Author Archive
Sep
03
2010
 
Shopping Site ‘Thefind’ Finds Its Facebook Way, CarefullyPosted by: wiredtechbiz in Wired Tech BizThe increasingly popular online shopping site Thefind has finally found a way to connect with Facebook, without being creepy. It’s not a technical breakthrough — plenty of sites now work with Facebook to let users log-in — but Thefind has been grappling with how to integrate with Facebook in a way that’s relevant and privacy-respectful.
Sep
02
2010
Apple TV’s Meager Offerings Are Due to Business, Not TechPosted by: wiredtechbiz in Wired Tech BizThis week’s big Apple announcement featured one big disappointment: Apple TV’s relative lack of, well, TV. Out of all of the hundreds of channels available on cable and satellite, only ABC and Fox agreed to offer their programs for rent on Apple TV. The fact that Steve Jobs is the largest single shareholder in, and on the board of, Disney — owner of ABC — perfectly illustrates this digital divide.
People in Silicon Valley have focused on the set-top box as the lever to attack the cable industry. Cable boxes blow, but that’s a losing battle. So why is Apple TV different? Because Steve Jobs has not just created a new set top box. He’s actually created a whole new media ecosystem built around the mobile phone.
We know — the new Apple TV is really small, and cheap and easy-to-use. That’s all good, but still not knocking our socks off despite being the ripest area for expansion by a company that has already firmly established itself on the computer, phone, portable media player and tablet. Here are five reasons Apple TV is still boring.
Sep
01
2010
Apple’s Ping Network Is Already Too Big to FailPosted by: wiredtechbiz in Wired Tech BizApple audaciously seems to think the world actually needs another social network — one that you even need special software to be part of, to boot. With the introduction Wednesday of Ping, a music-centered community that exists only within iTunes, they are probably right — and then some.
Sep
01
2010
FCC Delays Net Neutrality Over Google-Verizon ProposalPosted by: wiredtechbiz in Wired Tech BizFederal regulators are putting off efforts to regain authority over the nation’s internet providers while they seek renewed public input on net neutrality.
Aug
31
2010
Apple to Livestream Press Conference — to Apple Customers OnlyPosted by: wiredtechbiz in Wired Tech BizBreaking with a longstanding but unstated policy, Apple has decided to publish a live video stream of Wednesday’s press conference. The stream will be optimized for Mac, iPhone and iPad users only.
Online video creators, advertisers and producers have an unhealthy fascination with viral videos, and that obsession is dragging down the entire industry. Why? Because viral videos are, at their core, no better than a fluffernutter white-bread sandwich, delivering little or no value to anyone.
Aug
30
2010
The Oxford English Dictionary Definitions of ‘Print’ and ‘Digital’Posted by: wiredtechbiz in Wired Tech BizThe venerable Oxford English Dictionary isn’t even one-third finished with what will be only its third revision in 80 years. But already there is talk that the multivolume work, which has informed scholars and fussy linguists, may eschew print entirely when the new edition is completed in about decade.
Aug
30
2010
Google and Arcade Fire Team for HTML5 ‘Experience’Posted by: wiredtechbiz in Wired Tech BizWe don’t know exactly what to call the online collaboration between Arcade Fire and Google that launched Monday morning, but it sure is neat. If music videos were invented for the web they might have looked something like this: The project uses the web browser itself as an artistic medium, showing off the HTML5’s potential for interaction and multi-paned viewing rather than just using the browser as a frame for a plain, television-style video.
Aug
28
2010
Reddit Bucks Conde Nast Owners, Runs Pro-Pot Legalization AdsPosted by: wiredtechbiz in Wired Tech BizThe social news site Reddit staged a mini-rebellion Friday, deciding to run ads for a pro-marijuana legalization campaign for free, after Condé Nast executives ruled against taking payment for the ads.
Aug
28
2010
Who Writes Pro-Cable Internet Legislation? Cable DoesPosted by: wiredtechbiz in Wired Tech BizA long-simmering bill in North Carolina that sought to make community-owned broadband networks much more difficult to establish was sponsored by a prominent state lawmaker and backed by incumbent ISPs, including the cable lobby. But it’s not like those ISPs actually wrote the now-discarded bill, right? Um …
Aug
27
2010
Internet Fail: Blockbuster Reportedly Plans BankruptcyPosted by: wiredtechbiz in Wired Tech BizBlockbuster CEO Jim Keyes and a team of restructuring consultants reportedly met with all the major Hollywood studios last week to tell them about a plan to file bankruptcy before interest payments come due on nearly $1 billion in secured debt at the end of next month. The company might be able to survive by restructuring its debt, according to the Los Angeles Times — but even a restructuring could entail bankruptcy. Either way, the company is in big trouble.
Aug
27
2010
Open Facebook Competitor Diaspora Sets 9/15 Launch DatePosted by: wiredtechbiz in Wired Tech BizDiaspora, a nascent open competitor to Facebook that raised $200,000 from online contributors, will launch their much-anticipated service on Sept. 15, the company said today in a blog post
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