Veronica Belmont is on the show to talk about how engineers in Havana, Cuba have created their own Internet for the city even without a direct connection to the rest of the world.
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Show Notes
Today’s guest: Veronica Belmont!
Headlines
GigaOm reports Cablevision is launching a WiFi only cell phone service called Freewheel next month. existing Cablevision Internet customers can add the unlimited talk, text and data for $9.95 a month. Others pay $29.95 a month. The service works with any WiFi access point but takes advantage of existing customers WiFi hotspots as well as CableWiFi participants like Comcast, Cox and TimeWarner. Only the Motorola Moto G for $99.95 will work with the service through preloaded apps.
CNET passes along the revelation of Motorola’s Douglas Woodside that the Nexus 6 would have had a fingerprint sensor on the back if Apple hadn’t bought AuthenTec in 2012. Woodside told the Telegraph in an interview that once AuthenTec was out of the marketplace other providers “weren’t there yet.”
TechCrunch reports Facebook has a launched a simplified Android app called Facebok Lite, meant for low-end devices in emerging markets. The app was made available over the weekend in Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. It’s based on the feature phone version Snaptu, but adds push notifications and camera integration among a few other features.
TechWorld notes that KGI Securities Analyst Ming Chi Kuo has issued a research note saying the Apple watch will go on sale in March and sell 5 million in Q1. Kuo also says that number you’re thinking of is 12, yes she will call back but not with the message you want, and that a favorable event will happen to scorpio if they take a great risk. Do not doubt the powers of Ming Chi Kuo. Also a 12-inch MacBook Air is coming.
In a story by Reuters according to state broadcaster TRT the Turkish court has ordered Facebook to block pages deemed offensive for allegedly insulting the Prophet Mohammad. Under threats of having the entire Facebook site blocked. The court order follows recent government efforts to crack down on material offending religious sensibilities including an inquiry into a newspaper that reprinted parts of Charlie Hebdo in the wake of attacks on the publisher in Paris.
The Verge has a story detailing efforts by Comcast to overcome opposition to its merger with Cable Giant and rival Time Warner with a ghost letter writing campaign to the FCC from politicians in the affected communities. Comcast asserts that the letters show its broad grassroots backing. The Verge says records show that a Comcast official sent the exact wording of a letter to a councilman and that finishing touches were put on the letter by a former FCC official named Rosemary Harold, who is now a partner at one of the nation’s foremost telecom law firms in Washington, DC.
The Verge reports that Oculus has revealed its Story Studio, an internal team exploring virtual reality cinema. At Sundance, they introduced the movie called Lost, a real-time computer generated VR experience for the Crescent Bay prototype. The movie is directed by Saschka Unseld, a former Pixar animator, and is about five minutes long, but could be as short as three and a half minutes or as long as ten, because it takes place in a virtual environment where the viewers actions change the pace of storytelling. The Verge article has a ton of awesome details about how the team came to be, and what the future might hold for interactive cinema.
The Verge also has the news that AT&T has closed a deal to purchase Nextel Mexico, a wireless provider with around 3 millions subscribers and a network estimated to cover 76 million people. AT&T will pay $1.875 billion for the company. You may recall that in November, AT&T reached a deal to acquire lusacell and its 9.2 million subscribers. That deal was finalized Jan. 20. Telcel still has the biggest share of Mexico’s wireless market at 70%.
News From You:
KAPT_kipper pointed out the Guardian article about Google disclosing that it had turned over email and IP addresses related to three Wikileaks staffers in response to a secret warrant served in March 2012. Google revealed the information to WikiLeaks December 24. The company stated a gag order had prevented the company from revealing the information earlier. The staffers were investigations editor Sarah Harrison; spokesperson Kristinn Hrafnsson; and senior editor Joseph Farrell. Twitter was ordered to the same in January 2011 for Icelandic MP Birgitta Jonsdottir, but alerted her sooner allowing her to fight the order, although she lost that fight.
starfuryzeta sent us the TechCrunch report that that Dish’s new streaming video subscription service SlingTV will begin rolling out to people who pre-registered tomorrow. Subscribers will get 20 live TV channels for $20 a month, that can be accessed from Android, iOS, FireTV and Roku apps. The content will include ESPN, TBS, TNS, CNN HGTV, DIY and Food Network, with the ability to add news and childrens channel packages for $5 a month.
Alexhoward submitted the AP article that concerns about navigation app Waze were raised at a meeting of the National Sheriffs Association winter conference in Washington. Of particular concern is a function that allows Waze users to note to each other where police are located. Sheriff Mike Brown of Bedford County, Va called the feature a “police stalker”. Waze spokeswoman, Julie Mossler, said the company shares information with the New York Police Department and others. Nuala O’Connor, head of the Center for Democracy and Technology says that sharing of information with law enforcement is the bigger concern. So nobody is happy. Except maybe drivers who avoided traffic jams.
Discussion Section Links: Cuba’s secret network no longer secret
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CB_CUBA_SECRET_NETWORK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
http://mashable.com/2014/04/03/internet-freedom-cuba/
Pick of the Day:
So I’ve been enjoying this stuff for years now, but it never occurred to me (until just now) that maybe not everyone knows bands like this even exist…
!!! Video Game Music Cover Bands !!!
It’s perfect work music because there are no words, they are all songs you already know and love, and presumably they were originally written with the purpose of keeping the player motivated and alert.
There’s enough bands out there that you can find whatever genre fits the mood you are looking for, but the standouts to me are the OneUps. Really high quality lounge-y jazzy covers of everything from Battletoads to Plants v. Zombies. In my book, they are geniuses.
If you aren’t into jazz, and are looking for some more upbeat stuff, definitely check out Vomitron, Year 200x and Charlie Parra del Riego – these are more metal-y covers, but also really really well done (year 200x’s cover of Ducktales Moon theme is particularly bad ass).
OR if you are looking for LOL’s, check out Brentalfloss, a youtuber that’s since put out a couple of studio quality albums of his covers. His spin is adding literal, hilarious and often NSFW lyrics to all of the classics.
Finally of note there are quite a few full orchestral albums out there as well that y’all might find enjoyable. Just search spotify and they’ll readily come up.
Sorry this is so long, but I thought if maybe you guys hadn’t stumbled onto this stuff yet, maybe you’d get some enjoyment out of it as well!
Links:
Charlie Parra del Riego – Videogames go metal
Vomitron – No NES for the Wicked
Year 200X
Thanks for the daily awesomeness, you guys!
-Dr. Karl
Tomorrow’s guests: Patrick Beja and Justin Robert Young