I remember when about a decade ago, Canon released an EOS 20D model for astrophotography. It was an exciting development for backyard stargazers. Here we have a capture taken with something less that is something […]
I Like Apple Music, But…
Yesterday, I joined the 61 percent. The figure represents the people who, in a MusicWatch survey of 5,000, had turned off auto-renew on their free Apple Music trial, which for all ends September 30. Unless something really big comes out of this week’s media event, where new iPhones could debut and iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan receive release dates, I will listen elsewhere. For now, I will stream higher-fidelity tracks from Tidal, and expand my musical horizons at services like SoundCloud.
Strange thing: I don’t dislike Apple Music. Curated playlists are “frak me” good. Family pricing, $14.99 per month, is very reasonable. The library is voluminous; if I want to listen to it, Apple Music likely has it. Then there is the benefit of easy access to my own library of about 14,000 tracks alongside juicy fruit picked from the orchard.
Flickr a Day 249: ‘Truganina Cemetery’
The series first tombstone greets this fine September day. I do hope it doesn’t forebode badly on the 248 posts behind and those still to come. Jamie Davies captured the moment on Aug. 18, 2015, […]
Which are My Fav Flickrs a Day?
As the 250th photo in my Flickr-a-Day series approaches, I review those that have come before and think: “Which are my favorites?” I pick pics for many reasons—among them which others there are in the series and the stories behind the images or about the photographers.
I have my own tastes, too. So why not give fans of the series—eh, there are some?—sense of what appeals to me. I pick 15 from the 248 and identify the top five favs.
Flickr a Day 248: ‘Ombra’
Choosing today’s selection, I considered many—emphasis many— by Andrea Donato Alemanno. Among them: hugging couple; kissing couple; older gentleman; tailor; and woman with flowers. His photostream is a rich study of street black-and-whites, mainly captured with the […]
‘Bold. Brilliant. Brutal.’
Documentary “Steve Jobs: Man in the Machine” is in theaters and on-demand, starting today. Tagline “Bold. Brilliant. Brutal.” snatched by attention, because it’s so evocative of Apple marketing style under the cofounder’s leadership. I doubted […]
Nexus 6 Returns
Contemplation turns to action. I had been looking for Nexus 6 to test Google’s Project Fi. My sister bought my phablet two months ago, when I got iPhone 6 Plus to test iOS 9, but N6 is the only device currently supported on the cellular service.
Last night, I oogled at Nexus 6 for $499.99 on Amazon, which already was a hefty discount. This AM, I rolled out of bed to see $349.99. Both prices are for the 32GB model. Double the memory and pay $399.99. Yesterday: $549.99. Surely the price and supply can’t last. That’s helluva good deal—and for both colors: Cloud White and Midnight Blue. What the hell. I ordered the bigger capacity dark one for free same-day delivery.
Flickr a Day 247: ‘Lydia Lengel Rockin’
To date, the series features few studio shots, so we are long overdue. Ariel Waldman shot self-titled “Lydia Lengel Rockin’” on April 21, 2010, using Nikon D90 and 50mm f/1.8 lens. Vitals: f/18, ISO 100, 1/60 […]
Flickr a Day 246: ‘355ml Prime Lens’
What’s there to say about Cuban Coca-Cola cans fashioned into a camera? Now there’s recycling for commerce; “355ml Prime Lens” takes the Day as much for the clever self-title as the unusual subject photographed. Canadian Ian Muttoo […]
What is the Google Free Economy?
Today I posted the third installment of my investigative news analysis series “What Does the ‘Google Free Economy’ Cost You?”, which is being crowdfunded through Byline: “Obituary for the Fourth Estate, Part 1“. The headline derives from a subhead in the first story, which I share here, below the fold.
During the editing, I nearly broke up Part 1 in two to make a third. The first of the pair recaps how the Google Free Economy illuminated a path for new media companies as the Fourth Estate lost its way. Part 2 will look at the rise of social media and how it has fundamentally shifted authority from a small number of editors and reporters to the audience of news consumers. The initial concepts build from my groundbreaking, but largely ignored, June 2009 analysis “Iran and the Internet Democracy“.
Flickr a Day 245: ‘Portrait of a Soldier’
Today’s selection comes from the UK Ministry of Defense photostream. Sgt Mike Fletcher shot self-titled “Portrait of a Soldier from the Royal Regiment of Scotland” on Jan. 21, 2010, using the Nikon D3. Vitals: f/3.5, […]
Flickr a Day 244: ‘SR-850 Lord Nelson’
“Displaced Australian” Neil Howard spent some years in Singapore before ending up in the United Kingdom. “I am living in Alderney in the English Channel. My work takes me to many places in the World, but […]