Search Results for "october 13"

Cordkillers 179 – My First Streaming Device

Will password-sharing kill streaming? Emmy’s make Brian fear Netflix. All the hot new trailer talk. With special guest Hammond Chamberlain.

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CordKillers: Ep. 179 – My First Streaming Device
Recorded: July 17 2017
Guest:  Hammond Chamberin

Intro Video

Primary Target

  • Streaming TV apps grapple with password sharing
  • Millennials have a Netflix account. Gen Z is playing video games.
    – A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 21% of 18-24 adults stream shows on borrowed passwords from people who do not live with them. (12% for 18+)
    – Wall Street thinking is that if Netflix revenue slows (say from 30% to 10% growth) then Netflix needs to crack down
    – An analysis by Parks Associates estimated streaming providers will lose $550 million in 2019 from password sharing.
    – Bernadette Aulestia, executive vice president of global distribution for HBO “”For us it’s more important that at that age where they are not financially independent quite yet, they are habituating to using the product to ultimately aspiring to becoming paid customers.”
    – Netflix Chief Financial Officer David Wells said at a Goldman Sachs conference last September: “We could crack down on it, but you wouldn’t suddenly turn all those folks to paid users.”

How to Watch

  • Netflix leads the streaming pack with 18 Emmy nominations
    – Netflix received 18 Emmy award nominations in main categories for its shows and actors including Master of None, Stranger Things, House of Cards and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Amazon got three nominations all for Transparent and Hulu got three for The Handmaid’s Tale.
    – These counts represent nominations for the key categories that will be awarded on the 17th. There are many other categories, however, and with those included Netflix managed 91 nominations, Hulu notched 18 and Amazon 16. The leading network was HBO with 110, and its show Westworld tied with Saturday Night Live for the most nominations at 22.

What to Watch

What We’re Watching

Front Lines

Dispatches from the Front

We signed for up DirecTV Now to get the free AppleTV and were going to cancel after the 3 months. Then they added HBO for free (for 1 year) which gave my wife and I pause and we kept it. I frequently hear you all lament DirecTV Now for service issues but we use it daily these days and rarely have any issues on phone, computer or AppleTV. Just thought you’d like to know that they aren’t having the issues they were at the beginning. Not to defend AT&T but they have done pretty well getting this service stable and working.

– David

 

 

Guys,

It could have been much worse than Babylon 5….if long series are problematic

Doctor Who… ALL of it. From Hartnell thru Capaldi, you’d be on that train for a decade
ST:TNG, DS9 or Voyager, 7 seasons each…

You want more campy?

Quark – space garbage man from the 70’s , only advantage is that it didn’t last long
Buck Rogers -Gil Gerard in spandex
Salvage One – Andy Griffith – in SPACE!

My suggestion for next time ?
Blakes 7 or Space 1999 either is late 70’s british sci fi at it’s “best

thanks, enjoy the show!

– Dave

 

 

 

Hi Tom et al,

I’ve read your Brief Guide to Cordcutting but don’t see what I’m looking for. Can you help?

My mother wants to jettison her cable/phone/internet service ($200/mo) and keep a landline and the internet. The only TV she wants to keep are local news channels, including the local PBS stations.

She doesn’t have an external antenna or a digital converter box – but would you suggest getting these as the best solution?

Thank you!

-Susannna
 

 

 

Links

2017 Summer Movie Draft
patreon.com/cordkillers

 

Cordkillers 168 – King of the Hypocrites (w/ Nicole Lee)

Twitter goes 24/7 video, DC might launch a streaming service with digital comics, and Nicole Lee shares her first two weeks as a cord-cutter. With special guest Nicole Lee.

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CordKillers: Ep. 168 – King of the Hypocrites
Recorded: May 1 2017
Guest: Nicole Lee

Intro Video

Primary Target

  • Twitter plans to broadcast live video 24 hours a day
    – Twitter COO and CFO Anthony Noto told BuzzFeed News that Twitter plans to stream video 24 hours a day 7 days a week covering news, sports and entertainment. Noto didn’t give a date saying it will take some time to ramp up the “many, many things.”
  • Twitter will stream 24-hour news from Bloomberg starting this fall
    – Twitter and Bloomberg will partner on the effort. Twitter will not just retransmit Bloomberg’s existing live video stream but originate programs for Twitter and mix in live video from Twitter users. It would be broader in focus than Bloomberg’s financial-oriented news
  • Twitter announces more live video feeds
    – Why Tom thinks this is significant: The Internet has had the promise to deliver infinite channels a la carte. The only reason it hasn’t been able to compete with cable was the difficulty of competing with the budgets of top providers who kept content on cable. Netflix broke the model on original scripted programming providing an a la cart channel. Twitter is trying to do that with mainstream news/sports. This could force compeititors to consider going a la carte themselves.

How to Watch

What to Watch

What We’re Watching

Front Lines

  • Comcast Beats Q1 Earnings Expectations Helped By Strong Film Sales
    – Comcast announced its earnings and there are a few tidbits of interest to cord-cutters. NBCU’s cable networks raised revenue from increased license fees even as cable distribution fell. In other words fewer cable subscribers but more money per subscriber. Universal films raised revenue too on the strength of Fifty Shades Darker, Get Out, Split, and Sing. And even Comcast cable bucked the industry trend by adding 42,000 video subscribers.
  • ESPN Is Laying Off 100 On-Air Personalities and Staffers
    – Meanwhile ESPN continues to cut costs, announcing layoffs that the best guesses peg at around 100 staff. That includes on-air and online talent. ESPN cut 300 jobs in 2015. ESPN’s subscriber totals have dipped by more than 10 million over the past few years.
  • Netflix has just found a backdoor into China
    – At the APOS industry conference in Bali, Netflix announced a content licensing agreement with iQiyi, a video service subsidiary of Chinese search company Baidu. The Hollywood Reporter says it will include day-and-date releases of Netflix originals, though no show titles were specified. Netflix said in a statement that “expectations of our deal are modest in scope.”
  • Hulu scores deal with NBCU for its live TV service, will now carry all four major broadcast networks
    – Hulu’s live TV service is expectedto launch this month and it just announced it has reached a deal with NBCUniversal NBC, Telemundo, USA, Syfy, Bravo, E!, MSNBC, CNBC, NBCSN, Sprout and other channels to the service. Hulu previously announced deals with CBS, Fox and Disney-ABC. Hulu says it will have more than 50 channels available.
  • Sling tries to lure customers with an AirTV bundle
    – Sling is offering new subscribers a discount on its AirTV Player which combines the sling service with over the air channels along with other apps like Netflix. If you sign up for three months of $20 a month service you’ll get the box for $50. It retails for $130.
  • The YouTube Kids app is now available on even more screens!
    – YouTube announced its Kids app is now available on LG, Samsung, and Sony smart TVs in the 26 countries where the app is currently launched. This is in addition to versions available in the Google Play and Apple App stores.

Dispatches from the Front
Hi Brian,Bryce,Tom and Jackie if she’s in the chat room.

I did catch this last Tuesday on episode 167 “The UnSub Purge” . You both kind of called my bluff to cancel cable by May 1st .I’ve been a 3rd time cable subscriber with Charter Spectrum since last October….I simply haven’t found the time to watch anything on the Cable DVR. … There will come a time where I will have to call it and just loose whatever there is on it when I finally cancel service. I’m holding myself accountable to June 1.

… for the last 3 weeks, I haven’t even fired up the cable DVR to watch anything on it…..

David

Patreon supporter since episode 1 in December 2013.

 

 

 

We are going to buy Starz to watch American Gods, any thing else we should make a point of seeing? Thanks and love the show.

Pat

 

 

 

Hello Brian and Tom,

Last week Brian mentioned that he wanted to know if someone who hadn’t read the comics version of Locke & Key would find the audio version as riveting as someone who read the comics first. Upon hearing this I checked my Audible library to find I had Locke & Key, apparently it was a free read a year and a half ago, so I gave it a listen and here is my spoiler free review:

I enjoyed the full cast audio play when there wasn’t a lot of action going on. Once there was any action the director relied on sound effects or screaming/crying characters to tell the story and that was just confusing. Narration to tell that part of the story would have been a great help. I found the story interesting and compelling enough finish the 13+ hour book in three days. I felt scared and sad and frustrated along with the main characters but I was googling how to get the 6 books inexpensively after 4 hours because I felt I was missing something with just audio. I found some images from the comics online and that helped fill-in some visuals. I read some reviews, on Audible and Goodreads, which said to either read the comics first or use the audio version to read-along with the comics. I agree with those reviews. I’m going to go to the local comics shops this weekend to look for the books or comics, failing that I’ll buy the set on ComiXology. I do think this story could make a great TV series if done by the right people with a big enough budget to give the story the treatment it needs.

Now to figure out if you can get Hulu originals in the UK.

Thanks,
Jennifer

 

 

 

Ok Brian, you were right… This is Reuben in hot, no chilly, no hot Durham, NC. As you predicted from my last note touting the “workaround” I thought I had with Spectrum internet, I failed; mostly. I was not able to cancel the cable and phone and retain the internet only for 29.99/month as the salesperson said I would, however, after grumbling at the cancellations department for a few minutes, I was able to get a discount from the regular price of $69.99/mo for 100 Mbps to $54.99/mo which is a better dollar per Mb price than the $42/mo for 50Mbps service I had previously. So, lesson learned on the lying sales people, but I think I can be at least satisfied with the new deal. Thanks for the great show!

 

 

 

I have an urgent need to fill if I am going to accept the #UnsubPurge challenge. You have often commented that there is so much good stuff to watch these days, and I agree. What I need is a good place to go and see all the things that are available on any streaming service. I haven’t made it a habit to follow many sources for such things, but if there is a single place I can go to look at what new or existing offerings are available, I’d be very happy to eliminate all bills and simply subscribe to the service(s) needed to watch what we are watching at any given moment.
Ideal requirements: covers the major services available through the Roku box, is up to date on what is available at any given moment, concentrates on series or full seasons, as we are generally interested in long-form story telling more than episodic stories, gives a brief description so I know what the series is about, and covers different age ranges, so that I can find good stuff for my kids as well.
Until we have the world where my tv, or some appliance knows what I want to watch, I am hoping for such a comprehensive information source. I could go look for this myself, but what’s the point of being a boss if you can’t delegate?
All kidding aside, I am a huge fan of both of you, as well as the variety of interesting guests you bring on. Your performance review will indicate this.

Chris

 

 

The Writers Guild voted to authorize a strike if they can’t come to terms by May 1st. (http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/US-Writers-Guild-Strike/2017/04/24/id/786157/) Cord Cutters News wrote about his awhile back, saying that this will be a win for on demand streaming services because the cable and broadcast channels would be forced to play reruns once the current seasons wrap up, and Netflix and Amazon will very likely have better reruns. (http://cordcuttersnews.com/new-writers-strike-big-win-netflix-amazon-cord-cutting/) I could be wrong, but couldn’t cable and broadcast shows just do literally totally unscripted reality shows while they’re waiting for the Writers Guild to get their act together?

From,
Amar

 

 

 

Hey guys,
I was wondering if either of you suffer from what I’d like to call Binge Amnesia. Let me explain.

As a cord cutter I tend to watch most of my shows when they become available on various streaming platforms, usually dropping an entire season at once. I will binge the season within a few weeks and then I’ll have to wait almost an entire year for the next season to be released. By the time I watch the new season I have completely forgotten the details of the prior season.

Case in point, I had binged the prior seasons of The Leftovers last year. Last night I started watching the latest season and I felt lost for a while. Luckily I was able to pick up on the current story by the end of the episode. I still haven’t watched season 2 of Man in the High Castle or Better Call Saul because I want to be able to enjoy them at their fullest but I don’t have time to rewatch the prior seasons.

Always forgetful,
Scott

 

Links

2017 Summer Movie Draft
patreon.com/cordkillers

 

Cordkillers 154 – In Bed! (w/ Jeff Cannata)

Why Netflix is killing it, Esquire network blazes a trail, why more people are using antennas.

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CordKillers: Ep. 154 – In Bed! 
Recorded: January 24 2017
Guest: Jeff Cannata

Intro Video

Primary Target

  • Netflix added a record 7 million new subscribers last quarter
    – Netflix announced it earned $0.15 per share in Q4 with sales of $2.48 billion. Analysts had expected earnings per share of $0.14 and revenue of $2.47 billion. Notably the company saw very strong growth in subscribers across all markets. In the US, 2 million new subscibers were added in Q4, with 5 million added internationally. This well exceeded analyst expectations of 1.38 million and 3.78 million, respectively. The company has focused on adding international content that can travel across regions to continue this growth, like the original Brazilian series 3%, as well as Japanese anime and Turkish dramas
  • Netflix predicts HBO will let you binge new shows online before they air on TV
  • Netflix’s global domination plans find a US fanbase
  • Netflix is so big that it doesn’t need net neutrality rules anymore
  • A buyer’s primer on who’s NOT subscribing to Netflix
  • Netflix is killing it
    – Reed Hastings in shareholder letter cited an unconfirmed report about the BBC ““The BBC has become the first major linear network to announce plans to go binge-first with new seasons, favoring internet over linear viewers. We presume HBO is not far behind the BBC.”
    – Netflix CCO Ted Sarandos “We’re seeing as we’re adding more and more global shows that it’s rising all boats across the world,”
    -“Weakening of US net neutrality laws, should that occur, is unlikely to materially affect our domestic margins or service quality because we are now popular enough with consumers to keep our relationships with ISPs stable.”
    -“On a public policy basis, however, strong net neutrality is important to support innovation and smaller firms.”  
    – A UBS study of US non-subscribers to Netflix
    – 2/3 older than 55
    – 3/5 have HH income below US median, also small HH of 1 or 2 perople
    – Slower on technology adoption
    – The report notes that adding Netflix as part of a cable bundle is more likely to convert this group into subscribers

How to Watch

What to Watch

What We’re Watching

Front Lines

Dispatches from the Front

Hi Tom/Brian – I just wanted to share the results of an experiment I was conducting to see if I could start using Amazon Prime video more than I was because I mostly forgot it was there.

Well TLDR; No. Their UX on both Roku and the Web is still terrible. When I stop watching the UHD version of the Grand Tour on the Roku and try to continue on the laptop it doesn’t continue from where I left on the Roku. Because Amazon tracks the UHD and the HD versions separately. Seriously!!! Also I rented 3 movies during their 99 cent rental offer and couldn’t find them on any screen. I had to search for them movies and then it showed that I had rented them. Also the UX is terrible to figure out which are paid and which are free on Prime.

When I discussed this with a few colleagues and friends, I found I wasn’t the only one struggling. So I guess amazon which is so brilliant in shopping UX needs a lot of work on the streaming part. I love a lot of the work they are doing but definitely need to ramp up the UX. For now I am back to itunes and Google Play for renting. But I assume Apple will run into this when they plan on launching their streaming service.

Thanks,
Josh

 

 

 

Hey guys,

I love the show and I am a Patreon contributor. I have a question. What apps would you recommend that show where to stream a movie or tv show?

Thanks again for the show. I cut cable October 2015 and I haven’t missed it. My wife was the reason I didn’t do it sooner but she was tried of Comcast issues and agreed to try. We agreed to cut cable for a month without actually dropping the cable. We disconnected the TVs and hooked up an OTA antenna. After two weeks my wife said she didn’t miss cable and we dropped Comcast.

We use Netflix, Acorn TV and Tablo with the antenna. We use a combination of Apple TVs and Roku on 4 TVs. I like Apple better and my wife prefers Roku. I use SideReel to track my shows at Tom’s recommendation. We have used Sling TV, PlayStation Vue and Dirrectv Now. Of the three, I like PS Vue the best but I will try Hulu’s new service we it comes out.

Sincerely,
Elvin

 

Hello wonderful employees!

I meant to write in some time ago about this subject, but just never got around to it.

The reason that Amazon didn’t release Grand Tour all at once is because they’re still filming!
This screen grab is from E! following the production team of GT around the Hollywood Hills, Wednesday, January 18, as they film elements for what’s possibly the season finale on February 3rd. According to WikiPedia, “it was announced that the final studio filming location will be Dubai in December 2016.[25].”

So there’s your answer, they’re still not done! However, they’re going straight into filming series two, so maybe that would be release Netflix-style.

Love the show, gents. Keep up the great work!

 

 

 

Thanks for recommending Movies With Mikey I love his review style, and his review of The Force Awakens changed my mind about the movie. When I saw it all I could see was all the fan service BS like “oh look it’s Death Star 3.0 this time it’s bigger”. Mikey revealed done of the underlying plot that I totally missed.
Love the show
Your boss
Matt

 

Hey guys,

Heard your positive sounding coverage of the Anime Strike launch on Amazon. Always cool to see the anime streaming services get a little Cordkiller love. Wanted to drop you a line and hip you to some details about that service you may not be aware of. You’re right, anime fans tend to be a pretty passionate bunch, but we’ll get back to that later.

99% of the offerings on Anime Strike is content that’s readily available through other channels. There’s really nothing particularly special about most of the content it offers other than their “curation.” No doubt some of it was previously available on Amazon Prime.

But there is *one* thing that is special.

There is a programming block on Fuji TV called Noitamina (animation spelled backwards). Every broadcast season, it airs one weekly half-hour episode show. The content on that block is aimed at an older audience, and an audience that might not be your standard issue “anime fan.” Think drama, not Dragonball. And the content that airs on Noitamina, while not infallible, is generally considered to be a cut above by a lot of anime fans. Many folks will check out any show that airs on that block, even if it doesn’t appear to be their cup of tea. “Noitamina show” is a phrase that people recognize.

And Amazon signed a deal with Fuji TV to be the exclusive streaming distributer of simulcast content that airs on that block a few seasons back.

So essentially, Anime Strike is merely Amazon holding a single show, of well-regarded content, hostage for five dollars a month, every season. On TOP of an Amazon Prime membership. Compare that to the seven dollars a month for a Crunchroll membership – where you can watch literally *everything else* that is simulcasting (plus a large library of things you *can’t* see other places).

There is no value add to Anime Strike. It’s a very old-media, consumer-hostile, balkanization maneuver.

Y’all are correct – anime fans are a pretty passionate bunch. Moreover, they’re pretty savvy about streaming services too. And the naked cynicism of what Amazon is doing with that service is readily apparent. I assure you, Anime Strike enjoys absolutely no good will in western anime fandom. People are going to continue paying Crunchyroll (a company that enjoys a *great deal* of consumer good will) their seven dollars a month, and torrent the single Noitaminia show. That’s what’s going to happen.

That isn’t intended to be justifications for piracy, just pointing out the reality and economics of the situation.

Cheers guys,

Monte

Links

2016 Winter Movie Draft
patreon.com/cordkillers
 

Weekly Tech Views: Mmmmmm, Leftovers!

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Real tech stories. Really shaky analysis.

Over the last couple weeks we’ve presented the best Weekly Tech Views stories of 2016. Today we finish off the year with… well, I hesitate to call them the “worst” (I’m here to express my opinion, not validate those of my family and friends) so let’s just say unused stories. They may have been withheld for a variety of reasons–the week’s post was already a bit long, a reference flirted with the PG-13 barrier, or the story was missing a subtle component we like to call “humor.”

 So, like week-old shrimp cocktail or five-buck-a-bottle champagne, I probably wouldn’t try to serve this up any other time of the year, but hopefully, in the midst of New Year’s celebrations/hangovers, I can get away with it here.

 

January 30
Google is licensing VPU chips that could allow mobile devices to view, interpret, and understand images. But, wisely, not react to them. Because once they understand their role in the inanity posted to Facebook, or the private sexytime events they’ve been subjected to, their tortured screams will echo forever.

—–

Indonesia’s largest ISP is blocking Netflix due to “porn and other objectionable content” just days after the government demanded that Netflix obtain licensing to operate in the country. Said an Indonesian official, “I can’t define obscenity, but I know it when I see it doesn’t have a license that will suddenly make it art.”

April 9
A proposal being considered by the FAA would require drones weighing over 250 grams be subject to crash testing to prove there’s less than a 1% chance of injury from a full speed collision.

“Good news, Fred; you’re being transferred to Product Safety. You are going to love this job! I mean, 99% of the time you’ll be looking around for the genie that granted you this wish. Bet you weren’t saying that in Accounts Payable, am I right? Ha-ha. Now just have a seat in that lawn chair… and here, browse Facebook for a while on this tablet. Oh, and don’t look up.”

—–

Medical supplies will be drone-delivered to hospitals in Rwanda beginning this summer. Light loads like blood and medicine can arrive up to 150 times per day, dropping to the ground via paper parachute. Admittedly, I’m not familiar with the Rwandan healthcare system, but if it’s anything like the US’s, expect the GI Joe-like parachutes to show up on itemized bills as “Aerial Transport – $8,700.00” as if you got life-flighted in for your strep throat.

May 14
Paper ID is a battery-free RFID (radio frequency identification) paper than can detect and respond when a person covers, touches, slides, turns, swipes, or moves it. Journalists came away convinced that nothing had ever been so responsive to their touch that didn’t first ask them to leave fifty dollars on the dresser.

June 11
Slack has made voice call functionality available to all users. The ability to talk directly to another person is earning the team-messaging app widespread kudos.

“Oooooh, yes, by all means, well-deserved congratulations on your originality, Slack,” said the ghost of Alexander Graham Bell.

July 2
Facebook published a document explaining how items in a user’s feed are prioritized. Transparency is commendable, I suppose, but I’m not sure I want to know why, inevitably, the first few posts in my feed are from competing brands of “industrial-strength” deodorant.

—–

An artificial intelligence named Alpha beat a combat pilot in a series of simulated dogfights. Everyone thought the test was wildly successful, though the mood dampened a bit when Alpha said “Nice try, Goose,” and started singing Danger Zone.

—–

Amazon will begin selling discounted smartphones– the Moto G and the BLU R1 HD–to Prime members with pre-installed Amazon apps and Kindle-like lockscreen ads.

Asked if this was a step toward reviving the Amazon Fire Phone, a haggard-looking Amazon spokesman replied, “I’m sorry, the whatzit phone? What are you talking about? Amazon has never made a phone. In fact, I can personally guarantee that there is not a single reference to one in any of our databases.” Then he lifted his coffee mug to his lips and quickly mouthed they have my family.

August 20
Apple CEO Tim Cook reported that he is always looking for his successor, and discusses possibilities with the board of directors at every meeting. The board has been carefully weighing the qualifications of the three prime candidates on Mr. Cook’s short list–Cook Clone, Cookbot, and in-development Siri replacement Cooki.

September 24
Google Allo was released this week–a mobile-only messaging app that includes a chatbot known as Google Assistant. Just Google Assistant. No humanizing name like Siri or Alexa for Google–the assistant is just a nameless drone tasked with getting things done efficiently without any personal recognition–just like a real life administrative professional!*

* Except for that one Wednesday in late April that makes it all worthwhile–Administrative Professionals Day. The day when the boss does make that special effort to recognize the years of hard work Marla at the front desk has put in by having a kid in the mail room pick up some grocery store flowers and a Whitman’s Sampler that the boss makes a big show of putting on Marla’s desk with a card reading Great job, Marsha.

October 15
For obvious safety reasons, Oculus has updated its mobile app to disable Gear VR headset compatibility with the fire prone Galaxy Note 7, taking the legs right out from under Coppertone’s SPF500 In Your Face promotion.

—–

While Pandora will not release their full on-demand music service to compete with Spotify, Apple Music, and now Amazon’s Music Unlimited until later this year, they did accompany this week’s launch of their mid-tier Pandora Plus with a brand new logo, replacing the sleek, slim, blue capital letter P, with a fatter version that completely fills in the white opening in the letter P with more blue, almost as if the original had been steamrolled by, say, an entire industry.

November 12
A privacy and security browser extension called Web of Trust has been collecting and selling browsing habit data without proper anonymization. Yes, it’s disillusioning to have something called Web of Trust let you down, and I’d be tempted to lose faith in all security measures if I didn’t have Happy Joy Goodtime Bank Account Info and Password Vault to count on.

 

Looking back, some of those stories were definitely past their expiration date, so if consuming them has you a little queasy, just sit quietly, sip a little ginger ale, and maybe read some Dave Barry until you feel better.

Happy New Year. May your 2017 tech headaches be few and tech laughs many.

—– 

P.S. Get ready for an exciting new publication next year–The Monthly Tech Views! Okay, “new” is not entirely accurate. It will be the exact same thing as the Weekly Tech Views, but show up approximately… carry the three… lowest common denominator… 25% as often.

This will allow time for other projects having absolutely nothing to do with the Battlefield 1 campaign on the Xbox I may have gotten for Christmas. No, there are notebooks of ideas waiting to be turned into short stories–maybe a novel (fiction, but likely based more firmly in reality than my tech analysis). There’s an online fantasy movie game I’d like to develop (a version of the Diamond Club Movie Draft, for those familiar with that piece of awesomeness). There’s close-quarters combat and driving tanks and flying planes and shooting down dirigibles–yes, of course there will be some Battlefield 1, but just to clear my head, you understand, for other creative pursuits.

The Monthly Tech Views will show up on the last weekend of each month, and despite the additional time to compile stories, promises to be not a single iota more insightful than the Weekly Tech Views, because we believe it’s good to have something you can count on in the new year.

 See you next month!

 Oh, and why not pick up one of these to fill in those Tech Views-less weeks?

Ebook Here             or             Paperback Here

 

 

Mike Range
@MovieLeagueMike

Creative Commons License
Weekly Tech Views by Mike Range is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

WEEKLY TECH VIEWS – BEST OF 2016 – TOP 10!

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Real tech stories. Really shaky analysis.

Here they are, the top ten Weekly Tech Views stories of 2016. The best of the year. While many regard “the best” of something to be “really, really great,” keep in mind it can just as legitimately mean “not quite as bad as the other 500 stories.”

For the year 2016…

Number 10 (July 2)
Would You Like “News,” “Images,” Or “Videos” Results For “Under-Reported Taxes”?
An investigation into suspected tax evasion resulted in Spanish authorities raiding Google’s Madrid office.

“What are you doing here?” demanded a Google executive.

An officer shouted, “We’re here to initiate a search,” and everyone had a hearty laugh.

Number 9 (April 16)
Oopsie
A promotional video of the HTC 10 leaked a day ahead of its official unveiling, showing a design change including chamfered (from the French, meaning “transferred from the Champagne region” or “artsy-fartsy“) edges, and–

Okay, look, can we stop calling these “leaks”? Tech companies, step up and call them what they are–teaser trailers. Hollywood does it, admits it, and we’re all okay with it. You’re trying to build buzz. Go for it. You don’t have to play the Victorian damsel, “accidentally” dropping your lace, perfumed hanky at the feet of an eligible bachelor. “Oh, thank you. How terribly careless of me. I declare, I am ever so grateful, not to mention flattered that you noticed my front-facing 5-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization.”

Number 8 (July 2)
“Take That!” Says Wii Fit
Microsoft is shutting down Xbox Fitness, claiming that continued updates are unsustainable. “I feel bad for the gang in the Fitness Division, but they never really had a chance,” said the head of Xbox’s flagship Sit On Your Ass Shooting Stuff, Eating Doritos, And Drinking Mountain Dew Division.

Number 7 (January 30)
Tuesday, 6PM: Come And Knock On Our Door
Microsoft’s virtual personal assistant, Cortana, will soon be able to automatically create reminders for you, based on information in your emails and calendar. For more on this story, we take you to 1977 and an episode of Three’s Company

Stanley Roper: “So it’s going to constantly nag me to do something without me telling it to? You sure it’s not named Helen?”

(Mr. Roper spends a full ten seconds smiling a very self-satisfied smile directly into the camera)

Helen Roper: “Maybe if you had some initiative and did something on your own, I wouldn’t have to nag.”

Stanley: “I do plenty! I just fixed their sink!”

Chrissy: “It’s true. It looked like real good duct tape, too.”

Stanley: “Never mind that. (To Helen): “And what have you ever done on your own?”

(It’s Helen’s turn to stare at the camera, eyebrows arched, and the audience snickers, knowing damned well what’s coming)

Helen: “Believe me, I have to do something on my own every night.”

(Audience howls)

Stanley: “I wish you were Cortana so I could push your button to make you be quiet.”

Helen: “If you would push my buttons I’d let you call me Cortana or Wonder Woman or whatever you want!”

(Huge, ridiculously long laughter from the audience, during which Jack does three double-takes, a spit take, and falls over six separate pieces of furniture.)

Number 6 (July 2)
And That’s Without The Pencil
Apple is recalling some wall plug adapters because, in rare cases, the adapter could break and cause a shock. Apple has not identified the degree of shock, but electricians estimate it could range from “shaking hands with someone on shag carpeting” to “learning the price of an iPad Pro.”

Number 5 (March 12)
Low Sodium Diets Were Less Common Then
Verizon was fined $1.35 million by the FCC for using “supercookies” to identify mobile users and track their activities across the web, enabling Verizon to target advertising. Verizon said, “Really? $1.35 million? You didn’t forget a zero?” Then they shrugged and peeled $1.5 mill off the roll of cash they keep in their pocket and said, “Keep the change.”

More interestingly, did you know that the origin of both the term and concept of “supercookies” dates back to America’s Old West? As you’ve likely seen in Westerns, cowboys would refer to the cook as Cookie. If a cowboy especially enjoyed a particular meal, he would say, “That was super, Cookie.”

Well, Cookie, wanting to stay on the guys’ good side, would file away this information, tracking everyone’s preferences, so that he could replicate the results on special occasions like birthdays or winning the weekly long-distance spittoon-filling contest. Of course, on long cattle drives, the menu pretty much came down to subtle variations of beans and dried beef, so sometimes the best Cookie could do to was up the saltiness of a recipe to a cowboy’s preference by making a concerted effort to let more sweat than usual drip from his face into the “stew.”

Number 4 (July 2)
Did We Mention It’s Free?
A woman successfully sued Microsoft for $10,000 after a Windows 10 upgrade–that she claims was unauthorized–left her system unusable for days.

Microsoft: “She could have chosen not to upgrade. It isn’t mandatory.”

Attorney: “She clicked on the X in the upgrade popup.”

Microsoft: “Exactly! We made that doubly safe! First of all, that wasn’t an X, it was a Roman numeral 10. For Windows 10? Clicking on it obviously meant ‘Yes, I want this new operating system hotness, thank you.’ But for those who couldn’t grasp that…” (stares witheringly at the plaintiff) “…don’t you agree that an X would signify ‘Stop’?”

Attorney: “Yes! Stop–”

Microsoft: “–me from making the huge mistake of not upgrading to this fantastic OS! I know! Frankly, we can conceive of no scenario where someone would click on the X and expect the update to not install.”

The plaintiff then took the stand for forty-five seconds, long enough to state “Aaaaaaaaaaaaagh!” and smack herself in the forehead a dozen times with the heel of her palm.

The judge deliberated for two to three seconds and ruled that “the plaintiff better have ten grand in her pocket before she leaves the courtroom. And hell, give everyone who had to sit through this an Xbox One.”

Number 3 (April 9)
Guys, Could You Not Be A-Holes, If It’s Not Too Much Trouble?
The Federal Communications Commission, in an effort to help consumers understand the terms they are agreeing to with internet service providers, issued non-mandatory guidelines for ISPs to spell out things like prices, data caps, overage charges, and speed.

Finally! Nothing says “get your act together!” like non-mandatory guidelines. I remember as a kid, when my brothers and I would be teasing my sister, hiding her Shaun Cassidy album,** nothing got us back in line quicker than Mom dropping the hammer with one of her non-mandatory guidelines rants:

“YOU GUYS THINK IT’S A BIG JOKE TO TEASE YOUR SISTER LIKE THIS, BUT IT’S NOT! IT’S NOT HURTING YOU ANY TO HEAR HER MUSIC, AND I WANT YOU TO GIVE HER BACK HER RECORD RIGHT NOW! THAT’S HER PROPERTY, AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TOUCH IT! JUST REMEMBER, THIS IS A SUGGESTION ON MY PART! I’M NOT MANDATING HOW YOU SHOULD LIVE YOUR LIFE; YOU’RE FREE TO MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS! THIS IS A GUIDELINE! IT’S COMPLETELY UP TO YOU WHETHER YOU DO THIS OR NOT! THERE WILL BE NO CONSEQUENCES OR REPERCUSSIONS, REGARDLESS OF YOUR DECISION! NOW GO ON AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANT!”

Let me tell you, that, combined with Dad reaching for his belt, was really effective.

** You can’t blame us for that. Nobody should be subjected to Da Doo Ron Ron twelve times in a lifetime, let alone an afternoon.

Number 2 (October 1)
Acronyms Killed The Radio “R”
After an investment of five years and $180 million, China now lays claim to the world’s largest radio telescope with FAST, or the Five-Hundred-Meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope, which supplants Puerto Rico’s 300-meter telesc–

Hang on. All of a sudden it’s okay to just drop three out of seven words to get the cool acronym we want? Look, I understand blowing off things like a, of, and the–I mean, those are just tiny syllables that–many people don’t realize this–most of your major dictionaries refuse to even recognize as words. Heck, I’m even willing to let you slide on hundred and meter because you cleverly attached them to Five with hyphens. But, c’mon, how do you arbitrarily get rid of radio?

Without radio you can’t distinguish this type of telescope from the kind you give your ten-year-old so he can look at the moon through his bedroom window (and yes, that one time, at Mrs. Peterson down the block when she was careless with her blinds).

Without the word radio nobody knows that you are referring to a telescope that… well, hell, I’m no astronomer–I have no idea what a radio has to do with a telescope. I want to say… you can listen to Pink Floyd while you look at the stars? Like at the Laserium when you were in high school? Hey, does it have lasers? That would be awesome.

Whatever, radio is important enough to be in the name, so to me the acronym is not FAST, it’s FASRT. Which is better anyhow because if you just glance quickly it looks like “fart,” which is funny.

Number 1 (May 7)
At Least The Satellite Bastards Had The Decency To Lock People In For A Couple Years
Following the lead of live-streaming TV services SlingTV and PlayStation Vue, Hulu and YouTube are both expected to announce their own live-streaming TV options, packaging a selection of network and cable channels for $35-$40 per month. This news prompted Cable TV to call for an informal get-together in Cable’s office:

Cable: So you’re all getting in on the live TV game, huh?

Hulu: Yep, can’t wait.

You Tube: A whole new world. Gonna be exciting.

Cable: Uh-huh. It certainly is. But good luck finding markets, guys.

Sling: Markets?

Cable: Yeah, markets. Who’s gonna use your service? Us cable companies have the country pretty well divvied up amongst ourselves.

Vue: You mean, like who gets the eastern suburbs of, uh, Fort Worth, and who gets the west? That kind of thing?

(The streaming services look at each other, then back at Cable, and laugh heartily)

Hulu: Oh, wow, that’s a good one, old-timer! It did used to work like that, didn’t it?

(Cable stares at them, silent)

YouTube: Oh, gee, it’s still like that for you, isn’t it? Gosh, sorry. See, we can sell our service everywhere in the country.

Cable (beginning to sweat): I have no idea what you’re saying.

Sling: There are no markets. Or, rather, every household with an internet connection is our market.

Vue, Hulu, YouTube: And ours!

Cable: But… but you can’t all…

Sling: We compete.

Cable (putting a finger in each ear): I don’t want to hear any more.

Vue: We each put together the best packages we can–

Cable: La-la-la-la-la-la…

Hulu: At the best prices we can–

Cable: LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA…

YouTube: And the consumer chooses the one they want.

Cable: LA!-LA!-LA!-LA!-LA!-LA!…

(A minute of silence passes; Cable slowly removes his fingers from his ears)

Sling: And they quit whenever they want.

Cable: Agggghhhhh!

(Then, panting heavily): But.. the whole country… you’d have to have thousands and thousands of installers…

Vue (turning to Sling, Hulu, and YouTube): Hey guys…heh-heh… guys… ha-ha… have you… ha-ha-ha… have you hired all your installers yet?

(The office fills with raucous laughter)

Sling (wiping tears away): Oh yeah! All set to go! We can have one at your house Thursday!

(More laughter)

Hulu: Yeah… between noon and five!

(The laughter now verges on hysteria, leaving the streamers clutching their sides and leaning on each other for support)

Sling: Oh, man, Cable, this is great. Thanks for calling us together… (gasping) …but I have to get out of here before I pee myself–(points at magazines next to him on the couch)–I wouldn’t want to ruin your stack of TV Guides here!

The streamers stagger out of the office, and Cable hears them talking in the hallway, but the conversation is muffled and indistinct. Then one of them–Hulu, Cable thinks–clearly shouts “markets!” and they ride a fresh wave of laughter out the front door.

Cable opens his top desk drawer and withdraws a standard two-year-commitment contract–brimming with Activation fees, DVR fees, Additional Set-Top Box fees, HD fees, Remote Control fees, and Installation fees–and holds it gently, lovingly, to his cheek. His eyes glaze over as he stares into the distance at nothing in particular. He remains there for days, refusing to eat, sleep, or speak, save for the occasional, wistfully-muttered “monopoly.”

 

There it is. Another year of tech news. 500 stories, many of which probably had a significant effect on many of our lives, though you won’t really know that until you read versions by writers who actually know what they’re talking about.

 Hopefully these stories were at least able to provide a few laughs in lieu of knowledge. Enough laughs to make getting a book full of these stories worthwhile? Well, that’s something only you can answer, I guess (though, if you want my opinion, four, maybe five chuckles over the course of the year seems more than enough).

 

The book–Tech, Please!–is now at Amazon in both ebook and paperback editions for your reading pleasure. They are currently listed separately (though the listings should soon merge):

Ebook: HERE

Paperback: HERE

Thanks for reading along this year, and stay tuned next week for the year’s final issue featuring stories that were written but didn’t find their way into the Weekly Tech Views for various reasons–the issue was running long, the content may have leaned a little north of PG-13, the story just wasn’t all that funny–haha, I mean, no, it was funny, it just didn’t come together quite like I… I… whatever. What I’m saying is it may be best read immediately after any alcohol-induced New Year’s celebrating.

 Happy Holidays, and may less than half your weekend be troubleshooting.

Mike Range
@MovieLeagueMike

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Cordkillers 142 – A New Type of Extortion! w/ Ben Howard

Do we want AT&T to buy TimeWarner? Vudu starts a free streaming service. FireTV gets a makeover. With special guest Ben Howard.

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CordKillers: Ep. 142 – A New Type of Extortion! 
Recorded: October 24 2016
Guest: Ben Howard

Intro Video

Primary Target

How to Watch

  • Walmart launches a free streaming service, Vudu Movies on Us
    – Vudu launched a free ad-supported video on demand service in the US, called Vudu Movies on Us. The service will not focus on new movies or original content, but rather build a back catalogue which will increase over the next several months. The site will be marketed by Vudu’s parent company Walmart, both in stores and online. Movies will stream at 1080p with pre-roll and some mid-roll ads. The company is also working with Nielsen to track mobile and connected TV viewing. 
  • Amazon’s Fire TV software is getting a new look soon
  • Amazon cuts Fire TV’s price to keep up with 4K competitors
    – Amazon started shipping its refreshed FireTV Stick with Alexa-enabled remote for $40.
    – FireTV price cut to $90. Antenna bundle $100, Gaming edition $130
    – Amazon also started showing off an update to its Fire TV interface coming later this year
    – Primary navigation has shifted from left side to the top
    – More accessibility for screen readers
    – Individual apps can be reoreded

 

What We’re Watching

Front Lines

  • Google reportedly signs CBS for web TV service
    – The Wall Street Journal reports that Google signed a deal with CBS to carry the network on an as yet unannounced YouTube TV service called Unplugged. Google is also reportedly nearing a similar deal with 21st Century Fox, and in advanced talks with NBCUniversal and Disney. The Unplugged service will supposedly offer bundles from $25 to $40. If talks advance, the service could launch in early 2017. One sticking point in negotiations, the right for YouTube to overlay data on top of network live feeds. 
  • Vimeo launches a TV store featuring top series from Lionsgate, STARZ
    – Vimeo launched its partnership with Lionsgate and STARZ to sell shows in the Vimeo store. Lionsgate produced shows liek Orange is the New Black and Mad Men are in there and will be joined shortly by Starz original series like Ash vs. Evil Dead and Black Sails. The store is at vimeo.com/tvstore
  • YouTube is now available on your Dish DVR
    – Dish has added a YouTube app to its Hopper 3 DVR accessible on Channel 371. You can also cast videos from a YouTube app to the DVR. The Hopper 3 also supports Netflix, Pandora, Vevo, and Weather Channel channel apps.
  • Sling TV adds NHL Network to its add-on Sports Extra package
    – Sling TV added the NHL network to its sports extra package. It’s the first over the top service to get the NHL. The NHL Network offers 75 games a year. The Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries were added to the “Lifestyle Plus Extra” add-on. 
  • Why Netflix shouldn’t be scared of the ‘Netflix of China’ and its splashy US debut — yet
    – Chinese company LeEco which offers a service often called the “Netflix of China” announced a video service for its new phones and TVs launching in the US. While the servie announced partners like Showtime, Lionsgate and even Sling, it turns out the service is more of an app ecosystem where you have to subscribe to each service individually but can then use them seamlessly across LeEco devices. The one exception is Lionsgate which will license some movies directly to the LeEco Live platform.
  • The NBA is adding a zoomed-in view for smartphones to all League Pass streams
    – NBA League Pass customers will have the option to choose a Mobile View for every game streamed on the service this season. The option which appears in the app for phones and tablets has a dedicated producer and camera working to shoot video that’s more zoomed in and easier to see on a smaller screen. The NBA also announced one game a week will be streamed in VR with its own dedicated crew and announcers. 

Dispatches from the Front

Hey Tom and Brian!

So today I decided to sign up for the PS Vue free trial, and I got a Roku Stick to put in the living room as well. I decided to tell my family to just try this “new cable service” for a week and tell me if they miss anything from before. I’m crossing my fingers that they don’t notice so we can cut the cord. Currently I’m paying around $180 per month just for the cable (not including internet or phone) thanks to box rentals, extra fees, and taxes. I’ll make sure to follow up next week and let you know how successful this experiment was!

Alex

 

Hello I love the show it gave me the strength to cut the cord. I did it a year ago and have never looked back. It surprised me that half the shows I watched weekly were no longer important when I had to make an effort to watch them. This also includes mutliple sports.
My question is what show or sport you thought you couldn’t live without but after cutting the cord you haven’t missed? Mine was soccer.

Kevin

 

 

 

Hey Brian and Tom,

I wanted to let Tom know (someone also mentioned this in the emails) that With PlayStation Vue, you can login to almost all channel standalone apps (Not Watch NFL Network for some reason). I use the Fox Sports Go app (Android, iOS, Roku, Chromecast, Web Browser, maybe more availability). It works really slick! Try it out.

That is how I get around the in home restrictions from PS Vue.

Michael

 

 

 

Hey guys, as a Comcast employee one reason I see a decline in ESPN subs is because we install a lot of basic and limited basic TV packages which doesn’t include ESPN. When I asked why only basic service to these customers they respond with “I’m only getting the TV service so I can have a cheaper price on my Internet service .” Just thought I would throw my two cents in. Thanks guys and keep up the great work. 
 

Links

2016 Winter Movie Draft
patreon.com/cordkillers

Weekly Tech Views: The Tech, No Logic Blog – Oct 22, 2016

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Real tech stories. Really shaky analysis.

We’re all pretty excited in northeast Ohio that what is, historically, our nation’s most revered championship will be decided right here in Cleveland. It’s been a long season, and now it comes down to a dramatic battle between two worthy contestants to determine a victor and answer the ultimate question: Will Pokemon Go or the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 get the most mentions this year in the Weekly Tech Views?

 Also, the Indians are in the World Series.

 

 For the week of October 17 – 21, 2016…

 

You Make A Good Point, But In Our Defense, ‘Autopilot’ Sounds Cool
German officials don’t want Tesla to use the term “Autopilot” to describe its driver assistance technology, fearing that drivers may overestimate its abilities. Tesla argues that that the term has been used in the aerospace industry for decades, apparently reasoning that if pilots with years of intense, high-pressure training can understand Autopilot’s limitations, it shouldn’t be any problem for sixteen-year-olds who took three tries to pass the written test and made the instructor scream, “Mommy!” during parallel parking.

There’s No Pleasing Some People
In other Tesla news, they had a car announcement scheduled for Monday, but CEO Elon Musk tweeted on Sunday that it “needs a few more days of refinement,” and the announcement would instead come Wednesday. Then he put down his phone, turned back to his marketing team, and said, “Seriously gang, it’s a nice German name, but I don’t think they’re going to go for Otto Pilot either.

The Grass Is Always Less Explosive On The Other Side Of The Fence
With Galaxy Note 7s banned from flights, Samsung has set up booths at airports where customers can exchange their Note 7s. You get a new, airline-approved phone while your Note 7 gets tossed into a container that will provide perfectly safe housing for the possibly-incendiary devices. “Easy for you to say,” said the Samsung employees having to nervously stand next to the bin for an eight-hour shift while looking longingly across the concourse at Cinnabon where the workers’ biggest worry is getting icing on their pants.

They Are Really Steamed About This
After becoming aware of a YouTube video of a mod for Grand Theft Auto V allowing players to use Note 7s as grenades, Samsung issued a takedown notice. “Sure you don’t mean burn notice?” said pretty much everybody.

Nobody Said It Was A Classy Action
A law firm filed suit on behalf of three Galaxy Note 7 customers who continued to be billed for device and plan charges despite not being able to use their phones for weeks due to the phone’s recall. The attorneys are hoping for class action status to add many more clients to the case.

We asked another class action lawyer how much these attorneys might demand Samsung pay.

“Oh, tens of millions of dollars. Maybe hundreds of millions. This was a grievous injustice.”

We were stunned, wondering aloud how the actual inconvenience incurred could really warrant those clients receiving that kind of money.

The clients? Oh, ha-ha, no. No, they’ll get a ten dollar credit on their phone bill and a coupon for five percent off a faux-leather case,” said the lawyer, chuckling and blowing his nose on a hundred-dollar bill.

Yet They Somehow Tested Equally On “Pizza Delivery Guy”
Microsoft’s speech recognition technology has reached a word error rate of 5.9%, the same level as human transcribers. Humans did perform better at distinguishing “uh” from “uh-huh,” thanks to humans’ vast advantage in watching porn.

First!
China’s LeEco had a new products announcement which included two phones, four TVs, a VR headset, an autonomous car, and an Android-based, battery-powered “super bike” that can reach 30 mph and comes with GPS, internet connectivity, a fingerprint scanner, and a side laser system to mark its lane.

“Well, just like I predicted, nothing about the so-called “super” bike having a unicorn-fur-covered seat customized to my butt. This whole announcement sucked!” said the first comment at LeEco’s blog.

You Have To Be Able To Delegate
A professor at Carnegie Mellon has taken the job of Director of Artificial Intelligence Research at Apple while maintaining his position at the school. Asked if it wouldn’t be difficult to carry on his educational responsibilities, the professor replied, “No, my students are extremely important to me and I have taken steps to assure there is no dropoff in the attention paid these young minds. I don’t think they will notice anything different as long as I do not injure a human being and I do obey orders given by human bein–I mean as long as I manage my time efficiently.”

Believe It Or Not, I Missed Out On A Lot Of School Dances
Facebook’s Messenger app has added a new feature called Conversation Topics that will suggest things to talk about by listing events from the other person’s timeline. You know what this means, don’t you? I don’t want to sound bitter, but there are probably boys in junior high now that don’t have to start every conversation with a girl with, “So, do you think Hulk could beat Superman in a fight?”

It Would Have Been Neat If It Was Eleven Though
Netflix reported earnings twice what analysts expected, twelve cents per share versus the predicted six cents. Asked if they had any expectations internally of such a surprising performance, a Netflix executive said, “Well, we didn’t think it was completely out of the question; we have, after all, seen stranger things.” He then produced a cane, twirled it, and repeatedly doffed his top hat while shuffling sideways out of the room.

The More Things Change
Apple has reportedly shifted the focus of its automotive division from building a self-driving car to building an autonomous system for other cars. “Huh, who saw that coming?” said Apple’s TV division.

C’mon, We’re Sorry About The Wii U
Previously known as Project NX, Nintendo’s new console was unveiled as the Nintendo Switch, the final name chosen only after the marketing department insisted Nintendo Switch Please Switch From The Other Guys C’mon Switch Remember How Fun Mario And Zelda Were wasn’t very tweetable.

He’ll Come Around; He Wasn’t Happy When They Put Hoods On Sweatshirts At First Either
New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters that he is “done with tablets” due to in-game technical issues, and is going back to paper pictures to analyze on-field action. “Frankly,” he said, “I don’t see the use for technology of any sort in football.” Then everyone had a hearty laugh as he sent a fleet of camera-equipped drones toward the Pittsburgh Steelers practice field.

 

Wow, what a comeback for the Note 7! Pokemon Go fans must be furious that the app’s designers didn’t think to add some sort of real injury potential. The sore Pokeball-flipping thumb just doesn’t grab headlines.

 

Mike Range
@MovieLeagueMike

 

Creative Commons License
Weekly Tech Views: The Tech, No Logic Blog by Mike Range is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Weekly Tech Views: The Tech, No Logic Blog – Oct 15, 2016

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Real tech stories. Really shaky analysis.

So, Google is going to start adding Fact Check tags next to news stories to help readers better determine which articles are worthy of their time, to which we here at the Weekly Tech Views heartily say “how about you mind your own business, Google?”

 

That’s Actually Better Than We Expected
Despite a history of carriers delaying updates to Android phones, Verizon vows that owners of Verizon’s Google Pixel phones will receive updates as soon as Google releases them. A Weekly Tech Views poll shows that 18% of respondents believe Verizon, 20% will “wait and see,” and the remaining 62% wouldn’t believe Verizon if it said its name started with a V.

Why Does A Word Have To Mean Different Things?
Verizon attorneys stated that Yahoo’s data breach could be a valid reason for Verizon to halt their $4.8 billion acquisition of Yahoo.

“Do they think we don’t know what they’re up to?” said a Yahoo executive. “Just trying to get us to agree to a lower price? What do they think we are, a bunch of yah–damn it!”

John Lennon Would Be Proud
Microsoft sent an invitation to their October 26 Windows 10 Event asking attendees to not only “See what’s next for Windows 10,” but to “Imagine what you’ll do,” a more inspirational-poster-worthy shortening of the original “Imagine what you’ll do if you see someone actually pay $119 for this after we freaking begged them for months to take it for free.”

And Prime Members Can Select The Muzak
Amazon is reportedly planning to open brick and mortar convenience stores. I was at first skeptical of how much time this would save me. It only takes me a minute to grab bread, milk and eggs from the local Grab-N-Go, which is about the size of your average living room. So even if they pack my order ahead of time, is it worth it? (And what if they pack my milk and eggs too far ahead of time? I’m going to lose that saved minute about sixty times over while clutching the toilet bowl harking up a bad omelet).

But then I remembered that I have the attention span of a not-very-bright flea, and my subconscious evidently has the philosophy “why make one trip to the store when you can make three?” I’ll grab the milk and eggs and… and then a six-foot display of shiny six-packs catches my eye. What’s this? Why do the cans have pictures of pie on them? Wait–Ass-Kicking Apple Pie Mountain Dew? Get out! I’ve got to try this! Alright, Let’s get out of here! Milk, eggs, Apple Pie Mountain Dew, and… what? Wasn’t there something else? Of course there was, and I’ll remember bread! approximately three seconds after I step through my front door and ten seconds before I turn around and head back out to a different convenience store because I can’t have the bored high school kid at the first one thinking I’m an idiot.

But at an Amazon store, instead of agonizing over my forgetfulness, I just walk back and lift a gallon of milk from the cooler, where you know darned well there will be a screen that detects the milk’s removal and immediately displays Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought… Butter, Ice Cream, Bacon-Scented Air Fresheners, Bread– Bread! Thank you, magic Amazon screen.

Then, secure in the knowledge that I have everything, I can tolerate a possible wait in line by musing on how many people in town must have bought a bacon-scented air freshener with their milk to make that suggestion show up before bread.

Deny, Deny, Then Deny That You Denied
Messaging app Signal has released an update allowing messages to disappear anywhere from five seconds to a week after they’ve been read. Many will recognize this, based on his denials of his own tweets, as the same technology powering Donald Trump.

Make Asgardia Great Again
A Russian scientist has plans to create a brand new nation (true story). In space (still true). Named Asgardia, the nation is to begin on a satellite to be launched in 2017 (not making this up). You can go to Asgardia.space to help determine the country’s flag, insignia, and anthem (true, true, and true) and register for citizenship (why am I even here?). If interested, you should hurry and sign up to avoid the inevitable mad rush on Election Day in the U.S. (sure, I add something and it’s the least unbelievable part of the story).

Okay, Here’s Some Money. But Seriously, What Is The Big Deal? We Always Said It Had A 9-Hour Battery Life
Hoping to retain some degree of brand loyalty, Samsung is offering U.S. customers who exchange their fire-prone Note 7 for another Samsung phone a $100 bill credit. Plus a pair of commemorative, limited-edition Samsung oven mitts.

Now Who’s Good For Nothing?
Scientists discovered that feeding silkworms graphene or carbon nanotubes results in 50%-stronger silk, and that the silk can conduct electricity if it is first heated to 1050 degrees Celsius. Like many scientific breakthroughs, this conductivity potential was discovered accidentally, when during a lunch break someone standing next to the silk turned on their Galaxy Note 7.

When Everyone In Town Goes Vegetarian, You Stop Selling Hamburgers
Samsung halted production of the Galaxy Note 7 after at least five of the replacement models severely overheated or caught on fire. Asked why they were taking such a drastic step, a spokesman replied, “Our customers’ safety is our number one concern, and no matter the financial hit we take, we feel it is much more important to…” he paused, sighed heavily, and said, “Look, what’s the point? Our remaining market for those things is people emerging from month-long comas.

“We know we’ll be facing lawsuits from Note 7 owners, but if nothing else, maybe we can avoid the cost of legal action from non-owners who hurt themselves while running and throwing themselves in a ditch whenever they saw someone else carrying one.”

You Can’t Spell Novelty Without N-O-T-E
Samsung expects total losses due to the discontinuation of their Galaxy Note 7 to reach more than $5 billion. They hope to make up some of the revenue by expanding sales of the Galaxy S7, the S7 Edge, and the extremely popular I Survived The Note 7 t-shirts.

Where There’s A Will, There’s A Way To Be Disappointed
It turns out you can add Google Assistant to an Android phone running the Nougat OS–even if it isn’t a Pixel phone–by adding or tweaking two lines of code in a config file. I know what you’re thinking, but save yourself the hassle–based on the fifteen hours I just killed, no amount of BASIC-PLUS coding let’s you play Fallout 4 on your Kindle.

 

That’s all for this week. You’ll be happy to know our own internal fact checking worked like a charm, finding and discarding a whole host of useless facts.

Mike Range
@MovieLeagueMike

 

Creative Commons License
Weekly Tech Views: The Tech, No Logic Blog by Mike Range is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Cordkillers 140 – HomeCast

Netflix declares war on theaters, why you need a new Roku and Chromecast, and Dark Tower leaks!

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CordKillers: Ep. 140 – HomeCast
Recorded: October 10 2016
Guest: None

Intro Video

Primary Target

How to Watch

  • Roku makes it easy to launch a streaming TV channel
    – Roku has introduced the Roku Direct Publisher tool which lets anyone create a Roku channel without having to code. Users must host the videos themselves. Rolling Stone, Us Weekly and Cracked have used the tool to make apps. Channels built in the tool cannot charge subscriptions or video on demand fees yet. — And a 50-inch Roku TV from Hitachi is now available from Sam’s Club in the US for $499. 55 and 65-inch models are coming soon.
  • Apple Discontinues Third-Generation Apple TV
    – MacRumors notes the Apple TV third generation is no longer listed in Apple’s stores. The older Apple TV sold for $69 but did not support the app store or Siri. The 4th gen Apple TV sells for $149 at the cheapest.
  • Chromecast Ultra gives you 4K content for just $69
    – Chromecast Ultra
    – 4k, HDR and Dolby Vision
    – Google Play Movies adding 4K in November
    – Ethernet port in the power adapter
    – $69 in November
  • The Google Cast app is getting a new name and purpose
    – The Google Cast app is being renamed again to Google Home and adds in features for Google’s new connected speaker.  

What to Watch

What We’re Watching

Front Lines

  • HBO releases Westworld’s second episode two days early
    – HBO released Westworld’s second episode two days early on HBO Go, HBO Now, and on demand in order to avoid people skipping the episode to watch the US Presidential Debate. 
  • Why Cord Cutting Is Spreading to Broadband Internet Subscribers
    – Pew Research issued a report on a different kind of cord-cutting, dropping a home Internet connection in favor of a smartphone. In 2015 13% of US adults used a smartphone as their only Net connection up from 8% in 2013. And adults with home broadband connections dropped from 70% in 2013 to 67% in 2015. 
  • BitTorrent Fires CEOs, Closes Los Angeles Studio, Shutters BitTorrent Now
    – BitTorrent fired its Co-CEOs and is closing its LA-based production studio and closing its BuiTorrent Now streaming efforts. BitTorrent Now, an ad-supported music and video streaming platform that launched in June. 
  • AT&T Turns to Media Acquisitions as Its Video Ambitions Grow
    – Sources tell Bloomberg that AT&T plans to acquire content producers and shift its model toward owning some of the content it distributes. AT&T owns DirecTV and has partnered with the Chernin Group on Otter Media which intends to bring content targeting a young audience to the cord-cutting service DirecTV Now.
  • This fall, more new milestones for the DVR
    – DVRs are starting to materially affect ratings. During fall premiere week, five programs grew at least 100 percent from Live+Same Day to live-plus-seven-day-DVR playback, more than ever before. In total, 37 broadcast shows grew by at least 50 percent in 18-49s. This means the network will push to charge ad buyers on the 7 day rating, currently they generally charge on 3-day playback.
  • Toca TV is a new streaming service just for kids
    – Popular kids app maker Toca Boca has launched Toca TV a $5 a month subscription service of kid-friendly videos for iOS. Minecraft gameplay, DIY crafts, recipes, songs and more are made by partners including Broadband TV (BBTV), DreamworksTV, AwesomenessTV, Studio71, and Freedom!

Dispatches from the Front

There was a question about travel router on #cordkillers. Here’s my pick

– @ecardwell1
 

If you’re like me, you’ve been listening/watching since this was FrameRate. I’m always looking for more info on streaming services, and Inside.com has a newsletter just for that (https://inside.com/streaming). They put out a bunch of topics, people vote, & when a topic has enough subscribers, they create a newsletter.

Chris

 

 

 

Hey guys!

First off, thanks for the show. We’ve come to the most wonderful time of the year, hockey season. It’s also the time where it’s toughest for me to be a cord cutter.

I’m a Flyers fan, living in a flyers market. My ISP showed me across state in a Pittsburgh location. Last season I signed up for NHL Gamecenter, but missed out on games against Pens, This season, my ISP has relocated (yay faster speeds), so now I’m thinking of signing up for Playstation Vue. Vue has CSN so I’d get the majority of games, along with NBC Sports.

Quick questions about Vue, how does it work for viewing outside the home? If I end up traveling for work outside my home market, can I still watch the games? I know when Eklund was on, he mentioned some problems, all of that get cleared up? At home, am I better off using a dedicated device like a Fire Stick or casting it from an Android phone?

Thanks for the help!

Bob

 

 

 

So I was doing some volunteering the other day. Including me it was 8 people. I’m 51, and six of the people were in their early 20’s. so I asked how many of them were “Cord-cutters”. I received six puzzled expressions. So I started saying Roku and Apple TV and they all went ‘Oh, yeah. Why would you pay for cable when you just want to watch a couple things. Cable is so expensive.’ So all the young people don’t know the term Cord-cutter.

Also, when a younger person starts talking about how they just started lifting… they probably mean Lyft. Because all the kids seemed to know what that person was talking about, because their responses confused me and I had to ask. I thought they were talking about working out. But it was about the driving service.

Have a better than good day!

Blair

 

 

 

Hi guys. Dave82 from the chat room letting you know Charter called my Ooma land line last Friday.They wanted me to sign up to cable again.Like always,they wanted me to sign up for a triple bundle.

I declined the triple bundle.She then offered me a double bundle.The original offer was Charter Cable Select 125 channels + 60mbps internet for $96.98.I declined.At the last second,she offered the bundle for $86.98 for 12,months.

I took the offer.I agreed to a Wednesday installation for the cable box with DVR that’s free.The install will be $34.00.Having seen the first 2 episodes of West World,I’ve decided to bump the cable package to Silver.They said that will be an additional $20.00 a month.But I’ll have access to Cinemax,HBO,and Showtime.

I cancelled my Slingtv Orange package this morning.Halt and Catch Fire on AMC was really the only reason I kept my subscription.As I’m all caught up.I figured I’ll watch the rest with Charter.Really recommend episode 8 if you have not seen it yet.

I liked Sling TV.But reliability and adds with AMC On Demand were very frustrating.Also,no cable authentication with Cable channel web sights as well.I could of went with PlayStation Vue.If I would,I would choose Core package with HBO add on having did some research.

I’ll email next week how my re- connection to Charter Cable went.

David  in Fond Du Lac,Wisconsin

 

 

 

It breaks my heart that you guys seem to have given up on The Get Down after only two episodes. Yes, the early episodes had some cheesy moments (although much of that seems deliberate), but it is a very fun, and in some ways surprisingly accurate, almost-fairy tale/children’s book retelling of the origins of hip hop — and does an especially good job of showing the four elements of hip hop culture, deejaying, bboying (breaking), emceeing, and graffiti “writing”.

 

 

Links

patreon.com/cordkillers