snapshot 5/24/07

Some time spent with Apple TV -- an in-depth review
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/05/24/some_time_spent_with_apple_tv____an_in_depth_review.html
Essentially, Apple TV provides a drop-dead simple way to watch computer-based content from the comfort of the living room. It does what it promises as advertised: it unlocks content such as photos and home movies, and it makes it easy to watch podcasts and movie purchases from iTunes.
In its first version, Apple TV software works well, but its hardware suggests lots of potential room for improvement. Apple TV's open design means that third parties can address features Apple itself does not care to target. In fact, the wave of interest in Apple TV from the hacker and open source community should provide Apple with some useful feedback on the value of keeping its TV system open, and provide an encouraging example of the advantages of working with, rather than against, hacker enthusiast customers.


Ruckus Raises $10 Million In Second Round
http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-ruckus-secures-10-million-in-second-round/
College-only digital entertainment company Ruckus Network has closed a second round $10 million funding. The round was led by two new investors, the Anschutz Investment Company and Columbia Capital, which were joined by existing investors including Battery Ventures, Eastward Capital, Pinnacle Ventures and Shelter Capital. Herndon, VA.-based Ruckus is available at more than 900 college campuses and offers access to 2.75 million songs and full-length films, as well as social networking tools. The funds will be used to continue to scale the company’s ad-supported business and to develop other media services. The company hopes to strike strategic partnerships targeted at the 18-24 year-old college demo as well.


Apple and music labels accused of shortchanging artists
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/05/24/apple_and_music_labels_accused_of_shortchanging_artists.html
A fresh class action lawsuit charges Apple's iTunes, major online music shops, and top record labels with performing an end-run around a musician's permission and his royalty payments. Online stores are guilty by association, according to the complaint. The suit claims that in addition to Apple's iTunes, seven other outlets -- AOL Music Now, Buy.com, Microsoft's MSN.com, Napster, RealNetworks' Rhapsody, Wal-Mart.com, and Yahoo Music -- are also culpable by agreeing to host and sell the unsanctioned copies from their servers. While all eight pay royalties on the music in question, the failures by Universal and Warner to land specific online contracts have resulted in the direct-download services trading songs without genuine consent; money is sent to the intermediate labels, not the copyright holders.


No such thing as a free download
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2086165,00.html
It is difficult to grasp how successful the mobile phone industry has become. People think of it as a sideshow compared to the internet, yet in terms of revenues generated from content, it is already far bigger. Revenues from the web are about $25bn (£12.5bn) but the content on mobile networks is reckoned by Informa to be worth $31bn - and that is before music and mobile TV take off in a big way. He reminds us that in 2005 one annoying ringtone, Crazy Frog, outsold all of iTunes.


Pink outsells brown, and other Zune tales
http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9722448-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1040_3-0-5
The Zune in all colors (expect to see red this summer) is holding on to its No. 2 spot in the U.S. retail market for hard drive-based music players. NPD numbers had the player at 9.1 percent market share for April, and it's still hanging steady.


Music Community Site Buzznet Raises $6 Million
http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-music-community-site-buzznet-raises-6-million/
Pop culture-focused social media site Buzznet, which claims more than 6 million users, has closed a $6 million round of financing led by Redpoint Ventures and previous investor Anthem Venture Partners. The site’s primary focus is on music and offers related blogs, videos, photo-sharing and band-related features. In particular, Buzznet has struck alliances with indie bands by promoting specific online community channels for them. The company has also been working with established popstars, like Avril Lavigne, who earlier this month set up a merchandising line and contest with Buzznet.


Breaking: Microsoft Preps Car Zune
http://crunchgear.com/2007/05/24/car-zune/
Microsoft this week received a patent that could have a profound effect on the car audio landscape. The newly minted patent covers a portable audio device that can be docked and/or integrated into a car stereo. The union would allow the devices to transfer media and data back-and-forth.

A car stereo including a docking station into which an off-the-shelf handheld computer can be docked, and including an input/output (I/O) component allowing the car stereo to communicate with the handheld computer when the handheld computer is docked in the docking station, the car stereo indicating to the handheld computer, when the handheld computer is docked in the docking station, which one of a plurality of different appliance types the car stereo is.