Why it’s Vodafone’s problem.

Vodafone NZ’s massive fail of the iPhone4 launch on Friday 30th July has placed another hole in their once-shiny, do-no-wrong armour.  Their website had the iPhone4 banner proudly placed on the homepage at least 1 week before the ‘launch’, encouraging you to sign up for updates.  Apple fans waited for important email informing them of how much Vodafone NZ planned to gouge them this time around, then on Thursday, all information and references to iPhone4 magically disappeared from their website.  Rumors began: shipment problems from China; Apple and Vodafone relationship had fallen to pieces. (more…)

We are now in the future.

So here we are – the day that Marty McFly chose to drive his time-travelling Delorean to in Back To The Future 2.  If only he had told us to stop drilling for oil, the ocean might not be polluted with 76-days worth of BP oil valued at US$3.12 billion… or maybe we’d all know how to hold an iPhone correctly.

On the up side, flying cars are almost here.  Finally.

Big screen social network.

Although I’m (currently) a member of it, Facebook is a service that I’ve found myself questioning more and more.  The endless invitations to lame local events with DJ’s I don’t want to see playing music I won’t like in clubs that are shit doesn’t help.  Neither does being connected with people who feel the need to make every status update about their other half.  Yawn.
The recent stream of news around their insanely complicated and questionable privacy settings has thrown in more question marks.  Sure, they claim it’s been resolved and they’ve made it easier now, but is my information still mine and only visible to me and those i’m directly connected to?
Seeing 26-year old CEO Mark Zuckerberg (worth $4 billion) sweat – profusely – in this video (below) at the D8 conference is one side of him.  There are apparently numerous other sides as well, and there is a movie due for release in October 2010 based on the story of Facebook.  Promotion for “The Social Network” aka The Facebook Movie has started. Cast includes Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake.  Nothing was selling me on watching this movie – until I saw that it has been directed by the one and only David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club, Panic Room), known for his unique, dark style.  That one fact alone may actually convince me.

UPDATE (July 1, 2010) Teaser has now been released at the official site.  Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor has also announced that he is scoring the film.
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Weekly Wrap: Where to from here?

Another chapter in the Massive Attack Heligoland video series is released: John Downer directs “Psyche” with Martina Topley-Bird on vocals (watch below / youtube / Massive Attack site) ¶ Manuel Tur is the latest to guest on the Bodytonic podcast featuring Pepe Bradock, a Matthew Herbert remix of Bjork and the Motorbass remix of Daft Punk’s “Around the world”.  ¶ Grace Jones‘ Hurricane album lives on with the release of single “Love you to life”, delivered by label Wall Of Sound with various remixes, but it’s the Dub Version that wins, taking the original and spacing it out with reverberations in true dub-style. ¶ Josh Wink is currently on tour to celebrate 15 years of Ovum Records – quite an accomplishment considering the current state of the music industry.  A new 60-minute DJ Times set from Josh is available here and is yet another fine example of what a house set should be.  Meanwhile, his first remix in well over a 12 months (possibly longer) is rumored to be for Gorillaz… this should be an interesting combination.  The animated band’s new video due for release on June 15, so hope to see the remix soon after.   (more…)

Weekly Wrap: Losing.

The past week has been dominated by the theme of losing. Friends gathered together on Saturday May 29th to farewell DBMC before they move to London to join Leigh in a much more exciting part of the world. Bon Voyage friends, safe travels. I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures on the re-launched blog!

Gary Coleman and Dennis Hopper both lost their battles to a brain hemorrhage and prostate cancer, respectively.  After seeing Avenue Q only two weeks ago, I wondered if the Gary Coleman-character would be replaced, but it has been announced that he will live on through the show.

And finally, the TV show Lost came to a close on Sunday May 23rd 2010.  6 Seasons, 121 Episodes. The number of people who told me the show wasn’t worth it far outweighed those stuck with it.  Was it worth it? (more…)

Censorship bites back.

TVNZ have been fined $2000 for allowing a promo featuring a serial killer to air at 5:25pm, during a “G” rated timeslot.  It was with some great pleasure that I read this article – possibly the karma creature that had been hibernating within me for a while.  During 2006 & 2007, my job at TVNZ involved viewing all promos and being aware of censorship guidelines; knowing what content could and couldn’t play where, and what was appropriate. (more…)

Weekly Wrap: Fire & Smoke.

Short and sweet (unlike the actual week)… new photos added to various galleries, available for viewing here. ¶ Long live vinyl! Record store day took place on April 17th; see the official site. ¶ The world’s first street art disaster movie: Banksy’s movie starts screening over the next few weeks in a small number of theatres in the USA, hopefully a wider (worldwide?) release soon. ¶ Is anyone else worried about the increased number of natural disasters lately? Numerous earthquakes, Iceland’s volcanic eruptions cripple air travel across the UK (currently in it’s 4th consecutive day), and massive fireballs in the sky. Is the end near?

Musically: re-visiting Sven Weisemann’s Xine project.  Xine Rising is modern classical / ambient / house music to zone out to. ¶ Hollie Smith at Sale Street on Wednesday was an interesting event; read more here ¶ Looking forward to The Black Dog album “Music For Real Airports”.  Interactive artist Human have created the following teaser: (more…)

Perspective.

It’s funny how things can thrown into perspective so easily. Following a week where I continued to grow tired of waiting for answers, losing motivation and trying to untangle my own thoughts, it all becomes irrelevant when news of a family member passing away is delivered.

My Uncle Wayne, who I admittedly have very distant and vague memories of, was taken off life support on Friday 16th April (NZ).  Apparently his health had been deteriorating for some time, and was admitted to hospital where the situation turned bad quite quickly.  Once all close family members arrived, life support was suspended and he moved on.  All of my Aunties & Uncles on my Mothers side are in the UK, so (with the exception of 2) the last time I saw them was when I was 5 years old.  May he rest in peace.