Get iTunes songs for 99 cents each!

Being from a rival school, I’m compelled to rag on FSU whenever the opportunity presents itself. How then, after reading this article in their school newspaper, could I not talk about it here? Some choice excerpts follow below.

In an effort to prevent illegal file sharing on campus, Florida State University is on the verge of finalizing a deal with Apple Computer, Inc. — a deal that would provide free iTunes software to students and allow them to download music for 99 cents per song.

I hate to rain on the parade, but, uhh, iTunes software is already free to everyone. Moreover, 99 cents per song is what it currently charges everyone. Let’s see if FSU’s man-with-a-plan can clear up some of this confusion.

Baker, the director of university computer systems at the FSU Academic Computing and Network Services Department, was appointed chair of a committee charged with finding a way to stop illegal file sharing on campus.

Baker said the idea originated from a concern for students who live on campus and download music illegally.

Good thinking Baker, I think you’re really onto something. The students were probably holding out for the iTunes stamp-of-approval from the university, and now that they have it, watch out ‘illegal’ file sharing, these kids are ready to pay.

Baker said that students can expect to see the project go into effect sometime in the next month. The license agreement is currently under legal review by FSU officials and will close soon, Baker said.

*Psst* students… *pssst* You don’t have to wait for the plan to “go into effect” to buy music through iTunes — Apple will take your money now! No questions asked. Tell them that FSU sent you and you’ll be able to get your songs for just 99 cents each.

The guy on the Apple end of this deal was a genius.

Nokia 7610

As some of you already know, I chucked my Sony Ericsson K700i about two weeks after I got it. The reason was very simple: the battery life was abysmal! Save that major hiccup, the phone was brilliant, but there was no way I could continue using it with such a broken battery. I might go so far as to say that it was the worst battery I’ve ever seen on a device.

Enter the Nokia 7610 (I have the white/silver model). This phone was actually the only other phone I was considering when I decided to purchase the K700i (the Sendo X was also on my radar at the time, but it wasn’t yet released). The main reason I initially decided in favor of the K700i was simply past experience — I’ve had good luck with SE phones. The main reason I initially decided against the 7610 was the design. Nokia has a long track record of feeling the need to push the envelope of mobile phone design (if you can call their designs “pushing the envelope”). This phone is no exception and Nokia has made some pretty crazy leaps as far as keypad and case design go, none of which I think will survive this model.

While I’d like to write a lengthy review of this phone similar to those that I’ve done in the past (most recently the K700i), I just don’t have the time and so I’m going to briefly run over some of the things I like/dislike.

I guess I should start with the battery. I have no complaints. I’ve read every review of this phone (I think :) and a few of them point out that the battery life isn’t too great, but I have to respectfully disagree. Battery life is somewhat ’subjective’ (unless we’re talking about the K700i  :P) and can fluctuate wildly depending on what you actually use your phone for day in and day out. Having said that, I’ve been rather impressed with the life of the 7610 given my use requirements. I routinely get through two days of heavy usage without having to recharge (this includes taking numerous pictures and videos, talking for extended periods of time, and moving files between my computer and the phone with Bluetooth) — not bad for a full blown “smartphone.” I should also mention that the standby time is excellent.

I find the form-factor as close to perfect as it can get. It could stand to be slightly thinner, but that’s really the only negative thing I can say about its shape and size. When you consider all that the device contains, the form-factor is pretty impressive. The phone feels very solid; no noticeable creaking or battery-cover movement. Its shape also allows you to stand it up on a flat surface so that you can take timed (or just steadier) pictures and videos.

I use the 1.3MP (1152×864) digital camera all the time — much more so than I’ve done with past camera phones (I think this is number five). Case in point: when I was at the hospital, I used the camera to take pics of the top of my head so that I could see the gash before they put in the stitches. The white-balancing system works fairly well and I’m quite pleased with the overall quality of the pictures. In fact, the quality is such that I now want to save the pictures I take with it (with previous phones I saved the pictures just because I’m obsessive-compulsive  :P). The refresh rate on the viewfinder is exceptional.

Given the RS-MMC memory-expansion slot and the 64MB card that ships with the phone, I find myself taking video (176×144) of everything. A nice feature of the video recording is that you can mute the microphone if you wish. Playback on the device could be a little smoother, but it’s really nothing to complain about.

The phone ships with the Opera browser, which makes for very easy web nagivation when on the move, enhanced further by the large 16-bit TFT screen (176×208). The entire browsing experience has come a long way since I first had Opera on my Sony Ericsson P800 a couple of years back.

Speaking of the P800, that was the first, and until now, only Symbian phone I’ve owned. The real difference between the 7610 and P800’s implementation of the OS is the user interface that sits on top of it — the P800 uses UIQ while the 7610 uses Nokia Series 60 (Second Edition). The two interfaces aren’t really comparable though as UIQ is more stylus-centric where Series 60 is focused on keypad navigation. That said, I don’t have any real complaints about the interface on the 7610. It could be sped up in certain areas, but for the most part it’s pretty solid. I do like the fact that the softkeys are completely customizable and that you can add whatever shortcuts you want to the “Go to” menu, though this could be made a little better by allowing you to point deeper into the menuing system when making shortcuts.

As can be expected nowadays, the interface can be given an entirely new look through the use of themes, which are allowed to change almost everything on the 7610, including the clock faces, default icons, and backgrounds.

The “Gallery” program for viewing images and video (and other files) is pretty nice and like all of the programs on the phone, allows you to easily switch between phone memory and the MMC card. I’ve actually stopped using the “Gallery” program altogether though, in favor of Nokia Album (Thanks Russ). The Album application allows you to view a time-based thumbnail display of both your videos and images (together). It’s great.

The speakerphone and regular speakers could both stand to be a bit louder — I frequently have the volume cranked all the way up. As for voice quality, I’ve yet to have a single complaint from anyone on the other end.

As I’ve mentioned many times before, I use my phone as a morning wake-up alarm and the 7610’s “Clock” program handles this wonderfully. Once the alarm goes off, the right softkey snoozes for five minutes and the left key turns it off entirely. Like ringtones, the alarm sound can be any audio file, including MP3s. The only thing the application is missing is a recurring alarm option.

I had absolutely no trouble pairing the phone with my PowerBook through Bluetooth. Unfortunately, the 7610 does not sync with iSync. I knew this before I purchased it (another reason I hesitated to get this phone), but assumed that the next version of iSync would add support, especially in light of the fact that the Nokia 6600 and Sendo X, both Symbian Series 60 phones, are suupported. I was wrong, iSync v1.5 was released a few days ago and 7610 support is still missing. Grr. Apparently the hangup has to do with the fact that the 7610 uses SyncML for syncing where the other supported Symbian phones use something called mrouter. Frankly I don’t give a shit what it uses, just get it working Apple!

Because syncing with the PowerBook wasn’t an option, I actually had to export all of my contacts from Address Book and schedules from iCal, import them into a temp Outlook account on a Windows machine, and then run the Nokia synchronization software from there. This option is fine as a one-time way to move everything over, but the fact that my calendar, contacts, and to-do lists aren’t continuously sync’d makes me freaking crazy; hopefully a hack will emerge or the next version of iSync will support it.

And finally, I have to talk about the wacked-out keypad found on the 7610. Oddly enough, like everyone else that has used the funky keypad, I’ve come to like it and find it very easy to navigate. Don’t get it twisted though, if Nokia decided tomorrow to come out with the same model but with a “normal” keypad, I would get it. While the keys feel great when they’re pushed, I wouldn’t mind for the action to be a bit quieter — the clickety-clack is quite noticeable.

The third semester

I’ve had quite a few people ask what I was taking this semester, and so I’ve decided to list the classes below.

• Evidence (required) — with Gerald Uelmen, a member of OJ Simpson’s criminal defense team. Given that he can’t seem to go 10 minutes without talking about OJ and the fact that one of the required texts is a book he wrote concerning evidence issues from that case, I think it’s safe to say that I’ll have a good handle on the “trial of the century” (and hopefully evidence) by the end of the semester.
• Copyright — with Tyler Ochoa, a well-known name in the field.
• Business Organizations — I think this will be my favorite class of the semester. The professor is very excited about teaching and I find the subject matter pretty interesting.
• Constitutional Law I (required)
• Appellate Advocacy (required)

I’ve purchased 10 books so far for this semester (not including supplements) and the total cost is hovering around $650 — such a fucking racket!

Cut Here

“So we meet again!” and I offer my hand
All dry and english slow
And you look at me and I understand
Yeah it’s a look I used to know
“Three long years… and your favorite man…
Is that any way to say hello?”
And you hold me… like you’ll never let me go

“Oh c’mon and and have a drink with me
Sit down and talk a while…”
“Oh I wish I could… and I will!
But now I just dont have the time…”
And over my shoulder as I walk away
I see you give that look goodbye…
I still see that look in your eye…

It’s so hard to think “It ends sometime
And this could be the last
I should really hear you sing again
I should really watch you dance”
Because it’s hard to think
“I’ll never get another chance
To hold you… to hold you… “

I should’ve stopped to think - I should’ve made the time
I could’ve had that drink - I could’ve talked a while
I would’ve done it right - I would’ve moved us on
But I didn’t - now it’s all too late
It’s over… over
And you’re gone..

I miss you I miss you I miss you
I miss you I miss you I miss you so much

But how how many times can I walk away and wish “If only…”
But how many times can I talk this way and wish “If only…”
Keep on making the same mistake
Keep on aching the same heartbreak
I wish “If only…”

But “If only….”
Is a wish too late…

From the The Cure’s Cut Here

Note to self

Next time you’re walking near the side of a building while talking on the phone and looking at the ground, be sure to glance up from time to time so as to save yourself from being nearly knocked out by the metal edge of an air-conditioner and having to wait hours at the ER to get stitches in your head.

Nevermind all of the reckless, throw-caution-to-the-wind things that I’ve done in my life, it’s a damn air-conditioner that almost takes me out.  :P

Thanks Charley

It seems that nature didn’t think my quick trip home was hectic enough and decided to throw a hurricane into the mix. Hurricane Charley, while leaving most of my friends and family (and their properties) unscathed, still managed to screw up most of my few days back home. Not only did it bar me from seeing certain friends, but I was all set to go wakeboarding with my brother’s sick new Hyperlite board and his friend’s Ski Nautique, which is equipped with an 8-ft ski-pole and waterbags that can generate a 3.5-ft wake!!! I wanted my brother to capture me doing some flips and other tricks on video, but we couldn’t even get into the water on Saturday because of Charley’s lingering bad weather.

If you know me only from this site then you probably have no idea of my experience with and love for both skateboarding and wakeboarding — I was really looking forward to getting back in the water, but I guess I’ll have to wait a bit longer. Grr. Maybe this winter break will be one of those crazy Florida winters where it’s 90° in the middle of December. One can only hope.

While there’s much more to write about from the trip, including the obligatory “hurricane party,” I’m afraid I’m too tired and have too little time to elaborate here.

I took the picture below a couple of days ago while in the Orlando International Airport before heading back to California; as you can see, my gate and those surrounding it were a bit disheveled from the hurricane. I really wanted to get some aerial shots of the much more serious damage, but my seat position made it impossible.

A short ‘break’

Yesterday was the last day of my legal internship at Ariba. I’m headed to Florida later today for what are sure to be a few very busy days back home. Too many people to see; too much to do; too little time.

I’ll be back in California late Sunday — my second year of law school begins on Monday. Joy.

Sony, put the gun down

There is no doubt that Sony’s new Network Walkman Digital Music Player is a wonderful little device. It looks great, has an insane battery life, ships with a decent-sized HDD (20GB), and weighs just 3.8oz. The problem though is that it doesn’t play MP3 files. The user is left to use Sony’s proprietary ATRAC3 or ATRAC3Plus formats, which means that any MP3 file you want to put on the player must first be converted — a very time-consuming process — I’m sure Joe User’s just chomping at the bit.

By restricting the player to just its format, Sony has also severely restricted its prospective userbase, which will now be limited to clueless end-users and those few willing (and patient enough) to convert their entire collections. I’d guess that a good number of iPod users, whom I’m sure Sony would like to steal away from Apple, are not iTunes users at all (or only in a very limited capacity), which means that Sony had a chance to move them away from the iPod (hell, I looked at the device myself), but because they locked it down I can’t think of anyone who would even consider it. Sony is offering no compelling reason to switch and is likely dissuading most people by requiring them to take the unprecedented step of converting their MP3s. As for those who’ve actually used iTunes to build up their collections, it seems that Sony is too late to the game and will probably miss that group altogether — I just can’t see Joe User cracking the iTunes’ AAC files (FairPlay DRM) and then converting these unprotected files to either MP3 or WMV and then finally converting these to ATRAC3.

Advice for Sony and Others

Well, Sony, your first move should probably be to take care of the foot you just shot. Next, and this goes for all of you digital music device manufacturers, make sure your device can play the most ubiquitous and unprotected format available. If it can’t, it’s a good bet that it’s dead in the water and is going to fail, or at least not going to do nearly as well as it would otherwise. I don’t think it’s too terrible to limit the device to only one proprietary format (after all, the intention is to get people to purchase music from your online store), but don’t then deny users the ability to play other open formats, especially the format that’s not only the most familiar to consumers but that also spawned all of this digital music madness in the first place.

This point is likely obvious to anyone reading this, which begs an obvious question: why did no one at Sony see the flaw in their logic? Can someone please explain to me what they were trying to accomplish by locking out MP3? I’m serious, if you know (or think you know), I’d like to hear it.

Advice for End-users

If you actually pay for music (I’ve read that people still do this  :P) and can’t find somewhere online that sells what you want as an unprotected MP3 file, then don’t buy it online. Buy the CD, rip the album yourself, and keep the CD so that if and when a newer, better format is available and you feel the need to make the transition, it won’t cost you anything but time. Oh how I want to discuss on this site the way in which I gather and store music, but, umm, I can’t really shouldn’t.

I’ll be curious to see what happens when the iTunes format (or any of the other online stores’ DRM formats) dies out or is improved and all the people who have spent a decent amount of money on their collections want their music in the newer, better format, no doubt arguing that it costs the music provider nothing but bandwidth (as opposed to vinyl → 8-track → cassette → CD → dvd-audio → etc).

To steal a line from Goodfellas:

• “My new device won’t play format X, can I re-download my songs in format Y?” “Fuck you, pay me.” - iTunes Music Store
• “You guys just came out with format X². I’d like to upgrade my collection from format X to format X².” “Fuck you, pay me.” - Sony Connect
• “My hard drive died and I need to re-download all of my music.” “Fuck you, pay me.” - Walmart Music Downloads

I’m not saying that the music provider is right or wrong in these cases, but I’m pretty sure that the above responses will be (or are?) what one can expect.

The Killers

The Killers’ debut album, Hot Fuss, is shaping up to be my favorite record of the year (and, umm, as most of you are well aware, I listen to a shitload of music). Get it. Love it. You won’t be disappointed.

Step two

An excerpt from a good friend’s recent e-mail:

Ugh… I was just thinking that I am now one of those persons in your stories that buys everything you do.

Step two: figure out a way to make money off of this — the idea I proposed in the Apple Referral Program hasn’t quite taken off. I just can’t seem to get Apple or mobile phone/PDA manufacturers to adopt the system. It’s almost as if they don’t want to give me money.  :P