Wisdom of Verizon AOL Deal Questioned
June 16, 2015
Sarah Lacy, founder and editor-in-chief at PandoDaily, is highly skeptical of the official rational behind Verizon’s recent acquisition of AOL. She posits, “Can’t We All Agree the Justifications for this AOL/Verizon Deal are Bat#### Insane?” The post begins:
“What is it about AOL mergers that make no sense?
“I’ve spent the morning intermittently reading various reports by the financial press about Verizon’s surprise/not surprise acquisition of AOL. Early on, they seem divided on whether it was about buying ad tech or content, with many pundits saying Verizon was going the Comcast route… and then it became clear that AOL’s biggest media asset, the Huffington Post, would likely be spun off. The press was similarly divided on whether or not Armstrong was long shopping this company or simply got wowed by how awesome Verizon is during a meeting at Sun Valley.
“But everyone — including the company– insists this deal was about two buzzwords: Mobile. Video. AOL put out some dizzying justifications and everyone nodded like they totally understood.
“Wait, what?”
Lacy doesn’t buy the idea that Verizon acquired AOL for its mobile and video chops (she has a point there). In fact, it quickly becomes clear that the writer’s main problem is with AOL chairman and ex-Googler Tim Armstrong, for she spends much virtual ink delineating his errors, past and present. (She’s especially critical of his handling of the Huffington Post.) Lacy also refutes official statements about this deal one by one, comparing the whole situation to a nonsensical Lewis Carroll scene. See the article if you, too, think this deal is fishy (or if, for some reason, you desire ammo against Mr. Armstrong.)
Cynthia Murrell, June 16, 2015
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
MovieGraph from Senzari Offers a Better Way to Find Movies
March 5, 2015
The article on Dataversity titled Creating Detailed Semantic Graphs Around Video Content with MovieGraph suggests a possible breakthrough in video sense making. MovieGraph is the platform of entertainment data company Senzari. Chief Operating Officer Demian M. Bellumio spoke to the methods utilized by MovieGraph, which include machine learning and an API for recommendations. The article continues to refer to Bellumio’s statements,
“Senzari focused on metadata while building MovieGraph. He also said that Senzari trained machine learning algorithms to break down the narratives of movies, extracting the data with precision across each element. The company designed their own matrix for cataloging movies; MovieGraph uses machine learning techniques to semantically tag and organize every movie and TV show across hundreds of dimensions. Senzari also added proprietary narrative features to MovieGraph such as setting, conflict, symbols or tones present in a film.”
The possibilities for recommendations seem much more targeted than the Netflix model, which often makes suggestion based on categories that are too wide and abstracted to be accurate. The article mentions that since Netflix only recently closed its public API, MovieGraph may be in a position to fill that gap. MusicGraph is also built to work with MusicGraph, another Senzari platform. Content creators in particular might find the crossover to be useful in terms of finding appropriate content for their projects.
Chelsea Kerwin, March 05, 2015
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Amidst the Google News, a Titbit about YouTube
February 26, 2015
The Wall Street Journal and then Web information services reported that YouTube is not making Google much money. Maybe none? I liked this comment in “YouTube Still Doesn’t Make Google Any Money”:
Google wants people to start coming to YouTube’s homepage in the same way they would turn on the TV — expecting that they’ll find consistently high-quality content on different channels. … The company also redesigned its homepage and tried to improve its video recommendation to hook users into staying longer.
Google has been wrestling with YouTube since 2006. Interesting that the company has not cracked the money problem in almost a decade. Do you know the difference between Google Videos and YouTube? Maybe an extra cost burden like owning two Bugatti Veyrons?
And, yes, I used the less common version of “titbit” which nudges the meaning of “scandal” in the sense of spending twice and getting no financial love in return.
Stephen E Arnold, February 26, 2015
Why Video Is Booming
January 8, 2015
I read “The Average College Freshman Reads at 7th Grade Level.” I find this fascinating. No wonder folks are baffled when it comes to framing a query using Boolean logic. Little wonder that youthful search “experts” are clueless about the antics of search vendors from the 1980s. These folks cannot and will not become the type of readers I encountered when I was in college in 1962.
The write up says:
“We are spending billions of dollars trying to send students to college and maintain them there when, on average, they read at about the grade 6 or 7 level, according to Renaissance Learning’s latest report on what American students in grades 9-12 read, whether assigned or chosen,” said education expert Dr. Sandra Stotsky.
I can think of many possible consequences of poor education. Today I am thinking about the interest young folks show in video. Why read when one can sit down and let the content flow to you.
In a more practical vein, those who cannot read will not be too keen on using information access systems that require a user to read content to locate needed information.
Exciting if you are pumping out videos. Not so exciting if you write books.
Stephen E Arnold, January 8. 2015
Ramp Brings Native Video to SharePoint
December 4, 2014
The biggest buzz in SharePoint right now relates to video. Ramp released a new native video component this week and CMS Wire covers all the details in their article, “Ramp Introduces Native Video For SharePoint #smwest.”
The article begins:
“Video for SharePoint or Office 365! Before this week, it was a pretty low key affair. Now Microsoft is launching a video service. And just yesterday, video experience provider Ramp released what it says is the first enterprise-class, self-service webcasting solution for SharePoint. The new native solution, developed by Ramp in partnership with Wowza Media Systems, will provide SharePoint users with a way of broadcasting live events by either Internet or intranet, whether that event is a schoolyard marbles tournament or a large-scale training webinar across different geographies.”
It seems a good trend that Microsoft and others are taking the need for dynamic content seriously within the realm of enterprise. Stephen E. Arnold has made a career out of following all things search, including enterprise, and reporting back on his Web service ArnoldIT.com. He even has a dedicated SharePoint feed to enable readers to more quickly track the latest happenings in the world of SharePoint, including the latest news on videos and dynamic content.
Emily Rae Aldridge, December 04, 2014
Scalable Video Production for SharePoint
November 27, 2014
Video production capability comes to SharePoint with the introduction of SoMedia Networks’ Scalable Video for Microsoft SharePoint app. MarketWatch has all the details in their article, “SoMedia Brings Scalable Video Production to Microsoft SharePoint.”
The article begins:
“SoMedia Networks(VID), the pioneer of scalable video production solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of Scalable Video for Microsoft SharePoint, an integrated video app that brings affordable, high volume video production capabilities with integrated video players and advanced analytics to SharePoint 2013 and SharePoint Online.”
This is another great example of a company that specializes in add-on solutions or apps to enhance the SharePoint experience, especially when it comes to social functionality. Stephen E. Arnold is a longtime leader in search and a follower of all things SharePoint. He reports on all the latest news, tips, and tricks on the SharePoint feed of ArnoldIT.com. Keep an eye out on his feed in order to make the most of the latest releases for your SharePoint implementation.
Emily Rae Aldridge, November 27, 2014
A More Transparent Twitch
November 6, 2014
As many of you probably know, the website Twitch is a video platform for the gaming community. There, one can watch live streams and recordings of gameplay from a plethora of video games and, of course, chat about them. There is also sponsored content in the mix. Now, the Next Web tells us that “Twitch Promises ‘Complete Transparency’ with New Sponsored Content Policies.” The article relates:
“Twitch has continued to grow, it has to worry more and more about how its broadcasters behave. Today, the video game streaming service is addressing how sponsored content will live on the site going forward. Beginning today, all sponsored content on Twitch will have a Sponsored Channel badge applied to the stream. If you’re a subscriber to the Twitch newsletter you will also see a banner signifying sponsored content. Twitch wants to make sure that when a brand is sponsoring a stream — usually by offering up pre-release games or new games to popular broadcasters — viewers are aware of the deal between the broadcaster and the brand.”
Writer Roberto Baldwin adds that the site hopes to sidestep criticism with this move. He notes that, because Amazon acquired Twitch in August, we can expect more “grown-up corporation” moves from the service. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Cynthia Murrell, November 06, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
SharePoint Video Training Course Offered
September 18, 2014
For most SharePoint administrators and users, a good deal of training is needed to navigate the massive and sometimes tricky platform. One-off webinars are plentiful, but sometimes a more in-depth training option is needed. Virtual Strategy Magazine highlights a new video training course in their article, “CBT Nuggets Announces Microsoft SharePoint Training Course.”
The article begins:
“CBT Nuggets announces the release of a new video training course, ‘Microsoft SharePoint 2013 Collaboration Expert.’ In this 13-video course, CBT Nuggets trainer Brian Alderman covers key operations that can be performed by users with editing permissions in SharePoint. Topics covered include list configuration settings, working with workflows, SharePoint social options, and more.”
Stephen E. Arnold has made a career out of following and reporting on all things search on his Web site ArnoldIT.com. His SharePoint work is highlighted on his SharePoint feed. For all levels of users, his tips and tricks can provide helpful assistance in navigating the difficulties of SharePoint.
Emily Rae Aldridge, September 18, 2014
Using SharePoint as a Video Platform
August 28, 2014
Video and other forms of dynamic media are an increasingly large share of the information market. This type of media has historically been a bit harder to index and make sense of in the business realm, but that is beginning to change. Read more in the TechRadar article, “Why You Should Use SharePoint as a Video Platform.”
The article begins:
“In the modern age, video is emerging as a content medium of choice, especially for the next generation worker who has grown up with video content playing a key role in their daily lives. The SharePoint platform, while not built with video in mind, can be enhanced to become a powerful and effective video content platform, catering for both live video events and on-demand video content.”
The article then goes on to explain how you can work with video content by enhancing your existing SharePoint setup. These non-traditional functions of SharePoint can really help an organization get the most bang for their buck when it comes to SharePoint. However, it can take a good bit of time and customization, and to help ease that burden, Web sites like ArnoldIT.com can be helpful. Stephen E. Arnold has made a career out of all things search and devotes a good bit of time to the best tips and tricks regarding SharePoint. Keep an eye on his SharePoint feed for more ways to help your organizations squeeze all the good out of SharePoint.
Emily Rae Aldridge, August 28, 2014
Video Series Helps Unpack SharePoint
August 5, 2014
Some people love video series for Internet how-tos, and others hate the idea, but for those interested in learning more about SharePoint, the visual can be helpful. Jeremy Chapman has The Garage Series for Office 365 on Channel 9. His episode, “Understanding the New World of Apps for Office and SharePoint” might be helpful to some.
He sums up his latest episode:
“This is a ‘lost episode’ of the Garage Series filmed in New Orleans, host Jeremy Chapman is joined by architect TSP and Office extensibility guru, Richard diZerega, to discuss the new app model for Office and SharePoint. Richard also takes on the challenge to help navigate the culinary options of New Orleans by integrating Web services directly with Office and SharePoint using in-box and custom apps.”
Stephen E. Arnold has made a career out of reporting on all things search. His Web site, ArnoldIT.com, is an aggregator of helpful tips, tricks, and news, all revolving around different aspects of search. His SharePoint coverage is particularly helpful and end users and managers alike may find his reporting a compliment to their SharePoint duties.
Emily Rae Aldridge, August 05, 2014
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