Clearing orphaned music files after iTunes library migration
Before transfering the music back as is mentioned in the knowledgebase document, be sure to disconnect the iPod and clear your iTunes library by selecting all files that were synchronized and delete them. When prompted, select the option to move the deleted file to the trash. After this is done, go to the iTunes Media (or iTunes Music) folder and remove all the album and artist folders still present. At this point these should just contain the duplicate files and others that were not in your iTunes library.Using Automator and Finder Search capabilitiesApple's "Automator" can be used to locate and target all the files not included in the iTunes library so you can delete them. Unfortunately this is not as straightforward as it could be because like to the Finder, Automator does not have the ability to find or filter items in the Finder by exclusion (i.e., including all except a specific search criteria). If Apple had this filtering option available, finding the unused duplicate files in the Finder would have been as easy as searching for items that do not include "1.mp3," but this is not an option.Despite these limitations, you can get around them by using the Finder's labels for files and folders. The idea is to set up Automator (or the Finder) to first search for all files that do include "1.mp3" in their names (those that the iTunes Library is using), and then label all the found items with a unique color in the Finder. Once this is done it will be easy to do a Finder search on the folder for files that are not labeled, and be able to remove them in batches.To do this, create a new workflow and then put the following workflow actions in this order:Use this workflow to label the duplicated files that are currently being used by iTunes (click for larger view).Get Specified Finder ItemsBe sure to add the iTunes Music folder (or the "Music" folder within the iTunes Media folder) to the list. You can also use the "Ask for Finder Items" workflow action, but it requires you to select the iTunes Media/Music folder each time the workflow is run. The goal here is to somehow target the parent folder that contains the folders for your artists and albums.Get Folder ContentsBe sure to check the option to "Repeat for each subfolder found"Label Finder ItemsAdd this workflow and click the little "x" to ensure all found items are stripped of their labels before the workflow moves on.Filter Finder ItemsIn the first one of these filtering workflow actions, change it so the kind of file is "Music". This will ensure only music files are passed to the second "Filter Finder Items" action, and allowing the "Any" condition in the next step to work on this subset of files instead of all the ones in the targeted directory.Filter Finder Items (again)This is the key action to modify. With the criteria set so "Any" of the conditions should be met, add as many options to filter by name as you would like to include different file types in your library. Keep in mind that adding more items here will include more files in the search results; however, you can always narrow the resulting list by adding an additional "Filter Finder Items" workflow action after this one. Having multiple filters allows for you fine-tune the search parameters.Choose from ListAdd this workflow action in here as a precautionary step, which will list all the files being targeted so far. At this point you can choose to exclude any files you want to keep by unchecking the corresponding box.Label Finder ItemsSelect any color to use, but keep in mind this whole procedure assumes the files you wish to delete will not be included by the search filters in the 5th an 6th actions in this workflow, and therefore will no be labeled by this step.When run, this workflow will go through the music in your folder, and label all that you want to keep (based on the filter criteria you set up) with the selected label color. Keep in mind you can do something similar by using a Finder search like the procedure described below, so that is an option as well. The goal is to somehow target the duplicated files (that are being used by iTunes) that all share a similar naming pattern, and give them the same label so you can use the label to exclude these files later on.A Finder search of the folder (in this case it's my "iTunes Music" folder) for music files with no label should show the remaining files that are unused by iTunes (click for larger view).Once the files have been labeled, you can easily find the remaining ones by using a Finder search to target the files without any labels. To do this, go to the same iTunes Music folder you targeted with the workflow, and press Command-F to bring up the Find window. From here modify the search parameters right under the window's toolbar so the computer searches within "iTunes Music" (or the "Music" folder within the "iTunes Media" directory, if you have your music organized that way), and then be sure to search by File Name instead of Contents.Now modify the filters so the search includes only music files with no file label. To do this, next to the filter menu entitled "Kind" change "Any" to "Music," and then add a new search filter by clicking the plus button to the right side of the current search filter. In the new search filter, choose "Other" from the first menu, and locate the filter called "File label" (you may need to use the list's search box to find it). Select it, click OK, and then be sure to click the "x" in the label options for this filter so the search only includes items with no label.With these search parameters set up, you should be able to see all the duplicate songs in the search results, and be able to move them or delete them as you see necessary.Questions? Comments? Have a fix? Post them below or email us!Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.
Report- Insiders a greater threat to data leaks
Report: Insiders a greater threat to data leaks
According to the survey, IT professionals said about 10 percent of their employeesare losing corporate devices like laptops and USB drives with valuable data more than once a year. "There's either a negligent behavior or careless recklessness in which they handle data maybe because they didn't realize it was there or maybe there's an education gap," Fred Kost, director of security solutions for Cisco, told CNET News in an interview. "The storage capacity of some of these devices and the types of access they have access to is becoming a critical issue for companies."The report also cited the growing risks of portable hard drives as opposed to lost or stolen laptops. One in three IT professionals said USB drives (including iPods) were their top concern, more so than e-mail (23 percent), lost devices (19 percent), and verbal communications with outsiders (8 percent).Surprisingly, 1 in 10 end users in the Cisco survey admitted stealing data or devices and then selling them for profit, or knowing of co-workers who have done so.Yet there are also nonmalicious reasons to explain how corporate data gets leaked into the wild. "If you think about the device leaving the enterprise, going into their home environment, the personal environment, maybe letting their children use it; that puts the corporate data at risk," said Kost. He said data leakage could occur when the kids are using the device to surf some Web 2.0 application. "And what about the end of life, when they go to give the device up on one of the e-waste recycling days? There's another chance for somebody to get that corporate data." Kost repeatedly mentioned the increasingly blurred lines between business use and personal use and how some of that is OK. But long-term personal use of a corporate asset could become a problem."Say they have their iTunes library on the device they use for work, now they have to give up their work device, and they have to figure out what to do."In the study, less than 10 percent of the employees did keep their work devices. Of those who did, 60 percent said it was because there were personal files on the device."It's not malicious," Kost said, "it may just be the only computer in the household."The Cisco study was conducted in late July through early August by InsightExpress, a U.S.-based market research firm, and involved more than 2,000 employees and information technology professionals. Specifically, the study surveyed 1,000 employees and 1,000 IT professionals from various industries and company sizes in 10 countries.The first report on cultural attitudes toward security was released in October.Of those who kept a work device, Cisco found that 60 percent did so for personal needs.Cisco
According to the survey, IT professionals said about 10 percent of their employeesare losing corporate devices like laptops and USB drives with valuable data more than once a year. "There's either a negligent behavior or careless recklessness in which they handle data maybe because they didn't realize it was there or maybe there's an education gap," Fred Kost, director of security solutions for Cisco, told CNET News in an interview. "The storage capacity of some of these devices and the types of access they have access to is becoming a critical issue for companies."The report also cited the growing risks of portable hard drives as opposed to lost or stolen laptops. One in three IT professionals said USB drives (including iPods) were their top concern, more so than e-mail (23 percent), lost devices (19 percent), and verbal communications with outsiders (8 percent).Surprisingly, 1 in 10 end users in the Cisco survey admitted stealing data or devices and then selling them for profit, or knowing of co-workers who have done so.Yet there are also nonmalicious reasons to explain how corporate data gets leaked into the wild. "If you think about the device leaving the enterprise, going into their home environment, the personal environment, maybe letting their children use it; that puts the corporate data at risk," said Kost. He said data leakage could occur when the kids are using the device to surf some Web 2.0 application. "And what about the end of life, when they go to give the device up on one of the e-waste recycling days? There's another chance for somebody to get that corporate data." Kost repeatedly mentioned the increasingly blurred lines between business use and personal use and how some of that is OK. But long-term personal use of a corporate asset could become a problem."Say they have their iTunes library on the device they use for work, now they have to give up their work device, and they have to figure out what to do."In the study, less than 10 percent of the employees did keep their work devices. Of those who did, 60 percent said it was because there were personal files on the device."It's not malicious," Kost said, "it may just be the only computer in the household."The Cisco study was conducted in late July through early August by InsightExpress, a U.S.-based market research firm, and involved more than 2,000 employees and information technology professionals. Specifically, the study surveyed 1,000 employees and 1,000 IT professionals from various industries and company sizes in 10 countries.The first report on cultural attitudes toward security was released in October.Of those who kept a work device, Cisco found that 60 percent did so for personal needs.Cisco
Filmmaker Spurlock- Digital distribution revenues are 'pathetic'
Filmmaker Spurlock: Digital distribution revenues are 'pathetic'
AUSTIN, Texas--The Internet and the rise of online video have meant a plethora of new options for independent filmmakers. But, as has been well-publicized, the money just isn't there yet. A panel at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival on Monday highlighted that this is an extremely contentious issue."Digital distribution is not some magic bullet," said panelist Gary Hustwit on the success of his documentary "Helvetica," in front of a packed room of audience members that came from both SXSWi and its sister festival, SXSW Film. "It's not that because the film is available digitally it does well. It's because you do the work...because of that exposure, it did well."In spite of widespread blog speculation that DVDs are dying and that digital downloads and streams will replace the physical medium in due time, filmmakers say that from the creative side, relying on these outlets--iTunes, Amazon, Hulu, Joost, and SnagFilms, represented on the panel by CEO Rick Allen--simply is not profitable yet. In fact, in many cases, sales and revenue numbers are kept on the down-low.Morgan Spurlock, the documentarian behind "Super Size Me" and "Where In The World Is Osama bin Laden?," put it bluntly. "The reason numbers aren't released (for digital distribution revenues) is because the numbers are pathetic," he said. "The numbers are sadly low in comparison to what we expect from film and television.""If you're looking to pay your rent, not so much, if you're looking to pay your phone bill, you have a great chance," Spurlock continued. "It's getting to a point where it's down the road from being profitable, but we're just not at that point yet."The panelists disagreed over whether the best digital distribution strategy is to get a film on as many platforms as possible or to be strategic in the hopes of making more money.Matt Dentler of digital representation group Cinetic Rights Management argued for the be-everywhere model. "We are a direct aggregator to, I would say, about a dozen portals in the U.S., and we just closed our first couple of deals in Europe." Dentler said that Cinetic's films go to YouTube, Hulu, iTunes, SnagFilms, and quite a few others. "We're probably going to have about five to ten more in Europe over the next few months...what this touches on is there are so many freaking options out there for consumers that you kind of have to provide all of them."But Steve Savage, president of distributor New Video, disagreed. "It's good to be agnostic, and I think it's a good way to put everything out there and see what sticks but there's also other ways to do it," he asserted, "to be really strategic, to find where the money is."The panelists seemed to agree that, as so many people have said before, digital revenues are on the way. "The money you're going to make as an independent filmmaker right now," Dentler said, "the fact that we can start cutting checks for people today, it might not be huge checks, but at least they're checks.""They don't approach TV license fees," SnagFilms' Allen said. "We are at the front end of this. However, they are hundredfold, a thousandfold, the size of the checks that most independent documentarians have received from theatrical release."Gary Hustwit said that filmmakers need to take responsibility for pushing the digital distribution business forward themselves. "Go directly to the audience instead of relying on, with all due respect to the distributors here, other businesses to do it," he suggested. "Why are we building other people's businesses when we could build our own businesses?"
AUSTIN, Texas--The Internet and the rise of online video have meant a plethora of new options for independent filmmakers. But, as has been well-publicized, the money just isn't there yet. A panel at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival on Monday highlighted that this is an extremely contentious issue."Digital distribution is not some magic bullet," said panelist Gary Hustwit on the success of his documentary "Helvetica," in front of a packed room of audience members that came from both SXSWi and its sister festival, SXSW Film. "It's not that because the film is available digitally it does well. It's because you do the work...because of that exposure, it did well."In spite of widespread blog speculation that DVDs are dying and that digital downloads and streams will replace the physical medium in due time, filmmakers say that from the creative side, relying on these outlets--iTunes, Amazon, Hulu, Joost, and SnagFilms, represented on the panel by CEO Rick Allen--simply is not profitable yet. In fact, in many cases, sales and revenue numbers are kept on the down-low.Morgan Spurlock, the documentarian behind "Super Size Me" and "Where In The World Is Osama bin Laden?," put it bluntly. "The reason numbers aren't released (for digital distribution revenues) is because the numbers are pathetic," he said. "The numbers are sadly low in comparison to what we expect from film and television.""If you're looking to pay your rent, not so much, if you're looking to pay your phone bill, you have a great chance," Spurlock continued. "It's getting to a point where it's down the road from being profitable, but we're just not at that point yet."The panelists disagreed over whether the best digital distribution strategy is to get a film on as many platforms as possible or to be strategic in the hopes of making more money.Matt Dentler of digital representation group Cinetic Rights Management argued for the be-everywhere model. "We are a direct aggregator to, I would say, about a dozen portals in the U.S., and we just closed our first couple of deals in Europe." Dentler said that Cinetic's films go to YouTube, Hulu, iTunes, SnagFilms, and quite a few others. "We're probably going to have about five to ten more in Europe over the next few months...what this touches on is there are so many freaking options out there for consumers that you kind of have to provide all of them."But Steve Savage, president of distributor New Video, disagreed. "It's good to be agnostic, and I think it's a good way to put everything out there and see what sticks but there's also other ways to do it," he asserted, "to be really strategic, to find where the money is."The panelists seemed to agree that, as so many people have said before, digital revenues are on the way. "The money you're going to make as an independent filmmaker right now," Dentler said, "the fact that we can start cutting checks for people today, it might not be huge checks, but at least they're checks.""They don't approach TV license fees," SnagFilms' Allen said. "We are at the front end of this. However, they are hundredfold, a thousandfold, the size of the checks that most independent documentarians have received from theatrical release."Gary Hustwit said that filmmakers need to take responsibility for pushing the digital distribution business forward themselves. "Go directly to the audience instead of relying on, with all due respect to the distributors here, other businesses to do it," he suggested. "Why are we building other people's businesses when we could build our own businesses?"
The 404 712- Where we don't take on anything (podcast)
The 404 712: Where we don't take on anything (podcast)
Thanks so much to Props Guy Jim for Photoshopping The 404 Podcast into the "disappearing" photo from "Back to the Future"! The movie recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, and check out this picture Jim snapped of the photo in action at the Enchantment Under the Sea dance. Thanks again Jim!DragCloseThis content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Mark Licea joins us for a chat about television programming as it's affected by streaming content providers like Hulu and Netflix.As those two companies compete to offer the cheapest monthly subscription price, consumers face a decision to either stick with HD cable/FIOS and a DVR box or cut the cord and stick with Internet video.Regardless of your decision, there's plenty of content available online for your entertainment, and our conversation naturally steers toward late-night programming and Conan's second week of shows on TBS. There's also the AMC zombie series "The Walking Dead" and "Boardwalk Empire" on HBO. On the other hand, sometimes we just want to sit on the couch and channel surf!After the break, we run through a few voice mails that humiliate and educate our audience, and there's also a question for Jeff about his experience traveling through the TSA's new airport security scanners. We try not to get too serious about it, but everyone seems to have an opinion, so tune in to find out why Wilson will be taking a boat ride to CES next year.Episode 712PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Thanks so much to Props Guy Jim for Photoshopping The 404 Podcast into the "disappearing" photo from "Back to the Future"! The movie recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, and check out this picture Jim snapped of the photo in action at the Enchantment Under the Sea dance. Thanks again Jim!DragCloseThis content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Mark Licea joins us for a chat about television programming as it's affected by streaming content providers like Hulu and Netflix.As those two companies compete to offer the cheapest monthly subscription price, consumers face a decision to either stick with HD cable/FIOS and a DVR box or cut the cord and stick with Internet video.Regardless of your decision, there's plenty of content available online for your entertainment, and our conversation naturally steers toward late-night programming and Conan's second week of shows on TBS. There's also the AMC zombie series "The Walking Dead" and "Boardwalk Empire" on HBO. On the other hand, sometimes we just want to sit on the couch and channel surf!After the break, we run through a few voice mails that humiliate and educate our audience, and there's also a question for Jeff about his experience traveling through the TSA's new airport security scanners. We try not to get too serious about it, but everyone seems to have an opinion, so tune in to find out why Wilson will be taking a boat ride to CES next year.Episode 712PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Open Television Network- YouTube meets iTunes-
Open Television Network: YouTube meets iTunes?
Publishers, likewise, sign up on the OTN site. They're given instructions to publish their content to the OTN servers so the technology can track downloads and credit their account. The site is self-service, and there are no content gatekeepers. Pornographic content is removed, though.There is no DRM inherent in the OTN universe. While file locations are obscured through the system, downloaded files are not protected. Once they hit a user's machine, they can be copied.I discussed this philosophy with OTN CEO Philip Hodgetts. My takeaway is that OTN was not designed to prevent content from being stolen. Rather, it's to enable content to be sold. There's a big difference, especially for the "long-tail" content publishers that OTN was built for.Selling video via RSS: Cool. Overcharging: Not.Big publishers will continue to sell content through major stores like iTunes. OTN, by contrast, allows publishers to self-publish content that, if fairly priced, might make a few bucks. Hodgetts told me, "I think it's really egregious that people would not be willing to pay a few pennies a minute for content." Television content, he said, monetizes at roughly a penny a minute per viewer, taking advertising and cable subscription revenues into account. He thinks that's about the right price for long-tail content like obscure hobby videos.That resonates with me. By Hodgetts' metric, the sample site he showed me, Wonderful World of Flying, overcharges by about a factor of 30 for its airplane porn. Thirteen cents for a 13-minute video tribute of the Stearman biplane makes sense. But at $3.99 I'm skipping it, or going to BitTorrent instead. OTN's fee is 15 percent for the money it collects. The service starts out new users with a $5.00 credit.As Hodgetts says, current video technologies have "democratized production, but not distribution." Advertising only pays for a small proportion of online videos. OTN might help everyone else get paid.
Publishers, likewise, sign up on the OTN site. They're given instructions to publish their content to the OTN servers so the technology can track downloads and credit their account. The site is self-service, and there are no content gatekeepers. Pornographic content is removed, though.There is no DRM inherent in the OTN universe. While file locations are obscured through the system, downloaded files are not protected. Once they hit a user's machine, they can be copied.I discussed this philosophy with OTN CEO Philip Hodgetts. My takeaway is that OTN was not designed to prevent content from being stolen. Rather, it's to enable content to be sold. There's a big difference, especially for the "long-tail" content publishers that OTN was built for.Selling video via RSS: Cool. Overcharging: Not.Big publishers will continue to sell content through major stores like iTunes. OTN, by contrast, allows publishers to self-publish content that, if fairly priced, might make a few bucks. Hodgetts told me, "I think it's really egregious that people would not be willing to pay a few pennies a minute for content." Television content, he said, monetizes at roughly a penny a minute per viewer, taking advertising and cable subscription revenues into account. He thinks that's about the right price for long-tail content like obscure hobby videos.That resonates with me. By Hodgetts' metric, the sample site he showed me, Wonderful World of Flying, overcharges by about a factor of 30 for its airplane porn. Thirteen cents for a 13-minute video tribute of the Stearman biplane makes sense. But at $3.99 I'm skipping it, or going to BitTorrent instead. OTN's fee is 15 percent for the money it collects. The service starts out new users with a $5.00 credit.As Hodgetts says, current video technologies have "democratized production, but not distribution." Advertising only pays for a small proportion of online videos. OTN might help everyone else get paid.
Find your gate before leaving home
Find your gate before leaving home
Airport Remote, developed by Sojern, shows real-time departure and arrival screens from 100 major airports across the United States, plus 20 of the biggest fields around the world. The list is surprisingly extensive so even the most-frequent globetrotter should be covered. What's more, all airlines that serve a particularly airport are listed; you'll even see details for cargo and charter flights and executive aircraft.The interface is minimalist and straightforward. Some might find the deep blue backgrounds a bit boring, but I don't expect too much from such a simple productivity app. On the main screen, you'll find options for seeing your closest airport or selecting from the full list. When inside the full list, you can scroll down with a finger swipe or use the search bar.Once you select an airport, you can choose to see departure and arrival information. The latter is especially helpful since some airports, like San Francisco International, are removing arrival displays from terminals. Each screen has all the vital details including the departure or arrival city, the flight number and gate, the airline (complete with logo), the departure or arrival time, and the flight's status. You can sort by any of the fields and view cities in reverse alphabetical order. And if that isn't information overload already, you can click through for options to send the flight details to a friend, check weather reports, and see the reason for the delay.The app's accuracy is commendable. When I tested Airport Remote at San Francisco's airport, it matched what I saw on the actual screen in the terminal. And when there was a flight status change, it registered on the phone within seconds. As for complaints, I only had two. The app ran a little slowly on our iPhone 4, sometimes taking a few seconds to switch between screens. I also found that some information, particularly the baggage claim carousel number for arriving flights, was occasionally missing.
Airport Remote, developed by Sojern, shows real-time departure and arrival screens from 100 major airports across the United States, plus 20 of the biggest fields around the world. The list is surprisingly extensive so even the most-frequent globetrotter should be covered. What's more, all airlines that serve a particularly airport are listed; you'll even see details for cargo and charter flights and executive aircraft.The interface is minimalist and straightforward. Some might find the deep blue backgrounds a bit boring, but I don't expect too much from such a simple productivity app. On the main screen, you'll find options for seeing your closest airport or selecting from the full list. When inside the full list, you can scroll down with a finger swipe or use the search bar.Once you select an airport, you can choose to see departure and arrival information. The latter is especially helpful since some airports, like San Francisco International, are removing arrival displays from terminals. Each screen has all the vital details including the departure or arrival city, the flight number and gate, the airline (complete with logo), the departure or arrival time, and the flight's status. You can sort by any of the fields and view cities in reverse alphabetical order. And if that isn't information overload already, you can click through for options to send the flight details to a friend, check weather reports, and see the reason for the delay.The app's accuracy is commendable. When I tested Airport Remote at San Francisco's airport, it matched what I saw on the actual screen in the terminal. And when there was a flight status change, it registered on the phone within seconds. As for complaints, I only had two. The app ran a little slowly on our iPhone 4, sometimes taking a few seconds to switch between screens. I also found that some information, particularly the baggage claim carousel number for arriving flights, was occasionally missing.
Find movies and TV shows online with WhereToWatch
Find movies and TV shows online with WhereToWatch
To guide you to a legal viewing of a movie or TV show, the Motion Picture Association of America has come out with WhereToWatch, a website that shows you which services you can use to stream, rent, or purchase a movie or TV show. And for movies currently in theaters, it provides showtimes nearby.WhereToWatch is similar to Can I Stream.it? that I covered last year with a few important distinctions. Can I Stream.it? has apps for iOS and Android, whereas WhereToWatch is only a website, but one that works as well on your phone as your laptop. WhereToWatch is also ad-free while you will run into the occasional ad on the other site.The entertainment focus is also a bit different between the two services. WhereToWatch provides showtimes in your area for movies currently in theaters, a functionality that Can I Stream.it? lacks. For its part, however, Can I Stream.it? lets you know if a TV show is available on cable TV for Xfinity subscribers, which is something WhereToWatch does not do.Between these two free services, however, you should be able to find out if an entertainment vehicle -- from a movie currently in theaters to an old TV show -- is available for your enjoyment.Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNETWhereToWatch is labeled as beta, so it's not unreasonable to expect to encounter a few kinks in addition to the arrival of new features as we move forward. At present, WhereToWatch serves only the US and searches the following services: Amazon, iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, Crackle, Flixster, Paramount Movies, Bravo Now, CNBC Full Episodes, E! Now, Esquire TV Now, Oxygen Now, Sprout Now, Syfy Now, ABC, ABC Family, Disney Movies Anywhere, Vudu, Xbox Video, Sundance Now, SnagFilms, Fandor, Wolfe on Demand, Target Ticket, Movies On Demand, Reelhouse, and IndieFlix.Via Lifehacker.
To guide you to a legal viewing of a movie or TV show, the Motion Picture Association of America has come out with WhereToWatch, a website that shows you which services you can use to stream, rent, or purchase a movie or TV show. And for movies currently in theaters, it provides showtimes nearby.WhereToWatch is similar to Can I Stream.it? that I covered last year with a few important distinctions. Can I Stream.it? has apps for iOS and Android, whereas WhereToWatch is only a website, but one that works as well on your phone as your laptop. WhereToWatch is also ad-free while you will run into the occasional ad on the other site.The entertainment focus is also a bit different between the two services. WhereToWatch provides showtimes in your area for movies currently in theaters, a functionality that Can I Stream.it? lacks. For its part, however, Can I Stream.it? lets you know if a TV show is available on cable TV for Xfinity subscribers, which is something WhereToWatch does not do.Between these two free services, however, you should be able to find out if an entertainment vehicle -- from a movie currently in theaters to an old TV show -- is available for your enjoyment.Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNETWhereToWatch is labeled as beta, so it's not unreasonable to expect to encounter a few kinks in addition to the arrival of new features as we move forward. At present, WhereToWatch serves only the US and searches the following services: Amazon, iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, Crackle, Flixster, Paramount Movies, Bravo Now, CNBC Full Episodes, E! Now, Esquire TV Now, Oxygen Now, Sprout Now, Syfy Now, ABC, ABC Family, Disney Movies Anywhere, Vudu, Xbox Video, Sundance Now, SnagFilms, Fandor, Wolfe on Demand, Target Ticket, Movies On Demand, Reelhouse, and IndieFlix.Via Lifehacker.
Sprint sells out of entry-level iPhone 4S models
Sprint sells out of entry-level iPhone 4S models
Four days ahead of the iPhone 4S' launch, Sprint now says it's sold out of pre-orders for the entry-level model of the device.In a statement issued to CNET, as well as other outlets, a Sprint spokeswoman said that the company has sold out of both the black and white versions of the 16GB iPhone 4S, and that just the 32GB and 64GB models are still in stock for those who wish to get the device on its release day. "It is important to note that Sprint is not taking backorders of our iPhone devices," the spokeswoman said in a statement. "Sprint is committed to delivering devices to our pre-order customers on or very near the time of launch and also making these devices available for purchase on launch day--Friday, October 14. Apple and other carriers may continue to take pre-orders that will be delivered to the customer at a later time." Despite a luke-warm response by some following its unveiling at an event last week, the iPhone 4S has gone on to become Apple's fastest moving device ahead of its release. In a statement issued this morning, Apple said it, along with its carrier partners, sold more than 1 million iPhone 4S preorders in the first 24 hours it was on sale, building on AT&T's announcement on Friday that it had moved more than 200,000 orders in half that time. This is Sprint's first time offering Apple's iPhone. The company joins Verizon, which began selling the iPhone 4 in February of this year, as launch partners for a new Apple device. Last year's model launched in the U.S. only on AT&T's network. The iPhone 4S goes on sale this Friday at 8 a.m. Pacific.
Four days ahead of the iPhone 4S' launch, Sprint now says it's sold out of pre-orders for the entry-level model of the device.In a statement issued to CNET, as well as other outlets, a Sprint spokeswoman said that the company has sold out of both the black and white versions of the 16GB iPhone 4S, and that just the 32GB and 64GB models are still in stock for those who wish to get the device on its release day. "It is important to note that Sprint is not taking backorders of our iPhone devices," the spokeswoman said in a statement. "Sprint is committed to delivering devices to our pre-order customers on or very near the time of launch and also making these devices available for purchase on launch day--Friday, October 14. Apple and other carriers may continue to take pre-orders that will be delivered to the customer at a later time." Despite a luke-warm response by some following its unveiling at an event last week, the iPhone 4S has gone on to become Apple's fastest moving device ahead of its release. In a statement issued this morning, Apple said it, along with its carrier partners, sold more than 1 million iPhone 4S preorders in the first 24 hours it was on sale, building on AT&T's announcement on Friday that it had moved more than 200,000 orders in half that time. This is Sprint's first time offering Apple's iPhone. The company joins Verizon, which began selling the iPhone 4 in February of this year, as launch partners for a new Apple device. Last year's model launched in the U.S. only on AT&T's network. The iPhone 4S goes on sale this Friday at 8 a.m. Pacific.
Sprint says it can handle the iPhone traffic
Sprint says it can handle the iPhone traffic
Sprint is watching the network and investing in the infrastructure as needed to ensure a good customer experience, regardless of the rumors, Chief Financial Officer Joe Euteneuer said during an investor conference yesterday. The comments were reported by Fierce Wireless.It's widely believed that Sprint will sell the iPhone alongside AT&T and Verizon Wireless. While Apple has set no date for the next iPhone, it is expected to come in October. Euteneuer didn't confirm that Sprint would sell the iPhone, but discussed the possibility of getting the blockbuster device from Apple. A bigger question remains whether Sprint will be able to keep offering an unlimited data plan with the device. Eutenuer said "we think we have great runway room," but kept the possibility open that it would move away from the offer. "Offering unlimited data is about 'managing the network properly,'" Euteneuer said. "If we got to a point where we thought that keeping an unlimited plan wasn't going to create the profitable marketplace that we wanted, then we would have to look for change."Chief Executive Dan Hesse had previously warned that the unlimited data plans couldn't last forever. As previously written, even if Sprint offers the iPhone with an unlimited plan now, it may not be a permanent option. Verizon and AT&T have already switched to a tiered-pricing model. Euteneuer acknowledged that the iPhone could potentially hurt the company in the near term because of the higher subsidies involved, but said the device has the benefit of improving its brand and reducing customer turnover. "The benefits of having such an iconic device are really huge," he said.
Sprint is watching the network and investing in the infrastructure as needed to ensure a good customer experience, regardless of the rumors, Chief Financial Officer Joe Euteneuer said during an investor conference yesterday. The comments were reported by Fierce Wireless.It's widely believed that Sprint will sell the iPhone alongside AT&T and Verizon Wireless. While Apple has set no date for the next iPhone, it is expected to come in October. Euteneuer didn't confirm that Sprint would sell the iPhone, but discussed the possibility of getting the blockbuster device from Apple. A bigger question remains whether Sprint will be able to keep offering an unlimited data plan with the device. Eutenuer said "we think we have great runway room," but kept the possibility open that it would move away from the offer. "Offering unlimited data is about 'managing the network properly,'" Euteneuer said. "If we got to a point where we thought that keeping an unlimited plan wasn't going to create the profitable marketplace that we wanted, then we would have to look for change."Chief Executive Dan Hesse had previously warned that the unlimited data plans couldn't last forever. As previously written, even if Sprint offers the iPhone with an unlimited plan now, it may not be a permanent option. Verizon and AT&T have already switched to a tiered-pricing model. Euteneuer acknowledged that the iPhone could potentially hurt the company in the near term because of the higher subsidies involved, but said the device has the benefit of improving its brand and reducing customer turnover. "The benefits of having such an iconic device are really huge," he said.
Speak for Yourself app might make iPad comeback, report says
Speak for Yourself app might make iPad comeback, report says
After taking down a speech therapy application designed for children, Apple might eventually reinstate it, according to a new report.The Register is reporting today, citing sources, that Apple plans to bring the Speak for Yourself iPad application back to its App Store if the company behind the program -- Speak For Yourself LLC -- wins a patent case brought against it recently.Apple earlier this month removed the Speak for Yourself augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) language app from its store after Prentke Romich Company (PRC) and Semantic Compaction, companies operating in the AAC field, sued Speak for Yourself for patent violation. The companies said that that the application, which is designed to help children with developmental disabilities communicate through the iPad, was found to have "numerous instances of infringement."PRC has a technology it calls Unity, which it claims Speak for Yourself infringed upon, to power language devices.For its part, Speak for Yourself, which was started by two certified speech therapists, has fought hard against the infringement claim, and has even launched a petition to get Apple to bring the application back to its store. So far, that petition has over 4,000 signatures out of the desired 5,000.Apple has not commented on the takedown, but the Register claims to have received an "off-the-record briefing" in which it was told that Speak for Yourself would be making a comeback if all goes well in court.Until then, Speak for Yourself is still offering its SFY-Lite application for free in the App Store.CNET has contacted Apple for comment on the Register's report. We will update this story when we have more information.
After taking down a speech therapy application designed for children, Apple might eventually reinstate it, according to a new report.The Register is reporting today, citing sources, that Apple plans to bring the Speak for Yourself iPad application back to its App Store if the company behind the program -- Speak For Yourself LLC -- wins a patent case brought against it recently.Apple earlier this month removed the Speak for Yourself augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) language app from its store after Prentke Romich Company (PRC) and Semantic Compaction, companies operating in the AAC field, sued Speak for Yourself for patent violation. The companies said that that the application, which is designed to help children with developmental disabilities communicate through the iPad, was found to have "numerous instances of infringement."PRC has a technology it calls Unity, which it claims Speak for Yourself infringed upon, to power language devices.For its part, Speak for Yourself, which was started by two certified speech therapists, has fought hard against the infringement claim, and has even launched a petition to get Apple to bring the application back to its store. So far, that petition has over 4,000 signatures out of the desired 5,000.Apple has not commented on the takedown, but the Register claims to have received an "off-the-record briefing" in which it was told that Speak for Yourself would be making a comeback if all goes well in court.Until then, Speak for Yourself is still offering its SFY-Lite application for free in the App Store.CNET has contacted Apple for comment on the Register's report. We will update this story when we have more information.
Some Retina MacBook Pros hit by image persistence flaw
Some Retina MacBook Pros hit by image persistence flaw
The Retina Display MacBook Pro may have bumped into its first technical issue.Some owners of the new laptop are posting messages at the Apple Support Communities complaining of an image persistence problem in which an image remains on the screen for several minutes after it should have faded away. As noted by AppleInsider, the lasting image is obvious only on light backgrounds and persists for around five minutes before it disappears.Related storiesApple MacBook Pro with Retina Display reviewRetina MacBook Pro is the least repairable to dateAddressing common problems with LCD displaysTackling LCD "burn-ins", and dead/stuck pixelsA few owners say that Apple Store workers ordered replacement units for them after they demonstrated the issue. Some have speculated that this could be just a bad batch of laptops since the problem has yet to be reported on a widespread basis.However, AppleInsider did caution that image persistence, or image retention, has affected IPS (in-plane switching) displays on other devices and is seen as a major drawback of the technology.Returning or replacing a defective product shouldn't pose a problem for affected users as Apple offers a 14-day "no questions asked" return policy.The company also provides a 90-day warranty for technical phone support and a full year limited warranty on defective parts.CNET contacted Apple for comment and will update the story if we get more information.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
The Retina Display MacBook Pro may have bumped into its first technical issue.Some owners of the new laptop are posting messages at the Apple Support Communities complaining of an image persistence problem in which an image remains on the screen for several minutes after it should have faded away. As noted by AppleInsider, the lasting image is obvious only on light backgrounds and persists for around five minutes before it disappears.Related storiesApple MacBook Pro with Retina Display reviewRetina MacBook Pro is the least repairable to dateAddressing common problems with LCD displaysTackling LCD "burn-ins", and dead/stuck pixelsA few owners say that Apple Store workers ordered replacement units for them after they demonstrated the issue. Some have speculated that this could be just a bad batch of laptops since the problem has yet to be reported on a widespread basis.However, AppleInsider did caution that image persistence, or image retention, has affected IPS (in-plane switching) displays on other devices and is seen as a major drawback of the technology.Returning or replacing a defective product shouldn't pose a problem for affected users as Apple offers a 14-day "no questions asked" return policy.The company also provides a 90-day warranty for technical phone support and a full year limited warranty on defective parts.CNET contacted Apple for comment and will update the story if we get more information.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Some iPhone 4 owners report discolored screens
Some iPhone 4 owners report discolored screens
The iPhone 4 won't be available in stores until Thursday, but the reviews are coming in from those who were able to get their hands on them ahead of time. Despite a mostly warm reception, there are already scattered reports of defective screens.By Wednesday afternoon Gizmodo and MacRumors had reports from 20 people with a brand new iPhone 4 who say there is a yellow discolored area on the screen, or an overall yellow hue to the display even after adjusting the phone's display settings. In most cases, the users say Apple has offered to replace the phone.The new Retina displayis supposed to be one of the biggest improvements to the iPhone. CEO Steve Jobs said at WWDC two weeks ago that "the display is the most important component of the entire phone." Jobs said the Retina display makes fonts appear sharper and is better than an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, which is used in some smartphones and televisions for its high pixel density.The new Retina display isn't the first time Apple has dealt with reports of defective displays. When the latest model of the iMac desktop began shipping in early 2010, there were widespread reports of people whose 27-inch iMacs had yellowed or flickering displays. Apple eventually acknowledged the issue and offered refunds to those customers.Though some began receiving their preordered phone Tuesday and Wednesday, the majority of iPhone 4 customers will have to wait until Thursday to get one. If you experience similar discoloration problems on your iPhone 4's display, we'd like to hear about it in the comments section.
The iPhone 4 won't be available in stores until Thursday, but the reviews are coming in from those who were able to get their hands on them ahead of time. Despite a mostly warm reception, there are already scattered reports of defective screens.By Wednesday afternoon Gizmodo and MacRumors had reports from 20 people with a brand new iPhone 4 who say there is a yellow discolored area on the screen, or an overall yellow hue to the display even after adjusting the phone's display settings. In most cases, the users say Apple has offered to replace the phone.The new Retina displayis supposed to be one of the biggest improvements to the iPhone. CEO Steve Jobs said at WWDC two weeks ago that "the display is the most important component of the entire phone." Jobs said the Retina display makes fonts appear sharper and is better than an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, which is used in some smartphones and televisions for its high pixel density.The new Retina display isn't the first time Apple has dealt with reports of defective displays. When the latest model of the iMac desktop began shipping in early 2010, there were widespread reports of people whose 27-inch iMacs had yellowed or flickering displays. Apple eventually acknowledged the issue and offered refunds to those customers.Though some began receiving their preordered phone Tuesday and Wednesday, the majority of iPhone 4 customers will have to wait until Thursday to get one. If you experience similar discoloration problems on your iPhone 4's display, we'd like to hear about it in the comments section.
Wonder Woman, X-Men, Spider-Man -- This Is the Week Everyone Teased Their Own Extended Universes
Ever since The Avengers crushed the box office, ending its run in third place on the list of highest box office grossers, every other studio has now jumped on the Marvel Studios bandwagon, agreeing that -- at least for now -- it;s all about showcasing an extended universe of characters throughout a series of films that are all connected in some way. This is what;s popular right now -- call it The Marvel Approach -- and moreso than ever we felt the effects of this shift in planning this week via several announcements, all of which promoted some form of a shared universe. First we had the big Wonder Woman announcement from Zack Snyder;s Batman vs. Superman, revealing Gal Gadot as the choice to play the Amazonian warrior in the film. Not only is this a big deal since it;s the first feature-film, live-action version of the character, but it also speaks to Warner Bros. and DC;s plans to begin expanding their superhero universe beyond just Batman and Superman all within the same movie. We imagine other members of the Justice League will also pop up with small roles in the 2015 movie, and from there DC may take the reverse approach and launch solo films out ofits superhero team-up movie, which is the opposite of what Marvel Studios has done, but still along those same lines of a shared universe. Oh, but Hollywood was just getting started. Soon after the Wonder Woman announcement, the Amazing Spider-Man 2 trailer dropped and tossed out some teasers of its own that ultimately made it less about the second film and more about what comes after. In an interesting move, the first full trailer for the sequel goes out of its way to set up a larger universe of villains that will almost certainly come together for a Sinister Six storyline in later Spider-Man movies. Not only that, but these storylines will probably introduce other characters (such as Venom) who could potentially spin off into their own movies. Essentially, the writing is on the wall, as they say. Finally, not to be outdone by those pesky DC kids and that young punk Spider-Man, 20th Century Fox threw downits poker hand by going all in on the X-Men franchise, announcing another X-Men sequel for 2016 called X-Men: Apocalypse, and then introducing X-Men producer Simon Kinberg;s three-year deal as the sort of creative ringleader that will help expand Fox;s own superhero universe in a way that allows the X-Men and Fantastic Four to come together for a series of connected films. Kinberg;s deal seems similar to the one DC is setting up for David Goyer, both of which are trying to emulate the role Kevin Feige plays at Marvel -- a sort of ringleader for their circus of revolving superhero movies. Kinberg even admits as much in this Hollywood Reporter piece, saying, I have a lot of ideas on how to built those brands and do what everybody is thinking of these days: Be like Marvel. I want to be able to build stories over multiple movies. When I asked Feige prior to the Thor: The Dark World release about this shift in franchise thinking following The Avengers, he said: Well, I don;t have enough insight to know what;s going on at the other studios, but from reading the same things you;re probably reading, I;d say it;s planning ahead. It;s having the confidence and foresight to plan a bigger story, should you be so lucky to get there. That;s a fine line, of course, because you can make mistakes that franchises have made before. You know, you have five really good ideas and you save three of them for the next movie, so you only put two of them in whatever the current movie is. Then the current movie isn;t very good and you never get to make the next movie. That is something that;s a cardinal sin as far as Marvel Studios is concerned. Any good idea we have, we put into the movie we;re making now. Because we know if the movie we;re making now isn;t great, then we;ll never make another movie. But we do know where we want to take things should we be so lucky to make another movie, and it would appear that other studios are beginning to do the same thing inspired by The Avengers. On one hand, you roll your eyes at Hollywood frantically overdosing on another trend like kids in a store full of free candy, but at least The Avengers taught other studios to be more inventive when it comes to their big franchises. And it;s not just superheroes, either. Universal is trying to do something similar withits Fast and Furious franchise, and will get back to doing it onceit figures out how to resume following Paul Walker;s tragic death. Universal is also at work utilizingits stable of classic monsters for some kind of shared monster universe, too. It all comes down to investment. If you;re a fan, the one thing you want most is a reason to fully invest yourself in a property. This week three major studios began pitching you on their future investments, with mixed results. Sure, today;s mantra may go something like, Be like Marvel! -- but I have a feeling the one who is most successful won;t just copy Marvel, but introduce something Marvel hasn;t thought of yet. Do any of them have a shot at that? What do you think?
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