ol’ press release one-two punch today by announcing plans to phase out support of the HD DVD video format in favor of Blu-ray. Best Buy’s press release basically says that starting in March, they will give better product placement for Blu-ray discs and players while also having salespeople recommend the format to prospective consumers. They still say they will sell HD DVD discs and players, but it’s quite obvious that come this time next year we probably won’t be seeing much of our red-boxed friends. Netflix’s press release has more decisive language, with definite plans to stop buying new HD DVD immediately while also removing existing HD DVD titles from circulation by year’s end.

So is this why they didn’t ship me Gone Baby Gone on HD DVD today? I was kinda pissed about that. As a recent new owner of an HD DVD player, I can say I’m a little surprised how quickly things are shaking out in this format war. I’ve watched enough movies via Netflix in the past month to justify my purchase already, but I didn’t expect Netflix to drop the format completely so quickly.

Oh well, I guess the next step is to wait for the blowout clearance sales for HD DVD titles so I can grab some titles before we inevitably get gouged by monopolistic Blu-ray prices.

Netflix goes Blu-ray exclusive [hi-def digest]

Best Buy recommends Blu-ray [hi-def digest]

God Announces Macbook Air

Published
by
Andy
on January 15, 2008
in Technology
. 0 Comments

Today’s big Apple product announcement at the Macworld keynote was the Macbook Air, an ultraportable Mac notebook.

Key Features:

  • 1.6 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
  • 0.76″-0.12″ thick chassis
  • 3lb weight
  • 5 hours of battery life
  • 13.3″ LED display
  • 2GB memory
  • 80GB 4200-rpm PATA hard drive
  • Built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
  • No optical drive
  • iSight camera included

Theres also an option to replace the 80GB hard drive with a 64GB Solid State Drive (flash memory) for $1300 (!).

 

My initial take:

  • Shit, this thing is thin
  • Price fits squarely between Macbook and Macbook Pro lines - would have liked to see $1500 price point, but still very competitive with high end ultraportables (e.g. Sony TZ series)
  • Lack of optical drive not a big deal, we usually don’t use discs as much as we think we do
  • Software to use any computer’s optical drive wirelessly with the Air as a “virtual optical drive” - very cool
  • Disappointed the external optical drive is not included ($99 option)
  • How the hell did they fit a 1.6 Ghz Core 2 Duo processor in there - that is an amazing engineering feat
  • No ethernet jack? come on, that could have fit
  • 1 USB port is going to be REALLY annoying - you attach a mouse and you can’t put anything else on (iPod, iPhone, optical drive, etc.)
  • Full-size keyboard is awesome for an ultraportable
  • Lol @ $1300 option for solid state - I guess we’re a few years away from this replacing real hard drives on notebooks

All this said, I may be picking one of these up.  I’ve never owned a Mac before and this may be the right product for me as I own an iPhone and have a screamingly powerful PC desktop already.  It may be one of those things where seeing it in person puts you over the edge, but as of now it’s merely a modestly compelling product on its own.  Not as mindblowing as the iPhone was last year, but something that makes sense to add to your gadget fleet if you are a tech geek or really need the ultraportability.  I couldn’t see this as my primary computer, though.  It just lacks the features and power for my needs as a content creator or gamer.