September 28, 2006

September 22, 2006

Labels: 1980s, 1983, Apple, Friday Flashback Fun, Kevin Costner

September 21, 2006

The iPod's shuffle feature also has sparked interest from a cadre of random-number experts and enthusiasts such as Mr. Haahr. I spoke to a few of them, including people behind several of the Web's major sources for random numbers, and found no definitive answer -- yet -- about iPod's claim to randomness, though I did learn that any computer algorithm for randomizing information can never be truly random. (An Apple spokesman said the iPod shuffles randomly, but declined to reveal details about its methods.)

September 20, 2006

So, let's say a newfangled recommender takes off. What are the implications? First, the large-scale "depackaging" already initiated by the advent of the iPod would be expedited. Bands would spend less time on sequencing since a computer would be combing songs for individual characteristics that have nothing to do with the rest of the record. Musical content would "float" in libraries, waiting to be scooped up by a recommender.

Therein lies a rarely discussed part of digital music's appeal. Sure, the Internet has revolutionized the spread of information and all that high-minded stuff, but its combination of reach and anonymity also makes it the greatest enabler of guilty pleasures ever invented. Indulgence is just a click away, and nobody needs to know, except you and some server somewhere. (At least you hope; iTunes and other legal digital-music services promise to guard your privacy.)

September 19, 2006

Revenues from prepaid cards and promotions are deferred and then recognized as (i) tracks are downloaded by the end users, (ii) if redeemed for a subscription, over the subscription period or (iii) when Napster has no further obligation to provide services or refund the associated prepayments ("prepaid card breakage"). As of June 30, 2006, we have not had sufficient historical experience to estimate prepaid card breakage rates, so we recognize prepaid card breakage when our obligation to honor the redemption of the prepaid cards or promotions has legally expired. During the first quarter of fiscal 2007, based on the resolution of certain legal restrictions associated with previously sold prepaid cards, we recognized $2.2 million of prepaid card breakage, of which $1.9 million relates to cards that were subject to expiration based on their term prior to 2007 but had other legal restrictions that precluded our recognition of revenue. The remaining $300,000 was related to cards that expired during the first quarter of fiscal 2007.