Buzz Out Loud 899: Beware the suckware

An app for Google Android is allegedly wiping SD cards clean, which has some folks shouting malware! Stephen Shankland points out it's probably not malware, just suckware. We also cheer on the House of Representatives for not delaying the digital-TV transition. And Gmail goes offline, which is good news for those with flaky internet connection.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

EPISODE 899

Gmail offline
http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-in-labs-offline-gmail.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10151096-2.html

House votes no on DTV bill
http://www.ktvu.com/digital-tv/18583035/detail.html?treets=fran&tml=fran_natlbreak&ts=T&tmi=fran_natlbreak_1_12090101282009#-

Sources: AT&T, Comcast may help RIAA foil piracy
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10151389-93.html

Report: Google leads in traffic, AOL visitors linger
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10150950-93.html

Newspaper Web sites are doing OK
http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2009-01-28-newspaper-websites_N.htm?csp=34

Telstra CEO dishes on superfast wireless
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10150938-94.html

Netflix sees subscribers opting for streaming over mailing
http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/28/netflix-sees-subscribers-opting-for-streaming-over-mailing-glob/

Movie channel to go live on Web before TV debut
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10151506-93.html

V-Cast gets ABC and Disney
http://www.appscout.com/2009/01/verizon_wireless_adds_fullleng_1.php

Acer getting into phones--for sure now--on February 16
http://i.gizmodo.com/5140831/acer-joining-the-smartphone-wars-on-february-16th

Android app uproar sparks debate over open app store model
http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/01/an-android-market-application-has.ars

Quake gets ported to the BUG, controlled by Rock Band guitar
http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/27/quake-gets-ported-to-the-bug-controlled-by-rock-band-guitar/

Love trainer by Sega
http://i.gizmodo.com/5140820/lovetrainer-headset-coaches-you-in-the-art-of-love-is-predictably-hilarious

VOICEMAIL

R from Florida
New person for the digital TV transition

Tom Minneapolis
Solve the hybrid car situation

RogueTess
Gdrive? I smell lawsuit

E-MAIL

Hi Buzz Crew,

While you were discussing how silly the idea of adding a sound to cell phone cameras when taking a picture would be in the US I couldn’t agree with you more. What you may not know is that this law already exists in Japan, pervert capital of the world, so all phone manufacurers that sell in Japan (including the iPhone) with a distinctive audible camera click. Natalie you can still snap shots of whale tail in the wild but you will face the wrath of shamoo.

On an unrelated note, with fiber to my apartment for years I have to chuckle every time you talk about bandwidth limitations.

Jordan from Tokyo

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Здраствуйте!

Though you’d get a kick out of this: http://carcino.gen.nz/images/image.phpi/7fe6c8ad/ruslinux.jpg?cb=1115204527

On a more serious note, Russia already has OS that is used on computers stationed throughout the mighty military complex, and it is in fact Linux. I believe the plan is to take that OS and distribute it to civilian computers. Now, history of my country has shown that it’s 100% adoption, or else (insert NKVD, KGB, or now FSB here) hauls you off to GULAG. So Russia has an opportunity to become the first governments-owned bot net. That is awesomely scary.

Maksim from Fresno
(of the “Vista, it’s not Stalin” fame)

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Hey Buzzards,

I just had a thought that made me giggle, it’s illegal in many states now to talk on a cell phone without a handsfree device while driving. I wonder if someone could get pulled over for holding a banana up to their face and talking into it. It’s not a cell phone, and no ones talking back (thus no distraction), so would it get someone pulled over? I’d love to see a video of something like that!

Love the show,

-Kassandra

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There is no Starcraft class at UC Berkeley
http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/01/28/109240

Undoubtedly, someone will send you this link. I will save you the 5 minutes of googling required to discover it is bogus.

1) Syllabus for alleged class is not on a UC Berkeley website
2) Search of online class schedule for instructors FENG, ALAN return no classes for Spring 09

3) google search for ” Alan Feng UC Berkeley” returns only references to the bogus syllabus, or hits for different spellings.

Buzz on,
engnr_chik from the chat room

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Hardwired and stunt BOLers,

Really? You’re impressed with the kilowatt class lasers?

That’s not a laser. THIS is a laser…a megawatt class chemical oxygen iodine laser, contained within a 747-400F, built to whack boost phase ballistic missiles.

http://www.mda.mil/mdalink/pdf/08news0089.pdf

Sorry for the linked PDF. That’s how MDA rolls.

One of my picts here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/telegraham/1407621446/in/set-72157604168564668/

Love the show!

Jim
USAF (Ret)
Formerly of the Airborne Laser Program, now Baltimore pharma