"And the prize for absurd gadget of the day goes to Intel, for their computer-in-a-surfboard, appropriately named the Wireless Technology Surfboard. The surfboard accomplishes this amazing feat by having a Centrino-powered tablet PC sealed inside of it (we hope they remembered to waterproof it). Power is provided by a solar panel. Now of what possible use could this be? Do surfers really need to check their email while waiting for the next wave? Of course it was designed for the GoldCoast Oceanfest sports festival, oh wait, sorry, 'lifestyle event' (must get our terminology for these over-sponsored events right). What this has to do with wireless internet access is quite beyond us." [Engadget]

Caveat Lector: Beastie Boys Evil

"It seems that Capitol Records has some sort of new copy protection system, that automatically, silently, installs 'helpful' copy protection software on MacOS and Windows as soon as you insert the CD into default systems. I’m not sure exactly what it does yet, but I am sure regreting actually purchasing said media now… they don’t deserve my money if they choose to pull stupid stunts like this. Installing software without your permission sounds like viral malware behaviour to me. I certainly hope the AV companies put signatures into their products for this crap." [Security Focus, via Furdlog]

Noted for when patrons complain that the CD they checked out from your library messed up their computer. Yeah, this is definitely the way for the music industry to win back already angry customers.

I believe this is indeed the first blog I've seen that categorizes posts using the Dewey Decimal System. I wonder if OCLC will sue....  ;-) [via Scripting News]

CD Settlement to Libraries

"http://www.registerguard.com/news/2004/06/08/d5.wa.cds.0608.html

'The CD giveaway to schools, colleges and libraries will cost the industry an estimated $76 million.

The titles were selected by music experts and educators for their lasting significance, and aren't just warehouse rejects or overstock, Takahashi said.

These are not titles you'd just want to throw away.'

382 of our 1325 settlement CDs are "new"; all the rest are either cut-outs/remainders, or in the case of three titles, "promotional use only" CDs (either stamped with that slogan or with the barcode punched BEFORE the cd was shrinkwrapped).

That means 71.2% of what they sent us is stuff currently sold in remainder bins. Dunno if the terms of the agreement said they couldn't send cutouts or not, but if I know the record industry, they are following the letter but not the spirit of the settlement....

I very likely already own copies of some of these at my library already. Now you do the math- I have 10 branches- If I wanted to actually add all these copies to the library, that's 3.4 copies of a Bee Gees record, or 5.7 copies of 'three mo' tenors' PER LOCATION....

If you are reading this and you are a librarian in the King/Pierce county region with a similarly skewed haul, contact me at lara7@comcast.net if you might be interested in doing a library exchange and offloading some of your 57 copies of your unwanted whatever in exchange for mine. If we work together, we can make sure that no Aerosmith fan in Western Washington is left behind." [LiveJournal: Libraries, via librarian.net]

Be sure to read the whole breakdown to confirm your doubts about the RIAA's intentions.

I believe the CDs for our members are coming here to SLS and we will then distribute them. They haven't arrived yet, so I can't verify if libraries in Chicago's south suburbs also got the shaft.

It would be interesting to scan all of the barcodes on these CDs and start a database of what was sent to each library. Did each one get 57 copies of the tenors?? Things that make you go hmmmm.