MG Siegler:

We’ve seen this story before. Indenti.ca was going to be the “open Twitter” before App.net was going to be the “open Twitter”. Diaspora was going to replace Facebook by giving it back to the users. OpenID. OpenSocial. Open. Open. Open. Free. Joy. Wonder. Peace. Perfection.

As much as I love the idea of technology being open, the reality is it takes a big boss at the top to call the shots and direct the innovation. It takes a Steve Jobs, a Bill Gates, or a Mark Zuckerberg to say, "fuck you, this is how we're gonna do it," for any technology to reach the top.

You just can't do that with "open" because you simply just can't please everyone.

Marco Arment also commented:

But the bigger problem is that I just don’t see a social platform growing quickly enough to overcome the network-effect barrier when it’s not free to join, especially when the goal is effectively to replace an existing, free, extremely successful network.

I totally agree.

I'm an early-adopter-type. I'm always down to sign up for any new service or app that comes my way. But to put a $50 cover charge on a small party that doesn't have any of my friends in it? Sorry, that's not gonna happen.

The reality is this:

1. people will always choose the path of least resistance.
2. people will stick with wherever their friends are.

And App.net is on the losing end of both of these.

Back in 2006, when I was sporting a nifty little Sony Ericsson. I had this desktop app called BluePhoneElite that would push notifications from my phone to my computer screen via bluetooth.

It was great! When I got a text message, I'd see an unobtrusive growl notification pop up. When someone called me, same thing; a casual little growl notification to nudge me and then fade away.

It was elegant. I could keep my eyes on the screen and not have to pick up my phone every time it beeped. And the notifications would only show up on my screen when my phone was nearby.

Fast forward to today.

Phones are way more capable. We have a hot new category of mobile devices in tablets. And with the announcement of iCloud, Apple clearly envisions consumers having more of these multiple devices.

We are now living in era of real-time information and always-connected mobile devices. Push notifications will continue to grow more and more a part of our lives.

So when you combine these two trends of push notifications and multiple devices, what do you get? I bet it's something like this:

• Text messages only beep on your phone.
• New emails beep on Sparrow, your iPhone and iPad (but sound different on each).
• IMs only beep on your Mac.
• @mentions beep on both your phone and Mac but not your iPad.
• Farmville beeps your iPhone and iPad but not your Mac.

Why do we have to look at different devices for different notifications? Why do we have to deal with different alert tones on each device for the exact same notification?

There has to be a better way. Something more elegant, like BluePhoneElite, but with that iCloud magic. Something that takes into account what device I am currently using. Maybe something like:

Proximity-Aware Push Notifications.

On Monday, Apple unveiled their new location-aware app, Reminders, which let's you assign locations to your tasks:

Say you need to remember to pick up milk during your next grocery trip. Since Reminders can be location based, you'll get an alert as soon as you pull into the supermarket parking lot.

Proximity-awareness is a similar idea. But instead of having your location defined as calculated GPS region, it'd be defined by where you are in relation to your other devices. Or specifically, where your mobile device is in relation to your primary computer.

Examples:

• When you get a new email and your iPhone is not within 5 feet of your Mac, the notification is only pushed to the iPhone.
• When you receive a text message and your iPhone is close to your Mac, the notification is only displayed on the Mac.

You get the idea.

A system like this means when we're at the desktop, we can keep our eyes on the monitor. When we walk away from the desk, we bring our notifications with us. (Hell, just for kicks: when we walk away from the desk, make our screensavers and lock screens go up as well.)

You see, with push notifications, we have signals that facilitate interactions in our digital lives. A few years ago, things were simple: new text messages beeped on our phones, new email notifications beeped on our PCs. But now we are in an age of information overload with multiple devices and too many social web services.

Push helped us keep up with important messages. But now we need help keeping up with the push notifications themselves. We need something smarter system.

And proximity-awareness is the perfect place to start.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why the iPad will be a game-changer.

The experience of flipping through a magazine is like having a entire website -- and not just any site but a beautiful, graphically-rich, totally interactive site -- in your hands. With ZERO downloading.

These days if you want to do research on something, you'll be clicking around, waiting for the page to load, clicking around, waiting for the page to load...etc. Rinse and repeat. But with entire book/magazine publications download in full, onto one device...you can experience the same thing with zero loading time between pages!

And it's not just magazines we're talking about. Imagine textbooks for colleges. Imagine being able to zoom in on a 3D model of a string of DNA. Move it around 360 degrees. Get a real good look at it and then zoom out. All of this and more, in your hands, with zero loading time.

You have kids? Just fire up an interactive book and let 'em knock themselves out. I know what you're thinking: why would I give my kid a $500 toy?? Just search up "baby games" for iPhone...you'll be surprised how popular the iPhone/iTouch is for kids.

Honestly, after watching this video, I'm really jealous of programmers and interactive designers now. Because this new concept of rich, truly-interactive digital pages is gonna be a LOT of fun...and it's the way of the future.

Josh S: Apple FAIL. There's no place in the market for a $1000 iPod touch. It won't even fit in my pocket. This will be a bigger flop than the Air.

I disagree. Strongly.

// Warning: This is a ridiculously long chat. This is more to reflect on in three years time when one of us will be proven stupid.

10:30:45 Josh S: What do you think?

10:31:00 Mel: they haven't ecven announced the price yet, man

10:31:05 Mel: where'd you get $1000 from?

10:31:16 Josh S: it's what people are projecting

10:31:23 Josh S: if an iPhone is $400

10:31:28 Mel: people are dumbasses

10:31:32 Mel: they never get the details right

10:31:34 Josh S: dude

10:31:35 Mel: just watch

10:31:45 Josh S: even if it's $600

10:31:45 Mel: i'm guessing

10:31:52 Mel: $500, $600, $700

10:31:52 Josh S: it's just a blown up ipod touch

10:32:06 Mel: dude, you're only thinking about now

10:32:08 Mel: think in three years

10:32:15 Mel: the iphone went from $600 to $100

10:32:20 Mel: in three years

10:32:25 Josh S: right

10:32:29 Josh S: it's not revolutionary

10:32:37 Mel: heh, we'll see about that

10:32:44 Mel: apple does what microsoft doesn't do:

10:32:53 Mel: apple plans out an entire experience for the product

10:32:56 Mel: not just the hardware

10:33:00 Mel: they plan out the content

10:33:03 Mel: the software

10:33:08 Mel: the distribution of the content

10:33:18 Mel: they plan out an entire vertical market

10:33:28 Josh S: so would you pay a service to have this and your iphone?

10:33:35 Mel: when all that microsoft ever did was make the hardware and tell people, "build shit for us!"

10:33:45 Mel: apple is proactive in getting content partners

10:33:46 Josh S: you're looking at this on a micro level

10:33:51 Josh S: like a developer

10:34:15 Mel: um no, i'm looking from a business standpoint

10:34:34 Josh S: in 6 months there will be an alternative that will do the exact same things but at a quarter of the price

10:34:38 Josh S: it won't look as pretty

10:34:58 Mel: you're not thinkinga bout the experience

10:35:02 Mel: you're just thinking about cheaper hardware

10:35:05 Mel: by other people

10:35:10 Josh S: it wont fit in my pocket is what i'm thinking about

10:35:16 Josh S: so it's a lap top

10:35:16 Mel: it's not meant to

10:35:35 Mel: it's meant to chill around the house, passed around the living room

10:35:38 Mel: and thrown in your backpack

10:35:41 Mel: and taken to the office

10:35:51 Josh S: why

10:35:54 Josh S: I have a computer at my office

10:35:58 Josh S: it's a nice mac

10:36:05 Mel: and what about nurses that have to walk around

10:36:06 Josh S: and I have a nice mac laptop at my house

10:36:10 Josh S: dude

10:36:13 Mel: doing paperwork and shit on a clipboard

10:36:21 Josh S: any business will buy the cheaper alternative

10:36:21 Mel: also you're forgetting the educational field

10:36:26 Josh S: especially government buildings and hospitals

10:36:29 Mel: apple is talking to all of the major textbook companies

10:36:38 Josh S: lowest bidder

10:36:51 Mel: yes but the price of this thing will go down in three years

10:37:03 Josh S: i know how you're thought process is going, but you'll see i'm right

10:37:17 Mel: how much money did you spend on textbooks in college?

10:37:28 Josh S: the only thing this product will do is push other manufacturuers to give us comparable technology at more affordable prices

10:37:42 Mel: i remember spending $500 for one quarter

10:37:48 Josh S: you'll still have to license the books

10:37:50 Josh S: buddy

10:38:20 Mel: apple is working with publishing companies to change all the old media (newspapers, magazines, textbooks) -- all three which are dying industries -- and move them into the future

10:38:30 Mel: yeah, and that's why they're talking directly

10:38:33 Mel: with the publishing companies

10:38:47 Mel: the same way that apple got AT&T to bend over

10:38:55 Mel: when AT&T had never even seen the iphone

10:38:57 Josh S: and now AT&T is suffering

10:39:07 Mel: and the iphone is the most successful mobile phone

10:39:09 Mel: in the world.

10:39:17 Josh S: because as soon as teh iPhone is free for all

10:39:32 Josh S: mass migration from at&t even if they're not at fault

10:39:58 Josh S: this is not the iPhone!!!!!

10:40:01 Josh S: that's what I'm saying

10:40:02 Mel: the argument about AT&T is moot

10:40:06 Mel: we're talking about the success of the iphone

10:40:16 Mel: and how it's the same gameplan as the success of the ipad

10:40:17 Josh S: there is no market for this particular product among the general population

10:40:25 Mel: i agree

10:40:27 Mel: which is why

10:40:34 Mel: they partnered with all these companies

10:40:38 Mel: to invent a new market

10:41:17 Josh S: and what makes you think that education and hospitals will pick the iPad?

10:41:34 Josh S: would a hospital or school choose an iPhone now

10:41:49 Josh S: over a less costly alternative?

10:42:01 Josh S: it will be a bidding war

10:42:07 Mel: have you seen the business apps for the iphone?

10:42:15 Mel: businesses are committing to it

10:42:23 Mel: major enterprise softwware companies

10:42:31 Josh S: RIM still pwn's apple on that

10:42:36 Josh S: on business

10:42:42 Mel: and we'll see about that in 3 more years

10:42:47 Josh S: hahah

10:42:52 Josh S: yeah, we will

10:42:56 Mel: i'ma quote this

10:42:59 Mel: and post it in my blog

10:42:59 Josh S: good

10:43:03 Mel: this'll be fujn

10:43:52 Josh S: what's to stop a school from taking a toshiba for half the price of an iPad?

10:44:13 Mel: because toshiba won't have the content and content distribution of apple

10:44:28 Josh S: so you're saying apple will go monoplistic?

10:44:36 Mel: apple will dominate

10:44:38 Josh S: and control content

10:44:42 Mel: at least for 3 years

10:44:48 Josh S: dude

10:44:59 Josh S: it will take longer than that to get this integrated into systems

10:45:10 Josh S: by then, there will be hundreds of cheaper alternatives

10:45:16 Josh S: I dunno

10:45:22 Josh S: I'm not saying I know more than apple

10:45:25 Mel: once again, you're only thinking price of hardware

10:45:31 Josh S: I think this is a risky endeavour

10:45:39 Mel: you're not thinking of the entire experience that involves hardware, software and content

10:45:45 Josh S: yeah yeah

10:45:47 Josh S: i get that

10:45:57 Josh S: You're saying apple will partner with McGraw Hill

10:46:01 Mel: yes

10:46:04 Josh S: and say they can only licnese their books through apple store

10:46:09 Josh S: or whatever it will be

10:46:10 Mel: for now, yes

10:46:14 Mel: i personally ahte that

10:46:15 Mel: but yet

10:46:18 Josh S: so

10:46:19 Mel: *yes

10:46:20 Josh S: effectively

10:46:35 Josh S: you're forcing a college student, or, heaven forbid, a hospital

10:46:40 Josh S: to buy an apple product

10:46:42 Mel: yes

10:46:43 Josh S: because without it

10:46:47 Josh S: you will not get the info you need

10:46:53 Josh S: sounds like anti-trust to me

10:46:58 Mel: beacuse without it you will have to use shitty software and content on a cheaper system

10:47:02 Josh S: won't take long for the govt to step in

10:47:38 Mel: because it is monopolistic

10:47:42 Mel: because it is successful

10:47:53 Mel: you just supported my argument

10:47:54 Mel: haha

10:48:03 Josh S: it's a good idea

10:48:04 Josh S: yes

10:48:06 Josh S: but i'm saying

10:48:11 Josh S: it's not going to pan out the way your thinking

10:49:15 Mel: how else will it pan out?

10:49:32 Josh S: I don't think business will be so quick to jump on bored

10:49:41 Mel: define "quick"

10:49:43 Josh S: I think they'll wait and see how well it does in the market

10:49:49 Mel: how much time is "quick"

10:50:08 Josh S: however long it takes to define whether or not the iPad is a good investment

10:50:13 Josh S: marketing plays heavily into it

10:50:24 Mel: and apple is fucking king in marketing

10:50:32 Josh S: but there is no market for this product

10:50:39 Mel: hence they are inventing a market

10:51:03 Josh S: right, it will take a long time to prove the model is sucessful

10:51:17 Josh S: by then, a countless number of things will and can happen

10:51:41 Josh S: and when you bring government operations, hospitals and schools into this?

10:51:56 Josh S: I can guarantee that there will be intense scrutiny on how business is conducted

10:52:07 Josh S: it's a tightly regulated market

10:52:20 Josh S: if what you're saying is true

10:52:33 Josh S: and that it's more than just a private toy

10:52:38 Josh S: it's a huge risk

10:52:46 Josh S: I'm not saying it wont work, but it's a huge risk

10:53:02 Mel: and that's why apple is taking steps to make their software optimized for enterprise

10:53:04 Josh S: I personally don't think it will work

10:53:18 Josh S: I could be wrong, but it's not like this is going to sink apple

10:53:18 Mel: just like with the iphone, they introduced built-in support of Microsoft Exchange

10:53:28 Mel: and they offer remote security features

10:53:43 Josh S: oh

10:53:47 Josh S: i can also say

10:53:51 Josh S: why not make another iphone

10:53:59 Josh S: with all that licensing and garbage youre saying

10:54:10 Josh S: you don't think in 3 years, the iPhone will be able to handle everything you're talking about?

10:54:40 Josh S: what if we don't even have to have screens in 5 years, what if we have holograpic techology like the movies?

10:54:57 Josh S: all these what ifs

10:55:07 Josh S: the way this conference is going, looks to me like its a toy for people at home

10:55:09 Mel: the iphone is purely limited on size

10:55:26 Mel: of course it'll be much better, stronger, faster in three years

10:55:33 Mel: but they're fixed on that form factor

10:55:36 Josh S: not true

10:55:46 Josh S: these flex screens coming out now

10:55:53 Josh S: wrap around your wrist, etc.

10:55:57 Mel: *size of screens

10:55:58 Josh S: why not make a foldable iphone

10:56:10 Josh S: it's not impossible

10:56:19 Mel: and i'm sure apple is already looking into that

10:56:23 Mel: just as the iphone was a 6 year project

10:56:24 Josh S: right

10:56:30 Josh S: there is no market for this

10:56:33 Josh S: is what im saying

10:56:35 Mel: and this tablet is 20 years in the making

10:56:46 Mel: right, and i'm saying apple is inventing a new market

10:56:53 Josh S: it's like the Air

10:56:54 Josh S: it's for show

10:57:09 Mel: um no, the air is just dumb because it's ridiculously expensive

10:57:17 Mel: the air's only niche is

10:57:29 Mel: rich fucks that want a travel-light secondary computer

10:57:33 Mel: it's not meant to be a primary computer

10:57:38 Mel: it's an apple netbook, if you will

10:57:40 Mel: it's just dumb because

10:57:43 Mel: it's retardly expensive

10:58:03 Josh S: so you're saying what will make the difference here is the intro price?

10:58:10 Josh S: of this pad

10:58:26 Mel: what will make the difference?

10:58:35 Josh S: nothing

10:58:37 Josh S: its fate is sealed

10:58:39 Josh S: haha

10:58:42 Josh S: it will fail

10:58:50 Josh S: it may break even

10:58:55 Josh S: it may start a revolution

10:59:00 Josh S: but the iPad is destined to fail

10:59:08 Josh S: this is coming from a 25 year old advertiser...

10:59:23 Josh S: so take it however you want

10:59:27 Josh S: but, all im hearing

10:59:29 Josh S: from everyone around me

10:59:36 Josh S: is that it doesn't make sense

10:59:44 Josh S: it's a giant iPod

10:59:51 Josh S: and it's not worth picking up

10:59:51 Mel: yes, it is

10:59:54 Mel: a giant ipod

11:00:06 Mel: with ebook functionality, media functionality

11:00:09 Mel: gaming functionality

11:00:27 Mel: gaming and e-publishing are the biggest points about this device

11:00:29 Mel: over the iphone

11:00:42 Mel: and then the enterprise software

11:00:48 Josh S: dude

11:00:51 Josh S: one point is all i have

11:00:52 Mel: which we'll be seeing in a year or so

11:00:59 Josh S: i'm going to end on this

11:01:04 Josh S: the world runs on Microsoft

11:01:08 Josh S: and for a reason

11:01:15 Josh S: apple has always been about the consumer

11:01:17 Josh S: not about businesses

11:01:25 Josh S: you're telling me that they're changing their business model entirely

11:01:28 Mel: and that's something they've realized and they're changing

11:01:35 Josh S: I don't buy it

11:01:37 Josh S: not for a second

11:01:38 Mel: no, their business model has always been the same:

11:02:06 Mel: make money on premium prized hardware, and invent content, software and content distribution to facilitate purchasing of the hardware

11:02:10 Mel: *priced

11:02:11 Josh S: dude

11:02:20 Mel: apple barely breaks even on selling music

11:02:25 Mel: same with apps

11:02:33 Mel: they make all their money selling expensive ass hardware

11:02:53 Mel: but they use amazing software adn content partnerships as their killer advantage

11:03:11 Josh S: they will not be able to effectively monopolize content, especially information

11:03:19 Josh S: it will never happen

11:03:23 Josh S: unless they move to China

11:03:23 Mel: ia gree

11:03:30 Mel: same way they don't monopolize music

11:03:39 Mel: but they dominate in the hardware category

11:03:47 Mel: sure, people have hundreds of ways to get music

11:03:51 Mel: but

11:03:52 Josh S: fiiine

11:03:54 Mel: the iphone and ipod dominate

11:03:58 Josh S: no

11:04:07 Josh S: itunes dominates

11:04:11 Josh S: and I can have that on any platform I wish

11:04:40 Josh S: haha, this is an entirely different discussion

11:04:55 Josh S: I like how you're a brand ambassador for apple

11:05:02 Josh S: in my opinion

11:05:06 Josh S: i think this product

11:05:06 Mel: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10417825-37.html

11:05:09 Josh S: this one we're looking at

11:05:13 Mel: http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/28/apple-iphone-closing-in-on-blackberry-market-share/

11:05:14 Josh S: will not be sucessful

11:05:30 Mel: help me interpret those numbers then

11:05:32 Josh S: that is my point

11:05:47 Mel: your point that apple is closing in on blackberry?

11:06:01 Josh S: hold on, work

11:10:39 Josh S: that's not a projection

11:10:44 Josh S: that's historical

11:10:58 Josh S: trend, yes, apple is catching up

11:11:08 Josh S: what makes you think the iPad will effect these numbers?

11:11:29 Mel: apple is inventing a new market, so it won't matter for at least a year

11:11:34 Josh S: and yes a 10% share is pretty dominant

11:11:35 Mel: it'll be it's own chart

11:11:54 Josh S: this "new market" of yours...

11:12:02 Josh S: when I see it, then we'll have the discussion

11:12:17 Josh S: as of now, we're looking at a very expensive toy that doesn't have a home

11:13:04 Josh S: are they rolling out this new market now as well?

11:13:59 Mel: yes, new market was invented today

11:14:09 Mel: it's not meant to be a phone

11:14:11 Mel: or a computer

11:14:14 Mel: it's a tablet device

11:14:54 Mel: it's a new category

11:15:05 Mel: (actually, it's an old old category but this is the re-invention of it)

11:19:25 Mel: $499

11:19:29 Mel: my friend

11:19:42 Mel: http://c0581892.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/apple-tablet-keynote_177.jpg

11:25:01 Josh S: yeah

11:25:03 Josh S: without 3G

11:25:09 Josh S: so it's a giant iPod

11:25:12 Josh S: again

11:25:18 Mel: and again, that price will go down

11:25:29 Josh S: it's $700 for everything you need

11:25:32 Josh S: including the service

11:25:39 Mel: if it's for businesses, they won't need 3G

11:25:41 Mel: just wifi

11:25:47 Josh S: are you going to get one?

11:25:53 Josh S: not even the live blog people are impressed

11:25:53 Mel: i'll wait for 128GB

11:26:02 Josh S: yeah, 16gb?

11:26:07 Mel: right now it'll be early adopters taht'll jump on this

11:26:09 Mel: just like the iphone

11:26:11 Josh S: my phone has more than that

11:26:18 Mel: but once it gets cheaper, it'll be legit mainstream

11:26:28 Josh S: yeah, if it gets to about $200

11:26:30 Josh S: I'd get one

11:26:32 Mel: early adopters are willing to throw down $600 for a 8GB iphone when it came out

11:26:43 Mel: early adopters don't care about price

11:26:44 Josh S: iphone was revolutionary

11:26:44 Josh S: this

11:26:46 Josh S: not so much

11:26:50 Josh S: nothing "magical" about it

11:26:58 Josh S: it's a big ass iPod

11:27:04 Mel: i agree

11:27:10 Mel: but it comes down to the experience

11:27:13 Mel: of the software and teh content

11:27:16 Josh S: oh god

11:27:17 Josh S: here we go

11:27:32 Josh S: experience the 7 inch screen

11:27:33 Josh S: that's it

11:27:37 Mel: <---- i'm a software designer. user experience matters

11:27:50 Mel: it's not just about what a device can do, it's also about how easy it is to do it

11:27:50 Josh S: well

11:27:57 Josh S: we'll be able to tell in a few months if you are right

11:28:04 Josh S: because if it doesn't sell well

11:28:05 Mel: the iphone was a smartphone and smartphones have been around since the mid 90s

11:28:05 Josh S: they'll kill it

11:28:25 Josh S: and I just don't see smart people spending money on it

11:28:32 Mel: but when the price goes down

11:28:33 Mel: then what?

11:28:39 Josh S: dude

11:28:46 Josh S: haha

11:28:48 Josh S: actually

11:28:50 Josh S: i was just oging to say

11:28:55 Josh S: think of the R&D they have to make up

11:28:57 Josh S: then I just realized

11:29:04 Josh S: it's a big iPod...probably not much R&D

11:29:22 Mel: they invest a shit-ton in R&D

11:29:30 Josh S: right, so if it doesn't sell

11:29:33 Josh S: you kill it

11:29:37 Mel: watch, they're gonna put in RFID in these devices soon

11:29:40 Mel: that's a game changer

11:29:47 Josh S: you lower the price to get rid of the shit that never sold to recoup some costs

11:30:08 Mel: umm no, they use the R&D to provide the highest bang for your buck

11:30:15 Mel: so they can pass the price savings to the consumer

11:30:17 Josh S: yeah, I said

11:30:19 Josh S: if the product fails

11:30:29 Josh S: you sell it off to recoup costs

11:30:53 Josh S: there is no price savings to the consumer when it comes to apple

11:31:01 Josh S: it's high-end and it likes being there

11:32:01 Josh S: with 3G this thing is a big iPhone

11:32:10 Josh S: only my iPhone can sometimes make calls

11:32:24 Josh S: sometimes

11:32:40 Josh S: for the amount of press it's getting, I hope it does well

11:32:52 Josh S: we'll see in six months what unfolds

11:32:56 Josh S: should be interesting

11:34:20 Mel: yep, will be interesting

11:34:26 Mel: aight, i gotta go back to work

11:34:29 Josh S: haha

11:34:38 Josh S: $800 i can get a loaded lap top

11:34:45 Mel: i agree

11:34:46 Josh S: or a nice TV with a much biggers creen

11:34:49 Mel: i agree

11:34:49 Josh S: haha

11:34:59 Josh S: okay man

11:34:59 Josh S: seriously

11:34:59 Josh S: work

11:35:00 Josh S: peace

11:35:01 Mel: late

While the RIAA tells you it's illegal to rip your music CDs to your iPod, proposes a $5/month Music Tax and an iPod Tax, Trent Reznor says "download it, remix it, share it, post it on your blog, play it on your podcast, give it to strangers, etc"

Here's what the official website says:

as a thank you to our fans for your continued support, we are giving away the new nine inch nails album one hundred percent free, exclusively via nin.com.

the music is available in a variety of formats including high-quality MP3, FLAC or M4A lossless at CD quality and even higher-than-CD quality 24/96 WAVE. your link will include all options - all free. all downloads include a PDF with artwork and credits.

for those of you interested in physical products, fear not. we plan to make a version of this release available on CD and vinyl in july. details coming soon.

I'm not a particular fan of Nine Inch Nails, but I'm a huge fan of people that stick up for the little guy.

Thank you, Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails. You guys fucking rock. :bigthumbup:

The internet is evolving in a very, very cool way. And this past week, Yahoo! made a huuuuuge step by adopting a thing called OpenID.

What is OpenID?

So what does this mean? This means that if you have a Yahoo! account, you'll be able to sign into thousands of OpenID-enabled sites without having to register. Just log in with your OpenID and you're good to go.

The cool thing is Yahoo! isn't the only big company that's supporting this. Google and Microsoft are on board, and AOL already lets you use your AOL/AIM account as your OpenID login. There's no doubt you'll be seeing more sites that say "login with OpenID" in the future.

Another big announcement in the past couple weeks is Google and Facebook joining the DataPortability project.

What is Data Portability?

So what does this all mean? This means that websites will be easier to join and everything (in theory) will be able to work with each other. Example:

I have a shitload of pictures on my Flickr account. Problem is, many pictures are things that should be kept private (e.g. photos of us drinking back home). So one option I could do is set all of those photos as private and tell you, "hey, if you want to see these private photos, you'll have to register at Flickr and add me as a friend." It sucks having to say that, because I really want to share these photos with you guys but at the same time I want to respect everyone's privacy.

So someday (in theory) I'll be able to say "gimme your OpenID so I can add you as a friend, then log into Flickr with your OpenID" and you'll automagically be able to see my private, friends-only photos.

That's just one example that I can think of off the top of my head. The possibilities are beyond endless. If OpenID and DataPortability really take off, you'll be able to share whatever you want with whoever you want, anywhere and everywhere.

As an Apple Fanboy, this is the most wonderful time of the year, other than Christmas. Even three years before I made the switch to Mac, I paid close attention to Steve Jobs and his zen approach to introducing teh new hotness.

Last year, Stevie introduced the iPhone. That was absolutely huge. It was a five year project that was in the works ever since the launch of the original iPod back in 2002. If you pay close attention to all of the latest cellphones, it's clear everyone is stilling trying to play catch-up by adding multi-touch hotness and true mobile web browsing.

So what is Steve gonna unveil this year? Obviously we won't know until Tuesday morning because Apple is notoriously good at keeping their lips shut, and even more notorious at seeding false information to outsiders. But based on rumblings in the blogging community, their history in product cycles and a little melv-intuition, here is what I predict:

• iTunes Video Rentals — It's been leaked countless times that Fox, Disney and more studios are on board.
• Apple TV 2.0 / Mac nano — It's the only logical compliment for the new iTunes Video Rentals service. Added ability to download movies right from your TV.
• iPhone Updates — Definitely new software features. Possibility of a 12GB model and price cut on existing 8GB model. Definitely no 3G network support yet.
• MacBook Air — An all-new line of slim pro notebooks. Possibly the rumored sub-notebook, but I don't think so...not just yet.
• New Cinema Displays — They're overdue for new form factors and screen sizes.
• No iPod Updates — Too soon. They were just updated before the holiday season.

Those are my more probable predictions. But there's one more thing...my ultra crazy pipe-dream prediction:

• Google Integration with .Mac — With the CEO of Google on Apple's Board of Directors, I think the two companies will try to double team on Microsoft and Microsoft Office. Someday I see a tight integration between Apple iWork and Google Docs. That is, the ability to work on Word documents on your Mac, and have it all save onto your Google account. You'll be able to edit your Word & Excel documents anywhere you want, whether it's on your computer, in your web browser or on your iPhone.

That's all my predictions for this year's expo. Whatever they announce, it should be awesome...just as long as it's not an all-new iPhone. In which case I will have to shoot myself.

// inspired by sherwin at properscoundrels.com

Business Week:

In a move that would mark the end of a digital music era, Sony BMG Music Entertainment is finalizing plans to sell songs without the copyright protection software that has long restricted the use of music downloaded from the Internet, BusinessWeek.com has learned.

Sweeet! But what does this mean?

This means that you'll be able to buy music from anywhere you want, and it'll play on any music player you want. Guaranteed. Doesn't matter if it's an iPod or a Microsoft Zune or an iRiver or whatever. It'll work.

So what's the big deal? Well maybe you've been downloading music illegally for so long, you haven't even noticed this thing called Digital Rights Management (DRM). If you don't know what DRM is, let me give you a brief history:

Remember the good 'ol days of Napster? You could download any song you could possibly think of, easily and conveniently. Of course it was all very, very illegal. So to protect the revenues of the recording industry, DRM was invented.

The idea behind DRM was this: prevent people from illegally sharing music on the internet. Understandable.

But what really happened? The recording industry forced companies like Apple and Microsoft to lock down all digital music sold. So if you spent a lot of money buying music from Yahoo! Music, or Wal-Mart Online, or the Sony Music Store, and then decide to switch to an iPod...too fucking bad! All of that music was locked by DRM and will only play on Microsoft-sanctioned players. And that's bullshit.

It's similar to how in the U.S. you have cellphones that only work on certain cellphone carriers. But then around the rest of the world, you can buy any cellphone and use it with any service. Awesome. That's the way cellphones should be.

And that's the way music should be too.

(As a sidenote: don't illegally download music from things like Lime Wire or torrents. The last I heard, the going rate for settling a legal case vs. the RIAA is $35,000. Are you ever gonna download that much music in your lifetime? No. Just pay for your music cuz $35,000 is just not worth it.)

(Another sidenote: DRM is on the way out, but watermarking your downloads with your personal info is in. If you download DRM-free music, do NOT share it!)</p>

In closing, I'd like to leave you with a YouTube video.