If you have a photoTunes, iPodWay says it can turn your iPod into a driving aide. iPodWay takes the directions from Yahoo! Maps and saves the files in <zip> format. Extract the file into your iTunes photo folder and sync. That’s the published process, but when I tried it … the site scripts were unable to compile the zip file. The iPod can view bmp, gif, jpg, png and tiff files (plus PSDs if you are on a Mac). Why not do the screen capture yourself? And how much detail will you get on that small screen, anyway? Curmudgeon-ly yours …
Monthly Archives: October 2005
Globally, eCommerce Still at Early Adopter Stage
A new study from ACNielsen Europe suggests that only about 10 percent of the world’s population (more than 627 million people) has shopped online at least once. Books appear to be the most commonly purchased item (thank you, Jeff Bezos) followed closely by DVDs. It’s no surprise that first world countries would have the most online shoppers. What is a surprise is that the study ranks the US eleventh with "only" 89 percent of those surveyed saying that they had bought online. In Germany, Austria and the UK, the tally was more than 95 percent.
The Slow March to HDTV
As the nation makes a slow march towards high-definition TV (digital transmission), what role will the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have in regulating content — given that TV will be freed from the crutch of “public airwaves”? The latest step in the journey is a Senate Commerce Committee action to set 7 April 2009 as the light-switch moment for analog transmission. In addition, the bill includes $3 billion to help non-satellite/cable consumers buy the converter box; the sale of the airwaves (sale?!? don’t these guys know the business model this day and age is subscription/lease/rent?) is expected to generate $10 billion. The House bill does not contain the subsidy and has a different end date.
Technorati Tags and Profile
Southpark Fun!
JD Lasica points us to this great German site where you can create your own Southpark likeness. His post suggests the site had been taken down – but it’s back up today. :)
I concur with his assessment: there is no harm here and a lot of viral marketing potential. Southpark -> take note of your Comedy Central “neighbor” The Daily Show on sharing digital content.
The Video iPod
Where to begin? I feel like I’m drinking from a firehose on this subject … so here goes.
Engadget has a realtime notes from the announcement. The new iPod records in stereo. Apple has cut a deal with ABC : they will distribute prime time Disney/ABC programming via iTunes for $1.99 a download (the day after the broadcast). Blackfriars specultates that Apple may now have its sights set "on the mess that is home theatre today."
The next big thing: writing the software to make it easy to move your Tivo/Replay recordings from the setbox to the iPod to easily "watch TV" on the bus, train or plane. Disney’s jumping into the distribution game suggests they, like Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart, may be less concerned about "digital rights management" than they are about eyeballs and buzz. After all, it’s not the same experience at 320×240 as it is in your media room. Will "TV viewing" morph from a social endeavor to a solitary one?
