Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Geeky Thursday again

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  • Hadyn Green,

    Starbucks' free wifi?

    I was suckered into going into a Starbucks (shock revelation) in Hawaii because it advertised free wifi. It was the kind of free wifi you had to pay for.

    but if this is true then cool. If it wasn't for the shit coffee and factory style of getting it, Starbucks might almost, just, possibly be midly acceptable.

    RE: touch iPod. I put my ipod in my pocket and use the scroll wheel through the jeans, can i still do this with the touchscreen?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    RE: touch iPod. I put my ipod in my pocket and use the scroll wheel through the jeans, can i still do this with the touchscreen?

    What you touch in that area is strictly your business ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    Why is it people don't like Bill O'Reilly? :-)

    If liberals accept that some people are going to be more right wing than they are, shouldn't they flock to the ones who - like BillO - support abortion rights, oppose the death penalty, and have no problem with gay marriage?

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Why is it people don't like Bill O'Reilly? :-)

    It's the part about him being a conceited, lying bully, I think.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    Remove all the fun from my bait, then...

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    Don't worry, Graeme, with time and practice, you could become a master baiter.

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    What you touch in that area is strictly your business ...

    What are saying Russell? Not that kind of forum?

    Seriously though, currently I can use my ipod (almost) blind. won't a touch screen screw that up?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale,

    There's nothing wrong with setting foot in a Starbucks. They have bathrooms and A/C. (Anyone who has lived through an NYC summer can attest to the wonders of the latter. And the former, for that matter.)

    Now, buying/consuming something from a Starbucks is a whole 'nother story...

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    Olinda looks like a lovely geeky concept, but I can't imagine ever having a use for it.

    I can count on the thumbs of one foot the times I've stopped and thought "I wonder what <insert random friend here> is listening to on the radio right now?"

    But then again, I have zero presence on any social networking site, and a similar level of interest in signing up for one. I'm probably not the target demographic.

    I'm thinking of starting up a social networking site for introverts. You sign up and it sends a message to everyone you know saying "I vahnt to be ahlone, darlink".

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report Reply

  • InternationalObserver,

    it's a fairly striking example of the way that commercial radio is becoming irrelevant as a music discovery platform.

    Puh-lease! It's a drop in the bucket! You digital types forget that Joe Blow is lazy and really does stick to what he knows. But do I accept that there are more and more options on how we watch and listen - which leaves me to wonder how it will all end. I suspect a modern equivalent of Babel.
    There are already thousands of musicians out there crying because they can't get 'heard' and wondering 'how the F did that ahole get a record deal?'. Can you imagine what the result will be if the TV production industry goes the same way? There's a hundred channels on US cable, and now we could see a thousand more in the interweb? Crikey. How do you build an audience? Without an audience you won't get paid. Is our future Lonelygirl15? (no link, spare yourselves)
    I guess the interweb really will become the opiate of the masses, the great pacifier. Already struggling musicians are posting songs to MySpace et al and feeling validated because 378 people have downloaded it and that's really important, man.
    Next thing you know we'll have websites where people too lazy dial talkback radio can spiel off their thought for the day and feel self important that their world view has been 'heard'. Sure, they may not actually be sane enough to get a letter published in the newspaper but they can log on any time they like and write long posts, and fool themselves into thinking they might have made a difference. (When in reality everyone is saying 'oh, that guy' and hitting the scroll button.)

    I put my ipod in my pocket and use the scroll wheel through the jeans

    So that's what you were doing, eh? I haven't heard such a creative explanation since a certain Senator was caught tapping his foot in a public toilet : )

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report Reply

  • Rebecca Williams,

    you can still get the "classic" i-pod ....

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 120 posts Report Reply

  • InternationalObserver,

    ... too lazy dial to talkback radio ...

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report Reply

  • InternationalObserver,

    ... too lazy to dial talkback radio ...

    (aaargh, why do I care about the pediantrists?)

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Michie,

    I wonder when Apple are going to release the iTunes that'll allow you to downlosd to the new iPod...

    Requires 7.4; latest is 7.3.2: Try before you buy folks.

    Auckward • Since Nov 2006 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Rebecca Williams,

    it's just not your day, observer ...

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 120 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    I'm thinking of starting up a social networking site for introverts. You sign up and it sends a message to everyone you know saying "I vahnt to be ahlone, darlink".

    This article was written for you, Jeremy Andrew.

    Caring for your introvert

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Gary Hutchings,

    I also noted that Apple lopped $200 US off the price of the iPhone, (which generated much wailing and gnashing of fanboy early adopters teeth) making it now $399 US for 8GB, they also culled the 4GB one.

    At that price point it is a obvious "upsell" from the "touch Ipod, which sells for $299 US,

    I can see it now,

    "I see you are interested in the Touch ipod,
    Would you be you looking to upgrade your phone in the near future?
    Well for an extra $100 bucks you can have all the features of the touch + a phone,
    How will you be paying for this purchase":)

    wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 108 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    Next thing you know we'll have websites where people too lazy dial talkback radio can spiel off their thought for the day and feel self important that their world view has been 'heard'. Sure, they may not actually be sane enough to get a letter published in the newspaper but they can log on any time they like and write long posts, and fool themselves into thinking they might have made a difference. (When in reality everyone is saying 'oh, that guy' and hitting the scroll button.)

    Isn't that pretty much the definition of a (personal) blog?

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Stevens,

    I hate starbucks. This won't change my mind.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report Reply

  • Hamboy,

    <quote>Seriously though, currently I can use my ipod (almost) blind. won't a touch screen screw that up?</ quote>
    Plus I have discovered to my horror, dumbbells and mp3 screens don't mix. They are just going to be a bigger target.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 162 posts Report Reply

  • Hamboy,

    Oops make that mp3 LCD screens.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 162 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    __ it's a fairly striking example of the way that commercial radio is becoming irrelevant as a music discovery platform__.

    Puh-lease! It's a drop in the bucket! You digital types forget that Joe Blow is lazy and really does stick to what he knows.

    Oh, mainstream broadcast radio won't go away. It will just become progressively less relevant to music discovery and sales. Check out the NZ radioplay and sales charts since they were revamped earlier this year: they don't have a whole lot to do with each other.

    Mainstream format radio is basically about supplying people with what they already know. Music discovery will now increasingly take place on social sites and via online retail. Getting on the Starbucks playlist that hooks up with the WiFi iTunes and the iPhone/iPod will be quite important in the US. It fulfills the desire that conventional radio can't: what is that tune? I want to own it! Gadzooks! I made an impulse purchase!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Hamboy,

    Do that many people actually listen to what is on the radio?
    Or do they mostly have it on for a bit of white noise?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 162 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    The networks don't seem to have grasped two facts about Internet: an awful lot of people are willing to make content for nothing and users don't want to pay for Internet content.

    Yet still, the network people talk about revenue streams and leveraging. Why do they assume that users who are accustomed to getting content for nothing will suddenly start paying subscriptions? TV viewers might pay for Sky because they can get more channels, but what more could the TV networks offer Internet users?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    1. I'm a bit scared of the whole "share what you listen to" thing. Like, I love LastFM and its ability to track what I've been listening to on iTunes and my iPod and make graphs, but at the same time, it's also ruining my musical reputation because of the time I listened to Van Halen's "Panama" about 20 times in a row.

    2. Forget about Starbucks being the retailer used in the Wifi/iPod example. Eventually it'll be happening in other shops that play meaningful music. I like the idea of going into a cool shop, hearing some music playing in the store, and being able to to buy it on my iPod right away.

    3. The last time I listened to radio regularly was back in 2004 before I crashed my car. Back then I listened to Mai FM, which was quite good for keeping up with pop, hip hop and R&B. But now about 90% of the new music that comes into my life does so via some internet pathway.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

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