The Reneka Techno is down again. Once more, the temperature probe that keeps my espresso machine operating found away to become corroded. It was only about a year ago that it was replaced. As Mayor Menino would say, “there’s something in the wata.” I tried sanding the thing down with an emery board, but what appeared to be a successful proved short-lived. Fortunately I have a spare probe around. It looks like I should start collecting them since the machine has been discontinued. One more task for this weekend.

Apple’s iPhone is now officially due on June 29 and will require a contract with AT&T, probably for 2 years. One of the criticisms of the iPhone I emphasized in an earlier article was that, though it has WiFi for high speed data, it relies on the relatively sluggish EDGE data network instead of the newer “3G” networks.

The truth is that, though EDGE is clearly slower than AT&T’s 3G network, neither network operates at maximum speeds most of the time. Word is that AT&T is busy upgrading their EDGE networks to make them more responsive. While this is not as good as a true 3G phone, it will certainly give the iPhone (and incidentally all other AT&T EDGE phones) a boost.

Apple’s latest iPhone ads are now available on the web.

How is it that every time I find myself getting drenched in the rain, everyone else seems to have an umbrella? Do these people bring umbrellas everywhere they go? Some will say that the secret is checking the weather, but unless the Weather Channel is your form of entertainment (and I assure you, it is not mine), I can’t imagine how one can be fastidious enough to avoid being caught unprepared in a surprise downpour.

Now time to tend to my soggy attire.

And I can’t wait for it.

It struck me today that people respond well to a reward system. It worked for Pavlov and his dog, so why not for people?

Life is busy. It has become more busy since the birth of my son, but like most people I am trying to keep multiple projects running smoothly. This takes organization and discipline to be sure, but I have realized that what I really need in my life is a reward system. As I complete each task, I give myself a little reward. This positive feedback reinforces my productive behavior and drives me to become more and more efficient until…I’m unstoppable.

Okay, so maybe there’s a point of diminishing returns, but I think it is already working. This weekend, I worked on 2 abstracts due this coming week for the American Society of Nephrology. I updated both my blogs. I did some cleaning around the house. I bought my son some new clothes and of course spent the large part of the weekend playing with him. I went to the gym. I backed up my hard disk. You get the idea.

So what’s wrong with a little reward. I made myself some nice chocolate walnut brownies. This is supposed to be a “light” recipe, so it’s okay that all that’s left is in the picture above, right? I’ll try this reward system out for a while. Either I’ll become more efficient or significantly heavier.

Earlier this week, Apple introduced iTunes Plus, a new format for music now available from its popular online music store. What’s the big deal?

The original audio from CDs is uncompressed and would take up a lot of space on computer hard disks and iPods. To solve this problem, iTunes compresses the audio by looking for sounds that aren’t heard very well by the human ear and throwing them out. This results in music files that take up considerably less space on disk but sacrifice some audio quality. Apple tries to maximize the quality by using a format called AAC (slightly higher quality than the popular MP3 format) and using a moderate level of compression (what is called 128 kilobits per second). For many non-audiophiles listening through standard iPod headphones, it is hard to tell the difference between 128 kbps AAC audio and the original CD. As digital audio has become more popular, these files are now being played through higher quality headphones and stereo systems where the subtle differences in quality are more evident.

One other aspect of traditional iTunes files is that they have a form of copy protection called Digital Rights Management (or DRM). This is a system designed to prevent you from illegally “sharing” this music with others who have not purchased it. As will all copy protection, the same features that help prevent unauthorized use can also inconvenience honest people. iTunes is reasonable generous: it lets you copy the music onto 5 computers at a time and an unlimited number of iPods. However, non-iPod music players (like your cell phone) do not recognize Apple’s version of DRM and cannot play this music. Nor can iPod competitors like the Creative Zen or Microsoft Zune. DRMs have largely been promoted by music companies and, in particular, the unpopular Recording Industry Association of America.

One might think that Apple would be a supporter of this kind of DRM since, once you have purchased music with Apple’s DRM, it can only be played on Apple devices. It turns out that this is not the stance Apple is taking. This is in part because of pressure on Apple from some European countries to make their music more interchangeable, but also likely because DRM can frustrate users and lead to fewer digital music purchases.

iTunes Plus addresses both the quality and the DRM issue. This format uses AAC at 256 kbps, which improves quality by using less compression. As a result, the files are bigger but should sound better. These files are also DRM-free. It’s still illegal to give the music to others, but you can freely copy it to as many of your computers, phones, and mp3 without restriction. There is no technical limitation to doing what you want with the music.

If you buy singles, the price for iTunes $1.29, 30 cents more than the lower-quality, DRM protected tracks. Albums are the same price. Right now, only EMI’s music is available in the plus format, but others will soon follow. In my mind, it’s a no-brainer. The higher quality may or may not be noticeable on your audio system, but the freedom from dealing with the hassle of DRM is most certainly worth it. It will ensure that your music will play on whatever hardware you choose in the future.

The iPhone is coming! I just watched the Apple keynote from January again. This phone is going to be amazing. As someone who rarely has the same phone for more than 6 months, my Treo 700p and Samsung SGH-D900 are starting to look dated. What’s so great about the iPhone? I try to fill all the empty moments of my day (walking down the street, waiting in line, etc.) with some sort of entertainment or education. The iPod is great for this, but it’s a pain to carry an additional device. The iPhone has the potential to replace my iPod, Treo, and regular cell phone in a slim, sleek, touch-screen powered phone. This is going to be nice. The only questions still lingering: a) is Cingular the new AT&T going to gouge me on service b) is this thing going to be sold out everywhere? Time will tell. The end of June is fast approaching.