Most folks who are reading my blog and my coverage of Sony know about the "rootkit" issue that's made headlines, as well as the problems with the Sony Connect software.

I wasn't aware that the management of Sony-BMG was in such a state.

Gunter Thielen, the chief executive of Bertelsmann, acknowledged recently that there were some problems with the management structure at Sony BMG, where both sides have three seats on the board.

"We have to work a little bit on the question of leadership after the departure of [Chief Operating Officer] Michael Smellie," he was quoted as saying in The Financial Times Deutschland. "The merger of the companies went well; now we have to merge the cultures, which is the most difficult thing."

Since the merger, Sony BMG's position has eroded in many markets.

Don't you just love the understatement in that, "work a little bit on the question of leadership," comment? Basically the whole world knows that the Sony-BMG "company" is not working. Saying that there's a need for a "little bit" of work on leadership is just as bad as when Thomas Hesse, President of Sony-BMG's Global Digital Business was quoted as saying that, "Most people, I think, don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care
about it?"

I have friends at Sony-BMG. I hesitate to contact them as I am sure they are busy trying to fix the problems, but with management like this, Sony-BMG doesn't need competitors.

On Top of Talk of Rifts, the Problems Keep Piling Up for Sony-Bertelsmann Venture - New York Times

Could a panel of pro DJs and industry professionals tell the difference between the different compressed audio formats of mp3, AAC, WMA, and Vorbis?

DJmag put five experts to the test through the infamous system at London club Fabric

Fwiw, I've decided for myself that 192 AAC is all that I need. I used to rip things at much higher rates but I just couldnt tell the difference.

If you do a lot of your own ripping, what do you generally choose?

DJ Magazine: Cutting Edge dance music, club culture and DJ technology - DJ Technology

Cool!

What does the Broadband Tuner do exactly?

The installer increases the default values for the size of the TCP send and receive buffers. With larger buffers more data can be in transit at once. A startup configuration file is also updated so that these changes will persist across restarts.

Apple - Support - Downloads - Broadband Tuner 1.0

New Yorker's Seymour Hersh on leaving Iraq. The stuff about Bush is the most disturbing of all.

Bush’s closest advisers have long been aware of the religious nature of his policy commitments. In recent interviews, one former senior official, who served in Bush’s first term, spoke extensively about the connection between the President’s religious faith and his view of the war in Iraq. After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the former official said, he was told that Bush felt that “God put me here” to deal with the war on terror. The President’s belief was fortified by the Republican sweep in the 2002 congressional elections; Bush saw the victory as a purposeful message from God that “he’s the man,” the former official said. Publicly, Bush depicted his reëlection as a referendum on the war; privately, he spoke of it as another manifestation of divine purpose.
...
“The President is more determined than ever to stay the course,” the former defense official said. “He doesn’t feel any pain. Bush is a believer in the adage ‘People may suffer and die, but the Church advances.’ ” He said that the President had become more detached, leaving more issues to Karl Rove and Vice-President Cheney. “They keep him in the gray world of religious idealism, where he wants to be anyway,” the former defense official said. Bush’s public appearances, for example, are generally scheduled in front of friendly audiences, most often at military bases. Four decades ago, President Lyndon Johnson, who was also confronted with an increasingly unpopular war, was limited to similar public forums. “Johnson knew he was a prisoner in the White House,” the former official said, “but Bush has no idea.”

The New Yorker: UP IN THE AIR
Where is the Iraq war headed next?

A Guy Called Gerald (AGCG) waxes nostalgic about the early days of electro. Gerald asked Greg Wilson, a DJ who influenced Gerald, to create a mix for Samurai FM. You can download that mix from AGCG website.

The people that were into Electro and breakdancing were basically crazy - it was definitely a young movement. We had a kind of careless aggression about things – a Punk attitude - people would be laughing at us for washing the floor and spinning on our heads, but you could see they would never know how to break out of a system. And that's basically what we felt we were doing.

Greg Wilson talks about Legend - a club that was more important to him than The Hacienda, which was a seminal club in Britain for dance music in the 1980s.


Nowadays, people naturally want to talk to me about The Hacienda and how incredible it must have been for me to work there. Given its subsequent worldwide recognition, I can appreciate how difficult it must be for them to fully comprehend that, although I had some great nights at The Hacienda, it couldn't begin to compare with the intensity of what was going on at Legend. The rave scene might have kicked-in some years down the line with The Hacienda at the forefront of the movement, but people were full-on 'raving' at Legend in the early 80's, and this was without the aid of chemicals! It's just that these people were mainly black, at a time when black culture was marginalized in the UK - the style press had yet to catch up with what was happening on the black scene.

No Sell Out Part 1 - Legends / Wigan Pier Electro Retrospective - Mixed by Greg Wilson For A Guy Called Gerald

Fascinating. A survey of 8000+ Japanese people (via their iMode mobile phones) turns up the fact that Sony's brand is still strong with HDD audio players even though a majority of them are purchasing Apple iPods.

iPod winning but Sony still big in Japan 世論 What Japan Thinks

A very nice house set that goes tech, deep, and hard. Not sure how long it will be up here so snag it fast :)

ARTIST - TRACKNAME - LABEL
Harry Peat - Affrodizziac - Alternative Route
Magik Johnson - Cardboard Journey - Nrk
Silver City - Another Dimension 2020 Vision
Paul Woolford - Vertigo - Junior Boys Own
Trentemoller - Beta Boy - Out of Orbit
Holderman - Left Right Switch - Involved
Hardsoul Pres Roog and Greg - Uber - Toolroom Trax
Dean Coleman Feat. Melanie Denard - Remember - SR2 Music
Playmaker - Watch Your Back - Illegal Beats
Bamboola Prod - Goodtime - Promo
Sucker_DJs - Its Gotta Be - Azuli Silver
Dukes of Sluca - Dont Stop Remixes - Fine Tune
Nick Dem Q - Keep it Going - Suburban Tracks

Mike Gowen - October 2005 Promo

It was just a matter of time, but still, very nice implementation.

Num Sum: web spreadsheets

I usually read whatever Paul is writing for a few reasons- he has experience that I don't have that he is willing to share, and he is a good writer. I enjoy reading his writing.

In a long essay on what constitutes Web 2.0, this last bit was the key part for me.

Google was a pioneer in all three components of Web 2.0: their core business sounds crushingly hip when described in Web 2.0 terms, "Don't maltreat users" is a subset of "Don't be evil," and of course Google set off the whole Ajax boom with Google Maps.

Web 2.0 means using the web as it was meant to be used, and Google does. That's their secret. The web naturally has a certain grain, and Google is aligned with it. That's why their success seems so effortless. They're sailing with the wind, instead of sitting becalmed praying for a business model, like the print media, or trying to tack upwind by suing their customers, like Microsoft and the record labels. [7]

Google doesn't try to force things to happen their way. They try to figure out what's going to happen, and arrange to be standing there when it does. That's the way to approach technology-- and as business includes an ever larger technological component, the right way to do business.

This is so true.

Web-native. It's an easy thing to say- but I think that history show that there are far fewer people who are truly web-native. It's something that I strive to be but....

Web 2.0 [paulgraham.com]

Technorati Tags: google, web2.0, yahoo

First- I want to thank everyone who left comments regarding my Sony coverage. I've decided that I will continue to cover Sony because I think it's an important topic wrt Japan and because I worked at Sony for almost 4 years (in the ecommerce group) that I have a unique perspective into the company. I still have friends who work there, but their numbers are quickly dwindling. Every month I'm getting an email from a Sony friend who is announcing that they are leaving the company.

---

On November 10th, I linked to a review of the new Sony Connect software that came with the new Sony Network Walkman players. The short story is that the software does not work.

I've steadily been getting 2-3 comments per day regarding this issue. All of the comments are similar in nature.

I'm now the 3rd result for a google search for "Sony Connect Player" and lots of folks are coming to my site to register their complaints. I want to take a moment to showcase some of the comments because they are the "canaries in the coal mine," i.e. there will be many, many other irate customers who don't google for "Sony Connect Player" and come across my blog and comment.

I do know that some Sony employees read my blog, but sadly they can't do anything about the decision that the executives make.

Gen Kanai weblog: Sony Connect Player 1.0 review

The software however is an absolute joke. The biggest joke of all time. I could probably write something better.
SORT IT OUT SONY.
Posted by: Gareth Coker on November 16, 2005 07:31 PM

Bought the NWA 3000 like the rest at the weekend. Tried to phone sony, line not working. Emailed them 5 times before got a response. Shock horror they can't help. Super Sony!!!
Posted by: simon costello on November 16, 2005 10:23 PM

I'm having exactly the same problems...ripping CDs takes forever and then Connect Player just hangs after each one. After closing down it will not relaunch until the PC has been rebooted. I love the NW-A3000 but the software is a joke!
Posted by: David O'Brien on November 17, 2005 11:29 PM

I am really disappointed with this. The player itself is fantastic, but what use is it if I can't get any music on it?
Posted by: R.Gunn on November 18, 2005 05:21 AM

What a shame. Sony really wanted to compete with the Ipod, but this isnt gonna get anywhere near close until they get professionals to write the software to go with it. How could they release it like that?
Posted by: BILL ODDIE on November 19, 2005 12:39 AM

Trainwreck is probably the most appropriate description. v1.0, simply put, does not work. I'm planning to return my NW-A1000 to the Sony Store in Canada where it was purchased. From my perspective, if the software that supports the hardware (and, in fact, is required in order to utilize the hardware), is defective, then the entire unit is defective.
Return all units and maybe Sony will pay attention.
Posted by: Eric on November 19, 2005 12:10 PM

Im in the same boat as most of you guys. bought the player last week. Great player, and managed to get 4-5 albums on there on the first night , and since then......nothing. Its been a nightmare!
Posted by: Darren Elliott on November 20, 2005 03:27 AM

You can,t scroll in the libary. You can,t see whats in your own libary. You can,t see the progess of the track you are transfering. You can hardly do anything with this awful software
Posted by: David Bevan on November 20, 2005 08:25 PM

Connect is the most useless piece of software I have ever seen because it just doesn't work. I can point out a host of major bugs.
Posted by: Stuart Frost on November 20, 2005 09:16 PM

Love the player, but like Darren the software now crashes my pc everytime I run it.This is both the Connect software and the SonicStage. Cannot even begin to tell you how annoying this is. Can't figure out any other way to transfer music, so it looks like its going back to the shop. Should have stuck with my trusty minidisc!
Posted by: Tasha on November 20, 2005 11:42 PM

I bought the AS3000 for my daughter's birthday. Love the player to bits - best i've seen but it is SOOOOOO let down by the rubbish CONNECT software. I can't believe a household name like Sony has let such utter rubbish software out. It just doesn't work.
Posted by: Paul on November 21, 2005 12:14 AM

This is going to be sent back to the supplier shortly if i have no further luck. What a shame.
Posted by: Bill Oddie on November 21, 2005 05:37 AM

Tried installing / uninstalling three times, AND I tried the 'patch'. Something seriously wrong somewhere! What a joke.
I've just sent it back to the shop and ordered a new ipod. At least that software works.
Posted by: mark moody on November 21, 2005 06:54 AM

I have uninstalled and reinstalled about 5 times, downloaded the upgrade both automatically when installing and manually, still no dice! SONY SORT THIS OUT
Posted by: Sege on November 21, 2005 08:51 AM

Welcome to the club sege. This is enough to make me boycot Sony for life. I see there are plenty of ex users out there who now do the same. I just think it's such a pity.
Posted by: bill oddie on November 21, 2005 08:58 AM

If they don't make the connect Player less CPU intensive - no-one is going to use it. Not everyone has high-end PCs. Basically - people with 128MB of RAM will not be able to use this player.
Posted by: Gareth Coker on November 21, 2005 10:32 AM

I wonder if Sony reads postings like this? I am a product manager for a SW company and what Sony is shipping as relase SW is tragic.
Posted by: John Griffiths on November 21, 2005 07:55 PM

A call to Sony customer service was the last straw. They obviously know there is a problem, as according to the person I spoke to 'Everybody who calls is calling about the same thing.' The only advice was.......Take is back to where is was purchased for a refund. Am doing exactly that!
Posted by: Tasha on November 21, 2005 10:30 PM

Someone really ought to get fired for the software cock up.
Posted by: Gareth Coker on November 21, 2005 11:34 PM

On the plus side, the Connect Player 1.0 CD makes a superb frisbee.
Every cloud, silver lining and all that.
Posted by: Darren Elliott on November 22, 2005 02:12 AM

Probably nothing more can be said that hasn't already. The 1.0 software is just awful. I cannot believe myself when I hear myself say I'd rather have iTunes.
Sony should be embarrassed to release software that completely ruins this wicked hardware.
Posted by: Sk0rch on November 22, 2005 07:41 PM

If Sony founder Akio Morita were alive today, he would be utterly aghast at what has happened to the company that he founded.

The problems with this effort, which should have been a critical lynchpin in the effort to take on the iPod and iTunes, are so numerous as to be worthy of at least a few MBA business cases. With Apple owning 60-70% of the mp3 player market, essentially taking market share from Sony, and after horrendous reviews of Sony's previous music management software (SonicStage), Sony's latest software should have been at least as good as iTunes if not better. How else could Sony have competed?

The fact that the software is unusable is unthinkable.

I find it hard to make an appropriate comparison but perhaps if GM or Ford was to have created a car to compete with the Camry or Accord, and that new car did not run - that's about as close as I could come.

Technorati Tags: Apple, Connect, Japan, ipod, Sony