Archives for September 2006

Rushing For Gold

September 14, 2006 by Kassia Krozser

Never let it be said that Medialoper stood in the way of anyone’s potential riches. Apparently, Mark Burnett’s much-anticipated* multi-media game, Gold Rush has debuted. You can play along by heading for http://goldrush.aol.com/.

I tried to go through the registration process — after a bunch of time-outs and wonky screen resets, I gave up (I do have a screen name and password; AOL recognizes these as valid, the game does not. Yet.). You may have better luck. Note to AOL: You might want to add Gold Rush to your A-Z directory, possibly under, hmm, “G”. Because after going through the registration process, I wanted to get started. I’ve given up.

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The Daily Loper – September 13, 2006

September 13, 2006 by Lopy

Today’s links of interest:

EFF: Six Tips to Protect Your Online Search Privacy
Some good tips on search engine privacy from the EFF.
I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass
David Cross reviews the new Yo La Tengo album based on song titles alone, because he has no intention of actually listening to it.
Networks woo older viewers
Following the Boomers again. Because Gen X is forever ignored and Gen Y has better things to do.
Creators confess to Lonelygirl15 mystery
Yup, we can solve the mystery of lonelygirl15, but Osama bin Laden remains at large.

Hello EMI! Goooood-bye!

September 13, 2006 by Jim Connelly

Just when you think that major record companies couldn’t get any meaner and any stupider, one of them proves you wrong. In this case, the record company is EMI, an acronym that apparently stands for Evil Motherfracking Idiots.

Apparently, a guy named Clayton Counts put together a mash-up that combined The Beatles Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band & The Beach Boys Pet Sounds. Why did he do it? On his website, he says that it was a work of satire, which is generally protected speech.

Whether or not you believe that, it is true that Mr. Counts didn’t make a single penny from his creation. And soon after word got out about it, he got a cease-and-desist from EMI. But with a twist!

The Daily Loper – September 12, 2006

September 12, 2006 by Lopy

Today’s links of interest:

Fears of revenge attacks on stingrays over Irwin death
It’s nothing less than a battle for dominance of the 21st century. We need to hunt down each and every stingray. And their allies: we must stop the whole Axis of Seavil they form with the jellyfish and electric eels. Otherwise, the Stingrays win.
Iranian Newspaper Ordered Closed After Publishing Cartoon
In which a country discovers that silencing the voice of opposition is the best policy.
Nielsen Mulls Radio Measurement; In Talks With CC
Hmm, Arbitron must be quaking in its, oh right, who listens to radio?

Why Steve Jobs Pre-announced Apple’s iTV Product

September 12, 2006 by Kirk Biglione

Of all of the product announcements made during today’s Apple event, the most surprising, by far, was the pre-announcement of a new set-top box. Code named iTV, the box will use standard wireless networking to feed iTunes content to any home entertainment center. The device is scheduled to come out in the first quarter of 2007.

Does anyone remember the last time Apple pre-announced a new product this far in advance? What happened to the legendary Apple secrecy? A huge part of Apple’s mystic is built around the intense reaction the press has to the unveiling of unexpected new products. That coverage usually drives customers to jump on the bandwagon and buy the latest Apple products immediately. By previewing iTV this far in advance Apple risks losing both the buzz and consumer interest during the months leading up to its release. Worse yet, iTV won’t be available for the holiday shopping season.

What is a “Webisode” Anyways?

September 12, 2006 by Jim Connelly

With only a month left before the launch of Season Three of what is probably our consensus favorite show around here, Battlestar Galactica, Sci-Fi.com has launched a series of “webisodes” — internet-only episodes with brand-new content.

Obviously, Battlestar isn’t the first TV show to do this, but the webisodes were actually delayed for a month or so because of controversy over compensation. It’s the latest variation of the “new media meets old contracts” meta-issue we’ve seen played out over and over again.

In this case, the legal issue can be boiled down to this: what is a “webisode” anyways? Is it strictly promotional? Or is it brand-new content for a brand-new medium?

The Daily Loper – September 11, 2006

September 11, 2006 by Lopy

Today’s links of interest:

If You Buckle Up, They Will Watch
And in a landslide, we have a winner for our inaugural DITS (Dumb Idea, Technologically Speaking) Award: a videoscreen belt buckle.
Hachette Gets Mobile
Whether you want it or not, you’re gonna get the ad-supported mobile websites for magazines. Succumb, just succumb.
Viral Video Marketing Under Scrutiny By Watchdog Groups
In which the entire point of viral marketing might fly over the heads of the people charged with keeping us safe from unwanted commercials. Alternate title: how to kill a trend without even thinking.

Unbox: High Prices, Restrictive Terms

September 11, 2006 by Kassia Krozser

Kirk’s debunking of the Amazon myths briefly discussed the prices and restrictions being imposed on consumers who use this service. Simply put, it ain’t good for the customer.

Which, I suppose, will ultimately be bad for the studios.

Amazon has perversely chosen to ignore consumers wants and needs in an effort to bow to studio concerns about piracy. The result is prices that reflect the last century — apropos, as it was pointed out that the suggested technology for linking to your television gives you a picture straight out of 1995.

The Weekly ‘Loper – September 10, 2006

September 10, 2006 by Rox

While you were wishing that the Battlestar Galactica webisodes could be, you know, longer, here’s what we were looking at:

How Not to Do A Character Blog – Life on Mars is great show, but the main character is either in a coma or in 1973. Either way, he wouldn’t have a blog.
From Japan, it’s the iPodBot! – As if Jim needs another robot to ignore. Poor Roomba.
The Village Voice Breaks Up With Robert Christgau – Jim gives the Village Voice’s decision to dump Christgau an E-.
Network Neutrality: Now More Than Ever – These companies can’t even fix a single customer’s DSL in under a week. And now they want to control the internet?
How, Exactly, Is A Celeb Arrest “BREAKING NEWS”? – One more reason in a long list why I don’t watch the local news in Los Angeles. Another reason: those weird weather guys.
That’s What I Like: Joss Whedon – It was my turn to like something this week so I revisited an old obsession.

Debunking A Few Amazon Unbox Myths

September 10, 2006 by Kirk Biglione

Last week Amazon launched Unbox, its long rumored video download service. In the days since its unveiling Unbox has attracted a storm of media coverage – a surprising amount of which has been misinformed and misleading. As a service to Medialoper’s readers, we will now attempt to debunk a few of the most persistent myths surrounding Amazon Unbox: