Archive for October, 2007
Free Access To All Human Knowledge
Thursday, October 25th, 2007I donated to Wikipedia. Have you?
Information wants to be free in order to be profited from, to be expanded upon, and to benefit the entire world. I use Wikipedia multiple times every day. Anyone can edit an article. True contributors donate to keep the knowledge flowing.
And while you’re at it, consider donating to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (protecting our rights to free information flow) and your local NPR and PBS affiliates (bringing quality news and educational content to everyone).
No Plug? No Deal.
Saturday, October 20th, 2007
I don’t mind three wheels, but if it can’t travel over 30 miles at over 75 MPH, it’s nothing but a glorified golf cart.
Arthur and I attended the Alt Car Expo in Santa Monica today. While I previous declared the Venture One my next vehicle, the newly announced Aptera Typ-1 caught my attention and I had hoped to see it. Neither were present at the show.
I want an EV so badly
Hybrids (like the Prius) cannot justify their cost when new combustion only cars (like the Yaris) get over 40 MPG for half the price. Fuel cell cars use a gas / biodiesel / hydrogen generator to power an electric motor. A single gallon of gas can power some electric motors for over 100 miles. The Prius is the most baby of baby steps in more efficient cars.
I don’t want another fuel dependency
The amount of electricity required to refine oil or to free the hydrogen from water almost doesn’t justify the use of gas or hydrogen to make electricity. When I get my electric car, I’m investing in solar and wind power capture. I was somewhat disappointed that the show focused so heavily on alternative fuels instead of renewable energy and pure electric vehicles.
I want a unique car with a “driving experience”
Sure, some electric car companies are coming out with the usual mainstream compact and midsize sedans. However, many electric car companies are designing cars that not only look radically different but change the driving experience. This type of innovation hasn’t been shown by traditional auto makers in over 50 years.
If you’re ready to join the electric revolution, check out Plug In America’s action list.
Learning from eMusic: No DRM, Convenience, or Selection
Thursday, October 4th, 2007
I tried eMusic once. I couldn’t find a single song that I wanted, so saying that I tried eMusic is not entirely true. I decided to give the store another chance a year later.
Lots of Mediocre Products
eMusic’s selection improved modestly between my trials. I found more artists that I was searching for, but only one of the songs that I wanted was available. Concert recordings and karaoke editions of songs don’t interest me.
Disappointed by the selection again, I decided to download the top songs in every genre since I had a free trial for 50 free songs. Perhaps I would find a new artist to enjoy, I thought.
I only kept about 15 and those were songs that I had already purchased through iTunes. I just wanted DRM free versions.
Inconvenient Browsing
eMusic lacks the convenience of iTunes Store. You can’t preview songs in the browser or through the clunky eMusic Remote application. When you click on a song to preview, a .pls file is downloaded and opens in iTunes. I had tens of .pls files on my desktop and in my iTunes library by the end of my trial.
The eMusic store didn’t aid buying decisions. I didn’t know what were the most popular tracks purchased by artist or what music other buyers liked, standard features of e-commerce websites and ones that would be particularly useful in a store that only sells music from unheard of artists. Additionally, the cataloging “refine” methods were confusing because each distinction is nested in your previous selection.
Subscription Flaw
The faux-subscription model of eMusic added to the doomed experience. My music buying habits vary month-to-month. I don’t want to pay for something that I’m not using.
Conclusion
I won’t be visiting eMusic again anytime soon… with one exception. eMusic’s new audiobook section is priced separately from its music store and has a growing selection of best sellers. I have been a loyal subscriber to Audible for years, but eMusic could win me over if its audiobook selection continues to expand.
