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Buzz Out Loud 1247: Inside the Coke Zero and Mentos rocket car (podcast)

On today's show, size matters. You're going to hear that a lot. So, apologies in advance. Also, we have a great interview at the top of the show with Stephen Volz and Fritz Grobe, otherwise known as the Coke and Mentos guys. They've got a rocket car, a Coke Zero contract, and a dream. Also, Goatse wants to clear up some things, Mortal Kombat is back, and once again? Size matters.

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.
Molly Wood
4 min read

On today's show, size matters. You're going to hear that a lot. So, apologies in advance. Also, we have a great interview at the top of the show with Stephen Volz and Fritz Grobe, otherwise known as the Coke and Mentos guys. They've got a rocket car, a Coke Zero contract, and a dream. Also, Goatse wants to clear up some things, Mortal Kombat is back, and once again? Size matters.

Watch this: Ep. 1247: Inside the Coke Zero and Mentos rocket car

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EPISODE 1247

Interview with Stephen Voltz and Fritz Grobe
http://www.eepybird.com/

Coke Zero and Mentos Rocket Car: Almost Goes Wrong”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIqVAVjF_8g

Coke Zero and Mentos Rocket Car: Early Experiments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEJCa0Rc1Yo

“I want to make some things clear.”
http://security.goatse.fr/blog/?p=5

Google researcher gives Microsoft 5 days to fix XP zero-day b
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9177948/Google_researcher_gives_Microsoft_5_days_to_fix_XP_zero_day_bug

FBI Opens Investigation Into iPad Security Breach
http://www.mainjustice.com/2010/06/10/fbi-opens-investigation-into-ipad-security-breach-2/
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704312104575299111189853840.html

Rock Band 3 – transition to teach music
http://e3.gamespot.com/story/6265109/real-keyboard-guitars-debut-in-rock-band-3

Mortal Kombat Returns
http://e3.gamespot.com/story/6265123/mortal-kombat-set-for-360-ps3-in-2011

NBA JAM returns
http://e3.gamespot.com/story/6265158/nba-jam-drives-the-lane-in-october

Super Whales: Top Social Game Spenders Pay More than $10,000 Apiece for Virtual Goods
http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2010/06/10/super-whales-spend-money-virtual-goods/

Google morphs Chrome OS into netbook thin client
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/09/google_to_include_remote_access_in_chrome_os/

Apple Considering Separate WWDC Conferences for Mac and iOS?
http://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/11/apple-considering-separate-wwdc-conferences-for-mac-and-ios/

Five ways iOS could make it onto Macs
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20007384-1.html

Exclusive: first photos of the Motorola Droid 2
http://www.droid-life.com/2010/06/10/exclusive-first-photos-of-the-motorola-droid-2/

Verizon will bring Skype to non-smartphone users this year
http://www.unwiredview.com/2010/06/11/verizon-will-bring-skype-to-non-smartphone-users-this-year/

Google News experiments with human control, promotes a new serendipity with Editors' Picks
http://www.niemanlab.org/2010/06/google-news-experiments-with-human-control-promotes-a-new-serendipity-with-editors-pick/

Motorola And RIM Make Peace, End All Outstanding Litigation Worldwide
http://techcrunch.com/2010/06/11/motorola-and-rim-make-peace-end-all-outstanding-litigation-worldwide/

Today's featured Buzz Out Loud remix at the end of the show:
Juno Suk
https://podcast-files.cnet.com/podcast/BOLremix_JunoSuk.mp3

Voicemail (800-616-2638)
Javier: Give me the big screen

Email (buzz@cnet.com)
Hey buzz Crew,

Regarding your discussion on apple charging for Iphone OS upgrades, or the lack of current charges, you hammered Apple pretty well, and pretty unfairly.

Allow me to geek out for a moment. Apple petitioned the Financial Accounting Standards Board to have the GAAP rules changed in 2009, which was granted this past September.

This accounting rule change allowed apple to count the revenues from iPhone sales immediately, instead of over a two year period, even though they are providing a continuing service through OS upgrades.

This also meant continuing services could be given to iPod Touch users without extra charge, since iPod Touch revenues were counted wholly in the quarter in which they were sold.

I know we all love bashing the big guys, but this time it was a little unfair.

Ross from Virginia

Related: http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2009/10/21/inside-apples-iphone-subscription-accounting-changes/

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I am the lead engineer on a large internet shopping site, and we have recently put Facebook like buttons on our site. I was starting to regret that we were feeding Facebook data after hearing your concerns. After thinking about it for a minute though, I realized we are giving MUCH MORE data to someone else that knows who you are…and I now understand why Google Analytics is free. This offering allows Google to invisibly watch traffic on every page of tons of sites on the Web including ours AND they can match that traffic to my google account – which they certainly do… I have no doubt that the Chrome browser has increased this tracking greatly.

These companies have sooo much data on their users. It makes sense that they don’t even realize a problem when they add a bit more. With privacy and these guys I guess we’re complaining about the gnat while ignoring the elephant.

Thanks for the great podcast
Dave

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Windows 7 made for touchscreens… I have heard it said several times in iPad discussions that Windows 7 “”wasn’t made for touch”". I just played with an HP Touchsmart 24″” unit and have to completely disagree with that assertion. When you use Win7 as a touch interface, the new taskbar makes PERFECT sense now. Also at any point one can swipe out the onscreen keyboard or handwriting interface. The keyboard is actually better than the iPad’s because you can freely position it on the screen. I was more accurate in cursive with my finger than I was with the virtual keyboard. So, Windows 7 is COMPLETELY designed with the touch interface in mind, and it does it quite well without requiring the user to “”learn a new language”" and buy a whole new set up applications to run.

Where Windows 7 touch is falling flat is with hardware. Other than with check-in kiosks and with convertable laptops for students, there really is no place for it right now. The stand up, solitary computer is not easy to use for long periods of time, so HP has missed the ball on this one. Where Win7 touch really would shine is on a slate device that is wireless. You wanna talk app ecosystem? haha

Luv the show.
Dana McCall