Here’s a summary of the week’s digital lifestyle action on last100. Note that you can subscribe to the weekly wrapups, either via the special weekly wrapup RSS feed or by email.

Internet TV news

Google enters the PC to TV arena

Google has made its own contribution to solving the PC to TV problem with the release of Google Media Server. The Windows-only software works in conjunction with Google’s desktop search application - Google Desktop - to locate various media (photos, music and video) stored on your PC and make it available for streaming over a home network to any UPnP compatible or DLNA ‘certified’ device, such as a PlayStation 3.

Sony’s latest plans: more networked devices, video download service for PS3, maybe a phone

Sony will be rolling out its much-rumored movie and TV video download service this summer in the U.S., followed by Japan and Europe later in the year.

Continue reading “Weekly wrapup, 23-27 June 2008 (Google TV, Nokia opens fire on Android)” »

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Here’s a summary of the week’s digital lifestyle action on last100. Note that you can subscribe to the weekly wrapups, either via the special weekly wrapup RSS feed or by email.

Supernova coverage

Last100’s Dan Langendorf reported from the Supernova conference in San Francisco this week.

@Supernova: Getting a glimpse of mobile’s future without the iPhone and Android

First up, Dan picked up on one theme in the Mobile space that is likely to become increasingly important: mobile sensors. He writes, “What’s coming is life profound. Put billions of sensors in cell phones - regardless of hardware, operating system, or carrier - and affect the way we understand traffic or the weather.”

@Supernova: Evidence developers are just as interested in Blackberry as they are iPhone, Android

Despite Apple’s iPhone and the upcoming Google-led Android platform grabbing all the hype, developer interest in RIM’s Blackberry was on show at Supernova, largely because of its established user base. “There used to be a saying that nobody was going to be fired for buying IBM, at least in software,” said Peter Nofelt, one of the developers of the zombie-themed, social game MobileDead. “It’s the same thing for the Blackberry”.

Continue reading “Weekly wrapup, 16-20 June 2008 (Supernova edition)” »

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Here’s a summary of the week’s digital lifestyle action on last100. Note that you can subscribe to the weekly wrapups, either via the special weekly wrapup RSS feed or by email.

Apple WWDC news and analysis

This week was dominated by Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference and news of iPhone 2.0…

It’s official: iPhone 2.0 is 3G, supports GPS, integrates with MobileMe, and is $$$ cheaper

Dan Langendorf kicked off with an excellent blow-by-blow account of Steve Jobs’ keynote speech including the much rumored iPhone 2.0 with support for 3G data speeds, GPS, enterprise features, and third-party apps.

Continue reading “Weekly wrapup, 9-13 June 2008 (iPhone 2.0 coverage)” »

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Here’s a summary of the week’s digital lifestyle action on last100. Note that you can subscribe to the weekly wrapups, either via the special weekly wrapup RSS feed or by email.

Pre-Apple WWDC news and analysis

Sifting through iPhone 2.0 wish lists, predictions, prognostications, forecasts, prophesies

With Apple’s World Wide Developer Connference just around the corner, for our own amusement, and yours, we’ve sifted through wish lists and predictions to come up with what we think will happen, what may happen, and what’s still to come for iPhone hardware, features, and applications.

Will Apple develop MobileMe as my own personal cloud?

A lot is being made of cloud computing these days, especially in light of Microsoft’s Mesh initiative and the various online products and strategies cooked up by Google. With the rumored changes coming to Apple’s .Mac product, could a revamped MobileMe or Me.com — whatever it is ultimately called — eventually become my personal cloud?

Continue reading “Weekly wrapup, 2-6 June 2008 (pre-WWDC 2008 special)” »

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Here’s a summary of the week’s digital lifestyle action on last100. Note that you can subscribe to the weekly wrapups, either via the special weekly wrapup RSS feed or by email.

Internet TV news

Details are scant, but Amazon will be launching online video streaming service soon

Amazon, the world’s largest Internet retailer, will be launching an online streaming video service in the next several weeks, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said a little too matter-of-factly at the D: All Things Digital conference. One detail: The streaming service will start immediately for viewers, unlike Amazon’s Unbox product, in which users are required wait a period of time as content downloads.

Continue reading “Weekly wrapup, 26-30 May 2008″ »

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Here’s a summary of the week’s digital lifestyle action on last100. Note that you can subscribe to the weekly wrapups, either via the special weekly wrapup RSS feed or by email.

Congratulations to JuanE who is the winner of our HP Dragon giveaway!

Internet TV news

Roku delivers first Netflix set-top box

This week Netflix announced that Roku, best known for its line of networked audio players, has become the first company to offer a dedicated set-top box designed to bring Netflix’s ‘Watch Now’ Internet TV service to the television.

Continue reading “Weekly wrapup, 19-23 May 2008″ »

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Here’s a summary of the week’s digital lifestyle action on last100. Note that you can subscribe to the weekly wrapups, either via the special weekly wrapup RSS feed or by email.

Competition: Win a HP HDX Dragon 20inch notebook

Internet TV news

HBO offers six shows on iTunes; even with higher prices, savings are considerable

For the first time Apple is allowing variable pricing for content on iTunes in the United States. Six of HBO’s most popular shows are now available for purchase on iTunes, ranging from $1.99 to $2.99 an episode. In the past, Apple has been so adamant about fixed pricing that NBC decided to pull its shows from iTunes at the end of last year after a loud, public dispute over, in part, variable pricing demands.

Continue reading “Weekly wrapup, 12-16 May 2008″ »

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Internet TV news on last100

iTunes same-day movie releases reportedly a loss leader, yet prices remain too high

In striking a deal with Hollywood to offer new movie releases for purchase on iTunes the same day as their DVD equivalents, Apple is making a loss, reports the Wall Street Journal. According to a “person familiar with the matter”, Apple is paying the movie studios a wholesale price of $16 per movie while maintaining its current retail price of $14.99.

Take that, Apple: Zune update adds TV shows from NBC Universal, among others

The Zune Marketplace (U.S.-only) has begun selling downloads of major television shows, including content from NBC Universal — a move that sticks it to Apple, following last year’s public spat between the iPod maker and major television studio, which resulted in NBC pulling its content from iTunes.

Continue reading “Weekly wrapup, 5 - 9 May 2008″ »

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Internet TV news on last100

The WB is reborn as an online video site offering original programming and “reruns”

First up, Warner television group is bringing back The WB brand not as a television network but an online video site, writes Dan Langendorf. The new WB (thewb.com) will feature original short-form content developed by talent like director/producer McG (“Terminator 4” and the “Charlie’s Angels” movies) and writer/producer Josh Schwartz (“Gossip Girl”). Additionally, the new WB will provide “reruns” of shows which ran on the network from its birth in 1995 to 2006, when it merged with the UPN network to form The CW for the 2006-2007 TV season.

Continue reading “Weekly wrapup, 28 Apr - 2 May 2008″ »

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Here’s a summary of the week’s digital lifestyle action on last100. Note that you can subscribe to the weekly wrapups, either via the special weekly wrapup RSS feed or by email.

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Internet TV news

First off, Viacom, Paramount, MGM and Lionsgate announced a joint venture to create a new premium TV channel and VOD service, to be rolled out in the fall of 2009. The project will include a strong online component, according to Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman: “It will also meet the needs of varying distributors and take advantage of online distribution…innovative both in presenting the content and in distributing it.”

Netflix’s ambitious Internet TV plans are forging ahead, with three new set-top box partners to integrate the company’s ‘Watch Now’ video streaming service into their products by the end of the year. Who those partners are, Neflix won’t say, while speculation builds that Microsoft (XBox 360) could be one. However, we think it’s more likely that we’ll see Netflix compatibility added to a number of media streamers, such as those produced by D-Link and KISS (Linksys). The company has previously announced a partnership with Korean manufacturer LG Electronics to stream movies, TV shows, and other content to LG high-definition televisions or set-top boxes by the second half of 2008.

Continue reading “Weekly wrapup, 21-25 April 2008″ »

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Here’s a summary of the week’s digital lifestyle action on last100. Note that you can subscribe to the weekly wrapups, either via the special weekly wrapup RSS feed or by email.

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Top digital lifestyle news

Adobe Media Player launches - does the world need another Internet TV app?

The big Internet TV news this week was the full launch of Adobe Media Player (AMP) version 1.0. Built using the company’s Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR) — a cross-platform technology designed to bring web-based applications to the desktop — AMP is an aggregator and media player that enables users to subscribe to, download and playback Flash-based video.

Continue reading “Weekly wrapup, 7-11 April 2008″ »

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Here’s a summary of the week’s digital lifestyle action on last100. Note that you can subscribe to the weekly wrapups, either via the special weekly wrapup RSS feed or by email.

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Digital lifestyle news

In the same week that Apple’s iTunes became the No. 1 music retailer (overtaking Wal-Mart), MySpace announced a new joint venture with three of the four major record labels. To be rolled out in stages over the next few months, MySpace Music will offer paid-for, DRM-free MP3 downloads (no details on pricing or quality), ad-supported music and video streaming, ringtones for cell phones, concert ticket sales, and merchandise.

On the Internet TV front, Blinkx launched BBTV.

Continue reading “Weekly wrapup, 31 Mar - 4 Apr 2008″ »

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