Running time: 1:20:19 Download MP3 file Please install Flash to use the web based podcast player.
Hosts: Alex Lindsay, John Foster, Kenji Kato, Craig Syverson
Alex names his new baby boy Malakhi John Alexander Lindsay (Biblical origin meaning angel, God’s messenger) born on Saturday, November 24, 2007. Alex uses iPhoto and iWeb to post the new baby photos. He found it really easy, and made photo books too. Alex talks about his Mac Mini based entertainment center. Apple TV has no volume control, but the Mac Mini system with Front Row does. La Cie 750 GB external hard drives make too much noise for using with entertainment centers, and OWC has a quieter one of the same size.
Nine Inch Nails releases their entire new album as Garage Band Tracks. File sizes are around 300 MB per song.
Alex now gets T1 speed to help in distribution of TWiM, and Skype related projects.
DivX buys MainConcept for the h264 format
The h264 fee schedule allows projects under 12 minute exempt from fees. So if you’re making money from a h264 project that is 12 minutes or longer, you could be asked for royalties. No one seems to be paying now, but that may change in the future. MPEG LA web site doesn’t even have a way to pay a fee yet.
Purple Violets is first feature film to be released on iTunes only. It is a quality, high budget production by Edward Burns. It is not distributed by movie theaters. The movie “Conversations with Other Women” was given as an example of a type of independent movie that would be good for this kind of distribution model. It used an interesting split screen format, and stars Helena Bonham Carter and Aaron Eckhart. .
Video Cards are discussed as an important factor in scaling up compressed video for home viewing.
Kenji reviews IMAX 3D version of “Beowulf” and he really thought the 3D quality was “phenomenal”.
Many new films are being shot with this technology in mind, including the newest Batman: The Dark Knight feature. . Home theaters are getting so good that regular theaters will have to compete with providing a superior experience.
Alex talks about Motion Capture vs. traditional animation of expressions, and feels that the traditional method still gives better results when done by a skilled animator.
The new Sony XDCAM EX has been reviewed by Adam Wilt, and Alex has one on order.
It hasn’t shipped yet, and there were several theories discussed on why that might be.
The Red (still waiting) and the Sanyo Xacti waterproof underwater camcorder are mentioned.
School officials banning Wikipedia?
The Kindle reader design was discussed, not favorably. Is this really a good system for reading and sharing books?
EMI may cut Funding from RIAA.
Universal’s CEO Once Called iPod Users Thieves. Now He’s Giving Songs Away. Wired Story here.
iLounge story here.
RIAA is asked to justify the high settlement fees… they now have to reveal their damages when people make a digital download. Techdirt article here.
Recording Industry vs People link here.
The group The Shamen, back in 1990’s released CD and album with a songWhat is fair use of copyright protected entertainment?
“PandoraJam” is an application that keeps Pandora playing (separate from your browser app), and can record and transfer music to iTunes playlists.
MacWorld Conference and Expo will have a special podcast training, with Podango offering training as part of the conference, and Pixel Corps holding large training sessions on the exhibit floor.