A gadget with soul

It's funny how vinyl is back in.

Producers are picking through their grandparents vinyl collection, enthusiasts are flying overseas on trips for one purpose: Vinyl Shopping, and beginners are seeing P Money swipe the record backwards and it makes a cool noise.

There's been bugger all discussion on the iPods effect on radio. I'd like to think there is next to no effect. I cannot see at this moment how the appeal of a random (or playlist) portable music player can pull me away from listening to the radio. We've had playlists in another form recently with online radio stations ("make your own"), yet local radio listenership is growing. There's been many different gadgets along the way (who had a portable DAT player??)

The gadget with soul has been with us almost as long as commercial radio itself, yet radio still exists. People still demand it. This gadget of course is the walkman (note the lowercase w). We've been able to make our own playlists for years - back then they were called 'mix-tapes'. I think Dubbers idea of a warm fuzzy analog skin with digital innards is pretty neat though.

Phones are becoming walkie-talkies now, iPods are merging into cellphones. Apple have teamed up with Motorola. Microsoft are in bed with Nokia.
What is happening? Technology eating itself?

I purchased Green Day's awesome "American Idiot" album on MC the other day (music cassette) for $6. I have The Warehouse to thank for importing these. Maybe cassette is the new vinyl - its certainly a lot more portable in the car.

Mine still has a tape player. Yours?