Leander Kahney's Blog, page 1526

October 22, 2011

Why The iPod Is Music to The Ears [iPod 10th Anniversary]

iPod 10th Anniversary: To celebrate the iPod's 10th anniversary on Sunday October 23, we're running several special features this weekend. We'll have an illustrated cultural history, appreciations and op eds. Check back for more.

[image error] Fire, the wheel, and the iPod. In the history of invention, gadgets don't come more iconic than Apple's digital music player.

The iPod is to the 21st century what the big band was to the '20s, the radio to the '40s, or the jukebox to the '50s – the signature technology that defines the musical culture of the era. And what a marvelous technology the iPod is. Inside Apple's little white box is magic, pure magic, in the guise of music.

Like a cell phone or a laptop, the iPod is kept close and carried everywhere. It's used every day, but not for work or to enslave you by persistent contact. The iPod is used to invoke euphoria. People are in love with music. The sparkling genius of the iPod is that it gives it to you in huge doses. The iPod can store an entire lifetime's worth of music. And so it becomes the most personal of personal devices. More than a computer, a car, or a fancy pair of shoes, it's part of your makeup, your personality.

What's on it — the music — tells who you are. Music is deep in your heart and soul.

I'm a music junkie from England, a nation of music junkies. Since late childhood, music has been a passion, sometimes an obsession, that often took precedence over all other interests – food, love, even cigarettes. Like a lot of people, I had a giant collection of vinyl LPs and CDs that grew over the years into an unmanageable archive weighing hundreds of pounds. Too heavy for shelves, the records sat on the floor, spilling into the room. But for the most part, the collection was merely for other people to gawk at. I didn't play most of the records, and except for a few disks at the front of the pile, I forgot and neglected most of them.

Fast forward, and now the entire collection can fit inside a small white box the size and weight of a pack of cards. This to me is a miracle. A crowning achievement of technology. That unwieldy pile of vinyl and cardboard has been freed from the living room and is available anywhere and everywhere I go: from the earliest, regrettable singles to my latest obsession.

Inside the iPod, a music collection comes alive. There's delight in loading up a ton of stuff from all genres, eras, and styles and seeing what the machine comes up with. Select Random Shuffle, and the iPod dredges up tunes you might never consciously choose to play. But chosen for you, they're a delight. This mode of play also allows you to discover gems in a collection that previously sat unplayed on a shelf of CDs. Songs previously neglected can become top favorites. And then there are all those tunes you never knew you had. Random Shuffle can create great surprises, selecting just the right song at just the right time. Or it can throw together unexpected combinations: Burning Spear followed by Ludacris. It doesn't always work, but when it does, you're in pop heaven.

The iPod has changed forever my listening habits. No longer do I want to hear an album all the way through (with rare exceptions). What I want is a playlist of my favorites. Listening to the iPod makes a cinematic adventure of a trip to the supermarket or a boring car drive. It adds a sense of otherworldliness to walking down the most familiar street. There's nothing better for exercise pounding beats and breaks to get you energized to mount the summit of a hill. I like listening to the iPod while riding my bike (yeah, I know it's dangerous and probably illegal). High as a kite off the exercise, the music transports me to nirvana. Sometimes, when the right tune pops up, I'm truly in heaven.

This is excerpted from by book, Cult of iPod, an illustrated history and appreciation of Apple's amazing music player.

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Published on October 22, 2011 04:00

October 21, 2011

New York Times Raves About Walter Isaacson's Bio of Steve Jobs

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The first review of Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs is in, and it's a good one.

Writing in the New York Times, critic Janet Maslin says the 630-page tome is "clear, elegant and concise."

"Steve Jobs" greatly admires its subject. But its most adulatory passages are not about people. Offering a combination of tech criticism and promotional hype, Mr. Isaacson describes the arrival of each new product right down to Mr. Jobs's theatrical introductions and the advertising campaigns. But if the individual bits of hoopla seem excessive, their cumulative effect is staggering. Here is an encyclopedic survey of all that Mr. Jobs accomplished, replete with the passion and excitement that it deserves.

New York Times: Making the iBio for Apple's Genius

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Published on October 21, 2011 23:52

Etymotic mc3 Earphones: The Silencer [Review, $100 IEM Week]

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Review by Kelly Keltner

Let me begin this review by saying, while I've found some love for certain models, I don't really care for most canalphones: They're uncomfortable, and while I love the idea of plugging a foreign object into my ear and having that object deliver magical sounds just like an owl delivers a Howler, I usually wind up being disappointed with either the sound or the fit. So, with that in mind, it was time to try the Etymotic mc3 ($100).

This set, with a three-button remote on the cable and four sets of super-sealing, deep-seating eartips (two flanged, two foam), was now tasked with being tested by me. May the Force, that I'll probably have to use to shove them into my ears, be with them.

The Good:

The sound is decent. Not great, not good. Just decent. To achieve the best sound, I had to mix the eartips — one flanged tip (or Christmas-tree tip, as I like to call it) in the right and a foam tip in the left. With this set-up, I achieved what was probably going to be the best sound I could get from these 'phones. As long as your music isn't too ambitious, you may not have much issues with the sound. Vocals sound good enough, and at times, I was even convinced that the sound was good. Unfortunately, this didn't happen often.

The tips do block out most noise around you, something Etymotic tips are renowned for (these are the same used in almost all their IEMs), the large cylindrical foam ones doing the best job out of the four.

The construction also seems pretty solid. Pulling, stomping and attempting to bend pieces that shouldn't bend proved that this set should hopefully stand up to some heavy use.

The Bad:

Now that the good is out of the way, let's get into the meat of the review, because I'm not going to lie: overall, I hated these things.

First of all, the earbuds jut-out like the antenna rods from a Cyberman's helmet. If you're wanting stylish canalphones, go elsewhere. Run, fly or roller skate to another set that doesn't stick out of your ears like antennas from the top of an alien space craft in a bad 1950s sci-fi flick.

Secondly, let's go back to that decent sound. I couldn't say the sound was good, and definitely not great, because of the issues with the bass. The bass isn't always bad, but when it's bad, it reeks. Some drumbeats are magically transformed from magnificent to sounding like they are played on a child's toy drum. Electronic beats that would normally sound like a thumping dancefloor in your ears suddenly sound like they come from a cheap 80s synthesizer bought at Wal-Mart (had one; recognize it). Some orchestral pieces had their basslines magically deleted. And God forbid someone strike a cymbal at the same time someone's attempting to do something that registers on the low-range (fix it). It's like the whole song just magically unravels. However, this is not standard across the board. It seems to depend heavily on how much competition the bass has within the song. But the point is: If the bass has to put up a fight, it's gonna lose. And it's going to be bloody.

Then there's the cable. If you're talking on the phone with someone, you don't notice how much noise cable movement factors into the sound. However, engage the music and then you hear it. Swish, Swosh, Woosh, Swash. Somehow, I don't think Johnny Cash intended that to underscore "Ring of Fire" (Note: I've never heard "Ring of Fire" sound more tinny and uninspiring than I did in these 'phones). If you're being active and bouncing up and down, be prepared for a bit of extra bass from the thump-thump made by the cables as you bounce. Who knew you were such a musician?

Let's talk about the controls now. Fundamentally, there's nothing wrong with the controls. Until you realize exactly where they fall on the cable. Right at your mouth. On the surface it makes sense because – hey – there's the mic! It's right at your mouth! Brilliant! Unfortunately, so are all your controls. You can't see them and they're always bumping right up against your face. While I'm sure this looked good on paper, it works out about as well as a nice, soothing boat ride did for Fredo Corleone.

Finally, the thing I hated most about this set were those legendary eartips. The foam ones were large and, even with ample squeezing and teasing, they were still uncomfortable in my ears. Have small ear canals? You're probably going to hate most of the tips with this set. The one tip that fit most comfortably in my ears (the small flanged ones) didn't fare well with me either. After about 15 minutes in my ears, the material began to irritate my ears and cause a bit of itchiness. Get these things out of my ears!

Verdict:

If you're someone looking for good canalphones and don't normally use them, you probably won't find a friend in these. Similarly, if you're an audiophile who loves injecting music directly into your ears, go elsewhere.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

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The large foam tips, mushroom-shaped Slider tips and the larger flanged "Christmas tree" tips

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Published on October 21, 2011 23:17

Politico: "We Need a Steve Jobs Plan"

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An Occupy Wall Street protester with sign about Steve Jobs in San Francisco.

Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor invoked Apple co-founder Steve Jobs as an example of fairness that the U.S. should emulate in the heated ongoing debate about income equality.

A Steve Jobs Plan for the American Economy? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Following Jobs' death Oct. 5, he seems to be cropping up in all kinds of unexpected places – I took the pic above of a protester with a "Bring 'Jobs' Back to Life" sign at San Francisco's Occupy Wall Street protest about 10 days ago.

Anyway, here's what Cantor had to say about Steve Jobs:

"Through his example, you can see that America needs more than a jobs plan. It needs a Steve Jobs plan," Cantor wrote. In a Steve Jobs Plan, those who are successful not only create good jobs and services "that make our lives better, they also give back and help everyone move just a little bit further up the ladder and everybody wins."

Cantor prepared the remark as part of a speech he was supposed to deliver at the at the University of Pennsylvania — one he later cancelled because of expected protests.

The "Steve Jobs Jobs Plan" is catchy and open to use on both sides of the economic barricades.

The Occupy Wall Street crowd might employ it to talk about how Steve Jobs earned a $1 salary, for example, though it has been pointed out that he could do that because he might have been recieving $48 million in annual dividends from Disney. Either way, it's in kinda questionable taste.

Via The Hill

Follow @nmar

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Published on October 21, 2011 16:55

Fan Pays Tribute to Steve Jobs With Amazing Haircut (updated)

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Not all of us on the Cult of Mac staff walk around with an Apple logo shaved into the back of our head. Actually, none of us do because we value our furs too much. However, there are a few hardcore Apple fans out there that represent the cult with pride. Example #1: As pictured above, this fan had not one, but two iconic Apple images shaved into his hair to commemorate Steve – the famous portrait, as well as the silhouette of Steve's face inside the Apple logo.

Who knew the level of artistry that could exsist in a haircut? I'm baffled, and jealous, mostly because I'm bald. We don't have any information about the fan, but obviously he must be a pretty awesome dude.

Thanks go to @TomRedwards for alerting us to the picture from The Chive

Update: Turns out that the fan with the haircut is the brother of hair artists Johan Ruiz. Hailing from Warminster PA, Johan and his brother visited several Apple stores on October 16th in the Philadelphia area to pay tribute to Steve and his work. You can check out some of Johan Ruiz's other work by visiting his Facebook Fan page

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Published on October 21, 2011 14:30

Fan Pays Tribute to Steve Jobs With Amazing Haircut

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Thanks go to @TomRedwards for alerting us to the picture from The Chive

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Published on October 21, 2011 14:30

Fun Game: Foggy Ghost Stories

Every week Mac Games and More features a fun, casual game you can play into the weekend. This week's selection features a spooky hidden objects adventure game filled with ghost stories and a fog that covers and curses a city.

Dark Dimensions: City of Fog (hidden objects / adventure) – It's that amazing time of year again when the air smells fresher, the leaves begin to fall and the cold weather sneaks up on us. This all reminds me of celebrating one of my favorite holidays: Halloween! Too bad I live in a country that doesn't quite get into it as much as everyone back in the good ole U.S. of A. Anyway. What better way to get into the spirit of Halloween than to play a hidden objects game that tells an awesome ghost story? Follow the tale of Lillian, who is about to get married but mysteriously disappears. Is it a case of cold feet or does something much more creepy come into play here? I'm not going to give the story away but just know that this game will keep you glued to your Mac for hours… Download it now Similar Posts:5 Fun Games for Halloween Part Two 5 Fun Games For Halloween Part One 5 Fun Games: Card Size Matters, Peace Building Architects, Turning into Stone and More 5 Fun Games: A Haunted Mark Twain, A Platformer with Varmintz, A Mysterious Murder and More 5 Fun Games: True Nightmares, Secret Lives of Geishas, Addictive Cave Quests and More

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Published on October 21, 2011 14:01

Steve Jobs 'Cracked' The Integrated TV Before He Died, Thanks To iCloud

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Gene Munster must be having an orgasm right now: in an interview for his upcoming bio with Walter Isaacson, Steve Jobs said he had finally 'cracked' the 'integrated' TV problem.

Don't read too much into this, though. Jobs may not be talking about the iTV, and just the plain AppleTV.

According to the Washington Post:

"He very much wanted to do for television sets what he had done for computers, music players, and phones: make them simple and elegant," Isaacson wrote.

Isaacson continued: "'I'd like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use,' he told me. 'It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud.' No longer would users have to fiddle with complex remotes for DVD players and cable channels. 'It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it.'"

Personally, as long rumored as the iTV is, I've always really doubted it: the margins in the TV business are notoriously lousy, you can't get people to upgrade their HDTVs every year like a phone, computer or tablet, and why go through all the trouble of making a TV when you can create a $99 set-top box like the AppleTV that gives any set the same capabilities?
So my guess is that Steve is talking about an update to the AppleTV here, complete with iCloud integration. That said, I'd hate to underestimate Steve Jobs, so I may well have to eat that guess sometime soon. What do you think?

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Published on October 21, 2011 13:53

iPad 3 Will Have Smaller Redesigned Dock Connector [Rumor]

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You don't need a crystal ball to tell you that the iPad 3 is almost definitely coming in March of next year, twelve months after the iPad 2 debuted. What changes will we see with the third generation of Apple's tablet? Expectations for the iPad 3 include a Retina Display, a slimmer form factor, Siri support, Apple's next-gen A6 SoC and even the possibility of LTE 4G.

We won't know for months whether those expectations are accurate, but thanks to a Japanese rumor site, we do have a lead one one change to the iPad 3: it will have a smaller, redesigned dock connector that will require an adapter to work existing Apple Dock Connector products, according to Macotakara. Argh. Not again.

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Published on October 21, 2011 13:29

These Were Steve Jobs' Favorite Books and Bands

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Steve Jobs once famously said that people don't read anymore, but he did, and amongst the revelations of Walter Isaacson's upcoming biography of Apple's co-founder are his favorite books and bands.

You probably won't be surprised by the bands — hey, Steve loved the Beatles, go figure! — but would you ever have guessed that his favorite books include both Moby Dick *and* Mucusless Diet Healing Systems?

The books and authors important to Jobs include Clayton Christensen's "The Innovator's Dilemma," which apparently "deeply influenced" Jobs, Shakespeare's King Lear, Herman Melville's Moby Dick, Dylan Thomas' Poetry, and the following self-help books: Shunryu Suzuki's Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Chogyam Trungpa's Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism and Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi (the only book on Jobs' iPad 2), as well as Be Here Now by Baba Ram Dass, which sparked Steve Jobs to try LSD for the first time.

He also enjoyed dieting books, including Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe and Arnold Ehret's Mucusless Diet Healing System

As for music, Huffington Post reports:

Jobs called Bob Dylan "one of my heroes" and had over a dozen Dylan albums on his iPod, along with songs from seven different Beatles albums, six Rolling Stones albums and four albums by Jobs' onetime lover Joan Baez.

Jobs likened The Beatles' creative process to Apple's own. While listening to a bootleg CD from one of the band's recording sessions, Jobs remarked, "They did a bundle of work between each of these recordings. They kept sending it back to make it closer to perfect … The way we build stuff at Apple is often this way."

He also framed his motivations and the principles that drove him forward in terms of Dylan and The Beatles.

"They kept evolving, moving, refining their art," Jobs said of the artists. "That's what I've always tried to do — keep moving. Otherwise, as Dylan says, if you're not busy being born, you're busy dying."

Personally, the impression I get is that Steve Jobs was widely read in various Eastern and alternative medicine texts, but didn't explore much outside of it. His favorite books and authors doesn't seem to have expanded much since his time at Reed, and his interest in music appears to have stagnated after the early 70s. Even so, Steve Jobs did more for the future of books and music with the iPod and iPad, iTunes and iBooks than