Social networking, you know, Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace, is the new big thing. Everyone is trying to cash in on this new thing and with a ton of choices out there, how does one fine tune to the good ones? Ya, it’s tough, but for me, I just found one that socials on a wonderful drink: beer. Being a “beer snob”, I enjoy a good beer. Be it an ale, dark, pilsner, or a lager, if it’s good and tasty, I’ll happily try it. So when I saw that the community of 6 million users at LivingSocial talked beer, the new iPhone application caught my attention! Add to the finer things in fermented water like eating, music, and reading, and man, you have good possibilities with this application. And unlike many other social networks that try to compete with others, LivingSocial lets you plug into them. With linking supported for Facebook, MySpace (cough), Bebo, Orkut and hi5, you’ll be able to easily share your finds and critiques with others.

I’ve downloaded and signed up for the service and am going to give it a try. How knows, I may find a new killer beer and a nice restaurant in which to drink it at. In fact, it may be your review that guides to these jewels!

Back in the day when I needed a better way to track my 1,000 plus compact discs (those shinny things that look like DVDs that play music), I used a great program called CATraxx. I haven’t used it since version 5 since I let iTunes take care of keeping track of my digital library now, but if you’re still in to CDs or have a massive amount of unprotected audio files (such as MP3s), this is without a doubt one of the best quality programs available. With an excellent search engine, pure database back-end, and a logical layout, I couldn’t recommend any other software program for Windows than CATraxx. Take a look at it today and download the trial to give it a try.

Here’s what’s new for 8.10.

Warner Bros. Records’ R.E.M. and leading social music discovery service iLike announced today that Accelerate, the best-selling rock band’s 14th studio album, will stream in its entirety exclusively on iLike and its syndicates beginning March 24th. A first for the company, the iLike Worldwide Listening Party will continue through March 26th, six days before the album’s North American release on April 1st, 2008. Additionally, R.E.M. will record an exclusive video message introducing and discussing the album that will be available via iLike for distribution across the Web.

“Collaborating with iLike, and debuting Accelerate across the Web is in keeping with the spirit and immediacy of the album.” says the band’s frontman Michael Stipe. “We wanted to do something superfast and super real. Music, art, and pop culture are about right now, and nothing else matters. Accelerate is our turbo-charged response to the times we live in.”

In addition to being available on iLike’s website (www.ilike.com), the iLike Worldwide Accelerate Listening Party and exclusive R.E.M. video message will debut through the iLike Sidebar desktop plugin for iTunes and Windows Media Player (www.iLike.com/download), as well as across the Web via iLike’s leading applications on Facebook, Bebo, hi5, and for the iPhone. R.E.M. have already been using the iLike Universal Artist Dashboard to post content, reaching their fans across multiple syndication channels via iLike’s “Post Once, Publish Everywhere” platform. The album will also be available for pre-order via iLike’s retail links to iTunes and Amazon.com.

“With 11 songs clocking in at just 34 minutes, Accelerate is intense and relevant, with songs inspired by the WTO riots in Seattle, the Hurricane Katrina disaster, and other topical themes,” said Ali Partovi, CEO of iLike. “We are honored to play a role in helping R.E.M. introduce this album to their fans across the Web. This is our first-ever Worldwide Listening Party and R.E.M. has set a very high bar.”

In many ways, Accelerate marks a break from R.E.M.’s recent albums, 1998’s Up, 2001’s Reveal, and 2004’s Around The Sun — all finely crafted works exploring the textures and possibilities of the recording studio. Accelerate ties together the band’s entire canon as part of the vision for the new album turning old dreams into a new reality.

To listen to R.E.M’s Accelerate and watch the band’s exclusive video message, please visit: www.iLike.com/R.E.M. To learn more about iLike’s multimedia blogging tools and other free services for artists, please visit: www.iLike.com/forartists.

One of the first things I had hoped to see come the iPhone accessory line was a boombox. It mattered not to me, just as long as something would play the music from my iPhone while avoiding any artifacts from the GSM phone radio in the iPhone. You know, that really annoying buzz sound that happens when near any speaker. Sadly, it took nearly a year for that to happen. Happily, Altec Lansing was the first one to do it. Read our joy.

Well, looks like Universal had a trick card up its sleeve when it “left” iTunes for Amazon. (It really didn’t leave, but rather stated it would be selective in material available on iTunes for the future.) Many thought it was going to an “Unboxed” formula with music downloads on Amazon but I must say, Amazon’s MP3 Download service is mighty fine. Fine indeed. No DRM and with a bit rate of 256 kbps, this looks like it has a good start out of the, um, box. Add the fact that you can use Amazon’s MP3 Downloader, both for the Mac and Windows, that automatically adds all purchases to your iTunes library, and now you have a bona fide contender for an iTunes Store competitor. Yeah!

Most songs come in at 89 cents and albums at $8.99 (USD). This is a dime and dollar difference from iTunes. I’ve found other albums that are at the five dollar mark making Amazon’s service a first stop for me before making any music purchases. What I love about this service is the ability to pay less than $9.99 per album than if I went to iTunes. I love the irony in Steve Jobs “one price” model and yet iTunes Store is littered like the Las Vegas Strip with high priced trash all over it. I still can remember the first time I tripped over an $18 album. And yes, I ended up purchasing it on CD from Amazon for $11.99 shipped. Now, in some cases, I can get it cheaper…downloaded!

I must say that I do love the iTunes Store. It’s a one stop place for most of my (DRM-free) music shopping. But with Amazon’s downloader and cheaper prices, I’m going to go here every time first. If the song or album is not available or is more expensive than iTunes (which I doubt will ever happen,) then I’ll hit iTunes. Thankfully, I once again have a choice and I intend to fully use it. Just like the old days of going to Tower Records, Rainbow Records, or the Record Factory, to find the best deal on Billy Squire’s Don’t Say No, I can now shop around “town”.

This of course gives Steve Jobs a problem that he’ll have to re-evaluate his pressure hold on the music industry. While it’s fairly common knowledge that Apple really makes very little on music purchase from iTunes, variable pricing may be something Apple will be forced into accepting with the advent of the Amazon store.

Looks like all of us early adopters got the shaft. For all that had to have their iPhone first, well your camping out and waiting in line for hours basically cost you more than time, it cost you money, too. About $200. For those that waited, you’ll be pleased to know that you can pick up the 8 GB iPhone for $399 right now. No waiting needed.

Wanting to fuel its blitz-paced sales for the iPhone that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer stated that there was, “No chance the iPhone is going to get any significant market share,” Apple showed its desires to punch over the 1 million mark by the end of the month with the $200 discounted price. That gives Apple just as many months since the iPhones release to double the sales amount by Christmas with a much lower cost to the buyer. “We want to put iPhones in a lot of stockings this holiday season,” Apple CEO Steve Jobs told a crowd of reporters at Moscone Center this morning in San Francisco.

Jobs also announced a slew of other incredible news. A new iPod that basically is the iPhone minus the phone, called the iPod Touch. With all the iPod features of the iPhone, the iPod Touch comes in both 4 and 8 GB versions. Equipped with Wi-Fi like it’s bigger brother the iPhone, you will be able to make a purchase and download it immediately to your iPod Touch when logging into the iTunes Wi-Fi Store, available tonight. Wi-Fi purchased songs will find their way onto your computer upon you next syncing. Jobs disclosed that the iPhone will have the same functionality in a few weeks with the next firmware update.

It’s pretty well known that Jobs enjoys Starbucks, so it wasn’t a surprise when he announced a partnership between Apple and Starbucks. With it, you’ll be able to use the iTunes Wi-Fi Store to purchase something you’re looking for or even the song that is currently playing. How? Your iPhone or iPod Touch will display it on the screen for you! “You will know what songs they’re playing in Starbucks, and you can buy it with one tap of your finger. And if you just missed it, you can look at the last 10 songs they’ve played.”

Other goodies include an iPod that finally will hold all my (compressed) music! The iPod video (5.5 G) has been renamed the iPod Classic (remember the Macintosh Classic?) and comes in 80 and 160 GB versions. Finally! 160 GB. Man, my mouth is watering! The Classic gets a new shell as well. Full Metal jacket, in fact. Still just black and white for colors.

Speaking of colors, the shuffle welcomes red into its line. No other changes for the tiniest of iPods, though.

The nano on the other hand, no surprise from the weeks leaks, has been squished and given a 2.5 inch screen that matches the 5.5 G screen resolutions. You’ll be able to watch videos on the third generation nano with amazing clarity for such a small screen.

Oh yes, did I forget ringtones? The iPhone will be able to get custom ringtones that you can edit in the pending updated version of iTunes. Start and stop the song where you want and for whom you want. Steve Jobs made a jab at NBC by playing John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance” telling the crowd that it was for when NBC calls him. Apple’s CEO tried to break pricing easy to the audience by reminding them that some ringtones cost as much as $2.49, but truth is, 99 cents for a ringtone is still too much especially when you already own the stinking song! Not all songs in the iTunes store will be available as a ringtone and there was no mention of being able to use current non-iTunes material for ringtones. For the price of 16 iTunes ringtones, iToner is a better alternative.

V CAST Music customers can now play music directly from an audio CD on their PCs, enjoying an improved mobile music experience with fewer clicks with Verizon Wireless’ new Music Manager software. Available today as a free download from Verizon Wireless at the Music Manager site, Music Manager is the PC-based music player accompanying the company’s V CAST Music service, simplifying how Verizon Wireless customers manage, play and add to their digital music libraries as well as sync compatible music to their V CAST Music-enabled handsets.

After downloading Music Manager, Verizon Wireless customers will see four new, easy-to-navigate and intuitive tabs to help them manage their music: “V CAST Buy Music” is a direct link to the V CAST Music Store; “Music on My PC” lists all the music in the Music Manager library that resides on the customer’s PC; “Music on My Phone” displays the files on the customer’s phone (and memory card, if applicable) when connected to the PC; and “Music on My CD” lists music from any audio CD that is inserted in the PC allowing the customer to select which audio files they would like to play or rip.

In addition to the improved user interface and tabs, Verizon Wireless’ Music Manager includes new features with the ability to:

• Import unprotected .aac files
• Automatically convert unprotected .aac files to .wma files during sync (if required)
• Rip, burn and add music with fewer steps
• Import playlists from Windows Media Player
• Sort music by songs or albums
• Easily manage duplicate song files
• Sync music to the PC with fewer steps, now that the phone is automatically in a connected state (when connected to the PC and Music Manager is open and the phone is turned on)
• Print “Show Me How” screens

Developed with the support of Smith Micro Software, Inc., Verizon Wireless’ new Music Manager works with Windows® XP and Vista PCs and all V CAST Music-enabled phones (except the Verizon Wireless CDM 8945 which is only compatible with Windows XP). By the end of July, customers using the previous version of V CAST Music software will automatically receive an upgrade notification to the new, improved version; customers may select to manually update the software as well.

V CAST Music from Verizon Wireless offers customers from coast to coast access to more than two million songs from both well-known and independent artists. Songs can be purchased either from PCs or right over-the-air from customers’ phones; customers can also sideload – or transfer – their existing compatible digital music collections for free to their V CAST Music libraries for playback on their V CAST Music-enabled phones.

Verizon Wireless customers can download songs to their PCs for 99 cents, and transfer their existing compatible digital music collections to their V CAST Music-enabled handsets or memory cards at no charge from their PCs. Customers who want the convenience of downloading songs while on-the-go can pay as they go to download songs directly over-the-air to their phones for $1.99 per song plus airtime. Purchases from the phone include two copies of every song, one for the phone and one for the PC.

For more information on V CAST Music from Verizon Wireless, visit www.verizonwireless.com/music.

It’s here, the latest review and this one will have your ears singing for a long time. We love our iPod and we love anything that plugs into our iPod. When it’s speaker systems, then we really love it.

We’ve tested and listened to a ton of speaker systems out there for the iPod and our favorite has always been the Altec Lansing inMotion im7. That has changed. Now with the Harman/Kardon GO+PLAY in our collection of iPod accessories, we’re ready to off the Altec and gleefully use our new GO+PLAY with no abandon. Dude, I can not even express in words how good this thing sounds. Well, actually, I can. So read what I had to say and then, well, buy it. It’s that simple. Remember, Grads and Dads!

Alltel Wireless, America’s largest network, today launched Jump Music, a free and easy-to-use software that enables customers to transfer compatible music files from personal computers to their wireless phones.

The PC-based Jump Music application gives Alltel Wireless customers greater control over their mobile music experience, empowering them to find, manage and easily transfer music files with the simple click of a button.

“For those who have been waiting for an easy way for customers to put music on their phones – Jump Music is it,” said Wade McGill, senior vice president of wireless products for Alltel. “Jump Music makes it incredibly simple for our customers to take their music with them anywhere they go, and it demonstrates our commitment to providing customers choice and control over their wireless experience.”

Jump Music, developed by strategic-creative consultancy frog design, is available for download at www.alltel.com/jumpmusic. The site features a user-friendly interface and enables customers to easily navigate to eMusic – one of the world’s largest online music stores – where they can purchase additional music from eMusic’s vast catalog of more than 2.5 million tracks in the DRM-free MP3 format. New Jump Music users will also enjoy a special introductory offer of 35 free eMusic tracks.

Jump Music is initially compatible with five Alltel phones: the LG AX8600, MOTOKRZR K1m and MOTORAZR V3m, and the Samsung u520 as well as The Wafer by Samsung.

Jump Music Accessory Kits, featuring a 256 MB memory card, USB cable and a stereo headset, are available at Alltel Wireless retail stores or online at www.shopalltel.com for just $49.99.

Alltel Wireless offers exclusive features including “My Circle,” allowing customers to choose who they call for free – any 10 numbers, any network; Anytime Plan Changes, giving customers the flexibility to change their rate plan any time, without extending their contract; and Celltop, a patent-pending technology that offers customers an easier way to access, manage and organize a wide range of information already available on their phones.

Alltel (NYSE: AT) is owner and operator of the nation’s largest wireless network and has 12 million customers. For more information about Alltel, please visit www.alltel.com.