Amplified

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117: This Reporter Likes Bondage Nov 19, 2014

Show notes

On this episode, Jim and Shawn talk about Uber, the Mac's "Second Act", how to learn to play guitar and what effects pedals are!

Links for this episode:

Uber Executive Suggests Digging Up Dirt On Journalists
A senior executive at Uber suggested that the company should consider hiring a team of opposition researchers to dig up dirt on its critics in the media — and specifically to spread details of the personal life of a female journalist who has criticized the company.
Uber Backer Ashton Kutcher on Twitter
What is so wrong about digging up dirt on shady journalist?
Easy Songs by Marty Schwartz
Learn to play guitar with Marty Schwartz
The Mac’s Second Act: From Obscurity to Ubiquity
If you just look around you, at least in the U.S., it’s hard to miss the fact that the Mac has been on the rise for years. Whether at the office, at a coffee shop, a college campus, an airport or a conference, Macs seem to be everywhere today.

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116: I Put My Disco Pants Away Nov 12, 2014

Show notes

Jim and Shawn talk about the Amazon Echo, how we communicate and left handed guitarists!

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Cosmic 1st: European spacecraft lands on comet
"Hundreds of millions of miles from Earth, a European spacecraft made history Wednesday by successfully landing on the icy, dusty surface of a speeding comet — an audacious cosmic first designed to answer big questions about the origin of the universe."
The McRib Returns This Week In 75% Of U.S. McDonald’s
"Now that McDonald’s has reassured everyone that the McRib does, in fact, contain real meat, it’s time for the annual sandwich to return to the menu."
Amazon Echo, a Siri for the home
"Amazon has announced, but not yet released, a Siri-like device for your living room or kitchen. It’s called Amazon Echo."
The Zone of Interest: A novel
"Once upon a time there was a king, and the king commissioned his favorite wizard to create a magic mirror. This mirror didn’t show you your reflection. It showed you your soul—it showed you who you really were."
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
"Stiff is an oddly compelling, often hilarious exploration of the strange lives of our bodies postmortem."
Words without meaning & the reality of networked communication
"It seems like I am constantly typing something. A small note to someone. A memo to someone else. A blog post. A Facebook post. A conversation on Whatsapp. A text message. Tweet. Tap tap tap. I doesn’t matter whether it is my phone, my computer or my iPad. Tap tap tap! The more I type, the more words lose meaning."
Norman Jeffrey "Jeff" Healey
Norman Jeffrey "Jeff" Healey (March 25, 1966 – March 2, 2008) was a blind Canadian jazz and blues-rock vocalist and guitarist who attained musical and personal popularity, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s.

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115: Goofballs! Nov 05, 2014

Show notes

Jim and Shawn talk Tim Cook, Surface Tablets as iPad stands, Dave Grohl and indie music

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Yamaha FJR1300ES
"The FJR1300 has a reputation that is second to none in the sport touring world. Featuring the latest electronic rider aids and bold styling, the FJR offers more comfort, performance and value than ever before. The FJR1300ES features electronically adjustable suspension, allowing the rider to instantly tailor suspension settings to suit load and riding conditions."
Tim Cook Speaks Up
"While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven’t publicly acknowledged it either, until now. So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me."
Apple replaces Samsung as top mobile brand in China
"The report said Samsung failed to secure its first-place mobile ranking due to a focus on market share leading to falling consumer loyalty. Samsung did rise 24.6 points from 2013 to 566.6 points, but it wasn't enough to beat its biggest mobile competitor, with Apple scoring 568.5 points in the mobile rankings."
From “cash only” to NFC-ready, how we buy determines what we buy
"Ultimately, our growing use of and reliance on smartphones as browsing and payment platforms will pay off most for the companies who arrive first and solve issues like product discoverability and frictionless shopping."
CNET turns to print with a new quarterly magazine
"CNET Magazine will appear on Monday with a Winter 2014 edition that includes holiday-centric print traditions, like a gift guide and a big-name interview (it's with LL Cool J)."
CNN Shows That Microsoft Surface Makes Great $799 iPad Stand
"Last night, the CNN election center news desk was arrayed with Surface Pro 3 tablets for Anderson Cooper, et al, to follow the latest election news (or, more likely, check out NBA and NHL scores). But viewers noticed that, when shown from certain angles, some folks at the CNN had a dirty little Apple secret hiding behind that $799 Microsoft tablet — iPads."
Dave Grohl’s incredible gift to music lovers
"Sonic Highways is a documentary series on HBO, put together by Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters. The series is an incredible journey, taking you on a deep musical exploration of eight cities, building a song in each city based on the musical foundation found in that city."
Kelly Clarkson - Respect @ American Idol
iTunes Festival SXSW: Imagine Dragons interview
"I must admit, I didn’t know what to expect when I sat down to speak with Imagine Dragons. Here’s a band that has taken the world by storm in the last year or so and have every right to be riding high on that wave. What I found was a group of humble musicians that are truly thankful for everything they have."
LoNero
CBC Radio Podcasts
Tom Magliozzi, Popular Co-Host Of NPR's 'Car Talk,' Dies At 77
"Tom Magliozzi, one of public radio's most popular personalities, died on Monday of complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 77 years old. Tom and his brother, Ray, became famous as "Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers" on the weekly NPR show Car Talk. They bantered, told jokes, laughed and sometimes even gave pretty good advice to listeners who called in with their car troubles."
Peter Gzowski
"Peter John Gzowski (July 13, 1934 - January 24, 2002), known colloquially as Mr. Canada, was a Canadian broadcaster, writer and reporter, most famous for his work on the CBC radio show Morningside."

Sponsored by lynda.com (Start learning something new by visiting lynda.com/thebeard and get a FREE 7-day trial where you can access all of their 2,400+ courses).

114: I Can Always Deny It Later Oct 22, 2014

Show notes

On this week’s Amplified, Jim and Shawn talk about the new iPad Air 2, the iPad mini 3 and does Apple offer too many iPads for sale?

Links for this episode:

Review: iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3
I picked up my new iPads after the event in Cupertino ended last Thursday where Apple introduced the new products. I’ve been using the new iPads just as I have used the previous generation devices, so I could get a good idea how they function under my normal working conditions.
Rob Griffiths - Tweet
No, Apple doesn’t offer too many iPad configurations
Yes there are more iPad configurations than ever before to choose from. But is that a bad thing? Some think so if you look the price charts but that might not be the best approach to get the iPad you want.
BIAS Desktop
BIAS Desktop is the world’s most accurate, thorough and versatile guitar-amp modeler and designer. Its advanced amp-modeling engine captures the warmth and feel of real tube amps in every aspect, component by component. To start, the plug-in includes 36 authentic models of the most sought-after vintage and modern amps in rock ‘n’ roll history.

Sponsored by lynda.com (Start learning something new by visiting lynda.com/thebeard and get a FREE 7-day trial where you can access all of their 2,400+ courses).

113: I'm Usually Drunker than Gruber Oct 15, 2014

Show notes

On this week’s Amplified, Jim and Shawn talk about the sad demise and memories of Macworld Expo, What Apple will announce at their event tomorrow and how to plug a guitar into an iPad.

Links for this episode:

Admin | Edit Broadcast Amplified
Macworld Expo is Dead
Regardless of the spin IDG is trying to put on this, this is not a hiatus. Regardless of the hopes of attendees, Macworld Expo, Macworld/iWorld in any incarnation is well and truly dead.
Watch Apple's October 16th event stream live
Join Apple on October 16 at 10 a.m. PDT to watch their special event live.
Positive Grid
JamUp and BIAS transform your iPhone and iPad into the world’s most powerful guitar and bass effect processor.
Apogee
Since 1985, Apogee has produced innovative, award-winning technology that powers many of the world’s most respected studios.
Admin | Info for Amplified
Review: iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3
Jim picked up the new iPads after the event in Cupertino ended last Thursday when Apple introduced the new products.
How many iPods, iPhones, and iPads has apple sold since the iPod launch?
No, Apple doesn’t offer too many iPad configurations
"Yes there are more iPad configurations than ever before to choose from. But is that a bad thing?"
BIAS Desktop

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112: CAW CAW CAW CAW Oct 08, 2014

Show notes

Jim and Shawn talk about Samsung, the Apple Watch and teens, Steve Ray Vaughn and “Does the iPhone 6 get lost in The Beard?” Special guest appearance on this Amplified by a crow!

Links for this episode:

"second banana" - Wikipedia
Samsung’s Cautionary Tale
Yesterday Samsung issued a Q2 2014 guidance update stating they will miss expectations. The report says profit is down nearly 60%. For many of us, this was entirely expected.
Samsung third-quarter earnings collapse
Samsung Electronics warned that its third-quarter earnings would slump 60 per cent from a year earlier, as cheaper Chinese competitors sent its smartphone division reeling.
Steve Ballmer Set to Banish Apple Devices at Clippers
Former Microsoft CEO and new Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer proved he's still extremely loyal to his old company Thursday, when he revealed in an interview that the NBA team will "probably" have to get rid of its iPads.
Piper Jaffray Survey: Teens “Tepid” on Apple Watch
At last year’s D: All Things Digital conference, Apple CEO Tim Cook readily acknowledged the challenge of persuading a kid who has never worn a watch to embrace a wearable device.
Hairgate: Bullshit!
So, the next big thing to complain about is here: Hairgate.
iOS 8 adoption rate stagnation
On September 23rd, Apple reported an adoption rate of 46% for iOS 8.
PRIDE & JOY: THE TEXAS BLUES OF STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN
On June 12, 2014, The GRAMMY Museum unveiled Pride & Joy: The Texas Blues of Stevie Ray Vaughan.
ÇINGLETON 4
OCTOBER 10-12, 2014 MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC
CocoaConf
The developer conference for those who think different.

Sponsored by lynda.com (Visit lynda.com/thebeard to get access to all their courses FREE for 7 days).

111: Yelling Freebird at Tony Bennett Oct 02, 2014

Show notes

Jim is back from the iTunes Festival in the UK and Shawn joined him to talk about the festival, using the iPhone 6 Plus and what the cost of the high end Apple Watch might be. We also sent out a plea for John Siracusa to join us!

Links for this episode:

iTunes Festival 2014
From the historic stage of London’s Roundhouse to audiences around the globe, iTunes Festival brought together the biggest names in music for 30 nights of exhilarating performances. The 2014 festival has come to a close, but you can still experience the festival for free on iTunes or with Apple TV.
Apple.com : iPhone 6
iPhone 6 isn’t simply bigger — it’s better in every way. Larger, yet dramatically thinner. More powerful, but remarkably power efficient. With a smooth metal surface that seamlessly meets the new Retina HD display. It’s one continuous form where hardware and software function in perfect unison, creating a new generation of iPhone that’s better by any measure.
Stop Bending the Apple Store's iPhones
In the wake of the uproar that followed last week's purported iPhone 6 Plus pliability problem, some people have apparently taken it upon themselves to go into Apple Stores and bend iPhones.
Apple Watch Sneak Peek
Apple invited people to check out the new Apple Watch in person -- for one day only -- in Paris during Fashion Week, at the Colette boutique on Rue Saint Honoré.

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110: I'm Not Going to Put My Beer Down to Answer a Text Sep 17, 2014

Show notes

With Dan still out, Shawn fills in and talks to Jim about his iPhone 6 and 6 Plus review, where the Apple Watch will be sold and "is U2 the New Nickleback?"

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109: I'm a Pretty Sexy Guy Sep 10, 2014

Show notes

On today’s Amplified, Jim and Shawn talk about the biggest story in the Tech World - Apple’s new iPhones, the Apple Watch and a innovative new way to spend more money - Apple Pay!

Links for this episode:

Apple.com/live
Apple Pay
Your wallet. Without the wallet.
Apple Watch
Apple iPhone 6
Thoughts on the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch - The Loop

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108: I’ve Been Here All Summer! Sep 04, 2014

Show notes

With Dan still out, Shawn King and Jim talk about Apple's upcoming September 9th event, the large scale celebrity iCloud hack, how to keep your passwords safe with 1Password, Marshall amps, and more!

Links for this episode:

Sponsored by Iconic by Ridgewood Publishing (visit iconicbook.com/5by5 for 20% off select editions of this beautiful coffee table book all about Apple).

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