Buzz Out Loud Podcast

Google is in talks to buy Yelp and it may finally be pushing the line over what's too big. Sure, a lot of you thought it was too big already, but now it's just getting ridiculous--although, I didn't like that it lost its court case in France over indexing books. We also touch on the Twitter hijacking and new 3D Blu-ray standards.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Twitter hijacked by ‘Iranian Cyber Army’
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10418140-93.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10418270-36.html

Google said talking buyout with Yelp
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10418185-93.html

Google loses French copyright case
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10418319-93.html

Firefox, Adobe top buggiest software list
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10417785-245.html

3D Blu-ray standard outlined, includes PS3
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10417449-1.html

Bing! Information Design sues Microsoft
http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2009/12/14/daily62.html

Netflix sued for privacy invasion
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/12/18/1344246/Netflix-Sued-For-Privacy-Invasion

Skip the newsstand: Buy Esquire on your iPhone
http://mashable.com/2009/12/18/esquire-iphone-app/

Don’t pay twice for content
http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-10417065-250.html

U.S. military drone security breach “fixed”: official
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091217/us_nm/us_usa_drones

$300 Sci-Fi YouTube Video Lands $30m Movie Deal
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/12/17/1711256/300-Sci-Fi-YouTube-Video-Lands-300m-Movie-Deal

VOICE MAIL
Roland on the hacked drones

E-MAIL
Hey Buzzers,

For years now I have heard you explaining that DRM only punishes the honest customers.
Well, today I was such an honest customer for the last time.

I went to see Avatar in my local Cineplex.
I saw a huge crowd standing in the lobby and knew something was up.
The theater manager explained that the premiere screening of the 3D version could not commence.
They had been waiting for the digital key to arrive that is necessary to decrypt the film.
It should have arrived by email from FOX over four hours earlier but it had not.

Apparently this was a problem for every movie theater in Germany and probably every cinema in Europe that wanted to show the film at that day.
The 2D version was not affected by the way.

I gather 50% of all the perplexed visitors had no idea what kind of key he was talking about.
But definitely 100% were pissed and had no understanding why they made all the way and effort to come to the movie theater only to be told: “Sorry, we don’t want your money!”.

16 Dec 2009 was supposed to be the day I see a masterpiece.
It turned out to be the day I swore to never set foot in a movie theater again.
Screw you FOX and happy downloading!

Angry Andy.

**********

Hi guys

In 1128 you talked about cromeOS and if it can get in trouble in the
EU because it is then the only browser because it is a OS too.

My question now: why is apple not in trouble for openly forbidding
other browsers on the iphon?

Mozilla and the others complaint to the EU because IE had a to big
marketshare! Well – Safari on the Iphone has 100% Marketshare! And
nobody cares?

Strange….

LtS

Alex

**********

Hey Buzz Crew,

In response to BOL episode 1128’s discussion of ChromeOS as a monopoly due to having the browser integrated, there are a couple points that differentiate it from MS Windows that change the situation:
1) MS Windows runs proprietary, closed-source code whereas ChromeOS can be built and customized from open source code (ChromiumOS). A competing browser vendor is free to put their own browser in the place of the Chrome browser and re-use the existing kernel and underlying code within the restrictions of the free license.
2) The MS Windows OS is, itself a platform for running applications. By contrast, the Chrome browser is the sole app that runs on ChromeOS, the Chrome browser is the platform, not the OS.

Point 2 opens ChromeOS up to the possibility of anti-competitive accusations if the Chrome browser integrates Google web apps or is compatible only with Google web apps to the exclusion of competing web apps. For example, if Google Maps runs but Windows Live Maps doesn’t, then their behavior could be considered anti-competitive. The open source nature of the browser and its support for open web standards may protect it in those cases, putting the responsibility on the web app vendor to comply with those standards.

-heulenwolf
/Hoy-len-vulf/

Some enterprising hackers have rooted the Barnes & Noble Nook, giving them unrestricted access to the underlying Android operating system. Black and white tablet FTW! We also get the exclusive from Jason Howell about the new Google phone known as the Nexus One. And those crazy Scandinavians get to try out LTE first. Good on ya, Nordic peeps!

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Google phone looks ’supersharp’
http://www.cnet.com/8301-19736_1-10414406-251.html
https://twitter.com/raygun01/status/6592751553

Google Phone/Nexus One pictures
http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/13/google-phone-makes-first-twitter-appearance/
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703757404574592530591075444.html

Is it the HTC Passion?
http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/07/htc-passion-runs-android-on-3-5-inch-oled-and-snapdragon-in-veri/

4G network comes to Scandinavia
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8412035.stm
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10414665-94.html

Hollywood aets $10 billion box office record
http://news.slashdot.org/story/09/12/13/2254218/Hollywood-Sets-10-Billion-Box-Office-Record

2009 holiday sales online: $19.9 billion and counting
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10414653-2.html

Privacy changes for Facebook boss
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8411616.stm

Microsoft invents price-gouging the least influential
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/12/12/1942207/Microsoft-Invents-Price-Gouging-the-Least-Influential

Nook can do “everything an Android phone can do”
http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/14/barnes-and-noble-nook-torn-down-and-rooted-but-still-respected/

Man turns Christmas lights into Guitar Hero game
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10414561-71.html

Judges can’t “friend” lawyers in Florida
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/12/11/1846208/Judges-Cant-Friend-Lawyers-in-Florida

Best of 2009 clips show
This year’s Best of 2009 episode is going to be entirely listener submitted. To be a part of this listener-created experience, just clip out your favorite moments from any episode published in 2009. Export your clip as an MP3 of at least 128kbp. E-mail the clip to buzz@cnet.com. Subject: Best of 2009 – Episode ####. Deadline for submissions is Friday, Dec. 18, 2009. Please hurry! And with enough people pitching in two to three clips, we should end up with an awesome clips show.

Listener co-host show
Want to talk with us on this year’s listener co-host show? These interviews will be recorded Monday, December 21 from 3-4p.m. PT. E-mail buzz@cnet.com, subject “Listener Co-host”, and include your name, contact number where you can be reached for the interview (landline preferred), and we will compile the list and select four people for the show.

VOICEMAIL
Richard in Santa Monica’s reaction to AT&T

EMAIL
Hey Buzz Crew,

I was listening to episode 1121 when you discussed QR code scanning apps and how useful they really are but you missed out on some of the more interesting uses. They were used on posters for Tim Burton’s last film “9″ as a link to a webpage with special content which could only be accessed via the QR codes. This would be especially interesting (and provide a lot of nerd cred) for a new movie in a big franchise like Iron Man, Batman, or Harry Potter.

Another useful feature of the bar code scanning apps is that some of them allow you to take a photo of the bar code of an item while you are in the store and it pulls up price comparisons; pretty useful!

Just thought I’d let you guys know.

Love the show,

Josh Da Silva

**********

Hey Buzz crew,
I was listening to BOL 1123, and while you were discussing
developments in brain to computer speech synthesis, Mike, my Doberman,
came up to me and started making those almost human whining noises that
dogs sometimes make. Suddenly I realized another potential application
for this technology: talking pets! Animals just don’t have the
physiology for human-style speech, but suppose this barrier were
removed, what would our dogs and cats have to say to us? Wouldn’t this
be awesome?

Chris Johnson
Arlington, Massachusetts

So, Apple bought Lala, and Ars Technica thinks it has a source who knows what Apple's going to do with it-- it's going to make a Web site that sells music and stores it in the cloud. Kind of like what Lala already is, but it's going to be all iTunes-ified. And that has Rafe worrying about cloud failure again. We also kvetch about Facebook, a Mozilla employee complains about Google, and the "New Moon" videotaper is set free.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Now, Facebook lets users hide friends from people who are not logged in
http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/12/10/now-facebook-lets-users-hide-friends-from-people-who-are-not-logged-in/
http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=197943902130
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10413835-36.html

Mozilla worker touts Bing over Google, citing privacy
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10413473-56.html
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=28387

FTC: Kids can find adult content in virtual worlds
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10797_3-10413742-235.html

Charges dropped in ‘New Moon’ taping
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/12/twilight-saga-new-moon-videotape.html

Apple to fold Lala into iTunes, transform into Web service
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/12/apple-to-fold-lala-into-itunes-transform-into-web-service.ars

Video game sales drop, but still strong
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10413599-52.html

More drivers using mobile phones since penalty change
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8407142.stm

USPTO asking for ideas to enhance patent quality
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/12/10/2031211/USPTO-Asking-For-Ideas-To-Enhance-Patent-Quality

TechCrunch files suit over JooJoo
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10413762-92.html

Data nerds hack NASA (in a good way)
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/12/nasa-hackathon/

Best of 2009 clips show
This year’s Best of 2009 episode is going to be entirely listener-submitted. So be a part of this listener created experience: Clip out your favorite moments from any episode published in 2009. Export your clip as an MP3 of at least 128kbp. E-mail the clip to buzz@cnet.com. Subject: Best of 2009 – Episode ####. Deadline for submissions is Friday, Dec. 18, 2009. Please hurry! And with enough people pitching in 2-3 clips, we should end up with an awesome clips show.

Listener co-host show
Want to talk with us on this year’s listener co-host show? These interviews will be recorded Monday, December 21 from 3-4 p.m. PT. E-mail buzz@cnet.com, subject “Listener Co-host”, and include your name, contact number where you can be reached for the interview (landline preferred), and we will compile the list and select four people for the show.

VOICE MAIL
Dwight the key grip on Tom’s 3 DVDs

E-MAIL
Hey Buzz Crew, this is Jeremy the theater manager. I’m writing in to tell you about my chain’s monthly newsletter. One of the constant topics in the letter is recording–how to spot it, what to do about it, so on. Almost every month it’s followed with a picture of a manager and a bow-tie clad teenager holding a five hundred dollar check. I’m not sure how I could sleep at night sending someone to prison and ruining their life for five bills over some crappy camera screener. I really don’t think the punishment fits the crime. Personally I tell all my employees that if they see someone taping, they should sit next to them and ask for the camera. That way, nobody goes to jail, there’s one less unwatchable screener on the torrent sites, and, hey, free camera. Everybody wins!

Love the show.

P.S. The MPAA site given in the newsletter is fightfilmtheft.org .

************

Hi Buzz crew,

Your discussion of real-time writing on Google Wave got me thinking about a great new revenue possibility for established authors.

Imagine if someone like Stephen King were to announce he’s writing his next novel on Google Wave. How many fans and writers would pay $30 for a 1-year membership to access that wave anytime? They could access the wave and watch King write his novel in real time. It’s not only great for King’s fans, but could also be a graduate-level course in writing for serious students.

David in Missouri

Microsoft cancels its family licensing program and Molly decides it needs a lesson in economics. Stop focusing on dimes, Microsoft! We also plea for some common sense in the case of the woman jailed for recording some of the new "Twilight" movie at a birthday party.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Apple buys Lala service
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/12/apple-buys-music-streamer-lala-but-whats-it-getting.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-10410206-261.html
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/12/07/apples_lala_purchase_could_bring_browser_access_to_itunes_content.html

"New Moon" taping may put woman in prison
http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/12/04/new.moon.arrest/

“So, Verizon, about those doubled early termination fees…”
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/12/so-verizon-about-those-doubled-early-termination-fees.ars

New Senate bill targets unfair early termination fees
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/12/new-senate-bill-targets-unfair-early-termination-fees.ars

Amazon in secret plan to open high street shops
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article6945922.ece

Zappos.com offers an actual world catalog
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/business/media/07zappos.html

Microsoft kills Windows family pack discount just before the holidays
http://www.dailytech.com/Microsoft+Kills+Windows+Family+Pack+Discount+Just+Before+the+Holidays/article17043.htm

Intel: Initial Larrabee graphics chip canceled
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-10409715-64.html
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/blogs/bizfeed/183810/larrabee_project_a_casualty_of_intels_legal_battles.html?tk=rss_news

US agency’s balloon hunt tests Internet accuracy
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8397649.stm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34303629/ns/technology_and_science-innovation/

MIT team wins DARPA network challenge
http://www.informationweek.com/news/government/info-management/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=222000809

Hackers vs. phishers
http://it.slashdot.org/story/09/12/07/1318225/Hackers-vs-Phishers

VOICE MAIL
Anonymous on why facebook.com shows up in search

E-MAIL
Buzz Crew:

Thank you.

I began listening to the Buzz Out Loud podcast after losing my job
in March of this year. The topics and discussions, though not directly
related to my career up to that point, were interesting and engaging.

Over the following 7 months, I faithfully listened to the podcast.

I realized early on in my search for new employment that the field
of industry with which I was familiar would not offer any meaningful
opportunites. Though my resume provided no technical experience
basis for doing so, I expanded my search to include many high-tech
companies unrelated to my area of expertise.

During a recent interview with one of these companies, I found
myself responding fluidly and confidently to technical questions that
the experience on my resume indicated I should not necessarily have
known the answers to.

Introspection after that interview brought me to the conclusion that,
by virtue of my daily dosages of Buzz, I had at my disposal a new set
of knowledge tools with which to rebuild my stalled career.

That interview, by the way, led to the position I currently enjoy with
a great company.

Thank you for the education. May the universe grant me some day
the opportunity to repay you all for the parts you played in helping
me get back on my professional feet.

Gratefully,

Jim in San Jose

**********

I have to be say I don’t understand google’s problem with printer drivers. Linux has CUPS (the Common Unix Printing System) which has support for tons of printers. No drivers to install or anything. I believe it is based off of and/or the same as the printer set up in Mac OS X. I use linux almost exclusively (except for gaming) and setting up my network HP printer is amazingly easy. Why wouldn’t google use this open source tool? It’s like saying we are making a linux distro without access to the file system or you know custom skinning…. Oh wait they’re doing that too.
Love the show
Sam in Seattle

**********

Hi, Buzz folks,

Once upon a time, a very long time ago, in the midst of the Browser Wars between Microsoft and Netscape, the people of the planet Netscape offered a reward to online companies, like hosting and web design companies who provided a link to the Netscape browser downoad (which carried a service fee of a few dollars.

It was Netscapes policy to pay thos referral commissions, no matter how small, even when the postage on the check exceeded the amount of the payment. See the attached.
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/3041/netscape1.jpg
Tim T.

One thing Droid users can lord over iPhone fanatics is the new porn app. Yes, with no Apple adult minding its app catalog, Android users can go adult. We also debate the reality of Cyber Monday and congratulate Twitter on being word of the year. Plus, we know you're all wishing for Macs for Christmas, but you're going to get a Netbook. Amazon doesn't lie.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Black Friday boasts $595 million in U.S. online holiday spending, up 11 percent vs. year ago
http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2009/11/Black_Friday_Boasts_595_Million_in_U.S._Online_Holiday_Spending_Up_11_Percent_Versus_Year_Ago

Twitter’ top word of 2009
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10405994-2.html

Barnes & Noble delaying Nook shipments to stores
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN2942046420091130

Kindle breaks record for sales in a single month during November
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Kindle-Breaks-Record-for-bw-1721662599.html?x=0&.v=1

Macs are Amazon’s most wished for, PC’s most given
http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/11/29/macs-are-amazons-most-wished-for/

Leak: The Google Phone “is a certainty”
http://gizmodo.com/5415169/leak-the-google-phone-is-a-certainty

Wikipedia denies mass exodus of editors
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8382477.stm

French court slams eBay with 1.7M fine over LVMH product resale dispute
http://eu.techcrunch.com/2009/11/30/french-court-slams-ebay-with-e1-7m-fine-over-lvmh-product-resale-dispute/
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/11/mininova-buries-pirate-booty-in-its-index-aims-to-go-legit.ars

Porn app store lands on Android phones
http://www.pcworld.com/article/183342/porn_app_store_lands_on_android_phones.html

Online “guilds” mirror real life gangs
http://games.slashdot.org/story/09/11/30/1358241/Online-Guilds-Mirror-Real-Life-Gangs

VOICE MAIL
Anonymous – how Bing is gaining share

E-MAIL
Look! In your hand, on your desk. It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Twitter!!!!!!

Hey all in Buzzington,
Yes, it’s me again. This time with some good news…I think. Just saw this post on TechCrunch and it reminded me of your carrier pigeon vs DSL episode. Only this time, it’s Twitter vs. the mainstream media, with Twitter coming out looking like The Flash. Seriously, the Tiger Woods accident was all over Twitter within minutes; ten minutes later Google was all over it. So in a matter of fifteen minutes everyone in on social networking knew all the details involving the Tiger Woods accident. It took CNN 45 minutes just to get the ‘breaking story’ that “according to officials, Tiger Woods had crashed.”

We are in a major transition here; the internet is taking over, like it or not.

JoshuaCaleb

**********

You remember the story about the “web loyalty” scam where company A gives company B your credit card number and you get a recurring monthly charge in exchange for nothing.

Well, I recently discovered a recurring charge on my wife’s credit card for “VPCLUBUS” for $14.95 a month (VP = Vista Print, one of the participants in this scam). I called the card company to complain, they said they could dispute this charge, or I could file a fraud report, and they’d dispute the whole chain of charges and give me a new card number, but they gave me the phone number for the company and suggested I try to work it out with them first.

So, I called the provided Vista Print 800 number (and recorded the conversation just in case), and was pleasantly surprised with how quickly I was able to get my money back. I got an automated system telling me to type in my rewards number or card number, so I key in the credit card number. The automated thing looked up my info and told me I signed up on Jan 20th, and told me to hit “1″ to cancel my subscription. So I hit “1″. It says its canceled and I get a refund on the last charge, and to hit “0″ if I want to talk to someone. So I hit “0″ and tell the lady that I never signed up and I want a refund for the whole string of charges. They transfer me to someone else who picks up and says: Sorry for any misunderstanding, we’ll refund everything. Expect to see it on your card in 3 days. Here’s my name and reference number for the transaction.

And that’s it. The whole call was 4 minutes and 14 seconds. They get so many of these that they’ve actually streamlined the refund process.

So, BOLers, if you see this kind of charge, call the credit card company, get the number for the loyalty program, and see if you can’t get the whole thing refunded. – Tyler

**********

Hi everybody,

I am split on the whole 3 strikes thing. On one hand, I do some questionable things online that whould probably violate this new law. But on the other hand, such a law is probably the only thing that will make me stop said questionable activities. So… why not?

Love the show – Chris

Microsoft is apparently willing to pay Rupert Murdoch to block Google from indexing any of his company's Web sites. Are we headed toward a world where the search engine you use determines what news you get? Probably not. We explain why Murdoch may be thinking in an old fashioned limited way rather than in the current infinite Internet way. We also declare the patent office baroque, and ask it to lose weight.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Microsoft offers to pay News Corp. to “de-list” itself from Google
http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-offers-to-pay-news-corp-to-de-list-itself-from-google-2009-11
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10403336-93.html

Large Hadron Collider progress delights researchers
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8372737.stm
http://www.dailytech.com/Scientists+Complete+First+Steps+to+Bring+LHC+Back+Online/article16909.htm

Another iPhone worm, but this one is serious
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10403425-2.html

B&N Nook sold out for the holidays
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10402710-1.html

Roku adds Flickr, Facebook, Pandora, and more video channels
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-10402856-260.html

Farewell, triangles: AOL preps its post-Time Warner look
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10403346-93.html

Smoking may void AppleCare warranty due to “health hazard”
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/11/21/smoking_may_void_applecare_warranty.html

Spotify expands its reach, but still can't get to the U.S.
http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20091123/spotify-expands-its-mobile-reach-but-still-hasnt-landed-in-the-u-s/

Gameloft and others, reigning in Android plans – game developers pulling back
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE5AJ1EU20091120

Apple’s Schiller Defends iPhone App Approval Process
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2009/tc20091120_354597.htm

Man to marry his video game girlfriend this Sunday
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/20/man-to-marry-his-vid.html

VOICE MAIL
Brandon has a way to do hands-free texting

Gil in Iraq has a worry about Digital Britain

E-MAIL
Caroline wrote a great article about the re-branding of AOL as —> “Aol.” + the results of typing “random crap” into Google image search.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10403346-93.html

This is so FAIL, I am having trouble wrapping my head around it.
1) America Online, AOL is an acronym, so why “Aol”?
2) Again, AOL is an acronym not a fraking sentence, WHY IS THERE PUNCTUATION??
3) Based on the write-up, there is a finite number of ‘clip art’-esque backdrops for the now Aol (pronounced “OWL” now in my book). So, I’m glad that the online company went with an image of Scratchy from the Simpsons with an exploding brain containing tinier Scratchy heads. Marketing GENIUS.

Clearly, the marketing team was part of, and stayed with, Time Warner. Not like I’d ever use Aol., but this is some serious marketing FAIL.

Love,
Dr. Karl

**********

Buzz Gang…

I dont remember which episode it was, (1099) but it was when you were
talking
about the ACTA Treaty. I thought I would send this little graphic I threw
together which I will be posing on my sites with a link to the Electronic
Frontier Foundation: http://tekpedia.net/files/2009/11/no_acta.png
https://secure.eff.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=383.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention and many others. Until I heard
this,
I thought the Net Neutrality issue was the big issue, now Im not so sure.

Rob Truman, USN Ret.
Tucson, AZ
http://tekpedia.net/files/2009/11/no_acta.png

**********

A short time ago,
in our very own galaxy……….

Patent Wars
(cue Imperial March)

Hi all in Buzzington,
This has got to be the worst and/or scariest patents I’ve seen. Slashdot has a report that some company called Volomedia, got a patent that grants them exclusive rights to create, download, and sync podcasts. Them and no one else. The way it’s worded not only spells doom for nearly every online news/media site, but possibly TV shows to an extent.

Ok, so I want to patent the rights of creating a sequel work based on an original intellectual property. Oops, there goes the media/entertainment industry.

Please tell me I’m misunderstanding this patent, otherwise BOL and every other podcast that I love could be wind up on the streets.

JoshuaCaleb

**********

Hey BOLers,

I love you guys, but every time you start to talk about Windows Mobile and the Zune and Microsoft’s strategy (or lack thereof), it makes me want to blow a gasket.

While WinMo is clearly behind compared to several other mobile OSes, everyone seems to forget that Windows Mobile has had apps available for a long, long time. I have a great Twitter app (Twikini), an official Facebook app, mobile maps with driving directions (Bing), and more.

Could it be better? Absolutely. There are still a lot of aspects of the OS that are behind the times. But if you look at the published required specs for WinMo 7 phones, it looks like it’s going to be really powerful and full of cutting edge features. Additionally, the Zune platform will reportedly be intergrated into Windows Mobile 7, so why would MS put out a Zune phone when ALL the WinMo 7 phones will be Zune phones?

Even though I disagree with your thoughts on Windows Mobile, I still … Love the show.

George A. Roberts IV
President and CEO, Purity Networks, Inc.
http://www.purity.net/

Why the long Face...book? A woman battling depression put some pictures of herself having fun privately on Facebook. Somehow the insurance company found them and cut off her benefits saying she looked happy enough and must be cured. Really? We also get further impressions on Google's Chrome OSD now that we've had more time with it, and YouTube pulls a Hulu, but not in the good way.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Try out Chrome OS for yourself
http://gdgt.com/google/chrome-os/download/
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/20/google-chrome-os-available-as-free-vmware-download/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-10401919-265.html

Other Stories

YouTube pulls a Hulu — yanking API access from Popcorn Hour, other TV-connected devices
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/20/youtube-pulls-a-hulu-yanking-api-access-from-popcorn-hour-ot/

Twitter turns on location. Not for Twitter.com just yet.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/19/twitter-location-api/
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/twitter_location_api_possible_uses.php

Sony unveils its answer to Apple’s iTunes
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/nov2009/gb20091119_588376.htm

Sony hits snag getting its own game out for PSP Go
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/11/sony-hits-snag-with-getting-its-own-game-out-for-pspgo.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss

Britain’s new Internet law — as bad as everyone’s been saying, and worse. Much, much worse.
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/20/britains-new-interne.html
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/11/19/1511255/Secret-UK-Plan-To-Appoint-Pirate-Finder-General

Law firm contemplates class action suit to recompense Xbox Live modders
http://www.itproportal.com/portal/news/article/2009/11/20/law-firm-contemplates-class-action-suit-recompense-xbox-live-modders/

Depressed woman loses benefits over Facebook photos
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2009/11/19/quebec-facebook-sick-leave-benefits.html

Kickers and Science

LHC dimensional apocalypse from midnight
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/20/lhc_feedback_roundup/

This Google’s made from 100 percent virgin pulp, not chrome
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/20/this-googles-made-from-100-virgin-pulp-not-chrome/

VOICE MAIL
Derrek points out something very important about this episode

Mike the truck driver

Shane from Coshocton. Dude! He’s from Coshocton!

E-MAIL
Hi Buzz crew, Chadd the ita in California here. Was just watching the
buzz report on my spealy and wanted to let you know that both my sibs
use their jejaws while operating their fetches. Recently, despite my
protests, I have noticed my parents responding to my text messages while
they are driving the fetch.

All of them are using Blackberries, is there something I can get them
for Christmas that will allow them to text hands free? At least that may
be a step in the right direction.

Love the buzz report

-Chadd
Rialto, California

**********

Hey Buzz Crew

I had heard about your show for a while but only started listening about 8 months ago. After listening to one episode, I decided to listen to all of them. 1,110 episodes later, I’m all caught up. In case you’re wondering, I’m not crazy, I just have a lot of free time at work. Love the show.

Jonathan
Summerville, SC

**********

PC Game moders have created their own Modern Warfare 2 Dedicated Servers.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Modern-Warfare-2-Gets-Dedicated-Servers-Workaround-127188.shtml

The problem with insulting Tweakers and Hackers is that motivates them to
‘code’ you off at the knees, like AgentGOD did.

Give them a dedicated server on the PC or Crack down on moders, watch your
sales drop and piracy rise.

I don’t own the game and don’t plan on buying it anytime soon, but as a PC
Gamer that lives on the Mod and Modding community (when not playing MMO’s)
I am getting tired of game companies buying into the console market
fallacy.

Robert Clark
Prince Albert, SK

A new law in Europe protects all citizens from the evils of cookies. Instead of relying on people to operate their own browsers, Europe now requires all Web sites to notify users that they will set cookies. That certainly sounds annoying. Come on over to our freedom-loving U.S. sites, y'all! We also check in on Motorola Droid sales and find out that the Milestone kicks the Droid in the butt. And Google has a holiday present for you. And it's free!

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Motorola probably sold 100,000 Droids in first days
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a4IZD2kI6dh8

Smartphones beat recession, Nokia still on top
http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2009/11/smartphones-beat-recession-nokia-still-on-top.ars

Microsoft pulls Windows 7 download tool
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10394191-56.html

Google to acquire Gizmo5, swing at Skype with VoIP-enabled Google Voice?
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/09/google-to-acquire-gizmo5-swing-at-skype-with-voip-enabled-googl/

Google to offer free Wi-fi in approximately 50 airports for holiday season only
http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/pressrel/20091110_free_airport_wifi_holiday.html

Yahoo to put Wi-Fi in Times Square
http://www.appscout.com/2009/11/yahoo_brings_free_wi-fi_to_tim.php

Intel introduces a digital book reader that reads aloud to the blind
http://venturebeat.com/2009/11/09/intel-introduces-a-digital-book-reader-for-the-blind/

Hundreds of Facebook groups hacked
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10394058-2.html

Consent will be required for cookies in Europe
http://www.out-law.com/default.aspx?page=10510

Mac OS X 10.6.2 delivers more than three dozen fixes, but crashes Atom-based Netbooks
http://www.informationweek.com/news/software/operatingsystems/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=221601027

Blockbuster to rent movies on SD cards, but why?
http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/chris-dannen/techwatch/blockbuster-rent-movies-sd-cards-why

VOICE MAIL
Rafa from Brazil on blackouts in Brazil
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/11/brazil_blackout/

Thomas in Ohio about selling free software

E-MAIL
Long time first time. I started listening when Molly was out having her baby, and I haven’t missed one episode since.

I moved back to China three months ago, and at least in Beijing, the podcast is not blocked right now. When I visited home in 2008, all cnet podcasts were blocked, but it’s no longer the case this year.

I try to get around the great firewall very sparingly, only when it’s absolutely necessary, so I know pretty well among the podcasts I subscribe to, which are blocked and which are not. As mentioned on the show, Radio Lab is blocked. So is This American Life. So is Savage Lovecast by Dan Savage. But sorry guys, BOL is not, not even after the WOW incidence.

LOVE THE SHOW

alex
(no, my name is not alex)

**********

Hey BOLers..

This is Vijay from India.. Long time BOL listener.. you guys rock..

We have been talking about Motorola DROID for long now.. but not much about its GSM/UMTS brother the MILESTONE. Now that MILESTONE has been announced in some European countries, I was waiting for it to launch in India too. I guess it will be coming soon. Initially, I was thinking that only the Radio is different from the DROID. But apparently not… Here are some of the differences

The following features are available in Milestone and not in Droid

MultiTouch in Gallery and Browser (Droid only has double tap)
Geotaging in the Gallery photos.
MotoNav (Offline turn by turn navigation maps) This does not require internet connection (say if you are in some rural areas or in San Fransisco if you are on AT&T 3G ) where as Google Navigation requires connection to internet. Google Nav is also available on the Milestone.. best of both worlds !!
Phone Portal – Very cool thing where a webserver runs on the phone !!! The phone can be accessed just like a website from any desktop browser for the gallery, bookmarks etc just like accessing any cloud service.. pretty cool
MTP Sync Media Transport Protocol sync for easy syncing of media along with meta data etc.
Mysign – Gesture based short cuts where certain functions (say calling a specific contact, or turning on wifi etc) can be made into shortcuts based on certain gestures..

I did not get a link with these differences but basically got this information from the motodev podcast.. at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/motodev/2009/11/04/Developing-Android-Applications-for-DROID-and-Mile

LOVE THE SHOW..

Vijay

**********

Hi Buzz Crew,

It’s not a given that Murdoch has to loose against Google, because it’s
not a given everybody would use Google to search for news. Imagine most of
the news coporations would opt out of Googles Index and would be searchable
on Bing, because Bing would share their revenue. People would move to Bing
- at least for search for news. Newspapers would get more revenues.
Everybody would be happy, except for Google, which would at some point be
forced to pay newspapers to add them to its index.

Otherwise, love the show!

Regards,
Matthias from Germany

**********

Tom Richmond, the star caricaturist of MAD Magazine’s new generation had a project he worked on rejected by Apple. It was an app that had caricatures of all the members of Congress with their contact information. It was rejected because in ” in Apple's reasonable judgement may be found objectionable, for example, materials that may be considered obscene, pornographic, or defamatory."
I got the information from Mark Evanier’s site http://www.newsfromme.com (http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2009_11_09.html#018025)

Here’s the direct link to the story: http://www.tomrichmond.com/blog/2009/11/09/apple-rejects-my-caricature-app/

Love the show!
PS to Molly ~ Go Cats on 11/21!

Jay Huber
Bozeman, MT

We get an email telling us our podcast RSS feed is now blocked in China after talking about the dispute over World of Warcraft between two Chinese government departments. Really? THAT is what got us blocked. We also get a kick out of good old Grandpa Murdoch's latest ramblings. And happy birthday Firefox. You're vulnerable.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Murdoch: We'll probably remove our sites from Google's index
http://mumbrella.com.au/murdoch-well-probably-remove-our-sites-from-googles-index-11366

Murdoch Making News Invisible To Search Engines? Not So Fast
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-video-murdoch-making-news-invisible-to-search-engines-not-so-fast/

New Verizon ad calls iPhone ‘misfit toy’
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10393072-71.html
http://gizmodo.com/5399850/verizon-wireless-launches-three-more-anti+att-3g-network-commercials

Apple said to be working on ‘world-mode’ iPhone
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10392936-94.html

First iPhone Worm Discovered, Rickrolls Jailbroken Phones
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/slashdot/eqWf/~3/Zk3O3lh2r0U/First-iPhone-Worm-Discovered-Rickrolls-Jailbroken-Phones
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/09/2737673.htm

Happy 5th birthday
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/09/AR2009110901228.html

Firefox Tops Vulnerability List
http://www.internetnews.com/software/article.php/3847461

Nvidia CEO says ‘no’ to Intel-compatible chip
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-10393045-64.html

Nook e-Book Reader on Back-Order
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703808904574523994119321648.html

Massive Brazilian Power Outages In 2005 and 2007 Caused By Hackers
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/slashdot/eqWf/~3/wi_T-0ljnAw/Massive-Power-Outages-In-Brazil-Caused-By-Hackers

First look: Motorola Droid, HTC Droid Eris are risky for business
http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobilize/first-look-motorola-droid-htc-droid-eris-are-risky-business-434?source=fssr

Comic Books Improve Early Childhood Literacy
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/slashdot/eqWf/~3/N-w3O-DaOFI/Comic-Books-Improve-Early-Childhood-Literacy

VOICEMAIL

Anonymous thoughts about free speech

Terry on the bus – Teaxed twice by subsidies

EMAIL

Hey Buzz Crew,
I know from an earlier episode that many of you no longer use the
actual Google homepage, opting for search bars and other fancy means.
But, as someone who uses the homepage everyday, the things that Google
chooses to put on their home really makes an impact on me as a Google
user. Much to my surprise, this morning when I login, what do I see? A
shameless plug for the Verizon Droid phone. Now, I think this phone is
great and I would even purchase it myself if I was not broke. But, I
feel that this kind of promotional advertising on the Google homepage
crosses that line from normal to extremely sleazy. I tend to be ok with
Google and their enormous corporate clout because they typically are
innocuous in their products and launches. More like “Hey, here is a
really cool product, do what you want with it” instead of “Yo, yo, yo,
check out this sweet product that you need to have to change your
life”. But, this advert on the homepage seems more like the typical
marketing tricks by a very large company. What do you guys think?

chris
the computer science grad student

***********

So, I had been wondering why the last couple BOL’s weren’t coming down through iTunes, so I decided to check the blog and see what’s up, and I see the story about the infighting between the Chinese Ministry of Culture and the GAPP over WoW. Apparently somebody didn’t like the way you guys talked about it. I have seen other podcasts mysteriously stop downloading (happened to Radiolab after they did a piece on a Chinese zoo that does live feedings), but oddly I wouldn’t expect it to happen to Buzz, since you’ve covered China’s censorship before without getting blocked. Could just be coincidental, after all, I would really expect the Instance to get blocked because of Scott’s “Ding Pong” act, but it hasn’t.

Anyway, no reason to shut up about it, your pod is still accessible from the blog page, so China listeners aren’t totally out of luck.

Also, I posted a rough overview of WoW’s China troubles here: http://gacorley.wordpress.com/2009/11/08/chinese-government-departments-fighting-over-wow/ — doesn’t say much new, though one huge question I still have is why skeletons are such a big deal to China’s censorship regime. I was hoping someone would eventually give me a good cultural answer, but it may just be that moral authorities have strange fetishes.

GAC in China

***********

Hey buzz crew in episode 1101 you were talking about whether or not
Netscape was free or not. As someone who is greatly interested in the
browser wars past and present I feel I can settle this argument.
Netscape was free for educational and personal use and they charged for
enterprise accounts. This may have changed at the end, but the primary
way that Internet Explorer won was by making it default on windows, and
they also made a deal with Apple to make internet explorer the default
browser on Mac OS (late 9 and early X). Love the show, hopes this helps!
-SamsNotUnix