Technology360

Entering new audio-friendly digital era

Arthur Cohen of the Public Radio Program Directors Association has posted notes from Kinsey Wilson’s (NPR SVP&GM Digital Media) Monday keynote to the RAIN Summit in Las Vegas.  Link:  PRPD News for Programmers.  --Dennis

No more raggedy waltzes :-(

I've been using Pandora more recently, mostly because it's a channel on Roku.  Tonight, however, I learned that it must have keyboard shortcuts, and that they are dangerous.  I set up a Dave Brubeck "station," and the first thing up was It's A Raggedy Waltz.  Oh boy!!  I was messing with other things on my desk while I was enjoying the music and I brushed the keyboard at one point and up popped a message promising never ever to play that or anything like it again.  Oh no!! Couldn't find anything in the FAQ to suggest an undo function.  I've deleted the DB station and added one again, hoping it will forget my accidental thumbs down.

Although Pandora uses the "station" metaphor and is often billed as a radio competitor (that's certainly true to some extent), after some hours of listening now, I think it's more accurately a better iPod.  I find the iPod less interesting because it's a hassle to add music to it and I get tired of hearing the same ones I've already added.

For what it's worth, here is my list of "stations" so far:  Dave Brubeck, The Persuasions, Björk, Glenn Gould, The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Lyle Lovett, K. D. Lang, James Taylor & Alison Krauss, Buena Vista Social Club, Carlos Santana, and Johannes Brahms.  --Dennis

Smart writing about the iPad

Frédéric Filloux and Doc Searls have some thoughtful things to say about the iPad.

By Frédéric Filloux (@filloux) in Monday Note:

Catching the iPad Wave: Seven Thoughts (dated 5 April 2010 on design, innovation/disruption, pricing, installed base, contradiction, advertising, and data & marketing).

The iParanoid Scenario (dated 7 February 2010)

iPad Thoughts (dated 31 January 2010)

By Doc Searls (@dsearls) in Doc Searls Weblog:

Beyond the iPad (dated 2 April 2010)

--Dennis