Continuing the real versus ipod debate thing

A couple of new links to get the full picture:

http://www.mp3.com/story/feature_real.html- it appears that real feel under no obligation to take the slightest bit of notice of ipods protestations that real mp3's will play on an ipod.....
http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/2004/07/31/review/ - general background on the issue, and there's a funny bit in this one about how quicktime is a superior media format....I held my sides with mirth, as all bigpipe people know that quicktime is slang for slowtime, and that there are plenty of other media formats anyway, and that real is still best for streaming content.....I think.

* Also, refer to fat kids comment on previous post, confirming the dodginess of ipod.........

Greedy B******ds

When I read today about the real networks situation with Apple ipod, I thought it only served to prove that most companies are ran by ignorant greedy b*****ds. Just as we all witnessed the techno battles of eight track audio, the video disc, mini disc and VHS versus betamax, now the new greed game is downloadable music. At least it may have taken the sanctimonious grin from that Steve Jobs' ugly mug. Sounds to me that the guys at real networks would have lent strength in depth to the itunes technology, and because of greed and narrow mindedness, they are now the enemy of itunes. Considering that I believe the ipod 'domination' of the mp3 player market to be short lived at best, [although I would take issue that everyone who plays mp3's wants an overpriced player], I think Apple have shot themselves in the foot [again]. Mind you, Im definately going to buy an igrill, they have always been a very desirable item.

http://www.macnewsworld.com/story/news/35460.html

http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/looflirpa/igrill.shtml
http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/41/ezbake.shtml - haha found this today, a pc-ez-bake - in case you cant face owning any blueish glowing cheaply made kitchen items.

Its the song, not the singer

Flash Flash I love Flash

Ive been busy going over a few links, and a buddy from the states has sent me over some recommendations. here goes:

rockstargames.com - all sorts of really good things here, especially the upload section, where the multimedia link [by sonja peng] will take you to a magical flash design site. This was the first place I saw the brilliant 'drewcope' flash, also known as 'the drum machine', which is actually part of tokyo plastic.
tokyoplastic.com - Every part of this site is totally fabulous. Check out at leisure.
unitedstatesofdesign.com - A bunch of very talented germans, this link is trailed by whitealbum.de. Very high quality work. Mainly art, not just flash.
whitealbum.de - Lots of other artists to check out here, not all flash but definately all art.
nobodyhere.com - A mad dutchman that makes eyepoppingly imaginative flash stuf. Ace.

Check out my new found fame over at the groovy angelbdean.de, [ he also has a new domain at virtualthriller.com]. I get a credit at the end of the new trailer for the next episode. I am pink with joy.


The image shown here is an animated gif from nascimpact.com, another great art/flash/pixelart site. It's all in french, but Im sure you can manage.

Freedom of the Individual Citizen People Consumer?

Stuf to rant about. It's now official [BBC tech news today]:
1 > Movies have now 'overtaken music' as the number one item of choice to download. Haha, they get what they deserve I say [the Motion Picture Association of America etc] as now the horse has definately bolted. After 2 or 3 years of selling broadband on the strength of downloading movies and music, they now have the audacity to act shocked that everyone is using broadband for just that. Only they are using the most efficient method of doing so - P2P. So they've bypassed the bloated hollywood pigs and the bloated rock pigs and just helped themselves. I don't happen to feel at all sorry for them myself. I saw spiderman 2 last week. A full 3 WEEKS before it is scheduled for release in blighty, and it was a bit sucky actually. Pity the poor film making fools who still believe that any old rubbish will do, so long as the brand name is strong. We can all 'preview' films these days, and that just doesnt wash anymore.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3890527.stm

2 > By definition, democracy applies to all equally. Only not. Clear Channel seem to believe that their omnipotence extends beyond the remit of commercial promotion and advertising. Not satisfied with their total domination of all media outlets, here as well as the USA, they are trying to stop a bunch of women who rented one of their billborads to display an anti war message. I hate Clear Channel, they deserve a kick in the nuts. They are more guilty of killing culture and diversity than probably any other company, and now this bullyboy stuf. Somehow I am not at all surprised...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/07/15/EDGVN7KTM91.DTL

Guildford Festival.....

It's a real pleasure to announce that my mates over at Wango's have secured doing the main stage at the Guildford Festival this year. [They have an incredible medieval looking tent that covers the staging area, and do lots of events and festivals. Always worth checking out]. I went over at the weekend to see how they were getting on and had a great time getting slowly drunk and running around the local park at top wack in a Harley Davidson Golf Buggy [TM], which was an absolute hoot. This isnt the buggy, it's obviously a very cool VW....but the buggy was cool too. And I drove it.





This is the buggy, under the tent, behind the staging. Cool eh?

Farhenheit 911 and the American psyche

It's interesting to note all the fuss surrounding the man and his film. Personal attacks have now downgraded to the 'obese dishevelled scruffy ' level, and Moore's slightly annoying smarmy personality is ammunition for any self respecting GOP type. I haven't yet seen the film, but am aware of its contents, which is bound to be presented in the American tradition of sensationalism and headline grabbing mentality. What actually disturbs me quite a bit is that the obvious truth about Arab Money in the west being pretty damn powerful is obscured or mocked because the messenger isn't acceptable. In London, as I have pointed out before, the Arab influence is stronger than ever. And I don't mean lowly immigrant populations. I mean land owning/property owning Arab Sheiks in some of the highest value real estate areas, like Mayfair and Piccadilly etc, Arab Money in the stock markets of the City and Arab influence in politics through finance of parties and campaigns. I must stress I have nothing against arabs generally. I have met fine examples of humankind, ladies, gentlemen and scholars. But I know that the vast wealth of some of the most prominent Arabs cannot help but have influence in the highest places. So whatever the politics and sides taken in the argument, it goes without question that ruling elites stick together to vanquish perceived enemies. And that has absolutely nothing to do with obese dishevelled tv documentary makers like MM.


NB This is post number 100. Momentous to say the least.

My Yahoo and RSS

Ive just read the sitepro newsletter for today. It seems yahoo is now very keen on rss/xml and is running a directory facility. If you use the 'my yahoo' facilities to submit a few feeds [50 maximum], every feed is automatically submitted to the main yahoo search directory. This is great, as everyone knows it's pretty difficult to get into the yahoo search for many sites.....unless you pay of course. Here's the link from yahoo that explains everything.

yahoo rss help

F1 cars let loose on the streets of London

Yesterday I went up to Regent Street to have a look at the gleaming monsters of Formula One. I'm a huge fan of racing, cars and the whole Grand Prix thing, so I was looking forward to what would happen when the cars were allowed to go a couple of laps on a makeshift circuit of the West End. In the end, so many people came into town that it was impossible to see anything. But the roar of ear splitting proportions that greeted the waiting crowd every other minute was incredible, unbelievable. Iv'e watched many types of racing, formula 3, 1600's etc, and been up close to the track many times, but nothing compares with the sound of a Formula 1 car. Truelly awesome. There's talk of a London Grand Prix, similar to the Monacho shindig, but I can't see it happening as London is just too busy to shut down for three days, but I can see a street race of some kind happening. Why not have a grand prix at Brighton, that would be a perfect location. BTW, I'm on the corner of the street, just as it bends......

[pic courtesy reuters.]

Some news links to check out:



http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_feature_item.php?fes_art_id=21604.
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/formulaone/story/0,10069,1255663,00.html.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/11802397?source=Metro.