Tuesday, October 18, 2011

What is SkyDrive waiting for?





dropboxToday the headlines are all about Dropbox, and how the fast-rising company turned down an offer from Steve Jobs, who called the file storage and sharing service “a feature, not a product”. Precisely.

Dropbox has been getting a lot of headlines lately, as has iCloud, the “feature” that Apple built into iOS5. Forbes is featuring Dropbox and company founder Drew Houston on its cover this month, as the company just finished a $250 million round of funding, with a valuation placed at $4 billion. Dropbox has 50 million users, with a new one added “every second”, and with its freemium model (a free entry tier with additional storage available for a monthly price), Houston told Forbes that even if it didn’t add a single user next year, its revenues would double (from around $240 million this year).

Interestingly, in a video “chat” among Forbes editors, in part discussing Dropbox’s potential competitors, smaller companies, Apple’s iCloud, and a potential move into the space by Google are all seen as threats, but Microsoft and SkyDrive aren’t even mentioned:

[youtube http://youtube.com/w/?v=d9PfBkm618w]

[youtube http://youtube.com/w/?v=d9PfBkm618w] to view the video on YouTube.

If you’ve been following along at home, you know that we’ve long been fans of, and been frustrated by Microsoft’s cloud storage story, specifically SkyDrive. Two years ago, at PDC 09, we spoke casually to a couple of Microsoft PMs who argued against allowing users to be able to do precisely what Dropbox does with SkyDrive, that is, provide a client to make moving files to the cloud easy and seamless. At that time, the feeling was that it would simply cost too much money to provide storage at the scale that a Microsoft service would need, with little in the way in revenue in return. We felt at the time it was a shortsighted approach, and now we’re watching as Dropbox and iCloud move in on what should be SkyDrive’s territory.

SkyDrive should be on every device, and maybe the addition of Skype to Microsoft will push other services like SkyDrive to fully embrace a cross platform model. It should be simple and straightforward to drag and drop files from anywhere “up into the cloud”, and to get them back again, from anywhere. Sync, with Windows Live Mesh, should play a significant role, making it even easier. There shouldn’t be limits on what you can store (sharing is a bit of a different story, due to copyright complications), with a simple tiered service, hopefully one that well undercuts Dropbox and iCloud.

Now you may note that Microsoft recently introduced Live Connect, which allows third parties to programmatically access SkyDrive, but that’s not the same thing. We don’t want to have to build our own client, or to have a third party in the way of our connecting to the cloud. We just want to use a native service, seamlessly.

Microsoft does not have a compelling consumer service. Oh, they have Hotmail, and they’re working hard on cleaning up their self-inflected messes there. And yes there’s Messenger, which seems to be in some kind of Skype induced limbo. They have Windows Phone, but it looks to remain a distant third (if that) for the foreseeable future. Office 365 is a small business play. Windows Live has been left, like almost everything Microsoft touches, to founder, with no significant updates to Windows Live Essentials in almost two years. Skype may be the closest thing Microsoft has now to a consumer hit, but it’s only been a few days since the deal closed, and could be a long time before Skype and Microsoft are considered one and the same.

SkyDrive is Microsoft’s big chance, and maybe last chance, to capture some hearts and minds in the consumer space. Coupled with Windows Live Mesh (which we’ve heard little about either, except for some lame trickery about syncing your desktop backgrounds in Windows 8. Who needs that? What we need is seamless files synchronization across devices and across platforms), SkyDrive has all the pieces in place to blow the doors off the competition, yet Microsoft drives their consumer offerings with one foot firmly on the brake.

The market wants, needs actually, to hear loud and clear what SkyDrive has to offer, or Microsoft will find itself chasing Dropbox and iCloud, and even GDrive, the same way that it’s chasing iPhone and Android, Facebook and Twitter and Google +, the iPad, and Gmail. This isn’t about when “Microsoft is ready to share”, the market needs to hear now, or it will soon be too late, again.

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NEIL PEART - TAKING CENTER STAGE DVD

NEIL PEART TAKING CENTER STAGE

– October 11, 2011Posted in: Drummers, DVD/Video Reviews, Reviews

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DVD
LEVEL: ALL
$39.99

This jam-packed DVD follows Neil Peart during Rush’s 2010/11 Time Machine tour, featuring an entire two-and-a-half-hour concert, with cameras focused exclusively on the drums and a Neil-heavy audio mix. Each song from the concert is preceded by discussions between Neil and drummer, Hudson Music senior drum editor, and Rush fanatic Joe Bergamini. These interviews are set in various stark but beautiful locations in Death Valley National Park and offset the concert and rehearsal footage in a creative way. Also included is footage of Neil’s drums-only pre-tour rehearsals, Rush’s complete soundcheck, and Neil’s pre-show practice-room warmup. Bonus features include performances of a few songs that didn’t make it into the tour’s final set list, and a one-hour breakdown of one of Rush’s newest songs, “Caravan.”

If you’re a Peart devotee, you’ll drool over the detailed shots of the concert performance revealing all of the intricate details of those classic parts. The overhead shots and slow-motion footage are particularly revealing of Neil’s complex choreography. Even if you’re not a Rush fan, you can learn from the wisdom of one of the world’s most successful performers. Neil’s practical tips include listening to the vocal phrasing to determine tempo, how to hit hard without hurting yourself, and how to navigate odd time signatures. Of course, the audio and video recording and editing are top-notch, as expected from Hudson Music. Bergamini’s contribution is also extremely important; his talks with Neil are from the perspective of both a fan and a fellow professional musician.

Some viewers may find that despite his best efforts, Neil still seems somewhat more enthusiastic when discussing his current work, rather than the Rush songs of the ’70s and early ’80s. One certainly can’t fault the man for living in the present, and I for one hope that fans of Rush’s “classic” era will realize that there is also plenty of amazing music and drumming to be found in the band’s more recent endeavors. Paul Wells

How to Mount a System Restore Point to Restore a Single File





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Ever wanted to restore a file from the past, but don’t have a good way to do it? With System Restore Explore you can mount a System Restore snapshot, and browse a past copy of your entire drive.

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Sunday, October 16, 2011

Rush sound engineer Rich Chycki on Clockwork Angels recording, Sector box sets

Rush – Cleveland & New Surround, Dream Theater

by admin on Oct.15, 2011, under news





First, my apologies for not updating the blog much over the past few months but it’s been a very busy year so far.

Earlier this year, I mixed Moving Pictures in 5.1 and I am pleased that it was met with very positive reviews. The recording of the Time Machine tour I did in the spring in Cleveland (best … audience … ever!) is now wrapped up and an edited version of the show has since aired on VH1, with theater, DVD, CD and vinyl releases due any time. Amazing to see the band perform Moving Pictures live in its entirety!







Based on the strong feedback from the Moving Pictures 5.1 remix, Universal Records had asked me to remix Fly By Night, A Farewell To Kings and Signals in surround to be included in their ‘Sector’ series of box set releases currently underway. Like Moving Pictures, all the multitrack masters I worked with were transferred from the original analog tapes at 96 kHz/24 bit resolution and this quality was maintained right down to the finished master. Listeners are in for a revelation of new detail for these releases.



James Labrie came over to my studio this spring to record his vocals for the next Dream Theater CD, A Dramatic Turn Of Events. Away from the bustle of the city, the remote environment really helped our focus and I think James delivered some of his best vocal performances. John Petrucci produced the project and came up to the studio to oversee our progress (sorry ’bout the hot sauce there, John!).



The new DT album has met with critical acclaim and so has their tour to date (much, much more to go!). I had the opportunity of seeing the band at Massey Hall in Toronto and spending a bit of time visiting with John Petrucci and James Labrie, including congratulating new DT drummer Mike Mangini on his gig. Thanks to Dave Doria for the JLB pic.



October 5 marks the 1-year anniversary that Gotthard’s supreme vocalist Steve Lee lost his life in a tragic motorcycle accident. I am very pleased to hear that my friends in Gotthard have chosen to continue onward and have been working through the arduous task of finding a new voice for their band. Their last studio album Need To Believe is approaching triple platinum in Switzerland.

Currently, Rush, producer Nick Raskulinecz and myself are reconvening to complete the recording of Rush’s next studio album Clockwork Angels. Sorry, no timeline for completion yet …

Follow me on Twitter or on Google+ for random updates.





Clockwork AngelsRush sound engineer Rich Chycki posted to his blog earlier this evening updating us on the various projects he has in the works including some news regarding the recording of Rush's upcoming Clockwork Angels album:

... Currently, Rush, producer Nick Raskulinecz and myself are reconvening to complete the recording of Rush's next studio album Clockwork Angels. Sorry, no timeline for completion yet ...

...

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Friday, October 14, 2011

Cell Phone Evolution: From Brick to Slick Infographic





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Over the last 30 years cellphones have gone from monstrous multi-watt consuming bricks to power sipping computers you slip in your pocket. Check out this infographic for a rundown of notable moments in cell phone history.

Hit up the link below for a high-resolution copy of the image.

Mobile Phone Evolution Infographic [Wilson Electronics via Mashable] BEPQzW649-s


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Wednesday, October 12, 2011

3 Easy Tips to Fix Ugly Edges When Removing Backgrounds





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If you cut out a lot of objects from photographs, chances are you’ve run across a few rough, ugly looking edges. They can be easy fixes, and here’s three great (GIMP friendly) tips to help in three different scenarios.

We’ve covered lots of ways to remove the background from images, but given the right situation, the easiest way will be using “fill” tools like the Bucket Fill, Magic Wand, or Magic Eraser. Using tools like these to create transparent GIFs, PNGs, or just to simply swap out backgrounds can give horrible edges that look really obvious and can ruin the hard work you’re putting into your image. Here’s how to get the right look and make sure your image looks great on any background.

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3 Easy Tips to Fix Ugly Edges When Removing BackgroundsStupid Geek Tricks: How to Modify the Icon of an .Exe FileThe How-To Geek Guide to XBMC Add-Ons


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Smart Browser Chooser Selects Your Browser Based On Your Network





sshot4e931c2dd3fb8.jpgAndroid: Smart Browser Chooser is a simple application that toggles your browser based on the network you’re connected to–automatically switch to an optimized browser for lower data usage when you’re on your mobile data plan.

That’s the principle reason most people will use Smart Browser Chooser; it allows you to set a browser with lower data consumption for the times you’re on your limited mobile data plan and a different browser for when you’re on a Wi-Fi network. When you’re on a wide open Wi-Fi connection, for example, you can load up DolphinHD and then when you’re out and about, relying on your limited mobile data plan, you can switch to a lighter browser like Opera Mini.

Smart Browser Chooser is a free application, requires Android 1.6+.

Smart Browser Chooser [Android Market via Addictive Tips]












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3 Easy Tips to Fix Ugly Edges When Removing BackgroundsBest Windows 7 Explorer Tips and TricksStupid Geek Tricks: How to Modify the Icon of an .Exe File


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Cloud Save Downloads Files Directly to Popular Cloud-based Storage Services





sshot4e9423a0e0c3a.jpgChrome: If you routinely use popular cloud-based storage solutions like Dropbox, Box.net, Google Docs, and others, Cloud Save allows you to directly download a file from the web to your cloud drive.

Cloud Save is open source and works with Google Docs, Box.net, Dropbox, Amazon Cloud Drive, Windows Live SkyDrive, SugarSync, Facebook, Picasa, Flickr, Min.us, Twitpic, and more. Once installed it adds a new entry to your right-click context menu for “Cloud Save”; click on that entry and pick the cloud service you’d like to use. Select the service you want and the file is transferred in the background between the hosting site and your cloud drive.

Currently there is no option for you to remove the services you don’t use (a minor annoyance at worst, given how well the app works), so hopefully future releases will include the ability to par down the list to just those services you routinely use.

Cloud Save is free and works wherever Chrome does.

Cloud Save [Chrome Web Store via Freeware Genius]












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How To Anonymize and Encrypt Your BitTorrent Traffic3 Easy Tips to Fix Ugly Edges When Removing BackgroundsBest Windows 7 Explorer Tips and Tricks


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Samsung reveals pricing for Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus





Samsung reveals pricing for Galaxy Tab 7.0 PlusLast month, Samsung introduced another small form factor tablet to their Galaxy line.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus has Android 3.2, runs on a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 802.11n Wi-Fi, 4G, 16GB or 32GB internal storage and a microSD slot.

Samsung now has a 7-inch tablet, a 7.7-inch model, an 8.9-inch option and a 10.1-inch tablet.

Today, the company has revealed the price in the U.S. for the tablet.

Would-be consumers will have to drop $399 for the 16GB model or $499 for the 32GB version.

it is unclear when the device will hit the U.S. but it is currently available in Europe and Asia.

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Roku launches cheaper LT set-top with HBO Go support





Roku launches cheaper LT set-top with HBO Go supportRoku has unveiled a new $50 set-top box, the LT, which adds HBO Go support.

The device is the cheapest the company offers, with their most expensive (and popular) device, the XL, selling for $100.

As with other set-tops in their line, the LT offers access to 300 channels including Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant, Hulu Plus, Epix, MLB and NHL packages.

Because of its low price, the LT will not have SD card or Bluetooth support.

All of the current Roku boxes will also receive HBO Go support, when the LT hits stores this month. HBO Go gives HBO subscribers a chance to play back all their favorite shows on their computers, tablets, smartphones and set-top boxes.

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Pink Floyd 2011 remasters - Discovery Editions and Box Set





At the end of September, the first phase of the massive Why Pink Floyd remaster and collectors edition campaign launched, with the release of all fourteen of their studio albums, along with two special expanded editions of The Dark Side Of The Moon. Wish You Were Here and The Wall will be receiving their own expanded editions in November 2011 and February 2012 respectively. We've taken a good, long look and listen to each album, comparing them to previous releases using the same equipment to try and give valid comparisons. We've not gone into the technical depths of checking waveforms and seeing what sort of frequency levels the different editions run at (although we know one or two audio enthusiasts who have run full analysis like this) as for most people, listening on normal to good equipment, the overall sound is most important and some of these technical intricacies will be irrelevant for the average listener. There is also a subjective nature to all of this, and listening to the albums over the last few weeks has revealed different things to us at different times. Best thing to do is dig in and enjoy the music! Overall, a great job has been done with all the albums, with a number of them showing a marked improvement over previous editions.So, here we go - album by album, here are our thoughts on the 2011 remasters, and the encompassing box set which gathers them all together with an exclusive book:v2arr1cN_34

DISCLAIMER: Please notice that the article above is syndicated from Brain Damage and was originally published on 10-11-2011 06:52 AM. As such, APFFN is not responsible for its content. Read the original article here.


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Peter Gabriel - latest album New Blood is out now

New Blood » CD / Vinyl Album

‘New Blood’ CD Album

Following last year’s ‘Scratch My Back’ album, where Peter Gabriel reinterpreted a diverse selection of other artists’ songs, comes ‘New Blood’.

‘New Blood’ features re-imagined arrangements of many of Peter’s songs which dispense with the traditional weapons of the rock armoury – no guitar, or drum kits – the lyrics are exposed and laid bare, often taking new meaning with the passing of the years. ‘New Blood’ is due for release on the 10th October.

This treatment is applied with painstaking attention to detail and stunning effect to songs including ‘Digging In The Dirt’, ‘Don’t Give Up’, ‘Downside Up’, ‘Intruder’, ‘Mercy Street’, ‘The Rhythm of the Heat’ and the spine tingling, atmospheric ‘San Jacinto’. Working together, acclaimed composer and arranger John Metcalfe, Peter and the New Blood Orchestra have given each track a new depth and a powerful significance. These tracks were recorded with a 46-piece orchestra, conducted by Ben Foster.

In addition to the album’s 12 songs, there’s a special bonus track of ‘Solsbury Hill’ (introduced by ‘A Quiet Moment’; 5-minutes of ambient sound recorded by Peter’s long-term engineer, Dickie Chappell, actually on Solsbury Hill).

‘New Blood’ track list
  1. The Rhythm of the Heat
  2. Downside Up (ft. Melanie Gabriel)
  3. San Jacinto
  4. Intruder
  5. Wallflower
  6. In Your Eyes
  7. Mercy Street
  8. Red Rain
  9. Darkness
  10. Don’t Give Up (ft. Ane Brun)
  11. Digging in the Dirt
  12. The Nest that Sailed the Sky
  13. A Quiet Moment
  14. Solsbury Hill (bonus track)

The album will be available as a standard single-disc & digital download. There will also be a special edition 2-CD version of New Blood which will include the standard album plus a disc of instrumental versions with an added bonus track. In addition there is a heavyweight vinyl version that comes with a bonus 7” featuring ‘A Quiet Moment’ and ‘Solsbury Hill’. The vinyl will be available from November 7th.

Buy New Blood

‘New Blood’ Special Edition track list
  1. The Rhythm of the Heat (instrumental)
  2. Downside Up (instrumental)
  3. San Jacinto (instrumental)
  4. Intruder (instrumental)
  5. Wallflower (instrumental)
  6. In Your Eyes (instrumental)
  7. Mercy Street (instrumental)
  8. Red Rain (instrumental)
  9. Darkness (instrumental)
  10. Don’t Give Up (instrumental)
  11. Digging in the Dirt (instrumental)
  12. The Nest that Sailed the Sky (instrumental)
  13. Blood of Eden (bonus track)
Buy New Blood Special Edition
‘New Blood’ Vinyl

Double vinyl in 180 gram heavyweight, packed in a gate fold sleeve with a bonus 7" featuring 'A Quiet Moment' and 'Solsbury Hill'.

Also includes a unique download code to access the digital version of the album via Real World's website. Release date November 7th.

  1. The Rhythm of the Heat
  2. Downside Up (ft. Melanie Gabriel)
  3. San Jacinto
  4. Intruder
  5. Wallflower
  6. In Your Eyes
  7. Mercy Street
  8. Red Rain
  9. Darkness
  10. Don’t Give Up (ft. Ane Brun)
  11. Digging in the Dirt
  12. The Nest that Sailed the Sky -------------------------------------
  13. A Quiet Moment
  14. Solsbury Hill (bonus track)
Buy New Blood vinyl
Sneak preview

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

20 Beautiful Photos of Mushrooms





Although appealing to eat for some, mushrooms tend to be even better photography subjects. Here are 20 beautiful photos of mushrooms.

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Enchanted Mushroom by Elliot Gilfix

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Walk in the woods~ by Red~Star

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Couple by Zarko Drincic

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Small Shelter by tinyfroglet

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For Steve, merci! by zenera

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protected from the grown ups by Bernhard Latzko

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hygrocybe cantharellus by Gary Yankech

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mushroom by Aleksey Gnilenkov

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mushroom on the roof by Hans Splinter

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Fly Agaric by Brian Tomlinson

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urban sprawl by Vik Nanda

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Mushroom - HBW by Nana B Agyei

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Fairy Bonnets by Squeezyboy

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Deadly Mushroom by Eneas De Troya

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Mushrooms by Michael Hodge

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Mouse's View by Randy Robertson

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They Might Be Giants by Scott Robinson

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Alien Mushroom by Chris Vaughan

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Onddotan (III) by Mikel Garcia

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one among many by Paul Broderick


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