Aug 5 2011

Okay, at least it’s over

Rosemary

That’s two straight weeks of too much overtime. This in punishment payment for my week off after Readercon. The paperwork doesn’t stop rolling in just because I’m not there!

I decided I needed an evening at the Funky Monkey.

Lounging in the loungeteria area

Lounging in the loungeteria area

I’m ordering a second latte and hunkering down to some serious catching up on WRITING. Can’t let that Seekrit Project languish.

deep thoughts

deep thoughts


Aug 5 2011

Geek out!

Rosemary

Sometimes I just have to. Because I am a geek, a nerd, in my heart of hearts.

Here’s the latest thing that’s making me go into paroxysms of geeky delight:

I wander into my boss’ office, and find he’s out — but his internet radio is on.

Hm, says I, wonder what that catchy tune is?  Enter Shazam.

Pull out the ol’ iPodTouch (with its microphone, which just happens to be attached)….

Listen, little app...

Wait a bit.. and hey,  it’s —

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It went and looked it up, clever little app — by listening.

But sure, Cher’s totally famous…  How about someone less ubiquitous?

I listen to WUMB during my workday.   They show the playlist as they go:

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Point to the speakers….

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Yep. Plus: it will show you the lyrics.

Sure, only works for recorded music — you can’t hum or whistle the tune, can’t hold it up during a live performance. But I find this just crazy cool.

But here’s the caveat, and it’s the usual one: Like everyone else these days, Shazam really wants you link up with your pals, share “tags”, buy the music through iTunes, set up an account so they can track every damn thing you do, go through Facebook, and in general use you as an unpaid shill and marketing research guinea pig.

But you don’t have to do those things. You can just use it to look up music. (Be sure to delete your “tags” afterward; the free version only allows you 5 tags at a time.)

So, it’s fun. Amaze your friends! I just did, wowwing my co-worker by sticking the iPod through an office door where music was playing, and coming back with the song name. And doing it again for the next song.

This probably impresses programmers and other techies more than it does general consumers. Consumers probably just generally expect computers to work this way, and be able to do this sort of thing. It’s a tricorder, right? We’ve seen that before, now we’ve got ’em for real. Whatevs.

But, hello, it’s a new thing, and hard to do! Masses of weirdly intelligent people got together and made this difficult thing happen, and then put it in my pocket, for my fun and convenience.

Love that 21st century.