Jamaican Music Industry 2 Years post-Ban - How Artiste and Booking Agents Launder Money

And whoever walks a furlong without sympathy walks to his own funeral drest in his shroud

Walt Whitman, Song of Myself

It appears that the problems of the Music Industry have apparently gotten worse since my last article on the subject of sexually explicit and violent content addressed in my blog article entitled “Increase Fines and Taxation for the Music Industry”, a remedy that is yet to be fully implemented.

Granted, since Shabba Ranks found himself afoul of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance during the heyday of the 80’s another artiste, the situation got progressively worse for Dancehall Music. It came to a head in the First Quarter of 2009 when the Vybz Kartel song “Rampin Shop” made Esther Tyson, Principal of Ardenne High School put pen to paper– and a ban on sexually explicit and violent content Music followed.

A stir was created in society, which finally came to its civic-minded senses when the ban on sexually explicit and violent content in the Broadcast Media came into effect, signaled a Civic Society coming to an agreement as it relates to what constitutes hate speech, specifically against homosexuals and lesbians.

But it was not until towards the end of 2009AD that Dancehall and Reggae Artiste were to start to feel all that negative energy that they had been pushing out over the years coming back towards them.

First, Mark Myrie, otherwise knows by his nom de guerre as Buju Banton, was arrested by Federal Agents on charges of dealing in and attempting to smuggle cocaine as stated in the article “No an easy road - Buju Banton held for cocaine possession in the United States”, published Sunday, December 13, 2009, by Livern Barrett, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Buju Banton has since been charged, fined and sentenced as stated in the article “Destiny - Buju Banton Found Guilty - Sentencing Date To Be Determined”, Published Wednesday February 23, 2011 by Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.

This should ensure that no-one sings songs that are effectively hate speech again in Jamaica!!!

Though unconnected from a purely logical point of view, pundits in the Entertainment Industry point to the fact that it may be punishment visited from up on highly the powerful Gay and Lesbian Movement, who have tentacles of power in all parts of Government of the United States of America.

I’ll leave that for you to decide!

Then there is the now obvious phenomenon of a few Dancehall and Reggae Artiste who may notice that they are unable to gain access to certain markets, thanks again to their sexually explicit and violent content, not to mention their events not being properly managed as stated in the article “Locked out - Jamaican acts finding it more and more difficult to get into some countries” , published Sunday, December 27, 2009, by Howard Campbell, The Jamaica Gleaner.

That is just December of 2009AD.

Apparently the Dancehall and Reggae Artiste have not heeded the words of Mikey Barnett, Veteran Producer and Clyde McKenzie, a Veteran Entertainment Consultant, who were present at the Gleaner Editor’s Forum in December of 2009 as stated in the article “Clean up your act! Music personalities urge Corporate Jamaica, Media to help clean up Dancehall content”, published Sunday, December 27, 2009, by Roxroy McLean,The Jamaica Gleaner, urging a change of direction and content or face bans abroad.

In a subsequent blog article entitled “Pass the Charter of Rights and Freedoms or Jamaican Music will be banned”, I began highlighting action that was already occurring in France (can I now say Europe, please?) as it relates to Dancehall and Reggae Artiste not paying their relevant taxes.

This as documented in the MIDEM Report by Senator Olivia Grange, Minister of Entertainment as stated in the article “Grange passes on bad MIDEM report – Little interest in Jamaican Music”, published Sunday 21^st February 2010, Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner

That was February 2010AD.

They have thus far successfully complied as it relates to lyrical content, with such anti-gay Music being kept off the airwaves. The problem of Digital Music and Video Piracy and the current crackdown by US Authorities highlighted in my blog article entitled “UWI and Piracy - Release the Kraken” has solutions.

Some of the solutions, are Radio Playlists so as to clamp down on sexually explicit and violent content and aid the collection of Royalties as stated in my blog article entitled “Radio Stations and their Playlists - Dungeons and Dragons”.

The main one currently being pursued is Digital Distribution, which thus far is in the form of Apple iTunes, Digicel InTunes and other legitimate online Music Distribution Platforms and has met with pyrrhic success, as CD and DVD Piracy is still on the rise as stated in the article “DIGITAL MUSIC SALES UP - Marley dominates local ringtone charts”, published Friday, April 08, 2011 BY STEVEN JACKSON Observer staff reporter, The Jamaica Observer.

The Government of Jamaica is still yet to enact legislation that would force Dancehall and Reggae Artiste to be fully registered with a professional body and be taxed in much the same way PAYE employees are being taxed and to declare all earnings, both locally and abroad.

Since then, with inaction from the Government of Jamaica glaringly obvious, the countries in which these Dancehall and Reggae Artiste are continuing to run afoul of Civil Society and their laws have stepping up to the plate by taking action against them coming to their countries – and leaving with taxes unpaid.

This now in the form of US Visa revocations as stated in the article “Dancehall Hit! United States Visa Woes Will Cost Jamaican Entertainers Big”, published Sunday April 4, 2010, by Mel Cooke,  Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner and the article “Visa woes taint Music industry”, published Friday, April 09, 2010 by STEVEN JACKSON, The Jamaica Observer.

As a former Telecoms Technician who used to work at CLARO (2008 to 2009) and C&W (2001 to 2004), all the above is pretty new to me, as I do not follow the Entertainment Scene in Jamaica, neither do I know anyone in the Entertainment Scene.

I do, however, listen to Music during my downtime!

Not even the popular Digicel Rising Stars and the raft of other reality shows that permeate the airwaves on our local free-to-air broadcasters, namely Television Jamaica and CVM TV. This is because there has been nothing new, as it seems Jamaica creativity in Music revolves around this one Musical genre.

Agreeably, I may be biased as I may be too Americanized and Europeanized in my Music taste, but I prefer the Music coming out of the US of A, simply became of the variety.

I don’t like Rap or Hip-hop (like dancehall, no creativity, too much bling!).

But some of the new artiste like Nikki Minaj, Ciara and Eminem blend different genres best, making them sound more like rough uncut blue diamonds instead of the regular junk that one chisels away when unearthing Music while online.

The current Music in all genres is to me, trash, possibly with the exception of Country Music artiste such as Taylor Swift. Pop has too short a shelf life. Gospel Music is always decent, but needs more Christian and less world in it!

I am really more a fan of 80’s Music though. Classical Music (Bach, Mozart, et al) will always be my Sunday listening pleasure and study Music.

But that’s why I like American and European.

I got choice.

Jamaica’s sole Genre offers no such choice.

Even within the lyrical content, it’s the same topics been touched upon, including the divisive anti-gay hate speech and sexually explicit and violent content. Not to mention sexual prowess with women, Marijuana and money.

If that is all the creativity that Dancehall Music offers, with Millennials [ages 13 to 28] increasingly shifting towards US and EU Music Genres, Reggae and Dancehall faces increasing problems surviving post-2015AD! Dancehall Music holds no interest for them, left for the older folk to enjoy!

Not surprisingly, Events staged islandwide are down some 20% in the First Quarter of 2011AD when compared to the First Quarter of 2010AD based on PIOJ (Planning Institute of Jamaica) figures as stated in the article “Events hit by recession - 20% drop recorded in 2010”, published Sunday, May 15, 2011 BY STEVEN JACKSON Sunday Observer staff reporter, The Jamaica Observer.

Effect of the Recession? Or Reggae and Dancehall Music no longer holding their attention due to the quality of song selection? You decide how you interpret the statistics!!

Admittedly there are other genres of Music such as Gospel and even Mento, but they get very little promotion from Local Promotions and Booking Agencies, mainly because of the lack of mass local support, which mostly follows Dancehall Music.

Apparently, Jamaicans like their Music served piping hot and violent. Even my SDA princess, Audia Granston, when alive, was an ardent Gully supporter (I believe that is a reference to Mavado!!), simply because his lyrical content did not express violence against women, albeit a bit too sexually charged for my liking.

My views as to the lack of creativity among Dancehall and Reggae Artiste are obviously well supported in the wider society. But a snapshot of it can be seen, surprising in the comments of Jon Baker.

Jon Baker, Manager of the Jolly Boys, a Mento band, stated as much in his article entitled “No creativity - Baker blasts stagnation in J'can pop Music”, published Friday, October 01, 2010 BY STEVEN JACKSON Observer staff reporter, The Jamaica Observer, quote: “We going through a stagnation of creativity in Reggae for the last five years. Dancehall artistes sing about the same old stuff. It has not had anything dynamic to cross over into the mainstream”.

Five (5) years ago would place us at 2006AD, when the Music went into a downward spiral in terms of what was allowed to be played on the Radio and on Television.

Now with the current state of the Business Music, which appears to be limping along, they, the Dancehall and Reggae have apparently fallen into another creative rut.

As apparently their lifestyles cannot be maintained with the current declining number of events islandwide and cancelled US Visas and EU work Permits restricting their ability to travel abroad!

Much as Apple CEO Steve Jobs creates and other follow, local Dancehall and Reggae Artiste seem less compelled to be creating when it comes to putting out Music, especially as they have no one to follow, now that the Gaza Empire appears to be losing its creative edge.

They, the Dancehall and Reggae Artiste are STILL leaning on their old Achilles Heel, that being touring Abroad. In their desperation, many of these Reggae and Dancehall Artiste may be enlisting the help of Booking Agencies to Launder Money earned abroad into Jamaica!

This premise of mine is based on a recent encounter I had with one of these Booking Agencies named Headline Entertainment under the guise of another company called Breakthrough All Communications with regards to a completely different matter, that being my writing.

To be completely clear, my writing for long winded and rather obnoxious my blog, My Thoughts on Technology and Jamaica, was really a death bed request of my Deceased Audia Granston, who pointed out I should not keep giving away my ideas in email, an argument which she kept up, much to my disinterest, as in my eyes, I had no way of breathing life into them due to my financial state.

Even working as a Telecoms Technician at CLARO!

So after she passed, I decided to follow her advice and start tracking down all of my ideas and suggestions I had given away from as far back as 2003. This is not an easy task, as many of them are not even in Engineering but in other related fields!

Effectively I became an idea Ghostbuster; scouring the Internet for my ideas given away and documenting them, as indication that they were originally emailed away by yours truly, with the blog as evidence.

Thus far, my articles have to capture a lot of attention, despite my verbose writing style, mainly because of:

1.      My registering my website with dozens of search engines,

2.      Optimization for search

3.      Document hyperlinking

4.      Referencing the names of famous local and foreign Media and entertainment content and personalities i.e. People and movies.

5.      Catchy topic titles

6.      Emailing my article to hundreds of newspapers worldwide for print in their Writers column

It appears to be working to my benefit too.

Not only have I landed a freelancer’s gig with Kelroy’s Geezam blog, who trounced upon the My Thoughts on Technology and Jamaica, but I also apparently attracted the attention of a Mrs. Khorie Ann Robb-Beckford of Breakthrough All Communications who called me via the number 351-2584.

Strangely, off the bat, I was offered a gig to write an article on HDTV and paid JA$3000 for the work. This struck me as odd, and I responded pointing out that I am not a professional writer, just a freelance blogger already with an affiliation with Kelroy’s Geezam blog, for which I write for free.

Not to mention the bad rap of being associated with Media personalities, as the initial emails appeared to have a Ms Carlette DeLeon and Mr. Jerome Hamilton affiliated in some way with this company.

Not a good sign at all!!

Still, I was curious, as this struck me odd that I would be paid for something I normally do for fun and for free, as is a trait of most bloggers. The Facebook/Google PR debacle as stated in the article Facebook-Google rivalry intensifies with PR fiasco, published 13^thMay 2011AD 10:56:36, Go-Jamaica, The Jamaica Gleaner is enough evidence of how paying bloggers to write articles for PR can backfire!

To us, such shenanigans are ripe for a story on OUR blog!! We are, after all, informal news hounds, always on the lookout for a scoop!! This as traditionally, bloggers make money from advertising on their blog, but you start out initially just writing for writing sake, with the dream of publishing and making money somewhere in the hazy distance!!

So I decided to give it a shot and go down the rabbit hole! I reworked the guide document I was subsequently sent and working around the topic infused it with my style, which is based on predicting the future.

Amusingly, the topic, which was about Flow gives viewers HD Options was ironic, as it was one of the ideas I had given away back in 2009, but mainly for Free-to-air broadcasters to go HDTV via DSO (Digital Switch Over)

I also specified payment via direct deposit to my NCB Bank account, being as travel to Kingston for JA$3000 is a bit of a stretch!!

With the article completed and emailed in on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 4:57 PM, I was subsequently paid on Monday April 11^th 2011. Oddly, my article was not printed in any publication anywhere, yet I was paid.

Also, the terms of payment change from a direct deposit, to a check at one point appearing as if I had to travel to Kingston.

Paid for an attempt as I at last discovered from emails? Strange, as aside from the foibles with the payment, I have NEVER been paid for such a thing!

Were that true, then I should also be getting money from all those ideas I have given away over the years, including Digicel Rising Stars, an original suggestion of mine from 2003 up to the Apple iPad in 2009!! Believe it or not!!!

So after a bit of digging in-between work, and writing, I gradually forgot about the whole thing. That is, until yesterday, Monday June 6^th 2011.

On that day, I got a call from a young man, claiming to be an Entertainer, who was interested in using SMS (Short Messaging Service) to sell tickets based on his reading of my blog article entitled “Telecom Providers and SMS - CoreTalk, Raiders of the Lost Ark”!! During the discussion, I recommended he talk to Mrs. Khorie Ann Robb-Beckford of BreakThrough All Communications, as his idea had a Public Relations ring to it, defiantly not my scene.

During the conversation, I mentioned the odd correlation of names in my contacts with Mrs. Khorie Ann Robb-Beckford of BreakThrough All Communications and he thus filled in the blanks, giving me a glimpse of the Entertainment World. Apparently in this unknown Parallel Dimension, there IS some semblance of order, he confirmed. As previously, based on the above writings, I assumed that they [Dancehall and Reggae Artiste] did all their bookings themselves.

And yes, BreakThrough All Communications, as I has suspected, has some connection to Headline Entertainment, albeit their websites are nothing alike, muchless having any connection to each other, as one appears to be very dapper and the other a rather poor Blogger-esque stepchild!

Solid Agency and Headline Entertainment, two names I purloined from the article “Visa woes taint Music industry”, published Friday, April 09, 2010 by STEVEN JACKSON, The Jamaica Observer.

The article also confirmed what the young man had said, in that there was indeed a link between BreakThrough All Communications and Headline Entertainment in the form of Ms Carlette DeLeon, who appears to be some sort of Administrative Director, albeit I cannot verify, as other articles perused painted her as a Publicist!

We Telecoms Technicians and Engineers usually refer to people in the Entertainment Industry as the “left-brained” people.

Mainly because they are more Arts than Engineering, which is traditionally occupied by people who uses the left side of their brain (creative thinking) than the right side of the brain (logic, reasoning) typical of Engineering and Technical fields.

Plus, it is good to note that traditionally, Engineering and Marketing Department in the Telecoms Sector, the closest we will ever get to the Entertainment World, don’t get along!

At all!!

While working at Telecom Provider CLARO, most interactions with the Marketing Department were via emails. I dreaded going to their Department, as so many females wearing g-string underwear and six-inch heels in one place reminds me too much of Palais Royal, as I am constantly on the lookout for a dancing pole!!

Still I do respect Marketing!

After all, I did work two (2) summers back-to-back at Desnoes and Geddes now Red Stripe in the Marketing Department (1999 and 2000) and I know Marketing and Customer actually works, despite the Management seeing it as pointless. Apple is a shining example of a company with great Marketing savvy behind their equally stellar products! You can see how it helps to push their product sales!!!

So this whole encounter made me think: if a Public Relations Company with affiliation with a Booking company can give away JA$3000, this could be an excellent way to launder Reggae and Dancehall Artiste earnings from abroad.

Artiste wants his money but does not want to pay taxes?

No problem!! Booking Agencies such as Solid Agency and Headline Entertainment collect the money and under the guise of legitimate business, convert the cash to a cheque and give it back to the Dancehall Artiste in the form of a cheque lodgment.

The Reggae and Dancehall Artiste only having to provide a reason for payment for the purpose of accounting! In my case, it was an invoice stating the reason for payment, that being writing an article!

This would validate the transaction, so no-one would ask questions later, even if the reason for the financial transaction was false. Also, by doing it through the Reggae and Dancehall Artiste bank account, it legitimizes the transaction.

Heck, to avoid suspicion, the Reggae and Dancehall Artiste can specify that they be paid in installments! Elegantly simple if I do say so myself!!

But how did they carry the money into the island in the first place?

Most likely the money from the promoter of the event is given to representatives of Headline such as Ms Carlette DeLeon the money in the form of a Prepaid Bank Card while in the States as stated in the article Prepaid Cards Attract Money Launderers, published Sunday May 29, 2011, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Perfectly legal and harder to trace and withdraw-able at any ATM by the Reggae and Dancehall Artiste!!! However, Tax evasion and money Laundering (as it is money obtained from proceeds of crime!!) are offences punishable under both Jamaican and American Law!

Thus the Dancehall Artiste gets their money, Taxes unpaid, already in a spendable form. Thanks to Shawn Thomas (324-2538), a supplier of Virtual VISA Rechargeable Credit Cards in Jamaica!

My Virtual VISA Rechargeable Credit Card on my blog is one of hers, and she filled in the blanks!!!

This as one of the MAIN reasons why Reggae and Dancehall Artiste are being banned is due to non-payment of taxes, both locally and abroad.

Locally in 2010 vehicle seizures by the Tax Department of vehicles belonging to Elephant Man and even Bounti Killa as stated in the article “Taxman fed up - Authorities seize Bounty Killa's luxury vehicle”, published Saturday August 28 2010, The Jamaica Observer highlights the degree to which many of the Reggae and Dancehall Artiste live lives akin to Drug Dons.

Abroad, it is more difficult as aside from having Booking Agencies sneak the money home for them in Prepaid Cards, they can also convert the cash to something else, such as a vehicle or clothes, to be resold later for a profit.

No different from a Drug Don laundering money. Surely is this what the Music and Entertainment Industry is reduced to: Laundering money to evade taxes?

More articles are slated to come, as I have now decided to track this story!!

I don’t have a problem with the flashy lifestyle, as my SDA Princess Audia Granston, a NCTVET Certified Cosmetologist was quick to point out that many of them became possessed by “some evil forces” due to their money.

Money buys things, but not the things that count, which is friends and family as I can remember her saying as if it was yesterday. Audia would point out the many clients she had with Dancehall and Illegal Drug affiliations who oft poured out their problems in her hairdressing parlour, aptly named TJ Beauty Salon, after the first initials of her two children who survive her. 

Intel and the UltraBook - Stephen King's MacBook and iPad Thinner Hex

 

He who fights and runs away

May live to fight another day.

But he that is in battle slain

Will never rise to fight again.

J. Ray, History of the Rebellion, (1749)

All is quiet on the home front here in the sleepy hamlet town of Milk River, Clarendon where I live. We are bracing for a week that looks increasingly filled with visages of flooded and muddy roads as the ODPEM (Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management) is prognosticating islandwide flooding as stated in the article “Flash flood watch still in effect”, published Sunday, June 05, 2011, The Jamaica Observer.

Evan Thomson, Acting Director of the NMS (National Meteorological Service) has polished off his crystal ball and is predicting ten (10) named hurricane systems this hurricane season as stated in the article “VIDEO: Jamaican forecasters predict up to 10 hurricanes”, published Wednesday, June 01, 2011 BY LUKE DOUGLAS Senior staff reporter, The Jamaica Observer.

Certainly fits with what the NOAA (National Observatory of Atmospheric Anomalies) stated in the article “US weather agency predicts up to six major hurricanes”, published Saturday, May 21, 2011, the Jamaica Observer and mentioned in my blog article entitled “Rainforest Seafoods vs the Lionfish - KFC iTwist in Yendi Phillip's Emerald Forest”!

My house, located in the middle of Rest Square, Milk River is eagerly anticipating the start of Apple’s WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) on Monday June 6^th 2011AD in San Francisco’s Moscone Center at 10am Eastern as stated in the article “Apple's Jobs to take the stage as iCloud hype grows”, published Sunday June 5, 2011 3:05 pm ET By Poornima Gupta, Reuters, Yahoo News.

Truly, Mac OS 10.1 “Lion” + iOS 5.0 + iCloud = WWDC! Five (5) days of Apple’s strategizing and speculation done away with between Monday June 6^th 2011AD and Friday June 10^th 2011AD!

WWDC is slated to last from Monday June 6^th 2011AD to Friday June 10^th 2011AD as previously noted in my blog article entitled “Apple and the WWDC in June 2011 - Space Above and Beyond Android” in which I expect will thoroughly be focused on strategies to combat the growing threat of Google Android in the smartphone and Tablet space.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs will be there in person to launch Apple’s iCloud as well as announce upgrades to Apple Mac OS 10.1 aka “Lion” and iOS 5.0 as stated in my blog article entitled “Apple iCloud and WWDC - Iron Eagle to be Top Gun in the Dangerzone”.

Google is increasingly beginning to sound a lot like Genghis Khan, with plans of world conquest with its latest version of Android codenamed Ice Cream, alphabetically next in line behind Froyo, Gingerbread and Honeycomb as stated in my blog article entitled “Microsoft's Mango Update and Windows 8 - License to Kill in the Real World”.

The hype is also building for three (3) day E3 (Electronics Entertainment Expo) set to run its course from Tuesday June 7^th 2011AD to Thursday June 9^th 2011AD as stated in my Geezam Blog article entitled “Console Gaming’s Downfall – Future is up in the Clouds”?

The Nintendo Wii made its debut roughly five (5) years ago in November 19^th 2006 as stated in my blog article entitled “Apple iPad in the Summer of 2010 - The Death of the Video Game Consoles”.

Despite the quirky name, it truly was a Revolution, which was the other name it had, as it made gamers out of non-gamers, especially females.

Nintendo is slated to debut a much improved Nintendo Wii for a 2012AD launch circa July 27^th 2012AD, London Olympics 2012 time! This as stated in the article “Nintendo's Wii successor to dominate E3 expo”, published Sunday June 5 2011 11:51 am ET by DERRIK J. LANG, AP Entertainment Writer, Yahoo News. 

Scope out the CNET video entitled “CNET's E3 Preview” in which CNET Editor, Jeff Bakalar and compadres discuss what may be the most anticipated E3 Conference for some time.

This as the future of the Console Gaming Industry hangs in the balance in light of declining sales. Maybe it lies in the Cloud-Based Console Gaming Platforms such as Steam and OnLive as stated in my Geezam Blog article entitled “Console Gaming’s Downfall – Future is up in the Clouds”? Well see…

Hopefully, the Nintendo Wii will be packing the necessary upgrades in terms of faster processor, meatier memory, Cloud-Based GamePlay and (fingers crossed!!) support for a 3D Motion Capture Technology, possibly licensed from PrimeSense to make their own hardware as opined in my blog article entitled “Nintendo Wii vs Microsoft Kinect - War of the Worlds in Jodine Spark's BattleField”.

A Microsoft Kinect-like device for the Nintendo Wii!!

But with all this excitement about WWDC and E3, I must cast a wistful glance at the Laptop and Netbook Market, which the Apple iPad and Apple MacBook Air may along with the PC, gradually be making extinct as stated in my blog article entitled “Tablets and the Future of the PC - Jurassic Park and License to Kill” and in the Geezam Blog article entitled “Are we Witnessing Laptop and PC Extinction?”.

Surely the ultra thin architecture of these devices based around more power efficient SSD (Solid State Drives) has begun to make Silicon Valley Gadget designers design better devices as stated in the article “Dell Inspiron Duo and Solid State Drives - Charles Darwin and the Survival of the Fittest”!

Truly, this is Survival of the Fittest as coined from Sir Charles Darwin in his famed Theory of Evolution!

Seeing as people are more concerned about performance AND great specs, if only that the specs translate to great performance, as resplendent in the Apple MacBook Air as stated in my Geezam Blog article entitled “MacBook Air and FLASH-based Hard Drives: The Quest for Instant On”.

Intel realizes this now.

Which is why Intel has come up which a new category of device called UltraBooks as stated in the article “Intel 'Ultrabook' touts tablet-like features”, published May 30, 2011 8:49 PM PDT by Brooke Crothers, Nanotech, the Circuits Blog – CNET News.

Aside from Tablets and NC (Network Computers) or smartbooks of which Google ChromeBook is and example, UltraBooks would have specs like the Apple Macbook Air but with significantly better performance and lower prices, as the article “What's an 'Ultrabook'? Apple's already got one”, published MAY 31, 2011 6:40 PM PDT by Brooke Crothers, Nanotech, the Circuits Blog - CNET News prescribes:

1. Two to three (2lb to 3lb) pounds
2. 0.8 inches thickness
3. Like a tablet, turns on instantly from standby mode.
4. Speedy SSD or Hybrid Hard-Drives.
5. i7 Core Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge Intel Processors
6. Thunderbolt or USB 3.0 Ports ONLY
7. 3G or 4G Modem support
8. Power Management coupled with longer battery life and lighter batteries
9. Sub US$1000 (barely), mimicking the Apple MacBook Air's US$999 pricetag

Hopefully this prescription will be followed by Laptop makers, as the demand for better performance and specs can be best expressed in the equation: SSD’s = Lower operating temperatures + better performance at lower processor speeds!

Truly, the threat of extinction is forcing Intel to make these specifications for the UltraBook as I had predicted would happen when the Apple iPad was making headway and pushing people towards better performance and specs in the Apple iPad and the Apple MacBook Air!

Apple has effectively cursed the PC Industry and Silicon Valley, by whispering in the ears of the American buying public and Intel a deadly hex: Thinner (1996).

Jamaica, too, will soon follow this trend of lighter, thinner UltraBooks. This as within six (6) months time, these changes will take place in a PC and Laptop World desperate to survive sagging sales visited upon them by the combined onslaught of the Apple iPad and the Apple MacBook Air!

This opinion I had voiced as part of my prediction back in April of 2009AD to a bunch of brain-dead Shurpower Generator Engineers is best expressed in the article “How the iPad changes PC design, part 2”, published MAY 22, 2011 12:02 PM PDT by Brooke Crothers, Nanotech, the Circuits Blog - CNET News.

So as of now, please open your textbooks on computing and cross out “Netbook”, “Laptop” and “PC” and replace them with:

1. Tablet e.g. Apple iPad
2. Smartbook e.g. Google ChromeBook
3. UltraBook e.g. Dell Adamo

This as Apple has declared that not only is the “post PC era” as prophesied by Apple CEO Steve Jobs coming to pass, but just to make sure, they are doing all in their power to make it a reality as stated in the article entitled “Apple sees tablets soon outpacing PCs”, published JUNE 3, 2011 7:56 AM PDT by Lance Whitney, CNET News – Apple.

Follow Apple’s WWDC Conference at this Live Blog Link from CNET News.

Just click on Apple's WWDC unveilings: Join us Monday!!

See you at E3 and Apple’s WWDC!!

uBeam's Perry & Dweck Ultrasonic Power Transfer - Rafe Needleman's Hidden Village of Sound

I saw the lightning’s gleaming rod

Reach forth and write upon the sky

The awful autograph of God

Joaquin Miller, The Ship in the Desert

CNET News Editor Rafe Needleman does not realize it yet, but he just hit paydirt. Possibly if he was more venture capital oriented, he would have realized that the real stars at D9 Conference were not the multi-billion dollar CEO and their companies.

It was really a pair of University of Pennsylvania graduates named Meredith Perry and Nora Dweck with their company uBeam’s Ultrasonic Power Transfer Technology as stated in the article “New Technology beams Power over Sound Waves”, published JUNE 3, 2011 4:00 AM PDT by Rafe Needleman, CNET News - Rafe's Radar!

Never mind the distinction noted between the older CEO’s such as HP CEO Leo Apotheker or Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen when compared to their younger contemporaries, typical of any business community as stated in the article “Tech goliaths outmaneuvered at D9 conference”, published JUNE 4, 2011 6:00 AM PDT by Rafe Needleman, CNET News - Rafe's Radar.

Nope.

Not even the launch of Microsoft Windows 8 OS, which is just really a copy of Apple Inc overlay of the Apple iPad and the Apple iPhone 4’s tablet-centric iOS on Mac OS 10.1 aka Lion to create an ecosystem as stated in my blog article entitled “Windows 8 is Windows Phone 7 Overlay - Voyage Back to the Future in the Dawn Treader”.

Rather, the pair of Nikola Tesla devotees in the guise of University of Pennsylvania graduates named Meredith Perry and Nora Dweck who copped top honours as well as the center of attention in the D9 Conference with a relatively new Technology that, ironically, could have converted some of the wasted, loud boisterous Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen’s voice into useful Energy to recharge Mobile Electronic Gadgets.

Adobe in the future where the web is being standardized, which even Microsoft tacitly accepts? Please…..spare me!

Their quiet corner of the D9 Conference on Tuesday May 31^st 2010 was focused on demonstrating a nascent proof-of-concept Technology which they dubbed Ultrasonic Power Transfer as stated in the article “New Technology beams Power over Sound Waves”, published JUNE 3, 2011 4:00 AM PDT by Rafe Needleman, CNET News - Rafe's Radar.

Putting the theatrics of D9 Conference interviews aside, the concept behind their Technology was simple. Basically it involves some Ultra High Frequency Signal Generator and a receiver, scratch built from off-the-shelf tweeters and amplifiers.

Can’t get more basic than off-the-shelf!!

In the demo video from CNET News entitled “New Technology beams Power over Sound Waves”, the twin team of Telecom Engineers was able to transmit 50mW of Power using these ultra high frequencies beyond human and dog hearing over a distance of three (3) feet to a receiving device, which was able to draw Power at 5V, 1mA max, theoretical.

Brings back memories of Guglielmo Marconi, the Father of Wireless Telegraphy and his development via experimentation of Wireless Transmission over the Atlantic!

Due to Meredith Perry and Nora Dweck test apparatus lack of a directional microphone, most of the Power was wasted, as the tweeters were basically acting as an omni-directional isotropic Antenna, beaming the Energy into the surrounding air.

Antenna, you say!

Indeed, for Sound Waves and Radio Waves are Distant Relatives, NAS and Damion Jr. Gong Marley Style!

Sound Waves are basically Radio Waves, but missing the Magnetic portion of the traveling EM (Electromagnetic), the self-stabilizing tag team that allows Radio Waves to propagate in the vacuum of Space.

Ultra Sonic Sound Waves are dependent on a medium to travel, as being Sound Waves, they are Longitudinally Propagated, i.e. oscillation of the Medium back and forth, instead of Transverse Propagation, in which the Electric Field and Magnetic Field dance intertwined and self-sustained, even in a vacuum. 

Unless you prefer an explanation from James Clerk Maxwell (13 June 1831 – 5 November 1879), the Father of Classical Electromagnetic Theory!

Hands up if you love Differential Calculus! I know I do!!

The medium for the Ultra High Frequency Signal has to be resonant with the frequency of the Ultra Sonic Sound Waves. Thus, for optimum transmission, the air has to be free of moisture and obstruction free, as due to the lack of a Magnetic Field, the Electric Field is easily reflected by solid objects and diffused by water vapour.

A boon that makes it more advantageous than Nikola Tesla early attempts at using Microwaves to Transmit Power, the so-called, very feasible yet human-unfriendly MPT (Microwave Power Transfer)!

Thus, improved directionality with the help of Hi-Fidelity tube Tweeter Speakers, as Directional Microwave Klystrons has done for MPT, should help increase the EIRP (Effective Isotropic Radiated Power) by focusing the Energy in a tighter beam. Its potential is huge, as Power levels as high as 100W are achievable, provided that no health risks are associated with such Ultra Sonic Sound Energy levels.

As for its usages, implementations abound, mainly in remote short range Power transmissions over distances as far as one hundred (100) meters, to Power lighting in house, billboard advertisements, even motor vehicles – and yes, recharge electronic gadgets.

But it is the source of the Energy that has me most intrigued. This as it may be Electrical, as the demo video from CNET News entitled “New Technology beams Power over Sound Waves” seems to suggest that the source of their Power is Electrical.

But what if they could convert ambient Sound in the environment into Electricity, a reverse of their current process?

This was the very thing being researched by Sang-Woo Kim of the Institute of Nanotechnology at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, South Korea as stated in the article “Scream at your phone to recharge it?”, MAY 9, 2011 5:09 PM PDT by John Scott Lewinski, Crave - CNET News.

Apparently a clever way of squeezing an extra 50mV of Electrical Power out of your voice! The Korea IT Times reported that this was “new research” that would make it possible to “recharge phones using nothing but the Power of voice.”

Thus a meeting of minds between the graduate student Sang-Woo Kim all the way across the Pacific from the Institute of Nanotechnology at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, South Korea and Meredith Perry and Nora Dweck would be ideal!

The resulting collaboration could make the Technology developed by the University of Pennsylvania graduates named Meredith Perry and Nora Dweck more practical, portable and truly cordless.

Even Apple Inc is going this route of Cordless Electronic gadgets with patents and plans to integrate Solar Panels into their gadgets as stated in my blog article entitled “Chrome OS Cr-48 and the Mobion Fuel Cell Generator -  Green Lantern”.

Apple may take note of this too, as a source of powering gadgets in the future, irregardless of Battery Technology improvements!

As it would draw its power from ambient noise, step up the Electricity efficiently to Power their device to transmit Power to devices via Ultra High Frequency Sound Waves that needed it most.

Thus, their device could be used in very noisy environments to effectively convert Sound Waves or Sound Energy, which is essentially Waste Energy like Heat. Somewhat reminiscent of Heat Exchangers used in Industrial environments to extract Waste Heat to do other work in the Industrial Plant!

This collaboration, albeit wishful thinking on my part, is no more different from Nikola Tesla claiming that Guglielmo Marconi used some of his patents to develop Wireless Trans-Atlantic Telegraphy.

It would help to fine tune a device before the money, sure as rain, begins to pour in on these daughters of Nikola Tesla for this idea, which has huge potential as a new means of generating Electricity in very noisy conditions, such as in cities to Power displays and lighting, saving Municipalities on the cost of Electricity to Power these devices.

This as the demo video from CNET News entitled “New Technology beams Power over Sound Waves” reveals that their proof-of-concept is nothing more than one of Nikola Tesla Directed Energy apparatus, a possible source to the reference by Miss Meredith Perry as to having derived the idea from “a weapon”.

The only weapon that I can think of is the Raytheon CDU (Crowd Dispersal Unit), which uses millimeter Radio Waves to disperse crowds.

It does this by generating a false sensation of being caught on fire among unruly protesting crowds of people as mention in my blog article entitled “Telecom Providers and Raytheon - Star Wars on the high Seas” about Raytheon’s’ development of a Directed Energy Weapon or “Laser”.

Looks like the D9 Conference has unearthed a genuine gem in these two (2) University of Pennsylvania graduates named Meredith Perry and Nora Dweck, as like Orichimaru-sama in the series Naruto, they have developed their own Hidden Village of Sound to utilize uBeam’s Ultrasonic Power Transfer as a “peace” Ray fulfilling the Human desiring to go….cordless!

Apple iCloud and WWDC - Iron Eagle to be Top Gun in the Dangerzone

With chiseled touch

The stone unhewn and cold

Becomes a living mould

The more the marble wastes

The more the statue grows

Michaelangelo, Sonnet

Aside from the introduction of Microsoft’s Windows 8 OS on Wednesday June 1^st 2011AD, another supernova exploded to life a day prior on Tuesday May 31^st 2011AD. But this one was very much expected, the above poem best describing how Apple does its thing.

But as it is Apple, the final masterpiece being finely chiseled and now unfolding from the cold marble still manages to Take My Breath Away, Top Gun (1986) Style!!

Apple has now officially announced its Cloud-Based Music Streaming service dubbed Apple iCloud will be unveiled at WWDC (World Wide Developers Conferences) on Monday June 6^th 2011AD as stated in the article “Apple's iCloud launch portends Music”, published MAY 31, 2011 6:05 AM PDT by Greg Sandoval, Media Maverick – CNET News.

The silver cloud shape logo is no longer a nebulous concept either as can be glimpsed in the DigitalTrends article entitled “Apple’s iCloud logo revealed. Hint: it’s shaped like one of those things in the sky”, published Thursday June 6 2011, DigitalTrends.

Support for the official announcement of Apple iCloud come packing from PC Magazine article entitled “It's Official: Steve Jobs Will Reveal Apple iCloud, iOS 5 on June 6”, published May 31, 2011 09:55am EST By Peter Pachal, PC Magazine!

Ditto too in the DigitalTrends article entitled “Apple confirms iCloud, iOS 5, OS X Lion unveils at WWDC”, published Tuesday May 31 2011 by Andrew Couts, DigitalTrends.

In case you have been living under a rock, WWDC is Apple’s big pow-wow slated for Monday June 6^th 2011AD to Friday June 10^th 2011AD as chronicled in my blog article entitled “Apple and the WWDC in June 2011 - Space Above and Beyond Android”.

EMI Music, Warner Music and Sony Music have all now put pen to paper and signed deals with the Big Record Labels. The race is set….

A sweet coupe from the Cupertino kids that may soon become a quartet with mumblings of a Fourth, 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) Style in the form of Universal Music as stated in the article “Apple signs Universal Music to iCloud”, published JUNE 2, 2011 12:02 PM PDT by Greg Sandoval, Media Maverick – CNET News.

Coming to the table in their souped up Skyline GT. Do we have a race!

And it is a BIG Deal of a Race, showing Apple’s experience in deal-making, a skill Google apparently lacks as stated in the article “Apple Does What Google Couldn't, Cuts Deal With Four Major Labels”, published June 02, 2011 By John Hudson, The Atlantic Wire.

Or simply Apple just being able to shell out more money as stated in the article “Report: Apple to pay Music labels big advances”, published JUNE 3, 2011 8:00 AM PDT by Greg Sandoval, Media Maverick – CNET News.

“Kitty” money rumoured to be about US$100 million upfront for those deals to be exact as stated in the article “Apple fronting $100+ million to launch iCloud”, published June 3 2011 by Jeffrey Van Camp, DigitalTrends.

Hollywood, aware of what Apple has done to the Music Industry via iTunes, has decided to sit this one out, as Apple is still courting them as stated in the article “Apple still trying to land films, TV shows for iCloud”, published MAY 31, 2011 11:16 AM PDT by Greg Sandoval, Media Maverick – CNET News.

Apple iTV is not a good sign as far as the Movie Studios are concerned, as they believe their films are worth more than US$0.99 cents on rental!

I personally find this amusing, being as the Apple iTV was yet another suggestion of yours truly in April 2009AD prophesied to a bunch of brain –dead Shurpower Generator Engineers as recorded in my blog article entitled “Apple and the iTV - Back to the future”.

This as I had actually argued that it was only worth US$0.99 back in 2009AD, oweing to the fact that once I have watched a Movie or other Video based content, why would I want to PAY have repeat viewings?

Ever hear of Bittorrent? Like du-uh!!

Despite its cost, the price of content diminishes to US$0.99 after the first two (2) viewings. Apple iTV may still be the bone of contention that is making the Movie Studios keep a wary distance from Apple clutches...er...I mean loving contractual embrace!!

Hollywood, deal with it: your content loses its savour much as cooked food ONLY tastes good when served pippin’ hot!! Word!

WWDC, as far as I am concerned, will be more about what Apple can pull out of its “magical” hat to defend itself against the fragmented horde that is Google Android as opined in my blog article entitled “Apple and the WWDC in June 2011 - Space Above and Beyond Android”

Apple iCloud, despite being hotly anticipated, is just a scan-and-match clone of Lala.com.

This as I had predicted in my blog article entitled “Amazon Cloud Drive and the Music Industry - Apples, Lions, Tigers and Bears” when Amazon beat Apple to the punch in the soon-to-be-crowded Cloud-Based Music and Video Streaming market with their Amazon Cloud Drive with its associated Amazon Cloud Player.

Not to be outdone, Google Music burst forth as stated in the article “Google Music vs the Streaming Horde -   Hey Mr DJ, Rihanna gets Hot Wuk”, being no better than Amazon’s attempt, which also was based around a streaming enabled version of DropBox.

Creative and clever use of DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) as it relates to legality of backing up ones own files, they [Amazon and Google] also harbour similar ambitions of negotiating with the Big Music Labels. In time…..

Hence more ratings to Apple for getting it right on the first outing, thanks to their iTunes track record, the saviour (or villain?) of the Music Industry!

Thus, announcements with regards to refreshes to iOS 5.0 and Mac OS 10.1 aka “Lion” are of more pressing interest as stated in the article “Apple Will Unveil iCloud, iOS 5, New Mac OS X at WWDC”, published May 31, 2011 10:15AM By Barry Levine, Newsfactor, as Apple already owned the Music space with iTunes.

Hopefully Cloud streaming can demonstrate that Apple can get Cloud-Based Music and Movie Streaming right, being as MobileMe is not exactly Apple’s most fruit-bearing tree in their orchard!!

Apple iCloud could be Apple’s Iron Eagle (1986) sent out to become Top Gun (1986) in the Cloud-Based Music and Movie Streaming business on a Highway to the Dangerzone!!

Windows 8 is Windows Phone 7 Overlay - Voyage Back to the Future in the Dawn Treader

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,

Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,

Here once the embattled farmers stood,

And fired the shot heard round the world.

Emerson, The Concord Hymn

Redmond-Based Microsoft has done it yet again in a move that I can only describe as a tad strange, gutsy and even foolhardy….but clever!!! A shot fired hear around the world with Windows 8 OS!

Their new Windows 8 Platform, which is optimized for Tablets i.e. touch-centric, made its debut on Wednesday June 2^nd 2011AD complete with Windows Phone 7 Tiles as stated in the article “Sinofsky shows off Windows 8 at D9”, published JUNE 1, 2011 4:18 PM PDT by Erica Ogg, CNET News - Circuit Breaker.

President of Windows Development Steven Sinofsky (President of an OS? Wow…..) introduced the new retooled OS at Microsoft’s D9 Conference on Wednesday June 2^nd 2011AD. A video entitled “Building "Windows 8" - Video #1” gives a rather hazy overview of what is essential is a touch-centric rebuild of Windows 7 for Tablets!

Thus the words of the President of Windows Steven Sinofsky as he was under the mike of D9 host Walt Mossberg sounds ironic, quote: “We tried with Windows 8 to re-imagine how you work with a PC.”

This is re-imagining of nothing, I am afraid to state! It’s just a copy of concept of Apple iOS, the Apple iPad and Apple iPhone 4 Platform, being overlaid on the Mac OS 10.1 aka “Lion”. Only using Windows Phone 7 on top of Windows 7!

Most likely for the same reasons too: a common Platform for apps! In short, Windows 8 OS can be expressed mathematically: Windows 7 OS + Windows Phone 7 OS= Windows 8 OS.

Guess it IS Microsoft’s intention to compete against the Apple iOS in the Tablet space as stated in the article “Windows 8, iOS 6 set for tablet face off in 2012”, published JUNE 1, 2011 8:20 PM PDT by Josh Lowensohn, CNET News - Apple Talk.

Looks like Microsoft also believes in PC extinction as opined in my blog article entitled “Tablets and the Future of the PC - Jurassic Park and License to Kill” and in the Geezam Blog article entitled “Are we Witnessing Laptop and PC Extinction?”.

Thus, this Windows 8 OS is really for the future Tablet scenario, when Netbooks, Laptops and PC’s are Smithsonian museum pieces and Smartbooks and Tablets rule the roost. Not necessarily for the current crop of Laptops as noted in the article “What Windows 8 means for laptops”, by JUNE 2, 2011 11:18 AM PDT by Dan Ackerman, CNET News – Crave.

Microsoft is essentially combining the popular and relatively stable Windows 7 OS which according to the Consumer Reports article “Windows XP still more popular than Windows 7 or Vista”, published April 25^th, 2011 2:07 PM by Consumer Reports, COMPUTERS AND INTERNET, controls about 24% of Global PC usage.

That percentage share will increase as more pirated versions of a more stable version of Windows 7 OS become available, and people feel the need to migrate away from pirated stable versions of Windows XP Professional SP3!

Windows XP Professional SP3 users, the ones that Microsoft needs to get on the Legal Bandwagon on Windows 7 OS, is a whopping 54% of Global PC usage and is still strong a decade on since its 2001AD debut. Mostly pirated copies, no doubt!

Certainly explains the Hardware backwards compatibility, albeit that would not be enough to woo users from Free Linux OS Distributions, which are getting more and more Windows SP3-like in their interface.

Heck, I use Fedora Linux Distribution while online and to diagnose PC’s and Laptops!!

To add further injury to insult, Windows Phone 7 OS is not even significant on the Global phone OS Market in a world that is increasingly loving Google Android and it horde of smartphones as stated in my blog article entitled “Nokia + Microsoft vs HP Web OS - Gartner's Ocean's Eleven Plan to Rob the Casino” and the article “Apple + Android beat Nokia + RIM Globally - Regina Beaver's La Dolce Vita”.

This despite the glitzy launch of Windows Phone 7 OS for smartphones back on Monday October 11^th, 2010 as stated in my blog article entitled “Microsoft and Windows Phone 7 - Love Potion Number Nine”.

Nothing wrong with making Windows 8 OS touch-centric and Tablet-ready as the Hardware show-and-tell clearly indicates in the article “Microsoft shows Windows 8 to hardware makers”, published JUNE 1, 2011 9:14 PM PDT by Jay Greene, CNET News – Microsoft.

Or even using Windows Phone 7 Tiles Interface and all its features as wrapped up in their juicy Mango Update as stated my blog article entitled “Microsoft's Mango Update and Windows 8 - License to Kill in the Real World”.

All opinions neatly summarized at the end of CNET News Editor Seth Rosenblatt’s article entitled “Windows 8 premiere raises more questions than answers”, published JUNE 1, 2011 8:09 PM PDT by Seth Rosenblatt, CNET News - The Download Blog.

Microsoft does INDEED have some serious balls, in what to me is a suicide run.

I am just upset that there is no confirmed word of Windows 8 OS being Cloud-Based, as I had been pinning my hopes that it would have evolved in that direction.

My hopes of a Cloud-Based Windows 8, which were based on my speculation about Microsoft going that route with Office 365 as noted in my blog article entitled “Windows and Cloud Computing - Audia Resident Evil After-Market Taste-and-Buy” and the article “Microsoft's Mango Update and Windows 8 - License to Kill in the Real World” are clearly dashed.

Office 365 is fully Cloud-Based, like Google Docs. Possibly more apps are to be developed by Developers.

But with no word of Windows 8 OS NOT being Cloud-Based via a IE10 Client, I am STILL holding out for Windows 8 OS in this form as opined in my blog article entitled “Microsoft's Mango Update and Windows 8 - License to Kill in the Real World”.

So it remains to be seen if the other apps that will operate in the Touch-centric take on Windows clearly made for Tablets but not quite for PC will still be Cloud-Based as stated in the article “Windows 8: Nice for tablets, but what about PCs?”, published June 2, 2011, 6:33am PDT by Mary Jo Foley, All About Microsoft - ZDNet.

In short, copy Google Chrome OS on ChromeBooks and make Windows 8 Cloud-Based!

Then again, why should I have expected better?

That is what Windows 7 was, as it was basically the finished version of Windows Vista with the Service Pack updates built in. My idea (or do you prefer the word “suggestion”) of a Cloud-Based Windows 8 OS is more future-proof, as most countries already have Basic Broadband Access.

By July 27^th 2012AD London Olympics 2012 time, Broadband Internet Access would have not only improved worldwide, but most Developing and Developed Countries would have also had Cloud Servers set up to provide their services to clients.

That is, if the Cisco statistics projecting traffic levels of 966 exabytes of traffic and nearly fifteen million (15,000,000) UE (user Equipment) being connected to Broadband Internet as stated in the article “Cisco: 15 billion Internet devices by 2015”, published June 2, 2011 By Geoff Duncan, DigitalTrends.

Jamaica, being a Developing Country, would be no exception, as SME’s (Small and Medium Enterprises) can now afford Cloud-Computing instead of footing the bill for their own Local Server Hosting as stated in my blog article entitled “Digicel Cloud Backup Service and future Cloud-Based Services - V.S Naipaul's A House for Mr Biswas” and my Geezam Blog article entitled “Digicel’s Cloud Backup Services – A Deep Analysis”.

Plus, a Cloud-Based Windows 8 OS would have made it easier for Microsoft to protect their OS from Piracy, as valid copies would be authenticated and validated at the Hosting Server and access to Windows 8 OS would be tied to thirty (30) day License contracts!

Not to mention reduce the cost of Windows to almost zero by making it only a downloadable Client program that runs exclusively on the popular Windows 7 OS and loads itself from the Cloud-Based Servers via IE10 (Internet Explorer 10).

Thus, it would increase the adoption rate of Windows 7, broadband Internet Usage and Cloud-Based Server Usage as a Platform for Windows 8 OS via IE10, seeing as how Microsoft says that Windows 8 OS would be backward compatible with Windows 7 OS programs.

Literally free or ad-supported, like Linux OS Distributions or Freeware software with advertisements respectively for Home and Professional Users!

Higher versions such as Professional and Home would be maintained via traditional licensing arrangements where users’ pay for access to the Window 8 hosted on Cloud-Based Servers in thirty (30) day License contracts.

Most of the Windows 8 OS would reside on Cloud Servers and be easily updatable! For their sake, I hope the product name “Windows 8” is really just a codename and the final product is a complete rebuild of the Windows OS retooled for Cloud-Computing, modeled more on Google Chrome OS.

Call it Windows C8, with “C” standing for Cloud….?

As this Windows 8 show-and-tell at the D9 Conference is really just a trip Back to the Future (1985) in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)!

REDjet vs Caribbean Airlines - Who is The Bigger, Better Airline of them All

A place for everything and everything in its place

Samuel Smiles, Thrift

The issues surrounding REDjet being blocked from operating flights from the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica to the rest of the Caribbean is beginning to smack terribly of protectionism as stated in the article “REDjet gives up hope on Jamaica, Trinidad flights”, published Friday May 27^th 2011, The Jamaica Observer and the article “REDjet halts bookings on flights”, published Saturday May 28^th 2011, Janet Silvera, The Jamaica Gleaner.

And yet the Barbados-based REDjet held so much promise. The Jamaica Observer video article entitled “VIDEO: REDjet to redefine Caribbean air travel”, published Friday, February 11, 2011 By Al Edwards, The Jamaica Observer. Especially as they remind me so much of a certain Telecom Provider………hmm…..

Oh yes, being an aircraft technology buff, I love my aircraft specs:

1. MD-82 jet aircraft
2. Twin JT8D-217A engines
3. One hundred and forty nine (149) maximum seating capacity
4. Staff compliment of eighty two (82)
5. Economy Class (sorry Ms Carlette DeLeon aka the Pet Tales chick of Television Jamaica, no First Class!!)

Founded in 2006AD by the father and son duo of Ian and Robbie Burns, they started out as AirOne. But their name changed to REDjet, suggested by yours truly in 2009 during a conversation with a bunch of brain-dead Shurpower Generator Engineers in April 2009AD.

Throw in a suggestion to copy the RyanAir model and go Economy Class and abandon getting piece of Air Jamaica on divestment, altered history.

The fanciful low-airfare prices solidified in April 2011AD, with prices as low as US$105 round trip to the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago from Jamaica, inclusive of taxes as stated in the article “REDjet to begin flights to the Caribbean next month”, published Thursday, April 21, 2011 By Al Edwards, The Jamaica Observer.

But it is the words of REDjet Chairman and CEO Ian Burns that brings delight to my eyes, quote: “Fare prices start at US$9.99 plus taxes which is approximately 60 per cent cheaper than current prevailing prices. That’s a significant saving and means that now everyone can fly. We make that statement because we believe everyone should have the right and means to fly. Right now only 10 per cent of the people of the Caribbean fly, and in terms of the world that is a very low statistic. All the evidence points to airfares in the region going up and the amount of people travelling has gone down. Now those two facts are irrefutable and that has been the case for the last five years. We have listened to the consumers and tried to provide what they want which is low fares”

That’s right folks!!

15% of the Economy Class seats are US$9.99. Two pieces of baggage is free with a combined weight of 20Kg along with other statistics are proffered in the article.

I am not particularly fond of flying and as such, this fails to resonate with me personally, as being a Telecoms Technician by training, I am still holding out for Quantum Teleportation, as that is my interest, really!

This as future Telecoms Networks may make transporting good and services – and eventually people – as simple as sending email! Just as soon as Telecom Providers achieve the five 9’s i.e. 99.999% uptime!

Still, the revolution in Air Travel as it is being touted as a technological feat that could have been done a long time ago, as the Budget model makes Air Travel affordable to everyone. And in five (5) years time, the Irish father and son duo plan to increase their fleet to twenty five (25) planes! CARICOM, help is coming to unify the Caribbean and enable free movement, literally!!

So why are the Governments of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica stopping it if it will benefit CARICOM in the long term?

CAL (Caribbean Airlines) does not have the ability to service routes with so few passengers.

The Government of Jamaica has yet to grant REDjet permission to operate in Jamaica as stated in the article “Stalled in Jamaica, REDjet seeks other routes”, published May 18 2011, The Jamaica Observer, suggesting that the problem lies with the Government of Jamaica, the Government of Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and their joint ownership of monopolistic CAL.

Protectionism seem hardly a topic that I would be interested in. but the more I read, the more I became piqued by this tussle between the old Masonic Order of Caribbean Governments and what appeared to be a RED-feathered upstart in the form of REDjet.

If this sounds familiar, it should!!

It reminded me of the years in the first Decade of the 21^st Century after Senator Phillip Paulwell, then Minister of Technology and Information, liberated the Telecom Sector with the passing of the Telecommunications Act of 2000.

These were the years I was employed at C&W between 2001 and 2004 as a Network Maintenance Technician based at the Pembroke/North Exchange. I, as a young lad of 22 years old, witnessed firsthand C&W Jamaica Limited launch of their GSM Network to do battle against Telecom Provider Digicel.

And their advertising tumbles, key to their success but very much neglected.

I thus designed their secret Launch and then the “Owna Fi Di Yard” and threw in a couple suggested product ideas, such a bfree (Prepaid), bmobile (Postpaid) and bfree+ (Prepaid-Postpaid hybrid resulting in the first Mobile Data Plan) as chronicled in my blog article entitled “Google and Apple - Case to point on Public and Diplomatic Relations”

This led to Telecom Provider Digicel coming to the Telecoms landscape in 2001AD and giving previously Government of Jamaica owned C&W Jamaica Ltd some serious competition.

And winning too, I might add!!

Competition, which C&W Jamaica Ltd survived, now reincarnated as Telecom Provider LIME, is yet to even fully recover.

Telecom Provider LIME is now sporting a not-quite-finished 3G Network in Jamaica, losing LandLine customers by the day and making much ado about going HSDPA+ Release 7 in the Caribbean as stated in my blog article entitled “LIME's US$80 million Caribbean HSDPA+ Release 7 Upgrade - Sonic the Hedgehog”.

Telecom Provider LIME, due to complacency, had lost the Voice Network Wars to Telecom Provider Digicel from as early as 2005AD according to the PSEARCH Associates Limited in 2006 Survey paid for by the OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation) as neatly laid bare in the article “Most Jamaicans still not online”, published Saturday, September 2^nd 2006, The Jamaica Gleaner.

For a full history of Telecom Provider Digicel in Jamaica, my blog article entitled “Digicel and the up and coming WiMaX launch - Blowing in the Wind”.

Coincidentally, the REDjet CEO Mr. Ian Burns and his son Robbie Burns are both Irish, as are the executives who work at Telecom Provider Digicel. Even Telecom Provider Digicel and REDjet websites look alike!

Thus it caught my FULL interest after reading a couple articles, as I realized that, straight and simple, this was what it was. CAL, which is a state-owned partnership between the Government of Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Government of Jamaica, appears to be afraid of competition.

This as noted by Minister of Works and Transport Jack Warner of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, who pointed out that a true test of the viability of CAL as a Regional Carrier was its ability to compete with a low-cost budget carriers such as REDjet as stated in the article “Caribbean Airlines must handle competition - Warner”, published May 12 2011, The Jamaica Observer.

Thus their protectionist moves remind me of how C&W Jamaica Ltd behaved when Telecom Provider Digicel came to Jamaica and made it difficult for Telecom Provider Digicel to cross-connect to their ageing Network, albeit it was really an issue of incompatible technology as oppose to lack of interest.

Here, REDjet has smaller jet aircraft that require a lot less fuel. Somewhat like LIAT, except operating as budget carrier, like Spirit Air in the US of A or Irish-owned RyanAir in the European Union. Thanks to economy of scale, albeit REDjet carries less passengers, it can do so faster and with less fuel between the small islands such as St. Kits and Nevis and Grenada.

Two (2) hours tops, the articles intone!

Plus, buying what you want to eat instead of a package deal for things you may not want sound like Air Travel in the Caribbean will become like traveling on a bus, RyanAir style.

I am sure a lot of Upper St. Andrew types such as Ms Carlette DeLeon aka the Pet Tales Chick of Television Jamaica or even Simone “Tigerbone” Clarke-Cooper of FAME FM may not like this.

Poor people traveling on airplanes!! What is the world coming to, their minds tumble!!

But even they and other of their ilk cannot complain as it is their respective companies, Headline Entertainment and BreakThroughAll Communications for which Ms Carlette DeLeon is a Director and the RJR Communications Group, for which Simone “Tigerbone” Clarke-Cooper is a Manager, that foot the bill for their employees Air Travel!

Management ARE evil people indeed!! But argument usually makes them see reason!! Or at least a strike, as I had opined in my blog article entitled “Of ATC Strikes and Digicel 3G+ Upgrades - Pushing Tin in Eerie, Indiana”.

After all, Air Flight is expensive! Competition drives prices down and makes services previously accessible only to the wealthy accessible to the masses. Luxury gets redefined, if you are a snob and like paying for services you don’t actually use!

Regular flights by the Big Carriers such as Air Jamaica and Caribbean Airlines, now merged into CAL, were non-existent before REDjet came into the area, so why are they suddenly taking interest in what they deemed to be “commercially non-profitable routes”?

It may be as simple as size!

CAL has larger aircraft than REDjet. Thus they require more fuel and more in the way of maintenance cost. To them, unless they have a certain number of flights per day and full loads on each flight, the routes are unprofitable.

REDjet, as a Budget Carrier, does not have that problem.

It thus remains to be seen what will become of REDjet. Certainly, the CAL deal is not going to help regional air travel as is the opinion of a Mr. Lloyd Martin in a Letter to the Editor as stated in the article “This airline deal does not help regional travel”, published Tuesday, May 31, 2011 by Lloyd Martin Letter to the Editor, The Jamaica Observer.

But if what happened to C&W Jamaica Ltd, now re-christened as Telecom Provider LIME, is anything to go by, competition may make these mighty Carriers respect the small island nations and their peoples that see REDjet as a cheaper and more frequent means of island hopping or going about their business.

I predict that CAL will eventually be gobbled up by REDjet in another five (5) years in much the same way Telecom Provider Digicel has gobbled up Telecom Provider CLARO.

Until then, prepare to see some healthy Caribbean Competition!