From my understanding of the situation (which could be wrong), this program did not change the IMEI. That specific IMEI is a special number thrown when they go in to "lockdown" mode. This was likely triggered by the updated software. You can make your origional IMEI show by booting your phone without a SIM card in place.
Then she (and I) will remain without cable, or narrow our choices to fewer channels. She just shared her price point for getting cable. Right now they aren't getting anything from us. If that is to change, they need to alter their services/prices to make it more of a value for us (that is, if they want our money. It may cost them X amount of dollars to set up the service and maintain our cable access, which could be more than we're willing to pay).
That's not a problem with something being open. That's a problem with unstable software / hardware. Unfortunately, that sometime can be associated with OSS (due to the nature of it). Hopefully, MythTV will evolve and become more stable. Just because this is an XML feed, doesn't mean you have to use MythTV (or every part of it). You use it with other DVR software/hardware, parts of MythTV that are reliable, or software you write yourself.
Well, with an open system you can do extra stuff. You could set up a web frontend where you can schedule your service. You could have your box email or sms you if it finds something you may like (and respond if you wish to record it). I'm sure there's many other things that I haven't even thought of that are available on an open system (or if your closed system company decides to allow you to do this via their implimentation).
Re:But there ARE additional benefits!
on
Kids Say Email is Dead
·
· Score: 3, Insightful
I still fail to see the benefit. I've never had a problem of who sent me a message (among my circle of friends). If I know them, they're in my address book and I see it was from them. I've never had a problem of emails spoofing my known contacts.
Yes they've authenticated with a third party, but it doesn't mean I know them or want them to message me. I get myspace message spam all the time.
The same benefits claimed could be accomplished with a white-list.
I may use my social networks differently than you do. Even though I don't even put my name on most of my profiles, I keep my network small and each of those people very likely have my email address. If I wanted to go all out, like many of my peers do, I could have one personal email address and one for business. Then there wouldn't be a problem posting it.
I see what you're saying, but I don't think utilizing email for these things would publicize your profile. Tagging pictures, "This is me vomiting on my cat after a Jess' birthday!! LOL!" would have a more significant effect.
Re:muggles still use e-mail, mail, phones, etc.
on
Kids Say Email is Dead
·
· Score: 5, Insightful
This is the thing the drives me nuts about all the social network messaging and whatnot. I've had friends say "I'll myspace you (something)." and I'd wonder why they couldn't just email it. Hell, myspace (and others) just send you an email to tell you that you have a private message. It makes things harder to search through (was that a myspace message, facebook message, forum pm, or email?). I can understand using it to keep your email addy private, but it shouldn't replace email, especially when there's no additional benefits.
I vehemently avoid installing ISP software (as well as most others). Recently, I set up a new DSL account with AT&T. I noticed it wanted to install software to create the pppoe account and set it on the modem. Since it's a one time thing, I looked for workarounds. Fortunately, they had alternate instructions for Vista (since their software didn't work quite right yet. That process was something like this:
assign generic l/p for pppoe
log in to intranet and go to special URL
for Vista, they then installed an activex thing that did the rest. When calling support, I assumed I had tried this before and walked the support person through it and he dropped a different URL with an html form to create my pppoe login/pass.
manually changed the pppoe l/p to the new one
My first sign I was on my own was when the tech said "launch Safari" and I responded with, "is Firefox okay? Because I'm already at the page." The tech said, "My instructions say Safari on Mac. Nothing else will work."
Re:Don't believe the hype
on
All Things iPhone
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
While "brand names" are usually looked down upon for being overpriced, they're brands because they offer an expectation. With Apple the common expectation is better-than-average design and innovative user interfaces. This may change (such as Disney Animations brand got diluted with things like straight-to-video releases), but it's enough to sell units even before seeing and using them.
Copyright infringement is a civil issue, not a criminal issue. I can understand if a town or city decides to use their resources to "clean up the streets," but the outcry of this article seems to be about using local police (paid by taxpayers) for what should be private investigation (paid by the RIAA/copyright holder).
Wikipedia mentions that to avoid patent problems some AAC OOS projects only release the source code (although, i fail to see how that can avoid the patents). Unfortunately, myself like many others cannot utilize it for just non-battery-constrained applications. I can't keep a separate copy of all my data for my music player and another copy for everything else.
I would like to use vorbis, but the the things I use (software and portable devices) don't support it. Personally, I prefer iTunes for music management. Lord have I tried Linux alternatives, since I use Linux more than Mac OS. Havent found anything I remotely like. Amarok even supports AAC playback. I also believe I've used other apps for encoding to AAC files. So unless this is a questionable implementation (like DeCSS is in some Linux apps), then Linux doesn't seem to have a problem with AAC.
Also few portable devices support vorbis. This could be because of the extra battery usage lowers their advertised performance or that their hardware isn't beefy enough to handle it or they're lazy. There's also no large push (like Apple or Microsoft) to support it. It's sad, but true.
Whoops, wrong on the not patented. Which is weird because I looked up the license fees for end users thing before posting. From the FAQ
Are there use fees for MPEG-4 Audio?
No. License fees are due on the sale of encoders and/or decoders only.... So, to be specific, my software needs one but I do not need to pay per encoding, to sell/distribute/stream data, or playback--which is was I was meaning to say as something aac has over mp3.
That's because it's a choice! We choose the convenience of watching it whenever/however we want for a bit of artifacting. Because it's our choice, we can use a higher bitrate or a better codec (that hasn't even been invented) if those options become available. Or better yet, a codec that takes advantage of whatever compression they used when transcoding it to the new format. That would only happen if their codec was open and standard.
A good friend of mine has Tivo and the shitty proprietary cable signal he got combined with a proprietary Tivo compression looked horrible. I hated watching saved shows and would very much prefer to watch shows live because they only had half the amount of artifacts. You're acting like we asked for the streaming compression they put on the signal. In fact, I have heard many complaints (to which I agree) that the amount of compression they put on cable lines are unacceptable. It's just sad when over the air signal is crisper than the one provided by a dedicated cable for the same TV stations!
You are also talking about are two completely different problems. I'm okay with AAC because it was
developed by a standards organization (so they own it, not a single entity).
it's not patented, so I don't need a license for encoding or playback.
it has low overhead for unencoding for playback.. something ogg lacks. This is very necessary for the long battery lives I also want.
I also don't see how using a Myth-tv box is an OSS-only mindset. Sounds like we want the choice of OSS or something proprietary (like Tivo)--we just want the interfacing to be open enough that we have a choice.
It makes it a lot easier when managing multiple inputs. Yes, for the final output to a display device (or speakers) you don't need the other signal, but it makes it a lot easier with attaching, switching inputs, troubleshooting, and cable management if both are on a single cable. For example my parents have a CD player, record player, VHS, DVD, and a cable tuner that they want to use. Many people also have multiple game systems. If the cable just transfers a digital signal, why not put the digital audio on there too?
Yes. That demand for free music is pretty tough to meet for a company that's trying to make money. Yeah, but while the pirated digital music is free, there is still a cost of time/effort associated with it (as cited in the passage you quoted referring to the ad-hock structure). This can be overcome with convenience and quality. I love the flash previews on sites like allofmp3.com and allaboutjazz.com. I also know that I will be getting a decent quality download. I would rather pay than spend the time getting shoddy files. The selection is a lot larger online too (a big draw for people).
People wanted digital downloads, and they received digital downloads with DRM. For a WHOLE lot of people, that was fine. Another segment of the population started demanding DRM-free digital downloads. Guess what? That's starting to happen now, too.
Inertia's a bitch. You can't expect a company to change overnight. They don't like to take risks. It's too risky.:) DRM is a bitch. I wouldn't go as far as to say DRM works for "a WHOLE lot of people." Perhaps many people most of the time. Everyone who bought DVDs to watch at home would likely want to watch them when traveling. DVDs kill batteries (since you have to physically move them), they take up space, and you need to buy a special compact player/viewer for them. It's a lot easier to put them on your laptop where you can fit many of them on a small drive.
A friend of mine planned to use Apple DRMed songs at their wedding. They dropped the tracks on a laptop and went off. Unfortunately, they didn't "authorize" that computer and there wasn't Internet access at the location. I doubt they cared about DRM up until that point.
They've had YEARS to work out a digital delivery system. They haven't even tried. It's too risky not to innovate. If someone does what you do better, then you're out of a job. They're lucky enough to have a monopoly, but even those fall (because they're lazy).
Possibly..possibly.. What innovation is being stifled by copyright? Do you actually think that the arts and sciences would be more promoted if artists didn't have a monopoly on their work? Obviously, these innovations have been stifled by copyright. It's not the artists who have a monopoly on their music, they signed that away. I definitely think arts and sciences will be better promoted after switching to a standard digital distribution system.
For music, now you don't have to ship physical copies to my region, you just need one. You can also organize it in as many categories as needed. No need to physically place it in one section or split up your stock in two or three. I have the option of putting in on a CD or listening to it on my iPod. I can also get it in the middle of the night (no need to pay for shipping or pay clerks to handle the transaction).
Movies get an even better deal. If theaters had a digital distribution system there would be more show times available. You wouldn't need to have multiple prints, rewind the film, or worry about damaged film. You also don't have to ship them or dispose of them. So more independent films can be accessible to the public (lower barrier to entry). Ticket prices (could) come down. You don't have to worry about the dirt/hair/scratches that collect on a film after being played all week, film weave, or many other problems.
Yes but every single one of those items you mention have been delayed since being publicly announced. I also think some of the steam is released in these pre-announcements. When I found out they plan to offer non-DRMed music, I was ready to go through my collection and seek out new music. The momentum for me has since slowed.
I'd rather hear about something when it's ready and available instead of plans that will get delayed and will likely be implemented differently than expected when announced. But I'm a consumer and not on wall street trying to guess the future of Apple.
One thing I do hate about cell phones is the quality of service is a lot lower. It's a big reason I don't have as many long phone conversations. I hate worrying about battery, signal quality, and if they heard what I'm saying.
Yeah, but at events like Cochella they can bring out mobile cell towers so people can get temporary service in the middle of the desert. Why can't this be achieved during emergencies too? When I lived in FL we lost power/phone after a hurricane it took a couple weeks to get service back (who knows how many buried/tangled lines they had to repair). For emergency service it sounds a lot easier to strategically place a few vans all over the town while restoring the local infrastructure.
The cool thing is that there has been stereoscopic films made, so people have already thought about these things (as long as they properly prepare/research them). I really want to see "Dial 'M' For Murder," a Hitchcock film that was originally shot in 3d. When watching it on DVD you can notice things that could be subtly effective in the stereoscopic medium that don't necessarily carry over directly to the flat version.
From what I hear the biggest cause of migraines were the fact they previously used two projectors. When the two films were a couple frames off, people would get headaches. This new system also uses a circular polarization, different from the vertical/horizontal polarization previously used. This should help with the 2 images bleeding across when you tilt your head. Also, this system was designed for digital projection (my guess is that a huge reason for the push is to get new, digital projectors to mass market). Digital projection will give you things like no black in between frames, clearer picture (especially for second run films), faster turnaround between showings (no rewinding of film), easier duplication/delivery (hopefully more independent films can reach a wider audience since there's less investment to get it there).
The only downside Ive heard is they have to use a silver screen instead of a white one (so it can better reflect polarized light). This makes the screen slightly blurry. But who says you have to use those new projectors exclusively for stereoscopic films?
I assume they did the comparison because they consider dSLRs the standard to measure by. While it's cool to see a comparison of the two. dSLRs and camera phones are meant for completely different audiences. What will likely be displaced is point & shoot cameras.
I dunno about that... I don't think their motives are resell you the same thing over and over. I do think they have a plan and are being very careful to see what the market is doing with what they have. I think the change in iTunes Music to remove DRM was bundled with the $0.30 price change and increased bitrate was just to make it more distinct from what they're offering right now. To me, they're plan seems to only give you simple, straightforward (and sometimes limited) options.
The iPod with Video was never really considered a Video iPod. By most of Apples release standards, it's due for an update. I think something will change with that soon. I've heard better things from other players (Zune, PSP) in regards to watching video compared to the iPod. My guess is the next iPod update will coincide with or be the next step or a part of Apple's infrastructure change for better video.
Apple MOV files already support multiple audio streams (for languages/commentary), text tracks (chapters and subtitles), multiple video streams (camera angles/bitrates), and a lot more. All in 1 MOV file. They're not utilizing what they currently have to even meet what a normal DVD offers--let alone taking advantage of having their own format and infrastructure to deliver it. Although, they are at the mercy of people's ISPs, and the adoption rate of (their's and other's) technology.
What about going over to someone's house and bringing your copy of a movie or tv show? What about lending it to them? This is the stuff DRM gets in the way with and makes stuff suck.
Well, ipods are a 'satellite' device. They're a endpoint for content, not a hub. So how about this: have a large file, with multiple streams (why not have multiple audio tracks like DVDs, too?). When syncing with the ipod, only eync the 320xwhatever video with the downsampled audio track. That way you get the small file size and a video track custom for a low powered, SD device, without sacrificing multiple languages, stereo/surround audio, HD and extra content.
Slashdot Mirror
From my understanding of the situation (which could be wrong), this program did not change the IMEI. That specific IMEI is a special number thrown when they go in to "lockdown" mode. This was likely triggered by the updated software. You can make your origional IMEI show by booting your phone without a SIM card in place.
Then she (and I) will remain without cable, or narrow our choices to fewer channels. She just shared her price point for getting cable. Right now they aren't getting anything from us. If that is to change, they need to alter their services/prices to make it more of a value for us (that is, if they want our money. It may cost them X amount of dollars to set up the service and maintain our cable access, which could be more than we're willing to pay).
That's not a problem with something being open. That's a problem with unstable software / hardware. Unfortunately, that sometime can be associated with OSS (due to the nature of it). Hopefully, MythTV will evolve and become more stable. Just because this is an XML feed, doesn't mean you have to use MythTV (or every part of it). You use it with other DVR software/hardware, parts of MythTV that are reliable, or software you write yourself.
Well, with an open system you can do extra stuff. You could set up a web frontend where you can schedule your service. You could have your box email or sms you if it finds something you may like (and respond if you wish to record it). I'm sure there's many other things that I haven't even thought of that are available on an open system (or if your closed system company decides to allow you to do this via their implimentation).
I still fail to see the benefit. I've never had a problem of who sent me a message (among my circle of friends). If I know them, they're in my address book and I see it was from them. I've never had a problem of emails spoofing my known contacts.
Yes they've authenticated with a third party, but it doesn't mean I know them or want them to message me. I get myspace message spam all the time.
The same benefits claimed could be accomplished with a white-list.
I may use my social networks differently than you do. Even though I don't even put my name on most of my profiles, I keep my network small and each of those people very likely have my email address. If I wanted to go all out, like many of my peers do, I could have one personal email address and one for business. Then there wouldn't be a problem posting it.
I see what you're saying, but I don't think utilizing email for these things would publicize your profile. Tagging pictures, "This is me vomiting on my cat after a Jess' birthday!! LOL!" would have a more significant effect.
This is the thing the drives me nuts about all the social network messaging and whatnot. I've had friends say "I'll myspace you (something)." and I'd wonder why they couldn't just email it. Hell, myspace (and others) just send you an email to tell you that you have a private message. It makes things harder to search through (was that a myspace message, facebook message, forum pm, or email?). I can understand using it to keep your email addy private, but it shouldn't replace email, especially when there's no additional benefits.
- assign generic l/p for pppoe
- log in to intranet and go to special URL
- for Vista, they then installed an activex thing that did the rest. When calling support, I assumed I had tried this before and walked the support person through it and he dropped a different URL with an html form to create my pppoe login/pass.
- manually changed the pppoe l/p to the new one
My first sign I was on my own was when the tech said "launch Safari" and I responded with, "is Firefox okay? Because I'm already at the page." The tech said, "My instructions say Safari on Mac. Nothing else will work."While "brand names" are usually looked down upon for being overpriced, they're brands because they offer an expectation. With Apple the common expectation is better-than-average design and innovative user interfaces. This may change (such as Disney Animations brand got diluted with things like straight-to-video releases), but it's enough to sell units even before seeing and using them.
Copyright infringement is a civil issue, not a criminal issue. I can understand if a town or city decides to use their resources to "clean up the streets," but the outcry of this article seems to be about using local police (paid by taxpayers) for what should be private investigation (paid by the RIAA/copyright holder).
Wikipedia mentions that to avoid patent problems some AAC OOS projects only release the source code (although, i fail to see how that can avoid the patents). Unfortunately, myself like many others cannot utilize it for just non-battery-constrained applications. I can't keep a separate copy of all my data for my music player and another copy for everything else.
I would like to use vorbis, but the the things I use (software and portable devices) don't support it. Personally, I prefer iTunes for music management. Lord have I tried Linux alternatives, since I use Linux more than Mac OS. Havent found anything I remotely like. Amarok even supports AAC playback. I also believe I've used other apps for encoding to AAC files. So unless this is a questionable implementation (like DeCSS is in some Linux apps), then Linux doesn't seem to have a problem with AAC.
Also few portable devices support vorbis. This could be because of the extra battery usage lowers their advertised performance or that their hardware isn't beefy enough to handle it or they're lazy. There's also no large push (like Apple or Microsoft) to support it. It's sad, but true.
From the FAQ Are there use fees for MPEG-4 Audio?
No. License fees are due on the sale of encoders and/or decoders only.
A good friend of mine has Tivo and the shitty proprietary cable signal he got combined with a proprietary Tivo compression looked horrible. I hated watching saved shows and would very much prefer to watch shows live because they only had half the amount of artifacts. You're acting like we asked for the streaming compression they put on the signal. In fact, I have heard many complaints (to which I agree) that the amount of compression they put on cable lines are unacceptable. It's just sad when over the air signal is crisper than the one provided by a dedicated cable for the same TV stations!
You are also talking about are two completely different problems. I'm okay with AAC because it was
I also don't see how using a Myth-tv box is an OSS-only mindset. Sounds like we want the choice of OSS or something proprietary (like Tivo)--we just want the interfacing to be open enough that we have a choice.
It makes it a lot easier when managing multiple inputs. Yes, for the final output to a display device (or speakers) you don't need the other signal, but it makes it a lot easier with attaching, switching inputs, troubleshooting, and cable management if both are on a single cable. For example my parents have a CD player, record player, VHS, DVD, and a cable tuner that they want to use. Many people also have multiple game systems. If the cable just transfers a digital signal, why not put the digital audio on there too?
Inertia's a bitch. You can't expect a company to change overnight. They don't like to take risks. It's too risky.
A friend of mine planned to use Apple DRMed songs at their wedding. They dropped the tracks on a laptop and went off. Unfortunately, they didn't "authorize" that computer and there wasn't Internet access at the location. I doubt they cared about DRM up until that point.
They've had YEARS to work out a digital delivery system. They haven't even tried. It's too risky not to innovate. If someone does what you do better, then you're out of a job. They're lucky enough to have a monopoly, but even those fall (because they're lazy). Possibly..possibly.. What innovation is being stifled by copyright? Do you actually think that the arts and sciences would be more promoted if artists didn't have a monopoly on their work? Obviously, these innovations have been stifled by copyright. It's not the artists who have a monopoly on their music, they signed that away. I definitely think arts and sciences will be better promoted after switching to a standard digital distribution system.
For music, now you don't have to ship physical copies to my region, you just need one. You can also organize it in as many categories as needed. No need to physically place it in one section or split up your stock in two or three. I have the option of putting in on a CD or listening to it on my iPod. I can also get it in the middle of the night (no need to pay for shipping or pay clerks to handle the transaction).
Movies get an even better deal. If theaters had a digital distribution system there would be more show times available. You wouldn't need to have multiple prints, rewind the film, or worry about damaged film. You also don't have to ship them or dispose of them. So more independent films can be accessible to the public (lower barrier to entry). Ticket prices (could) come down. You don't have to worry about the dirt/hair/scratches that collect on a film after being played all week, film weave, or many other problems.
My bad, the iPhone hasn't been delayed. I'm sure that by now if they were to delay, it would have to be something very serious. AppleTv was.
Yes but every single one of those items you mention have been delayed since being publicly announced. I also think some of the steam is released in these pre-announcements. When I found out they plan to offer non-DRMed music, I was ready to go through my collection and seek out new music. The momentum for me has since slowed.
I'd rather hear about something when it's ready and available instead of plans that will get delayed and will likely be implemented differently than expected when announced. But I'm a consumer and not on wall street trying to guess the future of Apple.
One thing I do hate about cell phones is the quality of service is a lot lower. It's a big reason I don't have as many long phone conversations. I hate worrying about battery, signal quality, and if they heard what I'm saying.
Yeah, but at events like Cochella they can bring out mobile cell towers so people can get temporary service in the middle of the desert. Why can't this be achieved during emergencies too? When I lived in FL we lost power/phone after a hurricane it took a couple weeks to get service back (who knows how many buried/tangled lines they had to repair). For emergency service it sounds a lot easier to strategically place a few vans all over the town while restoring the local infrastructure.
The cool thing is that there has been stereoscopic films made, so people have already thought about these things (as long as they properly prepare/research them). I really want to see "Dial 'M' For Murder," a Hitchcock film that was originally shot in 3d. When watching it on DVD you can notice things that could be subtly effective in the stereoscopic medium that don't necessarily carry over directly to the flat version.
From what I hear the biggest cause of migraines were the fact they previously used two projectors. When the two films were a couple frames off, people would get headaches. This new system also uses a circular polarization, different from the vertical/horizontal polarization previously used. This should help with the 2 images bleeding across when you tilt your head. Also, this system was designed for digital projection (my guess is that a huge reason for the push is to get new, digital projectors to mass market). Digital projection will give you things like no black in between frames, clearer picture (especially for second run films), faster turnaround between showings (no rewinding of film), easier duplication/delivery (hopefully more independent films can reach a wider audience since there's less investment to get it there).
The only downside Ive heard is they have to use a silver screen instead of a white one (so it can better reflect polarized light). This makes the screen slightly blurry. But who says you have to use those new projectors exclusively for stereoscopic films?
I assume they did the comparison because they consider dSLRs the standard to measure by. While it's cool to see a comparison of the two. dSLRs and camera phones are meant for completely different audiences. What will likely be displaced is point & shoot cameras.
I dunno about that... I don't think their motives are resell you the same thing over and over. I do think they have a plan and are being very careful to see what the market is doing with what they have. I think the change in iTunes Music to remove DRM was bundled with the $0.30 price change and increased bitrate was just to make it more distinct from what they're offering right now. To me, they're plan seems to only give you simple, straightforward (and sometimes limited) options.
The iPod with Video was never really considered a Video iPod. By most of Apples release standards, it's due for an update. I think something will change with that soon. I've heard better things from other players (Zune, PSP) in regards to watching video compared to the iPod. My guess is the next iPod update will coincide with or be the next step or a part of Apple's infrastructure change for better video.
Apple MOV files already support multiple audio streams (for languages/commentary), text tracks (chapters and subtitles), multiple video streams (camera angles/bitrates), and a lot more. All in 1 MOV file. They're not utilizing what they currently have to even meet what a normal DVD offers--let alone taking advantage of having their own format and infrastructure to deliver it. Although, they are at the mercy of people's ISPs, and the adoption rate of (their's and other's) technology.
I see good things happening soon.
What about going over to someone's house and bringing your copy of a movie or tv show? What about lending it to them? This is the stuff DRM gets in the way with and makes stuff suck.
Well, ipods are a 'satellite' device. They're a endpoint for content, not a hub. So how about this: have a large file, with multiple streams (why not have multiple audio tracks like DVDs, too?). When syncing with the ipod, only eync the 320xwhatever video with the downsampled audio track. That way you get the small file size and a video track custom for a low powered, SD device, without sacrificing multiple languages, stereo/surround audio, HD and extra content.