blessingx

Contemplating replacing my SqueezeCenter/Squeezebox 3 x3/sometimes iPeng setup with an Airport Express x3/iTunes/Airfoil/Remote-iPhone app deal. Tired of scanning my library for new music and would be a plus to capture other audio streams (with Airfoil). The Squeezebox internet radio steaming is nice though. And the Remote app is just smoother than using iPeng (at least at this point and likely near future at least with laptops ... hunting for IPs...). On a MacBook and will likely stay on OS X as primary operating system so no problems using iTunes. Anyone else do this "downgrade"? Any comments?

Well downloaded yesterdays mentioned WunderRadio. I can vouch it's pretty cool. Listened to last nights debate commentary with it. Great to have lots of radio stations (nicely organized) on iPhone/touch. Icon could sure use some work though.

Meebo Remote WeatherBug Pandora People eBay Save Benjis Evernote Movies Urbanspoon NYTimes TextGuru Kiwi ... and very likely the above WunderRadio once I get wireless.

Cool new app - WunderRadio. TUAW Review: WunderRadio - The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)

It gets positively talked about a lot in the Mac community, but I've never had a reason to use it.

There are more tools (including for Linux & Windows) listed in this guide: Fix your music library: song names, album art, automatically! :: The Tux Geek

There's an emulator (upper right corner link) if anyone wants to try the GUI: http://tmobile.modeaondemand.com/htc/g1/

It's been widely reported Sony was consulted in the MacBook design, so that keyboard may have originated there.

As suggested above, convert to AIFF or WAV and do the encoding in iTunes. Others reverse engineering of ALAC and iTunes/iPods finicky playback don't always play nice.

Disappointing as Guttenberg's other reviews have been so strong.

If you're looking for a smaller solution for SATA/IDE to USB connections... SATA or IDE to USB2 Drive Adapter - dealmac.com

Great. Looking forward to your impressions. Do you happen to have a non-DAC-only Pico (nDoP) to compare also?

Yeah Media Rage is another though I'm not sure they ever got around to supporting ALAC. But iTunes is so powerful if you use it with Applescripts and hijack with Audio Hijack Pro too. For instance with a various artists soundtrack, using those Applescripts I'll move over the song order from song name to track number, erase a few characters in front of song name where track number was, then copy over artists names after song name (Theme Song - X band). Then rename artists to 'X Soundtrack'. Album is under single directory and if you're like me you maneuver around by artist, but you still have all the individual artists names in the track title for reference or searching. And that's just the start, though I've found those three the most I use. There's also a kinda nice Lossless to AAC Workflow script that if you have your iPod attached will rip ALAC from your CD, convert to AAC compression of your choice, move to iPod, delete the AAC version on the computer leaving only the ALAC copy.

Hate to disagree Monk, but the most powerful tool for tagging I've found on any platform is iTunes on the Mac. You just have to use AppleScripts (Mac only) effectively. Run over to Doug's AppleScripts for Itunes and download the following to start (I use all three regularly): This tag, that tag Put track prefix to track number Remove n charaters in front or back With 450 scripts there aren't a lot of problems missing.

Easy enough to catch up on his career. Was just in a discussion of The Hustler yesterday. A good place to start. Is sad. Marpessa Dawn passed away also.

Any chance to get that stream link?

This just went on sale again. Been a fan since I've had one. Griffin PowerDock 2 for iPod / iPhone - dealmac.com

He played the whole album (and a few others) in concert and recorded for All Concerts Considered over at NPR. Click 'Hear the Concert.' Randy Newman Plays With 'Harps and Angels' : NPR Music Track listening: "Harps and Angels" "Losing You" "Laugh and Be Happy" "A Few Words in Defense of This Country" "A Piece of the Pie" "Easy Street" "Korean Parents" "Only a Girl" "Pot Holes" "Feels Like Home" "You Can Leave Your Hat On" (from 'Sail Away') "Louisiana 1927" (from 'Good Old Boys') "The World Isn't Fair" (from 'Bad Love') "I Love L.A." (from 'Trouble in Paradise')

For those interested... Free exhibits-only pass for Macworld SF 2009 - dealmac.com

As we discussed earlier in this thread... looks like Apple may [this is all rumor] drop the Firewire 400 ports on new laptops, but likely a compatible adapter will be available for use with the 800. AppleInsider | Next-gen MacBook, MacBook Pro spotted in matching outfits

Here's some more reading for you... 15 Most Insanely Titled Books

How many cups? For fun I just plugged a couple HD580s into a Grado Y-splitter and then Grado 1/4-mini adapter and the Pico handled them easily. You should be fine with two Denons or very similar impedance/efficiency (or out of balanced equally with preferred listening levels) cans (as long as they're not crazy power hungry).

No disagreement here.

Reminds one of Jobs comments on the Segway. Ah too bad. Android will hopefully overcome the traditional manufacture/service limitations, but I do wish they played a tad stronger hardball like Jobs did a couple years ago. Software openness is definitely one of Googles strengths, but controlling the hardware is one of Apples.