Content

Content in its shift to become digital

GoGear SA9200: Philips’ Nano Competitor: IFA
As we’ve all witnessed, Apple’s Nano is a beauty to both behold and hold. The whole industry has been gunning for Apple, ever since they realised that Apple had shifted the market. We’ve seen many attempts to put out devices to match or catch them, only to watch them fall by the wayside..
Today we saw the Philips GoGear Flash player and very sweet the thing is too. The same thickness of the Nano, it’s just 9cm long and weighs in at a nearly unnoticeable 48g.
What’s it like?
It looks like they’ve done a great job on the interface, which displays rich icons. Controlling it uses their touch sensitive SuperScoll, so tapping, dragging or swiping a finger on the smooth surface is possible.
The ‘buttons’ themselves glow an attractive blue, complementing, rather than distracting the eye away from the 1.7″(4cm) colour screen, that is also able to display photos.
They reckon there’s up to 14 hours of continuous play in the battery. Unclear if that’s playing mp3s or the Windows Media DRM10 files which we suspect will need additional power to service the DRM fucntion. PlayForSure is supported, which we’re not sure is the biggest selling point.
There’s going to be an optional docking station that works with the newly-upgraded Streamium, WiFi HiFi. Once the GoGear (a nifty name, the more you say it) is docked, its track list appears on the streamium and tunes can be played through it.
There will be two versions available; 1Gb (SA9100) and the 2Gb (SA9200), ‘at the end of summer’ (when ever that is) and will sell for €149 and €199.
Year on year, Philips really do look like they’re pulling themselves out of the old rut they had – great R&D, but terrible looking products.
Philips
31 August, 2006
TV’s Annual Scottish Play: EITF Roundup
Last week was the annual get together of TV ‘luvvies’ in Edinburgh and this year, as for the last few years, the current moguls felt it necessary to behave like Scrooge, reflect on their previous misdemeanours and take a bit of a look at TV to come.
TV “yet to come” was epitomised by Ashley ‘Zeitgeist’ Highfield, who managed to appropriate the Long Tail in his round up of what the future has to hold (just to prove we can jump on bandwagon too – don’t forget there are still copies to be won at Digital Lifestyles).
There was a rapprochement between the Blair and Brown of the TV world, that figure of Calvinistic integrity John Birt and the once swashbuckling radical Michael Grade acknowledge the existence of one another. After 20 years of cold shouldering they’re talking again, so John deliberately avoided mentioning possible ‘top slicing’, where Channel 4 and any broadcaster with Public Service credentials might receive a portion of the BBC’s some say generous, licence fee take.
The spectre of Banquo’s ghost in the shape of everyone’s (now) favourite caterer, Mr Charles Allen, was there and delivered the keynote address, he of course blamed all and sundry for the mess ITV is in – ‘nothing to do with me guv’ should have been the title.
And of course there was the figure of fun brought down this time by Sir Alan Sugar, poor Simon Shaps, the man who brought us Celebrity Love Island was asked by the UK’s cut price Donald Trump in a festival remake of The Apprentice “Why do I get the feeling that you’re the kind of fella you find hiding behind the bushes?” Simon should be so lucky that he can find some bushes in the barren terrain of ITV primetime.
In a sign that TV executives are at long last spending some time staring into their crystal balls, rather than monitoring the value of their plummeting share options, talk was abound that the annual get-together could have a makeover and become a media festival in 2007.
30 August, 2006
Microsoft Windows Vista Prices Leaked
Prices for Microsoft’s much-anticipated update to their Windows operating system, Vista, have leaked out onto various Websites, including an official Microsoft site.
Retail prices for the four different versions of Vista (priced in Canadian dollars) briefly appeared on various sites before vamoosing in double quick time.
The top dog Windows Vista Ultimate Edition was spotted carrying a hefty price tag of $499 Canadian dollars ($450, £237) while the Home Premium version was listed at C$299 ($270 or £142).
The Vista Ultimate Upgrade was priced at C$299 ($270 or £142) with the cheapest option being the Home Premium Upgrade for C$199 ($180 or £95).
Vista on Amazon
As the scheduled release date grows ever-nearer, prices are popping up elsewhere, with Amazon’s ‘pre-order’ pricing advertising Windows Vista Ultimate Edition at $399 (£210) and Home Premium at $239 (£126).
Upgraders could get the Ultimate and Home Premium versions for $259 (£136) and $159 (£84) respectively (these prices seem to have varied, depending on the site).
Availability was listed as from “January 30th, 2007.”
As we reported earlier this year, there will be no less than six different versions of Vista, all in 32 and 64-bit flavours.
Users who like to live on the edge, can download Windows Vista pre-RC1 ISO file from here, but be quick – there’s only 100,000 downloads available!
Microsoft Vista
30 August, 2006
Brando 52 in 1 USB Bluetooth Card Reader
If – like us – you’ve been using digital cameras and electronics gizmos for years on end you might now be the proud owner of a huge pile of memory cards in a host of different formats, with a ton of cables scattered around the office.
With limited USB ports available on laptops, most of us have had to invest in a card reader, and although we were pretty impressed with the Targus 14 in 1 USB Card Reader we reviewed last year, compared to Brando’s brand new, read-anything-that-moves USB Bluetooth Card Reader, it’s positively Spartan.
Brando’s new reader manages to accommodate an astonishing 52 formats and, for your enlightenment and enchantment, here’s the full list:
CF I, CF II, Extreme CF, Extreme III CF, Ultra II CF, HS CF, XS-XS CF, CF Elite PRO, CF PRO, CF PRO II, IMB MD, Hitachi MD, MagicStor, MS, MS PRO, MS Duo, MS PRO Duo, MS MG, MS MG PRO, MS MG Duo, MS MG PRO Duo, Extreme MS PRO, Extreme III MS PRO, Ultra II MS PRO, HS MS MG PRO, HS MS MG PRO Duo, HS MS PRO, HS MS PRO Duo, MS ROM, MS Select, SD, *MiniSD, HS Mini SD, Extreme SD, Extreme III SD, Ultra II SD, SD-Ultra-X, Ultra speed SD, SD PRO, SD Elite PRO, HS SD, MMC, MMC 4.0, HS MMC, HS RS MMC, RS MMC, RS MMC 4.0, DV-RS MMC, SM, SM ROM, XD, *T-Flash.
The USB 2.0 reader also conveniently doubles up as a Bluetooth hub, allowing you to wirelessly transfer data between Bluetooth devices such as mobile phones and PDAs.
Being a device from our favourite weird’n’wonderful gizmo makers Brando, there’s also some totally pointless eye candy on offer, with the device cycling through “multi moody colours” – perfect if you’d like to host a mini disco by the pencil sharpener on your desk.
Brando claim a receiving/sending range of 20m, with the supplied cable measuring in at 64cm.
Compatible with Windows 98/98SE/ME/2000/XP, the 63x63x15mm reader weighs in at 76g and is powered by the host computer’s USB slot.
It’s as cheap as chips too, priced at just US$25.
We only wish that electronics manufacturers would stop inventing bloomin’ new formats every other day and made these multi-readers obselete….
Brando
30 August, 2006
Spiralfrog Offers Free Universal Music Downloads
Vivendi Universal, the biggest music group on the planet have signed a deal with Spiralfrog to let surfers download the contents of its man-sized music catalogue for free.
The New York based company Spiralfrog will be launching the new service offering Universal’s songs for download in December – but in US and Canada only – bah!
As some old bloke in the pub used to tell us, “You don’t get nuffink for free in the world, no way, not ever,” and for once he was right – surfers wanting to gorge themselves on all that luvverly free music will have to endure tons of adverts, presumably of the targeted kind.
The dreadfully named Spiralfrog are looking to take on the mighty iTunes, and have high hopes that punters will be quick to switch loyalties when download prices of nuppence are whispered in their shell-likes, compared to Apple’s current rate of 99 cents per song in the US.
“Offering young consumers an easy-to-use alternative to pirated music sites will be compelling,” enthused Spiralfrog Chief Executive Robin Kent said.
Making it pay
With an estimated forty dodgy downloads to every legal download over the Internet, Spiralfrog could attract the huge number of users currently risking prosecution from pirate file-swapping services, making their money by sharing income from advertising with content partners like Universal.
Amongst the music industry cognoscenti, a few eyebrows have raised about the practicalities of the new service, with music industry specialist Josh Lawler telling the BBC: “The Internet is very much a viable media, but the trick is going to be getting it off the ground in the first place”.
“Spiralfrog will have to find a way to pay artists from the advertising dollars they are generating. But they’re not necessarily going to know how many advertising dollars there are and so some artists are going to be hesitant about it,” he added.
If Spiralfrog does get it right, the company could seriously shake up a market that saw 60 million MP3 players sold and 420 million single tracks downloaded last year.
Spiral Frog
29 August, 2006
AOL Revamps Music Now Online Service
AOL has got out its digital scrubbing brush and polish and revamped its Web-based music download service, serving up a redesigned product that adds music videos, streaming radio and user community features.
Debuting in the US today, the all-new version of AOL Music Now is set to offer 2.5 million audio tracks and thousands of music videos.
The updated service offers unlimited PC downloads for $9.95 a month, rising to $14.95/month if users want to transfer songs to compatible portable music players, with the AOL Radio with XM Satellite Radio service available for $4.95 per month.
Audio tunes can be bought individually for 99 cents, with music video downloads costing $1.99 each.
Another new feature sees more than 200 AOL radio stations and XM Satellite Radio being offered to subscribers, with the ability to browse the playlists of other subscribers.
AOL are hoping that their AOL Music Now subscription plan will make a splash in a highly competitive market place by uniquely offering unlimited music video downloads.
Open doors
Until recently, AOL’s services were only available to their Internet access subscribers, but with AOL Music Now open to all Web surfers, the company are hoping to drive lucrative online advertising revenue skywards.
“It’s available to anyone to come to the service and search for songs,” said Amit Shafrir, president of AOL Music Now.
“We have a huge online presence and won’t have to spend tens of millions of dollars in marketing to attract users,” he added, possibly rubbing his hands at the prospect.
Unlike Apple Computer’s massively popular iTunes service, listeners won’t have to download a standalone software application to play tunes directly from a Web browser, and the service is also compatible with Microsoft’s PlayforSure compatible portable devices.
Whether AOL’s new service will manage to make an impact in a market dominated by iTunes and hotly contested by the likes of MTV Networks, Yahoo’s Music Unlimited, RealNetworks’ Rhapsody and Napster remains to be seen.
AOL Music Now
29 August, 2006
BT Vision Buys From BT/Entriq
BT Media and Broadcast the business to business outfit within BT’s Global services division has announced an alliance with Entriq.
It’s a change for BT Media and Broadcast (BT M&B), who’ve in the past received coverage at Digital Lifestyles for their efforts to offload their satellite TV interests to have some positive news to announce.
The BT Media and Broadcast/Entriq combination has already landed an important customer in the shape of BT Vision, who as well as planning to roll out of a ipTV customer proposition to the home at the end of this year, have a live ‘download to own service’ at www.downloadstore.bt.com.
Barry Bonnett BT M&B’s CEO, aware that some cynics may think BT signing with BT rather convenient, noted that the tender was “highly competitive,” and that, “BT Vision recognised the quality of service and cost effectiveness of our overall network based capability.”
Entriq, who are in the business of developing and managing Pay Media infrastructure, is part of the South African publishing and media conglomerate Naspers. Naspers, as well as having the successful consumer TV platform Multichoice in South Africa, has technology interests that include the Conditional Access company Irdeto.
Headquartered in San Diego, California, Entriq have offices dotted around the world and have a host of existing big name broadcast customers that includes MTV Networks, NBC Universal and the UK’s Channel 4 television.
29 August, 2006
Fox Plays With “Blinks”: Super-Short Advertising
We’ve all known for years that PVR’s have been eating TV advertising. Murdoch has been on top of this for ages too, which makes it all the more interesting to hear that his Fox network is using 2-second Blinks, adverts. Digital Music News covers what is happening.
Clear Channel Radio realigned its advertising strategy last year by structuring shorter spots, a move designed to spark greater listener stickiness. The strategy, dubbed “Less Is More,” has now gone into overdrive with the “blink,” an incredibly short spot that runs about two seconds.
The ultra-fast slot is now being used by Fox to promote several shows, including “Prison Break,” “House,” and “The Simpsons.” The quick punch is designed to create an instant connection, and drive subsequent viewers. “Like our breakthrough programming, these spots are one-of-a-kind, and through the power of radio, they will be heard across the country,” said Kaye Bentley, senior vice president at the Fox Broadcasting Company.
Overall, Clear Channel Radio has experienced mixed results following Less Is More, though recent quarters have shown positive revenue increases. Clear Channel executives have credited those jumps to the shortened advertising slots, which address a major source of radio listener irritation.
From a broader perspective, the concept is also designed to discourage listener migration towards competing formats like satellite radio subscriptions and even iPod collections. Blinks have already run for “Prison Break,” and get started for “House” and “The Simpsons” early next month.
25 August, 2006
Reservoir Dogs Game Pre-Review: EIEF06
It’s been a cult movie staple for over 15 years but, from Friday, you’ll be able to interact with Mr Pink, Mr White, Nice Guy Eddie and the rest of Quentin Tarantino’s be-suited robbers as Eidos launches Reservoir Dogs, the game.
Attendees of the EIEF were treated to a special preview on Tuesday by members of the Volatile Games development team.
Dressed appropriately in black suits, Ben Fisher and Ian Pestridge delivered a presentation that was every bit as slick and sharp as they game they have designed.
Fisher conceded that Reservoir Dogs was perhaps not an obvious choice of movie for a game version. It is dialogue heavy, there’s a lot of characterisation and only a few main locations. On the other hand there are excellent elements on which to build a good gaming experience; a heist, tons of gunplay, dramatic escapes and multiple different points of view.
So, what’s it like?
From the start Reservoir Dogs is a smart, hip game. From its snappy animated menus to its sleek black, white and red colour scheme, the whole look and feel of the menus echoes the retro stylings of the movie.
Each level is preceded by a recreation of a classic scene. A total of 15 minutes of movie time was recreated digitally, complete with the razor-sharp dialogue for which Tarantino became famous. The recreations set the tone beautifully before players are thrown into a variety of violent situations from which they must escape to progress to the next level.
We said the graphics were realistic but so is the dialogue and each level is accompanied by excerpts, with each character having over 200 lines.
The team demonstrated Level 1, a ‘shoot-em-up’ with Mr Blue’s escape from the heist. In superbly realistically rendered animation, the player must exit the scene of the failed heist as cops close in. So far, so standard ‘shoot-em-up’, but there is a twist. The development team has included different styles of play so you can choose to just go bananas and shoot everybody (the psycho approach) or you can negotiate, barter or just intimidate your way out of the situation (the professional approach). This addition adds variety and depth to the gaming experience; in fact Ben Fisher reckoned it’s possible to complete the entire game without firing a single bullet. The game rates your style at the end of each level and cleverly adjusts to respond to your approach, allowing you to invent your own reservoir dog.
So what about variety?
The game remains faithful to the Tarantino ‘universe’ but it would have been very linear and predictable if they had just followed the movie. Instead they have taken elements from the movie and developed additional material. Thus players can engage in the escape from the heist, take part in car chases and go to places only mentioned in passing in the movie. The team has created individual timelines for all the characters for the whole 24 hours of the movie and players can chop around, moving back and forwards in time, from one event to another.
The new material has been thoroughly researched to fit with the look and feel of the original. As Fisher pointed out, Tarantino has never directed a car chase so they were careful to draw inspiration from the sort of 70’s movies (like Vanishing Point) that would have influenced him.
This approach includes the music. Eidos licensed all the original music from the film but more was required to fit the length of the game. Some was written in-house and additional tracks were licensed including some stupendously funky 70’s driving music to accompany the car chase.
And what about that ear cutting scene?
Reservoir Dogs the game would hardly have been complete without the single most (in)famous scene from the film, the ear cutting scene. Sure enough, it is in there and, yes, you can cut off the cop’s ear (though it’s not obligatory, especially if you are playing pro style). However, Fisher was quick to point out, the team chose to carry this out in the style of the movie so the camera cuts away as the event happens allowing your imagination to do the work, just like Tarantino did.
End credits
There’s no doubt, Eidos and the Volatile Games team have gone to a lot of trouble to craft a game that’s true to the spirit of the original movie. They have lovingly recreated the atmosphere and the music but have had the imagination to extend the world beyond that in the movie to provide a rich and varied gaming experience. The multi-style mode of playing adds further depth and dimension making the game play differently every time. The whole package is as imaginative and witty as the original, play it and you’re bound to be spouting Tarantino-esque dialog for months to come.
Pre/order: Amazon UK
Reservoir Dogs (PS2)
Reservoir Dogs (Xbox)
Reservoir Dogs (PC DVD)
Pre/order: Amazon US
Reservoir Dogs (PS2)
Reservoir Dogs (Xbox)
Current trailer
24 August, 2006
Make: Magazine For Electronic Dabblers: Review (90%)
If you haven’t already seen the fabulous Make: technology magazine, we suggest you toddle over to their Website to get a flavour of what’s on offer.
The modern-day equivalent of a virtual granddad’s shed, this US-based magazine comes stuffed with loads of hand-on projects to keep soldering iron-totin’ geezers in fiddling about Heaven.
Although the mag is a pricy fella – around ten quid an issue in UK shops – it’s well worth the outlay for the offering of top tech tips, great stories, step-by-step ‘build your own’ guides, mad projects and other such eclectic treats for electronics dabblers.
Projects range from the fascinating to the useful to the plain daft, including instructions on how to make a, “dashboard mount for your mobile phone from an old hard-drive and a tuna can,” a “GPS bike mount for free,” a “wooden match rocket”, and – perfect for festival goers – a “camping lighting/sound system.”
The projects require varying levels of technical know-how and competence, but the down to earth writing style and clear illustrations should get you reaching for your tool kit in double quick time – or provide an engrossing read at the very least.
The accompanying Website includes many of the projects featured in the magazines, with a busy user forum letting readers get involved, pick up tips, ask questions or offer their own projects.
Now up to volume 6, you can track down the magazine in bigger newsagents or order them from the Website, where back issues can be picked up for $15 a pop (a US subscription of four issues is priced at $35, but no doubt us Britlanders will end up paying a hefty premium once shipping costs are piled on top).
We like Make: a lot. It’s fun, informative, wittily written and although it’s primarily aimed at adults, it’s a great way to get teenagers interested in science – even if some of the projects are more about having fun than pushing the envelope of science!
Volume 07 should be available in late August and will offer features on “Hack your plants, extract your DNA, 70’s soapbox saga, build a videocam rocket, and head-mounted water cannon.”
And if that lot doesn’t tempt you, we don’t know what will.
Score: 90%
Make: magazine
24 August, 2006