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Tuesday, April 09, 2002 |
Don't Buy Hollywood's Broadband Script
"Here's the latest take on the broadband mess: High-speed Net access hasn't taken off in the U.S., according to Senator Fritz Hollings (D-S.C.), because entertainment companies are afraid to digitize their content due to the threat of digital piracy. Without compelling content online, consumers don't want to sign up for broadband. To break this supposed logjam, Hollings on Mar. 21 introduced the Consumer Broadband & Digital Television Act of 2002.
The bill is pretty sweeping. It would prohibit the sale or distribution of almost all computer devices and software that display copyrighted work unless they include government-mandated copyright-protection restrictions (see BW Online, 3/27/02, "Guard Copyrights, Don't Jail Innovation"). The logic goes like this: Once Hollywood is absolutely assured no one will ever be able to make illegal digital copies of copyrighted works, rivers of movies and music will begin appearing online.
Suddenly, consumers will understand the benefit of spending $50 a month for broadband, and we'll all crowd around our computer screens to watch movies, instead of on a TV. From a measly 11 million homes using high-speed access, things will explode.
The problem is, this scenario doesn't add up. For some reason, the myth continues that broadband finally makes it fun to watch movies on your PC. As anyone with a T1 line can tell you, that's just not true. Only Hollywood seems to believe the ultimate use for a computer is to watch videos....
Some very high-stake issues are on the table right now. The problem is that between the fear mongering and the sheer technical impenetrability, it's hard to predict how much decisions made today would eventually hamper the potential of digital devices and distribution." [BusinessWeek, via Tomalak's Realm]
11:51:24 PM Permanent link here
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Top Ten Reasons to Witness Your Dad's Demise
"My dad has been gravely ill for four months. My family and I have been through a roller coaster of ups and downs, as his health has improved, only to crash again and again. I've spent a lot of time in nursing homes, hospitals, ambulances. I can't help but think God's got some reason for showing me these dark and sometimes bright moments. I like God. He's a good guy, really. So, here's my attempt to see the good in these bad times." [Halley's Comment, via Doc Searls Weblog]
Take a minute and read this one.
11:16:22 PM Permanent link here
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 "Seiko Instruments will soon release the InkLink, which transfers handwritten notes or drawings from any pad of paper to a handheld. The InkLink Data Clip is attached to the top of a pad of paper and continuously monitors the position of the InkLink pen. As the users writes on the pad, the Data Clip communicates its exact position to the handheld, which creates a drawing mirroring what's on the paper. Priced at $100, the InkLink is available from Seiko's webstore now and from retail electronics stores in about two weeks.
The InkLink is an improvement over Seiko's SmartPad, which required the handheld to be in a special carrying case fitted out with a pad and an infrared port. The InkLink can be attached to any pad of paper up to legal size.
A wire leads from the Data Clip to an infrared transceiver, which can be clipped onto the infrared port of almost any handheld and even laptops with infrared support." [PalmInfoCenter, bOing bOing]
This sounds like the Mimio, which we have at SLS. We rarely use it because it's a pain to set up and it only stores what you write as an image rather than as text. If you can't search it, it's not as valuable. When they can add accurate OCR to these things, they'll become much more valuable.
10:58:52 PM Permanent link here
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Yesterday, Ernie blogged:
"I'm sure an E-book would hold all of the information that my son and three of his colleagues are carting around, and do so in a searchable, and electronically highlightable (and bookmarkable) form. Plus, many E-Books have built in dictionaries so that if someone is reading and they don't know the definition of the word they can access it immediately. The cost of distributing the books would probably be so much lower that the student could buy all of the books and get the reader free. I mean this is a no-brainer. Is any school out there working on this? Why not?"
The answer to his question is yes, although my knowledge about the project is a year old now. AFAIK, the leading candidate in this arena is still the goReader. It's basically a tablet PC with the following features:
- Connect to the Internet wirelessly, via a LAN or Dial-in connection.1
- Enjoy full-page 800x600 Web browsing.
- Synchronize with Microsoft Outlook to download important emails and contact information.
- Download, revise and upload Office, PDF, HTML and many other documents with goReader's multiple format support.
- Draft Word, Excel and email documents easily via a virtual keyboard, USB keyboard or handwriting recognition.
- Jot notes on screen in your own handwriting with Ink Memo.
- goReader weighs only 2.4 pounds, yet is secured by a durable magnesium housing.
- Windows CE operating system provides users an intuitive, familiar interface.
- Memory is easily expandable using CompactFlash or PC Card options.
- SuperVGA 10.4" TFT touchscreen provides a bright, easy read.
- Instant-on, instant-off allows you to forget about long boot-up times.
- Device directly connects to several peripherals via a USB port, PCMCIA type II slot and microphone and headphone jacks.
- Optional Docking Station offers extended connectivity with 4 USB type A ports, 1 USB type B port, 2 PS/2 ports, DC-in and data synchronization.
- Listen to MP3 music files while traveling.
- Play Windows Media Player video files while passing time at the airport.
- Record important notes with the 18 bit analog digital stereo.
- Attach a video display and microphone to run presentations directly from your device.
I'd love to have one of these myself! I had heard that field tests were being run at Highland Park High School and the University of Chicago. You can read more about the Highland Park trial here:
That's about all I know about this particular ebook reader, but I know Tom is more familiar with them and I'm hoping he'll either leave a comment below or start his own blog and discuss it there.
10:50:40 PM Permanent link here
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"An Internet-based system being introduced will allow doctors to send prescriptions directly to a pharmacy's computer from a hand-held or desk-top computer, wireless telephone or text pager....
Using the system, being offered by the Giant supermarket and pharmacy chain and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, pharmacists can send back information over a two-way network about potentially harmful drug reactions as well as a patient's insurance coverage....
The system was developed by physicians at InstantDx, a software company in Gaithersburg, Md. It will be available to 30,000 doctors who use the physicians' office software of the NDCHealth Corporation in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington." [NY Times: Technology, via Ernest Svenson: KM]
I can't remember exactly where I first read about a possible doctor-Palm scenario (at pdaMD.com or through them?), but I was immediately struck by the simplicity of the vision. It described a doctor walking up to an examination room and pointing his Palm at an IR station to get the patient's history and the nurse's pre-exam notes. He reads through it with the patient and ends up checking drug interactions on a reference text on his Palm, and then writes the actual prescription - on the Palm of course - and it's wirelessly transmitted to the pharmacy.
I've been waiting to see this applied in the real world, but the doctors I see don't even have PDAs.
10:22:58 PM Permanent link here
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"While in DC, Gary mentioned a free product called infominder, which is basically a web site watcher. When a requested site is updated, infominder will notify the user via e-mail of the content that has changed. A provided link, when clicked, will bring up the requested site with the changed content highlighted (the most useful aspect of this service) in order to find the current information fast. For now, one can "infomind" up to 20 sites with a variety of options available. I use this product for sites that do not provide RSS feeds and for those that only update on a monthly or weekly basis, rather than daily. Take a look at this incredibly useful product for keeping abreast of your favorite sites." [Library Stuff]
Today I messaged with Steven and Blake; I love Instant Messaging more and more every day. During the conversation, Steven noted InfoMinder to me, and I asked him to post it so I could give him (and ergo Gary) credit. If you aren't using a news aggregator yet, give this service a whirl and you'll start to understand what all of the fuss is about. It's not the same, but it will start to give you a frame of reference for a lot of what I advocate.
Once the lightbulb goes on, start asking yourself if you're posting information on your library's web site in a way that would allow a patron to "scrape" its new content using a service like this one.
9:41:18 PM Permanent link here
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"More children said they would pick the Internet over TV, telephone and radio if they were allowed only one medium or media technology, according to a study scheduled to be released today by Knowledge Networks/Statistical Research Inc., as part of its ongoing Home Technology Monitor. One third of kids 8 to 17 chose the Internet as their preferred media choice, while just 26% chose TV.
The findings mark the first time the Internet has surpassed TV since KN/SRI began tracking children’s attitudes on media. Last year’s study showed TV was preferred by more children (29%) than the Internet, which was behind by one percent....
Interactivity seems to be the primary differentiator between the two mediums. 'Children are getting used to being able to be interactive with the media they use,' explains Dave Tice, VP-client service at KN/SRI. The study findings 'point in the direction of where kids are going in terms of media use.'
Media execs agree, acknowledging the seismic shift. 'For the new generation coming up, it’s a very important part of their lives,' says Bolger.'It’s about choice control and interactivity,' adds Christian Kugel, associate director, Insights and Analytics at Starcom IP. 'We have a generation of kids whose media habits have been weaned on interactivity. It’s a segment of kids who don’t remember life before the Internet.' " [Media Buyer's Daily]
Don't forget to check out the chart at the bottom. Guess what medium comes in last for kids ages 8-17? Radio. Above it (in order) are the internet, television, and the telephone. Radio is the least interactive of these, and it's the one professional industry listed that is NOT shifting into these kids' worlds. (The indies are, but the pros are trying to shut them down.)
8:44:44 PM Permanent link here
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Jessica at Off the Record asks:
"In 1889, Andrew Carnegie published The Gospel of Wealth detailing the responsibilities of the rich. What are the responsibilities of those who are technologically rich to people who do not have access to technology? The digital divide continues to grow." [April 2, 2002]
An excellent point.
It turns out this is "the blog of the Observer-Reporter newsroom" (a newspaper in Pennsylvania). How cool is that! (Notice that's an exclamation point, not a question mark.) The link to the blog is even listed on the paper's front page. Now if they would just RSS-ify it for news aggregators.
8:27:28 PM Permanent link here
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"We would rather have a slow internet, than lose that internet in favor of a fast TV.
With the formation of this PAC, our goal is to bring the message to our federal government in an aggressive face to face method. In order to accomplish this goal, we will create a Dream Team of technologists that represent the broad spectrum of the Internet and open source communities. Once assembled this team will take efforts to gain access of our federal government, and bring our message directly to the highest levels of that government." [via Slashdot]
Hey, Matt - here's a way to buy your own senator! I would love to see this succeed, except that I want them to add a seventh ideal that supports the right of fundamental mission of libraries to circulate materials to the public.
5:01:05 PM Permanent link here
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MP3 Squeeze Play: New Player Could Change Your Tune
"First, DataPlay discs hold lots of data and are affordable. Blank discs will be available in single- (250MB) and double-sided (500MB) formats costing anywhere from $5 to $12. That's enough room for up to 11 hours of music, depending on your encoding.
Second, they are extremely compact--about the size of a quarter--and can store virtually any type of data, which makes them suitable not only for MP3 players, but for digital cameras, PDAs, cell phones, and eventually even car audio.
Finally, the content can be secured, which makes it appealing to entertainment companies. In fact, DataPlay recently announced a deal with Zomba to sell DataPlay albums from artists on its Jive Records label--including Britney Spears and 'NSync--a sure sign that DataPlay is about to go mainstream (and a surer sign that neither of us will be rushing out to buy any)." [ZDNet]
I'm cynical that Dataplay discs will become popular when storage has become so cheap and so portable. I got burned on minidiscs because they were never marketed correctly and then MP3s came along. I don't want to carry around multiple discs the size of a quarter - I'll just lose them and they'll be difficult to label anyway. Plus, I rarely listen to whole albums anymore (especially since I no longer buy CDs), so I'd be cutting my own mixes anyway. Why transfer music to a 500MB disc when I can have 6GB on my Archos Jukebox (20GB on the new one).
11:19:22 AM Permanent link here
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Five Potential Extensions To the Google Toolbar
"While Hansell's piece focuses on the web-based search advertising market, we think there are latent opportunities for Google to exploit their Internet Explorer toolbar application beyond in-line keyword highlighting, page ranking...and curing cancer." [Stating the Obvious, via Daypop Top 40]
- Providing local search services.
- Integrating Jabber and becoming the thinking person's IM network.
- Identity management.
- Unleashing its hidden power as a peer-to-peer content distribution network.
- Using Google Compute to resolve the "are weblogs journalism?" debate.
I'd also like to see Google allow a separate pagerank for librarians. We're already evaluating, annotating, and cataloging sites, so why not take advantage of our expertise?
8:54:42 AM Permanent link here
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In the same Wired article I note in the previous post, you'll find We Interrupt this Blog....
"What do you do when your publisher doesn't have the budget to send you on tour? Greg Knauss, author of Rainy Day Fun and Games for Toddler and Total Bastard, has opted for a virtual book tour of blogs and is writing, instead of reading, about his book.
His tour, which includes 20 blog stops, started on March 25 at Kottke.org and is scheduled to last one month....
But so far the tour is working. 'We're doing really small print runs, 50 to 100 at a time, but they're selling faster than we can print them,' said Knauss' publisher, Ben Brown of So New Media." [Wired News]
7:21:55 AM Permanent link here
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(Book Clubs') Life After Oprah
"Oprah's influence was immense, as each of Oprah's 47 picks sold between 650,000 and 1.2 million copies. But the way in which Oprah galvanized and created interest in book clubs might, in the long run, be her true legacy, said Carol Fitzgerald, co-founder and president of Bookreporter.com and ReadingGroupGuides.com....
Elizabeth Long, an associate professor of sociology at Rice University and the author of a forthcoming book about the social aspects of reading groups, says that while Oprah might have closed her club, the Internet can and already does to some extent spread that work of sorting, evaluating and recommending among hundreds, maybe thousands, of volunteers.
"Perhaps online sites don't have Oprah's cachet or charisma, but they can provide a welcoming environment for many kinds of readers," Long said." [Wired News]
How poor a job of marketing our book discussion groups have libraries done to not even get a mention in this article? This is really sad. I'd like to see ALA help initiate a Reading Groups @ Your Library angle to their @ Your Library campaign. Question for non-librarians reading this: are you even aware of ALA's @ Your Library campaign? Have you seen or heard about it anywhere, either at a national level or via your local public library?
"Kevin Smokler, owner of CentralBooking.com isn't trying to fill Oprah's shoes, but he does want to construct an online avenue where readers can stroll through the best independent book-review and community sites.
'As a reader on the prowl for book recommendations, finding a website that suits your tastes and trusting their expertise, is an unnecessarily long process,' said Smokler who hopes the Read Free or Die! Network will serve as a gatekeeper."
Which is why libraries really need to step up to the plate here. We need some ads in the major newspapers, we need to market our NoveList subscriptions, and we need to move our reviews and Reader's Advisory work online. NOW.
7:17:31 AM Permanent link here
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© Copyright 2004 Jenny Levine.
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