Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Hulu: An Experiment In Convergence?

Monday, NBC Universal and News Corp launched a beta version of Hulu, characterized by some news stories as big media’s attempt to wrest control of online video away from YouTube, Brightcove, Revver, Revision3 and what seems like a bazillion other online video start-ups. They are doing this by offering premium content, or to use traditional media’s terminology, “premium programming” to an online audience that wants TV delivered via the Web in a less programmed structure. In other words, Hulu presents people with the opportunity to time-shift and place-shift their viewing options.

Both News Corp and NBC Universal built their empires on programming the consumer was willing to pay for (via advertising). It appears this is an attempt to protect what has been a wonderfully profitable TV business model as traditional programming migrates to the “Wild West” Web environment.

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New Prediction Site: Predictify.com

Predictify.com launched in early October as an attempt to provide a simpler and more open version of prediction markets such as Intrade.

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Organizations Use RSS to Tackle Employee Information Overload

The term information overload inevitably surfaces when employees talk about the deluge of printed materials, e-mail, voice mail and other technology-based messaging they face at work every day.

It’s refreshing to hear about companies that attempt to manage employee messaging – and RSS has great potential in this area. PC World highlights several companies that are using RSS to attack employee information overload. 

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Monday, October 29, 2007

SCADshorts Featured Content On YouTube

Here’s a reminder to visit SCADshorts and enter to win an iPod. I’ve posted about SCADshorts before, so I’ll let the site do the talkin’. SCADshorts was featured content on YouTube’s home page yesterday and this morning. SCADshorts involves the efforts of Matt Charpentier (et al.) on our staff and some of his colleagues from the Savannah School of Art and Design.

I noticed the site was moving a little slow this morning. Hey, that’s what happens when you get famous!

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Sunday, October 28, 2007

‘Downloadable Fonts’ on the Web Gains Support

A few weeks ago David Hyatt, a member of the WebKit Open Source Project, announced the WebKit rendering engine now has the ability to download fonts to be used in web sites. This means web sites will be able to use any fonts a web developer chooses, not just the select few cross-platform fonts available now.

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