Wednesday, August 03, 2005
BBC NEWS | Entertainment | TV and Radio | Moyles show tops UK podcast chart
BBC NEWS | Entertainment | TV and Radio | Moyles show tops UK podcast chart
Podcasts are now mainstream. Chris Moyles' breakfast show is being podcast (well the best of the week) and has instantly (or at least within 10 hours) has gone to the top of Apple's podcast directory.
Users still need to sync their iPods with iTunes or another podcast client in order to realise the benefits from podcasting.
Here's an opportunity for someone to make a device that can connect over WiFi or even DAB and download RSS/Atom feeds and podcasts so a user can read/listen to information whenever they want and it will always be current.
Podcasts are now mainstream. Chris Moyles' breakfast show is being podcast (well the best of the week) and has instantly (or at least within 10 hours) has gone to the top of Apple's podcast directory.
Users still need to sync their iPods with iTunes or another podcast client in order to realise the benefits from podcasting.
Here's an opportunity for someone to make a device that can connect over WiFi or even DAB and download RSS/Atom feeds and podcasts so a user can read/listen to information whenever they want and it will always be current.
Time support site is shut down - Desktops - Breaking Business and Technology News at silicon.com
Time support site is shut down - Desktops - Breaking Business and Technology News at silicon.com
Demon vs Godfrey (1999) hits another site. The tinycon.com (unofficial) site for ex employees of Tiny.com and Time Computers and customers disappeared off the Internet.
It seems the hosting cmpany SiteHQ worried about defamatory content pulled the plug.
The Godfrey/Demon case puts liability on the ISP/hosting company if they are made aware of potentially defamatory content, and they have to make a judgement call if it's defamatory or not. If they decide it isn't and a court decides it is, they can be held liable. So ISPs will just make the content unavailable so they cant be sued (or only put it up with legal disclaimers or get-outs).
Demon vs Godfrey (1999) hits another site. The tinycon.com (unofficial) site for ex employees of Tiny.com and Time Computers and customers disappeared off the Internet.
It seems the hosting cmpany SiteHQ worried about defamatory content pulled the plug.
The Godfrey/Demon case puts liability on the ISP/hosting company if they are made aware of potentially defamatory content, and they have to make a judgement call if it's defamatory or not. If they decide it isn't and a court decides it is, they can be held liable. So ISPs will just make the content unavailable so they cant be sued (or only put it up with legal disclaimers or get-outs).
BitTorrent goes upmarket
BitTorrent goes upmarket
BitTorrent could be the answer to on-line content delivery it's demise. The latest version doesn't require centralised torrents making it difficult to shut down sites.
BitTorrent is very clever decentralised peer-to-peer (p2p) software that ensures data is actually downloaded from a variety of sources and the client puts the pieces together again, so it may only pull a few KB/s from individual peers but several 100Kb/s from the aggregated peers.
Each client then also serves the content it's pulled to other peers.
This actually makes very efficient use of available bandwidth and eases content delivery and piracy, though there are DRM (digital rights management) systems that can work with BitTorrent.
BitTorrent accounts for a large percentage of p2p traffic, if the DRM issues can be sorted it could change the way content is distributed.
BitTorrent could be the answer to on-line content delivery it's demise. The latest version doesn't require centralised torrents making it difficult to shut down sites.
BitTorrent is very clever decentralised peer-to-peer (p2p) software that ensures data is actually downloaded from a variety of sources and the client puts the pieces together again, so it may only pull a few KB/s from individual peers but several 100Kb/s from the aggregated peers.
Each client then also serves the content it's pulled to other peers.
This actually makes very efficient use of available bandwidth and eases content delivery and piracy, though there are DRM (digital rights management) systems that can work with BitTorrent.
BitTorrent accounts for a large percentage of p2p traffic, if the DRM issues can be sorted it could change the way content is distributed.
802.11n rivals agree to merge | The Register
802.11n rivals agree to merge | The Register
This is a good thing hopefully allowing network speeds of up to 540Mb/s. The proposals would still require European approval through ETSI (802.11a though an IEEE standard isn't approved for EU use so there's an 802.111h standard which is 802.11a modified to meet EU standards). So even though 802.11n sounds like a good idea, it may take a while for equipment to be available even after the IEEE ratifies it.
This is a good thing hopefully allowing network speeds of up to 540Mb/s. The proposals would still require European approval through ETSI (802.11a though an IEEE standard isn't approved for EU use so there's an 802.111h standard which is 802.11a modified to meet EU standards). So even though 802.11n sounds like a good idea, it may take a while for equipment to be available even after the IEEE ratifies it.
Techworld.com - Ofcom auction opens low-cost mobile calls
Techworld.com - Ofcom auction opens low-cost mobile calls
Unfortunately it's not quite as plain sailing as the article makes out. Though Ofcom is auctioning between 5 and 10 licenses for national UK coverage, there's no guarantee that roaming off traditional GSM networks will happen, that would mean cooperation from the MNOs (mobile network operators) which isn't guaranteed.
Hopefully Ofcom will mandate roaming allowing existing handsert users to easily move off a GSM network onto a local pico cell which could significantly reduce call charges which would suit in-building "hotspots" within a business or local area.
Of course a licensee could elect to use the spectrum for another purpose complietely like fixed wireless (broadband) access, though the bandwidth is limited.
Reserve pricing is set at £50,000 to stop "frivolous" applications.
Unfortunately it's not quite as plain sailing as the article makes out. Though Ofcom is auctioning between 5 and 10 licenses for national UK coverage, there's no guarantee that roaming off traditional GSM networks will happen, that would mean cooperation from the MNOs (mobile network operators) which isn't guaranteed.
Hopefully Ofcom will mandate roaming allowing existing handsert users to easily move off a GSM network onto a local pico cell which could significantly reduce call charges which would suit in-building "hotspots" within a business or local area.
Of course a licensee could elect to use the spectrum for another purpose complietely like fixed wireless (broadband) access, though the bandwidth is limited.
Reserve pricing is set at £50,000 to stop "frivolous" applications.
Monday, August 01, 2005
Microsoft to side with HD DVD for Xbox 360
Microsoft to side with HD DVD for Xbox 360
There's not really much of a suprise in the article, MS adopting HD-DVD rather than Blu-ray. It's even less of a suprise Sony are going with Blu-ray (as the article implies) as they developed the format!!!
There's not really much of a suprise in the article, MS adopting HD-DVD rather than Blu-ray. It's even less of a suprise Sony are going with Blu-ray (as the article implies) as they developed the format!!!
LINX offering 10Gb/s
Net4Now :: News Story
LINX, the London INternet eXchange which was started when BT joined the ISP foray many years ago (as previously the 4 UK ISPs maintained a mesh between themselves and having a 5th company come along meant 4 new connections to the existing 4 ISPs) has grown at an astounding rates and is now one of the biggest (if not the biggest) peering points in the world.
They are now offering 10Gb/s Ethernet connectivity and Limelight Networks are the first company to take on a 10Gb/s port. Limelight are a content provider rather than an ISP so potentially need to have enough bandwidth to supply all the other peers taking content, which means we'll likely see 100Gb/s connections in the future.
LINX, the London INternet eXchange which was started when BT joined the ISP foray many years ago (as previously the 4 UK ISPs maintained a mesh between themselves and having a 5th company come along meant 4 new connections to the existing 4 ISPs) has grown at an astounding rates and is now one of the biggest (if not the biggest) peering points in the world.
They are now offering 10Gb/s Ethernet connectivity and Limelight Networks are the first company to take on a 10Gb/s port. Limelight are a content provider rather than an ISP so potentially need to have enough bandwidth to supply all the other peers taking content, which means we'll likely see 100Gb/s connections in the future.
Net4Now :: News Story
Net4Now :: News Story
This is not unexpected, Easynet have been "pushing" their LLUStream service for a while and One.tel like every other broadband supplier will be looking to reduce costs.
Though the LLUStream is a workable wholesale offering, there could still be issues in provisioning and/or customer faults as Easynet still utilise BT for the copper infrastructure and there are potential problems when things go wrong (i.e. customer complains to One.tel/Easynet who say it's a BT fault, BTsay it's the LLU operators fault). Though most of the process is there, it's still relatively new and there will be teething issues which will be worsened with a 3rd party reseller.
This is not unexpected, Easynet have been "pushing" their LLUStream service for a while and One.tel like every other broadband supplier will be looking to reduce costs.
Though the LLUStream is a workable wholesale offering, there could still be issues in provisioning and/or customer faults as Easynet still utilise BT for the copper infrastructure and there are potential problems when things go wrong (i.e. customer complains to One.tel/Easynet who say it's a BT fault, BTsay it's the LLU operators fault). Though most of the process is there, it's still relatively new and there will be teething issues which will be worsened with a 3rd party reseller.
