new iTrip
Griffin Technology has updated the iTrip, a very popular FM transmitter add-on for the iPod. The new iTrip includes an LCD and a knob to allow for much easier frequency changing than what was required in the older iTrip models. It also includes the option to change between DX and LX modes. (The LX mode transmits the audio in stereo, and the DX mode broadcasts a stronger signal, but in mono. The DX mode would be useful for radio talk shows or audio books, where stereo is not necessary). It will be available soon for $40.
Rio leaving the digital audio market
Rio Audio has announced that it will be exiting the digital audio player business by the end of September. I thought that they had been just beginning to regain market share after releasing their semi-popular Karma and Carbon (pictured above) lines, however the president, Vic Pacor, thought differently. “The digital audio market is evolving in such a way that our competitive advantage will be to focus on creating premium home network products that are designed for compatibility with a variety of client devices and services.”
Jobs’ one-price model for iTunes may have to go
Everyone knows that all singles on iTunes cost 99 cents. However, this may soon change, as major record companies would like some flexibility with the pricing, such as pricing songs by popularity. For example, a hot single could go for as much as $1.50, while a lesser demanded single could go for possibly 75 cents. While this may sound like an attractive deal for the record companies, this could discourage new customers from entering the market because of the higher prices. It may even be an incentive for people to return to using P2P software to download music for free. Read more at nytimes.com
ErgoClick
What makes the ErgoClick different from other traditional mice is that one mouse controls the pointer, while the other mouse is used to perform clicks. By using the palm to click rather than the fingers, supposedly your hand can “maintain a relaxed neutral supported posture” and will reduce pain in your wrist and forearm. While this device may reduce pain, I would think it creates more work for users because now they must have two hands on two seperate mice, and switching from the keyboard to the mice and back would be frustrating…but that’s just my opinion. [Find out more about the product at ErgoClick.com]
Google Talk is Here
The rumours that google were building an IM/VoIP service were true, it has now been released in beta under the name of Google Talk. Google talk is a windows only (sorry Mac users) program, and requires a Gmail account to use it. With it, you can contact any of your Gmail contacts, who have google talk through either IM, or VoIP,for free , although the VoIP is not a telephony service, so unlike Skype you can’t phone landlines or mobiles with it. It has a nice simple interface and is integrated with Gmail, so all ye Gmailed windows users, go get Google Talk.
Yes, they have sold at least one model…
I have just returned from my holiday. They say that people go on holiday to see new things and relax, and I did see something new.
Lying on Simon Spilsbury’s charmingly authentic Tuscan kitchen worktop, lay a most frightening object.
And yes, he paid for it.
Creative Archive
Finally the BBC has got its act together, and has put something in the creative archive. The creative archive was started about a year ago but has, until now, had very little, poorly grouped material in it. Now they have added nearly 100 new video clips, for you to watch or use, for free.
The idea of the creative archive, is to provide BBC materials (video, music, resources) for free, using the Creative Commons agreement. This basically means that, you can have the materials, providing that you adhere to the agreement this is really good, because the agreement is not too restricting, and it is a great chance to get some great BBC footage. All you need to do to use the archive is to create a BBCi account and then, you can access any of the footage in the archive. However, be warned, it is not all useful, seeing as, for example, all there is for the 1960’s is “Waterskiing in the sixties”, which might not be all that useful for everyone.
Hidden Windows Apps
Did you know that typing “iexpress” in the Run box allows you to create an executable file? Useful huh? But there are more hidden apps in XP. Sure they aren’t as useful or exciting as those on Mac OSX and they are far more hidden, but sometime the might come in useful. Click here for a list of most of them, and be sure to read the comments too.
Virus Wars
I noticed this on the BBC website, ” Windows 2000 bug starts virus war” sounds good I thought, seeing as I loathe and detest that dreadful bug-ridden operating system. It also didn’t strike me as suprising that yet another bug had appeared. But upon closer investigation I noticed just how many companies had been affected. Boeing, The Financial Times, Caterpillar, CNN (Glad someone got them at last) and ABC (the same goes for this and all American news channels). Then I wondered, why they were using it, it’s unstable, it’s got more useless bits than 98, it’s less compatible, and it was produced for less than 2 years. Why not 98, which was more stable, or XP, which was less depressing and also more stable. Overall, I think these companies had it coming to them, using this truly dreadful operating system (and I mean in Microsoft terms, which makes it really awful).
Make Bizarre Movies
This is the most ridiculously simple and limited flash movie tool ever, but it can create some very weird stuff. Be warned, it is choc full of presets.
See my attempt here!
OS X Tiger on a PC
The biggest item of news from Apple this year was of course the switch to intel. Apple are giving up on the Power PC chips and are going to start using chips made by intel. The same chips that are used in PCs. All version of OS X have been made for intel but not been put on sale. If you are a member of the Apple Developer Connection, then this year your company has had the option to rent an intel powered G5, to test out your company’s Apps for intel chips. And one of the members of the developer connection has taken the OS X tiger for intel software and hacked it to run on his PC. It wasn’t quite as easy as just putting it in and pressing install but it was rather easier than Apple were hoping. If you interested in putting OS X on your PC, then here is the website of the hacker that did it. And here is a direct link to the instructions on how to do it. I think I might try this although I am not completly sure if my PC is compatible.
The cost of Piracy
Most of the people who commit acts of Piracy, think that it doesn’t matter, and the music will always be there for them to download, for free and enjoy at their leisure. But if piracy became legalised and no one bought any music, well, obviously their would be no more new music. This may sound very familiar, but in Germany, where copying CD’s “For family and Friends” is legal, it really is a problem.
I was on holiday in Germany 2 weeks ago, and I noticed a distinct lack of record stores. I only saw one in the whole time I was there, and that was primarily a “Vinyl Only” shop, though it did stock a very limited range of CD’s. Even in major cities, like Freiburg, I couldn’t find a record store, it was very disturbing.
Well, advocates of piracy might say, “But they can always get it off a P2P network”, like the Gnutella network, used by clients such as Limewire and Morpheus.” and failing that “if they must buy music, get it off iTunes or Amazon“. However, this is not quite the same, seeing as this way, all your favourite artists, don’t make any money, don’t release any more albums and then either starve to death, or become toilet cleaners (yes I know that’s what some of them deserve, but that’s not the point). So, piracy, really does take it’s tollon both the artists and record companies, but also on your eventual listening/ viewing pleasure. But, however much Carlton screen advertising say it funds terrorism, somehow I think it doesn’t, seeing as piracy only loses people money.
Further info on Germany’s music crisis
Linux & Windows on PSP
Yes, it looks like one man was able to do what many could not (well, kind of): get Linux (and Windows) on the PSP… …a PSP hacker by the name of Matan phoned in to let us know he ported Bochs (an open-source x86 emulator) to the PSP (which runs on MIPS R4000 CPUs) and successfully tested, booted, and ran Linux and Win95.
Wow, that’s useful - just in case the games aren’t good enough already, you can port over Win95 and have a go on Minesweeper. Fun. Why, oh why?
There is a great little stream of comments on
this Engadget post by Ryan Block, here’s a great convo:
- Does it interface with the PSP’s 802.11B?
- “Does it interface with the PSP’s 802.11B?”
Does Win95 have Wi-Fi Support?
- “Does it interface with the PSP’s 802.11B?”
”Does Win95 have Wi-Fi Support?”
Does the PSP have Win95 support?
Gifworks.com
A useful hint for people who are struggling to get by using only MS paint and don’t want to download any fancy software. Transparent GIFs are incredibly useful and there was (something like) worldwide uproar when the feature to make them was removed from MS paint. Now you can use GIFworks to make GIFs, that you can upload from your own computer, transparent. It’s all online so you don’t have to download any software. Very useful.
PS. Have you looked at the new charming “flavours” (stylesheets) yet?
iGoogle Update
Google has updated its’ personalized homepage portal service. There are now more news services available, more ‘Fun’ content and the option to add your own RSS feeds. This is great, though it lacks the custom-ness of
My Yahoo. The problem with My Yahoo! is the clutter..there is just so much
stuff all over it, I hate Microsoft’s
Start.com; it’s just such a mess. Everything is too big. And nobody wants to have MSN search at the top.
What I’d like to see from iGoogle next is:
- The close buttons, ‘edit’ links and drag function of the content boxes should be hidden until you are in ‘Add Content’ mode. This would reduce the amount of mess on the page.
- If Gmail is integrated, why not Orkut?
- Custom RSS feeds frequently fail to appear, instead with the error ‘Information is currently unavailable’. Surely this could be easily dealt with?
Above is a screenshot of my iGoogle page. Click to enlarge, it’s quite nice.
