Steve Ballmer admits Apple knows a thing or two about tablets. The U.K. government says it's sticking with IE 6 despite the entire world saying it's full of security holes. And the U.S. Congress, realizing it's out of money, wants to bring Internet gambling back to the U.S. so it can be taxed.
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EPISODE 1281
Ballmer says Microsoft at work to rival iPad
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20012123-56.html
Ballmer on iPad: ‘they’ve sold certainly more than I’d like them to have sold’
http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/29/ballmer-on-ipad-theyve-sold-certainly-more-than-id-like-them/
Microsoft: We are focusing on eight core businesses
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/microsoft-we-are-focusing-on-eight-core-businesses/6937
Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 beta due in September
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/microsoft-internet-explorer-9-beta-due-in-september/6943
UK Government rules out upgrading from Internet Explorer 6
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/pda/2010/jul/30/internet-explorer-6-uk-government
Congress Rethinks Its Ban on Internet Gambling
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/29/us/politics/29gamble.html
Apple Patents Travel, Hotel and Fashion Applications
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/apple_patents_travel_hotel_and_fashion_applications.php
Facebook: No Plans To Give Search Engines Access To Facebook Questions
http://searchengineland.com/facebook-questions-no-search-engine-indexing-47671
Google adds weather to Google Earth
http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2010/07/rain-or-snow-now-you-can-see-weather-in.html
RIM Said to Plan Tablet for November to Take on IPad
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-30/rim-said-to-plan-tablet-for-november-to-take-on-ipad.html
Copia announces $99 color e-reader
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20012145-1.html
Sprint set to release 3G-enabling “case” for iPod touch
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/07/sprint-set-to-release-3g-enabling-case-for-ipod-touch.ars
7 DNS keyholders – named
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10152_102-0.html?threadID=403708
When 2 dinosaurs become 1
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/07/29/when-2-dinosaurs-bec.html
Today’s featured Buzz Out Loud remix at the end of the show:
Chris!
http://podcast-files.cnet.com/podcast/BOLremix_Chris.mp3
Voicemail (800-616-2638)
Anonymous – Android auto-update
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
As I watched episode 1278, I saw yet another example of people not seeing the big picture. WHY oh WHY are we trying to make robots that imitate human actions? Why not train a snake to flip a pancake? It makes just as much sense.
ROBOTS ARE NOT HUMANS! Stop wasting countless hours and money trying to make them walk on 2 legs like us! Put some tank treads on those bad boys and be done with it. Screw flipping pancakes, put heating elements in both of the robots "hands" and let him grab a handful of batter and whip out a perfect pancake in any shape that you want!
The whole idea behind robots is to accomplish things that we as humans can't or won't do.... Stop limiting them to human standards...
Thanks and love the show!
Chris J. Sellers
**********
The new blackberry, the 9780, is a slider phone featuring a physical keyboard AND a touchscreen able to be used while the phone is open or closed. There is a press conference featuring ATT on August 3rd I believe.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
**********
Friday: What was the last pic taken on Kodachrome?
Two people: A picture of the new digital camera he'll be using from now on
Monday: What would you do with the Higgs Boson if you found it? ”
KotaKity: If I could do anything with it, I would EAT it!
Anonymous: If I find it, it's going right in a box and being shipped to 235 Second St!
Tuesday: Trackpad, mouse, or nubbin?
Mouse, resoundingly.
Nubbin in second
Trackpad in third.
Wednesday: Should a jailbroken phone cancel the warranty?
Resounding no, though there was one yes?!
Thursday: What would you prefer in the new era of Blackberry? Stick with the hardware keyboard? Or touchscreen?
EVERYONE voted to for the hardware keyboard… but most people added that the ideal Blackberry is a combination of both.
**********
What is the oldest browser that you ACTUALLY USE currently? Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN # is 24523C65.
Turns out, when you announce to the world that you've got 160 million users, all of whom are tied to a credit card, you kind of call the phishers your way like a horde of hungry zombies. Hence: Ping comment spam. Also, HP is going to actually produce memristors, 4chan is throwing birthday parties for sweet old men, and Boxee CEO Avner Ronen joins us to talk about why Apple TV doesn't scare him one bit. --Molly
“I think the answer is simple. We treat online gaming environments like (some) casinos are treated. Casinos are also places that use social engineering to make their environments structured in a way to make you want to stay longer just by being withing them. In many cases they’re required to funnel a portion of their profits to anti-addictive programs, and we find those people before its too late by adding algorithms to their gaming systems to pick up on these kinds of behavior out and give help to the people that obviously need it.
Given the amount of time the guy spent on Lineage 2, they could have known there was an issue very early on if they wanted to… they just didn’t want to track that info and deal with it.
Ben @ Nova Scotia
—————–
“Hey buzz crew!
In episode 1300 Molly had a micro-rant about 3D content and how companies are pushing tech no one wants.
As a kid in the 80s I remember seeing my first 3D movie at Disney and being wowed. At the age of 13 I figured out how to take home made 3D photos using a polaroid camera. And at 17 I figured out how to make true 3D animation on a computer. Now at the age of 35 I feel like 3D is finally, after all this time, poised to break into the mainstream.
So my question for Molly is, do you really want to kill my lifelong childhood dream?
Love the show!
Sean
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
—————
“Um, Ping?
Yeah I logged on. Even found one friend. Now what? I thought you could follow any band you liked. Guess not. Just bands Apple likes and features. There is literally nothing here on the service to use. What is Apple thinking? Maybe it’s just to confuse people with I don’t know….Bing??
Last.FM and MySpace are where the bands are. Ping is just plain lame.
Weak sauce Apple.
Great show guys!
Steve
——————-
BLACKBERRY READ
Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN is 24523C65.
Steve Jobs says he tried to get Facebook integration in Ping, but Facebook made it too hard. Uh huh. Also, Boxee says it can price its box at $100 more and still compete. We're not so sure. In other news, Twitter plans to record all the links you click, Skyfire hopes to bring flash to un-jailbroken iOS devices (for the children!), and EULA rules fall once again.
“Hi Molly & Rafe,
Just wanted to add my two bits to the whole Indian government snooping issue. The issue they face is one of criminals using these IP based forms of communications and the firms that provide these services are not locally based. This in turn makes it impossible to tap these lines of communication for law agencies. The situation is not like China where there is a question of censorship and the government spying on probable signs of dissent. Law agencies and by extensions governments still have to get a court order to tap these lines of communications in India and in my opinion is no different than governments listening on to phone conversations of organized crime in most countries including the USA. The US does not face such situations because almost all the major servers of Google and Skype would be based locally and thus can be served a court order asking them to comply with law agencies here.
Thank You,
Arnie from Tampa, FL
———————-
“Hi guys,
Rafe said in BOL # 1298 that we need some form of patents to protect intellectual property. I challenge this premise, at least as far as software goes.
You cannot patent mathematical formulae. Algorithms are really no different. The result is we get all these patents on obvious things. There is a saying in business: those who can, innovate. Those who can’t, litigate. Innovative companies don’t need patents to protect them. There are a million Groupon clones but Groupon does it better than anyone else so they don’t care. Patents are for the lazy and incompetent.
What’s more, many say software patents are a zero sum game where companies grab patents as a defense against others coming against them. This is fine in theory but it leads (and has led) to the creation of patent trolls. Patent trolls differ from companies because they create nothing and thus they infringe in no patents so they have nothing to lose to litigating.
I agree with Molly. You cannot argue at this point that software patents don’t stifle innovation. Many countries have outlawed them. The US needs to as well or you will find the entrepreneurs going elsewhere taking their jobs with them. Software is the ultimate portable business.
Keep up the good work
William Shields
Perth, Western Australia
——————
“Hi Buzz Crew:
I admit to being about a 75% Apple fan boy
Without going all into the recent announcements, I have to comment on one thing –
Downloaded iTunes 10 and fired it up. Ping? Meh.
But the thing that DID strike me is that Apple seems to have violated their very own, cast in stone, religious fervor, word of God human interface guidelines.
in EVERY OS X app in the world the Maximize, Close and Minimize controls are horizontal in the upper left of the app window. Red, Yellow, Green — left to right.
Every app that is except iTunes 10 where for no reason that I can discern, Apple decided to put the buttons in a VERTICAL display. So 10,000,000 hours of muscle memory are undone and confounded in a single instant. The button i want isn’t where it should be.
This is so pointless and annoying and if any other developer had done it Steve would have personally punched them out
Aaaarghhhh
Love the show
Lee in Boston
———————
So iTunes has taken the same model as the Zune marketplace with the band pages and social sharing and following?
-Jason Nicholson Rafe
———————–
Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN is 24523C65.
Steve Jobs revealed today three new iPods, including a Shuffle with buttons, a Nano that can double as a wristwatch (we think) and a razor-sharp iPod Touch. Also: Sony and Amazon have media news of their own, and Zuckerberg wants his privacy.
Kickers and Science
Imagine an Android App That Automatically Responds to Texts While You’re Driving http://gizmodo.com/5623867/
imagine-an-android-app-that-automatically-responds-to-texts-while-youre-driving
SMS Replier Not Only Automatically Replies to Texts, It Knows When You’re Driving http://gizmodo.com/5624059/
This is in response to episode 1296 about ads in iBooks. I must say the banner idea is kinda lame, but if ads must come, why don’t they try something interesting like between chapters you have the ad take the whole page, kind of like novels with illustrations every chapter or so or like magazines. That way, if you don’t want to see the ad, you just turn the page and it’s not right in your face.
Love the show!
- Matthew
——————–
“Dear BOL crew,
In episode 1296, you were discussing the potential future of advertising in the currently sanitized of today’s electronic advertising. My prediction is that you may see these types of advertising in the eBook arena, but I further predict that possible product placement will become rampant in published media. While it has already been very rampant in movies, prime time TV and even blogs and podcasts; I believe that print media is going to be a future sub-conscious marketing playground for future marketing giants.
Zach ‘z33k3r’ Jeffers
Spokompton, WA
——————–
“While spending my Saturday afternoon browsing the back episodes, I came across episode 598. While listening to the discussion of Android and what it was capable of, I sat there, my jaw on the floor, listening to Rafe talk about the open philosophy of the OS and how bad it would be for the carriers to come in lock it back down. Guess what, that is exactly what happened just two years later. Case in point, I have the Captivate and AT&T crippled this thing to death. It is an amazing phone but I had to unlock its potential on my own through rooting, trying different firmwares and fixes
to undo everything my carrier doesn’t want my phone to do. If I wanted a restricted phone, I would still be in line with everyone else I see at the mall, waiting for an iphone. Will Google ever step up and end the tyranny of the carriers, or will I have to sweat out the next few years with a warranty-voided phone?
Chris Dominey, from So Cal.
——————–
BLACKBERRY READ
Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN is 24523C65.
On today's show, Google does us a solid in the ham-filtering department, we wonder whether Paul Allen might have waited too long to sue the Internet, or whether this is just the beginning, and we speculate whether seven inches is, in fact, the perfect size after all. Plus, Internet vigilantes on the loose! --Molly
Kickers and Science
Imagine an Android App That Automatically Responds to Texts While You’re Driving http://gizmodo.com/5623867/
imagine-an-android-app-that-automatically-responds-to-texts-while-youre-driving
SMS Replier Not Only Automatically Replies to Texts, It Knows When You’re Driving http://gizmodo.com/5624059/
This is in response to episode 1296 about ads in iBooks. I must say the banner idea is kinda lame, but if ads must come, why don’t they try something interesting like between chapters you have the ad take the whole page, kind of like novels with illustrations every chapter or so or like magazines. That way, if you don’t want to see the ad, you just turn the page and it’s not right in your face.
Love the show!
- Matthew
——————–
“Dear BOL crew,
In episode 1296, you were discussing the potential future of advertising in the currently sanitized of today’s electronic advertising. My prediction is that you may see these types of advertising in the eBook arena, but I further predict that possible product placement will become rampant in published media. While it has already been very rampant in movies, prime time TV and even blogs and podcasts; I believe that print media is going to be a future sub-conscious marketing playground for future marketing giants.
Zach ‘z33k3r’ Jeffers
Spokompton, WA
——————–
“While spending my Saturday afternoon browsing the back episodes, I came across episode 598. While listening to the discussion of Android and what it was capable of, I sat there, my jaw on the floor, listening to Rafe talk about the open philosophy of the OS and how bad it would be for the carriers to come in lock it back down. Guess what, that is exactly what happened just two years later. Case in point, I have the Captivate and AT&T crippled this thing to death. It is an amazing phone but I had to unlock its potential on my own through rooting, trying different firmwares and fixes
to undo everything my carrier doesn’t want my phone to do. If I wanted a restricted phone, I would still be in line with everyone else I see at the mall, waiting for an iphone. Will Google ever step up and end the tyranny of the carriers, or will I have to sweat out the next few years with a warranty-voided phone?
Chris Dominey, from So Cal.
——————–
BLACKBERRY READ
Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN is 24523C65.
We're back from our BOL summer vacation, only to find that Paul Allen is trying to patent-troll the Internet out of existence, Netflix seems to have finally put BlockBuster out of existence, and Foursquare ain't going down without a fight. Oh, and Donald Bell gives us his predictions for Apple's Sept. 1 event. --Molly
Kickers and Science
Imagine an Android App That Automatically Responds to Texts While You’re Driving http://gizmodo.com/5623867/
imagine-an-android-app-that-automatically-responds-to-texts-while-youre-driving
SMS Replier Not Only Automatically Replies to Texts, It Knows When You’re Driving http://gizmodo.com/5624059/
This is in response to episode 1296 about ads in iBooks. I must say the banner idea is kinda lame, but if ads must come, why don’t they try something interesting like between chapters you have the ad take the whole page, kind of like novels with illustrations every chapter or so or like magazines. That way, if you don’t want to see the ad, you just turn the page and it’s not right in your face.
Love the show!
- Matthew
——————–
“Dear BOL crew,
In episode 1296, you were discussing the potential future of advertising in the currently sanitized of today’s electronic advertising. My prediction is that you may see these types of advertising in the eBook arena, but I further predict that possible product placement will become rampant in published media. While it has already been very rampant in movies, prime time TV and even blogs and podcasts; I believe that print media is going to be a future sub-conscious marketing playground for future marketing giants.
Zach ‘z33k3r’ Jeffers
Spokompton, WA
——————–
“While spending my Saturday afternoon browsing the back episodes, I came across episode 598. While listening to the discussion of Android and what it was capable of, I sat there, my jaw on the floor, listening to Rafe talk about the open philosophy of the OS and how bad it would be for the carriers to come in lock it back down. Guess what, that is exactly what happened just two years later. Case in point, I have the Captivate and AT&T crippled this thing to death. It is an amazing phone but I had to unlock its potential on my own through rooting, trying different firmwares and fixes
to undo everything my carrier doesn’t want my phone to do. If I wanted a restricted phone, I would still be in line with everyone else I see at the mall, waiting for an iphone. Will Google ever step up and end the tyranny of the carriers, or will I have to sweat out the next few years with a warranty-voided phone?
Chris Dominey, from So Cal.
——————–
BLACKBERRY READ
Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN is 24523C65.
There's a fix coming for the iPhone 4's antenna problems: Apple will make the signal strength meter go higher, no matter what. Seriously? Yes. Also, Steve Jobs did not say, "It's just a phone," Microsoft doesn't care which way you insert your batteries, and there is no space dust on Hayabusa.
Voicemail (800-616-2638)
Brandon wonders about phoning-while-driving
Matt the safe driver in Orlando.
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
Hey Buzz crew,
Listeneing to Episode 1261 where you talked about the death of the kin. Just wanted to point out there was 1 product with a much shorter life span. The Palm Foleo. Announced, produced, and not released… Could a product lifespan be shorter than that?!
Love the show,
Adam from MD
**********
Hello Buzz folk–
Just caught the podcast of episode 1261, in which there seemed to be consensus that class-action lawsuits benefit lawyers, punish companies, and leave consumers without recompense.
While that may be the case for consumer tech, I know of at least one example in which a company sold a faulty product and as a result of a class-action suit had to make it right for affected consumers. That example is polybutylene pipes, a plumbing product that eventually leaked when exposed to the high temperatures found in hot water delivery. Exposure to even very low concentrations of chlorine, such as that used to disinfect many public water supplies, also weakened the piping and led to leaks.
The settlement of the class-action suit, Cox vs. Shell Oil, led to formation of a billion-dollar fund that completely covered the cost of re-piping homes that were flooded by the leaking pipes.
While the suits against Apple for performance of the iPhone 4′s unique antenna design may be specious, not all class action lawsuits are wrong-headed, nor are they merely money-makers for lawyers. What I wonder, though, is where are the lawsuits on behalf of residents of New York and San Francisco against AT&T?
Paul the Tucson Tech Writer
**********
Hey Buzz crew,
This is in response to Apple’s customer support script forbidding giving away bumpers to appease iPhone 4 owners and making them buy them. They also do this with Xserves. Xserves do not have a regular VGA or DVI port to hook up a monitor. They have a display port that you must plug a VGA or DVI adapter dongle into. They used to include a VGA dongle with the previous generation Xserve, but now with the current generation, they have changed the display port to a mini-display port and no longer include a dongle. You must now buy one for $40.
You don’t really have a choice because you can’t use your server without setting it up first. And to set it up, you need a monitor.
Also don’t forget, on the first iPhone they had a recessed headphone jack that you could only use Apple earbuds with or buy an adapter (but at least they included earbuds with the phone).
Voice mails
Remy
Tom Merritt the Doppelganger
Clayton
Angry French
The Gridfather
E-mails
Hi Buzz Crew!
I would like to wish Tom the best of luck with all of his future endeavors after leaving Cnet and BOL. For a while now I have had a Cnet tribute corner set up at my cube and I wanted to send in a picture of it before Tom leaves. I have only been a BOL fan for about a year now, so for me this crew will always be my favorite.
I'm sure I'm not the first, or the last, to say you will be greatly missed Tom, but I have to say anyway because it is important to say these things. I once heard Sean Connery say that the weird thing about being famous, is that people run into you on the street and think they know you, but to you they are complete strangers. I feel a similar way with your departure Tom. I, along with many many listeners are complete strangers to you, but it seems that we sort of know you throughout what equates, in my case to roughly 40 days and a thousand or so episodes that I've been following the show. We will miss your funny, quirky spin on technology, the dry humor, the informed patent and net neutrality rants, the arguments with Raif, the -not- singing with BT, and of course the great dupla you make with Molly. It's gonna be a different show, I hope you have great success and from my end I thank you for all the great work and effort on making this a great great show, with consistent high quality on a daily basis.
Best of luck Tom, cheers to you from sunny Mexico, and to Moly and the rest, keep up the great work, I never miss an episode!
From a complete stranger :)
Francisco
I know, we're all broken up about Tom leaving but you guys seriously
whiffed it on the Facebook/ Zynga story.
I mean come on!! Facebook is making their own online currency and NO
ONE thought of : Facebucks!
This flashback was selected simply because of the song.
Our theme for today's show? Somebody's watching you, and it ain't just the Police. It's also Facebook and Google, and apparently some people think Net neutrality means the government will be watching you, too. Watch for the Net neutrality 101 rant at the end of the show plus a lot of singing of the "I'll be watching you" song. Because Brian Tong is on. We just hope Sting doesn't sue.
Voicemail
Kyle: wait, is this how this Facebook stuff is supposed to work?
Email
Molly,
I took your advice from several days ago and started deleting my profile data to make my facebook profile as bare bones as possible. That way when they do finally just opt me into publicly sharing everything there is nothing left to share. I logged in yesterday to have a popup from facebook ask me to verify some of their new settings and guess what? ALL of the items I had deleted were there and I had to uncheck every field as to not share them. If it’s my data and I have deleted it, then why isn’t it gone? :’(
Love the show,
Paul
University of North Texas
**********
Better not wish for net neutrality with too much vigor. As I understand
it, they would stop things like podcasts with what they consider not of
any worth (like conservative blogs, podcasts, and the like). The problem
with that scenario is that the next administration might consider other
things (like Buzz Out Load) to be of no worth. We don’t need government
stomping on free speech, do we?
Love the show,
Ken
Sequim, WA
**********
I can’t believe no one said this yet:
Miss a turn?
“I have altered the directions, pray I do not alter them further.”
This flashback was chosen based on the description in the Buzz Out Loud wiki... "The Best Molly/MerritRant in Forever or Just In a Long Time." That's good enough for me!
Warning: contains strong language (that will be bleeped by the time you hear this), but we frankly couldn't help ourselves when we saw the stuff the RIAA and MPAA want to do to your computers, border guards, the FBI, and Homeland Security. It ain't good. Also, Twitter makes developers mad again, and we are definitely not number 1 in broadband. And it hurts.
Doesn’t Verizon have a myfi or something? Couldn’t that account for these logs saying that iPhones have visited their site via the Verizon network?
Love the show
Uzetaab
Brisbane Australia.
————————
Hey BOL,
To say that HTC should stick to hardware is ignoring the fact that they do the exact opposite of that right now. HTC has more engineers working on Windows Mobile and Android development than anyone other than Microsoft and Google. HTC built its reputation on skinning WinMo with TouchFlo (sorry I like the rhyme) and are doing the same with Sense on Android. It differentiates their products and in my opinion makes them way better than the standard OS. Now that Microsoft is putting a stop to this it makes total sense than they would want to make use of the HUGE investment that went into all their custom software. If they do buy Palm it will likely be a great match because the combination of WebOS, Sense, and sweet hardware will give anyone else out there a run for their money.
Love the show,
Marshall in VT
————————–
I can’t believe that nobody has mentioned this yet, but it sure wasn’t
common sense not to release a product under another company’s
trademark when Apple released the iPhone (TM, Cisco).
But in all seriousness, something was up with the video on #1206 because Tom was looking very green. It was freaking me out a little bit, not that I don’t love the rest of you but he was out/sick for over a week already and I don’t think I could live through another Tomless week… Also great to hear from Rafe again, he and Tom always have such great exchanges.
This is a flashback to our 2010 predictions. Being that we are now more than half way through the year, let's see just how awesomely (or not) we are doing with our predictions!
We count down our top ten (or so) predictions in the world of technology for 2010. Enjoy!
Tom's Predictions for 2010:
Apple Tablet will come out in the summer and be $899
3DTV will be the big marketing push
Project Natal will launch but be overshadowed
Machine-to-machine connections will become a thing
Enterprise cloud services will be huge with companies like IBM and Oracle getting in to counter Google
More netbook-specific versions of software
Goodbye Palm
IBM will get back into hardware
HP will come out with a compelling IPTV box that includes cable.
Molly’s Predictions for 2010:
WiMax drools, LTE4 rules — WiMax rollouts will stall and LTE4 will take off like a rocket.
Google will blend Android and the Chrome OS into one offering
Microsoft will introduce a tablet.
Apple will not.
Palm will fold or be purchased.
Microsoft will make a Zune phone.
Congress or the FCC will force cell phone carriers to drop exclusivity agreements. (Har.)
Book publishers will boycott Amazon and the Kindle in force until Amazon agrees to higher prices for digital books.
Twitter will be purchased, probably by Facebook.
The “cloud” craze will slow after a MAJOR security incident, probably involving Google.
2010 will be the year of mobile security awareness.
Jason’s Predictions for 2010:
Vulnerability exploit of Android.
Google Wave will fizzle even further into obscurity and go the way of the dodo. FAIL.
No more than 3-4 total Microsoft retail stores will open by years end. Seen as a failure.
Android app store will pass 50,000 apps by years end.
E-book store in iTunes.
News will start to get out about the next generation Microsoft game system.
Embedded connectivity (ala Kindle and Nook) will become much more prevalent among other types of tech.
Google will extend its adwords to the mobile platform as a way to subsidize their phones for the public.
The iPhone actually doesn’t make it to Verizon before year’s end.
iTunes subscription music, streamed directly to the device.
Netflix and Twitter will be acquired.
Data plans are about to nosedive in the same way that cell phone minutes plans plummeted not too far back.
In PlayStation news this week, the PS3 may be jailbreakable via USB dongle, until Sony breaks down your door and takes your PS3 straight out the door. Also, touch-controls on the back of the PSP may be nigh, we show you the 53 steps it takes to turn off Facebook Places, and Apple tries to climb in your window and snatch your jailbroken iOS device up. See you all in a week!
In episode 1295 you pointed out that the “”Mac vs. PC”" adds have died away as of late 2009. This was discussed in conjunction with the story that Windows 7 is officially not horrific.
I don’t think that those adds died because apple realized that Windows was a true contender again. I think it’s more because Apple has consistently be pushing towards iOS devices instead of their desktop OS X.
They would much spend their advertising effort and voice on getting people to buy less expensive devices where Apple get a cut every time a user:
? buys a song
? buys a movie
? buys a book
? buys an app
? sees an Advertisement
Why advertise expensive trucks, when you can get everyone riding a small car that only takes the gas you sell?
It’s not that Windows isn’t worth heckling anymore. It’s just that it’s not as profitable as heckling windows mobile.
-Garret
Provo, UT.
**********
I think McAfee CEO Dave DeWalt was driving to work on the freeway and
cut off Intel CEO Paul Otellini.
Paul had a bit of Road Rage and followed Dave for a while. Then Dave
took the Same exit as Paul.
Paul continued to follow him right into the McAfee Parking lot. As
Dave parked in the CEO spot up near the front door, Paule came up with
a Plan……
“Buy the company to fire Dave for cutting him off.” Simple.
Michael
**********
BLACKBERRY RESULTS
Mon: What is your favorite trojan horse/virus name?
Peter from Brampton: “”I Love You”" because of the back story. My boss, who is also the head of IT or the company, got the email and double clicked on the attached exe file. I was in his office at the time and when his outbox number started to climb, he jumped under his desk and unplugged the ethernet cable from the wall. It is a picture I will never forget.
FunLove (“”I Love You”")
Nakedwoman.vbs
Stoned.Angelina”
Tue: Blackberry Torch or Windows Phone 7?
Blackberry Torch by a 3:1 ratio!
Wed: How bad is your packet loss?
cricket… cricket…
Thu: Facebook or Foursquare?
Foursquare over Facebook by a 2:1 ratio….BUT – “Neither” (the dark horse in the race) beat BOTH of them by a landslide!
On today's show, how future generations will know all too well where they were conceived, thanks to Facebook Places--and yes, it's opt-out and lets your friends check you in, but somehow, I can still find a way to love it. Plus, Intel buys McAfee, Verizon's bringing TV to your iPad (in bed), and Windows 7 is killing it!
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
Hi Buzz crew,
Quick note about TiVo and Video on demand. Last year they partnered with Seachange (who provides VOD for the majority of cable systems including cox) to develop a way to get video on demand on TiVo without tru2way. Hopefully this is the first of many cable company announcements.
As far as the logistics, the TiVo premiere is currently a oneway cable card device as it doesn’t have docsis hardware. As much as I would like another USB dongle, I hope they use the internet connection to request content.
Link to press release: http://www.schange.com/News/TiVo,-SeaChange-Team-Up-to-Integrate-Cable-VOD-Off.aspx
Love the show!
Brandon
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Just listened to Tuesdays show, and I did a quick count of FM radios I own.
1 in the car
1 in the pick-up
1 in the big stereo (I have an old style component system)
3 alarm clocks with radios
2 boom boxes
1 walkman (tape player and fm radio)
1 dedicated ear-phone headset radio
3 small dollar-store fm radios (you get a pair of headphones and a radio for a buck. Since I destroy headphones like Natali goes through iphones, I have many of these)
Out of all these the only one that gets used is the one in the car because I do not have a aux plug in the car stereo. But still I do not listed to over the air FM stations. I use a FM transmitter to listen to podcasts on the drive home (usually BOL).
I do not see the need to increase the number of radios I own. Even in an emergency, I can always find one somewhere.
Thanks,
Darren
Columbus Oh
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Hey Buzz Crew,
This came to me at about 3am this morning…the absolute killer app for the Google TV set top box thing:
While watching live tv or something being streamed you see something hilarious or ridiculous. You hit a button on your Google remote, it snaps a screenshot of whatever you’re watching then allows you to apply a stamp like FAIL (as much as I hate that term) or WTF and then post it directly to Facebook/Twitter/Buzz or, if you’re in Brasil, Orkut.
Ideally, you could snap some video too…but that would probably incur the wrath of the TV and movie industries.
Seriously, how many times have you wished you could do that…or is it just me?
Love the show!
Alec from Australia
PS: someone emailed you about the iiNet 1TB broadband cap yesterday, well Primus just point 1 upped them with a 1.1TB cap this morning…see what I did there? ;)
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Facebook or Foursquare? Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN is 24523C65.
Turns out the Web is dead. Nope, sorry, Chris Anderson from Wired said so, and that's just the way it is. Nevertheless, we discuss. Also, the Chrome OS is about to hit the tablet world like a meteor, you're only getting half the broadband you're paying for, and Microsoft Flight Simulator is back! Darren and Rafe are so excited! Molly and Jason are also here!
Voicemail (800-616-2638)
Anonymous porn fan: scene selection never took off!
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
Hi Buzzers, story hitting Australian press today, ISP iinet add 1 terabyte consumer cap to broadband services! http://www.iinet.net.au/press/releases/20100818-iinet-age-of-terabyte-arrives.pdf
Good news for us in OZ, now if they could only increase our throughput, 24Mb/s doesn’t cut it!
Cheers (and LOVE THE SHOW )
Kevin
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Hello BOL’ers, I had an idea which if implemented properly might be able to save the internet! Well, not really, but it would certainly solve a lot of problems. The idea is this: the government tells all ISP/phone companies that they will have no restrictions on their top wireless technology for four years. All lesser technologies cannot have caps and must be net-neutral, by an FCC declaration of exactly what net neutrality is.
Like I said, this would solve a lot. First, it would allow companies like Verizon and AT&T to do what they wish with their newest 4G technology – if they can get Google to pay so that Youtube loads faster, good for them. However, that can only apply to 4G, and not at all to 3G. If you want an uncapped connection, albeit at a lower bandwidth, you can stick to the 3G plan. However, if you want faster service, with superfast Youtube, you have to pay a premium for 4G. The companies will be getting paid twice, but only by those who are willing. In that way, they’ll be getting the money they need to invest in their next technology, 5G, sooner, and once they roll it out, 4G will have to become net-neutral. It puts us pro-net neutrality nerds a slight step behind, but they’ll be taking steps faster because of the extra money.
And they’ll really want to innovate, too – after four or so years, 4G will have to become net-neutral whether they like it or not. Thus, it’s in their best interest to get 5G rolled out in 4 years or less so they can keep the paychecks from Google coming in. And if they try and cheat and just roll out a cheap technology at the last second, the FCC won’t give them the airwaves, and Google won’t bother paying. It could work out for everyone.
LOVE THE SHOW,
Jake from Metuchen
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So, in regards to the wifi-sniffing aerial drone story in episode 1292:
Since hackers are apparently making aerial drones to collect data from wifi networks, it seems like we need to take more extreme measures to protect our networks. I’m thinking wifi-guided surface-to-air model rockets, or is that too much?
Paul from Los Angeles
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Hello,
I wanted to say that legislative radios would be a good idea. A couple years ago while I was in college we had hurricane force winds. The school had an emergency response system through text messages. That didn’t work out too well because the wind blew down the cell towers and cell phones didn’t work. My roommates and I listened to the radio. Two days later when the the towers were fixed we received the emergency text messages. The fm radio on my phone would have been perfect, because our school radio station was broadcasting information for the emergency.
love the show,
Alex
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How bad is your packet loss? Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN is 24523C65.
It's long-accepted wisdom in the tech world that when the porn industry adopts a technology, that technology has arrived. Sadly for all of us, that day has arrived for 3-D. No, seriously. 3-D porn. Soft-core, thank goodness. Also, how HBO is trying to Benjamin us to death, why Windows Phone 7 might turn out to be cool after all, and the RIAA trying to force FM radios into all cell phones. No, really!
Voicemail (800-616-2638)
Seth in FLA about locovores
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
Hey BoLers,
Just wanted to write in about Hulu Plus as you had mentioned it yesterday. I have to say–bait and switch!
First, Plus does not give you all of the same shows found on the website-i.e., smaller catalogue. Second, the limitation to the previous five episodes found on the web version carries over to the iPad/iPhone app-not the back catalogue as promised. It doesn’t apply to all shows but certainly enough to constitute a diminished return for my $10. Last, and certainly not least, shows in “”hi-def”" cause the app to crash directly after the promotional material.
My sense is that it is a constant leap of faith met with a constant failure to deliver as promised. It’s NO Netflix!
Sprint data plans aren’t a $30 add on, they are bundled with your voice plan for about $20 more a month and have unlimited messaging, data, tv, navigation, and any mobile any time included with them over a regular sprint texting+voice plan.
-Jake Gould
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Hey gang!
Last month I had the same exact frustration that Rafe now has concerning all of the choices of Android phones across the four U.S.
carriers. So, I made a quick spreadsheet on Google Docs back then to straighten things out. As it turns out, there are 24 Android phones that have been in the conversation this year. I hope this helps everyone is BuzzLand as much as it has helped me.
Love the show!
Happy 15th birthday to Internet Explorer and AT&T says Net neutrality is indeed onerous and it's all for Verizon and Google's proposal (um, duh). The Facebook "dislike" button finally launches, but it's a scam; WiFi-sniffing aerial drones are the new black, and we celebrate 50 years of broadcasting to the world the following: "looking for a good planet to plunder? Call Earth."
Voicemail (800-616-2638)
Brandon: why doesn’t CableCARD support VOD?
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
Hey guys. I’m not sure (since I haven’t heard Friday’s episode yet) whether you reported this, but I thought it was hillarious and crazy. Murdock apparently thinks he owns not just the word “”sky”" but also any name containing the letters “”sky”". Next up SkyMall.
Apple using the name iPhone from Cisco and iPad from MagTek is a far different matter from them using the name iTV from the british TV channel ITV. iPhone and iPad were merely registered trademarks with no product line. ITV is a strongly recognizable television brand in the UK, second only to the BBC. Cisco and MagTek don’t really have much incentive to keep the copyright, but ITV needs to protect their brand, and no matter what Apple announces, there’s far less of a reason for ITV to back down. If google came out with a set top box called “”The NBC box”", wouldn’t people be under the assumption it was an NBC branded box with NBC content?
P.S. Love the show.
-Ian from Jersey
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In regards to why anyone would want to buy a Dell streak without a contract even though it’s a locked cell chip, you can buy the iPad without a contract and still get great use out of it. The streak has wifi and you don’t always need 3G sometimes. I think the streak could be a great, though small iPad competitor with, or without 3G.
Thanks,
Jonathan, the facilities manager from San Jose.
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What’s your favorite Trojan horse/virus name? Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN is 24523C65.
On today's show, you can finally tell people that you read Playboy for the articles ... and have it be the truth! At least if you shell out $5 for the Playboy iPad app. Also, Oracle sues Google over Android, and it doesn't look good for Google. Plus, the brewing Apple vs. BBC cage match. Our prediction: Apple wins. Apple always wins.
Hello Buzz Crew,
On yesterday’s show you mentioned the new iOS 4.0.2 which fixes the nasty PDF exploit used by JailbreakMe.com.
What no one mentioned is that older iPhone and iPod Touch users are still vulnerable. My wife rocks the iPhone 2G and she’s not eligible for iOS beyond 3.1.3 leaving her device wide open to a malicious attack. I’m sure that most of us are not longer using such an old device, but I would imagine there are enough that it would be worth Apple issuing a fix… even if it is just something like iOS 3.1.4 to fix the hole but with no added features.
Luckily the Dev Team issued a patch for devices that aren’t eligible for Apple’s fix.
BLACKBERRY RESULTS
Fri: Should Sebastian get a new bar or a new foot?
All votes pointed to Sebastian finding a new bar.
Kevin Bauer: Sebastian is just living the wild and dangerous life of your typical Blackberry user. Unbreakable glass, in this case, is the best solution. You can't cramp his style by changing his scene or giving him a glass leg!
Sebastian: As the esteemed Sebastian, I should have some opinion in the vote. Although finding new women would be more financially feasible, having an unbreakable foot would be quite versatile. Maybe I could help the Netherlands win the World Cup next time?
Mon: What is your favorite Jodie Fisher movie?
Three way tie: Easy Rider , Body of Influence 2, and Intimate Obsession.
Bonus points: Marc-Antoine Landry: I dunno about the real ones but they really need her to make "The Hurd Locker"
Tue: If you bought your own CopterBot for personal use… what would that be?
Heath Vanegas: I would use the copter-bot to taser the neighbor's non-stop barking dog... or the neighbors themselves for not doing something about the dogs.
Mjedi: Use it to see how traffic is along my commute.
Wed: Amazon is building other devices… What do you think those might be?
Joseph Lannotta: A Dockable tablet with a browser that plays Amazon VOD and streams TV. When an ad plays, one click buying of the product.
AJ Tissier: House branded roombas... that play audio books.
Thu: iTV might introduce an app store to it’s landscape. What app would you like access to on your TV?
Chris: "Whats'his'name" - An app where you can pause live tv and fram a person's face and it will find that person in IMDB.
Gabe: CNET TV app. DUH! Also, Roku style channels for Netflix, MLBTV, TWiT, etc.
Richard: BBM on my TV!!
Google launches new voice control for Android. Apple breaks over-the-air Jailbreaking. Spock's coffin has us spinning in our graves. And also, Rafe needs a new TV. Yeah, it's kind of a slow news day.
I totally agree with your comments regarding users blindly clicking YES to permission requests when installing Android applications.
Unfortunately the current way permissions are handled, as a mammoth all-in-one step at install time, pretty much encourages users not to pay due care and attention to what they are doing. Can I suggest an alternative?
As an Android developer I’d much prefer to control when permission requests are made myself. Before my code does something requiring extra permissions it would make an Android OS call to ask for them.
Requests would therefore appear to the user in context, as the app ran
– for example, permission to access the SD Card would only be sought the first time the app’s backup feature was tried. If requests appeared as the app was used I suspect more attention would be paid to them, it would be easier to spot suspicious behaviour, and users could continue using an app even if they denied the necessary permissions for a specific feature.
Love the show,
Simon
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Tylor from Florida here.
Facebook railing against the Google-Verizon deal isn’t the first lapse in evil by Facebook. Their first lapse in evil was when Mark Zuckerberg donated money to the Diaspora project.
But, glad to see Facebook doing something right (even though I practically only use Twitter).
Love the show!
Tylor
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In episode 1289 you guys were talking about the possibility of a “”check-in”" feature down the road for facebook. Darren mentioned the privacy aspect in terms of data mining. Well, he’s another angle to those concerns that’s, well, already here:
Authorities Blame Facebook for Recent Burglaries http://www.wnep.com/wnep-lacka-burglaries-facebook,0,3285027.story
“”Police believe the thief looks at someone’s status update on Facebook. When a post reveals a person is on vacation, that’s when the suspect strikes and steals jewelry and cash.
…
The police chief urges residents to keep their doors locked and to think twice when updating their Facebook status.”"
And that’s why I don’t get on facebook and tell people where I’m going to be…
- lucky from the bol chatroom
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iTV might introduce an app store to it’s landscape. What app would you like access to on your TV? Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN is 24523C65.
The social network stands up to Googlezon's net neutrality proposal, and meanwhile plots Foursquare's demise. Also Farmville pulling up stakes at MSN, and your car's tire pressure sensors can be hacked by drive-bys. Everybody panic!
Voicemail (800-616-2638)
Mike has a word about the back-mounted KB
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
I have been listening to your discussions about Net Neutrality over the past few days, but I fear that you are looking at the wrong end of the tubes (to paraphrase the late Senator Stevens) for the real danger.
Why would Google pay Verizon or any else to prioritize traffic on YouTube? Isn't it more likely that Google charge Verizon for the privilege of carrying Google products? And isn't this the most obvious way to monetize Facebook, or even Wikipedia?
After all, this is what developed in the Cable Satellite Biz, which has it's own version of Google, called ESPN. Whether you watch any of the channels or not, if you have cable or satellite service you are paying about $20 a month for ESPN. It's a must-have.
And ESPN3 (which used to be called ESPN360) is an "Internet channel" which is only available on those ISPs that pay for it.
What's to prevent Google, or anyone else on the net, from doing the same thing? It would be technically easy. I could do it. The "Must-Haves" would include Google, Facebook, Espn, ETC.
Structurally, the internet looks like Cable TV, which if anything is more capacity constrained than most ISPs. Content is King. A fast internet connection is useless without content to download.
LOVE THE SHOW.
Ed Joras
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I could not help but laugh as Molly argued for an open free internet unencumbered by any traffic prioritization based on traffic type . . . and her Skype call fell apart on air.
Of course, if the internet could prioritize voice calls over web page loads, or ftp . . . . then Skype would not experience drop outs.
I do not believe there will ever be enough bandwidth for all internet traffic. (until someone invents free bandwidth.) Because of this it makes sense to treat traffic that is sensitive to latency and packet drops differently from other traffic. To maintain an open internet, ISPs should not prioritize one web sites traffic over another, but in many cases prioritizing types of traffic will enable a better overall user experience. (How to keep people from cheating could be pretty tricky).
PS I never write in, but since I work on ICs that handle traffic inside cellular base stations, I just had to comment. (Oh . . . and we allow vendors to configure several levels of traffic priority)
Larry Wakeman
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With ref to episode 1288, you mentioned that Apple already have some patents for touch controls on the back of devices, well how cool would it be to be able to zoom & scroll your browser, photos, etc with your finger tips that are already on the back of your iPhone or iPad when your normally viewing it?
Plus there’d be much less finger prints on the front screen.
The iPhone 4 already has a glass back…….. how hard could it be???
Cheers from England
And love the show!
Neal
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Amazon is building other devices… What do you think those might be? Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN is 24523C65.
On today's show, we invent a new kind of typing (booty type, QWERTY booty, that kind of thing), and look ahead to the end of the Internet as we know it. Plus, do ethics trump shareholder rights? The Mark Hurd HP scandal rolls on.
Voicemail (800-616-2638)
Robert from Belmont re Hurd
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
Hey guys,
Just read this article on Cnet.com and was wondering what is going on with HP? First, the CEO exits out and now Peter Skillman is departing HP. I know that it is typical for people to leave after mergers or buy outs, but I am a Palm lover and hate to see an awesome product vanish away. I rocked the Palm treo for years and loved it but when the Palm Pre first went to Sprint I had to go the way of the Droid (shout out Molly Wood). It seemed like the Palm had a chance of survival when HP obtained them. But it now looks like everyone is jumping ship. I’m curious what your thoughts on the future of Palm. Love the show.
On today's show, we've discovered the secret of the Bermuda Triangle -- well, some scientists discovered it. We just call it a giant angry Earth fart, like the one that's apparently going to destroy us all. Oh, and also, soft-core porn, falsified expense reports, and a vengeful board. It's the HP Way!
I just heard you talking about the Apple ‘try before you buy’ story from 9to5mac. I’m the developer of “”Easy Books”" and I had a huge jump in downloads by setting the price to free, and offering enhancements to purchase in-app. For me its really working; people can download the free version, try it out fully and they only pay if they decide it suits them
But there is a problem with this, which is the referral fees. Anyone who links to the apple store for the app receives a percentage of zero, not that attractive. There isn’t any credit given to people linking to an app that then goes on to provide in-app purchase revenue to Apple.
LTS!
Mathew Waters
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Hello everyone,
I have one thing to add to the whole net neutrality debate that was going on in Friday’s show. Won’t it be more difficult, as wireless improves, for the carriers to claim limited resources?
For an example from the carriers themselves, look at Sprint and the EVO 4G. They marketed the hotspot feature themselves by saying that while there’s a cap on 3G bandwidth, if you have 4G it’s all you can eat.
The only other thing I had to say was that Brian Cooley’s vision of different content on different internet providers (like cable TV) scares the holy bejeebus out of me. No consumer anywhere wants that.
Matt from northern Virginia
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What is your favorite Jodie Fisher movie? Check out her entire catalog on IMDB and let us know via BB Messenger! Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN is 24523C65.
The big fight between the Pentagon and Wikileaks has gotten to the high school breakup stage: the Pentagon wants Wikileaks to put its mix tapes, photos, and t-shirts in a shoebox and mail them back. Also, another rousing argument on Net neutrality, this time with Brian Cooley's uniquely capitalist viewpoint in the mix. Good times.
I was chatting with someone tonight who works for an Australian government funded technology research company about a presentation they were given recently. This presentation highlighted some technology which is being worked on for the use of P2P protocols in the distribution of data to mobile devices via current (and future) cell technology, with video streaming and file sharing applications.
The use case given involved a large number of users gathering in a single location, in this case at horse racing, and distributing different videos via P2P in a scaleable manner. So you go to the races, place your bet for the next race, then break out your phone and select the unique video stream for the horse you’ve bet on; this is then served to you from both the cell tower and your fellow punters.
Anyway, thought you’d be interested!
Love the show,
Jason from Sydney, Australia
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BLACKBERRY RESULTS
Fri: What is the oldest browser that you ACTUALLY USE currently?
Jason: Until I just bought my Windows 7 machine, I had an issue with my Windows 98 machine and couldn't use any other browser than the AOL 5.0 software.
A few people did say that the oldest browser they use... is the BB browser.
A lot of IE6s.
Mon: What scares you more? Facebook or Project Vigilant?
Close, but the edge went to Vigilant over Facebook because at least with Facebook, there is some way to manage/delete acct.
Tue: What other technology would benefit from Corning’s unbreakable glass?
Anonymous: Blackberry phones, of course!
Sebastian: Wine glasses.... So everytime a girl gets irrational (or too drunk) I'm not pulling glass out of my foot for three days.
In Jeff: Unbreakable glass houses so we can all throw rocks in them.
Mark Remple: I am a videographer and have broken more than one camera lens and filters. Unbreakable glass there would be nice!
Wed: Blackberry Torch: Hot or Not?
Hot over Not by a two to one ratio (TON of response!)
Those excited about the Torch were also not excited about AT&T and hoped for other carriers.
Those not excited about the torch were still excited for OS6 to hit other BBs.
Thu: Will you miss Google Wave? If so, why?
Resounding NO!
Chris: I planned on using it in part with Skype to have my fantasy football draft.
Thomas: I used Wave to impress my friends.
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Should Sebastian get a new bar or a new foot? Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN # is 24523C65.
On today's show, a rousing discussion on the future of Net neutrality, whether you can handle the truth that is the forthcoming technological revolution, and whether glass-bottomed buses are going to start an upskirting revolution in China. (Ok, actually, that last is about the cleverest little traffic congestion solution ever.)
Voicemail (800-616-2638)
Robert from NZ on Bing search
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
In response to the listener in 1284 who noted that USB Tethering is available on the moto droid using Froyo 2.2, I wonder if he still had wifi enabled on the phone he was tethering from. I made that mistake, but when I disabled wifi and again tried the USB tethering using 3G, I was redirected to a verizon page suggesting I purchase a tethering plan. Expletives Verizon. Love the show; always brightens my day.
Sam
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Hey buzz crew,
I listen to BOL every day on my commute to work. Nothing better than starting my day to a frapp� and a Molly rant.
Today, as I’m pulling into work, I noticed some police lights behind me. Imagine my surprise when I’m handed a $114 ticket for wearing headphones. That’s right, listening to BOL today really put a dent in my pocket. No warning, just a straight up ticket. The officer jokingly told me he hoped what I was listening to was worth it. It was.
Word of warning to Florida drivers: One earbud while driving is ok, but two will cost you.
Kirk the broke intern
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Hey Buzz Crew,
In episode 1283 you mentioned the FBI take-down notice to wikipedia, and how it seemed that the FBI was out of touch with the internet age, and didn’t understand that a simple image was not going to harm anyone. Well, I’ve got a well actually for you. Turns out that the FBI has at least some reason to be concerned with this simple image posted on wikipedia. It’s an SVG. Meaning it can be reproduced and printed at any size without degradation of quality as compared to a rasterized image file like a PNG. Most companies hold these files very closely, as forgeries are very easy to create with them. It’s not as bad as handing someone the plates used for printing $100 bills, but the FBI might think it’s pretty close. Wikipedia should probably pull the SVG, but maintain a PNG of decent quality for the page.
Love the Show!
Toby in Salt Lake City.
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Will you miss Google Wave? If so, why? Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN # is 24523C65.
On today's show, Intel's FTC antitrust settlement, Darren Kitchen explains the iOS vulnerability that makes all your devices belong to PDF, and the feds admit they're storing some of your checkpoint body scan images ... for ... some reason. Yuck. Also, Facebook for Android finally comes into the modern age. Phew.
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
On episode 1283, you talked about the new Blackberry Torch. One of the features that you thought was good was the ability for your app charges to show up on your bill. I wonder how useful that feature will be given that most Blackberries are corporately provided phones (I’m assuming that is still true). While you might be able to justify the expense of an Excel or GPS app, I don’t think WallpaperExpress or EasyBartender are going to be an easy sell. How long until companies start locking down app purchases the way they do text messaging?
-Klo Utley
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Hey Buzz Crew,
Just got the 2.2 update for my trusty Motorola Droid, and noticed that there is an option to tether via USB. I tried to out on my Windows 7 laptop, and it worked swimmingly, and from what I can tell, there’s no extra charge!
To use, just go to Settings > Wireless & Networks > Tethering. After connecting to computer via USB, select the USB Tethering check box and wait for the drivers to automatically install. ;-)
Hope VZW doesn’t take it away!
Caleb in Indiana
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Hi Buzz Crew:
I wanted to make a comment on Molly’s micro-rant about not being able to use her Kindle on an airplane during take-off and landing. I’ve been an airline pilot for over 25 years and for the past 7 years I’ve been on the safety committee at my airline. The primary reason the airlines want you to shut off all electronics during take off and landing has nothing to due with the possibility of interfering with the airplanes avionics and everything to do with paying attention to your surroundings during the two most critical phases of flight. On every single take off and landing the flight crew is thinking to themselves what they are going to do in the event of a catastrophic emergency. The same things goes for passengers! Accident statistics show that the difference between life and death in a survivable accident is fewer than 90 seconds. The last thing the flight crew wants is a bunch of passengers reading, watching movies or playing video games.
When the Captain says, “sit back, relax and enjoy the flight,”" he or she is actually doing the flying public a huge disservice. The Captain should be saying, “”sit up, pay attention, and prepare an evacuation plan in case of an emergency.”
Love the show and enjoy your next flight!
Captain Paul
Boeing 767
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If coffee shops are cracking down on PCs, maybe we should all show up and play some D&D. I bet the dice rolling on the tables and people arguing over their +5 Ogre Knife being just as affective against Orcs will drive them to let the PCs back in. Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt!
Rick Kolesar | heavyness.com
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Blackberry Torch: Hot or Not? Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN # is 24523C65.
On today's show, Verizon tries to claim the Motorola Droid doesn't have the hardware to support hotspot tethering with Froyo. And here's the thing: that's a lie. In other news, the BlackBerry Torch hits, Rdio lands, and the FBI is cracking down on coloring books. Or something. I'm a tiny bit incoherent today.
Voicemail (800-616-2638)
Keith in Abelene re Hulu
British guy on rebooting the Net
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
After yesterday’s show, I got to thinking. How long it is before the majority of individual, personal data is stored in the cloud and how dangerous is that? With the growth of Google Docs and any emerging cloud solution from Microsoft, coupled with the rapid rise in online backup solutions, how long is it before individuals are really at risk of their information being hacked out of the cloud? Soon instead of hackers having to hack millions of individual systems they will only need to hack a few.
Is there a more locavore solution whereby an individual can have multiple system back-ups, both on and off-site such as at home and in the office but not turn over control of their data to a large 3rd party?
If we don’t do this, what happens when someone blows up the cryo-prison?
Michael A. McDowell
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What other technology would benefit from Corning’s unbreakable glass? Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN # is 24523C65.
It's our annual scare-the-bejesus out of ourselves episode, wherein we discuss all of the scary things that were announced and demonstrated at DefCon this year. Seriously, DefCon is way past phone phreaking and seriously into national security right now. Yikes. Also, new Apple jailbreaks are available, the BlackBerry doesn't pass Middle Eastern muster, and we've got the ultimate solution to Internet privacy concerns: data locavores.
With all of the recent discussion about Google starting a new social network to compete with Facebook I am surprised no one has brought up that Google already offers most of the tools that Facebook does; just not in a nice shiny polished package. Picasa for photo sharing, YouTube for video sharing, Buzz and Orkut for status updates, Blogger for longer thoughts, Talk for chat and the list goes on. All Google really needs to do is to launch a game site (reportedly in the works) and landing page that could tie it all together… (oh wait iGoogle?) GoogleMe is not that far off, all the pieces are there, they just need assembling.
Thanks. Love. The. Show.
Ken
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Listening to episode 1281 and it is getting a little old as you denigrate Microsoft and it's plans. I for one would like a tablet that has a real operating system on it and not one with training wheels. I want to have the option to use a stylus so when I'm in a meeting I don't have to use my fingers to take notes (like doing finger-painting in kindergarten). I want an OS that will let me connect a keyboard so I can use all the applications I'm already familiar with (like office 2010). I don't want to have to ask permission to put an application on it. Why would I want something like an iPad? Besides letting me connect a keyboard to it doesn't let me do any of these things.
Perhaps if you looked beyond the friendly confines of silicon valley you may find people who are not quite so Apple crazy and would like to get some technology that does something beyond playing plants vs. Zombies.
If you need some help with being a little more balanced I'd be more than willing to talk to you all about it.
If you think I don't like the show you would be wrong. I do like it, I just feel that it could be better. I don't mind you bashing on MS when it is deserved.
Thanks,
Rob Keiser
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Hey Buzz,
I heard you guys talking about Flash cookies. You can purge those (along with other history-keeping-things) with a nifty little program called CCleaner (http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner). I have attached an image if you’d like to see. Casual Flash gamers should take caution that if a Flash game stores data locally using these Flash cookies, you will lose your saved games! Copy those somewhere if you’d like to keep them.
Cheers,
- Justin M.
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What scares you more? Facebook or Project Vigilant? Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN # is 24523C65.
Steve Ballmer admits Apple knows a thing or two about tablets. The U.K. government says it's sticking with IE 6 despite the entire world saying it's full of security holes. And the U.S. Congress, realizing it's out of money, wants to bring Internet gambling back to the U.S. so it can be taxed.
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
As I watched episode 1278, I saw yet another example of people not seeing the big picture. WHY oh WHY are we trying to make robots that imitate human actions? Why not train a snake to flip a pancake? It makes just as much sense.
ROBOTS ARE NOT HUMANS! Stop wasting countless hours and money trying to make them walk on 2 legs like us! Put some tank treads on those bad boys and be done with it. Screw flipping pancakes, put heating elements in both of the robots "hands" and let him grab a handful of batter and whip out a perfect pancake in any shape that you want!
The whole idea behind robots is to accomplish things that we as humans can't or won't do.... Stop limiting them to human standards...
Thanks and love the show!
Chris J. Sellers
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The new blackberry, the 9780, is a slider phone featuring a physical keyboard AND a touchscreen able to be used while the phone is open or closed. There is a press conference featuring ATT on August 3rd I believe.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
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Friday: What was the last pic taken on Kodachrome?
Two people: A picture of the new digital camera he'll be using from now on
Monday: What would you do with the Higgs Boson if you found it? ”
KotaKity: If I could do anything with it, I would EAT it!
Anonymous: If I find it, it's going right in a box and being shipped to 235 Second St!
Tuesday: Trackpad, mouse, or nubbin?
Mouse, resoundingly.
Nubbin in second
Trackpad in third.
Wednesday: Should a jailbroken phone cancel the warranty?
Resounding no, though there was one yes?!
Thursday: What would you prefer in the new era of Blackberry? Stick with the hardware keyboard? Or touchscreen?
EVERYONE voted to for the hardware keyboard… but most people added that the ideal Blackberry is a combination of both.
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What is the oldest browser that you ACTUALLY USE currently? Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN # is 24523C65.
Why buy a $499 device to read books when Amazon's new Kindle will do it for $139? We debate. Also, Facebook building a font of all knowledge with Questions. Plus: How to hack ATMs.
Voicemail (800-616-2638)
Micheal’s house of Jailbreaks
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
I am listening to yesterdays podcast (1279) and realized I had read an article about the “”Keyholders to the Internet”" in which it names of the Canadian holding one of the keys. This article was in the Toronto Star http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/841315–the-canadian-who-holds-the-key-to-the-internet was published yesterday morning and clearly id’s the person including the picture and city where he lives. Not only are we trusting these 7 people with this info we are telling the world who these people are and where to find them. Scary!!!
Love the show.
Sharon
Guelph, Ontario
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Just a few comments on Wednesdays video cast:
If the Internet is down, how do these five people book flights to get to one common area?
Google Chrome has an option to delete browser cookies and flash cookies.
Bryan Gray
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Hey Buzz Crew,
I was a little behind, but I just finished listening to episodes 1278 and 1279. When you were discussing Apple’s new trackpad for desktop, you forgot one interesting aspect: it should would great as a HTPC control system.
Think about it. You already had a small wireless keyboard that could fit nicely with a home theater system. However, a mouse doesn’t really work in the couch environment. With the trackpad and the multi-touch gestures you now have much-improve operation of a HTPC from the couch.
Combine both the wireless keyboard and trackpad with a Mac Mini, as an example, and now you have a adequate control and navigation options for the 10-foot experience.
Love the show,
Angel from Puerto Rico
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Blackberry users: What would you prefer in the new era of Blackberry? Stick with the hardware keyboard? Or touchscreen? Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN # is 24523C65.
If the Internet breaks, the Tribe of Seven's secret library cards will re-start it. Also: Running your fingers through Princess Leia's hair... mmmm. And: Toss your zombie cookies now! Special guest: Dr. Kiki!
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
iPhone Bumpers — Sadly… Just thought you might like to know why you will only be able to order a free bumper until September 30th, well here in Ireland I just had an O2 sales rep tell me that I would not be able to get an iphone 4 until the end of September. Why you ask well it will come with a free case in the box.
Love the Show
Dara
P.s. I got a HTC Desire
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Add a rebuttal to your point about apple simply flashing a device to repair it, what about when someone uses an unauthorized app to overclock the phone, and it burns out part of the hardware as a result? I’m not a fan of subsidizing others’ curiosity and hobbies, so I think that Apple’s warranty policy canceling coverage for jailbroken phones is not only prudent, but fair for the rest of us.
Joey
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Should a jailbroken phone cancel the warranty? Send us a comment via Blackberry Messenger. Our PIN # is 24523C65.
Who knew -- Apple still makes computers, and today launched a bunch of new ones, plus a ginormous desktop trackpad to go with them. Also: The robot that will make you breakfast. Eventually. Guest: Darren Kitchen of Hak5.org!
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
Hello there buzzers out loud!
I just wanted to comment on a statement last week on episode 1276 about the convoluted process to receive the “”free bumper”". I agree that it seems like a mell of a hess, but as has been my experience with Apple, they’ve yet again exceeded my expectations. I purchased a bumper a few days after I received my pre-ordered iPhone 4 from the Apple Store. I’ve been meaning to go and inquire about getting my $30 back but last week I got an email saying that they noticed I purchased a bumper and will be refunded. When I looked at my bank account, the money had been returned. So, nice job Apple on the experience. Sometimes I think about it and get annoyed about being forced to buy a bumper or else I’d have an iPod touch that could sometimes make calls, but realized I bought one anyway to keep it safe and pretty. So overall it’s been a great experience.
The U.S. copyright office now says that there are instances in which you may hack, fold, spindle, or mutilate copy protection, but just a few, and don't go breaking any other contracts while you're at it. Also, Microsoft wants its employees to build Windows 7 phone apps... for free!
Voicemail (800-616-2638)
El, and Brian’s sweatgrip
Email (buzz@cnet.com)
Hey guys,
I just came across yet another apple developed antenna-gate video, which I am sure you have either seen or heard about already. This time apple targets the moto Droid X. It shows a “”typical”" holding position and it losing bars.
I am getting rather frustrated with Apple pointing fingers. They are simply glorifying the whole “”if they can do it, so can I”" theory. I’ve leaned since I was 5 years old that if other people are doing things that they shouldn’t be doing, I shouldn’t do them, period. Apple really needs to stop pointing fingers, accept it’s fault, grow up and move on. This is getting ridiculous.
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