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MegaUpload: Pffft! MPAA's user-data stance is 'posturing'

The major Hollywood film studios earlier this week said in court documents that they won't object if data is returned to MegaUpload users as long as the files were "legitimately acquired."

MegaUpload's representatives were unimpressed. They say the Motion Picture Association of America, the studios' trade group, knows that it's nearly impossible to determine for sure if a movie was legally purchased or not.

"Accept this as posturing," said Ira Rothken, the attorney leading MegaUpload's worldwide defense. Rothken said the MPAA's "illusory request for 100 percent certainty" on which … Read more

Top fund manager: Ballmer must go

A top hedge fund manager is calling on Microsoft's Steve Ballmer to step aside as CEO and let someone else lead the company.

Speaking at the Ira Sohn Investment Research Conference in New York yesterday, David Einhorn, president of hedge fund Greenlight Capital, was outspoken in his criticism of Ballmer as a key factor holding back the company's stock.

"It's time for Microsoft's board to tell Steve Ballmer, 'All right, we see what you can do, let's give so-and-so a chance,'" Einhorn said. as quoted in a Bloomberg story. "His continued presence … Read more

The 404 698: Where we pour one out for a real mensch...mazel tov! (podcast)

With only one day left before Mr. Stacie Bakalar's wedding, we're sure Jeff is busy getting prepared for tomorrow's celebration. But before Wilson and I head blindly into the fray, we ask the Financial Decoder herself, Jill Schlesinger, to join us in Jeff's absence to give us a preview of what to expect at our first Jewish wedding.

Jill lays down several rules for proper etiquette, but we had no idea that although the ceremony itself will likely be short and sweet, clapping is frowned upon. So we'll keep our hands to ourselves.

She also tells us about the traditional Jewish wedding chair dance that comes from the tradition of carrying royalty on chairs. We definitely have a lot to learn from Aunt Jill, and she even helps us decide exactly how much cash moneys to give to the happy couple.

Jill's very, very close to attaining her goal of 3,000 Twitter followers before the end of October, and with your help she''ll reach it, so follow her Tweets for daily financial tips that we can't always get to on The 404.

Jill always comes prepared with 404 listener questions, and today is no different. Along with advice about automatic routing within bank accounts (PIPs) and travel insurance (get it!), Jill also maps out the three golden rules for financial success:

1. Pay down your consumer debt (credit cards, car loans).

2. Have an emergency reserve fund that includes 6-12 months of living expenses tucked away.

3. Feed as much as you can into your 401k account, at least as much as your employer will match.

Most importantly, don't forget to set aside some money every month for your entertainment! This ensures that your binge drinking won't start at 11 a.m. like our friend Wilson this morning. Crossed fingers that we make it through Jeff's absence next week! Keep a lookout for more throwback episodes coming your way this weekend, and don't forget to send Jeff and Stacie your best YouTube video voice mail wishes to the404(at)cnet(dot)com!

Episode 698 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

The 404 677: Where Aunt Jill teaches us a lesson (podcast)

Jeff's out sick today, so Aunt Jill drops by with a valuable life lesson about privacy and the importance of being kind--that's right, we're actually taking a serious look at Internet privacy today, starting with the Webcam tragedy at Rutgers.

We also discuss Paypal's new iPhone app that lets you deposit checks using the onboard camera, and Jill also answers more of your burning financial questions about the value of Timeshare, establishing good credit after school, and the importance of investing in a 401(k)--listen up!

PayPal's new iPhone app lets people deposit checks just by signing the back and taking a picture of the check using the camera on the phone.

Mobile check depositing isn't new, and chances are you've already seen Chase commercials advertising its similar functionality, but we understand if you're still hesitant to handle finances using your phone.

On the other hand, mobile apps are actually safer than using the desktop version with a scanner and an e-mail address, since cell phones aren't as prone to vicious malware that try to poach your information, and mobile banking still asks for the same precautionary information as a walk-up ATM machine; stuff like PIN number, bank account info, and more.

Don't take our word for it though, the PayPal app for the iPhone will be available in the next few days, so try it for yourself and let us know what you think!

Speaking of online privacy, the next story is about Tyler Clementi, the young Rutgers student who jumped off the George Washington Bridge after his roommate secretly videotaped him "making out with a dude" online. His roommate, 18 year-old Rutgers freshman Dharun Ravi and classmate Molly Wei, were both charged with invasion of privacy for their role in the online distribution of the film and face up to five years in jail. Be sure to tune into this segment for an important lesson from Aunt Jill. The lesson is short: don't be a jerk.

Episode 677 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

The 404 Podcast 530: Where we do a cost benefit analysis of Wilson's bagel

Aunt Jill Schlesinger joins the show today to talk about the value of bagels. That's right, for the last two days, Wilson has started the show by munching down on his new brunch fave: an onion bagel with lox and vegetable cream cheese. She makes her recommendations for the best bagels in town, and you might be surprised to find out that she's in love with a bagel made by a Vietnamese guy. In the meanwhile, she tells Justin that given his meager investments of 16 cents in his IRA, he should just file the 1040EZ.

When we finally get into some questions, Jill spreads her financial love. First up was a question about whether you should pay down student loan debt first or shove cash under your pillow. Aunt Jill says the equation is simple. First, have about 6 to 12 months of living expenses saved up. Second, pay down your debt if the interest rate is higher on the debt than your savings, which more than likely is the case now.

Next, we had a question about whether to throw your money into a 401(k) account. One listener doesn't trust the market, but given his age, Jill says he should man up and put his money into the market. He has 40 years of work left and during that time the market is going to go up. There will be some downs, she says; however, she believes there will be more ups than downs. Jeff thinks at the rate Social Security is going, though, that he might have another 70 years left of working.

We got a lot more questions answered on this surprisingly educational episode of The 404. Just to keep it in the tech world, we asked Jill if there were any technology-related investments we should make. Jill points out that this is the ultimate "put all your eggs in one basket" for people who work in tech! Spread the risk! Wilson thinks that he should take all his money out of APPL right now.

As usual, we love having Jill on the show. If you have any more questions for her, be sure to add her on the Twitter at @jillonmoney. In the meantime, add The 404 at @the404, or the rest of the guys at @rhapsodyartist, @jeffbakalar, and @malusbrutus. Plus, you can check out her daily ramblings at CBS MoneyWatch. Call in and leave your Jill love at 1-866-404-CNET (2638). Tomorrow, we have the lovely Alison Rosen on the show to talk all manners inappropriate.

EPISODE 530 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video

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iPhone app streams 'This American Life' on demand

I'm a giant fan of public radio show "This American Life," and I'm not alone: it's long held the No. 1 spot on the iTunes podcast charts.

That being the case, you might wonder why there's now an app for that. Simple: This American Life, the app, lets you stream or download any episode of the show, not just the current week's as with the podcast.

Suppose, for example, you want to hear the much-ballyhooed episode about the subprime mortgage meltdown, or the classic about the "squirrel cops." The "TAL&… Read more

Isohunt judge says MPAA has yet to prove direct infringment

File-sharing sites haven't had a great year, especially in court, but on Wednesday they received a smidgen of good news.

The Motion Picture Association of America asked a federal court to rule that Isohunt was liable for copyright violations committed by its users, but the judge in the case was unconvinced. In his order, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Wilson said the studios had yet to prove that the Isohunt's users had broken U.S. law.

Lawyers for the MPAA, the trade group representing the six major Hollywood film studios, are trying to convince the judge that … Read more

TorrentSpy renews legal campaign against MPAA

Nearly a year since being ordered to pay the big film studios more than $100 million, TorrentSpy is launching a legal comeback.

On Tuesday evening, TorrentSpy filed an appeal to overturn a judgment issued by U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper. Last May, Cooper ordered TorrentSpy, which shut its doors as a result of the legal fight with the Motion Picture Association of America, to pay nearly $111 million in damages to the MPAA for infringing the copyright of thousands of films and TV shows.

TorrentSpy was a favorite tool for those seeking bootleg films, but site operators always insisted … Read more

The "fake news" virus spreads to San Francisco weekly

Do you remember the name Stephen Glass? How about Jayson Blair? Both men were hired as journalists at highly esteemed news publications but chose to write fiction instead of acting as reporters.

After reading Steroids Confidential, this week's cover story in the SF Weekly, my first conclusion was that its authors, Nic Foit and Ira Tes, had secured themselves a place alongside Glass and Blair in the business of manufacturing the truth. As it turns out, the title belongs The SF Weekly itself and, as the SFist points out "Nic Foit and Ira Tes" is nothing more than an anagram for steroid fanatic.

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