Author Danah Boyd on why teens and social media are 'complicated' (podcast)
When it comes to understanding how teens use social media, there's perhaps no one more clued in than Danah Boyd, except maybe teens themselves. An ethnographer with a Ph.D. in information from the University of California at Berkeley, she has spent the last eight years speaking with and observing teens from all walks of life.Boyd's new book, "It's Complicated: The social lives of networked teens," is the culmination of this work where, as she writes, she attempts to "describe and explain the networked lives of teens to the people who worry about them -- parents, teachers, policy makers, journalists, and sometimes even other teens."To gather material for the book, she traveled through the United States from 2005 to 2012, meeting with teens from 18 states among "a wide array of socioeconomic and ethnic communities." And frankly, Boyd is one of the relatively few people in the social media space who goes out of her to way be inclusive. It really is complicatedAs the title of the book implies, understanding teens' use of social media can't be reduced to a sound bite, nor can the benefits or dangers of modern technology. As Boyd observes, "Technologies are often heralded as the solution to major world problems. When those solutions fail to transpire, people are disillusioned. That can prompt a backlash, as people focus on the terrible things that may occur because of those same technologies.""It's Complicated" focuses on teens' online lives.Full disclosure: Although Boyd and I have no business or financial relationship, we have interacted over the years as co-speakers at events and in 2008 and 2009 when we both served on the Harvard Berkman Center's Internet Safety Technology Task Force. The book covers a wide range of topics related to teens and tech, including identity, privacy, addiction, danger, bullying, inequality, literacy, and "searching for a public of their own."At the start our interview (scroll down to listen), Boyd pointed out that "young people have turned to social media because their lives have been so heavily restricted." There was a time when kids could get on their bikes on a Saturday morning and come back before dark, but those days are largely over. Teens, as Boyd said in the interview and in the book, "don't have that opportunity, so they've turned to social media to hang out and socialize with their friends."Of course, Boyd does address parental anxieties, but asks, "How much of this is based on reality and how much of this is magnified in unpredictable ways? How do we get at what's really happening?" She said that her research involved "trying to figure out what [teens are] really doing, why, and how it fits into a broader context."ContextThat context is important when looking at what teens post online. In the book, Boyd observes that "unfortunately, adults sometimes believe that they understand what they see online without considering how teens imagined the context when they originally posted a particular photograph or comment." Think of your own social lives where you might say things differently to a group of close friends than you would to your boss. What may seem incredibly inappropriate in one context may be perfectly acceptable in another.BullyingBoyd's chapter on bullying is must-reading for any adult who worries that today's youth are habitually mistreating their peers online. "During my fieldwork, I met parents who saw every act of teasing as bullying, even when their children did not. At the other extreme, news media has taken to describing serious criminal acts of aggression by teens as bullying rather than using terms like stalking, harassment, or abuse."As she points out, "interpersonal conflicts emerge and teens participate in battles over reputation, status, and popularity. Attention becomes a commodity, and at times, teens participate in drama or pranks that can be intentionally or accidentally hurtful to others. Not all drama or gossip is problematic, but some of what teens experience is quite painful." In other words, like all other topics in her book, "It's Complicated."For more of Boyd's thoughts, click below to listen to our 13-minute interview. Listen nowYour browser does not support the audio element.Subscribe now:iTunes (audio) |RSS (audio)
Oracle signals change of tone about cloud
Oracle signals change of tone about cloud
However, when it comes to cloud computing, Oracle has taken a fairly "arm's length" position. CEO Larry Ellison's famous "cloud is fashion" rant sort of set the tone for the company's perceived skepticism toward the cloud model.Apparently, that's all about to change. According to TechTarget, Oracle is preparing a public-relations onslaught, intended to change the perception of Oracle as cloud critic. According to the article, in the Webcast Oracle hosted last week to discuss its strategy for the Sun assets, Ellison explained:Said Ellison: "Everything's called cloud now. If you're in the data center, it's a private cloud. There's nothing left but cloud computing. People say I'm against cloud computing--how can I be against cloud computing when that's all there is?"He also stressed what will doubtless become another key Oracle message, which is that Oracle software (and soon hardware) powers other people's clouds.That statement says a lot about the behavior we've seen from Oracle over the last year, especially with respect to the Sun acquisition. When originally announced, I suggested to some that Oracle would shed the hardware business, and concentrate on the virtualization and cloud capabilities (as well as the customer base and channels) that they acquired. I was wrong. Instead, Oracle seems to be focusing on Sun's infrastructure portfolio, including servers, storage, and virtualization, shedding the cloud offerings altogether.Sun's chief technology officer of cloud computing, Lew Tucker, has already left Oracle, and this week, there are reports that Oracle executives have confirmed the demise of Sun's reborn Network.com offering. The service, once hosted in the Las Vegas-based SuperNAP data center, was taken off the market soon after it went to beta testing, as Oracle announced its intent to acquire Sun.The now-defunct cloud infrastructure service was a replacement for Sun's earlier failed grid offering of $1 per CPU-hour, and it was targeted at developers looking to create new applications and businesses expressly for the cloud. The service was acclaimed by a number of developers that had a chance to use it, and it is reported to have hosted 13 customers and 48 applications before its demise.Without an infrastructure service of its own, Oracle seems to be taking a tack with which I'm quite familiar, given my role at Cisco Systems: being an arms dealer to the stars of cloud computing. Ellison mentioned Oracle's role in Salesforce.com and iTunes during last week's Webcast, and it has been offering its database software on Amazon.com's Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) service for well more than a year.What remains to be seen is what, exactly, Oracle will offer the cloud world. Based on Ellison's tone, it may be playing a "business as usual" game, with the obvious addition of data center hardware to its portfolio. In fact, some evidence supports this direction, as Oracle recently presented a cloud vision in a Webinar that claims, among other things, that Oracle already has a "private PaaS," or platform as a service, portfolio based on its existing application server, database, Linux, and virtualization products.However, with the Sun acquisition, Oracle received one of the best open-source virtualization offerings out there, as well as a variety of cloud computing-related software (including the Q-Layer automation platform). Will it offer a private cloud user experience of its own?In the end, Ellison's love-hate relationship with the term "cloud computing" may provide a short-term PR challenge, but it will likely do little to damage the impact of Oracle's products on the cloud-computing landscape.
However, when it comes to cloud computing, Oracle has taken a fairly "arm's length" position. CEO Larry Ellison's famous "cloud is fashion" rant sort of set the tone for the company's perceived skepticism toward the cloud model.Apparently, that's all about to change. According to TechTarget, Oracle is preparing a public-relations onslaught, intended to change the perception of Oracle as cloud critic. According to the article, in the Webcast Oracle hosted last week to discuss its strategy for the Sun assets, Ellison explained:Said Ellison: "Everything's called cloud now. If you're in the data center, it's a private cloud. There's nothing left but cloud computing. People say I'm against cloud computing--how can I be against cloud computing when that's all there is?"He also stressed what will doubtless become another key Oracle message, which is that Oracle software (and soon hardware) powers other people's clouds.That statement says a lot about the behavior we've seen from Oracle over the last year, especially with respect to the Sun acquisition. When originally announced, I suggested to some that Oracle would shed the hardware business, and concentrate on the virtualization and cloud capabilities (as well as the customer base and channels) that they acquired. I was wrong. Instead, Oracle seems to be focusing on Sun's infrastructure portfolio, including servers, storage, and virtualization, shedding the cloud offerings altogether.Sun's chief technology officer of cloud computing, Lew Tucker, has already left Oracle, and this week, there are reports that Oracle executives have confirmed the demise of Sun's reborn Network.com offering. The service, once hosted in the Las Vegas-based SuperNAP data center, was taken off the market soon after it went to beta testing, as Oracle announced its intent to acquire Sun.The now-defunct cloud infrastructure service was a replacement for Sun's earlier failed grid offering of $1 per CPU-hour, and it was targeted at developers looking to create new applications and businesses expressly for the cloud. The service was acclaimed by a number of developers that had a chance to use it, and it is reported to have hosted 13 customers and 48 applications before its demise.Without an infrastructure service of its own, Oracle seems to be taking a tack with which I'm quite familiar, given my role at Cisco Systems: being an arms dealer to the stars of cloud computing. Ellison mentioned Oracle's role in Salesforce.com and iTunes during last week's Webcast, and it has been offering its database software on Amazon.com's Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) service for well more than a year.What remains to be seen is what, exactly, Oracle will offer the cloud world. Based on Ellison's tone, it may be playing a "business as usual" game, with the obvious addition of data center hardware to its portfolio. In fact, some evidence supports this direction, as Oracle recently presented a cloud vision in a Webinar that claims, among other things, that Oracle already has a "private PaaS," or platform as a service, portfolio based on its existing application server, database, Linux, and virtualization products.However, with the Sun acquisition, Oracle received one of the best open-source virtualization offerings out there, as well as a variety of cloud computing-related software (including the Q-Layer automation platform). Will it offer a private cloud user experience of its own?In the end, Ellison's love-hate relationship with the term "cloud computing" may provide a short-term PR challenge, but it will likely do little to damage the impact of Oracle's products on the cloud-computing landscape.
'Consumer Reports' loves the Razr
'Consumer Reports' loves the Razr
Cingular Of the Cingular phones that Consumer Reports reviewed, the Samsung SGH-D307 claimed the highest score (64 points out of 100) while the Motorola Razr V3 and the Motorola Rokr E1 tied for second place with 62 points each. Umm, excuse me? While the SGH-D307 phone had an innovative dual-hinge design, the navigation keys were way too confusing. And as for the Razr, while everyone (CNET included) got caught up in the initial hype over the slim phone it's now clear the Razr is decent but not really all that. But my biggest shock was the selection of the woefully disappointing Rokr. Yes, it had iTunes, but a dull design and a litany of restrictions just made it frustrating. The high-quality Sony Ericsson W600i also got 62 points--kudos to Consumer Reports--while third place went to the Motorola V220 with 60 points. Though the V220 had a compact design, it's performance was mostly poor.Motorola V360CNET NetworksT-MobileThe Motorola V360 won the top T-Mobile spot with 67 points. Though it's not a bad cell phone by any means, the design wasn't quite up to par and we weren't too impressed with the photo quality. Likewise, the Samsung SGH-E335 (66 points) was fine for making calls, but the keypad design was rather cramped and the volume was a bit low. The Nokia 6101 was third with 64 points. We agree it's a dependable phone with an attractive flip-phone design for average users.Motorola E815CNET NetworksVerizon Wireless The Motorola E815 at one time was one of our favorite phones for the carrier, so we approve of its place at the top of the Verizon list with 65 points. We weren't as much in love with the LG VX8100 (61 points)--the battery life was a tad low and it lacked e-mail support--but we did like the LG VX9800 and Kyocera KX444. They tied for third place with 58 points.Palm Treo 650CNET NetworksSprintThe Palm Treo 650 led the Sprint pack with 60 points. This isn't a bad choice either, as it was a great smart phone when it first came out. The Samsung MM-A800 also won 60 points, which is understandable considering it was the first U.S.-market cell phone with a 2-megapixel camera. The LG PM-225 took second place with 56 points. It wasn't a terrible phone either, but we took issue with the external display. Finally, the Sanyo SCP-200 came in third with 55 points. We thought it had weak battery life and we didn't like that it lacked an external display.
Cingular Of the Cingular phones that Consumer Reports reviewed, the Samsung SGH-D307 claimed the highest score (64 points out of 100) while the Motorola Razr V3 and the Motorola Rokr E1 tied for second place with 62 points each. Umm, excuse me? While the SGH-D307 phone had an innovative dual-hinge design, the navigation keys were way too confusing. And as for the Razr, while everyone (CNET included) got caught up in the initial hype over the slim phone it's now clear the Razr is decent but not really all that. But my biggest shock was the selection of the woefully disappointing Rokr. Yes, it had iTunes, but a dull design and a litany of restrictions just made it frustrating. The high-quality Sony Ericsson W600i also got 62 points--kudos to Consumer Reports--while third place went to the Motorola V220 with 60 points. Though the V220 had a compact design, it's performance was mostly poor.Motorola V360CNET NetworksT-MobileThe Motorola V360 won the top T-Mobile spot with 67 points. Though it's not a bad cell phone by any means, the design wasn't quite up to par and we weren't too impressed with the photo quality. Likewise, the Samsung SGH-E335 (66 points) was fine for making calls, but the keypad design was rather cramped and the volume was a bit low. The Nokia 6101 was third with 64 points. We agree it's a dependable phone with an attractive flip-phone design for average users.Motorola E815CNET NetworksVerizon Wireless The Motorola E815 at one time was one of our favorite phones for the carrier, so we approve of its place at the top of the Verizon list with 65 points. We weren't as much in love with the LG VX8100 (61 points)--the battery life was a tad low and it lacked e-mail support--but we did like the LG VX9800 and Kyocera KX444. They tied for third place with 58 points.Palm Treo 650CNET NetworksSprintThe Palm Treo 650 led the Sprint pack with 60 points. This isn't a bad choice either, as it was a great smart phone when it first came out. The Samsung MM-A800 also won 60 points, which is understandable considering it was the first U.S.-market cell phone with a 2-megapixel camera. The LG PM-225 took second place with 56 points. It wasn't a terrible phone either, but we took issue with the external display. Finally, the Sanyo SCP-200 came in third with 55 points. We thought it had weak battery life and we didn't like that it lacked an external display.
The 404 531- Where we meet Alison Rosen's mother (podcast)
The 404 531: Where we meet Alison Rosen's mother (podcast)
Today's show title is a little deceptive, and we should be clear that Alison Rosen's mother does not make an appearance on this episode, but Alison's all we need anyway because she's the future of television! We're excited to have her back after a long hiatus, and she updates us on everything going on in her life, including ALISON ROSEN IS YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND, a new weekly interactive show on Ustream that features guests like Michael Showalter and Andrew W.K., in addition to an upcoming segment where Alison will explore the world of online dating. Be sure to add her on Twitter to stay updated. Alison RosenWe're also super excited to show you guys a clip of Natali Del Conte on last night's episode of "The Daily Show"! In a segment called "Tech-Talch," Jon reports on Chatroulette, aka our new favorite Web site, and shows a clip of Natali shielding her eyes as she gives a demo and inevitably stumbles upon a a dude having too much fun. Alison has the common sense to stay off the Web site, even for professional research, so we try to offer her some suggestions on how to make ChatRoulette more fun if you're a girl. What would you do for five bucks? Twitter posts on a new site called Fiverr attempt to answer that question, and a lot of people are offering compelling services for five bones. If you can scrounge together some cash, you can turn into a dead jedi, get your fortune read, and even get a private wake-up call! Ooooh, invasive!Many thanks to Alison for joining us this morning; we always have a lot of fun with her, and you should too! Head over to AlisonRosen.com, read her blog, write her a poem, download her iPhone app, and look for her again soon on The 404!EPISODE 531PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Today's show title is a little deceptive, and we should be clear that Alison Rosen's mother does not make an appearance on this episode, but Alison's all we need anyway because she's the future of television! We're excited to have her back after a long hiatus, and she updates us on everything going on in her life, including ALISON ROSEN IS YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND, a new weekly interactive show on Ustream that features guests like Michael Showalter and Andrew W.K., in addition to an upcoming segment where Alison will explore the world of online dating. Be sure to add her on Twitter to stay updated. Alison RosenWe're also super excited to show you guys a clip of Natali Del Conte on last night's episode of "The Daily Show"! In a segment called "Tech-Talch," Jon reports on Chatroulette, aka our new favorite Web site, and shows a clip of Natali shielding her eyes as she gives a demo and inevitably stumbles upon a a dude having too much fun. Alison has the common sense to stay off the Web site, even for professional research, so we try to offer her some suggestions on how to make ChatRoulette more fun if you're a girl. What would you do for five bucks? Twitter posts on a new site called Fiverr attempt to answer that question, and a lot of people are offering compelling services for five bones. If you can scrounge together some cash, you can turn into a dead jedi, get your fortune read, and even get a private wake-up call! Ooooh, invasive!Many thanks to Alison for joining us this morning; we always have a lot of fun with her, and you should too! Head over to AlisonRosen.com, read her blog, write her a poem, download her iPhone app, and look for her again soon on The 404!EPISODE 531PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
MSN + DRM = MIA
MSN + DRM = MIA
This is the inevitable last step in a transition that began when Microsoft killed its old PlaysForSure initiative. Why keep paying to maintain a service that's no longer offered, and runs counter to the current strategy? And I believe MSN manager Rob Bennett when he says that Microsoft was compelled to add DRM to songs on MSN Music--that's what labels demanded from legal download services at that time. At the same time, Microsoft isn't totally innocent here. DRM was a big part of Microsoft's pitch for the Windows Media platform, and the company had a whole product team devoted to researching, developing, and updating DRM. Microsoft tried to sell content owners on the idea that Windows Media DRM was much more flexible than its competitors, allowing business scenarios like subscription-based content being transferred to devices (stop paying, the songs stop working on all your devices) and various rental models (like content expiring after a certain time period or number of plays). The laughable part: Microsoft tried to portray these scenarios as offering more consumer choice. No. DRM is and always has been about about restricting choice. In fact, the whole notion of having "rights" to music you purchase is completely backwards--digital rights management should have been called digital restriction management. So for all of you buying restricted content from iTunes or the Zune Marketplace or anywhere else, let this serve as a warning: the provider or distributor of that content can unilaterally change your "rights" to it at any time. If you've invested a lot in DRM-protected music, burn it to audio CDs and then re-rip those CDs into MP3 files. Better yet, buy it in a non-protected format--like vinyl, audio CD, or MP3--in the first place.
This is the inevitable last step in a transition that began when Microsoft killed its old PlaysForSure initiative. Why keep paying to maintain a service that's no longer offered, and runs counter to the current strategy? And I believe MSN manager Rob Bennett when he says that Microsoft was compelled to add DRM to songs on MSN Music--that's what labels demanded from legal download services at that time. At the same time, Microsoft isn't totally innocent here. DRM was a big part of Microsoft's pitch for the Windows Media platform, and the company had a whole product team devoted to researching, developing, and updating DRM. Microsoft tried to sell content owners on the idea that Windows Media DRM was much more flexible than its competitors, allowing business scenarios like subscription-based content being transferred to devices (stop paying, the songs stop working on all your devices) and various rental models (like content expiring after a certain time period or number of plays). The laughable part: Microsoft tried to portray these scenarios as offering more consumer choice. No. DRM is and always has been about about restricting choice. In fact, the whole notion of having "rights" to music you purchase is completely backwards--digital rights management should have been called digital restriction management. So for all of you buying restricted content from iTunes or the Zune Marketplace or anywhere else, let this serve as a warning: the provider or distributor of that content can unilaterally change your "rights" to it at any time. If you've invested a lot in DRM-protected music, burn it to audio CDs and then re-rip those CDs into MP3 files. Better yet, buy it in a non-protected format--like vinyl, audio CD, or MP3--in the first place.
Getting Hollywood's Web business model up to speed
Getting Hollywood's Web business model up to speed
TechCrunch's Michael Arrington, who was moderating the panel, asked if it was simply an issue of ownership. Producer and director Stan Rogow said simply that it was no longer an allegiance game. Viewers were simply going to the content they liked, however they could get it, and that Hulu was the first real acknowledgment of that. "When two of the biggest brands in the network got together they didn't all it FOX/NBC," he said. "They called it Hulu because there are clearly negative connotations."Part of overcoming those negative connotations requires changing how content is delivered, including the restrictions that keep users from being able to get at it. Wheton's Dr. Horrible series was another test of that, with a paid option through iTunes, alongside an ad-supported, limited time viewing window on Hulu. Hulu's limited run of Dr. Horrible wasn't an instance of restriction as much as trying to entice people to come and get it, or as Wheton put it "a place where you can have a time-specific event in an old fashioned way."Besides Hollywood's latest creations hitting the Web legally, another interesting topic was celebrities making use of the Web for self promotion. More and more we've seen recording artists put more effort into things like personal blogs and short-form videos without any kind of official production. Wheton noted that this tends to work better for Internet video stars because that's how they started, but when celebrities do it, it can backfire and remove some of the "mystique" that makes them celebrities in the first place.Ultimately it's just a game of getting some very large companies up to speed with a set of consumers who have a new device and way to access it every few years. "It's control of money, control of product, control of what comes out after," Henchy said. "People are still talking about DVDs and what extra content goes on that. It's just a matter of time before (it goes) back to (what happened with) music. We've gotta figure it out."
TechCrunch's Michael Arrington, who was moderating the panel, asked if it was simply an issue of ownership. Producer and director Stan Rogow said simply that it was no longer an allegiance game. Viewers were simply going to the content they liked, however they could get it, and that Hulu was the first real acknowledgment of that. "When two of the biggest brands in the network got together they didn't all it FOX/NBC," he said. "They called it Hulu because there are clearly negative connotations."Part of overcoming those negative connotations requires changing how content is delivered, including the restrictions that keep users from being able to get at it. Wheton's Dr. Horrible series was another test of that, with a paid option through iTunes, alongside an ad-supported, limited time viewing window on Hulu. Hulu's limited run of Dr. Horrible wasn't an instance of restriction as much as trying to entice people to come and get it, or as Wheton put it "a place where you can have a time-specific event in an old fashioned way."Besides Hollywood's latest creations hitting the Web legally, another interesting topic was celebrities making use of the Web for self promotion. More and more we've seen recording artists put more effort into things like personal blogs and short-form videos without any kind of official production. Wheton noted that this tends to work better for Internet video stars because that's how they started, but when celebrities do it, it can backfire and remove some of the "mystique" that makes them celebrities in the first place.Ultimately it's just a game of getting some very large companies up to speed with a set of consumers who have a new device and way to access it every few years. "It's control of money, control of product, control of what comes out after," Henchy said. "People are still talking about DVDs and what extra content goes on that. It's just a matter of time before (it goes) back to (what happened with) music. We've gotta figure it out."
Get your unsigned band onto Slacker Radio
Get your unsigned band onto Slacker Radio
The mechanics are handled through a partnership with Hello Music: artists create a profile with their name, picture, and bio, then upload a few of their tunes. (Hello Music allows a wide variety of compressed and uncompressed formats.) Hello Music will screen the songs for potential copyright issues--no Zeppelin recordings, please--and recording quality, and submit the necessary information to Slacker. Then Slacker will create a custom radio station with music by the unsigned artist as well as related artists--basically, your garage band can get exactly the same treatment as any major name on the service, from AC/DC to ZZTop. Slacker isn't exactly iTunes in terms of reach, but the company claims that its mobile apps have been downloaded 7 million times, and that it has about 2 million active listeners. Getting onto Slacker also provides more opportunities for serendipitous discovery than iTunes--if Slacker notices a lot of traffic to your station from loyal fans, it might decide to rotate your music into other artists' radio stations. The service is free for artists, which always makes me wonder about the business model. Slacker benefits by getting a broader selection of music, and Hello Music hopes to become a virtual A&R organization to discover and promote new bands, sending its favorites to partners like Topspin (which handles digital marketing), MediaNet (which creates music download sites and streaming services for Web sites that don't want to build their own), and TuneCore (which distributes music to iTunes and other online stores). Their mission is honestly a bit vague at this point, but their terms and conditions make no claim of ownership to your music, so there doesn't seem to be any big risk in using the service.
The mechanics are handled through a partnership with Hello Music: artists create a profile with their name, picture, and bio, then upload a few of their tunes. (Hello Music allows a wide variety of compressed and uncompressed formats.) Hello Music will screen the songs for potential copyright issues--no Zeppelin recordings, please--and recording quality, and submit the necessary information to Slacker. Then Slacker will create a custom radio station with music by the unsigned artist as well as related artists--basically, your garage band can get exactly the same treatment as any major name on the service, from AC/DC to ZZTop. Slacker isn't exactly iTunes in terms of reach, but the company claims that its mobile apps have been downloaded 7 million times, and that it has about 2 million active listeners. Getting onto Slacker also provides more opportunities for serendipitous discovery than iTunes--if Slacker notices a lot of traffic to your station from loyal fans, it might decide to rotate your music into other artists' radio stations. The service is free for artists, which always makes me wonder about the business model. Slacker benefits by getting a broader selection of music, and Hello Music hopes to become a virtual A&R organization to discover and promote new bands, sending its favorites to partners like Topspin (which handles digital marketing), MediaNet (which creates music download sites and streaming services for Web sites that don't want to build their own), and TuneCore (which distributes music to iTunes and other online stores). Their mission is honestly a bit vague at this point, but their terms and conditions make no claim of ownership to your music, so there doesn't seem to be any big risk in using the service.
iPad gives Netbooks breathing room
iPad gives Netbooks breathing room
As this tweet succinctly put it:"What has no webcam, no multitasking, no HDMI port, and (possibly) no Flash, and costs $500? Hint: Not a netbook." This tweet, of course, is referring to the Apple iPad.And, by the way, you can eliminate the parenthetical; the iPad definitely does not support Adobe Flash video.(Also see this post at Gizmodo.)But specifications aside, here's the most fundamental difference. The iPad is what analysts call a purpose-built device.It does certain things very well (e.g., video, Web browsing, e-reading) and other things (most notably office productivity apps) not so well or not at all. The Netbook--though not as fast as a standard laptop and handicapped by a relatively small screen--is still a PC and is capable of doing pretty much everything a standard PC does.In other words, it's a general-purpose device.Then there's the physical difference.Consumers who make the leap from a notebook or Netbook to a tablet will immediately recognize the ergonomic limitations of a tablet.In short, the inconvenience of not having a physical keyboard: the keyboard on a laptop also acts as a ballast--or stand--for the screen.Needless to say, that's why laptops decorate Starbucks tables and airplane trays.(Yes, Apple will sell an iPad case that serves as a stand but that does not make it a laptop.) That said, preemptively panning the device is foolhardy.Consumers will undoubtedly find novel ways to use the iPad.And I will likely be rubbing elbows with an iPad user at Starbucks as soon as it hits stores.
As this tweet succinctly put it:"What has no webcam, no multitasking, no HDMI port, and (possibly) no Flash, and costs $500? Hint: Not a netbook." This tweet, of course, is referring to the Apple iPad.And, by the way, you can eliminate the parenthetical; the iPad definitely does not support Adobe Flash video.(Also see this post at Gizmodo.)But specifications aside, here's the most fundamental difference. The iPad is what analysts call a purpose-built device.It does certain things very well (e.g., video, Web browsing, e-reading) and other things (most notably office productivity apps) not so well or not at all. The Netbook--though not as fast as a standard laptop and handicapped by a relatively small screen--is still a PC and is capable of doing pretty much everything a standard PC does.In other words, it's a general-purpose device.Then there's the physical difference.Consumers who make the leap from a notebook or Netbook to a tablet will immediately recognize the ergonomic limitations of a tablet.In short, the inconvenience of not having a physical keyboard: the keyboard on a laptop also acts as a ballast--or stand--for the screen.Needless to say, that's why laptops decorate Starbucks tables and airplane trays.(Yes, Apple will sell an iPad case that serves as a stand but that does not make it a laptop.) That said, preemptively panning the device is foolhardy.Consumers will undoubtedly find novel ways to use the iPad.And I will likely be rubbing elbows with an iPad user at Starbucks as soon as it hits stores.
iPad and Kindle Fire both strong in recent quarter, says IDC
iPad and Kindle Fire both strong in recent quarter, says IDC
Lest we forget, Apple still has some competition.Though IDC confirmed big shipment numbers for Apple, the market researcher said Amazon made a good showing too.Global tablet shipments into "sales channels" rose by 56 percent on a sequential basis in the fourth calendar quarter of 2011 to 28.2 million units, according to IDC.That represents a whopping 155 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2010.IDC tablet shipment highlights: In 2011, tablet shipments reached 68.7 million. In 2012, shipments will be 106.1 million, up from 87.7 million in previous forecast.Apple shipped 15.4 million iPads in Q4*, garnering 55 percent of the global market. Amazon shipped 4.7 million Kindle Fire tablets in Q4, grabbing 16.8 percent. Third-place Samsung grew its share to 5.8 percent in Q4. Barnes & Noble saw its Nook tablet share slip to 3.5 percent. *Fourth calendar quarter 2011.Amazon shipped 4.7 million Kindle Fires (see chart) into the market in the fourth quarter, making an "impressive" tablet debut, IDC said.But Apple maintained a big lead, shipping 15.4 million units in the quarter, up from 11.1 million units in the third quarter.Related storyApple to keep tablet lead over Android in 2012, say analystsThe Kindle Fire--which runs a custom version of Google's Android operating system--grew its share of the Android market to 44.6 percent in the fourth quarter from 32.3 percent in the third quarter.As a result, Apple's iOS slipped from 61.6 percent market share to 54.7 percent of the total tablet market. Based upon expectations for a spike in demand in 2012, IDC upped its 2012 forecast to 106.1 million units, up from its previous forecast of 87.7 million units. IDC
Lest we forget, Apple still has some competition.Though IDC confirmed big shipment numbers for Apple, the market researcher said Amazon made a good showing too.Global tablet shipments into "sales channels" rose by 56 percent on a sequential basis in the fourth calendar quarter of 2011 to 28.2 million units, according to IDC.That represents a whopping 155 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2010.IDC tablet shipment highlights: In 2011, tablet shipments reached 68.7 million. In 2012, shipments will be 106.1 million, up from 87.7 million in previous forecast.Apple shipped 15.4 million iPads in Q4*, garnering 55 percent of the global market. Amazon shipped 4.7 million Kindle Fire tablets in Q4, grabbing 16.8 percent. Third-place Samsung grew its share to 5.8 percent in Q4. Barnes & Noble saw its Nook tablet share slip to 3.5 percent. *Fourth calendar quarter 2011.Amazon shipped 4.7 million Kindle Fires (see chart) into the market in the fourth quarter, making an "impressive" tablet debut, IDC said.But Apple maintained a big lead, shipping 15.4 million units in the quarter, up from 11.1 million units in the third quarter.Related storyApple to keep tablet lead over Android in 2012, say analystsThe Kindle Fire--which runs a custom version of Google's Android operating system--grew its share of the Android market to 44.6 percent in the fourth quarter from 32.3 percent in the third quarter.As a result, Apple's iOS slipped from 61.6 percent market share to 54.7 percent of the total tablet market. Based upon expectations for a spike in demand in 2012, IDC upped its 2012 forecast to 106.1 million units, up from its previous forecast of 87.7 million units. IDC
iPad Air benchmarks show 80 percent speed bump over iPad 4
iPad Air benchmarks show 80 percent speed bump over iPad 4
The iPad Air is 80 percent faster than the fourth-generation iPad, say new benchmark tests.Running the new iPad through the paces via Geekbench 3 tests, Primate Labs found that the tablet comes close to reaching Apple's promise of doubling the speed of the iPad 4.The iPad Air is powered by an A7 processor, just like the iPhone 5S. But the new iPad runs at 1.4GHz -- which is 100MHz faster than the 5S, Primate Labs founder John Poole said on Wednesday. He said he's not sure whether the iPad Air's processor is faster due to a larger battery (which offers more power), a larger chassis (which offers better cooling), or a combination of the two. But he does expect the iPad Mini's A7 processor to also clock in at 1.4GHz.The new Air is also five times faster than the iPad 2, leading Poole to question why Apple is still selling the second-generation model, especially at $399, just $100 less than the starting price for the iPad Air. He said that, from a performance standpoint, the iPad Air is a great upgrade to the iPad 4."With most recent Mac updates showing only modest performance improvements, it's exciting to see iOS devices do the opposite, with substantial improvements between generations," he said. "I wonder how much longer Apple can keep this up?"The iPad Air is due to hit stores on Friday.(Via AppleInsider)This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
The iPad Air is 80 percent faster than the fourth-generation iPad, say new benchmark tests.Running the new iPad through the paces via Geekbench 3 tests, Primate Labs found that the tablet comes close to reaching Apple's promise of doubling the speed of the iPad 4.The iPad Air is powered by an A7 processor, just like the iPhone 5S. But the new iPad runs at 1.4GHz -- which is 100MHz faster than the 5S, Primate Labs founder John Poole said on Wednesday. He said he's not sure whether the iPad Air's processor is faster due to a larger battery (which offers more power), a larger chassis (which offers better cooling), or a combination of the two. But he does expect the iPad Mini's A7 processor to also clock in at 1.4GHz.The new Air is also five times faster than the iPad 2, leading Poole to question why Apple is still selling the second-generation model, especially at $399, just $100 less than the starting price for the iPad Air. He said that, from a performance standpoint, the iPad Air is a great upgrade to the iPad 4."With most recent Mac updates showing only modest performance improvements, it's exciting to see iOS devices do the opposite, with substantial improvements between generations," he said. "I wonder how much longer Apple can keep this up?"The iPad Air is due to hit stores on Friday.(Via AppleInsider)This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
iPad 5 in space gray crops up again on video
iPad 5 in space gray crops up again on video
In case you missed the first several leaks of this purported iPad 5 metal backing in Apple's newest color, there's more.iCrackUriDevice posted a rather extensive video of the part, which is said to have originated from suppliers in Hong Kong. Besides the color, it's identical in appearance to other such leaks, which strongly suggest Apple plans to super-size the iPad Mini case design to its larger 9.7-inch tablet. Apple introduced Space Gray as a new color option on the iPhone 5S, while quietly adding it as an option for iPod Touch buyers. As the name would suggest, the color falls in between last year's black, and the typical silver that's made up the back of all four generations of iPad, along with the iPhone 5 and 5S. Related storiesLeaked photos show 'space gray' iPad Mini modelli>Alleged images show iPad 5 in silver, space grayiPad Mini 2 to come in gold and space gray, claim latest leaksThe video is the latest to show off the part, which represents the first major physical change to the iPad since the iPad 2 in 2010. A similar Space Gray unit for the iPad Mini was depicted last month.There still haven't been any leaks of a fully assembled device that would hint at what's changing on the inside. That includes whether Apple plans to include its new Touch ID sensor in those devices, or if it intends to keep the technology limited to phones for the time being. Apple is expected to unveil both a new full-sized iPad and souped up iPad Mini at an event later this month. The company did the same thing last year with a special event about a month after its iPhone 5 unveiling.Here's the video, complete with a glaring typo in the preview image:Update at 2:28 p.m. PT: Not to be outdone, Unbox Therapy has posted a separate video depicting the very same part:
In case you missed the first several leaks of this purported iPad 5 metal backing in Apple's newest color, there's more.iCrackUriDevice posted a rather extensive video of the part, which is said to have originated from suppliers in Hong Kong. Besides the color, it's identical in appearance to other such leaks, which strongly suggest Apple plans to super-size the iPad Mini case design to its larger 9.7-inch tablet. Apple introduced Space Gray as a new color option on the iPhone 5S, while quietly adding it as an option for iPod Touch buyers. As the name would suggest, the color falls in between last year's black, and the typical silver that's made up the back of all four generations of iPad, along with the iPhone 5 and 5S. Related storiesLeaked photos show 'space gray' iPad Mini modelli>Alleged images show iPad 5 in silver, space grayiPad Mini 2 to come in gold and space gray, claim latest leaksThe video is the latest to show off the part, which represents the first major physical change to the iPad since the iPad 2 in 2010. A similar Space Gray unit for the iPad Mini was depicted last month.There still haven't been any leaks of a fully assembled device that would hint at what's changing on the inside. That includes whether Apple plans to include its new Touch ID sensor in those devices, or if it intends to keep the technology limited to phones for the time being. Apple is expected to unveil both a new full-sized iPad and souped up iPad Mini at an event later this month. The company did the same thing last year with a special event about a month after its iPhone 5 unveiling.Here's the video, complete with a glaring typo in the preview image:Update at 2:28 p.m. PT: Not to be outdone, Unbox Therapy has posted a separate video depicting the very same part:
iPad 4 now in stock at Apple Store
iPad 4 now in stock at Apple Store
Consumers eyeing the fourth-generation iPad can now buy one through Apple's online store without any wait time.The Apple Store shows all three flavors of the Wi-Fi-only edition now in stock. The 16GB version goes for $499, the 32GB version for $599, and the 64GB version for $699.The new iPad's immediate availability is a change from the earlier shipping estimate of three to five business days. The status also is the same for Apple's online stores in the U.S. and abroad, a sign that the supply of the tablet seems to have caught up with global demand. The Wi-Fi + Cellular model of the iPad 4 is still scheduled for mid-November. That one will run consumers $629 for the 16GB version, $729 for the 32GB version, and $829 for the 64GB version.Related storiesCNET's iPad reviewPad Mini vs. iPad 4: A glance at raw benchmarksApple: 3M iPads sold over the weekendWhy did Apple launch the iPad 4 now?Meanwhile, the iPad Mini continues to face demand heavier than supply. The Apple Store still shows an estimated ship time of two weeks.Apple revealed on Monday that it sold 3 million iPads over the weekend. The company didn't break out how many were iPad Minis and how many were iPad 4 units. But Apple CEO Tim Cook said that "we set a new launch weekend record and practically sold out of iPad Minis."Based on consumer surveys, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster believes the bulk of those 3 million were for the smaller iPad, estimating from 2 million to 2.5 million iPad Minis sold last weekend. J.P. Morgan's Apple analyst Mark Moskowitz echoed the view that most sales were likely of the Mini.Does this mean the iPad Mini is stealing customers away from the 4th-gen model? The numbers certainly suggest that, but we'll have to see if this trend continues.
Consumers eyeing the fourth-generation iPad can now buy one through Apple's online store without any wait time.The Apple Store shows all three flavors of the Wi-Fi-only edition now in stock. The 16GB version goes for $499, the 32GB version for $599, and the 64GB version for $699.The new iPad's immediate availability is a change from the earlier shipping estimate of three to five business days. The status also is the same for Apple's online stores in the U.S. and abroad, a sign that the supply of the tablet seems to have caught up with global demand. The Wi-Fi + Cellular model of the iPad 4 is still scheduled for mid-November. That one will run consumers $629 for the 16GB version, $729 for the 32GB version, and $829 for the 64GB version.Related storiesCNET's iPad reviewPad Mini vs. iPad 4: A glance at raw benchmarksApple: 3M iPads sold over the weekendWhy did Apple launch the iPad 4 now?Meanwhile, the iPad Mini continues to face demand heavier than supply. The Apple Store still shows an estimated ship time of two weeks.Apple revealed on Monday that it sold 3 million iPads over the weekend. The company didn't break out how many were iPad Minis and how many were iPad 4 units. But Apple CEO Tim Cook said that "we set a new launch weekend record and practically sold out of iPad Minis."Based on consumer surveys, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster believes the bulk of those 3 million were for the smaller iPad, estimating from 2 million to 2.5 million iPad Minis sold last weekend. J.P. Morgan's Apple analyst Mark Moskowitz echoed the view that most sales were likely of the Mini.Does this mean the iPad Mini is stealing customers away from the 4th-gen model? The numbers certainly suggest that, but we'll have to see if this trend continues.
Apple adds new countries to iCloud movie support
Millions more people can now watch their favorite synced movies via iTunes in the Cloud. Apple added movie support to its iTunes in the Cloud in eight new countries -- Austria, Estonia, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Switzerland -- now have Apple's cloud-based movie support, according to TUAW and others. Related storiesDialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)The 404 Podcast 498: Where Jeff battles the TriadBuzz Out Loud Podcast 1145: China to Google: Suck it This means users in these countries can purchase movies from iTunes that are then automatically synced to the cloud and made available for viewing on any eligible device -- computer, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Apple TV.The last time Apple added new countries to its iCloud movie roster was about a year ago. The service launched in 2011 and users in the U.S. have long been able to synchronize their movies. But the rollout has been slower for those abroad. Apple lists which countries have cloud availability on its Web site.
Apple addressing iPhone 4 issues Friday
It appears that Apple's silence on the iPhone 4 issues will come to an end later this week.Apple is planning to hold a press conference at 10 a.m. in Cupertino, Calif., on Friday to discuss the iPhone 4, according to CNET blogger Jim Dalrymple on his personal blog, The Loop. No other details were provided.It's likely that this is Apple's attempt to address the uproar over the iPhone's signal loss problems. It's been reported by some iPhone 4 customers since the day the phone was available that when the phone is gripped in a certain way, it can cause reception and bandwidth to drop.Apple at first addressed the reports by telling users to hold the phone in a different way or to buy a rubber bumper case to prevent fingers from coming in contact with the phone's exterior antenna. Later, Apple said the problem lay in the way the phone displays signal bars and said a software update to fix the issues would be forthcoming.The beta version of that update, iOS 4.1, was released to developers Wednesday.
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