Roxio to announce Apple TV product; Joost goes live; Silverlight
The software developers behind the popular Toast disc authoring software have something in store for Apple TV owners. Meanwhile, Joost has officially launched its self-titled Internet TV service. And Microsoft demos its Flash rival on Macs.
AppleInsider has learned that on Monday, the Novato, Calif.-based software developer will formally introduce a new product that will allow more content to be viewed via Apple TV.
At this time, it's believed that the company plans to introduce a distinct software title focused on driving additional content to the $299 streaming media device instead of just adding export features to the existing version of Toast.
Details of the new application should start to crop up on Apple related websites ahead of Monday's announcement — possibly as early as this evening.
Alongside the Apple TV-related announcement, Roxio will also be introducing several other media products that will make it easier to upload videos to todayâs popular web services, like YouTube and GoFirsh.
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Joost now live
Meanwhile, Electronista notes that Joost has now officially launched its self-titled Internet TV service.
While the client-side software is still in late beta for Mac OS X and Windows XP, the peer-to-peer TV network sports over 150 channels ranging from cartoons to documentaries and sports.
As part of the official launch, Joost has issued a new beta and granted have unlimited invites to existing testers, ensuring that almost anyone can try the service through a friend.
Joost requires a broadband Internet connection.
Microsoft demos Flash rival on Macs
Trying to shed the image that it's only interested in Windows-native technology for the web, Microsoft on Tuesday took great care to showcase its upcoming Silverlight technology on Macs.
Numerous presenters at the Redmond firm's Mix07 event in Las Vegas made it a point to show that the embedded animation and video technology could easily run on alternate operating systems, and especially alternate web browsers. The company plans to ship the finished version of Silverlight for Firefox on both Mac and Windows platforms and will also have a Safari version available from the outset. The Expression Studio tool used to create Silverlight imagery is currently Windows-only.
Nevertheless, in at least a few cases the attempt to counter notions of anti-competitiveness was used to a deliberately comedic effect: Microsoft development general manager Scott Guthrie was said to have used Macs so heavily to prove the cross-platform nature of Silverlight that Windows and Internet Explorer support was almost secondary.
"And it also runs on Windows!" he joked.
46 Comments
The Mix07 stream is up on Microsoft's site with a Keynote by Ray Ozzie.
Perhaps I'm unaware of what potential roadmap that Flash has but I think Silverlight is pretty damn powerful. It's not just that it's cross platform but that much of the .net framework and behind it.
Thus you could use Microsofts new Expression Studio software to author content that then punches through Window and Macs right to the end user with content. Silverlight is more like Flash/Java lite from what I'm seeing.
The demo with Netflix/Razorfish was cool. You can view a syncronized Silverlight based clip of movies with someone else whilst chatting it up with them in realtime.
It's bittersweet. The mac fanatic in me wants to show disdain for Microsoft product but the computer fanatic in my wants to cheer them delivering new ways of using our computers.
Apple's going to have to work hard and take some chances to maintain their edge. Microsoft hasn't been just sitting around doing nothing.
The Mix07 stream is up on Microsoft's site with a Keynote by Ray Ozzie.
Perhaps I'm unaware of what potential roadmap that Flash has but I think Silverlight is pretty damn powerful. It's not just that it's cross platform but that much of the .net framework and behind it.
Thus you could use Microsofts new Expression Studio software to author content that then punches through Window and Macs right to the end user with content. Silverlight is more like Flash/Java lite from what I'm seeing.
The demo with Netflix/Razorfish was cool. You can view a syncronized Silverlight based clip of movies with someone else whilst chatting it up with them in realtime.
It's bittersweet. The mac fanatic in me wants to show disdain for Microsoft product but the computer fanatic in my wants to cheer them delivering new ways of using our computers.
Apple's going to have to work hard and take some chances to maintain their edge. Microsoft hasn't been just sitting around doing nothing.
As for the demo with Netflix; that's cool and all but you will be able to do something similar with Leopard. It's called Application Sharing.
Application Sharing will no doubt make it into iTunes so in effect you will be able to do the same, share a movie in full screen and you will have your buddy/partner in the lower left hand corner watching the movie with you.....only rather than typing you will be able to communicate via video, much like you would if they were sitting on your couch with you (all new internet dating! ).
In addition, Netflix downloads can only be played on specific players right? Well, the video you download and rent from iTunes could be watched in iTunes, on your iPod or your TV via Apple TV.
Enough said
This might be the first Microsoft product I will embrace willingly. I hope Microsoft can transform itself away from its current business model and instead release complimentary frameworks and applications for other operating systems.
Still
Still waiting for PPC support for Joost.