CarbonStated

As all of you are aware the Apple in-ears just didn’t cut it; I took ‘em back. How heartless of me. Fellow CarbonStater, Bryce, informed me that Guitar Center was selling the white Shure SCL 3’s for $60 this weekend. $60, aren't they regularly $140? $60??!!!! I had to acquire them.

These in-ears are exactly what I expected. They sound pretty good and block outside noise very well. This model only comes with a single driver so the bass is a little thin but overall they have a rich sound. Shure gives you 4 completely different earpiece styles so you are bound to find one that fits. 

Bottom line – if you need in-ears these are a great buy.

Amazon refreshed its Kindle ebook reader today by introducing the Kindle 2. It has more memory, it reads to you and its thinner than an iPhone. The $359 price tag seems a little steep but it does come with lifetime 3G connectivity for downloading books in less than 10 seconds (it claims). Here is a great hands-on from the fine folks at Engadget.

Interested in reading the cool, digital way but don't have the extra cheese to spare? iPhone users can download the free "Stanza" app from the App Store. It comes with access to several sites that tout free ebooks (free app and free ebooks - I like!). No Jesus Phone? Anyone with a computer (and soon to be mobile device) can get their fix with Google Books.

Personally, I prefer a good ‘ol fashion paperback…

I am ashamed to admit this…there was a period in my life when I didn’t like female lead singers in bands. There, I said it.

Here is a list of bands/singer songwriters that made me change my mind:

Frou Frou – with soft vocal intricacies and swirling ethereal melodies, Imogen Heap & Guy Sigsworth had me at “hello”

Feist – I first heard her singing on a few tracks on a Kings of Convenience album. She has a smooth, breathy voice that’s can be as powerful as it is fragile…after I saw her live, I was hooked.

School of Seven Bells – moving, meaningful pop at its finest. The harmonies that the Deheza sisters create are other worldly.

Tegan and Sara - call it indie or not…another sister duo that produce A) great songs B) great melodies C) great production minded sensibilities. They are total musical package.

The Bird and The Bee – in the same vain as Frou Frou, singer Inara George teams up with a great producer and churns out hook laden songs full of texture and moodiness.

Gemma Hayes – I’m not even 100% sure how to pronounce her first name, but she could possibly go done as one of my all time favorites. You know where I found out about her? Right here on this very blog…imagine that…thanks Dustin!

wow...all my posts have lists.

When Jobsey announced Apple’s upcoming In-Ear Headphones back in September it seemed like the stars had aligned. After months and months of dealing with adapters for my 1^st gen iPhone’s headphone jack, I was ready to part ways with the 3-inch chord adapter thorn in my side.  There had already been several options available such as V-Moda’s Vibes and Ultimate Ears 4vi’s which came with a mic and a button to answer/end calls, but none seemed to tickle my fancy. Apple had attempted once to make in-ears, but failed miserably. They couldn’t screw up twice could they? After all, they aren’t Microsoft…

These babies were supposed to ship at the end of October ’08 and actually not suck (paraphrasing).  Long story short, they were delayed until December and I finally picked them up in January. I’ve had some time to listen to varying genres of music with them…here are my thoughts...

Fit – I can’t get these damn things to stay snug! A tight seal is the key to good in-ears, it helps round out the low end response and blocks outside noise. After messing with them for about 5 minutes I got the best fit I could…as long as I didn’t turn my head. One review I read for these asked if Apple designed thm for motionless use.

Sound – they actually sound pretty good. Low end is of course a bit weak but mids are smooth and highs are crisp (not shrill). If you listen to hip-hop, rap, etc. you will be very disappointed.

Design – The chord is made out of a different material than traditional iPod headphones. The result is a tangle free wearing (or pocket) experience.  One big plus - the chord isn’t a mile long. For whatever reason, other in-ear makers must think people want to listen to music in one room and leave their iPod in the other.

Overall – an in-ear that doesn’t fit is no friend of mine. For $80 I don’t expect the world but I do expect a good fit and decent low end. These didn’t have either. Three days after purchasing I returned them to the Apple Store.

Maybe I will get the Grados after all…

The lights are dimmed. The fog machines are cranked to 11. Roadies franticly duct tape mic chords to the ground.  This is the night you have waited for…until, WFT?? An ice-cold bud light (or any domestic beer, we don’t discriminate) streams down your neck and back. Great, there goes the vintage tee that you specifically ordained to be apart of this night.  The show is over (for you) before it begins thanks to some jackass and his butterfingers. Hopefully The Dixie Chicks don’t see you as you take the walk of shame to the exit.

Attending a show (or “concert”, we will use show for our purposes) is more than just standing there listening to music. You are assigned a very important task upon entering the venue. Ready? Here is it. DON’T RUIN THE SHOW FOR ANYONE ELSE! As simple as this seems, many people struggle to keep themselves and their cold ones in check. Save yourself the embarrassment and remember the following rules:

If you are tall, do not stand in the front. Sorry, looks like we do discriminate. I know it’s not your fault…but it doesn’t matter. Do us all a favor and stand in the back or on the sides…or kneel.

If you plan on enjoying some ice-cold refreshment, BE CAREFUL. Drink enough so you feel good, but put on the brakes beyond that. No one wants to see your beer hurled at them while you are giggling hysterically.

Do NOT yell at the band while they’re onstage. When the band is done with a song, the last thing they or anyone else wants to hear is you test out your newfound drunk confidence. To the guy who yelled, “Did they make you chip in for gas?” to the opening band for Death Cab for Cutie, you suck. I’ve been waiting 3 years to tell you that.

Have some sort of knowledge of who you are seeing and what songs they play. Nothing is more annoying than, “Hey, what song is this?”, “Hey, what was this song again?” “Sorry, but I don’t remember what you just said, what is the name of the song that the band on stage is currently playing?” “Wait, what band is this? Where are they from? What song is this?”

See, that wasn’t so hard.  You’ll be not pissing people off in no time!

*please disregard the list when attending a show by this band.

Talk about a tale of two cities (actually days). On the 21st, Apple announced a record quarter. One day later, Microsoft depresses the hell out of everyone with news of a 5% workforce reduction. Let me get this straight...in the same economy, in the same industry, in many of the same specialized sectors, Apple adopts W’s “what recession?” mentality while Microsoft fast tracks it’s 'softies to the soup lines? You’re joking...right? Wrong.

For some reason, Stevie Ballmer’s comments about the iPhone are playing on repeat in my head - “we have our strategy” yada yada yada “you can get a Motorola Q phone now for 99 dollars” yada yada yada “it’ll do music. it’ll do, uh, internet. it’ll do email. it’ll do instant messaging.” Sure Steve, it sure will - except when it is sitting on store shelves.  His comments are a direct reflection of what the tech giant is all about these days, living off the past. What has Microsoft done lately? Hm…let me think…

Vista = disaster.

Zune – just pissed off its last remaining faithful with the Dec 31 freeze.

Xbox – red ring of death, anyone?

Seriously MSFT. Seriously.

The crucial mistake Bill and Steve B. made was the same mistake Dell made - taking the “cool” factor out of the products (or never having it to begin with). Windows Mobile is not an experience; it is a means to an end. Need to send email? Okay. We’ll just make the most unattractive, most boring, most unfriendly user interface possible because after all, you only care about sending email.

If Apple has done anything, they have shown companies what tech consumers want. Even in turbulent economic times people are willing to swipe their cards to get the latest Apple products because they want an experience and they want it in a neat, aesthetically pleasing package. Need to send email? Okay. We’ll just make a keyboard pop out of the bottom of a screen here.

We will see how long Apple can keep this up but for now they have turned the bad economy into a money-tree growing right in the heart of 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA. 

Just for good measure...

There are two, very upfront things about this book that might turn you off:

 1. The cover – 80’s interpretation of what the future looks like mixed in with a good dose of L. Ron Hubbard ridiculousness (think “Battlefield Earth” staring John Travolta)

2. The placement – if you go into your local bookstore to purchase you will be directed to the Science Fiction section. Tell the 400 pound sweaty guy wearing a black Microsoft t-shirt to scoot over.

It’s time to grow up and enjoy the finer things in life. Keystone light was fine in college but you’re an adult now. Show your class and sophistication by whipping up delicious foods with ease. Enter Risotto, the loud mouthed Italian brother of steamed white rice. It isn’t difficult to make but it will require some patience (30 minutes worth). 

Here is a sample recipe. Make it a few times and feel free to experiment.

Ingredients:

1 cup Arborio Rice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup diced white onion

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

handful of sliced mushrooms

1.  Add the olive oil and onions to a large saucepan. Cook on medium heat for about 4 minutes.

2.  Add the rice and stir, making sure all the rice is coated with the oil. Cook rice until edges turn semi translucent.

3.  Add the white wine, stir and let the rice absorb it completely.

4.  Add the broth a 1/2 cup at a time. Stir occasionally and wait until the rice absorbs the broth before adding the next 1/2 cup (should take about 3 minutes per 1/2 cup).

5.  After 2 cups of broth have been added, stir in the mushrooms (or asparagus and lemon zest) with a 1/4 cup of water, wait until absorbed and then continue to add the remaining 2 cups of broth 1/2 cup at a time.

6.  After all the broth has been absorbed (should take roughly 30 minutes), remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.

It’s that simple. Serve with some Tilapia and you are bound to get _____ (insert verb here). Substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth and make a vegetarian happy.

I finally had a chance to play around with a Blackberry Storm today. Maybe I had high expectations. Maybe it was the fact that it has been called Blackberry’s iPhone killer.  My very scientific experiment didn’t last long, but the results were conclusive. Here are two things that really pissed me off about this tragedy of a device:

1. Clickable Screen – that’s right Jim Halpert, the screen actually does click. Great idea Blackberry. The only problem is that’s what it should have remained, an idea. Between soft clicks, hard clicks & menus that are as fluid as the game play of Oregon Trail, the touch screen is a disaster. The lag between click and action will give you plenty of time to figure out why you didn’t just go with an iPhone.
2. WiFi – yes, the 3G network is fast. Well, I’ll just say it is faster than Edge. If I don’t seem that enthusiastic about it, it’s because that’s the fastest this phone will go. You will not find a feature to turn on wifi because it isn’t equipped. How a company can come out with a “smart phone” and not include this is beyond me. Once again, too much time spent on the click screen.

The main problem with the Storm is that it is a Blackberry minus a physical keyboard, nothing more.  Besides the redesign of the main menus, the software is the exact same. You’re bogged down with the function before form bullshit that makes you want to use a landline instead. The iPhone (Jesus Phone) works because the software caters to the hardware. Blackberry should have constructed an operating system specifically for the Storm…but I’m sure R&D was tied up with the wonderful clicking screen (refer to point 1).

Okay, maybe it isn’t that bad. Wait, what am I saying, yes it is.  

Today, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced he will be taking a medical leave of absence until June ’09 due to some “more complex” health issues (confirming what everyone already knew). This news arrives weeks after Jobs made a statement saying his weight loss was due to a “hormone imbalance” and that everything is under control. Job’s health concerns resurfaced last year when an extra “thin” Steve debuted the extra “thin” MacBook Air at Macworld ’08.

Steve is very cautious about releasing information regarding his health (see pancreatic cancer) and it’s giving everyone a scare. As the rock star of the technology industry, Apple appears to needs Jobs like a lineman needs a meatball sub. For whatever reason Apple’s board continues to let mystery surround Jobs and his health issues, letting the stock take a big hit every time a new rumor surfaces. A person’s health is a private matter except when you are the CEO of Apple.

In my opinion, Apple should move while it is at the height of its game and ask Steve to step down as CEO while retaining him as a strategic consultant (don’t get me wrong, I love Steve and am indebted to him forever for his wonderful gadgetry). This would give Jobs a chance to focus on his health without being questioned at every corner.  Sure, there would be a huge short-term shock. Investors would be terrified and the stock would plummet. Zune lovers everywhere (are there any Zune lovers?) would rejoice. The other Steve (Ballmer) would tell his “WEBDEVELOPERS!” full speed ahead. But let’s face it, Apple functions in a corporate world that revolves around investor's expectations. The actions of a CEO can either bolster or diminish the value of a company (believe me, I know). I think investors expect Jobs to have some major health problems. If he truly does, Apple should either confirm this once and for all or let it be their downfall.

Steve stepping down can’t be that bad with Apple’s operations guru Tim Cook heir apparent to the throne. So what, maybe he isn’t as creative. His operational prowess has allowed Apple to basically knock on people’s doors and take their money. Anyone who thinks Apple’s success is based solely off a good product and smart marketing is wrong. Lowering costs while maintaining high profit margins is the name of the technology game. Earlier adopters are willing to pay a premium for new gadgets but the rest of the world isn’t. If they can reduce the cost of a laptop by $300, but then lower the price by $200, everyone wins.

As micro managerial as Jobs is reported to be, I think the company has created an image and a path forward that a blind monkey could follow. With Apple revolutionizing several different industries they have learned what works (iPod, iPhone & iTunes) and what doesn’t (Apple TV, G4 Cube & Newton). It’s time for the rest of the stars at Apple to show what they're made of. For better or for worse, it will happen soon – Will Apple do it on their terms or someone elses?