Are record shops worth saving? (Part 1)
Last Saturday, independent music retailers organized a national Record Store Day, complete with in-store freebies and exclusive releases from dozens of bands who want to see these business survive. As someone who spent two of the best years of my youth working at an independent record store, I have a nostalgic attachment to these mom-and-pop shops. I don't know if I was motivated more by sentimentality or pity, but I felt an obligation to honor the spirit of the day and visit my local music store. The shop was ripped right out of "High Fidelity," and contained all the requisite elements for an indy music store: aloof, yet knowledgeable staff; equal ratios of vinyl and CDs; postered walls; a selection of local music; and a lazy pet cat. But nostalgia aside, I couldn't shake the reality that stores like this can't last much longer.It's a shame, because some aspects of shopping in a record store haven't (or can't) translate into the world of online music. I'm not delusional enough to think that everyone should go back to buying CDs or LPs, but at the same time, my gut tells me that music consumers (and our culture in general) may realize all too late that there's something worth preserving about today's endangered music shops. Billy Corgan talks about why he loves his local record shop.What's worth savingArguing in defense of record shops, here are five things I think the best brick-and-mortar music retailers get right.Rock 'n' roll ambianceDonald Bell/CNET NetworksFor the devoted, stepping into a great music store is like stepping into a temple. For these people, downloading music is like worshiping at an online church--there's no ritual to it, no pageantry, no reason to dress up. In light of the inherently private experience of actually listening to music, there's something balancing about discovering and purchasing new music in a comfortable public space that reaffirms your identity as a music lover.The community aspect also comes into play. I've yet to see a music store that isn't plastered with flyers for local shows. Especially in small towns, music stores often act as a vital hub for the community's live music scene.Inviting explorationDonald Bell/CNET NetworksThe Web has made it very easy to point, click, and preview new music within seconds, but the experience often feels less like exploration, and more like judgmentally picking your way through a digital haystack. There's no digital equivalent to the tiny thrill I get crouching down to the bottom shelf and flipping through used CDs for hidden gems, or finding a carefully curated bin full of Balinese gamelan recordings on vinyl. In my experience, if a shop is doing its job right and stocking the shelves with great music, the act of exploring and browsing is tremendously more satisfying offline than online. Even if you don't walk away with the music you came for, the exploratory part of shopping and discovering is different, more memorable, more of an experience.Mixing formatsDonald Bell/CNET NetworksFor the most part, shopping for music online means shopping for downloads. Sure, you could buy an LP from eBay, a CD from Amazon, or an AAC file from iTunes, but there's no single site that lets you compare and purchase multiple formats. As a music fan, I spend most of my money these days on downloads, but I'm also a sucker for a cheap CD or a rare LP. Just last month, I spent $5 on eBay for the Moog synthesizer rendition of the "Star Wars" sound track... an 8-track cassette. For me, music comes in all shapes and sizes, and I appreciate that many independent music retailers still reflect music's legacy of mixed-formats.Used musicDonald Bell/CNET NetworksYou can't get a used MP3. Well, you can, but it's called piracy. Major labels and online retailers despise them, but used CDs are a great value for consumers, and the used CD trade is one of the few things keeping mom-and-pops afloat. I consider it one of the least appreciated swindles of the 21st century that we're still paying new CD prices ($12-15) for music with lower fidelity and no resale value. Without old CDs to sell back to record stores, I probably would have starved in my early twenties.CollectiblesPromos, schwag, posters, limited edition vinyl, box sets, T-shirts, stickers, patches, bands have always offered dozens of ways to consume their brands and their music. Moog MusicWhen you really love a band, weaving them into the fabric of your life requires more than a download on your iPod. Mom-and-pops seem to get this better than online retailers. In the extreme, you've got mall chains like Hot Topic, who put the collectible merchandise ahead of the music itself.What'd I miss?So, now you know what I'd miss if music stores vanished from the face of the earth. What about you? I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets a little sentimental about this stuff, so add your two cents in the comments section.Before you take me for a total softie, though, stay tuned for part two of this blog post, where I'll confess all the record shop quirks that drive me crazy, and ultimately, drive me away.(Continue to Part 2.)
No Flash flood in iPad avoidance
No Flash flood in iPad avoidance
This puts it on track to break most estimates of first-year sales. In defending Apple's entry into the space, Jobs noted that it was important for the iPad to do certain tasks better than either the smaller smartphone or larger notebook. Among those tasks were watching videos, reading books, and surfing the Web. Indeed, the iPad's unique mixture of handheld usage, large and bright screen, long battery life, and powerful processor have set a bar for forthcoming slate products for certain intimate content consumption tasks, such as reading e-books and watching videos--those downloaded from iTunes or streamed through apps like those of Netflix and ABC. But while the iPad's browser is fast and friendly, it lacks support for Adobe Flash, a technology that many consider a critical component for enjoying the Web's breadth of content. In its Apple iPad: Consumers' Perceptions and Attitudes study (PDF) fielded prior to the launch of the device, NPD surveyed consumers, asking them about whether they were interested in the iPad, and their reasons for interest or lack of interest. Not surprisingly, those interested in the iPad said they were drawn to its physical attributes, including its multitouch screen and thin profile, whereas those who were not interested in it cited a lack of need and the product's "unbelievable" price as too expensive. Only 14 percent, though, of those not interested in the iPad cited the lack of Adobe Flash as an inhibitor to purchase. Some might interpret this as consumers' lack of prioritization of Adobe Flash or the content that relies on it, or it could simply indicate that consumers do not equate the lack of Flash with the lack of access to many Web videos, including the content of popular sites such as Hulu. It is, of course, Apple's hope that such content providers will embrace Web standards that the iPad and iPhone support in lieu of, or at least in addition to, Flash, following in the footsteps of YouTube and Vimeo. Apple has even created an "iPad ready" Web page highlighting sites, such as CNET TV, that adhere to Web standards supported by the device. Adobe Systems, on the other hand, has had a difficult time raising awareness of Flash's role, in part a victim of its own success. With such high penetration of the installed base of PCs, Flash is so ubiquitous that it may be taken for granted by many. The company's efforts with smartphone vendors may soon make it equally ubiquitous on handset platforms other than the iPhone, on which Apple seems intent on keeping its ban of the technology. Until now, for all the controversy about the iPhone's lack of Flash support, it's effectively given Apple a directional, rather than actual, disadvantage, with respect to competitive phones. But Adobe now has an opportunity to promote the existence of Flash on other handsets, particularly as version 10.1 of the technology provides the first practical "desktop" Flash experience to these products.Among other reasons cited for avoiding the iPad, there were several that will probably never be addressed. This fall, though, Apple may yet win over those citing the next most popular reason for avoiding the iPad after its lack of Flash, as iPhone OS 4.0 brings multitasking to Apple's slate.
This puts it on track to break most estimates of first-year sales. In defending Apple's entry into the space, Jobs noted that it was important for the iPad to do certain tasks better than either the smaller smartphone or larger notebook. Among those tasks were watching videos, reading books, and surfing the Web. Indeed, the iPad's unique mixture of handheld usage, large and bright screen, long battery life, and powerful processor have set a bar for forthcoming slate products for certain intimate content consumption tasks, such as reading e-books and watching videos--those downloaded from iTunes or streamed through apps like those of Netflix and ABC. But while the iPad's browser is fast and friendly, it lacks support for Adobe Flash, a technology that many consider a critical component for enjoying the Web's breadth of content. In its Apple iPad: Consumers' Perceptions and Attitudes study (PDF) fielded prior to the launch of the device, NPD surveyed consumers, asking them about whether they were interested in the iPad, and their reasons for interest or lack of interest. Not surprisingly, those interested in the iPad said they were drawn to its physical attributes, including its multitouch screen and thin profile, whereas those who were not interested in it cited a lack of need and the product's "unbelievable" price as too expensive. Only 14 percent, though, of those not interested in the iPad cited the lack of Adobe Flash as an inhibitor to purchase. Some might interpret this as consumers' lack of prioritization of Adobe Flash or the content that relies on it, or it could simply indicate that consumers do not equate the lack of Flash with the lack of access to many Web videos, including the content of popular sites such as Hulu. It is, of course, Apple's hope that such content providers will embrace Web standards that the iPad and iPhone support in lieu of, or at least in addition to, Flash, following in the footsteps of YouTube and Vimeo. Apple has even created an "iPad ready" Web page highlighting sites, such as CNET TV, that adhere to Web standards supported by the device. Adobe Systems, on the other hand, has had a difficult time raising awareness of Flash's role, in part a victim of its own success. With such high penetration of the installed base of PCs, Flash is so ubiquitous that it may be taken for granted by many. The company's efforts with smartphone vendors may soon make it equally ubiquitous on handset platforms other than the iPhone, on which Apple seems intent on keeping its ban of the technology. Until now, for all the controversy about the iPhone's lack of Flash support, it's effectively given Apple a directional, rather than actual, disadvantage, with respect to competitive phones. But Adobe now has an opportunity to promote the existence of Flash on other handsets, particularly as version 10.1 of the technology provides the first practical "desktop" Flash experience to these products.Among other reasons cited for avoiding the iPad, there were several that will probably never be addressed. This fall, though, Apple may yet win over those citing the next most popular reason for avoiding the iPad after its lack of Flash, as iPhone OS 4.0 brings multitasking to Apple's slate.
Can an iPad replace a laptop on a business trip-
Can an iPad replace a laptop on a business trip?
If there's a downside to video on the iPad, it's getting the content onto the device. It's straightforward to purchase TV shows and movies through iTunes, of course. But manually ripping, converting, and transferring DVDs is time-consuming and messy relative to the straightforward process of ripping them directly to a laptop and viewing them with DVD player software.The iPad also serves as a credible e-book reader. It has some plusses and minuses compared with a Kindle or another e-paper-based reader, but I find it more than satisfactory. So long as I have the iPad with me, I certainly don't feel a need to bring a dedicated e-book reader as well.Before getting into the issues I experienced, I do want to emphasize one point. My intent here is not to critique a tablet for, essentially, not being a laptop. They are different devices for different purposes and they make trade-offs accordingly. Rather, I want to offer my experience using an iPad in a setting where I would normally take a full-blown computer.My experience was that in a business setting, it's far too easy to run into a situation where you can't really do what you need to do on a tablet. For example, when I was unexpectedly scheduled for a Webcast, I had to borrow a PC because the required Java plug-in couldn't run in Safari on the iPad.In another instance, I would have shown a few slides during an interview had my usual laptop been available. Given that various applications let you display and even edit certain file formats on the iPad, this needn't have been an insurmountable problem. However, it's another case where some advance planning may be needed and not everything ultimately will be possible.Another nit I encountered was that, in a couple places, wired Ethernet connections were available but no Wi-Fi and therefore I had no way to connect an iPad to the network. You can deal with this particular limitation by carrying an Airport Express to create a wireless network to which the iPad can then connect, but at some point carrying supplemental workaround gadgetry sort of defeats the purpose of going lightweight.Had the entire trip been personal, none of this would have particularly mattered. E-mail, social media, and browsing every day or two would be plenty and any tablet can handle that just fine--as indeed can my phone for the most part. But, in a business setting, you're working against the expectation that you have a laptop handy and can use it to perform the myriad unexpected tasks that arise.A tablet can indeed handle a variety of routine business jobs but there are also many things, too many, that it cannot do. As a result, I'm inclined to chalk this trip up as more of a learning experience than a particularly successful experiment.
If there's a downside to video on the iPad, it's getting the content onto the device. It's straightforward to purchase TV shows and movies through iTunes, of course. But manually ripping, converting, and transferring DVDs is time-consuming and messy relative to the straightforward process of ripping them directly to a laptop and viewing them with DVD player software.The iPad also serves as a credible e-book reader. It has some plusses and minuses compared with a Kindle or another e-paper-based reader, but I find it more than satisfactory. So long as I have the iPad with me, I certainly don't feel a need to bring a dedicated e-book reader as well.Before getting into the issues I experienced, I do want to emphasize one point. My intent here is not to critique a tablet for, essentially, not being a laptop. They are different devices for different purposes and they make trade-offs accordingly. Rather, I want to offer my experience using an iPad in a setting where I would normally take a full-blown computer.My experience was that in a business setting, it's far too easy to run into a situation where you can't really do what you need to do on a tablet. For example, when I was unexpectedly scheduled for a Webcast, I had to borrow a PC because the required Java plug-in couldn't run in Safari on the iPad.In another instance, I would have shown a few slides during an interview had my usual laptop been available. Given that various applications let you display and even edit certain file formats on the iPad, this needn't have been an insurmountable problem. However, it's another case where some advance planning may be needed and not everything ultimately will be possible.Another nit I encountered was that, in a couple places, wired Ethernet connections were available but no Wi-Fi and therefore I had no way to connect an iPad to the network. You can deal with this particular limitation by carrying an Airport Express to create a wireless network to which the iPad can then connect, but at some point carrying supplemental workaround gadgetry sort of defeats the purpose of going lightweight.Had the entire trip been personal, none of this would have particularly mattered. E-mail, social media, and browsing every day or two would be plenty and any tablet can handle that just fine--as indeed can my phone for the most part. But, in a business setting, you're working against the expectation that you have a laptop handy and can use it to perform the myriad unexpected tasks that arise.A tablet can indeed handle a variety of routine business jobs but there are also many things, too many, that it cannot do. As a result, I'm inclined to chalk this trip up as more of a learning experience than a particularly successful experiment.
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