Archive for February, 2004

iPod: The next logical step

// February 27th, 2004 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

Being the gadget geek that I am, I stopped by my local Apple store the other day to witness the goodness that is the new iPod mini. Even though my 2nd Gen 20GB iPod has provided me with over 18 months of musical goodness, I couldn’t help but get that “I must have it” feeling emanating from Steve Jobs’ reality distortion field. I love the size and the fact that they managed to integrate the original button arrangement (I don’t care for the newer layout) into the new scroll wheel/joypad.

When looking at these devices, I was thinking about what Apple could do to further enhance the iPod’s functionality. This is what I came up with:

  1. Add Integrated Airport support – By adding Airport functionality to the iPod, one could copy songs from iTunes directly to the iPod without wires. This also opens up the peripheral market by allowing one to create wireless headphones, docks, etc.
  2. Rendezvous support – Adding Rendezvous to iPod would allow one to share not only the music on their device with other iTunes users, it would also allow one to share music libraries between other iPod users. Image you’re on the subway and another iPod user comes on at the next stop. You’d be able to listen to her songs and she’d be able to listen to what you’re listening to. A musical matchmaker, if you will. ;)
  3. A built-in dictation system – The current line of iPods have an accessory that allows one to record voice data on the iPod. It would be great if this functionality was built into the device.
  4. The iPod mini scrollwheel – The scrollwheel on the iPod mini was created out of necessity in order to compress the size of the device to fit it’s current dimensions. This was also a stroke of brilliance that should be carried over to the full-sized devices. The current button arrangement on the 3rd Gen iPods is cumbersome and hard to operate with one hand. The all-in-one design of the iPod mini scrollwheel is elegant and amazingly useful. Apple needs to bring this over.

Another current accesory provides a means to transfer data from digital cards to the iPod and use the iPod as a storage device. The only problem with this is that the iPod’s screen isn’t made to display this data. Frankly, I don’t see this as must-have item as the iPod is mainly a music player. If Apple decides at some point to expand the line to include a video iPod, this functionality would certainly prove useful.

Adding the above items will allow Apple to enhance what is already a killer device and increase the gap between iPod and the wannabees. I welcome your thoughts.

A new look

// February 22nd, 2004 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

It’s been almost 6 months since I started this site so I thought it was time for a new look. Since I’m not graphically inclined, I went browsing for a new template. The location of my former template, had some nice designs but nothing that really jumped out at me. So when I saw the ‘fish out of water’ theme, I thought it appropriate. Let me know what you think.

A Purple Rebirth

// February 20th, 2004 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

Last night on Tavis Smiley interviewed Prince on his late-night PBS talk show. The interview covered a number of different topics; including how Prince felt about the heads of music companies (“bean counters”), his current political views and how music companies push certain looks for hip-hop artists.

The climax of the night was his acoustic performance of the song “Reflections” with former Revolution-ary Wendy Melvoin. I had no idea Prince and the Girl Bros. were on speaking terms, much less having one perform with him on-stage. Closing out the show was a video for the new song “Musicology”, a nod to influential artists of the past. The video was very stylistic and very well done.

Prince’s latest appearances (Tavis’ show and the Grammy awards performance) have sparked my curiosity as to what Prince has in store for this year. Rumors have been circulating for sometime of Prince signing with a major studio. The last time this happened was the distribution deal he signed with EMI for his Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic album, which met with critical indifference and lackluster sales. Some rumors have surfaced that he may even be considering a deal with his former ‘master’ Warner Bros. If this proves to be true, and it probably won’t, it could prove to be the catalyst of a Purple resurgence.

2004 also marks the 20th anniversary of Prince’s greatest commercial success: Purple Rain — the movie, soundtrack album and tour. Dig if u will, a picture of Prince riding high on the success of a new album and accompanying tour while at the same time celebrating his past with a deluxe anniversary edition of Purple Rain on DVD and CD. That would truly be the Jam of the Year.

Miracle on ice

// February 8th, 2004 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

1980 was a different time. The US and USSR were still in the midst of the Cold War and professional atheles were still years away from Olympic competition. In the town of Lake Placid, NY, 20 hockey players stunned to world be beating the unbeatable, on thier way to Olympic gold. They weren’t famous and they weren’t the best ametuer players. They were simply the best players for the job.

The message instilled upon the players by coach Herb Brooks was simply this: the names on the back of the jersey didn’t matter. It was the name on the front that mattered. In an age of multi-million dollar players and professional Olympians, this simple message often gets lost in the shuffle. It’s movies like this that makes one reflect and wish that some things could be like they used to be and that certain teams would embrace the lessons learned from this movie.

Kurt Russel was excellent in role as Brooks as were the unknows who played the unknowns of the real team. The cinematography was also excellent and made one feel as if he were actually on the ice with the players. I highly recommend this movie to sports fan and non-fan alike. It’s a story all can relate to and enjoy with equal passion.