Posted Nov 23rd 2009 7:02PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Programming, OpEd, Hardware, Reality-Free
There comes a time of the year when one has to count their blessings because, when truth is finally told, things could be a lot worse. This is that time. And what am I thankful for? Glad you asked.
Big LCD televisions that hang on the wall - I think that says it all. Of course, some day all the current display technologies will be abandoned in favor of the video waves that transmit directly to our brains, but until then there is the LCD (or plasma, depending on your technology choice) on the wall.
The Big Bang Theory - It's hard to believe that the creator of Two and a Half Men (a show of which I am not a fan) could create such a terrific show. I only discovered the show this past year. I'm usually not a fan of sitcoms but with all the geeky references in BBT, I find that if I could give the show a big, sloppy, wet kiss, I would.
Continue reading What Brad is thankful for
Posted Nov 13th 2009 4:01PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: HDTV, TV Squad Polls, Hardware, Reality-Free
I haven't owned a
black and white television in 20 years, but a lot of people in the UK still do. In fact, 30,000 of them, according to the story at BBC News.
That seems like a lot to me, but I figured I'd ask TV Squad readers if they still watch one or not. Sometimes I'll watch a color movie in black and white (by turning off the color), to see how it looks and see if it gets any better (note: does not work with Pauly Shore movies).
Posted Nov 3rd 2009 12:42PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Industry, Programming, Web, Hardware, Reality-Free
The Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital blog is reporting that Apple is having meetings with TV networks to see if they'd be interested in having their programs available on iTunes in a deal where viewers would pay a monthly flat fee to watch the shows.
Obviously, many networks already offer various shows on iTunes, but this would be a scenario where
Mac and PC users of iTunes would pay a $30 a month subscription in order to watch TV shows. And that would be all shows, not just paying for each show that you want to watch.
Continue reading Would you watch TV on iTunes for $30 a month?
Posted Oct 27th 2009 10:02AM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Industry, HDTV, Hardware, Reality-Free
All this talk of
3-D television has really puzzled me. It seems the companies are pushing more for the technology than the customers actually want it. It's the debut of the Toyota Prius all over again.
Television manufacturers are hoping the onslaught of 3-D movies, such as
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, will increase the whisper-level clamors for 3-D televisions. The TVs should be in stores next year.
To me, the two experiences are almost completely different. 3-D films work in the theaters because the audience is forced to look at the screen, whereas TV is a completely voluntary viewing experience. If there is a way to utilize the technology to enhance the experience on more than just a visual level, like Comedy Central's first-person junk-joke-fest
Secret Girlfriend, then maybe you've got gold.
Posted Oct 21st 2009 7:03PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Hardware, Reality-Free
Finally, someone has given guys the opportunity to look at a woman's chest and not get slapped.
It's the Boob Tube Bra, a bra that has two small TV screens embedded in the cups. Sure, this isn't going to be sold in stores, it's one of the
special bras on display at the Baylor Medical Center at Irving Cancer Center in Texas, but it's a cool concept. I wonder how you turn up the volume and change the channel?
[via
TV Tattle]
Posted Sep 30th 2009 4:00PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: OpEd, Hardware, Reality-Free
Why must Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and that lot constantly develop new technologies in an attempt to break my bank account? First it was things like flat television and high definition. Now, Panasonic is joining the ranks of other television manufacturers to produce a high definition television that can handle both 2D and 3D images. But this time, they're enlisting Hollywood
to help them sell it.
The idea is that Hollywood is producing more 3D films and this technology will enable the sale of 3D DVDs. It could even potentially be the feature to push Blu-ray sales to the level of regular DVDs (assuming it's only on Blu-ray).
Do we really need to be able to watch 3D movies at home? It sounds like one of those things that seem extraneous at first then once you have it in the home you have no idea how you lived without it. 3D television has been talked about for years now. We'll have to see if this is the event that pushes it more to the mainstream.
Posted Sep 9th 2009 7:02PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: Industry, OpEd, Hardware, Reality-Free
Entertainment Weekly Subscribers in New York and Los Angeles were treated to
40 minutes of video promoting the CBS fall lineup right in the pages of the magazine's Fall Preview this week, as Bob reported last month. But this groundbreaking movie got me thinking about how this technology could be used.
It's a potentially great development for the print medium. The player in
EW is interactive, meaning that as you press on the page it's embedded in it responds. Click on
The Big Bang Theory and you'll see the preview of the new season on that show. All those people who abandoned print for the interactive experience online can now get that in their favorite magazines as well.
The technology is a brilliant way for an advertisement to reach out to an even wider audience. These little players can be stuck just about anywhere, and loaded with 40 minutes or so of playback. Imagine picking up that DVD set of a TV show you've heard about and being able to watch clips of it right there.
Continue reading EW's Fall Preview issue with the embedded video creates tons of opportunity
Posted Aug 25th 2009 2:33PM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: HDTV, Hardware, Software, Reality-Free
Apple has left some fairly noticeable heel marks on the free throw lines of the computer, digital music and the cell phone industry.
So what technology business does Steve Jobs have next on his "To Dominate" list? Why TV, of course. What did you think I was going to say? Toasters? Did you not read the name of this blog?
A financial analyst with the Piper Jaffray investment banking firm speculated that
the company is eying at taking a stab at TV technology by releasing its own high definition television by 2011.
Continue reading Is Apple looking to take a bite out of TV next?
Posted Aug 23rd 2009 2:24PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: Industry, OpEd, Hardware, Reality-Free
James Cameron has a lot of money. So if he wants to throw some of it at
Panasonic to help promote 3D TVs, that's his terrible decision. He shot his latest film in 3D, so he's clearly got it on his mind. And if
Avatar does as well as the response to that trailer would have us believe, he may have a lot of free time soon anyway.
Speaking of time, this is about the worst time to try and thrust new television and film technology on consumers. Aren't we still in the middle of this transition to digital broadcasts, HDTV and Blu-Ray? Now you're telling us we should buy new HDTVs and new Blu-Ray players that support 3D technology? Oh, and we'll need those cool 3D glasses, too.
There's a few problems with this. 3D was going to revolutionize the movies in the '80s. It didn't happen. It's supposed to be "going to revolutionize" movies right now, but it's not happening.
Continue reading I'm sorry James Cameron, but 3D is not the future of television
Posted Aug 23rd 2009 9:02AM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Hardware, Software, Reality-Free
Every TV addict has that moment when they throw themselves on the couch and muster enough courage to overcome their body fat, gravity and the risk of doing a full sit-up to reach for the remote.
But then comes that feeling of sheer dread when your hand, reaching as far as your arm will allow, grabs nothing but air. Your eyes dart around the room, first scanning the immediate area that doesn't require you to get up from the contoured indent left by your ever-expanding ass. Finally, you find it ... clear across the room. You have discovered the remote control's one and only modern flaw.
Don't fret. Scientists across the globe have been putting their swine flu vaccine and obesity epidemic research projects aside and working on improving TV remote technology. That idea for a miracle virus cure never materialized but, thankfully, they've perfected the remote control.
Continue reading A universal remote that can control everything, maybe even the universe
Posted Jul 28th 2009 11:04AM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Industry, OpEd, Cable/Satellite, Hardware, Reality-Free
Verizon is
planning to package FiOS TV and Internet service with its wireless cell phone services. All I can say is, it's about time.
If I may go off on a rant here for a moment, I actually investigated getting FiOS installed in my house. Verizon didn't even have a fiber optic cable anywhere near me that they could run to my building. And I live only a few miles from Manhattan.
Despite that, by offering a set fee for both FiOS and cell phone service, Verizon is providing something that cable competitors can't duplicate. It's a smart move on the part of the company. Since I already have Verizon Wireless, I can only wish that they got off their lazy asses and laid some more fiber optic around my neighborhood.
In the meanwhile, I'm stuck with my sadly deficient cable company (satellite isn't an option due to the nature of my condominium). For those who have FiOS, how is it? Would you be excited about packaging that with your cell phone service?
Posted Jun 26th 2009 5:41PM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: OpEd, Hardware, Reality-Free
The elderly, hermits and people too cheap to get cable weren't the only victims of the recent transition to the digital airwaves.
Apparently, the lack of an analog signal means that somewhere out there, an alien race that mankind has yet to discover will not know the winner of
I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.
An astronomer from
the SETI Institute has speculated that undiscovered alien races or other forms of intelligent life in the universe won't be able to watch Earth's television because of the switchover.
Continue reading Aliens are missing their shows because of digital transition
Posted Jun 22nd 2009 7:05PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Web, Hardware, TiVo, Reality-Free
Do you remember a long time ago when you had no options to watch a TV show if you didn't see it when it aired (you had to wait for a repeat)? Of course you don't, you people with your Twitters and your iPhones and your space-age Saran Wrap. But there was a time when if you wanted to watch, say,
The Magician, you had to stay home and watch it. No iTunes, no Hulu, no YouTube, no DVDs.
Then came the VCR, and everything changed. Only $1000! (
Full-sized ad here.) Notice the fine print at the bottom: "Caution: The unauthorized recording of television programs and other materials may infringe the rights of others."
Posted Jun 18th 2009 12:04PM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: The Simpsons, Hardware, Reality-Free
Gadgets have always fascinated me. And it's not because of what you can do with them. It's what you CAN'T do with them. The day my microwave can cook my dinner, then feed it to me while it's cleaning my toilet, de-crumbing the toaster, and doing my taxes is the day my interest in gadgets dies.
The most impressive aspects of gadgetry are how much you can customize them to fit your taste and personality. Just a few years ago, having a Dilbert screen saver that didn't send your hard drive into an epileptic fit was the epitome of "personal" computing.
Now you can change the way it looks from every angle, the way it thinks, and even the way it talks.
TomTom unveiled a new voice skin for their GPS devices. Now Homer Simpson, the actual voice of Homer Simpson voiced by Dan Castellanetta, can guide you to locations and it doesn't have to be a dispensery of donuts.
Continue reading TomTom? Meet HomerHomer
Posted Jun 18th 2009 8:01AM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Cable/Satellite, Hardware, Reality-Free
Earlier this year, when we were going to switch to digital television in February, my sister sent me an e-mail and asked me if I was ready for the switch, and I thought to myself, I think I've been ready for several years. So I'm not quite sure why people are still having a problem switching from analog to digital (I'm especially confused when people say that older citizens use TV as their "lifeline" to the outside world - if you're using words like that, you really should switch or your family should switch for you).
Nielsen is reporting that
2.5 million homes still haven't switched to a digital TV or bought a converter box, even though that original switch date was
extended to last Friday. I'm wondering why these people haven't switched yet. I'm not talking about people who have a TV but really don't watch it because they read books (as if you can't do both, but that's another rant). I'm talking about people who watch TV a lot and haven't made the switch yet.
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