How We Could Share TV Legally Without a Computer

Obviously, the power of the Internet allows us to share videos without much effort with friends and unknowns alike. There is a hurdle to jump through though; someone out there has to actually capture the video, upload it to the web, and make it available to whomever they want. Most of us don't want to spend the time setting all this up just to avoid having our ISP send us harassing letters about copyright infringement.

Instead, a cable company could allow their cable boxes (which are basically just single purpose computers) to share data with other boxes. Each box could have an identifying "name," exactly like Wiis do right now. You could add contacts (other cable boxes) and if you watch a particularly funny episode of Saturday Night Live, or catch the local TV anchor drop a Freudian slip, you could send the video to someone else.

The receiving cable box would look at the metadata from the video and determine if it had the rights to play the file. If both users subscribe to HBO, then I could send you the episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm that you forgot to record last night. Granted, most subscription services make their shows available on demand, but most normal channels don't.

Working out the specfics of the Digital Rights Management (DRM) would be tricky. But isn't DRM tricky to begin with? And someone is bound to strip the DRM from the files within a week of this service coming out. But most people won't bother, because the shared videos would most likely relate to inside jokes, personal relationships, or obscure late night channel surfing. Broadcasters would benefit by having more people watch their programs and advertisers would benefit from closer scrutiny of the ads for moments to share.

TV 2.0? Again?

How to Split the Check in this Day and Age

It happens to everyone. You go out to eat with friends, have a good time, then sit around for another 20 minutes trying to figure out how to split the check.

"Let's see, you buy me beer later; you give me your $20 bill and I'll make you a sandwich to take home for lunch tomorrow; you give me those shoes of yours I like so much and I'll take you out one more time, then we'll just about be even."

How about this: a wireless credit card machine with a touch screen. The waiter brings it out and each person swipes their card, uses the touch screen to pick out what they ate/drank, adds a tip and passes it to the next person. The waiter checks it after it goes around the table to be sure the balance is at zero and tells you to have a nice day.

Problem solved.

How Everyone Could Enjoy Sports

These days, everything is about personalization. Why not bring this to the world of sports on television? When you are watching the big game, what's to stop cable providers from adding an audio channel option so you can choose who is commentating?

Hardcore fans could choose a version that offers in-depth stats, obscure historical facts, and expert analysis. Non-fans could choose a comedic version that would be like Mystery Science Theater for sports. Newcomers to the game could choose an version where the rules of the game are laid out explicitly. Obviously there would be multiple language options and a play-by-play version for the visually impaired.

The ultimate expression could be found in letting the viewers themselves add their own audio commentary that other viewers could tune in to. It could be bigger than podcasts, it would be live and it would have a community feel.

TV 2.0?

How to Properly Take a Vacation and Not Loose Your Mind When You Get Back to Work

You know how when you're on vacation you can set up your email to send an automated message when someone emails you informing them you won't be back in the office until such and such a date?

And now you can even set your inbox to reject all incoming messages?

Why not have your email send back a message quickly informing the sender when you will be back and giving them the option to either keep their message in your inbox or delete it. That way they won't feel like a jerk for sending you a message about something that will be completed or out of date when you get back.

Props to my wife for coming up with this gem.

What to Call Vegetarian Bacon

What I don't understand is how no one's ever come up with the idea to call Vegetarian bacon (drumroll please): facon.

Fake. Bacon.

Creative Copywrong

I come up with ideas all the time. Mostly, I would never tell anyone for fear of losing income, but since I'm so flush with ideas, I figured I'd give away a few for free. But, I shoulda got a Patent!