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Thoughts and things I care to shareObviously Gartner
Look out, Gartner is stating the obvious again!
Of course, it occurred to me that on this topic, Gartner is not talking to people who understand the consumerization of IT. This is happening, and traditional IT folks, yes including us Microsoft/Linux/Apple junkies, don’t see it coming.
For myself though, all I get from news articles of Gartner is the same opinion: Isn’t this obvious enough?
Link to Gartner: Consumer Tech Is Next Wave of Enterprise IT
Google throws down $1.65B for YouTube
Obviously the news of the day is the Google YouTube deal. For a paltry $1.65Billion, Google now owns the most popular video site on the web. Not a bad deal for the 67 person firm from San Bruno.
BetaNews: Google Buys YouTube for $1.65 Billion
A Quick and Dirty UMA Primer
Looking for a brief technical overview of how UMA works? Oliver over at MobileCrunch has a nice post on the topic.
MobileCrunch: A Quick and Dirty UMA Primer
URGE
Since installing Vista RC1, I decided to check out URGE, the new online media service from MTV. Since I’ve always been an “I need to own the CD” kind of guy, this is a bit of a change. Also, I’m not a real big music person – that’s my wife though!
The recurring monthly charge makes me think a bit as well – again, mostly because I’m not into music in a big way. I like what I have, a few dozen CDs from my favorite groups so I have my favorite tunes. By the way, they’re called “oldies” now – I’m not that old am I? Guess that makes my dad’s Beach Boys and such “classics”; which sounds more, …well, classy – guess I can’t poke fun at dad’s oldies any more.
Anyway, being the frugal fellow I am (read: cheap), I signed up for the 14 day free trial.
I have to admit right now that I’m impressed. The full URGE library is available, along with numerous videos, many I haven’t seen in over a decade, and other great music-related info and services.
As far as price goes, I’m on the fence. Its $10/mo. and $15/mo. for the ability to sync every track to a MS-based media player. They’ve got annual fees that end up giving you a 2-month freebie. I’m going to look into a subscription – mainly because Amy would make huge use of it.
I’m warming to the idea of a subscription-based model for media consumption, as long as I can really use it without running into the DRM enforced walls. As I don’t intend to pirate the music, I’ll be disappointed to find the limits, unless MTV and MS have done their homework on this area.
Server Core: Windows Without Windows
Now this is exactly what Microsoft should have done a long, long time ago – like with Windows Server 2000! A console-only Windows Server version will answer the calls corporate IT admins have been asking for, for years.
Removing all the unnecessary Windows components from Server will enhance stability and performance. I mean really, Media Player on an Email server? Please.
Good move Microsoft!
George Lucas: Online movie services viewed as the future of industry
I have to agree with Lucas, the future of all media will be as downloadable files or streaming media. The concept that any of us owns the music on a CD or movie on a DVD is of course incorrect.
We purchased a license to enjoy whatever recording, and according to fair use clauses in the license, can enjoy that media either in a traditional player or a digital player. Of course there is examples of media companies and the RIAA ridiculously going after their customers 
, and individuals engaging in media piracy 
.
Now the key to all this is a common “fair use” policy that allows us to enjoy any media in a venue we prefer, using a player or format that we choose. In return, we consumers need to agree that there is some type of accommodating digital rights management (DRM) technology to thwart piracy.
In the future, George is right on the money. Whether its a computer, wireless media player (Zune or future iPods), home media center, etc… we will likely not have to worry about where the movie/song is located, we’ll simply select it from a catalog of our preferred online media service and enjoy.
With a mass market, the scale of economies kicks in and for some reasonable charge per month, we’ll have access to huge volumes of recorded works. The differences in these online media services is their pricing, and the type and quality of value-added services they offer. That may simply be an extended library, or maybe conversion of a DVD to an old Beta videocassette that is mailed to you (who knows).
This will be the next generation of media enjoyment.
Neowin.net – George Lucas Sees Movie Downloading as the Future
Feedback: Latest version of Windows Live Writer 1.0 (Beta)
This post is directed to the Windows Live Writer team! I really enjoy the WLW tool for blogging, in fact I’ve been using the latest build since it was released a week or so ago and have not blogged about it.
I could rave about all the features, but I’ll simply say that the tagging, category improvements, performance, PNG support and the WLW Gallery at Windows Live are great improvements to WLW. Keep up the good work!
Now my one negative comment. Pre-set post date info does not work with WordPress. If I want to set the date a post appears on my blog, sometime in the future, the blog mysteriously travels back in time to December 31st, 1969! Is there a chance that this could be fixed? I’ve seen the same behavior in Word 2007 B2.
Fixing this one feature would make this already fantastic tool, indispensable.
T-Mobile already rolling out UMTS!
As expected, T-Mobile today announced that their 3G UMTS rollout was already underway. With 50% of New York already completed, T-Mobile has obviously been active in the background working ahead of the spectrum acquisitions to get a jump on the 3G market.
With a completion schedule into 2009, and service to be available to customers next summer, the rollout is quite accelerated. BetaNews also mentioned the spokesperson changes, new plan options, and the UMA WiFi-based services announced late last month.
Great news for all Tmo customers!
Is Windows still relevant? A CNET News.com Perspective
Charles Cooper, a Executive editor at CNET News.com, discusses an interesting point. One that I’ve seen as well: is Windows still relevant in today’s “web 2.0” centric world?
The answer, of course, is yes. Charles goes on to discuss a quick history of Windows’ “bundling”/anti-trust disputes.
What I find interesting, or more correctly – frustrating, is the attitude with which many companies are taking. Charles talks about Symantec and Adobe trying to whip up sympathy in the European Union about Microsoft competing with them in their market.
The part that bothers me the most is that these companies, and others, fail to see that the product that was a lucrative niche market 10 years ago, is today’s commodity toaster. Since AV engines, and portable document formats are a commodity, the are to be expected in the base OS – a base service available at any moment to any requesting application.
These companies simply need to be more proactive, find that new niche. Look forward and discover those new business opportunities, and develop a business plan to exploit them. Simply relying on the old tried & true product song & dance.
T-Mobile USA rumored to announce UMTS this week
It seems eWeek and the::unwired are suggesting that T-Mobile USA will be holding a press conference on Friday (10/6/2006) in New York to announce the carrier’s move into UMTS (or 3G) services.
T-Mobile will utilize the 1700MHz and 2100MHz bands in North America, which are not the same bands used elsewhere in the world. This will require handset makers to incorporate multiple UMTS bands in their devices if they are to be able to roam on any UMTS service.
This news is not surprising due to the recent spectrum purchases that T-Mobile was able to win in the last FCC Auction. You can find some pricing speculation at the::unwired, and more strategic analysis at eWeek – links below.
I hope the leadership of the Republican Party will take his word seriously. Because this is exactly right.
This is very simple: only Americans citizens should be allowed to vote in American elections.
The SAVE America Act is common sense, and we need to pass it now!
I don’t recall you complaining when gas was $5.00 under Biden.
Hypocrisy much?
Please RT!
This Middle Ages bullshit is a cancer on the planet👇👇🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸