The sleek Blackmagic Design Intensity Extreme allows Thunderbolt-equipped computers to import and export HDMI video

Streaming live video from a camera into a computer has never been more difficult than today. Now that cameras rely on HDMI rather than simple composite, S-Video, or FireWire ports, it can be extremely difficult to connect them to a computer. That’s why I was thrilled to see the announcement by Blackmagic Design of two Thunderbolt versions of their respected Intensity video input/output box. But which is the better choice, the Intensity Shuttle or Intensity Extreme?

Introducing the Blackmagic Design Intensity

Blackmagic Design is well known for their inexpensive yet professional quality audio/video hardware and software. I first became acquainted with the company at NAB Show last year, coming away impressed by their broad lineup of video input and output devices. But the one that really caught my eye was the Thunderbolt-enabled Intensity Extreme.

You might also want to read The First Thunderbolt Peripherals On Display At NAB Show

“Intensity” is Blackmagic’s line of HDMI capture and playback devices. The Intensity Pro (internal PCIe) and Intensity Shuttle (external USB 3.0) have been available for a while. These offer a wide range of video capture and playback connections including HDMI, S-Video, component, and composite. Both are compatible with a wide range of professional editing software, including Avid Media Composer 6, Apple Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Premiere Pro.

You can't use this Blackmagic Design Intensity Pro in a MacBook Pro, but the same components make up the other Intensity products

HDMI capture is critical for the latest generation of cameras, since most do not stream video over FireWire any longer. There is a vibrant market for “new old stock” and even used Canon HD camcorders with FireWire output, since these were the last to reliably stream live video to computers for use with webcasting applications.

The Intensity line opens up a whole world of cameras, including many HD camcorders as well as SLR and mirrorless cameras like my Sony NEX. This will lead to higher quality video for live streams of events like my Tech Field Day and Truth in IT seminar series.

The Thunderbolt Enabled Intensity Shuttle and Intensity Extreme

Although Apple Macintosh computers are widely used for live streaming, they have not been able to take advantage of the Blackmagic Intensity line due to Apple’s steadfast refusal to adopt USB 3.0. All that changes with the introduction of the Intensity Shuttle Thunderbolt and Intensity Extreme.

The Blackmagic Design Intensity Shuttle Thunderbolt may not look as cool, but it just might be the better product!

Both the Intensity Shuttle and Intensity Extreme feature HDMI input and output and Thunderbolt connectivity for Apple MacBook Pro laptops. Both also include a variety of alternative input/output options, including S-Video, composite, and component. Both versions are also compatible with a wide range of popular software, include a bundle of Blackmagic applications, and share the same internal components.

So what’s the difference between the Intensity Shuttle Thunderbolt and Intense Extreme, apart from a $60-higher price tag for the latter? The most obvious difference is the gorgeous machined aluminum case on the Intensity Extreme, which totally outclasses the two-tone plastic of the Intensity Shuttle Thunderbolt. The Intensity Extreme relies on a breakout cable rather than the lineup of connectors along the edges of the Intensity Shuttle. Perhaps the Intensity Extreme is more rugged, but I prefer the light weight and integrated connectors of the Intensity Shuttle.

There are only slight differences between Blackmagic's Intensity Shuttle and Intensity Extreme products

A quick look at the tech specs for the two devices shows some subtle but, perhaps, important differences. The Intensity Shuttle Thunderbolt supports 8 channel audio input and output for HDMI connections, while the Intensity Extreme only lists dual channel support. But the Intensity Extreme is alone in featuring a 2-channel 24-bit SPDIF audio output port. The Intensity Shuttle Thunderbolt appears to support a wider range of video formats, including 480p, 525p NTSC and 625p PAL, though this could perhaps be an oversight in the specifications listing.

Both versions of the Blackmagic Intensity require the separate purchase of Apple’s $50 Thunderbolt cable, and both appear to draw power from this port rather than increasing travel weight with an extra power supply.

I know I would lose the breakout cable for the Intensity Extreme...

Stephen’s Stance

Overall, I’m thrilled to see Blackmagic bring HDMI video input and output to the Thunderbolt ports found on most Apple computers, and the low price of the Intensity products is certainly welcome. Personally, I will choose the Intensity Shuttle Thunderbolt for its lighter weight and no-breakout connectivity, and use the $60 I saved to purchase the Apple Thunderbolt cable. I’m not convinced that the minor technical differences between the 2 devices are a dealbreaker for me, though I can imagine some might demand the SPDIF audio port found only on the Intensity Extreme. Note that neither device is yet shipping, but Blackmagic promises to deliver them this quarter.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2012. | Preview: Two Thunderbolt Video Input and Output Devices from Blackmagic Design: Intensity Shuttle and Intensity Extreme
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Das Keyboard promises that their Model S for Mac is a worthy successor to the legendary IBM Model M, but I beg to differ

I make my living typing, and always have. From my days as a systems administrator to today doing whatever it is that I do, half my waking hours are spent in front of the keyboard. I’ve long used a very specific and much loved keyboard: A 1987 IBM Model M. But, in need of Macintosh keys and a USB connection, I jumped at the opportunity to pick up the brand-new Das Keyboard Model S for Mac. Here’s what I thought of it, my recommendation, and why I’m sending it back.

What I Look for in a Keyboard

I literally spend 8 to 10 hours a day typing, and I’ve gotten fairly fast over the last 2 decades. The only really satisfactory keyboard I have ever used is the one I continued to use most of that time, an IBM Model M manufactured in 1987. What’s so great about this keyboard that people like me continue to use them?

The IBM Model M is “defend your house from zombies” solid, with a thick steel backing plate and rigid plastic case. The “buckling springs” under each key give a perfect “press and pop” feeling, with each key press rewarding the finger and ear with a satisfying “clack.” This old-school typewriter feel is much sought after, and has spurred a vibrant aftermarket for otherwise-obsolete IBM keyboards.

To see how to use an old 101-key keyboard with a Mac, see Command and Control: The Clash of Keyboards

But I use a Mac. Macs have USB ports and make heavy use of the control, option, and command keys. IBM Model M keyboards are short on keys, and use AT or PS/2 connectors, making them less than compatible with Apple Macintosh computers, or recent Windows PCs, for that matter.

Introducing the Das Keyboard Model S For Mac

The Das Keyboard Model S is smaller and lighter than the IBM Model M

I’ve heard rumblings about Das Keyboard and their enthusiast oriented clicky keyboards for a while, but they only recently came out with a product specifically designed for use with Apple Macintosh computers. The Model S line uses Cherry MX blue mechanical key switches, known for their satisfying tactile feel. And the Model S for Mac includes Option and Command keys, along with media and sleep keys for use with Mac OS X.

Not having used a Das Keyboard, I decided to give it a try to see if it really “compares to the legendary IBM Model M”, as promised on the company’s website. I went ahead and ordered my keyboard, and it shipped much more quickly than I had expected. I must’ve gotten one of the first keyboards off the line, because the estimated ship date is still a month from now!

The Das Keyboard Model S is truly an enthusiast oriented keyboard, with 6 key rollover and a built-in USB hub. But the USB hub uses a separate connector from the keyboard, is only 2 ports, and interferes with right-handed use of mice or Apple’s Magic Trackpad. The dark glossy finish contrasts with flat black keys, though I do not care for the illegible lowercase font used by Das Keyboard.

Unboxing and Initial Impressions

Shipping was fast, but I was surprised by the small size and light weight of the box I received. The inner container, though glossy and thankfully not overly verbose, looks and feels cheaper than one would expect from a high-end enthusiast product. Honestly, it would get lost on the shelves at Fry’s or Micro Center amid thir ocean of worthless, mushy, flexy junk keyboards.

This is a shame, because the keyboard itself really is impressive in a “2001 monolith” or “Death Star” sort of way. The sharp angles make it appear at once smaller than it is, yet more substantial than the plastic junk most companies call keyboards. The style is entirely different from the slim slabs of aluminum sold by Apple, yet both are iconic in their own way.

But the Das Keyboard Model S for Mac feels much lighter than its 3 pound weight would suggest. Although I didn’t expect it to have the same heft as my 6 pound IBM Model M, it does not feel much more substantial than the cheap Compaq keyboard I had sitting in my closet. The keys are extremely lightweight, with a feathery feel that filled me with dread. This is no Model M.

Das Keyboard Model S Typing Feel

I gave the Das Keyboard a thorough workout, using it exclusively for over a week of heavy typing. Although I could type just as fast on the Model S as the trusty IBM, I did not enjoy the feel at all.

Cherry’s MX Blue switches have a two-piece “snap” design Image: GeekHack.org	IBM Model M uses a buckling spring Image: WakWak.com

The Cherry MX blue key switches do indeed have a nice snap, but they are undone by an overall feeling of lightness to the action. The keycaps do not feel “locked in” or solidly-connected, They wobble slightly as you type, and are so light that you may not know you’ve pressed them at all if not for the snap and pop of the switch.

What’s worse, in fast typing I found myself “getting ahead of” the key switches. Unless released to spring back nearly their entire travel, the switch will not snap or pop at all on the next press, though the character input will still register. Perhaps it is my typing style that is at fault, but I found myself typing extra characters without knowing it.

I’m disappointed that Das Keyboard would emphasize the comparison between this keyboard and the Model M so strongly in their marketing materials, and disgusted that reviewers would go along with this farce. No one who had ever tried both back-to-back would ever make this comparison. Das Keyboard is fine on its own, but is nothing like a Model M. It’s like slamming the door on a Honda Civic and a Mercedes S Class: Both are satisfying, but there’s no mistaking one for the other.

Another peculiarity of the Das Keyboard Model S for Mac is its handling of the media keys. Unlike Apple’s own keyboard, and the Unicomp Spacesaver M I am currently typing on, the Das Keyboard requires one to press the function key to activate the media keys. And these media keys are oddly shifted to the left: reverse, play/pause, and fast-forward are on F6, F7, and F8 rather than F7, F8, and F9; mute, volume down, and volume up are similarly shifted from F10 through F12 to F9 through F11. I find this extremely curious in a keyboard designed for the Mac.

Stephen’s Stance

Make no mistake, the Das Keyboard Model S for Mac is a whole class better than the plastic junk most people use, and the snappy Cherry MX blue key switches are more rewarding than any scissor or membrane keyboard out there. But this is no IBM Model M, so buckling spring fans should look elsewhere. I would not hesitate to recommend the Das Keyboard Model S for Mac to anyone looking for an alternative to Apple’s scissor key aluminum slabs or built-in MacBook keyboards, but I will be returning mine and evaluating a Unicomp Spacesaver M instead.

Pros:

• Great to see a company so committed to the keyboard, a critical computer component
• Classy black monolith shape
• Good (but not great) Cherry MX blue keyswitches
• Macintosh keys (option, command, and media)

Cons:

• Totally different feel from the IBM Model M feel, despite Das Keyboard’s marketing
• Paltry 2 USB ports are in the wrong spot and use their own separate cable
• Mac media keys mis-located and require function-Fx press
• More expensive than the son-of-Model M sold by Unicomp

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2012. | Review: Das Keyboard Model S for Mac (and Why I’m Sending It Back)
This post was categorized as Apple, Features, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

This GE lightbulb expired after just 5/100 of one percent of its promised useful life. And it is not the first of these bulbs I have seen fail so quickly. That's why I wrote the install date right on the base and save my receipt.

The idea of a product warranty is fairly simple: a company “warrants” that, should their product fail in a specified period of time and circumstances, they will repair or replace it. But the implication of the product warranty is far more subtle: it tells the consumer what level of reliability they should expect. In short, a warranty is all about confidence. But when does a warranty become a confidence game?

Typical retail products are backed by warranties ranging from a few months to a few years. Some products, such as cars and major appliances, are warranted for far longer. Products generally carry a warranty that matches their expected lifetime, and consumers have come to expect that products will last roughly this long.

But there can be quite a bit of gamesmanship in product warranties. Companies can “one up” their competitors by offering longer warranties, a typical tactic for up-and-coming car manufacturers, for example. A longer warranty is a promise to consumers that product quality has improved, as well as a security blanket in case this is untrue.

Companies also game the terms of their warranties. It is not uncommon to find that the “10 year warranty” on a new car only covers the engine and transmission, or that the 3 year warranty offered by Apple only includes one year of technical support. But the generous length of coverage is what gets attention, regardless of the terms and conditions.

Companies know this, and sometimes they offer warranties that they never expect to be called on to meet. Consider the incredible shrieking warranties on hard disk drives in the wake of the Thai flooding disaster. Seagate and Western Digital did not suddenly begin to cut corners on drive quality. Rather, they simply decided that they could no longer afford the extra cost of drive replacement and shrunk the warranty to match.

A recent example in my hands was a compact fluorescent (CFL) floodlight that carried a 4 year warranty from GE. It failed after just 41 days of occasional use in my kitchen, not the 6000 hours promised on the package. But the terms of the warranty made it clear that the company never expected to replace the product: I would have to mail it to Cleveland at my own expense, along with my original sales receipt, in hopes of receiving a replacement. This replacement transaction would probably cost far more than the bulb itself, so it is clear that the warranty was just a bunch of hot air.

I rarely purchase extended warranties for products, and never even consider offbrand or store offered warranty products. These are generally a scam, with vendors hoping that customers will forget or misplace warranty materials before a claim is needed. The only exception for me is AppleCare, which I happily purchased on my MacBook Pro after having the logic board replaced in my previous Apple computer. I even purchased the new AppleCare+ package for my iPhone 4S, since I really can’t survive without a phone.

What does this say about warranties and consumer expectations? Clearly, companies know that customers put a great deal of faith in product warranties, whether deserved or not. And customers have come to expect that a product with a longer warranty will offer a longer useful life. Sadly, this is often not the case, and many companies never expects to live up to the expectations they set right on the package.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | What’s the Point of a Warranty, Anyway?
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Learn to drive a Ford Model T and you will be amazed how automobile controls have progressed! It looks similar but it's totally different from today's cars.

“The nice thing about standards is that you have so many to choose from.” Andrew Tanenbaum’s statement may be a cynical and dismissive, but it’s not far from the mark. Indeed, there are a great many standards, perhaps as many as there are efforts to standardize the world around us! But what good are standards, really?

The 3 Standard Types

In technical fields, standardization is a process of establishing a specification, definition, or procedure that is generally applicable. In other words, a standard is the exact opposite of a one-off or proprietary item.

End-users and vendors often clamor for standardization, though not usually for the same reasons:

• End users like standards because they promote options and tend to drive down costs
• Incumbent vendors like standards that give them control over the market or competitors, while challengers prefer “open standards” that allow them entry

Not all standards are created equal, however. Some are designed to be open and free to use, while others simply fall into widespread use. Some are designed by committee, while others are driven by a dominant player in the market. Generally, standards fall into one or more of the following categories:

• De facto standards emerge “accidentally” as they become used more and more broadly. In many cases, companies are hesitant for their developments to become de facto standards, since they may lose control of the market and usage of their products.
• De jure standards are legally binding requirements from contracts, laws, or regulations. These are quite rare, and often adopted only when absolutely required to ensure safety or avoid major market upheaval.
• Other standards are made available on a voluntary basis, in hopes that they will be used. Whether designed by a committee or a single entity, voluntary standards usually serve to encourage market development.

Whose Standard Is It?

When considering one standard or another, it’s important to keep in mind it’s origin. Sony’s Memory Stick, the Blu-Ray disc, the Apple dock connector, the Microsoft Windows API, and so many more were all developed to lock in licensing and product revenue. Although it is beneficial to consumers to have standard camera media, multimedia discs, and such, these were not developed solely with the interests of consumers in mind.

Automobiles present an interesting case in standardization. It may come as a surprise to the uninitiated, but nearly every part of the car is proprietary, right down to the control mechanisms we take for granted while driving. Certain elements (seatbelts, windshield wipers, and the gasoline fill valve) are indeed de jure standards, but most everything else is subject to the whims of each manufacturer. Think of how difficult it is to operate the air conditioning or set the cruise control in a rental car. Then go to the auto parts store and see just how many different air filters they stock!

Consumers generally benefit when broadly accepted standards emerge, regardless of the origin. The Edison screw base on a lightbulb, for example, was developed to encourage a market for electric light fixtures but also to secure licensing revenue for the Edison company. In contrast, the “flash shoe” found the top most high-end cameras developed accidentally and incrementally over the last century. Both are now de facto standards out of control of their originators, but despite major shortcomings the value of interchangeability has made them commonplace.

Stephen’s Stance

I certainly benefit from standardization of the world around me, and I welcome interoperability and interchangeability as well as the price and product selection advantages. But I am not blithely focused on standardization above all else. I will happily use a proprietary solution if the alternative is inelegant, ineffective, or insufficient.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | The Myths of Standardization
This post was categorized as Apple, Computer History, Features, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

StarTech 2-in-1 Mini-USB and Micro-USB Combo Cable

Perhaps sensing my cable fetish, StarTech offered to mail me their latest invention: A T-headed cable with both mini USB and micro USB connectors. The tiny cable arrived in a massive box, and I immediately went about plugging it into just about everything I could find.

Sure enough, it’s a cable. You plug things into it, and it connects to them. There’s really nothing special at all about this tiny cable apart from the fact that it includes both micro- and mini-USB connectors. Unfortunately, the micro-USB side does not include any of the special resistors required by devices like Novatel’s MiFi routers.

Retractable USB Cables

The StarTech cable is really an awful lot like my previous solution: A retractable mini-USB cable from Emerge. I’ve had a whole pile of retractable cables in the past, and they always fail me. They either fray and break at the ends or the retraction mechanism stops locking. Higher-quality cables from companies like Emerge and Belkin seem to last a bit longer, but I’m not sure if their high price is really justified.

I do like the fact that retractable cables sit neatly in my bag, however. And I’ve picked up a few adapters along the way, including a mini-USB to micro-USB adapter from Motorola. Sadly, this won’t power a Novatel MiFi either, so I have to carry the bulky Novatel power brick wherever I go.

The Accursed Apple Dock Connector

I have a lot of devices from the Cupertino Fruit Company, and they all seem to use proprietary cables of various sorts. My bag currently includes both fixed and retractable Apple dock connector cables as well as both 1 Amp and 2.1 Amp supplies for the iPhone and iPad, respectively. I even have a dual USB 2.1 Amp car charger left in the outlet by the previous renter.

Probably the coolest solution to the Apple dock connector conundrum comes from Apple itself by way of European Union regulations requiring mobile phones to use a standard micro-USB cable. This little guy is only available in EU countries currently, but I’ll definitely be dropping £8 on one the next time I am in the UK.

Stephen’s Stance

Cables are the bane of my existence as a business traveler. They’re always getting misplaced or lost, and you can never find the absolute perfect one for the job. The StarTech has earned a spot in my bag since I can’t lose the tip, but I’ll keep looking for a cable that will charge my Novatel MiFi. What’s your favorite cable?

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | In Search of the Perfect USB Cable
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

I really do like the bumper with the iFixit transparent back!

Let me explain. The key moment of the story is when I used the updated Apple Store app on my phone to scan the barcode on the bumper package and pay for it online using my Apple account. No one in the store saw me do this, and I opted to receive my receipt through e-mail. I’m still not sure how Apple plans to keep shoplifters at bay.

Maybe I need to explain a little more what is happening here. Apple was one of the first companies to do away with fixed cash registers at the front of the store, opting for mobile payment devices in the hands of their “associates” on the floor. Now they have implemented do-it-yourself payment called “EasyPay” using the iPhone in just about every customer’s pocket.

"Thank you for walking out with merchandise without talking to us!"

The combination of in-store network connectivity, a high quality built-in camera, and perhaps the most complete database of customer credit cards in existence allows Apple to introduce a really revolutionary shopping experience. But is it revolutionary in a good way? I definitely felt like I was doing something wrong, even though I waited for my confirmation e-mail and PDF receipt before walking out of the store.

Supposedly, store management and associates are notified whenever a customer buys something in this manner. But how could they possibly know who it was? There’s no way they could locate a phone in the store with that kind of granularity, and I didn’t see any indication that the app snapped a picture or otherwise identified me. Maybe store security just isn’t looking out for middle-aged guys acting suspiciously with iPhone bumpers.

I’m still nervous about paying for things at the Apple Store in this way. But it’s hard to deny the speed and convenience of the transaction. I was in and out in just a couple of minutes and never once talked to an employee. Maybe I’ll get used to it, or maybe Apple will decide that it really wasn’t such a good idea after all. But I paid for my bumper. Honestly, I did. And it looks great with the new transparent iPhone 4S back plate from iFixit!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | A Nerve-Racking Revolution at the Apple Store
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Even the fanciest technology can spiral down the drain

I am certainly not the first person to notice the peculiar “race to the bottom” that happens when products are commoditized. But it is been much in my thoughts recently as I observed the annual tragedy of holiday price wars. How can a company economically produce a DVD player, tablet computer, or even a string of Christmas lights at the prices we see today? Working conditions, quality, environmental protection, and reliability have all gone out the window. But how can a business resists joining this downward spiral?

Consider the lowly lightbulb. Once a subject for great national pride, with intense research and development and patent battles, today’s incandescent light bulbs are utter garbage. Standard 40 W bulbs sell for under a dollar and last just a few months. Burned out bulbs are chucked and replaced without a thought, yet they were once prized and protected. Once upon a time, companies even specialized in refilling lightbulbs!

Over the course of 150 years of development, the technology of incandescent lamps became sufficiently mature that the main differentiator between bulbs was price. This led to an industrywide crash, with production moved and outsourced and quality falling away. Today, with the technology on its last legs, the once proud lightbulb has become worthless trash. The same effect is rapidly taking over the CFL bulb market.

The same phenomenon happens with television sets (witness Sony’s recent decision abandon mainstream television production to ODMs), DVD players (and Blu-ray on the way), and PC computers (especially consumer laptops). Differentiation and quality fall by the wayside as consumers focus entirely on price. Before long, companies decided they can no longer compete for ever smaller margins and give up the market entirely.

There is one antidote to the downward spiral: Consumers must choose to spend more wisely. The greatest modern example is Apple, which refuses to do battle on price and focuses instead on innovation, quality, and (yes) fashion. In this way, Apple is indeed the BMW of computers, since both companies have long since given up competing on price yet both still find mass-market success.

But is it possible to continue producing successful, innovative, high-quality products in the face of a flood of trash? Sadly, consumers will likely always respond to mind bogglingly low prices. Fashion and features do offer some protection for premium producers, but nothing can stave off “nearly free” pricing. The only way to truly weather the storm, as demonstrated by the iPod, is ever tighter integration with ecosystems that differentiate the product.

But change will come regardless. Android smartphones and tablets are eroding the iPhone and iPad market, though Apple has held on to the lions share of profits. Chinese automobiles will eventually arrive in the West with good design and well-known brands like Volvo. Real innovation will move on in new directions as the downward spiral continues.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | The Downward Spiral: How Economic Pressure Turns Commodities to Junk
This post was categorized as Computer History, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

How iTunes Match Works

Before: DRM-ed	After: Unprotected

Apple has always stored iTunes music “in the cloud”, but it was never accessible except at the time of purchase. In other words, Apple would allow you to buy a song and download it but you could not re-download purchases, let alone stream them to other computers or iDevices.

ITunes 10.5.1, now available for download, enables online streaming and re-downloading the of media to any authorized computer or device. This means that all of your past and future iTunes Store purchases are now available on all the devices you own. You can stream them over the Internet for casual listening or download them for off-line use. This includes movies, television shows, and books as well as music.

But iTunes Match is the signature feature of this upgrade. Using technology acquired from Lala, Apple now offers an annual subscription allowing you to “match” your off-line library with the online iTunes store. This match technology will scan your entire library and make available all songs in it, regardless of source.

ITunes Match allows you to “upgrade” your music library with legal, licensed, high-quality files regardless of the source. This includes DRM-protected iTunes store purchases, which are also upgraded to 256 K bit DRM-free AAC files. This is a huge benefit: Building a high-quality non-DRM library is well worth a year $25 per year even without online streaming.

For example, if you bought an album from Amazon or ripped a CD (or even if you downloaded music through Bittorrent), it will be available for streaming and downloading to iTunes, iPhones, iPads, and iPods. Even better, the downloaded version will be Apple’s high quality 256 kbps AAC “iTunes Plus” version, even if yours was a lowly 128 kbps MP3 file.

How to Upgrade a Song

Upgrading is fairly straightforward, and iCloud “has your back” if you make a mistake. Still, I recommend backing up your music files before proceeding!

Enable these headings to make it easier to locate songs to upgrade

The first step is subscribing to the iTunes Match service. Download and install the latest version of iTunes, and click on the new iTunes Match entry in the menu bar. Apple will prompt you to sign up and pay your $25 using your existing iTunes account.

Once you have subscribed to iTunes Match, iTunes will scan your library for songs, match them to the online library, and begin uploading any that it did not find. You can continue working with iTunes while the upload proceeds, since we will be working with files that do exist on the iTunes servers.

Right click on the menu bar above the song listing in iTunes’ Music pane and add the new “iCloud Status” column. You might also want to add the “Kind” column to determine which files should be upgraded.

Locate a file to upgrade. There’s no need to replace songs that are or 256 kb iTunes Plus format, so look for those with “Kind” listed as “MPEG audio file” or “Protected AAC audio file”.

Next, check the “iCloud Status” column to make sure the song is “Matched”. Now you’re good to go with the upgrade.

Any song that is "Matched" can be re-downloaded DRM-free!

I created a backup folder to save a copy of my music just in case the upgrade fails. Just drag and drop the file right out of iTunes and into a backup folder.

In iTunes, select the song you wish to upgrade and press the delete key. ITunes will ask if you’re sure: Go ahead and click “Delete Song” but do not select “Also delete this song from iCloud” just in case.

Scary! Delete your music (but save a backup first!)

Once the song file has been deleted, you will notice that it does not disappear from the iTunes interface. Instead, a new icon will appear in the “iCloud” column. This is the iCloud download button: Click it and iTunes will re-download the high quality version of that song directly into your library. Or just press “Play” to stream it over the Internet!

That nifty little icon (or a right-click) allows you re-download your deleted files

Note that any metadata, such as custom year or composer, will not be lost. Even star ratings will be retained, though it appears that play counts are not saved.

This process can be repeated for multiple items at once, allowing you to upgrade your library with just a few clicks.

Before: Low-bitrate MP3	After: 256 kbps AAC

Stephen’s Stance

The ability to “go legit” and upgrade older music files is a huge benefit, and makes iTunes Match well worth the $25 annual fee. Having all your music online for streaming is pretty cool, but probably wouldn’t have enticed me to spend money. I will definitely be upgrading my entire iTunes library this way!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | How to Legitimize and Upgrade Your Music Library Using iTunes Match
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Initiate an IOS update from an iPhone

Apple added a new menu entry in Settings–General

Open "Settings" and tap "General", then tap "Software Update"

iOS will check for available updates online...

...and locate iOS 5.0.1. Tap "Download and Install"

You will be prompted to "Agree" to Apple's Terms and Conditions

The download is much quicker because only changed files are needed

My download took less than a minute using a home cable modem connection

iOS will verify the download, patch the files, and restart the phone

After the restart, your phone is running the latest version of iOS!

The iPad update is identical!

Stephen’s Stance

Differential “over the air” software updates are a major step forward for Apple and iOS, though Android users have been enjoying this feature for years.  It really is possible to own an iPhone or iPad without also having a computer iOS 5!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | How To Update iPhone and iPad iOS Software Without a Computer
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The Sonnet Echo ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter shows much promise (at a high price)

Today, peripheral vendor Sonnet announced the Echo ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter, which will enable Thunderbolt-equipped Apple Macintosh computers to use a variety of ExpressCard peripherals. The Echo is a compact adapter about the size of an iPhone, but the price may leave some potential customers in shock when it arrives in October of 2011.

You might also want to read Apple’s Thunderbolt Display Shows the Future and The First Thunderbolt Peripherals On Display At NAB Show

Introducing the Echo ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter

The Echo ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter (which I’ll call the “Echo” for now) is one more step in fulfilling the promise of Thunderbolt. Because it carries to full PCI Express lanes, Thunderbolt enables compact computers like the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and iMac full speed connectivity with a variety of peripherals.

Although the first announced Thunderbolt peripherals were storage devices, a new wave of non-storage products is beginning to appear. Sonnet’s new Echo adapter follows a number of announced PCI Express card cages. The Echo likely shares much of the same electrical engineering, since ExpressCard peripherals also use PCI Express, but a USB controller would be needed as well to support ExpressCard.

The Echo is a fairly simple device with a single Thunderbolt port on the back and a single ExpressCard slot in the front. This is actually something of a limitation, since the Echo must be at the end of any Thunderbolt daisychain, a position typically occupied by a DisplayPort monitor. But the Echo is clearly intended for portable computers, and environment unlikely to contain such a display.

Pricing Shocker

Thunderbolt is a fairly expensive technology at this point. Consider that Apple decided to go with a cheaper one lane controller chip in the new MacBook Air, for example. Peripheral makers warned me at NAB that early Thunderbolt peripherals would be on the pricey side, and they were right!

Sonnet’s list price for the Echo ExpressedCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter is $149.95. And it requires the purchase of Apple’s $49 Thunderbolt cable as well! So buyers will be out almost $200 before they even purchase a USB 3.0, eSATA, or P2 card reader!

Audio/video production professionals probably won’t bat an eye at this price, but it locks out home users and enthusiasts like myself. It is disappointing that the price is so high, but Sonnet is not to blame. Thunderbolt is a new technology and the chips are reportedly quite expensive still.

Stephen’s Stance

The Sonnet Echo ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter demonstrates the power of Thunderbolt to bring flexible, high-performance connectivity to compact computers. But we are still in the first generation of devices like this, and it will be a while before prices drop out of the stratosphere. I would love to test an Echo, and would welcome a demonstration unit (hint, hint Sonnet!)

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | Sonnet Adds ExpressCard Support to Thunderbolt–Equipped Macs
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