via Cult of Mac by Alex Heath on 10/3/11

Today has been quite the day for rumors. Apple’s “Let’s Talk iPhone” event is tomorrow, so everyone is getting in last minute speculation about what we’ll see Cook and co. unveil onstage.

Something from well-known blogger Robert Scoble has been largely overlooked: the claim that Apple is working on a new iPad app to compete with the likes of DirecTV and other cable/dish providers.

Scoble posted some info and thoughts about Apple, Google and Facebook on his Google+ account earlier today. He mentioned that Steve Jobs is probably too sick to attent Apple’s event tomorrow.

An interesting paragraph talks about an iPad app that Apple is allegedly working on:

“I’m hearing that Apple is working on a new iPad app that looks a lot like DirecTV without the dish, too. Again, that app will have Steve Jobs’ fingerprints all over it as it will be more expansive than the press is expecting in its content availability. There’s a reason Apple built a 500,000-square-foot datacenter (about twice the size of a Facebook one, by the way) and that new datacenter is for video and the data that video causes to be shared with everyone. Will Reed Hastings CEO at Netflix be on stage tomorrow to help Apple explain its three-screen strategy? I sure hope so, because that would explain further why Netflix split up its streaming and DVD businesses a lot better than Reed’s been able to so far.”

There have been whispers that Apple will eventually introduce a TV/movie subscription service to compete against Netflix. Netflix recently split up its DVD and streaming divisions. Would Apple work with Netflix, or do its own thing?

What do you think? Is Scoble on to something here?

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via iDownloadBlog.com by Sebastien on 9/29/11

According to MG Siegler of TechCrunch, Facebook is set unveil its long awaited iPad app and Project Spartan, the HTML 5-based mobile platform the company has been working on for months, early next week.

We know the iPad app has been ready for a while – which was confirmed by a former Facebook employee – but it appears that Spartan has been ready for quite some time, too. But the company has apparently been working out the kinks with Apple. Better than that, Facebook may unveil these new products at Apple’s iPhone 5 launch next week…(...)
Read the rest of Facebook to Launch iPad App and Project Spartan Early Next Week

"Facebook to Launch iPad App and Project Spartan Early Next Week" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. Make sure to follow us on Twitter and friend us on Facebook.

via Mashable! by Christina Warren on 9/23/11


Dish Network announced its rumored Netflix/Qwickster competitor at a press conference Friday.

The service, Dish Network with BlockBuster Movie Pass, is not a direct Netflix competitor per se. Instead, it’s a $10 monthly add-on for existing Dish Network subscribers that will ofer them access to DVD and Blu-ray — as well as video game — rentals by mail, along with access to streaming movies and TV shows. It will debut on Oct. 1 and be accompanied by a big advertising campaign.

In other words, this is a mashup of BlockBuster’s existing mail and online services with Dish Network’s current video-on-demand service. For Dish Network subscribers, this is a great deal. But we’re scratching our heads to find the value for everyone else.

Dish does say it has plans to offer services for non-Dish Network subscribers. However, in its initial state, the BlockBuster Movie Pass bundle will only be available to 14 million Dish Network customers. These customers will need to have an IP-enabled receiver to access content.

Where Are the Connected Devices and Apps?

On paper, the Dish/BlockBuster deal looks good, especially for existing Dish customers. What concerns us, however, is the lack of focused on third-party connected devices like set-top boxes, Blu-ray players and tablets like the iPad.

Dish has various offerings on the iPad and BlockBuster has dabbled with getting support on select mobile and connected devices. However, it was clear the folks at Dish Network haven’t figured out or finalized their strategy in regards to connectivity.

Assuming Dish can extend its current iPad functionality to include access to the new streaming content, the company will be on the right track. Still, we think it’s essential any company launching a subscription streaming program focus on the connected device market.

For instance, Dish could take a queue from its competitor DirecTV and look at making some of its services available on game consoles like the PS3.

This Isn’t a Threat to Netflix

As dissatisfied with Netflix/Qwickster as customers may be, this new Dish/BlockBuster offering isn’t a real threat to its separate offerings.

The requirement to be a Dish subscriber, deal with their installers and equipment, and pay their fees is going to be a deal-breaker for most potential customers. Let’s face it, not everyone wants a dish.

Moreover, the streaming component seems to be a largely rebranded version of Dish’s existing video-on-demand offering. Plus, while the rent by mail option is nice, it sort of misses the point of what has made Netflix so great.

We also think the people at Dish Network are greatly overvaluing the importance of the BlockBuster brand. While everyone knows BlockBuster, it doesn’t mean all consumers like or trust the brand.

The real news from this announcement is that this is the first bundling of an over-the-top (meaning, delivered by IP) streaming solution alongside a traditional content delivery play. Comcast and other cable companies have been investing heavily in TV Everywhere, but thus far, those solutions have largely been network dependent. HBO Go, the most successful TV Everywhere execution to date, is an HBO product, not a Comcast product.

Our hope is this move will entice other cable and satellite providers to consider bundling or enhancing their over-the-top offerings alongside the typical television content.

More About: blockbuster, blockbuster movie pass, dish network, netflix

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via MindShift by Tina Barseghian on 9/21/11

YouTube.com/teachers

Educators who’ve been wanting to use YouTube videos in class can now find an easy way in. Today, YouTube launched its own teacher’s channel: YouTube.com/Teachers, a guide to using videos in class.

Teachers can follow tips that show everything from organizing videos to sparking lively discussions to help struggling students through videos.

Teachers can also sign up to become part of the YouTube Teachers Community, a mailing list that allows them to share ideas and best practices.

The new teachers site is part one of two big initiatives on the part of YouTube geared towards educators. In the next couple of weeks, a bigger announcement will be made about huge changes that will address many of the concerns teachers have had about using YouTube videos (you know what they are). Stay tuned for more news in two weeks.

Until then, check out some of the new features on the teachers site, like this one, a rap video about the infamously dry subject of the Krebs cycle (that’s biochemistry, for those of us unfamiliar with the term).

via Cult of Mac by Alex Heath on 9/20/11

Apple has partnered with the Teach for America program and donated 9,000 first gen iPads to teachers that work in impoverished and dangerous schools. The donated iPads come from customers that gave to Apple’s public service program during the iPad 2 launch.

Many consumers opt to resale their used Apple devices when a new generation is released, but the people that gave to Apple’s public service program have helped to give iPads to teachers working in low-income communities throughout the US.

According to CNN, 9,000 first gen iPads have been distributed to teachers in 38 states. The donating is in conjunction with Teach for America — a program that trains recent graduates from some of America’s most prestigious universities to teach in the meanest and most dangerous schools throughout the nation.

“Katie Remington (Middlebury ’10) picked up hers — a refurbished model that looked like new — on Sunday and brought it to the inner-city high school in St. Louis where she runs the science department. “So far,” she wrote after the first day, “I’ve figured out it can make them finish their work fast for ‘iPad time.’”

Classrooms will obviously need more than one iPad before these low-income schools can reach ‘iSchool’ status, but this huge donation is definitely a good start.

How did Apple and Teach for America begin to work together? Steve Jobs’ wife is a member of the program’s board of directors.

(via Macgasm)

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via PlayStation Blog by Lorin Jameson on 9/19/11

DC Universe Online for PS3

What could possibly be better than battling with thousands of other players online in the first, and only, action MMO on the PS? How about battling FOR FREE? That’s right, DC Universe Online will soon be free to download from the PlayStation Store, and free-to-play with no monthly fees required.

So what’s the catch? There is none. The entire game will be open for you to play for free. We have gotten a lot of feedback from gamers asking for an opportunity to play without a subscription requirement. So, that got us thinking about how to offer access to the game in a way that allows gamers to play their way. We wanted something that would give players options. We know different types of gamers are playing – and want to play – DCUO, and we want each person to be able to play in a way that best fits their style. That’s why we’ve created three levels of access to the game:

DC Universe Online for PS3

  • Free Access – Just like it sounds. Download and play the game for free. You also get all ongoing game updates (except DLC packs).
  • Premium Access – This next level of access opens up to you if you spend at least $5 in the in-game store. Premium Access grants you additional benefits that improve your experience in the game, such as more inventory slots, more character slots, bank slots and more free Vault tickets. So all you have to do is pick up some cool items in the store or buy a DLC pack and you unlock Premium Access. The best part? Once you unlock Premium Access you keep it for the life of your account.
  • Legendary Access – With Legendary Access you can unlock the maximum level of features and benefits. To unlock Legendary Access you can pay for a $14.99 per month game pass, or save big with a discounted multi-month pass. Lifetime members are automatically granted Legendary access. Legendary Access also includes all DLC packs at no extra charge.

DC Universe Online for PS3

I know all of this sounds great for the soon-to-be new players, but it’s just as good for all of you who still play, or used to play. Current players who are currently on a month-to-month or multi-month game pass will automatically be granted Legendary Access for the remaining time on their game pass once we officially transition to free-to-play. They can continue to play and stay at the Legendary Access level, or opt to migrate to another level.

If you used to play DCUO, this gives you a great opportunity to come back and rejoin your old crimefighting (or evil-doing) friends without spending a cent. If you previously purchased DCUO at a retail store or through a PSN download and activated your account, you will automatically be granted Premium Access when you come back.

You can go to our website for more details on the three levels of access, plus a FAQ that should cover any other questions that you may have. We can’t tell you how excited we are to be making this move, and can’t wait to have you all join us in game. Talk to us in the comments below and let us know what you think. We’re listening.

via MakeUseOf by Angela Alcorn on 9/16/11

Connectify is offering free accounts until October 15th to students with .edu addresses, allowing them to set up free Wi-Fi hotspots for their devices. Students can sign up for the service for free and receive their Connectify Pro license here by using their .edu email address.

The folks at Connectify know that many colleges only offer one ethernet port per resident and that with mobile devices and Xboxes in the dorm room it’s difficult to co-ordinate Internet access for all of the devices you own. Their Wi-Fi hotspot service makes it easy to set up a hotspot – and with this back-to-school promotion it’s possible to use the service for free!

Connectify works by turning your Windows laptop into a secure Wi-Fi hotspot which you can then use to connect your other Internet-enabled devices.

Check out Connectify’s introductory video.

Many workers who are on the road a lot also use Connectify to ensure Internet access for all of their devices in hotel rooms.

Connectify can also be used to create a Wi-Fi hotspot even when there’s no Internet access at all. This means you can still share files between your devices easily.

The free student license lasts until 01/01/12 and Connectify Pro accounts will normally cost $29.99.

Non-students can use the EARLYBIRD code to receive $10 off the Connectify Pro license.

Source: Connectify

via The War Eagle Reader by Jeremy Henderson on 9/16/11

For nearly a year now we’ve marveled at the University of Alabama White Bear… and not just us. Judging by emails we’ve received, the discovery has baffled even Bama fans who seem dismayed that Big Al had a forebear, as it were, of which none of them were aware.  The Sideline Sasquatch’s appearance at at least two Iron Bowls in the early 70s certainly seems to suggest that the “Bear” in Bear Bryant held more sway in the Crimson imagination than the Tide’s traditional power-animal identification, the noble elephant.

And now, finally, after stumbling across plans for a pre-Aubie Auburn mascot in the November 18, 1972 edition of The Plainsman, we have a clue as to the creature’s origins … and it suggests something else held significant sway with Bama fans: Icees.

When asked to explain his endorsement of the Giant Eagle, Dave Roberts, chairman of Auburn’s Spirit Committee, responded: “After all, Alabama has a big Icee Bear representing Bear Bryant.”

Or at least they have the head of a big Icee Bear representing Bear Bryant; the fluffy chub of the Icee Bear seems to have been traded for a crimson jumpsuit.

Where did the head come from—did Johnny Musso jack some kid working a summer job at the mall?—and did Icee know that its mascot (head) had been decap-appropriated by the University of Alabama in service to The Bahr? (And could not they find a Hamm’s Beer Bear costume? Seems like that might have been more thematically / biographically consistent.) Who knows… we’ve been talking in our Robert Stack voice long enough with this stuff. It’s time for Bama fans to dig into their own nightmarish heritage. (Tell Sela Ward we said “hey!”)

Icee Bear photo via.

…

Keep Reading:

* Is Pat Dye’s new commercial his greatest ever?
* Auburn almost had a giant eagle for a mascot
* Auburn tailgaters covert casket into grill
* Apple CEO Tim Cook only writes personal email replies to Auburn fans
* Auburn fan shot dead in Alabama fan rap video
* Shug Jordan dug the heck out of houndstooth
* War Eagle Moment from space scheduled for October 25
* “War Eagle” carved into face of the Spinx
* Fans equate Iron Bowl losses with the end of the world—now confirmed by science!

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via Edudemic by edudemic on 9/14/11

Facebook wants to show strangers what you’re up to.

However, it’s not actually bad news. The social network giant seems to be treading on Twitter’s turf now thanks to the new ‘Subscribe’ button. Think of it like Twitter’s follow button only actually with MORE privacy. That’s because the new Subscribe button is actually opt-in. It also lets you organize followers, much like Google+.

Truly a new thing for Mark and company. Below is a helpful resource from Facebook on why they made and how to use the Subscribe button.

Why A Subscribe Button?

Until now, it hasn’t been easy to choose exactly what you see in your News Feed. Maybe you don’t want to see every time your brother plays a game on Facebook, for example. Or maybe you’d like to see more stories from your best friends, and fewer from your coworkers.

You also couldn’t hear directly from people you’re interested in but don’t know personally—like journalists, artists and political figures.

With the Subscribe button, we’re making it easier to do both. In the next few days, you’ll start seeing this button on friends’ and others’ profiles. You can use it to:

  1. Choose what you see from people in News Feed
  2. Hear from people, even if you’re not friends
  3. Let people hear from you, even if you’re not friends

How It Works

You’re already getting your friends’ posts in News Feed. With the Subscribed button, you can choose how much you see from them:

  • All updates: Everything your friend posts
  • Most updates: The amount you’d normally see
  • Important updates only: Just highlights, like a new job or move

You can also decide what types of updates you see. For example, you could see just photos from one friend, no stories about games from another, and nothing at all from someone else.

Choosing what you see is optional. If you don’t want to change what you see from someone, just ignore the button.

Subscribe to Interesting People

The Subscribe button also lets you hear from interesting people you’re not friends with—like journalists, artists and political figures.

If you see a Subscribe button on your favorite blogger’s profile, this means you can subscribe. Just click the button to get their public updates right in your News Feed.

Just like with friends, you can choose how many and what types of updates you see after you’ve subscribed.

Get Your Own Subscribers

If you’d like to share your public updates with more than just friends, you can get a Subscribe button on your profile, too. People who subscribe to you will get posts you set as “Public” in their News Feeds. This is an entirely optional feature – you need to opt in.

To let people subscribe, go to the Subscriptions Page and click Allow Subscribers.

Once you allow subscribers, you can decide who can comment and what notifications you get. You’ll also see a Subscribers tab on your profile, where you can see who subscribes to you.

Learn More

To learn more about the Subscribe button or allow subscribers, visit Facebook’s Help Center.