[MyAppleMenu] Apr 2, 2007

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** DRM Free Music From Apple And EMI Isn't Likely To Help Other Players <http://weblogs.jupiterresearch.com/analysts/gartenberg/archives/2007/04/drm_free_music_1.html>
by Michael Gartenberg, JupiterResearch
It is a good step forward for consumers but more importantly, it showed Apple at the forefront of acting as "champion" for consumer interests. After all, it wasn't Rob Glaser or Bill Gates up there with EMI.

**** DRM Is Dead &mdash; Sort Of <http://www.mcelhearn.com/article.php?story=20070402150512337>
by Kirk McElhearn, Kirkville
To sum up, this is a true earthquake. I can imagine that some executives at other record labels have had to change their underwear today.

**** Apple's Long Shadow Over Mobile Music <http://news.com.com/2100-1039_3-6172313.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-20&subj=news>
by Marguerite Reardon, CNET News.com
Guess what? The most talked-about and sought-after device at the three-day CTIA Wireless conference was Apple's iPhone, which wasn't showcased and doesn't even ship until June.

**** EMI To Ditch DRM, Offer Improved Sound On iTunes <http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9015282&source=rss_topic123>
by Martyn Williams and Angela Gunn, Computerworld
EMI Group PLC's announcement today that it intends to drop digital rights management (DRM) restrictions on the tracks it offers through Apple Inc.'s iTunes makes the recording giant the first of the four big music labels to ditch DRM.
At a joint press conference, EMI Group CEO Eric Nicoli stated that the company had engaged in testing and consumer polling in the months before the announcement, concluding that there was an overwhelming amount of support for DRM-free tracks with higher sound quality. The announced price of the non-DRM tracks will be $1.29, or 30 cents higher than the current per-track prices.
Also: DefectiveByDesign.org <http://defectivebydesign.com/blog/jester_hat> is looking for ideas for a thank you to Steve Jobs.

**** The Results: Apple TV Vs. Cable TV <http://www.lostremote.com/2007/04/01/the-results-apple-tv-vs-cable-tv/>
by Cory Bergman, Lost Remote
I unplugged my cable TV box and substituted my Apple TV in a week-long experiment to see if I could live off the a la carte shows on iTunes for less than my $92/month cable bill. I'll admit up fron tthat it didn't trump my Comcast service (I have a HD DVR with VOD and HBO), but with a few added features and a little more iTunes programing, Apple TV would be my choice.

**** Apple And EMI Plan Joint Announcement Monday <http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?RSS&newsID=17647>
by Jonny Evans, Macworld UK
Apple CEO Steve Jobs will appear at a joint EMI and Apple press conference on Monday 2 April at 1 pm. A special live performance by an unannounced artist will also feature at the event, the invitation confirms.
Also: BBC <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6516189.stm>: Beatles and iTunes talk growing.
Update: Reuters <http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Entertainment-News/Article/Default.aspx?idx=679661> is reporting that "a source familiar with the situation said a Beatles deal would not be featured at the event on Monday." The speculation by Reuters is, thus, that EMI may be dropping DRMs. If true, this may well be the bigger news than having old Beatles tunes on the new iTunes store.

The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Startup Beams Wireless Power To Charge Devices <http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,2110283,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532>
by Bryan Gardiner, ExtremeTech
Powercast, a new startup says its solution for wireless power harvesting is not only reliable, FCC-approved, and safe, but is also ready to debut in millions of small devices by the end of 2008.

**** If At First You Don't Succeed, Write A Check <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/business/yourmoney/01digi.html?ex=1333080000&en=e93b4fbe1971172b&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>
by Randall Stross, New York Times
Microsoft's new program to pay companies to use its search engine brings an entirely new approach to acquiring customers: buying them at wholesale, instead of retail.

MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** The Typing Life <http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2007/04/09/070409crbo_books_acocella>
by Joan Acocella, New Yorker
How writers used to write.

**** Urban Puzzle <http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/04/01/urban_puzzle/>
by Sudhir Alladi Venkatesh, Boston Globe
The gentrification of rundown city neighborhoods conjures an image of well-off whites displacing poor minorities. What's actually going on is far more complex, and the winners and losers can be hard to predict.

**** For Cancer Patients, A Struggle To Prolong Hope As Well As Life <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/31/AR2007033101090.html?nav=most_emailed>
by David Brown, Washington Post
Why is it that Americans speak of trying to whip cancer, show courage in the face of it, and die after a long battle against it? Why at the same time do we tel ourselves cancer is the new diabetes, a chronic disease we can have for a lifetime?

**** Starbucks Nation <http://www.latimes.com/features/magazine/west/la-tm-neil13apr01,1,7358730.story?coll=la-headlines-west>
by Dan Neil, Los Angeles Times
In an odd and, I grant, surreal way. Starbucks may be one of the last remaining venues where Americans of different views can fraternize peaceably, united in their jonesing for caffeine.

**** Overcome By Overdrive <http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/04/01/CMGRJN7U031.DTL>
by Nora Isaacs, San Francisco Chronicle
My book reading across town started at 6:30. At 6:35 I was still stuck in traffic. So many things had gone wrong during the promotion of this book that I couldn't help feeling that the gods were putting me through some sadistic test. For my book party, the cartons of books got reouted and remained in a storage truck in South San Francisco. During a radio interview, an old roommate with a grudge called in. Earlier that month, my laptop was stolen, and with it, all of the contacts I needed to get this book tour going.
The title of my book? "Women in Overdrive: Find Balance and Overcme Burnout at Any Age." The irony was not lost on me.

**** Re-Education <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/magazine/01China.t.html?ex=1333080000&en=917f6f896e5aeaaf&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>
by Ann Hulbert, New York Times
Can China create schools that foster openness, flexibility and innovation? And what happens to China if it does?

**** Beaten To The Punch Line <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/30/AR2007033002318.html>
by Paul Farhi, Washington Post
Most every comic deals with aspects of the job such as constant travel. And working nights in boozy joints. And the nonexistent job security, wildly variable pay and isolation from friends and family. But for female comics, there's also the facet of being in a culture &mdash; and a business &mdash; that's uneasy with the idea of a woman generating laughter.

SingaporeSurf
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**** Where's The Check And Balance In Deciding Ministerial Salary? <http://aaron-ng.info/blog/wheres-the-check-and-balance-in-deciding-minsterial-salary.html>
by Aaron Ng, Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
Please give me proof that the ministers are indeed worth this amount of money. If I am not satisfied that there's sufficient justification for a pay increase, I won't hesitate to fry this up this issue 5 years later.

**** Indonesia TV Program Slams Singapore, Incites Anti-Singapore Sentiments <http://cocoonman.blogspot.com/2007/04/politics-indonesia-tv-program-slams.html>
by The Cocoon Man
What's the motive behind the finger-pointing now? Any astute observer would have figured out the nature of this political game.

**** Will High Salaries Really Attract The Right People? <http://singaporepatriot.blogspot.com/2007/04/will-high-salaries-really-attract-right.html>
by Gerald Giam, Singapore Patriot
It baffles me how someone would need to see a $2 million dollar carrot before accepting a call to lead one's nation. Are these the kind of leaders we want leading our country?

**** PDS Dispels Myths On Ministers, Civil Servants Pay <http://news.asiaone.com.sg/a1news/20070402_story11_1.html>
by AsiaOne
The salaries of Singapore's ministers and top civil servants have fallen to 55 per cent of the benchmark compared to private sector, and they should be earning $2.2 million, according to the Public Service Division.

**** New Hand-Carried Rules At Singapore <http://www.bangkokpost.net/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=117820>
by DPA
Stringent new restrictions on hand luggage go into effect next month at Singapore's Changi Airport, officials said on Monday. All liquids, gels and aerosols including perfumes and hair styling products must be stored in containers not exceeding 100ml each, and the containers must fit into a single, transparent bag.

**** Singapore &amp; Malaysia Musings <http://alfredsnider.blogspot.com/2007/04/singapore-malaysia-musings.html>
by Alfred Snider
I love these two countries. I am anxious to return, which I am told I will be invited to do. I just wish there was a cool season.

**** Banning Singaporeans <http://statestimes.wordpress.com/2007/04/02/banning-singaporeans/>
by The States Times

**** Lights, Action... And Cut <http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2007/yax-727.htm>
by Au Waipang, Yawning Bread

**** More Renting Out HDB Flats After Rules Eased <http://www.straitstimes.com/portal/site/STI/menuitem.c2aef3d65baca16abb31f610a06310a0/?vgnextoid=6fadbe120b93a010VgnVCM1000000a35010aRCRD&vgnextfmt=vgnartid:4c1e819653ea1110VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD>
by Tan Hui Yee, Straits Times
More than 300 flat owners have been given the green light to rent out their units following last month's easing of rules by the Housing Board.

**** Have More Bus Stops, With Fewer Buses Stopping At Each <http://www.straitstimes.com/portal/site/STI/menuitem.c2aef3d65baca16abb31f610a06310a0/?vgnextoid=f832758920e39010VgnVCM1000000a35010aRCRD&vgnextfmt=vgnartid:b92a44dfce2a1110VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD>
by Lee Yoke Lan, Straits Times

**** No Such Time As 'Good' Time Or 'Bad' Time: Swee Say <http://www.todayonline.com/articles/180929.asp>
by Loh Chee Kong, Today
Labour chief Lim Swee Say is confident that more Singaporeans "will come to accept and realise" that the impending ministerial pay rise is for their benefit.

**** Envoy Pushes For Hassle-Free Causeway Card <http://www.todayonline.com/articles/180946.asp>
by Loh Chee Kong, Today
Malaysian high commissioner N Parameswaran called for the Malaysian government to study the possibility of developing a travel card, as part of efforts to woo Singaporeans investors to the massive Iskandar Development Region (IDR) project in south Johor.

**** Public Feedback Invited On Proposed Changes To En-Bloc Sale Legislation <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/267910/1/.html>
by S. Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
The law ministry's public consultation exercise on proposed changes to en-bloc sale legislation begins on April 2.

**** Temasek Happy As Pressure Eases Off <http://nationmultimedia.com/2007/04/02/headlines/headlines_30030853.php>
by The Nation
Singapore's Temasek Holdings has described as "positive" finance minister Chalongphob Sussangkarn's comments on Friday that Thailand should not and likely will not take back telecom giant Shin Corp.

The Shuffe by MyAppleMenu
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**** At The Airport <http://www.scottandrew.com/democlub/demos/>
by Scott Andrew
Click here to listen <http://www.scottandrew.com/mp3/demos/at_the_airport_demo_101204.mp3>.