Technolotics #7 – Nanonano, podato dating

Technolotics - An antique show about technology

[audio https://garethstack.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/07_technolotics.mp3]

Listen: Episode 7
Feed: RSS

Notes

Ipod nano a crashing bore

Ipod nano is announced to much fanfare [1], possibly the most over hyped device ever?

Pointlessly tiny colour screen, for what, photos?
Less space
NO new features, e.g.: Camera, wifi, radio narrowcasting, video playback, IM, games
Sexy industrial design, I want one, but why!!! (Kinda like the PSP)
Ipod Nano video advert, [2], from Mac TV [3]

Yahoo help Chinese government to jail journalist

Yahoo attacked for what many percieve as it selling out a customer to please the Chinese government.[4]

Is this a scary example of how far companies will go to cosy up to the Chinese government and gain access to the chinese market?

One writer puts himself in Yahoo’s shoes and asks what would he do differently.[5]

The piece illuminates the difficulty that all corporations face when requested for such information by government authorities – the blogger points out, that though the US for example has theoretical division of judicial and legislative branches, courts rubberstamp wiretap applications; making it in effect just as broken a system.

The writer argues that that companies like Yahoo have to trust governments and/or agencies to only make valid requests for information, they do not have the ability or skills (and they may not have the information)to judge each request on it’s merits.

A related story, the Chinese premier declares that China is moving towards democracy. [6]

“If the Chinese people can manage a village, I believe in several years they can manage a township. That would be an evolving system.”

Internet TV for the masses

New open source software Broadcast Machine based on RSS allows the easy publication of Internet-TV and subscription to internet-tv feeds.[7]

Good that monopoly on vlogging / vidcasting aggregators is not being left to itunes.

But Not sure this is so insanely great…

“Eventually, the foundation plans to integrate Microsoft’s Windows Media Player into its software, and embed the viewer’s digital rights management technology, Wilson said. Adding DRM could help make PCF applications more useful to traditional media.”

This is really weird, considering it’s produced by the Downhill battle guys [[8]]

“Downhill Battle is a non-profit organization working to support participatory culture and build a fairer music industry.” Who list among their goals, breaking the major label monopoly.

I questioned them about this on their blog [[9]], so hopefully they’ll respond.

Also related: Nerd-TV [10] a chatshow for nerds. Hooray!

 But is it's first broadcast the most boring piece of television ever?

Travolta flys in while Bush flys over

Stars of screen and tv arrive in New Orleans to help out. [11] [12]

In an arguably offensively obvious photo op. Particularly amusing is the Team America like moment in which Sean Penn’s, ‘Child Saving Boat’ sprang a leak within moments of setting off. Jerry Lewis on the other hand, did something useful with his celebrity, raising 3 million US dollars in a telethon.

America fails to look after it’s own, criticism of the US government’s handling of the situation in New Orleans grows.

The two Americas: How Cuba successfully deals with Hurricanes and the failure of the American government to do likewise.[13]

Firefighters drafted in to hand out fliers for FEMA; a waste of valuable resources? Answer: Yes! [14]

Katrina survivors need IE6 to apply for aid online and contend with a confusing website[15]

Legal battle over former executive reveals the rivalry and hostility between Microsoft and Google

[16]

Legal documents reveal executive in Microsoft wants to “kill” Google.

Unprotected PC lasts only 8 seconds on the net before being attacked

A BBC world interview with a security consultant, shows a computer running XP with no firewall nor antivirus software is connected to the internet[17]

New breed of ‘hackers’ motivated by financial gain.
8 seconds later the first worm is attacking it.
PC turns zombie within minutes.
30 minutes later the computer has crashed.

Podato, podcast dating… Gasp!

A dating website where the singletons leave podcast profile and it’s Irish![18]

Related items:

Podomatic: make creation, listening and sending podcasts easy [19].
Link to suggestion [20] for Podmeet, ideas for podcasting meetup?

Pornified, Pamela Paul’s book on the effects of pornography on America discussed on Slashdot

Is porn really bad for you? [21]

Box Wrap Patent Infringment, controlling your use of everyday products

Lexmark wins a case whereby it stops a company from refilling it’s cartridges as it infringed the Box Wrap Patent agreement. [22]

The danger with this is that others will follow suit with similar agreements.

Car companies sell cars with agreements that prohibit you from repairing or modifying your own car, it can only be done by an authorized dealership.

Media Pimp

I think I’m going to shit my pants. I’ve been waiting for this movie for ages, and I hadn’t noticed the trailer becomming available. Imagine, a story by the best science fiction writer of all time [[23]], brought to film by one of the greatest (and most under appreciated) directors of his generation [[24]]; mix in a little bleeding edge digital rotoscoping. The result is this, [[25]], by the sweet balls of Jesus, A Scanner darkly.
Revealicious [26]
Youtube.com [27]]
The Nintendo Revolution Controller [[28]]