I suddenly realise after listing a dozen more reasons of what it could be that my mobile phone is no longer just a phone, it is a powerful communication device.

Think back 15 years and if you arrived home from work an hour late there weren’t too many concerns that no one knew your whereabouts. Step back into today, and if I can’t be contacted within 5 minutes I will have received missed calls, text messages and emails requesting my attention. Communication and connectivity are the key requirements of the emerging generation.

Whether it be the cause or a parallel adaptation, it all comes back to the evolution of the internet into what is termed in the world of geekery as Web 2.0.

My first introduction to the Internet as a young teenager was standing in my neighbour’s house watching very plain and simple web pages load on the screen. We didn’t have the ease of functionality there is for search today, but rather waited until a domain address was found by us in magazines or other forms of advertisement.

It was the good old days, where you would visit a website and make yourself a coffee while it loaded, and if you were lucky by the time you finished your second cup the page would be ready to view.

The Internet became a world full of online brochures and a source of information. If you needed to know it you could find it somewhere online. We had traded the physical page for a static digital page of graphics and text that was updated occasionally, if at all.

The term Web 2.0 summarises the change from the seek and find to the internet that comes to you and with you. No longer are we locked to sitting at a desktop computer visiting websites, but we can now interact with businesses, organisations and individuals from anywhere at any time.

I reach for my phone and see I’ve received a text message from the online service called Twitter. Twitter is a social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to send “updates” (text-based posts, up to 140 characters long) via SMS, instant messaging, the Twitter website or a third party software application.

Too confusing? I just used my mobile phone to send an update ‘telling the world about Twitter’. Hundreds of people who have chosen to follow my updates from all over the world now know what I am doing. At the same time I know that a friend in the US is being dragged around the shops by his girlfriend, an associate in England is at a football game and a friend from right here in the Hunter Valley is in a meeting with a client.

The internet is all about interaction. It is no longer a one way conversation but is now a live, buzzing mess of conversation and connection to every part of the globe, and anyone of any age can join in and take part.

What is podcasting? The best way to describe it is a recorded radio style program that is distributed around the world using the mechanism of the internet. From top rating disc jockeys to soccer mums and average Joes, podcasting is fast becoming an international phenomenon.

The simplicity draws a diverse range of topics and hosts. The power of the technology available through the internet allows literally anyone with a microphone, computer and an internet connection to broadcast their content to a world wide audience.

If you can not find a podcast on a topic you enjoy, then you aren’t looking hard enough, or better yet maybe you need to create it. Comedy shows, movie reviews, technology reports, general ramblings and commentary, there is something for everyone. The majority of podcasts are recorded on home computers and this is what makes it such an incredible medium for news, entertainment and content broadcasting. What you hear is researched and delivered by someone who is passionate about the topic and dedicated to producing each episode.

Podcasting officially emerged in 2004 and soon became its own industry with countless numbers of people around the globe creating an income from what to many is, or began as, simply a hobby.

One of the top ranking comedy podcasts known as Keith and the Girl is created in a New York Apartment. 3 years ago Keith and Chemda were working as party clowns to make ends meet, but can now boast of 1,000,000 unique episode downloads per month. Their daily comedy show is recorded and produced from a bedroom in their home in New York. Subsequently, they are no longer party clowns.

Even Australia has its own podcasting celebrities. Benjamin Grundy from Sydney hosts the Mysterious Universe Podcast covering future science, UFO’s, ancient history and the paranormal. With less than 50 weekly episodes published Benjamin left his job and began pursuing podcasting full time, creating an income to sustain him thanks to his 20,000 weekly listeners from around the globe.

The podcasting wave is still building with people plugging in microphones and producing new shows every hour of the day. But you don’t need to be a ‘creator’ to experience podcasting, you can simply subscribe to countless numbers of podcasts and enjoy as a listener. I personally prefer to listen to content without commercials that is free, only discusses topics I want to hear and is created by people passionate about the same interests as I have.

After scores of positive comments and feedback to us, I was anonymously contacted by ‘Aaron’ through a contact form on my business site. No method of return contact was given to me so I thought I would air his concerns and allegations publically as some of them warrant an explanation.

What a media stunt - you guys are so ridiculous.  In tune is about giving artists a fair go.  All you seem to care about is giving yourselves a fair go.

At no point did we condone illegal downloading, or even say that the points made in the documentary were invalid. We simply have stated and attempted to initiate a conversation between consumers and the recording industry on how digital delivery and digital products can become a win-win situation for both parties.

And yes, I hope this ’stunt’ does gain a lot more media exposure, and therefore the attention of the recording industry.

Your website states that in tune is off air - what a joke, have a look at the website.  It’s up there.

Fair call. We should have been more on top of keeping the site up to date. When it launched, in-tune.com.au was offline as the documentary was being re-edited as some had requested to be removed from it when they saw the final product.

In countries all around the world, the music industry has sued individuals, in Australia they haven’t and they tried a different approach using education.

I don’t believe they have tried a different approach and that is our case for arguement. Education, by definition, is imparting knowledge or skill to a person. This documentary does not offer a solution to a consumer but only presents a problem. To me it is like a math teacher writing a problem on the blackboard and expecting the students to solve it when no foumula has been taught or provided to them.

To reiterate once again, I do not have an issue with the points made in the documentary. But is it the answer to decreasing illegal downloading? Most definately not, a conversation needs to be created between the two parties to determine a solution to this problem. Hence the intention of tune-out.com.

At the end of the day, why shouldn’t artists get paid.  I work my arse off for my music.  I don’t have a record label and I get just as ripped off by illegal downloading.

This statement of Aaron’s certainly pushed my buttons the most! Aaron: Please quote where I have said that I do not believe artists should get paid?

Ridiculous. The outcomes of in-tune.com.au and tune-out.com are identical. I want my favourite artists to succeed, and continue to make great music for my enjoyment. I love music, so why would I bite the hand that feeds me?

I am truly sorry you feel that way, and that you are being ripped off by illegal downloading. I have a lot of close friends who share a similar place to you with their music career and distribution, so I can relate to you on that level. I hope that tune-out.com can be the catalyst for seeing that change in Australia.

People like you make me sick.  Trying to get a bit of media, while some of us are struggling to make a living through our music.  A positive documentary is torn to shreds by people that don’t even get the industry.  Pull your head in.

My apologies again, perhaps I should have provided some background. I spent over 5 years working as an audio engineer for a recording and production studio. I am also a musician and have played in bands for around 14 years as well as being involved in production for 10 years -  from small single band concerts  to large scale events held at venues seating over 6000 people. I’ve spent over half my life doing this.

This industry involves more than just the artist - there needs to be fans and a means of getting your music to them.

Let’s get this conversation started.

Industry tracker Neilsen Sounscan concluded that CD sales in the US plummeted 20% in 2007. Was the difference made up by online sales? No, they actually dropped from 119mllion to 99million being a 20% difference.

Interestingly enough, individual track sales increased 19%.

What does this tell me?

Well the statistic that is missing from this list is the amount of albums and tracks downloaded from file sharing sites. Yes, the illegal downloads.

The question it raises for me is “has the moral compass of society changed allowing people to justify illegally downloading this music, or is it more to do with the delivery method?”

I hear a song, or a new album is released and I want it. So I jump online, visit itunes store and download it. I now have it on my laptop and my iPod - my ONLY 2 sources of listening to music.

In a Sydney Morning Herald article from March 2007, Michael McGuire of Gartner Research is quoted as saying “Consumers are sending a message to artists that while you may have put a lot of thought into the sequence of the album, I only like these three songs”.

As a consumer, the message I am sending is change your delivery method. Isn’t it crazy that I am expected to pay a premium to get in my car, drive to an outlet and purchase a physical product that I turn digital as soon as I arrive home?

In the documentary developed by the Australian music industry, Lisa Origliasso of the Veronicas says “The problem with downloading obviously is that it’s ruining our industry in a way, because I mean you know artists just aren’t making money, record companies aren’t making money from it,”

(This documentary can now be viewed at emersive.tv, as the site in-tune.com.au is currently offline)

To quote another artist, Weird Al Yankovic answered the question which format he prefers sales in (CD or digital) with this response:
“I am extremely grateful for your support, no matter which format you choose to legally obtain my music in, so you should do whatever makes the most sense for you personally. But since you ASKED… I actually do get significantly more money from CD sales, as opposed to downloads. This is the one thing about my renegotiated record contract that never made much sense to me. It costs the label NOTHING for somebody to download an album (no manufacturing costs, shipping, or really any overhead of any kind) and yet the artist (me) winds up making less from it. Go figure.”
Weird Al, I think you have said it all.

Dear Mr Label,

Why is it more profitable for an artist when we buy a CD, then a digital download that costs far less? Is this why you are upset about the technological changes that now a generation wants to listen digitally?

Adapt, Develop and Change. It’s a simple ask.

I have quickly put together a 10 question survey to get some statistics on podcast trends and effectiveness. I know we all hate surveys, hence why I kept it to 10 questions which should mean it takes less than 2minutes to complete.

The Survey Link

As an incentive, I will be giving away a brand new, in the box SDAT Wireless Audio Speaker valued at around $149AUD, to one of the first 100 to complete the survey for me.

The first question asks for name and email, you don’t need to enter these unless you wish to be considered in the draw for the speaker.

I’ll post the results here once completed. Many Thanks.

Another trip to the foam retailer, this time to purchase some acoustic foam. I decided to get the 25/20 thickness, simply because the space was already very small and I wasn’t concerned with soundproofing. The piece of foam was 2.4m x 2.4m and cost $89 retail and I cut it into 500mm x 500mm squares.

Attaching it took a little trial and error. I initially tried double-sided tape, however it was doing damage to the paintwork so I had to find another option. Returning from a trip to the hardware store, I began using standard PVC woodworking glue, which worked perfectly.

I encased the surrounding sides of the microphone as I did with the off-cut pieces I experimented with. The wall directly behind the microphone was covered as well and a ceiling piece was added also. I quickly tested the outcome and found the space to sound very dead and seem to achieve the expectation.

I added a shelf to support my laptop, as this is what I use for recording and mixing. Every studio (or ‘play studio’) should include a U2 poster, and it also doubles to cover up my really bad patching job I noticed after it was finished.

The outcome is the cupboard works great. It has definitely turned out to be the most inexpensive and practical solution to fit my requirements. Considering I already had the paint and the shelf, it only cost me $89 for the foam and $7.95 for PVC glue.

One downside is ventilation, I can only spend about 15minutes in there before I need to open the door and get some air. I am planning to install a ducted exhaust system. You can buy these for under $100 from a hardware store. The reason I chose this particular product is because it has a 6m of ducting between the fan for the intake and outlet, meaning no motor noise in the booth.

It didn’t seem feasible or logistically possible to remove all clutter from around my room. I had considered doing this and placing some acoustic foam panels on the walls, but I didn’t want to detract from the primary use of the space being a working office.

What I needed was a vocal booth, like this one here you can purchase from VocalBooth.com. After researching I realised that although this is a fantastic product, it wasn’t the most realistic solution. I needed to find a less expensive, local solution that could hide away in a corner unobtrusively or fold up in a cupboard…

I spun in my chair to look at the built in cupboard directly opposite my desk full of junk, off-season clothes and who knows what else. After a quick measure up, I concluded although it will be slightly squashy, it will do the job brilliantly.

The next few hours consisted of finding a new home for the contents of the cupboard. I then removed the wire shelving and only the brackets that would rattle or move.

Before I committed to making somewhat major changes I wanted to test the space first. I headed off to a local foam retail seller and bought an off-cut piece. It actually only cost me $3 so definitely worth it for the experiment. As I am not concerned with sound proofing the booth, I simply needed enough foam to make the cupboard sound dead and not reverberate any sound.

I cut it into 3 even size pieces and setup the microphone. Unfortunately I didn’t take any photos of this process but to explain I placed one behind the microphone, and the other 2 on the left and right.

The result was definitely promising and the audio quality had improved, so I decided to commit to the whole project and set it up correctly.

The shelving that was installed used quite a few little clips and brackets so I had to do a little repair work on the walls - definitely not one of my listed skills. I then grabbed some paint we had left over from recently painting some feature walls around the house, and brightened the cupboard up a bit. Painting is definitely not my favourite thing to do… very far from it.

It is hard to imagine how these guests must feel stepping off a plane into a war zone that is occupied by highly trained and conditioned military personnel. There is also the expense of transport and security for these people while they are abroad that the military needs to consider and take into account.

With all the elite technology and security protocols, I wonder if the allied force is aware they are being slowly, but not silently infiltrated.

When you are broke from playing poker and exhausted all other entertainment options that a desert provides, why not sit down and enjoy your favourite podcast.

Nobody Likes Onions is one of the highest ranking comedy podcasts available today. On Episode 261 an email is discussed, and on Episode 262 a phone call is received from the writer, being a member of the military currently stationed in Iraq.

He discussed on air how over 30 of his fellow troops stationed with him are devout listeners to Nobody Likes Onions even though the content is blocked by the military for download from their location. Instead they rely upon episodes burnt onto CDs and posted to them by friends and family so they can sit around in groups and listen to the shows on their down time.

Another top ranking comedy podcast Keith And The Girl also has listeners on tour with the military forces around the world, and has even had guest comedians on the program who have visited Iraq to perform.

As much as I am positive the troops appreciate the entertainers visiting them face-to-face, I am sure they would enjoy having content available to them 24/7. The hosts of these shows have all expressed their excitement in being able to support the troops on duty from across the other side of the globe.

Image by Andy Darbs

Now what makes this release different to any other movie? Well it is not being shown on the big screen, but rather launched on the little screen.  From December 19th through to December 31st, fans can visit blockbuster.jackassworld.com and view the new release for free before it arrives in store on DVD.

So for fans that live in the US and are over 17 years of age, cringe and enjoy.

The accident resulted in my father losing his right leg above the knee, as well as plenty of cuts, bruises and broken bones requiring steel plates and pins. The next two weeks were critical and he underwent multiple operations and survived due to people who had generously donated blood to the Australian Red Cross.

I was thinking about this the other day while lying on the bed donating blood, as I have done for many years now without questioning. So I decided to ask the nurse a few questions.

I found out that for each unit of blood someone receives in hospital, it takes 3 people to donate. After quickly doing the sums I realised that even after all these years I was still paying back what my father received.

More importantly I found out that the Red Cross never has a comfortable supply of blood. They are always in need of more, especially around this time of year.

I understand that for different reasons and beliefs that people cannot donate blood. Maybe it even makes you a little squirmish! If you have no objection to donating, why not ring the Australian Red Cross on 13 14 95 or visit donateblood.com.au and make an appointment.