Movie Mash
I love Youtube. I love watching music videos full of clips of my favorite shows. I like watching clip mashups, and I like seeing home made trailers. Now Elgato has made it even easier for Mac users to create just such masterpieces with its video capture.
Video capture basically connects your computer to an analog video source and helps you convert video from your television to video on your computer (ready to use online, or on your ipod). With these new files you can watch your favorite TV on the go or use it to create the next great online sensation. It’s totally worth it for the advancement of online art.
TV on YouTube?
Not that you haven’t already been checking out choice tv snippets and shows on YouTube, but now the site has formally partnered with names like Sony, LionsGate, CBS and MGM to offer favorites like 90210, StarTrek and MacGyver. YouTube’s show channel also has offerings from PBS, old favorites like I Dream of Jeannie and even soaps.
Joining Hulu and an ever-growing number of web tv sites, YouTube is trying to stay with the wave that is moving viewers online (and subsequently on-demand).
So how many hours a week do you watch on your computer rather than your tv?
This will blow your mind
Fascinating take on modern life and the ever-increasing pace of information. I think what it says about the world our kids will live in is particularly important. When I was studying to be a teacher, I remember a very wise speaker talking about how it wasn’t important to teach children information itself as it was to teach them how to find, use, and critique information. They can look up anything they need if they have the skills to do so. That’s why memorization can only take you so far.
This video covers a lot more than that. Watch and be amazed
Did You Know?
Twitter for Twits!
This is a hilarious video from Current TV about the Twittersphere. I’ve only recently become intrigued by Twitter but I just don’t have time to Tweet!
(Caution if watching with kids, there is one mildly offensive word about 3:30 in)
Found via Geeksugar
Inauguration Day
Without a doubt, tomorrow is an amazing day for our nation. Regardless of your political affiliation, you can’t help but appreciate our nation’s continual re-invention every four years when we choose our leaders.
Inauguration day will mark many firsts. Among them will be the extent to which mobile and Internet technologies will capture and shape the day and, in fact, the presidency itself.
From the Obama’s own Blackberry obsession to the millions of mobile users who will undoubtedly jam the circuits on the National Mall, this is a plugged-in presidency. Not so much by wires, but by a constant connection from the top down and across the nation and world.
The major cell phone providers have beefed up their capabilities (adding “lanes” to the information superhighway in Washington, D.C.) They have brought in COWs (Cell on Wheels) to boost their ability to carry the million+ users in the area. A test run at the Lincoln Memorial concert Sunday showed some flaws in the plan, but providers are sure they have pulled out all the stops. The president-elect won’t have to worry about the traffic jam if he wants to make a call though–his phone has access to the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) so he always gets through.
Here are some of my picks for a tech-friendly inauguration:
Watch the Inauguration from your iPhone via Ustream
Help write a People’s Inaugural Address using collaborative writing tools at Mixedink.com
Free Inaugural Guide map App for your iPhone
The Inauguration Report 2009 requests you tag your tweets with “#inaug09″ and your Flickr or YouTube photos and videos with “inaug09″. Follow along with their widget you can add to your website.
Tech Savvy Mama also has a long-list of kid-friendly inauguration links.
Thanks to NTEN for some links.
Shepard Fairey’s Obama HOPE Image via Flickr
Holiday Card Slacker
Every year I love getting photo cards from friends around the country showing their families as they grow. Usually, I am ready to go with my own photo that I usually print at Sam’s Club. This year, however, I have been very slack. I’m hoping to still get something out before it is too late, but the clock is definitely ticking.
For those of you who don’t like the photo card route, or who just want to take the whole thing digital, you might be interested in a You Tube greeting card that I found via Lifehacker.
You can pick a video or record your own and add it to a background with a message and email it to up to 25 friends via You Tube.
Another favorite is Elfyourself from OfficeMax and JibJab. Create a stunningly hilarious elf-version of yourself or even your whole family dancing disco, The Charleston, country or classic and send to friends or embed on your blog or Facebook or whatever else you want. This year you can also download the file to save for posterity for just $4.99.
Shoe Tube
Each year Operation Christmas Child delivers millions of gift-filled shoeboxes to children in countries across the globe. Now families, schools and churches can share their shoebox stories via Shoe Tube.
Samaritan’s Purse began the Operation Christmas Child in 1993 and has shipped more than 60 million boxes to date. This year the goal is 8 million to 100 countries. My son’s preschool collected boxes last week but Nov. 18-24 is National Collection Week. If you and your family are participating in this activity, tape yourselves putting the box together and post it on ShoeTube.
Need some inspiration–check out BeCentsable’s boxes that she put together for just $5 using deals! I’ll definitely be using some of these tips next year.
To Reach the Masses
Just because the election’s over doesn’t mean politics is through utilizing the internet until four years from now. Youtube is once again going to play host to political innovation.
The fire side chat (a short presidential radio speech in place since FDR’s presidency) will begin broadcasting on Youtube when Obama takes office.
I’ve honestly never listened to one of these fire side chats, but I’m much more likely to look into it if it’s on Youtube. On my own time, through my own procrastination listening to a few minutes of the President seems like a much more likely practice online. We’ve got a little time to go, but we’ll see what kind of view count Obama gets once his chats are posted.
Copyright Compromise
Movies have started their legal clime into the world of Youtube. After years of copyright infringement and movies posted in twelve parts a new era seems to be making its way online.
MGM has become the first major Hollywood studio to sign a deal with Youtube. The hope is that other studios will follow suit. Things aren’t perfect yet of course, right now the only official clips to be aired on the web site are shorts and television shows, but the deal does open a line of communication that didn’t exist before.
Perhaps Hulu is the best streaming site for official shows and movies at the moment but it seems Youtube is ready to work its way into the legitimate market. Only so many “funniest home videos” are funny for long.
I Want My MTV
This isn’t really a clever fix for family life–just a pure indulgence. MTV recently uploaded thousands of vintage videos to its new MTV Music website. Now you can “Party Like Its 1999” anytime. Enjoy all the old favorites from back with MTV actually played music videos like “Money for Nothing,” “Thriller,” and “It’s the End of the World As We Know It.” Best part–they are all free.
The videos are in h.264 high-def and look and sound incredible considering the age of many of them. In the future they also plan to add the ability for small-time musicians to upload their videos for playback and add video playlisting so you can see all your favorites at a click. If you’ve been getting your video fix via You Tube, it’s time to upgrade.
