Woot is being acquired by Amazon to become an independent subsidiary and operate autonomously (like other Amazon companies such as Zappos and Audible). To celebrate, today’s Woot is a latest generation Kindle (6″) for $149 plus Woot’s customary (and very, very slow) $5 shipping (they’re $189 if you buy them from Amazon). This is an example of a gadget I’d really like to have, have been close to giving in and buying in the past, am tempted to get for $150, but ultimately just can’t justify buying (especially since it’s really just a delivery vehicle for spending more money). If I had a lengthy (or even not so lengthy) daily commute on the train or traveled a lot for work, I’d have one already. But, as it is, the thing would just kind of sit around collecting dust once the initial “play” period was over. Kind of like getting a new phone. Much as I might lust over the Droid X (that isn’t even out yet), as long as I’m forced to carry the BlackBerry for work, there’s really no justification for getting another phone. Hell, I have another phone (someplace), and I just forward the calls.
I remember a while back, Maron was railing against the idea of the Kindle, because it didn’t give you that experience of having books on the shelf (that you’ll never read), or the tactile feeling of holding a book in your hands, or being able to scribble in the margins and underline passages. Which is, of course, a fair statement. But I could say the same thing about having an mp3 player. It’s nowhere near as good as having your album collection on the shelf and pulling out the jacket and holding it in your hands. Or maybe opening up that White Album or Moonfolower or whatever double-album cover, and having a couple of long-forgotten seeds roll out. And there’s nothing better than sitting in that sweet spot between your speakers and listening to your favorite albums (another lament of the digital music era – “tracks” taking the place of “albums.” It’s just a reflection of a decreasing attention span. Kids these days…).
But there are certainly lots of advantages to having your entire music collection in your pocket at all times, too. Like the Kindle, it may not be an equivalent experience to “the old fashioned way,” but, damn, it sure is nice to have the shit handy.
Well, I took tomorrow off, so today’s my Friday. Right now, I wish I’d taken today off, too.
Here’s something you’ll never see here in the good old US of A.
Sounds like a commie/socialist/fascist plot to me. Who is protecting the poor Finnish corporations?
Our Independence Day weekend winner of the title of Most Unhappy Person in Washington is: John Boehner, the House minority leader.
Our Independence Day weekend winner of the title of Most Unhappy Person in Washington is: John Boehner, the House minority leader.
I know this is a bit of a surprise since the award almost always goes to the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, whose job is frequently compared to herding cats. Although cats are much more sympathetic than senators.
I know this is a bit of a surprise since the award almost always goes to the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, whose job is frequently compared to herding cats. Although cats are much more sympathetic than senators.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/01/opinion/01collins.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=opinion&adxnnlx=1277996468-5qpvrVI1Iz+dRWe9puKYKA
Kind of rough to watch. I see no winner here. Tweety at his worst.
Easier to watch:
The thing that bothered me was that Barber is an ass and Tweety could have had his lunch if only he actually listened to what the guy was saying and expose it instead of running a script/meme he brought to the table. And the jerk Barber was so much into the same stateof ‘debate’ that he never noticed or said that Tweety was talking about his “fair tax” not acknowledging that it would replace federal income tax and not just augment it and that states would still be responsible for their own revenue streams.
Likewise, Chris never got into how that tax proposal would be most onerous for the poor and middle class but his point that America might not take to 31% sales taxes was a good one. Chris had a great chance to totally take this guy down but he blew it. Even Beck was calling him a fool or at least his ad.
btw, the other episode of WTF that Maron did in SF about the music thing he did is finally up but I haven’t heard Marc’s songs yet. I have a dream of Maron and a band doing a show with the Clutter Family. I’d probably have to figure a way to get to LA to see that if they didn’t bring it here.
Tweety is always a little too full of himself to really listen to the answer. Rachel, I think, does a much better job of getting answers to her questions.
Best Buy Trying To Fire Employee Over Those Hilarious EVO Versus iPhone Videos
First confirmed photo of an alien planet.
I’ll bet those pesky Fins think healthcare is a human right too. Sheesh!
Can anyone reccomend a semi-smart smart phone for around 150 that I can get with pay as you go (no contract)?
I got nuttin’ on this one, aaA.