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October 05, 2007, 3:37 PM PDTBuzz Out Loud Show Notes - One man's burning NanoPants
Posted by: Molly Wood
--Molly
 |
EPISODE 576 |
TODAY'S LINKS:
TODAY'S VOICE MAIL:
Charles from Sugarland
BlackBerry with full Web browser on Verizon.
BlackBerry with full Web browser on Verizon.
Gary from Ft. Worth
Just need to beat on the Zune for a while.
Just need to beat on the Zune for a while.
TODAY'S E-MAIL:
iCrime
A BOLer predicted the Apple TV (dan from toronto).
Hi BOLers,
I was just bored and was going through some old BOLs from the TMV days and discovered that Dan From Toronto predicted the Apple TV. In the episode (sorry, forgot the episode number) Dan sent in an e-mail about a friend who went for a job interview at ATI and discovered had he won the job he would have been working on creating "an Apple streaming device with hard drive," which Dan thought could potentially be a DVR. So while Dan might have been wrong about the whole Apple DVR thing, he did send some very prescient info to BOL--and frankly, I thought it was a bit dissapointing that the great CNET community we are all part of never really got round to thanking people who give us the scoops. Anyway, once again, to quote Molly, "two points!" to Dan from Toronto.
Techpriest
A BOLer predicted the Apple TV (dan from toronto).
Hi BOLers,
I was just bored and was going through some old BOLs from the TMV days and discovered that Dan From Toronto predicted the Apple TV. In the episode (sorry, forgot the episode number) Dan sent in an e-mail about a friend who went for a job interview at ATI and discovered had he won the job he would have been working on creating "an Apple streaming device with hard drive," which Dan thought could potentially be a DVR. So while Dan might have been wrong about the whole Apple DVR thing, he did send some very prescient info to BOL--and frankly, I thought it was a bit dissapointing that the great CNET community we are all part of never really got round to thanking people who give us the scoops. Anyway, once again, to quote Molly, "two points!" to Dan from Toronto.
Techpriest
Pronouncing YPP2
My versions of pronouncing the name for the YPP2 would sound like "Wipeeeee2" or "whip2".
Thanks
Have a nice day :-)
Jean-Francois Messier
Canada
My versions of pronouncing the name for the YPP2 would sound like "Wipeeeee2" or "whip2".
Thanks
Have a nice day :-)
Jean-Francois Messier
Canada
Nokia and podcasts
Hi Tom and Molly,
I'm new to your podcast. I found it after hearing it mentioned on Adam Curry's show. I'm not sure if you've ever covered the topic before, but just wanted to say how good Nokia's podcasting program is. I download podcasts over 3G on my E61, and although not all the CNET podcasts show up on the search function, I can always download from the Web site. It's free to download the application and really simply to use. For me the E61 is the best smart phone, over here I get free Web access (up to 1 gig) for ý30/month on T-Mobile. It's worth it for the mobile podcast downloading alone.
P.S. Regarding DRM, I use iTunes all the time, but always burn the tracks to CDRW then import as DRM-free MP3s. It takes no time at all, I know it's annoying, but you get used to it.
Great show, really impressed with all the CNET podcasts, keep up the good work,
Regards,
Simon Dacke
Surrey, U.K.
Hi Tom and Molly,
I'm new to your podcast. I found it after hearing it mentioned on Adam Curry's show. I'm not sure if you've ever covered the topic before, but just wanted to say how good Nokia's podcasting program is. I download podcasts over 3G on my E61, and although not all the CNET podcasts show up on the search function, I can always download from the Web site. It's free to download the application and really simply to use. For me the E61 is the best smart phone, over here I get free Web access (up to 1 gig) for ý30/month on T-Mobile. It's worth it for the mobile podcast downloading alone.
P.S. Regarding DRM, I use iTunes all the time, but always burn the tracks to CDRW then import as DRM-free MP3s. It takes no time at all, I know it's annoying, but you get used to it.
Great show, really impressed with all the CNET podcasts, keep up the good work,
Regards,
Simon Dacke
Surrey, U.K.
iPhone processors and apps
Tom / Molly,
Regarding your recent discussion on the iPhone and its processor, Apple can easily change processors, since the ObjectiveC runtime is a large part of the API for iPhone apps. The other APIs are likely normal Unix / POSIX APIs, like OSX, so as long as the apps are written to those APIs, and there are runtime libraries for the new processor that implement those APIs, the apps themselves likely only need to be recompiled, and not much else, and I'm sure Intel would provide these runtimes, or at least help quite a lot in their development, if Apple were to commit to use their processor in the next iPhone. It's much like how Java works--Java virtual machines are available on many different processors, and the Java apps themselves don't usually care what processor they're running on, since the Java virtual machine is what does the translation from the Java app to the processor type. The ObjectiveC runtime and POSIX API runtime would do the same thing.
Regards,
John, one of the GameSpot developers (Gamespot Download Manager)
Tom / Molly,
Regarding your recent discussion on the iPhone and its processor, Apple can easily change processors, since the ObjectiveC runtime is a large part of the API for iPhone apps. The other APIs are likely normal Unix / POSIX APIs, like OSX, so as long as the apps are written to those APIs, and there are runtime libraries for the new processor that implement those APIs, the apps themselves likely only need to be recompiled, and not much else, and I'm sure Intel would provide these runtimes, or at least help quite a lot in their development, if Apple were to commit to use their processor in the next iPhone. It's much like how Java works--Java virtual machines are available on many different processors, and the Java apps themselves don't usually care what processor they're running on, since the Java virtual machine is what does the translation from the Java app to the processor type. The ObjectiveC runtime and POSIX API runtime would do the same thing.
Regards,
John, one of the GameSpot developers (Gamespot Download Manager)
Re-downloading digital music
Here's a data point...
I like Amazon's new digital music store. I've already bought over 400 megs of music. I heard you guys mention the store's terms of service with regard to re-downloading and decided that I should pause the show and add the "Amazon MP3" directory to my off-site backup service. A few hours later the files had been uploaded and I checked the cost... $0.05 in bandwidth and $0.05 per month to store the 400 megs. Really quite cheap, IMO.
The backup service I'm using? Amazon S3.
Why can't Amazon and Apple figure out that the biggest issue preventing people from feeling safe buying digital music (after DRM dies) is backing up the music. Why not just charge $10 a year for a "secure" or "insured" account with three restores a year? They'd be making a premium and rather than storing the data N times (the original and my backups) they'd just store a bit in the database that says I can download it again.
The only thing preventing me from buying all my music online is this feature. I'd never buy another physical disc again.
Kirk Petersen
Here's a data point...
I like Amazon's new digital music store. I've already bought over 400 megs of music. I heard you guys mention the store's terms of service with regard to re-downloading and decided that I should pause the show and add the "Amazon MP3" directory to my off-site backup service. A few hours later the files had been uploaded and I checked the cost... $0.05 in bandwidth and $0.05 per month to store the 400 megs. Really quite cheap, IMO.
The backup service I'm using? Amazon S3.
Why can't Amazon and Apple figure out that the biggest issue preventing people from feeling safe buying digital music (after DRM dies) is backing up the music. Why not just charge $10 a year for a "secure" or "insured" account with three restores a year? They'd be making a premium and rather than storing the data N times (the original and my backups) they'd just store a bit in the database that says I can download it again.
The only thing preventing me from buying all my music online is this feature. I'd never buy another physical disc again.
Kirk Petersen
Snail mail forwarding
In regards to episode 575 and e-mail address forwarding, Tom mentioned that you currently cannot move from your physical address and still send your mail there (without forwarding, obviously).
What if... we could apply through the USPS (or the local mail carrying agency of your choice) for a "Permanent Address." Nonelectronic deliveries could always, for instance, be sent to "Buzz Out Loud" and the delivery services could use an Address Resolution system to resolve that to 235 2nd Street, SF. If, for some reason, CNET moved, all you would have to do is update the global address registry and change your address. In effect, this is the domain name system for nonbinary environments.
Hi Jason, oh ye of Random Introduction.
We could go a step further: All mail is sorted/controlled by computers--they probably have the best OCR technologies in your local post office. Perhaps an interface can be created to supply rules for your permanent address to, for example, send junk mail directly to the recyclers, or bump the priority of certain packages that meet certain criteria.
Just some random musings,
Evan
Livermore, CA
(on my BART ride home!)
In regards to episode 575 and e-mail address forwarding, Tom mentioned that you currently cannot move from your physical address and still send your mail there (without forwarding, obviously).
What if... we could apply through the USPS (or the local mail carrying agency of your choice) for a "Permanent Address." Nonelectronic deliveries could always, for instance, be sent to "Buzz Out Loud" and the delivery services could use an Address Resolution system to resolve that to 235 2nd Street, SF. If, for some reason, CNET moved, all you would have to do is update the global address registry and change your address. In effect, this is the domain name system for nonbinary environments.
Hi Jason, oh ye of Random Introduction.
We could go a step further: All mail is sorted/controlled by computers--they probably have the best OCR technologies in your local post office. Perhaps an interface can be created to supply rules for your permanent address to, for example, send junk mail directly to the recyclers, or bump the priority of certain packages that meet certain criteria.
Just some random musings,
Evan
Livermore, CA
(on my BART ride home!)
Redownloading music from online music stores
First, let me apologize for the tone of my rant. I had, the day before, a customer accuse me, personally, of using info she sent to steal her gift card code and use it myself. As if I would risk my kid's health insurance for $50 in store credit. I was just having a Behindthecounter.com kind of day or to borrow the tagline from Kevin Smith's "Clerks," Just Because They Serve You, Doesn't Mean They Like You. Anyway...
My comment about how customers are not entitled to download their purchases a second time, I more or less stand by. If you agree to certain Terms, you shouldn't expect you are then entitled to things specifically prohibited by those Terms. But my opinion of what the customers are entitled to doesn't actually reflect what happens. As Tom pointed out, the uberhacker back door method of getting your stuff a second time is to write in and request it. Boom, done. I do this 50 times a day, every single freaking day.
Molly, there was a note of confusion over my statement that the "good customer" who gets their stuff a second time isn't that good. Allow me to explain and this should shed light on why Audible (and the ebook retailer I buy from) allows you to download as many times as you want while the iTunes Store (not Music Store) and Amazon MP3 store don't.
The short version: Book publishers are cool, music publishers aren't. When you download your book from Audible for the nth time, I seriously doubt that Random House, for example, is charging Audible each time. On the other hand, Universal gets 70 cents every time an iTunes Store customer downloads one of their songs. No, not a typo. Not every time they buy one of their songs, every time they download one. So, you buy a song one time you pay Apple 99 cents. Apple give 70 to Universal and keeps 29. Apple gives you the song again and it gives Universal another 70 cents. So instead of making 29 cents, Apple has lost 41. Multiply this by the number of songs returned and you can see why Apple and Amazon don't want to get into doing this sort of thing on demand.
My point in the last e-mail (minus my bad mood) was that the consumer's attitude that they are entitled to things with digital content that they wouldn't dream of claiming for other types of products (your shoes for, example) is likely what is causing the extreme behavior of record labels. You'll never catch a book publisher saying that lending your book to someone is theft because book publishing has always worked on the model of pursuing the single sale of the book whereas music label lawyers are claiming in court that ripping CDs is theft because they come from a world of basing income on each performance. These attitudes have carried over to the online marketplace. Book publishers don't care how many times a distributor gives the book to the customer, they only care about that first sale (think used books) but music labels charge each time the song is downloaded so the music distributors can't do the same as their literary counterparts. Would Apple love to give its customers the songs as many times as they want? Sure, what do they care. I mean, why would you buy the song more than once? Digital music stores just can't afford to give the customer experience they want to. My belief is this all stems from record companies wanting to clamp down on customers who see digital content as some sort of ethereal gift rather than a real product, the attitude that leads to piracy. A shift in consumer attitude is what we need to show them that they don't need DRM and that allowing a single customer to get multiple copies of the same item is a good thing.
Anonymous
First, let me apologize for the tone of my rant. I had, the day before, a customer accuse me, personally, of using info she sent to steal her gift card code and use it myself. As if I would risk my kid's health insurance for $50 in store credit. I was just having a Behindthecounter.com kind of day or to borrow the tagline from Kevin Smith's "Clerks," Just Because They Serve You, Doesn't Mean They Like You. Anyway...
My comment about how customers are not entitled to download their purchases a second time, I more or less stand by. If you agree to certain Terms, you shouldn't expect you are then entitled to things specifically prohibited by those Terms. But my opinion of what the customers are entitled to doesn't actually reflect what happens. As Tom pointed out, the uberhacker back door method of getting your stuff a second time is to write in and request it. Boom, done. I do this 50 times a day, every single freaking day.
Molly, there was a note of confusion over my statement that the "good customer" who gets their stuff a second time isn't that good. Allow me to explain and this should shed light on why Audible (and the ebook retailer I buy from) allows you to download as many times as you want while the iTunes Store (not Music Store) and Amazon MP3 store don't.
The short version: Book publishers are cool, music publishers aren't. When you download your book from Audible for the nth time, I seriously doubt that Random House, for example, is charging Audible each time. On the other hand, Universal gets 70 cents every time an iTunes Store customer downloads one of their songs. No, not a typo. Not every time they buy one of their songs, every time they download one. So, you buy a song one time you pay Apple 99 cents. Apple give 70 to Universal and keeps 29. Apple gives you the song again and it gives Universal another 70 cents. So instead of making 29 cents, Apple has lost 41. Multiply this by the number of songs returned and you can see why Apple and Amazon don't want to get into doing this sort of thing on demand.
My point in the last e-mail (minus my bad mood) was that the consumer's attitude that they are entitled to things with digital content that they wouldn't dream of claiming for other types of products (your shoes for, example) is likely what is causing the extreme behavior of record labels. You'll never catch a book publisher saying that lending your book to someone is theft because book publishing has always worked on the model of pursuing the single sale of the book whereas music label lawyers are claiming in court that ripping CDs is theft because they come from a world of basing income on each performance. These attitudes have carried over to the online marketplace. Book publishers don't care how many times a distributor gives the book to the customer, they only care about that first sale (think used books) but music labels charge each time the song is downloaded so the music distributors can't do the same as their literary counterparts. Would Apple love to give its customers the songs as many times as they want? Sure, what do they care. I mean, why would you buy the song more than once? Digital music stores just can't afford to give the customer experience they want to. My belief is this all stems from record companies wanting to clamp down on customers who see digital content as some sort of ethereal gift rather than a real product, the attitude that leads to piracy. A shift in consumer attitude is what we need to show them that they don't need DRM and that allowing a single customer to get multiple copies of the same item is a good thing.
Anonymous
- Read also: cnet, buzz out loud
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October 04, 2007, 3:48 PM PDTBuzz Out Loud Show Notes - Reply to all
Posted by: Molly Wood
--Molly
|
EPISODE 575 |
TODAY'S LINKS:
TODAY'S VOICE MAIL:
Isaac from Minneapolis
I bought a Zune.
I bought a Zune.
Isaac, part 2
I hate Zune.
I hate Zune.
Tyler from Sacramento
I want Molly to quit--Urban Dictionary.
I want Molly to quit--Urban Dictionary.
Jay from Philly
DHS reply to all fiasco.
DHS reply to all fiasco.
TODAY'S E-MAIL:
iCrime
Apple is causing rising crime rates.
Excerpt:
*****
Scott Jagow: Violent crimes are on the rise for the first time in a decade. The latest FBI statistics show an increase in robberies in particular. Hmmm. Why would that be the case?
A new report from the Urban Institute has an answer: The iPod. I've had mine stolen, so I'm not gonna argue with that suggestion. But let's bring in our economics correspondent, Chris Farrell. Chris, how do you explain this iCrime wave economically?
*****
Hmmm...Molly rant in 3...2...1...?
:o)
Best,
Shalin
Apple is causing rising crime rates.
Excerpt:
*****
Scott Jagow: Violent crimes are on the rise for the first time in a decade. The latest FBI statistics show an increase in robberies in particular. Hmmm. Why would that be the case?
A new report from the Urban Institute has an answer: The iPod. I've had mine stolen, so I'm not gonna argue with that suggestion. But let's bring in our economics correspondent, Chris Farrell. Chris, how do you explain this iCrime wave economically?
*****
Hmmm...Molly rant in 3...2...1...?
:o)
Best,
Shalin
My very first "well, actually"
Greeting Buzz crew,
I was glad to hear Molly make the comparison of lost digital music to lost shoes. You see, I work at the iTunes Music Store Support. A caller mentioned that, unlike the iTunes Store, you can't download your purchases again from the Amazon store. He mentions that he went through the Terms to find this. Well actually, he should have read the Terms for the iTunes Store as well. No redownloading from there either. See specifically Section 9a of the iTunes Store Terms of Service.
I'm constantly getting e-mails from people who say they should be entitled to download their purchases a second time because they spent $100, $300, or "I'm a good customer" (even though by getting what they ask for has made them cost us money rather than earn us money) and it baffles me every time. Molly finally said what I have been dying to say for the past year. They wouldn't dream of going to Best Buy to ask for a refund or replacement of all the CDs that got stolen or were lost, but they ask us and expect it to happen. My attitude is, if that amount of money is so much that you can't afford to lose what you bought with it, you should secure it. You spend hundreds a year insuring a car against loss, but these people can't be bothered to spend two bucks on CDs to back up the hundreds of dollars worth of music because customers still don't see digital music as a real product. Can you blame record companies for thinking this isn't a real market?
You guys keep going on about how record companies don't get it when it comes to taking digital sales seriously (and I agree) but I need to point out that customers also don't get it; they don't seem to consider digital content to be a real item, to be a product like any other. Until they do, I can understand a businesses reluctance to change a business model that has been making money for years. I'm beginning to suspect that they're smarter than we give them credit for. I think that maybe they're better at reading the psychology of the customer base than we (meaning BOL as a group mind) are capable. We are spoiled by being a group that actually knows about technology and how it works in the world.
OK, a "well actually" and Molly-rant, I finally feel like a real part of the Buzz Out Loud family.
Greeting Buzz crew,
I was glad to hear Molly make the comparison of lost digital music to lost shoes. You see, I work at the iTunes Music Store Support. A caller mentioned that, unlike the iTunes Store, you can't download your purchases again from the Amazon store. He mentions that he went through the Terms to find this. Well actually, he should have read the Terms for the iTunes Store as well. No redownloading from there either. See specifically Section 9a of the iTunes Store Terms of Service.
I'm constantly getting e-mails from people who say they should be entitled to download their purchases a second time because they spent $100, $300, or "I'm a good customer" (even though by getting what they ask for has made them cost us money rather than earn us money) and it baffles me every time. Molly finally said what I have been dying to say for the past year. They wouldn't dream of going to Best Buy to ask for a refund or replacement of all the CDs that got stolen or were lost, but they ask us and expect it to happen. My attitude is, if that amount of money is so much that you can't afford to lose what you bought with it, you should secure it. You spend hundreds a year insuring a car against loss, but these people can't be bothered to spend two bucks on CDs to back up the hundreds of dollars worth of music because customers still don't see digital music as a real product. Can you blame record companies for thinking this isn't a real market?
You guys keep going on about how record companies don't get it when it comes to taking digital sales seriously (and I agree) but I need to point out that customers also don't get it; they don't seem to consider digital content to be a real item, to be a product like any other. Until they do, I can understand a businesses reluctance to change a business model that has been making money for years. I'm beginning to suspect that they're smarter than we give them credit for. I think that maybe they're better at reading the psychology of the customer base than we (meaning BOL as a group mind) are capable. We are spoiled by being a group that actually knows about technology and how it works in the world.
OK, a "well actually" and Molly-rant, I finally feel like a real part of the Buzz Out Loud family.
640GB flash card blows hard drives away
Wow, I shudder to think what this might cost!
Cnet User: Ozyman4269
AKA Charlie in Phuket
Wow, I shudder to think what this might cost!
Cnet User: Ozyman4269
AKA Charlie in Phuket
Laserdisc skeet shooting
Hey Tom, Molly, and Jason (who might as well be an official member of the Buzz crew now),
Why use the very large, expensive, and easy-to-hit laserdiscs as improvised skeet when you can go down to your local Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target, etc. and pick up a couple handfuls of AOL CDs for free? They are smaller targets so they are more of a challenge, and much easier to throw without breaking. Also, Tom asked if the discs would break when you shot them. Well, I've used them in the past as targets for my .22 and most of them shatter whenever you hit them. Thanks for keeping me entertained at work.
- Jason from Birmingham, Alabama
Keithandthegirl.com
Brotherloverocks.com
Hey Tom, Molly, and Jason (who might as well be an official member of the Buzz crew now),
Why use the very large, expensive, and easy-to-hit laserdiscs as improvised skeet when you can go down to your local Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target, etc. and pick up a couple handfuls of AOL CDs for free? They are smaller targets so they are more of a challenge, and much easier to throw without breaking. Also, Tom asked if the discs would break when you shot them. Well, I've used them in the past as targets for my .22 and most of them shatter whenever you hit them. Thanks for keeping me entertained at work.
- Jason from Birmingham, Alabama
Keithandthegirl.com
Brotherloverocks.com
- Read also: cnet, buzz out loud
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October 02, 2007, 2:49 PM PDTBuzz Out Loud Show Notes - Hard out there for a PMP
Posted by: Molly Wood
--Molly
|
EPISODE 573 |
TODAY'S LINKS:
TODAY'S VOICE MAIL:
Trace from Atlanta
Your callers are so disciplined.
Your callers are so disciplined.
Paul from Irving
'Heroes' is now on Netflix.
'Heroes' is now on Netflix.
Anonymous
Windows update ruined 'Mario' emulator.
Windows update ruined 'Mario' emulator.
TODAY'S E-MAIL:
Radiohead price of $0.00
Hey Tom, Molly, and Jason,
I just went out to the Radiohead Web site you talked about in episode 572 and tried putting in $0.00 for the price and it looks like it will work. I didn't complete the order but I got to a confirmation page and it looks like if I had hit the submit button it would work.
Love the show.
Joel C. in S.C.
Hey Tom, Molly, and Jason,
I just went out to the Radiohead Web site you talked about in episode 572 and tried putting in $0.00 for the price and it looks like it will work. I didn't complete the order but I got to a confirmation page and it looks like if I had hit the submit button it would work.
Love the show.
Joel C. in S.C.
iTunes alternative for Molly
Try using winamp with the ml_ipod plugin (technically a replacement for the built-in iPod interface). It is a great alternative to iTunes that won't complain about not being updated. Google ml_ipod for more details.
Peter from Brampton, Ontario (Ontario Canada--not Ontario, Calif.)
Try using winamp with the ml_ipod plugin (technically a replacement for the built-in iPod interface). It is a great alternative to iTunes that won't complain about not being updated. Google ml_ipod for more details.
Peter from Brampton, Ontario (Ontario Canada--not Ontario, Calif.)
Another iTunes alternative
I came across the software Media Monkey.
It allows users to sync with all generation of iPods (except the newer ones), but unfortunately doesn't allow syncing with the iPhone.
I came across the software Media Monkey.
It allows users to sync with all generation of iPods (except the newer ones), but unfortunately doesn't allow syncing with the iPhone.
And how about yet another iTunes alternative (for Linux)
Ms. Wood requested suggestions for an iTunes alternative.
It's sad that she won't ever get to use this piece of software, since it's for Linux, but Amarok is the coolest thing since individually wrapped sliced cheese!!!
It does everything that iTunes does, and then some. Mr. Merritt, you should definitely try it, if you haven't yet.
There is also the old Democracy player, now Miro, but somehow I doubt it will appeal to Ms. Wood's tastes.
Love the show! Bring back Veronica as a guest!
Ms. Wood requested suggestions for an iTunes alternative.
It's sad that she won't ever get to use this piece of software, since it's for Linux, but Amarok is the coolest thing since individually wrapped sliced cheese!!!
It does everything that iTunes does, and then some. Mr. Merritt, you should definitely try it, if you haven't yet.
There is also the old Democracy player, now Miro, but somehow I doubt it will appeal to Ms. Wood's tastes.
Love the show! Bring back Veronica as a guest!
AT&T censorship
(writing from iPod Touch. Yay!)
Hey Jason/Molly/Tom,
As for AT&T's censorship policy, I predict that they will soon have the highest customer satisfaction out of all ISP's: Your customers are ALWAYS satisfied when you terminate the unhappy ones. I too have AT&T and I just want to say that I really hate how they don't let you u$;nl0$(??ý><<%^8$.......
Mitchell from Carlsbad, Calif.
(writing from iPod Touch. Yay!)
Hey Jason/Molly/Tom,
As for AT&T's censorship policy, I predict that they will soon have the highest customer satisfaction out of all ISP's: Your customers are ALWAYS satisfied when you terminate the unhappy ones. I too have AT&T and I just want to say that I really hate how they don't let you u$;nl0$(??ý><<%^8$.......
Mitchell from Carlsbad, Calif.
Rockwell Collins introduces iPod integration solutions
Just so you know before you order the new Falcon jet.
Johnny B
Just so you know before you order the new Falcon jet.
Johnny B
The actual DMCA takedown notice
Thanks for reading my e-mail on today's show.
At the time of writing my e-mail last week I didn't have the full text of the DMCA takedown notice.
Here's the actual demand.
IMMEDIATELY REMOVE THE FOLLOWING THREADS INCLUDING ALL LINKS AND REFERENCES TO UNAUTHORIZED MATERIAL ASSOCIATED WITH THE ARTIST E-40.
----
I'll concede, haven't seen a lot (any?) of takedown notices before maybe this is a standard request, maybe I'm reading too much into this, or maybe it's just a poor wording (seems unlikely when lawyers are involved). But the request to "...remove the following threads..." seems completely unreasonable. Our legal advice agrees, we're keeping the threads up.
I'll try to write a blog post later today with a little more context, keep you posted.
Ryan
Thanks for reading my e-mail on today's show.
At the time of writing my e-mail last week I didn't have the full text of the DMCA takedown notice.
Here's the actual demand.
IMMEDIATELY REMOVE THE FOLLOWING THREADS INCLUDING ALL LINKS AND REFERENCES TO UNAUTHORIZED MATERIAL ASSOCIATED WITH THE ARTIST E-40.
----
I'll concede, haven't seen a lot (any?) of takedown notices before maybe this is a standard request, maybe I'm reading too much into this, or maybe it's just a poor wording (seems unlikely when lawyers are involved). But the request to "...remove the following threads..." seems completely unreasonable. Our legal advice agrees, we're keeping the threads up.
I'll try to write a blog post later today with a little more context, keep you posted.
Ryan
DMCA blog post
Hey Guys,
Here's the blog post I wrote about the whole DCMA debacle.
The actual forum thread in question isn't even that controversial in my opinion. It seems like WB is just trying to put down a rumour. If that's not their motivation, then I'm completely lost.
Ryan
Hey Guys,
Here's the blog post I wrote about the whole DCMA debacle.
The actual forum thread in question isn't even that controversial in my opinion. It seems like WB is just trying to put down a rumour. If that's not their motivation, then I'm completely lost.
Ryan
- Read also: cnet, buzz out loud
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October 01, 2007, 2:35 PM PDTBuzz Out Loud Show Notes - AT&T, your world, censored
Posted by: Molly Wood
--Molly
|
EPISODE 572 |
TODAY'S LINKS:
Thanks, Podcast Expo people!
TODAY'S VOICE MAIL:
Mark in Denver
Problems with my old iTunes.
Problems with my old iTunes.
Josh Denver
Amazon phishing thing.
Amazon phishing thing.
Jeff from Salt Lake
Emusic charged my card.
Emusic charged my card.
TODAY'S E-MAIL:
Geek cred and thanks
Buzzers,
For Sale: 1 (one) ICBM/space launch complex, used, Washington State, makes a great supervillain.
Oh, and you can decorate the place with a few other space items available through eBay: space art, books, and a museum-quality Sputnik 1 replica!
Best,
Shalin
Buzzers,
For Sale: 1 (one) ICBM/space launch complex, used, Washington State, makes a great supervillain.
Oh, and you can decorate the place with a few other space items available through eBay: space art, books, and a museum-quality Sputnik 1 replica!
Best,
Shalin
Amazon MP3 songs
A lot of gushing on BOL's part about the Amazon MP3 store. The format and price are right, but the number of songs is inflated and the selection is very limited compared to iTunes. Try doing a search for "Carrie Underwood" or "James Taylor" and you get dozens of songs but all either for karaoke or by "tribute" bands.
Don M.
Shawnee, Kansas
A lot of gushing on BOL's part about the Amazon MP3 store. The format and price are right, but the number of songs is inflated and the selection is very limited compared to iTunes. Try doing a search for "Carrie Underwood" or "James Taylor" and you get dozens of songs but all either for karaoke or by "tribute" bands.
Don M.
Shawnee, Kansas
iTunes Plus and the Wi-Fi store
iTunes Plus songs are available for download on the iTunes Wi-Fi store. Coldplay and Pink Floyd are some of the groups with iTunes Plus songs.
Anil
Sent from my iPhone
iTunes Plus songs are available for download on the iTunes Wi-Fi store. Coldplay and Pink Floyd are some of the groups with iTunes Plus songs.
Anil
Sent from my iPhone
EU's Apple smackdown
In episode 567, you mentioned the story about the EU recommending that all new PCs be available without an operating system. You asked if this would require Apple to unbundle OS X from new Macs, but I thought you'd like to know that the recommendation specifically exempts Apple from having to do this, and gives them a awesome backhanded compliment/smackdown to boot:
have a great day,
Casey O.
In episode 567, you mentioned the story about the EU recommending that all new PCs be available without an operating system. You asked if this would require Apple to unbundle OS X from new Macs, but I thought you'd like to know that the recommendation specifically exempts Apple from having to do this, and gives them a awesome backhanded compliment/smackdown to boot:
"To be clear, this paper deliberately concerns itself with the commodity
computer market, where products are aimed at the mass market. We
consider the Mac to be a premium, niche product, like a Bang and Olufsen
television, which is difficult to justify in the business world outside
of the publishing sector. We therefore do not think that the Mac,
despite claims of its superiority, provides a meaningful competitive
threat to Microsoft."
bwahahahahaha!have a great day,
Casey O.
DMCA abuse
Hey guys,
I'm a Web developer for one of the top three hip hop news sites. Just thought you might be interested to know that Warner Brothers sent us a DMCA notice to take down a controversial message-board thread about one of their artists.
Talk about overstepping their bounds!
Ryan
Hey guys,
I'm a Web developer for one of the top three hip hop news sites. Just thought you might be interested to know that Warner Brothers sent us a DMCA notice to take down a controversial message-board thread about one of their artists.
Talk about overstepping their bounds!
Ryan
- Read also: cnet, buzz out loud
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September 27, 2007, 4:06 PM PDTBuzz Out Loud Show Notes - Wiki laws are wiki cool
Posted by: Molly Wood
--Molly
|
EPISODE 570 |
TODAY'S LINKS:
TODAY'S VOICE MAIL:
Chris the podcaster
Can startup and NSA get together?
Can startup and NSA get together?
Gary in Minnesota
Date and time have to be exact in iTunes.
Date and time have to be exact in iTunes.
Anonymous
Cate Blanchett!
Cate Blanchett!
TODAY'S E-MAIL:
I just stole an MP3 from Amazon
Since you guys were talking about Amazon selling MP3s on the podcast, I downloaded a song from Amazon. Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve. Anyway, the credit card they had on file from me had expired, and they sent me the following e-mail, but only after I had downloaded the song! I totally stole from Amazon!
I went to the link they sent below, but it would not give me the option to change the credit card information for the order I had already placed. I feel bad because I don't want to steal (although I did a lot in Napster's heyday) but I don't know how to fix it. Should I send them a check for 89 cents?
I think they have a few bugs to work out on their new system. Like maybe getting people to pay for the songs. Maybe.
Mike K.
Arlington, Virginia
Since you guys were talking about Amazon selling MP3s on the podcast, I downloaded a song from Amazon. Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve. Anyway, the credit card they had on file from me had expired, and they sent me the following e-mail, but only after I had downloaded the song! I totally stole from Amazon!
I went to the link they sent below, but it would not give me the option to change the credit card information for the order I had already placed. I feel bad because I don't want to steal (although I did a lot in Napster's heyday) but I don't know how to fix it. Should I send them a check for 89 cents?
I think they have a few bugs to work out on their new system. Like maybe getting people to pay for the songs. Maybe.
Mike K.
Arlington, Virginia
Amazon store not working so good for me
Well, looks like I'm dumped on by Amazon for two reasons. Firstly, I'm blind and have to say that not much or no effort at all has been made to make the MP3 store very access friendly. It was usable however, until I got the double shock on trying to buy the wonderful Primus album I was drooling over. Firstly, apparently the MP3 store is only available for U.S. citizens, so that guy from Australia was hacking or there is something funny going on. Secondly, just to prove the inaccessible nature of the site and to prove to me that only Americans matter because no one else exists, the check-out page assumes you are indeed from the states and gives only American specific form fields and by the way, all the alt tags are stuffed up so the fields don't even read properly under adaptive technology.
It seems also that as you need the Amazon download tool to get albums, you aren't forced to get it if you want to buy tracks separately, but you will pay more for the right to not have to use there tool.v
Shame on you, Amazon! I went there to legally buy music that I have not been able to own before with out paying import tariffs and other unfair price hikes, and you cut me down with your "America is the world" policy. And fix your bloody alt tags, you blindist, capitalist pigs! I hope you start to provide this greatly overdue service for the entire world soon, and perhaps even try to follow some Web accessibility standards while you're at it.
Danny from Australia
Well, looks like I'm dumped on by Amazon for two reasons. Firstly, I'm blind and have to say that not much or no effort at all has been made to make the MP3 store very access friendly. It was usable however, until I got the double shock on trying to buy the wonderful Primus album I was drooling over. Firstly, apparently the MP3 store is only available for U.S. citizens, so that guy from Australia was hacking or there is something funny going on. Secondly, just to prove the inaccessible nature of the site and to prove to me that only Americans matter because no one else exists, the check-out page assumes you are indeed from the states and gives only American specific form fields and by the way, all the alt tags are stuffed up so the fields don't even read properly under adaptive technology.
It seems also that as you need the Amazon download tool to get albums, you aren't forced to get it if you want to buy tracks separately, but you will pay more for the right to not have to use there tool.v
Shame on you, Amazon! I went there to legally buy music that I have not been able to own before with out paying import tariffs and other unfair price hikes, and you cut me down with your "America is the world" policy. And fix your bloody alt tags, you blindist, capitalist pigs! I hope you start to provide this greatly overdue service for the entire world soon, and perhaps even try to follow some Web accessibility standards while you're at it.
Danny from Australia
Made some calls for you, Molly
Yay! My e-mail got on BOL!! Anyway, Molly I called DirecTV and they said Sci-Fi HD should be launched in October.
Also, what bank are you with, Molly? You need to change. My bank not only allows me to cash my change (takes 5 days to process), but they refund the ATM fees if I use someone else's bank.
Gregory the Mass Comm student
New Orleans, Louisiana
Yay! My e-mail got on BOL!! Anyway, Molly I called DirecTV and they said Sci-Fi HD should be launched in October.
Also, what bank are you with, Molly? You need to change. My bank not only allows me to cash my change (takes 5 days to process), but they refund the ATM fees if I use someone else's bank.
Gregory the Mass Comm student
New Orleans, Louisiana
Hack your Coinstar
I'm not sure if this still works but it did the last time I tried. Hopefully it will save Molly 9 percent on her Xbox 360 and Halo 3.
To hack:
Follow the normal directions, then pick iTunes gift card. After it counts your change, tell it you want all the money on the gift card. Before proceeding, unplug the phone jack from the back of the machine.
Now it can't give you an iTunes card or charge the 9 percent fee, because you didn't agree to it at the beginning. After a few minutes, it will give you a slip which can be redeemed for cash at the store customer service counter.
Happy hacking,
sorensilk
Austin, Texas
I'm not sure if this still works but it did the last time I tried. Hopefully it will save Molly 9 percent on her Xbox 360 and Halo 3.
To hack:
Follow the normal directions, then pick iTunes gift card. After it counts your change, tell it you want all the money on the gift card. Before proceeding, unplug the phone jack from the back of the machine.
Now it can't give you an iTunes card or charge the 9 percent fee, because you didn't agree to it at the beginning. After a few minutes, it will give you a slip which can be redeemed for cash at the store customer service counter.
Happy hacking,
sorensilk
Austin, Texas
ASU testing My World?
Here's something I came across on the Arizona State University Web site. ASU has a partnership with Google. We have ASU-branded Gmail and ASU-branded Google Docs, etc. Apparently Google now wants to use ASU students to test the new My World service. I can't sign up to try it out because I'm staff and not a student, but I thought it was interesting.
Jaime
Here's something I came across on the Arizona State University Web site. ASU has a partnership with Google. We have ASU-branded Gmail and ASU-branded Google Docs, etc. Apparently Google now wants to use ASU students to test the new My World service. I can't sign up to try it out because I'm staff and not a student, but I thought it was interesting.
Jaime
'Halo 3' tragedy story
I just wanted to give everyone a little warning about the scratched discs in the LE Halo 3. If you think you have a scratched disc, get it replaced. Apparently Halo doesn't save your progress in the campaign after you finish each mission, but rather waits until you gracefully exit. Last night, I made significant progress in the 4-plus hours of gametime I put in. Then it launched a post-mission cut scene which halted midway through with a "This disc is unreadable" error. I restarted the game to find that I'm now back where I was before I started playing last night.
Don't let this happen to you! Swap your disc out immediately.
Trey
I just wanted to give everyone a little warning about the scratched discs in the LE Halo 3. If you think you have a scratched disc, get it replaced. Apparently Halo doesn't save your progress in the campaign after you finish each mission, but rather waits until you gracefully exit. Last night, I made significant progress in the 4-plus hours of gametime I put in. Then it launched a post-mission cut scene which halted midway through with a "This disc is unreadable" error. I restarted the game to find that I'm now back where I was before I started playing last night.
Don't let this happen to you! Swap your disc out immediately.
Trey
Podcast Expo
Hey Buzz crew! Be sure to give us a Twitter post as to your recording location at PME this Friday. Even if you don't pull off the recording, let us know where you are hanging out!
Thanks,
Bill Quackenbush
San Diego
Buzz Army member # 65535
Answer: Either the bar at the Doubletree Hotel, or if there's not enough time, in the hall at the convention center. Don't worry! We'll Twitter!
Hey Buzz crew! Be sure to give us a Twitter post as to your recording location at PME this Friday. Even if you don't pull off the recording, let us know where you are hanging out!
Thanks,
Bill Quackenbush
San Diego
Buzz Army member # 65535
Answer: Either the bar at the Doubletree Hotel, or if there's not enough time, in the hall at the convention center. Don't worry! We'll Twitter!
- Read also: cnet, buzz out loud
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September 26, 2007, 2:44 PM PDTBuzz Out Loud Show Notes - Queen Elizabeth is a hot elf chick
Posted by: Molly Wood
--Molly
|
EPISODE 569 |
TODAY'S LINKS:
TODAY'S VOICE MAIL:
Andy in Colorado
I will never pirate again.
I will never pirate again.
Zack in Missouri
'Chuck' has a season pass?
'Chuck' has a season pass?
Gordon from Australia
I love Amazon's download store.
I love Amazon's download store.
TODAY'S E-MAIL:
DirectTV launches new HD channels!!!
Hey TM,
I turned on the TV this morning and CNN was in HD. DirecTV finally launches its HD satellite. Here is the channel list:
265: A&E HD
282: Animal Planet HD
220: Big Ten HD
202: CNN HD
278: Discovery HD
206/73: ESPN HD
209/72: ESPN2 HD
70/501/509: HBO HD East
269: History Channel HD
76: HD Theater (was Discovery HD Theater)
79: HDNet
78: HDNet Movies
280: Learning Channel HD (TLC HD)
544: Movie Channel HD
212: NFL Network HD
284: Science Channel HD
538: SHO Too HD
71/537/543: Showtime HD
540: Showtime HD West
267: Smithsonian HD
519: Starz Comedy HD
520: Starz HD East
521: Starz HD West
522: Starz Edge HD
518: Starz Kids and Family
247: TBS HD
245/75: TNT HD
74: Universal HD
604: Versus HD/Golf Channel HD
362: Weather Channel HD
Info courtesy of DBStalk.
Gregory
Hey TM,
I turned on the TV this morning and CNN was in HD. DirecTV finally launches its HD satellite. Here is the channel list:
265: A&E HD
282: Animal Planet HD
220: Big Ten HD
202: CNN HD
278: Discovery HD
206/73: ESPN HD
209/72: ESPN2 HD
70/501/509: HBO HD East
269: History Channel HD
76: HD Theater (was Discovery HD Theater)
79: HDNet
78: HDNet Movies
280: Learning Channel HD (TLC HD)
544: Movie Channel HD
212: NFL Network HD
284: Science Channel HD
538: SHO Too HD
71/537/543: Showtime HD
540: Showtime HD West
267: Smithsonian HD
519: Starz Comedy HD
520: Starz HD East
521: Starz HD West
522: Starz Edge HD
518: Starz Kids and Family
247: TBS HD
245/75: TNT HD
74: Universal HD
604: Versus HD/Golf Channel HD
362: Weather Channel HD
Info courtesy of DBStalk.
Gregory
'Halo 3' release madness on video
Hey guys, I'm a little behind on BOL (episode 566) but figured I'd chime in on the 'Halo 3' launch while it's still somewhat relevant. Hope this isn't too stale.
Monday night I waited outside a GameStop with a friend to pick up 'Halo 3' at midnight. While I don't own a 360 myself, I camped out with my friend for moral support and also to video blog some of the antics. I witnessed the usual hundred-or-so-person line snaking around the building starting with 'the guy' sitting comfortably at the door who, of course proclaimed, his love for Master Chief and mocked you for not getting in line 27 hours ago.
The best moments were when the doors opened up and while each person entered and left, shiny box in hand, the crowd cheered them on as if they were winning an award at some crazy ceremony. One gamer in particular couldn't wait to get home so badly that he had to jump into his car door window and speed off.
I've tightly edited some of the insanity (ridiculousness) into this 1-minute video.
Love the show, keep up the great work!
Darren the video podcaster in Virginia
Hey guys, I'm a little behind on BOL (episode 566) but figured I'd chime in on the 'Halo 3' launch while it's still somewhat relevant. Hope this isn't too stale.
Monday night I waited outside a GameStop with a friend to pick up 'Halo 3' at midnight. While I don't own a 360 myself, I camped out with my friend for moral support and also to video blog some of the antics. I witnessed the usual hundred-or-so-person line snaking around the building starting with 'the guy' sitting comfortably at the door who, of course proclaimed, his love for Master Chief and mocked you for not getting in line 27 hours ago.
The best moments were when the doors opened up and while each person entered and left, shiny box in hand, the crowd cheered them on as if they were winning an award at some crazy ceremony. One gamer in particular couldn't wait to get home so badly that he had to jump into his car door window and speed off.
I've tightly edited some of the insanity (ridiculousness) into this 1-minute video.
Love the show, keep up the great work!
Darren the video podcaster in Virginia
Not jiving with the jingle
Comment on episode 566. I know I'm running a bit late in the Buzz listening but wanted to give a rallying cry for all to join in the fight to ELIMINATE the Linux chaser from all of the future. Yes, not just future Buzz casts but the entire future.
Phil
Comment on episode 566. I know I'm running a bit late in the Buzz listening but wanted to give a rallying cry for all to join in the fight to ELIMINATE the Linux chaser from all of the future. Yes, not just future Buzz casts but the entire future.
Phil
Tom asked for it, and now it's here: Blockbuster autoremoval
Long ago, maybe 100 episodes or more, you [Tom] made a comment that it would be cool if when you swapped a mail rental for store rental at Blockbuster, the corp computers could remove it from your queue. Well, it's here, at least as of this Tuesday evening.
I swapped a DVD at the local store at about 9 p.m; at 10:30 I logged in to remove it from my queue, and I was met with a pop-up asking if I would like to remove it, and if I'd like to have it done automatically from now on. Sweet!
But to be fair, it may have been around longer. I've had pop-ups blocked in Safari for just about as long as I can remember, and tonight I had it turned off for a specific reason.
Tim Murray
Roswell, Georgia
Long ago, maybe 100 episodes or more, you [Tom] made a comment that it would be cool if when you swapped a mail rental for store rental at Blockbuster, the corp computers could remove it from your queue. Well, it's here, at least as of this Tuesday evening.
I swapped a DVD at the local store at about 9 p.m; at 10:30 I logged in to remove it from my queue, and I was met with a pop-up asking if I would like to remove it, and if I'd like to have it done automatically from now on. Sweet!
But to be fair, it may have been around longer. I've had pop-ups blocked in Safari for just about as long as I can remember, and tonight I had it turned off for a specific reason.
Tim Murray
Roswell, Georgia
Change!
Molly, don't depend upon a bank to take your rolled coins. Some time ago, I took a bunch of rolled coins to my bank for deposit into my account. The bank refused to take them. Their excuse was the rolls could contain slugs, and the content of each roll would have to be verified. They refused to break open each roll and count the coins.
So I tried spending them at Safeway, and they refused to take them, also.
So now I take coins to the Caltrain ticket machine and buy my tickets with many tens of coins. Pennies are still a problem, however.
Cheers
Steve
Cupertino, Calif.
Molly, don't depend upon a bank to take your rolled coins. Some time ago, I took a bunch of rolled coins to my bank for deposit into my account. The bank refused to take them. Their excuse was the rolls could contain slugs, and the content of each roll would have to be verified. They refused to break open each roll and count the coins.
So I tried spending them at Safeway, and they refused to take them, also.
So now I take coins to the Caltrain ticket machine and buy my tickets with many tens of coins. Pennies are still a problem, however.
Cheers
Steve
Cupertino, Calif.
Best Buy adds disclaimer to secret Web site
Hello Buzz,
Thought you'd like to read this one.
Rodrigo, from Toronto, from Brazil.
"In response to being sued and humiliated on the Internet over their 'secret Web site,' reader MK says Best Buy has added a disclaimer that warns customers that the in-store kiosk doesn't display the same prices as the public Web site."
Rodrigo
Hello Buzz,
Thought you'd like to read this one.
Rodrigo, from Toronto, from Brazil.
"In response to being sued and humiliated on the Internet over their 'secret Web site,' reader MK says Best Buy has added a disclaimer that warns customers that the in-store kiosk doesn't display the same prices as the public Web site."
Rodrigo
65535
Tom,
Your geek membership is revoked.
How can the Buzz team think that 65535 is an arbitrary number? 65535 is 2^16 - 1 and a well-known limit in 16-bit computing.
See Wikipedia for more.
Kevin C.
Tom,
Your geek membership is revoked.
How can the Buzz team think that 65535 is an arbitrary number? 65535 is 2^16 - 1 and a well-known limit in 16-bit computing.
See Wikipedia for more.
Kevin C.
The 'Chuck' airplane conspiracy
Hey Guys,
I was on an airplane coming back from the Bahamas a few weeks ago and during the last stretch of the flight the attendants put on a grainy episode of that old show 'Wings' (it was a prop plane by the way, go figure). We missed the end of the episode when the plane landed nearly 5 minutes before the show's conclusion. Thank the lord for forceful mercies, but still I think that the airplanes do this just to give people the illusion that they had a shorter-than-anticipated flight, and lucky us we're there on time.
Sincerely,
Kevin M.
Hey Guys,
I was on an airplane coming back from the Bahamas a few weeks ago and during the last stretch of the flight the attendants put on a grainy episode of that old show 'Wings' (it was a prop plane by the way, go figure). We missed the end of the episode when the plane landed nearly 5 minutes before the show's conclusion. Thank the lord for forceful mercies, but still I think that the airplanes do this just to give people the illusion that they had a shorter-than-anticipated flight, and lucky us we're there on time.
Sincerely,
Kevin M.
- Read also: cnet, buzz out loud
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September 24, 2007, 1:18 PM PDTBuzz Out Loud Show Notes - Happy 'Halo 3' eve!
Posted by: Molly Wood
--Molly
|
EPISODE 567 |
TODAY'S LINKS:
TODAY'S VOICE MAIL:
Shalin
Is Molly's baby a "Halo" trainee?
Is Molly's baby a "Halo" trainee?
Anthony
Car law apply to computers?
Car law apply to computers?
Anonymous
ScoobyPC? BOLlistener?
ScoobyPC? BOLlistener?
ScoobyPC follow-up
Oh wait, it's me.
Oh wait, it's me.
TODAY'S E-MAIL:
NBC, 'Chuck', and United
Molly, I'm flying from Philly to Chicago this morning, and after this painfully long intro about all the new NBC shows, they start showing Chuck. But guess what--they have to shut it off 5 to 10 minutes before it's over. Well, as I'm walking off the plane, the two people in front of me are saying that they've been on at least two other flights of various lengths and they haven't gotten to see the end yet either. So what do you think--more NBC stunts?!? When I first heard the story, I totally agreed with Tom--there was no way United was that organized but who knows?!?!? Love the show!
Jay
Molly, I'm flying from Philly to Chicago this morning, and after this painfully long intro about all the new NBC shows, they start showing Chuck. But guess what--they have to shut it off 5 to 10 minutes before it's over. Well, as I'm walking off the plane, the two people in front of me are saying that they've been on at least two other flights of various lengths and they haven't gotten to see the end yet either. So what do you think--more NBC stunts?!? When I first heard the story, I totally agreed with Tom--there was no way United was that organized but who knows?!?!? Love the show!
Jay
iPhone SIM-lock period
Hi Buzz crew,
In episode 566, a listener wrote in about the law in the U.K. saying that carriers must unlock a phone after 12 months, and that they can charge an unlocking fee.
Well, in Denmark there's actually a law saying that carriers must unlock the phone after just 6 months if the user requests it--and that they are not allowed to charge any fee for unlocking the phone.
Only if you request an unlock before the 6 months are up can they charge an unlocking fee, which is usually around $90 with most carriers.
I wonder if we'll ever get the iPhone in Denmark....
Best regards,
Peter the Dane
P.S. In unrelated Apple news, the thread in the Apple discussion forums about .Mac bandwidth limitations in Europe (which you mentioned in an earlier show) have now grown to almost 300 posts and have been viewed more than 7,000 times--but still no word from Apple as to when or if they will ever fix this. I wonder if they will demo iLife '08 and .Mac at the Apple Expo in Paris this week. If they do and the speed is lightning fast, I hope someone will ask how they get that great speed when the rest of us can't. :-)
Hi Buzz crew,
In episode 566, a listener wrote in about the law in the U.K. saying that carriers must unlock a phone after 12 months, and that they can charge an unlocking fee.
Well, in Denmark there's actually a law saying that carriers must unlock the phone after just 6 months if the user requests it--and that they are not allowed to charge any fee for unlocking the phone.
Only if you request an unlock before the 6 months are up can they charge an unlocking fee, which is usually around $90 with most carriers.
I wonder if we'll ever get the iPhone in Denmark....
Best regards,
Peter the Dane
P.S. In unrelated Apple news, the thread in the Apple discussion forums about .Mac bandwidth limitations in Europe (which you mentioned in an earlier show) have now grown to almost 300 posts and have been viewed more than 7,000 times--but still no word from Apple as to when or if they will ever fix this. I wonder if they will demo iLife '08 and .Mac at the Apple Expo in Paris this week. If they do and the speed is lightning fast, I hope someone will ask how they get that great speed when the rest of us can't. :-)
Hulu Eulu, er, Hula, er, EULA--that's it!
Hey guys, was listening to This Week in Media tonight and they were talking a bit about Hulu and its EULA. Here's an interesting part I don't know if you've seen yet:
Actually, now that I think about it, it sounds like an anti-torrent provision that is written pretty horribly. Stupid NBC!
Christopher from Virginia
Hey guys, was listening to This Week in Media tonight and they were talking a bit about Hulu and its EULA. Here's an interesting part I don't know if you've seen yet:
"This Agreement is governed by, and construed in accordance with, the
laws of the State of California without giving effect to any principles
of conflicts of law. You agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction
of the courts of the State of California or, if appropriate, the United
States District Court for the Central District of California for
resolution of any dispute, action or proceeding arising in connection
with this Agreement or your use or non-use of the Site, and you further
irrevocably waive any right you may have to trial by jury in any such
dispute, action or proceeding."
So, thanks to NBC, I've waived my right to a trial by jury in any such
dispute, action, or proceeding for my use or nonuse of the site? By not
going to their site, I've waived my right to a trial by jury??Actually, now that I think about it, it sounds like an anti-torrent provision that is written pretty horribly. Stupid NBC!
Christopher from Virginia
Aha!
Relating back a few episodes ago, there was a caller who questioned whether or not Molly and Jason were married. Well, if I'm right, this photo proves that they are not married. See what a Google search can do?
Richard E.
Relating back a few episodes ago, there was a caller who questioned whether or not Molly and Jason were married. Well, if I'm right, this photo proves that they are not married. See what a Google search can do?
Richard E.
Squircle player
Guys,
Gotta throw something into this 'squircle' mix everyone's talking about. It just so happens that there's an MP3 player over here called 'The Squircle', and it's just terrible. Beyond terrible. It's the kind of thing that, if someone gave it to you as a gift, you'd know that person hates you beyond all reason. In fact, I reviewed it and it's now famous in the CNET U.K. office as being not only the worst MP3 player we've seen, but the worst product we've seen in the whole of history. It has the lowest score out of everything on the site, and I cleared the review with a libel expert to make sure I wasn't going to get us sued.
See you soon,
Nate
Guys,
Gotta throw something into this 'squircle' mix everyone's talking about. It just so happens that there's an MP3 player over here called 'The Squircle', and it's just terrible. Beyond terrible. It's the kind of thing that, if someone gave it to you as a gift, you'd know that person hates you beyond all reason. In fact, I reviewed it and it's now famous in the CNET U.K. office as being not only the worst MP3 player we've seen, but the worst product we've seen in the whole of history. It has the lowest score out of everything on the site, and I cleared the review with a libel expert to make sure I wasn't going to get us sued.
See you soon,
Nate
Talk like a pirate, ARRRR
Hi Tom, Molly, and Jason,
Great show. I lived in Honduras in Central America for eight years. Off the north coast of Honduras is an island called Roatan (pronounced row-a-ton). It's a beautiful place. There are communities there of people of European decent that speak just like pirates. No kidding. I've been there and I've talked with them. I kept expecting to see a parrot land on their shoulder. If you're adventuresome it's a great place to vacation.
Keep up the good work!
Tom P.
Westland, Michigan
Hi Tom, Molly, and Jason,
Great show. I lived in Honduras in Central America for eight years. Off the north coast of Honduras is an island called Roatan (pronounced row-a-ton). It's a beautiful place. There are communities there of people of European decent that speak just like pirates. No kidding. I've been there and I've talked with them. I kept expecting to see a parrot land on their shoulder. If you're adventuresome it's a great place to vacation.
Keep up the good work!
Tom P.
Westland, Michigan
PS3 rumble
Tom and Molly,
In episode 565, Tom mentions the lack of rumble technology (force feedback) in the PS3 as though you didn't understand that it didn't have rumble. Yet, it's odd, in Episode 1 in 2005, you both mention that 'a technology company' on the Peninsula in the Bay Area won the lawsuit against Sony that prevents Force Feedback on the PS2 controller (i.e., rumble). I realize that it was two years ago, but still. That lawsuit also applies to the PS3 and, no, they hadn't gotten past the lawsuit yet. Now, Sony has. So now we're getting rumble back. Yay! Of course, it's a bit too little too late and probably won't help the PS3 that much.
Thanks for the great show.
Brian W.
Tom and Molly,
In episode 565, Tom mentions the lack of rumble technology (force feedback) in the PS3 as though you didn't understand that it didn't have rumble. Yet, it's odd, in Episode 1 in 2005, you both mention that 'a technology company' on the Peninsula in the Bay Area won the lawsuit against Sony that prevents Force Feedback on the PS2 controller (i.e., rumble). I realize that it was two years ago, but still. That lawsuit also applies to the PS3 and, no, they hadn't gotten past the lawsuit yet. Now, Sony has. So now we're getting rumble back. Yay! Of course, it's a bit too little too late and probably won't help the PS3 that much.
Thanks for the great show.
Brian W.
Homage to The Earthlink Guy
Hi TMJ & Alex from Miami,
In the post-roll of a recent podcast, Alex from Miami was complaining about the fact that the same Earthlink commercial has run at the break for years.
I, for one am over my disdain for the repetitive nature of the Earthlink Guy. In fact, for me he's become an institution at Buzz Out Loud.
He predates Jason as producer of the podcast, outlasted Veronica, and survived Molly's maternity leave. He's become the BOL equivalent to singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Park" at the seventh inning stretch! Well, maybe not, but all BuzzTown knows his words verbatim, and many of us recite his lines with him.
We must, however, not become complacent. There must be that dreaded day in the future when he will be absent, like the Giants' Barry Bonds.
Thus, I have felt that there must be some tribute to the Earthlink Guy, preferably before he is lost to us. In taking on this solemn responsibility, I felt that it must be in His Own Words.
Attached herein is an MP3 containing my (short--like the commercial itself) mash-up of the Earthlink Guy in his own words. Please, Earthlink, don't sue me.
Enjoy,
Rob S.
Sedona, Arizona
Hi TMJ & Alex from Miami,
In the post-roll of a recent podcast, Alex from Miami was complaining about the fact that the same Earthlink commercial has run at the break for years.
I, for one am over my disdain for the repetitive nature of the Earthlink Guy. In fact, for me he's become an institution at Buzz Out Loud.
He predates Jason as producer of the podcast, outlasted Veronica, and survived Molly's maternity leave. He's become the BOL equivalent to singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Park" at the seventh inning stretch! Well, maybe not, but all BuzzTown knows his words verbatim, and many of us recite his lines with him.
We must, however, not become complacent. There must be that dreaded day in the future when he will be absent, like the Giants' Barry Bonds.
Thus, I have felt that there must be some tribute to the Earthlink Guy, preferably before he is lost to us. In taking on this solemn responsibility, I felt that it must be in His Own Words.
Attached herein is an MP3 containing my (short--like the commercial itself) mash-up of the Earthlink Guy in his own words. Please, Earthlink, don't sue me.
Enjoy,
Rob S.
Sedona, Arizona
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September 21, 2007, 2:06 PM PDTBuzz Out Loud Show Notes - I'm gonna .su you
Posted by: Molly Wood
--Molly
|
EPISODE 566 |
TODAY'S LINKS:
TODAY'S VOICE MAIL:
Dan from Ohio
Is that the guy from Office Space?
Is that the guy from Office Space?
Phil from Minnesota
So can Apple come out with a new phone and not use AT&T?
So can Apple come out with a new phone and not use AT&T?
Eric from Phoenix
Can I use MLA citation to get around copyright law?
Can I use MLA citation to get around copyright law?
TODAY'S E-MAIL:
Unlocking the U.K. iPhone
So, here's what I don't get. According to "the Internet" the U.K. has a law that says that all phones must be unlocked after one year if the client calls and asks to have it unlocked (but the carrier reserves the right to charge an unlocking fee). How the heck do Apple and O2 plan on getting around that one?
Josh from Moscow
So, here's what I don't get. According to "the Internet" the U.K. has a law that says that all phones must be unlocked after one year if the client calls and asks to have it unlocked (but the carrier reserves the right to charge an unlocking fee). How the heck do Apple and O2 plan on getting around that one?
Josh from Moscow
Comparison shopping
So I don't know anything about using the DMCA to keep people from comparison shopping (I'm not a copyright lawyer and have no wish to be), but I once had a conversation about comparison shopping with one of my mom's friends who manages a Walgreen's. Apparently he has known stores to kick people out for making lists of items and prices to compare with other stores. And, since the store is private property, it is well within the store owner's rights to do this, no matter how unfair it may seem. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
Oh, and "squircle" is an awesome word!
Benton from Austin (Hook 'Em Horns!)
So I don't know anything about using the DMCA to keep people from comparison shopping (I'm not a copyright lawyer and have no wish to be), but I once had a conversation about comparison shopping with one of my mom's friends who manages a Walgreen's. Apparently he has known stores to kick people out for making lists of items and prices to compare with other stores. And, since the store is private property, it is well within the store owner's rights to do this, no matter how unfair it may seem. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
Oh, and "squircle" is an awesome word!
Benton from Austin (Hook 'Em Horns!)
And Molly and Tom will now attend school in Ontario
Here at our school I often research the price for the texts online at places like Chapters.ca and Amazon. If it is lower than the university bookstore I tell the class, in passing, on the first day (ahh...tenure).
As far as video games on campus go, we have a masterýs degree in game design here. So, there is a lab full of 360s here and another full of really high-end Dell machines. Our library has a number of console titles including "Gears of War." I was talking to Ken the Librarian the other day and he told me that they are getting "Halo 3" once it comes out. We even have school sanctioned LAN parties on Friday nights in the labs, and in the past have shown a feed from the lab to the big screen in the student bar (in Canada there are bars on campus, as the drinking age is 18 or 19 depending on the province).
Just thought I would weigh in from rainy northern Ontario.
Dave (the psychologist)
Here at our school I often research the price for the texts online at places like Chapters.ca and Amazon. If it is lower than the university bookstore I tell the class, in passing, on the first day (ahh...tenure).
As far as video games on campus go, we have a masterýs degree in game design here. So, there is a lab full of 360s here and another full of really high-end Dell machines. Our library has a number of console titles including "Gears of War." I was talking to Ken the Librarian the other day and he told me that they are getting "Halo 3" once it comes out. We even have school sanctioned LAN parties on Friday nights in the labs, and in the past have shown a feed from the lab to the big screen in the student bar (in Canada there are bars on campus, as the drinking age is 18 or 19 depending on the province).
Just thought I would weigh in from rainy northern Ontario.
Dave (the psychologist)
Ad-blocking is just safe computing
I've been holding off writing in on the topic of ad-block plug-ins for browsers because I was sure someone would raise this point, but I haven't heard anyone mention it yet. The main reason I use the ad-block feature is not to block ads (I don't really mind ads), but to keep from potentially having a virus served to me through an image or whatever. The Internets are scary sometimes.
Thanks for the podcast. I listen to it every day at work.
Thanks,
Jason San Diego
I've been holding off writing in on the topic of ad-block plug-ins for browsers because I was sure someone would raise this point, but I haven't heard anyone mention it yet. The main reason I use the ad-block feature is not to block ads (I don't really mind ads), but to keep from potentially having a virus served to me through an image or whatever. The Internets are scary sometimes.
Thanks for the podcast. I listen to it every day at work.
Thanks,
Jason San Diego
Old people hate robots
Finally...in "the land of the future" there is a potential for some counterpoint action. :)
excerpt:
*****
"The residents liked ifbot for about a month before they lost interest," said Yasuko Sawada, director of the facility in Kyoto, western Japan, shaking her head as she contemplated the 495,000 yen ($4,300), 45-cm-tall (18-inch-tall) "communication robot." "Stuffed animals are more popular," she remarked dryly.
*****
Best,
Shalin
Finally...in "the land of the future" there is a potential for some counterpoint action. :)
excerpt:
*****
"The residents liked ifbot for about a month before they lost interest," said Yasuko Sawada, director of the facility in Kyoto, western Japan, shaking her head as she contemplated the 495,000 yen ($4,300), 45-cm-tall (18-inch-tall) "communication robot." "Stuffed animals are more popular," she remarked dryly.
*****
Best,
Shalin
Google laying undersea cables?
Dear Molly and Tom at Buzz Out Loud,
I found this interesting story about Google looking to lay their own undersea cables at Commsday.com.
"However, Communications Day understands that Unity would see Google join with other carriers to build a new multi-terabit cable," wrote Grahame Lynch.
"Google would get access to a fibre pair at build cost handing it a tremendous cost advantage over rivals such as MSN and Yahoo, and also potentially enabling it to peer with Asia ISPs behind their international gateways - considerably improving the affordability of Internet services across Asia Pacific."
Wasn't it in one of your episodes you highlighted Google looking to license the 700Mhz spectrum or something like that? Is Google going to be the next AT&T?
Regards
The (New) Media Slut www.themediaslut.com
Dear Molly and Tom at Buzz Out Loud,
I found this interesting story about Google looking to lay their own undersea cables at Commsday.com.
"However, Communications Day understands that Unity would see Google join with other carriers to build a new multi-terabit cable," wrote Grahame Lynch.
"Google would get access to a fibre pair at build cost handing it a tremendous cost advantage over rivals such as MSN and Yahoo, and also potentially enabling it to peer with Asia ISPs behind their international gateways - considerably improving the affordability of Internet services across Asia Pacific."
Wasn't it in one of your episodes you highlighted Google looking to license the 700Mhz spectrum or something like that? Is Google going to be the next AT&T?
Regards
The (New) Media Slut www.themediaslut.com
Squircle is so 3.0
Hi guys, from episode 564, can't you see, the new Zune is soooo Web 3.0? For example, "Squircle" ending with "le"--see it? Which, according to Molly's hypothesis, is the new "r"...so give Microsoft some credit, they are on to something here.
If Microsoft is still stuck in Web 2.0, the darn thing would be called Squirclr.
Have a great weekend.
Wan from Malaysia.
Hi guys, from episode 564, can't you see, the new Zune is soooo Web 3.0? For example, "Squircle" ending with "le"--see it? Which, according to Molly's hypothesis, is the new "r"...so give Microsoft some credit, they are on to something here.
If Microsoft is still stuck in Web 2.0, the darn thing would be called Squirclr.
Have a great weekend.
Wan from Malaysia.
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September 20, 2007, 1:34 PM PDTBuzz Out Loud Show Notes - NBC ruins 'free'
Posted by: Molly Wood
--Molly
|
EPISODE 565 |
TODAY'S LINKS:
TODAY'S VOICE MAIL:
Anonymous podcast
Why can't you download the podcast over Wi-Fi.
Why can't you download the podcast over Wi-Fi.
John from Illinois
I can't bring a console to college.
I can't bring a console to college.
Amanda from Atlanta
Textbook prices.
Textbook prices.
TODAY'S E-MAIL:
Copyright pricing
The idea that pricing is copyrighted material is not unique to Harvard and is a significant property. While printing the prices in a college news publication is not necessarily the same thing as posting prices on a price shopping Web site from the perspective of copyright, the fact remains that copyright law does potentially cover pricing.
Molly said that it cannot be copyrighted. Unfortunately, there is enough wiggle room in the copyright law that it could be possible to prove that pricing is protected by copyright.
Please take some time to take the iTunesU M.I.T. course "Introduction to Copyright Law". This case (copyright of pricing) is covered in that class, so be careful of using analogy when talking about copyright law. You'll be amazed at the subtleties of copyright law. I was.
Love the show.
Cheers,
Chris
The idea that pricing is copyrighted material is not unique to Harvard and is a significant property. While printing the prices in a college news publication is not necessarily the same thing as posting prices on a price shopping Web site from the perspective of copyright, the fact remains that copyright law does potentially cover pricing.
Molly said that it cannot be copyrighted. Unfortunately, there is enough wiggle room in the copyright law that it could be possible to prove that pricing is protected by copyright.
Please take some time to take the iTunesU M.I.T. course "Introduction to Copyright Law". This case (copyright of pricing) is covered in that class, so be careful of using analogy when talking about copyright law. You'll be amazed at the subtleties of copyright law. I was.
Love the show.
Cheers,
Chris
Lights-out in Utah
Tonight the Governor of Utah, Jon Huntsman, asked that from 9 to 10 p.m. all Utahns turn out any lights that aren't necessary. SLC has gone completely dark except for the red lights atop buildings for aircraft safety. The Capitol building on Capitol Hill looking over SLC never lit up tonight, as a reminder to all of us to turn lights out. The city is really freaky right now. The only lights on in the city right now are the ones necessary for safety, such as traffic lights as well as the hospitals. I guess we'll see tomorrow how things went. Thanks a ton for all you do, I'm a long-time listener and never miss a day.
Spencer
Oh, and for bragging rights--Utah is the first in North America to jump on board with the international lights-out program--apparently SF will be making their effort soon :). Here's a link to the story, and here's a link to a lights-out America blog post from some energy hippie. :)
Tonight the Governor of Utah, Jon Huntsman, asked that from 9 to 10 p.m. all Utahns turn out any lights that aren't necessary. SLC has gone completely dark except for the red lights atop buildings for aircraft safety. The Capitol building on Capitol Hill looking over SLC never lit up tonight, as a reminder to all of us to turn lights out. The city is really freaky right now. The only lights on in the city right now are the ones necessary for safety, such as traffic lights as well as the hospitals. I guess we'll see tomorrow how things went. Thanks a ton for all you do, I'm a long-time listener and never miss a day.
Spencer
Oh, and for bragging rights--Utah is the first in North America to jump on board with the international lights-out program--apparently SF will be making their effort soon :). Here's a link to the story, and here's a link to a lights-out America blog post from some energy hippie. :)
Orange car
Woe, woe, woe, woe. I know I have probably overextended my quota of comments allowed in a week, so I don't figure this will air, but I have to defend my car. It's a Grand Am GT with the 30th anniversary package, and it's not just orange, it's burnt orange!
I usually hate orange as well, and when I first found this car I thought, "Shnikey I want a sport sedan, but why did someone make it orange?" After a week, I love it and it turns heads.
I've attaching a photo from a mini shoot I did of my car to illustrate how good it actually looks.
PS If you two are ever in Ephrata Washington, stop by and I'll give your cars a mini shoot...for free. Ha, like you would ever even hear of Ephrata.
Gav
Woe, woe, woe, woe. I know I have probably overextended my quota of comments allowed in a week, so I don't figure this will air, but I have to defend my car. It's a Grand Am GT with the 30th anniversary package, and it's not just orange, it's burnt orange!
I usually hate orange as well, and when I first found this car I thought, "Shnikey I want a sport sedan, but why did someone make it orange?" After a week, I love it and it turns heads.
I've attaching a photo from a mini shoot I did of my car to illustrate how good it actually looks.
PS If you two are ever in Ephrata Washington, stop by and I'll give your cars a mini shoot...for free. Ha, like you would ever even hear of Ephrata.
Gav
I'm sure you've got billions of e-mails already...
But it's coop, (rhymes with soup). It's short for co-operative, but they still say it as coop. Don't ask.
Seth Kramer
But it's coop, (rhymes with soup). It's short for co-operative, but they still say it as coop. Don't ask.
Seth Kramer
Define: Squircle (part one)
"A squircle is a mathematical shape with properties between those of a square and those of a circle. It is a special case of superellipse."
I'm sure you're aware of this by now with the mass of other e-mails and people calling in, but I thought I'd add this voice without being judgmental in process of letting you know.
I'm also sending you this e-mail 7 minutes into listening to the show, so it's likely you will actually say the word's meaning during the podcast...
Anyway, great show guys!
Keep up the party in Buzz town.
thesilentpurple :)
"A squircle is a mathematical shape with properties between those of a square and those of a circle. It is a special case of superellipse."
I'm sure you're aware of this by now with the mass of other e-mails and people calling in, but I thought I'd add this voice without being judgmental in process of letting you know.
I'm also sending you this e-mail 7 minutes into listening to the show, so it's likely you will actually say the word's meaning during the podcast...
Anyway, great show guys!
Keep up the party in Buzz town.
thesilentpurple :)
Define: Squircle (part two)
Just want to say, that's hilarious...
I flat-out tell you in my e-mail that I am 7 minutes into listening writing to you, and then at the end of the podcast you comment on how you now have proof that people call in while still listening to the show. I feel like I've been a part of something special today. :-p
thesilentpurple :)
Just want to say, that's hilarious...
I flat-out tell you in my e-mail that I am 7 minutes into listening writing to you, and then at the end of the podcast you comment on how you now have proof that people call in while still listening to the show. I feel like I've been a part of something special today. :-p
thesilentpurple :)
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September 20, 2007, 12:37 PM PDTBuzz Out Loud Show Notes - Stop saying squircle!
Posted by: Molly Wood
--Molly
|
EPISODE 564 |
TODAY'S LINKS:
TODAY'S VOICE MAIL:
Ricky the Absolutist
It would be a problem if everybody did it.
It would be a problem if everybody did it.
Captain Blackbeard
If you hate advertising so much.
If you hate advertising so much.
Anonymous Ad Viewer
Here's where I hate ads.
Here's where I hate ads.
Jason Raleigh
AMD naming conventions.
AMD naming conventions.
Jed from Washington, D.C.
No landline became a problem.
No landline became a problem.
TODAY'S E-MAIL:
Blocking ads
Heya Buzz Crew,
If sites are so concerned that people are blocking their ads, it seems there would be a simple solution to simply ask them what product is being advertised before allowing them to continue.
I think this is a bad idea and I feel like a horrible person for suggesting it, but sites these days seem to have no problem inconveniencing their readers with pop-all-overs. But this would guarantee your visitors notice your ads.
Just a thought!
Mike the Architect
Heya Buzz Crew,
If sites are so concerned that people are blocking their ads, it seems there would be a simple solution to simply ask them what product is being advertised before allowing them to continue.
I think this is a bad idea and I feel like a horrible person for suggesting it, but sites these days seem to have no problem inconveniencing their readers with pop-all-overs. But this would guarantee your visitors notice your ads.
Just a thought!
Mike the Architect
Advertising
Hi Buzz Gang,
If there is a social contract between ad-supported media such as TV and Web sites, we need to renegotiate. The media companies try to annoy us into watching their ads. Do they really expect us to watch all 16 minutes of advertisements every hour on TV, and is it reasonable to have some flickering banner ad right next to the text you're trying to read? DVRs and ad blockers are nature's way of saying "enough is enough."
Iljitsch
Hi Buzz Gang,
If there is a social contract between ad-supported media such as TV and Web sites, we need to renegotiate. The media companies try to annoy us into watching their ads. Do they really expect us to watch all 16 minutes of advertisements every hour on TV, and is it reasonable to have some flickering banner ad right next to the text you're trying to read? DVRs and ad blockers are nature's way of saying "enough is enough."
Iljitsch
Popups - Popups - Popups
Why is everybody getting all hissy over blocking other ads?
You shove an ad in my face and there are a million other sites I can go visit! What they gonna do next? Take away the X in the top right of the window so I HAVE to look at the damn ads?
Love you guys--take care and keep doing what you do so well. Buzzing!
:)
Brian from the U.K.
Why is everybody getting all hissy over blocking other ads?
You shove an ad in my face and there are a million other sites I can go visit! What they gonna do next? Take away the X in the top right of the window so I HAVE to look at the damn ads?
Love you guys--take care and keep doing what you do so well. Buzzing!
:)
Brian from the U.K.
Silicon on the moon
Regarding Brandt's question about silicon on the moon...I think the best people to answer the question would be a planetary scientist (some geologist for the Earth's moon), a chemist, and a manufacturing engineer.
I'm not certain much mining needs to be done to find silicon on the moon either, that's where the lunar geologist would come in. However, the silicon on the moon would likely be used to make useful things for lunar habitation. I don't know what particular things...but useful things I'm sure. This "in situ resource utilization" approach of using immediately available resources to build up a camp or even permanent community in a particular geographic area is a successful approach of many, many exploration ventures in the past thousands of years.
Unless the silicon is of extraordinary quality, I don't see a compelling reason it should be shipped back to Earth. As for Helium3--yeah, the science on that is a bit dubious...I wouldn't put much stock in the immediate usefulness of it.
The bottom line as I see it is that the moon is going to be a pit stop to the rest of the universe for Earth humans...and it'd be a smart idea to make use of its useful minerals. Since it seems to take a looooooooong time to develop space-rated systems, ya gotta start somewhere...and soon.
Best,
Shalin
Regarding Brandt's question about silicon on the moon...I think the best people to answer the question would be a planetary scientist (some geologist for the Earth's moon), a chemist, and a manufacturing engineer.
I'm not certain much mining needs to be done to find silicon on the moon either, that's where the lunar geologist would come in. However, the silicon on the moon would likely be used to make useful things for lunar habitation. I don't know what particular things...but useful things I'm sure. This "in situ resource utilization" approach of using immediately available resources to build up a camp or even permanent community in a particular geographic area is a successful approach of many, many exploration ventures in the past thousands of years.
Unless the silicon is of extraordinary quality, I don't see a compelling reason it should be shipped back to Earth. As for Helium3--yeah, the science on that is a bit dubious...I wouldn't put much stock in the immediate usefulness of it.
The bottom line as I see it is that the moon is going to be a pit stop to the rest of the universe for Earth humans...and it'd be a smart idea to make use of its useful minerals. Since it seems to take a looooooooong time to develop space-rated systems, ya gotta start somewhere...and soon.
Best,
Shalin
Missing the end of Chuck
BOL Gang,
Reference episode 563 and Molly's inability to watch the end of the premier of Chuck due to a premature arrival, I happen to be an airline pilot for a major airline and may be able to shed a little light on your incident. We as crewmembers do, indeed, have the capability of manipulating the en route flight time as well as the start time and selection of the video entertainment. Of course, at our airline we would only use those capabilities to enhance your travel experience. (I'm not at liberty to say who I work for, but we are a major AMERICAN carrier). I can only assume that United is part of a greater conspiracy and no doubt in cahoots with the RIAA and other anti-freedom-of-enjoyment groups whose major designs are to hook you on content and force you to pay for it on the back end. I'm sorry you had a disappointing flight and let me assure you that if any of you are ever on my airplane, your experience will be delightful. Just stick your head up front and ask for me.
Respectfully,
Vic
The Pilot/ Rancher/ Net Neutrality Advocate from Blanket, Texas
P.S.
I know I ragged on you about the baby talk, but I kinda miss it.
BOL Gang,
Reference episode 563 and Molly's inability to watch the end of the premier of Chuck due to a premature arrival, I happen to be an airline pilot for a major airline and may be able to shed a little light on your incident. We as crewmembers do, indeed, have the capability of manipulating the en route flight time as well as the start time and selection of the video entertainment. Of course, at our airline we would only use those capabilities to enhance your travel experience. (I'm not at liberty to say who I work for, but we are a major AMERICAN carrier). I can only assume that United is part of a greater conspiracy and no doubt in cahoots with the RIAA and other anti-freedom-of-enjoyment groups whose major designs are to hook you on content and force you to pay for it on the back end. I'm sorry you had a disappointing flight and let me assure you that if any of you are ever on my airplane, your experience will be delightful. Just stick your head up front and ask for me.
Respectfully,
Vic
The Pilot/ Rancher/ Net Neutrality Advocate from Blanket, Texas
P.S.
I know I ragged on you about the baby talk, but I kinda miss it.
Deja vu all over again
Let's see, OJ's in (and out of?) trouble, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is breaking new ground, Steve Fossett is in the news, optical storage discs are a hot topic, and Microsoft's newly released version of Windows is under attack by the same freakin' virus!
Should we party like it's 1995? Should Steve Mitnick be looking over his shoulder? Inquiring minds...
Dennis O.
Powell, Ohio
Let's see, OJ's in (and out of?) trouble, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is breaking new ground, Steve Fossett is in the news, optical storage discs are a hot topic, and Microsoft's newly released version of Windows is under attack by the same freakin' virus!
Should we party like it's 1995? Should Steve Mitnick be looking over his shoulder? Inquiring minds...
Dennis O.
Powell, Ohio
Havok, Intel, and Ageia news
Hi T-M-J,
I work for a small start-up in the same building as Havok. The office building is an open plan with a series of small incubator units. Havok, being one of the larger companies here, has an entire floor all to themselves.
On Monday morning, I went to grab a coffee from our shared kitchen and on the way back to my desk I overheard two people discussing putting physics API's on chips. Interesting, I thought, since I had imagined that Havok had taken a different approach from Ageia (a competitor that already has a hardware physics solution). Havok had opted to use the GPUs in high-end graphics cards to help offload some of their processing. Upon returning to my desk, I checked the register and saw the news that Havok had been sold to Intel and it all made sense. I just mentioned my coffee tale to a coworker, who said he'd seen printouts describing plans to move some of the Havok APIs from software to hardware.
So I'd say that with the purchase of Havok, Intel has really bought their APIs and game developer tie-ins. By moving the API implementation from software to hardware they will be able to produce chip sets aimed specifically at the gaming market. With the existing links to developers and big budget titles already using Havok, Intel will have the leverage to persuade the big names to write for their new platform. Intel already has a graphics division, but hasn't been able to pull the big-name games companies into working with them. Is this integrated hardware game "stack" of graphics, processing, and physics Intel reacting to the purchase of ATI by AMD?
And what future for Ageia?
Oh yeah, best not to mention my name--just in case.
Hi T-M-J,
I work for a small start-up in the same building as Havok. The office building is an open plan with a series of small incubator units. Havok, being one of the larger companies here, has an entire floor all to themselves.
On Monday morning, I went to grab a coffee from our shared kitchen and on the way back to my desk I overheard two people discussing putting physics API's on chips. Interesting, I thought, since I had imagined that Havok had taken a different approach from Ageia (a competitor that already has a hardware physics solution). Havok had opted to use the GPUs in high-end graphics cards to help offload some of their processing. Upon returning to my desk, I checked the register and saw the news that Havok had been sold to Intel and it all made sense. I just mentioned my coffee tale to a coworker, who said he'd seen printouts describing plans to move some of the Havok APIs from software to hardware.
So I'd say that with the purchase of Havok, Intel has really bought their APIs and game developer tie-ins. By moving the API implementation from software to hardware they will be able to produce chip sets aimed specifically at the gaming market. With the existing links to developers and big budget titles already using Havok, Intel will have the leverage to persuade the big names to write for their new platform. Intel already has a graphics division, but hasn't been able to pull the big-name games companies into working with them. Is this integrated hardware game "stack" of graphics, processing, and physics Intel reacting to the purchase of ATI by AMD?
And what future for Ageia?
Oh yeah, best not to mention my name--just in case.
Vodafone on the iPhone
Hi Buzz Crew,
Just listened to the above show and heard your remark about Vodafone being in a hidden carrier list on the iPhone. Could it not just be for roaming? The iPhone will be able to sign on to roaming networks when away from home? Vodafone can accept unlocked phones for sure. It is rather uncommon to lock a phone to a network in Europe even when bought from the provider with a subsidy. Prepaid phones are generally locked--since the provider can't assure your business otherwise.
Greetings from Frankfurt, Germany,
Oliver
P.S. Typed on my N73 while listening to your show. Next phone will definitely be N95 8GB. No iPhone for me.
Hi Buzz Crew,
Just listened to the above show and heard your remark about Vodafone being in a hidden carrier list on the iPhone. Could it not just be for roaming? The iPhone will be able to sign on to roaming networks when away from home? Vodafone can accept unlocked phones for sure. It is rather uncommon to lock a phone to a network in Europe even when bought from the provider with a subsidy. Prepaid phones are generally locked--since the provider can't assure your business otherwise.
Greetings from Frankfurt, Germany,
Oliver
P.S. Typed on my N73 while listening to your show. Next phone will definitely be N95 8GB. No iPhone for me.
U.K. correspondent
Hey Buzz,
Judging from Episode 563, it seems like you guys need the U.K. perspective on the iPhone announcement.
First, 02 is not part of Orange, they are indeed rival companies. Second, Carphone Warehouse is not a trashy little store, but is the biggest mobile retailer in the U.K. with LOADS of stores dotted all around the country (as apposed to Apple stores which are pretty seldom). In terms of 02 stores, there are more stores than the Apple Store, waaaaay less than Carphone Warehouse. Third, the annoucement was in a tiny room (the Regent Street store), which is one of the reasons it was invite-only and they had to close the store down despite a new product not being relased for sale (bit grumpy about that since i couldn't get in).
And finally, no 3G and a still-recessed headphone jack is internationally suckish!
Loving extra the long podcasts and wondering how long it'll be till BOL hits the big 60-minute mark.
Chris F.
Hey Buzz,
Judging from Episode 563, it seems like you guys need the U.K. perspective on the iPhone announcement.
First, 02 is not part of Orange, they are indeed rival companies. Second, Carphone Warehouse is not a trashy little store, but is the biggest mobile retailer in the U.K. with LOADS of stores dotted all around the country (as apposed to Apple stores which are pretty seldom). In terms of 02 stores, there are more stores than the Apple Store, waaaaay less than Carphone Warehouse. Third, the annoucement was in a tiny room (the Regent Street store), which is one of the reasons it was invite-only and they had to close the store down despite a new product not being relased for sale (bit grumpy about that since i couldn't get in).
And finally, no 3G and a still-recessed headphone jack is internationally suckish!
Loving extra the long podcasts and wondering how long it'll be till BOL hits the big 60-minute mark.
Chris F.
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