Apple's Genius is (Close to) Genius

Apple have just released iTunes 8 with a new feature they've called Genius. It operates in two ways. Firstly when you select and play a track a list appears in the Genius sidebar listing similar tracks that you can explore, and most importantly from their point of view, buy, from the iTunes store. The other way that Genius operates is to create a playlist from your own iTunes library after you click the magic button, having selected an initial song from your library. It's a bit like listening to a familiar and trusted radio station in that if the songs are in your library it stands to reason that you probably like them. What's brilliant about it is the fact that songs pop up that you may well not have listened to in ages. . . years in my case!

I selected Late Night Grande Hotel by the wonderful Nanci Griffiths and clicked the Genius button and this was what popped up from my 40,000 plus iTunes library.

Late Night Grande Hotel • Nanci Griffith
Love Hurts • Emmylou Harris
Texas Trilogy: Bosque County Romance • Lyle Lovett
I Will • Alison Krauss
Night Life • Willie Nelson
The Consequences of Falling • k.d. lang
Keep on the Sunny Side • The Carter Family
It's Just Another Morning Here • Nanci Griffith
Honky Tonkin' • Hank Williams
Gentle On My Mind • Glen Campbell
When You Are Old • Gretchen Peters
Here You Come Again • Dolly Parton
I'm Movin' On • Hank Snow
All I Have To Do Is Dream • Glen Campbell with Bobby Gentry
Return Of The Grievous Angel • Gram Parsons
These Days In An Open Book • Nanci Griffith
I'd Rather Be A Cowboy (Lady's Chains) • John Denver
Maybe • Alison Krauss
Crazy • Willie Nelson
Boulder To Birmingham (live) • Emmylou Harris
After The Gold Rush • Harris, Parton, Ronstadt
Tortured, Tangled Hearts • Dixie Chicks
Gulf Coast Highway • Nanci Griffith
I'll Come Knockin' • Lyle Lovett
Talking In Your Sleep • Crystal Gayle

Some people aren't quite so sure about the idea. On the Guardian's blog there's a note of caution about it becomming a de facto music subscription service. I see the point, but that only works if you dip your hand in your pocket and buy the track. There's another blog, from Canada, that argues is Genius, Good or Evil? My first impression? I think it's Genius, even though some f the track selections are a little quirky.

Get Your Mac Fixed

We're a Mac house, and not just because we're here in Scotland! I run a G5 tower, an Intel Macbook Pro and Mr's H. an Intel Mac mini (she preferred her old iMac but I was anxious to keep us up to date). Our biggest problem is networking because our walls are so thick that airport struggles. We have a system called homeplug that connects into the power socket and turns them into network ports.

Off and on we've been having problems with the Intel Mac mini, which is upstairs, and today we seem to have a fix on it, thanks to Kevan at Fix My Mac.

Kevan has been our one stop shop for all things Mac for 8 months or so and is a genius. If you live in Edinburgh, the Lothian’s or even further a field Fix My Mac is the answer. On his web site Kevan says there's an emphasis on service - he is totally correct.