I have to admit, I didn't think I'd enjoy mobile videblogging (that is, shooting video and then uploading it to a blog), but I now deem it to be cool.

Thanks to my Nokia N93 (and a new account with T Mobile), I am playing around with mobile videoblogging. Right now, I am using both Vox and Juicecaster in sort of a mobile videoblogging bake-off. Vox is quite simple and is an embedded application in the camera/phone, but it posts to a Vox account I rarely use. I want to put my Vox videos here, not there. I have shot two, but they are more tests of the workflow/process. The MPEG 4 camera is great, the software is good and it's all very intuitive, but the upload seems to take an extraordinarily long time. In fact, it took me several tries to upload each video. No doubt, a T Mobile issue.

Juicecaster (see bottom right of this blog), allows me to post here. The software is an easy download (although I did something wrong in the initial settings so it always looks for a wireless LAN to connect even when I am not home.  Also, I cannot seem to figure out how to locate video files from my camera's gallery. These should be easy enough to fix. Look for videos down there soon.

I am also on the hunt for other services that allow me to do mobile videoblogging. Hopefully, they will be ones that allow me to post here.

In today's installment, Allen and Mike weigh in on Amazon's alleged entry into the online music business. Is it too late? Can the company create a unique and compelling alternative to iTunes and the iPod? In an era where definitive answers to anything are hard to come by, we provide them. Kind of . . .

Interesting story. China is selecting MPEG-4 as its offocial IPTV coding standard. No doubt this will persaude software firms to provide better editing tools as well as a reasonable DRM standard.

 

On a sunny Saturday, we made it to the Arizona Fall League championship for the second consecutive year. Oddly, it was the same two teams as last year—Scorpions and Desert Dogs, although the players and MLB teams who made up the squads, were different. The results were the same as the Desert Dogs were the winners, this time 9-3.

 

Matt Kemp of the Dodgers was the star of the game with two home runs and Jamie Shields of the D-rays pitched seven strong innings for the win. Casey Daigle—with celeb wife Jenny Finch cheering him on—came on to pitch the ninth inning. It was a sloppy game with five errors between the two teams, a few of the errors leading to big rallies for the Dogs.

 

The game was as much about who was there as who played. In this clip, you will find Davey Johnson, former Mets manager, Braves second baseman as well as manager of Team USA Baseball, the Olympic team; the Big Bopper, Bob Watson, (former Astros star now MLB and Team USA exec) and Angels owner Arte Moreno. We saw but did not capture on video former Cardinals/A’s/Cleveland outfielder Georeg Henrdick, former White Sox exec Rollie Hemond and the father & son Garagiolas, Joe and Joe Jr.

 

Thus ends another season of Arizona Fall league. Who from this crop will vie for Rookie of the Year in ’06? Stay tuned!

 

This weekend's big event was a visit to the Sun Festival, held at Westworld. The festival was a collection of vendors showing off their alternative energy, organic food and cause-related products. There were some food stands and events (such as peformers, speakers, book signings, etc...) tossed in for good measure. Food writer Mollie Katzen was here yesterday, but that coincided with a music festival also held at Westworld, so we chose to come when it would be less crowded.

Here are a few highlights:

Show overview:

A company that makes products out of recycled tires:

If I were to do a "TV series," it might be on certain spots in the U.S. that are "crossroad" points. These are locations in which you can learn a lot about people by observing their habits and get a feeling for what comprises American culture.

This clip is outside 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the home of NBC-TV; you've seen it in countless movies. Just a minute of watching the world go by.

So, I am walking back to my hotel when I stumble upon a “news event.” Some folks from a new company—“I Know”—are handing out souvenir coins on Avenue of the Americas at 48^th St. Given the age and high-tech demeanor of the group, my hunch is it’s some sort of new Web content business. They plan on launching next week, and were excited that a random videoblogger (me) was anxious to shoot some footage of them (as well as ask questions).

 

The coin is cool and bears the slogan—“This coin is the key.” The website is up with some teaser material; it might not be totally live until next week. Check back.

 

 

We finaly made it down to Penzeys. Penzeys is a Midwestern spice company that has a series of stores in the heartland and a thriving catalog business. As serious cooks, we love to try new spices and spice blends.

Penzeys held a contest for spice lovers to vote where the company should open its next store. Boston won, but Phoenix came in second. This is their Phoenix store (which actually is in Scottsdale).