Monthly Archives: November 2005

I can recall not so far back in the past, making fun of myspace.com for being a friendster knockoff. “Basically, they just stole the friendster idea, and improved where friendster falls apart” I said. I can’t say that I’m a philosopher, but many shared similar thoughts. The folks at myspace, “Tom”, decided to do just that. Make something better that what was available.

Musicians took a hold of that, and myspace welcomed them with open webspace. There’s approx 550,000 musicians/bands on myspace.com, with 35 million total registered users –yes I’m one of them.

So what does myspace do? Sell, keep things the same, and start a record label! Why not? A community of 35million is plenty enough to start up a record label. There’s also half a million bands just dying to get signed. Foreseeing this one was about as easy as foreseeing lance take the tour one more time, Steve showing us a video iPod, and me spending my next 4 paychecks at newegg.com, yet I’m surprised to hear this.

“Radio has become less and less important” –Chris DeWolf Myspace CEO

A fear years back, the internet was the scariest thing to the “big three” television networks. After all, file trading was about to ruin the music industry as fast as you coud download Napster. Except that Napster didn’t, and iTunes now is making a bundle. Earlier this week, NBC News announced the bright move (and reported on this web site) to allow their evening news cast to be seen in its entirety on its web site. I personally can’t wait because I often miss the news, and would definitely take the opportunity to see it over the internet later. The other networks are not standing by though.

ABC has episodes of “Lost” available for download from the iTunes store, and ready for the new Video iPod. I suspect that a fair chunk of the videos downloaded so far were this content. I like the show, but some folks are downright obssessed.

Now the latest is that CBS is offering episodes of their show “Threshold” for download off their website. This is kind of a surprising move, but then again, don’t they give it away when its broadcasted anyway?

I see this as timid steps in a brave new distribution model. Let’s hope this is profitable for them, because its great for folks. Maybe one day I can dump my VCR and just catch up on my shows via the internet!

There comes a time in every geek’s life where he needs to put his foot down. This geek has crossed that point, and the dirty sneaker is headed fast towards the anti-static carpeting.

Splogs must stop. what is a splog? Spam-Blog.

Spammers have stolen the forbidden fruit, robbed the innocence, and plagued the last sterile spot on the internet. Ok, I’m going a bit far here, but I am one passionate blogger. I for one, feel violated. I for two, feel angry. I for three, feel the need to blog about this!

According to Ken Young of vnunet.com, Phlog, Vlog, and Zlog are all predicted mutations of the word blog. Too bad they beat you to ‘vlog’ Ken, ever hear of a video-log? Sheesh.

(a real splog, cross between a clog and slipper.)

I love this one: it turns out that Sony’s DRM Rootkit that’s been getting people up-in-arms the past few days can actually be used to combat the process scanning software deployed by World of Warcraft maker Blizzard Entertainment. As it turns out, the rootkit can be used to hide your WoW application, making it undetectable by the anti-cheating software developed by Blizzard (cheesily nicknamed “The Warden”).

Sony’s copy protection software apparently hides the app by adding the prefix “$sys$” to file names (complicated, I know), giving those with illegal copies of World of Warcraft a ingenious new way of providing more time to get their game on without having to hide their tracks. As an aside, I don’t really understand why people hack subscription-based games; any time you’re online for an extended period of time you continually increase your chances of being caught. Given the quantity of time these people likely spend playing the game, you’d think they’d reach a point where they realize that they’re better off paying, but go figure.

Bottom line: So, [name of company releasing spyware/DRM software], see what happens when you release secret apps? See?

[Cheers to BoingBoing]

First of the major networks, that is – starting next Monday you’ll be able to watch NBC Nightly News each night as a webcast, available after 10 pm EST.

No info on the format, but we’ll see how many enterprising souls get the gloriously superficial, infographic-laden newscasts on their video iPods ≤5 minutes after they’re available. Nothing more to see here, people. Keep moving.

As far as I’m concerned, most casemods can be described using three words: Clear plastic. Lights. Amateurish jobs exposing frankenstein innards riddled with LEDs and tubing snaking throughout, I generally throw them into the category of “simple people entertained by pretty lights.”

No more.

As you can see in the image of the left, there are people out there who take case modding to the extreme. As far as I’m concerned, in this instance it’s art. Seriously, this Borg PC is phenomenal. Start Trek: TNG afficionados rejoice, but also people with an appreciation for any lovingly crafted piece of tech geek art.

Red Herring reports today on an exclusive partnership between underdog web browser Opera and Thales, a company specializing in in-flight entertainment systems. As part of the agreement, Opera’s browser will be included in Thales’ TopSeries system currently being used by some 15 airlines. Key to the partnership, which will run for a year, is likely Opera’s internationalization features, which make globalization much simpler because of the software’s support for multiple languages. As RH points out, this partnership is a clear indication of Opera’s desire to move beyond the traditional (i.e. home or office) market, moving into embedded devices as a source of additional revenue. Considering the fact that Opera’s basically been a perennial “also ran” in the browser wars (out since 1995, it still commands an estimated 1 percent of the market). According to the article, nearly two-thirds of the company’s revenue already comes from embedded devices, and with its recent decision to offer the product for free, this path is likely a clear indicator of the way things are going for the company. With the ongoing proliferation of mobile devices able to browse the web, I can’t help but agree with Opera’s decision to place a high level of emphasis on this, but when the day is done I still enjoy my computer and a screen bigger than 2.5 inches. Then again, I’m sure there’s plenty of room for both.

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It’s times like these that i validate those psychos who show up to the office with two M-16’s taped together and a grenade launcher under each arm.

Maybe I’m being too dramatic, but Sony has really touched a nerve this time. Engadget reports that Mark’s Sysinternals Bloc has uncovered some malware/adaware/spyware of Sony Music. That’s right. Sony. Sony’s CDs will not play on most CD-ROM’s, unless you use their bundled player. Apparently installing this player also installs a hidden program that hog system resources, is poorly written, and was more pain than a root canal without novocain to uninstall.

DRM isn’t the answer, lower prices and an easy means of distribution is. While Sony spends man hrs coding and covering up junk like this, they could be researching more efficient means to get the music to the people, for a small cost. If I didn’t have hot coffee in my had, I’d show those Sony exec’s a thing or two. But hot coffee can cause 3rd degree burns, at least I think it can.

So you’re a tough guy, right? You’re the one they’re talking to in those “Built Ford Tough” commercials, keen on getting yourself the biggest, baddest set of wheels able to swill gas like a kid guzzling soda tackle the toughest terrain out there. Seriously, though; today Ford announced a partnership with California Custom Sport Trucks to produce a special version of its Super Duty pickup, available next year.

Targeted at construction contractors, the modded truck will come outfitted with a touchscreen PC running Windows XP Pro, broadband wireless capability and digital camera connectivity (PCMCIA/CompactFlash slots). No sweet specs for you hardware geeks (it’s meant to process invoices, people!) – 4GB of flash memory, 256MB RAM, 1 GHz Crusoe processor. Still, mobile ‘net is tasty, no matter how you slice it. Hacker community, prepare thyselves (and cheers to someone who buys one of these pickups just to have a tablet pc to play with).