Apple announces iPad

Below is a link to apples introductory video of its new product the iPad. Overviews some functionality. http://www.apple.com/ipad/#video

Apple has recently announced it's new tablet, the iPad. Now what a lot of people seem to be saying is that it is just an oversized ipod touch and its hard for me to disagree. This seems like a fun new product but I can't see any reason for myself or many people to own one. It's not quite a laptop, not quite an ipod touch/iPhone.

What is new is the book store, where you can digitally buy books and read them instantly on the iPad. I am curious what your thoughts are on this. I don't really like the thought of reading a book digitally in this format except for text books. I still refuse to download music. I feel that you lose a lot of a cd by digitally downloading it but that is just me. It can be great for people and I understand why. The same situation is arising for me with the new iPad. It's certainly more convenient and I can imagine the books could possibly cost less since they are digital, but are we losing something by digitally owning people's creative works? I mean there is no right or wrong answer to that it is a completely personal and subjective question.

The iPad has a lot of other options also, a large keyboard for typing and apple is pushing that this is a great new way of surfing the internet as well as emailing and sharing photos. Also watching movies. The general message is that this new tech is going to function as a new, fun, innovative way of sharing and viewing media with one another on an entertaining, business and intellectual level. What are your thoughts of this new product?

The Rise of the Auto Tuner

There has been a rise in the use of auto tuners in main stream music over the past couple of years. What an auto tuner does is correct pitch in peoples vocals. where I see a problem is that artists have been increasingly reliant on using this to push out their big hits onto the masses. Not only is it being used more frequently but it has also been used to a heavier degree. Instead of a light touch to help correct a singers pitch, it is being used to the extent that makes them sound almost robotic. (Though this is often a type of sound the artist is going for often seen a lot in main stream hip hop today). Artists such as T-Pain and Lady Gaga are examples out of the huge pool of artists now following the auto tuner trend.

This technology is still new and has become a standard in the main stream music scene. It seems that the majority don't seem to mind this new trend and others see it as a cheap instant gratification for the artist to pump out hits. Personally I hope this trend does not last. This technology is new and may have unrealized potential still but in my opinion as a listener it seems like this technology just creates a wall between the artist and the listener. As David Byrne of the Talking Heads once said, "The better the singer the harder it is to believe what they are saying" comes to thought when I think about the mind set of the modern day popular music. It seems to me (though I do not wish to generalize about all artists since music no matter what will have its exceptions) that artists in the main stream are more focused on feeding the crowd an intoxicating melody to drill into their minds while hammered at a club than deliver an honest and heart felt sound and message to its fan base.

Bill to lower television ads

I recently heard about a bill that is trying to be passed through congress to lower the volume of television commercials. People around the country are complaining that the ads in between programs is louder than the programs themselves. I have noticed this as well and I agree that this is can be quite annoying. Your watching a show and all of a sudden theres a burger king ad blasting your speakers. The bill would set a legal limit making it so the commercials can be no louder than the program that followed. I think this is a great idea for both the marketer and the consumer. The viewer of commercials such as these is going to be irritated by the volume and because of this will be less willing to subject themselves to what is being sold. Turning down the volume or switching the channel seems to be the usual solution for me. So I can't imagine that pumping up the volume helps increase sales for the marketer in the first place so what are they trying to do? The benefit to the consumer is obvious, no more obnoxiously loud commercials. So overall this seems to be a win win situation for everyone. I would be interested in hearing what possible negative effects this could have so if anyones got some for me I would love to hear them.