Buzz Out Loud 948: Cyborg vs. mutants

Seeing how the cyborg is real and the mutants are not, I think the cyborg will win this. Yes the cyborg is real. He's a filmmaker with only one eye so he figured he'd put a camera in the empty socket. For now it's only a red LED, but soon it will be a camera. Also Apple gets sued over touch tech and Africa gets fiber cables to it's shores.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

EPISODE 948

Apple sued over touchscreen
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123920026450801313.html

Costing Africa’s new cable ties
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7987812.stm

All music services now have variable pricing
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13526_3-10214556-27.html
http://arstechnica.com/media/news/2009/04/variable-music-pricing-comes-to-amazon-lala-rhapsody-too.ars

FCC begins work on national broadband plan
http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2009/04/08/2655965-fcc-gets-going-on-national-broadband-plan

Kindle owners stage e-book price protest
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10214054-1.html

Blind readers protest Authors Guild
http://www.gearlog.com/2009/04/amazon_kindle_has_the_blind_se.php

Report: Spies hacked into U.S. electricity grid
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10214898-54.html

Circuit City.com not as dead as the brick and mortar version http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/04/07/circuitcitycom-to-relaunch-in-the-coming-weeks/

Corsair’s ultra speedy 256GB SSD sneaks out, hits the bench http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/08/corsairs-ultra-speedy-256gb-ssd-sneaks-out-hits-the-bench/

The new TV remote: Your bare hand?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10214415-1.html

Filmmaker prepares for in-head camera implant
https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/AheadoftheCurve/story?id=7279999&page=1

Riiflex Wiimote weights up for pre-order
http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/08/riiflex-wiimote-weights-up-for-pre-order/

VOICEMAIL

Jason in Cincy Mutant Chronicles seems to be pre-releasing their movie

Chris in St. Louis About Natali’s camera.

*****
E-MAIL

Hi Buzz Crew -

I thought I’d share this with everyone. I noticed yesterday that after Apple’s announcement that the iTunes Music Store is now 100% iTunes Plus that I still had over 350 tracks that have not been flagged for the $.30 update. According to Apple Support in the thread below, there are several reasons for this.

Now, it makes sense to me that free downloads might not be eligible but I was particularly dismayed to learn that songs that have: “… been modified from the original file that you purchased,” I can’t get an upgrade. On this point, Apple said “When a file has been modified, such as a replacement for a corrupt file, the original is no longer accessible and the iTunes Store does not recognize the two files as being the same.”

This is really annoying and unfair. In my library this affects about 250 tracks to which Apple offered me 10 free downloads.

Best,

Peter in Seattle

*****

Hey Buzz Crew,

On yesterdays show you had an email about the MLB app for iPhone
regarding streaming video. You were postulating about possible
technologies in the 3.0 firmware that would allow for this to happen,
such as Flash. In fact during the 3.0 firmware announcement Apple
actually specifically mentioned a new Video Streaming framework for
developers to use in their apps, and even brought ESPN up to demo
their sports app using the technology.

If I were a betting man, I’d wager that MLB is already working with
the Beta SDK to incorporate live streaming video into the MLB at Bat
09 app. Unfortunately, given MLB’s history, i’d also bet that they
will be using the new in app purchase functionality to charge extra
for this feature when it is available (obviously after the 3.0
firmware release sometime this summer).

Kind Regards,
Nick the Software Engineer from Boston

*****

Hi Tom/Jason/Nat/Random Rotating Host

Regarding MLB.tv, it's a shame Grant (emailer on episode 947) didn't have a good user experience. I did want to clarify though that the top streaming option is in fact 720p30 (1280×720 at 30 fps). However you have to be able to reliably stay connected to that feed in order to enjoy it - if your bandwidth doesn't maintain enough speed to maintain the connection, then yes, you will get dropped down to a lower resolution and lower data rate. This isn't MLB cheating you, it's just them trying to maintain your viewer experience by dropping the quality down to match your needs. In full disclosure I've worked closely with the MLB team for 2 years now on their Live (and this year VOD) video options, but I'm not trying to shill for them here, just set straight the options they are offering.

Andy B

*****

Dear BOL -

I was hungry. So, I pulled out my mobile phone and searched for a McDonald's. The phone checked my Google and Microsoft health records, and advised that based on the medicines I had recently picked up at CVS, perhaps I should consider Subway instead of McDonald's. I agreed, and it gave me directions to the nearest Subway.

It was a beautiful day, so I decided to walk instead of driving my GM/Segway Puma. I copied some songs I recently discovered on Yahoo's music service (and purchased from Amazon's MP3 store) to my phone, and listened to them on my A2DP headset. The onboard directions only interrupted the music occasionally to give me turn-by-turn walking directions (wait, are turn-by-turn directions even allowed on this phone?).

Upon arrival, my phone said that based on the pedometer data it received from my DSi, I had earned enough "fitness credits" to qualify for double meat on my sub - what a wonderful reward! I ordered and paid for lunch from my phone, and even splurged and bought a cookie for dessert. My phone scolded me for this decadence by immediately fattening my Mii, then automatically interfaced with CVS to pre-order an insulin refill. It then automatically tweeted my lunch details to Natali.

This technology is terrific! Thanks for the always-wonderful show.

/John in Fairfax