Amazon Launches Online Music Streaming Service
Simply upload your music to Amazon's servers and play them via the web or via Android. The new service dubbed Cloud Player works with the current Cloud Drive service which allows users to store any data up to 5 GB for free.
Google and Apple are rumored to be working on their own cloud-based players, but with the launch of Cloud Player, Amazon is the first to market.
Cloud Player works extremely well with the Amazon MP3 store, but can also handle music from post-DRM iTunes as well as other unencrypted music sources.
Cloud Player does not blow your mind, but rather gets the job done simply. Hopefully, this is an early release with more features to come.
Learn more about Amazon Cloud Drive and Amazon Cloud Player.
PBS Special Investigates the Outsourcing of Aircraft Maintenance
PBS FRONTLINE and the Investigative Reporting Workshop examined the growing trend of outsourcing major airline repair work to lower-cost independent maintenance operations in the special Flying Cheaper. The segment points out issues at one facility, but the safety records of US airlines suggest air travel is safer than ever before. What is the truth of the situation industry-wide? Obviously, finding glaring issues is good for production and entertainment, but how many of the major airlines are turning to incompetent subcontractors? Is this more of an issue for regional jet carriers? International carriers? Obviously, airlines are in the business of transporting passengers and cargo. The aircraft, interiors, in-flight entertainment, avionics, engines, etc are all built by specialized sub-contractors. It makes sense that the maintenance of all those items could be handled with more care and at a lower cost by a specialized subcontractor, and true free-market competition has always demonstrated benefits. As flyers we forget how dynamic the air transport industry can be. We like to have a carrier you can trust to take you anywhere, whether that be Dubai or Jackson Hole. Delta, United, and Continental provide that service, but to do it well they need to have a very diverse fleet of aircraft for all the different routings and passenger capacities. This means lots of different training for pilots, flight attendants, ground crews, and maintenance crews. Look at United’s mainline fleet. Maintenance operations need to support the A319, A320, B744, B752, B763, and B772. Scheduling the right crews to the right aircraft is inefficient. For example, United only flies 24 B744s, so what does a B744 trained maintenance crew do when all the B744s do not need maintenance or FAA checks? You could train them on another airframe, but it increases the likelihood of getting confused or having to more frequently look up information which wastes time. Rather imagine a maintenance company that specializes in B744s and services United, Lufthansa, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana, and Singapore. All are members of Star Alliance so there is a willingness to cooperate. All operate B744s and some airlines only in the single digits. The maintenance company would have facilities across the globe to support these clients so it makes relocating aircraft for repair significantly easier. You have crews who become experts on one airframe. It is better and cheaper for everyone involved.
Netflix Comes to iPhone/iPodTouch/iPad
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is introducing the Netflix app for iPhone OS.
- Coming this summer for free
- Same service you're used to on your iPhone OS device
- Start on your TV and pick up wherever you'd like
- Personalized recommendations
- Access to Netflix's complete library
About Me
Jason IshibashiBS in Computer Science with focus in Getting Stuff Done, Social Media, Social Networking, Teamwork, Leadership, Personal Finance, Young Business, High School and College Education, Web 2.0. Mentor through Future Business Leaders of America, and program staff for Destination Imagination in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties.
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Jason Ishibashi
