The Operation MySpace concert for U.S. soldiers in Kuwait next week (see ridiculous video below) is getting lots of press, but it’s all around who’s performing: Pussycat Dolls, Jessica Simpson, Disturbed, Filter, DJ Z-Trip and Carlos Mencia. What’s far more interesting, in my opinion, is what they are pulling off technically – high definition live video streaming of the event to as many people who want to watch it, on a Flash player. That isn’t trivial. The big networks can do it, of course, but they’re piping it into your television, and the cable companies own both ends of the network (including a box in your living room) as well as the pipes in between. Encoding the high def stream in real time for packaging over the Internet is a problem that companies are just starting to solve. And some of those solutions require special hardware at the consumer end. MySpace says the stream will be 480p (848×480) and will play on most versions of Flash via the VP6 codec (they are not using the newer H.264 because that version of Flash does not have enough consumer penetration yet). That’s the low end of high definition, but the reason they aren’t going higher is bandwidth limitations at the user level. The stream requires a steady 1.5 Mbit/s – about the limit for most U.S. consumers. An average MySpaceTV or Youtube Video, by comparison, needs only a 400 kbit/s connection. And those videos are served via a progressive download, not live. Kulabyte Makes It all Happen Here’s how the video gets from Kuwait to your computer screen: video is shot at the army base in Kuwait and fed to a Satellite. There’s no line of site to Los Angeles where MySpace is based, so the stream is downlinked on the east coast and shot up to another satellite, then down to Los Angeles. At that point a third party, Texas-based Kulabyte, takes over and does the really hard part – real time transcoding to VP6 for video, MP3 for audio, in a FLV wrapper. Kulabyte is launching a newly developed technology they call TimeSlice for the first time with Operation MySpace. Kulabyte then hands off the packaged stream to Akamai, a content delivery network, who ensures that as many users who want the stream can get it. At the end of the day, MySpace users get to watch a concert taking → Read More
Google Blogoscoped (and the Google Analytics Blog) is reporting that Google is now giving users the opt-in option to share their Analytics data with other Google services, and/or in an anonymous, aggregated way in a new benchmarking service. This is certainly useful for some companies – particularly since Google is only making new services based on this data available to users who’ve opted in: “only users who have opted to share their site’s data with Google may use these new or improved services.” A screen shot of the options is above – but I’ve added my own fantasy third option in addition to the first two that Google announced today. What I want to see is a flat out option for people to share some or all of their Analytics data publicly, without restriction and without anonymitiy. We’re seeing startups send us this data more and more often to counter under-counting in Comscore, Alexa and other services. They say they’re more than happy to see us publish the data, so readers will understand exactly how well they’re doing. A lot of companies want this data to be public. Transparency is a good way to gain the trust of the community, and I think Google would be surprised to see how many customers would be perfectly willing to share their analytics data publicly. The logistics of the sharing is less important – it could be done via a widget or an API, or a variety of other methods. But I believe the demand is there. All Google has to do is flip a switch. CrunchBase Information Google Information provided by CrunchBase → Read More
[photopress:1765772958_padding_protect_pedestrians.jpg,full,center] Further proving my hypothesis that Mr. Bean is not a character but just an average self-absorbed Brit, Brick Lane authorities have found themselves forced to try out padding the city’s lampposts because idiots keep walking into them whilst texting. I say let them bonk their heads. It’s the only way they’re going to learn. Padding to protect pedestrians [Yahoo! News] → Read More
I had the opportunity today to catch up with Scott Guthrie, Vice President of Microsoft’s Developer Platform and one of today’s Microsoft keynote speakers. In the video above we cover a range of Silverlight topics, from the SeaDragon implementation, through to the future of Silverlight. Guthrie wouldn’t confirm that Silverlight would be moving offline to become a full blown AIR competitor, but he does discuss certain ways Silverlight is already accessing offline data. On the iPhone and Silverlight he says that Microsoft will be looking closely at tomorrow’s iPhone SDK launch from Apple, and that ultimately they want to see Silverlight on as many devices as possible. CrunchBase Information Microsoft Scott Guthrie Information provided by CrunchBase → Read More
[photopress:hddusb_1.jpg,full,center] Upgrading your harddrive is tough. Moving those files around and making sure everything copies is a pain and it’s time consuming. Newertech has something novel that might help, a universal USB drive adapter. Pretty much any IDE, ATA, ATAPI, or Serial-ATA drive of any size can become a USB drive with this adapter, which includes handy status lights so you know your stuff is moving through the tubes. Neat. Not for everyone, but hobbiests, pros, and geeks will love this thing. USB2 HDD adapter [Newertech] → Read More
The ladies at the *Sugar network have discovered that the Apple store in SF is full of geeky single guys. I think that’s actually in the yellow pages description of the store, but they decided to investigate. As expected, the store was packed with nerdy, semi-eligible men and very few women on the prowl. They documented their foray into the wild world of Macheads and now you can learn how it is ladies stalk their prey in a retail environment. I’m not sure how this benefits most of our readers, since they are (studies show) for the most part asexual and sedentary, but those of you who are mobile and motivated might start using the Apple store as a pick-up spot; after all, ladies need iPods too. Be sure to use those tips you found on Attractology. Can you pick up men at the Apple store? You Betcha! [GeekSugar] → Read More
http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?umid=184699 John Biggs wanted me to post this neat video for all of you to see, but since I actually haven’t seen the film yet, I don’t want to watch this alternate ending. Instead, I’ll write about what I imagine it contains. My, what a lovely lace doily! via Game Trailers → Read More
These jokers are really upping the ante. Of course, unless they’re providing crippled iPhones, there’s going to be a whole lot of chatting going on in lecture. They say they’ll integrate them into the classes (answer quiz questions, watch slide shows, etc) but I am skeptical that a bunch of 18-year-olds will be able to resist the temptation of watching an episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force or some such instead of listening to a professor recite the contents of a powerpoint presentation. Still, it’s hard to fault Abilene Christian University (for that is its name) for doing something so next-gen. Let’s hope it works and the idea spreads. ACU first university in nation to provide iPhone or iPod touch to all incoming freshmen → Read More
Oh boy, I gotta see this. Sprint’s offering its new “WebCapTel” service to people who don’t have trouble speaking but might be a little hard of hearing. The basic idea is pretty simple. You sign up for the service and register your phone number at SprintCapTel.com and when someone calls you, you can log into the site and have what they’re saying automatically transcribed for you. It’s not quite that easy in practice, though. For starters, the person that’s calling you has to first dial into an 800 number and then key in your actual ten digit phone number. When your phone starts ringing, you’ll have to haul ass to your computer to load everything up the interface. → Read More
Tune in tomorrow here and on CrunchGear for live coverage of Apple’s iPhone SDK event at Apple HQ in Cupertino. The event starts at 10 am PST. What do we expect will be said? Well, hopefully we’ll get an idea when the SDK will be available, since it really looks like Apple will miss their promised February launch. Apple is also saying they’ll announce “some exciting new enterprise features.” I hope that means business users will have Exchange Server like features going forward. Lots more rumors over at iLounge. In a few short hours we’ll know what’s up. → Read More
http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?enablejs=true&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcrunchgear%2Eblip%2Etv%2Frss&file=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Frss%2Fflash%2F725759&showplayerpath=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Fscripts%2Fflash%2Fshowplayer%2Eswf Biggs and I are boozin on some Penny Packer bourbon and educating all of you on how to protect your mobile device of any VD. Really, Skins Mobile is just a condom for your junk, I mean phone. Whatever. Booth babes in bikinis after the jump. → Read More
Some boffin over at Rice University has decided that five years from now, the capacity of DVRs will be such that we’ll be able to record HD video from ten channels at once, and keep it going for two weeks straight. That’s all fine and dandy, but what the professor has failed to take into account is that channel-based TV is on its way out even now, and the popularization of DVRs is symptomatic of consumer dissatisfaction with that system. Customers aren’t going to want to spend $500 to upgrade to another version of the same thing when the next generation — on demand TV — is staring them in the face right now in 2008. And in 2013? Please, do you really think they’ll even want a DVR when they have a hoverboard? DVR Capacity Going to Skyrocket? [G4TV] → Read More
[photopress:vaio.jpg,full,left]Being the largest ultraportable is something of a dubious honor, like being the healthiest model or the least-convicted child rapist, but Sony wears it with pride, touting its new VAIO VGN-SZ750N/C laptop as just such a beast. And the description is true, at only four pounds, it definitely fits as an ultraportable in weight, but the 13.3-inch LED backlit display gives it a very big footprint, something most people don’t care for in ultraportables. The rest of the specs are impressive, this thing’s got power, but, like the MacBook Air, I just don’t get it, espsecially at $1,899. Sony VAIO VGN-SZ750N/C Ultraportable Laptop PC [About] → Read More
[photopress:IMG_1594.JPG,full,pp_image][photopress:phoneFace.jpg,full,pp_image] I just got out of a meeting with EcoCarrier.com, of whom I’ll post in the next few days. One thing that struck me immediately, however, is that these guys had a working 3-SIM cellphone with touchscreen and keypad called the Eco123 which looks surprisingly like a rebadged zzzPhone. While I wish neither of these companies any ill-will, it’s nice to see the hardware and I can report that the OS isn’t Windows Mobile or Symbian and is, in fact, a proprietary amalgam Java and whatever touchscreen magic the client wants to implement. Think of this as the first “white box” phone and leave it at that, friends, and if zzzPhone promises a cool phone for not much money, believe them. The folks at EcoCarrier told me these things cost $108 each in bulk. [photopress:IMG_1588.JPG,thumb,pp_image][photopress:IMG_1595.JPG,thumb,pp_image] → Read More
Lots of bad news leaking out of Israeli startup eSnips this week. The company, which is part social network and part file uploading service, continues to grow – recent Comscore says they had 8 million unique visitors in January, up from 2.2 million a year ago. But founding CEO Yael Elish left the company for “personal reasons” just as they were closing a round of funding a couple of months ago. The funding, inevitably, fell apart. The company tried to regroup under chairman Nahum Sharfman, who took over as acting CEO. But they eventually went the layoff route, letting most of the 16 or so employees go. It’s not clear if the company will fold or find a way to continue operations. But storm clouds have massed over what was once a promising startup. To date eSnips has raised $5 million, mostly from Gemini Israel Funds and Greylock. We’re putting them on DeadPool watch. CrunchBase Information eSnips Yael Elish Information provided by CrunchBase → Read More
Asterpix is a company working on technology that adds so-called hotspots to video. These hotspots, which look like dash-bordered boxes, hover over particular objects in a video and can be triggered to show popup information when you place your cursor over them. The popup information has relevance to the object under consideration and consist of things like a description, related links, related videos, and theoretically advertisements. Up until now, these hotspots had to be created manually by the content producers or publishers themselves. While they can still use Asterpix’s tools to do so, the company has begun automating the process by deploying bots that will find videos already posted on the web and using algorithms to tag them with relevant hotspots. Asterpix bots are already crawling the various video sharing sites and hotspotting them at a rate of thousands per day. These indexed videos are being listed in Asterpix’s own video directory, which is provided through its site. The process is therefore mainly an exercise in testing and demonstrating the bots’ capabilities, since not a lot of people actually watch videos listed on the Asterpix homepage. The ultimate goal is to have video sharing sites like YouTube adopt the technology and index their videos with Asterpix hotspots automatically when users upload them. So how are the bots managing to figure out not only the most important objects in videos but they popup information they are supposed to add for them? First, they judge the objects to hotspot depending on how long the camera focuses on them. The objects are essentially ranked by how much screen time they get. Then the bots determine the frequency of the terms used in any text associated with the videos. These are pulled from areas like titles and descriptions and are also ranked from most to least frequently used. At last, the bot matches the most frequent terms up with the most frequently viewed objects under the assumption that the two will match up appropriately. Obviously this automated technique can’t provide the level of accuracy or relevancy that could be achieved by human input, but Asterpix representatives say that the system has been remarkably good at matching terms with the right objects. We’ve embedded a sample video indexed by Asterpix bots below. You can also browse all the bot’s videos to get a better sense of its efficacy. For another example of how interactivity is → Read More
Looks pretty sweet. If you’re going to dedicate yourself to a game like this (and I think that you are), it’s good to have a well-designed base for the community. Hopefully this system will result in good matchups and make it easy to find your friends, although personally I can’t imagine playing Mario Kart with strangers. It’s an intimate experience, really, at least on SNES. The new channel will allow you to spectate, download missions, and share ghosts and other things. Sounds hot. Nintendo details Mario Kart Wii channel, online play [Joystiq] → Read More
[photopress:scaled.IMG_1585.JPG,full,pp_image] Yeah, we thought the same thing when we saw this atrocity. It was here at CeBIT, we puked a little, and we’re not happy about that. [photopress:scaled.IMG_1584.JPG,thumb,pp_image] → Read More
[photopress:ghostsnin.jpg,full,center] Good ol’ Nine Inch Nails officially released its latest album on The Pirate Bay, What.cd and Waffles.fm. An account named “NIN” uploaded the 320kbps, LAME-encoded album on the private torrent trackers and “NINOfficial” on TPB. The band’s rep told TorrentFreak, which has quickly become the go-to source for all my BT news, that it knows its users are hip to technology. What better way to have the fans listen to the album than upload it to the biggest torrent trackers? → Read More
http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?enablejs=true&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcrunchgear%2Eblip%2Etv%2Frss&file=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Frss%2Fflash%2F725549&showplayerpath=http%3A%2F%2Fblip%2Etv%2Fscripts%2Fflash%2Fshowplayer%2Eswf Earlier today, Olympus announced the smallest DSLR and we’re fairly impressed with its’ feature. Live View is the shiznit, folks. → Read More
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