Sworn In have signed to Fearless Records.
Sworn In Sign to Fearless Records
Some Apple Updates Today
Apple announced some new things this morning, including a new Product(Red) iPhone:
“Since we began working with (RED) 10 years ago, our customers have made a significant impact in fighting the spread of AIDS through the purchase of our products, from the original iPod nano (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition all the way to today’s lineup of Beats products and accessories for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.
And a new lower priced iPad:
Starting at $329 for the 32 GB Wi-Fi version and simply called ‘iPad’, the new device appears to be a lower-cost replacement for the iPad Air line as the company’s iPad lineup now includes iPad mini 4, the new ‘iPad’, and the iPad Pro in existing 9.7″ and 12.9″ configurations. Neither iPad Pro model received any update this morning. The iPad mini 4, on the other hand, now offers more capacity for the same price: the 128 GB Wi-Fi model is now priced at $399, while the 128 GB Wi-Fi + Cellular is available at $529.
And some new Apple Watch bands:
Amongst the hubbub of today’s announcements, one thing went unmentioned: new Apple Watch bands! (Well, new colors, anyway.) You can now grab a $49 Sport Band in Camellia, Pebble, or Azure; $49 Woven Nylon bands in Orange (and blue), Berry, Red (and yellow/gray), and, uh “Pollen” (blue/yellow/green). Also, the Nike+ Sport bands in Anthracite/Black, Pure Platinum/White, and Black/Volt, are now available as $49 options—previously, you could only get them by buying the Nike+ edition of the Watch.
Ed Sheeran Tops the Charts Again
Ed Sheeran is once again at the top of the charts this week:
A step below Sheeran on the new Billboard 200 is Metallica’s Hardwired… To Self-Destruct, which holds at No. 2 with 102,000 units (up 25 percent) and 100,000 in traditional album sales (up 26 percent). The set continues to profit largely from a concert ticket/album bundle sale redemption promotion with the act’s stadium tour that went on sale on Feb. 17.
Riot Fest Won’t Return to Denver in 2017
Riot Fest will not be returning to Denver this year:
Denverites looking to attend Riot Fest this year will have to travel to Chicago to see their favorite punk bands.
Organizers say planning efforts for a Denver festival became too difficult after longtime leader Sean McKeough passed away last year.
New Senses Fail Coming in 2018
Buddy Nielsen confirmed that the new Senses Fail record will be released in early 2018:
Nielsen said the disc, which should be released in early 2018, will “sound like if there was a record between ‘Let It Enfold You’ and ‘Still Searching.’
Google to Revamp Ad Policies After Brands Boycott
The U.S. company said in a blog post Friday it would give clients more control over where their ads appear on both YouTube, the video-sharing service it owns, and the Google Display Network, which posts advertising to third-party websites.
The announcement came after the U.K. government and the Guardian newspaper pulled ads from the video site, stepping up pressure on YouTube to police content on its platform.
France’s Havas SA, the world’s sixth-largest advertising and marketing company, pulled its U.K. clients’ ads from Google and YouTube on Friday after failing to get assurances from Google that the ads wouldn’t appear next to offensive material. Those clients include wireless carrier O2, Royal Mail Plc, government-owned British Broadcasting Corp., Domino’s Pizza and Hyundai Kia, Havas said in a statement.
YouTube Responds to Criticism of LGBTQ+ Video Blocking
YouTube has released a statement in response to accusations that it is discriminating against its LGBTQ users by hiding certain videos in its Restricted Mode. The company issued the statement on Sunday night, after several popular LGBTQ vloggers and video creators, discovered that videos on topics such as dating, attraction, and inspiration had been hidden by default in the mode. Many led criticism against the company using the #YouTubeIsOverParty hashtag on Twitter.
Tegan and Sara have been very vocal about this issue on Twitter.
‘Beauty and the Beast’ Has Huge Weekend Opening
The live-action Beauty and the Beast had a monster opening this weekend:
Disney’s live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast has delivered a film the size of a summer blockbuster in the month of March, debuting with not only a record-setting March opening weekend, but the seventh largest domestic opening of all-time as Disney now owns six of the top seven opening weekends of all-time.
Seems like that whole boycott thing is going well.
Chuck Berry Passes Away
Chuck Berry has passed away:
Chuck Berry, who with his indelible guitar licks, brash self-confidence and memorable songs about cars, girls and wild dance parties did as much as anyone to define rock ’n’ roll’s potential and attitude in its early years, died on Saturday at his home near Wentzville, Mo. He was 90.
His family has announced that his new studio album will still be released.
You Me and Everyone We Know EPs Getting Pressed
You Me and Everyone We Know’s EPs are getting pressed on vinyl and are now up for order.
Stephen Christian to Release Solo Album This Year
Stephen Christian, of Anberlin, will be releasing his new solo album Wildfires later this year.
David Bazan on Mike Herrera Hour
David Bazan is on the latest episode of Mike Herrera’s podcast.
Emery Launch Indiegogo Campaign
Emery have launched an Indiegogo campaign for their new album:
We’ve estimated our basic costs again at $50,000, the same goal we had for YWNA. Of course, you guys crushed this goal last time. We pressed tons of expensive vinyl, paid for recording, mixing, mastering, travel, art, manufacturing, packing and shipping of all the products. After doing it once, we’re better at it, and we think we can get an even a better record out faster with your help.
Lack of Oxford Comma Could Cost Maine Company Millions in Overtime Dispute
Daniel Victor, reporting for The New York Times:
A class-action lawsuit about overtime pay for truck drivers hinged entirely on a debate that has bitterly divided friends, families and foes: The dreaded — or totally necessary — Oxford comma, perhaps the most polarizing of punctuation marks.
What ensued in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, and in a 29-page court decision handed down on Monday, was an exercise in high-stakes grammar pedantry that could cost a dairy company in Portland, Me., an estimated $10 million.
Netflix to Change From Stars to Thumbs
Netflix will be moving away from the star rating system to a thumbs up or thumbs down approach:
Netflix VP of Product Todd Yellin told journalists on Thursday during a press briefing at the company’s headquarters in Los Gatos, Calif., that the company had tested the new thumbs up and down ratings with hundred of thousands of members in 2016. “We are addicted to the methodology of A/B testing,” Yellin said. The result was that thumbs got 200% more ratings than the traditional star-rating feature.