GeekSugar

Would You Watch Broadcast TV on Your Cell Phone?

GeekSugar — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:16:43 -0700

Local TV stations may soon have the ability to broadcast live TV straight to your cell phone. Unlike YouTube, the service won't be on-demand. Instead, you'll be able to tune into live local television on your phone while stations will be able to offer both free and paid channels. Obviously, the technology won't work on existing mobile phones, but LG, Samsung, and Dell have already released prototype devices. And it's about time - this technology is already a huge hit in Japan!

With services like DVR and TV on-demand changing, this technology might breathe new life into broadcast TV. Would you buy a new gadget and use this service?

Good News: Watching Live TV Will Soon Get a Little Quieter

GeekSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:44:30 -0700

I'm addicted to skipping through commercials via TiVo, but when I do watch live television, my eardrums get a major blast whenever ads come on. At first I thought it was just me, then I noticed the lack of volume control while at a friend's house watching a Sex and the City marathon. What gives?

Apparently advertisers think that screaming at us about their products will make us want to buy, buy, buy. But all it ever really makes me want to do is mute, mute, mute. Thankfully, us apartment dwellers who can't handle a lot of neighbor TV noise at one in the morning have the government on our side - a new bill is making its way through congress that requires broadcasters and operators to normalize the volume of commercials on TV.

I guess doctors have known for years that excessive TV volume can damage your hearing, so soon, your ears will be saved from early retirement due to insane TV volume. What about you - do you notice the change in volume when commercials come on?

People Aren't Watching Commercials During Popular Shows

GeekSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:44:23 -0700

TV networks, don't hate me - but I barely ever watch commercials. This is probably because my DVR is always full, so whenever I do watch a show, I feel the need to quickly get through it as fast as possible so I can delete it and move on to the next one!

A majority of you said that you occasionally watch commercials even with a DVR, but did you know that nearly all shows that won Emmys this year are more likely to have their commercials skipped over? That's right, according to the New York Times, 30 Rock was the only exception among the group (which was blamed on NBC's creative ad placements).

Why does this happen? Well, Todd Juenger, TiVo's vice president for research and measurement, seems to think that people don't want to sit through commercials of hit shows they are really wrapped up in. . . which totally makes sense.

Where do you stand on this? Do you fast-forward through commercials during shows that you are completely sucked into? And if you don't have a DVR - but hate commercials - here's how you can skip over ads using a standard remote.

Photo courtesy of NBC

Texts From Last Night to Be Made Into a TV Show

GeekSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 05:47:04 -0700

One of my favorite websites is Texts From Last Night, which compiles all of your hilarious, regrettable, embarrassing, and TMI texts from, well, the night before (that is after you or someone else submits them). The site is so popular it not only has its own BlackBerry app, but it's coming to the boob tube. That's right, a TFLN show will be written by Steve Holland and produced by Sony TV and Happy Madison and will air on the Fox network.

Primarily, the show will focus on post-college twenty-somethings that are trying to figure out their lives, with texting and crazy events from the night before taking center stage. It sounds like Dawson's Creek meets My So-Called Life after they've graduated from college and hit their quarter-life crises.

Geek Tip: Spend Less on Shows With Amazon On Demand

GeekSugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 05:48:12 -0700

Although my marriage with iTunes is still going strong, that doesn't mean a girl can't look at what else is out there, right? So when I want some cheap eye candy (in the form of movies or TV), I'll check out Amazon's On-Demand service.

A lot like iTunes, Amazon's On Demand brings you TV and movies when you want them, and you can even buy TV season passes and download the shows as they are released for $1.89 an episode. Plus, if you want to catch up on a specific show (cough, cough, Gossip Girl) I've found that on average, you can get the entire season for less than you can on iTunes.

The Day Punky Brewster Fell in Love With a Geek

GeekSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:30:30 -0700

Back in the day, Punky Brewster was one of my favorite TV shows. Another fave? Saved by the Bell of course. So it totally blew my mind when a fellow staffer came across this vintage Punky Brewster episode that brought the two together. In this scene, Punky is failing math and Henry enlists a tutor to help her make the grade. Although Punky doesn't want to learn math from a "geeky nerd," she quickly learns that being a geek is kinda hot.

Check out the clip above of Punky's first lesson with tutor Walker Wimbley (aka Mark-Paul Gosselaar) above, and the entire 10-minute scene after the break.

Did Your TV's Digital Conversion Go Smoothly?

GeekSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:43:02 -0700

It's been over a week since analog signals for cable television went dark and the country was forced to go digital.

Converting a nation to digital TV was anything but easy - after one delay mandated by the government, loads of free converter boxes given away, and cautionary PSAs, we're finally there.

When I asked you guys in January if you were ready for the changeover, more than 80 percent of you said you were (and if you weren't, hopefully my guide helped).

But I know the transition wasn't easy on everyone - did your change go OK, or did you have to assist someone who wasn't sure what to do?

Have You Ever Suffered an Extended Internet/Cable Outage?

GeekSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:45:52 -0700

Dear friends and readers, take pity on me. I have no Internet or cable at my house right now. Both services come from Comcast, and now I'm starting to see where that bundle deal was not such a great idea after all. The modem's probably broken, they say, and the only solution is to send someone out to our house. The catch? They can't come until tomorrow. That happened Monday (without even an apology for the outage, which would have been nice).

Since then, we've been living on a steady diet of season one Lost DVDs and video games (to add insult to injury, Little Big Planet keeps reminding me how fun online play is).

Sure, I should probably be using this forced disconnect time to read some books, maybe go on some long, thoughtful walks, but let's be real: I just want my Internet back (I'm whimpering). And cable and TiVo and Boxxee.

What I really learned this week is how dependent I am on these things - and that I really hate forced outages. Have you ever had to live a few days without cable, Internet, or both, against your will?

Source

Target Hands Out Digital Conversion Boxes For Free

GeekSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 01:35:36 -0700

With the digital television transition deadline fast approaching (you've got until next Friday, June the 12), there are probably some last minute TV buffs who are still in need of converter boxes. For those who participated in the government's converter-box subsidy program, you can take your coupon into Target this week and pick up a box for free - even if the price tag is over $40. So if your grandma wants to be ready for next week's analog TV shutdown, make sure you take a trip to Target so that she'll be all set up and ready to go when the changes take effect.

Flat Screen TVs: Tips and Tricks For Your Viewing Pleasure

GeekSugar — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:00:52 -0700

There's an arms race among the tech giants to have the biggest, flattest screens out there - but people like little old me are just concerned with a gorgeous, clear picture and the decor advantages of a slim TV. Have you joined the skinny screen club? Check out my tips for mounting, cleaning, and enjoying your TV.

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