Tag Archives: television

Taking a page from Google’s playbook, Hulu today launched Hulu Labs. According to Hulu, the Labs are “a place to try out experimental projects … and share your feedback while they’re still in development.”

It’s a great idea, and they started big.

Hulu Desktop: Hulu has taken video viewing out of the browser and onto the desktop. With native applications built for Mac and for PC, you can now use Windows Media Center remote controls or Apple remote controls, allowing you to navigate Hulu’s entire library with just six buttons.  It’s also handy without the remote controls. I’ve had various episodes of Kitchen Confidential playing in the background on my machine all day. Download

Video Panel Designer: Now when you embed a Hulu clip into your site, you can customize its appearance.

Recommendations: Hulu has now added recommendations based on shows you’ve watched and rated. You need to have a Hulu account to have recommendations, but they’re pretty accurate. Based on my love of quirky sitcoms, Hulu recommended 30 Rock.

Time-Based Browsing: I think this is the best of the new experimental features. You can now quickly scan videos grouped by original air date. As Hulu puts it, “whether you’re a TV junkie who remembers shows by the day of week they air, a budding media anthropologist curious to study TV’s evolution across the decades, or just a user in search of timely news clips, time-based browsing is another way to easily find more videos on Hulu.”

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Email: michelle[at]writetech[dot]net
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Twitter tends to be all over the tech news for days at a time. More often than not, it’s over interesting, but silly things. There was all sorts of confusion over the “Twitter TV show” yesterday.  In a series of clarifying posts, Biz Stone has stated that you don’t have to worry. Twitter is not becoming a reality show. Instead, he says,

Some Hollywood folks are developing something that leverages Twitter and they are extremely enthusiastic as evidenced by all the media hubbub yesterday and today. We have little to do with their efforts but we wish them success.

After the social-networking service Twitter announced Monday it was in talks to develop an unscripted series based on the site, two of the service’s most prolific users have expressed fear that such a jump would mean an unfair intrusion on their lives.

Really? Just using Twitter isn’t allowing everyone into your lives? I suppose the difference is the amount of control you have over what you publish yourself. That said, I’ve always called Twitter permission-based stalking. People laugh, but it’s true. You’re allowing people into your lives with every follow and every tweet. The opt-out? Well, you can be selective about it with a private account or you can just not tweet.  Of course, once you’ve campaigned for over 1 million followers to read your tweets, I’m not sure opting out is still an option.

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Contact Michelle with news, stories, events, and more.
Email: michelle[at]writetech[dot]net
Twitter: @writetechnology, Friendfeed: michellel
Sites: Write Technology, Wine-Girl.net

by Michelle Lentz

Oh no! You’re on the road to Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving turkey and you realize – you forgot to tell your Tivo to record the Peanuts Thanksgiving Special. After all, what’s a holiday without Snoopy?

Tivo to the rescue.

Yesterday on MobileCrunch I read about the new Mobile Tivo site at http://m.tivo.com. You need an internet-enabled phone and an internet-enabled Tivo. That’s it – you’re all set. The new site, which is in beta, allows you to search, view, record, set your preferred DVR, and more.

As I said, the site is in Beta. I seemed to run into a wall whenever I tried to assign a show to my DVR. We’ll see if it actually worked (and if I end up with a Snoopy Thanksgiving special). The site is new, so give them some time. It’s a great idea though. I fully admit to having used both my Blackberry and my iPhone at different points to access the full Tivo site and program a show remotely. I’m such the TV junkie.

Cheers!

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Contact Michelle with your news, apps, and events via email at michelle[at]writetech.net, Twitter, Pownce, or FriendFeed. Visit Michelle at Wine-Girl.net and Write Technology.

by Michelle Lentz

Apple today announced that iTunes will now carry High-Def shows from the four major TV networks: NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox. Apple also made sure to announce that since it started offering HD downloads last month, there have been more than one million episodes downloaded.

“We’ve got an incredible Fall 2008 TV lineup with over 70 primetime comedies and dramas, including many of the most popular shows on TV in stunning HD,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services. “With over 200 million episodes sold, iTunes customers have proven they love watching television on their computer, iPod, iPhone and TV with Apple TV.”

You name a show and it’s probably there. The HD lineup includes“Brothers & Sisters,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Dirty Sexy Money,” “Eli Stone,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Life on  Mars,” “Lost,” “Ugly Betty,” all three CSIs, “NCIS,” “Numb3rs,” “Bones,” “House,” “Prison Break,” “30 Rock,” “Heroes,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Life,” “Lipstick Jungle,” “My Own Worst Enemy” and “The Office.” Basic cable shows owned by the networks are also available and include shows from Sci-Fi, USA, and FX. Standard definition television shows on the iTunes Store are $1.99 per episode, while HD programs from ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX are $2.99 per episode, with a “bulk” season pass pricing option.

I often feel that traditional media is a bit behind, so I’m pleased to see that the traditional networks are acknowledging that we might watch their shows if our time-shifting options are expanded.

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Contact Michelle with your news, apps, and events via email, Twitter, Pownce, or FriendFeed. Visit Michelle at Wine-Girl.net and Write Technology. You can also catch Michelle presenting on Twitter at the upcoming DevLearn ’08 in San Jose.