iTunes
Wednesday, December 31st, 2008
by Jeff
You’ve probably heard by now that Time Warner Cable is butting heads with Viacom, owner of television networks like MTV, VH1, Nickleodeon and Comedy Central. Viacom has said it wants to increase the rate that Time Warner has to pay in order to carry their channels. Time Warner refuses because it’s just too much of an increase, one that they will have to pass on to their subscribers. Viacom then says, fine. If you don’t pay the higher fees, you can’t carry these networks anymore.
It’s like watching two children fight. Viacom wants to charge more for Time Warner to play with its toys, and when Time Warner says no, Viacom threatens to just take their toys and go home. Now both of them are going to mom (the cable customers) and pointing at the other saying “It’s his fault!” It’s all pretty silly.
Here’s the quote on Viacom’s website:
At the expense of its customers, Time Warner Cable is moving to force Viacom channels such as Nickelodeon, COMEDY CENTRAL and MTV off the air.
Wow that’s harsh. This is from Time Warner’s corporate site:
MTV Networks wants our customers to pay millions more. They are currently demanding price increases that are nearly triple the rate of increase under our current agreement. These increases would be excessive even in a strong economy, but given the current conditions, it’s simply not fair to our customers.
Customers will pay millions more if you count all 13 million of them. In reality it’s not nearly that extreme.
It’s all just pretty childish finger pointing if you ask me.
Here’s what I think is happening. Ad revenue is down along with the economy, so Viacom found a new way to make up the difference. Increase their rates excessively so Time Warner is forced to charge their consumers making up for Viacom’s deficit.
Time Warner takes the stand of protecting their customers from a rate increase. Forget the fact that they increase their rates every single year at this time and offer you 20 channels you have no interest in just to get the one channel you can’t live without.
I’ll be surprised if at midnight tonight all of a sudden these channels turn to static. Neither side can afford to live without the other. Viacom can’t afford to pull their channels and lose 13 million households. Neither can Time Warner afford to lose customers to satellite TV where these channels will still be carried. Someone will blink first.
So don’t panic. The Daily Show, Yo Gabba Gabba!, and crappy reality shows will still be there tomorrow. If I’m wrong and they’re not, you can always get your fix online. The majority of the popular shows on these networks are available on iTunes, the Xbox Marketplace, or for free on the network’s websites.
Fight all you want you two. I’ll still be watching either way.
UPDATE:
(AP) – At 12:01 AM, on New Years Day, Time Warner customers found themselves able to watch their regular Viacom owned channels such as Nickelodeon, MTV, and Comedy Central. According the the Associated Press the two companies extended the deadline by an hour which helped them make the deal. Details of the agreement have not been released at this time.
Told ya.
Thursday, December 27th, 2007
by Jeff
It’s taken years, but it looks like the record labels are finally figuring it out. Warner has just added their entire digital music catalog to the Amazon mp3 store, and it’s all completely DRM free. In other words, no copy protection. Why did it take this long for them to figure out that they can’t stop piracy, and by trying they are only hurting people who actually are honest and pay for content? If I buy a song on iTunes, I want to be able to play it on not just my iPhone but also through Windows Media Center. If I want several copies of it on different computers, I should have the freedom to do that. After all, I bought the music, so I should be able to do what I want with it right? That’s why I buy my music from Amazon’s mp3 store whenever possible.
When it’s not possible is when it’s on the Sony/BMG label. They are the only label left that does not offer DRM free music, but I can’t imagine that will last very long. Until they give in as well, I’ll buy their music on iTunes, burn it to CD, then rip it back in DRM free. There’s always a way around copy protection, and it can never be stopped. I’m thrilled the record companies finally are getting it. Hey Motion Picture Association! You paying attention?
Warner’s Entire Digital Music Catalog For Sale on Amazon as MP3s | Listening Post from Wired.com
Saturday, November 3rd, 2007
by Jeff
I bought the new Eagles album today. It’s been a long time coming too. It’s hard to believe the Eagles haven’t released a studio album with new material since 1979!I didn’t really know of the Eagles growing up, but did know of Don Henley. I was 13 when Building the Perfect Beast was released, and Boys of Summer and All She Wants to Do Is Dance were huge radio hits. I even owned the 45 of All She Wants to Do is Dance that I bought at Woolworth’s in South Paris. I wish I’d hung on to those 45’s.
When I got to college, a guy at the end of the hall in my dorm would play the Eagles constantly. I instantly recognized Don Henley’s voice, and that’s when I realized this guy was in a band too. I remember too many Saturday nights with a room full of people drunk singing Hotel California. So here it is 18 years since I first was introduced to the Eagles, and they just released Long Road Out of Eden.
I bought it on Wal*Mart’s online music store DRM free. (DRM stands for Digital Rights Management, or in simpler terms, copy protection to appease the blood sucking RIAA) I refuse to buy from iTunes because of the copy protection and AAC format rather then mp3. ACC is better then mp3, but at 256K my ears can’t tell the difference, and mp3 works on everything.
Buying DRM free limits my choices in music selection, but the record labels are finally starting to get their heads out of their asses and are getting rid of DRM. Once they all realize it will help them sell more music then I’ll be able to buy most anything I want. The Eagles album I bought from Wal*Mart I can play on my cheap mp3 player, my computer, my wife’s computer, through the Windows Media Center extender on XBox360, and I can burn copies on CD. None of that works easily, if at all with iTunes downloads.
Long Road Out of Eden is good. Some songs are very country sounding, but the Eagles always did have that sound to them. I still really haven’t had time to listen closely to the entire album of 20 songs. My wife told me it was too loud while my son was sleeping this afternoon. I’ll have to wait until I hear it in the car to make a final judgement, but I still had to buy it. The Eagles are one of those rare artists who release a must have album without even hearing one song.
I’m going to go put on some headphones and listen to them now while my son sleeps. Take It Easy.
Sunday, October 14th, 2007
by Jeff
I want an iPhone. Badly. However there are many reasons why I don’t have one, and shouldn’t get one. Let’s ignore that for now though, and concentrate on why I want one so badly.
I’ve never used a Mac. The closest I’ve come is eating a Big Mac. The only Apple products I’ve ever used are QuickTime and an Apple IIe back in high school. No I don’t use iTunes. I just don’t like that they only let stuff you buy from them work on an iPod and not my cheap $50 Insignia mp3 player. DRM sucks. I’ve never bought an iPod either. Too much money for someone who doesn’t listen to that much music. When you play music all day for a living, you don’t really feel the need to walk around listening to it when you’re not working. It’s not that I never listen to music, just not enough to spend over $100 for one.
Enter the iPhone. Now Apple has my attention! Finally this is the device I’ve wanted for years! A handheld device that will play music, podcasts and audiobooks. It will let me check email, browse websites in a real web browser, keep a calendar with a to do list, watch video, and even make and receive phone calls! I couldn’t ask for any more!
Now here’s why I don’t have one. First and foremost, the price. Even after the $200 price drop, this thing ain’t cheap. Not only will it run you $399, but you have to enter into a two year contract with AT&T. This is all something my wife doesn’t like very much. Right now my cell phone and service is provided to me by AT&T as part of their advertising campaign on the radio station. They give me the phone and the service, and then I talk on the air about how great AT&T is. I can’t complain about that. I took a shot and asked AT&T if the account they provide me with could be transferred to an iPhone account. Nope. So if I wanted an iPhone it would now cost me $60 a month that I’m not paying right now.
Another reason is the speed. The iPhone works on AT&T’s EDGE network which isn’t nearly as fast as their 3G network. As a matter of fact, I don’t even think we have 3G in Maine anyway. I only see the EDGE symbol appear on my Razr phone, with 3G only showing up when I cross into Massachusetts. Sure there’s Wi-Fi, but if we don’t have 3G in Maine, you can only imagine how many Wi-Fi spots there are.
Then there’s the problem with Apple locking down this phone tighter then Fort Knox. I don’t care so much about being able to use another provider as much as I care about being able to install third party apps on it. Sure it’s been hacked several times over, letting you use any provider and install third party apps, but it’s not without risk. Some hacked phones are being bricked by Apple, although it appears unintentional. Nothing would piss me off more to have a $400 paperweight. I don’t want to take that chance.
If all this weren’t enough for me to not buy it, there’s the rumors of a new version of the iPhone coming out down the line that would enable 3G among other improvements.
I might get lucky and get one for Christmas. Until then though, I’ll carry my cell phone in one pocket, my mp3 player in the other, and be frustrated as I try to do anything on the web with my Razr v3.
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You’ve probably heard by now that Time Warner Cable is butting heads with Viacom, owner of television networks like MTV, VH1, Nickleodeon and Comedy Central. Viacom has said it wants to increase the rate that Time Warner has to pay in order to carry their channels. Time Warner refuses because it’s just too much of an increase, one that they will have to pass on to their subscribers. Viacom then says, fine. If you don’t pay the higher fees, you can’t carry these networks anymore.
