Joost Gets Serious About Online Video Competition
Today, Joost launched a new flash-based version of its popular (but not popular enough) online video service, which will allow users to use it without having to download an application. They announced over a month ago that they would be launching this, but it has just now finally come to fruition.
Google Library Partners Making Their Own Database
A group of libraries that are participating in the Google Books Library Project want to make sure that their work lives on in case Google doesn’t. They’re forming a backup database of digitized books in case Google should go out of business in the future (insert joke or snide comment here). The database is called HathiTrust.
McCain Asks YouTube to Ignore DMCA Claims
After a slew of political ads from the McCain-Palin campaign were taken down from YouTube because of copyright holder DMCA complaints, the campaign sent a letter to YouTube (PDF) urging the company to be less immediate with its compliance with the letters and to subject videos to full legal review.
Online Holiday Shopping To Surpass In-Store Shopping
For the first time, the Internet has surpassed brick-and-mortar stores as the preferred way for multi-channel shoppers to buy holiday gifts, according to a new survey by the e-tailing group.Nearly half (49%) of those surveyed said they plan on doing their gift buying online while 44 percent intend to do so in-store.Reasons for shopping online include saving time (88%), locating hard-to-find products (84%), greater selection (83%) and avoiding crowds at the mall (83%). Saving money was still an important factor for 80 percent.
Judge Orders Palin To Save Yahoo Email
The hits just keep on coming for Sarah Palin. Just as word comes down that more investigations are on the Alaska horizon, an Anchorage judge orders her to hang on to her Yahoo account and emails used for state business.
Google Tightening Its Belt?
Possibly rhetoric serving two purposes: an endorsement of smart fiscal management and management of Wall St. analyst expectations. Google’s VP of Sales, Tim Armstrong made a seemingly off-the-cuff remark about closely watching the economy while “making sure our expenses and revenue are very much aligned.”
Brightcove Releases New Online Video Platform
Brightcove has introduced its newest version of its online video platform, Brightcove 3, which has been in beta testing with customers since June.
Live From The Web, It
Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels and NBC are working on a Web-video site dedicated to the iconic sketch show. The site would allow fans to download individual sketches, clips, and even dress rehearsal skits that never aired.
Financial Crisis to Fuel Rise in Litigation
Two occupations that for sure won’t be experiencing unemployment troubles during the financial crisis: politician and lawyer. Politicians will be busy pointing fingers and looking clueless while lawyers will be bracing for a boon in litigation stemming from the collapse of the subprime mortgage market. A survey of 360 in-house counsel in the UK and US show small businesses and major corporations alike are preparing for a busy lawsuit season expected to affect pretty much every sector.
Google Blocks Services in Some Countries
Google is reportedly blocking use of it’s Chrome browser (among other applications like Google Talk and Gmail Notifier) in some countries with which the United States has economic sanctions and export controls with. "We are unable to permit the download of Google Chrome in Cuba, Syria, North Korea, Iran, and Sudan," says a Google Spokesperson.