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Buzz Out Loud 1489: 7073, people, keep it simple (Podcast)

The most common iPhone passcodes are revealed on today's show (no, not by LulzSec), but Tong has a pager-callback suggestion for all of us. A proposal in Congress would force U.S. companies to actually tell us when they're hacked and our data is stolen (yes, please), and Rojadirecta becomes the people's hero in challenging the government's domain-name seizures. Go, Rojadirecta, go!

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Skype to bring video chat to Comcast subscribers

CHICAGO--Cable giant Comcast is teaming up with Skype to offer its subscribers video calling on their TVs, in a move that could bring more affordable video conferencing to the home.

On the eve of the Cable Show here, the companies today announced that Comcast will be offering the Skype service through the TV to its broadband subscribers. The companies are still working out all the details of the service, and they're expected to begin testing it in the next few months. The Cable Show is an annual conference and trade show, where cable operators from around the country gather. … Read more

Comcast expands into home security biz

Comcast is getting into the home security business.

The company plans to announce tomorrow that it's expanding its Xfinity Home Security service. Last year the company began testing the service in Houston. Now it's adding six more cities. Additional cities that will get the new service include parts of Philadelphia; Portland, Ore.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Sarasota/Naples, Fla.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; and Nashville.

The Xfinity Home Security service offers traditional home security features, such as police and fire alarm protection with 24-hour monitoring. It also offers some home automation functions, such as the ability to adjust thermostats and lights remotely. … Read more

Comcast to offer identity fraud protection service

Comcast is expanding its free Constant Guard anti-botnet service for Xfinity customers to add identity fraud detection to its anti-malware and secure backup service.

The Internet service provider launched a trial of Constant Guard in 2009 and took it nationwide last September, alerting customers when their computers appear to have been compromised by malware.

On Thursday, the company will be adding Identity Guard from Intersections Inc. to its Norton Security Suite and Secure Backup & Share service. The services are free with an Xfinity Internet service subscription.

Customers can pay more for additional identity fraud protection services such as proactive … Read more

The 404 824: Where we're spinning our way to the top (podcast)

Where would you go if all your neighbors turned into New Balance-wearing, speed-walking zombies? The CDC (unaffiliated with apocalyptic preacher Harold Camping) has some tips on how to survive the zombie apocalypse in a manual released on its Web site yesterday that uses the undead as a metaphor for disaster preparation. On today's show, we're also getting shallow and pedantic about Meredith Baker's newly appointed position as the senior vice president of governmental affairs for Comcast-NBC Universal, a merger that she oversaw as an FCC commissioner, and we're also chatting about a woman who was reportedly kicked off Amtrak for talking on the phone for 16 hours!

The 404 Digest for Episode 824

CDC advises on disaster prep the only way Americans understand: with zombies! FCC commissioner leaves for Comcast-NBC Universal Woman kicked off Amtrak for talking on the phone for 16 hours!

Episode 824 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Comcast updates Xfinity app with streaming video for iPhone, iPod Touch

Comcast has updated its iOS Xfinity TV app to version 1.5, bringing a much requested feature, previously available only on the Apple iPad, to the software.

Apple iPhone and iPod Touch owners can now stream a massive collection of video content from the Comcast vaults over Wi-Fi. At last count, there was more than 4,500 hours of content available through Comcast's Xfinity On-Demand video service. The app also serves as a remote control and DVR controller for supported cable boxes. … Read more

Everyone's an expert in information technology

Over the past decade, we've heard a lot about the coming consumerization of information technology. Well, it's here. The Web, e-mail, mobile phones, automated teller machines, GPS navigators, supermarket self-checkouts, online banking, digital cameras, instant messaging, chat rooms, online shopping, airline e-tickets, iTunes, YouTube, Facebook--you name it. Every one of them puts large swaths of the population in direct, frequent contact with sophisticated IT systems and interfaces. And this is just the short list.

It's an overstatement to say "everyone's on Facebook" or "everyone has a smartphone"--but not by much. Something like 50 percent of the U.S. population is on Facebook … Read more

Clearwire, Comcast, Sprint expands 4G network in Bay Area

Clearwire, Comcast, and Sprint have jointly announced an expansion of the Clearwire 4G network today. The network now includes much of the greater Bay Area. The communities are San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Sunnyvale, San Ramon, Fremont, San Leandro, Newark, Campbell, Daly City, Pleasanton, Danville, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Hayward, Walnut Creek, Mountain View, Cupertino, Milpitas, Pleasant Hill, Santa Clara, and San Bruno. The Bay Area 4G coverage is said to cover around 4.4 million people.

Clearly, this is an advantage for those who want to use 4G devices from the aforementioned carriers. Sprint's 4G phones include the … Read more

FCC commissioner leaves for Comcast

One of the FCC commissioners who approved the Comcast/NBC Universal deal is leaving the commission to work for Comcast.

Meredith Attwell Baker, one of two Republican commissioners on the Federal Communications Commission, announced today that she is leaving her government post when her term expires in June. Baker was appointed to the FCC by President Obama in July 2009.

Baker's new title at Comcast will be senior vice president of government affairs.

Baker was one of four members of the FCC, who approved the Comcast's deal to acquire ownership of NBC Universal in January. The vote at … Read more