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Off-Topic: Egyptian Photographer’s Photos Censored On Flickr

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 06:30 PM PST


Hossam el-Hamalawy, otherwise known as 3arabawy on Flickr, was the source for the image in my post on the Egyptian revolution. His Flickr stream is full of great photos from the streets, but just recently, after posting some pictures of Egyptian secret police accused of brutality, he’s been hit with a plainly fraudulent copyright takedown notice.

Out of gratitude for his excellent coverage of the revolution and allowing me to use his photo for my post, I wanted to give a little attention to this nonsense. There isn’t much we can do, but you can share your disappointment with Yahoo’s copyright division by emailing them, or tweet @Flickr telling them to get with the program.

Yellow Tinge In iPad 2 Displays: Probably Not A Big Deal

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 06:00 PM PST


Some iPad 2 owners are noting in the MacRumors forums that there some units have a yellowish tinge in a corner or two. Oh no! Oh wait. Didn’t this happen last year?

Yes, when the iPhone 4 came out, the devices were so hot and fresh that the glue holding the screen together had not fully dried (among other issues). Apple’s pushing out iPad 2s as fast as they can, so it’s no surprise that it should have similar issues.

Some users are saying it’s not glue, but as the iFixit teardown showed, there is indeed adhesive holding together parts of the display here, though it’s not the same as the iPhone 4′s construction. I suspect the color will go away after a day or two; just use the device normally and if it doesn’t disappear, well, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Chances are it’s a temporary issue like the last one.

Note: the image is of a iPhone 4, not an iPad 2. It’s just for illustration.

Update: Tony writes in with a video of the phenomenon, which appears to be different than how I expected it: it’s more of a light-leakage with a yellow color to it. So it’s not the same problem as the iPhone 4, but I get the feeling the yellow is not a coincidence. Perhaps the glue under the bezel has not completely hardened, leaving a gap for light to escape?

Day 2 Of Pwn2Own Sees iPhone And BlackBerry Fall

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 05:30 PM PST

On day 1 of Pwn2Own we saw both Safari and IE8 fall victim to attacks by hackers. Today, iPhone 4 and the Blackberry Torch 9800 followed a similar fate. Pwn2Own is an annual security competition that allows hackers to win systems they successfully hack, in turn they provide valuable feedback to the company’s security teams.

Apple’s iPhone was hacked by Charlie Miller and Dion Blazakis, two Pwn2Own veterans. Miller has been very successful at the event, successfully hacking both Apple’s laptops and phones every year in the last three.

BlackBerry OS, running on a BlackBerry Torch 9800, was hacked by a team made up of Vincenzo Iozzo, Willem Pinckaers, and Ralf Philipp Weinmann. A few of the team members were also veterans having successfully hacked the iPhone in 2010. Simply by visiting a special Web page made by the team, they were able to compromise the Blackberry.

We still have yet to see Chrome or Firefox bite the dust. It may only be a matter of time.

Kinect Continues To Outsell The Move By Huge Margins

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 05:05 PM PST


If I had to pick between the Move and the Kinect, I personally would choose the Move, but there’s no denying that the Kinect is just plain interesting — and novel. While the Move is essentially a really excellent Wii clone, the Kinect is a genuinely new experience, and that’s translated to sales big enough to earn it a Guiness World Record.

I guess it comes as no surprise, then, that according to rock star analyst Michael Pachter, the Move is being outsold by the Kinect by quite a bit. This month saw healthy sales of both the PS3 and 360 (454K and 535K), but two thirds of the 360 bundles sold included Kinect while only a fifth of the PS3 sales were Move bundles. No data on individual peripheral sales, but I see no reason why they should be wildly different from the bundle demand.

[via 1up]

iFixit Tears Down The iPad 2: No Surprises, But 512MB Of RAM

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 04:32 PM PST


There isn’t much in the way of significant changes except the inclusion of the cameras, the spec bump to A5 and (as rumored) 512MB of RAM, and of course the generally thinner profile. One thing: the speakers are laughably small, though probably no smaller than the competition. One of these days a tablet will come along that doesn’t make your music sound like it’s at the bottom of a well, but until then, headphones are your friend.

Check out the rest of iFixit’s teardown here.

Mini Partners With MOG To Develop New On-Demand Streaming Audio App For iPhone

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 03:55 PM PST

Today, Mini announced that a new streaming audio app from MOG has been approved to make its way to their Mini Connected system. Mini Connected is an in-car entertainment system that is fully integrated with the iPhone. A Mini Connected app is run on iOS outputting metadata to the center screen where the data is rebuilt on Mini’s interface.

It’s a pretty unique way to power the IP stack, and in my opinion better than any other automaker’s attempt. Mini has said that over time they will announce more approved apps for their system. (They need to be approved so there’s nothing to distract the driver — don’t expect to see Angry Birds.)

Features from MOG include on-demand streaming of unlimited, ad-free listening, control from existing Mini joystick and steering wheel controls and local iPhone storage for use when no data connection is available. Also, MOG has their patent-pending “MOG Mobius” music discovery engine, which enables users to switch between true “artist only” radio or a full mix of similar artists.

MOG happens to download their music at 320kbps, which is the highest for any other on-demand streaming audio app.

Press Release

MINI USA Partners With MOG To Develop A New MINI Connected Approved App 

MOG On-Demand Streaming Music Service and MINI to develop first in-car integration for on-demand music for MINI USA
Demonstration of a beta version MOG app for MINI Connected to debut at SXSW in Austin, Texas on March 14, 2011


BERKELEY, Calif and WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ – March 11, 2011– MOG and MINI USA are partnering to develop a new MINI Connected Approved App, which could bring MOG's award-winning, on-demand streaming music service to MINI vehicles equipped with the MINI Connected system.  The two companies will demonstrate a beta version of the app, the first ever implementation of an on-demand music service in the car, at a press conference held during South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, on Monday, March 14.

The MOG press conference will take place on Monday, March 14 at 11:30 a.m. EDT / 10:30 a.m. CDT / 8:30 a.m. PDT at TenOak (409 Colorado Street), a new venue within walking distance to the Austin Convention Center, and will also be streamed live on the Web. For additional information about the press conference or to view the live Webcast, visit www.mog.com/events <http://www.mog.com/events> .

“We’re thrilled to work with MINI to unveil the first ever automotive integration of an on-demand music service,” said David Hyman, CEO of MOG. “We remain focused on giving people ways to enjoy music wherever they are, and we are jointly designing a MOG user experience specifically for MINI USA that makes it fast and easy for drivers to enjoy unlimited, uninterrupted music and still focus on the road. People listen to music while driving more than anywhere else, so it's critical for us to offer MOG in the car,” Hyman added.

The demonstration app that will debut at SXSW will be the first opportunity to test an on-demand music application in the vehicles and gather preliminary feedback from potential users. SXSW media attendees will be able to view demonstrations throughout the press event.

"The partnership with MOG is another great step for MINI Connected, as we continue to listen to our customers and work to assess, develop and launch the apps they want most in a timely manner," said Jim McDowell, Vice President – MINI USA.

The beta MOG app for the MINI Connected System showcases the following capabilities:
·       On-demand streaming: Unlimited, ad-free listening to any artist, album, or song at any time from virtually anywhere.
·       Seamless integration: Easy to browse and search, play, re-play, or skip to your favorite songs using the existing MINI joystick and steering wheel controls.
·       Storage: MOG will allow users to store their MOG music on their phone, enabling access to their favorite titles even when a data connection is not available.
·       MOG radio: Only MOG offers patent-pending “MOG Mobius” music discovery engine, which enables users to switch between true “artist only” radio or a full mix of similar
artists.
·       Highest quality audio: MOG downloads music at 320kbps, which provides the highest quality listening experience.

The final MOG app would allow MINI USA customers to download the MOG app, connect an iPhone via USB, and MOG will immediately work with the existing MINI Connected system.

MOG offers a $9.99 per month MOG Primo subscription plan, which provides subscribers with access to MOG for unlimited, on-demand listening access online at MOG.com, through compatible CE devices from major manufacturers such as Roku and soon Samsung, Vizio, LG and Sonos, and through the MOG app on iPhone and Android phones, all via a single MOG account.

To RSVP to the press conference and / or schedule an interview following the event, please contact marni@mog.com.

About MOG
MOG, Inc. is a next-generation music media company founded in June 2005 by David Hyman, former CEO for Gracenote. MOG’s all-you-can-eat, on-demand listening service provides access to a vast library of over 10 million songs and over one million albums through its mobile apps on iPhone and Android phones, online, and on streaming entertainment devices. MOG, Inc. is also the provider of The MOG Music Network (MMN), the premier destination for music content online and largest music focused advertising network consisting of over 1500 music sites, reaching nearly 40 million people each month.

Headquartered in Berkeley, California, MOG, Inc. investors include Menlo Ventures, Balderton Capital, Simon Equity Partners, Universal Music Group and Sony Music. Grammy-winning record producer Rick Rubin, named by Time Magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential People in the world,” is a member of MOG's Board of Directors.

MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC which has been present in the United States since 1975. Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 and X3 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes.  The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 138 BMW motorcycle retailers, 104 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at:  www.bmwgroupna.com

Information about the BMW Group and its products is available to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address: www.press.bmwna.com. Additional information, images and video may be found at www.miniusanews.com.

Yes. These Pallet Coasters Are Industrial-Strength Awesome

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 03:30 PM PST


I was never really drawn to coasters until I saw these. They’re 1:10 replicas of your average big wooden pallet, down to the markings on the side. Get some for your house, your bar, or to use as firewood like regular pallets. They’re a bit expensive at $36 for 5 (buy at Designboom), since they’re hand-made by designer house Labyrinth in Spain, but hey, you can’t put a price on good design. Wait, you totally can, and they did.

[via The Awesomer]

Tribes: Ascend To Continue Everyone’s Favorite Flying FPS Franchise

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 02:48 PM PST


Our most awesome readers will remember the unbelievably good times that were had (and can still be had for free) in the original Tribes. I was a god in that game with the laser rifle at 50x zoom. The sequels haven’t been as good (some better than others), but that isn’t stopping Hi-Rez Studios from attempting another one, which I desperately hope is good. It’s called Tribes: Ascend, and you can watch the announcement trailer here, though there’s no gameplay footage (argh!).

It’s being developed for a 2011 release on PC and 360, hopefully with the PC as primary. I don’t want them giving up this aspect of the game:

Those midair long-distance takedowns were key, and you really needed some mouse skills to do them. You can keep up with the latest developments at the website or on the Tribes: Ascend Facebook page.

Hela Disc: The Aerobie, Evolved

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 02:00 PM PST


When it comes to flying discs (“frisbees” to the vulgar), there are many to choose from. I personally like the Koosh Woosh, but as they don’t sell that particular relic any more, I’m forced to recommend other options for summer fun. The Hela Disc looks promising: it’s like an Aerobie donut-style disc but unlike that worthy item, won’t slice your head off if you miss the catch.

The story is that the creators noticed some strange properties of a piece of cardboard they were about to throw away, which led them to design the slightly funky shape of the Hela. It’s not just a flat ring, but has a curve to it and some other micro-features that make it easier to, say, throw straight in gusty weather. Sounds good to me.

They only cost $19, so why not pick one up for your next trip to the out of doors? I’ve already got my Woosh, so I’m set, but if you want to impress your friends with throwing skillz, give this thing a try.

Want To Look Cool And Donate To Quake Relief? Buy This Shirt

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 01:30 PM PST


If you’d like to give a little aid to Japan and want to represent, consider picking up one of these shirts from Adapt, who are donating 100% of the proceeds to the American Red Cross. HuffPo has collected a few other ways to give, if you’d prefer a different charity or organization.

[via Hypebeast]

NewerTech Announces NuShelf: An Underdesk Mount For Mac Mini Or Time Capsule

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 01:00 PM PST

Adding to the minimalism that is Mac Mini, NewerTech has announced the NuShelf Mount case for mounting a Mini or Time Capsule under a desk. The case is made of clear thick acrylic and rear slots have been cut out for SD cards and cable feeding. There are two versions: single and dual device shelves. The single NuShelf mount costs $39.95 and the NuShelf Dual Mount costs $44.95. Buy them here.

Press Release

NewerTech Announces NuShelf Mounts For Mounting Mac Mini
And/Or Apple Time Capsule Under Desk, Shelf, Or Cabinet 

Designed and Made in USA acrylic bracket relocates 2010 mini and/or Airport/Time Capsule
under a desk, shelf, or cabinet for device protection and to free up desktop space

March 11, 2011, Woodstock, IL — Newer Technology, Inc. (NewerTech®) http://www.newertech.com, a leading developer of Macintosh®, PC, iPod®, iPhone®, and iPad® performance upgrades and accessories, announced today the NewerTech NuShelf Mount for installing one or more 2010 Mac mini computers and/or Apple Time Capsule wireless hard drives under a desk, shelf, or cabinet. Designed and Made in the USA and priced starting from $39.95 MSRP, the precision manufactured acrylic NuShelf Mount is an ideal solution for saving desktop space by relocating a 2010 Mac mini and/or Time Capsule to a more protected, unused mounting location.

Two models available … hold up to two 2010 minis

  • NuShelf Mount: holds one 2010 Apple Mac mini or one Apple Time Capsule $39.95
  • NuShelf Dual Mount: holds two 2010 Apple Mac minis, two Apple Time Capsules, or one mini and one Time Capsule $44.95

The NewerTech NuShelf Mount is available immediately starting at $39.95 MSRP from NewerTech's exclusive distributor, Other World Computing (OWC®), as well as through the retail channel. For more information on the NewerTech NuShelf Mounts and other accessories for the Mac mini, visit:

http://www.newertech.com/products/macmini_acc.php

For more information on NewerTech's complete line of computer accessories and upgrades for Macs, PCs, and iOS Devices, visit:
http://www.newertech.com/products.

Full Access & Cool Operation

Both NuShelf Mounts offer easy access to all the Mac mini’s ports and power button while the front of the brackets remain open for accessing the mini’s optical drive and to keep the Apple Remote sensor unobstructed. Openings on the bottom of the bracket, along with additional space above the mini, provide adequate ventilation to keep the Mac mini cool.

NuShelf Mount Features:

  • Solid, single-piece acrylic construction.
  • Precision laser cut, recessed bottom seats Mac mini securely into stand.
  • Backstops keep Mac mini from sliding out back of shelf.
  • Rear cutouts offer easy insertion and removal of SD cards and power button access.
  • Saves valuable desktop space.
  • Perfect for use in home theater configurations.
  • Additional vertical clearance allows for mounting under a cabinet.
  • No ports or cooling vents are obstructed.
  • No Bluetooth or Wi-Fi signal loss.
  • Designed and made in the USA.
  • Dimensions: 8.1″ x 8.1″ x 3.6″ (20.7cm x 20.7cm x 9.2cm).
  • Includes four mounting screws.

"Providing more functionality to a user's technology investment is what drives NewerTech product development," said Grant Dahlke, Brand Manager, Newer Technology, Inc. "The NuShelf Mounts offer an ideal double benefit solution of cleaning up a desktop while protecting a mini and/or Time capsule by relocating it out of harm's way."

About Newer Technology, Inc.
Since 1984, Newer Technology, Inc. (NewerTech) has been recognized as the leading developer of performance upgrades and accessories for Macintosh and PC computers, iPods, iPhones, and iPads. NewerTech is headquartered in Woodstock, Illinois. Dealer inquiries are welcome by calling 815-308-7001 or by emailing sales@newertech.com.

Galaxy Tab Wi-Fi To Cumber Shelves On April 4th?

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 01:00 PM PST


These days, if you want a Galaxy Tab (the little one that isn’t selling well, not the big one that’s not for sale), you need to go to your local cellular provider and get one on contract. Why can’t you just get one with wi-fi? I don’t know. But I guess Samsung started asking that question too, and decided hey, why not sell a wi-fi version at Best Buy?

Yes, it looks like the Galaxy Tab wi-fi will be hitting shelves soon, and by most estimates it will stay there. Chances are that even a price-reduced $400 GalTab won’t sell well when you can get an iPad 2 for a bill more, or a refurb iPad for 50 bucks less.

Look, I love Android. And I think the Galaxy Tab 10.1 looks great. But with Xoom sales low, iPad love high, and this thing running 2.2, I just don’t see these things selling even in the triple digit range.


Porto: Denmark Creates Text Message Postage Stamp

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 12:30 PM PST

Are stamps the next thing to be made obsolete by the onward march of technology? Denmark will introduce something called the Mobile Postage beginning on April 1. It's as it sounds: rather than slap a plain ol' postage stamp on a piece of mail, Danish folk will instead send a text message to the post office, which will then send back a postage code. You then write this postage code on your mail, and off you go.


Xooms Not Selling So Well

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 12:00 PM PST

Remember the Xoom? We really liked it. Anyway, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek says that the Xoom is going to be knee-capped by the iPad 2 this week and probably for the rest of its natural life, a situation that does not bode well for the Honeycomb tablet.

He said:

Xoom sales have been underwhelming. While marketing has just started we believe MMI will likely have to cut production if it already has not done so. We believe the device has been a bit buggy and did not meet the magic price point of $500. We believe management knows this and is hurrying development and production of lower cost tablets. Importantly we believe management will likely have to make the painful decision to accept little to no margin initially in order to match iPad 2's wholesale pricing.

What needs to happen, clearly, is a price drop. While it’s difficult for manufacturers to beat Apple right now, there has to be a way for them to head Big Cupertino off at the pass on some of the more expensive parts of their devices, including memory and touchscreens.

via ZDnet


The Four Big Steps To Cutting The Cord

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 11:00 AM PST


Do it! Cut the cord and free yourself from the tyranny of the cable mafia. The movement is slowly gaining traction but the whole task is daunting. What do you do next? Where does your TV content come from? What are the options? So many questions you need answered before you take the scissors to the coax line.

What follows are the basic steps along with the best alternative services. Follow these steps and the transition from cable to Internet streaming will be painless as possible. Still, before you proceed, you must know that there is a break-in period. Cutting cable might be hard for some. Some will go crawling back to their cable provider. But press forward and take it a day at a time. You’re going to be a better person without it.

1. Understand What You’re Getting Yourself Into

Cutting the cord isn’t for the timid. It’s serious business and the process should include at least one family meeting. There isn’t a service out there that can totally replace cable’s feature set or passive nature and everyone in the household needs to know this.

Subscription TV is a mindless activity. Click on the box and your TV blasts to life with programming. That’s not going to happen with the majority of the cable alternatives. Besides free over-the-air programming, the other options require viewers to hunt and search for programming that’s considered old compared to when it first aired on live on TV. That’s right, you’re going to be watching old TV episodes and worse  yet, not all programming is available through alternative means. That’s just the way it is right now.

Perhaps your household isn’t ready to give up cable. It’s a big step to give up watching SportsCenter in the morning and The Daily Show at night. In fact, most consumers are in this boat. The cable cutting movement is considered by the industry to be nonexistent. That doesn’t mean you can’t cut the cord and save some serious money every year.

2. Understand The Alternative Service Options

Once you understand the pitfalls that are on the path to pay TV freedom, it’s time to look at the options. Some are free-ish while others charge a monthly fee. However all the options are a lot less than what Comcast or DirecTV charges hence their popularity.

Make a list of your favorite TV shows along and mark shows that you can’t live without. This little list will come in handy as you explore the options.

  • Over The Air

Antennas are alive and well. In fact, they can pull in an HD signal that will make some cable HD channels look like a VHS tape. The vast majority of flat screen TVs have an ATSC tuner and many late-model tube TVs even have the right goods. Simply plug-in an antenna, tell the TV to search for OTA stations, and you’ve got crystal clear HD programming. AntennaWeb.org will help fine tune the antenna.

The United States officially switched from analog NTSC broadcasts to the all digital ATSC signal in June 2009. All TV stations are using the digital broadcast standard now with most broadcasting an HD station along with a few SD stations as the ATSC spec allows for multiple signals, 5.1 audio and various resolutions.

OTA programming can easily supply TVs with live content from local network stations. ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and PBS are the common networks. Since each local TV stations can now broadcast multiple channels, you may be surprised how many stations are available OTA. It’s a solid option by itself and as a supplement to, say, Netflix.

  • Netflix

Netflix is the fan favorite partly because it’s on many TV appliances already. Many Blu-ray players, HDTVs, game systems and media streamers already support the service. Platform penetration is what lead Netflix’s explosive growth over the last few years. Some systems like the Boxee Box and PS3 allows users access to the entire Netflix streaming library where other systems require users to add videos to a queue via the website.

There’s a good deal of content available from Netflix, but like other streaming services, not everything is available and only 30% of the content features subtitles. Keep in mind that only a portion of Netflix’s catalog can be streamed. Use this page to explore the Watch Instantly titles — or instantwatcher.com maintains a great list as well.

The streaming service runs $7.99 a month and doesn’t require a contract. Netflix offers a one month trial but does require a credit card to sign up. Try it out and cancel if you’re not happy.

  • Amazon

Amazon has been in the streaming game nearly as long as Netflix, but up until just a few weeks ago, offered TV shows and movies on only a pay-per-play basis. That’s still available, but the retailer just launched its Prime Instant Videos that offers 5,000 movies and TV shows available for free streaming to paying Prime subscribers. So just like Netflix, subscribers can simply select a title and watch it instantly.

Amazon followed Netflix’s strategy and embraced numerous hardware platforms over the last year. If your TV set-top box is connected to the Internet, chances are it can get Amazon content. Only Roku boxes can stream Prime Instant Videos so far, though.

Even without the Prime Instant Videos, Amazon is still an attractive choice for cord cutters. TV episodes are often only $.99 and so an entire season of one TV show will cost around $24 — or rather a fraction of a monthly cable bill. The pay-per-play service is not for the heavy TV watchers, but might fill the void for others.

  • Hulu Plus

Hulu’s subscription service beta launched with much fanfare last summer, but then people used it and discovered it’s not exactly the best thing in the world. The amount of content didn’t line up with the $9.99 monthly price. Then in November the service exited beta and introduced a more competitive $7.99 monthly charge. But it was the additional content that was the biggest surprise.

Hulu Plus is positioned as a Netflix-alternative although the owners would argue it’s the other way around. While it trails behind Netflix and Amazon in library size, Hulu Plus is a good bet for those looking to watch the latest TV episodes of popular programs as soon as possible. Many episodes major network programs are available through Hulu Plus a day after they air on network TV where they might come months later on Netflix or Amazon. Still, it’s wise to look at your list of most important TV programs and peep the Hulu Plus selection before handing over your credit card.

Hulu Plus is also available on many popular devices including iOS devices, Android phones, Roku, PS3, Xbox 360, TiVo Premiere and various Internet-connected HDTVs.

But be warned, most Hulu Plus content has commercials of some sort. Sorry.

  • Torrents and usenet

Um, yeah. It’s safe to say that every TV show is downloadable in its entirety someone on Torrent sites or Usenet. It’s also safe to say that it’s a copyright violation to download this content. But it’s there and with the right amount of Google’n your Internet can automatically download all your favorite TV programs. It’s then a trivial task to hook up one of the various network streams like the Boxee Box or WD TV to watch this content on your TV.

Of course it’s between you and your lawyer if you walk this line. However, where Netflix and Amazon use highly-compressed (read: ugly and pixelated) HD streams, downloads are often perfect HD rips free from commercials and general nonsense. So it’s either beautiful and free HD content or eternal damnation at the hands of the copyright holders.

3. These Are The Hardware Options

  • Boxee Box

Disclamer: I love the Boxee Box and so does my family. I needed to get that out of the way and declare my allegiance right way. I’ve tried every single media streamer on the market and this is the best one. It’s fast, supports every media file I’ve tried, but most importantly, it’s fun to use. Other boxes can get you to the same content, but the dry interface makes for a stale experience.

The Boxee Box is a great cord cutting device as it’s really a  multifunction device aimed at two different demographics. One feature set serves up TV content currently available online for free from sites like ABC.com, NBC.com and the others through a clever interface. Plus, it can stream audio and video content stored anywhere on its local network. If all else fails, there’s a gigantic app library that includes Netflix, Vudu, YouTube, Pandora, Revision3, RedditTV, and over a hundred more.

It’s this triple threat approach that won me over. Average consumers should find the vast amount of  free content surprisingly complete since the Boxee Box simply plays videos from their official streaming sites. Then the downloader should enjoy the robust file support and automatic genre sorting. The apps are then the icing on the cake.

The Boxee Box by D-Link retails for $199 at major retailers but can often be found for a few dollars less online.

  • Roku

The Roku is a TV appliance. It works without fail. Select the Netflix app and you can stream Netflix. It’s that simple.

The Roku streamers might not be as flashy as the Boxee Box, but they work great and have a ton of content served up through Roku channels. All the major players are here with their subscription services: Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime Instant, Pandora, along with nearly a bottomless library of other channels.

The best thing about Roku boxes is they’re inexpensive with the top-tier XDS model running only $99. It’s not a bare-bones unit either: 1080p HDMI, component video, optical audio, dual-band 802.11n, USB ports for playing back pictures and videos. There are even two cheaper models if you don’t mind slumming it without a USB port or just 802.11g.

  • Smart TVs

The latest trend in the HDTV market is to offer TVs with so-called apps. This started with on-screen widgets, but now smart TVs are rocking full versions of Netflix and Hulu Plus along with other services like Flickr, Pandora, and various weather services. Throw in an OTA antenna and these TVs themselves are legitimate alternatives to cable thanks to these baked-in features.

The sets cost slightly more than their “dumb” counterparts. In fact they’re kind of hard to recommend since add-on boxes like the Boxee Box and Roku XDS are so inexpensive. The set-top box route might be a more cost effective and smarter move anyway as both the Roku and Boxee Box are backed by dedicated companies with proven track record of constant updates. Still, some consumers want to rid themselves entirely of boxes and so these TVs are available. People are clearly buying them because makers are constantly rolling the feature set downmarket.

  • Game Systems

That Xbox 360 sitting in your kid’s room? Yeah, it can be your ticket out of Comcastville. The Xbox 360 along with the PS3 and the Wii all stream Netflix with the former two featuring even more services. Even the original Xbox with the right mods can be an amazing streaming machine.

These game systems are computers in their purest form. Microsoft and Sony simply control the user experience so either you play by their rules and use the included systems and apps or you break the chains and jailbreak the system for even more functionality. Either way their streaming options might just be sufficient to justify canceling cable.

4. Profit!

Cable and satellite can be expensive. Here in mid-Michigan Comcast has the exclusive rights to serve me cable and this lack of competition creates crazy prices. My cable bill for just the expanded basic package and HD stations (along with 2 CableCards) runs $80 a month with my total bill including Internet services hitting nearly $120 a month. $80 a month is nearly $1,000 a year just on cable. Netflix on the other hand is just under $100 a year for a net savings of $900.

Of course cable provides infinity more options along with live news and sporting events. However, an OTA antenna paired with an ATSC tuner supplements downloads and streaming nicely. It’s important to cut the cord only after realizing that nothing will totally replicate the sheer amount of content or even cable’s user experience. Life is different without cable. But different is good.

FCC Approves LightSquared Frequencies, GPS Now In Danger

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 10:55 AM PST

It’s illegal to own or operate a GPS jammer in the United States for many valid reasons. More importantly, it threatens many systems us humans find relevant. If GPS goes down, how will people get around cities without getting lost? (Google Maps works so well for public transit.) It’s not surprising that the biggest threat to GPS is actually its owners: the US government.

GPS frequencies are very weak, so any slight amount of interference can cause the signals to fail. LightSquared, a company that plans to deliver wireless broadband over satellite, operates in frequency ranges adjacent to those used by GPS. Many people involved with GPS were surprised when the FCC gave tentative approval to LightSquared, essentially setting up GPS for failure. Apparently, the normal processes were circumvented for possible political favors.

Garmin recently tested GPS near the LightSquared transmitters and found jamming at 3.57 to 13.76 miles with a loss of location fixing from 0.66 to 5.6 miles away. Even the US Air Force thinks the FCC has gone crazy. Hopefully, this doesn’t interfere with my hooking up on Ditto.

DIYers Render 3D Bones In Bone Meal And Sugar

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 10:21 AM PST


The folks at 3DP at the University of Washington have rendered 3D bones in bone meal, 12x Powdered Sugar, and malodextrin. The resulting project – an effort to “print bones of animals that never existed” – is fairly creepy but if scientists could create actual bone in the same way, imagine the possible uses: hip replacements, skull fragment fixes, and the addition of three inch tusks to my otherwise normal, mid-western visage. William Gibson, we are with you in the Sprawl.

Here’s a great back-and-forth about the morality of 3D-printed bone:

We loaded up the 3D printer with a bone powder mixture and used an existing binder solution. Let's just say our first 3D printing tests were not terribly successful. The parts were so weak that any contact caused crumbling, and we could not remove the parts from the powder bed. However, the bone powder mix spread extremely well, produced a nice surface finish on the printing-bed surface. The parts needed to be strong enough to survive general human handing, depowdering, and post processing. Finally, really results!
But WAIT! After the first parts were printed, there was a long pause and a sigh heard from Juliana.
"I don't know what to do here." "I don't know how I feel about touching these parts."
"Why?"
"I'm a vegetarian!"
"What?"

After the malodextrin failed to stick, they started using UF plastic resin glue and that seemed to do the trick.

via Materialise


LEGO Outs The First Official Minifig Flash Drive

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 10:20 AM PST


Believe it or not, this is the first official LEGO flash drive. Serious. The company has long sold random minifig keychains and flash lights, but never a flash drive. There’s a bit of a premium as the 2GB drive costs $25 but you could always turn to Etsy where there’s a gaggle of homemade options. [LEGO via OhGizmo]

EA Includes SecuROM DRM In Dragon Age II Without Telling Anyone, Bans Player For Making Critical Remark

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 10:00 AM PST

Did EA ship the PC version of Dragon Age II with SecuROM DRM without telling anyone? It certainly looks that way. Reclaim Your Game’s analysis [PDF] of the DVD (ie non-Steam) version of the PC game found that it does, in fact, contain SecurROM, and despite the fact that EA has a 28-page (!) EULA nowhere in there—nor anywhere else—is SecuROM mentioned. Furthermore, once installed, you can’t, as yet, cleanly uninstall SecuROM from your system, as the analysis finds that "DRM Removal tool not provided in game; Some files and registry keys remain." Thanks, EA!

EA’s own online DRM scheme also requires a constant connection to the Internet in order to play DLC content.

The beauty, of course, is that you could download a pirated copy of the game and not put up with any of this DRM nonsense—legitimate customers treated like potential criminals while actual pirates laugh in their faces. Makes sense.

The game itself has proven to be quite divisive, with hundreds of Metacritic user reviews panning the game for its re-use of environments, the lack of strategic and/or free camera, and the general "hit button for something awesome to happen"-ness of it all.

There’s also the fact that EA seems to have banned a user from playing the game because he made a critical remark about the game on its official forums, accusing BioWare of "selling its soul" to EA, and thereby betraying BioWare’s storied lineage. (The forum account that made the remark is linked to the account that’s need to play the game. Because the forum account was banned the player can’t activate the game to play it.) That’s neat.

I played the demo, and was immediately put off the childish amount of blood in the game. Not even the Total War series—Rome, Medieval, Empire, Napoleon, Shogun 2, etc.—have that much blood, and they’re actual war games.
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