These days if you don’t have an earbud cord dangling from your head it’s either because (1) you have your old-fashioned cell phone there, or (2) you’re over 30. Mind you that includes many of us, so we’re not boasting. Music is a prime driver of internet technology, and whether you’re looking for a new workout tool, or just looking for some new tunes, these might help:
ExtremeTech: “Free Music Recommendation Services “
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1967383,00.asp
“Bored with today’s music? That’s because you haven’t found it yet. With the Internet as a catalyst for accessing information, streaming media, and connecting with others, services dedicated to helping you discover new music have stormed the Internet like wildfire. And they should. A ridiculous amount of talent out there goes unnoticed because of its absence from mainstream media like TV and radio. What these services do is help us find these artists by feeding you tunes similar to those you’ve selected yourself.”
An interesting comparison of the two top services; “Nature versus Nurture”:
Steve Kraus: “Pandora and Last.fm: Nature vs. Nurture in Music Recommenders”
http://www.stevekrause.org/steve_krause_blog/2006/01/pandora_and_las.html
The only one we’re personally familiar with is Pandora, a remarkably handy services for creating your own ‘radio station’ based on your preferences, but then growing outward from there with surprising accuracy.
Music and your workout:
Businessweek Online: “Apple and Nike, Running Mates”
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/may2006/tc20060523_569911.htm
“Their first jointly produced product: the Nike+iPod Sport kit, which involves an electronic sensor inserted under the inner sole of a new Nike running shoe dubbed the Moire (pronounce (MOR-ay). That sensor talks to a small wireless receiver that attaches to Apple’s iPod nano music player.”
Nike + Apple
http://www.nike.com/nikeplus/#overview
Unwired View: “iPod Sport coming from Apple soon?”
http://www.unwiredview.com/2006/05/25/ipod-sport-coming-from-apple-soon/