Tagging in i-tunes on a rainy night

I bet you all know an iTunes hater.

You know these guys, the ones who poo-poo anything even remotely popular. These are the same people that use Linux instead of Windows and bring their own Sake to catered parties.

They probably use something like Media Monkey and are the very same ones that turn renegade on you in online games. They have the morals of an alley rat (cat is too good for them) and frankly they smell a bit too.

SoiTunes gets its criticism yes. Sometimes it is justified (this Genius obviously has never heard of classical or roots music before) but most of the issues you may come across usually have a solution if you just look hard enough. Lifehacker is one such site I would recommend for those wanting to learn more about making the most out of the application.

It was in that very site that I came across some great information regarding tagging. Now I just love this idea so much I had to share. I love that I can drill down to a song and associate all kinds of descriptive tidbits about it. Perhaps this appeals to a certain type of individual; one who likes labels. Or maybe those who like to consider the future.

I recently heard that this is a good signpost for marking intelligence. Those who consider possible future uses is the benchmark for our species evolution. Way back around 40,000 years ago when the Neandertals were still kicking around alongside our ancestors; it is believed that your dear old great great great …. well you get the idea…… grandparents began storing water by burying it in the shade of a tree in large ostrich eggs. This was to ensure there was water available when they came back that way. This is what distinguished us from our slack jawed cousins the Neandertals. We developed the skill of imagination and it is why we are here now with such bloody big brains. We won, go us.

This leads us thousands of years back to the future and we can see millions of examples of future planning; most of the time it’s the most boring topic imaginable. But tagging is definitely not my friends. Tagging is the emancipator from your staid and limited musical tastes. And here is where I round up this blog beautifully by finally making my point.

iTunes does not have a specific tagging option however you simply have to use the Comments field to add them. For example with a song like 'I love a rainy night' by Eddie Rabbit I would possibly use the following tags - Weather, rain, night, love, bad 80's music, OR with my collection of Mojo and Uncut magazine CD's is add the tags - magazine, uncut (or) mojo, etc

What this means is that once you start amassing enough tagged music you can begin to use the playlist option in i-tunes with some aplomb and panache. Forget the boring old 'Year of release' or 'Genre' or 'Least played' or 'Most recently added' playlists. By using tags you can create the most fascinating mixes by connecting music with a subject or theme such as 'Magazine' or 'Weather'. When I did this the resulting mix of music was a revelation. Rock,jazz, alternative, roots, reggae, world from any time all played beautifully together. It is almost like giving people a free pass to enjoy music they would normally not listen to. All you need to do is select Random and as long as you have enough music you can keep updating the random option and here new music for the same tag. I tell you it’s the bees knees.

My personal favourites so far have been 'The word blue', 'Seasons' and 'Bob Dylan' added with 'Bob Dylan covers'. Have a try yourself and come back to tell us your favourite tagged playlists.

And finally, as we roll into another Australian summer scorcher (hey that’s a great idea for a playlist, Australian songs with the word summer), don’t think that we at SOI are not doing our part. Water restrictions are on their way so to combat this disaster we offer to the gods a rain song to appease their cruel and jealous ways.

The Google Habit

I have to remind myself to google the small stuff.

It occurred to be a while back that with the Internet being as it is, there's really no reason to ever NOT look stuff up. The time it takes to Google a quick answer is so small that it's more efficient to Google than waste any time wondering.

Even for the silly questions that float through one's head. What is the gestational period of an elephant? What is an 'aptronym'? How old is the universe? You can have a preliminary answer in seconds.
But I have to remind myself to Google. It's a habit I'm trying to cultivate.

Google should launch a TV add campaign. Each add should be only 5 seconds and should just ask a question for you to Google:
"Do lead pencils have lead in them? Google it!"
"How many light years to the nearest star? Google it!"

Won't a reliance on Google lead to cognitive atrophy? I'm not sure that it will. Maybe it will free up the mind to think about the hard questions, the big questions, the questions that apply only to me. Of course, this too is a habit I need to cultivate.

Blogged by Mark

Speaking in tongues - the real deal

I have just come across some more amazing new technology that has the capacity to completely change the life of a person unable to speak. Let's use cerebral palsy as an example of a specific disability that in many cases has this very issue. I have spent a number of years in my 20's working as an aid for people with cerebral palsy. The greatest shame to me was not the disability of the person with cerebral palsy but the disability of the carers to understand them. Given time shared with a specific individual it is amazing how much non-verbal communication you can share however the barrier still remains. Particularly with the pace of communicating an idea.

When I was working in London I was assisting a man my own age with driving his car to music college and also with lunch and bathroom visits. Much like the film 'My Left Foot' that famously portrays the life of Christy Brown, my client also had full control of his left foot and did his composing with a tab on the end of his shoe. He also used the electronic speaking device im sure we have all seen used by the like of Stephen Hawking. Once I got to know my client better I was able to pick up his body language and this meant that communication became quicker and with less fumbling for the point. One of the ways he would maintain control over his destiny was to take me a different route every day, so that I would be forced to rely on his directions whilst we were driving. Many a morning I would be driving through the maze of inner London, watching for other cars and pedestrians while at the same time looking in the rear view mirror at my client pointing directions with his head when he wasnt quick enough to type them out. On a number of occasions he would be calling for my attention frantically only to discover that he wanted me to check out some hot lady walking down the street. He was a horny little devil.

It was always a challenge working with anyone with limitations of verbal communication. I doubt we can truly appreciate what it is like not to be heard. Let alone be able to do simple tasks on our own like turn on a light or change a channel. 

Which brings us to a recent article on theage which can be found here. It is essentially some new technology which works on using the tongue as a means of controlling a mechanism which once perfected will aid people in speech and other tasks. The reasoning for the tongue being the controller is that it is connected to the brain rather than the spinal column. In the cases of people with quadriplegia this would be a vital new technology. I am less certain that it will work for all people with cerebral palsy as the tongue movement for some people may be involuntary. In these cases using the eyes and facial expressions would be more useful. Below is an amazing talk on this very thing. Watch this guy perform a self composed piece of music live with just his face and head movements. 

So next time you are thinking of handing over some money to somebody, consider helping researchers like this who are trying to make a real difference to a very silent minority. 

Aint the Internet a 'font' of knowledge ;)

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

10 iPhone improvement suggestions

I love my iPhone. I really do. But it's because I love it so much that I want it to be even better. Here's 10 small things I'd love to see the iPhone do:

1. Preferencing the 2.5G signal over the 3G when the 3G signal is there but so weak as to be slower than 2.5G. Ditto for preferencing 2.5G or 3G over wifi when the wifi is so weak as to be useless.

2. Automatically turning on the VPN when the only wifi connection available requires it (as is the case when I'm on campus). Or at least some way of programming the phone to do this.

3. Google Street View on the maps application

4. An indication of how much data I've used visible on the home screen, not buried in the menus.

5. For updated applications to remain in the same spot on the home screen that they started at.

6. Allow video recording through the camera.

7. Cut and paste.

8. Allow you to put a custom data feed into the screen saver holding screen.

9. Haptic feedback.

10. Sync video playlists like a regular iPod.

Speaking of spam - the story of Charlie

A year or so ago, a friend and I set out to create the ultimate chain email. We wanted it to have all those essential elements: pathos, wish-granting, guilt tripping, and rhyming.

---
This is the saddest email I have ever read ever! Serious guys, I'm not joking on this one. If you don't burst into tears after reading this, you're an awful person.


POOR CHARLIE


Saturday is a busy day
It's time for the football game
So Charlie raced out of the door
His father did the same

He rushed towards the family car
And sat down on the seat
And impatiently waited for his dad
While wiggling his feet

Too busy to have breakfast
Too busy to comb his hair
Too busy to check the computer
And the email that waited there

So Charlie played his football
And kicked ten thousand points
Although he hurt his kicking foot
And other assorted joints

But for all his youthful vigour
And his cheeky boyish grin
Little did poor Charlie know
That fate was coming for him

He checked his computer once more
But off to the living room he went
Because 'Idol' was on the tv
And the email remained unsent

Had he taken notice
Had he read it to the end
He would have understood the sad email
Sent to him by his friend

He didn't read the story
He didn't send it on
And slowly, very slowly
All his good luck shall be gone

For chain emails are a powerful thing
As Charlie did find out
The bad luck that awaited him
Was enough to make you shout...

"Oh no, not poor young Charlie
He's such a brave little guy
He's such a little trooper
Why did he have to die?"

That's right, poor Charlie carked it
He got cancer in his bowel
Then got a bout of syphilis
- please don't ask us how

And then he tripped down the stairs
And broke his upper left thigh
And as he lay there in agony
He wished he had replied-

-To that simple little message
"Had I only passed it on
I wouldn't be here dying
With chille stains on my shirt

I must have hit my head" he said
"I've clearly got concussion.
No longer am I rhyming well
Or speaking in correct pies"

As little Charlie passed away
Ducks nibbling at his spleen
And rats sneaking into his bowels for warmth
His toes were turning green

And from his foaming trembling lips
These last words did he moan
"if you don't reply to chain emails
you'll die horribly and alone... probably down some stairs or something."


SEND THIS TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU! PLEASE! THIS COULD CHANGE THE WORLD! THE MORE PEOPLE THE BETTER.


50 - Send this email to over 50 people, and Charlie will come to life again. You and he shall go on a magical journey to some far off land, and then have cake. Then of course he will have to die again to make room for the next person to send 50 emails.

20 - Send this on to 20 people and not only shall you be immune to cancer, but you'll also receive four billion dollars within seven seconds of sending it. Also, that huge crush that you once had will turn up to your door and immediately propose to you.

10 - Send this on to 10 people and you will develop duck repellent qualities. Furthermore to that, you will never ever spill chille on your favourite shirt. Your crush will come to your door and say something to do with avacados, but you were too busy staring in awe at them that you weren't really listening. You'll find a fifty dollar note on the street, but then you'll probably just spend it on food or something, which makes it a kind of waste, because it all ends up in the toilet in the end anyway.

5 - Send this to 5 people and you will have an erotic dream about your crush that night. At least you think it's them, because the person's face isn't quite the same and they change gender from time to time. Nevertheless it will be a happy dream. You will also find an empty bottle on the street while you walk to work which you can cash in for about twenty cents and the recycling shop. You'll see a rat around the corner, but then you'll keep walking and forget about it about four seconds later.

4 - Send this email to 4 people and we'll give you a free upsize to 5, THIS WEEK ONLY!!

< 4 - Send this email to less than 4 people and you'll most likely trip over some hobo on the way to work and have to clean bodily fluids off your favorite suit for the rest of the day.

0 - If you refuse to send this email to anyone, because you're lazy, or insensitive or just don't have any fingers, then you will die a horrible, horrible death.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't believe us? Check out these fantastic testimonials:

"Hi, My name is Fred Tompson. I read this email and was so moved by the story of Charlie that I immediately forwarded it to 24 people. The next day I became the richest man in the world by selling immitation sardines over the internet. I'm also married to the most beautiful woman in the world, and we make sweet love once every seven minutes. I owe it all to clicking my mouse button a few times and thinking of Charlie."

***

"Tootles! Jeanette Winterbottom's the name. I am a teacher of Information Technology at Darbishire Elementary College. We recently had one of our students die from witholding Chain emails from the community. Among the symptons included a broken pancreas, dislocated brain, a bit of a backache after dinner, and the distinct smell of duck poo. I now use this email as a criteria for all my student's gradings and have found it successful in reducing the ammount of rat-related deaths in the college by 37% Since implementing the program, all unexpected in-class fatalities were the result of other phenomenon and not this email. Thank you Charlie!"

***

"Hi, I'm Brett. I received this email, and deleted it. now I'm dead."

***

"I'm Ted Lowry. I received this email, and sent it to only 7 people. As I was walking to work the next day, I found an old CD on the road. I tried to play it, but it was really too scratched to get any real melodies. I kept it around the office for a few more days, but then I threw it out and bought a sandwich. God bless you Charlie!"


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As you can see, the power of this email is astronomical. So prove to yourself and to your friends that you are a good person, and not a selfish one. Send this to as many people as you can. And if you don't have enough friends to send this email to, then you're probably an awful person and deserve all the bad luck coming to you.

But now here's the best bit. Before you press send, think of Charlie, count to five and make a wish.


>
>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>> 5!
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>> 4!
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>> 3!
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>> 3!
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>> 1!
>>>>
>>>
>>
>


Ooops, it must have got wet. But perhaps if you wait a little while, then your wish is 46% certain to be absolutely GUARANTEED to come true!

Mark finds a new religion & our regular Tuesday Tech Tune

iPhone therfore I am

It was a big day in this nerd's life this past Friday. Finally, finally the iPhone arrived in Australia and I had the good fortune of picking up the 8gig model. (I got the last one at The Glen without having to queue.)

For me, the iPhone is the last piece in the puzzle. Now I'm a connected and fully operational nerd everywhere I go, from a trip to the supermarket to a trip to the loo.

Yes, I'm one of those people who likes to be technofied all the time.

People have tried to ween me off the gadegts, the theory being that within every computer geek is a hippy trying to get out. Such attempts always backfire.

The funny thing is I was fine with the digital deprivation . It was the intervening friends and family that couldn't handle the truth.

They just couldn't cope with the reality that without my widgits and doodads I was just a redhead with a penchant for decaffinated cola beverages. No hippy emerged. No appreciation for soy products developed. All there was was a bloke with eerily cold data starved eyes staring back at you. Many were driven to madness.

So yes, I got an iPhone and I highly recommend you do too. And if your associates tell you to wake up and smell the roses tell them to wake up and smell the wifi, then capture their indignation on your lovely new iPhone camera.

Sent from Marks iPhone



On this weeks Tuesday Tech Tune, your weekly dose of songs about technology, we have the inimitable Kraftwerk.

I couldn't help myself I just had to add a few of the comments in You tube under this clip. If you can find a better example of geek humour then I will eat Stephen Hawking's left foot.

hyberpolo - 0100101101010110101011010011110101110101!!!!

Applemask - I don't understand your accent. However, 01011001010011110101010101010010001000000100110101 00111101010100010010000100010101010010.

Musical Terrorism - Nobody is safe

Mark and I have decided to take our relationship to the next level. That's right, we are sharing our iTunes playlists. A big step granted, but an important one to keep the blog fires burning.

We are using a spunky little program called Mojo which enables us to download tracks across a local network or the Internet. The only downside to this is that it eats away our upload allowance if you get charged for going both ways (just count the double entendres).

Here comes the disturbing twist to the tale. Upon gaining access to Marks musique ensemble d'objets I discovered an interesting pattern. None of his playlists were just of a single album. Instead there abound playlist after playlist of jumbled mixes based on complex strings of filtered madness. Looking in the edit section of just one and I started getting dizzy. I felt like I was in a scene from The Cube.

Where was his Artist or Album playlists? I couldn't take it in. My head was swimming. Where was his Radiohead only playlist? Where was Pet Sounds, Music From Big Pink, Revolver? There appeared no band loyalty whatsoever. Rather the lists focused on randomness and file sizes and least played.

He uses the so called 'Smart' playlist option in iTunes to create these acts of musical terrorism. I say terrorism because that's what it is. He and the rest of his fickle generation of musical Pol Pots are destroying the Album as we know it every time they unleash on of these little mixed menaces onto the online community.

Well enough is enough. Its time for other like minded album lovers to rise up and be counted. I propose an army of iPod Police; making random playlist searches and giving on the spot fines for anyone taking the concept too far.

Further to this I propose a three strikes and your out rule; followed by intense rehabilitation. I'm thinking solitary confinement rooms filled with bean bags, gigantic headphones, a turntable and a couple of milk crates filled with Rolling Stone magazines 'Top 100 Rock albums of all time'.


All that is necessary for the perpetuation of pernicious playlists is if good people do nothing.

I bless you in the name of the Godfather, the Sun-Kil-Moon and the Spirit of the rock and roll.