Simplify your laptop buying
(Credit:
MobiTV)
Mobile users who haven't made the jump to watching videos on their cell phones and smartphones may see a juicy, dangling carrot on the horizon. A paper submitted by John Barrett of Parks Associates and David Wertheimer of USC's Entertainment Technology Center (PDF), summarizes that mobile phone users will watch more videos on their phones if they can get them for free. Well, duh. Who doesn't want free?
The study found that only a fraction of users with video-capable phones take advantage of them to watch movies and TV. Many of the reasons boil down to price, low film quality, and video presentation. As one user summed it up, "I don't feel that spending $13 dollars on the iTunes music store in order to get a DVD that I could buy for $5 or $10 somewhere else is reasonable since it's in lower quality." Said another, "I don't want to watch a two-hour movie on a two-inch screen." Roger that.
The authors' solution? Studios need to think like Apple, they say, and use free video content as a lure to premium services that users will be willing to finance as playback technologies mature. Apple's CEO Steve Jobs owes much of his company's recent success to playing Hollywood. Now it could be Hollywood's turn to profit from Apple's model, and build goodwill along the way.
There are awkward times to answer an incoming call, and equally awkward ways to silence it. I can think of a few scenarios where fumbling to locate the ringer or off button is as disruptive and stressful as the constant ringing.
Taking advantage of accelerometer technology, the very same used to reorient phone and camera displays horizontally or vertically, is FlipSilent. With FlipSilent, quieting a call is simple as flipping the phone from its back to its face.
FlipSilent currently works with Symbian S60 phones outfitted with motion-sensing accelerometers. Users willing to make a donation with PayPal can try out the latest beta version, which also hushes a phone alarm when you need to snooze just 5 minutes longer.
I'm curious if the phone has to be flat for FlipSilent to do its duty, or if any 180 degree rotation would silence the call; for instance, if the phone is sitting upright in my purse, will a swivel suffice? While I attempt to get my hands on a compatible phone, try it out and let us know what you think!
[Via The Boy Genius Report]
Cell phones weren't the only items giving off heat on the CTIA conference showroom floor this week. There was also the sizzling of a virtual mobile world, a preview of Guitar Hero Mobile, and really neat motion-sensor games.
Take a look at what was new and interesting in the latest video.
LogMeIn Ignition simplifies the remote access process.
(Credit: CNET Networks)LogMeIn. GoToMyPC. Radmin. CrossLoop. MyIVO. Envision, if you will, a fierce battle waged by these multiple armies, a mad melee of digital pikes, longbows, broadswords, dotanuki and, oh, an anachronistic Sherman tank for fun, and you've got a very vivid imagination.
It's also not a bad metaphor for the remote access wars, which are currently roiling in a frothy boil. LogMeIn Ignition is upping their ante. It's a nifty little self-contained program that you install on your desktop, then copy the EXE onto a portable device such as an iPod, flash drive or a BlackBerry. Connect that device to any PC, double-click on Ignition and you've got instant access to any of the machines saved in your LogMeIn account.
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Is your iPod feeling abandoned?
(Credit: CNET Networks)If your iPod is turning green with envy or blue with neglect from the incessant roar over Apple's iPhone (check our nerve center for the latest news, reviews, and apps), it may be time to revisit the programs that made you and your iPod inseparable until now.
Seth Rosenblatt's collection of best iPodware includes iGadget, the ultimate iPod data-syncing and management utility; MediaMonkey, a hit jukebox; and the Plato Video to iPod Converter, which makes your iPod video-ready.
Wedge in those headphones deep enough; crank up the volume loud enough, and you may never even hear all that iPhone trumpeting. Just don't forget to comment below on your favorite iPod software.
Windows Mobile 6 improves search, security, and support.
(Credit: T-Mobile)It's freebie Friday for T-Mobile Dash or MDA users running Windows Mobile 5 from their handsets. The carrier is offering free downloads of the Windows Mobile 6 platform from its Web site, and all you have to do to get them is enter your 10-digit phone number.
The updated mobile platform officially launched in February at the 3GSM conference in Barcelona, Spain, unwrapping improvements to search, security, and Windows Live support services. Visit CNET News.com for full coverage of the new platform's launch and CNET.com for Bonnie Cha's thorough review of the interface and features.
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