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AT&T and Atlantic Records to test MMC album delivery

Take a cell phone/ multimedia device – the Nokia 3300 which can be expanded through MMC cards and add a pre-packaged MMC card to the mix, but charge $28.95 for the privilege. Don’t forget that unlike a Palm, Pocket PC or Gameboy, this phone uses the same convenient system for changing cards which requires the user to remove the back panel, remove the battery and then wrestle with the chip holder to remove and replace what might already be inside.

Who thought that was a good price?!!?!? Oh that’s right the record label, lords of convenience and early adopters that they are. This is way more than the cost of a CD forgetting of course that you can download your own tracks, either illegally or by purchase and transfer ONCE to a larger card through which you can leave in the unit. Don’t forget you look like you have a Taco on your head when talking directly into the phone without a headset…

You can read more about this in Advertising Age

This is an interesting experiment in stupidity in my humble opinion and based on pricing and lack of convenience is sure to fail. I am prepared to eat some crow on this if someone can prove this is a fantastic success months from now…

We’ll see soon enough. I bet nothing more than a few press releases will happen here. Have to see what happens when AT&T launches their download service in 2004. Should be interesting to see if there are more than just enhanced ring tones after this test.

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For the deaf, new options on the phone

This is an amazing development which should serve as quite the equalizer…

The Sorenson videophone is a breakthrough, said Genie Gertz, an assistant professor of deaf studies at California State University at Northridge, because it enables the deaf to use what many consider to be their native language – American Sign Language – with unprecedented simplicity and clarity. “This is a gigantic step for the deaf community,” Gertz, who is deaf, said through an interpreter.

The Sorenson VP-100 is a stand-alone videophone that works with a television and broadband Internet connection. It has a remote control and a flashing light that can be used instead of a ringer to signal incoming calls. Users can sign directly with another deaf person or with a Sorenson interpreter. Because of the high quality of the video, the interpreter can read the deaf user’s signing while simultaneously translating and speaking to the telephone user, and vice versa. [

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Sony Ericsson testing mobile online gaming

Sony Ericsson announced today that its testing online gaming between mobiles. It looks to be open to all consumers, but certain carrier restrictions apply…. [MobileTracker]

Very cool!!

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Lost? Hiding? Your sell phone is keeping tabs

Families and employers are adopting surveillance technology once used mostly to track soldiers and prisoners. [CNET News.com]

I have mixed feelings about this technology… While I think location services are cool for personal use (driving directions, friend finding, store locations, etc…) and tracking of children for parental piece of mind is great, the potential for abuse is certainly there. Let’s hope that the appropriate personal security is added or enhanced as the services become more available.

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nice hack for Mail

I tried to search this one out as I read it yesterday, but was unable
to actually track down the source…

With my setup, I POP multiple accounts through Spam Intercepter, which pulls mail from 2 different accounts. I have the second (my .Mac) account disabled in Mail since the messages come through when I POP into SI. Because the account is disabled it is not that simple to initiate a new message from it without manually activating it each time… until now.

By simply adding the email addresses you want to use separated by a comma in the account config, (in the email address field) you can bring back the pull-down in Mail which lets you pick which address to use. Pretty cool and very simple.

BTW — I DO NOT HACK MAIL ACCOUNTS. I cannot offer you any password assistance.

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Decuma Releasing Handwriting Recognition Software for Palm OS and Pocket PC

Decuma has just announced its new OnSpot Handwriting Recognition Software for Pocket PC and Palm OS 5 devices. [Brighthand]

Looks good, but for 30 bucks, I’d really like to see a demo before thinking about buying.

Update – Thanks to a Post and comment by Steven I learned that Handango has a demo of the app. i have it a shot last night and while it looks nice I was not please with how it works on screen. You select keyboard ( shortcut – /K) and you then get the Decuma screen which takes over whatever app you were in. I was hoping it would replace the virtual graffiti area on my T3 while it was running.

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Bluetooth Internet Sharing to Palm

Thanks to some extremely helpful scripts from TechnoHappyMeal, it is now possible to share either my Airport or Ethernet connection to my Palm over Bluetooth. Running a simple AppleScript allows my Mac to be a point of connectivity for the Palm which is very helpful when you want to update AvantGo or Hand/RSS without a cradle or cable. You can also send and check email as well as browse web sites if you like. Set-up details are quick and painless.

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An Unencrypted Look at FileVault

FileVault has generated as much discussion as any of Panther’s new features. Is it right for you? François Joseph de Kermadec unlocks this new feature and shows you around. [O’Reilly MacDevCenter.com]

Highly recommended read… I still don’t think I have the nerve to use it, though File Vault sounds like an excellent security feature.

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A Filter in Time Saves Nine

Tuesday is the biggest day for outgoing E-mail, making Wednesday the biggest day for “NOT” reading E-mail, according to EmailLabs'”Delivery Trends Report,” a quarterly newsletter observation post. [Network Computing]

Delete and ignore are more popular options that unsubscribe… Don’t believe everything you read in your open rates. I’ve personally found that tracking open rates can lead to a much higher read perception, leading to a lower click through response based on “actual” reads.

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Syndicated Audio Messaging with RSS

Harold Gilchrist is working on an RSS-based protocol for audioblogging. I want to be able to subscribe to audioblogs and other audio delivered by RSS, but I want an RSS reader that automatically downloads the audio into iTunes folders for one-click downloading into my iPod. I want to just pickup my iPod as I’m running out the door, and discover all the blogs and programs I subscribe to already neatly organized, ready to listen to. (I also wish the iPod had a way to mark tracks as having been read, so I could tell it to just play or show new material.) [Doug Kaye: Web Services Strategies]

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Free ArcSoft PhotoStudio X for .Mac members

Apple has added two more exclusive offers for .Mac members — a free coy of ArcSoft’s PhotoStudio X and a 20 percent discount on ArcSoft’s Panorama Maker… [MacMinute]

You can easily now find the free stuff for .Mac right on your iDisk. If you keep it mounted and synced just go to the software folder then into Members Only. It’s all there…

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Jobs will give Keynote

It has been confirmed that Steve Jobs will deliver the keynote address for Macworld Conference and Expo San Francisco 2004. “This is the biggest Macintosh community event of the year and we’re looking forward to a great show,” said David Korse, president of IDG World Expo. “We are thrilled that Steve is going to kick off Macworld with a keynote address.” The keynote address will begin at 9:00 am PST on Tuesday, January 6. [Spymac]

Good news for Mac Watchers… A Steve Keynote always means new stuff! Just a matter of how much…