Eunomia

What To Do....

2012-01-16T09:11:00.001-05:00

I practically feel like I'm cheating on a friend. I've been managing my to-do list for years with Remember the Milk, but this weekend I started flirting with Orchestra and am intrigued. RTM is by far the more feature rich app, but in the world of task management, it's a game of clicks and usability. The interface of Orchestra's iPhone app is sublime. It's sort of like the Android vs. iPhone argument: both are fine devices, but I like to sum it up as follows: the Android gives me the tools to make my life easier....the iPhone actually MAKES my life easier.

Record Store Day (unofficial)

2012-01-08T21:54:00.000-05:00

On Saturday my buddies Steve and Hank and I set out on our own personal Record Store Day. Had a blast hitting Tunes in Hoboken, Princeton Record Exchange in Princeton, and Vintage Vinyl in Fords. Gonna make it an annual thing.

Here's the bounty I came away with....in no particular order:

Elvis Costello - "Punch the Clock" 2-disc 2003 version on Rhino

The Knack - "Get the Knack" re-issue

Material Issue - "International Pop Overthrow 20th Anniversary Edition"

Deanna Kirk - "Beauty Way"

Tired Pony (cool cover + interesting people + Steve's recommendation)

Alex Chilton - "Free Again: The '1970' Sessions"

Pretenders - "Viva El Amor" ($.50!)

Rush - "Feedback"

The Louvin Brothers - "Satan Is Real" / "Handpicked Songs"

Beastie Boys - "Paul's Boutique 20th Anniversary Edition"

Chicago - "Chicago At Carnegie Hall Volumes I, II, III and IV"

and for the kids....

Big Star Box Set

2011-12-14T23:40:00.000-05:00

Like a dream come true for many rock fans. I just (finally) got my hands on the Big Star box set, Keep An Eye on the Sky. While I haven't really had a chance to dive into the music yet, the package alone is spectacular. In addition to four discs there's a 100-page book - not a booklet, a BOOK - loaded with the history of the band. Kudos to Rhino Handmade on this one! Photos courtesy of Rhino Handmade.

Dear Java People

2011-12-08T09:23:00.001-05:00

I don't know who you are or what you do. I don't know how (or if) you make my life any better. I know that your constant update notices are annoying and an intrusion into my day. There must be a better way to do whatever it is that you need to do.

Signed, The Average Computer User

Race to the Perfect Mix of Usability & Features

2011-12-04T22:29:00.001-05:00

Path - a great new "smart journal" app (only available on mobile devices) - is incredibly easy to use, but slightly feature-deficient. Evernote - a note-taking app (all platforms) - is incredibly feature-packed, but slightly clunky. Both apps are excellent, but I find myself still needing a cross between the two. If Path had tagging and some kind of desktop counterpart, or if Evernote had more 1-click, stream-ish ease of use on my phone, I could go either way. Having been a faithful Evernote for years, they have my loyalty, for now. See you at the finish line fellas...may the best app win!

Goin' a Little Overboard, Are We Shoes.com?

2011-11-30T09:32:00.001-05:00

Being a marketing guy I really shouldn't be casting stones, but REALLY? Don't the good folks over at Shoes.com ever get tired of sending me emails? They've almost reached that "I'll buy someplace else just out of spite" point.

Gift Like You Mean It at MusicGifter.com

2011-11-28T10:16:00.001-05:00

MusicGifter.com has great music gifts, including exclusive packages from artists like Kelly Clarkson, AC/DC and more. Cool stuff. *

* disclaimer: I not only work at Sony, but I worked on this project. So there.

Wilco's Tiny Desk Concert at NPR

2011-10-18T23:59:00.000-04:00

It's amazing what bands can and will do now vs. 5 or 10 (or even 20) years ago. NPR's latest Tiny Desk Concert finds Wilco setting up at someone's desk - literally - for a quick show!

Up Yours, Thing 2

2011-10-10T20:54:00.004-04:00

Dr. Seuss inspires stories whose memories linger.
Especially when Thing 2 is giving Thing 1 the finger.

(from On Beyond Bugs: All About Insects)

A Free Agenda for Occupy Wall Street

2011-10-06T19:45:00.001-04:00

Since Occupy Wall Street still doesn't seem to have any discernible goals or demands, I've got a couple of suggestions to get them started:

1) No bonuses for CEO's if their company loses money.

2) for companies receiving govt bailout money: no bonuses, raises, dividends, non-critical travel, parties, donuts or birthday cakes until every dime of taxpayer money is paid back.

3) no crying in baseball.

Rework (the book)

2011-10-05T22:30:00.003-04:00

Rework is a book by the founders of 37 Signals. It's a quick read full of great advice on bucking old conventions in an evolved business world. My only complaint is that they're very one-sided with regard to some of these conventions. For example, they make great points about why you should NOT write a long-term business plan ("they're really just guesses"), but for many people or businesses, a long term plan serves a valuable need - even if that need isn't necessarily to predict exactly where they'll be in 5 years. That said, it's a minor observation about a fantastic and insightful book.

Buy it at Amazon

37signals/rework

Marshall Crenshaw on Letterman

2011-10-03T23:02:00.001-04:00

Great clip of Marshall Crenshaw making his network TV debut on Letterman - thanks to The Falcon's Nest blog for turning me onto this clip!

And another gem....interviewing with Dick Clark on American Bandstand:

Dawes on VH1

2011-09-07T21:33:00.000-04:00

Dawes are my favorite new band by a long shot. They've got a pure American band sound rooted in Laurel Canyon, The Band and Jackson Browne. Superb songwriting, great sound, and a non-look look you can be comfortable with even if you're not a hipster from Brooklyn. Here they are on VH1's "You Ought To Know."

Get More: Dawes, You Oughta Know, Dawes Music Videos, Live Performances

Bose MIE2 Mobile Headset

2011-09-01T00:45:00.000-04:00

I'd previously written about the Urbanears Medis Earbuds, which I liked, but I now have to say that the Bose MIE2's blow them out of the water. I started out liking the Medis a lot but noticed that after wearing them for any period of time, depspite the nice fit, they began to hurt my ears. Maybe I have some sort of device-rejecting ears, but the fact remains that they ended up being uncomfortable for me. So I decided to try the Bose. I'd had the previous version (the TriPort In-Ear headphones) and found that while the sound was excellent, they constantly fell out of my ears. I was a bit skeptical about the new ones and that little Batman-ish wing they have. After giving them a shot I've found that the sound, comfort and stability are all spectacular. I never imagined I'd be this satisfied with in-ear headphones. And they work perfectly for cell phone calls.

Which is Safer, the Mafia or the NBA?

2011-08-31T08:11:00.003-04:00

Here's how murder and the biggest professional sports leagues stack up against each other according to Google:

mafia+murder = 26 million Google results (our control search)
NBA+murder = 22.1 m
NFL+murder = 19.5 m
MLB+murder = 14.9 m
NHL+murder = 12.1 m
NASCAR+murder = 10.4 m
FIFA+murder = 6.3 m
CFL+murder = 1.5 m

Javaris Crittenton due in L.A. courtroom
The former Laker was robbed of $55,000 worth of jewelry in April, police say. He is accused of fatally shooting a woman Aug. 19, and is to appear in court in L.A. on Wednesday. more on LATimes.com.

LA Times on Glen Campbell

2011-08-23T09:43:00.000-04:00

Glen Campbell is coming to the end of his amazing career. I'm looking forward to what promised to be an interesting and hopefully amazing album. I've had his latest -
Meet Glen Campbell, an album of well-chosen covers - stuck in my various players for the last year or so. full article

Urbanears Medis Earbuds

2011-08-17T00:25:00.000-04:00

My never-ending search for the perfect earbuds landed me with a pair of Medis from Urbanears. At $50 they're not cheap, but have some serious strong points. The aesthetic - from the lavish and clean packaging to the overall look & feel - is on par with Apple products. You love them before you even hear them. The sound is good/excellent, and they stay in place without abusing your ears. Plus, they have a great website. If you're in the market for quality earbuds, check 'em out.

$50 at Urbanears.com

Insurance Companies and Usability

2011-08-10T21:58:00.000-04:00

Think about how far companies go to make the process of doing business with them easy. Insurance companies somehow get away with doing the complete opposite. Their business is built on the premise of making it DIFFICULT for customers to use their services. What would happen if a usability expert was let loose in an insurance company and somehow put in charge of claim forms? ZipCar did it to the rental business. Zappos did it to buying shoes online. Of course, insurance companies don't want to do THAT kind of business with you....ya know, the kind where they pay what they owe....so I guess I'll just call this another rant, and call it a night.

Dawes Sold Out

2011-08-05T22:19:00.000-04:00

A thoroughly depressing pop-up window on the Dawes website:

Flipboard for iPad

2011-07-21T22:43:00.000-04:00

This is a must-have for any iPad. It's like a magic box of excellence. Tons of news sources, beautiful display and quick updates. It's one you'll look at and wonder how they do it? I feel like any minute someone's going to tap me on the shoulder and say, "not so fast there Sparky.....gimme the app." A too-good-go-be-true kind of thing. Get yours.

Record Store Day 2011

2011-04-17T00:12:00.000-04:00

I'm very glad to see Record Store Day taking hold and becoming (to some) a greatly anticipated event. This is the 3rd year I've taken part and it's great to see the enthusiasm. It's partly about vinyl (and the amazing 1-day-only releases that are available) but it's mostly about the experience bestowed upon us by the institution known as the independent record store. Over the years we've seen the passing of such great stores as Arons and Rhino in Los Angeles, Penny Lane (Westwood location, also in LA), Pier Platters in Hoboken, Tower and Virgin (everywhere) and countless more, and held tightly to the survivors: Tunes and Vintage Vinyl of New Jersey, Amoeba (west coast), and Johnny's (Connecticut).

As I set out this morning I had one item in my sights: Big Star's Third. No such luck (I believe only 1,000 were pressed, but I did get a 10" pressing (78, no less) of The Beach Boys "Good Vibrations". Pretty cool.

I started out at Tunes (my venerable favorite), joining the dozen or so early birds in line, and moved on to Vintage Vinyl. My experience was cut short when I saw the line of at least 200 people waiting outside and decided to call it a short day. Still, a fun time though....looking forward to next year already.

I'd like to see a slightly larger run on some of the vinyl releases, and I suggest that they broaden it to include special CD releases....not sure if I'm alone in this, but "Record Store Day" is more about the store than the actual vinyl record.

Outside of Tunes at 8:45am

Chip, the owner of Tunes

lining up at Vintage Vinyl 2 hours AFTER they opened!

Tweets: #recordstoreday | Pics: flickr.com/groups/recordstoreday

Simon & Garfunkel at The Paramount 1993

2011-04-01T00:25:00.001-04:00

Simon & Garfunkel, The Paramount

New York, NY, October 1, 1993

Seeing these guys together was a thrill, and one song in particular earned it a place on my "Top Concert Moments" list. Art Garfunkel started "Bridge Over Troubled Water" under an almost hypnotizing blue light covering the stage - even the light was memorable - while Paul Simon sat listening at the back of the stage. By the time they reached the part where the dual-vocal usually kicks in, Art already had the crowd in the palm of his hand. Paul sat in his chair and let him finish the song solo. It was as if he would have been infringing on a moment...and he was gracefully aware. When the last verse reached the end, I'd never seen such unanimous enthusiasm and collective awareness of what we'd just been part of. The most well-earned and genuine standing ovation I've seen.
Here he is 12 years earlier in Central Park:

Bon Jovi at the Count Basie Theater 1993

2011-03-25T23:55:00.005-04:00

Bon Jovi, Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ, December 20, 1993

When I worked at Mercury Records, Bon Jovi was doing Christmas charity concerts every year down near the Jersey shore. It was always a great night. It's a small theater and these guys were (and are) ALWAYS good live. They're one of those rare bands that gets better as the size of the venue goes up OR down. They're made for arenas, and in a club (or in this case, a small theater) they prove of how good they actually are as a band, not just showmen. They shred. Best memories of these shows over the years were 1) when Tico sang "Waltzing Matilda," which served as my introduction to Tom Waits, 2) Jon doing their brand new, yet-to-be-released song "Bed of Roses" on piano (which killed), and 3) holding an online chat with Jon and fans after the show, and the woman doing the typing for him spelling his name wrong as she was typing out his answers on the screen. Totally mortifying for me....the guy who was trying to convince our artists how cool this new Internet thing was!

Hal Blaine and The Wrecking Crew

2011-03-23T09:38:00.000-04:00

Today's Wall Street Journal has a great piece about Hal Blaine and The Wrecking Crew. If you don't know, Hal is a drummer with literally thousands of hit records to his credit, starting with Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love," passing right through The Partridge Family (where I discovered him), and on for 50 years. His resume is untouchable, for drummers and any other profession you can think of.

Mozy Ends Unlimited Backup Plans

2011-02-18T23:24:00.000-05:00

The party is over for one of the best deals on the web. I've used Mozy as my online backup provider for years. For about $5/month you could get unlimited backup space and software that runs seamlessly in the background. They've now capped the plans. Coincidentally I recently got a paper mail solicitation for Carbonite, which I'll now take for a test spin. Thanks for the memories Mozy...it was great while it lasted!

Important Account Information

2011-02-15T16:48:00.000-05:00

To all financial institutions, utilities and any other companies that send account information to customers: If you write "Important Account Information" on an envelope that contains a solicitation, the natural reaction of the customer is to distrust you. You are lying to your customer. A solicitation is NOT "important account information," despite the fact that your legal department says you can get away with it. Lying is not a good component of any relationship. Stop it.

Think You Don't Need a Skinny Wallet?

2011-01-20T23:10:00.000-05:00

Think again. I've had the same leather wallet for years. It's not a Costanza, but it is sort of fat. Never gave it too much thought until I got my new Big Skinny wallet. I've jumped a couple of times thinking I forgot or lost my wallet, only to realize it's actually in my pocket.

4G is Really Just 3G?

2011-01-06T09:26:00.000-05:00

So apparently Verizon's 4G "service" is really nothing more than a marketing decision to start calling their existing service "4G" instead of "3G." More comfort from the department of consumer deception.

Wall Street Journal: AT&T Pins 4G Label to Existing Network

Calling All Utility Companies

2010-12-24T11:54:00.000-05:00

Hey utility companies! Yup, I'm talkin' to you Verizon, Comcast, Weltman and the rest. You think you've got game? How about proving it. When you set up a service call determine a one hour window in which you will arrive. For each minute you're late the price for the call goes down by 1%. This means that if you're 60 minutes late, your customer gets 60% off the bill. After 100 minutes, there is no charge for the service.

If you create and stand by a policy like this, your customers will become loyal customers, and your COMPETITOR'S customers will become YOUR customers.

.

Nice Socks. Where'd Ya Get Them?

2010-12-24T11:45:00.000-05:00

Attention sock makers: put labels on your socks. When does a person decide if they like a pair of socks or not? After they've worn and washed them several times....and long after they've forgotten where they bought them. Put a simple and unobtrusive label somewhere on the sock so your satisfied customers can give you more business.

Hi Hi Puffy AmyYumi Show (music from the series)

2010-12-10T00:42:00.001-05:00

The Monkees had NOTHING on Puffy Ami Yumi. This this is about as pre-packaged as a tube of Crest, yet somehow, with blinding colors, inane songs, sweet silly cartoons, and - above all - REPETITION (as in, they sing "the Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi Show" 18 times in the first song!), I've been made to like them. When I first got the CD of music from the cartoon series, my initial reaction as a jaded old music industry type was to feel sorry for the poor schlep that had to work this train wreck. But then I looked around and found no one laughing, in fact, they were singing, like all those Who's down in Whoville. I digress, there was no singing. But the funny thing is, I've yet to see, hear or otherwise digest one piece of media about Puffy AmyYumi that hasn't been paid for - train ads, cartoons, CD promos - so I really can't say if the kids are eating this one up. What I can say is that it's fun. After all, as we're reminded 6 times in the show's theme song, "anything is possible". (Epic Records, 2004)

Samsung Galaxy

2010-11-18T09:02:00.000-05:00

So which is it, Verizon? Full retail price or a contract? Not sure if this is a "first week of launch" kind of thing or a glitch, but either way, no matter how cool this thing is, I'm certainly not going to lock into a contract AND pay $600 for the device.

Evite Should Join Classmates.com

2010-11-14T22:35:00.000-05:00

I just had the online equivalent of a migraine headache. Welcome to Evite. To avoid giving YOU a headache, I'll just list the facts....

they apparently have "Evite" and "New Evite".
in the new Evite, you cannot import contacts from a file. you CAN in the old Evite.
you cannot create invitations in the old Evite, so, you guessed it, even if you got your contacts into the old Evite, you can't access them when it comes time to send your invitation, which you were FORCED to create in the new Evite.
the only way to delete all of your contacts is one by one....click, click, click, click.....

My other question is, why does Evite think ANYONE on earth uses the Evite contact tool to manage their contacts? I pretty much use them once per year, and when I do, the list of people I have in there is of course a year old. They should consider allowing a Facebook Connect-like functionality that would allow users to create a live connection between Evite and Gmail (or any other service that people actually do use to manage their contacts). Not sure if this is possible.

Evite needs to understand that if you're making your user's experience a bad one, then you're not ready to launch a beta. I went to Paperlesspost.com, paid $8, and was done with the whole matter. So long Evite....say hi to Classmates.com.

Ugggh....gotta go find some Advil.

Shell Presses for Drilling in Arctic

2010-11-06T16:28:00.000-04:00

In the words of The Onion, "You gotta be fucking shitting me."

Shell is pushing to drill for oil in the Arctic. But don't worry, they've got it covered. According to Peter Slaiby, Shell’s vice president for Alaska, their containment system would include a dome that could be placed over any leak, and a funnel to take any escaping oil to surface ships. A rig would be at the ready to drill a relief well if needed.

Well hell, why didn't BP try that? Oh that's right, they did. For 7 months. Didn't exactly work out in that particular situation, did it?

Knocked Up

2010-10-24T09:24:00.001-04:00

I got around to seeing Knocked Up last night. Some very funny parts ("they should have called her Harry" and "you do look like your sister") and overall a good movie, but it was VERY hard to suspend my disbelief to the point where I could accept Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogan as a couple.

Help Make a James Maddock Record

2010-10-22T21:55:00.000-04:00

Here's your chance to make James Maddock's new record a reality at Pledge Music.

The Best Customer Service on the Planet

2010-10-18T21:16:00.000-04:00

You've heard me say it before, but I'm saying it again. L.L. Bean has the best customer service on the planet. Did I say it loud enough? Here's a bigger font:

L.L. Bean has the best customer service on the planet.

I had a question about an order, and I was on and off the phone in less than 60 seconds, starting from the time I dialed the call. The woman was pleasant, I could understand her clearly, she answered the call after 1 ring, she didn't ask me for any information twice (in fact, she had my information already...caller ID, I suppose), she didn't recite a summary of our conversation, she didn't ask me she's answered my question satisfactorily. She gave me the exact information I needed, faster than could even reasonably be expected. Every company in the world could learn from them...(yeah, I'm talkin' to you Verizon, Comcast, Dell....).

Windows Media Center - INVALID APPLICATION

2010-10-18T20:31:00.000-04:00

I chose Windows. I'm envious of Macs, but at heart, I'm a PC guy, so I guess I made my bed, etc, etc. That said, Microsoft never fails to disappoint. I didn't really know anything about "Windows Media Center", but I thought I'd click it. Windows 7 has impressed me so far, so I'm thinking, hey, maybe WMC is going to also. Below is the first screen I saw. THANKS Microsoft!

A Brand Too Far?

2010-09-29T09:28:00.001-04:00

Moby made it safe for musicians to commercialize their music. Gene Simmons takes it to unfathomable extremes (a lucky few got the chance to buy a KISS coffin). It's time to reflect and remember that there's such a thing as going too far. Is a cupcake the right product for the Tony Hawk brand? NOTE: I understand that this is a charitable product and I'm not knocking it, but it did get me thinking about brands, product licensing, etc.

Double Fantasy Stripped Down

2010-09-28T23:48:00.001-04:00

I can't wait to get the newly release version of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's landmark Double Fantasy album. Remastered by the same team that took on The Beatles catalog last year, this release features a second disc of "stripped down" versions. While John was never musically my favorite Beatle (sort of like saying a Rolls Royce isn't my favorite car), this album has always been on my shelf.

Blackberry Shows It's Marketing Stripes

2010-09-27T20:00:00.002-04:00

The only thing this email from BlackBerry makes we do is think to myself, "like what?" and then delete the email.

Good Example of Bad UI

2010-09-20T19:31:00.001-04:00

Don't make your users think. It's been said over and over, and interfaces like this make it necessary to continue saying it. This is the first time I recall seeing a slider/toggle type switch to turn something on or off. Should I a) click the word "off"? b) click the orange button? c) click, hold, then slide the orange button? d) click the gray space to the left of the orange button? That's four reasonable and possible ways one could take this action. And that's 4 ways to frustrate your user.

Metallic Spheres (The Orb and David Gilmour)

2010-09-17T10:02:00.001-04:00

Amazon has a video clip about the new Metallic Spheres project from Alex Patterson (The Orb) and David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)...thanks for the tip Floydian Slip. Very excited to hear this one! Check it out here, and see below for a more YouTube quality clip:

How XM Lost Me as a Customer

2010-09-09T23:18:00.000-04:00

I got a free trial of XM Radio with my car. When I called them to ask if I could listen online during the trial, the woman was so incompetent that she...actually I don't think I can even describe how inept she was. I can tell you that the username she assigned me was a GROSS distortion of what I asked for! After trying every combination of name/password she gave me, I was unable to login. OK, I'll just use the "forgot your username?" feature. That took me to the error page you see below. At this point it's really not worth my time, and I don't need satellite radio that badly. One lost customer.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2010-09-03T20:40:00.005-04:00

Just finished Steig Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It was pretty good. Sort of felt like Dan Brown, only if he wished he'd written "Silence of the Lambs," and maybe an episode or two of Fringe. And while I could have lived without the first 150 pages or so, I recommend this book.

Times Skimmer and Old Content

2010-08-27T09:30:00.005-04:00

I'm STILL baffled at how the Times Skimmer (from the New York Times) can have such an incredible interface - the best news reading experience on the web - and still be so poor when it comes to presenting timely content. I've said it before (but apparently they're not listening?), why do they intermingle old stories with new? I can't imagine open the paper version of the Times and having to discern which stories are from today, and which are from yesterday, the day before, etc. I understand that these stories may still be relevant, but at a bare minimum the site should offer a "show me only stories published today" filter.

Don't Bother with Wisp

2010-08-21T19:47:00.001-04:00

These SUCK.

Faux(k) Heroes and Overpaid Bullies

2010-08-17T20:24:00.003-04:00

There's a fine line between forgiveness and stupidity. K-Rod should be banned from baseball for 2 years at a bare minimum. How long would it take you to get a job if you beat the crap out of someone in the lobby of your office? And if Jet Blue ever rehires that idiot flight attendant, I'll never fly with them again. He's not a folk hero, he's a guy who snapped. You might be able to justify that if he worked in the snack bar at a movie theater, but do we really want that kind of instability on the flight crew of a commercial airliner? We've gone a little too far in the "rewarding stupid behavior" department.

TYR Swim Goggles

2010-08-11T13:26:00.004-04:00

I've tried about 5 or 6 different pairs of swim goggles over the last month, including Speedo, Nike and some no-name brands. The only pair I've found that's comfortable AND does not fog up after a couple of laps is TYR Sports "Nest Pro" model. They were a bit more expensive ($20 at REI in-store only) but still very reasonable.

Google Wave Is Dead: Now What?

2010-08-05T10:16:00.001-04:00

Google Wave Is Dead: Now What?

This is a bummer. While I hadn't quite gotten into any kind of applicable usage of Wave, it showed a ton of promise. I was waiting for the "v2" announcement, so was let down to see an obituary instead! Sounds like they will be applying the technology in other apps though.

Barnes & Noble's Nook

2010-08-03T23:03:00.003-04:00

I played with the Nook at Barnes & Noble for about a minute-and-a-half. I'll admit I'm not an e-reader kind of guy, but after a minute-and-a-half, I hadn't gotten anywhere. The buttons didn't seem to do anything and the bottom line is that I couldn't get it to do anything. I wouldn't consider this an in-depth review (obviously) but it certainly lost its chance to wow me.

Why I'll Buy an iPad

2010-07-14T13:30:00.004-04:00

I wasn't convinced at first. What does it replace? Can I make calls? What about the keyboard? All those questions take a backseat when you look at the user experience.

Say I'm on the train and want to check my email on something slightly more legible than a phone. Here's the laptop version:

take the laptop out of my bag
find a surface to put it on...presumably, my lap
open the laptop and push the power button
wait for the OS to boot up, and optionally enter a password
make sure that little device is plugged into the side of my laptop, and that it's made a connection to get me online
launch my browser and/or navigate to my email program

Estimated time: probably a minimum of 2 minutes.

Now let's look at the same task on an iPad:

take the iPad out of my bag
push the power button
enter a password (optional)
touch the email button

Estimated time: about 10 seconds

That's where it begins and ends. Apple knows the important touch points for users, and in this case, it's the ease and simplicity of the iPhone combined with the extended functionality of a laptop. Apple is a lot like AOL in their early days....they know that no matter how good your experience can be, there won't be any experience at all if the barriers to entry are too steep. 2-click instant access to information and a robust user experience is the straw that stirs this drink.

The downside, of course, is the price....which is why this article is called "Why I'll Buy an iPad" instead of "Why I Bought an iPad". I'm likely a 2nd generation adopter.

Hollandude

2010-06-29T23:36:00.005-04:00

Check out Eric Holland's video review of a James Maddock living room concert. And while you're at it listen for Eric on WFUV (90.7 in New York) and WFUV.org.

Carole King & James Taylor in Newark

2010-06-26T00:50:00.005-04:00

Over the course of their 40-some-odd year careers, nothing has receded for James Taylor and Carole King, with the possible exception of one hairline (his). Tonight, in Newark, on just one stop of their Troubadour Reunion Tour, it felt like a one-show-only ordeal. If the set-list wasn't enough, their talent, vocals, energy and excitement made The Prudential Center feel like an intimate evening tucked away in Hollywood, packed with the connected and the fabulous, and being filmed for an HBO special. It was one night on a long tour, but it was special. Their enthusiasm for the show was genuine and infectious, and the band (Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel and Danny Kortchmar) rounded out a parade of musical legends.

The highlight of the evening (as difficult as it is to put any one song at the top) was "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," a song that owns you from the opening measure. It was pure magic hearing them sing together, recreating their original 1971 Tapestry duet.

Ms. King and Mr. Taylor have gotten better with age. They don't change keys, because they still hit the notes - with ease and vigor - and they don't call it in...they just hit it out of the park, song after song, for almost 3 hours. Catch the tour if you have a chance, and for sure get the CD/DVD from the original Troubadour show.

Craftsman Screwdrivers

2010-06-20T21:00:00.003-04:00

Nothing says "I'm celebrating Father's Day" like buying a new set of screwdrivers from Sears. I inherited a set from my dad - these things last forever - but since they're showing a little wear and tear I convinced myself it was time to blow another $10 on a new set. These have got to be one of the best values in the history of American retail.

Another Helpful Tidbit from Windows

2010-06-10T10:39:00.003-04:00

After my laptop crashed, Windows offered me more info about the error. I clicked and got the what you see below. So am I to assume from the last line that the info on top is the NON-technical info?

Evernote Revisited

2010-04-29T22:41:00.011-04:00

It's nice to be able to look back once in a while and say, "I was right"! Evernote (reviewed here in Jan 2006) has followed through on its early promise...and then some. With the new release they've hit some great new features, including formatting capabilities that don't require the note to be open, as well as the ability to set the default font AND size. Seems like a little thing (and it is) but it makes a nice improvement.

The key points that make Evernote part of my "software I couldn't live without" list include:

ability to organize your life/work by tagging any note
auto sync that lets me get my stuff directly in the app, via the web, in iGoogle, or on my iPhone. My notes are ALWAYS where I need them.

The only complaint I'd have is that there's no backup feature. I suppose the sync feature takes care of that (my notes are always backed up online), but I sometimes like to export my data to a plain text file for extra backup. (the export feature exports to a proprietary format).

I've tried Microsoft's OneNote, which was way more than I needed, and was confusing (as is often the case with MS!). I also tried Springpad but seem to recall it not compelling me to move from Evernote, though I've heard good things.

Don't Clutter Your Site

2010-04-08T23:15:00.007-04:00

When you're building a website, remember how little time you have to win the interest of your visitors. Too much clutter confuses and overwhelms them. Your site should provide an answer to a question, not hand your visitor a new problem.

The first site below (nj.com/millburn) is overloaded with extraneous info that a Millburn resident isn't likely to be interested in. In general, it looks pretty messy. The person visiting this site faces a new task: to pick through all these different fonts and banners and navigation and try to find something that might interest them.

The second one (Patch.com) offers a much cleaner look. The navigation and features are very bold and it's not overloaded with information.

Make Your Own Website with Wix

2010-04-08T22:53:00.004-04:00

Wix lets you design your own Flash website for free. I've used Weebly in the past (here's a site I created for a friend), and while it's decent, it's somewhat limiting. Wix allowed me to put together a fairly slick site in a matter of minutes.

Improved Acrobat.com

2010-04-01T20:34:00.003-04:00

I just used Adobe's Acrobat.com to convert a survey I'm doing to a PDF. I've used it in the past and it's been a decent but somewhat clunky experience. They've made some great updates. It's now not only a breeze to use, but it's lightening fast. I uploaded a Word doc, turned it into a PDF and downloaded it to my PC in about 20 seconds. And very intuitive too. http://acrobat.com /

More Clicks to Escape an E-Mail List

2010-03-29T08:04:00.004-04:00

Doesn't this seem backwards? Shouldn't retailers know by now that it's about building trust, building a relationship, and not making life difficult for their customers? Shouldn't they at least know about that little "report spam" button that's so much easier to click?

More Clicks to Escape an E-Mail List
By ALEX MINDLIN
NY Times: March 28, 2010

It takes more clicks to be removed from an e-mail list than it once did, the online marketing firm Responsys says. In a study of 100 large online retailers, the firm found that the proportion requiring three or more clicks to unsubscribe had grown more than fivefold since 2008. And the proportion letting users opt out with a single click shrank to 3 percent, from 9 percent, over that period.

more...

Want Better AT&T Service? Pay Up

2010-03-26T19:00:00.001-04:00

AT&T is offering a gizmo that will improve your cell phone reception....in one limited area...for $150 on top of the bill you already pay. This sounds a lot like an age-old technology that can do pretty much the same thing: the land-line telephone. Just when you thought AT&T couldn't get more ridiculous in their efforts to avoid delivering on the one service that's most important to their customers.

more at NYTimes.com

Patch Community Websites

2010-03-25T23:01:00.003-04:00

Patch.com is the best attempt I've seen to create vibrant, professional and - most importantly - continually fresh - community news & event hubs. Check out Patch.com or my local version. Also good is "The Local," supported by the NY Times. It's a one-shot deal (Patch is in many communities) but it's also an excellent local news source. Both are much better that the (Internet) age-old "Your Local News" filters offered by the likes of Google News, and which never turn up anything truly local. And in fact, when I checked this, the top four "local" results came from The Local!

Sketch-a-Move Toy Cars

2010-03-25T22:54:00.003-04:00

Here's a concept (and demo) for little toy cars that drive along the lines you draw on their roof. Consider me "in line" to buy one when they finally come to fruition. From thisisawesome.com

Sketch-a-Move from Superflux on Vimeo.

Fav4.org

2010-03-14T21:00:00.003-04:00

Fav4.org lets you put 4 big linked icons for your favorite sites on one page. I love its simplicity and look. Unfortunately, it doesn't bring any functional value to me that I don't already get from my Firefox Bookmarks toolbar.

Tower of Power from Rhino Handmade

2010-03-12T23:28:00.003-05:00

I just got my copy of Tower of Power's "Dinosaur Tracks," the first "Rhino Handmade" CD I've ordered. I may have set my expectations too high, but what arrived was pretty much a run-of-the-mill CD in a jewel box. The music and liner notes are great, no doubt, but I think I was expecting something a bit more elegant from the way they make it sound on the Rhino Handmade website. I'll definitely give it another shot...some of the other titles look pretty amazing...especially the Chris Bell, but at $40, it's gonna have to be one I'm really jonsin' for.

James Maddock Live at The Turning Point

2010-03-12T22:55:00.007-05:00

James Maddock reminds me of a more pop version of an early Bruce Springsteen. The title track from "Sunrise on Ave nue C" is a triumph that could be a younger sibling of "Thunder Road." Thursday night at The Turning Point in Piermont, NY he played an acoustic set of songs from the new disc, as well as some from the Wood album (including the wicked "Stay You"), to a packed house. He's just as good live as I would have hoped, going from all-out rockers to soft vamps where I swear I was trying not to breath too loud, thinking it might disrupt the room. He owned it. Check out dates on his site, and if you don't have the disc, run, don't walk.

Rhino Handmade

2010-01-25T22:50:00.005-05:00

Rhino does it again. One of the greatest labels around brings the world "Rhino Handmade." These are very limited editions of mostly-out of print or hard to find albums. While the catalog is a bit thin, the discs look to be very special (I haven't actually seen one). Check out the latest, The Monkees "The Birds, The Bees, & The Monkees."

Parting Ways with Petro

2010-01-04T18:07:00.003-05:00

Who is a company's most valuable customer? Certainly not one who's ending the relationship, right? Maybe not. I'm currently on hold with Petro, cancelling my account to move over to Woolley, who offers consistently better pricing. After the charming woman who answered the phone realized I wasn't going to change my mind, she (literally) forgot my name for a few seconds, then transferred me promptly to the "retention group" (or as I'm starting to think of them, the "piss off, we don't care about you and we never did" group), where I've been on hold for 6 minutes and counting.

OK, 7 minutes and they picked up. Another HARD sell that practically bordered on making me seem stupid for changing. Can't fault them for trying though.

The end result is that they now have a customer who didn't hate Petro to begin with, but will now walk away with negative feelings about them. With a quicker "sorry to see you go, but I'll cancel your account right away" they would have gotten a former customer who told his friends, "yeah, Petro was pretty good...they just couldn't quite compete on price at that time. They're worth looking at though."

Customer relationships are everything....even former-customer relationships.

Bad User Experience at Lego.com

2009-12-28T22:04:00.004-05:00

I just had a pretty bad experience on Lego.com. To sign your kid up for the free Lego Magazine, they ask you first if your child is 6 or younger. Then they ask for the child's email address. OK, so I figure maybe I'm interpreting this wrong, so I'll use MY email address. Nope, they also ask for yours, and will not process the request unless you provide both. Yup, they seem to expect your "younger than 6-year old" to have an email address. Maybe things are different in Denmark.

Lotus Notes and bad Error Notices

2009-12-06T23:26:00.004-05:00

I've been using Lotus Notes lately and it's pretty awful. Below is a great example of something an everyday user should not see. Unless that everyday user happens to be a programmer.

The Four Freshman

2009-11-19T23:28:00.004-05:00

All boys, from "Beach" to "Backstreet," owe a lot to The Four Freshmen. Brian Wilson has often cited them as a major influence. While this one is a classic jewel-disc cut-out with crappy linear notes, it's still a KEEP.

Here they are, scorin' heavy with the ladies:

Interview with founder Bob Flanigan:

Charlie Brown Suite & Other Favorites by Vince Guaraldi

2009-11-17T22:47:00.005-05:00

Most people know the music from the Charlie Brown Christmas special. Lots of them know that it's the music of Vince Guaraldi. Not as many people know that Vince was a formidable composer and jazz musician outside of the world of the Peanuts gang. This disc features previously unearthed music that was released in 2003, mostly different arrangements of the familiar tunes. They sound like what you might expect they should have sounded like before they were mixed for the speakers on 1960's televisions. Of course it's impossible to detach long-ingrained memories from the originals, but these lost mixes sound fresh and full. A definite KEEP

A few words from Vince's son David, one of the forces behind getting this material released:

http://www.vinceguaraldi.com

Joe's Garage by Frank Zappa

2009-11-16T21:55:00.009-05:00

I've been on a mission lately to clear out the hangers-on from my CD collection. With a new commute on my hands, I'm taking advantage of the time in the car and makin' some decisions. First up, Joe's Garage: Acts I, II & III. I've had this one for years and never really felt like I got it. But when it fell under the pressure of the decision to keep it or trash it, lines like "L. Ron Hoover and the first church of appliantology" (among others) assured its place on shelf. KEEP

The 'Nard Dog, Lookin' Like Texeira....

2009-11-14T00:29:00.006-05:00

Anyone else notice that World Series Champion New York Yankee Mark Texeira is lookin' a bit like the Andy from The Office?

United Mileage Plus Scam

2009-11-13T10:24:00.003-05:00

I got a credit card solicitation from a bank with regard to my United Mileage Plus account. It said my "current balance" was 0 miles. This is not true. In an effort of curiosity to find out why they're saying this I called around.

The bank told me that they got the zero balance information from United.

The (brain-dead) woman at United actually told me that "they probably just said it was zero to try and get you to sign up for their credit card." That was just before she "transferred me to a supervisor" (which of course means that she sent me into phone purgatory, where the call was disconnected after 3 minutes of airline hold music).

Back to Nature Cookies

2009-10-31T14:07:00.005-04:00

I tried "Back to Nature" brand peanut butter cookies from Whole Foods and they're great. Basically taste like Nutter Butters (a very, very good thing) but without all the crappy ingredients.

Survival of the Classic TV Commercial

2009-10-20T09:35:00.003-04:00

Since I've had kids I've noticed how inappropriate some TV commercial placements are. It's difficult to try and watch a baseball game with a 5-year old when the commercials include movie trailers for "Inglorious Basterds" and "The Stepfather." I'm not complaining about the commercials themselves - George Carlin was right...if I don't like the show, I can change the channel - but there needs to be some level of consistency between the actual content (the show) and the interruptions inserted into it (the commercials). Put the horror movie trailers in with late night programming or other age-aligned shows like Melrose Place, or whatever, but don't put them in something that people will be watching with their kids.

Or, allow viewers to select their own tract of commercials to view. For example, families with kids could choose the "G" option and be assured that all the commercials shown while they're watching are OK for kids, while anyone else might opt for the "PG" or "R" (or even "X") option. Advertisers would be thrilled at this extra level of segmenting and I'd be able to watch the Yankees with my kids without having to skip all the commercials.

Big media folks need to remember that the viewer has a lot of power these days. I skip through all the commercials when I watch baseball with the kids, and I never even considered watching basketball with them because of the violence.

OK, so Verizon, Comcast, Time-Warner, etc....you have your work cut out for you.

Give Good Phone....PLEASE

2009-09-28T16:31:00.003-04:00

Usability should apply not only to websites, but to phone calls as well. People's time is too valuable to be used up listening to touchy-feely talk from a company that already has your business. I don't want to hear, "It's a glorious day at Bank of America, and can you tell me to whom I have the pleasure of speaking with today?". I want to hear, "Bank of America, how may I help you?". And after they answer my question, I don't want to hear, "I'd like to take the time to thank you for being a Bank of America customer today. And since you're a valued customer, I'd like to ask if you'd be interested in.......". I want to hear, "Thanks for calling, have a nice day." Oh, and I definitely don't want to have to repeat my card number or zip code AFTER I've already punched it in on my phone. Yes, this stuff makes me cranky.

The Holy Grail of the Unconscious

2009-09-22T00:02:00.005-04:00

As the master of the collective unconscious would have had it, I happen to be flipping through one of the two often-attempted, rarely mastered Carl Jung books sitting on the shelf late last week. Two days later, the Sunday New York Times Magazine featured a cover story on the pending release of The Red Book, a fabled and long awaited book from Jung's unreleased archives. Synchronicity

indeed.

Not unlike the great lost-then-found Beach Boys album Smile, the release

of Carl Jung's The Red Book has fans and critics the world over salivating. But while Smile was never actually completed until Brian Wilson returned to it some 30 years later, Jung worked off and on for 16 years and completed The Red Book around 1930. It has remained unreleased ever since. Sara Corbett's story provides an interesting overview, not only of the book and its history, but also of Jung's family and the legacy over which they preside.

James Maddock - Sunrise on Avenue C (music)

2009-09-18T00:04:00.003-04:00

It seems strange to call James Maddock an artist to watch. He's been part of two great albums, spaced about 10 years apart. The first was with his band Wood (Songs From Stamford Hill), and the second, his solo debut, Sunrise on Avenue C. He's an artist who makes you wonder why you can still see him play in clubs and not concert halls, and be sure it won't be that way for long.

Sunrise on Avenue C exudes experience and quiet confidence beyond that of a typical debut from any artist. The second time I heard the title track it was out of context and I couldn't quite recall what song it was until the vocal started, but I was certain it was Tom Waits, Springsteen, or maybe Jeff Buckley. The song makes a triumph of a dreary morning-after on the lower east side so vivid you can feel promise, and the dampness of the streets. It could be the long lost sibling of Springsteen's "Meeting Across the River." Other stand outs include "Chance," "Straight Lines" (actually a Wood re-make), and "When the Sun Comes Out."

Check out James at http://www.myspace.com/jamesmaddockmusic and in the clips below.

Rock Turtleneck Scores Elvis Clip

2009-09-16T23:50:00.002-04:00

Kudos to the crack staff over at one of my favorite blogs, Rock Turtleneck, for posting this fine, FINE clip of Elvis Costello doing "Man Out Of Time" on a 1982 Letterman show. This is one of my favorite Elvis songs and he doesn't disappoint. See the original post here

Clark Little, Surf Photographer

2009-09-16T23:20:00.002-04:00

Clark Little's pictures are amazing. Search for "waves" or "surf" on Google and you'll find thousands of wonderful pictures, but his take it to the next level. He's releasing a new book, and from the looks of it, there appear to be only two relatively expensive, signed options available. You can also order prints from his site.

How To Lose Orders on Your Website

2009-09-16T21:28:00.004-04:00

Every now and then you have an experience that lets you pinpoint the exact point at which a website lost your order. Here's how it happened with 800-Flowers.com.

I tried to order a plant, and when I logged-in, I realized the account had an old email address which I can no longer access. I tried to change it on the "My Account" page. Nuthin' doin'. There's no place to change my email address. In fact, there wasn't much I could change. I searched the help section, and the closest answer I got was that I had to email customer service with my old and new email addresses, in order to change the email associated with my "Fresh Rewards" program. Well, I guess that would have been helpful if I knew what that was, or if I wanted to wait a couple of days to place my order.

Next stop was ftd.com, where I placed my order.

Yoono Simplifies Your Online Life

2009-09-15T00:16:00.004-04:00

Yoono is the first aggregator I've found that seamlessly brings together streams from my key social sites, including Facebook and Twitter. It also supports Flickr, Imeem, FriendFeed and others, but not LinkedIn. Each site's stream can be viewed individually, or you can see one all-inclusive list. You can also choose to view the stream itself, or a list of your contacts (friends) along with their latest status update. Other applications may offer more functionality, but Yoono's simplicity is part of its appeal.

James Maddock (music)

2009-07-26T00:19:00.003-04:00

In 1999 James Maddock had (actually, was) a band called Wood. Their only album, "Songs From Stamford Hill," remains in my often played pile, lead the by smirky love song about friendship (or maybe it's a frienship song about love...not sure which), "Stay You." Fastforward until last year sometime, when I started hearing his name and music on Vin Scelsa's famed "Idiot's Delight" radio show. Turns out he's finally getting ready to give us some more music! Fastforward yet again to tonight. I'm listening to Vin with the wife, and as he drifted into some old Lenny Bruce dialogue, I commented "Vin's starting to lose me....". Well, a few minutes later he starts playing a song, to which I again commented...."Vin gets pretty far out there sometimes, but he always redeems himself." I knew the song was a true deep cut miracle, but couldn't put my finger on it.....Bruce? Tom Waits? Leonard Cohen? Jeff Buckley? And as the vocal hit, I realized it was the new James Maddock I'd heard only once or twice, "Sunrise On Avenue C." I guess this is the long winded way of paying tribute to my most anticipated album of the year.

America & Fountains of Wayne

2009-06-26T22:05:00.001-04:00

I've been an America fan since I was a kid at summer camp. It's been over the last few years that I've gotten back into them. These guys do 100 shows a year and keep putting out goood records. Their most recent studio release, Here & Now, was produced by Smashing Pumpkins' James Iha and Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger, and sounds suprisingly less like an album by a classic rock group getting ready to celebrate their 40th anniversary, and more like an indie pop band releasing their sophomore effort. The album includes a second live disc of greatest hits, which is actually the disc that got me reinvigorated as a fan. It's not the "speed-through-the-oldies" drudge many of these live-hits dics turn out to be: it's a well-produced set that showcases the trademark voices of Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell on some of their best songs.

When I heard they were playing the Nokia Theater in NYC, I was in. Then I found out they were playing the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, NJ - WITH Fountains of Wayne - the deal was sealed. Fountains of Wayne did an all-acoustic set (with drums) and played some new stuff, as well as a lot from Welcome Interstate Managers and Traffic and Weather. One highlight was an updated version of Stacy's Mom, which reminded me of Aztec Camera's version of Jump.

America was one of the most cordial, genuine and appreciative bands I've ever seen, in addition to sounding fantastic. These guys have been best friends since high school, and seem to be as excited about their lives and careers as their fans. They played plenty of hits, stuck in some deep cuts, and a couple of covers ("California Dreamin'" and "Eleanor Rigby"), and they told great stores about working with George Martin, and how some of their hits came to be. At the end of the show they sat out back and signed autographs for everyone that wanted them. These guys don't need the money, and with this final gesture, they made it clear how much they value their fans.

America's official site Fountains of Wayne Count Basie Theater

Mandy Moore IS Amanda Leigh

2009-06-21T22:40:00.007-04:00

I was a fan of Mandy Moore's Coverage album, with her spin on songs by artists ranging from Cat Stevens to XTC to The Waterboys. I also liked her on Entourage, but aside from those two efforts, I'd seen little to distinguish her from the group of pop tarts she came up with (Britney, Christina, Jessica). I made a minor effort to check out some of her other albums, but was never really hooked by anything I heard. She's now managed to un-pop-tart herself. This is partially because she's avoided the trash-tabloid indulgences of her peers, but more importantly, because she's made a good album with some strongly credentialed folks. She married Ryan Adams, and has partnered with indie-popster Mike Viola on her latest, Amanda Leigh. The album isn't quite as Americana as I'd heard, but has its Joni Mitchell moments ("Song About Home"), and its feel-good, pedal-steel-bouncy-pop gems ("Love to Love Me Back"...my personal favorite at the moment). I think part of what draws me to it is the whole "major pop-star slummin' it with the indies" thing - but without it feeling disingenuous. Any way you come at it, Amanda Leigh is worth a listen (or more).

http://twitter.com/TheMandyMoore | mandymoore.com | mikeviola.com

All Your Profiles in One Place with UnHub.com

2009-06-16T21:31:00.004-04:00

Unhub.com doesn't try to integrate all your various web profiles into one single interface. It seems like any sites that try that usually fail in my experience. Instead, they offer a clean way to use one URL - in my case, http://unhub.com/bruce, that allows visitors to simply click a nav bar at the top of the page to easily jump between pages. One click takes you from my Facebook profile to my Twitter page, to LinkedIn, to Flickr, etc. I only have two initial complaints. First is that after you sign up, they don't make it obvious what you can do next. You land on a somewhat non-intuitive page with no obvious thing to do next (hint: you need to click on "view bar"). Second, I couldn't find a way to add my own website. You can only choose from the list of sites they offer, which granted, is quite extensive and hits the major sites.

More Spam from Ticketmaster

2009-06-11T22:39:00.003-04:00

I bought tickets to a kids concert through Ticketmaster at the end of May. Since then, here's what they've spammed me with:

June 2 - Beyonce concert email

June 4 - Sesame Street email

June 4 - Bruce Springsteen email

June 5 - general email about tickets

June 11 - Bruce Springsteen email

5 emails in 2 weeks. I just don't understand how any company these days can survive with a "we don't give a crap what our customers think, we'll do whatever we want regardless of how many people hate our business practices" attitude. I keep telling myself it's only a matter of time before they're brought down.....hard.....but I keep waiting.

Nathan Water Bottles

2009-06-09T23:52:00.005-04:00

I picked up one of these water bottles at Marshall's a few months ago because it looked kind of cool. I found that occasionally, when I flipped the "straw" up it would spurt out water! Not a great feature in a water bottle. Maybe that's why it was at Marshall's. Anyway, I wrote an email to the company and they said that they'd had some issues with some of their tops, and they promptly sent me a replacment. Great customer service, and the bottle works fine now! Check them out at www.nathansports.com.

Agent18 iPhone Case

2009-03-19T11:11:00.003-04:00

I found a new iPhone case that I love. It's slim with a nice finish that lets it slide easily in and out of pockets. Also includes a plastic screen guard with a nicer feel than some of the more plastic-y ones I've tried. more from Agent18.com

Is This Email REALLY From My Bank?

2009-03-18T23:49:00.005-04:00

I'm probably more skeptical than most when it comes to email messages I get from....well, any company. It seems to me that if someone wants your business, especially a financial institution, they must first and foremost establish infallible confidence. I recently received an email from my bank with mismatched fonts, bad line returns, misaligned tables, etc. It looked like a project for an "Intro to Email Marketing" course. My natural reaction was, if they can't get it together enough to craft a better email, how safe can my account be? Most people these days know to be cautious when having any kind of online interaction with our bank....somehow the banks don't seem to get this. I suggest that when banks need to contact their customers, they do it in a more user-friendly (and safer) way. Here's an example I put together:

=======================

Dear John Smith -

This is a message from Fake Bank.

We've seen some irregular acticity on your credit card ending in 1234. To ensure continued service, please contact us at the phone number or website listed on your card or statement.

Thank you for being a valued customer.

Your friends at Fake Bank

WHY IS THERE NO CONTACT INFO IN THIS EMAIL?
We're concerned about protecting your account and your identity. It's unfortunately relatively easy to create an email that looks like it comes from someone else, but is designed to steal your information. By not sending info-heavy emails loaded with images, fonts, and links, and instead sending to-the-point plain text messages, we hope to communicate with you better, and ultimately ensure the security of your account. We encourage you to contact us via the website or phone number listed on your card or statement. As always, Fake Bank will NEVER call you asking for any personal or account information.

This message was sent to johnsmith@sample.com by Fake Bank, 123 Any Street, Any Town, CA 90210

© 2009 Fake Bank

=======================

R.E.M.'s Murmur Deluxe Edition

2009-03-05T15:23:00.011-05:00

I just picked up the "Deluxe Edition" of R.E.M.'s classic Murmur. The beautiful package includes the usual bonus disc (as with all Universal "Deluxe" releases) of an un-released (at least officially) live show from 1983 in Toronto. Inside you'll find thoughts and notes from associated personnel including Don Dixon, Mitch Easter, and photographer Michael Plen. Murmur never sounded better. Below are some pics from when I saw them in Western Massachusetts in 1984. I believe it was the Fables tour and they were outside riding bikes and walking around before the show! I yelled out for "Catapult" during the show and Mike Mills leaned down to ask me "what?" He said he thought I was saying "menopause". [ buy it at Amazon | check out the 33 1/3 "Murmur" book ]

The Other Chris Brown

2009-02-24T14:55:00.002-05:00

It appears that there are TWO Chris Brown's making records these days. With all the bad press that superstar Chris Brown is taking, it might be time find another. The OTHER Chris Brown quietly released his debut disc a couple of years ago and I've been diggin' it ever since. Perfectly crafted pop songs with an Elliot Smith-like vocal (though not as somber) and lyrics that share a darkness I haven't come across since Warren Zevon took care of little Suzie at the Junior prom. Check him out at http://www.chrisbrowntunes.com

We Have to Go Back, Pablo

2009-02-22T14:56:00.010-05:00

While reading The Backyardigans "The Secret of Snow" I started to wonder if maybe J. J. Abrams (of "Lost" and "Fringe" fame) is somehow behind it....icy underground chambers with connecting control rooms, teleportation, ice in a desert, jungle adventures....hmmmm.

Mo Willems and His Pigeon

2009-02-18T00:10:00.002-05:00

To steal a sentiment from Dr. Seuss, if you haven't read Mo Willems you should, because Mo Willems is fun, and fun is good. His stories and dialog buck the norm for kids' books, and his characters are fun, imaginative, and human (even when they're birds, pigs, or elephants). Start with "The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog" and you'll be hooked. Or visit Mo's site to read, play, and learn.

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (Legacy Edition)

2009-02-12T17:52:00.003-05:00

Sony Legacy has given their usual thorough treatment to Miles Davis' landmark album Kind of Blue, originally released in 1958 (hence the 50th Anniversary Edition), and currently the best-selling jazz album of all-time. The packaging is beautiful with extensive notes from music journalist Francis Davis and a full disc of outtakes and alternate versions. In addition to Davis, the album features Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, and John Coltrane. Learn more via the included digital liner notes, or at http://www.miles-davis.com/

Google Sync Beta for iPhone

2009-02-09T18:23:00.002-05:00

Google just released a way to wirelessly sync your Google Calendar and Gmail contacts to your iPhone. I haven't tried the contacts, but the calendar worked like a charm. Check it out

Create Your Own Font (website)

2009-02-06T12:26:00.003-05:00

YourFonts.com lets you create your own font. It's very easy, and assuming you have a scanner and printer, takes about 5 minutes. Click the image at the left so see a sample of my font.