Google Busts Out Video Ads

Word to the wise: don't cheap out on computer parts. I bought a cheap wireless network card online for my computer since I figured that I'd only need it for the summer (my hotel only has wireless internet access), and now the drivers won't work. Hence, I have to trash that one and get a nice one from Fry's tomorrow. That takes care of about three hours of my life from the past two days. Anyway, some relatively big news today is that Google is going to start offering video ads on AdSense where a user could check out the video by clicking on it. Would anyone really do this though? TechCrunch, among other blogs, thinks not, and I'm inclined to agree. It bodes badly for it that Google doesn't even have enough confidence in it to put the service on their own site. I pretty much never click on videos in Flash ads right now because they're usually for movies I already know about, and I don't think I'd want to waste time on clicking on them just because Google is offering them. Google claims that advertisers asked for a richer delivery engine, and apparently they don't know what to do. Remember that click-to-call idea that never panned out? Google better think quick before competitors try to usurp market share.

Microsoft's upcoming offerings seem to be everywhere today. CNet has a little video showing off Vista beta 2, but it's more of just a quick look than any kind of a critique or review, and they really only highlight its better sides. What's more interesting is that Microsoft has released the first beta of Office 2007, and I would get it, but I'm skeptical of Microsoft betas. It looks like a solid piece of software though, and you can see all the grueling details in ComputerWorld's review. It probably tells you more than you ever wanted to know, but it shows how different it is and the effort the Office team put into the next iteration. What you see to the right here could revolutionize the future of 3rd world countries: early prototypes of MIT's $100 laptop. They may look a little funky, but they're much smaller than I would've expected. I wonder how they manage to keep the costs down if the laptop is so small. Apple has allied with Nike to sell a Sports kit that would allow your shoes to communicate with your iPod Nano about your physical activity. It sounds pretty gimmicky, but not a bad idea. Lastly, Ticketmaster has begun auctioning off high value seats at sporting and music events online to make even more money. This idea sounds fishy to me, but I would only agree with it if it kept down the prices of other seats. However, they're likely greedy enough to not do that.

We have some more impressions today from the 20-minute preview of World Trade Center shown at Cannes, and they're similarly optimistic. It looks like we just had a bad teaser trailer! Another followup from yesterday is that Akiva Goldsman (the screenwriter for Da Vinci Code) is on board to adapt Angels and Demons as well. I'm guessing that they had plenty of money to attract him with, but neither Ron Howard or Tom Hanks have agreed to do the prequel yet. We finally have real teaser trailers for Ghost Rider, and they look decent, but the CG almost looks a little too over-the-top. Plus, I don't think that Nicholas Cage is employing enough attitude in this role from what we've seen so far. Kevin Smith has done another video mailbag for IGN, and his humor requires no introduction. I'll let you just check it out for yourself. Lastly, if you're curious as to what drifting in the world of racing actually means, you can check out this video over at Yahoo Movies.

Now for the Tuesday Twosome meme:

1. Do you think you were born into this world for a specific purpose, why or why not?
Definitely, because I should've died twice in the past five months! Plus, I almost died right after I was born. God definitely wants me alive for a reason, and I intend to figure out what it is.

2. Do you have an old resentment or unhealed hurt? How has it affected you?
Yeah, with more than one chick. It's definitely hurt my confidence that they happened, but I'd better not go into more details because I don't feel like my blog should be an outlet for whining (much, at least).

3. Describe the perfect spring day. Tell about an activity you would do on that day.
Partly cloudy skies with the temperature in the mid 80s. I'd probably like to go to a water park (namely, Schlitterbahn) or take a trip to the beach (the closest one to me is Freeport) with my cousins.

4. Name two people who are alive today you would love to meet and describe why:
Steve Jobs and Kiefer Sutherland. Steve Jobs, despite being a cruel taskmaster, is just a brilliant guy. As for Kiefer, I just think it would be cool to get trashed with Jack Bauer.

5. Make up two new words and then give them definitions:
Fantabulous (adj) - the state of being fantastic and fabulous at the same time
Meh - an interjection expressing mediocrity