Where Are All the Women in Classical Music? – There is a large dearth of women in leadership roles in classical music. The October listing of classical events in the NY Times had only one piece composed by a woman and one piece conducted by a woman. Women have tended to be well-represented in the creative fields; there should be more female leaders in classical music. The few organizations addressing the disparity aren’t enough, we have the ability to think creatively about how to break the glass ceilings permanently.
Andrea Files Complaints Against Apple – Andrea Electronic Corp. of Bohemia, NY has filed a complaint requesting the ITC make an investigation pursuant to Section 337. The complaint alleges that Apple and Samsung unlawfully import into the U.S. and sell certain audio processing hardware, software, and products that infringe on one or more claims of Andrea. The patents relate to methods and apparatus for processing audio signals, and focus on reducing or canceling noise and interference. These affect the technology in computers, notebooks, laptops, tablets, smartphones, headsets, headphones, earbuds and wearables that all allegedly implement the patented technology. In particular, the complaints apply specifically to the iPhone 6S and the Samsung Galaxy S7 products.
Video Analytics – These are systems which extract information from video content that is meaningful as perceived by the human eye. They are gaining traction in a varied set of markets including retail, transportation, consumer cities, critical infrastructure, and enterprise. While many of the original uses of them were in the security area, the applications for the technology are diversifying to include a broader range of business intelligence and situational awareness use cases. Sophisticated computer vision and deep learning algorithms are optimizing video analytics, and many firms are involved.
Tidal is Looking for Cash – The 24-bit audio streaming service that is loved by audiophiles and audio enthusiasts has reported a doubling of their losses. Tidal is known for its lavish parties attended by music celebrities, and as several manufacturers launched new hi-res products, their Swedish holding company saw revenues increase 30% last year. Now they are stuck between consumers who are reluctant to pay for tunes that they an easily access for free, and the record labels – which often demand upfront payment for copyright fees. In June, Tidal said it now had 4.2 million paying subscribers, but that is still far behind its main competitors. Apple Music has 17 million paying subscribers, while Spotify has 30 million.
