Chris Baird

Spotify

Chris Baird — Wed, 12 May 2010 20:48:57 +0000

My favourite innovation over the last year is Spotify, I loved the Pandora service which was withdrawn from the UK I’m glad a more sustainable service has replaced the void. I’m too tight fisted to actually pay or the service, so I’m glad I got in when they were still accepting free accounts, although this does mean I am stuck with adverts. If only it was around the five quid mark for the premium service then I would seriously consider signing up. There’s nothing worse than busying away to some ambient Bonobo only to interrupted by a shit band selling a Citroen Saxo. It also looks like Spotify is introducing some nifty Facebook connect integration, I look forward to seeing how this develops as currently I have no ‘friends’. A few things I find interesting about it are.

It’s a peer-to-peer service
It’s owned by record labels (shares in exchange for music rights)
It’s soon to be launched in America

Any way here’s some play lists.

BigClive

My favourite house tunes

A little mix I did…

Chris Baird — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:20:48 +0000

Some of my favourite tunes, including the up and coming Reset’s with a remix of Cassisus, the versatile Sub Focus, the best remix of Simian Mobile Disco’s Cruel Intentions and the epic Black Van’s, Yearning

Download

Ada Lovelace Day – Martha Lane Fox

Chris Baird — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:11:52 +0000

Okay firstly I have to admit that I had never heard of Ada Lovelace before my lovely colleagues at TechnoPhobia sponsored and built the Ada Lovelace Day website. Although I had heard of her father Lord Byron, whose colourful private life would give any premier league footballer a run for their money. I think the fact I hadn’t heard of her tells a story that she hasn’t been fully recognised as much as she should have for her achievements, inventing the world’s first algorithm specifically tailored for a computer. Her achievements should be more widely recognised up there with the likes of Thomas Edison etc.

It was a tough decision to choose someone I believe has made an outstanding contribution to technology, having come across many inspirational women in Technology throughout my life (my colleague had to talk me out of choosing Annie Nightingale the BBC’s longest standing and first female broadcaster). In the end I settled on Martha Lane Fox, who in 1998 who co-founded Lastminute.com. Whatever your views on the lastminute.com you cannot deny that it was a pioneer in e-commerce websites.

Although not a technologist in the same sense as Ada Lovelace, an inventor, technology is more than inventing and developing the latest piece of code. It is having the foresight to spot opportunities of how that code can impact people’s lives and bring about real benefits. Being a proper entrepreneur Martha spotted the impact the web was going to have on the way we buy holidays and moved early to setup a company synonymous with the web.

She has also gone on to do much more post lastminute.com, such as work for many charities, become a UK Government’s Digital Inclusion Champion and setup Antigone, a grant giving foundation that gives small grants to start up or early stage charities in healthcare, education and criminal justice. A true inspiration!