Tim Marman's Loosely Coupled

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• Sometimes piracy isn't about getting it for free

  The old maxim that "you can't compete with free" has been thrown around time and time again in the piracy argument. Sometimes, though, piracy is not just about price. People don't want DRM ( including Bill Gates ), and there are still no legal means to download DRM-free music. ( Ok, I should clarify - eMusic offers DRM-free downloads and is apparently now the second largest online retailer of music - but it doesn't include most mainstream music or most (any?) of the "major" labels.) People also don't want to wait for arbitrary release dates, and retail versions of albums are quite often available on the Internet well before the release. For example, Fred Wilson has an advance copy of the new Arcade Fire album many of us are anxiously awaiting. (That's one thing I definitely miss from my WHCL days). The album doesn't come out until March 6th, but it's already available for download on the filesharing networks. Thing about the choice that the record industry gave the rest of us - download... Posted Jan 30 2007, 06:28 AM by Tim with | with 7 comment(s) Filed under: Technology, Intellectual Property, Gadgets, Music, Law

• A look at Apple and Microsoft strategies

  I've been thinking about some of the interesting strategic decisions that Microsoft has made lately. I already discussed their curious IP licensing strategy , and their choices with Zune and Windows Media Player have me similarly baffled. In many ways, these moves have been something I expect more from Apple than Microsoft. Apple has always been known for delivering closed systems, controlling the experience from end to end. Apple software runs on an Apple OS on Apple hardware. Conversely, Microsoft has thrived largely because it has recognized the value in delivering not just products, but platforms. Office and Windows are both successful not just because of what they do as a product, but because they leave room for third party developers. It is those developers, not just Microsoft itself, that really enable a true ecosystem. Even the Xbox 360 has been a platform, not just for the media content providers, but now for the independent game developers. Given their history, it should come... Posted Jan 01 2007, 02:42 PM by Tim with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Rants, Gadgets, Things that amuse me, Music, Innovation, Business, Microsoft, Apple, Audio

• Podcast support in Windows Media Player 11

  There is one other issue I need to deal with before I can totally switch to Windows Media Player 11 - podcast support. Microsoft made the head-scratching decision not to include native podcast support - one area where iTunes really excelled. Someone wrote a plugin over the summer , but it doesn't work in WMP 11 and Vista and he's not maintaining it right now . There are countless other third party aggregators (Doppler is an old favorite), but I need to spend some time figuring it all out. My key requirements are: Automatic downloads (no manual intervention) Synchronization to the device (at most 1 click, preferably none) Removal of old podcasts (preferably removed from the device after they've been listened to, but I'll accept support for the last, say, 3 episodes - as long as Steve Gillmor doesn't break CalacanisCast into 17 parts). For those of you not using iTunes, how are you managing your subscriptions? Note: I'll update this post over time as I refine the strategy. Posted Dec 28 2006, 02:56 PM by Tim with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Technology, Software Development, Rants, Gadgets, Music, Blogging, Apple, Audio, Podcast

• dopisp adds iPod support in WMP 11

  Like most people, I would prefer to use a single media player to manage my library. I like Windows Media Player 11 more than iTunes 7 , and this is especially true since I've subscribed to the Urge subscription service . (I really wish Apple would provide a subscription-based service for the iPod). The problem, of course, is that Windows Media Player still doesn't support the iPod - something I complained about in 2004 with WMP10 . As it turns out, someone finally wrote a plug-in to support the iPod in WMP ( via LifeHacker ). I downloaded the trial last night and will give it more time, but so far it seems to work very well. Assuming I can figure out a good way to handle podcasts, it is well worth the $15. Posted Dec 28 2006, 11:33 AM by Tim with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Technology, Gadgets, Music, Microsoft, Apple, Audio

• Is Apple working on an 8GB nano?

  Oh man. Apparently Apple has been buying up flash memory and some are speculating they will launch an 8GB nano soon. While I miss those extra GB dropping down from a hard-drive based iPod, I've been in love with my nano since it first arrived last September. It's an amazing little device, and I prefer 4GB wherever I go than 15GB that I may or may not be carrying with me. That said, 4GB is a bit tight... I have to rotate music a lot and I don't carry around as much music that I listen to every once in awhile. Of course, higher-capacity flash players are inevitable, but the jump to 8GB would mean a lot more for me than the jump to 6GB. Tags: Apple iPod nano , Music , mp3 , gadgets Posted Jun 08 2006, 07:13 AM by Tim with | with no comments Filed under: Technology, Gadgets, Music, Apple

• Seeking recommendations for wireless surround sound speakers

  I've wanted to add rear speakers for a long time but the wires have been a big concern. Like most other New Yorkers, I rent an apartment and thus can't run wires through the wall. I can potentially run wire along the wall, but I would need around 40-50 feet per speaker. I currently have two Bose bookshelf speakers hooked up to a Yamaha 5560 receiver. I want to use this for HDTV, music, and gaming on the Xbox 360. I wouldn't consider myself an audiophile, but I want something that's going to have good quality. I've been looking at a few wireless speaker systems but I'm still undecided. The first I've looked at is the Logitech Z-5400 , a set of computer speakers with two rear wireless channels. The set retails around $300 and includes 2 front and 2 wireless rear speakers, a center channel, and a subwoofer. There is also a separate control module that drives the set. The rear speakers are not completely wireless, as they have to be plugged in to a power source, but this is fine because I have... Posted May 02 2006, 07:34 AM by Tim with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Technology, Gadgets, Music

• DRM can have a significant impact on battery life

  Tommy Perkins posts yet another reason to hate DRM . According to this CNET article , it can have a significant negative impact on your device's battery life - as much as 25% as you can see below. Creative Zen Vistion:M: 16 hours with MP3s, 12 hours with only WMA subscription tracks Archos Gmini 402 Camcorder: 11 hours with MP3s, 9 hours with DRM tracks iRiver U10: 32 hours with MP3s, 27 hours playing subscription tracks The iPod, playing back only FairPlay AAC tracks, "underperformed MP3s by about 8 percent." This isn't terribly surprising, of course, given the additional processing required to validate and decrypt, but it's surely off-putting. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, RIAA says future DRM might "threaten critical infrastructure and potentially endanger lives . Posted Mar 21 2006, 04:12 AM by Tim with | with no comments Filed under: Technology, Intellectual Property, Security, Gadgets, Music, Copyright, DRM

• Drooling over the HTC Muse ...

  Just getting caught up on a few things. Earlier this month, word leaked of the HTC Muse : WM 5.0, 4GB Flash, FM radio, SD slot, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 2.1 MP camera. It looks small, though I wonder what the actual dimensions are. It's fairly square, so either it's pretty wide or it's pretty short. If it's thin enough, this may be in the running later this year to replace my SMT 5600 and nano! Posted Dec 01 2005, 11:40 AM by Tim with | with no comments Filed under: Technology, Gadgets, Music

• Grokster Reversed in Unanimous Decision

  Some bad news from SCOTUS(Blog). The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that developers of software violate federal copyright law when they provide computer users with the means to share music and movie files downloaded from the internet. Read Justice Souter's opinion . Justice Ginsburg concurrence (joined by the Chief Justice and Justice Kennedy); and Justice Breyer's concurrence , joined by Justices Stevens and O'Connor. I haven't had a chance to give them a thorough review, but at first glance it looks like they are adopting something along the lines of the "Active Inducement" test suggested by Justice O'Connor at oral arguments. Ernest is participating in a Grokster Roundtable . Others, including Prof Felten, are participating in SCOTUSblog discussions . Marty has some commentary and Kevin has a good roundup . And don't forget, even though it's a unanimous decision, Fred says we've already won . Plenty of good coverage out there, as you might expect. An incomplete roundup of additional... Posted Jun 27 2005, 07:46 AM by Tim with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Technology, Intellectual Property, Law School, Gadgets, Music, Copyright

• Location-sensitive to-do lists

  Wow... Place Mail provides location-sensitive to-do lists for GPS cellphones (via Ernest ). Engadget says Pam Ludford, the Ph.D. candidate behind this, isn't looking to market it. She's either lying, or stupid. How awesome is this? Imagine the possibilities for those of us doing GTD! Posted Jun 13 2005, 07:39 PM by Tim with | with no comments Filed under: Technology, Gadgets, Music, Productivity