So the European Union and Microsoft have finally settled their differences and will begin the browser ballot with no less than 12 browsers to choose from. Is this a good thing? Also, Intel is now under the gun from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. What did it do this time? Listen to find out. And Cherrypal is selling a $99 laptop it bills as slow and sufficient. Nice.
Listen now: Download today's podcast
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Subscribe with RSS (video)
EPISODE 1127
FTC formally charges Intel with anti-competitive behavior
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704541004574599791659334798.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/12/intel.shtm
Microsoft resolves E.U. IE case
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10416402-75.html
http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2009/12/microsoft-settles-with-eubrowser-balloting-arrives-in-march.ars
http://money.ca.msn.com/investing/news/business-news/article.aspx?cp-documentid=23035069
Steve Jobs’ dupes blogosphere with AT&T protest hoax
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/16/operation_chokehold/
AT&T: Net neutrality OK if we can cut priority access deals
http://arstechnica.com/telecom/news/2009/12/att-offers-net-neutrality-compromise.ars
New report offers grim assessment of plug-in hybrids
http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2009/12/new-report-offers-grim-assessment-of-plugin-hybrids.ars
Facebook testing tool to push updates onto Twitter
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9142324/Facebook_testing_tool_to_push_updates_onto_Twitter
McDonald’s to offer free Wi-Fi Internet access
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/184807/mcdonalds_to_offer_free_wifi_internet_access.html
Fidelity fires four employees for playing fantasy football
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/12/16/fidelity-fires-four-employees-for-playing-fantasy-football/
Cherrypal's $99 Laptop: Small! Slow! Sufficient!
http://technologizer.com/2009/12/15/cherrypals-99-laptop-small-slow-sufficient/
LED traffic lights are great — except they’ll kill you
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/12/15/national/a133205S26.DTL&tsp=1
Best of 2009 clips show
This year’s Best of 2009 episode is going to be entirely listener submitted. To be a part of this listener-created experience just clip out your favorite moments from any episode published in 2009. Export your clip as an MP3 of at least 128kbp. E-mail the clip to buzz@cnet.com. Subject: Best of 2009 – Episode ####. Deadline for submissions is Friday, Dec. 18, 2009. Please hurry! And with enough people pitching in two-to-three clips, we should end up with an awesome clips show.
VOICE MAIL
Dylan has a question about Paramount Clips
E-MAIL
Hey BuzzCrew-
So a fun story is making waves in Britain:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8415750.stm
Basically the internet masses are “Raging against the Machine” known as X-Factor and trying to get a 1992 single from Rage Agaunst the machine as #1 christmas song over the new release from the XFactor champion.
Here’s the kicker…it’s working!
Helping it, is that you can get the single for 29 pence! (~ 47¢).
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001I4NZP4?ie=UTF8&ref_=sr_1_1&qid=1260881836&sr=1-1&linkCode=shr&camp=3194&creative=21330&tag=tomdavsblo-21
There’s even a facebook group with over 800K members:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2228594104
Gotta love the ‘X’-mas spirit!
Cheers & Ho! Ho! Ho! from Oxford!
Tom Merritt the Doppelganger
**********
Hello Buzz Crew,
I have just listened to a recent episode in which you talked about the
proposed Internet censorship in Australia and I have to say the proposal
is far worse than what is commonly reported in the media. Wikileaks
disclosed the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s blacklist
of prohibited websites a few months ago. It turns out that the list
contains perfectly legal websites including that of a political group
http://www.somebodythinkofthechildren.com/acma-blacklist-leaked-contains-legal-websites/
Despite this controversy I am shamed to say that my Government went
ahead with it’s planned trial of Internet filtering. However after the
trial ended Stephen Conroy refused to release the official report. We
can only speculate as to why, but he did however provide information and
consultation to just one political party, The Australian Christian Lobby
which has been lobbying very hard in support of the censorship proposal.
No doubt they have allot of agendas they would like to see filled by the
new regime. As a strong supporter of free-speech I find this deeply
worrying. Once a filter is in place every morally bankrupt organization
and individual will be able to apply pressure to have anything they
personally don’t like, blocked.
http://greensmps.org.au/content/media-release/conroy-must-explain-why-christian-lobby-gets-net-filtering-trial-update-greens
Thanks & keep up the good work.
~Dan
Perth, Australia
**********
Jason H., Jason H., and Jason H.,
In episode 1126 you talked about Chrome versus Firefox. I have to stay that I would completely switch over to Chrome, it loads faster, is a smoother GUI, and loads pages faster, except that Firefox dowloads things faster. Out here we have a bandwidth shortage, and I end up surfing with Chrome and then copying the URL to Firefox to download things. It’s frustrating. If Chrome/Google get better download performance then I’ll be won over.
Nathaniel Miller on deployment in Afghanistan. Love the show.
V/R
**********
Hey Buzz Crew,
I don't know if any of you have been paying attention, but with all of the discussion of Verizon and AT&T's 3G coverage, it seems that T-Mobile's progress has been overlooked. T-Mobile is currently adding 3G coverage at a rate of one new city every 1.5 days, with a goal of having 3G available to two-thirds of the US population by the end of 2009. They are also deploying everywhere at 7.2 Mbps, putting them at the top in terms of 3G speed. They also plan to have broad access to HSPA+ (21 Mbps) by mid-2010.
Right now they certainly don't have the largest 3G network, but they sure are bringing their own online very quickly.
List of Cities added recently:
http://forums.t-mobile.com/t5/Coverage/3G-Launches/td-p/236602
Network Expansion Information:
http://forums.t-mobile.com/t5/Coverage/3G-Expansion-amp-HSPA/td-p/254526
-Doug the Software Developer
Just like the LG Watch, we are a 21st century product for the 21st century consumer. Which means we exist now for people who exist now. Sigh. Ryan Block of Gdgt joins us to talk about an algorithm to steal your Social Security number and how Gmail finally came outta beta! Yay! Bad times and good times all in one. Now if only we could get those implants for cell phones. In our neck people, in our neck!
Listen now: Download today's podcast
Subscribe now: iTunes (audio) | iTunes (video) | RSS (audio) | RSS (video)
| EPISODE 1013 |
Gdgt
http://www.gdgt.com/
New algorithm guesses SSNs using date and place of birth
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/07/social-insecurity-numbers-open-to-hacking.ars
Google Apps shed beta label
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10280473-2.html
Palm Pre hitting U.K., Ireland, Germany and Spain by Christmas
http://www.slashgear.com/palm-pre-hitting-uk-ireland-germany-spain-by-christmas-0748655/
Sprint offers a Netbook for under a buck. Will ATandT and Verizon follow?
http://jkontherun.com/2009/07/06/cheap-netbook-from-sprint/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10280886-94.html
Sony Viao W: the actual Sony Netbook
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2349770,00.asp?kc=PCRSS03069TX1K0001121
LG Watch really coming!
http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/07/07/lg-to-finally-sell-that-dumb-phone-watch-for-2000/
Microsoft opens Hohm to energy monitoring
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10280237-54.html
Toyota going whole hog on plug-in hybrids by 2012
http://www.reuters.com/article/earth2Tech/idUS23679304520090706
VW to sell electric car by 2013
http://motoring.asiaone.com/Motoring/News/Story/A1Story20090706-153053.html
McDonald's to charge electric vehicles
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/07/green-mcdonalds-installs-electric-vehicle-charging-stations/
Haystack, anti-censorship tool specifically for users in Iran, to launch soon.
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/07/06/haystackanticensor.html
Facebook's own estimates show declining student numbers; now more grandparents than high school users
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebooks_own_estimates_show_youth_flight_from_sit.php
Sprint to preload bar code reader on Samsung Exclaim: a first for a U.S. carrier
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/ScanLife/Exclaimpreload/prweb2611374.htm
Voice mail
Mike the Sales Guy to potential sponsors
E-mail
Hi Buzz Crew,
Just wanted to remind you that there is a very special time occurring
tomorrow.
12:34:56 7/8/9
The only time this occurs this century. Unless, of course you follow
the d/m/y standard. Then YOUR special time will occur on August 7th!
Thought Tom, in particular would appreciate this!
Can you recommend an online clock site that has the time/date
displayed in that format?
Shove the low!
Todd in PEI Canada (where I will experience my special second 4
hours before you do in SF!)
***********
Hello Tom and various rotating Buzzing hosts,
I just might have an extreme solution to getting those pesky LinkedIN profiles deleted ... The next time I am over at my Data Center I will see if I can hook a cable off the LinkedIN server farm in the cage next to mine and when the guy comes over to fix it I will hold him hostage until we get some deletions.
Peper 'PKTHerder'
The Packet Herder from Denver
(Pronounced like Pepper ... and no I am not a Dr., I was not a Sgt, I don't have a lonely heart, I don't belong to club or a band, and my wife's name nor nickname does not happen to be salt, however, my family does have a six pack of Dr. Pepers. ... Wouldn't you like to be a Peper too?)
If both of them get you free Wi-Fi, which one would you rather have? Also in the news today, Google's Street View team doesn't care for a little turnabout, the patent process gets smarter thanks to the Web, and IMDB is now delivering movies and TV. Yeah, really. Maybe we're the only ones who thought it was weird. With special guest, Leo Laporte!
Listen now: Download today's podcast
| EPISODE 810 |
IMDb now serves full-length videos
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13515_3-10042280-26.html
Everyone but Apple joins new 'buy once, play anywhere' group
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080915-everyone-but-apple-joins-new-buy-once-play-anywhere-group.html
Google audio search graduates to lab project
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10042536-93.html
T-Mobile’s Google-based phone nears
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122150409898737579.html
Street View operatives object to being snapped
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/16/street_view_crew_privacy/
Zune 3.0 to debut with ‘extra value meal’
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10042174-75.html
Program brings Web’s collective wisdom to patent process
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/09/15/crowdsourcing.patents.ap/index.html
Porn passed over as Web users become social: author
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080916/wr_nm/internet_book_life_dc
VOICE MAIL
Lorenzo
What about Best Buy Digital Download service?
Kyle
Trapped in Facebook hell!
Wally: I had a thought about why Podcaster was not allowed on the app store. I think the reason Podcaster was denied is not for the reason we think it is. When Apple said it was because “it duplicates iTunes Functionality”, I think they meant in a literal sense. If you think about this, the majority of podcasts are delivered as MP3’s. What format have the majority of online music stores been offering their music.. MP3.. All these online music stores would need to do to bypass the mobile iTunes store is give you a free RSS feed and a Web interface (either within Podcaster or their own modified variant). That’s exactly how Podcaster would duplicate mobile iTunes functionality.
Hey guys, I head you talking about Podcaster on the last episode and realized this was an application that I had to have in my collection. I knew it was asking for donation and figured I'd give it a whirl, see how well it worked, and maybe throw them $5 or $10. I went through the process of getting in the “Ad Hoc” network of the application and after receiving confirmation I was told I had to “donate” $10 before I could even try the application. I refuse to support developers who force donations down your throat to access their apps. I have donated multiple times to developers who just ask for it, as well as tried to donate to the iPhone Dev Team. In my humblest of opinions, forcing a “donation” out of your users is just as bad if not as worse as Apples literally shady confirmation process. Anyway, keep up the show, and I love the more regular occurrence of guest hosts.
~Jacob “The Under Appreciated Nerd” Tapp Phoenix, Ariz.
Hi JaMoTo (and appropriate suffix for whomever your additional co-host is),
In regards to Google’s plans to sail away from international law, I can understand how the idea that Google being above the law would be quite scary. They already have unprecedented control over our private data and although they currently do not have a remit to utilize it, this could change in the future.
However, for me there is one plus side to their potential untouchability. Being based in international waters would mean that the U.S. government would not be able to demand that Google hand over my (and your) private information under any counter-terrorist (or other) guise.
Is it wrong to trust Google more than the U.S. government? At least Google doesn’t care what I “shop privately” for.
Transatlantic love for the show,
Andrew the Medical Student from London
Hey Buzz people that are in studio today,
I’m writing in reference to episode 809 when you were talking about AT&T U-verse. U-Verse uses what is referred to as FTTN or “Fiber to the Node” in which, fiber is run to a node, and then from the node, users are connected by traditional copper cabling, thus limiting the potential throughput. Specifically, U-Verse isn’t really true fiber, its VDSL which stands for Very High Bitrate DSL.
This is completely different from Fios which offers FTTP, or “Fiber to the Premises”, which is a direct fiber line to your home. This is typically much faster and more reliable of a connection, and its what we think about when we think about fiber connections. The difference is, of course, that Fios or Fiber to the Premises, in general is extremely expensive in the “last mile”, and fiber to the node is relatively cheap in comparison, because the last mile is solved by traditional cabling that probably already exists or is much cheaper to roll out overall.
Also, the last statement Verizon made is that they do not plan on throttling or limiting Fios, so we’ll see how that works out, I hope they don’t. They really have no reason to, at least for a while. Their last mile problem is basically solved.
Hope that helps clear that up,
Love the show,
Max
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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. 
