Digital Technology for Digital Living.
June 29, 2006
YouTube Teams Up with NBC
NBC is teaming up with viral video Web site YouTube to promote its fall season. Under the agreement, announced Tuesday, YouTube will create a dedicated NBC channel on its Web site. In exchange, NBC will hype YouTube through on-air promos.
The deal is noteworthy, considering NBC’s legal turmoils with YouTube. A popular Saturday Night Live skit called “Lazy Sunday” was uploaded to YouTube in December 2005 without NBC’s consent. The video — which poked fun at Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia movie — made YouTube an instant Internet sensation.
Lazy Sunday was viewed more than five million times on YouTube before NBC Universal forced the site to remove it, along with several other copyrighted NBC video clips in February 2006. NBC later placed the skit on its SNL web page as well as in the iTunes Store. Coincidently, YouTube.com won’t be able to post the Lazy Sunday video as part of the new deal, NBC spokesman Joe Libonati said Tuesday.
So what kind of content will this new NBC YouTube channel feature? NBC doesn’t plan to distribute full-length TV shows through YouTube. Instead, the network said, it will distribute promotional clips from programs such as SNL, The Office and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on the Web site. NBC already sells full-length episodes of Law & Order, The Office and other primetime series through the iTunes Store.
NBC is counting on YouTube to help lure viewers back to TV and boost their ratings. They are currently in 4th place behind Fox, ABC and CBS.
read more | digg story | methodshop
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Broadband, Music, Video
June 26, 2006
Giant iPod Seen From Space
Ready for a little fun? Open this link to Google Maps and zoom in all the way. Some keen eyed Google Earth users have found what looks like a giant iPod somewhere in Australia.
At first, many people assumed it was a clever iPod ad deliberately constructed by Apple. However, according to Really Rocket Science, the satellite image for that location on was taken on January 1, 1999. And as any true nerd knows, that’s a couple years before the first iPod was even announced (October 23, 2001).
Although this satellite image predates the iPod, it’s Nefertiti owner is much much older. You can see her wearing a pair of earbuds in the image below.
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Broadband, Music
MacBook Pro Disco Keyboard
Our friends at techeblog found an interesting way to take control of your keyboard. Someone named Alan used an iTunes visualizer plug-in to make his MacBook’s backlit keyboard flicker to the music.
“Using an iTunes visualizer plug-in… I dimmed the backlight on the screen for better visibility of the keyboard, but the plug-in can also flash the screen backlight with the music.”
Here’s a video demonstration on YouTube.
Sound like fun? Do you want your MacBook’s keyboard to flicker like the dance floor in Staying Alive?
- Download the plug-in called iSpazz.
- Uncompress the zip file and copy it to your Home directory’s iTunes Plug-ins folder (Library > iTunes > iTunes Plug-ins)
- Open iTunes
- Press the “i” key to toggle the flicker on and off
youtube | digg story | methodshop
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, Portable, Software
June 22, 2006
iPod Purse Roundup
Although I love my custom engraved iPod, I abuse the hell out of it once it gets into my purse. Apparently when I’m not looking, the clasp on my wallet and my 49¢ Bic pen have been trying to shank my iPod like a couple of Oz prison inmates.
But I can’t let my rejected laser engraving get scraped all to hell… I need something to protect my iPod when I’m not.
Enter the iPod Purses…
Love it or hate it, but you certainly can’t ignore it. The iPod has become the ultimate style statement. Here’s a roundup of some iPod inspired bags for the fairer sex.
- Groove Bag
- Delapod
- Paul Frank Tornado
- Kangaroo iPod Pouch
- Electra iTote
Sorry boys, maybe next time!
Other Resources: purse blog everything you need to know about fashion hand bags
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, Portable
June 21, 2006
Apple to sell Movies in iTunes
According to an article in Daily Variety, Apple is currently in talks with several Hollywood studios about adding movies to the iTunes Store. However, the talks have stalled. Apparently, the final detail they can’t resolve is the price point. Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, wants a flat price of $9.99 per movie. The flat rate model has made Apple’s music store a simple and pleasant experience for users. However, studio executives rather see a range of prices from $2, for discount titles, to $20 or more for new releases.
When could we see movies offered in the iTunes Store? Daily Variety cites several “unnamed sources” who predict that Apple might begin offering movie downloads by the end of 2006. Who knows, maybe by Christmas morning you could legally download a new release and play it for the family.
iPod Video + iTunes Movie Store + TV + iPod Video dock = Blockbuster bankruptcy
How’s my math?
read more | digg story | methodshop
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Video, Digital TV
Steve Jobs Dress-up
Steve Jobs only wears black mock turtlenecks and jeans. That’s it. He doesn’t want to think about what he has to wear so he wears the same thing everyday. It may be easy for him, but what about the rest of us? What if we want to see our favorite CEO think different when it comes to his wardrobe once in awhile?
Check out this neat Flash game from geekculture.com called Steve Jobs Dress-up.
Steve may not be able to handle a wardrobe change, but that can’t stop the rest of us from trying.
flickr | digg story | methodshop
methodshop | Comments (0) | General
June 20, 2006
Wicked Laser Review
I was pretty skeptical when I first received my Extreme Nexus 95 mW Wicked Laser pointer. There’s no question that 95 mW is pretty powerful… especially when compared to a standard 5 mW consumer laser pointer. But what makes a Wicked Laser “wicked”?
For starters, these lasers are no joke. They are strong. Very strong. The Extreme Nexus has a 38 mile visibility range. What happens when you bring that power into your average everyday life? If you tried to use to use a Wicked Laser at your next conference room presentation, it would be total overkill. The entire projection screen would glow so bright from the laser that you wouldn’t be able to see anything. Not to mention that this laser is powerful enough to light matches, burn plastic and pop balloons.
What else makes these Chinese military grade lasers so special? Let’s find out….
methodshop | Comments (4) | General, Toys
Kentucky Fried iPod Shuffle
Is your iPod broken? Think you can fix it yourself? This story we found on ipastudio.com might change your mind.
Someone named Chris T tried to open his broken iPod Shuffle. He’s just a project manger with no real engineering experience, but he wanted to give it a try. He grabbed a metal knife and started to pry open the iPod. Apparently he hit a small capacitor or the battery with his knife because “the iPod basically exploded in his face and caught fire.” Moments later the room was full of black smoke, sparks and girlish screams. The end result was something that can only be described as a Kentucky Fried Shuffle.
Francis, a friend of Chris T who blogged about this story, feels there are 2 morals or lessons to be learned from this experience:
- Apple made the iPod Shuffle in a way for it not to be opened… there is a reason for this!
- Project Managers should never think of themselves as “Hardware Engineers”
If you have a problematic iPod, here are some trouble shooting tips you can try. But always consider sending a broken iPod to a professional before grabbing a knife.
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, Toys
June 14, 2006
LoJack for your Laptop
Did your brand new MacBook get stolen already? Hopefully you had Undercover installed.
Undercover is an application that aids in the recovery of a stolen Macintosh. It works by transmitting the internet location (internal and external IP addresses and the router address) of the stolen Mac and by sending screenshots as well as images from any connected cameras. At one point these screenshots will sooner or later reveal the thief’s identity (e.g. when chatting, reading and writing emails). Combine that with images from any connected cameras and you have a very powerful recovery tool.
As you can imagine, Undercover can be especially useful for owners Apple MacBooks with built-in iSight cameras.
But once you know the location of your stolen laptop, then what? Go knock on the thief’s front door and get your ass kicked? No way. Orbicule, the makers of Undercover, then works with local police and law enforcement to help recover the stolen Mac. And if things go wrong, Undercover switches to plan B and simulates a hardware failure, forcing the thief (or someone who bought the stolen Mac on eBay) to return it to an authorized reseller. To alert the reseller, Undercover will start displaying full-screen messages and it will shout that the Mac has been stolen.
Owning Undercover is like having both a private detective and a LoJack for your laptop. Not a bad idea considering that 600,000 laptops were stolen in the USA during 2004 and only 3% were recovered. If only they made Undercover for iPods…
Undercover is only $30 and comes with a money-back guarantee. For more information check out: http://orbicule.com/undercover/
read more | digg story | methodshop.com
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Broadband, Wireless, Portable, Software
June 13, 2006
Ethernet Connector Cufflinks
Want to make a big impression at DefCon or the next computer conference?
The guys at geektechnique.org have a nice little tutorial on how to “hack” together a pair of cufflinks out of Ethernet connectors and bits of wire.
Here’s the link to the Crimp-your-own Cufflinks tutorial if you want to follow suit. It’s a pretty entertaining read even if you don’t actually need a pair of Ethernet cufflinks.
Have they started a trend? Could Ethernet Connector Cufflinks be most-geek-style clothing accessory ever? Try them out at your next computer convention. Maybe you might get lucky. How can you go wrong with a little convention booty?
Is it nerdy? Yes. Is it geek chic at its finest? Absolutely.
Let the crimping begin!
read more | digg story | methodshop.com
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Broadband
June 12, 2006
Cell Phone Jammers
We’ve all wanted to strangle them before. There’s nothing worse than some jerk blabbing away on their phone while you’re trying to enjoy a movie, meal at a restaurant, or a nice quiet nap on the bus/train ride to work.
You can try to send the offending mobile blabbermouth a few evil looks or the old “courtesy cough” but those passive aggressive gestures rarely work.
If you really want to silence a dopey chatter box, then you’ll need to acquire a cell phone jammer.
methodshop | Comments (1) | General, Mobile Phone, Wireless, Portable
June 11, 2006
Solio Solar iPod Charger
Need to take your iPod places without a power source? Maybe you need a Solio iPod Charger. This fan-blade solar charger allows your iPod to soak up sun rays when placed in direct sunlight (either outside or affixed to a window).
The Solio also has a high capacity internal battery that stores energy and then releases it when the unit is plugged into your iPod. A fully charged Solio delivers enough energy to extend iPod playtimes by up to 9 hours. And it doesn’t take hours of charge time just to get enough juice to play one song. An hour in the sun can give your iPod up to a few hours of play time.
You can even plug the Solio into a regular wall socket to charge its battery for instant power anywhere. Not a bad idea since the Solio can store energy for more than a year.
The Solio may be perfect on your next camping trip, but you may want to avoid pulling it while walking down Madison Avenue… unless you want people to mistake you for Ugly George.
The Solio is available from Amazon.com.
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, Portable, Peripherals
June 09, 2006
OS X Installer Music
Have you ever reinstalled your Macintosh operating system just to hear the music? Hopefully not, but if you’ve ever found yourself grooving to the soundtrack while installing OS X and wanted to know what you were listening to… then you are in luck.
Someone posted an iMix in the iTunes Music Store called Mac OS X Installer Music. It contains all the songs Apple has used since Cheetah.
You can use this link to open the iMix in iTunes or just sample individual songs from the list below.
- Mac OS X 10.0 “Cheetah” - Sofa Rockers Remix by Sofa Rockers
- Mac OS X 10.1 “Puma” - Sofa Rockers Remix by Sofa Rockers
- Mac OS X 10.2″Jaguar” - Sofa Rockers Remix by Sofa Rockers
- Mac OS X 10.3 “Panther” - Eple by Roykosopp
- Mac OS X 10.4 “Tiger” - Bytecry by Weevil
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music
June 07, 2006
U2 iPod is Reincarnated on 666
Does this black and red iPod look familiar? It should. It’s the second coming of the U2 iPod.
The original iPod U2 Special Edition was announced on October 24, 2004 and was the first black iPod Apple ever produced. Apple discontinued it about a year later on October 12, 2005 and rabid U2 fans have been without a Rattle & Hum to satisfy their portable music needs ever since.
Operating under some Mysterious Ways, on 06.06.06, (the day of the devil???) Apple announced a reincarnation of iPod U2 Special Edition. The encore version is actually $20 cheaper than the original but has a bigger hard drive, color screen and is video ready.
Like the original U2 iPod, the new version comes with the autographs of each band member engraved on the back (black metal this time, not aluminum) and a coupon for U2 content from the iTunes Store. The exclusive content offering includes 30-minutes of music videos and band interviews.
Let’s compare the original iPod U2 Special Edition with the new reincarnated version.
Price
- original: $349
- encore: $329
Color of metal backing
- original
- encore: black
iTunes Music Store Coupon
- original: $50 off the price of a digital U2 box set called The Complete U2
- encore: free 30-minutes of music videos and band interviews
Here are some technical details for the new iPod U2 Special Edition:
Holds up to 7,500 songs and album art- Holds up to 25,000 photos
- Holds up to 75 hours of video
- Accessory-compatible Dock connector
- 2.5-inch (diagonal) color LCD with LED backlight
- Comes with earbud headphones and USB cable
- Autographs of all U2 members on the back
- Bright 2.5-inch display with LED backlight
- Up to 14 hours of battery life; up to 3 hours of slideshows with music; up to 2 hours of video playback
- Works with Mac OS X or Windows 2000/XP
- More info…
If you are a U2 fan who still hasn’t found what you are looking for in a mp3 player, perhaps you should consider getting this newest member in the iPod family.
The iPod U2 Special Edition is available from Apple.com and Amazon.com.
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, Portable
