Mobile Security Tips to Follow

This will be the first in a series of articles about mobile phone security. This first article deals with Internet security in general, and the follow-up articles will be on specific security apps for Andorid and iOS devices. Even if you follow just a few of these tips, you will go a long way in safeguarding your information, both personal and financial.

1. Don’t Lose Your Phone

Or, if you do, make sure that your phone is password protected. And just to be clear, a password like 1234 or 0000 is not really a password. This is basically a default code, so try to be a little more creative when choosing a code.

If you go into your General settings on your iPhone, for instance, under Passcode Lock, you can also select to have all data wiped from your phone if after 10 tries the right password is not entered. Of course, this means that a code should not be so difficult that even you have a hard time remembering it.

2. Download with Care

It is always a good idea to carefully review an app before downloading it. You should also make sure you cross-reference reviews so that you are not using just once source. Although Apple has much stricter guidelines for uploading new apps to the App Store, it has been shown that iOS devices are not impervious to hackers.

That said, if you have an Android device, you must exercise greater caution when downloading because the Android Market is a completely open forum. This allows, in theory, for greater diversity and creativity, but it also makes the entire market place, so to speak, more vulnerable to hacker attacks.

3. Safeguard Data

Your phone is basically a computer, so you need to show as much care in safeguarding data on a tablet or cellphone as you would on a regular computer. This is especially true if you use applications to view PDF files or if you transfer information via the Cloud.

Most apps that allow you to view a Word document or a PDF file, for example, do not actually save the file on your device. That file is saved on a remote server that belongs to the app developer or one that the developer has piggybacked on. That is, if you have no way of knowing whether or not the remote server can be trusted, then you probably should find a more traditional way to review and work with these types of files.

The Cloud is another issue all together and leads us to the next tip.

4. Wi-Fi & “The Cloud”

In their 2011 Mobile Threats Report, Juniper Networks states that Wi-Fi hotspots are expected to grow from 1.3 million in 2011 to 5.8 million in 2015. Although the convenience of these ‘free’ hotspots is undeniable, they must be accessed with caution. Simple tools and apps, such as FaceNiff and Firesheep, now exist that allow you to essentially eavesdrop on other mobile devices that are using unprotected hotspots.

Of course, even mentioning these ‘tools’ here is a risk, but it is important to know that they exists so that you can make an informed decision when traversing a hotspot’s access point. In other words, when you are at a local Starbucks and decide you want to use their complimentary Wi-Fi, make sure that the information you will be accessing (or that you have on your phone) is not vital.

The same can be said for cloud computing. Although the cloud offers marvelous features and versatility, it should be used with discretion. All it takes is one time for sensitive data to breached and misappropriated.

5. Review App Permissions

App stores are starting to be a little more transparent with respect to the data to which they have access. Be sure when you first open an app (after downloading it) not skip over the step where permission is asked to access or share your information.

Although some apps have a social-networking component, like Hipster or Path, the choice is ‘always’ yours. All you have to do is select “Don’t Allow.” Now, this might mean that some key features will be disabled, but you have to weigh this against potential security breaches, which have happened, for example, in the case of both Path and Hipster.

Ultimately, much of the onus when it comes to securing our information falls on us, the user. With the exponential growth and potential use of mobile devices, there has scarcely been enough time for consumers to consider all the implications. Developers and app platforms like the App Store and Android Market are starting to take some responsibility for securing their products and services, but not enough can be said for a little good, old-fashion common sense.

Stay tuned for more information on securing your iOS and Android devices.

Juniper Networks has published their 2011 Mobile Threats Report. In it, Juniper states the greatest number of attacks have been perpetrated against Android devices, which makes sense given the open platform of the Android Market. The increase in Android attacks is said to be over 3,000 percent over the last year.

But even more alarming are the actual numbers. In 2010, just over 11,000 samples of malware were reported across all operating systems. In 2011, that number shot up to almost 29,000. And given that Apple has recently reported that they have in the past year sold more iOS devices than they have Mac computers since they started selling Mac computers, it is easy to see where this malware trend is going.

What the Numbers Say

The Juniper report shoots out a whole list of other numbers that are, to the say the least, disconcerting. Thirty percent of apps have the ability to obtain (via GPS) the location of a device (i.e., the user) without the user’s explicit consent. There are 14.7 percent of apps that can initiate a phone call without the user having knowledge that they have given the consent to do so. Six percent of applications request the ability to look up all the accounts on the device (and not always in a manner that is forthcoming). Although these are considered to be suspicious and not malicious in the industry, it is unlikely that the average user would agree.

The Culprits

There are two basic types of malware: SMS (Short Messaging Service) Trojans and spyware, the latter being the most prevalent. SMS Trojans trick users into sending out premium messages on behalf of a malicious third party. The user usually does not find out that these message have been sent until they receive their bill.

Spyware, on the other hand, is a little more insidious in that it is often harder to detect. It also accounts for 63 percent of the identified samples of malware. Spyware can cull information from a user ranging from their GPS coordinates to their text messages as well as their browser history—all of which can be used to extract sensitive and lucrative information from a user.

Google to the Rescue?

Google recently announced its new malware patroller codenamed “Bouncer.” Hiroshi Lockheimer, Android vice-president of engineering, wrote on the Google blog that “once an application is uploaded, the service immediately starts analysing it for known malware, spyware and Trojans. It also looks for behaviours that indicate an application might be misbehaving, and compares it against previously analysed apps to detect possible red flags.”

Lockhemier also states that “the service has been looking for malicious apps in Market for a while now, and…we saw a 40 percent decrease in the number of potentially-malicious downloads from Android Market.” Given that Google is the maker of Android, it is not a bad idea that they spearhead the fight against malware attacks against Android devices. However, it is unlikely that any real solution will come from one source. If that were true, then in the PC world, there would be one anti-virus to rule them all.

iOS Devices versus Android

The Juniper report also makes it clear that although iOS devices fair better because of Apple’s strict policy on app development and publication, they are by no means immune to attacks. iOS malware usually stem from ‘jailbroken’ devices that permit the proliferation of unapproved apps or from errors in code-signing restrictions that can lead to unapproved apps being uploaded to the App Store, as was recently demonstrated by Dr. Charlie Miller at Accuvant LABS.

Apple’s iOS sandboxing model is also part of the problem because it uses only one sandbox to run all its applications. Although Android runs a separate one for each of its applications, the Android Market allows any developer to upload their potentially malicious app, which is the reason why Android devices are so susceptible to attacks.

What the Infographic Says

The Juniper report also includes an infographic of the month-to-month appearance of new and malicious attacks against all mobile operating systems in 2011. It would seem that the only month specific malicious activity was not reported was in August, which might lead one to believe that even hackers take vacation time. However, what this graph is really suggesting is that malware is on the rise, and not just of the PC variety.

We take for granted that our phones are really computers and that more and more we are using them as such. Apps have become so sophisticated and widespread that even most banks these days have a mobile division. Your smartphone is no longer a mere diversion to go gather some eggs with some angry birds.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has released a report app-ly titled, “Mobile Apps for Kids: Current Privacy Disclosures Are Disappointing.” In it, the Commission states that information is being gathered from your children’s Apple and Android apps but that at the moment, it is difficult to say what exactly that data is and who has access to it.

To find this out, one would have to do a thorough investigation of every app out there (there are over 500,000 at the App Store alone) and break down their code to see if there are reasons to worry about any potential security breach. Considering that not even Apple has such a policing policy in place, it is hard to imagine the government using the necessary resources to deal with what is essentially a private sector issue. And yet, they must.

Apple Makes Some Big Announcements

The report by the Trade Commission is all the more concerning given a couple big announcements Apple recently made. The first is that the number of iOS devices (over 300 million) has now surpassed the total number of Macs sold in all the 28 years since the first Macintosh 128k hit the market in January of 1984. The second announcement is a ‘cheerier’ note about a contest to celebrate the 25 billionth app download at the App Store.

Combined, these two stories illustrate just how exponential the growth has been since the launch of the App Store in 2008. Not only is there a rush by companies to launch new apps to tap into this vast market, there is also the fervor among consumers to purchase these ‘smart’ devices and their accompanying applications. It has scarcely given consumer—parents—any time to consider the implications.

The Power of the iOS and the Temptation of an Ice Cream Sandwich

If you have ever used an iOS or Android device (with its new Ice Cream Sandwich OS), you know the how easy it is to go to the App Store or Android Market, download an app, and to have it up and running. It takes just a few seconds. And in those few seconds, most of us skip over the prompt that asks (sometimes quite vaguely or not at all) for the permission to access our information.

In the split second when you are considering Allow or Don’t Allow, a part of you is left feeling that if you select Don’t Allow, somehow you will be missing out on some keen features that the app has to offer. And this may very well be true. However, the question still stands: Do you allow, or do you not allow?

U.S. Trade Commission Report

The problem is that there is no way to know exactly how much of your information will be accessible and who potentially has access to it. This is precisely the finding of the U.S. Trade Commission. The Commission reviewed 400 kid-focused apps and whether or not those apps connected to social media or if any data collection was disclosed.

The data can range from a person’s geo-location (obtained via GPS), phone number, list of contacts, call logs, and other personal information stored on the device. The report states, “Indeed, across the wide range of “kids” apps examined in the survey, staff found very little information about the data collection or sharing practices of these apps. Apple’s and Google’s mobile operating systems and app stores provide limited notice to users regarding app capabilities, and leave the bulk of disclosure to individual app developers.” That last statement is perhaps what is most disconcerting.

We recently reported about two companies that offered apologies for having uploaded the information of its users without explicit permission. One of these companies, Path, openly and cheerfully states in their demo video that with Path you can “share photos and videos, who (you are) with, where (you are)…what (you are) thinking, and when (you) a wake up and go to sleep” and that “Path 2 automatically shares when (you) change neighborhoods.” The apology, of course, only came after the problem was ‘pointed out’ to them.

It is this kind of cavalier attitude that makes one, as they grow older, become a little more cautious and perhaps, even if on some unconscious level, understand the often incoherent rants of the conservative right.

Apple is about to reach its 25,000,000,000 billion app downloads and wants to give you $10,000 to celebrate it. Yes, for the lucky number 25 billion, Apple will give an App Store Gift Card with a value of $10,000.

The numbers are remarkable. A little over a year ago, they had celebrated the 10 billion mark and had another contest to give away $10,000. Given that the App Store launched in 2008, with 10 million app downloads in the first week alone, the growth has been exponential.

Here are some more numbers. There are currently over 500,000 active apps and over 100,000 that are inactive (no longer available). There are over 130,000 active app publishers in the U.S. App Store. The monthly submissions at the App Store are about 9,000 (and growing), with over 84 percent of those being games. The current average app price is $2 while the current average game app price is $1. With over 300 million iOS users, you can see why these numbers are so important.

Commenting on the previous 15 billion mark, Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said: “In just three years, the revolutionary App Store has grown to become the most exciting and successful software marketplace the world has ever seen.”

What is truly exciting about the App Store is not simply what is there, but was is not there. Although game apps are the big sellers, there is no limit to the potential of what can and will be offered at the App Store in the future.

Our piece about the iTunes U app is a perfect example. The idea that you can now access free courses from institutions like Yale, MIT, MoMA, and the New York Public Library speaks to the best of what the App Store can provide the individual and society as a whole.

The 25 billion contest does not require you to purchase an app. Simply fill out the entry form on iTunes, and whomever is the 25 billionth person will be the lucky winner, whether that is the 25billionth download or the person that fills the entry form after the “download of the 24,999,999,999th app, whichever comes first.”

And the contest is “open only to entrants who are at least the minimum age required by law in the country in which they are located at time of entry, and located in a participating App Store country.” So that means that even if you are in some remote corner of the world, you too have the chance to win that handsome gift card.

In the short time it took to write this article (minus the coffee break), there have been 2 million new downloads. Staggering numbers, indeed.

Apple wants you to go to university, for free, with its iTunes U app. Apple invites you to “Learn a new language. Study Shakespeare. Discover the cosmos.”

iTunes U — A New Way to Learn

Remember the scene in Good Will Hunting where Matt Damon, who plays a Southie genius in the film, comes to the defense of his friend, Ben Affleck, who is being mocked by a pretentious grad student? At the end of the tirade that leaves the pony-tailed Harvardite searching for an original thought, Damon says to him, “You dropped a hundred and fifty grand on an education you could have got for a $1.50 in late charges at the public library.” (I dropped the expletive.)

Now, no one is going to deny a Harvard education, but the point being made is that one doesn’t always need to follow convention to obtain an ‘education’. Well, Apple with its iTunes U app has now bridged those two disparate perspectives on formal education. Of course, it does require the investment in an iPhone, iPod, or an iPad, but these days, these devices are almost common place—at least, they are fast becoming that.

How iTunes U Works

The iTunes U app gives you full access to courses at major universities from around the world, including Stanford, Yale, and MIT. These are not courses made specifically for the iDevices. They are actual courses taught by instructors at these leading universities. Even if you are already studying formally at an institution, iTunes U is an excellent companion and resource center.

With the iTunes U app, you can see assignments and updates from instructors in one place. You can also check off assignments as you complete them. You can takes notes and highlight iBooks that go along with the course, and there is a full range of rich content available to you, such as videos, documents, and presentations.

The collection includes over 500, 000 lectures and is not limited to universities. You also have access to courses and materials from cultural and heritage institutions like the MoMA, the New York Public Library, and the Library of Congress. It has been said that your local public library is a great social ‘equalizer’. It gives lower-income families and immigrants access to a wealth of materials at little to no cost.

Now with iTunes U, the possibilities appear to be endless. A child from another part of the world who has access to an iDevice can now browse through the virtual shelves of the Library of Congress and be inspired by the vast collection of knowledge.

iTunes you requires iOS 5 or later. The app can be downloaded for free.

Clik wants to control your screens. This new app by Clik Interactive is impressive—even for the technologically jaded. In practical terms, the concept is pretty simple, and the idea, nothing new. We have these smartphones that are no longer just phones. They are virtual multiplexes. The movie references is on purpose, but it also speaks to the combing of signals, as the term is used in engineering.

Clik: Reinventing the Remote

Those of you old enough to remember the first remote controllers can chuckle at the memory of those two-button boxes that controlled the volume and channel knobs on your old TV set. As a child, it was mesmerizing to see the little channel knob on the big Telefunken set turn magically as you hit the button on the remote.

Well, the makers of Clik are bringing back some of that magic to your smartphones. The Clik app can be downloaded for free both at the App Store and Android Market. Once you have downloaded the app, simply click it and follow the steps.

You will be immediately prompted to go to www.clikthis.com. There, one of these new scan code you have been seeing everywhere will be generated, which uniquely identifies your screen. Simply line up the blue dot on the screen and the one that appears in the middle of the app’s field of view and the devices (your smartphone and your computer or browse-capable TV) will be automatically synced up.

Presently, Clik uses Youtube content, so you will only be able to watch videos that you normally would watch by going directly to the YouTube site. The only difference is that you can now control the videos with your smartphone.

To add a little extra measure of cool, your friends can also scan the code with their smartphones so that you can all take turns choosing videos at your next get together. No longer do you have to fight over the chair in front of the computer. Just pick up your smartphone and start typing.

YouTube and More

The fact that you can only watch YouTube content is for sure a limitation. But the idea is that other providers of content will use the Clik platform to share videos. So says one of the members of the Clik team in a promotional video for the app. Developers of content can email Click directly to use their API beta toolkit to develop on top of the Clik platform.

Now, of course, there is a problem with this. If the consumer is bypassing YouTube or any other content provider (like Vimeo, Hulu, etc.) by going to Clik, why would they ever go back to these sites? Clearly some kind of deal would have to be in place to accommodate that kind of potential loss in ad revenue.

Conceivably, if Clik were to generate the kind of viewership that YouTube now enjoys (and why not since they are using YouTube content?), they could become a provider of original content. But this does not seem to be in any near-future plans for the company.

Clik is not the only product of its kind. Flingo and WiDi technology already play with this idea of multi-device interface. Whether or not Clik becomes just another cool app that eventually gets lost in the app maze will depend on the kind of dynamic content it provides. The technology is there. What is missing, for now, is the substance that gives that technology life.

The new GoSoapBox app aims to give both students and teachers an effective tool to deal with the very real issue of student engagement.

The Matt Damon Effect

By now you have probably seen the video of Matt Damon standing next to his mom—who is a professor of early childhood education—and coming to the defense of teachers everywhere after a reporter makes a flippant comment that suggests ‘bad’ teachers exist because they have greater job security than most other professionals. Whether you agree with this or not, what is undeniable is that a teacher’s job is never done. The rewards tend to be little victories, knowing that you are making a positive impact in the life of a child, even if at times it is hard to measure.

GoSoapBox — How It Works

The developers of GoSoapBox have come up with an application that just may help bridge the gap that can sometimes arise between teachers and their students. GoSoapBox was designed to improve student engagement by breaking down the barriers students face when it comes to class participation. John Pytel, CEO of GoSoapBox, states that he too had difficulty asking questions in class. “Like most students, I had many questions but more often than not didn’t raise my hand.”

This is part of the problem many teachers face. They don’t always have time to assess if all their students understand the material that is being covered, every step of the way—not that they would have the time to stop instruction every time there was confusion.

With GoSoapBox, that task might become a little easier. The app has a back channel that allows students to ask questions, discuss topics, and indicate possible confusion without interrupting a lecture.  GoSoapBox has four core features.

The first is a Socially-Ranked Q&A. Students can submit, reply, and vote for questions they wish to have addressed. The questions with the most votes will automatically be given priority status. The teacher can then see what the most pressing questions are.

The second is the Discussions section. Here, teachers can add a discussion and/or ask an open-ended question to which students can respond. All responses remain anonymous, so teachers are given the opportunity to hear from students who normally may be reluctant to respond in class.

The third section is the Confusion Barometer. At any point during discussions, students have one of two possible status updates: I am getting it or I am confused. The number of confused students gets updated to the teacher’s interface in real time, so they have the option to stop the discussion if they see that too many students are not ‘getting it’.

In the last section, Polling, teachers can generate polls for students to participate in. One of the great things about GoSoapBox is that it is available to students both inside and outside of the classroom. Therefore, questions that were not addressed during class can then be addressed at a more convenient time.

The service itself costs teachers $15 per month or $90 per year. This might be the only drawback, especially when you consider a recent study that reported that teachers in the 2009-2010 school year spent more than $1.3 billion out of pocket ($356 per teacher) on school supplies in the U.S. alone. And by all accounts, this is a conservative estimate. However, for teachers and schools that can afford this new service, GoSoapBox may just be that little extra help teachers need.

Just so you Android users don’t feel left out, we have complied a list of the top five drinking apps available at the Android Market. Although some of the ones we included for the iOS devices also exist for Android, we wanted to provide you with a more ‘exclusive’ selection.

1. 10001 Cocktails (Free)

As the name implies, sometimes it is not quality, but quantity. For your 1001 Arabian Nights you have a drink and cocktail recipe to satisfy any pallet (and even a few to satisfy no pallet). This is an all-in-one kind of app; you have to applaud it at least for sheer effort.

2. Bartender (Free)

This has user-generated content, so you will equally find gems as you will backwoods swill. This is your crowdsourced drinking man’s app. So if you are feeling that call of inspiration (or the tingle of inebriation), you can upload the recipe for your Sierra Maestra, Cuban Revolution–inspired Red Rebel to the database (shot of Havana Club Rum, soda, and a smash of cane-soaked strawberries).

3. Cocktail Hero (Free)

This is the app you turn to when you just have select ingredients and you don’t know what to do with them. Ultimately, these types of apps are never as creative as you would want them to be, because if you just have some Dijon mustard, an egg, Tobasco sauce, gin, and a banana, you want to be able to make some sort of concoction out of it that won’t kill you or your guests. Perhaps you just have to wait for the database to be expanded.

4. Liquor Run Mobile (Free)

This is a great app that not only tracks the nearest liquor stores and their hours of operation, it also can tell you where to find your favorite brew, because let’s face it, not everyone carries a six pack of Hop Circle or He’Brew, “The chosen beer.” There is also a database of cocktail recipes for your ‘spiritual’ get togethers.

5. Blood Alcohol Calculator (Free)

Finally, no responsible list of drinking apps would be remiss to add a blood alcohol calculator. With a simple calculation involving your body weight, what you are drinking, number of drinks, and length of time imbibing, you can calculate your BAC. It does not, however, account for gender differences, but then again, maybe the developers feel that it would be sexist to suggest that a woman cannot hold her liquor as well as man can. Equality, even in inebriation!

This is by no means a definitive list. Just one to get you started. But please remember to drink responsibly, kids (you too grown-ups).

Whether you are the connoisseur or the social drinker or the souse, there are some drinking apps out there for the drinker in all of us. The following are the top five for the iOS plus one for responsible drinking.

1. Mixologist ($0.99)

This is the drinking man’s app, for the Donald Drapers and Barney Gumbles alike. With a virtual liquor cabinet of up to 1,300 ingredients, you can find a drink for almost occasion. The app also includes recommendations for the proper glassware to use (not everything should be served in a plastic tumbler). It even has GPS to direct you to the nearest watering holes if your needs are a little more immediate.

2. GetDrunker ($0.99)

This is the no-holds-barred drinking app. It’s the kind of app you want to have when you look in your fridge and all you see is Coke, vodka, cranberry juice, and cream, which yields no fewer than seven drink possibilities (from the 2-parts-vodka, six-parts-Coke Dr. Zhivago to the 5-parts-Coke, 1-part-cranberry juice, 1-part vodka Mersh). With a list of the 39 most common items to be found in a frat house fridge, this app is sure to please the latenight drinker whose already had a few and does not have the brainpower left to consider a larger set of ingredients.

3. Brewski Me (Free)

Brewski Me is the winner of the best beer app in the first annual Brewsies, a team of self-described beer enthusiasts and Disney fans, who like to “share what (they) are drinking and other thoughts on both beer and Disney.” Anyway, the app—Brewski Me is the “beer drinking app, made by beer drinkers specifically for beer drinkers.” The Styles page is particularly useful if you want to get to know what a specific type of beer is like. Just be careful when you select Drink to find a place near you that serves your beer selection. You might be sent to the nearest pet store (this was one of the options I was given).

4. Wine Enthusiast Guide ($3.99)

Like the price tag of the app suggests, this is for the serious drinker. That said, this is a great app for both the novice and the connoisseur.

Have you ever picked up a bottle of wine and read the description or heard a waiter talk about the vino’s velvety notes and wondered what they were talking about? Well, this app also includes a list of 1,400 terms that cover all aspects of wine appreciation. It will also help you pick the right kind of wine according to food, taste, and price range so that you are not stuck bringing the default Piat D’or or Blue Nun bottle to your next dinner party.

5. Drinking Games (Free)

This app is for the end of the night, when you’ve already had a few too many and you just want to have a little fun. From the classic “Thumbs” to something called the “Beeramid,” you are sure to find the right game to finally get yourself thrown out of the bar. And if you are feeling inspired and come up with a game of your own, you can even e-mail the developer the idea to have it added to the app’s list of games.

Plus One App for Responsible Drinking

Finally, we will add an app for the socially-responsible drinker (that should be all of you). Last Call is a free app that will calculate your blood alcohol content (BAC) and will make appropriate drink suggestions given what you have already knocked back, so if you’ve paced yourself, you just might be okay to have that one last Rob Roy at the end of the night.

So, there you go. Have fun, drink responsibly—and please don’t forget to tip the cocktail waitress (they have memories like killer whales).

CBC Music Service

The Canadian Broadcast Corporation has launched a free online music service—CBC Music.

The service is available online and via the CBC Music app. More and more listeners are turning to the Internet for live radio streaming, whether it is from a local or international station or a service like Sirius XM Radio, which for a monthly fee gives you access to dozens of satellite radio stations.

CBC Music, however, is free. The app itself is laid out quite nicely. Once installed, just click on the app and you will be given a choice of CBC Radio 2, CBC Radio 3, or a variety “Genre Steams,” which include Classical, Jazz, Singer-Songwriter, World, Blues, Pop, Electronic, and Aboriginal, to name a few. There is even a tantalizing “Complete Cohen” stream for all you Leonard Cohen fans. It is much like the Sinatra station on XM, which features music by the artist himself and by other notable Cohenites.

Within each genre stream, there is a subset of streams. Under Classical, for instance, there are 10, ranging from Baroque, Modern Masters, and a personal favorite, the “Glenn Gould Sampler.” The streams offers ‘uninterrupted’ music (there is the occasional ‘ad’ about the service), although some channels do have a host.

The online site offers a greater range of categories and services, such as an “on demand” section that includes featured artists and playlists from guest DJs like Vish Khanna and Lana Gay. Some of the channels play strictly Canadian music while others play a mix Canadian content and music from around the world.

With blogs and live chats, CBC Music provides a way for music fans to connect with their favorite artists and DJs. This is all a big step for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which is notorious for its strict, centralized policies.

The service was made possible in part by a deal the CBC cut with the Audio-Video Licensing Agency. The CBC can now provide a broader range of music unedited and on demand, which seems to be a growing trend both in music and in video.

CBC Music and services like this offer the music lover a wide range of content without the constant interruption of invasive ads that populate the airways of your average radio stations. Of course, the success of CBC Music will depend on the content being both dynamic and engaging.

Despite iTunes ubiquitous appropriation of your computer’s media files, it has taught users and providers of content alike a valuable lesson. Choice is not to be underestimated. Neither is a good recommendation.