Welcome to World of Livestreaming, Apple

For almost three years, we've been bringing you video of everything Apple, including our own brand of live coverage of Apple events. Well Apple is finally doing what we've advocated to them publically and privately for quite some time: they will be livestreaming today's press event. 

Years ago, Apple was WAY ahead of the curve, making most of their keynotes available live, in an age before most people had access to a high-speed internet connection. Now they're back. Is it just a coincidence that they are choosing this event to stream? Does it perhaps tie into a video streaming-related announcement? The next Apple TV, perhaps?

PS3 Streaming Disc Arrives. Quick Review: As Advertised

Our Netflix PS3 streaming disc just arrived. The process is fairly straightforward as you insert the disc, then login to netflix, and enter a verification code from the tv screen into an activation screen on the computer.

After that, your queued movies are presented, and you pick one to start watching. Unless it was just a funky tv issue, it seems not all the titles are in HD, as the tv would switch from 720p to 480p depending on the title. You can use the same scene by scene navigation as the netflix player on the mac/pc. Additionally, the resume playing feature remembers where you left off in a movie on other streaming devices as well. Not sure what happens if you take your disc to another ps3, but it seems the verification code is probably linked to the ps3, not the disc.

The movies generally look great, with just some pixelation if you're looking for it. It's a solid implementation, despite having to put the disc in for each use. But hey, if that's what it takes to get Netflix on more devices, then I'm all for it.

Quick Review of the First Live iPhone Concert

It was a bit under the radar until the day of the concert, but Friday night, Techno group Underworld performed what was billed as the first concert live to the iPhone. We're not a music site, so we'll reserve judgement on the music, and focus on the stream.

The audio sounded great (or at least as great as it was miked at the event. The video, was ok. It certainly wasn't the same as watching a downloaded h.264 file, but it was watchable, we didn't experience any significant stuttering or dropouts. Hey, Akamai has streamed a few events in their time.

Worth noting, we watched the stream over wifi. If you want to check it out for yourself (just pretend it's live) head over to iphone.akamai.com from your iPhone and enjoy.

Why WWDC 2010 Won't be Like WWDC 2009

No, we don't have any secret source divulging the big announcements at the next WWDC, a mere 11 months or so away. What we do have though, are technology changes from Apple that will change the way you get your news from WWDC in 2010.

First, it's always been a pet peeve for us that once upon a time, when Apple was smaller, and more people had dialup, they would stream the Macworld/WWDC keynotes for all Apple fans to enjoy. Then, as bandwidth costs dropped, and the company became more prosperous, the live streaming disappeared.

In its absence, a host of sites, ours included, have tried all sorts of ways to creatively bring the announcements to the masses. We've used live video leading right up to, and immediately following the Keynote, relying on the scores of livebloggers to fill in that big gap in between. But next year will be different. The auditorium will be filled with iPhone 3GS owners, phones quite capable of video streaming. While it's very likely a live streaming app will be available by then (perhaps even next month) even if that didn't happen, people now have a device capable of quickly uploading clips to youtube. People will be able to shoot the Keynote in short segments, and upload them seconds later. 

Audio streaming will also be possible. When anyone can stream audio from the event, what will Apple do? Will they line the walls with lead to cut out signals to the outside world? Will they give everyone a locker and force them to put their Apple product in it for the duration of the keynote? Of course not. (Well, let's not rule the lead out entirely.)

The rational thing for a company that is so concerned with image, and how its message is received would be to return live streaming of the event. Apple would then offer a professional live stream, and control the message at the same time.

Either way, WWDC 2010 won't be like WWDC 2009. At least not in how you read/hear/view it.

The Real Reason For Bandwidth Caps?

Each time a new technology comes along, the old guard tries to stay entrenched, and keep the new technology from taking over. Almost always, the new, better technology usually wins out in some form. Look at the resistance to FM radio by AM broadcasters, and the resistance to cable by over the air broadcasters, etc. Well, we might be at the edge of another change, and Apple could be right in the middle of this one.

Comcast will begin implementing a 250GB monthly data cap. Ostensibly this cap is intended to curb rampant file sharing, and ensure network capacity for everyone. Maybe though, this is really intended to curb the rise of devices like Apple TV, and other competing boxes.

Cable companies are first and foremost TV providers. They do a healthy business, especially in OnDemand content. Devices like the Apple TV threaten to take away that cash cow, and to make the cable company little more than a utility provider.

At today's data rates, 250GB seems like enough, even for the most intensive Apple TV user. Look a few years down the road, though. Imagine an Apple TV that's streaming HD television and live events all day long. Now imagine two or three boxes in the house, along with increased wifi use from devices like the iPhone.

What will happen when technology reaches this cap not just for the rampant content pirate, but for the average TV viewer?
Is internet congestion a reality that will require caps, or are caps being used to suppress the expansion of services that cut into the bottom line of service providers?