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Sony plans to release new toy: Airboard

Posted by timothy on from the would-buy-one-for-my-sweetheart dept.

valmont: "The folks at cnet have this article about Sony's latest toy: The Airboard. It seems to merge all kinds of wild stuff in a pad hooked to a base station with TV Antenna and wireless modem: simultaneous TV and Internet/web browsing, remote-controlling of home appliances. Looks pretty nifty ..." And considering that Sony is hep to Transmeta, I wonder what chip and OS will power this thing.

3 of 66 comments (clear)

  1. Memories of a goldfish. by deusx · · Score: 4

    Now, I know this is proper News for Nerds, and some Nerds don't care squat about the Napster thing, but anyone remember:

    Aug 23, 2000: Sony VP on Stopping Napster

    "The [music] industry will take whatever steps it needs to protect itself and protect its revenue streams. It will not lose that revenue stream, no matter what... Sony is going to take aggressive steps to stop this... We will develop technology that transcends the individual user. We will firewall Napster at source -- we will block it at your cable company, we will block it at your phone company, we will block it at your [Internet-service provider]. We will firewall it at your PC."

    Whether you give squat about Napster, you do need to remember that this is a corporation who apparently wants to sell you on products which will be the gatekeepers to your access to the internet. Not for your convenience, but to protect their REVENUE STREAMS. (Read: not artists, not property, not people, but HOW MUCH MONEY THEY CAN GET FROM YOU )

    Granted, that's what most companies are after, but many seem to do it more tactfully than this. I've canceled my future purchases of Sony hardware and products (although I admit the PS2 is tempting) because of this stance. Not advocating an organized boycott, but I figured I might be yet another one of those people who won't let this down.

    I mean they're counting on you to be a goldfish:

    "Not in MY PC, not in MY CABLE MODEM!

    Not in MY-- ooh... shiny, purple.. buttons... VaaaaIIIIIooo.."

  2. The ultimate couch potato... by FreeJack1 · · Score: 5
    Your day will consist of nothing more than:
    9:45am - wake up and roll over.
    9:50am - devour tube of scrambled eggs w/ french toast.
    10:00am - Reach over and switch on "Airboard".
    10:05am - Begin day of telecommuting, teleconferencing and all kinds of telecrap!
    6:45pm - you feel sleepy, use "Airboard" to switch on TV across the room.
    7:20pm - Nothing on TV, you switch everything off and roll your lard ass over and go back to sleep. You've had a busy day you little buckaroo! Get some rest, you deserve it.

    No thanks, I like actually doing physical work and exercising.


    --

    Vote Homer Simpson for President!

  3. those rascally norwegians by happystink · · Score: 5
    The hackers are obviously still posting stories, because this one is actually somewhat interesting, and has nothing to do with napster, cuecat, intellectual property or DeCss. Message to hackers: Do not give slashdot back, please.

    sig:

    --

    sig:
    See the "..for smart people" banners Wired runs here? Look elsewhere guys.