TV with DVR & Internet: $84.90/moWe all get in a big arguments over whether all-in-one devices are more convenient than discrete devices. Cooley thinks discrete devices are un-American. I think the opposite. And Molly has the logical arguments for discrete devices. We also find out a judge has ruled IP addresses can only prove a computer existed and not a person. Good on ya, Judge!
Listen now: Download today's podcast
Subscribe now: iTunes (audio) | iTunes (video) | RSS (audio) | RSS (video)
 |
EPISODE 1,015 |
Google names Chrome OS compatriots, Dell noticeably absent
http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/08/google-names-chrome-os-compatriots-dell-noticeably-absent/
OEMs mum on actual partnerships
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2349895,00.asp
Intel thinks Chrome is peachy
http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/09/intel-doesnt-view-chrome-os-as-a-threat-to-moblin-just-wants-w/
http://chrome.blogspot.com/2009/07/google-chrome-os-faq.html
Meanwhile LiveAndroid lets you try Android OS on any computer
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10282885-94.html
Judge rules IP addresses not “personally identifiable”
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/07/08/1522247/Judge-Rules-IP-Addresses-Not-Personally-Identifiable
Netflix streaming coming to Sony TVs, not yet the PS3
http://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-streaming-coming-to-sony-tvs-not-yet-the-ps3-2009-7
Kindle’s $9.99 books may shrink publishers’ profits
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aWhjmdVFcC2Q
Amazon opens AmazonWireless, for no-hassle cell phone buying
http://richdemuro.com/amazon-opens-a-real-wireless-website-no-rebat
Standalone GPS receivers going the way of the dodo
http://mobile.slashdot.org/story/09/07/09/1339225/Standalone-GPS-Receivers-Going-the-Way-of-the-Dodo
Hyundai hybrid launched with li-Polymer batteries
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE5670CF20090708
Designers conjure up wacky ‘car of the future’
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/07/09/atnmbl/
E-MAIL
This is Chip the Mech. Engineer and on episode 1013 you were talking about Sprint offering a netbook with broadband. I am looking at getting one because not everyone can get wireless everywhere they go. I live in a small town in Virginia that has 2 maybe 3 places that offer wireless (coffee shop type places). I have it at my house but the wireless at work is locked down so not everyone can get on it. Also my family has a cabin on the Blueridge Parkway and there is cell service there, Sprint and Verizon are the only ones that can get service though (don’t even turn on your phone if it’s AT&T). No DSL offered there, only dial-up so this would be great for weekend trips to the cabin and moving about around the town I live in.
PS
I have a PRE and LOVE IT. I am listening to your podcast, texting my brother and typing this email.
Love the show, keep up the great work.
Chip
**********
Something that might help the residents of buzztown … I purchased a
kindle on tuesday and of course the price drops the next day. I
didn’t hear about the price drop until I listened to your show in the
evening – but at that point I opened my kindle, loaded it with a bunch
of stuff and started reading.
Of course after hearing about the price drop the day after my purchase
I contact Amazon about getting some kind of a price adjustment. Their
first response from the initial support person was they don’t do that
and if I want I can either return the item and repurchase it or keep
it and take a $20 gift card to make up for the $60 price difference.
I calmly explained to the support person that this was idiotic – for
me to have to do repackage it, get a refund, repurchase and reload the
new kindle – and stupid for amazon to pay for shipping it back, and
basically replace a brand new (but now used) kindle for another one -
when the end result is the same. I had to demand to speak to a
supervisor, but he relented and gave me the refund.
Normally I have found Amazon’s service to be very good – I have only
had to call a handful of times (and this is the first time I have had
to ask for a supervisor) – but you think amazon would have had a
solution for this already in place – I am sure I am not the only one
that purchased a kindle recently who is still in the return window.
Anyway – just thought that there might be people in buzztown who are
in a similar situation.
Love … The … Show
Matt Brown
Louisville, CO (hopefully soon San Francisco, CA)
**********
Dear Buzz Gang,
After the chat room today, I just COULDN’T stop myself from making a campaign ad for Molly to be President of the Internets.
Here is the download –
http://kelvington.com/MollyWoodPresident.avi
Here it is on YouTube –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD9HziisdSM
And Yes that is my voice… Love the show, I’m still working on my Buck Rogers Parody, Rafe “Rubbings” Needleman – In The 19th Century!
Take Care,
Rick Kelvington
**********
Kevin Chen made one too – http://tr.im/ruOC
**********
hi buzz generals!
for a few weeks i had my exams at the end of high school here in
switzerland. The oral exam was about a newspaper article, and guess
what… it was about something you have brought up several times in
the show: the grand dam youth protection software!
i almost didn’t have to read the article at all, i already knew
everything thank’s to you. a just talked and talked and talked… even
gave updates about the story, the teachers were very impressed. now
i’ve recieved my results: i got the highest grade possible.
i really can’t thank you enough for the great show you do, i’ve been
listening to it since a couple of years now and it has really helped
me to improve my english. when i started i often had to rewind, listen
again, but now everything goes just fine.
right now i’m on holiday in sweden, i’m on a train between Stockholm
and Göteborg, traveling at 200km/h, i’ve got free wireless internet
with 3mb/s download 1mb/s upload! nice! all that thank’s to a
combination of satellite and 3G.
another funny thing is that on the train there is a Sony Ericsson
salesman that you can borrow a phone (W995) from, for free, and it’s
packed with movies! really nice!
have a great week
Pierre from Switzerland
Listen now: Download today's podcast
|
Episode 830 |
Apple notebook event: Live blog at 10 a.m. PDT Tuesday
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10064559-1.html
http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/13/mr-blurrycam-reveals-the-updated-macbook-pro-899-laptop-model/
Windows 7 to be called — Windows 7
http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2008/10/13/introducing-windows-7.aspx
Bush signs RIAA-backed intellectual-property law
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10064527-38.html
Joost launches Flash version for browsers: Easier but no Hulu
http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-joost-launches-flash-version-for-browsers/
Hulu Envy: SNL planning standalone site; so does HBO
http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-hulu-envy-snl-planning-standalone-site-so-does-hbo/
The Quietest Sun
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/14/0038230
http://thesuninmotion.com/
University tries “one iPhone per student” http://mobile.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/13/1815229
Internet use ‘good for the brain’
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7667610.stm
Voice Mail
Remy: Free Blu-Ray?
Tommy from Kingston didn’t hear that call
Jamoto, Well Actually:
You mentioned reverse Turing tests, the most common reverse Turing test is a little known thing called a captcha. Just thought I’d point that out…
Ben, Ireland
**********
Just wanted to mention you may have missed why so many preorders.
You all kinda proposed that is was people just responding to a Google
is cool, so their phone should be as well. I am not sure this was it.
Keep in mind this is the first Open Linux phone available to the
masses that has a big player behind it at a low price. I also think
the open source community is responding much like they have with the
triple “e” PC and other Netbooks. Remember Dell being pressed to
make a Linux laptop? Also, look at the GP2X and the Pandora project.
I think there is a significant amount of us that have been waiting for
the right Open Linux phone to come along. Android looks to have the
right formula, so the response just reflects it.
Great show as always.
Johnny P
**********
Don’t believe the hype. I love the Android platform, but the 1.5 million figure is the tech echo chamber gone wild. ALL the reports stem from one Motley Fool article, and I contacted the author, and let’s just say there’s some dubious math used to reach that figure.
Thanks,
marin
**********
Buzz crew -
Along with JaMoTo, i was skeptical in episode 829 that a 25% success rate in a Turing test was enough to declare that an artificial intelligence had “successfully” fooled judges in conversation. I found the following scoring clarification in an AP/USAToday article:
Bronze goes to the piece of software that best mimics human conversation in text form.
The silver would go to a machine that could pass a longer version of the Turing Test and fool at least half the judges.
The gold would go to a machine that could process audio and visual information rather than just text.
No program has won the gold or silver prizes.
But what I want to know is: where can I play with the competing programs online? (I could use some conversation hints!)
- Joel in Ohio
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2008-10-13-computer-joke_N.htm?csp=34
**********
Hi JaMoTo (plus 1)
I know that BOL mainly focuses on US-centric stories, but this is an
extremely important to ALL Australians.
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy,
Senator Stephen Conroy is pushing hard for a ‘filtered Internet’ to
make the entire Internet in Australia safe for 5-year-olds. This means
that all ISPs will have to sort through every single packet being
transmitted to make sure the site is not on a black list or illegal.
It was originally believed that the filter would be ‘opt-out’ But it
has just come out that there will be two blacklists, the first is the
filter safe for 5-year-olds, and the second only filters out illegal
material. The opt-out will only move you from the 5-year-old filter to
the illegal only filter.
http://nocleanfeed.com/ is a great site that explains what is being
proposed and ways for Australians to rally support and take action
against Senator Conroy’s proposal.
Press release: http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/060
computer world story: http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php?id=1399635276&eid=-255
**********
Hey Buzz crew,
I’m not sure if this is Buzzworthy or not, but I still thought it was interesting. For the past week or so, the local morning radio host here in Austin has had his listeners perform specific Google searches, effectively making those searches number one for the day on Google trends. He started out small, just asking them to search for his name, Bobby Bones. Then his “rapper” nickname Captain Caucasian. Then he started getting creative and having them search for Bobby Bones and Vanessa Hudgens. Then Bobby Bones, Vanessa Hudgens makeout pics. Each day it worked and became number one on Google Trends. And gossip blogs even started picking up the story and blogging about how Vanessa Hudgens found a new guy and its all a big scandal. So what does this say about Google if some crappy local radio DJ can manipulate the rankings so easily? I bet he can ask his listeners to search for “Steve Jobs dead” and the bloggers would probably pick it up as a real story. Well, I just thought it was an interesting story. Talk about it if you like, if not, I’ll still listen to the show.
Thanks,
David
Listen now: Download today's podcast
|
Episode 817 |
Judge declares mistrial in RIAA-Jammie Thomas trial
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/09/not-for-publica.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10050757-38.html
DoJ agrees: IP enforcement bill is a bad idea
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/09/doj-agrees-ip-enforcement-bill-bad-idea
T-Mobile lifts 1GB cap from new Android phone
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/TMobile-Lifts-1GB-Cap-From-New-Android-Phone-97982
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/t-mobile-lifts-bandwidth-cap-for-google-phone/
Move over, Netflix — Roku to open the box
http://blog.wired.com/business/2008/09/roku-box-will-b.html
Google founder lobbies FCC to free spectrum
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/09/googles-larry-p.html
MySpace launches interactive music service with labels, Amazon
http://blog.wired.com/music/2008/09/myspace-launche.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7635416.stm
Asus adds 3.75G to latest Eee PC; What the hell is “3.75G”?
http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/09/25/asus-adds-375g-to-la.html
Netbooks win top-selling spots on Amazon
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/09/netbooks-win-to.html
Chinese say they’re building ‘impossible’ space drive
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/09/chinese-buildin.html
Russian town puts giant smiley on Google Maps
http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/09/24/1646205&from=rss
Voice Mail
Anonymous Viagra
Sorry, I have to be a whinger and disagree with your conversation from BOL 815. I think e-mail would be perfect, and in the end should replace MMS. If the e-mail client on phones became more streamlined, then it would be difficult to see the difference, and you would have a far wider range of options for sending and receiving (on your phone, computer or other e-mail-enabled device). Call me stoopid, I just don’t get MMS. It seems redundant.
Patrick Hanlan
**********
Hey, Buzz Crew,
In response to the story on episode 816 about using your phone to unlock/start your car: what took so long?! I have been waiting for this for years, not only because it means I might no longer have to carry around keys and a phone, but also because I think the security of this device could be much better than a normal set of keys. You seemed worried about someone getting your phone and then being able to find and steal your car. But what if your phone had a built in fingerprint reader or some other method of authentication (even if it’s just a simple 4-digit PIN as you mentioned), and required you to authenticate yourself before it would unlock your car? Also, many phones already have remote data wipe, so if you lose your phone you can just wipe it and your personal data and your car are safe. Furthermore, if the phone is required to start the engine and keep it running, and if your phone has a GPS device built in, a thief is forced to carry around a real-time tracking device if they want to take your car.
I don’t even know how tightly integrated the phone and key portions of the system can be, and I know there are issues such as the phone’s battery dying, but I think that eventually this technology could be both cool and very secure.
Love the show,
James from Texas/South Korea
**********
Hey JaMoTo (or… whoever happens to be filling in today)
In case you haven’t heard, Nullriver has posted a notice saying that Apple is going to now disallow any tethering apps.
WHAT!? Molly, help me rage a little bit here.
Tethering is officially supported in MANY countries (including up here in Canada!) by the telcos. WHY can Apple not just find out which countries it is allowed in and selectively allow it in those App stores? Ridiculous!
To make matters WORSE--I managed to buy the app while it was still available for $9.99. However, this means Nullriver can’t do any updates for it. What if 2.2 firmware breaks Netshare? Can I get my $10 back?
A big WTF, Apple. You are really starting to make me angry.
Kevin
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1721598&tstart=0
http://www.nullriver.com/
Listen now: Download today's podcast
|
EPISODE 721 |
House overwhelmingly passes controversial Pro-IP Act
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/
20080508-house-overwhelmingly-passes-controversial-pro-ip-act.html
Infringement ‘detrimental to the public health, safety’
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/09/0029224
Windows XP SP3 sows havoc, users complain
http://www.informationweek.com/news/windows/
operatingsystems/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207600950
New bill ties net neutrality to antitrust law
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/
20080508-new-bill-ties-net-neutrality-to-antitrust-law.html
Apple to provide refunds for power adapters
http://www.latimes.com/technology/
la-fi-apple9-2008may09,1,7640101.story
Nokia aiming to reinvent itself as an “Internet company”
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/
20080509-nokia-aiming-to-reinvent-itself-as-an-internet-company.html
Interactive Liberty City map help guide
http://grandtheftauto.ign.com/articles/features/373/
Interactive-Liberty-City-Map-Help-Guide
R2D2 DVD projector
http://www.nikkor2d2.com/
Get out and play
http://www.get-out-and-play.com/index.php
Using a record-cutter to turn old CDs into 45rpm singles
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/05/09/using-a-recordcutter.html
This Week in Buzz Tech Out Loud Geek Brief - EP1
http://www.archive.org/details/
ThisWeekInBuzzTechOutLoudGeekBrief-Ep1
VOICE MAIL
Javier Puerto Rico
Some research into gaming data usage.
The new SecuROM
My group of friends and I have an annual vacation / LAN party where we don’t have Internet access for the week. This trend of games developers assuming we all have Internet access at all times makes it even more unlikely we will be able play their games at our get together. First it was Steam and not being able to install new games when we got there from a boxed copy. Then it was not having matching versions and giving us no way to patch without connecting to some far off server (I’m looking at you, Team Fortress 2). Now with this new SecuROM idea, we will might be able to play for the first few days but then the game disables itself because it can’t call home? Madness! Can we please just go back to the days were we could install and play an offline game while being offline.
Great show,
--Jack
Toledo, Ohio
Well actually (ISP backups)
Tom, Molly and Jason,
I’m just listening to episode 720 here while selling drugs to people I don’t know and I could swear I just heard Tom say the “ISPs have better backup systems than you do….” (32:43) What??? Do I have to remind you that my current provider, Charter, accidentally deleted e-mail accounts of thousands of subscribers earlier this year and basically said, “Whoops, we don’t have a backup. Our subscribers should take responsibility for this.” This is just one reason they are on the way out the door as my provider.
Keep up the great work, you bring sunshine to my nights.
Love the show,
--Kyle, the night pharmacist in Minnesota
Best Buy employees are liars (or just uninformed!)
I recently sold my Wii and went to Best Buy to get grab a Xbox 360. I know all about the Red Ring of Death and how Microsoft extended their warranty to 3 years because of this problem. Not to mention since they got the new Falcon chipsets those problems have been reduced. So the Bust Buy employee tried to sell me the service plan, no problem. I said no thanks and he came back at me and said Microsoft only has a 1 year warranty and it does not cover the red ring of death. WTF???? Not the mention he told me that rock band has no warranty at all!!!!!! I have no problem with employees selling service plans but don’t lie. If it was some mom buying a 360 for their 12-year-old son I’m sure see would have bought it hook line and sinker.
http://www.xbox.com/en-us/support/systemsetup/xbox360/ resources/warrantyupdate.htm
http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20273
--Andrew
A detail of the Eee PC story
In episode 720 you missed one detail about the Eee PC with Linux costing more than the Eee PC with Windows. The Linux version comes with 20GB of flash storage, while the Windows version only comes with 12GB. I looked into how this would effect the price difference between the Linux and Windows versions based on the price of USB flash drives. The conclusion that the Linux version costs too much is still true, however, it is worth noting that some of the price difference (around $50) can be accounted for by this difference.
I wrote out my conclusion and my explanation for how I got to that conclusion here if you are interested:
http://www.linuxloop.com/news/2008/05/08/ analyzing-the-eee-pc-windows-linux-price-issue/
Keep up the great work!
Thanks!
--Anonymous
Comcast 250GB limit
Say you try and replace Comcast TV with watching videos on XBox 360 or Apple TV. The average American watches 4 hours and 35 minutes a day (2006). Assuming HD, at 6Mbps this uses 346GB in a 28 day month, more than the cap.
--GW
Listen now: Download today's podcast
|
EPISODE 716 |
Microsoft leans toward a hostile bid
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120966628366460063.html
Xbox 360 Blu-ray console shipping by September?
http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/02/
xbox-360-blu-ray-console-by-september/
Researchers design “malicious circuits,” warn of potential risk
http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/01/
researchers-design-malicious-circuits-warn-of-potential-risk/
Popcorn Hour’s A-100 HD media streamer publicly available for pre-order
http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/02/
popcorn-hours-a-100-hd-media-streamer-publicly-available-for-pr/
Key House reps ask FCC for “openness” in XM/Sirius merger
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/
20080502-key-house-reps-ask-fcc-for-openness-in-xmsirius-merger.html
New study debunks myth that most tech entrepreneurs are college kids (Thanks, alfrench!)
http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/2958/
new-study-debunks-myth-that-most-tech-entrepreneurs-are-college-kids
Pro IP act passed (Thanks, Mark!)
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/
20080430-pro-ip-act-passes-in-the-house.html
The ‘Hard Disk Crusher’ doesn’t mess around
http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9934113-1.html
Study: Keyboards make excellent homes for nasty bacteria
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/
20080501-study-keyboards-make-excellent-homes-for-nasty-bacteria.html
Retro sabotage!
http://www.retrosabotage.com/
VOICE MAIL
Chris the podcaster
A draft movement has started.
Adam from Salt Lake City Utah
Remember that Microsoft spy program for free software?
Anonymous
About the ad.
Anonymous welcome
But some people had this response
I can get expelled for what?!
Molly, Tom, and Jason,
In my English class we have to write a research report on WWII. Well, part of my report is in a Word file on the computers at school. Normally, if I wanted to take this file home, I’d use a USB flash drive, but I left mine at home. Also, my school blocked all web-based e-mail. So I thought I’d upload the file to my server via a totally safe, online FTP client. When I went into the library and sat down at a computer, the librarian, who has a reputation for not being very nice, asked me what I was doing: as if it were any of her business. I told her I was sending myself a file, and she completely flipped out. She started yelling at me as if I didn’t know what I was doing and she even told me this:
“If you do that, you can be expelled.”
This made me very mad, and made me realize something: the sad school staff know nothing about computers.
I’m acquiring my school’s IT director’s e-mail address as I type this.
Best regards,
Dylan from Missouri
***********************
Oscar Mayer? Crap?
I no sooner get an e-mail referenced on Wednesday’s BOL (yeah, me!) when Tom lays into the company that has employed me for 18-plus years.
Oscar Mayer crap!?! Our hot dog products contain nothing but quality meats--mostly turkey for wieners and all beef for beef franks. If I was in Marketing I would be greatly offended.
Sure, other brands--Nathan’s, Hebrew National, and Sabrett to name a few--make a good beef dog, but I’d stack ours up against any of them in a blind taste test.
The crap category would include Bar S (never more than $0.99) and all store brands. As with most other products, you get what you pay for.
I know! You’re all getting wiener whistles and whatever other trinkets I can scrounge. I probably don’t have enough clout for a wienermobile ride, so don’t ask.
Hot dog preferences aside, still love the show.
Patrick Schommer
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
**********************
Memristors
Hey my favorite monarchical triumvirate,
OK, so there was the big stink about getting passwords and such off a PC by stealing it off the RAM, before it dissipated…within such a short period, using a USB drive, etc.
Now, with memristors, just rip the whole pc outta the wall and run. Can turn it on later and boot right where you left off? All accounts still logged in, etc…. Hmmm. There should at least be an option to boot down and wipe the memory so it will clean-boot, just in case, and would likely be a company requirement in a lot of places. I think that would cause security issues out the wazoo.
Erick from Colorado Springs
**********************
BOL mayor job voting question
I guess I am a little confused about this whole BOL mayor thing.
We have a diplomat who likes to restate things in a more polite fashion, and interjects new topics into the conversation (Tom). We have a sheriff, (Molly) who talks tough, calls it like she see it, and is rumored to carry a shotgun.
And then we have Jason, who acts more like a city administrator, pushing buttons, playing recordings, and publishing the podcast, all without much credit.
We even have a cranky old guy next door who loves cats and hates Europeans, (Rafe) as well as a house full of kids across the street who talk funny, play loud music all the time, and hold parties on the lawn (the 404 podcast).
But this mayor thing confuses me: who chooses, who votes, and how? Is this like Chicago, can I vote more than once?
Keep up the good work,
David
Living in the 4th ward of Buzztown, down by the bacon plant.
P.S. Who do I talk to about getting a key to the city?
*****************************
BOL Meetup screenshots
Hey guys,
As you requested, I sent the screenshots of the meetup last night.
In case the attachment is too big, here is the Flickr URL:
http://flickr.com/photos/22103105@N03/sets/72157604833054156/
I also cropped some of the better shots, you can place them in the show notes if you want.
Thanks,
Jacob from Brooklyn
AKA jacobshm (twitter and other stuff)
--Molly
Listen now: Download today's podcast
|
EPISODE 667 |
Hungry for burgers.
What's with the huh?
Hey, just finished your last podcast about will iTunes refund those session pass.
I don't have the same experience; but I did get a refund from Apple after NBC pulled their stuff off iTunes. I also got 2 free episodes as extra. All these are unexpected to me; since I did not ask for question them on this at all. Here is the e- mail I got.
Future episodes of "Psych" will not be available on the iTunes Store. We realize that you purchased a season pass and regret that we will not be able to deliver these episodes to you. I have issued a pro-rated refund in the amount of $13.12 for the remaining episodes. You will see this credit in three to five business days. If Store Credit was used for this purchase, you should see the credit applied to your balance immediately.Take care,
I have also granted two free video credits to your account which you can use to purchase of any two TV episodes, music videos, or short films on the iTunes Store.
Your credit balance should display in the upper-right corner of iTunes next to your account name. If it does not, please sign out and sign back in to refresh. The sign out/sign in functions are found under the Store menu of iTunes. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and thank you for being an iTunes customer.
Sincerely,
Ray from Alameda
Hey Buzz crew,
This Roque (aka Rocky) from Guadalajara, Mexico, I have been planning in writing to you guys for some time, but finally got some time while I'm at school, in my boring class (Electronic design with integrated circuits, is not as cool as it sounds, and yeah I'm taking my degree as an Communications and electronics engineer) but anyways going to the point of the mail, I was listening to show 663 I think about the cable companies forcing customers to switch to digital, and well I can give you some information about Comcast, because I work as a Comcast account executive (yes that's right we are in Mexico) and don't hate us too much, we are not that evil, well at least in Comcast in the California market, you don't need to worry if you have Comcast, it won't make any change in the basic and standard analogue services, they will keep working at least for the next 5 years, but as you said in episode 664 there will be change, is obvious if over the air TV (free TV) is going digital why not cable?, satellite is digital, over the air TV is digital, only cable is missing... and well everything is going digital, as they tell us at school, all what we are learning will be old when I finish!
And now going to the other reason to my mail, I know you have lots of complains about Apple, but I can't help myself, let me tell you I'm in my second iPod, and yes is an iPod touch, and you know it works fine, love to have Wi-Fi in it that way I don't need to carry my laptop that much, but you know I bought I think 1 week before the damn iPod update in January, after sometime I decide OK I'll pay for the updates (I want the e-mail one) and guess what I can't! What's wrong with Apple why so much punish to people!, the truth I wanted to buy a zune, but well you know they don't sell them outside the states. so sad, and the last thing that is missing is able to download podcasts to the touch, most of the time I don't have a chance to plug it to my PC till late in the night so I'm always 1 show behind, if I could download the show while I'm school, I will be able to listen it on the way to work.
But anyways should go back to pay attention to my class or I'll be working for Comcast for a long time!
Great show keep the good work!
Rocky your Comcast account executive for today!
Tom, Molly, and Jason,
I am an intern at a senator's office and after receiving a lot of calls about the digital television transition. When these calls came in they were directed to me since I understood what I was talking about. My boss overheard me and called me into her office and after 30 min of one on one time she assigned me a project of putting together something for the senator to help his constituents with the switch. On previous shows there were a lot of calls about possible fraud from cable companies and electronics retailers, I would like to include these in my report. If you would be willing to put out the call it would be greatly appreciated, I have created a gmail account for this project but it forwards to my main account so fell free to give it out on the air. It would be a great help if you could help me out with this project, and keep up the good work because there are geeks getting into the government and we will fix the problems that need fixing but you need to keep us informed and united.
Thank you,
Zack
Hey Molly, Tom, and Jason,
I happened to be out this weekend with a few buddies who work over in Redmond. After a few (OK, a lot) of drinks I asked them how they felt about the death of HD DVD and the 360 add-on drive.
Don't worry, they all said, the Blu-ray add on will be available by June-ish. It's fully designed and ready to begin manufacture, as soon as a marketing plan is ready. According to my sources it will run somewhere in the range of $199 to $250, and will work and look exactly like the HD add-on. Probably to save costs since I'm sure they have tons of unused HD DVD shells laying around. From what I've learned in the from these guys in the past, and the quantities of booze in them, I'd give this a 80 percent chance of being accurate. Keep up the awesome work!
D in Seattle
Hey Buzz crew,
Love the show. I started a Facebook group to promote the usage of LOI over LOL. It's called "The LOI Movement". Mention it on the show. Hey, if we can buy Revver, we can destroy LOL.
P.S. Love the mullet, LOI.
Also feel free to mention my full name, just don't give out my any of my personal information listed in the signature below.
-- Thank you for your time,
Ron Landreth
First--I am a 53-year-old grandmother who has listened to your podcast for about a year. I teach language arts and have used computer and Internet technology in my classroom for years. http://www.mrswieseman.org I just wanted you to know that just because I'm old doesn't mean I'm not interested in new technology. I do love my toys:) LOI
Secondly--I purchased a song on iTunes plus just yesterday, and there was a notice that for only $2.70 I could upgrade some already purchased songs. How did Jeff get the freebies?
Lastly--love the show, keep up the good work keeping semitech savvy old- timers like me informed.
Grandma Mary
Hi Buzz crew,
So the Zune offers gaming now? Is that a firmware upgrade? If so, where is the $20 charge for it? Shouldn't Microsoft and Apple have the same accounting rules? Or is Apple just making this up to get even more money from you? Just a thought.
Oliver
Hey Buzz crew,
JaMoTo nested again on the night of the 22nd (Friday). It is the very tail end of the leatherback sea turtle nesting season in Gabon and I expected that she would leave the area after nesting again, but it appears she is still lingering. This means she will probably nest again in another 9 or 10 days. She must be a very fertile turtle!
Bonus video! I have posted some video I took of JaMoTo on the beach and a couple of previously unposted photos on my blog to share with Buzztown.
Cheers,
Michael
Just to let you know. Google already launched balloons over Sao Paulo. They said it was a advertising for Google maps (a red balloon, like their red pin point in Google maps--got it?) but I thought it was bizarre. Sine when Google needs to advertise anything on the real world?
Or they were testing their new balloon Wi-Fi technology.
Some photos on an advertising blog here (Portuguese only, sorry). And here.
Alex, from Rio.
No, not the other Alex from Rio that runs while listening to BOL. But I can try to do mountain climbing listening to BOL, does that counts?
Molly, Jason, and Thomas,
It's Rick, the "balloon scientist" and amateur radio operator from Colorado.
:-) Hey everyone as to be the xyz occupation from somewhere right?
Allow me to drop a "well actually" or two on you folks. And in no way would I expect you to know any of this stuff without doing a fair amount of research so this isn't a rag on you guys just a friendly "well actually."
Balloons. Hmmm, at last something I know something about. This just goes to show, your audience can probably address just about any issue under the sun with some level of expertise, assuming they are sufficiently interested to respond. And, this time out apparently I was motivated to do so.
This e-mail is in response to the very brief mention you made in episode 665 where at the end you discuss Google's possible acquisition of Space Data's balloon borne cell system technology. Your discussion of this issue is probably dwarfed by my wordy response. But, I'm sure you say things like smurf and get 100 page diatribes all the time. It's the nature of a large audience right? Some of us have no common sense or word governors.
I tend to write voluminous tombs about inconsequential stuff so, here is the short version:
---------------------short---------------------
I know what I'm talking about (more or less).
$50 bucks for a balloon to fly these airborne cell towers...no way! The balloon has to be around $100 and the helium to fly it around the same.
Tom's idea that we should bomb the countryside with high velocity projectiles from the sky, well...possible but not a good idea and not necessary. The parachute will solve this problem.
Molly's worry about balloons going off on their own and disobeying the laws of atmospheric physics, I don't think so. But again, it is possible under some circumstances that generally won't crop up except infrequently.
Molly's concern about the polluting nature of balloon debris all over the place. Well again, as is true of much in life, yes and no. Yes, in the short term it can be a problem for wildlife. No, in the long term, latex balloons degrade to nothing and actually are eaten by the bacteria in soil. So, we're helping the little guys and should be applauded for our supporting the underdogs.
Jason's brief thoughts about tethering balloons, no way! But, Jason pretty much gave up on that idea almost before he finished the sentence he suggested it in. Never the less, I address it below.
Now, on to the ridiculously long version. I'm a lot less snotty and there are some good links that show neat photos, videos, and interesting information so if you have a few minutes ...
Rick von Glahn
Parker, Colorado
PS. If you ever have questions in this area (like that's ever going to happen), feel free to drop me a line.
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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. 
