Fewer spots

Paid Content reports that the brilliant, almost "free" music-streaming Spotify is removing some songs from its vast library, and changing some rights within countries, becuase of "misunderstandings" with suppliers about initial licensing agreements. Spotify, which is in beta, relies on forced audio ads after every third or fourth track you listen to, or plans to charge daily, weekly or monthly online rates.

Linking park

I read this report on the BBC's Pete Clifton, talking to a Media Society event, about how the BBC News' site drive to "link out" is going. The article suggests that some of the links now featuring next to news stories are automatically generated by something called Newstracker.

Then I read this item from the BBC's excellent Radio Labs blog, which suggests they are using the Newstracker links to create more linked content from MusicBrainz, arguing that there's an editorial process behind them so they must be good stuff...

Methinks a conversation between departments might be needed - algorithm may be talking to algorithm.

More 3-D

Sony in Germany and the Max Planck Institute have published a paper on a transparent, organic, flexible screen to carry 3-D images.

Tiny now (about 8cm2), but how big and useful in 2012 ?

In quotes

Google have launched a beta service "In Quotes" which seeks to compare quoted remarks by opposing politicians - McCain and Obama in the USA, and Brown and Cameron in the UK are the default options on show. This used to be the territory of bright political researchers preparing briefs for Humphrys, Paxman etc, looking for gaps etc. Now the machine can do it....