A couple days ago I came across this article at CNET News.com about a company called PortoMedia and their plan to make movies available on flash memory cards. I’ve touched on the subject before, but for a different reason that PortoMedia seems to be interested (I was interested in the small form factor). They see flash memory cards as an alternative to Internet delivery:

PortoMedia is setting up kiosks that will let consumers download movies to a flash memory key or portable hard drive.

The kiosks will be packed with hard drives that can hold 350 to 5,000 titles. Users then plug in a memory device from the company, enter a PIN code, and buy or rent a movie. When consumers get home, they simply slide the memory device into a dock connected to a TV.

Evidently they have come up with a proprietary USB interface that can load a high-definition movie onto the memory card in less than 45 seconds. There are some big advantages to this model:

• Reduced cost as packaging and shipping associated with DVDs is no longer required
• More selection - you aren’t limited by shelf space with a kiosk like Blockbuster is
• It can happen sooner than Internet delivery (because most of us still have fairly crappy connections)

Sadly, but not unexpectedly, the company plans to use DRM from Microsoft to protect the movies.

PortoMedia did a trial run last year, and plans to go live with the service in four U.S. cities sometime in Q2 2008.

Read: CNET News.com

A price drop for the Zune has been rumored for quite some time, and now it’s official. Cesar Menendez over at Zune Insider explains:

Some of you may have already heard, but tomorrow we’re dropping the suggested retail price for Zune to $199. It’s part of the normal product lifecycle, something we’ve had on the books for months. We just got some research back and customer satisfaction with the 30GB device is really high (around 94%) and we expect even more consumers will now want to discover the Zune experience at the new lower price.

Engadget says, there’s “a whole heaping helping of irony that the Zune is getting a price slash on the very day Apple is ostensibly outing brand new iPods.” Regardless, we’ll take the price cut, thanks!

Does the price cut mean that new Zunes are just around the corner? Hope so!

Podcasting support is coming to the Zune! Though as the Zune Luv guys point out, it was always a matter of when, not if. Here’s the news from Whiz Byte:

Features – we’ll move towards parity with iPod building in support for video, podcasting, etc and at the same time build on key differentiators such as the wireless feature, the FM tuner, etc.

The other two areas of focus for expanding the Zune are device family (sizes, styles, etc.) and geographic markets.

Here’s what Cesar at Zune Insider had to say about the story:

We have not confirmed any new devices or features. We have, for several months, been saying that we intend to develop the Zune business along three axes - expanding our device offering, adding new features and scenarios and considering new international markets when the time is right.

Somewhat vague, but essentially a confirmation.

Will a new Zune with podcasting support be in stores by Christmas? There’s a good chance the answer to that question is yes. Stay tuned!

According the folks at ZuneScene, Microsoft is hard at work on the next generation hard drive Zune code-named “Scorpio” which itself is the big brother of “Draco,” a flash-based device. From a “source inside the hallowed halls of Microsoft”:

The source indicated the storage capacity is 80GB for Scorpio. We challenged that and asked if he was sure there would be no 100 or 120 GB Zune. The answer was blunt: “No, it will be 80″. Perhaps the most exciting news is that mass production of Scorpio will begin at the very end of July.

The timeline for launch is thus the 2007 holidays.

Bottom line - if you’ve been holding out for a revision to the Zune, it sounds like you won’t have to wait much longer!

I think the Zune is a very good first entry into the market for Microsoft, but there’s no way I’d be tattooing the Zune logo on my body, let alone more than once! Yet someone did. You’ve probably heard about “mszunefan” by now - here he is with his two tattoos:

It turns out that getting those tattoos was a good investment! According to Engadget, Microsoft has decided to fly its biggest Zune fan out to Redmond to meet the Zune team! He’ll also do an interview for Microsoft’s Channel 10.

If I were mszunefan I’d be thinking “who’s laughing now?” Heheh…well done sir.

Will the second-generation Zune get a boost in storage space? A bigger hard drive is probably a good bet anyway, but this news from Samsung sort of makes it more likely:

Featuring the highest available capacity in the 1.8” form factor (120GB) and fastest speed (4200rpm) for notebook performance, Samsung’s N2 Series drives usher in a new era of advanced capability and enhanced reliability.

The new drives will fit in a Zune and share the same connection type as current drives, according to Zune-Online.com.

Bring on the larger capacity Zunes!

There are hundreds and hundreds of Microsoft bloggers out there on the Internets, yet very few (if any) focus on Windows Media and related technologies. Heck, there are very few bloggers in general that post about Windows Media stuff! The very lofty aim of this blog is to change that.

First, an introduction! My name is Mack, and I usually blog here. I run a small software company called Paramagnus with my friend and business partner Dickson. In September 2006 we launched Podcast Spot, a hosting service for podcasters. One of the really cool things we do is automatic media conversion, so we’ve spent quite a bit of time mucking around with Windows Media and other audio and video formats. I am not anti-Apple or anything, but I don’t own an iPod, nor do I use iTunes. I have a Creative Zen Touch, an Xbox, an Xbox 360, and I use Windows Media Player 11 (which I reviewed here) pretty much exclusively.

I look forward to bringing you news, updates, tips, tricks and other thoughts related to Windows Media. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me! On with the blog