5 random tracks
April 25, 2008
Times Like These - Foo Fighters
Live and Let Die - Guns N’ Roses
Alright in the Morning - Paddingtons
I Get Around - The Beach Boys
Pretty Vacant - The Sex Pistols
ITV joins iTunes
April 22, 2008
As I reported on the BBC and Channel 4 joining the iTunes library, I figured I should probably report on ITV doing muhc the same thing. Read more
Sphere: Related ContentHow I split my music
February 23, 2008
Over the last few years I’ve interviewed a number of bands and musicians, from bands just starting out with their first gig up to bands with top ten albums and major recording contracts.
Sphere: Related ContentAppleTV tips for Podcasters
February 20, 2008
I, and I’m sure everybody else with a Apple podcaster account have just received a series of Tips on making my Video Podcast more usable on the new Apple TV.
Sphere: Related ContentBBC Worldwide on iTunes
February 19, 2008
BBC Worldwide have been selling digital downloads of TV and Radio shows (audibooks) through the BBC Shop website for a while now.
Sphere: Related ContentiPlayer Downloads on a Mac?
January 17, 2008
BBC New Media head, Ashley Highfield, has hinted in a blog post that we may soon see iPlayer downloads made available on the AppleTV using their new rental model.
The post was a follow up to one he made asking users for tips on how to get content from his PC to the television - so he could watch downloads on the big screen. The follow up post was a response to comments on the original - but also included a small throwaway line in the middle.
He was talking about the AppleTV and its improvements and how this could be the idea solution for getting downloaded video content on to a TV without having to mess about with wires and software.
He then went on to say that “This, coupled with Apple’s (long anticipated) move to a rental model, means that we can look to getting BBC iPlayer onto this platform too, as we should be able to use the rental functionality to allow our programmes to be downloaded, free, but retained for a time window, and then erased, as our rightsholders currently insist.”
Exciting stuff and as the rental model also works on Desktop and laptop machines - it could be a way for the BBC to offer iPlayer downloads for the Mac as well as Windows - I wonder whether this would be through a BBC iPlayer section of iTunes or whether the Beeb would be able to get permission to use Fairplay Rental on iPlayer files.
Sphere: Related ContentThe missing link
January 16, 2008
I’ve written quite a lot recently about the iPlayer and the other related catch-up services offered by ITV, Channel 4 and to a MUCH lesser extend five and SKY.
These are all great concepts, giving me the chance to watch almost any show broadcast on that channel for up to a week after broadcast - I’ve used the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 offerings quite a lot - mainly when I forget to Sky+ something or when my wife already has two shows lined up for that time.
But these solutions are never really going to hit mainstream - ok so they’re getting really good numbers - more than a million viewers since Christmas watching around 3.5 million shows - but that doesn’t mean it will hit mainstream.
I’ve spoken to a number of people who have said they’ll never use the iPlayer because they don’t want to sit in front of a small screen watching TV when they’ve got a big screen in their living room for doing that on.
I know a number of people that HAVE already used the service - mainly people bored in an office needing a lunchtime fix - after all it is pretty easy to use - select a show and press play! But I think there are more people out there that would like to use a catch-up service but can’t get their head around it.
These people might have WiFi at home (after all most ISPs offer it as a default set-up option now) but don’t have the computer skills to get the streaming services working OR don’t want to watch on a small screen.
Enter the set-top-box idea.
Basically for the iPlayer and all related products to reach mass appeal it needs to be as easy to use as Freeview or Sky+ - it really needs to be on a set-top-box that plugs into the scart socket of the TV and just works when you turn it on.
But I don’t think for a second the BBC, ITV or any broadcaster should think about building their own box - but if BBC, ITV and Channel 4 released an SDK or similar for their catch-up services to hardware manufacturers it would mean we could start to see boxes with iPlayer streaming built in.
On such box is the newly revamped Apple TV - it would fit the bill (even if it is a bit costly) as it already plays streamed video from You Tube, lets you download directly from the iTunes store and has podcast download support.
An iPlayer menu on the Apple TV could give you access to the iPlayer streaming service, could eventually include the iPlayer download service (maybe with Fairplay DRM) and give you access to all the BBC audio podcasts (and video podcasts when they re-launch them).
To me this would be the real missing link - it would mean I could comfortably sit on the sofa and watch anything from the iPlayer without having to get up to my computer and click on a new video everytime one finishes (I already have video from my computer displayed on the TV but it isn’t ideal).
It’s also probably the only thing that would cause me to spend £200 on the device. But it doesn’t have to be limited to the Apple TV - there’s no reason why the XBox 360 shouldn’t support iPlayer streaming or any other third party device that might come out in future.
In fact there’s no reason why a Freeview box manufacturer couldn’t add WiFi and build in an on-demand menu.
Sphere: Related ContentThe cycle of media desire
December 31, 2007
On Monday Ryan read a book and the book was good
On Tuesday Ryan listened to a podcast and the podcast was good
On Wendesday Ryan watch TV and the programme was good
On Thursday Ryan turned on the Radio and the show was good
On Friday Ryan watched a DVD and the DVD was good
On Saturday Ryan listened to music and the music was good
On Sunday Ryan was shouted at by his wife for paying her no attention all Christmas and it wasn’t so good
Tastes change and mine are no different to anyone elses, one day I’m really into reading while listening to music and the next day I’ll be catching up on the hours of programmes I’ve had sitting in Sky+ for the best part of a month.
Normally my main past time is listening to podcasts and audiobooks - my iPod is great because it means I can hang it around my neck and listen to its bountiful contents anywhere I like - on the toilet, walking to work, washing the dishes or reading a book - I particularly like listening to something overly atomospheric and prenting I’m in a movie with my own soundtrack.
Unfortunately I’ve been iPod free for the past week or two as I managed to overload the power or something - basically it smelt a bit burney and then stopped responding - nothing worked.
Fortunately I got a new iPod for Christmas from my parents who brought it over with them when they visited us this weekend (thanks mum and dad - it’s a great present).
So I’ve been busy filling my iPod with music, videos and podcasts to listen to while walking around - or at least you’d think I would be but first I had to work out why the bloody thing kept asking me to “Insert the Mobile Resource Disk” every time I tried to plug the bloody thing in.
I eventually worked out the problem and for anyone using Windows and having the same problem when trying to install the iPod Nano (third gen) on a Windows XP machine:
Uninstall iTunes AND the Apple Mobile Device Support - in fact the mobile support is the most important one to uninstall - I tried uninstalling iTunes without that and the problem still happened when I re-installed iTunes again.
Now it all works I’ve managed to get a few bits on it and am on the lookout for a decent AVI to iPod video convertor that won’t cost a huge amount of money and won’t fill my system with shit-ware.
This post was supposed to be a look at the cycle of media desire - the idea that what we want changed depending on mood, situation and weather but then the Smiths came on my iPod and I desided it was all too much bollocks to bother writing about.
Happy New Year
(Oh and this blog was down because I lost my password and I’m with Fasthosts).
Sphere: Related ContentBack to basics?
December 13, 2007
I love my iPod - it goes with me EVERYWHERE. I have it on a lanyard and it sits around my kneck from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed (only coming off when I’m in the shower).
It’s not always in my ear - I take it out when I’m talking to somebody, watching TV, listening to the radio or writing - but do still use it when reading a book or blog post.
But I’m getting really pissed off with it. I’ve had it for two years now and sticking to the general rule of Lithium Ion batteries (between 300 and 500 charges), it’s giving up the ghost. A charge lasts about two hours and it keeps crashing.
So I’m getting a new one for Christmas - or at the latest early 2007 (when I’ve got the money). But it has led me to wonder - is it time to go back to basics.
This is also inspired by the Amazon Kindle and Sony eBook reader - I love the idea of going all Sci-Fi and having a device that I can pick up and use to read any book I want or even have my newspaper or favourite blogs delivered directly too it - when I’m on the bog.
But it will have the same problem as my iPod. In two years its battery will start to die, it will get flaky and I will have to buy a new one. I dont’ get that with paper.
I read a lot of books and have a fairly large library of everything from SciFi to cookery and everything else in between. I can pick up a book, shove it in my bag and know that I can pull it out and read it any time I like - without having to worry about the batteries being dead.
Oh and while we’re on the subject of books - YES I CRACK THE SPINE - a book is there to be read, it’s there to be enjoyed and the best way to enjoy a book is crack the spine, fold it in half and get on with it.
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