Comments for Michael's Tech

Comment on Acquiring Music by michael

michael — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:13:25 +0000

I agree that the best solutuon from a fidelity pov is to use a lossless format such as FLAC, but I simply don’t have the hard drive space. I like to carry my entire library on my laptop’s internal drive, which somewhat restricts the quality I can keep in. I also actually don’t hear any difference between something which is 192kbps+ and a lossless format.

As for using another lossy algorithm – I am basically restricted by iTunes. I have, and like, an iPod and use iTunes as my music player. That dictates that I use AAC or MP3. Plus as I say, I purchase most, if not all, of my music from the Amazon MP3 store, and so it comes in that format.

Comment on Acquiring Music by Tom

Tom — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 22:22:07 +0000

“Regardless of the talk that MP3 is still copyrighted etc”
MP3 isn’t copyrighted. “Copyright applies to any expressible form of an idea or information that is substantive and discrete.” “A large number of different organizations have claimed ownership of patents necessary to implement MP3.” These patents (under current law, at least) will expire soon. MP3 is open, so you’ll always be able to access your music.

Maybe in the future your lossy algorithm of choice will not be MP3, and may be some new algorithm with desirable features. Transcoding between lossy formats loses a lot, so maybe the best solution is to store your music losslessly. Disk space is space. FLAC is an open, patent-free lossless algorithm.

(FWIW, Spotify streams using Ogg Vorbis (q5 ~160kbits), the patent-free lossy algorithm typically used as the “nicer” alternative to MP3)

Comment on Is the answer really to block everything? by adam2z

adam2z — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:54:49 +0000

If, you are willing to sacrifice a good technological education for your students for the imaginary safety of your institution from likely frivolous law suits, then I’m sure it sounds like a great idea.
Not that any particular institution comes to mind, right?

Comment on A round-up and some thoughts by michael

michael — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:54:08 +0000

Fixed, thanks

Comment on A round-up and some thoughts by Dr Dimin

Dr Dimin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:26:29 +0000

Spelling error – Jonathan Ross

Comment on Scrobble the iPod touch/iPhone by adam2z

adam2z — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:00:50 +0000

By the way, the method i used to get my iphone 2.1 scrobbling was simply jailbreaking and installing ’scrobble’.

Comment on Scrobble the iPod touch/iPhone by adam2z

adam2z — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 06:12:10 +0000

4rth google hit for “iPhone scrobble”.

Comment on iPhone galore… by Betook

Betook — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:47:23 +0000

Somehow i missed the point. Probably lost in translation Anyway … nice blog to visit.

cheers, Betook.

Comment on Scrobble the iPod touch/iPhone by Farhan Mannan

Farhan Mannan — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 17:23:08 +0000

You’re the top hit for scrobble from ipod touch but the link is dead! Wait while I check archive.org

Comment on iPhone galore… by John Harvey

John Harvey — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:25:43 +0000

oooh – and they might even be running google’s android os
http://www.htc.com/press_room/03-press-071105.htm