News
Mix: NBC, iPhone GPS, Unlocking, Korea
By Charles Starrett
Contributing Editor
Published: Thursday, September 20, 2007
News Categories: Mix
NBC has announced the launch of its new video service NBC Direct, which allows users to download and watch the network’s primetime and late-night programming for up to one week after broadcast. The service is currently Windows-only; future versions are to support Macs and “portable devices.”
A new version of Navizon Virtual GPS has been released for iPhone, which triangulates a user’s position from Wi-Fi access points and cellular towers, then sends that information to the phone’s Google Maps application. The application is not currently supported by Apple — it requires a “jailbreak” of the iPhone for installation. It is available as a 15 day trial; a full license is $25.
Asked the question “Is unlocking a concern?” at the company’s “Mum” special event, Apple CEO Steve Jobs responded, “It’s a constant cat and mouse game—we have the same thing with the iPod with music.” Jobs then looked at O2 CEO Matthew Key, asking, “Are we the cat or mouse? We have to stay one step ahead of them.”
Korean telecom company KTF is negotiating with Apple to sell the iPhone in South Korea, according to KTF’s CEO Cho Young-chu. “We have been trying to bring the iPhone here, but we have to wait,” Cho said. “The deal is up to the supplier [Apple], not us. Because the (Korean) market is so small, they will not release it until they have confidence in its marketability here.”
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1
NBC:
“With the creation of this new service, we are acknowledging that now, more than ever, viewers want to be in control of how, when and where they consumer their favorite entertainment,” said Zigler. “Not only does this feature give them more control, but it also gives them a higher quality video experience.”
more control? as long as you do it within a week, how absurd!
Posted by hydra-calm on September 20, 2007 at 8:17 AM (PST)
2
AND you can’t FFWD thru commercials.
Posted by sjthomas on September 20, 2007 at 8:26 AM (PST)
3
The point of all of this is not to give you a personal copy of the show but to let you watch when and where you want to within a time limit.
I personally love the ability to FFW through commercials but it’s the commercials that pay for the production and distribution. Unless we want a subscription based approach like HBO, or a pay per episode a la iTunes, we’ll have to deal with commercials.
Posted by David on September 20, 2007 at 9:36 AM (PST)
4
David, I think your missing the point just a little. You state that “Unless we want….” and I think people have spoken on this already. Many users do want to pay per episode a la iTunes. NBC is taking that option away. I think you meant to state… Unless NBC wants a subscription based approach like HBO or a pay per episode a la iTunes model. Clearly they don’t.
Posted by Toby Kuhn on September 21, 2007 at 6:52 AM (PST)
5
Bah, the NBC model is excellent. Get the new episode legally when it comes out, watch it, and then buy the DVDs later if you enjoyed the season. There’s no need for low-res Apple store video files, but I know that many of you belong to the cult.
Posted by Casper on September 21, 2007 at 11:24 AM (PST)
6
“Bah, the NBC model is excellent.”
For NBC. For the consumer.. not so much.
“Get the new episode legally when it comes out, watch it,”
It was perfectly legal before. Don’t remember only having a week before my money went up in smoke though. Now, quite a lot of people are probably going to download things illegally instead, because they quite like to actually keep things they’ve paid for. Way to take on those pirates, NBC.
“and then buy the DVDs later if you enjoyed the season.”
With iTunes, you didn’t have to. You still had the stuff you’d already paid for. As oppose to, you know, having to pay for it AGAIN. That’s always a winner with the consumer, having to pay for things twice.
” There’s no need for low-res Apple store video files,”
You’re an idiot. This ‘low-res Apple store video files’ are better res than the DVDs you extol people to buy instead. There’s also a somewhat pressing need for the old way of doing it if you wanted to watch last week’s episode.
“but I know that many of you belong to the cult”
As oppose to the funny farm, apparently.
Jon
Posted by Jonathan White on September 22, 2007 at 1:31 PM (PST)