Oosah is a Web application which offers its users a complete suite of tools to store digital files on the Web, including pictures, videos, MP3s, and slideshows. I first came across Oosah when it launched its blog back in June this year. Along these few months, Oosah has steadily improved its features, from 2GB (Gigabyte) of storage space increased to 1TB (Terabyte), i.e. 1024 Gigabytes, and also increased the maximum upload file size limit from 200MB per video, 50MB per image, 9MB per mp3 to 250MB per video, 50MB per image, and 50MB per mp3.

From the file storage space that Oosah offered to every single one of its users, I can’t stop thinking about how generously this online storage provider. For a new user, after you signing up for this service, you’ll amazed by its range of features. You are allowed to connect some external services such as Facebook, Flickr, Picasa and YouTube, and from these services, you can start to “import” the pictures or videos and all of these files will eventually by default be stored in the Oosah “cloud.” Perhaps you also can access this Oosah through its mobile site, i.e. the iPhone and iPod Touch Edition, and manage your Oosah account from a tiny phone or iPod Touch remotely, or play songs. Though this might sounds a bit like extending your storage capacity of your mobile device, but with this Oosah, it has turned your iPhone into a de facto model for a mobile desktop.

Oosah is a Web application that primarily use Adobe Flash to render its full functionality. Of course, with Flash, users are expected some sort of loading delay if they compare Flash with other technologies such as JavaScript. However, this is not the main limitation if you find out that you can’t upload documents or any executable such as software, since Oosah differentiates itself as a digital media hosting provider, not a general hosting provider that cover all kinds of users’ stuff.

Many of the Oosah’s features are common to other online storage providers such as drag-n-drop capabilities, the use of keyboard commands in the Oosah file system, tags follow with the media as you drag-n-drop the file, but with the one-click “Widget” button, it allowed a user to create her own multimedia presentation by simply drag-n-drop the photos, music, audio files or videos available in the file manager, and then combining it all. To make it become an attractive slideshow, the option of “skin” or border, or the transition effects are available for the users to choose for. Moreover, a user can share her presentation slideshow to the public by embedding it onto the blogs, or MySpace page, or even burn it to CD or DVD formats. However, there is a restriction for users to share the music or audio files as Oosah respect for copyrights and note that Digital Rights Management (DRM) protected files are not accepted by Oosah.

Kaspersky, a Russian security vendor has claimed that they have found the world’s first iPod virus, according to their virus news. The virus name is called Podloso and indeed, do not pose any threat to the iPod. However, to avoid confusion, this virus will only function if the user install the Linux operating system to the iPod instead of the Apple operating system. By this logic, I wonder any iPod user would like to have Linux as the main operating system on their iPod and the main point here is: this virus not an iPod virus, but a Linux virus that designed to infect the iPod player.

Since the first inception in 1997, Kaspersky has won several awards including the prestigious Computer Shopper Five-Star Award. Its Anti-Virus software also received Virus Bulletin 100% on Microsoft’s latest operating system, i.e. Windows Vista and has been successfully spotted the first worm, i.e. Cabir that designed to infect Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones three years ago.

DRM (Digital Rights Management) is dead. With EMI announced that high quality, DRM-free audio format can be downloaded for use across all devices and platforms. Moreover, Apple’s iTunes will become the first online music store to sell EMI’s new DRM-free products within the few weeks. The price tag is announced at $1.29/€1.29/£0.99 per song and Apple’s iTunes will make individual AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) format tracks available from EMI artists at twice the sound quality of existing downloads, i.e. at 256 kbps (kilobyte per second) in contrast to the standard MP3 downloads normally encoded in-between 96-128 kbps. For some people and sound experts, 256 kbps can be considered as the true “CD quality” when listen to.

What will be the impact for the music industry. Nobody could really tell it now but reports on the Web is being spread about the possibilities of iTunes store in the issues of alleged antitrust violations. On the other hand, some predicted that iPod sales would drop thereafter a user could download and use the songs on any kind of devices, not solely restricted to the designated iPod. The way EMI and Apple revolutionized the songs being listen to would definitely disappoint some of the long-time iPod lovers. Or this may considered as a hint by Apple that sent a message to the public for the switch to iTunes software on the PC. Will this move attract more people in downloading iTunes softwares in the future?

But one thing for sure, DRM is dead as it is invented as a technology to “control” a digital file, i.e. restrict a user from copying, the number of times it is being accessed, how the digital file will become expire, and etc. By dropping DRM, it also means Apple is “dropping” its success, proprietary DRM system for the iPod. A trend-right for the users and a shrewd move of EMI and Apple.

Apple’s newest product, Apple TV has now shipping to the consumer market yesterday. Apple TV, a small silver box that cost $299, with the 40G hard disk can be stored up to 50 hours of flicks, 9,000 songs, 25,000 photos, and even can play podcasts on a TV, the first ever in the industry. There is some prerequisite to use the Apple TV. A consumer must at least own a TV and iTunes in hand. He/She can connect the TV to the Apple TV and open iTunes on his/her computer. The iTunes will then wireless connect the Apple TV in a few simple steps. All the movies/flicks can be downloaded from the iTunes but the prospective consumers must fulfill the technical specifications as listed by Apple in order to play a movie through the Apple TV.

Apple knew that by successfully market this product, it will marks the victory days for them and we will foresee many more products to launch in the market by Apple that focused on the use in living room. “It’s Apple’s first major foray into the living room,” said Shannon Cross, an analyst at Cross Research. “I expect many more products to come that expand Apple’s reach beyond this initial Apple TV.” Reported by Reuters. However, the market that Apple TV is now penetrating is large and fragmented. Microsoft, Sony, TiVo have their own target markets and it is unlikely that Apple TV will be the dominant player in the TV industry. While a lot of Apple fans had high hopes for this product, how Apple going to market it throughout the world, what is their actual market strategy, nobody can tell now. But Apple TV has sent a clear message to the iTunes fans that Apple is building something around the iTunes, or iPod in the future. What Apple asked for the return is the users’ loyalty. Loyalty is driving Apple’s business strategy now.

As picture shown in the above, Apple’s iPod shuffles are now available in more hues than white and gray. This $79 player can be in pink, green, and blue colors as well. However, the size of iPod will still be remained as 1GB and only store up to 240 songs. This means that Apple had introduced the availability for more colors for its iPod shuffle line, but not release any new feature into this Pod. Overall, it followed the product strategy of iPod nano by adding more stylish colors to further attract the potential buyers.

Since Apple launched the advertising campaign “Think Different” in 1998, I always believe Apple can think and do something that could break out of the pack. The motto of “Think Different” drive the motivation of the teams at Apple. Until today, I still strongly believe that iPod portable music player is one of the best digital products of any kind ever invented. I think the first step Apple to do with this tiny thing is adding more colors, They already done this. The next step, I guess Apple might make it even smaller or more capable in terms of more songs can be stored, or put a screen on this iPod, hopefully.

No one can argue that understanding and doing is two different things. But it is important to note that Apple is an innovator. On a personal level, I never doubt the sustainability of Apple’s product development strategy. Their strategy is to innovate, if Apple can stick to this strategy and not surprise, they can come out with some of the products that we can’t imagine.