mip's scan

Gushing Over the Zune

The guys over at TechCrunch are gushing about the social networking aspect of the Zune. I think it is a lot of fuss about nothing, but I guess when you are granted exclusive access and interviews, you better say something nice otherwise....bye-bye future access, right? The really absurd lines from their post are

how low Apple and Creative shares are selling as we speak? Perhaps MS could create a “Zune Inside” logo for those guys? Or maybe fund a halfway house for underconnected MP3 players?

that nonsense really just translates into "The zune is the next iPod killer" to which most people can respond..."hmmm...we've heard that before." The idea is that because the Zune is WiFi enabled, people will be able to share their music, or lend their music to other Zune owners. So you could lend me a tune that I could listen to for 3 days or 3 listens, whichever came first. Sounds interesting, but the catch is the end user experience. Does this work with music you've bought or any tune you might have ripped? If I rip a CD I own, does that mean some kind of DRM is layer on top of that to make sure that it can only be listened to 3 times on another player? Further to that, I've said before, and I'll say it again, it HAS TO BE about the TOTAL END USER EXPERIENCE. Where is the tight end-to-end experience with the online purchasing channel? To date, the buying experience of tunes anywhere else other than iTunes doesn't have a great track record. So what good is social networking and the ability to lend content if you can't easily get content onto the device? Now I'm not saying you won't be able to...but nobody is talking about the total experience. They are talking about features...just like every other mp3 player wanna-be has done. And features don't knock the iPod off the top of the marketplace hilltop.

Anyway, there's my rant for the day. Couldn't help it - I can't stand when I read something so gushy.

Got An Old PC? Get Some New Storage

I devour storage.   I can never get enough storage.  You can never have enough storage.  More storage = goodness.

Are you picking up on my vibe.  With increased use of computers for storing music, podcasts, photos and video, storage is something I can't get enough of.  I try and centralize content and then access it over the network.  I do that with PCs and my Macs.  I have two 1TB LaCie drives as well attached to my Macs. 

Well I had an older Dell, about 9 years old now that had a 40GB and an 80GB hard drive in it.  It had Windows XP on it but it ran like a dog with only 512Mb of RAM.  During a Sunday evening house cleaning my wife said, "What are you going to do with this PC?"  It had been sitting in the garage for months, but the tech-guy in me just couldn't let it go.  I hummed and hawed a bit and she finally said "Just get rid of it if you can't use it." 

Backed into a corner, I got creative...what about turning this old PC into some network attached storage?  Having an additional 100GB or so of additional storage is always a good thing.  So what did I do?

A Threat to the iPod? Are You Sirius?

Well it is hunting season again and everyone is gunning to kill the iPod.  From the much hyped Zune (which by the way is going to simply be a device manufactured by other third party companies) to the lower priced/higher capacity SanDisk mp3 player, iPod killers are lurking around every corner....or so all these marketing departments would have you believe.  I of course laugh, not because I'm some iPod fanatic...I use what works and don't care what company gives it to me...I laugh though because so many companies continue to beat their head against the wall without coming to some understanding that it isn't just about the device.  Let me say that again...IT ISN'T ABOUT THE DEVICE!!!  It doesn't matter how much capacity you build into it, how many features, bells, whistles and other kitchen gadgets, or how cheaply you can give the product away for.  It is about the total user experience.  Want to hear that again?

IT IS THE TOTAL USER EXPERIENCE!!!!

Why is it so hard for everyone to see that?  The Apple iPod dominance is because of the device, the integration with the iTunes software, the ease of purchasing music.  It all just works.  Plain and simple. 

That is why when I read about how the new Sirius Stilletto was going to be the next big threat to the iPod I had to laugh (again) and ask...are you Sirius? (pardon the pun...I'm cranky).  Now don't get me wrong...I think that being able to record content off the satellite service is great...a definite step in the right direction.  But I still think that satellite content is limiting by the fact that it isn't on demand like buying music from iTunes or pulling down a podcast from the web and putting it on your iPod.  More so, if you look at iTunes for example, you can already stream radio.  What happens if Apple launches a WiFi enable iPod which would be easy enough to do.  Then you could stream radio via your iPod or subscribe to a stream.  Take it further...what happens if iTunes decides to make XM Radio streams available via iTunes?  Talk about a partnership that would do some sirius damage to Sirius. 
Seriously.

Good Little Video of the Sony mylo

This is a follow up to the post I did this morning on the Sony mylo.  The gang over at Gizmodo seem to have gotten their hands on one and given us a little video (see below).   I like how they seem to have borrowed the great user interface design that Sony created for the PSP.  The icons, graphical layout and navigation are very similar.  I find the PSP interface to be excellent so seeing it on the mylo is awesome.  The slide out keyboard is what the PSP is missing to make web browsing a joy on the device.  Of course, the PSP doesn't come bundled with the great communication apps that mylo does like Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger and most importantly Skype.   Can you imagine how great a device like this would be once the Toronto WiFi project is completed by Toronto Hydro! 

Enjoy the clip below....boy...I sure hope they make this device available in Canada otherwise I'm going to need to drive to Buffalo to find one!

Technology Meets Advertising

I'm going to have to ride a Toronto subway just to find one of these new advertisements.  What has BBDO done? 

BBDO created a subway poster that has a fully functional headphone jack imbedded in it, which plays samples of various exclusive tracks available at pepsiaccess.ca. There are close to 100 posters playing 12 different tracks running in Toronto and Vancouver from now until the end of summer.

Every Pepsi comes with a PIN, which can be redeemed for access to ultra-exclusive music, concerts, events, etc. at pepsiaccess.ca. This poster plays a 30 second track sample of “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley. After an announcer says: “That was a taste of an exclusive track from Gnarls Barkley. Check out pepsiaccess.ca for more.”

I think this is a really innovative use of technology.  It recognizes and leverages the technology that so many people are carrying - music players.  I can't wait to see more of this kind of thing. Wait till a company like BBDO discovers Bluetooth?  Imagine how cool it would be to send a 30 second track to your cellphone?

As for the music-enabled-poster, I wonder how many people will try it?  There'd be no technical reason not to try it, although people might feel silly unplugging their headphones and sticking them into the poster's jack.  As for me, if I find one in and about Toronto, I'll take a pic and let you know what I thought of the experience.  I'm sure my iPod will forgive me a 30 second indulgence.

Let Your Content Go with YahooGo

Yahoo just launched/made availble their suite of tools called YahooGo.  I spoke about it in today's podcast so you can get details on the service there or via their site.  I saw it early this morning and have thought about it a bit and decided I'd put some additional thoughts down now that I've had some time to turn it over in my head.  Firstly, I like the fact that Yahoo is doing this as it demonstrates that they get it in terms of the emerging nature of content.  Consumers / users want content, be it music, photos, video or television programming, to move seamlessly across the various devices they may consume it on.   It seems to be a theme I've been echoing in the last little while, which is "set content free" and you get better content.  YahooGo does this and takes into consideration the three screens I've talked about in the past, as YahooGo is for TVs, PCs and Cellphones.  I'm rather disappointed to see such a limited (i.e., one) release of YahooGo for cellphones.  They need to broaden that for it to make any sense at all. 

It's a clear shot at Microsoft's Media Center and Apple Frontrow.  It's a bit more robust it seems than Frontrow as it has the DVR capabilities but I'm not sure how effective the implementation or experience is, yet.  I will test it this evening.  I'll get back to you with my verdict after that.

If you've been looking for a way to connect your PC to your TV but don't have Media Center or a new Mac, than check out YahooGo.

Satellite Radio Starting to "Get It"?

Remember when I wrote a post back in February talking about satellite radio floundering because it's a tech that just doesn't make sense (to me at least).  I ended that article with four suggestions that satellite radio companies needed to take in order to make their technology and business offering competitive and attractive.

1. they should stream or make available their content over the web as well.  This will increase their reach globally as opposed to serving only the market where they have satellite coverage. 
2. they need to build a device that not only picks up the satellite feed and lets you listen - you have to be able to set times and programs you'd like to record for listening to later
3. they need to have a way for podcasters to easily become part of their line up.  Then you'll have a viral marketing effect where people listening to podcasts will hear about the satellite service.  A good example is Adam Curry on Sirius radio.
4. They have to figure out how I can create truly custom streaming radio channels via satellite.  Something like Pandora for satellite.  That would really rock. 

Well perhaps someone read my post and took some of my advice.  Ha ha.  Probably not, but it is nice to see that a new device has hit the scene and it satisfies my suggestion #2 which is to allow the device to record content.  Enter the Pioneer Inno, an XM Satellite radio that lets you record and put mp3 files on it.  With 1GB of storage on it you can record up to 50 hours of content.  So perhaps there is hope for satellite radio after-all.  They seem to be listening to consumer needs.  So that's one suggestion down, three more to go.  ;-)

Another Great iPod Killer? Wrong Again

I read with amusement the review of the new Samsung Z5.  This was going to be the music player that finally did it.  They hired the fellow who designed the iPod interface so now...all the pieces were falling into place. The form factor is very nano-like, the interface is great.  So what happened?  Well from one review I read about the integration between the device itself and a music/content site.

MUSIC STORE INTEGRATION No. At Samsung's suggestion, I tested the Z5 with Rhapsody's store, which is available directly from the copy of Windows Media Player provided by the Z5's installer. After banging my head on the keyboard for an hour, unable to get it to work, a Rhapsody rep finally let me know that, in fact, Rhapsody's subscription store doesn't work in Media Player — only with Rhapsody's own software jukebox.

Ok, I'm going to say this loud and clear.  It's about CONTENT!  Apple hasn't just delivered a great device, they are delivering a great experience.  A complete end-to-end experience.  So if you are looking to create a true iPod killer, you've got to think beyond the device.

Satellite Radio Tunes into Big Loses?

Ok - this is not a surprise in the least.  Not to me at least.  Remember my post back on November 12th of 2005?  XM Radio was coming to Canada and it was suppose to be this hugely compelling content offering.  I just couldn't find the value proposition.  I ranted in a podcast against the advertising as well where XM Radio was trying to say "We are not an iPod" insinuating that they were better than an iPod.  To me it all boiled down to true choice.  XM Radio (and other satellite offerings) can only say that its programming with no commercials.  I say: People can already do that with podcasts and setting up their own tunes on an mp3 player.  Still, people said to me "Yeah mip but what if they bring specialized, exclusive content."  Ok I can concede that point.  Of course if you can only get Howard Stern or Oprah on satellite, I might be compelled to go subscribe.  But those kind of talents cost money - big money.  And that results in financial problems.  And that is what has triggered this post.  What did I read early this morning?

XM - the leading member of a satellite radio duopoly with Sirius - reported a 113 per cent rise in fourth quarter revenue to $177m. The gains came on the back of healthy subscriber additions but did little to improve the company's overall bottom line. In fact, XM saw its net loss swell to $268m from $188m in the same period last year.

Of course the powers that be will say that the loss is acceptable because its an investment to builder subscribers but I think it's a slippery slope.  Even their own Pierce Roberts, XM Director was quotes as saying: "Given current course and speed there is, in my view, a significant chance of a crisis on the horizon."  He resigned by the way.

What does satellite radio have to do if they want to make inroads?  This is what I think should happen:

1. they should stream or make available their content over the web as well.  This will increase their reach globally as opposed to serving only the market where they have satellite coverage. 
2. they need to build a device that not only picks up the satellite feed and lets you listen - you have to be able to set times and programs you'd like to record for listening to later
3. they need to have a way for podcasters to easily become part of their line up.  Then you'll have a viral marketing effect where people listening to podcasts will hear about the satellite service.  A good example is Adam Curry on Sirius radio.
4. They have to figure out how I can create truly custom streaming radio channels via satellite.  Something like Pandora for satellite.  That would really rock. 

Guess we'll need to wait and see what the next move will be.  The question is, will it move them up the hill or simply cause them to slide further down. 

To see details of Xm Radio's loss just click here for one of many article on the subject.

Songbird Really Sings!

I love what the folks over at Songbirdnest.com are doing.  I spoke about this in my podcast this morning but wanted to get a post up on it as well (you see....you really do read about things here as the news breaks!).  I downloaded very early this morning this new browser called Songbird.  It's being called a media browser.  Click on the screenshot to the left, it says it all.  When I surf to a site that has media on it, I get that media listed in the bottom frame.  I can then play that media using the controls, just like a media player.  I think the integration they've done is awesome.  I'll have to post a more indepth review of this once I've had more than a few hours to play with it.  Be sure to check out the features of this browser and then download it and give it a test drive yourself.