Category: Media

2008 Super Bowl Ads: Watch Them Online on Hulu or AOL

February 2, 2008 Bob Caswell 4 Comments

I admit it; I’m really not into football but am one of those that tend to tune into the Super Bowl mostly to check out the commercials. I’m not alone, apparently.

TiVo, the company known for its digital video recorder by the same name, usually makes it so that consumers can record TV minus the commercials. But last year Todd Juenger, TiVo’s vice president and general manager of audience research and measurement, explained how it was actually the commercials themselves that consumers were watching:

Media, Tech News, Web 2.0

Could HD DVD Make a Comeback? Pricing Now Close to DVD

January 28, 2008August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 7 Comments

HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray Even if plenty of news is out already assuming HD DVD is dead, other sources are pointing us to facts that show the battle isn’t over yet. After all, you can now get HD DVD players with 7 movies for $126 whereas Blu-ray’s alternatives are, at best, nearly three times as expensive with players starting in the $300’s.

Most all coverage, positive or negative, is relying on data from the NPD Group. Interesting, then, that the NPD Group had to issue a statement addressing how its numbers were being used:

Amazon, Media, Tech News

Movie Industry Admits Piracy Statistic is Totally Wrong

January 23, 2008 Bob Caswell 4 Comments

MPAA The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) commissioned a study in 2005, which resulted in a claim that 44% of industry losses (domestically) came from college students illegally downloading movies across U.S. campuses. Well, it turns out the real number is 15%.

This study and, more specifically, this particular statistic have been the basis for the MPAA pushing legislation to force universities to monitor and shut down certain online activities. Officially, the error is being called a “human error” and the MPAA still thinks that the new figure is significant even if one third the original number.

Media, Tech News, Web 2.0

The New Format Wars: Forget About HD DVD & Blu-ray

January 19, 2008August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 7 Comments

HD DVD vs. Blu-ray Once upon a time, earlier in the battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray, supporters of each side loved to point out the major tech company backing each format to strengthen their positions. It made sense, after all, how could HD DVD fail if Microsoft was behind it? And, of course, Blu-ray would win if Apple was there beside it.

But then, neither company will be affected much if both formats eventually fail. And that’s because, in the end, both Microsoft and Apple minimized their involvement with either format.

Apple, Gaming, Media, Microsoft, Tech News, Web 2.0

Apple TV: Top 10 Reasons You Should Wait

January 18, 2008August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 35 Comments

I’m not usually one to go for the top 10 list method of discussing limitations of a product. But then again, products don’t usually have 10 weaknesses I care enough about to compile a list. Apple TV, on the other hand, falls into this category. And it’s not even a first generation product!

But to be fair, I should point out that this is a product I sincerely want to work. After all, I already use iTunes to manage my music, and the iPod is my music player of choice. Too bad, then, that Apple TV simply isn’t ready for prime time. Here are the top 10 reasons you should wait:

Apple, Media, Netflix, Web 2.0

Apple TV 2.0 vs. Netflix Unlimited: This Will Be Interesting

January 15, 2008August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 9 Comments

Apple TV 2.0 So today is Apple’s yearly coming out party where good ol’ Steve Jobs takes the stage and releases big surprises (even if most are leaked days earlier). There’s a new ultra-thin notebook, new features for the iPhone (SMS messaging to multiple friends), new apps for the iPod Touch (Mail, Maps, Stocks, Notes, and Weather), iTunes movie rentals, and the second generation Apple TV.

Despite the fact that plenty of people already seem to be professing a new found love for the MacBook Air, my interest is more towards Apple’s desire to be in the center of my living room. So let’s take a look at the newly released Apple TV set-top box and iTunes rental package:

Apple, Media, Netflix, Tech News, Web 2.0

Netflix Preemptively Takes On Apple: Unlimited Online Movies

January 13, 2008August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 5 Comments

Netflix will be making a big announcement tomorrow, coincidentally one day before Apple will be making some [similar] big announcements of its own:

Starting Monday, January 14, 2008, Netflix subscribers will have unlimited access to movie viewing online. The company plans to do away with its quota/hours system it had in place before (viewing hours per month were based upon how much you paid for you mail-in DVD plan). The only group of Netflix subscribers to be left out of this unlimited plan: you who pay the minimum of $4.99 to rent just two DVDs per month.

Apple, Media, Netflix, Tech News, Web 2.0

HD DVD Price Drops while Blu-ray Screws Early Adopters

January 12, 2008August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 153 Comments

HD DVD vs. Blu-ray Not sure if this is related to the news of Warner Bros. going Blu-ray exclusive, but Amazon has this Toshiba HD DVD player with seven movies for only $129 (the same one I thought I got a deal on a month ago for $174).

Blu-ray players, of course, are still well above $300. Amazon also has a bunch of HD DVD movies for $15. Interestingly, the site has a Blu-ray movie sale going on at the same time. But the difference between the two sales is a telling story:

Amazon, Media, Netflix