Caught a story on the news that the last big box music store, Virgin, will be closing its doors forever. The company president said that the music CD has gone the way of the 8-track tape and business was no longer feasible. Apple iTunes had 20% of the current market, Amazon Music had 8%, and the remainder of the market was illegal downloads.
He gave an example of the state of album sales: In 1992, Backstreet Boys had the #1 album with 2.5 million units sold. In 2008, Green Day had the #1 album with only 500,000 units. He said that kids today didn't even own a device on which to play a music CD; they're all plugged into iPods. Sigh.
Part of the allure of purchasing a music album was to look at the photos, graphics, liner notes and lyrics. Sometimes there was a sleeper hit on the album that I wouldn't have purchased if I were buying the songs individually. I suppose there's no real need for an artist to produce an "album" any more. Sigh.
I actually have an iPod, but I don't want to listen to music in my ears, I want to rattle the windows with some big, honkin' stereo speakers. Does anyone even own a stereo anymore? Sigh.
Next my sister tells me that movie DVDs will soon be obsolete because of Blu-Ray technology. The other sister bought us a DVD player back in 2002 because she thought we were pitiful because we didn't own one. We've watched maybe 20 movies on it in the last seven years. Maybe we are pitiful. I do however, have a VHS player and watch one of my seven or so favorite VHS movies on dull afternoons.
My on-line art group has decided Yahoo! Groups is getting too buggy and has switched to Facebook. I'm not drinking the Kool-Aid and joining Facebook. I'm *very* sure I don't want anybody to find me, being in the Witness Protection program and all.
I suppose I could join under my assumed identity, but that would be one more place I would have to go check every day, and that ain't-a happening any time soon. I can barely (and sometimes don't) keep up with my two little blogs, the art group on Yahoo, their accompanying Flickr pool, and Twitter.
I don't text on my cell phone and I have never, ever done the on-line chat/messenger thing. That's a little too immediate and invasive for me. Either call me on the phone if you need an answer right now, or send me an email and I'll get back to you.
Oh, about the blogs...apparently blogging is so "last year" and all the cool kids don't blog anymore. They Twitter or update their Facebook page. Eeh. The blog for me was never about my day-to-day activities, but more a space to share my timeless, long-winded thoughts about life. I'll stick with blogging until Blogger becomes obsolete too.
Great Big Sigh. I'm feeling a bit obsolete and behind the times, but then I've never been on the cusp of fashion and chic. And I have never, ever been one of the cool kids.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Technology Leaves Me in the Dust
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10 comments:
Great post! I can surely relate to it.
Oh! the joy of popping a brand new Led Zeppelin 8-track into the deck of my '76 Honda Civic. . . .
It's just not the same on an i-Pod.
I own a stereo, but it is mostly used for when I watch my blu-rays. I buy all my music on itunes also. I am on the facebook with my blog name, if you dont want people to find you ..you dont fill out any of the questions like schools and stuff..It isnt bad. I filled out my highschool finally, under my fake name and my classmates and my Mom found me. They say it was the eyes in my picture so don't use a real picture if you want to be secret.
Oh speck....I really, really need to come and have lunch with you....might be that we have the same relative or something. I read about Kodachrome going away. Sniff. If there were no CD's I'd be lost. I can't bring myself to throw out my cassette tapes or my vinyl collection!!! I have an iPod filled with music but I can't play it when Steve is home because it seems I sing loudly. Who wants to have Jackson's voice just in your ears anyway? One of the speakers is out and so is the equalizer on my 20 year old monolithic stereo, but I'll keep it because it has a turntable. i have my videos, my VCR that I use all the time and occasionally use the DVD player. As for Facebook...i don't want to find anyone either....no meat to FB. I don't twitter at all but I do text my grandkids because in their odd reasoning it is "faster" than calling. I like the journaling side of blogging....I don't care who took a dump on FB.
I'm glad you're sticking with blogging again! *smiles*
I agree with you about the CD's--I love reading the inserts and checking out the whole CD. That's why I don't think I'd like a kindle. I like to hold on to my books...I guess I'm just a tactile person, that way. :)
Twitter is too easy. 140 character updates? Puhleeze, my dog could do 140 characters.
I will not Twitter, and I seldom use my iPod. My trouble is that every time I reach for it, the battery's gone dead.
((and can I say how pleased i was to check in and find a fresh post? I've been absentee for some time, myself))
Oh yes, kids still have stereos. In their cars. That they blast at full volume so that the windows of my house shake. No fear that the pleasure of loud music will disappear with the young 'uns.
Twittering and Facebook are not even remotely like blogs. I'm holding on to my old fashioned computer technology. Twitter can't even compare.
Twitter and Facebook are for the instant gratification crowd.
Not that there is anything wrong with that,on a lonesome Saturday night,when you've evaluated your life and decided that you'll never achieve the hopes and dreams you had as a young man..Umm..What were we talkin' about?
Well, first of all! I have always enjoyed Technology! However, Our children are not learning and not really paying attention. Have you not noticed? Music sound is not changing. It all sounds alike. Yes, I thing for the next two years or so, you would be wise to make an album- Michael Jackson's are selling and so will your. Its the I got MJ's and then saw this one and got it too! My son brought home the 42" High Definition TV. The movies are better. I now want all my Jame Bond Movies that have been put on HD Blu Ray.
If your Yahoo Group is EDM. I encourage to go to FaceBook. Twitter Icky! Face Book is more alive and funny! Where as Yahoo Groups and ebay Groups, were meant to express one idea and not to sway from that ideal. FaceBook is you.
You put on it and share what you want and no more. I am iPerson. iMac, iPhone, which has my iPod. I no longer care for music and have not since my Stero Player was stollen and all my albums and singles that went back to Gene Autry and Roy Rogers and Yes, I had every Album ever produced by Elvis Presley, and all the original singles, and they were purchased -- yes, The City of Memphis.
As for good speakers- I have a set on this computer and on the TV that can knock you in to the next county. I can hold them in my hand.
I was very reluctant to go digital camera. But they are doing away with producing film-- it takes oil.
Kindle is gross. It has to grow for me even consider. Have seen people using it and it is like an antique phonograph with the horn and the doggy!
Any way as I said FB is yours- you control it.
A lot of people got upset with Yahoo Groups because - it kept throwing the groups in to Adult only and no one could find out who did it.
Yahoo, would not police that situation.
All it takes is just one member to be offended and they can take it out on a lot of people. There is over 3000 in EDM. The other problem I read on EDM was people did not like the responses being sent back. Because it made a thread.
Oh, well, I am glad to be looking forward to new technology love being a kid.
Sherrie
You're singing my song, Speck! The day Danny posted that he'd move the nucleus of EDM to Facebook, the sun eclipsed. I'm not goin' there. Maintaining a social network via computer isn't me. Blogging is me. And my cheap iPod knockoff always has a dead battery, too. I'm not impressed. Is this how the dinosaurs felt as they looked up at the sky, watching a nice flaming meteor approach?
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