The thrill of not being drafted by the lions is often followed up by the agony of knowing that there may be only two spots available on the roster of a contender like New England, Indianapolis, New Orleans or Minnesota. The fact that teams are allowed only a 45 man dress list and can be required to chose up to 8 ‘healthy’ non-dress players means that many teams have a huge reserve stable of talent already. Between practice squads, IR, PUP lists and other roster devices some teams have a pool of 60+ players who say the field last season which puts the rookie at a huge disadvantage to begin with. Throw in the fact that a player drafted in the first 2/3rds of the first round will not be cut due to guaranteed money, and the hopes get even smaller.

Don’t dispair, however, the guys that do make it can go on to long storied careers and having just one NFL season can entitle you to a full NFL pension. I can’t wait to sit back and watch who got cut this year by some hapless team trying to go in a new direction only to get picked up and utilized by a contender and wreak havoc on their old team. John Lynch comes to mind.

5. Buy it once, own it forever content.  I don’t care how you accomplish it (here’s a tip, don’t put BS DRM in and I will take care of it myself).  It’s stupid that if I buy a physical media DVD or Bluray I have to download the ‘digital copy’ version seperately, or even worse that if my player isn’t supported that I have to re-buy it from the store.  $10.  Once.  The movie is mine.  Forever.  Any device.  I know I can do this already, but there’s still a lot of bullshit hurdles on different devices that prevent this from happening.

4. A shoe that looks like a dress shoe but actually feels good.  I don’t give a flying fuck how soft the leather is, dress shoes suck for your feet.  There’s a reason that people who work on their feet don’t wear Kole Haans.  Mens dress shoes suck.  Put a freaking sole in the bottom.  Hard leather and wood have not been good sole support since 1894.

4a.  This brings me to one that, I can’t figure out.  Mens swim suits without that stupid mesh underwear insert.  I know exactly what it’s for, and exactly why they put it in there.  It’s not that there is some cloth in there that pisses me off, but it’s the material.  When you get the least bit damp, that mesh fabric feels like a cheese grater on your ass… and your cash&prizes.  Would it kill ya to go with something softer and without abrasive holes?  No it wouldn’t.  Do it.

3.  17-50 F2.0 USM in EF mount.  I want a super-fast zoom lens.  It doesn’t have to be stabalized, just fast.  This would sell like hotcakes.  It would be heavy, but imagine a lens that was 16 times faster than your kit lens at 50mm! with the flexibility to go WIIIIIIDE!

2.  Canon GPS Battery Grip for a 7D.  The Wireless grips don’t sell at all.  The uses for using a wireless transmitter for your camera are VERY niche.  Give me a ~$350 battery grip that uses that extra power to pull GPS data and can sync it with the 7D and I would be on that like a tween on Justin Beber.

1.  Verizon Wireless iPhone.  I shouldn’t have to go into details on this.  The iPhone is still the yardstick in the mobile space and it just keeps getting better.  It’s so good, about 5m people put up with AT&T to get it.  That’s saying something.  #ATTFAIL!  I am not willing to put up with AT&T’s bullshit, and understand the double speak that they push with 98% coverage vs our 3g is better.  Blah blah blah.  Your network is ass.  Give me big red and iPhone.  I will buy 2!

• 300ppi 960×640 screen (largest on a 3.5″ device)
• .37″ Thick
• Increased battery life
• Front & Back Camera
• Antenna built into the body
• Gyroscope

What was not announced

• No Verizon (more on that after the break)
• No increase in capacities

All in all a big (and mostly non-disappointing) announcement

• Engadget
• Ars Technica
• GDGT
• Cnet
• MacRumors
• PC World
• Wall Street Journal

Of note though, the iPhone malfunctioned during the keynote.  Well the phone didn’t malfunction so much as AT&T couldn’t handle the network strain.  The WiFi was overloaded and the 3G couldn’t take it either.  The best part of the fiasco was Steve Jobs asking other high ranking apple people about what to do when an unnamed guy from the back shouted out, “Get Verizon!”  Huge cheers!

The phone will be up for pre-order June 15 and ships 10 days later.  AT&T decided to fore go the backlash they had last time and just offered individuals who had contract terms expiring this year (in 2010) a release date upgrade at contract price.  Smooth move AT&T.  Cost you next to nothing and made your users much happier and will enable them to suck up more of that pricey spectrum.

Last week, Google kicked of Google IO, like Mac’s WWDC except with less black mock turtleneck action.  Android 2.2 Froyo stole the show, but also in the headlines was a little reveal that they were launching webM as a new, open source, royalty free codec that would enable the world to get out from under the screws of the MPEG LA.  This sent software patent geeks into a tizzy.  Both of us.

Microsoft set off on this path last year, and it only ended in heartbreak.  The VC-1 based on WM9 ended up being read on by the H.264 pool of MPEG LA.  This obviously left several internet pundits and instant web experts talking about how webM would end the same way.  Maybe it will, maybe it won’t.  It’s way too early to say.  One thing I can say is that no matter how it ends, MPEG LA should be scared.

Patents are a fickle thing.  Hopefully anyone reading this has a basic understanding of what a patent is, and I think most do.  The problem is that most don’t understand what a patent isn’t.  A patent is not a monopoly right nor a license to practice a specific technology or make a specific product.  Patents are only a right to exclude.  More specifically patent’s are a right to exclude a specific set of ‘claims.’  The claims are laid out at the time of filing (mostly).

One can’t claim a whole keyboard, they can claim aspects of a keyboard like having a convex key surface to cup your fingertips.  Obviously the more mature or technical the area the more obscure and abstract the patent claims are going to be.  This is a big deal in the video encoding space where there are many different methods and a lot of highly specific math going on.  The current H.264 pool is 1000+ patents.  These likely range from analysis of the source image to encoding schemes to disk storage methods.

It’s relatively easy for trained patent council to examine a known patent and determine infringement.  This has it’s problems, but it’s not nearly as hard as searching the roughly 3 million valid patents to find covered technologies.  The patent system is so vast and not written to say “I claim technology necessary for the MPEG 4 H.264 codec.”

This brings us to MPEG LA’s first problem.  There are only so many snakes in the grass.  There will come a point where someone will eventually write a codec that isn’t encumbered by a member of the pool.  Microsoft, a deep pocketed entity smoked out a lot of them when they released VC-1.  If you owned a video compression patent necessary for the system, you would come forward.  Who better to force into a license than Microsoft ($223B company on today’s stock price)?  Now with less unknowns out there Google is going to try their hand.  There may be a few more who come out.  If there are only a few, Google could just buy them off.  If not, then we will wait and see if someone tries again.  But there will come a point where we get a patent free video codec.

Also, the interesting thing of this is the attention and litigation we are seeing.  Nero is taking the eastern front and squeezing MPEG LA.  The idea that they are controlling such a huge swath of the market by creating a patent thicket is no secret to software developers but may get the attention of the Federal Circuit or even the senate judiciary.  With the anticipated Bilski decision due any day from SCOTUS we may see this behavior influence or be influenced by that decision.

I have no assurances that my phone call went to where my call went.  I don’t have a land line, so I had to use a cell.  Not the most secure form of communication, but good enough for 95% of my communication needs.  I ask the woman for some form of proof she says “I am Stephanie Stupid,” (names changed to protect the retarded, and I forgot them) “and I work for Chase.”  I roll my eyes and say, no I mean actually provide me some information that I couldn’t just make up on the spot.

She got irate and asked me for more identification information.  I said that I would just wait the one hour and go into a bank branch.  This seemed to iritate her and she tried to get me to give her more information.  This was irritating.  Chase needs to have a two way, two factor authentication system.  They don’t have a procedure for creating verified secure connections between customers and representatives.

This could be cheap and easy to implement.  Hell, I just thought of a solution that would have solved the problem in the last 30 seconds of thinking about it.  It would cost $0 and thwart a lot of phishing attempts.  If someone was unsure of the source of the communciation, they could request the representative give them the last three digits in the amount of the last processed transaction after providing a basic amount of non-name information (account number or social).

This wouldn’t violate the account owner’s privacy in the event that the bank failed to further authenticate but one only knows a number between 0 & 1,000 representing a transaction.  That doesn’t provide the total dollar amount, doesn’t provide the party to the transaction, and doesn’t give the date.  This would provide a built-in two factor authentication similar to Bank of America’s “find the photo” feature that has the bank display something after you enter your username but before you enter your password.

The homeowner can choose among feeds from up to 24 different video sources, including 18 cable boxes (three of which have DVRs), three DVD players and three Mac minis. The sources are routed through an Extron matrix switcher and an RGB Spectrum picture-in-picture processor that multiplexes them and allows six outputs to each of the TVs. He can view 18 sources – or 18 different channels simultaneously – with six per screen or one large picture in the middle and with six options shown on each side.

Although the TVs will show 18 video feeds at a time, he can choose among all 24, says Montgomery. That includes a high-def Blu-ray player. And if he has someone over to give a presentation, he can use his Crestron touchpanel to dig a little deeper and summon the video feed from one of the Mac minis.

This tech-happy guy doesn’t mind digging down through home control screens. He’s a tinkerer. “He wanted it complex enough so he could go in and play around, but simple enough so his wife could come in and press one button,” says Montgomery.

When the lady of this video house wishes to watch something in the living room, she indeed presses just one button, and the three 65-inch plasmas are filled with pictures from a DVR on the center screen, flanked by two of the DVD sources. Though she may opt to watch any one of the other flush-mounted TVs in the apartment.

This guy is AWESOME.  I wonder if he will adopt me.

The Big Ten has caused rampant speculation by not saying a lot about their plans.  Jim Delaney even called a press conference yesterday at the BCS meetings in LA to say virtually nothing for a half hour.  There have been a few logical packages laid out.  Here’s the most credible of the rumors.

The Notre Dame Nuclear Option

It’s no secret that the Big Ten has Irish Eyes.  They wanted the Irish back in 1999 when they joined the Big East in all sports but football.  They wanted the Irish on at least two occassions before that when they got the heisman pose from the ‘domers.  There are great regional ties and rivalries with the Irish including trophy games between Purdue, Michigan & Michigan State.  Many point to the fact that Notre Dame doesn’t split their TV or Bowl money as the reason for staying independent in Football and the lack of football strength in the Big East as to why they were allowed to.

The plan to force Notre Dame into the Big Ten, kicking and screaming, involves issuing a letter to the Big East promising not to lure Syracuse, Rutgers, UConn and Pitt to the Big Ten if they kick out Notre Dame.  Notre Dame basically needs a conference for every other sport and would have almost no choice but to join the Big Ten.  This is the Nuclear Option because it works sort of in the same way that Nukes do, just the threat.

The Big East survives because they still have 15 teams, and a respectible basketball program but doesn’t lose anything in football.  This is the least disruptive, if the most heavy handed.

Pushing The Button, Blow up the Big East

If this doesn’t work, the Big Ten could decide to make good on their threat.  They could go after the power schools of the Big East and try and expand East.  If they pick up Rutgers, Syracuse, UConn & Pitt they would have 15 teams but be an almost indespensible television network from St. Louis to Southern New England.  This would further increase the financial incentive for other teams and could also lead to Notre Dame being the 16th team and still joining anyway.

Going West

If the Big East stays strong and refuses, the Big Ten could go and raid the Big 12.  This plan would center around getting Texas.  Texas is the Jewel of the Big 12.  Top tier football school, top tier basketball, awesome in every other sport – has won the commissioners trophy many times (all-sports combined).  Texas comes with Texas A&M.  It’s like trying to split the Red Sox and Yankees or North Carolina and Duke, you just don’t do it.

If the Big Ten goes west, you can expect them to pickup Missouri.  Missouri is on the record of wanting to go to the Big Ten.  The Governor of Missouri even has stated that it would be beneficial to leave the Big 12 where conference monies are split evenly and not weighted towards the big 3 of OU, Nebraska, and Texas.  There is some television benefit to Missouri but not the same as Texas.  With Missouri, the Big Ten may like to get Nebraska but could settle for Iowa State.

What it all means

The conference that gets raided will essentially become Conference USA/WAC/Mountain West material.  They will not have the elite 6 power anymore.  If the Big 12 gets raided they may merge with the Mountain West or Conference USA and try and carry on, but they will surely be the 6th place in that list.

The Big Ten is trying to promote it’s Big Ten Network as the next ESPN or likely a Fox Sports Super Regional.  The problem with FSN is that it’s too fragmented and a strong Big Ten Network could improve the finances of that model especially when covering your favorite college.  The Big East movement makes more financial sense because of the east coast media market being significantly more important than Texas, Missouri, Nebraska etc.

The New York Daily news panned the idea of the Big Ten breaking up the Big East for Rutgers, Syracuse and UConn to break into the NYC TV market.  They pointed out that New York doesn’t really care for college football.  I would agree that when Rutgers or UConn struggles, they struggle mightily and people usually don’t follow Big East football.  Big East Basketball however is a big deal.  How good would the Big East be without Syracuse, UConn, Pitt or even Notre Dame or even Rutgers?  This would be a strong winter offering to further prop up the network, especially when you account for the fact that you get more games out of basketball and the coverage is more regional.

It will remain to be seen if the deregulation of conferences by the NCAA in 1990 is a good thing or a bad thing.  We are pushing 20 years of letting the schools do what they want as far as alignment and scheduling and will this be seen as de-regulating the telephone companies and encouraging broadband and cell phones or will it be more like de-regulating the mortgage and investment market and inviting an industry melt-down?  Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure, all the commissioners and college presidents are on pins and needles to see what will happen over the next 12-18 months.

No one likes to share their money.  In the words of the 2001 flick Heist: “That’s why they call it money.”  It seems no matter the tax situation, everyone hates paying their taxes and thinks they are paying too much.  I’m not going to debate the politics of proper amount of tax or taxation methods.  Instead, I just want to say, “Shut the fuck up about paying your taxes.”

Everyone hates paying their taxes.  But, with the limited exception of Wesley Snipes and some public officials who are stupid, everyone pays them.  Your money goes to some very worth causes no matter your political perspective:

• Schools, Roads, Courts, other ‘civil services’ that people take for granted
• Emergency response services like FEMA, National Guard, Coast Guard Rescue Services, Police, Hospitals, Fire Services and many others.
• Security services like the Military, TSA, FBI, CIA etc. Fighting terrorism.
• Science.  Curing things and solving problems
• Taking care of the sick and the needy
• Taking care of the wealthy and the reckless
• Keeping criminals in jail
• Many, many others.

It doesn’t matter what your political perspective is you will think that some of these services are wasteful or unnecessary and some are absolutely vital.  The fact remains is that when given a different perspective, someone will say the exact opposite services are vital and the others are wasteful and unnecessary.  It’s all a matter of political perspective.

Pay your damn taxes and quit bitching about it.  I’m sorry that your $40k paycheck is only $32k in net pay or that your $500k paycheck was cut by 40% before it made it to your pocket.  Boo Frickin Hoo.  It’s not a new phenomena.  General income taxes have been around in western society for centuries.  It’s a fact of life.  If you like having a military or other force to protect you, not having homeless and needy begging on the side of every dirt road, or even having safe(r) cars to drive on safe(r) roads or hospitals to take people to when the cars wreck on said roads, then shut up and pay your taxes.  You aren’t clever or witty about it.  Everyone wants to pay less taxes.

• Multitasking
• Enhanced Mail
• App Folders
• GameCenter
• iAd
• iBooks
• New Enterprise Security Enhancements
• More than 1500 new APIs and
• a host of customizable user features and wallpapers!

But there are a few subtle changes in the licensing that is going to piss off some developers and more likely some big third parties that are banking on tieing their tools into the Apple ecosystem.

Apple has modified their SDK agreement to exclude any application not directly coded by the individual.  The language snippet that has been identified reads:

Applications may only use Documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs. Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++, and Objective-C may compile and directly link against the Documented APIs (e.g., Applications that link to Documented APIs through an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool are prohibited).

This effectively cuts off Adobe’s new Flash CS5 tool that translates flash apps into iPhone compatible code.  Adobe’s CS5 was due to launch in just 3 days.  I’m sure they are pissed.  It remains to be seen how Apple will enforce this provision as it will take a rather close examination to determine if code has been written with a tool or natively in xCode.  Just one more hoop, and one more arrow for the DoJ to use when they finally realize that Apple is the new Microsoft.