Buzz Out Loud Podcast

LG announced that Orange in the U.K. will have the exclusive rights to sell the watch phone. But will anyone who isn't a d-bag want one? We discuss. We also get excited about RIM bringing full Flash to its phones. And Jason forgets how Tom's mind works.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

MySpace buys iLike and turns off automusic play on profiles
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10313405-36.html
http://www.appscout.com/2009/08/myspace_halts_instant_music_st.php

RIM planning on including full Flash and Silverlight support in browser
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/08/19/rim-planning-on-including-full-flash-and-silverlight-support-in-browser/

Orange gets exclusive rights to LG Watch Phone
http://newsroom.orange.co.uk/2009/08/20/orange-brings-the-watch-phone-exclusively-to-the-uk/

Twitter may have been denied patent for Tweet
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10313566-2.html

Ford EV’s will talk to the grid
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2009/08/fords-plug-in-hybrids-will-talk-to-electrical-grid.ars

Besieged by attacks, AT&T dumps celebrity hacker
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/19/att_dumps_kevin_mitnick/

Rural broadband = more jobs, better salaries
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/08/rural-broadband-more-jobs-better-salaries.ars

The Myth of the Isolated Kernel Hacker
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/08/20/1342223/The-Myth-of-the-Isolated-Kernel-Hacker?from=rss

NASA probe blasts 461 gigabytes of moon data daily
http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/08/20/1233258/NASA-Probe-Blasts-461-Gigabytes-of-Moon-Data-Daily

Forget doctors. Is there a laptop on board?
http://gizmodo.com/5341675/random-dude-with-a-laptop-called-up-to-cockpit-to-help-pilots-plot-a-new-course

Buzz Out Loud: The novel
http://socialnomics.net/

Vote for Buzz Out Loud at SXSW 2010
http://www.cnet.com/8301-19709_1-10311505-10.html

VOICE MAIL
Mike the Linux Developer – Why ARM is a bad idea for Linux

Dwight on URL shorteners. So what if they go belly up?

E-MAIL
Heys guys,

In episode 1044, you guys talked about the new PS3 slim. But for owners of the 1st and 2nd gen PS3, there is more reason to hold on to their chunkier PS3s. Even those looking to buy a new PS3, if you can, get the 1st or 2nd gen models. Here’s why:
The older models have 4, instead of just 2 USB ports. They even have SACD and built-in flash card readers, something the slim lacks. But most importantly they have either the Emotion Engine or Software Emulation to play PS2 discs, something new PS3 models like the slim can’t do. Also, the option to install Linux has been removed. And there’s just something about having a large shiny imposing PS3 that you simply can’t get with the smaller PS3.

The slim is more energy efficient though and you do get HDMI-CEC Bravia sync.

Devin from Sunny Curacao,
please mention my site: thenokiaguide.com

**********

Hi guys,

I dont understand you making this big deal about the artificial DNA.
This is complete useless for crimescenes. Why would anyone create fake
DNA to frame someone, when every person loses endless DNA-samples
every minute. Just get in someones Car or House and you have His DNA.
Or simpler – just touch him on His shoulder or wait Till He is
Standing up from a chair and you have REAL DNA. Unlike tom said, found
dna was never a sure thing – the framing issue was always there.

Bottom line : in court, fake dna changes nothing.

Lts

Alex from austria

**********

Hey ballers,

You want cheap windows 7? How about free? For all you students out there, many universities are signed up with MSDN Academic Alliance (http://www.msdnaa.net/search/schoolsearch.aspx) – this is a repository of microsoft software, including the windows 7 RTM, which you can get for nothing. I think whatever currency you convert that into, it’s going to stay pretty cheap. (You can also gain access to this by buying an IEEE membership, which is only $15.)
It’s a pretty sweet deal, and most people who have access to it have no idea it exists.
Spread the word,

Helen from NZ

The Zune HD is coming in colors. But none of them are brown. And do you really care? We also talk about the ePub format. Will it change the landscape of eBook publications? And also, while we're at it, how the heck should we express fuel efficiency in electric cars? So many questions. At least Kernels are now bug-proof.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

China backs off Green Dam
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125013563611828325.html

Now we know what colors the Zune HD will be available in
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/13/zune-hd-color-options-revealed-in-pre-order-email/

Sony adopts common ePub format
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/technology/internet/13reader.html?_r=1

The Chevy Volt mpg claim was nutty, but Nissan can top that
http://blog.caranddriver.com/nissan-leaf-bests-the-volt-with-367-mpg-fuel-economy-estimate-or-does-it/

DoE will have 100 Gbps Ethernet
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,1000000085,39712622,00.htm

NICTA kernel-proof can make software safer and more reliable
http://www.theengineer.co.uk/Articles/312631/Safer+software.htm

Dell: Linux versus Windows Netbook returns a ‘non-issue’
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/12/dell_reality_linux_windows_netbooks/

NASA asteroid-tracking program stalled due to lack of funds
http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2009/08/nasa-asteroid-tracking-program-stalled-due-to-lack-of-funds.ars

Les Paul, inventor of modern electric guitar, dead at 94
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/08/13/les-paul-guitar-legend-dead-at-94/

Voice mail
Kevin calls back about his check-writing

Tommy in Kingston

Dan has good idea for robot development

E-mail
I ran across this site http://www.listenerdrivenradio.com/ and
thought I'd pass it on to you guys. The concept is that listeners
interact directly with the radio stations automation system to play
the songs people want to hear. It brings crowdsourcing to radio. Being
a radio engineer this was of interest to me. The system covers the big
name social media outlets and adds a website widget that can be posted
on any website, even text messaging when your favorite songs come on
the air. They even boast an iphone app that lets people vote on the
next song to be played and listen to an audio stream on the iphone.
Anyway keep up the good work.

Jonathan Bowen

**********

Hey buzz crew,

I have an opinion on why some companies might not want to show off their prototypes and early demo models. In projects that I have worked on in the past we have used additional debug tools and command line execution in test releases. It seems possible that marketing would get a hold of a product with similar implementations.

If this is the case they wouldn’t want the slower response time to be documented. It is also possible they wouldn’t want reviewers to accidentally tap a debug button, or a button they know darn well that either doesn’t work or will crash the device.

Keep up the great work,

Brad the Minneapolis programmer

**********

Hey buzz crew, now this may not seem relevant to the podcast but I’ve been noticing recently since I’ve started experimenting with garage band how common it is for podcasts to use garage band song samples (if that’s even what you call them). I started listening to a few of them and was like “oh that’s the buzz out loud theme” and then “oh that’s the hotspot theme”. So why is this; is it because these samples are cheaper or better?

Thanks for presumably answering my stupid question
Ben Parker
Alameda

Teflon Don reveals that he is well, entirely coated in Teflon. But we still don't know if the iPhone 3GS is. So if you know, tell us. We also discuss how Twitter could improve its home page and why the AP just doesn't get it.

Episode 1026

Palm Pre WebOS 1.1.0 available, fixes iTunes sync

Microsoft's code contribution due to GPL violation

Twitter to revamp home page for the masses

AP cracks down on unpaid use of articles on Web

ISP cuts off suspected pirates without warning

Bezos apologizes for Kindle 1984 redaction

LongBox aims to be iTunes for comic books

Microsoft changes "Laptop Hunters" ad after Apple complains

Wireless power system shown off

$2 million NASA power beaming challenge heating up

Cambrionix 49-port USB hub for professional nerds (thanks virgilio corrado)

Bing's June bump won't be enough to take significant share from Google according to JP Morgan analysts. Of course, analysts will say anything anyway. And apparently so will we. It's kind of a complaining podcast today, but we do find a shining example of good at the end.

EPISODE 1018

Netflix rises on speculation of Amazon.com buyout

Verizon to start it's own app store
http://gigaom.com/2009/07/13/verizon-to-mobile-developers-can-you-hear-me-now/
http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/13/verizon-to-its-smartphones-thou-shalt-have-no-other-app-store-b/

RIM Launching A BlackBerry social network for venting tomorrow
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/13/rim-launching-a-blackberry-social-network-for-venting-tomorrow/

Windows Marketplace taking app submissions on July 27, coming to WinMo 6.0 and 6.1 later this year
http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/14/windows-marketplace-taking-app-submissions-on-july-27-coming-to/

JP Morgan survey shows Bing won't gain much against Google
http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-survey-confirms-bing-will-bomb-2009-7
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10285524-2.html

U.K., not North Korea, source of DDOS attacks, researcher says
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9135492/U.K._not_North_Korea_source_of_DDOS_attacks_researcher_says

First portable HD Radio on the way, and it's cheap
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10284790-1.html

Swiss Postal Service lets users check snail mail online
http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2009/07/swiss-postal-service-lets-users-check-snail-mail-online.ars

NASA has the lost tapes
http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/07/13/2342220/NASA-Has-the-Lost-Tapes

Photos: Paws-on with the Pet's Eye View Cam
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/gadgets/0,39029552,49302958,00.htm
http://www.mr-lee-catcam.de/cc_index_en.htm

Make sure to check out Dan Lueders' remix of "In The Chatroom" at the end of today's episode! It's pretty awesome.

VOICE MAIL
Ted in Farmington on how downloading could show as streaming

Jim the SysAdmin on Google's plan

E-MAIL
Hey Buzz Crew!

Molly, this is specially for you. On his last encyclical letter, Pope Benedict XVI talked about the "unduly rigid assertion of the right to intellectual property, especially in the field of health care."

In a way, it's a holy rant... check it out:

http://www.keionline.org/blogs/2009/07/07/pope-ipr/
http://legalpad.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/07/things-the-pope-doesnt-like-poverty-injustice-ip-lawyers.html
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate_en.html

All the best,

Henrique from Brazil

**********

Hi Buzz Crew,

Long time, first time. I was just listening to your audio podcast today and you reported a story where 6 out of 10 corporations don't plan to migrate to Windows 7. Tom specifically mentioned Intel as still being on Windows XP. I am an Intel employee and I can confirm that we had a pilot program for Vista but our IT department decided not to go through with the migration for several reasons (security issues, hardware requirements etc.) We had a couple of members of our group participate in the pilot and they couldn't stand it. During meetings the Vista people were always a few minutes behind the rest of us because it took them that much longer to come out of sleep mode, collaboration was nightmare for them as well (Live Meeting and Sharepoint were hit or miss on Vista). Bottom line, I believe we still use XP because it just works. I haven't heard anything about migrating to 7 anytime soon, will keep you posted if I do.

Love. The. Show.

Anonymous Intel ASIC Designer

P.S. Tom, cheer up! You'll get sponsors any day now.

**********

Dear Buzz Out Loud,

I just finished listening to epsiode 1017 and i am truly sickened by your continuous criticism, pot shots, and negative comments towards the blu-ray format, sony's playstation 3 game console, and apple's iphone as well as other products. I understand as well as anyone that companies often make stupid decisions, boneheaded moves, and other poor choices. Sony's game marketing in itself is a tragedy. They have at least ten (10) potential million+ selling games but only three to four will ever sell to that level due to poor marketing. if the Playstation 3 had Microsoft's marketing they would be on the heels of the Wii in sales by now.

The reason i write though is that the extent to which you all HARP on the negatives is just too much. Nearly every week (if not every other day) you heap more criticism on top of the mountain that you have already created. Natali and Molly are especially guilty. I doubt that they even reasearch into, inquire about, or ever use a PS3 to even be knowledgeable about it. I fear that they just repeat what they hear others say without ever verifying the information... much like a lazy and ignorant parrot would.

I admit that i love the Playstation 3 because of the incredible amount of features that it has. And it does irritate me, not that you criticize the console, but that you do it while omitting, skimming over, or rationalizing the faults of its competing products and even the console's strengths. For example Molly trashes the PS3 because it costs $100 more than the midrange xbox 360 pro but actually justified the additional xbox live yearly fee as a "cost as a online gaming." For her it may be something she pays for without a second thought, however after five years that very xbox live membership costs the same as a Wii and listeners should be made aware of that additional cost when they listen to a technology journalist (who we are told by CNET is both objective and knowledgable) compare the two consoles.

Also you fail to mention that the PS3's hard drive can be upgraded with any off the shelf laptop hard (2.5" SATA) which is an incredible strength in terms of storage costs of the limited Xbox 360 options. Playtv allows the PS3 to act as a digital video recording device even while you are playing a game (currently avilable in Europe and possibly Asia). Remote Play allows PSP owners to access data and even play select games on the PS3 from any wireless hotspot anywhere in the world. Each point is a significant strength kept from listeners by Buzz out Loud and also CNET. Please note that keeping information away from the public is the opposite of respected journalism.

Since you all are so well adept at creating criticism though i challenge you to curb (or even shut down) the criticism until you can create a better portable high definition storage (i.e. blu-ray) format, or game console with online network, or even the perfect smartphone. You do not even have to create a physical product... just make the design and technical specifications for one that could be built. I really would like to see and hear your ideas. Then you could post the designs on your Buzz out Loud web site and have audience members vote on the best and also comment on them. Then you could show those companies how you are so much smarter than they are. I am sure that they would appreciate the education.

I certainly hope that your audience is more merciful on your work than you have been to the companies whose actual products you criticize.

Best Wishes,
-Playstation fanboy Raf (not Rafe)

P.S. I will not be surprised if you choose no to create because it is always easier to criticize than to create. That is why despite all of Molly's rants she will never change the world for the better. that is because it takes more than just hot air to make things better!

**********

Hey Tom,

About Episode 1017 and Blu Ray Players. I have actually read that Blu Ray is way up. EngadgetHD has several reports on this. Way back in January they reported that compared to the original rate of DVD adoption, Blu Ray is outpacing it 2 to 1 http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/01/06/blu-rays-first-two-years-outpaces-dvds/
They also reported that Blu Ray Player sales were up 72% in the 1st Quarter of 09
http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/05/06/blu-ray-making-greenbacks-sales-up-72-to-start-09/ The fact is the Blu ray player being sold for under a $100 dollars is slow and just isn't very good. Don't take the experience of one Walmart in Wisconsin as the way BluRay is doing everywhere. Blu Ray is doing fine in the US and is doing even better overseas. Love the Show

Steve from Texas

On today's show, we discover that Microsoft is a fine American company that thinks nothing of shafting its highest-paying users or subjecting the entire Internet to multiple episodes of projectile vomiting. And Apple shouldn't be forced by some pissy little upstart to change its perfectly legitimate EULA. And don't even get Cooley STARTED on sending self-replicating nanobots to Mars. Good times all around. Plus: Metrologists!

EPISODE 1010

Microsoft to offer Family Pack for Windows 7 Home Premium
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=1145

Some Vista users say they’re getting the Ultimate shaft
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10277506-56.html

Psystar out of chapter 11 with new Xeon-based models
http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/02/psystar-bounces-back-from-chapter-11-intros-new-high-end-hardwa/

Bing expands its piece of the search market pie in June
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/07/bing-grabs-a-larger-piece-of-the-search-market-pie-in-june.ars

Microsoft chucks vomit ad
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10278063-71.html

Traffic rockets to Twitter site
http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_8129000/8129340.stm

Can Twitter trademark “tweet”?
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/07/will-trademarkhungry-twitter-beat-tweet-to-genericide.html

Firefox 3.5 downloaded 5 million times in first 24 hours
http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/07/firefox-35-downloaded-5-million-times-in-first-24-hours.ars

And it’s the third-fastest browser in the world.
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/software/0,39029471,49302846,00.htm

But Chrome is getting extensions
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10277385-2.html

NASA Suggests Nano Robots To Explore Mars
http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/07/02/138237/NASA-Suggests-Nano-Robots-To-Explore-Mars

VOICEMAIL
Jason in Marietta on Natali’s tax idea.

Poor Anthony

EMAIL
Tom
Hi Buzz Crew,

I smiled as I listened to your discussion on measurements in episode
1008.

Being a metrologist [met-rol-o-gist] or measurement scientist (not
meteorologist, that is weather) it always amazes me that most people
take the measurements that support every facet of their lives for
granted.

Without all the metrologists that go about their jobs each day,
measuring and calibrating everything in the background, in mostly
unseen laboratories, you wouldn’t even be able to get out of bed in
the morning.

Who has the time standards used to set your alarm clock, metrologists.
Who calibrates the scales that were used to make and package your
food, metrologists.
Who calibrates the measurement systems used to generate and monitor
your electric power, metrologists.
Who calibrates the temperature systems for your weather reports,
metrologists.
Who calibrates the liquid flow systems used to measure the gas
(petrol), diesel etc. into your car, Cooley?, metrologists do.
Who calibrates the measurement systems used to make medicines,
metrologists.

I could go on but I think you will see what I am getting at.

While it may sound like a boring job and definitely not a high profile
glamourous job like a podcast host, it is one of those things that
goes on in the background helping to make your day go smoother.

I love my job and while metrologists are only a small group of people
in the scheme of things, I find it tremendously satisfying to know
that what my colleagues and I do, ensures that we all live better lives.

Love the show.

Mark (the metrologist)

PS: See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrology if you want to know
more about metrology.

NASA may have found the lost moon tapes and our best hope is for some kind of remix. Also, Molly tells us all to beware the sticky death roller if we use the dead-fly-powered alarm clock. We also still don't have a sponsor. In case you were curious.

EPISODE 1007

Steve Jobs returns to work as Apple CEO after medical leave (thanks, Nate Lanxon on Twitter!)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aSy0WezEGvvY

Sony considers adding phone to PSP
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10274415-1.html?

Sony begins shipping PCs with Green Dam software installed
http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/vulnerabilities/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=218101773

Google mistook Jackson searches for Net attack
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/06/29/003214/Google-Mistook-Jackson-Searches-For-Net-Attack

Amazon cuts off North Carolina affiliates
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/06/26/172248/Amazon-Cuts-Off-North-Carolina-Affiliates

Keeping news of kidnapping off Wikipedia
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/technology/internet/29wiki.html

Reading machine to snoop on Web
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13639_3-10274435-42.html

Universal phone charger deal done in Europe
http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_8124000/8124293.stm

Lenovo expanding Del and Esc keys, nuking Caps Lock
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/06/28/lenovo-expanding-del.html

Has NASA Found the Lost Moon Tapes?
http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/06/28/186245/Has-NASA-Found-the-Lost-Moon-Tapes

VOICEMAIL
Dance in Boulder on Windows 7

E-MAIL
Dear Buzz Crew:

This is Siavash, alive and yet fighting.
You think airing trilogy of Lord of the Rings is a big thing? The channel 3 is going to AIR the whole Prison Break series, ha? What you have to say about that? I've heard it is 3 episode a day.
This is really stupid, let me tell you something, in Iran we have 7 channels over the air, analog and digital with standard definition, in Tehran less that 50% of people watch the Iranian TV and they mostly watch satellite TV. And most of the people have watched these movies and series on DVD, so who cares that they are aired on TV?
And there are some people like me that never watch Iranian TV. I don't have a antenna for Iran's TV , and I only watch satellite TV.( who chooses watching Mullahs instead of watching MTV?)
My source of movies and series are satellite TV and torrent download (sorry, but no copyright law here and I really love to watch the latest series and movies).
Series like Prison break, Lost, Heroes, Office, Friends, CSI , 90210 , 24 and etc are big hits and everyone watches them in DVD or downloaded Divx.

So, all I'm trying to say is that it does not matter if they air Lord of the Rings or Prison Break, because at least in Tehran no one cares and more than 60% percent or more don't watch any Iranian TV. We can buy a copied DVD for 2$ or an original one for 15$, now I buy BlueRay disks for 30$, why should we care what is one the TV when we can watch it with better quality and no censor?
They are doing anything they can to keep people off the streets but they can't, even one day marathon of Angelina Jolie movies can't do it.

Best Regards

Siavash

**********

It’s not enough that humans gave robots a place to congregate to plan our demise, now we’ve adapted them with the ability to extract fuel from the very nectar of life. All that innocent experimentation with fuel cells that run on blood has led to this, a flesh-eating clock. This prototype time-piece from UK-based designers James Auger and Jimmy Loizeau traps insects on flypaper stretched across its roller system before depositing them into a vat of bacteria. The ensuing chemical reaction, or “digestion,” is transformed into power that keeps the rollers rollin’ and the LCD clock ablaze. The pair offers an alternative design fueled by mice, another contraption whose robotic arm plucks insect-fuel from spider webs with the help of a video camera, and a lamp powered by insects lured to their deaths with ultraviolet LEDs. Man, this is so wrong it has to be right.

Michael

**********

The crew at BOL:

You had a round of derision for english units on the replacement for the
space shuttle. I’m glad to hear that you will be reporting the weight
of netbooks in grams, not pounds. The screen sizes will no longer be in
inches. Your CD’s and DVD’s will no longer be 5 1/2 inches. You won’t
be reporting how many pounds you lost on your last diet, and you will
report that the iPhone masses 0.135 kg instead of weighing 4.8 ounces.

As a practicing engineer (29 years), I have an intuitive understanding
of my designs in inches. I can convert to metric easily when needed,
but I have a storehouse of experience in English units. Unfortunately,
I’m passing that on to newly minted engineers, as well.

Charlie

Yes, as a matter of fact, it IS rocket science.

**********

I know one can’t predict the exact date of any given episode due to holidays, special episodes and what have you, but based on the average number of podcasts per month over year in the 2006 – 2008 period, I believe I can make at least a rough projection. I am greatly anticipating Buzz Out Loud’s Millionth Episode in October of 6120, give or take a decade.

Love the show.
-Mark, the person.

Artists are developing robots that can consume flies and rodents. That means they'll get a taste for flesh. What could go wrong? They come for your butt, that's what. We also take NASA to task, and discuss the effect of Michael Jackson's death on the Internet and what it might mean for future emergencies. All that and some ageism.

EPISODE 1006

News sites swamped following Michael Jackson’s death
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10273325-93.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10273277-93.html

Sony encouraging nongaming apps on the PSP Go
http://kotaku.com/5302722/sony-encouraging-non+gaming-apps-on-the-pspgo

HTC: Hero UI upgrade for existing phones possible, but not on T-mobile USA versions
http://www.mobileburn.com/news.jsp?Id=7352

Google Voice invites on the way
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/google-voice-invites-on-their-way.html

Thumbing Windows 7 onto Netbooks
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10273188-56.html

Iran tries to pacify protesters with "Lord Of The Rings" marathon
http://idle.slashdot.org/story/09/06/25/1535219/Iran-Tries-to-Pacify-Protesters-With-emLord-Of-The-Ringsem-Marathon

Iran Not Blocking Online Games
http://kotaku.com/5302711/iran-not-blocking-online-games

Nielsen recommends not masking passwords
http://it.slashdot.org/story/09/06/25/1856214/Nielsen-Recommends-Not-Masking-Passwords

Buzz Aldrin’s radical plan for NASA
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/air_space/4322647.html?page=1

Gallery: Domestic robots with a taste for flesh
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17372-gallery-domestic-robots-with-a-taste-for-flesh.html

VOICEMAIL
Garrick on kids wanting stuff on demand

E-MAIL
Hi buzz crew. after watching episode 1005 i was wondering since i am looking to buy a new laptop in the summer. if i get the eligibility to get the free upgrade to windows 7, is it possible to not install the upgrade on my new laptop instead install windows 7 to my desktop which is around a year old and is running windows vista ultimate? – Jonathan

**********

Hey buzz crew, Jim Gooch, buzz town Computer Forensics guy here…
Just a quick note concerning the free windows 7 upgrade program.
I’ve put off purchasing 6 computers so that I could get the upgrade today. Much to my
dismay, I was told that I was not eligible for the upgrade program because I was Downgrading
to XP and this was a Microsoft decision. so, defeated, I purchased the computers with
Vista Business and promptly called Microsoft. I was a bit miffed that Microsoft had the
gall to use all the purchases that I have made over the two last years to pad their Vista
“Sales” numbers, then turn around and tell me I had no right to the benefits of purchasing
vista if I didn’t RUN it!?! so, once I was speaking to Microsoft I was informed that Dell was
in fact wrong and that I was entitled to the free upgrade!

Armed with the website:

https://windows7upgradeoption.com/ProgramInformation.aspx

which states:

PCs that are licensed for a Program-eligible Windows Vista edition which have been down-
graded to Windows XP are also eligible for this Program. However, a clean installation of
the upgrade media will be required unless you used recovery media to install the original
Windows Vista edition pre-installed on the PC, in which case you can directly upgrade to
Windows 7.

I was able to reorder the machines with XP and got the free windows 7 upgrade.
props go to “Paul” at Microsoft Pre-Sales support for his help in this.
I thought your listeners might benefit from my plight.

**********

Hey Buzz Crew,

In episode 1004 you reported how NASA will not convert to metric units because of “the cost”. I actually worked on the Constellation program for a few months shortly after graduating college. Almost immediately, I was horrified at what I saw from within NASA’s walls. Logisitically, engineers at NASA and most of their contractors live in the 50’s. There *are* computers present, but they’re in terrible shape and locked down to a point of being almost unusable. To install Linux on a project box I had to wait 3 months for approval from Washington (I worked at the cape), and I quit before I heard anything. In order to pull up engineering specs, you can’t simply view them as a PDF from a database. You need to look up the part number, which is truncated because the system was built the year I was born (literally), make a PHONE CALL down to the document center, put in an order for a printout, and a couple hours later pick up your printout or request them to physically scan it and then send you a PDF. Not only that, but there are major buildings in horrific disrepair, such as the Vehicle Assembly Building.

Sorry for this depressing e-mail, but people need to know about the state of what was once our nation’s crown jewel. NASA needs a major reset. It has a culture that oppressively resists change and technological investment at every opportunity to a point where I believe it actually costs them more money and potentially more lives. If Obama shut NASA’s doors (I hear Brian Cooley cheering) in favor of privatized space flight, such as Space-X, I wouldn’t be surprised nor disappointed.

Love the show!

Mike the surfing chip designer in FL.

Dr. Kiki from This Week in Science joins us to talk tech and science, and we realize that we will all soon wear solar-powered Gundam suits and travel the Earth. That is until they become self-aware and eject us and kill us all. We also take NASA to task and tell you when to get a new Windows PC.

EPISODE 1004

HTC Hero running Android and Sense UI
http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/24/htc-hero-details-begin-leaking-from-htcs-own-website/

China not backing off despite filter code post on Wikileaks
http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2009/06/china-not-backing-off-despite-filter-code-post-on-wikileaks.ars

Comcast, Time Warner team up to control TV on the Internet
http://gigaom.com/2009/06/23/comcast-time-warner-team-up-to-control-internet-video/
http://newteevee.com/2009/06/23/what-you-need-to-know-about-tv-everywhere/

Dutch gov. wants to tax online media to fund print
http://news.slashdot.org/story/09/06/23/1925228/Dutch-Gov-Wants-To-Tax-Online-Media-To-Fund-Print

NIH funding level correlates with lower U.S. mortality rates
http://arstechnica.com/science/2009/06/nih-funding-level-correlates-with-lower-us-mortality-rates.ars

Free Windows 7 won’t last forever
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10271092-56.html

Windows 7 upgrade program nears launch
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10271742-56.html

OLPC Fork Sugar on a Stick goes 1.0
http://news.slashdot.org/story/09/06/24/1243255/OLPC-Fork-Sugar-On-a-Stick-Goes-10

Switching to solar power, one year later
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/09/06/23/191230/Switching-To-Solar-Power-One-Year-Later

Deep in bedrock, clean energy and quake fears
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/business/energy-environment/24geotherm.html?_r=1&ref=science

NASA sticking to Imperial units for shuttle replacement
http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/06/24/1430236/NASA-Sticking-To-Imperial-Units-For-Shuttle-Replacement?from=rss

Jury reports that Steon’s Orbo does not produce free energy
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/06/23/jury-reports-that-st.html

VOICE MAIL
Alex from Europe about the Mercedes E class

Erin from Punxsatawnee on Verizon customers
http://reviews.cnet.com/best-verizon-wireless-phones/?tag=rb_content;contentNav

E-MAIL

Dear Buzz Crew:
I'm OK guys, and today angry, no not they way you might think, I'm angry on the company I love the most and I have spent thousand of dollars buying their products, and loving them, yes, I'm talking to you Nokia.
As you can see on the article below Nokia has sold a monitoring application to Iran's Telecom, for monitoring calls, sms, mms, and internet usage.

http://www.mobile-review.com/fullnews/main/index_eng.shtml#24832

I have read in some other articles that Nokia has said we sold that application on late 2008 and the agreement says it can be used for limited number of users, mostly for security reasons like tracking and finding spy or anything like that, but the Iranian government is using it to monitor everyone's phone, and this is against Nokia's agreement and term of use and Nokia is going to sue Iran's government.
But who knows?
Have a great day

Best Regards

Siavash

NBC and the cable companies are teaming up to make it really annoying for you to watch the Winter Olympics onlione. Brian Cooley sums up their plans well, and it's today's title. We also discuss fiber-eating alien insect and solar power beamed down from space.

EPISODE_952

Episode 952

Amazon ‘adult’ book-delisting fail: Error or troll?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10218626-83.html

Cut fiber line knocks out state courts’ communications
http://www.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/4949649/

Report: KKR, Warburg, others join founders for Skype buyback from eBay http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10218837-93.html

Anchors aweigh: eBay casts off StumbleUpon
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10218418-36.html

BlackBerry consumers experience e-mail outage
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10218474-94.html

Microsoft to start pushing IE 8 browser
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10218185-56.html

Xbox 360’s class-leading warranty extended again to cover E74 errors http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/14/xbox-360s-class-leading-warranty-extended-again-to-cover-e74-er/

PG&E Makes Deal For Solar Power From Space
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/04/14/0317236&from=rss

…meanwhile, in the real world, California Energy Commission moves forward on rules to outlaw some TV’s starting in 2011. CEA, and most mfg’s and retailers hate this. - Energy Efficiency Standards for Televisions
http://www.energy.ca.gov/appliances/tv_faqs.html

Touchstone dock for Palm Pre to run $69.99?
http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/13/touchstone-dock-for-palm-pre-to-run-69-99/

Palm Pre spotted just minding its own business in San Fran?
http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/13/palm-pre-spotted-just-minding-its-own-business-in-san-fran/

NBC Again Will Limit Live Olympic Broadband Coverage To Pay TV Subscribers
http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-nbc-will-limit-live-olympic-broadband-coverage-to-pay-tv-subscribers/

Mitsubishi says its pulling the trigger on electric cars
http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/04-09-2009/0005003663&EDATE=

NASA To Announce Module Name On Colbert Show
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/04/13/1512241

*****

VOICEMAIL

Robert Something doesn’t jive about the Linux numbers

*****

EMAIL

Hey Buzz Peoples,

I remember Tom talking about Virtualization in Windows a few episodes back. I wanted to direct Tom to Microsoft’s new app that should let Windows finally break free from all the legacy apps. MED-V lets you install any program you want and run it seamlessly. If the program can not run on the version of windows that it is installed on it will launch a hidden virtual computer and launch the program for you. The program will run as if it was natively installed on your computer. Paul Thurrott has a great article in it: http://www.winsupersite.com/vista/medv.asp. This should hopefully let Windows get even smaller and speedier.

The Now Recently Layed-Off Mechanical Engineer,

Emiliano

*****

Hi
I just wanted to inform you guys of a couple of things that have been

going on in Belgium. The past couple of months, there has been a lot off

talk about the dangers of riding a bike or walking while listening to your

mp3-player. The assistant-secretary in charge of mobility last week

announced that he had commissioned a report, investigating whether or not

pedestrians and cyclists are indeed not paying enough attention to

traffic when listening to music. He hopes to have this done by the summer

and possibly propose a law against listening to music via headphones

sometime this year.

The organisation of parents who have lost a child due to a traffic

accident came out with a statement today, saying that they believed it

puts these people at a greater risk and it should be against the law.

By the way, the discussion started in all earnest when a teenager was

caught by a train at an railway intersection. The kid was listening to

music, but they seem to forget that he also ignored the lights and had

to slalom past the boom barriers.

Just wanted you to know

love the show

Roel Moeurs

Leuven, Belgium

*****

Hi Buzz Crew -

The caller a couple of days ago brought up Stardock’s Impulse service and it’s GOO technology, but the conversation didn’t reveal the biggest part of this technology and why it may be game-changing for the PC games industry. It essentially allows online-purchased and downloaded PC games to be sold back creating a “used” downloaded games market. Sale proceeds go to the publishing company, with Stardock taking a transaction fee.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-understanding-what-stardocks-goo-means-to-the-used-pc-ga/

From the article:

The super distilled basics (use picture above to follow along):

* Seller: So, you bought a PC game and now want to sell it. You go to the Impulse Marketplace and — if you accept the “used” price — your license will transfer back to the publisher and the game can’t be played anymore. The game is “sold.”

* Buyer: You want a game, but don’t want to pay full price. You go to Impulse Marketplace and will be able to purchase this “used” license from the publisher through the service and download the game from the digital distribution service at a reduced price. That’s it. Now you own the license and can sell it back whenever.

* Publisher: Here’s why publishers will probably like this system: The companies receive almost all the money — minus Stardock’s transaction fee — from the resold license. Essentially, the publishers get to sell the same license several times and have entered theprofitable “used” games market .

Cheers!

Fraggle