Guess you just can’t have too much DRM. At least not if you believe RealNetwork’s CEO Rob Glaser. He’s going to help you rip your DVDs to your HD so you can play them on the go. Of course he doesn’t touch Hollywood’s DRM and in fact goes them one better…he adds his own unique, [...]
Archive for Category: "Tech Industry"
Technology and the World Recession
Not since l990 have we seen a downturn in the economy as we have in recent months. The vision of a turnaround has been pushed out until at least next year and most indicators point to the bottom of our double-dip and mild improvements will begin. We won’t begin to “feel better” until possibly the [...]
Technical Marketing, Silicon Valley, and Recessions
Economists are unanimous that regardless of what governments do it will take time, a lot of time, to rebuild faith in financial institutions and rejuvenate the economy. The sudden realization that the emperor had no clothes and magnitude of the financial crisis is only now being fully addressed. In a knee jerk reaction management is [...]
Shrinking Computing: Processors, Laptops and Phones
Bright Idea – Just so no one missed the fact that Intel’s Craig Barrett was talking about another bright idea that the company’s engineering teams had developed the events folks put him in front of a light bulb. It didn’t work because we could barely see the itty-bitty device he held in his hand at [...]
My Take on Microsoft’s I’m a PC Commercials
Nearly everyone is familiar with the barrage of Apple ads. They mainly feature two characters that are meant to iconify a typical Apple and PC user. Of course, the Apple character is a cool twenty-something dude and the PC (played by humorist John Hodgman) is an outdated business-person who just can’t be as cool. These [...]
Nerd Fitness: How to Eat Healthier When You’re Online
We all go through those days when getting away from the computer is just out of the question. There is always some game that has to be finished, a report that is due, or if you are like me you have to finish reviewing some product before the bossman unleashes fiery wrath. The problem is [...]
Protect Digital Memories from Disasters
Hurricane Gustav chased an estimated two million people from their homes. Fires in Southern California and Yosemite Park areas destroyed thousands of acres and burnt hundreds of homes. Floods in the Midwest swept into homes despite residents’ best efforts. Every day natural disasters take their financial and emotional toll. In Katrina’s Path Donna Wilsker, a [...]
Changing the Internet Weather
If you hear the communications and Internet service providers the Internet will soon freeze over because of all of the content YOU are sending around to just everyone! Gee the Beijing Olympics and NBC and every country’s leading TV operation sent out video streams 24×7 to the four corners of the globe and surprise… It [...]
G4′s Adam Sessler at PAX 08
The Penny Arcade Expo has been compared to the virtually-defunct E3, having grown to an immense size within 5 years. The proof of this growth is how much attention PAX 08 received form large media outlets like G4 TV. Xplay’s Adam Sessler and Morgan Webb were out on the show floor taking interviews with all [...]
OS Wars: What Will Happen Without Darth Gates?
The Dark Force – We often wonder why Macophiles and Linux people portrayed Bill as the dark force in the universe. Guy was just trying to earn a buck…and put a computer on every desktop. Now he’s turned his attention to righting other wrongs. Photo – Lucasfilms “Until this battle station is fully operational, we [...]
Devices Aren’t Enough
Coming Your Way – There almost seems to be no stopping mobile communications devices taking over nearly all of your away from home entertainment and more. The hardware, software, content and provider communities are determined to get you…one way or another. Source – C-2 Pictures “I’ve been there myself. The fear, the adrenaline, you find [...]
HD-DVD is Dead
Ya, the Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive is now $49.99… sad…. There’s no way I’m buying an HD-DVD drive now… BluRay drives are starting to become much cheaper… way cheaper than buying a PS3… time to upgrade the 3 Media Center PCs. I’m happily using HD-WMV files downloaded from the Interwebs… still cheaper than a [...]
Linux on Strike!
The newly-appointed head of the World Linux Bureau (abbreviated WCP) issued a recent statement that has the potential to affect every living soul on the planet. If their demands are not met, Linux will go on strike. The Linux operating system is one of the longest-running computer systems in history, and has gone mostly unappreciated. [...]
DRM Protection: Treating Consumers Like Thieves
What are people all happy about regarding their video content? It’s all on BD? Big Deal! Oh sure you can copy your music…your audio books…your stuff. Copy their movie? You out of your gourd ?? Don’t tell us you’ll soon be downloading so their discs don’t matter. Yeah right. We’re talking serious lawyers here. Contrary [...]
Search for the Holy Grail of Storage
“But choose wisely, for while the true Grail will bring you life, the false Grail will take it from you.” – Grail Knight – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) Sometimes you wonder if Indie’s search for the storage Holy Grail will ever end. With BD Sony found the royalty stream. Toshiba turned its attention on [...]
Raiders of the Blu Ark
Some called it a battle. Others a war. But the blue laser thing was more like a tussle…a two year tussle. HD DVD had Toshiba, the DVD Forum (that sure helped DVD-RAM?) and a few studios that were kinda, maybe, sorta on their side. Oh yeah…and Microsoft.BD had Sony and its string of content owners, Panasonic, [...]
PhysX by nVidia: A New Era of Gaming!
nVidia’s purchase of Ageia signals the dawn of a new era in PC gaming. For those who didn’t know, Ageia is known for their “PhysX” hardware cards, which use a proprietary API to offload game physics to a dedicated processor. Industry support hasn’t been all that great for the PC, so it has been hard [...]
Are We Ignoring Geek Women?
We all know half (or about half) of the world’s population is female. Most married or involved males know that they can do anything they want to do as long as “SHE” thinks it’s OK. Testosterone works in the boardroom but in the living room, bedroom…forget it!!! If they are “kinda” important in our business [...]
2008 Means Storage
2007 was a rocking year…sure it was your content, your stuff anytime, everytime, everywhere. 2008 is going to be the year you buy things to store all that stuff…See what we are pretty darned sure the year holds for the consumer…Use it as you want, use it as you will The fun of analyzing the [...]
Can OLPC Make Computers Cheaper?
The OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) seems to be a great idea. So why can’t road warriors get the same rugged, easy-to-use system for under $1,500? Even the OLPC color grows on you after awhile. But the OLPC may change the price point for the rest of us… Hey it’s fun to think about. Imagine…envying [...]
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