Buzz Out Loud Podcast

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

I'm very pleased that LegalTorrents.com has come along to prove that I'm not crazy when I say there are plenty of legal reasons to use torrents. And they even have a torrent of Bible 2.0. Probably with new commandments from the MPAA. We also chat about AMD and Intel making nice, and how long that might last. And Microsoft tries to patent sudo. Yes, they said, "Sudo grant me a patent," I'm sure.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

AMD and Intel settle on antitrust and IP disputes
http://channel.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=21135

HP acquires 3com
http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2009/091111xa.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-10395645-260.html

Microsoft exec: Mac OS inspired Windows 7
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10395980-71.html

How we really designed the look and feel of Windows 7
http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/11/11/how-we-really-designed-the-look-and-feel-of-windows-7.aspx

MPAA shuts down entire town’s muni WiFi over a single download
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/12/mpaa-shuts-down-enti.html

Microsoft Patents Sudo’s Behavior
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/11/11/2055226

Xbox console ban is ‘permanent’
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8356621.stm

Twitter issues mulligan on new ‘retweet’ feature
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10395812-2.html

Google SafeSearch now lets parents lock settings
http://news.cnet.com/8301-19518_3-10395112-238.html

LegalTorrents Launches Copyright-Compliant Tracker
http://news.slashdot.org/story/09/11/11/2026244/LegalTorrents-Launches-Copyright-Compliant-Tracker

Facebook status update saves man from jail
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10395597-71.html

VOICEMAIL
Casey in LA has a abet for us on Project Natal

Skyler in Bakersfield on SIP

EMAIL
But here it goes: I told you so!

http://translate.google.com/translate?prev=hp&hl=en&js=y&u=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hacknroll.com%2F2009%2F11%2F12%2Fa-verdade-sobre-o-apagao%2F&sl=pt&tl=en&history_state0=

The link is a translation of an article written by a brazilian guy who managed to hack into the ONS (national electric system operator) by spying on their robots.txt file and using SQL injection technique. He claims it wasn’t him who took down the power grid.

Now, excuse me, I gotta go find what I need to do in order to immigrate to Canada.

Love the show – Rafa

**********

Hi buzz-crew.

Regarding the EU cookie law. How do Local Shared Objects
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_Shared_Object) fit in to the
equation?
Will LSOs have to be approved by the user as well? If not, then all
sites will just store all data in LSOs instead and those are even
harder to get rid of.

To delete LSOs you have to go to the right folder on your computer and
delete the files manually or you have to go to Adobe’s control
panel-site and delete them there. On the control panel-site you can
also choose if sites should be able to store data on your computer or
not, BUT if you block storage some sites will not work (ustream is one
example).

If you’re using Firefox there is an extension called BetterPrivacy
which gives you better control over LSOs.

Lllloooooooooove the show.

Mauritz, a concerned EU-citizen.

**********

Buzz Crew,

Isn't anyone a little worried about what Google is doing with all this information they are collecting? Maybe they are developing all these free products just to gather as much information as they can?

Example:

I am at work, get a Gmail from my boss saying I need to finish a report (and we use Google Docs of course because it's free). My wife calls my Google Voice number and says we need toothpaste. I leave work to go to the gym, and decide to watch a popular YouTube video while on the bike. A 15 second Crest commercial happens to pop up, but I skip it. I usually take the long way back to work (of course Latitude knows this).

Then my Droid tells me, "You better pick up some Crest on the way back to work and take the shorter route since you will pass a drugstore. And you better hurry since you are only half done with the report!"

And of course due to some error all this ends up searchable on Google.

Love the show,

Heath
Honolulu, HI

**********

Hi BOL folks,
The reference to the 5gb limit on data is in the fine print from the PDA/Smartphone email plan (which I have for my Droid).
It says:

The Data Plans and Features MAY NOT be used for any other purpose. Examples of prohibited uses include, without limitation, the following: (i) continuous uploading, downloading or streaming of audio or video programming or games; (ii) server devices or host computer applications, including, but not limited to, Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, automated machine-to-machine connections or peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing; or (iii) as a substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections. This means, by way of example only, that checking email, surfing the Internet, downloading legally acquired songs, and/or visiting corporate intranets is permitted, but downloading movies using P2P file sharing services and/or redirecting television signals for viewing on laptops is prohibited. A person engaged in prohibited uses, continuously for one hour, could typically use 100 to 200 MBs, or, if engaged in prohibited uses for 10 hours a day, 7 days a week, could use more than 5 GBs in a month.

For individual use only and not for resale. We reserve the right to protect our network from harm, which may impact legitimate data flows. We reserve the right to limit throughput or amount of data transferred, and to deny or terminate service, without notice, to anyone we believe is using an Data Plan or Feature in any manner prohibited above or whose usage adversely impacts our network or service levels. Anyone using more than 5 GB per line in a given month is presumed to be using the service in a manner prohibited above, and we reserve the right to immediately terminate the service of any such person without notice. We also reserve the right to terminate service upon expiration of Customer Agreement term.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=planFirst&action=viewPlanList&sortOption=priceSort&typeId=3&subTypeId=49&catId=448

Hope this helps.

Lee B
Droid owner in Atlanta

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

Turns out those terahertz scanners in the airports are mostly safe, but they do a little unzipping of your DNA. Derek says it's nothing to worry about; you won't grow a third arm in the airport--even if it would be handy for carrying baggage. We also find out e-mail isn't private. Did we need the courts to tell us that? And Facebook gets $711 million it will never see.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Federal judge says e-mail not protected by Fourth Amendment
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/10/29/2257209/Federal-Judge-Says-E-mail-Not-Protected-By-4th-Amendment
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2009/10/29/on-gmail-and-the-constitution/

Facebook awarded $711 million in spam lawsuit
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10387021-93.html

Internet regulator Icann approves Web addresses in multiple languages
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/oct/30/icann-approves-idn-web-addresses-language
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10387139-93.html

Epix launches premium movie channel for TV and the Web
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/epixhd_premium_movie_channel_for_the_tv_and_internet_invites.php
http://arstechnica.com/media/news/2009/10/studios-launch-epix-high-def-on-demand-movies-site-and-we-have-invites.ars

Google Wave to be opened for federation today! Yes, for you to host.
http://thenextweb.com/appetite/2009/10/30/breaking-google-wave-opened-federation-today-host/

Software that fixes itself
http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/23821/

Microsoft’s Mission Viejo store opens
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/microsoft-store-viejo-2628335-mission-first

Let’s kill the OS upgrade disc
http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-10386856-250.html

How terahertz waves tear apart DNA
http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/10/30/1216230/How-Terahertz-Waves-Tear-Apart-DNA

ReoCities: Because GeoCities is gone, but not forgotten
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/29/reocities-because-geocities-is-gone-but-not-forgotten/

VOICE MAIL
Jason in Marietta calls out a bridge comment

Tony on Net Neutrality

Joe with a way to get around Amazon’s scheme

E-MAIL
Hey crue’de’buzz, I think SoCal or Stanford has an open source 3D printer that only costs around 2K. Aside from the fact that you can swap out the printing medium with cake icing, the coolest part is their goal of making the entire printer printable. If one of the parts is about to break, print a new one! If you’re annoyed with all your friends boggarting your printer, print them one. I think they have about 30% of the parts printable already, and they’re currently trying to replace the few metal parts with printable plastic. Now all we have to do is eagerly await the monopolization of the “periodic feed.”
John Smolik
Austin, Tx.

**********

Hey BOL crew,

Just responding to the email in episode 1095 about using the twitter
peek to stay in contact with your kids.
While I love the idea of a device with “lifetime” service and no
contracts, I’m not a fan of single purpose devices.
However, I can see where this person is coming from as my son is at
the age where a simple text device would be handy and I hardly ever
use the phone myself when I can avoid it, so why bother with another
cellular plan?

So I did a little looking around and found a company called Qwert (qwertcorp.com
) that sells very inexpensive text only plans, no contract, and does
not require you to buy a device, they mail you a sim card!

Considering my (jailbroken) Gen 1 iPhone is getting on in years and I
have been contemplating an upgrade for a while, I decided to pass it
on to my son with service from Qwert.
It works great and he sure appreciates the “extra” features of playing
music and games.

James in Milwaukee

Rafe is being drawing in to a love story with the new Motorola Droid. Dare we call it a Dro-mance? It's certainly a flashy new phone for Verizon which hasn't always been known for flashy new phones. We also congratulate Google on getting the contract to provide email to the city of Los Angeles. Well congratulate and fear for them. Because if they mess this up, it is so over.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Los Angeles adopts Google e-mail system for 30,000 city employees
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/10/city-council-votes-to-adopt-google-email-system-for-30000-city-employees.html

Verizon and Motorola unveil the Droid
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-10384994-266.html

Droid Eris: Verizon’s other Android phone?
http://www.cnet.com/8301-19736_1-10384533-251.html

Google Maps adds turn-by-turn to Android phones for free
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-10384544-265.html

Microsoft to shut down MSN Direct traffic service for GPS (in 2012)
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/10/shutting-down-msn-direct-traffic-service-for-gps-units.html

Microsoft Signature computers dump crapware
http://www.techflash.com/seattle/2009/10/microsofts_signature_pc_shows_its_vision_of_computing_perfection.html

Peek silling Twitter-only device. Why?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002R5AG50?ie=UTF8&tag=livedigitally-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002R5AG50
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/the-twitterpeek-is-a-peek-for-twitter/

FCC Considers Shifting Some TV Airwaves to Broadband
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703574604574499730302393274.html

Stalqer mobile social app finds friends in new ways
http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-10384727-250.html

How to Solve the Net Neutrality Issue
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/How-to-Solve-the-Net-Neutrality-Issue-68491.html

Ares I-X successfully launched
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/flighttests/aresIx/index.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8330424.stm

VOICEMAIL
Paul on call forwarding

EMAIL

Hey Guys
Remember Redlasso, where you could use their servers that are recording stuff from cable and local stations 24/7 to make clips to emvbed in your blog?
I was on the list for beta testing and they somehow made it back into service this week?
Who’d have thunk it?
J’Tao
in San Francisco
http://redlasso.com/

**********

Hey Buzz Crew,
Yesterday you asked if there is still a Universal Service Fund fee on phone bills, and the answer is YES! I currently work for a telco as customer service, and I get about 10 calls a week asking what that charge is on their bill. And of course no one ever likes the answer. In fact, I often have people tell me that our company should eat the cost of the taxes and fee’s. Yes, it would be nice if the telcos did that, but the taxes and fees are so high many companies would go out of business. If we had enough people complain about the USF fee or taxes to our elected officials we could probably reduce them. But don’t get angry with companies that are required by law to have them. I bet that most telcos would be fine will lower taxes or fees on their customers bills, because a happy customer is a customer who will generally stay. Love the show.

~Justin~

**********

Howdy Buzzians

I know the DMCA is last years hot topic, but I thought people would still enjoy this nonetheless. the EFF (Electronics Frontier Foundation) has set up a new site for their “Takedown Hall of Shame” displaying some of the most insane and ludicrous takedown notices people have recieved. Some of them are downright hilarious while others just make you contemplate the depths of human stupidity. Eitherway thought you guys might enjoy it

Buzz on
~Phillip from the Boonies

P.S. The degree of my adoration for this media outlet is unmatched

http://www.eff.org/takedowns

MySpace and Facebook are hooking up? In a way. Maybe. But the real meat of the news today is all the e-book hype. Barnes and Noble will sell the Que, Bridgestone has a color one coming out, and Barnes and Noble may not always have its own Nook eReader. But does anyone want them?

Listen now: Download today's podcast

MySpace and Facebook?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10383501-36.html

Google Voice makes steps to work with your phone number
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-10383573-248.html

Microsoft pulls out of “Family Guy” special
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=8923276

Plastic Logic Que will be sold in Barnes and Noble.
http://www.plasticlogic.com/news/pr_quedistributedbybarnesandnoble_oct272009.php
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/que-proreader-hitting-barnes-and-noble-retail-stores-in-2010/

Barnes & Noble won't sell Nook to go in all stores
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-barnes-noble-wont-sell-nook-to-go-in-all-stores/

Bridgestone announces flexible touch-screen color e-reader
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/bridgestone-announces-flexible-touchscreen-color-e-reader/

Lost Northwest pilots were trying out new software
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/10/27/0613244/Lost-Northwest-Pilots-Were-Trying-Out-New-Software
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/26/airliner.flyby/

Japanese OnStar-like system tells emergency responders if you’re just gonna’ die anyway
http://blog.taragana.com/n/now-an-emergency-medical-service-system-that-predicts-callers-fate-201661/

Facebook memorializes the dead…with a profile
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10383015-36.html

Nintendo to launch a big screen DS for old people
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/afp/20091027/tc_afp/entertainmentjapangamecompanynintendo

Mantis shrimp eyes could show way to better DVD And CD players
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091025162459.htm

Voice mail
Joe on France’s three-strikes law

Jimmy the clan-jumper is frustrated

E-mail
Hey Buzz crew,

I wasn't sure whether to send this one to mylifeisaverage.com or you guys, but I think I made the better choice

It's my yearly exams this next two weeks, so I went to the school library today to get the CD version of my commerce textbook. I went to the librarian, asked for the CD and she went to get it. When she came back, I told her that borrowing that wasn't necessary because I could just copy the PDFs onto my notebook here and now and be gone.

Then the dragon came out.

She snapped and said, "I don't want to know about it. What you are suggesting is a highly illegal act. You can't copy the files because of copyright law."

I looked at her slightly strangely (for effect, of course) and told her, "That's what we've been told to do with the CDs ever since we came to this school."

She said, "Very well, but borrow this and copy it at home, not at school. If you want to pay the fine, that's your problem." She loaned it out to me and off I went.

I'm still amazed that I had that conversation. Isn't it perfectly reasonable to copy context from the CDs in the back of the textbook to study and peruse when I need to? What are they good for otherwise?

Sean

PS. I went to an empty classroom and copied the files to my hard disk anyway. I returned the disc to the library within the space of fifteen minutes. My life is average

**********

Hey buzz crew,

I was listening to episode 1092 and heard you talking about a survey that shows the time wasted by employees using twitter. Tom mentioned, what about time spent at toilets, as a joke. I would just like to make mention of a stunt pulled by the Australian Government branch know as Medicare where that was just the case.

Workers at the Parramatta centre were actually required to log the time spent on the loo and were also given surprise “pop ins” by their team leaders while doing their “business”.
It ended when the media caught wind of what was occurring, when questioned Medicare denied knowing of the practice then stated “A log of time away from work was only ever a local practice and never a national policy”.

http://safetyinaustralia.com.au/latest/safety-news/151009-nswact-toilet-police-bullying-employees–200910143092.html

– Ian from Australia

**********

Looking at BOL 1092 on the RSS feed, I see that “Kevin” has sent in an email with some invalid assumptions about Net Neutrality, and who has paid for the infrastructure build-out of the existing Internet.

If you look at http://eldotelecom.blogspot.com/2009/09/fcc-more-subsidies-needed-for-us.html you’ll see that in 2009 *alone* the Federal government has provided $7.2 billion in grants and loan subsidies.

If you look at http://www.theamericanmind.com/2008/04/09/study-finds-us-internet-infrastructure-fourth-worldwide/ you’ll see that the US currently ranks 4th in the world for broadband infrastructure. That means to me that, in spite of Federal subsidies and municipal monopoly grants, US telecom providers have NOT brought the American broadband infrastructure forward as rapidly as other nations where the infrastructure is heavily regulated. And the logical conclusion to be drawn from that is that lassez-faire capitalism *does* *not* *work* if you want the world’s best broadband infrastructure. If it did, we could take back all the tax money that has been poured into the telecoms, turn them loose, and have what we want in a year or less.

Net Neutrality means we *all* play on a level field; consumers, competing ISPs, telecoms, content providers, and government. No more secret bandwidth caps (I’m talking to you, cable modem ISPs)), no more blocking content that competes with *your* content so you can charge more (I’m talking to you, Time-Warner/Roadrunner), no more force-moving customers off DSL and onto fiber so you can steal them from third-party ISPs (I’m talking to you, Verizon).

Net Neutrality means *fair* and *real* competition. And that’s what American broadband needs.

– “Morely” aka “Icesnake”

Molly and I go off on the Net neutrality debate, not so much about what the meaning of it is, but more on why you shouldn't use lies to defend your position. We also discuss the attractiveness of the Nook from Barnes and Noble, and Molly and Rafe have a BlackBerry fight. About the phones. Not the fruit.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Retail distribution may tip e-reader race; Barnes & Noble rolls out Nook
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=26305

Barnes & Noble’s Nook: A virtual e-reader tour
http://www.pcworld.com/article/173999/barnes_and_nobles_nook_a_virtual_ereader_tour.html
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/10/21/barnes.noble.nook/

BlackBerry Bold 9700 (Onyx) now official
http://www.intomobile.com/2009/10/21/blackberry-bold-9700-onyx-now-official.html
http://www.cnet.com/8301-17918_1-10379329-85.html

Google to blend search, music in One Box
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-10379922-261.html

Exclusive: Guess who else is coming to dinner? Twitter-Microsoft Bing deal confirmed, but so is Facebook-Bing
http://kara.allthingsd.com/20091021/exclusive-guess-who-else-is-coming-to-dinner-twitter-microsoft-bing-deal-confirmed-but-so-is-facebook-bing/

Time Warner testing fix to hole in home router
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10379477-245.html
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/10/time-warner-cable/

Amazon: Windows 7 is ‘the biggest preorder product of all time’
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/44377/140/

AT&T enlists employees to oppose Net neutrality
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-10379360-266.html

Verizon CEO slams Net neutrality at conference
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-10379932-266.html

Nvidia targeting real-time Cloud rendering
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/10/21/1354224/NVIDIA-Targeting-Real-Time-Cloud-Rendering

LHC reaches operational temps, collisions start in 5 weeks
http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2009/10/final-lhc-segment-reaches-operational-temperature-at-19k.ars

GE shows off pocket-size ultrasound scanner
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10379692-2.html

VOICE MAIL
Frank L has a crafty Windows upgrade plan

E-MAIL
Hey BOL
U2 is live streaming their Sunday concert form the Rose Bowl! How cool is that?! http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10379610-52.html. I went to the Vertigo Tour in LA in 2005, so I know this will utterly fail in comparison, but still, a free, online concert from one of my favorite bands? Sign me up, cuz now I’ll definitely be waiting for the DVD (maybe Blu-Ray?) to come out. Hope this becomes a new trend with music in the very near future. Plus, I also think this lines up with someone’s New Years prediction if I’m not mistaken.

LTS,
Ben the Industrial Engineering Grad Student from Arkansas

Have a Google Voicemail account? Have some voicemails in there? I may have listened to them today! Thanks to some leaks in the Google cloud (rain?) it seems some folks voicemails are searchable on Google. Glad that eye appointment went well! Also Verizon and Motorola are bringing it to the iPhone. But will Verizon have to make a switch next year if the rumors are true?

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Verizon’s anti-iPhone gets its first commercial: ‘Droid Does’
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/17/verizons-anti-iphone-gets-its-first-commercial-droid-does/
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/10/18/verizon-droid-is-the-real-deal/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10377603-1.html
http://fonefrenzy.com/2009/10/18/bigger-news-for-verizon-than-motorolas-droid/

Google Voice voicemails appearing in public search results
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/19/google-voice-voicemails-appearing-in-public-search-results/

Facebook and Twitter Founders Join Net-Neutrality Wars
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/10/18/facebook-and-twitter-founders-join-net-neutrality-wars/

Telcos and Hollywood ask Canadian govt for right to secretly install spyware, listen in on your network
connection http://www.boingboing.net/2009/10/16/telcos-and-hollywood.html

Wolfram Alpha iPhone app is cool but overpriced
http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-10377493-250.html
http://mashable.com/2009/10/18/wolfram-alpha-iphone-app/

Plastic Logic Shows Off a (Quick) Look at its Kindle Killer: Meet the Que
http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20091018/plastic-logic-shows-off-a-quick-look-at-its-kindle-killer-meet-the-que/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10376178-56.html

Barnes & Noble gets FCC nod for e-reader
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10377573-56.html
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/19/spring-design-alex-dual-screen-android-based-e-reader/

New camera promises to capture your whole life
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17992-new-camera-promises-to-capture-your-whole-life.html

MIT Researchers Develop Autonomous Indoor Robocopter
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/09/10/18/1320259/MIT-Researchers-Develop-Autonomous-Indoor-Robocopter

VASIMR Ion Engine Could Cut Mars Trip To 39 Days
http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/10/19/1324222/VASIMR-Ion-Engine-Could-Cut-Mars-Trip-To-39-Days

EMAIL
Hey Guys,

I thought you might want to know that Best Buy is getting into the highly profitable used games market here in Canada. I went yesterday (Oct 17) and they had a whole shelf including several major releases from the last 6 months or so. Discounts were not deep, somewhere in the neighborhood of $5-10 less compared to a brand new disc. Looks like Best Buy is trying to eat EB Games’ lunch.

Love the Show,

Kevin the Psychiatrist
Kingston, ON, Canada

***********

I first found a Vook in the iPhone app store from my iPhone … having
just heard Tom’s desire for some innovative new approach to books …
I forwarded the link to that so ya’ll could check it out … here is
another link in this regard http://www.vook.com/

***********

I really don’t think the type of phone matters to people who use prepaid
plans. We all don’t live in a big city with the greatest 3G access and
wonderful plans. I love new technology but can’t afford it currently with
kids and other expenses. Also people have no idea what 3G access is
because we can’t get it. I currently have one ATT phone for my family that
is 46 dollars a month (that locks me into a two year contract) and use
magic jack for cheap landline. The ATT plan gives me no Text message, no
Data, and 450 minutes only. I think this Wal-Mart plan sounds great for us
“dumb people” that don’t have the luxury of the big fancy city. What
matters to us is how good the phone service is and I am not sure how good
Wal-Marts(I know Wal-Mart doesn’t do the service) phones service will be?

Thanks,
Jeff from OHIO

First, apologies for the song that will be stuck in your head for at least a week. Blame the chat room. In the news today, the T-Mobile Sidekick outage, the ongoing Facebook outage, the IBM outage that briefly crippled Air New Zealand, and the unbelievable failure that is the PSP Go launch. It's a fun show.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

T-Mobile: We probably lost all your Sidekick data
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/10/t-mobile-we-probably-lost-all-your-sidekick-data/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10372521-1.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10372525-56.htm
http://www.hiptop3.com/archives/what-caused-the-sidekick-fail/
http://samj.net/2009/10/if-its-dangerous-its-not-cloud.html

Downed Facebook accounts still haven’t returned
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10372417-36.html

Amateur’ IBM brings down Air New Zealand
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/10/12/ibm_new_zealand/

PSP Go launch has become a nightmare for gamers, Sony
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/10/psp-go-launch-has-become-a-nightmare-for-gamers-sony.ars

FCC to investigate Google Voice call blocking
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/09/AR2009100904385.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10372521-1.html

Study: 54 percent of companies ban Facebook, Twitter at work
http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/10/study-54-of-companies-ban-facebook-twitter-at-work/

BSA: 41 percent of software on personal computers is pirated
http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=8325

LG’s new twist on e-readers: Solar power!
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10372744-1.html

Hadron Collider physicist arrested on terrorism charges
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10372398-71.html

VOICE MAIL
Anonymous Linux dude: how about a streamlined OS? #nerdsnort

E-MAIL
Hi Guys and Girls

This new Lightpeek standard sounds awesome but when you’re heads down, bum up in a dark corner because one cable is too short and the network, monitor, mouse and keyboard cables all look the same I think I’ll want to strangle someone. There’s a certain elegance in having a network cable that looks completely different to a DVI cable because my monitor doesn’t understand TCP/IP and my switch won’t go 1080p.

Cheers
Craig

**********

Hello Buzzies!

First: Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, and Happy American Columbus Day!

On another note however I would like to say why the Amazon Kindle
sucks overseas. Don’t get me wrong I love the idea of the Kindle,
built in 3G, buy books as you go and it works everywhere! However if I
would like one in the Netherlands (and Europe for that matter) I have
to buy it from Amazon.com and I have to pay in American Dollars. Which
isn’t to bad, heck the Euro/Dollar exchange rate is awesome at the
moment. But here come the terrible parts:

Although Amazon says it works overseas you have to keep this in mind:

- Ships with American Plug/adapter
- 20$ Shipping
- 60$ import costs
- Works through ATT Roaming partners, but you don’t have any roaming
costs (that is what Amazon says, they say US customers overseas pay
1.99$, but say other countries are free). In reality though, the books
(which you also have to pay in American $) are more expensive in the
European Kindle store than in the US kindle store.
- Newspapers are full price, but don’t get delivered with Images and
charts (saving bandwidth)
- The blogs feature is disabled (couldn’t care less)
- The experimental browser is disabled (yes this does suck)

The part that hurts most is the ‘premium’ on books even though Amazon
says no roaming fees (and don’t give the ‘tax’ excuse, because if that
is the case, there would be a Kindle store for every country, instead
of just for Europe. And the part that if I want a newspaper I don’t
get the pretty images and graphs. What’s the point of a newspaper if
they can’t show me any Pie charts?

Amazon did a lousy job, and wants to be easy by making a deal with ATT
Worldwide instead of making deals with carriers in every country. What
they probably should have done was introduce a Wi-Fi Kindle. And
release Kindles with 3G when they had deals in those countries.

I also came across another artist that is spreading his music through the Radiohead model, 'pay what you want $0 is good too'. The artist name is 'Yellowgold' never heard anything about him, but his new album 'The Mellower' is awesome! You can find it here: http://www.yellowgoldmusic.com/ . Good stuff!

Just my 2 cents!

Alex

**********

Barnes and Noble creating an android based e-book reader? More like Barnes and Noble creating the first Android based tablet. Google not only gets it’s hand into the e-book market after they have digitized books, but they also get the ability to test and review their android software on non-phone hardware. You can almost guarantee this device will not only read books but allow users to listen to mp3s, browse the Internet via wifi/chrome, and download all apps from the android marketplace. Knowing Google, they will also include you-tube functions as well as the ability to post on blogs and subscribe to rss feeds.

Ccarline