The BBC has announced the release of its iPlayer on demand service for Windows users on July 27th. If you are and XP/Vista user, let me know how you get on with the service when it launches!
Update 2.
The BBC also say that the Mac version could be released as soon as this Autumn, no doubt due to some pressure from the EC.Recently, I found this little gem on MacUpdate.
Assault cube is an awesome little online FPS that is both accessible to the n00bs (myself included) and completely open source and editable for anyone looking for a pet programming project. The game has reasonably good graphics (although its no Gears Of War) and amazingly fast gameplay, although some of the maps can be a bit weighted in the favour of one side. There is a healthy number of user created maps to play through, and you can even train offline in a single player deathmatch against some AI players. The game works on PC, Mac and Linux formats, and the online play is cross platform so all three can play against each other. I've seen the PC and OS X versions, and although the Mac tends to have a better way to navigate the various in-game options, the graphical performance of the PC is much smoother.
Assault Cube is available as a free download, so go get it now and start fraggin!
The BBC are getting in a spot of bother over their new iPlayer IPTV on demand service. The iPlayer, due for public release some time in 2007, allows you to view and download BBC programs in a similar way to their BBC Radio 'listen again' feature. Considering the BBC's public service obligation to serve all of its audience, and with a name like the iplayer, you'd think that the program would be available for every OS and at least for Mac, right? Well... no. Unlike the BBC Online Archive, who's public beta trial I'm currently enjoying, the iPlayer is strictly Windows only.
Initially at least, the BBC had confirmed a 24 month timeframe for developing a Mac version, but have quietly been trying to back down from that, citing DRM issues. And The BBC aren't the only ones. Channel 4 Have run their 4OD service for some time now, also blaming their lack of OS X support on DRM.
Apparently the problem lies with apple not outsourcing their DRM technology to third parties (this is one of the ways, for example, that they keep iPod users locked into iTunes). However, this doesn't stop IPTV broadcasters from providing a service for Apple customers, it merely means that the broadcaster can't pull the old 'deleted after 30 days of download' trick. Surely the quickest way out of this problem for the time being is to offer Mac (and lets not forget the ever growing share of Linux) users the ability to watch but not download TV on demand. After all, these guys seem to be doing a pretty good job.
Good Morning Blogosphere!
This is I AM ERROR, a blog about Music, Technology, Video Gaming and the Internets. And the occasional lolcat.
So, a bit about me. I study Music Culture at The University Of East London (with a bit of journalism on the side), Im also an avid mac user, so expect some of my technological writing to be a bit mac-centric (which, if you read my next post can be less common than you think). Im also way into video games, so expect the odd piece of news and reviews. I'll be bringing you a more cultural slant on some of the most interesting RSS feeds, and trying to encourage debate on hot topics, like how people are using the internets and what it says about them. Don't think this is gonna be an essay-fest though, I'll be keeping thinks fairly light-hearted and accessible to everyone (read: no excessive jargon).
So, add me to your RSS and enjoy!
-Reid.
