Episode 1230

The indignities start with problem in the New York studio that keep Molly from being visible on today's show, and then end with the realization that all those browser preferences are basically a trackable fingerprint that's further eroding any illusion of online privacy you might have ever had. Also, Google's getting into the phone business. Again.
==Stories Covered==
Openbook’ Lets You Search Facebook Status Updates, Even if You Don’t Have an Account
http://valleywag.gawker.com/5541210/openbook-lets-you-search-facebook-status-updates-even-if-you-dont-have-an-account
New apps emerge to reset Facebook privacy settings
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-20005243-36.html
The Facebook Privacy Scanner
http://www.reclaimprivacy.org/
MySpace Empowers Users With New, Simpler Privacy Setting
http://www.myspace.com/pressroom?url=/company+blog/myspace-new-simpler-privacy-setting.htm
Breaking – Facebook & Zynga Enter Into Long-Term Relationship
http://www.facebook.com/press/releases.php?p=162172
Is Google Building a Skype Competitor?
http://mashable.com/2010/05/18/google-acquires-global-ip-solutions/
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/google_buys_real-time_video_communications_company.php
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20005225-264.html
Hotmail getting upgraded
http://technologizer.com/2010/05/17/hotmail-heats-up-major-upgrade-on-its-way/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20005201-56.html
Mayors of Starbucks Now Get Discounts Nationwide with Foursquare
http://mashable.com/2010/05/17/starbucks-foursquare-mayor-specials/
Foursquare Growing Like Crazy: Up To 600,000 Check-Ins Per Day
http://www.businessinsider.com/foursquare-growing-like-crazy-up-to-600000-check-ins-per-day-2010-5
EFF: Forget cookies, your browser has fingerprints
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/051810-eff-forget-cookies-your-browser.html
Amazon says Kindle app for Android coming this summer
http://www.pcworld.com/article/196555/amazon_says_kindle_app_for_android_coming_this_summer.html
New species from ‘Lost World’ unveiled
http://news.cnet.com/2300-11386_3-10003477.html
Today’s featured Buzz Out Loud remix at the end of the show:
Donovan McLean!'''
http://podcast-files.cnet.com/podcast/BOLremix_DonovanMcLean.mp3
==Voicemail==
Matt the Navy IT guy on closed game platforms
==Emails==
Dear JaMoRa -
In Episode 1 of Year 0 of the New Glorious Era of BOL, you discussed the fact that people shouldn’t be exposing themselves to luminous screens at bedtime. As a psychiatrist, I know this one as Sleep Hygiene 101: Getting people to cut out TV, computers, well-lit rooms before bed can indeed make a big difference on the ease with which people fall asleep. (It has to do with how light acts at the hypothalamus’ suprachiasmatic nucleus to sync our body clocks). But Rafe raised an interesting question as to why a booklight wouldn’t be as problematic. That stumped me at first, but I think it MAY have to do with the contrast ratio and the size of the different media. LCD displays, at least compared to real paper, have lower contrast ratios (i.e., the black isn’t as black) and so, for a given level of legibility, you need more light (see extract from wikipedia, below). Also, the total illuminated area of the Ipad screen (or, moreso, of a laptop screen), being larger than your average paperback or kindle, creates a higher total luminous flux off the screen since every square centimeter of the screen is glowing. I’m not sure about this, but I think it could explain part of why a real book is better than an Ipad for nighttime reading. Better still is an audiobook.
Love the show. Good luck, Rafe! Couldn’t have hoped for a better choice.
– Dr. AJ
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Hey Buzz Crew,
I think what makes the Apple situation different than the console game industry is that companies making console games usually know whether or not an application will be approved by the console maker beforehand. With Apple’s unclear and ever-changing guidelines, developers are investing decent amounts of time and money with no idea if in the end Apple will allow them to actually sell the application.
Love the new theme!
Mike in Tampa
==After The Credits==