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New Media News Every Morning

Blackberry users pounding keyboard again

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BlackBerry users are back to pounding their small keyboards again as service was restored this morning. An overnight outage left millions of users without mobile access to their e-mail.

Research in Motion Ltd., the Canadian company that provides the devices and e-mail service, said the service interruption began Tuesday night, affecting users in North America (Editor’s note: including me for which my wife and kids were very happy)

“Root cause is currently under review, but service for most customers was restored overnight and RIM is closely monitoring systems in order to maintain normal service levels,” a statement from RIM said. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the problems affected all cellular carriers that offer BlackBerry service. In the meantime, while my Blackberry service was offline last night, I was shown this video by my kids… naughty kids… [Read more…]

Originally posted on April 18, 2007 @ 12:49 pm

Magazines Going Subscription Only

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It’s been a long time since I visited my local Chapters bookstore. Chapters is the Canadian equivalent of large bookstore chains like Barnes and Noble. It seems that every time I go there, about every 3-6 months, there are fewer books in the sections I care about and more and candles, knick knacks and chocolate bars for sale. There are less staff. And it’s very likely that the Internet is having an impact on not just newspapers and magazines but on bookstores as well.

When I was there yesterday, at least 10 magazines that used to be displayed prominently on the racks for many years in that very store are now nowhere to be seen. I asked the cashier about two particular magazines, and after checking her printout, she said that they didn’t carry them. I asked about that, pointing out that they used to. Her answer was, “many magazines are going subscription only.”

I actually find this a surprising turn of events. As a former print publisher of a tiny fringe rag, I know how hard it is to make a magazine work. Subscription revenues have never paid the bills – only the ads have, if then. But if a magazine goes subs only, that reduces readership. Which means fewer advertisers and eventually bankruptcy. Unless, of course, a magazine has a successful online presence and the print edition becomes a loss leader.

The two magazines I was looking for are both British and have to do with digital music composition and creation. I was looking for them to revive my own composing bent, to add background music for my new tutorial series at Tubetorial. For years, these two magazines have each included a free CD with their monthly glossy pages. The CD contains audio samples, and demo and free audio software. Sometimes they have short videos as well. In their case, what better medium to switch to than the Internet? It’s ideal for the content that they are really trying to give their readers – and probably cheaper besides. With magazines such as this, print just cannot compete with the Internet.

Originally posted on April 17, 2007 @ 11:47 am

Will the Virginia Tech Massacre be the tipping point for Facebook?

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facebookTerrible, terrible business. I could start on the stupidity on American Gun Control laws (or lack there of) but this isn’t the time nor place.

In an internet sense though, is the Virginia Tech Massacre the tipping point for Facebook?

Did anyone see coverage of the whole thing on MySpace?

Articles like this at Reuters are reflected through out the MSM and the blog world: the response on the ground was covered nearly exclusively on Facebook. We know that Facebook had its day in the past, and was passed over by MySpace, and yet as a destination Facebook of late has become the new MySpace, the new in destination amongst a fickle user base, literally Facebook is experiencing a second coming, a new resurgence of popularity.

I’ve literally just signed up for Facebook today, and a bit like MySpace, I don’t fully get it yet. It reminds me of LinkedIn but with the ability to post stuff.

I’m yet to take the time to find/ read the VT Massacre coverage, but I will be shortly, as no doubt many others already have.

It’s a terrible thing to suggest that a site/ service succeeds off the back of tragedy, but in the same way that blogs came of age during the 2004 US presidential elections, the VT Massacre could be the tipping point for Facebook, the day that a rapidly growing social networking service finally hit the spotlight, a day that shall be remembered not only for the appalling loss of life, but also for a day that Facebook became the new MySpace, the new black.

Now if only they’d do something about the proliferation of guns in the United States.

Originally posted on April 18, 2007 @ 1:01 am

Google Office Anyone?

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snap-google.pngAnyone still think Microsoft shouldn’t be shaking in their boots yet? Google recently snatched up Doubeclick for advertising, but Doubleclick owns Performics, a very large SEO company. Considering Google has their gunsights set against any SEO practices, even “whitehat” techniques, it seems Performics could become the “unwanted relative” of the group. I’m only speculating, but Google might just feel uncomfortable owning Performics, given their perceived anti-SEO stance.

Their purchase of Doubleclick is of course a coup against Microsoft (and Yahoo). And now, they’ve just introduced their own web-based presentation tool, thanks to the purchase of Tonic Systems. It’s very much the same as Microsoft Powerpoint. What’s left? Google Money?

Google does have a suite of great tools. I use at least 2-5 of them daily. But it seems to me that Google is on the same type of acquisition trend that IBM went on in the 1980s, and Microsoft in the 1990s. If Google competitors haven’t started complaining about anti-competitive practices, they will be soon.

The difference is, how do you regulate the Internet, and who should do it? And the bigger question: since history would suggest it, what company will replace Google in the next decade, go on an acquisition trail, peeve every one off, and be replaced in the following decade? Does the company even exist yet, or will we see their appearance in 2008-9?

Originally posted on April 18, 2007 @ 12:25 pm

The Sopranos on A&E

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I am not blocking A&E. Everyone in the family can watch it. They have shows that we all like. But when they started showing past episodes of The Sopranos, it made me a little worried. Our kids have often heard my wife and I talk how good the show is. They might think that because The Sopranos is good, according to mom and dad, then they can watch it as well. Sorry kids. But they can watch this instead… [Read more…]

Originally posted on April 17, 2007 @ 1:08 pm