January 2010
54 posts
The latest iteration of smart... hello smartwatch
this whole smart thing is getting waaaaaay outta hand…
it’s basically a blackberry in your watch, in case you’re an addicted athelete and just have to check your email when you’re running, playing squash, or skiing, and no way you wanna take your blackberry wit ya.
http://crackberry.com/inpulse-smartwatch-blackberry-gets-official-now-available-pre-order
NEW MUSIC ALERT: M.I.A. tweets her new trax, and...
Ok, so there’s a siren or two, but generally this is kind of a different sound for M
And love twitter as the new mode for music distribution
http://www.twitvid.com/B54ED
The hard drive to take us into the cloud era
We talk alot about the era of cloud computing, like how in a few years you aren’t going to need to store anything on your desktop because it’ll all be stored on a server up in the sky. the benefit of which you can get your stuff no matter where you are, on whatever screen you want… your phone, your laptop, or yer grandma’s apple IIc.
But what about all that stuff...
Inside the Apple numbers: content drives hardware
Everyone as been wowing about Apple’s latest blow-yer-friggin-mind results. Just this morning on CNBC they were oohing and ahhing about how far they have come, waxing nostalgic about their huge growth from years ago.
What’s surprising though if you go inside the numbers is that their hugely successful iTunes and App stores have actually not made any profit. Yeah billions and...
Hello Music and hello record label model for the...
People like to say that digital music has killed the traditional music model… namely record labels who find and sign artists, develop them, market them, and then manufacture their recordings, and then distribute them for huge profits.
They say that digital music has made music more DIY and any independent artist can blow up overnight. And while that’s awesome and true, the irony is...
A documentary about a documentary: Banksy at...
How Banksy is that. Some frenchy tries to make a documentary about you and your ground breaking but undercover graffiti art and then you turn around and actually make it about them trying to make a documentary about you.
Mutiny!
Here’s the trailer for the new Banksy documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop”.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8471120.stm
More mainstream indie-ness: Sundance 2010
Just reading about new director of Sundance 2010 John Cooper, and a new section called NEXT focused on “low or no budget films”. Partly a result of alot of major studios shuttering their indie labels.
Stupid is the new Smart
Just taking a look and having a think about Diesel’s new ad campaign “Be Stupid”, which aims to inspire consumers to free themselves from their supposed self-repression that we are all supposed to be in as a result of the recession.
Free themselves to go spend their money on stuff they don’t need, like Diesel clothes.
It is a classic “rebellion” campaign...
Your own personal dashboard for the real time web
It’s crazy to think about how fast the web expands every minute. How many gigs are uploaded to this amorphous world every hour. It’s actually quite over-whelming.
Everyone should have their own personal dashboard.
Well now there is a a great new way to track everything that is happening on the web across 5 key categories:
real time search (like what people are saying on...
Indie solidifies itself as the new mainstream as...
So the whole indie music aesthetic going mass thing has been a growing trend over the last couple of years, what with the popularity of shows like the OC, movies like Garden State, and increasing popularity of bands like Death Cab for Cutie.
But that trend is no longer emerging. It is now fully mainstream. Vampire Weekend’s new record Contra is the new #1 selling record on the Billboard...
Follow-up: Apple design takes it cue from Braun...
In a post yesterday we talked about Deiter Rams and his design work for classic Braun products, and used that to spark some debate around how tech design has changed, and if in fact it’s uglier and/or not as good.
The exception to current tech design we pointed out of course was Apple.
However, our buddy and fellow philer Crabs pointed out this article from last week on Gizmodo, which...
The beauty of retro technology: has tech become...
Just see now that there is a new retrospective book out about the influential German designer Dieter Rams called “Less is More”. Rams was probably best known for his 40 years of work on electronics products for Braun. His work ranged from Braun lighters, calculators and electric shavers to stereo amplifiers and 35 mm film slide projectors.
It got me thinking about an...
NEW MUSIC ALERT: Another new Salt & Samovar...
Bing takes maps to real-time
Aside from the fact it’s like the first demo vid that I have seen that doesn’t feature San Francisco, it also adds a real time dynamic… it overlays events and happenings at local places and hotspots like bars, music venues, restaurants, museums etc.
You can sort it all sorts of ways, by genre of event - art, music, etc. You can even cut it by time of day or evening… say...
NEW MUSIC ALERT: Exclusive new Salt & Samovar...
The latest example of our fascination with...
We’ve talked alot on this blog about how smartphones and always on connectivity is changing how we live. This geek likes to use the example of the Times Sq. bomb threat back in December, and how with Twitter you were able to read eye witness accounts and see pictures a good 15-20 minutes before any of the major news orgs like CNN or NY Times.
Well an interesting post on PSFK made this...
Digital history made today with the first...
Today, about Haiti
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/01/18/obamas-first-tweet-makes-presidential-history/
Can you believe there are only 11 minutes of...
If you’re a football fan - particularly a Jets fan (like this Geek) - then now is an exciting time.
But an email from a friend today surprised and shocked this Football geek because it contained an interesting fact.
According to the Wall Street Journal, there are only 11 minutes of playing time in every football game. Wait arent those broadcasts like 4 hours long? That’s because...
FoursquareX: The first social network that began...
When most people started using a social networking site like Facebook or Myspace or (if you are really old like this geek) like “gasp” Friendster way back in the dark ages, it was through their laptop or PC, and it was only at certain times etc. that they would sign in, maybe search for some friends, upload some pics, and then sign out.
That fragmented social networking behavior has...
This geek last night
A really good map of the social media landscape
Soju: by far the worst hangover
Forget these ads for soju featuring nice innocent looking girls enjoying a little glass of innocent looking liquid, this stuff is lethal.
Actually these ads are a good metaphor for how it works because your first sip it tastes very clean and not strong, so you have another sip, and before you know it you are wailing like a screaming baby into a karaoke microphone.
Uggh.
Intel's Atom and the new tech model of giving...
Just reading yesterday about Intel’s 2009 results, and how their bet on the new, cheaper atom processor chip really paid off for them. In case you are not familiar, it’s a more lightweight processor than its centrino or core 2 duo brethren, and is the chip in alot of netbooks, the new breed of laptop which basically is smaller, lighter, cheaper and pretty much good for just surfing...
Groupon and the power of collective buying
If you haven’t checked out Groupon yet, you should. Basically they have a really aswesome coupon type deals, and this isn’t for like 99 cents off your next bulk toilet paper buy, this is for big, cool, purchases like fiddy off your next Fresh Direct order and facial and spa treatments at cool spas and stuff.
But what’s cool about it is what makes it work: collective buying...
Now your favorite artist can ride shotgun
More crazy car innovation for 2011, from Gracenote, a company that keeps a database of all recorded music (i.e. how iTunes recognizes the names of songs when you stick in a CD).
Basically the gist is that you can select a different artist to be your own personal dj and master of “car-emonies” (sorry, had to), where they create mixes and select tracks for you to hear, all the while...
Now, this is what I call innovation: the...
The enemy of the buzzkill.
http://www.urbandaddy.com/ntl/fooddrink/8338/Sneak_It_In_Disposable_Flasks_Introducing_the_Disposable_Flask_National_NTL_Product
New Music Alert: Stream Spoon's entire new record...
Yeah yeah yeah, we know, we gave you the heads up on this new Spoon record way back in early December.
But NPR is streaming the entire album today, so go check it out…
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122279793
New Music Alert: Dirty Projectors are giving away...
Dirty Projectors’ art rock vibe was basically THE thing in indepedent music in 2009. In addition to being celebrated in NY Mag’s big brooklyn band issue last year, they also enjoy their elite status as one of David Byrne’s collaborators.
And now you can download free their new 7” which comes out today on their website.
http://www.dirtyprojectors.net/
It's a 3D movie! It's a 3D TV! It's a 3D......
A great example of when these kinds of consumer products - beauty products like hairdye or personal hygiene like toothpaste - try to tap into and market themselves as a “technology”.
Like what Crest is doing in trying to tap into the current 3D craze with their new “3D White Smile” toothpaste and Whitestrip products.
According to the website, here is what 3D white...
Cloud music comes to the car with Pandora
One of the big headlines from the CES tech show was how basically Ford is bringing the internet to the car with their “myford” dashboard where you can run mobile apps like twitter.
That’s cool, but what this music nerd thinks is really cool is that Pandora will be one of these apps, which introduces a whole new kind of music experience in the car that has previously been...
Google's Near Me Now: local search aggregation
Google, google, google. It’s like all we talk about around here is friggin google.
Well, it’s for a reason. Some of the things they do are pretty friggin useful.
We’ve talked a bunch on the phile about the huge opportunity of location based services and search.
Google just launched a new local search application for Android and iPhone called “Near Me Now”. ...
Google's customer service problems with the Nexus...
Alot of people rip on the current cellphone business model because the 2 year contract commitments make them feel like hostages. And also the device exclusivity thing, you have to go with a certain carrier sometimes to get a certain device. Like the carriers are the man and hold the people down.
Well, Google set out with the Nexus One to change all that by selling direct to consumers without...
Proof that the only thing people have felt good...
A follow up to my Alien vs. Predator post yesterday… an article which refers to how different leading tech brands like Apple, Google, etc. have “armies”… and while it makes sense given Pew’s research results showing that tech is the only thing people feel good about over the last ten years, still kind of crazy how crazy people get. If only marketers of dogfood and...
Forget Spotify or Lala... Thumbplay kicks off the...
Seems like everyone and anyone is only talking about Apple or Google these days, so good for Blackberry that this was announced today…
http://www.fiercewireless.com/ceslive/story/thumbplay-turns-unlimited-music-service/2010-01-07
New Music Alert: Dunes and the Shoegaze sound of...
Man what is up with all this 90s stuff going on now in music? I know I’ve gone off on this before but c’mon this is getting rediculous…
Got a great tweet today about a cool new band called Dunes with an EP coming out on the awesome Mexican Summer label (the label that gave us the Chillwave genre). Dunes are all about the Shoegaze sound… Bloody Valentine, Galaxie 500,...
The last decade rated the worst in 50 years,...
Here’s the link to the full research report
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/04/technology/04drill.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
If you could make an app, what would it be?
You know those Revenge of the Nerds movies have sort of come true? Geeks have sort of inherited the earth? All the hype about how Geeks are the new cool today? Geek chic is a major fashion trend?
So if it’s cool to be a geek today, then what does that mean if you aren’t a geek? That you’re a post-modern nerd? Whatever…
Point is: Now everyone can be cool and be a...
How Apple vs. Google is like an Alien vs. Predator...
A comment from a fellow geek named Crabs on the recent phile post about the Nexus One Google phone & Spotify rumor got me thinking.
In his comment he noted that Google’s desire for Spotify is probably in reaction to Apple’s recent purchase of Lala (another cloud streaming music service). As in a battle for who wins the new music model war is starting to shape up. And then I...
The age of immersive video: what will gaming be...
Big article in NY Times today about new 3D TV trend. We’ve talked about this new 3D world before on this blog as a new world of immersive video. Question is… what will gaming be like in this new world of immersive video?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/business/media/06tele.html?hp
Android is now the most desired mobile OS behind...
Wow! Look how far Android has come in the last three months. According to Changewave Research, now 21% of people who plan to get a smartphone say they want an android phone (droid anyone?) It’s now the 2nd most desired kind of operating system in a mobile phone behind the iPhone.
New Music Tuesday Alert: Vampire Weekend and the...
The band Vampire Weekend has a new record out today called Contra. And while that’s interesting what’s more important is what it represents: a larger resurgence in Afrobeat music, the African fusion sound born in the 1970’s in Nigeria by Fela Kuti, largely credited as the godfather of Afrobeat. It is a sound that is resonating elsewhere, in other bands like Foals, TV on the...
Will Google's Nexus One Smartphone change how we...
OK so Google can’t seem to blink without garnering massive headlines. The Nexus One, which is Google’s latest smartphone announcement has been getting a lot of them recently.
But the biggest news about the Nexus One might not have anything to do with Google at all. It has to do with a rumor that Spotify, the holy grail of streaming music that just might usher in the next big...
Are you cool enough for a "digital cleanse"?
Apparently John Mayer is. From 9am January 1st to Jan 8th, he will cut out all twittering, smartphoning, social networking yada yada yada, and basically attempt to live like people did just a few years ago. Using a cellphone to make a call, sending emails from a real computer, etc.
No I’m not a Mayer fan. But… this is an interesting case.
So much hype is made these days about...