- Google launches online music service, without licenses
The details are pretty much as expected, according to the LA Times. Google reportedly found the terms offered by the labels unpalatable so the beta Music service is little more than a file locker, much like Amazon’s comparable offering. The Times piece does map out what Google is giving up, in terms of being able to de-duplicate song files across the whole user base for faster access and any ability to sell music through the service, by foregoing a license deal. Amazon at least has its existing MP3 store though integration between it and its Cloud Player is still based on copy a newly purchased file into the user’s locker. - Dan Bull auctioning off the creation of a song
I saw Dan tweeting about this the other day, in particular his idea to try to quantify what the creation of a song is worth. Mike Masnick at Techdirt has some more details along with a nice, short analysis. Specifically Masnick carefully distinguishes between the value of a song once created (and easily infinitely copied) and the actual act of creation itself, which is still scarce and hence present the possibility of extracting some value. - Variable friction for a more tactile touch interface
The technique described in this Technology Review article sounds pretty simple as opposed to other schemes I’ve read about. It shouldn’t require much more than the kind of sensors and piezomotors commonly found in mobile devices to achieve the on demand grippy and slicky surfaces described. It reminds me strongly of force feedback controls but pared down to the simplest motor scheme that would yield useful feedback. - Question who owns your social identity, IEEE Spectrum via Slashdot
- Graphene modulator could improve miniaturization of optical components, EE Times
- Eigengestures and gestural computer interfaces, Technology Review
- Urgent action required in response to IPC asking Verisign to police .net domains, forbid anonymous or private registrations, BoingBoing
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