A quick look at the latest announcements from Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
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Real tech stories. Really shaky analysis.
Because this blog–filled with the least accurate tech analysis available–is where you naturally turn for breaking political news… the Republican South Carolina primary has been called for ol’ what’s-his-name, referenced in our fourth story today.
Who needs CNN?
For the week of February 15 – 19, 2016…
I’m Sure Artificial Intelligence Robot Barbie Will Love It
At the New York Toy Show, Mattel unveiled the View-Master DLX, a virtual reality device in which the imagery is provided by an app downloaded to your smartphone, which you then insert into the viewer.
Uh huh.
That is not a View-Master.
I don’t know what the “X” stands for, but the “DL” must be “Damned Lie,” because a View-Master does not require apps or smartphones. A View-Master requires a cardboard disc with some film on it and a finger to press the lever that rotates the disc. This device looks very cool, and appears to do some amazing things, but it’s a Google Cardboard Extra Special Super Deluxe or something, not a View-Master. What was at the next booth, a GeForce GTX 970 graphics card-bearing, Logitech Extreme 3D Pro joystick-compatible Etch-A-Sketch?
Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s nearly four o’clock, and I have to get to dinner so I can be back for the Matlock marathon.
It Is, After All, One Of The Higher-Point Scrabble Letters
Google parent Alphabet renamed it’s think tank–tasked with solving your standard tech company issues like privacy and security; oh, and terrorism and human trafficking–from Google Ideas to Jigsaw. Why Jigsaw? Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt explained, “the new name acknowledges that the world is a complex puzzle of physical and digital challenges.” He then held up a hand, cutting off the next question, and added, “Yes, okay, and we needed a ‘J’.”
It’s Not Yeezy Earning Green
Streaming music service app TIDAL became the number one app in the iTunes Store after Kanye West announced his new album, The Life of Pablo, would be available only through TIDAL for a week, before being sold on his website. He then said it will never be for sale, and TIDAL was the only way to (legally) hear it. Unfortunately, this all came after Kanye had started taking orders for the album on his website. When he changed his mind, TIDAL was flooded with complaints by fans who pre-ordered the album, saw their credit card charged (sometimes twice), but received approximately zero albums. For all we know, Kanye may next decide Pablo will be included in specially marked boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but for now, congratulations, TIDAL.
We’re Hackers, Not Hagglers
A California hospital’s computer network was hacked with ransomware, making access to some patient data impossible without a decryption key to unlock the data. The hackers were reportedly demanding $3.6 million in bitcoins as ransom, but eventually settled for $17,000.
“Look, we’re really proud of the technical work we did here,” said Gotcha!23, the hacking team’s spokesman. “We had absolutely zero issues bringing an institution focused on healing illness and injury to its knees. It really couldn’t have gone smoother.
“But…” here Mr. Gotcha!23 hesitated and shifted in his seat. “But… well… the negotiations were a joke. We obviously need somebody with some business savvy in here. Our initial demand of $3.6 million was really cool and got us some nice press. But letting ourselves get talked down to $17K made us look like chumps. It’s embarrassing. I even read what’s-his-name’s book–the big-mouthed, tomato-faced guy–The Art of the Deal, but look where that got us.
“Frankly, it hardly seems worth the effort of crippling a life-saving facility. I mean, if someone was going to die being transported to another hospital, it was supposed to be for an estate on a tropical island, not, what, a few grand in everyone’s 401k and some pizza? Okay, maybe we get Netflix hooked up again; I’ve heard good things about Jessica Jones. But the 4K TV is definitely out.” He stared into the distance, obviously envisioning the visual clarity of the television that was not to be. “It’s on me,” he said, weakly thumping his chest. “I talked big to the guys, swore I wouldn’t take less than a million.” He shook his head. “I don’t know, the hospital negotiator sounded hot; I guess I let her get in my head.”
Hospital spokesman Bud “Marcus” Hermann commented, “Obviously, nobody wants to give in to extortion, no matter the amount. It sets a bad precedent, bowing to lawless thugs. That said, we recouped the $17,000 this morning by telling a few walk-ins with low grade flu symptoms–and decent insurance–that we suspected the Zika virus. They’ll be here a few days and–heh-heh–we’ll probably come out a little ahead.”
A Mobile Payment Method By Any Other Name
Apple Pay is teaming up with UnionPay to begin business in China and compete with AliPay. Which mobile payment service achieves dominance in this massive, burgeoning economy is interesting, I suppose, but takes a back seat in my mind to understanding the logic behind Papple, Punion, and Pali adopting this Pig Latin naming convention.
I’m Hoping Jokes At My Expense Lower Expectations
A winner of Amazon’s Internet of Things Mega contest was a drone that can be launched by voice control via an Amazon Echo and Raspberry Pi. Version 2.0, which can be told to go to a nearby store to retrieve one or two small items–and accomplishes the feat nearly half the time–has been codenamed “Husband.”
Can You Ear Me Now?
Doctors have 3D printed living tissue that formed blood vessels and cartilage when implanted under the skin of mice. In this particular case, a printed human ear was attached to a mouse. “Oh, sure, everyone’s all, ‘Ewww, that’s weird, a human ear on a mouse,” said the mouse. “I can’t turn around without somebody in the lab telling me that Dr. Moreau is looking for me. But, somehow, tourists at Disney World are ‘cute.’”
How Much Do We Want To Please Our Users? Check Out This GIF Of A Monkey Bending Over Backwards!
Twitter will be adding a GIF button to its app over the next few weeks, allowing users to easily communicate their feelings via all the chuckle-inducing clips of cute animals and precocious kids their hearts desire. Moments after the announcement, a Twitter executive poked his head out of his office and asked, “Did it work? Are they still pissed about the timeline? What about stickers? Would they like stickers?”
You made it. It’s over. Congratulations.
Mike Range
@MovieLeagueMike
Weekly Tech Views by Mike Range is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
It’s Fanmail Friday with perspectives on Apple’s encryption fight from SysAdmins law enforcement and more. Plus why one mobile carrier in Europe is putting in network-level ad blocking.Tom Merritt and Darren Kitchen discuss and Len Peralta illustrates.
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Some law enforcement professionals write in with their thoughts on Apple’s resistance to helping the FBI. Plus the FCC frees cable boxes just in time for cable boxes to go obsolete. Tom Merritt and Justin Young discuss.
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Apple takes a principled stance on encryption. Darren Kitchen gives us insight into the tech. And Erin Carson talks with Tom Merritt and Scott Johnson about what Google’s Cardboard means for the future of VR
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The Expanse authors Ty Franck and Daniel Abraham, Deadpool, 11.22.63 (101), Justified (105). With special guests Ty Franck, Daniel Abraham, and Veronica Belmont.
00:59 – Winter Movie Draft
01:42 – Interview with The Expanse authors Ty Franck and Daniel Abraham (James S. A. Corey) and Veronica Belmont
17:23 – Deadpool
25:06 – 11.22.63 (101)
33:58 – Justified (105)
Sometimes some people just want a story you can take your brain off and enjoy. If that’s not you, keep your rain off my cotton candy. Also an awesome new effort to Kickstart an Ursula K. Leguin documentary and more great books becoming TV shows!
People seem to quit social media with regularity. Are we doomed to a cycle of abuse in online communities? Iyaz Akhtar Patrick Beja and Tom Merritt discuss.
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Is 800,000 subscribers good enough for HBO? Dish Hopper settles again. CBS All Access gets Fuller. With special guest Veronica Belmont.
CordKillers: 108 – DVRs, Still a Thing
Recorded: February 15 2016
Guest: Veronica Belmont
Intro Video
Primary Target
Signal Intelligence
Gear Up
Front Lines
Under Surveillance
Dispatches from the Front
Oh well after subscribing to Netflix for 4 years, 3 and half before they were officially launched in Australia they have finally lost me as a subscriber after blocking the VPN and blocking my Paypal payments to the VPN provider I use to access their Library in the US, as the Australian one has very few of the shows my Teenagers like to watch. I know i am not alone in this as 8 of the 10 people i know who have Netflix have also done the same, I know this is a very small sample, but i wonder what affect this would have on Netflix”s share price if a similar number of people in Australia and especially China ,who have an estimated 30 million users using VPN’s as Netflix isnt even officially available there yet, cancelled, what are your thoughts, why are Netflix doing the right thing after years of turning a blind eye? or is it a case of the studios finally leaving them no choice.
– Alan
have often found that there is nothing much to watch at Netflix. So I was curious – am I just being picky? Thought you might be interested in my scribblings on a paper napkin while getting coffee this AM….
Using the data at Flixed there are currently 5658 movies/TV at Netflix – all categories in US. There are none in the max number of rating stars. There are 122 in the next category down; 836 in the next; and 1621 in nex. So there are only 2 % in the top two rating categories.And 15% in the third category. The fourth category alone is 29%. That means 45% in top 4 rating categories.
So 55% of the movies (3644) in US are below the top 4 rating categories. [some rounding effects]
The chances of finding something good to watch are pretty low especially if one has already seen most of the top rated ones or if most of top rated ones are in categories not favored like anime, children’s or comedies.
– Judy
Hi Guys,
I wanted to let you know that I finally returned my Cablecard from my Tivo and cancelled my Comcast cable, upgraded my internet to 150/10 and saving $50 a month in the process.
To supplement my viewing appetite, I signed up for a trial of Xfinity Stream TV, a fairly new Internet based steaming package using their X1 software and it is available in Boston, Chicago and reportedly launching soon in Seattle. It includes live locals and HBO for $15 a month, available via web browser or their iOS and Android mobile apps, 20 hour cloud DVR, On demand access, and authentication access for the network specific apps including HBOGO.
It requires that you have Comcast Internet, but for the same price as HBO Now, I’m pretty happy with it, especially living in a market that still doesn’t have Playstation Vue packages. Thought you guys would like to hear about another option out there.
– Josh in NH
P.S. Finally signed up to be a patron
Links
It’s Presidents Day in the US so everyone gets the day off but Tom Merritt brings you the headlines.
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A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.
If you are willing to support the show or give as little as 5 cents a day on Patreon. Thank you!
Big thanks to Dan Lueders for the headlines music and Martin Bell for the opening theme!
Big thanks to Mustafa A. from thepolarcat.com for the logo!
Thanks to our mods, Kylde, TomGehrke, sebgonz and scottierowland on the subreddit
Show Notes
To read the show notes in a separate page click here!