Can Sony stop breaking its fans' hearts?
Sony's jaded fandom, so far, is hardly euphoric. "This could be really nice. Or not. I look forward with pleasure to learning of the newest batch of doomed proprietary formats and sealed platform. (Please, Sony, just for once... prove me wrong)," wrote reader "AreWeThereYet?" on Gizmodo. A fellow reader known as "R.O.A.C.H." wrote, "I like the general idea here. The problem is, it'll probably be locked down worse than the iPhone."There's good reason to be tired of the string of recent false starts, wrote Christopher McManus, the editor of the Sony Insider blog, in an e-mail interview. Sony's use of proprietary formats and failure to produce a true convergence gadget--one device that takes advantage of the wealth of content and technology Sony has at its disposal--have long vexed hardcore customers."Sony makes huge gambles with their innovations, hoping that they will take off and become mainstream," he said. "The general feeling is that when Sony launched a product in the past--specifically the '90s and early '00s--it could do so much, but generally was lacking a few key features and was generally more successful in an environment with only other Sony products." That's a nice way of saying some products were half-baked and were made to work with other Sony products. There are plenty of recent examples: the UMD format for games and movies that could only play on the PlayStation Portable, and the use of Memory Stick in the Walkman and Sony Ericsson phones. And more recently, their version of Roku or Apple TV, called Sony Bravia Internet Video Link that works only with, you guessed it, a Sony Bravia TV. The result of these recent missteps is a group of fans who you might say are passionate in their pessimism.A comment by user Agreeable_Panda on the gaming blog Kotaku, summed it up: "Seriously, I have so much love for that company, and yet, at the same time, so much hate. They do so many things so well, and so many things so terribly. They are one giant paradox." It's not that Sony doesn't have good ideas anymore, which customers and fans clearly recognize. The company is a leader in digital photography and is responsible for the rise of the Blu-ray format, and the extension of the 3D ecosystem, from the 3D cameras used by film studios to the forthcoming TVs to watch them on. The execution in some areas lately has been a problem. The PSP is a perfect example of a great idea that Sony failed to capitalize on and left fans disappointed, says Andrew Yoon, an editor at gaming blog Joystiq. "Five years ago, Sony released an incredible convergence device that was able to play music, video, and games of unparalleled graphic quality. It could have been the successor to the Walkman Sony had always been looking for," he said. "But Sony was much too late in opening the device to App developers, and providing a viable media store, all while Apple launched the iPod andiPhone." The same thing happened with the launch of the PSP Go, the redesigned gaming handheld. "It's a terrific piece of hardware, but Sony foolishly priced it well beyond its perceived value," Yoon said. "The PS3 launch should have proven that when consumers can't afford your product, they'd much rather hate your brand." The fear that Sony doesn't execute on its ideas in ways that make sense to all of its customers isn't new. For years, Sony fans have complained about the company's insistence on proprietary software and formats. Only recently has Sony signaled it was ready to give in, opting to sell SD cards for its products instead of relying on Memory Stick, its proprietary storage format.The Dash could be a sign of what's to come from Sony.SonyAnd long before Apple began lining up music labels and music studios to sell content through its iTunes portal, Sony had its own music labels (SonyBMG) and studio (Sony Pictures) at its disposal. Only this month is it planning on launching a media platform that will allow owners of Sony laptops and gaming devices, and apparently future smartphones and tablets, access to content that they otherwise could have turned to services like iTunes for.When it comes to gadgets, Sony's executives have admitted that it has struggled turning its ideas into products quickly enough to keep up with trends. The tablet is a good example. Only last month did Sony say it was interested in making a tablet, even admitting they were late to the game.But there are signs that Sony is at least thinking in the right direction. The company showed off the Dash Personal Internet Viewer at CES 2010, which right now is a really nifty alarm clock with Internet access. But Sony has brought in software people to look at how to open up the platform to non-Sony content like Twitter and Facebook, and is specifically targeting less tech-savvy people. It's also a sign that they understand the importance of their products working better together for the benefit of the consumer, said Ross Rubin, an analyst for the NPD Group who follows the consumer electronics industry."You can have an infinite number of kinds of devices between a smartphone and a laptop, it's hard to say which of those they'll turn into a product. The Dash is an interesting harbinger of the type of convergence-capable product that they could launch that grows out of an existing category," Rubin said.Of course, making a legitimate iPhone and/or iPad competitor isn't the only way to lure back old fans and win some new ones, but it's a good start. As Joystiq's Yoon pointed out, there's plenty of room left for Sony to have a hit product that focuses on games, and is not necessarily an all-in-one media device. And fans probably shouldn't put too much stock in whether what Sony comes up with next will help it compete better with Apple. "I don't think the iPhone is the end-all of a gaming-centric convergence device. Once again, while it has a lot of great games, hardcore gamers simply don't view it in the same light as a PSP or a DS," Yoon said. "There's clearly an opportunity to refine the experience, and until we actually see Sony's supposed devices in action, we can't really jump to conclusions."
Rdio changes leadership tune, naming new CEO
Rdio changes leadership tune, naming new CEO
After trimming staff last month to save money, online subscription music service Rdio has named Anthony Bay -- a former Amazon, Microsoft and Apple exec -- as chief executive.Bay will succeed longtime CEO Drew Larner, who will become vice chairman and an adviser to the board, Rdio said Tuesday in its announcement.The streaming segment is the music industry's area of greatest growth, but it's intensely competitive, and Rdio has been going up against rivals that beat it either in global reach, like Spotify; in profitability, like Slacker; or in pure size, like Pandora.Related storiesRdio changes leadership tune, naming new CEORdio now streaming tracks to 51 countriesRdio shutters Vdio, hits rewind on video-streaming effortsCEO: Rdio's problem? Not enough people use Rdio (Q&A)Rdio lifts listening time limits on free Web music streamingRdio didn't immediately respond to CNET's queries regarding the reason for the change in leadership. In a statement, Rdio founder Janus Friis said the company has accomplished its first goal "to build the best music streaming experience" and now needs to expand its global reach and its active, paying subscriber base. "Anthony will also play a critical role in unlocking the value of our global terrestrial radio partnerships," Friis said.In September, Rdio said it was launching a free, ad-supported music service as part of a partnership with radio station operator Cumulus.The deal was meant to make Rdio more competitive with the likes of Spotify, Pandora, and iTunes Radio by giving it broader access to the terrestrial radio giant's programming and promotion across Cumulus' 525 radio stations. In addition to providing content for Rdio users, Cumulus will sell advertising for Rdio's free, ad-supported version. Otherwise, Rdio charges $5 to $10 a month for access to its music library. Including the Cumulus deal, the leadership switch is the biggest alteration so far in several changes that are morphing Rdio. Last month, Rdio confirmed it was making workforce reductions to improve its cost structure "and ensure a scalable business model for the long term," according to Nada Antoun, director of public relations. Bay is the former head of Amazon's global video business and held numerous roles at Microsoft, including jobs on its e-commerce technology platform and Windows Media Technologies. Prior to joining Microsoft, he spent eight years at Apple, three of those in Europe, where his responsibilities included leading Apple's online services.
After trimming staff last month to save money, online subscription music service Rdio has named Anthony Bay -- a former Amazon, Microsoft and Apple exec -- as chief executive.Bay will succeed longtime CEO Drew Larner, who will become vice chairman and an adviser to the board, Rdio said Tuesday in its announcement.The streaming segment is the music industry's area of greatest growth, but it's intensely competitive, and Rdio has been going up against rivals that beat it either in global reach, like Spotify; in profitability, like Slacker; or in pure size, like Pandora.Related storiesRdio changes leadership tune, naming new CEORdio now streaming tracks to 51 countriesRdio shutters Vdio, hits rewind on video-streaming effortsCEO: Rdio's problem? Not enough people use Rdio (Q&A)Rdio lifts listening time limits on free Web music streamingRdio didn't immediately respond to CNET's queries regarding the reason for the change in leadership. In a statement, Rdio founder Janus Friis said the company has accomplished its first goal "to build the best music streaming experience" and now needs to expand its global reach and its active, paying subscriber base. "Anthony will also play a critical role in unlocking the value of our global terrestrial radio partnerships," Friis said.In September, Rdio said it was launching a free, ad-supported music service as part of a partnership with radio station operator Cumulus.The deal was meant to make Rdio more competitive with the likes of Spotify, Pandora, and iTunes Radio by giving it broader access to the terrestrial radio giant's programming and promotion across Cumulus' 525 radio stations. In addition to providing content for Rdio users, Cumulus will sell advertising for Rdio's free, ad-supported version. Otherwise, Rdio charges $5 to $10 a month for access to its music library. Including the Cumulus deal, the leadership switch is the biggest alteration so far in several changes that are morphing Rdio. Last month, Rdio confirmed it was making workforce reductions to improve its cost structure "and ensure a scalable business model for the long term," according to Nada Antoun, director of public relations. Bay is the former head of Amazon's global video business and held numerous roles at Microsoft, including jobs on its e-commerce technology platform and Windows Media Technologies. Prior to joining Microsoft, he spent eight years at Apple, three of those in Europe, where his responsibilities included leading Apple's online services.
European telcoms defend leaked proposal for U.N. Internet tax
European telcoms defend leaked proposal for U.N. Internet tax
Last night, CNET reported that the European Telecommunications Network Operators Association, or ETNO, a Brussels-based lobby group representing companies in 35 nations, proposed the idea for debate at a December meeting of a U.N. agency called the International Telecommunication Union. ETNO's members, which unanimously approved the idea, include Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom, Telecom Italia, Swisscom, and Spain's Telefonica. While this is the first time this proposal been advanced, European network providers and phone companies have complained bitterly about U.S. content providers for some time. France Telecom, Telecom Italia, and Vodafone Group want to "require content providers like Apple and Google to pay fees linked to usage," Bloomberg reported last December.ETNO refers to it as the "principle of sending party network pays" -- an idea borrowed from the system set up to handle payments for international phone calls, where the recipient's network set the per-minute price. If its proposal is adopted, it would spell an end to the Internet's long-standing, successful design based on unmetered "peered" traffic, and effectively tax content providers to reach non-U.S. Internet users. Today's statement from ETNO says: "It will be possible to establish new interconnection policies based on the 'value' of the traffic (not only on the 'volume'), enablingnew business models and implementingan ecosystem where operators' revenues will not be disconnected from the investment needs made necessary by the rapid growth of Internet traffic." It suggests that "operating agencies shall negotiate commercial agreements to achieve a sustainable system of fair compensation for telecommunications services."The leaked documents(No. 1 No. 2) were posted by the Web site WCITLeaks, which was created by two policy analysts at the free-market Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Arlington, Va, who stress their Wikileaks-esque project is being done in their spare time. The name, WCITLeaks, is a reference to the ITU's December summit in Dubai, the World Conference on International Telecommunications, or WCIT.In a rare show of bipartisan unity during an election year, both the Obama administration and Republican members of Congress warned last week that secret negotiations at the ITU over an international communications treaty could result in a radical re-engineering of the Internet ecosystem and allow governments to monitor or restrict their citizens' online activities.
Last night, CNET reported that the European Telecommunications Network Operators Association, or ETNO, a Brussels-based lobby group representing companies in 35 nations, proposed the idea for debate at a December meeting of a U.N. agency called the International Telecommunication Union. ETNO's members, which unanimously approved the idea, include Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom, Telecom Italia, Swisscom, and Spain's Telefonica. While this is the first time this proposal been advanced, European network providers and phone companies have complained bitterly about U.S. content providers for some time. France Telecom, Telecom Italia, and Vodafone Group want to "require content providers like Apple and Google to pay fees linked to usage," Bloomberg reported last December.ETNO refers to it as the "principle of sending party network pays" -- an idea borrowed from the system set up to handle payments for international phone calls, where the recipient's network set the per-minute price. If its proposal is adopted, it would spell an end to the Internet's long-standing, successful design based on unmetered "peered" traffic, and effectively tax content providers to reach non-U.S. Internet users. Today's statement from ETNO says: "It will be possible to establish new interconnection policies based on the 'value' of the traffic (not only on the 'volume'), enablingnew business models and implementingan ecosystem where operators' revenues will not be disconnected from the investment needs made necessary by the rapid growth of Internet traffic." It suggests that "operating agencies shall negotiate commercial agreements to achieve a sustainable system of fair compensation for telecommunications services."The leaked documents(No. 1 No. 2) were posted by the Web site WCITLeaks, which was created by two policy analysts at the free-market Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Arlington, Va, who stress their Wikileaks-esque project is being done in their spare time. The name, WCITLeaks, is a reference to the ITU's December summit in Dubai, the World Conference on International Telecommunications, or WCIT.In a rare show of bipartisan unity during an election year, both the Obama administration and Republican members of Congress warned last week that secret negotiations at the ITU over an international communications treaty could result in a radical re-engineering of the Internet ecosystem and allow governments to monitor or restrict their citizens' online activities.
The 404 678- Where we bite into a Koala Bear (podcast)
The 404 678: Where we bite into a Koala Bear (podcast)
As of Wednesday of this week, the most downloaded novel on the Amazon Kindle Webstore was "Compromising Positions" by Jenna Bayley Burke. As you might not have guessed from the subtle wit in its name, "Compromising Positions" is an adult-rated novel that represents the latest trend in Kindlerotica, or e-porn.Whereas classic romance novels are traditionally targeted at women, this latest genre is definitely written for men and most of the titles read like text out of Penhouse Forum letters. It's disturbing to think that people are actually reading these stories in public, but the problem may be that Amazon is distributing these stories for free, which explains why they keep popping up on the best-seller list.None of us really get the appeal, and Jeff puts it best when he describes his visual affinity toward the subject matter. In either case, if you want to check it out, another novel called "Office Slave" seems to be a good place to start....but do everyone a favor and stay out of the subway when you read it, OK?Speaking of dirty birdies, the 2600 just published the Google Blacklist--Words that Google Instant Doesn't Like, and there are a ton of submissions. Google Instant is a new search feature that shows results in real time as you type. It also relies on predictive results that could potentially save you two to five seconds per search, but that opens up the floodgates on certain words that Google deems universally offensive.So alongside the standard four-letter cusswords and NSFW terms, there's also a heap of ambiguously dirty words like "golden," "lemon," "teen," and an entire section dedicated to variations on the word "dog." Use your imagination, or just check out the entire list, at your own discretion--this is your official NSFW warning!Oh, Google also unveiled its own URL shortener called Goo.gl. FYI, we spend less time talking about that than it took for you to read the previous sentence.Have a great weekend everyone!Episode 678PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
As of Wednesday of this week, the most downloaded novel on the Amazon Kindle Webstore was "Compromising Positions" by Jenna Bayley Burke. As you might not have guessed from the subtle wit in its name, "Compromising Positions" is an adult-rated novel that represents the latest trend in Kindlerotica, or e-porn.Whereas classic romance novels are traditionally targeted at women, this latest genre is definitely written for men and most of the titles read like text out of Penhouse Forum letters. It's disturbing to think that people are actually reading these stories in public, but the problem may be that Amazon is distributing these stories for free, which explains why they keep popping up on the best-seller list.None of us really get the appeal, and Jeff puts it best when he describes his visual affinity toward the subject matter. In either case, if you want to check it out, another novel called "Office Slave" seems to be a good place to start....but do everyone a favor and stay out of the subway when you read it, OK?Speaking of dirty birdies, the 2600 just published the Google Blacklist--Words that Google Instant Doesn't Like, and there are a ton of submissions. Google Instant is a new search feature that shows results in real time as you type. It also relies on predictive results that could potentially save you two to five seconds per search, but that opens up the floodgates on certain words that Google deems universally offensive.So alongside the standard four-letter cusswords and NSFW terms, there's also a heap of ambiguously dirty words like "golden," "lemon," "teen," and an entire section dedicated to variations on the word "dog." Use your imagination, or just check out the entire list, at your own discretion--this is your official NSFW warning!Oh, Google also unveiled its own URL shortener called Goo.gl. FYI, we spend less time talking about that than it took for you to read the previous sentence.Have a great weekend everyone!Episode 678PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
No more rewind on many SiriusXM channels
No more rewind on many SiriusXM channels
It's official -- the best feature of SiriusXM's iPhone (and now Android app) has been removed from many of its most popular stations. Version 2.0.2 of the iPhone app confirmed what many subscribers suspected: licensing contracts got in the way of convenience and technology.The satellite radio company updated its iPhone app on April 16 to version 2.0.1. Many listeners who updated reported network errors preventing them from using the app, and others lucky enough to connect to SiriusXM bemoaned the loss of an exit button and were left wondering why 5-hour rewind was gone from their favorite stations. However, because the app was full of glitches and its iTunes description remained unchanged -- promising 5-hour rewind on all stations -- it wasn't clear if the feature loss was permanent or just a glitch. Version 2.0.2, released last week, seemed neither to fix the network errors, nor bring back the missing features removed with version 2.0.1. But one issue was cleared up: 5-hour rewind won't be available on every station. Along with promising to fix the network error bug (it didn't, according to app user comments), the iTunes app description now advertises five-hour rewind only on "most" stations. SiriusXM's public relations team did not respond to my e-mails or calls about the reasons prompting this change. However, the entertainment giant's Twitter help team isn't as tight-lipped. In response to one app user's question about the missing rewind feature, @SiriusXM replied: "In some cases, with our News channels, our ability to offer Start Now is restricted by third parties & our contracts with them."It's not clear why the contracts prevent rewinding 5 hours of programming on a station, and yet upcoming satellite radio tuners let listeners record channels and shows. It's possible that some stations felt it competed with their own mobile products that they're struggling to monetize. Or it could be just another way to squeeze more money from SiriusXM.
It's official -- the best feature of SiriusXM's iPhone (and now Android app) has been removed from many of its most popular stations. Version 2.0.2 of the iPhone app confirmed what many subscribers suspected: licensing contracts got in the way of convenience and technology.The satellite radio company updated its iPhone app on April 16 to version 2.0.1. Many listeners who updated reported network errors preventing them from using the app, and others lucky enough to connect to SiriusXM bemoaned the loss of an exit button and were left wondering why 5-hour rewind was gone from their favorite stations. However, because the app was full of glitches and its iTunes description remained unchanged -- promising 5-hour rewind on all stations -- it wasn't clear if the feature loss was permanent or just a glitch. Version 2.0.2, released last week, seemed neither to fix the network errors, nor bring back the missing features removed with version 2.0.1. But one issue was cleared up: 5-hour rewind won't be available on every station. Along with promising to fix the network error bug (it didn't, according to app user comments), the iTunes app description now advertises five-hour rewind only on "most" stations. SiriusXM's public relations team did not respond to my e-mails or calls about the reasons prompting this change. However, the entertainment giant's Twitter help team isn't as tight-lipped. In response to one app user's question about the missing rewind feature, @SiriusXM replied: "In some cases, with our News channels, our ability to offer Start Now is restricted by third parties & our contracts with them."It's not clear why the contracts prevent rewinding 5 hours of programming on a station, and yet upcoming satellite radio tuners let listeners record channels and shows. It's possible that some stations felt it competed with their own mobile products that they're struggling to monetize. Or it could be just another way to squeeze more money from SiriusXM.
E3 2007- What's on deck for the PS3-
E3 2007: What's on deck for the PS3?
Sony launched a pre-emptive strike on the E3 grapevine with its announcement yesterday that it's cutting the price of the 60GB PlayStation 3 to $500, and offering a new 80GB model for $600 in August. But what else does the company have up its sleeve for the show? There are still at least a couple of unanswered questions offering grist for the rumor mill:rumble-enabled Sixaxis controller: Sony has already shot down rumorsthat the 80GB PS3 will come bundled with a new rumble-ready Sixaxis controller. (Of course, the company was denying rumors of a PS3 price cut as recently as last week.) But Sony's settlement with Immersion means that a rumble-ified PS3 controller is no longer an impossibility. video download service: The Xbox 360's Video Marketplace gives users access to downloadable movies and TV shows, including plenty of HD content that looks far better than anything Apple's iTunes Store has offered to date. Newsweek(via Kotaku) reports that a Sony online media store may be announced at the show, even though it won't be ready to roll out until later in the year. Given Sony's ample content holdings--including all those Columbia, Tri-Star, and MGM movies and TV shows--this has always been a question of when, not if.On the games front--which, after the price cut, is where the PS3 really needs to prove its mettle--there are quite a few exclusives to keep an eye on: Lair, Heavenly Sword, Warhawk, Metal Gear Solid 4, The Agency, and Killzone 2 will be among the titles making yet another E3 appearance. And we'll no doubt hear more news about the console's Second Life-like PlayStation Home service as well. But only time will tell whether one of those titles--or an as-yet-unseen game--will be the killer app that spurs PS3 sales back to the glory days of PlayStation dominance.The Sony press conference is Wednesday, July 11 at 2:30pm ET/11:30am PT (directly after Nintendo's). Crave will have complete coverage at that time.
Sony launched a pre-emptive strike on the E3 grapevine with its announcement yesterday that it's cutting the price of the 60GB PlayStation 3 to $500, and offering a new 80GB model for $600 in August. But what else does the company have up its sleeve for the show? There are still at least a couple of unanswered questions offering grist for the rumor mill:rumble-enabled Sixaxis controller: Sony has already shot down rumorsthat the 80GB PS3 will come bundled with a new rumble-ready Sixaxis controller. (Of course, the company was denying rumors of a PS3 price cut as recently as last week.) But Sony's settlement with Immersion means that a rumble-ified PS3 controller is no longer an impossibility. video download service: The Xbox 360's Video Marketplace gives users access to downloadable movies and TV shows, including plenty of HD content that looks far better than anything Apple's iTunes Store has offered to date. Newsweek(via Kotaku) reports that a Sony online media store may be announced at the show, even though it won't be ready to roll out until later in the year. Given Sony's ample content holdings--including all those Columbia, Tri-Star, and MGM movies and TV shows--this has always been a question of when, not if.On the games front--which, after the price cut, is where the PS3 really needs to prove its mettle--there are quite a few exclusives to keep an eye on: Lair, Heavenly Sword, Warhawk, Metal Gear Solid 4, The Agency, and Killzone 2 will be among the titles making yet another E3 appearance. And we'll no doubt hear more news about the console's Second Life-like PlayStation Home service as well. But only time will tell whether one of those titles--or an as-yet-unseen game--will be the killer app that spurs PS3 sales back to the glory days of PlayStation dominance.The Sony press conference is Wednesday, July 11 at 2:30pm ET/11:30am PT (directly after Nintendo's). Crave will have complete coverage at that time.
Dropbox is like Microsoft in the '90s, says startup's CEO
Dropbox is like Microsoft in the '90s, says startup's CEO
Dropbox has continued to grow at a steady, and rapid, pace because of its hold on both consumer and enterprise products, CEO Drew Houston said Monday at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco.He said Dropbox has reached 200 million users, that's up from 175 million in July and 100 million in November. When asked which company Dropbox emulated, Houston likened his company to the Microsoft of yesteryear. The cloud-storage company has been pushing for growth on its enterprise side, while also courting developers to grow its number of apps and integrations."We have that consumer and enterprise kind of crossover," he replied. "Microsoft in the '90s is the company that most comes to mind in having this mass opportunity in both places."Related storiesScanner Pro turns an iPhone into a document scannerDropbox gets a mobile API and a trio of appsBuzz Out Loud 1221: Unbumble the Internet (podcast)But while Microsoft is a huge, public company, Houston has no interest in joining it in that arena anytime soon. Dropbox was valued at $4 billion last year, and Houston said it still has not spent all the money raised in the last round of funding, which gives the company the flexibility to innovate."We're using this time to really stay focused on the product and focused on the company, and maybe at some point we'll go public, but it's really not something we're focused on right now," he said.What the company is focused on is mobile, Houston said, adding that he thinks Dropbox needs a much different mobile product."When we started, it was really this extension of this magic folder that we put on our computer. The mobile app is just a window into your computer...what we're building is a completely different experience," he said.Houston also said Dropbox is not interested in the media-storage space -- one that's crowded with competitors like iTunes or Google Play for Music -- because it wants to focus on personal files, "the things that you're working on, the photos you take," and not commercial content.
Dropbox has continued to grow at a steady, and rapid, pace because of its hold on both consumer and enterprise products, CEO Drew Houston said Monday at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco.He said Dropbox has reached 200 million users, that's up from 175 million in July and 100 million in November. When asked which company Dropbox emulated, Houston likened his company to the Microsoft of yesteryear. The cloud-storage company has been pushing for growth on its enterprise side, while also courting developers to grow its number of apps and integrations."We have that consumer and enterprise kind of crossover," he replied. "Microsoft in the '90s is the company that most comes to mind in having this mass opportunity in both places."Related storiesScanner Pro turns an iPhone into a document scannerDropbox gets a mobile API and a trio of appsBuzz Out Loud 1221: Unbumble the Internet (podcast)But while Microsoft is a huge, public company, Houston has no interest in joining it in that arena anytime soon. Dropbox was valued at $4 billion last year, and Houston said it still has not spent all the money raised in the last round of funding, which gives the company the flexibility to innovate."We're using this time to really stay focused on the product and focused on the company, and maybe at some point we'll go public, but it's really not something we're focused on right now," he said.What the company is focused on is mobile, Houston said, adding that he thinks Dropbox needs a much different mobile product."When we started, it was really this extension of this magic folder that we put on our computer. The mobile app is just a window into your computer...what we're building is a completely different experience," he said.Houston also said Dropbox is not interested in the media-storage space -- one that's crowded with competitors like iTunes or Google Play for Music -- because it wants to focus on personal files, "the things that you're working on, the photos you take," and not commercial content.
Samsung- 5M Galaxy Note 2 units sold in 2 months
Samsung: 5M Galaxy Note 2 units sold in 2 months
Samsung said today it has sold more than 5 million Galaxy Note 2 devices worldwide, just two months after the product was first released.The Korean technology giant said in a statement (Google Translate) that sales of the part-phone, part-tablet -- a so-called "phablet" -- hit the milestone around a month after Samsung sold 3 million of the devices in the first 30 days after its release.Related stories:Samsung: 3M Galaxy Note 2 units sold in 30 daysApple targets Galaxy Note 2, S3 Mini in latest court requestThe 5.5-inch device is selling at roughly three times faster than its predecessor, the original Galaxy Note, which took three months to hit the 3 million mark. Earlier predictions by Samsung said the device could sell as many as 20 million units -- around double that of its predecessor -- thanks to a partnership with 260 carriers around the world. Despite hitting the 5 million figure, the Note 2's sales are way behind that of the Galaxy S3: Samsung sold 20 million of its flagship smartphone in the first 100 days after its launch. Nevertheless, the Note 2's sales are still no mean feat considering that the demand for larger 5-inch to-7-inch smartphones is significantly smaller than that for regular-sized devices.But it's not all been smooth-sailing for Samsung with the Note 2. Apple recently requested that the Galaxy Note 2 be added to an ongoing patent suit against Samsung, along with the Galaxy S3, and the Galaxy S3 Mini.The case is set to go to trial in 2014. This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Samsung said today it has sold more than 5 million Galaxy Note 2 devices worldwide, just two months after the product was first released.The Korean technology giant said in a statement (Google Translate) that sales of the part-phone, part-tablet -- a so-called "phablet" -- hit the milestone around a month after Samsung sold 3 million of the devices in the first 30 days after its release.Related stories:Samsung: 3M Galaxy Note 2 units sold in 30 daysApple targets Galaxy Note 2, S3 Mini in latest court requestThe 5.5-inch device is selling at roughly three times faster than its predecessor, the original Galaxy Note, which took three months to hit the 3 million mark. Earlier predictions by Samsung said the device could sell as many as 20 million units -- around double that of its predecessor -- thanks to a partnership with 260 carriers around the world. Despite hitting the 5 million figure, the Note 2's sales are way behind that of the Galaxy S3: Samsung sold 20 million of its flagship smartphone in the first 100 days after its launch. Nevertheless, the Note 2's sales are still no mean feat considering that the demand for larger 5-inch to-7-inch smartphones is significantly smaller than that for regular-sized devices.But it's not all been smooth-sailing for Samsung with the Note 2. Apple recently requested that the Galaxy Note 2 be added to an ongoing patent suit against Samsung, along with the Galaxy S3, and the Galaxy S3 Mini.The case is set to go to trial in 2014. This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Report- Sony to launch latest iTunes challenger
Report: Sony to launch latest iTunes challenger
Sony has plans to launch a music and video subscription service, according to a report in The Financial Times. The Japanese conglomerate is expected to announce the service Wednesday at a technology show in Berlin, just ahead of Apple's media event in San Francisco.According to the FT, "Sony would use its [Web-connected] PlayStation games consoles as the starting point for a new service that users will be able to use across a range of other Internet-connected devices. That could include Walkman music players, Vaio computers, Bravia TVs, Blu-ray players and Sony Ericsson mobile phones."The service won't actually be ready to launch until next year, according to the paper. (Could it be that Sony wanted to piggyback on Apple's media event or at least muddy the waters?)One can only hope that this effort is better conceived than Sony's last attempt to challenge iTunes, with the ill-fated Sony Connect.Launched in 2004, Sony Connect was racked with software malfunctions and hobbled by the lack of consumer interest in Sony's digital music players. At the time, the iPod was running away with the market. Analysts blamed Connect's problems in part on the different goals of different divisions, such as the desire of the content creators to protect their music and movies from piracy vs. the stake the electronics division had in technologies such as the MiniDisc and the Memory Stick.Sony shuttered Connect two years ago.
Sony has plans to launch a music and video subscription service, according to a report in The Financial Times. The Japanese conglomerate is expected to announce the service Wednesday at a technology show in Berlin, just ahead of Apple's media event in San Francisco.According to the FT, "Sony would use its [Web-connected] PlayStation games consoles as the starting point for a new service that users will be able to use across a range of other Internet-connected devices. That could include Walkman music players, Vaio computers, Bravia TVs, Blu-ray players and Sony Ericsson mobile phones."The service won't actually be ready to launch until next year, according to the paper. (Could it be that Sony wanted to piggyback on Apple's media event or at least muddy the waters?)One can only hope that this effort is better conceived than Sony's last attempt to challenge iTunes, with the ill-fated Sony Connect.Launched in 2004, Sony Connect was racked with software malfunctions and hobbled by the lack of consumer interest in Sony's digital music players. At the time, the iPod was running away with the market. Analysts blamed Connect's problems in part on the different goals of different divisions, such as the desire of the content creators to protect their music and movies from piracy vs. the stake the electronics division had in technologies such as the MiniDisc and the Memory Stick.Sony shuttered Connect two years ago.
Report- RIM to launch QNX BlackBerry in 1st quarter
Report: RIM to launch QNX BlackBerry in 1st quarter
The timing of the launch is still conditional on the testing process, according to Boy Genius Report. Also of note, the blog reports that the first phone won't feature support for the BlackBerry Enterprise Server because of the complexities of rewriting the BES code for the new software. Instead, it will feature access to Microsoft's ActiveSync e-mail software.The new timetable suggests an accelerated schedule for RIM, which has previously said it expects to have a phone using its QNX software out by the first half of 2012. The "superphones" are seen as key to RIM's potential turnaround. RIM purchased QNX and its software to better compete with the newer operating systems offered by Apple and Google. The first device to run QNX, the PlayBook, has only seen mixed results in the market. Related stories:• Dialed in 185: We go BlackBerry picking• BlackBerry through the years• AT&T doubles down on BlackBerry with three OS 7 devices• Hands-on with the new BlackBerrysRIM is hoping to have more luck with its BlackBerry line. BGR reports that the Colt will feature a 1-gigahertz processor, slower than the dual-core processors RIM executives previously said were likely to be found in the next-generation smartphones. BGR noted, however, that the specifications could change. The news comes as RIM has pulled the wraps off several new BlackBerry devices and carrier partnerships. As I note here, it would be unwise to pick up the new BlackBerrys, which run an older operating system that will see less support once QNX becomes the focus for the company.
The timing of the launch is still conditional on the testing process, according to Boy Genius Report. Also of note, the blog reports that the first phone won't feature support for the BlackBerry Enterprise Server because of the complexities of rewriting the BES code for the new software. Instead, it will feature access to Microsoft's ActiveSync e-mail software.The new timetable suggests an accelerated schedule for RIM, which has previously said it expects to have a phone using its QNX software out by the first half of 2012. The "superphones" are seen as key to RIM's potential turnaround. RIM purchased QNX and its software to better compete with the newer operating systems offered by Apple and Google. The first device to run QNX, the PlayBook, has only seen mixed results in the market. Related stories:• Dialed in 185: We go BlackBerry picking• BlackBerry through the years• AT&T doubles down on BlackBerry with three OS 7 devices• Hands-on with the new BlackBerrysRIM is hoping to have more luck with its BlackBerry line. BGR reports that the Colt will feature a 1-gigahertz processor, slower than the dual-core processors RIM executives previously said were likely to be found in the next-generation smartphones. BGR noted, however, that the specifications could change. The news comes as RIM has pulled the wraps off several new BlackBerry devices and carrier partnerships. As I note here, it would be unwise to pick up the new BlackBerrys, which run an older operating system that will see less support once QNX becomes the focus for the company.
Report- RIM axes PlayBook sales target
Report: RIM axes PlayBook sales target
For the second quarter, RIM now expects to sell 800,000 to 900,000 tablets, down from its original goal of 2.4 million units, according to DigiTimes.The PlayBook kicked off launch day in mid-April with strong sales of 40,000 to 50,000 units. Since then, demand for the tablet has softened, said the sources.Though RIM may not reach its original sales target, the PlayBook has still sold well enough to place it among the top non-iPad devices, according to DigiTimes. Further, since the PlayBook is currently available as a Wi-Fi only device, DigiTimes said that market watchers are hopeful the tablet will generate more sales once its 3G, LTE, and WiMax versions reach consumers after the third quarter.in response to CNET's request for comment, a RIM representative said it's company policy to decline to comment on rumors and speculation.Facing competition from the iPad, other non-Apple tablet makers have also been forced to scale back on their plans.Acer last week revealed that it had misjudged how many Iconia Tab tablets it would sell this year and trimmed its sales forecast for the device by 60 percent.J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz recently said that the "weak showing" of products such as the Motorola Xoom, the PlayBook, and Samsung's Galaxy Tab have prompted tablet makers to slash their build plans by around 10 percent this year. Among global tablet makers, only Apple, HTC, and Lenovo have apparently kept their build plans the same since March. Other companies, such as Acer, Dell, Motorola, RIM, Toshiba, and Samsung have cut their build plans by double digit percentages, according to Moskowitz.Updated at 8:30 a.m. PT with response from RIM.
For the second quarter, RIM now expects to sell 800,000 to 900,000 tablets, down from its original goal of 2.4 million units, according to DigiTimes.The PlayBook kicked off launch day in mid-April with strong sales of 40,000 to 50,000 units. Since then, demand for the tablet has softened, said the sources.Though RIM may not reach its original sales target, the PlayBook has still sold well enough to place it among the top non-iPad devices, according to DigiTimes. Further, since the PlayBook is currently available as a Wi-Fi only device, DigiTimes said that market watchers are hopeful the tablet will generate more sales once its 3G, LTE, and WiMax versions reach consumers after the third quarter.in response to CNET's request for comment, a RIM representative said it's company policy to decline to comment on rumors and speculation.Facing competition from the iPad, other non-Apple tablet makers have also been forced to scale back on their plans.Acer last week revealed that it had misjudged how many Iconia Tab tablets it would sell this year and trimmed its sales forecast for the device by 60 percent.J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz recently said that the "weak showing" of products such as the Motorola Xoom, the PlayBook, and Samsung's Galaxy Tab have prompted tablet makers to slash their build plans by around 10 percent this year. Among global tablet makers, only Apple, HTC, and Lenovo have apparently kept their build plans the same since March. Other companies, such as Acer, Dell, Motorola, RIM, Toshiba, and Samsung have cut their build plans by double digit percentages, according to Moskowitz.Updated at 8:30 a.m. PT with response from RIM.
Box Office Report: Teenage Girls Rule As Adults Continue to Cry
Here areyour three-day box office returns (new releases bolded): 1. One Direction: This Is Us - $16.9 million 2. Lee Daniels; The Butler - $14.8 million 3. We;re the Millers - $12.7 million 4. Planes - $7.7 million 5. Instructions Not Included - $7.5 million 6. Elysium - $6.3 million 7. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones - $5.6 million 8. The World;s End - $5.1 million 9. Getaway - $4.5 million 10. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters - $4.4 million The Big Stories Here;s a question for you: Did you go see a new movie this weekend? If you did, here;s another for you: Why? There are still reasons to go. Maybe you couldn;t get out of town for the holiday. Maybe you heard how great The World;s End was and wanted to support its awesomeness. Maybe you had not seen Lee Daniels; The Butler yet and needed to get out there before Harvey Weinstein cuts out 20 minutes and adds title cards to each appearing president. (Richard Nixon - He met Elvis who was trained by Mike Stone who trained under Bruce Lee.) Otherwise, unless you had an adolescent daughter there was really no reason to go to the cinema. The Direction We Are Headed They have a grand total of two albums and now the third-rate boy band from a fourth-rate American Idol show have a number-onefilm at the box office. From the dangers of binging on McDonalds to finding Osama bin Laden to Hollywood product placement, no horrors could prepare director Morgan Spurlock for the vocal stylings of Harry, Louis, Liam, Niall and Zayn. Or that Martin Scorsese would show up at one of their shows. Just when it seemed that these stale,bubblegum concert films were on the way out, along comes an estimated $20 million in ticket sales through the Labor Day holiday. Not quite as big as Miley Cyrus; $31.1 million or Justin Bieber;s $29.5 million (both in three days, not four), nor even Michael Jackson;s postmortem This Is It and his $26.1 million (in four days), but Sony has to be very happy with numbers that look better on the book after a summer of After Earth, White House Down, Elysium and The Mortal Instruments. Katy Perry;s concert/breakup film only grossed $25.3 million last summer and how bad do the Jonas Brothers feel with their total of $19.1 million at the box office; barely enough to keep their fans covered in white foam. Guess it really is the little things that provide those teenage kicks. Something for Teenage Boys? If they are hoping to get their kicks with Selena Gomez this week, might I recommend Spring Breakers instead. Heck, they may even be more prone to Monte Carlo, depending on where their hormonal interests currently lie. No male, young or old, should take much interest in Getaway and, judging from its totals this holiday, the point was taken. The single worst reviewed major release of the summer (garnering a 2% at Rotten Tomatoes) had one of the worst four-day starts this year for a 2,000-plus theater count. Paranoia ($3.52), Getaway ($4.5), Bullet to the Head ($4.54), Peeples ($4.61), Movie 43 ($4.80), Dead Man Down ($5.34), Admission ($6.15), The Last Stand ($6.28), Jobs ($6.71), Parker ($7.00), You;re Next ($7.02) More critics liked Movie 43 than Getaway too. Don;t worry, Jonas Brothers, even you had more critical support too. On the other hand, critics virtually ignored Eugenio Derbez; Instructions Not Included. Only four reviews at Rotten Tomatoes to date - mostly because it was not screened nor were screeners available - and yet it outgrossed every other release this week, limited or wide. On only 347 screens, the film grossed $7.5 million compared to Focus; Closed Circuit ($3 million on 870 screens - since Wednesday) and the Harvey Weinstein Scissorhands cut of Wong Kar-Wai;s The Grandmaster ($2.4 million on 749 screens). Tales of the Top Ten (and Beyond) Lee Daniels; The Butler shows no signs of slowing down and will likely retain thenumber-two slot next week and should be in the top 10 at least until October 3 when it should be well past hitting the $100 million mark. The World;s End is going to make just under $7 million for the holiday, putting its total at around $16 million. With only Riddick opening next week it should still have enough juice in it to surpass Hot Fuzz; $23.6 million but maybe not enough to beat Scott Pilgrim;s $31.5 million, which is a real shame. Especially considering how Identity Thief, Grown Ups 2 and The Hangover Part III all grossed $112 million or more. We;re the Millers hit $100 million on Friday and may still have another $25 million in it. That makes it the fifth comedy of the year to reach nine figures domestically. (This Is the End grossed $96.7 million.) Pacific Rim reached $100 million in the U.S. in the quietest manner possible. Now over $400 million worldwide it is the 10th highest grossing film of 2013 and yet still considered a disappointment because of its nearly $200 million budget. Such is the game of box office. Erik Childress can be seen each Thursday morning on WCIU-TV;s First Business breaking down the box office on the Movies & Money segment. [box office figures via Box Office Mojo]
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