Uptown Magazine - May 27th
Reclaiming Privacy
If the recent privacy changes on the world’s largest social-networking site have you frustrated or confused, you might want to spend a few minutes running the recently launched Reclaiming Privacy tool. After a simple drag and drop installation process, you can run the free tool and get feedback on how secure six different categories are based on your Facebook privacy settings. It’s a dead-simple way to see how your privacy is handled on Facebook and just how exposed some of your information may be. If you aren’t happy with your settings, there are plenty of tutorials out there about how to tweak them. There is only one drawback — the tool currently doesn’t check on your photo and status-update security; that will be added shortly. Every Facebook user should run this essential tool if they plan on continuing to use the social network.
Google Wave Now Open to Everyone
If you’ve been dying to see what all the hype surrounding Google’s self-described “personal communication and collaboration tool” is about, Wave is finally out of invite-only beta testing. Trying to bring together the best features of email, instant messaging, Wikis and social networking, it hasn’t really lived up to the early hype. Limited to 100,000 initial users, it didn’t explode the way Google probably hoped. That could be because the number of users and people you could connect with was limited, or it could be because people aren’t able to immediately see how they can integrate it into their personal and work lives. Like Google’s attempt at social networking, Buzz, time will tell if this new communication tool takes off with the general public.
Quick Hits
MP3 of the Week: The Empty Standards – Rollin’
If you need a new soundtrack for the campfire at the lake this summer, you should get familiar with homegrown roots rockers The Empty Standards. Their six-song EP is a perfect introduction to one of Winnipeg’s best-kept secrets. You can catch them live on June 5 at Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club with the Red River Ramblers.
Video of the Week: Transistor Sound & Lighting Co. – Jaded & Elated (live)
Transistor Sound & Lighting Co. was one of those bands in the ’90s poised to be the next big thing but, for whatever reason, never found the success it deserved. The band’s fuzzed-out low-fi pop garnered it a major-label deal, cross-country tours and airplay on MuchMusic (back when the station actually played videos). Ultimately, Transistor burned out after it was chewed up by the music-industry machine, only releasing one amazing full-length album and a couple seven inches.
