Slacker killed my radio, and i aint mad about it

I'm a music lover, from the Temptations to The Fugees, from Staind to Michael Jackson, from Tupac Shakur to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, I listen to some form of music almost everyday, by way of a podcast, a music video, an old album, or something I pick up from a friend, that much hasn't changed, but what has changed is how I listen.  I find it easier and more enjoyable to listen to music through a streaming audio app such as Slacker, Last.fm, or Pandora than traditional radio.  I'm guessing the reader knows what I'm talking about and if you don't, where the hell have you been.
I love the old radio, the music is always fresh, the DJ's are insightful, and there are rarely ads interrupting my musical enjoyment.  The problems with radio are: if I listen for an hour straight I can guarantee that at some point the same song will play again and I can't skip it, they don't always play the music I want to hear for example; my local DJ wont play that one song from 1992 that I cant remember the name of but it goes something like......
Here comes streaming radio, with customizable stations, no ads and no repetition, I can choose an artist and listen to just that artists music or choose songs from a genre and listen to similar songs from that same genre.  If I feel like listening to Red Foxx's old stand-up, I can just type in his name.  I get to skip songs that I don't like, and can even tell my radio to never, ever play that again.  I can listen to streams from across the nation or across the world.  If I'm feeling that song, I can buy it right from my device and transfer it to my home collection.  Best of all my music goes everywhere I go.
Of course streaming radio has its limitations, but they are minimal compared to the old radio.  I don't blame the local DJ for the demise of radio, in fact I kind of feel sorry for them, they probably don't like the music they're forced to play.  I put the blame on the music execs who pay program managers millions to get their artist on the hourly rotation.  I also blame myself for allowing my radio, once the medium for educated thought and discussion, to become a whore for advertisers.  Advertisers who in trying to monetize the airwaves destroyed the very essence that made people tune in.
Radio is dead to me but music lives on. The stories of artists like Soldier Boy (though I'm not a fan), Wale, and others rejuvenates my faith in music.  With streaming radio independent musicians worldwide can get mainstream exposure without losing their soul, and the soul is what makes music what it is.  I love music's ability to pass through any barrier (wood, metal, air, water, electricity, political), I love how music is always evolving, I love the fact that a song can be your mother, your doctor, your psychiatrist, and your voice all at the same time.  I'm not sorry to see the old radio go, because its lost its soul.  So as long as I have a data connection and 5% battery left, I'm a stream til the last song fades out.

Some of my favorite streaming radio apps:  Slacker, Last.fm, iheartradio.

UStream mobile, live entertainment in your back pocket

USTREAM mobile allows you to broadcast live from your mobile phone, or if you like to watch instead you can also view broadcasts available on Ustream's main site right on your phone.  If you have an Android device go to your App Market, if you have a relatively new Nokia handset you should visit ustream.tv for more information and a link to download the software for your device.

Go ahead the world is waiting.

Swype a new way to input text on touchscreens

Above is a video demonstration of the latest improvement on text entry, the technology is called Swype.  It was invented by the maker of the T9 text input method used in most phones today.  Swype allows you to drag your finger from letter to letter while composing a message, hypothetically making typing on touchscreens faster, easier, and less painful.

This new technology will be available for Android and Windows Mobile based touchscreen devices soon but it is expected to be available for all brands before long.  Swype will make its debut on December 2 on the Samsung Omnia II through Verizon.  Looks like we're stuck poking at our screens until then.

Droid for $120, Curve 8900 for a cent, Droid Eris for $30, Sprint Tour $50

 Verizon's version of the HTC Hero, dubbed the Droid Eris is on sale for an insanely low $30.  The phone is available on an instant discount through LetsTalk and Wal-Mart, fore details, click here

The Blackberry 8900 is really a top of the line phone, and it comes with all the features that you would expect from a top of the line handset, specs here. The T-mobile and AT&T version of the phone are being offered for free with a new agreement from third party retailers.  You can visit Amazon, Wal-Mart, LetsTalk, and others for this great deal. Cellstores.com

Remember that huge phone that just launched a couple of weeks ago, for like $200.  The one that was supposed to do everything the iPhone cant and wont do?  The phone that offered free turn by turn navigation standard?  Are you getting warm?  Ok, the Droid is now just $119, on a 2-year contract through Dell Mobility.

Amazon seems to have some really incredible deals on their site, one of their best offers is the Blackberry Tour for $50.  As a reminder the tour is a world edition device that offers GSM 850/900/1800/1900, half VGA 480x360 display, full QWERTY keyboard, 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus, Bluetooth 2.0, A-GPS, Blackberry OS, 256MB memory, microSD expansion up to 8GB, and 3.5mm jack.  Check out Amazon's other great Sprint deals here.

Apple to Verizon: Look what our Network can do

After seeing AT&T/Luke Wilson's pitiful attempt to counter Verizon's attack, Apple has stepped up and made a commercial of their own.  Although the ad is a bit washed, it highlights Apple's ability to market it's product simply and effectively as they've done all along.  The ads are self explanatory, even if they don't address Verizon's claim that AT&T's network is unreliable and is plagued with spotty 3G coverage.
Apple has a vested interest in the well being of AT&T since their profits are directly tied to whether or not customers keep walking in the door to buy iPhones.  It makes sense for Apple to defend their partnership with AT&T, but they've managed to do so tactfully by not mentioning the V word.  Say what you want about Apple but there are some smart people in those offices.  This makes for interesting television and all, but what about taking that advertising dollar and using it to improve your network?