Thursday, March 31, 2005
Blogathon
Look - other people are at it too (blogging as part of a course) - yes you, Long Road Media - and being nice to us in the process! Contact us if you know of any other examples.
Sony's plan for world domination?
Apple managed it by combining a portable player (iPod = large profit margin) with a music download service (iTunes = low profit margin) so it's likely that Sony's PSP could have a natural partner in a movie download service. Such a service, if it allowed portability of the downloaded files, could be very popular with PSP owners - as previously mentioned, it can play movies as well as games (it's easier to list the things it doesn't do). Not everyone agrees, though.
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Spare a thought tonight...
There are a couple of villages where switching to analogue TV when the SKY box crashes won't be an option from tonight. If the government is to hit a switch off target of 2012, a lot of portable TVs are going to become expensive monitors for games consoles...
Mobile page-turners
If you were wondering just what mobiles of the future are for, the answer seems to come from Japan. You see, reading has got a future (and is better than playing games on mobiles?) Someone should tell the BBC, as they've been asking recently.
PS2 no more? PSP to the rescue?
Can it really be the case that PS2s are made from illegal technology? Maybe that's how Sony managed world (console) domination... And on the subject of Sony, there's lots of coverage of the PSP about at the moment. The Guardian in particular has a long article considering the potential impact of the PSP. Or will it be just another boys' toy?
Who needs radiowaves?
Broadcasting radio in the traditional way, via radiowaves, may not last if the BBC's success with online distribution (and here) and the rise in podcasting is anything to go by.
Another reason to like Five!
As well as offering some great documentaries, Five are offering downloads of TV clips for sale on its website. This is further evidence that synergy will be the key word between TV and the internet, not competition. Reports suggest that in the UK we're hot on both.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Who needs Pop Idol?
The Guardian has a useful guide to using the internet as a means of distributing your music. Useful if you want to become a millionaire pop star, and also as a means of exploring the benefits of new technologies for artists.
Next generation games even more expensive?
Gamers should be ready for big price increases for next generation games is one message to take from the news that the future of gaming isn't trouble-free. It's likely that the entertainment price per hour will still work out favourably, though... The gaming industry is said to be bigger than Hollywood and so the cost of producing games looks set to rise in accordance. (Although good ideas will always beat the expensive productions.) And you thought it was all about simply 'blowing stuff up'.
Monday, March 14, 2005
One too many?
The BPI (British Phonographic Industry) have undertaken more action against illegal file sharing. The campaign to educate internet users of the damage illegal sharing can cause has been compared to campaigns to educate drivers of the dangers of drink driving, clearly indicating how seriously the music industry is viewing the situation. The current approach seems to be to encourage the public to view illegal file sharing as socially unacceptable - possibly a difficult task given the perception of many that 'it's not really like stealing'. If even BBC's Newsround are covering it (with excellent links on the right of the page) such a position seems difficult to maintain...
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Dr Who and the 'napster effect'
The BBC has a good article on the leaking onto the internet of an episode the new Doctor Who series. It explores the 'napster effect' - if consumers aren't being provided with what they want and how they want it (online for download), then they will find a way of changing things. In terms of thinking about your examination, you should consider whether consumers are justified in taking potentially illegal actions where they don't feel they are getting the service they would like. The Guardian also reports the event in less detail, but it does present the news that some consumers have campaigned to have the episode removed from some download services. Could it be that the BBC could be using technologies such as file-sharing networks to do a bit of pre-release publicity? The evidence suggests not, but they wouldn't be the first. Those Radiohead fellas are crafty.
Monday, March 07, 2005
Is it time to stop censorship of the media?
The Guardian has a thought-provoking column today on the issue of censorship in an internet age. It's a useful reminder that sometimes technology can develop more rapidly than attitudes, inevitably leading to clashes. The idea is quite simple: children can see anything at any time via the internet, so why impose a watershed on TV? Or censor 'traditional' media output at all? It makes sense but isn't likely to gain popular support (and it would probably fuel the argument that runs 'the internet is responsible for everything bad in the world', usually to be found in the Daily Mail).
Upwardly mobile
There's been lots of news relating to mobile phones over the past few weeks. Today there's news of Virgin Radio's use of 3G technology, and news that mobiles will, after all, replace iPods and the like (probably, this week at least). We've also been told that mobiles have become a vital part of any social network, and that connection speeds are likely to be much faster in the future, allowing the rapid download of things such as music and video. It's no wonder BT wants to ditch phone boxes.
Mobile phones aren't a great choice of case study for your exam (because they're less obviously 'media' than some other options) but they are very useful for illustrating the power of technology to become integral to our lives. They are also a great example of the convergence of technologies.
Mobile phones aren't a great choice of case study for your exam (because they're less obviously 'media' than some other options) but they are very useful for illustrating the power of technology to become integral to our lives. They are also a great example of the convergence of technologies.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Digital cinema
The number of digital cinema projectors is to double, thanks to the creation of 250 digital screens in the UK. Although not distributed via the internet (the files are around 100 Gb), eventually this may happen. It is also likely that a broader range of content can be exhibited in cinemas partly as a result of cheaper distribution costs: one print of a film costs around £1500. With digital distribution this can be dramatically reduced along with the benefit of perfect (digital) copies. As a result, cinemas can keep films for longer, allowing word of mouth a longer period of time to develop. Brazil has big plans, too.
Web publishing (again!)
The BBC and the UK Film Council are promoting a way for new film makers to get their work exhibited - and that means you! The cheap availability of equipment, and the relative ease of exhibiting online has created a more democratic culture - if you're good, and you put your work out there, you'll be recognised. So what's your excuse?
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