Michael's Minute

Update from MR

Fri, May 20 2022 15:24:58

Update from MR

Can't Make A Video Meeting? Don't Miss It - Use Zoomcorder to Send Snoop Dogg Instead

Thu, Feb 18 2021 09:45:13

Many of us are buried in video calls causing us to be tethered to our phones or PCs at all hours of the day. To help people save time and take back their schedule, I built Zoomcorder.

Is the Spotify Deal With Joe Rogan Illegal?

Tue, Jul 07 2020 09:47:18

11 years ago after appearing as a guest on the Adam Carolla podcast Joe Rogan decided to create his own podcast. Recently he agreed to give an exclusive to Spotify for that podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience (JRE) for at least a hundred million dollars (ma

Why I�m Not Wearing A Mask

Fri, Jun 12 2020 13:30:44

With a transmission rate of only 0.2% in an active social arena, wearing masks in a casual environment does not reduce flu infection rates

Social Distancing Doesn't Have to Be Lonely - TuneRoom.com Can Help

Fri, Apr 03 2020 08:01:46

Social isolation is taxing. Humans are social beings and need to interact with others. For safety we may need spatial distancing, but we can still be social. We need to stay social to stay sane and care for each other. I've been working on a new concept f

Playing College Basketball Will Make You 6 Inches Taller (Or Why College Attendance Is Worth Close To Zero).

Tue, Aug 11 2015 12:53:11

What if I told you playing basketball in college would make you 6 inches taller. Go to the Pros and you'll add another 2 inches. Would you believe me? The average male high school basketball player is 5 foot 11 inches. College players are 6-5 while pros a

Turn The World of Radio Into A Personal Jukebox

Thu, Apr 23 2015 11:39:53

Over the last couple of years I've been building a comprehensive search engine for worldwide radio and a new app called 6 Seconds is now available which uses that technology.

Students Shouldn't Have To Pay For School Transcripts And Now They Don't In One San Diego Suburb

Tue, Oct 28 2014 10:55:35

Students Shouldn't Have To Pay For School Transcripts And Now They Don't In One San Diego Suburb

Is Your Kid Paying For Parking To Go To High School? Here's How To Challenge It.

Tue, Sep 09 2014 11:51:14

Is Your Kid Paying For Parking To Go To High School? Here's How To Challenge It.

How the Government Invisibly Tracks Smartphones

Tue, Aug 12 2014 19:23:56

Blufax sounds like some kind of faxing service, but it's actually a high-tech system San Diego�s government is using to track smartphones.

It's Not Just the NSA, Your Local Police Are Probably Spying On You Too

Tue, Jul 01 2014 17:52:11

Thanks to explosive revelations by the now exiled Edward Snowden, Americans are much more aware about how the Federal government is spying on them.

Why I'm Glad Net Neutrality Is Dead

Mon, Jan 20 2014 17:51:56

I think it's a positive development that network neutrality is blown up. Fewer government rules equals more freedom and ultimately a more efficient, balanced and competitive landscape.

My Dog Can Get A MRI In 2 Hours, Why Can't I?

Wed, Nov 20 2013 20:28:36

Why are people hospitals so inferior to the speed and efficiency of pet hospitals?

Introducing The World's First Radio Search Engine

Mon, Nov 04 2013 19:35:45

RadioSearchEngine.com is the world's first radio search engine. There are other directories of A-Z lists of radio stations, but this is the first search engine where any song or artist can be located on stations playing from anywhere in the world.

Is the MP3.com Domain Name Worth Millions?

Wed, Jul 24 2013 18:29:28

While MP3.com used to be a technology and industry leader, it has now withered to irrelevance under a series of new owners. Presumably since I was the founder and CEO of the original MP3.com, CBS called me asking if I would buy it to preempt an auction. T

Besides Tracking Your Every Move Online, The Government Is Tracking Where You Travel - We're All Under Investigation By The Government All The Time

Tue, Jun 11 2013 23:07:12

Besides Tracking Your Every Move Online, The Government Is Tracking Where You Travel - We're All Under Investigation By The Government All The Time

Hey NBA Commish - Replace Boring Jump Ball With a Challenge Ball

Wed, Apr 24 2013 19:18:17

With a typical jump ball, each team selects a player to face-off surrounded by teammates. The referee then tosses the ball up and those facing off try to tip it to a teammate and from there it's a live ball. It's not good entertainment.

Friendship is Magic

Tue, Feb 12 2013 22:46:18

The internet has cultivated a short McNugget size media appetite yet radio shows are still serving a 7 course meals with 1-3 hour shows. Project Friendship makes it possible to share clips.

Crowd Sourcing Protection

Thu, Dec 20 2012 18:45:49

Do you trust the crowd or only the anointed experts? What turns out to be true over and over is that the crowd is wise and can be trusted in spite of the fact that conventional teaching dictates otherwise.

ACTUAL Stats for radio business and they're very revealing!

Mon, Dec 10 2012 20:41:17

DAR.fm is the first radio service in the world to openly publish stats and it revealed some insightful aspects about radio.

Radio Hooks-up With Twitter And UberTalk Is Their Love Child

Tue, Nov 20 2012 01:23:55

Real-time twitter feeds are now available for all major radio shows at UberTalk - the cloud guide to radio.

The Tax Wolf in Bond Clothing

Mon, Nov 05 2012 20:51:00

Bonds are the most insidious form of taxation because the entire amount is received up front with future citizenry required to repay the money years later. Bonds are the diametric opposite of living within your means.

Take a ride on the TaxBalloon.com

Mon, Oct 08 2012 22:52:52

A monster threat to American freedom is taxes. Civil liberties and open government are areas to be vigilant, but taxes are also an imperative issue. Taxballoon.com looks at upcoming changes to laws plus pending propositions and calculates how much taxes

Radio Stations Are Dead - It's All About The Content - Introducing UberTalk

Thu, Sep 27 2012 19:30:08

Radio has a massive library of programming from well known names to the obscure cult topic but there's been no way of easily finding and playing these shows. Enter UberTalk - a comprehensive list of programs on the radio all of which you can play with a s

Download AM/FM Radio Shows To Smartphones & Tablets As MP3s Using DAR.fm

Tue, Jun 26 2012 08:01:34

Downloading music unleashed the digital era and exploded interest in music, and the same is about to happen for radio. A huge library of AM/FM shows can be recorded and downloaded using DAR.fm - the DVR for radio.

Zynga is a Ville-ain

Fri, Jun 01 2012 16:06:00

It�s understandable for a company to want to avoid confusing consumers, but Zynga didn�t invent the word "ville." It had a generic and dictionary connotation of a community long before Zynga decided to use it.

MP3tunes Files For Bankruptcy Protection

Tue, May 01 2012 08:43:42

MP3tunes has filed for bankruptcy protection after years of withering legal attacks and a concerted effort to thwart MP3tunes and personal lockers by some in the industry.

YouTube Prevails (with a Little Help from MP3tunes & Veoh), But Get Do-over On Other Issues

Thu, Apr 05 2012 09:09:57

Previously YouTube had prevailed in an outright victory on all points at the Summary Judgment phase in their battle against Viacom. Viacom filed an appeal and today the court ruled on that appeal. The court upheld victory on some issues, but undid them on

Skydiving with the US Army

Tue, Apr 03 2012 12:30:42

I recently spent an exhilarating yet humbling day with the US Army. The thrill came from jumping out of a plane 2 miles up with elite parachute team known as the Golden Knights.

The MegaConspiracy is a MegaTravesty of Justice

Wed, Mar 14 2012 12:23:50

In what reads more like a movie script than a factual presentation of a legal case, the US government filed a 90 page criminal indictment against two companies and seven individuals for copyright infringement.

Screwed FOREVER Artist List (Is Your Favorite Artist On It?)

Mon, Feb 27 2012 08:50:40

To anyone who has followed the music industry, it comes as no surprise to learn that artists with major labels have very lopsided contracts where they usually get a few pennies for every dollar major labels collect.

Why Spotify can never be profitable: The secret demands of record labels

Mon, Dec 12 2011 09:09:35

Here are some specific demands that digital music companies are compelled to agree to when making a deal with the record companies.

The Myth of the Underpaid Teacher

Tue, Dec 06 2011 13:07:13

San Diego Unified School District, the second largest school district in California, is perilously close to insolvency (this is the equivalent of bankruptcy for government services). A local online news outlet Voice of San Diego asked me to author an edit

More Clouds of Music - Why Use MP3tunes?

Thu, Nov 17 2011 14:22:55

Several net giants have launched personal cloud music services this year. This week we saw Apple unveil iMatch and Google trumpet the official release of Google Music. It's flattering to see others imitate our pioneering MP3tunes service.

EMI Loses Again, Maybe An Unlimited Legal Budget Isn't Such A Good Thing

Tue, Oct 25 2011 15:56:07

EMI who has spent millions battling against the personal cloud music locker had their most recent strategy backfire.

Facebook - Learning Tricks From Record Labels

Wed, Oct 12 2011 09:27:22

Musicians routinely sign away their souls to record labels for the one-in-a-million shot of being the next mega-star and now tech companies are falling for the same ploy.

Will Radio Learn From TV? Maybe Not...

Wed, Oct 05 2011 22:32:10

DAR.fm received a cease and desist letter claiming that allowing people to record from Univision stations is a copyright infringement. In addition they claim that because DAR.fm allows users to download recordings to iPhones, Android devices, iPads, Black

The Smart Phone Killed The Car Radio

Tue, Sep 20 2011 22:32:44

My smart phone has already made my car radio obsolete because I rarely listen to broadcast radio. I'm not alone. More than half of adults 18-24 have used a portable MP3 player or phone for audio in their car.

Eavesdrop On The Day the Music DJ Died

Mon, Aug 22 2011 23:21:33

Denise is the first robot DJ to take over a licensed AM/FM station. Denise is a computer program purchased for $200 who will be the DJ for a 3 hour time slot.

A 99% Victory in EMI v MP3tunes

Mon, Aug 22 2011 15:38:35

Today a ruling was published in EMI v MP3tunes and it is definitely a victory for cloud music and MP3tunes' business model after a multi-year litigation battle.

Will a MP3.com Strategy Work With Radio Shows on DAR.fm?

Wed, Aug 17 2011 09:51:00

When I started MP3.com I took what was then a radical approach - I let every artist signup without making subjective analysis about whether their music was good enough, but this openness created a secondary problem and the solution to that problem was one

Is College Worth It?? Help?!

Fri, Jul 22 2011 10:19:28

This is an email I got from a woman about College. I'm using only their initials instead of names to protect their privacy. Check out my response.

Jury Finds Kevin Carmony and Chad Olson Liable for Fraud and Conspiracy

Wed, Jun 29 2011 10:47:54

The Jury found against Linspire's former CEO Kevin Carmony and former CFO Chad Olson on multiple counts of Fraud, Conspiracy, and Fiduciary Duty. They concluded that both had conspired to take thousands of dollars from Linspire Inc while leaving the compa

The First Talk Radio Radio - Making Every Talk Radio Show Available On Demand

Wed, May 18 2011 10:10:51

Radios have historically been speakers where broadcasters control what blares out. A new day is upon us where listeners are wrestling control away from broadcasters and can now control what comes out of their radios.

Teacher's Union Deception - Propaganda to Get More Money

Thu, May 12 2011 16:00:09

At 7:30pm my home phone rang. It was one of those irritating robot calling machines that plays a recorded message. This one was from my kid's government school and the Superintendent was telling me to tell California politicians to not make cuts in K-12 s

YouTube Legal Battle With Viacom Ain't Over

Thu, May 05 2011 12:33:55

Viacom suffered a resounding defeat in their lawsuit against YouTube, but that was just the first round and Viacom promptly appealed. Now a higher court will examine the issues.

Behind The Scenes: Record Label Demands From Amazon

Thu, May 05 2011 09:48:37

Amazon defied the record labels by launching an unlicensed personal cloud music service. Music companies immediately expressed their dissatisfaction and Amazon public stated they would discuss licenses with labels.

The Sinkhole Which Doesn't Sync - Amazon's Cloud Music

Thu, Apr 21 2011 10:48:30

Recently Amazon launched a personal cloud music service. The press noted the importance of the net giant's actions. A few mentioned the similarities with the MP3tunes service.

Amazon Throws Down With The Major Record Labels

Tue, Mar 29 2011 10:04:29

In a bold move that will influence Apple and Google and impact billions in future cloud licensing to record labels, Amazon has unveiled a cloud music service almost daring the record labels to protest.

Apple You DIDN'T Invent the App Store!

Thu, Mar 24 2011 16:34:38

Apple is making a preposterous claim to the trademark office that they invented the app store concept and name and they're asking a Judge to stop Amazon from even using the words "app store".

My Trip To SXSW, New Music Technology & New Bands

Mon, Mar 21 2011 14:14:10

SXSW (South by Southwest) started as a music festival in hip Austin Texas but has expanded to include film and technology. This year they asked me to be a Judge for their startup competition where 30 companies competed.

Introducing DAR.fm - Your Digital AUDIO Recorder

Wed, Feb 23 2011 10:59:10

If you enjoy listening to the radio I have a new online service I want to tell you about; DAR.fm. It's an online service which records radio to play back on demand. Much like the DVR (digital video recorder) captures TV broadcasts to play back when reques

Pandora Turns Down $550 Million To Go Public

Fri, Feb 18 2011 08:47:52

Recently Pandora filed their S-1, a document which a company files with the SEC as a prelude to selling stock to the public. This filing provides details about the company so that potential investors can make an informed decision about whether to buy shar

A Fascinating Case... Decision Reserved

Fri, Feb 04 2011 09:10:21

The oral argument in EMI v MP3tunes took place as scheduled in a NYC courtroom. I sat in the second row and was the target of several finger pointing accusations by EMI's attorney. Since EMI has a weak legal argument they need to make it personal and that

Sides Line Up For Jan. 28th Showdown Over Music Lockers

Mon, Jan 24 2011 09:47:55

January 28th in courtroom 11D in New York City at 11:30am the final showdown over music lockers will take place for EMI v MP3tunes.

Martha Stewart Gets Bamboozled By Detox "Doc"

Thu, Jan 20 2011 08:57:48

Detoxification is all the rage but it's simply modern day snake oil salesman and I'm going to show you one of the biggest names in the detox business working his flim-flam on Martha Stewart.

YouTube Battle Over Music Search & Storage

Mon, Dec 06 2010 09:47:41

For the first time in a copyright legal battle videos were submitted and Youtube video responses were generated and are open for the world to view to determine for themselves if a music search engine and personal cloud music should be outlawed.

Prepare To Get Naked With NakedGovernment.org

Tue, Nov 16 2010 09:04:58

I decided to partner with John Parres to build NakedGovernment.org, which should launch sometime in the near future. We're hard at work constructing a service that will make public document requests from around the country truly public - all in a manner w

Google Buys Gizmo5: A Look Back

Tue, Nov 09 2010 10:35:09

About a year ago I sold Gizmo5 to Google and I want to tell you about that experience.

The World's Smartest Dog

Thu, Oct 28 2010 10:20:43

I watched tape and it was a montage of amazing tricks by my father's dog Zeke. He caught footballs, dribbled a basketball, dunked a basketball, played golf and much more. It was like nothing I've seen...

Waiting for Superman - Misperceptions about American Schools

Mon, Oct 18 2010 14:50:11

I was recently asked to participate in a panel discussion with the head of the San Diego teacher's Union and SD school board president after a screening of a new documentary about US government run schools called Waiting for Superman.

Protecting Kids - Avoiding the Worst Teachers in LA

Thu, Sep 30 2010 17:01:38

Parents should have data about the effectiveness of schools and teachers and be able to select what's best for them and their children. The Los Angeles Times recently looked at several years of test scores for Los Angeles children and by comparing where s

MP3tunes Asks Judge To Allow For "Youtube Defense"

Tue, Sep 21 2010 20:40:17

MP3tunes has asked the court for permission to file for Summary Judgment in our three year battle with EMI record labels over the legality personal cloud music lockers and Sideload.com music search engine.

When Will Microsoft, Apple and Google Do Music Lockers?

Thu, Aug 19 2010 15:08:44

Several of the technology giants companies have basic storage services but when it comes to music they are useful only for the sharing which they all allow and not as an interactive music locker.

I Want The Same Power As Steve Jobs

Thu, Aug 12 2010 16:26:33

I wanted to display an iPhone and was disappointed to find out that it's not possible. Well, it's possible (because Steve does it) however, Apple has made the decision that others should not be able to do it.

Apple Quietly Enables Online Streaming To iPhones, iPad and iTouch

Tue, Aug 03 2010 16:31:38

Buried in the release notes of an updated iPhone app is significant new functionality which lets Apple devices stream music from its online storage in a useful manner for the first time. This is in defiance of record labels demands that any streaming serv

iTunes Music On Any TV (Without A Home Server!)

Mon, Jul 19 2010 22:25:11

For the first time, anyone can get their iTunes music to their TV without running a home server. It's easier than you think and you can get the added bonus of the best selling video player at the lowest price ever.

Making Apple And Google Play Nicely Together

Mon, Jul 12 2010 00:04:50

MP3tunes is engaging in some family counseling for Google and Apple so that consumers can mix and match products from Apple and Google and have them work seamlessly together. The initiative is called Buy Anywhere, Listen Everywhere.

Gates and Buffett Have It Wrong

Thu, Jul 01 2010 09:07:30

Recently billionaires Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett made a public plea for the wealthy to use their resources to improve society during their lifetime by donating to philanthropic causes. I applaud their goals but not the method.

Youtube Wins - MP3tunes (and Apple?) Cheer

Fri, Jun 25 2010 09:28:44

Youtube prevailed in their billion dollar battle with Viacom who had accused them of copyright infringement. While Google (Youtube's parent), is surely pleased so are others who have similar services or are contemplating them.

The Crowd As Our Legal Team

Thu, Jun 17 2010 09:50:25

Some months back I made a public plea on my blog for readers help in our legal battle called You Lie EMI and the results were astounding.

I've Got Pandora Envy

Tue, Jun 08 2010 12:55:01

I envy Pandora, the wildly popular web radio service. 50 million people have tried their service so its undeniably consumer enticing. While MP3tunes is a different business, one of personal music lockers, I think there's much to learn from their service a

The World's First Internet Boombox

Wed, May 26 2010 16:47:39

If you want to listen to your music by a pool, in your garage, or some other venue a 1980s era boombox is still the best choice. But I think that's about to change with the release of the world's first internet boombox. Actually, the boombox is not entire

Sad Saga of Floyd Landis

Thu, May 20 2010 16:59:15

For several years Floyd Landis was a hard working domestique helping Lance Armstrong to several victories in the Tour de France until he got his own chance to lead a team

Measure Your Education Spending IQ

Wed, May 12 2010 13:40:17

Many people believe we are not spending enough money on education. Others believe that cuts to education have harmed our schools. What's rarely talked about is the actual numbers.

Death of Lala and the 10 Cent Web Song

Wed, May 05 2010 14:47:39

Two years ago I wrote about the $20 million record label backed experiment to explore whether consumers would rent songs for 10 cents each. A year later I warned those consumers that Lala (the dime store which rented those songs) would eventually go away

A Billion Taco Vending Machines = Bigger Taco Industry

Wed, Apr 28 2010 15:12:10

Imagine a world where there's a billion taco vending machines. Everywhere you went there would be a machine that with a click of a button you could instantly buy a hot juicy taco. Even if you aren't a Mexican food fan you'd give into a the occasional hung

Mission Possible - Store The World's Music

Tue, Apr 20 2010 16:25:24

Beginning this week, MP3tunes will be offering a substantial 10GBs of music storage for free - enough to hold about 2,000 MP3 files. The goal is to store every internet user's music collection in the cloud and make it available everywhere they want to lis

The byo.fm Experiment

Tue, Mar 30 2010 22:13:55

Radio is stale and needs a digital overhaul. It hasn't advanced much beyond the AM dial. The audio fidelity has gotten better and recent internet services like Pandora will find songs similar to a source song, but beyond that it's nearly unchanged since t

Why Android Will Triumph Over iPhone

Thu, Mar 04 2010 14:37:54

Google's Android will quickly overtake Apple's iPhone market share. It may seem like an outlandish prediction, but we've seen this movie before and we know how it ends.

Will Internet DVR Be Banned In Singapore?

Tue, Feb 16 2010 13:47:26

Do consumers have the right to record broadcasted video? The US Supreme Court seemed to cement this right into law more than 30 years when they legalized the VCR. However each time a piece of the technology is modernized media companies use it as an oppor

Apple's Secret Cloud Strategy And Why Lala Is Critical

Thu, Jan 21 2010 09:40:47

This is a reprint of an article on TechCrunch

Here's My Mobile Number

Wed, Jan 06 2010 13:11:17

I want to make it easy for anyone to contact me and previously, I freely distributed my email address, but was more reserved with my mobile number because it's a bit more intrusive to have random strangers calling it.

Will Apple Bury Lala's 10 Cent Songs?

Mon, Dec 14 2009 13:47:59

Apple has purchased digital music company lala - the originator of the 10-cent web song. Lala customers would rent these audio chunks for the low price of ten pennies and play them at the lala site. Since users can't download the songs, it's really a rent

Google Acquires Gizmo5

Thu, Nov 12 2009 14:14:10

Google acquires Gizmo5

Cloud Music On Your iPhone, iPod touch and Android Phone

Fri, Sep 25 2009 11:56:31

After a puzzling 3.5 month wait, Apple has finally approved Airband, an app for iPod touch and iPhone users to play music directly from their MP3tunes locker. Google fans will find a beta version of the first MP3tunes app in the Android marketplace. With

EMI You Lie

Mon, Sep 14 2009 13:32:22

To prove their case EMI is claiming that all tracks online are infringements and therefore anyone that links to them or allows storage for them is a knowing infringer. Anyone with a working knowledge of online music knows EMI and the other music companies

What I'm Excited About

Tue, Aug 25 2009 21:55:36

There are many things that I am excited about in the technology business. Here are just a few. Feel free to email me YOUR list!

A Free Phone Line Using Google and Gizmo5

Tue, Aug 04 2009 18:18:21

With Gizmo Voice, anyone can now have a free phone line on their computer, wifi phone, or in their home. This free phone service includes a US telephone number with an area code of your choosing, unlimited incoming calls, sophisticated voice mail (transcr

Cartoon Network Opens Door For Wave of New Business Opportunities

Mon, Jul 27 2009 10:13:33

A popular cartoon channel has unwittingly become the catalyst for a new wave of disruptive businesses. Recently the Supreme Court declined to consider overturning Cartoon Networks v CSC which informally is known as the "Cablevision" case. It was a legal b

Sadly, Pandora Is Still Going Bankrupt

Wed, Jul 08 2009 16:33:47

The online radio business is doomed because the required per song payment to the record labels is too high to ever have a profitable business. Recently a new set of rates were announced which press reports said "averted the royalty crisis". It's true the

Vote for the Craziest Digital Music Ideas Ever

Wed, Jul 01 2009 18:22:49

The digital music business has seen some crazy ideas over the last decade. I've searched the archives and come up with a list for you to vote on at the bottom. Here's the list in no particular order for your consideration.

Legal Update on Personal Lockers

Mon, Jun 15 2009 14:01:15

An update from Michael on the MP3tunes battle to defend the legality of personal music lockers and music in the cloud.

Obama OKs Network DVR And Hints At Music Locker

Tue, Jun 02 2009 00:05:23

President Obama's attorney filed papers with the Supreme Court supporting an earlier court decision that found Cablevision's remote storage DVR to be legal. The solicitor general also showed technology savvy, mentioning "cloud services" and even commentin

6 Ways To Save Money On Communication

Fri, May 29 2009 14:43:17

Here are 6 ways to save money on your communication needs

The American Idol Winner Is....

Tue, May 19 2009 21:27:50

American Idol is once again the #1 TV show in the US and the competition is down to the final two. Glambert fans created Operation And Justice For All while the Kris Allen Nation has Operation Ding Dong to garner more votes for their contestant. These dig

Lala Admits To Using Network DRM

Tue, May 05 2009 14:51:01

Lala is using Server DRM to lock their users into a system where they control how music is used. It surprised me that some readers didn't see Lala's service as a form of DRM so I thought I'd ask Lala to describe their system.

Roach Motel For Your Music (The New DRM Threat)

Mon, Apr 20 2009 17:21:21

An insidious new plot to wrestle control of your personal music library is underway. Like a roach motel where insects check in but they can never check out, a new music service is using the same strategy with your personal song library. Big music loves th

Subprime-like Mortgages Forcing Music Companies Into Bankruptcy

Mon, Mar 30 2009 17:09:46

Subprime loans have caused pain and foreclosures in the housing markets and the same phenomenon is hitting digital music companies like imeem, Pandora, Last.fm and Playlist.com.

OpenSky 2.0 SIP for Skype

Mon, Mar 23 2009 19:41:26

Gizmo5 launched its SIP for Skype service called OpenSky which lets any SIP device call Skype and receive their Skype calls. Ebay this week trumpeted an upcoming initiative of its own to be called Skype for SIP. These announcements are a huge boost for SI

A Tivo For YouTube - DownloadHelper

Mon, Mar 09 2009 10:12:23

There are millions of videos on YouTube and many come and go. (Warner Music recently removed all of their music videos and Universal Music has threatened to do so.) What's needed is Tivo-type software which lets you control when and where you view it. A p

Who Is Ryan Sit And Why Is EMI Suing Him?

Tue, Feb 24 2009 10:13:03

The record labels' legal rampage against technology is growing in ferocity with an unprecedented broad attack that threatens how the Internet fundamentally operates. Nearly a year ago Warner Music sued Seeqpod in California claiming their search engine (w

Building a Bridge to Skype Island with OpenSkyXX

Mon, Feb 09 2009 17:19:23

A few years ago I gave a talk at a tech conference and asked Skype to "tear down the walls" and allow other phone users to communicate with Skype. Yet Skype remained a castle, with its surrounding moat making it hard for others to reach it. Casting metaph

Music Search Engines Under Attack

Wed, Jan 28 2009 14:02:13

As the founder and former CEO of MP3.com I like to think I played a small role in helping MP3 become the global standard and vanquishing DRM (at least with music). I noticed there are many meta search engines for free MP3 files, but none for commercial MP

Will Obama Outlaw Your Tivo?

Tue, Jan 20 2009 08:52:16

his week we will witness the swearing in of Barack Hussein Obama as the 44th President of the United States and there is a big list of issues he must immediately confront. You might be surprised to know that one such issue is the legality of the next gene

CES 2009 Highlights: Music Everywhere, NextGen TV, 3D

Wed, Jan 14 2009 00:36:25

I typically attend the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas which is the biggest conference in the US. This year attendance was noticeably down. Numerous press reports lament a lack of innovation and attribute the stumbling economy, but that's in

Open Letter to Doug Merrill, President Digital Strategy, EMI

Tue, Jan 06 2009 22:25:41

Open letter to: Doug Merrill President Digital Strategy, EMI Since you haven't responded to my phone calls or emails, I thought I'd resort to the most public of connection methods. I think you're already aware of this, but just for some background,

iPods Are Dying - Tuneroom Powers Next Gen MP3 Players

Fri, Dec 19 2008 16:06:21

The iPod is dying off and in a few years it will be just a footnote in history. Hardware advances ensure mobile phones are destined to be the next generation MP3 player. There's one big obstacle holding back massive phone/MP3 migration and that is the dif

Phone Calls In Your Browser - www.GizmoCall.com

Mon, Dec 15 2008 04:24:01

PC calling just got a lot easier because now you can make and receive calls using just your web browser. Open your browser and go to GizmoCall.com and you're ready to call.

MP3tunes Files Counterclaims Against EMI (How You Can Help)

Thu, Dec 04 2008 17:04:33

MP3tunes submitted a legal response in the lawsuit filed against us by EMI for offering personal music lockers and the Sideload.com music search engine. We need your help to uncover evidence to bolster our case.

Battle for MP3 Store Supremacy (AmazonMP3, Napster, Walmart, etc.)

Wed, Nov 05 2008 00:00:00

A year ago there were no MP3 stores, but today there's a growing list of MP3 stores available for your digital purchases. Big companies like Amazon, Walmart, Napster, Real and others are battling for your business. To select the best store visit MP3 Store

How Major Labels Try To Overwhelm Startups

Wed, Oct 29 2008 00:00:00

I want to give everyone an inside look at some of the tactics that EMI is employing in their legal assault to try and put MP3tunes out of business. To pound a tech startup into submission the major record labels try to bury them with legal threats, pressu

Lala Revisited
(Or Will The Music Industry Ever Treat Paying Customers Right?)

Wed, Oct 22 2008 00:00:00

A new version of Lala was recently released. With this new system they are moving toward a music locker like the company I run now, MP3tunes. Before I talk about their new features let me say that I really admire what Lala is trying to do. Their user inte

Use Skype - Go Directly To A Chinese Prison

Fri, Oct 10 2008 00:00:00

A research firm recently revealed that eBay and TOM are colluding with the Chinese government to spy on users of Skype. Together they monitored user's text chats and stored those containing politically sensitive

EMI Loses Case - I Get To Keep My Minivan

Thu, Oct 02 2008 00:00:00

Turn Your Mobile Phone Into A MP3 Player

Tue, Sep 23 2008 00:00:00

Today a service called Load2Mobile makes it easy to transform any modern mobile phone into a MP3 player. Using this free service you can load songs from your computer, any music web site or your MP3tunes Music Locker directly to your phone without cables

Cloud Loading With SyncWizard

Thu, Sep 04 2008 00:00:00

Today I no longer carry a laptop everywhere, but instead have moved my life to the cloud. All the services and data I use to run my companies and live my life do not reside on a laptop or on a PC under my desk, but via a browser window on the net.

Cloud Video Is Legal, How About Cloud Music?

Tue, Aug 05 2008 10:49:04

In a stunning but welcomed reversal, a New York appeals court has overturned a Judge's ruling outlawing remote video recording and playback. It's a huge victory for consumers because they'll get a cheaper DVR type of service, but it also sets a sturdy leg

Preparing for a life after Pandora with PiMP

Mon, Jul 28 2008 15:43:54

At MP3tunes we decided to build a Pandora-like system that won't get crushed by labels and also didn't have the nagging limitations of web radio like no rewind button, limited song skipping, no song look ahead, etc. We call this service PiMP.

It's Getting Cloudy in the Technology Business

Thu, Jul 10 2008 10:55:58

A seismic shift is underway in the technology sector as companies big and small embrace the "cloud". The cloud is another name for the Internet, but instead of a simply thinking of it as a set of dumb cables connecting computers together....

Xandros Buys Linspire

Wed, Jul 02 2008 07:38:45

This week Xandros Inc. is buying Linspire. Xandros has done more than any company to put Linux in front of users by powering the innovative eee PC so I'm excited to see the Linspire, Freespire and CNR technology go to a worthy competitor. Linux is going t

The Record Labels Want My Minivan

Wed, Jun 11 2008 13:49:57

This week in a New York court attorney's for EMI made the argument about why I should be personally liable as CEO of MP3tunes. They are suing not only MP3tunes, but also me personally and are going after my home, cars and kids college funds in their suit.

$20 Million Dollar Experiment to See if You'll Rent a Song for 10 Cents

Tue, May 27 2008 11:02:21

A music experiment will soon begin with the ambitious attempt to reinvigorate people to buying music online. For just 10 cents you'll be able to select a song to add to your Music Locker to play whenever you like. These aren't obscure or unknown Indie b

Napster Goes MP3 With a Big Catalog But 8 Years Too Late

Mon, May 19 2008 23:52:55

Napster is now selling MP3s for more than 6 million songs. This is quite a change. 8 years ago the labels had the possibility to channel the enormous Napster audience into a fan friendly cash-register-ringing store. Instead, 3 of the 4 refused to work wit

College Myths

Tue, May 06 2008 08:17:19

Here is my list of college myths: Myth: Colleges are poor. Myth: Colleges aren't businesses. Myth: You must go to college to get otherwise secret info to succeed in life. Myth: Name brand colleges justify higher prices. Myth: Colleges care first and

World's Smallest Wifi Phone - Nokia 6300i (and yes, it runs Gizmo5!)

Thu, May 01 2008 01:36:59

I want to hear what you think about wifi phones! Take our super quick survey and get a chance to win a Nokia 6300i wifi phone! Nokia just released the 6300i mobile phone. At first glance it looks like a small but unremarkable candy bar shaped phone. B

Defend Your Digital Rights - Support MP3tunes

Wed, Apr 23 2008 12:03:57

Let me start by saying that as the CEO of MP3tunes I appreciate all your support over the last few years. Our customer's suggestions and patience have helped us build the Locker system we have today. We just launched AutoSync -- making the management of

Fast IM, SMS, and Email on ANY mobile phone/PC in one program - Gizmo5

Mon, Apr 14 2008 13:54:21

Like many people, my computing time is shifting from my PC to my phone (many young people are skipping the PC step altogether). What's bothersome about the phone is that it's slow to handle all my communications. Some people communicate via SMS, some via

Court Ruling Denies EMI Access to Millions of Personal MP3 Files

Wed, Mar 26 2008 13:46:33

A New York Judge has denied a request by EMI to force MP3tunes turn over all music files for its 125,000 users. For now, this means the contents of personal music Lockers will remain private.

EMI vs Google, AOL, Microsoft (The Entire Internet)

Fri, Mar 14 2008 10:54:49

Many of you are probably aware that the major record label EMI is suing MP3tunes. While MP3tunes has the obligation to pay 100% of the legal bills, we are really defending the entire Internet. This is because the actions EMI is complaining about are also

Everyone Shouldn't Go To College

Thu, Mar 06 2008 00:20:10

Recently College Board presented to congress a report which concluded that college is a "high yield" financial investment for all attendees. My preliminary analysis raised several questions about the methodology used to arrive at that conclusion. I subseq

Why "My Yahoo" Ain't Really "My"

Mon, Feb 25 2008 20:18:48

I'm a fan of My Yahoo (my wife likes igoogle). I like being able to log onto any computer and get fresh news. The problem with both is that they're really not "My" stuff.

Letter to College Board Asking For Clarification/Corrections

Thu, Feb 14 2008 18:01:31

Dear Ms. Baum, I am writing in regards to the "Education Pays" report that you co-authored for the College Board. I appreciate the College Board attempting to get information distributed about the financial value of a college education. I think this is

Microsoft + Yahoo = IM Giant, Plus MySpace Goes GPL

Thu, Feb 07 2008 04:49:15

I believe Microsoft will buy Yahoo after prolonged dating. Both companies are getting trounced by Google in search, but there's more to the world then just search. Yahoo has enormously valuable net assets which, when combined with Microsoft, will create a

Dealipedia - The Business Wiki Now Open For Business

Tue, Feb 05 2008 06:04:32

After continually getting frustrated that I couldn't find historic data on business deals or easily keep track of new deals without reading a dozen different publications I decided to remedy the problem by launching Dealipedia - a business wiki for merger

Backdoor Dialing - Free Calling to Millions of US Phones

Wed, Jan 23 2008 10:56:56

Telephone companies such as Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, MetroPCS, and others have quietly been connecting their phone networks up to the Internet. Working with our telecommunication partners, Gizmo5 is launching an experimental service to place calls from

RIAA and EMI - All Your Music Are Belong To Us

Fri, Jan 11 2008 09:30:53

Recently an article in the Washington Post by Marc Fisher said the RIAA claimed users didn't have the right to rip their own CDs. A deluge of net articles and commentary chastised the RIAA for this attack on consumer's rights. The only problem is that isn

Imeem Gets License And Death Sentence

Wed, Dec 19 2007 08:15:27

The press recently gushed over Imeem signing a deal with Universal Music Group -- the last of the four major labels to grant them a license to stream complete songs to visitors to their popular web site. The NYT said, "..[it] might be the breakthrough the

SIPphone Becomes Gizmo5 - Now For Your Mobile Phone Too

Thu, Dec 13 2007 04:45:39

Today we're announcing a new product and company name - Gizmo5. You can now transform just about any modern phone into an instant messaging and file sharing device -- simply type your mobile number and Gizmo5 will load directly onto your device.

Your Music on the Wii, PS3, Windows Mobile and More!

Thu, Dec 06 2007 05:06:21

My vision for MP3tunes is that your music library will play at every electronic location in your life. You won't have to remember to lug your music around -- instead your Music Locker will automatically be wherever you are.

Behind The Scenes - EMI Sues MP3tunes

Wed, Nov 14 2007 08:16:57

On Friday, November 9, 2007 EMI sued MP3tunes. For those who don't know, MP3tunes is a service provider that offers a personal Music Locker and runs a search engine called Sideload.com. I thought I would share some background as this will be a very import

2008 - Year of MP3, Demise of Windows Media, TuneWatch

Wed, Oct 10 2007 09:02:51

My goal when I sat down to pen this Minute was to write about TuneWatch - a fantastic new feature from MP3tunes that automatically puts any song or album you purchase directly into your personal Music Locker. But first I want to tell you about a high powe

My Business Failure - AnywhereCD

Mon, Sep 24 2007 04:31:19

My newest business, AnywhereCD, is unfortunately on its last flicker of light before it officially flames out in a few days (my contract expires at midnight on September 30th so check out the close-out sale here where you can get a CD and instant delivery

The $10,000 Music API Challenge

Thu, Sep 20 2007 04:51:48

MP3tunes is having a music contest. You won't have to sing or perform to win. You won't get an American Idol record contract but you could have a bigger impact on the future of music than any media-manufactured star.

Your Computer. Leave Home Without It - ajaxWindows

Mon, Sep 10 2007 08:20:34

Today I'm launching ajaxWindows - a complete virtual PC you can experience using only a browser from any web connected computer. If you would like to see it in action, check out the online demo or the video. Remember that everything you see is happening w

9 Things an iPhone Can't Do

Thu, Sep 06 2007 11:49:03

Most reporters are too busy hugging their MacBooks to write a critical piece on the iPhone so let me fill the void and add some clarity to the situation. Here's a list of 9 things I can do with my Nokia e61i which can't be done with Apple's iPhone.

Freespire 2.0 - Finally Multimedia Friendly Linux

Thu, Aug 16 2007 15:19:17

Freespire and its commercial cousin Linspire install in a remarkable 10 minutes and offer out-of-the-box support of a wide range of multimedia without the tinkering that is commonplace in Linux. Plus, they come with CNR which lets you install software and

Battle of the Buttons - Will the iPhone Succeed?

Thu, Jun 28 2007 06:04:43

The press is in over-hype mode on the forthcoming iPhone from Apple. It's the most hyped technology product I've ever seen. Brace yourself for mountains of stories about Mac-heads lining up in advance to buy it. iPhones will sell simply because of the nov

How the New Lala Service Operates - A Deeper Look

Fri, Jun 08 2007 07:58:52

Lala has made Mac/MSWin software which runs within your browser but requires a traditional software download and install. After installation it scans your computer's iTunes or 'My Music' directory for files. It uploads these files to an online locker.

Why Buy CDs From Amazon When You Can Buy MP3 Albums??

Thu, Jun 07 2007 04:20:00

Don't buy another CD from Amazon. CDs are simply not a good value. The problem is a music CD is cumbersome, fragile and expensive.

Infinity Times Infinity - Telephone Numbers Should Be Free

Thu, May 31 2007 07:10:37

My VOIP company SIPphone decided to build a system that would give people free local telephone numbers in countries around the world for free. No monthly fee. No per minute fee. No setup fee. To do this we had to come

Forcing Honest People To Be Dishonest

Fri, Apr 27 2007 10:34:02

Often times the rationale for using DRM is "keeping honest people honest". Perhaps that�s true where a hurdle impedes people's behavior and steers them in a different path. But what happens where there is NO legitimate path?

Squeezing My Music

Wed, Apr 25 2007 07:15:33

Logitech, a world leader in personal peripherals, is announcing its innovative Squeezebox music appliance will connect directly with your MP3tunes Music Locker to play your songs and no PC is required.

MP3 is Back!

Thu, Apr 12 2007 06:54:19

Today I'm happy to announce the launch of AnywhereCD - a new music store dedicated to selling MP3 Albums and CDs. MP3 Albums are now available in a licensed, legal, and reliable manner along with a physical CD for one reasonable price. This isn't a couple

GizmoSMS - Free SMS To Any Mobile Phone

Thu, Mar 08 2007 04:38:01

A trillion is not a number you hear very often. But last year there was nearly a trillion SMS messages sent. 946 billion to be precise and there are sure to be over a trillion messages this year. Globally phone companies made $47.5 billion in revenue

Unlimited Storage Free Music Lockers

Mon, Feb 12 2007 17:11:28

MP3tunes is announcing free, unlimited storage music lockers for everyone. Oboe - our music locker technology - has been out for more than a year. We've refined the process and are ready to invite the world to come create an Oboe music locker. Sign-up now

MR's Response To Steve Jobs' Call For MP3

Thu, Feb 08 2007 14:47:22

Dear Steve, First let me say that your iTunes/iPod success is unprecedented and awe inspiring to me. Your impact on digital music is astounding. I read your open letter to the music industry and wanted to respond.

GizmoCall.com and My Strategy for Zero Cost Calls

Tue, Jan 30 2007 13:08:02

Making phone calls from a computer should be as easy as typing a URL, and with the release of GizmoCall.com - a new service from SIPphone - it is. Typing http://gizmocall.com/18005551212 is all it takes. And it's not just easy, but free.

Apple Wiffs With iPhone, 'er aPhone

Fri, Jan 19 2007 05:03:46

Since the announcement of Apple's non-shipping iPhone, the press has fawned over the device incessantly with dreamy write-ups in everything from online tech sites to daily newspapers and magazines. The same outlets that criticized Sony for their expensive

Before You Order Office 2007, Try ajaxPresents

Fri, Dec 15 2006 05:12:11

Desktop software programs are slowly dying and being replaced by web based programs as the world moves to "the cloud" (the net). The best example is communication programs such as Eudora and Outlook which are being replaced by Gmail and Yahoo Mail. B

The Biggest Gamble of Your Life (Is College Worth it?)

Thu, Dec 07 2006 10:18:04

In 2005, young people (ages 18-25) in the US gambled $67 billion. Not in Vegas or online poker rooms, but on a betterment program called college. Their hope is that the monies they are spending will allow them to earn more money over their lifetime.

My Hero Dies

Mon, Nov 20 2006 12:05:51

Biographies refer to Milton Friedman as a nobel winning economist, but that minimizes his contributions. It's true he wrote works on Federal monetary policy which influenced governments around the world, but Milton was really a freedom fighter. He cham

Next Generation Music Locker - Oboe 2.0

Wed, Nov 01 2006 10:11:29

This week MP3tunes is announcing our next generation music locker - Oboe 2.0 which you can try out with a free music locker. Ten months ago we announced our first Oboe music locker. Since then, we have stored tens of millions of songs and more than 100 te

Getting Zuned

Thu, Oct 05 2006 11:00:02

Now if you're thinking that zune sounds familiar it's because the press has been abuzz about an upcoming MP3 player from Microsoft called Zune. At first glance the features seem compelling but my prediction is it will be the biggest flop of 2007 with less

Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled MP3s Yearning to Breathe Free

Thu, Aug 24 2006 10:33:58

I want to store every song in your music collection. And I want to do it for each and every person on the net so I'm swinging open the doors to invite everyone to use MP3tunes today. It's an enormous technical challenge and a big responsibility, but I hop

My $100K Offer to Floyd Landis

Mon, Jul 31 2006 14:05:45

I want to believe you earned your victory through grit, determination and hard training, but I need proof. I would like to offer to pay you $100,000 to take a polygraph test. The test would cover the 2006 Tour de France and your alleged use of banned drug

Call The Pope For Free

Wed, Jul 26 2006 09:37:24

It's now free to call the Pope or anyone else in Vatican City using Gizmo Project. In fact, you can now call telephones in 60 countries for free thanks to a new friends and family type calling program offered by SIPphone.

Wi-Fi Waves Bouncing Everywhere

Wed, Jul 19 2006 20:54:52

Until now Wi-Fi has been used almost exclusively as a way to connect your PC to the internet with no wires, but that's about to change as new portable and home devices also gain Wi-Fi capability. By the end of the year the chips to add Wi-Fi functionality

Diet Soda and Your Music Going Flat!

Thu, Jun 29 2006 15:28:57

My wife got me hooked on diet soda. Each morning I'll grab a Diet Dr. Pepper, Diet Pepsi or Diet Vanilla Coke. They stopped making Diet Vanilla Coke which was my favorite so I bought a big stockpile when I heard the announcement. Unfortunately, I learned

Gizmo Project 2.0* (That's the GOOD kind of Asterisk)

Thu, May 18 2006 09:19:55

This week, SIPphone is releasing Gizmo Project 2.0* (note the asterisk), our popular free VoIP software for high-quality, easy-to-use PC calls. Usually, the star-shaped character means there's an exception such as "supply limited", "annual contract requir

TiVo Becomes A Music Machine Courtesy of MP3tunes

Tue, May 09 2006 16:12:48

I recently purchased a second home out in the country so my kids could have a place to throw a football or fly a glider or just run around and be carefree. I'd really like to have my entire music collection available at this house, but I don't want to buy

Desktop Linux Summit Report

Fri, May 05 2006 11:56:03

The 4th Annual Desktop Linux Summit was wrapped up in San Diego last week and it was the biggest yet. This year was host to 800 attendees, 30 exhibitors and sponsors, and three packed speaker tracks with close to 40 sessions. Here's my view from the floor

ajaxTunes - The Everywhere Mini Music Player

Fri, Apr 28 2006 11:11:05

ajaxTunes is the newest addition to the ajax line-up of software services announced by ajaxLaunch. It's a mini music player which requires no installation or download and works in all browsers. This means web sites can do more than just talk about songs o

Halfway to ajax-Excel. Introducing ajaxXLS 0.5

Thu, Apr 13 2006 18:13:15

My son's Little League season started two weeks ago. The helpful "team mom" emailed a team schedule to all the players. Unfortunately, it was an .xls file requiring Microsoft Excel to open the file. This is not unusual. The majority of Microsoft Word, Mic

Editing video in your browser? Try eyespot - the AJAX video editor

Wed, Apr 05 2006 11:12:29

Each week at ajaxLaunch, we're announcing a new ajax program designed to shatter what people think is possible. In the last two weeks I announced ajaxWrite and ajaxSketch. These programs were significant because they load in seconds via a web browser, but

502,174 Documents Can't Be Wrong. Next Up ajaxSketch

Wed, Mar 29 2006 17:35:42

Last week I announced ajaxWrite, a novel Internet-loaded application that looks and operates like a traditional desktop application and allows you to open and edit files like Microsoft Word documents. Little did I know it would trigger a massive wave of u

Bye Bye Microsoft Word, Hello ajaxWrite

Wed, Mar 22 2006 17:17:00

What if there was alternative for Microsoft Word that would install and open in 6 seconds, read and write Microsoft Word .doc files and run on Macintosh, Microsoft Windows or Linux computers? And oh yeah, it was FREE so consumers didn't have to pay $499 f

Sideload 101

Thu, Feb 23 2006 16:49:19

You're probably familiar with the term downloading (moving files from the net to your local computer). And maybe you've heard of the inverse - uploading (moving files from your computer to net storage). Chances are you haven't heard of sideloading. This i

Area775 - Free US Telephone Number Links Mobile and VoIP Worlds

Wed, Feb 15 2006 17:38:09

Imagine having one telephone number that will ring your PC at home or work, mobile phone or land line. Answering the call is easy at whatever location is most convenient and the caller has no idea where you're answering the call - maybe in your car, maybe

Where I'm Spending My Time

Thu, Feb 09 2006 18:09:50

Loyal Michael's Minute readers might have noticed that a couple weeks have gone by with no postings from me which never happens except for the Christmas holiday period.

Google and SIPphone Lead The Way To Saner World

Wed, Jan 18 2006 16:37:15

In the early days of the PC revolution you needed 4 or 5 email addresses to be able to reach everyone. Since none of the systems communicated with each other, you would need separate addresses to communicate with people using different systems. For exampl

CES 2006 Picks and Pans

Thu, Jan 12 2006 11:40:21

Last week I attended the 2006 Consumer Electronic Show (CES), which since the demise of Comdex has become the largest and most important trade show in the nation - not only for electronics, but for all technology.

Locker Envy

Thu, Jan 05 2006 15:30:17

One of the first things I do when I go to someone's house is check out their CD shelf. I think that tells a lot about a person.

Your Christmas Gift Inside - 1� Per Minute Calling

Mon, Dec 12 2005 15:57:12

It's the holiday season and I've got a gift for you...

More on Oboe

Wed, Dec 07 2005 17:35:44

Last week we launched Oboe, an ambitious effort to get your music everywhere. I've spent the last week talking to press and users about it. Here are some of the interesting feedback, facts and questions.

Unfinished Business - Oboe

Wed, Nov 30 2005 15:35:48

Four years ago I sold the profitable MP3.com to the largest music company in the world. A company I started in my living room had become the global digital music leader, helped establish MP3 as a worldwide standard, and made me financially independent. Bu

Five Reasons Why Sony Rootkit Is Good For You

Wed, Nov 23 2005 10:27:53

The last two weeks have seen almost nonstop reporting about the Sony "rootkit" debacle. If you haven't been following the news, here's what happened: More than 50 music CD titles sold by Sony/BMG secretly install deep into your computer in a hidden way us

Moving from Geekland to the Mainland with CompareSoft

Thu, Nov 17 2005 09:26:15

Many of the readers of the Minute have probably heard of Linux, OpenOffice, GIMP and other open source programs. But I wanted to find out how commonplace those products were outside the Internet community. I decided to conduct a survey one lunch hour at a

The Boy Who Couldn't Ride A Bike

Tue, Nov 08 2005 15:00:49

News outlets around the world covered my hiring of DVD Jon to contribute to our soon-to-be announced Oboe project. I actually started assembling the necessary team of engineers long before Jon came to work for me. Another key programmer on the team is...

DVD Jon and Oboe

Tue, Oct 18 2005 16:02:49

This week MP3tunes added a new employee - a Norwegian named Jon Lech Johansen. (He's half Polish - as you can probably tell from the "Lech" in his name.) Most people know him as "DVD Jon" for the software he co-wrote when he was just 15 years old which a

Join the Federation To Take Back IM!

Mon, Oct 10 2005 16:23:59

Today the world of instant messaging (IM) is a disjointed mess, and it's time for a citizen's revolt. Like many people, I use IM throughout the day for business and personal communications. It's maddening when I want to send an IM to a user only to realiz

Brother, Bonds, Title, Lance

Fri, Sep 30 2005 12:12:11

I had a crazy day recently that will surely be one of the most memorable of my life. It started with a long lost half brother. I know that sounds like the start of a bad novel, but this is all true. A few months ago, I met a brother I didn't know existed.

Would You Send Your Mom To Jail To Make Money?

Thu, Sep 22 2005 17:30:16

In a conference room at my office there's a giant photo of a lone Chinese man standing in front of a row of tanks. It's the classic photo from Tiananmen Square on June 4th, 1989, when 100,000 brave students peacefully assembled to protest the corrupt and

$4 Billion In Savings For Businesses

Mon, Sep 12 2005 16:55:45

The average conference call lasts 33 minutes and has six participants. At an average price of 16 cents per minute per caller, businesses are paying $4 billion per year for this essential voice service. Today we're announcing a pilot program to make...

#$%@ Kill Google!

Wed, Sep 07 2005 17:00:57

An intriguing but eventually vicious three-way battle is emerging between Microsoft, Yahoo! and Google for net supremacy. How each is dealing with the competitive threat says a lot about their individual company culture, management and DNA. (If you're won

Google Opens Talks To The World

Tue, Aug 23 2005 18:01:04

This week, I had planned to write about the release of Gizmo Project 1.0 along with a list of spectacular features not found in any other calling software like blasts (amazingly fun sound effects you can play during a phone conversation like a radio DJ),

All About GUPS

Wed, Aug 17 2005 16:46:39

As an undergraduate at University of California, San Diego, I had an internship at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC). At the time, academia was nurturing and popularizing Internet email with many of the primary email servers responsible for all em

I'd Like To Teach The World To Sync, In Perfect Harmony

Wed, Jul 27 2005 14:23:12

My vision of the world is that you should be able to buy music once and listen to it anywhere. Eventually everywhere on the planet will have Internet access and we will be able to stream music from one location - the jukebox in the sky. It will be some ye

March of the Penguins

Thu, Jul 14 2005 10:46:45

With the title of this Minute and the official mascot of Linux being the penguin, you probably expect this to be an article on the inevitable growth of Linux around the world.

8 Observations from Live 8

Fri, Jul 08 2005 12:24:41

I got an invitation last week to be backstage at Live 8 in Philadelphia. I was intrigued by the event and its goals, but decided to stay home and do some research so I politely declined. For those that missed it, Live 8 was a music festival held in nine m

Skype Bad, Gizmo Good

Thu, Jun 30 2005 09:27:56

Legal Battles In VOIP: Vonage and e911

Fri, Jun 24 2005 11:00:24

The world of net calling (referred to as "VOIP" in technical circles) is as disruptive to the telecom business as MP3 is to the music industry. I enjoy these periods because there's major new business opportunities as they go digital and there's never a d

What's our purpose in life?

Wed, Jun 15 2005 10:41:35

Recently, on the way to school my 2nd grader asked me, "What's our purpose in life?" That's a deep question, especially at 7:40 AM, so I thought my best tactic was....

Apple's Colossal Disappointment

Wed, Jun 08 2005 10:32:32

I heard a rumor last week that Apple would announce they are switching to Intel chips. My first thought is that I hoped...

Get Creative to Snag Some Swag

Thu, Jun 02 2005 10:07:12

Since I started Lindows back in 2001 - even before we had a product to sell - we've gotten emails from people asking us when they'd be able to get their hands on some genuine Linspire...

No Nonsense Linux

Thu, May 26 2005 12:14:45

A little secret is that many of the CEOs of Linux companies still use...

$100 Muffin Stumps

Thu, May 12 2005 11:45:06

Once a month an article comes out talking about a $100 PC. Most recently MIT, with a coalition of backers, is talking up an economical PC as a digital necessity for emerging markets. As you probably know, I'm a huge...

Why It's A Mistake For Brazil To Build Their Own Linux

Thu, May 05 2005 10:45:45

Over the last year, several government organizations such as Brazil, China and the City of Munich have stated their intentions to build a version of desktop Linux. While their motivations are understandable, I think...

You Own Nothing

Thu, Apr 28 2005 10:48:22

About a year ago, it was revealed that I was the benefactor for the $200,000 Linux on Xbox project. The goal was to get Linux

Linspire in EU (No lawsuits this time)

Thu, Apr 21 2005 11:53:32

I spent this week traveling across Europe announcing three new versions of Linspire 5 (not Linspire Five-0 as we call it in the US - not sure they'd get the subtle American TV show reference). These are the first translations made possible by the army of

Defying Gravity

Thu, Apr 14 2005 09:56:55

Last week I made my Broadway debut in the smash hit Wicked, and like the best theater always does, it left me with some big life questions.

Watch a Linux TV Commercial

Thu, Apr 07 2005 10:16:10

For desktop Linux companies to be successful, we need to reach people who think slash and dot are just two punctuation terms. Mozilla ran a successful...

Why the Supreme Court is Irrelevant on P2P

Thu, Mar 31 2005 10:37:21

What the world is saying about Linspire Five-0

Thu, Mar 24 2005 11:50:30

Our servers have finally caught their breath from the launch of Linspire Five-0 last week. Thousands of people downloaded Five-0 from Linspire and thousands more used...

3 Years and $20 Million to Linspire Five-0!

Wed, Mar 16 2005 09:51:02

Three and a half years ago I had a vision to make Linux practical for desktop and laptop computers around the world. I wanted to make personal computer software cheaper and better. I knew that doing this would mean taking on the biggest monopoly of my gen

The Man In The Balloon

Wed, Mar 09 2005 10:54:27

I've always admired the Macintosh; in fact my first serious business venture was a Macintosh consulting firm. This week, a tribute to Macintosh pioneer Jef Raskin.

BudgetBeamer and Mystery Songs Revealed

Thu, Mar 03 2005 09:21:21

The response from last week's MP3beamer announcement has been fantastic! It's clear many people want their music collection on multiple devices from any location and that's exactly what MP3beamer accomplishes like no other product. In my own home... Ta

Introducing MP3beamer! (Get a $399 unit for free if you're first to identify one of 3 songs!)

Thu, Feb 24 2005 11:31:10

Desktop Summit - Highlights and Lowlights

Thu, Feb 17 2005 10:05:54

Last week, we completed the 3rd Annual Desktop Summit. If you missed the event you can read several accounts online like at Linuxplanet or there were several great blogs tracking the event. There are even...

I Want My MP3!

Mon, Feb 07 2005 18:21:14

Seven Sexy Summit Secrets

Tue, Feb 01 2005 09:12:03

In 10 days or so, the 3rd Annual Desktop Summit will begin. This one will be our best event ever and I want to share what's happening behind the scenes. You know about the great speakers from the Summit's web page, but there are quite a few other companie

Get out those dictionaries! (Plus 4 other ways you can help)

Wed, Jan 26 2005 15:34:59

We've calculated that there are 168,000 words in the Linspire operating system. All those menus, dialog boxes, and help files add up quickly. Late last year, we announced IRMA - a project to get...

Michael's Minute: Phone Calls Want To Be Free

Wed, Jan 19 2005 17:34:34

The Linspire headquarters are the entire third floor of a building in San Diego. In a small office on the 2nd floor, is another company where I spend...

Michael's Minute: Predictions for 2005

Wed, Jan 12 2005 18:01:37

It's a new year, so time for a predictions column. But first,we'll do a...

10 MUST SEES at the Desktop Summit Feb 9-11th 2005

Wed, Jan 05 2005 16:15:23

This year's Desktop Summit is shaping up to be the best ever with an exciting array of products, speakers and companies on display. Here are some of the highlights of the event you won't want to miss...

A Christmas Story

Wed, Dec 29 2004 16:09:17

Open Bid For Netherlands Government (Or how to save 150 million euros)

Tue, Dec 14 2004 11:54:21

If you've been waiting for the all-time best deal for Linspire, we're offering Michael's Minute readers...

Wal-Mart Selling a $498 Linspire Laptop

Mon, Dec 13 2004 17:15:39

Linspire has been working for months on a project that will have a profound impact on consumers and on the Linux market - a sub-$500 laptop from a major retailer. This week, we're proud to announce a new complete laptop available immediately for $498, exc

My Date With IRMA

Wed, Dec 08 2004 16:24:12

I have been having clandestine dates with IRMA. She's new around the Linspire office. My wife doesn't know about IRMA yet, but I don't think she'll mind because...

Thanksgiving Day Leftovers

Thu, Dec 02 2004 09:20:47

Cracking the Monopoly Like A Walnut Using OOoFf!

Mon, Nov 22 2004 12:25:35

OOoFf! is a boxed software package that is now available, which contains the Microsoft-compatible office suite OpenOffice.org, along with the Firefox browser from Mozilla. The double CD collection has software for MS Windows, Macintosh and Linux computer

The Secret Behind Windows Media

Wed, Nov 17 2004 18:13:10

This week we announced the immediate availability of the latest Windows Media audio and video technology for Linspire. It's an important first for Linux, since it means desktop Linux users can now...

I'm certifiable

Thu, Nov 11 2004 23:26:18

A few weeks ago we kicked off our Lraiser program. The website is loaded with amazing graphics that visually demonstrate where desktop Linux is taking...

Who Let The Source Out? OOoFf! OOoFf!

Thu, Nov 04 2004 17:27:04

On February 9-11th 2005, in San Diego, CA the most important forces of the open source desktop business are coming together for the first time, and I invite you to be part of this monumental event. It will be the third-annual Desktop Linux Summit, but thi

Searching Gets Hot for Linspire

Thu, Oct 28 2004 12:12:00

The market capitalization of Google just passed the value of Yahoo. It's a defining moment that search was overlooked by the incumbents (AOL, Yahoo and Microsoft) and they let a fourth member into their exclusive club. Most have quickly caught up to Googl

The $100 PC? No Chance in Hell Without L

Fri, Oct 22 2004 10:15:22

I read this week that Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, is calling for a $100 personal computer. This is a remarkable turnaround for a guy who, when we started selling a $199 computer at Walmart.com, criticized us. Some of you may recall that...

Raising Some L

Wed, Oct 13 2004 23:16:59

My business career has revolved around disruptive technologies like MP3, Linux and SIP. Consequently, I've been accused of "raising hell," and that's probably somewhat true. The biggest advancements in life come through radical change. That change is typi

Why Linspire 5.0 may be outlawed in the United States

Thu, Oct 07 2004 15:56:41

In secret backroom meetings throughout this week, members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are deciding the fate of many technology businesses, including Linspire. My sources have provided proposed text to me from the INDUCE Act...

A Minute on Minutes

Fri, Oct 01 2004 11:50:31

Last week I was coming back from a Saturday morning basketball game when a gentleman stopped me in my driveway and introduced himself as a professor of computer science at SDSU and said he enjoyed my last Minute on College for Everyone. I'm always flatter

College for Everyone

Thu, Sep 23 2004 11:54:41

Once it was clear that my former company MP3.com was going to have some success and I could provide for my family, I asked myself what I could do to improve the world. My goal in life is to leave this rock in a better place than I found it. For guidance I

Deviant Behavior

Wed, Sep 15 2004 11:17:10

In 1999, I hosted the 2nd Annual MP3 Summit, which brought together the eclectic software, hardware and music companies all working to build the future of digital music around MP3. At that year's show, a 15-year-old stood out.

Technical Deceit

Thu, Sep 09 2004 10:43:02

As clever as they are at dreaming up new products, technology companies seem equally clever at creating schemes to advertise low prices that deceive the user. Nearly every vendor wants to advertise a low price to appeal to the widest audience. Recently I'

Dell, The Last Domino

Thu, Sep 02 2004 10:58:32

A common question that I get is, "When will Dell start promoting desktop Linux computers?" As the largest seller of computers, Dell is significant (16.5% marketshare), but unfortunately the answer is...

Ads for Desktop Linux Coming To A TV Near You!

Thu, Aug 26 2004 13:53:52

There's no better indicator of the mainstream populace than TV. Television captures the trends and interests of society like no other outlet. You've probably seen television ads for Linux...

Blogging and the last

Thu, Aug 19 2004 12:41:48

Before I get started talking about some useful new technology that you'll see popping up on more and more websites, I wanted to take this chance to tell you about the Blowout Sale that is going on right now.

It Will Start, But Will It Go?

Thu, Aug 12 2004 13:10:43

Two weeks ago Microsoft held an analysts meeting at their headquarters. I've spoken with several people who attended, who revealed some telling details of the event. A significant amount of time was devoted to Linux, including dedicated sessions designed

Roy's Story

Wed, Aug 04 2004 09:01:58

In Chicago, I saw advertisements in the newspaper from the Microcenter Stores for Linspire computers. Another day, I found myself in a car with Roy, a 69 year-old gentleman driving me to my next meeting in Houston. I never caught Roy's last name, but I di

On The Road (What's In My Bag)

Tue, Jul 27 2004 17:23:04

I've got out of town relatives visiting. Their teenage daughter does instant messaging for hours every night, so I set up a Linspire computer for her to use. After a few hours, she told me she likes Linspire because our IM software has advanced features l

Come on Baby Run Linspire

Mon, Jul 19 2004 13:42:51

We're completely transitioning from Lindows to Linspire over the next two months...

Where Were You?

Wed, Jul 14 2004 18:03:58

When monumental events occur, they are often indelibly imprinted on your brain. I remember double clicking on my first MP3 song and listening to CD-like quality sound booming from my PC speakers. The song was "Take Five" by Dave Brubeck and it was the "a

Linspire Computers Now Available Throughout EU

Tue, Jul 06 2004 14:36:23

Linux met the IT world today. No - not "information technology" but the ".it" world, which is Italy. I attended a press conference in Italy where Questar announced that Europeans can now buy a powerful computer running desktop Linux.

The First Domino Falls in Toronto, Canada

Wed, Jun 23 2004 16:43:25

You'll know desktop Linux has broken the Microsoft monopoly when you walk into your local computer store and see a Linux aisle crammed full of desktop and laptop computers ready for your shopping cart. That's our vision at Lindows.

Despite Microsoft, Desktop Linux Begins to Take Hold in Japan

Wed, Jun 16 2004 18:00:15

What country has the second largest PC market? From the headline, astute readers will correctly identify Japan. This diminutive island trails behind only the United States in PC sales, making it an important market for desktop Linux. Japanese was the 1st

Linux Shootout

Wed, Jun 09 2004 11:19:49

When I started Lindows about 2 1/2 years ago, many people told me I was crazy. First they mentioned how challenging it is to compete with Microsoft, and second they mentioned how Linux was too difficult to use for the desktop. My first Linux experience w

Bill - I don't want your $1,158

Wed, Jun 02 2004 09:49:30

Bill, As you were probably informed over the weekend, your legal team lost the latest court battle against Lindows, Inc. in the windows trademark case. This time we were in a Dutch courtroom, where the Judge ruled against Microsoft on all counts. Here'

Fear And Loathing Fueling The Virus Revolt

Thu, May 27 2004 13:38:46

It's a sad time when people are afraid of their own computers, but that's where Microsoft Windows users are at currently. It's reminiscent of Hal from Space Odyssey. Computer owners fear that if they launch the wrong program, visit a 'bad' website or sim

What's in My Dell DJ

Thu, May 20 2004 09:42:07

I hope you've all tried Lsongs, the open source music manager that we released a few weeks ago. Before Lsongs, digital music on desktop Linux was a complete disaster. Separate programs, each with their own interface, were required to play CDs, digitize mu

Free International Calling from a SIPphone

Wed, May 12 2004 12:54:01

While I was driving my kid to school last week, he said, "Dad, why are you building a new phone for us to use when we already have one?" He was referring to SIPphone, where I spend time when I'm not working on my first priority, Linspire. SIPphone doesn'

Lphoto: A 2nd Try at Photo Album Software

Wed, May 05 2004 09:48:27

Ten years ago, I started a digital camera software company called Media Minds, which made photo album software for Macintosh and Microsoft Windows computers. I saw my first digital camera and thought that people would soon be shooting millions of digital

I'd like a Chevy Cavalier

Thu, Apr 29 2004 13:13:18

As you know, last week was the second annual Desktop Linux Summit, here in San Diego. Hundreds of people showed up from different continents to learn about the future of Desktop Linux. What was especially noteworthy though, was the convergence of great sp

Lsongs and Lphoto

Mon, Apr 19 2004 09:21:44

This Thursday and Friday (April 22-23) Lindows, Inc. will be busy hosting the Desktop Linux Summit here in San Diego -- the premier event dedicated to using Linux on the desktop. I've mentioned the top notch speakers that will be at the event, but many at

Linspire

Wed, Apr 14 2004 13:03:57

In the US, we have the rule of "double jeopardy," which says you can't be tried for the same offense multiple times. This is because putting defendants through multiple identical trials is patently unfair - regardless of the outcome. This is exactly what

Name Change

Tue, Apr 06 2004 10:13:42

Last week Judge Coughenour denied our request to block Microsoft's international legal barrage against Lindows.com. Two years ago Microsoft tried to stop Lindows in a U.S. court, but they were denied. Recently, they started piling on lawsuits from around

The Linux Dilemma

Thu, Apr 01 2004 10:44:34

There's no denying that Linux is sending disruptive waves through every segment of the technology business. The real question is how to capitalize on this transition to make it positive for your organization. I don't have all the answers which is why I i

Two New Products - Call-in-One, Enterprise Assessment Kit

Thu, Mar 25 2004 11:26:40

There are two new products available for the first time this week that I am excited about. One is from Lindows and the other from SIPphone (my other company).

Send Us Name Ideas

Thu, Mar 18 2004 17:42:52

I spent the first part of this week in China, taking a closer look at computing in far east Asia. While I was in China, Lindows filed papers asking the U.S. court to block Microsoft's "sue 'em everywhere" tactics. We are hopeful that Judge Coughenour will

Can I Answer My Phone Without Paying 100,000 Euro?

Tue, Mar 09 2004 22:35:40

After the revelation last week that Microsoft seems to be playing a role in funneling cash to SCO to attack Linux, it should be obvious to even the most casual observer that Microsoft will do anything to try to halt Linux. This shouldn't surprise anyone,

2004 Predictions

Thu, Mar 04 2004 10:54:08

About a year ago, I did a "predictions" column, meaning it's time to revisit my predictions and see if I have the credibility to make more predictions. I'll review my past predictions and grade them below, then give you a few new ones. (One prediction is

Mark Your Calendars For April 22-23rd

Fri, Feb 27 2004 09:45:14

If your responsibility is to stay abreast of the latest desktop Linux developments for your business or school, you simply must attend the 2nd Annual Desktop Linux Summit in Del Mar, CA on April 22nd and 23rd. It's a two day event with a wide range of spe

Spinning, Laddering, and Shorting (or, What's Wrong with our IPO System)

Wed, Feb 18 2004 16:12:34

Spinning, laddering and shorting - they sound like exercise routines, but they're not. They're schemes used by investment banks during an IPO to take advantage of new companies. "IPO" stands for initial public offering and represents the first time a comp

Lindows.com Wins Two Big Rulings

Wed, Feb 11 2004 09:24:09

Many of you have told me you were planning on attending our trial in Seattle versus Microsoft in just 3 short weeks. Lindows.com was well prepared to put on a mountain of evidence (some of which you all helped us gather) to demonstrate that Microsoft did

Factoids About Lindows.com

Fri, Feb 06 2004 11:48:19

Here are some interesting facts that give some insight into Lindows.com and the momentum building behind desktop Linux: 504 - The number of...

Lindows.com Does P2P

Thu, Jan 29 2004 13:32:55

I had lunch recently with a major record label executive, and we discussed April 25th, 2003 - the day the music industry's worst nightmare came true. A Federal court ruling found that peer-to-peer file sharing (P2P) companies are "not significantly differ

Disagree with Linus

Thu, Jan 22 2004 16:02:55

I've never personally met Linus Torvalds, the much heralded man behind Linux. Of course I have tremendous respect for what he's done, since I'm building an entire company with the goal of bringing Linux to the desktop. He's clearly a brilliant engineer,

Linux for $12.50 a Week

Thu, Jan 15 2004 11:14:24

Most households in the world have yet to own their first PC, because its simply been too expensive. Coming up with $1,000 or more for a PC (current PC average is $700) plus a monitor and an office suite is simply out of reach for many people, especially

My Movie of the Year

Wed, Jan 07 2004 10:13:58

It's the season for film awards, so I thought I'd send you my nomination for movie of the year. It's an epic work four years in the making about the struggle for life and death, filmed with the most amazing cinematography you've ever witnessed. And no, i

A year well-spent

Tue, Dec 30 2003 16:36:52

2003 was a great year for choice on the Desktop. People have started to demand choice, and businesses around the world are responding to that demand. Since so much occurred over the course of this year, I wanted to give you a brief recap of some of the ma

The CEO Challenge

Mon, Dec 22 2003 16:46:55

We recently had the CEO of a large enterprise visit our offices here in San Diego to look at LindowsOS. This company has over $1 Billion in annual revenues. The CEO told us that they've had enough of Microsoft's expensive, cumbersome and restrictive lic

Something for Your Stocking

Tue, Dec 16 2003 14:27:20

I just got back from my trip to Europe to support our resellers who are being told to stop selling LindowsOS products. While I was there, Microsoft gave me an early Christmas present: a big lump of coal! The lump of coal was actually a copycat trademark i

Red-eye to Amsterdam

Sat, Dec 06 2003 19:52:59

Soon after writing this, I will be getting on an overnight plane trip headed to Amsterdam. You may have surmised from the Minute two weeks ago that Microsoft is getting very concerned about the growth of desktop Linux internationally. In the last 14 days,

New & Improved Linux - 40% Better

Wed, Dec 03 2003 15:02:37

First Linux became a reality on the server, then on the desktop. But Linux has yet to mount a robust challenge in the laptop sector. Laptops will make up roughly 40% of PC sales next year, and until now Linux software has not been a viable option for cons

Wacky International Expansion

Tue, Nov 25 2003 14:49:44

I had just finished a Michael's Minute about our international growth when a disturbing incident crossed my desk which actually verifies that we are gaining meaningful international business that Microsoft wishes to halt. Below are the emails that descri

Digital Museum Burns to the Ground

Tue, Nov 18 2003 15:14:10

San Diego is home to MP3.com, the largest digital music site on the planet. It all started 6 years ago in an extra room of my house, and it grew into a global phenomenon. Artists from around the world -- whether they were a famous star or the newest hobby

Microsoft Corp. vs. Lindows.com Inc. - Get out your slingshot!

Tue, Nov 11 2003 18:34:24

Our trial with Microsoft is fast approaching. Many of you have expressed interest in following it, so here are some answers to questions about the upcoming trial:

Michael Jordan Retires, Baseball Survives

Wed, Nov 05 2003 15:01:01

The press loves a "sky is falling" story, and they found one this week with the recent developments in the Linux community, but the reality is exactly opposite. This week Red Hat confirmed that they were not targeting the desktop but rather focusing enti

Nvu and Other Great Software You've Never Heard About

Wed, Oct 29 2003 10:57:15

I recently received an email from a reader who noticed that FrontPage was used to create one of the web pages in use on the Lindows.com site. Now the irony here is that FrontPage is a product from Microsoft - our number one competitor...

The World's Most Dangerous Virus

Tue, Oct 21 2003 09:47:46

Imagine if a computer virus emerged that secretly attached itself to one of the most popular software programs ever. Imagine if the largest media outlets unwittingly praised this secret pairing, encouraging millions of people to install it. Imagine if non

Save $400 on Your Next Office Suite

Tue, Oct 14 2003 23:28:16

If you've ever thought that $500 is too much to spend on an office suite, you're right. I have good news, with Sun Microsystem's StarOffice 7 you can save more than $400 and get an excellent office suite. If you think that saving all that money means you

Bienvenido a LindowsOS

Mon, Oct 06 2003 11:51:31

Since the beginning of Lindows.com, we have been receiving countless emails from people who want to experience LindowsOS in their native language. I'm excited to announce that this week we are unveiling LindowsEspañol. Over 300 million people worldwide n

My Response To Microsoft Re: MSfreePC

Tue, Sep 30 2003 10:28:22

This week, I thought I'd update all of you on the developments regarding MSfreePC. For those who don't know what it is, here's a helpful multimedia presentation which describes how eligible consumers can file a Microsoft anti-trust settlement claim and ge

Fluoride in the Water

Tue, Sep 23 2003 14:00:42

This week we're kicking off our "fluoride in the water" strategy for desktop Linux that we call "LindowsHD." Our goal is to make desktop Linux available for everyone, immediately and at no cost. Up until now, operating systems have been sold the same way

An MSfreePC Future

Tue, Sep 16 2003 11:13:30

Each day, more people are experiencing the benefits of an MS-free PC (lower costs, no virus hassles, more stability, etc.), and today we're making it even easier. We're announcing a new service designed to help even more people get the very best Microsoft

The Phone Will Never Be The Same

Wed, Sep 10 2003 10:42:21

Although Lindows.com takes up the vast majority of my time, I do have a couple outside fun interests, and one of them involves a new type of phone. Before I talk about that phone, let me talk about a new phone option available for all Lindows.com custome

Tipping Point - PC Club

Thu, Sep 04 2003 09:28:37

A recent book by Malcolm Gladwell popularized the term "tipping point." It refers to the moment of time when growth in a certain phenomenon explodes, bringing it to critical mass. Gladwell's book talked extensively about the fact that seemingly small dev

Lindows.com Goes Suit and Tie

Thu, Aug 28 2003 15:06:40

I used to come to work all the time in shorts and Nikes. Nowadays I find myself getting "dressed up" for work almost every day. It seems like there's always a meeting to be had with someone who may be shocked if I show up in clothes which allow for noon b

Solutions

Tue, Aug 19 2003 17:41:55

It's been a very busy and productive year for us at Lindows.com. Sometimes it is hard to keep up with all the things we're producing, so I wanted to take this chance to recap for you some of the innovations from Lindows.com this year. Here is a list of so

Need to Consult?

Wed, Aug 13 2003 13:37:11

Since the general release of LindowsOS, we have received countless calls, e-mails and faxes from businesses, schools and government offices, all wishing to deploy LindowsOS...but they also needed some extra assistance in figuring out the best way to integ

KooBox - The World's Most Affordable Computer!

Wed, Aug 06 2003 14:07:18

Before I tell you about "the world's most affordable computer," I wanted to let those of you who may not have heard, know that you can now walk into retailers in many cities around the world and buy the full-line of Lindows.com products. We're hearing ve

Japan and Video

Tue, Jul 29 2003 11:09:52

One of the areas where desktop Linux has been a second class citizen is in video playback. It has been almost impossible to play many of the popular types of video (DVD, Microsoft Windows Media, QuickTime, etc.) while running Linux...until now! More on ho

Got Web Work and $169? Get a "WebStation"

Tue, Jul 22 2003 14:34:33

This week we are announcing the introduction of a brand new kind of computer, and I wanted you to be among the first to hear about it. We call this new computer the Lindows WebStation, and it's going to change the way people use computers by dramatically

How Friendly is it?

Wed, Jul 16 2003 15:01:30

When you walk into a computer store to buy a computer or a computer part, you'll often see an "M" or "W" icon on the packaging indicating that the product supports Apple Macintosh or Microsoft Windows, but you won't see an "L" for Linux. We need to change

The Easiest and Quickest Way Ever to Experience Linux!

Thu, Jul 10 2003 12:01:16

Just about every computer user has heard about Linux and is eager to experience it first hand, but they don't always have a spare computer on which to try it. Today we're announcing LindowsCD, the easiest way ever to try out Linux on just about any com

Wife Tested, Mother Approved

Fri, Jun 27 2003 18:48:28

LindowsOS 4.0 has been out for about a week now, and I wanted to take this chance to let you know what other people have been saying about our latest release.

4.0 Where to Get Yours.

Tue, Jun 24 2003 22:45:32

I'm extremely pleased to tell you that after many long days, nights and weekends at Lindows.com HQ, LindowsOS 4.0 is now ready, and you can get it today! LindowsOS 4.0 is our most cutting edge, user-friendly release ever, and with our new "Add-On Paks," y

Michael's Minute: Microsoft Is Right (Until Next Tuesday)

Thu, Jun 19 2003 21:25:28

Next Tuesday, when we release version 4.0 of LindowsOS, desktop Linux takes a giant leap forward and in so doing, overcomes Microsoft's biggest remaining criticism of desktop Linux.

Michael's Minute: More Options for LindowsOS 4.0

Thu, Jun 12 2003 10:57:50

As you know, we're getting closer to the LindowsOS 4.0 launch. I thought I'd take a minute and tell you about some of the changes that you'll see when we release LindowsOS 4.0.

Michael's Minute: How to Buy Microsoft Windows XP for $50

Thu, Jun 05 2003 14:39:57

The real key to desktop Linux gaining momentum is to get retailers to sell computers with Linux preinstalled. Sure, some people are smart enough to download software from our web servers then burn a CD and install it, but the majority of people want to bu

Gates at my Alma Mater

Tue, May 27 2003 23:57:08

This week Bill Gates came to my alma mater to speak. I have to admit that I was less than thrilled to have UCSD roll out the red carpet for him, but it's understandable since he is the richest man in the world and runs the richest company in the world. I

LindowsOS 4.0 - Better than XP

Fri, May 16 2003 10:18:33

For the last year and a half, Lindows.com has been chasing Microsoft. With a solid decade head-start it was natural that it would take time to catch up, but our upcoming operating system not only catches up to Microsoft's product, but does the unthinkable

Change is Good

Tue, May 06 2003 21:38:47

Any good company reassesses their progress and strategy periodically. That's exactly what we've done at Lindows.com, and I wanted to share with you a couple of changes we're making.

Microsoft and Apple Sell Out Music Fans

Wed, Apr 30 2003 20:53:02

Most of you probably know that my former company was MP3.com, which was instrumental in bringing digital music to the masses. One of the things we stood for at MP3.com was the consumer's rights over their own music collection. Our belief was that consume

No More White Box Blues

Wed, Apr 23 2003 10:22:00

55% of computers sold worldwide are not sold by the major computer corporations that you see ads for on TV, but by thousands of small companies. Chances are there are dozens of such "white box" companies in your home town and they're just starting to get

Why Desktop Linux Sucks, Today.

Thu, Apr 17 2003 19:26:24

We're uniquely positioned to know the weaknesses of desktop Linux, since not only is our entire company run on LindowsOS (except for our graphic artist who we can't pry away from his Macintosh), but we hear from individuals, companies and schools on a dai

A Legal Victory: We Got Our Slingshot

Wed, Apr 09 2003 10:44:32

Nearly everyone has heard about our litigation with Microsoft, which goes to a jury in December, 2003 in Seattle. (Microsoft sued us claiming they are the only company that can use the word "windows," despite the fact that it has been generically used thr

Michael's Minute: One Phone? One TV? One Computer???

Tue, Apr 01 2003 21:25:58

In a recent promotional piece, the Internet Service Provider, Earthlink, explained what it called The Harris Family problem: "Lisa wants to use the phone. Bobby wants to download MP3s. Mom and Dad are going crazy."

Shortest Distance Between 2 Objects Is A Click

Thu, Mar 27 2003 12:07:03

Thanks to the global development effort that pushes Linux forward each day, there's now more software for Linux computers than for Macintosh. The problem is that Linux software is spread about the globe and is typically very difficult to install. The res

Is Intel's "Centrino" Techno-Latin for "No Linux?"

Wed, Mar 19 2003 22:21:32

It's no mystery that Microsoft is doing everything in their power to thwart desktop Linux, because it's a direct hit on their revenues and profitability. They know that affordable Linux-based software will cause them to adjust their pricing to compete and

3 Questions

Tue, Mar 11 2003 18:45:26

Last weekend I found myself helping work a Lindows.com booth at a technology conference. What surprised me was that I kept getting asked the same three questions over and over again. The great news is that I had positive answers for all three, since the

Guest Starring Glen Kowalchuk

Tue, Mar 04 2003 18:33:15

This week, we have a special guest writer for Michael's Minute. He didn't know he was going to be the author when he wrote to me, but after I read his message I thought all of you might be interested in his experience so I got his permission to post his

Desktop Linux Summit Awards

Mon, Feb 24 2003 20:05:23

Over 500 people gathered at the first Desktop Linux Summit which included more than 30 booths - each equipped with computers that attendees could get their hands on the latest technology. Here are the award winners from the best exhibits at the show...

Michael's Minute: LindowsFamily and $799 Mobile PC

Wed, Feb 19 2003 19:06:37

his week Lindows.com is busy hosting the Desktop Linux Summit -- the first event devoted to using Linux on the desktop. Since I know that many of you can't make it to the show but are still interested in the latest news, I'm sending you this special Micha

Sneak Peak

Tue, Feb 11 2003 21:43:32

There will be several new products announced at the Desktop Linux Summit which will propel desktop Linux adoption faster and further. One is a totally new type of PC product that will make desktop Linux the ideal product for the home. Look for an announce

Choice is Coming!

Wed, Feb 05 2003 12:09:49

Mini-PCs are here - make your first one a Lindows Media Computer

Tue, Jan 28 2003 11:34:01

Mini-PCs are great and we have a very special one which we're announcing today that you can be the first to own if you get your order in our first shipment.

Duck...

Wed, Jan 22 2003 15:56:53

After last week's Minute, I got some disturbing reports that subscribers on MSN were unable to receive mail from Lindows.com. Readers told me that Microsoft has begun...

You Don't Need an Education to Know Value.

Wed, Jan 15 2003 09:47:46

Since the outset of Lindows.com, schools have contacted us asking what kind of programs we had to help them manage the cost of software. For example, recently a school contacted me saying that they had dozens of computers donated to their school, but they

What's in store for 2003

Mon, Jan 06 2003 21:21:11

1) Desktop Linux Summit is the watershed moment for linux on the desktop (Microsoft guarantees it!) 2) No more typing commands on linux. It's point and click easy.

Call me a Sissy All You Want!

Tue, Dec 17 2002 16:45:43

Some of you may still be anxious about making the switch to LindowsOS, but migrating has never been easier than with LindowsOS 3.0. Bill Machrone, the vice president of technology at Ziff Davis Publishing and editorial director of the Interactive Media an

Last Minute Gift Ideas from Lindows.com

Tue, Dec 10 2002 13:04:24

It's the holiday season and we've got some great gift ideas! Looking to buy gifts for those people who seem to have everything? Get them a copy of LindowsOS 3.0 fresh from the factory! This handsome 2 CD package comes complete with a modern operating

LindowsOS 3.0 - Just How Good Is It?

Tue, Dec 03 2002 20:31:16

Every week you get to hear from me about a topic I think is important. This time I'd like to share with you what some of our users are saying about the just released LindowsOS 3.0. Below are email messages from two users exactly as they were sent to me.

Get A Discount On Microsoft(R) Windows XP When You Buy LindowsOS(TM)

Mon, Nov 25 2002 17:32:10

Q: How do you get the best price possible for Microsoft software? A: Buy LindowsOS computers or sign-up as a Builder and then negotiate with the Microsoft sales rep.

Critical Milestone For Choice On The Desktop

Tue, Nov 19 2002 00:35:46

I'm proud to announce the availability of LindowsOS 3.0 - an affordable and compatible operating system for the mass market.

Tablet PCs & LindowsOS

Tue, Nov 12 2002 18:06:03

Expanding LindowsOS Reach to New Platforms

Accomplishing What The Courts Cannot

Mon, Nov 04 2002 21:51:02

Regardless of the eventual legal outcome, I believe customers are tired of overpaying for software and will seek out affordable and reliable personal computer options.

Sun, Work, Fun

Mon, Oct 28 2002 22:05:15

It's a relatively quiet week for Lindows.com as we expect the general release (Version 3.0) to become available in a few weeks. Our emphasis on ease-of-use and affordability will make LindowsOS the first practical, mass-market operating system available.

LindowsOS General Release Right Around the Corner

Tue, Oct 22 2002 23:44:40

As we approach the final few weeks before this release, we are pleased to share with you some important milestones concerning the upcoming availability of the LindowsOS General Release.

Open Letter to Steve Ballmer, Chief Executive Officer Microsoft Corp

Mon, Oct 14 2002 21:29:21

Steve, Last week you did an interview with analysts Tom Austin and Dave Smith at the Gartner Symposium at which you talked about Lindows.com and had some strong comments about our $199 computer. While we appreciate the exposure, I did want to challenge s

Legal Update & LindowsOS 2.0 Press Reviews

Tue, Oct 08 2002 00:02:43

The latest news on the Microsoft trademark lawsuit and what the press is saying about the new LindowsOS version 2.0.

Lindows.com: Michael's Minutes: LindowsOS 2.0 Feedback

Mon, Sep 30 2002 16:52:23

As you know the best version of LindowsOS ever was released last week to our Insiders last week -- 2.0.

Why 35 Million AOL Users Should Buy A LindowsOS Computer

Mon, Sep 23 2002 20:57:43

Today, we announced AOL's Netscape software to be the default �Net suite on LindowsOS 2.0. The two combined make for not only a powerful system but an easy-to-use, affordable "AOL Computer".

Choice Just Got Better...LindowsOS 2.0 Now Available

Tue, Sep 17 2002 23:25:52

The best version of LindowsOS ever has just been released to our Insiders, LindowsOS Version 2.0, and we couldn't be more excited! Over the last year, we've been working with hundreds of our Insiders to find out all the items that have been preventing

Michael's Minute: Predictions

Mon, Sep 09 2002 23:13:15

I've learned a lot about the desktop Linux business over the last year that we've been doing

Michael's Minute: Breaking the Monopoly of the Mind

Thu, Aug 29 2002 13:06:25

I once heard that when elephants are very young, trainers tie the them with a strong chain to a deeply planted post. No matter how much the elephant tries, it simply can't break loose. Eventually the baby elephant simply stops trying and accepts the fact

Michael's Minute: Gold On The Moon

Mon, Aug 19 2002 22:03:04

I just returned from the LinuxWorld conference in San Francisco, the annual event that showcases all things Linux, with a few thoughts about the state of Linux.

The $199 PC, Microsoft Corp. v. Lindows.com, Update

Mon, Aug 12 2002 17:34:16

Lindows.com is all about new choices, particularly in regards to affordable computing.Not only are we hard at work at bringing lower costs to the OS and its applications, but we're also

Michael's Minute: License and Registration Please

Tue, Aug 06 2002 08:24:13

I have a confession to make. In spite of driving a four door sedan, I'm not tentative with the accelerator pedal. Occasionally, I've heard the dreaded "license and registration please" from a law enforcement official ...

Michael's Minute: It All Began With One Lone Server.....

Tue, Jul 23 2002 11:31:01

It all began with one lone Linux-based file server. Linux was the choice and MP3.com was the company. Linux is a common choice for servers nowadays but not when I chose it at MP3.com 4 years ago.�

StarOffice - So is it really Microsoft� Office Compatible? July 16, 2002

Tue, Jul 16 2002 16:07:11

Each day, we seem to add another gem to the vault of software applications that we call the Click-N-Run Warehouse. Yesterday, we added a true treasure, Sun's StarOffice.

Tapping the Energy that Seeks Change... July 11, 2002

Thu, Jul 11 2002 15:41:17

When I started MP3.com four years ago, I knew that I was building something that would pave the landscape of the future of music delivery.

Do the Math...Dispel the Myths --July 2, 2002

Tue, Jul 02 2002 16:16:52

A reporter came by the Lindows.com offices last Friday. He told me that he wanted to try and use LindowsOS to write a story, but he didn't think it was possible because his office used Microsoft Word .doc files. I asked him to have a seat and watch

Lindows.com Report Card - June 26, 2002

Wed, Jun 26 2002 14:03:32

As summer arrives, many school children are coming home with their report cards. I thought this would be a good time to see what kind of grades Lindows.com received for their first 9 months in operation.

Wal-Mart, Warehouse, $299, Wow - June 17, 2002

Sun, Jun 16 2002 23:08:06

Today, we announced the first place in the world where you can buy a computer running LindowsOS - Walmart.com (lindows.com/walmart). The complete line-up of computers running LindowsOS ranges in price from $299- $599.

Revolutionizing Refrigerators � Star Trek Style- June 12, 2002

Wed, Jun 12 2002 14:10:08

Do you remember that contraption in Star Trek where they could just speak a food name and magically it would appear? I don't remember what it was called, but I always thought that would be an impressive contraption.

The Broadband OS - LindowsOS SPX - June 4, 2002

Tue, Jun 04 2002 13:07:05

During the past Memorial day weekend, my 16-year-old cousin George visited from out of town and wanted to see the Lindows.com offices. In spite of the holiday break, the office was teaming with people working to get the new product released. I sat Georg

Inside the Insider�s Program -May 29, 2002

Wed, May 29 2002 12:01:17

Many of you are eager to know what Lindows.com has in store in the coming months. I can tell you the Lindows.com team has been hard at work on the next LindowsOS Sneak Preview � SPX. Insiders can expect several improvements, including better browser suppo

Better Than a Pair of Old Gym Shoes - May 7, 2002

Tue, May 07 2002 10:35:27

I just bought a new pair of basketball shoes, even though I liked my old pair just fine. It wasn't until I strapped on the new ones on that I appreciated how improved they were. I had grown so accustomed to the old pair that I hadn't noticed the lack of

Is the Insider Program Right for You?

Wed, May 01 2002 14:19:14

Since announcing the Insider program in January of this year, a small, but enthusiastic group of people have signed on to assist us in the monumental undertaking of bringing choice to computers. We're tremendously grateful for their support and LindowsOS

A Million Windows? - April 23, 2002

Tue, Apr 23 2002 09:35:10

The next two weeks promise to be interesting ones as Microsoft ponies up people to testify in their court battles that a monopoly is a good thing for consumers, and by extension, that competition is a bad thing.

What is Click-N-Run? - April 18th, 2002

Mon, Apr 22 2002 09:58:20

LindowsOS Sneak Preview 2 debuted last week and a lot of you have sent me questions about Click-N-Run�, one of the most innovative features housed in the LindowsOS Sneak Preview 2.

LindowsOS Sneak Preview 2 - Now Playing- April 8, 2002

Mon, Apr 08 2002 13:48:45

About six months ago, we started building Lindows.com with the goal of bringing choice to the personal computer and today we're announcing a milestone � a further glimpse of Lindows.com�s Operating System, Sneak Preview 2.

The Desk Theory - April 3, 2002

Wed, Apr 03 2002 16:47:05

Remember when every house had just one television? Today, it�s not uncommon for families to have multiple televisions. The personal computer is poised to experience the same phenomenon. The tipping point will be when a personal computer is cheaper than th

Microsoft Loses Courtroom Battle Over Windows Trademark -March 18, 2002

Mon, Mar 18 2002 13:56:13

As most of you know, Microsoft filed a preliminary injunction suit against Lindows.com to immediately prevent us from using the terms �Lindows.com� and �LindowsOS.� Late Friday afternoon, we received the judge's ruling on this preliminary injunction port

Hard at work ... Sneak Preview 2 - 12 March 2002

Tue, Mar 12 2002 16:51:47

Sorry you haven't heard much from us over the last few weeks. Our 30 employees are hard at work readying a new version of Sneak Preview which will have a host of new features and a couple of surprises.

Legal Update - 14th Feb 2002

Thu, Feb 14 2002 00:40:39

Here's the latest news on our legal dispute with Microsoft Corporation. We recently submitted our papers in opposition to Microsoft's request to immediately block us from using our company name Lindows.com as well as our product name LindowsOS.

Our Sneak Preview is no longer vaporware - 4th Feb 2002

Thu, Jan 31 2002 17:47:18

Not too many months ago I sat around the "lucky table" my father-in-law gave me from his successful business days and hatched the plan for Lindows.com. I felt the world was out of balance...

Help US With Our Defense Against the Microsoft Lawsuit - 14th Jan 2002

Mon, Jan 14 2002 17:00:42

Some of you have asked about information on the trademark dispute with Microsoft Corporation, so here's a quick update and even a way that you can help us if you are so inclined.

Lindows.com 2001 Wrap-up - 31st Dec 2001

Thu, Jan 03 2002 00:00:00

We thought you'd want to be kept informed of developments at Lindows.com as we close out 2001 and head into 2002. First off, I have to apologize for not releasing our Sneak Preview as we talked about doing by the end of December. We're very close, but unf

Why Lindows.com? - 12th Dec 2001

Mon, Dec 31 2001 23:51:40

Many of you have taken the time to write me about my new venture Lindows.com� and I've tried my best to personally respond. The most common question asked is, "Why are you doing Lindows.com?" The answer is straightforward --