Yesterday, I decided that it was probably about time I backed up some files in case something goes wrong with my computer. The day before that, I got given a DVD writer for my laptop to borrow. I was going to give it straight back but they said I can borrow t for a bit longer. Since I had it, I thought that I might as well put it to use. I had some music to burn to CDs, music to rip from CDs, and some backing up to do.

I used Windows to format the disc to enable me to drag and drop the folders and files I wanted to back up. I was hoping that I could backup all my important files to one DVD disc so I didn’t have to mess around with multiple backup discs. I managed to just fit everything that I needed. I didn’t backup my desktop because the videos there will be transferred to an external drive later. I also didn’t bother backing up my music folder because I didn’t need the podcasts and iTunes libraries that were there because I wouldn’t use or listen to anything there ever again. If something did happen to my data, it would be easy enough for me to start fresh. After backing up, I closed the disc and labeled it with a marker and filed it in my Disc Case for archive purposes.

I then burnt music to disc and them ripped music into my iTunes Library. That was a simple task. I then decided that I would backup my iTunes Music Library because at times, I have heard clicking coming from my external music drive and also Windows Vista doesn’t spin down the disc when I eject it from the computer so I have to unplug it in a special way. If I just yank the USB cord from the computer, the drive makes an awful sound, and it could one day possibly destroy the drive somehow. For me to safely remove it from the computer, I have to pull the cord half out to spin down the drive, then I can take it all the way out without it making the horrible sound. It took a bit over 30 minutes and 3 DVDs to backup my iTunes Library, which was a little over 10GB.

Backing up my files on my computer will help me sleep easy and in the event on my computer fully dying, I won’t have to worry as much about the data I have lost. Also if my music drive dies, I have a backup which will contain most, if not all of my music and recovering my library in the event of a failure won’t be that painful. Using iTunes to backup my music was simple, I love how it just does it. I wish backing up what I want with Windows was as simple as that, without requiring third-party software.

Music, it is powerful. Everyone listens to music, everyone connects to music. Music is a very effective tool that the media use to hook us. It recently struck me and got me thinking about this that a familiar tune or song can trigger something in the brain to make us think about something else.

One thing is a theme song of a television series. Yesterday, a song that is the theme of a television show my family watch, except me, was on television and it instantly grabbed their attention. They though there was something on television about the show but really it was just a song being used over the top of something else. I found it strange that something as simple as a familiar piece of music can grab someone like that.

After thinking about it, it clicked that I myself do something similar. Whenever I hear a song that has been on one of Apple’s iPod advertisements, I instantly think about the iPod. This is similar for other products but Apple really has me. This is the whole point, they want their product stuck in your head and by using popular, catch music to a greatly done advertisement, they have you hooked.

This also applies of my favourite television show, Heroes. They played a song on the advertisement with a song I hear regularly on the radio and whenever it plays, I always think about Heroes. I don’t care about the song, I don’t listen to the song, but the song triggers my thought, which happen to be my favourite show, Heroes.

Music is a very powerful tool, especially in the media and marketing of products. It can trigger a thought or a memory of something we have seen. Used in a smart way, can really sell a product, whether it be an iPod, a movie, or a television show. This is the media.

I’m going to quickly touch on my opinions on the 4 new iPods that were announced yesterday at Apple’s Keynote.

Lets start small with the iPod Shuffle. New colours, big whoop! I have never really though of the Shuffle as a proper iPod. Its really just a thing that plays music that looks pretty nice. I’m not a huge fan of the new colours though, I preferred the old ones. Whenever I see a shuffle, which is rare, I think of that person as someone that can’t afford a real MP3 player.

3rd Generation iPod Nano’s look a little squashed and plumped. The colours aren’t that nice either. Yes it now plays video but how good of a player would it be in a small screen? I suppose I’d have to use one to properly judge it. I have never been a huge fan of the iPod Nano’s, or the Mini’s for that matter.

The iPod Classic looks pretty similar to the iPod Video, and the functionality is pretty much the same too, but with minor differences there and here. One of them being the implementation of coverflow, a feature I would find myself using quite a bit. Its also at a very nice price too and comes in the 80GB and 160GB models.

Last but not least, the one everyone as waiting for, iPod Touch. This iPod has most of the functionality of the iPhone, but without the communication feature. I was disappointed to find out it only comes out in the 8GB and 16GB varieties. I would have preferred if they had gone with Hard Drive storage for bigger capacity than going with Flash memory. I wouldn’t pay the money for a 8GB, or a 16GB iPod touch knowing that I can get the 160GB iPod classic with more storage, even if it has less features and no touch screen.

To sum it up, I wasn’t that pleased with the new iPods. I couldn’t justify buying the iPod touch at the price point it is since it only has a minimal amount of storage, 16GB at the most. I can see myself paying for the pretty reasonable 80GB iPod and if I had $399, I can see myself getting it without a second thought.

About two hours ago, Apple’s Presentation would have ended. I have just woken up and don’t know where to go. There is going to be Apple information from the presentation everywhere on the internet. But where sold I go first to get all the information and pictures in a single, easy location so I don’t have to muck around sifting through information to get everything I want to know.

Digg will definitely have this in the top 10 dugg stories. Digg is one of the many bases online for Apple Fanboys and any big technology news is on there. Apple + New Product + Hype = Top Story! My guess would be that the story either links to Engadget, Gizmodo or Mac Rumors or all. If this is the case why not go to the original source first because I’m sure the information is spread across multiple posts.

I could go possibly go to Twitter, Pownce or Tumblr. Someone on there would have definitely linked to a website with a lot of information on it. My guess would be that it would link to the same article(s) as seen on Digg. The only problem is that there will be quite a few people with different links and I wouldn’t want to go to all the sites to find the exact same information on it so this method of getting all the information quickly might not be the best solution.

I could try the my RSS feeds because I know for a fact that there will be at least 5 different sources with information on the new iPods. The only problem is that this information will be mixed with other stuff so I would have to siff through my feeds. Also if I wanted to see any extra content, for example photo galleries, I would end up going to the site anyway to see these so why not just go to one at the start.

I guess I will just go straight to a website and have a look at the news. Now I have the problem of deciding which one would have the best content, whether its Gizmodo or maybe Mac Rumors of possibly Engadget, now thats a big decision. Well off I go. *crosses fingers for new iPods* :p

With the supposed announcement of the new iPods, I have decided to rant about those stupid earbud headphones that come with the devices. As you can tell from the word “stupid,” I dislike them.

First off, you see them everywhere, especially the iPod ones. Okay, I’m fine with that, as long as your music isn’t full blast at such a volume that I, and anyone else in the facinity, can hear your music. If you can’t hear your music, maybe you should get your ears tested and send away for a bloody hearing aid. The whole point of headphones of any kind is that you can hear you music and it doesn’t disturb anyone else. If you want the world to hear what you are listening to, get fucking speakers you stupid cunt!

I also hate seeing people that have one bud in and the other one hanging down. I feel like coming along with a pair of scissors and cutting the hanging one off, why shouldn’t I, it doesn’t look you you’re using it. Having it like that does not make you look cool, you actually look like a complete retard because you don’t know how to use them as intended. I myself cannot do that because all my music is stereo and doesn’t sound “complete” without both buds in my ears, but I suppose the kids these days still rip their music in monaural.

I also don’t get why people share buds too. You see teenagers sitting down beside one another, each with a bud in their ear. I don’t think this is very heigenic. I would say there are hundreds or germs on these buds and having someone elses ear germs in your ear is discusting. Hey but who cares right, my germs are your germs and vice versa. Why don’t people get a $20 cable that splits the jack so two people can put headphones into this device. Also it can be a bit annoying, especailly when two people take up the challenge of walking like this. This can be annoying for anyone else sharing the hallway because we have to conjoined people trying to take up the hallway, just so they can listen to the same songs. This is another time I feel like pulling the scissors out. Why don’t you get your own damn MP3 player?!

I also have a few personal problems with these headphones. One is the fact that they fall out of ones ears pretty easy. Another is the length of the iPod headphones and a lot of other branded headphones, the cords are just too short. Every so often I will go into the bathroom with the iPod in my pocket. Sometimes the headphones get ripped out of the jack, other times the headphones lift the iPod out of my pocket and throw it onto the floor half a metre away from me. This is really frustrating!

I don’t see why you don’t see more of the old style headphones. They are also a lot more comfortable to wear. They may be bigger but they are less annoying and generally sound better in my opinion. Also I would feel better paying for the bigger headphones because I would feel like I am getting more for what I am paying for. Those little earbuds seem like a huge rip off if you buy a brand name one. I would swap bud headphones for the big ones any day!

I found this Quiz on someones Last.FM journal so I decided to do it and post it here. I have my reasons for the small library, quantity of plays and why most of the music in my library is shit. First, i have just recently re-riped all the music to a new drive and its all my sisters music. Also FYI, I have no pirated albums. Here we go!

Total Playtime: 3 days, 10 hours, 24 minutes, 23 seconds
Total Disc Space: 8.91 GB
Total Songs: 1318
Total Albums: 95
Total Artists: 100

Sort by Song Title; What are the first and last songs?
First: 1 Thing - Amerie
Last: Your Star - Evanescence

Sort by Artist; what are the first and last artists?
First: 1 Giant Leap
Last: Zed

Sort by Time; what are the first and last songs?
Shortest: Foreword - Linkin Park : 0:13
Longest: All For You - Goodnight Nurse : 15:10

Sort by Album; what are the first and last albums?
First: #1’s - Destiny’s Child
Last: What To Do With Daylight - Brooke Fraser

Top 5 Played Songs:
1. Somewhere I Belong - Linkin Park : 8 times
2. Faint - Linkin Park : 8 times
3. Numb - Linkin Park : 8 times
4. When You Were Young - The Killers : 7 times
5. What I’ve Done - Linkin Park : 7 times

Find “love”, how many songs come up?: 74
Find “sex”, how many songs come up?: 3
Find “death”, how many songs come up?: 19
Find “hate”, how many songs come up?: 4
Find “wish”, how many songs come up?: 1
Find “want”, how many songs come up?: 14
Find “need”, how many songs come up?: 11
Find “the”, how many songs come up?: 530
Find “and”, how many songs come up?: 213

Now it’s your turn. Reblog this entry and change the results for your own music library. Comment/Pingback here when you have done it.