Episode 1020

Who has the most perfect balls in the world? Metrologists. No, seriously. They do. You should see the pictures. This is serious science, people, so quit your childish sniggering. In actual news for the day, Apple misses its chance to make iTunes the world's music software (again) by blocking Pre syncing with its latest iTunes update, and they actually called Microsoft to demand that they take down their Laptop Hunters ads. Wow. Talk about balls.
==Stories Covered==
Apple blocks Pre from iTunes
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124768832987747365.html#mod=rss_whats_news_technology
New Pre owners can get the old version of iTunes if they want
http://www.oldapps.com/itunes.php
A better solution for Pre users might be DoubleTwist
http://www.doubletwist.com/dt/Home/Index.dt
First Microsoft retail stores to open this fall
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10287499-56.html
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=3358
Apple demanded Microsoft to stop its Laptop Hunters ads
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/07/apple-demanded-microsoft-to-stop-its-laptop-hunters-ads.ars
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10288022-37.html
Apple drops to 5th in US computer sales
http://www.electronista.com/articles/09/07/15/idc.prelim.q2.2009/
Debbie Downer BBC reports "Dip in global computer shipments"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8153651.stm
While perky CNET says "PC market improvement on the horizon"
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10287728-92.html
http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2009/07/intels-gain-dells-pain-as-pc-market-coasts-along-bottom.ars
Dell consumer products VP hints at a smartphone
http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/dell-consumer-products-vp-hints-at-a-smartphone/
Google's Chiller-less Data Center
http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2009/07/15/googles-chiller-less-data-center/
Sony's new development strategy for PSP
http://www.develop-online.net/news/32374/Exclusive-Sonys-new-development-strategy-for-PSP
Hybrid drivers are a lousy insurance risk
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090715-713631.html
Navy Spends $33 Million For Hybrid of the High Sea
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/07/16/035245/Navy-Spends-33-Million-For-Hybrid-of-the-High-Sea
Houston, We Erased The Apollo 11 Tapes
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106637066
==Voicemail==
Paul from Verizon on the Verizon app store
==Emails==
I thought I would follow up with you guys on this. Not only did Comcast refuse to take a firm "No" for an answer, their Twitter rep decided to access my account without permission anyways and post about it on Twitter... I'm flabbergasted.
Love the Show,
The Rocco
----
On Wed, Jul 15, 2009 at 8:18 PM, Rocco Augusto wrote:
Hey Gang,
So I was complaining about how my Comcast service blows on Twitter today, like I always do, and I received a tweet from someone from their public relations team wanting to know if they could help in fixing my problem. I would describe the conversation but I figured it would be better to just let you read the transcript:
therocco: I love how without fail my Internet dies for 5 minutes everyday at 6:15PM. I hate you #comcast.
ComcastBonnie: @therocco can i help?
therocco: Unless you have a magic switch you can flip to not make my service blow, I highly doubt there is anything you can do @ComcastBonnie
ComcastBonnie: @therocco you'd be surprised :)
therocco: @ComcastBonnie I would be surprised as my neighbors and I have been filling complaints for over a year and service STILL drops constantly
ComcastBonnie: @therocco DM the phone# we have on file for you so i can check the node you're on. prepare to be amazed ;)
therocco: While I appreciate your good intentions @ComcastBonnie... there is no way I'm DMing my phone or any information to anyone over the Internet.
ComcastBonnie: @therocco google me :) bonnie smalley check nytimes article
therocco: I shouldn't have to Google you, @ComcastBonnie. If the problem is so easy to fix I shouldn't have to turn to a public forum to get help.
therocco: @ComcastBonnie If #comcast cared about fixing the problem it would have been fixed a year ago, not when I complain on Twitter.
therocco: @ComcastBonnie and if Twitter is the key to getting help with a #comcast problem, why the heck do you have a support line?
ComcastBonnie: @therocco if you don't want the help, you can just say no :) i'm here to fix the weird issues, which sounds like your node's problem
therocco: @ComcastBonnie If getting help from #comcast means sending my personal information over Twitter's insecure network, I'll pass. Thanks anyway
----
Am I the only one that is annoyed by these big name companies trying to offer support for customers problems over Twitter instead of taking care of the problems in-house? Can you imagine how many people are out there daily sending their personal information over Twitter, most likely not over SSL, to Comcast's crackerjack "support staff" because they can't get help over the phones? Is this Comcast's first *INSERT BAD WORD HERE* day on the Internet?! Have they never even read their own support disclaimers on their site and every other site out there that states to never send your personal information to ANYONE over the net?! I mean, really?!
I 100% acknowledge that I am most likely overreacting but you would think that when you spend over $100 a month for their unreliable service that they would at least humor you and pretend to fix problems instead of passing the buck off to a select group of "problem solvers" that spend their days trolling Twitter trying to mitigate annoyed tweets from dissatisfied. I officially declare shenanigans on Comcast.
INSERT MOLLY RANT THEME HERE
Love the Show,
The Rocco
----
Dear Tom,
After witnessing Molly and Cooley selflessly sit down with fan, after
fan, after fan at B Bar, getting their pictures taken in a veritable
sweatshop of memories, I felt I should probably do something nice for
them. I don't know what I am going to do for Molly, but it seemed the
least I could do for Cooley would be to send his name on a vacation.
I'm sure you'll want to pass this along to him.
Your bon ami,
-Aaron
Brian Cooley... your name will be carried to Mars on a microchip carried by NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover.
----
Who made perfect balls out of silicone? Metrologist!!!
http://gizmodo.com/5315383/worlds-most-perfect-pair-of-ballsyes
Muahahahaha!
Javier Ardila
----
Is Woodford Reserve better than Nob Creek?
Lee in Boston
==After The Credits==