The wireless device to the right is clearly a Linksys product, like the WMA11B. It allows you to playback audio and video over a 802.11b connection.
The other items look more or less like devices that could do the same thing as the Linksys unit, they have almost the same port setup.
All of the items could be off the shelf products, and that's what I'd guess they are, they look nothing like a product in development. Note the middle one with a barcode that looks like maybe a serial number and maybe a wi-fi logo below that. The one to the left is all compact and in a nice case, looks like it's had a trip trough the "make it pretty" team. Unless these are final product mockups, why bother getting plastic inserts printed with the wi-fi logo and all? I'd guess these have nothing at all to do with the story.
Did they make up a big list of things that would make the service suck and pick them all?
Okay, so lets review. You pay $4.99 for a new release, you get one day to watch it, it's lower video quality than DVD, you can only watch it on the PC (unless you have video out hooked to a TV) and to top it all off, you can't use the service without Windows let alone even browse the site without IE?
How this is even close to spending $3.99 to rent a DVD new release you can watch on a TV for two days with full quality video and sound is lost on me. Yeah, you don't have to drive anywhere to get it, but you pay more and get a lot less.
I can't imagine why this service would fail to catch the business of regular people, and of course those people trading DVDs.
The document entitled "Requirements for Client PCs" states that several new devices must be present for the Windows Logo program, they include:
Audio device that supports DRM
From the TV and Video section: Video device that supports DRM
And a more vague listing in the "Home Entertainment " section that calls for a "Digital Media device that supports DRM".
On a side note, they are calling for BIOS makers to setup for being flashed from within the Win32 env, does anyone else see this as a way to open a hole for virus writers?
If you note, Sony does not have a CD-R audio unit in their consumer products line. They have MiniDisc recorders as components and portables, but no CD-R. You have to go to Sony Computers to find a CD-R unit.
Perhaps Sony figures that the only use for reading CD-R discs is for home brew audio, and in their minds, MD is the only way to do that.
Of course Sony is known for this kind of stuff. Think Beta/VHS, DVD-Audio/SACD. This is just their way of supporting their format.
Slashdot Mirror
The wireless device to the right is clearly a Linksys product, like the WMA11B. It allows you to playback audio and video over a 802.11b connection. The other items look more or less like devices that could do the same thing as the Linksys unit, they have almost the same port setup.
All of the items could be off the shelf products, and that's what I'd guess they are, they look nothing like a product in development. Note the middle one with a barcode that looks like maybe a serial number and maybe a wi-fi logo below that. The one to the left is all compact and in a nice case, looks like it's had a trip trough the "make it pretty" team. Unless these are final product mockups, why bother getting plastic inserts printed with the wi-fi logo and all? I'd guess these have nothing at all to do with the story.
Did they make up a big list of things that would make the service suck and pick them all?
Okay, so lets review. You pay $4.99 for a new release, you get one day to watch it, it's lower video quality than DVD, you can only watch it on the PC (unless you have video out hooked to a TV) and to top it all off, you can't use the service without Windows let alone even browse the site without IE?
How this is even close to spending $3.99 to rent a DVD new release you can watch on a TV for two days with full quality video and sound is lost on me. Yeah, you don't have to drive anywhere to get it, but you pay more and get a lot less.
I can't imagine why this service would fail to catch the business of regular people, and of course those people trading DVDs.
Anyone else follow the link to the microsoft page from one of the first posts?
r ements.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/winlogo/hardware/HWrequi
The document entitled "Requirements for Client PCs" states that several new devices must be present for the Windows Logo program, they include:
Audio device that supports DRM
From the TV and Video section:
Video device that supports DRM
And a more vague listing in the "Home Entertainment " section that calls for a "Digital Media device that supports DRM".
On a side note, they are calling for BIOS makers to setup for being flashed from within the Win32 env, does anyone else see this as a way to open a hole for virus writers?
If you note, Sony does not have a CD-R audio unit in their consumer products line. They have MiniDisc recorders as components and portables, but no CD-R. You have to go to Sony Computers to find a CD-R unit.
Perhaps Sony figures that the only use for reading CD-R discs is for home brew audio, and in their minds, MD is the only way to do that.
Of course Sony is known for this kind of stuff. Think Beta/VHS, DVD-Audio/SACD. This is just their way of supporting their format.
-poo