Avoiding the spoiler on social networks
With half a billion Facebook and 190 million Twitter accounts, it's no wonder that those who choose to TiVo or otherwise time-shift their enjoyment of "Mad Men," football games, the Oscars, or other TV content, or even those west of the Eastern time zone, face a troubling social media landscape. After all, there's nothing wrong with sharing your enthusiasm for a particular show with the world, is there? Isn't that what Twitter and Facebook are all about?"I don't blame people for spoiling it, [and] I can't be bothered to worry about it," said Anthony De Rosa, a channel manager for Reuters Media who is known to some as being a frequent tweeter of spoilers. "How long are we supposed to wait? Is the Internet going to come up with some no-spoiler period? I don't think it's realistic. This is the age we now live in."Yet there's no doubt that many people who are frequent users of services like Twitter and Facebook want very much to avoid finding out what happened on their favorite shows, or to their favorite teams, and for them, it is an increasing struggle to navigate the minefield that such sites can present in the hours after a show like "Mad Men" airs."I've learned to avoid Twitter from around the time 'Mad Men' airs on the East Coast (on Sunday nights) to the next day, after most of the 'Mad Men' tweets subside," said Au, who watches the hit AMC show by buying episodes the next day on iTunes. "Then hopefully [I can] find time to watch it on Monday night so I can join the 'Mad Men' tweet/blogosphere conversation already in progress."But for an information professional like Au, it would seem that giving up nearly an entire workday in order to avoid "Mad Men" chatter is a big price to pay. In fact, he said that he doesn't eschew the service altogether but is much more careful about spotting any references to the show when he skims his incoming tweets on Mondays. "This is made much more challenging," he said, "because I'm following @PeggyOlson and @dondraperSCDP. 'Mad Men' characters chase me down in Twitter."Twitter is one of the services that most challenge heavy social media users trying to avoid spoilers.TwitterTo someone like De Rosa, who is guilty party in this dynamic, there are other ways to keep from stumbling across spoilers than just trusting your eyes to turn away when you see a reference to your favorite show. In fact, De Rosa said that when he's trying to keep virgin ears, he relies on technology tools provided by some of the leading social media applications.For example, De Rosa said, TweetDeck, a leading Twitter application, allows users to filter out certain keywords, meaning that tweets containing those phrases are excluded from an incoming stream. As well, he pointed to available scripts that can purge content containing predefined keywords from Tumblr streams. Add those two arrows to your quiver, and don't read Facebook, and you're probably in as good a shape as you can be, he said.To some TV fans, maintaining the element of dramatic surprise is a crucial and increasingly difficult exercise, especially because the idea of watching anything on TV at its actual airing time is truly a thing of the past. "I don't know the last time I watched a show when it actually aired live," said Engadget contributing editor Joanna Stern. "I didn't even watch the series finale of 'Lost' with the rest of the world! I was in Taiwan at the time and literally had to close Twitter for three hours to avoid hearing what was happening."Certain Web sites offer users a way to post content that can be hidden to those who don't want to see it, and to some, that's a way to try to keep from seeing spoilers. "[CNET News sister site] Urban baby allows people to 'post inside'--post in such a way that it's not immediately visible unless you click, said Joyce Slaton, who writes for Urban Baby and also participates in its forums as a parent of a young child. "And I scream at people to post inside all the time. But it doesn't work."Staying away from social media sites, or perhaps training your eyes to skim for certain phrases, are obvious ways to steer clear of spoilers, several people interviewed for this story said. But some take an even more proactive approach."I watch a lot of shows that force me to be cautious with my social networks, dramas like 'Sons of Anarchy,' 'Mad Men,' [and] 'True Blood,'" said San Francisco public relations representative Sheila Bryson. "As for my guilty pleasure, reality shows, I think that the most recent season of 'The Bachelorette'...was the most challenging for me to try to avoid spoilers, mostly because there were a lot of people buzzing about it on both Twitter and Facebook. Early in the season, I had to write a friend of mine on the East Coast not to spoil the show before it had aired on the West Coast after she had given away the results of that night's" show.And others, too, say they've considered asking friends who live in time zones to the east to be respectful of their spoiler powers over those living to their west but often have decided not to because it's too much work.Yet not taking those precautions can blow carefully made preparations for watching a TV show or sporting event after the fact."I set my DVR to watch a Giants-Dodgers game and tried to avoid Facebook and sports radio and even didn't listen to a few voicemails that [arrived] from my (San Francisco) Bay Area buddies," said James Lanctot, a Redmond, Wash., human resources manager. "However, it crossed my mind that a good friend of mine was celebrating a birthday and I thought I would add a greeting to their Wall. [But] I had forgotten that I had 'liked' a 'Buster Posey for Rookie of the Year' page and they blew it for me. Spoiled again."Still, Lanctot is one person who has largely come to terms with the idea that it may simply be impossible in this new era of ubiquitous social media to avoid all spoilers. "I have just accepted that my TV watching has forever changed," he said, "and I will know ahead of [watching] who won 'Survivor,' that the Oakland Raiders lost again, and that the show 'Lost' was really just a bad dream that Gilligan had after being hit on the head with a coconut."All kidding aside, though, Lanctot and others feel that the price of potentially encountering spoilers is easily offset by the social advantages of continuing to participate in services like Facebook and Twitter."For every TV show or sporting event that gets spoiled," Lanctot said, "I also get the buzz on cool technology products, world news, and important things happening in my friends' lives....[And] I'll take reconnecting with long-lost friends as a trade-off any day of the week."Stern, too, is more than willing to risk running into spoilers because of the fruits of social media, particularly when it comes to indulging her taste for gossip about her favorite TV shows."For all that complaining [about spoilers] I've got to admit Twitter is an amazing tool for interacting with other show fans and chatting about specific characters and plot lines," Stern said. "And, well, all the spoilers in the world couldn't make me give that up."Then again, there's another approach altogether for not having your friends or those whom you follow on Twitter blow surprises for you, one perhaps best summed up by San Francisco technologist Tom McCarty."Not watching TV or caring about it [is what] works for me," McCarty said, only half-joking.ht
Oxford Dictionary apps disappear from iTunes
Oxford Dictionary apps disappear from iTunes
If you paid upwards of AU$25 for one of Oxford University Press' dictionary or thesaurus apps, your purchase is now completely unsupported after the entire suite was quietly removed from the app store earlier this year. The apps include the Australian Oxford Dictionary, the Australian Oxford Thesaurus and the Oxford Deluxe combined dictionary and thesaurus with audio.The apps were developed and published to the iTunes app store by Enfour, a Japanese developer of dictionary apps. Although a couple of the dictionary apps still appear on Enfour's website, Oxford University Press has confirmed that the apps are no longer available."The dictionary app to which you refer was produced and marketed by Enfour using content and brand names licensed from Oxford University Press," a spokeswoman told CNET Australia. "This licensing arrangement ended earlier this year, and so Enfour had to remove the apps from sale in the app store. Unfortunately, Apple does not allow continued support of apps once they are no longer available for sale."In November last year, Enfour was caught attaching an "anti-piracy" module to Oxford University Press' apps. This module required the user to grant permission for the app to access their Twitter account â€" and then proceeded to post bogus piracy "confessions" from the user's account. Oxford University Press neither confirmed nor denied that letting the licensing arrangement lapse had anything to do with this incident.Due to the way iTunes is currently set up, Oxford University Press could not take ownership of the apps and republish them under its own store, which was set up last year. Developers can absorb other developers and republish an entire suite of apps, but not individual apps â€" and since Enfour still has a licensing arrangement with Pearson Education, developing its Longman dictionaries, this solution would not work.It's particularly vexing for Australian customers, for whom the only other localised option is currently the Macquarie Dictionary, a much more expensive â€" and less user-friendly â€" app.The spokeswoman said, "As these apps carry our brand name, we very much regret that they are no longer supported... We do hope to have alternative apps available soon, but cannot provide any firm plans at this stage."Enfour declined to comment.CNET Australia has contacted Oxford University Press for further clarification and will update this story when we have more information.Update 3.20pm AEST: Added Enfour's comment.
If you paid upwards of AU$25 for one of Oxford University Press' dictionary or thesaurus apps, your purchase is now completely unsupported after the entire suite was quietly removed from the app store earlier this year. The apps include the Australian Oxford Dictionary, the Australian Oxford Thesaurus and the Oxford Deluxe combined dictionary and thesaurus with audio.The apps were developed and published to the iTunes app store by Enfour, a Japanese developer of dictionary apps. Although a couple of the dictionary apps still appear on Enfour's website, Oxford University Press has confirmed that the apps are no longer available."The dictionary app to which you refer was produced and marketed by Enfour using content and brand names licensed from Oxford University Press," a spokeswoman told CNET Australia. "This licensing arrangement ended earlier this year, and so Enfour had to remove the apps from sale in the app store. Unfortunately, Apple does not allow continued support of apps once they are no longer available for sale."In November last year, Enfour was caught attaching an "anti-piracy" module to Oxford University Press' apps. This module required the user to grant permission for the app to access their Twitter account â€" and then proceeded to post bogus piracy "confessions" from the user's account. Oxford University Press neither confirmed nor denied that letting the licensing arrangement lapse had anything to do with this incident.Due to the way iTunes is currently set up, Oxford University Press could not take ownership of the apps and republish them under its own store, which was set up last year. Developers can absorb other developers and republish an entire suite of apps, but not individual apps â€" and since Enfour still has a licensing arrangement with Pearson Education, developing its Longman dictionaries, this solution would not work.It's particularly vexing for Australian customers, for whom the only other localised option is currently the Macquarie Dictionary, a much more expensive â€" and less user-friendly â€" app.The spokeswoman said, "As these apps carry our brand name, we very much regret that they are no longer supported... We do hope to have alternative apps available soon, but cannot provide any firm plans at this stage."Enfour declined to comment.CNET Australia has contacted Oxford University Press for further clarification and will update this story when we have more information.Update 3.20pm AEST: Added Enfour's comment.
Cooliris gets local file support, Linux version
Cooliris gets local file support, Linux version
This basically turns your browser into an ad-hoc media center, something Shoemaker says has been created to be a unified experience across multiple platforms. For instance, if you're on a Mac, it links up with iPhoto, and if you're on a PC, it organizes your "my pictures" folder by album. Either way, you see your stuff without telling the service where to go to find it.But what about Web content you ask? It's also been given a boost--literally. The new version has a visual effects engine that take better advantage of users' graphics hardware. For Mac users the tool is using OpenGL, and on Windows it's Direct 3D. Seth says it runs lean enough that most hardware from the last five years or so should have no problems with it. In my brief testing I ran it on a 3- year-old PC with barely a hiccup, however it's noticeably smoother on my other machine with a beefier graphics card. Additionally, the tool now displays a much broader selection of metadata from selected sites. When viewing photos from Picasa Web Albums and Google Image search, or videos from YouTube, it now shows things like view count, user ratings, exposure, aperture, and resolution. This unfortunately, does not work on for Flickr photos, but I'm told it will be added to a future release, alongside for support for videos in Flickr and Facebook. Speaking of which, this release lets Facebook users view tags and titles of photos--all without leaving the Cooliris interface. There is, however no way to add tags or captions without visiting Facebook proper.The same metadata treatment has been given to the service's shopping tool, which taps into Amazon.com, letting you view entire product descriptions without visiting the site. In fact, it's a very similar experience to WindowShop, a 3D shopping viewer which Amazon launched back in October. Out of all these new features though, support for local content is the boldest. It puts Cooliris in closer competition with services like Boxee, in attempting to simplify and improve the way people get at media both online and off. While this version of Cooliris does not yet support Web audio feeds like Boxee does, it seems like the next logical step.Download links:Firefox 3 (PC)(Mac)Internet Explorer (PC) Safari (Mac) Also, here's a quick video overview of the some of the new things that it can do. There's lots of tiny text, so you might want to check out the HQ or HD version,which can be selected once you hit the play button:
This basically turns your browser into an ad-hoc media center, something Shoemaker says has been created to be a unified experience across multiple platforms. For instance, if you're on a Mac, it links up with iPhoto, and if you're on a PC, it organizes your "my pictures" folder by album. Either way, you see your stuff without telling the service where to go to find it.But what about Web content you ask? It's also been given a boost--literally. The new version has a visual effects engine that take better advantage of users' graphics hardware. For Mac users the tool is using OpenGL, and on Windows it's Direct 3D. Seth says it runs lean enough that most hardware from the last five years or so should have no problems with it. In my brief testing I ran it on a 3- year-old PC with barely a hiccup, however it's noticeably smoother on my other machine with a beefier graphics card. Additionally, the tool now displays a much broader selection of metadata from selected sites. When viewing photos from Picasa Web Albums and Google Image search, or videos from YouTube, it now shows things like view count, user ratings, exposure, aperture, and resolution. This unfortunately, does not work on for Flickr photos, but I'm told it will be added to a future release, alongside for support for videos in Flickr and Facebook. Speaking of which, this release lets Facebook users view tags and titles of photos--all without leaving the Cooliris interface. There is, however no way to add tags or captions without visiting Facebook proper.The same metadata treatment has been given to the service's shopping tool, which taps into Amazon.com, letting you view entire product descriptions without visiting the site. In fact, it's a very similar experience to WindowShop, a 3D shopping viewer which Amazon launched back in October. Out of all these new features though, support for local content is the boldest. It puts Cooliris in closer competition with services like Boxee, in attempting to simplify and improve the way people get at media both online and off. While this version of Cooliris does not yet support Web audio feeds like Boxee does, it seems like the next logical step.Download links:Firefox 3 (PC)(Mac)Internet Explorer (PC) Safari (Mac) Also, here's a quick video overview of the some of the new things that it can do. There's lots of tiny text, so you might want to check out the HQ or HD version,which can be selected once you hit the play button:
The 404 532- Where we put the Oscars in a 'Hurt Locker' (podcast)
The 404 532: Where we put the Oscars in a 'Hurt Locker' (podcast)
Today's episode of The 404 Podcast deals with a lot of movies, which makes sense after last night's utterly forgettable Academy Awards ceremony, or so Wilson claims, because he forgot to watch.The awards committee certainly wasn't lacking a sense of irony after selecting Sandra Bullock for the best female performance in "The Blind Side." The actress also won the Razzie for worst female actor in "All About Steve." Audience members were also surprised to see "Avatar" lose the best picture award to "The Hurt Locker," despite the questionable activity of one of its producers prior to the event. It's also interesting to note how the same movies in the best picture category ranked on BitTorrent, with "District 9" earning the most at more than 12 million downloads since its DVD-quality release last September.CinemaBlendTim Burton's adaption of "Alice in Wonderland" came out last weekend, and Jeff went to check it out with his fiancee, who festively dressed up as Alice for the showing. Don't get your hopes up though; Jeff sadly left his White Rabbit costume at the dry cleaners. I won't spoil Jeff's personal review of the movie, but let's just say that 91 other movie-goers on Rotten Tomatoes agree with him.No matter what you think of AIW, we can all agree that Zach Snyder's new movie "Legend of the Guardians" will win next year's Oscar for best comedy. Based on the novel "Guardians of Ga'Hoole," the teaser implies that the movie is about talking owls...fighting in the sky...wearing Elven face masks. Check out these screenshots and join us as we purchase advanced screening tickets live on the show.All these stories plus some a near-expired batch of Calls From the Public and a news piece about your grandmother DJing Parisian nightclubs, all on today's episode of The 404!Episode 532PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Today's episode of The 404 Podcast deals with a lot of movies, which makes sense after last night's utterly forgettable Academy Awards ceremony, or so Wilson claims, because he forgot to watch.The awards committee certainly wasn't lacking a sense of irony after selecting Sandra Bullock for the best female performance in "The Blind Side." The actress also won the Razzie for worst female actor in "All About Steve." Audience members were also surprised to see "Avatar" lose the best picture award to "The Hurt Locker," despite the questionable activity of one of its producers prior to the event. It's also interesting to note how the same movies in the best picture category ranked on BitTorrent, with "District 9" earning the most at more than 12 million downloads since its DVD-quality release last September.CinemaBlendTim Burton's adaption of "Alice in Wonderland" came out last weekend, and Jeff went to check it out with his fiancee, who festively dressed up as Alice for the showing. Don't get your hopes up though; Jeff sadly left his White Rabbit costume at the dry cleaners. I won't spoil Jeff's personal review of the movie, but let's just say that 91 other movie-goers on Rotten Tomatoes agree with him.No matter what you think of AIW, we can all agree that Zach Snyder's new movie "Legend of the Guardians" will win next year's Oscar for best comedy. Based on the novel "Guardians of Ga'Hoole," the teaser implies that the movie is about talking owls...fighting in the sky...wearing Elven face masks. Check out these screenshots and join us as we purchase advanced screening tickets live on the show.All these stories plus some a near-expired batch of Calls From the Public and a news piece about your grandmother DJing Parisian nightclubs, all on today's episode of The 404!Episode 532PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
MTV app takes on Shazam, Ticketmaster, Vevo in one
MTV app takes on Shazam, Ticketmaster, Vevo in one
MTV, long ago the go-to place for music videos, has launched a music app that takes on elements of Shazam, Ticketmaster and Vevo. The MTV Artists app, released Thursday, is the latest the Viacom network has rolled out after revamping the app infrastructure for all the Viacom music channels. It follows the release earlier this year of a separate MTV app that provides on-demand video of the reality and scripted programs that have become the mainstays of MTV's programming. The MTV Artists app, however, is about music, and it's pooling the capabilities of a number of other apps in one place. MTV had thought about looping the new capabilities into its video app. But Dermot McCormack, head of connected content for Viacom Music, said users were clear they wanted two different experiences: one video, one music.Related storiesFor MTV, making VMAs a most-tweeted event is so 2012Apple said to be eyeing HBO, Viacom, ESPN as TV partnersMTV app takes on Shazam, Ticketmaster, Vevo in oneSony, Viacom strike early deal for Internet TV serviceHappy happy joy joy: Hulu scores cult 'toon classics The new music app can identify songs by listening to music playing around you, similar to a Shazam or SoundHound, or users can search for an artist by name or lyrics. As the mobile extension of the channel's Artists.MTV.com site -- a sort of IMDb of music -- the app pulls up artist info-at-a-glance such as bios and recommendations of similar artists, as well as audio and video clips, including music videos. Some content will be exclusives from the artist, some artists' pages will have archive clips from MTV's vaults. So that throws in a dash of Vevo as well. The video and music clips aren't meant to replace full tracks, though, as the app allows you to buy albums and single MP3s through iTunes. It also tells you where and when an artist is performing and enables you to buy tickets via Songkick and their partners within the app. That's MTV's answer to Ticketmaster, of course.Advertising plays a part, too. Pepsi has the initial presence on the app at launch. The Artists app is just on iOS devices at the moment. MTV's video app is poised to launch on Android devices soon, MTV said.
MTV, long ago the go-to place for music videos, has launched a music app that takes on elements of Shazam, Ticketmaster and Vevo. The MTV Artists app, released Thursday, is the latest the Viacom network has rolled out after revamping the app infrastructure for all the Viacom music channels. It follows the release earlier this year of a separate MTV app that provides on-demand video of the reality and scripted programs that have become the mainstays of MTV's programming. The MTV Artists app, however, is about music, and it's pooling the capabilities of a number of other apps in one place. MTV had thought about looping the new capabilities into its video app. But Dermot McCormack, head of connected content for Viacom Music, said users were clear they wanted two different experiences: one video, one music.Related storiesFor MTV, making VMAs a most-tweeted event is so 2012Apple said to be eyeing HBO, Viacom, ESPN as TV partnersMTV app takes on Shazam, Ticketmaster, Vevo in oneSony, Viacom strike early deal for Internet TV serviceHappy happy joy joy: Hulu scores cult 'toon classics The new music app can identify songs by listening to music playing around you, similar to a Shazam or SoundHound, or users can search for an artist by name or lyrics. As the mobile extension of the channel's Artists.MTV.com site -- a sort of IMDb of music -- the app pulls up artist info-at-a-glance such as bios and recommendations of similar artists, as well as audio and video clips, including music videos. Some content will be exclusives from the artist, some artists' pages will have archive clips from MTV's vaults. So that throws in a dash of Vevo as well. The video and music clips aren't meant to replace full tracks, though, as the app allows you to buy albums and single MP3s through iTunes. It also tells you where and when an artist is performing and enables you to buy tickets via Songkick and their partners within the app. That's MTV's answer to Ticketmaster, of course.Advertising plays a part, too. Pepsi has the initial presence on the app at launch. The Artists app is just on iOS devices at the moment. MTV's video app is poised to launch on Android devices soon, MTV said.
Getting started with note-taking iPad app Outline+
Getting started with note-taking iPad app Outline+
When you launch the app, you are greeted with a Getting Started notebook. Below it are three buttons to open a OneNote notebook from Dropbox or iTunes, create a new notebook, and access settings for the app. Tap to open a notebook, or long tap to access tabs to adjust its appearance, share it via Dropbox, export it to iTunes, or delete it. Outline+ supports OneNote; you can sync your notebooks via OneNote on your PC and those created in Outline+ via Dropbox, or you can transfer notebooks via iTunes when you sync your iPad with your PC.When you open a notebook to view or write a note, the sections of that notebook are represented by tabs along the top. Simply tap the + to create a new section. The various notes in a section run down the left side of the page. Tap the + button at the bottom of the notes column to add a new note. At the top of this column are buttons to view your favorite notes, view recent pages, and search. Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNETTap in the title section in the top-left corner of a note (above the date and time information) to enter a title for your note, which then replaces the default "Untitled page" title for the note's tab on the left. Four buttons along a note's right edge let you view the note in full-screen, mark it as a favorite, insert an image, or snap a picture to insert.When writing, Outline+ uses the standard iPad keyboard, but a row of formatting options appears at the top of your page. You can hide this row or use it to create headings, format text, and create bulleted or numbered lists. Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNETTo return to Outline+'s home screen to view your notebooks, tap the home icon at the top of the screen.Do you use a note-taking app on the iPad? If so, may I inquire as to which one? Please add your comments below.
When you launch the app, you are greeted with a Getting Started notebook. Below it are three buttons to open a OneNote notebook from Dropbox or iTunes, create a new notebook, and access settings for the app. Tap to open a notebook, or long tap to access tabs to adjust its appearance, share it via Dropbox, export it to iTunes, or delete it. Outline+ supports OneNote; you can sync your notebooks via OneNote on your PC and those created in Outline+ via Dropbox, or you can transfer notebooks via iTunes when you sync your iPad with your PC.When you open a notebook to view or write a note, the sections of that notebook are represented by tabs along the top. Simply tap the + to create a new section. The various notes in a section run down the left side of the page. Tap the + button at the bottom of the notes column to add a new note. At the top of this column are buttons to view your favorite notes, view recent pages, and search. Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNETTap in the title section in the top-left corner of a note (above the date and time information) to enter a title for your note, which then replaces the default "Untitled page" title for the note's tab on the left. Four buttons along a note's right edge let you view the note in full-screen, mark it as a favorite, insert an image, or snap a picture to insert.When writing, Outline+ uses the standard iPad keyboard, but a row of formatting options appears at the top of your page. You can hide this row or use it to create headings, format text, and create bulleted or numbered lists. Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNETTo return to Outline+'s home screen to view your notebooks, tap the home icon at the top of the screen.Do you use a note-taking app on the iPad? If so, may I inquire as to which one? Please add your comments below.
Getting shallow in the attention economy
Getting shallow in the attention economy
Today, we're quick to dismiss those ancient days of "scarcity" and to celebrate our current "abundance," but scarcity had something going for it: it encouraged a deep engagement in listening to a particular piece of music, across the expanse of an album, and it also encouraged, in the artist, an interest in rewarding that engagement. I would like to get back the money I spent on records in my youth, but I would not give up the experience that money bought me.It's the deep, attentive engagement that the Web is draining away, as we fill our iTunes library with tens of thousands of "tracks" at little or no cost. What the Web tells us, over and over again, is that breadth destroys depth. Just hit Shuffle.There is some truth to this, but I'm not sure it matters as much as Carr implies.For every Blonde Redhead ("Dr. Strangeluv" is a wonderful track) that I casually buy and then will probably forget, there's also the Band of Horses or Arcade Fire that I increasingly find myself deeper and deeper into, track by 99-cent track.I'm simply not ready to invest in an album yet.But I've already spent the equivalent of an album, tasting around the edges of both bands, getting myself ready to hit the "Complete my album" button in iTunes.The singles culture, in other words, is making it easier for me to experiment with a band, to "date it," if you will, before I "marry it."It's also letting me go very broad with bands that I already like: to pay the band to experiment.(I've never met a Radiohead /Thom Yorke or Morrissey single that I wouldn't buy, though the quality of the tracks varies wildly.)I've never believed in albums as a complete "oeuvre" in the way that some artists insist they must be.Albums have long felt like a way for the music industry and artists to sneak in weak songs and get the consumer to pay for them. When was the last time you felt that every song on an album was equally great?Yes, some like Pink Floyd's "The Wall" or Queensryche's "Operation: Mindcrime" are definitely meant to be listened to as a complete piece, but most albums don't fit this "rock opera" genre, and the singles world, while potentially shallow, is also a great way to enrich one's experience with a band.Follow me on Twitter @mjasay.
Today, we're quick to dismiss those ancient days of "scarcity" and to celebrate our current "abundance," but scarcity had something going for it: it encouraged a deep engagement in listening to a particular piece of music, across the expanse of an album, and it also encouraged, in the artist, an interest in rewarding that engagement. I would like to get back the money I spent on records in my youth, but I would not give up the experience that money bought me.It's the deep, attentive engagement that the Web is draining away, as we fill our iTunes library with tens of thousands of "tracks" at little or no cost. What the Web tells us, over and over again, is that breadth destroys depth. Just hit Shuffle.There is some truth to this, but I'm not sure it matters as much as Carr implies.For every Blonde Redhead ("Dr. Strangeluv" is a wonderful track) that I casually buy and then will probably forget, there's also the Band of Horses or Arcade Fire that I increasingly find myself deeper and deeper into, track by 99-cent track.I'm simply not ready to invest in an album yet.But I've already spent the equivalent of an album, tasting around the edges of both bands, getting myself ready to hit the "Complete my album" button in iTunes.The singles culture, in other words, is making it easier for me to experiment with a band, to "date it," if you will, before I "marry it."It's also letting me go very broad with bands that I already like: to pay the band to experiment.(I've never met a Radiohead /Thom Yorke or Morrissey single that I wouldn't buy, though the quality of the tracks varies wildly.)I've never believed in albums as a complete "oeuvre" in the way that some artists insist they must be.Albums have long felt like a way for the music industry and artists to sneak in weak songs and get the consumer to pay for them. When was the last time you felt that every song on an album was equally great?Yes, some like Pink Floyd's "The Wall" or Queensryche's "Operation: Mindcrime" are definitely meant to be listened to as a complete piece, but most albums don't fit this "rock opera" genre, and the singles world, while potentially shallow, is also a great way to enrich one's experience with a band.Follow me on Twitter @mjasay.
iPad Mini displays fewer colors than does iPad Air, says report
iPad Mini displays fewer colors than does iPad Air, says report
The Retina iPad Mini can't compete with its bigger brother at showing the same wide range of colors, according to tests run by tech review site Anandtech.Putting the new Mini through its paces, Anandtech discovered that its color gamut hasn't changed since the first model was introduced in 2012. Further, the Retina Mini's sRGB coverage is limited compared with that of the Air and with those of rival tablets, such as the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HDX 8.9."The difference is small but apparent," Anandtech said, especially to people accustomed to the full sRGB coverage found in the Air and the Retina Display MacBook Pros and the iMac. The most visible deviations are in the red/blue and magenta colors, Anandtech noted, which can been see in a side-by-side comparison of the Mini and the Air on Anandtech's site.Why the difference in color range between the two iPads? Anandtech speculates that Apple may see the Air as a better candidate for photographers and other people concerned about color reproduction.The site gave the new Retina Mini a thumb's up for its sharpness and lack of image retention but still preferred the Air."The display looks really good otherwise, but you don't get the same visual punch you do on the iPad Air," Anandtech said. "Compared to the previous generation Mini we're obviously talking about a much better panel. But for those of you on the fence between the Mini and Air, the Air does still hold a display advantage."(Via Cult of Mac)
The Retina iPad Mini can't compete with its bigger brother at showing the same wide range of colors, according to tests run by tech review site Anandtech.Putting the new Mini through its paces, Anandtech discovered that its color gamut hasn't changed since the first model was introduced in 2012. Further, the Retina Mini's sRGB coverage is limited compared with that of the Air and with those of rival tablets, such as the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HDX 8.9."The difference is small but apparent," Anandtech said, especially to people accustomed to the full sRGB coverage found in the Air and the Retina Display MacBook Pros and the iMac. The most visible deviations are in the red/blue and magenta colors, Anandtech noted, which can been see in a side-by-side comparison of the Mini and the Air on Anandtech's site.Why the difference in color range between the two iPads? Anandtech speculates that Apple may see the Air as a better candidate for photographers and other people concerned about color reproduction.The site gave the new Retina Mini a thumb's up for its sharpness and lack of image retention but still preferred the Air."The display looks really good otherwise, but you don't get the same visual punch you do on the iPad Air," Anandtech said. "Compared to the previous generation Mini we're obviously talking about a much better panel. But for those of you on the fence between the Mini and Air, the Air does still hold a display advantage."(Via Cult of Mac)
iPad Mini design to top Apple's earlier tablets, analyst says
iPad Mini design to top Apple's earlier tablets, analyst says
Apple's iPad Mini will come with a design that bests the company's current slate, according to an analyst."Apple did not skimp on the aesthetics of the much anticipated iPad Mini," Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White said recently in a research note obtained by All Things Digital. "In fact, we believe the iPad Mini could outshine the new iPad in terms of how the device feels in a consumer's hands."Although White didn't explain how the "feel" might be different, the iPad Mini is reportedly much smaller than the new iPad, making at least one differentiation somewhat obvious. Apple's current iPad comes with a 9.7-inch screen. The iPad Mini will reportedly ship with a 7.85-inch display, making the device itself much smaller.Earlier reports on Apple's iPad Mini have suggested that the tablet will come with the same design ideas as its bigger alternative, including a physical home button and thin bezel. White, however, seems to indicate that more features are coming.Rumors have been swirling for months over what the iPad Mini might offer and when it might finally ship. The latest reports suggest Apple could send out invites this week to a iPad Mini event, and then actually start selling the device in a couple of weeks.Although Apple hasn't confirmed that an iPad Mini will even launch, just about every analyst says that it is happening. And when it does, it could be a sales juggernaut. Just yesterday, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources, that Apple has placed over 10 million iPad Mini orders for the fourth quarter.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Apple's iPad Mini will come with a design that bests the company's current slate, according to an analyst."Apple did not skimp on the aesthetics of the much anticipated iPad Mini," Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White said recently in a research note obtained by All Things Digital. "In fact, we believe the iPad Mini could outshine the new iPad in terms of how the device feels in a consumer's hands."Although White didn't explain how the "feel" might be different, the iPad Mini is reportedly much smaller than the new iPad, making at least one differentiation somewhat obvious. Apple's current iPad comes with a 9.7-inch screen. The iPad Mini will reportedly ship with a 7.85-inch display, making the device itself much smaller.Earlier reports on Apple's iPad Mini have suggested that the tablet will come with the same design ideas as its bigger alternative, including a physical home button and thin bezel. White, however, seems to indicate that more features are coming.Rumors have been swirling for months over what the iPad Mini might offer and when it might finally ship. The latest reports suggest Apple could send out invites this week to a iPad Mini event, and then actually start selling the device in a couple of weeks.Although Apple hasn't confirmed that an iPad Mini will even launch, just about every analyst says that it is happening. And when it does, it could be a sales juggernaut. Just yesterday, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources, that Apple has placed over 10 million iPad Mini orders for the fourth quarter.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
iPad Mini branching out-
iPad Mini branching out?
A theme has emerged for iPad Mini rumors: multiple models. One version of the Mini, as prognosticated, is a thinner, lighter, faster version -- sans a Retina display.NPD DisplaySearch first anticipated this Mini update in June.As did Citi Research.Digitimes chimed in Monday with a similar rumor.Though a thinner/lighter design is not unexpected, it's still impressive, considering that the Mini is already a mere 0.28-inches (7.2mm) thick and only 308 grams. DisplaySearch claims it will have the same 1,024x768 display resolution but pack a faster A6 processor, compared with the A5 in the current Mini. The most anticipated change to the Mini of course would the addition of a Retina display.On Monday, Digitimes echoed prior comments from DisplaySearch and Citi Research, saying that the Retina version may not appear until 2014.Though that's later than many consumers would like, the supply chain is a fickle beast.It's not completely improbable that we could hear rumors next month of a Mini Retina arriving a bit sooner. And note that Digitimes spiced up its Mini Retina rumor with the prospect of "an almost bezel-free look." If true, this would indicate that Apple has big plans for the redesign. Even if it lands at stores a little later than expected, it will likely be worth the wait.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
A theme has emerged for iPad Mini rumors: multiple models. One version of the Mini, as prognosticated, is a thinner, lighter, faster version -- sans a Retina display.NPD DisplaySearch first anticipated this Mini update in June.As did Citi Research.Digitimes chimed in Monday with a similar rumor.Though a thinner/lighter design is not unexpected, it's still impressive, considering that the Mini is already a mere 0.28-inches (7.2mm) thick and only 308 grams. DisplaySearch claims it will have the same 1,024x768 display resolution but pack a faster A6 processor, compared with the A5 in the current Mini. The most anticipated change to the Mini of course would the addition of a Retina display.On Monday, Digitimes echoed prior comments from DisplaySearch and Citi Research, saying that the Retina version may not appear until 2014.Though that's later than many consumers would like, the supply chain is a fickle beast.It's not completely improbable that we could hear rumors next month of a Mini Retina arriving a bit sooner. And note that Digitimes spiced up its Mini Retina rumor with the prospect of "an almost bezel-free look." If true, this would indicate that Apple has big plans for the redesign. Even if it lands at stores a little later than expected, it will likely be worth the wait.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
iPad included in patent infringement suit
iPad included in patent infringement suit
A company that has already sued Apple over a patent on zooming and scrolling on a mobile Web browser, is now adding the iPad to the lawsuit Monday.EMG Technology, a company based in Los Angeles, sued Apple in November 2008, claiming that it owns U.S. Patent No. 7,441,196, which covers the "Apparatus and Method of Manipulating a Region on a Wireless Device Screen for Viewing, Zooming and Scrolling Internet Content." The company says the method of scrolling and zooming on a mobile Web browser was issued to Elliot Gottfurcht, one of the owners of EMG Technology, in October 2008, though the original patent was filed in 1999. The case is currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.Though the original suit targeted the iPhone, the iPad, which went on sale Saturday, is now being included. Gottfurcht said in a statement Monday that "Apple refuses to pay reasonable royalties for its use of EMG's patents relating to navigating Internet mobile websites and applications, which were filed in 1999, several years before Apple's mobile patents were filed."This is the second iPhone/iPad-related patent suit directed at Apple in a week. Last Tuesday, Elan Microelectronics accused Appleof violating a patent it owns on multitouch technology. And Apple has started its own patent skirmish with HTC, accusing the phone maker of infringing on several patents related to the iPhone's graphical interface and software.
A company that has already sued Apple over a patent on zooming and scrolling on a mobile Web browser, is now adding the iPad to the lawsuit Monday.EMG Technology, a company based in Los Angeles, sued Apple in November 2008, claiming that it owns U.S. Patent No. 7,441,196, which covers the "Apparatus and Method of Manipulating a Region on a Wireless Device Screen for Viewing, Zooming and Scrolling Internet Content." The company says the method of scrolling and zooming on a mobile Web browser was issued to Elliot Gottfurcht, one of the owners of EMG Technology, in October 2008, though the original patent was filed in 1999. The case is currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.Though the original suit targeted the iPhone, the iPad, which went on sale Saturday, is now being included. Gottfurcht said in a statement Monday that "Apple refuses to pay reasonable royalties for its use of EMG's patents relating to navigating Internet mobile websites and applications, which were filed in 1999, several years before Apple's mobile patents were filed."This is the second iPhone/iPad-related patent suit directed at Apple in a week. Last Tuesday, Elan Microelectronics accused Appleof violating a patent it owns on multitouch technology. And Apple has started its own patent skirmish with HTC, accusing the phone maker of infringing on several patents related to the iPhone's graphical interface and software.
iPad grabs more than 70 percent of China's tablet users
iPad grabs more than 70 percent of China's tablet users
Though Apple has faced legal issues in China, the iPad is by far the most popular tablet among Chinese consumers.The iPad's market share jumped to 72.6 percent in the second quarter, according to market research firm Analysys International. As reported by China Daily, that number proved to be a 20 percent rise over the first quarter of the year.The second-quarter surge was triggered by two factors, according to Analysys. The latest edition of the iPad wasn't even available for purchase in China until the second quarter. And price cuts on the iPad 2 convinced many customers to opt for the second-generation model. Related storiesApple settles iPad trademark dispute in China for $60MApple exec liked 7-inch iPad, Steve Jobs reported open to the ideaiPad, MacBook torpedoing ultrabook sales, says analystBest 5 tabletsIn second place behind Apple was Lenovo with 8.4 percent of the Chinese tablet market. Samsung followed with a 3.5 percent share in the second quarter.The iPad's total worldwide market share for the second quarter was recently pegged at 68.2 percent by IDC, up slightly from a year ago.At the same time the iPad has proven a hit among Chinese users, Apple has bumped into legal skirmishes in the country.The company recently had to shell out $60 million to settle a dispute with Proview Technology over the iPad trademark. Apple also now faces a patent infringement suit in China over its Facetime video technology.
Though Apple has faced legal issues in China, the iPad is by far the most popular tablet among Chinese consumers.The iPad's market share jumped to 72.6 percent in the second quarter, according to market research firm Analysys International. As reported by China Daily, that number proved to be a 20 percent rise over the first quarter of the year.The second-quarter surge was triggered by two factors, according to Analysys. The latest edition of the iPad wasn't even available for purchase in China until the second quarter. And price cuts on the iPad 2 convinced many customers to opt for the second-generation model. Related storiesApple settles iPad trademark dispute in China for $60MApple exec liked 7-inch iPad, Steve Jobs reported open to the ideaiPad, MacBook torpedoing ultrabook sales, says analystBest 5 tabletsIn second place behind Apple was Lenovo with 8.4 percent of the Chinese tablet market. Samsung followed with a 3.5 percent share in the second quarter.The iPad's total worldwide market share for the second quarter was recently pegged at 68.2 percent by IDC, up slightly from a year ago.At the same time the iPad has proven a hit among Chinese users, Apple has bumped into legal skirmishes in the country.The company recently had to shell out $60 million to settle a dispute with Proview Technology over the iPad trademark. Apple also now faces a patent infringement suit in China over its Facetime video technology.
Apple Mac Pro ship date pushed back to April
Apple has pushed back the delivery of its high-end Mac Pro computer to April. The listing for the sleek, black, cylindrical computer on the company's US online store shows that both the Quad-Core and 6-Core versions of the Mac Pro won't be available to ship until April. Previously, ship dates were posted for February but then were pushed back to March.The device, which is 9.9 inches tall and weighs 11 pounds, went on sale in December. The computer comes with a hefty price tag, starting at $2,999 and customization add-ons that can push the cost up as high as $9,599.Apple has touted the Mac Pro as a "Made In USA" device; the company said in October that it will build the computer at its Texas facility. Reportedly, the Mac Pro is a limited-production product for Apple.Ship dates have been pushed back in other markets as well, including Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, and the UK. While Apple is now posting April shipping, it's possible this date could be moved again.[Via Computerworld].
Apple looks to Beijing for new store opening
Apple is opening a third retail store in Beijing on Saturday.The company over the weekend updated its Chinese store Web site announcing the impending opening of the Wangfujing store in Beijing. According to Apple, the store will open at 9 a.m. local time on Saturday.The Wangfujing store is in the Dongcheng district in Beijing. Apple already has stores in the Chaoyang and Xicheng districts.Apple has been rapidly expanding its retail presence in and around China. Back in June, a report surfaced saying that Apple would open two new brick-and-mortar stores in Chengdu and Shenzhen this year, though it wasn't clear when that might happen.The company last month opened its second Hong Kong store.The company's expansion into China follows increased investment in Apple's products by that country's consumers. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that China has become the company's second-biggest market behind the U.S.(Via 9to5Mac)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)