Monday, February 20, 2012

Google's New Privacy Policy

Page 1 & Choice 1: Google Offers You Full Disclosure. Do you
  1. Simply Click "Ok, got it" either to avoid the annoying privacy disclosure from showing up each time you log in to a father-Google service or because you simply don't care
  2. Read the pretty pithy headline "One Policy, one Google experience" (Kind of like, "one ring to bind them all?) and then, Click "Ok, got it" 
  3. Read the pretty pity headline,  the first paragraph and then after thanking Google for "Getting rid of over 60 different privacy policies across Google and replacing them with one that’s a lot shorter and easier to read"  and marveling at Google's "desire to create one beautifully simple and intuitive experience across Googlethen, Click "Ok, got it" 
  4. Read the pretty pity headline,  read the first paragraph which ends in an almost-call to-action " This stuff matters, so please read our updated Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service when you have a few minutes"  and then decide if it was really important Google wouldn't call it "stuff" (which is the commonly accepted name of things you discard when you move) ,   and Google certainly  wouldn't (slyly)  suggest you read it "when you have a few minutes." You think for a moment and then you decide: If it were really important Father Google would have said something simple and straightforward like "your privacy matters and is important in ways you might not understand so please take a moment to see how Google is tracking you (and helping others track you) and if you don't like what we're doing we'll show you can adjust your settings so we track and invade your privacy alot less (but we won't stop completely, because it's the cost of our excellent services!) " Since Google didn't say that, you  Click "Ok, got it"  (even though you know you don't and you hope it doesn't matter latter). 
  5. Read the pretty pity headline,  read the first paragraph with it's almost-call to-action, and then decide to read the additional sub-headlines, where you learn what you get for just going along with Google.  The could-turn-out-to-be Faustian bargin says by allowing Google to invade your privacy you get: 

    Easy to work across Google

    Our new policy reflects our desire to create a simple product experience that does what you need, when you want it to. Whether you’re reading an email that reminds you to schedule a family get-together or finding a favorite video that you want to share, we want to ensure you can move across Gmail, Calendar, Search, YouTube, or whatever your life calls for with ease.

    Tailored for you


    If you’re signed into Google, we can do things like suggest search queries — or tailor your search results — based on the interests you’ve expressed in Google+, Gmail, and YouTube. We’ll better understand which version of Pink or Jaguar you’re searching for and get you those results faster

    Easy to share and collaborate


    When you post or create a document online, you often want others to see and contribute. By remembering the contact information of the people you want to share with, we make it easy for you to share in any Google product or service with minimal clicks and errors.



     And then you decide, that Google is offering you quite alot of wonderful things in exchange for invading your privacy so you click "Ok, got it"  (but even as you click "ok, got it" you can't but wonder if "Ok, got it" is legally binding if you Google somehow screws you latter)
  6. You read the pretty pity headlines and recognize it's all just marketing speak designed to lull into a sense of comfort.  You recognize Google's had it's arm twisted and is being forced to offer you a choice that you might not get latter so you decide "No, it's no ok, I don't got it' and you click on 'Read Policies Now'
Page 2 & Choice 2: Google Offers You Full Disclosure. Do you...
  1. Notice the page you've just arrived on, looks strangely like the page you just read except this one now says "Policies and Principles" at the top, so you decide there's nothing new for me to see here so you simply close the window and get back to what you were doing.
  2. Notice the page you've arrive on, looks similar except the third pictures, the "easy to share" picture, now has a picture of what appears to be a lock and there's three extra paragraphs you can only find if you were adventurous enough to scroll down to read them:

    Protecting your privacy hasn’t changed

    Our goal is to provide you with as much transparency and choice as possible, through products like Google Dashboard and Ads Preferences Manager alongside other tools. Ourprivacy principles remain unchanged. And we’ll never sell your personal information or share it without your permission (other than rare circumstances like valid legal requests).

    Understand how Google uses your data

    If you want to learn more about your data on Google and across the web, including tips and advice for staying safe online, check out Good to Know.

    Got questions? We’ve got answers

    Visit our FAQ to read more about the changes. (We figured our users might have a question or twenty-two.)

    Notice of change

    March 1, 2012 is when the new Privacy Policy and Google Terms of Service will come into effect. If you choose to keep using Google once the change occurs, you will be doing so under the new Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.


  3. you read the extra writing and then say thank goodness (or googleness) that Google is giving you "as much transparency and choice as possible" and that Google will "never sell your personal information or share it without your permission (other than rare circumstances," that Google can always  help you " learn more about your data on Google and across the web, including tips and advice for staying safe online, check out Good to Know." Your about to click on additional links but since the link is called "Good to know"  (which means, it's important but we already know, as in the dismissive reponse to the saftey first tips: thank's that's good to know) and since the FAQ link is titled the name of the pointless childhood game '21 questions' ("FAQ to read more about the changes. (We figured our users might have a question or twenty-two") you decide there's nothing worth seeing here  'so you leave the page and get back to what you were doing.
  4.  You read the exta paragraphs and decide to click on some link on the FAQ links, where you read:   

    What if I don’t want to use Google under the new Privacy Policy and Terms of Service? 

    If you continue to use Google services after March 1, you’ll be doing so under the new Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. If you’d prefer to close your Google Account, you can follow the instructions in our help center. We remain committed to data liberation, so if you want to take your information elsewhere you can"  
     You think, wow! data liberation..now that sounds exciting! so you click through to 
While dataliberation.org sounds like a militant privacy roots group, you learn it's really not. So why the militant logo:  "What's with the logo? It grew out of the fact that we see ourselves fighting for the freedom of the users.  So basically, it's another joke.  Har har har. :-)"  And despite the serious, but joke of a name and logo the joke may still be on you even if you do decide to reject google's new privacy policy: "Are you done?  Are all of Google's products liberated? No.  While users can get data out of our products one way or another, we're about two thirds of the way throughand we continue to work to make it easier to get data in and out of our products."  As you click on this link you learn that dataliberation.org  teaches you not only how to escape from google it will also teach how to "Escaping to Gmail"  and thus liberate your data from other companies so google can get it!  You also learn At this point you begin back to get a headache so you go about your business....


Or, alternatively, you read through Google's new policies thoroughly and discover some new controls that offer a modicum of privacy...or if you still don't get it watch some of the videos below (the first is the google take on it's new privacy policy...if your going to just watch one video don't watch the google video it's a non-critical perspective [i.e., it's an info-advert from google])...and yes I'm writing this using google's blogger..












Google Explaining Ad Preferences:
Ads on the web
Make the ads you see on the web more interesting
Many websites, such as news sites and blogs, partner with us to show ads to their visitors. To see ads that are more related to you and your interests, edit the categories below, which are based on sites you have recently visited. Learn more


Your interests are associated with an advertising cookie that's stored in your browser. If you don't want us to store your interests, you can opt out below. Your ads preferences only apply in this browser on this computer. They are reset if you delete your browser's cookies.






Your categories and demographics
No interest or demographic categories are associated with your ads preferences so far. You can add or editinterests and demographics at any time.


Your cookie
Google stores the following information in a cookie to associate your ads preferences with the browser you're using:
id=225bccd1790100f1||t=1329741208|et=730|cs=002213fd48ef310b6c128faf53


Visit the Advertising and Privacy page of our Privacy Center to learn more.




Google is a participating member of the Network Advertising Initiative and follows the industry privacy standards for online advertising. You can opt out of this cookie, as well as other companies' cookies used for interest-based ads, by visiting the aboutads.info choices page. If you want to persist your opt-out of interest-based ads from all NAI member companies, you can install the Keep My Opt-Outs plugin.


Google may use your Google account information, such as items you +1'd on Google websites and across the web, to personalize content and ads on non-Google websites. If you'd like to control how you see +1 recommendations from people you know, and how your +1 recommendations are shown to others, please visit the +1 button settings page.




Google Explaining It's Privacy principles'

At Google, we are keenly aware of the trust you place in us and our responsibility to protect your privacy. As part of this responsibility, we let you know what information we collect when you use our products and services, why we collect it and how we use it to improve your experience.
We have five privacy principles that describe how we approach privacy and user information across all of our products:
  1. Use information to provide our users with valuable products and services.
  2. Develop products that reflect strong privacy standards and practices.
  3. Make the collection of personal information transparent.
  4. Give users meaningful choices to protect their privacy.
  5. Be a responsible steward of the information we hold.


Google's Privacy Tools:

Privacy tools

One of our goals at Google is to give users meaningful choices to protect your privacy. Here are some of our most popular tools that help you control your information:
  • Google Dashboard


    Find the answer to the question, “What does Google know about me?” by visiting the Google Dashboard, which shows you information stored in your Google Account. From one central location, you can easily change your privacy settings for services such as Blogger, Calendar, Docs, Gmail, Picasa, and Profiles.
  • Ads Preferences Manager


    View and edit the information Google uses to show you ads on Google search and Gmail, and interest-based ads on websites in Google’s ad network. Add or edit information to affect how ads are selected for you, or opt out of seeing customized ads altogether.
  • Data Liberation Front









    We think you should be able to control the information you store online. Learn how you can move your data in and out of Google products.
  • Keep My Opt-Outs





    Install this Chrome extension for a one-step, persistent opt-out of ad personalization performed by companies adopting the industry privacy standards for online advertising.
  • Encrypted search




    Encrypt the search traffic between your computer and Google, helping to protect your search terms and your search results pages from being intercepted by a third party. Try a more secure and private search experience.
  • Incognito mode in Google Chrome




    When you want to browse the Internet in stealth mode, Google Chrome offers Incognito browsing. Pages you open and files you download while in Incognito mode aren’t recorded in Chrome’s browsing or download history, useful if you’re planning a surprise birthday present or party!
  • Street View Blurring and Takedowns




    We automatically blur identifiable faces and license plates in Street View to protect individual privacy. We also provide easily accessible tools so you can request further blurring of any image that features yourself, your family, your car or your home. You can also request the removal of images that feature inappropriate content.
  • Unlisted and Private Videos on YouTube


    YouTube was created for people to share ideas with the entire world. But sometimes you might just rather share it with a small group of friends or keep it to yourself. You can do that by choosing either unlisted or private when you upload your video.
  • Web History Controls


    If you’re signed in to a Google Account and have turned on Web History when you search, it helps you see your previous search terms and which results you’ve clicked on. We provide you control by letting you delete individual entries, pause collection, or opt-out of the service altogether.
  • Off the Record Gmail Chats


    Don’t want Gmail chat conversations to be stored in your account? Choose to chat “off the record”. You and your Gmail friends can see when a chat is taken off the record, and you’ll be instantly notified if your friend decides to chat on the record again.
  • Google Analytics Opt-out


    Google Analytics generates statistics about visitors to websites, such as the number of page views or times of peak traffic. If you don’t want your anonymous browser data to be collected by Google Analytics when you visit sites that use Google Analytics, you can install an opt-out in your web browser.
  • Search Personalization Opt-out


    Sometimes we personalize search results based on your previous activity in order to better help you find what you’re looking for, even if you’re not signed into a Google Account. But if you’d rather we didn’t do this, you can disable the feature altogether.
  • Control Your Location in Google Latitude


    Google Latitude makes it easy to share your location with your family and friends in real time. You can adjust your privacy settings in Latitude so that you share as much or as little about your location as you want, with whom you want.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Infographics: (Some of the) Best of 2011






picture is worth a thousand words. Information graphics, also called "infographics", visually represent complex information, data or knowledge in a quick and clear manner. Social media marketing has embraced infographics because of their viral nature -- people love to share pictures, and brands can associate themselves or their message with infographics.

Let's take a look back at some of the most popular infographics of the year and have you decide what's the best infographic of them all.

Farwell to a Genius
Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Computers, passed away in 2011. This infographic takes a look back on the life and times of Steve Jobs, the man who strived to make a dent in the universe.



The Global Appeal of Angry Birds

Angry Birds debuted in 2009 and has been downloaded over 300 million times. It's on track to reach one billion downloads. People play Angry Birds 200 million minutes per day. Ask Your Target Market used its survey data to make this Angry Birds infographic, which tells the whole story.



An Average Day on Facebook
Curious to see what your friends do on Facebook on a regular day? Facebook users spend 68% of their time "liking" posts, commenting on pictures, and posting comments on status updates. Find out more curious facts about Facebook and friends in this infographic.



Google: Behind the Numbers

Google had $29.3 billion in revenue in 2010, which equals more than the GDP of the 28 poorest countries combined! Google reaches one billion unique visitors per month -- or one in seven people on the entire planet. Google consumed over two billion kilowatt-hours worth of energy in 2010. The Google Behind the Numbers infographic puts the enormity of Google's revenue and infrastructure into perspective.



Sitting is Killing You


As we enter the second decade of the 21st century, there is one thing nearly all modern Americans have in common: we sit all the time. The health conscious folks at Medical Billing and Coding.org put together this infographic to warn us that "Sitting is Killing You."

SOURCE: http://www.sodahead.com/topic/best-infographic-of-2011/

Other Recommendations by the SodaHead Community:



Help Japan 2011


SOURCE: http://www.digitalsurgeons.com/japan-earthquake-tsunami-infographic/

Juice The Evil Twin of Soda



SOURCE: http://dsc.discovery.com/pdi/files/2011/11/sodas-evil-twin.gif





15 Things You Didn't Know About Tongue

SOURCE: http://dailyinfographic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/tongue-infographic.jpeg#%20funny%20infographs


Shark Bytes (And Older Infographics I first came across on SodaHead.com)



source: http://jasoncalacanis.tumblr.com/post/924270291/infographic-of-the-week-how-where-sharks-attack

Top Places & Ways To Watch Streaming TV

...trolled through the noise to find solid recommendations for the best places to watch online.  The first article lists primary sources. These sites are, for the most part, actually involved in producing the content you are watching. The exception in the group  is the Internet Archive which is, by far, one of the  best and must under-rated 'must' sites on the internet.  The second article contains recommendations for the top aggregating sites offering free online viewing (not illegal links of where you can watch online).  These sites are rolling-up content from a wide range of sources.  The third article offers recommendations for the best medium to watch online - or more rightly said, the best tools you can use to make your online viewing  more closely approximate the effortless watching of a TV set!

As always, randomly and variously fortunate and un...

ARTICLE #1 (Primary Sources)
List Of The Best TV SitesSATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2012 

With the cost of cable and satellite TV going up in this bad economy, many homeowners have switched to computer TV. I myself prefer to stay with watching cable on the 52 inch screen in my living room, but I can understand why many are now using their computers. As the owner of a movie/TV site I have learned where to go to find the best TV online. The sites that I am going to post below are 100% legal with high quality TV programs. You actually have a larger selection of shows online than you do on your cable or satellite hook-ups. Unfortunately many of the popular TV websites online now require your cable or dish provider to be partnered with them. In order for you to view their shows online you may have to log in using your cable/dish ID number. The sites in my list do not require a login or account.
The sites I have listed below are free, but like regular TV you'll have to put up with the commercials. Most shows will begin with one or two commercials and have a few more scattered throughout the show.
Most of the websites listed below are recommended by the MPAA (motion picture association of America).

CBS.com online - In my opinion CBS online is just as good as their channel on regular TV and perhaps even better. They have posted over 60 different shows. They are listed in five different categories, Primetime , daytime, latenight, classics, and web originals. Some of the shows that CBS offers online are: The Big Bang Theory, CSI Miami, How I met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, The Price is Right, The Young and the Restless, The Talk, The Love Boat, The David Letterman Show, 60 Minutes, Family Ties, and many more. This website is totally free and logging in or an account is not necessary. New episodes are added regularly. Check it out.

NBC.com online - Has around 50 classic and new shows. They are organized into four categories, newest shows, most viewed shows, top rated shows, and alphabetically. Some of the programs are 30 Rock, Battlestar Galactica, The Cape, The Biggest Loser, The Voice, Saturday Night Live, The Event, Law and Order, The Office, and much more. Episodes are updated often. The site also includes news and sports and TV trivia games. It's not required to login but I think NBC includes some extras if you do.

Fox.com online - The fox.com site is probably one of the most popular of all the television sites online because of the high quality, highly rated, and the quantity of popular shows it offers. Just click on the watch full episodes in the menu and you will be given the choice of over 20 shows with hundreds of episodes you can watch. A new episode is added eight days after its original air date and sooner if you are logged in. Here is a list of some of the shows they offer. Alcatraz, American Dad, Bobs Burgers, Bones, The Cleveland Show, Cops, Family Guy, The Fringe, Glee, House, Kitchen Nightmares, Napolean Dynamite, The Simpsons, and Raising Hope.

SyFy Channel online - With close to 25 different series online the syfy channel site is my personal favorite. The shows they offer are Eureka (everybody's favorite brainiac town), Scare Tactics, Ghost Hunters, Sanctuary, Haven, Warehouse 13, StarGate Universe, Caprica, Face Off, Paranormal Witness, The Mercury Men, and more. No login is required and most episodes change every month. A 60 second commercial usually starts the show out.

ABC.go.com - I've been visiting this site quite a lot lately to watch episodes of TV's most popular show Modern Family. If you happen to miss an episode of your favorite program such as General Hospital.on cable or satellite TV you can watch it on ABC.com. Some shows can be viewed online within 24 hours of their original air time.
Some of the shows ABC.com offers are: General Hospital, The Middle, The Bachelor, Suburgatory, Cougar Town, Extreme Makeover, Grays Anatomy, The View, Wipeout and more. You can also watch news shows such as 20/20, and Nightline.

Hulu TV easily has the largest selection of shows on the internet with over 500 shows. They have just about any show you could want to watch from 3RD Rock From The Sun to--- 30 Rock. Each show starts with a commercial, but that's how they pay for the viewing rights. Login is not required but prefered. Be sure to check out Hulu Plus for your tv or device.

Dish-Online - Hundreds of shows are offered by Dish-Online. Some of the shows are locked and only available for dish customers (the word locked will be in the upper left corner of the show picture), but there are plenty for the general public to watch. Too many to list. Dish has made it easy to find the shows you want to watch using their alphabetical or genre menu
I wasn't aware of the dish online site until a reader of this blog mentioned it in the comments. Thanks for the comment and thanks to Dish Network.

TV Land.com - I usually visit this site every week to watch episodes of the King Of Queens. Most of the shows offered by TV Land are classics such as Leave it to Beaver, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Roseanne, The Jeffersons, Good Times, Boston Legal, The Exes, and Murder She Wrote. This is a simple easy to navigate site that you should enjoy. Most episodes are usually updated every week. An account is not necessary.

The WB Online.com - This is another TV channel I visit quite regularly to watch two of my childhood favorites The Flintstones, and the Jetsons. The WB is a site that is very easy to navigate and doesn't require a sign in to watch their shows. Here's a few shows they offer -- Gilligans Island, Smurfs, Babylon 5, Smallville, Wonder Woman, Growing Pains and more. Episodes are updated on a regular basis. Check The WB out.

IMDB - ( Internet Movie Data Base) has one of the webs largest selections of links to TV shows online. The IMDB is famous for it's great reviews of TV shows and movies. Before watching any TV show you should enter the name of the show followed by IMDB into your search engine to see the review. Any score better than a 6 is show worth watching.

The Internet Archive - Has a very large collection of public domain, classic television programs. Most of the shows listed on this site can be legally downloaded to your computer or embed on websites, facebook, etc. A small sample of what they have are The Howdy Doody Show,Bonanza, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Gene Autry Show, Annie Oakley, Tales of Tomorrow, The Rifleman, Wagon Train, Andy Griffith Show, The Life of Riley, classic commercials, and many game shows and cartoons from the 40s, 50s, and 60s.

History.com Online - The history channel online offers over 50 of their most popular TV shows online. Just click on the arrows on their homepage. Most shows have around five different episodes that are updated regularly. Click on the arrow in their list and then click on watch video. Some of the shows they have are American Pickers, American Restoration, Axe Men, Ice Road Truckers, Pawn Stars, Monster Quest, Swamp People, and Only In America With Larry The Cable Guy. Logging in is not required.

Nick.com online - Nick online has 129 episodes of their most popular shows available for your viewing pleasure. Some of these shows include icarly, House of Anubus, Power Rangers Samurai, Sponge Bob Square Pants, The Naked Brothers Band, Planet Sheen, Supah Ninjas, and The Troop. Their site also has plenty of games and free music to keep you entertained. Logging in is not necessary.

The CW - This is a site I usually visit every Friday night to watch Supernatural. Other shows you might want to check out at the CW are: 90210, Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries, One Tree Hill, America's Next Top Models, Hart Of Dixie, Ringer, The Secret Circle, and Remodeled. Most of the shows at the CW are updated every month.
Check out the CW for some really good online shows.

PBS Online - PBS has 13 shows you can watch online for free. Donations would be greatly appreciated since they are funded by the public.Some of the shows they have listed are: Masterpiece, This Old House, Nova, Nature, Austin City Limits, Motor Week, Antique Roadshow, Tavis Smiley, amd American Masters. Enjoy.

My Lifetime.com - They have a large selection of shows, games, sweepstakes, and much more on their website. Many of their best shows can be viewed online. Here is some of what they offer: America's Supernanny, America's most Wanted, Army Wives, Coming Home, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Will & Grace, Project Runway, Unsolved Mysteries, and Reba. You should also be able to find plenty of movies on their site.

National Geographic Channel - Has a large selection of full shows and episodes. You can watch episodes of Alaska State Troopers, Border Wars, End of the Earth, Explorers, Known Universe,Locked up Abroad, Monster Fish, And Taboo. The site also has plenty of activities for kids such as games, cartoons, cooking, giveaways, and contests. Take a look at this very entertaining site.

MTV.com online - Offers hundreds of their most popular shows and music videos. Here is a small sample of the shows you can watch. Jersey Shore, Beavis and Butt-Head, Teen Mom, The real World, Punk'd, Teen Wolf, I Used To Be Fat, Caged, Awkward, True Life, 16 And Pregnant, The Alli Show, America's Best Dance Crew, Busted, Scarred, and lots more. They also have plenty of music videos and games to keep you entertained.

Crackle.com TV - Has over 70 different shows. If you're a fan of anime shows they have a great selection such as LaMB, The Slayers, Blade, Blood, Macross, Star Divers, and The Big Windup. Crackle also has a good selection of classic programs such as Bewitched, All in The Family, The Three Stooges, Good Times, Sanford and Son, I dream of Jeannie, Barney Miller, and their most popular Seinfeld. Check out the great movies while you're there.
It's all free, so check it out.

Comedy Central.com - Has 8 free shows online with plenty of episodes that are updated regularly. Some of the shows they have are Strangers With Candy, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, SouthPark, Premium Blend, and more. Mouse-over full episodes in their menu to see a list of the shows.

Oxygen TV.com - Watch 4 of their best reality TV shows online. Shows included are: Jersey Couture, Love Games, Bad Girls Club, and Tori and Dean. The Oxygen website also has games, message board, and a shop. All shows start with a fairly long commercial and contain more during the show.




SouthPark Studios.com - If you're a fan of SouthPark, check this site out. With over 200 high quality episodes of south parks best. Rated mature. Plenty of fun games to play on the site. Logging in will allow you to participate in their forum. Check this site out.


Source:  http://best-tv-sites.blogspot.com/
ARTICLE #2  (Aggregators)

Top 15 Most Popular Video Websites | February 2012

Here are the 15 Most Popular Video Sites as derived from our eBizMBA Rank which is a constantly updated average of each website's Alexa Global Traffic Rank, and U.S. Traffic Rank from both Compete and Quantcast."*#*" Denotes an estimate for sites with limited Compete or Quantcast data. If you know a website that should be included on this list based on its traffic rankings Please Let Us Know.


1 | YouTube
4 - eBizMBA Rank | 450,000,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 4 - Compete Rank |4 - Quantcast Rank | 3 - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA

2 | NetFlix
81 - eBizMBA Rank | 55,800,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 34 - Compete Rank| 108 - Quantcast Rank | 100 - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA

3 | hulu
110 - eBizMBA Rank | 40,000,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 121 - Compete Rank | 39 - Quantcast Rank | 171 - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA

4 | DailyMotion
159 - eBizMBA Rank | 27,000,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 278 - Compete Rank | 98 - Quantcast Rank | 101 - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA

5 | MetaCafe
192 - eBizMBA Rank | 26,000,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 291 - Compete Rank | 95 - Quantcast Rank | 191 - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA

6 | MySpace Videos
206 - eBizMBA Rank | 24,200,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 205 - Compete Rank | *207* - Quantcast Rank | N/A - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA

7 | Yahoo! Screen
310 - eBizMBA Rank | 17,000,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | *450* - Compete Rank | *170* - Quantcast Rank | N/A - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA

8 | Vimeo
310 - eBizMBA Rank | 16,950,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 485 - Compete Rank | 187 - Quantcast Rank | 258 - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA

9 | Break
347 - eBizMBA Rank | 15,000,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 421 - Compete Rank | 174 - Quantcast Rank | 447 - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA

10 | TV
380 - eBizMBA Rank | 13,900,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 361 - Compete Rank | *60* - Quantcast Rank | 718 - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA

11 | Veoh
402 - eBizMBA Rank | 13,300,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 359 - Compete Rank | 513 - Quantcast Rank | 335 - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA

12 | VideoBash
843 - eBizMBA Rank | 5,600,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 874 - Compete Rank | 423 - Quantcast Rank | 1,233 - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA

13 | OVGuide
1,077 - eBizMBA Rank | 4,000,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 791 - Compete Rank | 347 - Quantcast Rank | 2,093 - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA

14 | VEVO
1,315 - eBizMBA Rank | 3,900,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 646 - Compete Rank | *990* - Quantcast Rank | 2,309 - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA

15 | LiveLeak
1,346 - eBizMBA Rank | 3,800,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 1,452 - Compete Rank | 944 - Quantcast Rank | 1,643 - Alexa Rank.
Most Popular Video Websites | Updated 2/15/2012 | eBizMBA



ARTICLE #3  (Mediums)

Five Best Ways to Stream Live TV 
BY ALAN HENRY
FEB 5, 2012 8:00 AM

Whether you're looking for a way to catch the big game this weekend when you're away from your living room, or you just like to catch live television when you're trapped somewhere without either cable or a television, you have plenty of options to help you catch a broadcast on your mobile phone or your computer. Here's a look at five of the best ways to tune in when you're on the go.

Earlier in the week we asked how you tune into live television that you're subscribed to on your mobile device or when you're not in front of the big screen. You responded, and now we're back to take a look at the top five, based on your nominations.

Photo by IK's World Trip.


Orb/Orb Live

When you need to stream audio or video around the house, to your mobile device, or across the globe when you're away from home, Orb can certainly deliver. We mentioned Orb several times, and it's still a great way to stream your media from your computer to other devices in your home, or, if you're willing to pay for an Orb appliance to connect to your cable box or HTPC, stream live TV or recorded TV to any other device on or off of your home network. Orb supports video up to 720p, and gives you the flexibility to watch live sports, prime time TV shows, or anything else that's currently airing in your living room on your mobile phone, tablet, or laptop over Wi-Fi, 3G, or 4G when you can't be in the living room to enjoy it. Pricing varies depending on whether you need hardware (between $79-$99 for the set-top box) to connect to your TV and home network, or you already have a TV tuner in your HTPC (the Orb Live and Orb Caster software are both free, but the mobile apps are $9.99.)


Slingbox

Where other live TV streaming solutions offer complexity, Slingbox offers elegant simplicity. The Slingbox from Sling Media is a set-top box that connects to your TV and your cable or satellite receiver that makes it easy for you to effectively log in to your TV at home and watch live TV on your computer or mobile device as though you were sitting in front of your TV. You can change channels, browse TV listings, and even set your home DVR to record TV that you won't make it home in time to watch. The Slingbox comes in two flavors, the Slingbox Solo and the Slingbox Pro-HD (which predictably supports HD and additional devices connected to it) and will set you back $179.99 to $299.99 (not including extended support options). You'll also need to drop $29.99 for the SlingPlayer app to control your Slingbox from your smartphone or tablet, but the price buys you one of the most feature-rich and hassle-free live TV streaming solutions on the market.


EyeTV

Elgato's EyeTV line of TV tuners and live TV software were, for a long time, the only option for Mac users who were looking for an easy way to use their Macs as TV tuners or HTPCs. They're not the only options anymore, but they're certainly one of the best, and if you plug a TV source in to an EyeTV and then the EyeTV into your Mac via USB, you want watch live TV right there on your computer screen. Combine an EyeTV tuner or DVR with the EyeTV app on your mobile device, and you can stream live or pre-recorded TV on your mobile device when you're out of the house. The EyeTV app will set you back $4.99 in the iTunes App Store for any iOS device, and the tuners vary in price from $99 to $199 depending on whether you need a DTV tuner, a DTV and HD tuner, a tuner with a DVR inside, or a Wi-Fi enabled tuner that can wirelessly stream TV to other devices in your home.


Vulkano Flow Box

The Vulkano Flow may not be one of the most well known set-top tuners on the market, but it's definitely one of the most powerful. For $99.99, the Vulkano Flow is an easy to install and set up device that connects to your cable or satellite tuner, supports HD video, and your home network to allow you to wirelessly watch live TV on your iOS or Android device on your home network or when you're away via 3G or 4G. You get complete control over your home TV, so you can switch channels, browse a built-in programming guide (that you don't have to pay extra to view), and even connect to other video inputs like a DVR or HTPC and control that as well. Vulkano offers desktop players for Mac OS and Windows (Free), and mobile players for iOS, Android, and BlackBerry ($12.99.)


Hauppage WinTV

Hauppage is an old name in TV tuners, and the company is still going strong by offering a range of products to HTPC enthusiasts who want to build their own devices to stream, save, and watch live and recorded television and to people who would rather buy a set-top box to handle the streaming for them. Those of you who nominated the WinTV mentioned that you can easily install a WinTV tuner in your HTPC and download the WinTV application on your HTPC and iOS or Android device to stream TV from your HTPC to your device. Pricing varies depending on which tuner you'd like, whether you want HD video, and whether you want an internal or USB tuner to install at all or you'd just prefer a set-top box like the Hauppage Broadway ($199), but the WinTV Extend app you'll need to stream from your Tuner will set you back $9.95, and the mobile apps are free (although they only support Wi-Fi.)

Now that you've seen the top five, it's time to put them to an all out vote for the winner.


What's The Best Method to Stream Live TV? (Poll Closed)
Orb/Orb Live 14.36% (141 votes)

Slingbox 48.78% (479 votes)

EyeTV 12.02% (118 votes)

Vulkano Flow 5.6% (55 votes)

Hauppage WinTV 19.25% (189 votes)

Total Votes: 982
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Honorable mentions this week go out to streaming TV sites like Justin.tv, which many of you said you use to stream your own TV shows to the web so you can catch them when you're away from home, and toThe NFL's website, which many of you noted is indeed streaming the big game on their own. Finally, since we mentioned that the Department of Homeland Security had shut down FirstRowSports' primary domain, many of you made note of the fact that the site is still up and running on a different URL.

Have a favorite method that didn't get the nominations needed to make the top five? Want to make a case for it, or for your favorite of the nominees above? Sound off in the comments below.