Amazon. Opportunity is knocking!

Netflix is cutting the company in two. No longer will frustrated users of Netflix streaming have the DVD/Blu-ray service as a safety net. If a title isn't available on Netflix streaming, you have to go elsewhere. The synergy is gone, and now Netflix is just another streaming video service. Netflix is underestimating the value of that safety net to people new to streaming video services - particularly those interested in reducing their cable/satellite bills.

Netflix has fumbled the ball. Someone just needs to pick it up and run with it. Maybe someone at Amazon is paying attention; adding Blu-ray rentals to their video streaming service might give them a competiive edge. Opportunity is knocking . . .

Goodbye Delicious

Delicious users have only a few days to decide what to do with their Delicious bookmarks. Do nothing; and you are going to lose them.

Last December Yahoo announced that Delicious no longer fit in. Not that anyone at Yahoo seems to know what their strategy is or what business they are in; but why ramble on about a failing company? This past April, Yahoo announced the sale of Delicious to AVOS. Delicious' user base are now getting email with a button asking them to approve the migration of their account information to AVOS (here's the AVOS FAQ for Delicious users).

In my case, the end of the "old" Delicious is pretty much a non-event. When Yahoo announced that they were going to kill/sell Delicious, I immediately hunted for other options, and then moved my bookmarks to Pinboard. I supplemented Pinboard with Springpad and liink.it. I'm happy with these new services, and life is good.

If you are still a Delicious user, what should you do now? Your easiest option is doing nothing; declaring an end to your Delicious bookmark collection. Perhaps you too have moved on to other services or just want a break with the past. If that doesn't appeal to you, then the next easiest thing is going to be pressing that "Yes, Move My Bookmarks" button. AVOS' Terms of Service and Privacy Policy seem reasonable. However, we don't know how AVOS is going to evolve Delicious; and we certainly don't know how hard it is going to be to get your information out of the new system.

If you wanto to move your bookmarks to other services, you had better get cracking. Time's up on September 23.

Motorola Mobility not the patent shield Goolge is looking for?

Florian Muller authors a blog that " . . . covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices." He was recently interviewed by Network World regarding Google's attempts to protect Android from patent disputes, and was surprisingly down on the effectiveness of a Motorola Mobility patent shield. The interview yielded some interesting remarks regarding both Microsoft and Apple.

Oh! For George's sake . . .

George Lucas demonstrates why it is not just patents that need reform - so does copyright.

I actually don't get as worked up as many do when Lucas tries to update the original movies with modern special effects; but, given the capacity of blu-rays, why can't we get the original theatrical releases in addition to whatever changes George wants to make to the Star Wars movies now?

Lucas Tweaking “Star Wars” For Blu-Ray: "George Lucas is at it again!

With the Star Wars franchise getting set to hit Blu-Ray later this year, Lucas is taking the opportunity to "tweak" the films yet again. Some of the tweaks are to address technical issues with the DVD releases of the films, including cleaned up images, a better transfer, addressing color timing in the light saber battles and removing obvious puppeteer hands in certain shots.

(Via Slice of SciFi.)

This video by C.P.G. Grey explains why copyright is broken.

And, yes. I watch Framerate . . .

Tweet by Ihnatko from Twitterrific

Dear Apple: you have my blessing to act like a bunch of total d***s about the TouchPad. Email ass photos to HP. They deserve it.

To which I say, I feel bad for any Palm refugees inside HP; but damn Andy is funny sometimes!