December 12, 2007 12:09 PM PST
Episode 622: Do robots sweat like electric sheep?
In today's episode of Buzz Out Loud, we replace sweatshop workers with robots, the record labels allow DRM-free MP3s on Imeem, NBC might offer HD downloads over P2P, and a Vista service pack is in the wild. It's a weird little series of Christmas miracles, is what it is.
--Molly
Listen now: Download today's podcast
--Molly
Listen now: Download today's podcast
 |
EPISODE 622 |
TODAY'S LINKS:
TODAY'S VOICE MAIL:
Mark in Philadelphia
Copyright protection of HTML pages.
Copyright protection of HTML pages.
Nathan at MIT
Embrace robots.
Embrace robots.
Lauren in Saskatchewan
Robot sweatshops.
Robot sweatshops.
Miles
Math ain't so hard.
Math ain't so hard.
TODAY'S E-MAIL:
OpenHulu
I was fine about this until I read that he is using ads to make a buck (to cover expenses for the trouble OK, but not profit). Then I was less concerned when I found out he was supporting the strike, but how much can he be supporting it when he is doing what the media moguls and studios are doing. Showing the work for profit without recompence. I would have no problem personally if he put them up for free with or without the studio's ads, legality aside, but by sticking it to Hulu he is actually sticking it to the very writers and their strike that he supports.
Thanks
Robert Clark (Rob, the jack-of-all trades, and master of some[thing or Other])
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Canada
I was fine about this until I read that he is using ads to make a buck (to cover expenses for the trouble OK, but not profit). Then I was less concerned when I found out he was supporting the strike, but how much can he be supporting it when he is doing what the media moguls and studios are doing. Showing the work for profit without recompence. I would have no problem personally if he put them up for free with or without the studio's ads, legality aside, but by sticking it to Hulu he is actually sticking it to the very writers and their strike that he supports.
Thanks
Robert Clark (Rob, the jack-of-all trades, and master of some[thing or Other])
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Canada
Tom, are you related?
If you were related to either this kid, or Davy Crockett--that would be pretty cool.
Frank J. M. Lattuca, Esq.
If you were related to either this kid, or Davy Crockett--that would be pretty cool.
Frank J. M. Lattuca, Esq.
Flash on the iPhone
OK, I would like to inform you of the fact that the iPhone is getting up- to-date Flash. I am an intern at Adobe and I was in the elevator when I saw what was clearly Flash on a well-known Adobe developer's iPhone. I would like to remain anonymous, but I can promise you iPhone Flash at some point during Q1 2008.
OK, I would like to inform you of the fact that the iPhone is getting up- to-date Flash. I am an intern at Adobe and I was in the elevator when I saw what was clearly Flash on a well-known Adobe developer's iPhone. I would like to remain anonymous, but I can promise you iPhone Flash at some point during Q1 2008.
Santa Claus privacy policy
How can you possibly say that children have no warning that Santa Claus is collecting behavioural data about them??
Let me quote from that very known song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town".
Hope this helps
Andrew Smith
North Wales, U.K.
How can you possibly say that children have no warning that Santa Claus is collecting behavioural data about them??
Let me quote from that very known song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town".
"You better watch out,How much more warning could he give???
You better not cry,
Better not pout,
I'm telling you why:
Santa Claus is coming to town.
He's making a list,
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out
Who's naughty and nice.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
He sees you when you're sleeping.
He knows when you're awake.
He knows if you've been bad or good,
So be good for goodness sake!
Oh, you better watch out!
You better not cry.
Better not pout,
I'm telling you why:
Santa Claus is coming to town.
Santa Claus is coming to town!"
Hope this helps
Andrew Smith
North Wales, U.K.
Rodgers injection
Guys, I'm listening to show 621 right now, and you just finished the Rodgers segment, and I have to ask how is Rodgers any different than my current ISP (wide open west) who has for the last few years injected amber alerts into pages in surfing.
Jason M.
Guys, I'm listening to show 621 right now, and you just finished the Rodgers segment, and I have to ask how is Rodgers any different than my current ISP (wide open west) who has for the last few years injected amber alerts into pages in surfing.
Jason M.
SanDisk video store
In regard to episode 621:
The SanDisk video store (Fanfare) is neither for its portable video players nor a potential set-top box. Rather, the store is meant to support the somewhat interesting Sansa TakeTV. It's a small device that resembles a USB flash drive. It plugs in and video files (DiVX or Xvid AVIs or h.264 MP4s) can be loaded onto it via drag and drop. Then unmount the USB key component and insert it into a dock that is already plugged into your TV via composite or S-Video cables. The interface seems AppleTV-esque but there's no Internet access and it currently doesn't support JPEGs or MP3s--only the video formats listed above.
Ben
Lockport, Illinois
In regard to episode 621:
The SanDisk video store (Fanfare) is neither for its portable video players nor a potential set-top box. Rather, the store is meant to support the somewhat interesting Sansa TakeTV. It's a small device that resembles a USB flash drive. It plugs in and video files (DiVX or Xvid AVIs or h.264 MP4s) can be loaded onto it via drag and drop. Then unmount the USB key component and insert it into a dock that is already plugged into your TV via composite or S-Video cables. The interface seems AppleTV-esque but there's no Internet access and it currently doesn't support JPEGs or MP3s--only the video formats listed above.
Ben
Lockport, Illinois
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Molly Wood engages in
ruthless industry analysis in the form of the Daily Buzz, the Buzz
Report video, and, of course, Buzz Out Loud. 
Tom Merritt appears on
CNET TV, specializing in help and how-to and the ever popular Top 5
lists. He also co-hosts CNET's The Real Deal podcast. 
Jason Howell can
often be found producing Buzz Out Loud from the audio studios at CNET,
updating XML feeds from the comfort of his cubicle, and saying "uh-oh"
from time to time. 
Just as an FYI, the PlayStation Network (PS3 and PSP) uses - shock and amazement - ACTUAL currency instead of a random point system. In addition, you can leave your wallet empty and add the - again, shock and amazement - EXACT AMOUNT of your purchase when you go to check out. Buying something for $3.99? Add it to your cart, check out, add $3.99, and download. I know, it's hard to imagine, but it really is just that easy.
On a side note, it's time you guys check out the PS3 again. I know Molly's been WAY down on it for a while now, but it's at a reasonable price and has some truly great games now.
People who put children in sweat shops aren't exactly sorry to "have" to put children there, nor are they going "hmm, I sure hope some crazy Japanese company invents a 17-joint violin playing robot so I can replace all my exploited underage workforce!" Coz, you know, unlike slave labor, robots cost money.
I know maybe I shouldn't take all this so seriously, maybe it was just a (dumb, tasteless) joke, but the fact is the OLPC is a REAL project, and one I really believe in. It's a fantastic new technological approach to ending poverty and one with a real shot, especially in countries with *no* government (think Rwanda) and it made me really angry when I heard "he could sell them the robots and sell them the robots and he'd be laughing all the way to the bank".
I felt like kind of a dick after I left that message. Listening to the message, I do regret calling without thinking about what I was going to say beforehand. Anyway, remorse aside, I feel very passionate about this problem that I overdramatize as "Whoa! Numbers!?" The issue has been called ilnumeracy by some, which speaks to the severity of the problem.
What really bothers me about is the tendency in our society to learn math, usually at least algebra, but not have a real-world understanding and use of it. And, really, the problem is not in the schools, it's societal. I've taken math courses all the way up to Calculus, but I don't integrate functions when I'm at the supermarket. So many people avoid the practice of doing simple math, for whatever reason. It's just not a factor in their reasonic or decision logic.
I have a perfect example of this from when I worked at Safeway. Occasionally the store-brand apple juice would go on sale for 99 cents. We would do pretty well, selling a few boxes worth. But when the items would go on a "10 FOR 10" sale (ten items for ten dollars), they would sell out like crazy. Safeway has really hit on something with their weird "n for $x" sales, it's become one of their most common club card discounts, and has even become part of regular pricing.
It seems ridiculous to me that a company can turn a price into simple formula, and improve sales. I suppose it's part of the perpetual trend to play to the consumer's psychology. Microsoft uses the 1.25 cents/1 point ratio to basically hide the real price from the consumer. The subconscious price evaluation is suddenly lower than that it would be if it was 1 to 1. It's sneaky, but it's not like everybody else out there is doing something similar so I can't get too angry about Microsoft's own, albeit more blatant, play for money.
Math is a tool, whether you it to your advantage or others use it to your disadvantage is up to you, people.
Also, I tried Open Hulu after hearing about it on episode 622 and again, no dice! I get the same "the video you requested is not available in our area" message.
BTW, all of their shows are already available in our area on the net via other means: Bittorrent!!!
Love the show!