Is That a Movie In Your Pocket???
by Gary Woods

With the 5th Generation iPod we now have the ability to download video. The video playback is sharp if small with its 2.5" screen and the coolest part that Steve Jobs has talked some Hollywood Types into selling us content for a pretty reasonable fee.

Currently there are about 2000 music vides, a half-dozen Pixar short films, and a handful of TV shows including ABC's Desperate Housewives, Lost and NBC's Law and Order and Surface. The TV shows can be had for the low, low price of $2 per episode. You can view a 30 second sample of the show and get a summary of the action.

Purchasing video content from the iTunes website couldn't be easier and moving it over to your iPod is even simpler. You just click the Buy Video button and enter your account name and password, and the file starts downloading. Then you plug your iPod into your computer's USB port and the file transfers automatically. For a 200MB file it will take about 12 minutes on a relatively speedy connection and then a few more minutes to transfer the video.

If you want your own movies on your iPod you have to use QuickTime Pro ($29 www.apple.com/quicktime) and convert the files to iPod's H.264 MPEG-4 format. You can also try the free Videora iPod Converter (www.videora.com) TiVo has also announced it will let subscribers transfer shows they recorded to an iPod or a Sony PlayStation Portable.

If you have any suggestions or questions for me please drop me a note at garyandlaury@santabarbaraproperties.com or see my column on the Internet at http://www.santabarbaraproperties.com or call me at (805) 729-0910