Buzz Out Loud 856: Competition FTW
We discover a fun new tautology on today's show (you know, competition...for the win?), have a fun time goofing off with Brian Tong, rail against Apple's decision to include HDCP restrictions in its new MacBooks, and rejoice at the arrival of Netflix streaming on the Xbox 360 (minus a few select Sony movies, ahem). Also: India takes on Google in the Earth-spying department. Yeah, India! Go, India!
Listen now: Download today's podcast
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EPISODE 856 |
Apple’s new MacBooks have built-in copy protection measures (thanks Mager!)
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/11/18/apples_new_macbooks_have_built_in_copy_protection_measures.html
http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/11/17/apple-brings-hdcp-to-a-new-aluminum-macbook-near-you
Psystar antitrust claim against Apple dismissed
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10101581-37.html
Microsoft’s new Xbox experience launches, Netflix users go wild
http://www.pcworld.com/article/154163/microsofts_new_xbox_experience_launches_netflix_users_go_wild.html
http://venturebeat.com/2008/11/19/new-xbox-experience-launches-looks-great-netflix-integration-fails/
Netflix streaming on Xbox doesn’t include Sony Columbia Pictures movies (thanks, Anu!)
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/18/nxe-netflix-streaming-queues-suddenly-gimped/
Quality pays: Hulu trumping YouTube
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10102220-16.html
http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20081117/when-will-hulu-catch-youtube-it-already-has/
Microsoft to offer free consumer security suite
http://www.download.com/8301-2007_4-10101582-12.html
A drink backed by a sports (gaming) hero
http://news.cnet.com/A-drink-backed-by-a-sports-gaming-hero/2100-1043_3-6247818.html
PC Magazine goes out of print
http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/11/pc-magazine-goes-out-of-print
http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-ziff-davis-to-close-print-pcmag-focus-on-online-still-looking-for-optio/
Indian space agency, Isro, to roll out a rival to Google Earth (thanks, Phil!)
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article5182639.ece
Woman wants a cyborg eye! - BTONG contribution
http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/267901/artist_wants_cyborg_webcam_eye
VOICE MAIL
Dwight the T-Grip: true Hollywood battery stories
Paul from Verizon: why the BlackBerry rocks!
E-MAIL
Hey Buzz Crew,
I’ve been traveling so I missed a couple podcasts, but I don’t think there has been a mention of the re-start of the One Laptop Per Child Give One Get One program this past Monday (11/17). I’ve been wanting to get one of these laptops for a while mostly because I think they’re interesting and I want to help out the program. I know the OLPC folks got a lot of grief last time they offered this program because they didn’t really have the logistical infrastructure to handle the delivery of laptops to people who bought them quickly and some people had to wait months to get theirs. This time however, they’ve teamed up with Amazon.com and things look like they should work much more smoothly. I placed my order with Amazon and I should get mine by Friday.
I’m sure there are listeners that would like to get a new NetBook/E-reader. And I think the keyboard is waterproof so in can be a great conversation opener for chatting by the pool (Chris from Austin). So deploy the Buzz Brigades to help kids in developing countries get a great tool for education.
Julian (San Diego)
Hey JaMoTo
I was listening to episode 853 and 854 Re: The Wii speak application and then again on to the subject of the software companies not liking pre-loved games.
If the companies don’t like the idea of pre-loved games why don’t they have their own way of buying back sold games. This would allow people to get the same value from their games as trading their old games to EB etc… But allow credits to the new games. This would kill 2 birds with one stone so to speak.
Plus with the idea of saving the planet. Think about the latest game being made out of our old games.
Love the show.
Jon “The Student”
Australia
Hey Buzz Gang,
Just wanted to tell how impressed I was with the new NetFlix add-on to the Xbox 360. The quality is very good, particularly on cartoons. I just hope they update it so you can add stuff to your queue without a computer. I would hate to think the Xbox is just as dumb as a TV tuner and can only passively show videos. That would be as stupid as having a super gaming computer that’s hooked to my TV and my network that can’t browse the web… oh wait… never mind.
Take Care,
Kelvington
I have to disagree that the ‘Remote Spy’ program is significantly different then EA’s DRM. Well, on a technical level at least.
Both should have EULA’s stating don’t use their program illegally.
Both are meant to be put onto a computer you have legitimate access to.
Both change how your computer works and that change can be percieved as negative.
An unauthorized user can install both of these programs without permission by owner of the computer.
Both have removal issues.
Both can have legitimate uses.
In the discussion the case was made for business sales of this product, but for private sales one completely legitimate reason for a spy program that quickly comes to mind is by parents monitoring their children’s computers. I’m sure there are other things people can think up, but that’s my strongest legitimate use point.
In the class action lawsuit (http://www.courthousenews.com/2008/09/23/Spore.pdf) it states that the irremovable DRM is not disclosed (properly/at all) in the EULA and even if you made a case that it didn’t inappropriately phone home, the fact that it can prevent legitimate hardware/software from working is malware like behavior that occurs after an uninstall of the game itself.
In both cases when looking from a certain perspective they are put in a good or bad light… but if the government goes after one they should be going after the other.
Ben @ Nova Scotia
Molly Wood engages in
ruthless industry analysis in the form of the Daily Buzz, the Buzz
Report video, and, of course, Buzz Out Loud. 
Tom Merritt appears on
CNET TV, specializing in help and how-to and the ever popular Top 5
lists. He also co-hosts CNET's The Real Deal podcast. 
Jason Howell can
often be found producing Buzz Out Loud from the audio studios at CNET,
updating XML feeds from the comfort of his cubicle, and saying "uh-oh"
from time to time. 
On the subject of the Columbia movies and their availability on the 360 for streaming via Netflix, WHY would Sony allow that? Lame? Really? Will C-Net start putting its competitors content on their site or vice versa? No. Sony doesn't lose any direct revenue by having these movies available on the 360, but they could perhaps lose a PS3 sale. The smaller the streaming library on the 360, the better the PS3 looks due to Blu-Ray and the PSN Video store. The 360 is a directly competing product. Why would Sony help sell it in any way? One of Sony's aces in the hole is their content. This is an example of them playing that card. I wouldn't expect any different.
I swear the shows without Tom on are difficult to listen to. Molly running amok without someone to reign her in is painful. And Tom is the only one that seems able to do so.
Hell if Tom ever leaves I'm off BOL too. Maybe they should replace FUD-Wood with Cooley and much better anti-Apple host, even though he dislikes Apple products and complains about them all the time unlike FUD-Wood he doesn't send out FUD out his backside.
Molly 'FUD' Wood's latest FUD - BOL 855 (24:37)
[ In regards to iPhone ]
Tom: ...there is another app called Voice Dial that allows you to dial by name
Molly FUD Wood: It's like 25 bucks though.
FACT: Adela Voice Dialer £2.99, Cactus Voice Dialer FREE. Mind you personally, both are crap.
P.S
Those need to be explained what FUD is here is a link to Urban Dictionary, mind you I think in this case more the one of the descriptions can be used it reference to Miss FUD-Wood out of those provided. Hehe!
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=FUD
I work at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta and saw one in the conference center set up as a demo. Maybe I'll go try it out tomorrow, will report.
Craig Oliver
Atlanta, GA
Secondly, first time commenter on this BOL segment. HDCP is a copy protection protocol that's comes out of the box with HDMI technology. It's been around for awhile. There are several adapters available that will take a signal traveling over a HDMI connection with HDCP DRM copy protection and convert it to travel over a component or VGA cabling AND it drops the HDCP protection. Google or Ebay them. So, for the teacher putting on an illegal public viewing of HellBoy 2 he could convert the HMDI carried signal to component/VGA and he's ready to go with his overpriced Mac book. :)
Admittedly, I hate the fact that Apple finally fell "in-line" and implemented HDCP in their computer and sold movies on iTunes with HDCP built-in. However, to imply that Apple is the first one doing this or the only one doing this, is completely wrong.
For example, Blu-ray has always been HDCP compliant, the problem is with the install base of first generation HDTV's that doesn't have HDCP compliance, Blu-ray publishers has been reluctant to exercise their muscle and implement harsh HDCP restrictions into their movies.
HDCP not only work over DisplayPort and HDMI, it works over DVI as well. For example, I have a first generation Dell 24" Monitor (I think it's the 2005WFP or something), which is *not* HDCP compliant over DVI, and I can't play HDCP protected content over it. However, later models of this Dell monitor has HDCP compliance over DVI. So to imply that DisplayPort is the reason why HDCP now exists on computers is simply wrong. It's been there for years, but very much downplayed by PC manufacturers due to lack of content that required HDCP compliance, and also fear against public outlashing.
If you remember when Windows Vista came out, the DRM built into the OS level was a *HUGE* deal. It is also around that time that people realized if they wanted their current PC to be able to play Blu-ray movies with full compliance, they need to not only have a Blu-ray drive, but a HDCP compliant video card, HDCP compliant monitor to go with it. Again, due to the format wars at the time, more focus was put on Vista instead of the hardware limitations, but it's *always* been there.
Very quietly, all video cards & monitors manufactured since that time has been HDCP compliant. Apple had initially spoken out *against* HDCP. Up to this point, I don't think any of their computer has been HDCP compliant, they are pretty much in fact, the "last" adopter of HDCP rather than the first. The problem is since they also distribute media digitally, they also happen to be the first to have to publicly demonstrate the perils of HDCP. Blu-ray movies are still mostly distributed without such harsh restrictions because of the forementioned fear of current install base of HDTV that lack HDCP compliance.
I am disappointed that Apple "caved in" to the demands of the movie industry, but the way that BOL talked about it as if Apple is the pioneer in HDCP is wrong. As much as there are Apple fanboys and bias, there are just as much bias in your coverage of the issue at hand.