#81

On his blog I, Cringely, technology journalist Mark Stephens maintains that in the near future (he guesses around the year 2015) television will be well on its way to morphing from a broadcast model to internet provided service. Network TV as we have known it will go belly up, like the city newspaper, and instead of being an American household mainstay it will become a museum-worthy artifact, something we gather in a special building to admire once in a while, like a pteradactyl egg fossil or a mosquito trapped in amber.

As the popular delivery models of media change, so will content. Web TV has been a reality for several years, and "midtail" content, or semiproduced/user generated videos, are a staple of the savvy viewer who would rather be glued to online streaming video than at the mercy of some old fashioned technology and stuffy TV executives (I thought TiVo largely did away with such enslavement, but anyway....). Next New Networks, the leading producer of such midtails, includes programming from a variety of sources e.g. Channel Frederator, Barely Political, ThreadBanger, and others.

Changes in the way television service is delivered and in viewing habits are gaining momentum. According to Advertising Age, midtail content is the only online programming that "scores sizable audiences" and thus revenue. It's not surprising then, that Goldman Sachs is one of Next New Networks major investors. (At least some things are still predictable.)

Consumers are pretty predictable too. If it's bigger and better they pretty much have to have it. Large screen LCD TVs are now everywhere. It's ironic though, that fewer than 5 percent of the HD TVs sold in the US last year are capable of bypassing cable and satellite TV service. That's because pulling in online shows may be what people think they must have next. DVDs from Netflix are ordinary. Having a virtual video store in your living room is not. This is what you get with VUDU. VUDU's internet-ready setup is an on demand movie service that requires no monthly subscription or contract. All you need is an internet-ready TV, a fast connection, and about $150 for the VUDU box. Available since 2007, VUDU sales haven't been impressive, so last year the company stopped pushing the hardware and started making deals with manufacturers such as Samsung, Sanyo, and Sharp to build its features directly into televisions. Last month, Wal-Mart bought VUDU.

3D technology is going to have a colossal impact; I'm just not sure when that will happen. It seems to be something about which everyone is excited, but I think there are some issues that need to be resolved before consumers will sign up for another expensive television and the special glasses needed to watch it. The main problems I see are 1. there are no standards as yet for formatting (that I'm aware of) and consequently, 2. content will be limited. I wouldn't be too happy if I spent a lot of money on a new TV and then found out that, say, the show my child wanted to watch was not produced in 3D. I think there will continue to be a huge market for 3D movies that people can enjoy in an IMAX theater. Further development of this technology and its applications, especially for video games, will likely enthrall techies and trekkies for years.





VUDU could end up being the new technology that more people try at home. The viewer seems to have plenty of content choices with VUDU, along with absolute control over when to view the selected content. There is a pleasurable sense of satisfaction associated with being able to instantly fulfill a movie wish. The insipid people of Wal-Mart are involved, so proliferation is almost a given.

On the other hand, I am not one who easily embraces the newest technologies. I'm rather adverse to being on the receiving end of marketing, to rushing towards the latest phantasmagoria. It's probably not surprising then, that my favorite media gadget, and one I'm still working on comprehending, is the remote control which remains eminently handy for turning the television off.

#80 Movies

On my way to work I drive by two video stores. I used to patronize one of those stores on a regular basis, but I don't think I've been inside either of them for several years now. It's amazing to me that places like Hollywood Video and Blockbuster are even open, considering how quickly the video rental business has changed.

Instead of running out to the neighborhood video store, you can now order and receive movies without ever getting out of your PJs. Netflix lets you choose films from their collection; then they are mailed to your home. You pay a monthly fee and there are no late charges. This is a great deal and very convenient. My family already uses this service. When I check my mailbox at 3 pm on Saturday, I enjoy receiving my movies and treating my neighbors to the vision of me in plaid flannel.

You can get another sweet deal by using movie sites such as Hulu or The Auteurs which provide free access to full length films. I looked for the movie version of my library's book club selection for March, The Thin Man, by Dashielle Hammitt. No luck finding it on Hulu or The Auteurs. (I couldn't figure out where to look for full length movies on IMDB.) I finally found The Thin Man on Google Videos. It's wonderful to think that so many movies are literally only a few clicks away; talk about immediate gratification. I still prefer watching movies on my TV though, as that allows me to lounge. The larger TV screen seems more condusive to watching a movie with family and friends too.

Often times I don't pay attention to trailers at the beginning of DVDs. With Hulu trailers, I can look at a trailer when I have the time, and I don't get slammed with a half dozen all at once. I also have more control over the types of trailers I view. There are certain movies I'm not remotely interested in seeing. Hulu's brief trailer description makes it easier for me to skip over the trailers for those movies altogether. Since I generally like films about dancers or dancing, I decided to watch a trailer for the documentary "Dancing Across Borders", about a talented Cambodian street dancer who comes to New York to train in classical ballet. This is the first I've heard of this movie, and now I really want to see it! It will be in theatres March 26, 2010. Look for me to be dancing to my mailbox in plaid flannel as soon as the dvd becomes available.

#79 The Future of Media: Television online

Thanks to web sites such as hulu.com, tv.com, and the animation enthusiast's Joost, television has become accessable on PCs and laptops. Phone providers Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon have jumped on the demand-for-TV bandwagon by offering mobile TV services, and major network websites have some episodes of popular shows online. Isn't it wonderful that we have so many viewing options? There really is no excuse anymore for missing a single episode of Jerry Springer or WWE. We are so fortunate. Also, we can continue to shell out for the latest technology which allows us to tune in to our choice of mindless prattle, I mean distinctive entertainment, anywhere we are, anytime of day. A small monthly tithe to the wireless gods is all that stands between you and the opportunity to enrich your phone company. Goodness knows that life as we know it would end without being able to watch even more TV than we already do, and the quality of what one is able to watch on one's iPhone is worth any price. (If you have come to the conclusion that I do not own a cell phone and therefore won't be watching TV on my cell phone, you win.)

The Nielsen Company published results of research last year which showed that media consumption is increasing, and media multi-tasking is part of that trend. Jim O’Hara, President of Media Product Leadership for The Nielsen Company said, “The entire media universe is expanding so consumers are choosing to add elements to their media experience, rather than to replace them." One interesting development in our expanding media universe is that there are now more TVs per American household than people. You can read more of Nielsen's Three Screen Report here.

My acknowledged bias and I took a look around hulu. You can browse by TV and by movies. I don't really have a favorite TV show, but I noticed there is a 40th Anniversary Collection of Sesame Street clips you can watch. That sounded like fun.





The movie collection wasn't very appealing, but they did have some full length features I might enjoy, like "Inherit the Wind" with Jack Lemmon and George C. Scott or "Like Water for Chocolate." (You apparently have to create a hulu account in order to view an R rated movie.) I like that they have a documentary search feature. I was interested in Africa Unite: A Celebration of Bob Marley's 60th Birthday, but the buffering problem was terrible. There were other documentaries I would try, such as Les Paul: Chasing Sound, and Manufacturing Consent about Noam Chomsky.

Many people enjoy posting their own video productions on USTREAM. The Shiba Inu puppy streaming video is adorable. For about 3 minutes. Then I got bored. It's great seeing friends and family in the videos they post to YouTube or Facebook. Maybe some day I'll get around to making one. They say genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. Not that I expect to be another Speilberg; far from it. But it's probably better that I keep my first attempts, at least, well away from the public library.

#78: Video

The assignment: play around with video search engines such as Truveo and Blinkx. Be careful and try not to lose yourself in the online video vortex.

I happen to get lost easily (see post #31: Maps Are Not My Forte), so I'm not very opinionated about which video search engine I use. Since it's Groundhog's Day, I decided to look for the graduation-from-boot-camp scene in the movie "Stripes", starring Bill Murray. YouTube and Truveo worked equally well with my inquiry, finding the correct movie snippet right away. The first hit from Blinkx, though, was some sort of animation contest entry which I immediately regretted watching, followed by a number of interviews with Harold Ramis and a movie review posted in 2007 by Joe Ordinary. Also, most of the Blinkx hits on the first page of search results were YouTube videos, so I wondered why I should prefer Blinkx to YouTube. When a compelling reason occurs to me, I'll let you know.

In my opinion, the biggest frustration with online videos has nothing to do with which search engine is employed. It's the whole buffering problem. What does one do while waiting for that video to finish buffering? wikiHow suggests visiting their site and learning a new skill, such as how to become a bountyhunter or how to survive falling out of an airplane.

Harris County Public Library has a YouTube channel where there are lots of library videos. I was surprised by the variety of things to see. In addition to children's stories read by staff, branches have recorded presentations by guest speakers, special events, and more. It was interesting to browse the uploads and see everything from a Mariachi band to the Pileated Woodpecker who seems to have adopted Northwest Branch. Some of the videos are quite silly and entertaining, like The Henry Houndog Show, and How Not to Reserve a Computer.

I wonder if it would be useful to record a short video tour of our branch. Since it's rare that we have time for orientation before opening, staff from other HCPL branches might appreciate an opportunity to virtually familiarize themselves with the library, before working a Sunday shift. Or, they might prefer falling out of an airplane.

#77 Images

photo by Matthew McDermott of the New York Post


Library staff and customers alike often need images to use in their work. When images are utilized to promote a web site, event, or business, it's important to insure that the owner of the original material has given permission to use it. Fastidious laws that protect the use of images may seem tiresome, but protecting the rights of creators and their creations for the most part encourages new ideas, fair trade, and sharing.

There are three main types of images that are available online: public domain images, right protected images, and royalty free images. Public domain images are free, and right protected images are purchased for a certain length of time. iStockPhoto and Fotolia are sites where you may purchase royalty-free images. Royalty free means that once you "buy" the image, it may be used indefinately and without limit.

There's a press release on the Fotolia site which states that "sales of $1 images continued to generate six-figure incomes for the world’s top photographers in 2009". That's incredible! (And it's caused me to consider sharing my images with the world.)

10 places to find free images online has more information and links to many online image banks. For example, bigphoto.com is a royalty free photo bank which offers free downloads of all pictures. To credit the photographer, the user is asked simply to provide a link back to the website. bigphoto.com is where you can find "pictures from around the world", but frankly I found the site disappointing. They had pictures from only 5 of Africa's 53 countries. 51 pictures are available for "Egypt", which seems like really slim pickings. I proceeded to look for pictures under the heading "America". Did they have a picture of Slim Pickens? Nope. In my opinion, this site was not the bomb.




(If I credit wikipedia for this picture, have I followed the rules?)

On the other hand, MorgueFile.com has an absolutely incredible collection of images. The images are free, but cannot be published "on a standalone basis". I'm not sure what that means. I don't even have to post an attribution, but I linked back to the site anyway, just because I want to acknowledge the person who is allowing me to add this butterfly to my blog. Beautiful!







I used AllFreeClipArt and found a picture of a Santa Mouse in 4 clicks. With 7 clicks I found a Santa that looked like he hadn't slept in a week. I suppose it has it's uses, but after seeing what's available on morguefile.com, the clip art wasn't very exciting.

HCPL subscribes to Schools.clipart. Staff may use this resource to create posters, flyers, bulletin boards, and other materials suitable for an educational environment. The site doesn't just contain line drawings and cartoonish pictures; it offers illustrations, photos, 3d clip art, and signart. If I was making a children's display for Chinese New Year, I might use this image of a cat.






Image courtesy of JupiterImages

#76 Sound Effects. Oh boy, a new toy!

Every kid who grows up watching cartoons understands the value of sound effects. Good sound effects make any story more real, more believable, more funny. From scrambling feet to kabong!, unique sounds add punch to theatre, radio, and television. Thanks to streaming audio, file compression, and musical instrument digital interface, now sounds can even be used to spice up the written word.

An example of a site where one can search for sounds is FindSounds. Another useful resource is Simply the Best Sounds.

Here is a sample of some sounds from FindSounds:

bull moose

barred owl

camel

I was not successful in finding out what sounds a real tasmanian devil makes. The first page of search results all sounded like this.

These are from Simply the Best Sounds:
gong

evil laugh

ocean waves

#75: Google and Beyond, or Desperately Seeking Search Engine Supremacy

I've been using Google as a Search Engine for quite some time, with generally good results. At least, I've always thought I was perfectly happy with Google as a Search Engine. I surely didn't give much thought to the notion that my bias for searching in a particular way could be limiting my results. Then Microsoft conducted a study which revealed that Search Engine branding has an impact on the perceived quality of results. Enter Michael Kordahi, a Microsoft employee. He created a website called "BlindSearch" in response to the study.

When you enter a search query on BlindSearch, you get results from the three most popular Search Engines: Google, Bing, and Yahoo, but you don't know whose results are whose. After viewing the responses to the search, you can vote for the set which you feel best supplied the information you were seeking, and thus learn which Search Engine best served your needs.

I tried a few queries through BlindSearch and, taking into consideration my opinion about the relevancy of the results, cast my votes. Most often, Google came up as the Search Engine I preferred. Bing was second and Yahoo was third. Performance-wise, after four tries, I didn't notice any huge differences between the Search Engines, but there were a few surprises, such as when a search for the most popular books of 2009 through what turned out to be Bing returned a link to a website for books that "explain Buddhism for a modern western audience". It was interesting to try and imagine what exactly happened to that request in cyberspace.

Trying different Search Engines, without knowing their brands ahead of time, probably won't change the way I search in the future, but it did teach me to be aware of Search Engine branding bias.

Hitwise is a website which tracks the volume of traffic to various websites and ranks them by frequency of hits. For the week ending 01/02/2010, Search Engine usage was ranked as follows: Google 64.05%, Yahoo!Search 10.96%, and Bing 8.91%. Google is the most popular Search Engine by far, which jives with my personal choice of a favorite.

It was a real eye-opener exploring Google's features. I didn't know that you could do mathematical calculations in the Google search box, automatically convert measurements (like centimeters to inches or kilometers to miles), instantly find local businesses by zip code, read a Tip of the Day, and much more. With so many ways to improve your searches, it's no wonder Google is extremely popular. I found the sheer number of features a little overwhelming; they have so much stuff to strut! The Google Search Engine reminds me of:





It is a blue-ribbon Mummer's band of Search Engines, elaborate and fancy and fun. With all there was to explore, I didn't spend as much time sifting through the features of the other Search Engines. I noticed that Bing, though, had an absolutely gorgeous home page today, displaying an exquisite photograph of a secluded beach in Greece. Maybe Bing is politely promoting the quest for Nirvana this week. They don't seem to realize that, on New Year's Day at least, some people's idea of ecstasy is being in Philadelphia, at Broad and City Hall, watching the string bands.