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Steve Jobs' Head and the iPhone girl's single
Ever wonder what's in Steve Jobs' head? If so, then this song is for you. Jonathan Mann is a singer-songwriter who's been doing a song a day since the beginning of last year, and he wrote this little ditty about the crazy, mad genius of one S. Jobs. Mann's a big Apple fan, apparently; he also posted a video that was completely shot and edited on an iPhone 4, and he wrote another song about a charity iPhone app. It's all pretty catchy stuff. And for those of you following the story of the Korean girl who nabbed a record deal by posting a video of herself playing with a bunch of iPhones, 9to5Mac has posted her first single. Kim Yeo-hee is her name, and the song is ... well, not exactly like the iPhone-driven tune that made her famous. I don't remember her rapping at all in the original video. Good on her for following her dreams, though. Glad to see the iPhone has helped yet another Apple fan achieve a little bit of success. [via Cult of Mac]
For all your digital guitar playing cheat sheet needs, there's i-Tab
Admit it, you're not really working remotely from home on a Friday. We know, you're sitting at home with your six strings of seduction jamming out to Ryan Adams albums. Well, just in case you need to clear some of that monitor space for actual work -- or a memory jolt during that gig you booked at the local cabana -- i-Tab's got you covered with what it's calling "the world's first electronic songbook." The 5-inch touchscreen clips to your guitar's headstock and serves as a reference guide for your cover song needs. It's got a built-in speaker, headphone jack, stylus, USB port, TV out for pseudo-karaoke stylings, and 4GB storage. Thirty songs are available from the get go, with more tabs (and audio backing tracks) available via its online store. Just the thing you need to kick up the jams? Word on the street it's coming in April for $199.
Apple serves up 10 billionth iTune, smiles all the way to the bank
Whether you love it or loathe it, there is now no way to deny the spectacular success of Apple's iTunes Store. The proprietary digital media player, organizer and salesperson has just now recorded its 10 billionth song download, marking a truly unique achievement in the still nascent world of digital distribution. Congratulations to Apple, whose response has been to thank you all for spending so much cash and making El Steve look like the techno pied piper. Hit the source link to find out what the most downloaded songs of "all time" were... you might not be surprised by the top three, but you should definitely be horrified.
Pop culture loves the iPad: Paper presentation, Parry Grip anthem
All of Apple's devices have been embraced by pop culture sooner or later, but I think the iPad has probably nabbed the record for quickest to the bear hug. Here's two silly things we've seen today, just a week after the iPad's official announcement. First up, songsmith Parry Gripp's latest mini-tune is all about the iPad, and as you can see above, it's actually a pretty interesting commentary on just how successful the device will likely be: we may argue about which kinds of nachos are ruling, but we can all agree that nachos in general are awesome. Second, the iPad announcement itself has even been immortalized in papercraft. And if you want your own paper-based recreation of last week's event, you can download the plans and put it together yourself. Weird? Yes. Strange? Very. But for a company that wants to sit at the intersection of technology and the liberal arts, Apple's mission is pretty much accomplished.
'I'm on a Mac' parody video makes noise
It's just incredible how fast some things can transmit themselves around the ol' blogosphere -- when I first saw this silly parody song video over on Laughing Squid last night, I chuckled and figured I'd share it for you all on TUAW the next day. But of course since then it's been all over the place. For a silly parody of a song that was already a silly parody, it's really gotten around. Just in case you haven't seen it, it's now posted after the "read more" link below (put there because while there isn't actually any NSFW language in the video, there are a lot of bleeps and edits that come close). It's all done by the Pantsless Knights (who've created another Mac-related parody rap video before), and it's worth a watch. Personally, while I was a big fan of the original Lonely Island/SNL video and its skewering of hip hop posturing, I think the whole meme is more or less played out by this point. But these guys put a good Mac spin on it anyway. "A nano in pink." Ha.
Left 4 Dead 2's Midnight Riders wish you a Merry Christmas
We were far too busy a-wassailing yesterday to notice, but Valve released a soon-to-be-holiday-classic that we think is going to catch on like wildfire. It's the latest track from Left 4 Dead 2's quartet of bearded troubadours, the Midnight Riders, titled "All I Want for Christmas (Is To Kick Your Ass)." It's a lot like that one song with the similar title, only ... with more ass-kicking, we guess. Unsurprisingly, it's not suitable for work -- but incredibly suitable for your family gatherings. Click past the jump to rekindle that holiday spirit.
The Mobile Mobile is a magnificent and melodious module of merriment
Faced with an agency-wide phone upgrade that left fifty older HTC devices homeless, UK-based Lost Boys International decided to act on instinct in the most natural of ways: by turning each device into a cog in a musical mobile that hangs just inside the entrance of its Brick Lane studio. Even better, all those phones are connected in a way that turns each one into a member of some crazy techno orchestra, the results of which can be seen after the break in an unbelievably fun rendition of a Christmas song you're bound to hear a dozen more times today. If that's not enough, you can also control it live, thanks to a webcam and a flash interface that accepts keyboard commands. LBi Creative Director James Théophane has the project chronicled if you want the full details, but more importantly, just make sure you experience the holiday choral after the break.
Holiday Gift Guide: The Perfect iPhone Ringtone
Looking to get something for that new, special 3G or 3GS owner that doesn't cost a lot of money? Or even a little something for yourself? (After all, those monthly bills to AT&T are pretty harsh, so a bargain treat is welcome, right?) How about an awesome ringtonable-song? "This is my Ringtone" from Parry Gripp [iTunes link] is it. The guys behind the "Do You Like Waffles" song have created the perfect $1 gift. Think of it as a virtual stocking stuffer. That one dollar buys you all the attitude that a 3GS iPhone truly deserves. Sure, it will make the other people around you feel bad that they don't own their own iPhone, but isn't that what status symbols are for? So live the big life (even if you don't, actually, own an iPhone) with the ultimate iPhone ringtone.
It's all about the music: tunes from Apple's keynote presentations
I hope this post gets filed in the "I knew I wasn't the only one!" mental filing cabinets of many. Because if it doesn't, then it makes me the only one who really looks forward to the music Apple uses in its keynotes. Whether it's a song that leads up to Steve Jobs' entrance on stage, or one used in software or hardware demos, there's no denying that music is very much a part of Apple's DNA. Heck, the company's namesake reflects Steve's love for the Beatles. Apple occasionally invites some of music's biggest names to perform at its events because, as Steve says, "it's all about the music." And this post is all about the music. It's all about the music that Apple has used in one way, shape, or form at its keynote events. Although by no means a definitive list, it's certainly a fair sample.
WoW Insider Show Episode 82: Knock it off? Get it on!
Hoo boy, what a show at our podcast on Saturday. After one of the craziest starts our show has ever had (BRK's house decided to go a little nuts right before we started), we got as professional as we could and got down to business. After answering emails (including more on why you should listen to your mother), we talked about the addon changes and how they'll affect players and developers, Blizzard's plans for a mobile authenticator, and more of the latest news out of patch 3.1. We also brainstormed new flavors for Mountain Dew, and finally, we played what everyone was waiting to hear: Turpster's new WoW Insider song.Yes, because our fans were kind enough to get 4,000 people to join in on our Facebook page, we recorded that abomination of hilarity. You can download it as an mp3 right here, for use in remixes or machinima or whatever you want to do with it, and I've posted the lyrics and liner notes after the break. Enjoy.And don't forget we're currently in a campaign for OVER 9000 Twitter followers. Join up to Twitter and follow us, and please tell your guilds and friends to do the same -- if we can meet our goal there, we'll do a live video version of the podcast that you'll be able to see right here on the site. Enjoy the show as always, and we'll see you next week.Get the podcast:[iTunes] Subscribe to the WoW Insider Show directly in iTunes.[RSS] Add the WoW Insider Show to your RSS aggregator.[MP3] Download the MP3 directly.Listen here on the page:
WoW Insider Show live this afternoon
Gonna be a big show this week on the podcast -- as far as I know (and I could be wrong, but we'll see), the brand new Turpster song is ready to play on the air. It's called "WoW Insider," and from what I've seen so far, it'll be worth the wait. There still could be a few slowdowns, but I have a feeling that this is it. Tune in this afternoon at 3:30pm to hear the song live, and come on back on Monday morning to get it as an mp3 download.Plus of course we'll have the podcast as usual -- BRK will be on this week along with Turpster and I, and we'll be talking about all the most popular stories of the past week, including the news of the Mobile Authenticator, what's up with the addon changes last night (and why addon makers are so unhappy), and we'll talk about all the latest news with patch 3.1. And of course we'll answer your emails as well -- if you want to send something in right now, feel free to throw it along to theshow@wow.com.Should be a good time as usual. The show starts today at 3:30pm Eastern over on our Ustream page, or you can just come right back here (there's also a feed in the second half of this post. See you there.
WoW Insider Show live this afternoon on Ustream
Our podcast returns yet again this afternoon -- we'll be live for your listening enjoyment over on the Ustream page at 3:30pm Eastern as always. This time around, we'll be joined by our illustrious Managing Editor Dan O'Halloran, and (assuming that he's not too busy launching shuttles into space) our good friend BRK will also be making an appearance. And of course Turpster and I will be on as well -- we'll be chatting about all of the news out of patch 3.1, including the undocumented changes and the new dual spec and gear management systems in the game. And I'm sure the Argent Tournament will make an appearance as well.Whew. If you guessed it would be a busy show, you're probably right. Plus, if all goes according to plan (I know Turpster is having some issues with some of the musicians he's hired), we will hopefully have the new song all ready to play for you, as the reward for hitting 4,000 fans on our Facebook page. And don't forget that our Twitter challenge is still ongoing -- if we can get "over 9000" followers on our Twitter account, we'll do a video version of the podcast. So join Twitter (if you haven't yet) and get all of your friends to follow us as well!Should be a good time. We'll see you tomorrow afternoon at 3:30pm Eastern, or 20:30 GMT, or whatever time that is in your neck of the woods, either over on the Ustream page or right here on the feed after the break. Talk to you then.
WoW Insider Show Episode 77: The Lady Factor
We had a great time on the WoW Insider Show this past weekend -- Turpster and I welcomed back Michael Sacco (formerly known as Belfaire on the official forums and now a blogger here on WoW Insider) and manly man Matthew Rossi to talk about what's coming up in patch 3.0.9, what we thought of the dual spec news we heard last week, and our progress (or lack thereof, apparently) on the Love is in the Air event. We also answered lots of emails from listeners, and speculated on what Blizzard's future release schedule might look like.And a huge thanks to all of our listeners for hitting 4,000 fans on our Facebook page -- Turpster's song is coming soon (hopefully next week), and as a mini-reward this week, by request, here's a downloadable version of Sammy T's great "Meat of the Show" song (just right-click save as, and if you do anything with it, be sure to let us know).Our next goal has to do with our Twitter page -- as we announced on the show, if we can get "over 9000" Twitter followers there, we'll do a video version of our podcast, either with ingame video or Turpster and me on camera ourselves. So tell your friends and Twitter followers to check us out over there. Enjoy the show, and we'll see you as always next week.Get the podcast:[iTunes] Subscribe to the WoW Insider Show directly in iTunes.[Ustream] Listen to the unedited recording in Ustream.[RSS] Add the WoW Insider Show to your RSS aggregator.[MP3] Download the MP3 directly.Listen here on the page:
WoW Moviewatch: The Bloodsail Elite song
AdmiralQ published this piece in honor of the Bloodsail Elites on Sha'tar EU. It's titled appropriately as The Bloodsail Elite song. I guess it's kind of a theme song for the Guild, and probably has some in jokes that we're not going to get unless you're a member. The production values could use a little help in this song, since it sounds like everyone was "singing" by whispering into their microphone. I was nervous when I first heard the soundtrack kick on, as it very much sounded like someone activate Ventrillo.I'm very glad I gave it a chance because I really liked the song. It's clever and fun and that's a combination that's hard to get wrong. The song is obviously meant to be good humor, and I think it succeeds. Its rhyme and meter match the background music, and seems inspired by "Drunken Sailor." While the movie backdrop probably won't knock any socks off, that doesn't really matter. Like most music videos, the video part is there as an enhancement, and the giggly-fun song carries the work as a whole.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: I Gave You
One of the things I think is most awesome about Northrend is the fact that it adds a whole continent of "real-world" scenes to the game. Outland was so out there that it was hard to use any of the in-game terrain for any stories other than those that took place on another planet, but Northrend is a very grounded place -- while zones like Zul'Drak and Crystalsong Forest can seem very otherworldly, there are zones like Howling Fjord and Grizzly Hills that seem much more normal, if no less beautiful.Today's Moviewatch definitely isn't a crafted masterpiece -- even the creator says it only took him about two hours to make, but it does show how haunting some of this Northrend landscape is. Just the cliffs of the Howling Fjord are enough to complement this stark little song and give it an extra dimension. I can't wait to see some more of the machinima that comes out of the new Northrend locations.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
WoW Moviewatch: All I Want for Christmas is a Blue
I've mentioned it before and I'll say it again. I have a soft spot for good WoW music, and really enjoy the idea that I can put together a great holiday album of WoW themed Christmas music. theavatards have posted a great submission to that album on YouTube with All I Want for Christmas is a Blue. It is a simple story of a woman who always gets greens, and never gets a blue. The video itself is fairly easy on the eyes. It's got the singer, of course, and some nice use of surreality when she inspects real-life items for WoW-like quality. There's a little bit of in-game animation to make sure we know what game we're talking about here. The music is really where the piece shines, however. The music is simple and uncomplex, lending all of the song's focus on the singer. The singer does a great job of vocals, performing in a traditional holiday tone and method. This is totally worth checking out, and is already now living on my iPod. If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ...
Madden '10, other EA games to include downloadable songs
We're already getting used to downloadable tracks being a necessary addition to rhythm and music games. But are we ready for the feature to infect the soundtracks for other genres? Ready or not, EA Chief Music Executive Steve Schnur told MTV Multiplayer that downloadable background tracks will indeed be available in next year's version of Madden, with similar support added to "broader-based" EA games shortly thereafter.It might seem a bit silly for EA to offer a proprietary music download service when all current-gen consoles allow users to create their own custom soundtracks from their already-existing digital music collections. You have to realize, though, that EA needs to offer its own downloads so it can market promote push gently suggest the latest hot track from Kid Rock to their captive audience of millions of players. It's not yet clear if you'll actually have to pay for these downloadable songs, but as this idea is coming from a company that's charging for extra weapons in first-person shooters, we wouldn't exactly be surprised.
TurpsterVision: Battle of the Beards
Every Tuesday think "T" for Turpster and take the "a" in "day", capitalise it, remove the little bit in the middle, turn it upside down and you get a "V". Put the two together and you'll have TV for TurpsterVision -- the best Internet video podcast on Massively! (Never mind that business about it being the only video podcast on Massively...) I really hoped that I haven't peaked as an MMO reviewer, because this week's episode, complete with costumes and musical accompaniment, might be the best TV yet.This week our friendly co-lead blogger, Mike Schramm, punished me by having me review what many regard as an absolutely terrible game.With that said we invite you to join us after the break to see if Turpster can survive against such a title and hopefully answer the question on the lips of players around the world: Can Turpster really sing? I fear the answer to that question is no, but that doesn't stop him from trying!
Ears will bleed: the PS3 'song'?
Oh no, crimemobalbo. You've just opened the floodgates of the internet. Yes, this was "just for fun." But, by posting your PS3 "song" on YouTube, you've exposed yourself to the undeniable flaming that'll pour in. We give you credit for being far braver than any of us -- we certainly wouldn't express our fandom in such an ... enthusiastic way. The song is currently in "beta," which means we're expecting the final version won't end so abruptly. Who's looking forward to that? [Via PlayStation Boards]
