Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[HTML5 YouTube viewer: close, but not quite there]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/08/html5-youtube-viewer-close-but-not-quite-there/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/08/html5-youtube-viewer-close-but-not-quite-there/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/08/html5-youtube-viewer-close-but-not-quite-there/#commentsFiled under: ,

Everyone knows Flash is a massive resource hog, especially on Mac or Linux. If you're sick of totally bogging down your system whenever you want to watch a YouTube video, the new video specifications in HTML5 might be the answer. By using HTML and plugging into the Mp4 streams on YouTube, the folks at NeoSmart have created an HTML5 YouTube Viewer. It doesn't quite work perfectly, and not every browser is ready for it, but it's nice proof-of-concept to try out.

The Download Squad team had mixed results watching videos with this viewer. Firefox was a bust - NeoSmart says it's because of proprietary codec issues - but some other browsers worked. I got working video (extremely smooth working video, actually) on both Chrome and Safari for Mac, but no audio. Meanwhile, on the Windows side, fellow Download Squad bloggers report that the HTML5 viewer works well in Chrome 4 in XP, and Chrome 3 on Windows 7.

Meanwhile,YouTube seems to be running its own HTML5 tests, including some examples of new in-browser 3D rendering features. Sounds like this could finally be the end of reliance on Flash ... once your browser supports it, or once YouTube starts supporting OGG Theora, Firefox and Chrome's video format of choice for HTML5.

HTML5 YouTube viewer: close, but not quite there originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>codechtml5neosmartvideoyoutubeSun, 08 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Boxee media center to hit beta next month]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/boxee-media-center-to-hit-beta-next-month/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/boxee-media-center-to-hit-beta-next-month/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/boxee-media-center-to-hit-beta-next-month/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Boee Alpha
Media center application Boxee has grabbed a lot of headlines over the past year or two, and for good reason: Boxee provides Mac, Linux, and Windows users with an excellent solution for watching internet video on a TV. While web browsers were generally designed for viewing text and images with video thrown in as an afterthought, Boxee was designed to look and feel more like a consumer electronics application that you can navigate from the couch with a remote control.

Boxee can access online video from services including Hulu, Joost, and BBC's iPlayer. You can use it to enjoy audio and video podcasts. And you can access local media stored on your hard drive.

But despite all of its features, Boxee is still alpha software. That's going to change next month. Boxee is set to launch the first beta version of its software at an event in New York on December 7th. I suppose the day will continue to live in Infamy, although I doubt that decades from now we'll still be talking about it as the date that Boxee went beta.

The new version will have a new user interface, improved navigation, a user-controlled queue, and a new TV and movie search function among other changes.

Boxee media center to hit beta next month originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boxeeboxee-betamedia-centerFri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Now finally available - ubiquitous media sharing with Orb for Mac]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/now-finally-available-media-sharing-with-orb-for-mac/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/now-finally-available-media-sharing-with-orb-for-mac/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/now-finally-available-media-sharing-with-orb-for-mac/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


It was pretty exciting news at Download Squad to hear Orb, the "sort of software version of Slingbox," was available for Mac. Orb allows you to broadcast your media to any device that has a web browser. After downloading Orb to your "always on" Mac with a high speed internet connection, you can access all your photos, songs, TV shows, and videos from any device with a browser and media player.

After downloading the app, Orb indexes your media and then prompts you to either log in to mycast.orb.com, or create a log in if you don't have an account. After you log in you can see your dashboard and all your media goodies.



Though my songs appeared immediately, my photos did not. There are various feed settings you can play with and channels to explore. Also, with a simple drag drop interface you can share your media with your friends via email, SMS, widget on your blog, or a public URL.



Checking it out from my home computer is one thing, but would it work on other devices? Success! I was able to access my media from my Dell PC.

A note for iPhone owners: The esteemed and indefatigable Jay Hathaway noted that he received errors when he tried to download the free version of OrbLive for the iPhone, which he tried from both his iPhone and his iTunes account on his Mac. There are 3 flavors of Orb available for the iPhone: OrbLive free, OrbMedia ($4.99) and OrbLive ($9.99)

Note to Orb: Please update your landing page to include PC and Mac, ok?

Now finally available - ubiquitous media sharing with Orb for Mac originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iphoneMacmedia sharingmedia streamerMediaSharingMediaStreamermobileOrbThu, 05 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Best Buy + CinemaNow = sitting in a tree]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/03/best-buy-cinemanow/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/03/best-buy-cinemanow/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/03/best-buy-cinemanow/#commentsFiled under: ,

CinemaNow
US electronics retailer Best Buy is preparing to enter the digital video distribution business in a big way. The company is partnering with CinemaNow, an online video download service that lets users rent and purchase movies and TV shows.

Best Buy will load up CinemaNow software on internet-connected consumer electronics sold at the company's retail stores. That includes computers, portable media players, Blu-Ray players, set-top boxes, mobile phones, and internet-connected television sets.

Customers that purchase one of these items will be able to rent or buy videos from a catalog with about 22,000 titles. Movie purchases typically run between $10 and $20, while TV shows are $1.99 per episode. Movie rentals typically go for $2.99 to $3.99.

The move should give Best Buy and CinemaNow a much stronger foothold in the digital media space. CinemaNow already offers a pretty compelling user experience, allowing you to download a video and watch it on up to three devices. But the fact that virtually every consumer electronics device that Best Buy sells that can run the software soon will, means that CinemaNow is about to become a much bigger name in digital media, and that could help the companies take on Apple's iTunes and Amazon's video on demand services.

Best Buy is expected to roll out the new service early next year.

Best Buy + CinemaNow = sitting in a tree originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best-buycinemanowonline-videovideo-downloadTue, 03 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[First look at Epix internet movie channel]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/31/first-look-at-epix-internet-movie-channel/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/31/first-look-at-epix-internet-movie-channel/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/31/first-look-at-epix-internet-movie-channel/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Epix
As I mentioned yesterday, internet movie channel Epix launched this weekend. The TV channel is available to Verizon FiOS customers, who can also login to the EpixHD web site to watch dozens of movies including new releases such as Iron Man and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button as well as older, more obscure titles including Bubba Ho Tep and Son of Rambow.

If you don't have Verizon FiOS you can request a 3-day weekend trial of the service, but I'm not entirely sure what the point is, since Epix doesn't plan to launch a web-only version anytime soon. Perhaps they're hoping you'll contact your local cable, satellite, or other TV provider and request they add Epix to the lineup.

If your invitation hasn't come through yet, you can take solace in the fact that I did score an invite. OK, that may not be much comfort, but I did manage to grab a bunch of screenshots of the user interface. It's kind of a mixed bag right now. The search function works quite nicely and you can click the watch button from the drop-down menu that appears when you're searching for a movie -- if the movie is available. Unfortunately, there are a ton of listings for movies that you can't actually watch yet, including Star Trek, GI Joe, and The Godfather I, II, and III.

You can also browser for movies by most watched, newest, genre, or other collections. You can also see all the movies from A to Z.

Browsing is sort of a cumbersome task though, since you have to scroll through thumbnails of movie posters. If it's not clear what movie you're looking at, you can mouse over the cover to see the title, but it may take a moment for the title to show up. And in the genre section, many movies are listed more than once (for example, the same title might show up in comedy, award winners, and action). And it's clear the web site wasn't really designed for geeks, because the sci fi category is dead last, which means you have to do a lot of scrolling before you get to it.

On the bright side, video quality was pretty good and you can even click a button to check your bitrate and other settings, which are automatically adjusted based on your internet connection settings.

Gallery: Epix internet movie channel


First look at Epix internet movie channel originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epixepixhdinternet-videomoviesvideoweb-videoSat, 31 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Internet movie channel Epix launches this weekend]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/30/internet-movie-channel-epix-launches-this-weekend/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/30/internet-movie-channel-epix-launches-this-weekend/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/30/internet-movie-channel-epix-launches-this-weekend/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Epix
After months of planning, the new TV/internet channel Epix launches this weekend. Verizion FiOS subscribers will see the new movie channel as part of their TV lineup, and they'll also have access to the EpixHD.com internet movie channel with 175 on-demand movies including some newer movies such as Iron Man and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

If you're not a FiOS customer, you can still request an invite to check out the service. Just sign up at EpixHD.com/invite and you'll register for a 3-day weekend trial of the internet-only service. The invites are being given out on a first come first, served basis, so you might not get one right away. But Epix plans to offer invitations between now and Thanksgiving.

Epix is run by Viacom, Paramount, Lionsgate, and MGM, so the company has access to a decent collection of movies, although it looks like most of the titles available at launch are older movies.

[via NewTeeVee]

Internet movie channel Epix launches this weekend originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epixfiosinternet-videoFri, 30 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Convert audio and video files in 2 clicks with Oxelon Media Converter]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/29/convert-audio-and-video-files-in-2-clicks-with-oxelon-media-conv/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/29/convert-audio-and-video-files-in-2-clicks-with-oxelon-media-conv/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/29/convert-audio-and-video-files-in-2-clicks-with-oxelon-media-conv/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Oxelon Media Converter
There are dozens of great programs for converting media files from one format to another. Some of our favorites are Super, MediaCoder, and WinLAME, and VirtualDub.But if you're looking for a fast and simple solution, you probably won't find many programs that are as simple to use as Oxelon Media Converter.

Oxelon adds two shortcuts to your Windows context menu: one for transcoding audio files, the other for transcoding video. All you have to do is right-click on any media file in Windows Explorer and select the file format you want to convert it to. Oxelon will open a new window and ask you where you'd like to save the file. You can also change audio and video codecs, framerate, bitrate, and video dimensions as well as other settings. But all you really have to do at that point is hit the "Conversion" button to start converting your file.

The free program does have a few quirks. The most annoying one is that every time you close the program, Oxelon Media Converter will open its homepage in your default web browser. The other is that I had trouble converting some of the video files I had shot with my digital camera. The only way I could get them to encode was by selecting the "no audio" option, although it's possible that if I had spent more time fiddling I could have found another option that would have worked. Admittedly, my digital camera records audio at an odd sampling rate.

Oxelon recommends downloading and installing a plugin file to add support for a wide variety of audio and video formats. You can find a picture of the settings screen after the break.

[via Instant Fundas]

Continue reading Convert audio and video files in 2 clicks with Oxelon Media Converter

Convert audio and video files in 2 clicks with Oxelon Media Converter originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>encodemediamedia-convertermultimediaoxelon-media-convertertranscodeThu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Share unlimited media files for free with Libox]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/29/share-unlimited-media-files-for-free-with-libox/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/29/share-unlimited-media-files-for-free-with-libox/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/29/share-unlimited-media-files-for-free-with-libox/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Libox got my attention with free and unlimited - as in unlimited - media sharing. It's a new beta desktop application that allows you to share all your photos, videos and music with your friends and contacts. Unlike other social media sharing sites, whose free accounts are 1 GB or 100 photos/files, Libox is unlimited.

A colleague and I gave the app a trial run today and we liked it. After downloading and installing (7.9 MB Mac and Windows) the beta, Libox prompts you to import your files from your computer. The UI is clean, minimalist and intuitive. After importing your media files from your computer, you can share them by email with your friends and groups. Your friends will also have to install the app to open the files you send.

Libox allows you to sync your media files with all the computers in your house. There is also a web app where you can access your media in your browser, however, it is in alpha and can only be used on your local computer and if it is not behind a firewall.

To accomplish all this, Libox uses a combination of P2P networking, cloud and grid computing. It does not store your media or metadata on their servers and when you share media with your friends, Libox creates a "private secure network" on those specific files with those specific friends. The files are received in their original format, no compression, resizing or degradation.

Many questions abound, like how will this service make money? Once out of beta, will it be a paid service? What about the private secure networks? How private and how secure? The web access in alpha - how will that work? What are the compatible file formats? Any plans to add other file types like EPS or Docs? Does Libox work with Linux? Tell us more about the company and mission. Is their plan complete world domination? Is Libox too good to be true?

Stay tuned. Hopefully, we'll get these answers and more if you leave your questions in the comments.

Share unlimited media files for free with Libox originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>free media sharingliboxonline media sharingOnlineMediaSharingsocial media sharingSocialMediaSharingunlimitedunlimited free online file sharingunlimited online file sharingUnlimitedFreeOnlineFileSharingUnlimitedOnlineFileSharingThu, 29 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TubeRadio.fm turns YouTube into a powerful music player]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/26/tuberadio-fm-turns-youtube-into-a-powerful-music-player/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/26/tuberadio-fm-turns-youtube-into-a-powerful-music-player/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/26/tuberadio-fm-turns-youtube-into-a-powerful-music-player/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Using YouTube to listen to music is nothing new. Search for a song you want to hear, and you're very likely to find it, even if there's no official music video. YouTube isn't built to listen to music though, and that's where TubeRadio.fm comes in. It's a slick music player that lets you create playlists from YouTube, and can even find entire albums at once, using track listings and album art from Last.fm. The TubeRadio homepage describes the service as "iTunes meets YouTube meets Spotify," and that's not much of exaggeration.

TubeRadio.fm puts more emphasis on the "radio" than the "tube": the videos themselves take up very little space in the UI. More space is devoted to the tabbed info box at the bottom of the screen, which automatically pulls up lyrics and artist bios. TubeRadio does a good job of getting the album versions of songs when you use 'Discography Mode' to grab whole albums, but occasionally it will find a live version instead. Fortunately, there's another mode that searches all of YouTube, and you can manually add the version you want, if it exists.

TubeRadio.fm turns YouTube into a powerful music player originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ituneslast.fmmusicmusic playermusic videosMusicPlayerMusicVideosplaylistspotifytuberadio.fmyoutubeMon, 26 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Yfrog now supports photo and video tweets from your webcam]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/24/yfrog-now-supports-photo-and-video-tweets-from-your-webcam/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/24/yfrog-now-supports-photo-and-video-tweets-from-your-webcam/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/24/yfrog-now-supports-photo-and-video-tweets-from-your-webcam/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Yfrog, one of the most popular photo-posting services for Twitter, is making a move into video and offering webcam support. You can record and tweet, right from the Yfrog site. To get started, check the space where you'd normally see the option to upload an image or enter a URL: the new webcam option has been added right next to those. When the video window pops up, you can record a video, take a still shot, or take a still shot on a 5 second delay.

As always with Yfrog, the photos and videos you take are only a click away from being posted to Twitter. Because Yfrog is already one of the top players in the Twitter photo uploading game, and supported in several major Twitter apps, there's a good chance it could start to dominate the Twitter video arena, too. Currently, Twitvid and Twiddeo are two of the most popular options.

[via CNET]

Yfrog now supports photo and video tweets from your webcam originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>photosrecordingtwittervideowebcamyfrogSat, 24 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Windows 7 and DirectX 11 - not just good news for gamers!]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/23/windows-7-and-directx-11-not-just-good-news-for-gamers/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/23/windows-7-and-directx-11-not-just-good-news-for-gamers/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/23/windows-7-and-directx-11-not-just-good-news-for-gamers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Let me begin with some common knowledge to put us on some common ground. Vista sucks. By association, DirectX10 sucks. In fact, you might not even know what DirectX is -- and you would be forgiven!

DirectX is the piece of software that sits between your computer, and your video games. If you don't play games, you won't have heard of it. When you play a game on your PC it goes through DirectX. And until now, that's all DirectX did.

It's true: DirectX 10 premiered some nice new technologies. But because they were only available on Vista, which as we all know sucked more than a Hoover with a fresh, high-suction bag, DirectX 11 will be the first time most of us get to experience these new, funky technologies.

Continue reading Windows 7 and DirectX 11 - not just good news for gamers!

Windows 7 and DirectX 11 - not just good news for gamers! originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>directxdirectx11dx11gamesgaminggraphicstechnologywindows 7windows-7Windows7Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Netflix to introduce streaming-only service -- but not in the US]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/23/netflix-to-introduce-streaming-but-not-in-the-us/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/23/netflix-to-introduce-streaming-but-not-in-the-us/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/23/netflix-to-introduce-streaming-but-not-in-the-us/#commentsFiled under:

Netflix have announced their intention to launch a streaming-only video option beginning in the second half of 2010. Currently the only way to stream Netflix movies is to sign up for the DVD-rental-by-mail service. But the new web-only option will only be available outside the US.

Why make a streaming service Netflix' first offering outside the US? 'Tricky' postal systems, says CEO Reed Hastings.

Now, this is a bit of an odd one. Most western nations already have DVD-by-mail systems that work just as well as (or better) than Netflix. So I don't think 'tricky' postal systems are the real reason behind this move. What then do Netflix intend to achieve by focusing on streaming content outside of the US? Is it just a matter of flexibility? More subscription options?

But again, why outside the US? Netflix's brand recognition outside the US is not great.

Hastings and Netflix claim there is still seemingly enough demand for such a service, with 42% of their subscribers watching at least "15 minutes of one TV show or movie in the last quarter." Readwriteweb point to the growing adoption of Hulu and BBC's iPlayer for TV, Pandora and Spotify for music -- but I don't think it's quite the same thing for movies.

People like using their big, wide-screen televisions. They like using their expensive sound set-ups. Set-top boxes that stream content from the Web are still relatively hard to come by and not readily adopted by consumers. Then there's the matter of bandwidth: streaming a movie in high-resolution with a surround-sound audio track is still way beyond the capacity of most American and European Internet connections.

Netflix haven't yet announced which country will get to trial their streaming-movie service, but it'll be interesting to see which one they choose -- and if it will indeed be successful.

[via Readwriteweb]

Netflix to introduce streaming-only service -- but not in the US originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dvdnetflixon demandOnDemandstreamingstreaming videoStreamingVideoFri, 23 Oct 2009 12:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Hulu to begin charging for (some) content next year?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/22/hulu-to-begin-charging-for-some-content-next-year/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/22/hulu-to-begin-charging-for-some-content-next-year/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/22/hulu-to-begin-charging-for-some-content-next-year/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Hulu
Hulu is quite simply one of the best ways to watch TV on the internet. In fact, in some ways, Hulu offers a better viewing experience than old fashioned TV. For example, you tend to have just 2-3 minutes of commercials to put up with when watching a one hour (or rather, 42 minute) program on Hulu, instead of 18 minutes of advertisements.

But partly for that reason, FOX, NBC, ABC, and the other content networks that are supplying Hulu with a steady stream of TV shows and movies aren't making as much money from the site as they do when that content is viewed on TV. And according to FOX News Corp deputy chairman Chase Carey, one way to address that issue is to start charging for Hulu content. '

Now, before you freak out, it's not entirely clear at the moment exactly what content would be moved behind a paid firewall. It's unlikely that Hulu would require users to pay to watch everything on the site. But it is possible that some exclusive content could be available only to paying subscribers or one-time viewers.

Of course, it's possible that the forces behind Hulu could go all out and treat itself like a cable network, requiring users to pay to view anything on the site -- at which point Hulu's audience would sharply decline while internet piracy would shoot up.

What do you think? Is there some content you would pay to see on Hulu? Or are you already paying for that content from iTunes, Amazon, or other internet video distributors?

[via TV Squad]

Hulu to begin charging for (some) content next year? originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>huluonline-videosubscriptionThu, 22 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Want to learn about Windows 7? Microsoft offers you a look at its features]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/21/want-to-learn-about-windows-7-microsoft-offers-you-a-look-at-f/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/21/want-to-learn-about-windows-7-microsoft-offers-you-a-look-at-f/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/21/want-to-learn-about-windows-7-microsoft-offers-you-a-look-at-f/#commentsFiled under: , ,

While much of the Download Squad audience is already well-educated about Windows 7, there are still many of you who might not know what all the fuss is about. Over the next week or two, you're going to be seeing and hearing a lot about Microsoft's new operating system, so our team is going to help bring you up to speed.

So what's all the fuss about? All the badmouthing aimed at Windows Vista made plenty of consumers stay away last time. Don't think Microsoft is unaware of that fact. They know, and they worked pretty hard to make sure that Windows 7 was "Vista done right."

What's different about Windows 7 - and what makes it better? Who better to answer those questions than Microsoft?

Continue reading Want to learn about Windows 7? Microsoft offers you a look at its features

Want to learn about Windows 7? Microsoft offers you a look at its features originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuresvideowindows 7windows-7windows7Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[IMDb celebrates its 19th birthday]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/18/imdb-celebrates-its-19th-birthday/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/18/imdb-celebrates-its-19th-birthday/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/18/imdb-celebrates-its-19th-birthday/#commentsFiled under: , ,

IMDb 19The Internet Movie Database turned 19 yesterday. If you're scratching your head wondering how the IMDb can be older than the web, you'll notice that the first initial is I, not W. That's because the iconic destination for information about films and TV shows actually predates the web.

In fact, the earliest version of the technology behind the IMDb was a set of scripts for searching the USENET group rec.arts.movies. The IMDb wasn't even named yet, but it was already a work in progress on October 17, 1990.

The web site today is a bit more full featured. Not only can you get biographies for actors, directors, writers, and producers, as well as biographies, filmographies, and brief descriptions of movies, but you can also get TV listings, movie rankings, entertainment news, message boards, and the ability to watch some movies and TV shows from the site.

[via TechCrunch]

IMDb celebrates its 19th birthday originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonhistoryimdbinternet-movie-databasemoviesusenetSun, 18 Oct 2009 09:15:00 EST<![CDATA[David Lynch's Interview Project blog launches Oct. 20]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/16/david-lynchs-interview-project-blog-launches-oct-20/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/16/david-lynchs-interview-project-blog-launches-oct-20/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/16/david-lynchs-interview-project-blog-launches-oct-20/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Interview Project by David Lynch is an online series of interviews with Americans from different walks of life, in various towns and cities all over America. Beginning October 20, the project will launch a community blog, incorporating Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, so fans will be able to upload their own original content.

Austin Lynch (David's son) and a friend set out on a roadtrip across America and back to get the people's story from everyday Americans. They covered 20,000 miles in 70 days and got stories that are notable for the fact they are real, organic and unrehearsed. Production wise, they have the unmistakable Lynch feel, you keep looking for something that may be hidden. I watched 4 of the interviews and enjoyed spotting the Lynch symbols - close ups of flowers, bird chirps, etc. It will be fun to get to see how the conversations flow once the blog opens up a richer dialogue.

The blog launch will coincide with the premiere of the Clinton interview, a Fayetteville, WV man who finds salvation through a Stevie Nicks concert. For laughs, check out Lynch below NSFW (language) talking about watching movies on iPhones.

To him, it just ain't the real thing.

Continue reading David Lynch's Interview Project blog launches Oct. 20

David Lynch's Interview Project blog launches Oct. 20 originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>David LynchDavidLynchInterview ProjectInterview Project BlogInterviewProjectInterviewProjectBlogFri, 16 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[UI Nerdgasm Alert: 10/GUI is sweeping us off our fingers]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/15/ui-nerdgasm-alert-10-gui-is-sweeping-us-off-our-fingers/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/15/ui-nerdgasm-alert-10-gui-is-sweeping-us-off-our-fingers/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/15/ui-nerdgasm-alert-10-gui-is-sweeping-us-off-our-fingers/#commentsFiled under: ,

10/GUI from C. Miller on Vimeo.


Kitschy soundtrack, good voiceover and an intensely thorough demo add up to one cool re-imagining of our conventional human/computer interaction. In other words: this looks as close to the UI in Minority Report as I've ever seen. The key seems to be rewarding the user for having 10 fingers, and using all 10 to do a high number of operations in clever ways. This is really, really clever, too, just check out the name: 10/GUI. Check it out, you won't be disappointed. Well, if you hate using your fingers you might.

UI Nerdgasm Alert: 10/GUI is sweeping us off our fingers originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>demoguiuiuixvideoThu, 15 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mobile Minute: DIY cradle from cardboard coffee sleeve]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/12/mobile-minute-diy-cradle-from-cardboard-coffee-sleeve/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/12/mobile-minute-diy-cradle-from-cardboard-coffee-sleeve/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/12/mobile-minute-diy-cradle-from-cardboard-coffee-sleeve/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

DIY Mobile Device StandIt's amazing how expensive cradles are for mobile devices. Most users realize that there is a big premium being charged for what amounts to a formed piece of plastic, and it makes them less likely to pony up the big bucks for a device that holds their phone. Luckily, this is an area where a little DIY creativity can help.

A Download Squad tipster pointed us to their YouTube video describing how to take a cardboard coffee cup sleeve and with a few careful cuts, turn it into a perfectly serviceable cradle for holding a mobile device in landscape orientation. The video could have been shorter, but it is very well put together. I've embedded the video after the jump at the end of this post.

Alternatively, there is an iPhone dock papercraft project that Lifehacker pointed to that is a little more complicated, but results in a cradle that can hold an iPhone in landscape or portrait orientation, and allows you to plug in your iPhone's sync cable while in portrait orientation.

Is it worth skimping on a cradle and trying to make it yourself, or are you willing to pay the premium that hardware makers charge for their sturdier versions? Do you know of a different set of DIY cradle plans? Let us know in the comments.

Continue reading Mobile Minute: DIY cradle from cardboard coffee sleeve

Mobile Minute: DIY cradle from cardboard coffee sleeve originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cardboardcoffee-cup-sleevecradlediyiphonemobile minuteMobileMinuteMon, 12 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Twitter working on live video tweets?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/11/twitter-working-on-live-video-tweets/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/11/twitter-working-on-live-video-tweets/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/11/twitter-working-on-live-video-tweets/#commentsFiled under: ,

According to an unsourced story from the Telegraph, Twitter's founders have been throwing around the idea of bringing live video posts to the site. The post describes mobile video uploads posted directly to users' profiles, as opposed to posting links to short videos, a la Tweetube or Twiddeo, but there's not much more to the story. If the rumors are true, it's going to bring some speculation about whether this is the best use of Twitter's resources.

Twitter still has spam problems to deal with, as well as at least three other major new features that are rolling out right now: geolocation, user lists and a new format for retweets. Without more details, we don't know where the storage space and bandwidth are going to come from: will video be a drain on the Twitter experience? Now that the service is pushing between 10,000 and 25,000 tweets a minute, there's a lot to consider when building out new features.

So, Download Squad readers, would you use a Twitter video service? Let us know in the comments and the poll below.

UPDATE: Looks like the folks at Mashable got a quote from Twitter founder Biz Stone, denying any plans for video features: "Haven't read the piece but no video hosting. 140 characters of text including spaces. You know the drill!"

View Poll

Twitter working on live video tweets? originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>liverumortwittervideoSun, 11 Oct 2009 14:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Movie recommendation service Jinni launches public beta]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/08/movie-recommendation-service-jinni-launches-public-beta/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/08/movie-recommendation-service-jinni-launches-public-beta/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/08/movie-recommendation-service-jinni-launches-public-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Jinni
Jinni is a movie recommendation engine that helps you find films based on a number of factors. You can sort by genre, plot, mood, time/period, target audience or other factors. Probably the coolest feature is the "more like it" function which helps you find movies that you'd probably like based on the movie you're currently looking at. It's kind of like Netflix recommendations without that whole Netflix movie rental part.

Last time we checked out Jinni, the service was still in private beta. The Jinni team recently removed the "private" portion and launched a public beta. That means anyone can use Jinni without registering or signing in. Registered users do get a couple of perks like he ability to add titles to your favorites or wish list, create profiles, and connect with other users. You can also view your "movie personality" based on your preferences.

Users can also share their Jinni actions on Facebook and Twitter. Jinni isn't an online video site that lets you watch videos. Rather, once you find titles you like, Jinni directs you to sources where you can purchase or view the films including Netflix, Amazon, and Jaman.

Movie recommendation service Jinni launches public beta originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>jinnimovie-recommendationsmoviesThu, 08 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST