See Matt Skelton's Euro tilt live on internet!

I know the connoisseurs among you would close your curtains if he was fighting in your back garden but the less refined fan can see Matt Skelton challenge for the European heavyweight title in Italy on Friday live on the internet.

Italian promoters OPI 2000 stage a show at Milan's historic Palalido and three Euro titles of some description will be on the line, all with domestic interest (if you're Italian).

Paolo Vidoz will challenge Matt Skelton for the vacant European heavyweight title; Euro light-welter champion Gianluca Branco will defend against Juho Tolppola and EU light-welter champion Giuseppe Lauri will face unbeaten Ville Piispanen.

Look, don't ask me any technical information but here's the guff from the Italian press release:

"The EUROPEAN BOXING NIGHT will be broadcast in live streaming worldwide on the channel BOXE NOW WBC of the tv platform Streamit.

"BOXE NOW WBC is the new channel of OPI 2000 headed by Salvatore e Christian Cherchi, which aims to become the international reference point for all boxing lovers, with live streaming. Streamit.it - the TV ReWWWolution – is the first worldwide free television that broadcasts on Internet by streaming, in high definition and total full screen, with no need of decoder. The show will be broadcast FOR FREE all over the world by Streamit.it - The High Definition Web Tv, starting at 8:00 P.M. Italian-time.

"Starting now and until Friday 19, Streamit.it will broadcast for free Giacobbe Fragomeni's WBC world cruiserweight title win over Rudolf Kraj. The fight took place on October 24, in Milan. Go to the menu - free on demand and click on the fight. It was a fantastic brawl."

So there you have it.

The internet was surely invented for moments like this - the Bedford Bear's invasion of Italy!

Crunchyroll - Watch Movies and Anime in Asia.

Crunchyroll is a video hosting website that focus on asian movies and animes. This site is good for avid fans of korean, japanese, thai, filipino and chinese movies and tv series. They provide english subtitles and all videos are working good.

Each video has each own english subtitles so that anyone could watch it and understand it. The subtitles are good provided by the uploaders and some other staff of crunchyroll.

Users need to register to watch more than one video and the registration is totally free. Many people talked about the website and it had gained ground in the internet. The problem is that its only popular in asia. They sometimes call the website as "CR" which means crunchyroll.

Crunchyroll.com was initially made by Shinji for himself and his friends but now it had evolved alot and more people are coming into the website. The good thing is that the website obeys copyright laws and removes videos requested by copyright owners to be removed.

Crunchyroll is better than any other video streaming website because of its fast buffering speed, good web design and easy navigation because movies are arranged well.

The website also feature several music game and car related videos. Registered members can interact and comment about the videos easily. The crunchyroll forums is also good. More features are added regularly in crunchyroll.

Christmas Movie

Press full Screen on the viewer to see view this movie

Livestation To Bring Streaming Live TV To iPhone

Livestation, a service claiming to be "Slingbox without the box," says they are working on an app that would let users watch live streaming TV programs on their iPhone or iPod touch. The service would let you view video being streamed to your computer from anywhere with an internet connection.

The app is currently still in development, and they have yet to announce a release date. There's a little skepticism about if they can actually pull it off, but it will be pretty great if they can. There are already a few video apps in the App Store like Hulu and Netflix's streaming video service, but this would be the first to cover live TV programs.

Christmas Movie

Press full screen on viewer screen

Christmas will soon be upon us, enjoy the cookies recipes

We would like to share some Christmas recipes for all who read this blog. We will post a recipe on a frequent basis. Be careful of your waistline.

Great Aunt Ellen's Smorbakelser
Submitted by
Caroline Johnson, New Brighton

"Every year, my Great-Aunt Ellen made her Smorbakelser cookies for Christmas Eve. The recipe came from Sweden with her mother in 1882.

Great-Aunt Ellen ground the cardamom for the cookies in the old coffee grinder her mom had used to grind coffee in the galley of the ship on her way to America. Every Christmas, Great-Aunt Ellen's gifts to us were her cookies and the story about how she and her family would ride in a horse-drawn sleigh, warmed with hot bricks, from their farm in North St. Paul to Christmas Eve services. As Great-Aunt Ellen used to say, this is how it was long, long ago."

Makes 5 dozen
1/3 cup sugar plus additional sugar for dipping cookies
1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
3 teaspoons baking powder
3-1/2 cups flour
1 cup butter
1 cup whipping cream

To prepare oven: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
To make dough: In bowl, mix sugar, cardamom, baking powder and flour. Using pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly, resembling piecrust dough. Mix in whipping cream. Shape into a ball. Divide into 3 balls.
To bake cookies: Using 1 ball at a time on lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 or 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes. (Note: Traditionally, Smorbakelser were cut with a doughnut cutter and dipped in granulated sugar, but they also can be cut into heart and tree shapes and dipped in colored sugar.) Dip top of each cookie in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet ¼-inch apart. Bake thicker cookies for 14 to 16 minutes or until brown on bottom and quite pale on top. (Note: Thicker cookies resemble shortbread.) Bake thinner cookies for 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to wire rack. Cool completely.
To make chocolate mixture: In heavy saucepan (low and wide works better than deep one), melt shortening over low heat. Add chocolate. Heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Stir in molasses. Combine sugar and soda. Add to warm mixture. Heat until mixture bubbles and becomes quite thick. Continue heating, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until sugar crystals no longer grate on bottom of pan. Remove from heat. Cool.

To finish dough: Sift together flour, salt, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon. Set aside. Beat egg into cooled chocolate mixture. Transfer cooled mixture to large mixing bowl. Gradually add flour mixture. Mix thoroughly. (Note: Mixture is thick; you may need to mix with your hands.) Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chilled throughout.
To prepare oven, cookie sheets: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease. Set aside.

To bake cookies: Roll out dough to ¼-inch thickness on lightly floured board. (Note: Roll dough thicker if you prefer softer cookies.) Cut out with cookie cutters. Transfer to prepared cookie sheet, placing cookies fairly close to each other. (Note: These cookies do not spread when baking.) Bake for 8 minutes. Remove to cookie racks. Cool completely. Frost and decorate with favorite icing.

List of Video Sharing Social Sites

I put this article together because my ceriousity allowed me to ask this question and research the answer. I looked all around the internet in search of good video sharing social sites and this is what I found. I hope you enjoy them as I have.

VIDEO SHARING SOCIAL SITES

1. YouTube.com - YouTube, LLC is a video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips. YouTube was created in February 2005 by three former PayPal employees. In November 2006, YouTube was bought by Google Inc. for $1.65 billion dollars, and is now operated as a subsidiary of Google. The company is based in San Bruno, California, and uses Adobe Flash Video technology to display a wide variety of user-generated video content, including movie clips, TV clips and music videos, as well as amateur content such as video blogging and short original videos. Most of the content on YouTube has been uploaded by members of the public, although media organizations including CBS and the BBC offer some of their material via the site.

2. Vimeo- is a video-centric social network site (owned by IAC/InterActiveCorp) which launched in November 2004. The site supports embedding, sharing, video storage, and allows user-commenting on each video page. Users must register to upload content. Registered users may also create a profile and upload small user pictures as their avatars, comment and “like” videos.

3. AniBOOM- is a cross-media animation website offering a collection of short animations and cartoon, animation tools (like ShapeShifter), and competitions. Registered users can submit animated movies, which are then categorized according to type. Users are able to evaluate videos by giving them a number of “bombs” and by posting comments. AniBOOM also offers option to email the video to a friend, to post to a blog or social network profile page, or add to favorites. Users are given “BoomZones”, or profile pages, in which to showcase their videos.

4. Atom.com- (formerly AtomFilms) is an award-winning broadband entertainment network offering original short subject films, animations, and series by independent creators. The company was founded in 1998 in Seattle by Mika Salmi.

5. FameCast- is a social network website serving both bands seeking increased exposure and music fans looking for new independent artists. Once per month the site hosts a contest in which the community votes for their favorite artists in six different music genres. The winners of each category are featured in SPIN magazine and advance to the next contest level and have a chance to win cash. Headquarters in Austin, Texas, U.S. (2006)

6.http://www.liveleak.com/- is a video sharing website that lets users post and share videos. Liveleak places emphasis on current events, politics and reality-based footage such as war scenes from various parts of the world. The site went live on 31 October 2006. Founded by the team responsible for Ogrish.com, it aims to take reality footage, politics, and world events and combine them with the power of citizen journalism. The site came to prominence in 2007 following the unauthorized filming and leaking of the execution of Saddam Hussein, and was referred to by White House Press Secretary Tony Snow and then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

7. Flickr Video- is an image and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community platform. It was one of the earliest Web 2.0 applications. In addition to being a popular Web site for users to share personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers as a photo repository. Its popularity has been fueled by its organization tools, which allow photos to be tagged and browsed by folksonomic means. As of November 2008[update], it claims to host more than 3 billion images. Launched on February 2004.

8. http://photobucket.com/- is an image hosting, video hosting, slideshow creation and photo sharing website. It was founded in 2003 by Alex Welch and Darren Crystal and received funding from Trinity Ventures. It was acquired by Fox Interactive Media in 2007.

9. Twango is an online media sharing site that supports multiple file types such as photos, video, audio, and documents. It provides users a means of repurposing their media, including sharing, editing, organizing and categorizing. In addition, Twango saves all the original media and its metadata (this includes, but is not limited to, IPTC and Exif). Non-members are free to browse the site, while members can upload media of their own. Sign up for a basic account is free, and provides 250 megabytes of upload bandwidth a month. Twango was acquired by Nokia in July 2007 and has since been rebranded as the Share on Ovi service.

10. BGVIP.TV [Translated: English]- is a video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips. The website contains a variety of user-generated video content, including movie clips, TV clips and music videos, as well as amateur content such as videoblogging and short original videos.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

Blockbuster launches Internet movie downloads to compete against Neflix, others

Blockbuster Inc. will debut a new service Tuesday that delivers movies to your home via the Internet, as the DVD rental giant looks to expand the ways it can provide movies to customers.

The service will be called “Blockbuster on Demand” and requires a box (pictured) made by 2Wire Inc. At least initially, the box is included free if customers rent 25 movies in advance for $99.

No other pricing plans are currently offered, said Jim Keyes, Blockbuster’s CEO. After the first 25 movies are watched, prices will start at $1.99 per film. The box will ship in time for the holidays and can be ordered Tuesday at Blockbuster.com.

Web-based movie delivery is “developing and we’re learning about consumer patterns,” Keyes said. The service “is for early adopters. It’s our goal to gather consumer knowledge to move forward.”

More than 2,000 movies and TV shows will be available at launch time, with more titles to be added later.

Blockbuster has been closing stores over the past year and announced a quarterly loss earlier this month. But losses have narrowed as the chain remakes itself.

"They're operating fewer stores, but they're making more money on a per store basis," Stern Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia told Reuters after third-quarter earnings were released. Blockbuster's shares have been trading for less than $1 since Nov. 11. Shares closed Tuesday at 95 cents.

In some respects, the Blockbuster online delivery service is similar to what Netflix offers.

The Netflix “watch instantly” service can deliver more than 12,000 movies or TV shows through a box that connects to your television. The box is attached to an Internet router or accessed via Wi-Fi to stream movies. (This Eric 2.0 post provides more information on other devices that work with the Netflix Internet service.)

There are three key differences with Blockbuster On Demand, Keyes said.

First, it will offer (mostly) new releases.

“We are focusing on quality vs. quantity,” Keyes said. “The selection will be consistent to what you see in a Blockbuster store.”

A caveat: Once a movie is released to DVD, it will not immediately be available for Blockbuster on Demand. That could take an additional 30 to 60 days for most new releases. “The Dark Knight” will be available immediately, Keyes noted, since Warner Bros. will release the movie for DVD and video-on-demand services the same day on Dec. 9.

“But that’s the exception and not the rule,” he said, noting the studios set separate release dates for DVDs and on-demand content.

Still, it could be months or years before such a title appears on the Netfix Internet service. Netflix wants to keep prices low, so it won’t pay to have new releases as part of its subscription service, the company said in a recent interview.

That leads to the second difference. Blockbuster on Demand is pay as you go, with movies costing between $1.99 and $3.99, Keyes said. You have 30 days to watch the movie, but only 24 hours to finish watching once you start.

With Netflix, you pay a minimum of $8.99 a month to get the Internet streaming service. However, you can watch as much as you want for that price.

Third, Blockbuster and 2Wire also can deliver high-definition video. After a customer orders the movie, it will start playing “by the time your popcorn’s popped,” said Pat Romano, 2Wire’s CEO.

Netflix currently does not offer HD content for its Internet service.

Blockbuster is competing against more than just Netflix. Both Apple and Amazon offer a download service with pay-as-you-go content. But both of those services require a computer as a go-between, at least at this point.

Blockbuster and Netflix, on the other hand, require only a high-speed Internet connection. (You could rightly argue that if you already have a high-speed Web connection, you have the computer needed for the other services.)

Keyes realizes there is a lot of competition to bring movies straight to your TV over the Internet.

“Our competitive advantage is that we already own the customer for home entertainment,” he said. “And we think we can migrate them to other” forms of delivery. “We are encouraging our customers to use multiple channels.”

Blockbuster has 60 million customers; the company won’t break out what services they use. Keyes acknowledges the vast majority come from stores.

Blockbuster offers four channels of delivery, including the Web-based on-demand service.

Store-based DVD rentals and movies by mail are established programs, but Blockbuster is also experimenting with kiosks to deliver movies directly to a portable device.

As the company learns more about customers' behavior over the next six months, Keyes said of the on-demand service, “the offering will transform itself.”

Romano, from 2Wire, agreed. He said his company’s box “is capable” of doing more than movie rentals, “but we want to get feedback and figure out how to grow.

“The platform has the legs for Blockbuster to expand it at will,” he said. The box itself is the size of two boxes of movie candy, a press release describes.

YouTube Live TOKYO: All Systems Go

Uncategorized Dodaj komentarzToday we are pleased to announce that Japan will be hosting its own YouTube Live event on Sunday, November 23, in Tokyo, with the show available to view on the site for an audience across the globe.

After the curtain falls on YouTube Live in San Francisco, YouTube Live TOKYO feat. iQ will kick into gear, featuring a mix of the best that Japan’s user community has to offer and performances from topline Asian talent, including a star turn from pop sensation BoA.

Tickets for the event are now available for users resident in Japan through the YouTube Live TOKYO channel . Attendance is limited to 2,000 and tickets will be allocated on a lottery basis – you’ll need to sign up by November 7 if you want to come and enjoy the show.

Stay tuned to YouTube Live TOKYO for developments in the line-up. We’ve got a lot of great acts to unveil between now and the event.

Until then: sayonara!

The YouTube Team

Celebrities recruited for live YouTube event

As if dominating the Internet video world isn't enough, YouTube now aims to up the ante for mass audience online with two live-streamed entertainment events this weekend that will originate in San Francisco and Tokyo.

YouTubeLive! at 5 p.m. Saturday at Fort Mason will team online-made sensations such as Bo Burnham, Esmee Denters and Hollywood Reporter Michael Buckley with a star-studded lineup of musicians and artists known worldwide — including rapper Akon, English music sensation Katy Perry, emcee-turned-producer Will.i.am and director John Chu.

The show will mark YouTube's first attempt at streaming a live show.

But if you're hoping to score a ticket, you're out of luck. Only a few hundred were distributed to the public in an effort to encourage online viewing.

"You can log in on Saturday afternoon and watch these acts come together," said Michelle Covington, a representative of the public relations firm Allison and Partners, which represents YouTube. "YouTube stars will perform. It's basically going to be a great way to bring people together for a free concert over the Internet."

The lineup, selected by YouTube users, takes online interactivity to a new level, organizers said.

"We'd been asking different YouTube community members who they wanted to see," YouTube marketing guru Chris Di Cesare said. "We didn't choose the performers — they did."

Each of the artists, whether their followings are broad-based or strictly

YouTube-based, has in some way interacted with the YouTube community.

"We looked at the most-subscribed channels when selecting our performers," Di Cesare said. "Like Fred (Figglehorn), for example. He's this 17-year-old kid who has a massive following. On the other hand, you have people like Katy Perry, who has her own channel on YouTube where she actually interacts with people."

In total, the 50 performers are responsible for well over 2.5 billion hits on YouTube, according to Di Cesare.

Buckley (YouTube.com/whatthebuck) began posting his thoughts on celebrities and Hollywood two years ago. Since then, he has amassed a following of nearly 6 million fans, who tune into his show every week to hear his thoughts on the latest Hollywood gossip.

"It became something so much bigger than I could've possibly imagined," said Buckley, who will act as a backstage host for the upcoming event. "To say that YouTube has changed my life is definitely an understatement."

The channel will have multiple live streams running simultaneously — one for the main stage and others for different aspects of the event, Buckley said.

Users can switch between streams to catch all of the live action as it happens.

"We've been seeing the community on YouTube get together in cities across the world," Di Cesare said. "We always thought it would be great if YouTube did a global event, so we decided to do it."

BBC One and BBC Two to stream live online from next week

BBC One and BBC Two to stream live online from next week

Watching television programmes over the internet has taken off in the past year since the introduction of the BBC's catchup service, the iPlayer

The BBC is to begin showing all its programmes live over the internet from next week, raising questions about the long-term viability of the licence fee.

Critics said that although viewers would still need to buy a licence to watch programmes on their computers, it would become harder to ensure payment. There are also questions over whether the telephone network could cope with the expected rise in internet traffic.

Sir Howard Davies, the director of the London School of Economics, who sat on a committee reviewing the future of the licence fee at the beginning of the decade, said: “What are they going to do? Seize your computer and look through your history? Can you imagine the licensing people doing that level of enforcement?”

The corporation, which already makes digital channels such as BBC Three and BBC Four available online, announced yesterday that it would complete the picture by making BBC One and BBC Two available from next Thursday.

Watching television programmes over the internet has taken off in the past year since the introduction of the BBC’s catchup service, the iPlayer, which enables viewing of material broadcast in the previous seven days.

Since its launch on Christmas Day last year, some or all BBC programmes have been watched 250 million times. EastEnders, watched by an average of 18.9 million at least once a month on broadcast television, was watched 457,000 times on the iPlayer last month.

The corporation believes that viewing over the internet will not be enough to persuade the public to get rid of their televisions. A spokesman said that the BBC wanted to “offer our licence fee-payers more choice and flexibility” and that the broadcaster “fully expects this to supplement, rather than replace, viewing via traditional broadcast to a television”.

In total 25.3 million households pay the television licence, generating £3.37 billion for the BBC. However, one in 20 households dodges the levy, despite an aggressive enforcement campaign in which viewers are told that the list of nonpayers are “all in our database”.

A television licence is required “irrespective of what device you are using – television, computer, laptop, mobile phone or any other – and how you receive programmes, whether by satellite, cable, via the internet or any other way,” according to TV Licensing, the body that collects the fee. It also pays for BBC radio.

There are concerns about the impact that a surge in online viewing could have on the way the internet functions.

Francesco Caio, who conducted a review into the future of the network for the Government this year, believes that there could be medium-term problems because of the extra capacity required for live television.

Mr Caio said: “Online television does not cause any capacity issues for the moment but in three to five years’ time there could be problems that will particularly affect areas of dense population.”

A spokeswoman for Tiscali, the fourth-biggest internet provider, said: “If you download a television programme, it can be done efficiently, in between other network traffic, but streaming a video [showing live before it is completely downloaded] takes up a set amount of capacity – about 300 kilobits a second.” Tiscali believes that broadcasters could pay more to prioritise their content to run smoothly over the internet, although the BBC has shown little willingness to pay.

Mr Caio said that the unwillingness of broadcasters to pay would more likely lead to the cost being borne by consumers through an increased monthly subscription.

“Broadband prices have been falling but I think we could get to the point where the need for investment means that prices of telephone and internet services will start heading north,” he said.

Jana Bennett, the director of BBC Vision, said: “The launch of BBC One and BBC Two online completes our commitment to make our portfolio of channels available to watch on the internet.”

Formally, the BBC plans to run the online broadcasts of its two principal channels for a year but it is unlikely to abandon the experiment.

In any event it has little choice because existing rules mean that any website can transmit the two channels, plus ITV1, Channel 4 and Five, if they have the right technology.

Online broadcasting is also likely to be a boon for technologically sophisticated expatriates and other viewers who do not pay the licence fee.

Although the BBC, like other broadcasters, tries to ensure that its content can be watched only in the United Kingdom, it is possible to buy software that covers up a web surfer’s location, making them appear to be watching in Britain even when they are not.

Wondershare released streaming video recorder to download online TV & streaming video

Wondershare Streaming Video Recorder is a powerful online TV recorder, it can record nearly all the online TV channels, web video, download online TV shows, and even streaming movies transmitted through various network streaming protocols. Wondershare released streaming video recorder to download online TV & streaming video

Wondershare, a leading provider of net media recoding and converting, just released a brand new product named Wondershare Streaming Video Recorder. It’s a powerful software that can download online TV, streaming video, streaming movie, live broadcast, the attached video converter has a well designed converting mechanism which can convert the recorded video files into various regular formats compliable with the most popular digital players as iPod, iphone3G, PSP, Creative Zen, Zune and intelligent mobile phone etc.

Wondershare Streaming Video Recorder embeds more than 1600 Free online TV Channels. Support global online TV channels, including NBC, CBS, BBC, etc.

With it you can easily download your favorite online TV programs, You Tube videos, and other streaming video clips, the embedded video converter can also help you to turn the downloaded video files into WMV, M4V, AVI, MOV, VOB, WMA, MP3, AC3, OGG etc, in both video formats and audio formats.


Key Features

1.Free download online TV and convert into wmv, m4v, avi.
It has an ingenious sniffer which can detect streaming video and audio automatically, if the media file is recordable, the sniffer will bubble out message to note you to record or just skip it. The built in converter can help you convert the recorded files into various media formats you want.

2.Thousands FREE online TV channels handy
Wondershare Streaming Video Recorder has a reserved streaming media sites list, which serves you thousand of online TV and web video URL. With it you can stroll over all those hot sites at ease, music, video clips, TV programs, movies, as much as you can imagine.

3.Download history backup in real time
Every target file’s ID will be displayed and backed up automatically for you to review or re-download. Besides, the downloaded file can be renamed freely as you like, which is convenient for you to make your own media reserve.

4.Multi-functioned video converter
The embedded video converter can convert the recorded media files into various regular formats like MP3, MP4, 3GP, WMV, AVI, MOV, MPG, M4V, OGG, APE, VOB, WMA, AAC, AC3 etc, which greatly satisfies your digital players as iPod, iPhone, PSP, Zune, Creative Zen, and cell phones.

5.Fast record speed & high download quality
It’s tested that completely record a 20M FLV video file costs only half a minute if your bandwidth is enough. The attached Wondershare Player will prove you the download quality is perfect without any loss.

Availability & suggestion

You can download the newest version of Wondershare Streaming Video Recorder here
http://www.flash-on-tv.com/streaming-video-recorder.html

Then, take an amazing tour to record your favorite online TV programs, streaming video clips and convert them to satisfy your digital players by free trail of Wondershare Streaming Video Recorder.

Please let us know if you had any problem by sending your feedback to our email: sales-hm3@wondershare.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

More information please visit: www.flash-on-tv.com

Seattle's GridNetworks launches "click-to-watch" Web video on Xbox, PS3

After spending two years building infrastructure for quickly delivering video over the Internet, Seattle's GridNetworks today is launching GridCast TV with several Web video sites.

GridCast adds a buttons to Web videos so people browsing at home can click "watch on TV" and have the video streamed across their home networks for playback on an Xbox 360, PlayStation3 or TVs with other systems for connecting to the Internet.

The first time a user clicks one of the buttons, Grid downloads a small application that uses DLNA media streaming standards. Videos are up to 720p resolution depending on the speed of the user's network connection.

Launch partners include Revision3, havocTV and IndieFlix, which earlier used GridNetworks to stream independent videos during the Seattle International Film Festival. Additional channels will be announced soon, executives said.

It's a nice way to get videos from the Web to your television if you have the right setup and you're interested in the content from sites using the technology. I wonder, though, how GridCast will compete with Flash and Silverlight-based TV and movie services including those from Netflix, Hulu and Amazon.com.

Grid Chief Executive Tony Naughtin, who earlier co-founded Internap, said the service was "designed for the living room" unlike Flash, and it gives publishers control over the content they choose to stream with this technology. It's also not exclusive - a Web site could add Grid "watch on TV" buttons and also offer other ways to stream the content around the home.

Other founders and managers of Grid are veterans of RealNetworks and Cisco. It's backers include Comcast, Panorama Capital and Cisco. Naughtin said they may seek a second round of funding in mid to late 2009.

While the consumer-oriented service is surfacing now, the company continues to develop back-end technologies for video broadcasting that will be released later.

Who watches TV on TV anymore?

How’s this for layers of irony: my teenage daughter was in her room recently watching the TV show Gossip Girl on her laptop — let’s not get into exactly how — when I overheard the following line from the show: “Who watches TV on TV anymore?” (A quick Google search reveals I didn’t mishear it).

That’s indeed the billion-dollar question as telecom service providers enter today’s video arena — a market that spans cable, satellite, the Internet and mobile devices. At the TelcoTV show this week, Parks Associates released some video-viewing data showing just how confusing — yet full of opportunity — today’s video market really is.

According to Parks, Internet video viewing is indeed on the rise, but so is the viewing of prime-time TV shows. The research shows that 80% of adults in broadband homes do some form of Internet video viewing. Twenty-six million adult home broadband users are watching streaming TV episodes at least once a month, and about 6 million adults in broadband homes pay for premium Web video content on a monthly basis. At the same time, many of those are catching up on TV viewing they missed — with just over half (52%) watching missed episodes, while 37% liked watching shows for free, and 29% appreciated having fewer ads in Web replays.

Those are interesting numbers, and they point to a clear trend that finds viewers attracted to — and searching out — content across a variety of networks and devices. It’s a blurring of the lines that only will continue.

Just this week, AT&T debuted its VideoCrawler video Web search engine, staking a claim in the growing Web video market. It’s not a stretch to imagine VideoCrawler pulled onto AT&T’s U-verse service; Verizon already is beta-testing just such a service, which it demoed at the Telephony LIVE event last month. Comcast, meanwhile, has been crossing the TV and Web worlds with its Fancast site.

Buzz Watch: Tune In November 22nd for YouTube Live

YouTube is going back to the future with creating appointment TV on the Internet.

YouTube’s Head of Marketing, Chris Di Cesare, talks about how they were urged by the community to do streaming live events. In response, they’ll do doing the first one on November 22nd with three streams from different angles. So what is the event going to be about? YouTube puts it this way: “Part concert, part variety show and part party, YouTube Live will bring together some of the amazing videos and unforgettable individuals that have contributed towards making the site what it is today.” The event will feature Internet-born stars like Soulja Boy Tell'em, Esmee Denters, and "Canon Rock" virtuoso Funtwo as well as Internet-savvy mainstream starts like Will. I. Am and Akon. It is also noteworthy because it's a step away from being just a technology provider to getting into original programming. YouTube will monetize the event with sponsors Guitar Hero World Tour and Virgin America. The sponsors will in turn take advantage of the event by promoting their own YouTube-branded services such as a Virgin America flight with YouTube celebrities. Great idea, but who would want to be stuck next to the crazy Britney guy for two hours on an airplane? Not me. But I bet that it has a certain appeal to some members of the YouTube community. And judging by the buzz the event is getting online, I think that YouTube Live will be a hit.

MySpace Launches Primetime Application

MySpace Launches Primetime Application Enabling Users to Watch Full-Length & Short Form Hulu, Warner Bros, MySpace Original and Licensed Content on Profiles and Home Pages
Application Enables Additional Monetization Opportunities On At Least 150 Million New Pages Per Month For Content Partners




LOS ANGELES(BUSINESS WIRE) -- --Redesigned MySpace Primetime Community Also Launching
MySpace today announced the domestic launch of the MySpace Primetime Application ( http://www.myspace.com/primetimeapp). The new, internally developed, application is available free for users to embed onprofiles and homepages with one click of the mouse.
Once embedded, the MySpace Primetime application allows users to search for and watch premium content from Hulu and any of the +150 branded channels on MySpaceTV. All of the content is derived from a partnership with Hulu, Warner Bros, Sony and from MySpaceTV originals, such as Roommates and Special Delivery. The extensive programming is easily found via efficient micro search or intuitive A-Z directory functionality.
The MySpace Primetime Application is free to download for all users. It is ad-supported through the multiple ad-solutions available on MySpace including companion display advertising, tickers, pre-roll, post-roll, amongst others.
"The Primetime Application highlights how professional video content is being voraciously consumed across the MySpace ecosystem, not just within MySpaceTV," said Jason Kirk, VP of Video & Entertainment for MySpace. "Video on MySpace flows throughout the network as there aremultiple entry pointswherevideoscan be discovered, watched and shared including comments, bulletins and MySpaceTV. We believe the 76 million US users spending four hours on the site every month, and the advertisers that rely on our ad-solutions, will be happy with the flexibility of this application."
Here's how users add the MySpace Primetime application to their
profiles/user homepage:

STEP 1: Visit http://www.myspace.com/primetimeapp
STEP 2: Click the "Add this App" button in the top right hand corner.
STEP 3: A pop-up box regarding placement and notification options
appears. Users then choose where they want the application to be
placed on their homepage or profile and how they want it to be
updated, if at all. Once satisfied with their selections, users
click "Add" to continue.
STEP 4: The application will then be added to the area the user
indicated in the previous step.
STEP 5: ALL DONE! Users may now start using the application.

In addition to the MySpace Primetime Application, MySpace has redesigned the MySpace Primetime community (originally launched December 2007) where users are able to watch content such as 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live, 24, Heroes, and classic TV programming including Airwolf, Buck Rogers and Kojak powered by a partnership with Hulu. In addition, users may also watch licensed content from over 150 branded channels on the site such as TMZ, BBC Worldwide, The Sony Minisode Network, Sorority Forever, National Geographic and MySpaceTV Original programming including Roommates, Special Delivery and Paul Brogan.

MySpace recently hit an all-time high with domestic unique users and engagement in October according to comScore; seeing approximately 76 million users domestically and 122 million worldwide unique users (August 2008). comScore also reported MySpace surpassed Yahoo!to become the top publisher of online display advertising in the U.S., accounting for 16% of all display ads viewed in June.

FOR almost 50 years Australians faced one of the most limited television channel choices on the planet -- a choice eventually expanded by pay-TV, and

FOR almost 50 years Australians faced one of the most limited television channel choices on the planet -- a choice eventually expanded by pay-TV, and then digital programming -- but now the country is about to enjoy almost unlimited choice with the arrival of IPTV in the lounge room.

IPTV, otherwise known as Internet Protocol TV, has been a buzzword on computers for the past year with the development of services such Joost, Hulu and the ABC's own iView application.

Now experts say the unlimited sourcing of programming from the internet is at hand with new television sets boasting direct-to-the-internet broadband connections. These will allow programming to be streamed to the TV without the use of a computer as an intermediary.

Sony, Samsung, Panasonic and LG are among a handful of manufacturers that will bring the technology to Australia.

Paul Colley, technology communications manager with Sony Australia, says the technology is already available on its Bravia range in the US, and will debut in Australia in the near future.

He says it will give TV viewers to a very different way of accessing content.

Sony launched its Bravia Internet Video Link in the US last year. This allows a TV to stream content such as IPTV and web pages direct from the internet without having to go through a computer.

But Colley says viewers are looking for a different experience through televisions and "don't want to be hunched over a mouse and a keyboard".

Sony's solution has been the development of its Xmedia bar, a navigation tool developed initially for the handheld PlayStation Portable and PS3, which comes with the video link box.

The navigation tool replaces the browser address bar and allows people to surf to regular websites and those offering IPTV feeds in a similar way to browsing through channels.

"It's just like channel surfing," Colley says. "And one of the wonderful things about the internet is the ability to explore."

Duane Varan, head of the Interactive Television Institute at Murdoch University in Western Australia, says evolving media habits were at the heart of the emergence of lounge room IPTV in the local market.

"The basic principle is that people have a primary need for content and they want it when they want it," he said.

"The big contingent in all of this is the metering of broadband."

Varan says the way in which broadband providers metered their content in Australian was one hurdle to the success of IPTV through TVs.

Another hurdle was the availability of content from overseas portals and the protection of digital rights.

"I think the other problem is region-specific," he says. "Savvy users know how to hide their IP address to get content from overseas, but this is beyond most people."

While there may be hurdles, Varan believes the arrival of IPTV in Australia as a staple alongside free-to-air, digital and pay-TV broadcasters could prove to be a benefit to existing players rather than a drawback.

"What does it (IPTV) do to TV viewing?" he says. "I think it enhances TV programming and it is not taking away.

"Overall, I think it represents good news."

Another benefit that Varan believes IPTV will bring is that it will allow advertisers to more keenly target audiences and individuals in the same way they can now slice and dice demographics online.

"Now you are going to have the ability to adserve, and there are some really interesting cases online already."

He cites the IPTV offering on the ABC network in the US which allows on-demand programming supported by ads and offered with an interactive element.

"On the one hand it is competing with existing advertising, but at the same time it is enabling a different type of advertising program," Varan says.

Sony's Colley agrees that broadband capacity and cost in Australia are among the most significant issues standing in the way of the development of IPTV in the lounge room, but says computer-based photo, video and music libraries are already starting to be networked around the home.

Samsung has launched its second generation TV capable of streaming TV from a PC to the TV, but director of marketing Kurt Jovais says "the holy grail of IPTV is live streaming content over the internet to your TV, like watching the American Superbowl in real-time over the internet in native resolution on your home TV. This will require very fast broadband speeds and most likely a subscription service, but from a device perspective, today's TVs could deliver."

"As we move up in our IPTV capabilities, people will be able to share nearly any content experience over the TV. The amount of available content from anywhere in the world will be astonishing.

"It is also very exciting for the industry, as it is classically disruptive to the existing free-TV and pay-TV business models. It will be a very exciting evolution to be a part of," he says.

How TV Streaming Has Changed How Viewers Watch Their Favorite Programs

TV streaming lets viewers watch their favorite programming in a matter of minutes on their computer. The programs are channel as a continuous stream on the internet. TV streaming is becoming the wave of the future of the internet.

Nowadays, there are different stations that are making their content available on the spot with this type of viewing. They feel that this is a different way for them to get more people online. In turn, when more people are watching tv online, the stations will get additional revenue. This provides the stations with an advantage because for them, the costs of tv streaming are minimal.

Since the word “free” will send anyone running, more people have been flocking to get the live feeds and access the tv streaming on the internet. As long as stations can keep their costs to a minimum, they will reach out to attract more people to watch their favorite shows. All a person needs is a broadband connection and a free media player. Windows Media or Real Player works well with this method.

The portals that are used with this method rely on advertising to keep them afloat. As long as the content has appeal, the stations will be able to provide valuable and interesting viewing to those that are turning to tv streaming. This concept is being used not only in the United States, but around the world as well. The expansion of this method provides an opportunity to serve in niche markets instead of just restricting it to certain areas.

This method allows producers to continue putting more shows and more episodes that people want to watch. Another reason why more viewers are turning to the internet for their favorite tv shows is because the producers know what areas to target. They have become very savvy as far as learning to get an audience for their programming.

TV streaming provides viewers with looking at an improved video screen resolution on their computer. There are so many selections for viewers to choose from and more people are catching on to this new way of watching their favorite programming. A lot of this programming cannot be found on cable or satellite. You would think that with all of the channels that these two main mediums have, people would be able to find whatever they want.

This method has led the way of providing high quality programming free to the viewers. Not only do they get what they want, but they can watch it in the comfort of their own home without having to fight anyone over regular programming from the tv set.

WD TV is better than Apple TV

WD has put a new device on the market, and it’s called the WD TV HD Media Player. It’s a small box that can connect to a TV via HDMI or Composite output cables, and can take most USB external hard drives as input (it should even read USB flash drives as long as they’re formatted in FAT32). Once a device is connected, the WD TV will read the media from that drive (movies, photos, music) and let you browse through them and play them on your TV. What sets this device apart for me is that it has gone beyond other similar devices like the LaCinema Premier, or Apple TV. I’ll explain below.

The LaCie product, for example, doesn’t play as many formats as WD TV, and can only support NTFS and FAT32 file systems.

You’re limited in the amount of content you can play with LaCinema Premier, since the drive is integrated within the device itself, and because not as many video formats are supported (see the specs on the LaCie website). That means you have to lug the whole thing from your home office to your living room, re-connect it at each place, and copy files onto it when you want to refresh its inventory. The remote also leaves something to be desired (too many buttons).

I know and like Apple TV myself, having bought one and configured it for my parents, but frankly, I find it overpriced and under-featured. The more you use Apple TV, the more limitations you find:

It has an internal hard drive that syncs with content over a wireless network, which means you have to wait forever to get a movie onto it. The drive can also fill up quickly, depending on which size you pick. (Yes, you can also connect it via a Gigabit network, if you’ve pre-wired your living room and home office with Gigabit wires already — but most people have not.)
You can stream to it, but then you always have to keep iTunes open, and it’s a hassle to remember that, especially when you’ve just sat down on the living room couch and turned on the TV.
You also need to be able to troubleshoot WiFi issues in case you’re not getting enough bandwidth and Apple TV playback stutters.
You have to add every single video clip you want to play on Apple TV to the iTunes library, and I don’t care for that sort of thing. I just want to store my stuff in folders and browse it from a device (like WD TV).
Apple TV has a USB port on the back, but you can’t use it for anything but “diagnostics” unless you hack the device. This is stupid. I can’t use the port to connect Apple TV to my computer and copy content onto it, I can’t use it to connect an external hard drive to it and have it read the content from it (like WD TV), and it just sits there, unused, unless I pay for a hacking device like aTV Flash.
It overheats like crazy. It can burn your fingers if you’re not careful.

I love the design of Apple TV and its diminutive remote. I love the fact that I can swap remotes between it and my laptop if I want to. I think the on-screen menus are well done. I also like the fact that it can stream Flickr photos and YouTube videos, but these extra functions are just that: extra-neous. It simply cannot do its basic job well, and that is to play my media conveniently.

I’m not alone in being frustrated with it. Steve Jobs recently said he’s not sure what to do with Apple TV. What also speaks volumes about his stance on the device is the fact that it’s not listed in the Mac product lineup on Apple’s website. It sits off to the side in a section of its own, and you have to do a search for “Apple TV” in order to find it.

For one thing, Mr. Jobs, you can stop being so greedy in your approach to the device and let people use the USB port on the back. Or how about letting people stream Netflix videos with it, so they don’t have to buy a separate device? I’m a Mac user and have a Netflix account. Until Netflix release Roku and opened up its streaming program to Mac users, I was in the dark. You probably don’t want to do these things because it’ll cut into your video rentals and purchases, and you like that extra revenue stream, but the fact remains that sales of the device will always remain low if you insist on hamstringing it.

The WD TV Player, on the other hand, is made to suit most people. It has a USB port where you can connect most external hard drives. It will read NTFS, FAT32, and HFS file systems too. (I found that out from WD Support, because the info isn’t listed among the specs. They pointed me to KB article #2726.) There seems to be an issue with HFS+ file systems, but they’ll still work, only differently. I’ll have to look into that later.

Also not listed among the specs is an Optical Audio port, but when I look at the back of the device, it seems to me I can see one there.

To me, WD TV is the long-awaited answer to my media player needs. At around $99 (street price), this is one device that will make its way to my Christmas stocking pretty soon, because I’ve got a Drobo full of content I’d like to play my way, not to mention that I also have two WD Passport drives.

I may even get one for my parents, to replace their Apple TV. They’ve had to keep their Drobo connected to their iMac in the home office, with iTunes open, all this time, just so they could watch a movie or two from the Drobo. That’s not right. Once I get the WD TV, I can take their Drobo, put it in the living room, and hook it up right there, without worrying about WiFi, streaming, iTunes, and a whole bunch of nonsense. Apple dropped the ball with Apple TV, and WD picked it up and started running with it.

The WD TV supports the following file formats:

Music: MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV/PCM/LPCM, AAC, FLAC, Dolby Digital, AIF/AIFF, MKA
Photo: JPEG, GIF, TIF/TIFF, BMP, PNG
Video: MPEG1/2/4, WMV9, AVI (MPEG4, Xvid, AVC), H.264, MKV, MOV (MPEG4, H.264). It will play MPEG2/4, H.264, and WMV9 videos up to 1920×1080p 24fps, 1920×1080i 30fps, 1280×720p 60fps resolution. That’s awesome.
Playlist: PLS, M3U, WPL
Subtitle: SRT (UTF-8)

You can buy the WD TV Player from:

Amazon: WD TV HD MEDIA PLAYER; USB 2.0/HDMI/COMPOSITE A/V

The end of TV: Boxee + Apple TV + Hulu

With the latest release of boxee(http://www.boxee.tv/) we’ve enhanced the experience, offering our alpha testers the ability to stream TV Shows, Movies and clips from sites like CBS, Comedy Central and Hulu. we think it is a big step towards making boxee a true alternative to expensive Cable/Sat subscriptions, as well as to those who revert to downloading pirated content. by making shows like CSI, Southpark or Heroes available for instant streaming, in good quality and with limited commercial interruptions we believe CBS and Hulu are helping make paying for Cable or pirating content both irrelevant.

while we don’t currently have a formal relationship with either content provider, we know that partnerships like these are what people want (x# of requests and counting). we hope to work closely with them in order to improve the experience and bring more content with even better quality to our users.

if you’re an alpha tester please tell us what other shows, services, content you’d like to see as part of boxee. Send me an email at launch_pad@rocketmail.com

if you’re a content owner/aggregator and would like to have your content on boxee please contact us. boxee is an open-platform and we’ll work with you to bring your shows, movies, music, and business model to it.

AT&T to try limits on monthly Internet traffic

NEW YORK -
AT&T Inc., the country's largest Internet service provider, is testing the idea of limiting the amount of data that subscribers can use each month.

AT&T will initially apply the limits in Reno, Nev., and see about extending the practice elsewhere.

Increasingly, Internet providers across the country are placing such limits on the amount of data users can upload and download each month, as a way to curb a small number of "bandwidth hogs" who use a lot of the network capacity. For instance, 5 percent of AT&T's subscribers take up 50 percent of the capacity, spokesman Michael Coe said Tuesday.

But the restrictions that Internet providers are setting are tentative. And the companies differ on what limits to set and whether to charge users for going beyond the caps.

Starting in November, AT&T will limit downloads to 20 gigabytes per month for users of their slowest DSL service, at 768 kilobits per second. The limit increases with the speed of the plan, up to 150 gigabytes per month at the 10 megabits-per-second level.

To exceed the limits, subscribers would need to download constantly at maximum speeds for more than 42 hours, depending on the tier. In practice, use of e-mail and the Web wouldn't take a subscriber anywhere near the limit, but streaming video services like the one Netflix Inc. offers could. For example, subscribers who get downloads of 3 megabits per second have a monthly cap of 60 gigabytes, which allows for the download of about 30 DVD-quality movies.

The limits will initially apply to new customers in the Reno area, AT&T said. Current users will be enrolled if they exceed 150 gigabytes in a month, regardless of their connection speed.

"This is a preliminary step to find the right model to address this trend," Coe said. The company may add another market to the test before the end of the year, he said.

Customers will be able to track their usage on an AT&T Web site. The company will also contact people who reach 80 percent of their limit. After a grace period to get subscribers acquainted with the system, those who exceed their allotment will pay $1 per gigabyte, Coe said.

Comcast Corp., the nation's second-largest Internet service provider and AT&T's competitor in Reno, last month officially began a nationwide traffic limit of 250 gigabytes per subscriber. Comcast doesn't charge people extra for going over the limit, but will cancel service after repeated warnings. Previously, it had a secret limit.

Two other ISPs, Time Warner Cable Inc. and FairPoint Communications Inc., are planning or testing traffic limits as low as 5 gigabytes per month, which is easily exceeded by watchers of DVD-quality online video.

Among the largest ISPs, Verizon Communications Inc. is a holdout, and has said it does not plan to limit downloads.

Live Wire

Yet another video service bites the dust as Y! Live is pulled by Yahoo; meanwhile YouTube has announced that it is going to start experimenting with live streamed events on its service this month.

But the leaders in terms of live streaming services remain Ustream and Mogulus.

In many sectors, live is a powerful driver of audience but only as long as the audience know where and when to look. The key to the use of live events within Internet TV seems to be consistent - same time, same place every day or every week.

I've seen many channels struggle with live events because they're done ad hoc and every time an audience needs to be built from scratch.

There is one technology which I've yet to see implemented and that's relaying - where one PC takes a live feed and sends it to another PC, which then sends it on further down the line. I suspect it's a technology we'll see very soon that enables streams to be broadcast around georestricted rules.

How to download Divx English Free Movie Subtitles & Tv Episodes Subtitle

How to download Divx English Free Movie Subtitles & Tv Episodes Subtitle
Subtitles are a great way to increase the level of understanding and grasping dialogues from the movie.Generally there are few websites which provide subtitles for popular tv episodes and movies and here are some of them which lets you choose the subtitle movie version and download tv episodes subs quite easily.After download,you can embed them with the movie video without any hassle by loading the subtitle in the media player.

Subtitle downloader – This is a free software which uses Open subtitles website for downloading divx English movie subtitles along with regional subtitle support.Has a good range of sub titles!

Sub scene– A directory of subtitles featuring Arabic,English,Spanish,Dutch movie subtitles.You can sort the subtitles by language or by alphabetical order.

Open Subtitles – A website with large database of subtitles featuring tons of latest movie subtitles for download.Apart from English subs,this website also allows Greek subtitles download,Hindi movie subtitles and hundreds of language subtitles for free download.

Free TV Subtitles – Tv Subtitles is a website which provides subs download for Popular Tv shows and seasonal TV episodes.

Strike.tv brings new, original Hollywood produced shows streaming ...

Strike.tv brings new, original Hollywood produced shows streaming home in HD

Dissatisfied with what primetime television is offering? Maybe short form HD in the browser window is the answer. That's the possibility posed by Strike.tv, a new site that's teamed up with BitGravity to stream high definition videos written and produced by familiar Hollywood talent. With newly inexpensive HD cameras, CEO Peter Hyoguchi envisions an opportunity for content creators to get their vision out without long expensive development processes. You can watch the first fruits of their labor right now, and recognize faces from The Office, Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show and other programs among the forty web series available.

The Revolution Will Be Downloaded

For proof that the viewer wants to be in charge, look no further than the Summer Olympics. Not only did the opening ceremony in Beijing have a gigantic DVR audience of 3.25 million viewers, but NBC said 40% of its online viewers used the Web to view events they had first seen on TV. In today's media environment, consumers have come to demand the flexibility of getting online content whenever they want, from TVs and personal computers to iPods and mobile devices. Brand and content owners basically have two options for packaging and delivering online content for viewer consumption. Each option requires different technologies, and each has its own place in the media ecosystem.
The first option is streaming, which fits well with consumers' PC-centric viewing habits. Streaming is ideal for watching instant clips and user-generated content, like YouTube videos, on a computer. With a broadband connection, streaming is capable of delivering smooth playback, and consumers love the immediate, "I can get it now" effect.

While watching Michael Phelps repeat his gold medal wins from the comfort of a living room has inherent value for both consumers and advertisers, the real explosion in online media will take place when content can be consumed anytime, anywhere. This is the "always on" future, and the enormous popularity of the iPhone is a huge step forward in making it a reality. However, today's infrastructure cannot handle the streaming demands of consumers-at least not for portable content. A recent report by Canaccord Adams concluded that AT&T's network is reaching capacity due to heavy data traffic usage from the iPhone such that in some urban areas, consumers are having problems making a simple phone call. So, until infrastructure improves, publishers need to provide alternatives to satisfy consumers' demand for portable content.

This brings us to the second option, downloadable media, which picks up where streaming doesn't deliver. While not as immediate as streaming, downloadable media gives consumers the flexibility and control they've come to expect.

From the DVR to the iPod, viewers prefer downloading their content because it's more convenient. Downloading gives consumers the ability to time-shift and place-shift their programs -- not just short clips -- and watch them on their device of choice, when they want and with no Internet connection required.

This is why downloadable media offers the greatest potential for content owners. The question, as always, is finding a viable business model to support it.

Publishers often assume that downloading is akin to giving away the farm. As they see it, untethered media -- free from the restraints of distribution channels, time and space -- is (maybe) paid for once. A consumer who uses iTunes or LimeWire downloads content and then disappears into the content jungle, never to be seen again. No tracking opportunities, no way to garner additional ad revenue.

But revenue possibilities are actually far richer with downloadable media. Just look at podcasting. Podcasting may not get the attention it used to, but that's only because it's become an everyday activity -- eMarketer estimates that 65 million Americans will be using it as a distribution channel by 2012. Video and audio podcasts are simply RSS-enabled downloads that afford two big advantages: for users, it's an easy way to get fresh content automatically, and for publishers, it offers a built-in syndication platform that reaches audiences across the increasingly fragmented Web and device landscape. Podcast-related advertising opportunities are the next frontier.

New technology is making it possible for publishers and content owners to extend their revenue stream by inserting ads into, say, their podcast programming that are then embedded all the way to the device. Ads are played or refreshed each time the device is synced, until the ad campaign ends and the ad is removed from future downloads. Aside from gaining an additional revenue stream, brand and media owners can receive comprehensive reporting metrics that will allow them to track results and price future ads more appropriately.

With downloading, barriers to participation are low -- even with embedded ads. Consumers have signaled they are agreeable to short ads in return for free premium content, like an MSNBC program.

Podcasting is just the beginning. Once content providers can track and measure direct, untethered downloads, the media industry may finally be able to unlock all of that great content.

Nokia N85 Ultimate Review

We’ve been anticipating the latest pair of Nokia N-series handsets, the N79 and N85, ever since we first caught sight of them in August. Now, with the October release of the N85 almost upon us, it’s time to take a closer and more in-depth look at this new multimedia powerhouse from Nokia. Although it’s billed as the replacement to the flawed N81, its feature set and slimline, modern design actually makes it the perfect choice for anyone wanting a new style N95.

The N85 is a dual-slider mobile phone, just the like the N95, but is considerably more compact than that perennially popular mobile phone. It sits slightly above its sister handset the N79 in the Nokia range, but the N96 aces it with slightly higher spec. However, given the N96’s higher price, there are many who won’t be willing to splash out and that’s where the N85 really comes into its own. Of course, it couldn’t be called cheap, but there’s no denying it’s very good value.

Inside the stylish case you’ll find just about every top range feature, plus the introduction of several new ones to the N-series range, including a state-of-the-art OLED screen just like those found on the beautiful Nokia Arte range. So let’s examine the latest N-series and see just how it lines up against the rest of the range and its competitors.

N-Series Equals Multimedia Excellence
N-series mobile phones have always been about music, pictures, games and video, and Nokia even promote these handsets as ‘multimedia computers’ rather than mobile phones. As more handsets are added, so their ability grows and arguably, this latest set are not only the best Nokia have ever produced, but possibly the best on the market today.

Nokia N85 with the N-Series Trademark; a Brilliant Camera.
It wouldn’t be an N-series without it! The Nokia N85 features a Carl Zeiss lensed camera rated at 5 megapixels. The autofocus and dual LED flash assist you in taking the best pictures possible no matter the conditions and you can also record video at 30fps too. The lens has an active cover, which activates the camera software when flicked open, and is mounted on the rear panel rather than beneath the slide. Around the front, you’ll see a secondary lens for video calls.

Dedicated to Music.
The N85’s music player will be familiar to any users of Symbian software, and the performance is excellent. A set of dedicated keys enhance the experience and there is direct access to the Nokia Music Store to expand your collection and a simple USB connection to copy music across to your phone from your computer. A 3.5mm jack plug socket lets you use your own headphones too.


Crystal Clear Video.
Aside from shooting and playing back your own videos, the N85 also plays a variety of video file formats. The addition of a TV-Out socket allows you to watch your stored videos on a compatible TV screen too.

N-Gage Gaming.
The Nokia N85 is an impressive gaming device as it features Nokia’s excellent N-Gage gaming service. Some 15 pre-installed demos are included along with a code to activate one of the games for free. Not only is the gorgeous screen ideal for playing games, but the gaming keys which come alive when you access N-Gage make playing far more enjoyable.


Style and Innovation.
One of the keys areas of improvement in the latest Nokia N-series phones is their styling. Previous models were best described as ‘challenging’ in the looks department, as they were more functional than outright attractive. However, the N79 and N85 are both great looking phones, with the N85’s dual-slider case coming out on top.

Dual Slide Design
Just like the N95, the slide panel on the N85 goes both ways; slide it up and the keypad is revealed, slide it down and a set of media keys come into action. These keys are not fixed function ones however, they change according to the application which is running, for example if you’re about to play an N-Gage game, they show gaming controls only.

Size and Weight Improvments.
Despite the N85’s wealth of features, it’s a very compact mobile phone. Measuring 5mm thinner than the N95, its dimensions are 103×50x16 and the weight is an acceptable 125 grams. Most importantly, these figures improve on many of its competitors.

Latest Screen Technology.
The traditional LCD TFT screen found on most mobile phones has been replaced with an OLED screen on the N85, a system which is only now becoming viable for portable devices. An OLED screen offers many benefits over an LCD, giving better performance in terms of colour and contrast, whilst reducing power consumption. This is the future on today’s mobile phone.

Enjoy Your Music Everywhere.
Another new feature for mobile phones is the FM Transmitter. This clever feature lets you send your music stored on the N85 over FM radio waves to be picked up on any nearby radio tuned to the correct frequency. This means you can enjoy your music in the car without cabling or having to bring lots of CDs!


Intuitive Navigation.
The N85 has a standard D-pad for selecting icons in the menu system, but also employs a touch sensitive ‘navi-wheel’ approach for faster navigation. If you’ve ever used an Apple iPod, then you’ll know exactly what to expect; you just run your finger around the edge of the D-pad and the onscreen cursor moves accordingly.

Formidable Features and Power.
The final blow against the competition is just how much power and how many features Nokia have managed to squeeze inside the N85. You will be hard pressed to think of a feature the N85 doesn’t have that you’ll miss.

A Symbian Operating System.
The latest v9.3 Symbian operating system is fast and capable. With Feature Pack II installed it really comes alive beneath your fingertips, with plenty of colour, style and cool animations to make it look sleek and modern. The N85 also has direct access to Nokia Downloads!, where a wide variety of applications are ready to customise your phone.

Memory and Battery Life.
Here are two more improvements over the Nokia N95. The N85 has a MicroSD card slot ready for a card up to 8GB in size, thus instead of a fixed amount with no opportunity to increase or swap, here you can have several cards with different files always on hand. The OLED screen has caused a marked improvement on the N85’s battery life too, it’s now quoted as having a standby of 363 hours and a talktime of nearly 7 hours. Nokia even suggest 25 hours of music playback is possible. Another distinct advantage the N85 has over many other Nokia’s is the presence of a mini-USB charging socket, so no more multiple chargers when traveling!

Built-in GPS.
The GPS system inside the N85 features Assisted GPS for faster location times and geo-tagging of your pictures. The Nokia Maps service is excellent and a three-month trial is included in the package, but you’ll have to pay for voice guidance once this time is up.

Huge Connection Choice.
Naturally, the N85 is a 3G mobile phone and supports 3.6Mbps HSDPA, but it also has EDGE and GPRS to back it up. If you’re at home or have access to a wireless hotspot, you can take advantage of a speedy Wi-Fi connection too. If the wired headphones don’t suit you, then the A2DP Bluetooth allows cable-free sound.

Summary of the Nokia N85
It’s hard to find anything to fault with the latest N-series mobile phones, the N85 especially. The N95 we all know and love was hardly the best looking or most compact handset available, but there was no denying its technological competence. Now, the N85 improves in every area where the N95 was less successful and in doing so has become one of the most desirable mobiles available today, and we have no hesitation recommending it.

FREE SATELLITE TV FOR PC

I have seen the prices of everything go up in the course of a few years and that’s typical but where I live, the price of cable TV is ridiculously high.

I understand that people are in search of the best deal when it comes to cable and satellite providers and the choices are few and far between.

What I discovered recently is that you don’t need Comcast employment in order to get free cable TV. I have discovered free satellite TV for PC.

You get 3,000 channels and zero monthly fee’s.

No contracts and no hidden fee’s ever.

If you’re tired of high cable and satellite prices that can only provide you with a few channels then you can now say good bye to this and say hello to free satellite TV for PC.

It seems that every year the cable and satellite providers increase their rates with no stop in sight. I know that people are tired of this and the monopoly of cable TV. Free satellite TV for PC has been a way for me to break free from this strangle hold.

I love free satellite TV for PC since I can appreciate 3,000 channels with no monthly fee’s ever and no contracts and no special equipment.

I like the fact that it’s less then my cable provider charged me each month to get only a few channel choices. With free satellite TV for PC I have no headaches and deal with no BS.

NO increase in monthly rates
NO required contracts
NO monthly rates
NO monthly bills
NO problems.

When I realized that free satellite TV for PC was available and that you get 3,000 channels that consist of sports, movies and more then I had to have it and I’ve never looked back.

The question that I was asking myself and what most people should ask themselves is why would they pay 90.00 or more a month for cable or satellite TV when they can get it free monthly. It was an obvious choice for me as it’s been for my friends and family. If you feel like you have been taken advantage of by your cable or satellite provider then free satellite TV for PC is the ONLY choice.

My suggestion to everyone and anyone is to get free satellite TV for PC as it’s the only choice for me. What other choice is there?

Should I pay 90.00+ a month for 100 or less channels or pay zero monthly for 3,000 channels. The choice is easy as you would think it would be for most intelligent consumers in this economy.

I hope I spread some light as it pertains to options out there and never again do you have to deal with the rising cable and satellite costs since I found another way and you have also.

Think about it for yourself and say what am I paying and how much am I getting for the money that I’m paying each month? If you’re not getting 3,000 channels and no monthly fee’s and no contracts then this I would surmise can be the only option as it was for me.

Free Satellite TV For PC

Netflix to stream movies to Macs using Silverlight

Netflix, the online movie rental service, is launching Mac support for internet streaming movies utilizing Microsoft's Silverlight, a web-browser plug-in that features animation and audio-video capabilities similar to Adobe's Flash software. The deployment of the capabilities will start with a small number of subscribers, expanding to all subscribers by year's end. Silverlight features cross-platform and cross-browser support, as well as Play Ready DRM, a pivotal factor in Netflix being able to stream copy-write-protected content to subscribers on both Macs and PCs.

Mac-based customers and Firefox users on both platforms were key to Netflix adopting Silverlight. Netflix Chief Product Officer Neil Hunt said, "Members who enjoy watching movies and TV episodes... that can be instantly streamed at Netflix will be thrilled with this next generation improvement of access and quality, on a broader range of platforms, including Intel Macs and Firefox." Netflix streaming via Silverlight will require Intel-based Macs, and work with Safari and Firefox.

Alltel Wireless Announces Launch of Latin Entertainment Line-up

Alltel Wireless, America's largest network, announced today that customers with video-capable phones now have access to Univision Movil's video offerings, as well as GoTV's originally programmed music channel ES Musica.
Univision Movil's video offerings bring the programming strength of the leading Spanish-language media company in the U.S., to the mobile screen. Mobile clips include popular Univision shows such as "Noticiero Univision" (Emmy award-winning evening newscast), "El Gordo y La Flaca" (entertainment talk show), TeleFutura's "Escandalo TV" (celebrity talk show) and "Contacto Deportivo" (popular sports show). Video clips also include extensive coverage of award shows and sporting events from the two leading Spanish-language broadcast networks in the U.S.
GoTV's ES Musica channel features comprehensive Latin pop, rock, hip-hop, and reggaeton news and entertainment programming including music videos and behind-the-scenes coverage of live events.
Alltel Wireless teamed with Univision Movil and GoTV Networks to deliver these relevant mobile channels to its Hispanic customers. Univision Movil delivers the industry's most comprehensive Spanish-language suite of mobile offerings and GoTV Networks is the first and largest multi-platform new media network.
"As the mobile phone continues to evolve into a portable entertainment device, Alltel Wireless is constantly seeking ways to engage customers through their phones," said Kristi Crum, director of multimedia content for Alltel Wireless. "Univision Movil's video offerings and ES Musica deliver powerful and relevant Latin entertainment to our valued customers."
"Our relationship with Alltel Wireless continues to extend Univision Movil's video offerings to even more mobile subscribers in the marketplace," said Christopher Brunner, vice president, Mobile Content & Services for Univision Communications Inc. "As Hispanic usage of digital technologies increases at a faster pace than the general market, Univision Movil is committed to providing U.S. Hispanics with the mobile content they demand the most."
"GoTV is extremely pleased to bring ES Musica to Alltel Wireless," said Thomas Ellsworth, CEO of GoTV Networks. "This exceptional programming provides Alltel Wireless customers exciting cultural entertainment experiences when they are on the go."
About Alltel
Alltel is owner and operator of the nation's largest wireless network and has more than 13 million customers. For more information about Alltel, please visit http://www.alltel.com.
About GoTV Networks
GoTV Networks ( http://www.gotvnetworks.com) is the first and largest multi-platform new media network. GoTV's studio (GoTV Productions) produces and syndicates original and partner programming through the company's mobile and broadband technologies to the widest distribution network in the US. GoTV's content is accessible online through multiple video websites and portals. Mobile access includes streaming and on-demand services on a broad range of wireless devices through Alltel, AT&T, Boost Mobile, Sprint (including Nextel), Verizon Wireless and Virgin Mobile. The company is headquartered in Sherman Oaks, California with regional offices in Seattle, Kansas City and Atlanta.
GoTV Networks, GoTV and GoTV Productions are trademarks or registered trademarks of GoTV Networks Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
About Univision Online, Inc.
Univision Online, Inc. is the interactive division of Univision Communications Inc., the premier Spanish-language media company in the United States. Univision Communications Inc. owns and operates Univision Online, Inc., the premier Spanish-language Internet destination in the U.S., located at http://www.univision.com, and Univision Movil, the most relevant Spanish-language mobile content and video, which includes in-show wireless integrations, PSMS programs and the industry's most comprehensive downloadable content catalog. Univision Communications Inc.'s operations include Univision Network, the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the U.S. reaching 97% of U.S. Hispanic Households; TeleFutura Network, a general-interest Spanish-language broadcast television network, which was launched in 2002 and now reaches 85% of U.S. Hispanic Households; Galavision, the country's leading Spanish-language cable network; Univision Television Group, which owns and operates 63 television stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; and Univision Radio, the leading Spanish-language radio group which owns and/or operates 70 radio stations in 16 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and 5 stations in Puerto Rico. Univision Communications also has a 50% interest in TuTv, a joint venture formed to broadcast Televisa's pay television channels in the U.S. Univision Communications has television network operations in Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in major cities throughout the United States. For more information, visit http://www.univision.net.

As live sports on the Internet gains momentum, cricket can provide some pointers

2008 will be remembered as a banner year for live sports streaming on the Internet. Future looks promising as both the user demand and the profit potential seem to have crossed critical thresholds.

Since TV networks don't add to their production costs by simulcasting the coverage online, eyeballs picked up online are incremental gravy for their advertisers. Networks are also convinced that online simulcast won't cannibalize the big bucks tied up in TV, figuring you'll watch online only if you can't get to a TV set, or you'll log on as you watch TV.

Sports programmers therefore want to provide an answer to their fans' demand and keep up with the surge in user consumption of TV broadcast online. The Conference Board/TNS research show that about 20% of U.S. Internet households now watch online TV broadcasts — double the 2006 level.

Here are some major live sporting events streamed online this year and associated metrics, where available:

Beijing Olympics: The summer Olympics this year will be distinguished by, among other things, the first truly digital games in its history. In the U.S., NBC, the exclusive rights holder, recorded 1.3 billion page views, 53 million unique users, 75.5 million video streams, and approximately 10 million hours of total video consumed online. Metrics from other countries were equally impressive:

In Europe, over 30 EBU broadcasters offered Olympic content on their respective websites, complemented by the EBU aggregated live video portal www.eurovisionsports.tv/olympics, which delivered over 180 million broadband video streams, primarily generated by live event viewing to a unique audience of over 51 million, with a cumulative total of over 22 million hours viewed.

In China, over the 17 days of the Olympic Games, 153 million people watched live broadcast of the Olympic Games online, with 237 million watching video-on-demand footage and an average 20 million page views per day on the mobile phone platform provided by CCTV.com.

In Latin America, rights holder Terra made 13 online channels available to allow subscribers to choose which events to watch with over 300 hours of available action from all competitions. Terra's Olympic site registered 29 million video streams and over 10 million video-on-demand downloads over the period of the Games.

In Australia, since the Games began, over 32 million page views have been seen by over 2.3 million users, with more than 4 million live and on-demand videos streams watched on Yahoo!7 Olympics.

March Madness: 4.8MM unique visitors throughout the two-week U.S. college basketball tournament streamed live by CBS.
Pocono 500: 712,000 streams were watched at NASCAR.com.
U.S. Open Finals: 5.2MM streams were served by NBC and the USGA, spurred by Tiger Woods’ down-to-the-wire victory in the playoff that got pushed to Monday - most of these viewers were therefore watching online at work.
Wimbledon: 1MM live streams and 4MM video-on-demand streams.
Tour de France: 3.4MM videos were downloaded from Vs.com.
All the four major professional sports leagues in the U.S. have also jumped on the live online streaming bandwagon.

NBA Western Conference Finals: 3MM live streams were served by TNT.
Major League Baseball: 1.0 to 1.5MM viewers watch a live game each day.
National Football League: NFL, the biggest and the most popular sports league in the U.S., in partnership with its broadcasting partner NBC Sports, has for the first time started streaming 17 regular-season games live on the Internet in the U.S. this season that started last month.

National Hockey League: Earlier this month, NHL launched NHL GameCenter Live, its new online subscription service that stream live NHL games.

Available for $159 for the whole season, or in monthly installments of $19.95, the service is targeted at avid fans as well as, per NHL, nearly 50% of fans who live away from their favorite team's local television market and therefore do not have access to some games on the TV. GameCenter Live does have some blackout restrictions, but allows users to view up to four games at once, choose from multiple camera angles, check stats and chat with one another.

I tested the NHL streaming (the season-opening weekend was free), and think their experience is pretty good since it leverages the uniqueness of the Internet medium in terms of its interactivity, social and non-linear nature.

While most of the above initiatives are recent, cricket, one of the most obscure sports for American and most European sports fans, has been using Internet to reach its TV-coverage-starved fans globally for almost ten years now.

I am one of those fans. I first started watching live cricket online back in 1998, and Internet remains my primary source for live cricket even today.

In 1998, cricket was one of the reasons why I opted to participate as a trial customer for @Home's broadband rollout in Connecticut. Remember @Home, the broadband ISP that was hailed as the "new media network for the 21st century" after its $6.7Bn merger with the portal Excite in 1999. Excite@Home became bankrupt just two years later, another example of a failed merger due to mismatch in the management cultures of the two firms and horribly executed integration.

I've been a close, first-hand witness of the improvement in cricket's live online streaming experience over the past ten years.

During the late nineties, even though I was on broadband, live streaming provided a ton of buffering and a start/stop experience. There were no quality branded service providers that carried rights for online cricket in the U.S. I probably was using one of the online "hack-services" to buy cricket packages, because there were no easy alternatives available. Cricket was obviously not shown on the broadcast/cable TV in the U.S., and the only available satellite option from Dish Networks required installing a separate dish that had to point to its satellite providing international programming - if you wanted regular U.S. TV channels, a second dish pointing to a different satellite was needed. I could not install one, leave-alone two dishes, because my landlord objected to dishes hanging out from balconies. On one occasion when the landlord conceded, sympathetic to my passion for the game, I could not get a clear line-of-sight to Dish Network's international satellite from my balcony.

The Internet helped fill this market gap in 2003, when Willow TV, a Sunnywale, CA based startup was launched by, you guessed it, a bunch of Indian immigrants. Willow TV provides live streams of cricket matches on a pay-per-view or subscription basis. I've been a regular customer of Willow TV ever since.



Willow TV gradually acquired the live online streaming rights for small markets from international cricket boards, for whom it was all incremental revenue, providing no conflict with their existing deals which were limited to big cricket markets/countries. Last year, the site carried over 90% of the cricket matches live. It has over one million registered users, almost 75% of them in North America.

The company has apparently been profitable from the very beginning. Given that the size of its target audience is relatively small in the markets Willow TV operates, ad-supported free streaming model cannot work. The niche and ethnic nature of the audience also limits the type and number of advertisers that may be interested in reaching them specifically. Willow has therefore only operated on a pay-per-view or subscription basis. Packages range from $5 per game up to $200 for a series. Streaming is offered from 400 kbps to 700 kbps levels, and they apparently have plans to increase that to 1MBps next year.

I've seen their technology improve over the past five years, with almost TV-like experience today. I hook up my laptop to my 42" plasma when I'm watching at home. I'm also able to place-shift my package and watch live cricket while I'm on the road - the main reason why I don't buy TV packages from Dish Networks and DirecTV, both of which have now started offering pay-per-view cricket packages.

With the introduction of Twenty20, a shorter version of cricket launched to expand its popularity and adoption (a game finishes in 2.5 to 3 hrs), and the mega success of the Indian Premier League, the inaugural domestic Twenty20 competition in India earlier this year, cricket is taking off globally in a major way. Reliance ADA, the largest media company in India, therefore made a swift strategic move in investing $60 to $70 million for a 75% stake in Willow TV. Elsewhere, ESPN paid almost $1Bn for the global rights to the Twenty20 Champions League, the world's richest cricket competition, in a 10-year deal.

As live sports streaming on the Internet becomes mainstream, cricket, with over ten years of experience, can definitely provide lessons on successful business models, targeting niche fans and satisfying their needs in a manner that is complimentary to TV broadcast, which will remain the primary revenue generator in sports for the foreseeable future.

LIN TV and FOX Interactive Media Announce Strategic Relationship

LIN TV taps FIM's new Digital Publishing Group to launch local web sites that redefine the user experience

PROVIDENCE, R.I. & LOS ANGELES — LIN TV Corp., a local television and digital media company, and Fox Interactive Media (FIM), a division of News Corporation, today announced a new strategic relationship and the launch of LIN TV's new television station web sites. LIN TV is FIM's first third-party digital publishing partner and will use FIM's cutting-edge digital platform technology to provide users with a superior local online experience.

LIN TV has launched www.wpri.com and www.fox10tv.com onto FIM's digital platform and the Company's other web sites are set to launch over the next few weeks. FIM is delivering both back-end and front-end publishing services to LIN TV's growing suite of web properties, including content management, video, contextual search and social networking. LIN TV customized the interactive features on its local web sites and unveiled key web site features, including a new video player that is user-friendly and engaging, new weather features, "Map This" programming, new social networking tools, a centralized content management system for seamless content flow and sharing between markets, customized news delivery and user engagement tools.

"We have defined the vision for our New Media business and we are pleased to partner with FIM to provide the best experience of any media or information site in our markets," said Robb Richter, LIN TV's senior vice president new media. "Most importantly, the usability of our new station web sites has enhanced significantly, the technology and flexibility are far superior and we will have better control and more opportunities to monetize our web sites."

"In combination with the FIM Audience Network and our leading portfolio of Web brands, our Digital Publishing Group stands as one of the three pillars of the Fox Interactive Media division dedicated to creating premiere online environments for consumers and maximizing opportunities for advertisers," said Peter Levinsohn, president of Fox Interactive Media. "Building on the success of the MyFOX local platform, we are extremely proud to bring LIN TV on board as our first third-party digital publishing partner and look forward to helping LIN TV deliver the best possible Web experience to their millions of users."

LIN TV is an industry leader in the convergence of local broadcast television and digital innovations. The Company's new media strategy is focused on engaging audiences around its strong brands and across multiple media channels. LIN TV has successfully launched more than 50 web sites and it is estimated that LIN TV's web sites will serve nearly two billion ad impressions in 2008. LIN TV's partnership with FIM positions the Company for future online growth and new media success.

In addition to content management, site design and video streaming services, FIM's digital publishing group will offer media companies a variety of services, including ad serving and inventory management; search engine optimization and marketing; sales support and training; research and reporting; and geo-targeting for local news and weather. Clients will also have access to content from FIM's leading verticals, including weather, news and music.

This press release includes statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements," including statements regarding our future plans and strategies. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties, including, among other factors, general economic conditions, demand for advertising, competition for audience and programming, government regulations and new technologies, that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that could contribute to such differences include the risks detailed in our periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. By making these forward-looking statements, we undertake no obligation to update these statements for revision or changes after the date of this release.