Music to your ears: A blagger's guide to Last.fm

Last.fm?! I hear you shriek in dismay, what's that?! Should I 'have' it? What aren't you telling me?!?!?

These are just a few of the panicked questions I hope to answer.

I'm not a Last.fm legend by any means, in fact currently my apparent number of listened to tracks stands at a measly four thousand, but I think it's an excellent Web 2.0 resource, and anyone who calls themselves a music lover should check it out.

Last.fm, first and foremost, is a website (http://www.last.fm) which keeps track of what music YOU listen to, as well as suggesting new music you might enjoy. All you have to do is sign up and let your media player know what your Last.fm details are (personally I'd recommend Songbird, but more on that later) and away you go!

The site itself began when two of its founders, Felix Miller and Martin Stiksel, who were running an online record label to promote new and unknown bands, joined up with Richard Jones, who was tracking his and his friends' listening habits using a program called Audioscrobbler, to bring their projects together in 2005 to create Last.fm as we know it today.

The site itself says it's:

"about making music culture more democratic: everyone listening to music how they want to, when they want to. Without a middle man making your decisions for you."

Bizarrely, it actually pulls this off, creating a playlist for you of recommended music even if you chose one band. But hang on, how can we know that the site doesn't just push bands which pay it more money? The truth is we can't ever know for sure, but it's easy to believe that it really isn't all about the money with this site, simply from the wide range of new music available.

There are some drawbacks however, you need to have an audio player which talks nicely to the site in order for your music to show (luckily most major ones are already compatible) and if you are away from your computer and just fancy some music you can go on there, but you can't listen through all the tunes from a certain band, instead the site offers similar bands after the first track, which can become irritating.

Providing you have the right media player though, actually using the site is a piece of cake, since everything is automated, so you can go on and find out just how worryingly addicted to Less Than Jake you are.

Songbird, the free open source player from the Firefox crew, Mozilla, has just released its 1.0.0 version, so it's early days, but it is one of the most customizable music players in existence, offering countless add-ons for everything from Album art to quizzes and, naturally, full Last.fm scrobbling (that's shoving the songs you're listening to on the site by the by).

So, there you have it. Last.fm is a tool, but a fun one, and when coupled with one of the most versatile media players ever conceived there really has never been a better time to be a music fan.

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Now playing: Manic Street Preachers - Send Away The Tigers

Cast of Tintin film "Secret of the Unicorn" announced

After all these months (or years, if you're a slightly older chap/chapette) there are finally some concrete details on the trilogy of Tintin adventures coming to the big screen.

The Times tells us today in a piece on The Times Online that the all-star cast will include Mr Bond himself, Daniel Craig, Middle Earth's most weird-talking minion Gollum, Andy Serkis, and as the jolly ginger journalist himself...

The boy from Billy Elliot: Jamie Bell.

Also said to appear are Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, as bowler hat-wearing detectives Thompson and Thompson, which is interesting when you consider a comment on the story made by Mark from Woking:

"They gave Simon Pegg, the guy who is the spitting image of Tintin, the part of one of the Thomson detectives...?!?! "

Of course, since it's a CGI animation, you won't be too confused by Pegg's ginger-ness (even if it would be concealed below a hat) but he is clearly a man you think of when you think of ginger stereotypes.

Directing duties go to the on-again/off-again film-making wizard Steven Spielberg, who's teamed up with Lord of The Rings helmsman Peter Jackson to make "up to three films" starring the plucky young Belgian.

Aparently there are even a few new characters, such as Tintin's (seemingly nameless) Editor, who surely should be played by a ruffled Steven Fry (in a mash of the mild-mannered QI host and spagetti-brained General Melchett), since the poor man received only one story from Tintin throught the entire 24 story series.

The real question though, is: will it work?

We all have some knowledge of Tintin, even if it's just "Isn't that the ginger Belgian fellow?", but can this largely Brit cast directed by Americans do justice to a franchise which is as close to bizarre adventure as Indiana Jones? (which Spielberg also directed let's not forget)

Being animation, there's infinitely more possibilities to what can be done, but it's not that which will be the problem, it's what can be done 'convincingly'.

Either the film will take itself seriously and go for action, suspense with a slice of comic relief (what else are Pegg and Frost going to be for?) or they take things with a pinch of salt, be true to the character but stray from the well-established story and before you know it there's aliens and flying monkeys everywhere...sound familiar?

That said, it is early days, and despite being a bit of a fan myself (you really don't have to look far to find me with my branded tshirt and messenger bag...) we should definitely give it some time to take shape for we form too many pre-conceptions, but probably the most important thing for the team to remember is:

It just wouldn't be Tintin without Snowy.

So it's the great noughties depression is it?

With the news that the country is in 'official' recession, it's time to address the issue once and for all.

Rule of thumb states a country must go through two consecutive quarters of consecutive negative growth to be 'in recession'. Finally, this has been confirmed in Britain, but does that really matter now?

Some economists claim the country has being going down the tubes since April last year, while many countless thousands have lost their jobs while the country fidgeted uneasily in limbo, unsure whether reality was as horrificly dim as it seemed.

"There is no fear, but fear itself": an easy thing to say, but much harder to do, personally I prefer my own version: "The only real way to overcome fear, is to face it".

Currently, people who were once in the most secure of jobs are tugging at their collars nervously, but the foundation of the problem (as far as I can make out) is the general public's fear of losing everything.

Of course it's easy for students to remain unaffected; they either had no money in the first place (those un-subsidised by parents or Government) or are striving on blindly regardless (the rest). Businesses themselves are obviously the most affected area, as I reported only a few weeks ago, but individual's savings up to £50,000 are guaranteed by law, so by rights the long winding queues of Northern Rock's demise are, or should be, a thing of the past.

Sadly, children's lives aren't necessarily so blessed, with house repossessions rising to one per seven (SEVEN!) minutes according to the ONS.

I've come up with a simple solution: stop going on about it.

Fair enough, it might take a year or two before things are running smoothly again, but nothing is going to move forward while people are still worrying and paralysed by indecision on whether they should go on that holiday to Tuscany.

To that end, I'm going to do my part for my 'master plan' to fight the forces of shock-and-awe journalism and not mention the financial crisis, the credit crunch, the downturn, the recession, the collapse of the high street or sub-prime mortgages anymore.

It's not that I don't appreciate there's a problem, I just attribute a lot of it down to the typical mass hysteria and scaremongering from the venomous tabloids, though in contrast some papers got the right idea.

At the end of day history takes it's course, insert whatever generic saying you like, but this is something British people can actually affect, perhaps it's time to be a little more selfish and worry about our own future first before we paw with futility at the next biggest buzz-kill: the environment.

Barack Obama: It's about life...It's about change...It's about Bono at ANOTHER concert...

As America seems to already be settling in to the idea of having a new man in charge of the keys of the White House, plans have been announced to hold a celebratory bash two days before the new President is sworn in on January 20.

The ever-patriotic Bono with the rest of U2 in tow are one of the many big names who have decided to play to usher in this time of change for the American people.

As impressive and feel-good as it may be to have a big party with a host of big stars, there’s no escaping that Obama’s time will be a difficult one, though he should be able to avoid pissing off the entire country so long as he doesn’t invade anywhere...at least not until his second term.

The gathering is said to focus on ‘unification’ and ‘history’, rather than a stream of self-indulgence like the Live 8 or Live Earth events that have taken place in recent years.

Stars have been asked to play songs which reflect the nature of the event, whatever that means, but it seems Obama is already being likened to Abraham Lincoln, the well-known American president who won the election through his vicious debates with opponent Stephen A Douglas about the slave trade. Interestingly, Lincoln was a Republican, not a Democrat like Obama, but already he’s being likened to this strong historical figure, hopefully this does not suggest the direction which his political career will take absolutely...since Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth and killed.

Judgement and criticism should be reserved for a few months time, when the US economy will surely either have rallied or sunk, since there can be no other option, but for now the reality TV nature of this new presidency and its overt celebrity star cannot go ignored.

Everyone knows that thing can change, but few seem to remember that change goes two ways.

The future's bright, the future's...green

As if there were no end to the Great Green Revolution, gadgets are now no longer safe from an environmental reform.

Surely the most obvious way to minimise your carbon footprint would be to dispense with the sort of gadgets people didn't need five years ago, like hair straighteners and satellite navigation systems? No? OK, probably too obvious.

The latest news of change in the way we pick our latest tech is that retailers are going to begin advertising hardware by its 'Green Index', essentially displaying on the shelf whether the company that makes it has done so in a 'green' way.

According to the BBC, the CEA (Consumer Electronics Association) has uncovered research suggesting this would be favourably adopted by consumers:

"Green is becoming a purchasing factor," said Steve Koening, director of industry analysts at the CEA, "More than half are willing to pay a little more for 'green' and 22% said they were willing to pay up to 15% more for it." BBC Online

But what does this mean for prices and sales figures? Needless to say people are already tightening their belts and all those other terrible clichés, but if the 'staying in is the new going out' mantra catches on, people will increasingly be investing in Blu-Ray and HDTV to get high definition entertainment in their own home.

22% is not even close to a majority, and generally people who are technologically focused aren't necessarily 'green', but that trend is changing as recycling becomes the norm, so much so that it's almost a social faux pas to throw something in the normal bin which could be recycled.

It's only a matter of time before we start to see the long term effects of the eco-concious lifestyle, not on the environment itself (that ship sailed decades ago), but on our high streets.

2009: excitement and horror in journalism jobs

A new year, a new start, or so goes the old cliché.

Of course, for many people the new year will bring as much misery and boredom as the previous year did, but generally it's obvious that due to 2008 being pretty dire, 2009 will be a step up for most people. A chance to prove yourself that 'things can only get better'.

People are keen to leave horrors like the to oft mentioned credit crunch, wildly fluctuating petrol prices and death of high street main-stays like Woolworths and Zavvi behind, but there's a real chance that 2009's economic climate will be even worse, causing more job losses and tightening of pockets.

Economics though, as much as it interests me, is not afront my mind this year, because this is the year I have to get a job, hopefully a good job.

On last count there were around 100 journo jobs on Gorkana, so with all the doom and gloom there are jobs out there, albeit probably not dream jobs, but this isn't the most fun time of year for that sort of thing.

Magazines are where it's at, but with BBC Mags on a recruitment freeze (though the Deputy Head himself admitted to being horribly bad at enforcing it), things still seem bleak. Opportunities abroad seem to be becoming more common, with vacancies boasting exotic locations such as Lisbon, Dubai, Frankfurt, Abu Dabi and Cyprus.

The thought of leaving the rainy shores of England for a warmer climate may seem exciting, but there is of course the uncertainty of whether it will pay off, not to mention adapting to a new culture - depending on which destination you choose - may prove difficult.

In the end, this is a time to be bold. Whatever the end result, one thing is certain: luck and determination will mean more than qualifications ever have.

The first day of the rest of your life...

So I've had my first week in the land of 21 and already things seem very grown up from the outside looking in.

I've been spending my days at Nintendo Wii magazine NGamer, and compared to the week before it's got a very different atmosphere, more casual and communal.

Here in Bath there's a whole different feel to things, with upwards of 40 magazines (or so, I haven't exactly counted) in the building there's plenty of people around all the time.

Guitar Hero controllers litter the floor all around, interspersed with giant flat-screen televisions and ancient issues of Future (Publishing) mags like Powerstation and Official Playstation 2 Magazine.

There's been plenty to do and get involved in, and I even managed to get my hands on the brand new issue before subscribers and anyone else will see it! The most reassuring moment was when I thought up an idea for a feature, and then was told it was in the new issue, least it means I'm on track.

Come January it's time to head back to London for DVD and Blu-Ray Review, here's hoping it brings another different experience again.

Oh and, Merry Christmas all.

Premiere of Jim Carrey's "Yes Man"

There's plenty of things worth getting excited about, but as it goes a World Premiere of a film is pretty high up the list.

Standing on the red carpet outside Vue's West End einema the excitement all around was palpable, there were screams of "I love you Jim" as Mr Carrey talked cheerily with photographers about his latest film "Yes Man".

On the chilly London evening, minor celebrities trickled in, the women posing on the red carpet pointedly...even if mose people didn't know who they were.

The biggest names amounted to a couple of people from last year's X-Factor, as well as Anthony Head, of Buffy and Little Britain fame, and BBC 5-Live presenter Richard Bacon.

The night was suitably clown-like, with Carrey putting on a show for his public and personally introducing the film in typical OTT style, complete with massive gestures and strange voices.

The film itself was distinctly average. There were some worryingly cringe-worthy moments, and an entertaining turn from New Zealander Rhys Darby as the ever-optimistic Norman (or Norm, to his friends).

The concept is a simple one: say yes to everything, no matter how bad it might be or rediculous it might seem, and you will be able to live life to the full.

Carrey's character, Carl, finds himself being dragged to a conference for the pioneer of this way of thinking, Terrence Bundley, played enthusiastically by Terence Stamp, where he is mandandled into taking it up, with typically hilarious consequences.

The problem is, as always, is that if you don't like Jim Carrey, you won't like this film.

Carrey has tried to break out of his stereotype with films like Enternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Number 23, which had varying success, but he just doesn't have the conviction to make a character more than an updated version of Ace Ventura 90% of the time.

For Carrey films this is another addition to fun flicks like the questionable 'Fun With Dick and Jane' or the more impressive 'Bruce Almighty' but when you make a film based on such a simple idea and don't expand on it, a simple film is what you get.

Batman storms onto DVD, but what of Blu-ray?

It feels like a long time since Christopher Nolan's masterpiece hit cinemas in July this year, but yesterday The Dark Knight hit supermarket shelves nationwide, creating a frenzied hoarde of Bat-fans.

HMV coaxed potential shoppers into pre-ordering the epic for £11.99, and throwing in a graphic novel into the bargain, but then subsequently dropped the in-store price for £9.99 in the first week.

The reason? Other than almost betraying the hard-core fans who pre-ordered back in September, the emphasis has shifted from DVD to Blu-ray.

The ultra-cool format boasts increased capacity, allowing shed-loads of special features and numerous times better picture quality, but we've heard this before now, why is it that the shift in marketing has happened now?

Blu-rays war with HDDVD ended earlier this year, with the major film companies who had backed the losing format sheepishly creeping over to Blu-ray, and with Toshiba now having developing new players, the great war is over.

Retailers have waited to strike until Christmas because plenty of people will be forking out on Blu-ray players this year, now that the latest players have the option to connect to the internet to update themselves, and are finally trickling down in price to something affordable.

The Dark Knight was just the vehicle the shops needed to force Blu-ray to the front of people's minds and is currently the highest selling Blu-ray in the USA and UK. Plus it's not just an empty vessel, there's oceans of hot action content and special features to get people's tongues wagging, particularly the Joker's altercation with an articulated lorry and the Batmobile's destruction.

But will it last? DVD is only 10 years old this year and there's little inducation of it going the way of the dodo already. The trouble is that you have to fork out on expensive full HD TVs and 7.1 sound to make it worthwhile and at £25 or so for the titles themselves, the price will have to drop a fair way before the mass market gets on board.

Public perceptions of the format are still positive, but only in another year or so will it be clear how well the retailers Christmas marketing paid off for them in the long run.

For the time being, I'll be looking forward to seeing the film on 'traditional' DVD.

A day at EMPIRE: The World's Biggest Movie Magazine

Well I've made it, the clock has struck 6pm and my first day of work placement at EMPIRE is over.

There's no question it's been overwealming, and perhaps I feel as though I could have accomplished more, but I'm happy with the day, and most importantly, I've enjoyed myself.

My first taste of the industry has been as entertaining as I expected, with stories and comments flying around the office and big Hollywood names being name-checked here and there throughout.

I didn't get off to the best start, having been told to go to the FIRTH floor instead of the FORTH, but there's still time to turn around those first impressions, and everyone I've met is very nice.

I won't (t)witter on about it too much, but there's no signs of the credit crunch dampening people's spirits in this festive Christmas season.

The office, littered with EMPIRE issues as you'd expect, is also complete with a pool table to unwind with, as well as a couple of shiny big screen TVs for those all-important DVD views.

Most impressively though, is the A1 cardboard representations of some of the magazine's most iconic covers, which brought a warm smile to my face as soon as I arrived.

As well as that there seems to be a large amount of Star Wars related things lying around, fingers crossed that my new T-shirt in the same vein will make a good impression later in the week.

Stay tuned for more.