MacVoices #23314: MacVoices Live! - KISS' Digital Avatars, Spotify's Layoffs, Android Rejection

Chuck Joiner, Dave Ginsburg, Jim Rea, Eric Bolden, Jeff Gamet, Ben Roethig, Mark Fuccio, and Web Bixby discuss KISS's future through digital avatars, with panelists expressing opinions about this version of digital immortality. . Financial opportunities and concerns about avatar ownership and technological advancements in entertainment are discussed. They also compare Spotify to Netflix and critique Spotify's business model in the podcast industry. The show wraps with a humorous story about a Washington, D.C. robbery, where thieves returned an Android phone, mistakenly thinking it was an iPhone. 

This edition of MacVoices is supported by the MacVoices Holiday Gift Guides. Holiday conversations and great gear picks by our panelists. Check them out: http://MacVoices.com/HolidayGiftGuides

Show Notes:

Chapters:

0:00:00 KISS's Last Live Show as a Band KISS's Digital Avatars: The Future of Music? 0:03:13 The Question of Excitement: Kiss vs Other Bands 0:05:14 Keeping Music Alive: Tribute Bands and Legacy Preservation 0:07:22 The Future of Music: New People and Leveraging Legacy 0:09:01 Avatars and Death: What Happens to the Band? 0:10:47 The Rise of Independent Artists 0:11:51 The economics of live albums versus internet delivery 0:13:26 Advancing the art of virtual concerts and its potential 0:15:36 The controversy and future of VR concerts and avatars 0:20:23 Downsizing and Layoffs at Spotify 0:23:47 Uncertainty and Changing Landscape for Audio Streaming Companies 0:25:42 Spotify's Comparison to Netflix Falls Short 0:29:01 The concept of profitability and business model 0:30:58 A robbery with an unexpected twist 0:31:59 A Classic Story of Robbery and Unusual Outcome

Links:

Kiss say farewell to live touring, become first US band to go virtual and become digital avatars  https://apnews.com/article/kiss-digital-avatars-end-of-road-finale-37a8ae9905099343c7b41654b2344d0c

ABBA Voyage https://abbavoyage.com/theconcert/

"Kiss and Make-Up: A Memoir" by Gene Simmons https://amzn.to/4ay262L

Spotify is laying off 1,500 employees, who will be notified later today  https://www.engadget.com/spotify-is-laying-off-1500-employees-081521615.html

Thieves return stolen Android phone after realizing it’s not an iPhone: ‘We don’t want this’ https://9to5mac.com/2023/12/04/stolen-android-phone-returned-iphone/

Guests:

Web Bixby has been in the insurance business for 40 years and has been an Apple user for longer than that.You can catch up with him on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Eric Bolden is into macOS, plants, sci-fi, food, and is a rural internet supporter. You can connect with him on Twitter, by email at embolden@mac.com, on Mastodon at @eabolden@techhub.social, and on his blog, Trending At Work.

Brian Flanigan-Arthurs is an educator with a passion for providing results-driven, innovative learning strategies for all students, but particularly those who are at-risk. He is also a tech enthusiast who has a particular affinity for Apple since he first used the Apple IIGS as a student. You can contact Brian on twitter as @brian8944. He also recently opened a Mastodon account at @brian8944@mastodon.cloud.

Mark Fuccio is actively involved in high tech startup companies, both as a principle at piqsure.com, or as a marketing advisor through his consulting practice Tactics Sells High Tech, Inc. Mark was a proud investor in Microsoft from the mid-1990's selling in mid 2000, and hopes one day that MSFT will be again an attractive investment. You can contact Mark through Twitter, LinkedIn, or on Mastodon.

Jeff Gamet is a technology blogger, podcaster, author, and public speaker. Previously, he was The Mac Observer’s Managing Editor, and the TextExpander Evangelist for Smile. He has presented at Macworld Expo, RSA Conference, several WordCamp events, along with many other conferences. You can find him on several podcasts such as The Mac Show, The Big Show, MacVoices, Mac OS Ken, This Week in iOS, and more. Jeff is easy to find on social media as @jgamet on Twitter and Instagram, jeffgamet on LinkedIn., @jgamet@mastodon.social on Mastodon, and on his YouTube Channel at YouTube.com/jgamet.

David Ginsburg is the host of the weekly podcast In Touch With iOS where he discusses all things iOS, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch, and related technologies. He is an IT professional supporting Mac, iOS and Windows users. Visit his YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/daveg65 and find and follow him on Twitter @daveg65 and on Mastodon at @daveg65@mastodon.cloud

Jim Rea built his own computer from scratch in 1975, started programming in 1977, and has been an independent Mac developer continuously since 1984. He is the founder of ProVUE Development, and the author of Panorama X, ProVUE's ultra fast RAM based database software for the macOS platform. He’s been a speaker at MacTech, MacWorld Expo and other industry conferences. Follow Jim at provue.com and via @provuejim@techhub.social on Mastodon.

Ben Roethig has been in the Apple Ecosystem since the System 7 Days. He is the a former Associate Editor with Geek Beat, Co-Founder of The Tech Hangout and Deconstruct and currently shares his thoughts on RoethigTech. Contact him on  Twitter and Mastodon.

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00:00:38 KISS's Digital Evolution and Future as Avatars 00:02:13 The Debate: KISS Avatars - Intriguing or Commercialized Future? 00:05:14 Keeping the Music Alive: Tribute Bands and Legacy Preservation 00:10:47 Artists Gaining Power Over Record Labels 00:11:51 The Economics of Live Albums vs Virtual Concerts 00:16:24 The Rise of Tribute Bands and Avatar Performances 00:20:04 Spotify's struggle to achieve profitability and downsizing efforts 00:23:46 The changing landscape of audio streaming and its future challenges 00:25:41 Spotify's struggles in the podcast industry compared to Netflix 00:28:38 Uncertain future for Spotify's profitability 00:29:00 The concept of profitability and business model 00:30:48 Audio licensees and the better business model 00:31:58 A Classic Robbery Story Unfolds 00:33:08 Introductions and greetings 00:35:15 Jeff Gammon's social media platforms 00:36:43 A Shoutout to Frank and Well Wishes 00:38:37 Introduction and Acknowledgments