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Thursday, May 3, 2012
New York Times sees higher circulation numbers, digital paywall smiles knowingly
Given how aggressively The New York Times pushes its digital packages -- we've long since dropped our subscription yet are still bombarded with offers -- you'd hope the paper was at least seeing some results. Well, never fear: it is. A report by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) found that the Times has seen a healthy increase in circulation, with the Sunday edition selling 2,003,247 copies (up 50 percent from last year) and the weekday editions racking in an average of 1,586,757 (up 73 percent). The ABC attributes much of this gain to the NYT's addition of digital access to paper subscriptions, and we're sure the paywall, which limits non-subscribers to just ten free articles a month, has something to do with it, too.
New York Times sees higher circulation numbers, digital paywall smiles knowingly originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 18:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Yes, people still read: e-book sales by UK publishers grew 54 percent in 2011
All hail the e-book! Seriously, if it weren't for this marvelous literary development, try saying with a straight face that you wouldn't at least take pause before adding a new title to your collection. Numbers are in from The Publisher's Association -- a group of 120 companies across the trade in the UK -- which reveals that e-book digital sales have increased 54 percent for the year 2011, and of that statistic, 13 percent of revenues came from academic and professional titles. As a sign of changing preferences, the total sales of both e-books and their traditional counterparts fell by two percent during the year -- and let's be honest, it's not hard to see which group fell short. Also reflective of the shift is the fact that average book prices fell by 1.3 percent during the year, which compares favorably to the UK's current inflation rate of 4.47 percent. Those interested in the full story will find the PR after the break.
Continue reading Yes, people still read: e-book sales by UK publishers grew 54 percent in 2011
Yes, people still read: e-book sales by UK publishers grew 54 percent in 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 May 2012 08:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jack White's Blunderbuss: The Spruce Goose Soars Again
With a solo debut set to debut at #1, Bigger Than the Sound wonders if ever-eccentric White has become his own worst enemy.
By James Montgomery
Jack White
Photo: WireImage
This week, Jack White will top the charts in both the U.S. and the U.K. with his side-winding solo album Blunderbuss, a high-water mark for eccentric millionaires not matched since Kim Dotcom decided to become the world's #1 "Modern Warfare 3" player, shot an elaborate time-lapse video of him playing the game — with bonus techno soundtrack — then had a cake made to commemorate the achievement.
Of course, I do not know if White is actually a millionaire, though, in a recent New York Times Magazine piece about him, we learned he owns several taxidermied animals (including a Himalayan tahr), drives a black Mercedes and a 1960 Ford Thunderbird, hands out business cards that identify him as John A. White III, D.D.S. - Accidentist and Occidental Archaeologist, maintains a temperature-controlled vault with a biometric scanner, had microphones installed in the eaves of his mansion so he can listen to the rain while he sleeps, and smokes Al Capone cigarillos. But I do know he is most certainly eccentric, downright crazy even. It is what I love about him ... and unfortunately, it may also lead to his downfall.
Then again, it probably won't. All I'm suggesting is that, given everything you've just learned about him — and previous achievements in eccentricity like launching 1,000 helium balloons from his Nashville warehouse, touring every province in Canada merely for the sake of wearing a kilt, color-coordinating everything in his life and scoring the "Lone Ranger" movie — it's not exactly a stretch to call White the rock and roll Howard Hughes (he would definitely build a flying boat out of wood). And you're probably aware how things turned out for that guy.
I am not sure if it is possible for White to dial things back a touch. I'm not even sure I want him to. Music needs eccentric millionaires, after all, and Kanye can't shoulder the load alone. And I realize that the reverence with which White treats the most minute of details (and the endless array of odd projects he embarks on) only make him, well, him.
To his credit, he never lets these things interfere with his musical output — in fact, they only add to it — but I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps White is too eccentric? Not, like, "watching 'Ice Station Zebra' 150 times and stacking Kleenex boxes" eccentric (à la Hughes), but now that I think of it, that doesn't seem like much of a stretch. I could definitely see him withdrawing from the public eye one day, holing up in his Nashville estate and retiring from music to focus on welding. (Bob Dylan would bring his torches on by, of course.) That probably won't happen either, but it would definitely be a shame and, hey, you never know.
Mostly, though, I'm worried that perhaps White's various eccentricities will eventually detract from his music (and come to think of it, this column doesn't really help in that regard). I definitely don't want to see him turn into Axl Rose, a man whose, uh, foibles have become more noteworthy than the music he makes. White's not gonna put his hair in cornrows or anything, but he does run the risk of perhaps becoming better known for the crazy stuff he does on the side than for his full-time job as a totally kick-ass rock paragon. And that would be the biggest shame of all.
So, Jack, don't get me wrong; I'm not asking you to change — I'd never do that in a million years. I love Blunderbuss and am genuinely happy it'll be the #1 album in this country (because, really, there's only so much I can write about Adele or Lionel Richie). You are fantastic and unique and a genuine national treasure. But maybe just tone the crazy down a few notches? I don't want to see it overshadow your true talents and I definitely don't want to see you become a germ-obsessed recluse. Perhaps sell the stuffed tahr or donate the biometric scanner to a charity of your choice. Oh, and go outside every once in a while. You're beginning to look translucent.
You can still be you, of course. I want you to be nothing less ... OK, maybe a little less. But for your own good.
Should Jack White tone it down for his own good? Sound off on this week's Bigger Than the Sound in the comments below!
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Don't believe the headlines. Wind farms do not cause 'global' warming.
A recent study published in Nature Climate Change suggests that large wind farms could be pulling down hot air at night, raising the average temperature of the local region. The results of the study, however, have been widely misconstrued in the news media.?
All energy technologies have nuances and drawbacks. New research published in Nature Climate Change found that wind farms are no exception.
Skip to next paragraphSpecifically, the study found that large tracts of wind turbines in remote areas of Texas appear to be increasing local surface temperatures. The results of this study have been misconstrued by certain media outlets as ironic evidence that a supposedly "green" technology is contributing to global warming, despite the lack of any supporting evidence.
Here are the facts: The team of researchers, led by SUNY Albany environmental scientist Liming Zhou, analyzed surface temperature data of Texan wind farms ? the data courtesy of NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites. Zhou and his colleagues found that the immediate surroundings of the wind farms rose an average of 0.72 degrees Celsius between 2003 and 2011. The effect was most prominent at night. Some of the team has speculated that this localized warming trend could be an effect of the turbines pulling down warm air from higher altitudes at night, when the air above the land would otherwise be cooler.
In a recent University at Albany press release, Zhou warned that "the estimated warming trends only apply to the study region and to the study period, and thus should not be interpolated linearly into other regions (e.g., globally) or over longer periods (e.g., for another 20 years)," he said. "For a given wind farm, once there are no new wind turbines added, the warming effect may reach a stable level."
Yet exaggerated interpolation seems to be stock-in-trade for many of the media outlets covering this story. Take, for example, FOX News' headline: Wind farms are warming the Earth, or that of Forbes: Wind Farms Cause Global Warming! or that of the Inquistr's: Wind Farms May Contribute to Global Warming, or that of Newser: Latest Global Warming Culprit: Wind Farms.?It should be noted that nearly all of these stories contradict their own headlines by?explaining?that the observed effect was local.
This new study doesn't necessarily illustrate a causal link between wind turbines and localized warming, let alone temperature change on a global scale. The authors of the Nature paper were the first to admit that further science is needed to determine that exact nature of this link.
If it were true that the spinning blades of wind turbines increased the overall temperature of the planet, as opposed to simply redistributing thermal energy,?we would have to rewrite some basic laws of physics, particularly the?2nd law of thermodynamics.?This is an important distinction from the burning of fossil fuels, which produces gas that increases how much of the sun's energy the Earth retains. In this respect, this process contributes to a globally warming climate because the source of energy (the sun) is apart from the system that is warmed (the Earth.)
Rather than inform the public's perception on climate change, exaggerated coverage of this study has merely justified the common distrust scientists have for journalists.
The reality is that any alternative energy source is going to present problems. Over the past two years, there has been scientific investigation of whether wind turbines can affect the health of proximal residents, though the legitimacy of "Wind Turbine Syndrome", as it was called, was widely questioned. Natural gas has its problems with fracking, nuclear energy with radiation, and even solar cells with electronic waste. This recent study was merely exploring a similar issue in wind energy, but only so that we might effectively deal with it.
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Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera review
Stepping across the great DSLR divide into the land of mirrorless cameras always requires some compromise. Focusing speed, image quality, lens compatibility and battery life are frequent casualties, but for everyone except professional shooters, the size and cost benefits of swapping a full-grown beast for a compact ILC surely help soften the blow. The latest Micro Four Thirds model from Olympus, the OM-D E-M5, adds functionality that expand that list of betterments even further, allowing more versatility than larger DSLRs have to offer. These perks include a water-resistant design, for starters, along with a nifty lens that offers macro shooting and both manual- and powered-zoom in one compact package.
One area where the 16-megapixel E-M5 does match the footprint of its full-size brethren is in price: you'll drop a cool grand for the body alone, while the 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 lens kit will bump that tag up another $300. Make no mistake, the E-M5 is a fantastic camera, but $1,300 is mighty steep for any mirrorless model, especially one with a Micro Four Thirds sensor. This, however, is no ordinary MFT camera. As the first model in Olympus's OM-D line -- taking design cues from the company's popular line of OM film cameras -- the E-M5 is in a class of its own, at least as far as Olympus's portfolio is concerned. Besides physical appearance, perhaps, the most notable selling point is its focus speed: press the shutter release, and your subject comes into clarity with rapid-fire precision, whether you're shooting in bright sunlight or a dark restaurant. But though the E-M5 has already received accolades for its powerful focusing, you might be wondering how the whole package performs. Meet us past the break to find out.
Continue reading Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera review
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tevez keen to remain at Manchester City
Associated Press Sports
updated 8:51 a.m. ET April 30, 2012
MANCHESTER, England (AP) -After patching up his differences with Manchester City, a rejuvenated Carlos Tevez declared his intention Monday to remain at the club and repay the faith shown in him by owner Sheikh Mansour.
The Argentina striker recently returned to action for the Premier League title-chasers following a breakdown in relations with manager Roberto Mancini that was sparked by his refusal to warm up when a substitute during a Champions League match in September.
Tevez has demonstrated his importance to City by scoring four goals in his last three games to revive the team's title hopes and he doesn't see this season being his last at the Etihad Stadium.
"This club has been building something special for the last few years," Tevez told the Manchester Evening News ahead of Monday's derby with Manchester United that could determine the Premier League champion. "It was the project and the dream that made me come to City in the first place.
"I've been here since the start of that project and I share the same vision as Sheikh Mansour. He has always been brilliant with me and I want to repay his faith and stay here as long as it takes to make the project a success."
Despite a public apology for his insubordination, it was widely expected Tevez would still be leaving City at the end of the season, having failed to secure a move to AC Milan or Paris Saint-Germain in the January transfer window.
However, despite previous outbursts about his unhappiness at living in Manchester for personal reasons, the striker and his family appear ready to make another go of it in the northwest city, with City aiming to overtake United either this season or in the coming years.
"I am an ambitious person. I want to work hard and win things with City," said Tevez, who acknowledged in an interview with the club's website that he had "thrown away" the last six months of his career. "That's all that matters to me, as a player and a person."
Tevez is expected to start up front alongside compatriot Sergio Aguero for the match against former club United, with City needing a victory to return to the top of the standings on goal difference with two matches remaining.
City hasn't won the English title since 1968.
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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More newsGetty ImagesMan City nears Premier title
Vincent Kompany's thumping header gave Manchester City a crucial 1-0 derby win against Manchester United on Monday to overtake its rival atop the Premier League with just two games remaining.
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