@methodshop

"Jef Raskin, the human-computer interface expert largely credited with beginning the Macintosh project for Apple Computer, died Saturday at age 61" [Via CNet]

Raskin, who named the Macintosh after his favorite fruit, joined Apple in January 1978 as employee No. 31.

Famed UI designer dead at 61! What a shame to one of the most credited and copied people or "styles" in UI trends for modern and future technology.

Jef Raskin, named the Mac after his most favorite fruit. This man new graphics and ease-of-use would be the future of UI design for all to come. He left Apple after development of the Mac after Steve Jobs had reportedly had conflicting issues with Raskin. Raskin claims much of what he initially conceptualized he had seen from Xerox, though originality in the Mac was evident from start to finish.

After leaving Apple, Raskin designed Canon Cat. This striped down computing device didn’t succeed and many blame this on the poor marketing, but non-the-less, Raskin was a pioneer and example setter for all technology and those who inspire to create as he did. His influence can be seen in almost every modern technology we use today.

Does anyone who works at Amazon.com ever read the user reviews? I posted this tongue-in-cheek review of a David Hasselhoff CD on October 16, 2002. I expected it to be deleted immediately but almost 3 years later not only is the review still online, but so far 2 people have rated my review as helpful. Thank you guys, I'm honored... and scared.

The review is titled:
David Hasselhoff is musical magic personified....

"David Hasselhoff is musical magic personified. This album just proves that he can do much more than just act. It's hard to believe that so many people in America have overlooked Hasselhoff's musical talents. Probably the most exciting track on this album is the Night Rocker [Extended Blaster-Mix]. The first time I heard this song I fell in love with it. I probably played it 20 times over and over again. I just close my eyes and dream of being behind the wheels of KITT from the TV show Knight Rider. I can smell burning rubber with the wind blowing in my 80's feathered chest hair while gently touching the turbo boost. Hasselhoff really knows how to capture the emotions of love and excitement in song. I'm still excited!" [Amazon.com]

methodshop

Labels: music, offbeat, review

Newcomer Michael Lord scores big with his debut album of melodic modern rock, Sway. The multi-instrumentalist wrote, produced, sang and played on his album, which cradles sumptuous arrangements in a fragile, but rocking sonic embrace.

Tracks from Sway have found their way into ABC's "ALIAS," and MTV's teen oriented "Laguna Beach." Michael is currently working on pilots for ABC and FOX. His first video for SWAY's lead track "Come To Me," features Terminator 3's Kristanna Loken.

iTunes has selected the song "Smile" to be the free download of the week. Smile is an upbeat and atmospheric piano-and-guitar tune about the light at the end of the relationship tunnel. Enjoy.

Download the free song here:

A Smith Barney equities analyst said that Apple is not likely to buy TIVO based on discussions with Apple senior management. According to the analyst, Apple is committed to proven technologies, like the iPod and DVD-R.

Wall Street is rife with speculation that Apple will acquire TIVO as part of its strategy of owning the 'hub to the digital lifestyle.' With a market cap of $300 MM, many analysts opine that TIVO is a cheap buy. Shares of TIVO, while up in recently over such speculation, are down almost 25% since the start of 2005. If the rumors are indeed unfounded and TIVO's stock drops, short sellers will find themselves handsomely rewarded.

Tech companies, from HP to Microsoft, are racing to own the digital home with its focus on the computer as the home centerpiece.

Who will rule the digital living room of the future? If rumors serve true, it could be Apple.

TiVo's CEO, Michael Ramsay, claims that his company is not for sale, but with a market cap of only $300 million, TiVo is basically a garage sale bargain. This is especially true for a company with a massive cash stockpile like Apple. Other companies considering scooping up TiVo include Comcast, Time Warner Inc., Sony and Liberty Media. Surprisingly Microsoft hasn't jumped on the bandwagon yet.

However, the idiots running TiVo have yet to make a profit despite having a great product. It's hard to believe Apple would want to acquire such a money-losing business unless it would fit into a bigger plan they secretly have in the works. In fact the only thing Apple and TiVo seem to have in common is a focus on the customer. One potential hurdle for Apple, would to maintain their darling status with content providers. The enormous success of the iTunes Music Store has made everyone happy from the artists and record companies to the consumer. TiVo, on the other hand, has pissed off everyone from TV and Film studios with their sloppy DRM strategy to advertisers with their commercial skipping abilities. Buying TiVo would require Apple to fix TiVo's DRM problems and please both content providers and consumers. Currently this is beyond the skills and vision of TiVo management. TiVo can't even enable AAC audio playback on their settop boxes or Macintosh compatibility for their TiVoToGo feature. Maybe it is time for someone with brain cells to take the reins at TiVo.

So will Apple buy TiVo? Could there be an iTunes like Movie/TV download store in the future? Rumors continue to fly while representatives from both companies continue to decline comment.

In the meantime, shares of TiVo have shot up 17%.

Apple has shaken up its the iPod world again and unveiled a new iPod Mini lineup including a 4GB model priced at just $199 and a new 6GB model priced at $249. Several improvements have been made to the new iPod Mini.

Both iPod Mini models feature a better 18 hour battery. This should be good news considering battery life has been a common complaint against the iPod.

In an effort to cozy up better with PC users, the iPod Mini can now charge and sync via one simple USB 2.0 connection.

The iPod Mini includes the following accessories:

• earbud headphones
• a belt clip case
• USB 2.0 cable
• CD with iTunes software.

Additional accessories include:

• USB power adapter
• iPod Dock
• in-ear headphones
• arm band
• lanyard
  
• FireWire
  

Our friends at iPoditude.com report that "The Mini armband will be available in five new colors (grey, orange, yellow, blue, and pink) in addition to the existing black one. These fancy blood pressure monitor cuffs will be shipping in 5-7 weeks for $29. Wouldn't it be a good idea to add some reflective material on them for added visibility at night when jogging or during drunken stumbles?

Apple also announced a new iPod Mini lanyard. This device looks pretty handy but details are scant. It attaches to the dock on the bottom and has an adjustable length lanyard... It ships in 5-7 weeks and will run $19."

As always, you can get a free laser engraving on your iPod if you purchase it from the Apple Store. Just be careful what you ask to get engraved. Apple has a history of rejecting certain engravings (Article: Rejected iPod Engravings). Think it through ahead of time, your engraving is limited to two lines of text with a maximum of 23 characters per line.

Both the 4GB and 6GB models are available in the following colors: silver, pink, blue or green.

As of today, the new iPod lineup consists of the following:

• iPod Shuffle 512MB, $99
• iPod Shuffle 1GB, $149
• iPod Mini 4GB, $199
• iPod Mini 6GB, $249
• iPod 20GB, $299
• iPod U2 20 GB = $349
• iPod Photo 30GB, $349
• iPod Photo 60GB, $449
  

As if the iPod Shuffle isn't tasty looking enough...

With its sleek design and simplistic appeal, the iPod Shuffle and it's price are sitting nice with consumers. One thing though that is boring about the Shuffle is it's lack of color choices like the iPod Mini provides.

If you want individualized style instantly applied for truly unique appearance, check out the DecalGirl fixtures. These non-gooey adhesives come in an array of colors and patterns, and quickly allow you to jazz up the drab white of the Flash based iPod Shuffle.

These 'dress-up kits' are washable and extremely cheap to purchase. A single kit to spruce up your iPod is only $2.99.

According to The Drudge Report, Paris Hilton's T-Mobile Sidekick cellphone was hacked and all its contents, from celebrity cell phone numbers to nude photos, were posted on the Internet.

Paris' Sidekick buddies from the T-Mobile commercials (Snoop, Wayne Newton, Wee-Man, etc.) might want to think twice before handing out their numbers again to Ms. Hilton.

One angry celeb grunted to Drudge, "I gave her my number after we met in Miami, I did not know she f**king kept it on her cellphone!"

After recieving a flood of phone calls from curious fans, scores of A-list celebrities, including  Lindsay Lohan, Christina Aguilera, Andy Roddick, Victoria Gotti, Vin Diesel, Eminem, Anna Kournikova, and Ashlee Simpson, are now all scrambling to change their cell phone numbers.

But the address book is the least of Hilton's problems. The hacker was also able to download all of Hilton's personal cell phone photos, including several of her engaging in sexual acts with another woman.




Download Photos

Labels: mobile, pics

It seems like the world is stuck in a permanent iPod fever. First everyone couldn't get enough of the iPod Mini at Christmas time. Then after the holiday shopping season calmed down, iPod demand seemed to get back to normal. But not for long. The iPod Shuffle was announced and we started all over again.

Myself, like plenty of other people I'm sure, ordered the iPod Shuffle the day it was announced in January. It was a pre-order, but I had a gift certificate for Amazon that I wanted to use. Plus, Apple said they had already produced enough to satisfy initial demand... or so they thought. The iPod Shuffle proved to be a little popular than they first predicted and once again, only a month after Christmas, there's an iPod shortage.

I'm trying to be patient. I keep checking my online order status. The current ship date is estimated around March 19th. Great, two months later I might get to see my iPod Shuffle. I contacted Amazon about canceling the order and getting a refund for my gift certificate. Apparently that's a little too difficult for them to coordinate. After getting the run-around by Amazon's customer service department, I decided just to be patient and wait. I hope there's not another iPod announcement before my Shuffle shows up.

In the meantime, I continue to be tortured by everyone else's iPod fever. The iPod Shuffle is selling like hotcakes. This past Saturday I visited the Apple Store in Short Hills, NJ. Store employees couldn't bring carts full of the iPod Shuffle to the check-out counter fast enough. People walked into the store and got right in line. I just watched while quietly regretting placing the pre-order in the first place. Sometimes gift certificates can be more of a pain than they are worth.

The fever for an iPod Shuffle can probably be understood at an Apple store, but the craze has expanded to other retailers as well. People like me who pre-ordered the Shuffle the day it was announced are probably still waiting. If you are thinking about ordering an iPod Shuffle, don't. Just go buy it at your local Apple Store if they have any in stock (I suggest calling them first). Every other retailer is sold out of the iPod shuffle including Amazon. This is what it says on Amazon's iPod Shuffle page: "In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served." I ordered mine 10 minutes after Steve Jobs got off stage. You would think I'd be somewhere in front of the line. Guess not.

Apparently the only people able to get their hands on iPods are the dorks up in Redmond at Microsoft HQ. A report on Wired.com by Cult of Mac reporter Leander Kahney, details the popularity of the iPod with Microsoft employees and how upper management at Redmond keeps trying to discourage their use. It's estimated that about 80% of the 25,000 Microsoft employees in Redmond, Washington have iPods.

"About 80 percent of Microsoft employees who have a portable music player have an iPod," said one source, a high-level manager who asked to remain anonymous. "It's pretty staggering.

So concerned is management, owning an iPod at Microsoft is beginning to become impolitic, the manager said. Employees are hiding their iPods by swapping the telltale white headphones for a less conspicuous pair."

Maybe Microsoft will all together ban the iPod and help relieve some of the market demand. I'd like to get my Shuffle in the mail before Spring if possible.

On February 16th, Peter Jennings, the face of ABC News got to sit down with Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and talk about the future of the technology industry and what role Microsoft might have in it. Jennings didn't hold back and asked Gates about several sore subjects for his company including the success of FireFox, Google and the iPod.

Here's a portion of the transcript:

JENNINGS: On the subject of music, I read somewhere that about 80 percent of Microsoft employees who have a music playing instrument or a music playing device use an iPod.

GATES: Well, I doubt that's the case. Certainly, the iPod's a great success.

JENNINGS: Do you have one?

GATES: No, I'm not an iPod user. I use the Creative Zen which is a fantastic product. That's another space where, even what we have today, whether it's iPod or the other things are only the start of what we're gonna have in a few years. People are gonna want choices. These things are going to be smaller or better, cheaper. So, music has changed. The age of the CD is really coming to an end.

JENNINGS: The public likes this tension between you and the others as I'm sure you know. So people want to know do you have an iPod. You say you don't have. Did iPod beat you in this issue?

GATES: Oh the iPod did a great job, but what Apple's done there is typically what they do. It's their, only their one music store, only their device. What we're doing is providing choices. So it's like the Apple computer versus the PC. With the PC you can buy from many companies so you get cheaper prices, you get more variety and here with music devices we're coming in with the same. But they're a strong leader in the space and I think as we gain share, people will be surprised.

JENNINGS: But, it isn't hard for you is it to stand back and compliment somebody else?

GATES: No, particularly Steve Jobs who's done a lot of amazing things in our business.

JENNINGS: I've heard some people say that if they were graduating from science or technology today, they'd rather work for Jobs than Microsoft. Why do you think that might be true?

GATES: Well it's certainly not the case. You found a very unusual data point there. In terms of software that's going to change lives and the most interesting software work in the world we're able to attract the smartest people and believe me, that's something that we track very, very carefully. When it comes to having the best software people, that's been the key to our success.

BeSocial: methodshop

Labels: ipod

Notice a lot of white earbuds lately? You should have. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, about 22 million US adults have an iPod or an MP3 player.

Yes 22 million MP3 players! That's a lot of music walking around our streets. But what's that number in comparison to the total population? Drum roll please... 11% of the US adult population. However this 11% includes all MP3 players not just the iPod.

But how many MP3 players out of that 11% are iPods? Let's break it down. According to a report on MSN's Money Central, the NPD Group says Apple controls 92% of the U.S. and about 60% of the global portable MP3 player market. Not a bad feat for Apple Computer. So roughly 20 million people in the US own iPods. Wow. Three years ago their stock sold for $11. Today it's in the upper $80's and about to split 2-for-1. If only we all had time machines.

Related Link: iPod People = 1-in-10 US Adults

When Miguel Merrano first came to Mirror Valley, the land was green and lush...and off limits to Mexicans. Ranchers Tom Drake and Joe Stangle tried to drive Merrano out, to fence him out; and when he warned them that greed and overgrazing would ruin their land, they refused to listen. Now Merrano's predictions have come true. The cattle are hollow ribbed and dying. And Stangle and Drake are broke... flat broke. Only Merrano's ranch is thriving. As the ranchers watch him pay for goods in gold and sell his cattle at a profit, their hatred grows and festers...until they finally draw their guns, neighbor against neighbor, in a desperate act that could tear the valley apart forever.

Download the free audiobook here:

The GRAMMYs are over but all the winners' songs and albums are all in the iTunes Music Store. Winning albums are on sale starting at $7.99. Also online is a live version of the song "Across the Universe" which was performed by Bono, Stevie Wonder, Norah Jones, Brian Wilson, Alicia Keys, Scott Weiland, Billie Joe Armstrong, Steven Tyler, Alison Krauss amoung others that night. All proceeds earned from the sale of this song goes to benefit INICEF's ongoing tsunami relief efforts.

According to a Wired News report, Melanie Griffith threw a celebrity hissy-fit when she found out that the pink iPod Mini was out of stock. She demanded an iPod and said that all Apple Stores "have a special stock of iPods for people like her."

People like her? What is that? Aging Hollywood starlets with too much plastic surgery? Hey Melanie, get in the back of the line with the rest of us. Everybody wants an iPod.

Are they just trying to get hyped or is it all for real? Taking their name from a member of the Manson family and locking themselves in a remote farmhouse to record their album, Kasabian ensured that lore and mystery would precede the release of their debut album. It's not set to hit stores until March, but you can get an early preview of this Leicester, England four-piece by downloading their free single "Club Foot" from the iTunes Music Store this week.

Download the free song here:

Just when you thought Google couldn't get any better, they launched an amazing online mapping service this week. Also newsworthy, MapQuest crapped their pants.

If you have yet to play with Google Maps, don't waste time and go check it out. The service is still in beta, so expect a few glitches and make sure you download the FireFox web browser first (even Google thinks Internet Explorer sucks!). Also please note that Google Maps currently only supports U.S. addresses.

After checking it out, I'm sure you will agree that Google Maps isn't only a great mapping tool, but it's fun to navigate and has great graphics. You will probably want to bookmark it and make it part of your normal routine. Savvy Mac OS X users may even want to integrate it into their Address Book.

Here's how:

1. Launch up Script Editor (Applications > AppleScript > Script Editor)
2. Select New from the File menu to create a new empty script
   
3. Copy the code listed below in-between the "--Start" and "--End" comments
4. Paste this code into the blank empty script in Script Editor
5. Save the script in your ~/Library/Address Book Plug-Ins/ directory and name it "Google Map Of.scpt"
   
6. If the Address Book application is open, quit it
7. Launch Address Book and select someone with a U.S. address
   
8. Right-click or control-click on an address and select 'Google Map Of (Firefox)' from the pop-up menu
9. FireFox should open up with a map
10. Enjoy
    

AppleScript Code from MacOSXHints.com:

-- Start
property googleMaps : "http://maps.google.com/maps?q="

using terms from application "Address Book"

on action property
return "address"
end action property

on action title for p with v
return "Google Map Of (Firefox)"
end action title

on should enable action for p with v
return true
end should enable action

on perform action for p with v
set params to ""
if street of v is not missing value then set params to params & street of v & " "
if city of v is not missing value then set params to params & city of v & " "
if state of v is not missing value then set params to params & state of v & " "
if zip of v is not missing value then set params to params & zip of v & " "
try
tell application "Firefox"
OpenURL googleMaps & params
activate
end tell
on error
display dialog "You must have Firefox installed to use this plug-in."
end try
end perform action

end using terms from
-- End

Story Posted by the newest online men's magazine,
Pimpwiz.com

"We know that FreeiPods.com isn’t entirely a scam, in the sense that they have been sending out free iPods to people who manage to complete the offer and are able to sucker convince five friends to do the same, but if you felt uncomfortable with the whole thing before, we have some news that isn’t going to make you feel any better. Internet privacy certifier TRUSTe has done something it rarely ever does and asked Gratis Networks, the company behind FreeiPods.com (and many of those other free stuff sites), to remove TRUSTe’s privacy seal of approval from all of its sites, saying that the company “violated promises involving the protection of children’s information and changed how it managed the private information of its customers without adequately notifying them.” Plenty of people have complained about getting tons of spam after signing up for one of Gratis Networks’ offers, but this is the first time in at least two years that TRUSTe has brought down the hammer like this so we’re guessing they must have done something a smidge worse than just selling their email list. You get what you pay for, dude.

P.S. - Don’t be lame and post your “free iPod!” spam in the comments." [Via engadget.com]

We tried to tell you;-)

"About 80 percent of Microsoft employees who have a portable music player have an iPod," said one source, a high-level manager who asked to remain anonymous. "It's pretty staggering."

Full story from Wired.

"Apple has released a second iTunes New Music Sampler album. The free 16-song compilation features music from Death Cab for Cutie, Simple Plan, Skindred, and more." [Via IPODLOUNGE]

The only thing better than free is...........well nothing, nothing is better than free. That's just crazy talk.

Click here to get your free 16 in one shot.

Posted by the Hamster of AngryHamster.com

Push the Button daily for your chance to win an extremely limited edition Chemical Brothers iPod iSkin, featuring the debut of the first-ever click wheel protectors from iSkin and the first blue screen to come with an actual skin. One grand prize winner will receive an entire home recording studio with all of the gear approved by Tom and Ed. It's your chance to make your own Chemical Beats - all you need to do is Push The Button.

Grand Prize: A Home Recording Studio set up hand-picked and approved by The Chemical Brothers!

Studio set up includes: Apple PowerMac G5, Apple 20inch Display Monitor, Korg MicroKorg Midi keyboard, Logic Express 7, Tapco S8 Moniters by Mackie, Motu Midi interface Micro Liteand a M-Audio Soundcard Delta 44.

30 Runner Up Winners will recieve a Limited Edition Chemical Brothers iPod iSkin.

The contest ends February 28, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. EST.

"Plantronics released the MX100 for the iPod, a dual purpose headset device connecting the iPods and cell phones. "People want to be able to listen to music, but still receive an important phone call," said Dean Hovey, vice president and general manager of mobile and entertainment markets for Plantronics. "Now, someone can listen to their iPod and easily answer an incoming call via a simple switch on the headset cord." The MX100 retails for US$39.99 and is available at the Apple store." [Via DIFFERENTDISTRICT.COM]



Say goodbye to the days of near death experiences when using the iPod in conjunction with a cell phone headset.





Posted by the Hamster of AngryHamster.com

SIRIUS Satellite Radio CEO, Mel Karmazin, revealed that he recently had talks with Apple CEO Steve Jobs about producing an iPod with a built-in satellite radio. "I've spoken to Steve Jobs," Karmazin said Wednesday at the McGraw-Hill Companies' 2005 Media Summit in New York. He declined to elaborate on his comments other than to say that the "current thinking" at Apple is that "they don't need to put a satellite radio in their box." Karmazin said Sirius has been talking to many potential partners about getting satellite radio in their products.

A deal with Apple would be huge or either XM or SIRIUS who are currently engaged in a heated battle for marketshare. Satellite radio analyst, April Horace, thinks that a combo iPod/satellite radio would be "the killer app." However she believes there are major "legal and technical hurdles to clear before satellite radio can be added to the iPod or any other MP3 player like it."

An Apple spokesperson did not immediately have a comment on Karmazin's statement.

---

REVIEW:

Audiovox SIR-PNP2 Sirius Satellite Radio Receiver

Here to bring you commercial-free music, sports, and news listening in a wealth of genre-based satellite streams is the Audiovox SIR-PNP2 SIRIUS radio receiver. Use of the receiver requires activation of a subscription to Sirius Satellite Radio ($12.95 per month or a one-time fee of $499.99). You'll also need a portable, home, or car docking apparatus. The receiver pulls in the signal, while a docking station provides traditional features like speakers, headphone jacks, and antennas, depending on the accessory. The receiver will produce no audio without an ancillary listening device.

We tested the receiver in 2 different systems: the Audiovox SIR-BB1 Sirius satellite radio portable boombox and the Audiovox SIR-CK1 sirius satellite radio shuttle car kit. Using the receiver under different circumstances--both stationary and mobile--gave a rounded portrait of both the Sirius service and the performance of this particular receiver. As a paid alternative to traditional FM and AM radio, the Sirius service definitely has its benefits. Tons of stations and no commercials--it's hard to beat that. With Sirius, great music is always easy to find.

With traditional radio, the audio signals ride "carrier frequencies" (modulated waves of air) that a receiver subtracts before rendering a wave as audio. With digital radio, frequencies carry data rather than audio. A receiver simply performs the step of turning the numeric transmission back to audio, much as the decoder chips and analog stage of a CD player turns its digital data into sound. This means you'll hear no static, fuzz, or spurious background noises from Sirius radio. The end result is clear and clean. It also means, however, that when reception gets hazy your audio program mutes briefly rather than getting fuzzy or slightly more distant-sounding. This can prove disconcerting or downright irritating if you're not listening in an area with perfect reception.

When you're not moving, reception tends to be better, though still potentially imperfect, depending on the location of Sirius' satellites. (Owners of digital cable or satellite television will know exactly what they're in for.) But by and large our stationary testing proved seamless, letting us enjoy the many stations included in the Sirius package.

Setup and operation of the receiver is a breeze. There are 30 channel presets (a group of 10 buttons with selectable A, B, and C bands) and an intuitive scroll wheel with push selection for menu navigation.

Lovers of pop and rock music fare the best, but there's a little something for everyone. If you're starved for underplayed classic rock, you'll revel in a channel known as The Vault ("deeper classic rock"), and '80s fans can take their pick of Big '80s, Hair Nation, and First Wave ("classic alternative"). Parents and kids--we checked--will relish the SIRIUS children's channel, especially in the car.

Unexpectedly rich are the news offerings, which include everything from the major cable TV networks to radio staples like NPR and the BBC, as well as 7 sports networks and a host of "entertainment" channels (including Court TV). The lion's share of the channels in the dance/electronica group falls to the dance category, leaving it to the lone Chill station to weave a blend of electronica and other hip but mellow (i.e., nondanceable) music. There are only 3 classical-music channels, and for those with short attention spans one of them plays movements of larger works rather than complete pieces straight through.

Beyond the reception issue, the only other major drawback is sound quality, which some may find subpar. Sirius describes its sound as "digital quality," a euphemism for "digital audio with a bitrate so low that we don't want to scare people by revealing what it is." Whatever it is, its character is very close to what you'd hear from 96 kbps MP3--clear and listenable, but lacking depth, fullness, high-frequency extension, and dynamic range (though radio's always been super compressed). Your awareness of these shortcomings will depend to some degree on the caliber of your playback system. We noted that the classical stations seem to have better sound than the rock/pop stations.

Overall, we found the sound quality to be better than AM radio, nearly or equally as good as analog FM stations, but worse than 128 kbps MP3 and inferior to high-quality analog cassette tapes (though there's no tape hiss with Sirius). But for broadcast music programming, the Sirius lineup is hard to beat and nothing short of a joy to listen to. For additional subscription details, please visit www.sirius.com.

Pros:

• Simple setup
• Intuitive operation
• Easy to find great music
• No commercials
• Rich news selection
• 30 station presets
• Modular construction fits a host of docking devices
• Display is highly legible in both bright and dim environs

Cons:

• Periodic lost-signal mutes in transit
• Substandard sound quality
• No new-age channel
• Limited jazz, classical, and world-music offerings

What's in the Box
Receiver (shuttle) unit, remote control (P/N1363539), 2 AA remote batteries, and a user's manual.

Ask and ye shall receive. This weekend, while moving my entire iTunes library from one machine to another, I noticed how few of the Albums in my collection had the all important "Album Art" (ok so not exactly a critical component for organizing or playing back digital music but if you have songs from the likes of Jessica Simpson or Lindsay Lohan just about the only good thing about the album is the half naked pictures of them on the cover). While my schedule isn't quite as hectic as your average former Mouseketeer I still didn't see myself taking countless hours out of my free time to manually download the appropriate pics and plugging them into my iTunes library.

Well LifeHacker.com points out a cool utility from YVG Software Services called 'iTunes Art Importer' that does all the work for you.

"iTunes Art Importer for Windows automagically adds album cover images to your iTunes library. Select songs in your iTunes library and the importer will grab album cover images from Amazon.com. If you trust the importer to choose the right albums (it’s pretty good), select all your songs, check off “Auto-import best guess” and watch it go. The iTunes Art Importer works well and seems to be free but it does require the monstrous Microsoft .NET framework to run (link to download at the Importer site)." [Via LifeHacker.com]

You can download and check out the software by clicking here. (YVG Software)

Give it a shot and let us know how it works in the comments section.

Posted by the Hamster of AngryHamster.com

The Commercial that the NFL and FOX didn't want you to see!!

For the most part, the 2005 Superbowl commercials were pretty lame. Apparently the shadows of Janet Jackson's Nipplegate were still looming from last year. Probably the only ad that had people talking the next day was the GoDaddy.com commercial featuring model and WWE diva Candice Michelle. Although the commercial might have been considered a little hot when compared to the other Superbowl ads, it was far from wild.

If you want to see Candice Michelle aka (Nikki Cappelli) in something hot, then check out her Cinemax debut in “Hotel Erotica” (2002). You can view MPG video clips of the movie at Nitro Video (adults only) or stills at Mr. Skin (adults only).

There were actually two GoDaddy.com commercials. FOX decided not to air the second commercial. So here's a link to the second GoDaddy.com commercial. Enjoy!

GoDaddy.com CEO, Bob Parsons, is "using his blog to communicate in his own voice and in more detail his company's side of the story." [Via webpronews.com]

FOX will show almost anything... except a human shoulder.

The NFL decided to pull the 2nd commercial spot for GoDaddy.com this Sunday during the first half of the Superbowl. The second commercial was supposed to air during the two minute warning commercial break but didn't. Apparently the commercial was deemed too risque by the NFL in the trying times of Janet Jackson's pasty nipple. The CEO of GoDaddy.com is fighting the decision and in return, may end up getting more publicity than he would have had it aired.

"This is all part of the shift from mass media to personalized media," says Paul Saffo, research director of the Institute for the Future, a tech think tank in Palo Alto, California. "With the iPod, the Buddha is in the details. The finish and feel are such that you want to caress it.With its high-tech decor and clubby feel, Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) flagship store in San Francisco doesn't look like a creepy cult headquarters. But there's some kind of mind-noodling going on: Everyone exiting its glass doors is ready to spout the gospel of iPod.



"I love the sound quality and how many songs I can carry around," says real estate agent Paige Baron, 25, running her fingers over a pink iPod mini. "My friends all have one, and I just felt it was time to catch up."



She has just joined the iPod nation. Apple may have introduced its innovative digital music player in 2001, but of the 10 million iPods sold to date, 8.2 million of the US$249 to $399 gadgets were purchased in 2004. Nearly 5 million were bought over the holiday season alone. With its new $99 iPod shuffle, Apple expects the streets to soon sprout even more iPod people."[Via macnewsworld.com]



Story Posted by the newest online men's magazine,

By Pimpwiz.com

Bronx native K.V. truly represents the gritty side of New York living, including a decade of life behind bars. The hardcore sound of "Hoodstomp" is a small taste of his lyrical genius.



Download the free song here:

In case you missed it the first time, the "Cola Wars" went digital during the 2004 Superbowl. iTunes and Pepsi joined up to give away millions of dollars worth of free music from the iTunes Music Store. Well, they are doing it again. Starting February 2005, 1 in 3 bottles of Pepsi will give you a special free song code to redeem at the iTunes Music Store. To increase your odds of winning, all you have to do is buy a bottle of Pepsi and look under the cap. Here are some pointers to help you master the "cap peeking" technique.



The contest ends April 11, 2005.

"Apple and its compatriots have been highly innovative. These companies have proven that even if their ideas are well implemented, they cannot always promote them correctly. Other times, a good idea is implemented poorly, and despite their best marketing effort, the product fails." [Via OS Views]



Apple's cool, but history has some stories...



From OpenDoc to Pippin, Apple has, contrary to popular belief, produced some unsuccessful products in its time. Though many aren’t well know by the masses, there is good reason. Others failed simply because they were poorly marketed and promoted. Some products such as Word for the Mac even had its fallout. Would you believe customers so angry that demand was placed for older versions until manufacturing fixed Words issues? It's true, and it’s evident that like every company, Apple and its Macintosh machines have been through ups and downs undoubtedly.

Get your special edition Pepsi logo iPod Mini here....



Apple has done it again folks! For the next few months, the one and only maker of our favorite music service (iTMS) and personal player (iPod), has brought back its promotional free download campaign with partnership of Pepsi.



Not long ago, Pepsi partnered with Apple to give out millions of free downloads for Pepsi drinkers and iTMS users alike, with a 1 in 3 chance of free music. But this time, Apple and Pepsi have added a bonus for eligible contestants. That is, they have added a special Pepsi branded silver cased iPod mini for the drawing. All contest rules can be read on Apples site, but bottom line is, it's easy to win something, and not go home empty handed! If you win a song credit, you will be registered for the iPod giveaway if the credit is used before the promotions ending... I say, get on board and suck up all the tunes you can as you chug those Mountain Dews away while at work finishing those client comps that need to be done by yesterday ;-)

On March 17, we all honor Saint Patrick (circa 385–461), one of the patron saints of Ireland. Whether or not you choose to celebrate the holiday by wearing green, eating Irish foods, imbibing Irish drink (usually Guinness), or attending parades, we wish you a safe a happy holiday.

Everyone wants to be Irish on St. Patrick's Day... even computer operating systems. So as you raise your glass to St. Patrick this year, pretend your beer was a computer operating system. It might go a little like this...



Macintosh Beer
Considered by many to be a "light" beer. All the cans look identical. When you take one from the fridge, it opens itself. The ingredients list is not on the can. If you call to ask about the ingredients, you are told that "you don't need to know." A notice on the side reminds you to drag your empties to the trashcan.

DOS Beer
Requires you to use your own can opener, and that you read the directions carefully before opening the can. The can is divided into eight compartments of 2oz each, which have to be accessed separately. A lot of people keep drinking it after it was discontinued.

Windows 3.1 Beer
Was the world's most popular beer in the mid-1990s. Looked a lot like Mac Beer's. Requires that you already own a DOS Beer. Claims that it allows you to drink several DOS Beers simultaneously, but in reality you can only drink a few of them, very slowly, especially slowly if you are drinking the Windows Beer at the same time. Sometimes, for no apparent reason, a can of Windows Beer will explode when you open it.

Windows NT Beer
Came only buy it by the truckload. This caused most people to have to go out and buy bigger refrigerators. The can looked just like Windows 3.1 Beer. Touted as an "industrial strength" beer, and suggested only for use in bars.

Windows Vista Beer
Windows Vista Beer looks a lot like Mac Beer but tastes more like Windows XP Beer. Most people will probably keep drinking Windows XP Beer until their friends try Windows Vista Beer and say they like it. Many people try Windows Vista Beer, then spit it back into the can and order another Windows XP Beer.

UNIX Beer
This very heavy beer comes in 32oz cans, and has been around for years, rumor has it that it was originally brewed as a hoax by a couple of bored workers, only for them to find that some people actually liked the stuff. It tends to be drunk only by freaks or eccentric academics, often with beards; and drinkers of it do not like drinkers of any other beer. In its basic form it doesn't look particularly impressive, but with the addition of a magic ingredient named "X", it can be converted into an all-singing all-dancing beer on a par with the others. Many other varieties exist, with a huge range of flavors and (often unpronounceable) ingredients. Mac Beer has many of the same ingredients as Unix Beer.

OS/2 Beer
Tasted like a mix between Unix and DOS Beer. Allowed you to drink several DOS Beers and a Windows 3.1 Beer simultaneously, but slowly. You never saw anyone drinking OS/2 Beer, but the manufacturer (International Beer Manufacturing) claimed that 9 million OS/2 Beer six-packs were sold. The best place these days to find a an OS/2 Beer is inside an old ATM machine.

AmigaDOS Beer
The company went out of business, but their recipe was picked up by some weird German company, so now this beer is an import. This beer never really sold very well because the original manufacturer didn't understand marketing. Like Unix Beer, AmigaDOS Beer fans are an extremely loyal and loud group. When this can was originally introduced, it appeared flashy and colorful, but the design never changed much over the years, so it looked dated in its later years.

VMS Beer
Requires minimal user interaction, except for popping the top and sipping. However cans have been known on occasion to explode, or contain extremely un-beer-like contents. Best drunk in high pressure development environments. When you call the manufacturer for the list of ingredients, you're told that is proprietary and referred to an unknown listing in the manuals published by the FDA. Rumors are that this was once listed in the Physicians' Desk Reference as a tranquilizer, but no one can claim to have actually seen it.


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Labels: holiday, internet