Buzz Out Loud 978: Blue screen of payment

Microsoft just got a patent for disabling your operating system until you pay an "agreed-on sum of money." Also we find out that the Palm Pre is going to sell out, which means Sprint can save a load on advertising. And Moblin is out for beta testing, even if you think the name is dumb.

EPISODE 978

Palm Pre to run $549 off-contract
http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/19/palm-pre-to-run-549-off-contract/

Sprint's CEO thinks there will be a Pre shortage, decides not to take advantage
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/05/20/sprints-ceo-thinks-there-will-be-a-pre-shortage-decides-not-to-take-advantage/

Microsoft wins patent for crippling your computer until you pay up
http://gizmodo.com/5261677/microsoft-wins-patent-for-crippling-your-computer-until-you-pay-up

Microsoft expands Netflix ties; will Window Media Center appeal to the masses?
http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-microsoft-expands-netflix-relationship-with-windows-media-center-deal/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10245258-93.html

Craigslist sues SC AG for declaratory relief
http://blog.craigslist.org/2009/05/cl-sues-sc-ag-for-declaratory-relief/

Mac OS X users vulnerable to major Java flaw
http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/05/19/2344239

Intel brings rich UI to Moblin Linux platform
http://arstechnica.com/open-source/reviews/2009/05/hands-on-intel-brings-rich-ui-to-moblin-linux-platform.ars

Virgin Airlines goes fleet-wide with WiFi service
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10245381-94.html

All your movies on a single DVD
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,25515035-1702,00.html

Robot Warriors will get a guide to ethics
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/05/19/2151227

Monster by Mail’s summer of supervillains
http://www.monsterbymail.com

If you like funny things and smart things, you will like this
http://www.myextralife.com/

One-thousandth episode coming Thursday June 18. Want to be on the episode? Post a video of yourself. MUST be less than 30 seconds long. And send a link. No attachments. Could be well-wishing, could be memories, epithets...we don’t care. We’ll choose from all the messages we get and play a selection on the thousandth episode, as well as post them in the Wiki.

Also, Photoshop contest! Design the Thousandth Episode podcast artwork! Rules: Use the BOL logo in some capacity, and go nuts! Submissions should be 300×300 JPEG. E-mail the image to buzz@cnet.com

VOICEMAIL
Paul starts a suport group for BOL listeners.

Dwight the Key Grip loves compasses in phones

Don has even more reasons to love the compass in the phone. And schools us.

E-MAIL
The reason the Russians, China and the EU developed or are developing their own Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is because they don't want to rely only on the US military for positioning data. Should the US decide, they could scramble the signal tomorrow and then accuracies would go from 1 meter to 100 meters (Selective Availability). As to why would anyone need more than one: at any given time the most GPS only satellites you will see at any given time is 12 and that many is rare. Compare that to the 18 satellites that I was tracking yesterday morning when combining the GPS and Glonass constellations. And when Galileo comes online, that number will increase to an average of 24 satellites at a time for multi-constellation capable receivers. All these satellites won't be that beneficial to in-car nav units, but high precision centimeter grade accuracy units used in Land Surveying, Construction, Agriculture and Aeronautical applications will be greatly enhanced. More is better.

Take care,
Daniel
GPS Specialist

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Buzz!

You were half right Tom-

Ricky Gervais switched from Podcast to “Audiobooks” that are about an hour long (and Hi-Lar-i-ous) each. He’s actually tried a few different models including “free for a while” where if you downloaded the podcast with in the first week or two you’d have it for free, but if you wanted it from the back catalog it’s a couple of bucks. Seems pretty fair in the sense that you did have a chance at getting it for free at one point.

The current Audiobooks come out once a month and are $2 each and I buy everyone one based on how great the previous podcasts are. They seemed to be selling well because I tend to see it at the top of the Audiobooks list in Itunes.

And, again, I highly suggest them.

Sorry I haven’t had much to say lately, I’ll work on that. Also, won’t be in Cali for 1000-but I’ll be listening!

Later,

Frank L.

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Hey Buzzcrew,

Not to drag this out longer than needed, but Tom should be able to name another successful (at least last I heard) paid podcast as he and his wife have been guests: Mac OS Ken Day 6. Additionally, this is an example of something going paid when it was free because it is only marginally more Apple-centric than Ken Ray’s previous radio show/free podcast Technocracy Radio. As you said, paid works alongside free as long as there is a value-add.

What I am more interested in is how successful the public-radio model works for podcasts and other new media. I know Leo Laporte gets a lot of funding from donations, but he also has more advertisers than anyone else in new media. People like Dan Carlin (Hardcore History, Common Sense) might offer a better gauge for the success of donations. I know BOL analysis specials/interviews are rare, but someone needs to do an in-depth on the state of new media.

-Brian in Fort Worth

P.S. Decided to reread Tom’s book Boiling Point — Not a good idea in a recession, especially while living in Texas when the governor talks about seceding in public remarks (see Tax-Day Tea Parties). For those unfamiliar, he just said that current spending policies will cause high taxes and could make some people want to secede.