Posts Tagged ‘digital video transfer’

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Nirvana’s “Nevermind” Turns 20

Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

Nirvana’s Grunge Classic Album “Nevermind” Is No Longer A Tee

VH1 To Broadcast Rare Performance To Mark 20th Anniversary Of Seminal Album

Two decades ago, the grunge rock band Nirvana released the now-classic album “Nevermind,” featuring the now-classic 90s anthem “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” In celebration of the album’s 20th anniversary, the cable network VH1 Classic will air a rare concert film featuring never-before-seen footage of the Seattle-based rockers in their prime. According to a statement from VH1, the first broadcast will take place on September 23rd at 11:00 PM. A re-mastered digital video transfer of the film will be available for purchase on DVD and in high definition on Blu-ray disc starting on September 27th.

The film, entitled “Nirvana: Live at the Paramount,” was filmed in Seattle in 1991. Nirvana had been gaining regional popularity since 1987 when singer/songwriter/guitarist Kurt Cobain teamed up with bass player Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington to form the band. But it was the release of “Nevermind” that made Nirvana a global sensation. The concert film features performances of many of the band’s most influential songs – “Lithium,” “Breed,” and of course “Smells Like Teen Spirit” – as well as lesser known numbers such as “Sliver,” “Aneurysm,” and a cover of “Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam,” originally performed by the Vaselines. The 11-song set is replete with youthful angst and Nirvana’s signature sound: wide dynamic contrasts comprising soft, almost delicate verses juxtaposed with crashing, head-banging choruses.

On September 27th, the same day the digital video transfer of the concert goes on sale, a “super-deluxe reissue of “Nevermind” will hit stores, featuring a four-disc collection of rare demos, rehearsals, B-sides, and live performances, as well as the original album – digitally re-mastered of course. The deluxe package, which will sell for $169.99, will also include a 90-page collector’s book and other memorabilia. If you’re more interested in the music than the tangibles, you can also download the set from iTunes or Amazon. Visit the band’s official site for more information.

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Starz Pulls The Plug On Netflix Streaming

Monday, September 12th, 2011

Starz Leaves Talks To Renew Licensing Contract With Netflix

Netflix To Lose Streaming Rights To Disney, Sony Pictures, And More

This month, Netflix is implementing the much-talked-about price hikes for customers who want to use both company’s original disc-by-mail service and its increasingly popular online-streaming service, which until recently was offered as a free bonus to millions of Netflix subscribers. It has been widely reported that the price increases were put into action to help cover the skyrocketing licensing fees that Netflix must pay the studios in order to stream digital video transfers of their movies and TV shows. But now Netflix is losing one of the biggest contributors to its online video arsenal.

Starz, the premium movie channel that owns the streaming rights for movies from several major studios including Disney and Sony Pictures, has recently announced that it has pulled out of talks to renew its licensing agreement with Netflix. When the current contact expires on February 28th of next year, Netflix will be forced to remove a substantial portion of its online content from the “Watch Instantly” library. According to Starz, the decision is part of a strategy to “protect the premium nature” of the Starz brand, and to preserve “the appropriate pricing and packaging of (its) exclusive and highly valuable content.” Starz cited both its studio rights and its “growing original programming presence” as assets that needed protecting from potential value loss, and stated that the network remains “in an excellent position to evaluate new opportunities and expand its overall business.”

Despite the clarity of Starz’s statement, some analysts suggest that the decision to end contract renewal negotiations with Netflix is merely a bargaining chip for Starz. It may be too early to determine whether Starz actually intends to break ties with Netflix, but it certainly isn’t the first time that Netflix has seen a content supplier threaten to pull the plug on its digital video transfers, only to sign another licensing contract with a high price tag attached. Starz claims to be in an “excellent position” to pursue other opportunities, but many analysts believe that neither company can survive in this market without the other, and that Netflix subscribers who are afraid of losing access to movies like “Tangled” and original shows like “Camelot” and “Torchwood” shouldn’t panic just yet. There is however one bit of wisdom that we can take from this situation: it certainly is getting tougher for Netflix to secure licensing rights for streaming content.

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Steve Jobs Resigns His Apple CEO Post

Monday, September 5th, 2011

Apple CEO And Co-Founder Steve Jobs Steps Down

Presumed In Poor Health, Jobs Says He Is No Longer Up To The Task

Apple co-founder and long-time CEO Steve Jobs is certainly one of the most recognized figures in corporate America, and for good reason. Perhaps more than any other big name executive, Jobs is synonymous with his company, personally introducing new products to the world in his famous keynote speeches, and actively driving Apple’s visionary take on computing and mobile entertainment/connectivity. These days if you’re listening to music, watching a digital video transfer, or surfing the web on the go, you’re more likely doing it on a device from Apple than from any other brand.

Last week in an email to Apple’s board of directors, Jobs suddenly resigned his CEO post, and passed the torch to then chief operating officer, Tim Cook. This announcement was not expected at this time, though Jobs’s string of health issues in recent years has led to much speculation about the future of Apple’s leadership. These health issues have included a successful surgery to treat a rare form of pancreatic cancer in 2004, and a liver transplant in 2009 to address what Jobs described as a “hormone imbalance” that made it difficult for his body to absorb certain proteins. During Jobs’s leaves of absence, COO Tim Cook effectively ran Apple, handling day-to-day business while Jobs participated in an advisory capacity. The most recent of these leaves of absence began in January of this year, when Jobs announced that he would once again take an indefinite medical leave from his helm. In January, Jobs said in a letter to Apple employees, “I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can.”

But it seems that day will not come. In his resignation email, Jobs said, “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.” Jobs did not go into detail regarding his condition, but it has been widely reported that he is in very poor health. He did say that he believes that the company’s “brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it,” and that he would like to take on the role of chairman of the board.

In recognition of Jobs’s contribution as Apple’s leader, the popular tech site CNET put together a thoughtful mini-documentary. A digital video transfer of the piece is embedded below.

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Google Buys Motorola

Monday, August 29th, 2011

Search Giant Google Buys Motorola’s Mobile Tech Division

Google Expected To Create A Mobile Tech Brand To Take On Apple

Just  few years go, phones were used for phone calls. If you were a business person, you may have had a Blackberry for mobile access to work email, but your phone was a phone, used for getting in touch and not much else. These days smartphones are expected to do everything, from playing videogames and digital video transfers to GPS navigation, web browsing, and more. In one corner of the battle for world smartphone domination is Apple, with its mighty iPhone. In the other corner, Google’s Android operating system is made available (for free) to a variety of hardware brands, such as Samsung, HTC, and Motorola, who use Google’s software to power their devices. Apple has always claimed to have a leg up on the competition (first Microsoft, now Google) because Apple makes both the hardware and the software for its devices, and that complete control allows for unique levels of design integration.

Last week, Google took what appears to be the first step down the Apple path, purchasing Motorola’s mobile products division for an impressive $12.5 billion. Industry insiders suggest that Google plans to use Motorola (makers of the first Droid-branded smartphone) to build its own device brand to compete with Apple. If Google were able to build and market its own smartphone and tablet devices rather than leaving the hardware design up to consumer electronics companies, Google could potentially become the world leader in mobile technology. The move is also seen as a way to protect Google (and various partners) from potential lawsuits over the Android operating system.

The purchase of Motorola Mobility is the single largest acquisition in Google’s 13-year history of purchasing other companies, many of them smaller technology startups. This purchase could go beyond the mobile technology world for Google, allowing the company to expand its empire into market segments far beyond its core offerings of search and mobile OS. For example, Motorola Mobility is also responsible for making cable and satellite TV set-top boxes used all over the world. Google may take this opportunity to incorporate its nascent Google TV product into Motorola’s set top boxes, making the Google TV experience the new standard for millions of viewers throughout the United States. Google TV allows the viewer to search for live TV streams and on-demand digital video transfer content on cable/satellite services, DVRs, and Internet sites (such as YouTube) all at the same time. Google has not yet announced what its exact plans are for the Motorola Mobility brand, or whether it intends to allow Motorola to continue operating as a self-sufficient company.

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New Version Of iTunes Coming In September

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

Apple Expected To Focus On Software At September Music Event

iTunes 11 To Feature New Look, Cloud Interoperability

Every autumn, Apple holds an annual music event during which new versions of the world-dominating iPod mp3 players are unveiled. Traditionally, this event has also been used to introduce new versions of Apple’s free iTunes software. Last September, the company announced the current generation of iTunes, version 10, offering new features such as HDTV show rentals and support for a feature called AirPlay. The AirPlay feature, which allows iOS devices (the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch) to stream music files and digital video transfers over WiFi to other devices such as the Apple TV, has been widely embraced by the home entertainment electronics community. Pioneer, Denon, Sony, and other makers of the A/V receivers used for surround sound home theater have licensed the technology, allowing users to stream content directly to their living room TVs and sound systems. Other notable features of iTunes 10 included the soon-forgotten integrated social-networking service called Ping, and a new logo.

This September, version 11 of iTunes is expected to steal the show at Apple’s music event. Some analysts suggest that Apple will not announce any new or updated iPod models, for the first year in a decade of annual releases. Although the iPod (together with the all-in-one iMac computer) helped launch Apple from its financial problems in the 1990s to the one of the most profitable companies in the world in 2011, Apple is once again showing a shift in focus, this time toward iPhone and iPad products. The iPhone and iPad are now Apple’s most popular products, and the company feels more pressure to stay ahead of the quickly growing competition in the smartphone and tablet computer markets than to advance in the multimedia player market, where it reigns supreme with less serious threats from competing manufacturers.

According to rumors, the release of iTunes 11 will coincide with the launch of Apple’s new cloud-based media service called iCoud. This service will allow for cloud-based backups, syncing, and file-moving among multiple iOS devices and computers. Users of iCloud will enjoy seamless syncing of everything from music and digital video transfers to applications, documents, calendars, and even videogame progress. The new version of iTunes is believed to be tailored around the iCloud service, sporting a new interface, better integration with the iTunes music store, and automatic data syncing inside apps. For example, if you change a setting in an app, or advance to a new level in a videogame, that information will be automatically communicated to and stored in your iTunes library. The new version of iTunes is also expected to add support for books purchased from Apple’s iBookstore.

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Apple TV Now Lets Users Purchase TV Episodes Right From The Box

Monday, August 15th, 2011

New Apple TV Software Update Makes Up For Console’s Lack Of Storage Space

Purchased Content Streams Directly From Apple’s Servers

Apple recently released a software update to its Apple TV streaming box, adding an important feature: the ability to purchase digital video transfers of TV episodes directly from the mini console. This is a feature that was present on the original Apple TV, which included built-in hard-drive storage to store downloaded content. When Apple released its new console last year, the internal hard-drives were scrapped as cloud-based media-streaming became the new norm. But that meant that all TV episodes had to be “rented,” meaning paying customers would only have access to them for a short period of time, after which they would vanish.

The new software update makes up for the lack of built-in storage on the current generation Apple TV by making purchased video content available to viewers whenever they want to watch it. Instead of downloading and storing the digital video transfers on the Apple TV, the new system simply allows users to “purchase” episodes and stream them from the cloud whenever they want to watch. This system allows Apple TV users to once again buy content directly from the box.

Before this software update, the only solution for customers who wanted to purchase TV episodes (for any-time viewing on a permanent basis) was to download the digital video transfers to another device (such as a computer or iPad), and then have the Apple TV use a home WiFi network to retrieve the video from that device. Now, purchased content streams directly from Apple’s servers, and the experience is much more streamlined. This move is also significant because the iTunes store has a much wider selection of content available for purchase than it does for rental, since many TV networks do not support the renting model. The only possible down side of streaming all content from Apple’s servers is buffer lag. John Falcone, an editor of the popular tech website CNET, tested the service and found that streaming a TV episode required a 6-minute buffering period before the video would play, though he was able to watch locally-stored content during that waiting period.

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Microsoft Takes Jabs At Google In Viral Video

Monday, August 8th, 2011

Microsoft Spoofs Gmail’s Contextual Advertising Program

Are You Comfortable Having Your Emails Read By A Computer?

Last week, Google launched a new site called email intervention, designed to help users of Google’s Gmail email service to convince their friends and families to switch from their old, “out-dated” email services (presumably including AOL, Hotmail, and others) to Gmail. The site includes a digital video transfer of a campy “how-to” video, reminiscent of a 1950s commercial, complete with period music. The video explains how to send email an “intervention,” which shows recipient the benefits of Gmail, and helps him or her make the switch. Just one day after the email intervention site was launched, another tongue-in-cheek video was leaked onto the Web, this time from adversary Microsoft. Microsoft’s video takes jabs at Gmail’s contextual advertising program, offering Microsoft’s Office 356 service as a more ethical alternative.

The digital video transfer from Microsoft was originally shown to the attendees of the company’s annual Global Exchange sales conference, which took place in July. The video depicts a friendly but nosy e-mailman, called “Gmail Man,” who reads people’s mail and then uses keywords from the text to select personalized advertisements to offer to the recipients. The recipients in the video are all disgusted at the violation of their privacy, and suggest that Gmail Man’s ability to choose relevant ads is not only ineffective, but just plain wrong. The video is a spoof of Google’s somewhat controversial AdWords program, which automatically selects contextual advertising for each Gmail user, based on the content of that individual’s e-mail messages. The video dramatizes the program’s function by substituting a real person for the computers that actually do the job, making the violation of privacy seem much more pronounced than Google would like.

Although many people do not see harm in having their emails read by computers (never people), others may find the AdWords program to be a violation of their privacy. Microsoft offers its recently-launched Office 365 product as an alternative. The subscription service is designed for small and midsize businesses, and includes cloud-hosted office utilities such as the popular Exchange email system. Microsoft knows that online software is Google’s forte, and that stepping onto the search Giant’s territory means serious competition. Do you think consumers and businesses will be swayed by Microsoft’s attack on Gmail? Click here to watch the digital video transfer  and let us know what you think.

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Apple Updates MacBook Air, Mac Mini

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Apple Ditches DVD Drives In New Designs

Is The Diskless, Download-Only Future Starting Now?

Last week, Apple updated several products in its ever-evolving lineup of computer products, most notably its Macintosh OS X operating system and its thin-and-light laptop, the MacBook Air. On the first day that the new OS X “Lion” was available for download on Apple’s Mac App store, over one million people purchased the new operating software. The update for the MacBook Air brought the addition of speedier Intel Core i5/i7 processors, a 2-generation leap forward in CPU technology. The MacBook Air also gained a backlit keyboard and the new Thunderbolt port (added to MacBook Pros and iMacs earlier this year) which provides super-fast data transfer to peripherals, as well as support for multiple displays. Despite the changes, the price range for the MacBook Air is staying the same ($999 – $1,699, depending on screen size and options).

When the MacBook Air was first introduced in 2008, its sleekness made headlines, though its lack of an optical (DVD) drive was criticized by some. Nowadays, the thin-and-light laptop is a popular design among PC manufacturers as well, and it seems that many users are willing to sacrifice the ability to watch DVDs and burn CDs in exchange for enhanced portability. Apple would be quick to remind complainers that they can just download digital video transfers and music files from the iTunes store if they feel the need to be entertained, and that the MacBook Air can access the optical drives on other computers sharing the same network (if, for example, software needs to be installed from a CD-ROM).

Now, three years after the Air first ditched the optical drive, history seems to be repeating itself with the new version of Apple’s Mac Mini desktop computer. The Mini is Apple’s smallest and most affordable desktop, starting at $599. Like the MacBook Air, the new Mini has been updated with new, faster processors, and the Thunderbolt in/out interface. But unlike previous generation Minis, the new version does not have an optical drive. In the MacBook Air, it can be argued that it makes sense to ditch this drive for the sake of maximal portability. In the Mac Mini, the omission seems somewhat confusing. Many people use Mac Minis as living room computers, and will miss the ability to play DVDs. The Mac Mini is also a popular music server among computer audiophiles, who will certainly miss the ability to rip CDs to the computer’s hard-drive. But for Apple, the new configuration does make some sense.

The big A was able to add faster processors and the coveted Thunderbolt port to the Mini, while actually lowering its price by $100 compared to the previous generation. According to Apple’s website, “Mac mini is designed without an optical disc drive. Because these days, you don’t need one.” Clearly, Apple hopes that the lack of an optical drive will encourage Mac Mini users to download music and digital video transfers from the iTunes store. If you want a Mac and you’re interested in buying the Mac Mini (after all, it is the cheapest Mac ever) but you don’t want to go diskless, you can use an external DVD/CD drive that connects to the Mini via USB. You lose some of the sleekness of the Mini’s appeal, but you’re still getting a Mac.

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Netflix Raises Prices, Angers Customers

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

Netflix Raises Prices By 60 Percent

Public Outcry Goes Viral

When Netflix first began offering streaming video service a few years ago, this “add-on” feature only worked on PCs, and didn’t seem to add much value to the company’s offering of unlimited DVD rentals by mail. Initially, there wasn’t much digital video transfer content available, and most people don’t watch movies on their computers. Fast forward to 2011, and the situation looks very different.

Netflix’s library of digital video transfers available for streaming has grown exponentially, and the service can be enjoyed right on your TV via a variety of streaming gadgets, from videogame consoles and Blu-ray players to set-top boxes from Apple, Roku, and more. Until last week, all subscribers to Netflix’s unlimited DVD plans (starting at $9.99 per month) also received unlimited streaming as part of the deal. But then quite suddenly, Netflix separated its streaming video service from its DVD-by-mail service, so customers who want to use both need to start paying more. A lot more.

If you were one of the millions of Americans paying Netflix $9.99 per month for its one-DVD-at-a-time unlimited rentals plan and you want to continue getting DVDs in the mail and enjoying streaming video, that same plan now costs $15.98 per month – an increase of 60 percent. Those who want two DVDs out a time will need to pay $19.98 per month. As you might expect, the announcement of a sudden 60-percent price increase did not go over well with Netflix’s customers. Within one day of the announcement, Netflix’s Facebook page received tens of thousands of angry comments, and several anti-Netflix groups were formed to rally Netflix customers to cancel their subscriptions in protest.

The tech website CNET polled more than 18,000 Netflix users, and 55 percent said that they would cancel their subscriptions on September 1, when the price hike is due to go into effect, if Netflix’s management did not reverse the decision. Unfortunately, it does not seem likely that the price increase will be reversed. Even if thousands of customers cancel their subscriptions, it is probable that enough of the company’s 23 million subscribers will stay on to make the move economically sound. When Netflix first offered high definition movies on Blu-ray, there was no extra charge. But the company later charged an extra $2 or more per month for the privilege, and the public outcry (which was admittedly small compared to what’s taking place now) seemed to have little effect. Will this price increase make you think twice about Netflix? Is the company asserting its dominance on the market, or making a fatal mistake? It seems only time will tell.

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World’s First ‘Flying Car’ Gets Approved For Highway Use

Monday, July 18th, 2011

‘Transition Roadable Aircraft’ Breaks New Ground

Hybrid Plane-Car The Vehicle Of The Future?

Last week, the Los Angeles Times reported that “the first flying car just got one step closer to gliding, and then driving, onto the market.” In fact, headlines about this new “flying car” are popping up in newspapers and web news organizations all over the country. There may be a bit of sensationalism going on here, but there is some truth to these claims as well. The vehicle in question is the Transition Roadable Aircraft, designed and built by Massachusetts-based aeronautics startup Terrafugia. Although this vehicle certainly generates some much deserved sci-fi excitement, the descriptor “flying car” isn’t exactly accurate. It’s more of an airplane that can drive on the road, but it’s still really cool.

Basically, the Transition Roadable Aircraft is an airplane with retractable wings and special tires that allow it to drive on ordinary roads (at speeds up to 100 mph). Terrafugia, the company responsible for the vehicle, was founded in 2006 by a group of passionate private pilots who also happened to be MIT-trained aeronautical engineers and MBA’s. Together this group set out to address some of the biggest challenges that face personal aviation: cost, weather sensitivity, high overall door-to-door travel time, and a lack of mobility at destination. Terrafugia’s mission was to provide the flying public with innovative solutions to these challenges, and the result of the group’s effort is the Transition Roadable Aircraft. Terrafugia first showed its proof-of-concept vehicle at the EAA AirVenture air show at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in July of 2008. After extensive powered testing, the aircraft successfully completed its first test flight in Plattsburgh, New York in 2009 (see the digital video transfer below).

Even though the vehicle is physically capable of driving on ordinary roads and highways, Terrafugia had to convince the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that its Transition Roadable Aircraft really was ready for the road. It seems now that the NHTS has been thoroughly convinced, as the Administration recently granted a series of special exemptions that make the car legally operable both in the air and on the road. These exemptions included special windows made of a polycarbonate material, and special tires that are designed both for road driving and for runway takeoffs and landings. Construction and certification of the first production model are now underway, and Terrafugia says the first customer delivery of a Transition Roadable Aircraft is expected to take place next year, for the price of $250,000.

For more information, including more photos and digital video transfers, visit TERRAFUGIA.

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