passes

The group overseeing MSN Music in the United Kingdom seems to be operating off in its own little bubble, totally out of step with Microsoft's broader music and digital entertainment strategy.

First, they launched MSN Unsigned, a half-hearted attempt to let unsigned bands promote their music on MSN. (It's devolved since then: the button on the MSN Unsigned page to "send us your music" launches your e-mail application with a barely configured note--just a subject header. Apparently you're supposed to attach something, but darned if I can find any instructions on the site.) Then they … Read more

Jokes are funny things.

Sometimes the same joke works with one person and falls flat with another. Sometimes, though, the joke just isn't funny at all.

That can be forgotten when it's made in the company of friends over a gin, a tonic, and a country club bar.

Perhaps, though, it is less easily forgotten when it is made on Facebook. What is said on Facebook stays on Facebook. Often for quite some time.

You see, according to a report by WIS10 TV in Columbia, S.C., Rusty DePass, a prominent Republican Party activist, happened to see a … Read more

MB Moon Phase is a program that lets you calculate a moon's phase on a particular date, but that's its lone feature. According to the publisher's description, the program is free, but further inspection revealed a trial of 30 days and a donation once the trial expires.

When first installed, we were greeted with a ridiculously cluttered window full of donation requests. We had to root through the clutter to find the button that would let us continue with the program. From there, we were greeted with yet another cluttered interface. We entered a specific date and … Read more

WhoopieCushion is a free and extremely simple app that attempts to replicate the classic, red-rubber toy of the same name. Like the original toy itself, there are countless competing imitations--offering everything from timers to motion sensors--so shop around to find the right flatulence simulator for you. WhoopieCushion stands out because of its price (it is free) and its clean interface: you just tap the photo of the "Whoopee Cushion" on your iPhone or iPod Touch screen, and the app will randomly produce one of a handful of "Bronx cheer" noises. No similar app--this one included--can quite … Read more

Scosche, makers of the Kickback iPhone case--that I had to get my grubby mits on before I understood just how useful it actually was--are not slowing down in its support of the iPod and iPhone platforms. The company recently announced its 2009 accessories lineup for the Apples platforms.

First up in their "Listen" line are the IDR400M and IDR600 earbuds and the HZ5 TuneStream Bluetooth headphones.

According to Scosche, both the ID400M and earbuds are noise isolating and the ID400M features a hands free mic. The IDR600 also has a sliding magnetic cable management system.

The HZ5 TuneStream … Read more

If devising secure passwords isn't your strong suit, this free password-creator is your answer. You can set the desired password length with the slide bar or, more interactively, by shaking the device to get your random number. You can also define passwords for hex encryption from the main interface. If you're the forgetful type, you can also e-mail the password to yourself as a back-up.

To its credit, the app gives you flexibility in including or excluding letters and special characters--though your password will be stronger with both. Still on our wish list are ways to manually set … Read more

Coolfer has an interesting post this morning, responding to Peter Kafka's suggestion that it's getting too hard to buy music because fewer retailers are stocking CDs. I think Kafka's confusing cause and effect--if retailers were still making lots of money on Britney and Rihanna, CDs would be sold front and center. But regardless of the chicken-and-egg question, Coolfer makes the very good point that most music purchasers don't seek out music and aren't willing to sift through the racks at their local record stores, but rather pick up a CD as an impulse buy on … Read more

My Zune 80 hasn't left my side since December of 2007, after it successfully lured me from my trusty fifth-generation iPod. I invested in the Zune because I wanted to know how the other half lived (or more accurately, the other 4 percent), but the Zune's larger screen, bold user interface, podcast integration, and Zune Pass subscription service didn't hurt, either.

A few weeks passed and I was hooked on the Zune and the all-you-can-eat Zune Pass music subscription. I bought a 4GB Zune for my wife, invested in a Zune Home A/V dock to connect to my home stereo system, and even set up my PC to sync with my Zune wirelessly. Like any new romance, there were some initial hiccups--in this case, buggy software; mismatched album art; music that wouldn't delete; and broken subscription tracks. Eventually, though, I worked out the kinks, and the latest software and firmware upgrades have made life with the Zune experience much better.

There's just one thing: I'm lonely. Hundreds of iPod owners join me on the subway every day--even a few folks playing music on their Blackberries--but I seldom see a Zune. It's my job to help people decide what kind of MP3 player they should buy, but I still wonder if I made the wrong decision buying a Zune. Why can't this MP3 player get any traction?

There's no magic bullet that will make the Zune an instant success. I think Microsoft has the right idea by courting young, dedicated music fans and slowly building cult status. I just don't think they're moving fast enough to keep up with this audience or keep ahead of Apple.

Out of pure self-interest as a Zune user, I present four ideas that I think would make the Zune a better product. Feel free to add your own at the end.… Read more

Last night, Microsoft upgraded its Zune Pass music subscription service, allowing users to pick 10 songs each month that get permanently added to their music collection. Along with significant price drops across its Flash-capacity line of Zune MP3 players, it looks as if Microsoft is making a serious push to compete with the iPod this holiday season.

Apple isn't the only one who should be looking at Zune with some trepidation. Subscription music providers such as Rhapsody and Napster will now be expected to match Microsoft's value proposition by giving their users a mixture of purchased and subscription … Read more