I was thinking yesterday that VCRs really should come with built in flash memory to store time-shift programs on so that that information isn't lost when the power goes out.

Maybe they already do.

Anyway, they're starting to use flash disks in hard-disks [pcmag] to improve speed and power usage and it's doing very well.

Cheap solid state memory should make as much difference to our lives as cheap powerful chips they've put in everything from toasters to washing machines. Imagine if your toaster could remember how many pieces of toast it has toasted and could ask you if you'd like some toast?

TOAST!

I haven't mentioned it much lately. Don't get me wrong, I'm still interested, I just haven't felt like writing about it. I've lost the urge to just link and say "this rocks, look at it".

We still seem to be stuck in a halfway point between the record companies "getting it" and "hanging on to their $15m houses with both hands and not letting go". They're trying but they're so far from reality it hurts to watch.

EMI has released an ad supported P2P service. Search for your song, download, share, listen "a number of times", then buy if you like it. Yawn. It's a new format that won't work on MP3 players, they only have EMI music and I suspect (although can't be bothered checking) that it's USA only as usual. No lossless.

But something must be changing in music corporate land. The ex-head of the RIAA is beginning to rethink their policy of sue-the-fan and DRM [BoingBoing]. Although she only said she thinks they should "rethink their policy" which could mean killing "pirates" using tanks of electric eels so I'll hold back on commenting on this for the moment.

Meanwhile, the "pirate party" has moved to the US [BoingBoing]. I don't think any party with a single policy (copyright reform) is going to do very well, particularly with a view as extreme as theirs, but then the "No Pokies" party got two upper house seats in the South Australia...