Koo’s Corner

Work has been painful this week and benkoo.com has suffered. Next week will be bad too unfortunately.

But for now here is an entertaining R rated youtube video circulating of Chris Berman.

from vids.myspace.com posted with vodpod

Although I could probably name you 200 ESPN personalities, I would be hard pressed to pick one that I enjoy more then Berman.

Up until now he has flown mostly under the radar, besides the infamous inside story of “You’re with Me, Leather”, which in my book only elevated his status.

I really can’t say the above tirade changes my opinion on him at all. Work can be stressful and sometimes the idea of a profanity laced rant seems necessary or at least appealing. Although such rants maybe frowned upon in the workplace, historic tirades are entertaining and usually well warranted. Below are some classics.

With the Super Bowl coming up I am planning to do something special for Commercial of the Week next week. For now this one goes to a pretty risque Domino’s pizza commercial. Not a fan of Domino’s at all, but definitely love the adult humor in this ad.

A lot of my friends and family have been impressed by how mature and robust benkoo.com is. This is kind of a back handed compliment as I possess no web design, web development, or html/php coding skills. I really cannot take that much credit as my blogging software, wordpress, does all the heavy lifting.

WordPress is an open source blogging software solution that has quickly developed into one of the most popular and functional blogging solutions out there (partly due to the fact its open source).

However since WordPress was initially an open source project and not actual commercialized product, early adopters of it were very tech savvy users who were well versed in web hosting and the value of open source.

In 2005, Matthew Mullenweg started Automatic, in hopes of bringing WordPress to the masses. At the core of their business was wordpress.com, a web property devoted to selling web hosted version of the popular wordpress software. This is a great breakdown of the difference between hosted vs on site and wordpress.com vs wordpress.org for those unfamiliar with these concepts.

2 of the biggest issues surrounding the many emerging open source companies are

1) developing a business model and concept around an open source solution ( not that easy at all)

2) the potential losing of support from the open source community that has painstakingly been a part of the development, testing, and evangelizing of the product but now must watch as a business entity tries to perpetuate its adoption while also trying to reach profitability

Although not an expert on the workings of Automatic and wordpress.com I would say that they have done a great job in succeeding in dealing with both issues (enough to warrant a $200 million acquisition bid and turn it down) Below an except from Automatic’s founders blog

“Fast forward to 2007: many of the seeds planted started to really bloom. On WordPress.com 1.8 million new users joined, they created 25 million posts, we served 3.2 billion dynamic pageviews, and grew to reach over 100 million unique users worldwide. Akismet blocked billions of spams from reaching blogs. Nearly every major media organization, from the NY Times, WSJ, CNN, Fox, Time, People, and more, have embraced WordPress”

Why the above except is impressive, its even more impressive given that Automatic does not have any office space, did this all utilizing only $1.1 million in initial funding, and small employee base (20 or so) is scattered all over the world (although the Bay Area is heavily represented).

So moving past the wordpress history lesson and overview, the young company has made recent news with 2 big developments.

1) Automatic/WordPress.com recently received $29.5 million in funding from previous investors in addition to

2) WordPress.com users now have 3GB of space for their blogs compared to 50 MB (60x more)

The new funding will allow WordPress.com more resources grow their operations and perhaps a corporate office may even be in the works. More importantly for customers, the extra space will give bloggers the space needed to store the photos, videos, and documents that would have too large for the 50mb storage quota.

I was close to giving in and buying more storage before the increase as I was quickly reaching capacity. Now its a non issue. The 50 MB would have limited me to about 20 or so pictures like the ones below I took in New Orleans. The new 3GB will allow me to store around 1200.

Its great to see Automatic/WordPress.com gaining momentum, adding value to their product, as well as doing a great job commercializing a terrific open source product.

Its also positive to see the New York Times taking on a more friendly stance on new media. As a novice new media proponent, open source enthusiast, and rookie blogger I must say its good news all the way around.

I have an interesting group of friends to say the least. Included is my best friend, Ross, who I have bet a 4 figure amount of money that he will not be able to dunk by the time he is 30.

Not one to be outdone, my roommate is boldly and confidently predicting the new Rambo movie will be significantly better than the new Indiana Jones movie coming out. Yeah I know… He is dead serious too.

With Rambo opening up tomorrow (I will not being seeing it), I stumbled upon this interesting look at the Rambo series by an Ohio State professor who has viewed the new Rambo. Needless to say, its swinging for the fences in terms of fatalities.

So it looks like those looking for carnage will walk away happy with 2.59 people getting killed per minute in the new Rambo. However fans of torture scenes, shirtless slayings,  and Rambo being shot at will walk away disappointed.

It should be noted that Lions Gate did not allow critics to screen this movie a usual tipoff of a real stinker. Rambo cost 50 million dollars to make so it will be interesting to see if anyone besides my roommate goes and sees it this weekend. With very few movies opening this weekend (January is a historically very slow time at the Box Office) Rambo is predicted to be second at the Box office behind Cloverfield with 19.3 million dollars. I’ll say Cloverfield gets 23 million and Rambo gets 15.

We’ll have to wait and see what Indiana Jones bring to the table….

I will be sad, very sad if this ever gets taken off off you tube… Genius. I usually chuckle at funny things, but this made my eyes water.

    Haven’t seen a commercial that really impressed me this week but will go with a commercial that was effective on myself. For awhile now I have seen various auto makers (Ford, Lincoln, Mercury) push their new Microsoft powered Sync system technology. I typically ignore products like On Star, Tom Tom, Sirius Radio, etc as I don’t want to spend disposable income on something that I do not feel will add much value to my in car experience.

The Sync system is the collective work of a handful of companies that I view as being a step too slow in keeping pace with their competitors. Microsoft, Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury have all had a rough time in recent years sustaining market share compared to the likes of Toyota, Honda, and Apple.

But I have to give them credit on this commercial and the Sync system in general. At first I dismissed most of their advertisements as they were not that compelling but more importantly I was not in the market for a car.  The commercial below uses slap stick comedy to get the viewers attention before giving a high level tutorial of their new product.

This commercial served as the final straw as my curiosity got the best of me and I did my homework on this new offering and must say I am rather impressed with the new product. Sync would allow all audio files to be stored on my Iphone or other MP3 players to be played on my car’s sound system via voice commands. Sync also would use blue tooth to enable my Iphone into a hands free car phone utilizing my car’s sound system. Not a bad idea as I believe talking on your cell phone is now illegal in California unless its on a hands free device.

Pretty solid product and a well thought out marketing blitz that will likely appeal to the younger more technology savvy crowd. Hopefully this type of innovation will continue as its very unlikely that my next car would be a Ford, Mercury, or Lincoln.

The Super Bowl with the highest ratings ever was Super Bowl XVI in 1982 which showcased the upstart 49er’s and Bill Walsh’s west coast offense against the Cincinnati Bengals (49.1%) . The Super Bowl that was the most watched ever was last year’s Colts Bear Showdown in which 93 million Americans tuned in (42%).

While at some I will make a prediction that the Patriots will win by 10 points, my prediction for now is that this will be the most watched Super Bowl ever and potentially the only television program ever to have over 100 million US viewers.

First let’s start the with the obvious.

- This is two big time media markets who have displaced fans all over the country

- The Patriots quest to go undefeated may bring in some extra viewers who ordinarily wouldn’t care

- The initial Giants vs Pats game less than a month ago was entertaining, fast paced, and hotly contested

Now for some things that you may have not considered.

- The initial Giants vs Pats showdown was aired on NBC and CBS in addition to its broadcast on the NFL network meaning it captured a much larger audience than any other game on its first go around.

- You can bet that a higher percentage of Mississippi fans tune in to see if their former star can pull off the upset.

- Miami fans also have a rooting interest as the Patriots are trying to join them as undefeated Super Bowl Champions

- The SuperBowl is being played in the 6th most populated US metro area (Phoenix/Glendale) and will likely capture a larger audience in that area opposed to an area like Jacksonville, New Orleans, etc

- The US population has grown in addition to people who will watch anything in HD because the allure of their new HD TV has not worn off yet.

- Tom Petty isn’t a too shabby halftime show.

- BenKoo.com fans will tune it to to analyze candidates for commercial of the week.

- the people who don’t watch the Super Bowl will realize that they are somewhat wierd, out of touch with mainstream culture, and somewhat Unamerican and will make a better effort to latch onto someone else’s Super Bowl Sunday’s plans.

Time will tell…….

A friend of mine recently proclaimed that January is the best month of the year in terms of sporting events and annual storylines. It’s an interesting concept to rank to months of the year on how captivating, entertaining, and consistently historic they are.

Below are my 1-12 rankings for what months I look forward to as a sports fan.

1) October

Baseball usually provides a couple of good series’ in the playoffs while college and NFL football are hitting full stride. Hockey opens up early in the month and the NBA usually tips off with a handful of games at the end of the month. A little bit of everything including golf and Nascar.

2) January

The college bowl games that matter and the NFL playoffs. College basketball conference play gets going while the NBA and NHL are nearing the halfway points of their season.

3) September

September can seem like an eternity when your baseball team is in the mix for a playoff berth. You can argue that September is also the most anticipated month of the year as football fans cannot await the commencement of a new season. Some hockey and the tale end of the PGA and Nascar seasons too.

4) November

Probably the most pivotal month of the NFL season. College rivalry week and annual BCS insanity. NCAA basketball tips off while the NBA and NHL seasons fly under the radar.

5) March

Aww the madness. The weather is getting nice, baseball is around the corner, brackets are the topics of conversation, and the NHL and NBA closing in on the playoffs.

6) June

While the NHL and NBA have not had any memorable finals of late, June is the month when they occur. Baseball moves into the limelight as Nascar and the PGA have some marquee events.

7) April

March madness spills over into April with the tourney championship games leading off the month. Baseball’s opening month in addition to the beginning of the NBA and NHL playoffs. Lets not forget the draft either.

8  ) December

Some mediocre to crappy bowls and the home stretch to the NFL playoffs. NHL and NBA seasons hit their full stride although the usually not as prominent. College basketball usually provides handful of good non conference gamesand in some years NCAA football’s conference championship games are in the first week of December.

9) February

I am a big fan of the winter Olympics (their better then summer) and if you have a rooting interest, February is a pivotal month for pro and collegiate hockey and basketball. National Signing day for college football as well.

10 ) May

The bulk of the NHL and NBA playoffs usually provides some memorable series’ and upsets. Memorial day weekend is peppered with events (horse racing, tennis, golf). This is usually the month that Devil Rays, Royals, Orioles, Nationals, and Pirates are eliminated from the playoffs.

11) August

This gets the nod over July due to the foreplay of pre season football. With college football on the horizon its hard to look past a critical month of the baseball season too. The Little League world series is an underrated event. I can distinctly a dozen or so great games and memorable teams. It’s like a most glorious Sandlot but only narrated by Brent Mustberger.

12) July

A world cup year bumps this higher on the list but July is pretty boring. The All star game for baseball is entertaining but the lack of events the day after makes it the worst day of the sports year. If you don’t like baseball your left with Nascar, Tennis, and the PGA tour. The hot dog eating contest is actually worth the watch during this painfully dull sports month.

In just under a month I will be attending an event in whichOracle, MySQL, and Sun Microsystems are set to have a presence.

Today all three companies made noise with Sun acquiring open source database software maker MYSQL for $1 billion and Oracle acquiring BEA systems for $8.5 billion.

2 interesting moves. I am sure the blogosphere will chime in with opinions a plenty. MYSQL was seen as the next logical candidate out of the handful of open source companies to go public. Sun Mircosystems has been one of the most open source friendly larger entities so it seems like a good fit. Its great to see Sun investing heavily in open source and embracing the idea that the LAMP stack is enterprise ready.

MacWorld

Steve Jobs made a slew of announcements yesterday at his keynote at Macworld. A ultra thin laptop, some new ipod and iphone features, and a variety of other less sexy product announcements.

To me the biggest announcement was Apple’s addition of movie rentals to their Itunes store and the revamping of Apple TV. Earlier I discussed Netflix’s forray into the digital living room with their partnership to LG and how it will affect Vudu. In that blog I predicted that Apple would make a move into this growing market.

“While their are a handful of other companies making waves in this space, something tells me Apple will dive head first into this space and steal a lot of their thunder. AppleTV has been a disappointment thus far, but you can’t help but think that Apple has all the ingredients to cook up a winning device that can compete with Vudu and Netflix. Apple already has a digital store with more content available then anyone else, experience in making hardware for televisions, and are renowned for their hardware design and user interface. Macworld 2008 should be interesting next week and could be the sight of another product announcement similar to last years’ Iphone.”

Jobs delivered announcing that all major studios have signed on and that AppleTV will now allow owners to purchase content without a computer. Even as a Vudu owner, I must say I am intriuged by the AppleTV development. I have yet to really play with AppleTV, but tend to love the simplicity and usability of Apple products. I have raved about how great Vudu’s interface is, so it will be interesting to see how the 2 stack up.

It seems Apple will have a similar pricing and delivery model to Vudu. However Vudu currently retails for $400 compared with Apple TV being available for $229 or $329 depending on hard drive size. It would seem Vudu will likely lower their hardware’s prices to keep sales going.

Predictions for Digital Living Room

Vudu is a good product. Apple makes good products, has a great reputation, best in class marketing, cult like fans, and terrific distribution. Potential Vudu purchasers now have a more established brand to go with for a hardware movie delivery product. Apple TV will make inroads with the Mac and Iphone/IPOD communities in 2008 and will likely sting Vudu’s momentum going forward.

The analyst community is not optimistic on Vudu, and even their own spokespeople are unsure of how to spin.

“[Apple has] the users in place,” McQuivey said. “There’s certainly more of an advantage over Vudu, who has to sell you the box and convince you it’s the right way to watch movies.”

For its part, Vudu took Apple’s entry into the rental market in stride. “VUDU is staying focused on making their customers happy and doing what they set out to do well,” spokeswoman Tara Wagner said. “It’s a difference between video quality, [number of] films in the library, HD content and VUDU has all those things and will continue to expand their offerings in new ways.”

Apple TV is here to stay and will be awaiting the Netflix LG box believed to be coming out in 6-12 months. The questions is who else will jump in to this appealing market and how will Vudu react now that the premier maker of consumer electronics has cannon balled from the high dive in the once empty pool.

The question going forward will be : Will consumers prefer to utilize the Netflix subscription model to purchase movies or Apple and Vudu’s pay as you go pricing to deliver content to their living rooms?

I really don’t know, but I suspect brand loyalty to either Netflix or Apple will sway a lot of people. As for Vudu, more marketing, more movies, more distribution, and lower prices will hopefully keep them healthy.

Although many people have moved on from Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com to more industry or geographic specific job listing depository websites, I must admit I was taken aback by this Monster.com commercial.

It’s a very gripping commercial, full of intense visual imagery and music to match. Is it the end of the world? Aliens? an attack? No it’s the dreaded daybreak of Monday, the beginning of the work week. Many of us loathe Monday morning’s and our servitude to less than ideal jobs.

While somewhat dramatic, I really enjoyed this out of the box advertisement that I am sure will resonate with way too many viewers.