Buzz Out Loud 1588- Loved the show (Podcast)

Buzz Out Loud 1588: Loved the show (Podcast)
At 1,588, it's the final episode of Buzz Out Loud, the podcast that launched a thousand news stories, arguments, hosts and co-hosts, producers, and good times. We packed the studio full -- Tom Merritt, Veronica Belmont, Jason Howell, Rafe Needleman, Donald Bell, plus, of course, Molly Wood, Brian Tong, and Stephen Beacham...and it's possible there was some Champagne, a little whiskey, some cake, and even a couple of news stories. Oh, and tears. Definitely tears.Part 1This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayPart 2This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayPodcastYour browser does not support the audio element.Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (640x360) RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS (640x360)EPISODE 1588 SHOW NOTES:http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/1pcast.bole.040506/http://www.cnet.com/i/pod/cnetbuzz_040506.mp3http://buzzoutloud.wikia.com/wiki/Episode_1000http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/1pcast.bole/http://podcast-files.cnet.com/podcast/cnet_buzzoutloud_061809.mp3WatchBOL at Archive.orghttp://web.archive.org/web/20080303045859/http://www.watchbol.com/BOL wiki: notable episodeshttp://buzzoutloud.wikia.com/wiki/Notable_EpisodesBuzz Out Loud Mission Impossible 1000th Episode TitlesBuzz Out Loud MacGyver 1000th Episode TitlesBuzz Out Loud Studio TourBuzz Out Loud at Snakes on A PlaneOrigin of the chat roomhttp://forums.cnet.com/7723-10152_102-285793/live-show-chat/OG Description: Molly Wood, author of Anchordesk and the Daily Buzz, and Tom Merritt, author of the Real Deal, give you their take on what’s happening in tech news this week. Email us at buzz@cnet.com or call 1-800-616-CNET to leave a message.Flicker Slide Show of BOL photoshttp://www.flickr.com/search/show/?q=buzz+out+loudBOL Photo Grouphttp://www.flickr.com/groups/buzzoutloud/pool/with/371405338/Why does this page still exist on the server? Who knows!But it’s the OG BOL pagehttp://www.cnet.com/4520-11455_1-6457370-2.htmlWhy are there no pictures of that producer lady Veronica?http://www.flickr.com/groups/buzzoutloud/discuss/72057594073767004/The pre-show that shall not be named (but with the swear words edited out)http://dl.dropbox.com/u/503535/cnetbuzz_100406edit.mp3Hey Buzz Crew,One of my all time favorite Buzz moments was Tom and Veronica’s dramatic reading of the bunnies made out of cheese quantum story years ago. It’s at the very end of this episode:http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/1pcast.bole.051107/http://podcast-files.cnet.com/podcast/cnetbuzz_051107.mp3I hope you have time to play it!Justin From San Diegohttp://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/1pcast.bole.051107/http://podcast-files.cnet.com/podcast/cnetbuzz_051107.mp3Hey Buzz Crew… I was walking down BOL “”Memory Lane”" and I had to send you this farewell video, and two songs from past shows.I’m very excited to see what your future will bring… please, keep us posted. â€" DanBOL Bye ByeBOL “”Molly Rant”" Bluesfiles.me.com/promiseland_music/rn2sc5.mp3Ina Chat Roomfiles.me.com/promiseland_music/pm8b0n.mp3files.me.com/promiseland_music/rn2sc5.mp3files.me.com/promiseland_music/pm8b0n.mp3550,000-strong army of Mac zombies spreads across worldhttp://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/04/05/flashback_trojan_botnet/VIDEO VOICEMAIL:Derek (ddawg)Lucky (the silent guy)Collin DaviesGoodbye, Buzz Out Loud from Richard GuntherVideo Voicemail from RajivEMAILS:Dear Tomollica, Jason, Brian, & Stephen (et al):As two early settlers of Buzztown (or as it was known then, “”Buzz Unincorporated Area”"), we are proud of the way our little corner of the internet grew into a Buzztropolis. We’ll miss BOL because it is more than just simply a tech show.BOL is a community with fellow settlers like Trip, Remy, and Fordo; it’s Earthlink Guy, Molly rants, Tom’s unappreciated segues, Tong’s dulcet tones, the Frappr map (what’s Frappr again?), Spectaclefest, Goobuntu babytalk, Computer Love, Into It/Not Into It, “”well, actually”", conversations with tech luminaries, and of course keeping abreast of the day’s news (snicker).For 7 years, you’ve talked the two of us through countless otherwise mind-numbing hours in the car between NYC and Boston. You made us laugh, snarf our coffee, and occasionally even tear-up, but this is why we love BOL. No other show combined tech, heart, humor, analysis, and silliness so consistently.We hope you know that BOL was something special and irreplaceable. Those of us who listen and watch feel lucky to have been a part of it.Keep on buzzing (sniff),Mo & VijThe Boys from Boston”â€"â€"â€"â€"Hey all,I was as disappointed as everyone else to hear BOL was to end after all these years, but most of all it’s because I consider the show to be the reason I got my big career break.Many years ago in the early days of the show, Tom and Molly announced that CNET.com was hosting a competition for a tech fan to go to CES with CNET to do some backstage blogging from the show floor. I thought I might as well enter. To cut a long story short, my entry won me a place and I spent a few days writing and doing videos from the show. Because I was running a little technology site of my own at the time, I’d written a lot about consumer tech and ended up being asked onto CNET’s ‘Next Big Thing’ panel at CES, where I talked about the future of Blu-ray and other media. Someone from CNET UK was in the audience at the time and said I should get in touch back in England as they were looking to hire someone to review MP3 players and audio gadgets. I applied, and I think in part thanks to what I had the chance to do at CES, I got the job and moved to London a few weeks later.Since then I had several roles at CNET, ending up as Senior Editor before being asked to take over the position as Editor of Wired.co.uk, where I’ve been for the last two years or so. I honestly believe that had I not been listening to BOL in those early days, I’d never have heard about the CES competition, never been seen by a CNET UK manager, and never got the early break I got as a result. I’m grateful to have been able to go full circle and guest on BOL a couple of times since then, and even more grateful for the 1,500 Buzz Out Louds I’ve never missed, and the resulting career they ultimately helped me develop.Buzztown forever.â€"â€"â€"â€"I’m sure there’s a ton of stuff going on today, so I’ll be brief…ish… ;)I just wanted to say thank you for Buzz Out Loud.Thank you for keeping me informed, for making me laugh and for providing the opportunity to meet and become friends with a whole new group of awesome people that I’d likely never have met otherwise.When I think back on the last 5 years, I realize that I stopped coming for the news probably 4 years ago.It was great and all, but the amazing part was the dynamic; this is why BOL is truly special in my opinion.Regardless of who was hosting or producing, your personalities just meshed and shined through and it was an absolute blast to listen to, then watch, then participate in.First and foremost, I’m happy because you guys really seem excited about the new stuff coming down the pipe, and I can’t wait to see what it’ll be (I expect nothing but the best from you guys)… and I’m not going to “”miss”" anything because almost nothing is really going away; like I said before, your personalities make anything you touch awesome, so I’m not worried.That being said, between you and me, my only tiny tiny concern is the fate of the BOL community: the chat room and the interactivity with you guys.I just hope there are some ideas out there to try and at least maintain if not further cultivate those relationships between fans and between fans and C|Net personalities.These things mean a good deal to me, and I’m guessing to many of your other loyal fans as well.Anyway, the rude “”get off the stage”" music is starting to play…Some more quick thanks:Thanks for the swag: the coveted green t-shirt… the gray t-shirt… and the autographed t-shirt… the book on how to use OSX (Regular) Leopard (tho I’ve never owned a mac, lol. you da man, Jason ;) )… the many stickers… the two-way audio splitter… ooo and the dranks in NYC x2! Boom.Thanks for all the shot outs, and congratulations (med school -> residency -> job.Aside: Molly, I finally bought a ring! ;) ).Thanks for the memorable moments I’ll always keep with me (obvi too long to list here)Favorite BOL moment:So many, going to have to go with when you guys received the 1000th episode care package/t-shirt we made for y’all.That was the shit.Also just a little funny FYI:When I started listening to the show, it was on this:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:3G_ipod_in_dock.jpg which, at the time, cost me as much as thishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_new_iPad does now.HA! Hilarious.OK, OK…Thanks again for all the great times and good luck moving forward! I’ll be watching! :)Cake and Bourbon,Love,Dr. Karlâ€"â€"â€"â€"â€"Dear Burp Out Loud customers!It is with great regret, that we, the BOL Team, have to inform you that we are closing down our restaurant business indefinatly.In the last six years, we matured from a little “”it won’t take longer than 5 minutes”" take away place, to a stylisch, modern and trendy restaurant, always serving you the latest & greatest meals while still giving them our own personal flavour.But due to restructuring in our parent company we are moving on to new ventures. And even though there won’t be any freshly live cooked dishes anymore we would like to inform you that as of june 2012 we will be opening a series of vending machines throughout the country.Although cold and prepackaged, all the snacks are still prepared by our top staff that you have come to know and love in the last couple of few years.All the mashines will be operating on demand 24/7 and restocked weekly with new delicious and exciting meals, so that you always will have something to look forward to!Thank you for your understanding!yours sincerlyThe Burp Out Loud Team!p.s.:Hi guys.As you can see, I updated the BOL menu. There are loads of old and new dishes which all hopefully should bring back a happy memory or two. Even if you don’t have time to show this in the final episode I thought you guys could maybe tweet about it, post it in the show notes or make it in some form available to all the BuzzOutLoud fans out there (feel free to repost the Dropbox link).It should serve as a very small memento of what we all went through together over the last few years (or at least as long as I was able to remember back ^^)(Someone must really be a TRUE fan to understand every single little joke and innuendo, but I’ve also included a small glossary for people who maybe haven’t seen every episode of the webs best podcast :-) )Finally, I want to say THANKS to the whole crew including Veronica, Tom, Jason, Benito and everyone I forgot. You guys really created something great that gave me and so many others something to look forward to every single day.Thank you so much and good luck on all of your future endeavours!XOXOJerry from AustriaBOL Menu Dropbox Link: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/27670995/BOL/bol_menu_final.pdf”â€"â€"â€"â€"Hey Buzz Crew,It is extremely sad that Buzz Out Loud will come to an end. It had awonderful run. Before you guys sign off for the last time, I have twodying wishes that I hope you can fulfill:Wish Number 1: Please take and post a group photo of all the official hosts and producers of Buzz Out Load. It shall be a great piece of human history.Wish Number 2: Have a Buzz Out Loud theme song remix duel between Jason and Stephen!!! I’m sure it will be *awesomeeee*!â€"â€"â€"â€"-To the Buzz Crew and ex-Buzz Crew, may you all continue producing great shows and content.To Buzz out Loud, rest in peace. You’ll be missed dearly. *tears* :’(For one last time…… love, the, show.Wan from Johore, Malaysia. Fan of the show since the numberless episodes.â€"â€"â€"â€"Dear Buzz Crew - Past, Present, & Future - Hey, J.J. Abrams successfully rebooted Star Trek:I am proud to say I have been a loyal listener/subscriber/viewer/live streamer since Molly and Tom sounded like they were huddled around a small voice recorder and long before Veronica ever spoke - much less fired Jason. Through your passion and commitment, I have been informed, enlightened, enraged, entertained, and sometimes heartbroken (James Kim); however, the one thing I will always be is grateful. All of you can never know all the lives you touched and changed - I wanted to let you know you did both. Much success to you all in the future - until then:Second star to the right…and straight on ’til morning.-James T. Kirk, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, quoting Sir James Barry (Peter Pan) EurekaGeekTim Russellâ€"â€"â€"-Dear Buzz Crew, all of you,As I look back on all of the joy, and knowledge, and laughs that BOL has given me over many years, it would be easy to feel above everything else a sense of sadness, and I know that is the first reaction that has come forth from many members of this community.But when I look back over the years, I see all of the different ways BOL, in all of its different forms, has shaped my life over these years together. And from that, I see optimism for all that is to come from our hosts and our community, and I a reminded of a powerful quotation from Charles Du Bos:“”The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become. “”Good luck in what will come, and remember the words of John Keats to remember what has been:A thing of beauty is a joy forever;Its loveliness increases; it will neverPass into nothingness; but still will keepA bower quiet for us and a sleepFull of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet dreaming.All the best,Nick from MTâ€"â€"â€"Each night I download six tech podcasts, four news podcasts, and sevenpolitical talk-show podcasts for the next day’s commute â€" but each day Iactually listen to one: Buzz Out Loud.Because your podcast is ofindeterminate length, sometimes I check out one of the others afterward.â€"â€"â€"BOL murdered my commute!You left my commute on life support when you went weekly; now you’vedriven a stake through its heart.My commute is dead.I hope itdoesn’t come back as a flesh-eating zombie and take revenge on the BOLcrew…Good luck, I’ll miss the whole gang.Jim in Orange Countyâ€"â€"â€"â€"Hello SteveI wanted to drop a note and say Thank you to Brian, Molly, and yourselffor working on a great show.The ending of the show will be greatlymourned by myself and its many fans.The mix of interesting topics andgreat personalities has been a welcome reprieve for me during theworkday for a long period of time.Good luck on your future endeavors.Perhaps though we can have a new show of just computer love.Thomas Mark CardenHe can see the future Brianâ€"â€"â€"â€"â€"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!It’s happened again!Anytime I start to lag on listening to a podcast,they decide to end!So, I’ve gotten super busy at work, and haven’t hadas much time to listen to podcasts lately.So I’ve gotten prettybacked up on back episodes of BOL.Over the past week I’ve been able tocatch up, only to find out that the show is ending!I’m sorry BOL,it’s all my fault!This has happened to me before, with shows like theMailbag, Today in Tech History, Gadgettes, and many other non-CNETshows.Even back in the day, when I was a wee lad, I stopped watchingthe CNET TV shows, and BAM!, Ryan Seacrest left.I promise to try andwatch/listen more in the future.I feel so bad when I destroy thethings I love.In all seriousness, congratulations on the greatopportunities, thank you for the great content over the years, and goodluck.Thanks,Davidâ€"â€"â€"-Dear Buzz Crew,I’ve been listening to BOLsince high school, even before Veronica started speaking on the show. Ijust wanted to thank each and every host of Buzz Out Loud, past orpresent, for helping me find my passion and engaging me with brilliantanalysis of tech news.Buzz Out Loud helped mepick journalism as my major in college, educated me throughout college,and you all continue to inspire me every day. If it weren’t for youguys, I wouldn’t be writing software reviews and blogging about tech formy job.You guys have helped shape my life. As hyperbolic as that sounds, it’s true and I will miss Buzz Out Loud, and every one of its hosts dearly.I look forward to your new projects. Keep doing what you love and I’ll keep watching.You loyal listener,â€"Lewis Leong â€"â€"â€"Hello Molly, Brian, Steven, and the gang!My name is Reyna, 21 years old, from East Los Angeles, California. I’ve neveremailed or called in, but I just wanted to thank you guys for providinghours upon hours of amazing content for me on my commute to and fromschool. I actually discovered you guys through Andrew Sims ofMuggleCast, a podcast for a Harry Potter fansite. When you guys wentweekly, it was also around the time that MuggleCast switched to monthlyshows and I’ve been at a loss for good podcasts since. I think it’sabout time I make use of all those Audible.com offers every podcastseems to make. (What’s that code for a free audiobook, again?)â€"â€"â€"Molly, you are an inspiration to myself and so many young women seeking careers in journalism and digital media.Brian, you make me rofl.Steven, thanks for making CNET content the best it can be. Stop being so good at your job!I wish you all the best in your future endeavors and look forward to seeing what new and wonderful content you have to offer.Don’t forget to be awesome,Reyna Villaâ€"â€"â€"Hello I’m 14 years old so right now I’m being shaped into the man I willbecome and I want to thank Steven for being one of the people to dothat. Over the last year without knowing it Steven has been influencingme. Teaching me to do my very best, bring new things to the table andkeep an element of surprise. So I say thank you to a man the taut methings that will stay with me for the rest of my life and didn’t evenknow it.Dane for Duluth, MN.Oh and if you ever need any help with anything:CG rendering, audio editing, coding, hardware, software whatever, just ask.”â€"â€"â€"-Hey Buzz crew,After all the years and episodes I’m surprised nobody has ever said it â€" so I will.Love the show.Brian Bartonâ€"â€"â€"No video or voice mail from me, I don’t talk when I’m upset, goodbyegkneeâ€"â€"â€"Archiveshttp://www.cnet.com/buzz-out-loud-podcast/?keyword=buzz+out+loud+archive&tag=rtcolThe Re-Mixeshttp://inthechatroom.bandcamp.com/Buzz Out Loud Kitchen RemixTom Merritt Blooper reelStar TrekSnakesPenTime to make the donutsThe Manhattans â€" Kiss And Say GoodbyeMug!http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexdesignz/2614593044/INTO IT NOT INTO IT:DIY robots: Print your own custom botshttp://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57408609-76/diy-robots-print-your-own-custom-bots/?tag=cnetRiverAshton Kutcher to play Steve Jobs? Really?http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57407806-71/ashton-kutcher-to-play-steve-jobs-really/?tag=mncol;txtShazam for iOS adds TV to its list of media it can identifyhttp://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-57408964-233/shazam-for-ios-adds-tv-to-its-list-of-media-it-can-identify/?tag=cnetRiverGoogle X Labs: First Project Glass, next space elevators?http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57409402-76/google-x-labs-first-project-glass-next-space-elevators/?tag=cnetRiverLady Gaga-esque headphones shield your eyes, toohttp://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57409298-1/lady-gaga-esque-headphones-shield-your-eyes-too/?tag=txt;titleInflatable ‘Star Trek’ Captain’s Chair: Sit long and prosperhttp://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57408847-1/inflatable-star-trek-captains-chair-sit-long-and-prosper/?tag=txt;titleâ€"â€"â€"-http://bol.cnet.com, 800-616-2638 (CNET), buzz@cnet.comFollow us on Twitter: @mollywood @brian_tong @stephenbeacham @jasonhowell @acedtech @donald @veronica @rafe

Qualcomm CEO says Windows legacy apps have to go touch

Qualcomm CEO says Windows legacy apps have to go touch
Older Windows programs will have to be updated to incorporate touch capabilities, Qualcomm's chief executive said. And that's something that should help adoption of the newest version of the operating system. Paul Jacobs, speaking today during a small press roundtable in New York before tomorrow's Windows 8 launch, said there will be "FUD" -- fear, uncertainty, and doubt -- around legacy applications when Windows RT first launches, but the capabilities offered by the new system will ultimately win over consumers. Related stories:Top 10 drawbacks of Windows RTQualcomm nab's Microsoft's CES keynote slotBig surprise: Bill Gates thinks Windows 8 is greatCNET's take on Microsoft's SurfaceMaking sense of the confusing world of Windows 8He noted that older applications will have to be updated to take advantage of the new functionality in Microsoft's latest version of the operating system. Most legacy PC apps currently don't work with touch screens or run on the Windows RT version of the OS. "Legacy apps have to go touch," Jacobs said. "That's the paradigm now. You need to be touch."The latest version of Windows, officially being unveiled tomorrow, is the first version of Microsoft's operating system to incorporate touch capabilities and other features commonly found on tablets. One iteration of the software, known as Windows RT, runs on chips based on ARM architecture, like those from Qualcomm. Such chips traditionally are used to power smartphones and tablets and are considered more power-efficient. But there are worries that consumers could be confused about the differences between Windows RT and the full version of Windows, known as Windows 8. Windows RT is more like "Windows Lite" than a full-blown update to the operating system. One big criticism of Windows RT is that older applications won't work with the software. That includes popular programs like iTunes and World of Warcraft. However, Jacobs said today that the performance of Windows RT devices -- with features like standby mode and long battery life -- will differentiate them from Windows 8 devices. He and Qualcomm President Steve Mollenkopf, who also attended the roundtable, said consumers ultimately will like the more mobile experience with Windows RT. And the number of apps available will increase."People right now have the assumption that apps won't come, but the assumption should be the other way around," Jacobs said. "You're going to see a lot of stuff that's going to continue to happen past this launch date."Jacobs noted that more developers will create programs for the system once they realize Windows 8/RT and Windows Phone 8 are "fundamentally the same system."Bill Gates, Microsoft's co-founder and chairman, made similar comments during a Microsoft interview. He noted that the PC/tablet version of Windows and the phone version will ultimately merge. Meanwhile, Mollenkopf said the mobile market likely has room for three operating systems. Android and Apple's iOS currently dominate the market, but RIM and Microsoft have been vying for the third-place position. Microsoft Surface and its keyboard get a...See full gallery1 - 4 / 13NextPrev

Easy last-minute gifts you can print or e-mail

Easy last-minute gifts you can print or e-mail
We're down to the wire, just one day to go until the ho-ho-holiday. If you're a procrastinator like me, you might be scrambling to find a last-minute gift for, say, your favorite uncle/mail carrier/blogger.No problem: all you need is your computer and, if you want something tangible you can put under the tree, a printer. The following stores let you print or e-mail gift certificates for fast, easy, and downright thoughtful giving.Amazon.com On any Amazon page, click the Gift Cards link, then choose Digital or Print. Amazon offers a wealth of options in both categories, from video gift cards to color-in cards the kids can decorate. There's no minimum, and you're not limited to increments: your certificate can be in the amount of $19.27 if you want.iCard Give the gift of gift-card freedom. iCard lets you buy certificates that can be redeemed for merchant gift cards. The extensive merchant list covers everything from AMC Theaters to Panera Bread, to Zappos. Alas, you can't choose a custom amount -- available increments include $10, $25, $50, $75, and so on.iTunes Obviously you can grab an iTunes gift card in just about any store on the planet, but did you know you can also print or e-mail your own? Just fire up the iTunes program, head to the iTunes Store home page, click Buy iTunes Gifts, and then choose E-mail Gift Certificates or Printable Gift Certificates. Amounts range from $10 to $100.Netflix The awesomeness that is Netflix streaming can be given in the form of a Netflix gift subscription. Just choose how many months you want to give -- one, two, three, six, etc. -- and pony up $7.99 per. Choose from over a dozen eye-catching gift-card designs, add a message, then decide whether you want to print or e-mail. Easy-peasy.Restaurant.com What's better than awesome gift certificates for everyone on your list? Awesome gift certificates that don't cost you a dime. (Shhh. I won't tell if you won't.) Once again, Restaurant.com's Feed It Forward promotion lets you e-mail (but not print, sorry) $10 gift cards to anyone and everyone you know. You'd think there would be some kind of catch, but no.Have you found another great last-minute gift option for printing and/or e-mailing? Tell me about it in the comments!In the meantime, have a safe and happy holiday, and I'll see you back here next week -- right before the calendar strikes 2013. Merry Christmas!Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.Curious about what exactly The Cheapskate does and how it works? Read our FAQ.

The 404 656- Where we vote yes on virtual girlfriends (podcast)

The 404 656: Where we vote yes on virtual girlfriends (podcast)
This summer, a hot-springs resort in Atami, Japan, became a vacation destination for men who just can't stand being single. For almost two months, the resort offered players of the dating sim Love Plus Plus a physical location to bring their virtual girlfriends. Once there, the players visited romantic locations and took pictures next to black-and-white markers on the ground that acted as triggers for the corresponding augmented-reality smartphone app. In real life, it looks like the men posed by themselves, but the app inserted a picture of their virtual girlfriends to simulate companionship. As the only single dude on the show, it's apparently my job to investigate this matter in greater detail, so see you in Japan!What's with everyone just throwing away animals? First there was the security camera clip of a British woman trashing a cat, and now LiveLinks just posted a video of a young girl chucking puppy after adorable puppy into a river! Luckily, we can rely on the vigilante justice of 4Chan's /b/ thread to come to the rescue in both cases.The infamous message board is on the hunt to reveal the identity of said puppy-chucker, and they've already narrowed down the location of the river to a city in Croatia; they even found two potential Facebook profiles that match her description, although it could be anyone. She's around 5 feet 7 inches tall, blond, and Caucasian...nevertheless, we're confident that they'll bring the culprit to justice. Just don't hurt us!Again, there's only one hour left to add us on Twitter (add Jeff, Wilson, and Justin while you're at it) and tweet out the bolded message up there for your chance to win one of two All You Can Jet prizes, courtesy of JetBlue! Good luck to everyone entering. We can't wait to see where you go!Episode 656PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang

Newly flush with wine, Facebook Gifts rolls out to all U.S. users

Newly flush with wine, Facebook Gifts rolls out to all U.S. users
With two weeks of Christmas shopping left, Facebook is making Facebook Gifts available to all users starting today. "Now you can instantly send real gifts, digital gift cards, charitable donations and wine to your friends right from Facebook," the company said in a short blog post.Catch that last item? Wine. For the first time, Facebook users will be able to send alcoholic beverages to one another using the service, so long as both sender and recipient are older than 21. FacebookWine partners include Amuse Bouche, Blackbird, Bonterra, Capture Wines, Clark-Claudon, David Family, Domaine Chandon, Goose Cross, Mondavi, Mutt Lynch, Recuerdo, Tasting Room, Terra Valentine, Titus, Twisted Oak, and Wine Country Gift Baskets.Facebook said it has put multiple protections in place to ensure underage users can't send or receive wine. Anyone with a stated age under 21 won't see wine as a gift option. If a user who is 21 or older tries to send wine to an underage user, the first user will see a message that the friend "needs to be over 21 to receive this gift." Facebook said the wineries it is working with work with a company called ShipCompliant that verifies users' ages before sending the gift, and that the delivery company will check the recipient's identification to verify the age. Facebook has made a big push for Gifts this holiday season, announcing a slew of new products last month during an event in New York. Later it added iTunes gift cards to the service. Facebook takes a cut of each sale, though it won't say how much. CNET's Paul Sloan argued recently that e-commerce presents a big opportunity for Facebook, but that for now its main benefit is encouraging people to stay on Facebook longer.

Digital City Ep. 35- Post-E3 impressions, Palm Pre vs. iPhone, and the upcoming WWDC

Digital City Ep. 35: Post-E3 impressions, Palm Pre vs. iPhone, and the upcoming WWDC
Although we have to wait until next week's show to hear of Dan's possible escapades with McLovin' and company, along with his (enviable) hands-on experiences, at this year's E3 event in Los Angeles, that doesn't stop us from giving our take on what went down.Note to Dan: We expect some video footage of actual gameplay, NOT a 15-page slide show...we kid, but, no, really.Oddly enough, we were all physically suffering from one thing or another before the taping of the show--Joe with his sinuses, Julie with the constant eye twitch, and Scott with...whatever--but we mustered enough strength to push forward 'cause that's how we roll. Based on what we saw of E3, we discuss who won the motion sensor/controller wars, the PSP Go, and which games we were excited to get our hands on in the future.We also talk about what could, or should, be expected at this week's Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Obviously, the iPhone OS 3.0 should be shown off, but what about the new iPhone? We predict what the rumored new iPhone--or what Joe calls the "iDevice"--will have, and what it needs to take back the hype from the Palm Pre.In the midst of all the serious and informative discussion though, we find ourselves victim to double entendres and innuendos. Also, Julie strikes several poses in front of the404 banner in the podcast room, but you'll (obviously) only catch it on the video version of the show. It's all in fun.>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan pageListen now: Download today's podcastThis content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play

Did we listen to just as much music before the iPod-

Did we listen to just as much music before the iPod?
Before the iPod and iTunes supposedly changed everything, we listened to records, CDs, tapes, and radio in our cars, on the street and in mass transit. Music was nearly as portable as it is now, but iPods and other MP3 players radically increased the quantity of music you could take with you. Looking back to the dawn of the iPod/MP3 era, sound-quality improvements weren't part of the agenda, just the quantity of music that was transportable. Apple's early ads touted the advantages of having "1,000 songs in your pocket," which struck me as an odd way to entice buyers in 2001, but the strategy worked! The first portable Sony CD player, the D-50SonyJohn Lennon wasn't obsessed with the number of tunes he had on the road when he was touring with the Beatles. His personal music player was a 47-pound, 40-disc portable jukebox the size of a small suitcase! That's pretty extreme, but I remember lots of kids had portable record players in the 1960s and 1970s. In-car, under-dash singles players weren't uncommon. Once 8-track cartridges and cassettes took off, the number of tunes you could take with you skyrocketed. Sony's Walkman cassette players were next, and were considerably more popular than previous portable music players. We were perfectly happy with tapes, and high-end Walkman cassette players sounded great, and from an audiophile perspective, a lot better than the first generations of iPods and MP3 players. That didn't matter; most people ditched cassettes and happily sacrificed sound quality for more tunes in a smaller, less bulky package. When portable CD players became available in the mid-1980s we finally had a truly high-quality portable music format. Looking back, it's interesting that despite the popularity of different generations of music players, the quality of portable headphones remained mediocre. Those early iPods and MP3 players' headphones were awful, but starting around five years ago the market for higher-quality headphone sales took off. Nowadays audiophiles aren't the only people buying $300 headphones, and the ongoing popularity of iPods and cell phones are largely responsible for the booming market for high-quality headphones.

Police- Burglar nabbed after turning on Steve Jobs' stolen Macs

Police: Burglar nabbed after turning on Steve Jobs' stolen Macs
Whoever broke into the home of the late Steve Jobs is probably now wishing thata different house had been the target.The Palo Alto, Calif., home was robbed on July 17 of more than $60,000 in computers and other items, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. Kariem McFarlin, a 35-year-old man, was arrested and charged with the crime.And apparently it wasn't hard for police to catch him.After some of the stolen computers were plugged in, the PCs communicated with Apple servers to perform needed upgrades, according to The Daily. That alerted Apple security people and Palo Alto police, who then traced the computers.After his arrest, police said that McFarlin led them to a storage locker, where they found Jobs' wallet, some credit cards, and a letter. McFarlin apparently acknowledged that he didn't know it was Jobs' house until he actually read the letter, The Daily said.McFarlin has reportedly confessed to the crime and said he robbed the home because he was in "dire straits" and living out of his car. McFarlin apparently said he wants to send a letter of apology to Jobs' family.Related storiesSteve Jobs' Palo Alto home robbed by clueless thiefSteve Jobs at Apple: A retrospectiveSteve Jobs: A timelineUndergoing a renovation, the house has been temporarily unoccupied and surrounded by a construction barrier. "The house was under renovation," Scott Tsui, Santa Clara County supervising deputy district attorney, told CNET News yesterday, "so you know how that can be. I didn't see the house myself, but I'm not sure if the conditions of the perimeter were as secure as they would have been with a regular house. I think that may have given the defendant an opportunity to break in."

Poaching lawsuit to go forward, targeting Apple, Google, others

Poaching lawsuit to go forward, targeting Apple, Google, others
Adobe, Intuit, Pixar, and Lucasfilm are also subject to the antitrust suit.A class action suit was brought by five software engineers, who accused the technology giants of conspiring to lower employee pay by removing competition for skilled labor.An investigation by the U.S. Justice Dept. in 2010 led to the companies saying they will refrain from cold-calling employees of competing firms in efforts to hire them.Reports suggest that the judge was not all too bothered by the practice of poaching each others' workers, more so "how it ties together," suggesting that the companies colluded in order to prevent the practice from continuing.ZDNet's Chris Dawson noted, a "polite" email was sent in 2007 from Apple co-founder Steve Jobs sent to then-Google chief executive Eric Schmidt, asking him to stop poaching Apple employees."I would be very pleased if your recruiting department would stop doing this," Jobs' e-mail to Schmidt said.In 2009, Apple and Google were said to have had an "unofficial agreement" not to poach each other's employees, or at least while Eric Schmidt served on Apple's board. While no formal arrangement existed, it was noted at the time that there still could be a stifling of competition among companies that rely on the best of the best in software engineering talent.This story originally appeared at ZDNet's Between the Lines under the headline "Apple, Google, others fail to dismiss 'poaching' antitrust suit."

Pixar names main building after Steve Jobs

Pixar names main building after Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs has been memorialized on film studio Pixar's campus.The Pixar Times, a site dedicated to the film studio, reported yesterday that the Pixar main building is now known as "The Steve Jobs Building." Junn Lee, a Pixar employee, yesterday tweeted a picture of the building with its new name atop the entranceway.Pixar likely wouldn't be the company it is today without Steve Jobs. In the mid-1980s, the company was having trouble staying afloat under the leadership of famed director George Lucas. After his ouster from Apple, Steve Jobs paid Lucas $5 million for Pixar's technology rights. He then invested more and more cash to finally buy out the entire company.Related stories'Avatar,' 'Star Trek,' 'District 9' get visual-effects Oscar nodsPixar exec to join Twitter as CFOToy Story 3 game celebrates Pixar's spirit of playPixar releases vintage Lots-o-Huggin' Bear adsMicrosoft updates Internet Explorer 9 test versionThat cash infusion led Jobs to take on the role of Pixar's chairman. He also eventually became the company's CEO. After "Toy Story" became Pixar's first mega-hit, the company took off, leading some to believe that if not for Jobs, the studio would have folded. After several subsequent film successes, Jobs sold off Pixar to Disney for $7.4 billion in 2006.Steve Jobs died last year at the age of 56 after a long battle with cancer. In addition to receiving honors at Pixar, Jobs, who is best known for co-founding Apple, has been continually memorialized at Apple's Cupertino, Calif., headquarters.(Via The Verge)

Photo-sharing site Color Labs announces shut down

Photo-sharing site Color Labs announces shut down
Color Labs, the photo-sharing site that was the apparent target of an acqui-hire by Apple, is shutting down.The Palo Alto, Calif.-based startup announced the development this evening via a banner notice on its Web site."Alert: We hope you've enjoyed sharing your stories via real-time video. Regretfully, the app will no longer be available after 12/31/2012," the notice reads.The tale of Color is a bit of a mystery that continues to unfold. After initial reports that the troubled app maker was shutting down, it was reported that Apple was acquiring the company for a price described as being in the "high double digits." However, sources told Tech Crunch today that the price was $7 million.It was suggested that Apple would be interested in some of the company's patents, which might tie in, and perhaps extend, the company's media-sharing tools. But Apple might have been more interested in Color's employees, reportedly snapping up about 20 engineers who would work on cloud-based projects for Apple, while the remainder of Color is "wound down."The company has not publicly addressed the takeover reports, but a Color engineer recently changed his Twitter profile information to indicate he was now working at Apple -- information that quickly vanished with the engineer's account. The acquisition was largely confirmed in a lawsuit filed today by one of Color's co-founding employees. Adam Witherspoon, who served as a quality assurance engineer at Color, sued the company and its CEO, Bill Nguyen, accusing both of creating an "extremely hostile, unsafe, and harassing atmosphere." The acquisition of Color by Apple served as a backdrop for much of Witherspoon's complaint. CNET has contacted Apple for comment and will update this report when we learn more.

Photos show purported iPad Mini parts -- black and white

Photos show purported iPad Mini parts -- black and white
With a debut of a miniaturized version of the iPad possibly just two weeks away, the rumors are coming hot and heavy. The latest: purported shots of parts, from displays, to rear casings and screen covers.Apple news site UkrainianiPhone (via Gizmodo) today posts photos of these parts, which the outlet claims were snapped in a Chinese factory. Among the changes suggested by the four shots are that the unit sports a Nano-SIM tray for cellular connectivity, a Lightning connector (instead of a 30-pin adapter), a microphone jack in the same corner as current iPads, and a plastic element along the top to let wireless signals pass through a black anodized aluminum back. The display itself also appears to have a narrower bezel on the sides, matching up with mock-ups that have appeared over the last month or so. Related storiesApple iPad Mini: The ultimate rumor roundupiPad Mini mock-up pics emergeiPad Mini already in production in Brazil, says report The photos come just a day after a report that production of the product is under way in Brazil. If that's true, as well as these leaked photos coming from China, it would also lend credibility to an earlier report of Apple tapping both Foxconn and Pegatron -- two separate manufacturers -- to split up production of the device ahead of its launch. Apple has rumored to be working on a smaller version of the iPad for months, with rumors of such a device dating back to before the first model was announced. A report yesterday suggested Apple plans to send out press invites to event where the device will be formally unveiled as soon as next week.