5/29/2008
Converting Audio File Formats in iTunes
iTunes is much more than a digital music jukebox. It's capable of handling many different tasks involving digital media. Some of iTunes' most popular features include buying music and vidoes online, burning CDs, and syncing files with your iPod or iPhone.But one of the lesser known functions hidden within iTunes is the ability to convert audio files.
Why would you need to convert an audio file? Converting audio file types can be useful in many different situations. Here are a few examples:
- You have an AAC file in iTunes that's not compatible with your Zune that can play MP3 and not AAC files.
- A WAV file needs to be emailed to a client for approval but it's too big. You need to convert the file to an AAC so it's small enough to easily send via email.
- You are making a music video and want to use a song you got online as the soundtrack. However, the editing program won't import the song because it doesn't support MP3 or AAC.
- You need to remove the DRM (Digital Rights Management) from an AAC song you purchased from the iTunes Store (see step #7).
Many programs that convert audio files into different formats are pretty complicated and usually cost money. But not iTunes. iTunes is simple, fast and best of all... free.
Tutorial: Converting Audio File Formats in iTunes
methodshop
5/28/2008
Sigur Rós Gets All Naked For New Album
Sigur Rós isn't releasing its fifth album titled, "Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust", until June 23. But you can download both a music video and a mp3 for the song "Gobbledigook" at Sigur Ros's website right now.Before you run off to watch the video for "Gobbledigook" on SigurRos.com, just keep in mind that it's NSFW.
The video contains footage of naked people playing/running/fornicating in a forest by a lake. There is both full frontal male and female nudity. Probably not something you want your boss to see you watching in your cubicle at work.
A couple stills from the "Gobbledigook" video are below.
The Icelandic title of the new album, "Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust", roughly translates to "With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly" in English.
This is the 1st album Sigur Rós have made outside of Iceland. Parts of the album were recorded in New York, Havana, London as well as Reykjavik. It will also mark the first time vocalist Jón Thor Birgisson sings a track in English. The rest of the album will be in Icelandic. Previous albums featured most of the vocals in Vonlenska (their own made up language).
The album cover for "With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly" is a photo taken by New York-based visual artist Ryan McGinley. Here's the track listing for the album:1. Gobbledigook
2. Inní mér syngur vitleysingur
3. Góðan daginn
4. Við spilum endalaust
5. Festival
6. Með suð í eyrum
7. Ára bátur
8. Illgresi
9. Fljótavík
10. Straumnes
11. All alright
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Labels: music
Reddit Redesign
Wired's social news site Reddit.com recently completed a redesign featuring vastly improved navigation, organization and customization tools.
Now there's a handy single-click link to Reddit's "most controversial" posts - i.e. the ones with the most user votes and a way to view your pages in compressed link format.
methodshop
Now there's a handy single-click link to Reddit's "most controversial" posts - i.e. the ones with the most user votes and a way to view your pages in compressed link format.
methodshop
Labels: social networking, tech news
5/27/2008
The Candle Experiment
What happens when you balance a candle between two wine glasses and light the ends at different times? Science!"The Candle Experiment" is latest video from the Neistat Brothers (you might remember them from the infamous "The iPod's Dirty Secret" video).
methodshop
Labels: video
5/23/2008
New Weezer Video Features YouTube Celebs
Weezer posted their new music video called "Pork and Beans" on YouTube. The video features a huge collection of "internet stars" from Tay "Chocolate Rain" Zonday to Chris "Leave Britney Alone" Crocker. Weezer even plays in front of a huge deluge tribute to "Coke + Mentos".Weezer's new self-titled "Red Album" comes out June 3rd, 2008.
Here are all the YouTube parody clips we recognized in "Pork and Beans":
- Chocolate Rain
- Afro Ninja
- Star Wars Kid
- Numa Numa
- Daft Hands
- G.I. Joe PSAs
- Clip Bandits
- Miss North Carolina
- Leave Britney Alone
- Diet Coke + Mentos
- Dramatic Look Hamster
- All Your Base Belong to Us
- Charlie the Unicorn
- Will It Blend? - Pork and Beans
Did we miss any?
methodshop
5/22/2008
iPhone Line Forms Already at Apple's 5th Ave Store
This morning I had to go buy another copy of OS X Leopard (my original copy got scratched). As I walked closer to the Apple Store on 5th Avenue I was somewhat surprised to see a line of about 50 people waiting in line. The 3G iPhone announcement isn't rumored to happen until June 9th right? Are these people going to wait in line for over 2 weeks or do they know something we don't?I asked the security guard by the Cube what was going on and he said it was for the iPhone. He wouldn't say if it was for the 3G iPhone or for old iPhone leftover inventory That's all he knew and he very was annoyed at me for asking him about the iPhone line. I'm doubt I was the first person to ask.
Still confused I walked downstairs and bought my copy of Leopard. Before I left the Apple Store, I asked Jessica, my cashier, if the people outside were waiting for the new 3G iPhone. She cryptically said "They are waiting to buy an iPhone. We will sell them whatever phones we have in stock." She was kind of pissed off too.
For some reason the majority of people waiting in line were Asian. I was later informed by a friend that to get around iPhone per-person quantity restrictions, you can pay people (usually from Chinatown I guess?) to buy you extra iPhones and even hold your place in line.
The line is most likely for people looking to get their hands on the current iPhone and ship it overseas, but I wonder how many of these people will still be in line on June 9th.
More Pictures: Lines Form Weeks Before Rumored iPhone 3G Announcement
methodshop
Chuck Norris Action Jeans [pic]
Here's a 1980s magazine ad for Chuck Norris' Action Jeans. The jeans were specially designed for "stunt fighting" and have a "unique hidden gusset which allows for greater movement without binding or ripping".WTF?
Anyway, what exactly is a "gusset"? We looked it up.
A gusset is a device, often triangular, used to reinforce a connection between two components. Gussets are commonly used in engineering, sewing, armour and Chuck Norris' pants I guess.
Digg.com user CiscoNoShut owned a pair of these "Action Jeans" back in 1981 and had this to say about the special "gusset" feature.
"I ordered the first pair back in 1981, they looked the same except they had a lace-up front instead of zipper and button or snap"
So let's review. What did we learn from Chuck today? Basically a gusset in the crotch of his jeans allows the wearer to do karate kicks without ripping a hole in the crotch or crushing your balls like regular jeans would. Because roundhouse kicks and ball crushing jeans are common problems any real man faces on a daily basis.
Here's a related article if you want to see more silly print advertisements: Ridiculous Ads from the 1930's
methodshop
5/20/2008
3G iPhone Launch Set For June 9
According to Gizmodo, Apple is set to unveil the 3G iPhone on June 9 at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco.
Here's an excerpt from the Gizmodo post:
The 3G iPhone will also supposedly do away with fixed-price iPhones. Apple will be adopting a more traditional subsidized pricing model. This means that certain carriers can offer discounts and subsidies on the Apple handset. This also means that large companies will probably be able to purchase iPhones in bulk and offer them as part of their companies internal wireless plans.
What will this new 3G iPhone look like? Rumors say it might come in multiple colors including black (see a mockup above). There's no doubt that a black 3G iPhone would be extremely popular.
Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, first promised a 3G iPhone at a London press conference in September 2007. Sine then, it's been a guessing game trying to figure out when the 3G iPhone would be released. In April, hackers found a 3G toggle switch in the iPhone's 2.0 beta firmware hinting that a 3G iPhone release was imminent.
methodshop
Here's an excerpt from the Gizmodo post:
"We all suspected it, but now it is confirmed: someone very, very close to the 3G iPhone launch has told me [Gizmodo’s Jesus Diaz] that Apple will announce their new model at the WWDC Keynote on June 9th. The second-generation iPhone will be available worldwide right after the launch, and not at year’s end, as previously thought. The new model will also herald new sales policies in some countries.
In Spain, for example, the 3G iPhone will be available for sale at the June 18th grand opening of Telefonica’s megastore—an Apple Store-like shop located in the company’s historical building in Madrid’s Gran Vía— with nationwide availability the next day or after a few hours. The other European countries with iPhone availability will have similar launch schedules."
The 3G iPhone will also supposedly do away with fixed-price iPhones. Apple will be adopting a more traditional subsidized pricing model. This means that certain carriers can offer discounts and subsidies on the Apple handset. This also means that large companies will probably be able to purchase iPhones in bulk and offer them as part of their companies internal wireless plans.
What will this new 3G iPhone look like? Rumors say it might come in multiple colors including black (see a mockup above). There's no doubt that a black 3G iPhone would be extremely popular.
Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, first promised a 3G iPhone at a London press conference in September 2007. Sine then, it's been a guessing game trying to figure out when the 3G iPhone would be released. In April, hackers found a 3G toggle switch in the iPhone's 2.0 beta firmware hinting that a 3G iPhone release was imminent.
methodshop
5/19/2008
How to Make and Share Celebrity Miis for the Nintendo Wii
The Nintendo Wii is a great console. It's family friendly, fun and allows you to customize your characters, called Miis, used in many of the games.The "Mii" is a brilliant concept. Instead of being some generic character in a game, you can be yourself. You can also make a celebrity look alike Mii. That way the next time you are playing Baseball on Wii Sports, you might end up with a celebrity Mii on your team like Oprah, Borat (pictured below), Charlie Brown (pictured on right) or even Dwight Schrute from the American TV show The Office.
This tutorial will guide you through making a Mii and sharing it on the Internet as well as give you plenty of celebrity Mii ideas.
Tutorial: How to Make and Share Celebrity Miis for the Nintendo Wii
methodshop
5/15/2008
Use Your iPhone to Slim Down Your Wallet
Tied of carrying around all those specialty credit cards and membership cards in your wallet? Why not use your iPhone to help slim things down?A blogger named Albert Alberts, scanned all his membership cards to his computer, synced them to his iPhone and made a new photo album called "WalletCards."
Membership numbers, bar codes, security codes, expiration dates, etc... are now right at his fingertips anytime he needs them. And the scanned bar code images can even be scanned directly off the iPhone's screen at the register!
There is a downside to this however. The scanned cards on his iPhone obviously can't be swiped in a credit card machine. So this technique won't work every type of card, but it can at least help slim down your wallet a little bit.
methodshop
5/12/2008
iPhone 3G Settings [pic]
Still doubt that the 3G iPhone is coming soon? This settings screen with a 3G toggle switch (see image) was found in the latest beta release of the iPhone's 2.0 firmware.
Why would you want to turn off 3G? Because 3G drains cell phone batteries very quickly. In this screenshot, Apple has included a toggle setting to turn 3G off, and use AT&T's slower but more battery friendly EDGE network instead. Probably a very useful feature if you are almost out of juice.
In April, Apple released beta version 3 of its iPhone SDK. Hackers found that the new firmware contains references to an updated chipset—namely, the SGOLD3H from Infineon. This chip adds support for 3G networking, including WCDMA - the 3G flavor used in Japan and Korea.
So according to Apple's SDK and Firmware updates, a 3G iPhone is definitely coming very soon.
Apple's stores are also indicating that a new iPhone is coming soon. While the Apple stores have been having a shortage of iPhones for a couple weeks now, the Apple website now is also saying there is no ship date available.
Also AT&T employees have already suggested a release date of June 15th.
Add all these clues up and it's a pretty safe bet to say that the new 3G iPhone is coming out either late May or early June.
How much will this new iPhone cost? The 3G iPhone has been rumored to have a starting price even higher than the original iPhone at $599 for the 8GB and $699 for the 16GB. No word on whether the data plans will remain the same with the new 3G data speeds.
methodshop
Why would you want to turn off 3G? Because 3G drains cell phone batteries very quickly. In this screenshot, Apple has included a toggle setting to turn 3G off, and use AT&T's slower but more battery friendly EDGE network instead. Probably a very useful feature if you are almost out of juice.
In April, Apple released beta version 3 of its iPhone SDK. Hackers found that the new firmware contains references to an updated chipset—namely, the SGOLD3H from Infineon. This chip adds support for 3G networking, including WCDMA - the 3G flavor used in Japan and Korea.
So according to Apple's SDK and Firmware updates, a 3G iPhone is definitely coming very soon.
Apple's stores are also indicating that a new iPhone is coming soon. While the Apple stores have been having a shortage of iPhones for a couple weeks now, the Apple website now is also saying there is no ship date available.
Also AT&T employees have already suggested a release date of June 15th.
Add all these clues up and it's a pretty safe bet to say that the new 3G iPhone is coming out either late May or early June.
How much will this new iPhone cost? The 3G iPhone has been rumored to have a starting price even higher than the original iPhone at $599 for the 8GB and $699 for the 16GB. No word on whether the data plans will remain the same with the new 3G data speeds.
methodshop
5/11/2008
Percussion Guitar [video]
Here's an amazing clip of musician Erik Mongrain playing "percussion guitar" using a technique known as lap tapping.
methodshop
methodshop
5/08/2008
Neil Young New Poster Boy for Blu-ray
Neil Young is now the poster boy for Sun Microsystem's Java On2 interactive Blu-ray DVD technology. Young made the announcement on stage with Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz yesterday at the Sun Microsystems Java One Conference in San Francisco.Young plans to release his entire music catalog on Blu-ray, beginning with a 10-disc set containing his recordings from '63 to '72. Fans with a broadband connection and the latest Java-capable Blu-ray players will be able to download lyrics, photos, tour info and additional songs.
Some hardcore Neil Young fans may find it difficult to see him on stage making deals and announcements with corporate CEOs. Most of the songs on Young's 1988 album "This Note's for You" centered around the commercialism of rock and roll, and tours in particular (the title track is a social commentary on concert sponsorship). Will we see Sun and Blu-ray sponsoring Young's next tour?
The Blu-ray camp made a huge score by wooing Young. Artists such as AC/DC, The Band and Bruce Springsteen have all released HD concert videos on Blu-ray discs, but Young's support of Sun's On2 technology gives Blu-ray new revenue opportunities and solidifies Blu-ray as a music medium.
No word yet if Young plans on remaking one of his classic songs "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World" to "Keep on Rockin' in the Blu-ray DVD World."
methodshop
5/07/2008
World’s Tallest LEGO Tower [pic]
This monstrous LEGO tower was built in the U.K.'s Legoland Windsor theme park to commemorate LEGO's 50th anniversary. The tower was made using 500,000 LEGO bricks, and stands just shy of 100 feet high.
Maybe this LEGO tower should get added to the list of Strange Monuments From Around the World.
methodshop
Maybe this LEGO tower should get added to the list of Strange Monuments From Around the World.
methodshop
Labels: pics
Naughty Transformer [video]
What if your car was a robot like in the movie Transformers? Sounds cool right? ...or is it?In Michael Bay's movie version of Transformers, Shia LaBeouf has to deal with giant robots walking all over his mom's garden and backyard. When you are busy saving the world, who cares about a garden. But how well do Transformers fit into everyday life?
What if you had a transforming car that you drove to work everyday? Would it act like this in front of your coworkers? Car manufacturer, Chevy, answers those questions with this clever commercial. [watch clip]
methodshop
Labels: video
5/06/2008
Wixi iPhone Media Storage
One of the shortfalls of the current iPhone is that it doesn't allow video to be stored. Check out the ad supported online app called Wixi, which stores photos, music and videos on a server then formats them for viewing on the iPhone.
Premium subscribers who pay $6/month or $50/year are offered unlimited, ad-free storage. You can get more info at Wixi.com.
methodshop
Premium subscribers who pay $6/month or $50/year are offered unlimited, ad-free storage. You can get more info at Wixi.com.
methodshop
5/05/2008
Flood vs. Boredom [pic]
Is it a moat? Did someone accidentally leave the sprinkler on overnight? Neither. An unforgiving rainstorm was too much for the Illinois River to hold and a massive flood has left many homes underwater. But there are a few exceptions.
Say hello to Kenny Leitner. Maybe it's lack of electricity and part boredom but not even a flood can stop him from mowing his front lawn.
It's probably fair to say that Kenny is having a "bad day."
More "Bad Days" Photos:
http://methodshop.com/picts/baddays/index.shtml
methodshop
Say hello to Kenny Leitner. Maybe it's lack of electricity and part boredom but not even a flood can stop him from mowing his front lawn.
It's probably fair to say that Kenny is having a "bad day."
More "Bad Days" Photos:
http://methodshop.com/picts/baddays/index.shtml
methodshop
Labels: pics
5/01/2008
Pac-Man Sculpture Made Out of Tin Cans [pic]
You might notice the uncanny resemblance in the image below to one of the most recognizable video game mascots of all time... Pac-Man.
This giant Pac-Man sculpture was just one of the displays created for a charitable art show called Canstruction Vancouver. If you look closely, you might notice that the sculpture is made almost entirely out out of tin cans. Actually thousands of cans. After the show, the cans of food used in these displays were donated to the Vancouver food bank. Donations were also collected at the exhibit entrance.
Flickr user eyesplash Mikul attended the show and posted this image of Pac-Man and the blue ghost online. I forget which ghost was the blue ghost but their names were Blinky, Pinky, Inkey, and Clyde.
In case all this Pac-Man talk makes you feel like gobbling up some ghosts, here's a web browser based version of Pac-Mac.
methodshop
This giant Pac-Man sculpture was just one of the displays created for a charitable art show called Canstruction Vancouver. If you look closely, you might notice that the sculpture is made almost entirely out out of tin cans. Actually thousands of cans. After the show, the cans of food used in these displays were donated to the Vancouver food bank. Donations were also collected at the exhibit entrance.
Flickr user eyesplash Mikul attended the show and posted this image of Pac-Man and the blue ghost online. I forget which ghost was the blue ghost but their names were Blinky, Pinky, Inkey, and Clyde.
In case all this Pac-Man talk makes you feel like gobbling up some ghosts, here's a web browser based version of Pac-Mac.
methodshop
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Turkey Bowl is a 3D perspective target game where you celebrate the fall harvest by knocking over turkeys with bowling apples. Here's a hint, the turkeys further away are worth more points. Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Has a virus or hard
drive crash wiped out your entire music collection on your computer? No
problem. Here's how to copy music off your iPod or iPhone and back onto your computer.
Bugs tend to freak us out. Mosquitoes, spiders, wasps, centipedes... you name it. If it crawls, bites or buzzes anywhere near our faces, then we squirm, swat and run. But what's worse than a little bug crawling on or biting you? How about a really, really big one? Here are some of the biggest bugs on Earth. Enjoy!. 
Need
something to watch on your iPod or iPhone? Here's a tutorial that
explains how to use a program called Handbrake to rip DVD's
into iPod compatible MPEG-4 video files.
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