Brian Feener

At our core,  it’s a guitar and a voice.

Regardless of where you think music is going, you can rest assured that the opportunity to give a view of your own humanity in a performance is still there.  It’s for the taking.

John Mayer, for all his talents, hasn’t been able to blend lyrics and blues with the same emotion as Chris and Rich Robinson (Black Crowes) do, and it shows every time they take the stage.

Taylor Swift, for all her talents, is subject to the same vocal corrections and studio musicians that make Kelly Clarkson a pop star - beige enough for everyone to enjoy.

If you want to be the next Bruce, you have to do Bruce things.  If you want to be U2, you can’t write songs like The Fray.

The space is available if you want it.

I get the idea of the pretzel vendor but a notable difference in digital vs. physical property is the assurance of being able to return a physical product. If I think my coffee-maker stinks, I can just return it to Target for another one. If I think YourSoftware stinks, there’s no promise that I can un-license it.

It’s another reason I think the cloud is going to be where everyone ends up. As great as desktop software is, a ubiquitous internet is inevitable. (It costs too little to deliver data on a per-unit basis for a big company to swoop in and make our lives a bit more connected for a “nominal fee.”) It’s conceivably easier to “return” the product if it doesn’t work.

I don’t think this is an automatic thing though… it’s going to take more than a minute for companies who operate in the digital space that the concerns of the physical space extend to their offices. Customer service will always be a priority of the customer, regardless of the opinions of any overtaxed 4-person staff.

The FCC is nicely asking Verizon to get their stuff together regarding two really questionable biz practices that have been in the news lately - a $350 early termination fee for “advanced devices” and $1.99 mobile web data transfer fee.

Related Links:
- Engadget: FCC Give Verizon 3rd Degree
- brianfeener: Verizon isn’t Too Keen on Letting You Leave

While I’m sure that Verizon isn’t too happy about government intervening in their business, I read this news this afternoon and how, as a consumer, could you not be happy about some governmental intervention in this case? More and more, consumers are being asked to subscribe to this - Netflix, cloud storage, “premium” TV… in a lot of cases we’re getting nickle-and-dimed to death.

It’s no secret that cell phones are replacing landlines. That’s no news.

What is interesting is that “smart phones” - the email-centric, web-centric, download-$.99-apps-centric ones - are beginning to take over the entire market. When is the last time you saw Verizon, ATT, whatever advertise a flip phone? They’re still available and at the store, but they’re the black sheep of retail. It’s no stretch that every phone in their line is going to be an “advanced device.”

It barely makes sense to even let the customer know the “dumb phones” are available. The cost of bandwith and data transfers for the advanced phones are microscopic against the rates the companies are charging customers. (A reason that I think the Consumer Reports’ reported ATT network troubles are going to be a short term issue.) And with price-over-life-of-device monies pushing $2000 for these power phones, it makes perfect sense that every device goes “smart.” What’s not fair to the customer is that every device eventually becomes a situation in which the only way to get out of these contracts is death… and even then I’m not too sure.

Big thanks to the FCC for the effort and looking forward to seeing an update when it happens.

It’s easy to see why some people can make so much money out of being smart. It’s mostly practice, but it’s partly just practice in having the ideas in the first place.

Good web design doesn’t have to come from “traditional web designers”. It can come from the commonsensical among us like Seth Godin.

Good blues doesn’t have to come from “traditional blues artists.”

Good phones don’t have to come from traditional phone makers. (Tell 2004 that Apple will make phones.)

Cut across the grain and fray the edges a little bit - regret and success share a common thread.

What’s the best way to ensure that customers don’t leave your service?

According to Verizon, it’s to charge them an arm and a leg in order to do so. (”You signed a contract!”) Termination fees will begin at $350 at the start of the contract and go down by $10 for each month completed.

Your customers will always treat you like you treat them. If you rope-a-dope them into these silly contract terms, there will be repercussions down the road. Someone is going to see an opportunity to make themselves look like the hero and you can bet that they’re going to take the steps to put themselves in front of your jilted customer.

Between my disappointment with the Storm and this new little wrinkle, I’m not sure what my motivation is to renew with Verizon. They’ve treated me well but it seems like for every step forward (Droid) they take one backwards. Not exactly a winning formula.

Link | Courtesy of Engadget

USA FOOTBALL NAMED “OFFICIAL YOUTH FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT PARTNER” OF NFL, NFL TEAMS & NFL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION

NFL & NFLPA recognize August as “USA Football Month” as America prepares for football season

USA Football, the sport’s national governing body on youth and amateur levels, has been named the “Official Youth Football Development Partner” of the NFL, the NFL Players Association and all 32 NFL teams. Independent non-profit USA Football conducts more than 100 football training events annually and offers state-of-the-art resources to educate coaches and game officials, teach skill development to youth players and facilitate youth football league commissioners. USA Football members reside in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

The USA Football relationship marks the first time in the NFL’s 89-year history that it has named an official youth football development partner. To highlight the partnership, the NFL, NFLPA and all NFL teams will recognize August as “USA Football Month.” As the leader in youth football development, USA Football teaches the game’s fundamentals and further instills the sport’s character-building values within the youth football community.

“USA Football Month” incorporates the following initiatives:

Ø USA Football public service announcements promoting youth football during NFL preseason and regular season games

Ø More than 100,000 NFL team-donated preseason game tickets for youth football players

Ø On-field promotion during preseason Weeks 3 and 4 through “USA Football” field stencils and end zone banners

Ø In-stadium “USA Football Month” scoreboard video messages

Ø Free NFL team-branded USA Football “Captain’s Packs” created for youth football leagues nationwide

Ø Youth football scrimmages in NFL stadiums on preseason game days

Ø NFL team sites will feature a 20-week series of instructional football video clips, produced by USA Football

Serving as “USA Football Month” spokespeople are former NFL All-Stars BOOMER ESIASON and ROD WOODSON, both of whom are “Football Dads.” Woodson was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past weekend.

USA Football will distribute NFL team-branded “Captain’s Packs” free of charge through usafootball.com to more than 6,000 youth football leagues. Rewarding youth players for strong character and teamwork, each USA Football “Captain’s Pack” includes 25 “C” Captain jersey patches, 200 helmet recognition decals, and 25 “Captain’s Pledges” which a player signs as a commitment to good sportsmanship.

“USA Football is proud to be the official youth football development partner of the NFL, the NFLPA and the league’s 32 teams,” said USA Football Executive Director SCOTT HALLENBECK. “The pulse-quickening emotion this sport generates captures our imagination, which powers football from youth leagues to the NFL. We’re proud to lead the game on this level through innovative football resources to help coaches, game officials, commissioners and players enjoy positive football experiences.”

“USA Football Month encourages young people to be active and provides them with the necessary structure to enjoy our sport through thousands of youth leagues,” says NFL Executive Vice President and USA Football Board Member JOE BROWNE. “We in the NFL strongly support USA Football.”

“The NFLPA and its 1,800 players are proud to join USA Football and the NFL in showing a unified commitment to youth football,” said NFLPA Senior Regional Director and USA Football Board Member JASON BELSER. “USA Football stands for teaching the game the right way and the NFL preseason is an ideal time to herald the sport’s fundamentals as well as the excitement and anticipation we feel during this time of the year. We salute the young people and selfless volunteers who power youth football.”

About USA Football

USA Football, the sport’s national governing body on youth and amateur levels, conducts more than 100 football training events annually to further strengthen the game. USA Football members – coaches, game officials and league commissioners – reside in all 50 states. The independent non-profit based near Washington, D.C. is the official youth football development partner of the NFL and NFLPA and manages U.S. national teams within the sport for international competitions. USA Football, chaired by former NFL team executive Carl Peterson, was endowed by the NFL and NFL Players Association in 2002.

# # #

Contacts: Steve Alic, USA Football, 703/992-8325; salic@usafootball.com

Joanna Comfort, NFLPA, 202/756-9170; joanna.comfort@nflplayers.com

Clare Graff, NFL, 212/450-2435; clare.graff@nfl.com

That cliche has never rang so true as the music industry decides that the best way to sell MP3s is to make them appear to be CDs, except without all the fun “physical property-ness” of a cd.

This new (codenamed) CMX format, as reported by Engadget, is set to go head-to-head with Apple and their proprietary DRM, funded with backing from the major labels. The format would include CD liner notes and artwork in the purchase and try to recreate the feeling of a CD without all the hassle of figuring out a way to get that shrink-wrap off.*

*Sliding a corner across an edge of a table like a credit card works best.

Two reactions to this:
1) If you’re buying DRM media, please look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if you love the person staring back at you. DRM, while having the industry benefit of locking a consumer to a purchase, locks the purchase to a device. In the end, it makes more life difficult for the people who choose to listen to music on devices not supported by the DRM format. I use a Blackberry for all my in-car music (using a cassette-to-3.5-jack). DRM prevents me from listening to that music, though everything I’m doing is perfectly legal and, more importantly, moral.
2) When you are in Rome, do as the Romans. Why would I try to make computer software that simulated the feeling of eating a juicy steak? Or a stack of sticky-notes that could replace a morning coffee? Sounds ridiculous, right? Well then why try to recreate something physical with something digital? If you’re operating in a digital format, KNOW THYSELF. Be active and participate in the format’s capabilities. Don’t try to lasso it and drag it backwards in time, like some misguided cowboy. Use video, use some sort of viable social platform. Help people share the music with others. Be more fun.

I’m sure that their hearts are in the right place, but it seems as if these companies are being run by a series of people who resemble Brick Tamland in their decision-making.

I love lamp.

Side Note: I love CDs. It’s the format of my generation and I think it’s a perfectly acceptable format, even as vinyl makes a comeback. I have a big box of CDs at home and there’s few things more satisfying than going through my collection and seeing the artwork and feeling the sharp plastic cases. But my love for the format is genuine.