The New York Times had an article today about a website called Zunafish, which is basically an online database that allows people to trade on a one for one basis DVDs, VHSs, CDs, Paperback Books, Video Games and Audio Books. Why they don't do hardcover books I do not know.
The site will only trade items for like items (i.e. DVDs for DVDs, CDs for CDs, etc.) partially to avoid value comparison issues and partially on the principle that if you have DVDs for trade then you are a DVD buyer and are probably looking for other DVDs - books might not be what you're looking for. Trades are direct from customer to customer, with Zunafish charging each person $1 for their services, which include the directory, calculation of shipping costs, printable shipping labels, and a user rating system similar to EBay.
As we've been having an enjoyable little CD-swapping network here at work (Sam is trying to instill in me a decent taste in music) I have to say that this site sounds great. I can think of tons of books, dvds and video games that I bought and no longer have any interest in and would love to swap for something I might enjoy.
I suspect that if this site takes off we will start to see complaints from the various publishers, but as there's nothing even remotely illegal or controversial about it they're just going to have to learn how to cope. If it's any consolation to them, the site makes for a great advertising channel.
Interesting post on the website XYZ Computing today entitled "The Future of the PDA." It talks about how people are throwing over their PDAs for things like smart phones and tablets, and how the upcoming UMPC might further lead to less people using their PDAs (as a person who used to love his Palm Pilot, but now takes a Blackberry everywhere, I can attest to PDAs not being as vital as they were five years ago). That being said, the new Treos are pretty cool, and I see lots of them around. Excerpt: "While is hard not to appreciate the PDA's ability to change with the times, it appears that its heady days of mobile dominance are coming to an abrupt end. A number of factors are competing in the mobile products field right now, all of which are vying for the same buyers. The most formidable competition to the PDA is the smartphone, but there is also pressure from small laptops, the upcoming UMPC, increasingly capable cell phones, and a few other takers, like portable media players."
There's an article on USA Today's website about Disney's recent decision to post online--for free--some of their most popular shows, such as "Lost." The episodes can be viewed only on ABC's website, complete with ads that CAN'T be skipped. From my perspective, what's interesting about this is all the other things you can't do, such as download the show to a laptop or portable video player like an iPod (as someone who recently bought an episode of "The Office" on iTunes and watched it on a plane, I can attest that this is pretty neat). I guess people who missed an episode at home, or forgot to TiVo it, will choose to sit at their computers and watch the whole thing, but I think the current thinking doesn't really adhere to a Web 2.0 "attention economy" kind of thinking; the experience should be much more adaptable than it is. Excerpt: "The move comes as all the major networks are dabbling with potential ways to reap revenue from on-demand availability of their shows — including offerings online and on pay TV — while also trying to keep viewers tuning in for their network broadcasts."
There's a really interesting piece on the Forbes.com website, although I think it's a shorter version of a longer essay on the Oxford Analytica site. The article is entitled "Unbundling Media Content Poses a Challenge," and I think it succinctly and deftly talks about the emerging issues a digital future is presenting. It doesn't provide answers, just issues, but still, it's a nice primer for what some people feel is the future... Excerpt: "Media content is increasingly becoming 'unbundled' from its physical distribution medium, such as CDs. This 'disruptive' technology has led to different pricing models and lowered barriers to entry for content authors, creating a challenging business environment for publishers and media companies."
From Matt: The scriptwriters made quite a few changes from the book, but they were all for the best - and booklover though I am I have to admit that its better to see magic than to read about it.
From Mina: I adore this film. Monsieur Hulot’s very modern sister and brother-in-law don’t know what to do with Tati’s charmingly untidy and bungling protagonist, who inhabits a world where meaning is still more important than appearances.
From Carey: A must see Hayao Miyazaki’s anime is Laputa: Castle in the Sky, originally released in 1986. A fantasy film that explores the altruistic and compassionate nature of humans, aspects lost through repeated exposure to power, technology, and the complexities brought by the combination of the two. 
