| USB turntables raise vinyl from the dead
Although I've been discussing all-digitalentertainment setups lately–and obviously music is a big part of that–there's not much point in delving into further details of my activities. Picture a man ripping a CD. Now picture it thousands of times over the course of a year. Imagine him alphabetizing the resulting files and storing them on blank DVDs while watching TV in a window on his computer screen. Not too thrilling, is it? But vinyl, in the form of old record albums–that's something else. Converting those isn't quite as simple as merely feeding CDs into a drive, but there are reasons you might want to make the effort. In particular, there are some LPs that haven't made it to CD (Johnny Comes Marching Home by the Del-Lords, Matt Dillon by Short Dogs Grow, and This Is Not the New Dream Syndicate by the Dream Syndicate come to mind) and occasionally CD releases that messed with the original record's integrity.
Chinese TV company challenges Cape Verde cable monopoly
Cidade da Praia, Cape Verde, 23 April - CVXTV of China, part of the Xianmen Xinnuoli company, is launching a subscription wireless television service next week in Cape Verde with a cost of around half that charged by monopoly operator ZAP TV of CVTelecom for its cable services, according to media reports.
The monthly cost of CVXTV's 17-channel package from 30 April will vary between 1,500 and 2,000 Cape Verde Escudos (US$18.5 and 24.6), significantly lower than the current price for cable TV of over CVE 3,000 (US$37), media in the islands have reported.
Acquiring the new wireless TV package, including a decoder box and outside aerial, will cost around CVE 20,000 (US$246), which can be paid in installments by subscribers the new operator has said.
The Chinese firm's CEO, Li Shu Yin, said this week that the new system would also be ready for use in vehicles within “a few months" to open the doors to a totally new market in Cape Verde.
EMI, Soundbuzz Media to bring DRM-free downloads to Asia
Record label EMI said it would begin to sell music, without anti-piracy software via the iTunes website from May. And for parts of Asia where iTunes is not available, EMI aims to provide similar downloads by the end of the year. To do this, it is currently in talks with Singapore-based Soundbuzz, an online music retailer. Copy protection known as Digital Rights Management (DRM) prevents people from making multiple copies of digital content. It also prevents seamless transfer of songs from one device to another. Although the copyright protection was vital in attracting major labels to sell their music online, changing lifestyles are turning the tide against DRM. Mohan Mahapatra, Managing Director, EMI Music, Singapore and India, said: "I have an MP3 player, my wife has an MP3 player, my son has one, my daughter has one.
The Unorthodox Behaviorist
Doug Greer has fashioned a teaching approach from the ideas of B.F. Skinner. Now he's testing it to see if it can help close the nation's achievement gap At first glance, Karla Mondello's second grade classroom in the Morris School District in Morristown, New Jersey, looks pretty much like any other. Children sit together at tables; there are drawings and paintings tacked up on the walls and math problems on the blackboard; the shelves are filled with books, a terrarium, a plastic skeleton and other cool stuff. After awhile, though, you begin to notice the almost complete lack of disruption. The transitions from one activity to the next--even to and from recess--are accomplished seamlessly. Kids talk and laugh as they work, but in well-modulated voices. They're also working, at a variety of paces, on different things--and in some instances, those things are extraordinary.
Turks and Caicos music festival announces superstar line-up
GRAND TURK, Turks and Caicos Islands: The countdown has begun for the 4th Annual Turks & Caicos Music and Cultural Festival set to take place July 30 through August 6. The excitement is beginning to build as this year’s festival brings some of the world’s biggest international superstars to perform in the Islands. Don Gardiner, Chairman of the Tourist Board, is sure that this year’s line-up will be the best ever. "We have worked hard to attract international superstars from a wide genre of music to come and perform at this year’s Festival. When you mix in the great cultural slate of events, including The Annual Miss Turks & Caicos beauty pageant, it becomes the must do event of the year in Turks and Caicos Islands and perhaps more importantly, becomes the anchor event in promoting Turks & Caicos as the premiere destination for international travellers".
Gym Class Heroes Continue to Rule the Top 40; "Cupid's Chokehold ...
NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 04/23/07 -- Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen recording group Gym Class Heroes has locked onto the top of the charts with their smash single "Cupid's Chokehold / Breakfast in America." The track -- which was originally written by Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies of Supertramp and features the Geneva, NY-based band's good friend, Patrick Stump -- stands tall at #1 on the CHR/Top 40 national airplay chart for an astonishing fourth consecutive week. No other band has accomplished this amazing feat since multiple Grammy Award-winning group Green Day in 2005. With a total audience at 85 million, the track is also #1 in audience at the CHR/Top 40 format. What's more, "Cupid's Chokehold / Breakfast in America" remains firmly ensconced in the top 10 of Billboard's "Hot 100" for the tenth consecutive week, and has proven to be a cross-over hit, jumping into the top 25 of both the CHR/Rhythmic and Hot AC charts.
Carrie goes to the top, Gere goes too far and Joey's 'a little juicy'
It might come for a season, and those seasons can be so very long and so very painful. But, in time, the pain subsides. It doesn't leave, it just makes room for other things. The sun comes out and we even smile again when we thought we never would. We don't know how long this season will last, but we know it won't be forever. And now on with this edition of the GBB.
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Apple sells 100 millionth iPod, faces latest rival
BEIJING, April 10 (Xinhuanet) -- Apple Inc. on Monday said it has sold its 100 millionth iPod in just over five years, making the digital gadget "the fastest selling music player in history." Introduced in 2001, the music player currently dominates over 75 percent of the market and has spawned an unprecedented range of over 4,000 accessories made specifically for it. "iPod has helped millions of people around the world rekindle their passion for music, and we're thrilled to be a part of that," Apple's CEO Steve Jobs said in a statement. Apple's iTunes online music store has sold more than 2.5 billion songs, 50 million television shows and more than 1.3 million movies. However, the must-have portable device will face another rival on the market with flash memory maker SanDisk announcing on Monday the launch of the Wi-Fi-enabled Sansa Connect, which offers computer-free connection to Yahoo music and download services.
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