Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Google's Super Bowl Ad Is Sticky Sweet, Makes Us Puke a Little]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/02/08/googles-super-bowl-ad-is-sticky-sweet-makes-us-puke-a-little/http://www.switched.com/2010/02/08/googles-super-bowl-ad-is-sticky-sweet-makes-us-puke-a-little/http://www.switched.com/2010/02/08/googles-super-bowl-ad-is-sticky-sweet-makes-us-puke-a-little/#commentsFiled under: ,

Despite (or perhaps due to) the fact that Valentine's Day is just around the corner, we find ourselves a bit soured on the idea of love. Can we help but admit that we found Google's Super Bowl commercial last night a bit...saccharine? (Video after the break.) It plays off of every sappy romance trope: American boy meets French girl, falls in love, gets married, babies, etc. And he was able to become a cinematic stereotype all with the help of Google! (We assume that the incorporeal protagonist is indeed male, since gay marriage is still illegal in France.) And, while most of the other Super Bowl ads were fairly lackluster compared to those of years past, this is perhaps the most unoriginal way to sell people on a search engine that basically everyone already uses.

This is the first Super Bowl ad for market leader Google, but, interestingly, the ad is not new. 'Parisian Love' is part of a YouTube series called 'Search Stories,' which has been viewed 1.2 million times since November. That's odd, since the commercial features some ethereal being searching for things. That's what we all do with Google every day, and yet we're not being chased by Parisian paramours. The ad's earnestness somehow comes across as disingenuous. So, go ahead, and call us heartless. We prefer The New Yorker's take on transatlantic love, anyhow. [From: Engadget]

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SwitchedGoogle's Super Bowl Ad Is Sticky Sweet, Makes Us Puke a Little originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Everyone and their mama's mama will be tuning in this Sunday for the big game, and to that end, you might be planning a get-together with some buddies involving a few six-packs, snacks and of course, the TV. But is that Super Bowl shindig infringing upon copyright law?

That's what one Ars Technica writer wondered aloud after a friend mentioned he couldn't watch the Super Bowl on a TV 55-inches or larger without committing a federal offense. Turns out, to some extent, the friend was right. TV broadcasts and movies can only be displayed if "no such audiovisual device has a diagonal screen size greater than 55 inches, and any audio portion of the performance or display is communicated by means of a total of not more than 6 loudspeakers."

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SwitchedYour Big Screen Super Bowl Party May Be Illegal originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hey! It's 2010 and we have advanced so rapidly in terms of culture and society that the old gender paradigms seem like a dusty joke. Oh, wait: Verizon has decided to fall back on a history of sexist advertising by separately targeting its cell phones to men and women. After the cryptic, sci-fi-inspired spots for Droid -- which clearly lacked any "feminine" softness -- Verizon chose to market the Palm Pre Plus to the fairer sex. In both spots, we see put-together ladies from the '50s and the '80s, symbolizing those silly old domestic roles. Flash forward to 2010, where the most modern of moms use Facebook on their smartphones. Hooray for progress!

The irony of these commercials (after the jump), of course, is that the retro gender-targeted advertising that Verizon lampoons is simply updated in the second half of the commercial. Mom may not look like she's stepped out of Carole Jackson's 'Color Me Beautiful' book anymore, but her domestic responsibilities and social expectations haven't changed. She's still picking up Timmy from baseball practice and sifting through recipes to cook for the family -- all while Dad is off playing with his macho Droid and doing whatever dudes do. Way to break down cultural norms, Verizon. You've come a long way, baby. [From: Engadget]

Continue reading Verizon Markets Palm Pre Plus to Ladies, Fails to Smash Patriarchy

SwitchedVerizon Markets Palm Pre Plus to Ladies, Fails to Smash Patriarchy originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adsadvertisingcommercialdroidfeminismpalm prePalmPresexisttopverizonThu, 04 Feb 2010 11:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Refugee Finder Could Locate Lost Loved Ones, Give Hope to Haiti]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/02/04/refugee-finder-could-locate-lost-loved-ones-give-hope-to-haiti/http://www.switched.com/2010/02/04/refugee-finder-could-locate-lost-loved-ones-give-hope-to-haiti/http://www.switched.com/2010/02/04/refugee-finder-could-locate-lost-loved-ones-give-hope-to-haiti/#commentsFiled under: ,

When the recent earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, the blow to Haiti's communication infrastructure severely debilitated rescue operations. Thousands of homeless refugees who are without access to telephones or the Internet have been effectively taken off the map. As a result, rejoining their loved ones is currently impossible.

Students at the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design have come up with a simple but seemingly effective way of locating the displaced. Their prototype of the Refugee Finder system is sort of like a Facebook for people unwillingly shaken off the grid. Refugees without access to cell phones, land lines, or other methods of communication would first be photographed by administrators with a mobile device. Then, their names, locations, and other basic biographical information would be attached to their photos, and eventually uploaded to a central database. This database would be accessible via any media channel, potentially helping to reunite separated friends and families. The students' video below takes our breath away by simply explaining how the system would operate; putting it into use would be even more remarkable. [From: Recombu]

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SwitchedRefugee Finder Could Locate Lost Loved Ones, Give Hope to Haiti originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A reader writes: I travel a lot for work and the wimpy iPod earphones just don't hack it against the whine of airplane engines and, worse, seatmates. I'm looking for a reliable, comfortable, easily portable pair of noise-canceling headphones that won't break the bank. I don't have time to research them all, so just tell me what to get!

Dear Reader: Like DVRs, iPhones and Slingboxes, noise-canceling headphones are one of those special breeds of gadgetry that inspire instant and rabid fandom in their new owners; they wonder how they ever survived without them. So we're positive you're going to be happy with your upgrade to the sound of silence.

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SwitchedWhat Noise-Canceling Headphones Should I Get? originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The first thing we thought when we saw the advanced 3-D visuals of 'Avatar' was: "When are we going to see this used on a film that does NOT star blue space cats?" We could wait for James Cameron to answer that question with his next sci-fi blockbuster, but 3-D conversion technology, which takes movies shot in 2-D and upgrades them, may allow us to revisit classic films in a whole new way.

A recent article in Slate outlines the process. First, each shot is separated into layers of depth. Characters, buildings, landscape and other elements are all distributed onto different planes. A computer then creates an offset image for each plane, which imitates the two offset cameras used for filming a full 3-D film, such as 'Avatar.' When 3-D glasses are worn, each image is filtered separately into your right and left eye, creating the eye-popping (and sometimes headache-inducing) effect.

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SwitchedClassic Films Could Get New Depth via 3-D Conversion Tech originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3DAvatarfilmjames cameronmoviespost-productiontim burtontopTue, 02 Feb 2010 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Fabian Hemmert's Shape-Shifting Phones Make Information Incarnate]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/02/02/fabian-hemmerts-shape-shifting-phones-make-information-incarnat/http://www.switched.com/2010/02/02/fabian-hemmerts-shape-shifting-phones-make-information-incarnat/http://www.switched.com/2010/02/02/fabian-hemmerts-shape-shifting-phones-make-information-incarnat/#commentsFiled under: , ,


One of the ongoing issues with digital life is that the data we process is translated though devices with little naturalistic feedback. Is it possible for the gizmos of the future to incorporate interfaces that physically respond to the data they display? Designer and PhD student Fabian Hemmert seems to think so. He spoke at the TEDx conference back in November, and introduced the audience to three concepts for making digital data tangible, basing his ideas on the potential of cell phones.

Hemmert's weight-shifting phone contains a moving apparatus that shifts the device's center of gravity to the position most suitable for a particular kind of data output. Hemmert uses the example of GPS mapping, which could be improved by the phone's weight pointing in the right direction. Another prototype, the shape-changing phone, shifts its high and low axes to indicate unseen information residing off-screen. His final phone invention is an "ambient life" mobile, which offers an artificial heartbeat and diaphragm that indicate the liveliness of the device. Are your e-mails piling up? The phone palpitates in agitation, so just stroke it to calm its frayed nerves. Brilliant. [From: Infosthetics]

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SwitchedFabian Hemmert's Shape-Shifting Phones Make Information Incarnate originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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haptic drumkitLearning an instrument can be a long, difficult process, requiring years of dedication. The 'Haptic Drum Kit', shown at MIT's Fourth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded and Embodied Interaction, intends to streamline and improve the learning, getting musicians up and drumming in no time. Using both audio and vibrotactile (read: buzzing the wearer) input, the player not only hears the noise of the kit as he or she pounds away, but feels it too.

The drum kit, designed by the UK-based e-Sense Project, uses four computer-controlled pulse generating devices to improve a drummer's rhythmic timing and coordination. e-Sense designs other "sensory augmentation devices" as well, including the MusicJacket, a tool for teaching violin players proper form, and the Third Eye, a mini CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) camera worn on a ring that converts images into vibratory stimulation -- which has an unclear purpose, but promises to be a popular stocking stuffer for up-skirt photographers around the world.

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Switched'Haptic Drumkit' Vibrates Potential Tommy Lees, Assists Wicked Drum Solos originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When does 3-D technology transform from a gimmick into a full-blown trend? No, not when live sporting events are broadcast in 3-D, and not even when 'Avatar' racks-up enough money to make Bill Gates jealous. No, the technology has finally arrived in its full-frontal glory when the porn industry embraces it, and now, that day has come.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Italian director Tinto Brass said Thursday that he's ready to create the world's first 3-D porno flick. You might remember Brass from his infamous 1979 film 'Caligula,' which was set in ancient Rome and featured graphic sex scenes (incest, cheating, and a giant killing machine) that ruffled many feathers. So what's the premise behind this 3-D porn? Brass says it'll "revisit an abandoned project about a Roman emperor that was ruined by Americans, and go from there." Sounds like he'll really be stretching his creative muscles with this one. Brass says he'll write the script and cast the film as soon as possible, and he hopes to begin filming in May or June. (Gore Vidal, feel up to the task?)

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Switched'Caligula' Director Set to Make World's First 3-D Porn originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 30 Jan 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you've done any live video streaming before (whether it's sharing footage of that adorable thing your cat is doing or streaming a backyard concert to friends), you'll know that you're often stuck hacking together apps and Web services to get everything working. Ustream just released a free (and paid pro version) Producer application that streamlines the entire process with an easy-to-use app that lets you switch between video sources easily and streams standard definition video live to the Web. Both versions allow movie and audio importing, enabling live mixing of multiple media sources. Producer navigates between footage from webcams, on-computer cameras, or even traditional camcorders plugged in via USB.

We downloaded the app on OS X (it's available for PC, also) and were able to stream live on the Web in under five minutes through a built-in iSight cam. Upgrading to pro gets you high definition streaming, multi-camera support, title and layer overlays, and more source support. So, don't dream it, stream it. [From: Ustream]

SwitchedUstream Producer Lets You Stream Video Live to the Web originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>creativitystreamingtopustreamvideoThu, 28 Jan 2010 18:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Japanese DVD Helps Women Get Used to Male Stares, Creeps Us Out]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/01/28/japanese-dvd-helps-women-get-used-to-male-stares-creeps-us-out/http://www.switched.com/2010/01/28/japanese-dvd-helps-women-get-used-to-male-stares-creeps-us-out/http://www.switched.com/2010/01/28/japanese-dvd-helps-women-get-used-to-male-stares-creeps-us-out/#commentsFiled under:

The latest product to come out of the perpetually fascinating land of Japan might just be the most simplistic, yet most disturbing we've yet to see. And that's saying a lot.

A new DVD called 'Miterudake for Lady' is designed to help Japanese women deal with men staring at them... by showing them images of men, well, staring at them. According to the manufacturer Avex, Miterudake ("only seeing" in Japanese) is targeted at the jaded woman whose "heart was almost broken at love and interpersonal relationships." According to InventorSpot, after a minute of staring into the camera, one of the 51 Japanese men on the DVD will give a reassuring laugh, and offer some words of encouragement.

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SwitchedJapanese DVD Helps Women Get Used to Male Stares, Creeps Us Out originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Recall with us, if you will, 'Back To the Future Part II,' in which Marty McFly leaves 1985 (25 years ago!), and shoots through time and space to arrive in 2015. It's sort of unnerving when you realize that's only five years from now. And just think about how many of the movie's predictions have already come true: from TV glasses to video conferencing to an MLB team in Miami. We have to give director Robert Zemeckis some credit.

The film's other nearly true prediction is the ubiquity of targeted advertising, which is now literally popping up through augmented reality (AR) interfaces. Bartlett School of Architecture graduate student Keiichi Matsuda has taken that prediction and furthered it to what seems, horrifically, like AR's next evolutionary stage. In the video below, Matsuda renders a kitchen overwhelmed with logos and advertisements, surely giving the editors at Adbusters a heart attack.

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SwitchedAugmented Reality Kitchen Takes Us 'Back to the Future' originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Recently, a group called Aeolia has been experimenting with stretch-sensing technology and its interaction with the body. As part of that research, Martha Glazzard at Nottingham Trent University knitted conductive yarn into the Cello Shirt, worn in the video below by cellist Peter Gregson. Placed at the shirt's elbows and underarms, the stretching fabric communicates with Max/MSP software that modulates the sounds emanating from the cello in real time. We can't really describe it further; it has to be seen (and heard) to be believed.

Designed specifically for Gregson, the Cello Shirt debuted last year at New Media Scotland's 10th anniversary event at the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Glasgow. As we wrote yesterday, we're enamored with experimental instruments that utilize input from unlikely sources. And from the sounds of this gizmo, we think that even wacky (read: awesome) old-school experimental electronic musicians like Pauline Oliveros would love to get their hands on this. [From: Make, via: Ubergizmo]

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Switched'Cello Shirt' Makes Wearable Music With Movement originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In honor of iSlate iPad Day, Youtubers Jakob and Jon have put together this odd little video in which they make an iPhone sandwich. Yeah, we don't totally get it either, but it sure is fun. They suggest you try to make an iSandwich for yourself at home, but we'd like to remind our readers that what may culinarily fly in Sweden (from where, we gather, these two hail) looks a little gross across the Atlantic. Kiwi and pimento-stuffed olives and coconut on dense, dark bread? More for making than munching, we'd say -- unless you're some kind of molecular gastronome like Wylie Dufresne. But kudos all the same to J&J for their quirky video.

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SwitchediSandwich 4G: Pretty, But Is It Tasty? originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applefuniphoneisandwichsandwichtopWed, 27 Jan 2010 13:01:00 EST<![CDATA['Avatar' Officially Reigns as All-Time Box Office King]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/01/27/avatar-officially-reigns-as-all-time-box-office-king/http://www.switched.com/2010/01/27/avatar-officially-reigns-as-all-time-box-office-king/http://www.switched.com/2010/01/27/avatar-officially-reigns-as-all-time-box-office-king/#commentsFiled under: ,

'Avatar' Officially All-Time Box Office KingMaybe spending nearly half a billion dollars on a movie isn't such a bad idea, after all. As CBS News reports, James Cameron's latest blockbuster 'Avatar' has officially become the all-time biggest box office success, dethroning, of course, the director's own 'Titanic,' which kept the throne warm for more than a decade. The film has grossed a staggering $1.8 billion worldwide, and many expect it to eventually break through the once-unimaginable $2 billion ceiling.

Cameron had initially taken a lot of criticism for the seemingly absurd sums of money he was spending on his high-tech epic. As the notoriously self-assured mastermind behind 'Aliens' and the 'Terminator' franchise explained to CBS News, though, "You learn to tune all that out and just say, 'Wait until people see the film. Then we'll know if we're in trouble or if we're in good shape.'"

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Switched'Avatar' Officially Reigns as All-Time Box Office King originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ticketmaster, the bane of Pearl Jam's existence so many moons ago, has just finalized a major corporate merger with Live Nation, the world's largest concert promoter. The financial marriage only went through, however, after the U.S. Department of Justice gave both companies the green light, a full year after the merger was first submitted for governmental approval. According to Wired, the Department of Justice originally harbored concerns that a merger between the two concert powerhouses could lead to an environment with substantially higher consumer prices. The modified plan approved yesterday, however, includes built-in safeguards and stipulations aimed at preventing the freshly minted Live Nation Entertainment from becoming too powerful.

Ticketmaster must also sell off its ticketing company, as a further means to maintain levels of competition similar to those in place before the merger. Most interesting, though, is the ruling that Live Nation Entertainment will not be able to "play favorites" at the expense of other clients. For example, the company cannot threaten to withhold any former Live Nation artist from a venue if said artist decides not to use its ticketing service. Assistant attorney general Christine Varney, head of the department's antitrust division, claims that the Department of Justice's proposed compromise "promotes robust competition for primary ticketing services and preserves incentives for competitors to innovate and discount, which will benefit consumers."

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SwitchedTicketmaster, Live Nation Receive Gov't OK to Finalize Mega Merger originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Have your 'Magic: The Gathering' soirees been lacking that 21st-century flare? Are your Dragon Mages and Hill Giants suffering from an oppressive want of interactivity? Well, researchers from Canada's Queen's University have been developing an immersive technology that will merge traditional board and card games with the dynamic interfaces of your favorite MMORPGs. Professor Roel Vertegaal and colleague Mike Rooke want to turn the game pieces into displays themselves.

In a prototype version, Vertegaal and Rooke used hexagonal pieces of cardboard, a projector, and an overhead camera to play an adapted version of 'Settlers of Catan.' The cardboard pieces essentially become bezel-less screens that not only serve as display surfaces, but also allow for user interaction. The pieces can be moved, rotated, and tapped to navigate the game, as well as communicate with the action happening on other tiles. You can even tilt and "pour" the pieces, allowing game moves like solider deployment, as seen in the video below.

Continue reading Video Games Go Back to the Board(game) With Projection Tech

SwitchedVideo Games Go Back to the Board(game) With Projection Tech originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boxee Sits Comfortably Atop the Media Center Hill


What it is.


Boxee is the most hyped media center software to ever hit the market. It's supposed to change the way we watch TV, how we discover new content, and solve global warming. Okay, maybe not that last part, but you can only expect so much from what amounts to a prettied-up version of the open-source XBMC (Xbox Media Center).

Continue reading Boxee Sits Comfortably Atop the Media Center Hill

SwitchedBoxee Sits Comfortably Atop the Media Center Hill originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boxeeboxee betaboxee boxBoxeeBetaBoxeeBoxfacebookfeaturesHype CheckHypeCheckmedia centerMediaCenterMLBnetflixpandoratoptwitterTue, 26 Jan 2010 12:25:00 EST<![CDATA[High-Tech Winduino II Turns Breezes to Ballads, Backhands Windchimes]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/01/25/high-tech-winduino-ii-turns-breezes-to-ballads-backhands-windch/http://www.switched.com/2010/01/25/high-tech-winduino-ii-turns-breezes-to-ballads-backhands-windch/http://www.switched.com/2010/01/25/high-tech-winduino-ii-turns-breezes-to-ballads-backhands-windch/#commentsFiled under: ,

We're big fans of innovative electronic instruments, especially ones that look past the idea of human interaction and incorporate random input. Design outfit Fascination Workshop just unveiled its new prototype of the Winduino II, an electronic instrument that creates sound from wind. The company describes its creation as "a wireless, digital version of an Aeolian harp."

The Winduino II is solar-powered and Bluetooth-enabled via an Arduino motherboard, and can be hung either outside (weather permitting, we'd imagine) or indoors. Incorporating vellum fins equipped with piezo sensors, the Winduino II essentially measures pressure and acceleration, converts them into an electric signal, and makes nature-generated noise. The video below shows the Winduino II playing an atmospheric loop, but the installed 'Max for Live' software can generate any number of sounds. So, just kick back and let the zephyrs do the work.

Continue reading High-Tech Winduino II Turns Breezes to Ballads, Backhands Windchimes

SwitchedHigh-Tech Winduino II Turns Breezes to Ballads, Backhands Windchimes originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yesterday, the team behind the original MP3 file revealed a new digital music format, claiming that it will both outclass current digital music standards and encourage users to download their music legally.

In theory, MusicDNA has a lot going for it. Users who download songs in the new format will get -- in addition to the music itself -- bits like lyrics, album artwork, music videos, recent live performances, tour details, and any blogs or tweets posted by the artist. There's no word yet on pricing, but it's expected that downloads will cost up to twice as much as their MP3 equivalents when launched this spring.

The new digital music format comes a few months after the introduction of the iTunes LP, which offers interactive album artwork and other multimedia features. If it gains enough traction, it's possible that MusicDNA could become a powerful weapon in the arsenals of competitors like Amazon.

That's a big "if," though. While some independent labels, like Beggars Group, the label behind the Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead, are onboard, the major labels are still MIA. And while we like the idea of all those extras features coming with songs, we're not sure they'll be enough to convince users to pony up more money, or in a lot of cases, any money at all. After all, it's hard to argue with a zero-dollar price tag.

Still, any development that could keep our favorite musicians employed and doing what they do best is a welcome one. [From: BBCNews and The Guardian]

SwitchedCreators Behind MP3 Launch MusicDNA, a New Music Format originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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