itunes affiliates

ONLINE

Microsoft launched their Music Store (in beta) yesterday. Nothing about it jumps out as unique. The TV and MOVIES tabs are intriguing, but basically worthless for content. And you need Passport to buy. Blech. However, gotta love team picture. (More review: Times | Mossberg | CNET.)

Much more interesting to us little people, Apple iTunes launched an affiliate program. My thinking on this one: this will not directly affect sales. Instead, you will see an indirect effect when blogs start linking to these songs. This will sell a handful of songs, but more importantly it will require users to use iTunes to play music. In the long run, I think this leverages iTunes as the de fact music player.

Paul Ford invokes Hannah Arendt with The Banality of Google. (By the way, his site was also an influence in organizing this one.)

ART

Just when I had given up on ArtForum, Choire Sicha does a Top 10.

PARIS

I'm sure I'm lending to the degeneration of our civilization, but let's go down skanking out, eh? The Paris Hilton Collection on Amazon. Paris Hilton's Heart: $35.

POLITICS

Transcript from last night's Michael Moore and John McCain appearances on Letterman.

TECH

Engadget got their hands on one of the new Portable Media Centers, and wrote the quintessential review. I haven't decided if I'll get one yet.

EVENTS

Is anyone in the world paying attention to Burning Man this year? Only two days left and I completely forgot about it.