Month: October 2006

DiddyTV: YouTube Gains A Paying Partner

In true online video blog style, the announcement was made by Mr Diddy (not one of Ken Dodd’s little friends), but differing from the norm, he’s filmed walking in to a Burger King and happens to drop their catch phrase a couple of times while order his burger to “have it his way”.

Interestingly Mr Diddy says that he’s going to “Buy a channel on YouTube,” so we’re assuming that there’s money involved, especially as Mr Diddy refers to “The Contract” in his video piece.

Also of note, is that Mr Diddy has his own URL on YouTube – YouTube.com/diddyTV – certainly the first that we’ve seen that uses such a short form.

There’s also a great spoof of Mr Diddy’s video by Lisa Nova.

Details of the deal between Mr Diddy and Burger King haven’t been disclosed, but we’d imagine that it’s going to be worth more that a couple of orders at their stores, even if his entourage are ordering large.

Of course, this big step up by Mr Diddy has absolutely nothing to do with the new album that he’s releasing this month and is cunningly blip-cut into his video pieces.

We attribute much of Mr Diddy’s knowledge and acceptance of YouTube down to Ryan Leslie, who is part of Mr Diddy’s posse (which we believe is the common parlance). Ryan has been using MySpace and YouTube for a long time to promote himself, his label Next Selection (for life) and his artists like Cassie. We’ve spoken about his work in many consultancy sessions that we’ve done with media companies – and frankly have great regard for the way he’s used the medium, such as his idea to get people to post their own lip-sync video on YouTube.

The absolute proof of this is Mr Diddy’s message to Ryan saying that he’d “finally talked him into it,” asking him to send over some of his friends to Mr Diddy’s Myspace. To show how these things roll, you’ll note that Mr Diddy doesn’t have Ryan in his Top 16 friends on his MySpace. You may also note that Mr Diddy has had over 10m plays of his tracks – some 4m of which for Come To Me, that was produced by Ryan Leslie. Where’s the friendship?

Google interested in buying YouTube?
Over the weekend there has been much chatter about YouTube being bought by Google, after it was rumoured by the WSJ. The figure banded around was $1.6Bn.

This would be the most expensive purchase that Google has made. Up until now they’ve been very smart and picked up other compaies at early stages for relative small change. The rumored figure for Blogger was $30m.

Google Video hasn’t been the boon that they had hoped it was going to be. Buying YouTube will take Google into the forefront of serving video online and with the $10Bn they’ve got in the bank, not an unfeasible amount for them to pay for it. When put into historical context, it appears a pretty cheap price – don’t forget that Yahoo paid $7.5Bn for broadcast.com back in the Web 1.0 days.

Microsoft Vista Reaches Final Beta

Microsoft Vista Reaches Final Beta It’s been a long, long wait, but it looks like the release of Microsoft’s new operating system, Windows Vista, is finally set to happen soon.

The company has just released Release Candidate 2 (RC2) – or build number 5744 if you’re counting – and the Redwood boys are sounding chirpy that this will be the last beta version of Windows Vista before the product is unleashed for manufacturing.

The previous test release of Vista, RC1 was tested by no less than three million users, with the company claiming that it received “excellent feedback.”

With Microsoft now saying that just has to add the finishing touches to the overall quality and performance of the eagerly awaited operating system, the company looks set to meet it targets.

Microsoft Vista Reaches Final Beta Vista has a scheduled roll out date for business customers next month, with consumers getting to play with the new desktop in January 2007.

Microsoft has already missed several release deadlines, although leading financial analysts like Rick Sherlund of the Goldman Sachs Group reckon that things are looking good for an on-time release:

“We had been sceptical of the launch schedule after Beta 2 shipped with problems in May, but the team seems to be making great progress in addressing issues of performance, reliability and compatibility,” he wrote in a research note.

Microsoft Vista Reaches Final Beta Sherlund also noted that he expects Microsoft to start dishing out Vista discount coupons to customers who buy new PCs capable of running the OS in the run-up to the release.

Already, fanboy Websites are buzzing with screen shots of the shiny, sleek new OS and we have to say the new desktop looks mighty purdy to our eyes…

You can check to see if your system wil be able to handle all the whizz bang glitz here: windowsvista.com/getready

Samsung X838 Ultra Compact Phone/MP3 Player

Samsung X838 Ultra Compact Phone/MP3 PlayerLooking like lovechild of a bedtime romp between an iPod and a mobile phone, Samsung’s X838 phone has real “gimme!” appeal.

Folded up, it looks like a conventional compact MP3 player, complete with a 128 x 220 pixels 26k colour screen and a control scroll wheel clearly ‘inspired’ by Messrs I and Pod.

Turning the device into a phone is simply a case of swivelling the pull out screen through 180 degrees to reveal the phone keys lurking below.

Samsung X838 Ultra Compact Phone/MP3 PlayerBecause of the narrow, slimline construction, the number keys are unusually arranged in rows of two, with the usual ‘call’ and ‘end call’ buttons at the top.

We’re not sure if closing the screen ends the call or if the thing is spring loaded, but either way the phone looks great to us.

Unlike many botched attempts at converging mobiles with music players, this one manages a pretty good likeness to a ‘proper’ MP3 player, with the colourful display offering track information and album art.

Samsung X838 Ultra Compact Phone/MP3 PlayerThere’s also an easily accessible ‘hold’ button so you don’t end up ringing your Mum when you’re rocking out to Pantera, as well as a volume up/down control on the side of the unit.

Inside, there’s 1GB of internal memory for storing tunes as well as a 1.3Mpix onboard camera and a sneaking suspicion that it also plays videos.

We couldn’t see any sign of an expansion slot, which is a bit of a shame, nor any reference to battery life (with something as small as this, we’re figuring it’s not going to be that long).

Also bundled in with the Bluetooth-enabled X838 is an alarm clock, recording functionality and a Java game.

Samsung X838 Ultra Compact Phone/MP3 PlayerWe spent some time trying to translate the text from the Phone Daily website, and we think that the phone will be available in black, white, orange, and, err, powder.

Whatever colours the thing comes in, it looks like a great phone to us: ultra-small, compact, cool and with a fun interface, which only leaves one question. When can we have one please?

[From Akihabara News]

Wales First For BT’s 21CN Next-Gen Network Rollout: Details Emerge

Wales First For BT's 21CN Next-Gen Network RolloutBT has released detailed plans for the rollout of its next generation 21CN network.

The technology will form the basis of BTs voice and data services for the near future, with the first area to be linked into the network being Cardiff.

And what finer city could they possibly start with?!

Between November 2006 and Summer 2007, 350,000 customers in the lovely, lovely Principality will be hooked up to the new network, with a rolling program scheduled to connect the rest of the country starting in 2008.

BT says that nationwide coverage should “substantially complete” by the end of the decade.

The 21CN network project sees BT shifting all voice and data services onto a single IP network that will carry fixed, mobile, voice, data, and video on-demand at speeds of up to 24 Mbps.

“Rebuilding the core telecommunications infrastructure of the UK is a massive undertaking,” said Deb Covey, managing director of BT Wholesale networks.

Wales First For BT's 21CN Next-Gen Network Rollout“Planning the rollout programme has been a complex task with industry consulted at every stage. Work is now well underway to create the new backbone for 21CN – this has to be in place across large parts of the UK before the first customer lines are switched across,” she added.

Huw Saunders, of Kingston Communications, speaking as Industry co-chair of the Consult21 Steering Board, commented: “As an industry, we’ve participated in the development and design of BT’s programme to ensure that it takes into account the needs of everyone, regardless of which communications provider they choose to take services from.”

“What happens in Cardiff in a few short months is only the beginning of the journey,” he observed.

We only hope he wasn’t referring to Saturday night punch-ups on St Mary’s Street.

What is 21CN?
Here’s how BT describes the new technology:

“21CN is BT’s next generation network which it is building in the UK and throughout the markets we serve. It is an advanced broadband network based on intelligent systems, Internet Protocol (IP), Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS). IP is key to 21CN because it has the potential to act as a common transport protocol for all types of communication and applications; SIP allows the service provider to control the communications activity to meet a customer’s requirements and MPLS enables the efficient designation and routing of IP traffic flows.”

BT 21CN

BTPodshow: The How and Why (Pt 2/2)

The conclusion of yesterdays piece on BTPodshow: The How and Why. If you’re looking for the podcasts, they’re at the end of this piece.

Delivering the content
BTPodshow: The How and Why (Pt 2/2)Another major advantage for PodShow is the delivery of their content to consumers. PodShow majors on audio content, which is not too difficult to deliver over the average broadband connection. The story changes when many people are watching on-demand video content. Getting this type of content delivered smoothly across the network has always been a headache. This only multiplies when the majority of the content moves from predominately audio to video.

When I put this forward to BT’s Patterson, his answer was revealing, “Increasingly you’ll see the QoS (Quality of Service) layer being important.”

BT will be able to make sure that the content on BTPodShow will be able to be delivered without a hitch. Content from other sites without a close relationship with the network owner might not be so fortunate, and the viewers/listeners of their content might get bumpier delivery.

Don’t Bloggers and Podcasters hate big brands?
While there will be many of the current podcasters that will reject the idea of posting their content on something as corporate as a site with a BT moniker, they only make up about 5% of the population of the potential customers for this.

BT understand and acknowledge this. BT is a generalist, so they aren’t interested in the 5%, it’s the 95% of the remaining population that interests them.

BTPodshow: The How and Why (Pt 2/2)Will it succeed?
With BT huge reach, it’s hard to imagine that this service won’t become familiar to the UK public, especially as we understand there’s a considerable advertising budget assigned to it. As to whether they’ll take it to their hearts and use it as they repository of choice is quite another matter.

The call for UK content has gone out – they call it the ‘UnDition’ and they say that they’ve “been inundated with great content, and some really crappy stuff too that is simply hilarious.”

Looking at the site as we publish this piece, there’s very little content on the UK site. The four pieces that are currently publicly viewable … how shall we put it … leave room for the UK talent to shine.

The deal with BT can’t have hindred Podshow raising $15m dollars from VCs at the end of September.

We assume the big advertising push won’t hit the UK public until there’s quality to show.

Recorded podcast interviews
Gavin Patterson, group managing director, consumer division and group marketing, BT
Adam Curry, President and Co-founder, PodShow
Ron Bloom, CEO and Co-founder, PodShow

BTPodShow

Vonage V-phone Gets To The UK

Vonage V-phone Gets To The UKVonage have launched a new means of making VoIP calls on you PC – a USB stick with headphone socket.

The invite to Vonage’s event to launch the V-phone billed it as ‘The World’s smallest phone.” Whether you feel that is a marketing spin or correct is personal interpretation.

It’s not a phone in old understanding of it … but frankly, what is? The USB stick has Vonage Talk software pre-loaded on it, with a detachable stereo earpiece/microphone and you’ll be left with 250Mb of usable memory. You also get a new Vonage phone number. All for £20.

With it, you can use any PC as a way to send and receive phone calls on a Vonage – even PCs without the Vonage software installed. To use it, just plug the neat USB stick in with the the headphone, the software temporarily runs and you’re ready to go. When you’ve finished chatting, simply software-eject the USB stick and remove it. There’s nothing left on the machine.

Skype has done a similar thing through a deal with SanDisk to have their software on their Cruizer USB stick. We’ve used it and found it pretty impressive. The only thing missing is the headphone socket.

We think this kind of approach – temporary software – will become more common as computing become ubiquitous and more a utility than rarity.

Vonage V-Phone

Scrabble for Palm/Pocket PC by Handmark: Review (90%)

Scrabble for Palm/Pocket PC by HandmarkCurrently sending our productivity levels downwards at a worrying rate is the hideously addictive Scrabble for the Palm OS by Handmark.

Looking – and playing – just like the classic board game, the program offers the familiar Scrabble board layout, with drag and drop tiles which are stored at the bottom of the screen.

Just like in the real world, you can shuffle the order of these around so you can plan and prepare killer words, but -sadly – you won’t be able to ‘find’ blank squares under your foot.

The game offers two player modes: Friendly or Tournament.

Friendly mode is like playing against drunken mates where you can try and insist that ‘Zyptq’ is actually a real world, and force the program to accept words that aren’t in the included Official Scrabble Player’s Dictionary.

There’s also a “Suggest Move” option for those times when you can’t think of any words bigger than, err…um….”to.”

In the Tournament mode you play by the standard Scrabble rules, with challenges being automatically checked by the built-in Dictionary.

Scrabble for Palm/Pocket PC by HandmarkThe game offers four levels of automated computer opponent: Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, or Expert.

We arrogantly waded in at Expert level, and after being totally humbled repeatedly by an onslaught of obscure words we still don’t believe exist, we slunk down to Novice level where we still only managed to win about half of the games at first.

If you get bored having your sorry ass whipped by the computer, you can also take on real life chums, either by passing the Palm PDA around (the game will hide your tile rack from opponents) or via IR beaming and Bluetooth.

Conclusion
Although this game has been around for a very long time on the Palm OS, it’s still a hugely playable classic and easily holds its own against modern games.

The interface is attractive, simple and easy to use, with the computer opponent tough enough to keep you coming back for endless humiliations.

Scrabble for Palm/Pocket PC by HandmarkEven in expert mode, the computer was able to come up with challenge-destroying words almost instantaneously, so the only thing slowing the game down was our own ineptitude.

Since we installed the game on our Palm Treo 650 (it works fine straight off the card, by the way), we’ve been more or less addicted to Scrabble, having quick games whenever we find ourselves in a Post Office queue, waiting for friends or, err, going to the smallest room.

The game is also available on the Pocket PC and although both versions are a tad pricey at $19.95, we reckon they’re worth every penny.

Features: 85%
Gameplay: 90%
Ease of use: 85%
Value For Money: 80%
Overall: 90%
Handmark Scrabble for Palm OS
Handmark Scrabble for PocketPC

BTPodshow: The How and Why

A few week back, BT confirmed that they have closely tied themselves with US podcast aggregator, PodShow, so closely in fact, that they’ve stuck BT at the front of PodShow domain to form BTPodShow.

We were at the launch of the service a few weeks ago and chatted to Gavin Patterson, group managing director, consumer division and group marketing, BT; Adam Curry, President and Co-founder, PodShow and Ron Bloom, CEO and Co-founder, PodShow. Strangely for the launch of a podcast network, we were the only ones there recording interviews.

Looking for the podcast interviews? They’ll be available in part two tomorrow.

Rather than just rattle off the news, we felt it was worthwhile digging a bit deeper and understand the How and Why of the deal.

What makes this interesting?
Quite a few reasons really. Not the least being that, showing a change of approach, BT aren’t making the service exclusive to only their network – their normal approach to try and encourage people to subscribe to their DSL service. BTPodShow will in fact be open to anyone in the UK.

This alone shows a major shift within BT that shouldn’t be underestimated. It demonstrates an understanding that, although they dominate broadband provision in the UK (with nearly 3m accounts of their own, without all of the BT Wholesale lines sold via other UK broadband providers), they can’t own the whole market.

Having acknowledged this, they’ve clearly decided that they just as well make some income from the people who don’t buy broadband from them.

Where does the income come from?
While the financials of the deals haven’t been disclosed. We understand that there will be a revenue share between the two parties, expected to mostly come from advertising income.

The PodShow side of the business is responsible for finding, maintaining and managing the relationships with the advertiser. At launch they reported that they had 40 global brands lined up to advertise on the network. If these are unique to the UK version, or are extension of relationship they already have with their previous site isn’t clear.

Why this deal. Why now? BTVision
We think a major reason is BT Vision, their soon to be launched ipTV service.

BT have recognised that the current fodder broadcast on TV, will not continue to satisfy the wants and desires of the public in the future. In the words of BT’s consumer division group managing director, Gavin Patterson’s words, “The trend to user-generated content, and social media networks is clear cut. We see ourselves as a distributor of content. What we anticipate is more people wanting get involved with creating content.”

To fill the gap left by the dissatisfaction with ‘normal TV’, they have to open a collection channel for the content to flow to them and then build a collection of User Generated Content (UCG). While they could build PodShow’s technology themselves, it’s clear that BT don’t want to miss out on this, wanting to get into this area quickly, as confirmed by the speed at which they put this deal together.

We wondered if the higher resolution video might not be put out on the Website, but reserved for BTVision, to which Patterson said, “The experience that people have over the Internet will not be sufficient for the TV space. I anticipate it will happen.”

The advantages for PodShow are obvious. If they export this idea to any other country, they’ll be able to hold BT up as their first partner, something that really can’t be beaten.

As BT have a near monopoly on broadband and land line provision in the UK they can expose BTPodShow to the 17m ‘customer relationships’ they have, not just to encourage people to go to BTPodShow to watch the content, where they’ll make income from advertising, but to encourage those same people to produce and upload content.

Moves like this cannot help but strengthen BT as a media brand in the mind of the public – especially the youth. Vital for their service growing in the future.

Continued in the concluding piece, covering the advantages for PodShow and the chances of success of the service.

Ed Richards Gets Ofcom CEO Job

Ofcom has announced that Ed Richards is taking over the uber-communications agency CEO reigns, effective today.

As we back in January), the then current CEO Stephen Carter was leaving.

Richards name has been in the frame for a long time. He’s politically very well connected, given that he was previously the UK Prime Minister’s Senior Policy Advisor on media matters.

Watchers of all things Ofcom, our good buddies OfcomWatch see the challenges for Richards to be

* Steering Ofcom through its day-to-day implementation of the various strategic reviews. This means real bread-and-butter regulatory work like conducting radio spectrum auctions and supervising BT-Openreach as it starts to deliver on its Sept 2005 undertakings. Gone – for the most part – are the days of strategic thinking combined with predictive statements about the future.

* Ensuring that Ofcom’s voice is heard on key issues. Ofcom to its credit, tend to think and act in an evidence-based manner, but are surrounded by a regulatory environment which is highly politicised. This has been particularly true in both the media and new media, an area where Stephen Carter’s Ofcom often produced good thinking, but was unable to translate that into actual policy (eg, BBC charter review). Richards comes from the political world, and this might benefit Ofcom in that respect.

* Being a champion of ‘better regulation’ in dealing with the European Commission, health advocates, and other populist causes.

Given they spend all of their time studying Ofcom, who are we to argue of them.