26
Aug 11
Time Flies!
Last time I posted Steve Jobs was CEO of Apple, the iPad hadn’t come out, and I was thinking about going back to school. Perhaps I’ll post again before I graduate or the new iPad 3 comes out.
Will see.
30
Jan 08
Apple TV Software Update Delayed
Apple just announced that the software “is not quite finished” and it will be available in a week or two. Which probably means closer to two weeks. In the grand scheme of things its not a big deal, but nonetheless it’s still annoying.
29
Jan 08
Why no iTunes movie rentals for older iPod models
Jobs has said for years that renting movies makes sense whereas renting music doesn’t. So when it came time to launch a movie rental service, Apple had to start including secure digital clocks in the latest round of devices. Connected devices like the iPhone have other ways of checking content permissions, but in order for such a service to work with the rest of the iPod line would require something resembling Microsoft’s solution, unless there’s something I’m missing (granted, I’m a tech journalist, not an engineer).
This explanation is a good as any I’ve heard.
25
Jan 08
UB40′s singer Ali Campbell quits
Singer Ali Campbell is leaving the reggae band UB40 after selling tens of millions of records worldwide in a career spanning nearly 30 years, a spokesman for the group said on Friday.
No Ali Campbell …. No UB40
Tags:UB40
14
Jan 08
Requiste Macworld Keynote Predictions
Since everyone is blowing out there rear and making predictions on what is going to be announced tomorrow at Steve Jobs keynote, I figured why should I be any different. Like everyone else I have no inside information.
1. Slim laptop.
2. iTunes movie rentals. Some seem to think there will be a subscription plan along with al a carte pricing ….. I don’t think so on the subscription, but yes on the al a carte.
3. Revised Apple TV.
4. More music labels selling DRM free music on iTunes. The labels are going to have to do it sooner or later, I think one or two will announce tomorrow.
5. Beatles will finally be available on iTunes.
6. A revised Airport Express with 801.11n and possibly a NAS to work with Time Machine or Apple TV.
7. iPhone with more storage.
8. “One more thing” out of left field.
14
Nov 07
Gene Simmons on the music biz
The record industry is in such a mess. I called for what it was when college kids first started download music for free — that they were crooks. I told every record label I spoke with that they just lit the fuse to their own bomb that was going to explode from under them and put them on the street.
There is nothing in me that wants to go in there and do new music. How are you going to deliver it? How are you going to get paid for it if people can just get it for free? I will be putting out a Gene Simmons box set called “Monster” — a collection of 150 unreleased songs. KISS will have another box set of unreleased music in the next year.
The record industry doesn’t have a f—ing clue how to make money. It’s only their fault for letting foxes get into the henhouse and then wondering why there’s no eggs or chickens. Every little college kid, every freshly-scrubbed little kid’s face should have been sued off the face of the earth. They should have taken their houses and cars and nipped it right there in the beginning. Those kids are putting 100,000 to a million people out of work. How can you pick on them? They’ve got freckles. That’s a crook. He may as well be wearing a bandit’s mask.
14
Nov 07
Beatles Digital Next Year
McCartney tells Billboard.com that “it’s all happening soon. Most of us are all sort of ready. The whole thing is primed, ready to go — there’s just maybe one little sticking point left, and I think it’s being cleared up as we speak, so it shouldn’t be too long. It’s down to fine-tuning, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be happening next year, 2008.”
McCartney adds that any delays in bringing the Fabs’ music to the Internet have been due to “contractual” issues as well as deliberate planning by all parties involved. “You’ve got to get these things right,” he explains. “You don’t want to do something that’s as cool as that and in three years time you think, ‘Oh God, why did we do that?!”
Lets hope that it’s the remastered versions and they are DRM free.
Tags:Beatles, Digital Music
13
Nov 07
New Duran Duran Album
10
Nov 07
Duran Duran Remix Challenge
So if you’re up to the challenge and if you have a Mac with GarageBand* installed download the below file and mix your very own version of Duran Duran’s song, “Nite-Runner” – from the band’s new album ‘Red Carpet Massacre’ – available November 13th!
*requires GarageBand 3 or higher. GarageBand is included free on every new Mac. You can also create your remix on other types of computers with other software as well.
The winning track will be featured on the official Duran Duran website and the winner plus a guest will win tickets to see Duran Duran live on their upcoming U.S. tour, plus the winner and guest will get to meet the band!
So kids here is your chance.
Tags:Duran Duran, Music, GarageBand
07
Nov 07
Is Web Video Really Hurting TV?
the brevity and accessibility of Web clips can raise awareness of a show, give viewers a taste of its content, and thereby entice more viewers to catch the show when it airs on a network. These findings are contrary to the entire modus operandi with which networks have approached Web video, and could provide an entirely new perspective on the future relationship between the two media — not to mention provide a valuable argument for YouTube in its case against Viacom.
Tags:TV
17
Oct 07
SDK for iPhone, iPod Touch in February
Let me just say it: We want native third party applications on the iPhone, and we plan to have an SDK in developers’ hands in February. We are excited about creating a vibrant third party developer community around the iPhone and enabling hundreds of new applications for our users. With our revolutionary multi-touch interface, powerful hardware and advanced software architecture, we believe we have created the best mobile platform ever for developers.
It will take until February to release an SDK because we’re trying to do two diametrically opposed things at once—provide an advanced and open platform to developers while at the same time protect iPhone users from viruses, malware, privacy attacks, etc. This is no easy task. Some claim that viruses and malware are not a problem on mobile phones—this is simply not true. There have been serious viruses on other mobile phones already, including some that silently spread from phone to phone over the cell network. As our phones become more powerful, these malicious programs will become more dangerous. And since the iPhone is the most advanced phone ever, it will be a highly visible target.
Some companies are already taking action. Nokia, for example, is not allowing any applications to be loaded onto some of their newest phones unless they have a digital signature that can be traced back to a known developer. While this makes such a phone less than “totally open,” we believe it is a step in the right direction. We are working on an advanced system which will offer developers broad access to natively program the iPhone’s amazing software platform while at the same time protecting users from malicious programs.
We think a few months of patience now will be rewarded by many years of great third party applications running on safe and reliable iPhones.
Steve
P.S.: The SDK will also allow developers to create applications for iPod touch. [Oct 17, 2007]
February seems like a long time away kids, but before you know it will be here.
Tags:iPhone, iPod Touch
16
Oct 07
Variable Price Coming to iTunes?
The chief executive of EMI Music, Alain Levy, said EMI had discussed the issue with Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs and believed Apple planned to end its single-price policy for iTunes music.
It was bound to happen, but I dying to find out how VARIABLE the pricing will be.
16
Oct 07
Joshua Tree being reissued
To celebrate the 20th birthday of its landmark album “The Joshua Tree,” U2 is reissuing the set in four different incarnations on Nov. 20 via UMe. The album will be available as a remastered single CD, a 2-CD set, a 2-CD/1-DVD collectible box and a double-vinyl package.
I can’t believe it’s been 20 years, but you gotta give it to U2 and their label with the number of packages they came up with. I think I’ll wait until the 25th or 30th anniversary package comes out. 
Tags:Music
16
Oct 07
3rd Party apps for the iPhone?
Sources familiar with the company’s plans tell BusinessWeek.com that Apple will release a software-development kit for the iPhone in early 2008, enabling programmers to create games, business-productivity tools, and countless other applications for the device. Few details are known, but sources say an announcement will come in January, which suggests it may be slated for Jan. 15, when Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs takes the stage at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco.
If this in fact true Apple would of saved themselves a lot of negative PR and just told us what their plans were for the iPhone. My hope this also applies to the iPod Touch.
16
Oct 07
Leopard and 99 cent DRM Free tracks
So today not only I get a new version of textexpander we learn that indeed Apple’s Leopard operating system will be available on October 26th for $129. Over at the iTunes Store it seems they have added some indies to iTunes Plus (DRM free) and dropped the single track price from 1.29 to 99 cents, which brings it more inline with the Amazon MP3 Store.
UPDATE: Looks like not all the iTunes Plus tracks have dropped to 99 cents yet.
UPDATE AGAIN: According to the WSJ all iTunes Plus tracks will be $.99 in the next day or so.
Tags:Amazon, iTunes Plus, Leopard, MP3