Research and development of the compact disc actually began well before 1982. Beginning in 1974, electronics company Philips wanted to create a whole new audio platform that was both small in size and better quality than vinyl records and cassette tapes. Three years later, the company finally established a lab where they would make CDs and CD players. They called them “compact discs” to follow along with their other naming conventions that they had, like the “compact cassette”.

At the time, Sony was also developing their own CD technology, but the two companies eventually merged their efforts and partnered up for the official consumer launch of the CD in 1982. Of course, CDs were met with a ton of skepticism at first. It wasn’t until several years later that CDs began to actually take off. Heck, I was still using cassette tapes in the 90s.

Even though the percentage of people in the world that use CDs is continually going down, you can’t deny that the format made a huge impact on the music industry. Even though nothing really outperforms the quality of a good vinyl record, newer platforms like CDs and MP3s are still extremely popular and are the go-to format for most music listeners these days.

[via The Next Web]

Image via Flickr

Beck previously released an album by the name of “The Information” which was also accompanied by a strange method of release. The Information was released, in some cases, with a DVD which included a music video for every single track on the album. The album was also released with a blank sleeve and booklet with one of four different sets of sticks so that no two album covers were the same: “The artwork is going to be customizable. The idea is to provide something that calls for interactivity.”

That quote comes from a Wired Magazine interview in which Beck also notes:

“Artists can and should approach making an album as an opportunity to do a series of releases – one that’s visual, one that has alternate versions, and one that’s something the listener can participate in or arrange and change. It’s time for the album to embrace the technology.” – Beck

Now that Beck has embraced the technology, it appears that his newest release is taking a whole new direction. Just paper in a “lavishly produced hardcover carrying case” with “full-color, heyday-of-home-play-inspired art” created for each track by several artists. What it actually is though, if we might be so bold, is an opportunity to expand in ways a recorded album can’t. If there’s no original, noone can say, “the original was better.”

Will have to wait and see what the Beck lovers of the world do with the treasure trove they’ve just been given – see it soon in stores, of course! December 2012, that is.

[via Beck]

According to former Borders customers (thanks everyone who sent this in, by the way,) Barnes & Noble CEO William Lynch sent them an email [which can be seen here] that the surviving books and media company acquired the customer data which included “the subject matter of your DVD and other video purchases” amongst other tidbits. Lynch wrote that they sought out the purchase of this data in order to “try and earn your business.”

Massachusetts State Attorney General Martha Coakley has released a statement that noted the following as specifically what is included in the data in question:

Information customers shared with the Borders website, including name, address, and e-mail address.

Information collected from customers in the Borders Rewards loyalty program, including customer name, address, e-mail address, and purchase history. This purchase history will not include the titles of video materials (like DVDs or VHS tapes) purchased by customers.

E-mail addresses from customers who requested to receive special offers from Borders.

You should note here, of course, that credit card information and any and all financial-related information is not included in the Borders database nor in this sale of data. To quell fears that they’d just been bamboozled by the companies in the deal, Lynch added the following in the letter to customers:

It’s important for you to understand, however, that you have the absolute right to opt-out of having your customer data transferred to Barnes & Noble. If you would like to opt-out, we will ensure all your data we receive from Borders is disposed of in a secure and confidential manner. Please visit www.bn.com/borders by October 29, 2011 to do so.

Sound good enough for you?

According to this same government source, Business Secretary Vince Cable will announce the government’s response to Hargreaves report on Wednesday. One of the most clear reasons why this set of findings done by Hargreaves, professor of digital economy at Cardiff School of Journalism, is that there’s room for 8 billion pounds (aka $13 billion USD) to be added to the economy. This change of law would shake up Britain’s 300-year-old ruling on copyright which Hargreaves says are obstructing innovation and growth.

Business Secretary Vince Cable will indeed signal the government’s agreeing to Hargreaves’ recommendation to legalize “format shifting” of legitimately purchased copyrighted works such as music, said the same source as mentioned above. This same practice has been legalized in most European countries save Britain, Ireland, and of course Malta. This changing of law will allow consumers to copy data from CDs to devices such as iPods or personal home computers, but does not allow for the sharing of content over the internet without the copyright owner’s permission.

This ruling will extend over Hargreaves recommendation to introduce an exception that includes copyright for parody, this meaning comedians such as, for example, Weird Al, would be able to parody someone else’s work without seeking permission from the holder of the copyright of the original work. Would that this weren’t already a law in the USA for many years now, we’d be without such classics as “Eat It,” “Smells Like Nirvana,” “Perform This Way.” Of course the law works a bit differently here in the USA than in England where the law is, instead, not written down with pen and ink.

Finally, the government has not yet spoken on how the introduction of a central digital copyright exchange will be rules upon, one where a licenses in copyright could be bought and sold – as per Hargreaves recommendation again.

[via Rueters]

It can physically store up to 320 CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray Discs. You simply insert a disc and it will automatically copy its content to the Kaleidescape System. After the M700 is finished copying, you can eject the CDs and DVDs from the vault to store elsewhere or leave them inside. Their digital copies can be played back even with the original discs removed. But for Blu-Ray Discs, you must store the discs inside the M700 inorder to playback the content.

There is a front display panel that indicates the import progress, number of discs stored, and the number of available slots. There are also buttons that let you eject all CDs, all DVDs, all Blu-Rays, or all discs. Multiple M700 Disc Vaults can work with the Kaleidescape system such that you can store thousands of CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray Discs. And, the integrated Kaleidescape M-Class Player provides pristine playback of the content stored.

However, all this convenience does come with a hefty price and is geared for the more serious home theater enthusiast with deep pockets. The M700 Disc Vault retails for $5,995 and when paired with a 1U Server for a complete Blu-Ray movie server, it will cost you $15,990. Visit the product page for more info.

There’s also a USB Host port, for playing back MP3 or WMA audio files stored on external drives – that could be a simple thumbdrive PMP or an external HDD with thousands of tracks. An external audio input takes other sources, and there’s an FM radio as well as a guitar/microphone input for impromptu flashmob performances.

The amp has been upgraded to 40W and there’s a protective hatch to keep your iPhone safe. AC and DC power inputs are supported, and there’s a shoulder strap and remote along with a video output for the picture from your iPod. The JVC Kaboom! RV-NB70 is available now, priced at $299.95.

[Image credit: Kerry Woo]

Unfortunately, my car is older than my digital music habit by far. It has a CD player and a cassette deck, but no external audio inputs for a digital music player. So, I used a cassette adapter to play my tunes. For the youngsters in the audience, a cassette is, um, gee I have no easy way of describing a cassette. It’s so archaic. A cassette is like 90 minutes of music stored on a mile of confetti, stuffed into a small plastic box.

My cassette deck in my car broke. I tried the radio transmitter devices, and they all suck. Hard. I mostly listen to NPR, but every once in a while I burn a CD. I’m the guy who still needs an optical drive in my laptop, thank you very much. When the new Beasties album came out, it seemed silly to buy it digitally only to burn it to CD. I cut out the middle man.

If you haven’t purchased a CD in a long time, there are some things you should know. First, record stores are mostly gone. They sell music everywhere they sell groceries and children’s clothing and automotive repair parts under one roof. But those stores often don’t bother stocking new music on the first day it’s released. I figured Best Buy was my best bet.

Second, CDs are now cheap. Maybe it was just a special price for a new release, but I got the Beastie album for less than $10. iTunes is selling it for $15 with a music video, but Amazon has it for $8 as a digital download. Still, the last time I bought a CD it cost, um, I’m not sure, but I probably couldn’t buy a bean burrito at Taco Bell with the change I got breaking a $20.

I walked into Best Buy and couldn’t find the music section. Remember when it was right up front? And there was a whole, huge aisle devoted to new releases? Yeah, they don’t remember that either. Music is now in the back, behind the washer/dryer combo units. It’s next to the DVDs. It’s like a hospice for optical media back there, except without the kind nurses and the sunny window.

No Beastie album in sight. Nothing in the sparse, pathetic new releases section. If there was a Beastie Boys section in the racks, it was either hidden or empty. Perhaps Best Buy considers the Beasties rap (I think they are closer to punk or rock), and this Best Buy has no rap section. I was about to leave when I decided to ask the kid at the register if they had the new Beastie Boys album.

They did. He directed me to a card table in the front of the store with a blue tablecloth on it. It looked like the table where they stack refurbished goods for final markdowns before they get tossed into the incinerator. There was one copy of “Hot Sauce Committee Part 2.” I took it. Less than $10, like I said. By the time I was one minute into the first track, I was already bopping my head and driving away, hoping to put the awful experience behind me.

Where did things go wrong? I’m happy to tear down the Best Buy experience and list every problem I encountered, but there is a bigger question to answer. Do we still need Best Buy? Is Best Buy a relic of the analog age? Is there any reason to shop at Best Buy, when you are guaranteed to find the product you want cheaper online? Or, even better, find the product that Best Buy doesn’t carry?

Yes, I think there is a reason for Best Buy to live. I have owned three flat screen television sets. Two I bought at Circuit City. One I bought on Amazon. They are reputable, but not luxury brands (full disclosure: I now work for Samsung in the mobile phone division, but I haven’t purchased a television or given TV buying advice since I started). Guess which one was the cheapest? The one I bought on Amazon. Guess which one looks the worst? The same.

I now believe that you need to see a TV in person to make a good buying decision. You need to compare it side-by-side with other TVs. You need to tweak the settings yourself to get the right balance of color and brightness, and judge with your own eyes. When I bought my first two TVs this way, I ended up with products that have made me happy for five years. When I bought a TV based on price and user reviews, I ended up with an LCD set that can’t come close to competing, even with my old plasma.

There are products that you just need to see in person. I also like the idea of knowing that if something goes wrong, if I get a TV that is DOA, I can walk into an actual place, rather than sending a form letter email to customer service. Plus, it’s just fun to see some things in person. Design has become so important in our consumer electronics purchases, and yet the differences between products are so subtle, that it’s fun and informative to inspect a gadget before you buy it.

For Best Buy to succeed, it needs to use this advantage. You can’t walk into Amazon, but you can go to Best Buy and see exactly the TV you want. Or you can listen to the CD you want to buy. Or play the game you’ve read about online. Or hold the camera you need for the cruise you’re going on that leaves in the morning.

Except you can’t. Not really. Walking into Best Buy is a horrible, depressing experience. The staff is clearly poorly trained and uninformed. The knowledgeable geeks have all gone to work at the cell phone carrier stores. Best Buy is clearly hiring the bottom of the barrel.

I remember the time I signed up for the Best Buy rewards. I wasn’t allowed to type in my information myself, I had to dictate it to the girl behind the register. The one who claimed to be tired from a long day of college classes.

“What’s the street again?”

“Wildflower.”

“How do you spell that?”

“Wild. Then flower. But one word. Wildflower.”

Annoyed look.

“Can you please spell it for me?”

“No, I cannot.”

When I went to look for the Beastie Boys CD, I scanned the aisle for 5 minutes before I gave up and headed for the door. No less than 3 Best Buy employees passed me by. I was the only person in that half of the store, but nobody asked me if I needed help. Nobody even said hello. What were they doing? I have no idea.

Best Buy needs to become a destination where tech enthusiasts want to go to get hands-on with the latest gadgets. The stuff they really want to buy, not the $500 coffee maker or the $20,000 4K 3D TV that you have to build a house around for it to fit. The CDs. The point-and-shoot cameras. The game systems.

Hire better people. Pay them well. Keep prices low. I know these things will all make a dent in Best Buy’s bottom line. But you know what makes a bigger dent? Selling nothing. A store with more employees than customers by a factor of 5. Bankruptcy.

Best Buy needs to take this one final shot at glory. I refuse to believe that in the future all of our shopping will take place online. I refuse to accept that idea. We have legs, and eyes, and magnetic strips on the back of our credit cards. We are meant to go places, and see things, and spend money there.

I will not go back to Best Buy, at least not that Best Buy. I’m done. I gave the place one last chance. If I hear about significant changes, I’ll reconsider. But I have to move on. I have to hope that something else pops up, a destination store where I enjoy shopping and seeing and feeling the product. Otherwise Best Buy will go the way of Circuit City and the Dodo bird and CompUSA. All the while, Amazon is licking its chops and thinking to itself: GameStop, you’re next.

As for the Philips Harmony Component HiFi, that slots into the company’s 8000 Series DVD line-up and has an integrated iPhone/iPod dock, CD, DVD, and USB support. No WiFi, but you do get a 2 x 80W RMS Class-D digital amp.

Finally, the bulbous Philips Fidelio SoundSphere packs WiFi for streaming Apple music over AirPlay, as well as a local dock for getting content off your iPod or iPhone. It will go on sale in May 2011, priced at €799 ($1,115); no word on pricing or availability for the other two systems.

Press Release:

Philips introduces Wi-Fi Multiroom Hi-Fi System with best-in-class High-Fidelity sound

Barcelona, Spain – Philips is taking the sound quality of wireless Multiroom systems to the next level: the new Philips Wi-Fi Multiroom Hi-Fi System offers crystal clear sound from the latest so-called ClariSound speakers, while giving you access to all your favorite songs anywhere around your home.

With the MultiroomMusic function it does not matter where you are in the house; you can enjoy different songs in different rooms, or play the same tunes in every room by a simple touch on the screen. You can easily stream all your music wirelessly from the Multiroom Music Center to the different Music Stations placed anywhere in your home.

Pristine sound from ClariSound speakers
Philips’ new Multiroom Hi-Fi system will fill the room with pure sound through the new ClariSound speakers. To reproduce high-end frequencies perfectly, the soft-dome tweeter of the ClariSound speaker is positioned on top of the speaker box, allowing sound to travel along the speaker baffle. This helps recover the richness and wideness of the original performance.

For these speakers Philips also makes use of a glass fiber woofer cone, which produces a more natural sound thanks to its lightweight design. An innovative front-firing bass port, filled with acoustic material, ensures pure and tight bass reproduction.

A world of music at your fingertips
The Philips Multiroom Hi-Fi system gives you access to all your music, independent of source or format:

· Listen to all your digital music collection stored on the external USB Hard Disc of the system. With up to 2000 albums available anytime at the touch of the screen, you do not even need to turn on your computer to access your favorite tunes
· Explore over ten thousand Internet radio stations from around the world as well as online music subscription services at the touch of a button. Alternatively, you can listen to your favorite local FM radio stations in the traditional way
· Wirelessly stream music and pictures from PC, MAC or your home server in excellent sound quality without having to worry about wires
· Additionally, you can play your favorite tracks from the CD/DVD player, connect any other USB device for more music content or add an optional dock to play and charge your iPod or iPhone

Simplicity in usability
While the full color touch screen of the Multiroom system allows you to easily navigate through your content and enjoy album artworks, you can also turn any iPhone, iPod Touch or Android smartphone into a comprehensive remote control by using the complimentary AV remote app. Using the app you can wirelessly browse and play any source of music the Multiroom system offers. You can download the app for free from iTunes AppStore or Android market place.

The connectivity and convenience of the Philips Multiroom Hi-Fi system enables you to easily access all your favorite songs without any hassle and anywhere in your home. Coupled with the sleek design and premium finish, it sits perfectly within the home where it will fill the rooms with quality, authentic sound from any source you like.

Press Release:

New Philips Harmony Component Hi-Fi system range delivers authentic sound reproduction

Barcelona, Spain – Philips introduces its new Harmony Hi-Fi range, delivering music-lovers an ideal combination of authentic sound reproduction, premium design and a simple user experience.

As part of the Harmony range, the new 8000 series DVD Hi-Fi component system offers impressive sound quality for a compact system thanks to the new ClariSound speakers, which offer the finest balance between natural sound, detailed precision and bass tightness.

Pristine sound with true-to-life details

To reproduce high-end frequencies perfectly, the soft-dome tweeter is positioned on top of the speaker box, allowing sound to travel along the speaker baffle. This helps recover the richness and wideness of the original performance and thus offer a wider soundstage.

For these speakers Philips also makes use of a glass fiber woofer cone which ensures a more natural reproduction of voices and instruments thanks to its lightweight design. An innovative front-firing bass port, processed with acoustic material to reduce turbulence, ensures pure and tight bass reproduction.

The system comes with an innovative integrated dock which plays and charges iPad, iPod and iPhone, even in its protective case. The system is designed with a 2 x 80W RMS Class-D digital amplifier, and lets you enjoy your CDs, DVDs (with HDMI output delivering 1080p upscaling) and music content from your USB storage devices.

Combining the finest materials like pure aluminium for the casing, real wood for the speaker boxes and glass fiber woofers, giving a unique design identity to the speakers, the new Philips Harmony 8000 series DVD Hi-Fi component system enables you to experience natural, true-to-life sound right from your living room.

Press Release:

New Philips Fidelio SoundSphere uses Wi-Fi and supports Apple’s AirPlay®

Barcelona, Spain – Philips today unveils the merging of two of its most successful product lines, SoundSphere and Fidelio, in order to bring music lovers the ultimate, full-fidelity listening experience. Combining the impressive functionality of its docking speaker range Fidelio, the superior sound quality of the Philips SoundSphere technology and Apple’s AirPlay®, the Philips Fidelio SoundSphere docking speakers delivers authentic sound – while your device simply stays in your hand.

With Airplay, the Philips Fidelio SoundSphere docking speakers give you both an amazing sound and hassle-free access to all your music from iTunes.

The Sound is in the Design The amazing sound quality of the Philips Fidelio SoundSphere docking speaker lies in its design. The curved design of the separate speakers with their unique free-floating tweeters on top of both speakers mean Philips Fidelio SoundSphere delivers sound in all directions for a deeper and wider audio impression with minimized interferences.

The Sound is in the Air The Philips Fidelio Soundsphere docking speaker utilizes Airplay1 to seamlessly play music over a home Wi-Fi network from iTunes on Mac and PC, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. With AirPlay, you enjoy all your music via the brilliant speakers of the Philips Fidelio SoundSphere without plugging in cables or even docking your device.

The Philips Fidelio SoundSphere docking speaker integrates perfectly with your iTunes, iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch and gives you an authentic sound experience everywhere in your home through a unique combination of technology, design and functionality. Philips Fidelio SoundSphere will be available from May 2011 with a recommended retail price of 799 EUR.

Sony will be closing down one of the company’s largest CD manufacturing plants, located in Pitman, New Jersey, on March 31st, 2011. The company will be closing the doors for the final time after 50 years of being in business, where the plant originally manufactured vinyl records. When the plant closes, it’s reported that almost 300 individuals will lose their job.

The closing of the plant is said to be attributed to the pick-up in digital music downloads, as well as influences in other economic regards. The plant itself is half-a-million square feet, and at full capacity was able to turn out over 18 million CDS every month. CD sales dropped 18 percent between 2008 and 2009, while vinyl record sales have actually climbed 33 percent in the same time frame. However, it’s not enough in Sony’s eyes to keep the huge plant active.

Sony will now move the CD production to another plant, which is located in Terre Haute, Indiana. This plant is currently being used to produce video DVDs.

[via NetworkWorld]

The Bravo 4100 line is able to print a single CD label in high-quality color in only six seconds. It used individual CMYK ink tanks to lower ink costs and prints at 4800 dpi quality. Part of the blazing print speed that the new 4100 series offers comes from 300% faster robotics than previous models.

The printer also has blue lighting inside and a job status monitor. The device is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and 7 as well as Mac OS X 10.6 and up. There are versions of the product that can burn content to the disc and print a label. The 4100 AutoPrinter holds 100 discs and sells for $1995. The 4010 Disc Publisher has a CD/DVD burner and printer with a price of $2995, and the 4102 has a pair of those burners and prints for $3295.

And bonus! Though nothing compares to actually buying the game, running home at full speed, and playing it for a week straight, there are a couple more things. One, customers who purchas Cataclysm at midnight will get a free video game rental coupon, and two, those same customers will get a $5 off coupon for the strategy guide (uh yeah right who would buy such a thing! Me.) Check out the full press release below:

AMARILLO, Texas, Nov. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Hastings Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: HAST), a leading multimedia entertainment superstore retailer, has announced its plans for chain-wide midnight release parties for the new World of Warcraft: Cataclysm video game. Fans are encouraged to join their local Hastings for a midnight release party on Monday, December 6. Festivities for the night will begin at 10:00 pm and will end after the video game goes on sale at Midnight.

Fans enjoying the festivities and awaiting the release of the game will be able to take advantage of special promotions, including 30% off all used CDs, books, video games, and movies during the release party. Customers who purchase the game at the party will also receive a free video game rental coupon and $5 off the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm strategy guide.

To find out more about the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm midnight release party in your area, visit us online atwww.goHastings.com or contact your local Hastings superstore.

About Hastings
Founded in 1968, Hastings Entertainment, Inc. is a leading multimedia entertainment retailer that combines the sale of new and used books, videos, video games and CDs, as well as trends and consumer electronics merchandise, with the rental of videos and video games in a superstore format.  We currently operate 146 superstores, averaging approximately 25,000 square feet, primarily in medium-sized markets throughout the United States.  We also operate a new concept store, Sun Adventure Sports, in Amarillo, Texas.

We also operate www.goHastings.com, an e-commerce Internet Web site that makes available to our customers new and used entertainment products and unique, contemporary gifts and toys.  The site features exceptional product and pricing offers.  The Investor Relations section of our web site contains press releases, a link to request financial and other literature and access our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Both units will feature Philips’ SoundSphere Systems, which will allow the units to pump out 100W RMS output. As for the MCD900, that’s going to be where your traditional media shines through. If you’ve got your DVD and CD collection gathering dust somewhere, then you’ll be happy to know that the MCD900 will support playback from both physical media options. Well, happy if you still feel like using your DVD or CD collection. It doesn’t support Blu-ray, though.

The MCi900 is the “future” piece of equipment between the pair. Along with featuring the SoundSphere Systems, it will also be able to play music back courtesy of the Streamium technology therein. You’ll be able to access music from USB hard drives, as well as the integrated 160GB hard drive within, so you should always have plenty of music ready to go. There’s also built-in WiFi, so you can take your pick of Internet radio stations, too. And yes, if you were wondering what the SoundSphere Technology looked like, it is those two spheres popping out above the main speakers.

[via IT Tech News]

Instructables has a how-to that will walk you through the steps to make your CDs and DVDs playable again by fixing the scratches with Vaseline of all things. You smear the petroleum jelly on the disc and then wipe it back off.

I remember using that stuff on my kids’ diaper rash when they were infants; it is hard to get off just about any surface. The instructions suggest cotton balls, alcohol, and elbow grease for removal. Even severely scratched CDs are said to be repairable with this method.

If you are the same way and don’t like to put CDs or DVDs back in their cases when you are done with them, the kisses CD holders might be perfect for protecting your important discs. The things look like Hershey’s Kisses candy in several metallic colors.

The spindle hole on your disc sits over the pointy part of the Kisses holder and it keep the data side of the disc from getting scratched. I thought that was what the label side of the disc was for. You can buy the Kisses Compact Disk Rest on the Yanko Design Store for $17.50 each. That seems expensive to me.