A recent study conducted by internet research firm comScore claimed that only about 38% of those who downloaded the album In Rainbows actually paid, implying that the band’s pay your own price experiment was a failure. The band responded recently calling this claim “wholly inaccurate,” implying that the folks at comScore are a bunch of morons. A statement issued by the band reveals the whole story:
“In response to purely speculative figures announced in the press regarding the number of downloads and the price paid for the album, the group’s representatives would like to remind people that, as the album could only be downloaded from the band’s website, it is impossible for outside organizations to have accurate figures on sales.”
Good point. I would like to think that Radiohead fans aren’t as cheap as we have been lead to believe. But my question is when are we going to see some official numbers? [e-consultancy via Pocket-Lint]
I died a little inside after watching this fanboy rap video touting the benefits of owning the soon-to-be-released Verizon Voyager. It has everything —including multiple references Britney Spears. Hell, even the Amish can’t escape its wrath. Watch at your own risk. [VerizonVoyager.org via Wired]
Far be it from us to taunt you with a video highlighting a product most of you won’t be able to get your hands on, but here you have it —a video of the DS Tuner in action. On the other hand, if you live in Japan it is a whole other story. The tuner is set for release there on November 23rd for around $60. [Gamebrink]
Remember YouTube’s content filtering system? AT&T is mulling setting one up across its whole network. BusinessWeek’s reporting AT&T’s in talks with NBC Universal and Disney to possibly use content-recognition tech developed by Vobile—a company they’ve all invested in—to block pirated material from being sent to and fro along its network.
The setup would work a lot like GooTube’s—the networks would hand over a bank of material that AT&T/Vobile would run traffic on the network against, looking for positive IDs. If it matches the “video DNA” on file, it gets the hammer. Supposedly Vobile’s ID tech is tops, at least among “a dozen or so other systems” tested by the MPAA. AT&T’s reportedly been testing it since spring, though it’d launch until late 2008 at the earliest.
In order to keep consumers and net neutrality advocates from flipping out, one marketing strategy AT&T might use is to emphasise the filter as a way to catch child porn, since no one can really argue against stopping predators. On the flip side, an effective monitoring program is loaded with business propositions, from helping them net content distribution rights to being able to “offer far more detailed information on [customers']likes and dislikes, in turn enabling AT&T and its partners to land lucrative deals with advertisers hungry for such data.”
I could act all shocked and appalled like Wilson about AT&T being so disinterested in customers’ privacy (to put it lightly), but it wouldn’t be genuine, and I’d feel dirty in the morning for lying to you. [BusinessWeek via Broadband Reports]
I love green technology, especially when it doesn’t involve me lifting so much as a finger. With the Cyber-Rain XCI, you can take control of your sprinkler system across eight zones and help conserve water and a little cash at the same time. Via a wireless connection with your PC, the Cyber-Rain can make adjustments to scheduled watering times using current weather data.
If the forecast looks like rain, the unit is smart enough to suspend operations. It can even optimise its schedule based on the changing seasons. And the best part is that it isn’t as expensive as you might expect. If you already have an irrigation system in place, Cyber-Rain can be added for only $295. So it may actually pay for itself in a short amount of time. [Product Page via GTW via Sci Fi Tech]
More in our ‘what to do this weekend’ special… Popcorn Taxi is presenting a very short run of Ridley Scott’s ‘Final Cut’ of the geek masterpiece ‘Blade Runner’. This weekend you can see it on the glorious screen at the Hayden Orpheum, Cremorne, and next weekend at the Astor Theatre, St Kilda. Four sessions in Sydney and seven in Melbourne. These are cutting edge HD screenings, too, on display using the world leading Sony CineAlta 4K DCI projector. The movie is remastered, with new and extended scenes, new effects, and a new 5.1 soundtrack.
The movie is out on DVD, HD DVD, and Blu-ray December 19, but this short run of screenings will live long in the memory of those who make it along. More details and pre-sales at the Popcorn Taxi website.
And for the Melbourne crew, check in again Monday – Popcorn Taxi has given us 5 double passes to the Melbourne sessions to give away, so you’re sure to want to have a crack at those! If we had more time, we might hold a paper crane building competition, but with the short notice we’ll come up with something else over the weekend. [Popcorn Taxi]
If you’re in Sydney and looking for something to do this weekend, why not go see some freaky flora at the Tropical Centre of the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens. The Star of Bethlehem is currently in flower, showing off its unique 30 centimetre spur that Darwin predicted must have an appropriately capable pollinator animal for it to have survived. That was in 1862. In 1903 (21 years after his death) the hawk moth was discovered, with a probiscis long enough to reach the bottom of the orchid’s nectar tube.
The argument for evolution is that the two evolved side by side, forming an evolutionary bond that meant the survival of both species – the moth with reduced competition for its food source, and the orchid with a faithful pollination partner.
Science in action is fun! And to all those who believe the Earth is just 5,000 years old and this is all part of His great design / test of our faith? Well, there’s no telling fooling you, huh? Go look on its majesty and praise Him some more. Either way, full press release from the Gardens after the jump.
I’m too much of a cricket fan to let this just cruise on by without a mention. You’ve probably seen the ads from 3 Mobile already, but if you haven’t, this year they have again tied in with the cricket to bring the whole summer of internationals to you wherever you are (within their network, of course… watch out for those nasty roaming charges!) for $4 per month.
The biggest development is the arrival of a mobile-only TV show giving an inside perspective on the game. Hosted by Darren ‘Boof’ Lehman, ‘The Pitch’ is appearing daily with everything you’d expect of it – like a mini ‘The Cricket Show’.
Most importantly, you get a live feed of Channel Nine’s game coverage. No getting bumped for news time during the Gabba test! Pure, uninterrupted game time. Add to that access to the pre- and post- game press conferences and this is genuine quality for a fan of the game.
This might sound like an ad, but keep in mind this kind of mobile integration is world leading. You don’t hear the mothership talking about baseball or basketball doing these sorts of tie-ins to a mobile network (because they’re too full of BS about the money). I think it deserves acknowledgement as much for Cricket Australia and Channel Nine seeing this as something good for the fans. [3 Mobile]
Holy crap, this is the coolest umbrella I’ve ever seen. It’s got a little funnel at the top that sends rain water down the handle into the water pistol grip at the bottom. It’ll keep you dry and give you the opportunity to get others wet at the same time. It appears to be just a concept at the moment, but someone needs to make some phone calls and get it into production right now. I’m not kidding, go. Now. Check a picture of it in action after the jump.
The venerable Sub Pop label, which has put out records for everyone from Nirvana to The Shins, is trying their hand at the online music store game—and they’re doing it mostly right. They have over 200 full-length albums up for sale in 192kbps MP3 for $US9.90—stuff from the aforementioned bands, Hot Hot Heat, and Sunny Day Real Estate, just to name a few. And they’re already looking at ways to improve the store.
True, they’re not offering single tracks yet, some of the albums can be had for cheaper on iTunes and they’re 49 percent owned by Warner, one of the Big Four. But! They plan on upgrading the bitrate soon and adding album art to the packages in PDF or a similar format—right now, they have cover art embedded in the MP3s. And when they do, anyone who bought a previous version will get the updated version for free. Better still, they’re actually open to feedback from customers.
Overall it sounds like a solid effort from a solid label—it sort of feels like the online version of the corner record store stacked next to Best BuyTunes. [Sub Pop via Crave]
