Since the major networks are all starting to put content online after it’s been shown on TV, I figured I would check it out. That, and my DVR has been acting up. Here’s the rundown of my experiences.

FOX:

Wanted to watch: Prison Break, Standoff

Experience: Only supports Windows 98SE+. Sorry Mac users.

Conclusion: Wake up Fox and fix your site so I can use it.

CBS:

Wanted to watch: CSI: Miami

Experience:

Requires RealPlayer, which I hate. Didn’t feel like registering with Real, downloading the software, installing it, configuring my browser to use it, and hoping that it worked, so I haven’t watched any video on the site yet.

The site, however, is fast, smooth, pleasing to navigate, and pleasing to look at. You can’t really ask for more.

Conclusion: Huge potential, but I hate the Real hurdles that I need to jump through. I think it would be better for them to have implemented Flash, or Quicktime which have greater penetration, and in my experience, greater reliability.

NBC:

Wanted to watch: Friday Night Lights, Studio 60, 30 Rock

Experience:

Off to a slow start, but somewhat redeemed itself. The videos tended to “Not Be Found” while using Mozilla-based browsers but worked fine in Safari.

The overall experience is a bit cobbled together. Episodes are broken into parts (as many as 6 for hour long shows). After you’ve selected an episode to watch it loads a 5-second video that says “The following presentation is brought to you by [sponsors name]” and their logo/tagline. Then it plays a commercial. Then it plays the first part of the show.

When the part you are watching finishes, the process starts again, with the same sponsor and commercial, in my experience. I swear, if I have to see the new “Say Yes to Yes” Cadillac spot, I’m going to kill someone.

Conclusion: While it lacks some polish, it gets the job done, and NBC gets credit for trying to put all of their shows up ASAP.

ABC:

Wanted to watch: Desperate Housewives

Experience:

The ABC Full Episode Player is an example of excellent and seamless information design and media presentation. When you click on an show, the other shows dim and you see the episodes available. When you roll over an episode, it give you a quick description. When you click on an episode, everything dims and the video starts playing. Video quality is excellent and lets you dynamically pick a larger or smaller video size without interrupting the video stream.

Since Toyota sponsored the online version, it was presented with only 3-30second interruptions which flew by, during which there was a countdown. When the mandatory break was over, the timer turned into a “Continue” button. Two of the breaks provided a list of YARIS “Spy vs. Spy” clips to watch and I spent way more than 30 seconds watching them because I find them entertaining and went to the YARIS site to download a screensaver. The other was an Avalon TV spot and photo gallery.

Watching the show online was easier, shorter, and far less work than watching it on TV, even with a DVR. The result is a much more pleasant experience, and more impactful advertising.

Conclusion: Curled up in bed with my laptop, or watching on my big computer screen, ABC Online just might be better than watching TV.

Winner: ABC, for now. Expect the others to catch up quick.

Technorati Tags: advertising, dvr, technology, television, tv, video

I saw a rake handle turn to sawdust at the hands of a blender at Will It Blend. Now I want one. Since I’ve seen the videos, I talk about, think about, and covet their $400-1200 blenders for their sheer awesomeness.

Talk about marketing. They generated buzz and advocacy through simple and fun product demonstrations, and reached both their core markets as well as those (me) who couldn’t care less about blenders before, much less even consider spending commercial-grade money on personal appliances.

Does JambaJuice need a blender that can chop up frozen strawberries all day long and never sputter? Yes. Do I? No. Does it matter? Not a bit.

My prediction is that sales will skyrocket in the consumer sector as well as the commercial sector. If only so people can brag that their blender can make a hockey stick smoothie.
[Side note 1: I found out all of the videos on Will It Blend were made with their cheapest, lowest power, consumer blender.]

[Sidenote 2: The first video of the rake handle reminded me of the Home Improvement episode where Tim “The Toolman” Taylor is frustrated by his wimpy garbage disposal and supes it up, eventually mulching a hockey stick, a baseball bat, and anything else in his path that will fit down the drain.]

Technorati Tags: advertising, awesome, blender, demonstration, marketing, video

One of the funniest videos I’ve ever seen. At the rate that Americans become lawyers, this may be our future. Be sure to watch it all the way to the end.

Via: VideoSift

technorati tags:funny, comedy, sex, video, lawyers, humor, viral, consent

For all of you who shoot in RAW, there are two programs designed specifically to make working with your photos easier, faster, and more intuitive. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, and Apple Apeture.

Lightroom is available from Adobe. I’ve been using Lightroom since its beta period, and I love it. Editing, sorting, and printing is drop-dead simple.  It runs on my 3 year old laptop, and accomodates screens of all sizes, with is a huge plus. **Lightroom works on both Mac and PC.

Apeture is Apple’s more elitist take on the same concept. While Lightroom will run on pretty much any Mac or PC, Apeture is hardware-hungy and will only run on very specific machines.  I’m told by people who know that while you can use it on smaller setups, Apeture is optimzed for dual-monitor, or very large screen use.
**Apeture works on SOME MACS.
Download the Apeture Compatibility Checker to see if your computer makes the cut. Apple keeps expanding hardware support, but I still can’t run it on my 12″ Powerbook G4.

If anyone has any first-hand experience with Apeture, please put it in the comments. I’m sticking with Lightroom, at least for now.
Happy shooting.

technorati tags:adobe, apple, apeture, lightroom, photoshop, RAW, photography, tools

According to Nolo.com’s “The Law in Plain English” Podcast 1 out of every 3 homes purchased in the US today is a second home.

“America is in a second home buying boom due in part to factors of the shrinking American family, older and wealthier households, and new technologies for working from home.”

This trend will only become more important as the current generation of retirees swells, and people become more comfortable investing in real estate.

Technorati Tags: trend, real-estate, statistics