I recently listed my podcast at the iTunes Store and wanted a shorter way to give out the URL. The standard link you get by right-clicking the tile is this monstrosity: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=207870198 Note that the important part is the last nine characters, the iTunes numeric ID. Apple's Scott Simpson clued me in to this little-known shorter version of the...

People ask some revealing questions when they hear that I review music technology gear. "Do you get to keep it?" "Don't advertisers get better reviews?" "Do manufacturers ever tuck a $100 bill in the box to influence you?" Canadian music journalist Kyle David Paul wondered about these issues and more after reading my article "The Secret Life of a Product...

Dolby Labs "is unveiling a sound-leveling technology called Dolby Volume today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that its executives say will finally eliminate the jagged audio discrepancies that exist between shows and commercials and even between scenes within the same movie or program." (San Fancisco Chronicle, Jan 8, 2007) Please, God, let it work! And I say...

Here are some of my hopes for what we'll experience in the digital media world during 2007: *Resolution regarding copy protection issues between technology companies and content owners *Fresh, dynamic new companies that have the impact MySpace, YouTube, and Skype have had (with or without the wild valuations) -- just looking for creative, innovative solutions with impact & longevity. *An...

A big howdy to everyone stopping by to pick up their weekly dose of Napster freebies. These freebies can help you fill up your iPod or Zune or Zen or whatever with fun new artists. The links provided here appear to work without limitations in many countries around the world. As always, if you have any feedback drop me an...

I gave the Logitech Z-10 interactive speakers high marks for audio quality, but was disappointed with their lack of Mac compatibility. An independent developer, Marc Liyanage, has fixed the problem with his terrific LogitechLCDTool. Marc's story is an interesting one, and if you'd like to know more about his process for figuring out how to write this app, take...

The report from Project Bar-B-Q 2006 is now online, and its annual predictions are as provocative as ever. Bar-B-Q (I'm on the advisory board) is a four-day conference designed to shape the future of music on computers. Hosted by the Fat Man on a Texas ranch each October, it brings together 50 experts in chip design, music software, game music,...

Friday has rolled around once again, and this week many of you have new digital music players to enjoy. Load 'em on up with this fresh heap of Napster freebies. "Make Love" by Jess KleinEven with six albums under her belt, Jess Klein's latest is her most revelatory. City Garden, which features today's free download, is an emotional work which...

Brad Fuller's article "Inside Pandora: Web Radio That Listens to You" went behind the scenes of the Internet radio station with the human touch. As Brad explained, Pandora's playlists are shaped by a staff of expert music analysts. Now one of those analysts has launched a podcast that goes inside the music itself. The working title Pandora Podcast is the...

One of the most intimidating audio interfaces for beginners is the conventional mixing board -- the Neve console at the studio where I used to work had well over a thousand knobs, buttons, and faders. (We used to record settings by snapping Polaroid photos.) At the same time, having one control for each function can make a device easier to...