The 4th Annual Internet Week NYC starts on Monday, June 7th.  If you didn’t get your VIP invite to The Webby’s, there are many other ways for all of us nerds to join in the fun. Internet Week NYC, launched in 2008, is presented by The Academy of Digital Arts and Science. Anyone from big businesses to individual bloggers are allowed to attend and host events under the Internet Week banner. The week long festival has been picking up speed each year and this year has secured the massive Metropolitan Pavillion as its headquarters (note the addition of HQ at the end of Internet Week NYC) which will accommodate larger events that require interactive media space.

Webby award winning and prestigious bookmarked site, Mashable, is a major player for social media content and an all around awesome web publisher. Unfortunately, for those of us financially challenged, Mash isn’t holding another free Exhibit Hall like last year’s, complete with food and drink. This time around, Mashable has teamed up with CNN for their first Mashable Media Summit, a full day focusing on the impact of social media in news, branding, and advertising industries. An in-depth conference with a number of experts in social media and other mediums will speak, including  Foursquare co-founder, Dennis Crowley.  A discussion on branding will be lead by Chris Bruzzo from Starbucks. Mashable Media Summit Tickets are still available for about $500, which includes breakfast, kosher lunch, and a wine and networking closing event. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’ve always dreamt about rocking out alongside some of your favorite artists, you may have the chance via The Public Record. The Public Record is a music project unlike any other, where YOU can supply the music for some of your favorite artists. The project overall is still relatively new, but drummer Tommy Lee is just finishing up his latest album through the site, and country musician Shooter Jennings has just come on board to start work on his album.

How does it work? According the site, “Simply log in, download those work-in-progress tracks into your digital audio workstation (ProTools, Logic, Garageband, etc.), record all your best ideas, and then upload them to www.ThePublicRecord.com.”

In a nutshell, The Public Record is a crowdsourcing tool. The artists upload their tracks and fans get to manipulate them as they see fit. If the artist likes your version of their work, they may add it to their album. In return, you’ll get a credit in the liner notes for the chosen track.

There is one major advantage to this, should you attract the attention of the artist with your skillz.         You get to tell everyone, “I laid the guitar down on Tommy Lee’s album!” Unfortunately, that’s as good as it gets.

First, The Public Record only features established artists, and the chance you’ll get your big break is limited. Through this site, you really aren’t even making original music. It’s more like you’re doing Tommy Lee’s homework while he’s the one getting to perform onstage, bringing home the fat paycheck, and living the party lifestyle. Secondly, while I understand the website is new, it’s not going to win a Webby in any layout or design category. Quite honestly, the site is hideous looking.  So much so, I’d say “Yo momma so ugly she looks like The Public Record homepage,” if provoked. Read the rest of this entry »