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With the launch of apple's new video plaing ipod came the release of itunes 6, and the ability to download music videos, tv shows, and movie shorts.

According to apple, there are currently 2000 music videos availabe for purchase on itunes. Each video costs $1.99 to download. When compared to the price and length of tv episodes (which also sell for $1.99 an episode), this price seems bit steep. But maybe another way to look at it is that you are getting a 99 cent song and the $1 extra is for the video.

The current collection of TV shows all come from ABC and include the following shows:

Currently has 3 episodes from Desprate housewives Season 2. You can download all of Desprate housewives season 1, with 23 episodes for $34.99

Currently has 3 Lost episodes from Season 2. You can download all of Lost season 1, with 25 episodes for $34.99

2 episodes from the current season of Night Stalker are available.

Offers a partial set of season 3's episodes. There are currently 14 that's so raven shows available for download.

15 Episodes of The suite life are available for download




Apple to give TiVo some competition?
From what they've been able to do with the music aspect of iTunes, it's very easy to see how Apple could be seen as a competitor to TiVo, especially with its TiVoToGo service.

"We think this is a real breakthrough,...It's never before been done, where you can buy hit prime-time TV shows the day after they're broadcast." Steve Jobs

I couldn't agree more with Jobs. As more tv networks get on board, the selection of tv shows available for download will increase to a point where you should be able to find most of the hot shows you want on itunes. Of course this will only be work for a certain type of tv viewer. At this point in time all new shows are only downloadable the day after the show airs. The video quality and resolution also means that this content will only be viewed on the ipod. If Apple wanted to, I'm sure they could work to secure rights to make higher resolution versions available for pc viewing. Quicktime 7 already includes the ability to play HD quality video. Taking all this to the next step could be exactly what the industry needs to get people used to buying video content online, instead of downloading them for free on some P2P network.


Other Directions for video content.
Apple already has a large collection of trailiers online at http://www.apple.com/trailers/ This content is also available in itune, but right now only for viewing in itunes. The next logical step I'd see would be for apple to make these available for downloading into the new ipod. Traillers should of couse be free downloads, and will serve as a way to increase the amount of video content users can access on their new ipods. I'd assume this would help sales. Also if the movie studios have been paying apple to host their trailers, this will just serve as extra bang for the buck.

Other Sites discussing this issue:
Big news from Apple -- moving towards becoming a Media Center? (PVRblog)

The other big milestone is that iTunes now offers TV Show downloads. This is really big, almost as big as the launch of the iTunes Music Store in the first place. more...

Today, it's "Desperate Housewives" & "Lost." Tomorrow, it's ... ? (Jim Hill Media)

After yesterday's announcements by Steve Jobs and Bob Iger, Roger Colton wonders if it won’t too be long before consumers will be able to purchase their favorite videos right from the comfort of their own desktop… more..

2006: The Year of Vidcasting and Advercasting (Micro Persuasion)

Marketers will also jump feet first into advercasting. And why not? They already have vast libraries of video available at their disposal from years of TV and rich media advertising. Imagine if the now defunct BMW films republished their webisodes in vidcast form. I would love to subscribe to these via RSS in iTunes and consume it all on the go on a video-capable iPod. Of course, citizens will jump into the act with their own advercasts as well. more...

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Apple's new Fifth Generation iPod Now Plays Music, Photos & Video

Apple has introduced the new iPod®, featuring a gorgeous 2.5-inch color screen which can display album artwork and photos, and play stunning video including music videos, video Podcasts, home movies and television shows. The new iPod holds up to 15,000 songs, 25,000 photos or over 150 hours of video and is available in a 30GB model for $299 and a 60GB model for $399, with both models available in stunning white or black designs.

“The new iPod is the best music player ever—it's 30 percent thinner and has 50 percent more storage than its predecessor—yet it sells for the same price and plays stunning video on its 2.5-inch color screen,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Because millions of people around the world will buy this new iPod to play music, it will quickly become the most popular portable video player in history.”

The new iPod plays music, audiobooks, audio Podcasts, video Podcasts, home movies, music videos and popular television shows like “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives.” The unrivaled combination of iPod and iTunes® 6 now provides customers with a seamless experience for buying, managing and playing video as well as audio content, including over 2,000 music videos, six short films from the Academy-Award winning Pixar Animation Studios, and five television shows from ABC and Disney Channel, including the immensely popular “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives.”

The new iPod combines all of the ground breaking features that have made the iPod the best music player in the world with revolutionary new features such as the ability to view video content on a larger stunning color display. The new iPod features Apple’s innovative Click Wheel for precise, one-handed navigation and the portable design is ideal for putting music, Podcasts, photos, audiobooks, home movies, music videos and popular television shows in a pocket for on-the-go viewing. iPod users can also watch their video content and slideshows of their photos on a television via optional Apple accessories.

Featuring seamless integration with the iTunes Music Store and the iTunes digital music jukebox, iPod features Apple’s patent pending Auto-Sync technology that automatically downloads digital music, Podcasts, photos, audiobooks, home movies, music videos and popular television shows onto the iPod and keeps them up-to-date whenever the iPod is plugged into a Mac® or Windows computer using USB 2.0. The 30GB model features up to 14 hours of battery life for music playback and the 60GB model features up to 20 hours of battery life for music playback.*

Pricing & Availability
The new iPods will begin shipping next week for a suggested retail price of $299 (US) for the 30GB model and $399 (US) for the 60GB model through the Apple Store®, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. All iPod models include earbud headphones, USB 2.0 cable, case, dock insert and a CD with iTunes for Mac and Windows computers.

Optional accessories designed for the new iPod include: Universal Dock for $39 (US), giving users easy access to a USB port for syncing, IR support to work with the Apple Remote and a variable line out and S-video connections for integration within the living room; Apple Remote for $29 (US), providing wireless integration to the Universal Dock and quick and easy access to controls from across the room; Apple iPod AV cable for $19 (US), enabling television viewing of video content in full-screen; the iPod Camera Connector for $29 (US); and Apple Socks for $29 (US) providing six vibrant color socks to dress up and protect your iPod.

iPod requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 and Mac OS® X version 10.3.9 or later and iTunes 6; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows 2000, XP Home or Professional (SP2) and iTunes 6.

* Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information. Music capacity is based on four minutes per song and 128-Kbps AAC encoding; video capacity is based on H.264 750-Kbps combined with 128-Kbps audio; and photo capacity is based on iPod-viewable photos transferred from iTunes.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital music revolution with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online music store.

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Three Handheld Styles Play Music, Store Photos, and Display TV Entertainment, Anywhere

EchoStar Communications Corporation and its DISH Network(TM) satellite TV service announced today the rollout of its PocketDISH(TM), a new line of portable media companions. Enhancing the most on-the-go lifestyles, the handheld PocketDISH downloads and plays thousands of MP3s, stores and displays photos and is one of the industry's first video players. PocketDISH gives TV viewers the ability to take their favorite sitcoms, reality shows or even last night's game with them to watch anywhere.

The sleek, silver PocketDISH is available in three models: two portable media recorders and a portable media player.

With the choice of a crystal-clear 2.2-inch, 4-inch or 7-inch LCD screen, PocketDISH is one of the most advanced portable media devices available and provides consumers the ultimate convenience in how they watch television. Compatible with most TVs and consumer electronic devices on the market today, the units can download or record content from a PC or Mac, digital cameras, mass storage devices, as well as other video or audio sources such as DVD players, camcorders and VCRs. DISH Network customers will enjoy a special feature of ultra-fast video transfer speeds when attaching PocketDISH to select DISH Network digital video recorders (DVRs) via a USB 2.0 connection. For instance, an hour of DISH Network programming can be transferred to the PocketDISH hard drive in about five minutes.

"DISH Network is expanding its leadership role in digital video recording by giving consumers portability," said Mark Jackson, president of EchoStar Technologies Corporation. "With PocketDISH, we are again changing the way people watch television. More versatile than ordinary portable DVD or MP3 players, PocketDISH makes it convenient for users to watch popular TV shows or listen to the latest music downloads anywhere."

Every PocketDISH comes complete with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery for up to four hours of video and 12 hours of music playback. Stereo headphones, USB cables, adapter cable, A/V cables, an AC/DC power adapter and a carrying case are standard.

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the three models:

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ATI Technologies Inc. today launched a new family of graphics processors (GPUs), the Radeon® X1000 family, that outperform competing products and deliver better image quality in every price category. The top-to-bottom family, built using the cutting-edge 90 nanometer semiconductor fabrication technology, delivers better performance and image quality than ever.

The new family has a GPU that is right for everyone. Competitive gamers and enthusiasts looking for the absolute best will want the Radeon® X1800 -- the fastest graphics processor on the planet. For those getting started in gaming or who are more interested in editing photos and videos, the Radeon® X1600 delivers the best image quality available, for high-fidelity editing and playback. For those who want all of the features and capabilities of the Radeon X1800 and Radeon X1600 but who are on a budget, the Radeon® X1300 will meet their needs for as low as US $79.

"The RADEON X1000 family of GPUs was designed to be the best and it is the best," said Rich Heye, Vice President and GM, Desktop Discrete Products, ATI Technologies Inc. "In terms of gaming performance, it is the fastest; in terms of image quality, it is the best looking; in terms of features, it is the richest."

Each of the new graphics processors feature:

- Ultra-threaded shader architecture to run today's shader-intense games faster than any product already on the market;

- Revolutionary new memory architecture that makes the GPUs incredibly efficient, improving performance even more;

- Fast and efficient 3D image quality that delivers the best looking games while maintaining blistering fast performance;

- Avivo, ATI's technologies to greatly improve display quality and refine video playback.

Graphics cards powered by Radeon X1000-series GPUs will be available from ATI and its board partners including:

• ASUSTek Computer Inc.
• Club 3D B.V.
• Connect3D, Inc.
• Diamond Multimedia
• Giga-Byte Technology Co., Ltd.
• Hightech Information System Ltd.
• Info-Tek Corporation
• MSI Computer Corp
• Palit Microsystems, Inc.
• Sapphire Technology Limited
• TUL Corporation
• Viking InterWorks
• Visiontek

Leading tier-one OEMs will soon be announcing new systems featuring Radeon X1000 series graphics cards. System Builders, including the following, will be shipping computers featuring Radeon X1000 GPUs:

• ABS Computer Technologies Inc.
• Alienware Corp.
• Alternate Computerversand GmbH
• Amazon.de, GmbH, Germany
• Arlt Computer GmbH
• Atelco Computer Event GmbH
• Bas Computers BV
• Conrad Electronic GmbH
• CyberPower Inc.
• Evesham Technology Ltd
• Falcon Northwest
• HyperSonic
• iBuyPower Computer
• Monarch Computer Products
• Network Technical AB
• Polywell Computers Inc.
• Snogard Computer
• Velocity Micro
• Watford Electronics Ltd

Radeon X1800 and Radeon X1300 cards are shipping immediately, with additional Radeon X1800 configurations and Radeon X1600 cards shipping later in October and November.

For more information on these or other ATI products please visit www.ati.com.

About ATI Technologies

ATI Technologies Inc. is a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative 3D graphics and digital media silicon solutions. An industry pioneer since 1985, ATI is the world's foremost visual processor unit (VPU) provider and is dedicated to deliver leading-edge performance solutions for the full range of PC and Mac desktop and notebook platforms, workstation, set-top and digital television, game console and handheld device markets. With 2004 revenues of US $2 billion, ATI has more than 3,200 employees in the Americas, Europe and Asia. ATI common shares trade on NASDAQ (ATYT) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (ATY).

ATI (Finally) Rolls Out Its New Graphics Cards - PC Magazine
ATI Radeon X1800 XT (Preview) -VNUNet.com
Only one R520 chip? No way, San Jose! The Inquirer
ATI X1000 Graphics Family HotHardware

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