Episode 1126

Among the news of new URL shorteners and Australian Internet filters comes one of the darkest moments in microblogging. Microsoft has pulled down their new Twitter-like site in China because it turns out it wasn't Twitter-like at all. It was in fact more like Plurk. In fact it looked like maybe they stole Plurk's code. We also get morally outraged at good business plans. Or stupid people. Or something. Just watch. Or listen.
==Stories Covered==
URL shorteners suddenly hot commodity
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-10415148-248.html
Google, Facebook get into game, Bit.ly launches pro version
http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/12/14/facebook-testing-new-url-shortener-fb-me/
http://blog.bit.ly/post/284009728/announcing-bit-ly-pro
Steven Covey moves two key e-titles from Simon & Schuster to Amazon Kindle
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/technology/companies/15amazon.html
Australia takes concrete step toward mandatory ISP filtering
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Mandatory-ISP-filter-due-mid-2011/0,130061791,339300060,00.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8413377.stm
Chrome Mac, Linux betas push browser into No. 3 spot
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9142286/Chrome_Mac_Linux_betas_push_browser_into_No._3_spot
S.F. moves toward new cell phone labeling law
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/12/15/MNHJ1B49KH.DTL
Broadband stimulus unlikely to have desired effect?
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/12/broadband-stimulus-unlikely-to-have-desired-effect.ars
Twitter lets multiple users tweet to the same account
http://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-tests-letting-multiple-users-tweet-to-the-same-account-2009-12
Paramount to start online service to sell movie clips
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/business/media/15film.html
Will broadcast radio have the last laugh thanks to “tech fatigue”?
http://www.bridgeratings.com/press.12.07.09.CompMediaUse.html
==Voicemail==
Richard has more wireless communication ideas
Colin the movie director on sales figures
==Emails==
Hi Guys,
I'd just like to chime in on the discussion that you had about Apple buying Lala late last week on buzz. I think a great model to look at where the digital locker has succeeded is with Valve's Steam and how it manages pc video games. It's such a great service I think Apple really should take a page from their book. On Steam, I can have my entire gaming collection ready to download at anytime on any number of PCs. Content there is generally cheaper than buying in the store and a large part of the revenue can go directly back to the game designer bypassing the publisher. Many small studios have made successful content just by selling and marketing on Steam.
Thanks!
Mike from Boulder
----
Hey Buzz Nation!
Just thought y’all may like to see Microsoft’s latest hijinks. Seems what’s good for the goose is always good for the gander. I do quantify this as I am a large open source/FOSS guy, but this just really irritates me after all the litigation and ridiculous business practices Microsoft has for pirating, they go ahead and pirate an ENTIRE online resource. Seems they pretty much stole all the code for their new Asian social networking site straight from Plurk.
Would love y’all to give some wide spread audience to this fact.
http://blog.plurk.com/2009/12/14/microsoft-rips-plurk/
Thanks!
~Chris in NC
==After The Credits==