When I switched my home computing empire from my dying home-built, full tower PC to my new 24-inch slab o’ sex iMac everything went pretty smoothly. I managed to transfer all the files I cared about over, and Google Browser Sync made setting up my new copy of Firefox so easy I was kind of left with a “that’s it?!” feeling. I left the PC running, but I haven’t had to jump on it yet, so I’m about to rip out the hard drives and toss it.
The biggest part of the move from my perspective was my iTunes library. Firstly, let me say yes, I use iTunes. I know some ubergeeks who scoff at such an idea, but I don’t know what they are trying to do with their digital music that I can’t do in iTunes. Most importantly, I figured out some sweet-ass “smart” playlists that made it easy for me to play the sort of thing that suited my mood at any given moment.
Which brings us to the point. Continue reading ‘Goal Oriented’
May I humbly recommend that you point your web browsing application on over to Saul William’s new album The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!, which was produced by Trent Reznor (Mister Nine Inch Nails to you) and is available as either a free download in 192Kbps MP3 format or a $5 download that lets you pick between the 192, 320Kbps MP3, or lossless FLAC formats.
Now, if you ask me, $5 is just about the perfect price for an audio experience such as this. That’s pretty much what I paid for the new Radiohead thing, too. It’s even more pleasant when I know the money actually going to the artist.
And not only do you get to feel good about “sticking it to the man” by circumventing the record companies, you’ll also get what I consider a rather enjoyable album. (Added bonus: Somehow the MP3s have lyrics/blurbs that show up on the iPod. This is magic to me.)
Just a couple quick hits worth noting:
- This morning I gave Radiohead two British pounds for the digital download of their new album, In Rainbows. They let you pick your own price. I put mine on the low side because I’m only a marginal Radiohead fan (and the album web site is a pain in the ass). It’s still more than five times the $0.74 per CD music artists supposedly get from the labels (if they’re lucky).
- Say what you will about the French, they sure have talented news anchors (careful, boobies!).
You know what else I like?
The new Amazon MP3 Music Downloads thingy, that’s what. Prices are roughly similar to iTunes Music Store and there’s no DRM whatsoever.
Hotness on a bun. (Y’know… As far as buying music goes. I still say buy directly from the artist if at all possible.)
The boss at Yahoo! Music agrees:
But now, eight years later, Amazon’s finally done what was clearly the right solution in 1999. Music in the format that people actually want it in, with a Web-based experience that’s simple and works with any device. I bought tracks from Amazon (Kevin Drew
and No Age), downloaded them, sync’d them to my new iPod Nano, and had them playing in my home audio system (Control 4) in less than five minutes. PRAISE JESUS. It only took 8 years.
8 years. How much opportunity have we lost in those 8 years? How much naivety and hubris did we have when we said, “if we build it they will come�? What did we spend? And what did we gain? We certainly didn’t gain mass user adoption or trust, two prerequisites to success on the Internet.
I’m also still a big fan of Amazon Unbox with its $4 “rentals” that download straight to my TiVo.
That’s sexy, too.
Well, Amy Winehouse is finally going to rehab (”No, no, no!“). Mad props to WWTDD for summing up the story perfectly:
Winehouse, who collapsed last week after taking a cocktail of heroin, ecstasy, cocaine and the horse tranquillizer ketamine, is now thought to be wait did that fucking say “heroin, ecstasy, cocaine and the horse tranquillizer ketamine”? HOLY SHIT!
…
This story about a porn star called Mia Rose being banned from World of Warcraft for… um… being a porn star is hilarious. Where’s the logic in that? Wouldn’t you want people to think hot sluts played your game?
…
David Allen should be announcing the winner of his tattoo giveaway today. Of course I entered, but I’m really rooting for his mom.
Have I mentioned my man-crush on Henry Rollins? I have, haven’t I?
When you hear a Stooges track or a Buzzcocks track or a Ramones track or a track by the Fall, or what have you, in a car ad, some people, whenever that happens, I get a letter saying “What a sellout.” And I say “no man, we’ve arrived.” The person making that ad grew up on that music. You’re no longer confined to interstitial, instrumental music, you’re gonna get Iggy Pop and the Teddy Bears singing I’m a punk rocker to sell a car. What would you rather hear? Some wanky keyboard or Iggy and the Teddy Bears? I know which one I’d rather hear, and I just hope they get paid quickly and double scale, because it’s about time.
Russell Simmons was pure gold on his show’s last episode, too.
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