Apple has launched a new service called iTunes U that provides a way for colleges and universities to make both audio and video content from lectures, interviews, audio books and more available to students online. Students can download the content to their Macs or PCs, and transfer it to their iPods as well.

This is such a great idea!

I would have loved to been able to download the lecture for my Bio 102 class.

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Rumors are persisting that Microsoft is going to enter the market of digital media players. However does Microsoft think it can compare to Apple's market share? I think Microsoft would do better to push portable devices like hybrid PDAs and cellphones that would allow streaming content from media providers. Sure being able to play your favorite tunes would be a function, but what about features like watching the most recent episode of 24?

Apple is moving in this direction with its partnerships with Disney / ABC and with Steve Jobs now a chairman of the board at Disney, most analysts can only see the licensing agreement between the two companies to increase.

Of course what this could mean is that you will only be able to view certain programs on various handhelds. This could be a potential downfall. The "networks" would do well to allow downloads of programs to whatever device no matter who manufactured it, but rather through a service similar to cable tv. Afterall I don't have to have multiple cable boxes to view different networks. Why should I have multiple software/hardware to do so on a portable machine.


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I've decided that I should probably get off
my political soapbox.

Recently Nikon has announced that it will be
steamlining its 35mm camera sales in response
to the ever-growing digital camera market.

"The measures that Nikon will adopt include
discontinuing production of all large format
Nikkor lenses and enlarging lenses, as well
as several of our film camera bodies, manual
focus Nikkor interchangeable lenses and related
accessories." Nikon

Now while I'm all for the camera industry
embracing digital mediums further, I think that
discontinuing the Nikkor lenses is probably
a mistake.

It seems to me that this is a move similar
to Eastman Kodak's downsizing last year
due to changes in the market.

More and more people are purchasing digital
cameras and printing them out on their own
printers, rather than having them developed.
I can't really blame either company for trying
to be more financially viable.