Latest articles by Frank Beacham
After Sept. 11, a TV Technology Debate Becomes Moot
For years, writers and editors covering television technology have tried to corral the subject. What, we’ve asked and debated, exactly is TV technology and what is only peripheral to it?
9/11: What Worked, What Didn't
The big technology test came on the morning of Sept. 11. Terrorists had attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Thousands of people were missing. Americans wanted to communicate.
Armstrong’s Legacy Lingers in New York
"Armstrong was technically brilliant. Many of his ideas were truly great. He came up with solutions that others of us would not have considered." – Renville McMann
WTC Tragedy Rewrites Broadcast History
In a frightening instant -- punctuated with an eerie funnel of black smoke on a clear September morning -- New York City's skyline changed forever and with it did the history of broadcasting.
The Loss of Serendipity
Internet users are now spending more time concentrating on fewer Web sites. This means, as the novelty wears off and habits set in, the serendipity of random Web surfing is in decline.
PC, Internet Woes Deepen
In this winter of discontent, an economic freeze is putting the hard bite on personal computer sales and Internet specialty companies.
Peering Into the Future of Streaming Media
Rapid-fire developments in streaming media have come so fast in the past 5 years that those who follow the nascent industry find themselves in a constant time warp.
Pocketable, Reliable Plug-‘n’-Play USB Memory
Although USB is portrayed by the PC industry as a simple plug-‘n’-play method for daisy-chaining computer peripherals, the reality is that some devices stubbornly refuse to work as promised.
Desktop Television Gets Big Boost
Two significant developments early this year foretell the future of television.
New Internet Content Creation and Distribution Apps Debut
One of the neat things about the Internet is that people are constantly coming up with new things to do with it.
DTV's Cuckoo Nest and the Public Interest
Getting a firm grasp on DTV in the days before NAB2001 is a bit like trying to stab a mound of Jell-O with a fork. When you think you've got it, the darn thing slips away again.
A Gutsy Kennard Faces Down Broadcasters
Bill Kennard is not what you’d call a great orator. He lacks the inspiring delivery and populist charisma that are hallmarks of a winning political figure.
The (Re)Selling of Interactive TV
Observe the electronics industry long enough and you might note an interesting phenomenon: Failed high-tech products rarely die; they are just reintroduced ... again and again and again.
Antenna Myths: Who's Really Watching Free TV?
Reports from Capitol Hill say the toughest unresolved issue in legislating a hard deadline for the end of analog TV is what to do about the "disenfranchised."
