Signals

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Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jul 03, 2018  | 
There are things we know to be true. Sometimes we don't want to admit they are true. Sometimes we just don't get around to admitting them and instead carry them around as unspoken truths. But when I read the Grace Notes blog yesterday, a truth dawned on me, and now I'm ready to admit it.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jun 19, 2018  | 
With all due respect to sloths (arboreal mammals that hang upside down from trees) we (humans) are total sloths (ie. reluctant to work or make an effort; lazy). To prove my point, your Honor, I submit Exhibit A, those red Netflix mail-in envelopes.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jun 05, 2018  | 
You probably saw the news story last week. Unbeknownst to them, a couple's Alexa Echo recorded their conversation, then emailed it to someone in their contact list. Creepy. Here's how you can determine what Alexa has recorded in your house, and edit the archive and delete files.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  May 22, 2018  | 
It was an internet sensation, that's for sure. And a real head-scratcher, too. People listened to the same audio clip, and heard two completely different words. Much like the black/blue-white/gold dress craze that visually swept the internet three years ago, yanny/laurel did the same thing, but aurally.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  May 15, 2018  | 
"I live my life a quarter mile at a time."

Who uttered that famous declaration? Was it: a) Confucius, b) Friedrich Nietzsche, c) Vin Diesel, d) Dominic Toretto? Of course, that is a trick question because both “c” and “d” are correct. The movie was The Fast and the Furious , a cinematic masterpiece about street racing and skid marks.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  May 08, 2018  | 
My 1961 BMW R50/2 motorcycle is a Beemer. On the other hand, the 4-wheeled vehicle you drive with a blue-and-white roundel on the hood is a Bimmer. Now that she's in bed with BMW, Alexa needs to brush up on her nomenclature.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Apr 25, 2018  | 
Sun Tzu was a Chinese general and military theorist living in the 6th century B.C. He was the author of The Art of War, a treatise on military strategy and tactics. In addition to its profound military importance, his work has influenced many other competitive enterprises. I imagine that business executives are studying Sun Tzu right now, as they plan for one of the greatest corporate wars of all time.
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Apr 17, 2018  | 
Singing roads. You know - when they mess up a perfectly smooth section of pavement to vibrate your tires to create rhythm and pitch. Music, or psychological torture? You decide.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Apr 03, 2018  | 
When you buy a fine automobile such as a Rolls Royce, you have a chauffeur drive you around. When you buy a fine automatic Rolex, you store it in a watch winder so it winds itself. And now, when you buy a fine piano such as a Steinway, it plays itself.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Mar 20, 2018  | 
Keeping track of Apple rumors is a full-time job. And I must admit that since I am not an Apple fanboy, I don't really pay close attention. But one persistent rumor is that Apple will soon launch a new headphone — and dare I say it — it may be an audiophile headphone.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Mar 06, 2018  | 
Today, Spotify is a privately-owned company. But in a few weeks, it will go public. That means you will have the opportunity to buy stock in the company. The question is, do you feel lucky?

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Feb 27, 2018  | 
You just bought a Tesla. Congratulations! You, my friend, are driving the wave of the future. While everyone else is burning dinosaur droppings, you are propelled ever onward by the magical energy of the sun and the wind. Gaia, the primal Mother Earth Goddess, loves you.
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Feb 20, 2018  | 
If you're like me, you wake up every morning from a wonderful dream where you own a LP replication plant. In your factory, plastic goes in, and plastic goes out. Except that the outgoing plastic has magical shapes pressed into it. Now my dream, and yours, can come true.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Feb 06, 2018  | 
Today is the big day. Or rather, today is the heavy day. The day that the Falcon Heavy is (finally) scheduled for blast-off. Yes, it might be scrubbed. Or it might just blow up. If it launches, it will be an important day in the history of car stereo.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jan 16, 2018  | 
The CES exhibits officially closed Friday at 4 pm, West Coast time, although a CES Closing Party was scheduled to run until 4 am. I did not attend that party.

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