Recently in Digital Media Category

The Take-Away Shows - Tom Jones

By
Steve Park
on March 30, 2009 2:30 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)


How is it possible that I have never stumbled upon this ridiculously awesome website before?! The Take-Away Shows are video podcasts of artists or a band that have been invited to perform on the street, a bar, elevator, subway, etc... Since 2006, founders Chryde and Vincent Moon were seeking a new way to share and film music. Currently, with other directors globally joining forces on this project they are planning for a world wide expansion. 

This type of project is exactly what makes the internet so brilliant. The footage is raw, real, candid and no editing is involved -- one take. The clip that I posted above is of the one and only Tom Jones, performing We Got Love in his hotel room. This is truly a moment...a moment of many moments on this site. Check out the footage of Bloc Party performing out front of a pub too. 

What a ridiculous library of exclusive live music performances this will become one of these days...one I'm sure the founders will retire on.  

SuperNews! Twouble with Twitters

By
Steve Park
on March 20, 2009 5:07 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Canpages Steps Up Their Game

By
Steve Park
on March 18, 2009 12:01 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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I pretty much gave up on the general local directory sites a long time ago. There wasn't many features and search always felt outdated. Who uses a phone directory anyhow these days? With the ease of calling 411 on my mobile or Google local, why would I bother. Well the new Canpages.ca might change your mind. They have a load of features integrated into their mapping tool to get you the information you want. You can have it delivered to your mobile, or share it with your friends on Facebook, or save it as a document for future reference. It's actually quite impressive. 

But the real asset here is that they have started to add Street View, which is only available in specific areas of BC right now. Looks like Google Local will have some competition in Canada. In addition, Canpages offers access to traffic cams in realtime so you can get a snapshot of what to expect on route to your destination. You really have to try it for yourself as there are a lot of rich search features that helps you to narrow down your request. However, I think the big hit is their iPhone app which I've been playing with earlier today. It's got a simple interface, it's quick and it has speak recognition built in so you don't have to type your request while on the move. Great job!

Tim Berners-Lee: The Next Web of Open, Linked Data

By
Steve Park
on March 16, 2009 11:10 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tim Berners-Lee is the inventor of a little thing called the World Wide Web. The video above is from the TED conference, where he talks about the Semantic Web. Its very exciting and humbling to hear him speak about linked data and his vision for the next web. Forget EF Hutton, when Tim Berners-Lee talks you should listen. [via TED]

Proper Way to Sell Music

By
Steve Park
on March 7, 2009 3:41 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)


When people take the time to put thought into a project, and think about what their fans want...well, the end result is a happy customer, which in turn will translate into sales. Canadian band Metric, has done a great job to promote and sell the latest album via ilovemetric.com. Big record companies take note. 

Offering your fans a choice, good value, and maybe a bit extra isn't that difficult. Why wouldn't I pay for something like that? Metric's site offers many choices to purchase their new album, Fantasies. Buy just the digital download, digital + vinyl, digital + vinyl + cd, or the deluxe edition (full of good bonus material) all priced accordingly from $8.99 to $64.99. Visit their store to see all the offerings which include everything from posters to clothing. 

The best thing they did though was the addition of a media player that can be shared across social networks or embeded on a website like I have above. Its a nice touch. Embedded are 2 full tracks, a documentary, and a music video. Good stuff and if by any chance Metric or their label has come across this blog, I just want them to know that I'd love to work with them on any future digital media projects, I've got lots of ideas...call me!

Flickr Clock, Try Saying That Five Times Real Fast

By
Steve Park
on March 6, 2009 12:49 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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Flickr clock is an ongoing project. By joining the group, Flickstr's can then contribute their videos and display them on a timeline at the exact time they were taken. The theme here is to capture a "real moment" in time, so don't go uploading lol cats, movie trailers, or your latest slideshow animation, as those will be screened and removed. The more the merrier, so tell all your friends as they are hoping to grab a worldwide snapshot of specific moments in time....reminds me of the Van Halen track.

ThruYou: The Craziest YouTube Mashups...Dang!

By
Steve Park
on March 4, 2009 2:00 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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There is some crazy hot talent online. Kutiman is an Israeli funk musician and producer. And Thru-You is a website where he showcases some masterful-monster-mashups using music tutorial videos from YouTube. Its simply genius! 

Zillion TV: Hit or Miss

By
Steve Park
on March 4, 2009 12:56 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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Zillion TV is yet another startup in the internet TV arena who plans to offer streaming movies and television directly to your tube via broadband connection. The company has already struck deals with major Hollywood studios and TV networks, such as Disney, 20th Century Fox, NBC, and Sony Pictures. What makes this service unique is that Zillion doesn't require you to buy expensive equipment or pay monthly subscription fees. With a minimal activation fee of $50 you will receive the Z-bar, a box that connects your TV to ethernet, and a fancy laser remote, which will give you access to a library of up to 15,000 TV and movie titles.  [via CNET]

What Facebook Is For

By
Steve Park
on March 4, 2009 12:06 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

And from College Humour....

Sony Preparing for the 21st Century

By
Steve Park
on March 2, 2009 2:16 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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Sony's CEO Howard Stringer is taking down the silo's and focusing more on designing products over designing org charts. His plans are to de-emphasize traditional electronics in favour of software and devices that connect to the internet. Smart move. 

Most of the focus has been on a new division called Network Products and Services, formed by merging the Playstation, Vaio, and Walkman line of products. The combined intelligence in this division should make for some interesting results. [via NYTimes Bits]

Microsoft's Vision of the Future

By
Steve Park
on March 2, 2009 11:25 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Microsoft's future montage video, named 2019, seems weak to me in terms of vision. According to this video the future consists of us be surrounded by touch screens and accessing content from multiple devices. The interface in typical MS style is cumbersome and seemingly slow (maybe it's the music). 

Don't we pretty much have most of these capabilities right now? I mean, outside of the pretty promotional design, glass screens, and digital paper. Most of these concepts and ideas were already floating around the MIT lab for years. As well, for a vision of what's to come in the next decade I would think they would reach a bit higher than what's shown here. Where is all the 3D, entertainment systems, voice navigation, organic interfaces, etc... How about showing us how our everyday lives will be improved, more efficient, and more green as a result of innovative thinking? Overall, not impressed...I would be impressed if Microsoft were even around in 2019. [via Boy Genius]

TV.com Goes iPhone Friendly, While HULU Pulls Back

By
Steve Park
on February 27, 2009 12:02 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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CBS, the owners of TV.com who are currently in a content battle with HULU have recently upped their stake to grab more eyeballs by syndicating their content to iPhone users. Via their new TV.com iPhone application (not available in Canada), they are offering access to a library of content from the CBS network of properties (The CW, Showcase, CNET TV, etc...). 

Full episodes of mainstream network content ranging from Star Trek to C.S.I. can be accessed to users but apparently a lot of shows still aren't available in their entirety, but hopefully that will change over time. Regardless, this is a great first set and will no doubt put pressure on the others content players to follow suit, so bravo to CBS for taking the first step! Now what about us up here in the north?? CBC, CTV, CanWest?? 

Oh and I almost forgot...screw you HULU!  [via NYTimes]

WTF is Watchmen?

By
Steve Park
on February 27, 2009 11:46 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Hillarious bit at LandlineTV.com poking fun at the obscurity of one of this years most anticipated graphic novel movies, The Watchmen.

Oscars and Facebook Connect

By
Steve Park
on February 22, 2009 5:07 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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Jaman will be hosting a live stream and Facebook chat for tonight's Academy Awards show. Okay, so I guess I can see how this Facebook feature can be popular. The Oscars can drag on, so what a great way to pass the time, especially if you are at home watching alone. Facebook connect allows you to update your status with witty comments, insightful commentary, general film knowledge, or whatever else you'd like to share with others on Facebook or exclusively with your friends while watching the live show. 

The concept isn't necessarily a new one, MTV has been allowing their viewers to post 'shout outs' for years via txt messaging during their programming, for a fee. However, Facebook's experience is different in that it won't be broadcast, it's free, and it's strictly an online experience -- lets hope it stays that way. This trend has proven to be a popular one for mainstream events these days. It first made it's debut during the Obama inauguration, most recently at the NBA all-star game, and now tonight's Oscars presentation...and no doubt we can expect to see this appear in many more future events. [via Mashable]

CBS VS HULU

By
Steve Park
on February 20, 2009 1:19 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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So it looks like a web war is brewing between CBS corp, who owns TV.com, and Hulu. Here's the breakdown of events. Hulu announces that they are going to be pulling their content from TV.com and Boxee earlier this week. Boxee complied, but CBS has released a statement "CBS Interactive is well within its rights to stream Hulu video content on TV.com under its agreement with Hulu. We are evaluating next steps at this time".

The interesting legal angle here is that Hulu and TV.com negotiated a content distribution deal prior to the CBS acquisition of CNET, who is the parent company of TV.com. So can Hulu just breach that deal because they don't want to play nice nice with the competition? As reported by TechCrunch, TV.com's traffic is growing very fast and has surpassed Hulu in total monthly unique visitors (5.9 million vs. 4.5 million according to Nielsen). That would definitely explain the spiteful regression. Neither side is commenting at this point as I'm sure their men in black are suiting up for battle. [via WSJ]

The Crisis of Credit Visualized

By
Steve Park
on February 20, 2009 11:06 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)


Our economy is a mess, but most of us don't really have a great grasp of how the system meltdown occurred. If you want a really great explanation of how we got ourselves into this situation then watch this visualization of the credit crisis, created by Jonathan Jarvis. You can see more of Jonathan's work here.

Hulu Removes Content From Boxee

By
Steve Park
on February 19, 2009 5:49 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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Hulu has decided to pull content from BoxeeTV??! It seems to me that Hulu's content providers got really high on bad shrooms, got paranoid, and decided it's not a good idea to have their shows streamed to your TV through Boxee. A blog posting on the Hulu's website explains in more detail about the decision. CEO Jason Kilar says "While we stubbornly believe in this brave new world of media convergence -- bumps and all -- we are also steadfast in our belief that the best way to achieve our ambitious, never-ending mission of making media easier for users is to work hand in hand with content owners." I applaud their sincerity and understand this can't be fun for him right now.

It really saddens me to think that the media players who can make a difference are choosing to hinder progress and continue to make the same old mistakes. Boxee was a move in the right direction. Do they fear that Boxee will replace cable? Whether its Boxee or another application, internet television will be an option. So why fight progress when they could be benefiting from the initiative of companies like Boxee. Did they not learn from the mistakes of the music industry and a little application called Napster? Well, Apple did and created something called iTunes. 

$99 Will Get You Your 15!

By
Steve Park
on February 19, 2009 12:38 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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New Next Networks is a web company that merges the elements of TV programming and internet philosophy to create what they refer to as micro-television networks for targeted audiences on the web. Their latest project is called $99 music video, aimed at music audiences, the formula is simple, one part indie musician, one part hungry filmmaker, one day to shoot, one day to edit, and $99...voila, art! In addition to the video they capture all the behind-the-scenes footage as well. I'm looking forward to see the results! [via Mashable] 

Drunk History (NSFW)

By
Steve Park
on February 18, 2009 12:14 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

They say that booze and politics don't mix. Well how much harm can come of mixing booze and American history? Drunk History, featuring celebrities like Michael Cera and Jack Black, is an original series that re-enacts scenes from American history that are narrated by people that are drunk. [via MetaFilter]


Urban Screen

By
Steve Park
on February 17, 2009 12:32 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)


We live in a culture obsessed with customization. A German creative collective, Urban Screen takes that idea to the next level by digitally painting buildings for their interactive installations and performance art. Using urban architecture and facades as their stage they draw big crowd with their lively and interactive art. [via Youtube]

ReQuest Media Servers

By
Steve Park
on February 13, 2009 11:03 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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The evolution of home entertainment is in high gear these day. The race to dominate is definitely grinding the wheels of innovation. ReQuest is a company that creates home entertainment systems run on sophisticated media servers. Powered by their media servers, the Intelligent Media Client (IMC) now brings you Hulu, in addition to YouTube, Finetune, and XM/Sirius. Watch the demo and you will see that the interface is simple to use and controlled via IR remote. Once you are in fullscreen there is no need to toggle.

ReQuest also offers an iPhone app, touch screens, and iTunes Sync to boot. I'm not sure if this service is available in Canada, you'll probably have to contact them to find out. 

This is a serious solution for home entertainment connoisseurs. The cost is for the IMC is $2,495 usd and requires a request server, sold seperately. [via Electronic House]
 

Apple iTunes to Offer Video Streaming

By
Steve Park
on February 12, 2009 4:32 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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It looks like Apple is working on a video streaming service called iTunes Replay. The reported service will store purchased videos up in the cloud so you can access and stream the media to multiple devices. 

The company has never really made their big move with AppleTV. Maybe they were too distracted with iPods and iPhones, or just patiently waiting for the right time. Whatever the reason, they tripled sales of AppleTV last year so they know the demand is there. We also know that cloud computing is something Apple is interested in. The launch of the MobileMe service, although a bit of a rough launch, was a sign that they were looking to the clouds.

Storage and streaming makes perfect sense to me. Not only will it save me hard drive space, but my media will be better organized and more accessible.  Downloading files seems so 2006, I'm over it. [via ZDNet]

Trend: Online TV on the Rise in Canada

By
Steve Park
on February 11, 2009 4:13 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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SRG released a study that reveals a growing trend amongst Canadians to watch TV online as broadcasters are making more of their content available. In fact, according to the study, 41% of online Canadians have said they have watched a TV show via the internet at some point, and half of those are regular online viewers. Interestingly but not suprisingly, 70% are viewing short video clips on a regular basis. 

Its obvious that video is becoming a huge part of the online experience. Broadcasters are aware of this and have increased the number of streams as well as improved the viewing experience over the past year. 

The most alluring statistic for me is the growing number of visitors to broadcast sites like Globaltv.com, CTV.ca, and CBC.ca that visit mainly to watch TV online. If that is the case, are we seeing a growing trend that will inevitably breakdown the traditional scheduled programming model and be replaced by online VOD? I sure hope so! [via Media In Canada]

Tech: Digital R50 Universal Remote

By
Steve Park
on February 11, 2009 11:28 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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For most people, figuring out which remotes control which device can be quite frustrating. So the idea of having a universal remote is quite appealing. However, you quickly realize you have to figure out how to program that too?! Pressing sequences of buttons and counting blinking lights or going on a website to configure your remote can be a bit too labour intensive for the everyday person. The Digital R50 with it's LCD screen with setup wizard claims to have you up and running in no time with minimal fuss. It even has a macro feature that allows you to control several commands with one button.

It would be nice if someone could invent a universal remote that could also control web interfaces, my iPod/iPhone and Front Row on the Macbook as well. 

If anyone out there owns a R50, please email me your review on this product. [via Wired]

Trend: Wireless Speaker System

By
Steve Park
on February 10, 2009 6:44 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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The i24R3 wireless multi-room speaker system, despite it's name, looks anything but something related to r2d2. This audio system is pure designer goodness created by renowned industrial designer Michael Young.

Some of the features of this system is a motion sensor that read hand movements to operate functions, multiple inputs/outputs, two step wireless connection, wireless remote, and get this...wireless USB audio transmitter so that you can stream iTunes from your PC or laptop.  

The website states an early 2009 launch date. [via Design Milk]


The History of the Internet

By
Steve Park
on February 10, 2009 11:43 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)


If you were ever curious as to how this whole internet thing evolved then you should definitely watch this video. Not the sexiest presentation on the history behind the internet, but it is definitely thorough. The animation really helps to put it all in perspective, although be forewarned the voice over guy has a soothing tone to his voice that could easily knock you out...might want to grab a coffee before watching this. [via Gizmodo]


Lycos Cinema, The Movie Sharing Experience

By
Steve Park
on February 9, 2009 5:39 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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I was sitting around reminiscing about the infant days of the web. Remember the days before Google came and changed the game forever. Does Excite ring a bell? Maybe you were all about Alta Vista, InfoSeek, WebCrawler, or Lycos....ah yah, Lycos...I was a Lycos guy myself! So I decided to check out Lycos.com and was pleasantly surprised that it was still up and running. Not only was it up and running but I noticed a section called Lycos Cinema, a movie sharing experience, or as their tagline reads "Bringing people together...One flick at a time."

It's an interesting concept. The idea is that you can invite up to 10 of your friends to join you as you watch a movie online. It allows you to chat along side the movie in a clean and intuitive interface. If you feel like meeting new folks you can always join an existing party in the "Social Scene" section and share the experience with others on the network. 

There are plenty of pay and free movies, although many of the titles are either older classics, or aren't very recognizable at all...have you heard of Brainiac, Baron Blood, Elephants Dream, or Affair in T'Sien Cha? They do however some obscure documentaries such as Burning Man: Beyond Black Rock, A Tribute to Sam Kinison, and an absurdly large collection of National Lampoon titles.

Online Distribution is Maturing

By
Steve Park
on February 9, 2009 4:46 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Share The Love This Valentine's Day

By
Steve Park
on February 9, 2009 2:07 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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Animoto has a great way to share the love with your special someone this coming Valentine's day. Save a tree and send him/her a video card. 

Shop: Amazon Releases Kindle 2

By
Steve Park
on February 9, 2009 11:20 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Kindle 2 was released today by Amazon. The Kindle is a wireless reading device that has 3G speed, 2Gig storage that holds up to 1,500 books and is said to be thinner than an iPhone. This device is sure to clean up the old book shelves. Check out the full hands on review at Gizmodo.

Book: President Obama's Memoirs, Mother F*#ker

By
Steve Park
on February 6, 2009 12:30 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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Barack Obama's memoirs called "Dreams from My Father" was published in 1995 and then re-released in 2004. Turns out there is an audio version of the book read by the President himself. Nothing too interesting there, however there is a part of the reading where he quotes from his former classmate Ray. Ray apparently liked to swear alot...so if you want to hear the President say things like "This shit's getting way too complicated for me", or "That guy ain't shit. Sorry ass motherf*#ker", then click here. This should sell some copies of the audio book, no doubt.

Note: NSFW


Quickie: Top 10 Celebrity Rants Caught on Tape

By
Steve Park
on February 6, 2009 12:27 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
Check out the list on the Wired blog.

Tech: Wearable Computing

By
Steve Park
on February 6, 2009 10:28 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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They're at it again at MIT's Media Lab. Students have developed a wearable computer made up of a battery powered 3M projector, webcam, and a web-enabled mobile phone. This device allows the person to project information from the phone to any surface.The cost of this set up is a surprising $350.  I won't get into all the details as you can read the full coverage at Wired.


Ridiculous, I Call Next!

By
Steve Park
on February 5, 2009 3:44 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Playing Xbox on a ridiculously large Panasonic 103-inch by 150-inch plasma screen is off da hiz-zae! Read the full piece and check out the photos on Gizmodo.

Design: Fornasetti Face Animations

By
Steve Park
on February 5, 2009 2:13 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)
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If you're looking for visuals for your next fungi inspired party, forget about Baraka or Koyaanisqatsi, order this DVD available in Blu-Ray from Itallian designer Piero Fornasetti. You will trip out to the hi-def visuals of what he calls ambient wall art animations. It's not a small purchase at $175, but if you remember this is original art with over 500 images, it's actually quite a steal. [via Design-Milk]

Interact: I Want My Social TV

By
Steve Park
on February 5, 2009 12:27 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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The trend towards "connected tv's" and devices is a sign that people more and more want to enjoy the convenience of being connected without being chained to a desk. Laptops are becoming the norm as prices fall, next-gen kids are growing up not even having used a desktop computer, and smartphones are becoming more accessible and user friendly. So what does all this mean? Well, I hope it means that we've reached the stage where technology is finally adapting to us and not only facilitating but simplifying our connected lifestyle.

ABI Research released a study which included over 1,000 households, and found that the younger consumers want to interact with their friends online and watch tv simultaneously. Yahoo! is on top of this movement with their tv widgets, and have partnered with some of the larger electronics company to stream flikr, news, and weather to your livingroom via the internet.  So can we expect channels/widgets for Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter in the near future? I don't know about you but I already use my TV for online content, listening to Last.fm and Twittering. So I welcome a more user friendly interface so I can continue to do these things but on the comfort of my couch and a remote control. [via cnet news]

Guide: Crackle Is On Point

By
Steve Park
on February 2, 2009 1:00 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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If you haven't already visited Crackle.com then you're in for a nice surprise. Previously known as Grouper a user-generated video portal like YouTube that was purchased by Sony Picture Entertainment for a reported $65 million back in 2006. It failed to take on YouTube's rising star back in the day and was reincarnated as Crackle.com in 2007. SPE re-branded Crackle as it's ready-made network for distributing it's original digital content in short form as well as full length programming from it's vast library of content.

This streaming channel has some of the best shows you'll never see on TV...well at least not yet. The short form content is specifically created for your online pleasure with most of their series' running anywhere from 2-10 min episodes. Don't be mistaken here, web content doesn't necessarily mean basement productions, the content on Crackle has high production value on a budget. The writing/editting is tight, actors are recognizable, and most importantly it's bite size and entertaining.

Here's a list of my picks:

The Line: Two best friends, armed with one change of clothes and one simple mission: get tickets to the world premiere of Future Space. They march to the front spot on line and brace themselves for one of the toughest trials of their lives.

The Writersroom: is a black comedy about the trials and tribulations of writing for a Kevin Pollack-hosted late-night talk show. Neurotic scribes squabble and worry about jokes, food, and health care plans.

My Long Distance Relationship: Follow Sam and Samantha, college freshman and high school sweethearts, who with the help of modern technology struggle continue their relationship from Far West University in Oregon and South Southern East State in Florida: as far apart as two people can get.

Star-ving: "Married with Children's" Bud Bundy, David Faustino, is back and bare-assed! David & his whacked out side kick, Corin Nemec of "Parker Lewis Can't Lose", will do anything to get back on top.  Nobody ever said that being a short, broke, alcoholic, sex maniac, ex-child actor was easy.

iPhone: To Flash or Not To Flash

By
Steve Park
on February 2, 2009 11:40 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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When I first bought my iPhone, I was disappointed to find out the device didn't come flash enabled. However, as time passed, the web sites with Flash elements that I couldn't view have tackled that issue successfully by opting for alternative solutions. There has been much talk online since the early days of whether or not Flash will be integrated into the iPhone, as well as much speculation that Apple was snubbing them. Regardeless it's still not available and to be honest it really hasn't effected my experience at all.

Wired has a good post on their blog today, and I think I have to agree with their take on Flash. I won't get into all the technically reasons why I've turned my back on Flash for the iPhone. Flash can provide an exciting user experience but trying to navigate a complex flash interface through this device may prove to be a bumpy ride. My thoughts are that it would be an unnecessary addition at this stage...that and most Flash sites these days are just build a bunch of heavy sites that are advertising based.

Connected: Got The Time?

By
Steve Park
on February 2, 2009 11:01 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)



We've definitely come along way from the days of the calculator watches and the gaming watches of the 80's. Anyone who knows me will confirm my love for gadget watches, so if anyone is waiting for the next wave of connected watch devices, it's me! I found the video above of an actual working unlocked mobile watch phone while scrubbing through YouTube for the latest in mobile phone watches. There seems to be a flood of products like this available online and in the works from many of the large electronic companies. LG showed off their watch phone at this years CES show, you can see the video demo here.

I've yet to see any watch phones being sold by local retailers in my hood, but if you're really eager to get one they seems they are readily available on EBay by sellers TradePlanet24 and Go2Gold.

Guide: Super Bowl XLIII Ads

By
Steve Park
on February 2, 2009 10:40 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here are some good links to see the 2009 Super Bowl ads:

My pick for best place to watch the ads. The interface is easy to navigate and the ads are broken up by quarters making it easy to find a specific ad. Video quality is good and it offers fullscreen capability.

Best quality videos w/fullscreen, but usability isn't the greatest if you want to quickly go through all the ads without accidentally clicking on an unrelated one.
http://www.spike.com/superbowl

This is the official Super Bowl site has some commercials I didn't find on the other sites, although you have to endure an NFL commercial before previewing the commercials...oh and there is no fullscreen capability
http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/43/videos/commercials

Icon: Steve Jobs the Visionary

By
Steve Park
on January 30, 2009 1:27 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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In the period when Steve Jobs left Apple, did he travel to the future and come back to implement what he saw? I guess only he will ever know, but there is no doubt in my mind that Steve Jobs is not only the smartest man in the world, but also a visionary that has shaped and evolved our culture through his innovations and his seamingly innate connection with the future. Greg Sandoval wrote an article that follows up a archived Rolling Stone interview with the great Steve Jobs from 2003 where he makes predictions on the future of the music industry and the impact of the iTunes store.

App Store: Rowmote For Apple's Front Row and More...

By
Steve Park
on January 30, 2009 1:10 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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I came across this neat iPhone app on Gizmodo. It basically mirrors the mini remote that comes with your MacBook Pro on your iPhone device over Wi-Fi.

Click here to download the Rowmote app.

Devices: Wireless Flash Drives

By
Steve Park
on January 30, 2009 11:33 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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In terms of personal tech devices I have to say the 16GB wireless flash drive by Leyio definitely has potential. I can definitely see the need for this, especially amongst students but also for general personal and professional use. One thing to keep in mind is that this device is wireless, not to be confused or compatible with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth enabled devices. This product uses ultrawide-band radio which means it needs it's own dongle. That said, it can freely connect and transfer files to nearby Leyio flash drives. The real selling feature for me is that this product offers a USB port so you can connect other flash drives giving this product scaleability.

Definitely a great purchase if you like sharing photos, music, and videos with your friends.

Security: Secure The Area - Powered By Microsoft

By
Steve Park
on January 30, 2009 10:43 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
surfaceSecurity.jpg

Hmmm, leaving security for a huge event like the Super Bowl in the hands of Microsoft software...is that such a good idea? Let's just cross our fingers and hope there isn't any emergency and they've updated all the necessary security updates, because this just looks like  a hackers dream come true.

And can someone explain to me why the camera person shooting this video is only shooting the other camera person and not the actual screen?? 


Quickie: YouTube Steps Up Their Game

By
Steve Park
on January 29, 2009 9:57 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
Looks like YouTube wants to be a player in the Hollywood scene.

Watch It: We Live In Public

By
Steve Park
on January 26, 2009 5:32 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
You may or may not have heard of Josh Harris, but as the trailer (see below) for the film We Live In Public states, he is "the greatest internet pioneer that you've never heard of". 

I was really excited to read today about We Live In Public a film by Ondi Timoner which won the Sundance Festival's Grand Jury prize. I remember watching this project at the time and everyone at work gathering around a Power Mac to watch as it went live. The video quality was poor, it was streaming at 160x120px and it was choppy, yet we were all intrigued with the idea of watching these people live out their lives via live video cam 24/7. 

If you're interested in reading more about the original project from back in the day I found this archived article in Wired from 2000 shortly before they went live with the project, and another from 2001.

Multi-Touch Interface Design

By
Steve Park
on January 23, 2009 1:00 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I stumbled across this archived presentation by Jeff Han (a human-computer interface designer) at the 2006 TED conference. It's quite inspiring when he talks about how computers should conform to us and not the other way around. Multi-touch isn't necessarily a new technology, but it is one that is evolving and will eventually be accessible to the masses as the costs of touch screen monitors come down, like HDTV's. With the introduction and popularity Apple's iPhone and the intelligence in it's design of the touch interface, electronic companies worldwide are racing to get more touch screen gadgets to market as soon as possible. 

One of the big hits at this years CES was Samsung's 50-inch multitouch TV. The idea that we can free ourselves from the remote control and have a more intuitive and connected user experience is very appealing.  The idea that the keyboards and the mouse will eventually become extinct as computers and household appliances become touch enabled. Microsoft has been working on Surface and I'm told that a company called Troll Touch can integrate a touch system into your Apple cinema display.   

Going back to Jeff Han, who's presentation in 2006 went viral on youtube which prompted him to launch his startup Perceptive Pixel which aims to develop and market the most advanced multi-touch systems in the world. Check out the demo he has on the homepage just one year later in 2007. Pure dopeness!

Quickie: Best Video Search Alternative Sites

By
Steve Park
on January 22, 2009 2:30 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
I came across this Wired blog posting about video search alternatives to Youtube. Seems to have generated some interest in the community which is resulting in a growing user-generated list of video search site. Check it out!

App: Don't Vid Block Me

By
Steve Park
on January 22, 2009 12:14 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
geoTargeting.jpg

One of my biggest pet peeves has to be "Geo-Targeting", according to Wikipedia this method is used to determine your geo-location so that a website visitor is delivered content most relevant to them. In practice, they are road blocks to stop you from viewing content based on your region, in my case Canada. So if you are outside of the U.S, and want access to sites like Hulu.com, MTV.com, TheWB.com, etc...download Hotspot Shield. Hotspot Shield hides your IP address so geo-targeting sites don't know where you are coming from. You should now be able to enjoy all the content you want without encountering road blocks!

App: i.TV on the iPhone

By
Steve Park
on January 21, 2009 4:23 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
itv.jpg


i.TV is one of my favourite iPhone applications. You might think, well what's the big deal it's just a TV guide right? Wrong. If you're like me and currently use Rogers you know exactly how painful it can be to scan the guide on that VCR sized cable box. I'm not sure how it's possible that a company that has a virtual monopoly on the cable/vod/broadband business, making billions of dollars can be content with the service it's providing it's customers. The guide interfaces for most cable/satellite dealers have horrible usability and sluggish response times at best. There are no visual cues, poorly written synopsis, and the longer titles are truncated so you have to guess at the title. 

So along comes i.TV, a great solution...even their ads are well integrated. 

When you first launch this app it will synch up your iPhone via postal code and service provider to bring you the relevant programming information. This can take a minute but it's a one time process. The guide is displayed by title and thumbnail images so you can immediately recognize what you are looking for, as well as the channel, rating, reviews and a well written detailed synopsis. If available you can also view a sample clip or trailer.

i.TV also allow you to search movies and theatres based on your location using the iPhone's GPS feature. It also offers tons of great sorting features, email alerts, reviews, search, share and customizable features (you need to sign up for a free account). Using TiVo DVR? Then you can set to record it instantly. Got a Netflix account? Instantly add your selection to your queue. Now if it can only replace my outdated cable box...if anyone from Rogers is reading this please please contact i.TV for help!

Barack Obama's Inauguration Guide

By
Steve Park
on January 19, 2009 3:22 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)


History will be written tomorrow and there will be no shortage of witnesses to this monumental moment in American history. It's been reported that ticket's to President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration tomorrow are selling in the 5 digit price range! So if you're like me and cutting back due to the current economic climate, you will most likely be watching the swearing-in of the 44th President of the United States in some other manner.

That said, I've prepared a general guide to the inauguration online.

Inauguration Home

Schedule

Get Mobile Updates

HBO Presents WE ARE ONE
The Obama Inauguration Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial
Video and Photos

LIVE STREAMS

Youtube

Joost - Inaugural Pre-Party Playlist

Twitter

Oh and of course I will post the live feed tomorrow on my blog as well! 

If there are any great links that I should include in this post please send me an email.


Boxee.TV - Change is Here

By
Steve Park
on January 17, 2009 12:35 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
boxeeScreen.jpg

After reading an article about Boxee in The New York Times this past weekend, I decided to download the software and try it out for myself. Wow, was I ever pleasantly surprised, in fact I spent the majority of the weekend streaming videos and music on my TV. I've had my Mac mini  connected to my 40" LCD TV for a while now but using a wireless mouse and keyboard just doesn't allow for a smooth experience. Boxee does away with browsers and makes accessing media from the internet seamless.

Boxee is a startup trying to break new ground in the way you will consume digital media. I think they are definitely on the right path. Once you install the software (50mb download), currently only available for Mac, Linux, and Apple TV (though a PC version is being tested), it allows you to access, as well as stream media from multiple sources, such as your computer, LAN, and the internet (Hulu, Youtube, Netflix, CBS, Last.FM, Flikr, etc).

What makes Boxee great and stand out from the rest is that you can navigate through this media center using the apple remote control that comes with your Macbook. The interface is so easy and well thought out. Within minutes I was a pro user. 
 
I've never been more excited about an application. Go download this NOW! 

By the way, for those of you that want to set up your own internet TV but don't know how I will be posting a video tutorial in the coming weeks.

Watch It: Animated Music Video Channel

By
Steve Park
on January 17, 2009 12:27 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)


My favourite new discovery is the streaming "Animated Music Video" channel on Crackle.com. Sony Picture's next-gen entertainment site. Crackle also offers lots of other great original content as well which I will cover in a future post, so enjoy this for now.


Read It: Grown Up Digital

By
Steve Park
on January 16, 2009 6:36 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
I recently read a book called  "Grown Up Digital" written by author Don Tapscott. He is the bestselling author of "Growing Up Digital" and "Wikinomics". I found this book to be refreshingly optimistic, insightful a great read whether you are a new media professional, or a parent raising "Net Gen" children.

Below is an interview with the author.



Samsung's Next-Gen Thinking

By
Steve Park
on January 16, 2009 1:18 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
Samsung's is kicking it up a notch with their latest line of TV and devices. 

1. The 50" Plasma FP-T5094 wireless TV. With the exception of the power cord, all your home entertainment devices plug into a seperate box which delivers wireless communication to your television. 


2. Samsung will also be releasing an internet enabled television which they are calling "Connected TV". With partners like Yahoo! Widgets and Netflicks, this should be an interesting jump to the next level.



3. The latest must have for the new media crowd is Samsung's Pico projector phone...that's right folks a phone with a 5mp camera that also has a DLP projector. Check this...

 

Move over Apple, I think Samsung's gunning for top spot over the next few years.
 

Is That A Projector In Your Pocket?

By
Steve Park
on December 17, 2008 11:56 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
picoProjector.jpg

The latest new gadget on the market is the pocket projector, although there are a few models out there the Optoma Pico Projector claims to be the smallest in the world...at least for the time being. I must admit when I first read about this "From the desk of David Pogue" I was very excited about how this gadget could make a significant cultural impact. The ability to capture stills and video on your mobile/portable devices and have the freedom to display them just as quickly in the privacy of your home or in public spaces is exciting. Yet another technology that allows Next Gen'ers to fill their insatiable need for immediacy. I can't wait to get one!  

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