Online video needs a business model. So does most of new media. So Google’s attempt to bring advertising to select YouTube clips, unveiled today, is just another step in that direction.
And you know what? The ads are not that bad, all things considered.
After months of testing various video advertising formats, Google settled on an approach that it hopes is less obtrusive to viewers and keeps them in control of what they’re watching. It’s similar to the “ticker ad” concept that VideoEgg introduced nearly a year ago, or the ads that appear along the bottom of the screen during television shows.
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Please let this DRM-free madness stop. Just kidding.
There are a vast number of portable media players on the market. They come in all different sizes, colours and configurations, each hoping to capture the greatest market share. The iPod, which has dominated the market since its launch in October 2001, is synonymous with the portable media player, in much the same way as the Walkman and the Hoover are for the personal stereo and the vacuum cleaner. Apple have maneuvered themselves into this position by being early adopters in the market (although they were by no means the first) and by innovating with their design, features and marketing.
One company couldn’t take down Goliath, now maybe three can.
Adobe today announced the latest version of its near ubiquitous Web video software, Adobe Flash Player 9, which includes improved image quality through support for the industry standard H.264 codec.
I feel naked. I go someplace and all I have with me is my iPhone.
With the iPhone’s pending European release expected before the year’s end, a week hasn’t gone by without new rumors of which carrier has secured an exclusive distribution deal with Apple — with the latest reports suggesting that Vodafone may now be leading the charge. However, perhaps more interesting is speculation that the European carriers are playing hardball with Apple, demanding that the company fix a number of shortcomings with the iPhone, which they believe could otherwise stifle sales. 
If comedy is your thing, the Web can be a funny place. Finding the laughs, however, is no laughing matter.