The world as frankps sees it!
Culture
Kate Havneviks debut album Melankton sounds superb
1
Yesterday I bought the album Melankton from Kate Havnevik. I visited the iTMS for the first time in a month or two, and the system recommended the album. I listened to a few of the songs and was totally impressed. A minute later the album was bought and downloaded. I had never heard of this Norwegian artist before, and I guess I know why… The album is to hit the shelves in music shops here in Norway April 3rd. Worldwide presales of the album started a little bit earlier on iTunes Music Store.
The whole album has a high quality. Not only the songs, but also the recordings. Some of the songs reminds me of Björk. From the Wikipedia entry about her you can read that she actually got help from Guy Sigsworth, who has been working with Seal, Björk, Madonna. The record is also partly recorded in Reykjavik, Iceland. Kate has, as many artists these days, released her album through her own record label, Continentica Records.
Update – 04.04.06:
The two biggest Norwegian newspapers VG and Dagbladet have published their reviews (VG and Dagbladet) of the record (both only available in Norwegian). I was surprised to see that it only got 2 and 3 out of 6. Well, well, music taste is personal.
High Def DVD Battle Rages On At CeBit
05 years ago
One of the bigger thing at Cebit (to kick of tomorrow) will clearly be HD media and TV/DVD in particular. HDTV broadcasting has started and will probably accelerated from the soccer World Cup this summer. HD DVD (both HD-DVD and Blueray) are to hit the market this spring, and the second VHS/Betamax format war will start. Several manufacturers will show their line of models here for the first time. But is this what consumers really want? Are they not satisfied with DVD for now. Is not Video-On-Demand (VOD) over high quality broadband what consumers would prefer?
Well, the battle will start: Microsoft, Intel and Toshiba (HD-DVD) on one side, and Sony, Philips, Matsushita on the other side. I hope that Microsoft looses this one. As far as I have understood it, HD-DVD is based on WMV. Microsoft shouldn’t get itself another monopoloy. And for now things looks good for Blueray, as Sony has gotten support all Hollywood’s major studios so that consumers will get a wide selection of content. Blueray also have a far larger capacity then HD-DVD, as it can contain 50 GB per disc. Futher disk might contain up to 200 GB, at least that is what Sony is experimenting with. HD-DVD starts on 15 GB and only has a roadmap up to 90 GB. Blueray will probably also get a boost by Playstation 3.
I will probably try to limit myself to an internal Blueray PC-drive together with the just announced new version of CyberLink PowerDVD. The new version will be able to play both formats. I am simply tired of changing my home cinema equipment every year. Oh, look there is a new audio or video format, I have to change this or that. I think most people are getting tired of it.
Google Video: So, so bad
0I recently visited http://video.google.com and went wtf? Appearently TheRegister asked more or less the same question: Google and CBS release embarrassment of a video store.
I belive that releasing a store with such a bad design after Apple great iTMS, you will only run in to trouble. I guess I am not the only one more or less begging Apple to bring their video store when having seen Google’s solution. Where are you Apple?
Serenity on DVD
06 years ago
I have been a big fan of Firefly ever since last time I visited Germany. Me and the gang watched the complete series then. I haven’t had the chance to buy the Firefly boxset yet, but I will as soon as the price is acceptable.
One thing I have bought is the Serenity movie on DVD, and it is almost as great as the TV series. Serenity is also available on UMD, and Universal yesterday announced that they will be publishing Serenity as one of their first HD DVDs. I can hardly wait till that happens. I will not be buying many HD DVDs or Blue-ray movies, but sit down and wait for the 2nd BETAMAX war to be over!
Having said that, I bought my first HD DVD close to a year ago.
I’ve just bought KONTROLL on DVD
0Last week I saw a great Hungarian movie directed by Nimród Antal, called Kontroll.
The movie caught me with surprise and was quite an adreline kick. I know the massive subway system in Budapest which provided the stunning setting for KONTROLL, very well after year of use. But I never thought of it like this.
The movie is a high-speed romantic thriller in which the lives of assorted outcasts, lovers, and dreamers intersect and collide, and where one young hero, one mysterious maiden, and one particularly nasty killer must conduct a race against time, trains, and destiny itself in their frantic pursuit of one another.
KONTROLL has been awarded Film Festival prices and was Hungary’s most successful film in the domestic box office in 2003. I’ve just ordered it on DVD, and suggest you do the same. It’s such a great movie.
Check the trailer, requires QuickTime and visit it’s official web site.