Online Music Store Comparison

ExtremeTech has taken a look at the many popular online music stores and compiled their thoughts into one big roundup. All the biggies are covered: eMusic, Apple's iTunes Music Store, MSN Music, Napster, Sony's Connect Service, Musicmatch, Rhapsody, Virgin and the Wal-Mart Music Downloads Store.

As you can see, there are a lot of choices and a lot of variables to consider, so their last words are probably the best:

All of the services we looked at offer free limited-time trial periods, so if you've been looking to expand your music collection, and are looking to move beyond CDs, then give one of these services a try. In some cases you'll need to give a credit card number during the trial period, and the cancellation is an opt-out process where you'll stay in the service if you don't actively de-activate your account. So if you decide a service isn't for you, don't forget to actively shut the account down to avoid unwanted credit card charges.

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[Source: Player Blog]

Snoop Dogg Ego Trippin�

The Snoop Dogg Ego Trippin� album due out March 11, 2008 features the artist himself with no big name guest appearances. Snoop Dogg Ego Trippin� studio album will be the Long Beach rapper�s ninth to date.
Snoop Dogg appeared on CNN�s Larry King Live show recently and talked about the new Ego Trippin� CD along with [...]

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[Source: Music Lyrics Blog]

Hip-hop is different

Fleshmap via Infosthetics
If you ever wanted proof that hip-hop & rap are a disruptive music genre, take a look at this study/art work by Fernanda Viegas, Martin Wattenberg & the crowdsourcing specialists at Dolores Labs: Fleshlabs.
They’ve take the lyrics of a lot of songs and figured out which body parts are most mentioned.
Based on a [...]

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[Source: blog.forret.com]

Sara Valenzuela - "Lado Este"

Download it here



This song comes at you courtesy of KEXP's World Pop show, which played a different song off "Lado Este" a week or so back. Don't know what it is about breathy Spanish-language vocals that get me, but first Julieta Venegas and now this. It's a new turn for Guadalajara-based Valenzuela, Shakira-ly striking off on her own from her punk-pop band, Dosis. Granted, some of her tracks sound like they cop intros straight from Portishead, but the blend of slinky vocals and jazzy samples distract from that pretty quick. In its darker and weirder moments, Valenzuela's music is reminiscent of Poe's most recent album.

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[Source: The Olympian Online -- MP3 Blog]

iRiver H10 Review

Gear @ IGN.com has been dormant for a while, at least with respect to audio players, for quite some time. However, they emerged briefly from slumber to post a new review of the iRiver H10.

The review author, Chris Roper, gave it an 8.5/10 and strong praise:

I really like the iriver H10 quite a bit. The audio quality is excellent and the touch strip works very well. The whole interface is simple to navigate through with this setup, making for a quick and easy track selection process.

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[Source: Player Blog]

Red Sparowes - Alone and Unaware, the Landscape Was Transformed in Front of Our Eyes

Download it here



OK, look Red Sparowes, I understand you're all-post-post-whatever and big on layering, weird instrumentation and massive build-and-release. Listen, though -- if you don't quit with the long song titles, your audience is going to be limited to people who saw the album and thought "sweet, I heart pretentiousness!" And you are so better than that. Whatcha basically got here is big guitars and drums whaled upon then artsied up, with some tasty pedal steel, tape loops and distorted ambient vocals thrown in for spice. Big, energetic stuff, perfect for those scenes where the hero's world is falling apart, and whirling around, wild-eyed, he takes off running.


If you feel moved to action by "Alone and Unaware, etc.", give Our Happiest Days Slowly Began to Turn Into Dust a shot as well. Starts in simpler Sonic Youth mode, but ends up hewing closer to the group's harmonic metal roots -- i.e. even nastier guitars and drums, a little less weirdness.

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[Source: The Olympian Online -- MP3 Blog]

Stuff to install on a new Windows PC

That is, the stuff I install on a new Windows PC. Since I need this list several times a year, why not make a blog post of it. As you will see,I have a more than average interest in video (conversion) and sysadmin (SSH/FTP). The links typically go straight to the download page.
Audio/video

iTunes (+Quicktime): excellent [...]

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[Source: blog.forret.com]

Tim Fite - "No Good Here"

Download it here


Tim Fite is a bit of a Dr. Frankenstein -- he builds his masterpieces from pieces of the dead. Dead music, that is. Fite's modus operandi in music production is to use bargain-bin CDs, costing $1 or less, as a source of all his samples. The result is part rock, part pop, part folk, part country, part hip-hop yet fully entertaining. In the space of a few lines, Tim's vocals can go from twang-ified drawl to street-wise rapper -- or both at once, even.


The track No Good Here illustrates his style with a bit of rock swagger, bouncing between twinkly alterna-pop and hair metal. While interesting, no new genre is really born, and in the long run Fite's career may prove as short-lived as those who created the music he samples.
Also available is the song Fourty-five remedies. More info at his Web site.

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[Source: The Olympian Online -- MP3 Blog]

Songwriting Contest at Raymond Walters College

The second annual songwriting contest at Raymond Walters College (RWC) is now open to high school and college students in the Cincinnati, Ohio and Northern Kentucky areas. Any theme, style or subject matter will be accepted and songs will be judged anonymously.
The quality of the music and lyrics and especially the relationship between the two [...]

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[Source: Music Lyrics Blog]

Karl Blau - "Into the Nada"

Download it here.



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[Source: The Olympian Online -- MP3 Blog]

iAudio M3L Review

HWZone has posted a lengthy review of the iAudio M3L, a device that hasn't gotten a lot of press since its introduction. If you're not familiar with the M3L, it's a 20GB audio player marketed under both the Cowon and JetAudio brand names.

Notably the M3L does not have an LCD on the main unit, rather it's on the inline remote control. Also the 'L' stands for Long, as in battery life. The M3L has a higher capacity battery than its cousin, the M3.

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[Source: Player Blog]

Intelligence Test

This Intelligence Test was fun to do, and I got stuck at 23, without Googling or reverse-engineering the JS code. Then of course, somebody decided to comment on the NoDesktopHero post with spoilers. So yeah, no point in continuing.


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[Source: blog.forret.com]

BTI Tunestir iPod Remote/Receiver/Transmitter

BTI has announced an interesting new iPod accessory, the Tunestir. It combines an FM receiver, an inline remote and an FM transmitter into one package. The Tunestir even has 5 presets for listening to radio stations and another 5 presets for open FM channels to transmit on. Everything is controlled from the inline remote control unit.

Retailing for $69.95, the Tunestir is supposed to be available later this month. [Via Engadget]

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[Source: Player Blog]

Rio Says "Me Too!" to 6GB

In the wake of every other device, Rio has announced that it too will upgrade its mini-sized audio player, the Carbon, to 6GB. It is supposed to be available June 1st and will retail for $229 [Via Engadget].

Editorial note: does Rio even care about this market anymore? They haven't released a new product in forever and the long-rumored Karma 2 is nowhere to be seen. Apple, iRiver, Creative, Archos and everyone else are actively moving their product lines forward with nary a peep out of Rio. What's gives?

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[Source: Player Blog]

Grammy Praises Mammy

It�s no surprises that Amy Winehouse and Kanye West both came home with a handful of Grammy�s last night. It�s also no surprise that Kanye West loves his mother. What was a little surprising is the extent to which he wore his love on his sleeve.
Instead of wearing his love on his actual sleeve, Kanye [...]

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[Source: Music Lyrics Blog]

American Idol Predictions

Let me put on my Carnac the Magnificent thinking cap for a moment and make a few American Idol predictions. This year�s American Idol predictions may be a bit tougher than years past because the competition is arguably the best yet. But, since I�ve already thrown Kristy Lee Cook into the pot as well as [...]

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[Source: Music Lyrics Blog]

Bluetooth for the iPod with the Thanko iCombi

The iPod accessory parade continues. Korean company Thanko is debuting the iCombi AP11, which turns your iPod into a Bluetooth transmitter. Now you can listen to your iPod, wirelessly, through Bluetooth headphones or on your laptop.

The AP11 supports A2DP, AVRCP, Headset and Hands-free Bluetooth profiles, though Headset and Handsfree wouldn't give you stereo sound. Range is said to be around 10m (32 feet). [Via DAPReview]

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[Source: Player Blog]

iPod Camera Connector Review

The all-things-iPod guys at iPodlounge have written up their review of the newly release iPod Camera Connector. If (and only if) you have an iPod Photo, the Camera Connector will let you import photos directly from a digital camera (but not another iPod Photo). The verdict:

Overall, the iPod Camera Connector is a suitably inexpensive and simple way for digital photographers to transfer to and view their pictures on an iPod photo. It remedies the biggest single complaint that early iPod photo purchasers (and potential purchasers) had about Apple's newest iPod, and though it is technically more powerful because it's doing more with the photos it imports, it preserves the slow overall transfer times of the photo transfer peripherals we've previously tested. On balance, serious photographers will like some of its features, but because of the long transfer times and battery issues will probably continue not to view the iPod photo as a legitimate alternative to a dedicated hard disk-based photo vault.

Related Links:

iPod Photo Camera Connector Available

Apple Camera Connector

New iPod Photo Gets Digital Camera Download

Apple Rolls Out New iPods

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[Source: Player Blog]

Pretty Girls Make Graves - "The Nocturnal House"

Download it here



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[Source: The Olympian Online -- MP3 Blog]

Northern Soul

I’m currently reading two related books at the same time:

“Turn the beat around - the secret history of disco” by Peter Shapiro
“Last night a DJ saved my life - the history of the disc jockey” by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton

Both speak about a phenomenon of the 60’s-70’s: Northern Soul. It is the unlikely [...]

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[Source: blog.forret.com]

Cowon iAudio X5 Info and Photos

The ever-resourceful DAPReview gang has gotten their hot little hands on what might be the only iAudio X5 in the US. They've got lots of photos and even more photos on the new audio/video player. And we're sure they're cranking away on a review as we speak, so stay tuned for that.

As you can see from the picture below, the X5 sizes up very favorably to the iPod while cramming in quite a few nice extra features.

Most noticably, the X5 has a bright, 1.8" color screen. Models will come in a range of capacities from 20GB up to 60GB and will not only play audio, but video as well. Past iAudio models have had excellent support for various music formats beyond MP3s (such as Ogg and FLAC) and we expect no different from the X5. We're not sure yet, though, which video formats the X5 will support.

Another big thumbs up for the X5 comes from its support for USB On the Go, which lets you import photos directly from a digital camera. Neither the iPod Photo or the iRiver H320 (the US version, at least) have this capability out of the box.

No word, however, on when (or IF!) it will be available in the US. Currently the X5 is only sold in Korea.

Related Links:

Cowon iAUDIO M5 Announced

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[Source: Player Blog]

Sony NW-HD5 Coming Soon

It looks like Sony has something new and improved up its sleeve: the NW-HD5, a tiny 20GB audio player that is the successor to the less-than-successful NW-HD1, NW-HD2 and NW-HD3. (Sidebar: according to a DAPReview member, 4 is associated with death Japan, so that's why it isn't the NW-HD4).

In any case, Sony may finally have a winner on its hands. The NW-HD5 is signficantly smaller than the iPod, measuring just 3.5"x2.6"x0.56" and 4.8oz, compared with the current 20GB iPod at 4.1"x2.4"x 0.57" and 5.6oz. Battery life is reported to range into 30 hours, compared with the iPod's 12 hour charge.

It appears that the NW-HD5 will be released some time in May with a retail price of around US$375, which is quite a bit higher than the 20GB iPod's $299 retail price. Also, there appear to be 3 color choices: red, black and white.

AV Watch (machine translated) of Japan has several pics of the NW-HD5, including this nice Apple/Sony size comparison.

More bits at: Engadget (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5), DAPReview (1 and 2), Gizmodo, Pocket Lint (1 and 2), Tech Digest UK and Digital Media Thoughts.

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[Source: Player Blog]

MP3 Player market Big and Getting Bigger

Market analysis firm JupiterResearch is predicting that the US MP3 player market will grow by 35% in 2005 and end with 18.2 million devices being sold.

Also, Jupiter predicts that once a "critical mass" (around 15%-20% of the population) gets their hands on audio players this year, demand for a new a wave of associated products and services (accessories and online music stores, for example) will emerge.

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[Source: Player Blog]

Iron & Wine/Calexico - "Sixteen, Maybe Less"

Download it here (warning: link may die abruptly)



If you know anything about these two bands, this track off their collaboration EP, "In the Reins," is totally predictable -- and completely enthralling. Sam Beam's lyrics, like his vocals, are still warm and nostalgic, and the backup singer syncs in more beautifully than doubletracking the lead ever could. The instrumentation, mostly provided by Calexico, showcases pedal steel (fast becoming indie-dom's answer to hip-hop's handclaps) and acoustic string-bends riding a sneaky I-don't-want-this-to-end drum patter. While other album tracks are more experimental (listen to the horn section blast in on "A History of Lovers"), this paean to first love pulls Beam a bit back toward his roots, and leaves the listener content to stay there.

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[Source: The Olympian Online -- MP3 Blog]

Danielson: "Did I Step on Your Trumpet?"

Download it here



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[Source: The Olympian Online -- MP3 Blog]

Got the funeral-suit blues

The recent deaths of three great blues greats has me thinking of the genre's deep impact on modern music. The roots of the blues runs as deep as music itself, and the reflections of 20th century blues can be heard in just about any pop song if you know what to listen for.


Download "Shake 'em on Down"

Download "Goin' Down South"



R.L. Burnside (1926-2005) shot to a higher level of fame in the '90s with recognition from the indie-rock set. His collaboration with the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, "A Ass Pocket of Whiskey," was his first step on the road to indie-cult status. His gut-punch delivery and willingness to experiment with newer styles and production led to some interesting grooves that definitely map new territories for the blues. Try "Shake 'em on Down" and "Goin' Down South" (featuring ever-effervescent rapper Lyrics Born) from the 2004 album "A Bothered Mind" for recent examples of his work.


Download "Louisiana Zydeco"



Another blues legend, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (1924-2005), fused blues, rock, swing, R&B, be-bop, cajun and anything else he felt like playing into something unusual but always cohesive. "Lousiana Zydeco" is a prime example of his mix of styles. (Via LivingBlues.com ).


Simple chord progressions and tales of longing and love-gone-wrong are the staple of most bluesmen. Little Milton, who passed away in August, followed this formula through many albums over many years. Often compared to B.B. King, Milton was a relatively lesser-known but well-loved artist. Samples of songs with guest artists G.Love, Keb Mo', Lucinda Williams and Government Mule can be heard here.


That concludes this session of Dead Blues Legend Retrospective. Next one won't be for a long while, hopefully.

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[Source: The Olympian Online -- MP3 Blog]

New Roc Box Site

New RocBox owner Knighthawk has started a new community site, the roxbox Blog. If you are (admittedly, one of the few) RocBox users, check it out.

Big thumbs for Knighthawk prodding into Roc Digital open-sourcing their firmware, though. We wish him the best.

Related Links:

Rocbox First Look

The Roc-A-Fella Rocbox

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[Source: Player Blog]

Archos Gmini XS200 Review

Robert over at DAPReview has posted his review of the Archos Gmini XS200. The XS200 is one of Archos's newest models, with a 20GB capacity in a squarish, tiny package. And with a street price under $200, it's a compelling choice.

Robert gave it 77/100:

...the XS200 keeps things so straightforward, clean and simple that it tips of both ends of the balance on more than one occasion. Undeniably, it's the most pocket-friendly 20GB player out there - albeit rather thick next to an iPod, but who cares. As long as you keep focusing on the playback of digital music formats, this unit does marvels for your money.


Ah well, there are some glitches in the execution of it all, of course. Some valuable battery life has been sacrificed to shrink it down to matchbox-like proportions and the XS200 comes with a very skimpy accessory set. However, the true "problem" lies within its hardware-related capabilities. This unit won't go very far beyond playing MP3's. That's fine to 90% of us, but if you're looking for advanced features or nifty gimmicks then this player won't float your boat.

Related Links:

Archos Gmini XS200 Review

Archos Gmini XS200 Review

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[Source: Player Blog]

Janet Jackson Discipline

The Janet Jackson Discipline album is due out February 26, 2008 and provides a fresh take on fantasy and eroticism. With masochistic overtones and a heavily digitized sound, the Discipline recording will put many good Janet slaves in their place.
The title song, �Discipline,� which is the 20th track on the album, shows off Janet as [...]

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[Source: Music Lyrics Blog]

iRiver H10 Review

Engadget does its thing with a new iRiver H10 review. They said:

iRiver's H10 5GB portable audio player has a lot to like, but there are a few flaws that were deal-breakers for us. In the end, we're returning this item, though the positive features may make the issues with this unit worth it for some.

However, note that the more serious cons that the list for the H10 have been fixed by the recent v2.0 firmware update, so take those negatives with a grain of salt.

Related Links:

iRiver Fixes Some Annoying H10 Issues

In Depth iRiver H10 Review

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[Source: Player Blog]

Josiah Leming Almost Jumps Shark on American Idol

Josiah Leming was almost a lemming marching off to sea, following the other fallen contestants on American Idol last night. The only thing that saved Josiah Leming was the likability factor that he had already established with the judges.
The usually, surly Simon the Scowl Cowell, gave the Leming an uncharacteristic break by giving the lad [...]

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[Source: Music Lyrics Blog]

The Paper Chase - "Said the Spider to the Fly"

Download it here



Found an interesting word on wikipedia the other day: ergodic. In terms of literature, it refers to books that are nonlinear or require reader effort to piece together -- consider hypertext works, "House of Leaves" or on a simpler level games like "Myst" or even "Choose Your Own Adventure" books. The Paper Chase is, in a sense, ergodic music. It is not idle listening, a background track to other activities -- it's just way too disonant and weird. Somehow the band can use those two qualities to force me to pay attention to the music, while simultaneously overcoming them, making me illogically enjoy somethng I ought to hate. Emo vocals stitched to music that sounds like what happens when an untrained six-year-old gets at a keyboard? Listen to it a couple of times, and I guarauntee you're brain will start muttering "Good things die ... all the time/God bless your heart, vengeance is mine." All it takes is a little more effort than usual.



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[Source: The Olympian Online -- MP3 Blog]

Lil Wayne Tha Carter III

The Lil Wayne Tha Carter III album is one of the most anticipated yet worst kept secrets on the Internet. Songs from the Lil Wayne Tha Carter III CD has been flying around cyberspace so quickly that a Leaked version was actually put out and available from several vendors.
On the Leaked version of Tha Carter [...]

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[Source: Music Lyrics Blog]

Lil Boosie Gets Florida Teen Sent to Jail

This is what happens when freedom of speech meets public decency. A Florida teen was arrested for singing the rap lyrics to a Lil Boosie song in public. Now, Lil Boosie will get a boost in popularity because of this and yes, this blog post is helping in this endeavor.
The Florida teen, a 19-year-old Christopher [...]

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[Source: Music Lyrics Blog]

Amy Winehouse Finally Granted Visa, But Too Late for Grammys

British singer Amy Winehouse was finally granted a visa to enter the United States, but a little too little, too late to perform at the Grammys on Sunday. The embattled singer has been her own worst enemy of late with stints in rehab (like her song) and caught on video snorting illegal unmentionables.
Nominated for six [...]

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[Source: Music Lyrics Blog]

Samantha Sidley American Idol Winner

Samantha Sidley may just be the next American Idol winner. Yes, I�ve said that before and not too long ago as a matter of fact. And, it�s no secret that I�m prone to predictions and prognostications, so here is another one.
I believe that Samantha Sidley will be in the Top 5 finalists with Kristy Lee [...]

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[Source: Music Lyrics Blog]

The Wailers - "Dirty Robber"

Download it here



So I recently read "Room Full of Mirrors," the new Jimi Hendrix bio (quick review -- the writing style passes up Hendrix's flash for his technical proficiency, but it does a wonderful job of bringing to light and snuffing out the rumors and of getting to the soul of the man -- 4 out of 5 stars) and was interested to read about the guitar savant's Northwest influences. Primary among them was The Fabulous Wailers, a Tacoma-based "dirty R&B" band in the vein of Portland's The Kingsmen ("Louie Louie") and the biggest band around when young Jimi was coming of age. "Dirty Robber" is echoey and practically incomprehensible, but you know the warbles and piano slides got the dance floor jumping -- and planted in Jimi the idea that barely reined-in chaos was at the root of really fun rock.

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[Source: The Olympian Online -- MP3 Blog]

iPod Buyer's Guide 2005

The ever-industrious worker bees over at iPodLounge have a new 2005 Buyer's Guide for all things iPod. It covers just about everything: which iPod might be the right choice for a first-timer, lotsa iPod accessory review and a look at upcoming iPod paraphenalia.

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[Source: Player Blog]

Five tips for taking tango pictures in dark environments

I have been taking tango pictures intensively for more than 2 years now. Most of that time I’ve been using a Canon 350D with a number of lenses. What’s special about tango pictures? Most importantly, the tango events are in the evening/night with minimal lighting. I avoid using a flash, since it’s unpleasant for the [...]

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[Source: blog.forret.com]