Saturday, July 29, 2006

TiVos for Aussies | PVRblog

Hobotech, a company in Australia that takes old Series 1 TiVos, adds networking, and converts them from NTSC to PAL format. They've got their own Guided Setup and their own guide for channels and show times put together by volunteers.

TiVo's legal team might look at this entire world of covert TiVo operations and think "infringement!" but I can't help but look at all these hacks and the length people go to make a TiVo work where it wasn't designed and appreciate the output of these resourceful bastards. That's some impressive TiVo hacking, HoboTech and OzTiVo, keep on innovating.

Friday, July 28, 2006

Google Labs with in a Lab Revealed

digg - Lots of New Secret Google Services Uncovered
Accounts created from within sandbox.google.com are not "real" Google Accounts - the subdomain and associated accounts are used for testing new or experimental Google services. I managed to find and add the following services to my "sandbox" Google Account - all of which aren ’t currently available to add to your "real" Google Account.

And Yes, Google shut it down. The services I registered before aren't showing anymore.

Opera reveals version 10 vision | CNET News.com

Opera reveals version 10 vision | CNET News.com
Web 2.0 is causing a splash as it stretches the boundaries of what Web sites can do. But in the rush to add features, security has become an afterthought, experts say.

The buzz around the new technology echoes the '90s Internet boom--complete with pricey conferences, plenty of start-ups, and innovative companies like MySpace.com and Writely being snapped up for big bucks. And the sense of deja vu goes even further for some experts. Just as in the early days of desktop software, they say, the development momentum is all about features--and protections are being neglected.

The security risk in Web 2.0 | CNET News.com

The security risk in Web 2.0 | CNET News.com
Web 2.0 is causing a splash as it stretches the boundaries of what Web sites can do. But in the rush to add features, security has become an afterthought, experts say.

The buzz around the new technology echoes the '90s Internet boom--complete with pricey conferences, plenty of start-ups, and innovative companies like MySpace.com and Writely being snapped up for big bucks. And the sense of deja vu goes even further for some experts. Just as in the early days of desktop software, they say, the development momentum is all about features--and protections are being neglected.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

From Kazaa to Skype and now The Venice Project

Slashdot | New Video Venture from Skype Creators
"BusinessWeek reports that Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis (creators of Kazaa and Skype) are at work on a new project: 'software for distributing TV shows and other forms of video over the Web.' Calling the work 'The Venice Project,' Zennstrom and Friis have assembled teams of developers to tackle the problem. The developers are already in negotiations with TV networks to use the system. But will Ebay, MSN, Yahoo or Google will have nay plans to purchase this new venture when it goes mainstream??

Friday, July 21, 2006

Slashdot | Google Doubles its Profits

Slashdot | Google Doubles its Profits
Google just announced a very strong quarter. The internet search engine said it had net income of $721m, or $2.33 per diluted share, up from $343m a year earlier. Wall Street had expected earnings of $1.94 per share. Earlier this week Yahoo had announced lower than expected earnings.

Slashdot | Apple Reaches 12% Market Share In U.S. Notebooks

Slashdot | Apple Reaches 12% Market Share In U.S. Notebooks: "'Apple's U.S. notebook market share has doubled to 12% after shipping 1.33 million Macs in the quarter. Apple also shipped 8.11 million iPods, topping analyst estimates, for a net income of $472 million. Remember when Apple was dying?' From the article: 'The iPod shipments appeared to calm investors worried that growth in that red-hot business was slowing and Apple's results topped what analysts had said was a conservative forecast. Shares of Apple were down some 24 percent since early May. 'Apple looked good,' said Jane Snorek, technology analyst with First American Funds. 'The PC numbers were great, too.'"

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Slashdot | Google Accessible Search Released

Slashdot | Google Accessible Search Released: "Google today released Accessible Search, a Google Labs product aiming to rank higher pages which are optimized for blind users. Google asks you to adhere to the W3C's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines if you want to make sure your pages are accessible (and thus, rank better on Google Accessible Search). I wrote a small tool to compare results of default and accessible results.'" Of couse Google should of have offer this service since day one when google search went out of beta. What took them so long to offer this much needed service??

Yahoo! Music to offer unrestricted MP3s

Slyck Forums - Where File-Sharers Meet

Would you consider paying $1.09 for a single, unrestricted MP3 download that would have absolutely no limitations on its use and could be transferred to any portable audio player or computer?

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Why watch War Coverage on CNN, FOX News or Local Media. Just tune your Browser to Youtube

YouTube takes viewers to war | News.blog | CNET News.com

As part of a story about what was being shared online by people affected by the war in Israel and Lebanon, cable broadcaster CNN showed three clips that have been posted to YouTube by people witnessing the fighting, said Jennifer Martin, a CNN spokeswoman.

On YouTube, one can find large numbers of clips showing carnage being suffered on both sides of the conflict.

Why watch War Coverage on CNN, FOX News or Local Media. Just tune your Browser to Youtube

YouTube takes viewers to war | News.blog | CNET News.com

As part of a story about what was being shared online by people affected by the war in Israel and Lebanon, cable broadcaster CNN showed three clips that have been posted to YouTube by people witnessing the fighting, said Jennifer Martin, a CNN spokeswoman.

On YouTube, one can find large numbers of clips showing carnage being suffered on both sides of the conflict.

Why watch War Coverage on CNN, FOX News or Local Media. Just tune your Browser to Youtube

YouTube takes viewers to war | News.blog | CNET News.com

As part of a story about what was being shared online by people affected by the war in Israel and Lebanon, cable broadcaster CNN showed three clips that have been posted to YouTube by people witnessing the fighting, said Jennifer Martin, a CNN spokeswoman.

On YouTube, one can find large numbers of clips showing carnage being suffered on both sides of the conflict.

Well here is another reason why to Avoid Shopping at Walmart

Slashdot | Walmart Tries to Emulate MySpace
AdAge, retail behemoth WalMart is trying desperately to target the MySpace demographic with a new, and highly sanitized, site designed to appeal to teens. From the article: "It's a quasi-social-networking site for teens designed to allow them to 'express their individuality,' yet it screens all content, tells parents their kids have joined and forbids users to e-mail one another. Oh, and it calls users 'hubsters' -- a twist on hipsters that proves just how painfully uncool it is to try to be cool."

Sony to launch advanced HD camcorders | CNET News.com

Sony to launch advanced HD camcorders | CNET News.com
Sony will launch two models of high-definition camcorders that record images onto DVD discs and hard disk drives (HDDs), the first camcorder maker to offer such products, the company said on Wednesday.

Sony will release the model that uses 80mm DVD discs on Sept. 10 in Japan, and expects it to sell for about 170,000 yen ($1,450). The HDD model, estimated to retail for around 180,000 yen, is set to hit store shelves on Oct. 10.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Watch out Netflix, Here comes iTunes Movie Rentals!

Slashdot | Apple to Announce iTunes Movie Rentals?
Think Secret is reporting that the next Apple Worldwide Developer's Conference may be the company's platform to announce movie rentals via iTunes. The files would probably have a built-in shutoff timer, or only allow a certain number of viewings."

digg - Dreamlinux OS-X look liveCD

digg - Dreamlinux OS-X look liveCD
Georgeous XFCE based distro Dreamlinux 2.0. Includes all the apps you'd expect OO, Firefox and more. It's so polished it shines!
Here's some screenshots since the site is being hammered:
http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/slideshow.php?release=558&slide=4

Here is another Compelling Reason why not to Upgrade to Vista and Switch to REAL OS Like Linux or OS X

Symantec sees an Achilles' heel in Vista | CNET News.com
Some of Microsoft's efforts to make Windows Vista its most stable and secure operating system ever could cause instability and new security flaws, according to a Symantec report.

Researchers at Cupertino, Calif.-based Symantec examined the new networking technology in recent test releases of Vista, Microsoft's next major operating system release, according to the report. They found several security bugs and determined that Vista's networking technology will be less stable, at least in the short run, than Windows XP's, the report said.

Monday, July 17, 2006

Now will the Karaoke Business will take off since there will be about 1000% songs lyrics to be Published.

Gracenote, music publishers in lyrics deal | Reuters.com

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. digital entertainment company Gracenote on Thursday said it obtained licenses to distribute lyrics as music publishers mulled legal action against Web sites that provide them without authorization.

"When we first approached the publishers with this, they were excited. They thought lyrics had been an untapped resource for them and there's quite a bit of lyrics being taken for free on the Web," Ross Blanchard, Gracenote's vice president of business development, told Reuters in an interview.

Don't touch the Ipod Click wheel while Driving on Highway 17 thru the Santa Cruz Mountains

Slashdot | Integrate iPod with Car or Risk Death: "CNET has talked to Apple about its big plans for the car. Apple say they're keen to save the lives of anyone who risks death by 'reaching into the footwell of his car to retrieve an iPod nano at around 90mph' and anyone who 'considered skipping tracks on his iPod more important than the lives of multiple humans'. Apple are also said to be 'delighted by the efforts of Mac users who retrofit the Mac Mini into cars' and are 'keeping an eye on what these hackers are up to with their Macs.' The writer also pitched his own design ideas to Apple's director of global product marketing, Bob Borchers: 'We suggested to Borchers that Apple should allow drivers to use their car steering wheel as a giant Clickwheel interface, so that you can change tracks by changing lanes. Borchers foresaw certain safety problems with such a device and rejected the concept.'"

Slashdot | VoIP Calls Double In Quality

Slashdot | VoIP Calls Double In Quality
Newsforge and LinuxPR
FreeSWITCH, an open source soft-switch and IVR platform, have announced that they can support 16khz audio calls thus doubling the potential voice quality. They have had sucessful tests with a conference bridge, a pass-through SIP call and an IVR that reads RSS news feeds with the Cepstral Text-To-Speech Engine. So 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound is on the way to Voip Calls in the near Future??

Proprietary Software is just not for Viruses, Botware and Malware Anymore

Slashdot | McAfee Blames Open Source for Botnets
"It seems that 'the Open Source Development Model' is to be blamed for the recent increase in botnet development. 'We're not taking aim at the open-source movement; we're talking about the full-disclosure model and how that effectively serves malware development,' the spokesman for McAfee says. Why not just blame the IRC Protocol? Or simply admit that Proprietary vendors cannot keep pace with the Open Source Model?"

Sunday, July 16, 2006

TIOTI - Tape It Off The Internet- The next big Target for DMCA, RIAA And MPAA

TIOTI - Tape It Off The Internet
Tioti, which is set to launch a public beta in the next few weeks, combines TV torrents with social recommendations. The name is short for “Tape It Off the Internet” - think of it as a TiVo for Internet TV

Friday, July 14, 2006

Slashdot | Skype Protocol Has Been Cracked

Slashdot | Skype Protocol Has Been Cracked
"The Skype core protocol has been reverse-engineered by a Chinese company. The interesting thing is, that although the protocol is closed, it is not patented and thus it is not against the law to crack it. If it's true, then it could affect the whole eBay/Skype business in many ways, including that they might not get their piece of the emerging Chinese cake." From the article: "By cracking the Skype protocol, the company claims it can also block Skype voice traffic, Paglee said. 'They could literally turn the lights off on Skype in China very, very quickly,' said Paglee, who is also a lawyer and engineer, speaking from California on Friday. The company could transfer the technology to the Chinese government, which has continually sought ways to tighten its filtering and control over the Internet. So far, the company doesn't have any plans to market its blocking capabilities, Paglee said."

Thursday, July 13, 2006

digg - Free Linux Disks (not Ubuntu)

digg - Free Linux Disks (not Ubuntu)
TheLinuxStore.ca has started a new project. A project that will give away free Linux disks of your favorite distribution (SUSE, Fedora, Mandriva, Gentoo, Debian, Knoppix). Have a look, give feedback, donate to the cause, request a disc.

broadband » News » Jon Stewart Tees Off on Stevens - For insightful 'series of tubes' commentary

broadband » News » Jon Stewart Tees Off on Stevens - For insightful 'series of tubes' commentary
Jon Stewart of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" discusses network neutrality, and tees off (YouTube video) on Alaska Senator Ted Stevens for his recent comments proclaiming the Internet was a "series of tubes." Stevens has consistently defended the incumbent position on network neutrality, and is in charge of regulating Internet commerce while seemingly having no actual idea how the Internet functions

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Boing Boing: Smart video makes fun of dumb MPAA warning

Boing Boing: Smart video makes fun of dumb MPAA warning
Smart video makes fun of dumb MPAA warning
Picture 7-4 Steve Anderson created a video that makes fun of the MPAA's "You wouldn't steal a handbag..." anti-piracy campaign, by focusing on the real pirates: the greedy creeps plundering everything that makes the US such a wonderful place.
Link Now that more like it.

Who wants an 1.46TB Video Ipod?? I sure do!!

Slashdot | Nanotube Lube Replenishment for Massive Drives
"Techworld reports that Seagate has just patented something called 'Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording,' which features nanotechnology and could lead to a 1.46TB 2.5-in. drive. The article says 'Storing data properly in extremely small areas requires the magnetic material to be heated during the writing phase, but this causes the lubricant film deposited on top of the magnetized recording layer to evaporate. Seagate's patent resolves this problem by having a reservoir inside the disk casing that contains nanotube-based lubricant. Some of this is periodically pumped out as a vapor and deposited on the surface of the disk, replenishing the evaporated lubricant.'"

Political blogosphere Gets Sandbox into their Own Wiki

Wikipedia founder launches political site | CNET News.com

Political junkies who can't get enough of Daily Kos may now have a new Web 2.0 toy in the form of Campaigns Wikia.

As with Wikipedia, Wiktionary and other wikis, contributors to Campaigns Wikia will be able to edit any section of the site, provided that they register for free accounts

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

digg - The Pirate Party of the United States site launches

digg - The Pirate Party of the United States site launches IT about Figgin' time The USA has a Political Party Like this.

We are proud to announce the creation of a new website on this famous date of July 4th, 2006. Now you too can fight the good fight against the lack of representation for the user and draconian laws used to serve the corporations while ignoring the will of the people. Find official stances and forums at our site. Let this day mark a new era.

Slashdot | Futurama Star Billy West Answers Slashdot Questions

Slashdot | Futurama Star Billy West Answers Slashdot Questions: "So. You had some brilliant, whacky, and insightful questions for Futurama star Billy West last week. Today we have his brilliant, whacky, and insightful answers. Thanks go to long-time Slashdot reader Kevin Day for arranging the interview, but the real thanks goes to Billy, who was so excited about doing this that he and I ended up talking about Slashdot via cell phone -- and he caught me while I was at a local lumberyard, thinking about plywood, not Slashdot or Futurama. I wish I'd recorded the conversation. It was totally surreal. But reading Billy's answers -- and using your imagination -- will give you a good idea of what it was like. :)"

Monday, July 03, 2006

broadband » News » Silicon Valley Wi-Fi Project - Proposals submitted by seven before deadline

broadband » News » Silicon Valley Wi-Fi Project - Proposals submitted by seven before deadline
Seven bidders stepped up Friday with proposals for bringing affordable wireless Internet access to all 1,500 square miles of Silicon Valley - a costly, technically challenging task, reports the MercuryNews. Among the companies that met Friday's deadline for proposals were Mountain View's MetroFi, which has already built networks across other areas of the Bay Area and San Jose's Cisco Systems, which was represented in two different bids, one with the Oregon-based wireless network company VeriLAN and another with IBM and the San Francisco non-profit group SeaKay. Other plans were submitted by the Blue Horizon Group of San Francisco, Palo Alto-based Community Wireless, Carmel-based Fire2Wire and NextWLAN of Los Gatos.

Saturday, July 01, 2006

CNN.com - World Cup blogs a gooooaaaaal with fans - Jun 30, 2006

CNN.com - World Cup blogs a gooooaaaaal with fans - Jun 30, 2006
BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- For World Cup fans who couldn't make the trip to wave their national flags in packed stadiums or Germany's streets, emotions run just as high -- and low -- on hundreds of Web sites, blogs and discussion boards.

Soccer is dubbed the world's sport and its each reach across the World Wide Web is just as great. Since the monthlong tournament started, scores of blogs have appeared -- some professional, some decidedly less so -- where fans cheer, jeer or bemoan each mighty win or devastating loss.

Slashdot | Google Explains ISP Rumors

Slashdot | Google Explains ISP Rumors
Wired article explaining why Google bought all that dark fiber, the event that spurred rumors they were planning an ISP. From the article: "When asked by Wired News whether Google was buying up dark fiber, a company spokesman replied that 'Google has and will continue to invest in the equipment our company needs to give our users around the world the best and fastest search results.' Rumors of Google as an ISP were also fueled by the company being granted a large block of new IPv6 addresses last year." They plan to restrict their role as an ISP to the Mountain View and San Francisco areas.