Sam Costello
Web Consultant
Writer | Graphic Novelist
Writing for Web & Print, SEO, Web Strategy, Blogging
401-323-6668
401-323-6668
About iPod/iPhone- My Writing
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Posts
- Jan 27, 12
New or substantially updated articles added to the site this week include:
App Reviews
Misc.
... - Jan 24, 12
Music
Single of the Week
I Belong in Your Arms, by Chairlift
- Download at iTunesIndie Spotlight
...
Drifting In and Out, by Porcelain Raft
- Download at iTunes - Jan 24, 12
Saying that Apple had an amazing first fiscal quarter of 2012--the period that ran from Oct.-Dec. 2011--would be an understatement of titanic proportions. I'll get to the specifics of the sales in a moment, but to give you a sense of how good a quarter it was...
- Jan 24, 12
Every Tuesday, we'll be spotlighting an interesting iPhone app in the App Focus series. These apps are ones that strike us as interesting or newsworthy in some way. We'll review the app and give you a chance to review it, too.
... - Jan 21, 12
New or substantially updated articles added to the site in the last two weeks include:
2012 Readers' Choice Awards
New AT&T Rates
- iPhone Rates--Voice and Data--for Individuals (update)
- iPad Data Plans (update)
- iPhone Plans for Families from AT&T and Verizon (update)
- Jan 20, 12
At its NYC ebook event yesterday, Apple took the wraps off a number of interesting book-related announcements. Some of the highlights were:
- A new program to offer interactive textbooks for the iPad. Major textbook publishers like Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw Hill, and Pearson are on board to offer new titles for the initiative at just US$14.99 each.
- The release of iBooks 2 (Download at iTunes), which adds support for the company's new interactive textbook offerings.
- A major new software release: iBooks Author (Download at Mac App Store). This free tool allows anyone to create interactive books and self-publish them directly to the iBookstore. Pretty great! Though, on the downside, the licensing terms for the books you create with the app are a bit ridiculous. Daring Fireball has some thoughts about what might have prompted those terms.
- An iTunes U app (Download at iTunes) to help people take advantage of the free course offerings in iTunes U and to help teachers use the app in class.
- An updated version of iTunes - 10.5.3 - to support all the new announcements. As always, a free update, installed in the usual way.
- If you'd like to watch the full presentation, Apple has the video on its site.
- Jan 19, 12
- As of Jan. 22, AT&T will be raising its data rates for new customers (existing customers can maintain their current plans) in the U.S. Check out this article to learn about the new rates (they're not terrible, but they're not great, either).
- Apple's rumored ebook/textbook event happens later today in NYC. I'll have coverage of it in coming days, but the rumor mill currently is expecting to see a "GarageBand for ebooks" that make easy ebook authoring within reach for average users and a new digital textbook offering.
- A newly granted patent for a TV show organization system, invented by Steve Jobs no less, could make its way into the rumored Apple HDTV.
- You've probably already heard this one, but at last week's launch of the iPhone 4S in China, people proved that they like the iPhone a bit too much. ...
- Jan 18, 12
Music
Single of the Week
Emmylou, by First Aid Kit
- Download at iTunesFree Song
...
Almost Gone, by Graham Nash & James Raymond
- Download at iTunes - Jan 17, 12
Every Tuesday, we'll be spotlighting an interesting iPhone app in the App Focus series. These apps are ones that strike us as interesting or newsworthy in some way. We'll review the app and give you a chance to review it, too.
... - Jan 12, 12
- That Apple event reported a week or so ago as a rumor has been confirmed: Apple will be holding an event on Thursday, Jan. 19 in New York. Rumor has it that it will focus on iBooks and, possibly, textbooks. I'll have coverage of whatever comes out of the announcements, of course.
- I keep saying this, but could we please get some reasonable, effective patent reform in the U.S.? I'm driven to ask this again due to the following:
- Kodak, almost out of business, is suing Apple for allegedly infringing 4 photo-related patents.
- But lest we think Apple is innocent in the patent arms race, it raked in 676 new patents last year, putting it in the top 40 companies gaining patents.
- Double not-innocent: At least one analyst expects patent litigation, especially against Android device makers, to boost Apple's overall revenue.
- On the streaming media front, a few things caught my eye:
- Sony's Music Unlimited streaming service is coming to the iOS
- Comcast's Xfinity app can now stream live TV to iPads
- Showtime has debuted an app for the iPad as well
...
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My Writing
Labor and Love
A collection of comics adapting 4 of these classic folk ballads, created in collaboration with artist Neal Von Flue.
More Info
Not Sleeping Well and Other Stories
The first U.S. edition of Split Lip features 11 stories, for a total of 158 pages of horror comics
More Info
The Harvestmen and Other Stories
A 150-page collection of 9 stories from Split Lip.
More Info
Termites In Your Smile and Other Stories
Another collection of 176-pages of horror comics from the Split Lip anthology.
More Info
Sympathetic Monsters
Sympathetic Monsters is an ebook featuring interviews with six writers, artists, and musicians discussing their thoughts on horror.
More at Amazon and Barnes and Noble
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Tweets
- Get all 3 Split Lip books as PDFs for just $9.99 at @DriveThruComics. Do it now! http://t.co/3BfS3OXZ
- Split Lip fans? Allow me to ask a favor of you. Would you mind reviewing any of our books at Barnes & Noble? Thank you! http://t.co/xI1SrTIu
- You know that all Split Lip books + Labor & Love (folk songs) are available at MyDigitalComics, right? $3.99 or less. http://t.co/EC4bYw4k
- Split Lip fans, do me a favor please? Would you mind reviewing any or all of the 3 Split Lip books at Amazon? Thanks! http://t.co/xHigXUiw
- Read Split Lip on iPad! Get our books for $3.99 each in the Lush Comics (http://t.co/XbKa4JF7) or Graphicly (http://t.co/yPErRM11) apps
- Oh, and it's available on Netflix Instant. Daughters of Darkness. My snow day recommendation to you.
- Except 20 years ahead of that band. Perhaps weak in a few places, but surprisingly, really interesting and good.
- Awesome early 70s feminism, amazing lead performance, jolt of total family weirdness in middle, 2 songs that sound like Portishead (cont.)
- I watched it as a lark, but Daughters of Darkness is an awesome horror movie. Lesbian vampire struggling vs. sadistic husband ... (cont.)
- Well, Alcatraz does turn out to be horrible. Logic gaps & cliches abound, nothing less than the obvious happens. Back to the Lakers game.
- @jaflanagan Wait, isn't that an ambulance, too? Or a hearse or something? It's hard to imagine a tough-sounding name for a Greyhound.
- TV cops always call an ambulance "a bus" when they radio for them. But what do they call a bus when that's what they really want?
- @theseantcollins No worries! I really was just curious; your opinion carries a lot of weight at Casa Costello.
- @hugecranium So far, that is definitely the case. It's on in the background as I work.
- @theseantcollins I kinda want to know if you read the last Split Lip trade I gave you at SPX, but that feels a tad narcissistic/sad.
- @hugecranium Aha! Can't wait to see the fierce bidding.
- @hugecranium Also, did you watch Alcatraz? I'm about 10-15 min. in. It seems bad.
- @hugecranium I'm not even sure what that means. Is that a product?
- Can't believe I missed the season premiere of Shark Tank! My weekend is ruined...at least until it hits On Demand or Hulu.
- To reward myself for nearly 2 months of 60 hour weeks, I let myself start reading A Storm of Swords tonight. Good decision.
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Posts
- Dec 21, 11This one-man anthology of classic-style horror demonstrates an impressive range of art styles. While the book has the classic flavor, it’s missing some ingredients. Paulson’s a good artist, but his writing isn’t equal. I see what he’s getting at, but his stories too often miss the mark, the endings coming from nowhere.
Book: 64/52
- Dec 20, 11A collection of the late 80s/early 90s anthology series set in Clive Barker’s S&M horror world. It takes the stories out of order, choosing to present “masterpieces.” My recollection is that the series was indeed that. Reading now reveals major clunkers from Larry Wachowski, but true gems from Gaiman/McKean and Mike Mignola.
Book: 63/52
- Dec 19, 11Moving towards the conclusion of this epic manga. I’m always struck by the texture and depth of manga art. The backgrounds, buildings, characters—all drawn by assistants and specialists—create greater realism than many Western comics. I know Western comics economics don’t allow it, but I’d love to see that approach here.
Books: 61-2/52
- Dec 18, 11by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
Another in this excellent series of standalone noir comics. It engages with a classic noir theme—the effects of war on soldiers once they’ve returned to the homefront. Though the protagonist here has his issues, it’s another ex-soldier’s bigger adjustment problems that drive the action. A characteristically great comic from this duo.Buy Criminal: The Sinners at Powell’s
Book: 60/52 - Dec 16, 11Martin is merciless. He has no compunction about spending a book, or more, building a character only to kill them in one paragraph, sometimes off-screen. And he doesn’t mind bowing off what a major plot point just as easily. It’s a fascinating, exciting approach for an epic novel series; I love it.
Buy A Clash of Kings at Powell’s
Book: 59/52 - Dec 15, 11Green River Killer by Jeff Jensen and Jonathan Case; The Wolf by Tom Neely
My review of Neely’s excellent The Wolf is at iFanboy.
Green River Killer, by the son of the detective who caught that serial killer, is a solid detective story. It has some missing elements—especially why Jensen was so driven on this particular case—but it’s a compellingly detailed story.
Buy Green River Killer at Powell’s
Buy The Wolf from Tom Neely
Books: 57-8/52 - Dec 08, 11
Mary Roach is one of our funniest serious writers. And there can’t be many who take more evident pleasure in their work. All of which makes her great to read. Like Spook, though, this one doesn’t seem to be driving at (pun intended) an overall point, which makes it a little unsatisfying.
Buy Bonk at Powell’s
Book: 56/52 - Dec 01, 11I echo Sean Collins on this one: if Ott spent a fraction of the time and care on his writing that he does on his beautiful, insanely detailed scratchboard art, these stories would be masterworks. As it is, they’re pat and trite, though amazing to behold. His lighting effects are particularly appealing.
Buy R.I.P. at Powell’s
Book: 55/52 - Nov 24, 11A relatively early work (though, according to the interview with Tatsumi at the back of the book, roughly his 15th full-length manga) about a wrongly accused man handcuffed to a murder who escapes from a train crash. It’s pretty raw, far from the skill Tatsumi would later show in his shorts stories.
Buy Black Blizzard at Powell’s
Book: 54/52 - Nov 17, 11Death Trap, by Lane Milburn; Curio Cabinet, by John Brodowski; Deadworld: Slaughterhouse, by Gary Reed and Sami Makkonen.
I read these indie horror comics in October to prep for Halloween. My thoughts on Milburn’s Death Trap, a grimy 80s horror movie on paper, are here. Curio Cabinent is mostly wordless, but manages to drive home some transcendently weird images. And Deadworld features art by regular Split Lip collaborator Sami Makkonen.
Books: 51-53/52
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Info
- SummaryI apply knowledge, insight, and experience - from writing and editing, to website and web application development, to online marketing - to provide unusually effective solutions to a variety of challenges and questions.Specialties: marketing writing, search engine optimization, project management, and web developmentExperience
- Feb 2007 - PresentGuide to iPod and iPhone / About.comWriting how-tos, product reviews, tech support, and trivia content since 2007. Visit my site at http://ipod.about.com
- 2007 - PresentBasics Group / Freelance WriterWrite feature articles for RI EPSCoR science newsletter three time yearly and edit all other newsletter content.
- Aug 2002 - PresentWriter, Editor and Web Consultant / self-employedI work for marketing, web development, advertising, and media companies in many capacities. I use my skills as a writer and editor, my knowledge as a web marketer, and my experience as a web consultant to help my clients deliver powerful, business-improving work to their clients.
My clients include: Schwadesign, 3000k, Aardvark Design, Precision Web Marketing, RI-INBRE.
As a writer, my credits include PC World, Rue Morgue, Bitch, The Hungover Gourmet, Samsung, Main Line Health Hospital Network, Cape Cod magazine, Negative Burn. - Mar 2007 - Apr 2010Minister of Discovery / SchwadesignProject management, web strategy, content development, and SEO/PPC marketing for a variety of clients, ranging from one-person start-ups to large organizations with needs for custom web applications.
- Feb 2007 - Aug 2008Editor / Rhode Island Home, Living Design MagazineI edit RIHLD, developing the editorial calendar, assigning articles, working with writers, and copyediting the magazine.
- Nov 2003 - Dec 2006Vice President of Operations / 3000KI handle most aspects of 3000K's operations. From sales and marketing to project management, from search engine placement to copywriting, from to billing to finances to building sites, I have a hand in almost everything 3000K does.
- Nov 2002 - May 2003Proofreader / Bend BulletinFinish proofreader for daily newspaper, circulation 35,000
- Jun 2000 - Aug 2002U.S. Correspondent / IDG News ServiceReporter of dialy breaking technology news for international wire service. Covered computer and network security, digital copywright, and telecom. Stories appeared on 5 continents in publications and websites including CNN, PC World, InfoWorld, Computerworld, CSO, and Network World.
Education-
1998 - 2000Ithaca CollegeBA in Media Studies
Activities: Minor: History Awards: Clio Award (undergad history minor with highest GPA), TVR Dept. Senior of the Year, Film Studies Award Honors Societies: Phi Kappa Phi, History Honors Society Other Activities: founded and managed monthly student magazine, hosted local television show
Additional Information-
Websites:
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Interests:writing, film, music, online marketing/culture
