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Spoof David Cameron Video Brouhaha
Some MP’s are trying to create brouhaha (fuss) about a spoof video put out by labour MP Sion Simon mocking the first video of Conservative party leader, David Cameron on his Webcameraon site.
If you’ve not seen Cameron’s first piece, which was put out in advance of the Tory party conference, take a trundle through – it’s only just over a minute long.
When we saw it, we found it pretty contrived, with “Dave” just about to do the “washing up” – clutching his Ecover washing-up liquid (look how green I am), without rolling his sleeves up!
Sion Simon’s video repost parodies Cameron’s “hey, I’m just like you” approach and ~~can be seen below~~ can’t been seen on YouTube anymore as someone has pulled the video. To see it now, you’ll have to watch it via the BBC.
The criticism of Simon is being lead by Peter Luff and given Luff’s comments, it appears that he’s not too secure in his position, “When you go over the top like this, you bring all of us in politics into disrepute.” If you’ve watched the film I think you’ll agree that the video is hardly over the top, just gently mocking.
Criticism of the video isn’t just restricted to the opposition. Labour MP Stephen Pound said he thought Mr Cameron’s wife Samantha would be “hurt and insulted” by remarks made by Simon, referring to his comments suggesting that Cameron would be fine with people sleeping with his wife.
It’s not just MPs that are creating spoof videos. Someone calling himself WebCameraOn has created a number of videos pocking fun as well.
Cameron is playing the “am I bovvered” card. 2:49 minutes into this piece, Cameron mentions that there had been a number of spoofs of his piece, calling them “The greatest form of flattery, imitation.” Bizarrely Cameron also says, “Hope that you people are enjoying the Web site,” “You People”?
Cameron – or at least someone in his team – has clearly seen that he now has the ability to bypass the media and the filter that they apply to his comments.
13 October, 2006
Palm Treo 680 Affordable Smartphones Announced
Palm has introduced a new range of quad-band Palm Treo 680 smartphones, running the tried and trusted Palm OS.
Backed by a $25 million marketing campaign – their biggest marketing campaign in half a decade – Palm is hoping that the lower priced Treos will attract customers beyond their traditional business base.
The GSM/GPRS/EDGE phones will be offered in a range of attractive colours (Graphite, Copper, Crimson and Arctic), weighing 23g lighter than the last PalmOS Treo, the 700p, and measuring up at 6mm longer and 3mm thinner.
Like the Windows-powered Treo 750w released earlier this year, the Treo 680 comes without the pocket-bulging, iconic chunky antennae, something which Palm thinks will have a positive impact on the European market.
The Treo comes with a large and bright 320×320 screen and the well regarded full QWERTY keyboard, with a raft of multimedia functions including an integrated digital camera, Bluetooth 1.2 , MP3 player, video recorder and player.
Onboard, there’s 64MB of user-available storage – nearly three times the capacity of the original Treo 650 smartphone – with expansion card support up to 2GB.
Although the Treo 680 is still lagging behind with the latest technology – there’s still no W-CDMA or Wi-Fi support – its superb user-friendly interface still puts it streets ahead of some higher spec’d phones.
Software
Like its Palm OS predecessors, the 680 displays text-messaging conversations as IM-like “threaded chats,” a fabulous feature that should be introduced by law on all phones.
The phone also lets users respond to calls by firing off a preset text message (“bog off weird stalker person”), and there’s support for three-way calling.
Along with the usual bundled applications for e-mail, Web browsing, messaging, multimedia, calendar and contacts, there’s a special version of Google Map for the Treo.
Billed by Google as,”the fastest, slickest version yet,” the application offers real-time traffic reports, detailed directions, integrated search results (search for cafes/bars etc, get addresses and call them with one click), satellite imagery and fast-downloading detailed, draggable maps with translucent pop-up balloons.
Sadly, us in Britland will have to wait for a while as the program currently only offers maps for Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the US.
Palm has also announced that it will be partnering with several media companies, including Yahoo, Google and blogging firm Six Apart, to make their products available on the new device – these will join the enormous back catalogue of commercial and free software that’s already available for the OS.
Availability
Palm head honcho Ed Colligan said he expects the new smartphone to be available around the world by the end of June, 2007, “competitively priced with comparable smartphones in the marketplace,” with the price rumoured to be around the $200 mark.
Palm 680
13 October, 2006
Orb MyCasting on Nokia N80 In US
Orb MyCasting has been grabbed by Nokia to be bundled in with the Nokia N80 Internet Edition, in the US only.
When US N80 owners are swanning around, they’ll be able to watch live TV, videos, listen to music and podcasts and video images on their PC. Not just that, but they can set programs to record on their PC from their mobiles.
The TV and media companies have not, to say the very least, been particularly keen on letting people do this. We’ll see if they come out against Nokia.
Back in August this year, Orb MyCasting were keen to “share”, that 19 months after the service was launched, they’ve had over 1.5m hours of digital media transfered over their service – equivalent to 125 years of media-idge. Interestingly up to 45 minutes per user per day, on average.
Orb has similar deals with companies such as AMD, Vodafone, Hauppauge, Intel and Creative Labs.
Programming video recordings is not unique – Sky TV has been offering this since July this year through their Mobile Sky+ Programming
Orb Networks
12 October, 2006
Google Signs Up With Sony & Warners To Offer Free Music Videos
Google will soon be offering free music videos on its Google video Web site after striking a deal with industry bigwigs, Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group.
The deal will see the search engine giant – which has just scooped up the video sharing sensation, YouTube for $1.65bn – offering users the ability to stream content from Warner Music and Sony BMG music video collections for nowt.
There will also be behind-the-sceens footage and other artist-related content made available through two separate revenue-sharing arrangements.
Google’s advertisers will sponsor the music video offerings, with the resulting booty being split between Google and its content partners.
“Our partnership with Google is rooted in the pioneering approach we’ve used to offer fans more music, while benefiting artists and protecting copyrights,” gushed Warner Music in a press release.
As well as the freebie video content, Google will also be flogging Warner music video downloads for US$1.99 a pop.
Google has said that it will be offering further access to Sony and Warner’s hefty audio-visual catalogues in the coming months through partner Web sites in its AdSense network.
The Sony/Warner deal comes hot on the heels of several content partnership deals announced by YouTube, including one with – wouldyabelieve it! – Sony BMG.
Google
10 October, 2006
Vonage V-phone Gets To The UK
Vonage 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
6 October, 2006
D-Link Announces Unlocked V-CLICK Dual-Mode GSM/Wi-Fi Mobile
Router heavyweights D-Link have announced a new line of “V-CLICK” dual-mode phones that allow users to easily switch between cellular and Wi-Fi networks.
Due to start shipping early next year, the new D-Link V-CLICK phones rack up the connectivity options with tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900 Mhz) and switchable 802.11 Wi-Fi (2.4Ghz) capabilities.
Once the user’s SIM Smartcard is slapped into the V-CLICK phone, GSM access is provided with stored phone numbers and address books automatically imported into the phone.
The phone’s quite an attractive looking affair, resplendent in an all-black, compact-but-chunky shape (h 4.17″, w 1.73″, d .75″), with D-Link offering additional colours planned to fit any lifestyle (we’re not sure how a phone’s colour fits in with someone’s lifestyle, by the way, but there you go.)
Wi-Fi access is turned on and off with a bash on the phone’s V-CLICK button, with Opera Mobile browser support for surfing Websites and checking mail on the phone’s two-inch (176×220 pixels) screen.
D-Link doesn’t say if the phone will work with existing VoIP providers like Skype – their press statement simply says that users will be able to configure a specific SIP profile, with multiple profiles being available “to make usage between home and office automatic.”
“D-Link’s involvement in dual-mode technology is the next step to evolving wireless phone communication,” purred Steven Joe, president and CEO of D-Link Systems, Inc. “Similar to our popular flip-style Wi-Fi phone, the V-CLICK phones are open and unlocked.
“The market for dual-mode phones looks very promising, and the more than 10 years we’ve had in researching and developing 802.11 wireless and VoIP technologies make this a natural extension of our product offerings,” he added.
D-Link quote a phone battery life of around 5 hours of talk time with GSM, slipping down to just 2 hours over Wi-Fi. Users can turn off the Wi-Fi to save juice
The phone should be knocking out around a very pricey $599.99 (£318,€472) and will be available from the D-Link shop some time in the first quarter of 2007.
4 October, 2006
Coms F1000/F3000: WiFi VoIP Handsets
UK VoIP company, Coms, has just launched two WiFi VoIP handsets in advance of their service which is going live on 9 October.
Coms claim their service will be the first in the UK that let people choose their own phone number from 178 UK geographic area codes.
Don’t forget, all you need to use these handsets is a WiFi connection, either yours, or any open connection. We think these services will be big and eventually seriously dent the income of mobile phone companies, especially roaming minutes when people are abroad.
We’ve had our hands on a few VoIP WiFi phones of late or VoWiFi as we’re referring to them, and have generally found them pretty easy to use – despite them clearly being at the early stage of their development.
While we’ve not had our hands on these particular handsets (yet – watch this space), we seen shots of them and had sight of the specs. Both work on 802.11b & g and use SIP which will allow them to work with most IP-PBX kit.
The F1000 is much like other VoWiFi handsets that we’ve seen and a little reminiscent of early-ish mobile phone handsets. Couple of stats on it. Talk time, up to 4 hours, with a 2-3 hours charge time and a standby of 80-100 hours. It’s 11 x 4.5 x 2.2 cm and weighs in at 111g. The cost? RRP £128 ($239, €189).
The upscale F3000 is a first to us, a VoWiFi handset that is a flip phone. Stats: Talk time, up to 3 hours, with a 2.5 hours charge time and a standby of up to 75 hours. Size: 85 x 43 x 22 mm and weight of 90g. RRP £175 ($326, €258).
Differences between the F1000 and F3000 include the F3000 have a 65k colour 1.8″ screen, polyphonic ringtones.
Shared features are
- Roaming between Wi-Fi access points
- Up to four stored SSIDs with individual security settings
- Up to four hours talk time, up to 100-hours standby time
- Call hold, call waiting, call transfer, call conferencing
- Call logs – made, answered, missed calls
- Caller ID
- Personal address book with auto dial
- Built in Web server for administration
- Automated provisioning – up to 256 byte encryption
- TFTP
- HTTP
Tune in later for reviews of the handsets and the service.
Coms
29 September, 2006
Orange Unique/Unik Offers Converged VoIP/Mobile Telephony
Orange has launched, nay unleashed, the Unique phone, its first converged service using a single handset that connects via WLAN in the home and then switches to the regular mobile network when the user goes walkabout.
Initially rolling out in the UK and selected European countries, the phone promises unlimited free VoIP calls from home to other Orange mobiles and landlines.
Calls can be seamlessly switched between the Orange mobile network and VoIP, with screen icons keeping customers constantly informed of the network connection.
Interestingly, calls started from home remain free, even when the user has wandered out of their front door and out of range of their Wi-Fi network, causing the phone to switch to the mobile network.
To use the service, customers must get an Orange Livebox which lets users connect to the Orange network via Wi-Fi.
Households can have up to six Unique phones, although there is a limitation on their use, with only three users allowed to use the Internet or make calls at any time.
So far, only the Motorola A910, the Nokia 6136 and the Samsung P200 can be used with the service, but more phones will be launched in 2007.
Two price plans are currently on offer; the Canary 50 (offering 600 minutes per month) and the Panther 65 (1,200 mins), priced at £50 and £65 respectively.
A broadband connection is bundled in free with the convergence-tastic deal, with the setup offering clear benefits to users, who’ll now only need one phone, one number, one address book, and one bill from Orange.
The service will be available from November, although punters keen to be hip with the convergence crew can pre-register their interest here: www.orange.co.uk/uniquephone
26 September, 2006
Soapbox: Microsoft Takes Aim At YouTube
Microsoft is looking to shove its king sized oar into the massive successful user-generated video phenomenon with the launch of an online service to take on the likes of YouTube, Google and Yahoo.
Named Soapbox, the service enters beta testing today, and is expected to launch within six months as an integrated part of their current MSN Video service.
“We’re definitely not blind to the fact that YouTube has a big lead right now,” admitted Rob Bennett, general manager of MSN’s entertainment and video services.
He’s not wrong there either, with Nielsen/NetRatings reporting that YouTube scooped up 34 million visitors last month, while MSN Video could only muster some 12m.
In comparison, MySpace video notches up 17.9 million visitors a month with Google Video not far behind with 13.5 million each month.
With Microsoft’s vast reserves of cash to fall back on, it’s not surprising that Bennett is chirpy about their prospects, “It’s really early days in online video; this is still act one.”
Microsoft is running the beta trials by invitation only although users can apply on the website, which currently shows a kray-zeee video of some bloke prancing around in a silly MSN-style costume.
Woowargh! Those wacky Microsoft dudes!
The company says that the service will support a number of video file formats and delivery methods and run on both Windows and Apple operating systems with support for popular browsers like Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari.
It’s obviously early days yet, but tech website Cnet were unimpressed with the Soapbox beta, declaring it “disappointing” and only “slightly better sharing service than YouTube in some small technical ways.”
MSN Soapbox
[Via: BBC]
21 September, 2006
Warner Music Strikes Deal With YouTube
Warner Music Group has announced a deal with YouTube to distribute music videos, as well as extras such as band interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and artist rockumentaries.
Warner Music’s vast music video library is set to become available with the launch of YouTube’s new content identification and royalty reporting system later this tear.
This comes with reporting and tracking tools to monitor music and video royalties, with YouTube claiming it can automatically identify copyrighted music and video content being uploaded to the site.
The companies hope that this new system will help YouTube get on top of the copyright issues that go hand in hand with video-sharing sites, with uploading punters rarely bothered about seeking the approval of copyright owners.
Uniquely, the system can also grant permission to other YouTube users to use any music from the WMG portfolio within their own videos, although we’re not sure if this will be made available for free or not.
Advertising revenue
YouTube and Warners plan to start sharing advertising revenue generated from running ads “on both WMG music videos and user uploaded videos that incorporate audio and audiovisual works from WMG’s catalog.”
Commenting on the partnership, Warner Music boss Edgar Bronfman said: “Consumer-empowering destinations like YouTube have created a two-way dialogue that will transform entertainment and media forever.”
“As user-generated content becomes more prevalent, this kind of partnership will allow music fans to celebrate the music of their favourite artists, enable artists to reach consumers in new ways, and ensure that copyright holders and artists are fairly compensated,” he continued.
Chad Hurley, YouTube’s CEO was clearly an excited chap: “By providing a new distribution opportunity, we are paving the way for media companies to harness the vast financial potential of user-generated content on YouTube. We are thrilled that WMG had the vision to be the first music company, in partnership with its artists, to support the use of their content within user videos and to allow our community to interact with WMG music in new creative ways.”
Legal issues looming?
Of course, his gushing enthusiasm could also be seen an expression of relief as his company finally secures a big name backer to help pay off what must be truly formidable bandwidth bills.
He may also be facing some big legal bills too, as circling record company sharks look set to bite soon over alleged copyright infringements.
Doug Morris, head honcho of Universal Music, the world’s biggest music company, gave his sabre an extra long rattle in the direction of YouTube last week, saying, “We believe these new businesses are copyright infringers and owe us tens of millions of dollars. How we deal with these companies will be revealed shortly.”
With that kind of old fashioned refusal to try and work with new technology that can’t be uninvented, it looks like we might be in for another epic Napster vs The Man-type battle all over again.
YouTube
WMG
20 September, 2006