Comet Cowboy for iPhone Review

Yessiree Bob, it's your chance to lasso Comets (we say they're asteroids) just like they used to in the Cyber West.Here's a look at Comet Cowboy.

Interview with Marcelo Lewin, Pixel Heads Network

For our TDL Profiles series, I recently did a short iChat video interview with Marcelo Lewin, the creator of Pixel Heads Network, producer of video and audio podcasts aimed at New Media creators.

TDL: In our video interview, you mentioned you started editiing with Windows Movie Maker. Tell us about the process of "converting" to Mac.

Marcelo Lewin: I never understood why people were passionate about the Mac, of course, until I made the switch and "saw the light". Seriously, the experience is so much more conducive to being creative. I just loved the switch and I never looked back. In fact, my main concern was with finding all the apps on my Windows machine on the Mac. I thought I would have to "settle". Nope. They are all there (e.g. MS office, development tools, etc.).

TDL: Where do you see the growth in new media?
ML: Podcasts have been around for a few years.. any buzz on the next big thing?
The next big thing is standardization of new media analytics. To grow, we must have standards. I think in the next couple of years you will see the market starting to consolidate, standards implemented and the industry will then really take off (revenue wise).

TDL: Do you think most content creators will ever make money?
ML: Yes! Of course. It's a new market and many people are doing this for free now, but as the audience grows, as standards are in place and as more companies want to advertise in shows, you will see creators starting to make money.

TDL: Who are some of the podcasters/new media people you look up to, or who you think have a good model?
ML: I really think all of us, are people we can look to and learn from. It's a new business and it's hard to get an industry going and all of us have a say in how it will turn out. Of course, I like some of them out there more then others. I love to listen to Leo Laporte, Chris Marquard from Tips From The Top Floor, Alex Lindsay from Mac Break, etc....but there are lots of people out there doing great things!

TDL: Take us briefly through your video podcast workflow... and audio...

ML:
Meet The Experts (audio podcast):
I use Skype for the interview and record to Audio Hijack Pro (left channel host, right channel guest). From there I put the file through The Levelator. After that, I edit that file in SoundTrack Pro. Once I cleaned up all the ums, uhs and just made the interview tighter, I then create a multi-track project and create the enhanced podast. I then export as an enhanced podcast and also as an MP3 using Telestream's Episode. I publish that with an XML file using PodcastMaker and upload and publish to my site using Wordpress.

Digital Media Quick Tips.
I start with iShowU as my screen capture software. I then edit in Final Cut Pro, color correct. I clean up sound in SoundtrackPro, and then output as a QuickTime. I convert that file in Telestream Episode as FLV, AppleTV and iPod Touch formats. I publish that with an XML file using PodcastMaker and upload and publish to my site using Wordpress.

EXPOzed:
I videotape with Canon XH-A1 and Senheiser Lavs. I then edit in Final Cut Pro, color correct. I clean up sound in SoundtrackPro, and then output as a QuickTime. I convert that file in Telestream Episode as FLV, AppleTV and iPod Touch formats. I publish that with an XML file using PodcastMaker and upload and publish to my site using Wordpress.

TDL: What do you think has been the most important hardware/software in democratizing media creation?
ML: The cell phone cameras from a hardware perspective and iMovie or Adobe Premiere Elements from a vide editing perspective.

TDL: You cover a lot of Expos for your show Expozed.. any trends, new media or otherwise, you're seeing from those shows?
ML: Podcasting and web videos are accepted as the new way to distribute and influence customers. Also, in general, you will see more people in their homes doing video editing, shooting green screen, and after attending Siggraph this year, I'd say, in 2 to 3 years, you will screen Motion Capture technology available for under $2000.

TDL: What does the phrase "New Media" mean to you?
ML: Democratization of communication. Even playing field. We all now have the same possibilities to express ourselves. It's just up to you to take advantage of it.

TDL: What led to your switch from Windows to Mac?
ML: Final Cut Pro.

TDL: Is there an application not available for Mac that you wish was available?
ML: Quicken. It's available on the Mac, but it sucks. Intuit promises that the next version will be a very nice Mac version. We'll see.

Apple at a China Crossroad

No, we're not stirring the pot again on our proposed Jobs' trip to China. We're referring to the impending collision between business decisions and political appeasements. Apple will have some serious decisions to make over the next few months regarding this lucrative market. Just this week reports surfaced that iTunes in China has been blocked due to Pro-Tibetan content, specifically, the "Songs for Tibet" album, added this week.

Apple, like many global companies faces serious questions in China. How should this situation be resolved? Give in to pressure from China and remove the album, at the risk of a backlash from around the world, or stand firm and risk losing what could easily be one of their most lucrative iPhone markets? And yes, there is the tiny detail that many Apple products are manufactured in China, as well.

What will Apple do? Well, there is one small incident that might give us a hint. Last year, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez decided to unilaterally change the time zone of Venezuela by half an hour. As you probably have noticed, most time zones are segmented by hours. The move placed Venezuela in its own time zone. As of July, Apple hadn't added the half hour offset for Venezuela in its time settings, causing problems like these. Microsoft on the other hand, had an update out within a few weeks acknowledging the time zone change. Was this lack of change an intentional political statement on Apple's part? If so, would they be as willing to take that sort of stand with China?

Dealing with China will be a far more high-profile, and high stakes process. Apple was wise to bring Andrea Jung from Avon onto the board early this year. At the time, the move was seen as a smart way to learn to market more effectively to women in China. In reality though, Jung could prove even more important as Apple navigates the Chinese political landscape.

While Apple has been a global brand for decades, China may be the first significant time in which a decision they make - to pull the Pro-Tibet album or not - will displease at least one major group of potential customers. Our bet: the album will disappear from the Chinese iTunes store, iTunes access in China will be restored, and except for a few protests (perhaps a letter from Richard Gere?) we'll all forget this happened. On the other hand, if it's a slow news cycle, or the issue is painted against the bigger backdrop of doing business with China, then this might not go away as quickly as Apple would like.

So put on your CEO hat. What would you do if you ran Apple?

Why did Microsoft Pick Seinfeld? Because 1998 was when MSFT was last Relevant

Look out Apple! You're uncontested ribbing of Vista in all those "Mac and PC" ads is about to be challenged. Yes the sleeping Redmond dragon is waiting. And if you thought "The Mojave Experiment" made marketshare dip (it didn't), wait til you see what Jerry Seinfeld will do!

Yes, last relevant in the 90's, like Microsoft itself, Seinfeld is the new pitch man as part of a $300 million ad campaign. Ya know, Microsoft, for that much money you could probably hire away a few app engineeers, and actually fix Vista. But I digress. So look for Jerry Seinfeld (you may recall his character had a Mac in the show) to be hawking for MSFT soon, and their theme: "Windows not Walls." See, Microsoft is apparently about everything being open. Who knew?

TDL Live This week: (8/18-8/25)

It's that time again... Time for our recap of the news and rumors this week.