Patrick Beja is on today. We’ll chat about the EU’s pursuit of remedies against Google’s dominant search position. Witch hunt or monoply-killing? Maybe neither.
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Show Notes
Today’s guest: Patrick Beja,
Today’s title ” ” was chosen by at showbot.replex.org
Headlines
Geekwire reports on former Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie’s new service called Talko. That’s with an L. It lets users do things to voice calls, like tag them, bookmark moments, and record and share them. Users can also share text messages and photos through the app during a call. It can even do clever things like let you exchange recorded voice memos and then seamlessly turn those into a live call if you want. Ozzie co-founded Talko with Matt Pope and Eric Patey. The app is free to use and out first for iOS.
During his annual competition report to the European Union’s “committee on economic and monetary affairs,” Joaquin Almunia officially acknowledged that his department has asked Google for more changes to their proposed search settlement. At issue, is that Google favors its own services in search results. In February Google proposed several changes, most significantly, displaying three competing services next to its own. Opponents complained that the proposal did not do enough to mitigate Google’s dominant position in the EU marketplace.
Ars Technica reports the US Federal Trade Commission has filed a civil lawsuit against Butterfly Labs akl BFL alleging fraudulent and deceptive practices. The feds believe BFL’s founders spent millions on saunas and guns while failing to deliver promised bitcoin mining equipment. It’s pretty much just like the scams pulled off in San Francisco in 1849.
CNET reports Microsoft has set September 29th as the new date for the launch of the Xbox One in China. In compensation for the delay, pre-order customers will receive two free games. Microsoft will be the first game console maker to launch in China since a ban on game consoles was lifted. The Xbox One will cost 3,699 RMB ($600) without Kinect and 4,299 RMB ($700) with Kinect.
Remember that TechCrunch report yesterday that said Apple was going to shut down the Beats music service? The New York Times reports Apple spokesman Tom Neumayer said “This is not true.” An uncharacteristic flat denial from Apple. Well it’s uncharacteristic for Apple comment on such things at all.
Android Police reports Microsoft announced a Wireless Display Adapter that fits into the back of your TV (or monitor) and mirrors content from any Miracast-enabled device. For $60 you get a little black cable with HDMI at one end and USB (for power) at the other. That will let you mirror any Miracast-enabled device’s screen.
The Verge reports Paypal has partnered with Coinbase, BitPay and GoCoin to process bitcoin payments for some merchants in North America. If you sell intangible items like music, ringtones and the like through the PayPal Payments Hub, you can accept bitcoins now.
The Next Web reports that Jolla’s Sailfish-OS phone is on sale in India now, through Snapdeal.com. Jolla has been selling the phone in Europe through its own site since December. Customers in India will pay 16,499 Rupees ($270 USD) if they want to pick one up.
News From You
alanchar passes along the Wired report that AT&T is offering a new bundle for $39 a month, that includes 45Mbps Internet, HBO and basic cable. That sounds similar to the Comcast and TWC HBO and basic packages maybe. But WAIT there’s more! AT&T also includes one year of Amazon Prime which gets you instant streaming video the Kindle lending libray AND free two-day shipping. Take that Comcast!
tm204 passes along an Engadget report that Google Now has a new card in the deck. If you search for a plane ticket in Google Flights, Google Now will slip you a Flight price monitor card to keep you updated as prices change based on your recent destination or itinerary searches. Android Police notes that searching for flights on major travel sites like Orbitz or Kayak does not trigger a Google Now card.
AllanAV passes along the Wired article about four MIT students going to court to defend against a subpoena demanding the source code of a project called Tidbit. The tool was created for the Node Knockout hackathon and designed to let website visitors voluntarily use their computers to mine bitcoins in exchange for an ad-free experience at a website. The New Jersey attorney general claims the programmers violated New Jersey computer crime laws and demanded the source code and details of its users bitcoin wallets. The code was never fully functional. MIT has asked the subpoena to be withdrawn and the EFF is aiding with the defense.
Discussion Links: What does the E.U. want?
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-14-615_en.htm
http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/14/5412690/google-publishes-full-text-of-eu-antitrust-agreement-to-quiet-critics
http://googlepolicyeurope.blogspot.nl/2014/02/settlement-with-european-commission.html
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-14-87_en.htm
http://services.google.com/fh/files/blogs/google_commitments_full_2014.pdf
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-08/eu-seeks-google-concessions-to-rescue-antitrust-pact.html
Pick of the Day:
If iPhone and iPad users want to get taste of Android’s upcoming Material Design aesthetic, and get a great news app, they can try out Google Play Newstand which was released in the App Store today. This replaces its older Currents, and is a huge improvement. You can select which categories of news you want, and can customize the sources feeding into it. For me, it has replaced Feedly altogether and I am also using Flipboard a lot less as well. This is one Google App that works well as a stand-alone even if you are not into the Google ecosystem. Fast and nicely designed.
Plug of the Day: Plug of the day: Tuesday plug: The Sword and Laser Anthology collects 20 amazing stories from new writers in the Sword and Laser book club audience. 10 SciFi and 10 fantasy stories with an introduction by Patrick Rothfuss. Get a copy at swordandlaser.com/store
Wednesday’s guest: Brian Brushwood