Category: Media

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 18, 20157:30 am

Flickr a Day 138: ‘Cold Soul’

For once I am glad for a photostream with so many images licensed All Rights Reserved, which means instant disqualification. This series only features Creative Commons works. There isn’t a Hamed Parham pic I wouldn’t pick otherwise, making the selection next to impossible, if not for the small number designated CC.

Some photos command character. Hamed goes further, by way of composition and perspective revealing each subject’s character. His street portraits are classic. Iconic. They’re ripped from the present and transported into the past.

News Media by Joe WilcoxMay 17, 20156:10 pm

Responsible Reporting Section 1 ‘News in Context’: Chapters V and VI

The fourth installment in the serialization of my ebook Responsible Reporting: Field Guide for Bloggers, Journalists, and Other Online News Gatherers continues the assault on Google, which provides a necessary utility that benefits all news organizations; they sacrifice content and revenue for the privilege.

Last week, Chapters 3 and 4 focused on the broken advertising-driven model in context of Google’s greater ambitions. The previous two, and the Foreward, explain what changed since 2006 and why the Fourth Estate is in crisis.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 17, 20157:35 am

Flickr a Day 137: ‘Monks on Smartphones’

Some selections are instant decisions. “Monks on Smartphones” makes the Day as much for the self-title as the excellent, suggestive composition. We don’t see the devices but know they are there. The choice of focal […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 16, 201510:44 am

A Hundred Smiles and My Frown

How unexpected. For the second time within three days, I spotlight photography that won’t be part of my Flickr a Day series but should be. The project, which reaches No. 136 this fine Saturday, only features […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 16, 20157:24 am

Flickr a Day 136: ‘Ghosts’

Motion describes the street style of Nadine Heidrich. From Mölln, Germany, but living in Hamburg, she is a relative Flickr newcomer, joining in August 2013. What a contribution her black-and-white portfolio brings. Each photo is a […]

Digital Lifestyle by Joe WilcoxMay 15, 201511:09 pm

What Good is Tidal HiFi if Content won’t Play?

Editor’s Note: Tidal resolved the problems long ago; I continue to subscribe a year later.

On May 1st, Tidal billed my credit card for the first month of music streaming. Yesterday, my subscription to Google Music ended. I should be satisfied with the switch, given how much more I enjoy 1411kbps lossless listening over the more typical 320kbps compressed streaming music. But recent, recurring service problems put my customer continuation into question.

Quality of content, or available selection of it, isn’t the problem. I find plenty of music to enjoy, and the default playlists are smartly curated. The high-fidelity is just that. But slow starts, drop-offs, and song skips disrupt the listening experience—and for a service costing twice as much as major competitors, like Beats, Rdio, or Spotify, I expect more but get less. There is no customer support option that I can find, either.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 15, 20157:05 am

Flickr a Day 135: ‘Rust…’

Shooting objects takes talent, which Roni Amin demonstrates with self-titled “Rust…”, However, it is not my first choice from his photostream—just the one among those released under Creative Commons license. He shot today’s selection on […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 14, 20156:35 am

Flickr a Day 134: ‘Bison Scratching’

Now there’s something you don’t see everyday, eh? UK-native Adam Singer captured delightful self-titled “Bison Sctatching” on April 26, 2015, while traipsing across the U.S. northwest, using the Nikon D600 and 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. Vitals: f/5.6, ISO 220, […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 13, 20156:18 pm

When One Gets Away

If you don’t follow my “Flickr a Day” series, you really miss out. The 133rd, “Jenna Bean“, is the most recently curated photo. There will be 365 pics picked this year, with no photographers repeated (unless by carelessness), Storytelling motivated me to begin the project on January 1.

But there are many images or shooters I want to feature but don’t. Okay, can’t. Two common problems: Resolution of the photos are too low or they are licensed All Rights Reserved. The project only features Creative Commons-available content.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 13, 20156:36 am

Flickr a Day 133: ‘Jenna Bean’

The best nature photography causes you to say something spontaneous. Maybe it’s just “wow”, but something. “Spectacular” is my reaction to the photostream of Bryce Bradford. There are so many great pics to pick from, any could […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 12, 20157:16 am

Flickr a Day 132: ‘Grandchildren’

Truck driver Richard Clark surely gets around. I don’t know how much drama he encounters on the road, but there is plenty in his photography. He is from the Adobe Photoshop school of imagery. Some […]

Gear by Joe WilcoxMay 11, 20156:00 pm

Harman/Kardon Nova Review

M daughter’s cat Cali loves to chew cords—a habit we will eventually break. Meanwhile, it’s good excuse to invest in new wireless speakers that diminish some of the cord clutter. Our 20 year-old also is moving home for the summer, putting more wires at risk and necessitating some speaker swaps. She takes my Harman/Kardon SoundSticks, which subwoofer meets her requirement for thumping bass; I don’t need it and switched to a space-saving, cord-reducing duo set.

Spectacular sound is my description for Harman/Kardon Nova, which delivers rich treble, magnificent highs, fine detail, and more-than-adequate bass for the kind of kit. Separation and soundstage are bold—dynamic! The speakers are best appreciated when matched to the right source. I stream from lossless leader Tidal on Chromebook Pixel LS, connected via Bluetooth. The combination is immensely enjoyable and makes me happy while working, which boosts the quality and speed of my productivity.