Yanks fans can drool in envy. I can’t wait to sport these bad boys in enemy territory. These Beats By Dr. Dre Studio Red Sox Edition headphones are the new sweetness in personalized headphones and will even keep your ears warm too. They’ll run you $400 a pop but I highly doubt anyone could question your level of fandom. Maybe Dre will cover Sweet Caroline BA-BA-BA! Buy them at BeatsbyDre.com
Apr 062010
National Geographic COO Digital Strategy, Edward Prince Jr. is interviewed by Rafat Ali from PaidContent.org during the Abu Dhabi Media Summit last week. Check out the video interview here.
I’m a huge fan of Nat Geo the brand, the magazine, the cable channel, the photography and pretty much everything they have done since I can remember digging through my father’s extensive collection that dated back to the late 60′s when I was a kid. There is something special about the experience you feel turning from page to page and the remarkable job they have done to curate, archive and share some of the most compelling cultural works of art+science known to mankind.
National Geographic, I anticipate, will also be one of the thought leaders spearheading the way in which content & media companies migrate from old traditional media to new emerging digital mediums and business models.
Edward speaks about the company’s digital strategy and discusses how Nat Geo utilizes its two key pillars; their cable channel and magazine to draw a % of revenue and re-invest into the digital space (Web, Content Syndication, Gaming, Mobile and ePublishing). While many media companies rely mainly on an advertising revenue model, Nat Geo is developing apps and going into gaming. Their website is ad supported but they are banking heavily on the fact that consumers will pay for mobility and see mobility as a great value. I don’t know about you but I’m willing to compare how that full page print photo compares to the on screen version on the iPad.
Feb 282010
What is this piece of sexiness you might ask? Who would have thought? This is a brilliant brand extension from PUMA and the M1 even has its own built in solar cell, too bad its only available in Europe for now.
60 Minutes had an interesting report on Bloom Energy who claims they can replace the big power plants and the electricity grid with their new Bloom Box technology. Made from baked beach sand and ink, its a new kind of fuel cell with no need for burning or combustion to create energy, clean energy. Sound too good to be true? Fed Ex, Google, Wal-Mart and Staples are all currently using the Bloom Box. It is obvious that clean energy technology is the new gold rush for the 21st century and Bloom may hold the holy grail. Of course there are going to be skeptics to any new technology in the clean energy space claiming to have all the solutions but I also applaud Bloom’s vision and am hopeful that through human ingenuity and science we will create alternative energy solutions that will solve many of today’s challenges in the near future.
Copyright Criminals explores the craft of music sampling from the rise of hip-hop to its current state. The documentary provides interesting view points from various perspectives of the industry including Chuck D from Public Enemy to seminal D.I.Y producer Steve Albini. The film questions, ‘Can you own a sound?’
Sample culture is ultimately pop culture and I think this debate is a very interesting one. Can you own a sound? I’m still not sure what side I am on. I don’t think you should prevent or inhibit artistic expression yet somehow the original creator should still be compensated. I’m not saying we should only create art to make money but those that do should at least get the recognition and respect they deserve, ask the funky drummer himself, Clive Stubblefield.
What is even more interesting to me is where technology is taking us. Sample culture, hip-hop and its cut-and-paste ethos are driving innovation and art beyond sound. Pop culture is multi-media and we live in a multi-media world. Audio and Video. What we should really be asking is not ‘Can you own a sound?’ but what ownership of art for the creator really means?
