There were.

As for my dad, he’s fine. In fact, he’s probably enjoying his 200+ channels of satellite by the time you’re reading this. But that’s not an option for everyone.

Getting the converter box was easy enough. It actually seems a sensibly administered program. The $40 coupon (for a device costing about $60) arrived promptly and the amount of the coupon strikes me as giving a nice discount without encouraging people to just pick up electronics that they don’t have a use for. I purchased the converter at a local big-box retailer and took it up to Maine with me. For someone with a modicum of experience with hooking up electronics (which would be me, if not my dad), getting everything connected was pretty straightforward.

I can’t say that I was completely shocked. I’d read stories suggesting people receiving weak OTA signals might not be able to receive them come the switch to all-digital. Indeed, that was one of the reasons I wanted to try out a converter box in case a plan B or plan C was needed.

To skip to the bottom line, my dad called a local TV and antenna installer who had done some work on the house’s rooftop antenna in the past to see if he had any guidance to offer. Perhaps a new antenna or re-orienting the current one would solve the problem.

Only one problem.

No signal. Not even on the two stations whose analog signals had seemed fairly strong. Double-check all the connections and so forth. Yep. Everything seemed to be working except for the no digital signal thing.

However, I knew that I’d be visiting my dad who lives on the Maine Midcoast and he does get his TV (all four channels of it) over the airwaves from Bangor (the nearest city of any size) using an old analog TV set. So I figured that it made sense to get a converter box coupon, purchase the box (which converts digital transmissions to analog), and generally get things set up and figure out if there were any issues.

Put this down as another data point. I suspect that readers of this blog tend to get their TV via cable/satellite, live in urban areas where signals tend to be stronger, or make a big deal out of how they don’t watch TV. But there are still a fair number of people who receive only analog OTA signals (about 17 million households) and some percentage of those are going to get a surprise when this switch finally happens for real.

Apparently not. He said that the Bangor stations were broadcasting digital signals but at relatively low power and that a large area of the coast that picked up analog at least partially couldn’t tune in digital at all. Maybe they’ll boost the power before the February 2009 cut-off–or maybe they won’t–he said. In any case, as things stand, OTA won’t be an option come February.

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(Credit:
CNET Networks)

A new service from the creators of log-in-avoider BugMeNot called PDFMeNot is taking a whack at the PDF problem. The solution? Adobe’s Internet darling: Flash.
To get to Acrobat-free PDF bliss, give PDFMeNot the URL of the PDF that is to be viewed. The service will grab the file and convert it into an easy to use Flash document (similar to that of Scribd) in a matter of seconds. Once the URL has been submitted, others that click the link will get it automatically, as each file is cached for future viewing once processed.

Power users who want to avoid having to visit the site every time they want to click a PDF link have a simple option. They can add a small bookmarklet to their browser. The bookmarklet will automatically dig through a page and convert PDF-ridden links before they even think about clicking them. Likewise, Web publishers can add a little line of JavaScript that will do this on all their pages. They can also simply add a PDFMeNot.com redirect in front of each PDF URL, which simply opens up the file in the Flash viewer when clicked.

Note: This service officially launches on Thursday, and the site is password-protected until then. The folks at PDFMeNot gave us early access to share with Webware readers. Use the username “stateless” and password “systems” when prompted (no quotation marks either). Note that both are case sensitive.

View PDF documents in a Flash viewer without mucking about with Acrobat using PDFMeNot.

Related:
PDF Hammer lets users tweak PDFs sans software

The service, called Pivot, was begun as a partnership between the cable giant, Sprint, Time Warner, Cox Communications, and Advanced/Newhouse Communications in 2006. It offered a package of services, including TV, broadband, and both a landline and wireless phone service.

Comcast said Wednesday it has changed its mind on a joint wireless communication venture with Sprint-Nextel, according to a Reuters report.

CNET News.com’s Marguerite Reardon contributed to this report.

“We decided to discontinue the service because the product required a lot of operational complexities, so we decided it wasn’t the approach we wanted for the long term,” said a Comcast spokesperson.

Comcast said its Pivot mobile customers would be switched to a similar Sprint package.

5. You want to be green.
The PS3 is great at a lot of things, but conserving power isn’t one of them. If you’re looking to stay green and limit your power consumption, you’ll be much better off using a standalone Blu-ray player. For example, the PS3 sucks up about 170 watts while playing a Blu-ray movie, while the Samsung BD-P1400 only uses about 25 watts. That’s a fairly huge difference and can easily wipe out any power savings from using other green products such as the Philips Eco TV. (Check out our guide to TV power consumption for more green tips.)

OK, before the angry fanboy comments roll in, let’s get this out of the way: the PlayStation 3 is the best Blu-ray player on the market right now. It sits at the top of our best Blu-ray players list, we consistently use it as the reference that we judge other Blu-ray players against, and it’s the only player on the market right now that supports Blu-ray Profile 2.0 and onboard decoding for both Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. And it will always be the only Blu-ray player that streams media, has a browser, and plays
PS3 games. Virtually everyone looking to buy a Blu-ray player should go with the PS3 right now.

6. I need to see my receiver light up and say “Dolby TrueHD.”
Even if you do have a new HDMI-capable receiver, you’ll never get the Dolby TrueHD light to turn on with the PS3. That’s because although the PS3 can decode both DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD, it can’t send those soundtracks in bit stream format and allow the receiver to decode them. Of course, this isn’t really a legitimate reason, as you’re still getting the same high-resolution audio, but some people just need the comfort of seeing the Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio lights on their receiver.

4. You have an older AV receiver and need multichannel analog outputs.
If you’re using an older receiver and want to use its multichannel analog inputs to get high-resolution soundtracks, you can’t do it with the PlayStation 3. You’re better off going with a standalone Blu-ray player with onboard Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding, like the upcoming Pioneer BDP-51FD and Panasonic DMP-BD50. Of course, if you’re OK with standard DVD-style surround sound, you can still get that with the PS3’s optical SPDIF output, which is compatible with nearly all modern receivers.

3. Interface isn’t as easy to use.
This isn’t an issue for tech enthusiasts, but Sony’s Xross Media Bar (XMB) is packed with options and can be intimidating for neophytes. Although we generally like the XMB for zipping around the PS3’s functions, using a standard Blu-ray player where you just need to put in the disc and hit play is definitely a lot easier.

2. It’s louder than standalones.
Although every PS3 seems to be different, the PS3 can occasionally get loud once its fans start spinning. For audiophiles, that can be a pretty big drawback, especially if you start to hear a whirr during every quiet scene in a movie. You’ll have better luck keeping the PS3 quiet by keeping it in a well-ventilated area, but standalones are quieter in general and don’t mind having other gear stacked on them.

1. Doesn’t work with universal remotes.
Sony decided not to include an IR receptor on the PlayStation 3, and home theater fans have been complaining ever since. The lack of an IR receptor means that the PlayStation 3 won’t work with universal remote controls, so you’ll have to use the PS3 controller or the separate PS3 BD remote to control it. It’s definitely a pain for anyone who is used to activity-based macros such as “Watch TV” and “Watch Blu-ray” to control their home theater.

(Credit:
CNET Networks)

What do you think? Are any of these a legitimate reason to get a standalone Blu-ray player instead of the PlayStation 3? Or is anyone who buys a standalone Blu-ray player wasting their money on an inferior product?

For WPP, an asset swap would allow the ad giant to shed itself of an ad-serving tool to publishers, a line of business that it apparently is less critical to its main operations, according to Advertising Age.

Microsoft unloads the agency in exchange for a WPP package that includes 24/7’s Open AdStream publisher ad-serving tool plus cash. While Avenue A’s price would be higher than most agency deals, very few interactive agencies with that kind of scale are available for acquisition.

Microsoft’s forays into online ads may be focused on yet another deal, according to a report Monday in Advertising Age.

Advertising Age, citing sources familiar with the talks, said discussions now involve an asset swap, as opposed to an outright buy of Microsoft’s Avenue A/Razorfish operations:

Microsoft acquired interactive advertising agency Avenue A/Razorfish last year, as part of its $6 billion acquisition of Aquantive. That deal also included Atlas Media Console and Drive Performance Media, which were the core of the acquisition. Atlas provides digital marketing technologies, while Drive Performance Media buys online advertising inventory in bulk and resells it to advertisers based on their target markets.

Microsoft reportedly has restarted talks with ad giant WPP Group to sell its Avenue A/Razorfish agency to the advertising behemoth, but with a new twist, according to the report.

The gist is that Nvidia is conducting a test run of this pricing scheme, and if online retailers like NewEgg, Buy.com, and others don’t comply, they will face a series of penalties, and ultimately they will be cut-off from Nvidia-based 3D cards after a certain number of infractions. This strategy, called Manufacturer Advertised Pricing, is not exactly price-fixing, but it’s illegal in other countries, and, as H enthusiast reports, it’s only recently legal in the U.S.

Compliance thus far seems spotty. Some cards listed at NewEgg obfuscate the price, others with the same chip do not. The same with TigerDirect. Amazon, Buy.com, and ZipZoomFly all list prices as normal.

(Credit:
Nvidia)

Flexing its muscle at online retailers.

If you’ve gone video card shopping online lately, you may have noticed that you certain retailers are now asking you to click through to your shopping cart to see a price for Nvidia-based 3D graphics cards. As H Enthusiast reported earlier this week, that newly inconvenient shopping experience is part of a calculated effort by Nvidia to regulate the advertised pricing of its 3D cards.

Nvidia’s reasons for implementing this strategy are unclear. H Enthusiast was not able to get anyone on the record, although the going theory seems to indicate that it’s a way to regulate non-US certified board partners from undercutting the Nvidia-approved US competition.

With only some vendors complying with Nvidia’s request, and only then partially, it seems that Nvidia’s plan is only an occasional annoyance. Whether Nvidia makes the plan permanent, cracks down on stray listings, and forces other retailers to go along all remain to be seen.

Who do you think is most likely to buy Zend?

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Regardless, Zend would be a great prize. I’m not privy to the company’s financial information but don’t need to be to believe that Zend’s position vis-a-vis PHP (the primary “P” in the LAMP stack) makes it a prime target. It’s surprising that no one has picked it up by now.

My sources tell me that Oracle was very close to purchasing Zend back in 2006, but that the two sides were far apart on valuation. With open-source software companies going for a premium these days, Zend’s price will have only gone up since 2006.

On top of that, why do most sales clerks even care? They’re getting paid to run the store and if a 14-year old kid comes in and wants to play GTA IV and asks for a copy, it’s easier to make a sale and look good for the boss than it is to push the kid away because he can’t provide any identification.

Nielsen found that of the 6,000 respondents, 17 percent of all buyers were younger than 17 — the children were aged between 6 and 17 — and of those younger buyers, 61 percent bought the game themselves, while 39 percent had a relative or friend buy it for them. In those cases where someone else bought the game for the kids, 80 percent were the child’s parent or guardian and 10 percent said their older siblings bought the game for them.

But I have a different take. I don’t see anything wrong with underage kids buying any video game from any store at any time. And why should I? It’s abundantly clear that they’ll just have their parents get the games for them anyway.

First, most video game stores or even big-box retailers are staffed by kids that are barely old enough to buy mature-rated games anyway. And considering many of them are probably attending the same high school as the 15-year old who wants to pick up the latest M-rated game, I seriously doubt most kids will say no.

Much has been made about violent video games and how they impact children over the past decade and legislatures and activist groups alike have tried to find ways to stop them from getting in the hands of minors. And with the help of retailers, most laws have tried to make it impossible for those under the age of 17 to buy an M-rated game. But according to a recent Nielsen survey, 17 percent of Grand Theft Auto IV buyers were underage.

It sounds like alcohol purchasing as a kid, doesn’t it? Eventually someone will let you in.

The original intent of not allowing underage kids to buy video games was to stop them from picking up a violent title that their parents didn’t want them to play and bring it to a friend’s house where they wouldn’t know. And while that is an admirable idea, it simply doesn’t hold up.

Of course, anti-video game hacks will use this survey and say that it demonstrates to us all that retailers need to be more prudent in who they’re selling games to and parents should be ashamed of themselves for giving a violent video game to a minor.

Check out Don’s Digital Home podcast, Twitter feed, and FriendFeed.

To think that ID’ing kids for a video game will somehow stop violence and the proliferation of violent video games is extremely foolhardy. If they’re turned down, they’ll simply go to the next place and see if they can win someone over there. And if all else fails, they can enlist the help of an older person.

Beyond that, it’s extremely easy for these kids to get the games anyway. As the survey shows, a parent and an older sibling would be more than happy to walk into the local Gamestop and pick up a copy of an M-rated game for a child who is underage. And why not? It’s a video game that keeps the kid quiet and happy.

Stopping underage children from buying video games may be a great PR stunt, but that’s all it is. Children are getting their hands on M-rated games and there’s no changing it. So we have one of two options: ignore it or just forget about age limits altogether. I vote for the latter.

Several religious leaders including mega-church pastor Joel Osteen have also sent letters to the FCC asking for a delay as has the chairman of the MGM Mirage hotel and casino in Las Vegas.

When Dolly Parton speaks people listen. At least that’s what opponents to an upcoming Federal Communications Commission vote on opening up “white space” spectrum hope.

The big question now is whether the FCC will be swayed by singers Parton and Diamond’s pleas for more time, or if the five-person commission will listen to Schmidt and Gates. At this point, I suppose it’s anyone’s guess. But my bet is still with Google and Microsoft.

Parton is just one of several performers who in the past week have joined the fight against opening up so-called white space spectrum. In addition to Parton, Neil Diamond, the Dixie Chicks, Clay Aiken, and Guns N’ Roses have also joined together in signing a letter to the FCC asking it to delay a vote on white spaces.

Sensing the public relations circus that is mounting around the opposition to this issue, several technology luminaries gave voice to their cause this week. Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Dell founder Michael Dell, and Microsoft founder and former CEO Bill Gates, have all sent letters and made calls to the FCC this week to encourage the agency to move forward with its planned vote.

The report noted that geo-location technology, which uses a database to help devices identify and avoid spectrum bands known to already be in use, worked very well in avoiding interference. But the report’s results were less conclusive about the use of sensing technology that would help prevent interference between white space devices and wireless microphones.

Earlier this week, country western star Dolly Parton sent a letter to the FCC asking the agency to delay its vote to open up the unused spectrum for unlicensed use.

Google has even mounted an online petition campaign to show support from consumers on the issue. On Tuesday, the company noted that more than 20,000 consumers support its FreeTheAirwaves.com petition online. Nearly 2,000 of those petitions supposedly were submitted to the FCC since Thursday, which was when the company posted a call to action on its Official Google Blog.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has already crafted a proposal in support of opening up the spectrum. But opponents say that the public should be given more time to review and comment on the report. /p>

Technology companies, which say opening up white space spectrum could create new wireless broadband services, say the time for comments is over. And it’s time for the FCC to move the matter forward.

“As someone who uses the white spaces and knows the value of them for the work that I and many of my friends around the country, I ask the FCC to recognize the entertainment industry’s valuable contribution to the cultural life,” Parton wrote in her letter. “I can unequivocally confirm that the importance of clear, consistent wireless microphone broadcasts simply cannot be overstated. This industry relies on wireless technology and is in jeopardy of being irreversibly devastated by the commission’s pending decision.”

After months of testing, the FCC’s engineering office released a report two weeks ago essentially giving the green light to the FCC to allow unlicensed users to access this spectrum.

(Credit:
Nielsen Online)

Google’s user tally increased from 127.6 million in May to 128 million in June, according to Nielsen Online. Meanwhile, Microsoft dipped a bit from 123.3 million to 123 million and Yahoo dropped from 115.6 million to 113.4 million.

Nielsen also measures time spent per user at each site, and there Google lags those two rivals, but by less. The time spent in May increased from 1 hour and 49 minutes to 1 hour and 50 minutes for Google; dropped from 3 hours and 13 minutes to 3 hours and 7 minutes for Yahoo; and dropped from 2 hours and 16 minutes to 2 hours and 12 minutes for Microsoft.