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One of the areas where desktop Linux has been a second class citizen is
in video playback. It has been almost impossible to play many of the
popular types of video (DVD, Microsoft Windows Media, QuickTime, etc.)
while running Linux...until now! More on how we've made that possible in
LindowsOS 4.0 later. But first, an update on Japan:
I last visited Japan 3 years ago while on MP3.com business and found
them in the dark ages when it came to 'Net access, so I was surprised at
what I saw last week. In 2000, broadband in Japan was virtually
nonexistent - it was all archaic dial-up Net access. I couldn't have
imagined a more dramatic change than what I witnessed a few days ago.
High-speed 10MB DSL Internet service is widely available for as little as $20 a month,
which is roughly half the price and many times faster than the 1.5MB
Optical fiber that is commonplace in homes in the United States. ISPs
in Japan deliver mind-blowing 100MB business service for just $40 a
month. Tokyo computer stores sign up customers for broadband access
like US stores do for cellular service. Demo plasma TVs in the showroom
stream full-screen video over the Internet while you do the paperwork.
There are now more broadband homes in Japan than in the US, and of
course my hotel room had broadband. Japan has clearly leapfrogged the
US in broadband deployment.
The purpose for my trip was not to test Japanese Internet access, but
rather to launch the Japanese version of LindowsOS with our exclusive
partner there, EDGE. At the end of August, LindowsOS 4.0 will be made
available to Japanese customers in their native language, pre-installed on
computers, in retail stores and for digital purchase. A press conference
was held to brief reporters from newspapers, computer magazines and
other media outlets about how choice is coming back to the PC business
in Japan in the form of a Japanese LindowsOS. A beta version was demonstrated and
is currently being distributed to Japanese beta testers.
The response from reporters and Microsoft at the formal launch of
the Japanese LindowsOS was similar to what we witnessed in the US. The press is
keenly aware of the monopolistic position that Microsoft has used to
overcharge Japanese consumers. They are eager to hear about fresh
competition which will put a more affordable choice on the store shelf.
Many of the reporters I met with had actually downloaded and tested the
beta (that was released the night before), and were prepared with precise
questions from their experience. Meanwhile, Microsoft was up to the same
dirty tactics that we have seen in the US. While they speak publicly about
welcoming competition, behind the scenes they're doing everything they
can to throw up roadblocks. In fact, Microsoft pressure forced us from
the initial venue for the press conference...which actually worked out
well, because the second facility had more room for the overflowing crowd
of 130 reporters. Examples have also surfaced about Microsoft's efforts to
move our partners' displays to less desirable store locations in
anticipation of the retail release of LindowsOS. I told our partner in Japan to
expect more underhanded Microsoft actions like those we've had to deal
with in the US.
Japan's amazing adoption of broadband and their love for new technology
makes them ideally suited for LindowsOS. Click-N-Run
technology is all about digital distribution, and it is truly amazing
how quickly even the largest software programs download, install and
are ready for use over 100MB net connections. Since we make all parts
of LindowsOS digitally available, including all minor and major OS
updates, there's even more use for that digital fiber that's becoming
more popular every day. We're hopeful that with Edge's efforts and
Japan's openness to new technology, in a few years LindowsOS adoption
in Japan will be higher than in the US, just as they've done with
broadband.
I mentioned at the outset that we've been
working to improve LindowsOS' ability to do video, and I'm proud to
announce the availability of several new software programs I'm sure
you'll find useful. Until now, I've been frustrated that I haven't
been able to watch QuickTime movie trailers or video clips from
news.com with LindowsOS. Our new software, and the plug-ins
that we've incorporated, now allow you to play just about any video file
from just about anywhere. Just Click-N-Run MPlayer from the
Warehouse and you'll instantly have the ability to play many popular
video formats, even those which run inline (in the middle of a web
page). After you've installed MPlayer from Click-N-Run, visit lindows.com/filetypes, which shows off the many video formats
which LindowsOS can handle.
For those wishing to play DVD movies on Linux, we're offering a
licensed DVD player to play encrypted DVDs. It costs just
$4.95 for Lindows Plus owners (full members of the Click-N-Run
Warehouse), and installs with a single mouse click (as does all of our
Click-N-Run software). This is the first product of its kind available for
Linux and it costs just a fraction of popular Microsoft Windows DVD
players, which retail for more than $50. The next time I spend 11
hours flying to Japan, I'll be able to watch DVDs on my laptop.
Finally, if you're in the market for a DVD-ready PC, several are
available from a LindowsOS retailer like iDOT or TigerDirect. These machines come with
not only a DVD drive, but all the software I mention above, so you're
ready for whatever video format you encounter.
-- MichaelThe Michael's Minute Meter
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