Web Forum: Internet news

Dec 24 2009 by Andrew Jackson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

AS 2009 draws to a close, let’s have a little think: what was the internet story of the year?

Was it Google’s ever-expanding empire, marching across the net and conquering all before it? Perhaps it was Twitter, which is no longer just for nerds but is now an online home for superstars and celebs.

No, it was neither of those: the story of the year originated in Sweden – it’s called Spotify.

Spotify (www.spotify.com) has changed the way thousands of Europeans listen to music. It uses clever technology to share out the task of distributing music across the network, which keeps the company’s costs right down.

It has cut controversial deals with the record labels, but more than anything else it has been a huge hit with the punters – music listeners who have put their CD collections in the attic and now depend on the internet for all their music.

Spotify covers its costs with ads, but a subscription fee is good value. The site’s strength is the variety of music on offer.

Next year, things will be hotting up. Apple is thinking of ways to transfer its music business to the “cloud” (as internet storage is called). Spotify wants to expand to the US, where Apple is dominant, and the record labels are nervous about the whole thing.

And the site’s users keep asking the same question: “When can I get TV shows on Spotify?”

If that happens, watch out for Spotify taking over the world. Or being taken over by Google.

GREAT WEBSITES OF 2009

DISPOSABLE WEB PAGE

You need a web page, just for a few days. Nothing fancy. You just need to throw a couple of photos online, and ask people what they think of them. Or you’re planning a surprise party, or a weekend camping trip, and need a bit of help with the ‘to do’ lists. Disposable web page (www.disposablewebpage.com) is your friend: grab yourself a page, edit and play with it as much as you like. It will self-destruct after 90 days.

FUNNY SITES OF 2009

The Animal Review: animalreview.wordpress.com

Things my beard can lift: www.thingsmybeardcanlift.com

Maru, the cat that loves boxes: bit.ly/marucat

How to make a baby: www.otherthings.com/howtobaby