free

She shares a hometown (Augusta, Georgia) with no less than the Godfather of Soul, and there's a whole bucket of James Brown-style soul sauce in this Brooklyn songstress's bold numbers. A dynamic backing outfit drops deeply funky horns 'n' bass, and Jones's belting growl takes it all to town.

Download free MP3 now!

Water running down the drain backwards isn't necessarily a satanic omen, you could just be in the land of Muscles--the wacky Southern hemisphere where strange animals abound and gospel meets techno. Melbourne artist Muscles delights in fusing neo-soul-inspired techno with an eccentric taste for dance music.

Download free MP3 now!

No one knew what would become of Panic after the tragic loss of guitarist Michael Houser in 2002, but the seminal Georgia jam act continues to offer excellent new material. "Free Somehow" showcases their classic mix of grizzled vocals, Southern rock grit, and jammy extrapolations.

Download free MP3 now!

California recently joined a growing number of states that require drivers to use hands-free devices while driving. In other words, if you want to use your cell phone in the car, it better not be pressed against your ear. You've got two options for avoiding tickets: a Bluetooth headset or a Bluetooth speakerphone.

eCost has the Kyocera K323 Bluetooth speakerphone on sale for $15. It's powered by your cigarette lighter and offers voice dialing (if your phone/carrier supports it), last-number redial, and volume-control buttons. How's the sound quality? I have no idea, but in my experience, … Read more

The only reason I've opened Microsoft Outlook or any other desktop e-mail program in the last year is to test tips. Since I added my ISP account to my Gmail in-box, and moved my Outlook appointments to Google Calendar, I get all the information I need in my browser.

Now I'm getting ready to boot Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for their Web alternatives, but before I bail on Office entirely, I stuck a toe in the Web-apps water by using the free ThinkFree Online service irregularly over the past few weeks. So far, I haven't missed Word, … Read more

Google is partnering with homeless shelters in San Francisco to distribute free phone numbers and voicemail accounts to those without homes, the company said Wednesday.

The Internet giant is expanding a service that was started by Grand Central, a San Francisco-based start-up that Google acquired last year. Grand Central's technology allows calls to be routed to a home, business, or cell phone using a single phone number. The service offers people a way to organize and unify their communications, a Google spokesman said.

Grand Central had already been offering the free phone number and voicemail service to people in … Read more

Earlier this week, I attended the SanFran Music Tech Summit, best described as a meeting of the minds of those who are deeply involved or invested in the music technology space. To quote the event Web site: "We will meet to discuss the evolving music/business/technology ecosystem in a proactive, conducive to deal-making environment." I know...sounds a touch boring, but it was actually quite the opposite. In fact, I've come to the realization that conferences with an emphasis on panels are infinitely more informative, entertaining, and relaxing than those centering around massive product launches (ahem, … Read more

Jason Collett seems to do no wrong. Not only is he a member of one of the breakout indie bands of 2004, Broken Social Scene, he also holds his own in the acoustic singer-songwriter camp, producing a fine collection of intimate, desolate acoustic songs. Some musicians make it seem so easy.

Download free MP3 now!

The Los Angeles hip-hop pioneers embody what every great hip-hop group should consist of: skilled lyricists, dope production, and a DJ with skills to match. Emcee Rakaa Iriscience and emcee/producer Evidence hold it down on the mic, while DJ Babu of the World Famous Beat Junkies not only provides funky cuts on the turntables, but also produces tracks as well. Incredibly, Dilated has managed to juggle the difficult task of expanding musically, yet still staying true to its original fan base.

Download free MP3 now!