My Lazy Diary Entry

It’s been a while since my last entry. “Lazy Diary” indeed.

Nothing much to report on the music front for various reasons but there IS an E.P. in the pipeline. You will well & truly know about it as the time nears.

Outside off that my two children are growing up so quickly. My ponytail is gone as are almost all of my earrings (the  tattoos remain), I now ride a motorbike & am living in my own place & loving it & I’m wearing my glasses more frequently than previously. Middle age is definitely upon me.

I have, however, got a rough handle on how to upload photos from my daughtersPHONE thingie.

Hope you’re all well & I look forward to more frequent entries to hopefully entertain you.

Bob.

Bob Findlay On Android Music Apps

In my usual style my introduction to the mobile music scene was very much an 'act now, think later.' I would also like to add to this by owning up to the fact that mobile phones and so forth are not my forte'. Case in point; with my cell phone I can send texts, make calls (rarely) and just last week I learned how to take photos with it.

My children sit there with their iPhones, clicking, sliding and laughing at whatever is on display. My curiosity got the better of me one day and I asked my daughter if I could use her phone to send a 'tweet.' Sounds simple, eh? Well, dear reader, after 5 minutes of frenzied clicking, sliding and trying to type I gave up. I handed the phone back to my daughter who carried out the aforementioned action in a matter of seconds. I am definitely middle-aged.

I don't know what 'urged' me to consider a mobile phone app or apps but I dived in head first to every free plan available (more of the cost later). I developed all of my apps at the same time, progressing to a certain point with one and then progressing to the same point with others. I must say, I did find the design and content side of were very enjoyable. As I neared the end of the creation of all my apps, I discovered a common thread running through them.

They were all instantly available on Android. 

For the purpose of this entry, I researched the Android to see exactly what made it so popular. If you go to a cell phone shop or open websites of Samsung or LG, you will notice that most of the phones run on Android OS. Android is an operating system for smartphones developed and owned by Google. Apart from Nokia and iPhone users, most people prefer to go with Android OS. All the versions of the Android namely, Donut, Éclair, Froyo, Gingerbread has been very popular. And now people are anticipating for the phones that will run on Ice-cream. (corny joke).

What people love about Android is that it gives you plenty of customization options. Just like other Google products like Gmail or Chrome web browser which gives plenty of options such as applications and extensions to customize it to their fullest, even Android OS is one such platform that you can customize by installing a wide range of applications.

Compared to any iPhone, Android phones are cheaper and offer better features. Both iPhone and Google have the same turn-by-turn navigation i.e. Google Maps. Since the app is a product from Google and so is Android, it is very obvious that Android phones will receive better support and services than an iPhone or any other phone running different OS. As mentioned before, Android brings to you plenty of apps to customize your phone. Many apps are available for free. However, there are many apps that need to be purchased. However, the good thing is you can try all the apps and if you don't like any app, you can ask for money back within 15 minutes.

Another advantage Android phones have over iPhone is that it has got removable battery. So when you know that you need to replace the battery, you can simply go to shop and purchase a new one. Many Android OS phones are high-end phones that come with many advanced hardware features such as HDMI. You can simply connect your phone to your television with HDMI feature.

Since Android is available on different brands like Samsung, LG, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, etc you get wider options when it comes to buying a new phone. Also, many of the phones have higher storage capacities because Android users are bound to install plenty of apps, download stuff over the web, and storing movies and music files on it.

Another cool thing about Android OS is that the web browser fully supports Flash. It means you can watch Flash content without any glitches on the browser. You will not experience any choppiness or slowness while browsing. Also, you can watch videos inside the browser and you do not need to download any extra app to separately view the videos present on the site.

Of the apps that I have created are all free to download, I consider the two which offer free access to the music stores of my own choice thus giving my followers the ability to purchase my albums at the cheapest place online whilst maintaining superior sound quality. 

My Number 1 favourite app, however, is the questionably named 'Infinite Monkeys.' Don't be fooled by the name. The features, professional look, ease of use and amount of material contained within it are second to none. This app is one of few that will be available, hopefully within the next few days, as an iPhone app. It shall be announced on my 'mobile music' blog.

Happy Listening.

Mobile Music Apps

Mobile music is hardly an 'all new' concept for the internet world. I'm not sure how long mobile music has been around but after several weeks of scouring the internet, I found it rather difficult to find musicians apps. that could be built by a computer-looney (namely me) in a short space of time, looked 'professional' and could be updated via RSS or some such provider.

Eventually I have fine-tuned my own apps. for musicians and followers alike. 

It's all very well to have a 'flashy' app but if it doesn't deliver then the musician can kiss the mobile phone avenue "Bye, bye." Even more so, if the mobile app. has been 'blanket marketed,' this just makes it embarrassingly worse.

What I intend to do on in this entry is to both show you and tell you about the apps. I shall be talking to you directly, be a music lover or be you a musician. In doing so I am also hoping to provide you with the free options of my apps.

As I have decided at the outset of my mobile phone ventures, all of my music apps will be 100% free to download. No flip-side; no Side B. All 100% free to download.

Here goes, dear reader.....


BandApp was the first mobile app that I promoted. It has a very user-friendly interface, the ability to 'load' your app with your music from Soundcloud, iTunes....or both. The app is compatible with iPhone, iPad, Android and Smartphone.

Songpier welcomes the potential subscriber with a very tidy and eye-catching graphics. No rocket science is needed for this one. There are two other factors that swayed me towards this app. The first was the embeddable song player (as seen at the end of this entry). The second is the fact that this app allows the artist to provide the URL of their own mobile stores.

Infinite Monkeys  was the next mobile app and I unashamedly rate this one as my favourite at this point. Despite being about half a horse-length to the 'completion' line, this app. offers everything that you need to know about my music, blogs, RSS feed, videos. 

Google Play was also an added bonus. I'm relatively new to Google Plus, so I had better familiarise myself with it. I am waiting on 'approval' from this company also. The web-page is as slick as the phone appearance. You can even write your very own review of any facet of the app and also give it a rating.

AppsBar is my most recent mobile venture and is a rather slick looking number. It can be used with iPhone, Blackberry, iPad, Android, websites and blogs.

Make The Internet Global

Well, my day was almost half way over when I started this blog It was 12.15pm. I got out of bed just after 6am. and almost like a robot, went into the recording studio, the same studio that was more like a cool store. I was able to record a lead guitar track (in two takes) then had my customary cigarette and coffee outside on the (covered in) veranda.

As I sat there pondering all sorts of menial things the rain was deafening on the fibreglass roof I got to thinking what I was going to do for the rest of the day.

I then remembered a blog entry that I was going to do on behalf of Stuart Reeman; an artist and close friend. “Great!” I thought. This sentiment soon changed to “Shit!” when I discovered that the email he had sent with a required attachment contained the exact same wording as was used in a previous post that I did on his behalf.

I emailed him back pointing this out and am currently waiting on a response. I’ve told him that it doesn’t need to be much for me to run with as I am intending only to do mini-blogs on each of his works featured on his website.

So….I’ve put that behind me for the time being and of all things to do, I felt like doing an entry for this ‘lazy blog.’ As I am writing, I’m thinking what I’ll be doing for the rest of the day….and I think I have the answer. Lyrics. Lyrics to the 2/3 completed song that I started working on recently as I can ‘feel’ it taking shape.

I’m also waiting on replies regarding one of my two online newspapers. My first, “Tasmania Today” is easy. I just check a customized list on Twitter, re-post, re-tweet and use appropriate hashtags in order to get my stories of choice featured.

“Music And Arts In Tasmania” is a different thing altogether.Whilst waiting for replies from relevant artists and so forth, I went through various Tasmanian artists and found that they have a very low web presence. Musicians, for example, seem to think that ReverbNation and MySpace are sufficient from what I can deduce. The few bios. and photos that I have received are great, most notably from Tasmanian musician Rod Fritz.

Further investigations that I have carried out, mainly blog statistics, show that the U.S.A. is light years ahead of any other country with regards to following a link. Australia is waaaay behind on this front. It could be that Australian readers view a story or tweet prima facie without getting their teeth into the full story. It seems to mw that Americans were born with a laptop and twittering #mybirth while the rest of us are still trying to work out where to plug the damn thing in.

Whatever the reason, I urge Australian artists to focus on the States. Until the Australian public ( most other countries....Canada excluded) begin using the internet to its’ full potential, then we’re ‘playing to an empty room,’ so to speak.

Take Me To The Station

Due to the personal nature of this particular blog, I will have to refer to the past from time to time in order to clarify a situation. This is one such occasion in order to get the ball that IS this blog well and truly rolling.

Several years ago, due to my alcohol abuse and the numerous seizures that I suffered during my countless attempts at stopping. I was placed on a medication called Valpro. It is also known as Sodium Valproate or Epilim. It is prescribed for anyone who has experienced seizures, be they trauma induced, related to alcohol withdrawal or true epilepsy. It can also be prescribed as a mood stabiliser in people with manic depression, such as myself. Once you are prescribed Valpro, theoretically you are on the medication for the rest of your life. Eric Clapton suffered his first seizure from alcohol withdrawal at the age of 40....as did I.

Over the last few months, I have been feeling out of sorts. I was so out of sorts that I was unable to undertake any home recording. I’ve been edgy and shaky despite also being on Diazepam and Lithium. I visited my Doctor yesterday after having blood taken two weeks ago to check my levels. My Valpro levels were “critically low.” This was due to the fact that I’d gained some 10kg in weight since my last blood sample being taken.

The Doctor, understandably, acted immediately and increased my Valpro by 33%….a drastic but necessary change. I slept as well as I normally do but all day I have felt like I’m walking on cotton wool. Almost floating. Having said this, I have been lucid and have experienced no lethargy that I was expecting.

I am hoping that once my light-headed sensation has settled, I shall resume recording at home and be able to give you updates on my latest album which has been in the pipelines for months due to the aforementioned bout of illness.

In the meantime, I can feel a coffee a cigarette and a ponder on out on the back porch coming on.

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy

As you may or may not be aware I have recently launched two online newspapers, both focusing 
on difffering areas of Tasmania and all that goes with it. Being a musician and music buff in general, my firt newspaper to be launched was adventurously named. "Music In Tasmania"  The second newspaper was simply called"Tasmania Today,"

Both newspapers are heavily dependent on Twitter. With regards to "Tasmania Today" I have access to a wealth of information pertaining to Tasmania, including up-to-the-minute news releases from local newspapers & television stations, Police Tasmania and almost every politician in the State.

"Music In Tasmania" has (predictably) turned out to be a tougher task on the administration front. My 26 years as a professional musician told me that I would have to do some chasing. So I did. I contacted as many Tasmanian musicians as I was able on ReverbNation and MySpace advising them about my upcoming venture. The only Tasmanian musician that I didn't contact was Rod Fritz as his online presence & 'reachability' is second to none. Without any great deal of work on my part, Rod has been the 'featured article' on three occasions thus far.

Out of all the Tasmanian musicians that I wrote to, I received ONE response. That response came from Argusband from Hobart. As I alluded to earlier, I wasn't at all surprised at the lack of response from Tasmanian bands. Things haven't changed in the live circuit since the mid-90s. Bands are content doing a gig every week or so to the same crowd. To my way of thinking, music isn't a business to them. Having said this, if they're happy enough doing this, then best of luck to them.

So....I have put my backup plan into action. "Music In Tasmania" is now titled "Music And Arts In Tasmania." There is a wealth of easily accessible and breathtaking stuff to present to you.