Episode 1037

I don't know. It must be the low blood sugar but I called us the podcast of indeterminate lake. But we still were able to talk sensibly about the Twitter DoS targeted at one specific person. We also cheer on the FCC as they hold ISPs feet to the fire. And Adobe is the new Microsoft. We'll tell you why.
==Stories Covered==
Twitter, Facebook attack targeted one user
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10305200-245.html
FCC wants real answers from ISPs on broadband investment
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/08/fcc-wants-real-answers-from-isps-on-broadband-investment.ars
Is Adobe the next (pre-2002) Microsoft?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10304455-245.html
On demand in command; 51% of young ‘Net users view TV online
http://arstechnica.com/media/news/2009/08/half-of-all-young-internet-users-now-watch-tv-online.ars
Crowdsourcing the semantics of numbers with True #
http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2009/08/using-the-web-to-embed-meaning-in-numbers.ars
Fox joins Universal’s war on Redbox DVD rental kiosks
http://arstechnica.com/media/news/2009/08/fox-joins-universals-war-on-redboxs-dvd-rental-kiosks.ars
CERN’s collider to get ’safe’ start in November
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-10305480-76.html
Tech gives humans animal senses
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8188070.stm
Prototype OpenOffice.org gets ribboned
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10305160-2.html
Steam car on course for record
http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/steam-car-on-course-for-record-27792.aspx
==Voicemail==
Jason in Georgia on a solution for coffee shops
-http://briantong.blogspot.com/2009/07/treating-customers-with-respect.html
Steven in Las Vegas with an idea for show balance
==Emails==
Why doesn’t somebody come out with an unlocked GSM compatible e-book reader? This way the device cost will be lower then a Kindle (since you’re not paying for the “whisper net” overhead and you could just pop in your SIM card (given you subscribe to a GSM cellular carrier with data coverage) and after you download your content you just pop the SIM card out and put it back into your cell phone. Or, better yet, make a bluetooth tetherable e-book reader and use your cell phone as the data connection. Unfortunately, AT&T doesn't let you tether unless you have a smartphone with a special data plan.... Bummer...
Jonathan, from Cleveland, OH
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Hey Buzz Crew,
I just listened to episode 1035 and your discussion of how Radio Shack/”The Shack” needs to really try harder if it’s going to compete on the same level with Best Buy…
Well, it just so happens that Radio Shack tried to compete on the level of Best Buy once before and failed miserably at it.
Back in the 1990s, Radio Shack — then known as Tandy Corporation — opened up a chain of computer stores across the country known as Computer City. These were positioned as a direct competitor to the now-defunct CompUSA computer store chain, which at that time was just starting to dominate the retail computer market. During most of that decade, Tandy Corporation invested heavily in expanding this chain of stores, to the point where they were putting stores sometimes literally within arms reach of every CompUSA in the country.
Unfortunately, their rapid expansion (which resulted in the inevitable over saturation of the market), combined with poor management of the chain, eventually led Tandy Corporation into financially troubled waters, causing them to ultimately sell the entire Computer City chain to the very company they were trying to compete with.
Combine this with their badly-planned Incredible Universe chain (which could have been a legitimate competitor to Best Buy if they had actually put those stores anywhere other than in the middle of nowhere), and Tandy was forced to restructure, which eventually led them to rename the corporation as a whole — choosing the name of the chain of stores that represented their core competency: Radio Shack.
Love the show. Keep up the excellent work.
Regards,
Brian Cunningham
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Hey Buzz Gang,
Have a 'well actually' for you...well actually it's for fellow Saint John resident Ryan Floyd. I'd just like to reveal that Ryan is not the only listener from Saint John, NB, Canada. I also live in SJ and regularly listen to your fine show. I'm glad Ryan thought he was the only one however, as now I get to say hello and thank you guys for all the tech news/laughs that have very much become part of my routine.
I feel I should contribute something, so here is a link to a TechCrunch article on an interesting panoramic video technology:
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/08/03/if-you-could-see-google-street-view-in-video-it-would-look-like-yellowbird
And the awesomely ridiculous web address:
http://www.yellowbirdsdonthavewingsbuttheyflytomakeyouexperiencea3dreality.com
When trying out the embedded video on TechCrunch, I (quietly) exclaimed something inappropriate for the workplace....
Mr. Rooney
The only listener on Germain Street, Saint John, NB, Canada.
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Hello Buzz Crew,
I am responsible for 7×24 support of the internet infrastructure for a very large company. Between all of the web, Java application, and EAI servers my team supports, we have numerous automatic monitors on our systems that sends text messages to our oncall phone in the event there are problems. (In the old days it was an actual pager. For the young-ens out there, that is a box that only receives text messages and you can’t speak into it).
With the talk of outlawing “texting while driving” does this mean I will have to tell my employer that by law I will have to ignore any system alerts I get during my 2 hours on the road commuting every day?
Pulling over isn’t always an option as by law you are only suppose to pull over on the highway in an “emergency”. I’m not sure the highway patrol will consider high thread utilization on a Java appserver an “emergency.”
Love the show.
Jeff – The Senior Internet Architect from Kansas City
==After The Credits==