HandiZoom Makes Video-Shooting SLRs Easier To Handle

The HandiZoom is handy. And it zooms

The HandiZoom is an add-on camera grip that makes your SLR handle more like a camcorder. A really big, heavy camcorder. It is currently at the prototype stage, but looks like it could prove popular with one-man crews shooting documentary footage.

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Metallica Eats Crow, Launches iTunes Discography

Tweaking for the iPod was blamed by the sound engineer for ruining their last album, but Metallica are about to release their complete discography on iTunes.

From their official website, they announce you can “Fill Up Your iPod With Metallica”
from March 31,  when   “The Complete Metallica,” a 163-track collection launches on iTunes.

In addition to studio albums that came out when Walkmans were the thing (and didn’t distort their music into meaningless clatter)  the collection includes a double live album, a double covers album and bonus live tracks.

No price information yet.

Via EarthTimes

iPod Ruined our Sound, Says Metallica

Too loud, too tinny, not any good. Our fault? No, way. Rusted rockers Metallica are blaming the iPod for ruining their sound, specifically the rattle and hum on latest effort ‘Death Magnetic.’ Fortunately, the WSJ is on the case (love the stipple portrait of Rick Rubin):

“The battle has roots in the era before compact discs. With vinyl records, “it was impossible to make loud past a certain point,” says Bob Ludwig, a veteran mastering engineer. But digital technology made it possible to squeeze all of the sound into a narrow, high-volume range. In addition, music now is often optimized for play on the relatively low-fidelity earbuds for iPods, reducing incentives to offer a broad dynamic range.”

Making Metallica’s clatter barely listenable on an iPod.
For better or worse, iPods have changed the way we listen.  The first time I really heard Mick Jagger singing backup on “You’re So Vain” it was on a secondhand first-generation iPod.

Anybody else?