Don't Trust An Angry Bird (May be considered NSFW by some)

I am hooked on Angry Birds. There, I said it... but so too are millions of others so I am not alone. Apparently some people are so hooked that they feel it necessary to make videos and mashups. Here is my favorite. (Warning language may be offensive to some.)

The iPad Unboxed - bow chicka wow wow

The folks at Revision 3 decided to poke fun at Apple's iPad with an unusual unboxing, in a video segment reminiscent of a 70's style porn movie... not that I would know what they looked like.

Let The Year In Review Countdowns Begin - YouTube

The Official Google Blog is first out of the gate with it's list of top viewed videos in 2009 and much to my surprise there were one or two that I hadn't viewed. Perhaps that is because I'm busy, or that I have a life, or life just got in the way. Regardless, for your viewing pleasure here is the roundup of what you watched in 2009:

Most Watched YouTube videos (Global):
1. Susan Boyle - Britain's Got Talent (120+ million views)
2. David After Dentist (37+ million views)
3. JK Wedding Entrance Dance (33+ million views)
4. New Moon Movie Trailer (31+ million views)
5. Evian Roller Babies (27+ million views)

Most Watched music videos on YouTube (Global)*:
1. Pitbull - I Know You Want Me (82+ million views)
2. Miley Cyrus - The Climb (64+ million views)
3. Miley Cyrus - Party In The U.S.A. (54+ million views)
4. The Lonely Island - I'm On A Boat (48+ million views)
5. Keri Hilson - Knock You Down (35+ million views)

1000 Frames Per Second HD = Amazing!

Check out this amazing High Def video captured at 1000 frames per second by Vimeo user David Coiffier.


I-Movix SprintCam v3 NAB 2009 showreel from David Coiffier on Vimeo.

Thanks to Geeks are Sexy for the find.

Inauguration Coverage Sets Record For Online Video

On Tuesday approximately 7.7 million people watched the Presidential inauguration online, at the same time, according to Akamai Technologies Inc. making this the single most-watched event in the history of live Web video. Globally, Akamai reported, 5.4 million visitors were visiting Web pages per minute at noon Tuesday, with most of these viewers in North America. "In the past, you pretty much had to be at home or in an office with television to be able to experience what's in Washington," Clint Cantwell, a viewer who works in public relations in New York told CNN. "They need to know that if they build it they will come, and [Tuesday] was a great example that there is a demand for video," said Al Tompkins, a broadcasting and online news teacher at the Poynter Institute, in Florida.

No mention was made of how the servers kept up with demand or what the video experience was like for these viewers.

Source: CNN

YouTube Goes Long Format, - Offers CBS Shows

On Friday YouTube announced that it would start offering full-length episodes of TV series like “Dexter,” “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Star Trek” through a deal with CBS. The catch for users of the site is that these longer videos will include preroll, midroll and postroll ads in each episode. Senior product manager for YouTube, Shiva Rajaraman, said the company is trying to match “the right ad format for the right content experience.” NYTimes article.

Showing Roomba Some Love

If I could write a song or make a music video it would turn out exactly like this, except I can't sing or play an instrument, so maybe not exactly... but the sentiment would be the same!



Well done Mr. Pitiful! I love my Roomba this much as well. iRobot is feeling the love too, since the link was included in their Summer 2008 newsletter.

Had A Bad Day? Probably Not This Bad!

I've had my share of bad days on the job, as I'm sure you have... but it hasn't gotten to this... yet!

Flickr Unleashes Video Sharing

Photo sharing site Flickr, has just launched a new video sharing feature to paying "pro members". Unlike Youtube, Flickr's service is limited to 90 seconds of video and is intended as an extension to their photo sharing concept, where videos uploaded are meant to be ones that you yourself have taken... read no posting videos of Ashley Simpson on Saturday Night Live or clips from The Daily Show. More details can be found on the Flickr blog. I've always been a fan of Flickr, and I think those who use the site will respect the "home grown" philosophy. I'm anxious to see what appears.

How To Watch Higher Quality Videos On YouTube!

In order to serve up the millions and millions of videos that YouTube serves in a day YouTube's backend compression engine knocks some of the goodness out of your video. Wired's How-To Wiki has some interesting hacks that let you watch higher quality version than the standard offerings. Follow these few simple hacks and you will be able to see larger, clearer videos. Check them out here.

Star Trek Fans Rejoice - Original Series Free Online (With US IP Address)

CBS has put the entire original Star Trek series online, 3 seasons (1966 - 1969), for free viewing. It would appear however that you require a US ip address as I am unable to see any of the content. Interestingly, when I click to play the shows I get a Star Trek like computer voice telling me that "This content is currently unavailable." Come on CBS, all I wanted was a Sunday morning matinee of "The Trouble With Tribbles"!

YouTubes big hits of 2007

YouTube used criteria such as the 'most shared, most discussed, top rated and general popularity" to determine it's list of clips that people were thinking and talking about most and released the results on Thursday. The most viewed clip " Battle at Kruger" was viewed more than 21 million times! Others include the Obama Girl video and Leave Britney Alone with 4 million and 14 million respectively. With classics like these, who needs TV? The Globe and Mail has more.

Canadian television content hits iTunes Store

The CBC is reporting that Apple Inc. is launching the sales of "Little Mosque on the Prairie, The Rick Mercer Report and Corner Gas, as well as complete NHL hockey games." The cost to download is reported to be $1.99, assume that's Canadian dollars ;-). The video marketplace looks to be heating up here as this comes on the heals of Microsoft's launch of an Xbox Live video rental service and the recent announcement of TiVo's move into Canada. It's a long winter but it looks like there will be plenty of reruns to watch!

HULU's first look

Started by NBC Universal and News Corp, HULU.com is NBC's alternative to iTunes and YouTube, that the skeptics have given little chance for success. c|net's news.com has had a look during the closed beta release that started yesterday and the verdict is "Hulu nailed the basics." The review is not all glowing "To be sure, Hulu needs work. The site featured a bare bones look, just a laundry list of show titles and thumbnails. Click on a link and a video player appears." but it seems that providing clear, full length video, for free, puts HULU on the right track.

Amazing YouTube video - wow!

While this is not that geeky, other than it's a YouTube video... I just had to pass it on. Now that's talent!

Blogger celebrates 8th birthday with new video upload feature

Thursday marked the 8th birthday of Blogger, the platform that I am using here at Great Big Geek. To celebrate the event, or perhaps coincidentally, Blogger announced on Friday a new video upload feature that will allow bloggers to upload and store video podcasts or skateboarding dog videos. This is great news to me as I've been contemplating following the likes of Morgan Webb and Cali Lewis by publishing a brief video version of Great Big Geek. Don't' get too excited though, it will be a little while coming and I'm probably about as easy to look at as the Cranky Geeks (sorry guys but we can't compete on looks with the likes of Morgan or Cali, we'll just have to rely on content).

Following in Will Ferrell's footsteps

Another video content site has sprouted from the desires of Hollywood professionals, tired of the creative restrictions placed upon them by the old media companies. The brainchild of former MTV and CBS Radio executive Rob Barnett, "My Damn Channel" will feature the works of Comedian Harry Shearer, filmmaker David Wain and music producer Don Was, to name a few. Barnett points to the hugely viral "The Landlord" video produced by Will Ferrell for his Funnyordie.com web venture as an example of the opportunities that exist in the web space. The site which launched yesterday has a distribution deal in place with YouTube. Wired News story.

Get noticed!

The Globe and Mail has this article and this short clip online that describes having success by posting short videos online... enough said!

Amazing YouTube video you may have already seen

Chances are you may have already seen this, for as I write this post it has been viewed 6,158,284 times and 27,808 people have added it to their favourites. A lot of things went through my mind as I watched. Firstly, isn't technology wonderful! The fact that someone on another continent can happen upon something as amazing as this, film it, and put it out there for 6 million people to share! Secondly, I fear that we are all becoming far too familiar with this type of thing to truly appreciate how far we've come. Certainly my children have no concept of a world that does not have these technologies/advantages. Lastly, and this has more to do with human nature than with technology but it's funny how the witnesses cheer for the underdog no matter who that might be. One moment they are concerned for the prey, the next for the predator who's obviously now become the one out manned and on the defence. You might not want to watch if you are squeamish, mother nature can be cruel but I won't spoil the ending for you.

Your favourite shows from childhood in 6 minutes or less

Sony has re-purposed some of your favourite old television shows and released the trimmed down versions on the myspace minisode network. Now you can take a trip down memory lane and view the original Charlies Angels, Starsky & Hutch, Diff'rent Strokes, VIP, T.J. Hooker... the list goes on. The videos are all edited down to between 3 and 6 minutes, just long enough to get the plot and keep you from wasting too much time watching really bad TV. Though I'm having difficulty viewing any of these at the moment, seems like a lot of people need their Farrah Facett fix.