Pocket PC eBooks Watch - eBook and beyond  
 http://cebooks.blogspot.com 

Again, MS doesn't get it right LOL dept.
MSN Video Downloads: You'd Better Have a Spare Few Gigs!
I'm a sucker for trying out new technology, so of course as soon as I heard about the MSN Video Downloads site I jumped over and signed up for their basic service. It seemed like a cool service - it provides video content optimized for PMC/Pocket PCs (320 x 240, 500kbps) and Smartphones.
When it was all said and done, inside the My Documents folder, I had 408 video files, totalling 4.15 GB in size. And because I use data mirroring software, my other laptop and server now had the same video files, so MSN Video was now taking up over 12 GB of space on my network! Gee, with all that content there must be something good, right? I'll never know - I tried playing six random files, and all six files gave me the same authentication error. I tried logging in with my Passport information, since that's the authentication that MSN Video Downloads uses, but no dice. You can see in the error window that it was trying to authenticate from admin.theplatform.com. It seems thePlatform is a DRM service, and MSN is using them for the DRM on these files. Keeping in mind that these files are all free once you log in, why would they have such hostile DRM? And what username and password was I supposed to use?

posted by Jerry permanent link

Review
Apple iPod Camera Connector
It fills a missing gap in the iPod photo's arsenal. It costs only $29 when similar accessories have sold for between $80 and $110. And it's made by Apple, guaranteeing its quality and compatibility. What could possibly go wrong with the iPod Camera Connector ($29), a new Dock Connector peripheral designed to let you transfer digital photos to your iPod photo and automatically view them on its built-in screen?
...
We recommend the iPod Camera Connector to specific users only: photo hobbyists and those who either don't mind or can compensate for the unit's battery drain. For the $29 price, we do like it, but it's not the end-all-be-all photo solution it could have been.

posted by Jerry permanent link

i-flicks/movies/films
Sony wants an 'iTunes for movies'
Sony is to make its top 500 films available digitally in the next year.
Michael Arrieta, senior vice president of Sony Pictures, said at a US Digital Hollywood conference that it wanted to create an "iTunes" for films.
Films will be put onto flash memory for mobiles over the next year, said Mr Arrieta, and it will develop its digital download services for films.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  3/29/2005

To pod or not to pod that is the question
Ask iPodlounge

Q: My wife and I each own an iPod mini. I'd like to set up two accounts in iTunes so we can each have our own library. When I connect my iPod and open iTunes, iTunes tries to transfer the songs in her library to my iPod. Is there a way to set up two accounts in iTunes?
Q: If I leave my iPod off for a day or so, it reboots itself when I turn it on. Is this normal? Can I stop this from happening?
Q: I love my new iPod shuffle, but I'd love it more if I had a little more control. Here's my idea/question - is there a way of turning a playlist into a continuous track? That way you could download a number of playlists onto the iPod shuffle and switch between them (with different moods, or groups, or whatever), listening to the songs in the order they are in the playlist...
Q: I have an iPod with 10,000 songs, and want to buy an iPod shuffle. Can I use both iPods on my computer?
Q: I store my music on a removable hard drive with my laptop. My problem is that iTunes does not know where the music is at once the drive has been removed and then hooked up again. What can I do to make iTunes know where my music is stored besides going through each song and showing iTunes where to look?

posted by Jorgen permanent link

Engadget Podcast.24 03.29.2005

01:52- Standard Size by ML
02:03- Acterna Tablet video; Anritsu Sitemaster video.
02:50- Robert Scoble’s video review of the JVC Everio digital camcorder
03:55- Canon Optura Xi vs. Sanyo Xacti C1/Fisher FVD-C1, price, use
06:16- Don’t be shy with your product experiences and opinions!
06:56- Have a PSP? Usability quirk, LCD screen class and defect types (ISO 13406-2).
11:34- Ask Engadget: What manufacturer has your favorite compact digital camera; alternative digital video solution; the camera in Eric’s gadget bag
13:50- Vague ringtone commercials.
14:20- C.K. Sample from The Unofficial Apple Weblog and I talk iTunes, Pymusique, DRM, and the whining against Apple
28:24- Who’s the mystery co-host starting next week?

Format: 30:03, 7MB, MP3.

posted by Jorgen permanent link

  3/26/2005

The world's first Podcast-only novel
Scott Sigler: Earthcore

EarthCore is the world's first podcast-only novel: you can't find it in stores, you can't download the full audio, and the only way to find out what happens is to subscribe to the podcast. My goal is to generate 5,000 subscribers to this book, which will demonstrate the power of Podcasting and generate attention from publishers.
This novel is a cross between episodic modern-action fare like "24" and classic sci-fi movies like Predator and Starship Troopers.

And it is free of charge.
[Via iPodlounge]

posted by Jorgen permanent link

New Islamic Book
No god but God
eBook by Reza Aslan
Though it is the fastest growing religion in the world, Islam remains shrouded by ignorance and fear. What is the essence of this ancient faith? Is it a religion of peace or war? How does Allah differ from the God of Jews and Christians? Can an Islamic state be founded on democratic values such as pluralism and human rights? A writer and scholar of comparative religions, Reza Aslan has earned international acclaim for the passion and clarity he has brought to these questions. In No god but God, challenging the “clash of civilizations” mentality that has distorted our view of Islam, Aslan explains this critical faith in all its complexity, beauty, and compassion.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  3/25/2005

Update!
Microsoft Reader for Pocket PC Updated

March 24, 2005: Pocket PC users, please note that the new version of Microsoft Reader for Pocket PC (version 2.4) posted today is a bug fix release primarily intended for users of devices running Windows Mobile 2003 and Windows Mobile 2003, Second Edition. While this version will run on all supported Pocket PC devices, we are only recommending that users of devices running these operating systems upgrade. Upgrading will not require reactivation of your Pocket PC device.

But still not compatible with Smartphone. :(
[Via PocketPCthoughts]

posted by Jorgen permanent link

  3/24/2005

What's up, Doc?
What is the NBT in mobile computing?

I spend a lot of time thinking about mobile technology and how it can be leveraged to help me in my life. I am fortunate in that I get to see and try many different devices, computers and tools that might take my productivity and enjoyment to the next level. All of this thinking has led me to the question- what is the Next Big Thing (NBT) in mobile computing? We have reached a point where PDAs are powerful little machines that can do a lot of different tasks that used to be solely in the domain of the personal computer. We are watching mobile phones get more of the capability that PDAs used to provide and we are now seeing entire computers shrunk to fit in the hand (barely). So what is missing from this mobile landscape?

Read the rest to find out!

posted by Jorgen permanent link

  3/23/2005

Do I do it or do I don't?
Rent, Lease, or Buy - Which Model Is Right For You

Not too long ago I would have laughed if you had asked me to rent music and pay a monthly fee to do so. Now I am not so sure. I have tried most of the services that are available to "legally" download music from the web and mostly I am left disappointed. Without exception after I have used the service for a few days or weeks I feel constrained. It is hard for me to put my finger on the exact reason, but I think its a combination of several things. What happens if my hard drive dies? What happens if I get a virus? What happens if I want to change services next month?

A discussion you probably have had with yourself.

posted by Jorgen permanent link

Open Sesame
Hacker reopens iTunes Music Store back door
Only a day after Apple blocked the original version of PyMusique, Jon Lech Johansen says that he has posted an updated version of his software that allows users to once again tap into the iTunes Music Store and buy songs without digital rights management (DRM)
In a post on his blog entitled "So sue me," Johansen writes: "The iTunes Music Store recently stopped supporting iTunes versions below 4.7 in an attempt to shut out 3rd party clients. I have reverse engineered the iTMS 4.7 crypto which will once again enable 3rd party clients to communicate with the iTMS."

posted by Jerry permanent link

  3/22/2005

100% Micropay rebate
Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, The Illustrated Screenplay
Get a 100% Micropay Rebate when you pre-order the above from Fictionwise:

Episode III--The One and Only Official Screenplay, available exclusively in eBook format, including scenes that won't appear in the movie itself! Even before the release of the most eagerly awaited Star Wars movie of all time on the theater screen ... here's your chance to experience the action on your own computer screen! Straight from the set, this is the complete, final screenplay written by George Lucas, as brought to life before the cameras by a stellar cast of performers and an unparalleled team of special effects wizards. Enjoy a rare and fascinating director's-eye-view of all the action, all the legendary characters, and each of the exotic worlds from science fiction cinema's greatest saga, as it comes full circle. And thanks to the full color images from the final cut of the movie itself, you'll be able to visualize the adventure as it unfolded throughout the shooting of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. For the total Star Wars fan and filmmaking enthusiast alike, this extraordinary e-book is an essential part of the Star Wars experience. As a special bonus, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith Illustrated Screenplay will be bundled with a free digital copy of The Making of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith--The Final Chapter by Lucasfilm insider J.W. Rinzler. This eBook is a companion piece to the Del Rey title The Making of Star Wars Revenge of the Sith by the same author, which hits bookstores across the country April 2nd.

Note that this is preorder only as the book is not available until 2nd of April. At that price, you can afford the book! :)
Note in that respect that you through March 31st receive 5% Micropay Rebate bonus when you buy Micropay dollars and that Buywise Members will receive a 10% bonus when buying Micropay dollars.

posted by Jorgen permanent link

Fixed?
iTunes hack disabled by Apple
Apple Computer has closed a security hole that allowed an underground program to tap into its iTunes Music Store and purchase songs stripped of antipiracy
The PyMusique software, created by a trio of independent programmers online, emerged last week as a copy protection-free back door into the popular iTunes store. One of the creators was Jon Johansen, the Norwegian programmer responsible for releasing DVD-copying software in
Apple released a statement Monday saying the problem had been fixed, and that some iTunes customers would need to upgrade their
"The security hole in the iTunes Music Store which was recently exploited has been closed, and as a consequence the iTunes Music Store will now sell music only to customers using iTunes version 4.7," the company said in a
Like all other digital music companies, Apple has been dealing continually with hackers intent on finding ways around the antipiracy protections that are added to songs as they are sold online. The company has upgraded its iTunes software several times to block unauthorized programs' access.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  3/21/2005

NewsNoPaper?
Entrepreneur seeks paperless newspapers

As profits and readership at newspapers continue to shrink, one Denver entrepreneur is developing a technological solution that could bring the time-honored format to the electronic age.
Dave Lester, chairman and CEO of Treeless Systems LLC, has recruited an advisory board and is seeking partners to invest in a project to produce a flexible computer system equipped with a screen that can be folded or rolled up like a broadsheet newspaper.
...
The device also could convert text to speech, allowing subscribers to hear the newspapers through a car stereo. Readers with vision problems could use the system to enlarge text and read more easily. The technology also would allow readers to view live-action video footage through the display -- a concept that's impossible with newsprint.

Don't stop buying you usual paper yet - they hope to market it within the next three years.
[Via MobileRead]

posted by Jorgen permanent link

Amazing Discovery
Sling Media's Sling Box
Just saw the demo yesterday in NAB Futures Summit 2005 in Pebble Beach. The future of this product will support mobile devices including Pocket PC.
The Slingbox enables you to watch your living room TV programming from wherever you
are by turning any laptop or internet device into a personal television.
If Tivo is Timeshifting device, Slingbox is Placeshifting device. Got it?

posted by Jerry permanent link

  3/20/2005

Anti-DRM
PyMusique - iTunes without DRM interface

PyMusique is an interface to the iTunes Music Store that lets you preview songs, sign up for an account and buy songs. It is somewhat interesting from a DMCA/EUCD perspective. The iTunes Music Store actually sells songs without DRM. While iTunes adds DRM to your purchases, PyMusique does not. Another difference is that signing up for an account using PyMusique does not require you to sign/click away any of your rights.

Sounds like we can expect new iTunes software in the near future! Let's hope this does not result in problems for the users like those we saw after Microsoft fixed flaws in their MS Reader DRM. Anyway, Apple should not find it difficult to check which software connects to their servers, so if Apple care, the above software won't work any more.

posted by Jorgen permanent link

  3/19/2005

Rent-a-tune?
Napster vs. iTunes: Let the contest begin

On top, there is a single iPod. The cost to fill it, Napster says, is $10,000. Beneath it are three MP3 players: Dell's Pocket DJ, Creative's Zen Micro and iRiver's new H10. With Napster to Go, the commercial says, you can fill all three with almost any song you can think of and you're out only $15.
Next to that, in tiny print, are the words "per month."

posted by Jorgen permanent link

  3/18/2005

P2P Off Air
New Line on Mobile Sex
The difference between dating services like Mobile Hookup or even Match.com Mobile and MoSoSo is that the mobile dating sites cannot pretend to be about anything else.
A social-networking site appeals to singles but also attracts those who delude themselves into thinking that sex isn't part of the game. (Silly them -- sex is always part of the game, especially online.)

posted by Jerry permanent link

P2P
PodShanking: physical pod on pod penetration
PodShanking can be declared a "hack" in the basest sense of that word: as in hackey. This is a jury-rigged, stop-gap solution to a sticky technical problem. Throw more hardware at this problem and you'll solve it better. Throw more software at this problem and you'll also improve it - or do a quick and dirty solution that gets you the same basic results now. The hack? Direct iPod to iPod transfers.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  3/17/2005

Jargon: iPodectomy
Music Buffet: Loading Up for Takeout
Of course, the commercial doesn't say you will lose access to music if you stop paying. And Napster's $10,000 reckoning also assumes that everything on an iPod is purchased at the iTunes Music Store. In reality, you could have plenty of MP3's already, from ripping CD's and dredging the Internet.
But the commercial raises a good question: Will you rent albums the way you rent TV programming? If it makes financial sense - and if, armed with that knowledge, you can avoid the competing allure of iPod style and the Apple brand - you just might.
...If I could jump from TiVo to Time Warner, a switch from the iPod to the Creative Zen Micro ought to be easy by comparison. Yes, the iPod is a beautiful symbol of how cool I am, but an iPodectomy is scientifically possible.
Thankfully, an iPodectomy may not be necessary. Buzz on the Internet and in the industry suggests that Apple may be planning a retaliatory move, an iTunes to go. There are also good odds that Yahoo and Real Networks will soon join the melee.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  3/16/2005

Dummy run
Test-download
Diesel Ebooks have introduced a test-download so you can test your system before buying an ebook.

To some, downloading an encrypted ebook for the first time can create apprehension. They want to make sure everything "works okay" before they make that first click. The vast majority of purchases are downloaded without a hitch, but in those few instances where there is a "hiccup", 99% are due to a setting or background process on the downloaders computer causing a block. The ebook download process uses "pop-up" windows to navigate the transfer of the ebook file. If your internet security (or nuisance) settings prohibit the use of "pop-up" windows, the ebook download process will not work. Also, the download technology works with most, but not all internet browsers.

Good idea! Just sad that DRM creates such a need.

posted by Jorgen permanent link

  3/15/2005

Too good to be true?
TV.ORG
Over 30,000,000 people using this service are downloading their favorite TV Shows, Movies, MP3s, Software and Videogames! The Members Area will provide you with all the tools you need to start watching as many shows online and DVD quality movies as you can handle.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Too good to be true?
TV.ORG
Over 30,000,000 people using this service are downloading their favorite TV Shows, Movies, MP3s, Software and Videogames! The Members Area will provide you with all the tools you need to start watching as many shows online and DVD quality movies as you can handle.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  3/14/2005

Do men read?
Save a Tree Read and E-Book
Dawn Murphy on PalmAddict:

"6th March was the start of e-book week. I often wonder why I don't see more about e-books on PDA sites, productivity, gaming, etc but nothing about books. Is it because statistically most readers are women and most people with PDAs are male? I'll assume so, though I haven't personally researched it, but it seems likely on the basis of anecdotal evidence.

Read PalmAddicts comments to that at the link.
[via MobileRead]

posted by Jorgen permanent link

  3/13/2005

DIY e-books
Make iPod ebooks
A quick, free cross platform way of making iPod text e-books. The screen may be small, but if you suddenly need a book and didn't bring your PDA, you will love it.

Or get some audio books from Fictionwise. You will also find two under "Free ebooks".

posted by Jorgen permanent link

Sale!
Ubibooks
The newly-started Ubibooks offer 20% on all their 19727 ebooks in 5 different languages (German, English, French, Spanish and Italian). The web-site can be read in English or French. They only sell books in DRM-protected MobiPocket format.

posted by Jorgen permanent link

  3/12/2005

Bad Math
How Much Is Your Stolen Music Worth?
Last month, a student at the University of Arizona was sentenced to three years probation and a $5,400 fine for illegally distributing music and movies on the Internet. A spokesman for the recording industry claims investigators found more than $50 million worth of pirated material on his computer. That seems like an awful lot of money. How much is stolen music worth?

posted by Jerry permanent link

I Would
Would you pay 5 cents for a song?
An academic at McGill University has a simple plan to stop the plague of unauthorized music downloads on the Internet. But it entails changing the entire music industry as we know it, and Apple Computers, which may have the power to make the change, is listening.
The assumption is that if songs cost only 5 cents, people would download exponentially more music. Daniel Levitin, a McGill professor also associated with the project, said that a simple computer program, such as those already in use on Internet retail sites, could track people's purchases and help them to dig through what would become a massive repository of music on the Web.

posted by Jerry permanent link

New eBook
Taking Heat: The President, the Press, and My Years in the White House
by Ari Fleischer
In this riveting account, Fleischer goes behind the scenes as he recalls his experiences in the West Wing, including such momentous events as the 2000 election, September 11, 2001 and its aftermath, the anthrax scare, the war in Afghanistan, the pressure-filled buildup to the war in Iraq, and the President's thoughts as the war began. Through the ups and downs of this time, he took the heat, fielded the questions, and brought the President's message into living rooms around the world. The early years of the twenty-first century were a tumultuous time in America...

posted by Jerry permanent link

PDF guide
eBook Reading Devices
Click the link to download an excellent guide on e-book reading devices written by librarian Megan Fox from Simmonds College Libraries. Visit also her web-site with lots of interesting stuff on ebooks and libraries.
[Via MobileRead]

posted by Jorgen permanent link

  3/11/2005

More askings
Ask iPodlounge

Q: Can I adjust my tracks to play louder? In iTunes, I see there is a Volume Adjustment setting - would that help without distorting the sound?
Q: Is there way to directly modify the last played date in iTunes?
Q: I have just updated my iPod, and iTunes displayed a message saying that some songs in my iTunes music library were not copied to the iPod because they could not be found. Those not transferred have a ! icon next to them. How can I get these songs back into my iPod?
Q: Is there any way to print out a list of all the songs on my iPod?
Q: How can I find out how much music is on my iPod and how much free space is left?

posted by Jorgen permanent link

AudioBook
DRM Talk
by Cory Doctorow
On June 17, 2004, science fiction author and EFF spokesman Cory Doctorow talked to Microsoft Research Group and other interested parties about Digital Rights Management (DRM), copyright, and the technology that cleaves them together and apart. In five parts, Doctorow covers everything from DVD region coding and the player piano to the Apple iTunes Music Store and why Sony didn't create the digital successor to its once-ubiquitous Walkman. Everything you ever wanted to know about DRM, but were afraid to tell Microsoft. Unabridged reading by Alex Wilson.

posted by Jerry permanent link

mmmm
Popular Mechanics: Read My Screens
One of these electronic books may be the last book you ever buy.
People in book publishing have a big problem–books. They're expensive to make, expensive to ship and if you can't sell enough of them you really lose a lot of money. So, it comes as no surprise that the prospect of publishing books electronically has raised eyebrows in Silicon Valley and on Publisher's Row. "Eventually there will be no such thing as out-of-print or out-of-stock titles," pledges an enthusiastic Tom Pomeroy, co-founder of SoftBook Press. The Menlo Park, Calif., company is one of the leaders of a fledgling e-book revolution. "Our readers will be able to find just about anything and download exactly what they want in a matter of minutes."

posted by Jerry permanent link

So-iPod
Apple faces the music from iPod rivals
As Sony, which introduced a new music player this week, and software maker Napster, with a new portable subscription service, crowd into the market, many analysts are nervous that an "iPod killer" will ravage Apple's ability to grow.
But others see an exploding market where Apple can win without maintaining the breadth of its lead. Apple now has about 70 percent of the digital music player and music download markets.
"Less than 1 percent of the world's population has a digital music player. Apple will have more competition, but the overall category will grow fast enough and there should not be any slowdown for Apple," said Rick Doherty, analyst with market researcher Envisioneering.

posted by Jerry permanent link

I Read Them
eBooks: Do People Really Read Them?
Granted, electronic books are cheaper and more easily accessed (with a few clicks of the computer mouse for download of appropriate software and book text), than are their hard- copy counterparts; I know that there are various eBOOK retail sites, springing up all over the Internet, providing extensive readings lists, along with hints that eBOOKS are the next big “thing” in publishing — BUT — my question is: Are there really people out there who read these books on PC screens and/or on the tiny screens of those small palm-held electronic devises? In that, I’ve noticed, on the NightWares’ discussion pages, there seems to be very little activity from readers who should — wouldn’t you think? — be fascinated by the prospect of having a one-on-one (albeit computer) dialogue with the authors?; although, the publisher insists that the majority of his books sell to the electronic-book market
While I read an awfully lot, I confess to having read only two electronic books in my lifetime, those being circuSex and BOND-SHATTERING, both written by yours-truly. And I found doing it, while staring at a computer screen, too downright trying, exhausting, eye-straining, and uncomfortable, especially compared to my curling up with the tactile pleasures of a bound book, seated before a warm fireplace, complete with crackling logs, comforter across my knees, an ice-bucket of cool white wine (and appropriate wine glass) within easy reach. Then again, maybe I’m out of sync with the present generation...

posted by Jerry permanent link

eLibrary Watch
Several Libraries offer eBooks
Several Southern Illinois libraries - including Carbondale, Murphysboro, Marion and Sparta - now will be offering their patrons eBooks, thanks to their participation in a new initiative.
These eBooks are "electronic versions of print books that can be downloaded from the Internet and read either from a computer screen or a handheld device such as a PDA or Pocket PC," said Donella Odum, director of the Sallie Logan Public Library in Murphysboro. The books even can be downloaded to "smart phones," she said.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Review
CHM eBook Reader
The Microsoft standard Compiled Hypertext Markup Language is increasingly being used as a standard for publishing help files and user manuals electronically. CHMReader allows you to read these documents easily.

posted by Jerry permanent link

super Shuffle
Luxpro Corp. rips off iPod shuffle
Taiwanese company Luxpro Corp. is showing off an iPod shuffle clone called Super shuffle at this week's CeBit trade show in Hannover, Germany. From the front, the device is physically identical to Apple's iPod shuffle, straight down to the control pad and white earbuds. It touts features the iPod shuffle lacks, however, including an FM tuner and a voice recorder.

posted by Jerry permanent link

Bling Bling iPod
Crystal iPod Case
Would you buy iPod case 5 times the price of the ipod itself?

posted by Jerry permanent link

  3/10/2005

iPodlounge reviews three of tomorrow's speakers for the iPod:
Altec iM4
IceTune
Logitech mm22

posted by Jorgen permanent link

Disactivate
Adobe Acrobat Activation Woes
"I purchased Adobe Acrobat Pro 7 last month," a reader recently wrote. "Several times since installing the software I am prompted to reactivate the product. After three successful Internet activations, I was directed to call Adobe. The person who answered the call accused me of installing the product on several PCs. I assured him that I had not done so. After reviewing my PC configuration he told me that activation does not work on RAID disk arrays. I had to install a non-RAID drive to allow Acrobat to activate properly."
To make a long story short, Adobe could do nothing to help this customer. They eventually agreed to a refund (with a 60-day wait).

posted by Jerry permanent link

  3/09/2005

A look at Pocket-PC 2009?
The Bright Future of Mobile Computing

The year is 2009 and Robert is the head of California Design Studio, a multi-million dollar architectural firm in San Diego. His firm is competing with three others for the prestigious commercial complex proposed near O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. Robert takes the morning flight to Chicago. He reviews the materials he is carrying on his Pocket PC, which consists of a PowerPoint presentation on the credentials of his firm, the concept design of the proposed plan in AutoCAD, a walk through simulation of the proposed complex in 3-D, and video clips from his firm's previous projects in Phoenix and Seattle.

Read the rest. The article extrapolates current trends and makes an educated guess as to where we should be in 2009.

posted by Jorgen permanent link

  3/08/2005

Free MultiFormat eBooks from Fictionwise
Embracing-The-New by Benjamin Rosenbaum
In the Late December by Greg van Eekhout

posted by Jorgen permanent link

  3/07/2005

Question time
Ask iPodlounge

Q: I'm a 5th grader doing a science fair project: Is the iPod's shuffle mode truly random?
Q: Do you have any idea where the name iPod comes from?
Q: I have one song in an album in my iTunes library that is out of order - it's the third track in the album, yet it shows up as the first track. How can I fix this?
Q: How much more space do Apple Lossless files take up than MP3s? Is the sound quality that much better? I am trying to decide between an iPod mini and a 20 or 40 GB iPod.
Q: All right, this might be a dumb question, but can I use my iPod in the steam room at the gym?

posted by Jorgen permanent link

Music 4 Rent
Analysts: Apple may be forced to offer subscription
"The only reason they have iTunes is to sell iPods. If it turns out subscription services are important to sell iPods, they'll probably get into that business," said Jupiter Research analyst David Card. Card expects by 2009 that subscriptions will outpace downloads, generating $890 million in revenues versus $800 million for download sales.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  3/05/2005

Doomed?
Ubibooks - new multilingual e-book store

From Teleread.org: Bookeen, maker of the Cybook, has opened up Ubibooks. The new e-book store is starting out with several thousand books with texts available in five languages (English, French, German, Spanish and Italian).

And here is my take why this e-book store is going to fail:
1. E-books are offered only in one format, Mobipocket, which is one of the most-restrictive (e-books only run on the device you bought it for) and unusable (incompatible with any other e-book software reader).
2. So-called "best 100 promotions" lure you into buying DRM-infested books that are publicly and freely available DRM-free at Gutenberg.

posted by Jorgen permanent link

New Jargon

Broad-Narrow-Ego+casting, got it?
"We have moved beyond (broadcasting and) narrowcasting into 'egocasting' -- a world where we exercise an unparalleled degree of control over what we watch and what we hear," writes Christine Rosen in The New Atlantis: A Journal of Technology and Society.

posted by Jerry permanent link

  3/04/2005

DRM-free music
Grateful Dead Offers MP3 and FLAC Downloads Without DRM

"Love the Grateful Dead? Now you can get any of the recordings in their live Dick’s Picks series over the Internet. Single songs (up to 10 minutes long, which cuts out most of the extended jams the band is famous for) are available at the iTunes store. Full tracks are available at the Grateful Dead store in 128K and 256K MP3 and lossless (FLAC) formats. The lower-quality MP3 formats cost less than the higher-quality MP3s, and the lossless files cost a few bucks more. But the prices are still not bad – $23.50 for a 4–CD set, with no shipping or handling."

So - it can be done!

posted by Jorgen permanent link

  3/03/2005

Hard Reader
OtterBox Armor 3600
If you have been looking for a durable and secure way to use and carry your PocketPC in extreme conditions the folks at OtterBox may have the product for you called the Armor 3600. I am talking extreme conditions here not your average jaunt out to the car in the rain or casual ride around the block on your bike (but it is also good for that as well. I am talking about white knuckling rides down rapids in a canoe or kayak on a major dam release day on the Dead River (yes those that frequent Maine know what I am talking about) or riding through the technical single track slamming the “babyheads” of such infamous trails as “Vietnam”. Yeah we are talking Mountain Dew/X-Games Extreme here and of course you want to bring your Pocket PC with you.
(source: PocketPcThoughts)

posted by Jerry permanent link

Hardware Watch
Intel Mobile Concept PCs provide vision of digital lifestyle
Intel Corporation has unveiled its latest concept mobile PCs during the Intel Developer Forum Spring 2005. The new designs demonstrate how future Intel Centrino mobile technology platforms could be used to provide "on-the-go" entertainment for consumers and enhanced innovation for "digital office" users.
"The new concept mobile PC designs feature system-level innovation that builds on Intel's silicon leadership and helps to catalyze the notebook computer industry to create compelling new solutions that deliver a range of form factors, capabilities and end-user benefits," said Mike Trainor, Intel's chief mobile technology evangelist. "Intel innovation is enabling the industry to transform the mobile PC into the essential digital lifestyle accessory."

posted by Jerry permanent link

iPod 101
Complete Guide to the iPod shuffle

As the most stripped-down version of Apple's iPod to date, the iPod shuffle represents an all-new philosophy in iPod design: its lack of a screen and touch-sensitive control wheel, combined with its low price and low capacity, make it an interesting new member of the iPod family in two fundamental ways. First, it's a low-risk way for new iPod owners to test the digital music waters. Second, it is different enough - and cheap enough - to entice existing iPod owners as a supplemental unit for workouts or light travel.
Regardless of which of these two types of shuffle owner you may be, we hope you will find much of this iPod 101 tutorial useful. New iPod owners users will find themselves better acquainted with iTunes, and existing iPod owners will see tips on how best to choose and transfer small portions of a large music library onto the iPod shuffle.

posted by Jorgen permanent link

  3/02/2005

Unfair Call
J-Walk Calls Boycott on DRM Music
...The only rational approach is to boycott RIAA-affiliated labels and never buy DRM-crippled music. How is that possible? I recommend CD Baby and eMusic. Of course this won't work for the majority of people who have been programmed to believe that the only good music is the music you hear on Clear Channel radio.

IMHO, some of the DRM actually quite fair in treating honest customers, to name them are: Peanutpress (ereader format) and iTunes' Fairplay

posted by Jerry permanent link

Buy 1/Get 1 Free Sale!
Fictionwise
Buy At Winter's End by Robert Silverberg, get The New Springtime free
Buy Soothsayer by Mike Resnick, get Oracle free
Buy Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold, get Barrayar free
Buy ARM by David Niven, get Grendel free
Buy Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress, get Dancing on Air free
Buy The Prisoner of Chillon by James Patrick Kelly, get Chemistry free

posted by Jorgen permanent link

Gmail on PPC?
Gmail
According to PocketPCthoughts.com, Google recently started making a "Basic HTML" view available to non-standard browsers. So, if you are lucky, you can already now access your gmail account. If not, you - like me - will have to wait. :(

posted by Jorgen permanent link

  3/01/2005

Pocket TiVo
Watch Your TiVo Program On Your Pocket PC
Earlier this year, TiVo started rolling out their TiVoToGo feature which allows you to watch recorded programs on your Windows based PC. One of the TiVo Community members has posted some additional steps to get that TV show on your Pocket PC.
or this to work, you need a Series 2 TiVo box, a network (wired or wireless) and the the 7.1 software update....

posted by Jerry permanent link

Digital music prices up?
Major labels want you to pay more for legit music downloads
Apparently the wholesale price of digital music is something like 65 cents per song. However, the record labels are thinking about raising the wholesale price, meaning that you would have to pay more than the 99 cents Apple charges from its iTunes store.

"I think whoever came up with this idea understands the online music industry about as well as a cow understands algebra," said Phil Leigh, senior analyst for Inside Digital Media.
"If the labels really want to fight piracy, it defies logic to increase prices and create more of a disincentive for the consumer to use legitimate providers. If they want to encourage the public to use legitimate online pricing, raising prices is about the last thing they should think of doing."

Amen to that!
[via Engadget]

posted by Jorgen permanent link

Of blindness, Louisiana humor and stirfried crickets
One of the library world's most heartfelt blogs--enlivened by wry Southern humor--comes from a man who cannot see his own words. My friend David Faucheux, a blind MLIS in Lafayette, Louisiana, who will do a chatcast at 8 p.m. EST tonight, has been posting to his Blind Chance audio blog since last spring. David is featured on the home page and FAQ page of Audio Blogger and has won recognition from Feedster as well. ALA President-Elect Michael Gorman may question the usefulness of blogging, but David Fauxcheux and his fans don't. Listen to David's new MP3 on stirfried crickets and other insect delights for an example of his work. Or if you want something more somber, hear David remember Nader, the yellow Labrador, his late guide dog. Time to think about helping blind people in your community start their own audio blogs to convey their experiences and needs? More at TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home.

posted by David Rothman permanent link