toronto

Web users in Iran and Syria attempting to use a proxy tool to freely surf the Internet are reportedly being tracked by a new Trojan.

The proxy software known as Simurgh is used by many Iranian and Syrian citizens to make it seem as if their secure Internet connections are coming from a different country. Such proxy programs are common ways to mask a user's PC and Internet information in order to circumvent local censorship restrictions.

But a back-doored verson of Simurgh discovered by researchers at the University of Toronto is carrying a payload of malware -- one designed … Read more

Gary Ali has hand-built well over 8,000 Portable Pocket Amplifiers since 2004. He now sells the Version 2 model, the PA2V2, for $60, and that price includes shipping charges (he's in Toronto). I chatted with Ali by phone yesterday, and he seemed like a really nice guy.

His site, Electric-Avenues.com, is basic in the extreme, and lacks the usual shopping cart buttons and simplified ordering instructions. It doesn't state the PA2V2's price, so that was the first thing I asked Ali about. He explained that he likes talking to his customers one at a time, … Read more

If you're thinking about buying a portable gaming system this holiday season, you should definitely listen to this show before making a decision. After a few weeks of teasing you guys about the new PSP Go, we've got all the details from the man who wrote the CNET review himself and now must defend himself from Sony snipers perched across the office. That's right, Jeff Bakalar breaks down all the reasons why the PSP 3000 is still the best Sony portable gaming device. The Go, on the other hand, didn't fare so well in Jeff's eyes. It costs more than the 3000, has a smaller screen, and an awkwardly placed analog stick, and worst of all: you can't play UMD games or use old PSP accessories! On top of all of that, the games take so long to download that you can probably watch a full length movie while you wait. Save your money and buy the best mobile video game console on the market today...the Apple iPhone.

Speaking of products that sound good on paper but don't actually work in real life, a guy in New York discovered something particularly disturbing about his iPhone: the average iPhone drops 30 percent of all calls. After taking his iPhone into an Apple Genius Bar for multiple dropped calls, the Genius informed him that it was indeed dropping 22 percent of outbound calls, which is actually excellent compared with the 30 percent average in New York. Listen in to hear us groan and moan about AT&T service and why Sprint or Verizon might be in my immediate future.

Finally, we want to give a huge thank you to Debbie from Toronto for sending us the image you see at the top of this blog entry. Deb, a long time listener and special guest of The 404 made a custom hockey jersey and goalie mask for her husband to wear during his Sunday game! Now, Wilson and I are the first to admit our zero interest in hockey, but even we can appreciate the time and effort that must have gone into the cutting and application of the logo onto the uniform. Debbie, you rock, and if there's anything we can do (short of flying up to Canada to thank you personally) to repay your kindness, please don't hesitate to let us know. Everyone else should be carefully taking notes from Deb and sprinting to the nearest phone to leave us a voice-mail. You know the number right? 1-866-404-CNET: GET ON IT!

A group of engineering students has developed a portable, low-cost Braille printer that lets the blind and visually impaired easily label objects that feel similar to the touch, like DVDs.

The 6dot Braille Labelmaker is cheaper and easier to use than other label makers, according to the students from MIT, the University of Toronto, and Stanford University. Still in development, it might cost as little as $200 when released, less than half the cost of some other Braille label makers.

Users push six keys on the ergonomic device--one for each of the dots that make up a Braille character--to emboss … Read more

You've seen her in the chat room, you've heard her voicemails, now get a chance to catch long time 404 listener Debbie from Toronto's guest appearance on the show. Besides being living proof that at least one attractive women listens to us, Debbie brings a certain je ne sais quoi to the regular morning banter. She gives us the skinny on the Great White North, talks about action movies and does some killer impressions.

Dan the Mantern here. Debbie certainly does The 404 today. Check out our Flickr set for Deb's visit. We think you'll appreciate how she keeps up with the guys and offers her own little Canadian charm to the mix. We nominate Debbie for the official president of "Women for the 404." Considering we're only aware of about five female listeners, she's got her work cut out for her. Thanks, Deb, for the ketchup flavored potato chips, the laughs and enabling us to make "eating poutin" jokes for a long time to come! And to all you 404 listeners, make our day, come to NYC and be a guest on the show!

It's a wonderful headline for a wonderful life: "Technology found to strengthen U.S. families."

Technology doesn't allow people to ignore their parents, siblings and pet rats and disappear into their own hugely self-referential, self-reverential world, otherwise known as Facebook.

No, technology promotes family love.

So, at least, say the headlines from a survey published by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, an organization that "creates and funds academic-quality research."

Because life and love interest me greatly I decided to look at the report, which was prepared by two researchers from Pew and … Read more

After 12 solid hours in a coma-like sleep, Wilson has been miraculously cured of consumption. It's a good thing, too, as we discuss Bill Gates' Apple ad counterattack and Michael Moore's insatiable appetite for junk food and justice, all while dodging giant cheeseburger-eating mantises!

Dan the Mantern here. At a caller's suggestion, the guys led the show off with a discussion of the new Microsoft ad featuring Bill Gates, Jerry Seinfeld and a strip mall. Apparently the 'soft spent $250 million on this ad, $249 million of which went to Seinfeld for one day of shooting. If … Read more

Jason Collett seems to do no wrong. Not only is he a member of one of the breakout indie bands of 2004, Broken Social Scene, he also holds his own in the acoustic singer-songwriter camp, producing a fine collection of intimate, desolate acoustic songs. Some musicians make it seem so easy.

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