I've been wanting to purchase a PhatNoise digital music player for a long time. I like that how well it can integrate with an OEM headunit and I really want to be able to listen to my entire music collection during my 45-minute commute to work without messing with Discs. However, I've held off purchasing one because they have yet to add the ability to play WMA protected songs; I saw no hope of them every playing iTunes FairPlay protected songs.

However, I've changed my mind. Goodbye PhatNoise, I never really knew ya. I've read of multiple companies (Blitz Safe, Soundgate, Precision Interface Electronics (PIE) / Monster Cable, Kenwood, Apline, BMW and several other OEMs) releasing products that allow an iPod to connect to and directly interface with the vehicle audio system. Kenwood, who is a partner with PhatNoise and sells a rebranded unit called the Muisc Keg, was the biggest surprise. So my new plan is to buy an iPod and the OEM interface cable from Blitz Safe. This is a cheaper option than the PhatNoise box and it can play DRM-protected files. I'll probably start buying songs from Real unless MusicMatch offers the capability to play songs on an iPod. I was ready to give my money to PhatNoise, but they waited too long to take it. Integrating the iPod into vehicles is going to put a hurt on PhatNoise and will force them to finally make changes customers have been requesting.

I've been following the debate regarding Real Networks releasing their new Harmony software. This software allows users to purchase songs from Real and copy them to an Apple iPod as well as any device capable of playing protected WMA files. I think it is great that Real is givin Apple iPod owners an alternative to iTunes Music Store because choice is always a good thing. What I can't believe is how upset iPod users and Apple loyalists are about this. Real hasn't done anything wrong; I've studied the DMCA and read several articles and Real has is in the clear. Real isn't causing the iPod to loose functionality and is not precluding future purchases from iTunes. Yet, many people are outraged because they preceived that Real has committed such a horrible act, most likely due in part to Apple talking about the "hacker tactics" of Real.

In every other situation I can think of, users are elated to have an "aftermarket" option. People love to be able to modify their cars with audio equipment and performance parts and there is even the Magnussen Moss Warranty Act to help reinforce this right. Many people upgrade their computers and some people modify Xboxs and Tivos with third part hardware. However, a third party (Real) releases a optional feature for the iPod, and users revolt. I can't believe that Apple users are so fond of their environment that the possibiilty of an external option is seen as a threat. It shows how much brand loyalty Apple has. I wish I could find a link now, but I recently read that a majority of iPod owners surveyed had no idea that they couldn't play music purchased from online music stores other than iTunes. This is a testiment as to how easy Apple products are to use, so much so that users don't even look to other options are are perhaps afraid of them.

Here's a quote from an interesting article:

If I want to use Real’s service to download music to my own device, where’s the breaking and entering? What Real had done was make the iPod “interoperable� with another format. If Boyle’s word processing program can convert Microsoft Word files into Boyle’s format, allowing Word users to switch programs, am I “breaking into Word�?

It's not like Real figured out the FairPlay DRM on their own. Jon Johansen (a.k.a. DVD Jon) published code to remove the FairPlay DRM many months ago. Jon at least had the ethics to leave personal information identifying the purchaser of the music attached to the file to discourage illegal trading. I've heard of other programs that remove all information, which seems not to be in the best interests of fair use. I have about 6000 songs on my PC and everyone was purchased legimately; not being able to play protected files that own on devices that I own is very frustrating and I can see why people would want to remove DRM for legitimate purposes.

By the way, I purchase songs online from MusicMatch. I'm surprised how low key they've been over the past 6 months, especially after seeing a stat in PC Magazine that they had higher traffic than Real and Napster. All I've heard is iTunes, Napster, and Real but MusicMatch is a great alternative with high-quality 168 kpbs downloads in WMA format. However, I must say the ability to play DRM-protected songs from Real on either an iPod or any WMA protable player makes it a very attractive alternative.

I'm now using the Sveasoft firmware in my Linksys wireless router. The firmware is definitely an improvement over the standard feature set. The ability to boost the transmit power is a nice added feature, but I've read of many people boosting the transmit power to 200, which will probably fry their router and doens't produce any better performance than a setting of 50-60 (which is ideal). I hope Linksys dosen't have a warranty problem because of the ignorant over-boosters causing failures because I really support Linksys releasing their firmware — so many other manufacturers have not.

I am very disappointed with the Sveasoft website. First of all, it isn't devoted to router firmware — you have to find a discussion forum. Secondly, it doesn't provide downloads from the website unless you've paid $20/year to get to the pre-release firmware. So, you have to search through the forum to find mirror sites that offer the released firmware and then you have to search though those websites the find the files. What a horrible design!

For anyone looking for the latest public / released Sveasoft firmware, here is a link to the linksysinfo.org download page. Too bad sveasoft couldn't make it this simple.

During my recent trip to China, I was surprised at how the internet kept me in such close touch with the US. In both hotels in which I stayed, broadband internet was available. Neither was close to being as fast as the cable connection I have at home, but I was able to check e-mail, post blog entries, and make and receive telephone calls. The Vonage softphone allowed me to call my wife Nicole about every day; she was able to dial a local Indianapolis phone number and talk to me when she wanted. It really cut down on the long distance costs. Unfortunately, the X-Pro software provided by Vonage didn't work very well. I had to re-start it every time I reconnected to the internet, the phone book feature was worthless, and there was no incoming or outgoing call history. They could definitely benefit from a better software package, but it worked well enough to keep me in touch with the US and was easier than using Yahoo Instant Messenger.

I’m now back at work, starting to settle into my routine again, but I’m not ready to be in this routine again! I’ve had a few days to relax and adjust to being back in the US and that was exactly what I and Nicole needed; last weekend was the most time the two of us had spent together in months. All I wanted to do was relax, watch movies, and play video games. Unfortunately, the work week has now begun. I’ve received e-mails from everyone else who was on the trip. I’m anxious to reply but I know it will take a while to compose the message because I have so much to say. I miss everyone in the group as well as the friends we made in China and a part of wants to be back in China again. In fact, the longer I sit at my desk at work, the more I wish our group had another upcoming trip and project in front of us. Readjusting to the US wasn’t a problem; readjusting to my daily / routine life is and will continue to be difficult.