2011 February

Archive | February, 2011

Music Diary February 28, 2011

Music Diary Quickie: 5 Seconds of Every #1 Song … Ever!

For more than 50 years the Billboard Hot 100 has tracked the most popular songs in the country. Of course, for nearly that any years there have been payola scams, chart manipulation and other industry shenanigans that have tainted the songs that appear on the list. But make no mistake – whatever means are used [...]

End of an Era: Frank Buckles, Last World War I Veteran, Dies at 110

I grew up in a time where not only were military actions and anything related to the government held in disdain and mistrust, but soldiers themselves were treated poorly by much of the public. So regardless of any feelings I have about whatever military or government actions happen in any given year, I love that [...]

Pop Goes the Music Diary: Britney $pears New Commercial … um, I Mean Music Video

After starting my ‘Music Diary Songs of Note’ I quickly realized that I wanted to look at both pop music for the music video trends, and also at some of the great jazz and other recordings I hoped to feature. So I’m going to use the ‘Music Diary Songs of Note’ label for the times [...]

iPad Accessory Review: ProClip’s MultiStand

In just a few days Apple is expected to announce the iPad 2 (or whatever they end up calling it). Yes, Apple’s runaway success with its first entry into the tablet market is nearing its first anniversary. Along the way I’ve had the opportunity to look at a wide variety of different mounting solutions for the [...]

The eBook Piracy Boogeyman

(image courtesy Port Wallpaper) Publishers looooove to complain about piracy, and how it’s going to destroy the very foundation of bookselling. That’s why they say we need digital rights management, and why there’s an ongoing cat and mouse game between content providers and enterprising users finding ways to strip out the DRM and truly own [...]

Altec Lansing Takes Us Behind the Scenes: Creating a Speaker Prototype

When I visited Altec Lansing’s headquarters back in January I was able to spend some time in the back area of the complex where the company develops their speakers. I didn’t write a great deal about it at the time because I had signed an NDA, and I wanted to make sure that I didn’t [...]

The Keurig Mini Plus Personal Brewer Review

Given the long hours I spend editing and writing, there are a few things that I need to have available at all times: a good desktop or laptop computer, a decent camera for taking pictures, a comfortable chair, and an ever flowing source of caffeine. The refrigerator behind me takes care of my Diet Cokes, [...]

iPad Accessory Review: Sena Keyboard Folio

There are times when you need to write something on the iPad that is just too long for the software keyboard. Sure you can carry a Bluetooth keyboard, but that may become cumbersome and heavy. That’s where having a mini Bluetooth keyboard built into a case for the iPad comes in. Sure, it is a [...]

Honeycomb’s Strawman

I’ve noticed a troubling and confusing theme in reviews and comments about Google’s new OS, Honeycomb. It seems everyone thinks it’s great, but there’s an anti-Xoom, anti-Honeycomb meme that keeps appearing about the lack of Honeycomb specific apps in the Marketplace. This is what’s called a “Straw man” argument. Rather than argue Honeycomb on its [...]

Is THIS the Future of the RPG? If So … the RPG is Dead!

Several years ago a variety of games started adding things like experience, skill building and other forms of progression as elements to their roster. Games like Grand Theft Auto San Andreas allowed you to ‘pump iron’ to make progress, online shooters like Battlefield 2142 tracked your progress and allowed you new ranks and skills as [...]

Music Diary Quickie: Check Out JamBuddy – a Free Backing Track Website

Have you ever just wanted to jam along with a variety of backing tracks, but lacked the software (such as Apple’s GarageBand) to do so? Well, a new website called ‘JamBuddy’ offers a simple Javascript program that makes it easy to drop in some chords and adjust some settings and quickly get a backing track [...]

Samsung Tab Accessory Review: The Infinity Carbon 2×2 Carbon Fiber Twill Case

I am sure it’s no secret that accessories are important to me; as a matter of fact, I was just called an “accessory maven” by @philipbearne on Twitter recently. Thank you Philip, for stating the obvious. We spend a fair amount of time reviewing accessories here on Gear Diary because all of us enjoy using [...]

eBooks In the Public Library Under Fire!

(image courtesy Reedsburg Library) eBooks in libraries have been a challenge for quite a while. Libraries often can’t afford the licensing fees, or people don’t know they can check them out, or the Overdrive system has issues…there are many barriers to entry. Now it looks like publishers are putting yet another roadblock in front of [...]

Music Diary Songs of Note: Two Piano Masters … Together!

Throughout the 1970′s Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock were two of the leading figures in jazz fusion, Corea with the bombastic Return to Forever and Hancock with his funky Headhunters group. Each had a critical part in Miles Davis groups of the 1960′s and early 1970′s, which Hancock a pivotal member of the ‘second great [...]

iPhone 4 Wooden Case Roundup: Miniot iWood vs Species Case vs Root Case

There’s something to be said about wrapping your electronics in a wooden case; not only does wood give devices composed of metal and plastic a warmer feel, wood’s organic nature also ensures that your case’s pattern will be one of a kind – even if it is one of many similarly styled cases sold. One [...]