The next big battle

[E-Stat]

With internal memory, cell phones can easily download whole TV shows and allow the one to view it later, so we're not just talking streaming, here.

Just curious, how many hours a month do you view movies and shows on the micro screen?

rw

[GMichael]

Just curious, how many hours a month do you view movies and shows on the micro screen?

rw

Why does that sound dirty to me?

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Just curious, how many hours a month do you view movies and shows on the micro screen?

rw

I would like to see this answer as well.

I am in disbelief that a person would actually believe that human behavior drastically changes on a dime because of a particular electronic device. It doesn't work that way.

I am in disbelief that a person would advance a theory or thought about trends (in a vaccum) that completely dismisses previous behavior and sales trends. Nobody in their right mind would do this, but this individual is.

I am in disbelief that a person would dismiss all evidence pointing in one direction to advance a behavior that points in the opposite direction with no proof that supports that change.

I am in disbelief that an individual is passing future behavior of consumers as present fact when the future has not even happened. This defies logic.

This disconnect is very striking, and why this person's prognosticating gets so easily dismissed.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Why does that sound dirty to me?

Disconnect your mind, and send it directly to the cleaners young man

[E-Stat]

I would like to see this answer as well.

While I'm anything but a "mainstream" sort of consumer and as such not a trendsetter, I really cannot imagine choosing to watch a tiny screen for long periods of time. Perhaps for urban commuters during train/subway downtime...

My vision of the future is more like what was conveyed in the move "Total Recall". If you've seen the movie, an entire wall of Schwarzeneggar's apartment was available for video - segmented into different channels if desired. Large doesn't have to be intrusive - which is the great thing about the trend towards thinner and thinner monitors. As an aside, the wife and I are having our bathroom remodeled and like our last house, we're installing a flat TV with swivel-pivot wall mount - largely for her viewing pleasure in the morning while getting ready.

rw

[pixelthis]

Just curious, how many hours a month do you view movies and shows on the micro screen?

rw

Depends on how many quaters I have...

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

While I'm anything but a "mainstream" sort of consumer and as such not a trendsetter, I really cannot imagine choosing to watch a tiny screen for long periods of time. Perhaps for urban commuters during train/subway downtime...

My vision of the future is more like what was conveyed in the move "Total Recall". If you've seen the movie, an entire wall of Schwarzeneggar's apartment was available for video - segmented into different channels if desired. Large doesn't have to be intrusive - which is the great thing about the trend towards thinner and thinner monitors. As an aside, the wife and I are having our bathroom remodeled and like our last house, we're installing a flat TV with swivel-pivot wall mount - largely for her viewing pleasure in the morning while getting ready.

rw

While you may not consider yourself mainstream, your way of thinking is. The Total Recall analogy perfectly describes where we are headed.

[Woochifer]

While I'm anything but a "mainstream" sort of consumer and as such not a trendsetter, I really cannot imagine choosing to watch a tiny screen for long periods of time. Perhaps for urban commuters during train/subway downtime...

That's why the average daily viewing time for people who watch mobile video is less than 7 minutes, and why it's so different from audio, which has gone very much towards the mobility and portable side.

Audio is something that truly can be consumed while on the go. Load up an iPod with tunes and podcasts, and you can listen just about anywhere -- while walking, shopping, driving with an auxiliary connector, working in the office with a docked device, etc.

Video requires more focused attention, so it's not something that can be consumed while engaged in a lot of other activities outside the house. For most people on the go, unless they take public transit or air flights, they won't have large blocks of downtime that they can use to watch movies or TV shows through their mobile devices. If they're shopping, they won't be watching a movie on their phone. If they're driving, they'd better not be watching a movie on the phone. etc etc etc And if someone's at home, why would they watch something on their phone when they can watch it on a larger TV? That's why smartphones are widely used for e-mail, messaging, and web browsing -- activities that can be done during short blocks of downtime.

My vision of the future is more like what was conveyed in the move "Total Recall". If you've seen the movie, an entire wall of Schwarzeneggar's apartment was available for video - segmented into different channels if desired. Large doesn't have to be intrusive - which is the great thing about the trend towards thinner and thinner monitors.

Lost in the all the 3D hoopla at CES this year was OLED. But, Samsung demoed a pretty radical OLED display featuring a transparent screen. At 15", it looks more destined for notebooks in the short-term, but with larger sizes in the future the prospect of thin, see-through TVs in the future makes that vision of Total Recall a lot more plausible.

[nightflier]

Just curious, how many hours a month do you view movies and shows on the micro screen? rw

If you include the time we spend video conferencing, probably 2-3 hours per day, and on some days much more. We do a considerable amount of text-to-speech and back processing, and we also pod/videocast content; most of this is higher quality than your typical YouTube fare, so we can synch it up to TVs, projectors, and the other computers screens in our company and in our homes (I consciously don't bring my work home, but that's me). Anyhow, we certainly use video more than most, so I really don't want to use myself as an example nor do I want to presuppose that this is the norm. On the other hand I work with many people who do the same: scientists, businessmen, academics, engineers, etc. and so I won't completely negate it's applicability, either. Perhaps this is not as mainstream yet, but for us it's very much part of our daily work, and we tend to agree that this is where the future is headed.

I also want to emphasize that their perspective is entirely too US-centric and does not at all apply to a more world-wide perspective. It's actually ironic that when I caught them making ridiculous claims about techies in general, and I then mentioned that my contacts in Japan did not at all agree with their model, they quickly backtracked with the fantasy that somehow Japanese techies should be considered separately. This ongoing segmentation and compartementalization in their debating style is typical, but has a deeper basis, I think.

When needed, they confuse and mix up references from different economic / market sectors, geographic regions, cultures, and technological fields to prove a point that just happens to coincide with a self-serving goal. After all, they both work in the industry that they are reporting on and cannot see the world outside of it. Granted, I work with digital video quite a bit and have for years, but I would hope that I am not letting that comprise my entire perspective. For them, anything too gray, vague, unmeasurable, is immediately dismissed as not fitting the black & white mold. But in my field, computers, it is is actually by looking at these less tangible areas that we find answers that often give us the competitive edge over our competitors. I suppose our field lives in the gray and the uncertain, and this is rather unsettling for them and is likely the source for so much resentment and criticism.

Perhaps being or pointing out what is the biggest, the best, the largest, or the most popular isn't everything we should be paying attention to. And that's been my point all along.

[E-Stat]

If you include the time we spend video conferencing, probably 2-3 hours per day, and on some days much more.

You spend that many hours viewing content on a phone? Sorry to hear that!

rw

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

If you include the time we spend video conferencing, probably 2-3 hours per day, and on some days much more. We do a considerable amount of text-to-speech and back processing, and we also pod/videocast content; most of this is higher quality than your typical YouTube fare, so we can synch it up to TVs, projectors, and the other computers screens in our company and in our homes (I consciously don't bring my work home, but that's me). Anyhow, we certainly use video more than most, so I really don't want to use myself as an example nor do I want to presuppose that this is the norm. On the other hand I work with many people who do the same: scientists, businessmen, academics, engineers, etc. and so I won't completely negate it's applicability, either. Perhaps this is not as mainstream yet, but for us it's very much part of our daily work, and we tend to agree that this is where the future is headed.

We are not talking work here NF, we are talking entertainment and leisure time. We are talking about movies, and you are talking about work. So Wooch is right, you are using yourself as an example, and not your average consumer. Now your argument loses more credibility.

I also want to emphasize that their perspective is entirely too US-centric and does not at all apply to a more world-wide perspective. It's actually ironic that when I caught them making ridiculous claims about techies in general, and I then mentioned that my contacts in Japan did not at all agree with their model, they quickly backtracked with the fantasy that somehow Japanese techies should be considered separately. This ongoing segmentation and compartementalization in their debating style is typical, but has a deeper basis, I think.

Either you are a patent liar, or you are living in an alternate universe that interprets English in a unique way. In the context of the discussion we were talking about the fact that the Japanese has invented almost all of the consumer electronic devices we use for home video. They brought us VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, HD-DVD and Bluray. What has the American technology sector brought? Not one dang thing. What you are attempting to do is ride the coattails of the Japanese, when the American sector has not contributed a damn thing to my hometheater. They should be considered separately because their business model is different, the way they think is different, and the way they operate as a whole is completely different. Case and point (and extremely relevant in this greedy climate we live in) The Japanese do not set their eyes solely on immediate profits. They have long term goals with an eye to the future, they desire to be the best in technology. America is looking for the next best money maker, why reinvent something to make it better if it only makes $1 million dollars, it needs to make a few million dollars to usually be considered. They have a need to develop new technology to fuel their economy and help the hunger crave of Americans (and the world for that matter) for newer better things. American technology sector on the other hand is not trying to survive, they are trying to get richer and sometimes this blinds people on what can and will work. Culturally, the Japanese tech worker works harder, and has a better work ethic. These facts have been documented over and over again, so this whole idea that a Japanese techie is the same as an American one, is pure BS.

When needed, they confuse and mix up references from different economic / market sectors, geographic regions, cultures, and technological fields to prove a point that just happens to coincide with a self-serving goal. After all, they both work in the industry that they are reporting on and cannot see the world outside of it. Granted, I work with digital video quite a bit and have for years, but I would hope that I am not letting that comprise my entire perspective.

Well you are, and what is interesting is you don't seem to know it. You are not advancing anything but pure BS, fantasy, and just plain making crap up on the fly. There is no reason or fact to what you post, it is just your gut feeling. I believe it was you who said that Apple TV, Roku and other streaming devices would dominate hometheaters in the future. Guess what, they have all fallen flat on their collective faces, and the Blu ray player ended up being the dominate streaming box. What about your other prediction that the format war would leave an opening for downloads to dominate the video market. It didn't happen did it?
Your comments here time and time again fly in the face or reality over and over again.

For them, anything too gray, vague, unmeasurable, is immediately dismissed as not fitting the black & white mold. But in my field, computers, it is is actually by looking at these less tangible areas that we find answers that often give us the competitive edge over our competitors. I suppose our field lives in the gray and the uncertain, and this is rather unsettling for them and is likely the source for so much resentment and criticism.

The computer field is not the video field. So what you deem right in the computer field, is dead wrong for the video industry. The video industry is driven by tangibles such as profit and loss, and sales. Maybe the industry you work in does not use these guidelines, but the video industry does. What gives you a competitive edge in the computer industry, does not work for the film or video industry. Why would what you do in the computer industry be so unsettling to the film industry? This is more BS, THEY ARE DIFFERENT FIELDS!!! Nobody in the film industry cares about what you guys do in the computer industry, we are busy running our own businesses. That statement is stupid but typical. You seem to think that computer industry is flawless, all while computer sales are in the tank. 2009 was the worst sales period for the computer industry EVER, so you guys are not what I would be looking at as the pinnacle of success.

Perhaps being or pointing out what is the biggest, the best, the largest, or the most popular isn't everything we should be paying attention to. And that's been my point all along.

Your point has not been this at all. Your point has been to parrot techie journalist in their plight to make the computer industry relevant within the film and video industry. Perhaps being or pointing out what is the smallest, most portable, or what is most popular among the computer geek crowd is not what is interesting to the general public. The general public has voted they want bigger, better and the largest, while the computer geeks want the most portable and smaller. I own a smartphone, but it will not be a replacement, or even an extension of my television. The only videos I watch on it are the ones that others send me, and they are never more than a few seconds long. This is how the public uses smartphones, not as movie viewing devices. If I want directions, I use my smartphone. If I want to make a call(even at home) I use my smartphone. If I want to listen to music while waiting for BART, I will use my smartphone or Ipod. When I want to watch a movie, I go to my home theater, not my phone. Based on the statistics, that is how most Americans use their cell and smartphones.

[Mr Peabody]

NF, what do you do text to speech? Do you develope it or utilize it in your job?

[GMichael]

If you include the time we spend video conferencing, probably 2-3 hours per day, and on some days much more. We do a considerable amount of text-to-speech and back processing, and we also pod/videocast content; most of this is higher quality than your typical YouTube fare, so we can synch it up to TVs, projectors, and the other computers screens in our company and in our homes (I consciously don't bring my work home, but that's me). Anyhow, we certainly use video more than most, so I really don't want to use myself as an example nor do I want to presuppose that this is the norm. On the other hand I work with many people who do the same: scientists, businessmen, academics, engineers, etc. and so I won't completely negate it's applicability, either. Perhaps this is not as mainstream yet, but for us it's very much part of our daily work, and we tend to agree that this is where the future is headed.

I also want to emphasize that their perspective is entirely too US-centric and does not at all apply to a more world-wide perspective. It's actually ironic that when I caught them making ridiculous claims about techies in general, and I then mentioned that my contacts in Japan did not at all agree with their model, they quickly backtracked with the fantasy that somehow Japanese techies should be considered separately. This ongoing segmentation and compartementalization in their debating style is typical, but has a deeper basis, I think.

When needed, they confuse and mix up references from different economic / market sectors, geographic regions, cultures, and technological fields to prove a point that just happens to coincide with a self-serving goal. After all, they both work in the industry that they are reporting on and cannot see the world outside of it. Granted, I work with digital video quite a bit and have for years, but I would hope that I am not letting that comprise my entire perspective. For them, anything too gray, vague, unmeasurable, is immediately dismissed as not fitting the black & white mold. But in my field, computers, it is is actually by looking at these less tangible areas that we find answers that often give us the competitive edge over our competitors. I suppose our field lives in the gray and the uncertain, and this is rather unsettling for them and is likely the source for so much resentment and criticism.

Perhaps being or pointing out what is the biggest, the best, the largest, or the most popular isn't everything we should be paying attention to. And that's been my point all along.

Do you watch many movies on your phone?

[audio amateur]

I understand what NF is saying. More and more, you see people watching movies, yes movies on a handheld apparitus, whether it be iphone cell phone laptop and what have you; usually on the go of course. Some people commute for quite a while, so if theyre not reading a book, why not? This will only be more common as cell phone screens get bigger and better.
It seems the US phone market isn't quite like it is here, it always looks like US phones are a couple years lagging, but I could be wrong. It's the impression i get when i'm in the US, which means Americans might not be watching as much video on their portable screens as they are in Europe (because of the less capable phones). But then Americans usually commute longer.

Of course it's not the same experience as it is with a massive home screen, but it's still happening. Whether or not it's more popular or will be than home viewing, I can't say. Probably not, but who knows...

[nightflier]

Lil't, I'm quite surprised you praise Japanese techies for not being driven by market forces, yet, you base your entire argument, and I'm going to guess, your entire existence, on market forces. How hypocritical is that?

And your insistence on the Japanese techies being separate is completely ludicrous. I am currently working on a project with a team of programmers in China and Japan as I'm writing this. One of our team members is in Sweden, so you are completely out of touch with what's happening with the computer / high-tech industry. Funny side note is that I just translated your post to the Japanese team and they think you are a stereotyping racist (at least that's how the translation came through, I'm sure it wasn't meant as harsh as that, but certainly funny).

On a more serious note, I completely disagree that every single American worker is a money-grubbing profit-above-all kind of low-life, as you are wont to describe us. I can of course only speak for my own colleagues, but at least in our field (the one you so like to deride), that is the exception rather than the norm. Techies, and especially programmers, consider themselves in a much more democratic and egalitarian light. As a matter of fact, that is what makes us who we are, it drives us, and, I dare say, it is the reason why the Internet is not entirely a corporate pay-as-you-go Sinclairian Jungle. It is the reason why we have Open Source, Net Neutrality, and such less tangible terms you can't wrap your head around like Netiquette (certainly not something you adhere to here). Ah, if only you could control my comments the way your company wants to control content.

I can assure you that if Disney was running things, this wouldn't be the case. Did he ever mention Disney's fascist roots? About how Walt liked to hire former Nazi war criminals, even bringing a former Auschwitz vivisection doctor of POWs to help proselytize children to the Disney culture? How's that for a great business model? Yeah, I'm perfectly fine working in my own industry - it has some bad people too, but nothing on that scale.

E-Stat, most of the video I use is on one of my computer screens.

GMichael, yes I watch video on my phone, although they aren't often entertainment, more like training, news and work-related stuff. I would tell you that I have a few movies on SD as well, but I'm sure lil't would report me to the MPAA, or some other proto-fascist kill-all-fun group he's associated with that he can sick on me. So no, on the record, I do not store any commercial video on any digital memory storage device.

MrP., develop it and we use what we produce, but I can't discuss this in more detail.

AA, you took the words out of my mouth. What is crucially different in Europe and Asia is that people commute on public transportation at rates that are nothing like here. This gives them much more time to watch video on portable devices - they certainly aren't going to lug around their TVs for that, lol. Funny side note: I recently had to join my director for a conference in San Diego. I figured, great, I'll get some time to chat him up about some personnel issues since it's a long & boring drive. Not entirely. I had to add figures to a presentation that we were editing on the video screens in the car. Fortunately, my assistant did most of it, but yes, editing with a cell phone is no fun, so I realize that the technology needs some improvements, but that's what my company does, so I guess the good news in all this is that my job is pretty secure.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I understand what NF is saying. More and more, you see people watching movies, yes movies on a handheld apparitus, whether it be iphone cell phone laptop and what have you; usually on the go of course. Some people commute for quite a while, so if theyre not reading a book, why not? This will only be more common as cell phone screens get bigger and better.

Here is the rub, cell phone screens are not getting larger, at least not the ones we see here.

It seems the US phone market isn't quite like it is here, it always looks like US phones are a couple years lagging, but I could be wrong. It's the impression i get when i'm in the US, which means Americans might not be watching as much video on their portable screens as they are in Europe (because of the less capable phones). But then Americans usually commute longer.

As a person who travels to Europe alot, you guys are a lot further ahead technology wise than we are. From everything from public transportation to health care and technology, Europeans are just more sophisticated in their thinking and usage. However, from what I have seen on our public transportation in the Bay Area not too far from Silicon Valley, you see a wide variety of things used for entertainment like the kindle(of which I see people using alot), and cell phones are mostly used for email and playing games while riding. Mostly people here get more shut eye, or read the paper on public transportation while listening to Ipods. What you don't see(at least on BART) is people looking at video, and I didn't see much of that in LA subway system either. I asked my kids who are heavy smartphone users(they have the iPhone), and they, nor their friends watch much video on their phones either. It is mostly texting, and little video clips they make themselves.

Of course it's not the same experience as it is with a massive home screen, but it's still happening. Whether or not it's more popular or will be than home viewing, I can't say. Probably not, but who knows...

Studies on cell and smartphone usage here show decisively that the home is the number one place for viewing televsion and movies, and that is by a wide margin.

[poppachubby]

I understand what NF is saying. More and more, you see people watching movies, yes movies on a handheld apparitus, whether it be iphone cell phone laptop and what have you; usually on the go of course. Some people commute for quite a while, so if theyre not reading a book, why not? This will only be more common as cell phone screens get bigger and better.
It seems the US phone market isn't quite like it is here, it always looks like US phones are a couple years lagging, but I could be wrong. It's the impression i get when i'm in the US, which means Americans might not be watching as much video on their portable screens as they are in Europe (because of the less capable phones). But then Americans usually commute longer.

Of course it's not the same experience as it is with a massive home screen, but it's still happening. Whether or not it's more popular or will be than home viewing, I can't say. Probably not, but who knows...

Going back several years, 10 perhaps, I spent a good deal of time in Europe; Eindhoven, Liverpool and Roma. I was blown away by the cell phone technology and its availability. Not sure where things stand now, but I'm sure that Europe is ahead of Canada anyhow.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Lil't, I'm quite surprised you praise Japanese techies for not being driven by market forces, yet, you base your entire argument, and I'm going to guess, your entire existence, on market forces. How hypocritical is that?

Nightliar, this issue has be debated an argued to death. The reason the CE companies have been so successful is because they(unlike the American technology sector) think in the long term. This is well documented. They also have a stronger work ethic, think more nationalistic, and have more pride in their accomplishments.

And your insistence on the Japanese techies being separate is completely ludicrous. I am currently working on a project with a team of programmers in China and Japan as I'm writing this. One of our team members is in Sweden, so you are completely out of touch with what's happening with the computer / high-tech industry. Funny side note is that I just translated your post to the Japanese team and they think you are a stereotyping racist (at least that's how the translation came through, I'm sure it wasn't meant as harsh as that, but certainly funny).

Just another lie, and don't believe you for a second. You lie much too quickly to cover your absent minded hide.

On a more serious note, I completely disagree that every single American worker is a money-grubbing profit-above-all kind of low-life, as you are wont to describe us.

I see your reading and comprehension skills are breaking down AGAIN! I did not say EVERY American worker, I said the American Computer industry. Not every American works in the computer industry do they?

I can of course only speak for my own colleagues, but at least in our field (the one you so like to deride), that is the exception rather than the norm.

More BS. The very reason those in the film industry cannot stand those in the American computer industry comes from the fact they don't love film(or video), and it is just a commondity the computer industry uses to sell their ware(hello Apple and Microsoft). The film industry has a very close partnership with the Japanese CE industry, because they work to make films look good as it can on home video, not try to compress the life out of it, and show it on a tiny screen that shows no detail of the production.

Techies, and especially programmers, consider themselves in a much more democratic and egalitarian light. As a matter of fact, that is what makes us who we are, it drives us, and, I dare say, it is the reason why the Internet is not entirely a corporate pay-as-you-go Sinclairian Jungle. It is the reason why we have Open Source, Net Neutrality, and such less tangible terms you can't wrap your head around like Netiquette (certainly not something you adhere to here). Ah, if only you could control my comments the way your company wants to control content.

We don't wrap our heads around your version of Open Source, or Net Neutrality. You see, it cost to get a computer, and computer manufacturers want to get paid for their wares. They make software, and just like in the film industry, they guard their IP like a nazi would. However while teckies sit at the computers they purchased (or built from purchased parts) and work on the software(they could have purchased or stolen), they do not mind paying the computer industry, but stealing content from the film industry. So no, I do not agree with your pie in the sky assesment of the American techie.

I can assure you that if Disney was running things, this wouldn't be the case. Did he ever mention Disney's fascist roots? About how Walt liked to hire former Nazi war criminals, even bringing a former Auschwitz vivisection doctor of POWs to help proselytize children to the Disney culture? How's that for a great business model? Yeah, I'm perfectly fine working in my own industry - it has some bad people too, but nothing on that scale.

Do you really want to go down this path? Let us point out that Google presence in a certain country has cost political oppostion leaders their lives. Or how about anti trust issues of Microsoft in Europe. Do you want to discuss how Microsoft knowingly sold defective X-boxes because it cost them too much money to stop manufacturing the boxes and fix the issue. Or how about the fact the computer industry is the largest exporters of American jobs, and the largest importer of cheap foreign workers.

Disney has never done anything as evil as the computer industry has, or effected nearly the amount of people. Besides Mr. Disengenious, The Mr. Disney you speak of is no longer alive, and has not been for decades. However, the computer industry is doing their eveil in real time NOW!

AA, you took the words out of my mouth. What is crucially different in Europe and Asia is that people commute on public transportation at rates that are nothing like here. This gives them much more time to watch video on portable devices - they certainly aren't going to lug around their TVs for that, lol. Funny side note: I recently had to join my director for a conference in San Diego. I figured, great, I'll get some time to chat him up about some personnel issues since it's a long & boring drive. Not entirely. I had to add figures to a presentation that we were editing on the video screens in the car. Fortunately, my assistant did most of it, but yes, editing with a cell phone is no fun, so I realize that the technology needs some improvements, but that's what my company does, so I guess the good news in all this is that my job is pretty secure.

Blah, Blah, Blah, we weren't discussing the viewing practices of Europeans, we are talking about Americans. Your constant spinning is making me nauseous. Now you are including the worlds viewing habits in a discussion on American viewing habit to attempt to butruss your point. Such weak knee'd tactic shows the lameness and desperation of you just trying to be right in this debate.

[audio amateur]

Going back several years, 10 perhaps, I spent a good deal of time in Europe; Eindhoven, Liverpool and Roma. I was blown away by the cell phone technology and its availability. Not sure where things stand now, but I'm sure that Europe is ahead of Canada anyhow.

10 years ago they were still black and white, lol.

[audio amateur]

I can assure you that if Disney was running things, this wouldn't be the case. Did he ever mention Disney's fascist roots? About how Walt liked to hire former Nazi war criminals, even bringing a former Auschwitz vivisection doctor of POWs to help proselytize children to the Disney culture? How's that for a great business model?

Is that for real or another trick from someone who had issues with Disney? Sounds aweful...

AA, you took the words out of my mouth. What is crucially different in Europe and Asia is that people commute on public transportation at rates that are nothing like here.

Very true. But then as I previously mentionned, an American's commute is often longer than the average European, simply because everything there is so spread out.

How's the car hunt going?

[poppachubby]

10 years ago they were still black and white, lol.

Heh, I wasn't speaking to video capability. Just cell phones in general.

[GMichael]

GMichael, yes I watch video on my phone, although they aren't often entertainment, more like training, news and work-related stuff. I would tell you that I have a few movies on SD as well, but I'm sure lil't would report me to the MPAA, or some other proto-fascist kill-all-fun group he's associated with that he can sick on me. So no, on the record, I do not store any commercial video on any digital memory storage device.

.

Can you really enjoy a movie (not that you admit to watching movies) like that? Where do you keep the sub?

Work related and training I can see, as well as news or short U-tube type vids. What good is an action flick without the big explosions though? And what's a big explosion without a sub to shake your chest? Are they going to go the way of the "Bone-phone"?

[nightflier]

Is that for real or another trick from someone who had issues with Disney? Sounds aweful...

That Walt had fascist leanings is no secret, but the company as a whole has had a very disturbing past and this permeates everything they do today. lil't will try to whitewash this, but they did hire a number of former Nazis to drive the company's marketing programs. I'll do some digging and find the exact name of that SS officer who was convicted of vivisecting allied POWs (as well as Jewish, Communist, and black prisoners). Despite all that, he was made head of the youth marketing division. The Disney company's ties to Nazi-ism are well documented in a number of books.

But what I'm getting at is the mind-set of the argumentation here; it is exemplary of the corporate culture at Disney and this corporate culture is still, today, very much extremely right-wing. I'll be the first to rail against corporate abuses in my own industry (and I have), but Disney is really way off the deep end. The fact that they make movies targeted at children and families, does not at all contradict their corporate culture, as a matter of fact it's a fundamental piece of the process - you can use your imagination to consider where this leads. Walmart, McDonald's, IBP, ADM, and a whole host of the most abusive corporations took their models from Disney.

So while large computer companies sometimes do engage in anti-competitive practices (Microsoft and Google certainly have their own skeletons), this is still an issue of degrees. Disney equally engages in anti-competitive practices but they just haven't been caught yet. But in addition, this company has a very sordid and shameful past that still permeates its corporate structure today. I consider it particularly galling when an employee of this corporation stands on a soapbox and suggests that his company has the moral high ground.

And regarding our Japanese team, they said lil't is a big fat jack-a$$ (and the translator got that spot on).

[E-Stat]

E-Stat, most of the video I use is on one of my computer screens.

What does that have to do with the discussion as to what people will be doing with cell phones?

"With internal memory, cell phones can easily download whole TV shows and allow the one to view it later, so we're not just talking streaming, here."

rw

[nightflier]

Can you really enjoy a movie (not that you admit to watching movies) like that? Where do you keep the sub?

Hypothetically, if I was a college student living in a dorm in a crowded suite, yes, because that would be the only means I would have of watching the movie. And before someone assumes that I would be watching a pirated movie (on account of being a college student and all), let's not forget that plugging in a player to a portable device isn't rocket science either. Likewise, most computers have DVD players as well.

For my own use and preference, that's not how I would prefer to view it, but then again, if I was on a plane, or away from home, then I'd have little choice in the matter.

By the way, someone mentioned that movie sales for the PSP were a flop, well of course. Think of the hurdles: the movies were over priced, they only played on Sony-branded devices, the selection was abysmal, free content was easily available everywhere, and there weren't that many PSPs out there. This argument always gets pranced out for these discussions, and no one ever mentions that this analysis is based only on sales figures. Big DUH! Why pay for movies when the net is crawling with free ones that would play just fine on the PSP? I'm not condoning piracy in any way, but that's why the "sales figures" were so low. Calling the technology a failure based on this fact, smacks of the same myopic analysis of this whole industry, one that only looks at one small self-serving factor.