There has been much discussion of why Apple would produce a low end flash-memory based player. As many have noted, although the iPod shuffle has Apple design fingerprints all over it, technically it doesn't offer all that much compared to competitors' offerings. The only unique technical feature is the ability to natively play iTunes-purchased tracks.
But the shuffle does have that low, low priceof USD$99. And as many current iPod owners have discovered, the full iPod has a high price that can end up being paid more than once. Reports from the U.S., Canada, Britain, and Australia all show that iPods can make the wearer a snatch theft target. Those distinctive white headphones signify your membership in an exclusive club — a club that means you are carrying USD$400 worth of gear in your pocket.
That makes the iPod shuffle uniquely valuable to all existing iPod owners. Take a close look — the headphones on the shuffle are the same cool looking white ones you get on the big iPods. But tucked in that shirt or jacket pocket, the average snatch-and-grab thief will now find only a 99 dollar lump of plastic the size of a package of gum, with no display, voice recorder, or FM radio.
Voila! By reducing the value in the pockets of people wearing those distinctive headphones, Apple has reduced the value associated with mugging someone to get at that pocket. The risk is now much less likely to be worth the reward. The security of the average iPod owner is thus enhanced.
Rejoice, iPod owners! By creating the lowest priced iPod ever, Apple has lowered the price of admission to the club. Now the high end iPod owner can walk safe again, hiding in a crowd of low-priced decoys.
Long before anything like blogging — or even personal webpages — there was a well-regarded form of personal journalism. It's an old technology, but I'm certain you've heard of it. Radio, that is.
With BBC dropping some of its transmissions to North America in favour of streaming and rebroadcasting, it could be tempting to think that the Internet was going to marginalize another communications technology. But the Internet depends heavily on a technology infrastructure, which in turn usually depends heavily on a stable social and political environment. It is certainly true that many newer cellular-style systems are far cheaper and far faster to set up — but when that stability is lost, communications towers and data centres can often be among the first targets.
Radio is perhaps the ultimate P2P system. A transmitter two countries away can reach out to receivers in areas that are otherwise completely out of contact with the world. The advent of wind-up shortwave receivers meant that even electricity and batteries were no longer needed. And amateur radio operators can provide live updates — granted, voice only — long after the last audio or photo blogger is out of contact.
With this in mind, mutatron points you to Radio Netherlands' Media Network and their news page. This is an extension of the now off-air Media Network program. You may find a completely different take here on many world events, largely because you are tapping into communications that you usually don't hear.
These days, you may want to go directly to the Iraq media dossier. Here also, you will find lots of info that doesn't come up elsewhere. They have a really nice map of Iraq to help you place the various events. In many ways, this is just a starting point to various analyses and links to other regional broadcast info. In particular, note the U.S. radio efforts to engage the Iraqi people themselves — both civilian and military — to either be a coalition partner, or to at least surrender. Also check out the Clandestine Radio Watch newsletter for summaries on radio-related news and happenings worldwide. For those who want to try their hand at shortwave listening, there are times and frequencies listed in many of the items in the dossier. For those who would need to buy a radio first, there is a receiver guide.
Keep in mind as you read that much of this material is for those in the path of potential military action. There is a certain reality underpinning this information. An ocean or two away, your views may be heavily dependent on media broadcasts, with no reality marching past your door to either confirm or deny what you are hearing and watching. Many of these broadcasts are there to prepare people who may shortly be more involved than that, with no choice in the matter.
There was going to be a 4-day rock concert in Tehran, but it looks like it got cancelled. Does this sort of thing happen all the time, and we just never hear about it? Topic covered in Persian at Hossein Derakhshan's Weblog: کنسرت راک در تهران