Sunday, January 22, 2006

Google Online Player - Google Video

Today I got my Google Video Id and password. I was able to obtain this by paying my regular cable bill. The power of Google Video lies in the very fact that I can personalize the programs according to my choice. I subscribe to Cartoon Network which is a paid channel. My Google Video Id maintains the list of subscriptions that I’m eligible for. My favorite program on Cartoon Network is “Dexter’s Laboratory”, but Cartoon Network broadcasts this program in the afternoon. I want my share of personalization; Google Video allows me to achieve my objective. Google Video hosts all the programs that were telecast during the past week. I am entitled to view this program as I’ve already paid my subscription price and this is not a violation of any copyright laws.

Google Video will not allow me to download the file and use it indefinitely; this is a violation of copyright laws and it will lead to piracy. Now Google being ingenious with their traits have released Google Online Player. The Google Online Player cannot be downloaded; I’ll be able to use it from the Google Video page after logging on. The Google Play list available on my computer will be used by the Google Online Player. The Google Online Player will not allow me to play files which were downloaded on a date which is prior to the current date by 7 days; Google’s encryption on the files allows them to track dates accurately.
This player can only play files in “.GGL” format and these files will not be recognized by other players. Once I logon to the Google Video page, the Google Video Synchronizer will synchronize all the files available on my computer’s Google play list i.e. it will delete all the files that were downloaded before 7 days.

Google Video Id will only work with a single IP address selected by me at the time of obtaining the Id and password. If I wish to change the IP then I’ll have to contact my cable operator provide my identity proof (this is not an issue with my cable operator as he knows me personally and I can finish the process by making a phone call; even otherwise my cable operator maintains a list of phone no’s from each customer.) and get it done. Though this process of changing the IP is cumbersome it prevents people from publicly sharing their Google Video Id and password.

All the programs downloaded by me will contain advertisements, Google will partner with the content provider (Cartoon Network in this case) to plug in the advertisements and share the revenue based on their contract.

I think it is time for me to watch “Life is Beautiful”. I missed the movie yesterday; thankfully I have Google Video.

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Google - Microsoft Image Classifier

The time is 9 a.m. I am too lazy to walk out of my bunk; this is like waking up in the middle of my sleep. I usually sleep till 10:30 in the morning. As I slowly open my eyes, I feel the rays of the morning sun to be harsh on my eyes. I put into effect the lesson learnt by me through all my childhood, I turn my eyes towards the dark corner of the room where I can gaze for a while before stepping out of this lousy furniture. I realize my mistake; I can see an envelope on my reading desk which has all the attributes to make my day obnoxious. I still remember the last time I woke up to glare at an envelope; it was my grade sheet from school, I always knew that I don’t deserve any of it but never was I able to convince my parents.

I turn to my calendar with anticipation, but the Stars are not favorable today; it is a Sunday and my parents are at home. The clock struck 10:00; I knew it was time to face my parents in the drawing room and I better get prepared with the script, which will be required to pull out a remarkable performance. My eyes were feeling more comfortable to take the sting of the sun. I walked to the reading desk and took the envelope.

The envelope, there is something spooky about it. The grade sheet within the envelope is not my complete grade sheet; it is partial. This semester I actually scored an A+ in all my analytical papers (four in number) but it was the theory subjects which fetched me a C- (four in number, I always balance out my subjects). The grade sheet between my fingers contains only my C- grades. There is no script in this world which can save me from my parents until I can prove that this is only my partial grade sheet. The thought of not being able to leave my house for the next few weeks haunts me. I know for certain that the only way I can walk unscathed from this situation is by proving the fact that this was only my partial grade sheet.

I worked on a certain system a couple of months back and thought that this was the best time to test it. I installed a camera in every room to capture each and every activity in my house. I compressed the video captured and store it in my computer. I usually store data for the last ten days on my computer; the remaining files are purged by a program written by me. The video files are stored in the memory at the rate of 1 file/room for every 5 minutes. I use the latest version of Google Desktop Search to get the files created between the specified times and in specific locations.

I start searching the files captured in my room between 11 p.m. and 9 a.m. I have an amazing amount of data to go through. But with the new Microsoft search engine provided for images I think I can save a lot of time. I open the file corresponding to 11p.m. in the Microsoft Image Classifier and mark out a certain area, i.e. I draw a box around the reading table. Then I use the advanced search to specify, that I want to retrieve all the files which do not have the same pattern in the files between 11 p.m. and 9 a.m. I get files between 6:20 a.m. and 9 a.m. as the result of this search. I open the video file captured at 6:15 and I find my brother placing the grade sheet on my desk.
The pattern recognition program is so superior in its performance that it can help me search all the videos by a particular person. I start a new search with the input parameter to be my brother’s picture and the time to be between 5 a.m. and 6:20 a.m. I get video files from our kitchen from 6:00 a.m. to 6:15 a.m. I’ve the proof required to get out of my brother’s trap.

I am certain that this system will be very useful to me in the future too. I am absent-minded and have struggled in the past to recollect the place where I left my book the previous night. Now, I can search for that pattern and fetch the book without having to strain my mind. I think Google and MicroSoft must take responsibility in making me so careless. Yeah, I can tend to be careless because I can fetch anything back, remember it should be within 10 days. I know the constraint on the number of days is only short lived.

***Google Desktop Search, although a product by this name exists I'm not certain about it performing the functions listed here.