As iTunes adds my 26GB MP3 library (for the 3rd time today, it pops into the foreground every minute so hitting ENTER at that moment Stops the whole process), I thought, there has to be a better way!

I have a PC and a Mac, but this problem is for anyone with a new computer or re-installing. After many hours wasted trying the different ways I can workaround iTunes to share my music library with more than one computer while keeping ratings, album art, etc., I figured out the solution. And it doesn't exist.

The solution? Put it on the cloud. Here is how it would work:
- Open your browser and login to Apple's new online music service (or another company's, but I think only Apple can pull this off).
- Every song ever made is available, streaming. No need to store music on your computer, your disk space is free! (Get over "owning" your music).
- Use the online iTunes-like interface to create unlimited playlists, accessible anywhere via a browser. Of course there would be an iPhone App and/or mobile web interface as well so you can stream with 3G in your car.
- Ability to play stations (using Genius or a Pandora-style recommendation engine).
- This would all be paid for with a subscription fee, much like NetFlix or Satellite Radio.

I don't like paying as much as the next guy, but hear me out. How many hours have you spent downloading mp3's, organizing the folders, re-tagging them, buying the odd few from the iTunes Store, sharing and importing libraries, debated over WMP vs WinAmp vs iTunes vs MediaMonkey, and then changed computers and had to re-import your libraries and lost your playlists? And if you're like many who still get MP3's via BitTorrent or from friends, add to that the headaches of poor sound quality, fakes, or Japan exclusive versions. Think of the time you'd save.

Many companies are trying this, but they are struggling. A quick Google fails to show any recent articles or success stories. This TechCrunch article written in 2006 compares the major subscription services like Napster and Rhapsody. Apple didn't do much from iTunes 7 to 8, and just reading this article about the 10 things Apple should do in iTunes 9 has me hoping they are secretly developing this service.

You might be asking: What if I want to burn a CD? And how will I add music to my iPod if I don't have the files locally? Until we are 100% wireless, here are two solutions:
1) To burn a CD, the service allows downloading of playlists via a proprietary self-CD-burning program, or just an ISO image (since we are leaning towards DRM-free anyways).
2) To copy to your iPod, the online interface will have a Sync much like iTunes already does.

And as I hit ENTER, iTunes just came to the foreground and my import stopped at 843 of 3467. I can't re-import, or else I'll get duplicates, and we all know how well iTunes handles those. I'll attempt #4 overnight. :(

Labels: mp3 music iTunes subscription

I've replaced the ugly Twitter widget on the right sidebar with a simpler version. Want to add one to your blog so you too can delay posts for months, and instead microblog 140 characters at a time? Don't be intimidated, a little CSS is all you need to know.

http://www.bloggerbuster.com/2008/04/add-customized-twitter-widget-to-your.html
http://www.junglejar.com/2008/11/08/style-twittertweets/

The badge I'm using from here, except I cleaned up the PNG white corners that kept it from being truly transparent:
http://ustandout.com/index.php/twitter/free-twitter-badges/

Labels: twitter design

One up to the guy at the ProDesign (Danish designer eyeglasses) warehouse in SF. He couldn't help me find a replacement tiny broken metal hinge, but he did reply within an hour and sent a list of four distributors within a few blocks. He didn't have to do that. (But that little piece of metal cost me $75!)

One down to Future Shop (suprise!). Picking up a web order shouldn't take 30min. It was 7pm and dead, the customer service desk had one staffer helping a guy very slowly return headphones, while five staff alternated between walking aimlessly, stocking shelves, shooting the shit, and playing on the computers. Only one made eye contact to our ever growing queue. I did fill out a customer survey email after.

One up to ClearlyContacts.ca for delivering TWO DAYS after I ordered! Few people know that you can still order through the US site CoastContacts.com, which is always cheaper as long as the dollar is above 85c USD.

Finally, one down to Toys R Us for their depressed gaming staff. Try asking if you can put a Wii Fit on hold. You'll get a hesitation, no eye contact, then a wishy washy "umm let me check", then "let me make a call", then a "we're suppose to get a shipment tomorrow", then a "we have 34 currently on hold". Everything to not get me to put a hold on for some reason. This happened twice.

Take the time. Care. Be a person. If you don't want to be there, don't. There are several others who want your job. It may be hard to train your employees to care, but it's harder (and costlier!) to get a customer back.

Labels: business marketing

Last month I had great seats to the fantastic Arts Club Theatre production of Cyrano de Bergerac at The Stanley. I still remember reading the subtitles for the movie adaptation starring Gerard Depardieu in Miss Bourbonnais' French class in high school. Steve Martin depiction in Roxanne is probably the best known, or Janeane Garofalo's scene stealing performance in The Truth About Cats and Dogs.

This Christmas in LA I saw the amazing Wicked, which continues the story of The Wizard of Oz and how the Wicked Witch of the West really became, well, wicked. Steve Martin has nothing to do with that musical, but he did star in the 1986 movie version of Little Shop of Horrors with goofy Rick Moranis, an Uncle Randy Production I enjoyed last night at the Centennial Theatre. Just a funny coincidence.

Next up on the "to see" list? Les Miserables in May!

Labels: play musical show

Canada has always been slow on the technology front, and Twitter acceptance is no different. I've setup my Twitter Updates to update my Facebook status because I can't be bothered to login to FB everyday. I don't know if I'll keep this up, but if anything, I'm spreading the Twitter word. The truth is, 90% of my friends still don't know what Twitter is. Twitter is the 405th ranked site in Canada, and 250th in the US according to Alexa.

Honestly when I first heard of Twitter in May (rather late I admit), I thought, who cares what you're having for lunch? Who cares where you're having coffee? That's what sites like Loopt are for. That's why I avoided it until late this summer. You can do fine without Twitter, as Seth Godin continues to show, however he is aware of it and realizes its power. But there is value in Twitter for networking, self-marketing, news, connecting consumers (as in the much sited Motrin revolt), and a whole slew of other things I haven't event thought of. I get half my news now through Twitter, from users such as Dosh Dosh, Mahalo's Jason Calacanis and EpicFu's Zadi Diaz.

I'm doubtful that I will ever meet any of these people I follow, and I can only wish to have half of the knowledge and experience they have, but I read their tweets everyday and learn from them. The masses watch American Idol. The masses are brainwashed by local newspapers to fear. The masses don't know what RSS is. The masses make Lezberado Revenge Fantasies, Akon, Rihanna, SpongeBob and the Potter Puppet Pals appear on YouTube's all-time most viewed list. It's one thing to go on Digg and see what the masses are reading, but its completely different to have the tool to find people with a similar mentality and motivations, and then have the ability to get inside their brain for a few seconds a day.

And that is why I tweet.

Labels: twitter business marketing

I called Westjet's enthusiastically named "Sales Super Center" to apply a credit from my last trip to Calgary for delayed luggage. They answered after 4 rings. I remember last month they picked up so quickly I was caught off guard, partially because I had been on hold on Rogers for half an hour just before.

So what about Air Canada? Out of curiosity, I called them as an experiment.
1) Immediately the automated voice asks to choose English or French. I'm assuming Westjet's people are all bilingual since they don't prompt.
2) You're reminded to check AirCanada.com for all your needs. (Already feeling like they don't want to talk to me)
3) Menu options! The third one is reservations, where they remind you again that they have a website.
4) I press 3 and hear "$25 may apply to these services". (They REALLY don't want to talk to anyone)
5) No ring, just "All our agents are presently busy". Add me to the queue please.

Every interaction is a marketing opportunity, and Air Canada fails every time.

Labels: airlines business

TripHub is out of business, citing factors such as "the economic environment" and "the state of the travel". And also, they ran out of money.

Devoted readers (all 7 of you) will remember my post from March'07 when I was searching for a trip planning site for my 3 weeks in Thailand. Shortly after posting my negative review, TripHub's VP of Marketing John Pope (with help from a web monitoring/spidering tool no doubt), left this comment:

John
Victor - I'm happy that you know (and are glad) that we are listening. We are. And we will work hard to improve TripHub!

It was very Godin-ish for John to leave a note, good luck to his future endeavours.

So I'm still looking for a travel journal / planning tool that incorporates photos, Google Maps, blogs and travel research. Yahoo's Trip Planner hasn't changed since I used them for that trip. Any recommendations?

Labels: reviews web travel marketing

A month ago I received a text from evil Rogers about Apple's product recall for all 3G power owners, and today I got my DHL package in the mail.

I was surprised to see the size of the packaging, as Apple's retail products typically use minimal packaging. The ultracompact adapter is less than 5x3x3cm, but the box it came in (photo taken from my iPhone, uploaded via Evernote) 25x15x9cm. A little excessive, don't you think?

How big a mess is this recall? Unofficial conservative napkin math:
10 million iPhone 3G's X $1 cost for new adapter (they probably got them from their China suppliers free, but lets call it overhead. Retail is $29) X $10 to ship (couriered to my door via DHL from Elk Grove, CA) for a total cost of $100,000,000.

On top of that, customers must ship the faulty part back, or else "Apple will have the right to charge your credit card a non-return fee". There is suppose to be a return label, but I don't see it. And since I bought my iPhone new from Rogers, I'm going to see what happens if I don't return it. 2 chargers is better than 1.

Update 10/21: A pretty birdie unpeeled the DHL label that covered the "Lift Here" EZ return label. But I still won't return it.

Labels: iphone environment recall

I put one post up on Friday looking for a contract IT worker, and here are snippets from the 44 replies I got back:

"We are confident of assist you as a partner"
- I will not hire anyone who can't pass Grade 12 English.

"...I charge a flat fee for a liscence to the cms, and $40/hr for doing customizations (the customization possibilities are endless). "
- Unfortunately, my budget is not endless.

"I wanted to introduce our services to you, perhaps you may find us financially relieving" (from Santa Monica)
- Thats a new term.

"...to ensure the work we do is at par with global quality standards." (China based)
- Can someone point me towards a list of these standards?

"Hello . have you ever checked out (Company name) web services . "
- That was the entire email. Thanks for putting in the effort.

"Scincerely, The Tech Contract Out group."
- They quoted 2X the rate of the next highest. And spelled it "pay-pall". Terrible company name.

"My background/resume: http://www.xxxxxxx.net
There is enough bluriage on it, as it is. ;-)"
- If anything, I learned a new word today.

"Hello, I am John, and I am looking for a way to earn extra income at home
for upcoming marriage."
- Does this mean after you get married, I won't be able to reach you?

All hope is not lost, I'm currently short listing the 16 that passed the initial skim-for-crap filter.

Labels: web jobs resume