wilson g. tang

Good-bye, Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs, co-founder and technology industry visionary, has passed away at the age of 56.

It's all Apple

Apple announces the iPhone 4S with Siri and a new 8-megapixel camera, the iPods get a slight refresh and price drop, and AppleCare+ finally gives customers accidental damage protection.

Links from Wednesday's episode of Loaded:

The 404 918: Where a phone by any other name would smell as sweet (podcast)

The band is back together again, just in time for the release of the Apple iPhone 4S. Like everyone else in the first world, we have our share of complaints, but to whine about its aesthetics is to downplay the exciting changes to iOS 5, so we'll try to keep it posi without coming off as fanboiz.

We'll review CNET's First Take of the iPhone 4S at the start of the episode, beginning with a pedestrian explanation of its network connectivity options, and go over some of the more exciting features about iOS 5, things like Newsstand, iCloud with Find My Friends, Cards, and a new AppleCare+ accidental protection package.

And just to explore the playful side of yesterday's announcements, we'll tell you why Japanese customers are chuckling at the name Siri and show you a Steve Jobs Soundboard that could offer useful buying suggestions for potential upgraders.

After the first bathroom break, we'll move onto the general tech stories of the day, including a money dispute that could finally kill "The Simpsons" after 23 seasons, Google's first adult daycare center, a batch of rereleased Disney movies in 3D, and NASA seeking applicants for its next astronaut class in 2013.

The 404 Digest for Episode 918

CNET's complete coverage of the Apple iPhone 4S. Get $200 back for your iPhone 4. Money dispute may end 'Simpsons' Google opens first retail store for Chromebooks. Seriously, Apple? In Japan, Siri fans bottom jokes.

Are Disney's 3D rereleases helping people change their minds about 3D? NASA seeking applicants for next astronaut candidate class. Bathroom break 1: Nancy Grace might have farted on last night's Dancing With the Stars. Bathroom break 2: The Museum of Obselete Objects Presents: The Fax Machine.

Episode 918 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

The 404 917: Where we give the iPhone a high five (podcast)

Joey Kaminski joins the cast of The 404 today to talk about the next iPhone, Sprint's $20 billion deal with Apple, and whether or not the new video game Rage is worth the long wait.

The 404 Digest for Episode 917

Crave reviews Rage Sprint's 20 billion-dollar deal Bathroom break: Hamster vacuum!

Episode 917

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It's Apple iPhone Day

Sprint has signed a $20 billion dollar deal for 30.5 million new iPhones, and Adobe releases Flash Player 11 and AIR 3 with accelerated 3D graphics support, and check out CNET.com's live coverage of Apple's announcement of the next iPhone(s).

Links from Tuesday's episode of Loaded:

Apple iPhone coverage Spring buying 30.5 million iPhones Flash Player 11 and AIR 3 launch Microsoft cleans up Hotmail inboxes Microsoft axes the Zune Nintendo partners with Dreamworks Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (HD) | RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS HD

The 404 916: Where just cause we can doesn't mean we should (podcast)

The 404 welcomes back infamous guest Stoopid Andy to the show, to explain that one can never have enough RAM installed on a desktop machine--even if that supercomputer you're running is only used for occasionally checking e-mail.

As the calm before the iPhone 5 announcement storm hits, we'll discuss some of the headlines that are guaranteed to be forgotten 24 hours from now. They include a gaping security flaw that affects HTC Android devices, the Xbox 360's new leaked dashboard interface, and how Google Chrome is taking a sizable bite out of the browser market.

Finally, we ask "do you still use the United States Postal Service?" A couple of USPS commercials hit the Web today and we're having a tough refraining from picking them apart. They suggest doing business through snail mail is not only hackproof, but safer. We, along with dumpster divers across the world, politely disagree as you'll see in today's episode.

The 404 Digest for Episode 916

HTC security flaw New 360 dashboard looks all mobile-phoney Chrome could overtake Firefox browser share in 2012 Arrested Development return sounds very likely! USPS thinks human hands are safer than 256-bit encryption

Episode 916 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

HTC phones major security alert

The next iPhone will be unveiled tomorrow, Facebook partners with Websense to check for malicious links, and a major security vulnerability in HTC Android phones reveals a huge amount of personal data.

Links from Monday's episode of Loaded:

The 404 915: Where we're not as think as you drunk we are (podcast)

CNET's Bridget Carey is here to talk about the imminence of the next iPhone. Signs like cases arriving at AT&T stores and the new smartphone appearing in Apple's inventory system have Wilson almost giddy.

Jeff obviously doesn't really understand why anybody would be interested in the new iPhone. It's just a different shape with more storage, right? Well, the iPhone 4S/5 may include some new patented technology that stabilizes shaky smartphone video. It might be the end of an era of vomit-inducing iPhone videos.

We also chat a bit about the crazy idea that Amazon may want to buy the beleaguered remains of Palm from HP. It seems to be a strange purchase, given that this week, Amazon seems to have a buzz-inducing product with the Kindle Fire.

It's not as crazy as Microsoft wanting to start its own TV service on the Xbox 360. That doesn't seem like a terrible idea, given the number of boxes that we have to hook into our televisions these days just to watch cable TV. In our opinion, we think it would be a lot better of a TV tuner than those generic cable boxes that seem to crash every other day.

Rounding out today's craziness, we also talk about faking a girlfriend with a Web site called Fakegirlfriend.co. Don't think that it is going to get you much help with your social life if you ever use it. Finally, we talk about the anarchy that will ensue if Facebook ever gets hacked, and your poke history is revealed.

Let us know what you think of the show by calling and leaving a voice mail at 1-866-CNET (2638). If it's good, funny and short, we'll play it. Or if the phone is foreign to you, you can send us an e-mail at the404 [at] cnet [dot] com, follow us on Twitter @the404 and like our Facebook page. OK, we're going to stop with the plugs now.

The 404 Digest for Episode 915

New iPhone appears in Apple's inventory system iPhone 5 case arrives at a AT&T retail store New iPhone may use accelerometer and gyro to stabilize video Amazon may want to buy Palm Microsoft looking into a Xbox TV service Fakegirlfriend.co lets you pretend to have a girlfriend Scientists use brain imaging to reveal the movies in our mind Facebook keeps history of pokes Justin's Bathroom Break: Kid video bombs sister's YouTube video Justin's Bathroom Break: Dog only responds to terrible Beatle's impression

Episode 915 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

The 404 915: Where we're not as think as you drunk we are (podcast)

The 404 Digest for Episode 915

Episode 915 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

PlayBook price slashed to compete with Kindle Fire

Groupon starts selling goods, lawmakers seek FTC probe of Facebook, Nokia hands out more pink slips, and Amazon lights a fire under the BlackBerry PlayBook.

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded: