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Archives for April 2007

Why an Amazon DRM-Free Music Store Would Be a Game-Changer

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There are stories everywhere about Amazon launching a music store, as soon as next month, that would feature unprotected downloadable music.

If true, and we should point out that the stories about Amazon launching a music download service have been around for over a year now, it would be the biggest thing in digital music since the iPod, and maybe even more important than iTunes. It would also make Kirk seem scarily prescient, as he predicted this exact thing back in January.

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The Daily Loper – April 23, 2007

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No, Ralphs, Plastic is NOT Fine Edition

Todays links of interest:

Looking At Bud.TV

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Throughout the year, we are going to be subjected to various and sundry “YouTube killers”. One such animal is (was?) Bud.tv. Launched with the full faith and credit of the mighty Budweiser empire behind it, the site promised to be an edgy, Bud-oriented alternative to existing online video services.

Since then, numbers have declined from the reported 250,000+ viewers per month to approximately 150,000 viewers. These are not bad numbers, you might think, especially for a new venture. Today’s audience is fragmented enough that these numbers should not the be reason for the Bud.tv to commit the virtual version of hari kari (see: the short-lived Pirate TV or whatever it was called).
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The Weekly ‘Loper – April 22, 2007

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With all of the events this week taking up brain space, here are a few things that you may have missed:

The Daily Loper – April 20, 2007

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Dave’s Not Here Edition

Todays links of interest:

That’s What I Like: Fantasy Baseball

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My Fantasy Baseball Trophy ShelfSo, I was reading this King Kaufman column in Salon last Monday. He was talking about ESPN’s broadcast on Jackie Robinson Day, and was relating a story that Henry Aaron was telling a story about playing second base against Robinson and — wait a second, Hank Aaron played second base?

That was Kaufman’s reaction, and mine as well, but for totally different reasons. He was just interested in it as a baseball historian, and so looked it up. And sure enough, Aaron played games as a second-bagger for the Braves as late as the mid-1960’s.

Me, all I can think is this: Hank Aaron had fantasy eligibility at 2B! How cool would that have been for my fantasy baseball team!

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The Daily Loper – April 19, 2007

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Three Jackass Morons Edition

Todays links of interest:

Why Sony’s Latest DRM Fiasco Is Probably A Good Thing

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Sony should win a lifetime achievement award for its efforts to help raise consumer awareness about the problems inherent in DRM technology. It seems like every time the company attempts to “innovate’ in the area of DRM the effort backfires in a manner that ends up demonstrating just how bad DRM can really be.

Sony’s latest misadventure involves recently released DVD titles that are reportedly unplayable on a number of widely available DVD players, including several of the company’s own models. The problem originally gained attention on an Amazon forum when consumers began to compare notes about their inability to view the film Stranger Than Fiction.

Initially Sony denied there was a problem. Technicians at the company’s consumer help line explained that Sony had implemented a new form of DVD copy protection and that it was up to the manufacturers of individual DVD players to upgrade their firmware. The same Sony help technicians also explained that there was no timetable for the release of a firmware update that would allow Sony DVD players to play the new Sony DVDs.

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Filed Under: DRM

The Daily Loper – April 18, 2007

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Hey, Dr. Spaceman Edition

Todays links of interest:

Second Life Vice: Linden Lab Is in Denial About Its Gambling Problem

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If you’ve been exposed to any recent media hype surrounding Second Life, you may have concluded that Linden Lab’s virtual world is an unstoppable force.

Second Life signups have accelerated to nearly half a million per month. Linden founder Philip Rosedale seems to be everywhere at once (although that may just be his Avatar). And SL celebrity Anshe Chung has become a household name (at least for readers of Business Week).

With so much momentum and positive press, what could possibly go wrong?

Oh, I don’t know, maybe something like a Federal investigation into online gambling in virtual casinos.

Of all of the vices in the Metaverse, some translate better than others. Virtual drugs don’t work particularly well — unless you count Second Life itself as a drug. On the other hand, virtual prostitution, as creepy as it seems, apparently works for a few people who can get past the possibility that their virtual playmate might actually be a grizzled construction worker in Peoria.

Virtual gambling, on the other hand, is a perfect match for this virtual world.

Online gambling is a well-established industry. However, for many, the added social element of a virtual reality world is a significant improvement over watching 2-D cards dealt onto a flat green poker table.

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