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There was a time, no too long ago; when you could post an auction on eBay and have a reasonable expectation that the person buying from you was a vetted member of the eBay community. Much more importantly, there was a time when you had a reasonable expectation that sending money to someone with a Continue Reading →

Wired Magazine Reports: A recent software upgrade to DirecTV receivers has infuriated TiVo users who say the change disabled their beloved digital video recorders — and has sparked conspiratorial theories that DirecTV disabled them on purpose.   The problem mainly affects DirecTV customers with D10 receivers and a stand-alone TiVo, and who use a serial Continue Reading →

Google is expected to unveil a search engine for Web-only video this summer that will let people preview media clips from its Web site, CNET News.com has learned.   Google’s planned service will let visitors find free short-form videos such as the popular “Star Wars” video spoofs, according to sources who asked to remain anonymous. Continue Reading →

As reported in BroadcastEngineering: The first color video cameras, introduced in the 1950s and bought only by well-heeled broadcasters, were the size of refrigerators. Now, half a century later, comes word of the world’s first disposable video camera.   CVS stores has acquired the exclusive rights to sell pocket-sized digital video cameras that are able Continue Reading →

“Still, if the dates slip further, Microsoft could take a hit to its already threadbare credibility in this arena; for nearly a decade, it has been trying to bring interactive TV to fruition. More delays also could be a setback for SBC, which hopes to use the technology to help prevent customer defections to cable. Continue Reading →

I had the pleasure of attending the OMMA Conference and Expo in San Francisco this week. One of the things that made the event truly interesting was listening to Bob Garfield’s (Advertising Age, Editor-at-Large) Keynote address, “The Chaos Scenario: what happens if the old media/marketing model collapses before the new model is built?” Not only Continue Reading →

BellSouth Corp. will begin offering wireless-broadband service in Athens, Ga. Verizon Communications Inc. is expanding its use of wireless broadband, to two towns in Illinois. The telcos are dipping their feet into the WiMax water … how will it feel?   For about $43 per month, users of these pre-WiMax wireless broadband test services will Continue Reading →

“It didn’t feel to me like a long march,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs, describing a moment several months ago when he realized he would end his relationship with I.B.M. He said the decision seemed obvious to his small team of top managers. “There was a day when we looked at each other and said, Continue Reading →

We’ve super-sized a generation by feeding them at FFHR’s (Fast Food Hamburger Restaurants).  We’ve told them that what they are eating is called a hamburger.  So, should we be surprised if they do not recognize ground sirloin on a sourdough bun as the same food-stuff?  Or, if they do recognize the genus (hamburger), should we Continue Reading →

The Wall Street Journal reports that SBC, the nation’s second-largest phone company, plans to start charging $14.95 a month for new customers — making broadband service less expensive than some dial-up plans. Is this a loss-leader or a portent of things to come?  If SBC is just torturing their competition to create churn, this is Continue Reading →