Unbundled Media - Audio and Video Your Way
Podcasting, narrowcasting, mobcasting, entertainment-on-demand, streaming audio and video. It's all about getting your information and entertainment your way. Cell phones, iPods and Sony's PSP are just a few of the tools giving us control over our media. Sync2Play offers news, information, and consulting for the increasingly complex range of options associated with audio and video distribution.
Portable Media News
Microsoft Extends MSN Music Expiration Date
After originally announcing they'd no longer support activation on new PCs after August 31, 2008, Microsoft has opted to extend support for files sold through their now dead MSN Music service. Here's the details from the MSN team:
DIY Sony PSP GPS Hookup
While we wait to see if anything new is really coming from Sony for the PSP, there an awesome new GPS hack for the existing PSP. Deniska shows us how to mod a remote control wire to function with an external GPS and provides the software to view GPS details on the PSP screen. While I'm all thumbs with a soldering gun, this certainly looks like a project the average electrical novice can accomplish without destroying their PSP in the process. All soldering appears to be on the wires, not on the PSP itself. If you've been looking for a way to add a GPS to your PSP, this could be it.
PSP July Content Pack
Sony's back with another content pack. This time they're pushing God of War II for the PS2 and some stories media for GTA, but that's the price of free in Sony's world. Along with the marketing junk, you get wallpapers from Blade Dancer, a collection of Ozzfest 2006 wallpapers, some Lollapalooza bios and schedules, and music samples and Wallpapers from Vans Warped Tour. Nothing here to completely melt your socks, but it's nice they keep adding more free stuff for those of us dedicated to the portable gaming platform.
Jessica Simpson Sings to Me
And apparently to anyone else with $1.99 burning a hole in their pocket. In what's one of the more clever music marketing stunts, Y! Music is offering customized versions of the Jessica Simpson song A Public Affair where they replace the original version of the song with 'I see you lookin' over here Jake' or whatever your name happens to be. A clever stunt to be certain, but it sort of removes the wow factor when you realize there could be a million other people getting their own "special" song.
ZVUE Download Store for Portable Media Players
Handheld Entertainment, the company behind the ZVUE line of portable media players is extending their reach beyond their own product line. The company did a smart thing when they released a video download store and portable players at the same time ala Apple's iPod and iTunes Music Store. Now they've taken things up a notch, offering downloads for other portable players too. The original ZVUE devices support video at 160x120. The download store now supports 320x240 video for any PlaysForSure compliant portable media player, as well as the 160x120 video size. This is an interesting move in a market where everyone typically tries to create their own little universe where everything breaks when you try to step outside. In addition to videos available for paid download, there's tons of free content including a nice selection of indie flicks and an archive full of old films and cartoons. All videos are available from zvue.com.
Sony PSP Firmware Downgrade
If you love to mod your PSP, chances are you've already thrown any hope of a warranty out the window. The firmware is currently on version 2.70 in the United States, but a recent firmware downgrader has hit the PSP hacking community, offering a way to downgrade from firware versions 2.60 and 2.50 back down to the most mod-friendly version of the firmware, which is the 1.50 revision offered ages ago. Like all other mods, downgrading your firmware from 2.50 or 2.60 seems to be working for most people, but there's always a chance you might completely hose your PSP, so proceed with caution before trying this at home. PSP Update has all the firmware downgrade dirt.
Blaugh Comics for Your PSP
I want to see more comics custom fit for my PSP screen. Chris P recently teamed up with an amazing artist to launch Blaugh, a daily humor piece for the Internet set, complete with an RSS feed optimized for viewing on the PSP. This is absolute genius! It helps that the comics are genuinely funny, but the real smarts is in recognizing the potential for all those portable screens as a platform for making people laugh. The images, like a Flickr stream or other photo feeds are optimized for the PSP screen size, while still retaining all the brilliant colors and sharp wit. The latest comic, which I provide a sneak preview of in this post, is a genius take on the recent meltdown of video blogging poster children, Rocketboom. If you have a PSP (or iPod video), you owe it to yourself to add this daily laugh to your RSS subscriptions or at least check in daily. Think MAD Magazine in little doses every day and you'll be on the right track.
