My So-Called Digital Life

Everybody Goes Zune Zune

Ok, so the iPod. Fairly ubiquitous right? I mean, when they galloped onto the market so many years ago, people thought it was a fad...then there were the naysayers...you know the ones..."but it only works on a mac". brilliant. everyone wanted one so much, they had to purchase a new computer....until...the next version and then you could use it with your PC...another marketing victory. now it does video, music, files, pictures, etc....it is a standalone system that will see itself into the sunset.

who knows.

But it is curious that Microsoft would compete so late in the game with Zune...something that is restricted due to digital rights. Curious. MS generally doesn't release anything without thinking it through...but to where?

I've already complained about this little box. I'm just still confused...what is real the method to their madness?

It's not very pretty, its priced too high to not be an iPod if you know what i mean, and its a ugly brown colour. That all said, their business model just might work...eventually. And maybe that all has to do with partnerships. MS just launched a revenue sharing deal with Universal Music Group. MS gets the rights to sell UMG's music and Universal will receive a slice of Zune sales. Nice.

The difference here is that MS adds motivation that goes beyond the downloads rates of Apple. The partners now have a stake in Zune's success.

But do I care about that? Nope. I'm the end user...and i want as much music as i can find when i want it...in the easiest way possible...with my itunes....i personally have no stake in anyone's business model except my own and that's to take MY music...anywhere...now...not when a provider gets around to giving it....

in other words i might not want the chicken or the beef but the fish. and if MS is only offering me beef and limited choice, i'll dine out elsewhere.

Microsoft's Zune

So I know this sounds weird, but the new Zune is an attempt to think into the future, when the thought of digital rights "problems" will be a think of the past. Microsoft's yet unreleased Zune which has been touted the "iPod killer" uses Digital Rights Managemet but oddly enough, will not be compatible with Microsoft's PlayForSure technology.

So anyone that has licensed the old techhnology will find out very quickly that the music that they are currently selling will not be playable on the new Zune. What does this mean? Repurchasing? Possibly if all is correct. Where you say? Zune of course. Will all the music that you owned be able to be repurchased? Well only if its available...look at iTunes...sometimes your fav song just is not licensed or it takes a while for it to be added to a library.

So this brings up an interesting question....repurchasing...relicensing...and what about fair use? Recently at a conference I spoke at in Hong Kong, the idea of licensing depending on use (one cost for listening on a CD at home, another price to download to your computer and then to your iPod, another price to copy to a friend). So the whole buying again and again might not be so far away.

If I've made no sense at all, feel free to check out the BBC. They seem to have it together.

MTV and China's Baidu.com

MTV Networks, owned by Viacom Inc., announced today a landmark content and advertising alliance with Baidu.com, Inc., China's #1 search engine, at a press conference in Beijing. The new strategic partnership will give China's 123 million Internet users easy access to 15,000 hours of MTV and Nickelodeon original video content and music videos licensed by five top Chinese and Asian music companies for online viewing or download through http://www.baidu.com starting today. As part of the agreement, MTV will provide the first-ever branded area featured on Baidu - MTV Zone, which will include advertising at launch by Motorola and P&G. This deal extends MTVN China's digital media position, where MTV has 100% reach of the country's mobile subscribers through partnerships with China Mobile and China Unicom.

More here.

Nickelodeon places tones on iTunes

Nickelodeon has updated its animated selection at iTunes, writes Mediaweek. Before its network premiere on November 18, Skyland may already be previewed in four episodes now available to own. Following the adventures of a brother and his sister in the year 2251, the series' first episode may be downloaded for free at the online store. Meanwhile, numerous clips from The Nicktoons Network Animation Festival, delivering independent animation from around the world, are also available to purchase. Twenty-eight compilations of approximately 180 short films are anticipated to eventually hit iTunes. - Animated News

Sony Lands Grouper

Even though Sony bought the video sharing site, Grouper Networks last August, they still have some major issues to contend with such as rights management and the fact that YouTube has surpassed them in popularity by leaps and bounds. It's ironic that half the reason they bought Grouper was because it was so "open" in terms of content. This might get Sony in a whole heap of trouble as copyrighted material keeps landing on their servers.

It will be interesting to see how a media giant handles the situation. On top of that, users are generally hestitant to post personal information on a major site belonging to a large company. Hence the move to "private" YouTube. But now that they've been bought as well, where oh where will people feel comfortable posting now? For free that is.

For more on the story, click here.

ABC: Millenials and Mobile Key for New Media

It's true, you might want to watch a part of a show...heck, maybe even quite a bit of a show, on your phone or mobile device on the train into work, on the subway to your friend's place, or while you're brown bagging it alone. At least that is what ABC and other networks are hoping as they launch their mobile strategy's to keep viewers, viewing their programming, even while not watching TV. No eyes, not advertising candy and that is the biggest worry of all for the networks as they vie for attention away for sites like YouTube, iTunes and illegal downloading. Read on, to see what Bernie Gershon from ABC said at the recent Streaming Media East Conference in New York.

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ABC: Millenials and Mobile Key for New Media
By Glen Dickson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/24/2006 10:31:00 AM

“Millenials” and mobile TV are the two big focuses for ABC’s new-media efforts Bernie Gershon, senior VP/general manager of digital media for Disney ABC Television Group, said during an entertaining keynote speech Wednesday at the Streaming Media East conference in New York.

ABC’s broadband efforts--which include selling $1.99 shows through iTunes, streaming ad-supported programs on ABC.com, and the $4.95-per-month subscription service ABC News Now—are aimed squarely at millenials, the 79 million Americans between the age of 8 and 27. The key trait of millenials, says Gershon, is their ability to multitask and to “consume information on a variety of devices,” which informs all of ABC’s new-media efforts.

“Our strategy is aligned with the demands of the new consumer,” said Gershon, who noted that his pet project, ABC News Now, counts 25 million broadband homes and 2 million mobile users as subscribers.

So far, ABC has sold 5 million program downloads through iTunes since October, and ABC.com has recorded some 2 million video plays during the first two weeks of the service. The use of the ABC.com streaming product is not just limited to people at work, as ABC is recording significant usage during the evening hours as well.

The next big new-media opportunity for ABC content is mobile phones, which ABC is already addressing with both ABC News Now and a new mobile video program, “Lost Diaries,” that will be introduced this fall.

“Mobile phones are an enticing and compelling platform for us because of the sheer scope of the reach,” says Gershon.

While there are over 100 million TV households in the U.S., there are over 180 million mobile phone users, notes Gershon, and 400 million mobile users in China. He added that, as of March 2006, there were 2 million mobile video subscribers in the U.S., up from zero in 2003. That includes ABC partner MobiTV, which just broke 1 million subs paying $9.95 a month. Gershon says that the average viewing time of ABC News Now content on MobiTV is three to five minutes per session.

When asked about the future role of ABC affiliates in ABC’s new-media future, Gershon said that affiliates are important and that “long term, we hope to find a way to work with them.” He noted that four ABC affiliates and one owned station are currently testing the abc.com streaming service, and reiterated his message that delivery on multiple platforms creates a "virtuous circle" with ABC content at the center. In the long run, he believes that new-media efforts will help both the network and affiliates make more money.

“We believe it’s additive,” he said.

Animation in Asia

Employees of animation companies dressed up as cartoon figures celebrate the opening of the Shenzhen Yijing National Cartoon and Animation Industry Base in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, May 19, 2006. The Yijing National Cartoon and Animation Industry Base was opened here on May 19 as part of the Second China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair (ICIF) running from May 18 to 21. The animation industry of Shenzhen is developing rapidly during the recent years. At present, the output of the animation of Shenzhen ranks number one in Asia and fourth in the world.

Shenzhen develops Asia's largest animation industry. Click here for the article!

Digital Entertainment World - Hong Kong

I'm excited to be asked to be a guest speaker at Digital Entertainment World 2006 Conference in Hong Kong. It will be held August 19-21, 2006 at the Disneyland Resort.