As much as I love Internet video, I hate online video advertising. Sorry. I just want to get right to the content. I hate pop-ups, interstitials, and other “in your face” advertising.

But what really gets me angry is when I click on a link to watch a video, and I get an ad. Argh! I don’t want to watch an ad. I don’t want to wait 15 to 30 seconds for the ad to finish. I want my video!

This just happened to me a few minutes ago, when I was reading a Yahoo News article about American Idol. I saw this “related video” next to the story and clicked on it. But the first thing that popped up was an ad for something. I was so disgusted I closed the video window and didn’t even get to watch the clip.

I realize advertising is important and pays the bills (yadda yadda), but I don’t care. I guess I’m much more laid back about advertising on TV since I can tune it out. Or if I’m Tivoing, I can fast forward. But many Internet video advertising disables the fast forward button when an ad is showing. Argh!

Even though I was reading Yahoo News, the video came from AP. Other web sites that shove advertising at me include CNN and TMZ. Like AP Video, these sites open up a new browser window (yuck) and show a bunch of other clips that I may like to watch. Are they assuming that I want to watch other kinds of unrelated video clips just because I happen to be watching video? Sometimes I just want to get in, watch the video and get out. I don’t want to lazily watch a series of video clips all in a row.

Anyway, I guess the number one time NOT to play an online ad is before you play the actual content. Please, content owners around the web: You’re only turning off viewers. Let us get to the content, then throw some advertising at us. If I wanted to see an ad I’d watch the Super Bowl.

And yes, I’m back!

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Hi everyone, I’ve been recovering from carpal tunnel surgery the last few weeks and am just getting my typing fingers back in order. I’ll be posting some short items in the mean time, but I really appreciate all you readers, visitors and subscribers.

I’ll be back in full in a few weeks.

You can get more info from alvear.com

Thanks!

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As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I almost love my Sprint Mogul smartphone. When I was doing research on what my next phone should be, the Mogul jumped to the top of the heap because it had great Internet connectivity (Sprint’s EVDO network) and a very good mobile browser (Mobile IE 6.0).

But there are some things that just don’t work well. One of them is the X or close button on the menu bar. By default, Windows Mobile minimizes applications when the X button is tapped. That means the application will not be closed and it will stay running in the background memory of your Windows Mobile device. If you open up too many windows, your device may start slowing down. And if that starts happening, you may need to do a soft re-boot of the phone.

Instead of dealing with this hassle, I use one of my favorite Windows Mobile applications: X-Button for Pocket PC. This tiny piece of software lets you take control over the X button so that applications really close, not stay minimized.

Finding this piece of software, isn’t very easy. You generally have to Google it to find it (Use terms like “HTC X Button” for example.) The results usually come back from online forums, (like XDA Developers.com SprintMogul.net or FreeWarePocketPC.net), where you can read postings, but have to register as a forum member in order to download any software. Here are the places where I’ve found them available:

FreeWarePocketPC: http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/get-htc-x-button-v1-50.html
XDA Developers: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=330046

I am using the 1.0 version, however, I’ve seen 1.5 and 2.0 versions available.

Although this is the software I use, there are lots of applications that can do this. Some of them are bundled with other utilities, which usually cost about $30. But X-Button is a free, small and doesn’t add anything to your menus or modify how things look. It just works.

If anyone else has their own favorite X-button software, please comment below and let me know about it.

Technorati Tags: Sprint, Mogul, smartphone, X-button, X Button, Sprint Mogul

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Paid content on the web is difficult, but it can be done. (Digital Media Wire)

Getting Internet video into HD quality by SwarmCast. (Technology Review)

Striking Hollywood writers going to Internet for work and venture capital money. (LA Times)

YouTube adding Live video soon. (Digital Media Wire)

Akimbo dropping set-top box strategy. (Digital Media Wire)

Consumers clicking on mobile ads. (CED Magazine)

Consumers buying more digital music, but overall music is down. (NPD press release)

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Looks like Internet ad revenue is still growing and even outpacing traditional media. According to the Internet Advertising Bureau, advertising revenues from 2007 were about $21.1 billion, which is up 25% over 2006’s $16.9 billion.

Technorati Tags: IAB, research, advertising, Internet advertising, Internet Advertising Bureau

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