I appeared on this week's Canadaland podcast (MP3) with Jesse Brown to talk about the promise of the internet 20 years ago, when it seemed that we were headed for an open, diverse internet with decentralized power and control, and how we ended up with an internet composed of five giant websites filled with screenshots from the other four. Jesse has been covering this for more than a decade (I was a columnist on his CBC podcast Search Engine, back in the 2000s) and has launched a successful independent internet business with Canadaland, but as he says, the monopolistic gentrification of the internet is heading for podcasting like a meteor.
How the diverse internet became a monoculture
From 'Locke & Key' to 'Sandman' — What's the point of an audio graphic novel?
I recently finished listening to the Audible adaptation of Sandman, the acclaimed comic book series that put Neil Gaiman on the map (thanks in no small part to contributions from artists such as Sam Keith, Mike Dringenberg, and Dave McKean). This new full cast audiobook collected the first 20 issues of the 75-issue story (not… READ THE REST
This BT 5.0 amplifier drives my 100W outdoor speakers and sounds great
I needed a bluetooth amp that'd drive a set of 100W per channel outdoor speakers my father gave me. This Fosi Audio amp is doing a great job! Sometime in the mid-1990s, my father shoved an unopened box of KLH 100W outdoor speakers into a dark, scary corner of his garage. A few weeks ago,… READ THE REST
Read this: a history of the MP3, arguing that it's more influential than vinyl
Eamonn Forde at The Quietus has a great new piece celebrating the 25th anniversary of the MP3, arguing that it was the single most influential music technology revolution in history — even moreso than the phonograph or early vinyl recordings. If you ask me, he makes a pretty convincing argument: In terms of the history of… READ THE REST
Save an additional 60% off these best-selling online training courses and bundles
Learning never stops. Not if you're doing it right, anyway. Whether you're trying to add to your professional resume or just pick up a new skill or two to tinker with on the side, there's undoubtedly an online learning package to help you achieve your mission. And you shouldn't have to pay a lot of… READ THE REST
Air purifiers are selling out on Amazon but we found 10 great options that are all on sale
It's a toss-up over which harmful airborne pathogen is most disruptive for every American living on the west coast these days. As horrible as coronavirus has been, experts would probably say the recent wildfires have been what's truly been borderline apocalyptic from an air quality standpoint. In fact, global air quality trackers with IQAir said… READ THE REST
