The Apple i-Pad

Nobody has yet said that about the i-Pad as far as I know…well, because it’s not true.

But what they (and I’ll define who “they” is in just a moment) have said is: “the i-Pad changes everything!”

Well, that’s not true either, but reality, practicality and obsessive fandom don’t play well together.

I say: congrats to Apple on creating another good and useful product. To me, that seems like a positive review. But Merriam-Webster called me early today to advise that i-Pad reviewers and users have used up all of their dictionary’s superlatives. “Magical”, “Revolutionary”?

The i-Pad is a communication tool, and an expensive one. It has the potential to change portable computing and mobile communication from the way it exists now. New devices are supposed to do that…it’s why we buy them.

But from even the smarter analysts of social media and technology, down to social media experts (aren’t we all) and even the lowly end “users” (I never thought I’d miss the moniker “consumer”)– their unanimous, overboard passion for the i-Pad (pro or con) is asinine.

The i-Phone is a good mobile device (disclosure: I bought one) with many features and some short comings….it didn’t and doesn’t change everything (oy, did “they” go nuts over that device). Neither does the i-Pad.

Whether it’s a desire for a snappy headline or just a bunch of zombie-like devotees – the write-ups and even broadcasts about this stuff seems neurotic. It goes beyond marketing.

I recognize the whole weird Apple addiction/superiority thing but people are getting a bit stupid about this stuff.

The development of electricity, the telephone, the light bulb, the airplane…these things each changed everything. Literally, figuratively and absolutely. Even if you’d like to make a case in this category for the first computer or the first portable computer – I will certainly welcome your opinion about how these items “changed everything”.

But so far there has been no i-Anything that has “changed everything”.

Short attention spans and instant gratification seekers lack perspective yet they live in a world of absolutes (“best” this or “worst” that). I’m guilty of it sometimes and I bet you are too.

But it seems we can be shaken from “absolutes” coma and gain some perspective eventually. I hope these Apple and i-Pad fanatics will get some soon too.

Is it just me noticing this or are you seeing it too? Am I wrong?

Tags: advertising, branding, commentary, commercials, marketing, social media, technology by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Male Voice Talent Michael Minetree

Look, to go through the headache of creating a really nice, well thought-out on-line voice over web directory seems overzealous, generous and a bit crazy to me. Pictures, demos, links – too much work for a lazy guy like me.

But not Michael Minetree.

It seems in addition to his MineWurx Studio, Michael likes to create projects for himself. He created a very enjoyable to watch (maybe less enjoyable to build) video chronicle of the construction of his new voice over booth (a link to one of the many videos created on that project can be found here).

Then he decided to create this voice over directory (I’m in there somewhere under the category of short, fat voice talent – sadly, it’s not an exclusively listing ;).

Now he’s also created a “Voices with ISDN” web directory, listing all voice talents who have ISDN numbers.

And there is more to come.

While maybe not wholly altruistic (we are all business people here) these are all extremely generous efforts by Michael to help promote an industry that is fortunate to have him as a practitioner.

Tags: commentary, video production, voice actors, voice casting, voice talent, voiceover by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Pam Tierney, Actress and Voice Over Talent

My friend Pam Tierney has been focusing a great deal more on her blog, I have noticed recently, and readers are all the better for the experience.

Case in point is a very simple yet insightful post about what can affect your voice over performance.

In Pam’s example, and to quote the always quotable Mars Blackmon: “It’s gotta be the shoes!”

Tags: voice actors, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover advice by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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When it comes to viral videos and such, I’m always behind about 1,000,000 people in learning about them. Maybe it’s work or kids or travel but I never know about these things early on.

So to find Stephanie Ciccarelli’s post today about a viral video wedding announcement brilliantly crafted as a movie trailer that has been on morning shows and blogs for a while now, I thought why should I bother posting it?

Then I realized, there are more “me” types out there than there are viral adopters so you may not have seen it either.

Sometimes I give these things too much thought – just watch the darn thing 🙂

And congrats to voice talent Larry Wayne for getting the gig and going viral.

Tags: silliness, social media, video, voice casting, voice talent, voices.com by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Voice Talents Peter K. O'Connell, Karen Commins & Craig Crumpton in Atlanta

Enjoyed over a week-long visit with my family for Easter break in Atlanta – grandparents, cousins and in-laws, oh my! It was (it can now be revealed) the location of my “undisclosed location“.

Having now returned today, I enjoyed the great camaraderie and stories of new and old voice over friends at dinner at the Olive Garden Monday evening.

Karen Commins and her very nice husband Drew stopped sorting socks (long running joke there) just long enough to join me with tremendous stories about their life together and Karen’s very successful career. Also stopping by for a longer visit than when I was here last year was the triple threat (film actor – singer – voice actor) Craig Crumpton whose stories about his participation about the upcoming Robert Redford-directed “The Conspirator” kept the conversation going on into the parking lot! Great stuff!

These voice over meet-ups always leave me so proud of the people whom I call peers. They also fill me with hope for the enormous talent within the voice over industry. I am sincerely grateful for the time Drew, Karen and Craig shared with me.

Tags: voice actors, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover meet-ups by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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After the worldwide success of my YouTube debut a few months ago, while I had some time this week during a commercial session, I thought you would enjoy watching how I performed my parts for a radio spot I was cast in.

This again was a remote recording session but I think its great fun and at the end you hear the finished part – chosen not by me but by the producer of the spot. I hope you enjoy it.

And if you are not yet a subscriber to my YouTube channel, I hope you will be, it’s free.

Tags: commentary, commercials, social media, video, video production, voice actors, voice talent, voiceover, youtube by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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