When Steve Jobs hit the stage to announce all the goodness Apple was rolling out with their new iOS 5, the feature that had me most excited was iTunes Match. This service would cost you $25 each year but provide you with one of the coolest things to hit the music industry since Napster. Only this time it’s sort of on their terms.
Here’s how it works. iTunes goes through all of your music and matches it with the iTunes Music Store library. All that music you bought on CD back in 1998, Shania Twain, Paula Cole, Savage Garden (you know who you are), and ripped at 128kbps for your computer are now available for you to download from iTunes. Only now you’ll be able to replace that sad 128kbps MP3 with a 256kbps AAC audio file, far superior if you ask me.
This even works with all that ill-gotten music you might have on your computer… As long as iTunes can find its match, you are good to go! Sounds great doesn’t it? A $25 get out of jail card that also improves quality of music in your library. Worth every penny if you ask me.
Wow, and I thought the debate last night was eye-opening. We have already discussed here the remarkable reactions Republican candidates have been getting to things such as killing of criminals, “Yeah! Cheers! Horray!” and sick people who are uninsured, “Let him die!” My friends and I cringed when we heard these reactions during the primary debates.
Then, last night, Rick Santorum (just Google him) shared with the audience that he would like to re-instate ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’, which was just repealed this week. Here’s how it played out. Be sure to read on to the outrageous poll after the break. Continue reading →
Facebook is doing its best to blow the minds of developers and users today at their F8 conference. Of course, over the last few days, all they have really accomplished was upsetting their user base with dramatic and seemingly unnecessary changes to the Facebook user experience.
Today they unleashed the future of a Facebook profile. It looks slick, fun, interesting and very narcissistic. The new Facebook is the old Myspace.
Next is a screen capture of what an entire profile will look like. Continue reading →
This morning I, along with 23 million others, received an email from Reed Hastings apologizing for keeping everyone in the dark about the changes afoot at Netflix. These changes weren’t simply the price increase for DVD + Streaming use, it also includes a total rebranding and restructuring of the company.
Now Netflix, as far as physical media goes, will be called Qwikster. Yes you will be able to get games as well as DVDs in the mail now but it will be a totally different site which does not connect to Netflix at all. Netflix will become solely the streaming service. The names are explained as follows.
Netflix because they are Internet flicks aka interNET FLIcksX versus Qwikster because its QuWIcK…STER. Not only is the name stupid, but breaking this once great company into two for nearly any reason is stupid. Seriously though, Qwikster is a horrible name. It sounds like a Napster clone.
You will now receive two bills each month, one for Netflix and one for Qwikster. We still don’t know for sure of stock owners’ situation. They originally held stock in a DVD mailing fulfillment company. Then they owned stock in a DVD mail fulfillment and video streaming company. Now they own stock in a DVD and games mail fulfillment company and a separate video streaming company.
Finally, why this change is truly horrible? Check out the new process for renting a DVD.
It can now take up to twice as many steps to rent a DVD in the mail if streaming is not an option. Instead of it all being under one roof, Netflix.com, you will have to first search Netflix and then search Qwikster. You will also have to have the two completely separate memberships and will have to manage two distinctly different movie queues.
This is the most insane part. Netflix, what were you thinking? Reed Hastings, how did you create such an amazing and innovative company only to pull a HP-Compaq-Palm, AOL-Time Warner and drown it with obstacles, barriers and complications?
In a modern world where everyone else is scrambling to catch up to Netflix in both subscribers, available content, streamlining and awareness; Netflix just gave everyone else in the game a massive boost.
Oh and let’s not forget the ten years of branding and name recognition we have with Netflix. Qwikster has now become yet another company and service that will have to be re-explained to the masses.
“Qwikster, it’s like the old Netflix only now it’s really like the new Netflix but you have to wait a few days to enjoy your movie.”
What were you thinking? Am I alone in this? Is this not just a horrible mistake?
In this moment, it is asked whether someone who is uninsured should be allowed to die or if the government should pick up where his lack of insurance and his bank account left off. The reaction from the Tea Party crowd is surprising, even for them. Below is the incident in question.
Ron Paul the doctor says a 30-year-old who has an accident and needs intensive health care should’ve planned ahead and is responsible for himself. When Blitzer asks if society should let that young man die, some in the crowd shout in approval. Tea Party audience members heard yelling: “Yeah!” “Let him die!”
I actually sort of like Ron Paul. I think his ideas are kind of crazy and his loathing of government a bit ironic but at least he has some ideas. This is more of a critique of the audience than Ron Paul though he sure didn’t challenge them.
And of course, Blitzer should have proposed the question again with someone like me who tried to get insurance, even paid for it for months and then was told he was uninsurable. What if I were the one in the hospital for six months? A twenty-something with all intentions of not getting a free ride.
Now, discuss!
UPDATE: Looks like Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson was right over a year ago when he said the Republican healthcare plan was, “Don’t get sick and if you do get sick, die quickly.” Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration and the hypothetical situation isn’t specific enough but it sure doesn’t help the argument for the Tea Party reaction last night.
