TechXiety - Viral MeMe's & The New Media

Summarized 40 Point Format - WWDC 09 - The New IPhone 3GS 2009 - IPhone 3.0 Full Details / Specifications For Developers, Fans & Everyone Else

I'll cut the chase and let you know what's in.

1) Cut & Paste
2) Shake phone to UNDO
3) More developer API's (Cocoa Touch) - expect more games and applications
4) Landscape view mode
5) MMS - Multimedia Messaging Service
6) Spotlight search - Improved - Search basically everything
7) Ability to purchase movies now on ITunes
8) More additions to Parental Controls / Ratings Controls
9) Tethering over USB / Bluetooth - with selective Telcos of course!
10) Streaming audio / video
11) Better rendering for Javascript - which means faster browsing
12) Video / Audio taggings
13) Supports over 30 languages or more
14) Find My Phone feature to let you search your lost or misplaced phone via MobileMe app - remotely wipe data off phone / plays alert sounds even if phone is in SILENT mode when you hunt for it
15) More than 1000 new API's through the new SDK
16) P2P wirelessly over Bluetooth / Wifi without any pairing
17) Ability to embed Google Maps into your applications
18) Push Notifications!!!!! - text alerts, numerical badges, and audio alerts.
19) Multitasking - minor of course - playing music in the background while within another app
20) Remote access to other machines - e.g. monitor a hospital's patients data from your Iphone remotely in REAL-TIME
21) More ebooks and emagazines to purchase - hooked with major publishers
22) Tom Tom Navigation GPS built-in
23) Landscape / Portrait mode while docking your IPhone
24) Faster downloading - in game (e.g. updates, patches,etc)
25) Featured App - ZipCar - Unlock your car doors / alarm from your IPhone
26) Featured App - Line 6 / Planet Waves - Control / Play / Tune your guitar and amp from your IPhone
27) Most powerful and fastest IPhone - The IPhone 3GS
28) Camera - 3 Megapixel - Auto Focus / Auto White Balance / Auto Exposure
29) 7.2 Mbps HSDPA
30) Video Recording 30fps - with audio / auto focus / auto white balance
31) Ability to use the video recording feature in apps for developers
32) Voice Control Recognition / Commands for dialing, ITunes playlist - audio, "play more songs like this" feature
33) Built-in Digital Compass - longitude / latitude - more apps / games to be built around this
34) Hardware encryption for data privacy / security purposes
35) Battery Life - State of the art - longer life duh!
36) Accessibility features
37) Pricing : USD199/USD299 - 16/32MB - Black/White
38) 'Greener' phone
39) 23% smaller packaging
40) Old IPhone 3G - USD99 - 8MB

## Other Notes ##
IPhone OS 3.0 - Worldwide - June 17th 2009
GM Seed - Now Available!!
IPhone 3GS 1 - 1.5 Weeks from Now!! - Countries may vary - Distribution by selective countries
IPhone 3GS 2 - Launched in near future

Hulu Desktop Version - What Does Joost Have To Be Afraid Of? They Don't!

First and foremost, i would like to state once again that i am and will ALWAYS be a big fan of Joost. Approximately two years ago, i had managed to convert almost 50 - 75 people to participate in Joost. Then i was extremely disappointed at Joost Inc when they decided to discontinue their desktop version months ago and i could only attribute this to the fact that Hulu (owned by NBC Universal, News Corporation, Providence Equity Partners and The Walt Disney Company) was garnering loads of traction with a web based 'tv on demand' application. They are web based whilst Joost was unique and distinctly superior because they had this wonderful Flash based application (the desktop version). I guess they felt that the best way to go was to stick to what the competition does best out there (tested and tried) which was offering consumers a way to watch TV on the browser itself WITHOUT having no bothersome downloads (Skype still needs to be downloaded right and so does Kazaa - it works). 

This month, Hulu decided to release their own desktop version (built on Flash i presume), called "Hulu Desktop". The only reason they do this is because they realize the importance of having consumers hook up their machines to their television sets at home (watch out Boxee, Hulu may not need you after all). Thing is, i'm sure this had come to much of a surprise to Joost Inc. And to be honest, it didn't come as much of a surprise to me at all. It all made sense; consumers needed an app to hookup to their 32 or 40 inch HDTV's either via a S-Video or RCA / Composite Video cables or else the entire web application would need to be tweaked in order for the consumer to be able to experience a full blown broadband TV experience. What better way to do this than to create a desktop version of it which was non browser based which catered for easier output. People now love Hulu, love their desktop version, their content's great and more importantly, will they start ditching Joost?

Here are Techxiety, we believe that Joost can still stand out in the crowd and be as successful as Hulu (or even better) and only if they take a different approach or positioning to tackle this situation. It is not too late if you ask me; a little bit of restrategizing is all Joost needs. Here are my thoughts.

1) Relaunch the desktop version once more. Call it 'Joost Light' if you want. In fact call it anything, the 'Joost Player', 'Joost Revisited', etc.. keep the competition stiff. Your player looks so aesthetically 'right' compared to Hulu's 'current' player. Relaunch the last beta version if you have to. Let consumers and bloggers compare both versions... i'm sure yours would come up tops.

2) Tackle a different market for now; Your technology behind Joost is what consumers and what broadband providers will love. Tackle the P2P market... focus heavily on allowing 'users to broadcast' their own channels.... let also all the thousands of TV channels across the globe to setup their own channel on Joost... sort out the conditions.. i know it's not easy.. focus heavily on that... then slowly capture the broadcast TV providers. Prioritise them; 1) Non US / Europe TV broadcasters 2) User Generated Broadcasters 3) US / Europe TV Broadcasters. You flank Hulu now Joost.

3) If you believe tackling the US / Europe market is now too late for penetration, then refocus your markets in Asia. Asians love P2P technology (we all knew that). Look at TVAnts, PPLive, TVU Networks, etc... the majority of users are from Asia. Then slowly inch your way back to the US / Europe market when they realise that streaming-on-demand has too many drawbacks as compared to P2P technology. Believe me, Asia loves Joost ... they really dislike Hulu because of the geographical restrictions. And in Asia, there's a saying, "we forgive, but we don't forget". It's not too late trust me.

4) Kickstart another R&D team to focus on set-top boxes (for the future of course). Hey you never know you could be as popular as TiVo eventually.

5) Don't forget to release a Joost Client and even a Joost Broadcaster (premium priced for corporates or broadcasters). Maybe develop a Joost Advertiser version which allows advertisers to push their ads throughout selective feeds. If your advertisers love your application, ahhh... $$$ will keep flowing into your banks. Therefore be sure to win their hearts!! 

Just my 0.02 cents worth. And if i have time in the future (i'm in stealth mode for one of my applications now - arduous task to seek funding), i will write more about how Joost can slow down or tackle Hulu's success.

Read HERE for my previous rant about Joost dropping their desktop version titled "Joost - Countdown To Extinction?".

ps. Joost Media Player built on Adobe AIR? I've tested it.... good try but i'd rather refrain from commenting. Kudos to the developer though.

Hear 13,500 Sing "Hey Jude" Together At Trafalgar Square

After the highly successful T-Mobile Dance campaign, T-Mobile comes up with another brilliant campaign; no not another dance campaign, but a 'karaoke session' campaign instead. The crowd that turned up had the surprise of their life not knowing that they would be singing a rendition of The Beatles' massive hit, "Hey Jude" together in front of Trafalgar Square in London. Microphones were passed out randomly to the crowd and as soon as the music came on, the lyrics came scrolling off a large projector in the middle of the square. Even 'Pink' was there ;) Amazing crowd vibe indeed!

Smoking May Make You Murder Hamsters

It really does. Leash it for crying out loud. Don't believe me? Watch the vid.

'Bestest' Children's Choir Rendition Of Survivor's Eye Of The Tiger

A beautifully soothing rendition of Survivor's "Eye Of The Tiger" performed by 70 fifth graders of a NYC public school also known as the PS22 group, the brainchild of Gregg Breinberg. Check out their BLOG for updates. Subscribe to their YouTube Channel. Send them a comment. Tell them how lovely they are. They deserve the acknowledgment.

A Walking Fridge That Serves You Beer - Must See To Believe

Isn't it every guys dream to have a fridge that serves you beer with just an outstretch of an arm wherever you are in the house and is also one that does not whine, complain or nag you all the time? :) Well take a look at Heineken's latest creative ad dubbed the 'Walking Fridge'.

100 Hot Babes Halt Traffic In Picadilly Circus, London Dancing To Beyonce's Single Ladies

Don't believe me? Check the video out. This is in conjunction of Trident's announcement of its Beyonce gig in November for free!! Yes freeeeeeee!!!!