Sunday, September 1, 2013

Pink Floyd's entire back catalog headed to Spotify, sooner or later

Pink Floyd's entire back catalog headed to Spotify, sooner or later data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 315};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20622432' !== '') ? 'bsd:20622432' : ''; var postID = '20622432'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"internet",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"donald-melanson", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Pink Floyd's entire back catalog headed to Spotify, sooner or laterBypostedJun 14th, 2013 at 2:21 PM 0

Pink Floyd's back catalog headed to Spotify, sooner or later

There aren't as many big bands and artists holding out on streaming or downloaded music as there used to be, but there's unquestionably still some noticeable omissions on today's most popular services. One of those gaps now looks set to be filled, though, as a tweet from the official Pink Floyd Twitter account has all but confirmed that the band's entire back catalog will soon be available to stream on Spotify. The catch is that it'll only be available once "Wish You Were Here" is streamed a million times. Not quite as original as a flying pig as far as publicity stunts go, to be sure, but we're not ones to discourage you from listening to a little Floyd on repeat.

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The Daddy Matrix: Sugar, Warbucks, Leather, Puff

When it comes to gender-charged debates and viral phenomena, fathers tend to get short shrift. This is either a blessing or a disappointment. Fathers rarely endure the pageantry of hate surrounding women like Tiger Mom, Tanning Mom, Dance Moms, and the Park Slope moms on Urban Baby.

This reprieve must be a relief. But the diminished attention also means there are fewer discussions of fatherhood. "Having it all" is still considered a women's issue. "Daddy Wars" don't exist, yet. Stay-at-home dads go by the phonetically unfortunate acronym SAHD. Constructing the paternal version of the Cut's Mother's Day Mom Matrix — charting sexy, sexless, lovable, and loathsome figures with Dad, Daddy, Papa, and Father in their names — was much harder than constructing the female version.

Daddy Matrix characters were particularly difficult to categorize on the vertical lovable-loathsome axis, perhaps because paternal figures are rarely as polarizing as maternal ones are. Meanwhile, the lower left sexless-loathsome quadrant HAD few contenders, perhaps because words like frigid and strident rarely apply to men. Male buffoons aren't loathsome but lovable, like bumbling Berenstain Bears patriarch Papa Bear.

If you are unfamiliar with any of the above dads, here's a browsing guide to the best articles, videos, and online resources for discovering (or rediscovering) them.

Papa Bear Berenstain is the patriarch of picture book family the Berenstain Bears. Most people love the Berenstain bears, but sometimes journalists write contrarian essays about why they suck, thereby incurring wrath. For an intellectual take on Papa Bear's legacy, check out From 'The Three Bears' to 'The Berenstain Bears': Situating Daddy as Other, by the University of Hawaii's Kristin McAndrews.

Holy Father is the Pope, the grandfatherly old virgin in charge of a vast, sexually stifled, historically bellicose world religion. Though they take vows of chastity, not all popes are sexless. Currently there are two TV series about the power-hungry family of oversexed 15C pope Rodrigo Borgia and his illegitimate children. Watch The Borgias on Showtime. Watch Borgia on Netflix. I prefer the latter because it shows penises and stars a guy from The Wire.

Papa John's is a pizza delivery chain that provides garlic dipping goo with every pizza. It's kind of yummy, but the opposite of sexy. CEO John Schnatter "has a passion for being wealthy" and a house is so big, Mitt Romney complimented it.

Dad's Root Beer was invented in thirties Chicago. It introduced six-pack and half-gallon soda packaging and named its bottle sizes as though they were members of a family. "Junior" was seven to twelve ounces, "Mama" was a quart, and "Papa" was a half gallon.

Dada is an early twentieth-century art movement often described as "anti-art." Browse's MoMA's online Dada archive here.

Bob Papa is a sportscaster who does play-by-play for the New York Giants.

The Food Network's Big Daddy is Aaron McCargo Jr., winner of the fourth season of Food Network Star and host of Big Daddy's House. His specialty is soul food and "the flavor of bold." Here are his recipes.

Puff Daddy was the name Diddy used from 1997 to 2001, the era when he dated J.Lo and was found "not guilty" of weaponry and bribery charges following a nightclub gunfight he and J.Lo witnessed while "sipping champagne at 3AM."

"Cat Daddy" is a song by Rej3ctz. There is a "Cat Daddy" dance that Chris Brown does in Rej3ctz's music video. At a Terry Richardson photo shoot, Kate Upton did the "Cat Daddy" in a bikini, and the result was more pornographic than most people's sex lives are, even though she was technically clothed. YouTube banned (then un-banned) Kate's "Cat Daddy." Vogue described Kate's "Cat Daddy" as "no more shocking than any pulchritudinous teenager frolicking in the beach."

A Leather Daddy is a burly man who likes to wear leather either as a subset of the BDSM community, a genre of gay sexual expression, or both. Read about "daddies" as a genre of the gay community here. Read a profile of "Peter Marino, the Leather Daddy of Luxury" here.

Daddy Yankee is a Puerto Rican rapper known for an extremely confusing gay kiss scandal and his work campaigning for John McCain. He's pretty hot. On the off chance that he's a deeply closeted gay man suffering some sort of psychosexual torture, I am refraining from calling him "loathsome." Here's a music video where Daddy Yankee points at the camera while bikini-clad ladies rapidly shake their butts.

GoDaddy is a domain registrar and web-hosting company. Its ad campaigns feature tons and tons and tons of breasts. Here's an interview with "The Woman (!) Behind GoDaddy's Tasteless, Effective Super Bowl Ads."

A Sugar Daddy is an old man who attracts a young, hot significant other with his wealth. He gives his young lover "sugar," i.e., money and gifts. Want a sugar daddy? Read "How to Find Your Own Sugar Daddy (Like I Did)."

"Daddy" is a poem by Sylvia Plath. It's about Nazis and Electra complex stuff. Read it here.

Frac Daddy is a racehorse. He was in the Kentucky Derby. His name honors his Montana oil barons' source of income: fracking. Since he's a literal stallion, Frac Daddy is sexy.

Django Unchained's Big Daddy is a plantation owner. He has slaves. Django shoots him. Watch Miami Vice actor Don Johnson, who played Big Daddy, do a Quentin Tarantino impression here.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof's Big Daddy is the family's patriarch and a cotton tycoon. He has cancer. He yells at his possibly gay alcoholic son. Here's the trailer from the 1958 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof movie, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, and Burl Ives as Big Daddy.

Papa Bear is also Bill O'Reilly's nickname, mostly at the behest of Stephen Colbert, whose Colbert Report persona is based on O'Reilly, a man who finds falafel sexy. (And is thus sexless, except to food fetishists.) Watch a compilation of Colbert directly imitating O'Reilly here.


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Minecraft creator Markus 'Notch' Persson on the HTC Desire Z, CPU speed demons and more

Minecraft creator Markus 'Notch' Persson on the HTC Desire Z and CPU speed demons

Every week, a new and interesting human being tackles our decidedly geeky take on the Proustian Q&A. This is the Engadget Questionnaire.

In a brand new installment of our weekly smattering of questions, Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson offers his take on high-precision nerdery and the evolution of nature's most intuitive interface. To peruse all of the responses, join us just beyond the break.

Minecraft creator Markus 'Notch' Persson on the HTC Desire Z and CPU speed demonsWhat gadget do you depend on most?
I can't get myself to give up on my HTC Desire Z. It's a quite dated Android cellphone by now, but the physical keyboard is perfect for tweeting, and it takes horribly blurry pictures.

Which do you look back upon most fondly?
The Game Boy Advance, definitely. Great selection of games, horrible unlit screen and interesting form factor.

Which company does the most to push the industry?
Right now, I'm most excited about the Oculus Rift by Oculus VR, Inc. High-precision nerdery driven by a strong passion that rubs off on anyone that touches it.

What is your operating system of choice?
The one I use the most is Windows 7, but for laptops, nothing beats the way OS X handles touchpad input and gestures.

What are your favorite gadget names?
I'm quite fond of anything obviously named by an engineer. The more Greek letters and references to old mythology, the better.

What are your least favorite?
Anything in the format "The AdjectiveNoun(tm)."

Which app do you depend on most?
Twitter or Spotify, depending on if I'm currently procrastinating or not.

What traits do you most deplore in a smartphone?
Non-USB cable chargers. I finally got over my hatred of non-replaceable batteries. Phones tend to get outdated by the time you need to replace the battery anyway.

Which do you most admire?
Physical keyboards, although they're definitely rare these days.

What is your idea of the perfect device?
Hands. No tools have ever gotten close to being as intuitive or versatile as what nature has evolved for us.

"I'm quite fond of anything obviously named by an engineer. The more Greek letters and references to old mythology, the better."

What is your earliest gadget memory?
I remember disassembling and putting an old analog alarm clock together. It was a lot of fun figuring out why it still worked with that one spring missing.

What technological advancement do you most admire?
The speed at which modern CPUs perform computations still blows my mind daily. The way this allows us to really apply math to solve a wide range of problems, or just change the intensity of millions of LED lights 60 [times] per second just to entertain us, is mind-blowing.

Which do you most despise?
Anything designed to hurt other people, such as weapons or YouTube comments. Other than that, I find it hard to despise tools. Some are less useful, but I don't despise them.

What fault are you most tolerant of in a gadget?
Bad documentation. I like exploring gadgets myself, and find it exciting when the documentation is wrong.

Which are you most intolerant of?
Bad pixels, or other "tolerable" flaws that really shouldn't be.

When has your smartphone been of the most help?
Google Maps to find out where I am and where I'm supposed to go. The fact that the GPS eats battery just adds to the excitement.

What device do you covet most?
I already have it, but a good keyboard is invaluable when you spend a lot of time typing. My favorite one is the ancient IBM Model M I have at home.

If you could change one thing about your phone what would it be?
I would make the battery last longer than half a day of heavy use.

What does being connected mean to you?
Access to the internet.

When are you least likely to reply to an email?
Any email that contains the words "important" or "urgent" never are, and annoy me to the point of not replying out of principle.

When did you last disconnect?
Many years ago; I don't even remember. I've tried a few times, but never last longer than a day or two.

[Image credit: Original GDC / Flickr]


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Carly Rae Jepsen, Model Onslaught at amfAR Gala

The theme for last night's amfAR gala at the Plaza Hotel was "military," complete with a runway show full of camo fabrics and double-breasted jackets. How does attendee Liza Minnelli feel about men in uniform? "Oh, they're so attractive!" The Cut chatted with guests about their most militant personal habits, as well as the new child models bill and summer song predictions. Click ahead to see everyone in their gowns and tuxes.


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Bosch offers $3,000 wireless chargers to Leaf and Volt owners

Bosch Makes Plugless EV Charging Affordable

First commercially available wireless electric vehicle charging system in U.S.
Exclusive distribution/installation agreement established with Evatran Group, Inc.
Financing options available to U.S. customers across entire charging portfolio with installation

EDTA Conference 2013

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bosch Automotive Service Solutions, an operation of Bosch Automotive Aftermarket, one of the leading providers of vehicle diagnostics, workshop equipment, software and charging solutions for the global automotive market, today announced an exclusive distribution and installation agreement with Evatran Group, Inc. to offer the PluglessTM Level 2 Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging System, the first commercially available wireless system. In addition, Bosch announced financing options for all offered electric vehicle charging stations and their installation. The announcements were made at the 2013 Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) Annual Conference, held June 10 – June 12 in Washington, D.C.

"The addition of the Plugless L2 System to our portfolio helps us provide our customers the most dynamic and innovative range of charging solutions available."

As part of Bosch's continuing drive to bring affordable charging options to a growing EV market, including the recently announced $449 240V Bosch Power Max, the company now provides multiple payment options for its customers across its charging product line-up, including installation. Financing options announced today are:

$0 down, same as cash loan with no monthly payments for 12 months if repaid in full in 12 months for charging stations with installations $1,000 and above(1)
$0 down, 5 year 2.99% loan on charging stations with installations $3,500 and above(2)

"With the unveiling of the $449 Power Max last month, and now the financing options, Bosch offers an affordable 240V charging solution for every EV driver," said Tanvir Arfi, president, Bosch Automotive Service Solutions and EDTA conference speaker. "The addition of the Plugless L2 System to our portfolio helps us provide our customers the most dynamic and innovative range of charging solutions available."

Bosch will provide the complete installation solution for the Plugless L2 System. A Bosch-certified electrician will install the home infrastructure portion of the system, and Bosch Car Service centers will install the on-vehicle components. Bosch will coordinate the entire process and provide post-installation support as needed.

"We are thrilled to launch the first wireless charging system," said Rebecca Hough, CEO and co-founder of Evatran, "Plugless L2 gives EV drivers a more convenient, reliable charging option. Working with Bosch's existing network of certified electricians and 1,300+ Bosch Car Service centers across the U.S., combined with their industry-leading financing options, we're bringing a game-changing charging solution to the EV market."

The Plugless L2 System offers hands-free, automatic EV charging. Vehicle owners simply drive over the system's floor-mounted Parking Pad and their vehicle begins charging.

The Plugless Level 2 EV Charging System includes the following components:

Vehicle Adapter: Installed on the undercarriage of the user's EV
Control Panel: A wall-mounted enclosure that provides alignment guidance and diagnostic information, in addition to traditional charging station functions
Parking Pad: A floor-mounted wireless charging transmitter

Bosch offers professional guidance for customers purchasing the Plugless L2 or other corded EV charging stations. Trained Vehicle Charging Advisors walk customers through a free on-site estimate, installation and inspection, and provide ongoing support including finding money-saving rebates offered by utility companies, government or vehicle manufacturers. Bosch installation services include a 3-year limited product warranty, all permitting and even filing rebate paperwork for a vehicle owner.

Arfi, an EDTA Board Member, will be speaking at the EDTA conference on Tuesday, June 11 in a session titled "Charging Networks." He will join industry executives discussing the expansion of public charging for EVs and the potential of subscription-based services for drivers.

Hough will also speak at the conference on Wednesday, June 12 in a session titled "Off the Wall: Alternative Charging." She will join industry executives for a discussion on emerging charging technologies for applications outside of the home and workplace.

Bosch will begin taking advance orders today; customers can call 877-805-3873 to place an order. The Plugless L2 System will begin shipping in early July, with initial customers receiving their charging station in mid to late July.

More information on the Plugless L2, financing options and other Bosch Automotive Service Solutions EV charging stations and installation services can be found at www.pluginnow.com.

Disclaimer:

Loans provided by EnerBank USA (1245 Brickyard Rd. Suite 600, Salt Lake City, UT 84106) on approved credit, for a limited time. (1) Repayment terms on 12 months same as cash vary from 24 to 132 months. Interest waived if repaid in 365 days. 16.82% fixed APR. (2) Repayment term is 60 months. 2.99% fixed APR. The first monthly payment will be due 30 days after the loan closes. Maximum loan amount is $55,000. All rates effective June 1, 2013 and subject to change.


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Microsoft's Andy Lees exits corporate development role, will announce a new job after his holiday (updated)

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Microsofts Andy Lees exits corporate development role, will announce a new job after his holiday

Seven months after Andy Lees became Microsoft's vice president of corporate development, the executive has decided that it's time for a rest. AllThingsD is reporting that the deposed former Windows Phone chief is taking a sabbatical to spend some time with his family in England, but will return to a new, currently undefined, role at Redmond later in the summer. Given that the country is currently suffering through one of its traditional summers, we suggest Mr. Lees packs an umbrella.

Update: Microsoft has contacted us to clarify that Lees is permanently relocating to the UK, but will remain with the company -- at a position that'll be announced once his sabbatical has ended.

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AT&T GoPhone plans to support LTE, drop most data add-ons on June 21st (updated)

AT&T GoPhone Customers Can Surf the Nation's Fastest 4G LTE Network with Prepaid Plans

New 4G LTE GoPhone Device Offers Blazing Fast Speed on a Budget

Beginning June 21, AT&T* GoPhone customers can enjoy the affordability and simplicity of a prepaid wireless plan on the nation's fastest 4G LTE network.** AT&T is adding to its lineup of GoPhone devices with the introduction of the 4G LTE-capable Samsung Galaxy Express™.

New and existing AT&T GoPhone customers can bring their own 4G or 4G LTE smartphone or choose a GoPhone device to connect to AT&T's nation's largest 4G network. AT&T 4G and 4G LTE service is available with any of the new GoPhone smartphone plans, which include:

* $60 a month for 2 GB of data, unlimited nationwide calling, and unlimited messaging - now double the data at a lower monthly price. Additional data is available for $10 per 1 GB.
* $40 a month for 200 MB of data, 500 minutes of nationwide calling, and unlimited messaging. Additional data is available for $5 per 100 MB.
* $25 a month for 250 minutes of nationwide calling and unlimited messaging, with an optional data package of 50 MB for an additional $5 a month.
* All GoPhone monthly plans include international texts from the U.S. to Mexico, Canada and 100 other countries.

"AT&T GoPhone customers can make the most of their smartphones on our fast 4G LTE network, and with our new prepaid plans, they're getting even more value and data at an attractive price," said Mark Collins, AT&T Mobility senior vice president of data and voice products. "With the addition of the Samsung Galaxy Express, customers get the latest capabilities and speeds from their wireless experience, and we'll be adding more exciting devices to our GoPhone lineup."

The Samsung Galaxy Express is available on June 21 for $249.99 online and at any AT&T company-owned retail store or GoPhone distributors. The Galaxy Express is all about sharing. Samsung's S Beam™ enables consumers to share large files - photos, videos, music and more - with any other S Beam-capable device. Additional features include:

* 4G LTE
* Operating system: Android, Jelly Bean
* 1.5 GHz dual-core processor
* 4.5-inch Super AMOLED® Plus display
* 5-megapixel rear facing camera with 720 p video recording capabilities at 30 frames per second
* 1.3-megapixel front facing camera with VGA video recording at 15 frames per second
* Internal memory/storage: 1 GB RAM, 8 GB storage with support for up to 32 GB microSD card

AT&T GoPhone monthly plans are also available for quick messaging and basic phones, with several plans to choose from. For $35 a month, basic phone customers can get 500 minutes of nationwide calling, unlimited data and unlimited messaging.

AT&T GoPhone smartphone customers can also choose a $50 unlimited talk and text plan with Wi-Fi data only.

For more information on AT&T GoPhone and a complete listing of plans, visit www.att.com/gophone.


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