Why Amazon should buy Tivo

Why Amazon Should buy TiVo?

Amazon has been getting into the hardware device category as well as Video distribution through its Amazon Instant Video, and what wouldn't make more sense than bringing TiVo into the fold? TiVo has been struggling to release new features and software updates to their Premiere boxes which were released last year. Those boxes have a dual core processor, but apparently the system is only using one core. We've been waiting ever since the release of the Premiere box to get that second core unlocked, which would enable things like GoogleTV was supposed to, i.e. search while watching video, web browsing, and better streaming web video.

Another reason is TiVo has struggled to make deals with cable companies and other content holders since they believe they lose out ad revenue on commercial skipping used by TiVo. Companies like Comcast and Time Warner cable have bought up a lot of the cable channels and are now large content holders themselves. Amazon already has licensing deals with some of them to distribute TV and movies via their Amazon Instant Video and some free to their Prime members. With the content licensing already in place, Amazon would also have a platform into the consumer in which to sell more Kindle books as well as MP3s and continue to hurt Netflix with their streaming video.

Amazon has more customers than Ebay, and they seem to be loyal. Amazon also has a great backend infrastructure and the technological know-how to make TiVo a better platform than TiVo could ever do on its own.

Just my two cents.

my favorite things

I'm very happy about a software program that I found a few months back, called Snaptune. I originally got the software when I bought an ADS tech FM receiver. But the software is free to all, and is just wonderful. It can record any internet radio stream, or FM station if you have the FM receiver, and recognizes the songs for you. As I can't really find music that I like here locally, I'm able to record my favorite stations and many others that play music I like. Check it out at Snaptune.com

Also, I beta tested Microsoft's Windows Home Server Beta 2. It has some cool new features for home networks. The best thing about it is probably the backup software that's builtin. It backs up all of your computers to it. Of course, I couldn't get this to work one my laptop, bug being that it's still Beta 2. And not too sure about it's Disk Extender which allows you to connect any drive to it and it automatically adds the space to the main system drive. Great for novices, and can accept external drives as well. I'll check it out again on the next build and let you know.


And finally...... Eclipse mints!!! I'm poppin' em like House pops Vicadin.

days of do's and don'ts

Do's and Don'ts

Don't put ads that have annoying talking smilies on your website.
Do cringe everytime you hear a smilie go, "WHAT!"
Myspace has to have the worst banner ads in history.
Get your smilies here

Don't fly NASA
DO Fly Virgin Galactic
Maybe now NASA will finally create a better spaceship.
Cnet

Don't call it Iphone
Do call it iPhone
Now both Cisco and Apple have their iPhone, and nobody should really care. But shouldn't it be iFone, oh yeah that's already trademarked. (although might be dead)

Don't lie.
Do call the Clinton's liars.
Geffen put it the best I've heard.
"Everybody in politics lies, but they [the Clintons] do it with such ease, it’s troubling.”
Read the article

Don't leave Iraq.
Do send a Prince.
Back to the good old days when we had our leaders on the battlefield. Maybe all wars would be better this way. I doubt many of this worlds leaders would. You can't go to war unless your president/Supreme Leader is on a horse at the front.
Harry

Don't put Tara Reid in a bad Aussie commercial. (dodo.com.au)
Do put girls in skimpy clothes that don't talk in your commercial. (various smart advertisers)

Don't be a dork.
Do be a Geek.
Funny story about marrying a geek. They are good for something.
Inquisitive

He Who Must Not Be Named

Instead of giving this one person any more press than he already has, I'm not going to mention his name, but let's just say that he is the biggest proponent of the Global Warming charade. He even made a stupid movie about it. My question is, why do all these media and journalists put him on? He has nothing new to say, and isn't even a scientist. But it seems that no matter to what channel I turn to, in any country, he is there. How pitiful, and how terrible our journalists have become. I would rather watch Britney Spears shave her head than watch this guy speak.
So, I won't give him any more energy than he should get.
Onto better news....well maybe not...
Another He Who Must Not Be Named is a bloke that works for the famous "i" company. How did this company, that has a fruit for its name, become synonymous with the "i" term? They want to be able to copyright anything that has an "i" in front of it. They were not the first ones to use "i" before a word. And if you remember correctly, the "i" was used to designate that it was an Internet product. I have not seen one "i" product from this company that even uses the internet. Why don't they just call it MacPhoto, or MacLife? Again, I blame the press for this one. They even released a new phone, and guess what it has, a "touchscreen". And apparently they are the first ones to do this. How can this be? The Treo was released years ago, and HTC has released numerous phones based on MS Windows Mobile that had a touchscreen. Granted, the iPhone may have an improved touchscreen, and apparently no need for a stylus, but is this really new? Most people I know that have Treos, never use their stylus anyways, so the are using it with their finger, just like you would on a fruit inspired phone. But again, what press outlet has pointed this fact out? Why is it that every time this company puts an "i" in front of something, it's deemed as revolutionary. Don't get me wrong, they make some decent products, yet for most of us in the know, we wouldn't buy it because there are better more open solutions out there. It all comes to PR.

UPDATE: Apparently Apple didn't create it's touchscreen tech...see below
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37748

Death of Sony - And the Beginnings of a new blog

I will now be changing my blog to focus on it's original purpose, commentary and insight.
We shall begin...

From one of the most recognizable brands ever, to the biggest disaster in the history of Capitalism.
Sure, many companies have fallen from notoriety, but we've seen Sony enter more industries and yet bring nothing but trouble and the same misshaps from one to the other.
We all know about Betamax and the disaster of this superior technology in the consumer space. Yes, Sony did do well to capture the market of the professionals, but consumers have never forgotten this. Why then, would someone be so willing to make the same mistake. Remember the miniDisc of a few years back? While a good product in certain uses, it didn't catch on. So what did they finally do after 5 years of holding it to themselves? Licensed it out to other manufacturers. And so it is with the PS3. They want Blu-Ray, and this time they actually have some other manufacturers on their side, but guess what, it's twice the price of it's competitor. This may eventually change, but apparently only Sony makes a critical piece of the hardware.
This is my warning to Sony: You are being challenged on all fronts, you no longer are the top in the game industry as the Xbox 360 has a year on you, and is a much better console at this point. Beware that you can no longer decide to go it alone on technology standards, be wise in your products, and make things consumers want, on time, and in their budget.