Episode 608: Shorter days and longer eyelashes
Turns out the iPhone isn't really tracking your every move. Just most of them. Also today: longer eyelashes made easy!
Molly Wood Former Executive Editor
Molly Wood was an executive editor at CNET, author of the Molly Rants blog, and host of the tech show, Always On. When she's not enraging fanboys of all stripes, she can be found offering tech opinions on CBS and elsewhere, and offering opinions on everything else to anyone who will listen.
4 min read
It turns out the iPhone isn't really tracking your every move. Just most of them. Ok, some of them. It's not a big deal, trust us. In other news, SP3 for XP, Firefox 3 beta, and most importantly, the possible elimination of the leap second. Save the leap second! Also: longer eyelashes made easy.
--Molly
Listen now: Download today's podcast
--Molly
Listen now: Download today's podcast
 | EPISODE 608 |
TODAY'S LINKS:
TODAY'S VOICE MAIL:
Max Fresno
Are game companies mad about price drop?
Are game companies mad about price drop?
Mark Denver
You have Kindled my boredom.
You have Kindled my boredom.
TODAY'S E-MAIL:
The Kindle has so much potential
I love your show, and I think you should work weekends and holidays for my personal enjoyment :)
I was reading about the Kindle on Amazon.com, and I was struck with how much potential the hardware has for a really sweet device.
I might be willing to give up my smart phone and iPod if they would add some services for the Kindle.
Shawn Gordhamer
Apple Valley, Minnesota
I love your show, and I think you should work weekends and holidays for my personal enjoyment :)
I was reading about the Kindle on Amazon.com, and I was struck with how much potential the hardware has for a really sweet device.
- The Kindle can play Audible books, so they could add music support.
- The hardware has EVDO and free access to Wikipedia, so they could add full Internet browsing.
- Amazon is already selling music, so why not open it up to the Kindle. Let it play MP3 files, and let you access the music store right on the Kindle store.
- The device can already auto-download subscription-based newspapers, magazines, and blogs. How about auto-downloading audio-based subscriptions like Buzz Out Loud?
I might be willing to give up my smart phone and iPod if they would add some services for the Kindle.
Shawn Gordhamer
Apple Valley, Minnesota
Kindle email
From the Amazon.com Kindle product page:
Eliminating the need to print, Kindle makes it easy to take your personal documents with you. Each Kindle has a unique and customizable e-mail address. This allows you and your contacts to e-mail Word documents and pictures wirelessly to your Kindle for only 10 cents.
So it's not a POP e-mail reader, and I have to pay 10 cents to send a document to it. Fortunately, it does support USB, so I can skip the charge by just plugging in. So what's the point of the e-mail? And will I get charged for spam?
Mildly interested,
Michael, a software guy from Dallas
From the Amazon.com Kindle product page:
Eliminating the need to print, Kindle makes it easy to take your personal documents with you. Each Kindle has a unique and customizable e-mail address. This allows you and your contacts to e-mail Word documents and pictures wirelessly to your Kindle for only 10 cents.
So it's not a POP e-mail reader, and I have to pay 10 cents to send a document to it. Fortunately, it does support USB, so I can skip the charge by just plugging in. So what's the point of the e-mail? And will I get charged for spam?
Mildly interested,
Michael, a software guy from Dallas
Thoughts on the Kindle
Hey, Buzz Crew-
I thought you might get a kick out of Mark Pilgrim's (famous Python programmer, now with Google) take on Amazon's Kindle.
He does a good job juxtaposing previous Amazon statements about book selling and quotes from 1984 with the Kindle's Terms of Service.
Check it out -
http://diveintomark.org/archives/2007/11/19/the-future-of-reading
Love the show-
Jim
Hey, Buzz Crew-
I thought you might get a kick out of Mark Pilgrim's (famous Python programmer, now with Google) take on Amazon's Kindle.
He does a good job juxtaposing previous Amazon statements about book selling and quotes from 1984 with the Kindle's Terms of Service.
Check it out -
http://diveintomark.org/archives/2007/11/19/the-future-of-reading
Love the show-
Jim
Universities and P2P software
I go to the University of Nevada, Reno, and if you are on campus and have ANY peer-to-peer software installed on your hard drive, and the university finds out, they will take your hard drive and format it. Not kidding. You don't have to be using it, but that's usually the only way that they can find out that you have it. Even if the p2p software isn't sharing anything, they'll nuke your hard drive. INSANE!
Love the show,
Brian from Reno, NV, where it's legal to talk on your cell phone and drive at the same time :)
P.S. Wish me luck on my sinus surgery tomorrow! I'll ask if they can do a chip implant in my brain while they've got me on the table.
Brian
I go to the University of Nevada, Reno, and if you are on campus and have ANY peer-to-peer software installed on your hard drive, and the university finds out, they will take your hard drive and format it. Not kidding. You don't have to be using it, but that's usually the only way that they can find out that you have it. Even if the p2p software isn't sharing anything, they'll nuke your hard drive. INSANE!
Love the show,
Brian from Reno, NV, where it's legal to talk on your cell phone and drive at the same time :)
P.S. Wish me luck on my sinus surgery tomorrow! I'll ask if they can do a chip implant in my brain while they've got me on the table.
Brian
The ISS is not in geosynchronus orbit...
The ISS is not in geosynchronous orbit--it completes an orbit around Earth in ~90 minutes, travelling ~17,500 mph, at an average altitude of ~190-200 statute miles. For geosynchronous orbit, the ISS (or any other thing floatin' out there) would have to be in a much higher orbit--like hundreds of miles higher. For that--the NASA Space Shuttle system (and budget) would be much larger to get all that equipment and crew waaaayyy up there. Basically, the faster you orbit, the lower altitude you can keep.
For more info on the details of the orbital mechanics, I'd ask the wicked-smart Tim the Rocket Scientist in Austin. ;)
Best,
Shalin
The ISS is not in geosynchronous orbit--it completes an orbit around Earth in ~90 minutes, travelling ~17,500 mph, at an average altitude of ~190-200 statute miles. For geosynchronous orbit, the ISS (or any other thing floatin' out there) would have to be in a much higher orbit--like hundreds of miles higher. For that--the NASA Space Shuttle system (and budget) would be much larger to get all that equipment and crew waaaayyy up there. Basically, the faster you orbit, the lower altitude you can keep.
For more info on the details of the orbital mechanics, I'd ask the wicked-smart Tim the Rocket Scientist in Austin. ;)
Best,
Shalin
Firefox bugs
After hearing you tell us Firefox 3 will be released with hundreds of critical bugs, I have a photographic memory of where I was when I heard the news (under a bridge in Earlsfield, London). So this story is double-plus relieving to read over a coffee this morning: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/2007
1119-reports-of-firefox-3-0-bugs-overblown-most-significant-bugs-squashed.html
Also, CNET TV just launched over here. Guess who's doing a music show called "Encoded"...? http://www.cnettv.co.uk
Take it easy, guys, and have a great Thanksgiving,
Nate
After hearing you tell us Firefox 3 will be released with hundreds of critical bugs, I have a photographic memory of where I was when I heard the news (under a bridge in Earlsfield, London). So this story is double-plus relieving to read over a coffee this morning: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/2007
1119-reports-of-firefox-3-0-bugs-overblown-most-significant-bugs-squashed.html
Also, CNET TV just launched over here. Guess who's doing a music show called "Encoded"...? http://www.cnettv.co.uk
Take it easy, guys, and have a great Thanksgiving,
Nate
TMJ seriously make it a thankful Thanksgiving
Here is a URL to help all us geeks think to help others anywhere in the US: http://www.secondharvest.org/zip_code.jsp
The Web can be a perilous place at times, but it is sites like these that show it can be a pretty darn good one. What better way for techies to help others this holiday time?
Mention it on the show and CNET Live as well. They could use the help, as donations are down and peoples' needs are greater.
Send food, bag groceries, and baskets, or serve the meal itself; you choose.
Mr. Cursor_
Here is a URL to help all us geeks think to help others anywhere in the US: http://www.secondharvest.org/zip_code.jsp
The Web can be a perilous place at times, but it is sites like these that show it can be a pretty darn good one. What better way for techies to help others this holiday time?
Mention it on the show and CNET Live as well. They could use the help, as donations are down and peoples' needs are greater.
Send food, bag groceries, and baskets, or serve the meal itself; you choose.
Mr. Cursor_