GoKawiil
Tech News
In a Verge Q&A, Discogs founder Kevin Lewandowski discussed his everyday tools and habits, naming his AeroPress coffee maker as his most indispensable item and citing 30-50 open browser tabs across his devices. He also mentioned tinkering with Home Assistant software to control his garage door and outdoor lights, and said he uses X and Instagram only occasionally without posting.
A cleaning guide explains that most record crackle comes from dust and grime rather than scratches, which cannot be fixed. It recommends tools like carbon fiber brushes, air dusters, anti-static guns, and stylus brushes or cleaning gel to maintain both records and turntable needles.
Luminate's data shows US CD sales rose 16 percent in the first half of 2026, reaching roughly 16.3 million units. The report attributes part of the growth to collectible K-pop releases, while some industry observers point to Gen Z nostalgia as another possible driver.
Scientists have reported a dual-copper catalytic strategy that activates strong, previously unreactive C–Cl bonds in unactivated alkyl chlorides for use in atom transfer radical reactions. The system uses a dinuclear copper complex to break the chlorine bond and a separate mononuclear copper catalyst to control how it reforms, allowing the reaction to switch between addition and polymerization modes. The method was used to make varied small-molecule products, end-functionalized polyacrylates, and to directly modify poly(vinyl chloride) under mild conditions.
Trettitre has unveiled the Retro Ambient Audio System, a modular audio setup that mounts to a wall and includes a record player, CD player, cassette deck, and a magnetic phone mount. The individual components attach to a metal rack, allowing each format to play music while displayed as a wall fixture.
A writer for GoKawiil recounts buying an obscure vinyl record, 'Christ Liveth In Me' by the Toftwood Male Voice Choir, on March 11, 2017, as part of a long-running habit of collecting rare and unusual vinyl and vintage equipment. The purchase, made during a broader search for 1950s-60s demonstration and sound-effects records, turned into a personal investigation to trace the choir's origins and history.
Trettitre has introduced the Retro Ambient Sound System (RASS), a fully wireless setup featuring a vinyl turntable, CD player, and cassette deck, all magnetically attachable to a metal frame. The vinyl unit includes an Audio-Technica cartridge, self-balancing tonearm, and Bluetooth support with high-quality codecs, while each component has its own battery and USB-C charging. The system emphasizes tactile controls and vintage aesthetics combined with modern wireless convenience.
New data from research firm Luminate shows CD sales climbing 16 percent so far in 2026, with K-pop acts like BTS, Enhypen and ATEEZ driving much of the growth through collectible editions that encourage fans to buy multiple copies. Even without K-pop sales factored in, CD sales still rose 6.7 percent. The format sold 16.3 million units in the first half of the year, far below its peak of over 900 million annual sales around 2000.
Members of the public describe deliberately shifting back to physical media—vinyl records, CDs and DVDs—rather than relying on streaming services. They cite reasons including the removal of shows from platforms like HBO's Sesame Street catalogue, a desire for tactile engagement with music, and frustration with algorithmic curation that they feel discourages deep listening or discovery.
Sony released the Sony CDP-101, the first consumer compact disc player, in Japan on this day in 1982 at a price of 168,000 yen (about $1,060 today, or roughly $3,700 adjusted for inflation). A planned worldwide launch slipped because Philips' companion CD100 player wasn't ready, so the rollout was confined to Japan until U.S. and European sales began in March 1983.
Blood Records is producing colored and marbled vinyl variants aimed at younger music collectors, capitalizing on a broader resurgence in vinyl sales. Singer-songwriter Sienna Spiro's debut album Visitor was released in multiple formats, including a limited run of 3,000 copies with a distinctive orange-and-black swirl pattern exclusive to certain retailers.
Rehan Ahmed of Southall, west London, has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison for running an unlicensed vinyl-pressing operation since 2017 that generated nearly £2.7 million. City of London Police raided his 'Phoenix of Vinyl' business in 2024 after the British Phonographic Industry made a test purchase, seizing 2,791 fake records spanning 108 artists, four vintage presses, 3,000 metal stampers, and thousands of sleeves and labels.