Music

How to sing a cutesy love song in Klingon

The Improvised Star Trek podcast has recorded in Klingon what is perhaps the most twee love song ever written: Sixpence None the Richer's "Kiss Me."

OK, so we may have lied a little. We don't think it's actually possible to make Klingon sound "cute," never mind "cutesy." This video is hard evidence. Sixpence None the Richer's "Kiss Me" is possibly the cutesiest romance pop song written (although, feel free to disagree in the comments). In Klingon, it sounds like a mouthful of glitter-sprinkled gravel. … Read more

Are Apple fans really more loyal?

Having faith in other people is often as sensible as having faith that your bus will arrive on time.

People are, by their very nature, mercurial. The current world of supposed sharing often makes them more selfish, as they must spend more time considering how to present themselves publicly at all periods of the day.

It's somewhat surprising, then, that Apple still enjoys the loyalty that it does.

Wander past any Apple store and there always seems to be half the neighborhood in there.

And whenever surveys of brand loyalty are performed, Apple so very often seems to be … Read more

Born in the U.S.A.: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum amplifier

A lot of audiophiles love tube amplifiers, and I've owned my share, but I don't currently have tubes in my main hi-fi system. I instantly remembered what I was missing when I hooked up the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum integrated amplifier with my KEF LS50 speakers. They're good together.

Before founding Rogue Audio in 1996, Mark O'Brien worked for Bell Labs and other companies doing electronics development, lasers, and transformer design. Like so many audio designers I've met over the years, O'Brien started building amplifiers when he was a little kid. Audio is a … Read more

Undercover cops' devious new method to stop iPhone theft

If a man in a bar offers you a laptop for $70, you know it's probably stolen.

Yes, he might be wearing glasses and look a little like Bill Gates, but, please think, it's probably stolen.

Similarly, if someone tries to sell you an iPhone for a radically reduced amount, suspicion should surely be your guide.

Police in San Francisco are now using a slightly suspicious method to test your suspicions to the full.

Officers in plain clothes (which presumably means plaid shirts and 7 For Mankind jeans) are wandering around areas known to be popular for stolen … Read more

Adventures in hi-fi at Oswalds Mill Audio

When I dropped by the Oswalds Mill Audio (OMA) showroom/loft space, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I'd heard OMA speakers at hi-fi shows and was always impressed by the sound, but the full immersion OMA experience was a very different trip. The wildly retro-futuristic designs looked more extreme than I remembered them. Jonathan Weiss, OMA's founder and CEO and also my tour guide put on quite a show, but not by hammering my ears with a high-decibel attack. I have no doubt Weiss' huge Imperia four-way horn speakers and 21-inch subwoofer could easily reproduce … Read more

AOL shuts down music-related services

It's a sad day here at @aol. We'd like to say goodbye to our colleagues at @aolmusic, @thebootdotcom, @noisecreep, @spinner and @theboombox

— AOL Radio (@AOLRadio) April 26, 2013 AOL, which tried for years to become a player in digital music with several online music services, is ending that effort on a down note.

The company is shutting down The Boot, Noisecreep, The Boombox, and Spinner, according to tweets from people involved in those operations.

We've contacted AOL for further comment and will update the post when there is more information.

Earlier, Dan Reilly, who was the editor … Read more

In new iPhone 5 ad, Apple tries to get the feeling back

You know those people who wave their iPhones about everywhere they go, in a desperate need to record every moment of their lives?

You're one of them, aren't you?

At least there's a very good chance you might be, if Apple's new iPhone ad is to be believed.

For, in an attempt to re-pluck your emotive twang-elements, the company claims that every day more people take pictures with an iPhone than with any other camera.

I am not sure how the company knows that, say, my engineer friend George doesn't take 65,000 pictures on … Read more

Apple commemorates 'Decade of iTunes' Store with swag

Apple's iTunes Store doesn't actually turn 10 years old until April 28, but Apple seems keen on getting the party started a little early.

In honor of the occasion, the company has sent journalists a digital keepsake of sorts: 100 handpicked songs and a physical copy of the digital timeline it put up on iTunes yesterday.

The package even comes with a thank you note from iTunes and iCloud chief Eddy Cue:

When Apple introduced the iTunes Store on April 28, 2003, we thought if consumers had a great, legal way to download music they would embrace it … Read more

Google Doodle honors jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald

Jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald would've been 96 years old on Thursday, prompting Google to commemorate the date with its latest doodle.

Known as the "First Lady of Song" and the "Queen of Jazz," Fitzgerald was born on April 25, 1917, and grew up to become one of the world's most celebrated jazz singers, typically ranked as one of the top three female jazz singers of all time along with Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan. "Lady Ella" sang professionally for more than 50 years, selling more than 40 million albums and winning 13 Grammy awards.… Read more