Where are the words

It's been over a week since I posted. Busy at work leads to little sleep leads to getting sick leads to no energy to think or write. I lose at least a week when I am sick because I cannot function under the slightest of colds. So I have been sleeping at going through the Tivo queue catching up on all my TV musings.

Since the new TV season started I have been setting the Tivo up to record my favs. CSI, the OC and a new one Lost. I slept on lost last season, but I saw the first 2 episodes this week. Looks like a good show so far. Anyway I love the Tivo, because I can do stuff during the week without being glued to the TV (I am usually glued to my mac) and catch up on the weekend.

Too bad Tivo will go away eventually. I just hope whatever replaces the service will be comparable. Or lets hope Tivo doesn't go away.

Anyway I am feeling a little better (being on day 4 of my 6 day sick cycle) I should be better next week. I have a lot to do at work and here at home so the days should fly by and it will be November and time to go to Italy.

Speaking of Italy, I need to do research for my nephew for his trip to Venice. Off I go.....

Update: Not 2 seconds after I posted this I got 2 comment spams. I have had a few comment spams in the past, but this is wierd with 2 right after I posted. I wonder what is up with that? I know it happens alot, but blogger needs to do somthing about this. Google spend some money on your blogging service so your loyal users will not have to look for a better service (oh yeah you google gods will rule the world some day....good luck)

NerdTV and others

NerdTV is the brainchild of PBS and Robert Cringely and is one of many new download only video shows that feature leaders in technology. As a fan of podcasting, I am very interested in this new wave of content and delivery, what many are calling or the precursor to IPTV (Internet protocol TV). Video over the internet is nothing new much like audio over the internet was nothing new when podcasting was developed, but like podcasting, IPTV is about the delivery of the content.

I have heard (sounds reliable to me) that more people are spending time on the internet and less time in front of the TV. It makes sense that the delivery of entertainment content should be through the Internet. There is a convergence of TV and PC or Mac that will take place over the next few years. Microsoft is selling it's Media Center edition software under the guise of this framework and they have IPTV in the works.

Over that last year we have been seeing content for internet specific flow through RSS aggregations that moves towards IPTV implementation. Shows like Systm, commandN and NerdTV are all tech focused, buy I have a feeling more mainstream content will be ready for internet savvy users.

Yes the nerds are early adapters so the content is focused towards that group, but the tip of the iceberg is not even here yet. We should see a mass influx of program content over the internet with delivery using RSS technologies and I bet apple's Itunes product. Apple already supports video feeds so we can get most of the early content through them.

So what are the factors that will slow this trend? IPTV needs bandwidth and with a slow adoption of broadband in the US it could be the old bells and cable ops that slow this trend, which is something they would like to slow since it would eat their business models and create competition.

The reason I think about IPTV is because I like the choice is has to offer. The comparisons to podcasting can not be more congruent in my view. Content that has a niche appeal is much more cost effective via IPTV and most likely would not see the light of day on TV or cable. I want choice. I like seeing interviews of the best technology minds today, and nerdTV is the right medium for this content. I just watched the second installment (they are weekly) an interview with Max Levchin who is the co-founder of Paypal. It is refreshing to see Charlie Rose quality interviews with geeks like us.

Time will tell how IPTV intersects the mass audience, but my bet (and Microsoft too who I normally don't bet on) is that IPTV will be the future of content delivery with more choices when you want them and how you want them.


* Cnet posts a good review here

Technorati Tags: nerdtv, commandn, systm, iptv

On the road again

This week I am off to Reno for a work conference. I have been busy researching new tools for me to use for:

Blogging: ecto a great blog posting software

research: Vital Source a ebook reader and seller with many search, highlight and note features.

Wiki/Organization: jotspot a really cool wiki - if you don't know what a wiki is check wikipedia

Browsers: opera a browser that supports great features like firefox and has bittorrent built in.

I should have time to give a healthy review for all. My initial reaction to these tools is great. I have been using each for a short time, but I can see already they make life easier with so much to keep track of and do.

Thats all for now folks....

Light Posting -time for reflection

It's been a week of news and reflection. We should stop and reflect on our lives when others are suffering. The devastation done by Katrina is much more than land and cities. People are suffering and lives are changing and we all can say a prayer for those who are now the displaced and destroyed. I don't pretend to know suffering in the vein of so many people, but I can hope and meditate for our brethren.

As the media and politicians play the blame game, there are people on the ground making a difference. My hat is off to those who volunteered in order to help save lives. It is the people that give without prejudice - people who care- that will in the end define a great nation like ours.

People around the world watch as those who can help do and those who can't give money, but we should not be judged nor shall we judge what went wrong when there are bloated bodies that need to be buried and flooded homes that need repair. Our leaders will be judged in the end, but a time for rescue, repair and rebuilding must come. I say not who is to blame but how can we learn from this event.

In a few days or weeks the medias spin cycle will continue as the usual story's grab the headlines, but I hope no one forgets the people that need help. Their story on the ground is more compelling that any headline news and in the final analysis we all care because we are human.

What is left but hope. Hope for a new tomorrow and hope for a better country.

Like Forrest Gump says "That's all I got to say about that"

More tech stuff later in the week. Goodnight for now.