New technologies tend to start out by replacing the old technologies directly, or as closely as possible. It took some time, for example, for people to treat television as more than just radio with pictures. It starts out as a replacement, and as time passes people discover more and more ways to leverage the new technology to do more clever and creative things.
Earlier this month I bought a camera. It's the size of a pack of cigarettes. It doesn't use silver nitrate on an acetate backing and require chemicals and a darkroom to develop, but in every important way it does the same job as my old Canon FT. (Let's not go into the ways it's inferior; I'm quite aware of those. But I was only looking for a snapshot camera anyway.)
First generation digital cameras were just that: digital replacements for film cameras. But my new one has automatic focusing, facial detection, two kinds of image stabilization, red-eye compensation, optical and digital zoom, several composition modes, white-light detection and compensation, auto-focus assist lamp, automatic macro... and a video screen on the back that not only lets me see the picture I'm about to take, but lets me see the picture I just took. I can also take fast picture sequences and several minutes of full-resolution video at a time. I can store hundreds of pictures on a bit of plastic the size of my pinkie fingernail, and for a pittance I can buy several more.
And that's just a $150 camera. For a few dollars more I can get one that connects to my computer wirelessly, has better optics, high-definition video, stereo sound, USB recharge, panorama, HDMI output, GPS, and more. All this is available in snapshot cameras that cost a few hundred dollars.
What did Doc Brown say? A portable TV studio? That was describing a camcorder from 2˝ decades ago and can almost apply to my snapshot camera. Today's camcorders look like toys -- but they have an order of magnitude more functionality, can record a hundred hours of video nonstop, video resolution that knocks your socks off, 3D recording.... A technology that started as a bulky device connected to a video recorder and costing thousands now costs a week's take-home, is self-contained in a tiny package, better, faster, lasts longer, has almost no moving parts and practically never wears out.
And we're not finished. Next years' models will be improved yet more, and even more the year after that.
Internet radio is just getting started. It's being held back by entrenched corporate interests, I have no doubt about that. But there's also normal inertia. It starts by being "just radio over the Internet" like any other new technology, and then the dam breaks and before you know it we have the next "portable TV studio".
May I recommend The Ones Who Keep The Machine Functioning Smoothly by Edison Suit?
I recommend it not only because one of the artists is a personal friend, but because I really, really like the album.
And yes, I realize that the album title is (ironically enough) a reference to “Repent, Harlequin!” Said the Ticktockman, which was the subject of another recent Techdirt entry. Entirely coincidence, I assure you, driven in part by the fact that all the titles on the album are references to Science Fiction works. I myself was unaware of that particular connection until I did a web search for the album title just now. The gods will have their little jokes. :)
My favorite station ever was WMMR in Philadelphia when they were an underground station in the '70s. They used to play some amazing stuff that I've never heard on any other station ever. My biggest issue was that they were so weak that I had trouble tuning them (I was a ways out in a semi-rural area).
When I came home for a visit from college they'd gone pop. They'd gotten a real transmitter and started playing the same stuff everybody else was. Last time I was there (6 or 8 years ago) they were still a mediocre pop station. Not even a good one.
"This is WMMR.
"Ninety three point three.
"Philadelphia.
"The Radio Station."
Re: Re: Re: Lower Congress's approval rating to 5% from ..
Anybody who needs the sarcasm tag for that one has obviously had their entire nervous system surgically removed. I think there's an invertebrate somewhere that hasn't figured it out yet.
Give him a minute.
Some of us caught on by the end of the first sentence. Your humor is safe with us. :)
So... are you arguing in favor of it being a felony to record public servants going about their duties in public? I'm not quite sure where you're going with this.
Well, maybe the answer there is for the cops to keep their own records?
Obviously if the records diverge there will need to be an investigation into why. But that's the court's job.
And since police already can and do sometimes keep their own records, the public being able to is just a matter of leveling that particular playing field.
On the post: No, Angry Birds Is Not Costing $1.5 Billion In Lost Productivity
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Igor, throw the lever!
Heh. I was kinda wondering about that.
On the post: Author Dumps Publisher At Book Launch Party
Re:
On the post: Citizen Recording Of Police Proves Officer Lied About Arrest
Re: Re:
On the post: Police Ticket Guy Who Helped Direct Traffic After Traffic Light Failure; Then Leave Without Handling Traffic
On the post: Police Ticket Guy Who Helped Direct Traffic After Traffic Light Failure; Then Leave Without Handling Traffic
Re:
I missed that in the article. Where did it say he was untrained? Was there another article that covered that?
On the post: Italy Proposes Law That Will Ban People From The Internet Based On Single Accusation Of Infringement From Anyone
I hereby accuse the following persons of illegally downloading the Hurt Locker:
[see enclosed phone book]
Sincerely, a concerned person
On the post: Righthaven Fails To Pay Attorneys Fees Ordered By The Court, Court Asked To Declare Righthaven In Contempt
Re: Pierce the corporate shield
On the post: Getting Past Just 'Putting Radio On The Internet' - Killer Apps Come Next
Starts by replacing the old
Earlier this month I bought a camera. It's the size of a pack of cigarettes. It doesn't use silver nitrate on an acetate backing and require chemicals and a darkroom to develop, but in every important way it does the same job as my old Canon FT. (Let's not go into the ways it's inferior; I'm quite aware of those. But I was only looking for a snapshot camera anyway.)
First generation digital cameras were just that: digital replacements for film cameras. But my new one has automatic focusing, facial detection, two kinds of image stabilization, red-eye compensation, optical and digital zoom, several composition modes, white-light detection and compensation, auto-focus assist lamp, automatic macro... and a video screen on the back that not only lets me see the picture I'm about to take, but lets me see the picture I just took. I can also take fast picture sequences and several minutes of full-resolution video at a time. I can store hundreds of pictures on a bit of plastic the size of my pinkie fingernail, and for a pittance I can buy several more.
And that's just a $150 camera. For a few dollars more I can get one that connects to my computer wirelessly, has better optics, high-definition video, stereo sound, USB recharge, panorama, HDMI output, GPS, and more. All this is available in snapshot cameras that cost a few hundred dollars.
What did Doc Brown say? A portable TV studio? That was describing a camcorder from 2˝ decades ago and can almost apply to my snapshot camera. Today's camcorders look like toys -- but they have an order of magnitude more functionality, can record a hundred hours of video nonstop, video resolution that knocks your socks off, 3D recording.... A technology that started as a bulky device connected to a video recorder and costing thousands now costs a week's take-home, is self-contained in a tiny package, better, faster, lasts longer, has almost no moving parts and practically never wears out.
And we're not finished. Next years' models will be improved yet more, and even more the year after that.
Internet radio is just getting started. It's being held back by entrenched corporate interests, I have no doubt about that. But there's also normal inertia. It starts by being "just radio over the Internet" like any other new technology, and then the dam breaks and before you know it we have the next "portable TV studio".
On the post: How Payola Works Today... Or Why You Only Hear Major Label Songs On The Radio
Re: Re: Re: Re: Not a surprise
I recommend it not only because one of the artists is a personal friend, but because I really, really like the album.
And yes, I realize that the album title is (ironically enough) a reference to “Repent, Harlequin!” Said the Ticktockman, which was the subject of another recent Techdirt entry. Entirely coincidence, I assure you, driven in part by the fact that all the titles on the album are references to Science Fiction works. I myself was unaware of that particular connection until I did a web search for the album title just now. The gods will have their little jokes. :)
On the post: How Payola Works Today... Or Why You Only Hear Major Label Songs On The Radio
Re:
When I came home for a visit from college they'd gone pop. They'd gotten a real transmitter and started playing the same stuff everybody else was. Last time I was there (6 or 8 years ago) they were still a mediocre pop station. Not even a good one.
"This is WMMR.
"Ninety three point three.
"Philadelphia.
"The Radio Station."
I sure miss it.
Ah well. Nostalgia just isn't what it used to be.
On the post: Harlan Ellison Sues Again; Because No One Could Have Possibly Came Up With The Same SciFi Ideas As He Did
Re: He got old.
But Ellison sneers at me.
I've been working on getting old for decades but I'll never be so old that nobody is older than I am. So I guess I'll always be a young punk.
On the post: Harlan Ellison Sues Again; Because No One Could Have Possibly Came Up With The Same SciFi Ideas As He Did
Re: Re: Attention Internet Shitheads!
Then may I recommend Baen Free Library?
On the post: Congress Debating If Putting A Fake Name On Facebook Should Be A Felony
Re: Re: Re: Lower Congress's approval rating to 5% from ..
Give him a minute.
Some of us caught on by the end of the first sentence. Your humor is safe with us. :)
On the post: Straw Man
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
And so you're claiming your tastes are definitive? Arrogant presumption.
On the post: Court Says Woman Can Sue Toyota After Being Tricked Into 'Agreeing' To Be 'Stalked' In Ad Campaign Gone Really Wrong
Perhaps these fellows can help
Frog: It was a joke.
Boss: A joke? (holds up card saying 'joke')
Frog: No, no not a joke, a sales campaign. (holds up a card saying 'No, a Sales Campaign)
Conquistador Coffee Campaign
or here to watch it.
On the post: Court Says Woman Can Sue Toyota After Being Tricked Into 'Agreeing' To Be 'Stalked' In Ad Campaign Gone Really Wrong
WTF, over?
My gast is totally flabbered.
On the post: Famed Appeals Court Judge Worries That Allowing People To Record Police Might Mean That People Actually Record The Police
Re:
On the post: Famed Appeals Court Judge Worries That Allowing People To Record Police Might Mean That People Actually Record The Police
Re:
Obviously if the records diverge there will need to be an investigation into why. But that's the court's job.
And since police already can and do sometimes keep their own records, the public being able to is just a matter of leveling that particular playing field.
Sauce for the goose.
On the post: Do Patents On Medical Diagnostics Violate The First Amendment?
Re: I'm Rich Bitch
Mwah hah hah hah hah!
On the post: Righthaven, King Of Suing Without Notification, Whines To Judge About Motions Filed Against It Without Enough Notification
You referenced the Rule of Holes!
Except that we hope Righthaven hasn't figured that one out. I can't wait to see what happens when they hit bedrock? Or an inconvenient aquifer.
Or better yet, a gas pocket. Could be quite spectacular.
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