Project and the iPad. [iPad Update #1]

As the theme seems to be for my sites today, I have to cancel the project I was working on. By outlining a way to show the possibilities that the Microsoft Courier prototype had, I wanted to show the way it could be used by a much broader audience than was apparent from the demos. Microsoft killed the plan so there is really no point in elaborating on its potential. In lieu of this I'm going to provide updates with my iPad user experience. This is the first. 

The day I heard of the Courier's demise, I decided to purchase the iPad. So far I am thrilled with it, especially for entertainment and casual use, but wish that Apple (especially Jobs) didn't have such a anti-stylus mindset. The ones I have tried work fairly well, but there is only so much precision one can get with a product designed specifically not to be used with a stylus. 90% of the time I have no desire to use a stylus. 9% of the time, the stylus options available are sufficient. But this remainder still creates a significant amount where I'm left frustrated by the inability to get the precision of pen on paper.

It was my goal that the iPad (or originally the Courier) would replace what I carry in my messenger bag. The primary item on this list was my laptop which it has replaced remarkably well. Next were all the items associated with note and case markups: stacks of paper, pens, post-its, highlighters, etc. Textbooks were the final resource I hoped I could get copies on the iPad. So far I've found no books available online as eBooks or PDFs, which would actually be better for their "bottom line" since you can't resell a digital file with the proper Digital Rights Management (DRM). I blame the publishers on this and not Apple because the digital files aren't available in any format. The other hesitation for textbooks on the iPad is the current inability to look up information and take notes at the same time, but Apple is adding multitasking this fall which would fix and improve this situation with copy and paste. 

We'll see where this goes in the near future, but as of right now the iPad is much better as an indication of where things are going rather than where they are. I expect that by this time next year these problems will be resolved. A third party will likely come out with a precision stylus or a software workaround (likely first from the jailbreak community) to allow more precision when necessary. Apple has stated that full multitasking is coming, and with a million units sold in the first month I doubt it will be long before textbook publishers change their stance. It will be a great day when I walk to class or work carrying only a single 1.5 pound device and everything I need on it.  

Big Upcoming Post/Project

The next post/project will be a considerable one; I'm really behind the idea and have outlined it already.

I don't know it will be ready, but I expect it will be about a month from now. I need to finish up on finals and put some work into it's format. I'm debating the merits of screencap walkthrough, a powerpoint with accompanying audio, and text with a lot of embedded content (the likeliest choice for purposes of external hyperlinks).

Stay tuned...

How We Listen to Music

An idea really struck my interest today while listening to the stream of MGMT's new album Congratulations. Generally, I will love 4-8 songs per album while the rest is "trash." Not trash in the pre-digital sense of worthlessness, but in the user experience where the song simply is consistently passed over and therefore de facto irrelevant. 

Outside of a few exceptions, I don't listen to an album front to back unless it is brand new anymore. My listening behavior wasn't always this way; I remember the joy of popping a CD into the player and knowing you could just let go. Either it was a band that you loved and continued to give that one song another chance in hopes it would resonate this time, or a CD you already enjoyed each track, but the effect of giving up control to the artist was the same. 

In the age of MP3, the listener has complete control. If they don't like the first 15 seconds of a track the only effort required to skip is a single button push without ever exploring the possibly rewarding experience that the 2:42 or 5:00 mark may reveal. There is no detriment to the listener for this as in previous media forms. CDs had definite length and skipping a song meant finding a new CD (hopefully in its case) that is appealing in the moment (never mind the hassles with cassettes or vinyl). A computer or iPod has seemingly infinite playlist.

However, I don't regret this trend. I still listen to new works as whole pieces, and the classics still inspire me to play their entirety. I try to listen to a large quantity of music, it's my main hobby. This leads to having songs I really liked from albums that I haven't heard in a few months. Rating systems, automated playlists, and shuffle mode allow me to have all my favorite tracks at hand without memorization or delay. As we advance, it is important to remember what we are giving up in order to move forward.

(By the by, MGMT's Congratulations is quite good.)

Fact about Fiction

FactAboutFiction.blogspot.com

I've started a daily recommendation for my friends that like my musical taste. As most of you know, I'm always trying to find new music, and feel pretty passionately that new artists need to be spread and supported. Radio and television don't really have a financial incentive to introduce new music, so I feel that it is important for each of us to spread the artists we like.

I'm going to use Lala.com links for a few reasons: 1) I think lala.com is a fantastic service, 2) their blog applet is quite easy to use (both in posting and listening), 3) the songs are available for purchase at $.89, so they have the cheapest average price online.

I hope my friends download the songs they like from these links, certainly these bands deserve the funding to continue producing music.

Name Change (I Promise This My Final Post About Posts)

I changed the name of the blog today to reflect what I would like to think this will be going forward. The address is the same, both for convenience and retention of the purpose I felt when I wrote the first post.

I'm realizing the content will have to be light during the week due to other demands on my time, but I may start writing a few during the weekend to schedule during the week. My main motivation is to give myself a creative outlet & hopefully improve my informal writing. I really would like to find the balance between under-posting (therefore doing nothing to advance my writing) and turning something I enjoy now into a chore.

Research Writing

I’m continually amazed at how much harder the act of writing is when it is forced.

I’ve enjoyed writing (in various forms) for a long time, but even subjects of interest become chores when a grade is attached. For me, this stems from the insecurities along the way that aren’t present when I write for myself. From researching to editing & revision, I am constantly afraid that the paper will not be “good” enough.

I love the freedom of creation without an expectation that anyone other than myself will enjoy it. Is this simply a reward for intellectual laziness or a reflection of my values?

Tumblr

I'm also testing out Tumblr as I start this blog. I seem to like it a bit better for the aggregation of my online activity, but it seems susceptible to what I detest about other blogs; a flood of mediocre content.

We'll see which of these I stick with...

Lala + "The Cloud" v. iTunes + Hard Drives

Lala's initial intrigue for me was the integration with my Facebook contacts. I loved the ease of which I could recommend songs to my other musically obsessed friends and their ability to do the same. I am now in the process of copying my iTunes library to it. While I am hesitant to comment on this experience until I have used it a bit, its potential is what has me thinking it will bring down the current mp3 purchase model. Pandora & Last.fm fans, the suggestion feature is lacking here. Integration with either would be an amazing improvement, especially Last.fm's audio scrobbling.

Approximately half of the time I listen to music, it is from my iPhone. On it, to have complete control over the music you listen to (song & album selection, skip tracks backwards, playlist creation) the best option is to play songs stored on the hard drive (HDD) that can be damaged and result in file loss. When 3G or WiFi is not available, this is the only option. This also means the hassle of transferring songs from a PC over USB.

This is the initial benefit of Lala. After installing their "Lala Mover" software, it will learn what songs are in your library and attempt to find a match their 8 million track database (a form of "cloud" computing). Once the track has been added to your online library, it is available anywhere you have internet access with control capabilities that match a track on the HDD. If this app is ever released for iphone (Lala was recently purchased by Apple, who may not want to release this) it will mark the biggest change since the move from CDs to digital files.

In addition to the added benefits, most Lala tracks are free. You pay 10 cents once to add a song to user created playlists (and for the rare song limited to a 30 second clip) and have the option to download songs for 89 cents (compared to 99 cents at iTunes).

For those people who already have a data plan over 3G, or who listen to music mostly when wifi is available, this decision should be a no-brainer. Those without constant internet access (an ever-diminishing demographic) may want to consider the value of adding a data plan to their phone for the value they save in future purchases, which Apple's partners like AT&T would surely appreciate. An early adopter will reap the benefits from sites like Lala across entertainment as movies, tv and even books seem all headed to the cloud for lease rather than purchase.

Introduction

"For God's sake, man, shoveling keeps your warm. Get out there and shovel. And yes, that's a metaphor for life." - A commenter (FrauZ) below a post from an interesting new GQ blogger.

A recently graduated law student, Luke "Home Boy" Mazur has has moved back in with his parents at age 27.

He's inspired me to also start memorializing my experiences in a format I'm curious to try. This blog is intended to be a reflection of the attitudes I choose to take during the course my near future turns me towards; its outward face may provide an opportunity to more carefully make decisions.

I aim to do a few sentences per post of my observations and some attempts at humor. With practice, I hope they will be succinct and short enough to allow me to continue with my day.

Cheers,

Mark