The Tempered Success of Digital Media Distribution

I couldn't figure out a clever title for this post, sorry. Also, I decided to go to Copa last night so I was unable to do my standard post, sorry! It was worthwhile, though there is one girl I regret not dancing with when I first had the chance. Oh well, I connected with a girl I hadn't seen in a long time, so that was awesome because she was a fun dancer. Anyway, CBS attributes part of the ratings boost for a few of its shows to YouTube, which helps the case for distributing media online. Of course, that wasn't the only factor involved, but some of the top clips on YouTube came from CBS. What's really interesting and something I hadn't considered is that YouTube could really give them a good idea of at least what the Internet crowd enjoys seeing from them! I don't know if it's any less biased than Neilsen, but I'm sure it's helpful. Not everyone is so easily convinced though as movie studios put pressure on iTunes to restrict the number of devices videos can be viewed on (currently: 5 computers and unlimited number of iPods). Here's the only problem I have with such a limitation, let's say they cap it at 5 iPods and you get like the 11th gen iPod or whatever, which is your sixth purchase. Now what? You can't watch your movie on it anymore! Unless they make it 5 iPods at the same time rather than overall, which would be fine. Anyway, no word from Apple on their response, but I'll let you know should they change anything.

I actually have another thing from Apple about media: the way they've been talking about the iTV seems to imply that it may have more features than just streaming content from your computer. It will supposedly have an internal hard drive and "advanced user interface software." I doubt they'll let us know anything before MacWorld though, if even that early. Meanwhile, analysts are claiming that the choice of brown for the main color of the Zune was a mistake. No other hardware manufacturers are making a hot product in brown (except God, who makes brown people like me). That article clearly has a negative spin on the Zune's sales though, which is a common sentiment. BBC is launching a news program based on entirely user-generated content called Your News. I believe MTV also has a show based on just Internet jokes and stuff, but it's not all that great and this program will actually have useful content. Lastly, if you want to read some funny, yet slightly mean, anthropomorphisms of programming languages, you should read this. I personally like the one about Python.

Just a couple of quick movie things. Firstly, the full trailer for Hot Fuzz is online and it looks like a pretty fun movie! It comes from the makers of Shaun of the Dead, though it's about cops rather than zombies. Of course, you have to enjoy subtle, dry, British humor to want to see it. The other thing is that the Fantastic Four sequel will feature the Fantasticar! Supposedly, it's true to the comic book depiction, which I hope will mean good things for the rest of the movie being true to the comics as well.



Now for the glorious return of Friday's Feast:

Appetizer
Have you ever flown in a helicopter?
Nope. Wouldn't mind doing it =P

Soup
What color is your warmest coat or jacket?
I believe it's orange.

Salad
What is your favorite rainy day activity?
Eating roasted corn and watching the rain.

Main Course
Describe your hands.
They're small, I know, but they're not yours they are my own. Sorry, had to make the Jewel reference. Um, I don't know. They're more brown on the outside than on the inside (and coincidentally more hairy on the outside as well). I only have my nails grown out on my right hand so I can navigate a fretboard with my left.

Dessert
If you could eat only one nut for the rest of your life, what nut
would you pick?
Definitely cashews. How can you get tired of cashews?!