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10/27/09
Revision3 has already been announced. Pandora and Flickr were leaked in the process.
TWiT via MediaFly has also been announced.
Until the usability of the USB port is defined, it's hard to justify $30 for WiFi-N. #rokuhdxr
10/27/09
First of all, I see no market for the Roku SD model. Composite video is OK for folks still using old CRT monitors -- but then again, how many of those folks would have any idea what a Roku was anyway. And by saving $20 now, anyone would be locking themselves out of being able to upgrade the to HD if they upgrade their TV in the future.
As for the HD-XR, $30 is way too much extra to charge for just the wireless-N card. In fact, this should have been the minimal replacement for the original Roku HD at the same price point. I don't know if Roku intends to keep the HD and the HD-XR on the market simultaneously for long, but it seems like the HD should be dis-continued now. I'll have to wait until the firmware upgrade to see what the HD-XR is really bringing to the table, but right now I feel silly for anxiously awaiting this upgrade.
What would really seal the deal for me would be access to streaming media from a NAS or home server. Maybe then I could finally replace my aging XBOX (original) running XBMC (but probably not!)
10/27/09
There's something to be said for simplicity and hardware that doesn't aim over the heads of the populace. The $20 saved on buying an SD model (for an SD TV owner) is a little over two months of Netflix membership.
The Roku fills a sweet spot for people who want more content but may not have the knowledge, or need, for HTPCs, NASs, extensive codec support, etc. Even a lot of SD content via the Roku is better than a pile of confusing equipment and acronyms for someone who, like my mom, just wants to enjoy episodes of British comedies, Law & Order and a few movies now and then. She is among those that might eventually have to buy an HDTV, but actually couldn't care less about 720 or 1080, and just wants to enjoy the content. I strongly suspect that there are a lot of folks out there in that demographic who are capable of setting up a Roku, and who would not scoff at a selection of SD content. #rokuhdxr
10/27/09
However, it seems silly to me for Roku to devote resources to create a crippled version of their standard device for such a small cost savings. One of the great things I though Roku did was to release a single device with known abilities rather than sectioning up the market, causing confusion. Now, instead of just talking to someone about the 'Roku box', they will have to specify which box. I would have prefered a direct replacement upgrade of the Roku HD with the HD-XR rather than expanding it to a series.
As far as cost goes, $20 is a minimal savings. But what you loose is the ability to integrate the box into an HD or fully-digital system in the future. Instead, you would have to spend a fresh $100 (or $130). Right now, I can easily integrate the $100 Roku box into my home theatre with analog inputs, with the knowledge that when I upgrade my TV next year to HDMI, I won't have to buy a new box to go with it. Perhaps the Roku SD makes sense at ~$50, but not at $80. #rokuhdxr
10/27/09
07/13/09
Just not me.
07/13/09
07/13/09
The Pre is to the MacOS in 1998 as the iPhone is to Windows in 1998.
Or, at least, it very well could be. Apps coming out later, for more money. Shit, developers must be pissed having to know how to create apps for all the different devices these days.
Or it's the MLB being as full of shit as they always are when it comes to their content.
04/06/09
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04/06/09
Live streaming to an iPhone involves a terrific amount of bandwidth and processing power. It would absolutely kill the iPhone's battery.
04/06/09
04/06/09
Yes, you can do a minute of streaming on the iPhone. But you can't strike out a batter in one minute. And you can't expect a side to be retired in five.
04/06/09
So, 142 minutes from first pitch to last. There were a total of 262 pitches thrown in those 142 minutes. I'll grant, it's not QUITE two pitches per minute, but it's damned close to it. And if you didn't count commercial time, which singificantly lengthens the time between innings, it would easily get down to 131 minutes, and thus two pitches per minute. Obviously, my sample size was small and it was a decently quick game (though not close to the quickest I've ever seen) but the notion that there's anywhere close to 60 seconds between pitches, even on average, let alone the "minimum amount of time required" is completely asinine.
04/06/09
In 2008, the average game length was still a little above 2:45. That's 3 innings an hour or one inning every twenty minutes. And there's about 13 pitches per pitcher per inning.
Also, NL games are typically shorter because pitchers are sat down quicker than designated hitters.
04/06/09
03/30/09
Lets go METS!
03/30/09
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03/30/09
Sometimes they fail all through August, sometimes they choke around Rosh Hashanah. The trick is guessing when the choke comes.
And the Phillies are one of the losingest teams in baseball history. Two championship titles in over 125 years of existence. The only thing remarkable about the Phillies are the fans.
"Phillies fans are the meanest in baseball. They're the sort of people who boo at funerals and cheer bad landings at the airport."
03/30/09
03/30/09
03/30/09
...if by Cubs you mean Yankees.
03/30/09
03/30/09
THEY'RE DUE!
03/30/09
But everyone else preferred the redistribution of profits.
To which he replied, fine if you would prefer to take my profits rather than play on an even field, I will outspend you all until the end of time.
(Because he's kind of vengeful like that.)
03/30/09