W♥M

Lenovo Smart Display

Lenovo Smart Display Read More Amazon Over the weekend, Amazon ran a promotional price drop for their Echo Show, selling for $149 instead of its normal retail price of $229, as part of the Super Bowl commercial. I thought it was such a good deal …

After living with the Amazon’s Echo Show for seven months, and realizing its limitation (the fact that Amazon wans to sell you every service that should be free - like displaying your photos or playing your music), it was time I moved away from Alexa and to Google Assistant via Lenovo Smart Display (10” version).

So, why would you buy one over the other? Despite being much cheaper to buy, you end up paying more if you decide to go the Amazon route. If you own an Echo Show, you might end up buying a subscription to Amazon Music ($8 a month), a subscription to Amazon Drive (for your photos at $11.99 a year), a subscription to Amazon Prime (for watching some videos at $99 or more a year). As you can see, it can add up.

With Lenovo Smart Display, it’s pretty much free. If you want music, you can upload all your MP3s to Google Music and access them via the Smart Display. Of course, if you prefer, you can subscribe to Google Music, YouTube Music, Pandora, Deezer, or Spotify. You can access your movies via YouTube (which is not available on Amazon). You can access all your photos via the free Google Photos service.

To me, it’s really hard to argue free over paying for subscriptions, however, I can understand why some users won’t mind paying for ease of use.

Setting up the Smart Display was really hard. You have to download Google Home and sign in using a Google account. If you have a custom G-Suite Account, it won’t work unless you tweak the privacy settings (they should all work except for Google Calendar). If you sign in using different Google accounts on Google Home, it won’t work.

To get Google’s Duo to work, you must associate the app with your phone number and sign in using the same account that you use for Google Home (again, multiple accounts may cause problems).

If you have problems, you can’t simply delete and re-add in the software - you basically have to factory reset and start over from the beginning. Don’t feel bad, but I had to factory reset the display three or four times, to get everything to work. It definitely didn’t feel like the product was ready for primetime. It’s understandable, as the Smart Display is the very first of its kind.

Once you get it up and running, it’s very similar to the Echo Show. Everything the Echo can do, the Smart Display can do a little better.

With a bigger, beautiful HD screen, a beautiful bamboo-back design, and audio, it blows away the Echo Show. Fear not, Amazon will be coming back with a second generation Echo Show that promises to better compete with the Smart Display.

Breakdown below:

Product:	Echo Show	Echo Show (New)	Lenovo Smart Display
Price:	$149.99	$225.99	$249 (10”)
Release:	June 28, 2017	October 11, 2018	July 2018
Size/Resolution:	7”/1024 x 600	10”/1280 x 800	10”/1920 x 1200
Speakers:	Dual 2” stereo speakers.	2 x 10W and Dolby processing for room-filling sound	2" 10W Full Range Speaker, 2 x Passive Tweeters
Camera:	5MP	5MP	5 MP Wide Angle
Processor:	Intel SR2KT Atom x5-Z8350 Processor (2M Cache, up to 1.92 GHz)	Intel Atom x5-Z8350	Qualcomm® Home Hub Platform (Snapdragon™ 624, Octa-Core A53 1.8 GHz, 14 nm)
Software:	Amazon Products (Amazon Music, Videos, Photos) ($) Hulu CNN NBC Spotify Ring	Amazon Products (Amazon Music, Videos, Photos) ($) Hulu CNN NBC Spotify Ring	Google Products (Google Music, Videos, Photos) (free) Google Podcast Google Duo YouTube Chromecast HBO Now Spotify Pandora

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Echo Show

Read More Amazon Amazon semi-recently announced their new Christmas/holiday music collection called Indie for the Holidays, available for purchase and free streaming using their Prime Music …

Over the weekend, Amazon ran a promotional price drop for their Echo Show, selling for $149 instead of its normal retail price of $229, as part of the Super Bowl commercial. I thought it was such a good deal, that I ended up buying two (one for myself and one as a gift).

The main reason I needed two was to utilize its ability to video call each device (or if you trust the other person, you can enable “drop in”). I don’t really think it’s all that intrusive, especially if you have your device in a kitchen or public area. By default, the drop in feature is disabled.

At first, I wasn’t quite sure what Echo Show was all about, but it took a while for me to really appreciate it. I’ve come to the conclusion that the Echo Show, at least in the way I’m using it, is more or less a clock with a digital picture frame and weather at a glance. Think of it as a really smart (and expensive) clock.

Here’s a daily scenario, in the morning, when you’re making coffee, you can ask Alexa to show your daily news flash. Depending on what “skills” or features you enable, it will show your daily commute (you must set up your work destination location), weather, and various recent news clippings.

Here’s another scenario, you can ask Alexa for a recipe… especially useful if you have it set up in the kitchen. If you have the Echo Show in the living, you can probably ask it for television listing. Or perhaps settle an argument by asking Alexa for the answer. If you’re bored, you can always ask it for a joke.

Like the other Amazon’s Echoes, the Echo Show it does have excellent speakers. At maximum, it’s loud, without sounding distorted, and has excellent bass. The microphones will pick up the “Alexa” wake word anywhere in the room, providing you say it loud enough and not mumble. I believe this was done by incorporating several microphones around the device, so that you can be in front or back and it will “hear” you.

Although I don’t have Alexa-enabled cameras or “smart lights”, I can easily see how the Echo Show can work with these devices. Amazon suggest you can use it as a baby monitoring viewer, or better yet, use it to see various smart security cameras. Very cool, if you think about it, it’s something I plan on looking into at a later time.

Now for some things I don’t like about the Echo Show. It’s ugly and it’s very heavy. I suppose that’s fine since you’re not going to be moving it around and you’re not look at its backside.

The 7-inch screen is too small to really enjoy watching a movie on it… unfortunately, there’s no output option to “cast” or HDMI-out to a larger screen. I would love the ability to hook up the Show to a bigger monitor.

The other thing is, to really unlock the Echo Show, you need the $100 annual Amazon Prime service. Prime will let you use their digital photos and gives you access to Prime Music and Television streaming. There is a workaround with the Prime Photos, you just need to get the Alexa on your phone and change the Echo Show’s background photos. Every time you change the photo, it will automatically add to your gallery.

If you already buy music from Amazon via CDs or Vinyls with its “Autorip” feature, you can stream those songs on your Echo. Alternatively, you can play your music using your cellphone's Bluetooth connection.

The other workaround is that if you’re already subscribed to Spotify and other music services, Amazon will let you stream those songs.

The same with movies, if you have UltraViolet digital copies in your locker, you can access your films on the Echo Show.

I think right now, the Echo Show is too expensive. Normally at $229, I wouldn’t even consider it or even recommend it… because you can buy an Xbox One with that much money! At the moment, the Echo Show is on sale for $179, which I still think it’s expensive at that price. But if you see the price dropping to $150 or less, I think you should consider getting one.

P.S. At the time of this writing, there is a dispute with YouTube, so its service is not available on the Amazon Echo Show. As far as I know, Google will be developing a similar device, so if you’re willing to wait, I’m almost certain the Google product will be a better choice.

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ facebook.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Christmas 2015: A Very Indie Christmas

Like previous years, I will be compiling some 2015 Christmas songs and Xmas-related news for you to enjoy! Today's theme is "Indie".

Read more Christmas.

Fruit Bats If you are looking for a laid back collection of summer tracks then I suggest you look no further than The Ruminant Band by the Fruit Bats. … Lisa Loeb Yes, i called Lisa Loeb to sing on my version of the Damned tune because i wanted her to sing the word "NASTY", with which she's not often associated. … Reverend Horton Heat The so-called "godfather of modern rockabilly and psychobilly" Jim "Reverend Horton" Heath's latest album Rev (their 11th album!) came out last year on Victory Records. … Rogue Wave You know, I have often mistaken this California band for Minneapolis' own Rogue Valley. Rogue Wave is basically Zach Rogue (vocals, guitar) with Patrick Spurgeon (drummer) … Family of the Year The W♥M family like Family of the Year, having covered their appearance in New Orleans and in Minneapolis, where John noted that the band offers "feel good vibes and melodies". .…

AMAZON
amazon.com/indiefortheholidays

Amazon semi-recently announced their new Christmas/holiday music collection called Indie for the Holidays, available for purchase and free streaming using their Prime Music service. Prime is their 2-day shipping service, but with some streaming of some selective films, television and music.

Unlike previous compilations we've seen in the past, many of these songs are newly-written for this compilation... including some new holiday songs from YACHT, Rogue Wave, Lisa Loeb, Langhorne Slim, Tuxedo, Ivan & Alyosha, The LeeVees & Matisyahu, A Silent Film, Sondre Lerche & Jherek Bischoff and many more.

Steve Boom, VP of Digital Music for Amazon, had this to say, "We always want to deliver something special to our customers and Indie for the Holidays is the next great way we’re connecting customers with not only new, original holiday music but with amazing artists and bands that they may not have discovered yet. We’re excited to follow last year’s popular All Is Bright holiday collection with songs from some of today’s best indie artists for customers to enjoy throughout the season."

With 27 tracks, there's a lot of holiday cheers to go around... below is a listing of the newly-written songs:

A Silent Film—“Christmas at Our House”

ARCHIS—“Winter Time”

Bhi Bhiman—“Who’s Up There?”

Esmé Patterson—“If I”

Family of the Year—“NYE”

Fruit Bats—“Christmas with You”

Ivan & Alyosha—“Being Home For Christmas”

James Apollo—“Go Trim Another Tree”

Kill Hannah—“This Is Our December”

Lisa Loeb—“Champagne (I’m Ready)”

Moon Taxi—“It’s Only Christmas”

Oscar—“It’s Christmas Again”

Reverend Horton Heat—“Donuts in the Snow”

Robert Pollard (of Guided by Voices) —“What Begins on New Year’s Day”

Rogue Wave—“Christmastime”

Sondre Lerche & Jherek Bischoff—“Surviving Christmas”

The LeeVees & Matisyahu—“Outside of December”

Turin Brakes—“New Year’s Day”

Tuxedo—“Holiday Love”

YACHT—“Christmas Alone”

Read More Radiation City Radiation City is currently on tour in support of Animals In The Median, out now on Tender Loving Empire. The dreampop band stopped by the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis last night as part of their tour. …

DEEP SEA DIVER
thedeepseadiver.com

Seattle band Deep Sea Diver recently announced their brand new Holiday EP called It's Christmas Time... featuring featuring three traditional Christmas carols and one original song "It's Christmas Time (and I am still alive)".

The band also recently announced its new album, Secrets, available in February 2016, along with a full US tour with Radiation City.

Tour dates:

12/08 Seattle, WA @ Deck The Hall Ball - Key Arena #
02/16 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop *
02/17 LA, CA @ Echo *
02/19 San Diego, CA @ Casbah *
02/21 El Paso, TX @ Lowbrow *
02/23 San Antonio, TX @ Limelight *
02/24 Dallas, TX @ Three Links *
02/25 Austin, TX @ Sidewinder *
02/27 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl *
02/29 Washington, DC @ DC9 *
03/01 Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & Saddle *
03/03 Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade *
03/04 Boston, MA @ Great Scott *
03/05 Montreal, QC @ Casa Del Popolo *
03/06 Toronto, ON @ The Drake Hotel *
03/08 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland *
03/09 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean *
03/11 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry *
03/12 Fargo, ND @ Aquarium *
03/14 Missoula, MT @ Stage 112 *
03/16 Seattle, WA @ Neumos *
03/17 Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore *

# = w/ Death Cab For Cutie, Alabama Shakes
* = w/ Radiation City

Read More Kidding Around I know, I thought they broke up (they did in 2005!), but the kids are back. I guess you can't keep them down. The Get Up Kids' new album is called There Are Rules and they have recently toured with …

KIDS
thebandkids.com

Fort Lauderdale's Kids (not to be confused with Belgium's The Kids or Japan's The Kiddie or that mid-90s film Kids) is an eclectic folk-influenced indie-rock band. The band is pleased to announced that they've teamed up with Relevant Magazine for a Christmas Compilation album titled A Very RELEVANT Christmas. Part One is available now for streaming on relevantmagazine.com.

Regarding their song, "In The Bleak Midwinter," Kids singer Joshua Diaz noted that he wanted to bring the feeling of old Claymation films (Rudolf, and Davey and Goliath) in his song.

A Very RELEVANT Christmas (Volume 5) track listing:

1. Sugar and the Hi-Lows, "Jingle Bells" (3:44)
2. Ellie Holcomb, "Christmas For You And Me" (3:4)
3. Citizen Shade, "Go Tell It On The Mountain" (3:12)
4. Evan Wickham, "End Of Exile" (3:7)
5. Hoyle, "Long Winters" (4:3)
6. Ben & Nolle, "Angels We Have Heard On High" (2:29)
7. Citizens & Saints, "Come And Stand Amazed" (3:7)
8. Kings Kaleidoscope, "O Come All Ye Faithful" (3:4)
9. Fleurie, "Wake Up (O Night Divine)" (3:42)
10. Kids, "The Bleak Midwinter" (3:19)
11. The Modern Post, "What Child Is This (feat. Dustin Kensrue)" (3:19)
12. The Brilliance, "Christ The Lord Is Born" (3:7)

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Bosch vs Bosch

Read More Bosch The pilot does an incredible job of setting the tone and style of the show. This was a police procedural crime drama with two parallel storylines: Detective Bosch on trial for the murder of an alleged serial killer ....

There are a couple of things worth noting if you're a television junkie. First of all Walking Dead (not to be confused with Z Nation) is returning Sunday, February 8th, from its winter break. I'm not a fan of the winter break, as it feels like we wait so long for the season to conclude. I've lost interest in shows like American Horror Story, as they took such a long break, I'd forgotten about what happened earlier... And just a reminder, the last time Walking Dead aired, it was in late November 2014, and someone from the core group died. I'm looking forward to seeing how the group continues, as I think they gained a new addition to the team, the kid from "The Hospital".

Bosch PS31-2A 12-Volt Max Lithium-Ion 3/8-Inch 2-Speed Drill/Driver Kit with 2 Batteries, Charger and Case

The other big news is that one of my favorite Amazon pilot last year was Bosch (not to be confused with the power equipment) will be airing exclusively on Amazon Prime next week, February 13th. Bosch was one of a few shows that got picked up for a full season (notably the X-Files' Chris Carter The After show was not picked up). I'm sure it is in Amazon's best interest to pick up Bosh, as it is based on the detective book series ... and probably a lot cheaper to producer than a special effects-heavy Sci-Fi show.

I don't have Amazon Prime, but I'll keep an eye on it, if they should make the series available on DVD/Bluray... and if the price is reasonable, I'll likely pick it up.

If the show is something you might be interested in, the pilot episode is actually free, go download it at Amazon. If you've read the book, the pilot is a combination of two books: Concrete Blonde and City of Bones.

Even if you've seen the pilot in February 2014, you might want to revisit it... as they've re-edited the pilot (as of January 14, 2015) to keep it in line with the rest of the upcoming series.

Hey, if the name Bosch confused you with the power tool, here are some more confusing names:

Amazon Originals: The After and Bosch

The After Amazon Read More The X-Files Talking to people, I get the impression that no one is really all that excited about the new X-Files movie that was just released on Friday. Admittedly, since I'm an old-school X-Philer …

If you live in the U.S., Amazon recently premiered a few shows for free on February 6, 2014. The shows are: The After, Bosch, The Rebels, Transparent and Mozart in the Jungle. They all look very promising, but since I have absolutely no interests in comedy, sports, or historical drama (even if it's semi-music-related), I only watched the sci-fi The After and the crime-drama Bosch.

THE AFTER
The new series is from Chris Carter, the creator of the X-Files (one of my all-time favorite television show, except for perhaps the later seasons when we lost Agent Mulder), so The After has some key things that what made the X-Files so great. That includes mystery of the unknown and science fiction/horror elements.

I don't know if The After will work as a full series, as it felt very narrow with eight strangers trapped in an underground parking. The strangers all have their unique character traits: a cop, a clown, a drunk, a millionaire, a French actress, a lawyer, a criminal, and a call girl. I only mention 'French' in the actress because her accent was evident that it was almost hard to watch and understand what she was saying. Which is a shame because the main story is focused around her.

Overall, I think this nearly hour-long show is terrific, but it does suffer from many of these apocalyptic large-cast shows (to name a few Terra Nova, Fast Forward, Falling Skies, Under the Dome, etc), is that there are just too much (and too many characters) going on to keep track of. Shows that handle large casts well is The Walking Dead, where only a few character stands out, or, in the case of Lost, may focus only on one character at a time.

Bosch Amazon

BOSCH
The pilot does an incredible job of setting the tone and style of the show. This was a police procedural crime drama with two parallel storylines: Detective Bosch on trial for the murder of an alleged serial killer and at the same time trying to solve the murder of a young boy. You know they are related, if only Bosch can prove it to save himself.

What I'm curious about is how they can take this series. I mean, how far can you take Bosch's story? It felt to me like the trial can be wrapped up in a few episodes ... and let's face it, court room dramas aren't my cup of tea. What I would love to see is Bosch just solving regular crime with his cop-turned-detective girl rookie - and I'm hoping that's where the series takes us.

I've been looking for a new crime drama, especially since Justify is closing down next year (and Killer Women and HBO's True Detective* aren't cutting it for me). Bosch may be fast on my favorite crime-drama list of shows for 2014.

If you're interested in checking out these brand new original shows, head over to AmazonOriginals.com and watch them for free.

* PS on another topic altogether, why are people raving about True Detective so much? I watched the pilot and absolutely nothing happened on the show. Seriously, it's boring and I really don't understand why people love this show.

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com

thedharmablues said...

If you're in the UK, you can watch via Lovefilm Instant: https://www.lovefilm.com/micro/amazon_originals

[Or if you want to pretend to be American/avoid the silverlight plugin, use a chrome extension like hola or media hint and watch the Amazon versions.]

Sunday, 09 February 2014 at 06:17 AM