Buzz Out Loud Podcast

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

Listen now: Download today's podcast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EMAIL
Hey Buzz Crew,

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

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

Just thought I’d let you guys know.

Love the show,

Josh Da Silva

**********

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

Chris Johnson
Arlington, Massachusetts

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

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

Listen now: Download today's podcast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

E-MAIL
Buzz Crew:

Thank you.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gratefully,

Jim in San Jose

**********

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

**********

Hi, Buzz folks,

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

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

Facebook's changing its privacy policy, and Molly and Rafe predict there will be groups. I don't think anyone cares about regional groups, but hey, I could be wrong. We also talk about why Steve Jobs personally approved an app that currently doesn't work. And Richard comes up with a brilliant idea for the future of news.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Google alters news indexing to accommodate pay walls
http://www.pcworld.com/article/183526/google_alters_news_indexing_to_accommodate_pay_walls.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/technology-media-telco-SP/idUSGEE5B11Y120091202

AT&T customer satisfaction tanks
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/120209-att-customer-satisfaction.html?hpg1=bn

AT&T gives up on Verizon ad lawsuit
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-10407717-266.html

New Facebook privacy controls just weeks away
http://www.pcworld.com/article/183505/
http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=190423927130

Sprint fed customer GPS data to cops over 8 million times
http://arstechnica.com/telecom/news/2009/12/sprint-fed-customer-gps-data-to-leos-over-8-million-times.ars
http://paranoia.dubfire.net/2009/12/8-million-reasons-for-real-surveillance.html
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/12/gps-data

TomTom aggregates anonymous driver speeds; compiles list of most congested cities
http://richdemuro.com/tomtom-aggregrates-anonomous-driver-speeds-co

Google wants to eliminate drivers
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10407264-1.html

Web giants unite against Digital Britain copyright bill
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8390623.stm

Steve Jobs intervenes, approves Knocking streaming-video app
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/12/steve-jobs-intervenes-approves-knocking-streaming-video-app.ars

After Apple agreement, Psystar officially halts sales of clone Macs
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/12/02/after_apple_agreement_psystar_officially_halts_sales_of_clone_macs.html

Black screen of death not a Microsoft issue after all
http://www.prevx.com/blog/141/Windows-Black-Screen-Root-Cause.html

Dane, who ripped his DVDs, demands to be arrested under DRM law
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/12/01/dane-who-ripped-his.html

VOICE MAIL
Richard from California has an idea for CNN

E-MAIL
Google phone a certainty?I think they are right… But noting the way many people think. HTC
made the last google developer phone and in doing so got access to the
source code for 1.0 very early. This almost forced a partnership on
the G1. Simmilarly google is essentially forced to work with a
particular manufacture every launch in ever generation ( i.e. Droid
2.0). I would argue that in an attempt to not be “evil” that the phone
they launch is a developer version that will allow them to more
tightly control a symultainous launch. Thier current version is a bit
dated.

Making thier own consumer phone bypassing both hardware partners AND
wireless carriers is risky and potentially evil. Specifically given
that they have advertised this project as an open project.

Wallace R. Fanning

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

Listen now: Download today's podcast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

VOICE MAIL
Anonymous – how Bing is gaining share

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

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

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

JoshuaCaleb

**********

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

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

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

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

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

**********

Hi everybody,

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

Love the show – Chris

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/

IBM is working on an artificial brain they think they'll have done by 2019. And we figure once that happens, the robots will rise and we will become your pets. And like cats we'll think that we're in charge. In other news, Modern Warfare 2 beats Harry Potter to a pulp, and Verizon and AT&T are a'courting! Actually they're in court. Being sued.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Modern Warfare 2 tops entertainment industry, not just games
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10797_3-10400394-235.html

Google-branded phone coming early next year?
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/18/google-branded-phone-coming-early-next-year/

Chrome OS demo event tomorrow
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-10400012-265.html

Azure goes live in January, paying customers in February.
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/11/microsoft-azure-to-go-live-january-for-pay-february.ars

“Map for That” campaign goes to court today
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/2009-11-18-att18_ST_N.htm

Did feds uncover most successful Web scam ever?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10399880-93.html

T-Mobile says workers sold customer data
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10400213-245.html

Microsoft: mobile apps aren’t important
http://www.electronista.com/articles/09/11/17/ms.ozzie.claims.mobile.apps.secondary/

Ordnance Survey maps to go online
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8366190.stm

No More Yahoo Go for TV
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/18/yahoo_go_gone/

Computing rivaling human brain may be ready by 2019
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10400362-52.html

VOICE MAIL
Tone on MW2

Ben the Canadian gets pushy

E-MAIL
Hey Buzz crew..
Your discussion of social viewing on NBC.com’s Communicator, had me yelling at my Zune HD, yes it looked wierd. Anyway, I was yelling because I do this on CBS.com now. CBS.com has watch and chat rooms on the site, in flash! I have some old college roommates and we are all NCIS, so when NCIS is showing in one of the rooms we make a point to head in to it, and chat about it. We like it!

Last thing, about Rupert and paying for news, does he intend on putting his Cable news sites behind a pay wall? If not then this plan of his won’t effect me since I get most of my news from the website of his cable channels..Although i do pay for the Wall Steet Journal online since it's cheaper than the Kindle edition of it.
Love the Show,
Stephen
Charlotte, Nc

PS
Love my Sprint 4G!

**********

Hey Buzz crew,

Haven’t listened to Ep. 1108 yet, so you may have reported on this already, but the town of Coshocton, Ohio has their Wifi back:

http://consumerist.com/5407138/free-muni-wifi-back-after-mpaa-shut-it-down-for-1-download

Consumerist links to this story:

http://www.coshoctontribune.com/article/20091117/NEWS01/911170301/1002/Downtown-Wi-Fi-connection-back-on

FYI: the town name is pronounced Cah – shock – ton.

Keep on keepin’ on.

Tim
Dublin, OH.

**********

Hi all in Buzzington,
Several days ago you reported on that 60 minutes story about hackers taking down the Brazilian power grid. This report was later proven to be false. Well, maybe they were just telling the truth ahead of time. According to Slashdot, a group of hackers were inspired by the 60minute story and actually did hack into the Brazilian power operator using an SQL injection.

It’s times like these when I wonder if the world wouldn’t be a better place if we all just kept our mouths shut.

Love the show,
JoshuaCaleb

P.S. Don’t know if caught my mention of it in the chat room yesterday Tom, but I finally got Digital City to introduce themselves….halfway through the show.

**********

Hey Buzz Crew,

I’m writing regarding episode 1107 where Molly said she would be willing to pay for a great newspaper aggregatation service. I remember hearing about such a thing a couple of months ago at a site called pressdisplay.com . They have newspapers from all over the world including (for Tom) the International Herald Tribune, The Washington Post and hundreds of others. Also, they have different subscription plans ranging from a pay as you read option to a monthly unlimited option. Just wanted to shed some light on this service for those who want to read the newspaper online. Love, the, show!

Miguel in San Francisco.

PS:They have a mobile site to access your subscriptions on your smartphone.

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