Friday, November 20, 2009
Consumers: We Don’t Absolutely Hate Mobile Ads
Here’s your half-empty/half-full stat for the day: Four in 10 consumers don’t want to see ads on their phones. Is that good or bad for the nascent mobile ad business?
All posts tagged ‘software’
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Condé Nast’s Offering for Apple’s Mystery Tablet: Wired Magazine
Here’s yet another content creator that’s convinced Apple has a tablet device in the works: Condé Nast says it will have a digital version of Wired magazine ready for the purported gadget by the middle of next year and will eventually create similar versions for all of its 18 titles.
But Condé, like other publishers, says Apple won’t actually talk to the company about its plans for the device–or even acknowledge that it has plans.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
News Corp. Saved by Movies and Cable, Hammered by Broadcast and Print
Rupert Murdoch and company aren’t exactly celebrating, but they did provide a better earnings number than Wall Street expected. They can thank Fox News, and yet another “Ice Age” movie. Not helping the cause: The company’s broadcast TV and newspaper properties. Not very relevant: MySpace, et al.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Beatles on iTunes? Nope. MP3? Yes.
No, you still can’t buy the Beatles on iTunes. But next month, you will finally be able to buy the band’s music–legally–in MP3 form. Provided you’re willing to pay way, way up.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Apple’s iTunes Pitch: TV for $30 a Month
Would you pay $30 a month to watch TV via iTunes?
That’s the pitch Apple has been making to TV networks in recent weeks. The company is trying to round up support for a monthly subscription service that would deliver TV programs via its multimedia software, multiple sources tell me. The industry finds this idea both tempting and terrifying.
Microsoft Goes Back on Message: No Recovery in the Works
Say what you will about Microsoft executives, they have been consistently on message during the past year or so. That message: Things aren’t getting better any time soon. Today: More of the same, from South Korea.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Microsoft Bails Out of “Family Guy” Windows 7 Episode After Actually Watching “Family Guy”
Remember Microsoft’s plan to use “Family Guy,” Fox’s ribald, off-color cartoon sitcom, to promote Windows 7? No more, says Microsoft, which is pulling out of plans to sponsor a special episode of the show scheduled to run Nov. 8. What happened? Apparently, Microsoft realized that “Family Guy” is a ribald, off-color sitcom.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Jeff Bezos, Spark Capital, Bet on Aviary, a Web-Based Would-Be Adobe
Last week, Jeff Bezos made $2 billion in one day, courtesy of a massive spike in Amazon shares. That gives him more money to plow into the likes of Aviary, a Long Island-based company that makes design software. The Amazon CEO has made a second investment in the company as part of a $7 million round led by Spark Capital.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Google Steps Gingerly Into Music With “One Box”
Google insists, over and over, that it has no intention of getting into the content business. So how is it finessing its way into the music business? Very carefully.
The search giant is working on a new service that will provide searchers with streaming music, which sounds a whole lot like a content play at first blush. But Google will only be offering limited bits of music, and it will be relying on other companies–Lala.com, MySpace’s iLike and Imeem, sources say–to actually provide the tunes.
What Do You Want to Know About the “Nook,” Barnes & Noble’s New E-Reader?
Not sure what Barnes & Noble has to say about the “Nook” that it didn’t discuss yesterday, when it unveiled its new e-reader. But the bookseller’s press conference this morning, scheduled for 9:30 EDT, gives us an opportunity to try a little crowd-sourcing experiment: Send me any questions you have and I’ll try to ask the company on your behalf.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Early Numbers Are In: Is Rhapsody’s iPhone App a Hit?
RealNetworks says more than 500,000 people have downloaded its all-you-can-eat music app. But it’s hard to tell what that number actually means.
Rise of the Machines: Why Demand Media Is Worth More Than the New York Times
The New York Times’s model for content creation, which revolves around well-paid professionals who rely on their experience and judgment, looks increasingly threatened. What does a new model look like? Perhaps one where a computer spits out assignments to day laborers who work furiously for low pay.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Yet Another Kindle Competitor: Here’s “Alex,” Powered by Google’s Android
It’s e-reader preview week, apparently. Last night, Plastic Logic formally named its would-be Kindle killer; tomorrow, Barnes & Noble is supposed to show off its own branded device. This morning’s entrant: Spring Design, which says it has produced a reader that boasts two screens and an operating system that runs on Google’s Android. What it doesn’t have: Big-pocketed partners to boast about.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Sue or Sign: EMI Trades Lawsuit for Deal With Music Start-Up Grooveshark
Well look at that: EMI Music Group, which had been working on a licensing deal with music start-up Grooveshark but ended up suing it instead, now has a licensing deal with Grooveshark after all.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Google: We’re Hiring, and Spending, Again
Google CEO Eric Schmidt used the opening moments of a New York City press conference to reinforce a message he’s been delivering for several weeks: The worst is over, things are looking up, and Google is spending accordingly.
Featured MediaMemo Posts
Latest MediaMemo Videos
api-video/find_all_videos.asp&fields=all&site=atd&count=40&doctype=128&type=allthingsd-section&query=MediaMemo
View All Jobs | Post a Job Job Listings
A sponsored service from SimplyHired
MediaMemo Posts by Date
MediaMemo Posts by Category
About Peter
Peter Kafka has been covering media and technology since 1997, when he joined the staff of Forbes magazine. Most recently, he has been the managing editor of the tech and media Web site, Silicon Alley Insider. Read more »
Ethics Statement
Here is a statement of my ethics and coverage policies. It is more than most of you want to know, but, in the age of suspicion of the media, I am laying it all out.
