Why You Can Trust CNET Networks are hopping mad over Dish's commercial skipping
There's a trick to keeping location off photos in the new Facebook Camera app; PayPal is popping up at more retailers; and Dish Network is fighting a legal battle over skipping commercials.
- Bridget has spent over 18 years as a consumer tech reporter, hosting daily tech news shows and writing syndicated newspaper columns. She's often a guest on national radio and television stations, including ABC, CBS, CNBC and NBC.
In today's show, we're putting filters on Facebook, paying with our phones and watching the networks get hoppin' mad:
A battle is brewing in court between the major television networks and Dish Network's commercial-skipping Hopper DVR. The fight centers around a feature in the Hopper DVR called Auto Hop, which lets users instantly skip commercials for a show recorded the day prior from a major network during prime time. (No need for a fast-forward button!) Fox, NBC and CBS are suing Dish, arguing that commercial skipping violates copyright. And Fox added another layer to it, saying that the feature breaks the license agreement for content. Dish also filed a lawsuit against all the four major networks, requesting for a judge to declare that its DVR technology is perfectly legal.
Despite the fact that Facebook just paid $1 billion to own Instagram, the network released it's own iOS app just for sharing photos. (And it's a lot like Instagram.) Called Facebook Camera, it lets users upload multiple photos at once and add filter effects.
Also, if you're using the Facebook Camera app, you'll notice that it requires you to turn on location to access your photo library. Sounds creepy, I know. Why does it need my location to access my photos? Well, no need to fret if you are smart about your location settings.
Before you take a photo with the main iOS camera, be sure to turn off location permissions for the camera. If there's no location data tied to your photos, then Facebook -- or any other app -- won't know where you took the photos. (Go to Settings > Location Services > Switch on Location Services > Scroll down to the Camera app and switch permissions to "off.")
You can now pay with PayPal at 15 more brick-and-mortar retailers. The service lets you enter in your PayPal info into the touch screen at checkout, or use your mobile phone to scan items and pay for them through the phone without needing a cashier to ring you up.
And it's Freebie Friday! Apple just started highlighting limited-time free downloads of paid apps. On Friday, Apple began offering the game Cut the Rope: Experiments for free. (Android users, don't forget that the Amazon Appstore for Android features a different paid app for free every day.)
Also, if you use Steam, you can play the empire-building strategy game Civilization V for free over the weekend -- or buy it for just $7.50.
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