Or should that be semi-weekly?

• Billboard en Telemundo
• Billboard
• La Conferencia Billboard de la Música Latina
• Telemundo
• Twitter
• Puerto Rico como lo ve Telemundo

• Billboard
• The Billboard Latin Music Conference

• Rcrd Lbl is offering up "Activate" by Atari Teenage Riot
• Stereogum thinks that Treasure is a group you should be keeping an eye on.
• Inside the Circle (that's us!) hopes you "Smile" when listening to Joshua Stedman
• The boyz over at ZuneTracks wants to rock you: "99 to Life" by Social Distortion
• Check out a free download of a Cypress Hill + Beat Junkies mixtape
• Finally, check out an epic presentation by Kenzo Digital - “City of God’s Son”

Inside the Circle wishes Neville Williams a spectacular Happy Birfday, today. Get it? Solar flare. Solar257. Haha. I wasn't that humorous on last night's podcast recording and it continues today. Anyhow, Neville has been a serious cornerstone for the level of success that Inside the Circle has seen since it opened its doors in 2008.

He's also an invaluable Zune MVP, who -- without hesitation -- will share his knowledge and information with the community (#ZuneNation) in order to help others get the most out of using Zune has a device, software and service.

Have a great day, buddy!

I was very hyped to see this film. Ever since I saw it available in an FYE a few years ago, I had been wondering what the movie was like. I mean, after all, it features Daft Punk and is called "Electroma". Let me tell you, friends, if you were expecting something that's along the lines of "Blade Runner", "I, Robot" or even "Short Circuit", you're in for a rude awakening when you watch "Electroma".

Now the film is a true exercise in patience. Many portions of this movie stretch out for what seems like forever. Like, for example, one of the opening sequences of the film has the two main characters: Hero Robot #1 and Hero Robot #2 (the members of Daft Punk) driving along a stretch of highway. For what seems like an eternity you're watching these two men, er bots, driving along a road together only moving to occasionally shift gears or shift in their seats -- yeap, that's it. There's another segment of the movie where they walk along the desert. Again, you're asked to sit and just watch them trek across the sand. Can a person go mad wanting something to happen? Yes. In our ADD society, people will (and have, from what I understand) walk out on this film for lack of action.

But let me say this, too. The cinematography and use of scenery in this film is stunning. Part of your time while watching these extended sequences could be to take in the atmosphere around them. You could just get lost in the picture and escape from the world around you. I don't know who amongst us hasn't at least once just pictured ourselves driving along a highway with no real destination, but knowing that the ride is just as satisfying as finally reaching where you were headed.

Now to the story. Um, yeah. Essentially, two robots are going to find out what it's like to be human. They travel to a lab where their faces are caked with layers of goop. The resulting faces are quite hilarious to see (I don't know of many humans that look like what these two ended up looking like). However, when they emerge from the lab (and by the way, the society that they live in consist of people of varying ages and sizes who all don the Daft Punk style helmets) the people in this society look upon them with wonder and amazement. Since there's absolutely no dialogue in this movie, you're left to wonder what could be going through these people's minds. Could it be prejudicial? Could it be acceptance? I won't tell the rest of the story (I'll leave that up to you and your patience to discover).

At first, because I consider myself a card-carrying member of the ADD society, I was almost ready to hit the off button on the DVD player (aka my XBOX 360). Yet, I decided to give this film a chance -- after all, I did purchase it sight-unseen from FYE (haha). Eventually, the more I got into the story the more I started to enjoy it. Having it without dialogue for example and allowing me to fill in those gaps made for a story that I could tailor to my own imagination.

So, in *my* mind's eye, this became a story about two robots who lived in a society where everyone was essentially the same. These robots, therefore wanted to change their appearance and see what it was like to be truly different. Of course, they end up finding out it might not be all it's cracked up to be. So there really isn't a way to spoil this movie, since you're allowed to make your own true interpretations of it.

The music in the film isn't by Daft Punk. It's more orchestral stuff done by other composers. However, the music was excellently done and matched the on-screen stuff quite well. The music featured long sweeping sections that went along with the long sweeping scenes that were everywhere in this film.

If I had to have one awe-inspiring scene, it had to be the sequence in which the robots were being changed into humans. They were in this room being tendered to by attendants in all-white. I'm not talking about all-white like just in clothes. I'm talking like all-white that if they stood against the white portions of the screen they totally disappear. Think reverse shadows. Watching these beings at work on the screen was pretty trippy. I guess since I saw this film for the first time on 4/20 it should only make sense that I feel like I'm on acid watching it.

Then there's the final sequence. While I won't spoil that sequence, let me just say that whoever was the stuntman for that must've gotten paid some serious extra cash and had his medical all paid up. I'm still in awe as to not only what the final sequence entailed, but for how long the camera focused on it before fading out.

Overall, "Daft Punk's Electroma" will test your patience to sit and wait. It's a total of 74 minutes that will feel like an eternity unless you exercise your imagination and fill in all of the necessary gaps. The key, I feel, is that you need to tailor this film to you. Create your own dialogue, write your own backstory, develop your own stream around it.

Do I feel like I made a bad purchase? Not in the least. In fact, I compare this to owning BT's "This Binary Universe" which is another piece (that I also own, that comes with an accompanying music CD) that will test a person's patience, but when you look at the total picture, you'll find that there's much more beneath the surface to be found.

This film is quite hard to find as you won't find it in local music shops. I found mine, online, through FYE, but you can also find the film available at Amazon. The film used to be available through Netflix, although that has been removed as an option. I'm kind of hoping they reinstate it at least as a DVD shipment.

Overall a good film. Long... but good.

Everyone has their comfort zones, right? Musically, for me, it was my heart-rated playlist. I could put nothing else on my Zune HD, but I had to have this collection for 400+ songs. These were songs like "Without Warning" by Thomas Nicholas or "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam or "Everything In It's Right Place/Maiden Voyage" by Robert Glasper. 11 times out of 10, on any given day, you'd find me blasting that familiar list out of the speakers in my office.

One day I decided to flip that script.

Check out this situation (Argh, damn you Jersey Shore!)

PHASE I: THE SETUP

You see I always told people how much I love music and how much I love helping new artists find their way into the ears of the masses. It's something that I enjoy: the thrill of that new MP3 and not knowing whether on the other side of the press-play was I going to find something that is both thrilling and something that will earn a ticket into my heart-rated playlist (or, at the very minimum, part of my local rotation). However, what kind of person was I that I would spend more time flipping through the hearts instead of really diving into the deeper end of the pool and seeing what I could find?

So here's what I did: I plugged in the Zune HD to my PC software, said a little prayer and hit the (erase all content) button. After a couple of minutes, I was looking at a bare bones Zune HD -- waiting to be filled up with music, podcasts, apps and whatever else I could throw at it. The instant notion that I had was to immediately start syncing the heart-rated play list again, but I had to refrain. What I did do was disconnect the Zune HD and start browsing through the artists view of the software.

Remember now, the point of this little exercise was to really jump into Zune’s notion of music discovery. Zune from the very beginning has offered tools that allow listeners to take what they normally like and use that as a kernel to find other great material out there to enjoy and add to their collections.

I grabbed many artists that I loved: From Seal to Linkin Park to Morgan Page and I had the software create Smart DJ playlists. To perform this task yourself when you’re in the artist view of the software, right-click on the artist and select 'create smart dj mix’. If you choose the one that says ‘play smart dj mix’ what’s going to happen is the software will start to immediately play a created smart dj mix. While you’re in the playlist view of this there should be a button that says (save as playlist). Now, in the playlist view I would right-click these newly created Smart DJ playlists and I would hit the edit button. I made sure that the little radio button said to only pull from the marketplace collection and to change the play list every 5 days.

Oh my GOD! I didn't recognize 98% of what was being pulled into these play lists. I was seeing names that I knew but songs that were totally unfamiliar to me. I was seeing names that I totally didn't know at all. What the hell was I getting myself into? An itchy trigger finger wanted to tell the software to sync that heart-rated play list again, but I took a swig of Propel (blatant article product placement in this article, yes) and continued to create more Smart DJ playlists. I was telling the software to make sure that all of these songs came from the Marketplace, which ensured that it wouldn't be anything familiar -- familiar stuff was already in my local collection.

After creating about 7 Smart DJ playlists (which has grown since this experiment first started – and no, that wasn’t a small tribute to Windows 7!), I then began to look through Marketplace channels.

Since I'm the owner of my Zune Pass account, I could easily subscribe to these dynamic play lists and have some more new music synced to my device. But was I nuts? I was going to put my musical well-being into the hands of people who never really sat down at a Starbucks with me and asked me what stuff I liked. I was just going to trust that the "Top Songs in Zune" channel was going to present me stuff that I might eventually like. By the way, the "Top Songs in House" channel needs a total fkn overhaul. That's a very poorly maintained channel. If that channel is automated based upon what’s in the House category, then the Marketplace needs some serious re-categorization!

When it was all said and done, I had about 9 Channels and 7 Smart DJ play lists on my Zune HD. Ladies and Gentlemen, I did it. I didn't include my heart-rated play list and I was going to take this device with me to the office and sit through 8 hours of work complimented by a soundtrack of the unfamiliar. I donned my Fedora, got into the car and headed off.

PHASE II: THE INITIAL REACTION

You ever see that movie "A Scanner Darkly" where people are inhibited by this drug and think they're seeing stuff and they go a little crazy? Yes, that was the first couple of days with me and these play lists. I was going through a withdrawl period, if you will since I didn’t have that heart play list to immediately go to when I wanted to be “comfortable”.

Man, I was being bombarded with unfamiliar stuff. Who were these people? Why were they releasing music? Why hadn't I heard some of this stuff before? Where the hell was "Without Warning"!? Questions in search of answers plagued me for the first few days of this experiment.

I guess what I ended up finding out in the first few days was that even though I prided myself on trying new music, I was trying new music that still had familiar elements to it. I was trying new stuff that was still very close to home to the stuff that I was already enjoying. So far, what this experiment did was take me far away from that comfort zone. I wasn't no longer listening to much house music, I was diving into breakbeat and down tempo. The group popping up wasn't "Linkin Park", it was "Chevelle". A channel wasn't giving me LL Cool J it was giving me Justin Bieber (a practice that I put a quick end to, thank you broken-heart!).

After that first couple of days, I was able to settle into the fact that what was once unfamiliar was going to eventually be familiar to me. In fact, I saved a few songs to my local collection. The reason? I figured out that when I get those 10 free credits from Zune Pass, I would instantly have a small set of songs to choose from.

You see – in the olden days -- when you download Zune Pass music (new albums and whatnot) you would ending crowding your collection with all of this Zune Pass music. What Zune did in a previous release was make things like your Smart DJ and Channels downloads separate from the local collection. This is why you see (add to collection) next to these particular songs. As I’m finding that cool new music, I will hit that button and add them to my local collection. Then when the credits come around the Zune Pass content will most likely be content that I’m considering adding, permanently, anyway.

PHASE III: USING ZUNE TOOLS

So here I am with all of this new undiscovered music and I figured, again, that if I was going to jump into this pool that I was going to just dive into the deep end. So I began to re-utilize some of the other Zune features that were available to me.

For example, one of the groups I discovered in this experience was Chevelle, but rather than have a Smart DJ play list created for them, I decided to use Mixview. I wanted to see where they're influences were coming from and who, amongst my friends (if any) were listening to them. I keep forgetting about Mixview as a feature, so I made sure to make it one of the primary functions in this experiment.

The mixview for the group Chevelle

Additionally, I did more streaming from zune.net. Of course, I didn't use the office computer for this (my office computer can't handle Silverlight for some odd reason), but I did take my netbook to Starbucks for lunch occasionally and I would use their AT&T WiFi to stream some music through zune.net. Again, while I was streaming these newly discovered artists, I used zune.net to read more about these folks, see their entire discography and get some bio information.

Speaking of which, using the bio information on the Zune HD is much more applicable when you’re using it on groups you had never heard of. While it’s certainly fun to be reading up about artists you know, being able to deep-dive into artists you aren’t that familiar with is very engaging.

PHASE IV: THE RESULTS

So who have I discovered as part of this project? Other than the aforementioned "Chevelle", I've (re)discovered Moby, Audioslave, The Veronicas, Stabbing Westward, Five Finger Death Punch and others. It's been interesting to see that with just a little effort, I could find much more music to add to my local collection (and eventually my heart-rated play list).

I don't consider this project to be complete, by any stretch. It's something that will continue to grow and evolve (both as I discover new artists and as Zune continues to release new ways to discover this music).

PHASE V: MY CHALLENGE

So here's my challenge to you readers (if you're too lazy to listen to Circle This, Episode #15). I challenge you to erase your Zune (HD) and only sync stuff that consists of: Smart DJ play lists that only pull from Marketplace, various channels from Zune Marketplace, which only works if you're the Zune Pass owner, and friend's Zune Social cards.

If you don't have access to much of this, then use the Solar257 method which is to create an auto-playlist of music that has absolutely 0 plays.

Then take a couple of days and travel into this unfamiliar territory. If you can't commit to a couple of days, then try a couple of hours. Not just a few songs here and there, really dive into it. Use tools like Mixview, really dive into your friend's Zune cards and see what you discover. Then come back here, to this post, and let me know what you found out about yourself and your discovery.

And whatever you do… don’t look into the forbidden eye. Strange things happen when you do… alright explorers, let’s go!

Oh, and one more thing. Here’s the current listing of music that I’ve added to my collection since beginning this experiment. My credits reset on April 24th so we’ll see what the landscape looks like by then. Yes, that’s Nickelback – that’s the song they did for WWE RAW and yes, I actually like it. Sue me!

The following is a bit of an editorial mixed with reasoned speculation. It assumes you have done some preliminary reading about the KIN phone.

Check out Kin.com. Some discussion has centered around whom the phones are for and how well they will appeal to that intended crowd. Looking at the website, one sees many youthful individuals partying, enjoying life or the people they are with. They are all smiling or at least seem content in what they are doing. KIN seems to be for those who really like to share what they are doing. The term aspirational marketing has been thrown around to categorize what you see. I tend to agree with this assessment. In the limited work I have done with educational institutions and their assessment of best practices or policies, one of the first questions asked is “what are our peers doing?” followed by “what are our peers who we want to be like doing?” In essence, I just mentioned two groups; your peers and your aspirational peers. Your peers are your friends, or schools of comparable size or status as it relates to education. Your aspirational peers are individuals or institutions that you want to be like. While your peers may be doing one thing, your aspirational peers may be doing something entirely different. If you have no aspirational peers then your peers are all the more important (at least in education). Even after assessing both groups, the decision to move forward (i.e. purchase a phone or implement an institutional policy) rests with you, or the committee you are part of. In different ways, both groups of peers serve to show you what those around you are doing and what those you want to be like are doing -- that does not mean you have to follow either. You are you. While I may not want to wear bubbles and be photographed, I do want to be able to share what I am doing, tell others where I am when necessary, and listen to my music on the go. Sharing is cool. Sharing is fun. Posting a comment in response to this post is sharing. Updating your Facebook or Twitter status is the same thing. Do not look now but we all share. While the marketing can be seen as targeted towards a specific group, the ideas of easy sharing espoused within are definitely something upon which we all can agree. Sharing is good.

Looked at in another way, you could see KIN as a great way to study the process of idea diffusion. Along these lines, the advertising again can be seen as aspirational and seeking to motivate early adopters more so than the early majority or late majority. Though, when looking at different beliefs on idea diffusion, some larger questions come to mind:

• Do the blogs and tech writers (us included) represent a part of the two-step hypothesis and should reporters do more time informing than editorializing (i.e. "what are these phones" “how do they work” versus "is it really time to share," "do these phones have a need to exist")?
  
• Does the fact Microsoft is integrating Zune services with KIN and also adding the same service to more devices in the future place KIN in a larger paradigm of Rogers’ diffusion of innovations theory, relating to an idea of connected entertainment (i.e. "is KIN a piece of a larger puzzle")?
  
• Or is Microsoft merely attempting to cross a chasm with regards to those not interested in smartphones but are looking for something a more than a flip phone (i.e. does everybody need a BlackBerry or iPhone if there is something that better fits their needs, a la iPad vs. netbooks and tablet PCs)?

Looking at the three theories of idea diffusion there is no denying the ideas overlap. I think all three of these theories lead to the next question most have wondered about; where will this phone lay in both Microsoft's and Verizon's value proposition. In essence, why should I choose this phone over another?

Reading the assessments of others in this area has proven to be enlightening. Cnet’s Ina Fried, noted how the atmosphere of the event served to set the tone for the phones. Many photographed the bus that was outside and did what I think the event planners set out to have them do, share the scene and ask "WTF?" After assessing the phone TechCrunch made the statement, "if you’re reading [TechCrunch], these phones probably aren’t for you." Crazy kids and their parties, WTF is up with the bus, if you need to ask… -- there is a theme from these tech blogs: the KIN phones are squarely for those who want a simple way to share what they see. It is not geared towards the technologically literate. Think about these phones. For the most part, they are feature phones. One axiom of feature phones is, you do not need to be a technical whiz to use one. Even if you are technologically literate, KIN could still be appealing. There is not much more than meets the eye. The phone lets you share with friends, play six million songs, browse the web, take pictures and HD video, and make calls. Simple but powerful. Though, if after using it for a bit, you wish KIN had another feature, I (or any other Windows Mobile Zune MVP) would be the person to speak to.

Like 90 million others with cell phones, I am a Verizon Wireless customer. Like 90 million others commenting on KIN, I wonder how much it will cost. Posts that covered the April 12th press event noted a reluctance of both Microsoft and Verizon to discuss price points. However, after looking at Verizon's current product offerings, considering how the features of the KIN phones stack up to what is available from the carrier, talking with the the online chat representatives available from the Verizon Wireless website, and finally looking at a Flash-free version of KIN.com, I think I have a good idea of what a pricing/feature schedule might look like.

The Verizon Wireless website has a  category for ‘3G Multimedia Phones’ and ‘3G Smartphones.’ Underneath the first category are phones like the enV Touch and Samsung Rogue. The second has the BlackBerry and Droid devices. Consider:

• Verizons 3G Multimedia Phones require a minimum $9.99 25 MB data plan.
• Verizons 3G Smartphones require a minimum $29.99 Unlimited consumption data plan.
• Kin.com lists two plans:
  • Basic Plan
    • Unlimited texts
    • Contact backup
    • Other details TBD
  • Premium Plan
    • Includes everything in the Basic Plan
    • More minutes
    • Expanded data plan
    • Studio subscription
• Both KIN phones have serious cameras. KIN One has a 5mp with SD video capabilities while the KIN Two has an 8mp with HD recording.
  • Cameras alone, these phones are at the top of Verizon’s offerings across both categories. Phones with similar cameras would be the Samsung Omnia II, Motorola Droid, and HTC Imagio, all have 5mp cameras while only the Droid and Omnia II are capable of HD video recording.
• Both KIN phones have the ability to upload pictures and videos to The Studio.
  • Verizon offers a service called PIX Place that enables you to get pictures off your phone and online for easier viewing or the ability to be downloaded and printed out.
• Both KIN phones have the ability to be part of a music subscription service by way of Zune Pass.
  • Verizon has offered VCast Music with Rhapsody as an option on a number of its 3G Multimedia Phones for about two years now. This service is a $14.99 recurring monthly fee that allows you to sync up to three devices via the Rhapsody PC software. This is a similar deal as Zune Pass, with a difference being the provider Rhapsody versus Microsoft and the fact that KIN phones will be able to stream Zune Pass songs over 3G.

Knowing these facts I think it is necessary to pull in the conversations I had with three of Verizon’s online representatives as well as information gleaned from Kin.com. First, from an outside perspective, The Studio seems to be similar to the idea of PIX Place. At the same time, the Studio seems to be a specialized version of Microsoft’s MyPhone automated sync service. The biggest difference between the three is that The Studio provides unlimited storage of pictures and videos, PIX Place is initially limited to 75 pictures with unlimited photo storage incurring a $1.99 monthly fee, while MyPhone is free but only provides up to 200 MB of automated storage for more than just photos and videos. Looking at Kin.com, The Studio seems to fall more within the realm of a service similar to PIX Place rather than MyPhone. Assuming the information to be true, cloud services seem to be tiered between a basic and premium plan separating contact syncing from picture and video syncing. Also, unlimited texts are part of the basic plan. This is a smart move for a lifecasting feature phone. It allows you to setup your phone to receive Windows Live Messenger or  AIM instant messages without penalty and negates the need for a dedicated chat application (WLM is big in Europe). However, depending on which phone you get plus the plan you add on, it is possible 4GB may be your maximum carrying capacity when out from Friday night to Monday morning.

As Verizon Representative Segundo told me, subscribing to Rhapsody does not count towards phone data usage. This seems simple enough, unlimited music streaming over the phone should be possible and free of charge. However Segundo was able to say that because the process described on Verizon’s website only refers to hooking up a phone to a PC and loading music on to your phone. In a subsequent conversation with Sam, it was made clear that any data pulled from the internet, by the phone, be it web browsing, or downloads does count towards data usage. Considering an expanded data plan might be offered within the premium plan, this might be the best way to account for KIN’s Zune Pass streaming ability as well as Studio upload services. What is still unclear is whether Zune Pass will be an option as part of the premium plan or if it will be an incidental separate from the initial plans. I also wonder that since there is no tethering, perhaps a less expensive unlimited data plan could emerge? Either way, I think it is likely that KIN, at a minimum, will require a $9.99 25 MB data plan considering the wording of Kin.com and the way Verizon sells its 3G Multimedia Phones. This is a sentiment echoed by Verizon Representative Sven. Assuming this to be true, it is possible that you could run into potential data overage issues if you try to access Zune’s wireless marketplace without a sufficient data plan and still being a Zune Pass member. Similar to the popup asking to turn on wireless on the Zune HD, hopefully there will be a reminder saying “You are not on a premium plan. Do you still want to connect to the marketplace, charges may apply?”

For KIN to be attractive to those wanting to choose this feature phone over another smartphone, the price of the phones needs to be competitive. To me, this means an initial price of $99 or less. Verizon Representative Sven helped form my thinking on this subject. Noting the above picture, he would categorize KIN One as a phone similar to the Samsung Rogue while KIN Two is more of a smartphone with apps. Apps? I’m not sure how correct it is, as Sam later told me that neither device had apps. Both Sven and Sam did stress that prices have not been released yet. However, the categorization of each does help me put a potential price tag on the devices. If the KIN One were to be similar to the Samsung Rogue it could have an initial price of possibly $99. When it was released in September 2009, the Samsung Rogue cost $99. After listening to Episode 15 of the Circle This Podcast, DilPickle1 was quick to point out that the enV Touch was $200 when it first came out. He was not too far off as the enV Touch was initially available for $149 at launch in June of 2009. Now the Rogue is $49 while the enV Touch is $99. Looking at the cost for less expensive smartphones and considering Sven’s categorizing, KIN Two is rather difficult to price out, assuming it is a smartphone with apps. Smartphone prices are rather low right now creating the appearance that they are less expensive than their feature phone brethren. Considering this, I am more inclined to follow the pricing model of of the enV Touch. I believe KIN Two will initially sell for $149. Remember, both phone plans appear to have a data plan option. Under Verizon’s model data plans are either $9.99 or $29.99. As a result going with KIN’s basic plan could include the $9.99 data plan along with unlimited texts. This seems feasible as over the course of a two year contract you would save $480 ($29.99-$9.99 times 24 months) from the data plan alone.

Finally, one thing my thoughts do not address are RSS feeds. I am unsure how pulling in RSS feeds would work when pulling in data from photo heavy streams within the two price structures. Also I believe the $99 price point for KIN One is important but not overly so, because feature phone sales accounted for 72 percent of all phone sales in the second quarter of 2009. In a conversation I had with StacieX0, during one political science class, she brought up an issue of convenience. She saw the phones as more reasonable than an iPhone because you do not have to go through the hassle of buying apps to tweet, get on Facebook or MySpace. This is similar to a sentiment shared by Marques in Episode 15 of the Circle This Podcast. It is an interesting point. KIN phones come pre-equipped with what you need to get lifecasting. It also speaks to the simplicity of the phones. If all goes well you should be able to just enter your information and start broadcasting. If that is the case, it speaks to the main point of the advertising, it is time to share.

If you want to take a look at all the transcripts of my conversations with the Verizon Representatives you can do so below. Know that I have changed their names. The chronological order of my chats was Segundo, Sven, and Sam.

Over on Kin.com there is an engaging video showing people enjoying themselves while using KIN phones at a house party. As noted, these phones are Zune devices, or “Zune Tuned” as the spec sheet on the website calls it. When watching the video, one question that is sure to come up is “who sings that song?” Another is “did that guy just take a picture of his chest?” The song is called “Home” and it is by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros [zune.net]. And, yes he did just snap his chest and send the photo. Speaking of Zune.net, visiting the product page helps discern who the artist is as the band is in the product photos. If you are a Zune Pass user, feel free to download or stream the whole album. I downloaded it Tuesday. After listening to it for the remainder of this week, I liked it. Enjoy the music.

I just welcomed KIN to the Zune Family. Now it is time to put KIN Two to work, specifically the camera. If you watched the video portion of PocketNow’s KIN Two walkthrough, one of the marketing tenets about the 8 megapixel camera was its ability to great quality low-light pictures.

Considering the claim, based on the specs, and after looking for information about 8 megapixel cameras from OmniVision, it turns out there might be something special with this camera. In May 2008, Electronista reported that camera maker OmniVision had developed a new camera lens “that should radically improve the quality of photograph from cellphones.” Building off the Electronista report, CrunchGear discussed, how the sensor in OmniVision’s new camera model is closer to the surface thereby giving it a better ability to capture images in low light situations.

Because of the process it used to achieve the better low light pictures, known as backside illumination, OmniVision called the resulting product OmniBSI. The company noted that the BSI process flips the image sensor upside down providing “the most direct path for light to travel into the pixel.” Looking at camera products in OmniVision’s 8 megapixel range, all have the ability record video at 1080p. However, the KIN Two is advertised being able to only record video at 720p. I think the discrepancy between 720p recording and 1080p capability can be best pegged on the ability of the the Tegra APX 2600 running at the heart of both KIN phones. The system on a chip can only encode video up to 720p even though it supports cameras up to 12 megapixels.

If KIN Two is carrying this particular OmniBSI image sensor as its 8 megapixel camera, it will be interesting to see if pictures and HD video taken by this phone, in low light situations, do benefit from the backside illumination process.

 

5/18/2010 Update: It turns out OmniVison is not the OEM for the camera sensor. According to a teardown completed by ChipWorks, the image sensor is a Sony IMX046.

There is a new cell phone phone coming rather soon from Microsoft. It is known as KIN and it is headed to the Verizon Network sometime in May 2010. The phone is slated to land in Europe (Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK) this fall by way of European carrier Vodafone. There will be two models, KIN One and KIN Two. These are both feature-specific phones. For the task they set out to do (integrate social networking and enable easy personal broadcasting “lifecasting”), and the audience they are trying to reach (those not looking for traditional smartphones), I think they will do well. Though, I wonder if Verizon or Microsoft will do the advertising. The phones need advertising. PocketNow has wonderfully informative walkthroughs of the KIN One and KIN Two phones. Check them out.

Below are some quick specifications.

KIN ONE:

• Form Factor: Vertical slide, QWERTY size: 57cc
• Display: 2.6" TFT, QVGA (320 x 240), capacitive touch screen
• Camera: 5.0MP CMOS anti-shake, autofocus, dual LED flash
• Speakers: Mono
• Memory: 256MB DDR RAM, 4GB storage
• Battery: 1240 mAh
• Connectivity: EV-DO Rev A, Bluetooth 2.1 w/A2DP, Hi-speed USB, 802.11b/g
• Other: Assisted GPS, FM radio, accelerometer

KIN TWO:

• Form Factor: Vertical slide, QWERTY size: 65cc
• Display: 3.4" TFT, QVGA (480 x 320), capacitive touch screen
• Camera: 8.0MP HDR CMOS from Omnivision with anti-shake, autofocus, Lumi LED flash [learn more about the camera]
• Speakers: Stereo
• Memory: 256MB DDR RAM, 8GB storage
• Battery: 1390 mAh
• Connectivity: EV-DO Rev A, Bluetooth 2.1 w/A2DP, Hi-speed USB, 802.11b/g
• Other:Assisted GPS, FM radio, accelerometer

Be sure to check out Kin.com for more information. Finally, as evidenced by the picture above, I am happy to note that these phones are Zune devices. They are also the first Zune devices to feature in-line controls. Welcome to the the Zune Family, KIN.

 

4/17/2010 Update: It looks like Kin.com has updated the text located on the flash-free version of its website. This is where I got the specifications. If you want to check out the original version of the website a visit to Google might be of interest. After reading Annon’s comment, I do remember reading that KIN Two had stereo speakers so I will update that. Other than that, I am taking the rest of the specifications to be correct as Engadget has mentioned the same battery capacities. I also added a link allowing those interested to learn more about the KIN Two camera.

I will be holding another Comic-Con junk (not literally junk) raffle giveaway thing this year.

Last year, I gathered around 50 pounds worth of stuff. I was able to divide it all up into seven, large Flat Rate boxes from the USPS and I still had stuff leftover for myself.

Can't promise that it will go the same this year, we'll just have to wait and see what I come back with at the end of The Con 2010.


Here's the rules, regulations, and legalities you may not like:

• The giveaway will run from Wednesday, July 21, 2010 through 5PM PDT on Sunday, July 25, 2010.
• Any and all readers that enter are to be over the age of 18 at the time of applying to win.
• All one has to do to enter this giveaway is leave a comment with their first name and where you live.
• One entry comment, per reader.
• Anyone wanting to enter must do so on the appropriate post. This is not it. Any entries made on this post will not be accepted as valid entries.
• Anyone (readers and writers for www.InsidetheCircle, Zune employees, and MVP's), except past winners, may enter to win.
• Winners will be announced within one week of conclusion of giveaway.
• If winner(s) does/do not respond upon notification within one week, substitute winner(s) will be chosen.
• Winners may contact Inside the Circle to claim prize via Facebook or email at: socialcircle@live.com.
• A minimum of four (4) winners will be chosen.
• International readers may enter this giveaway so long as these rules, etc are followed and understood.
• Restrictions apply.
• Void where prohibited.
• Violating any or all of the above set rules will result in disqualification from winning.
• I also reserve the right to change any of the above as I see fit between now and when the giveaway opens.

Other than that, you're golden.

Soon, this week, Zune will release a playlist that was designed by the community. The playlist entitled "Getting Your Blood Pumping" is a collection of songs that people can listen to while they're engaged in firefights and sniping action during the multiplayer Modern Warfare 2 Playdate happening on XBOX 360. For those who haven't ever had their own soundtrack going while they were in a multiplayer game, this quick article is for you.

• Step #1: Download the playlist
• Open the Zune Software (download it if you don't have it)
• In the upper right corner you should see a search box. Type "Zune Tune"
• After a few seconds a series of listings will come up, look for the collection under 'playlist'
• Download the songs (this works best if you have a Zune Pass subscription)
• Small tip: If you wish to use the playlist, but don't wanna shell out the $15 for a Zune Pass subscription, just get the 14-Day trial pass :)

•  You actually have a few ways to get the songs playing through your XBOX 360
• Stream via a Zune device that is connected to the XBOX 360 (article)
• Stream via the Zune PC software through the XBOX 360 (article)
• Purchase music and burn it to a CD (article), then rip to XBOX 360 (article)
• Play your Zune device through a dock that is connected to your home system

Many of you might remember a previous post where I said that I went to the Hear NoHo Music Festival to check out Thomas Ian Nicholas in an awesome acoustic performance. Ever since that show, I've been fascinated with how great the Hear NoHo festival is. For just $10 per person, you can see roughly 5-7 different performers in 2-3 different venues in one night. It makes for a great date night or an evening with friends to check out a variety of music.

Since then, I've also reached out to the coordinators (well, coordinator) of Hear NoHo to see if I could assist in getting them some promotion amongst the community. Graciously, they have agreed to work with me. They were even kind to give me 2 tickets to the May event that I can offer some lucky person. I haven't quite figured out what contest I'll do, but be sure to check back with me on Twitter or through the blog in the next few days.

If you're in the North Hollywood area on the first Thursday of the month, I highly recommend that you check out what they have to offer. :) I'm looking forward to many wonderful collaborations with them in the future....

Now, I have to see how I can also work Zune into this (haha)

So welcome to a "dammed if you do, dammed if you don't" scenario in the world of Zune. With the new 4.5 update, many users are noticing that the ads that were once in front of the Zune HD games are no longer there. Of course, there's still this lag between you hitting the button and the game actually starting, but at least now you don't have to see or hear things like Wes Moss (remember him? yeah I know he hasn't popped his head up in a long time but man was that a humorous series -- for good or bad), the KIA ads or this banner wanted you to get this music subscription thing.

When the games on Zune HD first rolled out, people threw flames because they didn't like the ads at all. It was taking away from their quick and easy gaming experience. The ads took too long or they were simply a distraction. So, with the 4.5 update the ads were taken away. Now comes the new argument that I'm hearing a murmur about in forums and in messages: What happened? Zune can't hold on to ads so that must mean either A) supporters are pulling out like Zune's name is Glenn Beck or 2) the Zune user will have to support the app being there by paying for it.

My opinion? ... as if you honestly care, but I'll share it anyway

The apps will remain free. I think that Zune did this simply because they listen to their consumers. When folks wanted a clock, clock appeared. Folks wanted Smart DJ on the device, that appeared. Folks wanted those annoying ads to go away, they're gone. I don't envision any sort of "now you have to pay for these apps" scenario. Don't expect Zune to treat their apps like some gaming companies treat their DLC for XBOX 360 -- you know, making you pay $5 for something that is already on the disc and just has to unlock via registry change (I find *that* annoying, personally!)

That's just my thought. I don't think you all have anything to worry about and you don't have to start saving extra Microsoft points. Yeah, try justifying ANY amount of points needed to PURCHASE "Shell Game ... of the Future".

Last Tuesday, renown hip-hop artist and movie actor Common came to speak at my school. Those in Zune Nation may remember Common as the artist who helped launch Zune 3.0, featured a Zune 80 in his music video for Universal Mind Control, was a guest on episode 10 of the Zune Insider Podcast, or as a featured guest in Zune’s Green Room Series. Also, he collaborated with Microsoft to form a clothing line, Softwear.

Back to the night; what a wonderfully engaging man. He opened the beginning of his speech with a freestyle rap, designed to lighten the mood. It worked because the first part of his speech was a chilling allegory about his childhood as a 12 year-old ball boy for the Chicago Bulls and the ghost of Emmett Till. Common would run through the tunnels under Chicago Stadium fearing he was being chased by Till’s ghost. At a point, Common chose to face Emmett Till’s ghost, who continually chased him in the tunnels between the home and visiting team locker rooms. It was at this point that he realized the ghost served as a source of inspiration rather than someone to be feared. Emmett Till spoke to Common. One young black man said to another,

“You have a purpose in you that is deeper than you will ever know”

-Daily Orange

The allegory served us well as he launched into main topic of his speech, greatness. This was not a speech in the sense of “I am so great,” a theme you might expect from his fellow Chicagoan Kanye West. Instead he talked about the nature or being great.

"Greatness is beyond you. It's something that you achieve but affects others."

-Common

He went on to discuss aspects of his life and personal aspirations that might not have always ended the way he hoped, such as the 2005 Grammy's and his relationship with Erykah Badyu, but were still valuable to him personally. In reference to his relationship with Ms. Badyu, whom he still had (and still has, in a platonic way) nothing but adoration for, Common discussed how he felt he dimmed his own light in an effort to make the relationship work.

“We shouldn’t be afraid of showing out light to anyone.”

-Common

Considering the nature of greatness and how it is beyond oneself, these words hold true. And in looking at individuals whom he considered great, Common discussed Muhammad Ali and Kanye West. He talked about their egos and saw that there was something he could learn from them, sharing a thought along the lines of ‘if you are so great there is no reason to hide it. Share it and let the world know you exist.’

“"Be big, be beautiful. Believe in what you're doing. Live it."

-Common

Live it. Common used this thought to move into an analysis of his movie career and his hopes to one day be like Will Smith (me too). At this point the motivational portion of his speech more or less ended. For me, the take away was that being who we are and living up to our potential is essential. From there he discussed his upcoming movie, Just Wright, and his upcoming album, The Believer. He shared an a cappella solo from the upcoming album. From there we were treated to a performance by spoken work artist and poet Efi. During her engaging a cappella performance, she used a modified chorus line from A Tribe Called Quest’s “Can I Kick it?”

After this performance there was structured a question and answer period. While I was waiting in line one person also waiting to ask a question recognized the Zune shirt I wore that night as "the same one that Common wore." I asked Common a question… two actually. First, Referencing Nas and Jurassic 5, and citing hopefuls like Lupe Fiasco and Kid Cudi, I asked him if he believed hip-hop was dead. He responded with his belief that Nas sought to bring our attention back to what hip-hop is in its essence as opposed to what some artists have sought turn it into. Interestingly this was similar to a sentiment shared by spoken word poet Efi during her performance. Second, I asked him to sign my Zune HD.

Still within the structured Q & A session, he agreed and signed my Zune HD, while he was still on stage. As I walked up to him, Zune HD in one hand, metallic silver marker in the other, I could hear that "awww" sound from the packed crowd behind me. Then Common stayed to take photos with and sign autographs for any of his fans who were interested, of which there were many (pictured above). After he came off stage, the organizers of the event setup a more structured fan interaction opportunity. It was at this point that I took my picture with him. We had a brief discussion.

Feel good Zune Nation he told me he recognized my Zune shirt when he first stepped on stage (I was sitting in the second row). Also, I got the sense that he was still very appreciative of the work he did with Zune and Microsoft. Overall, it was a wonderful night with an inspiring man who had one main message. Live it.

The first ZuneNation play date was a great success. Members of the ZuneNation community came out to play against the XBOX Live folks in some friendly rounds of Burnout: Paradise. Well now, ZuneNation is at it again and this time, we're headed into battle with guns drawn and grenades fragging.

For you see, my friends, the next play date event will be April 16, 2010 and the game is Modern Warfare 2. You'll get to take on some of the Zune MVPs, members of the Zune staff and fellow music and gaming lovers in some hot MW2 action.

In addition, Zune is putting together a special community play list for the event. If you're a Twitter user send to Zune a song you think would be good for people in the middle of intense firefights. Technically, Zune is asking for songs that will 'get your blood pumping', but imagine that these are the songs that would blare out of your sound system while you're engaged in team deathmatch or sniping at enemies from a distance.

Your tweets to Zune should look something like this:
@Zune "Bodies" by Drowning Pool #zunetune #mw2 (see live example here)

Zune will then choose a sampling of those songs and create a play list that can be downloaded through the Zune software. You can then download that playlist and stream it from your Zune software through your XBOX 360.

If you wish to officially sign-up for the play date, you may do so through Zune's official Facebook page (and don't forget to become a fan while you're there!). We hope to see tons of you on XBOX Live on Friday the 16th.

Here are the host gamertags for the event:

• tromboneforhire
• Seeson
• V E L O
• EnzoTen
• gremlin job

Oh and here are a few things to know about the playdate!

• You do not need the Stimulus Package maps to participate
• If you wish to participate you can simply send a 'hello' msg via XBOX Live
• Be respectful of other players and the hosts.
• If you consider yourself an MW2 noob, take heart. Everyone has to start somewhere
• NO! There won't be any discussion of future Zune plans beyond what's already public
• Have fun!

SmartDJ, Zune Marketplace, and XviD support, are now available in the palm of your hand. After the CES Announcements, video previews, and pre-release events, Zune HD 4.5 firmware comes to you as an optional update. If the update does not appear automatically you may have update manually. To do that, go to settings > device > device update, noting the first picture below.

I hear there may be more than meets the eye with the update, so what are you seeing Zune Nation? If you see anything new that was not previously announced and are also on Twitter be sure to use the #ZuneDiscoveries hash tag (thanks to @Clubdirthill for thinking of it). Also, Matt Akers (a.k.a. Skipdeez), a Program Manager on the Zune Team, has a little insight as to why we received the update today.

From the first photo, if you click “update player” you will be taken to the device settings screen where you have to select the “update” button to apply the optional 4.5 update to your Zune HD.

Next, the software asks you to accept the firmware license agreement. Choosing to accept begins the update process.

After downloading the update will be applied and the device restarts.

 

Enjoy! Pictures of specific features are coming later. But If you want to take a look at the features already, be sure to check our our links provided above. Again be sure to check out #ZuneDiscoveries, if you are on Twitter, or leave a comment below.

At the Zune L.A. event for the 4.5 firmware preview, one of the cool swag items was Zune-branded record covered thingys. They're pretty darn sweet and a nice idea. What made things doublely sweet was when I took those record covers with me to King King (where I saw DJ Colette and DJ Heather perform as the opening of their new tour). Both ladies were awesome and each signed one of the record covers. Pretty sweet reward and great way to cap off a birthday :)

Many congrats goes to fellow Inside the Circle writer Neville Williams on his renewal as a Microsoft Zune MVP. I always thought April 1st is the worst day for these notices to go out, but it's fantastic to know that his dedication to the community, contributions to the blog and overall awesome personality are no joke!

Keep up the awesome work, buddy. The Zune community thanks you!

It's always interesting to attend events like this, especially when they happen in the middle of the week. However, I was able to go to Zune L.A. last night for what was a "sneak peek" preview event for the upcoming Zune 4.5 firmware update. Specifically, Smart DJ on the Zune HD and Marketplace shopping from the device and dock were demonstrated. Plenty of pictures were taken, plenty of schwag was grabbed and many a drink was consumed.

By the way, all of the pictures that you see associated with this article was taken by my good friend Seeson of 360Junkies. He was at Zune L.A as my guest (and even got to take home plenty of Zune-branded items). So I want to thank him for taking some great shots of the event and I'm glad he was able to make it out.

The first hour of the event was spent mingling and taco wrangling. Zune was able to get one of those mobile taco carts to be parked outside on the 'patio' and provide several free tacos to anyone within grabbing range. They also had an open bar available because nothing says awesome event like a free, open bar.

After the mingling was done, everyone headed to the 2nd floor of the building for a more "formal" introduction and demonstration. Michael Yeager, from Zune, lead the showcasing of two specific features: On-Device Smart DJ and Marketplace on TV.

It should be noted that this was setup so that people could walk around and tour Zune L.A. Noone had to sit and hear the presentation first. They could always go one-on-one with Yeager throughout the evening to get a demo and ask questions.

A lot of people seemed interested in the decoration and spread of Zune L.A. ... and who wouldn't be? Zune L.A. is fashioned with several XBOX 360s, a Surface table, performance stage, balcony that could host a DJ setup, art gallery layout, cool couches and bathrooms with bears that stare at you while you handle your business.

Overall the event was informal and informative. I could tell that people were quite impressed with what was coming down the pike for Zune HD. Those who weren't too sure about what Zune even had to offer seemed impressed with the way the ecosystem was coming together. As an example, with the XBOX 360s in the building, they were connected to XBOX Live and Zune Video on XBOX. You could easily demonstrate renting a film and having that instant-on action. With Zune HDs docked to various TV sets you could demonstrate how the artist art comes across on the TV (my favorite is Garbage).

It was a great event and I'll be interested to see public opinion of the 4.5 firmware update when it hits.