Recently in Internet Category

I was happily surfing the Web reading the Google News Top Stories when I saw a headline that said "No public viewing at Neverland, but Michael Jackson may get laid". Say what? I had to do a double-take. Then I couldn't help but laugh at how funny this headline was.

No public viewing of Michael Jackson getting laid? Bummer, I'm sure that could have been a pay-per-view event. It's The 40 50 Year Old Virgin movie come to life! Course that might be a problem unless it's some sick necrophilia action going on. Then again, Michael Jackson did play the undead / zombie in Thriller.

Ok, we'll let Michael Jackson Rest in Peace, though I'm sure he too would have laughed at this Google News headline.

Check out a screenshot of it below. Click for Full-screen. Look on the right-hand side. I drew an arrow as well as a box around it. The article in question can be read here. The full article headline is "No public viewing at Neverland, but Michael Jackson may get laid out at Staples Center". Obviously, the Googlebot abbreviated in a very bad spot. Perhaps a human editor might be in order, Google?

Lastly, since Google News changes the Top Stories home page often, you too can view this news story (in its funny abbreviated form) by clicking this Google News search link. It's abbreviated there too.

Ok, so the just launched Skype 1.1 for iPhone doesn't support push notifications, but eBuddy, a brand new app for the iPhone or iPod touch does support push notifications. What does this mean? It means you can close eBuddy and still receive instant messages (IMs) from your buddies. Further, eBuddy is an IM aggregator supporting MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, Gtalk, and Facebook. Too bad they don't support Skype though like fring does. eBuddy also supports Google Android phones.

Check out the features for eBuddy on the iPhone & iPod touch:

• One buddy list for MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, Gtalk, and Facebook
• Stay online when you exit the app
• Get push notifications for incoming messages when you exit the app*
• Reconnect automatically if connection is lost
• Get offline messages after reconnecting
• Get new message alerts & typing alerts in the chat screen
• Easily switch between chats by swiping your screen
• Shake your iPhone or iPod Touch to send a buzzer
• Display pictures, personal message and status
• Emoticons & buzzers
• Sound & vibration
• Multiple IM networks
• Multiple accounts for each IM network
• Buddy list management
• Offline messages
• Group chat support

Push notifications for incoming messages are only available if you have the latest iPhone 3.0 software on your device. eBuddy will also soon be adding landscape mode. Oh, and did I mention unlike similar app Beejive ($9.99) & IM+ with Push ($9.99), eBuddy is a free app in the Apple App store? Some minor complaints include it only supports push for up to 30 minutes and it doesn't support file sharing (audio, picture, etc.). Still for a free IM aggregator app, this one is definitely a must for the iPhone!

Whatcha waitin' for? Go grab this cool app now!

Big Stage today announced that their popular 3D avatars based on pictures of your own face now works on Skype with their new Skype Add-on. It's similar in concept to JibJab, perhaps the most popular site to feature animated avatars based on your own face. However, Big Stage goes one step further with technology that lets you move, change expressions, and more. I downloaded the beta to check it out. Here's their demo video, but I hope to include one of myself soon:

Others trying to make 3D avatars popular include Gizmoz and Kloonies. Gizmoz also uses your own digital photo to create an avatar based on your own face, but according to Big State, it falls short compared to their technology. They use three photos to make a more accurate 3D representation of your face, where as Gizmos only uses one. Kloonies is a different model all together sine they use cartoonist 3D avatars that you pick from a list.

Pretty cool stuff! As I was quoted in the press release they put out:

"Blabber's advanced facial modeling and real-time animation makes voice over IP lots of fun," said Tom Keating, CTO, VP, Founder of TMC Labs. "It's a compelling example of the role the animated digital version of people will play as ever more advanced virtual world capabilities converge with voice and video in the connected online world."

"Through the launch of a Big Stage-enabled Skype plug-in, we're extending our advanced 3-D avatar technology into the realm of real-time expressive communications and further advancing our goal of projecting 'self' into digital life." said Big Stage CEO Phil Ressler. "The estimated 450 million people using Skype can have fun speaking as an ultra cool version of themselves instead of using chat, or substitute Blabber for video when for any reason they aren't ready to face their web-cam or need to conserve bandwidth. Blabber debuts our voice-sync engine, which we intend to leverage as we extend a similar capability into video games, virtual worlds, virtual conferencing, and social networks like Facebook."

You can download the Skype add-on here.

Smartphones, netbooks, smartbooks, and Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) while very similar feature-wise, each has their own distinct advantages. Smartphones such as the iPhone have been widely successful, while the MID market has been a bit slow to take off. Elektrobit Corporation (EB), based in Oulu, Finland aims to change that with their new MID reference design that combines the "pocketability" of smartphones with the power of PCs/netbooks since it can run desktop Linux applications. Picture an iPhone that can actually run full version Linux applications such as Firefox, Opera, OpenOffice, Thunderbird, SSH client, and more. That's exactly what you'll get with Elektrobit's (EB) new MID reference design. EB's sleek, media-centric MID reference device takes the power of the PC and makes it pocket-able so you don't have to compromise on mobile capabilities.

I spoke with EB's Vesa Kiviranta Vice President, Mobile Internet Device Solutions, Wireless Solutions BU about their new reference design. Vesa explained that it's based on Intel's next generation Moores­town platform. The reference design includes touch-screen support with multi-touch (cool!) support. It uses the latest 3D and high resolution capacitive sensing touch screen (3.97") powered by EB Touch & Feel technology. Because the screen measures nearly 4 inches (3.97"), it fits into the MID category, while smartphones have screens smaller than 3.9 inches and netbooks have screens larger than 5 inches.The reference design relies on a Linux-based OS with EB's MID UI & Application framework based on QT. It also features EB Navigation Suite with integrated GPS.

It supports two cameras (front & back of phone) so not only can you snap photos, it can also easily support videoconferencing/videochat. I asked EB about support for Skype video chat  and they told me it will indeed be supported in their MID design. In fact, they tested it using the Linux Skype application in their labs. As far as I know, this marks the first time a pocketable mobile phone can perform Skype videoconferencing! Cool stuff! I know many iPhone fans were very disappointed the new iPhone 3GS didn't add a front-facing camera (myself included), which would allow for videochat capabilities. Of course, the current Skype for iPhone client doesn't support video, but my sources tell me it's in the works. It will be very hard to have a videoconference if you have to turn the iPhone around so the camera is facing you, but not the iPhone screen. Basically, they'll be able to see you, but you won't be able to see them - unless you spin the iPhone back around.

              Fiber? You didn't see any fiber down there.

There's dark fiber, and then there's really dark fiber, or what we'll call "black" fiber. Construction crews inevitably will accidentally cut a fiber line when doing underground construction. It's par for the course. However,what it isn't par for the course is cutting into a fiber line and then within moments, three black sport-utility vehicles drive up, a half-dozen men in [black] suits jump out and one says, "You just hit our line."

According to the The Washington Post, a fiber cut in Tysons Corner brought a visit from men in suits driving black SUVs. When the construction crew asked "Whose line?" the black suits didn't answer. The article states, "The construction manager was shocked," Georgelas recalled. "He had never seen a line get cut and people show up within seconds. Usually you've got to figure out whose line it is. To garner that kind of response that quickly was amazing."

Must be those nanites embedded into the fiber with GPS sensors that can even receive GPS signals through 100 feet of rock and soil which can immediately detect a fiber cut and transmit GPS coordinates back to HQ.

According to the article, "the cable in question was "black" wire -- a secure communications line used for some of the nation's most secretive intelligence-gathering operations." Think NSA or even deeper - Men In Black, responsible for tracking those pesky illegal alien immigrants and keeping them out of trouble. Relatedly, rumor has it President Obama is an alien - a Vulcan I might add.

I'm skeptical the MIB showed up so quickly because it's their critical secure line. I'm thinking they were playing World of Warcraft across government buildings and were mighty peeved when they lost their private data connection causing the game to freeze up. "Dude, I so had you PWNed! Now go and find out who the heck cut our line!"

Microsoft has banned several applications for it's new Windows Marketplace for Mobile app store, including VoIP. Guess Apple isn't the only VoIP crippler in town. Perhaps this is an opportunity for Google Android to surpass BOTH Apple and Microsoft within the mobile phone space. After all, Google's philosophy is do no evil.

As I wrote yesterday:

... when carriers like AT&T pull crap like forcing Apple to only allow VoIP over WiFi and not over a 3G data connection, it's no wonder why mobile VoIP growth will be stunted by anti-competitive tactics. Then you have countries like Canada which outright block Skype on the iPhone. Fortunately, avid mobile phone users aren't taking this lying down. For instance, you can jailbreak your iPhone and run VoIP over 3G no problem.

Why do we have to put up with this crippleware? I get that AT&T is a business and needs to make money. If they're worried that flat-rate data plans that run VoIP over it will drastically hurt their voice revenue, then change your business model! Keep the flat-rate data plan, but install packet-inspection technology that detects voice packets and charge a few cents for VoIP calls. If the flat-rate data plan's business model is outdated, which it seems to be, then change it.

Microsoft is playing catch-up to Apple and they could have potentially garnered more new mobile customers by allowing VoIP applications. When will the mobile phone software vendors get it that they should develop products that customers want to buy? Forget about ticking off the carriers. With SIM cards and prepaid cards that are industry-standard, Microsoft could bypass the carriers by allowing customers the "choice" of using VoIP over a pre-paid voice/data card and buying the phone online from Amazon or elsewhere. Screw the Verizon and AT&T retail stores that won't carry phones that support VoIP over 3G! Sure, most people don't use prepaid cards, however, technically savvy folks that want VoIP over a 3G data connection would kill to have a good smartphone that has this capability. Microsoft could build an avid/loyal core customer base, which would eventually force the carriers to respond.

It's time for one of the mobile software operating system creators - Apple, Google, or Microsoft to throw down the gauntlet and not kowtow to the carriers. Stop kneeling before Zod. C'mon Microsoft, you used to be Superman, invincible to all comers. Now you're playing it safe and being beat by the likes of Apple and Google. Where are you Superman?

Check out the full list of prohibited application types for Windows Marketplace for Mobile below. Listed at #4 is the blocking of VoIP apps. So no Skype on the Windows Zune phone for you! Even worse, you can't change the default browser, search client, or media player on the device. Nor can you customize the default dialer, a popular thing to do on current Windows Mobile devices. Way to go! That'll entice developers to develop software apps for your mobile operating system.

List of 12 banned apps:

1. Applications that are or distribute alternate marketplaces for content types (applications, games, themes etc.) that are sold or otherwise distributed through Windows® Marketplace for Mobile.
2. Applications that link to, incent users to download, or otherwise promote alternate marketplaces for content types that are sold or otherwise distributed through Windows Marketplace for Mobile.
3. Applications that promote or link users to a website, or contain functionality within the application itself, which encourages or requires the user to purchase or pay to upgrade the application outside of Windows® Marketplace for Mobile.
4. Applications that enable VoIP (Voice over IP) services over a mobile operator network.
5. Applications that sell, link to, or otherwise promote mobile voice plans.
6. Applications that display advertising that does not meet the Microsoft Advertising Creative
Acceptance Policy Guide http://advertising.microsoft.com/creative-specs.
7. Applications that replace, remove or modify the default dialer, SMS, or MMS interface.
8. Applications that change the default browser, search client, or media player on the device.
9. Applications with an OTA (over the air) download >10 MB.
10. Applications that run code outside Microsoft runtimes (native, managed, and widgets)
11. Applications that publish a user's location information to any other person without first having received the user's express permission (opt-in) to do so, and that do not provide the user a means of opting out of having their location information published.
12. Applications that publish a user's data from their mobile device to any other person without first having received the user's express permission (opt-in) to do so, and that do not provide the user a means of opting out of having their data published. A "user's data" includes, without limit, contacts, photos, SMS or other text communication, browsing history, location information, and other data either stored on the mobile device or stored in the "cloud" but accessible from the
mobile device

They put at the bottom of this list, "Microsoft reserves the right to update these policies as needed to protect the Windows® Marketplace for Mobile service or the users of the service." Yeah, sure. "protect the users of the service" alright.

Cox Communications today expanded its fastest broadband service to residential and business customers in Northern Virginia. Now offered in Fairfax County and Fredericksburg it delivers up to 50 Megabits per second (Mbps) downloads and 5 Mbps uploads using DOCSIS 3.0. Last month, this service was launched in Lafayette, Louisiana.

The third generation of cable's DOCSIS (Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification) service introduces channel bonding, a technology that can bond parallel cable channels to transmit data at faster speeds. Speeds are further enhanced with PowerBoost™, a cable-exclusive technology that provides an extra burst of speed when it's needed.

Cox's Ultimate Internet package provides residential customers with the ability to download movies and music, share files, stream video and compete with gamers around the world, faster than ever. DOCSIS 3.0 meets the increasing bandwidth demands of multiple users while optimizing their online experience. Standard price for the residential Ultimate Internet package will be $139.99 per month, with an introductory rate of $109 per month.

Interestingly, Northern Virginia business customers will also be able to take advantage of DOCSIS 3.0 technology through Cox Business Internet's new "premium package". It too features download speeds up to 50 Mbps and 5 Mbps uploads, but they claim Cox Business Internet helps optimize support for corporate e-mail, online research and Web-based business applications. Yeah right. You're paying more for the premium business with the same speed as the home edition.

[Update - Cox informed me what the business offering gives you]
"50 Mbps business customers get 5 dynamic or static IP address, domain name hosting, the ability to support servers and 24/7 technical support. When bundled with other Cox services, the business service is priced between $200 and $300 depending on the length of contract. Home office business users pay only a slight premium above standard residential service."

So there is some value-add. I've just encountered too many instances of residential vs. business broadband offerings where it's the virtually the same thing but you pay a premium for business broadband. Several years ago TMC considered using Cablevision for our supplementary Internet access at TMC since it was only like $40 for 10Mbps vs. like $800-$1200 for a data T1 that's only 1.544Mbps. Yet, when we looked at the business cable offering it was much more than $40 and we didn't need the static IPs. So basically you're paying more just because you're a business.

Just as a fun test I took my personal home cable router (also Cablevision) plugged it into TMC's cable line and had high-speed Internet for the $40 rate. In theory, we could have ordered service under a residential plan, but that wouldn't be ethical. Still, I hate paying more for business broadband when I'm not using anything more than residential broadband.

The company has already launched DOCSIS 3.0 in Lafayette Parish, La., and plans to offer Ultimate Internet to several Cox markets by the end of 2009, and to more than two-thirds of its footprint in 2010.

Now if only Verizon (FiOS fiber-to-the-home), AT&T (Uverse Fiber-to-the-neighborhood), Comcast (DOCSIS 3.0 55mbps), or Charter Communications (cable broadband) would bring affordable high-speed Internet to my neighborhood. Stuck on pokey DSL!

Just got this email from Netflix saying they are increasing my Blu-ray access from $1 to $4 per month. What the hell? I have to pay 4 times what I was paying before? Way to screw your most loyal customers Netflix! Sure, the $1/month might have been a low-cost enticement to get people to sign-up for Blue-ray movie rentals, but you can't just increase the price 4-fold overnight. I think we Blu-ray fans would be much more accepting if the price increase was more gradual.

Let's flashback to October 2008, where the Netflix blog wrote:

Hi, Jessie Teitz here, VP of Marketing. This message is for everyone who rents Blu-ray movies from Netflix. You might have heard that we've been talking about changing our prices for Blu-ray movies because they cost more than standard DVDs. To make up for this significant cost difference, we've decided to charge a little bit more for those who want to rent Blu-ray movies. On November 5th, we'll start charging an extra $1 a month for Blu-ray access. For our members on unlimited plans, $1 a month for unlimited access to Blu-ray movies is a great value. We have more than 800 Blu-ray titles, and growing, for you to enjoy as part of your Netflix subscription. We think you'll agree, a $1 increase in your monthly subscription is pretty modest for you to enjoy this compelling format. If you don't want to pay $1 more a month for access to Blu-ray movies, simply remove the Blu-ray access on your account and your monthly subscription cost will stay the same.

Yes, this was a "little bit more". What happened to just a "little bit more". $4 is a huge chunk of my monthly subscription now when I still can't even get 10% of the movies I want on Blu-ray.

Here, read the email in all it's glory...

You are receiving this email because you added unlimited Blu-ray access to your account for $1 a month. The number of Blu-ray titles has increased significantly and will continue to do so. As we buy more, you are able to choose from a rapidly expanding selection of Blu-ray titles. And as you've probably heard, Blu-ray discs are substantially more expensive than standard definition DVDs.

As a result, the monthly charge for Blu-ray access is increasing for most plans and will now vary by plan. The charge for monthly Blu-ray access on your 3 DVDs at-a-time (Unlimited) plan will increase from $1 a month to $4 a month. The price of your 3 DVDs at-a-time (Unlimited) plan is not changing and remains at $16.99 a month.

The new charge for Blu-ray access will be automatically added to your next billing statement on or after April 27, 2009 and will be referenced in your Membership Terms and Details.

If you wish to continue unlimited Blu-ray access for $4 a month, you don't need to do anything. If not, you can remove Blu-ray access anytime by visiting Your Account.

If you have questions about this change or need any assistance, please call us anytime at 1-888-923-0898.

-The Netflix Team

Nerd Vittles has another cool Asterisk recipe that combines Google Voice, voicemail transcription (via Google Voice), free calling, and of course Asterisk. Nerd does some packet sniffing and determines that Google Voice, powered by Grandcentral, is using SIP. What's most interesting is that Nerd determine that your SIP connection and your Google Voice phone bill is only protected by a 4-digit PIN. Yikes! That's not good.

Anyway, here's a teaser of Nerd's awesome recipe:

what we want to do is examine some ways to integrate the Google Voice feature set into our existing Asterisk implementations. The potential benefits are enormous. There's free calling in the U.S., free distribution of inbound calls to multiple phone numbers scattered around the country, free SMS messaging and delivery by email, free transcription of voicemail messages into text-based emails, free conferencing, and free GOOG-411, a voice-activated service that let's you find nearby businesses by saying where you are and what you're looking for. For today, we've set our sights on the Google Voice feature set which is easiest to integrate into existing Asterisk systems: free voicemail message transcription, free calling in the United States, and free GOOG-411 directory assistance. For lack of a better term, we call it... Googlified Messaging™.

Well, what are you waiting for? Go read the entire recipe and tutorial. Great stuff!

Twitter has been super slow today, though not a full outage. My tweets and trying to follow people are taking forever. Lots of users are complaining as well.

Why oh why did I join twitter - it's absolutely killing my productivity... Oh yeah, that's why.

Feel free to check out my Twitter profile and follow me. http://twitter.com/tomkeating - just not today. If you click 'Follow' you'll wait and wait and sometimes even summon the fail whale.