As I’m sure you’re aware, the TV and movie content owners in Australia have really dragged the chain on selling their content online. Pay TV operators tend to do this a bit better (I remember paying a couple of pounds per movie for a download from our ISP/pay TV provider NTL in London way back in 2000/2001. But what if you don’t want a pay TV subscription just to download movies on demand? Even Apple’s iTunes store lets us down in that department, which is why their launch of Apple TV seemed so hollow – why get an IPTV box when they won’t sell you the “V” to watch with it?! I just read a post from Last 100 which gave an overview of 11 (count ‘em, 11) video download services in the US. Of course they’re mostly US only, but the article did mention a couple which sell globally. Jaman specialises in independent and world cinema rental/purchase for Mac/Windows – and claims to be working on a hack to allow it to work with Apple TV. I’ll definitely be checking out Hungry Flix – which specialises in non-DRM independent and niche videos. The writeup says it’s “radically different” to other offerings:
“All videos are offered as non-DRM’d MPEG4, so as to be compatible with both Mac, PC and Linux, as well as many portable devices, media extenders and set-top-boxes, and the service specifically targets portable media players such as Apple’s iPod or Sony’s PSP.”
Video Download Stores Compared [Last 100] More »
Wired’s How to Wiki has some tips for public speaking by blogger, writer and Boing Boing editor Cory Doctorow. There were a few tips I really liked including:
6. Don’t use the conference’s Net connection for your demo. It’s embarrassing to stand on stage whining, “Everyone please stop using the Net!†Turn your demo into screenshots, bring an EVDO card for your own high-speed connection, or use desktop vitualization like VMWare to bring the whole server with you.
7. Don’t rely on the event’s A/V setup, either. To play an audio clip, try holding your mike up to your laptop’s speaker or purchase your own USB audio interface. Be sure to bring your own audio cables and power strip, ” Just in case”.
8. Use your Q&A time wisely. Field the big-picture queries while you’re onstage and deal with the minutiae offline.
I don’t think it went far enough though. The last conference I went to banned the use of Powerpoint completely. Here, here.
Rock the Podium [Wired]
A messy desk can get in the way of getting things done. If clutter’s killing your productivity, reevaluate your workspace and clear away anything you don’t need. The Coloradoan suggests: Take an objective look at the workspace. Stand at the entry or doorway and look into the space. Is it welcoming? Do you want to go in or not? Do other people dare enter the space? Can you see the top of the desk or work surface?
Do you find that the mess on your desk causes anxiety and a distaste of work to be done? If so, start organising your space so that you’ll want to return to work the following day. Photo by alismith44. Don’t Let a Messy Desk Disrupt Productivity [The Coloradoan]
