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/

AT&T announced they're going to help San Francisco and New York with data coverage, but then blamed the children for all their bandwidth problems. We also take Facebook to task for their privacy handling. Nothing new there. And is the Apple Tablet coming in the spring? Will it be $1,000?

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Facebook details new privacy settings
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10411418-2.html

… where the default setting is “everyone”
http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20091209/facebook-rolls-out-new-privacy-settings-encourages-users-to-abandon-privacy/

Apple tablet set for spring launch?
http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/12/09/apple-tablet-set-for-spring-launch/

Two major publishers to hold back e-books
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704825504574584372263227740.html

AT&T moves closer to usage-based fees for data
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9142012/AT_T_moves_closer_to_usage_based_fees_for_data?taxonomyId=1

AT&T to New York and San Francisco: We're Working on It
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/12/09/att-to-new-york-and-san-francisco-were-working-on-it/

The iPhone finally gets live video streaming with Ustream Live Broadcaster
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/12/09/iphone-live-streaming-ustream/
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2763580

The Droid has been rooted--now what?
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/12/droid-unlocked/

EA CEO: “I think of pirates as a marketplace”
http://kotaku.com/5421466/ea-ceo-i-think-of-pirates-as-a-marketplace

U.S. no longer leading the world in spam
http://news.slashdot.org/story/09/12/08/2042253/US-No-Longer-Leading-the-World-In-Spam

AOL Time Warner splits after near 10-year marriage
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8403302.stm

Freaky Norwegian sky circles causing a ruckus
http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3238877&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=1
http://www.vgtv.no/?id=27553

BOL HOLIDAY EPISODES
Best Of 2009 – 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. Email 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 – Want to talk with us on this year’s listener co-host show? These interviews will be recorded Monday, December 21 from 3-4pm PT. Email 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
James Carroll on the Amazon Shoppes in the High Street

E-MAIL
Hey BOL

In episode 1120 you guys discussed the possibility of an Amazon retail store or pick-up delivery service, and was surprised you guys failed to mention that, if Amazon were to open a physical retail store, this would force them to charge tax on all products, whether it be in-store or online. Don’t keep your hopes up for this service, as paying taxes on amazon would downplay the service.

Keep up the good work,

Eric

***********

Ok, so the Joojoo looks like an interesting piece of hardware. I’m not really excited about such a single-purpose device, but what if they put Chrome on it? I may be missing some details here, but isn’t Chrome almost custom written for a device like this? Maybe if Chrome got some really useful extensions once it was released, and the Joojoo can run it well, then the Joojoo could be a little more useful.

Of course I love the show.

Garret

***********

Hey Buzzers,

First off, let me say that I too thought that QR codes were a tad silly
when I first blogged about the QR iPhone app. After learning about how
they are used, though, I definitely gained some appreciation. Here are
some examples you may find meaningful:

- QR codes are widely used in Japan, slapped all over all kinds of items
and attached to posters (big enough, you could snap them from a sizable
distance?).
- Added information about food products could be encoded. Maybe a
program could scan in each item as you buy it and help you manage a diet.
- Essentially any info that could be encoded in an RFID tag could also
be put into QR. The upside? Most phones have a camera, few have an RF
reader.

In the few organic experiences I have had with this technology I have
found it to be at least interesting, if not useful, and I would
absolutely love to see shops start posting up little “Google Me”
stickers in the windows. Especially places that are harder to nail down
on manual searches.

Love the show!
Jimmy the Microbiologist

***********

Buzz,

I think it’s interesting that the NY Times and the Washington Post are going in the opposite direction as the WSJ to actually encourage Google to aggregate their content in a more presentable way for web browsers.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/08/AR2009120802319_pf.html

Google, Washington Post and N.Y. Times create news tool

Yahoo and Google have released their top search terms of the year and--no surprise--it's full of pop culture icons and references, which makes Natali mad. Also making people mad is the new Microsoft black screen of death, which Microsoft still doesn't see. Also, YouTube wants back into the TV business, but this time the aim to do it legally and charge you.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Yahoo and Google year in review – this depresses me every year
http://yearinreview.yahoo.com/
http://digital.venturebeat.com/2009/11/30/yahoos-2009-searches-topped-by-michael-jackson-and-twilight-not-twitter/
http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/annc/20091201_zeitgeist.html
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/zeitgeist-2009-collective-consciousness.html

Microsoft investigating ‘black screen of death’
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10406369-56.html

What’s powering Web apps: Google waving goodbye to Gears, hello to HTML5 [Updated]
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/11/google-gears.html

Is YouTube ready for prime time? Google wants to stream TV, for a fee
http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20091201/is-youtube-ready-for-prime-time-google-wants-to-stream-tv-for-a-fee/

Massive performance problem in Dell laptops
http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/dell-facing-massive-e6400-and-e6500-overheating-and-underclockin/

Apple and Psystar reach partial agreement
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/12/01/psystar_apple_enter_partial_settlement_to_cease_clone_mac_sales.html

Current ACTA drafts ban DRM interoperability laws
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/11/current-acta-drafts-bans-drm-interoperability-laws.ars

Apple iPhone may go to T-Mobile next
http://www.thestreet.com/story/10634548/1/apple-iphone-may-go-to-t-mobile-next.html

Motorola Cliq sales fall short of goals thanks to issues, lack of interest
http://www.inquisitr.com/50187/motorola-cliq-sales-fall-short-of-goals-amid-issues-lack-of-interest/

Self-healing paint coming to cell phones
http://www.core77.com/blog/materials/japanese_market_to_get_self-healing_paint_for_cell_phones_15359.asp

VOICE MAIL
Alex in Austria on CNN vs Twitter

Joe on BNO being taken over

Jason the IT guy on the Bing program

E-MAIL
Hey, Buzz Crew. I’m guessing you’ll find out about this on your own, but just in case, here’s a link to the results of Android Developer Challenge 2.

http://code.google.com/android/adc/gallery_winners.html

Looks like there’s some great stuff here…can’t wait to try some of them out!

-Dave

**********

Hey Buzz Crew,

To add to what BT said yesterday, self-limitation of piracy does not only happen in the news/entertainment industry. In the world of magicians, intellectual property works a little differently.

It is hard to protect one’s work because once the method leaks out (copied DVDs, manuscripts), it loses most of its commercial value. Recently the web has facilitated piracy of magic at an enormous rate. Fortunately, the magic community is fairly closely knit, so if one were to pirate the work of another, he or she would essentially be ripping off someone they could easily meet in person. Further, magicians are extremely good about sharing their knowledge with one another, often for FREE. Of course (as you often say), there will ALWAYS be those who pirate, but the unique nature of our community protects our material to some degree.

Love the show,
Jimmy the Microbiologist (and Magician)

New Netbook chips promise to increase battery life, which sends Molly into a tizzy about battery life. But battery life does not keep pace with chip law, as Rafe states so well. Also the phone ad wars heat...er...lukewarm up, with some arguably limp responses from Apple. And Opera cooperates with China, sort of.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

New Apple ads to Verizon: Can Droid do this?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10403954-94.html

Google pacts with TiVo for TV ad data
http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSTRE5AN2C020091124

Major Intel chip upgrade coming to new Netbooks
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-10403768-64.html

Google places ad explaining offensive image
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-10403931-265.html

Opera ‘censors’ Chinese content
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8376555.stm

More Android users get Google Maps navigation
http://www.pcworld.com/article/182941/more_android_users_get_google_maps_navigation.html

Recession pushes more workers to steal data
http://it.slashdot.org/story/09/11/23/1927248/Recession-Pushes-More-Workers-To-Steal-Data

Wikipedia volunteers jumping ship
http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2009/11/24/wikipedia-volunteers-jumping-ship/

Cern’s Large Hadron Collider makes first collisions
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8375486.stm

Intelsat launches hardware for Internet routing from space
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/11/24/1334203/Intelsat-Launches-Hardware-For-Internet-Routing-From-Space

VOICE MAIL
Nick from Anchorage on why cutting off the Net might violate 1st Amendment

E-MAIL
After listening to your rant about aol. fail, I thought to myself that they just got it backwards. Maybe the ad agency just didn’t understand when they told them to put the . infront of the a and instead “edited/corrected” it to put it at the end.

The brilliant move would have been to make it .aol and then file for a new TLD (top level domain) which I believe will be coming online in 2010.

That would have been a home run, everything aol could have been .aol, so it could be engadget.aol, images.aol, email.aol etc.

So I’m just going to chock it up to advertising ignorance.

TechRavingMad

**********

You mean to tell me getting hype on unreleased demos is hurting “aol.”? Not only are there people talking about it and trying to understand it; but aol is getting free beta testing for a new logo. Success! I look forward to typing in random crap after aol. to get a crazy page, like how users type in messages to google’s search to pull up funny search phrases or use mystery google for fun. I only hope for aol.dinosaur.com to pull up some sort of epic dinosaur themed aol page.

Plus, AOL is so easier to say than America Online. (think syllables out of your mouth then think of the major leaders for tech {Google, Apple, Sony, Microsoft}) – ccarline

**********

BOL & Co,

Thank the heavens for the institutional memory that is the internet. As soon as you y’all (in ep 1112) started bringing up Vlingo, I sez to myself:

“Hey, I downloaded Vlingo way back when and I swear I heard about it on…BOL.”

And, my self sez, “yep”:

http://buzzoutloud.wikia.com/wiki/Episode_864

Craemmir
Washington DC

**********

I was hoping you could give a shout out to a webathon for the child's play charity. Its a comedy group out of Vancouver playing Desert Bus the most boring game ever made. They have a website at http://desertbus.org they’ve been going for 3 days as of my writing that gives them a total of 9 points in the game. (it takes at least 8 hours for 1 point.) The more money they raise the longer they will play (currently 121 hours) It’s for a good cause and with your help we can keep them playing even longer.

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/

The Podcast awards are on, and we're up against TWiT again, so we had to get drastic. We will no longer protect your chicken from Dokken if you don't vote for us. So there. Also Psystar is no longer protected from Apple, and Modern Warfare 2 is no longer available in Russia. Whew. So much less availability these days.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

UPDATE: Apple wins important round In Psystar copyright case
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20091115-703736.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10397876-37.html

Apple relents on Mad artist’s caricature app
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10397895-93.html

Russia bans Modern Warfare 2, recalls all copies of game
http://www.destructoid.com/russia-bans-modern-warfare-2-recalls-all-copies-of-game-155211.phtml

Zune to launch outside US
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/76f98ae8-d205-11de-a0f0-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1

Windows Mobile loses nearly a third of market share
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,1000000085,39877964,00.htm

Is Sezmi a cable TV killer?
http://technologizer.com/2009/11/16/sezmi/

About half in U.S. would pay for online news, study finds
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/business/media/16paywall.html
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-one-size-doesnt-fit-all-consumers-want-choice-on-pricing-delivery-of-co/

URL shorteners suck less, thanks to the Internet Archive and 301Works
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/13/url-shorteners-suck.html

New dating sites match people through DNA tests
http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/11/15/1734238/New-Dating-Sites-Match-People-Through-DNA-Tests

Shuttle to haul 27,000 pounds of spare parts
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/science/space/16shuttle.html

VOICE MAIL
Ted from Berkeley on a Gizmo workaround to avoid paying for Skype

Mike from Irvine describes a poorly designed cookie implementation

E-MAIL
Sudo not violating Microsoft patent – Ill be brief since I have written in about patent hate before so Ill just get to the specifics of this instance. I did a quick read of the claims, and I will admit i am not a programmer but i have some experience in it from highschool and college, but my reading of the claims sounds like they are linking different admin accounts using some underlying algorythm and showing the linked accounts in a graphic interface for the user. This does not sound like the way the sudo command is implemented and the Microsoft patent would not prevent people from using the psuedo command. Ill attach the patent language for you to read as i feel grocklaw is a biased observer. Despite the on going patent hate, Love the show.

Tim the Patent Examiner

PS: Yes I am biased too.

**********

Hey Buzzcrew,

Today I was listening to episode 1106 and I wanted to comment on the discussion of modified xbox 360 consoles. It was mentioned that the only way to detect a banned console is to connect it to the internet. This is not entirely true. You can pop off the front face (which is totally legit to do) and check if the warranty sticker is still intact. This holographic sticker near the controller USB ports cannot be left intact when performing the mod to allow backups to run. Just because it’s broken doesn’t necessarily means the console is banned, BUT if it is intact, there is no possible way the console is banned.

On craigslist or eBay you could demand a picture of that sticker before considering a purchase, at least adding some confidence to the sale,

Love the show!
-Chris

**********

Hey Buzz Crew,
Just wanted to point out that Buzz Out Loud is nominated for The People’s Choice Podcast Awards for Best Video Podcast so:
DON’T LET REVISION3 BEAT YOU!
Tell everyone to vote!

http://podcastawards.com/
(Vote 1 time daily through November 30th! -Jason)

I am not affilliated with the podcast awards, by the way.
Somewhat ironically, I discovered that you were on the list when I clicked a link on Revision3’s site to vote for them.
But when I saw Buzz Out Loud as an option, I knew I had betrayed you CNET! I immediately voted for Buzz Out Loud!
Love da show-

Andrew Faulds

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

The mystical city of Argleton in the U.K. appears on Google Maps but presents a face of green empty fields to people in person. What is it hiding? Druids? Wizards? Copyright protection? We also discuss the hot new XPERIA X 10 and the less hot Droid Exchange data plan. Also we can tell you when to watch Cougar Town on Hulu. We never stop our attempts to serve your every need.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Microsoft chops price of its hosted software
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10388764-56.html

Want a Droid for work e-mail? It’ll cost you extra
http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobilize/want-droid-work-e-mail-itll-cost-you-extra-575

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 announced
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/02/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-announced-we-go-hands-on/
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2355137,00.asp
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10389463-94.html

Dutch hacker holds jailbroken iPhones “hostage” for ?5
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/11/dutch-hacker-holds-jailbroken-iphones-hostage-for-5.ars

Best Buy prepares for the post-DVD era
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/best-buy-prepares-for-the-post-dvd-era/
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/03/best-buy-partnering-with-cinemanow-to-stream-first-run-dvds-to-a/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-10389016-260.html

Spring Design files lawsuit against Barnes & Noble: Nook violates Alex intellectual property
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20091102006674&newsLang=en
http://www.tgdaily.com/consumer-electronics-features/44517-start-up-sues-over-nook

Hulu launches Coming Soon, their own TV Guide, sort of
http://blog.hulu.com/2009/11/02/coming-soon-your-resource-for-good-things-to-come/

Feds charge cable modem modder with 'aiding computer intrusion'
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/11/derengel/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/181267/alleged_cable_modem_hacker_indicted_in_us.html

Space hotel on track for 2012 – requires 8 weeks of training
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091102/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_space_hotel;_ylt=AppcrpbEAKVXEHRSsMudbLx0fNdF

Mystery of Argleton, the ‘Google’ town that only exists online
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/6474746/Mystery-of-Argleton-the-Google-town-that-only-exists-online.html

VOICE MAIL
Jerry from the fed thinks e-mail and letters are the same

Anonymous G-Man disagrees

E-MAIL
Hey Buzz Crew,

On Monday’s show, you guys took issue with Apple’s argument regarding Psystar’s unauthorized “copying” of OS X when the machines boot and make copies in the system’s RAM.

Although I’m not a lawyer, I am currently a law school student, and I can tell you that the idea that copying into RAM constitutes making a “copy” in the way Apple claims is well established law. See MAI Systems Corp. v. Peak Computer, Inc., 991 F.2d 511 (9th Cir. 1993).

As consumers, we’re given an exception for making RAM copies because we own authorized copies (or licenses) of our software. Apple’s argument (and it’s probably a valid one) is that Psystar is making unauthorized copies, and is thus not allowed to claim the same safe-harbour that allows regular consumers to make RAM copies.

As someone who hopes to build a hackintosh myself one day, I’m not particularly happy to say it, but it seems relatively clear that Apple has got established legal precedent on its side here. Love the show.

Nathan

***********

Someone must have commented that the “Nook” seems to come from Dr Seuss… In “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue fish” There is a part about “I took a look, I saw a Nook, and on his head there was a hook, and on his hook there was a book, and on the book was how to cook…” So when I heard the name Nook as a book reader, it just seemed too obvious. Of course the nook couldn’t read so the nook couldn’t cook so what good to a nook is a hook cook book?

Maybe I missed this discussion?

Love the show

Irie

***********

I have an alternative to the Twitter Peak. I had a “smart” pager back in 1998 and it had a full qwerty keyboard and could send/receive email or send text pages to other smart pagers.

I did a quick net search and these are still available, only now they support two way SMS as well for about $20/month and 2000+ texts/pages/emails. Pagers run $50-150. Who knew.

Probably better for a kid than a medium that by default broadcasts to the whole world. Plus no camera, unlike most cellphones, so no tween-sexting issues.

Love the show.

James

Amazon's trying to compete with PayPal with a new service that brings one-click shopping into the rest of the non-Amazon world. We also kick around a rumor of Netflix coming to the Wii and discuss Google and Yahoo music searches. Oh, and then Cooley and I get deep about business models and copyright. That's near the end, though--if you don't like lectures.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Google music search announced. Still doesn’t work for Tom
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10385755-93.html

Yahoo yells that it’s had it since June
http://www.ysearchblog.com/2009/10/28/play-that-funky-music-with-yahoo-search/

Amazon to take on PayPal with PayPhrase
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE59S0FH20091029

Confirmed: Netflix streaming coming to the Wii very shortly
http://blog.streamingmedia.com/the_business_of_online_vi/2009/10/confirmed-netflix-streaming-coming-to-the-wii-very-soon.html

Google tells FCC it’s still blocking calls, but fewer of them
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2009/10/google_voice_tells_fcc_its_sti.html

Microsoft and Yahoo delay signing search deal
http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-and-yahoo-delay-signing-search-deal-2009-10
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10385671-56.html

NBA brings League Pass to iPhone, Android; out-of-market package runs $40
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-nba-brings-league-pass-to-iphone-android-out-of-market-package-runs-40/
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE59S2NM20091029

Twitter users warned about new phishing attack
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10385661-245.html

Xerox claims printable electronics breakthrough
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/10/29/038210/Xerox-Claims-Printable-Electronics-Breakthrough

40th anniversary of Internet working without a crash
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/AheadoftheCurve/today-internets-40th-birthday/story?id=8945743

VOICE MAIL
Joe about LSU and Gmail

Sloan on his experience in Gmail

RogueTess on the Slate name

E-MAIL

Hey Buzzers, I just read a rather startling article on Slashdot. The article says that amazon has patented a new ‘invention’ that will replace words in all kinds of text documents(book, reviews, etc) with synonyms in an effort to track pirating. As an author I find this very disturbing, I don’t want amazon to go changing my hard work just so they can track piracy.
So my question to you is, is this for real and am I understanding it right. Please advise.

Future best selling author,
JoshuaCaleb

P.S. Keep up the great work.
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/10/28/2236235/Amazon-Patents-Changing-Authors-Words

**********

BOL folks:

My son is approaching the age where a cell phone may come in handy for communicating and coordinating activities. Things like “Running 10 minutes late.” “Meet me at Field 3 after soccer practice.” I’ve been looking for a cheap and light texting-only device. Perhaps the TwitterPeek can do that? Hmmm.

Keep on buzzing,
ymt

**********

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