Apparently my expectations weren’t low enough, and Apple’s final Macworld keynote featured very little in the way of compelling new tech. Which pretty much emphasizes why Apple doesn’t need to headline, if conversation remains product-focused. And pre-announcing products is bad for business – tech should be delivered when ready. Not on arbitrary show dates. So … Read more
One year ago I wrote about MGM’s trial release of the movie A Dog’s Breakfast on iTunes and put in a prayer that Joss Whedon would follow the straight-to-download distribution model. Apparently someone heard me over in Whedonverse. If you’re a fan (Buffy, Angel, Firefly…), you’ve likely already heard about Dr. Horrible‘s Sing-Along Blog, the … Read more
Apple’s iTV software reboot, aka Take 2, just hit the net. TUAW itemizes the new features: HD/Standard Def movie rentals Purchase/rent items from the iTunes Store directly from Apple TV Flickr/.Mac photo browsing Browse the iTunes Podcast directory from the Apple TV With this refresh and lowered price point ($229), Apple TV is looking more … Read more
Moman is fresh out of DVR-ed HD content and wondered if I (or any ZNF readers) have any suggestions on how his family might weather the remainder of the writers strike. Unfortunately, things will get worse before they get better. Even if a deal is struck soon, it’ll be months before we see fresh content … Read more
In what I assume is a move to advertise their (recently acquired) Movielink service (and get some press), Blockbuster has paid over a million bucks to exclusively distribute Jackass 2.5 for one week. The NY Times writes: Paramount Pictures is lurching onto the Web with its âJackassâ? franchise, with what it says will be the … Read more
Missing Remote’s Daniel Schoerner has written a nice, comprehensive review of Beyond TV 4.7. He covers all BTV features with a focus on the new functionality, appreciating iTunes Integration and the lesser-publicized Firefly Mobile feature – allowing you to use your iPhone or smart phone as a remote control. Overall, it’s a great overview and … Read more
Buried toward the end of this morning’s WSJ article on Sony is a short blurb on Apple TV: Apple’s set-top device called Apple TV, which lets users play music and video from their computer-based iTunes library, has not been selling strongly since it went on sale earlier this year, analysts say. I had numerous debates … Read more
1. 30 Second Skip ReplayTV offered the consumer friendly Commercial Advance feature, which probably contributed to their court woes and ultimate demise. Fortunately, TiVo provides a “secret” (shh, don’t tell) code for enabling a 30 second skip. Press the ->| button 4-5 times to quickly bypass most commercial interludes. It’s not quite as cool as … Read more