Amazon Music = Awesome

So for the first time in a long time, I actually paid for my music. When two albums I was interested in (Ingrid Michealson's 'Be OK' and Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist Soundtrack) weren't available through Ruckus, I actually decided that the $8 pricetag for each album was worth it. The music is at a great bitrate (256), mp3 format, and completly DRM FREE!

Some people might not know it yet, but if you've bought music from the iTunes music store (and many other places) and tried to move it to a different computer it has to be 'authorized' before you can play it. It's a Orwellian way to try and combat piracy that's annoying and ineffective. iTunes is trying to get away from DRM, but hasn't yet.

Thus concludes my happy reccomendation.

Colin Powell on Team Obama?

What a crazy road it's been with these VP picks. It was only two months ago that Colin Powell was being floated as a potential VP candidate.
Now a scant two months later, the rumor mill suggests that Colin Powell is ready to endorse Barack Steve Obama. He's got a big day tomorrow on Meet The Press, possibly capturing at least two or three news cycles.
I can't help but think that this is would really be a huge pull for independent voters. Personally, I think that if Colin Powell wasn't too smart to be President, he could give Obama a run for his money in a race. How would the McCain camp downplay the endorsement of a loved (centrist Republican) figure?

Is Android really a winner?

So I knew from the get-go that I was going to be one of the targeted folks for Android, which basically is a cellphone operating system backed by Google. The take-home message of what they're trying to do is mostly allowing people and companies to write and install their own applications on the phone, which is nerdy music to my ears. (Even the cute robot mascot is perfect.)
Apple's been doing similar work with their iPhone App store, but some of the restrictions have been ridiculous, especially the way that they won't let people have a turn-by-turn navigation program even though it's more than possible with the device.
I think it's this freedom that's attracting a ton of people to want to try out the phone. So far, T-Mobile has had 1.5 million preorders, and if AT&T had a similar option I'd be all over it this February.
Let's hope it actually takes off and Google builds up enough of a following so that we can get a application ready smartphone not caught in the grips of MSFT or Apple.